Thank GOD it's Monday! Not.

Happy birthday, Lily!  My bf's niece turns 9 on Thursday, so we sang to her yesterday and gave her this card (and another, older one).  She rides horses, so it's quite fitting.  I am in love with my Vagabond, and now that I have a few embossing folders and some dies to use with it, it's even more fun.  So, I used the tiny dots folder to emboss the white cardstock that the horsey is standing on, and the patterned paper's edges were inked in glue and then dipped in brown glitter.  It's really subtle, but I think in person it pops more.  The grass was an afterthought, and now that I look at this card, I realize I should've added a little carrot for the horse -- rats!  Next time.

I have been trying to get more stuff to go with my Vagabond and use it more, so this weekend, I raided a Michael's sale and (with my 40% off coupon) got myself a Nestibilities (scalloped circles).  I brought it home and ran one through my Vag, but nothing happened!  I was SO confused, so I read the directions (durrrh) and found out that I'd need an extra shim, or whatever they're called, an adaptor shim (sounds like a tranny).  So, after I cursed Tim  Holtz, I decided I wasn't going to go out and buy another part, but I'd make it on my own.  I gathered all my cardboard (backs from paper pads, etc) and cut them into the shape of the shim, and made it the exact thickness of it, as well.  After gluing all the pieces together, I ran it through again and it worked!  SO, the moral of the story is: don't buy it if you can make it, ya big dummy!  I outsmarted old TH, and it feels pretty good.

Here's another card I made recently:

It's not such a great pic, but you get it, right?  I used my scallops cutter (Fiskars, I think, it's only broken down once) and then cut out each individual scallop to make little tags.  I used some yellow & white baker's twine to hang them on and that's it.  I think this is a good one to duplicate for Valentine's Day, coming up.  I need to supply the office with tasteful handmade cards. ;)

I made this sympathy card for a co-worker who just lost her brother... so sorry, Vilma! :(

I LOVE the paper on this card... it's double-sided, and the black newsprint banner is the backside.  I used my die to cut the little placard and inked the sentiment with individual letters.  These butterflies are from a LONG time ago... I've held onto these suckers for years, I'm sure.  Finally, I've used the last ones!  It's tough to make a sympathy card, you must be sincere, not too flashy or bright, but not so depressing that the point of the card is missed.  I think I shoudn't have used black on it, but next time I'll know that going in. 

That's all for now, folks.  I'm going to work on Valentine's cards this week, until the 14th and will post them as I go. :)

XO

Lotta Business!

This is my Anabella, just under four months old and look how CHUBBY she's gotten!  She is still on milk only, I can only imagine what solid food will do for her little body! :)  She's doing really well, she has started going in the pool at home with her Mama and Grandma (while her Mama's at work), and from what I hear, she likes it.  She smiles ALL the time, and barfs a lot, too.  I guess this is normal??

HOW CUTE IS SHE?????  I don't think I'm a bad judge, because I love her so much, I really think she's just too cute for words.

So, my cards have suffered lately for a few reasons: my Cricut cutting has taken over my LIFE at home after work, dinner and cleanup, and simply because I'm a little tapped out of ideas.  It happens, but I hate it.  Here's what I have made in the past week, or so:

This was made for a co-worker who has just lost her Dad :(  I said "condolence", is that wrong??? It occurred to me later... Hmm.

I made this card for my friend Vjera, she had her 34th birthday last weekend, and we celebrated, just us ladies; it was so much fun, I loved seeing all the girls and catching up.  She liked the card, and that night, I gave her the milk & apple "I love us" card.  She wanted to give it to Jasper.

I have been tied up with my Cricut, like I mentioned earlier, doing tons of die cuts.  I have four cartridges, but they've done okay keeping me busy; here's some of the dies I've made very recently:

The apples are four layers, but how cute are they?  The panda and bowl of noodles just made me fall over, I ended up making this set in 2, 3 and 4" each.  I'll figure out a way to use them all, somehow... hahah.  Wouldn't that be some crap if I just couldn't figure out how to use all the dies I have (collecting in a box on my desk)? 

Forgot this card that I made for Chrissy, she and her husband just had a baby girl; they named her Gianna... :)

I used a big piece of cardstock so that the actual card space (room for signing inside) would be larger than the average.  I think it's a bit too pink, but what can you do??? I needed to use the girl sentiments, so there you go.  We had a time figuring out how to NOT buy Anabella girly, pink clothes before she came... her Mama said NO PINK!  Anyway, that's it for today.  I have a meeting at 3pm and I'm off!

XO