It followed me home... Can I keep it???

This is what I brought back home with me today (see previous post about needing to clear out!!!!!)

My name is Lanette and I cannot refuse a bargain... one booth had 'fill a gallon ziploc' for $10! I got a PearlEx Interference Pad and I don't even know what to do with it!!!!!

Wahoo!

I am happy to announce that I've had another card chosen for the TAC website. Faithful readers of the blog will recognize the pinetree I made using the fern from the "Pressed Flowers" set. I was hoping it would win the "Monochromatic Madness" contest that I had entered it in, but alas... it wasn't meant to be! Nevertheless, it's always exciting to see my creations on the web! Here's the link if you're interested http://www.theangelcompany.net/artgallery.html

A shameless post!

So, today was the Scrappin/Stampin Flea Market. I got rid of some stuff, but not enough! AND, I came home with new stuff (I got lots of bargains, but it DID defeat the purpose!!!) I did come home with more cash than I left with, but I need to clear out. So, I've listed some TAC sets on ebay because they need to go. I have more, but I got tired of listing, so I decided to call it a night. Anyway, here's the link if you want to take a look:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZprvrbs31galQQhtZ-1

Christmas in April

I made these for a swap on PCMB. It's one of my last out-standing swaps, and I think I'm going to be taking a break. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO straighten out my craft room. It's a horrible sty right now and I can't find anything. So, I'm getting ready for the Stamp/Scrap flea market this weekend and a lot of stuff is going!!!!! (I'll probably end up spending as much as I make, but at least I'll have NEW stuff to clutter up the room!)

Anyway, back to the card... simple. I stickled the tree and stampled the sentiment and those are the only embellishments. The patterned paper is from The Christmas Stack by DCWV.

And, before I forget, TAC has given us a sneak peak of the new catalogue! Go to www.theangelcompany.net and click on the Fruitti GWP link in the left-hand column! I can't wait to place an order to get mine free!!!!!!!! I love the bright and sassy look of this paper and think it will make some GREAT looking cards with the Michael's cow :-)

I got Wendy's swap back today!!!

It's hard to believe that it was almost TWO months ago that I posted about my adventure trying to get into Wendy Johnson's swap on the Papercrafts board. Well, it was worth the hassle! Aren't these the most gorgeous cards? I made NONE of them... they were all made by the talented ladies who were lucky enough to get into the swap. (Wendy's is the top left one). I had to share! I think if you click on the picture, it'll open a larger version.

Udderly Adorable

So, I decided to use some of my on-sale paper from Michael's, along with the dollar-stamp cow, to see what I could come up with. These are 2 of the 8 that I did, using the 3 sheets of patterned paper. The inside says "Sorry it's pasture birthday!" How cute is that??????

My taxes are done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That means I no longer have to feel guilty about stamping instead of doing them. We're getting almost $5,000 back (won't happen again next year, since we're upping our exemptions... no more free loans for Uncle Sam from us!) and Stephen has already announced he's buying the boxed set of Monty Python and several other equally as wonderful (yeah right!) items. Unfortunately, I think I've already spent my allotment, so I'm not even going to try to spend more!

I made these maternity cards for a boutique in NJ who needed more. I used only paper from my scrap bin, so I was pretty pleased that I was able to make over a dozen of them! They ARE plain, but I was in a simple mood, so what can I say?

Heads up!!!!

Michael's has their awesome 12x12 paper on sale this week for 4/$1.00. Considering it's normally 59 cents, that's a great deal. I made sure I was there when they opened the doors on Sunday morning, and I got ONE HUNDRED SHEETS OF PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I figured I'd better hurry up and use it. I made these using a stamp for the dollar bin. I used to be a stamp snob and not look at them, thinking they were cheezy images and poorly mounted. But now, I go rummaging and usually find a new one to use every time I go!

Anyway, it's hard to tell in the picture, but I paper-pieced the roof and door of the house to match the patterned paper, so they look really cute.

I like this one best...

May be it's because it's so simple and rustic, but this is my favorite card from those I've made using this set. The hardest part was trying to set the eyelets without waking up the girls. Ironically, I just told Shanie last night (as she was singing the praises of her Silent Setter) that I didn't use eyelets enough to justify buying one. So, I took my tools into the empty apartment next door and pounded away. Let's just say that the echo was unbelievable!!!

I've been busy!

Thank goodness American Idol isn't on more than twice a week or I'd never get any cards made. It's bad enough that my house is so messy!!! But I HAD to play with my new stamps tonight. If ever you want to challenge yourself, try to make a card using just black and white. They are tricky to come up with but always turn out great.

One more before bed...

Another card I did tonight from the Fanciful Flowers set. I can't decide if I like it, or not. What I DO like is these stamps with the watercolor crayons... beeeeutiful!

My new favorite set

Played around tonight with the Fanciful Flowers set I got... I was supposed to be doing my taxes, but who wants to do that???? (In fairness, they are all done. I did them by hand, I just need to input everything into the computer and e-file).

I am loving this set. So you're going to be seeing a lot of it for the next few days... I'm doing another TAC Spring Supplement Swap, so I've got to make cards for it and have them mailed by the 9th. Wish me luck!

I've been using purple a lot lately. I HATE PURPLE. Or, I used to, anyway. This card needs something, but I'm not sure what. I tried a ribbon but it didn't do the trick. I have to sleep on it.

You made me love you... I didn't wanna do it...

No, I didn't want to do it...

But I got hooked on ATCs anyway. For those of you who may not know what they are... they are Artistic Trading Cards... 2.5 x 3.5" pieces of paper decorated anywhich way you please. Those from my generation will remember Garbage Pail Kids... these are the same, only for adults to trade. So, last week I joined my first ATC swap and gave it a go (we had to use the new papers from Basic Grey.) This is what I came up with, and now I am hooked.

What do you do with them besides trade them, you ask? Add them to a card front, use them on scrapbook pages, or put your favorites in a baseball card binder (they are the same size) and hoard them!

Mother of the Year Award

So, the very nice UPS man brought me a box today from TAC. Of course I was anxious to open it and mount my stamps so I could use them tonight. Joanna was sleeping and Abby was playing, so I sat down at the table and started cutting. Abby decided it looked interesting, so she pulled up the chair next to me and started playing with my rubber scraps. I wasn't really paying THAT much attention, since she was right next to me and I didn't want to make a wrong cut! So, once the first set was cut, I looked up... and this is why she was being so quiet! She also had a piece on her nose, too... but took it off while I ran for the camera.

Her stamping is coming along quite nicely... the other day I was inking up a sponge and 'antiquing' the edge of a card (those of you who know me know that I use this technique on everything!!!). She whined until I gave her her own sponge, at which point she started sponging her scrap paper. It was too cute. Thank goodness for washable ink because she had it all over herself... "Black ink mommy wash all clean!"

And I think she knows what Michael's is now. The other day while my folks were here visiting I stopped to make a quick trip in. Joanna was sleeping, so I was going to leave everyone in the car. Before I could shut my door Abby was saying "Abby come too please!" So of course I had to take her with me. She managed to wrangle 2 more stamps from the dollar bin. I'm such a sucker!

The Same, but Different

I have had a blast making these cards. I ran out of the pink and beige patterned papers, so I decided to try a different combination. Neccessity is the mother of invention, right? These are also Wild Asparagus papers. LOVE THEM! The next batch I make, I think I will print the Monogram in Bold and also make it a little bigger. What do you think?

Another PC Pro Swap

So it was announced a few weeks ago that another one of the PC Pro's would be hosting a swap (see previous drama about getting into Wendy Johnson's Swap). Today was the day it was going to be posted. So, after getting back from lunch out with my parents, I hopped on to see if I'd missed it. Nope! As a matter of fact, she had just listed it. So I joined. Yay!

Problem is... the theme of the swap is die-cuts and stamps. Now, the stamps I have no problem with, as you well know. However, I do not own a die-cut machine and have no desire to own one. Solution... I hopped on e-bay and found some die-cut file folders under the Buy It Now option. So, they are on their way and I already have something in mind for them. Can't wait to start playing.

On another note, I am going crazy with the card I posted yesterday. I have B (for both baby and birthday) and H (for home... several friends are moving) and am out of paper or I'd do more. May be just may be Michael's will have their patterned paper on sale soon and I can really stock up. 59 cents a sheet is much cheaper than at the LSS, but not real cheap when you need dozens of sheets!!!