My Chaotic Realm

I have not blogged in almost 7 weeks... that means there was no there has been no accountability posts since April. ARGHHHH In my defense May ended with my annual birthday camping trip AND with one of my co-workers being told to find employment elsewhere. So down to 9 teammates instead of the required 10-11. That means I worked at least 4 days a week in June. I did manage to scrapbook the B-Day pictures though. Speaking of June...that month started with my annual "All Class Reunion". Back home to Bandera we went-even the dogs! Took the camper this time, still stayed at my Dad's place. Mid-June saw us at the IMMS educational booth @ Jones Park during the summer shindig there. Got a tooth from a mackerel & a crow shark. Came away more educated because I didn't even know there were such sharks! we both also did some rubbings...lots of fun. And just when I had become somewhat used to working 4 days a week, teammate #9 quit at the end of June. No notice, no warnin...

THIS song has been in my head for last several days... wow...1984? So... off the rest of this week...about freakin' time. Working 9 weekends in a row was getting really old.... today I have gotten glasses fixed, mowed front & back yard, recovered from mild heat stroke, joined a gym, dealt with 401k & stock plans for work... have not gotten around to lunch yet so that is nxt on my list. Had protein shake for breakfast so getting kinda hungry. Tomorrow is appt with Todd from Window King, art tutorial created for Friday's class, making June birthday cards & a father's day card, pen pal letters written, oil change...and on & on. My Friday is filled already, as is Saturday, with FUN non-work related events!

A friend's daughter is getting married in May... the color theme is pink & black & white. Here is today's card I made for the upcoming nuptials. This is a gatefold 5.25x5.25 card & will have a vellum envelope for mailing. There will be a tutorial if you are interested in one of my classes.

I have been using the SU Snowflake thinlit dies to make cards that are gift card holders... here ya go! For tutorials, come see me on free art friday!

Taught a card making class last night and several people were absent due to football and travel, so here are the 2 cards I taught ... If you would like to have a one-on-one for these, just let me know... available during weekdays to meet up as well :-) Fold & Flip Card Supplies • Double sided Card stock cut to 5.5x12 inches (if don’t have 2 sided, can glue two thinner sheets together, white side to white side to make double sided and thicker) • Adhesive, both glue & dimensional (pop dots, foam tape, etc) • 3.5x5”Solid color card stock (inside panel mat) • 3x4.5” Lighter color card stock (to write on) Instructions Score (landscape oriented) card stock @ 2” 4” 8” & 10” Fold inward on the 4” & 8” lines to make a “gatefold” card Fold the 2 front flaps outward on the 2” & 10” score lines Open card completely and mark 2.75” down from top edge Line 2.75” mark AND the top of the 4” score mark up on cutter blade (or use a ruler and X-Acto) and cut off top...

This is my first ever Creative Challenge submission. Thought I would go ahead and make one for camping since my bestie & I just got back from a wonder-filled 8 days of camping and hiking and sights. Here is the sketch that we had to follow: I distressed the edges of the mat & background pieces. Banner Framelits used for mat under lantern. Lantern is stamped on leftover piece of pool party paper where I used scalloped edge punch on (under sentiment). The sentiment & the lantern are from "The Great Outdoors" stamp set. All supplies are StampinUp! and are available from my online store (see links below). Neutrals 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock $6.95 The Great Outdoors Clear Stamp Set $21.95 Scallop Edge Border Punch $15.95 Banners Framelits Die $26.95 Subtles 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock $6.95 Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Today I have been cutting and measuring and cutting some more. Getting the supplies ready for my workshop next week. So far I have put together "Make & Take" kits for one project and 1 card per attendee. Took more time than I thought it would but I think that is because I sat down and made one of both as a demo piece. Here is the card project sample... I also made migas for breakfast, fixed a rosary for a friend at church AND finished editing the monthly newsletter for the Harrison County Gem & Mineral Society. It is now at the printers for those who choose not to have it emailed. Those who chose email have gotten it in their inboxes already. So, now for a break, maybe some popcorn. Not sure yet what I am cooking for dinner tonight and I have to cook all 3 meals for work tomorrow. Sheeesh

I made a card using a mask for the moon then sponging pink piroutte, pumpkin pie & rich razzleberry inks over it. Used the tree stamp from the Le Jardin Botanique set and thin black ribbon around left side, Next, I mounted it on a 5.5x4.25" whisper white base. Stamped the sentiment from Whimsical Words. and there you are, a card in less than 5 minutes, start to finish.

Have you ever needed a card fast? Who hasn't! Here is a simple technique to create layering pieces for making 8 cards with just 2 pieces of cardstock & 8 card bases. Simply adhere these pieces to the card bases and you're set! Today's card was created using pink piroutte, pool party and confetti white papers and inks and stamps from the asian artistry set. The tutorial will let you in on how to make 8 of these in less than 15 minutes!! How awesome is that?! cheeky So, here is the tutorial for portrait oriented cards:: CARD BASES (Portrait Orientation) You need 4 sheets coordinating 8.5x11, cut @ 5.5” & scored & 4.25” for 8 bases COLORED CARDSTOCK (Matting pieces) Cut your cardstock in half lengthways to 4 1/4" x 11". Cut those 2 resulting pieces in half to become 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Cut those 4 resulting pieces in half to become 4 1/4" x 2 3/4" You will now have 8 pieces of colored cardstock NEUTRAL CARDSTOCK (Focal p...

Well, busy day here on the beach... so busy I forgot to eat lunch! Anyways, I have done a card for today and so let me post it and tell you what I did! Supplies • Ink pads in 3 coordinating colors (or can just use 1 color) • Background paper (mine is a left over scrap from one of those 12x12 paper pads) 5.5x4.25 • Card Base(A2) 5.5 x 4.25 folded size • Ribbon or washi tape 9about 6 inches) • Floral stamp (any will do, see sample) • Scrap paper for banner (see below) • Adhesive of choice AND a dimensional adhesive (can be pop dots, foam tape, whatever for layering) Instructions Stamp a floral image3 times (once each on 3 different scraps of paper) Fussy cut around the 3 floral images and set aside Emboss the background paper with a cuttlebug folder (again, any will do) Add ribbon or washi tape near bottom edge of background paper and adhere Adhere background paper to front of card base (landscape oriented) Make banner from scrap piece of paper (mine is 1” by 5.5”)...

So, tried an iris folding card today as we were talking about it Tuesday evening at the Bankhouse Coffeeshop during our paper craft meeting this week. It is a 1/2 fold tall card, requires no extra postage to send, and has sentiment printed on the inside. This one took about 40 mins, start to finish. that means cutting out the shape, cutting and folding the paper strips, patterning the paper strips and securing at the end, then mounting to a card & printing sentiment. Not too bad... gets quicker if strips already folded (they are, somewhere in a box...) and shapes already cut out (nope, those are not done ahead of time, darn it).

And no, I DON'T think it is the 4th of July. .. I'm quite sure it is March 12th, 2011. My brain is not at all fried. In fact, between the Prasada @ Good Karma Cafe , the Acupuncture & Massage with Laureli and the Yoga with Adam , I am probably in the best health I have ever been! Stormed here a bit this week.. a coupla tornadoes , even, but we are fine, and dry. Storage pop-up in back yard made it through just peachy, as well. Spent yesterday making some cards.. got a tad over a dozen done, to add to the rest I have finished earlier in the week. Will put those for sale @ Good Karma Tuesday, and maybe at the Essential Herb Cottage as well. Been trying to create create create so I can sell some at the local weekend farmer's market as well as those 2 other locations. Alright, here is a card from this week...enjoy, and may your weekend be filled with blessings!

or so the card says... I am getting ready to go to Good Karma Medley for prasada.. YUM! Also to help Maharani set up some sort of social media in order to post the days menu, items that are newly arrived, etc.... but, here is this morning's effort, along with finding most of the supplies I was looking for and setting up/sorting my art office :-)

this was another "recycled greeting" as it was made from things that were part of a package given to me. I stamped the tiny word stamp over the image and added a few rub-on stickers then mounted to 5x7 cardbase. :-)

"... on a Sunday morning banging my head" This is the refrain running through my head every time I awoke last night... too funny, considering Sunday was a Migraine Day. But, lemme tell ya.. if you have a migraine, the best place to be is at your acupuncturist's. Thank Goddess... when I got panicky about the pain not receding, I get "Would you like for me to do a treatment on you?". Crap, why didn't I think of THAT option 7 hours EARLIER?!?! So, couple of notes:: Note to self: before taking Rx meds that cause as much issue as the pain they did NOT take away, call your acupuncturist. Note to readers: if you don't have an acupuncturist, call me & I will give you the #. Card is: recycled backing strip you get with sticker sheets and a ribbon, green cardstock, sticker from aforementioned sheet and a sentiment stamped with VersaMark & embossed with blue EP, all mounted on ivory file folder that was recycled & cut to A4 card size.

... to your dreams. This card is DSP, subber stamp & GellyRollz pens :-) and off to work I go...

funny song title since I did NOT want to wake up this morning...argh! However, it is now "summer" officially, so here is a summer card for ya. Some of those 89 images I lost were recently made cards so am still a tad sick about that, but oh well. WIll just have to make more tonight :-)

I know some things that you don't I've done things that you won't There's nothing like a trail of blood to find your way back home I was waiting for my hearse What came next was so much worse It took a funeral to make me feel alive Just open your eyes Just open your eyes And see that life is beautiful. So, last night I downloaded 121 pics off my camera, only to accidentally delete 89 of them inadvertently. ARGH. So those precious moments now exist only in my head.. I am okay with that. Life is, after all, fleeting. Enjoy it now, then hold on to the memories, if you can. And, don't try to move pictures late at night when you SHOULD be in bed... Card is rice paper with matching cardstocks.

If I could walk on water, If I could tell you what’s next... Make you believe, make you forget... Today's random reading reminded me that Universal Law is impartial. It gives me anything that I believe . It throws me garbage or roses, based on the energy that I put forth. I am the one in charge and I must accept this and -at times- stand alone in doing so. I thought that tied in rather nicely with this morning's song. I can't walk in water, I wont always be right, I can't tell you what is next, and I don't have the answers for anyone except myself. And that is the only person's problems that I need to fix. Maybe forgetting is the easiest way, but it will not solve the issues that require my attention. Those require change, and that is up to me... and only me. With all of that said, the card is a dragonfly hovering over a vase of flowers. Rubber stamped vase & flowers, colored with JellyRoll pens, and a 3D word sticker & dragonfly. In many cultur...

12:01am and I am singing this song... so I ask myself 2 things this morning... 1) why was I awake? (sigh) and 2) what is Source trying to say when I am STILL singing it @ 6am when the alarm goes off? I will say, tho, that if you do not click on the link above, you are missing a GREAT video. I did not choose the original video by SMB... I chose footage of an actual Bald Eagle. Nicely done video! No card today, spent too much time learning to work on various other websites this weekend as well as how to change the oil in my Harley :-) Stay tuned for more greeting cards later...