NEW BLOG BANNER--IT FINALLY WORKED!!!!

It's not exactly the way I designed it (it's a bit stretched and I lost my fancy typeset), but it's here! It's prettier, too! It's quite fitting that I was able to get the banner uploaded tonight since I used all brand new products in the photo AND since the brand new catalog goes into effect tomorrow. A new color scheme on the blog would be very nice, but I think I'll leave things alone for now.

TODAY

So I hadn't been up very long this morning when a black Suburban pulled into the driveway, and the doorbell rang. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I found Chadrick by the door waving for me to never mind--it was his friends. Huh? This early? Granted, "early" for a night owl like me isn't all that early to most people, but it was still early for 18 y/o boys to be out and about. While behind closed doors combing my hair, brushing my teeth, and getting out of my PJ's, I overheard something about "2 hours away" and "get your suit--let's go!" The next thing I knew, Chadrick popped in to tell me bye. Goodness! What did the boys from the black Suburban say to my son--who is also a night owl--to get him moving (and leaving) this early in the day? And where was his "suit?" I tried to have a conversation about where, when, how long, where's your suit, etc., but he became agitated about my 3rd degree--he was in a hurry! You know, I don't think he even knew where he was going . . . black Suburban pulls in, doorbell rings, boys seem to be in a hurry, I'm being told goodbye. I have worried all day, thinking he was going to Wet 'n Wild (that's about 2 hours away and would require a suit), and I knew he didn't have sunscreen, sunglasses, bottle of water, towel, etc., and I wasn't even sure he was wearing flip flops! He clearly had not given me enough time to think of all the things he might need. LOL! So, while he was gone, I completed a layout that I started a couple of days ago. Chadrick collaborated with me so that I could accurately include some of his "interests" at age 18. This has been such a fun project for me!!!! I'm afraid I might become a scrapper after all. Would you believe that I had just finished this layout when Chadrick walked in? How perfectly timed was that? He had not been to Wet 'n Wild, but he went to a place called Sliding Rock--and it was free. I also found out that he wasn't the only one who was abruptly awakened this morning and told to get his suit and come on. I never experienced that when I was 18 y/o, and Chadrick reminded me that it was probably because H.P. (my daddy) would not have stood for his daughter being abducted (whisked away) by friends without a clear cut plan. Who am I kidding? When my sister or I would make or take a phone call, my daddy always said, "You're not going anywhere." This was before he even knew who was on the phone--he was just getting it out there that we had no business leaving home--clear cut plan or not! LOL! So, Chadrick had a great time today and made it back in one piece . . . and announced that he was leaving for the beach on Wednesday. No, there isn't a clear cut plan--just yet. I guess I'd better get another project lined up to keep me busy! BTW, he did wear flip flops today.

REPEAT AFTER ME . . .

. . . "I must have the 'Autumn Days' stamp set!" I hope you aren't getting tired of seeing my Autumn Days creations--I just LOVE this new stamp set! Of course, it's right up my alley with its "nature-ish" flair and the ability to create scenes with it. It has images that add a perfect background to a project, and those same images work just as well as a focal point. This particular project was created around 2:00ish this morning, and I had so much fun with it! I had stamped on the Twill Tape two days ago but had not done anything with it. As I was cleaning off my countertop, I uncovered that little twill morsel and . . . well . . . you've heard it all before how easily I get side-tracked. I guess I started cleaning up THREE TIMES and finally got it done about 3:30 a.m. Ha! My pheasant in this photo doesn't look as sharp as he does in real life, but I was anxious to post the card. Would you believe I created two other stamped twill cards this a.m.? They're not as wowish as this one and, since they will pale in comparison to the pheasant card, I'll have to post them at another time. July 1 . . . must have "Autumn Days."

FUN GIFT POUCH

I'm participating in a SU convention swap, even though I'm not going to convention this year. Pictured here is my 3D swap which was created with the Sizzix Pennant die. Once again, you get a glimpse of SU's brand new "Tall Tales" designer paper. I love the versatility of the designs in this particular collection--just wait until you see the whole pack! Stamp sets used for this project are Trendy Trees and Warm Words. I used a host of other products, too, but the only other one I want to mention is the Modern Label punch. It's new to the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog, and it's the green layer under the word "cherish." A portion of it is also used to embellish the top of the stamped tree layer.

GRADUATION LAYOUT

Anyone who really knows me will be shocked to see that I designed and created a scrapbook page--a personal page, complete with photos! I could design scrapbook pages all day long if I had to (and it might take me all day to design just one), but I have never been a scrapbooker! At the end of April, when Chadrick went to prom, I decided that I really needed (wanted) to scrap the memories of his senior year . . . prom, graduation, 18th birthday. And so, I got started today. Right off the bat, I can see some subtle changes I might have made, but I'm going to try to not be hypercritical. The purpose is to preserve the memories, and therein lies my focus. Since I have some memorabilia to include on my planned pages, I will incorporate pockets so I can remove the pages from the protectors if desired. Beginning with this page, there's no pocket, but the graduation invitation was adhered in a way that it can be opened and viewed in its entirety. Before I get much further, I really need an album. I've always preferred ring albums; however, I think I would like a post album so my pages can be viewed closer together--without the "ring" gap between them. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

CHAD'S TIN 'O CASH

Yesterday, we celebrated Chadrick's birthday and graduation, along with Father's Day, my

mother's birthday, and my niece's birthday. This is a picture of one of Chadrick's gifts . . . a rectangle tin filled with ten of SU's Scallop Notes. I used the retired "Classic Pickups" stamp set to decorate the cards, envelopes, and the band around the tin, and each card had a special memory (or advice) printed inside--and CASH!

18 YEARS AGO TODAY . . .

. . . I was at Presbyterian Hospital beginning the recovery process from my C-Section and wondering if I knew how to take care of the 8 lb. 12 oz. baby boy that I'd be bringing home. Home . . . a place that would be forever changed; a place that, no matter where it was, it would not be the same without the presence--the laughter, the joys, the fun times, and everything--of that boy. I can't say that I'd rather be recovering from a C-Section today, but I would love to do the past 18 years all over again. Perhaps that's because I know what's in the past, but the future is a blank canvas. 18 years ago, while in recovery, the nurse asked me something about my baby, Jeffrey. Huh? I named him Chadrick! My parents and sister were in the room with me, and they just looked at me like, "Who's Jeffrey?" I didn't remember telling anyone that my baby's name was Jeffrey, nor did I even know a Jeffrey. We still laugh about that sometimes--even Chadrick brings it up now and then. I have been so fortunate to be able to be home with and for Chadrick all of these years, and I've had the opportunity to be a part of scouting, baseball, bowling leagues, guitar lessons, and fun summers of late nights! He's a night owl like me, and he has truly been my very best buddy! Attached is the card that I'm making for Chadrick, but I'm waiting for the Stickles to dry so I can finish the assembly process. Masculine cards are always challenging and even more so for an 18 y/o! Today is a really big day and a perfect one for offering a prayer of thanks and a request for a blank canvas that gets painted with the brightest, happiest colors that make the past 18 years pale in comparison. Happiest of Birthdays and much love to you, Chadrick!!!!

"RAZZLE DAZZLE"

"Razzle Dazzle" is one of the new stamp sets that you'll find in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. This is my first attempt at creating with it, and I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I think the card came together okay. All of the stamped images are from the Razzle Dazzle set. If you look at the sentiment, you'll notice that it's layered on one of SU's new products--the "Modern Label" punch. The ribbon is also new--Rich Razzleberry dotted grosgrain.

ACCIDENTAL NEW LOOK TO MY BLOG

Oh boy! I really messed things up! I designed this brand new banner for my blog today, and I sat down with loads of confidence in my ability to get it uploaded without a hitch. I learned that, even with a lot of confidence, I should have saved the current profile--just in case. I'm quite certain this isn't the first time I've learned that lesson, but my best knowledge doesn't always present itself at the most opportune moment--sometimes it's grossly late and shows up, rubbing it's sleepy eyes as if to say, "Did you need me? Why didn't you wake me?" Argh! I remembered today that I had a LOT of trouble getting the old photo banner uploaded perfectly (after many tries), so what was that feeling of mine that I mistook for confidence? Having seen the old photo banner many times, you probably won't even miss it; however, my blog seems so impersonal without a special banner. I'll keep working on it and see what I can do, and I might even ask my computer-guru hubby to work some magic for me. I can usually find him walking around, mumbling something about how I manage to kill computers, asking how in the world do I do it and how much money would we have spent to salvage the errors of my ways (many times) if he wasn't able to fix them. I keep telling myself that he's really glad to be the super technology hero of the house and that he doesn't really mean what he mumbles. Yeah, right. I can't promise that you'll ever see this design as a banner on my blog, but I hope to get some kind of banner soon.

PRECIOUS TRASH!

This card was born from trash! The stamped strips are actually leftovers that were trimmed from the layers in the card posted below, and I was raking them off the desk and into the trash when I had an epiphany . . . why not use them to decorate a card?!?! Look how well it turned out, and it was one of the quickest cards I've ever made!