Stamps, Paper, Scissors

My wonderful life, part deux

Life goes on at the Tinklenberg house. Laurel went back to school after spring break, and the other two kids are still on theirs. Yep, two different spring breaks this year, with just a bit of overlap. My house looks like a bomb went off in it because kids have been in it for 2 weeks full time.

As if life couldn't get any better, then our primary care doctor's office called to let my husband know he is now diabetic. He takes a lot of meds, some of which will raise your blood sugar,and he is pretty overweight, so now he has yet another piill to take and will be going to education classes to find out how to manage it. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Laurel, so not totally uncharted territory. Just another thing to deal with. One good thing, it will force Dan to finally do something about his weight, and he has already started cutting back on the amount he eats and even got some exercise yesterday.

But something has happened to brighten the gloom! No, haven't heard from the LTD people. I had one of my online friends, someone I've known online for quite some time now, who has generously given me a Nook Color as a Happy Easter, Happy 50th, Happy You Need a Break gift. To say I am dumfounded and amazed by this generosity is an understatement. I have had other people from my online life send me things, from chocolate to stamp sets, but never anything quite on this scale. It's a wonderful reminder to me that, while the news will try to convince us that people are awful and the world is a nasty place (and sometimes they are and it is), people can also be kind and generous, even to people they have never met in "real life."

I've had people tell me that friends you make online aren't "real" and that you can't depend on them. That has not been my experience.  Yes, being able to hide behind a keyboard can bring out a lot of hidden nastiness from people who would be to timid to be that way in their face-to-face relationships, but it also can bring out the best in people who might be too shy to act in generous ways as well. And people who are kind and generous face to face go on being that way online.  Considering how much of my life I lead online, who is to say that life online is not "real" and the people you meet there are not "real" friends. Not me! Some of my bestest friends are people I have met online!

So even though I have thanked my friend in private for this wonderful present, I am thanking her again here. She prefers that I don't tell you her name and I respect that. So thank you, friend of mine!

The very next best thing to making schtuff, with me, has always been reading.  It has been my way of traveling vicariously when I can't afford to, my way of learning about the world, and it has been my escape when life gets hard and lately I've needed quite a bit of that! I've had my nose in a book ever since I learned to read and piles of books are always seen everywhere in this house, so this is a very welcome present!

I am also grateful for all of you who read here, both those who comment and those who don't. I read every single comment and email you send, though I don't always have time to reply to them all.

So now that I'm all verklempt with emotion here, time to show a card! Lookie:

Ingredients: Stamps - Just Believe, Sanded; Paper - Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Glossy White; Ink - Versamark, So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Poppy Parade; Other - Brayer, Whisper White Taffeta 1/2" ribbon, sponge wedge, silver brads, dimensionals, brayer.

Isn't it GOJUS?!?!?! (YILM!) This is another project from my last class which, incidentally, was called "Versatile Versamark". This technique is called Versamark Resist, where you stamp with Versamark on glossy paper, then brayer over it with regular dye ink. GOJUS!!!

Well, the work is about to go up on the server...the account I work on is out of Nevada, so just about now is when they start getting to work and uploading all that lovely dictation! Ta!

 

My wonderful life...

Some days I just wake up and think, "Wha' happen', Lucy?" My life used to be pretty easy-going, laid-back, and like that.  Sure, I went and messed that up and had kids, but mostly that has been fun.

But life in the past few years has been...challenging, let's say.  But I know I am not the only one.  There are lots of us out there with "Wha' happen', Lucy?" syndrome, or WHL for short.  It's my new disease.  Well, almost my most recent one.  Because my dentist told me today that I have something called "Oral Lichen Planus".  It is pretty mild at this point, but apparently can be a reaction to gold (I've had this crown for a while now...maybe that's it?) One of the things the medical advice out there says is to avoid acidic foods (what?  No tomatoes or Diet Coke?) and CHOCOLATE. Um...sorry, not happening, not if I have to brush my teeth and rinse after every bite.

So this is the latest symptom in my WHL syndrome.  Apparently stress can make OLP flare up...uh...ya think?  Bleh!

So to take our minds off our WHL syndromes, I am going to show a card.  Lookie:

Ingredients:  Stamps - Sweet Summer (SAB '11), So Happy for You (SAB '11); Paper -Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Melon Mambo; Ink- Versamark; Markers - Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Old Olive, Pacific Point, Marina Mist, Basic Black; Other - Ice Cream Parlor button & ribbon pack (SAB '11), Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Pearl Cotton, Black EP, glue dots.

STINKIN' CUTE!!!  (YILM!) Yes, I know you can't get this stuff no more.  I'm behind.  So shoot me.  This is one of the cards we did at my class in March when you still COULD get all this stuff.

I didn't end up having a class this month because of the way the holiday fell.  Next month's class will also be changed from the usual last Monday of the month because of Memorial Day, so it will be on May 23, instead.

But don't worry. This too shall pass, tomorrow is another day, yada yada yada.  Mama said there would be days like this.  Which is obviously true, when you consider the sheer volume of platitudes that apply!  Me, I'm an optimist, so WHL syndrome is not going to get the best of me.  Ta!

 

Happy Easter!

I've been neglecting my scrapbooking now for quite a while, so when I found myself with nothing else to do but housework (and we all know how important THAT is!), I resolutely turned my back on it and decided to do some scrapbooking with My Digital Studio.

I am so behind on scrapbooking, I am still pulling photos from 6 or 7 years ago to work on. Almost 6 years ago, our family took a trip to the Upper Peninsula. So I decided to start with the first set of photos, a rather lackluster set of photos taken from our hotel room window in St. Ignace. After a little editing in Photoshop Elements, the lackluster photos suddenly were much better and once I created this GOJUS page in MDS, it was amazing how wonderfully everything hung together. (YILM!) Lookie:

This was fun and allowed me to use some of the papers and punches I had bought the last time I had tried to keep up with the relentless onslaught of new downloads coming from Stampin' Up! I finally gave up, you might be glad to know (or maybe not glad!), trying to keep up with everything and own it all. There is just too much! But that's okay! Because I try to remind myself of one thing: New stamp brush sets, papers, punches, and embellishments are just a few clicks away. If I find that I don't have the paper or stamp brush set I need, a few dollars gets it to me without much fuss. I will always probably keep the ribbon and other embellies up to date, but the rest can wait until I need them. But I'm glad I had all this stuff already, just the same.

I wish all my readers who celebrate Easter a very blessed and holy Easter. Ta!

There I was, just a bloggin' with dah Freaks!

Singin' "Doowah diddy diddy dum diddy do!"

Makin' all kinds of projects that you would like to see,

Singin' "Doowah diddy diddy dum diddy do!"

They look good!

They look great!

And I'm gonna celebrate!

Here you are, at yet another Freaky blog tour! This month's theme is Summer Mini Sneak Peek! That's right, we are here to show you all the faboo products (or at least, projects made therewith) from the upcoming Summer Mini, arriving soon in a mailbox near you (I know I got mine today that I send to myself!)

If you arrived her from Patty Bennett's blog, you are in the right place!  But if you started here, fear not, simply by following the links at the bottom of each post, you will be able to go all the way around the posts and end up right back here.

There are lots of reasons to celebrate, not just the blog tour.  The fact is that today (or tomorrow if you are starting the tour early) is my birthday.

And so I say:

To me!  Chocolate birthday gifts may still be sent! It is not too late! Really!

It's even more significant because I am going to be...  Gasp!

50. 

I know, I know.  You all think of me as perpetually young, thin, and beautiful.  You don't want to imagine me with my salt n' peppah hair (chemical alterations to it's color being at a standstill until we have more of an idea of what money will be like around here over the next few months), my chocolate-altered body (some things cannot be cut out of the budget), and wrinkles, but alas, it is so.

So for my first card, what else could I do but show you a birthday card!  Lookie:

Ingredients: Stamps - Perfect Punches; Paper - Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Shimmery White; Ink - Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango,Versamark; Other - Marina Mist 5/8" satin ribbon, Wide Oval Punch, Marina Mist marker, White EP, Doily Triple Layer punch, aquapainters,Scallop Trim punch, Flower Garden Textured Impressions folder.

GOJUS!! I continually amaze myself, what can I say? (YILM!) Now, if there were only money in this card, or chocolate,I would be happy. What I would like for my birthday is a Kindle or a Nook, but I am not buying it until I know we have money. Hopefully, we will find out this week.

Next!

This next little number is something I have been needing to do for a while, since the last time I made a cover for my checkbook was back when Cool Caribbean was one of our In Colors. Let's pause a moment,remembering Cool Caribbean. (The sound of taps soft playing in the background...) Oh, Cool Caribbean, we hardly knew ye! Sob!

ANYWAY, here it is:

Ingredients: Stamps - Fabulous Florets; Paper - Beyond the Garden, Pear Pizazz, Pacific Point, Whisper White; Ink - Pear Pizazz; Other - Old Olive 1/2" taffeta ribbon, white gel pen,Timeless Type Sizzlets, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, Bolds brads, 3/8" corner rounding punch.

GOJUS! It's not very complicated, but it doesn't need to be does it? (YILM!)

Finally, I have one more card to show you. I had a spell of mojo-a-gogo last week and finally, I visited the Mojo Monday blog where I hijaacked this lovely sketch #186 to create this MASTERPIECE (YILM! but you knew that):

Ingredients: Stamps - Fabulous Florets, Great Friend; Paper - Beyond the Garden DSP, Blushing Bride, Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Peach Parfait,Whisper White, Wild Wasabi; Ink - Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Peach Parfait; Other - 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, Blushing Bride twill ribbon, Whisper White baker's twine, dimensionals, Flower Garden Textured Impression folder, 1" circle punch, Dotted Eyelet ribbon punch, Basics Pearls.

Wowee, zowee! There is a LOT going on here, but it all hangs together so beautifully. This is going in the VAULT baby, for only the most worthy of card recipients (YILM!)

And now, my friends, it is time for you to journey on. Remember me, remember Cool Caribbean, and remember the Alamo. Ta!

Get yourself off to Gretchen Barron's blog...quick before I change my mind and make you stay here:

 

Serious creative block going on here...

And I need something to blame:

1. My back hurts. It's hard to be creative when your back hurts, I find. I've been to the chiropractor already and it is so messed up it still hurts. Bleh. Hopefully it will be much better after a night's rest.
2. I'm working. That's enough excuse for anybody. I never seem to have time for much else!
3. It's been too cold.
4. Except for yesterday, when it was too hot.
5. I haven't bought anything new for a while.
6. I don't have any chocolate. And there, my friends, is the crux of the matter.

I finally got my Summer Mini preorder today, so that takes care of #5. Maybe inspiration will strike. Obviously I need to rectify #1 and #5 immediately so that I can get busy!

In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on this:

Ingredients: Stamps - Build a Blossom, Something to Celebrate; Paper - Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzaz, So Saffron, Rose Red, Whisper White; Ink - Baja Breeze, Rose Red; Other - Blossoms Petal Punch, Bitty Punch pack, Whisper White Organza Ribbon, dimensionals, Subtles brads, paper piercing tool, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder.

I know, Gojus, right? (YILM!) This was the last card from my February class. I really should get March's class projects photographed this week, at least now that the sun has FINALLY come out in Michigan. And it has FINALLY gotten above 40 degrees!

Ta!

 

Returning to sanity

Hey there! Miss me? I missed you too!

I finally decided that working for two companies was nutso cuckoo! So I picked the one that allowed me to still see my family and have fun, while making money too. Which wasn't the first one I started working for. With that one, it seemed like I was working really hard, yet not getting much of anywhere. My new company I will be able to work as much as I want, as long as I meet my minimum quota, and I can get work enough to make it full time. Wasn't going to happen with the first company.

So, I should have my weekends clear now. That's another nice thing about this company! I can work on Saturday if I want to, but I am not required to.

So I still have cards from my last class to show, and had a class last week too with more cards. Tomorrow I plan on taking pictures of them and maybe playing with stamps just for fun, which hasn't happened in a while! So this is one of the cards from my February class:

Ingredients: Stamps - Something to Celebrate; Paper - Nursery Suite DSP, Regal Rose, Early Espresso, Whisper White; Ink - Early Espresso, Regal Rose; Other - Small Oval punch, Bitty Punch pack, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Modern Label punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch, Neutrals Flower brads, dimensionals, 1/8" Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon, sponge wedge.

Isn't this STINKIN' CUTE?!?! (YILM!) I had bought the paper, but not the stamp set that goes with it, so when trying to come up with an Easter card, decided a punch art bunny would be eminently suitable to go with the paper.

Thanks for hanging in here with me while I figure out this work thing. And a big thank you to those of you who continue to place your online orders with me, as well as those who come to class and order! You have been keeping me in business and I very much appreciate it. At a time when money looks like it may get pretty tight for a while, it's no longer possible for me to support my minimums by myself. As well, I am so happy that so many of you continue to read and comment, or just read. It makes me happy!

My husband has been turned down for SSD and the lawyers are preparing the appeal for that. He got his last check from the school district on Friday and we still don't know if his long-term disability claim will be approved. They are still waiting for some records from one of his doctors. We have enough money to live on for a few months...prayers for decisions in our favor are very much appreciated! We are being conservative with our money, but still preparing for the next school year for our kids' schools and hoping it won't be the last year we can manage to send them. Laurel's last year of high school is next year, so we are committed to managing at least one more year. Hopefully, things will go our way and we will be fine, but even if they don't, we have fall-back plans in place. Our God is an awesome God, and I am confident that He will provide! Ta!