Ah hem................yes, I'm still alive.

I know everyone thought I dropped off the face of the earth..............but I am still here.
Time has flown by.........................even I can't believe how long it has been since my last post.
Let's blame work...................this has been a major stressor in my live this year. It has eased up lately, but I don't expect it to stay that way for long. Too many things are happening and I expect it to overload the system (more work than workers) eventually and come to rest in our office for us to complete. I know that is cryptic----but if I start listing it all---I would be here forever.
Instead let's focus on some fun things. I have been able to do some cards and atc's and even a layout here and there and I will post them.
I am looking forward to fall---the summer was too hot for me----my allergies have been worse this year than in the last 15 years and fall is one of my favorite seasons.

January Thaw

We all wait for the January thaw and it has arrived.
I think that we have less to thaw this year than most years. However, that does depend on exactly where you live.
For my part of Michigan--it will be nice for the snow to melt into the ground and for the frigid temps to rise above freezing.
In a month it will be Valentines Day and I do have a card swap due Monday that I am actually ready for!! We chose Valentine's Day as the theme.
The card that I made--I scraplifted the idea from The Inking spot of Crains Creations and worked with what I had on hand. I made my scallop circle larger than I think it should have been, but went with it anyway.
The lighter pink cardstock is from Paper Company and is Rosebud Metallic, the darker pink is from JA's.
I use the Cricut to cut the scallop circle and the circle.
The heart was cut with the sizzix embosslit Double Heart.
The sample use small brads where I used Liquid Pearls. I don't know where I bought the ribbon from or the stamp. I smudged the white circle with Close to Cocoa (SU) and stamped the words with Chocolate Kiss, also SU.
Once I assembled the circles, the heart and let the liquid pearls dry and stamped the sentiment I sprayed it with Garnet Ritzy Ditzy Glitz from Paper Gardens.
The patterned paper is one of my favorite patterns from Basic Grey--Bittersweet Vanilla/Fudge.
If you want to see the original it is posted on Crain Creations Blog. If your interested email me at m1stowers@yahoo.com and I will find the link for you.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!! It is 2010!!! This is the first day of the new year.
I spent time with dh this morning and then reconnected with a long time friend and did some shopping.
I like the way this is going!!!
Great start to a new year.
I have been busy in the stamp cave also, but not today........... YET!

The card above on the left was cut out using the cricut Wild Card cartridge, stamped with a Stampin Up stamp from 2007 ( I don't know what set it went to) and then circles of different sizes with the top one cut from the Stampin Up Scallop Circle punch. The leaf stamp is a favorite of mine, but it is not from stampin up. Very simple design, but that isn't what I really want to show you.
When I was scanning it and cropping it to put in my computer file I accidentally hit the negative choice and the card on the top is what I saw. I kinda liked it so I saved it to use on my digital scrapbook pages.
Sometimes an oops becomes an oh yeah!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Just wanted to wish everyone a very blessed and happy holiday. I hope you are able to enjoy time with the ones who mean the most to you, share memories and make new memories together.
I'm not one to make new resolutions each year since most of the ones I did make are a ongoing kind of thing---like losing weight and keeping it off---being more patient with everyone---and being continuously grateful for the many blessings that I have already. Each new day I subconsciously or consciously keep those items on my mind.
Have most wonderful season--what ever it is that you are celebrating.


(Angel compliments of ScrapGirls)

Well, we finally made it past fall and into winter. I have most of my Christmas shopping done and the tree is up. I still have to wrap gifts and finish decorating the house.
It seems really odd not to have the bubble lights on the tree this year. We bought a new tree and it is prelit and it does look nice--but I miss my bubble lights.
It is just like I told my son the other day--there are two constants in our lives. We all die eventually and the other is that things are always changing.
This tree was much easier to put up---and Bob and I are not getting younger--and realistically we should start thinking about making things easier for us--well me, Bob is not much for Christmas decorating. I guess if it's easier on me--I'm less grumpy--so it is easier on him.
But anyway, my carousel and bubble lights are not on the tree.
...............and I miss them.
OK enough of that--
We went to a party where my dad lives--most of the residents families were there---and there was a lot of excitement. Santa came and passed out presents to the residents--there was also a karioke singer there and he was singing Christmas songs (what else would he sing??LOL). Dad discovered all goodies on the counter and wanted to fill his pockets for later (this is a story for another time)--so he would have snacks. He just wanted the cookies and the candy--nothing healthy and he had already had 2-3 servings of those yummy snacks.
We decided that we should separate my dad and the temptations--we had no control over the temptations so we took my dad out for a ride to get something to eat. He was happy with that.
By the time we came back most of the families had gone and the caregivers had the "temptations" put away and they were being treated to McDonalds--which they all thoroughly enjoyed.
I think when we left dad was planning to sit down with them--cause he knows that dessert follows dinner--he might be just in time for that!
Funny what he remembers!
Incase I don't get back here before Christmas, I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday .
Merry Christmas!

The Second Card

This one is so pretty and soft--I love the colors. The stamped image is one of my favorites.

Happy FALL

Finally, it is slowing down for me at work........getting a little breathing space and catching up at work. However, my boss told me it won't be long that we will be getting new business and we will be working our bums off again.
I have lots of pictures to share with you but, the Meijers where I live has had their 1 hour photo "broken" every time I go to get my pictures developed. I am up to 4 rolls that have to be developed. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Yes, I am still doing picture taking the old fashioned way. AND..........yes I am going somewhere else (probably Walgreens) to get my pictures developed. Hopefully today.
Bob has the house finished next door and we are hoping to get it leased soon. It looks great.
I am working on my Christmas cards and Secret Gobbler gift.
Here are the cards that I received from my Secret Gobbler Sister.
The first one is a Cuttlebug embosser
and if anyone knows where I can go to get this one, please let me know--I have looked around my area at Michaels and JoAnns and have not seen it.