Thoughts of a Grasshopper

No stamping for me this morning. I thought I would share a card from years ago that reminds me of the haunted house set in the catalog now. I always liked this image with the shaving cream background. Perhaps something you may want to try if you have the current set. It has been at least 5 years since I made zucchini bread. Actually it was a zucchini apple bread that I made. I wanted to try a different version of zucchini bread. Zucchini blueberry sounded good and I have a lot of blueberries in the freezer for the lemon blueberry bread that I make and for the kids to make smoothies. I crammed the batter into 4 mini loaf pans, but you really need 5 to make it easier to get out of the pan. My husband is not a fan of zucchini and comments how his mother would sneak it in on him but he really liked the bread. I only had a couple of kids brave enough to try the bread but they liked it. Zucchini Blueberry Bread 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1C oil 1T vanilla 2C sugar 1/4C brown sugar 3C shred...

Same basic card, shown two ways, one with a simple thank you and the other with the pearls. I hope they eventually come out with vanilla pearls. As soon as I had this thought this morning, I was thinking the catalog has only been out 2 months and I'm already wanting something more. I still have so much to use from this one. Stamps: Just Believe CS: Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, So Saffron (VV on thank you) Markers: Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze Misc.: Dimensionals, pearls, Always Artichoke 1/4" grosgrain, brad, scallop border punch

I cut out the twiggy branch of leaves (although the DP makes me think of wheat) a few weeks ago. It has been sitting on my desk waiting for me to do something with it. Today was the day. I was in the middle of the usual morning activities and was able to whip out this card. I showed one of my kids this card and they asked why I keep using this set when I have so many others. I guess it is time to start using something else. I was thinking the other day how I'm always pulling the clear mount sets instead of the wood mounted ones now. Stamps: Day of Gratitude, Occasional Quotes CS: VV, Cajun Craze, Autumn Spice DP Ink: Old Olive, Early Espresso Misc.: Button, Dimensionals, Linen Thread, Wide Oval Punch, Piercing mat & tool Now to get on with today's list. I see a lot of cooking/baking happening today.

When I first got the Day of Gratitude set, I had the Blossom Party die on my desk and I wondered if that pointy-tipped flower would work with this image. It does! I actually would change my color choices around, but I had a limited amount of time and I went with what I started with and made it work. If you click on the image, you will see that I pierced a circle around the cajun center to add a little something. The colors are a bit off in my picture but you're familiar enough with them to know. Stamps: Day of Gratitude, Whimsical Words CS: Crumb Cake, VV, Old Olive, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Autumn Spice DP Ink & Markers: Old Olive, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Early Espresso Misc.: Blossom Party die, 1" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, neutrals designer buttons, linen thread, dimensionals, piercing tool & mat, stampamajig Happy Day!

I went to bed with an idea of what I wanted to stamp this morning. I went to my desk to begin and couldn't start because everything is such a mess. I started putting away markers from yesterday's card. Then it was packages of cardstock that were still out. Needless to say, I spent close to two hours cleaning up, I'm still not done but I need to move on to my "list" for today. I'm posting like I usually do and I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with the idea I had last night. You may be wondering what the picture above is. A few weeks ago I received an envelope with the badges I earned this summer for VC Rocks. They don't usually have badges but they were celebrating 10 years. I think it was a brilliant idea and probably helped the group to be more active. I know I participated in a couple of things I don't usually do. Last night was book club. I didn't make it. I'm kind of bummed about it but I really didn't feel to great. I m...

I'm in a mad dash right now to get to an appointment. I would love to be able to tell you that something happened that got in my way of plans for the day. Actually I can say that, it just isn't glamorous or exciting, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got up late today. I usually get up at 5:45 and today I got up at 6:45. While my morning is pure chaos, it is worth it. I went to bed at 2:30 reading a book for book club. I will definitely have it read for tonight. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. A birthday card because there are a lot of birthdays coming up in my little world. Stamps: Birthday Bakery, Crazy for Cupcakes, Vintage Labels CS: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, VV Ink: Stazon Black, Chocolate Chip Markers: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede Misc.: Rhinestones, Oval punch, oval scallop punch, dimensionals, button, piercing tool, elegant lines embossing folder

Isn't that the truth? Time doesn't always permit talking with them, distance gets in the way of getting together, but they are always there and things pick up right where they left off. I'm definitely blessed with the friends I have. I'm participating in a swap where you the primary color needs to be a new color, and you need to use a new stamp set. I'm pretty jazzed with how this card turned out. I didn't have any Pear Pizzazz ribbon so I colored the white taffeta ribbon with the pear marker. Stamps: Friends Never Fade CS: Pear Pizzazz, Real Red, WW, Greenhouse Gala DP Ink: Pear Pizzazz Markers: Pear Pizzazz, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red Misc.: X-Lg Scallop Punch, 2-1/2" Circle punch (mini catalog), rhinestones, white taffeta

Those of you that visit my blog regularly know that I love this set. I'm happy to share it on the SU Stars blog hop today. If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, you can start at the SU Stars Blog . Hopefully, you are already on the hop and just came from Denise Foor's blog . I loved all of the textures on the wreath that Denise created using Stampin' Up!'s DSP, embossing folders and her Big Shot. If you have gotten the Autumn Spice DP, you've probably noticed that on the paper with all the leaves, there is a background in more mustard. After I stamped the leaves, they just seemed so bare on the cardstock so I got out the Sanded background and stamped it in More Mustard to go along with the paper. Stamps: Sanded, Day of Gratitude CS: More Mustard, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, Autumn Spice Ink & Markers: Early Espresso, Old Olive Cajun Craze, More Mustard (just ink on MM) Misc.: Early Espresso taffeta ribbon, sticky strip, ...

These are the cards from the Christmas/Winter swap I participated in last month. by Beth Ratliff by Jenn Lewis by Jane Hignite by Alice Hartlaub by Brandy Campbell by Debbie Flattum by Catie Palmer by Tina Taves by Kim Overholt by Stace Coombs

I'm loving 4-day weeks. The kids had yesterday off and it was a nice day. We didn't do anything grand. The kids cleaned their rooms, I did some laundry and we had company for dinner. I tried out a new recipe for chicken tacos. I can't say I enjoyed it but I have enough left over meat and rice that I'm going to use it for enchiladas. I've had this card base sitting on my desk since last week when I totally boogered up the coloring on the hydrangea and made something else. I thought I would give it another go today. I managed to color the hydrangea, mounted it on the top note die and had one of those smack your head moments. This is a square card and the way I did the hydrangea, it wouldn't fit on the card. I pulled out the trusty Greeting Card Kids set that is ideal for square cards. I think I will stick with the traditional sized cards for a while, I'm not a square card kind of gal. I tried coloring the pearl jewels with the SU marker but the color...

I was asked to make some Christmas cards and I made several samples. I have to admit that this card looks fairly simple, but it is time consuming with all of the cutting. As I was cutting between the camels' legs, I was hoping this wouldn't be picked as "the one" that I had to make 50 of. The picture doesn't capture it well, but the oval has the gold Smooch spritz on it, and it looks fabulous with the shine. Stamps: Come to Bethlehem CS: Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Night of Navy, Very Vanilla Ink: Early Espresso Markers: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight Misc.: Old Olive taffeta ribbon, scallop trim border punch, gold glow Smooch Spritz, Dimensionals

When I bought this set, I envisioned the wreath acting as a frame to another image, or perhaps a sentiment inside. Yesterday I took time to stamp in the afternoon, which I don't usually do. My morning session was a bust and what I had made didn't turn out post worthy so I was determined to make something that I liked. The idea isn't new but it turned out well. I used two different colors of red rhinestones on the wreath. I sponged River Rock ink on the door panels to define them more. I sponged Garden Green ink over the wreath. Stamps: Welcome Christmas CS: Confetti White, Real Red Ink: River Rock, Garden Green Misc.: Red Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Gold brad, Real Red taffeta ribbon

I planned to spend some time this weekend CASE-ing cards that I've saved over the last little bit. I didn't do any stamping at all. I worked on different projects, we went to a BBQ and it was just another typical weekend around here carting the kids to be with the their friends. Mary posted this card yesterday for a clean & simple sketch challenge. As soon as I saw it, I wrote her to say it was awesome and I would be making it. I know I've told you before, but she is one of those people that you know whatever she makes, it is going to be good. Go to her blog for the directions on this card. She even gives measurements. Super easy if you have the punch and if you don't, it isn't bad. I didn't have the right size square punch so I ended up using a knife to cut out the squares. I bought a square punch once and wondered why. It is pretty easy to cut a square with a paper cutter. For the first time, I can see a need for a square punch. Now for the muf...

I have to admit this isn't my favorite card. I'm going to retry the sketch later. I went from what I remembered seeing yesterday and when I was going to link to it, I realized I omitted a layer. I haven't used the Poppy color yet, so I went with one of the suggestions from the color coach. Again, not my favorite. I will hopefully re-work the card this weekend and have an improved version to share. So, my brain is mush. Perhaps why I'm struggling to come up with anything today. As I was putting the card together, thinking how tired I am, I realized I've had 16 hours of sleep total in the last 5 nights. I hope to sleep in tomorrow. Right now I'm getting ready to do some grocery shopping, tidy up the house and hopefully clean the porch before the kids get home. Tonight is a football game, last week was a scrimmage. Have a fabulous Labor Day weekend and I'll see you Tuesday. Stamps: Fast & Fabulous, Occasional Quotes CS: So Saffron, Marina Mist, ...

A fairly simple card that I'm making for Operation Write Home (OWH). I'm hoping to make some other cards to send off in a couple of weeks. If you are a stamper, you are most likely aware of the organization. If you are a friend of mine checking to see what I've been up to in the stamp room, you may of heard me mention OWH, or perhaps saw the tat Ben gave himself with the stamp. The cards that OWH receives are sent to deployed troops so that they are able to send cards home for birthdays, anniversaries, miss you, etc. Stamps: Just Believe CS: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, Perfect Plum, VV Ink: Always Artichoke, Perfect Plum Misc.: Piercing tool, scallop border punch

I'm behind schedule this morning for posting. Yet, for a Wednesday, I'm ahead. I don't usually get to shower until dinner is in the oven but I did that instead of stamping this morning. I still need to go to school but I don't have a set time to show up today, so I could still get some stamping in. You can never go wrong with red and black. For the punched flower, I punched a row, centering the filigree design for each punch. On either end, it doesn't all fit, so I picked the one that would fit most of the design and used it as my back layer. Maybe I'll have to write a little note to my husband now. Stamps: Great Friend, Watercolor Trio CS: VV, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Love Letter DP Ink: Basic Black, Riding Hood Red Misc.: Dimensionals, Rhinestones, Black 1/8" taffeta ribbon, scallop border & circle punches, rhinestone & filigree brad, mini library clip