I have a surprise.....

As many of you know.. Harley (our rambuncious kitty... who would scream at me during the night if we didn't let him out)... passed away about 3 1/2 weeks ago.. My DH didn't take his passing very well and truly missed him. Even this past Sunday we were talking about Harley.. On Monday the strangest thing happened.. As I was perusing Craigslist I came across an ad for "Free to a good Home"... We have as good of a home as anyone..

Allow me to introduce you to our newest family member..

Daisy Dukes....

She is the cutest thing... and is so affectionate and loving.. However, I must say... she's not quite accustomed to the dogs yet. Carter & Oreo... they absolutely adore her and their tales haven't stopped wagging since I brought her home Monday afternoon.. She on the other hand had laid a B--ch stapp'in on Carter (no worries.. she's declawed... so basically he's been slapped with soft furry paws).. but that hasn't stopped him from trying to give her kisses. Slowly she's adjusting to the house and is starting to see that she's safe...

On a stamping note.. I've heard rain is in our future.. That can only mean 1 thing.. I'll be stamping.. Check back for a few cute projects I've created...

Happy Stamping :)

a huge Enabler Alert !!!!

For those of you who know me well (you know who you are)... you know that a) don't like spending money alone and b) spending money isn't hard for me to do.. especially when it comes to my stamping supplies... So at least a few days a week I'm sending emails along these lines.. did you see this or you've got to see that... did you buy anything from..... hey.. what can I say.. I'm a queen at enabling.. So where have I been spending my money lately???

Let's start at the cat's pajama's.. I love their stamps but I must confess that I haven't been able to purchase any until now... I just (((HEART))) this set "It's a mod, mod world".. ... It's so Jetson's.. I know showing my age again but what can I say.. LOL There's so much that you can do with this set... I just HAD to have it... If you just have to have it to... you can get your very own right HERE..

Now can we talk about scented embossing powder.. Yep you heard me correctly.. SCENTED Embossing powder from gel-a-tin... I picked mine up from http://www.7kidscollegefund.com/ .. scented they have Chocolate Bliss (brown) .. Bubble gum (pink) .. Cherry on top (red).. Cuppa Joe (black).. Santa's candy cane (red/ white) .. and Extra foam vanilla latte (cream) just to name a few... RUN don't walk to get your very own supply of these. The awesome thing is... the scent lasts for up to 3.. count them 3 weeks... HOW AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now for my all time favorite adhesive (this picture was taken directly from Taylor's store.. so please be sure to stop by an pay her a visit..).. I became familiar with this sticky tape adhesive over a year ago and love it.. I've even stopped buying the mono adhesives.. Why.. well, let me tell you... the tombow mono-adhesive is approximately $2.30 for 472" (13.11 yards).. which comes down to approximately .18 cents per yard.. How many times are we 1/2 way through the roll and boom... the tape breaks. Then the entire dispenser is done.. shot.. fine'e'toe.. in the garbage... This tape however is $7 for 55 yards which breaks down to approximately .13 cents per yard...And you get to use the entire 55 yards. Why, because you peel it off the roll yourself.. Be prepared though, this tape does take longer to use than the tom bow adhesive. You need to manually cut your piece and apply it to your project and then peel off the strip of paper.. On the other hand.. when you stick it... it's STUCK. this is very important when making cards with lots of layers or altered items. Overall.. this tape gets a 2 thumbs up.. I think this should keep you all busy for a few minutes..

Happy shopping from your favorite enabler :)

Things that make you go

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Sorry.. still playing outside. It's been in the high 70's here the past 2 days (may be even venturing on 80) and ohhh it feels soo good. Yesterday my DH was off from work, so we decided it would be a good day for a little gazebo... Our deck gets the morning and early after noon sun. So mid summer we don't start to use it (that is unless were all trying to get in that limited shade from the umbrella) until later afternoon.. so me in my infinite wisdom decided.. Why not put one of these gazebo's on the deck. It'll shade the deck and also cool down the kitchen because it'll partly shade the sliding glass door. So in the past week we've put 2 coats of stain on the deck and then last night.. up went the gazebo.. OHH it looks soo good. Today I'm decorating. I can't wait to share my pic's..

Look what I found in Starbucks.. (love their frappachino's. I haven't had one since before my surgery in December.. but I hear I may be able to get a fat free... sugar free... mocha frappachino.. I need to look into that one. ... HMMM... At work I'm forever looking for a mug. So Thursday when I stopped in to pick up a few goodies for work, look what I found.. I picked up the 'inspire' mug.. It's a little visualization to keep me focused.. I'd love to be at the 100 lbs gone by my 6 month appointment with my surgeon on July 26th.. That by the way is also the day I can 'officially' have raw fruits and veggies... guess what I'm having for dinner. The best salad I've had since the beginning of December when I started Medifast.. Yep, keeping my eye on that prize again... It's strange though when your prize is a 'salad'.. LOL

Ok everyone.. off to the gym and then to decorate the deck... Be sure to check back tomorrow for a few enabler alerts.. Just because I'm gardening doesn't mean that I haven't done a little shopping too.. LOL

Have a wonderful Saturday...

Spring has Sprung

and so has my sever case of 'Spring Fev'ah'... The snow has melted, grass is turning green (well all except for the huge chunk of my lawn where my DH and I use that term lightly... dug it up with the plow this winter.. Guess what he'll be doing in a few weeks... replacing my SOD.. Ohh, what a project that will be)... Crocuses, daffodils and tulips are poking through the newly warmed soil.. and most of my perennials are peeking through. I'm always curious to see what comes back each year.

I find this time of year hard to stamp... It's just too easy to be outside rather than locked up stairs in my stamp room. They'll be plenty enough rainy days for that... LOL I know, you're sending me eye daggers right now through my heart.. But this was 1 loooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggg winter. Please forgive me.

Last week I made this quick card (to go along with the frames for my very cute, yet very married with children surgeon.. LOL).. I wanted this card to be very masculine so I used..

cardstock... Very Vanilla, Basic black & cosmo cricket DS paper

ink... Versa Mark, Black embossing powder

stamps.. simple delight

accessories.. black & cream wide grosgrain, pearl bling (in center of stamp), cuttle bug with the textile texture embossing folder.

So may be.. just may be if we get a little rain in the next few days I'll venture up to my stamp room for a little stamping... if not, look for me with my hands in the dirt or at the gym... Yep you heard me correctly ... at the (gag, gasp)... gym.. My surgeon has recommended that I start adding a 30 minute cardio work out at least 3 times a week into my routine.. So I joined a gym... Last night I met with my very hunkie personal trainer for my assessment.. He's already warned me ... Monday when I see him again.. It's gonna hurt.. OUCH...

Happy stamping, Happy gardening and just Happy enjoy this beautiful weather. See you on our next rainy day..

The last 2....

Frames... I promise... At least for a little while :) When so many people love these frames, how can I not make them as gifts? I missed one of my good friends birthday last weekend (my mind was elsewhere with loosing Harley) so this weekend I made her this gift...

T's favorite word is integrity.. Which may I add sums her up in a nutshell. She is one of the most 'honest' people and has a strong morale.. For the background for this frame I used vintage paper... The letters were rub-ons from Wal-mart on very vanilla paper matted on sahara sand. Baroque Motifs and Simple Delights were stamped in sahara sand and cranberry crisp. The cranberry ribbon was embellished with a piece of pewter hardware before I tied the bow..

I believe everything happens for a reason. That is exactly how me and my friend J met. She started her weight loss journey a few months ahead of me.. so she is just a few pounds away from loosing.. Are you ready... 100 pounds. How awesome is that? This final frame is for her for when she's inducted into the century club... I choose believe because choosing to change your entire life is something that you need to believe in with every ounce of your soul. Choosing to have WLS isn't something that one can wake up one morning and say.. I think I'm going to have GBP surgery.. It's something that takes a great deal of thought and it's not until you're absolutely ready can you even make that decision. This will be my special gift to J when she reaches the 100 lbs gone forever milestone. For this I used "Style" designer series paper from Crate Paper.. Textured black and Very Vanilla Carstock (SUP).. The letters are again rub-on's from Walmart. Baroque Motifs and Simple Delights (SUP) were stamped in Versa Mark and then embossed with black embossing powder. And finally I added a piece of Ivory wide grosgrain ribbon with a decorative black ribbon and pewter hardware.

So if you could pick just 1 word to describe yourself what would it be?

Happy Stamping

We have a winner

Congratulations #9...
Gina Wrona

Gina said.. Hi Lisa!My great news is that I sold my last AKC black female lab, who is 16 weeks old today!YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!Thanks for the chance/opportunity to win your awesome candy!((((((((((((((hugs))))))))Gina
Fri Mar 28, 11:42:00 AM

Gina, please email me your snail mail address and I'll get your package out to you... Thank you to everyone who participated. I love giving candy away.. :)
Hugs,

If you could describe

something very meaningful to you in just 1 word, what would that be? I have my 3 month post-op appointment (actually it's only 2 1/2 months but don't tell his secretary).. with my surgeon.. (I actually call him my phantom surgeon because I haven't seen him since the day of my surgery. I had my GBP on a Friday so I saw the on-call doc all weekend, when I had the infection, he was on vacation.. so the on-call doc again and then because he's in the OR every day we see the PA for our normal appointments.. If it wasn't for the pain, the scars and the progress I've made since my surgery.. I'd start to wonder if he was even there.. No, JK I know he was there. I do remember talking to him in recovery.. If the word 'lots' when he asked me how much pain I was in constitutes talking..LOL) on Wednesday and wanted to bring him a little something. So this is what I came up with..

Dr. Clarke and his entire office staff are so genuinely dedicated to each and every one of their patients. Some of the office staff actually had GBP surgery so they've walked in our shoes and know what's going on. Dr. Clarke spends each and every day in the OR performing WLSurgery. His dedication to his work, to his patients and to giving us all back our lives is a true testament of the type of doctor he is..

When you meet Dr. Clarke for the first time you are overwhelmed his genuine compassion. How often do we go dread going to the Dr's? Dread listening to the same speech over and over again? You need to loose weight, your blood pressure is too high, are you exercising. Or how often do you feel like you're standing at the deli counter in line.. Take a number, the Dr doesn't even know your name, rushes you in and out like you're on an assembly line and has ZERO idea about any of your past medical history.. Never cracks a smile, never says hello.. Doesn't make you feel like a person with feelings and emotions. Personally it wasn't on my list of favorite things to do. When you meet with Dr. Clarke he sits down.. calls you by name... is extremely informative.. answers every single one of your questions and then some.. Laughs with you.. but most importantly treats you like you're his only patient for the entire day.. and because of that... is usually running very late. But how can you be upset when he gets to you and gives you that very same care. You can't.

Each frame was made using... Stamps.. Baroque Motifs & Simple Delights (both SUP) Cardstock.. Crate paper Avenue Collection/ Glam DS paper, the reverse (solid) side of the Style DS paper and Black textured SUP card stock. Ink.. NONE... Accessories.. Rub-ons (Wal-mart), versa mark, Black embossing powder, Cream 5/8" grosgrain ribbon & pewter hardware.

Enjoy.. Happy Stamping

Everyday

is a gift... And I really think I've come to appreciate that even more the past few days. Life always has a way of getting away from us. We become consumed in work, what were making for dinner, did the house get vacuumed, are the bathrooms clean, what holiday is coming up, what we have to do this weekend, what our plans are for the up coming months, omgoodness the yard needs to be rake etc. etc. etc.. .... and then in just a split second we realize we need to stop and celebrate the here and now..

Thank you all so very very much for your support through this sad time. I know we gave Harley a beautiful life filled with doing exactly what he wanted to do... basking in the warm sun, playing with his friends, roaming the neighborhood under the glow of the moon, and starring down a chipmunk or two. He spent all day Saturday warming his belly with the sunshine coming through the dining room window. He sure has left his paw print on our hearts.. :)

This was my shoebox swap for the SCS Eastern Get together.. Thank you Julie for your inspiration.. For this card I used a 4 1/2" square card made from chocolate chip, very vanilla and certainly celery card stock. Out on a limb was stamped in chocolate chip, certainly celery and ruby red. To make the tag I ran a piece of very vanilla card stock through my cuttlebug, stamped the sentiment in ruby red and then distressed the edges of the tag and the card with certainly celery. I added a piece of black hardware to the tag and tied with a piece of cocoa grosgrain ribbon. The green embellishment.. Yep it's one of my favorite dew drops. And finally.. How did I make my scallop.. It's circle punches glued to the back of the certainly celery card stock.. To ensure their in a straight line using a pencil I mark a very light straight line down the center on the back of where ever I'm adhering the circle punches. I then aline the circles up to that line. This will ensure their all even.

And finally... Please don't forget to stop by this post here... and leave a comment for your chance to get in on my latest blog candy.. You have until THURSDAY the 3rd at NOON EST... Good Luck :)

Happy Stamping :)