Catch-up From July -- Part 1

I have been really busy this summer. Since the weekend BEFORE school got out until now, I've been on 5 driving trips, 6 states, 6 hotel rooms and 2 huge storms away from home! I'm tired!!

Now, it's back to school time already. Becca's sign up for volleyball and Nick's going to start Jr. High at Bethel (same Christian school that Becs has been going to for 3 years now). I'm still working in the Alton public school system so our days off will still be different (Spring Break is the biggest difference & PITA!)

So, 3 weeks ago, we went to Des Moines IA. I love the state of IA and would move to Dubuque in a HEARTBEAT! Des Moines was ok but not an overly friendly place. We stayed in what we now call the "Target Hotel". Very contemporary & very RED! I didn't think red was conducive to rest; why make a hotel red??? I swear, we were at a Target & they had a employment computer right near the check out. The screen saver was the EXACT carpet from the hotel!! Weird.

The best part of DM? Meeting up w/Cindy & Tracy at Archivers!!! TWICE!! Meeting up with a Shackie is just the BEST!! Putting a face w/the screen name and feeling like you really KNOW someone now. Not just an Internet acquaintance!! So very cool. We shopped & stamped & Cindy let me borrow her oval Nestabilites to work on ATC swaps. Oh, it was so much fun!!

When I was not w/"the girls", the kids & I got to do some fun things. Usually, when we go on audit trips with Scott, we have no vehicle. But, because of the number of miles he had to drive to GET to DM & then the amount of miles he had to travel WITHIN IA, he rented a car once we got there. The kids and I went to see a matinee showing of Wall*E. Nick & I loved it. Becca, who didn't think it would be that good to begin with didn't think it was super. She didn't hate it. She's 13, need I say more??

That same night, we went, along with Scott to go see Indiana Jones. It was an ok movie, not nearly as good as 1 & 3 but much better than 2!! I think Harrison Ford may have moved out of the "doable" category.

The kids and I also did some back to school shopping. Nick has to wear polos & khakis and needed more clothes. We found him 6 acceptable (to him) polos. When I got back to the hotel, I had an email from the school: stripes are now acceptable. We went back to the mall & bought him a striped polo (from Holister. ACK!!) Becca found a hoodie she liked (the "hip" stores don't cater to "round" teens!)

The best part of Iowa? Diet Vanilla Pepsi. They do not distribute DVP in the St Louis area. They have it in Bolivar MO, Jackson IL and Des Moines IA but NOT StL. So, I stocked up (forgetting that I had to pay a deposit on aluminum cans. Oh well).

More from July tomorrow

I must be the worlds WORST blogger!!

I haven't posted since we were in Cape Girardeau. Now, we're in Des Moines IA. LONG trip up here but I slept most of it; got a headache from trying to read online stuff in the car. Dh got a new interent connection card thing & now, we can surf from anywhere. But, alas, I can not as I get car sick doing ANYTHING in the car but sleeping.

Some time in the next 3 days, I'm gonna meet up w/Shackies Cindi & Tracy. We're gonna meet at a LSS and PLAY!!! Woohoo!! I can hardly wait. Plus, dh will have to mind the kids while I get to play. Not the way these trips usually work out. Usually, it's me in the hotel with no car w/the kids for 4 days while he goes to work. I guess that IS the whole point but, it's gonna be fun for me to get to go somewhere!

Sorry, Suzi's out of the office, leave a message

Right now, we're in Cape Girardeau MO. Dh has audits and we tagged along. There is nothing really to DO in CG and I don't have a car so I don't know if I can call it a vacation. A vacation from COOKING so that works.

Anyway, today I have found 2 really cool techniques that I want to do when I get home. Being that I'm of a "certain age" I will NEVER remember them when I get home. So, I'm going to link them here. When I get home, surely I will remember to check my blog, right??

Home-made Dew Drops

Tab Punch Cup-Cakes

This isn't a technique site but, something I still want to save. I'm DYING trying to find a scrap/stamp retailer in this town! I can't possibly go home w/o new scrap supplies, right?? There is a s/b store in Sikeston but, as it's 30 minutes away, I want to make sure it's open. I called the number, not a working number!! ARGH!!

Scrap stores Nationwide

More ATCs

I still have a couple more ATCs that I havne't shown. These are both for swaps at the Shack. I am currently working on some more but, I've got them all packaged up to work on while on Vacation next week.

Tower Drop

Here are the pics from my dad. Unfortunately, he shrunk them down so small to email them to me that I can't make them bigger. Sorry.

I have no idea who the blonde is. Despite the look on my face, I am NOT happy! Happy to be down maybe and alive, but not happy with the ride. By the way, we went on a water ride just before this pic & my shirt is still soaked!

Vacation Snaps

Sorry, still no "craft posts" but here are some pics from my vacation. No shots of me falling off the tower thing (still can't believe I did that) but somewhere, there's one of me in a swim suit.

Days 1 & 2, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason OH

Day 3, Cincinatti, OH & Newport KY -- walking tour!

Day 4, Kings Island

Not many pictures here. I forgot to charge my camera battery & it died BEFORE I fell from the tower. Look how high it is!! ACK!!! Still scared even after the fact!!

Day 5, Newport Aquarium

No, my prince did NOT appear. Dang it!! Maybe I need to look for frogs wearing crowns??

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

We left Monday for Mason, OH/Cincinatti, OH/Erlanger, KY vacation. It was too fun but oh so tiring. My parents went with us. Talk about your double edged sword. Hopefully I'll get some cards/ATCs done while I'm home: we leave for Cape Girardeau, MO a week from tomorrow. I don't think I should even unpack!

Another ATC

This was a very hard ATC to take a picture of. It was also pretty hard to make! The circle is a TRP w/an image stamped on it. The light pink is a post it note I used so the image would show up on the white background I used to take the photo. If you look closely, you can see the note Soon wrote to me. :)

This was very hard to get together. I should have turned the back of the ATC over before cutting the hole, it would have made it easier to line up. Live & learn! In retrospect, I'm not overjoyed w/the pink "girly girls" I made w/my label maker. I think it takes something away from the card. But, the cards have already been sent on to Kelly, the swap hostess so, that's the way they stay!

As promised, more posts!

This is for another swap of Sherri's. I absolutely LOVED it when I did it but then my 13yo dd weighed in on it & now I'm not so sure. The sprinkles are stickles but not as "wow" as I would have liked. I LOVED the patterned paper!

Yes, I am still here & I've actually stamped!

I have been here, just no time for posting. The kids & I are out of school! Woohoo!! We leave for vacation in 3 days! My parents are coming with us! Yikes! My kids are OVERJOYED to take grandpa to the waterpark. My mother is another story.

Here are some of the things I've done in the last several weeks. Lots'o'swaps!!

These are all for swaps that Sherri is holding. First is he Paisley swap. I really like this card although I feel like it might needs something more. It's also upside down. I think.

The 2nd card is for her Polka Dot ATCs. this was my 2nd attempt. The first card I did looked much better in my head than it did in person!

The third is Passionate about Pink!! Well, since I LOVE pink, this was right up my alley!! Really Blinged this one up w/stickles in the flower center & a HS/HA jewel (some got Heidi, some got Hero Arts).

I'll post more cards tomorrow. My list is long for tomorrow, laundry, shopping for a Pampered Chef party, getting stamp stuff ready for the friends who will stay AFTER the PC party. PACKING!!! Oh yeah, the bank. Got my last paycheck until fall. I guess there is a downside to not working?

These are so much fun!!

Ok, over at the Stamp Shack, Sherri posted a link to a blog showing how to make the cutest teeny-tiny little pocket books. I tried it w/a piece of printer paper & thought it was cute but someone suggested they wanted one that would fit an ATC. My brain started churning. I came up with this one. The size is apx 4x3 on the inside dimensions and ATCs fit PERFECTLY inside. I am in LOVE with making these. They are so much fun & so easy. So thanks to Sherri, thanks to Michelle and thanks to Sherry G for starting the shack!

April Christmas

Well, I was reminded two days ago that I was supposed to be making 10 Christmas cards this month. OOOPS!! Usually, I have a plan. The plan almost ALWAYS is stealing someone else's design. LOL. I didn't have a plan. So, I started thinking and came up with this idea. I'm not sure if it's inherently a flawed card or if it's so far out of my comfort zone that it's confusing me. I NEVER use all white (my s/bing motto always was "fear the white space") and I have only not used layers ONCE before. So, if you have an opinion on it, I'd love to hear it.

Pink & Brown Swap

This is for Christies's Pink & Brown cards swap. I'm not sure how much I like it. It looks better IRL (It's very hard to take pics of a TRP what w/glare and trying to put something behind it so it even shows up!) I went ahead & made 6 of these but, I may use them for something else. I guess I'll have to think on it....

More Birthday

I'm LOVING transparencies and Stazon. I'm wondering how I got along w/o Stazon for so long. I really, really dig it! I like the Opaque better 'cause the pads aren't quite as wet. When stamping on transparencies (or TRPs as I call them. It's too long a word!!), drier is definitely better!!

This was made w/my coolio Hero Arts cupcake stamps. I just love these cupcakes. Makes me hungry everytime I use them.

Imperfect Birthday?

I "stole" this idea from someone but, of course, I don't remeber who. Anyway, it didn't turn out as good as I wanted it. I used the stamp-a-ma-jig on it but, it didn't help! As a stamper, would you be disappointed to receive this less than perfect image? Of the 6 I made (just wanted to have some ready for family & friends) about 2 are "good enough". Whacha think?