Don't Tear Me Down - Widget

My Stampin' Up! Projects

Well it has again been too long since my last post. The new Stampin' Up! catalog is out and it is fabulous to say the least. I have my wish list completed and will need to save quite a bit to afford all that I want for it. I have also found a job and will begin soon. It is bittersweet as I do need the money, I have also enjoyed my time at home. I have not accomplished all that I intended to but have done what I wanted to. So I will now begin a new chapter in my work life.

The pictures I am posting are from my last stamp club meeting. I made a card with the new SU Animal Stories stamp set and a scrapbook page with a Sizzix flower die. All papers are SU as are the inks used. I did use a Martha Steward punch (branch) as I wanted the "wild life" to be outdoors. I made the page very simple by just adding die cut flowers and the branches as leaves. I added brads to the flower center. I love the new In Colors from SU.

I hope you enjoy these projects. I had a fun time creating them and the club members enjoyed making their own.

Stampin' Up! and Country Living together again.

Have you seen the new Stampin' Up! Country Living Kit? WOW! What a great addition to your summer picnic or your 4th of July Celebration.

This is a limited time kit and is a great value at $24.95.The Country Living Summer Cookout Kit gives you everything you need to hold a fantastic summer party, including:

•Creative invitations
•Fun food wrappers
•Customizable coasters
•And more!

Please visit my website at www.debbiedaniels.stampinup.net and select Promotions to order this kit.

Stampin' Up! New Catalog and current Promotions

I just received my demonstrator copy of the new catalog and WOW! is all I can say. I can't wait until my customers see it. It is unbelievable. I love the new stamps and all the new designer papers (DP). I will have quite a large order in just the DP, they are beautiful.

I am getting ready to create a journal and will definitely be using some of these papers in it.

Please click on the side link to check out the current promotions.

It's been awhile again.

I haven't updated this blog in awhile, not sure why. I have created a few cards and scrapbook pages for my monthly Stamping! club and for a workshop I held. I also did a calendar for the workshop. I hope to get pictures taken and uploaded soon.

Today I made two cards using HIT (Hearts In Touch) rubber stamps. There was a challenge to stamp on black. So I stamped on black SU cardstock and colored with PearlEx watercolors. I used some bronze mirror paper and black vinyl to mount the stamped oriental poppy on. They will be sent as RAK's to someone on the HIT yahoo group RAK list. I hope you enjoy it.

More later, off to cook supper now.

Back to work today

Today was my first day back to the health care campus where my dad was a resident. Dad passed away May 1st, he was 81 and had Alzheimer's. When I say "back to work", I actually mean back to volunteering. I am currently unemployed (except for selling Stampin' Up!) and looking for work.

I volunteer two days a week at the health care campus and it is a great place. My daughter also works there (she is actually employed there). I enjoy my time there and I get to do various tasks. I have made phone calls to obtain information, visited with the residents doing one on one visits, helped with various activities, helped in the dining room at lunch and even conducted scrap booking activities.

The scrap booking activities started in April for National Craft month. The first time I took in various scrapbooks I had made and some my daughter had made. From there scrapbook sessions were scheduled and we made paper bag scrapbooks and completed a squash book. We had a great time and some residents even put pictures in their scrapbooks.

This week we are going to decorate a paper bag with fabric shapes that can be used as gift bags, hung up for decoration or used to hold special items.

Today when I returned I took the Thank you cards that I made along with donuts to say Thanks to the nurses and aides who lovingly cared for Dad. They took excellent care of him and showed such compassion. They treat all residents with compassion, kindness, love and dignity. I just wanted to give them a small token of our (my 1 sisters and I) appreciation for their care.

The greatest thing for me today was to hear that I was missed, not just the assistance I provide, but me. How great is that! How uplifting.

Please let someone you know how much they mean to you today. You will certainly make their day.

Thank You Card

Today I created Thank You cards for the various expressions of sympathy I received on the passing of my Dad. The card was created using Stampin' Up! paper (Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Apricot Appeal), stamps (Embrace Life and Much Appreciated), Watercolor Pencils and ink, Spellbinders Nesties and organza ribbon from my "stash"

I stamped the flower from Embrace Life using StazOn and colored with the pencils. I stamped the thanks from Much Appreciated and trimmed the ends with decorative scissors.

The scalloped circle was cut from Close to Cocoa on my Big Shot and the flower was cut with a circle die using the Big Shot. Both circles are the Spellbinders Nesties.

I love the Embrace Life stamp set and have used it many times in various projects. It is such a simple yet elegant flower set and works well for thank you cards, birthday cards, maybe even a Mother's day card. It can also be used on scrapbook pages and in journals. I am sure I will pull this set out again in the very near future. I also like to use Versamark ink with this set to create elegant backgrounds which I will most likely use in a workshop later this month when I create a calendar.

I hope you enjoy this card.

I now need to create my Mom's Mother's day card, I already have her gift (Bare Escentuals products which she loves). Sunday my daughter, Mom and sisters will be going to Olive Garden for lunch to celebrate Mother's Day.

My Dad

My posts have been a long time in between. It has been busy here. My Dad was in the final stages of Alzheimers and at age 81, passed away last Friday.

Dad is saved so I know today he is in Heaven and that makes things easier. As we sat with him last week, we were remembering special times and fun things we had done.

Dad was in a great healthcare facility when he passed and for the last 2 years they took excellent care of him. They not only cared for medical needs, but cared about him as a person.

Today I am trying to get things together for the viewing tonight and the funeral tomorrow. My Dad and younger sister had already pre-planned the funeral and Chris confirmed the final arrangements Saturday.

As I get things done, I think of Dad more and more and remember little things that I had not thought of in quite some time.

I am also reminded of the many things I need to do and how I should be more prepared for life events than I am.

Blog Candy Opportunity

WOW! I can't believe it has been so long since I posted to my blog. Where has the time gone? It has really been busy and full of too much to do in too little time. I have been stamping some, but not as much as I want to.

I have been doing a scrapbook activity on Tuesday's at the health campus where I volunteer and it has been fun. We have been creating paper bag books, most of the residents seem to enjoy it. Next I am going to create a squashbook for them and let them decorate it.

Okay, now for the blog candy opportunity. Debbie x is celebrating her 1 year Blogversay. Passion For Crafts is her blog. Follow this link http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogoversary-candy.html to sign up for the blog candy.

Good luck to all.

Stampin' Up! Promotions

Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted. I have been spending time with my Mom making jewelry and working on our taxes. I hope to finish them up today.

I would like to take a few minutes today to post a couple of specials from Stampin' Up!. The first is a special from the Occasions Mini Catalog that runs from April 1 until APril 30, 2009. As you create your cards, scrapbook pages and other projects from products in this mini, you can also earn free items. For each $40 in products (not including tax and shipping and handling) purchased from the Occasions Mini you can select 1 item free from the "Under $10" page (page 208) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog.

You can also earn 1 free item (from the "Under $10 page (page 208) in the Spring-Sumer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog. if you host a workshop of $150(not including tax and shipping and handling) or more.

This is great and you can not only earn for the first $40 or first $150 in product, but you continue to earn for each $40 and $150 in product. So if you order totals $80-that's 2 free items.

Great Deal!

Also Stampin' Up! the new demonstrator offer to spread your payments over 3 months on your Starter Kit continues through April 30. 2009.

Please see the links on the right to learn more about these exciting offers. I hope you will take advantage of them.

If you don't have a current Stampin' Up! Catalog, not only can you browse it online, but you can also receive a free copy (for a limited time and while supplies last) by ordering online. Please visit the links to the right for more information.

Marco's Paper Has A Blog and Special Offer

Have you heard of Marco's Paper in Centerville, OH? What a great place to shop. They have stamp supplies, inks, paper, Spellbinders, awesome cardstock and speciality papers, just to name a few things. Every time I go to Marco's I have 1 or 2items I need and always leave with so much more. They have great samples, a fantastic staff who are so helpful and kind. You feel like family on your very first visit.

Visit their website at www.marcopaper.com or the blog at http://marcopaper.blogspot.com. Their blog is new but you can subscribe to it. They have posted a tutorial on a card from a Make It Take It from today. They have them every Wednesday and Saturday. Fantastic teachers. Michelle Zindorf also teaches her brayer technique there. Donna Weibel is another teacher with some awesome classes as well as Cheryl Darrow from Ten Seconds Studio.

They have so much more that I haven't listed here, please visit their website to see what they have.

They have a special on preordering the new Spellbinder dies you'll want to read about; a special posted on their new blog which offers free shipping (be sure to read the information on when it applies and how to get it); you can also sign up to be added to their email list and you'll receive notices of specials just for email subscribers.

What are you still here? What are you waiting for? Get on over to www.marcopaper.com and http:marcopaper.blogspot.com.

You can thank me for it later. Enjoy and have a great day.

First Cake Attempt

I ended up not making it to the 2nd class due to my tooth issue. I did make a Tigger cake but just iced it plain. Today I decided to make a round cake and try out the icing technique we were shown. Well, it might take a little practice as the sides of my cake definitely show lines where I iced and did not smooth it out. My icing must have been too soft this time as it didn't set well. Also when I tried to smooth it out using a paper towel, I definitely learned what the teacher was saying about the towels. Mine has an imprint on it and they need to be smooth. The icing did set up okay but I really didn't ice the cake as smooth as I should have.

My icing was too soft so when I attempted to make roses, they were a little wobbly. I also tried to make leaves and they didn't turn out so well. I was pulling the tip away from the cake to form the leaf but it didn't end in a point, so my roses look like they have ferns for leaves.

This Friday will be the second class where we do hands on decorating and I am going early to see what I missed last week.

I will be baking another cake for class and it will be a 9" round cake. I will pay closer attention when I make the icing as well.

One thing I have learned is that the pan grease recipe we were given works great. You make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge till needed. I don't think it goes bad, you probably use it up first. I am sure I have at least 4 more cakes to make for class and maybe more if practice doesn't go well.

Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of my first cake here. Please be kind if you leave comments.

Join Stampin' Up! now.

Have you been thinking of joining Stampin' Up! but the cost of the Starter Kit was a little out of reach? Now is a fantastic time to join and you can spread the cost of the Starter Kit out over three months.

Until March 31, 2009 you can purchase the Starter Kit for $169 (plus shipping and handling and tax added to the first installment). Your completed paperwork must be received by Stampin' Up! on or before March 31, 2009 for this special price. (Paperwork received after this time will be processed for the regular Starter Kit price of $199. The three installments plan will be available on all paperwork received on or before April 30, 2009.)

Payments Breakdown for the Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit Price (March 13-31, 2009)
Payment 1 (charged at time kit is entered) $56.34*
Payment 2 (charged around April 15th) $56.33
Payment 3 (charged around May 15th) $56.33

*Payments indicated are for the cost of the Starter Kit, They do not include and any applicable state taxes. (Please note that any applicable taxes for the total amount of the Starter Kit price will be added to the first payment.)

Payments Breakdown for the Regular Starter Kit Price (April 1-30, 2009)

Payment 1 (charged at time kit is entered) $66.34*
Payment 2 (charged around May 15th) $66.33
Payment 3 (charged around June 15th) $66.33

*Payments indicated are for the cost of the Starter Kit including shipping. They do not include any applicable state taxes. (Please note that any applicable taxes for the total amount of the Starter Kit and, if selected, Stampin' Memories add-on, price will be added to the first payment.)

Stampin' Up! also offers an add-on kit which contains scrapbooking products for an additional $50.00. This kit must be ordered with the starter kit. The cost for this kit will be added to your first installment.

As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator you can share what you love with family, friends and new customers while earning extra spending money. This is also a great opportunity to support your Stamping and Scrapbooking hobby. You'll have access to training through online videos and also to sample projects and great support.

If you would like more information, please contact me through the Stampin' Up! links to the right.

What's Worse than Toothache Pain?

Nothing, that I can remember. I have had toothache pain for the second day now. Called my dentist today and have an appointment at 9:30 tomorrow to have it looked at. Am currently taking ibuprofen and Tylenol for pain and an antibiotic for the infection.
I was taking straight ibuprofen and getting about 1.5 hours of relief. Today I was told that switching the pain medication back and forth would help and that advice was right on. I have been pain free for up to 3.5 hours at a time.
Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. Of course if is infection causing the pain, nothing can be done until the infection is gone and that will be close to 5 days. However the pain will slowly go away as the infection is clearing.
I have no clue what this visit will cost, with no job and no dental insurance it is very scary but has to be done.
I did look up a home remedy and found a few. One was garlic and rock salt. I don't have rock salt but did try the garlic and it worked okay. I also used ice which really helped it. Heat was not an option as that spreads infection (just learned that today also).

Well, I know this post is short but toothaches are no fun.

UPDATE: I woke up Friday morning and the right side of my face was swollen. I had started an antibiotic the Dentist prescribed for me. If you are allergic to penicillin there is a 5% chance you are also allergic to this medicine. However, I had been taking it, so decided to continue it. With the swelling, I got concerned but my dentist said the swelling was due to an abscess and I have continued it. This morning it doesn't appear to be any better and I have called the dentist and left a message. I will wait until noon and if he doesn't call me I will call him at home. I thought the swelling should be going down by now, but it doesn't seem to be.

Cake Decorating

I have always wanted to learn to decorate cakes and last night I attended my first class to do just that. Since 1980 I have used the Wilton cake pans to make character cakes for my kids. My first cake was Cookie Monster and he turned out pretty good. While I enjoy the character cakes and have done quite a few, I really want to learn how to do the roses, fancy borders, etc. I don't think I'll ever be a professional, but I would like to make my cakes look more professional.

The first class was more about what you need for the class and what you will learn. This week I will be baking a character cake to take to class next Friday. I will probably do that Thursday. In class we were given a cake recipe and an icing recipe that we will use throughout this class.

I haven't yet chosen the cake pan I will use, but I have many (cookie monster, dinosaur, car/jeep, etc.) I am also going to invest in Wilton cake pans and this week make my family a two layer cake. We were shown how to ice a cake last night and I want to practice. The technique is so simple yet produces fantastic results.

Stay tuned to this post as I will be posting pictures of my class projects. Yes, you will see the attempts, failures and hopefully successes.

For my next class I have to make my cake, prepare my icing (which I found can stay in my fridge for up to 6 wks if stored properly) and buy the rest of my supplies.

If you would like to learn more about cake decorating and you have a Hobby Lobby close by, please check out their Wilton cake decorating courses. My course was only $17.50 as they were having a half off special. I purchased my Wilton Course I kit at 40% using the internet coupon I get through email and I heard that next week all Wilton supplies will be 40% off, so I can get the rest of my class supplies.

WIthout Electricity

We had a storm a few days ago and were under a tornado watch. Fortunately, no tornado just high winds which knocked our electric out around 10 pm. The electric company called around 4:30 am and said all was restored. Not true! There were 3 of us in the neighborhood who were still without electric. So we all 3 called and 2 days later we have electric.

In the meantime everything in the refrigerator and upright freezer had gone to waste so today I will be cleaning both out. I am treating this as an early spring cleaning and long overdue. It will be fun to go grocery shopping to replace some of what is lost. We will not be turning it in to insurance as the dollar amount is far less than our deductible (which I recently increased to cut costs) and would just end of increasing rates again.

So we spent 2 days and 1 night at my Mom's house which was great. During the day I was alone (Mom was out of town) and I really enjoyed being at her house. It is beautiful and very relaxing. I packed up some of my rubber stamping stuff (very minimal compared to my complete stash) and created 2 cards. One for my Stampin' Up! (SU)stamp club meeting next Saturday and the second using a new stamp sheet I received from Hearts In Touch (HIT).

The card shown in this post was created using the HIT Patterns rubber stamp sheet; SU real red, naturals ivory and basic black cardstock; SU real red and basic black ink; a button and organza ribbon from my stash; a rectangle Ranger Fragment and the scallop and perforating blades for my paper trimmer. I perforated the front of the card (not really visible in the photo) since it reminded me of the tracing wheel used in sewing projects.

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I enjoyed creating it.

I do not have a photo of the second card. I saw a couple of things on it I want to change and will post picutres then.

Valentine Printable

Lisa Vollrath has a fantastic site and is offering free collage sheets. Be sure you read the details before downloading. Follow this link http://countdown.tentwostudios.com/ and see what she has so far. Lisa's offer began Februray 1st and will continue through Valentine's day.

Lisa offers some great items for altered arts, ATC's and any of your creative projects. She also hss How To Lessons on her website with excellent instructions.

So try her lessons and items by going to gomakesomething.com. She also has two other sites, LisaVollrath.com and TenTwoSecondsStudios.com.

Enjoy.

It's Time To Go To Work

WOW! The new year is here and the job search gets serious. I have applied at a place for a couple of positions and no call yet, not even a return call. I have heard it is a hard place to get into so I am not discouraged at this point. I will be worried toward the end of January if I don't have a job.
One position I applied for I didn't get as they were concerned with my work experience and salary record that I would be bored. Since they changed the hours, I was okay with that as I could not work the new hours.
I did begin volunteering at the health campus where my father lives (he is suffering from Alzheimer's) today and will be working there M-F 8:30-3:00 for the next couple of weeks. I just need to get active and back into a routine. After the 2 weeks I plan on working the same hours 2-3 days a week.
I will continue my job search and something will come along.
I have enjoyed my time off even though I haven't accomplished as much as I would like to. My craft room is still a mess, I go up there look at it and turn around and walk out. I have no clue where to get started. I need a professional organizer to donate time to help me get started.
Well that is it for now, I need to help with homework and relax.