Awesome Weigh In!

OMG!!!! I lost another 3.4 pounds last week. Doing the happy dance!!!!! It was at a price though. I pulled my hamstring earlier in the week. I had to take Thursday off work and go see my doctor. I was in so much pain it hurt to much to sit down. He gave me a muscle relaxer, and pain meds to take. I did go to work today even though he wanted to take the day off. I had to teach a class so really didn't have choice. So.....I'm taking the next few days off from the workouts. Total lost to date is 67 pounds!!!! WOW we are closing the gap on the next weight loss blog candy.

Cereal update........yup that little piece of cereal is still on the floor. LOL I knew it would be. Weekend is here maybe hubby will notice it. Can't fault the family to much they have been very helpful the past two days knowing I've been in pain.

Went up to 54 today only to drop to the 30's and start snowing again. Really wish Spring would hurry up and get here. Really getting tired of being cold all the time.


I wanted to share with you my dinner for tonight. Ham and Cheese Muffins. YUM!!!

1 medium chopped onion
1 spray of Pam
1 1/2 cup of Reduced Fat Bisquick Mix
2 cups Fat Free Kraft Cheddar Cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 cup cooked ham - finely chopped

In nonstick skillet, saute onion with the cooking spray until tender...set aside
In a bowl combine cheese and biscuit mix. Stir in milk and egg until just moistened. Fold in ham and onion mixture. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes.
Calories 130;5g fat, trace of fiber. If your on Weight Watchers also total point value is 3 per muffin.

I pared up the muffins with some steamed asparagus. It made a great meal.

Stamping Trails
Karen 205

Cereal and New Paper

Okay I have to share why I posted a pic of a piece of cereal on my kitchen floor. Very simple my family are pigs!!!! They never pick up anything unless I ask them to. This piece of cereal which is not mine has been laying on the kitchen floor for the past 7 days. I'm waiting for one of them to notice it and pick it up. Not like its under a chair or anything. It's in plain sight. You would think that three adults with good eyesight would see it there and throw it away. I work all day come home to there dishes in the sink, on the counter and have to clean before I can even start dinner. At night the kitchen is cleaned because I for one can't stand dirty dishes in the sink, but each morning when I get up what do I find? Glasses, bowls, and silverware from the midnight raid on the kitchen. Hubby works second shift so I have his beer bottle and cap on the counter, kids eat at different times as well. Okay I'm done venting. Not easy living with three grown pigs (they are not little piggys anymore they are grown) I should post a counter on the blog showing the number of days that the cereal has been on the floor. To bad I don't have a dog I'm sure he would pick it up.

I did get some happy mail the other day. I pre-ordered some of the new BasicGrey paper. Of course I had to have the stamp set too. It has an elephant stamp, and I just love elephants. Got a good price on the matching brads so I had to have those too.

Tomorrow is weigh in. I'll keep you posted on the results.

I need to get some sleep. I must have pulled a muscle in my hip it sure does hurt. It was hard working today as I'm a phone operater and I have to sit to type up orders. I could barely get out of the car by the time I got home from work.

Stamping Trails

Karen 208

Catching Up.

I have just not found the time to stamp. I was really hoping to this weekend, but I really needed to clean my house. I also went to visit mom, and went up to the school that my hubby works at and had the gym to myself. So I worked out a lot. Saturday we also went to the mall and did some power walking. I'm beat!!!!!!

I've received some questions from my loyal readers that I wanted to answer. Hoping tomorrow later in the day I'll have time to stamp and post some artwork.

Question one: Where did I find the fibers for the bunny card I made?

These fibers are Heat Bondable and are called Angelina fibers. You can purchase them at www.classact.ca

I found them at a Rubber Stamp convention last April. So cool! Come in many different colors are very easy to use.

Question two: Since I've lost so much weight why don't I change the picture of me and my stamp room? Well there are two reasons why I don't. It serves as a good reminder to me every time I login to my blog, and two I think it's easier for new readers to compare new pictures that I post to see one of me before I started on Weight Watchers.

Hope that clears it up!

Tomorrow is FAT TUESDAY!!!!! Well for me everyday is fat!!! LOL. Anyway we are having a pot luck at work. Although I did make my high in demand sloppy joe's I will be bringing my own lunch. Someone is bringing a fruit tray so I'll enjoy that. Not going to pig out. Now last year I would have jumped right in and been first in line. So happy that I'm in control of food now instead of food being in control of me.

Stamping Trails
Karen 208

Weigh In Day!

I don't have any new artwork to share with you, but I wanted to share that I lost another 3 pounds this past week. YAY! I'm 2 pounds less than what I was when I gave birth to my daughter 26 yrs ago. Hard to believe that much time has slipped by. I know I should have taken control of my weight much sooner, but I'm not going to reflect on the past. Just going to stay strong and focus on my future. I have had such an out pouring of support from my family, friends, bloggers, and people on my job. It's just amazing how much people really do care. To all my readers big thanks for being there for me. Only 5 pounds to go before I reach the 70 pound mark. I'll be posting more blog candy then.


Hoping to get some stamping in. Hubby has to work Saturday and Sunday on overtime so I'll be home alone. Looking forward to that!!!!! I need quality time in my stamp room.

Stamping Trails
Karen 208

Belli Challenge #54

This week's Belli Challenge was to create using Inchie art. First I had to find out what an inchie was. LOL I figured it was 1" square art. Little mini works of art. Mine isn't that flashy, but I just love this little apron box. Isn't it just darling!! I used the Want ads from the newspaper for the bottom half of the box. As is turns out the color used for each section is Sage Shadow. Perfect! As I was using sage and close to cocoa for the color scheme. Java stamp is from Ink-a-dink-a-do.

Want to see more inchie art? I know you do.....Please visit Chrissy's blog. There is a whole Belli team taking the challenges each week. You don't have to be a member to play along. Grab some ink, stamps, cardstock and play along!

Gotta run lots to do today.

Stamping Trails

Karen 211

Techno Challenge #57

Long time since I took a Techno Lunchtime challenge. I was in spring mode after going to the the Home and Garden show this weekend, so I made an Easter card. Bunny was done using micro fibers. These are so cool! All you do is ink the stamp, add the fibers, cover with parchment paper and press with a iron on medium no steam setting. Only takes a few seconds, and no harm done to the stamp. I found by playing around that color can be added to the fibers with markers. I wanted the bunny ears and nose to have some color so I used a pink marker. Background papers are by BasicGrey.

My three day weekend is over, it's back to work for me this morning. YUCK. Not really in the mood to work this week, but I still need the paycheck!

Stamping Trails

Karen 211

Bunnies!

My friend Karen and her daughter Sarah (how funny we have the same name and our daughters are also named the same) came over this afternoon to stamp. We made these adorable bunny baskets and candy bar wrappers.

Basket is 5 x 5 piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock. Bunnies are made using punches: 1 3/8 face, 1/2 circle cheeks, 1/4 circle eyes and nose, small and large oval punch for ears, 1/4 square for teeth. So cute and easy to do!

So Saturday me and hubby went to the Home and Garden show. That was fun. In the center of the building there is a built in Farris wheel. It goes outside of the building at the very top. It's enclosed with a clear roof so you can see out, when the weather is nice it's opened. Anyway I'm not much for rides as I really get motion sick. Skip talked me into going on. I did okay, but was pretty shaky in the legs when I got off.

This pic was taken at the top of the Ferris wheel. Skip held the camera out in front of us to take the pic.

I have tomorrow off work so I'm spending the entire day stamping. Can't wait!!!!!! I have lots of projects lined up that have been calling my name but I just haven't found the time.

Stamping Trails

Karen 211

Scale is Moving Down!!!

Hi everyone. Just wanted to share that I got on the scale this morning and lost 2 pounds! So happy to see that scale moving down. I'm one pound away from the weight I was when I had my first child. Lets see....that was 26 years ago. WOW. After I had my daughter the weight just kept going up. Should have done something about it years ago. Had I only known about Weight Watchers I would have. I've been on many diets during the last 26 years nothing worked. Take it from me....if you really want to lose weight the only sure way is to take in fewer calories than your burning. Diet and Exercise is the way to go.

I thought you would get a kick out of this pic of me. This dress is from the 80's. Lord only knows why I kept it. I use to call it my Mae West dress. I'm pretty darn curvy in it. LOL Anyway I can fit into it again. I'm tickled about that. Even though the dress is way out of style, and no way would I wear it out in public. Enjoy. Please feel free to comment on this pic love to hear your thoughts.

To a Thinner Me
Karen 211

Belli Challenge # 54

Hi Stampers! This week Belli Challenge was to create artwork using dollies. I've had this battenburg lace doily in my stash ever since I lived in Guam back in the early 90's. Picked it up at Top of the Mar. That was a store run by officer's wives. They would go on trips to different island and bring back stuff to sell at the store. Anyway......getting back to the challenge. This was the first time this little kitty ever saw ink on it's face. Stamp is SU Have a Heart set. The designer paper is from Making Memories. I picked up a large 6x6 pad of the paper at Big Lots for 2.00! Wish BasicGrey paper was that price! The flowers I got from Kat for Christmas one year I believe. Just love them! Stamp up in the corner of the card are from See-D's French Quarter. Hope you enjoy my card today. I had fun making it last night.

It was so good to stamp again!!!!

Want to see more cards from Chrissy's Belli Challenge? Just click here to see her blog with links to other members of the Belli Team.

Gotta run to work

Stamping Trails

Karen 213

Been A Long Time.....

Since I've posted. Haven't been stamping. Too busy working, cleaning, and getting my workouts in. My daughter Sarah has been helping me list things on Ebay. That's a chore, but I'll be getting some money, and cleaning out some old stamping supplies at the same time. So that's a good thing.

I'd like to thank Kat for sending me these cute heart shaped photo holders. Work great for displaying artwork also. Which is what I'll be using them for. The cards shown are artwork also made by Kat. Love the flocked large heart. She told me that this is the first time she has used flock. Good job Kat!!!! The monkey card is just too darn stinking cute!!!!

I will be getting in some stamping tonight. Tomorrow is Chrissy's Belli challenge day so I need to get busy and make a card tonight.

Weather has been great the past two days. Temps in the upper 50's. Tomorrow is suppose to go even higher into the 60's! YAY I've been walking around the lake at work during my lunch break because it's been to nice to stay indoors. Just loving it!!!!! It's about one mile to walk around the lake that is part of MTD's property. It's great that they have it. Lots of work too! Steep hills. Really get in a workout.

Till tomorrow

Stamping Trails

Karen 213

Belli Challenge #53

Seeing how Valentine's Day is right around the corner this week's Belli Challenge was to make a card using hearts. I had some dominoes that needed to be used so I designed the card around using one of them. Had dear hubby drill the hole in the top and bottom corner of the dom for me. He's such a dear to help me with my craft projects....and he loves it as it gives him another reason to use his power tools! LOL

The heart was inked with Blazing Red StazOn and then stamped on the domino. Word was over stamped on the heart image with Jet Black StazOn, then heat set. Crystal Effects was then brushed on to seal the domino. I added a chain at the top and a dangle heart at the bottom. The heart on the card can be removed and be used as zipper pull.

CS Colors: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Black.
Ink Colors: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie.

Other things used: silver brads, window punch, white crochet doily, Marvey circle scallop punch, Paisley Background.

Anyone is welcome to take Chrissy's Belli challenge. Check out all the details on her great Blog!


Stamping Trails
Karen 213

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Big Birthday wishes mom!!!! I took the day off and spent a good part of the day with her today. Mom is 77 today. I brought her breakfast, and cake early this morning. Then we browsed through some quilting magazines. Mom loves to quilt but since the last stoke she has lost all use of her right hand, and arm. She does still enjoy looking at them and watching me sew. Next I did her nails and we enjoyed some pampering with body lotion. After touring around the nursing home 4 times (hey I had to burn off my breakfast!) we joined in a game of TV trivia, and a piano sing-a-long. I also made a hair appointment for her to get a shampoo and cut this Thursday. So we had a great morning. Only thing I'm kicking myself about is I forgot the camera. Darn it all!!!!

Stamping Trials
Karen 213

Published!!!!

Not only did I get published....but twice in the same magazine!!!! Check out pages 96 and 97 in the February Crafts 'n Things magazine. You'll see two cards that I made for Valentine's Day. So excited about that!!!!

Busy on Sunday. Did my grocery shopping, and the wash. Went to Pat Catan's and bought more stamps. I know I know! Really need a 12 step program for the rubber addiction, but when you can get complete sets for 3.00 it's to tempting. Least it's calorie free!!! I'll post pics of the new rubber later this week.

I stopped and bought lunch for mom and visited with her. Came home made dinner, cleaned up the mess, then worked out on the treadmill.

Oh and of course watched the Super Bowl with Hubby!

I did stamp some over the weekend. We got rid of our old coffee maker and bought a new one. Problem is I have all this cone shaped coffee filters as these won't fit the new machine. What to do? I had the bright idea of trying to use them as

a candy treat bag. Stamped on the filter with heart and Real Red ink. Then took a sponge and added Creamy Caramel. Next I stamped over the Caramel ink with another heart stamp. Edges were inked with Real Red. Punched holes across the top of the cone and threaded the ribbon through, then added the stamped hugs and kisses image.

The other project shown is just a box of candy hearts that was covered with designer paper, then the image was added and held in place by the ribbon. Simple to do.

Stamping Trails!

Karen 213