Happy Anniversary to Me and Hubby

WOW......27 years have gone by since I said I do to my hubby. Seems like it has not been that long ago. Happy Anniversary to my friends Lisa and Geoff. They got married the same day (different year) as me and Skip did.

We received some great cards from friends. I had to laugh as all three of them used a House Mouse stamp, photo corners and a square card base. Great minds think a like ladies!!!!! They are all beautiful. Thanks for making my day extra special.

First card was made by Lisa. Middle card by Connie and bottom one by Kat.

I've been busy and just have not had time to spend stamping or updating my blog. It's been well over a week since I last posted. Shame on me. Let me fill you in. Last weight in I lost a pound which brought me to 202. At the time I'm writing this I haven't got to my weigh in today, but I did get on my scale this morning and I lost another pound that brings me to 201. WOW the only thing I keep thinking is the movie 2001 Space Odyssey. Well my weight loss has kinda been about space. I'm taking up less of it.....and it has been an odyssey, or how I like to refer to it as my epic journey. I'm looking forward to next week's weight in as I'm hoping to get under 200 pounds. It will be the first time in 27 years that I've been under 200. I'm on the road to Onederland!!!! And to celebrate that big mile stone in my journey I'll be posting another wonderful Calorie Free blog candy package for you to win.

Stamping Trails

Karen 202

Color me Orange....Well Tangerine

I made this card using the Manhattan embossing folder. I ran it through the Big Shot folder using Whisper White cardstock. Then I turned the cardstock over and colored the flowers from the back using Tango Tangerine, and Apricot Appeal. I applied the color using an aqua painter. Base card is 5x5 Kraft, with strips of Tangerine and Close to Cocoa. Word is from the Manhattan Stamp set. Just arrived today!!!! Love to play with new stuff.

The weekend was busy!!! I took my son and nephew to lunch and the movies on Saturday. So that took the entire day. Was fun but they are young adults and I think I'm just to old to keep up! On Sunday I went to see mom then went out with hubby in the afternoon. Didn't get any stamping time in. So I planned my day after work to get to the stamp room. I needed it!!!

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!

Big congrats to Trish for winning my non calorie Weight Loss Blog candy. Here is her comment


Karen you are doing so awesome with your weight loss! You definitely are an inspiration. Trish

Trish send me your snail mail addy to clar42ie@aol.com


Thanks everyone for all of your wonderful comments and encouragement. Don't forget to check back as I will be having more fun non calorie candy for you. Remember I lose means.......YOU WIN.

BLOG CANDY!

I finally reached the 70 pound mark! YAY!

You know what that means?

I lose the weight

and you get to win!

That's right time for more non calorie Weight Loss Blog Candy.

Large stamp set by Inque #50193 Silhouettes of Nature

Scrappy Cat, To Cheer You, and Kids and Teens Flower Fun

Also two really cool brad packs. One is purple button brads and the

other is ribbon slide brads.

Leave a comment of encouragement on this post for a chance to win

this blog candy. You'll receive an extra chance to win if you post

my link on your blog or refer a friend to my blog. Have your

friend leave your name when leaving a comment, and if

you post a link on your blog don't forget to let me know that in your comment

Winner will be drawn on Friday 4-17-09 at 6:00 pm est.

This post will stay at the top of my blog till the drawning. Scroll down to

see new posts.

I was so excited to get on the scale and see that it moved down!!!! Hoping that the weather is getting warmer now I'll be more on track with my workouts. I have tomorrow off for Good Friday and plan to get some stamping time in. Can't wait!!!!

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

New Stuff!!!!!

Got this gorgeous card from Kat yesterday. Just LOVE the black and white. So elegant! Thanks Kat!

I went shopping last night to my favorite store Pat Catan. I got a 5.00 coupon so I just had to go use it. Hey this girl doesn't let anything stop her from using a coupon!!!! I found these fun Flora Doodles. Great packages of flowers with jewels in the center. How fun is that!!!!

I also found another Inque stamp set. Can't have too many bird stamps. Or can you? Well my daughter Sarah doesn't think you can have to many. I like this set because its bold. I have way to many detail stamps and although I really like to color the detail stamps sometimes I just just to stamp and not color! Ah instant gratification!

The cupcake stamps I just had to have. With all the stamps I have I find I really don't have many birthday ones.

Getting closer to drawing the name of the Blog Candy. Have you left your comment yet? Time is running out!!!

Good luck!

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

Spring

So after the 4 inches of snow we got last week....I'm hopeful again that Spring is here. Still not been as warm as it should be for this time of the year. Been in the 40's, but at least the snow has turned to rain and the grass couldn't be greener!!! All my tulips are coming up doesn't look like the snow did them any harm so they should bloom.

I just purchased this stamp set made by Inque. Just love the little girl. Don't ask me why I selected these colors for spring but these are the colors I was feeling last night when I made the card. Colors: Tango Tangerine, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, and Vanilla. Designer paper by BasicGrey, amber brads, chipboard, and ribbon. I did use embossing with a Sizzix texture plate so this card also is for the Belli Challenge this week. The challenge was to use embossing.

The picture of Sarah and my mom was taken Easter day when we went to visit with her. Sarah hasn't seen her in a few weeks and was surprised to hear her grandma saying more words. Since they changed her medication she has been able to get more of her vocabulary back. They don't think she will get back to how she was before the stroke just over two years ago now, but I'm happy with how things have been progressing for mom.

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

Happy Easter

I hope everyone has a wonderful Blessed Easter! We are having dinner at home with just the kids. I'll be going to visit mom a little later and take her dinner. I made this cute little lamb bag to give to the activivty directer at the home. Really quick to make with punches. The large scallop punch is a Sixxiz die, punches; key tag, flower, large oval, medium oval. Handle is 1 in wide by 11 inches long attached with brads.

For his body and parts natural paper was used. Wanted him to look fuzzy and fluffy! Had to cut down and taper in the white bag. I didn't want any of the bag to show past the scallop body part.

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

Less Expensive......Really?

So I have AOL and on there site yesterday they listed 50 ways that throw your money away. Seeing how times are a bit hard now they had helpful things listed to stop throwing away our money. Most of them I agreed with. One of them however said to stop buying Greeting cards and make your own. I had to think about that one. Sure you'll save money on store bought greeting cards in the long run but what about us stamping junkies who are addicted to all the new stamps, paper, ink not to mention all those new embellishments that come out just to tease us. It's like dangling a carrot in front of our nose. No don't agree that making cards is less expensive. You can take one look in my stamp room and know that to be true. I have a very large investment in my hobby.....make that my passion. But I'm happy with it. Love to make cards, and projects with all my "toys". As long as I'm working I'll continue to buy new goodies. SHHHHH just don't tell my hubby about it!!!!

Card uses Bunnies and Chicks by Inque, ink; VersaMark, Close to Cocoa, scallop punch, ribbon, vanilla embossing powder, pop dots, feathers, cardstock; Tempting Turquoise, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate chip.

Stamping Trails

Karen 203

SNOW!

It snowed all day yesterday, not much of it was sticking. Here is a picuture of the hedges that are right out side my front door that I took last night. Well this morning when I looked out the window I see about 2 inches of snow on the ground! I think I need to speak to the calendar and ask just what the heck is going on around here! I don't think that it knows it's April and there should not be snow on the ground.

Oh well.......Living in OH we have to expect snow in April. Just still wishing for some warmth!

The dress cards were made by Lisa (right), and Connie (left). I put this stamp into the challenge that I'm doing with friends. Just love the card ladies!!!!!! I will have post artwork from my friends to post later.

Skip and I went to Hinckley lake on Sunday (yes it was warm on that day no snow). We hiked around the lake. It's a little over 3 miles, so that was a good workout, but was I sore when I woke up yesterday. Oh well like my Orchestra teacher always said.....No Pain no Gain! In my case No Pain no extra pounds coming off.

Stamping Trials

Karen 205

Manhatten

I really love this embossing folder!!!!

For this one I embossed the folder using cardstock weight vellum. Trimmed around the top and bottom portion. Next I turned the vellum over and used Apricot Appeal marker to color in the roses. I went over some of the edges with Pumpkin Pie marker then used the aqua painter to soften and blend the Pumpkin Pie color in.

Cardstock layers are Bravo Burgundy, and Mellow Moss.

Ribbon going around the bottom is gold. I added the silver heart charm to the ribbon before I tied it off.

I really love this card!!!!

Well mom asked for salmon patty's for breakfast so I'm off to make breakfast so I can take it to her.

Stamping Trails

Karen 205

It's Saturday!

Thankful that's it's Saturday. It was a very long week at work. Skip is on day shift now while it's Spring Break for the kids at school. We went out to dinner last night when I got home from work. I was bad........I ate at the Outback. But on the upside I did get on the treadmill last night and tried to work some of it off!

I won sales rep of the month for March. I had the highest sales! No real reward except I get to park in the employee of month parking space and get my name on the board.

The card was made using the Manhattan embossing folder by SU. Just love it!!! Now you know I'm going to also need the matching stamp set. When will the madness end? NEVER.

Colors: Close to Cocoa, Vanilla, Always Apricot.

Other things: scallop edge border punch(Martha Stewart), Chocolate Chip ribbon, mini glue dots, butterfly charm, linen thread, stamp-a-ma-jig word by SU.

Okay I got up early on a Saturday to stamp!!!! Hubby is still in bed sleeping. I'm going to make coffee.

Enjoy your weekend!

Stamping Trails

Karen 205

Tired Yet?

So are you tired yet of seeing Easter projects? Well.......I'm not tired of making them yet. Can you believer Easter is right around the corner. Looking forward to next week. I'll have off for Good Friday so that will be a three day weekend. YAY!!!

This was made using SU Box #2 die for the Big Shot. I used a piece of designer paper I had laying around. I think this was in a big package of scrapbooking paper I got from my friend Connie. After the box was cut the holes were made on the top using 1" circle punch. This allowed an opening for the test tubes to fit into. I did reinforce the bottom inside of the box by lining it with a piece of Always Artichoke cardstock. The backing piece is also Always Artichoke cut to the width of the box and height of the test tubes, and just rounded off the edges with the corner rounder punch. Grass is a strip that was cut to look like grass. Sponged it with Always Artichoke to give it some depth. Stamp set used is Bunnies and Chicks by See-D's. I've been getting lots of use from that set this week! Just love it!!!! Finished off this project by tying a bow around the top of the tubes. Egg and chick were also popped using pop dot.

That's all for today

Stamping trails
Karen 205

What This? Another Bunny!!!!!

While I was blog surfing I stumbled across this adorable bunny box. He is made from punches, and the Top Note Die. I changed him up just a little bit. Amy used the scallop circle punch from SU for part of the bunny I used a Marvy scallop punch to make his body a bit bigger. Also used the small flower SU punch for his tail. Added the dots to the pads of his feet, and cute little belly button on his tummy. Please visit Amy's site for all the instructions to make your very own bunny box. Take time to check out her blog she does some very awesome stuff!!!!!

Colors used for my project: Lavender Lace for the box, designer paper is Basic Gray (don't ask me which one I just grabbed a sheet that matched the Lavender!), Pretty in Pink for the ears, and pads of feet, ribbon is from the SAB mini ribbon bundle. Other things used, black marker, pop dot, small pink brad for the nose, white gel pen, red line tape, sponge and going grey ink to ink all the bunny parts, Pretty in Pink to add color to the cheeks.

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I don't have a new weight in total for you today. I decided not to get on the scale this morning at the Weight Watchers meeting. Since I've been sick these past two weeks I haven't been working out so I want to wait till next week to weigh in. I'm back on track again. YAY I need to be.

Stamping trails!

Karen 205

Belli Challenge #61 April Fools!

For this challenge our assignment was to make a funny card for April Fool's Day. I had this Granny set collecting dust so decided to use it for the challenge. The outside may not make you think that this is a funny card.......but just check out the inside.............................................

Pretty silly right? Let's just say I was doing what the stamp on top reads....Just Monkeying Around!

Colors: Green Galore, Rose Red, Regal Red, Temping Turquoise, White

Additional items: brads, flower punch, aqua painter, ribbon, designer paper.

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Two things I did for April Fools in days gone by (didn't do anything this year)

Hubby loved Captain Crunch cereal ate it all the time. I emptied the box out and replaced it with Cheerios (which by the way he doesn't like) That was a good one!

At work I came in early and put a piece of scotch tape on the bottom of all the mouse's for the PC. The cursor didn't work. LOL that was also a good one that everyone got a laugh from. And last year.......I called my friend Lisa while I was driving home from work, and told her I was sooooo upset and I didn't know how I was going to tell my hubby.......I was pregnant! I really had her going too (sorry Lisa) but I just had to laugh while I was talking to her that gave it away.

Hope you had some harmless fun this April Fool's Day!!!!

Stamping Trails

Karen 205