A jewelry day

I started this necklace last night. I did the first two strands and then wanted a heart with drill holes going through it widthwise, rather than lengthwise. I looked everywhere for one or even a pendant heart. No luck - who woulda thunk it?? Anyway, I went to the dollar store to buy cat litter at the end of the day and found this on a bracelet, which matched the other heart beads really well. So, I'm finished. This is the first 3 tiered necklace I've made that's turned out very well.

Her loss, my gain

I tried to talk my mom out of buying this set. She has the SU set of wild animals - they aren't silhouettes and she thought she'd put them with the tree. I told her that she wouldn't like it. But, she didn't listen. So, now it's mine!

This is a bookmark for one of my son's Sunday school teachers. This Sunday is recognition Sunday. His teachers are a married couple who's granddaughter is in the class and they are so nice.

Kai asked me if I would make them a thank you card, but I figured I'd rather make them something they could use.

I started with post its, pumpkin pie, marigold morning, more mustard, cameo coral, brilliant blue, not quite navy and night of navy inks. After a few mishaps (I haven't used a brayer in a while), I got this, which I was ok with. The brayer, if you haven't ever used it, has quite a learning curve (at least for me). After inking the background, I stamped the silhouettes and inked the edges slightly with black, then mounted it on brilliant blue cardstock. I stamped the sentiment on marigold morning cardstock and inked it with pumpkin pie and a little black before mounting it on brilliant blue as well. The base is brilliant blue, layered with pumpkin pie. I hope that Kai's teacher likes this and gets some use out of it. I'm planning to make his wife a book thong with my beads, but not tonight - I'm tired.

No stampin' today

My parents are coming for a cookout on this, the 3rd day of the 3 day weekend. A day for family and remembering those we've lost. Nothing is going as planned. I've been trying to get the house clean and there's still much to do. I have a closet in my studio full of stuff and I want to get it cleaned out. My bedroom, I'm embarrassed to admit looks like my closet threw up - clothes everywhere, on my dresser and my desk that need to be hung up and a clothes basket full of clothes that need to be put in the dresser. Why do I stress about this - because I want to be perfect. I know that I can't be. But, I guess I want to come as close as I can.
I fall short in every area of my life: as a mom, as an employee, as a daughter, a friend and as a person. I want to be the best person I can be. I can't be perfect, so why does anything less than that seem like failure.
And, I like most, try to think of a quick fix cure for whatever isn't perfect. There is no quick fix cure. I've made a schedule for our family to keep the house clean and if we follow it, the house will be clean. Still, there will always be things that aren't on that schedule - it still won't be perfect. I will always fall short, no matter how hard I strive - so why does it upset me so much. Do I really think that other people have it all together and I'm the only one like this? No, I do know that everyone has problems. So, why do I still, even after recognizing all of this feel like I'm less than I should be.

Naked baby fishin'

I made this for my ex-grandma-in-law's bday. She likes the kewpies and I do, too. I colored them with copics, stardust pens and a white pen. The dp is from SU. It is paired with wild wasabi, bashful blue and so saffron. The flowers are paper studio. The ribbon is SU. The button is from my lss.

Chi-hua-hua

Yeah - who wouldn't want a chihuahua on their birthday cake? This is another new stamp from doggonestamps.com. I colored it with copics and souffle' pens. The dp is Two scoops from Basic Grey. It's paired with pirouette pink and wild wasabi. The ribbon is from Walmart.

For all the kids who wish they were in Montana right now

I know - late in the season for a sled card, but this is such a cute image, I couldn't resist. SEI paper again with black and tangerine. The ovals and circles were done with nesties. The image was colored with copics and stardust (to accent the snow).

Martini, shaken, not stirred...

OK, I'm a chick...I don't watch James Bond movies. So, I had to go looking for a quote and "Martini, shaken, not stirred" was one I found. Well, my dad told me a joke...what did the duck say when he went into the bar? Put it on my bill. So, the inside of this card says: "Martini, shaken, not stirred. Put it on my bill."

This is another new stamp from http://doggonestamps.com/ Where they're having an awesome sale right now. This is Duck, James Duck. Too funny, huh? I paired him with one of my old loves that I've rediscovered - SEI DP. The ribbon is ribbonfx paired with a charm that I was lucky enough to have onhand. The sketch is from this week's sketch over at splitcoast.