Fun time with friends

I have probably told you before about one of my very dear friends who happens to be an SU consultant.  She is mega talented when it comes to cards even more so than a lot of the popular bloggers that you see on the net.  However, she thinks of herself as techno challenged and is totally uninterested in blogging.  Anyway, from her party (I love SU punches and Sizzix stuff) we did these two cards--sorry I can't tell you much more about the colors--I just don't know them as well as CTMH colors, but these cards did turn out gorgeous!  The first one is a swiper card.  I will have a tutorial here in a couple of days so stay tuned.  Here is the card as you would get it in the envelope.

All petals are made from Christmas bulb punch.

Here is the swiper card opened:

Then we did a second card.  This one did not get sprayed with the schmooch (sp?).  The color combo was so interesting to me because they aren't colors I would have chosen to go together.

Don't you just love the textured embossing folders?????  Anyway, here is the inside of the card.  Yes, my friend Marlene leaves no paper unstamped!  :-)

That is so cool!!  Finally, since I have this nice big basement all set up as a workshop/classroom studio, I hold the "mystery hostess" party and here is what Marlene made for hosting.  Note the partyly eaten candies that my granddaughter's think I haven't noticed:

Now, I bet you are wondering what the little Lion is so upset about (below).  Is it because he can't find his "courage"?   Actually no.  This was his first try at a costume that turned out to be too small--especially for his head and he was MAD!   This is my grandson, Xander, the Lion:

Okay, warming up to the suit now:

Here's wishing you a creative day!  Blessings!

Officer Michael Roberts - You Are My HERO!

Officer Michael Roberts, you are my HERO!!  You are true patriot and American Hero!!  Here is his story.

ExpressJet Airlines first Officer Michael Roberts, a Tennessee pilot, on October 15th was chosen for the X-ray scan at Memphis International Airport.  The Houston-based pilot says he also refused a pat-down and went home.  This Tennessee pilot says he's tired of being manhandled by security agents and is currently waiting to see if he will lose his job because he refused a full body scan.

Most of these TSA agents in any other facet of life would rarely be able to pass a regular background check to secure any other position.  Yet they are allowed to view (and make fun of) naked body scans (that are saved and kept contrary to popular belief) and they are allowed to conduct pat-down.  Do you really want those slime bags touching you in a pat-down?

Congratulation Office Roberts on standing up and saying NO to the manhandling!  When it comes to keeping your Freedoms or losing rights because "they" say they will protect you, I will choose FREEDOM every time!!

Ben Franklin Quote:  "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  Historial Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

Mojo Monday 160 and the November Stamp of the Month

Oh my gosh I just loved the Mojo Monday 160 sketch and decided that this was perfect for the November Stamp of the Month called "A Little Thanks".  This is a super set that can say thank you in so many ways!  Anyway here is the sketch:

Using the Olivia paper which I have been dying to break into since the Idea Book came out, here is what I did with that sketch (but I reserve the right to change or update it).  Oh well....

Supplies:  D1444-A Little Thanks SS; Olivia Paper Pack; NE Ivy, Barn Red CS & Exclusive Inks (EI); NE Ivy Organza Ribbon; Cocoa Opaques (little pearls on barn red CS); Holiday Buttons Collection; Corner Rounder Punch.

Oh course you know there will be more to come on the November Stamp of the Month!  And I still haven't gotten to Halloween out of me yet.  :-)

Not Christmas Yet

I know the Stamp of the Month was all Christmas and everything and I love it, but I'm still in a Halloween mode!

I had to use the coffin we made to deck out my office.  These are a few of the decorations in my office.  Our local Ben Franklin's (like Hobby Lobby or Michaels) had some very interesting Halloween decorations!  Even my granddaughters are in the Halloween (scary) mode--both of them being silly:

Besides, I still have some Halloween creativity left in me.  I wanted to make some of the Hooligans WOTG (workshop on the go) cards and use the TroubleMaker set.  The one I choose was cute but the card base was white.  I ask you, how Halloween is that?  Well, I love black base cards any time of year but especially at Halloween so this is what I turned it into:

Recipe:  TroubleMaker stamp set; Hooligans Paper Pack; Sunset embelishment pack; Gypsy, Lagoon, Pear and Black inks; black  and white daisy CS; prisma glitter.

Well according to my Halloween Countdown there are 22 days, 15 hours and 31 minutes till Halloween!  What will you turn into this year?????

October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring October's SOTM, which is D1442 Sharing the Magic, a set of 12 stamps. Nothing says "Christmas" to me like lots of silver, gold, and sparkle!  Can't you just see the glow with these stunning images?

If you have come here from Melissa Robinson's Blog, you are on the right path! I am the first stop for this month's hop! You can find a list of all the partipant's in case you get lost here: http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/sotm-blog-hop-list.html

This month we have almost 70 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Now "Hop" on over to Helen Onulak's Blog to see her beautiful holiday eye candy! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM is only available until October 31st!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Supplies:  Wishes Medallion (layout modified for standard size card).  Sharing the Magic Stamp Set, Mistletoe Paper Pack, Silver Ribbon, Cranberry Waxy Flax, Holiday Buttons, Silver Embossing Powder, Red Glitterglue, New England Ivy, Cranberry and Garden Green Markers

Here is another project I have made using this Stamp of the Month:  http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/2010/09/mojo-monday-sketch-155.html

Be sure to check out my October Stamp of the Month exchange slide show here:  http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/slide-shows-sotm.html

Halloween Workshop

Fall is  my favorite time of year and one of the things I love about it (besides the beautiful Montana weather) is Halloween.  My intent was actually to do a little more but I was sick for the last week with a horrible cold so I didn't get as much done as I wanted and the creativity has to be credited to Annette Green--a fellow consultant who is extremely talented!!  Below is a picture of all the projects --  3 cards, a candy bar treat holder and a  coffin.  The template for the coffin was from Martha Stewart's downloads.  Even if you are not a fan of Martha Stewart, her video is a hoot!

Colors used for the projects was Indian Corn Blue, Goldrush and Black CS and Inks.

Recipe:  The Boo Crew Stamp Set various other stamp sets for random stamped area; Sunset Exclusive Ink (EI) pad and marker; Moonlight White Brilliance pad (for polkadots); Black waxy flax; black polka dot organza ribbon.

Recipe:  Spellbound Stamp Set; Pewter brads; black ribbon; sizzix top note die.

Recipe:  Captured Moments and Beware Stamp Sets; Vellum for punched out ghost; wooden ghost charm; pewter brads; Cuttlebug Embossing Folder; White Daisy Pigment (EI) ink and clear embossing powder; Pearl Opaques; black gingham ribbon; staples.

Recipe:  Spellbound and Party Animal stamp sets; colonial white and Grey Flannel papers; cranberry and sunset EI; retired CTMH cloud stencil; Martha Stewart Fence punch; Licorice Opaques; Liquid Glass

I just LOVE this little party animal guy!  Isn't he the cutest?

Recipe:  Thriller and Beware Stamp Sets, Hooligans Paper Pack; Brilliance Cosmic Copper Ink; Liquid Glass; Sparkles; twine



Now "Gramma" is off to help the granddaughters make their own Halloween creations!

Mojo Monday Sketch 155

I love Mojo Mondays and wish I had more time to do more of the sketches. I was glad I had off Monday because it gave me time to work on a card. I decided to use the October Stamp of the Month because I wanted to play with the new Mistletoe Papers!

Here is the Mojo Monday Sketch # 155:

Here is my standard size card:

This next one shows the dimension of the card and the inside.  The pinkish color is really glitter but the camera just doesn't pick up the shiney-ness.

Supplies:  D1443 Share the Magic Stamp Set; Mistletoe Paper Pack; Creative Basic Mistletoe Collection; Silver Ribbon from the Creative Basic Mistletoe Collection; Cranberry, Garden Green, NE Ivy markers; Prisma Glitter; Licorice Opaques adhesive gems. 

Have a terrific Thursday.  I'm off to take First Aid Training!