Mug Shot-

(I made the little “filmstrip” using my 1/4 square punch. Bkgd was stamped using Behind the Scenes. )

So as you can see, I did finally cave and get the Crafty Secrets Coffee & Tea set. I just loved the 1950’s look of it. Its retro, and fun, AND so not my usual style.

My friend Paulette took a trip to our LSS (without me! SHOCK!!!), and I had her pick it up for me. Thanks Paulette-you are the BEST!

I have to say I was VERY nervous about this purchase. I had put a lot of time and thought into debating on weather or not I NEEDED this set. Finally I said-To heck with it! Just suck it up, and buy it.

Now why the big debate you ask?

My “issue” is, that with certain companies, like Crafty Secrets and A Muse, to name a few, I get intimidated by their “style”. Now, while I love their products, “I” am not a creator who has their “signature style”.

 I KNOW you KNOW what I mean.

So, when I create with their products I feel I HAVE to design just like THEIR style. I know I don’t literally HAVE to, but that is my thought.

Well, that doesn’t work for me, and I end up NOT using what I originally loved. NOT GOOD.

So I made this set fit “MY” style, and you know what, I think I rocked it!

Yes, I said that “I” rocked it!

Now I don’t care if anyone else thinks that or not. Or if my stuff doesn’t look like “theirs”, because I created it to ONLY please myself. Isn’t that why we stamp?

If so, then why do we try to be like everyone else, or make sure everyone else LOVES it. Its awful!

I am proud I took a set I was “challenged” by and made it all my own. That I let myself go of the pressure to be like them. Or make it like anyone else’s. That I overcame that mental obstacle only “I” put there.

There is no disclaimer when you buy something, tha tyour creations have to be a certain way. Like I said, its something I created in my own mind.

Now I will also share the other cards I made-which yes, I rocked those too! LOL!

We as women need to give ourselves credit, and have pride in our accomplishments.

So before I share the rest of my stuff-Challenge YOURSELF today! Doesn’t have to be stamp related. Let me know what challenge you are facing, and how you plan to over come it today. No matter HOW small.

Today my challenge is to avoid chocolate like the plague. I start me “better living, and eatting” life today. Cross your fingers, and ONE day at a time right.

So here is what I did next-

  Gimmie some SUGAR!

Is this not adorable? Don’t you love my “sugar-cube”?! Just added some micro-beads to where I needed them to be. Not revolutionary, but I thought it was pretty darn cute.

The tab-extends past the card. I thought it was different than anything I have done before, so like that.

 click for larger view.

Next up is one HOT mama

 Perk Up!

SWEET & SIMPLE

I think it helped I watched the movie Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck, when I created these! LOL! It was on TV that night.

Again, I used my Scor-Pal to create the dry embossed border. Easy as pie.

Wanted to keep the 1950’s appeal so I added some gingham ribbon, and scallops.

Now LAST, but not least-

 Perculator of friendship

How cute is this image? I paired this with some scrap paper by Chatterbox. Not sure which collection though :C had to dust of my Scallop circle nestabilities for this one 😀

I do think I may have over did this one-but that’s ok. We will call it my version of shabby chic! LOL!

So there you have it!

In front of you-my challenge defeated. That was my it-to overcome my own SECRET hang-ups! We all have them, right?

Thanks for reading, and if you decide, sharing your thoughts 😀

 Till tomorrow

  So sweet!

Now I HAD to share this shocking story with everyone, since I’m still recovering from the possibility.

This card uses Gina K’s new stamp set for a cause-How Sweet it is. I love this floral image.

Notice my lovely clear button embellishment-courtesy of Foo-Fa-La. Well THAT button could have cost me $16, to mail this card to my friend Alli Miles.

Now you are probably wondering HOW a button could add enough to a card to make it cost $16 to mail.

Well, Alli lives in Canada.

I was sending her a little string of Target $1 spot ribbon-inside the card-very FLAT.

When I took this to the PO they weighed it, and made sure it would fit through the slot. I dont know, its this paper rectangle, that if your letter is too thick, it costs extra to mail, or if it exceed’s 1 oz, the price hikes up.

Well I passes on the “weight”-JUST BARELY!

Then she went to “cram” it into the rectangle tester slot-NOPE! Too thick.

Here is the KICKER! Now when anything is over these requirements, you have to ship PRIORITY to Canada, starting at $16!

She said I’m sorry- it has to go Priority for $16.

 I said WHAT! For a freakin card?

Yes, Ma’am.

I said-Give me that for a minute-I ripped it open and CAREFULLY removed the button. YEAH! You’d never know it was there. I then asked for tape to re-seal the envelope-THEN it passed!

Is that NOT an insane policy?

The moral of the story is-if you mail something to Canada WATCH OUT! AND limit your friends in Canada! LOL! ————Just kidding. But I do have a bunch of fellow Canadian stamper friends.

I also just sent my friend Dawn ( also from Canada) some $1 spot Target Yummies (should arrive soon), and didn’t notice that it cost almost $18 to ship it. OMG! That is more than the stuff inside cost.

Anyway-onto a FLAT card.

This is a good ole fashioned 0.42 cents to mail kind of card 😀

This weeks blogger’s challenge was to use the layout on 37 of the NEW! SU! Catalog.

So this is what I came up with.

 Its going postal on Monday for a good friend. It’s pretty flat so, it should mail easy (wink).

I kept it pretty clean and simple. Its really a great layout.

I got these birds at out LSS. Not sure “who” makes them, as I am too lazy to go look right now :C

I think they are so pretty though. I love the sketchiness of them. Whimsical and elegant. I colored with my Copic markers (of course), then added some sparkle with my Atyou clear glitter pen. Its a subtle bling, but pretty all the same.

I used rub-on’s that my secret friend sent me. It was a really great pkg of stuff. I love rub-on’s.

The paper is from the Target $1 spot 😀 As is the paper in the card above it. Love that place!

Now for some tagging.

My PSF Dawn M tagged me yesterday-

I am suppose to tell you 7 -unusual things about me.

1) I HATE sports, ALL sports, and despite being a cheerleader in High School, I know NOTHING about them, nor do I care. The only sports I like are the one’s my children are in 😀

2) I LOVE “cheap” sterling silver jewelry. LOVE IT! You know, like the $16 sterling silver bracelets or $9 silver charms. It does HAVE to be real silver though. No expensive gems for me 😀 The only expensive things I wear are my wedding rings, diamond earring’s Jason bought me for a wedding gift (which I never take off-only to clean them) and a Sapphire ring, which was the first piece if jewelry he ever bought me, and its Alexa’s birthstone so I love Sapphire’s. Another thing-I often forget I have lots of cute pieces so I never/rarely wear them! LOL!

3) I LOVE waffles. Homemade waffles. Everytime we go out to breakfast (mainly pre-2 more kids, and vacation), I would ALWAYS miss the waffle time cut off. I would be so upset!  Jason bought me a Krupps waffle maker last year for Christmas (the ONLY acceptable kitchen appliance as a gift) so HE can make me waffles. He makes them for me every Sunday! Which leads to another WEIRD factoid-I cannot cook breakfast! I can bake, and cook awesome meals (when  I want) but cannot make a decent edible breakfast. Unless, you consider scrambled eggs. Who can screw that up?

4) My hair was blond and straight as a board till I hit 12 or 13. It then, got natural curly, and has been that way ever since! Curly hair runs in my family, on both my mother, and father’s side -everyone has it-except for my mom. She is the ONLY one who wanted it, but didn’t get it. She puts hot rollers in her hair EVERY DAY! When I was a kid she would make me sleep with “rags” (cut t-shirts, tied into your hair to make it curly/wavy-like back in the old days) in my hair or sponge curlers. So MY hair would also be curly. I HATED it!!!! When it turned curly she was ECSTATIC!  In high-school, I would STRAIGHTEN it, everyday-I wanted straight hair! LOL! Until I was about 19, I did that. Then I accepted the fact that my hair was curly, and people pay big $$$ for hair like that. Plus when I became a nurse, it was easier/faster to just let it be. Can I tell you how much she LOVES the fact that Amber has my curly hair? She is always like-You should twist it to enhance the curl. While I admit-she looks adorable, I am NOT putting her through that torture I went through as a girl! Alexa’s hair-when she had it (or long I should say) was straight as a board! I LOVED it. It was so gorgeous, soft and silky.

5) We have caller I.D. When some annoying telemarketer calls, I let the kids answer the phone and chat it up till the people hang up. After they call and this happens no more than 4 times, they stop calling! Its pretty funny to watch.

6) I do my make-up EVERYDAY. No matter what. Even if I’m not going anywhere. My mother (again) taught me that. She said you NEVER know WHO is going to show up, or if there will be an emergency, and you have to leave the house. I HATE the days I get the kids on the bus before showering. You need to always look “made”. There have been MANY times I was so grateful for that advice. I will NOT leaver my house without make-up. Sorta like the “always wear clean underwear in-case you get in an accident thing”. NOTE: I don’t wear a ton of make-up, and its NOT caked on my face!

7) I have TONS of cards (which I donate alot of) and never send a pre-made for no reason one  to anyone. I have to make it special for them everytime. I will often be late, or end up NOT sending one at all! How awful is that? I don’t know WHY I do this. I have attempted to change that about me, but can’t.

Well now that you know all that, and definitely could have lived without it, I tag YOU! If you want to play, place it in the comments section!

Otherwise, say whatever else you  wouold like (if anything).

Thanks for reading/commenting. I’ll see ya back here tomorrow!

I think today I may work on some fellow blogger’s sketches! That is something I never get to do. We shall see.