Where WERE you Bexx?

So, looking at my blog last night I noticed it had been neglected for weeks earlier in late March/April. Well, I was very busy!

Both Jacob and Leo had the same due date (March 30th) however Jacob was 8 days overdue (April 7th 2008 he burst into the world!) and Leo was a planned c-section on March 27th 2012. So, both my boys have birthdays at around the same time. Well, as it was Leo's first birthday, I couldn't let that pass by unnoticed. And Jacob had his little heart set on a Ninjago party.

I thought I'd show a couple of pics from Leo's birthday tonight. I was inspired in the colour scheme by Stampin' Up!'s "Sent with Love" bundle.

I just love this paper & colour scheme! It'll be all gone come April 30th though so if you fancy it, you need to jump on it!

Here was Leo's party. I chose to use pinwheels as the main theme and did a candy buffet. It was a lot of work, but really fun & I was thrilled with the results.

Cake pops! Took ages but tasted divine.

Cupcakes. Not my strength, but my 2013 resolution is to learn to cook a good cupcake. Without a packet mix! 

The boys in the morning before the big do. Jacob chose the tunnel for his pressie for Leo. Leo was very puzzled by the whole concept!

I'll post a few more pics of what I've been up to in the last few weeks over the next few days.

Beautiful Basics & Balti....more!

Just a quick heads-up about Beautiful Basics on Thursday. I am going to attempt to teach the basics of stamping, and we will be making 3 gorgeous cards from scratch. Nope, I'm not going to do all the cutting. Nope, you will not get a lovely little stack of all the pieces you need. YOU are going to LEARN how to do all that, all using one versatile stamp set & punch. Doesn't that sound brill? Well, I still have 3 spots left. A reminder of the details:

Beautiful Basics

Apr 18 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM  (Eastern )

OK so you have a few stamps, a bit of paper & some cardstock. How do you take the next step & turn them into gorgeous hand-made cards? This class is for you if:
 
- you bought stuff and now don't remember what to do with it (!)
- you want some fresh ideas for making the most of your stamps
- you just need a little prod in the right direction
- you just fancy stamping, chatting & giggling with friends
 
Class is $10 (this covers the cost of supplies) and you will come away with 3 gorgeous cards. Please bring your own scissors & adhesive. Place an order of $25 (before shipping & handling) and your class is HALF PRICE. Place an order of $50 (before shipping & handling) and your class is FREE. Can't say fairer than that! :D

I am going to have a sneak peek of one of the cards for you tomorrow. I'd love for you to join us so drop me a line if you're interested.

OK now another Baltimore snap! It was fabulous, and I am now really wanting to go to Convention. Sadly I can't this year, but I very much hope to be there in 2014!

Yup - it had to be done! (l-r) my upline & awesome friend Heather, SHELLI GARDNER (!!!!!!) and me. (If you aren't a stamper, Shelli Gardner is one of the co-founders of Stampin' Up! and a lovely person. I don't hug strangers though!) Spot the Brit - clue, it's all in the teeth! My hair started off all swooshy & straight too, then I had to dash out to a very sunny but very windy Charm City and it all went wrong. However here's a pic of me "mainlining" before kick off, when my hair still looked good! 

Please note, YES I am always that red! I have a naturally pink complexion & don't do makeup. Ever!

Do you like our lanyards? I sewed them with this fantastic tutorial! I fear the SU! fabric may not be around too much longer so if you have your eye on any of our beautiful designs, it might be a good time to stock up. But, what do I know!? :D

 

Right, enjoy your day, think of me as I catch up on chores I missed out on over the weekend!

Meh...

*** Pity Party Alert! Pity Party Alert! Do not read if you're not in the mood to indulge my first-world problems! ***

Urgh. Well, I think I might be about to throw the towel in as regards selling Stampin' Up! I absolutely love their products, but I just don't seem to be able to translate that into sales. I held a workshop in my home last night and invited pretty much everyone I know here in SoMD and whilst I had a great time socialising & chatting with my friends, at the end of the night my net sales were.... the roundest number in the world!

I'd spent all day cleaning, baking, and all the previous day designing the project & getting all my stuff ready to go. This while looking after two children and having very little support from the hubs (he isn't that interested in me earning money as it'll complicate our tax return... ????!!!).

I just feel a wee bit flat today, particularly as both my children are now ill & I feel like I neglected them all day. I know they were probably brewing their bugs long before now but it doesn't stop the Mummy Guilt. I am trying my best to get some sense of achievement out of my life here but there isn't much instant gratification in what I do!

Anyway. Here's a picture of my cocoa bunny cookies (with SU! cookie stamps, naturally!) I made for last night:

They were yummy. And they've been helping me through today! :D

A challenge for my friend...

So, I managed to hook yet another stamper! Her name is Laura and she is an AWESOME crafter. Already! She actually signed up as my Stampin' Up! downline...

She hasn't been stamping long at all (perhaps a month or so?) so I thought tonight I'd throw down the gauntlet and challenge her to make a card. First I suggested a sketch card, but she was concerned she didn't have any shapes. So we went for inspiration instead.

This is the photo Laura chose:

And here's my take:

I went with the colour scheme. I was going to make a Christmas card using a central Christmas tree & a neon star but couldn't find quite the right stamp.




I'll post Laura's as soon as I see it... she's got another 5 mins till my deadline. Harsh, ain't I!!!???

Christmas in September

Only 3 months left of CCC12! That's Christmas Card Challenge 2012. If I haven't mentioned it before, this is a monthly challenge on Splitcoast where you commit to making a certain number of Christmas cards each month, so that when December rolls around, you are all set just to write & mail them. It's awesome, this is my second year of it now and I can't tell you how fab it is to open the box and see all your hard work!

This is also for the Great Outdoors challenge for Card a Day.

Urgh - really bad photo! Sorry! This stamp is from the super cute "Wonderful Winterland". I think it's my first stamp set with actual people on it. I coloured it in with SU! markers. The DSP is from Festival of Prints:





Only $6.95 for 48 sheets of 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" designer paper. It's perfect for cardmakers. My favourite thing about it is the combination of traditional and non-traditional colour schemes & designs.

Super Excited!

So, tonight I am having a few friends over to glug wine & make a few things. I could call it a "workshop" but that doesn't sound too much fun! I am really excited about the projects I have made, which I will share with you AFTER this evening as I don't want to spoil the surprise!

I just wanted to post this:

It's the free tray kit you get if you sign up as an SU! Demo before 11.50pm MT on Sunday, 16th September. How lush is it? Jacob and I worked together on it, it was so easy & fun to make and I absolutely LOVE the result. Especially the picture of Jakey in his dragon costume from last year.

I've put it in my hallway and I have to keep going and checking it out, that's how much I love it.

The kit truly is comprehensive, it has EVERYTHING (bar ink- but you only need black & Old Olive) you need to complete the project - including a full pack of Lucky Limeade baker's twine, a full pack of Basic Jewel Rhinestones, all the adhesive and components you could possibly need (in fact, two lots of the printed parts - in case your four-year-old helps you too!) AND the full "Toxic Treats" stamp set. To top it all off, you get $125 worth of WHATEVER YOU LIKE from the main catalog and the Holiday catalog for $99...

It's an amazing deal and I wanted to share my excitement and enthusiasm with you all. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about signing up, or just DO IT! The button's at the top right... :D Be quick though, this deal runs out on Sunday night....

At long last!

Aaargh I've wanted to make something since I got back, but haven't got around to it until tonight. I am shattered too, so I only managed to crank one card out. Here it is!

We've been in dire need of this card for Stew's parents - they wouldn't accept any money for the rental of the villa in Florida so I wanted to send them a thank-you card as soon as I got back.

I have packed up my "light tent" and "photo studio" (think white box on the dining room table surrounded by desk lamps and you're pretty much there) until we move or the house gets let. It isn't the most compact or attractive set up. So this is an iPhone snap - sorry!

I've been really busy since I got back, settling Leo and Jacob back into their respective routines, and also I bought a whole heap of meat from the wholesale store - I use "Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer" to make the preparation of dinner infinitely easier! So I've been cooking it up. We have Lime Ginger chicken, Stuffed Meatloaf, Bombay Curry... lots and lots, hopefully enough to last us well into October. The only thing I need to do now is a huge bag of green beans. Tomorrow!

Supplies for 10th September 2012 - Autumn Thanks:
All supplies Stampin' Up and available NOW in my SU! online store! 
Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze cardstock, Kindness Matters and Fabulous Florets stamp sets, Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, Very Vanilla medium envelope, Bitty Banners Framelits, Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Cherry Cobbler ink, 3/16" Metallic Brads.

Tawny Cards

Urgh...

Well it has been a tiring few days with Stew working really long hours. As a result I haven't had much energy for stamping in the evenings. I've been feeling really homesick, sometimes I just wish I had some family around so I could get a break. Anyway. Our life here is awesome but I really miss my sister, brother & parents sometimes.

However I had to get off my bottom tonight to make a gift for Mrs. Tawny, Jacob's teacher. It's her birthday tomorrow and she's bringing ice cream for all the kids. So sweet!

I tried to get Jacob to do a secret mission to find out her favourite colour but I think he was nervous. So we went with bright cheery colours!

I am going to call this 4 projects as I actually had to make them twice - had a MASKING DISASTER. Masked them all, stamped them all, then peeled off the masking paper to reveal ink had soaked through. There were some expletives muttered. Sacked off the masking and just plain stamped them in the end. The idea came from the Stretch Your Stamps class.

Jacob has also made her a bead bracelet with her name on it and drawn a big picture of an ice cream.

100.93-100.96 (Almost there!)

I also couldn't be bothered with the light box tonight. Sorry! To be honest it's a miracle they're even being blogged!

A little gift...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I missed a good friend's birthday recently. Well, I decided to MAKE her gift this time, as she is (hopefully) the type of person who appreciates the home-made.

100.75-78 (I counted the whole set of 6 as 3 cards as they were all similar) 

There are actually 6 of these cards in the set, but I couldn't get them all in & looking reasonable. They're all of a theme though. I just have to whip up a box, and wait for the envelopes to arrive as the cards are "4-bar" sized - 3.5" x 5".

I quite enjoyed making the set & I am inspired to perhaps make a few sets for gifts - possibly for Christmas.

{LOVE} this set...

I bought this set for the Stretch Your Stamps class at Online Card Classes which starts TODAY 9th July. Can't wait! It is a truly lovely set by Claudine Hellmuth (?) called Neighborhood. I actually made another one, with a paper-pieced house on it (100.72) but in the same colours, however I sealed it up for sending before I took a picture. Doh!

100.73:

School Days

I wanted to make a card reminiscent of school days - carving your names in the desk, the greeny-blue chalkboard, writing notes...

100.64 (going back a bit because I had to post & photograph this in secret!)

This is a secret card for my hubby's birthday at the end of this month so I hope he doesn't spot it! There are a LOT of different elements here, lots of patterned papers, letters etc. I'm sure I got the sketch from somewhere too, but for the life of me, I can't remember where!

Still in the heatwave here, it is getting old now! We are currently making Moon Dough popcorn and just generally causing mess.

Took this photograph myself too. I am getting there. It's good to be able to do my own, as I'm not then waiting for my darling husband to move his bottom off the sofa!

LOVING Starfruit

100.62:

Difficult to get a good pic of this one, and my not-so-willing photographer was not for messing!

I am so in love with Summer Starfruit. I didn't even buy a full packet of it, as I didn't think I was a fan, but I can't stop using it. Oh well, I guess I will have to put it on my next order!

S{ick}

100.59:

There are a few of us Brits here in Southern Maryland. Most of them I don't know as well as I should! Anyway another English lady was pregnant at the same time as me, and had a little girl soon after Leo was born. Sadly the lady has a history of heart problems and she is now in hospital. We are all hoping she makes a swift recovery.

Here's my card for her. I recently rescued this stamp set (True Friend) from the eBay bag and I'm glad I did, it's always been one of my favourites. The sentiment is from Word Play.

In other news, I sold another card on Etsy tonight, completely out of the blue. Woooo!

I have lots more cards to post here and on Etsy, but my photographer isn't very keen at the moment! We had a total battle with Jacob going to bed (the usual control issue and everything having to be done exactly in sequence, by the correct people, at the correct moments), and picked tonight of all nights to have a go at sleep training Leo. Errr, that went very badly. Needless to state, Daddy caved (though I was close) and Leo is now snuggled up by my leg, as per usual. Hmmm.

Bonjour Clouds!

Well we've had a mad couple of days here. I've sacked off going to the gym at 5.30am as I am soooooo unproductive the rest of the day if I go that early. It's funny, I always consider myself a morning person but I guess 5am is the middle of the night! Also with my sedentary lifestyle as a SAHM I just get really lethargic. I'm like a lizard in the cold!

Yesterday I was with Lovely Heather in the ER all day. It was a bit stressful, but thankfully she's OK. I was T-I-R-E-D afterwards. I spent the day with her today too and she seems a lot better.

Jacob went to the National Zoo with his nursery school today. It was very scary, him going off on his own. He had a brilliant time though and his favourites were (predictably) the monkeys. He was exceptionally tired tonight after no naps the last couple of days (he needs his sleep, just like his mummy!) so perhaps we'll get a lie in? Yeah right Bexx. 

100.54

Loving this one. Started with no plan at all, apart from feeling proud of myself for battling my way up off the sofa!

Picked up this DSP 6x6 stack in Marshalls the other day because I loved the colour combination. (Yeah, the not buying anything part of 100in100 has kind of fallen by the wayside) I can see a few cards being made using it!

Supplies for 100.54:
Stampin' Up! - Poppy Parade, Whisper White, Naturals White cardstock, Poppy Parade ink, Poppy Parade poly-stitched ribbon, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds glitter glue
Other - Mystery stamp from stash, PTI cloud dies, My Mind's Eye Honey Cake 6x6 DSP

Christmas in June

As well as doing the 100in100 challenge, I am also taking part in the Christmas Card Challenge. I did it last year too, and it was utterly fabulous to sit down in November to a big pile of handmade cards!

Anyway, with all the events of this year, I struggled to keep up in March, April and May. But, thanks to 100in100 I caught up my backlog AND I am on schedule now!

Just finished 8 cards, two of each of these:

100.46 & 100.47

OK so these are not going to set the world on fire but they'll do!

100.48 & 100.49

100.50 & 100.51

100.52 & 100.53

All supplies Stampin' Up. Stew has set up my light tent, so these photographs are slightly better. Still need to work on the lighting I think. I also think I should rotate the card a bit, and try using DSP as the background. But hey, tonight's achievement was getting off the sofa and completing these cards. I will mess with the light box another day...

100 Lions Roaring!

Well I have so much news...

Here is baby Leo, one of the projects I've been working on in the last few months!

And one with a very proud Big Bro Jacob:

I am so smitten with my boys!

On the stamping/Etsy front I have just reopened my shop, and caved and bought a proper light tent. So I will be updating with new shots soon, and I also have a few new cards to post.

In other stamping news, a very smart lady called Mindykid on Splitcoast Stampers has started up a 100 Cards/Projects in 100 Days challenge. Well I am on day 3 and so far 3 cards have been made. So I am hoping to post all of those on here too. I am also trying to incorporate some more regular blogging too, so any encouragement or prodding will be MOST welcome!

 Card 1 - SUO using Sweets for the Sweet and the sentiment comes from Best Dad Ever. It's actually my favourite "Happy Birthday" stamp.

 Card 2 - SUO using Fabulous Florets and my underused watercolour pencils. Entered this for the CAS Summer 2012 DT search but was gently reminded that CAS cards are usually white/neutral in base. So Daffodil Delight wasn't really cutting it!

Card 3 - SUO using Betsy's Blossoms and the sentiment from Fabulous Florets. Betsy's Blossoms is available from June 1 and I have to say, it's fabulous. This one is my actual entry to the CAS DT search, the deadline is 12 noon today so hopefully I will make it to the next round!

Trimester Three

So I'm apparently officially in my third trimester now and I am shattered! Neither Stew nor I are sleeping well, probably because I just have pains on both sides of my legs, hips & pelvis. This is not fun!

Anyway Stew and I have finished the light tent, it works pretty well now I've bought a new desk lamp & daylight bulb. Stew is in charge of taking & processing images so I hope to be able to post my first pics from it tonight. That being said, I haven't yet made a single item to sell, I am just practising with my stock cards! I was hoping to crank out some cards today as I do have the odd idea floating about in my brain, but today just seemed to fly by without much achievement.

Stew apparently almost fell asleep in J's bed after storytime just now until Jacob told him to "go downstairs and help Mummy with the lamp"... so here are the first pics. I need another lamp methinks and there is still quite a bit of tinkering to be done. Perhaps trying in daylight will help too....

What I like about these shots is that they do give all the detail of the card. However they're still pretty dark and we need to work on angles and things. But, a good start methinks!

NYR 2012

My New Year's Resolution this year is to make $100... that'd be about $100 more than 2011 then!

I have various plans afoot, like perhaps trying to pick up a bit of tutoring, but the idea closest to my heart is to make a bit of money through stamping.

The first phase is to try a bit of selling on my Etsy shop. I have done this in the past, with a little success, but since then I feel like my designs have gotten better, and I think I'll also find it easier selling from the US. In any case, I need to wait until my work permit arrives (fingers crossed for soon - I submitted my application in October!).

The second phase is to add my name to Stew's on the Stampin' Up demonstratorship and think about getting a DBWS (a Stampin' Up website & shop). Stew signed up to get the discount on my behalf but I believe in SU's product so much that I'd like to have a go at being a bit more active.

Finally - the tutoring. Probably the most potentially lucrative, but I really don't know where to start!

So, what have I done so far? Well, I have purchased 10 photo mailers from another Etsy seller in order to put my toe in the water. Most places I found only wanted huge orders, but I found this shop to be pretty reasonable. Obviously, you pay less per envelope if you buy more, but I don't want to drown in envelopes to start off with!

Next up is a project with Stew to build a "light tent" using this tutorial. So tomorrow I am aiming to purchase Bristol Board (???) and a desk lamp with a daylight bulb.

Incidentally I haven't yet produced any cards to put in the shop but when I'm ready, I'll swing into action!