December Club Card #3 & 4

I had to take a break to get the Christmas Tree decorated. We still have to get a new tree skirt to match the NEW ornaments Alyssa & I have been gathering for the last couple of weeks.

Finally got back into the stamp room to finish up the cards for club.

Card #3 is a TOTAL CASE from Barb Mullikin. I loved the idea of using pastels on the dry embossed image. I used a Versamarker to color the embossed image before I put the chalk on so I get a Poppin' Pastels look. I used Curvy Verses for the greeting...one of my favorite staple stamp sets.

For Card #4 I decided we needed to do some more dry embossing so I used the Damask texture pad. The colors are Rich Razzleberry, Mellow Moss, & Whisper White. I used Thoughts and Prayers stamp set. Because I love bling bling I sprayed the textured Rich Razzleberry pieces with a rubbing alcohol Platinum Shimmer paint mixture.

December Club Card #2

Here's card #2 for Stamp Club on December 12th. This card was inspired by Jackie Langdon. The color combo is Night of Navy, Creamy Caramel, and Bordering Blue. I used Sense of Time, Itty Bitty Backgrounds and Grateful Greetings Stamp Sets. I embellished this card with Vanilla HodgePodge Hardware & Night of Navy Grosgrain Ribbon. This card will be made my the card making group of my Stamp Club. Back to the stamp table to make card #3....

Getting Ready For December's Stamp Club

I've got the stamp room allllllll cleaned out and I'm a stamin' away today. I finished the first sample for my stamp club that meets on Saturday (December 12th. I used the Wanted & Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets for the first card. The card is Natural Ivory, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, and Certainly Celery. I also used Pewter Jumbo Eyelets & Linen Thread. This card was deigned by Tammy Fite. I made a few minor changes to her design...so does that make it my design now?? I don't think so on this one...hehe...

Blog Facelift

5 hours later and I've given my blog a facelift. I used my new Stampin' Up! My Digital Studio to create the header, and body of my blog. I still have lots of work to figure all of this out...but I must get to bed as I have work work work tomorrow.

I'm really trying to get into a festive mood. Christmas will be here before you know it.

My 1st Digital Page

What a crazy weekend it's been. Alyssa finally got to have her sleepover birthday party. Because it was October 30th we decided to have everyone where their Halloween costumes and do our scavenger hunt at the mall in costume and then head to the movie in costume too. We had a GREAT time and Alyssa said it was the best birthday party ever.

I decided to open up the box that arrived on Friday and install my new My Digital Studio software from Stampin' Up!. It was so easy to use. I created this page in about 20 minutes. I know there's so much more that I can do, I just have to figure out all of the extra stuff.

OU/TX Weekend

We finally made it to Dallas for the big game. tx is favored by 3 but that doesn't mean anything...OU is going to WIN!!!!!

So....what's a girl to do...an entire weekend with her best friend and love of her life Charlie.

Gas to get to Dallas and home $65

Hotel room at the Anatole for 2 nights $400

Tickets to the OU vs tx Game - $600

A weekend with my amazingly wonderful husband....PRICELESS!!!!

BOOMER SOONER!!!!

One More....

Back to the stamp room I went and here's what I came up with. Thank goodness for DSP...even retired DSP. Sometimes I have to remember that simplicity is OK. That's what my dear friend and upline Susan Carruth would tell me. I sure hope my boss likes his card. And I hope he doesn't think I think less of him because his card is so simple and his bosses bosses card is so fancy.

That's all I have tonight. We leave tomorrow morning for Dallas to go to the OU vs TX game...Boomer Sooner!!!! I will have lots of stamping to do when I get home to get ready for McFarlin on Wednesday and Stamp Club on Saturday. Busy busy week for me next week.

Tomorrow is Bosses Day....

Today my boss came to me and asked me to make a card for his boss. He asked me if I could make it bigger than a standard card...and I told him of course I can make one and yes I can make one bigger than a standard card. So....I thought and thought and thought....what set to use, what does Tim (my bosses boss) like....what colors should I use...ARG....I showed my boss Sense of Time and then I flipped a few more pages and landed on Lovely As A Tree...that was the set he wanted me to use. Of couse I LOVE this set. It was the very first Stampin' Up! set I purchased. The oak tree was what he wanted me to use. So I got home from my evening at gymnastics with Alyssa and dinner with my family and started. It all came together so smoothly. Thank goodness cause I was soooooo stinkin' worried. I have something I came up with...no CASEing. Finally....a spark of creativity.

Demo Blunder

I've often wondered what the worst possible blunder I could make as a demonstrator and tonight I think I figured it out.

It started off this morning when I broke a nail. I texted my wonderful nail lady and she told me to come by after work and she'd fix my nail. You see, normally I'd of just blown it off, but we are going to Dallas this weekend for the OU vs TX game...Boomer Sooner!!!! and I couldn't go with a broken nail. So I decided to leave work a few minutes early to try and beat the traffic. Well, I think every moron on this earth was traveling south on I44. They were driving like they had no where to go and all day to get there. Ok...I made it to the salon by 5pm. I knew I'd be cutting is close to get to my Academy class that started at 7pm but I was really prepared this time and had everything ready to go (at least I thought I did). I got home at 5:45 and knew I'd have to leave by 6pm so I could set up and be ready to greet my students. Oh ya, I need to stop by Walgreens to pick up some cotton balls because we are doing polished stone. I loaded my Expedition up and off I went. Stoped at Walgreens...even had time to swing through Starbucks. Got to McFarlin and got everything set up. I was so excited because I felt I did a great job picking cards that my students would LOVE to make. Then it hit me...

OH NO!!!!!! I FORGOT THE BAG WITH ALL OF THE MAKE & TAKE PACKETS IN THE GARAGE AT MY HOUSE!!!!!!

What on earth am I going to do. Ok...don't panic. You brought extra card stock...OH NO!!! I FORGOT MY PAPER TRIMMER AT THE HOUSE TOO!!!!

OK...call my Amazing Husband Charlie. I was praying he was at home already, but he wasn't. "Please leave the store now and go home get my bag with the make & take kits in them and bring them down to me...pleaseeeeeee". And being the amazing husband he is he left the store drove home, got my bag, and drove them down to McFarlin. How lucky am I to have such a loving and supportive husband.

I think my students were pleased with the cards we made and felt it was worth the 30 minute wait until the make & take kits arrived.

Note to self.....Make sure I have my make & take kits before I leave my house....hehe.

OK...so I got home, happy a a clam that all turned out well tonight despite the worst blunder a demo could make and I realized I didn't have a birthday card made up for my boss who's birthday is tomorrow. He loves getting my hand stamped cards. I make them for everyone in my department and pass the card around for my co-workers to sign. I was pretty tired and thought...I have to have a card I could use to give him...looked through all the cards I had and I wasn't pleased. So....off to the stamp room to make a card, but try not to take 2 hours to come up with it and make it. Thank goodness for DSP. I pulled out some of my favorite masculine DSP from last year and quick wipped this card up. I sure hope he likes it.

It's midnight and I must get to bed. Take care & happy stamping!!!!

BOOMER SOONER!!!!!

McFarlin Academy Samples - Week 3

I have been having so much fun teaching creative card making at McFarlin UMC's Fall Academy. I have 11 students and they have all stamped before. Because they've all stamped before we are able to do more cards then if we had new stampers. This week we are focusing on some of my favorite techniques, embossing, emboss resist, polished stone, and crayon resist. Becuase my schedule is so crazy with me working full time and doing my Stampin' Up! business part time I have to copy a lot of the projects we do. I get my ideas and inspiration from several sites to include SUDSOL and Splitcoast. I wanted to share the cards we'll be making Wednesday night because I am really excited about my buddies being able to enjoy making these cards.

Deal of the Week - Week 2

Stampin' Up! announced this weeks Deal of the Week. This special is good from October 12, 10:00 AM (MT) through October 19, 9:50 AM (MT). You can order these items by contacting me or ordering online at www.stampinpam.stampinup.net.

Flower Burst Stampin’ Up! Embosslits Die
Regular Price: $11.95
Sale Price: $5.99

Item #114515

Perfect Setting Stampin’ Up! Bigz Xl Die
Regular Price: $42.95
Sale Price: $25.99

Item #115961

Three Tier Cake Pop-Up Bigz Xl
Regular Price: $39.95
Sale Price: $25.49

Item #116760

McFarlin - Week 3

Just finished cutting all of the card stock for week 3 of McFarlin's Fall Academy. This week we will be using our heat tools, alcohol, and crayons to learn some fun new techniques. The stampers will be making 2 cards featuring heat embossing, 1 card featuring emboss resist, 1 card featuring crayon resist (thank goodness Alyssa has lots of crayons...hehe) and 1 card featuring polished stone. I will try to get pictures of the samples tomorrow and post them tomorrow night after we get home from the OKC Thunder Basketball Game. I was truly inspired by cards I received at Regionals and a few from SUDSOL and Splitcoast.

Off to bed...I'm soooooo tired tonight. Catch ya all tomorrow.

Pam

Big Shot Pillow Box Die Basket

Here is a cool basket made using the Pillow Box Big Shot die. It takes three pillow boxes to make these adorable baskets. The bottom of the basket is created by taking two strips of card stock put in the bottom to form an X and then a cirlce piece to complete the bottom.

You can create the circle using your Circle Scissor Plus or the Clear Circle Big Shot die. This will be one of the projects for my upcoming Big Shot Stamp Camp that will be heald in November.

Deal of the Week is back....

Stampin' Up! has brought back their Deal Of The Week promotion for the month of October. This week's deal includes the Trio Flower Punch, 5 Petal Flower Punch, and My Way Punch for $10.99 each.

The prices for this weekly deal are good until Sunday, October 11th. Click here to place an order.

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinpam/

I'm BACK!!!!!

Many of you have told me that I need to update my blog. I know....I know....What a looser I am. Well, I just got back from a fun quick trip to Wichita, KS where I attended the Stampin' Up! Regional Convention. We saw lots of very cool new stampin' techniques and I'm looking forward to sharing them with all of you in the days and weeks to come.

Janna Hall and Kelly Worner made the 2 1/2 hour drive from OKC to Wichita and we enjoyed discussing lots of cool ideas for our Stampin' Up! businesses. My dear friend Adrian Mondy from Maryland was visiting her son who is in the Air Force and stationed in Wichita joined us at the regionals despite her being sick with a sinus infection/head cold. It was so good to see her!!!

Me & Adrian Mondy

Me & Janna

Me & Shannon West (Stampin' Up! presenter)

Janna Hall, Me, Adrian Mondy, Melissa Riker, Kelly Worner

Find more videos like this on Navy For Moms

Long time...No Post

It's been forever since I've blogged.  I've been so caught up in trying to get Mike ready to head off to the Navy I've not had much time for anything.  He shipped out on Monday (7/13) and has now completed his 4th day of Basic Training.  You just don't realize how much you are going to miss them until they are actually gone no matter how much of a pain in the behind they are.  I've not heard from Mike since the text I received from him at 9:03 pm on Monday night.  I've carried my phone with me 24x7 but no phone call yet.  I'm trying to be as patient as I can be.  I'm looking forward to attending his PIR (Pass-in-review otherwise known as graduation) on or around 9/11.  

I am so proud of Mike for his decision to volunteer to defend our rights as Americans and to keep us FREE.  

Here's a couple of pictures I took at his swearing in ceremony at MEPS.  I was so impressed with the Naval officer that swore them in.  He talked with the men and women swearing in about the importance of pursuing higher education once they reach their duty stations.  He told them that the reason our countries military has been so successful is because it is an all volunteer military. 

Retired Stamp Set Garage Sale

The new catalog year begins tomorrow and I need to make room for the new stamp sets I'll need to order for stamp club & workshops.  What should I do with all of those awesome stamp sets that are retired??? How about a GARAGE SALE?!?!?!?!?!

When:  Saturday, July 4th 

Time:  8:ooam- 11:00am 

Where:  Pam' s House (email me for address & directions)

How does it work:  All stamp sets will be priced at 20% off of the retail price.  I will take the total amount of the retired stamp sets you want to purchase and multiply it by 50%.  That 50% will be given to you in credit to purchase out of the new catalog.  

WOW!!!  What a great deal.  Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.  I can't think of a better way to celebrate our nations Birthday than a stamp sale!!!

New Catalog Poll - BLOG CANDY!!!

For those of you who have received your new Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog I'm sure you've gone through it with a fine tooth comb and found lots of sets an products that you love and can't wait to get.  So here's my poll....

Which set is your mot FAVORITE new stamp set?

Which stamp set is the UGLIEST new stamp set?

Just post a comment to this post between now and July 10th and I will draw for a winner who will receive some cool NEW stuff from the catalog.

If you've not received your catalog yet, PLEASE call or email me and I'll get one right to you.

Thanks...and Happy Stamping!!!

Pam

Mike's Senior Prom - TONIGHT!!!

This week is Mike's week.  It seems like yesterday that I was at the hospital in Fort Lewis, Washington giving birth to him and tonight he's attending his Senior Prom.  The last 48 hours have been very interesting, stressful, unbelievable, and at time entertaining. 

There's not much to getting the male ready for prom.  I enjoyed just sitting in Mike's room with him this afternoon and chillin' with him...visisting...laughing...and at times picking at him.  He hats it when I pull the hair on his legs...hehe.  I helped him button the buttons on his sleeves and put his tie on.  He was almost all dressed and remembered that he needed to brush his teeth (Dr Stevens would be proud).  So he carefully brushed his teeth being sure not to drip toothpaste on his black shirt or pants.  He held back his green tie to keep it from getting wet or stained with toothpaste too. 

WOW...how handsome he looked.  I was so proud...and a little sad too.  The reality of it all is that my baby boy is grown up.  It didn't hit me until tonight.  HE'S ALL GROWN UP!!!  

We went out in the front yard and took some pictures of Mike alone.  He headed to Miranda's to pick her up and bring her back to the house so we could finish the pictures.  I sat patiently in the livingroom working on my scrapbook page planning for the upcoming retreat I'm attending next weekend when the kids pulled up.  Miranda opened the door and stepped out and WOW...SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!  Not that she's not normally beautiful because she is so stinkin' cute.  She looked so grown up and like a beauty queen.  I immediately got up grabbed my camera and charged out the front door.  She was beaming and smiling ear to ear.  Mike had to go into the house to get his iPod so I took the opportunity to take some pictures of Miranda by herself.  She's so photogenic and a great poser.

Mike finally came back out and I took the yet more pictures of the two of them together.  They make such an adorable couple.  That's about all I'm going to say about it because I don't want to jinx anything.

Mike unlocked the car and opened the door for his prom date.  I took a few more pictures of the two of them in the car and then had my Mom talk with the two of them.  Reminding them to be careful and on their best behavior.  I also reminded them both that they are not 21 and no alcohol should be consumed by either of them.  I took one last picture of them and watched them drive off.  I sure hope they have a great time tonight and it be a night that neither of 

ever forget.  I love both of these kids very much and have prayed for them to have fun tonight and return home safely.

Some of Mike's Sr Pics

Just thought I'd share a few of Mike's senior pictures we had done a few weeks ago.  Sara gave me permission to post these on my blog.  She's a GREAT photographer and i HIGHLY recommend her.  She's going to do a photo shoot of Alyssa in the near future.  If you are needing to have some pictures done give Sara a call.  She's listed on my blog list.

More Michael Stuff...

It's been quit a week for Michael.  I should have posted this first as this was the first shocker for me this week.  Michael decided to get his first tattoo.  Although I am not thrilled with the idea of my child..who's really an adult by law...having a tattoo...but I can say at least it isn't a skull and crossbones or a naked girl.  Most of my friends who I shared this picture with thought it was very nice, but Mom would have preferred it be a painting on a canvas than a tattoo on my son's arm.  Oh well, not much I can do about it now.  It's there FOREVER.  His Grandmother and I joked that if something were to happen to him and he be decapitated at least we could ID him...bad joke I know...but true.

The Many Hair Colors of Michael

Today was Mike's High School Graduation Robing Ceremony.  His Grandma Julie and I went to rob him.  Julie & I showed up at 12:30 just like Mike asked us to and he was no where to be found.  He was suppose to go get his hair trimmed, change clothes, and meet us at Southeast.  I started texting him asking where in the world he was.  He was seriously stressed and told me that his hair was jacked up.  He went to a local hair school...that I will not mention the name of....and decided to get his hair colored too.  What the world was he thinking...hours before his Robing Ceremony and the day before his Senior Prom.  I thought...how bad could it be?...he's probably just overreacting.  Well, in he walks and OH NO!!!!!!  His hair was a redish orange.  I couldn't help but snicker...as did his Grandmother.  He was so stressed out and worried that everyone was going to laugh and make fun of him.  He was a nervous wreck.  He said he didn't even want to do the robing.  I told him that he made the bad choice to try something totally different with is hair and  that he WAS going to rob and he would have to deal with whatever came of the poor choice.  As we sat and waited for his turn to go up on stage and have Julie place his cap on his head and me put his rob on him, I started texting everyone I could think of to try to get him in this afternoon to FIX the flaming red hair he was now sporting.  Shelley, Angela, Becky...Shelley (my hair stylist) texted me back and said one of the girls in her salon could give it a shot.  Becky also texted me that one of the stylist at the salon she goes to could try to fix it too.  Off to Shelley's salon he went.  When he walked through the door tonight I was relieved that he no longer had flaming red hair.  Although it's not what his natural hair color is it's a DEFINATE improvement over the redish orange hair color. 

Here's the pictures before the color, after the student color, and after the professional FIX color.  Oh ya...and he also had himself spray tanned so he has a bit of an orange glow to his skin now.  Hope it fades a little before tomorrow.

Tag You're It!!!!!

Crazy Eights!!!!!
Once your tagged you fill out your eights! So read to the bottom and see if I tagged YOU!

8 Things I am looking forward to:
1. Scrapbook Retreat in Hinton
2. Mike's graduation
3. Friday at 5pm
4.  A trip to Eastern OK cabins with CB

5. Watching the finale of Celebrity Apprentice
6. Watching the finale of Biggest Looser
7. Seeing my buddy Adrian over Memorial Day weekend
8. Alyssa's baptism

8 Things I did yesterday:
1. Worked
2. Had lunch with my SIL Susie
3. Went to a grilling class with Charlie at CHK
4. Watched Biggest Looser
5. Washed a load of towels
6. Played games on my iPhone
7. Surfed the internet
8. Talked to Mom & Dad on the phone

8 Things I wish I could do:
1. Play softball like I did when I was 16
2. Stamp Stamp Stamp
3. Completely redecorate my house
4. Travel to CA to see my family 4 times a year
5. Sing as beautifully as my dear friend Becky 

6. Take my son's pain and anger away
7. Work a 20 hour a week at CHK
8. Loose 40 pounds by my class reunion in October

8 Shows I watch:
1. Biggest Loser
2. Celebrity Apprentice

3. Dancing with the Stars
4. Days of Our Lives
5. Hanity America
6. The O'Reilly Factor
7. CSI Miami
8.  Law & Order SVU

8 Friends I am tagging: ( if you have done this before ignore me)

1.  Adrian Monday

2.  Lisa Freeman

3.  Kelly Thompson

4.  Jeana Sorrells

5.  Becky Brum

6.  Sara

7.  Linda Hansen

8.  Shannon Plumb

Princess In Need of a King - PINK

Saturday I spent the afternoon with one of my bestest friend Janna.  She invited me to attend a PINK luncheon at her church.  I wasn't sure what to expect and WOW...when we walked in I was very impressed.  Everything was decorated in pink girly decor.  I wasn't sure what this luncheon was all about, but when I left I definitely understood.  PINK stands for Princess In Need of a King.  We are all princesses...no matter what...we are God's princesses and He loves us for who we are.  They showed videos of PINKing people.  It was like publisher's clearing house with pink balloons and a gift bag.  To see the reactions of the different ladies on the video being PINKed definitely gave me the warm fuzzy feeling inside.  I'm so glad I went and am looking forward to going again with Janna in August.

Alyssa's Stamping Itch

Alyssa was pretty bored tonight and really wanted to stamp.  She spent the night with one of her bestest friends on Saturday night and I told her it would be appropriate to send her girlfriend a thank you card.  She picked up my Stampin' Up! catalog and started thumbing through it.  She loves the Just Jawing stamp set and loves the sample card that's in the catalog.  So off to the stamping studio we went.  I cut the circles with my new circle cutter and Alyssa did everything else.  Only 11 more years until I can sign her up to be a demonstrator...woo hoo. 

She wanted to keep stamping so I pulled out one of my old make & take kits and she made her own versions of my owl card.  I showed her how to use the blender pen and coloring in the owls kept her busy for a while.

My Weekend

What an awesome weekend I've had.  

Friday night stamping with my sister from different parents Janna.  Saturday morning started out with cleaning out the garage and helping Alyssa with a lemonade stand.

Alyssa was so funny.  Initially when she wanted to do the lemonade stand I told her no because I didn't want her to be disappointed when no one purchased any lemonade from her.  So I suggested that we make up some lemonade and take a glass to our neighbors who were working so hard in their yards.  It was very warm and they were very thankful for the glass of lemonade.  Janna showed up and Alyssa told her about how she really wanted to do a lemonade stand and Janna told Alyssa what a great idea it was.  ARG...so a lemonade stand we set up.  A young man walked up to Alyssa's table and wanted to purchase 2 glasses o lemonade.  Alyssa was about to do cartwheels as she actually had a customer...and he was only suppose to pay $1...but put $10 in her box.  She ended up selling 2 pitchers of lemonade.  She kept yelling out "Lemonade...Sugar Free Lemonade....Made With Fresh Lemons"  I yelled out to her that our lemonade was not made with "Fresh Lemons".  It was definitely a day to remember.

In the late afternoon I made  a trip to Basket Market, and dinner at Outback with my SIL Susan and friend Janna.  Today we went to church and when we got home had some great nap time.  Before dinner I asked my DH Charlie to put up my towel rods for my punch storage I'd gotten from Ikea.  I had been asking for several weeks and Charlie didn't really want to put them up because of the holes that would have to be put in the wall.  He finally gave in today and together we hung five  39 1/2" rods.  WOW...how good it looks.  All of my punches fit with extra room for future punches Stampin' Up! comes out with.  Can't wait to finish the organization of my stamp studio.  Next organizational project...card stock & DSP storage.