How I Went to the Doctor and Got Stampin' Up Stamps

Life is pretty crazy sometimes. A local Doctor's office accidentally sent someone else's mail to my house. So I took it back to them (unopened). While I was waiting for the receptionist to finish with a patient a gentleman who was sitting in the waiting room and I engaged in conversation. I soon mentioned that I was a crafter. The patient at the reception window heard that and turned around and asked me if I used stamps. It took me a minute to realize she didn't mean postage stamps. LOL. When I said yes she told me that her sister needed to de-stash and had a bunch of Stampin' Up Stamps she needed to get rid of. I gave her my number and told her to have her sister give me a call. She called me several days later and we made a date to meet. She lives an hour and a half from me. I now am the proud owner of one hundred Stampin' Up stamp SETS. Some folks don't like going to the doctor. I think it is my new favorite store.

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay

Watchin' the tide roll away. Not literally, but still sitting on my bed looking out at the rain. There is so much to do today and yet I'm not really ready. Instead I am focused on a website management e-mail I opened this morning that has so many interesting articles and information. My blog is very new and I am still learning how to manage all of the tools available to make it interesting and informative. For anyone interested in the same issues the link to the information I am looking at is:
https://sugarrae.com/affiliate-tools/

Old Dog, New Trick

As a crafter with too many supplies who uses very few of them, I decided to make an inventory on my Google Drive so that I can easily locate resources. So I have spent much time photographing things, sending them to my email, downloading them, then uploading them to the Drive. Today I sent myself a batch of about 30 photos and when I went to download them I noticed (at last) that you can download directly to Google Drive. One of those forehead smacking DUH moments. Better late than never. LOL

Moving Forward

The sun is shining and I am convinced the snow will melt away and the electrician will be able to install the ceiling fixture in our new scrap room so that we can announce our upcoming card class. We had hoped to hold the class this past Thursday but realized the lighting was truly inadequate. Other good news is that I was approached by a crafter who needs to destash and has one hundred Stampin Up stamp sets to sell. I, along with some of my monthly card group, will visit her later in the week.

Not Quite What I Was Going For

Some months ago my monthly card group made a Triple Stamp Card that turned out great. Shortly afterwards I saw a reverse triple stamp card and wanted to do that also. Last night I turned my hand to that and was able to devise a version with a stamp I thought would work. To my eye it does not have the same effect as the model Iwas using:
https://www.pinterest.com/source/ladeedahday.blogspot.com/

So it's back to the drawing board.

Today's Craft Try

I soooo want a GoPress&Foil machine but cannot justify the expense right now. This morning I watched a Scrapbook Made Simple Youtube showing how you can use foilmate dies without the machine. Stacy used a butterfly die that looked similar to a die that I own. As demonstrated, I inked the die (just the main die not the cutting edge piece) with Memento die ink Potters Clay and then placed it on the cutting plate and added the cutting edge piece and ran the whole thing through the cutting machine (Evolution Advanced). My result was just like Stacy's. I decided to ink the raised areas with ColorBox pigment ink in Merlot to hide the over inked spots left by an earlier attempt to stamp both pieces of the die at the same time.
Lastly I shaped the wings by curling them around a pencil.

I Said I Would But I Didn't

I retired from State employment in July 2017 with the idea that I would turn my craft hobby into a new career. I was already teaching a card class and mentor Cricut users every chance I get. My sister, who also recently retired, and I planned to join forces in this endeavor. But here it is eight months later and, not only have we not opened our business, I have not developed a plan for daily activities to move towards my goal. It is so easy to procrastinate when there is no-one looking over your shoulder. Yes, my sister and I have arranged our studio and are ready to offer our first card class as soon as an over head light fixture is installed. But my vision was so much larger than just that. So that is what I have decided to turn my focus toward starting today. In pursuit of that I watched an Art Impressions Video and then set about doing my best to copy it.  You are welcome to watch the YouTube and comment on how well (or poorly) you think I did.

I Said I Would So I Did

I posted recently that I would start using the leftover pieces I have been saving from cards and other paper crafting. So last night, even though I was really sleepy, I pulled out my embellishment box and made a card. Everything except the card base and ribbon was from the box. The only thing left to add is the inside sentiment. I usually wait to add that when I know who I will be sending it to and what I want to thank them for. That idea is what actually got me started card making. I would go to the store looking for just the right card and could usually find one with the right theme but not quite the right sentiment. So, as other crafters have noted, I have spent thousands of dollars to make a five dollar card. LOL. Hope you enjoy.

February UMC Card Class

Here are the cards we are making this month. The popcorn card was designed by group member Alauna Boykin. Praying the weather will not interfere with our class.

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Organize, Organize, Organize

I am, once again, organizing what I thought was already organized. I have taken the organization classes from Totally Tiffany and bought many of her products. I love her and her products, but I'm still struggling. I used to represent Close to My Heart and bought many of their organizing products, but I'm still struggling. I just got a new Craft Box and arranged everything thoughtfully, but I'm still struggling. I think I need a craft store so that I can have floor to ceiling shelves and have everything in plain view. All my paper could be displayed face forward so that I wouldn't have to pull them out one by one to see what they are. My embossing folders, stamps, and dies would each have their own place. My pens and pencils would stand at attention in their own slots... OK, enough day dreaming. Let me get to what I really wanted to blog about today. During my organizing I found many embellishments to put in my, nearly full, embellishment box. I keep promising myself that I will actually use them but, so far, have used very few. I am making a vow to schedule a regular day on my calendar to make cards from the embellishment box and will post the results. Keep Watch !!!