WOYWW # 378

After almost a month of getting used to new teeth, I'm getting back in the creative vein. I've even managed to put more stuff away in the studio. Bob will be surprised.

Part of the reason for stuff being put away is that I had to pull out the sofa bed. I came home from my last dental visit to find the central AC had gone out... and we've been hot again. My studio has a separate heating/ AC unit so one of the cats and I are pretty much living in here LOL The other cat, Spirit, doesn't like being cold so he is stubbornly suffering through the 82 degree house. Silly boy!

Anyhow, I have a stamp set pulled from the new SU Holiday catalog to make a card for a three year old who has to have surgery in a couple of weeks. He loves trains. Card pieces to the right are to be made into a card for my friend who's going through breast cancer treatments and a miscellaneous of other stuff I need to clear off and put away. The pads of paper with the ribbon or mats from the new Candy Cane Lane and Halloween papers from SU. Those are going off to my two top customers tomorrow.

That's my desk? What's on yours? When you are done visiting me in the Ozarks, please hop on over to Stamping Ground where Miss Julia has a long list of other studios you can peek into. No standing on an up-turned milk pail to look in the window. We open the doors wide and welcome you. We won’t touch.. just look. I can't wait to peek. Bob may or may not be home tomorrow and that will lay out how quick I get 'round to all of you.  Please leave your number and you'll be first on my list.

TEAPOT TUESDAY

Okay, so I'm still a week behind. This card was sent to Anne last week.
Anne recently lost her husband after a long illness and she surely would be cheered by words of support from SCS pals

I can't imagine being in Anne's position. Bob and I are way too close to be without one another. 

I used Heartfelt Sympathy from SU. The inside sentiment says 'May you be comforted by the outpouring of love surrounding you'.  I think that sums up the teapotter group nicely.

The DSP was from my scrap box and matted with a Recollections CS. 

MONDAY CATCH-UP

I want to get back on my blog posting schedule... but for this week, I'm catching up on a the Teapot Tuesday projects.  Now that I can work in the studio on a regular basis, I'm getting back into the Teapot Tuesday group on Splitcoast.  If you're not familiar, Teapot Tuesday is an RAK thread where someone is chosen to receive cards for varying reasons. Today, I'm showing you cards for the past two weeks.

The first one is for Al Baker. Here's a brief shot of his story:

Al is a big guy, very bright, with an off center sense of humor. Loves to dress up as a pirate, used to go jump in the Detroit River in the dead of winter for charity (dressed in his "semi-formal" outfit of tuxedo jacket and Bermuda shorts), has been known to appear in a grass skirt & top hat at parties, and is inordinately fond of bright colors & tie dye. This would be an opportunity to use those slightly risque or downright rude stamps, if you have them- he has a vast sense of humor. He's a proponent of Zen whitewater rafting- you get to the rapid, pull your paddles out of the water, and go where the river takes you. So, he's funny, adventurous, and an outside the lines kind of guy.

When I read he takes the Polar Bear Plunge, I knew exactly what needed to be on his card:

The image is from Imediate Media - a card magazine from the UK. Since Al likes to wear his tuxedo jacket when he takes the plunge, the little penguin a bonus element.  I used Recollections CS and The Paper Studio - Beach House paper. The dots are stickles and I added a bit of natural toned paper twine.

The next card is for a sweet lady named Marilyn. Here's a bit about why she is on our list:

She is a widow. Her daughter said she walks to the mailbox every day and there is never any mail for her.

She grew up on a farm with a few cattle and hogs and grew corn. They had a chicken house and raised their own from eggs. They had a huge fruit tree orchard, apples and cherries. Her dad died of a heart attack when she was 16. She married at 19 and by age 26 there were 4 children; she raised her family in a very small town; she went back to school and became an LPN when her daughter was in junior high school and prior to that she worked the night shift in a café so she was always home for the kids and didn’t have to pay a baby sitter.

She knits, loves to read and to putter with her “tomato” plant and a few flowers.

I wanted a touch of vintage and one of my favorite images to work with is Garden Collage (retired SU).

The paper is from K & Co. The image is stamped on SU Very Vanilla in Memento Rich Cocoa. I added a bit or Recollections lace trim and three pearls. 

Marilyn will be on my monthly RAK list as well as various holidays. 

Tomorrow I will have this week's Teapot Tuesday card. Then the first Tuesday in September, my bestie from High School is the recipient. I'll share her story then.

In the mean time, we'd love to have you join us. Whether you choose to make a card or make and mail to someone .. either is fine. We just like to make friends and bring smiles. 

Creative Blessings!

Kelly

CHRISTMAS PLANNER!

Since Christmas is four months away from today, I thought this would be a good time to talk about my Christmas planning. That, and the planning outline I'm about to introduce you to begins on Sept. 1. While I think about Christmas all year long in some aspect, September 1 is when I really kick the official Christmas planning into gear. 

Without looking back in one of my early Christmas Notebook binders, I am guessing I've been a part of the Christmas Notebook yahoo group for almost twenty years.

The Christmas Notebook was formed by Rhonda Coulter. I call her the Queen of Christmas. She has worked hard to fine-tune being prepared for Christmas BEFORE the holiday arrives. The concept allows you to enjoy the Holiday season seemingly stress-free. Like anything else, the Plan works when you Work the Plan. She provides the program and each participant makes it their own according to their family, traditions and how they want to celebrate the Christmas season. We learn to evaluate what works and what doesn't and how to enjoy the holiday.

Traditionally, Rhonda has us start with a 3-ring binder and tabbed sections. I've used a binder every year until this year.

While doing my pre-planning evaluation I had an epiphany. I do not need a big binder. For the most part there are only the two of us for the holidays. I put together Christmas packages for my daughter's family in Washington, I send out approx. 60 Christmas cards every year. Last year, with Bob on the boat, I finally took my sister up on her offer to spend Christmas with them. So on occasion that happens, I can still incorporate the gifts for her family in my new smaller version.

I still use this full-size binder to keep the weekly assignment outlines from Rhonda but the new Travel Journal is just for my personal planning. 

While taking advantage of the awesome clearance sale of the Bohemian Travel Journals, I picked up a red one. I also purchased some Christmas charms at HL (40% off). Add some stickers from The Paper Studio (50% off) and came up with this:

The concept behind the CNB Notebook as we call it includes the following:

To Do List - brain dumping all the things that come to us about what we need to remember in our planning.

Monthly Calendar - A place to track specific events as they come to you so they can be transferred to their Weekly Planning Page.

Weekly Planning Pages - A place to incorporate things from the To Do list into weekly tasks, insuring things are done ahead of time.

Room Pages - Where we take each room we want to decorate - one room at a time. Making a to do list of things that need done ahead of time for each room to be ready for the holidays. Everything from cleaning, to decorating. This may also include where decorations for each room are stored. Rhonda has over 120 Rubbermaid tubs. Each are numbered and she keeps an inventory of what is in each tub and which room they coordinate with. 

Gift Giving - Keeping track of who we need gifts for. This can include sizes/ color preferences, etc.

Food - Seriously. It's the holidays. There has to be food. Everything from cookies/ candy to meals for the big day. This may also include prepping meals ahead of time and popping in the freezer for those nights when you need a quick dinner, like church or school event nights. You can include tried and true favorites as well as recipes you want to try - ahead of time. 

For me.. I also included

Cookie List - I deliver over 30 cookie trays to area businesses each year. This is where I will keep my Gift Tray recipient list as well as a list of cookies/ candies I'll be making. I have a separate recipe binder just for the recipes.

The CNB travel journal is small enough to take with me when I'm shopping or want to sneak away to a coffee shop or lunch to work on my planning. And large enough to incorporate the the things about the holidays that are important to us. 

MIXED MEDIA MONDAY - Traveling Along!

There are several things I love. Hard copy lists, planners and good deals rank high. I've been hearing lots about Travel Journals so when I found these Bohemian Travel Journals at Michaels for 80% off, I could not pass them up. I bought several colors... each with a project in mind.

Here's my first one:

Presently I carry a Monthly calendar from Dollar Tree AND a notebook in my purse. While I'm pretty sure this won't actually fit in my purse, This one does allow me to have both in one pretty package. I replaced the bee charm with a filigree heart locket and a key charm 

I started with this packet of border stickers from K & Co. and used them to decorate the cover as well as within the pages. The pages consisted of a signature of craft paper and a signature of white paper.

I measured the signatures and created a monthly page layout. 

I used Month and date stickers from The Paper Studio (another great deal at 50% off at HL)

Then decorated the inside pages with the stickers and some of the Washi Tape my husband is sure I hoard. :-)

I also added some lined paper from a To Do List pad I had on hand.

I'm looking forward to using this pretty travel journal for all the brain dump stuff that passes through my head when I'm out and about. 

THE PARTY LIST - 1 more week.

Okay... so while I'm not experiencing any pain, the meds are knocking me out frequently. I'm not getting any on-line time hardly at all. Today marks one week since I got my teeth all pulled.

Silly me to think I'd be back to work within a couple of days of having every single tooth pulled. LOL Ask anyone and they'll tell you I am an optimistic person. I just fell short the mark this time around.

Here's hoping I see y'all next week. I am soooo ready to get back to my schedule.
Country Blessings!
Kelly

WOYWW - temporary hiatus

Good morning, friends. I'm sure some of you will stop by so wanted to let you know I'm not playing this week.

Last Thursday I had all of my teeth pulled and temporary dentures put in. I have a follow-up appointment today and know I've not felt up to being on the computer much. I do not want to slight anyone by not visiting any of you.. though I might pop around to some.

I've not been in any pain but I am so over this liquid/ very soft food diet LOL. on the upside, I've lost 7 pounds. LOL  Probably a couple more by the time this posts.

Hopefully, I'll be 'round with y'all next week.
Creative Blessings!
Kelly

SPLITCOAST DTGD - Open Challenge

Dare To Get Dirty  or DTGD is one of the many areas of fun at Splitcoast Stampers. Normally, the challenges are open to Fan Club members only. While using Splitcoast is Free, for a nominal fee you can get a few perks... like participating in the Dare To Get Dirty challenges.

The challenge this time was to use something from our stash we hadn't used before. I knew I wanted to use the Country Livin' stamp set from SU. I'd recently purchased the set along with a few others. Well, I wound up using two of the other sets as well.  One Big Meaning and Timeless Textures.

I used the worn wood stamp from Timeless Textures and the ghost stamping technique for the background. I used Chocolate Chip on Soft Suede. I'd stamp one full ink image, then a second ghost image before re-inking the stamp and repeating. I sort of stamped in 2 'columns'. On the left I started with full ink, then on the right I stamped in ghost. 

For the sentiment, I used Thanks Kindly from One Big Meaning. I masked off 'kindly' on the stamp and stamped Thanks. Then I masked the Thanks off and stamped kindly. This allowed me to move the 'kindly' to the left a bit more.

I tore the edges, inked with chocolate chip and adhered to the card front. I used the Venetian Crocheted Trim. 

Felt good to be making a card again instead of organizing all the time. I had one of my Texas music artists in mind when I made this. Libby Koch has been super sweet in allowing me access to her music. 

Next week, as pain meds allow, I'll be showcasing more cards. I would like to participate in the 52 Christmas Cards challenge at least once this year and I still have a shot at getting a card on the SU blog for my division's Color Challenge... Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black and Sahara Sand.

Till next week, Creative Blessings!

WOYWW #374

Another Wednesday rolls around. Seems like I just visited blogs yesterday. Oh wait, I did. I'm hoping to be better this week. A lot will depend on the pain meds as I'm having all of my teeth pulled tomorrow and temporary dentures put in. I'm not sure how much I'll feel up to doing so I'm trying to get as much of the house and business stuff for the coming week done today.

My desk has the toys from my weekend at my crafty SIL's in Oklahoma.

You can just see the window decal she made me with my music business logo for my truck. I'm just hoping I don't mess it up when I go to put the decal on the window.  On top of that is a packet of images I stamped at her house. She has some current SU items I don't have so will broaden what I can work with on the business blog. 

While in Springfield last week I finally got my envelope punch board. Michaels had a 50% off and I've been wanting one of these for over a year. Looking forward to playing. Farther down you can see a card I made for the DTGD challenge on Splitcoast. I'll post a clearer picture of that tomorrow.

And I found this adorable tool at Hobby Lobby in Ponca City OK. Hadn't seen this one. It is a perforating tool. I'm thinking of tear pad sheets for my planner. Fiskars also had one and was the same price but you know, it was TIM! LOL

And one last quick photo of my new marker storage. I'll be doing a how-to later. I did all the prep work and Bob stuck everything together. 

That's my desk? What's on yours? When you are done visiting me in the Ozarks, please hop on over to Stamping Ground where Miss Julia has a long list of other studios you can peek into. No standing on an up-turned milk pail to look in the window. We open the doors wide and welcome you. We won’t touch.. just look. J  I can't wait to peek but we have a busy weekend ahead so I may be late again getting 'round. Please leave your number and you'll be first on my list.

CATALOGING COMPLETE!

Apologies for being behind in getting this post up today. We got home from Oklahoma last night later than I thought (but prior experience should have taught me better LOL) I've been trying to spend as much time with Bob today as possible as he leaves out again tomorrow for another 3-4 weeks. 

DONE!

I have not counted these stamps. Have no clue how many sets or collections I have, but at least they are all easy to find. The red boxes are Christmas stamps. With the system I have in place, I didn't need to have a specific color but I liked the pop of color. 

As you can see each box is labeled. Here's a close up of a box.

I stuck with the 4-Section System we use for the Scrap Rack. Alpha/ Numeric, Themes/ Calendar Year. Now, while Christmas is SEASONAL.. I have a lot of Christmas so kept them together. as their own group. The rest of the calendar year falls under SEASONAL.

Seasonal includes stamp sets that represent more than one holiday, such as this one:

Aside from having all of my stamp sets in the photo boxes, flip-file system, Every set has been photocopied and is in a binder. I wound up breaking this into 2 binders. Calendar Year and everything else.

Here is the coordinating page for Greeting Card Kids:

If you look close at both pictures, you'll see a little sticker in the upper right corner (Technically it is in the upper right of the stamp set because the stamp set stores horizontally in the box)

Rather than flipping through all of my stamps, I can go through the binder for inspiration. For this set, the tag in the catalog will read SEA 1 - 9  That means if I go to the photo box marked SEASONAL 1... I will find that stamp set. It is #9 in the box. 

This system also allows me to keep track of any sets that might get misplaced. I do NOT have to keep them in numerical order, but if I have SEA 1 -9 in the catalog, then that stamp set should be in the coordinating photo box.

I have done this for every stamp set. I also grouped my single wood-mount stamps together according to theme (birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc) in the stamp storage boxes from SU (both the old clam shell and the new DVD style) and added them to the mix, freeing up the drawer space I use to keep them.