Homework From the Boss!

This week, my new boss gave me a homework assignment.  My first week on the job I made my new co-worker a wedding card.  So this week my boss said to me, "Can you make me a birthday card for a guy that likes Labs and fishing?"  Of course I can!  (If you let me get out of here at a decent hour sometime this week....he he- that 2nd part was only in my head, of course.)  So last night I sat down at my stamping table and got to work and this is what I came up with:

Stamps: Stampin' Up For Father; It's Your Birthday

Paper: Kraft, chocolate Chip; PTI White; Basic Grey Max & Whiskers

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Nestabilities, 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Twine, Button, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Prismacolor Pencils

I don't really have a set that incorporates fishing AND labs so the dog will just have to do.  I think it will work, though, don't you?  I am really glad my boss made me stamp.  I am positive that without the incentive I would have just watched tv and crashed early.  (while trying to stay up and watch the new tv show Covert Affairs- my new FAVORITE, but it comes on too late)  Stamping was fun and relaxing and took my mind off of things for an hour or so- so my boss actually gave me a break.  :)
Thanks for stopping by- I truly appreciate it.  Enjoy your day and I will see you later this week! 

Mark's Finest Papers New Release Blog DAY THREE

Mark's Finest Papers Design Team is celebrating our BRAND NEW STAMPS for the Speedy the Cat Designer Collection and Serenity Collection with a Blog Hop! They are available NOW!
For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, visit and comment on each of the following design team embers' blogs (see below) on April 14th, 15th, and 16th. On Saturday, (April 17), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all 9 blogs for that day! (3 different winners, one winner for each day.)
The 3 Winners will be announced on the Mark's Finest Papers Blog. Each winner will receive 1 Stamp Set that will be released NEXT month.

Today's card uses the new release, Take the Time.  This set is perfect for masculine cards, but you can also make general cards as well.  My card is actually for my boyfriend's parents who are celebrating their Wedding Anniversary.  (I realize the sentiment says Timeless Friends, but I feel that you should be best friends with your spouse- says the single girl...lol) I used the sketch from this week's sketch challenge over on SCS. The clock face is covered with Crackle Accents.  You can also use the Cracked Glass technique to achieve a similar effect. All the paper, ribbon and even the brads are available at Mark's Finest Papers.  

Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers Take the Time

Paper: Corn Husk, Pensacola Sand, Breezy Blue and Basic Grey Kioshi

Breezy Blue Sheer Ribbon, and Designer Brads

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's Blogs and leave a comment along the way.  

Make sure to visit the following Design Team Blogs:  

 Nancyruth

 Nikki

Lois

Peggy

Vicky

Jeanne

Faith

and end at Mark's Finest Papers Blog.  

 Enjoy the hop and we will see you tomorrow for the 4th and final day of the new release blog hop! 

Friday Fun- Happy Birthday!

TGIF!! Are you ready for this weekend? It's Valentine's Day. I hope everyone has special plans- if you're single be sure to treat yourself. You deserve it.
This week's Friday Fun challenge is hosted by ME again. Since today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday the challenge is easy: Make a Masculine Birthday Card.

Here is my card using Unity's January Store Kit of the Month (yes, I caved and ordered it...but it is so darn fabulous!!) Livin' and Lovin' Life.
I just love this sentiment....it's so cute. It actually says "Valentine, You're a Real FUN-GI" but I just took the ink off the word Valentine. :) Be sure to check out the other Friday Fun girls' creations:

Jimmi
Kimme
Sara
Christi

Thanks for stopping by- have some Friday Fun and a GREAT weekend.

A Fond Farewell

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a card for a very special person, but one that I am sad that I have to make. This card is for my boss whom I love working for who is leaving the company and moving out of state. He will definitely be missed in our office and company-wide. This card will be signed by everyone at work, and hopefully I did the occasion justice. I do know that he appreciates the cards I make him because he has saved each one on his bulletin board.
I used Unity's Kit of the Month from November 08 called Enjoy Your Story....Laugh. I honestly have not used this kit very much but it is so much fun to dig into past kits and find new treasures that catch my eye. I thought this little car and the sentiment fit the occasion since he is moving on the other side of the country. On the inside of the card I used a sentiment from Unity's Simply Said kit that says, "May All Your Dreams Come True."

I stamped the images and colored them with my Prismacolor Pencils (my new stamping love) and then pieces them onto Sage Shadow paper.

I am hoping this card is appropriate since I don't make many masculine cards, and I don't make many for this sort of occasion. I would love to know what you think!

Stamps: Unity Enjoy Your Stories...Laugh, Simply Said (inside)
Paper: SU: Creamy Caramel, Sage Shadow, Retired DSP; PTI White
Ink: Versafine Onyx, Black Stazon
Accessories: Aged Copper hardware, Dimensionals, Prismacolor Pencils

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday to my Sweetheart!

Sunday is my sweetheart, Jeff's 40th birthday! I love this man more than anything (even stamping) so I hope he has at least another 40 more years to spend here with me. He is such a wonderful, caring man who makes me laugh and appreciate every moment. This picture is of us at Alex's graduation. He was so proud of Alex and so happy to be there with us. Since I love Jeff so much I wanted to make him the most special card ever for his birthday. It is no secret (if you actually read my blog) that I have been trying to figure out the whole Prismacolor Pencil technique after purchasing the full set of pencils several weeks ago. Well, they came out again today for this card. Here are my supplies- although I used baby oil to blend on my last couple cards I pulled out the Odorless Mineral Spirits again today.

That's the jar I keep my Odorless Mineral Spirits in. My friend Jimmi and I split a container so we could try out the pencils. A little goes a long way- I don't see me needing to replace the product anytime soon HOWEVER I may need to purchase one of those nifty pump bottles soon.
I do think I prefer the OMS to the Baby Oil for blending although both work well. In trying to figure out the technique I have realized that less is more, simpler is better. I was trying TOO hard and achieving fantastic results with the pencils is actually relatively easy.
I chose the fruit image from Stampin Up's For Father set because Jeff is a farmer in addition to everything else he does. Currently, he only farms one acre but starting next year, he will farm at least 50. It's his first love, besides me, of course.
I also used the Faux Wood grain technique on the two panels that I placed following SCS Sketch # 234. I used a leftover scrap to stamp the sentiment on and popped it up with dimensionals. Here's the finished product:

Stamps: SU For Father and It's Your Birthday

Paper: Old Olive, Real Red, Night of Navy, More Mustard
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Close to Cocoa, White
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Brads, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug, Weathered Stripes Embossing Folder, Nestablities

I really hope you and Jeff like this card. Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend!

It's Monday Already??

I don't know about you, but it seems like my days off just flew by and it was time for work again. YUCK!! Oh, well. You gotta have money to buy stamps, right? ;) So off to work we go (oh yeah- we might want to buy some food and pay some bills too......).

The project I have for you today is a masculine card for one of the drivers I work with. He is one of the hardest-working, nicest guys ever. It's hard to believe he's still really new at this job because is is doing excellent work. He has been really sick and so I made him a card for everyone to sign and mail to him.

I broke out a Scrappin' kit I've had for.....oh about a year now. That's right- I just now broke the plastic on it. :) (I will look for the hoarders' anonymous support group as soon as I finish typing this....) I used the Dream Tree stamp from Unity. You can buy this individually OR as part of a gorgeous set called Growing In Unity. I have the kit because I like to have stuff to go with it....what can I say? I'm a girl- I like to accessorize. The sentiment is from the Unity Kit Simply Said.

I hope it cheers him up and lets him know we are thinking about him. It seems these days it's harder to find someone with a good work ethic and he really has one. AND he is always nice and polite to me. I really wish I could say that for all of the drivers I work with. :) Thanks for stopping by and feel free to send a prayer his way.

Stamps: Unity Dream Tree, Simply Said

Ink: Brown Stazon, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen

Paper: River Rock, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, SU DSP

Accesories: Ribbon and twine, Aged Copper Brads, Basic Grey file kit for distressing the edges.