The Chief Elf...

WARNING:...Spoiler alert for young eyes


Granted...
I don't think too many kiddies read my little ramblings...
but just in case...
you may want to send them to another room before proceeding.

OK...number one son...

who will be turning 9 a week from tomorrow...
came home from school a few short weeks from Christmas last year expressing some doubts about a certain someone that we all know and love.
Yes...
the big guy himself...
The Chief Elf.
Now...the main problem with this is...
the kid can't keep a secret to save his life.
Seriously...
law enforcement should not be a career choice for him...
nor the military...
nor anything that requires privacy act forms to be signed...
the kid will tell everything he knows to everyone he knows.
So even though I know I can't keep this certain secret forever...
I can't let him know the truth just yet because of this guy...

4th of July...that's a sparkler!

he's too young and I'm not willing to spoil it for him yet.
So I hit the internet...
looking for anything that might buy me some more time.
That's when I came across Waltzingmouse and the "secret set".
Now with a just a few short weeks till the day...
and with a notice about orders to the States taking longer than usual...
I had never ordered international before and didn't know what that would actually translate into as far as time...
I put out a call for anyone willing to make me some tags with this very special set.
What I got was the wonderful Sharron at OnPapillonWings answering my call with the offer to sell me her set she had bought for a project and had just never gotten around to using.
It arrived a few days later and I got started on tags...
in fact I had just finished a few days before we were hit with some snow that caused the kids to miss almost an entire week of school...
the last week before Christmas break!
So Sharron saved me...
Thank You Sharron!
We've actually become great friends ( she loves Jodi too!!) since I started blogging in January...
she's a treasure...
make sure you go visit her...
and I will always remember how I was introduced to Waltzingmouse.
Now the intention was to return after the Holidays and order some more of these gorgeous stamps...
have you seen them...
you know you want to so you just need to go...
but wait until I'm done...
then you can go...
*giggle*...
but can I tell you a secret?
I don't know if you have realized this or not...
but sometimes...
I'm easily distracted.
Yes...
it's true.
I occasionally forget things...
alright!
Maybe it's more like occasionally I actually remember something...
but I'm a glass half full kind of girl so let's think positive!
OK...long story short...
I finally got around to placing my first Waltzingmouse order and I've been playing with Cicely and Gracie ever since but not today!
For this week's sketch challenge...
which by the way...
check the sidebar.
Don't want to seem like I'm bragging...
so just pretend you saw it all on your own...
ok?
So for this week's

a wonderful sketch by the very talented Anya Schrier

and I did this...

I embossed...

What do you think?
At least I didn't use Cicely and Gracie...
though I wanted to because I just love them...
and I'm so hoping Claire has some new Christmas ones coming soon!
OK...so I'm done now.
Now go visit Sharron...
she's such a sweet, talented person...
you'll adore her too!
And then...
go visit Waltzingmouse!




The Details:
Cardstock: Ocean Tides, Rustic White by PTI
Stamps: Waltzingmouse The Secret Set
Dies: Tag Sale #3, Double Ended Banners PTI; Spellbinders
Ink: VersaMark
Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket Oh, Joy! digi
Misc: ribbon, berries, embossing power, PTI Pure Poppy ribbon

Like Strawberry Wine...

            and seventeen...
           The hot July moon saw everything.
                    Deena Carter
                  "Strawberry Wine"

This song has been running through my head ever since I looked at the inspiration photo for this month's Blog Hop...
and quite frankly I'm impressed with myself for knowing any of the lyrics to it...
because it's country...
and I'm an 80's hair-metal-band-kind-of-girl from way back!
Seriously...I became one right around the time the 80's began...
I was 9...10...11...
coming off the Bay City Rollers...

please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers them!
I was so in love with them...
still remember most of their songs...
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!
Sing it with me now...
ok...
maybe not.
But somewhere at my Mom's house...
I still have all their records!
Literally...
vinyl!
That's how they did it in the 70's...
*giggle*

So as the 80's begin I'm growing up and leaving the BCR's...
discovering Def Leppard...

Motley Crue.

Still remember the first time I ever saw them!
It was a Sunday night program that we watched every week during "junk food" night after church.
I grew up on a farm...
in the country...
there was no cable...
no MTV...
and we only had 1 tv...
so we watched programs together as a family and this was one of them...
right before the Wonderful World of Disney would come on.
Life was never the same after this particular show...
the night Crue was on...
not for me...
nor my parents.
My mom was on the couch...frozen...
I'm thinking in fear because she didn't move the entire time...
that may have also been a good time for her to take up free style diving because I don't believe she took a single breath either.
My daddy's jaw sat on his chest during their entire segment...
and when he could finally speak all he could say was...
"We've went back to the stone age".
My brother and sister...
well...
they were kind'a like mom and daddy...
they didn't know what to think...
but me?
Me...
I saw the future...
jumped up, clapped and gave a rousing Southern holler of...
"Whoa! Mama!".
Yeah...
I think I might have been defined as just a bit rebellious.
*giggle*
But for the record...
I have never been arrested or convicted of any crimes...
ok...
beyond sometimes having a policeman discover my car going a little faster than the posted speed limit.
And other than my musical tastes...
and my kids...
I'm as boring as white bread.


So anyway...
I'm so proud that I know some lyrics to a country song...
and I have been singing it for days.
All because of this picture...

And yes...
I know it's jam in the suitcase...
not wine...
but I don't know a song about strawberry jam...
so wine it is!
I love that suitcase...
love that homemade jam...
love those books!
And did you notice her gingham dress...
with lace?
Look close...
because I did...
and is why I did this...

I know...
really simple...
because even though my musical taste does not run to country...
everything else about me does.

Those little seed pearls...
I wasn't actually drinking wine while making this...
I wanted to make them look like the seeds that you find in strawberry jam...
do they work?
Do you feel like you're taking a leisurely drive in the country...
a sunny Sunday afternoon...
temps in the mid 70's...
windows down...
the smell of fresh baled hay in the air?
Maybe you're stopping at a local farmers and picking up fresh corn...
tomatoes...
maybe even a fresh blackberry cobbler...
some homemade apple butter...
or strawberry jam?
That's where I wanted to take you with this card...
on a trip to the country.
I hope I got you there.

And lastly...
an update on our room...

Yup...
you've already seen these because other than a little cleanup...
no progress outside...

Ditto for inside...
except that really heavy water slide has been temporarily relocated to the back porch.
The sheetrock guy has still not shown...
so we're stalled.
If he happens to show today...
and really moves...
I shall be painting all weekend...
and I do mean all weekend...
morning...noon...and night all weekend...
so that flooring can start getting laid Monday.
For such a simple job...
it's turned into such a pain.
But when it's done...
we'll have a safer entrance for Hunter...
this staircase...

will have a chair lift when it's all trimmed out...
no more accidents.
It's been almost 3 months since I fell with her...
but I still break into tears every time I think of how bad I could have hurt her.
So I'm just really anxious to get this completed.
Fingers...
toes, legs, eyes and hairs crossed that next weekend we're moving into it!

The Details:

All Supplies PTI Unless Noted

Cardstock: Kraft, Rustic White

Stamps: Friendship Jar, FJ: Summer Fillers

Die: Friendship Jar 

Ink: SU, Copic, PTI Tea Stain

Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket Material Girl and Early Bird digi

Misc: seed pearls, seam binding, lace, PTI button and linen thread

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #61

Since I was stood up Friday...
and yesterday...
I have a feeling the sheetrock man will probably show tomorrow to finish out the drywall...
which means that I will be busier than a one armed logger this week.
First...
have you ever tried to clean sheetrock dust?
I'll be doing it for the next 6 months...
at least.
But once I find my bionic speed that I've never actually used...
and it may turn out to be nonexistent in my case...
but no worries...
the fridge is stocked with Dew...
and I have dust under control...
I will be painting.
So this week is looking to be a very busy week...
and since I got held up a bit with the room...
and I'm not painting right now like I thought I would have been...
decided to take a few minutes for...

Yes...
I do love these each week...
and this week the sketch is from the talented Sarah Martina Parker...

Now...she actually offered up 2 sketches...
one for a scrap layout...
one for a card...
I went with the card.
Just in case you were wondering.
And yes...
I wanted to try another idea with Cecily...
not too different from what I tried the other day...
but I wanted to give it a go and this sketch was the perfect opportunity...

One of the great things about Gracie and Cicely is that Claire gives you a large image of both...
and then gives you a smaller image as well...
no masking needed!
And I wanted to do a monochromatic card and give her a "sepia" look...
how did I do?
I know it's a lot of brown...
but I really like how it turned out...
and someone please remind me to also increase my Copic brown selection too!
OK...
I know I've been doing a lot of Gracie and Cicely lately...
this may be the last for a bit...
I have some other gorgeous sets that are needing some lovin'.
Hope you have enjoyed seeing Gracie and Cicely so far...
but next week...
I gotta get back to Christmas!

The Details:
Cardstock: PTI Dark Chocolate, Linen
Stamps: Cicely at Halloween, Gracie at Halloween
Patterned Paper: EP Merry Christmas digi
Ink: SU, Copic, PTI (teastain)
Dies: Spellbinders, PTI Limitless Layers
Punch: EK Success
Misc: ribbon, twine, PTI button

An Update

Sorry...
no card today.
Hopefully...
maybe...
one for tomorrow.
But I did want to stop by and say a with-all-my-heart-y'all-make-me-feel-so-good-I-just-adore-you THANK YOU.
Each and every single comment made about Gracie...
just made me smile...
cry...
and just plain feel so good after what had been a you're-just-so-glad-to-put-it-in-the-past-kind-of-week...
truly...
I adore each of you.
Now...
if you want to know if you're predictions came true...
head over to the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge and see.
And while you're there...
you might as well just do some shopping too...
because you know you want to!
*giggle*
I started with dipping my toes...
finding some sets that needed a little lovin'...
then I got up to my kneecaps this past month with my first order...
and on the 1st...
I'm planning on just diving in!
Sneaks will be starting soon...
I can't wait!
And because it's birthday month...
and I happen to have the worst birthday...
wasn't so bad when I was born...
but this year will mark the 10th Anniversary...
so it's been 10 years since I've celebrated.
It just doesn't seem right to do so on a day when our country mourns.
I always prefer to keep it quiet...
and celebrate in my own way...
this year...
by ordering stamps!!

And a few pics of how our remodel is progressing...

That big green thing...

it's a 300 pound waterslide that we have no idea where we are going to store now.

And the sheetrock guy stood me up yesterday and today...

which is holding us up now because we can't paint till sheetrock is done...

can't lay floor until we paint...

can't trim out till the floor is laid...

which now means I probably won't be moving into this room next weekend.

Note...

there is some frustration here...

I have a happy dance...

I want to dance!

Here's some pics from the outside...

as the brick was starting to go up...

a mess...

and now as brick is finished...

Still a big mess...

but a little better...

and if you find yourself with nothing to do and can't stand being inside in air conditioning in 100 degree weather with 200% humidity...

feel free to come on over and help with cleaning up.

We have to gather up broken bricks...

wood...

sheetrock...

and then backfill with all the gravel we had to move the other night...

for which my body still aches...

so we can get ready to lay some concrete.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend...

and I'll be back with more goodies soon! 

Introducing Cicely...

Note: Scroll down for the Four of a Kind post

OK...
you know I have fallen in love with Waltzingmouse stamps here recently...
(can someone please tell me what took me so long to buy these?)
and I got my first order last week...
including the new Cicely and Gracie at Halloween.
I used Gracie a couple of days ago for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge...
and it's only fair that Cicely gets a little lovin' too...

I wanted to try her in grayscale...
what do you think?
She deserved front and center on the card...
so I left the design of it very basic so that she gets the attention...
I love her!
I still need to increase my variety of grays in Copics...
someone please remind me to do that...
but I think she turned out ok with what I had.
Now...have you checked out Waltzingmouse?
Seriously...
you have to go...
you know you want to...
and Claire's images...
*sigh*.
You'll sigh too...
trust me.
So go!
Check out all of her gorgeous stamps...
you won't regret it!
OK...
because of the fact that I have 1,679 things that I should be doing right now...
instead of playing...
that will be a regret tomorrow morning when I have to send the kiddies to school in just their undies because I didn't do laundry...
and DCS then knocks on my door...
and I go to prison...
I wonder if they'll let me stamp in prison?


The Details:
Cardstock: PTI Kraft, Royal Velvet, Stamper's Select
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Cicely at Halloween
Patterned Paper: Echo Park digi
Ink: SU, Copics, PTI (stain)
Misc: bling, twine, PTI button

Four of a Kind

Edited:  If you happen to have glanced at this Sunday morning and then it disappeared...
it was me.
I apparently can't read...
and scheduled for the 14th instead of the 18th.
Sorry!

Cathy at Empty Nest Crafter...
Joyce at Cards-By-the-Sea...
Kim at Cupcakes, Cards and Kim...
and I...
have started a new little challenge together.
We're calling it Four of a Kind...
and it's really simple...
one person will send a "kit" to the others...
all containing the same exact, identical items and we all make a project...
being sure to use at least 4 items from the kit.
See...
simple...
and fun!

I got started on mine as soon as I got the kit from Cathy...
who kicked off this little adventure with Cupcake Collection from PTI...
which for me was fabulous fun because I don't have this set...
and the gorgeous color combo of Dark Chocolate, Berry Sorbet and Simply Chartreuse.
And did you know that until Fruit Fusion was released a few months ago...
I also didn't own any Berry Sorbet?
I can't believe I what I was missing...
I love this color!

And because I have never claimed to be very intelligent...
I started using the kit...
and then realized I probably should have taken a photo beforehand...
so that you could see what was included.
Sorry.
But I'm pretty sure Joyce, Cathy and Kim are way more intelligent than I am and think of things like that so...
make sure you visit them to see not only their gorgeous cards...
but also what I couldn't show you...
because I forgot.

Here's my card...

From the kit I used the embossed background in dark Chocolate...
the cupcake...
the banner...
and twine.
All I added was the base, button and the layered background for the cupcake.
Look at how adorable this embossing is...

Aren't those cupcakes adorable?
Too fabby for words...
just lo-ve them!
And perfect for this set

OK...you have to make sure to pop over to see Cathy, Joyce and Kim and see what they came up with!!
I can't wait to see their cards!!

Edited...again!
Cathy is giving away a $10 PTI GC to everyone who visits and follows all of our blogs...and leaves comments along the way!  Make sure to check the details over at Empty Nest Crafter

Gracie and WMS Sketch #60

Did you see?
Can I toot my little "beep! beep!" of a horn for just a moment...
please?
Check the side bar...
go ahead...
I'll wait!

Did you see?
I'm a...

TOP MOUSE!!!
Yea!!
I know...
I'm cheering for myself and it's rude...
I'm sorry...
but I'm so excited!!!
I had the worst, stressed filled week last...
I cannot even begin to explain how stress filled it was...
made me want to just run and hide under my covers until everything was over kind of stress filled week...
can you tell I don't handle stress of any kind well...
but Saturday morning went to Waltzingmouse to see the new challenge...
and screamed!!
Did you hear me?
That noise that woke you early...
that was me!!
I screamed!
*giggle*

So the beginning of a much better...
less stressed week started Saturday.
Why the stress?
This...

Remodel.
This is just what has happened to my garage today...
but the stress was everything leading up to this actually starting...
finally...
and love-of-my-life-man-that-I-married also blew his transmission...
it was really a bad week!
So I'm going to be a little MIA here for the next week or two...
but I'll be posting when I can.
Especially when it comes the fun WMS sketch challenges that I honestly just love doing.
And last week I promised more Cicely and Gracie...
I'm delivering this week...
here's the wonderfully fun sketch from the talented Kelly Schirmer...

And here's what I did with Gracie...

What do you think?
I love her.
I really do.
And I've got so many little ideas for her and Cicely...
hopefully I will be in full crafting mode again soon!
I know the monthly Waltz is in 2 days...
on the 17th...
and I'm going to try my best to get something done...
but if I don't...
I will be there cheering everyone else...
and hopefully will be back on schedule very soon.


The Details
Cardtock: PTI Kraft, Enchanted Evening,
True Black, Vintage Cream
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Gracie at Halloween,
Cicely at Halloween
Dies: PTI Alpha Block, Edger's #1
Patterned Paper: Dianne Rigdon digi from Two Peas
Ink: SU, Copics
Misc: bling, seam binding, PTI button

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #59

I have really been MIA for a bit...
and doesn't look as though it's going to be ending anytime soon either.
Remodel.
Finally!
We've only been waiting over 2 months!
But with school starting...
and starting this project...
and only...
oh...
2983 other things on my plate...
haven't had a lot of "me" time in the last week...
but I loved the Waltzingmouse Sketch this week and was determined to make some time for it!
Glad I hadn't found the time quite yet because guess what...
you have to really guess...
have you guessed?
Cicely and Gracie are in the house!!
Yea!!
And honestly...
I was hoping to see them at some point this week...
but I've never ordered international before so I was prepared for a bit of a wait...
so just imagine my surprise...
and extreme happiness...
when love-of-my-life-man-that-I-married brought my Waltzingmouse package in to me yesterday afternoon!
Seriously...
I have a "happy dance"...
he has a name for it...
I'll spare you though.
*giggle*
But Claire...
YOU ROCK!!
So what do I do when I finish my dance...
the kids can eat at any time...
right?
As long as I feed them a some point?
Yup...pulled them out and started playing...
and turned to this weeks sketch for a starting point...

And here is what I did...

Here's a peek at the tag tucked inside...

I love that poem...
seriously...
love that poem.
And I knew when I first saw Claire using it that I had seen it before...
NO!
I'm not that old!
But look what I had found a few months ago...

thegraphicsfairy.com

See...
I knew I knew that poem!
And now Claire has put it in a stamp!!
Yea!!
And Claire...
if you happen to read this...
and would like ideas for next year...
I like this poem too...

thegraphicsfairy.com

But those little goblins kind'a give me the creepies!
*nervous giggle*
But stay tuned...
there will definitely be more Halloween Cicely and Gracie coming!


The Details
Cardstock: PTI Kraft
Stamps: Waltzingmoue Cicely at Halloween,
Gracie at Halloween
Ink: SU, PTI Tea Stain
Patterned Paper: Echo Park Apothecary digi
Die: PTI Tag Sale #3
Misc: black seam binding, lace, bling

I'm Here

I've been MIA for a bit.
This room remodel...
we're really getting into it right now and can I just say...
I'm more stressed over it than I was when we built an entire house.
I've been on Mtn Dew overload...
which I guess is my answer to stress...
caffeine!
I'm so living on borrowed time!

So I haven't had time to get crafty...
but I'm making some time tomorrow!
Until then...
this is my friend Susan...

This is her blog...
http://www.susangregggilmore.com/

She's an author.

I met her the night her first book was released...
Looking For Salvation At the Diary Queen.

I loved Salvation...
loved it.
I considered myself lucky because driving back from Nashville that night it started snowing...
and by the time I arrived home...
there was already a dusting covering the roads and it was just really starting to get going...
which in the South means...
SNOW DAY!
So I had Salvation finished before I went to sleep.

She came to our book club the following meeting...
and we've been friends ever since.

She is a true and rare gem...
one of the sweetest people you will ever hope to meet.
This tiny little woman (seriously...she's like the size of an ant!) is such a ball of energy and life...
you will adore her from the first moment of meeting.

But she struck my heart with Salvation.
I connected with the main character...
Catherine Grace...
on so many levels.
And you may recognize the name of the town that it's based in...
Ringgold, GA...
it was one of those torn up in the tornadoes in the early Spring that also destroyed Tuscaloosa, AL.
That was a bad day in the South.
I remember that our local weathermen had warned of very "violent weather" for us...
seriously scared me because I have never heard the term "violent weather" used for us before...
and I grew up here!
It's a good thing that it skipped us because my idea of preparation...
was stocking up on batteries and Mtn Dew.
Apparently "violent weather" preparation is not my forte.
And I'm pretty sure my 2 cases of Dew would not have helped us in the event of that kind of weather.

Looking For Salvation... is not a drama...
nor a mystery...
but one of those good 'ole "Southern flavor" stories that just has a way of touching your heart and staying with you...
like Fannie Flagg or Billie Letts.

This is her second novel...

Another "Southern Flavor".
And I know that some don't consider Southern literature as "worthy" reading...
but I love it.
We have quirky characters...
and no one does "quirky" like Southerners.
Except the Irish.
And oh...
I love Irish novels too...
Mauve Binchey, Patrick Taylor (An Irish Country Doctor).

But Susan moved to Chattanooga a while back...
I don't get to see her as often as I used to when she was in Nashville...
but she was in my town a couple of weeks ago for another book club and we meet up beforehand.
We would have had coffee but it was 100+ outside...
so instead something nice and cold.

I had planned on having the night by myself...
but one little guy would not let me leave without him...

his first coffee house...

and so much for my night out.
But Susan finally got to meet the guy that makes me laugh every day...

and unfortunately...
I never know what is going to come out of his mouth.
Example...
when Susan sat down...
he turned to her and the first words he said to her were...

"Mrs. Susan...
did your kids make you go gray too?"


At least he's paying attention when I tell him that each of my gray hairs has a kids name on it...
mainly his.


So...
do you like to read?
Looking for something light?
Not dark or depressing?
A little humor?
Go and pick up Looking for Salvation at the Diary Queen.
I recommend...
and then tell me what you think!

Dinky and Waltzingmouse

Dinky...sweaty from tennis practice

So I took Dinky for kindergarten testing today...

he's so excited about it!

But I think he's also a little scared...

a new school...

and he won't have any of the kids from his pre-k with him...

most especially his future wife.

Of whom he has already proposed to.

We ran into her over the Summer with her mother and grandmother...

and here's a snippet of that conversation...

Introductions were made...

and Grandmother snapped a picture of them together...

Grandmother:  I have to have a picture of the future member of our family.

Me:  (smiling...) What?

Grandmother:  Oh...yes!  I picked her up from school

                         everyday...

                        and one day she got into the car very

                        excited and said...

                       "Ryder asked me to marry him"!

                       So I asked her...

                       "Well...what did you say?"

                        And she answered...

                       " I said...

                       "Yes!" "!

Me:  ....

        (speechless)

I laughed...

what else can you do...

he's 5.

And in love.

I think.

Because this morning... 

when talking about going to school...

he asked if any of his new friends would be there today...

this was how I knew he was getting nervous...

because he would really like to meet them.

I told him there would be a few there testing too...

but he won't actually start school until next week.

He sat quietly for just a moment and then said...

"And one is probably going to kiss me!"

That's my Dinky...

wants to grow up to be poor, ugly and a dork...

but also imagines himself as Prince Charming...

see here and here for full explanations of that!

Yes...

this is my life.

So I'm glad to have things in my life to spice it up when it just gets too boring...

*giggle*...

like another Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge!!

I'm so loving these each week...
I'm so loving these stamps...
and here is this weeks sketch...

and as soon as I saw it I knew what I was going to use for the "pocket".
A while back I found these adorable mini paper bags at Michael's...
I've only used one...
and hoarded the rest.
I don't know why...
I can pick up more...
but apparently I just have hoarding issues.
So I knew what I was going to use for a pocket...
and I knew what stamp set I was going to use...
so loving Sewing Box Christmas right now...
it has such a "homey...country" feel to it...
I just want to use it on everything!
*giggle*
So I sat down and did this...

I love this card...
not saying it's perfect or the greatest...
but I love it!
In fact...I love it so much...
I'm making more!
I always make a variety of cards for Christmas...
but 2-4 of each one...
and since this was so easy to come together...
and I just love that little bag...
and I kept it simple on purpose not only because I just like it that way...
but also because this is what happens when you pull out the tag...

I'm definitely making more!
And just because I don't want you to think I made a huge boo-boo...
the card is slightly tilted and it just looks as though I covered up some of the sentiment with the holly leaves...
but that's actually one mistake I didn't make!
And isn't that sentiment just the cutest?
LO-VE (sing songey voice) it!
*giggle*



The Details:
Cardstock: Rustic White, Kraft, Pure Poppy, Pinefeather,
Spring Moss (all by PTI)
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Sewing Box Christmas
PP: October Afternoon Campfire
Die: Tag Sale #1 PTI
Ink: SU, Copic, Tim Holtz
Misc: lace, seam binding, paper bag, buttons and linen thread by PTI

Our Idol...

As you may have heard...
one our Dolls made it all the way to the top 10 in the PC Gallery Idol Contest...
LAURIE WILLISON...
WHOO-HOO!!!
We already knew that her cardmaking skills were Idol worthy...
now the rest of the world knows it too!
And today we are celebrating her and her accomplishment with a special blog hop CASE'ing some of our favorite  "Laurie" cards.

Now...given my propensity for always assuming I'm more intelligent than I actually may be...
it's still debatable...
when this hop was first suggested by our darling Doll Lee Anne...
I thought..."Piece of cake".
My piece of cake must have been baked by Hagrid and been rock cake because it was HARD!
The problem?
In looking for a card to CASE of Laurie's...
I found so many gorgeous beauties...
I wanted to do them all!!
And would someone please remind me to order an IP with each order until I'm caught up because this Doll uses them...
a lot!
*giggle*
Ohhhh...but her skill...
her talent...
awe inspiring!
Could spend hours on her blog...
Oh! Wait...
I did!
*giggle*...again!
So I finally narrowed it down and choose this one...

Such a simple...
but stunning card!
And here's what I did...

The same...

but different.
It's me.
I love Pure Poppy...
favorite PTI color...
and I love Harvest Gold...
but I don't use them together...
it's a personal thing.
Red and yellow together reminds me of ketchup and mustard...
Ronald McDonald...
and I know...
you don't have to say it...
because I really do know...
but it's a color association thing for me...
kind'a like my eating habits...
I can't control it.
So even though Laurie made it look incredible...
I would make it look like a ketchup and mustard mess...
so I subbed Royal Velvet.
Sorry Laurie.

We are all so proud of her...
and I know that to be placed among that group of particular cardmakers...
an honor in and of itself because you are talking about 20 amazing, incredibly talented ladies...
and how could they choose?
Honestly...
I was really hoping they would just say "Too hard to choose...
everyone gets the cruise".
I know...
I also hope every time I watch "Out of Africa" that Denis doesn't crash his plane...
Karin doesn't lose the farm...
and that Emma doesn't die in "Terms of Endearment"...
which btw...
I do not recommend watching while preggers.
Don't ask...
just know that love-of-my-life-man-that-I-married threatened to call the doctor if I didn't stop crying...
and made me drink a gallon of water because he said anyone losing that much fluid...
2 boxes of tissues worth...
could die from dehydration.


So I'm optimistic.
I believe movies will magically change their endings...
and was hoping everyone would get the cruise...
because they all deserved it.
And Laurie...
in case you don't already know...
you will always be our idol! :)

Now...remember to hop along to all the other Dolls...
here's a list along with their forum names...

Amy (kolling143)

Christy (christea)

Kristin (jcmom04)

Suzanne (*suzanne*)

Katie (choc0holic)

Lee Anne (Lee Anne)

Renee (Renee L.)

Sara (hiinaz)

                                                   Tanna (tfiskers)
and join in!
Cruise over to Laurie's blog...
SoapboxCreations...
CASE a card  for yourself...
I want to see you eat that rock cake...
*giggle*
and link it up over at the Papertrey Paper Dolls using the linky tool.



The Details:
All Supplies PTI unless noted
Cardstock: Harvest Gold, Smokey Shadow, Royal Velvet,
Stamper's Select
Stamps: BB: Newsprint, Botanical Silhouettes, 
Flower Fusion #4
Ink: Momento, SU
Ribbon: PTI Saddle Stitch
Misc: bling