Love Blooms In Me

My Time Is At An End

With Kitchen Sink Design Team. I can't believe how the six months term has passed so quickly. It was a great honor to work for Maria and with all the gals on our team. As much as I love working with a design team, I knew my time to take a break had come. In the past few months I've had a hard time "making" the time to get the work done. That's when I know it's time to move to a new challenge. You know they say when one door closes, another will open and that's what I think too! I would love to work for another company and I'll keep my eyes and ears open for the chance to apply, but for now, I think I'll work on getting some cards done to sell that I really enjoy making and getting ready to go to Florida in May. Just think, a week at the beach! I don't usually take anything to work on except a good book or two.

While out blog surfing again yesterday, I ran across a card with a pirate and remembered that I had this stamp from Inky Antics. It was one that I "had to have". Now I rarely use it, but it does make a fun little boy card. I used some papers from SU. It's nice that the orange pin dot from one collection matches the orange from the other collection of SU papers. As much as I like to get printed paper from lots of companies, the one great thing about staying with SU paper is that match.

Well, I'm off to work on a few cards that are partly done on my desk. Time is money and I seem to waste both while I'm playing on the computer, so off I go!

Have a wonderful day and please those who need a prayer and hug in your thoughts today.

Sweet Baby

When one of your children call and "need" something, I for one, can't say no. Eldest DS needed a baby card for a friend at work. So what's a mom to do? Make one, of course! I remember seeing lots of cards with a stamp that says baby on it around but since I didn't have the stamp, I used my handy dandy Kitchen Sink Stamps alphabet. I'm always pulling these out. Not that I'm pulling them from far. They are sitting on the left side of my desk so that I can use them when I need them and don't have to go looking around my studio, which at any given time is a depth trap! I hope you like the card. It's a pretty simple and pretty card! I used a piece of glitter paper from the baby girl stack of DCVW and just a piece of cs that I cut to make a tag. I added the star from a nice pile of already punched and cut things I keep (you know, the just in case) and a bit of ribbon was all this card needed.  Sometimes you just need to do simple and clean.

Nothing new came in the mail today. What a bummer. My spellbinders are on back order, my monkey stamps may take a long time to pack and send and the Bella's are coming from out of the country. Poor me, I have no toys to play with. OK, maybe one or two, but not the new ones I want.

I did order a fun set from stamp club. I was going to go but I must have eaten something bad because I had a really bad time of it last night until this morning with an upset stomach. The only thing I ate was TV dinner and who knows. I feel better this afternoon, but talk about sick---.

I sold a few cards on ebay and now I'm waiting to get some new graduation stamps. It's that time of the year. I do have to still make a card to send my MIL for mother's day and a gift of some new cards. I swear I think the woman eats paper! She always NEEDS more cards. I guess it like I used to be with shoes. I haven't bought a new pair in a year. Somethings are just more important...you know...like stamps and ink and paper and...you get the picture!

Have a great day everyone. Prayers for all who are need and prayers to keep those safe who don't!

Hugs,Paula

Spring Is In The Air

I hope everyone had a great weekend. There is just never enough time in the day to get all the planned things done, and a nice long nap too! It was sunny a good part of the weekend but the air was cool. Cool for Dallas, anyway. It was downright cold this morning, but it's warming up now. I've been busy already this morning trying to make some new cards to sell. My ebay listings have gotten kinda low and I need some more stock on there. I am trying so hard to make some extra money at my craft so I have some to go to Florida with next month. I'm going to meet up with another Dirty Girl. Jerri Kay, who does wonderful work, lives in Tampa and I can't wait to meet up. Being on the Dirty Girl DT for 10 months was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I was able to grow in my craft and it took me places I didn't know I could go. I'm still growing and trying new things, but without that first design team I don't know where I would be today!

Isn't this a fun layout? I used some of my new BG and teamed it up with a favorite SU stamp set. By making the flowers from buttons and prima's I think it gives it an "updated" look. I've had this "just because" stamp for several years and I think it's only seen ink once or twice, so what better place then on this card! I also stamped some flowers on the envelope. Makes a pretty picture, doesn't it?

Stamp club is tonight and I don't know still what I'm going to get. There really isn't anything that calls my name. I had enough of that this weekend. I got some new monkey stamps. Can't wait until they come and I placed an order with Em over at Bella Stamps. To top that off, I ordered the Spellbinders Oval Nesties. My poor bank account! See why I have to sell some more cards?

Have a great day everyone and hugs to you all!

New Cards

I was able to get a few cards done yesterday and wanted to share them with you today. I'm not "feelin" chatty and I'm a little grumpy this morning. All this wet weather doesn't do my old bones any good so I'm taking a day to just rest and get a little sleep. We've had some really bad weather in Dallas and at least our fence is still standing. That's our main worry since Barry and I nailed it back up last time! Those nails were at least 6" long and it the section that we put back up comes down, it's going to take the WHOLE fence with it!!

First card is from Kitchen Sink. I love this little cupcake stamp. It already has the HB around the cupcake so it takes the guess work out of it for me. I used some new Basic Grey paper called Cupcake with it. I love the way it turned out!

The second card is using my newest toy from M's. I've been seeing the butterfly punch from Martha a lot lately and knew I HAD to have one too! I was able to buy it with my 50% off coupon, so how could I pass it up! Can you love it!! I know it's a little busy on this card, but it's so pretty! I used some new BG paper on this card too. You know all those odd sheets at the back of the 6x6 stack. The colored ones. That's what I used for the bottom of the card in my CB with the Swiss Dot folder. I think that's my favorite folder ever! I double stamped the butterflies so they would have a "base" color and then I added the printed ones on top. The "tail" is some clear dew drops.

That's it for today. Gotta run back to my bed now. I got the trash out and my job is done!! Have a good day. Stay dry and safe!

Hugs, Paula

Value Our Work

Just wondering today how others put a value to their crafts. Are you like me and wonder this too? I made hundreds and hundreds of cards each year and a few other projects as well. I sell most of those cards and I always try and keep some on my ebay store. Lately there have been a lot of other artist selling their cards too but at a huge price difference from mine. I know I shouldn't let it get to me or cause me pain, but somehow I feel as if my own work is devalued. Strange, I know. When I look at the other cards that are selling for $25 (!) I feel something much be wrong with mine and deep down I know that's not true. I make cards that make me feel good and are bright, pretty, and fun. And if I get a 1/4 of that price I'm lucky. So I guess my question to you today is, how do you value your own work? To my MIL my cards are priceless and to Barry he thinks I should be selling them for at least $10. Who am I to disagree with them!

Still working on my large draw of stashed papers and while looking for something else I found this Crate paper from last year. It's still as pretty as ever and so I used it for this get well card. I love my headless MFT ladies. I pieced the umbrella. Always such fun to do. It's hard to tell but the ribbon is chocolate to match the stripe in the paper. I found a small piece of scrap that I had run in the CB so I stamped the little Amuse verse on it and layered it to a CB green tag. I hope the person feels a lot better when they get this card!

Gotta go now and see what I can create. I got some new BG paper in the mail yesterday. I ordered two more 6x6 pads. I think BG gets better and better with each new release. Stay turned for more cards tomorrow.

Please let me know how you value your work. I'd love to know.

Paula

Happy Hellos

I'm still trying to use some of my older sets of SU stamps and I dug this one out again from my shelf. Giving it an updated look is very easy. I paper pieced the dress and hat and added some more of those fun, but messy Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I can't get enough of this SU paper. I'm sure at some point I'm going to have to order more. Don't you think this will make a pretty Mother's Day card?

I'm off now trying to work on some new designs for cards. It's so bad when I think about a design at night and then can't remember what it was when I wake up. Sometimes I make notes to myself about the idea, but not last night. I DO remember that it was going to be a nice card, but that's about it! Darn that old times stuff again!

Hugs to all!

Happy Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I know we were so busy on Saturday. Barry went off to help at the Lion's Eye Clinic and I finished up the plans for dinner. That including finishing the cleaning too. Barry did vacuum the living room, so I guess I have to be thankful for that. We had 10 for Passover dinner, and I still have left over food today! Can you say "cooking for an army"? I have to look at the up side. I don't have to cook again for a few more days!

I've been trying to work on some cards to sell as well. I was trying to make a set of four cards this morning and messed up the printed paper so that I could only make three the same. Does that happen to you to? That makes me so mad when I cut wrong. Lately I seem to be cutting on an angle. My eyes must be going sideways! Anyway there is the card I made this morning. I love it. I used lots of Dazzing Diamonds on the flowers with a skinny glue pen I got at a craft show some time ago. The paper IRL does match the flowers and it looks so elegant in person. I added some silver dragonfly brads from my stash.

Nothing else is new at the Bloom Zoo. Have a great day and hurry back.

Paula

Passover Smells

Just a quick post to say how wonderful my house is smelling right now. Oh, your smello-vision isn't working right. Gee, that's too bad! My soup is cooking on the stove and my sweet-n-sour brisket is in the oven and I've cooked the calf's liver to make chopped liver and now I want to take a nap! I thought I'd get most of the cooking out of the way today since the holidays don't start until tomorrow at Sundown. I still need to finish up some cleaning, but that may not happen today. Since nobody is coming until the evening, I'll just run the vacuum in the morning. Barry has a few Lion's Club things tomorrow and then he said he'd come home and help me. Nice of him, but since that won't be until the afternoon, I'm sure he'll be too late for that too! But nice try for him!

A fun card I made yesterday using some of the new Basic Grey papers. I love the little 6x6 pads. The size of the print is so perfect for card making. I used an old set from SU called Angler. I seem to drag it out every Father's Day. Perfect for dad's! The best fishes is from Amuse.

Have a wonderful day and I'll see you again on Sunday!!

Happy Passover to all!

Good Friends

I thought this would be a good card to show today because I had so many people email me letting me know that they are behind me! It's good to have wonderful and supporting friends out there. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to meet everyone in person someday? I keep playing the Lotto, but no numbers again this week! What a surprise!!

We will be in Florida the week of May 24-31 in St Pete beach if there is anyone out there who would like to meet up. I know there are crafters in that area.

Not much else is new today. I do have to mail some orders out for cards. That, as Martha says, is a good thing! My mind is running on half full again. All my cards are starting to look the same. Time for a break for a few days so I can get ready for Passover. It's only Saturday night and I still have to shop, cook, and clean. You see where the cleaning comes in---dead last! I have no room in my fridge yet because the kids still have to come and take their food out. They had to have their's fixed on Tuesday and since we live such a long block away, it's taking them "awhile" to come over!! I'm sure it will work out just fine in the end. Mom will have the brisket, soup, potato pancakes, and all the other goodies that they like to eat done in time. So for the next few days, have a blast doing something fun and come back and visit!!

Hugs to you all and Happy Passover!

Random Thoughts

Yesterday was one of those "good day, bad day" type of days. I got some wonderful news in an email asking me to be a guest designer in June and that was so out of the blue and came as a shock that I was thrilled. Sorry I can't tell you yet about my assignment, but come the end of May and you'll get a hint! The other part of the day was that I wasn't chosen for one of the two different design teams I applied for. Surprised, no, of course not. There are so many talented crafters out there, but I was disappointed that again the same girls were chosen for the positions that are already on other design teams. When I look at a gallery on a website, I'd like to get different ideas from the last one I looked at. With so many faces on the very popular sites, it's beginning to all look the same. Oh well, maybe it's just me, but I know I would like to see what some new talented crafters could do!! You know, NEW faces!!

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not bitter in anyway. I'm happy for others to get the chance to do all the creating they can. I am blessed with a wonderful and understanding family and know that there must be a plan for me somewhere that I just haven't stumbled across yet, but I keep going down the path that's before me and hope it takes me to the place I need to go. Whatever that place is! I read this morning on a friends blog that her mother was ill again. It made me sad. I'm saying a prayer for her. She's been though a lot this past year and I she will be strong and make her way, but it made me sad in another way. I lost my Mother several years ago and it's when times are tuff that I seem to miss her the most. She was always there for me, no matter what trouble I found myself in and she was my biggest fan. Remember to tell your Mother's you love them today!

In the last several weeks I've had to make more Sympathy cards for Barry's office then I've made all year and so I thought I'd have one ready the next time he needs it. This card uses some of the new BG line. I had a piece of scrap on my desk from my CB and it worked out well with the card too. You can't see the details too well in my photo but there is a little glitter on the flowers too.

The second card was made using some scraps I found in my pile. I wanted something a little different. The hearts are made from a CB die and just popped up with dots. I added a little glitter around them for extra.

Have a good day and hurry back!