Christmas Thank You Cards

I loved to see what Kittie747 has posted over at Splitcoast Stampers. She is an inspiration to me and challenges my card making abilities. She created this card which I used as my base for my Christmas Thank You notes. She submitted it for the Sketch Challenge #91.

Stamps: Flaky Friends, Petal Pushers, and Canvas

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Confetti White, and Old Olive

Designer Paper: Basic Grey "Wassail" Laurel Leaves and Stampin' Up Bella Rose

Ink: StazOn Timber Brown, Old Olive, More Mustard, Craft White, Bashful Blush, and Almost Amethyst

Markers: Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Accessories: Riding Hood Red ribbon, Yellow Stickles, pop dots, sponge

Technique: sponging, masking

KWerner Design Blog Color Inspiration #38

I have been purging old magazines but saving interesting articles and found one for tiling floors in Martha Stewart Living from September 1999. She had a pattern for gingham, which I love. Kristina's Color Inspiration this week was perfect for creating the gingham colors. I created the gingham with my 1/4" square punch. I laid them out on a strip of Rose Red and created the pattern with the Whisper White and Pretty in Pink, leaving the Rose Red as open space.



Stamp Set: Heartfelt Thanks
Paper: Rose Red, Pretty In Pink, Whisper White, and Pumpkin Pie
Ink: Rose Red, Pretty In Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black
Markers:Certainly Celery and Old Olive
Gingham Ribbon: Pretty In Pink.
Accessories: 1/4" square punch, pop dots

Two Year Olds and the Time-Space Continuum

You are not alone if you cannot figure out how a small two year person can make a huge mess in an unbelievably short amount of time. I haven't blogged in a while and I am sure this is why. I am running all the time, that is, unless I can get all three of us to nap together. Not today, which is definitely the reason why I was so grouchy this evening. And the 2 year old is the one who got the recharge. You know, the one who makes the huge messes in a time that is not relative to the amount of mess. We have crappy toilets. Those low flow kind that you have to flush twice to get anything to go down. While the two year old is not potty training, he is in love with the flush. Much to the dismay of his three year old sister who is still on the potty. The other day I heard a flush, then giggling by the 2 yo, panic by the 3 and the sound of feet stomping in a puddle. I rush in there to see the little boy jumping in the puddle. The puddle of poopy water. Thank God she didn't have diarrhea. Crap! I had even moved my garden gnome from the shelf above the tub to the floor in the bathroom keep him from getting wet - this certainly was not what I had in mind. I plunge the toilet, disrobe the kids so they aren't running around on my white bedroom carpet and I grab every available towel to start containing the mess. It's not like I don't do 50 loads of gross laundry every day. And it makes you wonder, am I alone in this stuff? Am I the only mom on the planet who is dealing with something like this? She was on the potty and I was coming back to wipe her butt - how does such chaos occur in the second it takes to see who is calling on the phone or fold another shirt on the bed in the adjoining room?



Yesterday I witnessed that there is at least one other mom who is dealing with this issue of motherhood. Nothing like a two year old to make you feel, what ever profession one may have spent years cultivating after the education to land it, like an incompetent fool. I was at the gym and walked out with this other mom who I really like. I think, given more time, we could be good friends. We are about the same age, as are our kids and have similar educational backgrounds. We frequent the same grocery store which happens to have kid care so that we can relish no more than an hour and a half of blissful shopping alone and sometimes sit next to the fire place, sipping on some Starbucks. We walk over to the gym kids care center to pick up our kids. She takes her two year old to the potty while I am wrangling mine into his coat. We are still sort of chatting back and forth and I think she takes a moment to help her older daughter with her jacket. She actually leaves a foot inside the bathroom while she is doing this. I work on getting my daughter into her coat and am gathering up my stuff when I hear this mom say "Oh!" and her daughter's name. I turn to look and mom is gathering a football field of toilet paper off the floor and telling her daughter to put down the toilet plunger, that you can't put it in your mouth because it is icky. First of all, I didn't think there was that much toilet paper on the roll, even the industrial size. And then, how can one properly explain to a 2 year old how incredibly gross the toilet plunger is and all the reasons why you don't want to touch it, never mind lick it? And I wonder to myself, how did she make such a big mess - her mom was right there? I didn't hear a thing, no clue as to the chaos unleashing in there. She was really calm, mom was. Me, I was laughing. Bent over, hands on knees, tears streaming, unable to breathe, causing a scene laughing. In fact, I giggled about it the rest of the day. I told her I thought I was the only one. I shared with her my shoe licking story. It makes no sense. These little people are powerful mess-makers and are lightening quick about it. Is there a fast forward button on him that I haven't found? Is he wired like the bunny on the Comcast High Speed Internet commercials? Does he have a little Usain Bolt in his britches? You may have a plan, but give them 30 seconds and you are off down another highway, without a paddle.

And so, if you are reading this at the end of another day when you really didn't get anything of note done, but yet you are bone tired and your mind is craving something intelligent to process (you won't find that here) know that you are not alone. If you have cleaned up some bizarre mess and prayed that your kids won't come down with some horrible bacteria-induced illness, then you are not alone. If you have wondered what type of restraint was legal so that you could go to the bathroom by your self and have them remain safe and mess-free, then you are not alone.
And if by chance you figure out how they do it, let me know.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

I have spiders. No, not me personally, but in my house. There is one in residence in just about every corner. My kids like to hunch down and yell "Spiiiiiideeerrrrr!" at the ones that live in the corners near the floor. I don't know, do spiders have ears? I'da moved out of that neighborhood pretty quickly so I am thinking they don't. I don't really like spiders. I don't want to touch them - thinking about getting rid of them with a tissue and feeling that horrid crunch is enough to send me into a willy dance. I mean, I know they are not likely going to be able to fight back and win, but it just gives me the creeps. There was one in residence in my bedroom, above the door frame to the outside that could flatten himself to fit behind the frame if I came over. Yet he was big enough that I could see him squatting there in all his black hairy glory from a prone position in bed. Ick. One day he was on the wall. I saw it as an opportunity to move him along elsewhere. So I came at him slowly with a glass and piece of stiff paper. That bugger squared off with me. In a wrestling stance with his front two legs off the wall in a ready position. I moved, he moved. He frickin' knew I was coming. Way too intelligent. Eventually I won and got him outside where I just left the glass over top. Just in case he could run fast too. I know there are two more in the bedroom. Talk about fung shui and a kink in my chi. I don't mind the other ones in the house so much because they aren't thick and squatty. They are more refined long legged spiders.
There are more outside. Obviously. They live in the evergreens in the front flower bed. I think they are solely responsible for the disappearance of the honeybees. The spider realtor sold them on some great property. The evergreens are next to some salvia which is still blooming its beautiful little purple blossoms which are just abuzz with all kinds of bees. Big fat fuzzy ones, honey bees and those not so nice looking bees. And there is just about two in the web every time I go by. It is close to where I load my son into his car seat. It is kind of a nice science experiment for my daughter - I tell her the spider is have a bee shake. Slurp! One of these misty mornings I will take a picture of the web - it is the classic spider web shape and really something beautiful when it is all sparkly with dew.
Back to the ones inside the house. The thing is... they are living here, making a killing off other insects I don't necessarily see. I wish they would do a better job on the fruit flies - I had some really ripe mango on the counter the other day. So I feel bad about getting rid of them. What if they are better guests than their food? In the meantime I will just deal with the two icky ones in my bedroom. And remind my husband again to install the door sweep to the outside door in our love nest.

The Things You Say to Your Kids

(This might be one of those 'you had to be there kind of moments' but I can barely write this post I am laughing so hard, nearly out of my chair and crying as I relive it.)

The little kids and I were just finishing up breakfast, sitting around the kitchen table together. I had finished my coffee, well most of it anyway. I make a pot of french press so there is usually some debris left on the bottom of my cup that I would rather not chew, but the kids like the smell of my creamer (Cinnamon Vanilla Cream). When my son smells his dad's cup of coffee (French press, French roast, regular half and half) he usually says "Ewww! Stinky barbage errywhere. So Cole is sniffing away at my cup and I am reminding him not to drink my coffee. Ryan is coloring on an envelop to send to her cousin in Colorado, so listening to the conversation but not face to face with it, if you know what I mean. He actually does take a sip, which leads to him using his whole hand and the back of his sleeve in swiping away at his tongue to get the grounds off and spitting when I hear Ryan tell him very matter of factly: he is going to get another eyeball.
It took me just a minute to register what she had said, but she was just repeating something I had said to her: Coffee is not good for little kids. If you drink my coffee when you are little you might grow another eyeball in the middle of your forehead. Now wouldn't that look funny? Now leave my Frappuccino alone while I put your brother in the truck, okay?

It's Been a While!

Gosh, I just didn't blog much this summer. I didn't make any cards either. Until last night. My DH went out of town to the Reno Air Races so I quickly called all my girlfriends (those who were in town) and invited them over for girls' night at my house. I am not able to do it when he is here because our house is so small there wouldn't be anywhere else for him to hide... or keep him and the kids otherwise occupied (am I dreaming or what!) Older step-daughter went to college in Australia and has been gone a couple of weeks now. The older step-son has made this his primary residence so there have been a number of changes afloat. Anyway, with everyone supposed to be gone I jumped at the chance to have everyone over. Some girls were able to make it, even just for a little bit. Two of my friends brought over their kids so there was all kinds of activity here. As far as I knew my step son was going camping and wasn't going to be around. That wasn't actually the case - he was here with a friend playing Rock Band in the living room. So when one of my friends came in she played bass while he and his friend had drums and guitar covered. I thought it was hilarious. Eventually they took off and I served a gourmet meal of pizzas and brownies. My friend with a one year old took off to take her kids to bed while my other friend Toni and I made cards. We searched the web and decided on Poetic Artistry Mojo Monday 52.

My step-Mom and Dad have been in town to attend her best friend's wedding so I made Sally a wedding card. Her colors are cream, burgundy, black and gold. Therefor: Very Vanilla, Bravo Burgundy, Basic Black and Anna Griffin dp AG227. I stamped the Bravo B paper with Bravo ink with the Filigree background. The cake from Little Hellos was stamped with StazOn Jet Black on VV as well as the dp. Using Toni's awesome suggestion I paper pieced the cake plate onto the image. I colored the heart in Bravo using a blender pen. I used Stickles to color in the dots on the cake. Don't you just love Stickles? I used my mat pack to place the Basic Black brads. I also used my Cuttlebug for the very first time to make the ovals (Nestabilities!) for the sentiment. It was easy thanks to Cat's CB sandwich stack posting at scs. I had read about the way your plate is scarred with the die but I still was surprised by it. However, I loved the way the sentiment came out. I {heart} those ovals! The "happiness" from Warm Words was stamped in River Rock and then the "wedding" from Occasions Collections was placed just above it in Bravo B. I used 1/4" black grosgrain ribbon under the sentiment. There are pop dots under the cake panel and sentiment. By the time we closed up shop my son had fallen asleep where he had fallen last, wrapped around his kitty (stuffed animal) and the two girls were still running around. It was 12:30 a.m. You know these will be the nights of their childhood that they will say "Remember when...." I don't understand how they can still wake up at the same time everyday no matter what time you put them to bed. But it is what it is.


I love naps.

I can't believe my life! and other ramblings

My mom came up today and we made 3 batches of strawberry jam. Ryan's job was to wash the berries and she did a great job! She stuck through it happily through three half flats of berries and was ready to do more! We got 18 various sized jars out of the deal. Cole napped pretty much the whole time we were cutting up the berries and processing the first batch. The house was hot but it smelled yummy. I remember my mom canning when I was little and no doubt it is why I do it today. I want Ryan and Cole to remember us doing it with their Grammy and talk about it with their children. I wish that my sister and my Grandmother were here to join in (Sister died in '93 and Mom's mom died from breast cancer shortly after my parents were married back in the '60's.) I am glad that I can pass on that tradition to my kids. Anywho, raspberries ripen in about two weeks. I plan to do apricots, maybe some red plums, and the tiny little blackberries and huckleberries, if possible - hard to do those with little kids. In the fall I'll make applesauce and can pears. I learned last year that when you think you have enough, you need to do 2 more batches because it is heaven in the winter. I am also going to try to make pepper jelly. My step-mom made this last year and I think it was one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. She made it with bell peppers (orange, red and yellow) instead of jalapenos and the color and taste was phenomenal.
We have had a number of nice days so we have been busy at the park and out in the jogger. The down side to that would be (besides allergies) the skylights in the bedrooms above my bed that made my room hotter than Hades. It makes nap time in here near impossible, but the kids don't know how to nap anywhere else except the car. The bathroom stays cool but there is not enough room in the tub for the three of us to sleep. I keep my computer turned off because it manages to add a couple of degrees to the room, I am sure of it, not to mention the fan that runs to keep it cool which drives me crazy. Therefore I cannot sneak in here at a moment's notice to write something or check my email. I still have the card I made for a 4th of July birthday on my camera and I think I will post it tomorrow.
Our daisies are beginning to bloom out in the front yard. These plants were given to me by my friend Toni - they came from her Grandma's garden and I love that fact. They are so cheerful. Ryan noticed the four that have opened the other day and she came running into the house so excited. She had her hands up to her face, one on each cheek (disbelief!) saying, "Mommy! I can't believe my life!" Somewhere along the way she has gotten her sayings crossed and I think she actually means "I can't believe my eyes!", however it is so stinkin' funny I'm gonna leave it as is.
Ya know babe, sometimes I can't believe my life either.