It's off to work I go!

Started a new job this week. Thankfully it's only part-time and won't affect being able to take care of my girls. Although it certainly cuts into any creative time I ever had!
After spending an hour with HR (left my head spinning...who knew I had to make so many decisions and fill out so many forms for a 20-hour job!) and 3 hours with the person I'm replacing I came home, took some headache medicine and laid down! :) I'm starting to think work is for the birds.
This job isn't something I went looking for...kind of just fell into my lap. I've been involved on a volunteer basis with the children's ministries at my church for about 10 years. There are a few management/director/coordinator type positions that are paid, but I was happy to volunteer as a worker bee. The coordinator for the nursery age (0-3) decided to leave and recommended me. They approached...I said "ummmmmmmmmmmm...." and prayed about it for about 3 weeks. Finally decided it was where God wanted me and who am I to say no to that?! So the last 2 weeks have been interesting...the day I said yes my family got sick, including me. I haven't been sick for ages (knock on wood we are one of the healthiest families I know...don't ask me how, just blessed!). It wasn't just a cold with sniffles...full blown fevers and vomiting. In the middle of that I was REALLY asking myself what the heck I was doing committing to a job when I have a full-time job at home being a mom. ANYWAY....long story short....it was a week of wrestling with God. I'm happy to say we all came out better for it and I think this job will be fun...as soon as I figure out what in the world I'm doing!

so WOW!

This is NOT my artwork. But I found it while blog-surfing and am SO WOW! You have got to go to this blog and check out Elaine's "magic boxes." They are beautiful and so cool! I bookmarked it for "some day" when I'll attempt making one of my own. It sure would make for a neat conversation piece sitting on a coffee table...or a very interesting wall hanging...or try hanging it on the ceiling. Oh goodness...fever induced rambling...must go lie down!

I have spent the last few days lying low nursing a fever that I just can't shake. Not bad enough to sleep all day, but not good enough to accomplish much other than blog surfing.

Happy Monday!

Click here to see Elaine's boxes...you'll be amazed and inspired!

Favorite photos

We went snow camping this week. The girls are out of school and we have some adventure-loving friends that invited us. For those that know me I'm sure you fell out of your chair when you read that I went snow camping. Yup, and I even LOVED every minute of it (but don't tell my husband or the friend)! Of course, being in a cabin with a wood stove certainly helped!
It was at a place called Scottish Lakes near Stevens Pass in Washington...highly recommend it!
I was just reading another blog and the author was doing "leading lines" photographs. It totally made me think of a photo I took while we were camping. Wanted to share it with you (the bottom photo...shared the others just because I like them).

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Bad acrylic!

A few people have asked me why their new acrylic stamps don't stamp evenly. Remember that acrylic stamps are coated in the creating process. This coating resists the ink, but it's really easy to "fix" it using nothing more than an eraser.
Simply rub an eraser over your new stamp, pat it into your ink (I find that patting works better than rubbing), and stamp it off a few times. Now your stamp should be good to go!
Another HUGE help is to use the cushion that is included in all CTMH stamp sets. If you don't have a cushion, use a few sheets of cardstock, or a notepad, or a cutting mat, or...

To read a great explanation about "seasoning" your new acrylic stamps, click here. A huge thanks to Heather Nichols...don't know her, but she has an awesome blog that I stalk! :)

Montana...or bust

Quick funny kid conversation...The girls and I were talking about where we would want to go on vacation. I think the grey Seattle winter is getting to us! We were talking about France and Italy and Turkey (oldest refuses to go to Turkey because "it's so dangerous"...she's danger-phobic!). Went from big talk about Europe to "hey! I'd rather go to Montana!" WHAT?!?! How do you get from sitting on the beach in Italy to Montana?! Apparently they're missing their "cousins" who moved there a few years ago. Yes, Grevious...we miss you enough to skip Italy and go to Montana!

Love you more than...

Every night when I tuck my kids into bed, rather than just saying "I love you" we say "I love you more than......" I usually fill in the blank with "dark chocolate" or "sunshine" or "the beach." They usually fill in the blank with "playing video games" or "stuffed animals." The best part is when I say something and their eyes get huge because I found something really good to fill in the blank!

For Valentine's Day I made a little wall-hanging for their rooms. I included a little mirror because what little girl doesn't need a mirror for putting on lipstick (of course our lipstick is really Coca-cola flavored chapstick...you would think they had died and gone to heaven!).

Now if I could figure out how to add more photos and put them where I want them.....

Most materials used are from Close To My Heart...paper is Life Delights and Emporium

ribbons are American Crafts (all purchased at Jo-Anns)

More Sympathy

Like I said yesterday, I serve on the Memorials Committee at our church and one of our "jobs" is to send sympathy cards when the situation warrants. Here's version #2. I think I saw Lauren Meader use the technique that I used for the butterfly...stamp it, then stamp it again and cut one out. Use pop-dots to adhere the cut-out over the original stamp. Especially love it with butterflies!

CS: CTMH Creme Brulee, CTMH Black, CTMH Sorbet, CTMH Colonial White

Paper: CTMH Evensong

Stamps: CTMH Celebrate Life

Ribbon: black sheer (Jo-ann's?)