Another Funny Valentine

I know Valentine's Day is long over, but I wanted to post yet one more valentine since I am just getting back into the swing of blogging.  I did not design this valentine.  It was designed by my Upline, Mary Walker.  This valentine was incredibly easy to create!

This card features Real Red cardstock and ink.  The hearts are created by cutting strips of Red Glimmer Paper and the Heart Punch.  The pieces are staggered on the white card stock to create this cute image. I used scraps of the glimmer paper to create the smaller heart (using the tiny heart punch). 

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9 Month Hiatus

Well, well, well!  It's been a very long time since I've taken time to update this blog... over 9 months in fact!  I never meant to be gone quite so long.  I decided to come back to it to focus more on some of the recent cards I've made.

Let's focus on this year's valentine!  I am in love with Stampin' Up!'s Spring catalog.  I've ordered a few things so far and have a very long wishlist of items I am hoping to purchase before the catalog period ends in June!

As soon as I saw the Oh, Whale! stamp set I thought it was darling and I knew I needed it.  I also bought the Happy Whale Clearlits die to punch out the whale.

Paper: Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Melon Mambo, Marine Mist, Pacific Point
Stamp Sets: Oh, Whale!
Accessories: Pearls, Oval Framelits, Happy Whale Clearlits dies, Chevron Embossing folder, Modern Label punch

I got the idea for the design from something I saw online.  Using the Oval framelits, I layered ovals and also created an oval frame so this gate-fold card would open in a creative way!  I attached the top of the frame to the top half of the card and the bottom of the oval to the bottom portion of the card. Look below to see how it opens.

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The Guilty and the Innocent are Always Side By Side

I love when I have out-of-the-ordinary days at work.  It adds a bit of spice to life and keeps things from getting dull.  Today was one of those days.  I was able to leave for a few hours smack in the middle of the work day to go shopping.  I needed to pick up some things for a Staff Retreat we have coming up next week and also some new storage materials.  I was able to hit up 3 different stores in 2 hours all on someone else's (work's!) credit card.  It was a nice change of pace and I came in $5 under budget, which, let's face it, rarely happens!

I feel like this outfit is my go-to summer uniform.  I find I wear it frequently in the hot months!  I can dress it up or down, it is casual with flip flops or ready for a night out with heels, it is entirely machine washable and the bright color (although this is technically a "winter" shirt) seems summery. I'm sure you'll see this pairing frequently over the next few months!

Necklace, shirt, skirt: Anthropologie
Flip Flops: J Crew

Fear the Beard

Recently, my boss announced his retirement.  It is a bittersweet time- while I am so happy for him to begin this next adventure, I am nervous about who will replace him!  He is rather famous for (and proud of!) his long beard.  Last week at our leadership team retreat, we had a celebration with beardy cupcakes and gave him a tee-shirt that my friend Amanda found online that "measures" the length of a beard!  Here are a few pictures, plus the outfit of the day from that retreat.

Dress and belt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Aldo
Cardigan: The Limited

Getting Caught in the Rain

I realized I haven't worn many of my summery dresses yet. By that, I mean all of the white dresses and skirts haven't left the closet.  I decided to bring out the Beda dress on Friday.  Unfortunately, Friday night I was meeting friends for dinner and a movie and was caught in hurricane-like rain.  I am not exaggerating; I have never seen rain fall so furiously!  I couldn't even see 5 inches in front of my face as I darted from my car inside.  Once inside, I realized that not only was I soaked to the bone, but I was also wearing a white dress which became instantly see-through. Ugh.  Luckily, Old Navy was near by so I could purchase a cheap pair of yoga pants, tee shirt, and flip flops to survive the evening. Here's the dress before I turned into a drowned rat:

Women are from Venus

I am trying to view the transit of Venus.  It won't happen again until 2117, and by that time, I feel certain I will be dead so this is my one opportunity.  Unfortunately, it is so cloudy I can't see anything in the sky!  My efforts are always thwarted by something.  Sigh.

Anyway, here is the first view of pictures from the new camera.  They aren't great... I have to adjust to the zoom.  BUT, I love how clear they are!

I can't remember the name of this dress OR cardigan, but they are both from Anthropologie.

Happy Tuesday!

The Moment is Now

This is it! The moment has finally come. At last, I purchased a new camera. I really debated over what to buy. I wanted something small and compact that I can keep in my purse and have with me everywhere.  At the same time, I wanted something that would be durable for the next few years as well as a camera that will take better pictures than, say, a phone's camera.  I went with a Canon Powershot.  Small and compact, we'll see how it works out.

So, this is it!  These are the last blog pictures I will be posting with my dying Nikon Coolpix.  Hopefully you'll notice a difference in clearer pictures after today.  Time will tell!

Dress: Secret Treasures, Anthropologie
Belt: Belle Bow Anthropologie
Shoes: Nine West
Necklace: Macys