Why stamping keeps me sane....

I have 3 children. Three daughters. (My mom jokes that is PAYBACK. ahem.) Most of the time they are the greatest joy EVAH. But, let me be more specific. They are 16, 12 and 11 years old. All in puberty. Yeah. That means Hormones. Attitude. I MUST have the IQ of a walnut most days.  They are good girls. Loving and a LOT of fun. I've taught them how to BWAHAHAA like their momma. And they're also die-hard Star Wars fans. Yes, I know how to raise my children correctly. I know my priorities.

Kayci (11), Madison (16), and Delaney (12)

Oh...back to being the biggest joy...well, sometimes. Like today. My 16 year old, who is kind of dragging her feet on learning how to drive calls me today to come pick her up from her tennis tournament because she's done playing and she doesn't have to take the bus back to school. Ok, so I drive 40 minutes out of town to pick her up. When I get there, however, she discovers that NO she cannot leave...she has another round to play. I turn around to drive home because she doesn't know when she'll be on the court and I have a stamping class to prep for. GAH! I proceed to call my hubby and leave him a loooong voicemail spewing my frustration. We decide to punish her--her choice--of either taking away her phone/computer for 24 hours OR she can choose to sit in the car for 80 minutes (my round trip time wasted) without radio, ipod, book or phone. Just. Sit. There. To hopefully learn a lesson about NOT ASSUMING ANYTHING.

So what did I do while she sat in my car (in the garage) for 80 minutes...???

I made a card!!! And I was soooo happy when I was done. Yes, stamping keeps me sane. I don't need blood pressure medication. I just need time to stamp!

And...It's that time again....FRIENDS WITH FLAIR blog hop!
What? You don't know what I'm talkin' about? Unity Stamp Company recruits 50 volunteers to stamp a card with Unity or Ippity stamps and we all share and SQUEEEEE over one anothers cards.

I have a hard time designing cards on my own....but I am WAY excited about this week's card because I didn't CASE (Copy And Steal Everything) this from someone else. When I was finished I had to SQUEEE a little bit. 

Stamp set: Ippity Music Of My Heart Paper: Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Naturals White

Ink: SU! Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories: SU! Full Heart Punch

I had a lot of fun "mutilating" errr.... distressing my paper for this card.  The Pacific Point layer behind the white is pulled apart for a sueded look.  I used my Stampin' Up! bone folder to curl the corners of the white layer.  I stamped scraps of white with the larger background sheet music stamp in Tangerine Tango and punched hearts then softened the paper with my bone folder and sponged the edges.  The background is stamped in Pacific Point with the same sheet music stamp and sponged (I used a scrap piece of paper torn to mask off the middle of paper).  The sentiment stamp was colored with SU! markers in Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Real Red for the heart and Basic Black.

So. Much. Fun!  Be sure to check out the other "hoppers" on this Blog Hop! Thanks for stopping by and please leave some comment love!

Oh...and did Maddie learn her lesson? We think so. After she vented on Facebook about her punishment, she did say she will "never assume anything again." Yes, my job here is done.

Have a fabulous weekend!
XOXO

And rounding out 2010.....with a Blog Hop!!

Friends With Flair Blog Hop!!! SQUEEEE!!!
I've begun to acquire so many amazing Unity and Ippity Stamp sets that creating a card....just one card to share for today's blog hop was rather difficult!
Love that.
Seriously. It's like when you pack for vacation and you're not sure what you want to wear when so you overpack....but you're prepared for ANYTHING on vacation.  My stamp collection is like that.  However I can spend a VERY LONG time trying to decide what to wear/what to stamp.
C'est la vie--I'd rather have too much than not enough. This is how hoarders are made, right? HAHAHA :D

Here's my card this week:

Stamps used: Unity Birdie Duet; Ippity Bit of Burlap (spring 2010 collection)

Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake; Basic Grey Basics Manilla and Curio Paper pads

Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye

Accessories: Martha Stewart Scoring Board; Stampin' Up ribbon; adhesive pearls.

Unity is having a sale right now through Jan. 3rd so be sure to check it out!

Be sure to check out all the other blogs on the hop!

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Happy New Year!!!!

xoxo

Dana

Time for Friends with Flair again! SQUEEEE!!

I am really loving my Unity Stamps....I'm loving the Kit Of the Month Club....in the last 2 months I've acquired so many Unity Stamps I wonder how I'll find the time to play with all of them!!! Last month I HAD to order this super cute set UNDENIABLE YOU set! I SQUEEE'd inside when I saw it! I love this sentiment...I do try to be classy...and I'm ALWAYS FABULOUS!!! hee hee :) Isn't that party dress on the dress form fab? I've been trying to use more embellishments on my cards...oh my to look back at my earlier creations when I thought just ribbon was the fo'shizzle (is that how that word is used? BWAHAHA I can just hear my 16 year old now "srsly mom? Fo'SHIZZLE? You're not even saying it right!)

I made this card for FRIENDS WITH FLAIR Friday!!! SQUEEEE!!!!

Check out all the crafty participants over at the Unity Stamp blog!

Supplies: Paper-Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss, Stampin' Up!; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Crumb Cake ink; Decorative paper, ribbon, paper flower, brad and stickies from Unity's "Welcome to the KOM" kit!

Thanks for stopping by!!

XOXO