Who Could Resist This ???

So....I go to a *Stamp Club* once a month just to play with Stampin' Up goodies. When you have your own stamp company (Heart & Soul) you're usually too busy 'making/creating/designing/packing/shipping/you get the picture' stamps that you (I) rarely have the time to just sit and stamp. It's a *Catch 22/shoot yourself in the foot* kinda deal :) Don't get me wrong- I'm not complaining about being blessed with business & *busy-ness* ! But I do miss just sitting and stamping with a group of awesome ladies- especially Diana, my bestest Stampin' Up rep/friend! So I intentionally go every month that I can- *scheduled playtime* as it were :)

We made this beautiful card with those new little plastic pockety thingys ( there's a raspberry filled goodie in that thing!!!) I love using lots of background paper scraps up.....especially since LAST YEAR'S goal of using up scraps is carrying over into 2010 ( and probably 20 years from now :)

There's another card right below this one ><>

A Valentine *Hoot*

I love the different use of the punches/die cuts here: the slit for the little bookmark owl used the *dog bone* punch and little envelope punch in new ways (to me, anyway :) and I thought the color combo was cool too! ><>

I Love My Friends :)

This was a fun one- got to play with the Cuttlebug, sanding block, ribbon, tear a little paper...and my new favorite *pillow* stickers from K & Co. I think I could stick those babies on anything that isn't moving! Phrase is a Heart & Soul stamp. Now it's off to the post office to convince them that a *Ghirardelli* chocolate square tucked inside will not require extra postage! ><>

Oh dear....

We are having the most beautiful sunny day here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest- which we all know means 6 weeks more winter weather for us! Yep- I'm guessing that Punxatawny Phil and ALL of his relatives saw their shadows here today! But it's one of those days that's just a rare gift this time of year - so we'll take it! Thanks God for an awesome day - no matter what comes our way in the next 6 weeks!

CAS....That's Me! :)

This is the birthday card I made for my DH this week...I just love the Stampin Up hedgehogs! A little background paper, a little colored pencil, glitter glue, and some doodling and voila :) Clean and simple- just like me! ( Cleansed by the water of Baptism and the Blood of the Lamb- simple in my faith: God said it- He meant it- I believe it- I RECEIVE IT ! :) and this was one of those 4 AM thoughts that pop into my head when I wake up too early :)

Praying for our Haitian Brothers & Sisters

Well there's alot being said about the earthquake- some awesome positive/encouragement stuff, and some *why on God's green Earth would anyone say that???* stuff. I believe it's not our 'job' to judge people/events/catastrophes - only to pray/care for/love on the people on God's heart. If you want some great perspective, visit www.epm.org and see what one of my favorite authors (Randy Alcorn) has to say about it all. If you're in a position to help financially, I know my church body is right there in the midst, and you can see more at www.lcms.org, and World Vision is also taking donations. I think that with both of these organizations, 100% of what is donated is actually given ( no %'s taken for administration, etc..) I am so heartsick for those people, and rejoice with them in the midst of horribleness when another survivor is found, or supplies delivered. One of the things I say alot is " The only thing I can do for them is pray...but it's the BEST thing I can do." So on this Martin Luther King Jr. 'day' - it's good to be reminded of our many many many blessings and opportunities here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave <><

Christmas Reflection.....

I have this sweet little pink dogwood tree in my front yard- a housewarming gift when we moved in a few years ago - that I just can't resist hanging things on :) In Spring, it becomes an Easter tree with plastic eggs. I found these awesome plastic (therefore lightweight....don't wanna strain the little Charlie Brown tree!) ornaments at Goodwill (yay for *thrifting* :) I think I got the whole big bag for under $3.00...and as I was hanging them on the tree on a sunny day, I was suprised at how much the facets *sparkled* - "pretty nice for cheap plastic" I say to myself.
And then one evening after dark, I notice that they are STILL sparkling with the reflection from the yard lights! A beautiful bonus deal, I'd say :) The icing on the Christmas cake came one day when there was a knock at my door and a lovely lady asking if she could take pictures of my ornament tree- she introduced herself as an amateur photographer and said she was driving by and was taken by the look of the sparkly ornaments! So there are at least 2 of us out there who like goofy stuff like this :) Thank you, kind lady, for affirming my quirkyness! <><