This One Was MINE!

All MINE!!! I've had stress packing this week, having to deal with some shipments going into Arizona, which requires ice and special handling. I really am used to it, and it is easy to do...but stress hits, realizing that in about 2-3 weeks...I'll be doing this to every shipment that leaves here!!! No complaints, however, business is business, and I'm glad to have it.

In the meantime, I could have given the task to package and bow this order up to someone else, but chose not to! I did not make these, my head chocolate designer did...but, I thought the presentation was so cute, that I sat down and packaged and bowed all of them up myself. (It was a small order, less than 100) It was nice for me to dabble a bit at it too...it's not always fun doing the "other stuff"...like making decisions, distribution, sales/marketing....AKA...(summer shipping/hard sales/brochures!!)

These were made for an event that has a Cajun theme...cuteness!

Craft News: I'm working on a NON Christmas item right now! I was supposed to have it to my son's school TODAY...so, it will be finished SOON!

Trudi

2nd Verse Same as the First

I have NO idea why that little jingle (my title) has been playing in my mind ... I have struggled to remember the little diddie....and what concerns me is WHY DO I EVEN CARE? For some odd reason, when I was designing my Christmas Card Monday card...mind you I was delirious...and probably reached a point of sleep deprivation that was making me wonky ... my creative thinking kicked into high gear...this my friends, happens to me from time to time...and when it does...I have to pounce on it.

So...2nd verse, same as the first...WHY? I think it was because I was trying to duplicate a previous design and give it a twist...so, WHY TODAY? Here's the answer....when I learned that this week's Cricut Circle Challenge was to add a handmade flower....I was glad that my project just so happened to fit that criteria...when I read the rest of the criteria....TWO CUTS....I realized, although I have THREE flowers...they are the same ole same ole....if you read my yesterday posting....I was almost pass out tired...so I am accusing myself of "settling" on my card...when I took the picture yesterday, I felt all along that it still needed yet one more element....yippee to me for reading that fine print....TWO CUTS!!!! All along, I intended to add "something"...sort of like my little birdbath on the pink version of this card....but, I "quit" .... and in my sleep last night...I decided to do a SECOND version of my FIRST!!!

A Christmas Candle...my first choice....I looked through 3 cartridges that I own to "see" my options....Christmas Cheer...NADA...I don't recall seeing a Christmas Candle in this one....Joys of the Season (yes, but a very wide one...) and Nursery Rhymes. (Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Quick)....I say this, because as any cricut cartridge buying addict knows....you can never "label" a cartridge.....For instance....look at the Disney "CARS" cartridge...as much as my son LUVVED these figures...I suspect I will use them only once in awhile.....I will use the SIGNS and sayings in this cartridge however, for so much AND BEYOND the theme of Disney "CARS"....(thus Nursery Rhymes)...I settled on "Joys of the Season" however....After I took a second look...I was STUCK for what color to cut it out...(oh joy, NOW WHAT? I am NOT going to obviously pull this apart....and I can't put a burgundy candle against a burgundy flower....green? not gonna fly....) grrrrrrrrrr.....flip the pages over a bit...and there it was: A PINECONE!!!!

I know me...and I know I'm going to find a way to make that candle work....I have 7 more copies of this card in the making....so, most likely...this card will take a few more changes! (MY PERSONALITY IS SHOWING NOW....I OVERTHINK...AND NOW YOU ARE SEEING PROOF OF THAT...) I probably will make the pinecone bigger....maybe play with these colors a bit differently...I don't want to add any other colors to this...and as much as I want to add glitter...it's not going to happen...it does NOT look like a bling bling thing!

So....Cricut Challenge Week #29.... Handmade Flower...2 Cuts...I used the same cartridge (although I did search, but not oversearch like I usually do....)....I used "Joys of the Season"...pages 67 and 69...Each poinsettia is cut and then cut again 1/2" smaller...the smaller petals, are adhered with dimension...ALL of the cuts are stamped with pattern for character and the edges inked. I used my beloved True Thyme cardstock for the green and Baroque Burgundy for the flowers...both...retired colors...boo hoo on the True Thyme!

Long explanation, but...it sort of is a repeat of yesterday...just a little extra!

Trudi

Christmas Card Monday

OK...If I typically sleep a regular night ... about 8 hours ... then by combining my last 3 nights of sleep time....it would be about 8 hours total...It must be Monday...(this makes absolutely NO SENSE...but, it does to ME)...I'm so so so tired...so tired so tired....3rd night of below freezing temperatures. Just hope we got the machines on in time....we had a little mishap with the alarm....I turned it OFF...thinking that the machines were ON...and they weren't. I'm so tired right now...that I'm not even going to think about it...

BUT....so, TODAY is MONDAY to me....and I'm getting my card uploaded to share my April Christmas Card. I did previously indicate that I would be casing my Bingo card...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J9e85VnO3jDUXHbhr3NsIeNIDCveQYjknQa0Rn2HB6JQkVmNH3lPnRukU3PRPlvg2PDupah1bq5Yu-hqzi-_XM2kuE87SGPUdY-nph28zS_SfknjMKhLKl5Jc88uXsbF2-k8_3kauGel/s1600/IM004238.JPG

I sort of did and sort of didn't. I actually decided to case a different card of mine....which was sort of happening....and then...I flipflopped back to sort of case the first one. Totally not making sense here...so...I'll be brief.

First, this week's Cricut Circle Challenge (Challenge #29) was to create a handmade flower/flowers. It didn't say it had to be a spring flower...I wasn't sure if I picked the best sizes, or maybe that I may even need to include yet one more....I stamped a pattern on the Burgundy (and the True Thyme leaves)...inked the edges as well...when I came to the punched out branches....green just didn't seem to work for me....I like the brown....wouldn't have been my first thought...but, to be honest, I can't imagine the branches green.

I like this stamp...I really do...but, there are a few things you need to know. Stamping these little images is TIME CONSUMING...What I liked about the pink version, is that I was dealing with ONE color only....this multiple color thing is a bit tedious....

The other observation, and it's merely a thought...the card it BIG....I'm not used to making BIG cards....I guess I'll mail these to friends that I have lots to say on....

In the meantime....as much as I tried to add more bling...this really didn't remind me of a bling thing...but more distressed and old fashioned....I adored making the poinsettias...and because I was in a hurry...instead of searching through my 60+ cricut cartridges, I picked 2 that I knew would have one ... and decided I liked the one found in "Joys of the Season". My greens were hard to match with my designer paper (which I think I paid a nickel for in a grab bag at my local craft store...Basic Grey too!!! I have about 8 sheets...perfect to make my extra copies, since I can only get 2 cards out of a 12x12 sheet....big stamp big stamp big stamp I say....)

For those of you who know me....It didn't take much for me to choose the True Thyme for my green of choice of the cardstock......(one of the bestest colors SU has ever launched...too bad it was one of the "in colors" and was only "in" for a year. As a scrapbooker/card maker ... I have to say, this green is an easy match....it looks vintagey to me...and I have had this giant pile of Baroque Burgundy c/s staring at me for awhile (my own stash, plus I inherited a bunch from my friend who was reducing her inventory)....

Lastly, I don't think I have EVER stamped on colored cardstock for my main stamped image! I've always used a white (Whisper White) or an off-white (Very Vanilla) or a light cream (other quality brand)...so, this was a FIRST for me....I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome...I will do this again!

So, that's the skinny on this card. If I wasn't so tired, did I say so so tired, so very very tired...I'm sure I'd be a bit more full of info, and a little less of "trivia"....

On a FUN scale of 1 - 10 ... I'd say this card deserves an 8 or 9...as it was pretty "fun" to make...just not when I was so tired...so so tired...when I make the "copies"....I'll be all awake, and I'll let you know then!

So, pretend it's Monday....aka Christmas Card Monday (April)...the next Christmas Card Monday is: May 16 I have something fun and light brewing for this one!

Thanks for stopping by!

Trudi

WHO KNEW!!!!

That Mother Nature was going to deprive me of my precious sleep.....For those of you who know me...I'm sure you have heard me sing the blues about cold, rain, wind, etc...all the elements that can wipe out 1/2 of our livlihood for the year....(thank goodness we are diversified!)....well...WHO KNEW...that the last 2 nights we'd be babysitting our trees with freezing temperatures. What little apricots we have left (the 10 degree temperatures 2 months ago wiped out 2/3 of our crop) are in danger...and a very abundant crop of cherries are now at risk...plus peaches too! (26 acres total in trees)....NOT TOO MENTION...26 acres of asparagus simply cannot grow when it's cold! (thank goodness the 10 degrees didn't kill the crowns buried deep in the ground...)

SO....last night and the same the night before that....we anxiously waited for the temperature alarms to blare....when that happens...it's MY job to rally my husband out of the house to turn the wind machines on....he likes to talk himself out of it...and I can't sleep until I hear the truck leave the driveway up to the orchards.....so....NO sleep for me Sunday night....(it didn't dip down that low until about 3:00 a.m.! I can't sleep until he's GONE remind you.....last night was better.... 1:00 a.m....but something at about 4:00 didn't seem right....the WIND came up...and what was once 31 degrees...was climbing back up...so, not only did we have to worry about frost damage....WIND MACHINE DAMAGE...which is costly costly costly....OY! OY! OY! He had the machines on at 1:30 and at 4:00...I was nudging him back out of the house to check the mph of the wind...(can't exceed 7)....so...the machines went off...and I never ever slept....I was watching those temps so closely...as the coldest time is *typically* DAWN...

So, my friends...this long story explains why I didn't have my Christmas Card Monday to share yesterday! I planned on uploading LAST NIGHT...afterall, it was still MONDAY!!! BUT BUT BUT...I layed down to "rest" at 9:30 or so...(still had about 1 hour left to "finish"...) and FELL ASLEEP! (I could have made the midnight deadline)....I knew I needed to stay asleep for a few hours...as last night proved to be SLEEPLESS...(I really couldn't leave my alarm system, although that alarm is very loud...I probably could have heard it in my studio...maybe...we have a fairly big house, and my studio is in our daylight basement....

I couldn't risk it...

Good news...it is ALMOST finished....I snuck in for about 15 minutes this morning...and I only have a few finishing touches....So, I'm going to cut myself some slack on missing my deadline....I guess our livlihood does pay for my supplies...and I'm a work hard, play hard kind of gal...Since I'm not the one out in the chilly orchard...the least I can do is stay in my cozy bed...and watch the temperatures...(I don't completely trust the temperature alarm....)

On the positive side...I think I've seen almost every episode now of Housewives of Miami, Orange County, New York...and now...New Jersey...there isn't much on TV this time of the night...and it seems like BRAVO is playing these! I think they need a Housewives of Eastern Washington....could be fun!

For today....I am sharing something we shipped out yesterday...in the 25 years of business...this is one of the prettiest orders we have shipped...I sell to a jeweler who ordered 300 of these for a Mothers Day promo...I have a great team who takes a lot of pride in their work!

I will post picture tomorrow! Just have a little of this and a little of that to do on my Bingo Card! I didn't overthink it either...still have lots of "steps"....but, it's coming along! I was able to join in on a Cricut Challenge too!

Til Tomorrow, TTFN!

Trudi

My Dear Niece

4 years ago today, I tragically lost my niece to a senseless act of violence. One would think that over 4 years time...it may be possible to move the pain away and find a way to trudge forward....Although this indeed is the case...the pain has shifted from the center of my heart...to another place that surfaces, although less frequently, still appears....as if it were yesterday, I can't forget...and never ever will. I can't drive past the baseball field I was standing at when one of my sisters indicated to me...that my dear niece was one of the 32 victims, her precious life being taken in Norris Hall. I can't drive past here without thinking about that phone call. I can't stand at the post office window that I was at when I chatted about being concerned that we had not heard from her yet...I can't stand there and purchase STAMPS...without recollecting that conversation. I can't stand in the express grocery check-out at Yokes...without remembering the tears running down my face in front of complete strangers...and recalling a "stranger" who put her arm around me and shared how she tragically lost her brother years ago too...that things WILL get better....

Since 4 years have passed...I have grown so much....I try to be a better person...I am ashamed at all the times where I "could have" been a better friend for friends who may have struggled through a loss, or tough situation. It is only until I personally endured such horrific pain, do I realize that often times...people "don't know" what to say or do...so true that was with me.....I pray that I have become a better person...and I know my sweet niece, Leslie, would not want any of her family to live a lifetime of hurt and pain....grasping to find a new direction, I've channeled my pain at times very unproductively and inappropriately, but have caught myself in moments where finally I've started the path to being more positive. My niece, in her 20 years gave so much kindness to others...so so so much...that in a lifetime...I could never imagine giving so so much. I would hope that all of mankind was so generous, but I know better. We give, we help, we do what we do...but this young woman did so with such ease and grace. In her young years, she taught me much....

I can't let today go by, however, without lifting a prayer to her, and her 31 classmates and faculty....if only we could turn back the hands of time...I'm sure we all would have done and said things differently to others...I know I would have. And for that I need to share her favorite quote

"And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh."

-Friedrich Nietzsche

Sweet Leslie, I love you,

Trudi

Egg Shaped Card

This is sort of a little afterthought to post a picture of this card. First, I don't think I've ever posted it to my blog, but IF I did...oops on me. This is not a new creation, but one I did awhile ago....in fact, if I recall...it was one of those that I wasn't sure how the outcome would be...but in the end...I was pleased. I absolutely adore the stampset I used, it is a current SU set, I'd have to go look at the name of it...if anybody is interested, just shoot me an e-mail. (I don't know how to respond directly after a comment is made, I want to know how to do that...as I appreciate the comments!!!)

I see that one of the blogs I frequent:

http://heather-bittenbythebug2.blogspot.com/

is featuring egg-shaped cards to fit the Easter/Spring theme.....it was only after I had thought to upload this card today did I notice this theme on the BBT2 blog....it didn't say these had to be newly created cards, so I thought I'd attach to the Mr. Linky on this go-to blog! Every Monday they have a new theme...I've considered jumping in from time to time....

I did use the cuts on my Storybook cartridge ... (oval and scallop...and I OH SO HOPE my memory is correct on that...it's been awhile since I made this card...but...this would be my assumption!

The card screams Spring as well...and playing around with my never-ending supply of chocolate....the little foiled eggs seemed like they belonged in the picture! I just wasn't liking my pictures...so, I tried...gave you a couple of angles of the eggs...haha

Hope to have another card up on Buttons n' Bows this week....and of course...we all know Monday is CC Monday....aka Christmas Card Monday...so, for sure...(can't guarantee what time of the day though!)...there will something either green/red or green and red/or perhaps some variation of green or red ... maybe burgundy and hunter green...we'll have to see...I may just pull a fast one and do some fun new Trudi Christmas colors....I think over the last couple of years...I've had customers ask for purples and magenta and citrus green trees and Santas....so...I guess we'll see what my mood brings for my Bingo card, which I am casing of mine! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!

Trudi

Friend Card

Here it is! When I saw a glimpse of this background set in the holiday mini SU catalogue...I knew I wanted it....mostly for fun enhancements in scrapbooking....(not sure why I was thinking that...since I haven't created a layout for ages...)....I had just seen some really cool designs created by a few of my scrapbook idols...and I wanted to give the bingo card concept a whirl too....so, this stamp was definitely coming to my house....(I could kick myself all over for not ordering other fun scrapblocks from CHF...so, I wasn't going to let this SU background disappear on me since it was in a mini catalogue...no guarantee it would end up in the "big" catalogue which comes out yearly....we'll know if this one made the cut this summer!)

I'm really not an "itty bitty" stamp kind of person either...so, it surprised me...when I kept thinking of all the fun possibilities I could do with this card and the little holiday stamps that coordinates with it.....well, one thing lead to another...and before you know it...I was almost talking myself into buying all kinds of itty bitty stamp assortments for this card....(I think there is another set in the SU main catalogue that has the right size and quantity that could work....)

I decided about a month ago, that this stamp was going to be my April Christmas Card design....but couldn't get the possibility of other sets to use as a non-holiday design.....I KNOW I have oodles of small stamps! I settled on doing a spring one with flowers...and selected my assortment of mini flowers that I purchased over 12 years ago from our local craft store. This is like the first assortment I have ever purchased.....going back to my earlier comment...I'm not a little stamp sort of person....I have to chuckle at that...because of the over 300 stamp sets (maybe even more) that I currently own...many have never seen ink...EVER...but this little flower set has been used over and over and over and over. I'm not even sure what company makes it...I have a little animal footprints set similar and a Halloween assortment too...about 18 mini stamps in a little cello tube-like box.....

Originally, I wanted fun spring colors on this....but NIXED that...it was too busy for me (I'm sort of surprised at myself on that too)....so, I went with the soft one-color stamping....(which after doing 11 of these....that's stamping 264 little boxes....it still looked naked to me, going the one color...I remember going to a baby shower where we played bingo with baby things typed in each box....that's when my oldie but goodie word sets came to mind....

The rest sort of fell in place....

I really had fun making this card....(I have 9 still to finish...basically assembly though!)....I didn't have enough of the prima flowers (I remember when I bought these...I was afraid to use them up! That was about 6 years ago...and I have so many bottles of these...I still luv them...) But, not having enough...I turned to the next best thing...my own flower creation. I'm the kind of person that needs a different texture on my designs....thus...my reliable sizzix with one of my many dies...produced the little felt flower.....

So, there you have it...probably a too long post about this card...but, I have warm fuzzies with this all over the place....the limited color (I first stamped in a charcoal gray, then aligned the stamp with my stamp-a-majig...stamped over in Silver Encore.....to give it that shimmer look)...I'm not convinced the white cardstock I used was the best "kind"...I knew I was going to use a lot for this project and felt I could get by with a lesser quality brand....it's OK...but, if I were to ever reproduce...I'd do so with SU's whisper white, or a similar quality...but, overall...it's probably just me who will notice the difference...although it's a "lesser" quality....it still is a GOOD quality...just not the BEST quality!

So....the next time you see me using this stamp.....it will be on April 18...the 3rd Monday of the month, AKA, Christmas Monday.... I will have cased my own design and turned it into a holiday theme.

Thanks for stopping by!

Trudi

Got Side Tracked....

OK...Taxes got in the way of my card-making plans over the weekend. But...yippee...I pretty much am FINISHED with my taxes...(thx Turbo Tax...I (heart) you. (I don't know how to put a little symbol in here...so just imagine a heart there....all I need to do is buy a new ink cartridge and print, sign and oh...write a check (ouch)

But...I hope to have a new picture on tomorrow. Once again, my less is more card is turning into a more is more card. I guess leopards really don't change their spots...(you know the saying)....analogy meaning....I'm destined to always put more labor into my designs than probably necessary, and always not everyone's "cup of tea"...but for some reason, I like to do things this way, and I'm not complaining....I could save time and probably bling bling money if I left elements OFF...but...my personality at this stage of my creative life is not leading me to do this...and...I work entirely on IMPULSE....I am going to case my own design (the one I'm posting tomorrow)...and turn it into a holiday design...as we all know...that 3rd Monday of the month (Christmas Card Monday, I now call it...) is RAPIDLY approaching...and this is a resolution of mine that I am on a mission to NOT flake on!!!! I truly think this has helped me get my creative inspiration back....I am already planning on what I'm going to do for May...

First things first, however...and RAK ladies....I really DO have a pile of cards for each of you....honestly....(ok, a pile of 2 so far...but they are THICK...haha)

My pictures: This is an order we shipped yesterday for a customer who will be handing these out to tenants...I'm not sure the details, as I don't work directly with the customer, but through one of the event/ad specialty customers of mine...anyhow...we separated by "bundles" some needing up to 50 units....what a fun order....the mini chocolate flower is bowed on top of a little package of chocolate sunflower seeds which we package...we make the flowers and tie on the imprinted ribbon (which we print here)...anyhow...a little glimpse for you all into my "other world"...next pic I promise will be "crafty".

Toodles,

Trudi