WMD Embellishment Central

OK, so today's photo isn't my desk. But I wanted everyone to see the very cool printer the Hub got me for my birthday. It is wireless so it doesn't have to live on my desk. I can even print from my phone. It also has a copier, color or b/w. I'm so excited about it I can hardly stand myself. And because it doesn't have to live on the desk, it gets to live behind the desk in embellishment central...another space in my world that needs attention. Ah well...projects for another day.

Microsoft Rant

Does Microsoft make anyone else cRaZY? Every Microsoft product since Windows had been completely not user friendly - at least not when I'm the user. Example: I needed to make labels for my OWH cards. I've tried to make labels on Word in the past and thought I'd skip that nightmare. I went into Word Perfect, spent 5 minutes creating a label and low and behold...my new printer won't talk to Word Perfect. So I grudgingly signed in to Word (grumble grumble). Then spent HOURS figuring out how to make a sheet of labels only to discover that the program doesn't save labels after you print them, or at least I couldn't figure out how to make it happen. So every new sheet of labels had to be redesigned from the ground up. It took me another evening of HOURS to print 5 sheets of labels in two different sizes, one of which Microsoft no longer recognizes, so I had to create it as a custom label. THEN it would not let me name it myself. So my "Custom Label" wears a name that belongs to a label that already exists and I don't even know how it happened.

I accept that I'm mostly computer illiterate. Fine. But I've had to use MS Word for years and I still can't get the feel for it. GAH!!!!!!

Thanks for listening. Now back to your regularly scheduled program of cardmaking.

Anniversary #29 at Silver Creek Lodge

Our last vacation with just our family was so long ago none of the kids could remember it without memory ticklers. We finally figured out it had been about 10 years ago and the previous one 4 years before that. So it was time.

The Hub searched for DAYS to find just the right spot. He finally got in on a cabin that had experienced a last minute cancellation so we got it for a reduced price. (The only price worth paying!) The cabin itself sleeps 18 and had a separate bunkhouse that we obviously didn't need. Everyone who wanted their own room had it. The beautiful lodge left no room for boredom with a pool table, air hockey, foosball, an X box and even a home theater room with a projector screen. Outside there was a hot tub, volleyball and wildlife watching. My favorite part of the weekend was having no agenda and just striking up whatever game would strike someones fancy. And of course a party ain't a party without great food. So we played and laughed and ate and enjoyed each other all weekend long.

I adore my family. Thanks everyone for a wonderful weekend!

Happy Anniversary to the Hub. Without you, nothing else matters. You truly are the center of my universe.

Oreo Truffles

For a while now, I've wanted to try my hand at cake pops. I even bought all the ingredients, right down to a cake pop stand. But I could never envision how to dip them in the chocolate coating to make them work. Then last night the girl child decided to make Oreo Truffles to share at the "last day party" for our boss. It seemed like a harmless venture to her, since she has never shown an interest in anything culinary. So off she went to buy the ingredients. She crushed the Oreos, mixed in the cream cheese, formed the little black balls and was ready to dip. I took the job of melting the chocolate. After it turned into a solid blob of yuckiness I got on the interweb and read "how to melt chocolate for dipping". I had done it too fast and too hot so I added vegetable oil to thin it down enough to smear it around on the cookie balls. I was sure they would not solidify because of the amount of oil I added. An hour later, with Oreo crumbs covering every surface of the kitchen, we stuck the ugly little goo balls in the fridge and hoped they would set up enough to handle by morning. An overnight miracle turned them into a tasty, if not beautiful, treat.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator. 

from Allrecipes.com

WMD - A Happy Mess

One of our scrappy friends moved to Missouri several years ago. She is in town this week to deliver her 2 oldest kids to college. Last night we had a par-tay with her as the guest of honor. Today's Where's My Desk is the aftermath of a fun evening with friends I haven't seen in a while.

At the back of the desk you see my growing boxes of cards for Operation Write home. The blue shoebox contains the cards that were made and donated last night. I borrowed the CTMH Wishes book, it contains a card workshop of  A2 cards that I want to do. I think you end up with 20 cards from 6 sheets of paper. I'm looking forward to trying that out. Under the book is a bag of embellishments I got on clearance at JoAnn for 97 cents a package. The foundation of all the other stuff that needs to be put away is the stack of Christmas paper I've been using for cards and other projects. I have big plans for it all!

Mom's Favorite Holiday

Way back in 1989 I turned my beautiful first born son over to the public education system for just a few hours a day.  Fortunately I live in a state where one can send one's child to public school with reasonable confidence that they will return safe and, with plenty of support at home, educated. By the time child number 3 was toddling off to school with his brothers I came to realize this was the greatest gift society ever gave to moms. It was no secret... Mom's favorite holiday was the first day of school.

So today I'm feeling melancholy, forlorn. Since the girl child graduated from high school in May, and I'm no longer working at the school, this is the first time in 23 years I haven't participated in the ritual of the first day of school. I've not spent a dime on "back-to-school fashions" no kid would ever wear. There has been no celebratory dancing naked in the kitchen after the youngun's are out the door. No late breakfast at IHOP with the other moms. No deep sigh accompanied by the thought "I ought to clean the house while the kids are gone...NOT!" I already miss my old friend, a treasure passed to a younger generation of moms. 

CTMH 2 sheet wonder

Remember this fabulous CTMH kit from 2007? Two sheets of cardstock, a roll of ribbon and some stamped embellishments. *POOF!* 16 cards in a flash.

I switched up the paper, added embellishments I've hoarded since at least 2007. And *POOF!* There they are again. This time in a Christmas motif.

The Lion and the Lamb

This is the card I made for the Hub for our anniversary next week. I love this stamp. There is a line from a Mormon hymn that says: "How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion shall lie down together without any ire." One Sunday, when I was having an especially hard week with one of my teenaged sons, we happened to sing this hymn in church. The thought occurred to me at that moment: what if I am, in fact, the lion in this relationship, not the poor picked-on lamb. (I'm a Leo after all, not that that has anything to do with it.) That paradigm shift has changed my view of many of my relationships. I often find myself asking, Am I the lamb here or the lion?

OWH Card Game #2

Now for Card Game #2... Let's Get Together, Yeah Yeah Yeah   (name that movie - no, that's not the game.)

This game involves gathering your card worthy scraps and putting them in bundles. Bundles should be scraps of coordinating pattern papers. There should be only two or three patterns per bundle. (Try not to include solid colors unless "they were made for each other". I'd hate to break up long term relationships.) This makes it so when you have a second to make a card you don't have to spend the time choosing papers. AND it will mean truly using your scraps so they are not hanging around. AND it will mean you don't have to cut a new sheet of paper to make a card. AND we will be using these bundles in future card games. *U*

So gather and bundle those scraps. Find a handy spot to keep them so they are available at a moment's notice. Then...If you want a head start on the next game...Number the bundles 1 through 15.

OK I'm a "little" OCD. I keep finding scraps and making them into cards instead of bundling them for later use. I suppose it's good because I'm getting cards made for my OWH box, but I'm not getting very prepared for game #3. Which will be an ongoing series of sketch challenges.

more cards for OWH

The sketch is once again from thescrapoholic.blogspot.com. Find it filed under 30 days of Christmas Cards n Sketches #19. Simple but super visually appealing, almost like an optical illusion. These cuties are made with double sided cardstock from Crate Paper's peppermint collection.

WMD - Where's my desk?

You probably thought I forgot about Where's My Desk Wednesday. Nope. My computer was just ill yesterday. But I turned it over to the loving care of Dr. Hub and he fixed it. Well, he put it in a splint for now and ordered a new power cord. Thanks Dr. Hub! You truly are the amazing Mr. Fixer Man!

So here is my desk. I'm trying out a "sketch" found on Pinterest originally published by Jill Rancourt in 2011 at TheScrapoholic.blogspot.com. Which blog is, btw, chock FULL of sketches, svgs and other fun stuff. I'll be adding her to my web hangout list. Jill calls these "5pc emboss cards". Two sheets of solid colored cardstock and an embossing folder makes 6 cards, three of each style, with almost no waste. Easy, fun and 6 more cards to add to my OWH box. I'll be making these again and again.

I love the paper lace on the blue cards. I've had this piece in my box of orphaned embellishments for a while. I didn't want to use it because it is all I had and it was so pretty. Imagine my delight while rummaging stamps to discover I actually own this set! It is called Lovely Lace from CTMH.

OWH Card Game #1

THANKS!!!! to everyone who has shown interest in Operation Write Home. I'm so excited to have a project to work on together. It reminds me of the old days of swaps and crops. Which, btw, I miss with all my heart.

My first game is to bring together all the cards I have made over the years and determine which of them are worthy for this project. It will be a huge undertaking for me partly because they are buried somewhere in the landfill that is my craft room (it moved,  NOT under my direction) and partly because they are not together in any sort of order. I am notorious for making new Christmas cards every year, but I haven't sent them... ever. See what a perfect fit this project is for me?

So if you care to join me in The Great Round-up... DO IT! I'm sure it will give us a big head start.

This is what was required for me to complete the game... I SOOOO wish I had taken before pictures.
First I had to figure out where the main stash of cards was. I knew it was in the black drawers. Of course, they were the first items out of the old room and into the new. Therefore, it was buried in the back. This is the stuff I had to move into the hall. The table I took down is in the family room.

I now have a path to the black drawers. The goal is that open drawer in the closet. The new goal is to find a place to put all the rest of that stuff.  Sooo, good luck to me.

Ink Pad Holder

Yes, I made it. No, I won't make you one.

But you can get your FREE pattern at RebelInker.blogspot.com. (2007 archives)
It cost me under $3.00 to make. Easy and surprisingly sturdy.
Thanks Stacey! I've been hoping one of these would fall into my lap, and here it is.

Now... off to find all those stray inkpads.

Operation Write Home

"Let me start from the beginning... no, it is too much... let me sum up." Princess Bride (more or less)

I believe I have found that crafting niche I hoped to find when I started this project two years ago. I've discovered that I love paper; I like to buy it, store it, touch it. I have also learned that I don't love scrapbooking. I know that sounds like I need my mouth washed out with soap. I can't help it. I was born this way. :-( I hate what happens to my lovely pages when I put my lame photos on them. So I've discovered paper crafting and card making. The problem with card making, however, is that I never send cards. Writing on my lovely cards would have the same effect as sticking awful pix on lovely pages.

PERFECT SOLUTION! Operation Write Home is an organization that sends handmade cards to soldiers so they can send them back to their families. Great idea and FAB creative outlet for someone like me. Here is my goal: fill a box with cards to send in to OWH by September 30. That is 350 cards in about six week. YIKES! that's a lot. I sure hope all my crafty friends will help me. Hint... ;-)

Here is what I've made so far:

The Christmas cards were going to be tree ornaments last year but I got side .... SQUIRREL!!

The pinkies are scraps from a wedding guest book I made this spring. Sorry the photo is sideways. dsBB told me I was not allowed to include these in a box of cards going to soldiers. He said the other cards would mock them relentlessly...or worse. He said for the cards' own safety I should not include them. And he added "Besides, no soldier, male or female, is gonna want to be seen with those cards." What do you think?