geekgirl’s random ramblings….

• Hostess Club was a lot of fun… as always!  Here is one of my adorable sisters in law, Natalie (or ”Naturally”)  posing with her frame project.  I made her show her face.  She is a goof.     When I plan my hostess club meetings, I always think I will start off with an announcement of the current specials and there will be some serious information before we get started.  Then people show up and it’s a party. The conversation & stampin’ giddiness starts immediately.  I forgot to mention (but it is on my SU! website) that I’m giving my customers 20% off any retiring stamp set til Aug 8th.  The current catalog is good until Aug 10th.      
• In the mail yesterday, I got my newest Pottery Barn Catalog.  So did my roomate, Rhonda.  They looked exactly the same, but one was thicker.        So I looked closer.        The one addressed to me was titled “Best Customer Edition” and much more prestigious.  The one addressed to Rhonda was “Best of the Season” and it was obviously a lesser catalog.  I might let her borrow mine later.                                                                                                                                                 
• I worked an overtime shift last week, until 9pm and saw our janitor, Gilberto, whom I haven’t seen since I worked nights.  We talked for a few minutes and then he looked at me and motioned his hands around his face and said “Last year, you were “skimmier” then?”  Yes, Gilberto, last year I WAS SKINNIER!  Oh man, once he left the room, we almostd peed our pants laughing.  He did say it was “bueno” but of course, what woman thinks extra curves are “bueno”???  I”m glad I know he meant well.   

Today was a random picture day.  I got my hair cut this morning.  As I was leaving the salon, there was a black cat in the field next to the salon looking at me.  So I took his picture.    

Black Cat by Le Coupe Sauvage, HBG

On the way to the post office, there is this magnificent horse sculpture made of scrap metal, redwood and in the evening, the metal almost glows.  I have been meaning to get a picture of him, so I decided to go snap a few even though the light wasn’t great.  Here he is.  I’m not done with him yet.  He’ll have a much better portrait done one evening soon, I think.

Horse Sculpture on Grove St, HBG

After the post office, I drove home.  On my home, I notice my neighbor’s sunflowers look especially cheerful today.  So I took a pic of them.

Sunflower from my neighbor's yard - 1st St, HBG

And since my hair was freshly coiffed and I may never get it looking the same ever, I took their picture. They appreciate that.  They like it when I take a picture of them when there’s no gray showing.

Me, and yes, i'm wearing the same shirt and earrings as my GSG Featured Stamper fame... all my clothes money is spent on stamps!

 Hostess Club, Hostess Club, Does whatever a Hostess Club does… (sorry, i have Homer Simpson’s “spider pig” song on the brain today).  FINALLY some paper projects!  This is the group of objects we’ll be doing (well, except the brown notebook on the bottom).  I found the brown frame at Target- 2 for $4 sumtin’.  I used “Eastern Elegance” Rub-ons on that.  The tile was a Home Depot find- 6×6 “parchment” colored tile for .49 cents!  I bought a tile drill bit (1/4″) and drilled holes in the corners- added the Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain and knotted the ends.  (the one in the photo is my first one, when i thought i could eye-ball the drilling w/out a guide!  it’s a tad off!!)  This is for the Decor Elements monogram.  I ordered the last name initial for each of my club members and they’ll have one of these for their home.  And I love using fun bottles for vases- so in this instance, the small Pellegrino bottle was decorated with some left over SAB “Love & Happiness” Rub-Ons.  We’ll be doing that as well as the card below.  I told you their arms would be sore!  The notebook is an Ikea find from a trip a few months ago.  I added the “Limited Edition” Rub-On from “Take Note” and will use it as a display.

  This is a little 4×4 notecard using some more of the SAB “Love & Happiness” Rub-ons.  It was inspired by Crystal Birr (her card here) - Thanks Crystal!

 And FINALLY!  I got my new SU! Release goodies- the new In Colors are AMAZING!  I’m so glad I didn’t trust the sneak peeks that were on the blogs a few months ago.  They are so much better IRL!  Seriously!   This is my swap for the Hostess Club- using SC154, New DSP Bella Rose, In Color Kiwi Kiss, Red Riding Hood Red & Whisper White.  I used the new Scallop Edge punch for the main image mat.  Stamp set is True Friend, and sentiment is from Stem Silhouettes.  Pink Gingham ribbon, EE Olive button and linen thread complete the ensemble.

Tomorrow I’ll have some more to show you!  Thanks for stopping by and have a good nite!

…to my papercrafting PSF’s.  I’ve lost that paper-lovin’ feelin’…… temporarily.  Just don’t tell Keith that my $1200 craft room remodel isn’t in use, other than as a dumping ground (see layout below).  I have soo much stuff that I still love and I’m sure to use next weekend in Bodega (time for our scrapbook weekend! yaahoo!).  And I just got the new release products from SU! (that scallop edge punch ROCKS!!

I will have some Hostess Club projects to post soon.  If you’ve been checking in on my blog to see fantastic, awe-inspiring cards but are about to give up on me, DON’T DESPAIR!  Check back Monday afternoon for the goodies my club gals will be making, as well as some pics of the new products from Stampin’ Up!.  The hostess wanted to play with Rub-ons and BOY, SHE’S GONNA BE SORE with all the projects we’ll be doing. :D  (a good sore!).

Meanwhile… in the lab:

Craft Room Confessions 8.5x11 digipage

I took a picture of my lab, how it is today.  I created a page, with my confession that I haven’t been feeling crafty, but more digi, and how the intentions pile up!  I used Kellie Mize’s Point It Out brushes from Designer Digitals to highlight the key areas of the mess.   

The blog banner referenced in the photo shoot is Erin Bigler’s Paper Pleasures.  Those pens in the bucket are my pens!  My Buttons!  My punch, ribbons and ink pads!  Here are some other pics from the photo shoot….

diffusedposterized

drybrushed

frescoed

 So that is what I’ve been up to- digi digi digi.  

Lauren with ShaZam & Pop tutorials by Jessica Sprague

Photo of Lauren before tutorials

Mitzi with ShaZam tutorial by Jessica Sprague

Photo of Mitzi before tutorial

I also used Sue Chastain’s tutorial for fixing that eerie “pet eye” syndrome.

Now i seriously gotta get off my computer…. :D

So, I miss a few days posting.  So it’s been weeks since I’ve made a card.  So there’s only 20 days before I leave for Convention and I have exactly 0 (ZERO) swaps completed.  Am I worried?  Nah.  That’s the great thing about old age… no one expects your brain to work right.  :D

We went camping over the 4th of July weekend.  We joined some friends and their daughters and set up our tent in one of the trailer campsites.  It was AWESOME!  Two days is my max tho.  The dirt began to make my skin crawl Sunday morning. 

Here is the 2 page layout I just made in no time at all.  I used this tutorial from Jessica Sprague at Creating Keepsakes (www.creatingkeepsakes.com). 

Now about my swaps…  ya, i’m a little nervous…