Thanks, Jan!!

Where would I be without my lovely friends to point out when I have made a BIG boo-boo??? Thanks to Jan (the infamous JanTink!) for pointing out that I have posted my latest Freak Swap card TWICE now (I will be watching YOUR blog very closely from now on!)!! She is blaming it on the schnapps (which I can honestly say I haven't touched!), while I can truthfully say it is a combination of jetlag and waaayyyy tooo much pastry!! (WAIT!! Did I just SAY that??? TOO much PASTRY??? Naaaahhhhh ...... no such thing!!)




We have been busily driving around, hiking around and climbing everything everywhere!! After my "scared stiff" story the other day, I have one to top it!! See the picture above? I am sure you cannot even BEGIN to tell from it the perspective that you are missing . . . this is the Ulm Chapel (the "Munster" or as I called it the "Monster"!) in well . . . Ulm. It's major claim to fame is that it has the HIGHEST tower of any cathedral in the WORLD!! And you guessed it . . . my husband and son made me climb ALL of the stairs . . . that would be, ummmmmm, like 768 of 'em!! Okay, okay, I know you are thinking, "768 doesn't sound so bad!" Let me help you with the perspective here, friends . . . that is like 530 feet . . . or, assuming that the average floor in a building is something like 10 feet . . . WAIT! . . . let's be conservative . . . let's say the average floor is 15 feet . . . doing the math, that makes this freakin' tower something like 35 freakin' stories high!!! Not only that, the last 10 or stories or so are straight up in this skinny-little-bitty-teeny-tiny tower! By the time you get to the top there is a little passageway that two skinny people can barely pass each other on. YIKES!!! I nearly peed my pants!! (Can I say that here??? Guess so . . . it's MY blog!!) My son took some video of me freakin' out on the freakin' tall tower. I may have to upload it and share it with ya when I get back home. Needless to say, THIS photo is of me pretending that I'm not freakin' out!!! Notice how the view (or as I refer to it the "death drop" is to my BACK????) Sheesh!!

And THIS is me having ICE CREAM THERAPY after I came down off that freakin' tower!!! Aaaahhhhh ..... so nice to lose one's anxieties in something really, REALLY fattening!! And I SWEAR, my freakin' knees were knocking for at least a half an hour after we came back down!!! I must be NUTS to let these guys talk me into my worst nightmare! I have to say, though, that everything else we have climbed or looked down from has seemed MUCH less freaky after Ulm . . .

So .... now that I have shared a little more of my trip, I am going to share a card that I know I have NOT shared before (you can check me on this if you want to Jan-my-dear . . .)

As you can see, I finally got some SU cardstock for this card. Unfortunately, I still hadn't found any mojo at this point. And the first color family I bought was Bold Brights? Huh???? I practically NEVER use Bold Brights!!! Why didn't someone tell me that NO ONE uses their Bold Brights much (except for maybe Real Red)???? YIKES!!! Guess I thought I was being practical . . . whatever . . .

Like I Said . . . One Pastry at a Time!!

I am trying to type English on a German keyboard and am feeling rather retarded! Hopefully this post won't take me too long to create!!

I am going to be too big for all of my clothes by the end of this trip!! Man-oh-man am I enjoying all of the backerei goodies!!!(I am learning a LOT of German as well!!)




Here is a picture that Devan took of me and my husband at Hohenschwangau (King Maximillian's castle). I have really loved going to all of these amazing old castles. I only wish the walls could talk! What stories they would have to tell!!






I took this picture of the fam on the edge of the Bodensee (which is also called Lake Constance). I still can't figure out how things get translated around here ... how in the HECK do you get Bodensee from Constance??? I still have waaayyyy too much to learn!!



Isn't this just soooo tempting??? The fancy backeries over here (conditorei) are just packed FULL of luscious stuff (are you drooling yet??)! Now you can see why I am having such a difficult time passing them by ...


Today we are going hiking. I'm not quite sure where, as I am the only one here who doesn't fluently speak German, so I have just learned to roll with the punches! I am sure it will be wonderfully beautiful, wherever we end up!

I have a couple of cards to share with you as well. This is a card I made for our most recent Control Freaks swap (I figured it was time to share an UN-ugly card). I am excited for fall...I am sure I have mentioned ZILLIONS of times before that fall is my favorite time of year! I used a "joy fold" on this one. Love that! I also "rock and rolled" the leaves, but you can't tell from this picture because this is the prototype I made and I hadn't decided to really do it until after I made this. I haven't seen all the swaps from the other freaks yet, as they came in the mail right after we left! Something fun to look forward to ...

Stamps: Autumn Splendor, Grateful Greetings
Paper: Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Modern label punch, large oval punch, paper distressing tool, clear rhinestone ice brad, kraft taffeta ribbon, horizontal slot punch


And last, but certainly not least ... my ugly card. I was STILL desperately in need of a color wheel, don't you think?? (I am still saving my most ugly card for next week ... trust me, it's BAD!!)

Tschüß!! (That's German for "See ya!!")

Doin' a Quick "Fly-By" . . .

I have been without internet the last couple of days (can you say WITHDRAWAL???) I'm in an internet cafe with my husband and son waiting (im)patiently outside, so I gotta make this quick!!

We are still having a wonderful time!! I am eating my way across Germany . . . one pastry at a time!! LOVE it!! The darn internet is not letting me upload any pix here, so I will have to add some more the next time I have a connection . . . suffice it to say, I have a LOT to share with you . . .

TTFN!!

Can You Say "Scared Stiff???"

Hey-ya friends!! It has been really eventful the last couple of days . . . I was without internet service on Saturday (which would have been Friday night in the States . . . I swear the time difference messes with my head!). Most of the hotels where we have stayed have had internet access (at about 18 euros for 24 hours - which translates into about $27!! YIKES!!). Happily for me, though, is that the hotel we are in today has FREE internet - HUZZAH!! Finally SOMEthing on this trip is FREE!!)

We spent a lot of time on Saturday driving . . . driving and driving and driving . . . the German countryside is absolutely gorgeous, though!! Funny story . . . we have had a GPS with a European data card, which has been GREAT!! My daughter nicknamed the GPS (which is a Garmin) "Garmina" last year when we first got it. It speaks with feminine voice, so that's how it all started. Well, anyway, when we left Salzburg to head for Mittenwald, Garmina seemed to be taking us the loooonnng way around. We tried using "shortest" route and "fastest" route, but we still seemed to be going via China! Anyway, after more than two hours (or was it three?) of roaming the German countryside Devan discovered that my husband had left Garmina in "pedestrian" mode from the day before!! Poor Garmina was trying to find the safest way for us to WALK to Mittenwald (I guess that is why she was keeping us off the freeways!!)!! Our trip progressed MUCH more quickly after that!! hehehehehe!

We went to Mittenwald, which is a charming little town. That is where I was eating that chocolate snowball you see in the picture. Sadly, those things look much better than the taste!! The chocolate on the outside was really good, but the "snowball" itself kinda tasted like cardboard . . . not that I have EATEN much cardboard . . . I just IMAGINE that is how it would taste!! Everything else we have eaten here has been magnificent, though!!

Lots of pictures to share today . . .



Devan took this one of me on the bridge to Old Town Salzburg. I think that has been a favorite place so far . . . (I feel like I am doing the "Cover Girl" pose here - kinda like I planned that breeze blowing my hair!!)







Here I am with my mother-in-law and my husband on the grounds of King Ludwig's palace at Linderhof. BEAUTIFUL!! There were swans swimming around behind us. The palace was GORGEOUS!!




Devan and I in front of the fountains (which only shoot water for 5 minutes on the half hour). I could get used to living here . . . (palace was a bit on the over-ornate inside, but the grounds were SPECTACULAR!!)







Here I am in the arbor archway above the palace . . .







And here is where I get to the "Scared Stiff" moment. My husband took this photo of Devan and I on this little "Indiana Jones"-style bridge way up behind Neuschwanstein castle. Okay, this castle is HUGE - GIGANTIC - ENORMOUS!! It still looks big from this vantage point and we are about a mile away! We went to step out onto the bridge . . . I took about two steps and could feel the boards wobbling . . . and I FROZE in my tracks!! Honestly, I couldn't go one step further!! My knees where shaking and I felt like crying (weenie moment!!)! It took all my strength to back off the bridge! Seriously!! The bridge is teeny-tiny-super-skinny and it was PACKED with people!! I thought I was gonna DIE!!! My husband and son FINALLY got me on there, but this photo is totally FAKE (as in the smile on my face was painted on there!!). Do you see how close my husband was to us to take the photo? There was NO zoom involved in this, baby!! I couldn't get off of there fast enough!! Sheesh!! At least I DID it!!



Which brings me, FINALLY, to today's ugly card . . . seriously, I am going to save the best for last (it is sooo hideous, but you will have to wait to see it for a little while longer!!) What WAS I thinking here? The card in and of itself is okay, I guess, but WHO had my color wheel that day??? I was still refusing to buy SU cardstock at this point . . . this card just makes me laugh!! And to think I was proud of it at the time . . .

Stay tuned for more Germanic adventures! I'll post more as I have internet access (we never know for sure where we are going to end up at the close of the day, so we'll just have to wait and see!)

Only in Europe . . .

Europeans make even MCDONALD'S look good!! Check this OUT!!! This is in Old Town Salzburg (aka Shopper's HEAVEN!) . . . the sign over the McDonald's is as beautiful as everything ELSE down the middle of town . . . ALmost makes you wanna go inside, kwim??









We are having a wonderful time sightseeing, eating (OHMYGOSH!! Can you say WIENERSCHNITZEL???), shopping and enjoying one another's company. This is a picture I snapped of my husband and son in downtown Salzburg. Everything was so amazing. I could spend days and days and days just checking out everything there!! WOW!!









Now . . . on to more IMPORTANT things. Here is Ugly Card #2 . . . I swear I can't believe I actually KEPT these creepy things!! They DO keep me humble, though . . .

I went through a "tearing" phase . . . just LOVED tearing those paper edges, baby!! Ugh!! I'm so glad it was ONLY a phase, and not a PERMANENT addiction!!

Lookie What I FOUND in MUNICH!!

Isn't he just the CUTEST??? I think I will take him HOME with me!! I look pretty crummy in this picture (in Devan's words? "Mom, you look pretty beat!"). Ouch!! The truth hurts! I had been up for about 32 hours when this picture was taken. I WILL look better after a good night's sleep, that's for sure!




And . . . as promised . . . here is Beginner Ugly Card #1. To be fair, the biggest problem I had with my early cards was color. I remember when my friend got me started with Stampin' Up I had been scrapbooking for several years. I had accumulated a LOT of cardstock. So, although I bought the inks from SU, I refused to buy the cardstock, 'cause I had accumulated so much lovely cardstock over serveral years. The scariest part? I actually thought that some of these looked GOOD, baby. WhatEVUH!! I only post these to prove that i was not ALWAYS as Wickedly Wonderful as I have become. So, SEE JAN, I think we ought have an ugly card contest and see who WINS! Mine just go from bad to worse, seriously. I am not even going to bother listing supplies so that I may protect the innocent . . . notice how I didn't even wrap the ribbon around the cardstock (trying to be frugal!). I cut it right at the edge of the card, which means it started to fray. It doesn't even MATCH the cardstock! Sheesh!!

I will update with more trip photos and MORE ugly cards when I get internet connections . . . stay tuned (and Jan, if you are reading this, I am SURE I have you BEAT girl!!)!

Freaky Swap from Germany!!

Greetings and Guten Tag from Munich, my friends!! I cannot actually BELIEVE that I am HERE!! What a looooonnnnggg trip getting here was! I'm still in the wrong time zone (it is currently 12:30 a.m. here, but for me it is only 4:30 p.m., so I'm not sure WHERE I am!! In about 6 1/2 hours I get to pick up my son (aka the Butterfly Boy!!)! This just seems so unreal . . . but I digress . . .

I made this card for the most recent Control Freaks card swap (we were focusing on sets from the new SU Holiday Mini Catalog). I realized as I was just uploading this photo that it is not QUITE the swap I sent to everyone (this was my prototype card. I was in such a hurry to grab a photo before I left that I didn't realize I had grabbed the wrong one!). Really, the only difference is that I had rock-n-rolled both of the leaves that are cut out. One was stamped in Soft Suede and rolled with Rich Razzleberry on the edges; and the other was stamped in Rich Razzleberry and rolled with Soft Suede on the edges. I started to do that with this prototype, but didn't quite do it all the way . . .

I also used the old "joy fold" card. Haven't done one of those in a long time. Since I am not at home, I can't go and measure the dimensions on this for ya! Darn! No good stamper should EVER leave home without her proper tools (I hang my head in shame!!)! I can't believe I don't have a SINGLE stamp with me . . . I am hoping that we will be SO busy with touring and visiting that I won't have time to notice that I am gettin' the shakes!!

Stamps: Autumn Splendor, Grateful Greetings
Paper: Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Modern Label punch, Large Oval punch, paper distressing tool, small clear ice rhinestone brad, kraft taffeta ribbon, horizontal slot punch, dimensionals

AND STAY TUNED FOR THE UGLIES, BABY!!! I promised I would share some of my first-ever creations, and I'm going to make good on that one!! They ARE scary, though, I'm warnin' ya . . .

Leavin' On a Jet Plane!

Okay, well not TODAY, but tomorrow morning I am headed out early on my way to Germany!! Wowza-Holy-Cowza!! I just can't believe it! I'm sooooo stoked, baby! (I only wish my bags WERE packed 'cause I'M ready to go!!)

I did this cute little masked frame card for today's TLC over on SCS - TLC234. I had too much fun creating this, and I couldn't sleep. Must be too excited (I've been up since 3:00 a.m. - YIKES!! This IS going to come back and bite me around 3:00 p.m. today!! Good thing I can sleep all day tomorrow if I want to!)

I have a bunch of, well, um . . . interesting cards to share with you over the next couple of weeks from my "beginner's pile." Don't worry, though . . . I have a few extra I plan to share that AREN'T quite so scary!!

Hugs to all!!

Stamps: Autumn Days, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels One (S4-161), Soft Suede Polka Dot Ribbon, Large and Small Oval Punches, antique brads, paper distressing tool, pop-up glue dots

I Scream, You Scream . . .

. . . we ALL scream for ICE CREAM!!

Well, here it is, 2:30 a.m. TWO DAYS before I leave for Germany . . . I have a TON of things to do (which I cannot bring myself to do in the middle of the night!) and I should really be sleeping, but here I am blogging . . . I guess my brain is in overdrive!!

I made this card for Jessica Knutsen, owner of There She Goes stamps. Tuesday (September 1) is the official one-year anniversary of There She Goes. Jessica had asked some of us who were on her original Design Team (known as the Trendsetters) to make a guest appearance for the celebration release . . . and what better way to celebrate than with a little ice cream! (I need y'all to send some good karma my way, 'cause I seem to have misplaced the little cherry stamp I used on this . . . it has to be here SOMEwhere!! Sheesh!!)

This adorable little mini set arrive in the mail last week. I LOVE it!! It is SOOO stinkin' adorable!! Jessica has released a bunch of new stamp sets, actually. Go and check them out here:

There She Goes Stamps

I TOTALLY need to go back to bed (SERIOUSLY!)!! And keep an eye on the horizon, friends. I am HONESTLY going to be posting some of my very first creations RIGHT HERE over the next couple of weeks while I am in Europe . . . they should be good for at LEAST a laugh or two!! I hang on to them to keep me humble!!

Have a wonderful Sunday . . .

Stamps: Ice Cream by There She Goes
Paper: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, and Pattern Pack II dsp all by SU
Ink: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, White Gel Pen
Accessories: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl embossing folder, scalloped border punch by SU, 1 1/4" and 1" circle punches, ribbon slider from Stylized Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, black gingham ribbon (unknown), Stitch-Doodle-Dot template by The Crafters Workshop, Crystal Effects (for the cherry), pop-up glue dots

Today is My Birthday!!

Today’s my birthday (na-na-na-na-na-na NA-NA)!! We’re gonna have a GOOD time (na-na-na-na-na-na NA-NA)!! And I AM seriously 27 . . . again . . .

It was also my turn to hostess the LSC for SCS (LSC235), so I had MORE than a MAGNIFIQUE (oh WAIT!! That's FRENCH, not GERMAN!!) time making up these little birthday card $$$/gift card holders to share! I only had three "rules" or limitations for the challenge (which I oh-so-appropriately titled "It's Al About ME!!).

First rule: You need to make a birthday gift card or money card holder type of creation (any type/style will do!).

Second rule: You need to include at LEAST one butterfly SOMEwhere on your card (as many of you know, I AM the Butterfly Queen!). I LOVE butterflies!!

Third rule: I LOVE CHOCOLATE!! (Like, who doesn’t??? Seriously???) Sooooo, with that in mind, you MUST include Chocolate Chip OR Close to Cocoa cardstock (or the closest thing you have to it) in your card somewhere!

This little faux leather wallet is SOOO cool!! (I DO love it!!) I got the idea from Yvonne (YvonneAna) over on SCS. She very graciously offered to tell me how she made it so that I could copy the idea and share it with ya!! Here's a link to her AMAZING creation:

Yvonne's Sweet Peas Paper Wallet

I do believe I feel a video tutorial coming on!!! Once I return from Germany/Austria (FOUR MORE DAYS!!), I will put one together for ya!! Here are a few of the basic instructions if you wanna try to create one before then:

I cut the cardstock to 6" x 9" and scored at 3" and 6.5" on the 9" side (Yvonne's was only 5.5" wide, which would make it easier if you are using a Cuttlebug - a Big Shot or Wizard could handle the wider width better). Run the cardstock through your machine (whichever you happen to use) with an embossing folder of your choice. You will need to run it through four times to get all areas of the cardstock covered. Then, rub the cardstock with craft or versamark ink. Sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat set. To create the little side panels, cut a piece of matching cardstock (in this case, Chocolate Chip) to 2" x 2.5". Score at .5" intervals along the 2" side and accordion fold. Adhere this piece to the front and back of the textured piece AFTER you have sewn some coordinating dsp to the back side of it (make sure to put the textured side DOWN in the sewing machine, as it tends to catch on the presser foot if you don't). Decorate and embellish to your heart's content!!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Blue Bayou, Bella Bleu dsp
Ink: Chocolate Chip (craft), Not Quite Navy
Accessories: 5-petal flower punch, MS butterfly punch, Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic and Swiss Dots embossing folders, small oval punch, 1/2" circle punch, large pearl sticker, Blue Bayou ribbon, hodgepodge hardware ribbon slider, velcro stickers

This is my SECOND creation for the challenge. I haven't made a giftcard holder like this since Christmas 2007! (There was a TLC on SCS in November 2007 introducing this little technique - TLC196. Super fun to create!!

Special thanks to Mary Brown for inspiring the layout/design of this particular gift card holder with the card she has posted HERE for the last Control Freaks Blog Hop!! You are AMAZING, girl!!



And dang-it-all but I have to work today!! 'Cept we are going to have an EXCELLENT party at my aunt and uncle's house tonight (which is, sadly, not really for my birthday, but to say goodbye to some out-of-town guest our extended family has had visiting here from - you guessed it! - Germany!). At least I can PRETEND that it is all about ME!!

Stamps: For All You Do, Matchbox Messages
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, Very Vanilla, Dusty Durango
Ink: Crushed Curry, Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Old Olive
Accessories: 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, scalloped border punch, vintage brad, word window punch, chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, pop-up glue dots, sewing machine