A nice distraction

The pleasure of a 3-day holiday weekend brings much anticipation and good feeling, and this holiday weekend is no exception. My only sister, Dianne and her husband, who live in Georgia, made their 12-hour drive up to Maryland yesterday and will be spending about 10 days here. This morning when I called my 82-year-old father who lives independently, as I usually do most mornings, I found Dianne had already arrived at Daddy's house. I was able to visit with both via speakerphone and after several minutes, I was planning a trip with her and my husband Tom to the local Michael's and JoAnn's stores. Dianne and I had a fruitful time browsing and shopping at both stores. She was able to find some pretty buttons that matched the multicolor blue/brown yarn that she is using to knit a vest, along with some yarn that she especially enjoys to use. I was pleased to find some pretty designer paper pads, which are becoming harder and harder to find, as people grab them up, along with some pretty brads and some other embellishments. That's what a I call a great day!

I was hoping to get back into stamping today. I have been absorbed with setting up this blog, figuring out all the ins and outs of using this blog, as well as the actual contents of this blog. I'm learning in very short time that "blogging" is very time-consuming, with respect to setting it up, as well as maintaining a current one. So, that said, my stamping time has been compromised.

With the arrival of my sister, I'm afraid that I was sidetracked again today, but it was a nice distraction. Tomorrow, I begin anew with the plan to stamp, post and blog. So, don't give up on me!

Peanut, my furbaby

Another crisp, breezy morning ushered in a gentle moist breeze into my bedroom window today. After glancing at the clock on my nightstand, I rolled over to catch a little more zzzz's. As I began to drift back to sleep, I was awakened by the little whirring sound that my furbaby, Peanut makes, when she wants something. This sound is unique to Peanut. It is difficult to describe, but it is a cross between a purr and a meow. Peanut makes this sound, which I'll refer to as "whirring" when she wants something. And when she wants something, she is relentless and doesn't "let up" until she is satisified. So, I knew that it was pointless to continue lying there while Peanut was in need.

I mention an introduction to Peanut because she does play a part in my cardmaking. Whenever I use a stamped cat image, that is a line-art type image, I always color the cat to resemble Peanut. Peanut is what they call a Tortoise-Shell Calico cat. They are called "Torties" for short. They are distinct in their coloring in that they are black, white and caramel. Some torties are mottled, others more spotty. Peanut is a spotty "Tortie"...and she is one spitfire kitty!

Fall is in the air!

The shadows of the tree leaves danced against my bedroom window shade, as the autumn sun tried to peek through. The cool morning breeze caused me to pull up my summer blanket further to my chin, nudging me to get up and go about my day.

I suppose that I should reveal a little about my personal life. My husband, Tom, who is an passionate digital photographer and I just sent our only child, our son, Christopher off to college for his freshman year. We are transitioning to an emptier house and finding our way back to a routine. Fall is a time of new beginnings for students returning to school, and now, for me. It is a beginning for blogging, more rubberstamping and cardmaking, and hopefully, more reading.

If you look to the right sidebar and scroll down to the slideshow of my card gallery, underneath you will find a card thumbnail (photo) linking to my SplitCoast Stampers gallery. That will take you to my gallery page with numerous card thumbnails. If you click on each card thumbnail, it will take you to it's card specific page with details (deets as us cardmakers call them) with information of how I created the card and the materials used.

As a member of the SplitCoast Stampers Community (SCS), I often try to engage in their daily challenges. If you aren't familiar with their website, I have provided a link on the lower right sidebar of this blog. There you will find a community of passionate rubberstampers who are involved in challenges, friendship, support and encouragement. The daily challenges differ each day of the week. My favorite challenge that they offer is their "Inspiration Challenge", which is their Saturday challenge.. If you're interested in exploring the various challenges on SCS, there are "challenge links" on their homepage, if you scroll down and look to the lower right of the page.

Today, however, I must skip the temptation to engage in their Wednesday challenge, so I won't have a new creation to share with you today, but hopefully, I'll have a card or two to share this time tomorrow, apart from the challenges.

A little beginning...

It certainly is! Never in 100 years, did I think that I would succumb to the blogging mania...but, it seems that when you become involved in a passion as I have, that in order to share that passion, you have to join the ranks. I am new to blogging, but not to computer design, so please be patient as I find my way around this interface.

I hope to serve a purpose in this blog...that is, to encourage, inspire or interest someone who shares the love of rubberstamping and cardmaking, as I do. I will be uploading new creations as I am inspired and I hope that you will leave a kind comment or two.