Can't catch a break

I just can't catch a break here *sigh* I have stuff to share...I do, I really do...unfortunately it is all on a computer that doesn't work...

I am a laptop computer kind of girl. Can't live without my computer wherever I go. I bought my first laptop when I was a senior in high school with money from a part time job. That laptop was with me through thick and thin through college. Many term papers, IMs, e-mails and 6 years later it died on me...but it was good and I loved that laptop (It was a toshiba by the way) Fast forward to my newest laptop. This laptop is barely 2 years old and has caused me more headaches than the other laptop EVER did. From the beginning the battery never lasted as long as it should have when it was unplugged. It also overheated very easily. About 6 months ago it crashed on me for no reason and I learned my lesson about backing everything up. Right after that the power cord broke--actually cracked in half! Who knew a new power cord was worth $70....but I had to have it. It helped, but the new power cord only worked half the time and only in certain positions...for example for the last few weeks it only worked if I had 3 CD cases with a pillar candle sitting on the cord where it goes into the laptop. CRAZY. Well....sad to say the computer is now dead. I was told it was the mother board...or something like that. I am so not a computer person at all. Basically I can't charge the battery so I can't use my computer or get the files I need off of it (Did I say I had learned my lesson???? oops ;) ) I will NEVER ever again buy a computer made by HP...their printers are nice, but laptops not so much!!!

There is no good way to end this story...it will be a long time before I can afford another computer and yet I don't know how to function without one!! I will try to keep updating and sharing on my blog though...I have some really cute cards and a couple of altered tins that I am dying to share!

I got the chance to borrow some really old retired Stampin' Up sets from a friend. I made this card to get my creative juices flowing. I used the set Summertime for this card. The set has a lot of little stamps from a summer carnival or fair. I was having trouble making a scene on a single sheet of cardstock so I split up the images and punched them out with a square punch.

(sorry about the scuff marks. I need to clean my scanner screen)

True Beauty

I help lead the high school youth group at my church. It breaks my heart when high school girls receive the message that they aren't good enough, aren't pretty enough, aren't smart enough. Our society makes girls feel like they need to be gorgeously beautiful, wear the perfect clothes, have lots of friends, and have a "hot" boyfriend or there is something wrong with them. These are impossible goals to achieve and while girls might want these things, these things are NOT what is most important in life. Striving for only these things will leave a girl feeling empty--she will never feel beautiful enough or popular enough or smart enough.

This card is about beauty--and I am not talking about the kind of beauty that you can change by wearing makeup, getting your hair styled, having your eyebrows waxed, or even with plastic surgery...it is about inner beauty. The kind of beauty that shines through character traits such as kindness, gentleness, and patience.

So this card is dedicated to those high school girls in my group that are truly beautiful both inside and out--even though they don't always believe that.

Okay sorry to go off on my soapbox...here are card details...The stamps are from Pollen Dust (Fancy Pants) The swirl in the background is the huge swirl from the set. I love how it looks and can't wait to try it out in different ways on cards. The inks are VersaMagic chalk inks. I also used Chocolate Chip ink (Stampin' Up) to sponge on the edges of the Marigold paper. All Cardstock is by Stampin' Up (Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Morning Marigold). The half circle is from the SU! 1 3/8" circle punch.

Pretty Pollen Dust

It has been a long time since I have been in my stampin' groove, but this past weekend was SoCal Stamp Mania and hanging out with all of those talented ladies (there were over 100 of us!) put me in the creative stamping mood! Of course it didn't hurt that I got a new order from Eclectic Paperie and had to try out my new supplies. I had been eyeing the new Pollen Dust stamp set by Fancy Pants for a long time, well ever since I first saw it at CHA. I decided to take the plunge and get it--boy, I am not disappointed at all! Here is the first card I made with the set and a few of my other new supplies (versamagic chalk ink, stickles...) Keep in mind that I made this at 11:00 at night after I got home from a full day of stamping, giggling, eating, and chatting at Stamp Mania...



Stamps: Pollen Dust by Fancy Pants

Ink: Sea Breeze--Versa Magic

Paper: Cool Caribbean, Basic Black

other: stickles

Coming later this week:
1. Pics from Stamp Mania
2. My shoebox swap from Stamp Mania
3. More cards using Pollen Dust
4. And who knows what else...I am on top of blogging this week so stay tuned ;)