August Stamp Campers!

This past weekend, I had my August Camp Wannastamp! WE HAD A BLAST - and here are some of the gals who TOTALLY ROCK my stampin' world! I adore every single one of them - they are fun-loving, enthusiastic about stamping, and they support me in my efforts to have a thriving Stampin' Up! business, so I am forever grateful to them!

In the picture above is Terri Bray, Georgene Rosato, Sandra Costa, and Monique Weiss! They look HAPPY! I think it's because they've just made a fabulous card!

The two gals above mean so much to me! This is Anita Kittridge and Gina Sones! They are so funny - they would only let me take their picture from the neck up. These gals have been stamping with me for YEARS, so they are certainly favorites of mine! The two beautiful blondes above are Kim Johnson and Debbie King. Chrystyna Bryndzia is the beautiful brunette standing behind Debbie! Kim Johnson has been a friend of mine for as long as I can remember - LOVE HER TO PIECES - she's the one who makes the beautiful jewelry! Debbie King and Chrystyna Bryndzia are newer friends, but they have done so much for me in so many different ways that I could not be happy without them in my life!

The fabulous women above are, well, quite amazing! They are exceptional women who have enriched my life in so many different ways. I love it when they attend my camps and I'm looking forward to many more camping experiences with them! This is Rhonda Doucette, Debbie Johnson, and Chrystyna Bryndzia. Debbie Johnson has been stamping with me for at least 7 years, if not longer, and she keeps coming back! THANK YOU, DEBBIE, for your steadfast support! Rhonda, my goal with you is to MAKE SURE you like your stamp-a-ma-jig....one of these days! Chrystyna, the way you change and manipulate the cards I've made is awe-inspiring. No one can change my cards quite like you! You can tickle me like no one else I've ever met! Keep it up - I love that about you!

August Card Sample!

Ohhhhhhh, this card makes me melt. I could sit and look at this card for hours and be happy! It looks so much prettier in person, but a picture will have to do! The supplies I used were Cherry Cobbler card stock; Love Letter Designer Series Paper; Crumb Cake card stock; "Elizabeth" stamp set; Early Espresso Classic Pad; Crumb Cake Classic Pad; Victoria Ribbon; Antique Brads; Stampin' Dimensionals; and Sticky Strip. I cased this card from Ilina Crouse, who makes incredibly lovely things. Go make this - you'll be happy all day.

What a Difference a Punch Makes!

You will see this same card posted below as part of my August Camp Wannastamp cards. The only difference is I used the Scallop Trim Border Punch down one side. I think it changes the whole look of the card - softening it and making it more feminine and pleasing to look at. Having the right accessories makes a difference! Both cards are nice, but I think I like this one better! Have a super day - and go stamp somethin' cute!

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

I have seen this ice cream cone made by many different people on Stampin' Connection and thought I'd give it a try! I really like the way it turned out. The only change I made to mine was to run the scalloped circles through the Big Shot Swirls Texturz plate and then I added Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to the swirls. It added a bit more pizzazz to the ice cream - and I like that pizzazz! Wouldn't it be cute to do one scallop circle in Chocolate Chip card stock, another in Very Vanilla card stock, and one in Pretty in Pink card stock? I'll have to try that next time! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Recipe:

Paper: More Mustard - 5 X 5; Whisper White - 3-1/2 X 3-1/2 (cut this at a diagonal to fit inside the cone); Whisper White - 2 X 2 (for the greeting); Pretty in Pink scrap; Real Red scrap

Stamps: Got Treats (P. 55 of the catalog); A Word for You (P. 158 of the catalog); Birthday Bliss would be cute on the inside, too (P. 57 of the catalog)!

Inks: Early Espresso; Pretty in Pink; Early Espresso Marker; Real Red Marker

Miscellaneous: Square Scallop Die; Square Lattice Embossing Folder; Sponges; SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch; Swirls Texturz Plate; Stampin' Dimensionals; Small Heart Punch; Clear Rhinestone; Paper Snips; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter; 2-Way Glue Pen; Ruler; Bone Folder (to score the inside)

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

Here's a sweet card we made at my August Camp Wannastamp. The "Aviary" set is another one of my favorites. I got this great card idea from Twila Mooneyham, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and I just had to make it. Hope you like it! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Old Olive - 11 X 4-1/4; Basic Black - 5-1/4 X 4; Whisper White - 5 X 3-3/4; Whisper White scrap Stamps: Aviary (P. 121 of the catalog); Tiny Tags (P. 130 of the catalog) Inks: Basic Black; Old Olive; Marina Mist; Poppy Parade; Daffodil Delight; Poppy Parade Marker; Marina Mist Marker Miscellaneous: SNAIL Adhesive; 1" Circle Punch; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon - 15-1/2" long; Scissors; Neutrals Buttons (Black); Linen Thread - 5" long; Jewelry Tag Punch; Clear Rhinestones; Paper Piercer with Mat; Mini Glue Dots; Paper Snips

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

"Morning Cup" is one of those sets that I'm hook, line and sinker for. For some reason, if a set deals with coffee, I'm all over it - and I don't even drink that much coffee, really! As soon as I saw this set, I knew I would order it - AND I DID! Isn't this an adorable card? I got this card idea from Stampin' Connection. What I love about this style of card is that you can replace that teacup with any image - change the greeting - and you have another great card. Even change the colors, if you wish. It works so well with small images! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Cherry Cobbler - 8-1/2 X 5-1/2; Whisper White - 5-1/2 X 4-1/4; Baja Breeze - 4-1/4 X 1; Daffodil Delight - 2-1/4 X 1-5/8; Pear Pizzazz scrap; Whisper White scrap Stamps: Morning Cup (P. 60 of the catalog) Inks: Jet Black Stazon; Cherry Cobbler Marker; Daffodil Delight Marker; Pear Pizzazz Marker Miscellaneous: Top Note Die; Big Shot Machine; Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder; Stampin' Dimensionals; Corner Rounder; Clear Rhinestones; 1-1/4" Circle Punch; Paper Snips; Pear Pizzazz Poly-Stitched Ribbon - 16-1/2" long; Scissors

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

Isn't this pretty? All of this new stuff is making me melt! So classy, so easy, so wonderful! I saw this card idea on..............hmmm, it might have been from the Simple & Sincere blog. The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Marina Mist - 10-1/4 X 4-1/4 - scored at 5-1/2; Old Olive - 4-1/4 X 1/2"; Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper - 4-1/4 X 1-1/2 Stamps: Ornate Blossom (P. 99 of the catalog); Occasional Quotes (P. 14 of the catalog) Inks: Early Espresso; Versamark Miscellaneous: Pear Pizzazz Poly-Stitched Ribbon - 15-1/2" long; Scissors; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Scallop Edge Punch; Paper Piercer with Mat; SNAIL Adhesive

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

Ahhhh, here's that gorgeous set "Artistic Etchings" again. I might have to take this stamp set to bed with me tonight - I just can't bear to be apart from it! I got this gorgeous card idea from Stampin' Connection and then changed it slightly to make me happier. The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Whisper White - 11 X 4-1/4; Whisper White - 4-1/4 X 3-1/4; Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper - 3-1/4 X 1; Real Red 3-1/4 X 1 Stamps: Artistic Etchings (P. 125 of the catalog); Because I Care (P. 11 of the catalog) Inks: Real Red; Marina Mist Miscellaneous: Stamp-a-ma-jig; SNAIL Adhesive; Scallop Edge Punch; Marina Mist Satin Ribbon - 13-1/2" long; Scissors; Neutrals Buttons; Mini Glue Dots; Stampin' Dimensionals

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

Here's a card that I just had to make when I saw it in the new catalog! Love the colors, love the new Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, love the new clear rhinestones, love everything about it! The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! Recipe: Paper: Baja Breeze - 11 X 4-1/4; Whisper White scrap Stamps: Word Play (P. 147 of the catalog) Inks: Soft Suede; Baja Breeze Miscellaneous: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder; Big Shot Machine; Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon - 15-1/2" long; Scissors; Linen Thread - 6" long; 1/16" Hole Punch; 1-3/4" Circle Punch; Clear Rhinestones; Paper Snips; Stampin' Sponge

August Camp Wannastamp Card!

The very first thing on my "to buy" list after I saw the new catalog was the "Elizabeth" stamp! Wow! I absolutely love it! I had to make a card with it right away, and I believe this particular card was cased from the catalog. Don't you just love it? Instead of putting words in the oval, you could always try stamping an image, too, like a row of cupcakes or flowers, or perhaps a single teacup from the "Morning Cup" stamp set. I THINK IT WOULD BE CUTE! All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up! The recipe is below! Recipe: Paper: Daffodil Delight - 11 X 4-1/4; Very Vanilla - 4-1/4 X 4-1/4; Very Vanilla scrap Stamps: Elizabeth (P. 18 of the catalog); Three Little Words (P. 151 of the catalog) Inks: Early Espresso; Pear Pizzazz; Early Espresso Marker Miscellaneous: Pear Pizzazz Poly-Stitched Ribbon - 15-1/2" long; Scissors; SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Paper Snips; Stampin' Dimensionals; Color Spritzer Tool; Paper Flowers; Clear Rhinestones; Mini Glue Dots; Sponge Daubers

New Catalog Open House Project!

When I had my New Catalog Open House in July, we made this cute little box, which we ran through the Big Shot using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. We used the hostess set, "Cute by the Inch," to make nine little cards that fit into the box. It was a fun project and I love how gorgeous the little box looks by embossing it! To make a box this tiny, which holds 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 cards, you cut two pieces of card stock at 3-1/4 X 3-1/4. You score one of the pieces on all four sides at 2-1/2", and then you score the other piece on all four sides at 2-5/8". The slightly larger one is the top of the box so that it will fit over the bottom of the box. Make one of these for your husband and tell him to fill it with a piece of jewelry for your next special occasion! It's always worth a try, right?

A Family Roots Vacation!

This is the First Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Texas, where my parents were married in 1950. Clyde Nowlin was my father's best man - a friend he's had since he was four years old - and Clyde was kind enough to meet us in Hillsboro to show us where the old McClung Family Farm was, but more about that later!

Traveling with a dog isn't easy - TRUST ME! You can only go through fast-food windows and eat in the car - and then you have to make frequent stops so that your four-legged friend can tend to his business, but we really enjoyed having Otto with us on our trip. After driving for hours on end, he finally relaxed and slept - and we were so glad when that happened. Here he is in his little bed with his favorite blankie - his Sponge Bob blankie! Now he's a seasoned traveler and he's been around the block a few times!

This is my grandmother's old house in Hillsboro, Texas. We called her Mother Browning - she's my mother's mother. When I saw this house, I got chills everywhere. I slept many a night as a kid in that front bedroom. The house has been painted a different color, so it was hard for me to find it at first, but this is definitely it. It's on Elm Street in Hillsboro and it's two houses down from the corner - just as I remembered it. This was an interesting house. It has two entrances off the porch. One leads into a bedroom and the other leads into a living room, which my Mother Browning used for storage and we were NEVER allowed to go in there. As kids, it was really scary to visit Mother Browning because rumor had it that a CRAZY lady lived next door, Mrs. Hamilton, who carried around a crowbar. If she caught you doing something she didn't like, she'd use her crowbar on you, so we were scared to death of her. Heaven forbid if you caught glimpse of Mrs. Hamilton! As far as my Mother Browning is concerned, you must know that she made the best plum jelly than anyone you'll ever meet - then or now! I can remember her kitchen and how she'd pour that white parafin wax on top of the jelly to seal it in the jar. Remember that? I would give anything for a jar of her plum jelly at this point in my life. We always played in the back bedroom of Mother Browning's house where she had a TV, a big old bed, and a loud window air-conditioning unit. That's just where we always hung out. I can also remember that in her bathroom, she had a heater in the wall that actually had an open flame. Now that I think about that, it seems awfully dangerous. Visiting Mother Browning was always fun - she had good things to eat and she let us play; we just couldn't go in that storage room! Mother Browning had a very hard life. Her husband, James D. Browning, died at the age of 35 from a heart attack, leaving her to raise four children all by herself during the Depression. She was a strong woman and I love her. I only hope that I possess some of her strength and character - that would make me very proud! We visited Mother Browning's grave while we were in Hillsboro, along with many other family members buried there.

Card Sample!

Whenever I need a thank-you note, I always think I have to make a card from scratch, but in our catalog they show a beautiful thank-you note using our Pendant Notes. It's convenient because all you have to do is place some designer paper behind the punched-out design, add a greeting and some ribbon, and you're good to go. I sent this thank-you note to a lovely friend for some birthday presents she gave me (yes, that was back in June, but I'm doing the best I can!) and I liked the way her thank-you note turned out! Hope you like it, too!

A Family Roots Vacation!

On our trip to Kansas this summer, we went by way of Waco, where we drove by the Branch-Davidian compound - which was really kind of creepy, but might as well see it while we're so close - and then we headed on up to Hillsboro, Texas, which is where my family is from. I spent many holidays and summer vacations as a kid in Hillsboro, Texas, to visit lots of family members who lived there. Since we had Otto with us on our trip, we couldn't go into a restaurant, so we found this old drive-in that was built in 1954 and had a great hamburger! That's older than me! They don't make drive-ins like this anymore! That's my husband Randy, Hunter and Haley, and our dog Otto. I wanted to take a picture of this menu because in Texas, you don't ask for a hamburger with mayonnaise - that's for sissies! We eat mustard on our hamburgers down here in Texas. I wanted to prove that to my husband, who insists that mayonnaise is much better on a hamburger. HE'S WRONG, but we got a good laugh out of it! He had to special-order his hamburger.

Going to my grandmom and grandad's old house was such a surreal feeling for me. I have tons of memories of their house as a little kid and just being there filled me with all kinds of emotions. I wish that I could have knocked on the front door and my grandmom would answer and invite me in. She and granddad would probably be watching As the World Turns, their favorite soap opera. My granddad would be drinking a Dr. Pepper (which he always had for breakfast, by the way), and I'd go to the fireplace mantel and play with some magnetic kissing dolls that they had there. We played with those dolls so much that their faces were missing, but we loved them. As you brought the dolls close together, their faces would engage in a kiss, and we played with those things for hours on end! My grandmother would be sitting in her favorite chair and she'd look up at me with her Coke-bottle glasses on, which made her eyes really big, but I loved those eyes and wish I could see them now. In the picture above, you can't see it very well, but at the end of the street is an old cemetery that my cousins and I would play in. We'd come home ridden with chigger bites that would keep us up all night scratching, but we'd more than likely go back the next day and play there again.

My grandmom and granddad had a big Pecan tree in their front yard, so there would constantly be pecans laying around everywhere in the front yard. I just had to bring some of those pecans home with me. It makes me feel like I have a part of my grandparents here with me. Just the way they smell brings back memories for me.

Here's that big old Pecan tree.

My grandparents, Lee and Virginia McClung (my father's parents), lived at 101 Smith Street in Hillsboro, Texas. As I walked up to the front door, I realized that the same old doorbell was there that was there all those years go - the kind you move back and forth to ring. I knocked on the door, but no one answered, even though there were two cars parked at the house. I just wanted to tell them that my grandparents used to live here and I just wanted to look through the front entrance - I wouldn't go in - but no one would answer the door! Darn! Being on the front porch flooded me with memories of how we all used to pose on the front steps for family pictures. There was also a swing on the front porch - and we had a ball swinging on that porch!

Here's 101 Smith Street - where my grandparents used to live. It has really deteriorated, but I love that house. I have lots of good memories here. When we were little, if we cried about something, my granddad would tell us to come cry in his pocket. He'd hold out his pocket so that your tears could fall into it. That was so confusing to a little kid that you'd stop crying just to think about it. Worked every time - you'd quit crying! One of his favorite terms was "ol' screench-onchie"! He'd say, "Well I'll be an ol' screench-onchie"! He'd also make an interesting sound with his tongue and his lower lip - which is hard to describe, so the next time you see me, ask me about it and I'll do it for you! I'll never forget it - it was so granddaddy! My grandmother used to make incredible meals for all of us. My mom says she still can't figure out how grandmom could make so many dishes and have them all on the table and still hot all at the same time with only one oven. That took talent! Wish I could ask her about that now!

First Day of School Box!

JUST HAD TO SHOW YOU THIS - and it's so appropriate for today, our first day back at school. I'm the only mom I know of that cries on the first day of school because my kids are back in school. My friends think I'm nuts! Most moms are jumping for joy, but it makes me sad. I enjoy it when Hunter, Haley, and I are at home hanging out with no schedule and we just do whatever we want for the day. I feel lonely when they go back to school, but I know they have to. My stamping buddy, Kirsteen Gill, borrowed some things from me, and to thank me, she made me this cute little First Day of School box. I flipped when I saw it! It looks to me like it's our matchbox die that has just been covered with card stock to resemble a school book. OMG! I LOVE IT! That little bookworm on the front is precious. I didn't take a picture of it, but on the spine of the book are little apples all embossed in gold. What teacher wouldn't love receiving this today filled with candies? I love it, Kirsteen! THANK YOU! Better get that cute little "First Day" stamp set in the Summer Mini Catalog before it's too late!

A Family Roots Vacation!

This may look like an ordinary pile of junk to you, but it's a very significant piece of history - at least to the Thomases! It's the remains of a cabin that was built by Randy's great-grandfather, John C. Thomas, back in 1884. It eventually crumbled and fell because of its age, but it's always been left there. We grabbed a couple of pieces of the wood while we were there and brought it back with us. Sure wish those pieces of wood could talk. We've heard stories about how the indians burned down the first cabin John C. Thomas built in 1870. John C. Thomas rebuilt the cabin you see above, and then he built the main farmhouse. I'm kicking myself because I didn't take a picture of it. It had a U-Haul truck parked in front of it because the renters were moving out. There were toys and stuff strewn all about and Randy didn't want to remember it like that, so I didn't take a picture. I'm furious at myself now for that. In 1916, John C. Thomas gave the main farmhouse to his son, Walter (Randy's grandfather), and they built another house on the same land for John C. Thomas - it's the old one in the pictures below with high grass all around it. Randy's father, Robert, lived in the main farmhouse as a child and moved away in 1941, when he moved to Wichita to work for Beech Aircraft and then joined the Air Force in 1943.

I'm a Texas girl and we've always felt like there's nowhere on earth that is as hot as Texas - we're proud of it! Well, let me tell you, I have never been as hot as I was in Independence, Kansas while we were there! They were experiencing a heat wave and at times the heat index was unbearable - as evidenced above!

This is the old house that was built in 1916 by John C. Thomas after he gave the main farmhouse to his son Walter and family. This house is right next to the main farmhouse. I sure wish we could have gone in there, but we were told it probably wasn't safe, and the grass around it was very high.

Here's the old garage and shed that grandma and grandpa would park their Model T in. I wanted to ask for one of those window frames that you see propped up against it. They obviously came from the barn. In the barn pictures, you can see that whole windows are missing. These had to be the windows from that. I just couldn't get up the nerve to ask for one! Kicking myself about that, too!

Inside the barn, we found this - whatever it is. It opens up and there are shelves inside. Ed Bruington told us that it's been on the property since he purchased it back in 1966, so it belonged to the Thomases. Randy suspects that it could have been built by his father, who was known for his carpentry skills, but we can't verify that. The carpentry on this piece is phenomenal. Even though the pieces of wood are all crooked, they all fit together perfectly and snugly. Mr. Bruington offered to let us take it with us, but with a car full of kids, luggage, a dog, and my stamping supplies, there was NO WAY we could get that thing back to Texas. We really want it and are thinking about contacting the new owner and asking if he would keep it for us until we figure out a way to get it back here.

This is a picture of the second floor of the barn. My children had fun up there. Those big chutes are where you would drop the hay bales down to the animals below. This barn is filled with so many good memories for my husband. He and his brothers and cousins loved this barn.

Another look at the old house built in 1916. Looks kind of scary, doesn't it, but it's so rich with history, I wanted to stay there forever. This trip was one of my favorite trips EVER. It really changed me - I came back different. I don't know how to describe what exactly changed, but something did - probably a renewed and stronger interest and dedication to my family and my family history.

Cute and Tiny!

I love cute and tiny, and this is so cute and tiny! I saw this idea on Stampin' Connection and decided to make mine smaller - cute and tiny! What a great use for Designer Series Paper scraps. My 7:00 a.m. cardmaking has gotten kind of messed up, so this is a 5:00 p.m. card, but I figured you'd still like it. 7:00, 5:00, whenever - it's all good! Have a super day and go spread some paper sunshine!

A Family Roots Vacation!

This is my husband and Mr. Ed Bruington on the old Thomas farm in Independence, Kansas. Ed purchased the Thomas farm from Randy's grandma back in 1966. He lived there for many years and farmed the property, but then moved into town and started leasing the farm out to renters. The renters usually aren't farmers, so the property has really gone downhill. We nearly died when we learned that Mr. Bruington had sold the farm to someone else just two weeks before our visit. There's no way we could have afforded to buy the property, but it would have been nice to dream about it for a while and approach other family members about the possibility of purchasing it again! Mr. Bruington only has one arm. Apparently he was involved in a farm injury many years ago. He was using a thrasher, I think that's what it's called (I don't know anything about farm equipment!). The thrasher got hung up with some debris and when Mr. Bruington tried to free that debris, the thrasher caught his arm. After yelling for help and realizing that no one would ever hear him and he would likely bleed to death, he took his pocket knife and cut his arm completely off at the elbow so he would be freed to seek help. OMG! Randy had heard stories about this accident, so when Mr. Bruington stepped out of his truck and only had one arm, we knew he was the man who had in fact purchased the farm back in 1966!

Here's a picture of the old outhouse on the Thomas farm! I'm sure there are some interesting stories about this, but you can just use your imagination! I'm sure the Thomas boys used it a time or two!

That long building you see in the back is the chicken coop! I couldn't believe how big it was. When Randy would talk about the chicken coop, I always thought it was small, but it's not. Randy said it had three long tiers of coops on both sides of the building. Can't you just imagine how nasty that coop would be sitting out in the Kansas heat? I wish we could have gone in there, but the grasses around it had grown up too high and we were worried about snakes and ticks! From the fence and going towards the chicken coop was the chicken yard. Randy remembers his grandma going out there and feeding all the chickens. Sometimes she would let him help. Now it's all covered over with weeds.

You'll get a kick out of this! We took our dog Otto on the trip to Kansas with us, which was fun in some respects and a nightmare in others! We visited a cemetery that had many members of the Thomas family buried back in the 1800s and early 1900s. Since dogs were not permitted in the cemetery, we had to leave Otto in the air-conditioned car while we got out to see the gravesites. It nearly drove him crazy not to be out there with us. All of a sudden we heard a "clunk," only to realize that while Otto was looking out the window at us, he stepped on the lock, locking us out of the car! Boy, he sure got us, didn't he? He was in the nicely air-conditioned car and we were locked out in the 107-degree-temps (heat index of 113)! That'll teach us to not include him anymore! Smart dog!

A Cute "Demonstrator" Card!

Isn't this adorable? When we got back from the convention, Kirsteen Gill sent me a thank-you note for the goodies I had given her at the convention. I flipped over it and had to copy it immediately! This "Share What You Love" stamp is something that was available for demonstrators to purchase at the convention and it's a perfect way to welcome a new recruit into our group or to thank my top salespeople for their hard work or to say "Happy Birthday." Kirsteen used the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, but I changed mine to the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder to be more playful. Thanks, Kirsteen, for an adorable card idea that I will use many times in the future!

Artistic Etchings Card Sample!

When I first saw the new catalog, the stamp set called "Artistic Etchings" jumped out at me. I absolutely love it and will use it many times over the course of the next year! Here's a cute card that we made at Rosemary Kenny's home workshop. With all the people in my life who think they are queens (myself included!), I'll be using this set a lot! It's so much fun! I got this card idea from Stampin' Connection. There are actually three clear rhinestones on the crown, but for some reason you can only see two in the photo. Maybe I had the card turned at the wrong angle when I took the picture. The recipe is below. All supplies used and shown are from Stampin' Up!

Recipe:

Paper: Shimmery White - 11 X 4-1/4; Marina Mist - 5-3/8 X 4-1/8

Stamps: Artistic Etchings (P. 125 of the catalog); Smarty Pants (P. 152 of the catalog)

Inks: Versamark Pad; Basic Black Marker

Miscellaneous: Pinking Hearts Border Punch; SNAIL Adhesive; Stamp-a-ma-jig; pencil; ruler; Silver Embossing Powder; Embossing Buddy; Heat Tool; Clear Rhinestones; Paper Snips; Marina Mist Satin Ribbon - 15" long; scissors

Stamping in the Car!

With the Founder's Circle trip to St. George, Utah coming up in September - and having to take 135 card swaps with me - I've had to get busy! Sitting in the car for hours to and from Kansas, it only made sense that I use that downtime to work on my swaps. Have you ever tried stamping in the car? IT WORKS! It makes the time fly, too, which is wonderful when you're facing an 8-hour day of driving.

Years ago, my husband was kind enough to cut a piece of wood just the right size to fit on my lap and to utilize the open space in the car around me so I could stamp on trips. He sanded down the sides so that they're nice and smooth and it makes a very comfortable work space, so that's what I did! I worked on my 135 card swaps and almost got them finished during our driving time. If you have a vacation coming up or you know you'll be spending lots of time in the car, get your paper cut, take a few ink pads and stamp sets with you, and you'll be able to churn out the cards! Thought you'd get a kick out of this - even when I'm travelling, I'm stamping!

A Family Roots Vacation!

This is "the pond" on the old Thomas farm property that Randy and his brothers used to fish at early in the morning. They'd take what they caught to grandma and she'd fry it up for breakfast, along with farm-fresh eggs. Randy remembers how she used to serve Tang, instead of fresh orange juice, and they'd drink it in old jelly jars! Grandma also had an old stump where she would kill chickens and then cook fried chicken. Randy remembers how delicious it was. The old stump is gone - thank God!

Hunter in the barn. The barn was filled with debris, which was such a big disappointment. We could go up some steep stairs into the haylofts above, where Randy remembers swinging from one loft to the other. We found some really old tools in the barn, like the hook that is used to hitch your horse to a plow - the kind you'd walk behind. We also found some hay hooks and a tool that was inserted into a cow's nose to lead it around. The current landowner was gracious enough to give us those old Thomas tools - and we glady took them! We also came home with some planks of wood that were from the original cabin that John C. Thomas built in 1876. These items are priceless to us!

A front view of the barn. Wish I could have gotten that ugly boat out of the picture! It was 107 degrees on the day we visited the farm - hot as blazes! We would have enjoyed staying for hours if it hadn't been so hot!

This past week, my family decided to take a trip to Independence, Kansas, to visit the old Thomas Farm. For years, we've heard stories from my husband about how things were when he would visit his grandparents on the farm. Like in the morning, his grandma would send him out to the chicken coop to get farm-fresh eggs - and how it hurt because the hens would peck at his hand when he'd go underneath them to "fetch" the eggs. They'd also walk down to the pond and fish, and then grandma would cook up the perch they caught for breakfast - along with the farm-fresh eggs - and how wonderful his farm memories are. We've heard about how they'd play in the barn up in the hay loft - and just story after story after story about "the farm."

Well, we finally got to see the farm - and while it was quite disappointing that it isn't being kept up as nicely as the Thomases kept it up, it was still a very special day to spend some time at the farm. As you stand and look up at the barn, it's huge, so I can only imagine what it must have looked like to Randy as a little boy! Our son, Hunter, who is in one of the pictures, told us on the way home that one day, when he can, he's going to buy back the Thomas farm so it will be in the Thomas family again! I want to post more pictures about our family roots vacation so I can preserve the memories, but I wanted to start with the barn. I will always remember the way it smelled, the way it looked, how I felt just being in it and realizing the history it had. I can just see my husband as a little boy having the time of his life swinging from hayloft to hayloft up on the second level. What great memories he has of that barn - and now so do I!