Swallow your patience pill...

Be patient with me for a little bit - I had a roll of posts going but that has come to a screeching halt.

I'm knee deep in Jane Austen.  Remember the big workshop I designed scrap pages for?  Well, now I'm doing assembly of the kits.  And completing 2 more Jane Austen tasks that I was "volunteered" for...

Plus I have to prep for 3 online classes for VC Rocks.

I have 2 fun weekend trips with girl friends this month.

I have one kid moving to an apartment and the other moving into a dorm during the first 2 weeks of August.

Can you say BUSY?

I'll post when I can.  Keep punchin'!

No punch art book from me...

Last fall I told y'all I was working on a punch art book, and I was.  Then Daddy died and I got off kilter.  Yesterday's announcement retiring the small oval punch(sob!) made it clear to me that a book just isn't practical to do - when the punches are not available for purchase, who would buy a book? 

And basically, half the punch art on this blog is useless without this punch.  Never thought they would retire such a basic shape - but alas, Stampin' Up! is focused on stamping not punching - the company is not called "Punching Up!", now is it?   (grin)

As disappointing as this is, we will all survive somehow. 

Yes, life will go on without the small oval punch, and it will CERTAINLY go on without my "1/4 th written" book ever seeing the light of day.

I still get regular emails from some readers asking about this project, so I thought I'd let you ALL know to stop expecting it.

Now, if you don't already own them,  go order those punches before they are all sold out!

I wish I knew these people

I am working on my husband's family - heritage type album, so don't expect a lot of out of me over the next couple of weeks.  We also have a graduation and a birthday and a vacation.  I may pop in with a random story or two but you punch art fans better look elsewhere because the Fairy is still MIA.

As I said, I am deep in the Kemper Family past and gosh, I wish I knew some of these people...

I'm not really into the whole genealogy thing -- birth, death and marriage dates are necessary but what I'm loving is finding little tidbits out from their lives - which isn't easy unless you get lucky and someone saved a diary or a letter or two (obits only tell so much)

Found a great great Aunt (her father fought in the civil war) and have a copy of a letter she wrote in 1936 (just a few year before her death).  It includes stories from her childhood - stories of her dad - prices and weird items she found in his store records and she ended it like this:

This is a terribly written excuse for a letter but I doubt if I would do any better if I tore it up and wrote another so read what you can and guess at the rest and write to me sometime but don’t spell all the words right or make the letters too near perfect for it might discourage me from ever trying.  Love to all, Cora

Doesn't she sound like someone I'd like to have known?

Requests and Dedications....

Oh my goodness, it is Wednesday afternoon and I haven't punched a thing for you this week.  OOPs!

Hubby left for a golf trip this morning so I should be finding some punch time over the next few days (if I'm not out playing with my girls and girlfriends)

Last night, I made a HUGE effort to clean up and clean out my computer - files, photos, and emails and realized that I have neglected many of your punch requests - and the deadlines for these requests have long since past.  OOPs, again!

I know I have a couple of hockey player requests but other than that I want a fresh start.  If you have a request, please leave a comment on this post.  And remember, YOUR deadline is not my problem - the Inspiration Fairy doesn't have a calendar.  Definitely don't make a request for something you need next week - she doesn't work well under pressure.

Then she and I will settle in with a big dose of chocolate and caffeine and see what we can do.

It has been 3 days

It has been three days since I've posted and usually about this time I start getting email from my online friends to make sure I'm OK.  So, to save you the typing, YES!  I'm fine.

I have been playing with stuff I can't show.  Some 'cause it is for cards I want to send and I don't want to show them before they get to the recipient.  And some because I have been having a ball playing with stuff that is not from Stampin' Up! and to show you that is a no no and I might get turned in by the SU police and be in big trouble and have to quit SU and I'm not ready for that so....  You don't get to see cute stuff.  It is a shame but "them's the rules"  or close to the rules and I'm not taking any chances.

There is more punch stuff perking in my brain.  We will have to see what bubbles out next week. 

Ever try to scrapbook an event BEFORE it happens?

Have you ever tried to scrapbook an event BEFORE it happens?

I am teaching a scrapbook workshop next October for a large group of women.  There could be as many as 100 ladies.  And I'm preparing 10 pages for them to scrapbook. 

Did you do the math?  That is 1000 ways I could make them unhappy.  So Scary!

We'll be scrapping the event they are attending.  On the first day.  Before the stuff happens.

HARD TO DO.

I'm so excited and just a little intimidated. 

And that is the reason there is nothing on this blog today but talk...  My thoughts are far away from my punch drawer - they are in the early 1800s in England with Jane Austen and her first novel.

Make room for my soapbox

Excuse me.

Yes, I mean you.

Move over just a little and give me room to get this soapbox set up.  I haven't been up on it for awhile and I have some "talking" to do and you need to hear me.

I have spent the last two days going through old family photos (the His not Hers).

You might remember that my reward for cleaning out my Father-in-law's place was the closet under the stairs with all the photos and scrapbooks that I had never seen? 

Since hubby is gallivanting on the other side of the world this week, I thought this was a perfect time to set up a couple of extra tables and start sorting and organizing all the "treasures" from the closet, plus a big box of family stuff an Aunt sent.

Oh my - lots of GREAT photos and family genealogy. 

But

and that is a big huge BUT

a lot of the GREAT photos are useless to me because the people in them are unidentified.

arghhhh

and while it is easy to identify the bug eyed man as great great great grandfather what's his name (I could pick those eyes out anywhere) serious looking old ladies with the same chin and nose start to run together....

and then there are the helpful ones with someone from several generations back cleverly identified as "mother"
Well, she isn't my mother and I don't know who wrote it so I am still out of luck

So my soapbox message is IDENTIFY the people in your photos.  I know that you know that is Aunt Lucy in last year's Christmas photo but you need to SAY SO on your layout, or on the photo or in your computer (wherever you are keeping your photos) because 75 years from now your grand children are going to wonder who the sexy blond standing next to grandpa is and you want them to know she is family not floozy!

If labeling ruins your layout or you just hate your handwriting do it on the back of the page!  But names and approximate dates are important.  PLEASE?

Today I'm taking Grandpa to lunch and I'll bring my big pile of photos with me in hopes he will recognize a few of them.

Wish me luck!

And if you have any awesome ideas for scrapping vintage and heritage photos, I'd love to hear them.

Just Yammering Today

I thought I had the Inspiration Fairy lured back to my desk when I created Edna the other day - but she has flown off again.  Did she show up at your house?

I have had to strain my own little brain this week to come up with our 2010 Christmas Card.  I sat down the day after Thanksgiving to relax and...

BAM!

It hit me like a ton of bricks - if Thanksgiving is over that means Christmas is about 45 minutes away and I hadn't even thought about Christmas Cards! 

Yep, that's right, I panicked.

I'm NOT a "last minute - work best under pressure" girl - I am a "show up early for everything - love to check things off my list" gal.

It took a lot of focus and a lot of  "Honey is this OK?" and "does this look better" and "No, I don't like it - I need to start over" and "what about THIS one" but I finally came up with a card, got a photo of the girls, made 80 of those rascals, addressed the envelopes and they are DONE.  And they will be mailed off this first week of December - 'cause that is what I do.  I have friends that place bets about my card being the first one they receive each year.  It's part of their holiday tradition.

And that is why you have had no punch art from me to entertain you.

I do have a couple of ideas in work but I need the Fairy to come help me finish them up.

So if you see her, PLEASE send her back my way. 

Yawning again

Another late night at the ER...  I'm just getting home at 2:30 AM and am exhausted but too wound up to fall asleep.  Different "oldie" this time.  And we don't have a diagnosis yet.  

Let me repeat a line my FIL loves to say...  "Growing old is not for wimps"

On the plus side there was a TV (no sound) in the room in the ER.  No sound required - I got to see most of the game as the Rangers whooped up on the Yankees EIGHT to nada.  That was the only bright spot of the evening but it was a very bright spot - it kept us distracted as we sat FOREVER waiting on test results and FOREVER again waiting for a room when they decided to admit him. 

I have some new stuff punched but not photographed or documented.  Give me a day or two to get the old folks under control again and I'll be back.

Yawn...

It is 2 AM and I'm just home from the hospital - FIL had a heart attack tonight - HE IS FINE.

He had the sense to dial 911 and they were there in a flash.  The doctor put in a stint and FIL was laughing and joking when I left the hospital - with a list of things he needs and social events to cancel.

Some new punch art in work but you may not see it for a couple of days - I'm not sure how much I'll be home this week and it is not "finished".  I'm sure I'll be at the hospital most of the week and the other oldies have doctor appointments too.  I think even I have a check up scheduled.  Health care is the theme of the week around here, I guess...

So when I'm caught up on my beauty rest AND off medical duty, I'll be back.

Sorry to disrupt your (almost) daily punch fix but that's life!

Punch Art Book

There are some ladies that have been asking me to do this for a long long time.

I really am working on a book of punch art.  If you are interested in it - the poll in the upper right corner of the blog is the easiest way for you to give me input to make it something useful for you.

In addition to the poll, I'd love to get your input in the comments of this post -

• Which  past characters do you need help with?  (if any)
• What would you like to see in the book? 
• Are punch lists usually enough information for you or do you need pictures of the parts and the assembly?

Any other feedback, request or suggestion is welcome. 

Thanks dear punch fans!

I'm outta here

Leaving this morning with some friends to scrap and punch and eat and laugh ALL weekend long.  We are leaving the make-up at home and taking the chocolate with us.

I packed up all my toys early so I can't make a cute little punch project for you.

SORRY!

But I'll be back next week - ready to roll out some new stuff!

Have a fabulous weekend!  I'm pretty sure I will!!!!!

Award and Tease

I got a blog award from the ALWAYS FABULOUS Patti Lee.  If you aren't a follower of Patti - click over to her blog RIGHT NOW and subscribe.  Not only does she have the cutest ideas and projects, but she writes the BEST tutorials EVER (unlike yours truly)

I'm supposed to pass it on to 5 bloggers who are an inspiration to me.

I think I've said before that I never pass on blog awards.

And I'm sticking to that.

I could never chose just 5 ladies to link you to.  I get ideas EVERYWHERE. (even in punch droppings)  And I do my best to link you to them each time I "borrow" inspiration.

Thanks very much for the award Patti.  I'm sorry I'm breaking the chain. (Is that bad luck?)

Make sure you come back tomorrow Punch Fans!!!!!  I am REALLY PROUD of what I'm sharing on the VC Rocks blog hop.  It is one of those where I impressed myself. 

Eight Days

Has my blog content seemed a little "sparse" recently?

I left you with a few quick pre-scheduled posts but the truth is...I have been gone for EIGHT DAYS!

EIGHT DAYS!

Eight days with no punches - no colored paper...

Eight days when the only ink I touched was on the pages of the novels I read...

Eight days with only one 15 minute email check...

WHAT A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM!

Actually, it was wonderful.
Eight days of waves crashing on the beach.
Eight days of no "have tos" or "ought tos" or "gottas"
Eight days of relaxing with the family at Mission Beach in San Diego
Eight mellow, low key, chill out days....

And let me emphasis that word CHILL - temps in the 60s.   ahhhhhhhhh - how awesome - made even better knowing it was over 100 back here in Texas.  Windows open 24 hours a day - grab a sweater for that early morning walk on the beach...  it was heaven.

We saw some sights, did the zoo & some night life.  The girls para-sailed - hubby jogged a lot - I strolled up and down the beach mornings and evenings- thinking deep thoughts as one is apt to do when alone, right there with all that enormous power and beauty.

While the girls did the bikini on the beach thing, I settled my fat pale self under the umbrella on the 2nd floor patio watching the sun on the waves, reading and listening to the neighbors conversations (when the waves didn't drown them out - I am SUCH a snoop).  I spent a lot of time with my thoughts and my goals and my plans. 

But now we are back to the heat.
Back to reality.
Time to implement the plans I made.
and best of all....

Back to Punching!

A CLUE about what I've been doing

I have been posting detectives and spies but no one has even asked for a CLUE about my new profile picture.  I thought FOR SURE someone would ask.

Guess I'll just have to tell you.

Hubby and I got to be the last minute stand-ins for a trip to a ranch in Wyoming.  That's right.  Me, city girl, went where they have horses, and fishing, and hiking, and antelope, and wolves and bears, oh my!

That is KC and Me.  And that big old can hanging on my belt is BEAR REPELLANT - didn't even know that existed but we weren't allowed to leave the yard of the ranch without it. 

Do I look natural in this environment?  Ha, the hat is from the Dallas Zoo when I need shade and the boots are my every day attire since they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned - and I live close enough to Fort Worth Texas (Cow-Town) that it isn't too strange for daily wear around here (although people do make occasional comments).

Had an absolute BLAST.  And while I caught no fish, I had a ball playing at it, in the river, with my waders that were 2 sizes too big - (profile pic)

I'm waiting to get the photos one of the other ladies took before I scrapbook the whole thing.

I will confess the best part for me was sitting around the fire pit each night - in a JACKET in JULY - sipping red wine on a full belly  (when someone else cooked the food and someone else built the fire) KNOWING it was near 100 back in North Texas.  I'm kinda mean that way.

Sorry for the no punch post - but obviously I lost some desk time while I was off in the great outdoors and I will now try to play catch-up.

Regionals - Coming in September to a place near ME!

I just signed up for the Stampin' Up Regional Event in Ft. Worth Texas on Saturday Sept. 11. 

If you are going, be sure to let me know - I'd love to meet you!

Oh what a giggle...

The good folks at blogspot have added some statistics for bloggers so you can see who is referring people to your blog and the search keywords people are using to find your blog, etc.

I just discovered this feature (about 3 weeks behind the times) and as I was checking it out, I noticed someone had found my blog by searching for "how to talk to a cute boy by the pool"

Can you imagine the disappointment when that search brought her to THIS?

Oh PLEASE

Ladies, I LOVE that you are able to use my ideas for your cards and personal projects.  BUT I need to tell you that I am EXTREMELY frustrated when I see things published online or submitted to Stampin' Up! that are IDENTICAL to things I have shared here when there is no credit given or link back to my work. 

I just saw a blog where someone was sharing samples she had seen at the recent Stampin' Up! Convention and there was my Donald Duck.  EXACTLY as I shared him here. 

I understand that two people can have the same ideas, but Donald was a complex piece of punch art and I have serious doubts that two of us created the same character, using identical methods.

Please ladies, do not submit my ideas as your own.  This makes me want to stop sharing any tips on how to make these punch art characters.  To be honest, I am thinking of ending the blog because this is definitely not the first time I have seen my work show up online without any credit.

Use my ideas but PLEASE give me credit and PLEASE do not submit them to Stampin' Up! or any other publication or company as your original work.

Thank you.

And now for some business....

First order of business

By RANDOM pulling a name from a hat (actually numbering the correct answers and letting kiddo pick a number at random)  The winner of some surprise punch art is Carol Benson. And I do know how to get in touch with Carol so she will get a little "something" in her mail box next week!



Did you all like the "name that punch" game? 

I think we will try it again.

Someday.

Other Business:

VC Rocks will be having another blog hop tomorrow - LOTS of ladies playing this time - but not me. 

WILD AND CRAZY around here this week as we move FIL back to his old house and move one of the grand-kids and her family in to help him.

So I am not officially on the hop - 'cause I don't know if I'll have anything to post.  But check it out tomorrow if you have time.  It will start at the main VC Blog - Here

On the Blog...

Feeling a bit under the weather this week so no punch art for today.

But I still have something fun for you.

You "google reader" people never see this because it is in the right hand column of the blog right above the search box. 

I found a site someone very clever set up to play with color combinations for all the Stampin' Up! colors.

This is uber fun since the color renovation has shaken things up!

You can submit color combinations you like.

You can vote on combinations that others have submitted.

So actually LOOK ON MY BLOG in the right hand column and see "play with  SU color combinations" click on the link and have some fun.