Our Newest Family member!

Yesterday at 7:10pm, little Braelyn Rae Zagel made her appearance into this ol' world. Mommy, Leah, was induced 17 days early due to cholestatis problems. Little Braelyn surely doesn't look 17 days early though. She weighed in at 7 lbs 11oz and was 19.5" long. Nice bit of hair and cute little baby rolls. Mommy and Baby (Daddy too) are all doing great. I thank them for letting me be there to experience this miracle! It was a wonderful experience! Here are a few pictures for you!!

Her first minutes of life 

 The Happy Zagel Family

 Me - the Happy Grandma

 Look at all the hair!

Braelyn Rae chillin' in the warmer!

TODAY is your 'guest designer' chance!!!!!!

The Technique Junkie newsletter has had a 10th anniversary bash all month long!!  Today is a special blog hop where Pat (TJ's owner), is giving away THE best gift of all the days........A CHANCE TO WIN A 'guest designer'  SPOT FOR AN ISSUE!!!

This blog hop starts HERE.  Make sure you start at the beginning so you don't miss any of the inspiration on each blog!

To be eligible for the chance, you need to comment on all the blogs on the hop. 

So.............if you arrived here from Beth's blog, you are in the right place!!  Didn't she share a great technique?!!

My technique is called Popped Blooms from the August 2011 issue of Technique Junkie.  I can't believe that I waited so long to try this technique!!  So easy with such an elegant impact!!  I hope that you enjoy!!

Make sure you comment on my blog, then hop on over to Holly's blog HERE.  I hear that there is going to be something glittery there!

Good luck!

Faux Chinese Fern

I had a card in my "love it" file that had a cool fern with a chinese/japanese symbol in the upper corner.  Well.......I didn't have a stamp like that so I created something similar, then redesigned the layout of the card as well.  I used a solid stamp with a light golden pad edged in the dark green.  Stamped the fern and then added the small leaf in the upper right corner to replicate the look of the symbol on the other card.  I'm happy with the outcome.  The original card had the three images beside each other.  Since my image was wider, they wouldn't fit the way I wanted so I overlapped them instead.    Enjoy!

Feel Better butterfly

This thinking of you card was inspired by a card I had saved on my computer WAY back when.  The original card was made by Linda Bullard, whose work on Splitcoaststampers was on my "Love" list!  I made this into a get well card.  Counting down to the sale...only 5 productive days left.

Well....I really wanted my day to be card productive but it turned into a dog productive day instead.  I decided that instead of waiting until the last minute to bathe my standard poodle, Gabby, for my sale, I would do it today instead.  While soaping her down, I noticed some odd looking skin problems on her tail and back.  When I told my mom about it (she lives with us), she mentioned that she just saw a bug on her mini poodle.  Augh!!!   I checked Yoyo (mom's poodle) and he was covered in fleas.  How could this happen so fast?????   So........I had barely gotten Gabby dried from her bath to turn around and bathe Yoyo as well.  We saw a lot of fleas wash down the drain!   So....once Yoyo was dry, I ran Gabby to the vet.  Sebaceous cyst was the diagnosis.    A number of real tiny ones on her tail.  the skin problem on her back?  The vet just thought it was aging skin.  Hmmmmm.......think I'll just watch it in case.  While I was there.....got some Advantage for Yoyo.  Got to nip these fleas in the bud!!

Layered Goosebumps

This card uses a lovely collage stamp from I brake for Stamps.  It also uses the Layered Goosebumps technique from the Oct 12 TJ newsletter.  I should have probably used colors that were slightly different.   That Goosebumps spray is really weird.  Dries with kind of a rubbery feeling.....smells rubbery too!  You MUST remember to clean anything that it touches right away.  (Not your card, just your tools).  I speak from experience as I have one ruler that is covered with the spray and it does NOT come off. 

Another layered masked collage

This is another Layered Masked Collage card.  Technique from the Oct 2012 TJ newsletter.  The cool fish image is from I Brake for Stamps.  If you are a TJ subscriber, you get a discount from her site!  She has great customer service, ships quick and is easy to work with. 

Another Copic Airbrush Direct

Here is another Copic Airbrush Direct technique card using another of my Stamp Camp background stamps.  I just love the way this technique makes it look so watercolory!  Getting lots done for my sale......it is coming up is a few short weeks!  Augh!!!!!!!!

Layered Goosebumps Cross

The cross stamp on this card is from Heartfelt Creations.    I used the Layered Goosebumps technique from the Oct 12 TJ newsletter.  I'm not sure why but the color photo'd really strange on this card.  Maybe the rubbery smell from the Goosebumps, threw the camera off....hahahahahahha.

Copic Airbrush Direct

The background stamp is from Stamp Camp......I have a ton of their background.  They are a sponsor the the TJ newsletter and their stamps were perfect for the new Copic Airbrush Direct technique.  I also got to use one of my newer Spellbinders dies.  Enjoy!

A sad, sad day.

Yesterday we lost a member of the family.  Our shepherd mix, Willie, succumbed to his Cushings disease and left for that doggie heaven where he can chase all the kitties he wants.  He was a pound puppy that we inherited from some friends.  He was 130 lbs of love and kindness.  He was part Husky and had the hair to prove it.  Our hearts are heavy.  It was sad to see him die yesterday.  It was also somewhat unexpected as he was walking around several times like normal.  He hadn't eaten for several days and yesterday he even refused his treat.  We knew he wasn't doing well.  We noticed that he was laying in the entry flower bed where he often does but was laying kind of funny.  We went over to him and found him breathing really heavy.  His eyes were dialated and gums were black.  We were pretty sure he wouldn't last long, and he didn't.  I was happy that we could be there with him in his last minutes.  We will miss him a bunch.  Here is a nice picture of him taken a couple of years ago.  If you have doggies, give them a big hug for me!

Just poppin by to say hello!

This cute card is made with a pop n cut die from Sizzix that has flowers on it.  It is teamed up with the corresponding "Hello" sizzlets set.  Lovin' these new dies so much!  Got four of these done for my sale.  Hope you enjoy!! 

Today we are hoping to have our car lift installed!  Woo Hoo!  No more crawling on the cold concrete to do oil changes and car repair.  Maybe we should rent it out to help pay for it~!!

Fun to Die For!

I recently ordered a number of the Sizzix pop n cut dies. Boy are they a lot of fun.  I wish the housework would disappear and I could just play all day!!  This card was made with the "love" pop n cut die.  Unfortunately, the carrier for the die is on backorder but I made it work anyway.  Had to create a unique sandwich to do it. 
Big Shot sandwich:
1.  black pad (the one I use for embossing)
2.  clear cutting pad
3.  Pop N Cut die
4.  Paper
5.  Clear cutting pad

The stamp set is from Sweet N Sassy and it is a wonderful Paris set with words and this awesome collage stamp.  I've always had issues with coloring in collage stamps (don't know why, just do), so I just LOVE using the Technique Junkie technique called Colored Circle collage.  Easy, peasy!!

The countdown has begun for the card sale.  I never feel totally ready!

Layered Masked Collage dragonfly

The October Technique Junkie newsletter is just full of fun/cool techniques.  This one is layered masked collage.  It is sooooo much prettier in real life.  The dragonfly has glitter and really pops off the page.  He is a stamp from Artneko.com.  Although I think they have another business name now.  Think I'll have to make a few more of this one for my sale...........it was very fun to make!

Four the same but different

I needed a few more sympathy cards for my sale.  The band of color on this card was created on a separate piece of watercolor paper.  I included all four cards (I usually make four) because each scene was a little different.  I just used my Distress Pads directly to the watercolor paper, spritzed with water, dried with my heat gun and stamped.    I stamped the cardstock with the silhouette leaves, then mounted the watercolor panel and restamped it again.  I'm off a little on one of the cards but you don't really notice much.  Fast, easy and lots of eye candy bang for the buck (time).    I love the way the 'scene's have 'clouds' and some faux mountains.  Sorry the third one is a little blurry.......I think I hit a button I shouldn't have one my camera!

 

Simon's Dies.

The Meadow Rue and the Daisy dies for this card are from Simon Says.  This card was also inspired by kwerner on her blog.  I thank her for the inspiration when I needed it.  Sometimes when the mojo is hiding in the craft room, you just have to CASE a card to get it flowing again.  Really lovin' these dies.  They are popped up with foam tape. 

I taught two classes on Saturday in Springfield.  One copic class and one class on a cute little circle box that I make.  One of the gals in my copic class knew Marianne Walker (they were members of the same church).  Sheesh!  She could have learned MUCH more from Marianne!  I hope that she actually learned something in the class.  Hope she gives a good report to Marianne too!!  I had prepped 20 circle box kits for the class and there were only 10 people for it BUT they purchased all the extra kits that I had so I was really tickled.  More mulah for craft stuff!!

I'm scheduled to teach there again on Dec 8th for my Pyramid class.  Hoping to through another class along with it so make it worth the trip!!