My Little Adventure

Before I share my little adventure with you I would like to take a moment to thank everybody for their prayers and well wishes as well as the lovely comments left on my blog.  Heartwarming to be sure.
My little adventure.  I recently celebrated a birthday and every year Charlie (dh) takes me to the InkSpot (a quaint little shop housed in a victorian home in the heart of Kirkwood, Missouri) and lets me pick out some goodies.  I had recently purchased a paper pad from Papertrey Inc. that is full of yummy fruits.  Apples. Watermellon. Pears. Cherries. Strawberries.  I have been itching to use them and was searching for the perfect stamp to compliment my paper.  What better collection than Lockhart Stamp Company!  There were some sample cards made using three "perfect" apples that fit the bill but they didn't have the stamp.  Wahhhhhh!  Why does that always happen?  I meondered over to the counter where the owner was talking to what I thought was another customer and asked if the stamp can be ordered.  Low and behold the other "customer" pulled the stamp out and handed it to me.  What?  A used stamp?  Not on your life. (the stamp was actually brand new-aren't I the snob!) The other customer was none other than Karen Lockhart, owner and designer!  Oh my goodness was she nice!  Not only did I get to meet Karen, she showed me all of her designs, all of the unrealeased stamps, (in her notebook all of her designs where in color) she also gave me tips on coloring them with colored pencils AND copic markers!  Be still my heart.  I love this company and spend time periodically pouring over the stamps on her website.  If you click on them they show up in color.  The site does not do them any justice.  You should see them in person!  You should see what she has in store for us!  Karen is one of the nicest, most giving person that I have met in a long time.  I feel really blessed!  What an adventure!  Not only did I get the stamp, Karen also signed it "Happy Birthday, Michelle from Karen Lockhart".  I will cherished it always.  Love, Elle

Why I have been absent from blogland

Since it has been a bit since the last time I posted to my blog I thought I would share a brief explanation as to why.  About two weeks ago my body swelled up horribly.  I kid you not, my face looked like someone had attached a large round balloon to my neck, my eyes were swollen shut, my feet looked like elephant feet!  Needless to say it warrented a visit to my doc.  He ran some blood tests, ordered me to stay out of the heat and to lay with my legs propped up most of the time.  FUN!  (not).  The following day I got a call from his office asking me to come in right away.  The doctor wanted to talk to me.  Bring my husband if at all possible.  Panic!  Apparently my kidneys started shutting down.  My heart was overworked.  I was (am) extreemly anemic, and my blood counts were way off.  Whew!  I went home with this information and was told to come back in three days to have more blood work done.  He called me that night as well as the next afternoon.  (it was a Saturday) to tell me the good news.  My kidney function was back to normal.  We had been talking possible dialysis.  But there was some very bad news, too.  Surfice to say it gets real personal after that.  More tests are being run this coming Monday but loads of prayers are being said for me and I am adapting a positive attitude.  Hopefully things will work out on there own.  The suspected culprit?  RX strength ibuprophen!  It is thought that that is what is causing some internal bleeding.  Sooooooooooooo........I have been absent but have several new things to add to my blog soon.  Cards and such.  After the first of next week.  A fun, happy adventure to share with you, and..........Love, Elle

Third in a Series

I thought I would step back in time and show you the third card I made to possibly give to my Mother on her birthday.  This one did not make the cut but I love the simplicity of it.  The colors, too.  Take a look!  Love, Elle who is about to go to Applebees for dinner with my honey-yum!  How to stay on my weight loss track?  Wish me luck!

Here is a closer view:

Yummy Jenny Craig Delight!

I have a birthday coming up this Friday.  Chocolate is definately on my mind.  And Jenny Craig.  How can I combine the two and share with you such decedence?  With this!:    love, elle

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes

1 (18.25-ounce) package light, 94%-fat-free devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
Vegetable cooking spray
¼ cup semisweet chocolate morsels
¼ cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Combine first three ingredients in a bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer for two minutes. Divide batter among 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool on wire racks.
Split each cupcake in half horizontally using a serrated knife; set aside.
Combine chocolate morsels, milk and cocoa in the top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate morsels melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread bottom half of each cupcake with 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture; place top half of cupcake on chocolate mixture. Sift 2 tablespoons powdered sugar over tops of cupcakes.
Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes (155 calories per cupcake)

Today's card is a throwback to when I was making the birthday cards for my Mother.  Due to camera issues (again!) I was unable to give you another choice to pick from.  Oh well!  This time I concentrated on a simpler card using just basic embellishments.  A few flowers.  A few buttons.  A feather in its cap.  Again, the Copic colors that were chosen matched my dp so as to coordinate.  A great tip!  I have been busy with the grans playing in our little pool, doing art projects, and having fun with the reading club that I had them join for the summer.  (I have them during the week during the Summer while my son and dil  work.)  We sure have been having fun!  Today is art day.  My dil just got a new job within the company so we will be making some cards for her desk.  I hope she likes them!  Oh yeah!  I lost 3.6 pounds this week!!!!  Jenny Craig is helping me loose the weight I gained after my car accident.  A few down and some more to go.  Saturday I went to my second hour long water areobics class and had a blast.  Make for a sore Sunday but it was worth it.  I go to the gym three times a week and am working up to taking two classes instead of one.  Thanks for joining me in my journey!  Love, Elle

Cute Card Thursday Challenge

Today I am posting my entry into the Cute Card Thurday Challenge #173-Going Round in Circles at http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com.  The circle that I used is my doily with the printed round circle in the center.  The Tilda's were stamped using background cut from a die by PaperTrayInc. (PTI).  I love that shape and plan on using it more often.  I tried to pick Copic colors that matched my background papers.  It is a good way to coordinate your project.  I think each Tilda speaks for itself.  Add a pretty pink bow, some pearls, and a grouping of roses from WOC (Wild Orchard Crafts) that I used some stickles on and voila'!  I hope you like it!

Sympathy Card

Unfortunately I had to make a sympathy card for an online friend who just lost her husband to cancer.  Hard to make because of the occasion but I wanted to show her that I cared and got busy gathering supplies for my card.  I colored my image with copic markers and cut out my background for the sentiment using my Spellbinders Nestability die.  I always love using doilies and what better one to use than my heart shaped beauty.  After pulling my elements together I started playing with background paper and nothing I used was working quite right until I spotted a piece of cork backed with adhesive that came from another project one Christmas.  The image just "popped" when I placed it againest the cork.  (don't you just love it when that happens?)  I began assembling my card when I realized it was missing something.  Flowers!  The flowers that I used came from Prima and Wild Orchard Crafts.  They fit the bill and my card was now complete.  Do you like it?  Do you think it is appropriate for the occasion?  Your opinions matter to me so don't be afraid to comment!  Love, Elle

Make a Wish

Today I wanted to share with you a card titled "Make a Wish".  I had forgotten I had this image (Tilda with Balloons) until yesterday when I was going through my stamps and what better way than to ink her up!  I found these beautiful papers at my local shop and couldn't wait to play with them.  I first cut out my shaped image and distressed it with Memento ink then chose coordinating Copic Markes to color her.  I used Glossy Accents on the balloons and Stickles on her wings.  I sewed the three pieces then distress the edges.  I had the Make a Wish stamp from Justrite Stampers and colored the stars to match the paper.  Add some pretty ribbon and a bow along with a beautiful stick pin that I made and voila'!  I hope you enjoy my card. 
p.s.  I had a blast today at William Sonoma taking a cooking class on Homemade IceCream-yum!
Love, Elle

My new Lightbox

Thanks to my new online friend Lisa I knew how to put together a sturdy lightbox with the clear plastic container, clip on lights, posterboard, and interfacing.  Thanks Lisa!  What do you think of my picture?  Is it any clearer than the rest? 

I know I have been missing in action but I had to go buy yet another camera battery.  In the mean time I have about 6-7 different cards to show you.  (just one today!)

Today's card uses some decorative paper that I had bought from StampinUp that I HATED.  Really hated.  It was nothing like the picture in the book.  BUT I felt that I needed to not let it go to waste so I pulled it out and started playing with it.  I used my new Spellbinder's Nestability set for the frame and the shape for my image.  Isn't she cute?  I like that, cute and vintage all at the same time.  Of course I colored her with my Copic Markers.  After some sewing on my paper and some Flower Soft for my flowers as well as Stickles for her wings I was set to go.  Now to pull out some embellishments.  Awhile back I had dyed some seam binding this pretty dark pink color and thought it would make a nice bow especially with the pearl in the center.  Then I started playing with the flowers from Wild Orchard crafts.  I used the same Stickles on the largest rose.  I love the way it adds something special and ties the card together.  Add some swirls that I cut out using a Sizzics (sp?) die and I was done. 

Today is my son Sam's 23rd birthday.  Sam still lives with us why he is getting on his feet.  We took him out to lunch and the guys did a little gambling at the Casino.  Stinks, I wanted to play, too!  We just finished with cake and singing (badly lol) Happy Birthday....I really can't sing!  Tonight we are hanging around the house with some beers and watching the ballgame.  Right up their alley!

Hey!  I lost 3.5 pounds this week.  Yippie Skippie!  Love, Elle