Mother's Little Helper

a·muse-ings

Don’t tell my husband…

But I done went and did it.  Actually, I don’t think he’ll be surprised. 

What am I talking about?

Remember in a recent post I discussed how I had been reading through past blog posts starting from the beginning in an effort to get them categorized?  One of the notes I took during that process¹ was how much I used to love working with a·muse stamps.  I can remember buying my first issue of StampIt! Magazine in the spring of 2006 and seeing this wedding card²; it was love at first sight.  I did an internet search for the company that created the clean, sweet image…

Well, we all know how that story ends.

Fast forward from 2006 to March of 2011.  I was as intrigued as everyone else in the stamping community when I read all of the announcements about the creation of a·muse|studio as a home party/direct sales company.  My initial response was “Huh?  You’ve gotta be kidding.  Why would they want to go and do something crazy like that?”  But…  Having met Linda Hartwich at a couple of CHAs over the years, and knowing that my dear friend and boss lady, Miss Meowy, has a great deal of respect for Linda and her business acumen, I had to do a double-take.  Of course, I have also always thought Julie Ebersole was the neatest chick around; for me, the words ‘Julie HRR’ and ‘a·muse’ are synonymous.  I’m also a faithful reader of Joan Bardee’s blog, Paperlicious³, and she did fabulously detailed review of a·muse|studio’s cardstock and inks.  Then, I saw that my fearless leader, Jenn Balcer (longtime SCS general manager and Dirty Dozen Coordinator during my stint as a Dirty Girl) had become a consultant.  Just so happens, Jenn and I were due for a chat.

Next thing you know?  Jenn’s convinced me that signing up as an a·muse|studio consultant would be money for nothing and chicks for free!  Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but after weighing the pros and cons, it sounded like a win-win proposition.  Here’s why:

1. When have I ever had the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a direct sales company whose products I already adore, have bought for years, and which involves my passion for stamping? Answer: never, and odds are, never again.  The market is fresh for a|muse studio, and if I’m ever going to do it, now is the time when I’m only one of two so far in Oklahoma. Such possibilities!
2. The only money I’d be out is the price of the start-up kit, which is on special for the time being.  I easily spend that much over the course of a month or so in crafting supplies and materials.  And, because I have such an inventory⁴ of a·muse stamps, many of which are being re-issued, my previous ‘investments’ can be utilized to support my new endeavor.
3. Besides a consultant discount on a·muse’s proprietary products (stamps, dies, inks, papers, embellishments, and so on) I’d also have a discount on things like Copic markers and refills and Nestabililities dies.  Can't beat that with a stick!
4. Unlike some of the other direct sales stamp companies, a·muse|studio puts no restrictions on their consultants serving on other stamp company design teams.  Which means I wouldn’t have to leave my beloved Cat’s Pajamas.  That would be a deal-breaker.  But again, that Linda is a smart chickie who knows that.
5. Orders are made through a personalized website (here’s the link) and shipped directly from a·muse|studios; what could be easier than that?  I remember all too well my brief stint in Creative Memories and having to sort through those boxes and make deliveries (*shudder*)…
6. So many of my friends know of my passion for stamping and want to try it, but when they see the stuff I usually create, it seems too involved and they say, “Fuhgeddabout it.”  I totally get that.  I’ve been doing this for about five years now, and my projects have gotten increasingly complicated.  That’s what makes stamping ‘stick’ as a hobby; if you catch the fever, you can do more, and more, and more.  After all, when I look at someone like my friend, Amy Sheffer, or say, Becca Feeken, I feel like a pre-schooler.  Granted, they have a more elegant, detailed style than I, but you catch my drift.  Here’s the deal though: a person isn’t going to catch stamping fever unless she has success at the beginning and thinks, “This is fun!  I can do this!”  That’s where a·muse comes in: the images are darling, but still simple enough that a beginner doesn’t need advanced skills to feel she’s made something she could be proud to send out to friends.  The a·muse style also doesn’t require an inordinate investment of time.  It’s a great way to start stamping.  Those that are ‘hooked’ can either stay with clean-and-simple stamping, or go on to develop a different style.  Either way, I’m helping convert the masses; as we all know, the world NEEDS more stampers!
7. If it doesn’t work out, no big deal: I can always throw in the towel with a month’s notice.  I’ve bought shoes that require a greater investment and bigger commitment.

So, by now you’ve figured it out: I’ve become an a·muse|studio consultant, and I’m really excited about this fun opportunity⁵! 

If any of you are persuaded by my reasoning and feel this might be the kind of opportunity you’re interested in exploring, feel free to drop me an email.  We can correspond that way, or if you’d rather, send me you number and I’d be happy to give you a call.  If you’re already convinced and looking for an upline, I’d be thrilled to serve as that for you.⁶  And if you just want to do a little plain, old-fashioned shopping, hit the button on my sidebar or this link and get after it! 

I'm going to end this lengthy post with a little walk down memory lane to show you a few of my favorite a·muse designs over the years…

This is the first card I ever made with a·muse stamps, and was made for the first SCS challenge I ever participated in:

A sweet & simple Valentine...

I have an abiding love for happy octopus and/or jellyfish images, not to mention the color combo of Orchid Opulence, lime green and orange...

Here's where my a·muse cards begin to get a little less clean and simple.  Still, I think these show the versatility of the images.  A great image is a great image, regardless of the stamper's style, know what I mean? And I love the symbolism behind bees and beehives (industry, diligence, social organization, hope, etc.):

I made this one to celebrate the cuckoo clock I bought during one of mine & Carter's trips to Frankenmuth, Michigan.  I *love* cuckoo clocks so much; they're homey and comforting.  Of course, I tire of the cuckooing very quickly, but fortunately you can turn that part off.  Still, you have to pull the 'pinecone' thingys twice a day, which I think is a good reminder of how quickly time passes.

The last one I'm going to show is a card I made for my last Dirty Dozen gallery.  It shows two of my favorite things: books and faux postage.  Guess who I sent this to, to thank her for all she had done for me during my tenure as a Dirty girl?  You got it: Jenn Balcer.  Full circle moment, or what?!

Thanks for hearing me out, peeps!  Have a wonderful day. :) 

---

Footnotes:

1. Which is still not finished; I get caught up reading all of the comments all over again, too.  Then it makes me wonder what some of those folks are up to these days, so I click on their blogs and start reading, and the next thing I know, an hour has passed… you feel my pain, don’t you? 
2. I cannot believe I found this magazine!  I have thrown away countless papercrafting magazines over the past five years.  Yet somehow, I still can show you exactly which a·muse image turned my head… spooky!  The designer of the cards featured in this issue of StampIt! is Linda Beeson.
3. Joan and I have a lot in common.  We’re both lawyers, although she practices and I don’t.  She lives in the D.C. area and works in D.C. for a government agency.  I grew up in Alexandria, VA (my dad was an engineer with the Department of Defense), and then later returned to the D.C. area briefly as a newlywed.  We’re the mothers of sons.  We have aging mothers who live with (in Joan’s case) or near (in my case) us, and who occasionally drive us batty (Joan’s FAR more patient and a much better daughter than I am).  She’s a great writer; I enjoy good writing and like to think I can string a few words together in a pleasing manner.  And, oh yeah, we’re both members of that high-niche group of crafters who refer to themselves as ‘stampers.’ 
4. See what I mean? ------->
5. Does this mean all you’ll start seeing on my blog is a·muse and a·muse only?  No, silly.  I’m still a loyal member of The Cat Pack and plan to be until the moment I PERMANENTLY retire (as opposed to temporary retirement, like that period between Sept. of ’09 – July of ’10) from designing.  Now that I've reduced some of my design team commitments, I also plan to do more stamping/playing just for fun; after all, isn't that what this is supposed to be about?  So you never know what you might find when I pop up in your reader or in-box. You will, however, be seeing more a·muse designs around these parts in the future, and I consider that a good thing. :)
6. My aforementioned cyber-friend Joan B. is calling her team “Team Paperlicious,” which I think is really cute.  “Team Mother’s Little Helper” is a mouthful, and “Team Carole” reminds me of a bookclub I was once active in, in which the founder referred to it as, say, “Mary’s Book Club” (that’s not her real name, btw).  That always irritated me to no end.  I don’t really know why, but it did.  Which is why I’ll never be a household name like Donald Trump or Lilly Pulitzer.  So be it.  Anyway, the team name I’ve come up with embraces my philosophy of both stamping and life: TEAM WABI-SABI!  I've frequently mentioned my admiration for the Japanese philosophy/aesthetic of wabi-sabi, but for those who need a primer, it's basically this: beauty lies in imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity.  It's being content with what is and living in the moment; it's small moments of celebration.  Wabi-sabi isn't mass produced or disposable.  Examples of wabi-sabi to me are: cracks on the spine of a much-loved and often-read book; bite marks and scratches from Hot Wheels on a coffee table (especially if your children are now much older); "every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face" as opposed to botox injections.  You catch my drift. :)

Gloom, despair, and agony on me!

Deep dark depression, excessive misery!

If it weren't for JiFFy posts, I'd have no posts at all.

Gloom, despair, and agony on me!

Actually, that little ditty (which you were to wail mournfully, as if dressed in overalls and surrounded by jugs of moonshine, a la Hee Haw.  If you did not do that the first time, please go back and do it again) does not describe this post in particular, but rather the general state of my blog.

(You know, I could go off on a huge Hee Haw tangent here.  It was one of my mom's favorite shows and in my memory, I see her at her sewing machine or the ironing board with that on in the background for large chunks of my childhood.  Probably explains why I ended up marrying a boy from Antlers, Oklahoma.  But I digress...)

Anyhoodle, thank you for visiting me today despite my lousy posting record.  Hopefully, you're the 'absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder' type, and not the 'out-of-sight-out-of-mind' type, and thus have grown even fonder of me than you were before.  That's what one might call a 'vain hope,' but it is my hope nonetheless.  I'm an optimist, you know.

Let's cut the chit-chat and get to the heart of the post, shall we?  It's time for another Just For Fun Challenge with my JiFFy girlfriends!  Hee-hee-hee-haw-haw-haw! HEE HAW!  Just to recap (for those of you who stumbled on here via some random Google search, like Hee Haw) (OKAY!  I'll stop! I swear that's the last direct reference I'll make to Hee Haw for the rest of this post!  Sheesh... it's my blog, you know.  I should be able to talk about whatever I want...*mutter & mumble*), each month one of us selects and sends out an image, then another of us sends out patterned paper.  Once the paper is sent out, the image is revealed to all.  Sometimes the paper works well with the image, sometimes it's what we euphemistically like to call a 'challenge,' but it's always JUST FOR FUN! 

This month, Julie selected the adorable heroine of the 'Picnic With Little Red' set by My Cute Stamps, an aptly named company if there ever was one.  I chose the patterned paper -- 'Brown Rice' from Jillybean Soup's Old World Cabbage Stew collection (not so aptly named, if you ask me, as there's nothing brown, rice-y, or cabbage-y about it).  And wouldn't you know?  The image and paper go together like... pickin' and grinnin'!  (Sorry folks, it's just going to be this way for the duration.)

Here's what I came up with:

Don't she just fry your taters?  She's sort of a large image, and for some reason I was bent on using a circle, so I got out my trusty old Creative Memories cutting system to make the circle layers.  The CM system is what I go to when I need larger circles or ovals than what I can make with my Nestabilites.  Little Red was colored in with Copics and her dress, jacket and hood were paper pieced. 

Here's a close-up of the grassy hills she appears to be twirling on:

They're little curved circle pieces I 'mowed' with my scissor tips for a little texture.

I airbrushed the sky, and hand-stitched the zig-zag detail around the image borders with red embroidery floss.   The sentiment (by A Muse) was cut up and staggered around the image circle.  The rest is pretty self-explanatory.

I can't wait to see what the rest of my Hee Haw Honeys JiFFy gals did this month!  Come with me as I visit the cyber cornfields of:

Julie Campbell

Kim Hughes

Lori Craig

Alli Miles, and

Michele Boyer

In closing, may I say:

I've loved the time that I've spent with you,

To share a card and a laugh or two

May your pleasures be many, your troubles be few...

See you next time! 

THAT'S all!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Picnic with Little Red by My Cute Stamps, Life is Good from A Muse

Paper: Brown Rice from Jillybean Soup's Old World Cabbage Stew collection, Neenah ivory, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Kraft (SU!)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Copic Markers, Creative Memories cutting system, sewing machine, brads, paper piercer, embroidery floss, gingham ribbon, white pen

Another Bee-utiful Sketch For You To Try!

A month or so ago, I wrote of how much I like images of bees and beehives.  I was rattling on about this fact in a thread discussion earlier this week, and was led to a card that used this gorgeous stamp by Impression Obsession.  Which I had.  Which I had not yet inked.  Do you ever do that?  Buy a stamp you just love but are too busy with other projects to use right away, then see it somewhere and say to yourself "oh, yeah!"  So I became bound and determined to use this image for this week's SFYTT.

The illustrator is a lady name Leigh Hannan, and ever single one of her images is to die for.  They're very detailed and fancy without being too frou-frou, you know what I mean?  I really wanted to do it justice, so I blinged it up with lots of tiny Swarovski crystals and each bee was  stamped twice, then cut out and popped up with Dimensionals.  The honeycomb paper was created by spreading ink from a gold ColorBox Pigment Brush Pad directly onto a Fiskars Texture plate, then running it through the Cuttlebug with a piece of water-misted So Saffron cardstock.  I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but I used gold thread to machine stitch around the image. 

This uses Jen's latest Sketch For You To Try, which you are definitely going to want to print out -- it's an especially great one, I think.  When you visit Jen's blog for the sketch, be sure to see what she and her Guest Designer Toni Whitnell made, then buzz on over to Amy, Shannan & Susan's for more yummy creations to whet you creative appetite and get those stampin' juices flowing.  And when you upload to your SCS gallery, be sure to use 'SFYTT' as one of your keywords so we can check out what you made.

It's a gorgeous day here in Oklahoma -- I think DH and I are going to try to find a sitter and head over to MayFest.  We haven't done that in YEARS!  It's almost kinda like a ... dare I say it?!... DATE!!!  Hmmm... Do you think I'd better shower?  Okay.  Well, then I'd better quit chattin' and start soapin'!

I hope your day is full of good, clean FUN!

Supplies used -- Stamps: Beehive by Impression Obsession, sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Aqua Mist, Summer Sunrise, and Everyday Blessings patterned paper by PaperTrey Ink, Georgia Pacific White, So Saffron (SU!); Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, ColorBox Pigment Brush pad in gold; Accessories: Copic Sketch & Spica markers, sewing machine, gold thread, Swarovski crystals, Dimensionals, Bella Baubles, ribbon, Fiskars Texture Plates.

A Bee-utiful Sketch For You To Try

I'm having a little love-fest with bees these days.  Not in real life, mind you -- I'm allergic to bee stings (I don't go into anaphylactic shock or anything, just super-swollen and uncomfortable) -- but in theory, rubber, and graphically.  In theory, I like the symbolism of bees and beehives -- they've long been identified as representing hard-work, resourcefulness and cooperation.  In rubber -- well, just look at these cute stamps by A Muse!  I was rooting around my 'loose' wood-mounted stamps this morning, trying to get inspired when I noticed them; I think I must have forgot I had them.  (I hope that's not a sign that I have too many stamps... Nah, no such thing...) I think bees may become a trend in stamping the way that birds have. I have one or two bird sets I really love (like Verve's Anniversary Birds -- my favorite bird set), but I've been loathe to jump on the bird-y band wagon.  Probably because I'm very freaked out by birds in real life; that's a weird quirk to discuss in another post, however.

Back to the card!  This is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for this week, and if you head over to iheart2stamp, you'll find the sketch, her sample, and her April Guest Designer, Sarah Green's sample as well.  Then, be sure to check out what Shannan, Susan and Amy have come up with using this same structure.  Surely that will be enough to get you thinking about what you might be able to make with this sketch.  Maybe you'll even find some stamps you forgot you had and use them, too!  Be sure when you upload your card to your SCS gallery to use "SFYTT" as one of your keywords so we can buzz by and take a look! (<-- I know, I know, puns are the lowest form of humor -- I just couldn't resist!)

Supplies used -- Stamps: images and sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Summer Sun and Basic Black by SU!; Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by K & Co.; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, VersaFine Archival Onyx; Accessories: Copic Sketch & Spica markers, Art Glitter, Dimensionals, paper piercing tool, Nestabilities, ribbon from Taylored Expressions.

As Good As It Gets

This is about all I can do when it comes to sympathy cards.  I have no sympathy cards in my card stash at all, so each time the need arises (which unfortunately happened last night; a good friend's dad died), I have to start from scratch.  A smart stamper would make a whole bunch at one setting to have on hand, wouldn't she?  But as my husband observed this morning, I like to make "happy cards or cards about sex." (I've only made one!  But I guess once is enough to give a girl a reputation...)

Anyway, I know this doesn't have the softness of a typical sympathy card, but I still think it works.  Who says sympathy cards have to be pastel?  I especially like the nostalgic quality this patterned paper by Cosmo Cricket gives.  And, I think this sketch, which is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for this week, also lends itself well to a sort of yesteryear sensibility thanks to it's use of an oval as the focal point.  Be sure to check out what Shannan, Susan, and Amy made with the sketch, as well as Jen's guest designer Joanne, whose card is featured on Jen's blog.  Hopefully you can use it to make a happy card (or a sex card, then you too can be a part of the Bad Girl Stampers Club!), and if you upload it to your Splitcoast Gallery, be sure to use SFYTT as one of your keywords so we can be sure to comment on it.

ETA: This card was made to fit in SU!s long-notes-sized envelopes and measures 3.25" x 6.5".

Supplies used -- Stamps: Scenic Poppy by Stampendous, sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Garden Green, Ruby Red, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by Cosmo Cricket; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Palette Hybrid Noir Black; Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Nestabilities, SU! word window punch, ribbon, Dimensionals.

In happier news, tonight is the awards ceremony for the Oklahoma Book of the Year award.  Voices From the Heartland, a collection of personal essays by 50 Oklahoma women that I co-edited with my friends Carolyn Taylor, Emily-Dial Driver, and Sally Emmons-Featherston is one of the finalists in the non-fiction category.  We have some really stiff competition, so I'd be very surprised if we won, but as Susan Lucci always said, it's wonderful to just be nominated.

Sweet Stuff for Saturday!

I've got several yummy things to share with you, two of which involve cupcakes!  Who doesn't love cupcakes?!  If you raised your hand, well, then I don't think I want to know you. 

This first card was made with Jen's weekly Sketch For You To Try -- it's perfect to use with sets that have several of images of the same size, like Hero Arts' Clear Cupcakes.  Be sure to visit Shannan, Susan, our new SFYTT pal Amy Sheffer, and Jen's Guest Designer for March, Joanne Basile, to see how they've interpreted this sketch.  And, if you want to play along with us -- of course you do! -- please use the keyword 'SFYTT' when you upload to your SCS gallery so we can check it out!

Next is a simple little card I've prepared for Simply Scrapbooks, my LSS.  Terri -- the fabulous owner -- has just started selling stamps from some awesome companies like My Favorite Things, A Muse, Pink Paisley, and Lizzie Anne Designs.  (I'm sure The Cat's Pajamas won't be far behind... : ) ) And, guess what else she'll soon be selling?!  COPICS and NESTABILITIES!!  That's right -- right here in Claremore, America!  Dreams really do come true!
Anyway, I've promised Terri that if she would start selling stamps and stamping supplies, I would help her launch that part of her business.  So next Thursday, anyone who stops by Simply Scrapbooks between 3 - 7 p.m. can make this quick and cute little card with the help of yours truly for absolutely free.  What a bargain! 

I know what you're thinking: "Carole, you're so wonderful to do this for your friend and your community.  You're always thinking of others."  To which I say, "Aww... shucks.  That's just the kind of person I am.  I'm a giver -- I give!"  (Plus, I'm very invested in the idea of having a little stamp shopping instant gratification in my own backyard...)

And, last but not least, here's another simple but sweet something starring Sophia from Paper Pretties (which happens to be having an awesome sale right now AND has all of American Crafts yummy Easter ribbon).

I just love the way using a Fabriano Mediovalis notecard instantly elevates the elegance of a one-layer card.  If you haven't tried Fabrianos yet, you must must must.  Seriously.  Head on over to Starlit Studios eBay store and order some. Trust me -- you need these.

Supplies used --

Seize the Cupcake -- Stamps: Clear Design Cupcakes by Hero Arts; Paper: Pretty in Pink, Green Galore, Ballet Blue, Real Red, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by Marcella; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: ribbon, Copic Sketch markers, Art Glitter, Nestabilities, Dimensionals.

Hey Cupcake! -- Stamps: frosted cupcake by A Muse; Paper: Bazill cardstock, patterned paper by Adornit by Carolee; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: Marvy Uchida Mega scallop circle punch, Copic Sketch markers, A Muse Creative Candy; ribbon, Stickles.

Sophia Hugs: Stamps: Need a Cuddle and Sealed With a Kiss (sentiment) by Paper Pretties; Paper: Fabriano Mediovalis notecards, patterned paper for dress from Baby Boy Stack by DCWV; Ink: Briliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Ribbon.

Bloggers Challenge # 36

This week's Bloggers Challenge is to use the layout of the 'With Sympathy' card on page 44 of the current SU! catalog.  I saw this gnome stamp in Stamper's Dream online store, and I couldn't resist him.  Isn't he adorable? 

One of these days, I'd like to get a garden gnome.  I've looked at a bunch of them over the years, but I haven't found one that's just right yet.  A gnome is a commitment, you know?  I can't have just any old gnome lurking around my garden, napping by day and working all through the night. 

My ideal gnome is one that I'd want to have a beer with, but could still trust to babysit my children.  And the gnome would have to be able to get along with Gretel, my German Shepherd and canine soulmate.  So far, I haven't come across the gnome who meets this criteria.  If you're aware of any who could be contenders, do let me know.

Supplies used -- Stamps: Gnome Clover by Stampendous, sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Bashful Blue, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper Adornit by Carolee; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Palette Hybrid Noir, Cool Carribean; Accessories: Copic Sketch and Spica markers, white pen, Nestabilities, swirl clip, ribbon, Dimensionals.

Su-Su-Sushi for SFYTT

How many of you are old enough and/or have strange enough taste in music to remember the song "Sushi Girl" by the Tubes?  (The chorus goes "Su-su-sushi/Mushi Mushi/cherry blossom and  rice/Su-su-sushi she's so nice" -- deep, huh?)  Anyway, I kept thinking about that song as I made this TRIFECTA of a congratulatory card for my dear friend, Kayla, who just successfully defended her PhD. dissertation (woo-hoo!).  Kayla and I often meet for lunch, and 9 times out of 10, it's for sushi.  I can inhale the stuff, I love it so.  If I were ever to become a competitive eater, sushi would definitely be my specialty.  So you can imagine my profoud joy when I saw A Muse's new clear Sushi Set. 

In addition to expressing my admiration for my friend and our passion for sushi, this card fulfills the requirements for this week's Bloggers Challenge (color challenge to use Brilliant Blue, Purely Pomegranate, and Old Olive) and the current SCS Limited Supply Challenge to use your own handwriting on a card (I hand-wrote the sentiment).  Furthermore, the sketch is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for this week.   Be sure to go to Jen's site and see what Jen's guest designer, Bethany Paull, made with the sketch, and then visit Shannan and Susan to see what those wild women did with the same.  Better yet, use the sketch yourself, and when you upload it to your gallery, be sure to use SFYTT as one of your keywords so we can come and take a look at the fabulousness you create.

Supplies used -- Stamps: Sushi set by A Muse; Paper: Brilliant Blue, Old Olive, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by SU!; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: Nestabilities, Copic Sketch Markers, Glitter, A Muse ribbon, black pen, Dimensionals.

And before I take my leave this a.m. to get a little laundry and housework done, let me say thank you so very much to everyone who left such kind comments after my last post.  I was so truly touched by each and every one -- they felt like a warm hug from a good friend.  Here's one back at you.

Pumpkin Celery Opulence? C'est Moi

I know there were a lot of teeth being gnashed when Emily announced today's Color Challenge to use Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery and Orchid Opulence together; I have to say, mine were not among them.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, it will come as no surprise to you when I say that I like -- no, 'like' is too weak -- I LOVE bright colors.  And this glow-in-the-dark combo?  Easy-peasy for meesy. 

Did you do the color combo today?  What did you think about it?  Am I the only one out there who tends towards the vivid?  I know, for example, that on the MFT team, my cards tend to stick out like sore thumbs.  How do I know this?  Well, there were all of these beautiful cards by the team carefully arranged in Kim's display case at CHA.  I kept looking and looking, but not one of mine was among them.  (*sniff*)  I was lamenting/whining about this to Christy Beckwith (MFT's illustrator) who kindly said that it was because Kim was trying to stick to a particular color palette.  A classy color palette, not a Nickelodeon Channel color palette (<-- my words, not Christy's).

Oh well.  I yam what I yam.

This little card (4" x 4" -- what is it with all of the square cards lately?  I don't know...) is doing double duty as a thank you for Joy and Daisy from eclectic Paperie.  They had a dinner for several of us Sunday before last, and gave us lots of sweet little toys to play with, including a swatch of this flocked patterned paper and those sparkly little sticker dots that the Octopus is inking.  (Just checked them out -- they're actually called Stampendous Dot Sparklers.  They're very cool and truly shimmery.  I recommend!)

Supplies used -- Stamps: Octopus and sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Orchid Opulence, Pumpkin Pie, Georgia Pacific White, flocked patterned paper from eclectic Paperie; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Certainly Celery; Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, Stampendous Dot Sparklers, Dimensionals.

Okay.  This is kinda funny. 

You know how some blogs give you tutorials and other useful information?  Well, I thought I might try my hand at that.  See, I had originally stamped my little seascape on a white Mega scalloped circle.  But it seemed a little ... plain, and I thought it wasn't properly positioned (too much white space at the top and to the right).
Then I thought, "Hey!  I can show my readers how to salvage an otherwise acceptable image by artful placement and taping of Nestabilities!"  It's a little trick I use frequently (I know, you've probably assumed I stamp perfection the way you might, oh, breathe.  Especially with scenes as complicated as this one...), and the way I keep the Nestabilities die right where I want is a little bit of removable tape.  Removable tape is worth its weight in gold, as far as I'm concerned.

So I run the die and image through the Cuttlebug.  I start thinking of the great service I'm providing to stampers nationwide and not paying attention to what I'm doing, so I put the blade side down towards the C plate.  After it goes through the Bug, I have to carefully pry the blade and image out of the C plate with a plastic scraper.  (I didn't photograph that part.)  And what to my wondering eyes did appear?

I had cut off part of the sentiment, and had to start from scratch.  I did salvage the Stampendous Dot Sparklers, however.  But I didn't take a picture of that process.

The moral of this story?  If you want to learn something or find handy info, this may not be the blog for you.  If you're interested in me mindlessly yapping about nothing in particular, consider yourself at home.

Stream of Consciousness, or This Is My Brain on 3.5 Hours of Sleep

I woke up in the middle of the night again.  And doing that on a Tuesday morning means what?  Come on, you know the answer.  Is it a) roll over and go back to sleep; b) use the bathroom then get back in bed; c) turn on the reading light (from Levenger -- so awesome; just spotlights an area large enough to read by, thus not waking DH), read a couple of pages, then go back to sleep; or d) get up, use the bathroom, take Diva outside to use the bathroom, check to see if Emily posted the Color Challenge early, get a Cherry Coke Zero from the 'fridge in the garage, see what's on TV (nothing of interest; choose a documentary called "Kennedys Don't Cry," then switch a while later to something about Cleopatra, followed by a show searching for the lost tomb of Imhotep, followed by a show about the Corvette G-6 (never knew or wanted to know so much about Corvettes...), EZ-Mount a few stamps using the hot knife (for some reason, I LOVE slicing through EZ Mount with the hot knife; wonder if that's how surgeons feel?  Eww, hope not.  But on the other hand, maybe it would be a good thing for them to love their jobs... I know, I digress) and do a little stamping.  Correct answer: d!  Congratulations!  You've won: the satisfaction of knowing the right answer, and a glimpse of the card I made!!
So today's Color Challenge is to use Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, and Real Red.  And before I went to bed last night I saw that Joanne had posted a new challenge in the Paper Pretties forum.  Now, you know how much I love me a two-fer, so naturally the Color Challenge was paired with the Prettie Challenge. 

You're just dying to know what the Prettie Challenge is, aren't you?  I won't keep you in suspense any longer: it's to make a clean and simple card. Is this clean and simple?  Nothing is cleaner than snow, and this is a snowy card. So clean: check.  Simple? It's not one layer, but it's also not terribly complicated.  And I did use a pre-printed, pre-folded, ready-made base -- can't get any simpler than that, so I'm going to give me simple, too.  Yay!  Two-fer established and defended.  If Joanne tries to D.Q. me from the challenge, I'll just have to send her here to help her see the error of her ways.  The best defense is a good offense.  (Whatever that means.) (<-- a parenthetical that can be placed adjacent to almost everything I write.)

Get my train of thought back on track, let's discuss the construction of this here card.  Snowbunnybella was stamped in Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, then colored in with Copics.  Her boots were masked and an A Muse oval was stamped in Going Gray to ground her.  Then, the fur on coat and hat was trimmed in Fun Flock.  The back ground looked so... white, so I decided to cut her out and put her on a background of Soft Sky.  As I was trimming her, I had the idea to send the Soft Sky through the Cuttlebug so it looked snowy.  Then it needed a little border of Blue Bayou... The sentiment was stamped then cut apart because the dimensions of it weren't what I thought I wanted.  I played around with placement, and upon deciding I wanted to use some of the Soft Sky ribbon I bought from SU! (because it comes in quantities of 15 yards and I've hardly touched it because it's a little plain and kinda hard to work with...), I came up with this layout.  Which is simple (see above Challenge!) but cute.  Job done!  Now just to photograph and edit it to where I'm satisfied (which takes a couple of tries), watermark it, and post to my blog.  Then to post to the Color Challenge and the Prettie Challenge.  Then, make coffee and start the day! 

Supplies used -- Stamps: Snowbunnybella by Stamping Bella, A Muse Oval, sentiment by Inky Antics; Paper: A Muse notecard, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Georgia Pacific White; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Going Gray, Real Red; Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Fun Flock, Cuttlebug with Snowflake embossing folder, ribbon, Dimensionals.

Blog Bon-Bons!

For the last couple of minutes I've been trying to come up with a unique-and-catchy name for blog candy that resonates with "Mother's Little Helper."  As everyone knows, we stay-at-home-moms just sit around all day, eating bon-bons and watching our stories... thus, I give you Blog Bon-Bons!

Feast your eyes upon this tasty treat -- it's a little something I made with My Favorite Things new Happy Occasions set:
It's a desk-top calendar, designed with the card-maker in mind.  See, on the side that faces you, you'll have the calendar, and on the opposite side, there's a panel to write down the names and dates for the birthday boys and girls you want to send cards to that month.  I originally intended to make this with my Bind-It-All (which I have yet to use), but by the time I got all of the calendar pages made with their necessary ribbon and dimensionals, it was too thick for binding.  Instead, I punched holes through everything with the Crop-a-Dile and hooked it all onto jump rings.  I made one for me, one for Boss Lady Kim (some of my MFTDT colleagues have harshly accused me of being a suck-up, a term to which I take great offense.  I prefer to be called 'Teacher's Pet'...), and one for a lucky, lucky blog reader!  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post sharing one of your stamping/creative resolutions for 2008.  On Saturday, I'll use a random number generator to select a number and announce the winning comment.

When I posted photos of the calendar at last night’s MFT New Release Cocktail party, several people inquired as to where I got the actual calendar paper.  There are several places on the web that you can download calendars for free, however this particular calendar is offered by A Muse for a donation of $3.00, with 100% of the proceeds going to scleroderma research.   

Here are the rest of the calendar images:

 
All of the images are from the Happy Occasions set, with the exception of August and September (the bikini is from MFT's Hit the Beach, and the books and apple are from Back To School).  The frame on the 'glory page' is from Setting the stage.  I think Happy Occasions is such a versatile set, and here's something I learned only AFTER I cut out thirty-six scalloped frames by hand: the frame was created to coordinate with the Marvy Uchida Mega Scallop Square punch.  Which I have.  D'oh!

In addition to this lovely little doo-hickey, today's Blog Bon-Bons will include some cute Valentine themed ribbon and, of course, an exclusive, highly collectible, much sought after “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” magnet!  Can’t wait to hear about some of your creative goals for the year!

And one more thing: don't forget the Paper Pretties Search for Snowflake is still going on!  Christie and the Prettie Girls (no relation to Josie and the Pussycats) are giving away great stuff daily, and the 25% off sale continues at the Paper Pretties Boutique (coupon code is nwss25).  Today's clues can be found on Charmaine's and Jana's blogs.  And you still have a chance to win the grand prize by answering all of this weeks clues (M-W clues can be found on Julie's, Joanne's, and Jillian's blogs; no, I don't think they're triplets). The winner of the grand prize will be determined on Friday night during the Paper Pretties Party (7 p.m. CENTRAL time in the Pretties' Party Forum).  And the main event during the party -- the reveal, we shall call it -- is guaranteed to KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF (or make your feet itch, if you aren't wearing socks...)!!!  Be there, or kick yourself eternally for missing what is sure to be a history-making wing ding!

Happy New Year!

Welcome, 2008!  I love New Year's Day -- don't you?  I adore the idea of a fresh start, a clean slate, another chance to start over and get everything right.  Sure, I appreciate yesterday and enjoy good memories of what's been, but I'm much more interested in whatever it is that I'm doing now, or what might be in the future.  Maybe that comes from being a kid who went to several different schools and moved around a lot, but whatever the source, it's who I am.  I love a new adventure!  And a New Year is just that.  So, Happy New Year, friends!

Color Goddess Emily posted the SCS Color Challenge a little early, and as indication of my wild and crazy New Year's Eve, I'm posting mine at 10:03 p.m. on New Year's Eve.  Woo-hoo!  The challenge was to use Taken With Teal, Real Red, and Certainly Celery.  This is one of the new images I received for Christmas from my DH (gotta love the Wish List capability at Addicted to Rubber Stamps).  I've long loved this fun image and I'm so glad to call her mine.  She so reminds me of Marjane Sartrapi's Persepolis graphic novels which are, in my estimation, some of the best graphic novels since the Maus series by Art Speigelman.  I'm convinced that rubber stampers have a keen appreciation for comic strips somewhere in their past.  Am I right?  Or are you the exception?  I'd love to know whether or not you agree with my hypothesis.
Happy New Year, friends!  I look forward to a fabulous 2008 with you, and I wish you happiness, health, harmony, and of course, HUGS!

Supplies used -- Stamps: Happy Mom by Rubber Soul, sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Taken With Teal, Real Red, Certainly Celery, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by Crate Paper; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Real Red; Accessories: Copic Sketch markers, Nestabilities, Marvy Uchida Giga Scallop Circle Punch, paper piercer and mat pack, small hole punch, ribbon, 3-D Dots.

Carter and Megan

Carter, my three-year-old, had a birthday party to attend this afternoon, so I wanted to make a quick but cute card for the Birthday Girl. Megan is an adorable little spitfire, and her parents are good friends of ours. Megan's mom and I were pregnant at the same time and were due within a couple of weeks of each other. Unfortunately, my oven tends to bake my buns a little too fast; I had severe pre-eclampsia with both of my boys, and both of them were born more than eight weeks early. (In other words, you don't want to consider me if you're looking for a surrogate. Or a wet nurse, for that matter. But that's for another post...) Carter was due on Nov. 3, but ended up arriving on Labor Day; believe me, I am fully aware of the irony! Miss Megan was born on Nov. 2 and came a couple of weeks early herself.

Unlike my oldest son, Truman, who emerged unscathed from his traumatic birth, Carter was born with Cerebral Palsy. Apparently the very high blood pressures I had in the last weeks of his gestation caused him circulatory problems that resulted in a form of brain damage known as periventricular leukesia, which is the source of his CP. Cerebral Palsy is one of those junk medical terms that can describe a huge spectrum of outcomes. It's a neurological condition that currently has no cure and is neither contagious nor hereditary. Typically, it's caused by birth trauma (lack of oxygen to the brain, a brain-bleed, etc.). There are different types of CP, but in a nutshell, it's when the brain encounters difficulty in communicating with the muscles. It's entirely possible that you know someone with CP and aren't even aware that they have it; they may hold their arm a little closer to their body or perhaps walk with a tiny limp. On the other end of the spectrum, you might find people like Rick Hoyt, half of the amazingly inspirational Team Hoyt, the father-and-son marathon team who have been featured on many television newsmagazines and morning shows. Rick has both the athetoid (involuntary movement) and spastic (tight muscles) forms of CP, and he requires adaptive equipment for mobility and communication purposes. Fortunately, Rick's cognitive capacities are not impaired by his CP -- he graduated from Boston University with a degree in Special Education and works in Boston College's computer lab developing mechanical aids for persons with disabilities.

Carter has mild-to-moderate spastic quadraplegia (meaning that he has tight muscles in all four limbs, though his arms are only slightly involved. We fully expect him to walk independently, though at the moment he walks with a walker. He attends several therapy appointments a week for occupational, physical, and speech therapies, as well as hippotherapy (therapeutic horseback riding). He also attends pre-school with his typically developing peers. But for a few physical delays, Carter is a perfectly normal little boy. He's adorable, funny, bright, demanding, bossy, charming, and exhausting! He just does certain things the rest of us take for granted in his own time. Our therapists and doctors predict that Carter has a full life, without limits, ahead of him.

Another reason that Megan's family is so special to us is that Megan's big sister, Madison, also has CP. Madison is now six, and when we first got Carter's diagnosis, Lisa and Michael (Megan and Madison's parents) understood what we were going through in a way that no one else we knew personally could. Because of them, we never felt alone. They showed us that having a disabled child wasn't the end of the world; neither Carter nor our family as a whole had to be defined by this less-than-ideal circumstance. We could still laugh and smile and look good (both Lisa and Michael are stunners) and have fun and do all the things "normal" families do. They were and are important role models who demonstrate that families with special needs children are just that -- special, not damaged.

On Fridays, when we go to Bit-by-Bit, Carter and Madison are in the same class. One of the bonuses of this arrangement is that he gets to play with Megan in the family room before and after class begins. Just last week, it was announced that Michael will be the next President of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, so the Turners will be leaving Claremore for Durant, and Megan and Carter won't have as many opportunities to play. The good news, however, is that Sean(DH)'s family live and work in Durant, so we'll be visiting with the Turners often.

(Funny -- I didn't intend to write about CP at all when I started this! You just never know where blogging will take you...)

Anyway, back to the card! I made it according to the requirements of today's Ways To Use It Challenge to use chalk inks and the layout is based on yesterday's Sketch Challenge. The card is one of A Muse's new 4 Bar Notecards (Kitchen Red) and the elephant stamps and sentiment are from A Muse's new Animal Wishes clear stamps. They were inked with ColorBox Fluid Chalk Inks in Antique Pewter; the sentiment was inked in French Blue. The elephants were stamped once on the main image layer, then stamped again and colored in before being cut out and popped up on 3-D Dots on top of the first images.

Supplies Used -- Stamps: A Muse Clear Stamps (Animal Wishes); Paper: A Muse 4 Bar Notecards (Kitchen Red), Brilliant Blue and Whisper White by SU!, patterned paper by Close To My Heart; Ink: ColorBox Fluid Chalk Inks in Antique Pewter and French Blue; Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Swirl Clip, Ribbon, 3-D Dots.

Halloween Recap

I can't resist showing all of you some photos snapped last night. Bart Simpson and Curious George could truly be my boys' alter egos. George did not want to walk in his cleverly-modified
walker to get his candy after having been pushed in the baby jogger.
"Want stroller!" he cried. Reckoning that Halloween is supposed to
be fun, his mother relented and pushed him according to his orders,
which included "Go this way!" and "Go that house!" accompanied by an
imperial point of his index finger. After trick-or-treating, we
converged back at the homestead for a little pizza and birthday
cake. The 11 year old blew out his candles with ease.

I have to say, I'm a little sad to have to put my Halloween stamps up for another, oh, 9 months or so. I just love Halloween. Oh my gosh! I almost forgot!!! You know my beloved DoodleFactory Halloweenies?! Pumpkinhead, the Mummy and friends? Well, we just found out that there will be no more pressings of that stamp set this year, if ever. So if you've been sitting on the fence about them, get them now while you still can from Starving Artistamps.

Long Time No See!

Man, it has been the craziest week and a half EVER! So crazy, I need to save the bulk of it for FREAKY FRIDAY. Finally, however, I was able to get a little inky this evening, and I couldn't resist playing with my brand-spankin' new Elzybells stamps! When I saw that banner on SCS last week, I swear a Hallelujah chorus was playing on the soundtrack of my mind. Are they not the cutest, sweetest little images ever?! I tell ya, that Linda at A Muse (who discovered these wonderful imports from the UK and is now Elzybell's exclusive US distributor) is one sharp cookie with her finger on the pulse of the stamping universe. (Note: I don't know Linda personally, nor am I affiliated in any way with A Muse Artstamps, other than the fact that I am slavishly devoted to everything they do and I'm even wearing a cute A Muse tee-shirt as I type this. Yes, it's that bad.)

So, for my first card in what seems like an eternity, I combined three of this week's challenges:

Color Challenge 137: to use Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate, and Soft Sky;
Sketch Challenge 147; and
Ways To Use It Challenge 137: to use the masking technique.

Color challenge -- well, I used those colors. Sketch Challenge? I used the sketch. Ways to Use it: Elzybell, her sled, and the snow was masked off to create the sky background by stipple brushing Soft Sky. Both the image and the sentiment are Elzybells; based on the size of the image layer, I wanted to stagger the sentiment. In order to do so with Purely Pomegranate (which as a current In Color -- aka temporary -- SU! color, PP doesn't have its own marker to ink the stamp with, and I'm not careful enough to be able to ink just a bit of the sentiment with an ink pad), I brushed re-inker on the sentiment stamp and positioned it with my beloved Stamp-A-Majig (definitely a tool that would make it to the proverbial Desert Island with me). Elzy (that's what I call her, for short)'s coat is trimmed in Liquid Applique, and her tree is decorated with A Muse twinkle stickers. She's colored with Copic Sketch Markers and SU Re-inkers in Purely Pomegranate and Soft Sky. There are touches of sparkle throughout, thanks to Copic Spica Markers, though I'm not sure they show up in the photo.

Supplies used -- Stamps: Girl with Sleigh and sentiment by Elzybells Art Stamps, distributed by A Muse Artstamps, Canvas bg by SU!; Paper (SU! unless otherwise noted): Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky dp, Nena Crest Solar White (available from Ellen Hutson's online store); Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, SU! Reinkers in Purely Pomegranate and Soft Sky; Accessories: Copic Sketch and Spica Markers, A Muse Twinkle Stickers, stipple brush, SU! ribbon, snowflake brads by Creative Impressions, Nestabilities, Liquid Applique.

Other Big News...
I was pleasantly surprised last week to find an email inviting me to be a member of Starving Artistamps Design Team! I had applied a while back for the DT call, having fallen MADLY in love with the DoodleFactory images that SA distributes. I say I love a lot of stamps -- and I do -- but DoodleFactory? Those images are truly muse-like for me. I just love, love, love their unique-ness. They're quirky and subversive while at the same time adorable; and for me, that is an irresistible combination. Anyway, I figured Tracey Berkey (owner/operator of Starving Artistamps) must be one cool chick to realize the potential of something as off the beaten path as DoodleFactory, so I REALLY, REALLY wanted to be a part of the SA DT. I've applied for a couple of other DTs in the past and didn't make the cut, but those didn't bother me so much. I've written in an earlier post about rejection just meaning you haven't found your 'tribe' yet, but this was one tribe I felt I was meant to be a part of. I'm really grateful that Tracey agreed, and I'm stoked to be on a team with the like of such stamping luminaries as the ROCKIN' TexasJodyLynn aka Jody Morrow, annieht aka Ana Wolfarht, andreasscraps aka Andrea Cloutier, Cammie aka Carolyn King, Donnarie aka Donna Duquette, SweetHeidiJo aka Heidi Kingery, Jan Tink aka Janine Tinklenberg, Wasatch Wizard (and designer of the awesome and new-to-me stamps, Artful Inkables, available through SA) aka Kristin Soboloski, tashers aka Natasha Trupp, stampingpam aka Pam Varnell, stamps4funinCA aka Tosha Leyendekker, and Valorie Wibbens (not sure of her SCS screen name yet!). I'll have links to all of these amazing stampers' blogs or galleries in a special section soon. I hope you'll take the time to get to know their work, as I'm certain you'll find so much to inspire you.

Coming tomorrow: Freaky Friday and all the deets regarding my time in the white hot spotlight of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and -- almost as thrilling -- SCS Featured Stamper! In the meantime, I'm in desperate need of some sleep to recover from all the recent excitement!

Freaky Friday!

I know you're thirsting to get your Freak on, but first things first... (Actually, I just wanted to write "get your Freak on." I don't know why, but it makes me giggle to think of a bunch of middle-aged -- face it! -- rubber stampers using hip-hop terminology.)

Today's Limited Supply Challenge is substitute hosted by Carolyn King/Cammie, a member of the design teams for My Favorite Things and Hanna Stamps!, as well as the creator of Carolyn King Designs available through Gina K. Designs. In addition to being incredibly accomplished in the world o' stamping, she also manages to find time to raise three young children, run, and be very cute. I imagine her house is immaculate and that she does laundry daily, too, in addition to cooking nutritious and delicious meals every evening that her family sits around the table and eats together while discussing current events. Yes, she's such a total package that she could inspire a mean case of Schadenfreude if she weren't also so dang sweet! Seriously -- she's sugar personified. : )

Enough about her and her achievements and slender physique and kindness... Here's the challenge Carolyn issued: make a card for someone battling breast or another cancer, but no designer paper (gasp!) or ribbon (choke!) or hardware (eek!). My friend, Amy, just had her first chemo treatment this past Tuesday. Fortunately, she was feeling well enough by Wednesday to pick up her little guy from preschool, where we waved to each other in the parking lot. Later that day, I saw these awesome tee-shirts at the local college bookstore, so I picked up three; one for Amy, one for me, and one for my MIL, a breast-cancer survivor. I made this little gift card (measures 3.5" x3.5" square) according to Carolyn's harsh directives to include in Amy's package. Aren't those peas adorable?!

Supplies used -- Stamps: Little Pod by Stampendous!, sentiment by A Muse; Paper (all SU!) Shimmery White, Pretty in Pink, Green Galore; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Marvy Uchida Giga and Mega Scallop Oval Punches, SU! oval punch and word window punch, heart punch, 3-D Dots, Copic Sketch Markers.

Freaky Campaign War Story
Yesterday, I was inwardly moaning and groaning about having to go to two political events that evening. But then, when I considered what was going on at this time last year, I realized things weren't so bad. You see, in October of 2006, we were within a month of DH's first election and at the height of campaigning. You couldn't turn on the local stations without seeing a commercial featuring my husband or his opponent, there were yard signs with either our name on it (yay!) or his opponent's name on it (boo!) in what seemed like every yard, and horror of horrors -- there was the door-knocking. Now, I know that you always see political spouses on TV saying how much they enjoy being on the campaign trail and meeting people and knocking doors, etc. It's my opinion that those people are ... not being truthful or possibly insane. Come on! Who likes knocking on the door of a stranger, interrupting their peace and quiet enjoyment of their home and/or property, introducing oneself, talking about how fabulous your spouse is and why they should support him, and then if they agree, asking to put a sign in their yard or a bumper sticker on their car?!?! I'm shameless for the most part, but even I cringe at that sort of thing. The only thing that makes it remotely bearable is the steadfast belief that the people you're bugging would benefit from your spouse's service.

On my first day of door knocking in earnest -- it was August 1, and I had told DH that beginning August 1, I would knock doors with him at least four nights a week until the election -- we were in the middle of a record-setting heatwave. The temperature was in the hundreds, and the humidity was fierce. We had split up to cover more ground, so Kassie (DH's campaign manager) and I were covering one side of the street and DH was covering the other. We get to a house and I ring the door bell. A large man comes to the door. He was well over six feet tall and must have weighed over 300 pounds. He is wearing nothing but his underware. Not boxers, mind you, but briefs. I went through my spiel, and kept my gaze above his neck at all times. He listened intently and even asked a few questions before taking a brochure and saying, "Boy, it sure is hot, isn't it?" As Kassie and I walked down the street to our next house, neither one of us looked at each other. "Is that a common occurrence?" I asked. Kassie, a veteran campaigner (and thus insane by definition) said, "No. That's a first." My entree into the glamorous world of door-to-door politicking had officially begun.