Mother's Little Helper

Hats Off!

Yay!  My last graduation card of the year is finally made and it's not even July yet!  That's probably some sort of record (for me).  I think I've finally come up with my go-to graduation card with this latest number; my plan is to make a dozen of these at the start of graduation season next year.  Just churn 'em out, write those checks, and be done with 'em!  Here's what they'll look like:

And here's my formula/recipe:

• Taylored Expressions Graphic Greetings Graduate Image
• Dies: Grad Cap & Banner Stacklets 1 (Taylored Expressions), largest sizes of the Large and Small Rectangles Nestabilities
• two sheets of coordinating patterned paper (this is from Doodlebug Designs Cap & Gown 6"x6" pad. I think I'm going to have to order another pad of this from i {heart} papers as it's the cutest graduation paper I've ever seen, and heaven knows it won't be available for long enough).
• white and black cardstock
• Momento Tuxedo Black ink
• Dimensional Dots
• a little bling for corner detail (I used Kaisercraft's Ebony Sparklets)

Here's a close-up of the cute little grad cap die cut:

This particular card is going to our next-door-neighbors'/BFF's niece, who is heading off to our alma mater, The University of Oklahoma (BOOMER SOONER!).  Here's my favorite story about Crystal.  When she was three or four, she was staying up in Claremore for a weekend, visiting her Uncle Brad.  I was making a little small talk with her, and asked her what her favorite song was. I expected her to say "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Wheels on the Bus" or some such ditty.  Instead, she broke into a rousing version of Tim McGraw's "I Like It, I Love It (I want some more of it)."  Hee.

Crystal, this one's for you:

 

Heavens to Betsy!

Just warning you: today, I will be running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I'm having Bunco at my house, and serving dinner to twelve girlfriends. I'm writing this on Tuesday, and I haven't completely decided what I'll be serving yet. Usually I serve my WORLD FAMOUS chicken enchiladas, but I made those for a large group earlier in the month, when we were in Navarre, and a third of my Bunco group ate them at that time. It's one thing to make them once a year for folks, but twice in one month?  That's a trifle dull. I might just end up pulling out my baked spaghetti recipe - it's been AGES since I've made that. If I do, I'll share it with you next time I blog. It's good, a crowd pleaser, and super easy.  

In addition to grocery shopping and cooking, I've got to get a-cleaning. I know this will shock you, but I pretty much leave the whole she-bang (except the gift buying) to the last minute. It's the way I roll, you know? Thus, you can rest assured that "Heavens to Betsy!" will be the most innocuous expletive I will be shouting tomorrow.

Speaking of Betsy, there's an adorable Moka image from Taylored Expressions that carries that particular name.  I paired her up with the new Graphic Greetings Patriotic image to come up with this little number:

All the papers are from TE's Patriotic Pantry Kit.  That Doodlebug Designs paper from their Stars & Stripes 6x6 pad just makes me happy.  One of the things I know for sure I'm going to make tomorrow is some kind of red-white-and-blue dessert.  There are a ton of 'em on Pinterest, and this one in particular catches my eye:

It's supposed to be very easy ('easy' being my operative word), as it's just store-bought poundcake, blueberries, raspberries and homemade whipped cream.  I have a ton of little jars from when I thought I was going to make some decent moonshine (didn't happen - YET), so I can just use those.  Again, I will show pics should this come to fruition and I'm not too frazzled to take them.  In the meantime, here's a close up of Miss Betsy.

Wish me luck, friends! :)

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Taylored Expressions + Doodlebug = My Version of Heaven

You peeps of mine out there -- you know who you are.  You're what I refer to as members of "my tribe." 

You get me.  You know I can be moody and snarky and irreverent and politically incorrect.  You know I like my wine and TV and kitsch and that my sense of humor is about as refined as a thirteen-year-old boy's.

You know I have a tendency to say what I think, and I'm not inclined to puffery unless I mean it.  Thus, when I go out on a limb and say, "I love Doodlebug Designs with the white-hot intensity of 1,000 suns," you know that means I really, really, really do.

(+) x 1,000 = how much I love  

For example, when I go to CHA, I linger around Doodlebug's booth to the point where the staff starts giving each other that "Do you think we need to call security?" look.  Have you ever seen photos of their office space?  I want to live there...

Thus, when Regina (Taylored Expressions' fabulous marketing and promotional coordinator) asked members of the Baker's Dozen if some of us wanted to play with new product from Doodlebug, my virtual hand shot up faster than Arnold Horshack's and I shout-typed, "OOH-OOH-OOH-OHH! PICK ME, MR. KOTTER!"

RIP, Ron Palillo (1949-2012)

I received a box from Doodlebug headquarters (a.k.a. my future home; I plan to arrange a tour someday, and hide in the bathroom at closing time each night, a la 'Where the Heart Is.' By the way, 'Where the Heart Is' - the Oprah Bookclub Choice, also made into a movie starring Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Stockard Channing, Joan Cusack, etc. - was written by fellow Oklahoman and good lefty, Billie Letts. I've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times, and she is so cool and gracious. But I digress...) and it contained a FRUIT STAND Essentials Kit, with lots of bright and beautiful 12 x 12 papers, embellishments and cardstock stickers.

Immediately, I was inspired to pull out my FRUITY FRIENDS stamp set and create a five-card gift set...

Here is each card, individually...

Y'all know I'm a sucker for food-with-faces images, and the combo of these cutie stamps, fab TE dies (I used Banner Stacklets 1 for the fish tail stacks adjacent to the sentiments), and Doodlebug's bright colors and bold patterns made my heart grow three sizes.

Want to see more lovely TE + Doodlebug creations?  I KNOW you do.  Then head on over Taylor's blog and see today's and yesterday's posts.  She's got pictures and links to all of my participating teammates' blogs.  Fortunately, Taylor is a HUGE Doodlebug fan herself, and always carries the latest and greatest Doodlebug products in the Taylored Expressions' store.  I think you need to treat yourself to (at the very least) all of the new 6x6 pads.  Really.  After all, you're a member of my tribe, and you know I'm just telling you like it is.

Thanks for visiting me today, friends.  XOXOXO!

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Fruity Friends by Taylored Expressions
Paper: Doodlebug Fruit Stand Essentials, Choice Snow White (TE), Copic X-Press Blending card stock, Green Galore (SU!)
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Groovy Guava (SU!), Pink Passion (SU!), Green Galore (SU!)
Accessories: Banner Stacklets 1 (TE), Doodlebug Tropical Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Copic markers, Circle & Pinking Circle Nestabilities, Corner Chomper, foam boosters