Some Good, Clean Fun!

Happy Tuesday!  And Happy April Fool's Day!

OK … so today's post has absolutely nothing to do with crafting… but I noticed something while taking a shower that made me giggle.  For reasons unknown to me I had four different shower gels in my shower - Dial, Axe, and two different scents from Bath & Body Works - Country Chic and Midnight Pomegranate:

While waiting to rinse out my conditioner I started reading the back of my soap … and then Craigs.  As I read the different "instructions" I had to laugh at how different the "girl" gels were from the "guy" gel:

First up Dial Naturals Body Wash:  "Clean, healthy skin naturally inspired."  "Invigorate your senses with the crisp, refreshing scent of Tangerine & Guava body wash.  94% natural origin, our formula leaves hands feeling clean, healthy and revitalized after every wash."   Hmmm … only my HANDS will feel clean, healthy and revitalized?  What about the rest of my body??

Next was "Country Chic" Shae & Vitamin E Shower Gel from Bath & Body Works:  "Sparkling lemon, golden sunflower and amber wood.  The perfect cleanser:  Contains Shea Butter, Vitamin E and Aloe; Provides a luxurious rich lather; Leaves skin feeling irresistibly soft and beautifully fragranced."  OK … pretty much what you expect a body wash bottle to say.

Next up is Midnight Pomegranate - this is where the fun started:  "Our Signature Shower Gel is supercharged with benefits that make it the world's best daily luxury.  It has been formulated to provide the ultimate shower experience, pampering you with luxurious lather, moisturizing Aloe Vera and nourishing Vitamin E that gently clean, soften and fragrance your skin.  Smooth over skin and enjoy the fragrance of our exclusive, enticing Midnight Pomegranate, a flirty fruit and spice blend that conjures an image of rubies sparkling in moonlight."

Wow.  Really??  This soap is the world best daily luxury???!!!  And it will give me the ultimate shower experience??!!  Who knew!! Shower Gel is NOT what comes to mind when I think of my "ultimate shower experience"!!! Even better …  when I use this soap I'm going to have images of rubies sparkling in the moonlight??!!  Awesome!  Heck, I just wanted to de-stink!  Bonus!

And finally Axe Vice - for men:  "Rich lather and irresistible fragrance to give you a super-charged clean.  Use Axe Vice in the shower daily and you just might become someone else's vice.  The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get!"

And check to the image! LMAO … hilarious!  *lol*  Well I don't even know what to SAY to that!!!

All I can say is when I grow up I want to be the person who writes these things *lol*

That's all I've got for today!  Now off you go … I just KNOW you're going to go see what the back of YOUR shower soap says!  

Pop in again soon to see what I've been up to.  Until then, have a stampy day!

Tam

Disney Countdown

Happy Monday!

Toady's post is just a bit of fun the girls and I got up to a few weeks back.

You may recall we recently booked a trip To Disney World.  Well, the girls were rather concerned that only had about $4 each in their piggy banks.  Of course I figure we would give them each $50-$100 for spending money … but I wasn't about to let an opportunity to buy good behaviour slip past me so I told them that every day they did their chores and went to bed nicely they would get $1.00 each … so by the time we leave they could have $80 to spend,  WELL!  You have never seen such good girls in your life!  …for the first 3 days anyway *lol*

We needed a special piggy bank to hold their loot … so on Alicia's special night she made this:

It was a Christmas tin that we covered with card stock and then glued pictures we had downloaded from the internet.  This is her "Mickey Money" tin :)

Since I wasn't saving my pennies in a special tin I decided to make a countdown calendar using one of the retired SU calendars.  I simply used my 1 3/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches to make "Mickey" and wrote on it with my White Chalk Marker:

Next is what Rebecca came up with.  I found one of those clear, hollow blocks in my cupboard … my plan was to fillet with a string of mini lights and decorate it for Christmas … but that was 2 years ago and it still hasn't happened *lol*.  I gave it to Rebecca to use.  I gave her the idea of Minnie … using the retired butterfly and a 1/2" circle for the bow … and she then came up with the design for Daisy all by herself.  Love it!

… she even decorated the top:

Fun, fun, fun.  Before long these bank will be filled with coins :)

Pop in again tomorrow to see something I noticed in the shower the other day :)  Until then, have a stampy day!


Tam

Bunny Bums

Happy Sunday!

My back is still giving me grief but I'm continuing to improve.  I just need to get to the chiropractor this week to realign my hips!  Although it hurts like heck when he works on me it will ultimately bring me relief so I have to go!

Today I'm sharing the cutest stinkin' treats EVER!  I can take no credit for them but don't know who to give credit to.  I believe my uplink Tamye Dunbar found them on the Stampin' Up! website, although I couldn't find them there, and I also saw a few different versions on Pinterest.  So!  To whomever gave birth to these little beauties - hats off to you - they rock!  Here they are:

Key-Ute or what???!!!  Here is how they are made:

Punch a circle using the 1 3/4" circle punch:

Then, use your Scalloped Circle punch around the hole you just made:

… to come up with this:

Use your Multipurpose Glue to attach it to the top of your Circle Treat cup:

Then you simply punch out another large scallop circle for the back of the rabbit, stamp a sentiment on it (I used Happy Easter from the Delightful Dozen set in Wisteria Wonder ink), peel off the protective liner on the treat cup, fill it with Goodies, jelly beans, Smarties etc, and stick it to the scalloped circle.  Yes, the recipient will have to rip the treat apart to get to the candy.  Once the rabbit is put together punch out two scalloped ovals and attach with your multipurpose glue.  I used a small cotton ball for the tail, attached with my hot glue gun.  these are REALLY fast to put together … I cracked off 20 in less than an hour.

Love them!  These make a great, easy, quick, inexpensive gift for the teachers and/or the kids' classmates.  In fact, I'm making them with both Grade 3 classes at the school in 2 weeks.  Fun!

Pop in again to see what the girls and I got up to on Mommy/Daughter night.  Until then, have a stampy Sunday!

Tam

Bakers Twine Easter Egg

Happy Saturday!

Today is a little better than yesterday.  I'm now at the grumpy stage.  Aside from the shooting pain if/when I move the wrong way I feel fine!  I'm fairly well rested (thanks to my meds knocking me out twice a day!), I've caught up on e-mails, surfed Pinterest as much as I can stand and even read part of a book … I'm bored … and grumpy that I can't make my body do what I want it to!  I know I should be grateful that this is a temporary thing and enjoy the "down time" while I can but I just want to get on with things!  I DID manage to wander around the house for a few hours tidying what I could, cleaning the mirrors and dusting … and then I even decided to tempt fate and sit at my computer for half an hour to access my photos so I could post a few projects.

I'm now horizontal again … and drugged … and posting.  NOW I feel productive again :)

So!  A week or two ago I just HAD to attempt one of the "string eggs" that I had seen all over Pinterest.  This is what they look like:

Aren't they awesome?  This came from a fun website I recently discovered www.allreddesign.net .  They have lots of videos.  Check it out!

When I saw these I instantly knew I wanted to try it with all the Pear Pizzazz Bakers Twine I bought on the Clearance Rack … and I wanted to have chocolate eggs inside them.  My PLAN was to make 30 of these for my customers this month … ya, once I made one I knew I would only ever make ONE! *lol*.  Can you say MEEEEEEEESSYYYYYY *lol*

Here is how it went:

I grabbed my Mod Podge and poured some into an empty jar:

This much:

I then added water … this much:

I then added about half a package of Bakers Twine (thinking it would make at LEAST 3 eggs … ya, no … it barely made one!):

I used the end of a paint brush to gently push the twine into the goop … trying not to tangle it too badly. I grabbed my package of teeny tiny water balloons:

… and some candy covered chocolate eggs:

It was tricky, but I tried to get 3 eggs into the ballon.  Yes, Darlene and Casey, there was quite a bit of giggling going on at this point *lol*

Ta da!

I then blew up the balloon.  Can you see the little egg inside?  I TRIED to get three in … I managed two before it popped … so in the end I decided life was WAY too short for this game and scrapped the eggs inside it completely!

This is a new, empty balloon.  I carefully wrapped the twine around the balloon.  VERY slippery, Very messy and VERY difficult to take a picture of *lol*:

After lots of bad words being uttered, goop everywhere and 20 minutes I was done.  I attached a bulldog clip to a dowel I had lying around (as you do!) and clipped it to the balloon to dry overnight.  I thought the messy part was done but I was wrong.  Some of the goop dripped from the egg to the floor over time and at one point the whole thing fell on the floor.  I was laughing hysterically and Craig wondered what the heck I was DOING in there *lol*.

Once it was dry I simply popped the balloon and pulled it through one of the gaps. Here is how it turned out:

Yes, very cute but NEVER AGAIN!!!  Aside from the mess, it would cost a fortune to make too many of them.  A great way to use up any retired twine you have but it would take an entire roll to do a "regular" sized balloon.

Try it if you like … but you've been warned … it's messy!

Pop in again to see some cute little bunny treats I whipped up last week.  Until then, have a stampy Saturday!

Tam

Getting Better ...

Happy Friday!!

Yes, today is MUCH happier than Wednesday was … I'm 75% better than I was.  I can get out of the bed in under 2 minutes without too much pain or looking like a flipped turtle flailing to get upright … I have gone downstairs 4 times without help and BEST of all …. I no longer have to pee in the shower!!! *lol*.  Yes, these are the little things in life you take for granted when you're healthy!  I'm hoping I may be able to do a LITTLE crafting tomorrow - not for too long because the sitting is what will throw me out of whack again.  I've been very good at doing NOTHING … a little reading and a LOT of sleeping (thank you medication!!) but now I'm starting to get really bored and am itching to create!

Since I still can't sit at my computer to access photos of my projects I thought I would post and e-mail I sent out to my customers yesterday … Sale-a-brations is doing to an end (Monday) so this e-mail was fairly urgent … (remember, I'm in Canada so the $$ amounts are in Canadian dollars)

NEW ITEMS HAVE JUST BEEN ADDED TO THE CLEARANCE RACK!  Check out what's on sale at www.tamarabertram.stampinup.net … click on "Shop Now" in the top right corner, then on "Clearance Rack" on the left hand side.  You can either e-mail me your order or you can place it on line right there and have it shipped directly to your door.  REMEMBER … this is the final week for the Sale-a-brations promotion, so for EVERY $60 you spend you get to pick a FREE SAB item!  You can view the SAB items on the same site … just click on "Sale-a-bration" instead of Clearance Rack.    

If you DO place an on-line order please make sure you use hostess code SAEBZZTF when you get to the check-out.  WHY?  Because I'm doing a 

MYSTERY HOSTESS DRAW!!

"What is THAT?" I hear you cry!  I will be pooling all order received between now and Sunday, March 30th at noon and placing them as a "workshop" .  If the orders total $200 the workshop will start qualifying for "hostess benefits" (… translation FREE STUFF!) and I will do a draw to see who the "hostess" (translation … getter of the free stuff … hey, it's a word!  … ok, it's not … go with it … I'm in pain over here!) is.

Everyone who places an order between now and noon Sunday is entered into the draw.  Everyone who places and order of $60 or more get's 2 entries into the draw.  Any current club members placing an order will get 1 extra entry.   If the order total hits $400 the FREE STUFF will be to the tune of $110!!!!  

Feeling lucky??  E-mail or call me with your order.  I know there are a few of you out there who have been "meaning" to place an order …. this is the time to do it!!!  The total amount of FREE STUFF will be determined by the total of all orders (but note that I have to have a total of at least $200 for the draw to take place - the minimum "free stuff" will be $35 … oh, and if you place an on-line order you MUST enter the above hostess code to be entered into the draw!)

OK … time for more meds so I better wrap this up!

Again, Sale-a-brations is over on Monday … that means you only have until Monday to place an order to earn free SAB products, be entered into my draw AND to scoop up the GREAT Starter Kit Deal.  Remember that one?  You pick $190 in product of YOUR choice but only pay $125 flat. No s/h/gst.  I've had 66 ladies buy this kit over the years … it's a GOOD DEAL … with no strings attached.  Call me if you want to get hooked up with the kit!

That's all I have for now.  Pop in again to see if I managed to make it down to my "happy place".  In the meantime - have a stampy weekend!


Tam

Ouch!

Happy Wednesday … NOT!

I just wanted to let you know (especially my favourite 11 year old follower, Alysha W!) that I haven't forgotten about you … and I had HOPED to blog a lot today … alas … my back had a very different plan for me today.   I'm currently tying this flat on my back, on a piece of plywood on my bed in a lot of pain!  Long story short, my back is WAAAAAAY out … I can't stand, sit, walk, crawl … but I know know how much and how loud I can scream!  I also know what a snowy parking lot feels like through thin yoga pants… and just how wet and soggy a doctors' office mat is … oh, and that there are dust bunnies in my bathroom.  Yes, I collapsed 3 times and have had about 10 spasms that have me begging for mercy.  I'm drugged to my back teeth but so far it isn't helping.  (*insert heaps of sympathy and pity here, please*).

So!  No projects for a few days.  Sitting is a large part of what lead me to this fresh hell!

I'll post as soon as I'm able.  Healing thoughts, please!


Tam

Spring Time Paper Shoe!

Happy Sunday!

Well, it's not quite flip-flop weather up her in Edmonton but I saw geese last week ... and a baby mouse ... so it MUST be spring ... and spring means it's White Shoe and Pretty Toes Season - woo hoo!  That's what I was thinking when I designed my latest paper shoe project for my friend's private class on Friday.  I love these shoes - and I'm not even a shoe fanatic!  Check out my latest:

Love it!!!

 

The shoe itself is made with good old Whisper White card stock - the showe liner is made using the Fresh Prints designer paper stack in the mini catalogue.  The flower is made using the new Spiral Flower Die (also in the mini).  A glue gun is a must to make those flowers!

 

I made the tag using the My Digital Studio system.  At Christmas I spent about 3 HOURS making the tag ... this morning it only took half an hour - I think I'm getting the hang of it!  Can you read the tag?  It says "Happy "White Shoes and Pretty Toes" Season!! *lol*  I also made a few tags in different colors that just say "A little something for a very special someone". 

 

Although this particular shoe is my concept, it originated over a year ago when I found a similar project on www.skiptomylou.org (Cindy is her name) and on that site she gave credit for the shoe templates to Ellen Hutson's - her website is www.ellenhutson.com I give full credit for this project to Ellen and Cindy - thank you for sharing, ladies!!!

 

Rather than re-take pictures on how to put this bad boy together just click on this link and check out the tutorial I did for the witch shoe.  The only change I would make is to tell you to make SURE you use Sticky strip to adhere your shoe together.  Seriously.  Snail doesn't hold.  Use the strip!

 

Need a refresher on how to use the Spiral Flower Die?  Click here to watch the video again.

 

For the centre of the flower I just popped a small white pom pom into the flower when the hot glue was still hot.  Done!  I highly recommend you try making one of these shoes - they really are quite addicting ... and make the PERFECT Teacher / Friend / Co-worker gift.  Seriously!

 

Right!  I have my last class just after lunch so I better go walk Doodles and get cleaned up.  Pop in again soon.  Until next time - have a stampy day!

 

 

Tam

 

Colored Vellum and Tinted Embossing powder Technique

Happy Saturday!

Last night was SO much fun!!!  I love that my *job* involves hanging out with friends and having a lot of laughs.  I can't believe I make money doing this!!

Today's card is the Technique card we made last week:

Ta Da!  I named this technique the "Colored Vellum and Tinted Embossing Powder" Technique.  It's really almost exactly like the "Stained Glass" technique except that this one colors the Vellum on the FRONT rather than the back.

First I stamped the flowers from Flower Shop in Versamark on Vellum and covered it with white embossing powder - then I heat set the powder.  I then grabbed my markers - Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Tangerine Tango.  I colored liberally all over the embossed flower.  I let it sit for a few minutes so the color tinted the white embossing powder and then used a dry baby wipe to buff off any excess ink.  The tinted embossing powder gives a really nice contrast to the colored flower.  I then punched the flower out with my Pansy Flower Punch.  The sentiment is from "Feels Good" in Early Espresso.  The flower centres are made with the new Petite Petals punch (in the mini) and jumbo rhinestones finish it off.  Oh ... the flowers and centres are popped up on dimensionals.  A pretty card that works for a number of occasions - just change the sentiment.  Give it a try!

K.  That's it for today.  Pop in tomorrow when I'll show you my latest PAPER SHOE project ... LUUUUUV it!!!!!!  Until then, have a stampy Saturday!


Tam

Lovely Petal Parade

Happy Friday!

Eek!  Let the games begin!  Party #1 tonight.  This one is the "easiest" of the three I have this weekend .. and there is wine involved so it's not REALLY going to be work *lol*.  Guests will be making a card from the Happenings Simply Created Card Kit (freakin' LOVE that kit!!!) and/or a Spring Shoe - like my Witch's Shoe and Christmas Shoe ... pop in Sunday to see THAT little beauty! 

Gotta get to it as I DO have to finish prepping for my class on Sunday.  For that class, one of the cards we are making is this one:

... only without the twine.  The guests will be beginner stampers and the cardinal rule for beginner stampers is to keep it SIMPLE!  This card was actually cased from fellow demonstrator Ruth Norton over at www.ruthsstampingcorner.blogspot.ca  The layout is hers, I just changed the colors to suit my mood the day I made it :)  It's really a very quick and easy card.  It uses two of the free Sale-a-bration sets - You're Lovely and Petal Parade.  I used Island Indigo, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz and Chocolate Chip inks and papers.  For the sentiment I stamped the sentiment on scrap whisper white with the Choclate Chip ink and then punched it out with the deco labels framelits.  I then cleaned the stamp and stamped it again in Island indigo - then punched the circle out with my 1 3/4" circle punch and adhered it to the chocolate chip piece.  For the Island Indigo pieces behind the sentiment I used the Artisan Punch x 2 and taped them to the sentiment.  The whole thing is popped up on dimensionals.  For the twine:  I stuck a mini glue dot on the card - I then looped the twine 3 times, cut it and placed it on the glue dot to hold it in place.  I THEN used a tiny piece of sticky strip to sandwich the twine between the layers so it would stay put - I then attached the sentiment and Wa-low!  Done!  I colored the flowers with my markers for a little color on the sentiment.

 

The great thing about this card is that it really does work for many occasions.  Here I used a sentiment from Yippee Skippee:

 ... and this one is the sentiment from the Blessed Easter stamp (I cut the sentiment off the stamp so I could use the tulips and sentiment separately - clever, yes?)

So there you have it!  I better fly - paper to cut!  Pop in again tomorrow to see the Technique card we made in class last week - until then - have a stampy day!

 

 

Tam

Paper Pumpkin Fun

Happy Thursday!

See?  I TOLD you I'd likely procrastinate on what I should be doing for what I WANT to be doing *lol* ... but I'll keep it brief!  A few weeks ago, at Craft Night, I FINALLY started putting together some of the Paper Pumpkin Kits I have had piling up!  It was so fun to just open a box and have everything I needed to make some really cute projects.  I cracked off 4 of the kits in 2 hours.  It was very therapeutic ... and it freed up a lot of space in my craft room too!  Result!  Here are the ones I put together:

I love these little journals!  They are a LOT smaller than I thought they would be (5 1/2" x 3 1/2") but they will actually be PERFECT for me to log my mileage in - cute AND functional!!

This project is going to be used a LOT!  My new "to-do-list" holder:

Now.  About Paper Pumpkin.  What is it?

 

Paper Pumpkin, in a nutshell... is a subscription to a ready-to-use craft kit that comes in the mail each month.

• It's $24.95 Canadian (that INCLUDES the s/h/gst) and arrives in the mail monthly
• It's got all the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories to creat great projects - project like cards, journals, decor and more!
• Everything is cut, measured, and ready to use - with instructions included. (you do need your own glue stick and scissors for some of the projects)

These kits really are a little bit of fun in the mail! They are perfect for people who say:

• I don't have TIME to craft
  • Paper Pumpkin projects can be completed in about half an hour
• I'm not creative at ALL - I wouldn't know where to start!
  • Paper Pumpkin has done all the creative work FOR you! They provide instructions for the "non-creative" crafter ... or you can change the project any way you like - it's up to you!
• I don't have the space to store all the supplies I NEED to create a great project
  • Paper Pumpkin arrives at your door in a little red box with all the supplies you need to create your project (except adhesive) ... you don't need 3 totes full of paper, cutters, stamps, ink and embellishments to make a fabulous project!
• I don't want to set up, cut paper, design etc ... I just want to CRAFT! or
• By the time I have cut the paper, designed a project and set everything up to craft with my daughter she has lost interest and is off who-knows-where doing something else!
• Paper Pumpkin has done all the "hard work" for you - everything is precut and ready to just "craft" ... and your daughter can do it with our without you!

These kits are great! And of course you can cancel or suspend your subscription any time. You really have nothing to lose! Sign up by March 31st and with the first "welcome kit" you get  a FREE set of 2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers - a $19.95 value!!  (you have to be a "new" subscriber to qualify) ... and if you don't love it, cancel it! (Although I doubt you will want to! I have it on good authority that the next 3 kits are over-the-top awesome!!!)

Contact me before March 31st to get hooked up!

 

OK!  That's it for today (so much for being brief, eh?)  Pop in again soon!  Until then have a stampy day!

 

 

Tam