Countdown to restriction.....

O.k, O.k, O.k!!!! I am really going to do it!!! I am putting myself on restriction starting on April 1st. You better believe I have been surfing the net for any missed bargains that might be out there. I have gone waaaaaay overboard on spending and with the new stove and the soon to be refinancing, I just can't spend anymore! I still have a couple of deliveries that I am waiting to come in. Just so you won't think I am a big story teller when I show off my new creations. I ordered them over 2 weeks ago.

Question: Does it count if one of you send me a fantabulous link before midnight tonight and then I buy tomorrow? HURRY SOMEONE SEND ME A LINK TO BUY SOMETHING!!!!! (GASP!!!) (BREATHE!!!!) I can do this.

Another goal is to double up on classes. I am going to check it out on April 10. If it even seems like a possibility, then I promised I would put down the ink and take more than one class to graduate sooner. BREATHE GIRLS!!!! IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN!!!!

Can you tell that I seem a little more dramatic than usual? It's been a roller coaster type of day. I might be able to tell you more about it later. But not right now.

Nighty Nite!!
Love, Carrie

A Good Friend...

I have finally gotten around to inking up this little guy. I have seen him all over the place on SCS. I knew how good he looked with blue and orange so that's exactly what I used. He is from the Stampin' Up! set called Good Friend. My greeting in the lower right hand corner is from Saying It with Scallops. The scallop set was made in mind for the Scallop Square Punch, I stamped the sentiment and then punched it out using my 1 1/4 Circle Punch. I added some SU! Dimentionals and VOILA!!!

One of my biggest challenges is actually coming up with ideas. I totally copied this card from SCS. I wished I would have inked my bird a little bit more. Otherwise, I am really happy with how quick and easy this card was to do.

Hope you like it,

Carrie

A little change...

I am sure you all know what I am talking about when you are constantly re-working your craft space. I did it again. Especially since I have been kicked out of the "game room"...have I mentioned that a few hundred times yet? LOL! My wonderful hubby seen here with his new spiff-i-licious glasses on...

Helped me hang my shelves and put the pink back in my spot...I know there was pink before...there is more pink (and some green) now!! Wooo Hooo Yummy!!

I have also jumped on the Ikea bandwagon and am using the towel bars as punch holders. A little embarrased, I have 7 and could easily add 2-4 more!! They are sooo wonderful!!! Here 5 of them here and the other 2 are right above my scrapping table with my regular squares and cirlcles and matching scallops, I seem to use them the most.

Here is a pick of the ones I use most...

You can tell with all of the light that I "live" in the garage. It's really pretty nice. I like it. Especially when the weather is beautiful like today. I can watch the boys play and scrap at the same time. Hubby is grilling on the BBQ...YUM!!!

Hopefully I will post some productivity later...

Carrie

Little Gold Mine Found!!!

Okay, so everyone is well aware of my spending sprees lately. I am a firm believer that when you get great service or experience anything great for that matter, you should yell it from the rooftops!!



Before the last month or so I only had Bella stamps from Stampinbella and Stamps from Stampin' Up!. Oh, and some from the local JoAnns, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby. As I started to stalk Split Coast Stampers everyday I noticed that there are soooo many other fantastic stamps and companies that I just had to try.



I have already told you about High Hope Stamps and how much I love them and their awesome customer service. Although I wish the shipping was faster, they are sooo worth the wait!



My next order brings me to the reason for this post. I placed an order from 7kidscollegefund and it came so super fast. The shipping was so unbelievable starting at $3 something. I bought this lovely little Sara Kay stamp and just other little doo dads. I stamped her with Tuxedo Black Mometo Ink. I never knew there would be an ink that would not smear the black. I am in love with this ink!!! I will hold off further babble and show you this precious Margaux.

Isn't she so sweet? She is the only one I have of the Sara Kay Collection, she sure won't be my last. I colored her wih color pencils and blended them using Gamsol Magic. The paper is DCWV and some of the card is embossed using my Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. The flowers are punched out of thick mulberry and on the right hand side of the card is a the tab punch from Stampin' Up! I only wished I would have colored her hat and shirt orange and yellow. I changed the card colors at the last minute.

I hope you all like her, I think she is cute. You can hop on over to 7kidscollegefund and check out most of the items that I used to make this bright and cheery card.

Big Hugs

Carrie

Thank goodness for sunshine...sorta

Did the title catch your attention? What I meant was that I had previously sworn off buying one more sheet of paper or cardstock....or spending money at all for that matter. Why in the heck did I go out of my way and find myself walking through Michaels? With a cart!!! I am such a Dum Dum!!! If it would have been storming, god just might have sent a lightning bolt in my direction. So I bought some camping paper because we are going to go camping in the front yard tomorrow night. I just haaaad to! I am making easter cards, so I just Haaaaad to get some of that too! Because you know the old Spring Stack, Summer Stack , New Citrus Stack and New Double Sided Spring Stack that I have sitting right here sure would not had anything for me to use. Hahahhahaa!! I didn't even look in them.

This is all especially frustrating because we had to buy a new stove yesterday. That was horrible!!! So I am really grounded now.

Does anyone feel my frustration?!! Do you ever get to that point when spending money on anything just starts to make you cranky? I am at that point now.

To make things worse, I am officially kicked out of what is now the "game room". It's my old scrap room inside the house. I have been hiding/keeping my barely used stuff there for over a year. That's what I get for asking for more shelves inside the garage. He took the old ones down and even packed everything up very nicely and moved it all himself. I wish you could see me pouting right now. Shhhh...we won't mention the guest room closet. :-)

So as I am moving around I feel even more frustrated because I remember exactly when and where I bought most of this stuff. What was I thinking? Tons of $$$$$ waasted!!!!

I do have a point with some of this. I have lots of stuff I can get rid of and I need to recoupe some of the money I have been blowing lately.

FREE STUFF FOR YOU!!!

With every order placed through my SU! Website I am just going to mail you a little gift. Book a party for the month of April (or place a order of $150 or more) and get a free stamp set (sorry, of my choosing).

I am sooo rude.....I forgot to beg..... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!

Email me with any question you have at clhajnal@aol.com.

Gotta get back to cleaning, Big Hugs!!!

Carrie

Using up some of the stash!!

I am so happy to be using up some of my paper. Wooo Hoo! I am sooo addicted to DCWV (This is from Blossoms and Butterflies) and all of their stacks. It's so bad that I just bought 5 of the new ones. So I just haaave to use some of my old stuff. I this card just this morning. As soon as I saw it , I said I HAVE THAT!!!! So off to work I went on the card. Here are my versions...

Not too bad, eh? Both sentiments are stamped from Stampin' Up! sets. The first one is "Just a little thanks" from Matchbox Messages in the Occasional Mini Catalog, The second sentiment is from "Oval All" from the Occasional Mini Catalog also. Oval All punches out so beautifully using the new Scallop Oval Punch available in the Mini Catty. All will be available April 1st. You will want to make sure you mark your calendars. The whole catalog is a must have!! So many of the sets are compatable with punches and the new Matchbox Bigz XL Die. I am pretty sure with all of the die cut maniacs out there that these will go on back order very quickly.

Make sure you go to my website and order as early as possible on the first of April. I can't spill everything, but there is a special incentive for every $40 you spend out of the Occasional Mini Catalog beginning on April, 1st. For every order on April 1st over $100 through my website I will throw in something special on top of everything else.

With all of that being said....Sale-A-Bration is coming to an end on March 31. These special sets will no longer be available after that date. If you have a $50 dollar order just waiting to be placed, now is the time to do it!!!

Big Hugs,

Carrie

Wooot Woooot....Bustin' a Move!!

I can't believe it!!! I got more done. I am totally doing a happy dance right now.

Here is "Flying Ace" from High Hopes Stamps. I used color pencils and Gamsol. I also used a scrap piece of DCWV from the Summer Stack. I tried paper piercing for the first time....it was o.k. I love the look, not my most favorite thing to do. His goggles have crystal effects that can be bought from ME!!! and my website. Go check it out!! Sale-A-Bration is still going on, but only until March 31st. I added some star shaped eyelet with my cropadile and VOILA!!!The second card is sooo stinkin adorable. The usual, color pencils, Gamsol. I used Crystal Effects on the thermometer and used DCWV Glitter Mat Stack. I am really thinking about sending this one to Goose's (my oldest) friends. He's been really sick with pneumonia and baseball started without him. It sucked not to have him there. Get Well Austin!!! The inside says "Get Well Soon".Can you tell that I am sooo in love with these stamps? I have wanted stamps from High Hopes since I started stamping. I just kept forgetting about them. Seeing them on SCS reminded me and I finally went and bought! ....and again last night. LOL!!! You've got to see "Stretch" the giraffe the whole reason that first took me to High Hopes a couple of years ago. For some reason everytime I get there I forget to put him in my shopping cart. I forgot again last night! Darn it!!!

Big Hugs....hope for more!

Carrie

Worth the Wait!!!!

Okay, so I left a few hanging on Friday night. I didn't bust a move like I thought I might. I was in and out of bed on Sat. and Sun. I'm not sure why....just the blahs I guess. Monday was a run around kind of day. Although I weeezled my way out of the work the dentist was going to do, I let it take over my Tuesday. The best news was that my High Hopes stamps came in that I ordered a while ago.

I just have to share with you the most awesome customer service that I have experienced in such a long time. Bethany at High Hopes answered my very distraut email about my stamps and assured me they were on their way. She was so sincere and I just can't even begin to tell you about all of the nice things she said. Although the original package never reached me, I got Bethany's and she snuck in a little extra something just inside for me. She didn't have to do it. She had already made up for my purchase and sent the most lovliest email. It's just the way she rolls. I am so grateful for her and the great service that she gave to me. It is so rare these days that we see such service like that. It is really appreciated. I wanted everyone to know how wonderful she and High Hopes Stamps is.

Here are a couple of cards I got started on so far...

This is Lenny's Love me Not. He is colored with color pencils and I used Gamsol. I also used some faux crocadile paper I got at Joanns and some of the Citrus DCWV paper. After using a little orange rick rak and a couple of flowers from Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby)...Voila!!! Oh! And my one yellow bauble from my million $$ find at Michaels last year.

Here is "Froggy Gift" colored the same way. I added some buttons from Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby) and trimmed one edge using my Martha Stewart Zig Zag border punch from Michaels. It's nice to be able to get back to coloring. I am so happy with how these turned out. I "CASED" him from SCS.

I think my little "depression" was from the anxiety of "having to" whip out some cards. After thinking about it, I am just going to worry about one card at a time and move on from there. I am going to stop worrying about how I am going to whip out 10 cards at a time, and do just what makes me happy.

Thanks so much for listening...hopefully I will have more soon to come!!

Love, Carrie

Getting ready for something...

Have you ever wished for more hours in a day? Dreaming of when you will have hour after hour just to play? Well, I am sure I have mentioned that I have been stocking up for my Spring Break. I have had my stamp area clean for two days. All of the stuff I ordered has come in and situated/mounted, except for a order from Canada. Why in the heck have I been sitting here for the last 2 hours wondering where to start?? I am so stinkin excited, I just don't know where to begin. I have even been stalking SCS while I was hard at work (LOL!) during the week. I should be able to just pick a card and go. I guess I am just so happy to finally get to this point. So I decided to do a quick update and add a little jibber jabber to my blog.

So now that's done, I will go and get started....

Unless there is a super sale I should be checking out.....

What about some fantabulous blog that is super amazing......

O.k!!!! Really, I am going to go be productive and whip something up....

Bye......

No, you say bye first......

Just kidding.

Maybe I will pull and all nighter and have a pile of amazement for you all when you wake up. :-)

Goodnight,

Carrie

Good stuff coming...

Oh My Goodness!!

Life has been so crazy lately. I just haaaave to tell you about the Stampin' Up! stuff going on.

It's still Sale-a-Bration time annnnnd SU! is giving our customers a chance to buy some of the stamp sets that are coming up in the Mini Occasions Catalog at the beginning of April. What the heck does that mean for you?

-You are able to buy the sneak peek stamps and still collect the Sale-a-Bration stamps for every $50 you spend.

A little secret....Being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator allowed me to buy everything in the Mini Occasions Catalog this morning and I still used my Demonstrator discount, got a hostess stamp set and collected all of my Sale-a-Bration sets...ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!! I saved over $80!!!!

Now is the perfect time to become a Demonstrator. During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set—a value of up to $47.95—from the current Idea Book & Catalog! Plus, new recruits get 15% off the Starter Kit—over $350 of Stampin’ Up! products and business supplies for only $169!

If you sign up as a Demonstrator through me, I have an additonal stamp set just for you!!!

You can find out more details on all of these specials on my website. You can also email me at www.clhajnal@aol.com.

Hope you are having a Wonderful Day!!!!

Feelin' a little creative.

I am so excited that I was able to get so much done this weekend!!! It sooo looks better in a list...so here goes...

-Got a sponsor for my sons baseball team!! There is still room for more sponsors if you are interested. A donation of $250 gets your own spot on the team banner that will be up for every game. Get noticed on the banner, rather than squeeeezing your company's information on a teeny tiny baseball shirt.

-Got caught up on all my homework and got ahead on next weeks!! Wooo Hooo

-Cleaned my house!!

-Cleaned my scraproom!

-Spent a ton of $$ on car insurance....Just kidding....seeing if you were paying attention! Hehehe! I did spend a ton of money, but all on my wishlist. I ordered from SU! I also did an order from Joann's and then went to Joanns and Michaels and spent more money! Ooooo I also went to the huge sale at my LSS. Spring Break is coming soon and I totally plan on locking myself up in my scrap room. I don't want to be running around shopping and taking up any of my time off.

- I also got caught up on my "To Do" list of cards. I haven't sent my grandma a card in a while, and she loves them. I also sent one to my SIL, I was sooo overdue for that one!!! I made a Symathy card....don't we all hate doing those?! I need to make those when there is not an occasion to do so. Here are a couple of pics...

The first set of 3x3 cards are just basic brown textured cardstock using the Scallop Edge Punch and then my Cropadile to add smaller holes along the side. I also used the Thank You Kindly stamp set and stamped a cute little flower using the hostess level I set called Botanical Blooms that I stamped on white cardstock and then punched using the Designer Label Punch. After adding some simple pink satin ribbon and a gem or two I laid all of it on top a large pink Oval Punch.

The second card is just matted on some Basic Grey paper and jewels. I added some simple ribbon, and some little flower puches from some thick mulberry and just stamped a saying from Full of Life. This card was so simple and is so adorable in real life.

The only thing I have left is to make more cards for my basket at work. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to sell some of my cards. It pays for my hobby....and then some. I am also currently working on some wedding invitations....I will have to see if I can post the "previews" to my blog. It will be up to the Bride.

There's always a lot going on. Now is a great time to join SU! if you have ever thought about it. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeves that will help you make money doing this wonderful hobby. I would love to share all of my tricks with you.....but only if you become a Demonstrator through me first :-).

Check out my website to learn about the current Promotions SU! has to offer.

Counting down the days to Spring Break!!!

Hugs,

Carrie