How 'bout some goodness....

Okay....I HAVE to show off this kit.....I think this was one of my ULTIMATE favorite kits from Queen Kat Designs!!!



The paper is PERFECT for everything from fall cards, to just because cards to manly cards to LAYOUTS!!!! OH MY GOODNESS....THEN add on top of that the awesome stamp set...

Guys...RUN to the store to get your kit NOW!!!! THESE are SURE to not last long!!!!

the FLU!!!

I can't believe...I've gone like 4 or 5 years without getting the flu...but not this time...IT FOUND ME!!! I'm sure it could have been worse but UGH.....I've sneezed like 1,000 times....have stuck tissues up my nose to stop the flow (I know...TMI, sorry), and have downed tylenol like it is going out of business...well....every 4 hours on the hour.....I think the fever has broken though....and after two doses of tamiflu I think I might survive....Adison had it first...Lydia had it a little...she bounced back after 2 days....Vince and Mason have had their flu shots so hopefully they are safe.....

Oh well...such is life and after it being in my house for every year, and not landing on me I guess my odds were stacking up against me!

Week 6/52 ATC Challenge

New week....new challenge time!

This our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

This is the last week of this little 'mini' series....and it is called GIRLFRIEND!!!!

Even though there are MANY guys that make ATCs (and yes there are), this little 3 week series is all about being a GIRL!!!! (sorry guys...if there are any of you out there taking up my challenge you will just have to modify....lol)

And for our FINAL week let's just talk about BEING A GIRL!!!!! What is it that makes you a girl? Is it that you wear a lot of pink? That you LOVE high heals, that you have the EMOTIONS of a girl...are there times you wish you were a little girl again....are there times you HATE being a girl (and I know we all have those certain days, lol)...or maybe you are more of a tom boy, but at the same time still a girl!....whatever it is, SHOW what it means to you to be a GIRL!?!

I had fun with this....I talked about all the different prerogatives that I have! And I brought in some of my favorite little fun colors right now, I can't WEAR orange or yellow...but I sure like them in my world lately! I love flowers and butterflies....hence the scalloped edges and butterfly sequins! HAVE fun and I can't wait to see your creations!



Have a great week and PLEASE share your creations with me!!!!

Week 5/52 ATC Challenge

New week....new challenge time!

This our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

So...we are moving on from the 'days' to a new little 'mini' series....and this one is called GIRLFRIEND!!!!

Even though there are MANY guys that make ATCs (and yes there are), this little 3 week series is all about being a GIRL!!!! (sorry guys...if there are any of you out there taking up my challenge you will just have to modify....lol)

So...this week...let's talk about ACCESSORIES!!!! Do you like them or do you hate them? Are you a purse girl....how about the earrings....do you feel 'naked' without them...or are you a minimalist? Just enough to make you look put together....how about lipstick, perfume, scarves....do you own a scarf for every outfit? Or are scarves only for the winter coat?

Tell, me...show me.....what kind of an accessory girl are YOU??

Here is mine....I really could care less about them....I always wear the same earrings in my top holes and often forget to put anything in the others....I can't STAND lipstick and shopping for purses are NOT my idea of fun....shoes are a necessary evil in my book....but hey....I'm not without my favorite stuff...I do love my rings and I love flip flops.....I guess you could say I'm a simple kind of girl!

WCMD WINNERS!!

QKD has announced the overall winners for WCMD!

Here are the big winners of the weekend...

$25 Shopping spree: Amber Raston
Get Inked Kit: Melinda Rassmussen
Monster Set: Melissa Sackman

Please contact QKD at info@katstamps.com to claim your prize. All other prizes from the weekend were mailed today. Thank you for playing. Come and see us soon. We will be hosting a 1 day huge event on November 19th!!

Congrats ladies!

Come join us!!!

4SS is having a GREAT online crop! With some wonderful challenges....some will be Saturday only challenges, some will run all week long...COME PLAY!

We will have games and make-n-takes....and all with a BUNCH of WILD AND CRAZY women!

I PROMISE if you haven't joined us for a wild weekend/week you are in for a GREAT TREAT!!! We have crazy people that poll dance....we have all sorts of yummies to share (ask about Puppy Chow for people!)

AND....if you are into 'prizes' WE'VE got those too!!!!!!!

So....come join us NOW for a little 'pre' chatter and then...get ready Saturday morning bright and early to PLAY!!!!

Why I don't like Monday's

Today started out GREAT....home school went wonderful. We were done by 11:00....RARE occurrence alone, much less on a Monday. I started thinking to myself, hey, this could actually be a nice Monday. Maybe some 'me' time in there...then it started.

Dh called....a car was found, need you to go look at it NOW....so...off Mason and I went. Looked, wasn't my idea of what I wanted. Saw another car, but probably was out of our budget. Called dh, told him....said he would look into it.

So....come home...need to get supplies for a new meeting tomorrow. So, off to Brandon we go (talked Lydia into riding with me. I will say that was a fun trip...she was on a MAJOR learning spree today and was asking the 'why' and 'what' questions all day, like 'what is the DOW', 'what is interest', 'tell me about insurance'....). Get to Brandon and my key won't work! UGH....why didn't I try it as soon as it was given to me?? So, back home....run by other WW meeting location to see if they had enough of what I needed, they didn't. Come home, call friend, she does have enough, but that would mean almost the same distance to get them as it would be to go BACK to Brandon.

In the midst of allll that, dh found out about the other car. It was a little more than we wanted to pay, but not way too much more....about $500 more than the other one...the other one needed new tires and had an issue that we weren't 100% certain would be a simple fix....so....told dh it was up to him. After several calls he tells me that he picked the one I wanted. So...that means draining our savings account...UGH....and go BACK to Brandon to get the stuff I needed.

This time I put Noah in the truck with me. Got to Brandon (they opened the place up for a meeting so I could get in this time) got all my supplies and came home. Asked Mason if he could take me to Pearl to get the car...sure mom....

Get home, let's have hamburgers for supper tonight....okay, someone needs to turn on the grill...

THAT is where it got even crazier....Mason turned on the grill and BAMB....a HUGE flame came up and burnt his FACE!!!!! Didn't know if it really hurt but after about 5 minutes it was BAD...you could smell the burnt hair and he was crying bad...so...jump in truck about 15 minutes before we are to leave to meet dh....call dh as I'm driving to the MEA...other arrangements will need to be made....got to MEA before they closed, one lady in front of us but as soon as I finally told them what had happened they had us back in the room in about 2 minutes and the Dr was RIGHT there....shot for pain, goopy stuff for face....answering questions, calling hubby, trying to get insurance forms filled out....listening to dr....UGH....OVERLOAD.....

Got out of there, who can take me to Pearl now, dh is waiting for me to come get the car and bring the check (he wasn't upset, because he was worried about Mason but we thought he would be inside...he wasn't.....)Called Martina who was working late and asked her if she could bring me over there (got Mason settled in and more pain meds down him first)....she could...she brought me to Pearl....got car....stopped at WM to get stuff for oil change.....and to fill scripts....they are OUT of the cream and won't have it until MAYBE tomorrow....will have to call about noon to see...FINALLY about 9:15 get home....son is still in pain....give him MORE pain meds....change towels out on his face....

Are you tired yet??? I am.....he is finally asleep....but it won't be for long I'm sure....pain meds can be given again about 1:00 am....will try to get a few hours of sleep after that....have to be up EARLY for 2 meetings in the am and to find the cream for his face....

CALGON!!!!!!!! TAKE ME AWAY!!!!!!!!

WINNER!!!!!

YEA! I had my son, Noah draw a winner and he drew:

Ashleym

So as soon as you contact me with your mailing address (email me at jdiley@aol.com) I'll get your stamp in the mail to you! Also, everyone still is entered in the big drawings! Good luck! I'm hoping it comes from my challenge!!!!

Week 4/52 ATC Challenge

Week 4!

This our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

So...we are moving on from the 'days' to a new little 'mini' series....and this one is called GIRLFRIEND!!!!

Even though there are MANY guys that make ATCs (and yes there are), this little 3 week series is all about being a GIRL!!!! (sorry guys...if there are any of you out there taking up my challenge you will just have to modify....lol). And for this first one, let's talk about our 'STYLE'....maybe it is the style of clothing you wear, (just a hint...leave off the accessories! we will talk about those later), maybe it is the style that you create with, maybe it is just an off shoot and you can be a MAVERICK and do what ya want (that was kind of where I went...). But SHOW ME YOUR STYLE!

Like I said....I went a little to the 'Maverick' style....and did my own thing! I love pink and black...and pink and brown.....and I love HS goodness....and stamps.....and yea...well....you get it, I went a little off on my own thing here. Remember there really are NO rules....EXCEPT to CREATE and HAVE FUN!

WCMD....more!

Okay...so far I've made 6 more cards...and am retiring... have to show them off...lol....

This one is for the FALL COLORS challenge.....


And this one is for the Cupcake challenge.....

Made another one! This one is for a sketch challenge HERE....


This card and tag were for THIS challenge... I really like how they turned out! used some stamps from a past QKD Card Kit! LOVED this kit!

And this one more.... it is a MINI card....I LOVE it, and I do have to say that I lifted the idea from a card I saw in a recent Card's Mag... and it was for this challenge (Birthday Card) Okay....That is about it for me for cards....I did make one more, but I can't show it yet...it is for a newsletter! I can say I had a blast and thanks for all the wonderful challenges!

CUT IT OUT!

I FINALLY get to post my challenge! LOL....

I have developed a new love for my scissors....I miss my REAL pair of stork scissors that my hubby bought for me about 20 years ago....about 10 years ago I lost them....I miss those things...maybe that is what I'll ask for for Christmas this year....BUT there are several scissors out there that will do the same thing and I BET you have a pair! You will need them for this challenge because you have to CUT IT OUT!!!

What you need to do is stamp your stamp image and cut it out to put it on your card! It is like making your own embellishments....I love to do this with patterned paper but it is even MORE fun with stamps!

FUN challenge! And think of what you can win!!! There are some AWESOME prizes up for grabs!!! Check them out HERE and HERE!!!!

Here are my examples! Both of them use some QKD stamps...love this coffee mug!!!

And this butterfly one!

So...make sure you post a link on my blog to your creation....you can upload it to any gallery, but here are a few of my favorites..... HERE and HERE....

MOST of all, HAVE FUN!

I'm ready...are YOU????

I've got my personal prize for my challenge tomorrow for WCMD!!!

AND besides this you will have a chance for the BIG prizes:

Grand Prize: $25 shopping spree @ Queen Kat Designs
1st Runner Up: 1 Get Inked! Kit (Month TBD)
2nd Runner Up: 1 Set of monster stamps (Diva, Buddy, Ms. Piggie and Joe)

PLUS....DON'T forget to check in at Just Johanna's Odd Bird Planet for even MORE prizes!!!

This is gonna be one GREAT day!

I've got my challenge allll ready and I'm REALLY excited about it!

See you tomorrow!

Check this out!!!

World Card Making Day

Wow! It's OCTOBER already... Don't get me wrong I can't wait for this year to be over with!!!! I'm SOOOO done with 2008 it's not even funny. Anyhow..... I'm excited to tell you that Queen Kat Designs has teamed up with Just Johanna's Odd Bird Planet to bring you a day full of challenges and lots of prizes!! You soooo don't want to miss out on this baby!

Where? Here!
When? October 4, 2008 (Saturday)
Time? Beginning at 6AM Pacific Standard Time

What? A ton of fun! We have been planning challenges for you like you would not believe. The Royal court has a day of fun planned. And together with Just Johanna it's going to be a total blast.

Here's the QKD Royal Court Schedule: (all times are set by PST)
• 6:00 am – 9:00 am-Heather
• 9:00 am – 12:00 pm - Penny
• 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm -QKD Blog
• 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm -Jules
• 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm -Vicki
• 9:00 pm – 12:00 am-Tanis
Since I just announced the new court today if some of the newbies want to host a challenge, I may add them to the list. Here's a list of prizes for the contests...

Grand Prize: $25 shopping spree @ Queen Kat Designs
1st Runner Up: 1 Get Inked! Kit (Month TBD)
2nd Runner Up: 1 Set of monster stamps (Diva, Buddy, Ms. Piggie and Joe)

All blog challenges will have 1 winner who will receive 1 stamp set from the store. These will be random stamp sets from our stock.

Stay tuned for more info! And get ready for a marathon day of challenges and fun!

21 years ago today.....

Was the first of my best days....they have gotten better since but this was the beginning....the start....the day my wonderful dh and I were married!

This year we had a sweet weekend. My boys had to head to Arkansas to switch out cars with Reva...(that is another WHOLE subject for another day) and then Martina came and got the youngest two so dh and I had the house to ourselves! Wooohooo!

We went to the movies on Sat...YOU HAVE TO GO SEE FIREPROOF!!!!! It is a MUST SEE movie for everyone, but bring the kleenex! Wow....then went to eat....yum....Ben is back and he even brought me a little gift from China Town in New York. I didn't think we would ever see him again but he told us he really loves Mississippi! LOL....

Anyway...after that we went to Borders....ahhhhh time....then came home and ended up falling asleep! HA....

Got up this am and went to have breakfast and then headed to Mynell Gardens...it is beautiful...in the midst of chaos and a place that you are almost concerned for your life is this several acre botanical gardens....we spent about 3 hours there...walking and talking...sitting and swinging....feeding the fish...marveling at the wonders of creation.....then we came home....

Simply sweet....simply us.....

Week 3/52 ATC Challenge

This our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

So....for this first group of '3'...we will be looking at the days.....the first week we looked at Today .... last week we thought about Tomorrow...and of course, we can't leave out YESTERDAY

That is where I want you to go now....could it be just yesterday (the day before this one!) that you want to remember something special....it could be that Yesterday be a time in your life that was special,fun or even hard that you have been able to overcome! We don't want to spend a LOT of time dwelling on yesterday, and remember that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us BUT it was yesterday that we had to go through before we got to today.....so this week.....share about YOUR YESTERDAY!

I had it easy....I got to think about 21 yesteryears ago today!!! Here is mine for this week! Get ready! The next 3 weeks we will take a total different turn.....and get a little FESTIVE!

Week 2/52 ATC Life Deck

Here it is! Week 2...

Well....Today I get to put up a new challenge....come on ladies! These are fun and EASY!!!!

This our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

So....for this first group of '3'...we will be looking at the days.....last week we looked at TODAY....now...can you guess where I'm going...

Let's dream about TOMORROW!!!! What do you want to do tomorrow.....where will you be tomorrow....your tomorrow can literally be TOMORROW (the next day) OR you can dream about your future....your family's future....your world's future....take it where YOU want to take it...remember they are YOUR cards and are YOUR emotions....YOUR colors, YOUR thoughts! But pause for a moment...and think about TOMORROW.

Here is mine for this week...

My dd that moved to Arkansas about a month ago has a thing with all of us...we miss her so much and she told us...I'll only be gone a minute...we remind her that a minute is up....and she says 'give me one more minute'....so in honor of my sweet Reva....

Tomorrow will be here in a minute!



Don't forget...that we are sharing them HERE at 4SS...come see what the ladies are doing and share yours....

This week I also added them HERE at ASF....so there are two boards joining in on the fun!!!

And if you don't want to post them at either place, just link them here!!!!! I wanna seeeeeee them!!!!

Honor.....

Can I tell you all that I am married to the MOST HONORABLE man I've ever known....

Yes, there are times I'd like to ring his neck....yes there are times he'd like to ring mine....but once again, I've watch this man have the opportunity to LASH out and yet, he remains silent. When someone else is yelling and cursing at him....he remained calm....frustrated yes, but at the same time didn't yell the same insults back....

And I KNOW that God will HONOR that....I know He already has, because I see him as honorable...

He has made mistakes....but he is first to admit that, he is first to ask forgiveness of that, all the while others are telling him things like 'you made your bed'....yes...he did....but there are things under that bed that have not been uncovered....things he didn't put there....but others don't want to admit that they put those there...no...he will cover it for them....because he doesn't want them to hurt..he does not want them to have anyone else think of them anything but good...he will stake his own reputation to avoid hurting theirs.

Yes...I am married to an UNDOUBTEDLY HONORABLE MAN!!! I don't care what anyone else says!!!! And I sooo am IN LOVE with him!!! Can you tell???

Life Deck....week 1 of 52

I am going to be hosting a 'Life Deck' challenge each week for 52 weeks HERE at 4SS

I am so excited about this journey!!! Here is the first challenge! Feel free to come join us at 4SS, or if you just wanna share them here, you are more than welcome to link them on here and share them with us! BUT if you share them with us on 4SS I'll put your name in the hat and each 3 weeks I'll draw a winner for a little RAK from me! The RAK will mostly be goodies that you could use on these cards! BUT it is always fun getting goodies in the mail....AND after 52 weeks you will have a little LIFE deck about you and your life!



Are you ready? Do you have a little 'blank' pallet in front of you yet??? I KNOW we allll have piles of scraps around us, and little pieces of this or that...well, these will be PERFECT for you to create 52 little pieces of ART, JUST for you, will be about you and the things you like, it will be about your family, it will be about things we do, places we go, people we meet.....it will be about our town, about our neighborhood, about our home, it will be about the rooms in our house.....yes...for the next 52 weeks we will walk on this little journey together...we will get to know more about each other, and about ourselves, through these little tiny pallets....

Not to worry, you won't have to talk much....sometimes you won't talk at all....because the KEY here is CREATIVITY!!! Your imagination is your world....remember when you were a little girl and you were asked to draw a picture....you might have been told to draw a picture of your favorite flower, of your family....what ever the case we were EXCITED to draw....excited to put onto paper our creativity....well...YOU ARE THERE AGAIN! There IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG....NO penalties for coloring outside the lines...or even making the colors match! If you want a red plaid skirt with a yellow polka dot shirt...GO FOR IT!!! YEA!! We are FREE!

Tee hee hee...didn't know these things were going to be that much fun did ya????

Let's call this our Life Deck....okay....52 weeks, or 52 years...whatever it takes we should create this....we should have something to look back on and remember these times...but yet know, that our BEST DAYS lie ahead of us...but it was the past that placed us on the roads we are on....and the 'Y's we face every day.....the curves we didn't see, the curves we did.....let's take the time to TRAVEL our road!! And travel it together! What a fun venture...are you ready????

So....for this first group of '3'...we will be looking at the days and time.....and what better place to start than TODAY!!!!

Yes...this is your topic....TODAY.....

Where are you today....you can make this funny, you can make this simple, you can make this emotional....(but how much can you put on a 2.5x3.5 piece of paper???) Today can be me LITERALLY TODAY (9/14 in this case) today can be a 'right now kind of thing' (like this year, as opposed to 10 years ago)....it can be what you did today...what you ate today....what you played today....what you watched today....about the weather today.....ANYTHING you want! (remember that blank piece of paper and crayons!) Oh....and you don't have to do both sides...but it is fun....it is up to YOU!!!!!

Here is my example....probably a bit on the emotional side because I was in an emotional mood....

Design That Stamp Contest....

How cool is THIS

Want to be a guest stamp designer?
Love to draw or doodle?
Have a fresh and funky flair?

Queen Kat Designs is looking for you! We are holding a guest stamp designer call from Sept 12th-Sept 30th. Send us your hand drawn stamp ideas and if we love your style, we will manufacturer your design into one of the highest quality acrylic stamps on the market.

QKD is known for their funky flair and quality stamps and we want to invite you to join the Royal Court for the month of January. The winner(s)* will be a guest designer for the entire month, we will send you a free stamp set of your design, and you will be expected to create three papercraft samples with that set and upload them to the QKD gallery.

*We will choose more than one winner if your artwork stands out from the crowd.


Rules:
Please send the following information with your images: Full name, email address, title for your drawing(s) and a list of any design teams you are currently on.

You can send in as many sketches as you like but we ask that your images be no larger than 100K in file size. And they must be sent in 1 email. Do not send multiple emails throughout the month. Make your 1 email count.

Send all images to nikki@katstamps.com please have your name in the image name. Subject should read: Designers Contest Submission: (your name here)

Once you have submitted your art, please do not email us for the status of your submission. Emails will not be returned. If you question that we got your submission email it again. Do not submit more than 2 emails with the same art or your art will be discarded.

You can not currently be designing stamps for any stamp company.

You must complete your samples and upload them to the QKD gallery by a set date TBD.

All designs submitted must be your own original art work. Art work will not be accepted if it is under copyright of another artist.

Only hand drawn artwork will be accepted. No computer generated art.

All art must be emailed to Nikki by 12pm PST on September 30, 2008. Late entries will NOT be accepted.

We apologize but at this time this call is only open for U.S. residents.

Current QKD employees and Royal Court members are not eligible to enter.

Today

Today I am a crisis Christian.....and that is a good thing.....when I live in 'crisis' I remember who I need to turn to...I remember who to rely on.....I remember where I came from....

I remember to WORSHIP!!!!

Yes...TODAY I am a crisis Christian....and I pray that tomorrow I will be too......