Happy Birthday, Simon "the Tool Man" Callen!

Today is my son-in-law's birthday. He is a wonderful, hard-working guy, and since he and my daughter bought their house a few months ago, he's been acquiring lots of tools that are needed for their home renovations. I knew the Totally Tool stamp set would be perfect for his birthday card!

When I delivered the card, he was in the process of cutting the new baseboards they've bought (after having refinished their hardwood floors).

The tools on top are hanging on the wall on "nails", which are just the Silver Mini Brads. Since the tools were popped up on dimensionals, I had to make the brads stick out a little farther. To keep the from wobbling, they are secured on back with more dimensionals. Lots of layers on this card!


Stamps: Totally Tool, On Your Birthday
Cardstock: Whisper White, Early Espresso, plus Parisian Breeze (that I've been hoarding - he's worth it!) and Frostwood Lodge DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Copic Markers, White Gel Pen
Accessories: Silver Mini Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponges

Masculine, Clean and Simple

Just the way I like my man. :-)

This is one one of the cards we're making in the Masculine Cards class later this week. I love the addition of black to make things "pop".  And black and blue look great together....unless it's on my shin. (Note to self: Either figure out how to be less clumsy in the dark, or quit drinking liquids after 6:00 p.m. so you don't have to get up at night.)


Stamps: Totally Tool, Tool Shed
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Watercolor Paper
Ink: VersaMark, Jet Black Staz-On, Pacific Point Classic, Daffodil Delight and Basic Gray Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Stampin' Sponges, Gold Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals

Totally Grateful

Our kitchen drain has been sluggish since right before Easter, and by sluggish, I mean clogged. My wonderful husband tried his darndest for over a week to get things moving, but we ultimately had to call in the professionals (which I had timidly suggested at the beginning of said week-plus, as this particular pipe has been a problem since we bought our house years ago, so I knew we needed the "big guns").

Anyhoo, the plumber made short work of the problem, and was a real nice guy to boot. His wife is a scrapbooker, so when he saw my stamp cave, he immediately recognized the signs of an addiction, lol.  This is the card I'm sending as a thank you (and as a little advertisement, too).

The wrench was heat embossed on Brushed Silver, cut out and popped up on Dimensionals. You can't see it very well in the photo, but the screw and bolts stamp from Lots of Bots was stamped on the left un-embossed side of the Basic Gray panel using Sahara Sand ink. I wanted it to be subtle, but it turned out a little too subtle.

Stamps: Totally Tool, Lots of Bots
Cardstock: Brushed Silver, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black Craft, Sahara Sand Classis
Accessories: Square Lattice and Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folders, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, black brads, ribbon (non-SU)

Busy TOO SHORT Week!

I've been preparing for tomorrow's Operation Write Home Birthday Bash Card Party all week.  Here are a couple of cards that I made kits for, so people with no stamping experience can put them together.  Since this is not an official Stampin' Up! function, I am trying to use up a bunch of the non-SU things I got before I realized what I was doing.  I have a ton of stuff to use up, and that's all I'm going to say about that. ;-)

Does anyone know how I can add about 12 more hours to today?  The party is tomorrow and I'm nowhere NEAR ready - eeeek!  More kits to cut, house to clean, refreshments to make (and not enough room in the fridge for them), and somewhere in there I need to bathe!