Someone Hijacked My Email Account!!! - and a Graduation Card

Yesterday after church I checked my email account only to find a bunch of "Undeliverable Mail" messages. Upon investigation I discovered that my email account had been hijacked.  After a few Google searches I realized that the only thing I could do to remedy this situation is to change my password.  Some experts actually recommend changing passwords on all online accounts.  Yikes!  So I apologize in advance if you got some weird links on how to purchase Viagra, how to remove unwanted facial hair or how to find hot chicks.  It really wasn't me.

Good things have happened since my hijacking experience.  I got to clean out my contact list.  And I reconnected with a few people I hadn't heard from in a while.  This is also a good reminder for all of us to periodically change our passwords.  Yes, it's a pain to do (I keep typing my old password wondering why I can't access my email.)  But it might save you from having this bad experience.  Not sure if I'll have negative long-term effects from the hijacking or not.  I'll keep you posted on it.

I made this card a few weeks ago, but didn't post it until now.  Although most graduates have already accepted their diplomas, many graduation parties are held throughout the summer.  I hope you find this card inspirational:

I got the inspiration for this card from Lorri Heiling.  The wings of the owl are made with the Scallop Oval punch.  The top of the hat was cut by hand and the part resting on the owl's head was cut with the Curly Label punch.  You could personalize these card to match school colors.  I made several of these cards for my mom to give to graduates.  My sister needed one, too.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Ink: Basic Gray, Jet Black StazOn
Accessories:  Big Shot, Square Lattice textured impressions embossing folder, Two-Step Owl punch, Scallop Oval punch, Curly Label punch, stamp-a-ma-jig, 1/8" Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, copy paper (for the diploma), glue dots, dimensionals

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Busy, Busy, Busy Week -- and a Few Cards To See!

This is a busy week for the Carlson family!  Let me show you some cards to illustrate:

Tuesday is our 18th wedding anniversary:

I cased this card from Laurie Zoellmer.  Her post appeared in perfect time to inspire me : )  I changed things up a bit by starting with glossy white card stock, masking the moon and brayering the sky with Marina Mist and Night of Navy ink.  Annika took one look at it and told me that I should have the branch going the other direction because it's hanging in mid-air, LOL!  She's right.

Randy and I will have to postpone our anniversary celebration for another day.  Annika and Dide have their first swimming lesson of the season at 4:00 pm, Bradley has ball practice at 4:00 pm, Dide has Girl Scouts at 5:00 pm, and Bradley has his spring band concert at 6:30 pm.  Whew!  Not sure if we'll even have time to eat supper that night, LOL!
Wednesday is Annika's ninth birthday:

This card idea came from Tammy Howell.  I made the card very similar to how she did.  (The sentiment is a recently retired one from the Occasions Mini.)

Annika wants me to make homemade peanut butter cookies for her class that day.  Not sure when how I'm gonna fit that into the Tuesday schedule.  Maybe I'll wait and make them Wednesday morning, then deliver them to her school.  Hmm, when am I going to have time to make her cake...and supper???

Thursday morning I'm hosting a Blossom Petals punch class.  Since teaching my first class, I've found more cards to make.  So I'm switching things up a bit.  Still have to prepare the card stock, clean the house, etc.  (It sure is difficult to clean the house when the kids have been inside 24/7 because of all the rain.)

Friday, Bradley has a baseball game and I've got a Stampin' Up! birthday party to attend.  I've got my projects planned for the party, but I still have to get things ready.  (Note to self: confirm the babysitter for the girls that night.)

Saturday is Dide's sixth birthday:

Same card as Annika's, but different colors.  Makes my life a lot easier : )

Dide wants me to make her cupcake to bring to school.  I'll have her take them to school on Friday.  We're not celebrating her birthday at home until next Sunday because none of us are going to be home on Saturday.  Annika's Girl Scout troop earned a trip to the Build-a-Bear Workshop in Erie for selling Girl Scout cookies.  They get a $17 bear for free.  I wonder how much money I'm going to end up spending on the bear's accessories!  (Stay tuned to see a B-A-B thank-you card.) 

If any of you want specific details on any of these cards, please contact me.

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Another Vintage Rose

I had so much fun creating the card for my last post that I had to do another one.  The only difference between this card and the last one is that I made the flower out of Regal Rose card stock, added a few extra petals, and sponged it with Rose Red ink.  The card base is Old Olive as well as the ink for the sentiment.  (I used a different one from the same stamp set.)  Here is the entire card:

Stamps: Afterthoughts (hostess level one)
Paper: Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Regal Rose, First Edition designer series paper
Ink: Rose Red, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Accessories: Two-Step Owl punch, Extra-Large Scallop Oval punch, Decorative Label punch, Wide Oval punch, Oval punch, bone folder, sponges, Tombow adhesive, dimensionals, Crystal Effects

Clarice is the latest pinkeye victim in our family.  Since she couldn't go to my friend's house to play, I had to take her with me to my hair appointment.  I used this opportunity to hand-deliver this very card to my hairdresser, Jamie.  When I walked into the hair salon Jamie was cutting my friend Marcey's hair.  I'm doing a workshop for Marcey this Thursday and needed to contact her today.  How weird is that?!?  Marcey and I caught up on some things regarding the workshop.  Then I joked that I'd have to make another rose card to display Thursday night.  Hmm, maybe I'll do the next one using So Saffron.

While I was getting my hair done Jamie told me that her mom had fallen a few weeks ago and broke her ankle in four places and will be recuperating for a few months.  She went on to say that her mom is going absolutely stir-crazy.  She's already done way too many crossword puzzles and needs something different to occupy her time.  Because she can't get around on her own, her boyfriend drops her off before work every morning with her elderly mother to be "babysat."  Then he picks her up after work.   ... So Jamie and I agreed that the best therapy is for her mom to make some cards!!!

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Vintage Rose

How do you like that rose?  I believe it or not, the rose is made with the Two-Step Owl punch!  Last night I read Julie DiMatteo's blog and HAD to make one.  She found the original idea here.  So, I grabbed some supplies to make this rose and headed for the tv to watch Big Love.  Voila! I created a rose!

The card base is Soft Suede. I also used the First Edition designer series paper.  This was my first attempt at making a vintage-type card.

Here's another peek at the top corner.  At first I just tore the edge of the dsp and sponged it with Crumb Cake ink.  Then I decided to get a little rough and wrinkle the paper.  I liked that look, but it needed a little more distressing.  So I sponged it some more with Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink.

The sentiment is from the hostess level one set called Afterthoughts.  I inked up the stamp with Always Artichoke ink, then wiped off the portion of the stamp that says, "...so you don't have to share" with a baby wipe. Otherwise the sentiment didn't fit in the wide oval punch.  Then I layered it onto a piece of Soft Suede cut with the Decorative Label punch.  That got distressed with some Soft Suede ink, too.

Oh, and the leaves were made using an oval punch. I first folded the Old Olive card stock in half then punched just a portion of it.  Then I added some drops of Crystal Effects to the petals to look like dew.  Kinda went overboard with that.  If I do that again, I'll be a little more strategic in where I place them.

Stamps: Afterthoughts (hostess level one)
Paper: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Real Red, First Edition designer series paper
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede
Accessories: Two-Step Owl punch, Extra-Large Scallop Oval punch, Decorative Label punch, Wide Oval punch, Oval punch, bone folder, sponges, Tombow adhesive, dimensionals, Crystal Effects

Bradley is home today with pinkeye!  Dide had it last week, but got over it.  I kinda thought that this little bug had escaped the rest of the family. I was kinda paranoid that Clarice would get it before her surgery. ... While writing this post, one of my eyes started to feel a little funky.  Hope it's just a psychosomatic symptom!

I took photos of several other projects today. Can't wait to share them with you!  I'd stay at the computer all night and write, but then who would cook supper, LOL!

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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