Friday

It is Friday. That usually means a yeah for most people, but since I have to get up early EVERY morning, it just means that the whole family is home and the taxi service is going, which at the cost of gas these days is going to be really cutting back. On the way to bowling this morning I noticed the gas prices at the corner station had changed. $3.79 a gallon. Most of places it is now over 3.80 a gallon. A few days ago I filled up the car, a little over 16 gallons was almost $60, ouch! It is expected to go even higher, thanks to all the violence in Libya and Egypt.

On to crafty matters. Yesterday I put together a couple of cards using some dimensional stickers. The brand is Jolee's Boutique.


This is one I did for a replacement card. A masculine birthday themed card. I just thought it was too cute. Especially the little sign that says "No Girls Allowed". Oh how I wish I could have found a sticker that said "He Man Woman Haters Club" then it could have been a Little Rascals card.

The other card is for a swap too, "teddy bear" theme. I never really have been much of a teddy bear person, even when I was little. I had and "Elsie" cow stuffed animal, a promotional item from the early 60's by Borden Milk. Our milk man, back then they came door to door, liked me and brought it for me. I think he may have had a little crush on my mom.

At any rate, it is a little simple, but sometimes less is more I think. This is the first time I have used jewels on a card. Pretty neat look in my opinion.

Thanks to a member on one of my Yahoo groups, I was able to print off and use a Michael's coupon for 50% off. I was so happy because when I was there yesterday I noticed they had gotten some of the 2.5 inch Xyron sticker machines in. I have the small one and the 5 inch one. The small one is just not quite big enough sometimes, and the 5 inch is too big to mess with a lot of times. I wanted to buy it yesterday, when I really went a little over my budget for so close to the end of a pay period, but it is justified. At the time, all I have had to color in stamped images in the way of markers was a cheap set bought at Walmart in the school supplies. The tips are pretty broad for some of the detail work and not especially compatible with learning to blend or shade. But, it was a lot of colors for little money and I have been using them with some success. Well, I had noticed a week or so ago that Michael's had some LePlumme sets on clearance. The colors are kind of weird colors but for learning how to use markers, the price was too good to pass up and the more I thought about it I was afraid they would be gone. As it was, there was only one set left of each of the clearance sets. One is called Victorian, one is called Renaissance. They are double tipped markers, one end is extra fine which is just was I was after. I also bought the blender pen. I normally don't buy all the things that go with some product, but a couple of demo videos I have watched all made a point of listing the blender pen and showing it used. The sets are 12 markers to a set, normally they run $21.99 and they were on clearance for $8.49 each. That is less than half and way less than a coupon would get me. Now I know that they were probably on clearance because they are being discontinued or such, but I don't really care. No colors are duplicated in the sets and they are colors I can work with, especially while learning. Then if I find out I can use them fairly well I can use the sales and coupons to buy the other sets as I find a need for them. I mean really, this same set is at the local scrapbook store listed at over $30.00 and the ladies at the shop all swear by their LePlumme markers. Oh, and these are LePlumme II, don't know what the first ones were like. Of course I also bought a few other things I needed, blender sticks and sponge applicators for blending, and a few things in the clearance and dollar bins as well. Walked out with a bag for about $40 or so. Next major purchases are to invest in some Ranger Distress Inks and embossing powders along with a few more colors of alcohol inks. Michael's sells the inks in three color sets which is great for me because I can never figure out which colors to get. I need to make a list of the colors I do have, bought five colors to start out with last month, the pads and blending to go with it as well. I used the alcohol inks during a class I took called "ink boot camp" and really fell in love with it. I am breaking them out tonight to play with for some Easter cards.

I bowled a great game today. First game was 114, my second game, a record breaker for me was 154, but then my arm wore out and I ended with a 71. Now remember, my average game is 95 and last week I didn't break 90 in any of the 3 games. I had a 95 pin handicap for this week's game. WOW, it was great. I even treated myself to lunch at the grill there and had the best liver and onions I have had since my aunt made hers. I should not have spent the money, since I spent so much at Michael's yesterday and today, but hey, I am making a good day better for myself for a change and I think there is nothing wrong with taking a little me day for a change. Thanks for stopping by and check back soon.