A Brand New Scent Today!

Happy Sunday everyone! I am pleased to announce a brand new scent, added to my AuntieDis shop today!! APRICOT PAPAYA. This sweet blend is sure to make you long for that tropical vacation you've been talking about! Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Saturday Night Babyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

All proceeds from my Saturday Night Special tonight will help me hire a maid to clean up the above MESS (so I can make more magic happen)! Just kidding, I probably won't hire a maid, but I'll still refund 25% of all purchases (via PayPal) made in my shop tonight (until 0600 EST tomorrow). Please put SNS in the comments to seller at checkout. Just checkout as regular, and your discount will be refunded to you.

I Love Cupcakes

Ok, I have to admit, the cupcake craze is right up my alley. I LOVE CUPCAKES. I love eating them, making them, all things cupcake! There, I said it, and now I feel better! I found an adorable set of stamps from Hero Arts the other day that's all cupcakes and sweets, which I ran, not walked, to the cash register to purchase! So far I've made a few things with them, but by far, this is my favorite.

I used a cream Bazzill bling textured cardstock for the base, cut and folded into an A2 size card, which I then edged in purple ink. I used Rose Red cardstock from Stampin' Up as the mat and some striped paper from My Mind's Eye. I hand stamped the cupcakes on ivory cardstock, and also matted that on Rose Red cardstock. I hand colored each cupcake a different "flavor" to match the striped paper, and put a big heart rhinestone cherry on top of the pink frosted cupcake. I attached the cupcakes to the card using pop dots for some depth. I punched a scalloped circle out of textured AC cardstock in a light green and attached it behind the cupcakes. I stamped "Happy Birthday" (also from the same Hero Arts set) in brown and affixed three clear rhinestones.

This would be a great card for that sassy little (or big) someone's birthday!

Lazy Summer Contemplations

So I'm almost recovered from my oral surgery. I think I have a pudding hangover, but that's not so bad in comparison to the problems I COULD have!

Anyway, I've been reflecting on my shops now that it's the peak of summer, and it's pretty much downtime for me. I've retaken some pictures, I'm in the process of listing new items. (Almost up to 300!!) I'm very happy with the branding in my AuntieDis shop, and I even have a new brochure that was made by the fabulous clemartdesign! That shop is ready to rock and roll for the holiday season. I just am unsure about my AuntiesCardShop. For the longest time I've wanted to combine both of these shops into one, I mean it sure would be easier to promote just one, but for some reason I just can't do it. I try to list paper products in my AuntieDis shop, but something always stops me at the last moment. Something makes me think it would be too crowded. I'm not necessarily unhappy with the branding in that shop. It fits my theme, both shops seem to go very well together, but something is "off". I've been trying very hard lately to equally promote both shops, I've even been scheduling which days to promote which shop, so I'm sure to be fair to each. I've been creating new products, not always daily, but a few times a week. I just don't know what it is! I can't put my finger on it, and it's making me nuts! If you have any suggestions for me, please clue me in!

What are you doing in the down time of summer? Are you prepping for fall sales? Or are you spending time with family and friends? What's your secret summer plans? Share!

Hey Puddin' Head!

So in preparation for tomorrow's festivities (read: Oral Surgery) I have spent the twilight hours making pudding. "Be Prepared!" says I! I have Butterscotch, Banana, Coconut Cream, Pistachio and 2 tubs of Chocolate!! I'm hoping I won't need to eat it all, but of course then what will I do with it? (Eat it anyway!) Now y'all know that I'm not going to sleep tonight anyway, so, here's to hoping my creative muse comes for a visit so I can stay up until the pre-dawn hours making things! Come on Creative Muse! Work with me! Hope everyone else's Monday is better than mine is going to be!

Happy Birthday Marissa!

Yesterday was my daughter's 9th birthday! I keep saying that some day I am going to take one of those cake decorating classes at the local craft store, but up until this point, I haven't. However, it was my first attempt at a round cake. LOL I don't think it came out too bad! She got lots of loot and she's happy as a clam! We didn't have a huge party or anything, the neighbors came over and all the kids (all 6 of them) had a cupcake decorating binge. They had lots of fun, and they didn't even mind that we used leftover Halloween sprinkles! Hey, it kept them busy and out of my hair for 10 whole minutes! :)

Whose Powderpuff am I?

While most of us would love to spend a day being pampered with a good wash and set at the local spa, my four legged daughter disagrees. Not a fan of the bath this one. Normally I would just take her to the doggy wash, however, I chose to do it myself, on the cheap this time. It was quite easy, and for summertime baths, it seems like this will be our method from now on. It will save me about $100 a summer. So now that I'm more soaked than she is, and she doesn't look quite so mangy, with tufts of hair falling out all over her and my floor, I had to take a picture. She looks like a big black powder puff. Of course we didn't have any regular shampoo, no, this pooch got the good stuff..the Pantene shampoo AND conditioner. Now she's sitting by the sliding glass door looking out on our deck, the scene of the crime, and probably cussing me silently. After I go bathe myself (although if you saw me right now you'd argue that I had already done that....with clothes on...) I will conquer the canine manicure. She should be happy though, at least I didn't make her wear one of those doggie bandanas that she loves (read: loves so much that she shreds as soon as she can get her teeth on them) so much....