Swappers Anonymous

[s1itcher46]

You tube video for a test tube holder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuW-XfXdUq8

[rhondag]

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffsbee

I spent the afternoon with my friend - we made 10 of the ornaments and 8 bookmarks.

Those are adorable Lisa!!

[rhondag]

Another fantastic gift from my Elf! ~The gorgeous SU! flower brads!~ (What did she do the rest of the days---I've had plenty of generous and wonderful gifts already!!) Wowie! Thanks so much Elf!

[mischief732]

Lisa - I love the bookmarks! I had forgot about making them at convention. After seeing how cute yours were, I thought, "I should make those for the gals at work". So, I hopped over to the SU web site to order them and they are SOLD OUT! I'm so sad. Are the frames in the Country Living kit the same size?

Jen - I hope your power is back and that you are snuggled up all warm and cozy with your little boys.

We got some Christmas shopping finished yesterday and I am caught up on laundry for the first time since school started I feel positively giddy. The house is even is fair condition. I can work on projects today without housework guilt!

Have a great morning! I'll check in later.

[ececsy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mischief732

Lisa - I love the bookmarks! I had forgot about making them at convention. After seeing how cute yours were, I thought, "I should make those for the gals at work". So, I hopped over to the SU web site to order them and they are SOLD OUT! I'm so sad. Are the frames in the Country Living kit the same size?

Jen - I hope your power is back and that you are snuggled up all warm and cozy with your little boys.

We got some Christmas shopping finished yesterday and I am caught up on laundry for the first time since school started I feel positively giddy. The house is even is fair condition. I can work on projects today without housework guilt!

Have a great morning! I'll check in later.

Missy- I have a few extra of those frames around if you need them. Let me know and I can pop five or six in the mail to you!

Liz

[ececsy]

Updated my blog with today's gift! a super cute tin with cocoa in it! thanks Secret elf! love this little tin!

Ok.. channeling Amy here.. Joann's had 50% off coupons today. woo hoo! Not sure what I need from there.. but I am sure there is something.

[Scrapbookmama_14]

Hello everyone!

I see you guys are in the full swing of your Elf swap! How much fun

I was in an Elf swap on an SU yahoo group I got my goodies and almost passed out. I got loads of awesome goodies. I had been drooling over the Chunky Glitter and I got that and the SU mat.. and other amazing projects it made me cry! lol

Sorry I've been MIA but I've been busy.. trying to get the house kind of ready.. going to put the tree up OH GOSH..

I am also working on 42 Snowmen Soup packets to work on and the rest of my Teacher gifts.. so I'm a busy mess.. but that hasn't stopped me from signing up for more swaps! lol..

BUT this is it until I am not done w/these I am not signing up.. esp. since I signed up for the MEGA SWAP! lol. but since I know which stamp I am using I'll take my time and work on it..


Between emails I saw Jen has no electricy is that right? well I send my hugs and hope you are well with your sweet boys...

Amy I saw your cards for Jan. LOVE THEM.. I think I need to get to work and do actually work SAS into my plans I've never done it so we shall see..

Everyone else HUGS to you all and I'm off to read the 3 trillion posts I've missed!

-Ellie

[biffsbee]

Hi Ladies. Started out as a warm day - 36 and the temp has dropped in the past hour and a half to 12 and still falling. Supposed to be -7 with a wind chill of -30+ by morning. So the rain we had earlier is now a skating rink on the roads! I so am glad it quit raining before the temp took a nose dive though, otherwise we would be in for the same as Jen. Jen honey, I do hope your power is back on soon!

Loving my Secret Elf!!! Today I got smellies! Scented Envelope Sachet that is. The name is Frosty and it smells like everything wonderful about Christmas! Thank you Elfie!!!

Had lunch with BFF and did our gift exchange. She made me cute earrings and bought me a cool glass bead bee necklace! That and a candle holder with votives from PL. I gave her mostly SU stuff this year as she has been tight on $ and hasn't placed an order this catalog yet except for paper. She was so thrilled! Which made me happy.

Now DH and I are home for the evening and maybe ice day tomorrow too. Gonna make him lasagna tomorrow - mine is as good as any Italian out there so he says. Not bad for a Norwegian eh? ;)

Now off to ponder dinner for tonight...thinking potato soup...

[biffsbee]

Ellie - sounds like you have been busy! Whew makin me tired reading all you are doing! Have fun with the snowman soups! The teachers will love them.

[biffsbee]

Missi, I think I have a whole package of the chipboard frames from the bulk buy left if are interested pm me.

[smccain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pammybaby

Did anyone get the calendar kit from the holiday mini? Is it worth it? I'm still trying to decide about it.

Hugs to all!

I am so far behind but am trying to catch up with everyone. I did these for Christmas for my girlfriends from work. I colored a small clipboard (4 1/2 x 9) with Chocolate Craft ink and then used some of the brown ribbon from the kit to tie on the top. Then I put together the calendar. The idea is that the months go on the clipboard and then I created an "enjoy every moment" page that can go on the clipboard when the year is over and holds a nice size picture. I'm posting them later today after I catch up here! I thought they were fun and they are QUICK!

[mischief732]

mmmm.......I love soup on a cold day/night. I was going to make soup, but after DH was finished snow blowing the driveway, he went and got take out! No cooking for me! We didn't get very much snow, just enough to cover the drive way and make it slick.

We took the dogs to the off leash park today. I love to watch them play in the snow. They really love it. I sat in the warm car and watched while DH stood out in the winter weather. He is a good man, I hate to be cold.

I'm in my thermals and flannels and am off to watch A Muppets Chirstmas Carol. I love that movie
Everyone keep warm and enjoy the night

[mischief732]

Stacy - I must've been editing my numerous typos when you posted! I can't wait to see your calendar. My kits are sitting on a shelf waiting for me to put them together before 2010! I'll check your gallery later for inspiration.

[biffsbee]

Hi Stacy and Missi! Trying to stay warm here. DH is snoozing and we had a big lunch so we decided on snacks later (cheese, crackers and summer sausage for me, venison sausage for him). Maybe get in a movie too.
Unfortunately it is supposed to snow a bit on top of this ice! I sure hope not. The temp has dropped to 9 now.

[smccain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amysings

I have never actually *made* Nanaimo bars, just eaten them a couple times. LOL My mom served a mission for our church in Nanaimo, so everyone who comes to visit her from there always shares. :-)

Here's the Nanaimo Bar page:
http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html

So is the fact I don't have a double broiler give away that I'm not a big baker? If we are still sharing recipes by the time I get to the end of these posts, I'll offer up what I can make. Seriously, I thought the women in my family were chatting but I've been reading for an hour and I was only 1 week behind (and this is a post from 3 days ago!) I'm going back in.....

[rhondag]

Go Stacy! Speed read girlie!

Whoa Missi! Thermals and Flannels? WT stay warm! I'd be wearing 3 pair if I lived in a cold place!

LOL Lisa---our weather is wacky too! Our high today was around noon-ish 68 degrees. It is now 30 with a low tonight of 18. Run South!

[smccain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ececsy

so who is going to do Artisan Award this year? I wanted to last year, but ran out of time! who's with me for 09? I could use a $500 SU shopping spree.. ha ha ha!

I'm in again for this - a glutton for punishment but at least we have until April this year! I figure I've finally got this thing figured out so I have a few cards already and some ideas for scrapbooking!

[smccain]

Success - I have caught up!

I'm also in for the elf swap next year - I think I just didn't understand the rules but how fun for all of you - I went out and bookmarked everyone's blogs so I can see everything!

So my update - I got most of my Christmas cards done & ready for the mail on Monday. The desktop calendars are put together and ready to be wrapped and shipped - takes me forever to decide what pictures to put in them for our friends but they look great! I have bags made (will post after dinner) for my clipboard calendars and I'm going to start on the little desk sets that I'm making for a few of those at work that really helped me out this year. Easy way to say thank you.

Non-SU news - we have a lot of snow up here. Apparently even bad football is better than shoveling snow so I went out and did it. When I came in, I told DH "Remember, we have 2 shovels..." and he said "You didn't ask me to help!" Sigh - I thought one of the reasons I got married was so I didn't have to do that kind of outdoor crap. Oh well, it looked good for about 30 minutes and then it started snowing again.

All the presents are wrapped under the tree. Have a few left to buy but am in good shape. Have to make a mini album for my cousin tonight too - we don't get to see her very much but at Thanksgiving, she popped up in almost every photo - too cute. Anyhow, Con is putting together our Wii Fit in the front room. I'm glad to know that both me and Mii will get fatter if I miss a few days of it - thanks for posting that!

I was going to make pillow boxes for my team at work but no one told me I'd have to make microscopic pretzels for them to fit inside. That was a disappointment - I thought they would be bigger (obviously).

Okay, off to make dinner - DH was patient while I read all the posts but now he's ready for me to feed him! Hee hee - making chicken marsala - don't ooh and ahh too much - it's from a box. HA!

Don't post too much while I'm gone - unless it's about your fun Elf gifts or the coolness of your holiday seasons (shopping & crafting stories!) I set a reminder in my Outlook to get me back on here every night to play catch up!

[amysings]

Hi Stacy! I've been wondering what you were up to!

[smccain]

Well, at this exact moment I'm burning the crap (was thinking of a more colorful word than that) of my hands as I make dinner - forgot about the oil part of the cooking process....

[amysings]

LOL Potty mouth.

[pammybaby]

Hi, Everyone!
Lisa, love your bookmarks! And so sorry about the Zimbabwe situation - I'm definitely going to check on the GAIN website and learn more - thanks for motivating me!

Lovin' all the elf gifts being posted on your blogs! So, so cute and creative!!

Jen, hope you have power and warmth - thinking of you and sending warm thoughts your way!

We had a great time in Seattle with the kiddies! Went to the Aerospace Museum, had lunch at the wharf, went to an awesome Christmas light show at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, and it was snowing, nighttime, and the place was all lit up and we walked around - gorgeous! Today we played in the snow and drank hot chocolate, and little Jack and I stamped and made "books" for Mommy and Daddy. I hated to leave!

Liz, I love your blog banner and background - it's just like the SU DSP - HOW did you do that???? (OK, I'm sorta computer challenged!)

Ellie, good to hear from you!

Hi, Stacy!

Hugs to all!

[ececsy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pammybaby

Liz, I love your blog banner and background - it's just like the SU DSP - HOW did you do that???? (OK, I'm sorta computer challenged!)

How did I do that? um.. I paid someone to create it! I am totally challenged that way! I told her that I loved autumn vine and that really rust and chocolate were my favorite colors. I wanted paws on the side and she went from there.. i LOVE it. wasn't too expensive either.. and if I want to change it seasonally.. it's only $15 to change to snowflakes or flowers or whatever. I am so happy with it. It makes me actually want to post to my blog.. which I am horrible about doing!

anyway.. THANK YOU for your compliment!

[ececsy]

Stacy- nice to see you again.. I am so with you.. there is NOTHING worse than shoveling! ugh! hateful stuff.. I will be out on the drive tomorrow morning supposed to start pretty soon.. ice first though.. hate that!

Lisa- same cold front coming here.. it was 40 today.. tomorrow high of 16! and freezing tonight.. stay warm my friend! I have some yummy cocoa to keep me warm! you should too!

WE GOT OUR BIG SHOT FORUM over on the demo side! almost better than the elfie gifts were are getting! woo hoo! now let's get this thread over on the demo side too!

[amysings]

I'll start a new thread, if you want.

My proposed title:

Swappers Anonymous: How to convert your swaps to classes and workshops.

And I'll put it in the Workshops forum? Other suggestions?

[rhondag]

I hate to leave a thread we haven't finished (all the way to 100). Can you butter up Gail to move this one?

Who posted this one?...going to look. You did Amy.....See if you can change the title.

I love that title, and I actually do that so it is very real.

[amysings]

Surprise! It was me.

[Scrapbookmama_14]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amysings

I'll start a new thread, if you want.

My proposed title:

Swappers Anonymous: How to convert your swaps to classes and workshops.

And I'll put it in the Workshops forum? Other suggestions?

I could be the poster child pic for our group you know.. ask me what I am doing right now.. yes finishing my swaps that are going tomorrow so I can start my others LOL..


It was funny my hubby said Ellie you need to find a Swapper Anonymous and I started to laugh.. I said WELL GUESS what I already am! lol

-Ellie

[amysings]

I think we have a better chance if we stay under the radar. They don't like to move threads, and moving one this big will definitely cause them IT issues. (messes up searches)

They really like the threads to close before they get too close to 5000. We can hang out here for a while longer. But if we want to be on the demo side, we'll have to start a new thread.

[amysings]

Awww, thanks for volunteering! LOL

[amysings]

I can change the title, but I'm not asking Gail! LOL It took months to get that Big Shot forum, and if I make her mad, she'll take it back! :-)

[biffsbee]

Hi ladies, checking in before hybernating! Now it is 2 degrees. The wind is whipping and I am too cold to look out the window to see if there is any snow. Gotta love polar fleece and hot cocoa!!!

Thanks Pamela - The situation there is just so sad and preventable. These things are different for me now that I have been overseas and experienced with my own senses, the people and seeing their conditions. It's tangible to me now. Something you can never forget. You can't have those experiences and come home and "be" the way you were before you went.

okay - sorry about the reflect rambling. I have been doing that all day. The sermon this morning caught me too.

[biffsbee]

Well just don't go off starting a new thread without telling me. Pleaseeeee!!! I *heart* you gals!

[amysings]

Oh, it will take awhile. Is anyone opposed to being in the Workshops forum? And you all know I'll put a link in my sig line. Hmm. I'll have to delete some of that llama stuff. LOL

[biffsbee]

I am only opposed to being left wandering aimlessly through SCS without my SA friends to guide me.

[finger's inky girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffsbee

I am only opposed to being left wandering aimlessly through SCS without my SA friends to guide me.

Well said Lisa, we have to go as a group!

[smccain]

We might even make some new SA friends if we move the thread. Before we go though, I'm going to post a pretty honest thread (ha - like I've been hiding!) Anyhow, since everyone is so good at being a support system, I thought I'd throw this one out there and it's not even work related (mostly).

So I am a closet smoker from you guys (only because you don't hang out with me while I drink my wine.) Anyhow, tomorrow I get to start on my Wii Fit, get my hair dyed back to brown like it was a few years ago, and I'm going to try and finally quit smoking. I have tried a couple of times before but it's hard becuase I only have 2-3 a day (unless it's a layoff day or week, then I have more!) Anyhow, it makes it harder because they come at specific times like 5:30 when I get home from work and 7 when I'm waiting for dinner to be done. DH & I are starting with getting through this last week before my vacation starts. A week of success before I head into all that time at home (I don't smoke at all during a workday). Just looking for a little encouragement from this gang in my attempts to get healthy. Besides, DH and I are thinking of finally starting a family (read all the age posts earlier - I'm 31). We aren't going to try until next summer and I would never smoke while I was pregnant (that's not a concern anyone needs to have), I just want to stop before then and get my body ready for another person to share it with me.

And I'm doing it for me. I just miss my old self sometimes. Sometimes I wonder how the writer ended up an analyst. How the confident girl ended up with so much uncertainty (that is where the work part comes in, right?) And it's easy to get lost inside those thoughts and forget that the woman I am is based on the girl I was and she's still got this loud voice that craves a keyboard (one with an S key that isn't broken). I found Pam & Amy's comments about their bodies and hands and all the stories tied to them truly inspiring. We should all remember that we are made up of all the things that went right and wrong and we are in charge of what we do with the person that all created. Character is created with time and it comes when a person is faced with a difficult situation and they accept the consequences of their actions, rather than defer or ignore them. I may get lost sometimes but at least I know I have character (and am one!)

Anyhow, that's my random thought for the evening. Off to finish my SA Christmas cards for all you wonderful and amazing women.

[mischief732]

I'm with Lisa and Angie, I don't mind moving, but don't leave me behind! I do like your title Amy!

It's going to be a cold week, the high temperature is 30! thanks heavens for a furnace, blankets and warm dogs that like to snuggle! This is great stamping weather!

Sending warm thoughts your way Jen!

[amysings]

Hugs, Stacy! One of my sidelines was finally able to quit smoking this year, after like 20 years! She is in law enforcement, so it was totally a part of the culture.

She got on whatever the newest drug is, and it made a huge difference! She had tried many times in the past, and it just didn't work.

Hope you can find the best way for *you* to stop! We'll be cheering you on and keeping you in our prayers!

[Scrapbookmama_14]

HEYYYYYYYYY Don't leave me either.. guess what I just did.. YES I DID IT AGAIN!! LORD HELP ME!!! signed for another swap OK promise thats it.. really but this one is easy and I've never done a swap like this and I need to do it.. its a male card swap! lol.. OH man.. lol...


And Stacy I know you can do it and relate to all you said.. I have felt lost at time because me being a SAHM was something I never thought I would be although now that I am I feel so very blessed because I am watching my babies and I have learned so much. .. everything was go,go.. and so fast before my Anjelique passed and when she did I really learned that time is so precious and we have to enjoy and make the most of what we have and for every change or what we learn or what we become it is part of our Character and we have the power to be the most we can be.. I actually have been sad around here because the holidays get to me but I said NO I can't do that because I know Anjie wouldn't want me to do that to her brothers and sister and neither to myself so I shook myself and have been trying to get in the mood and said I can do it.. I actually bought me some hair dye! LOL.. I love my hair jet black (I have redish/brown hair) but I like my jet black hair w/my freckles so I am going to do that tomorrow.. so I am 1000% behind you love. 2009 is the year of better and wonderful things for ALL OF US.. even me who is a swap addict! LOL


-Ellie