Updatin the blog...

Oy - it's been a long, long time, hasn't it? No excuses...just busy. Part of the 'busy' was an event for crafters called "the Great NW Paper Chase"! It started last week on Friday - Of course we mapped out the course and hit 11 stores from Bellingham to Issaquah the first day! The Second day (Saturday) we hit the south end stores and the ones on the Peninsula. And finally on Sunday we hit a couple more right here in town (closest to where we live!). Notice the back of the trunk of the new car...I thought the trunk was pretty deep and pretty big but we managed to fill it up. The rest of the packages ended up in the back seat. :-/

I tend to really get caught up in paper lines and the embellishments when I'm shopping. We did the same event last year and I spent wayyyyy too much. So this year I tried to make a budget for each place and a list of things I 'needed' and tried stick to it. That worked out ok until the 5th store (the really good stores don't count, of course...we allowed ourselves more time, money, and no budget at the really good stores). What a total blast! Here are some pictures of stamps that were picked up along the way, and the three of us out and about (Debbie my friend from the Seattle PI who is now at the Seattle Times, Candy my aunt, and me - in that darn green jacket again)....how does that always happen?? LOL

Each store has a make n take and you get special discounts (which just means they're enabling you)....trust me on that one. I have more stamps on order because some of the stores were out of AMuse and Memory Box (the new line of woodland animals is fabulous), and then a Karen Lockhart stamp here and there should be mailed this week (I hope)..... and some clear stamps - which you'll probably be seeing later when I make cards! :)

I made a card for my dad, one for my son, and one for hubby. For once I used my stuff right away! Yay! It felt so good to use rather than hoard! LOL

Have a great day - it turned out SUNNY here in Seattle today! (though it was wet and miserable this morning)....I told hubby to send some of the sunshine from CA where he's at right now, and as always, he obliged. What a guy.

Take care~
Elaine