Christmas Cards...

I finally started playing with my Christmas cards today... I know I need to start gettting them made because I have so many to send out. The cards are so much prettier in person... If you want one send me an email... jenp85730@msn.com

Finally an update!

Things have been going wonderfully lately. I ended up leaving my husband Mike on May 21, 2007 due to Domestic Violence. The divorce was recently finalized the frustrating part is that he has been slacking on the car payment that he is supposed to be paying. I got a bill today stating that he is almost three months behind. Ugh!
For me though otherwise things are going wonderfully! I met the man of my dreams on Aug. 15th and we have been inseperable ever since. Wednesday was our 6 week Anniversary. If I would have never come home I probably would have never met him. Granted AZ was so much better for my health, but now I found that God had a reason for me to be back home in Upper Michigan.
I have got some new cards that I have made recently I just haven't gotten a chance to take a picture of them or scan them yet due to not knowing where my digital is for one and also because I have to scan them from the other computer put them onto my flash drive then load them onto this computer and school has been consuming a great deal of my time.
Tonight is week three in my Psychology course and so far I got a 97% in week one and a 98% last week. Things are going good there as well.
Well I suppose I should finally get to bed and I will try and post pictures in the morning.

So long no update...

I have been making cards quite a bit lately and the pictures aren't turning out at all. I have still not gotten the scanner to work with Vista. I will have to buy a new one soon. Right now I am still working on obtaining my excess funds check for my college loans. I just tried calling as a matter of fact to get a busy line... *Note to self... try again later*
I have a few new pictures to show you all as well of myself. I will have to upload them later though as I am running late for an appointment.
Oh and for those of you who don't already know I had knee surgery on Tuesday and am working on recovery right now so I will not be working for awhile.
I'll be back shortly!

Did I tell you?

I haven't had a chance to scan any pictures lately because the new Window's Vista laptop that my hubby bought me for Valentine's Day doesn't like my scanner and since I just got the laptop we haven't had any money to purchase a new printer that is compatible. Isn't technology the pits sometimes?

I do have some new things that I would love to show you also. If only I could figure out how to take a better picture so the flash doesn't whiten it all out. I have tried everything that so many of you do on here to no avail. If I figure it out there might be pictures today.

I also hope to go to Bible Study today and work on homework for my statistics class. Anyone know how to use the Excel 2007 proficiently yet that can help me? I would greatly appreciate it! Have a Blessed Day!

How to watermark in IrfanView

The program I use for watermarking is called IrfanView or I-View for short. Here is a short tutorial on how to use this program to watermark your cards or pictures.
It can be downloaded for free at http://www.irfanview.com/

First is just the card

Next you draw a text box on the picture where you would like the watermark. All you have to do is click on the picture and draw. If you don't like where it is you can Undo the box.

Next you go to the Edit Menu and tell it you want to insert text into the text box. I have highlighted it here.

Then decide what you want the text box to say. Here I am typing in the text. If you want a copyright symbol just click on Append Copyright and it will show up for you automatically. No having to remember codes and using the ctrl button at the same time. Yay for that! As you can see here I have added my text and chosen the font. When you chose the font and font size is when you also may choose a color. I usually use Gray, Silver, or White depending on the card.

Finished Card with Copyright Information Watermarked on Photo!

Where I have been....

Is not doing so great. I went to the cardiologists yesterday to find out that my VSD that I had as an infant did close however, there is a lot of scar tissue there and I have some "minor" leaks around my valves. I also had an EKG, Echocardiogram, Stress test and I am now on a halter monitor until 5 pm tonight.

I am really nervous but am praying too and asking God to help me through this. The doctor doubled my newest dose of Coreg also and I have to go back in one month... sooner if the halter monitor shows something. I am frustrated because when I was young this could of been somewhat prevented and my parents did nothing. I am dealing with those feelings but needed to write them out for my benefit...

The stress test was the hardest for me to do and I had to stop a few beats before the finish. My heart got to 93 % of it's capacity and was doing 175 bpm!! I was so short of breath and had heaviness in my chest oh and don't forget thirsty. I had to stop the test. It "looks" as normal as can be with the health problems I have. I don't know what's going to happen next but I know that God will keep me in his loving care and get me through this...

Please pray if you are so inclined...

Happy Thursday!

I wanted to let you all know that if you look on the side banner that you can now see the results of my makeover! Yay!
I won't have time to stamp today because I am cramming to finish things up for college tonight. Gotta love essays! I will be back tomorrow with another project!
Have a great day & Happy Stampin'!

I've been tagged!

Alison tagged me so here goes...

A - Available or Single: Married! Talk about boring
B - Best Friend: Donna or Debbie back in Michigan or Tanya or hubby in Tucson
C -Cake or Pie: Punkin' Pie
D - Drink of Choice: Green Tea
E - Essential item you use everyday: Cell phone or computer
F - Favorite Color: Blues
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Gummy Bears for sure
H - Hometown: Florence, WI
I - Indulgence: Chocolate
J - January or February: February
K - Kids & Names: Meghan 11 , Britny 15, Jordan 13, Jonathon 9, Christian 8
L - Life is incomplete without?: My DH, my kids, and stamping!!
M - Marriage Date: July 6, 2004
N - Number of Siblings: 2 sisters and one half brother
O - Oranges or Apples: Mmm...mandarins! <---- Me too!
P - Phobias or Fears: Something happening to any of my children
Q - Fave Quote: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Anne Frank (Sage Advice)
R - Reason to Smile: Having Stampin' Time daily!, Spending time with the family, Getting a good grade on an essay for college!
S - Season: Spring!
T - Tag 3 or 4 People Everybody I know has already taken this! If you haven't please do and let me know!
U - Unknown fact about me: I procrastinate!
V - Vegetable you don't like: Candied Yams or beets! Ewwwwwww!
W - Worst Habit: Umm smoking?
X - X-rays: Too many to count!
Y - Your Fav Food: Peanut Butter (I find it comforting)
Z - Zodiac Sign: Leo the Lioness

New Cards...

Here are some of the new cards I have been wanting to show you all!

The first is the view finder... I learned how to make this at a demo meeting and Love it!

This is what I made for my demo swap. I used the faux leather technique

Another faux leather.. Just to try a different layout... I chose the first one instead.

This card is made using the magic snowflake technique. My friend Darla has a monthly stamp camp and I learned how to make this with her. Much fun!

This is the other card that Darla taught me how to make. The buckle card!

I forgot to add the copyright.. all images copyright Stampin' Up!

Long time I haven't been here

Sorry I haven't been on in awhile. My dear hubby had knee surgery and has been out of commission for a while now and has been at home with me and I have been trying to be a good wife and take good care of him... Lol! He goes back to work on Monday and I have to say I can't wait! He is a great guy but I have my routines and such and I am just not used to having him around all day long every day. Is that bad?
Well I am getting a makeover done today and I am so excited. It's definitely time for a new look for hopefully an award winning career.... It's time for me to get back into the workforce. I am so excited about persuing a job that will be an asset to my business management degree. I have pictures to post but I am at the college now studying so please look for them on Monday or Tuesday!
Have a great day and Happy Stampin'!

First try at

Popping pastels! What do you all think? I got the inspiration for the colors from the new loves me not paper in the mini, well all except the pastels but I think it still looks alright.




Also I have added a more recent picture of me on my profile. It's nice to see the person behind the blog right?

Polka Dots and Paisley

This is the newest card I have made and the first one using the new set that was my Christmas surprise from Shelli and Stampin' Up! I am not really sure I like this card just yet but it's growing on me. I made this for my step-daughter to let her know that her dad and I are thinking about her and getting excited for the trip that she will be making in March to come and visit. She's 15 and really girly so focused on pixie pink quite a bit.

I am also learning how to add the copyright onto my pictures for SU purposes... I am not sure I am really excited about how that looks but it's okay for today. In a way I would really like to learn how to make it more like a watermark so that no one can steal the image and claim it as their own. Would you all that do the watermarking of the image let me know what program it is that you use and such? I would greatly appreciate it!!

This is the new card I made for a "thinking of you swap" for my hostess club. I feel like it needs something but not completely sure what... any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

In this card I am not sure if you can tell but the centers of the flowers do have micro beads.... So any ideas on how to make it better? I was thinking maybe some brads? I don't know... color?

Happy New Year & My Christmas

Happy New Year fellow stampers and scrappers! Wow I haven't been on here in a while... see what happens when my dear hubby is home for vacation! I didn't mean to neglect this but as you can see my poor blog fell by the wayside till today!

Anyways... Happy New Year 2007!

Not only did I get spoiled by my hubby this year for Christmas, but I also got very spoiled this year from some wonderful friends on the Yahoo group Su-girlfriends.

I had participated in a stocking swap remember? Well the lady that did my stocking had her car broken into and such and ended up re-making my stocking but no one had heard from her in a while so the lady hosting the swap and also Admin I think sent me this first bunch of stuff.... I was absolutely tickled pink!

This is from my wonderful friend Darla who got me started on that yahoo group! Isn't she great?

This is from Nora the one who re-did my stocking after having the first one stolen out of her car. I am so blessed!

And this is from the Admin and List owner if I remember correctly

Thanks to all of these wonderful ladies I had the best Christmas in a long time! And the best part? I got exactly what I wanted! Stampin' Stuff!!!