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Monday, January 28, 2013

Valentine Chic!

Happy Freezing Monday everyone!  I'm typing this up the night before (while watching the Pro Bowl..yay to the NFC) so the teens may or may not be home due to the freezing rain they are calling for.  I literally feel like we are living in the Anartic these days...so cold, windy, snow, sleet...I can't think of weather I HATE more ugh.  So I will probably have a full house today..oy..and James & Alexa both have the stomach flu.  Seeing that I've had all the flu bugs I'm hopeful that I won't be affected ugh...didn't enjoy the 5 weeks of sickness I had, it took me down harder than I liked.

But we had a great weekend...Saturday Alexa's choral program put on "Desserts on Broadway" where all the choir students perform Broadway or Movie Songs.  They hold it in the audiotorium and have the lights dimmed, candles on decorated tables and serve desserts during intermission...really fun and lots of talent but OY it was 3 hours long.  Suzanne does NOT sit that long very well LOL and we hadn't eaten dinner so we had dinner at 10:30 at night much to Riley's chagrin.  Then Sunday I worked on projects, organized 2 closets, kitchen desk and our master bathroom cabinets and vacuumed first floor.  And then made homemade calzones..mmmmm..for dinner while we watched the NFC/AFC ProBowl on tv. I like to be productive on Sunday when I can as I feel I get the week started AHEAD..and trust me I need all the help I can get going into a long week LOL.  We've been watching the X-Games as well every night...crazy the things these athletes do to their bodies..so many terrible injuries.  Hard for me to watch at times that is for sure, especially as a mom I can only imagine what their parents are going thru...eek!

 Desserts on Broadway

Any of you have nightmares?  I have had crazy, terrible nightmares since I was a kid.  My brother had them too and he would actually sleep walk and act crazy.  I usually would just wake up screaming which is what I've been doing a lot of lately.  Not the quiet screaming...but blood-curdling-wake-hubby-up-scare-the-pants-off-of-everyone LOL. I sometimes wake up not being able to breathe & feeling like its "actually" happening...man I HATE that.  The night before last I had 5 episodes in a row, got NO sleep and was just miserable.  I'm a very visual person..if I see something it sticks with me..this is why I watch no news at night, don't watch scary movies/shows and try to not read scary stuff.  But it doesn't seem to help much ugh.  I used to be on sleep meds but 2 years ago I went off of them trying to reduce the amount of prescriptions I was on to clear out my body so I don't really want to go that route again. I take melatonin and an Advil PM on occasion but not sure how to get rid of these nightmares.  Guess after having them for most of my life you'd think I'd be used to it but I'm not and its so disruptive and tiring. I don't lead a scary life, I don't do scary things LOL so not sure why I have horrible dreams...my dreams seriously could be epic-long movies at times.   Anyone else have this issue and what did you do to help with it?  Any help for me you think LOL?

 my Winston...whaddya think he's saying? "please don't wake me up yet momma" LOL

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Shabby Chic Valentine


This is my version of a shabby chic Valentine...I saw a picture of a shabby chic porch below in my web travels and was totally inspired by it. (the fact that it looks warm and sunny in the pic coulda been a factor LOL).  I used papers from Pink Paislee called "London Market"...love the vintage patterns and soft pinks...perfect for this project.  This card has A LOT of layers, I mean A LOT LOL..and it took me a good long while to make as well.  All the papers got distressed with my Zutter Distress machine & then inked in 2 different brown inks.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:




The stamp image is from I Brake For Stamps called "English Rose Tile Collage" and I find myself drawn to collage/shabby chic/vintage images lately.  I just ordered a few more for myself to play with..hee hee!  The stamp was inked with a soft pink Memento ink onto cream cardstock, then I added some postage stamps to it in brown and the "Sending Love to You" sentiment to the top of image from PTI.  The rose image in the center I stamped twice and then cut out and raised the 2nd one with pop-dots on top of the image & tilted it just a bit for more interest..it also has Stickles around the rose for some sparkle.  The scroll-parentheses are from Pink Paislee as well and are called "Artisan Elements"..I love them as they are super flexible, self-sticky and you can ink/distress/spritz/color them.  The cream tulle I burned with matches...its really fun to do LOL..I think my secret pyro-girl comes out ahahahaha but I love the vintage/worn look it gives the tulle (beware to not burn yourself or your house ok lol)


Then I used some Marianne Designs doily dies to create more layers/interest and inked them as well.  The bow was topped with small roses that were inked and under bow is tulle and a doily die cut along with the leafy branches (a Memory Box die I believe) that got stickled for bling.


That's it for me today!  Hope you have a wonderful, warm week & I'll see you back here on Wed!!

15 comments:

  1. Suzanne this is a BEAUTIFUL card!! I always look forward to your posts with all the beautiful stamps you use. With regard to your sleep issues. I know people who suffered from nightmares as you do and they swear by the indian dreamcatchers. One lady has a child that would wake up all times during the night, as you do, screaming and she placed one above her bed and she has been nightmare free since. It is something to try that is not medicinal. I hope you find something that will work for you. Thanks for sharing your awesome talent with us. Kimmy

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  2. Oh I feel for you with the nightmares. I don't wake up screaming but I always wake up with a migraine headache. I call them my stressful dreams. It really does feel like it is actually happening. I am still trying to figure out if the dreams cause the headache or if the headache causes the dreams. I have suffered from migraine headaches all my life but the dreams have just started in the past couple of years. I hate them. I am always worn out and useless the next day! On a happy note, I love your card. It is absolutely beautiful!

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  3. Pretty card. I discovered I have scary (and I mean scary someone is after me or something bad happened to my adult kids or just plain off the wall) nightmares if my stomach is sort of upset, namely acid reflux. If I am kinda "burpy" at bedtime I take a Pepcid. I never have nightmares or bad dreams now. That is weird...but it works for me.

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  4. Suzanne, sorry to hear about the nightmares. My brother has had them all his life. He will wake up screaming and running. When we were young, we had to make sure he didn't injure himself. I hope you can find resolution...he has not!

    You card is beautiful. Such fantastic design point of view. I can find the inspiration elements in your card; so beautifully extrapolated and transformed. Love it!

    Thanks so much for dropping by our house at 613 Avenue Create! You have a lot of fans her, We hope you will visit often!

    Hugz,
    Chana

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  5. Suzanne as usual your card BEAUTIFUL!! I am a big fan of yours and you have inspired a lot of my work. I always look forward to your creations. Regarding your nightmares, I would stick by the indian dreamcatchers. It is something to try that does not require a visit to a doctor. I used them with my son when he was younger but he's in his 40s now so I guess he outgrew his sleep issues. Thanks for sharing your talent and visiting our neighborhood at 613 Avenue Create.

    Lesia
    DT MEMBER

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  6. I love the intricacy of your beautiful card. The layers and soft muted colors are gorgeous. Thanks for bringing your art to 613 Avenue Create.

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  7. Goodness - layers and layers of deliciousness....love everything. I keep looking and see something new. Delightful.

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  8. Oh Suzanne, this is so beautiful. I, too, find myself so drawn to vintage looking cards and just about everything else! I just struggle with how much"stuff" to use but your card is perfect. Love the layers and how you used the stamps and inks! Perhaps a mini class on vintage cards???? Just lovely. Sad you are having such a hard time sleeping! YOu have just come off a busy time away at CHA and being sick plus being Mom and wife (aka CEO of the Homefront) takes the wind out of you. Try to do something pleasant before sleep and try even a 5-10 minutes of meditation where you see yourself sleeping peacefully.. tell yourself you will have pleasant dreams... I do believe it meditation and I also do that right before sleep to keep the negative thoughts (like fears about the kids, money, my work....)from ending my day! It does work!!! Hang in there... xxx Ann Marie

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  9. This is just stunning. I love the soft colors and multiple layers. Beautiful work as always.

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  10. I don't know what more I can say about your card than what has already been said. It should be framed. It is really one of the most beautiful Shabby Chic cards I have seen. So very happy that you decided to share it with us at 613 Avenue Create.

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  11. Lovely card, Suzanne. So Shabby Chic and love the soft colors. Your Winston kitty is so sweet all snuggled and warm.
    Hugz,
    Cathy Lee

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  12. Oh ...this is so shabby chic and LOVELY. Thanks for sharing with us at 613 Avenue Create.
    Emonie
    Emoniedezigns.com

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  13. Beautiful card Suzanne, so delicate and pretty, I love it.
    Thanks for joining us at Addicted To Stamps
    hugs Mandy xx

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  14. Your card is simply stunning! I also find myself drawn to Shabby Chic/Vintage cards. I'm sorry about the nightmares and hope you find an answer soon!

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  15. I have had a horrible time sleeping since I was approx. 12 years old. I am lucky if I get 3 hours sleep on a good night, so I feel your pain about feeling tired all the time. You might want to talk to your doctor about having a sleep study done. That way you can rule out sleep apnea as the cause of why you are waking up with difficulty breathing. My mom and sister both have it and they both had non-specific symptoms and would never had gotten tested if I hadn't urged them too. They both sleep better now then they ever have before. Just a thought....Hope your nightmares stop and your sleep gets better:)

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I appreciate all your lovely comments and taking the time to stop by! hugz,Suzanne