The first Thank You cards

 A long, long time ago in a galaxy far away, I made two thank you cards for some people named "Stephanie". True story! I could have sworn that I had sent these cards two months ago; when I made them! Oops!

I found them recently and took photos. I think that they turned out pretty good. (Let's face it, I like any pink card!)

I did some fun things with these cards and I'm excited to share them with you! I'll start with this blue card. I made this card using a 12x12 sheet of single sided scrapbook paper (Colorbok). I cut it to 8x12 and made a 4x6 card that matches inside and out! I also used my Sizzix Garden Delight alpha die set to cut out the letters on DCWV adhesive card stock. The result: floral, pink, alpha goodness! I slapped a length of $1 bin trim on under the "Thanks" and called it good. I'm a simple kind of girl! Inside I wrote my note and "bordered" my words with more flowers from the alpha set (think dots from an i and !). Voila, it matches!

The second card was more fun! I made a sticker! Woot! So, it was really an accident. See the flower on the top right? I though that the embossing folder was just an embossing folder not a CUTTER! I made do with my new flower by using Cat's Eye Chalk to enhance the image and did the same on the "Thank You" that I also embossed using a Sizzix embossing folder. Inside, I used this die to make an insert to write on and stuck it in the fold. I really should have taken a photo of the inside of this card too! Oh, well!

Hope this makes those of you who harassed me (Laurie!) happy!

Embossing is exciting!

I have a secret confession. Sometimes I make cards that I don't like. What's worse is that I give the cards I don't like to people that I would otherwise buy cards for. I think Belinda can relate to the phenomena of spending so much time on a card that you can't bear to give it away let alone think of what the recipient might do with it.
So, I'm sure you can guess the background behind this card. I had just received multiple crafty items in the mail all at once and I felt that I had to try them all out at once. So, I used my new rollerstamp (PeachyCheap), my new clear inkpad (The Scrapbooker's Schoolhouse), my new embossing heat gun (Joann's), and my new metallic embossing powders (Joann's) all on the same unsuspecting 5x7 card. It never saw it coming!
I must admit though, it was a good exercise. I figured out how much I need to heat the powders, played with new stamps, and felt redeemed because I hadn't technically wasted paper. (A real pet peeve of mine is wasting supplies such as paper and ink.) I had also forgotten about a friend's birthday. So, I grabbed the "card" and a random bottle of booze off of the bar (unopened, thank you) and had an instant birthday gift put together for her. Fortunately, I chose to give it to my least crafty friend who thought it was an amazing feat that I was able to handmake the card. I think it was amazing that I was able to pull off unloading that card! :P
While making this card I did learn that there should be a limit to the amount of embossing powder that can legally be applied to one sheet of paper! Oh, and that if you heat it for too long your embossing powder will bleed through your paper. Most importantly, I learned that embossing is fun, and exciting! Although I think I may need to steal Laurie's ideas for decking out my next bottle o' booze!

A quick (belated) thank you!

I did it! I finished the New York City Marathon (7:46) on November 1 and I had your support to carry me through. This thank you goes out to every individual who had kind words for me and even those who angered me into trying harder!

Much love and many thanks!

Steph

PS - Cards are coming for those who supported my financially in my NYC Marathon endeavor.

And now, please return to your regularly scheduled life

Wow! I had no idea that running a marathon would change my life, but it has. It has been a long journey of self-discovery and rediscovery. The last year has taught me a lot about myself, the world around me, and the way I let my environment affect me. I am smart though; I learned from my mistakes, trained, and prepared for every situation I thought I would encounter. I've been on a constant running high since June. Now, a week after the marathon, I feel the distinct onset of depression taking hold.
Preparation got me through 26.2 miles but it is going to take a lot more willpower now to suck it up, move on, and graduate. Maybe I'm not feeling depressed, maybe it is self-sabbotage. I am scared to death to graduate. I'm not ready to grow up and move on. Yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds. After all, I've been married for two years, own a house, have a dog, and carry enough in debt to prove that I'm an American. But, I'm safe and comfortable. I so desperately want to "spread my wings and fly"; to see the world and go out on my own but I'm not making any movements to get there.
I'm falling behind in classes and dreading my upcoming job interview. I can't take anymore rejection from the company I'm interviewing with. There it is, that fragility, that's the dead-giveaway that it's probably depression. I'm being a victim of sorts, helpless and hapless. It's really pathetic. What's really strange is that I'm watching this happen. I can feel it. I can see it. I can't seem to stop it though.
After I finished the marathon I felt physical relief but there was this emotional emptiness. I cried a lot in the last 4 miles of the marathon. I was emotionless when I crossed the finish line. I had moved on. I was beyond the marathon. So now, I'm trying to fill the hole, self-medicating (if you will) through exercise and chocolate. I'm going to sign up for the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in Orlando. I need to do this for myself instead of the naysayers. Maybe it will make me happy. Maybe doing my homework would make me happier. I guess both options are worth a shot.
I know that very few people read my blog, but it really is nice to have the Internet as a quiet, patient, friend to listen while I type this. I'm sure there will be comments of judgement from others, as there often are, but for now, this is nice.