Oh My... Cameo!

My dear hubby is ever so sneaky. He's complained before that he can never surprise me because I know what he spends so if he tries to get me a gift, I know about it before he can even get home. But this year, he conspired with my mom to get me the best birthday present ever (well other than maybe the baby I've wanted for years now, but that's another story). So tonight, we went to dinner with my parents and sister and my mother passed a card over to hubby to sign. I thought that maybe they went in together on a gift. But no, really my mom and her dear friend Pat just did my husband a favor to make the card for the gift she bought for him to give me so I wouldn't see the charge on the debit card... A Silhouette Cameo.

I am so excited. I won't get it until later in December, but I don't care that I have to wait. I'm so looking forward to seeing what it can do. I've heard such good things and, in the last couple of days I realized that I need a better machine. The Cricut just can't cut the details I need.

Over the last two days I did a project just for me: an advent calendar. I've wanted one for so long but never bought/made one. When we were pouring over the ads for Black Friday, I saw that Craft Warehouse had this adorable tree calendar. Surprisingly they still had them by the time we got there (we shopped from 7:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday including trips to Michaels, JoAnns and Craft Warehouse). So on Sunday night, I covered the boxes and the tree holder. Then last night, I cut out the numbers and started adding them, but my Cricut just didn't cut this font cleanly. I'm not sure if I need a new blade or what, but I just could not make it cut well. Now I kind of wish I had waited, but with tomorrow being the 1st, I guess I made the right call even if the cuts aren't as precise as I would like.

So now I get a new toy and had a fabulous birthday. My sister bought me a lovely new Jim Shore cat and I got another one from DaisyMae Maus too. They are absolutely fabulous. Plus I received Walmart and Joann shopping cards and cash, but I have to wait to shop because I'm now on the family-imposed "shopping embargo" where I'm no longer allowed to buy anything for myself until after the holidays so I don't accidently buy what someone else is planning to get me. But that doesn't include calling the satellite company to have them come upgrade us to that whole home DVR thing so I can watch what I want in the craft room while hubby's watching in the family room. That might save me from more episodes of Decoded and that crazy show he watches where the redneck scientists try crazy stuff that gives my husband too many bad ideas of things he can try...

A whole lotta cans!

What a fantastic day! A great, great, great end to the Chase with Tony Stewart winning the race to win the Chase.

But, even better, some very dear friends that I don't see often enough came over to craft for a while. They were making Christmas cards, but since I have mine done already, I thought I would work on this year's gifts for my co-workers. Fortunately none of them read my blog so I can share. Somewhere along the way I either lost two of the cans or maybe I didn't count right, but I need to run to the store to get to more and, of course, the candy to go them. But, yeah!, another project that's oh so close to being crossed off my list.

I also finished up a birthday present for my cousin and started another project, but, of course, those people read my blog, so I can't share.

A couple of quick cards

Anyone who knows me knows that this time of year is absolutely crazy. Long hours at work. Lots of stress. Today to add to it, both the truck and our car had issues. The window in the back of the truck just does not want to close. Given the rain in the forecast, the truck had to go into the garage and we had to drive my car. But my car has been sitting the garage so long that the battery was drained. So needless to say, it was a sucky day. But tomorrow is my boss' birthday so I needed to make a quick card for her and I needed a thank you card for a co-worker who was kind enough to jump my car when it wouldn't start again because the battery hadn't charged long enough. Did I mention I have a killer headache on top of it all? So thankfully I had a couple of card bases ready for the occasion. Just add a few sentiments and I'm done. Now I'm off to bed. I can't hardly wait for January and life to return to normal.