Hey There Cupcake

I have A LOT of business to attend to today, so get comfy, mmmk? ;o)

First, the card... What do you think? I'm on the fence. It seems like there's a lot going on, and I'm not sure how I feel about my color combo. The images are all by Unity Stamp Co., and were a gift from my friend Jessica over at Kindred Arts. The cut job on "cupcake" is a little wonky because the words were all part of one image, and were all very close together. Since I don't have the actual stamp, I had to work with what I had and cut it all apart rather than ink each word separately (leaving it together wouldn't have fit in the space). So anyhow, it is what it is... and I'm still on the fence about it.

Next, let's talk BLOG CANDY. I have two things to report.... (1) I WON SOME!!! Woot! I won this beautiful set by Chris Dickinson. How exciting is that? (2) I want to win more!! Therefore, I must direct you to Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles, where you can win some super cute donkey stamps. And don't go thinking you don't need donkey stamps, because (a) they are super cute and (b) just think of all the snarky cards you could make with donkey images! hee hee.

Third, I want to tell you about my friend Mandy over at Limelight Papercrafts. I got an email from her today saying, "I am e-mailing to let you know that we have BIG plans for World Card Making Day... Games, Deals, and PRIZES! We'll be giving away over $200 in prizes next Saturday, October 4." And in the spirit of enabling, I am passing the info on to you! Some of the prizes are even Unity Stamp Co. stamps, so you just might be able to win these very cupcakes! Who knows? Mandy does! And on October 4, you will too! Be sure to add her blog to your reader so you can find out what you need to do to win.

Finally, I've been tagged. Like, a lot. My blogger friends Debby, Carri, and Cheri (sorry, I can't seem to find the link to that one :( - Cheri, if you're reading, post a comment with the link!) have all tagged me. The gist of it is that I have to share seven random facts about myself, so here goes:

1. My maternal great-grandfather's family immigrated from Yagodnaya Polyana, Russia in 1910. However, my family is German, not Russian. This city was in what was called the "German Volga District" of Russia.
2. I am terrified of grasshoppers. They are ugly, and unpredictable, and I hate them. AND, this past Saturday not only did I accidentally step on one BAREFOOT (*gag*), but one got inside of my van. I wouldn't go near the vehicle until my hubby eliminated the creature. Nasty, nasty, nasty. Hate 'em!
3. I love to sing. I have been singing as long as I've been speaking, and I enjoy performing in front of a crowd. I sing with our city choir, The Oshkosh Choraliers, and also serve as vice-president on the group's board of directors. I sing alto. If you click that link, it will take you to a bunch of pictures. Scroll down to the one where you see the girl in a turquoise dress with a microphone in her hand. That's me, belting my solo rendition of some Abba song... I forget what it was now. In the top right picture, I'm the girl on the far left. We were line dancing to another girl's solo. Fun stuff, eh?
4. I love animals. I would love to work at a zoo, or as an animal trainer.
5. I once needed six stitches for running a knife through my hand between my index finger and thumb while carving a pumpkin.
6. Did I mention I'm blonde? LOL.
7. My boys are both named after my maternal grandfathers. Henry, after (Great) Grandpa Hank (the one from Russia) and Jack Eugene, after my Grandpa (Eugene). Two of the greatest men who ever lived, and both hold huge pieces of my heart to this day, despite their passing.

I'm supposed to tag seven other people, but frankly I'm too lazy to do it. So if you'd like to share a little about yourself and feel like playing along, consider yourself tagged!

There you have it! I'm DONE! Aren't you glad you stuck around to the end? ;)

Card Deets:
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Ink: Unknown
Paper: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Eggplant Envy
Other: Tangerine Ribbon (Stamping Bella), Dazzling Diamonds, Copic Markers, Buttons (The Paper Studio), Scalloped Circle Punch (Stampin' Up!), 1 1/2" Circle Punch