JAMSquared

So Sunday, a week from yesterday, I got together with my friend Lori to make cards. I always enjoy getting together with Lori since we have a nice chat while stamping. Plus, this time she fed me chocolate chip cookies.

I made the following three father’s day cards plus one other design that I will show in a later post. The first two cards utilize the same concept, but different designer paper. One for my Dad in a blue color scheme and one for James’ Dad in a green color scheme. Lori was nice enough to hook me up with some designer paper when my original paper plan for one of them didn’t pan out. The 3rd card is the card I gave to James as the daddy-to-be. I also gave him some M&M Premiums Mint Chocolate candies that I picked up when I went to HEB on Saturday with my sister so she could get her HEB fix while she was in town.

Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design June (World’s Best Dad)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Night of Navy
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Prestwick
Ink:  Stampin’ Up Night of Navy
Accessories:  Inkssentials Glossy Accents, dimensionals

Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design June (World’s Best Dad)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Always Artichoke
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up To the Nines Speciality
Ink:  Stampin’ Up Always Artichoke
Accessories:  Inkssentials Glossy Accents, dimensionals

Stamps: Stampendous Cling Changito Piggback
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Night of Navy, Baja Breeze
Ink:  Stazon Jet Black, Stampin’ Up Night of Navy (edges of white cardstock)
Colored Pencils:  Stampin’ Up
Tools:  Cuttlebug Argyle Embossing Folder

For wedding and baby showers, I like to make personalized note cards. I leave them blank on the inside and the gift recipient can use them for thank you cards or little notes or really whatever they want to use them for. I find them to be a nice extra touch to include in my gifts. Plus they are simple. All I do is buy packages of blank cards (ivory or white) with envelopes at Hobby Lobby or Michaels when they’re on sale. Then I decide on the color scheme. I then set up the name in Microsoft Word using a font color in the chosen color scheme and run them through my color laser printer. Then I stamp little feet for a baby or an image of wedded bliss for a bridal shower and I’m done.

The set below was made for Margie, a lady who works at my office who recently had a baby girl. I didn’t end up giving her the baby gift until after the baby was born. Partly because I am a slacker, as most people who know me know, and partly because it took her a while to decide on a name for the baby. Oh well, it worked for me, because I got to drop the gift off at her house and hold the precious 5-day old tiny Reyna. Holding her made me super excited to hold my Baby JAM once she arrives. I apologize for the poor lighting in the photo, but it was taken late at night and I had hoped to get the cards and gift to Margie before the baby arrived, but Reyna came 2 weeks early.

Last weekend was a long weekend for James and I. We traveled to Ruidoso, New Mexico with James’ parents and nephew Dawson. Initially, his sister Tami was supposed to go with us also, but she couldn’t get off work. The trip was a lot of fun.

Friday, June 5, 2009

We left Midland about 9:45 AM for the 6-hour drive to Ruidoso. Our first stop once we arrived was the Billy the Kid Scenic National Scenic Byway Visitors Center.

We stayed at the River’s Edge Cabin. It was a really nice cabin, although the river out back was disappointing since the embankment was under construction. The cabin had games and we played an hour long game of Uno after arriving. I eventually won. Dinner was at Cafe Rio, which had excellent hand-tossed pizza. We then went to Pillow’s Funtrackers, where we played a round of miniature golf.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

We lucked out. Saturday was one of two free fishing days a year. So we dropped off Joe and Dawson at Grindstone Lake to go fishing. They had a raffle for the kids and Dawson got a New Mexico button-type pin and a goody bag filled with things like pencils and a Smoky the Bear ruler. While they fished, the rest of us went shopping in mid-town. Lunch was at Lincoln County Grill and it was quite tasty. After some relaxing at the cabin, we drove up to Monjeau Lookout. We climbed the many steps to the top of the solid rock tower built by the CCC in the late 1930s. Today it is used as fire station lookout. At 10,356 ft., the view from the top was spectacular. You could definitely tell you were at a higher elevation since it was 5-10° cooler and quite breezy at the top compared to down in Ruidoso.

After driving down the steep, mostly dirt road from the lookout, we went to the Flying J Ranch for their chuckwagon supper and western stage show. They had pony rides and gold panning for the kids. Dawson found 5 tiny pieces of fool’s gold. There was a gunfight between the “sheriff” and the two “outlaws” in the street of the “western village” before we went into the theater/dining hall to find our seats at table C6. After the dinner bell was rang by a little girl named Kate, we were directed table by table to the serving line. Dinner consisted of chicken or beef, beans, a foil-wrapped baked potato, chunky applesauce, a biscuit, and a piece of spice cake. After everyone finished eating, the Flying J Wranglers put on a show that consisted of  western singing and some comedy and was very entertaining.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

After spending the majority of the morning relaxing at the cabin, we went to Kidz Konnection, an awesome playground where James had as much fun as Dawson.

We then had lunch at Casa Blanca Restaurant. They served tasty Mexican food and had excellent service. Afterward, we dropped Dawson and Joe off at the cabin since Dawson didn’t want to go to the horse races and it was very windy. The rest of us then went to Ruidoso Downs, the first time I’ve been to a race track. The first race we watched was the 6th of the day. James picked #4 Eyejesslovelouisiana, Olivia picked #5 Jess a Candy Gal and I picked #10 Jess Sippin. If we had actually bet, Olivia would have been richer as #5 won. We also watched the 7th race, a Thoroughbred race before heading to the Racehorse Hall of Fame on the second level of the grandstand. We then caught the 8th race from the second level of the grandstand.

We cooked Salmon Macaroni Bake at the cabin for dinner, followered by viewing Kung Fu Panda before going to bed.

Monday, June 8, 2009

We left the cool cabin getaway by 8:30 AM New Mexico time and arrived back in Midland at 3:30 PM. James and I had initially planned to continue back to Austin, but ended up spending the night and getting back to Austin on Tuesday.

For my in-laws, I decided to do a combination Mother’s Day/Father’s Day gift. I made a scrapblog of the trip we took in September 2007 together. We went to Nashville, Tennessee for Barrett and Rachel’s wedding and did some sight-seeing while we were there. We’re giving a hardbound book of it to them this weekend when we see them.