lousgoods

ramble...ramble...ramble...

2011-11-28T16:48:00.001-07:00

so...i laugh when i look back and see how
l o n g
it has been since i
posted on a regular basis.

i have three reasons for the
demise
of lousgoods.com:
1. felicity (tv series from 99-02) is now on netflix.
2. children's needs
3. i am researching/studying to
GO BACK TO SCHOOL!

remember when i went to that church conference
in Jackson Hole?
while i was there is had some
amazing and clear affirmation
that i could not ignore
the call on my life
anymore.
i am going back to school.
i am going to go to seminary.
i am going to also get my MSW.
i am going to be a spiritual therapist.

that alone will take most of my time,
starting in the fall...
and my kids need me until then.

the interesting thing
is that the only emotion i feel
about not blogging
is missing the talking on the blog...
missing sharing my feelings...
missing writing...

so. i am into blogging
but not so worried about missing
out on putting my art out there.
my cards.
my crafts.
my side love.

but now i see it.
it is my side love,
not my main love.

and so now i am on the path...
...to discover...
what my main love is.

well...

2011-10-27T16:46:00.001-06:00

are you wondering where i have been?
can you hear me?
do you not care?
or are you just not listening?

sorry... kind of an inside joke!!

i am so sorry i have not been on here.
i have been having all kinds of fun
a d v e n t u r e s
all over the planet!!

first i was in Jackson Hole Wyoming for 5 days for a church leadership conference.
it was
FAB U LOUS!!

one side of the street in the Town Square... a block from our hotel.

the view i saw from the road...
except i was driving.
alone.
and couldn't really snap a great shot.
plus it was snowing.
all the way there.
all the way back.

so...
i got photos from online to show you what i saw.

then i went to
l o s a n g e l e s
for 6 days with an
A MAZING
group of gals.
for my precious friend leith's 40th bday.

this is leith...
remember?...

and on the sad note of leith's family's story...

we had JOY.

crazy, fun, laughing...

JOY.

giggling, walking, eating...

JOY.

drinking wine, shopping, laughing...

JOY.

it was fantastic.

i will post photos of the celebrities i saw tomorrow or saturday.

loved it.

love my new bff's from the trip.

thank you leithy for making your birthday so special for all of us.

HAVE to share...

2011-10-01T21:27:00.002-06:00

this one is
WAY TOO GOOD
to not share on my blog...
in hopes one of you will
consider
signing up to be a Stampin'Up! Demonstrator
in the month of October.

You do not need to make it a business!!
you can be what we call a
'hobby demonstrator'.
The amazing promotion that
Stampin'Up!
is offering RIGHT NOW (for October)
is that you get a FREE
YES, I SAID FREE... BIG SHOT
with your starter kit!!!!!!!

It is a $99 product
and Stampin'Up! is giving you one free
(or $100 in merchandise if you opt out)
for signing up as a Demo for
the month of October!!

Please, Please, Please
let me know if you are interested.
i would love to have you on my team.

quick lil 3x3.

2011-09-30T06:30:00.000-06:00

i am always looking for a quick little card.
so...

i came up with this one.
cute, creative, fast.

starts with some Chocolate Chip cs,
adds a crumpled up square from
the Well Worn DSP,
a piece of twine wrapped around twice,

an Early Espresso inked stamp of 'Thank U'
and a few Crumb Cake stars stamped
on a small little piece of whisper white,
all hooked together by the teeny, tiny
wooden clothespins...

that Stampin'Up! sells now.

cute, easy and great for a boy...
which seems to be harder to find these days.

enjoy.

Simply Scored...

2011-09-28T06:30:00.000-06:00

This was the first card i made for my Stamp Club
in August
to introduce them to the
Simply Scored Tool
from Stampin'Up!

we only used it to crease and add
some framing around the center stamps.

and i was dying to use the Simply Soft Hostess stamp set
and i am IN LOVE
with this color: Pool Party.
not usually a favorite color of mine at all.
(and it could be because my 11 year old daughter loves it!)

i also love to add nice sentiments
that make a card useful at any time you may need it.
this word choice is one of those.
it comes from the Perfect Words stamp set,
which is another Hostess one from the new catalog.

you'll see more of these sentiments i'm sure.
thanks for coming to my blog.
thanks for reading my words.
and i truly hope you enjoyed it.

ok, i'll try it...

2011-09-26T11:54:00.004-06:00

so steph howell,

who is one of my

ALL TIME FAVORITE blogs

has challenged me...

i had a perfectly

neat and tidy

post with some photos

of a card

all planned out.

but, thanks to her,

i will blog from my heart today...

1. i just returned from the Yoga Conference in Estes Park. this is the 5th time i have attended i believe. i always go with the anticipation that it will forever change me and make doing a daily yoga practice easy. meaning, that i will WANT to get on the mat everyday and not feel like i am forcing myself as i do with all exercise. once again, i loved it but can say that i realized, and i mean really realized, that it will always take some effort on my part to get my butt on the yoga mat.

2. i arrived home to a sense of 'goofiness' in the air around my family. they were all acting a little cutesy and overly excited to see me. i have to admit, i really liked it and didn't think much about it other then enjoying the fact they were so 'into' me. little did i know that the 3 of them had a BIG surprise planned. just as we sat down to dinner they all started into an argument and suddenly i turned around to rusty on ONE KNEE...

yes, one knee,

just as if he was proposing all over again!!

and sure enough, he started telling me how much he loved me and how we had come a long way since his proposal 17 years ago. he starts tearing up talking about all the good times and all the bad, about our two beautiful kids (who are piping in comments, i might add!) and how he wants to keep on doing it all... he then asks me if i will 'continue on' with him, by accepting a new wedding ring and a new engagement setting, complete with my diamond mounted in it!!!

i was speechless.

and crying.

and completely surprised and overwhelmed. he had gone and chosen a platinum setting because in the last 16 years since our wedding i have really beaten up my ring. it was bent and dented and just all around abused. the sautering of the wedding and engagement rings had even come apart!!! i know, i am tough i guess. and... we had always talked about 'redoing' it on our 15th wedding anniversary. well, if you remember i had a hysterectomy a few days before it, so it skipped on by.

well, not that it even matters now. because last night was truly magical. after saying, 'of course', as i did the first time, we hugged, cried and all kissed, kids included.

how much more can i blog about now?

how much more can i be grateful for in my life?

how much more can i appreciate?

how much more loved can i feel?

truly.

i am still overwhelmed.

and can't stop looking at my finger...

i'm blown away.

yoga conference.

2011-09-22T06:30:00.000-06:00

off i head to the beauty

of Estes Park

for the

i have attended many, many times

and it is wonderful.

heaven on earth.

truly.

see you when i return.

love me some kraft cardstock!

2011-09-15T10:19:00.002-06:00

when in doubt...
start with Kraft cardstock.
that is my motto.

so with this card, i started with Kraft...
added some awesome striped texture,

made a little tag, banner thing
with Just for You stamped on it.
and some bling.

used the decorative label punch
and an oval punch
to get a pretty piece,
filled it with Paisley Petals DSP.

and...
stamped some lovely words on the inside.
easy. and it all started with Kraft...

it's coming, it's coming...

2011-09-13T10:51:00.002-06:00

i know many of you
did not like the 4th book
of the Twilight Series.

but i did...
and i can't wait...

yellow and gray card.

2011-09-10T13:43:00.000-06:00

i got GREAT response to my craft supply sale
both here and on craiglist...
that i will be doing another one fairly soon...
so come back regularly!

my SIL loves my products i make.
she is always requesting them and always
asks for 'lousgoods'
for her birthday and holiday gifts.

so... this year i made her some
really pretty cards.

it was all based on this photo i found on pinterest...

i thought the colors were so great together.

So, i pulled out my trusty Color Coach
and proceeded to find
Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight (even though i thought of More Mustard when i first saw this photo), River Rock and an old sheet of Going Gray to achieve this look.

this is what i got...

some Basic Gray Satin Ribbon,
rippled to give a clean, crisp, feminine touch,
and a few pearls...

some texturizing with the
lines and houndstooth embossing folders...

and voila...
it is beautiful.

enjoy.
and have a great weekend.

no response? products to SELL...

2011-09-08T22:03:00.000-06:00

so i have gotten ZERO response
to how i should sell my extra supplies...

so, i am going to start with craiglist.

here is the first group of supplies i am selling:

it includes:

Whimsical Words Stamp Set (wood)
A Slice of Life Stamp Set (wood)
Rose Red Classic Ink Pad (unopened)
Soft Sky Classic Ink Pad (gently used)
2 1/2 inch Circle Punch (unopened)
Boho Blossoms Punch (used)
Flirty Ribbon Originals (unopened)
True Elegance Accents & Elements (unopened)
Baja Breeze Corduroy Ribbons (unopened)
Basic Jumbo Grommets (opened but none missing)
Raspberry Tart Designers Series Paper
Rebecca Designer Series Paper

most of these items are retired and UNABLE to get anymore,
so if you like them...

YOU are welcome to buy them too.
I am offering them on Craigslist for $25.00
with a flat shipping rate of $5.00

so, if you want them, send me a comment and
i will work it out with you on here!

some more photos:

this would be a great STARTER kit for someone
you wanted to share your love of stamping with.
or for someone who would want to make a specific
pink and blue
project of some sort...

so spread the word...

i'd much rather sell it on here then on craigslist...

and, thanks.

TOO many supplies...

2011-09-02T10:59:00.000-06:00

i have a BOAT load of
scrapbook, papercrafting supplies
that i want to get rid of...

they are generally NOT stampin'up!
except for some packs of paper,
but are all kinds of other
good brands.

what is the best way to sell these items?
ebay?
craigslist?
give aways on my blogs?

what is the best/easiest way?
would love your help...
my papercrafting community.

please comment about your ideas
or experience on using these sites.

ThanK yOu...

new month, new post...

2011-09-01T22:47:00.001-06:00

figure now that today is
1 September 2011
i better get some words and photos
onto my blog.
or i am going to lose some of you.
and i don't want to do that.

here is why you haven't seen me:

i love this website.
and i am on it all the time.
but for one AWESOME reason...

i am getting a newly designed
craft room.
halleluiah!!
my room has developed over the years
from adding bits and pieces.
and even though it is wonderful
and i am so happy to have my own craft space...
it is going to be awesome to
make it all my own
from top to bottom.
and it will match!!

so, here are my ideas.
(that i am finding on Pinterest):

this is the overall space i like and the colors
and the shape.

i like white cabinets and wood top.

thinking an ikea cabinet, like this.

with the birch top and

this floor:

and a big RED cabinet in the space...

and just think of the organization

of what i can do with this space...

and i just love the look of these shelves

close up...

so, i will keep you posted...

Ode to the Kauber...

2011-08-22T06:30:00.002-06:00

i know that title will not make any sense
to any of you,
unless you live in Grand County
and know my precious upline,
miss susan kauber.

she is Ms. Stampin'Up! herself
and she sure makes stamping fun.

i am dedicating this blog post to her
for SEVERAL different reasons:

1. she is fabulous and is a great friend.

2. she makes darling things.

3. she always is quick to say, "i cased that."
or "that was not my idea."
and i am always telling her that she need not say that,
as we all CASE or are inspired by something
which is what gives us our ideas.

so with those thoughts planted i wanted to show you
several of her latest creations so
you can give her a SHOUT OUT
by leaving a comment here
telling her she is fabulous.

so, kauber ...
(as we loving her call her, with a New Jersey accent of course...)
we love you and think you are great
and you make darling things...
whether you case'd them or not.

and, even if you did case them...
they are still yours because they were
re-created with your sweet hands.

love you sus.

swaps, from convention #5

2011-08-19T06:30:00.001-06:00

i must start this post

with a HUGE red flag

i took photos of all the swaps

that members of my group received,

and NEVER wrote down a single

name from the back

to give anyone credit.

so, i apologize if this is your swap you

worked VERY VERY hard on

and i'm not mentioning you.

please comment as to which one is you

and i'll gladly add your name back in.

here is a bunch of swaps

and they all had something about them

that i liked.

may have been the colors, the layout,

a technique or i just liked it overall:

so congratulations if you made the final cut

from this last round of swaps i saw.

and please...please...

leave me a comment if one of these is yours

and i will note it next to your card.

and a BIG

t h a n k y o u

to all of you who worked hard

to make cards to swap with others

at convention this year.

even though i did not swap with you

i was inspired by your hard work still.

swaps, from convention #4

2011-08-18T06:30:00.000-06:00

i must start this post

with a HUGE red flag

i took photos of all the swaps

that members of my group received,

and NEVER wrote down a single

name from the back

to give anyone credit.

so, i apologize if this is your swap you

worked VERY VERY hard on

and i'm not mentioning you.

please comment as to which one is you

and i'll gladly add your name back in.

here is another bunch of swaps

and they all had something about them

that i liked.

may have been the colors, the layout,

a technique or i just liked it overall:

seen this card before,
but...

never with a tattoo and a thong... too funny!

so congratulations if you made the final cut

from the this round of swaps i saw.

and please...please...

leave me a comment if one of these is yours

and i will note it next to your card.

more swaps to come...

swaps, from convention #3

2011-08-17T06:30:00.000-06:00

i must start this post

with a HUGE red flag

i took photos of all the swaps

that members of my group received,

and NEVER wrote down a single

name from the back

to give anyone credit.

so, i apologize if this is your swap you

worked VERY VERY hard on

and i'm not mentioning you.

please comment as to which one is you

and i'll gladly add your name back in.

here are several swaps that i saw

and they all had something about them

that i liked.

may have been the colors, the layout,

a technique or i just liked it overall:

so congratulations if you made the final cut

from the this round of swaps i saw.

and please...please...

leave me a comment if one of these is yours

and i will note it next to your card.

more swaps to come...

swaps, from convention #2

2011-08-16T06:30:00.000-06:00

i must start this post

with a HUGE red flag

i took photos of all the swaps

that members of my group received,

and NEVER wrote down a single

name from the back

to give anyone credit.

so, i apologize if this is your swap you

worked VERY VERY hard on

and i'm not mentioning you.

please comment as to which one is you

and i'll gladly add your name back in.

here is the first bunch

and they all had something about them

that i liked.

may have been the colors, the layout,

a technique or i just liked it overall:

so congratulations if you made the final cut

from the second round of swaps i saw.

and please...please...

leave me a comment if one of these is yours

and i will note it next to your card.

more swaps to come...

swaps, from convention #1

2011-08-15T06:30:00.000-06:00

so, i promised you swaps
from convention
and never delivered.

so, i am going to deliver now
but with a HUGE red flag

i took photos of all the swaps
that members of my group received,
and NEVER wrote down a single
name from the back
to give anyone credit.

so, i apologize if this is your swap you
worked VERY VERY hard on
and i'm not mentioning you.
please comment as to which one is you
and i'll gladly add your name back in.

here is the first bunch
and they all had something about them
that i liked.
may have been the colors, the layout,
a technique or i just liked it overall:

this next halloween card
is entirely my digital studio (mds)
except with a touch of
crystal effects on the ghost...

so congratulations if you made the final cut
from the first round of swaps i saw.

and please...please...
leave me a comment if one of these is yours
and i will note it next to your card.

more swaps to come...

great ADVENTURE...

2011-08-12T23:08:00.000-06:00

have you been missing me?

i have been on a
G R E A T
adventure, traveling all over the
pacific northwest.
and it was fantastic.

i had never been any farther north on the west coast,
then San Francisco.
so this was a great adventure.
my dear friend Gregory and i
flew into Portland last friday,
and drove up to a beautiful farm
Wild Thyme Farm
outside of Olympia, Washington.
Oakville, to be exact.

look at this beautiful place...
and not all of these photos were taken by me.
some were posted on the bride's fb page
and they were so beautiful that i had to share.

and this was the tree they were married under...

and the reception before and after dark...

the coolest thing about this wedding,
besides the beautiful couple that it united
was that EVERYTHING was homemade.
the food, the wine, the champagne,
and ALL the decorations.
all it made me want to do was come home
and c.r.e.a.t.e...

even with all the natural flowers and gardens
they had beautiful lanterns everywhere...

and banners and homemade paper lanterns
in all shapes and sizes...

from bats...

to birds with hearts...

and the flowers were amazing.

and they were decorating the cakes too...

and the wine...

it was beautiful.
it was fun.
but most of all
it was full of
l o v e...
and that's what a wedding should be.

FREE paper

2011-08-01T13:03:00.001-06:00

do you know what i love more than anything in this world?
well any material craft thing i should say...

PAPER.

and Stampin'Up! is giving away paper
during the month of August.

buy 3 packs of any new DSP
[designer series paper}
and get an entire pack of it FREE...
can't pass that up?
wanna order some great paper from me?
then click on my big Stampin'Up! logo button on
the right side of my blog
and it will take you to my store.

you can shop RIGHT NOW!!
from the comfort of your chair,
in your jammies, with your coffee in hand.

so, load up on the newest papers
that Stampin'Up! has to offer.

and LAST day...

2011-07-31T06:30:00.001-06:00

alright,

i am going to throw this out there

to YOU...

[make sure you read this ENTIRE POST!!]

i have been cleaning out my craft room.

and i would love to see someone take

advantage of the $99 offer

that Stampin'Up! has for a demonstrator kit.

so, besides offering the demonstrator kit that

SU! gives you for $99,

Page	Item	Description
57	123225	Easy Events Clear-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $24.95
69	122740	Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $21.95
177	102277	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	105216	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	103133	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	119706	Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock or your choice of Assorted 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock to $6.95
180	101179	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
182	107311	Whisper White Note Cards (20) or envelope product to $6.95
185	124339	Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper* or your choice of DSP to $10.95
195	124142	Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon* or your choice of ribbon to $7.95
203	122129	Blender Pen (1). No alternative selection.
205	118486	Clear-Mount Block C or your choice of clear block to $6.95
206	104332	SNAIL Adhesive or your choice of adhesive to $6.95

plus, all the business supplies

like catalogs, forms, postcards, dvd, etc.

plus, the christmas box kit

that is valued at $40

PLUS, i am going to throw in a MEGA amount of free products...

did you hear that...

MORE FREE PRODUCTS...

from your dear friend lou...

if you sign up before sunday, july 31 at 11:30pm.

here is a photo of the overall products

that i will send you for FREE:

which includes:

2 reusable grocery bags (Springtime Vintage pattern, Haiku pattern)

1 pack 12x12 retired Mellow Moss cardstock

1 pack retired Haiku DSP

1 6x6 2010-2012 In Color DSP

1 (old style) Scallop Edge Punch

1 (new style) Extra Large 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch

PLUS

1 Sale A Bration Punch Bunch Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Silhouette Sentiments Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Swirls & Curls Verses Clear Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Hostess A Slice of Life Wood Stamp Set

1 Calendar Alphabet & Numbers Wood Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Rose Red Classic Ink Pad

1 pack Jewels Basic Rhinestones

1 size B Clear Block

1 Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon roll

1 Sale A Bration Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon roll

and

1 Thoroughly Modern Compact Mirror

So, what do you think???

lots of FREE goodies,

a 20% off discount on all Stampin'Up! supplies

lots of giveaways and promotions

early peeks at new products

the ability to order new products early

and SO SO SO much more....

think about it.

and then sign up...

then click on the button on the left side

that looks the exact same.

any questions first...

email me at louthompson@me. com

or call me on my cell 970-281-3434.

and i will be reposting this again

every other day until sunday...

so hopefully you won't get too annoyed.

FREE products from ME...again!!

2011-07-29T07:37:00.002-06:00

alright,
i am going to throw this out there
to YOU...
[make sure you read this ENTIRE POST!!]

i have been cleaning out my craft room.
and i would love to see someone take
advantage of the $99 offer
that Stampin'Up! has for a demonstrator kit.
so, besides offering the demonstrator kit that
SU! gives you for $99,

Page	Item	Description
57	123225	Easy Events Clear-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $24.95
69	122740	Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $21.95
177	102277	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	105216	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	103133	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	119706	Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock or your choice of Assorted 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock to $6.95
180	101179	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
182	107311	Whisper White Note Cards (20) or envelope product to $6.95
185	124339	Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper* or your choice of DSP to $10.95
195	124142	Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon* or your choice of ribbon to $7.95
203	122129	Blender Pen (1). No alternative selection.
205	118486	Clear-Mount Block C or your choice of clear block to $6.95
206	104332	SNAIL Adhesive or your choice of adhesive to $6.95

plus, all the business supplies
like catalogs, forms, postcards, dvd, etc.

plus, the christmas box kit
that is valued at $40

PLUS, i am going to throw in a MEGA amount of free products...

did you hear that...

MORE FREE PRODUCTS...

from your dear friend lou...

if you sign up before sunday, july 31 at 11:30pm.

here is a photo of the overall products

that i will send you for FREE:

which includes:

2 reusable grocery bags (Springtime Vintage pattern, Haiku pattern)

1 pack 12x12 retired Mellow Moss cardstock

1 pack retired Haiku DSP

1 6x6 2010-2012 In Color DSP

1 (old style) Scallop Edge Punch

1 (new style) Extra Large 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch

PLUS

1 Sale A Bration Punch Bunch Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Silhouette Sentiments Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Swirls & Curls Verses Clear Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Hostess A Slice of Life Wood Stamp Set

1 Calendar Alphabet & Numbers Wood Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Rose Red Classic Ink Pad

1 pack Jewels Basic Rhinestones

1 size B Clear Block

1 Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon roll

1 Sale A Bration Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon roll

and

1 Thoroughly Modern Compact Mirror

So, what do you think???

lots of FREE goodies,

a 20% off discount on all Stampin'Up! supplies

lots of giveaways and promotions

early peeks at new products

the ability to order new products early

and SO SO SO much more....

think about it.

and then sign up...

then click on the button on the left side

that looks the exact same.

any questions first...

email me at louthompson@me. com

or call me on my cell 970-281-3434.

and i will be reposting this again

every other day until sunday...

so hopefully you won't get too annoyed.

convention posts #6

2011-07-28T06:30:00.001-06:00

this has to be the most convention pictures
i have ever posted...
i usually keep them all to myself
and don't do anything with them.
but i thought sharing them with YOU
would be much more fun...

so here are more

and yes, that is a lamp shade
decorated entirely with flowers.
and designed to look like
a yard sale.
so creative.

and to think...
i would have just thrown these old boots away

but instead them make for darling fresh
decorations for say, a mudroom...
and then the Stampin'Up! fabric
that is used to decorate a simple pillow

it makes me think my home decorating
is just so, so boring
where i just buy a pillow and set it in a chair.
love the idea where i can make my own
decorative pillows...
and many other home decorations

and there's that bird i
... l o v e ...
again.

next i will post some swaps,
since i am done with my favorite photos.

thanks for stopping by.
i love sharing with you.

FREE products from ME...

2011-07-27T12:30:00.002-06:00

alright,
i am going to throw this out there
to YOU...
[make sure you read this ENTIRE POST!!]

Page	Item	Description
57	123225	Easy Events Clear-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $24.95
69	122740	Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set* or your choice of stamp set to $21.95
177	102277	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	105216	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	103133	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
177	119706	Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock or your choice of Assorted 8-1/2" x 11" Card Stock to $6.95
180	101179	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad or your choice of Classic Ink Pad color to $5.95
182	107311	Whisper White Note Cards (20) or envelope product to $6.95
185	124339	Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper* or your choice of DSP to $10.95
195	124142	Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon* or your choice of ribbon to $7.95
203	122129	Blender Pen (1). No alternative selection.
205	118486	Clear-Mount Block C or your choice of clear block to $6.95
206	104332	SNAIL Adhesive or your choice of adhesive to $6.95

plus, all the business supplies
like catalogs, forms, postcards, dvd, etc.

plus, the christmas box kit
that is valued at $40

PLUS, i am going to throw in a MEGA amount of free products...

did you hear that...

MORE FREE PRODUCTS...

from your dear friend lou...

if you sign up before sunday, july 31 at 11:30pm.

here is a photo of the overall products

that i will send you for FREE:

which includes:

2 reusable grocery bags (Springtime Vintage pattern, Haiku pattern)

1 pack 12x12 retired Mellow Moss cardstock

1 pack retired Haiku DSP

1 6x6 2010-2012 In Color DSP

1 (old style) Scallop Edge Punch

1 (new style) Extra Large 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch

PLUS

1 Sale A Bration Punch Bunch Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Silhouette Sentiments Clear Stamp Set

1 Hostess Swirls & Curls Verses Clear Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Hostess A Slice of Life Wood Stamp Set

1 Calendar Alphabet & Numbers Wood Stamp Set

PLUS

1 Rose Red Classic Ink Pad

1 pack Jewels Basic Rhinestones

1 size B Clear Block

1 Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon roll

1 Sale A Bration Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon roll

and

1 Thoroughly Modern Compact Mirror

So, what do you think???

lots of FREE goodies,

a 20% off discount on all Stampin'Up! supplies

lots of giveaways and promotions

early peeks at new products

the ability to order new products early

and SO SO SO much more....

think about it.

and then sign up...

then click on the button on the left side

that looks the exact same.

any questions first...

email me at louthompson@me. com

or call me on my cell 970-281-3434.

and i will be reposting this again

every other day until sunday...

so hopefully you won't get too annoyed.

convention posts #5

2011-07-27T06:30:00.000-06:00

letters to santa...
i promised, didn't i?

this is some of the cutest...
and it all starts with the mailbox

which is decorated
and overflowing with letters...
all over the floor...

and the desk that looks like
Santa Clause may have JUST been
sitting there... moments ago...

checking off the good kids
from the bad
to see who will get presents...
cute, simple presents.

and i love the idea of the paper links
with the christmas cards hooked to them...
with tiny little clothespins...
so, so, so, so cute.

normally when i think of christmas coming
i feel physical stress course
through my veins...
but not this year.
this year i am excited to decorate.

convention photos #4

2011-07-26T10:10:00.001-06:00

this is the flirtatious fabric used to decorate the

simple white hand towels.

cute idea...

and the fans...

they were everywhere.

but that could be because they introduced us to the new

Simply Scored...

which is a scoring tool that

is what makes it possible to make these...

and even the grass is made of paper...

and i just loved this bird.

my kitties would probably eat it

but i can just dream

and love it's beauty...

and here he is from another angle...

and just a few more paper flower/fans

i have more to share.

tomorrow will be notes to santa...

stay tuned.

convention photos #3

2011-07-25T17:47:00.000-06:00

some more beautiful things from
convention
to inspire you.

hats that some ladies made for the opening night

Garden Party

i don't even know this gal but

loved her hat so much that i had to

photograph it...

and the sock monkeys on her table

that had hats to match her and her friends!

my favorite hat of all belonged to our new friend Debi.

so made her own UPS hat,

with teeny, tiny minature stamps,

ribbon, a punch, paper, embellishments

and of course,

the brown UPS Stampin'Up! box...

complete with the exact lettering on the side.

and a MEGA long receipt from her

Stampin'Up! order.

so cute.

Debi was hoping to win a prize but did not...

so Debi i hope you know i would have given

a prize to you FOR SURE...

if only i had been the judge.

convention photos #2

2011-07-21T12:27:00.007-06:00

how do you like my NEW blog look?

i have been craving a 'white' blog for some time

because i think anything else

takes away from the art...

atleast that is what i think for now,

because as we know,

my thoughts change

and THAT is a beautiful thing.

so here are some convention pictures

that are taken of items they made

to be inspiration...

inspiration to creativity...

these were my FAVORITE!!

i have no idea what they are, other than giant masses of

r i b b o n.

and they are gorgeous.

and i have already ordered these parasols

to make these to hang somewhere in my new house.

i wanted to hang them from the ceiling in my

daughter's room, so i ordered the colors she would like,

but she's a little hesitant.

at 11 i can understand the desire to make all of your room your own.

aren't they cool??

these next few items were garden scenes

that were paper and fabric.

again, super cute

and SO inspiring!!

and look at the inside of these flowers...

the centers are so, so cool

and i have decided i am going to start making

p a p e r flowers

to decorate my house then

buying real ones that die over and over

(not to mention the water goes bad so quickly

and my cats like to eat them!)

hope you have enjoyed these photos from convention.

check back everyday for many more!!

convention photos #1

2011-07-20T06:30:00.000-06:00

i had such a good time

at the Stampin'Up! Convention

this year,

as i always do.

see for yourself...

this year though seemed different.

and i don't know why but

there seemed to be a more

creative vibe in the air...

or was it in me?

hmmmm.

to start with, here are my roomies

standing next to the awesome flowers

that decorated the entire venue.

they were everywhere

and so colorful.

and completely went with the theme of

G R O W.

then we received our 'bag'.

every year you get a new bag from Stampin'Up!

as part of your registration for convention.

this year's bag was like the

Demonstrator Bag

that they sell to the demos

but was decorated beautifully

and had lovely green floral lining...

inside the bag was the best gift of all...

a Catalog divider

with a complete catalog inside that was

three-hole punched to add to the binder.

for an organization buff like me,

this was a slice of heaven!

more to come tomorrow.

home

2011-07-19T23:13:00.000-06:00

so, i am home from

salt lake city

and

Stampin'Up! Convention 2011.

it was so fun

and i am still processing

all that i saw,

heard, read, and thought.

i will be posting pics from

convention as the week

goes on... but today i will

post this card:

that is from our June club.

it has the Beyond the Garden DSP

and the cute Hello Flowers stamp.

we embossed it with

the Wild Wasabi embossing powder

and then covered the

hello flowers

with the flowers from the

3-flower punch

and adhered them to the card

with the dimensionals.

then to make it really fun

i added rhinestones

and the 'hello, hello, hello' stamp.

and see that little trim on the bottom.

the card overlaps from the bottom

and is then punched to give it

a nice touch.

homework #2...

2011-07-14T06:30:00.002-06:00

so wanted to show you another set of homework

that my club girls completed.

this is when they receive a baggie full of supplies

and have to come up with a card

from the supplies.

the rules are:

you can add any stamping you want.

you can NOT add any more embellishments

or paper.

you do NOT have to use all that is in your bag.

so, this was May's homework:

and this is what a few of us made:

Romina

Megan

a little bit of variety...

with a few fun supplies.

convention 2011

2011-07-12T08:50:00.000-06:00

heading of to Salt Lake City in a few hours...

me and my closest 3,000 friends.

love the excitement of convention and

what it brings to my crafting.

and i especially love seeing all my favorite

'Stampin' Famous'

as Jen Jacobsen calls them,

even though she is one herself.

so i leave you with this card

we made last (June) month at

Stamp Club.

it is cased from a similar one from

Angie Juda,

over at Chic' n Scratch,

who i will see this week as well.

i love the look of stamping

on the cardstock

and then running it through

the Big Shot

after to get this look:

it's a nice touch.

and the tops of those packages

are from one of the new

Triple Layer Punches.

it makes a flower,

which i cut in half to be a bow.

thank Angie for that tip.

i love this

2011-07-11T18:06:00.000-06:00

i love this...

and i posted it on my other blog,

just...be...lou

but i wanted to make sure it was seen and read.

so it is here too, for those that only read this blog.

amen.

still lousgoods...

2011-07-07T06:30:00.000-06:00

still gonna have lousgoods...for now.

let's see how many followers i get at just...be...lou.

one already (thanks amy!)

this is where i will post regular updates of stampin'up supplies and promotions!!

don't stop coming here...

especially if you love stampin'up!

like i do.

so don't leave,

now you can just add another

craft blog

{just...be...lou}

that will have

a certain level of:

inspiration

spontaneity

goofiness

and much more

craftiness

and

art... art... art...

and if you want to stick

with my

lousgoods.com blog

that will highlight

stampin'up! cards and products

then here is a present

JUST FOR YOU...

join my stampin'up team

for a mere $99.

and you will get this beautiful

awesome christmas kit

to make a gorgeous box

to keep keepsakes in

at the holiday time...

if you are

interested in joining me...

LET ME KNOW!!

i'd love to have you.

new blog...

2011-07-06T10:43:00.001-06:00

new blog...

just...be...lou

address is: http://justbelou.blogspot.com/

this is where i will ramble...

be messy...

be me.

it's oozzzing out of me...

2011-07-06T10:16:00.000-06:00

i am feeling uber creative today

i am feeling like i haven't even begun

to tap into myself

and my creativity

and what all this

s o u l

s e a r c h i n g

is for...

i am restless

and unsettled

i am constantly

over analyzing

and examining

m y s e l f

and all that i feel i fail at

and that is wrong

to do

to myself

my soul

my spirit

i owe myself more!

so i feel a new blog

coming on

a different blog

full of thoughts,

quotes,

art,

photos

or just whatever...

hmmmmmmm.

do you feel it?

or see it?

or smell it?

it's ooozzing out of me.

creativity!

tale of desperaux

2011-07-06T09:03:00.000-06:00

have you read the book

the Tale of Desperaux?

it is the story of a mouse

with VERY large ears.

my daughter, Annie, had a school party

the last week of school,

where she had to dress up like a character

from a book.

and she picked Desperaux.

so we made some l a r g e ears

and a red sash for the belt,

with a giant paper needle

tied around her waist...

and it was darling.

and yet, she would not let me

photograph her...

in the outfit

as most tween girls

would not.

but i had to show these darling ears off...

so i threw them on my silly head

and snap, snap...

reduced my pride to zero

to show you these darling things.

it's live...

2011-07-03T13:35:00.000-06:00

not to be confused with
'it's ALIVE..."

the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog is LIVE, as of friday, july 1.

and it's gorgeous!

inside and out.
you can look at it inside by clicking here...
and don't forget to read up on the new
Hostess Benefits.
it's brilliant,
especially for those who place orders
every month for a little over $150
and get all the level 1 stamp sets quickly.
(like myself...)
so read up.
and if you have any questions,
email me.

you say it's your birthday...

2011-06-20T06:30:00.001-06:00

well, it's MY birthday too, yeah!

yes, today is my birthday.

and i love birthdays.

even my own.

i am 39 years old today.

and my bff, sue, is taking me

out to lunch.

so sweet.

and rusty and the kids want

to take me to dinner...

so,

as my dear friend Brenda always says,

Happy Birthday to ME!!

homework...

2011-06-16T21:16:00.000-06:00

i am tryingto do fun things to liven up my

monthly stamping club.

we have been meeting together now

for years (like 3 or 4)

and i think we need some fresh ideas to make it fun!

(i'm looking for more if you have any)

one we restarted recently,

that was a carry over from when

my upline

the fabulous Susan Kauber

ran our club was

HOMEWORK...

it is fun.

you give the girls a pack of stuff...

products to make a card,

and tell them they can stamp on it,

color it,

emboss it,

run over it with their car,

but they are not supposed to add

any embellishments

beyond what is in their homework bag.

so, two months ago we started

giving homework.

here was April's bag:

they received Pear Pizazz CS, a few strips of white CS,

a large button (either green or crumb cake)

a strip of Pear Pizazz Seam Binding

various strips of Springtime Vintage DSP

(which was in the Occasions Mini that was live at the time).

here is what i made:

i used the stamp set,

For Everything

which i love and it has some cute art.

i took the seam binding

and drew it tight in the middle

to make it ripple.

i tied it through the button.

and ran the base of the card

through the Big Shot

and gave it some definition

with the Dots embossing folder.

my stamping got a little messy,

but since...

THERE ARE NO MISTAKES

IN CRAFTING,

i was able to just color it with markers and cover

my mistakes up enough

that they were not noticeable.

overall, it turned out as a card

i would actually send.

and the other girls

each made cute and unique cards

out of their homework.

forgive the photos...

2011-06-10T06:30:00.000-06:00

we made a really fun card recently with

the Sew Suite set

but my pictures turned out

terribly.

so enjoy the card and

ignore the poor photography.

this was a multi-layered card

that i had fun making.

again, used the Sew Suite set.

and all the pieces that complement it.

i used the set FYI for the saying,

which is retiring.

and notice how i dirtied and roughed up

all the edges of each layer.

love the fabric covered brads.

and making a little spool of thread

is a fun addition.

inside i simply stamped the tape measure on the

bottom of the card.

and then decorated the envelope flap

with a touch of paper.

just like a postcard...

2011-06-09T23:06:00.000-06:00

I live in a beautiful place.

graduation #2

2011-06-05T12:04:00.000-06:00

didn't i say i'd have this for you yesterday... sorry!

i am in the process of cleaning my house out

to put in on the market

and 'right-size' to a home that suits my family better.

so i am a little sporadic and crazy.

i will make a point to sit down once a week and set up blog posts

so i won't lose you all as regular followers.

i like having you here.

i like sharing.

i like giving stuff away.

which i will be doing

ALL SUMMER LONG.

so, here is the 2nd graduation card i promised you.

i designed this one with the same idea

just made it generic for any school.

i love the colors.

i seems like it screams 'celebrate'

just by the various colors and patterns.

graduation...

2011-06-03T11:57:00.000-06:00

so tomorrow is graduation

at our local high school.

and i made a cute graduation card for it.

i made it with our school colors of

Purple and White

(using Elegant Eggplant as my purple)

with Basic Black and

Rich Razzelberry DSP to

complement them.

i also added some of the silver paper

and some rhinestones for bling.

the diploma is simply a piece of

Whisper White rolled up

and tied with Basic Black taffeta ribbon.

The saying is from the Something to Celebrate set

(Occasions Mini, level 2 hostess set),

made into a banner

and, of course...

POPPED UP!

i wanted to make sure the saying that says

Way to Go, CONGRATS, Well Done

from the Happy Greetings set

out of the new Summer Mini Catalog

was somewhere on the card,

so i put it on the inside.

and that is simply Whisper White cardstock,

with a weird striped glare over it.

tomorrow i will show you how to make this card with

other fun colors!

and the second card...

2011-05-29T06:30:00.001-06:00

i promised the second card to show you

that i made for my friend who ordered some cards.

again, used the Beyond the Garden DSP.

sure love that paper.

love that Melon Mambo background,

with the Wild Wasabi accents...

and i used the Flower Garden textured impressions folder

to imprint the Crumb Cake cardstock

to match the paper.

pulled out the trustworthy Many Thanks stamp set,

stamped it in early espresso, of course,

and...

POPPED it up!

i just love doing that.

i'm not sure i can make a card anymore

without popping the expression up...

or something on there.

lots to share this week,

so come back every day.

ahhh....memorial day weekend.

2011-05-28T06:30:00.001-06:00

i used to not even notice when we had a long weekend

because my husband was self-employed

and worked on and off every day,

vs. having set hours to be at a place of business.

but alas,

my bubble popped

and now we are back in the real world

and it's really ok.

and i get to celebrate

three day weekends.

and today, i am in florida.

for the next few days...

enjoying (or trying too...

heat is an issue for MS)

the sunshine.

i have gotten out for a walk/job in the heat, but it was last night at 8pm. tonight i opted for a swim, as it is a good way to exercise in this weather and stay cool. the kids and rusty are happy and enjoying the 90degree heat with 110% humidity.

so, time for some crafting.

here's a card for you all...

two were made.

one for today and one for tomorrow.

had a fun, funky friend recently order

some cards from me.

so this is what i made.

simply early espresso cardstock,

some daffodil delight cardstock as a little layer,

then the new DSP from the summer mini,

Beyond the Garden.

it has cool, funky patterns.

but i wanted this card to be simple.

and she wanted it to say

'thank you for your generosity'.

so i printed the saying on White cardstock

and cut it out.

and popped it up...

to give it a little touch of something...

and i liked the way it looked.

a very fast year

2011-05-27T21:13:00.000-06:00

so...did i mention that my precious niece

turned

ONE

on may 3.

sweet luna lou

is one years old.

can you believe it?

my sweet baby niece.

my name sake.

she's growing up fast...

as are all the kiddos.

look at that sweet girl in the

background of this photo.

that's my baby.

11 years old.

life is short.

where has time gone?

2011-05-20T00:42:00.000-06:00

i'm telling ya...

all this walking with the doggies

and i am pooped

at night.

and in the morning

and all day

except for the first hour after we get home

from our walk.

and i started doing private pilates.

wow. love it.

still haven't lost a pound.

or a half a pound.

but i am concluding that God

wants me to LOVE exercise and the

emotional results i get

before he will give me any

physical results.

want some crafting??

here is the Mother's Day card

we made in club last month:

saw the idea several places.

so i case'd it.

yep.

changed it a bit

but still cased it.

made the girls in my club

cut grass by hand.

they didn't like that.

one bit.

but they did it.

and it looked good.

the background was easy and

all the flowers were punches.

with a lil pop up!

habits.

2011-05-09T15:04:00.002-06:00

and a lot has happened since i posted on 24 April.

i have had health issues.

i have had lots of craft time.

i have walked a lot of miles with my dogs.

i have watched the snow melt slowly away

from the sides of the road

(and no, it is still not gone.)

i have watched plants and flowers

begin to peek through the dirt

even if the snow is still close by.

i have watched three baby fox

emerge from the den that they

inhabit year after year.

(if you look closely, you can see them just to the right of the

front door. little dark spots at the bottom of the post.)

(and here you can see their mama

watching them as she sits at the edge of the rocks.)

and i have smiled.

and taken deep breaths.

and wrestled with God

over where He is leading me.

and i have learned that most of what i do

is a habit.

going to church.

exercise.

crafting.

posting to my blog.

making dinner.

stamp club.

these are all habits.

and if you stop doing them for any moment

they will end.

easter tree

2011-04-24T13:46:00.000-06:00

my 11 year old daughter

is suddenly noticing

how i do not

decorate for any holiday

other than christmas.

she is rather dismayed by this.

i am not living up to her

standards as a mother.

especially one

who has the craft room

that i do.

so....

i pulled the cards off my card tree and

decorated it with

ribbon, easter eggs on ribbons,

candy and a little sign.

i also attached

Kit Kats

to win her heart...

haha.

of course,

Easter is not about the eggs,

the tree, the candy or the bunny ears at the top.

but about Jesus,

the guy of all guys.

the guy who was God,

yet came as a baby,

to live as we live

and to understand us.

yet to show us that

through his sacrifice,

we are forgiven.

love him.

amen.

easter CASE

2011-04-20T06:30:00.000-06:00

man, at the rate i'm going

on creativity

i'm gonna be able to rename this blog

lou's cases.

but...

it also shows you

DO NOT

have to be creative or artsy

to be a stampin up! demonstrator

because you can

Copy And Share Everything.

(or whatever you want that to mean)

so, here's my Easter case.

this one i am going to show you in reverse.

(because i think mine turned out cuter...

sorry angie)

this is angie's

(mychicnscratch.com)

easter card:

and here is mine,

slightly jazzed up:

first, i made mine several layers.

second, i embossed the background

and roughed up the DSP's edges

and third,

i used a bit of ribbon.

otherwise,

it is very, very similar.

because i liked it.

and i like her style.

but, as i said,

my creative juices in the brain

are rumbling...

so i'll have more soon.

it's coming back...

2011-04-18T00:10:00.001-06:00

wish i'd taken a picture of what it looked like before...

but i'm just gonna let you imagine.

i cleaned up my craft room today

and

now i want to craft!!

which is good, but

i can't.

because i have

several doctors appointments this week

and we have company coming wed.

so, here is a card for you from March's

Stamp Club:

before you RUSH to comment

that this is the cutest card

you've ever seen,

as it just might be.

please know i CASE'd it

from angie

(chic'n scratch)

again.

here is her version:

changed it up a bit.

some on accident,

some on purpose.

i didn't want to use daffodil delight as my background CS,

so i chose Tangerine Tango

and ran it through the Big Shot for some Dots.

then,

i used the largest star i had and

cut off each point to make my flags.

was surprised when i laid them down on

my white CS and they were tiny.

teeny, teeny, tensy, tiny.

but then i showed them to annie

(my darling, artsy 11 year old daughter)

and she liked the little flags...

so i proceeded.

otherwise, the rest is the same.

used the Bring On The Cake

stamp set

and some markers,

a touch of real red,

and

voila.

happier? ummm, not sure.

2011-04-12T15:10:00.000-06:00

i am sitting on my big comfy couch,

drinking a nice warm cup of coffee,

reading blogs,

posting church updates on facebook,

and listening to my two precious pups

snore as they sleep on my feet...

does it get any better than that?

i am not sure.

some kids home?

rusty home?

a warm fire...

even though it is fairly nice outside?

maybe...

but i don't think so.

i am focused on GRATITUDE

right now and trying to appreciate

ALL that i have.

so even though i am not down in my craft room,

reorganizing and creating,

as i would like to be doing...

(except i have this weird rule in my

little ole head that says i can't go down there

'until everything else is done...')

i am perfectly content sitting here,

with my laptop on my lap,

in my jammies still (wink, smile),

right now,

reading blogs,

listening to dog's snore.

can you tell what is going on in this picture?

puppy, stanley, is sprawled out with his head

under the blanket,

on top of my feet.

blind guy, zoly, is next to him, with his

sweet head on the pillow.

that is the corner of my laptop,

with an afghan laying on my lap.

peace.