Sunday's Class

For those of you in the area, check out Sunday's Stampin' Up class projects. I'm particularly fond of the Skully one and the cherry one, but they're all pretty fun to put together. You can't see some of the details in this pic, but I got out some of my favorite wheels and since "Pirouette Pink" is such a pale ink, I played with a lot of layering stamp designs. I really like that one with the little seed packets on it. That's just darn cute.

For those of you who aren't so close, you can still play along with a kit if you like. For $15 you get all you need to assemble these cards, stamps sold seperately, of course. For $5, I'll include the current catalog in that package--a $9.95 (plus postage!) value.

You know how to reach me: http://veronica.stampinup.net has all you need to send me a message.

Now that the commercials are over, take note that I am feeling less horrid today. I've been in a feisty-craftin' mood all week. I've been actively embellishing everything I come in contact with. I would have photos for you, but I've been busy trying to clean the house for Losar* and that's got me a bit distracted.

*Losar is the Lunar New Year celebration most of us know primarily from reading Chinese restaurant placemats. It's the day when the Zodiac flips over to a new animal (from Rat to Ox this year). Chances are you have seen pictures of people running around in dragon costumes on TV, and I think the post office usually issues a stamp for the holiday, which is very nice of them. What most people don't know is that we Buddhists spend the week before Losar taking their houses apart and cleaning them. We try to make a lot of noise to scare off bad spirits that might be hiding out in all those dusty spots and sweep and clean in all those places we usually forget, because that's where stale Chi builds up.

Being a bit cleaning compromised thanks to my decrepit spine, I do my best, but I've come to the conclusion that I just can't do it all myself anymore. If I try, I end up stuck in bed for a week afterward, feeling like I'm going to break into tiny pieces. So, I'm scrambling to get as much done as I can so I can make the most of my fabulous housekeeper/selfless assistant Kate when she arrives in the a.m. That way I don't have to waste the precious limited time I have her for on basic neatening up.

Therefore, I am off to lug stuff up and down stairs, glad that I'm able to move today. Hopefully on Monday, the house will be sparkly clean and I can devote myself to the celebration--an Asian feast followed by ringing bells (I skip the part about setting off firecrackers indoors for the sake of my poor terrified dog), sprinkling water, and hiking around the outside of the house with flaming juniper in hand to complete the final purification for the new year. I'm sure my neigbors think we're nuts, but they should just be glad I decided not to burn effigies at the crossroads in favor of *not* freaking them out completely.