Speaking of trends, I am a space case.

I am a space case because I have three separate stamp sets that are fancifully space themed. My first set, on the far right, has actually started to turn yellow. That one, from Stampendous, has never been used. It figures, I got it in the reduced pile at Tuesday Morning. Sometimes a bargain isn't really a bargain.

The middle set, Space Cadet from Paper Smooches, also had only been used for a sentiment until this weekend. That card will be posted as soon as I get my photo taken. I really love this set, I just don't ever pull it out to use it.

The set on the left is the newest, from The Alley Way Stamps, called Phone Home. I just love those aliens. I have used this one several times already.

Which one of those little planets looks most like Mars?

Cardmaking in paradise

Florida IS paradise, just still a very hot one!

Anyway, I've been making some cards and playing with my new toys, err, tools. I've been putting little dogs on everything!

Disclaimer: I copy other people's card designs both with and without my own consciousness of it. Pretty much everything I do I've seen on other websites. I just don't always remember where.

So, thank you, card designers everywhere for your inspiration, especially Lawn Fawn design team members.

I have this fiber from 2004 that I cannot seem to use, but I don't want to part with it either. This is my next project, I think. Do something that uses up a lot of this decorative, but out of date fiber.

(The inside reads: "I'm here for you". This idea and sentiment came from one of the Lawn Fawn design team members. That's Elena at justmeprints.blogspot.com. I distinctly remember this one!

You can't tell in the photo, but the red card is embossed with rough bricks.

The dogs are Lawn Fawn's Critters at the Dog Park, except for the "warm fuzzies" dog which is from a Paper Smooches set. The koala, crocodiles and kangaroos are from Lawn Fawn's Critters Down under.  The trees embossing folders are from Darice.

Please don't ask what I'm going to do with these cards, those of you who know me know I am not big on sending stuff via US Mail. I know this should be my next new year's resolution, right?

Tell us what's in YOUR flatware drawer!

I have the stainless steel flatware from my aunt and uncle that's vaguely Scandinavian in design. It is so cool looking, but the tines on the fork are so shallow that I drop a lot of food. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Then, there's the picnic set my sister gave me on my 50th birthday. It's kind of cheap looking but it has sentimental value to me. And the flowers are so cheerful! One of the forks is missing, go figure.

Then, there is the hammered set that came from Publix back in the 90's as some kind of promotion. It's a good, heavy, quality stainless. Too bad I don't care for the way it looks. But it's only one place setting, right?

And then there's the teaspoon that was a sample from Oneida back when we could fill out a tiny coupon in the back of Glamour magazine and for the shipping cost of $.25 they would send you the spoon! I'm pretty sure I did this in the early 1970's, in my first round of single days.

And then, there are the stray pieces that came in from who knows where. I think they may have followed me home from a potluck, or have been brought to my former house when we had bunches of people over. Group "eat-togethers" sometimes caused a little chaos. Is that my son-in-law's pet spoon that he left behind? I can't remember when most of the strays showed up.

My point is, as a grownup it's ok if I have matching flatware, so why can't I decide what I want and just get it?