Bucket List Updated

I did 7 more things on my list since I last looked at it! Although, that was in 2006... The new things are bold and italicized below.

I even travelled alone to Australia and New Zealand and drove on the "wrong" side of the road. I've become a beach bum, wear more skirts/dresses than pants/shorts, eat beets, played dodgeball, play ultimate frisbee, attempt disc golf, played at a water park, put myself in debt, drink whiskey and scotch neat (as opposed to gin and vodka), started aerial yoga, homebrewed beer, started drinking beer other than IPA, and heaps of other things. Rock climbing, I did again and got pretty decent but then had to stop when I moved back to Maui. Yes, the one thing on my "will never ever do in this lifetime" list, I did... I moved back home. It's okay and I'm starting to find a place for myself here on the island.

Anyway, here's the list I made years ago. Some things I could change but I'll do it at a later date. There is one thing on the list that I'll never check off, unfortunately. Oh well, life is just an adventure and not all of them turn out as expected. Just gotta go with the flow!

Things to do before I die...
1. Visit Antarctica
2. Explore Africa
3. Travel around the world in one go
4. Skydive
5. Read a real book
6. Get in shape (a flat stomach possibly?)
7. Swim with sharks
8. Go to Australia
9. Visit all Australian States
o Western Australia
o South Australia
o Victoria
o New South Wales
o Tazmania
o Queensland
o Northern Territory
o Australian Capitol Territory
10. Live in Australia for at least 2 years
11. Visit New Zealand
12. See a kiwi bird
13. Hike most of the Columbia River Gorge trails
14. Visit India
15. Learn more Arabic
16. Ride the Indian Pacific train
17. Ride the Trans-Siberian train from start to finish
18. Ride the scenic Amtrack routes (did the Empire Builder route from Minneapolis to Portland)
19. Catch a fish with bare hands
20. Snowboard
21. Ski
22. Skate on a real frozen lake
23. River Raft
24. Rock Climb
25. Eat balanced meals
26. Jump off a 50 foot cliff into a glistening natural pool (only jumped from about 25 ft)
27. Swim with wild animals (frolicked with sea lions)
28. Finish nursing school with no psychological issues
29. Get an adorable dog (although I no longer get to take care of him)
30. Take care of a gecko
31. See a dingo
32. Observe a wild manatee or dugong
33. See stromatalites
34. Eat a bug without vomiting
35. Pet a camel
36. Ride a horse (rode on a beach in Oregon and through a river in Australia)
37. Grow a garden on my own
38. Teach a bird to talk
39. Purchase a Rolex (black mother of pearl with diamonds)
40. Visit Asia (done Malaysia and Singapore)
41. Learn Italian
42. Learn how to cook better
43. Meet a real life beaver
44. See a panda
45. Re-learn to sew
46. Practice better yoga
47. Do the Bridge Pedal
48. Observe an autopsy
49. Save a life
50. Say "sorry" less

Christmas is here!

Been a slacker. Here are two cards I made at Paperdoll's Collage Art Card Making Class.

Below is made with rubber stamps and a tacky old card, cut up to look less overpowering. The silver was a border around the entire card and it had a silver christmas tree in the middle... yikes!


Next up is just a bunch of paper put together. I love it. Musical paper and stamps make me want to know what it is and what it sounds like. Maybe it's a dirge or a horrible composition. It could be the Itsy Bitsy Spider for all we know!

First Collage

Hey there. Janene taught and helped me to make this collage a while back. It was so much fun, yet stressful. I'm not a good placer of things and color mixer. Basically, the whole thing was based on the pigeon sticker. Got it from SCRAP!

Pictures came out awful but you get the general idea.

Chandelier Happiness

Using some of the stamps I just got! Yay! I have always wanted the Chandelier stamp from Impress but wasn't sure. I still love it and finally bought it since Impress is now selling to retailers! I so want to take a field trip up to the retail store... I better start saving!

(Chandelier from Impress/Savvy, Scalloped dots from A Muse, Sentiment from Wordsworth).



The curtain is neato but I'm never sure if I'm using it in the right manner. It's too refined for my general stamping personality but I like it a lot. So, here it is.

(Chandelier from Impress/Savvy, Sentiment and dotted circle from Cats Life Press, Curtain from Stampers Anonymous). All supplies were bought from Paperdoll!
n

my newest stamps

I have purchased a lot of new stamps lately. Joann has a lot of new clear stamps that are on sale and become about $5 per sheet so I just cannot resist.


As a nurse, I see lots of sick people. I often wish I could make and give some of them get well cards, but I can't since that would be crossing boundaries. My mom, who lives on a small island however, seems to know a lot of people that become ill or are taking the "Journey Home," as I like to call it. So I get to come up with get well cards that I think I would prefer than the run of the mill Get Well cards. I think the cards above and below are ones I'd like to get if I were having to deal with cancer and surgery. (Sometimes I feel like I sound insensitive when it comes to a person's well-being so if I do, I'm sorry).

The Buddha stamp is from Inkadinkado. Flourish from Impress. Sentiments both from Wordsworth (I'm pretty sure).


Okay, I know I make a lot of "sympathy" cards but my mom requests them. I guess shopping for them isn't any fun so I have the honor of making them for her. I don't mind making them though. I like try creating beautiful sympathy cards with a meaning. I especially like to use birds that are looking up because it seems that they're looking to another place.

Bird is a newbie for me, from Inkadinkadoo. Flourish from Judikins.


On to a happier note... my friends have just purchased and moved into a new house! I've been wanting to use the tree paper for something special and now I have found its purpose! I don't really care that it looks like fall and the current season is spring... Anyway, the house is new for me. I don't know who makes it but I will find out later and post it here. Thanks for looking! I'd like to hear comments if anyone reads this. Cheers!

Red :: Black :: Silver

I had the ugliest bulk envelope box... now it's bearable. I'm a lazy, sloppy paper-coverer so you can see heaps of raw edges and creases. I just like to "MacGuyver" ugly things to look at least decent. I really want to get the Crop-A-Dile Big Bite but I am too lazy to go to the store that is carrying them. For the tag thingy, I just glued it, along with the brads on (bent the tabbies so they wouldn't show) with Diamond Glaze, my version of most peoples' duct tape. My experience with the Diamond Glaze is that it hold better and smells better than Krazy Glue. Another plus... it makes things shiny!



I absolutely love these stamps from Cats' Life Press. They're both so me. I'm not good at collaging but I think these would be so funny in a great collage. Or as a *hint hint* to a hairdresser or seamstress. [All stamps Cat's Life Press, except for the polka dot background on the "no clothes" card. I believe that's Impress.]


Four of the schools I have attended in my lifetime has had red and black, or red and white as the school colors. I wonder sometimes if that's the reason I like these colors together. Hopefully I don't get too attached to the colors of my other schools though... two involve that ugly royal-grape purple. Yuck!

Snow Monkey!

I haven't posted a random picture in quite a while. I get National Geographic pictures on my google homepage and had to share this with you. It's a cute snow monkey taking a bath in Japan. This monkey looks like a person I've seen somewhere... at school, on tv, or on the street... not sure. Anyway, this thing is so absolutely cute!

Birds and Ocean

My friend, who was a successful private-practice dentist in Peru and basically "nothing" here got into a dental health program at my alma mater, Pacific University. Congrats!

Using my new stamp from Impress... the light blue flourish thingy. Goldish-green flourish I think is Judikins. Bird is Cats Life Press. Sentiment is Amuse. Went overboard with the Stickles glitter.

Partially inspired by "Harold" (see below). Same flourish as above. Bird from Impress. Don't know where the sentiment comes from. Mini ric rack from my grandma's old stash.

Weekend at the Oregon Coast, Canon Beach. Beautiful sunset reflecting off the estuary.
"Harold" (we named him) the seagull that begged for food multiple times a day.

One (Stamp) Love

The common stamp is from Stampington Co. I love it, although I really don't know what to do with it. Here's a couple of things I came up with...


[Sentiment from Cats Life Press.]



[Signature background, damask and flourish from Judikins (used the other half of the stamped paper from the card in the previous post).]

[Damask and flourish from Judikins.]

Variety Pack

Hi. Been back to stamping once or twice since starting my new job. Here's a few I made...

Quick and simple. There's a little sheep on the onesie in white that you can't see. [Still don't know who makes the onesie and sentiment is AMuse.]



Sentiment is opposite from the one above... I guess that's the circle of life... [Tree background, flourish and damask are Judikins. Bird is a miniature version of the one I'm in love with from Invoke. Sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly.]



Another simple card. [Stamp from Paperbag Studios.]



My friend wearing a hat I knitted.

Simple Cards, Knitting, and Sewing

Hi! I've finally made some cards! I am obsessed with this bird from Cats Life Press and I keep finding myself using it in the same place with the words in the same place (bird right side and words upper left). I also love Stickles.

Thank you from Impress. I used Stickles as accents.


I went crazy with the orange and yellow Stickles.

====================================================================

Here's my Knitted and Sewed goods. I started knitting in December so don't laugh... I also cannot seem to get my scarf to uncurl. I think I'm just too lazy to do much about it though. Below is my second-made scarf, encircling a reusable java jacket that I made. It fits paper cups from your local java joint. The first scarf I made was lost the day I finished making it! So sad.

My first hat. I had to put the "Monkey Business" pin on to hide a couple holes I made.


Hope you're all having a good day and take care!

A hold on the projects

Hi. I'm in the middle (or beginning) of studying for the NCLEX so there's no card projects to post. I have no creativity right now for that stuff. I did, however, create a yoga mat holder. It's not perfect but works good enough. Simple. I will take a pic and post it later (just like my knitting projects.) I am making java jackets that fit onto paper coffee cups and hope to get them on Etsy. I'll post those too, when I finish them all!

I hope you all have had a nice beginning of 2008 and continue to have a fantastic year.

Cheers!

Motivated by an email

I got my first email from my cards today (WhatUpEchidna@gmail.com)! I feel SO special. I also feel like I REALLY need to start posting more. So here's a Christmas card I selvaged from this other style that really needed something else (in other words, it was too boring for me). I have to tell you that I am in love with Stickles right now. Oh, the hat is colored with prismacolor pens and the white parts have liquid appliqué added and puffed with the heat gun.


This is a thank you card that I made into Christmas gifts. I sent packs of 8 or 10 (depending on how lazy or motivated I was feeling) to family and friends. It's also the style that I auctioned off at school to help my senior class! BTW I'm almost a full fledged nurse! Just need to take the NCLEX and have someone hire me!


Well, take care. Hope you had a fantastic Christmas and I wish you all the best in the new year. I hope that I can create more cards to share, but I am now engrossed with knitting (my newest hobby, started 1 month ago!). I'll post pictures of my scarves and hat later. Cheers!

Lazy

Hi. I'm lazy. I've made a few card-like things, and attempted a collage card. Not too successful. I have, however, created some Christmas cards that I will be selling at Paperdoll (if all goes to plan). I've been having fun with those and I want to keep them. However, my friends will be receiving all the cards I have from a box. I bought a ton last year and forgot to send them (I blame school). Maybe I'll add glitter or something to those. Anyway, just wanted to post something. Hope your weekend is going well and I wish you a happy week! Cheers.

More Stuff Made on Maui

Hello. I finally got my pics from the cards I made back on Maui. Here are a few of them... I made them upolad small so they would not take up too much room.

Must buy baby clothes...

My cousin's boy is a baby model and he wants you to but Carter's from Fred Meyer this week.

World Card Making Day

Celebrate World Card Making Day! It's on 06 October 2007 (or the first Saturday in October). Sounds like fun to me. Also, in the spirit of card making goodness, A Muse is selling card kits for 15% off the retail price AND they will be giving a whopping 25% of the proceeds from these kits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Through Cards for a Cause, A Muse will also be accepting donations of cards for the children at the hospital up until 31 October (and there's a drawing for A Muse money if you send some in).

Here's an example of the card kit that I really want:You can buy it off their blog through PayPal... it's so easy! So, if you need new stamps or want to try it out for the first time, this is one awesome way to go.

Insomnia got the best of me...

Here is a card that I made in the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't sleep and decided to stamp... until 0430. I'm not the happiest with it, but the card makes me smile... I miss the beach. I made others but those are my samples for my make and takes (and cuter, I think).

(A Muse Surf Shop, Fence, Waves, and sentiment. Ribbon is "wavy". I just omitted glue on the parts that I wanted to stick up a bit.)

What? Me?

So, I'm super-uber excited because I am going to be a part-time make and take demonstrator at paperdoll! This is especially neat for me because I fancy myself as still quite new at this stamping/cardmaking thing. I feel so honored... although, I guess what the make and takes really will be geared toward are simple (to encourage folks into the art of stamping), and quick (I don't like complicated, overly done stuff too much).

Drop by for make and takes on:
September 15 (Sat) 2:00-4:00
October 13 (Sat) 12:00-4:00
October 20 (Sat) 2:00-4:00
[None in November, but check out their "Christmas Card Retreat" at their website.]


Check out papedoll online , call 503.408.6867, or visit them at 7909 SE Stark St. Portland, OR 97215.

What I want to be...

So, a question was posted on the A Muse blog site. If you answer it, you have a chance to get a neat stamping prize. I liked the question so now I ask you, as a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Here's my answer to the post. Of course, there's much more to it, but these were the main ones:

In preschool and kindergarten I wanted to be a school bus driver since I loved singing "the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round". In third grade, I wanted to be a marine biologist since I lived in Hawaii and saw all kinds of neat sea creatures. Then I was tossed by a wave and almost drowned so I developed a fear for the ocean. I wanted to be an anesthesiologist in 5th grade since I thought it was neat to help people "go to sleep" before they were going to be in pain from surgery (I wanted to be a surgeon but I didn't trust my shakey hands.) Later, in fifth grade, I learned that medical examiners did sort of similar things as surgeons, but they also got to help solve crimes. So and that's what I wanted to be until my senior year of college (after studying abroad) when I decided that I wanted to help more people in the world and fulfill my dreams of travelling. So, I am currently in nursing school. Now, when I grow up, I want to be a nurse with knowledge of sea and land creatures, other people and cultures, and how to make fun cards and crafts to share with friends!

Here's the list I can remember as of now... I guess I can add them up:

1. School bus driver
2. Marine Biologist/Oceanographer
3. Veterinarian
4. Architect
   
5. Surgeon
6. Anesthesiologist
7. Virologist (level 4)
8. Forensic Pathologist/Medical Examiner
   
9. Seventh grade science teacher
10. Diagnostic Imaging Tech (MRI, CT, Nuclear Med)
11. Paramedic
12. Nurse
1. Emergency Room
2. Operating Room
3. Nurse Anesthetist
   
4. Forensic Nurse
13. Lottery Winner