Good morning! This is not the original post I was going to share with you as these darn holidays – I am still getting confused as the day of the week…Thursday means its time for a PPA Challenge and this color challenge is a beautiful and uplifting palette!

Please read to the end as I have an animal story for you (it's about a turkey)…I swear – you just can't make this stuff up!

How about playing along….please make sure that you go to the Pals Paper Art Website and see the masterpieces that others create and then its your turn…submit your own work of art and be proud of yourself!

I still am "pinching myself" with this new catalog, I just think that it is FANTASTIC and I can hardly wait to go to Florida in a couple of weeks for the Leadership Conference and be a SPONGE and soak up ideas and tips and tricks from amazing SUD's….(they always have FUN boards of samples and I know that there will be a ton of great ones….so much talent out there!)

Let's get to the super simple card! I call it a "Wham Bam…thank you Maam" card….why – there is not much to do than stamp and let the sentiment shine and do it's work! The stamp set i called Big on You….and I am thrilled that SU is offering HUGE stamps like this!

It's hip to be square and today is no different! This is a 5" square card (which is the Island Indigo) and I decided to have fun and make a pool party envelope! It is great that you can choose any color for your envelopes because of the Envelope Punch Board…..remember – it's on sale….and boy….we LOVE sales!

I still get as excited as I did the very first time I heat embossed…it is an instant magic and instant gratification! I do suggest that you have an inexpensive thin paint brush to fleck away any excess powder even after you have used the embossing buddy!

I used 2 different colors of embossing powder…the Pool Party and the Clear….I firgured – what the heck….if you already have the heat tool and versa mark out….why not? I think that clear embossing is often overlooked and I added some fun to the envelope front!

I would wager to say that the stamp set that I used on the front is overlooked in the catalog…..I love it – Draw the Line…..such a great set to border and heat embossing it gives this envelope a GREAT punch!

There are so many times that we go through the catalog and just look for the instant WOW or GREAT sentiment…but sometimes it takes a while but then you see it…just like this set….this is a "keeper" in my eyes.

Adding a simple heart (which is the soft sky) – here and there was the only added touch needed. This is why I love this stamp set – you really can let the sentiment shine and stankd on its own!

I do hope that you play with these colors or any similiar colors you might have at your workspace. Playing…trying….is the BEST way to help you develop a style that is YOU!

How many times have you gone through the new catalog? If you need a catalog and you are not currently working with a SUD, I would be honored to work with you! I love what I do and I firmly believe that everyone can have FUN with stampin! Please just let me know….

Please feel free to email me and rememeber, you can shop away 24-7 and earn PAW PRINT rewards….speaking of paws…..let me leave you with this pathetic picture of the princess! She is doing great and loves the emails and comments!

Thanks for being YOU!

p.s. – I forgot to share the animal story…..on December 31st Hannah and I came home from her riding the horses in Virginia to find a turkey in our lane. We often have turkeys at our house but there are always 5 or 7 of them and they come and go….

In January 1st, John came up from feeding the horses and said…."There is a huge turkey in Arnold's's field" Hannah and I looked up and said – we saw him yesterday, Now Arnold….he is the sweetest old guy one could have around….he is 29 years old and simple the best.

On January 2nd I had a text from Arnold's owner (who lives in DC and the funniest man) – it said, Hi Susan….did Arnold get a new field mate – there is a turkey in his paddock. (Arnold used to have a miniature donkey stay with him)

The Turkey is still here….well until yesterday – I decided that it is obvious that this turkey is not either feeling well or simply does not have a Turkey friend in the world. He appeared healthy in the fact that he was walking fine but my gut instinct was that he needed help.

It is BITTER cold here and I was worried that he would freeze if he really was sick (but then dear John has been feeding him)…..I call the SPCA and they told me that they do not do turkeys and to call the DNR but they would probably shoot it. Hannah and I cringed at that thought but then the lady gave me other numbers to try.

I called a lady and she was from the DC area (about an hour from our farm) and she said that she mainly did buzzards….(well I had to laugh at that one) but she said that she would call a gentlemen that live in WV that rescues and helps injured turkeys….we talked and he said he would come by on his way home from work (now coming to my house was about 1 1/2 hours out of the way fro him) but he was most concerned about Tom the Turkey.

He came and Hannah and John went down to the barn to meet him and he had a box….and the box was for Tom…..Hannah looked at that box and said Sir, there is no way that this turkey is going to fit in the box (somehow in our talking he thought it was a baby turkey but Tom was a HUGE grown man!)

Hannah came up to the house and asked for a dog kennel – the big one that Murphy used to sleep in…I said there is no way that the turkey will fit in there….she looked at me and she was sooooooo cold (it's about 8 p.m. now and naturally dark)

To wrap this up….they had to take off one side of the kennel….they put Tom the Turkey in it (and that was not easy catching him and holding him) and then put bungee cords across the opening so his head could stick ot and he would not get loose in this poor guys car and off they went!

Hannah and John came up to the house and John said, "Just give me some space….I am freezing….I cannot believe what I just did – helped a turkey into a car" and Hannah said, "Mom, how comes things like this happen to us….I guess animals know that they are safe here".…you simply cannot make this stuff up! – Never a dull moment around here!