Bugawumps

The "Bugawumps" Baby Boom!

2012-01-30T08:14:00.001-06:00

Well, believe it or not, Bugawumps is bursting
with even more great news!

Less than a year ago we were in the midst of last minute wedding preparations for these two, Kris and John, our daughter and now new son-in-law, and they too, are now expecting a "little Bugawump" as well.

Their little one is due in late July giving us all time to adjust to a new life schedule with the twins before this one joins in the fun.

As parents and now grandparents-to-be, we feel as though we have "hit the jackpot"! Great children with great spouses and now 3 little ones in less than 3 months. Overwhelming at the very least!

We will still be around as our family grows and we glow with new babies and new ideas from those wonderful little beings, so continue to watch our site to see where we will be doing shows and what new stamps will becoming your way.

Like I said, traveling to shows this year will be difficult but not impossible, so we hope to sign up and attend whatever we can between births, celebrations, and all that comes in between so watch our "ROAD SHOWS" for the latest updates on shows and contact numbers.

If you feel the need to get "BUGGED" please shop online either here or on our website at www.bugawumps.com and if you find all that too confusing, give me a call at 1.847.498.5188 or fax me at 1.847.498.5198 and I will get right back to you with an answer, words of encouragement, or whatever I can do to speed up your creative juices.

As we enter a new year, a new month and add three new dimensions to our lives we wish all of our customers as much joy, good health, and happiness possible.

Next week, we'll be making a new card so get your stamping supplies ready, set, and off we go!

Laura Anne and "Auntie in Waiting" Bella Boo

New Arrivals!

2012-01-12T15:10:00.002-06:00

Welcome 2012!

The times they will be a changing for Bugawumps Rubber Stamps and all of us who started this wonderful journey 14 1/2 years ago, Laura, Dick and Bella Boo (only 2 years into it) Jacobs.

Our son, Matthew and daughter-in-law, Abra, are expecting twin boys in late April leaving us all overwhelmed with anticipation. It will be the first grandchildren on both sides!

Due to the arrival of these wonderful little "critters" as Grandpa Walt (Abra's father) calls them we will not be doing as many shows this year.

With the flooding of our offices late last summer and the twins coming right in the midst of the show season we are hoping that our customers understand that we are running like crazy just to finish the reorganization of our offices along with planning for the arrival of these two wonderful little boys.

We are still alive and kicking so please place your orders from either this sight or our website - http://www.bugawumps.com/ , you can PHONE your order in at 847.498.5188 or FAX it in to 847.498.5198.

Our order processing and shipping will remain the same. We normally ship within 48 hours so your stamping needs will still be met in the same speedy manner that we are known for!

If Grandma Bugawumps doesn't answer the phone, leave a number - She will get back to you ASAP! Many may not know this but she wears a "super woman cape" under her streetwear.

We are scheduling shows as time allows so keep watching our site and this blog for the most updated information.

SHOWS Scheduled so far: for more information contact the websites listed below:

March 10th & 11th - ROCKFORD, IL - http://www.stampscraparttour.com/

April 28th & 29th - AKRON, OH - http://www.adventuresinstamping.com/

We are still looking into some more summer and fall shows - so watch our website and this blog for the most updated information.

Add to all this excitement that Laura has just written an article about her Pan Pastel demonstration that she does for all of you at the conventions. It will appear in the summer issue of RubberStampMadness magazine - so grab it at your local hobby and craft store or order it for your Kindle, I-Pad, Nook or cranny.

In the meantime - wishing you and yours a creative 2012 with lots of new ideas and new adventures!

The future,
Grandma Laura Anne and Auntie Bella Boo

Oh My Goodness....

2011-12-02T08:42:00.005-06:00

Oh my goodness....decorating for the holidays on top of finishing the rehab work has taken on a life of it's own as I try to get it all done in time for Santa!

As you can see, the outside lights adorn our castle and the inside tree(s) and decorations are going up at a fast pace amidst the plaster dust and plastic furniture wrappings.

We will be done, we will be done, we will be done by Christmas...is my manta. The old cabinets will have to be painted after the holiday season comes to a close because frankly, my painting hand is cramped and tired and itching to hold a drink in it so I can propose a toast to all of you.

The great celebrations of our 2010 year began with a trip to Kauai with wonderful friends, then onto our daughter's wedding in early March.

The storm front(s) hit in June with 3 tornados, lightening strikes, no electricity for 8 days, and finally the flooded basement and business offices.

We lost two friends this year, one was an old neighbor, she was "Mom" to many of us kids growing up, the other was a school friend's husband from the same era and neighborhood.

Lastly, we are ending our year and beginning another one on a high note - we just finished vacationing in Florida with the same friends we went to Kauai with in January and yes, we are still friends and had even more fun than the first trip.

Our final celebratory news of 2011 is that my husband and I are going to be grandparents for the first time with TWINS. Our daughter-in-law is due in the spring and is glowing! We can hardly wait! There is something "wonder"full about watching the circle of life move forward...

So as I put the finishing touches on the newly plastered basement walls as well as hang the ornaments - I am thinking of all of you and hoping that you get done what you think needs to be done and let the rest go so that you too, can catch a breath, make a toast and hug the ones you love.

The ornaments that decorate our lives are the people we hold near and dear to us...not the gifts, not the decorations, not the food - although a good homebaked cookie is hard to refute, and certainly not the stress that we put upon ourselves to get it all done by a certain date.

Wishing you all a blessed, healthy, happy getting it done kind of day!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Here's Where We Stand ......

2011-09-19T07:38:00.003-05:00

Here is where we stand to date on the reconstruction of our offices - the asbestos floooring has been removed and we are currently painting the ceilings as we wait for the contractors to come back and remove the mold ridden drywall.

As you can see, none of my office equipment including my hard working desk top computer is hooked up or working. The lack of progress from the insurance company's contractor is making my brain do somersault's as I try to work around piles of furniture and mounds of books, papers, and assorted knick knacky things that we all tend to collect over a period of time - 38 years of "stuff" for us to be exact all hiding out in the garage, stacked in the extra bedrooms and towering high in the back rooms that were not waterlogged by the flooding.

As my frustration grows due to a lack of being able to hook up the phones, computer, take care of my website which is programmed on the desk top and not the lap top I wonder how many of my cusomers are trying to get hold of me ...... ;(

If you stopped here - which obviously if you are reading this you did, take note that Bugawumps will give you a whopping 20% OFF ALL UNmounted STAMPs through the 1st of November if you order off our website. REMEMBER - you can mail in the order if the phones aren't working!

I am going to hook up the phones today regardless of the condition of the offices and when and if the contractor ever shows up he can just work around them - enough of this waiting game!

I may even tear out the drywall myself and get someone else to install the windows if things don't start happening soon. Charlie didn't raise a fool who can't use a tool!

Sorry about the whining - I am not a girl who sits around and waits for things to happen - I am the girl who makes things happen.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that today someone will knock on my door and put a smile on my face with a truckload of windows, drywall, and some flooring.

Hope your day just went better than mine with the "SALE on STAMPS" that we are offering you for 6 more weeks!

Take care and stamp happy.....oh how I wish I had a desk and my ink pads.....I seriously need to play!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Flood Relief ? Seriously ??????

2011-09-09T08:54:00.003-05:00

This past month and a half has been a real trip up for us at Bugawumps Rubber Stamps.

We came home from our July Conventions faced with a flooded basement due to high rains - 9 inches of water consumed our beautiful basement family room and art studio along with our workshop.

The wallpaper damage is only a part of the demolition - the floors are also being pulled up this week due to the fact that the insurance company tested them and they contained asbestos - so out they go.

Next week the real work begins - new walls, new windows, new cabinets, new paint, some new furniture and then putting back all the "stuff" that we had to take out and move to the garage for the men to work in.

I am, of course the painter, so once they are done next week, my job starts.

Therefore, because of all the upheaval and confusion, our offices will be closed from now until the 1st of October.

We will be happy to take your orders over the internet or phone (once it is reinstalled) but will not be able to process it due to a lack of computer/printing access.

Please be patient - we realize how important your hobby is to you and its therapuetic effects, but this is something that we could not have foreseen and want to make sure that when we manufacture, pack and ship your products, it is done correctly.

I will keep you posted on the progress as my laptop has at least that capability - my desktop is the one that does all the hard work!

Happy Bugday - hope it is a safe and sunny one!

Laura Anne and a very confused Bella Boo

Fall into Fun!

2011-08-24T01:33:00.006-05:00

The full moon is all a glow through my misty windows as the crickets chirp a lullaby for those who are too young to know that the songs of summer will soon pass.

So as I try to fall asleep after a long day of painting woodwork and plastering the nail holes from photos of long ago I thought that maybe you might enjoy dreaming of making this card for a friend.

Stamp Free Fallin' = 191F onto a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of cardstock.

Mask the image with Liquid Masking Fluid (another name for this product is Liquid Frisket which can be purchased at your local Michael's craft store in the watercolor / acrylic department) by painting it in with either a q-tip or your stylis. Place a few drops randomly around the image. Let the liquid mask dry for at least 45 minutes = believe me it will be worth the wait! Besides, this gives you a break to either make dinner, pick the kids up from school, gab on the phone with a gal pal or even do the laundry = gasp!

Using a brayer and a Kaleidacolor pad in shades of red, orange and yellow, brayer in the background. If you would like to make your own rainbow colors with our wonderful Pan Pastels, this would be your chance! PS - they are on sale for $ 5.75 each through Aug. 31, 2011.

Peel off the liquid mask by rubbing your fingers over the dried masking fluid until it starts to roll up. If you have a rubber cement eraser, that makes the removal much easier.

Color in Free Fallin' and hold on to your leaf = your card is ready to be layered and sent out!

Easy, Breezy Fall Fun.

Have a wonderful tomorrow as I try to catch a few zzzzzzzz's before the sun comes up.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

"One in a Bugzillion"

2011-08-21T19:31:00.003-05:00

Lately I have been thinking of the people in my life who have stepped outside their comfort zones and made or shall I say make good things happen for others.

You know the type, the neighbor who bakes wonderful cookies and then brings you a dozen = unexpectedly of course. The friend who makes you a tape of music that lifts your heart and has you dancing in the kitchen or dreaming of warm sunny beaches, or someone who rebuilds your life bit by bit with either wood, plaster, or sound advice.

These are the people who are "One in a Bugzillion" - so let's make them a card to say Thank You!

First, stamp our fun Large Squirm - 420C, as many times as you can on a 4" x 5.25" of white cardstock.

Mask all the images - I know it's alot of Squirms, but seriously, they are a breeze to cut out and well, really, isn't this special person we are making it for worth the trouble?

Brayer over ALL the images with a sponge brayer filled with a blue/green/turquoise rainbow pad. I love my Big and Juicy Waterfall pad but Kaleidescope has a nice pad with those colors in it as well.

Peel off the masks and color one Squirm with rainbow colors and the rest a lovely shade of yellow green shading in with a lime green.

Layer, Layer, and Layer after putting the original artwork on a piece of cardstock that is 5.50" by 8.50" scored at the 4.25" mark lengthwise.

Stamp in Our "You're one in a bugzillion" stamp - 7001E on the inside.

Add a few smiley faces if you like and sign it with love, admiration or a plain ol' "Thanks" and off to the post office you go.

Not only will it put a smile on the recipient's face, but yours as well.

After all, anyone thoughtful enough to make this card for their friend, family or neighbor is "One in a Bugzillion" themselves.

Happy Bugday!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

A Little Wet Behind the Years....

2011-08-09T14:15:00.010-05:00

I am feeling just a little bit wet behind the ears, or should I say "years".

Two weeks ago another terrible storm went through our town and while we weathered it with electricity this time, our sump pumps failed to keep up with the 8.5 inches of rain that fell in less than two hours.

We woke up to two sump pumps gurgling under 9 inches of water in our family room and work rooms as 28 years of "STUFF" had already begun to absorb what we had not.

It is all "STUFF - just STUFF" .

I kept telling myself this as the bulging swirling stained waterlogged walls and curling of peeling wallpaper took on a new dimension of home decor.

I can't begin to tell you how quickly we found ourselves moving whatever we could up the stairs, off the floor, and onto counters as our carpets floated effortlessly above the crystal clear rain water as we held back our tears. We have never had a flood in our home these past 28 years.

We saved the new son-in-law's 20 year old comic book collection (25 large boxes), 2 slightly wet red leather chairs, tables, a sofa, lamps, and most of the trains (60 years of model railroad stuff), and all of my stamping "stuff". Most everything that was wet, has dried out fairly well with just a few wrinkles as reminders of how much we have to be thankful for.

The under currant of our family bonds became stronger as we lost books, cabinets, carpets, tiles off the floor, furniture and energy as we struggled to remove the calf high water we were wading through to save what we could.

What we lost was just "Stuff". What we gained - "A stronger family unit".

Our Children, Matt and his wife, Abra, along with Kris and her new husband, John, worked with their Dad and I for 13 hours hauling, vaccuuming, drying, and bundling up stuff to take to the curbside for garbage pick-up. No one complained.

We just held on hour after hour as we realized that it was just that, "STUFF". We still have our "MEMORIES". We still have our "HEALTH". We still have our "HOME". We still have "US".

For those of you, your families and your friends who have ever experienced great losses through fire, weather, abuse, violence or economic hardship, my heart and prayers go out to you tenfold.
This was hard enough - I can't imagine losing my home, much less my family.

As I look at damaged walls, the left over "STUFF" in disarray, I will try to remember this day, and make sure that my heart is always in the right place and my priorities oraganized accordingly - God, Husband, Kids, Puppies, Friends, Neighbors, etc.

And yes, to still have paper towels to hand out to those who may need them.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo - who thinks "Puppies" should come first.

Deep Fried

2011-08-03T20:24:00.002-05:00

Life is good. The storms have subsided for a few days. The sun is out and the carnival is in town.

All the wonderful sights, sounds and smells!

Roller coasters, Tilt-a-Whirls, Ring Toss, Games of Chance and the Food - the wonderful combination of greasey sublime gooey goodness!

Carrie Newcomer (check her out on U-Tube), sings about the county fairs and all they offer. The fun, the lights and the imagination of those who can deep fry anything and make it sound good!

This is how I feel when I go to a convention and show you wonderful ladies our latest technique. I feel like a barker at the circus or a carnie with a show stopping daring twist of fate feat, when really all I am doing is using my Pan Pastels in a very simple way to achieve maximun color with minimum effort.

This Weekend Bugawumps will be in Novi, MI showing off "OUR" stuff and hoping that the crowds mimick those I saw at the carnivial tonight. For those of you who come, our Pan Pastels will be on sale for $ 5.75 each - a lower price celebrating our ad in RSM. For those of you who can't join us, the sale will continue on our website through Sept. 1st.

Add to that that we are also giving you a "DOG DAY" summer SALE - 10 percent OFF ALL STAMPS and you have yourself one very creative show stamping summer!

Feel the barker in me coming on again.......

Happy Happy Bugday!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Proud Moments

2011-07-22T14:09:00.002-05:00

We are just back from the Colorado conventions, one in Longmont, the other in Colorado Springs and I am thankful that we withstood the daily torrential downpours, flooding in the streets and the lightening strike that took out the power in our hotel room.

None of that overshadowed the wonderful women who attended the conventions nor their generous spirits. I feel blessed that so many asked about the 3 Day Susan G. Komen 60 mile walk that my nephew and I did together for his mother, my best friend, in September almost 4 years ago.

Four special ladies, one who won our raffle basket as we were raising money for the walk, and three other ladies took the time to ask how it all went. To this day, I can't thank you all enough for making the "WALK" a possibility for my nephew and myself.

His mother was so proud of him that weekend - the twinkle in her eyes every time she surprised us at a rest stop was worth every mile and blister Charlie and I endured that weekend.

While his mother and my dear friend, Theresa, was not one of lucky ones who survived the disease, you gave her a wonderful gift, the joy of seeing her son do something "BIG" for her.

Bigger is better when it comes from the heart!

Once again, many thanks to the lovely ladies of Colorado for opening their hearts and their wallets to us that year and supporting us in more ways than one. You are all a "Gift" that Charlie and I will never forget.

Thanks for asking - it meant more than you will ever know.

Bugs and Kisses,

Laura Anne and of course, Charlie and our ever present, Bella Boo

Weather or Not......?

2011-06-03T09:25:00.003-05:00

Memorial Weekend, the Springfield, MA Rubber Stamp Convention in the midst of cleaning up after a horrible tornado hit the city, my nephew leaving his wife of one year and three week old baby for his fourth tour of duty - this time in Kuwait, leaves me feeling sad as I head home to Chicago knowing that there is little I can do to change the conditions of what was, what is, and wondering what is to come.

We will not be attending the convention this weekend as vendors in West Srpingfield, MA. We chose to head home after hearing the terrible news and being told by the hotel management to change our plans as the roads were closed at the time we called them on Thursday morning to see what the damage had amounted to. The Expo Center was not harmed and the parking lot was accessible south of the city but still, as I watched the National Guard called in and the Red Cross show up, I knew that this was not the time nor the place for Bugawumps to be.

So we made the decision to turn back in Erie, PA and support those of you in West Springfield, MA by making a donation to the Red Cross on behalf of our customers who were directly affected by the the tornado. We needed to help those who suffered the loss of their homes, business, family, or friends with something more than a rubber stamp sale. We felt the need to give our support with a donation to the Red Cross instead of making a profit this weekend. We felt the need to help someone else.

We have attended shows in areas that had been hard hit by hurricanes and tornadoes in the past, Virginia Beach, VA and Houston, TX to be exact and the results were not good. So instead we chose to take the loss and use the dollars we saved by making a donation that would truly do some good for those in need.

For those of you who were hoping to see us in West Springfield, MA - we apologize and are offering ALL our customers free shipping along with 10 percent of the sale to be donated to the Springfield,MA Tornado Red Cross Fund if you place an order by phone or mail from our web-catalog between Friday, June 3rd through Sunday, June 12th.

In the meantime, prayers go out to all who understand that help is on the way and we are with you in spirit, hope, and faith for a better tomorrow.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo, Hubby, too

The Morning After

2011-05-09T08:11:00.004-05:00

The morning after a big event or holiday leaves me thankful for my days of quiet routine.

While I love the hustle and bustle and all the hoopla that goes with a holiday, I love my normal boring to some schedule of nothingness that keeps me busy and leaves time for creative thinking. I am glad that my family has a simplistic attitude towards these "non" holiday days.

Mother's Day to me is one of those odd days - you may disagree with me after you read this and I realize I am one of few who think like this but to me, we should celebrate those we love every day. If you need a day designated by others that tells you to to tell your parent you love them, something is really amiss.

How did I spend my day - well, my family sort of celebrated the day before which always makes me happier by having an easy dinner and celebrating two birthdays together. We each recieved our prospective cards and the gift of enjoying one another. Teriyaki burgers, sweet potato fries, fruit and a homemade cake....paper plates, not quite, but certainly not the good china.

On Sunday, my son and his wife took a nice walk and then worked in their backyard while our daughter and her husband went to see a movie. My mother spent it with one of my brothers and his daughter's extended family. My husband and I took our sweet Bella to a dog park and sat on bench as she ran like the wind chasing the other puppies through the dandelions and tall grasses. Easy.... thankful......blessed with the knowlegde that we love one another and don't need the hoopla to prove it to one another.

Some would find this boring, but on this sunny Monday morning, I know that life doesn't get better than this.

As you walk through your Monday, remembering your Sunday, feel blessed no matter how you spent it. You are lucky enough to be here, to be able to hug, to draw, to stamp, to create whatever you choose regardless of who dictates what day is what.

Happy "Women's" Day Everyday!

Laura Ann and Bella Boo

Uggghhhhhh - and I don't mean the Boots.

2011-04-28T08:01:00.003-05:00

Boots Anyone? The rain in our area has me wondering if thigh high wading boots will be a necessary part of my wardrobe on a daily basis.

The rivers are flooding the plains, the retention basins are spilling over into the parking lots, and the wooded pathways are freely flowing over with the dark waters from the lagoons bringing with it birds we very rarely see the likes of, because they too, are seeking higher ground.

Add to that a moral dilema that has me disappointed in someone I helped and trusted and I feel more than a little bit blue today if not soggy as well.

Bella and I will traipse through these rough days in hopes that everything that seems murky, dark and damp will shimmer and glisten in the sun's rays when it decides to show its face.

In the meantime, I think I will pull out my Pan Pastels and color my world a bit brighter in hopes that waters will soon reside and we can both go out and play in our garden of delight.

Hang on everyone, the life raft will be along soon......I promise.....

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Feeling Blessed!

2011-04-18T09:04:00.010-05:00

We are home after a long but wonderful weekend at the "Adventures In Stamping" rubber stamp convention in Akron, OH. What a great crowd of ladies! Patient, kind, creative and inquisitive - always wanting to learn more about the art of rubber stamping and beyond. After 14 years of attending this show - our very first convention was in Independence, OH sponsored by "Wild Bill" and his delightful wife, Cindy Petal. We still feel "the love" from our first convention attendees. You are all like family to us. This is our second year carrying and promoting the creamiest of pastels - PAN PASTELS and the SOFFT TOOLS that go with them. We had all 80 colors and ran out of almost every color by 1 pm on Saturday....for those of you wondering we had 36 of each color color available. We figure that the northern portion of Ohio will look like a technicolor wonderland by the end of today if everyone who bought them opens them up and paints their little portion of the world in the next few hours. I am hoping that is a reality and not a dream as I know how much of what gets purchased at conventions never sees the light of day until I see you at next year's show asking me how to use it again! So my challenge for all our customers and convention attendees is to open your bags today ladies and start creating beautiful works of art! Thank you all Ladies for making us always feel at home and treating us like your family. We love seeing you and catching up on your families and telling you about ours as well. Until next year - color your worlds beautiful so we have even more to celebrate when come together again. Laura Anne, Bella Boo, and the Hubby too!

Every Day is Different

2011-03-24T10:28:00.006-05:00

March- What a fun month. Every day is different!

One minute it is snowing, the next it is raining, then a rainbow appears out of nowhere.

Unexpected moments.....unexpected creativity....or just mass chaos?

Whatever your day has decided to be - let it unfold. Which is always better than folding the laundry!

Make sure that whatever happens today, you do something or share it with someone who makes you feel good about yourself.

The highs and lows of Spring, the highs and lows of life, the highs and lows of creativity swing in whatever direction we are pushed. So for today, I am going to push Bella and I towards "happy'.

How about You?

Swinging to our own beat,

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

The Rainbow's End....

2011-03-17T08:54:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my friends and family!

Here's wishing you a wonderful day of green bliss and a little magic at the end of the rainbow that fills your pot and your heart with gold goodness.

"You are ALL, one in a bugzillion" in my world!

Now, off to find a leprachaun or two with a shamrock shake in hand, a green ink pad on my work table and Bella as my guide.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Always Carry a Big Stick

2011-03-16T15:23:00.003-05:00

My thoughts are exactly like Bella's on this warm sunny spring day - Be prepared and always carry a big stick .

Seems as though people pay more attention to what you are saying if you have a big stick in your hand or in your mouth as in Bella's case.

Life little moments seem harder to find and enjoy when you are talking on your cell phone or texting, the computer screen is flashing at you or your kids are crying for whatever it is kids cry for at any given moment. Add to this a spouse who asks you questions while you are on the phone or counting inventory and wants an answer immediately.

Bella and I slowed down today - we turned off the cell phone, tuned in to the sunny day and took a long walk around the basin by the river. The red winged black birds were singing to us as we strolled along; a frog was croaking solo and the Canadian geese were splashing in the high waters of the slow moving river. It was a wonder cacophony of sounds with a rhythm that soothed our souls.

Bella found her big stick and before long, all the other walkers and dogs stopped to discuss the size of her treasured "log" and the fact that she was determined to carry it the entire 1 1/2 miles around the basin. Bella is like that - once she has made her mind up about something, she sticks to it and finishes the job at hand. I like that about her - except when it is 10 degrees and damp outside and I am in my pajamas waiting for her. It was nice to have people stop and notice how hard she works at being a good puppy.

So in the same vein as Bella, I am spending my day with a stick in my hand. The difference between us is that my stick has a tad bit of lead down the middle and an eraser at the other end. I am determined to finish a certain project that I started not too long ago and hope that it has the results that make a more than a few people in my life smile.

Wishing you a slower paced day and a big stick to ward off the outside noises that make life complicated and someone who notices how important you are in their life.

Bella Boo and Laura Anne

It Was Perfect.

2011-03-07T01:19:00.014-06:00

The bride slipped and fell on the icey chapel stairs just before she walked down the aisle to meet the groom.

Her brother caught her dress as she landed on the wet snow covered lawn. He saved the dress but could not save her shoes.

She laughed at his joke, limped into the church, and stepped forward to meet her groom as she held onto her father's arm as they both walked up the aisle.

Regardless of the broken shoe, the swollen ankle or the bleeding leg, she wasn't going to let anything ruin the day.

The groom held out his hand to meet her and took her arm. They both smiled at one another and life was perfect for that one moment.

In the meantime, one of the guests had stood up to see the bride as she came down the aisle and pulled a back muscle so badly that the pain had brought her to her knees. She held on to pew as she slid into her seat and white knuckled her way through the ceremony.

As the bride and groom exited the church, the minister stood on a pew and shouted "Is there was a doctor or nurse in the chapel?" and before the Kris and John had even reentered the chapel for pictures. an ambulance had pulled up and a gurney came in with three paramedics.

The bride and groom stopped everything, went over to check on their friend, hugged and kissed her as she was being wheeled out in tears. The bride told her not to worry, they were there for her and thankful that she was being attended to. The wedding festivities could wait until she was cared for properly.

While all this was going on, the maid of honors' husband, John - a past paramedic and now a fire chief had run to Target to get gauze, neosporin, bandages and Aleve for the bride and then attended to her as well. Thank heavens we didn't need his fireman skills as well!

Life goes on regardless of the curve balls that are thrown our way no matter how perfectly we plan our lives or our special days.

I am proud of my daughter and her new husband for the graciousness and compassion they had for their friend on what some would call "their day".

I am proud of my son for being the big brother his sister needed that very moment and thankful for the groom's brother -in- law who handed the minister three rings instead of two, his, hers and a super hero ring at just the right moment during the ceremony when the couple needed a light hearted moment.

At the reception, Kris and John danced the night away, cut the cake, called their friend in the hospital to make sure she was alright and their life began as husband and wife blessed by many more friends and family than we can count.

So, to my "Wonder"ful Daughter and her "Super"man, thanks for showing the world and me how to truly celebrate those you love.

Hugs!

Mom and Bella Boo

The Count Down Begins.....

2011-02-22T08:39:00.007-06:00

The countdown has begun for the wedding.

All the little things that need to be finished await me every morning as the list grows longer and the days to the wedding get shorter.

The good news is that wedding will go on regardless of what is done and what isn't.

I don't fool myself - I am keeping my sanity and getting my sleep regardless of the list as I know things will go wrong and that this is the stuff good stories come from like "The Cookies from Hell" or "Gonzo's Tuxedo - The Long and Short of Shirt Sleeves".

I think my favorite wedding story is that of a friend who came from an extremely large family who had tricksters for bothers. The brothers took a permanent marker and wrote on the bottom of his shoes "SAVE" and "ME" unbeknownst to the groom, the bride or their parents. As the groom knelt down at the alter with his beautiful bride, the words appeared and the congregation let out a huge laugh while the parents let out huge gasps.

Needless to say, the wedding still went on and the couple is still as fun loving as ever.

My other favorite story is my son's wedding - he is a sweet heart and a tease as well and kept telling me we didn't need bows on the chairs down the aisle - it was a waste of money, time, blah, blah, blah.

Being me, I ignored him and forged ahead getting lost in mountains of tulle and ribbon. Ours is not a pretty church; it is a functional meeting space and I wanted my son and daughter-in-law to be to have their wedding as pretty as possible. As he and I walked down the aisle on a cold January afternoon, the setting sun beamed its golden rays through the high windows and the dust borne air particles sparkled down upon us, he grinned as he looked at me, his eyes twinkling and said, "You were right Mom, we needed the bows.". He and I had many other wonderful moments that night that are just between us, but you get my drift.

We make it as perfect for our children as we can and then let the flower petals fall as they may.

As the bride and groom get closer to their day, I will work towards it with love in my heart, tears in my eyes and a wish for them that their life together is as beautiful as their wedding day.

Hoping your day is full of happy memories and warm fuzzy thoughts.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo, the flower puppy

"Share the Love" card

2011-02-11T08:26:00.005-06:00

Valentine's Day is fast upon us and there is more "Love" in mine and Bella's proverbial bowls than we can dish out.

So with this is mind and dinner on our minds, we thought this would be a fun card for you to share with someone who makes you smile and/or makes your dinner.

Stamp 599D - Fuzz Butt Bowl in the lower right hand corner of a 4" x 5" piece of white card stock. Using a Post-It Note, mask the bowl.

Stamp 600G - Large BG slightly to the left of the Fuzz Butt Bowl. Using pastels (we used our wonderful new line of Pan Pastels - check them out under the "CATALOG" tab, then "EXTRA STUFF" tab)
Sorry about the sales pitch - I got lost in the moment...

Take your Exacto Blade and slice through the upper portion of BJ's lip line. Do the same on the lower line of Fuzz Butt Bowl.

Cut out hearts or use sticker hearts and just slip them into the slots you just cut. Layer as many into the bowl as you would like. You could also stamp the hearts if you mask the images correctly.

The white stamped card stock is then layered onto a patterned scrapbook paper.

How did I incorporate the scrap paper into the card - well, lay your stamped card on the scrapbook paper and using a light blue colored pencil, trace the card very lightly onto the scrapbook paper.

Easy enough? Now choose the designs on the Scrapbook paper that you would like to appear on top of the card and using your Exacto Knife, follow the design on the inside of the rectangle from one end of the blue line to other end of the design, stopping at the the blue line. Do this a few more times at various designs around the blue lined rectangle. Erase all the blue lines and WA LA! You now have a slot to slip the stamped card stock into! Slick, Huh!

Sign it, Seal it with love, and off to the Post Office you go.

I am off to make dinner for Bella and her friends now.

Let the Valentine's Party Begin!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo wishing you a whole lot of love today and always!

"Two Points for You" and a Valentine too!

2011-02-07T09:24:00.006-06:00

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and aside from staying away from the candy I am trying hard to finish all the wedding projects as well as make a few cards.

This one is perfect for all the ladies coming to the wedding who are undergoing the pain and agony of a dress fitting this week - myself included!

Very simple, very sweet, very current!

Stamp our "Waist Watchers" Charmin' onto a 3" x 3" piece of white cardstock. Color her in with your colored pencils or Copics. Less is more here :)

Stamp our "2 Points for You " on a scrap piece of white cardstock about 1' x 2.25" with either pink or red ink.

Stamp our 553-C Small Solid Hibiscus stamp on some white scrap cardstock and cut out. I colored on the stamp with one of my dark pink Tombo's and highlighted the edges with a nice orange or red Tombo.

Huff on the stamp and print!

Repeat this 3 times and cut out the image.

Just like winter in Chicago - a gal can never have enough layers, so layer all the pieces as shown above onto a 4.25" x 5.50" peice of cardstock. Sign and release those "Brownie" points out into the world via the US mail so that your girlfriends know you are thinking of them this Valentine's Day.

A sense of accomplishment is always so much better than a piece of chocolate - most days :)

Hugs to all!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Show Me the "LOVE"

2011-02-04T05:59:00.007-06:00

Valentine's Day is not always about pink and red and white or lavendar and purple, sometimes it is about being a true blue friend to those you care about.

So here is one of my favorite Bugawump cards to send out to my friends on Valentine's Day.

Stamp 346K - The Great Vine (only a portion of it) on the left hand side of a 4" x 5.25" of white cardstock.

Stamp 105F - Birthday Bug and 102F - Sweetie Pi under the sheltering leaves of The Great Vine.

Here's where you can use either Copics, Tombo's or colored pencils to color in your images. I tend to use a combination of both - first I lay down my marker color and then use my colored pencils for the shading. I just like that look better than the two dimensional look of the Copics.

Sponge in the background with Vivid's Sky Blue and enhance with a darker dye based blue around the edges. Lately I have taken to using my wonderful new Pan Pastels for the these types of sponged looked backgrounds, but since this card is from one of my original designs, I don't want to lead you astray but just suggest that maybe in the future you may want to pursue these chalks for your larger background color.

Stamp over the blue background with a star stamp (sorry, our cluster star stamp is no longer available) in the same Vivid Sky Blue that was originally used for sponging.

Layer, layer and then send it out to your favorite girl friend or sister or coworker....whatever!

Just don't forget to sign it with "made with LOVE" by yours truly "BUGCAUSE" everyone needs a little love in their hearts as well as their mailboxes this Valentine's Day!

Happy Bugday to All!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

There's A Little Elf in All of Us!

2011-01-18T12:07:00.005-06:00

There is a little "elf" living in all of us. It encourages us to be playful, to laugh, to smile and most of all to surprise those around us when they least expect it.

Bella Boo is a good example of how to be spontaneaous. She never ceases to surprise me with her antics, her licks, her nose-on-my-nose confrontations. She makes me laugh at how silly life can truly be!

Three lovely ladies, one friend, one sister-in-law and one sister-in-law-to-be, are throwing a bridal shower for our daughter and her fiance this weekend. There will be plenty of surprises for the bride and groom even though the shower is not a surprise. How lucky the bride and groom are to have so many people care so much and want to help them get started in their new life!

Bella Boo is not invited to this event but has already planned on sending along a gift that she knows will make Kris and John smile. She is that type of puppy...always thoughtful! I just wonder how she will get those sloppy kisses in a box.....better yet, a tail wag or two and then a run around the table hoping for a game of chase!

Either way, this will be my week to finally sit down and stamp a few cards out. Play time for mom is harder to come by then play time for Bella Boo. I am so looking forward to the next few weeks with as much anticipation and joy as the bride and groom. I am happily the "mother- of -the -bride" and look forward to sharing my life and my dog with the groom as I become "a mother-in-law" for the second time.

As I see it, I have the four children I have always dreamed of ..... now I only hope I can be the "mother" or "friend" that they need and that all our lives are filled with laughter, love and a life full of happy surprises.

The "elf in me" wishes you a day wrapped in laughter and love as Bella Boo and I get our stamp pads out, our creativity and our groove on for the festivities to come!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

A NEW YEAR Begins....

2011-01-05T21:00:00.003-06:00

Happiest of New Years to ALL!

A bright and shiny 2011 has already begun even though I am still somewhat stuck in 2010 as I balance my checkbook and do inventory for upcoming tax season.

I will not let my checkbook get the best of me even if it takes me another week or so to get it off my 2010 "TO DO" list.

I am excited as my family enters the New Year - vacations, weddings, and new places on our convention shedule for 2011. What could be better!

Check us out and see what fun you can have with our stamps and the Pan Pastels that are hitting the stamping crowd by storm!

Best of 2011!
Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Flip - Flops

2010-07-12T06:57:00.005-05:00

It is 5:30 on a Monday morning after a convention and my hubby needed a ride to the train station for a day of "Guy Fun" in Milwaukee.

Bella and I are tired, but we understand that even Dad needs a day he can call his own - especially after he spends a weekend helping me out at a stamping convention behind the cash register talking to many many women .... he is a quiet guy .... do I need to say more?

So here we are, up waaaay earlier than usual in the backyard watching the sun rise. As Bella patrols the backyard fence under the bushes in search of a bunny, I drink my iced coffee planning out our day.

I flip flop back and forth on a full day of work and a few hours of play as I rub the sleep from my eyes and take in all the possiblilities.

As I do this I think to myself that you may also be looking for something "new" to do today so I have posted a sample of my favorite "Flip-Flop" card made with our 417G - Flip - Flop stamp and our 453C Small Solid Hibiscus stamp.

In the center of your 4" x 5.25" white cardstock stamp the 417G Flip - Flop stamp. Mask it and stamp repeatedly on either side of the first image until the card is full of flip-flops.

Using the Pan Pastels (I'll let you choose your own colors here!) color the flip-flops in. ***hint ***you may need markers or colored pencils for the toe straps.

Color in the background using the larger sponges with the Pan Pastels dragging the sponges up at the top of the card and down at the bottom to get the effect shown. You may also use the sides of sponges in a slightly darker or lighter color to get some added texture.

Stamp the Small Solid Hibiscus using a dyebased rainbow pad 2x onto a scrap peice of white cardstock.

Cut out. Punch 1/8" holes into center of the hibiscus and also on the center flip-flop at the tip of the toe and strap.

Attach the cut out hibiscus" to the center flip-flop image with decorative brads.

Layer onto colored cardstock.

Stamp inside the card with either our 795I - Flip Flop Poem or our 7092E - "No One Can Fill Your Flip-Flops" and you are ready for a day in the sun!

Hugs to all as Bella and I get our Flip - Flops on and go for a walk!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

On the Road Again....

2010-07-08T07:27:00.002-05:00

Here we go again!

We've had a few weeks off to restock, rethink, and repack for our summer road trips.

This weekend we will find ourselves in Tinley Park, Illinois with the www.stampandscrapbookexpo.com

Our next trip will be with www.heirloompro.com in Novi, MI on August 7th and 8th.

Of course we will be bringing with us the wonderful, the fabulous, the newest pastel on the planet - Pan Pastels and Sofft Tools so make sure that you stop by our booth and check it out. If you can't get there from here, go to our website at www.bugawumps.com , catalog, then "EXTRAS" and that should give you all the info you need to see what this unbelievable product has to offer!

Bella and I need to get packin' so we are ready for all of you!

Bugs and Kisses!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo - looking forward to moving on!

How Sweet It Is

2010-06-30T21:16:00.010-05:00

How many times have you said to yourself, "I wish I had...",

"That would have been so neat!", or "If only I had the time"?

I have been planning Bella's first Birthday Bash for weeks knowing that there would be issues with time not only for me but also for the participants.

This was one celebration, silly as it was, that I didn't want to let go by - Bella would only be one once and even though she could care less about a party (let's face it every day is a party for Bella) I didn't want to let the day go by without making her feel special.

So I put down my stamps, turned off the computer, closed my eyes to the dusty furniture, heavily weed hewn gardens and found my favorite sugar cookie recipe to bake some tasty treats for all Bella's "people" friends.

Once the guests arrived, we were going to play games of chase the puppy, fetch, frisbee, ball, and of course the inevitable " catch me if you can" and then off to Dairy Bar, our favorite outdoor ice cream stand for a vanilla cone....it would be Bella's first taste of this frozen treat!

102 cookies later, heavy rainstorms flooded the streets that kept our original guests away, the muddy puddles in the backyard were so deep they were quickly inhabited by Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their brood along with the fact that Bella had came down with an upset tummy - too much excitement I suppose.

Still we had her party it just didn't go the way we had originally planned. She shared her birthday cookies and goodie bags with all our neighbors and their children at our annual block party later that evening when the skies cleared. Bella spent the night running, chasing and playing with children of various ages. The kids on the street sang "Happy birthday to Bella "and one little girl even made her a birthday card.

We never got to the Dairy Bar for her first ice cream treat but I don't think she minded since she fell asleep in my lap with a soft smile on her face later that night. When the flood waters receded, her brothers and sisters came by the next day to celebrate with a game of chase in the backyard a good belly rub. She thanked them with warm licks and kisses to which we all said "Oooooooh".

It was a perfectly sweet 1st Birthday Bash regardless as both Bella and I got exactly what we have always wanted - each other. Life doesn't get any sweeter than that.

Here's a little advice from Bella Boo "Have a cookie and celebrate the ones you love, you never know when the weather will change and you sure don't want to miss the rainbows!"

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Bella's BIG Birthday Bash

2010-06-23T14:37:00.005-05:00

Bella is officially "ONE" year old!

What a Birthday Bash! Presents, prizes and cookies for all! Not to mention the wonder "FULL" goodie bags she handed out at the end of it all :P

As I was planning Bella's 1st Birthday Bash many of my friends thought I was crazy - after all, she is just a dog...in their eyes...

As our family plans our daughter and her fiance's wedding, the same sane crazies are telling me to tell them to elope and save us all the time and the money...

AND then it struck me, "Celebrations are the glue that bind us together".

Celebrations are gentle reminders of how good life can be if we open our hearts to those we love.

Celebrations are the quiet smiles in hospital rooms that pass between loved ones during moments of crisis...remember whens....it will be better soon, hope.

Celebrations are loud. They dance to thunderous bands under stars or high ceilinged halls lit by candlelight...holding daughters and sons tightly as they stumble finding their way through the music with two left feet....knowing their children will follow suit with children of their own....knowing they will love as they have been loved...knowing the wonder of it all.

So on this warm humid afternoon as I look at my very tired but happy puppy surrounded by bones and squeak toys from all our neighbors, friends and family, I am glad that we have found one more reason to celebrate.

Who could resist celebrating a puppy named Bella? Who doesn't want a good reason to eat cake and cookies? Who can ignore the sweet laughter of memories gone by, the sticky hugs of a child or the whisker wet licks of a beloved pet?

Wishing you all a sweet treat today in as many ways as you wish to celebrate your day!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo, who "Officially" turned one on June 14th, 2010

Hazey, Lazy Summer Days

2010-06-01T08:29:00.015-05:00

June 1st....the start of a new month, a new diet and summer!

The first day of anything is wonderous.

It is like a blackboard that you can erase and start clean again.
It is like the rain that leaves behind a clean fresh smell and black dirt so rich that your flowers seem to have grown overnight.

It is like a new calendar, new baby, new house, new school, new stamp, new colored pencils, a new piece of paper.......

Life feels new to me on the first day of the week, the month or the year.

This is when the opportunity to become more feels the most possible regardless of the odds. These are the days when I sit down and take inventory of what needs to be done (practical, realistic things) and the things I would like to do (always reaching for the stars kind of things).

So on this first day of June my doorbell rang and the UPS man dropped a shipment of 10 huge boxes of Pan Pastels and the toys I use to create with and it was a "wonder-full" moment!

I can complete the shipments waiting from the last convention as well as pull a handful of "NEW" colors to play with as I work on some of displays.

I can make a card or two for Stamp LaJolla with her adorable Hula Bunnies and send them to her - excitement is bubbling as I write this...yes, I do stamp other companies designs as well - I am as addicted as you all are too!

I can make some earrings for my daughter, using my hoards of beads, bangles, and love....

I can finish drawing my new line - yes, Bella Boo, there will be a stamp of you soon!

OR

I can just sit in the lawn chair and dream of all the possiblities knowing that I have a whole summer ahead of me to accomplish whatever I chose to do.

Hmmmmmmmmm.....lazy, hazey dazing on this first day of June, this first day of summer!

Hugs to all as I dream of warm colors, cool evenings and bright festive filled stamped cards!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

PS. Please note that cleaning is not on any of my lists!

Pan Pastels and the Fun - Has Just Begun!

2010-05-19T08:52:00.007-05:00

The "toys" for the Pan Pastels are "NOW" here as well - check out our website at http://www.bugawumps.com/ to view them with ALL the Pan Pastel colors as well.

You will find these products under the "catalog" tab, then click on the " extra stuff" tab to view this wonder"FULL" line of pastels.

Here are some examples of of the color blocking that you can do with them.

There are VERY LARGE sized sponges so that you can double and triple load colors to make your own rainbow background - it is so much easier than a rainbow pad and a brayer with no drying wait time.

There are also SMALL and MEDIUM sized sponges and applicators so that you can paint in your detailed areas. Different shaped tips to color in every nook and cranny - or is that "granny?"

The coverage capacity and longevity of these pastels has been rated the highest in the industry. We think it's because of the creaminess - you'll think it's the amount. Regardless, it is a product that you won't regret owning for years and years to come.

Add to all that - this is practically a "DUSTLESS" pastel and you will rarely if ever need to use a fixative on it ... saving your lungs and our environment from any further harm. Although your voice may be tired from all the "yahooing" and "cheering" to your friends about them once you have tried them.

If you would like to see us in person and take these pastels for a test drive we will be in Milwaukee, WI this coming weekend, May 22 and 23rd and have added a show in Collinsville, IL on the 12th and 13th of June.

Even Bella Boo is barking up a storm and won't stop for a "paws" when we stamp!

Bugs 'n Kisses from two very excited ladies!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

We Are UP and RUNNING!

2010-05-13T15:28:00.004-05:00

We are up and running! ARE YOU?

The Pan Pastel Color charts are up on our website along with "ALL" toys!

Time to check out what everyone who was at the Akron, Ohio convention already knows - these are the best pastels ever!

The "Toys" that are optional add-ons are fabulous as well.

This is going to make your stamping "technicolor" dreams come true.

I can't tell you how wonderful the response has been to these little "pots" of gold! Not only is the color coverage, deep, rich and full bodied but they last forever. A little bit goes along waaaaayyyyy here. Quality is everything and these are definetly everything an art minded gal wants.

So - check out our website at http://www.bugawumps.com/ and head to the "catalog" then the "extra stuff" tabs and you will be on your way to so much fun that it may be illegal :)

Hugs from Bella and I as we wade through the backyard swamp on this fine midwestern rainy day....we both like to splash around in the puddles looking for the rainbows!

Colors Galore

2010-05-07T12:28:00.010-05:00

This is it! The Pan Pastels that everyone is talking about!

We have the "FULL" line of all these 80 creamy dreamy pastels that are a really "just to die for" product that once you use them you will wonder how you ever did without them!

People have been e-mailing me right and left about where to get them - HERE of course!

The colors are luscious, full bodied (like any good woman should be :) with coverage that you won't believe. These are NOT your "mama's" old pastels!

There is very little, if any of that chalky powdering and you can stamp over them and even emboss over them without missing a beat or shall I say inked image?

The full color charts as well as all the tools and toys that go with these wonderful pastels will be up and running on my website and hopefully here (this is where I need my nephew Charlie's help and he is a dear to provide it for me!) as soon as I get home from my latest sojourn - middle of next week is my goal if all goes well!

I am a one woman show and sometimes life gets in the way or I get in my own way as I make things more difficult for me so that it is easier on my customers ... LOL. It's a gift.

Just ask Bella as she shakes her fuzzy little head while I try to figure out how to get this computer to do what I know it is possible of or as I run up and down the stairs with the latest box of ideas while stuffing my car with as much product as I can (so much so that 1/2 of it never even gets put out at a show due to spatial issues - LOL even more) to provide as much fun for you stampers and scrapbookers as I can.

CALL, WRITE, or E-MAIL me for more info on this terrrific chalk! Questions and answers I can handle at the moment. I would love to hear from you and get you hooked on the best pastel colors in the world!

Have a colorful day if nothing else.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

RE: Grow Your Own Garden

2010-05-04T12:36:00.006-05:00

"Plant your own garden, decorate your own soul and know that you are strong......"

These are lines from a poem I found hanging on the wall of a college office where I worked in the "80's.

The message this poem sends to those who are open to it is one that has an enduring affect long after the paper it was copied onto has disintegrated at the folds, smudged by oily chocolate chip stains with drips and drops of brown coffee saturating the words trying to hide the poem's truth.

I don't know who wrote it. It was signed by the infamous "anonymous". What I do know is that it has saved me time and time again from feeling sorry for myself, from becoming a victim of circumstance, from falling into the trap of daily female whining.

There are days when my head hurts so bad I want to crawl back into bed and succumb to sleep; there are times when the laundry basket is so high I can't see out my window (just to clarify - the basket sits on top of my machine) or when my children are struggling so hard with a difficult issue that I want to hold them, cry with them and then run away.

Instead, I choose to get up and take Bella for her walk, start sorting the underwear and just take the time to really listen to my family's problems, hoping that they know they are not alone, that they were heard and that they carry the strength within them to solve their dilemma without it turning into a full blown out drama (not pretty for anyone and much harder to reconcile gracefully later).

In each of us there is the strength to see ourselves through our days with the tools we were given. Some of us have more tools than others, but still we all have some tools or the ability to acquire them if we are open to seeing the world and our day(s) with a positive attitude. This is not to belittle those with severe depression problems, just to differentiate between a true problem and a minor blip on our life's radar screen.

I am thankful for the friends, acquaintances, and passersby that have come my way over the span of my lifetime. Some are still with me, some have gone, and some are still waiting to come into my world. These people have held my hand, have opened the window of knowledge, have given me the tenderness and sometimes the critical words to kick my butt into the next stage. Without all of them I would have been a walking, talking, whiny victim.

The colors of one's garden depends on the vision you see for yourself. Do you want to be seen as blue as the water or as sunny as a daffodil? Do you want to be strong - like red or weak like the color of a bland tea? What is your dream color? Who do you wish to be when you grow up? What is the color of your legacy when you are no longer here to physically touch those you love?

Do not wait for tomorrow. Do not wish upon your future. Instead, make today your own, "Plant that garden, decorate your soul, embellish your artwork, and smile, knowing that you are strong, that you have worth, and that you will endure....."

Good thoughts on a clear day from one beautiful woman and her adorable puppy to many others!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

P.S. My "kids" will tell you I am really this "mushy". LOL

Coloring our World with the "NEW" Pan Pastels

2010-04-28T08:06:00.007-05:00

I am looking through rose colored sun glasses today after a wonderful showing of support from our customers at the Akron, OH rubber stamp convention this past weekend.

We brought to market a "NEW" product for the stampers to enhance their cards with - Pan Pastels and the wonderful tools that go along with this fabulous product line.

Color, Color and more color describe these very vibrant pastels. These are not your Mama's chalky, grainy, gritty pastels.

The Pan Pastels are creamy and go on like a dream leaving very little "chalk dust" if any behind.

I am hoping to get the colors and some more samples of our artwork done with them up on our blog and our website in the next few weeks so that you can see for yourselves that a wonderful new world of color is waiting for you.

Our next show is in Southfield, Michigan - if you are in the area, certainly drop by our booth to see this fabulous product! You won't be disappointed.

Hugs to all as Bella and I color our day with the all the sunny (80 to be exact) colors that Pan Pastel has to offer. Bella has already chosen the magenta and bright orange for her first project.

Bugs and Kisses!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Easter Bonnets

2010-04-02T10:47:00.006-05:00

Happy Easter! Happy Spring! Happy, Happy Everything!

Bella and I are all excited to finally, finally see spring make its spectacular entrance into Chicago. 80 degrees and sunny, sunny, sunny!

Easter is two days away and I am trying to fit into anything lightweight and colorful. Bella, being the new puppy in town is going to have a new "collar" and a "new spring coat" to wear out on the town come Sunday when we go to visit the in-laws. (Fashion photos of Bella will be appearing here on Monday for sure.)

Creative cleaning is happening all over the world as women feel the warm weather knock on our doors. Less is more - more or less when it comes to making cards.

Just a few reminders as you begin to think and stamp into spring:

Keep your hand stamped and crafted cards simple and fun. Layer only once or twice to keep the postage down and the focus on the image.

Humor is always an added blessing to those handmade cards, so don't forget to pick your "message" before designing your card so that it is incorporated as a design element and not an afterthought.

As Bella and I head downstairs to the studio to create some "Easter Puppy" cards for her friends and family, I promise you that I will not stamp in a bikini amidst an incredibly clean and minimalistic craft room (if you don't) - as I try to follow my own rules!

Hope you too, are smiling your way down the bunny lane this weekend!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Happy Birthday to Matt!

2010-03-29T09:46:00.007-05:00

Happy Bugday to our son, Matt today!

Hard to believe that 35 years ago this bundle of boy came into our lives at 7.8 lbs, 21 inches tall.

He now towers over me at 6' & some inches tall ... wonder of wonders!

So as we light the birthday candles and eat some cake, I thought that maybe you would like to celebrate someone you love with a card.

Bugawumps stamps needed:

Maestro - 186E

Treble Cleff - 580C

Baby Moonbee - 303A

Happy Bugday to You.... - 7002F

1. Stamp Maestro - 186E in the lower left hand side of a piece of white cardstock (4" x 5")

2. Draw 5 lines along the top of the cardstock with a fine tipped permanent marker

3. Stamp Treble cleff - 580C once at the left hand side of the lines and Baby Moonbee - 303A

multiple times at various heights along the lines so they will look like notes on a staff

4. Draw lines on top of the Baby Moonbees - 303A so that they look like notes, i.e. see sample

5. Stamp "Happy Bugday to You..." - 7002F in lower right hand corner of cardstock

6. Color in ALL images with markers or colored pencils of your choice

7. Layer cardstock onto black and white checkered paper lining up the checkered squares

8. Randomly color in the white squares on the checkered paper, i.e. see sample

9. Layer card onto either white or black cardstock

YOU ARE DONE with the card, but not your day - so go out and celebrate the best way you can.

For Matt, he'll probably be having a beer tonight with his wife and a few good friends and a piece of his favorite German Chocolate Cake.

Bella Boo will be chewing on her favorite rawhide bone and wondering when the party will begin - again.

As for Me, well, my tastes are a little simpler - I'll have a Diet Coke spiced with lime and some of the frosting!

Hope your day is full of frosting and other sweet treats that help you create a lifetime worth of good memories decorated with great friends!

Happy Bugday to all!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

The Sky's the Limit

2010-03-23T08:04:00.003-05:00

As the days warm up and the sun stays with us longer, I find myself wandering out into the backyard with Bella later and later delighted to find a sky full of stars over my frosty breath.

Today I am thinking of packing up the bulkiest of my sweaters, the heaviest of my jeans and the most cumbersome over padded underwired bras that Victoria's Secret promised would make me sexy (how anyone would notice under those sweaters is beyond me) and move towards a free-er, more minimalistic life style.

Barefeet, sun kissed shoulders, freckled faces and cool citrusy summer drinks.... yummy stretched out days that melt into purple hazey evenings dazzled with the brilliance of an orange setting sun. My favorite season, summer, is almost upon us.

So for today, let's stamp the uplifting moments that define our future and leave the cold snow covered past behind.

Three stamps: OH MY bug stamp, BOOBS word stamp, and any old star stamp that you have in your drawers - we used the top portion of our CELESTIAL HEART stamp.

Add to that -Alcohol Based Markers, stickers and a little glitter glue is all it took to make this card.

Stamp the images, color in with your markers. Add a little glitz here and there with the glitter glue and top off with a few well placed stickers for added dimension.

Layer the original stamped cardstock onto colored papers or another layer of colored cardstock.

*****To make quick little flowers on your cards, just press the tip of the marker into the paper (straight down so that it makes a dot) and then add the stems with a fine tipped marker (normally on the other side of a Marvey or Tombo marker). To make the leaves, just press the side of the marker down near the stems you've just made. Easy, fun, and almost foolproof - so practise this on a piece of scrap paper first.

Well, off for a walk with my Bella Boo to see what she can find to amuse us both with today!

Bugs and Kisses and Sunny Wishes for a Great Day!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Checkered Past

2010-03-22T08:16:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite Bugawumps word stamps is

"Wishing you a checkered past and a polka dot future".

Seems to me every girl should have something a little wild and crazy that happened to her somewhere in her life so that she has at least one really fun story to tell the "young 'uns" when the time comes and also so that when the time comes she can see that the road she has taken has brought her to a good place and understands that without that road she would not be the person she is today - the process of getting ourselves to that "happy place" is as important as "being in a happy state".

As my cell phones ring, the tv's blare, and Bella barks, I sometimes feel like the world is out to get me and ask myself, "why is life so complicated?" It is that moment when I need to step back and realize no one promised me a perfect life (or body for that matter) and that it is up to me to change what makes me uncomfortable, unhappy, or overwhelmed.

So as I take a deep breath on this cold, sunny, and yes, snowy Monday morning I will start my day rationalizing about the reality of what I can honestly accomplish in a 24 hour period (no, a 15 pound drop in weight will not happen today nor a Picasso-esque masterpiece) and be happy with a playful puppy at my side, a load of laundry that needs to be done, and a good cup of coffee to see me through the mundane chores that make up my life.

This is the "stuff" that gives the polka dot future a chance to emerge. As the possibilites of my day unfold, my friends call, a challenge steps forth, and a cookie calls my name, I will remember that these are the moments that will color my story for generations to come - how I choose to tell the story is mine.

Make today's yours!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Wearin' O' the Green

2010-03-17T08:44:00.011-05:00

If you aren't smiling today, you are not Irish!

In a world not to long away or far away our family started going on leprachaun hunts after dusk on St. Patty's day.

Our son Matt, who was almost 6 years old at the time, started the tradition. He insisted that he had seen a leprachaun riding on top of a neighbors car and that if we hurried we could catch the leprachaun and the pot of gold would be ours. He truly believed he could catch a leprachaun and I didn't have the heart to tell him that in actuality, catching a leprachaun was harder than one would imagine. So the tradition of going out on a cold damp night in March (sometimes in a foot of snow) became ours and eventually the neighborhood's as well.

I play well with others and not wanting to disappoint our young children, I made a run to the grocery store for anything green that would suffice as Leprachaun booty.

Rushing up and down the aisles of our neighborhood grocery store, I found some green M & M's (minty ones, yummmm) that I thought I could pass off as something leprachaunish and then what to my wondering eyes did appear but "GOLD" wrapped Passover coins for the upcoming Jewish holiday ... no, we are not Jewish, but anything will work when the imagination is at play.

As I drove home, more and more excited at the prospect of my kids finding the leprachaun gold, I began to think about how to make the leprachauns appear without really appearing. Throwing the coins out the car window up and down our street, the plan began to take shape.

Armed with flashlights for saftey and healthy imaginations bundled into heavy winter coats, the hunt began. Under bushes, the old leaves became leprachaun hair that had been caught in the branches while the wet spots on the pavement became footprints left behind and the gold .... we were so close so many times .... and of course, everyone knows that if you don't catch the leprachaun first, his gold turns into chocolate

Arriving home, their pockets filled with magical chocolate gold, our children began dreaming, "maybe next year" ... and then as they scampered down the hall to get ready for bed telling each other how tricky those leprachauns could be, the real fun began. While we had been out searching, those playful leprachauns had come into our home, jumped on the beds, and left hundreds of green shamrocks and M & M's sprinkled throughout the house. Later that night, long after the hunt was over, my husband and I heard the soft, sweet, sleepy, giggles as our not so big children slept in a place made of green and gold chocolate covered dreams.

Wishing you and your family well loved traditions that come out of blue or even green that will make golden memories that will never get lost in what should be the most important thing in our lives - our children.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Look Out - It's Friday

2010-03-12T07:54:00.002-06:00

Ever feel like a kid who just got out of school - finals completed, no homework due, no schedules, nothing to do but have fun for a week of spring break?

That is how I am feeling today. The sun is out and it is a warm day in Chicago's suburbs. It feels like SPRING is finally here!

After 6 months of cold and rain and snow and just plain gray, the greenery that is sprouting through the muddy spots in my back yard as well as the cardinals playing hide and seek in my bushes are giving me the lift that even my underwire bra can't.

These are the small moments when life is great.

So "LOOK OUT", the small card above is yours for the making.

Materials needed:

1 Bugawumps "Look Out" Stamp
2 Small decorative brads
1 piece of ATC white cardstock
*** assorted small pieces of decorative background cardstock

Directions:

1. Stamp only the top portion of Bugawumps "Look Out" stamp on your white ATC
sized cardstock.

Color in the stamped image with markers - alcohol based or water based.
Shade in the images with your colored pencils for depth and detail if you want.

I used my alcohol based markers to completely fill in the background. You could
also sponge in your background or brayer it. Remember, this is YOUR card!

2. Cut the stamped cardstock so that you have only an 1/8" on either side of it.

3. Layer the colored card onto a second piece of decorative cardstock cutting the
right side of of the cardstock approximately an inch wider than the other three
sides.

4. Punch two holes for the decorative brads and add them to the top two layers of
the cardstock. Add a few more layers by attaching them with your favorite choice
of glue, tape, Xyron adhesive, etc. cutting as you go until you are happy with your
choices. Just try to keep it small, easy and under 5 pounds.

The easier we make our life, the more joyful it will become. "KISS" - Keep It Simple, Silly or even Sunny - just make it yours!

As for me, first a good cup of coffee, a walk with my favorite puppy, and then off to the office to finish up an order or two and I will be able to call the day my own .... 4 steps .... that's all anyone needs !

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

Quickies

2010-03-11T08:08:00.005-06:00

Spring is here!

The birds are a chirpin' and the bunnies are a playin' in my backyard.

I just had to pull this stamp out and make a quick card with one of my newer designs...yes, I draw more than just bugs :)

This card took less time than a hop down the bunny trail with Bella Boo.

Materials Needed for Project:

1 Large bag of your favorite Jelly Beans

1 Bugawumps "Peepers" stamp

1 3" x 4" piece of white cardstock

1 brown paper bag

***** assorted pieces of colored cardstock for layering

HOW TO: Stamp "Peepers" four times on to a piece of cardstock. Color "Peepers".

Eat a few jelly beans.

Using a VERY LARGE Oval punch, punch out 3 ovals onto a specialty paper (brown

paper bags work for me!)

Now eat just the red jelly beans.

Cut the Oval in 1/2 so that it looks like a cracked egg.

Give your brother all the green jelly beans.

Now, tape, glue, whatever you normally use to stick things on to paper and stick the
egg shells over the chicks as seen above.

Grab a handful of jelly beans and go for it. YUM!

Layer onto cardstock and you have one fun spring card to send out before the jelly

are all gone!

Admire your card and have a few more jelly beans.

Congrats! You did a great job. Finish off the bowl of jelly beans - you are on your way to a very happy creative day!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo

P.S. CAUTION - DO NOT give your dog the black jelly beans. It could be a messier day than
than you want .... this is another story for another time, it involved my son, black jelly

beans, our puppy, BJ and a very loooong car ride.

No Parking Zone

2010-03-10T07:48:00.003-06:00

How often do you wish you had your camera ready?

I went all the way back home to get mine when I saw this. It was so worth the trip!

I am not sure the owner of the porcelain vehicle realized where he had parked it as it was at the bottom of a driveway, but it sure was a fun sight.

Which gets me to thinking, cameras have become so small that keeping one in your pocket or purse at all times could be the most creative tool you can use on a daily basis. The only drawback is that if you must have it with you to utilize it.

I will admit, I am guilty of not thinking ahead and wish more than once I had my camera on me. While my cell phone has a camera in it, it is an older model and the resolution is so low that if I want to use the photo later the quality is too poor (I resist new technology and its high cost) so once again, it is normally in my car and turned off as I journey down the streets of my town or someone else's. I probably shouldn't worry about the quality of picture, it is the image that should be the reminder of where I was creatively thinking at the time I took the photo.

Still....think of all the fun, wonderful sights that pop up between here and there on a normal day in your life, trucks with signage, kids in the parks with parents, puppies, squirrels, flowers blooming, bloomin' onions, rain droplets on anything, sidewalk chalk art, rocks in the road, sandy beaches, snowy days, poolside fun.....etc.

Being creative does not mean that you have to always be productive.

For me, creativity is experiencing the usual in an unusual way. What you do with the information you have collected is up to you to use whenever you want.

The main focus is that if you never see the "unusual" in the ordinary, you will have a difficult time creating something that you can call your own.

Looking at life through a different lens may in fact change yours.

So at least for today, I am seriously going to put my digital camera (new batteries included) into my coat pocket and see what the world has to offer.

Off I go wishing you a fun-filled day - just be careful where you park!

Laura Anne and Bella Boo