Cycle of Life

We celebrated Seth's Grandma's birthday on Saturday and had a wonderful time talking about her childhood and sharing memories.  After we were home that night, we got a call from Seth's mom regarding Seth's Aunt from the other side of the family losing her battle to ovarian cancer.  We definitely experienced a high and low in the same day.

I made this card for the Paper Craft Planet sketch challenge this week.  You can see Keely's sketch here.  Hope you can plan along this week.  I could only think about making a sympathy card knowing we will be heading out of town again on Wednesday for Janet's funeral.

Life is precious and we need to live each day laughing and loving.  These situations really put perspective on any stresses I might feel.  Hug your kids and parents today!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: lovely as a tree

Paper: to the nines (retired), chocolate chip, very vanilla

Ink: early expresso

Accessories: chocolate brads, chocolate corduroy brad, square lattice impressions folder

Punches: ticket, scallop border, 1 3/4" scallop circle

Techniques: basic stamping

Happy Birthday, Grandma

Seth's Grandma is going to be 92 on Friday, and we are going to her party on Saturday.  I made this card for her.  I was inspired by the Mojo Monday Sketch here.

I went sledding tonight with the boys.  I love sledding at night, because it is so quiet and no one is there.  We had a lot of fun.  Unfortunately, Seth couldn't go.  He is nursing a cold.

Don't forget that sale-a-bration is on right now.  I placed an order today and received eight, yes "8", free gifts plus hostess gifts.  Yahoo!  I added the sale-a-bration catalog to my left sidebar with the supply list underneath it for your convenience.

I have a busy day tomorrow.  I hope I can create, but might not be able to for a couple of days.  See ya soon!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: So many scallops (retired)

Paper: thoroughly modern (retired), taken with teal (retired), whisper white

Ink: melon mambo marker, crushed curry marker

Accessories: rose red grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Punches: dotted scallop ribbon border, 1 3/4" scallop circle

Techniques: basic stamping

Notice I am using a lot of my retired supplies to get ready for my new order I placed today.  Can't wait!

Perfect Pear

I have always loved the stamp sets that play on words.  The set Picture This that was available as a past hostess set were filled with sentiments that did just that.  This is the anniversary card I made for some friends that has an anniversary coming soon.  See the cute sentiment on the bottom right.  Love it!

To get inspired I decided to play along with the sketch challenge this week at Paper Craft Planet.  If you want to play along, click here.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: Picture this (retired), love you much

Paper: crumb cake, taken with teal (retired), soft suede.thoroughly modern (retired)

Ink: soft suede marker, chocolate chip, old olive marker, rose red marker

Accessories: rhinestone, epoxy brads (retired), dimensionals

Punches: scallop border

Techniques: basic stamping

Snowflake Candle

I am have been busy lately as you know, because I haven't been blogging.  I do have the three videos taped for my brayer class I have been working on for Paper Craft Planet.  Whew!  I have sent them to Susanna to preview to give me her input.  Then I will be working on setting up a group on Paper Craft Planet and getting the materials ready to present the class.

I wanted to show you a new technique I was so happy to learn from Kim.  I always wanted to add a stamp to a candle and have seen it done on YouTube.  We made this cute little snowflake candle last time I was stamping with her.  It is so much easier than I thought it would be.  I am going to need to try this again.

I do have a proud mother moment to share with you.  I have been talking to our boys about respecting girls and my son, Tate made me so proud last week.  They had a play in their classroom last Friday, and there weren't enough chairs for everyone to sit.  He had a chair, but noticed a girl in his class was standing.  He offered his chair to her, so she would have a place to sit.  That's my boy!

I have been inspired to stamp again, since I created my videos last week.  I need to create some anniversary cards.  I have a few I need to send out soon.  In addition, Seth Grandma is going to be 92 this week and we are going to her party.  I want to make her some cards for her birthday present.

Have a good one!

Valentine Box

This is another project I made at Kim's.  Isn't it the cutest?  One of the teachers is going to love it.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: filled with love

Paper: pretty in pink, whisper white, real red. love patterns dsp

Ink: real red, chocolate chip, crumb cake marker

Accessories: rhinestones, old olive ribbon, dimensionals, color spritzer tool, box #2 big shot die

Punches: itty bitty punch

Techniques: 3D

LOVE

Isn't this card so cute?  I made it at Kim's house.  I love going to her house once a month to stamp together.  If you don't have a stamping buddy, you should get one.  It is so relaxing and inspiring to go to someone else's house and create with them.  Every time to go to Kim's I want to buy all the ribbon I don't have in the Stampin' Up! catalog.  She always uses ribbon I don't have and now I want  it ALL.  Hee hee!

Look at that itty bitty heart button....LOVE IT!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: filled with love

Paper: pretty in pink, real red, love patterns dsp, whisper white

Ink: real red, old olive

Accessories: itty bitty buttons, linen thread, 1/8" ribbon

Punches: scallop border

Techniques: basic stamping

Thinking of You

Well, I have all the birthday cards for this month created and mailed.  Whew!  I decided to switch gears, and play with my Greenhouse Gala DSP.  It is really cold now, so I needed a little spring feeling.  I like winter and sledding; however, it is always nice when spring is finally here.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: Cute by the inch

Paper: old olive, greenhouse gala dsp, real red, daffodil delight

Ink: real red

Accessories: flower folds big shot die, basic pearls, real red 5/8" inch grosgrain ribbon (retired), dimensionals, beautiful wings embosslits die

Punches: 1" square, 1 3/8" square, scallop border

Techniques: basic stamping

Still Taking Pictures

The boys went back to school today, so it feels like Monday to me.  They both kept asking, if school was canceled.  Tanner was definitely not thrilled to go back.  At least he only has three days this week.

Well, I have remembered to take 12 pictures so far...hee hee!  I really do need to think about what I am going to be doing every day and decide when to take a picture; otherwise, I think I will forget.

If you haven't started your journal or 365 project yet, it is never too late.

Happy Birthday, Dwight!

We got another snow day today!  WooHoo!  Wow!  It is cold outside!

I made this card for my brother-in-law, Dwight.  His birthday is one week later than my sister's.  This is my first attempt at sewing with the dotted scallop ribbon punch.  Well, as close to sewing as I will ever get.  I took silver cord and threaded it through the holes in the scallop ribbon.  Cute, eh?

As you can see I carried the circle theme throughout this card.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: alphabet soup (retired), a to z

Paper: pear pizazz, real red, whisper white, celebrations

Ink: pacific point marker, pear pizzazz

Accessories: real red brads, silver cord, real red corduroy brad (retired), perfect polka dots impression folder, dimensionals

Punches: 2 3/8" scallop circle, dotted scallop ribbon, 2 1/2 circle

HB

Today, the boys have a snow day....YAY!  It has snowed at least eight inches and it looks so pretty outside.  We were ready for enough snow to go sledding.  We are wondering if there will be school tomorrow, since it is supposed to snow all day and all night.  The boys are crossing their fingers.  There are four days built into their school schedules where they don't have to make up the days.  They like to use all of them, of course.

I finally finished the birthday card for my dad.  I was hoping you would be able to see the glitter on the chipboard.  I used the silver smooch spritz....LOVE IT!

close-up

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: tiny tags, sanded

Paper: pear pizzazz, pacific point, celebrations dsp, real red

Ink: pacific point marker

Accessories: silver smooch spritz, silver cord, top note big shot die, corduroy pacific point buttons (retired), on board alphabet soup chipboard, real red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Punches: medium jewelry tag

Play Along

I am the hostess this week at Paper Craft Planet for the weekly sketch challenge.  Here is a link to the Paper Craft Planet Blog where you can add your link at the bottom of the post, if you decide to play along.  It is so easy to add your link to your blog, so we can see what you created with my sketch this week.

Here is the sketch:

I used created a sketch from this card I posted earlier this week.  I like to keep my sketches simple, so it is easy to play along.  I can't wait to see what everyone creates!

365 Project

I have been wanting to start a 365 project, since my friend, Barb did one last year.  My niece, Danielle started her 365 project the end of last year, so I knew I needed to make it a priority.  The 365 project is where you document a year of your life by taking a daily photo.  I have done well so far, but it is only the first week.  Hee hee!


I decided to use My Digital Studio to scrapbook each photo and journal about my day.  I seem to look back over the year and wonder how I spent my days.  Now, I will know.  Here is the first two pages of my year.  I wanted to keep the pages simple, because it is more about the pictures and journaling.  If you haven't started your 365 project, there is no better time than the present.  This is a great way to journal your year.  

I will post my sketch and card for the Paper Craft Sketch Challenge tomorrow.  See ya back here then! 

Five Birthdays

I figured out today that I have five birthday cards to create and send this month.  Wow!  Busy birthday month for me.  I am having a blast playing with the birthday stamp sets and Celebrations DSP.  The colors are so bright and cheery!

I love the pleated ribbon technique I used on this card.  I had some retired Real Red polka dot ribbon and turned it over, so it would not compete with the numbers on the dsp.  I love how the stitching was on both sides.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: birthday bliss

Paper: pacific point, real red, whisper white, celebrtions dsp

Ink: pacific point marker, versamark

Accessories: real red ribbon (retired), dimensionals, buttons (other), square lattice impressions folder, red sticky tape

Punches: 2 x 1 3/8" oval

Techniques: basic stamping

I am hosting Paper Craft Planet's sketch challenge this Saturday.  I hope you can join me.  Now, you will link to the PCP blog instead of uploading to your gallery at Paper Craft.  Susanna has made it even easier to play along.

First Card of 2011

Wow!  It seems like it has been a long time, since I have posted.  I have been keeping myself busy with the boys being on Christmas vacation.  They finally went back on Tuesday, January 4th.  I am back to my routine and happy to be back to my crafting.

I had club last night and one on Friday.  This always gets me into the creative mood.  I have three birthday cards I need to make this month.  My sister, dad and brother-in-law all have birthdays within a week of each other.  I don't have any birthday cards, so I decided to better start making them.  I love the sketch challenge over at Paper Craft Planet.  When I have been away from my craft room and need inspiration, I can always find a great sketch to get the creative juices flowing.  Check out Jessica's sketch for this week here.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: birthday bliss, perfect punches, on a pedestal

Paper: pacific point, real red, whisper white, pear pizzazz, celebrations dsp

Ink: real red, pear pizzazz, pacific point marker, crushed curry marker

Accessories: basic pearls, dimensionals, pacific point ribbon (retired), whisper white brad

Punches: large tag, xl tag, spiral border, 2 x 1 3/8" oval

Techniques: basic stamping