Raspberry Suite's Color Challenge 17...life

Hi everyone... I hope you all are doing well. Just a quick post with my entry for Raspberry Suite's Color Challenge. This one was though, but with the help of my most favorite butterfly stamp, I think I was able to pull it together.

That's all I have tonight!!! Sweet Dreams:)

Our 1st Challenge Starts on 10/1 

 Hope you'll join us!

Products: patterned paper (Vintage Tee from Boxer Collection by Basic Grey; Chopped Tomatoes from Minestrone Collection by Jillibean Soup; Classic Everyday Fresh Linens from 29th Street Market by My Mind's Eye), clear stamp (Graceful Journey by Tattered Angels); ink (Burnt Umber Palette Hybrid); other (kraft & chocolate cardstock)

Inspired by Fall...

Hi all! Today I have a couple cards for Moxie Fab World's Gradient is Radiant Challenge. This is the perfect time of the year to have a gradient challenge... everything about fall seems gradient with its blending & ever changing colors; and to me thats inspiration and the impetus for this challenge. I also tackled the glitter... boy is my work space a MESS... but it is all good because it was a fun mess.

This is my favorite time of the year... I love waking up to a toasty heated house, then being able to throw open the windows and feel cool fall breezes wafting through it in the afternoon, and finishing the day with a brisk chilly evening. 


Don't forget (as they say) to stop and take the time to watch the leaves change. Enjoy!

Just 1 Day Left Until our 1st Challenge at 

 Hope you'll join us!

Products: patterned paper (Delilah Collection by BoBunny/brown & Jana Collection by My Little Shoebox), clear stamps (Graceful Journey by Tattered Angels); sentiment (flourish pumpkins by Darcie);  buttons (Autumn Leaves); ribbon & twine (May Arts); other (brown cardstock & kraft)

CPS Sketch 135 & A Tiny Tuesday Tip

With my kiddos in bed early tonight, I thought I'd play along with Sketch 135 at CPS.  I often write my girls a card (or note) and stick it in their scrapbook for them to find and read when they get older. Since I can't possible scrap every event from their life, I like to include letters to them whenever I can. Last week I found an old note that I jotted down to Campbell about her "new friend" Hadley... I found an old photo on my desk from around the same time and, well here's my card...

This one is now tucked safely away in Campbell's scrapbook.

My Tuesday Tip (I'm calling this one a tiny tip because its pretty trivial) is a site that I just found... anyone heard of Howcast? Its a site where you can find thousands or how to videos on just about any topic (like "How to make a diaper cake" or "How to take a relationship break"). Some are hilarious... its another one of those great internet time wasters (like my Face Book account)... so I wonder, what will they think of next?

That's it for this Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by!

Just 2 Days Until our 1st Challenge at 

 Hope you'll join us!

Products: patterned paper (Basic Grey & Sassafrass Lass), dot stamp (Impression Obsession), tulle (Bazzille Basics), frame (Making Memories); rub ons (Colorbok)

The Look...

I love this picture of Hadley... I can see the teenager in her eyes and I start to imagine what she will look like 14 years from now.

Sketch from Sketchy Thursdays ... a charming new challenge site.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of that look... I'd still give her this card in a heartbeat.

Here's to a crafty week! Thank you all for stopping by:)

Just 3 Days Until our 1st Challenge at 

 Hope you'll join us!

Products: letters (American Crafts/Thickers and White Blossoms/Glitter Stickers); kraft (Paper reflections); patterned paper (Giggle Kids by Making Memories); flower punches (EK Success);  white craft ink (Stamp'in Up); stamp (Dot Cover-a-Card by Impression Obsession); border punch (Fiskars)

A few of my favorite things...

Here is my attempt at Paper Craft's September Gallery Challenge . The assignment is to make a clean and graphic project. Clean and graphic is a tough one for me (few layers... no ribbon... white space... ahhhhhh).  But after a few attempts...

I even tackeld a second one, but saw way too much opportunity to add a few of my favorite things...

... and I couldn't resist so it turned into this, lol. Needles to say I won't be entering it into the challenge. That's all I have for the week... have a great weekend!

Products: patterned paper (Jenni Bowlin), clear stamps (American Crafts & Renaissance by Design), pearls (Kaiser Scrapbooks), ribbon (Michael's), other (kraft, ink & vintage button).

Wednesday Wisdom

Here are a few quotes that I love from the wise and wonderful Dr. Seuss.

Don't cry because its over. Smile because it happened.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.

If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.

And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.

A person's a person, no matter how small.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

I'm sorry to say so but, sadly it's true that bang-ups and hang-upscan happen to you.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!

Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one. 

I love throwing these quotes on my kiddo pages. Have any cute kiddo photos laying around that these quotes inspire you to scrap? I'm dying to do something with this one of my little sweeties...

They were hiding in "the jungle" in our front yard. To be 4 again... Take care!

A sketch to share... large scalloped border punch

Here is a sketch I'd like to share featuring my very favorite large scalloped border punch. So if you have one laying around, break it out and try this sketch...

I love almost every card I create with this sketch... its a good one to use with stamps. You can find more examples of how I used this sketch here, here and here.

I'm excited to share some good news... I will be participating on a design team at Scrap that Poetry ... the first challenge will be posted on October 1st, so if you love words and poetry & use them as inspiration for your pages like I do (or just want to try something other than a sketch to get started), click on over and check it out.

Take care & have a great Tuesday!

Products: punch (EK Success), stamps (Renaissance by Design & Anna Griffin), patterned paper (Webster's pages), fibers (Michael's Crafts)

Card and Page Monday... Play Dates

We had a great weekend. Did you? Ours was full of great friends, memories and firsts. I just love watching my girls grow and learn & this weekend we had some time to just enjoy & appreciate that. Campbell has been playing soccer and to watch her pick up new physical skills is just amazing. She has also started reading... it blows my mind that my baby is now reading.. and how quickly they pick it up once they start. And Hadley... what can I say about her... she imitates everything that her big sister does and is such a cutie while doing it. Hadley's a beauty whose smiles and little giggles just melt my heart. Life is good. 

Here is a layout created using PageMaps new sketch. My baby's best long distance girl friend came to visit this weekend-- they had a ball.

Now that the girls don't see each other very often, I try to jot down everything they do when they get together... I hope to scrap each of their play dates and put the pages together in an album for them when they get older. They have been playing together since they were babies, so I think the album will be pretty special.

And here are a few cards made with continued inspiration from the layout. I thought I'd make it a "krafty" week to celebrate the fact that our Archivers store finally stocked real kraft paper (yeah!!! no more shipping charges:)

Have a fabulous week!


Products: patterned paper (Preserve from the Sweet Marmalade collection by Sassafrass Lass and Zip ah dee doo dah from the Blue Skies collection by American Crafts ), font (2 Peas Scarlet Ribbons), border (Queen & Co Felt Fusion), buttons (white boutique buttons by Denami Design), clear stamps (Call Me by Renaissance by Design), border punch (Fiskars Threading Water), other (Brown Felt Butterfly by Heidi Swapp & staples)

Grasshopper...

May good health and fortune come to you.

This little guy came to visit us today, so we thought we'd share him with you.  Life's little details... aren't they amazing? Take care & have a blessed Saturday!

Sketchbook

I love swooping in and buying school supplies at ridiculously low prices, like $0.50 for composition books... or $0.05 glue sticks. I STOCK UP!! Here is a gift idea for that you could easily make a crafty friend using a cheap-o back to school composition notebook.

And a card made from my scraps and left over embellies...

Have a great weekend!

All paper & embellishments by SEI; tulle by Bazzill Basics and burlap twine by May Arts

Throwback Thursday

So as I cleaned out my paper drawers on Saturday, I found A LOT of old paper... most of which I could part with... but there were a few pieces that I just had to cut into before letting it go. So, here is a little throwback for your Thursday...

The patterned paper is 8 years old-- yes I am the ultimate collector of beautiful, wonderful paper. Does anyone remember it? 

Its Anna Griffin and I'm certain I purchased it at either Michael's or Hobby Lobby... yes, I think it only came in 8.5 x 11 in sheets:) I remember drooling over its girly"ness"... and I was just gaga for anything toile at that time. Well, it felt good to finally put that paper to good use. Do you have anything hiding in your drawer that you could break out this weekend?

Take care!

stamps: phone (Renaissance by Design) & Thank You (Hero Arts); ribbon (American Crafts)

Wednesday Wisdom Tidbits

Here are a few tidbits for this week's wisdom. I thought these little fortunes by Colorbök that I picked up at Joann's would be fun to put on a series of cards... so here we go!

A woman who seeks to be equal with man lacks ambition.

Do not worry when you stumble; remember, a worm is the only thing that can't fall down.

 Never let school obstruct your education.

You cannot get to the top by sitting on your bottom.

He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.

Today is that tomorrow you thought about yesterday.

It is time to get over it.

Here's to hump day... hope you have a good one!

Info: fortune tear offs: (Luck You Cardstock Fortunes Spiral Pad by Colorbök); stamps (Forest Friends by Colorbök and Laughter Clear Stamps by American Crafts; patterned paper (American Crafts). Each card measures 4in x 4in.

A sketch to share... trusty square

I'd like to share one of my favorite sketches using trusty, old balanced square. It is one friend that rarely disappoints me. I hope you find it as useful as I do, as a starter for a quick, but elegant and clean card.

You can find more examples of how I used this sketch here, here, and here. I appreciate your visit!

Products: patterned paper (Lily Bee & Webster's Pages),  kraft (The Paper Studio), stamp (Tattered Angels), cardstock (Bazzill Basics).

Card and Page Monday... Birthday Themed Love

School has started at Tender Years Cooperative Preschool... things are getting underway & my mile long "to do" list is all checked off (for the moment). So back to craft night & blogging (yeah!!!). Here is my first card and page post in probably over a month. I felt rusty tackling a scrapbook page... its been a long time... anyway... enough rambling, I hope you enjoy.

A card for a dear friend who celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday. Happy 21st birthday Lisa;) Cheers to another 21!

And a page to remember my daughter heading to her best friend's 5th birthday party... a Fancy Nancy party, very appropriate for the Martin's who are the fanciest girls we know:). I decided to join in PageMap's current sketch contest to get me started.

Happy birthday to everyone celebrating a birthday today! And happy Monday to those who aren't:)

Products: patterned paper (My Mind's Eye/Laundry Line), flowers and crystals (Prima), ribbon (Michael's Crafts), stamp (inkadinkado), punch (EK Success), kraft (The Paper Studio), ink ColorBox Chalk), overlay (Fancy Pants Designs), other (staples)