Ramblings of a Paper Crafter

Paper Crafting Club???

2010-10-22T06:03:00.001-07:00

I am trying to decide whether or not to host an after-school paper crafting club. I would love to have more of a reason to get my supplies out but can 3rd and 4th graders handle it?

Something to show for my time...

2010-07-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! I finally have a few pages to show off from the different crops I've been too lately. Who knew I would enjoy going to crops as much as I have? A friend I met through stamping classes has shown me the light! (Thanks Rosemary!) I went on a weekend retreat in June with her and a really great group o ladies. While the house we stayed in had a few things to be desired...okay, a lot to be desired I still enjoyed myself immensely. I have another set of pages to post but have to figure out where I put them.

Have a great day!

MIA...

2010-06-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the school year is winding down and my crafting is revving up! Our last day with students is Friday the 18th and then only a staff day on Monday to survive. I spent a wonderful (although hot) weekend with a great group of ladies scrapping away and have pictures to load into the computer and upload. Hope to have things posted later today or tomorrow at the latest. I am heading to training tonight so that I can be an official at local swim meets. Yippee!??

Hang in There...

2010-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

I put this card together quickly using a wonderful stamp I picked up at DeNami in Allentown. A dear friend is going through a rough time and I just wanted to quickly make a card so I could get it in the mail to her today. I used some design paper I picked up at Joann's and my Copics to color. I wasn't wearing my glasses when I colored this and boy, can I tell but it isn't too bad so off it went.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Stamp Show Fun

2010-04-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Well Girls (and any stray Guys that wander here),
Spring is here and my time is finally freeing up for a little crafty goodness. The Eagle Scout's scrapbook was a success and I will take pictures of the pages I have completed for my son's book. I managed to sneak up to Allentown to the Heirloom Stamp Show on Sunday for about an hour and a half. My craft piggy bank is officially empty! I spent time at DeNami Stamps, Impression-Obsession and Clear and Simple Stamps. DeNami has been a long time favorite but the other two are sort of new to me. I say sort of because while I've seen cards two awesome bloggers (Hi Lori & Savitri!) have posted using their products I didn't connect the dots. The dots are connected! LOL!

My son has a two hour mixed martial arts class tonight so I am hoping to put ink to rubber tonight while he and my husband are gone.

Boy Scout Biking

2010-03-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

The mountains in the background were cut using Going Places on my Cricut. I have gotten a lot of use out of it this past couple of weeks working on this project with Patty.

From Cub to Eagle

2010-03-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

This is Ben, the son of my friend Patty. He earn the rank of Eagle Scout recently and his mom asked for some scrapbooking help. Here is what we came up with so far...

These are Ben's entries into the annual Pinewood Derby.

A Bit of Rambling...

2010-03-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

Life has a funny way of sneaking by without you realizing how much or how fast time has gone. Today my son was awarded his Bear rank at the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet. I can remember his first meeting as a Tiger like it was yesterday, not three years ago. I have been working on his scrapbook for recent Scouting events but have put it on hold to help a friend complete a couple of scrapbooks for her son Ben who has achieved Eagle Scout and will have the ceremony in April. I've known Ben since he was just a little guy so it is awesome to watch and an honor to share something I love to do in order to create a keepsake for him.

So while I have been crafting I don't have much to show. I've been popping around blog-land and loving what I see but won't have much to share for a bit. Hope everyone is happy and healthy!

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

What a crazy week this has been. I only worked four out of five days due to the wild and woolly ride on the Snow-Coaster that we've been on around here. I did use some of the time to produce about half of the Valentine's Day card needed. I took my son to Target in between storms to pick-up a few things and I asked him if he wanted to pick out some Valentine's for his class. He said no, he would rather have my home-made cards 'cause they were better and that he would help make them.

Here is what "we" came up with. I put we in quotes because he mostly acted as a design consultant and occasionally punched something out.

This was made using some spiffy V-Day themed paper by K & Company. The large robot is a digistamp from My Favorite Things. I colored with my Copics and embellished with a silver heart brad.

This next one was made using the Sock Monkey from SU with some scraps left over from some unknown DP pad of paper. The heart balloons are brads I had and I simply drew strings on.

This one uses an image from one of SU's "punnier" sets. I think there is something warped with my sense of humor because I love puns. It is a pretty basic card. The heart punch was on clearance at Michael's. It is a Martha Stewart product. The flower been embellished with a crystal sticker. The background is embossed with hearts using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.

I have more to post but will probably wait until Sunday night to do so. We have a busy weekend ahead of us.

DeNami

2010-02-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

My son has a birthday party to attend this Sunday. While I will probably come up with something more masculine this one I made with a DeNami stamp and bright colors. The background is embossed using the Happy Birthday folder and the Swiss Dots can be found on the red mat. I used a Sizzix die for the yellow piece...Top Note cut in half. With another 12-24 inches of snow forecast for tomorrow night into Wednesday chances are I'll have some more crating time on my hands. It is a good thing...I'd rather be safe at home when it counts but I will be whining in June when I am still in school long after everyone else.

Save the Date Cards

2010-02-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

A dear friend who I've had the privilege to watch grow up is getting married in the fall of 2011. She wants to send out "Save the Date" cards. She bought one of the invitation kits from Michaels/ACMoore and after looking at it I was pretty sure I could make something that would be in the same color scheme (black and white with a damask pattern). She is thinking of having burgundy/maroon bridesmaid dresses so I wanted to tie that in, too. Overall, the card is pretty simple...it conveys what it needs to and would lend itself to mass production. The other card I've posted is a B&W birthday card I made at one of my friend Marge's workshops. I like it a lot and while not complicated it does have several more steps than the other. With a few changes it could easily be pressed into duty as well.

Snowy Creativity

2010-02-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a page I put together highlighting some fall fun my son had in the leaves. I am using my stash of stuff slowly but surely, including the sticker sheet that forms the majority of the page. I added some brads that covered up the pictures of brads used in on the sticker sheet and matting and am pretty pleased with the outcome. The title was cut with my Cricut Expression--Stretch Your Imagination. I started the page Friday night and finished it up the next day. Philadelphia and the surrounding area got whollopped with the second biggest snow storm ever. Around here we got about 26 inches...we are expecting more Tuesday into Wednesday. No work for me tomorrow...snow day! Will enjoy the chance to get in some extra craft time. Will be interesting to see if my son's school calls the day, too.

Farm Fever

2010-01-28T04:10:00.000-08:00

My nephew had surgery on his knee last week and while he is recovering nicely it is still 4-6 weeks of staying off his feet. Not good when you consider he is extremely athletic and used to being able to burn off all his excess energy. I made him a simple card featruing SU's Farm Fever. Those silly puns always crack me up and I hope he will get a chuckle out of it as well.

I colored piggy with my Copics, used a piece of a DCWV pattern paper and a scrap of ribbon that I think I've had for four or five years that finally came in handy. I used two punches, the scallop and the arrow is a punch that I doodled around to mimic the text in the image.

Disney Layout

2010-01-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

My blogging friend Carol has been working on Disney layouts and since I have oodles of pictures from the House of Mouse I figured I would gather up a bit of inspiration and get scrapping, especially since my husband is planning a return trip this coming summer if all goes well.

Our first night was spent dining with Chef Mickey and his pals. It was a great start to a wonderful vacation.

Ho Ho Ho???

2010-01-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

My husband is a good sport. This Christmas my son received a gift called MindFlex. You use your brainwaves to control a fan motor that in-turn floats a little blue ball in the air...basic Bernoulli's principle at work. Add to the head gear you have to wear to play the game a Santa T-shirt and you have a huge potential for a "bah humbug" kind of moment but instead Les put on the shirt Russ had picked out for him for Christmas Day and strapped on the headset for the game. We all had a good time with the game even though it left a red mark on our foreheads where one of the sensors is located.

The paper is DCWV and the letters were cut from some chip board I had stashed away. Santa is pieced together from a die I've had forever with a little chalk to spice him up.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year! I hope that your celebrations were everything you hoped for and more. For those who don't celebrate the holiday I hope you enjoyed your day no mater how you spent it.

This is my poor dog Scully. She was not thrilled to be an elf but I couldn't resist. She is a sweet little dog who put up with the hat and neck piece for all of 30 seconds.

I have two cards to post today...the first is taken from one of my stamping magazines and altered. It was so simple to use a couple of embossing folders and a few scraps and I was set. I will probably make a few non-holiday variations of this card to put in a last minute gift I am working on. I won't see my friend until New Year's Day so I should have enough time to finish...good thing she doesn't read my blog, right?

The last card was a clearance stamp set I got at Michael's some time ago and some bling I had left over. I used a scrap of ribbon and colored with my beloved Copic markers. As I looked at this picture I see some ways to improve the coloring I did but since the five of these I made were mailed before Christmas I guess I'll put my changes into effect the next time I work on this image.

Drummer Boy

2009-11-29T19:45:00.000-08:00

I really like how this card came out. I pulled out a Debbie Mumm scrap pad I picked up last season for the DP and some scrap cardstock that I ran through the music embossing folder that Cuttlebug puts out. There is a little gold inking around the music and the gold stars and voila. I colored with my Copics.

Thankgiving Weekend Ramblings

2009-11-28T19:31:00.001-08:00

************************RAMBLING ALERT*******************

What an odd weekend this has been for me. No turkey this year (my husband and his brother wanted ham for a change). No father-in-law at the table complaining how cold it was and talking about how much warmer it is in Florida.

This is the first year in ten or more that I wasn't out with the other nuts at 3:30AM looking for the "best" deal on Black Friday. Our Chrstmas tree, which usually makes an appearance Black Friday afternoon is still tucked away in the basement and probably will stay there until next weekend although we did take advantage of a beautiful Sunday afternoon to get the lights up outside. I have 25 Christmas cards completed and I have about six projects I will most likely finish before Christmas because I won't be out going nutty shopping.

I think that this year more than any in memory I am thankful for everything I have. While my husband and I both have jobs the economy has hit his industry hard, making the finances tighter around here than ever before and in tightening our belts like so many others in this nation it has given us both time to reflect on what is really important and shopping isn't it. I sat in my craft room and marveled at my own excess. I have stamps that have never seen ink, ink that has never seen a stamp and a full gamut of bling, baubles, ribbon and the like that I couldn't use in a year (or two or three...).

So, to cap off my intorspective post, here is a partial list of some of what I am thankful for...

God and all the blessings he continues to grant us
My husband and son and family
Our health
The friends I have
Our jobs (especially mine that provides great health care)
Living in a country where I can stand on the street corner and share my beliefs with anyone who will listen
My sisters...the two related by blood and those of the heart
My students, who so wonderfully teach me about life
My silly dogs, Mulder and Scully, who love me no matter what and always wag their tails when they see me

I am also grateful for my cyber friends. Your comments have brightened many a day for me.

Lori

Sleigh Full of Toys

2009-10-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have had this SU set for a long time and yet this is the first time I've pulled it out and used it. I made six of this card to send out this year. The picture isn't great...it has a lot of shine to it that just isn't coming through. I have a couple of fall cards to post later today or tomorrow.

Have a great Sunday!

Christmas Card, Version 1

2009-10-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

These are the first batch of Christmas cards I made...I went to my first Crop in September with my friend Rosemary and instead of scrapbooking, I used the 12 hours of time (less the time spent eating, visiting with a lovely set of ladies, and running my husband to get his car from the mechanics) to work on a couple of designs. I would never make it on a design team because I can't remember who the image is by or even where I got it. I think the DP is DCWV and I know I colored the images with my beloved Copics.

Happy Wednesday!!

A Boo-tiful Card

2009-10-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

This card is one of about five I made with hanted house Sizzix die I picked up for 50% off at AC Moore and a cute little skeleton by Eat Cake Graphics I got from Cathy at Paper Garden. The card came together in a flash.

Back in Action!

2009-10-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

Where exactly does time go? August slipped into September and now we are half way through October! I've been sort-of crafty since my last post and have a few things to share.

Here is an unfinished card I am working on. The images are from Stamps by Judith. I really like her stuff, especially the versatility of them. This image is actually three separate stamps. I colored them with my Copics and will just be adding some ribbon with a tag saying "boo" on it to finish it off.

Almost Back in the Crafting Saddle

2009-08-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here is my second cast. It got decorated today at VBS. It was a great week but I am glad it is over---I am exhausted!

This is my son's Lego Club 2009 Book. We put it together using a clear acrylic book I picked up at Creative Inklings. I love this store and am hoping the economy leaves this sweet little store alone. While AC Moore and Michel's are great for the basics, this store rocks for the special touches.

This card is simple. A stamp I picked up at CK Valley Forge for 1/2 price and a couple Nestabilities I picked up as well. The scalloped oval was airbrushed with my Copic air brush system and the image was colored with Copics as well.

Easing Back Into Posting

2009-07-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

I have been easing back into spending time on the computer and crafting, which I have really missed these past few months. I am scheduled to have my left hand done (carpal tunnel and deQuervain's tendinitis) on the 31st of July but it really shouldn't be too bad as I know what to expect this time.

I have some stuff to post and will get to it later tonight. I have a leg of lamb in the oven that is in need of attention.

One Down, One to Go!

2009-06-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
My right hand is out of its cast and I am typing without too much discomfort! Surgery and recover went well and now onto a month of therapy to build the strength in my right hand. I am scheduled to have my left hand done the last day of July. So for now, it is full steam ahead for crafting!

Lori

Happy Memorial Day & Surgery

2009-05-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! While we will be having a cookout tomorrow it won't be without a trip to the cemetery. I want to make sure my son understands all of the sacrifices that have been made on our behalves.

Well, it looks like surgery is in my future. I'm scheduled to get my right hand operated on in a little less then two weeks. We are trying cortisone shots in the left hand before surgery. I had the shots a week ago and so far, I wish I had skipped them as my left wrist and hand hurts worse now. I miss my blog hopping and the time I was spending on the computer but my hands bother me a lot less if I abstain. I did manage to make my rounds to my SBS2 favorites today but will be good and give my hands a rest for the rest of the weekend.

A Quick Update

2009-05-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to say I'm still here, just not very crafty lately. I have been having problems with my hands and wrists for some time and finally gave in and saw a doctor about them who sent me to an orthopedic specialist. Long story short, I have arthritis (which I suspected), carpal tunnel, and to add insult to injury, tendinitis in both wrists. I had a EMG on Monday (what a strange test...reminded me of the feeling putting your tongue on a 9V battery produced as a kid) I go back to the ortho guy on Friday and will see what comes next.

Lori

Shout Out to SheetLoad!

2009-04-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

The April edition of Sheetload of Cards is out!! (APRIL) I really like this resource, especially when I need a lot of the same card. I have used it for several of my Christmas cards as well as thank you's.

Here are the latest I made using the April sketch. The paper is SU and the stamps are as well. I love these punny images! The embellishments are things I had laying around my work area. I am doing my best to use up what I have before buying anything else 'cause each dollar really has to stretch far these days. I colored the images using my Copics and added a bit of fluff to the ewes. I don't love the ribbon on the one card with the little balls dangling. I was a little too aggressive with the adhesive or I probably would have used a different embellishment there. Oh well....

Spring Cards

2009-04-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung with this batch of cards. After a great vacation with my husband and son it was nice to be home and to have a little stamp time. I keep meaning to do a little cleaning in my craft room but the rubber is hard to resist. Here are three I made yesterday and one I forgot to post.....

This card is for my friend Marge's birthday. It was made using a couple of stamps from Denami Designs that I bought last year at a stamping show in Allentown, PA. I cut a strip off of the card front to expose the white interior and stamped the line of chicks. It was colored with Copics.

The bunny is a mess but I had to post him. I like the parts of this card but will rework them to make it flow a bit better. The bunny is from Stamps Happen, Inc. and the carrots in the background are from Denami Designs. I used my Copics again and included an air brushed background. I have a carrot punch that I used in the four corners then decided I didn't like the look at all and glued them back in place...at least the ones I could find. The other two where covered up with flowers.

I really like how this card turned out. It is so quick and easy to put together. I used my Copics to air brush the back ground then used Versa Magic (Purple) to stamp the flowers. The stamps are from SU's Glorious Gift.

This card I made some time ago but forgot to post. I used an image I recieved in a swap and bits and pieces I had around. I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

Picture of Couple at Dark Hollow Falls

2009-04-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

We met this couple at the Dark Hollow Falls in Shenandoah National Park. They were nice enough to take a family picture in front of the falls of us so we did the same for them using our camera with the understanding I'd post the picture for them to find as they didn't have an active e-mail account (or a camera). It was a chilly day but so worth the hike down to the falls.

Spring Break

2009-04-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Virginia! When life gives you lemons it is always good to make lemonade. In that effort when the trip to California to see my mom, sister, and brother fell apart due to a screwy pace maker, a gall bladder that needs to come out and knee surgery we decided that it wasn't meant to be. My mom's pace maker was fixed with a minimally invasive procedure, my sister has an appointment with the a surgeon for the gall bladder and my brother had knee surgery a week ago tomorrow and is recovering as well as he can at my sister's house. After everything with my father-in-law we decided to head out on the road and unwind a bit so we are on our way to Natural Bridge, Virginia then to the Luray Caverns and finally to Gettysburg, PA before heading home on Wednesday.

So...from Rt. 66 heading south, hope everyone has a great week!

PS...looked on the map to see where Woolvine was located. Was sad to see it wasn't near any of our destinations.

More cards from the basement...

2009-03-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

These were the last two cards that came out of my Sunday afternoon stamping. I love the faux stamp card. It was amazingly easy using my Copic air brush and a couple of stamps.

A Quiet Sunday Afternoon with a Monkey

2009-03-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

I spent yesterday quietly stamping in my craft room for a few hours. It felt good to listen to some of my favorite music by Mercy Me and Jars of Clay and just "be". Thanks for all the support and prayers. My MIL is feeling better physically and now working on the business of getting on with life.

Update

2009-03-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law quietly passed away Friday, March 20th. Services were held yesterday. We're heading over to see my mother-in-law today. She is not feeling well and sadly, wasn't up to attending the funeral yesterday. She is diabetic and just hasn't felt like eating. With all the stress of the past few weeks I can understand the loss of appetite but not at the cost of her health. My husband and brother-in-law spoke to her at length yesterday about her health and while she agreed to try harder to eat we'll be spending a lot of time with her in the coming weeks and months to make sure she follows through.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!

MIA

2009-03-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have been missing from action for the past few weeks. My father-in-law, whom I love like my own, is in the final stages of COPD. He developed pneumonia in late February and finally agreed to go to the hospital on March 1st. We brought him home from the hospital today after two weeks not because he is improving but because there is nothing the doctors can do for him in the hospital that we as a family can do at home where he is more comfortable. For those of a mind to, please pray for my FIL (his name is Bob).

With all of the time I have been at the hospital I haven't been able to surf for sometime but thanks to someone in my in-laws neighborhood with a wireless router I have been able to visit some of my favorite blogs on my laptop while Dad has slept. We're working out a schedule for being here so my MIL is alone with Dad as little as possible. She is the sweetest woman. She cleared off a small table in the spare bedroom so I can color and "do my crafty stuff" since I'll be at the house so much.

Wishing you peace!

Lori

TGIF!!

2009-02-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!
TGIF!! I'm hosting a baby shower tomorrow at my home for about 30 women. It should be a lot of fun. I've been scurrying around getting ready for it this week but did take Wednesday night off to go and play with my friends at Marge's. Here is what Marge had for us to make...I particularly like the card using SU's Bloomin' Beautiful. I don't travel with my Copics so I missed them when I colored these, especially being a CERTIFIED COPIC INSTRUCTOR!! (I so wish you could see the cheesey grin on my face!!) My friend Donna and I made the drive to Long Branch, NJ and participated in the class being offerered by Sally Lynn McDonald. It was awesome! I can't wait for my schedule to open up so I can spend some time in my craft room.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bits and Pieces but not much crafting!

2009-02-21T07:48:00.001-08:00

Hello All,

It has been a wild couple of weeks for me with little time for crafting :( One of my best friend's mother had a catastrophic stroke on the last Friday in January. She wasn't expected to live but I can say with a grateful heart that she is alive and very slowly improving--if you are of a heart, please add Marian to your prayer list.

School is starting to get a little manic...the all important testing season is nearly here so I've had extra work above and beyond teaching my classes and working on grades, which are due next Monday.

Toss into the mix a baby shower being held in my home next weekend for a dear friend from church and the regular running around having a seven year old boy brings although I must say Cub Scouts has been particularly active lately. We're heading to Trenton, NJ tonight for a minor league hockey game with his pack. (Hi Lori!! I'll think of you tonight at the game.). My son is really excited because they will let him play broom ball on the ice between periods.

The big crafting news for me is a seat at the COPIC Certification Course tomorrow in Long Branch, New Jersey!! I was a able to swing a seat for myself and my friend Donna. I can hardly wait!!

I hope you have a great weekend!!

How Sweet it Is

2009-02-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

These cards were inspired by a wonderful card over on Michelle's blog. I just loved the colors and the use of the heart embossing folder and wanted to put my own spin on their use. The stamp is from My Favorite Things (How Sweet it Is) and the card stock is all DCWV. The background on the large heard card is from SU...it is a discontinued jumbo wheel. I am off to lunch in a quaint little shopping area known as Peddler's Village then my friend and I are hitting the new papercrafting store that opened a few months ago. It is called Creative Inkling. I am just excited to have a brick and mortar store in the area again.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Light unto my Path

2009-01-31T06:18:00.000-08:00

These cards are about as simple as you can get. The image is from SU and the DP is Wild Asparagus. I have a few more things to post but will have do dig out my camera to do so. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Christmas Cards in January and more things to share...

2009-01-25T04:52:00.000-08:00

These cards were made after attending Copic 101. On the way back from the class I was talking to my friend Donna and she was saying how she was going to make 10 Christmas cards a month so that when Christmas 2009 rolls around, she'll have plenty done. I thought about it and decided to give it a try (on a smalller scale). Here are my first four cards. The House Mouse stamp seemed like like a good place to start since I wanted to practice the skills I had learned in the class. There isn't much to them, just a little left over DP from one company or another, a piece of crimped card stock and a few brads.

The next three are variations on a theme. Same basic layout using a different stamps. There are a couple of ladies at work that are out with long-term illnesses so I wanted a few cards to send that were bright and cheery. Have I ever mentioned that I really dispise tying bows???

The "Here's a Hug" card is my stepped-up version of the other three. I added a blittle bling, stamped and cut out some flowers.

This last card of this post was made with a blogging sister in mind (it left my mailbox yesterday, I didn't trust it to my husband ;) ) I bought this Autumn Leaves set from Paper Garden I don't know how long ago but haven't really done much with it but then I was at Michael's and saw a card that had a similar little monkey with the Hang in there..." saying. I bought the saying and set out to see what I could do. This is it. The leaves and vines are airbrushed using the corner of a Spellbinder die. A couple of flowers from Michael's and a piece of my Wild Asparagus DP to mat it. I really like how it all turned out.

I have a bunch more to share but will wait until the middle of the week or so. Hope you are all healthy!!

PS.......If you've noticed my blog looks a little different I'm working on sprucing it up a bit. It is kind of sad that a person who makes her living teaching children how to use computers hasn't figured out how to personalize this space a bit better.

School Picutres

2009-01-24T05:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all a page takes is a set of stickers, the right piece of paper and a seven year old to put it all together. This simple page took my son about 5 minutes to do. My son has the only green background so he stands out.

This page took me forever to do because I couldn't decide on anything for it. In the end, I was happy with the look but still think it needs a little something.....

The paper is SU and the big swirl was cut on my Cricut Expression and airbrushed with my Copics.

Copic 101

2009-01-22T18:46:00.001-08:00

Thanks to my friend Donna letting me know about this class, I was able to participate and really enjoy myself at Sally Lynn MacDonald's Copic 101 Class held at Creative Inklings in Lahaska, PA. She traveled down from Connecticut to teach. We made the cards pictured and two more besides. She is teaching a Copic certification class in March but I doubt I will be able to get a seat...they let the enthusiasts like me in last. Oh, well....

*****Whining Alert******Whining Alert******Whining Alert******
This has been my first post in a bit because the 'flu saw fit to tear through 2/3 of my family. I'm praying it skips my son. My husband started out last Friday feeling blahh. He made it through the weekend and into work on Monday and Tuesday but relapsed and added a few nasty symptoms to his repitoire for Wednesday and today. I started Sunday night with fever, chills and a killer headache. I had off Monday, went in for 1/2 day on Tuesday and have been home Wednesday and today. I feel considerable better so will gladly go into work tomorrow.

Swim Team Page

2009-01-08T17:20:00.001-08:00

This page was done for my son's album. He proudly swims in the summer for Eddington Seals. I cut the swimmer and title on my Cricut Expression and had the DP and stickers from a cute little scrapbook store I found in Williamsport, PA. The funniest thing about the picture is that my son isn't in it. We got stuck in traffic the night they took it and missed it. He was not upset at all because he said he knew what he looked like. Gotta love the logic of a seven year old!LOL!!

PageMap (Inspired by Carol)

2009-01-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

Carol over at Crazy for Crafting posted a PageMap sketch and her awesome page a few days ago. I really liked the page and decided to give PageMap a try. The result is found below. About the only thing I can tell you about are the flowers...I got them in the Michel's floral department on clearance just for this page. I plucked them off their stems and popped a large brad in the center of each one. The rest is bits and pieces I had laying around.

2008 Put to Rest

2009-01-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

My Christmas tree was packed away on New Year's Day and the stockings are nestled in their Rubbermaid container waiting to make an appearance next Christmas. We've seen Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler (very cute if you were wondering) and played Apples to Apples (great game the first 15 times you play it) until I must confess I want an orange. My husband seems happy with his Play Station 3.

I am sending Maria a big THANK YOU!! Pictured are the contents of the box she sent as my secret sister in a SBS2 Holiday Swap. If you've never visited Maria Bell's blog I highly recommend it!

Tomorrow it is back to the daily grind. I've had 12 glorious days home with my family so I really can't complain. Teachers are usually just as bad as the kids about returning to school but I have to say that I'm not sad to return tomorrow. The whole family needs to return to a more regular routine.

I managed to complete five scrapbook pages in the past few days. I'm only going to post one tonight and then stretch the rest out into the next week.
This was done to commemorate the first snow of the season. We had a dusting in October. I used my Cricut Expression to cut out the letters. The paper is DCWV if my memory serves me correctly and the snowman is a sticker, probably Jolee. We haven't had much snow since but we have had a couple of days that make you think you are in Siberia. Brrrr!!!!

2008-12-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

These are variations on the theme "winter". The penguin stamps are from a company called DenamiDesign. The snowman and some of the stickers are from a leftover sheet of winter stickers I had from a project that was finished over a year ago. The snowflake brads and ribbon are also left over from some long forgotten project.

I like them all to varying degrees but mostly, I enjoyed the time I had to make them. Time is such a luxury these days that it has been a joy to slow down and be able to enjoy my family and a bit of crafting, too.

This New Year's, rather than make a list of resolutions that rarely see the end of February, I have started a list of all I have to be thankful for--sort of Thanksgiving in Jarnuary.

Here is part of my list:

For the first time in about five years my mom was able to leave her nursing home and spend Christmas Day with my sister and brother (an ambulance transported her to and from). I was sad I wasn't there to take part in the day but am looking forward to seeing her during Spring break if we can find tickets in the budget.

My dad is doing great after bypass surgery this summer. I talked to him and his wife on Christmas Day and they both sound good.

I have a job I still find joy in after 15 years. There are definitely good days and bad days but as long as no one gets me started about No Child Left Behind I still think there is hope for my students and this country in general.

I've made some awesome blogging friends who have done so much to brighten 2008 with kind words of encouragement about things crafty and not-so crafty.

I wish you all a healthy and happy 2009!

Classroom Craft

2008-12-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

I volunteered to put together a simple craft for my son to take into class. This is what I came up with. I've converted most of my music collection to a digital format so I was happy to find something to do with all the cases.

Winter Joy

2008-12-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

This card came together late last night. The stamp is from Eat Cake Graphics via Paper Garden. The snowman is a Sizzix die. I had fun with my Copic air brush system on this one, playing with the sky. The ribbon and letter beads were left over from some long ago project.

This little ornament came together with the SU's Deer Friends set. I am providing a craft for my son's second grade class. I'm not too sure what I'm going to do but I have started playing around with my craft supplies to see what I can come up with that 22 seven year olds can handle without driving thier teacher crazy.

Christmas Cards, takes one and two

2008-12-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

I need to squeeze in time to make my Christmas cards. I finally got a start today...here are takes one and two. I want to add something else but I'm not sure what. Any suggestions?? I have a couple more cards to post but they will have to wait until tomorrow or more acutately, later today. (It is almost 1AM.)

I picked the angel stamp up at Michael's and the paper is DCWV. The background was created using the Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder and a bit of silver ink to accentuate the whole thing. The black card stock I used had a texture to it so the embossing picked up the pattern in the second card.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

2008-12-01T14:07:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I didn't get time to do any crafting over the long weekend. Instead, I headed out way too early (4AM) with a group of girlfriends and did my best to take a bite out of the recession. I've been going out on Black Friday for several years now and must say that this one was the least crowded. There were deals to be found here and there but for the most part, it was blahhh. The best deal I found was in a Wal-Mart ad for the Cricut Expression for $199. There was no way I was going to Wal-Mart on Black Friday so I took the ad into Michael's on Thanksgiving night (they were open from 6pm-9pm) and asked if they'd price match. They did!! I'm going to complete a couple of Cyber Monday orders, finish a few chores around the house then play, play, play!!

LEGO House

2008-11-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

My son loves LEGO. I have several pictures of him playing with it so when I ran across some LEGO paper awhile back I bought several sheets with a layout or two in mind. That was not to be. A cheap balsa wood house and the afore mentioned paper along with some adhesive has made my son a happy boy. It took us almost an hour to cover the house but it was an hour well spent. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

November Holiday Party

2008-11-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

It is official...the Holiday's are here (at least for me)! Tonight rather than running her usual stamping class my friend Marge held a great get together at her home. She organized a stamped image swap and asked each of us to make a sample of the card we would use the image with, had sweet and savory snacks galore, and had a cute little bag for each of us to make. As if that was not enough, Marge also had a couple of games, complete with prizes. I had a great time!

Here are:

1. the images I got in the swap

2. my sample cards

3. the treat bag I made tonight

2008-11-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to all who have sacrificed for the freedoms we hold dear!

Trick or Treat 2008

2008-11-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with another family going door-to-door, looking for treats. My poor son ended up giving about 1/2 of his candy to his friend because he can't eat it with his palate expander in. Nothing sticky for six months. Popcorn is off the list, too. We took him to Hershey Park in the Dark on Saturday so I think maybe this Halloween wasn't a complete bust for him. At seven, he is quite the daredevil. I had to call it quits after the 4th roller coaster. My husband won't go on any of them so I ended up riding with Russ. The one called the Cork Screw about did me (and the contents of my stomach) in.

The layout was created using Adobe Elements and a digiscrap set by Marie Cole.

Halloween Challenge

2008-10-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

As much as I love challenges, finding the time to get them done is a challenge in itself but I decided to give it a shot after reading Crystal's blog. The idea is simple...1-2 page spread using Halloween pictures. This layout is what I came up with using Adobe PhotoShop Elements on my Mac and a digi-scrap set I picked up by Marie Cole.

Hope everyone has a great week!

October Gathering at Marge's

2008-10-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

Last night produced another set of winning cards. It was the monthly class held by my friend and Stampin' Up demonstrator Marge. It is such a great group of women that go. Hope everyone has a great weekend! I am picking my sister up at the airport tonight for a quick visit. I haven't seen her since March so I am really excited!!

When Good Cards Go Bad

2008-10-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have decided while I like all the elements of this card (except my coloring...it stinks tonight) it just does not work for me. As I was just telling one of my blogging friends, my husband is infamous for telling me "That's nice," when I show him my cards. He broke the mold and asked if I had gotten the images from the SciFi channel when I showed him this one. Go figure. Anyway, I have tomorrow off from school in observance of Columbus Day and with luck, I'll steal away for an hour or two to try again.

Digital Scrap in a Flash

2008-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

It is truly amazing how fast you can put together a page when using PhotoShop Elements and a few digital goodies. The elements are from a kit I downloaded by Lynn Griffin. I'm working on a page for my cousin now that is taking me a bit longer to finish because for the life of me, I can't find the picture I want to use. Hope you are all having a great weekend. The weather is fabulous here in SE Pennsylvania with another beautiful day shaping up for tomrorow.

Blog Candy at Lim's

2008-10-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

I was cruising through my usual blog spots and came to my blogging SBS2 sister Alana's, who shared a link to Lim's great blog candy offer. If you want to check it out, hurry, the winner will be picked on the 11th of October.

http://lim-thevoicesinmyheadlimblog.blogspot.com/

Halloween "Treasure" Boxes

2008-09-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

I had fun with one of the new Big Shot dies that creates a 3x3 shaker box--it is just deep enough to hold six Hershey Treasure bars. When I mass produce these in October for a few special people I want to be sure to stamp the bar wrappers with web or spiders to add the finishing touch...they look a little bare right now.

Paper is from DCWV and the stamp is from SU's Tags So Much.

Spammers

2008-08-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

I have been getting auto-generated comments of a spammish nature so while I hate to do it, I'll be turning on the mumbo-jumbo letter verification feature for those posting comments. Sorry:(

Marge's August Cards

2008-08-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Had a great night with the girls at Marge's last night. Marge always has great cards for us to make and this month was no exception. I also got a look at the new SU Catalog! It has some really great stamps in it this season. I ordered a Flower for All Seasons and will look forward to playing with it in a couple of weeks. Next month at Marge's is Christmas in July--Revisited. Each girl brings a card to share or a dessert (the Weight Watcher in me hopes there are a lot of cards to share but some of the desserts that have been shared at previous gathering have been de-lish). I'm going to start working on my card now so when school starts, I'm ahead of the game.

Jeepers Creepers

2008-08-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the Hurricane Lori induced mess in my craftroom and decided really didn't care, I was going to skirt around the worst of it and stamp. Out of the chaos came this card. It was so easy to put together I should almost be ashamed to post it (notice it is here anyway)! The bat paper is from DCWV and the stamped bat is from SU's Googlie Eyes. The inspiration for this card came from one of my SBS2's cards. Kathleen sent me a birthday card in March that I have had posted on the memory board above my desk ever since. If you haven't been to her blog, I highly recommend it, especially since she started posting pictures of some of her SU Convention Swaps and a few takes on what she saw while at the convention. I have the Pick-a-Petal set and may just give it a whirl.

I have a few weeks left before I have to report to school. Philadelphia still starts the Tuesday after Labor Day for staff and the Thursday after for students. I've already started getting stuff together for my son. His shopping list arrived about a week ago. Second grade, here he comes!

With a little luck and a lot of laundry in between, I'm hopping to have something more to post later today!

This is Kathleen's Birthday Card to me...

Soccer Mini-Album

2008-08-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Can you tell I've had a very crafting couple of days? Here is a simple mini-album I made for myself. Last year I coached my son's soccer team and before the season starts up again, I wanted to do something with some of the pictures my husband took.

Purple Daisy

2008-08-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

Also at CKC were the people from the Purple Daisy. I bought a couple of new stamps from them that I really like a lot. Purple Daisy creates a line of stamps that have matching punches. I bought the butterfly stamp from them a couple of years ago and remember putting the punch back figuring I could find it at AC Moore or Michael's and use a coupon. In the two years I have looked for it I couldn't find it so I was happy to pick it up this time. The dragon fly on the card is one of their stamp/punch pairs. I colored it with my COPIC markers.

CKC Valley Forge (Spellbinders)

2008-08-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time cruising the vendor fair at CKC Valley Forge with my friends Donna and Charlene. I can safely say I spent way too much money at the Spellbinder's booth but I can't say I regret it one bit. The two women who were manning the booth were awesome! The owner's mother was there while her daughter and son-in-law were on vacation and then there was Teresa. The Donna, Charlene and I sat and watched her create wonderful cards and other goodies using a wide variety of dies, the Wizard, and to my delight, a COPIC air brush system.

Here is my lastest card using my COPIC air brush system...

Update

2008-07-26T05:21:00.001-07:00

Wow, it is amazing how fast time slips by when you are busy.

Since I last posted, my dad is going phenomenally well after a triple bypass in late June. He and his wife are coming here this weekend for a short visit then heading for their new home base in Indiana, where he'll start physical therapy. It looks like he's finally decided to retire at 70.

Husband, son and I spent 8 days in Florida visiting with first my sister and her family then over to Orlando to see the Mouse. I'll have things to post soon...I hope.

VBS is coming up quickly (the first full week of August) and I am working in the craft room again this year. Lots of fun with lots of work as well. All my crafting time is going to the 250 kids that are attending this year with the exception of next Friday, when I'll be attending the scrapbook convention being held in Valley Forge. I didn't sign up for any classes this year but will be fine if I can't get into anything...I'm sure I'll find something to do at the yummy vendor fair!

Have a great weekend!

Traveling with Technology

2008-07-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

I am typing and posting from the PA Turnpike using my husband's laptop and wireless card. I think this may be being a bit too connected! We are heading to the Pocono Mountains to see my father and step-mom for the day. He works for a travel park company, moving from park to park across America doing major repair work on the facilities at each location. He was getting ready to head to Texas when he when to the local ER because of a high fever. He had been bitten by a tick a few weeks before and thought maybe Lyme disease. The doctors checked him out and when is blood pressure sky rocketed, they kept him for tests, including catheterizing his heart, which revealed three blocked arteries. He had surgery the following day. The doctor in charge told my dad that if he hadn't come in when he did, he'd probably be dead. He'll be in the area for the rest of the summer recovering from triple bi-pass surgery. I thank God for the opportunity to spend some time with my dad this summer and for my son to get to know him.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Independence Day weekend!

A Summer Swap

2008-07-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

I have had little to post in June but I hope that will change soon. I made these cards for a summer swap.
**Special credit goes to Stephanie C. for the flower embellishment**

Three Winners from Marge

2008-05-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here are this month's creations from Marge's workshop. I really like them all but will admit to wandering the new AC Moore's on Friday looking for a big flower stamp. My wallet was happy I didn't find one.

I'm in LOVE!!

2008-05-18T18:24:00.001-07:00

I'm in LOVE!! Okay, maybe just serious like but my new Copic air brush system is wonderful! I used my new Penny Black stamps, the air brush, and my Copics to create this spiffy little card. About the only complaint I have is that I smudge the "smile" a bit. Such is life. I still have to mount it onto cardstock but that's about it. Paper is from my scrap drawer.

****Special thanks to Donna H. for the generous gift certificate from Allegheny Art. I added a but to it and bought the Copic Air Brush system that will use my husband's air compressor or canned air.****

A Pink Departure

2008-05-17T19:30:00.001-07:00

I am definitely not Elle Woods from Legally Blonde...pink is NOT my signature color but for this card using a set of stamps from Denami I not only went pink but added flowers and rhinestones to boot. I haven't added a sentiment yet but will wait until I have an occasion other than wanting to play with my new stamps.

Skylar

2008-05-17T19:22:00.001-07:00

My sister had an eight year old Boston Terrier she lost to cancer this winter. I saw this stamp out in California while visiting my mom and couldn't resist it as it is the spitting image of Skylar. I made a few cards to send to my sister and will include the stamp, too. Here are the cards...

Shout Out to SheetLoad!

2008-05-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have a hard time finding enough time to make all the cards I would like to, especially around the fall and winter holidays but this year, I may be onto something wonderful! While browsing around on one of my SBS2's blogs, I read about SheetLoads of Cards (Thanks Flossie!). Being the curious sole that I am, and a huge Bella fan, I clicked on the link Flossie included.

If you haven't checked out SheetLoads of Cards, I highly recommend it! This month there is a chance for some wonderful blog candy simply for giving SheetLoads of Cards a "Shout Out". May's issue looks to be "Bella-rific!" I downloaded a few of the past issues and can't wait to play!

Graduation Card & Mother's Day Cards

2008-04-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

I really liked the technique Marge taught at her March class so I used it to create this super easy graduation card for our friend and neighbor Janel, who just graduated with her bachelor's degree. The paper is from DCWV's Spring pack of design paper with matching card stock from the same company. The graduation cap is a sticker I found in my stash. The flowers on the back panel are embossed using a Sizzix embossing plate.

Marge's class in April was a share. Basically, everyone comes up with a card and takes along the supplies needed for 11 stampers to reproduce it. This card was shared by Delores. Isn't it wonderful? My mom is going to love it! I'll post the other shares over the next day or two.

Stamping Expo x2

2008-04-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Amid all of the craziness that has been going on in my life this past month, I managed to snag a couple of hours for two stamping expos that were within driving distance. The one in New Jersey was only about 25 minutes from home. I picked up several stamps and a few things to tool around with. I got a cute set from Darcie's that I have used already for a quick card but didn't have time to take picture of it before popping it in the mail for a birthday. You can find Darcie's on-line at: http://www.darcie.com/index.html

The other expo was up in Allentown. I grabbed a non-stamping friend and took an hour and a half drive to stamping heaven. I picked up a few Copics, EZ mount for the best price I've ever seen it for, and a plethora of stamps from Judith (http://www.stampsbyjudith.com/index.html) and by a designer named Nami Nakamua (http://denamidesign.com/) that are really cute!! I'm really looking forward to playing with all my new goodies!!

A Cricut Connection.

2008-04-06T12:07:00.001-07:00

I used my Cricut and SU's Pun Fun to whip this simple card up at my birthday get together. The paper is from a DCWV Spring scrappad and the bling is from the clearance section at Target. I don't rememeber the manufactureer, only that it was a great price.

40 is Feeling Pretty Good!

2008-04-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

This won't be a very detailed post, mostly a quick share of the wonderful cards I received for my 40th Birthday. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful group of girls come and stamp, chat and chew (boy, there were a lot of treats!) on my birthday, including a blogging friend I had never met in person. I am truly blessed to have made such wonderful friends through stamping! I don't think anyone got a lot done in the 4 1/2 hours we spent together but it was great fun!!

Here are the hand-made cards I received:

The first card came from my SBS2 sister Kathleen.

The next card is from Delores. I live in jeans so this was particularly appropriate.

This lovely creattion was from Stephanie. She made me a personalized journal with my name on the front. It's in my purse getting plenty of use!

This on was from Donna. I love the color combinations and the layers.

2008-03-12T18:29:00.001-07:00

I went to Marge's monthly class tonight and came home with three winners! My blogging friend LadyDoc asked, "Who's Marge?" Marge is my friend, teacher, and favorite SU demonstrator. She holds a monthly class in her home, usually presenting three or four cards for the girls attending to make. Next month's session is an all occasion share. Each girl brings a card to "share" with the group, including stamps and anything that goes beyond the basic supplies.

I leave for San Francisco on Friday afternoon and won't return until Tuesday so I will be off-line for a bit. I can't wait to see my mom!

Variations on a theme

2008-03-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

While at Marge's for an impromptu stamping session, I borrowed "A Good Egg" to stamp out some images to play with later. I had a good time with embellishments, as you can see.

Cooking and Cracking Up

2008-03-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

I made these cards with Marge at her February class. Both were pretty straight forward.

My Dad (and updated Mom)

2008-03-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the picture of my dad that I wanted to play with. I didn't have as much time as I had hoped this weekend but did manage a few things, this foray into PhotoShop Elements included. I took Savitri's advice and added shadows to some of the elements and see a marked difference in the overall page. You can see a before and after if you look at the picture of my mom from the previous post and the one included in this. I'll post a few other cards I managed to put together later tonight if I get a chance--tomorrow at the latest.

Ruby June

2008-03-05T18:27:00.001-08:00

I think this is my favorite layout I’ve done so far. It is a picture of my mom from her childhood. I am enjoying learning the ins and outs of Photoshop Elements 4.0 for my Mac. I have a picture of my dad that I may work on tomorrow.

Another Digital Layout

2008-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

I started a scrapbook for my son's Scout memories. This will be printed and inserted. My husband bought me an awesome printer that will print 12x12 so I don't have to send the file out for printing. Haven't done much traditional paper crafting this weekend...was busy with a project for church. Hope everyone has a great week!

Bizzare Fun

2008-02-26T17:39:00.000-08:00

I have seen this Celebrity Collage on several of my blogging friends' sites and had to try it out. Very interesting....

Playing with Trading Cards

2008-02-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

I'm usually willing to try different things but was a little apprehensive about the size of the trading cards listed on Michelle's blog but gave it a go anyway. Here is my take using my new Pun Fun set from SU. Each card measures 3.5x2.5 inches. I think the skunk is my least favorite of the three...the flowers may be a bit much. I think I'll go wild and upload them to my Splitcoast gallery--I haven't added anything in a long time.

Secret Sister Revealed!!

2008-02-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

I got these three cards from a Secret Swap I participated in. They are awesome! I adore each card and am so happy to have such a great Secret Sister--Thanks Tracy!!!

A 12x12 Layout in less than 20 minutes!!

2008-02-16T12:30:00.001-08:00

This is the first digital page I have done in a long time—I’ve been stamping and doing traditional scrapping for years but find myself more and more drawn to the digital world. I bought a kit from http:/digital-scrap-spirit.com/shop/
after reading about it on Savitri’s blog. I used Photoshop Elements 4.0 on my new MAC and am very happy with the results. If I hear any complaints from my husband about his picture being posted I’ll know he checks my blog every once in awhile.

Not much more time for play today. Laundry to do as well as cleaning before heading to see a hockey game tonight with my son's Cub Scout group.

Candy Winner

2008-02-11T19:52:00.000-08:00

Michelle at Inspiration Blooms is the winner of the blog candy I posted. Enjoy!!

Happy Saturday!

2008-02-09T18:58:00.001-08:00

I ended up at work this morning for three hours with about 20 students working to improve testing skills then headed to my son’s school to see the second half of his basketball game. Poor little guy’s team is 0-6. I hope they win at least once before the season is over. Once home, I corralled the boy into my craft room and started working on the 20 Valentine’s Day cards he needs for Thursday. He scored the paper for all the cards, cut out all the dog/cat combinations on the Cricut and used the Sizzix Sidekick to cut out the robots and rockets. That left me to stamp the verse from Proverbs, add a little pen/ink work and assemble them all. We still have eight more cards to make but I’m not sure what the exact boy/girl count is so I’ll wait until Monday night to finish them up.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Very Punny

2008-02-06T18:58:00.001-08:00

These are from SU's Very Punny set. I didn't get nearly as much done tonight as I had hoped but had fun with two boys (five and six) who wanted to play with me. My son and his friend crowded around my work table and used my Sidekick to cut shapes out to their little hearts' content.

1111=Blog Candy

2008-02-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

I quietly reached 1000 hits over the weekend and according to the counter there have now been 1111 hits . I wanted to celebrate with some blog candy. Post a comment and I'll have my son pick a name out of the proverbial hat on Sunday.

Spread the Love

2008-02-05T11:46:00.001-08:00

My SBS2 Sister Carol nominated me for this award. She made my day!

Thanks Carol!!

Baby's Got a Brand New Computer!!

2008-02-05T08:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't been doing much crafting in the past few days because I have been busy getting my new computer up and running. For any Mac users out there you'll appreciate the power of my new Mac Pro.

The geek in me will point out:

Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors
2GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory
320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive1
16x double-layer SuperDrive

I'll have some digital pages to post in the next few days...

Assembly Required.

2008-01-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

I quietly disappeared into my craft room for two hours tonight and used some of the images I've been coloring this week to produce four cards that I am very pleased with. Thanks again to my Image Swap sisters!

First is a card using Farm Fever. The green layers are from the olive collection of paper from SU. I can't remember where I got the card base itself. It was one of those packages of precut and folded cards with envelopes that Michael's or AC Moore carries.

The next card uses an image from one of SU's Valentine's Day stamps. I got the image in a trade and had great fun with it (Thanks again Sisters!). I haven't added a sentiment yet, I'll do that when I know who I am sending it to. The panel is embossed with the Cuttlebug "You" folder. Paper is from Target. Got to love the $1 Spot!!!

The crocodile came from the same set as the porcupine. Inside, the sentiment is, "To someone with a very big heart!" Paper is from SU--Christmas collection I think.

This little chick is was an image from Flossie. It is adorable. The striped paper in the background brightens the whole thing up and ties it together nicely. It is a little out of balance but think I like it that way.

And finally, a picture of my cuddle-bug Scully. She is our 8-year-old miniature Schnauzer. She is a great dog and is keeping my lap warm as I type.

A Brief Upadate (1/30/08)

2008-01-30T04:14:00.000-08:00

Winter Greetings to One and All,

For those reading from the colder climates, I wish you warmth! The greater-Philadelphia is getting rain and wind today but not much else. I've given up on a snow day!

I am coloring the wonderful images I received in a recent image swap with my new Copic markers so while I've been busy I haven't had much to post lately. I hope to have something to post soon.

FlyLady update...I have kept my sink dish-free every night since I signed on as a FlyLady and have managed to set my clothes out the night before all but one night. The rest is coming slowly but I am happy with each step I take towards living in a clutter-free home.

More soon......

Swapping Motivation

2008-01-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

I'm in my first image swap with some of my SBS2 Sisters (Hi Flossie, Carol, Ann Marie and Bonnie!) and as I've stamped out the images I'm sending I've done a few extra for myself. Here are three cards I made today with the images.

First, my favorite using Boat Loads of Love. I colored it first with my new Copics (I have a cheesy grin on my face as I type that--I really like them a lot!) then did the best to find card stock to match. I am very pleased with the results.

Next up is a stamp from Farm Fever. I wish I had card stock that coordinated with the patterned paper a little better but all things considered (the whole thing took 10 minutes) I'm happy with it.

The final card, which took forever, is my least favorite of the three. It is a waterfall card using SU's A Tree for All Seasons. It needs something (suggestions welcome) but I'm not sure what.

In any case, my son conned me into agreeing to another sleepover, which makes two in a row (different friends) so I had better go squalsh the giggling I hear from them.

Breast Cancer Awareness Card

2008-01-20T08:55:00.001-08:00

I made this card last week and forgot to post it. My handy dandy SU demonstrator and friend Marge came up with it at her last get together. Usually Marge comes up with all of the cards for the get together but one or twice a year we each take a card to share. She offered the one pictured and I took my All in the Family congratulations card.

I come from a long line of breast cancer survivors and always like to spread the word. So, to all of you female bloggers out there, don't forget your monthly breast exams and yearly mammograms!

I hoping for a few hours of peace, quite, and ink later today. Hopefully I'll have more to share then.

Part Two and Three plus a little snow!

2008-01-17T19:26:00.001-08:00

Still progressing. Thanks Becky for the matting suggestions. I added a little pen work around the mat to echo what is around the sentiment. I am much happier with it.

We got about an inch of snow tonight. My son and his friend had a great time before dinner.

2008-01-17T04:07:00.001-08:00

Okay, fellow blogsters, this is a mediocre attempt that I think has potential. I like all the individual parts of the card--the shape of the card, layout and so on but I'm not loving the combination. Any suggestions? I was thinking of using this as a Valentine's card for one of my girlfriends so I used the blue heart ribbon on the circle but think I will swap it out for the same ribbon I used at the top.