New Year, New Me :)

Every year I resolve to get myself more organized, and I have yet to have succeeded. But I refuse to give up! So, first on my agenda was to get my work space cleaned up! How'd I do?

I think I did well, considering the cluttered mess it was before. No, I didn't take a before picture, that was way too embarrassing!

Merry Christmas! What? You're not ready?!?

Good morning! Yes, I said Christmas and it's only September! Well, we can never be ready too soon, can we? This is a first for me too. I decided to offer a series of three Christmas card classes. At each class we will make 5 cards of 3 different designs, so each person leaves with 15 cards. If you attend all 3 sessions, you'll have 45 cards, 9 different designs. And ready before St. Nick is ready to deliver presents!!
So, here was card number 1:

Using our wonderful ornament punch and matching stamp set, old olive card stock run through the big shot in the finial press folder, a little Jolly Holiday DSP, stamp ink is cherry cobbler & old olive...Presto! Card #1 :)

For our next card:

This was CASE'd from our current 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog, with a few changes. Card stock is Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White & Old Olive. Stamp set is Punch Pals, punch used was the Scallop Circle, ink was Old Olive and StazOn black. We used water color pencils and blender pens to color our little friends on top.

And last, but certainly not least:

Our friendly S'more Man! This was a CASE from my upline Wendy Groves..we had made a scrapbook page with this guy. I did however forget his arms...which are made from the snow flake punch. Card stock: Very Vanilla (run through big shot in the Perfect Polka Dots folder) Snowflake stamp from Punch pals, Early Espresso & Crumb Cake card stock punched out with the Word Window punch, markers to make buttons & eyes. I used Pacific Point for the buttons with the white gel pen to make the button holes, tangarine tango for his nose and basic black for his face. Use the square punch for his body and then round the corners. I "toasted" him by sponging Crumb Cake around his edges. If you prefer him to be burnt (as I love do with my marshmallows over the bonfire...LOL), you can use Early Espresso. :)

Stay tuned for scenes from our next Christmas Card class on September 18! :)

Thank you cards

Two more cards that I made this week. Both are thank you's.




Using the new level one hostess set "Because I Care", Marina Mist, and Early Espresso.



This card uses Awash with Flowers, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist. I masked the flower & butterfly, and then sponged Marina mist around them. I also used the "thank you" and the flower border from the Because I Care set along the side.

Cards to share!

So, I've been busy this week with something FUN for a change! Making some cards!!
My friend requested a birthday invitation for her daughter, who plays soccer. With the Just Soccer retiring set, the Build-a-Bear Big Shot dies, this is what I created:



I used Tempting Turquoise and a sponge, with a cut out of a cloud for the sky. I learned this awesome technique from Carol Anne's blog:

http://mirrorimage.typepad.com/caroleannes-1st-blog/2010/06/pocket-silhouettes-10-min-colour-challenge.html

(Thank you Carol Anne!) and then sponged the grass with Green Galore. The Build-a-Bear is made with tempting turquoise, rich razzleberry, and crumb cake

My first attempt at a Challenge :)

Here is my first attempt at a challenge on the Late Night Stampers group. My creation:


Pretty simple. I used Rich Razzleberry paper, the Lattice Big Shot die, scallop edge, Rich Razzleberry ribbon, and paper from the Cottage Wall DSP. Using the lattice cut out, I traced the pattern onto a piece of DSP and cut it out to become the background, attached to lattice with 2-way glue, then to card. To make it "pop" I made "stitching" around the lattice with a white gel pen. Then added a simple border with the scallop edge maker and Rich Razzleberry ribbon & bow.
Hope you like it :)

Birthday Invitations for little boy

My friend was going to purchase invitations for her son's birthday party...but I stopped her and said "I'll do it!!!" So, here is my creation. I hope you like it. He loves John Deere, so I went with green and yellow and natural...a very simple layout. I used SU! blender pens and Chocolate Chip, Yoyo Yellow, Basic Black & Handsome Hunter to add color to the stamps.

Psalm 34

I just started reading a new book, The Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd...yes, a book for ME not because I have to for class, but because I want to read it. The first chapter, Influence Beyond Measure, really puts a price on motherhood, if you could actually do that. As mothers, we have an influence over our children that is unbelievable. What we do with it, is how our child will develop. And how motherhood isn't always looked upon as a real job. No, we don't get paid but we put in many long hours and hard work every day. Our job is beyond what any congressman, athlete or super star does, but our pay is much less. Yet, it has more rewards than any of those careers.
The end of the chapter gives a scripture to read and reflect on, I thought I would share it:
Psalm 34 (from the Good News Bible, New English Version)
"I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him. I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad! Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness; let us praise his name together! I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears. The oppressed look to him and are glad; they will never be disappointed. The helpless call to him, and he answers; he saves them from all their troubles. His angel guards those who have reverence for the Lord and rescues them from danger. Find out for yourself how good the Lord is. Happy are those who find safety with him. Have reverence for the Lord, all his people; those who obey him have all they need. Even lions go hungry for lack of food, but those who obey the Lord lack nothing good. Come, my young friends, and listen to me, and I will teach you to have reverence for the Lord. Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good; strive for peace with all your heart. The Lord watches over the righteous and listens to their cries; but he opposes those who do evil, so that when they die, they are soon forgotten. The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. The good man suffers many troubles, but the Lord saves him from them all; the Lord preserves him completely; not one of his bones is broken. Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be punsihed. The Lord will save his people; those who go to him for protection will be spared."