Thank You

Hello, heading back to work today after a long four day weekend...and then off on Friday for a three day weekend.  Looking forward to lots of family time over the Easter weekend.

My card today is for the Crazy 4 Challenges sketch.  I love clean and simple sketches!  I am loving my new PTI Beautiful Blossoms set...I've used it on my last three cards!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week and that spring has arrived in your neck of the woods.

A side shot showing the dimension of the flower.

Polka Dots!

The Crazy 4 Challenges challenge this week was to make a card inspired by polka dots and Lucy's Challenge was to make a monochromatic card....have to say I love both...so out came my PaperTrey Ink polka dot background set!

I used Versamark to stamp the polka dots on my paper.  I also used my swiss dots embossing folder for one of the layers on the card.  Each layer was then stitched together to add a little more texture.

For the sentiment, the circle is from PaperTrey's Take Note set and the sentiment is from their Mega Mixed Messages set.  The buttons are PaperTrey too!  I added a little twine to the buttons and the bow for the ribbon and we were set!  The paper and ribbon are from SU!

Hope you like the card! 

Simple Treats

I don't really bake much...and this can't even be considered baking, but I made some "White Trash" (white chocolate drizzled on pretzels, Chex cereal and M&Ms.  I wanted to make the bags look a little bit nicer for gifts.  I created a very simple tag using K&I patterned paper and PaperTrey Ink shimmery white paper.  The little round tags are where I'll write my to and from!

Merry Christmas!

Peace Gift Cards

Jennifer McGuire had the cutest gift card holders on her blog earlier this week.  So...I decided to give them a try.  If you click this link it will take you to a blog showing how to make them.  This year we're actually giving many more gifts than gift cards.  I prefer to give gifts...but sometimes gift cards just work out better for everyone involved.  Good things my nieces don't read my blog...they might eye these Forever XXI gift cards hiding inside these cards!

I used two PaperTrey Ink sets for the Snowflake Serenades and Fancy Flourishes.  I used Stampin' Ups Bordering Blue and Not Quite Navy to stamp and a few Basic Grey pearls and ribbon to finish off the gift cards!

This also qualifies for the Crazy 4 Challenges challenge this week!  Let me know what you think about the having lighter or dark flourishes on the cards!

Carpe Diem

I wanted to send a card to Ethan that I mentioned in this post.  Ethan just finished round 4 of 7 rounds of chemo and is starting his radiation therapy too.  I thought this card was simple and to the point for an 18 year old.   I hope he likes it.  Sending lots of strength his way.

Thanks to Crazy for Challenges for the geometric ideas!.

Ingredients: SU Kraft and Bordering Blue Paper; Making Memories Just Chillin' Paper and Embellishments.

Crazy 4 Challenges

I picked up this red paper from Creative Cafe (and yes Sandy!  I know you'll love this!...you  need to post a comment on my blog! :)) and have been itching to use it.  It goes perfectly with the Hero Arts flowers and the Crazy 4 Challenges sketch.

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:  SU Kraft, Real Red and Whisper White; Creative Cafe DSP; Hero Arts GEMs and Flowers, Making Memories buttons

Truly Thankful

With Pat's back surgery, we have been so very blessed to have many of our family members and friends helping out. We had a schedule of help for the last two weeks when I went back to work, Pat's parents, my mom, my sister-in-law, Laura, and Pat's brother, Tim, alternated days while I was at work. Not to mention our neighbors who brought over several meals. We are very, very blessed for all the help. Pat got the all clear this week to drive and sit longer, so the schedule is now complete. Pat is allowed to be home alone! I'm sure he's grateful to get some time to himself!

As a result of all the help, my thank you note stash is gone! The Crazy 4 Challenges challenge this week was to make a card with a Thankful theme. I certainly need to stock up on thanks yous and have a lot to be thankful for! Hope you enjoy the cards!

Ingredients: Fancy Pants DSP; SU Kraft, Kiwi Kiss and Pumpkin Pie, Punches and Stamps; Martha Stewart Flowers

A Basic Grey Kind of Day!

I picked up some of the new Basic Grey papers - love the fall like colors of the Indian Springs line of paper! I picked up a couple of challenges with the new papers!

First off the Crazy 4 Challenges challenge. This challenge was to sew something. I am thinking about it, but haven't ever sewn on a card...so the buttons are sewn! Katie...if you're reading about this, I'm thinking soon I will sew on some cards :)! The ingredients on this card are Blush Blossom and Bravo Burgundy SU papers, PaperTrey Ink ribbons and stamps.

Second was the CPS challenge. Same papers and stamps as above except add in some Kraft and Pumpkin Pie paper! The flower is Martha Stewart.
Hope you enjoy!

Thank You - Crazy 4 Challenges

Good morning. I'm starting to get in assembly line mode! Working on my Christmas cards and my mom's wedding invitations. I have a sample to share with her today. I can't wait to see what she thinks! I'll share them here once they are ready to be mailed!

I loved the challenge from Crazy 4 Challenges today and especially loved this card so I copied almost exactly from Barbara. Just beautiful!

Hope everyone has a relaxing end to the weekend! We're off to one of the last Cincinnati Reds' games of the year!

Ingredients; Pocket Silhouettes Stamps from SU; Chocolate Chip and Real Red Paper/Ribbon from SU;

Simply Adorable

My sweet little nephew, Jacob, is turning 1 this month! Had to make a sweet little card for him as he is truly adorable! He lives in Pennsylvania with his three older sisters and big brother, so we don't get our hands on his sweet little cheeks often enough!

Happy Birthday J! Here he is relaxing with his daddy!

Ingredients: My Mind's Eye DSP: SU Ruby Red, Bordering Blue and Kraft; Hero Arts Stamp; SU Greeting Stamps

Birthday Celebration

It was my next door neighbors birthday on Friday. Saturday night was our girl's night out to celebrate. It is a fluke that Danielle and I live next door to one another! She and my oldest brother, Neal, were good friends in high school. I was the pesty little sister who was six years younger following them around trying to see what there were up too! She vividly remembers being annoyed with me!

Fast forward to thirteen years ago, my mom and I are pulling out of our driveway and people are moving into the house that had just finished being built next door. My mom says, "I think that's Danielle." Sure enough Danielle, Bill and their oldest, Matthew, were moving in next door.

Through the last thirteen years, we've shared a lot of memories. Danielle had three more children and I had four. There have been a lot of laughs and tears over the years. Danielle's beloved husband, Bill, passed away from lung cancer (never a smoker) 15 months ago.

Her strength and faith are a testament to us all. Danielle, Candice (another dear neighbor who also has four children!) and I went out to celebrate Danielle's birthday. It's a good thing they put as at the corner table! You never know how loud we'll be laughing, crying and most importantly enjoying each other's company.

Thanks to Crazy 4 Challenges for the inspiration for Danielle's card.