Hope You Get Well Soon

Have you seen that Mojo Monday is celebrating its 300th challenge? Isn't that absolutely amazing!  Way to go Julee on hosting so many fabulous challenges. The prize list is amazing!  I mentioned last week that I cleaned up my dies and labeled which stamp set went with each die.  It is certainly making it easier for me to pull out my dies!  I played with three Verve sets for this challenge:  Borderline, Making a Statement and Treasured words.  

I loved stamping so much for this card.  There is something so therapeutic about stamping!  So there you have it...my end result for two challenges:  Mojo Monday and Tuesday Trigger!  Happy Sunday my friends.

 

His First Time On the Mound

Hi there...lots of pictures this week, and I'm sure there will be lots more with Easter being this weekend.  The "Pittsburgh Mangans" will be in town which means five cousins visiting and lots of fun time with our "Pittsburgh" and local cousins.  I'll be sure to share the pictures next week.

Today, I'm sharing pictures of Jonathon's game from Monday night.   It was his first time ever pitching.  He did pretty well.  He walked quite a few, but also had a strike out.  It is simply great to see their confidence grow as they try new positions.  So here he is!  I have to say I am thrilled with the new zoom lens I have for my camera.  I shot these pictures from left field and am pleased with the clarity!

I also have a new card to share using some new Verve goodies from their April release.  I have to say I love Verve...and yes I know I say this everytime I get something from them, but wow!  They process their orders quickly, always add an extra thank you stamp and their dies come with the perfect packaging so that they are easy to keep track off!  So...here's my card inspired by the Mojo Monday sketch.  It's a little hard to read the sentiment, "My love for you only deepens through the years."  Have a wonderful Good Friday!  I hope you have a wonderful start to the holiday weekend!

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye DSP; SU Tangerine Tango and Whisper White Paper, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive and Sunshine Yellow Ink, Creative Inspirations Thin Wood Birch Paper; PTI Kraft Paper; Verve Stamps

A Pot of Gold...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Do you think there's a pot of gold at the end of this double rainbow?  Isn't it amazing...two nights ago this is what we came home to after a quick bite out for dinner.  The boys were amazed by the size of the rainbow.  I made the mistake of asking Collin if he thought the leprechaun left a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  He desperately wanted to find it!  If you look closely here...you'll see there is a double rainbow too!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm sharing another card using the Verve Blessings set.  This card inspired by this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  I decided to use some bright cheery colors instead of all green.  Hope you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day and if you love college basketball that you're enjoying the start of March Madness...I know we are!

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose DSP; Verve Blessing Stamps; Stampin' Up Cardstock; PTI Twine; Stampin' Up Basic Black and Pear Pizzazz Ink

PS...head on over to Maureen's blog and wish her a happy birthday today!

Sketch Challenges

Good morning!  Yesterday was a successful day shopping....have to say I really appreciate the stores that have 40% off everything...makes Black Friday much easier!  My mum and I had a great time.  About seven hours of shopping and lunch and a great deal of her Christmas shopping is complete.  Of course, this morning I continued shopping and hit Verve's Sale! 

Today, I'm taking the little boys out to see Megamind.  Looking forward to some yummy movie popcorn!  And then tonight we're having both sets of parents and Pat's brothers family over for dinner.  Pat made up his chili which is perfect for the cold weather we are having.

I'm busy trying to finish up my Christmas cards this week so that I can get them in the mail in the next week or two...so I'll have tons of Christmas card inspiration.  First up are two challenges I haven't played along with in way to long.  CPS challenge...I love sketches!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Stamps, Whisper White Paper, Cherry Cobler Ink/Paper/Ribbon; Ranger Distress Inks; PTI 2010 Christmas Tags and Buttons

Next up is my take on this week's Mojo Monday challenge.  This Basic Grey paper is what I used for all my Christmas cards last year...still love the subtle color tones on this paper.

Ingredients;  PTI Twine, Kraft Paper and Daily Design Sentiments; Basic Grey DSP and Snowflake Die; Stampin' Up Almost Artichoke Paper/Ink and Tag Die;

Emma's First Communion

I love these pictures of Emma...definitely the rose between a lot of thorns!  All of those brothers (Matthew, Liam and Johnny) and three of my four (...Marcel didn't want to pose!)   Emma looks just beautiful on her First Communion Day.  Pat and I were certainly very proud Godparents.  Emma's dad passed away about 18 months ago and oh how we know he was smiling down on her on her special day.  We all miss Bill dearly.

Thanks to Mojo Monday for the sketch inspiration.

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye Pretty Please Papers and Embellishments; Cricut Scallop Cut; SU Certainly Celery Ribbon; PaperTrey Ink Twine and Button

Thanks

A quick thank you card to share from the sketch at Mojo Monday. 

I've been in worry mode lately.  Sometimes it is easier than others to turn the brain off.  I worry about little day to day things, big long term things (most of which I have absolutely no control over).  I chat with myself...try to turn the brain off...focus on what I'm happy about (and I have a lot that I am happy about), but I go through these phases where I can't stop worrying.  Which normally results in a headache...I then somehow move on (still worry but without gritting my teeth as much or without a headache!) So, when my friend sent me Saint Theresa's prayer, I thought, there you go.  Relax, have faith.

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Ingredients:  SU Kraft, Whisper White, Baja Blue, Kiwi Kiss and Not Quite Navy Paper, Not Quite Navy Ink, Old Olive Ribbon, Leaf Sizzlit; Cosmo Cricket DSP; K & Co Flowers, PTI Daily Design Sentiments

Love You

We've got several inches of snow on the ground today!  Before we head out to play, I thought I'd share a quick card.  I went to Jana's class on Thursday and learned more about embossing, so I had to give it a try.  I first stamped polka dots and then used Versamark for the leaf.  After embossing the leaf, I used distress ink to create the brown water color effect.  First try...I'll be trying this some more!  I also made another ribbon flower.

Thanks to Mojo Monday for the sketch inspiration.

We're off to go try to build a snowman.  Marcel proclaimed that he gets to do the arms...and Collins "gets to do the balls."  We all had a little giggle over that one...hopefully the snow is the snowman building kind!

Ingredients:  Polka Dot Backgrounds, Turning a New Leaf and Daily Design Sentiments PTI Stamps; Tim Holtz Distressed Inks; Cosmo Cricket Paper, Kraft and Real Red SU Paper and Ink

The Great Craft Room Clean Up

My title today has nothing to do with my cards...I think today is the day I'm going to purge some supplies I don't use often from my scrapbook room.  We only have one basketball game this morning versus the normal two....so we'll pretty much have a free day until we head out to a baseball fundraiser tonight.  I'll have to balance Collin coming in the room a lot as I purge...but I know I'll feel better when I'm done!  I'm sure I'll also find some things I haven't used in a while too!

On to my cards...I have two cards to share today both with a male theme!  I need to keep building my male stash since I'm surrounded by boys!

First for the Mojo Monday sketch...

Second for Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge...

Have a great Saturday!

Ingredients:  Mojo Monday Card:  Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend paper, SU Paper, and PTI Signature Greetings;  Mercy's card:  PTI Turning a New Leaf Card and SU Paper, PTI Through the Trees Stamps

So Excited!

I have to share!  I'm so excited that Lucy chose me for one of her challenge winner's for this card!  So thrilled!  Thanks Lucy!

For my card today, I pulled out my Cosmo Cricket paper...I love how happy this paper looks!  I also had some felt butterflies from Creative Cafe that I had never opened.   To finish off the sentiment I used a few Hero Art gems...hope you enjoy the card!

Thanks to Mojo Monday for the sketch inspiration!

Ingredients: 

• Paper Cosmo Cricket Early Bird, Stampin Up Bashful Blue & Old Olive, Archivers Weave Wine Red
• Stamps:  Paper Trey Ink Everyday Button Bits
• Inks:  Stampin Up Real Red and Bashful Blue
• Gems:  Hero Arts
• Felt Butterfly:  Creative Cafe
• Ribbon:  Stampin Up Real Red
• Punches:  Stampin Up Circle and Paper Shapers Scallop Circle

Two Sketches...Similar Cards

I am in love the Turning the New Leaf set and coordinating paper from PTI...so when I got my goodies out tonight I decided to play along with two sketches at the same time.    The first card is for the Mojo Monday sketch.    I used the mixed messages stamp set, textured background and turning a new leaf sets from PTI. SU Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Kraft paper.  The border is a Martha Stewart punch.  Quick cards and I liked the way they turned out too...double bonus!

  

The second card was for the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge.  I used the same some supplies with some Chocolate Chip SU ribbon and I sponged the back of circles to provide a little extra dimension. 

Let me know what you think!  Happy Monday!

I Love You So Much

My husband is simply the best.   We've been married for 17 years now and dated for 6 together...so the majority of my life...

He takes care of me.  Friday night, I was coming home from work a late. I get home and his words to me are, "Your spa is waiting for you."  I go upstairs to our bedroom...hot bubble bath, candles, a glass of wine (and a glass of ice water...because he knows most of the time I'll prefer the water), cheese and crackers and my People magazine :).  The boys were all down in the basement too...so no little people trying to run in and out as I catch some down time.

This is just one example of why I love this man so much.  Not just because he cares and loves me...he is an amazing father and friend too.  I am so very blessed.

I used the Mojo Monday sketch for this card and it also fits with Lucy's monochromatic challenge too!

Ingredients:  PTI Kraft Paper, Signature Greetings, Simple Stationery Stamp Sets;  SU Very Vanilla, DSP and Ribbon; Martha Stewart Border Punch

Card Stash

Hello, a quick card to share today. I've been doing a good job sending cards...so I need to increase my card stash. I pulled out of one of my favorite stamps that I have had for five years for the main sentiment and used the Mojo Monday Sketch for the layout design.  I made two different cards with slightly different flourishes and pearls.

I wanted to share a couple of funny conversations happening around the house too! 

• We took down all of our Christmas decorations this week.  Marcel keeps saying, "Where'd our 'nother house go?"  He can't quite understand that our Christmas tree goes in the recycling pile at the curb and the rest of our decorations go into the basement until next year.   
• Collin keeps requesting a wishing well.  He wants to wish for a real airplane.   "Mommy, can't we dig one in our yard?" 
• Chatting with Ryan in the car today and told him I set a goal to run the half marathon.  I asked him what he thought.  "Better than most moms could do."  I started laughing...I guess I'll take that as a back handed compliment....

Hope everyone is enjoying your new year's weekend!

Ingredients:  PTI Fancy Flourishes; Inkadinkadoo Stamp; Bo Bunny Unforgettable DSP; Kaiser pearls; Sand and Black SU Paper