Happy Anniversary!

Hello there...I'm going to keep this short and sweet today.  I met my mum for dinner and Christmas shopping after work on Tuesday...and I'm tired, but I do have a couple of cards to share with you.  My mum asked me to make an anniversary card for my aunt and uncle.  So...I played along with A Passion for PaperTrey. It has been way too long since I played along with the fabulous team over there and I loved the inspiration photo shown below.

But before I made that card, I made this card using the current CASE This Sketch.  I wasn't thrilled with the card or the colors I choose...so I made the card above and that is the one that was sent to them!  You can let me know which one you like better.

Amazed.

Before I get to my card, I have a quick 30 second video for you.  Ryan had a solo last night in his normal choir concert.  I am more proud that you can ever imagine.  He sounded great (had a little laugh together about the last note.)  WOW, WOW, WOW!  14 years old standing up in front of a full auditorium of classmates and all their families.  Way to go Ryan!! (ps thanks to Jonathon for taking the video...I was busy shaking with nerves while I watched Ryan!)

Now my card...the lovely ladies over at a Passion for PaperTrey have a Color Pop Challenge.  Immediately, I thought of my new PTI set.  I love color pop challenges too and it is a great set to use as it has two stamps to layer perfect for this type of challenge.  And...it's also an entry for the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge to get sentimental.   So there you have it...a quick CAS birthday card!

God Bless You Collin

Hi there, I'm popping in to share Collin's First Communion Card. We'll going to mass this afternoon to celebrate.  Collin is so excited!  Yesterday at practice, he also found out that he gets to participate in the offertory procession bringing up the holy water.  He is beyond thrilled!  So here is to an extra special day for my little man.

Our church asks for pictures from their baptism, so I thought I'd share this sweet little picture of Collin's baptism day 8 1/2 years ago!

PS I'm sharing this for the current Passion for PaperTrey Challenge to use stripes.

Peace Love Joy

Happy Sunday evening blogging friends!  I was going to post this card tomorrow am...but woops..I'm a bit late!  The Red and White Passion for PaperTrey Challenge closes in 10 hours and 15 minutes...so I must get to posting this sooner than I thought.  I've been loving this layout and you've probably seen it on several of my cards already, but here we go again!  Hope you like it!

We've had a lot of running around this weekend and I feel like I am ready for to sleep in...but that won't be happening until next weekend!  So...I hope you all had a restful weekend and that your holiday preparations are going well!

Be back soon!

He should be in sales.

This past Sunday was absolutely beautiful and the boys came in asking if they could have a lemonade stand (with red kool-aid :)).  We haven't had one in a really long time...so out came the card table, chairs, crayons and paper to make signs.  Marcel was walking up and down our side walk yelling, "Lemonade, twenty-five cents."  I think he was going strong for over a half hour.  Our poor neighbor across the street was trying to work in their yard...but would look up and give me a smile every few minutes!  A little later a mom came buy walking her two children in her stroller.  When she told Marcel she didn't have any money, he was very persistent.  "You can go home to get money."  She told him she lived kind of far away.  "That's okay...you can go home and then drive back."  He wasn't going to stop until he closed the sale.  Hilarious...and consistent with most conversations with Marcel.  He'll keep asking (selling you) on what he wants by asking 100 questions :)  I think he may have a future career in sales...

Collin, Marcel and their two friends (Chloe and Logan) were so proud...stayed outside for about 90 minutes and made $9.  A productive outing. Thankful for generous neighbors who didn't ask for change!

Now onto the crafty part of my post...I have two quick cards to share using more new PTI goodies...and in honor of A Passion for PaperTrey's current tag challenge.  I paired up the tag with some Teresa Collin's Christmas paper.  Quick and easy.

While I had this gorgeous paper out, I decided to also play along with the current Mojo Monday sketch.  It's a great challenge to highlight this gorgeous DSP.

Mass Production!

Good morning!  My post today is all about mass production...yes...mass productoin of teacher gifts!  Every year I love to make card sets for the boys teachers.  For the last few years, I've done monogram card sets.  This year I decided to do a variety of sentiments. The cards for the set were inspired by the very last card on this post by Nicole Heady.  I made the card a bit simpler and changed up the colors but I'm thrilled with the variety from a single stamp set!  And even more thrilled, that 10 sets of 8 cards each are ready to go for Christmas!

I'm going to enter this into the Passion for PaperTrey Challenge to be inspired by a PTI design team member.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Verve and PTI Daily Design Sentiments; PTI Twine; Ranger Inks and Canvas; PTI Woodgrain Impression Plate

A Passion for PaperTrey and Wee Memories are both hosting a challenge for the men in our life.  I certainly have my share :) so I can always use more cards for my guy card stash!  I am adoring my PTI impression plates. I'm not sure why I waited so long to get them, but they have been getting a work out from me. I kept this card nice and clean.  Woodgrain impression plate with a bit of Ranger Antique Linen ink. I stamped some leaves on canvas using a couple of different colors of ink, fussy cut them and attached them with some twine.

PS Click here for my current blog giveway.

Two Challenges in One

The title of this post could have been, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again..."  I wanted to try to combine two challenges into one:  CAS-ual Fridays Get Edgy and the Waccky Color Challenge over at a Passion for PaperTrey.  I pulled out some chipboard borders I've had for quite some time and made this card.  My thought was, "BLAH..."

Ingredients:  Chipboard:  My Mind's Eye Laundry Line; Stamps: PTI; cardstock:  SU Whisper White and Real Red

So I waited a day and create this card...happiness.  Much happier with this one...

 Ingredients:  Stampin' UP Real Red and Whisper White Cardstock; PTI Simply Stationery and Botanical Silhouettes Stamps; SU Ink (all colors) and Real Red Ribbon

What do you think? :)

Sending You Love

Hi all.  I hope you had a wonderful first "official" day of summer yesterday.  I have a quick card to share with you today for this week's CAS-ual Friday's Color Blocking Challenge.  I've had this Hero Arts stamp set for a while and have wanted to use it.  Today's card has already made in the mail with a quick note to my nana. 

I also have a card for the current Passion for PaperTrey Challenge.  This card contains the stamp (Hero Arts Envelope) that may be moving to the top of my all time favorite list.  Sentiment is from PTI and the stickers are from Basic Grey.  In addition to the PaperTrey Challenge, I'll be entering this in the Gallery Idol challenge. 

Hope you like both the cards today...mid week...only a few more days until the weekend!

A Recipe For You...

If you're reading the title and thinking you're getting a recipe and you know me well...you are probably falling over in shock.  I cook, but not often enough.  So today, my recipe is for a card!  The current challenge at A Passion for PaperTrey is to make a card following this recipe:

•A dollop of color (3 colors - plus neutrals if required, e.g black/white)

•A sprinkling of buttons (2 buttons)

•A pinch of ribbon (1 Ribbon)

Fantastic challenge...I layered my two buttons and had fun playing with the PTI Anniversary Set. 

And did you see the news from PTI?  I'm so excited...I live in Cincinnati so I am going!  Let me know if you are too, I'd love to meet my blogging friends in person.

The Easter Bunny is Coming...

This little guy was sitting in our backyard last night...Collin was super excited...and so lots of conversations are happening about what treats the Easter bunny might be bringing in a couple weeks.  His eyes went a bit wacko when I took the picture, but he was absolutely adorable. 

Sticking with the Easter and Spring theme...sharing a fun little card for the current challenge over at A Passion for PaperTrey.

Ingredients: Cardstock: Stampin' Up Baja Breeze and Whisper White; PTI Kraft; Patterned Cardstock:  My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose; Butterfly:  My Little Yellow Bicyle; Stamps;  PTI Fancy Flourishes and Beyond Background Basics; Glitter:  Martha Stewart

A Couple Shares

Hi there...popping into share a couple of cards now that the little people are in bed (in bed, but not asleep).  We'll see how many times they come out of their rooms tonight.  And this little guy declared, "Daddy is in charge, mommy.  You can't tell me it's time to go to bed."  But how can you get mad at this adorable face?

And big brother Jonathon is beaming tonight as he got his Push Up Patch at karate tonight for doing 25 push ups using very good form...I have never been able to do a push up without my rear end up in the air!  Very proud of him!

So now...onto my cards for tonight.  My first one is for the Just Us Girls Sketch Challenge and the Passion for PaperTrey Challenge to use background stamps.  I love the Text Styles stamps from PTI.  I made this at first without the bling...and felt like something was missing (Yes Maureen...your style is rubbing off on me :)!)

Ingredients: Ribbon American Crafts; Stamps:  PTI Text Styles; Larger than Life and Birthday Sentiments; Ink:  Stampin' Up Soft Suede Ink/Paper; Hero Arts Gems

And have you checked out Lucy's blog lately?  She is hosting a series of sketch challenges.  I've been busy creating...as I adore her blog and I love a sketch challenge.  Here is my card for sketch challenge #2.

Happy creating!

It's Time to Celebrate!

Well...maybe a few days of downtime between Christmas and New Year's is in order, but I wanted to pop in and share a card for the current Passion for PaperTrey Challenge.  The challenge is to use pearls. This was a super quick, clean card!  I embossed the flourish on the heart, heat embossed it and added a few pearls. I then added the white paper and cut out the heart.  The sentiment is heat embossed too...

Off to pop this in the mail for my friend who is getting married this week.  Hope everyone has a restful week in between celebrations!

Ingredients:  Hero Arts Stamps; PTI Fancy Flourishes; Kaiser Kraft Pearls; White Ink and Clear Embossing Powder

Wonder & Amazement

Ingredients:  Stamps:  PaperTrey Ink Beyond Background Basics and Just Rite Sentiment Stamps; Gems:  KaiserKrafts; Die: PTI Mat Stack Die and Fillable Frames; Inks:  Stampin' Up Old Olive and Real Red Ink/Cardstock

I was trying to think of a song about Tuesday as I was writing this, but candidately nothing comes to mind.  Nothing too exciting about Tuesdays?! 

My card today is for the Passion for PaperTrey Challenge to make something for the holidays!  This is really similar to so many of my cards.  I love this PTI set!  And the clean design simply makes me happy.

In news around the house this week:

• In the informal voting in Ryan's English class, he was voted "best smile."  Somehow, I think the "informal voting" may have consisted of him and three of his friends.   Although, he does have a fabulous smile even if I am biased.
• Jonathon loves being quizzed on triple digit multiplication.  A boy after my own heart with his love of math.
• Collin loves the chocolate advent calendar my mum gave to each of the boys.  Most days he tries to eat two a day and then figure out which brother hasn't had their chocolate yet...makes for a nice, peaceful advent season! :)
• Marcel is eating us out of house and home.  (Where did that phrase come from by the way?)  After he finishes a meal, he waits what seems like about five minutes before asking for the next snack or meal.  We then show him how many hours or minutes it is until the next meal on our fingers. 

Hope all is well around your house!

"I like reading."

Collin is in love.  In love with his first grade teacher, Mrs. Flick, and his reading intervention specialist, Mrs. Griffin.  He started reading intervention this week...and he is so excited.  It makes my heart so happy. We have heard all about reading this week.  The goals:  "We have to read each book really well five times, you have to sign my paper, I get a prize."  Followed by, "Mrs. Griffin is so nice."  Then, he says, "There is a gray shiny ring with my words on it.  It is a very special ring...we can't lose it.  I'll bring them home in my backpack everynight to practice."  This may seem so straightforward, but last year Collin was so shy and unsure.  He wouldn't speak up in class or practice with us until he felt very confident that he knew everything perfectly.  This year, Mrs. Flick, his regular teacher, has improved his confidence so very much and he is literally running off the bus ready to keep practicing.  Music to my ears when he says, "I like reading."  He also makes us laugh when he's doing his homework and says, "I can feel my brain learning."  I'm so thankful for wonderful, dedicate teachers and my sweet little Collin that is improving his reading everyday.

So this card would be very appropriate to give to one of his teachers!  I made this for the current Passion for PaperTrey challenge to use your scraps.  Both the ribbon and floral paper were in my scrap bin.  I stamped the background with PTI Turning a New Leaf.  Hope you like it!

Ingredients:  Maroon Bazzill Paper; SU Very Vanilla Paper, Cherry Cobbler and River Rock Ink; PTI Fillable Frames and Turning a New Leaf

Nothing Sweeter..

...than your little ones faces when they are completely crashed.  Collin crashed on the couch yesterday after his Adventure Guide campout with Pat.

And now some craftiness...I'm in teacher gift mode!  Here are a few more ideas...I pulled out my little PaperTrey Ink notebooks.  Haven't made one of these in too long.  Quick and easy...just my style!

And a tag to go along with it!  Both of these fit into A Passion for PaperTrey's current challenge...make something different than a card...Hope you enjoy them!

 Ingredients:  Crate Paper DSP: PTI Felt; Just Rite Snowflake Stamps; PTI Fillable Frames Stamps; Stampin' Up Real Red Ink and KaiserKraft Gems

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Real Red Ink; Paper Company Red Paper and Bazzill Basics Green Paper; PTI Floral DSP; PTI Take Note Stamps

"Mommy I Tell You in Your Ear"

I love the habits my boys have.  Whenever Marcel wants to tell me something that is a secret he'll say, "Mommy, I tell you in your ear."  He then leans over to me...cheek to cheek and says what he needs to say in a soft voice.  Never in my ear!  I love the feel of his soft skin on my cheek.  It always makes me smile.  Nine times out of ten he's asking me to do something that daddy has already told him no too.  Like his current obsession with the Toys 'R Us catalog that came in the mail.  He spends his time looking through the Lego pages and will ask how much everything costs.  He now understands he needs to pick the Lego sets that start with a one or two...not seven or eight!  He will exclaim, "They have a WHOLE Lego aisle there!"  Santa can't come soon enough!  He doesn't quite have enough money save up for a big Lego set!

Switching gears...my card for today is for the current challenge at a Passion for PaperTrey.  The challenge is to CASE one of the PTI Design Team Members.  I love Maile Belle's clean style.  I decided to case this card of hers from one of my favorite, favorite sets, Turning a New Leaf.  I used two different distress inks to ink up the leaves.  The cut out is a PTI Fillable Frames...extremely versatile.  If you don't have any, go get them...very reasonably priced!  Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Real Red Paper/Ribbon, Whisper White Paper; Ranger Distress Ink Barn Door; Stampin' Up Basic Black Ink;  PaperTrey Ink Fillable Frames and Turning a New Leaf Stamps;  

Three Day Weekend!

Good morning, I'm happy to have a three day weekend.  The boys are off school so I decided to take Monday off too.  Looking forward to having three days off in a row.  Life feels very busy right now with lots of activities for the boys and my job being pretty busy.

If you've visited lately, I've been on a huge CAS kick.  Lots of clean and simple cards. Love to create them quickly.

The first one is for the current Passion for PaperTrey Challenge.  The challenge is to be inspired by autumn.  Very simple design.

Ingredients:  SU Old Olive Ink and Pumpkin Pie Paper/Ink; SU Whisper White; PTI Anniversary, Turning a New Leaf and Daily Design Stamps

The next card is a card inspired by Cristina's card here.  I'm a new follower to her blog and absolutely love her style.  My card is simpler and the bird isn't quite the right proportion, but I'm still fairly happy with it! 

  Ingredients:  PTI Baker's Twine, Beyond Background Basics and Daily Design Stamps; SU Whisper White Paper, Chocolate Chip and Real Red Ink

Enjoy your Saturday...it's beautiful outside here!  Off to soccer and football!

Teacher Gifts...

...so I am starting to think about teacher gifts for this year.  Yes...I am a planner.  I love to do simple notecard sets.  Last year, I did monogrammed card with various patterned paper like this and this.  I may do some more of them again this year, but I think I came up with my first design for some card sets!  I was inspired by the Passion for Paper Trey Challenge - Hip to be Square.  My squares are my middle panels.  What do you think?  Nice and easy to create lots of them...change up the colors, gems and sentiments and I'll have several fun sets!

Ingredients:  SU Whisper White, Red Riding Hood and Pumpkin Pie Paper; SU Old Olive and Red Riding Hood Ink; Hero Arts Gems; PaperTrey Ink Beyond Background Basics

Birthday Boy

It's time to up the stash of birthday cards for the boys/men in my life!  Here are two quick cards to share for this week:

First up...my card inspired by the Stampin' 411 Sketch this week...super late posting this week!

And next up, my card for the current challenge at A Passion for PaperTrey...haven't use my tag punch in ages...thanks for the inspiration ladies!

Today is my last day of the work week...yahoo!  Off to a family wedding this weekend in Virginia!