Thinking of You

Good morning! This will probably be one of the quickest blog posts ever!  I'm popping in to share a card I made this past weekend inspired by the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge.  Verve Stamps and My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose Paper.  Hope you like it...I'm off to finish getting reading for work!

Picasa...Where Have You Been All My Life?

Okay...so I know most of you already use Picasa...but seriously I just downloaded it last night and I am in love.  No going back to PhotoShop Elements for me.  This collage took me less than 10 minutes to create...and how cute is it!  I'm in love.  Cropping, changing the lighting, making the collage...everything was so easy!  I'm glad I saw this tutorial as this is what got me to think about downloading Picasa...and ladies...it is free!  Can you tell I'm excited?  These photos are from the July 4th at my in-laws.  A friendly little water gun fight amongst the cousins!

I do have a card for you to share with you as well.  This card is inspired by the current Viva La Verve Challenge on Split Coast Stampers.

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye DSP; SU Very Vanilla; PTI Daily Design Sentiments and Verve Stamps; Ink:  Ranger Distress Ink Wild Honey and Barn Door; SU Basic Back Ink; Kaiser Kraft Gems and SU Very Vanilla Ribbon

Birthday Boys

Hello there.  My sister-in-law asked me to make a variety of birthday and thank you cards for her.  Since she has a little girl and boy, I'm making four boy and four girl birthday cards for their friends.  So...I have two boy birthday cards.  They are very different styles!  First up is for this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge.  Kept this card very CAS.

Ingredients:  PTI Grunge Me and Hero Arts Stamps; Ink:  SU Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy and Real Red

My second card is for the Viva La Verve Sketch.  Just a little different style?! 

Ingredients: Basic Grey Wander Line Paper; Stickers; Hero Arts Sentiment Stamp and PTI Banner Die

Verve Challenges

Good morning!  I hope all the fathers/husbands in your lives had a wonderful day yesterday.  I know my hubby had a nice relaxing day.  He read quite a bit of his book and took a nap.  It was extra nice not to be in a rush to go anywhere. 

I need to start my day by wishing my wonderful friend, Sandy, happy birthday!  I can't post her card yet...as I need to make sure she has received it!   Happy Birthday Sandy!

I'm also popping in with a couple of cards for some recent Verve Challenges.  The first one is for the Get Your Diva On Challenge.

 My second card is for the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge.  Using more of the My Mind's Eye Lime Twist Paper and Verve's To the Moon set. 

Hope you like them both! 

My Mum's Birthday

Hello there...now that my mum's birthday has past, I can post her actual birthday card!  Today's card design is based on the the Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge.  All stamps are Verve and the paper is October Afternoon 5 & Dime paper...love the colors!

Hope you have a fabulous Thursday...we have two nights in a row without baseball.  Looking forward to relaxing at home after work!

Mentor, Protector, Friend, Hero...Dad

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose Paper, Stampin' Up Card Stock; PTI Twine, SU Button; Verve Stamps; Ranger Pumice Stone Ink

I was a busy bee on Sunday and Monday morning creating a variety of cards.  Most of them are for teacher gifts, but this one will go in the Father's Day stash.  I think it will most likely go to my father-in-law, Henry whom I adore.  I'm also playing along with the Viva La Verve sketch.  The Verve Sketches have definitely taken me out of my comfort zone!  Lots of layers and tilted panels...yikes!

Hope you are having a wonderful week!

A Mother's Prayer

I pray that I may let my child live his own life and not the one I wish I had lived. Therefore, guard me against burdening him with doing what I failed to do.


Help me to see his missteps today in perspective against the long road he must travel and grant me the grace to be patient with his slow pace.


Give me the wisdom to know when to smile at the small mischiefs of his age and when to show firmness against the impulses he fears and cannot handle.


Help me to hear the anguish in his heart through the din of angry words or across the gulf of brooding silence. And having heard, grant me the ability to bridge the gap between us with understanding.


I pray that I may raise my voice more in joy at what he is, than vexation at what he is not, so that each day, he may grow in sureness of himself.


Help me to regard his with genuine affection so he will feel affection for others. Then give me the strength, O Lord, to free him so he can move strongly on his way.


Amen.

One of my good friend's sent me this prayer that a local all boys high school has as their mother's prayer..I loved the sentiment.  Being the mum of all boys, it really spoke to me and I thought it would be the perfect compliment to a new baby boy's card.  Once again, playing along with a Viva La Verve sketch!

The Road Less Traveled...

Good morning, coming back with more Verve stamps today and a fabulous Viva La Verve Sketch from Maureen!  For my card today, I also played along with the Play Date Cafe Colors.  I thought the color palette complimented the sentiment on the card well and it is not a traditional color palette for me...so it definitely took me out of my comfort zone!

I'm traveling for work this week...keeping the post short and sweet!  Hope you all are having a great week!y Date Cafe

I Am Blessed

A couple of weeks ago I ran across the street to Subway to get some lunch.  As I was waiting to pay, I was making chit chat with the woman in line behind me.  I asked, "How are you?" And she responded, "I am blessed."  I've thought about her response a lot.  Most people just respond, "Good thanks or fine thanks...how are you?"  Her response was powerful to me.  I am blessed.  Three very simple words.  They have made me reflect the many ways that I am blessed.  How are you blessed?  I'd love to hear from you!

I also have another card for you today for the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge.  This gorgeous design was from won of my favorite blogging buddies, Maureen.  Along with getting me completed addicted to Verve Stamps, she has encouraged me to get on SplitCoast Stampers and play along with the Verve challenges.

Ingredients:  Verve Stamps; My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose DSP: Stampin' Up Marina Mist, So Saffron and Basic Black Ink; Stampin' Up Whisper White Ribbon

Daddy's Little Girl

Good morning.  Today would have been my dad's 73rd birthday.  It has been a little over six years since he passed away.  I was and still am daddy's little girl.  This picture is probably from about 1975...it was in our family room sitting in "dad's chair".  My dad always had his chair in our family room.  If we were in it and he came it to relax, we got out!  The chair changed over the years, but as long as I can remember he had his own chair :)

As time passes, some memories unfortunately seem farther away, but others are always close to my heart.  My love for my dad is still very deep in my heart.  I miss him and cherish our time together as dad's little girl.  He always encouraged me to be the best I could be.  Happy birthday dad!

I thought the Verve sentiment on my card today was very appropriate to share on my dad's birthday. 

The sketch layout is for the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. My first time playing along!  Thanks Maureen for the encouragement and guidance on SCS!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette and Whisper White Paper; Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizazz and Regal Rose Ink; My Mind's Eye DSP; Verve Stamps

Hi there...this week's Wee Memories Challenge is "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".  I decided to combine this with the Verve April Showers Bring May Flowers Challenge too and make a frilly girly birthday card!  And of course, I  need to highlight the girls in our family!  Here are some Easter pictures..

First up Easter Saturday:  Erin showing us her gymnastic moves....

Shelby...learning how to do a headstand with Uncle Pat...don't you love all the colors on her leggings, skirt and shorts...

 Easter brunch:  Elizabeth, Madeline, Cindy, Laura and Sally...getting brunch ready!

Elizabeth and Madeleine...teasing Nana/Mum....Madeline is absolutely cracking up!

Smiling after the giggle fit!

The sister-in-laws...blonde...red...and brunette...almost a rainbow!

Laura...Olivia...and Vegas!

Precious Little One

Hello there...I'm on a bit of a mission to use up some of my patterned paper.  I have been on a buying spree of 6x6 packets so I must put the paper to good use!  So...my entire front panel for today's card is covered in patterned paper.  I love the My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose Collections.  And...as I was going through my stash I found this ribbon that I've had for ages from Stampin' Up.  These went perfectly with my new Verve Over the Moon stamps.  Is that little elephant not absolutely adorable?  I'll be using this stamp set for lots of baby cards...so sweet.  I'm also entering this in the current Verve Diva Dare Challenge...color me spring...these colors certainly remind me of spring!

Ingredients:  My Mind's Eye DSP; Stampin' Up Ribbon, Kiwi Kiss and Whisper White Paper, Regal Rose and Basic Black Ink; Verve Over the Moon Stamps

The sketch for the card is following this week's Just Us Girls Challenge.  I made the circe panel a square since I had a square and scallop in the Kiwi Kiss paper already ready to go!



Small Miracles

My title and the sentiment are a bit of a word play.  Is there any better miracle than the birth of a sweet baby?  I think new little ones are the biggest miracles in the world.  So...I am new to Verve stamps having purchased my first sets a couple of months ago.  This month they are sponsoring a baby love challenge.  I wanted to use this Verve sentiment stamp to make my card.  Hope you like it!  I used some of my Pebbles chipboard pieces and my new Basic Grey Hopskotch paper.

And...I am off this morning to my scrapbook day.  I think I packed my entire scrap room!  I always say I'm not going to take as much...but what if I need it all?!

Four Cards...and List of Fours

I have four quick cards to share with you today.  I went to a cookie exchange at Chrissy's last night...yumm.....I can feel the weight gain starting!  Chrissy is my card club buddy and great friend.  She is amazingly talented.  I could have walked around her house for hours admiring her gorgeous Christmas decorations.  As a small thank you, I wanted to make her a set of cards with some of the Verve verses.  I am in love with them.  Chrissy and I chat about how much we love the verses.  My first card is for the Play Date Cafe challenge.  The next three are just to complete the set using a variety of Crate Paper, Verve Stamps and Hero Arts lace.

And...Laurie and Karen were nice enough to tag me for a fun List of Fours...

1. Four shows that you watch: (have to say I don’t watch must TV these days…)
- College basketball (love college basketball…)
- Anything HGTV
- What Not to Wear
- Wheel of Fortune (an oldie but a goodie)

2. Four things you are passionate about:
- My family (hubby, boys, mom…my entire family)
- My faith
- Working hard and learning from my mistakes
- Card making

3. Four words/phrases you say a lot:
- I Love You
- Thank You
- Really
- Aahh..hah (this is when I get in trouble for not listening as well as I should.)

4. Four things you've learned from the past:
- If you know someone is hurting, but don’t know what to say, tell them you know they’re hurting, but you don’t know what to say. They’ll appreciate that more than not saying anything at all.
- Everything happens for a reason.
- Never leave without saying, “I Love You”
- Don’t take myself too seriously

5. Four places you would like to go:
- England (to see my mum’s family)
- Anywhere that would involve a family reunion with Pat or my family – we have a great time with our families
- Key West with Pat (belated 40th birthday celebration)
- Girl’s scrapbooking weekend!

6. Four things you did yesterday:
- Built Lego ships
- Baked about eight dozen cookies and some candy (not my idea of fun )
- Dropped off cards I made for my niece's teachers
- Slept in…and then ran on the treadmill

7. Four things you are looking forward to:
- The wonder on my boy’s faces Christmas morning
- Day after Christmas brunch with our entire family
- Seeing my niece sing in the children’s choir at church
- Relaxing with our entire family

8. Four things you love about winter:
- Beautiful Christmas decorations
- Not as much running around with activities
- Hot baths
- Spending time with our entire family

9.  Four people I tag to play along (no worries if you pass :)!!)
Maureen - Buttons & Bling
Aimes - Crafting Confessions
Amy - Stamp-n-Paradise (who I also have to thank for a blog award!)
Judith - Jay Gee's Nook

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Verve Triple Play Project Parade

Maureen got me started on Verve Stamps and I have to say I love them.  I purchased my first set last month and I'm sure I'll be purchasing more!  The phrases they have on them are wonderful.  Since then, I started following along on the Verve blog for more inspiration!  They are hosting a Triple Play challenge where you create three items. I decided to do a little notebook, tag and set of four cards for my sister-in-law.  She hosts Thanksgiving each year and in addition to bringing an appetizer and sweet potato casserole, I like to bring her a little gift.  Hope you like them!

 Ingredients:  Verve Stamps; SU More Mustard Ink, Chocolate Chip Paper, Cajun Craze Ink/Paper, Autumn Abundance DSP; Old Olive Ribbon; PTI Circle Die