Fusion: Poppies!

Happy, happy Thursday! It's time for another Fusion challenge.  I loved seeing all the gorgeous fall inspiration from our last challenge. This time I played along with the picture inspiration. I used my Verve set for this card stamping a variety of sizes of poppies and coloring them with my Zig markers. I rarely make a card without a sentiment on the front, but decided to put the sentiment inside. This card went to a co-worker who is moving to Columbus.  I'd love to have you play along with us!

PROCEDURES:

1. Play with just the sketch challenge.

2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.

3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.

4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.

5. Please read the other considerations on the Our Rules Page before playing along.

Here are some fabulous cards by our design team showing you how it works!

Love You Mum {and Ethan's Home Run Derby}

Happy Monday my friends. I'm happy to be home after a week away for a business trip and ending the week with a ton of fun at Pat's cousin's wedding.  Before I left, I made a card for my mum who stayed with our boys over the weekend.  I love that the Verve stamps have both mum and nana stamps which are perfect for her.  This sentiment says it all.  This card is being entered in the Viva La Verve Sketch.

I also wanted to share what we were up to several weeks ago.  For those of you have been been on my blog for a while, you know that a teenager in our community was struck by lightning in June 2013.  Last year, our family helped with a fundraiser to benefit Ethan for his long term care.  Last year, Ethan was in the hospital and unable to attend.  We had the second annual Ethan Kadish Home Run Derby.  It was a beautiful day and we were so thankful Ethan was able to attend.  Our home family along with so many fabulous members of our community were there to support Ethan.

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Today we're celebrating my oldest's 17th birthday.  I will admit to being a very proud mom.  He is growing into a very nice young man.  Most importantly, I love that he is happy.  He enjoys school, show choir, writing music, umpiring and hanging out with his friends.  He loves being with his family especially his cousins.  I love that we consistently here that he is outgoing, confident yet not cocky, and not afraid to have conversations with his friends and their parents.  He may not know it yet, but I know that he'll more than succeed in life.  He has a calm way with others that will serve him well his entire life. I'm proud of him and love him more than words can say.  Happy 17th Ryan! 

And before I go, I have a card to share with you for my dear friend, Sandy's daughter.  She'll see this card before Ashley does!  Ashley graduates next week from 8th grade.  My card features the school colors of her high school.  Ashley is a beautiful, amazingly talented young lady.  I can't wait to see what all she accomplishes in high school. She's bright, outgoing and an amazing volleyball player. Here's to an amazing start to high school for Ashley.  The card is for the Viva La Verve sketch.

Where Flowers Bloom So Does Hope

Happy Wednesday.  Navy is all the trend right now in clothes and I love this navy/yellow patterned paper.  I have been clothes shopping and crafty shopping and have picked up several navy blue items. When I buy patterned paper, I always look for paper packs that have small patterns such as these sweet little white/yellow flowers.  I don't have much washi tape, so the pink might not go with this card, but I decided it did!  Added a touch of flowers and a pink enamel element to finish off the flower.

I'm playing along with this fun Viva La Verve Sketch.  I was a lucky winner last month...and can't wait to go on a Verve shopping spree too!  I love their stamps.

Thanks So Much {and Marcel pitching/family selfies!}

 Happy Monday friends. We had the most beautiful Easter weekend. The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time with family all weekend long.  I'll be back tomorrow with Easter pictures, but today I wanted to share pictures from Marcel's baseball game.  He pitched for the first time on Saturday.  He was so excited.  He's been practicing with Pat a ton and to say he was thrilled when his coach told him he could pitch the last inning was an understatement!  He struck out two, walked one and the other two were outs on

And here he is batting.  He made it to base each time...two hits and two walks.  Could he look any cuter in his uniform?  I've loved watching all my boys play baseball.  Hard to believe he's our last one!

We also were having fun this weekend taking selfies!  Ryan and his two oldest cousins, Madeleine and Elizabeth are always goofing around taking them. This weekend we got the entire family in on them.  Thought these would make you smile...we certainly did!

Marcel's in this picture, but he got lost!

 Outside Neal and Cindy's house...celebrating Neal's 50th.

Jonathon's photo bombing and Madeleine doing I'm not sure what!

And one non-selfie of me with my mum and two older brothers celebrating Neal's 50th!  We didn't plan to match!

PS My card for today is for the current Viva La Verve sketch. I got inky yesterday and have four cards to share all using Verve Stamps this week.  Love their stamps!

Thanks a Latte

Hello friends...popping in to share a fun card using the current Viva La Verve Sketch and color challenge.  It's been a really long time since I've played along with a Viva La Verve Sketch, but it's a new year...and I do need to get moving on replenishing my card stash!  I loved the color combo too so I decided to play along with both.  Have you seen the new challenge blog for Viva La Verve? If not, pop on over and take a peek.  I simplified the sketch a bit, by inking the circles, masking and adding the chevron image.  All of the stamps are Verve.

So...what's happening around your neck of the woods? The change at our house is that Ryan has started his first real job (outside of baseball umpiring).  He is a host and bus boy at a local restaurant.  I have to say I'm pretty proud of how he's handling it so far. He's picked up a few extra hours, is learning how to use their on-line scheduling software, etc.  Pat went with him to set up his checking account with a debit card so that his checks can be direct deposited into his account. It's fun watching him grow up!    We have one week until show choir competitions start too...can you tell I'm excited?!

I also wanted to share this picture of Collin. The kids were off school on Monday/Tuesday because of extremely cold temperatures. They went back yesterday.  Collin came home and crashed.  This week has been extremely stressful and there is something about the peace of watching your little ones sleep that is calming to me.  I had to snap him on my phone to keep that in my heart.  I did wake him up for his drum lesson.  He has a recital at the beginning of March. I can't wait to get his picture behind the drum set.  He gives the real Collin smile when he's drumming or talking about how much he loves drumming.  I'll be sure to share the picture. It is awesome that he has found something he really loves doing.

Thinking of You

Yesterday, I had some time to craft while the little guys had their cousin over to play.  My craft room is in the basement and there was a serious game of swords going on right next to me!  I decide to play along with the first two Viva La Verve Challenges for January. As you can tell both of these are very CAS versions of the sketch!  The first one above is also using the ColourQ palette shown below.

This next card is for a dear friend whose mom passed away this week. I've looked at this sentiment for a long time thinking that although it is non traditional I think it is perfect for a sympathy card.  Life may be brief, but our love for our family that has passed away never ends.  My friend is certainly in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I said earlier today that I wasn't going to be able to make all the sketches...but I found some time tonight.  I had to leave work early today...both Pat and I have a case of the stomach flu.  After a four hour nap, I had a touch of energy.  Wrote out some thank you notes for Christmas gifts and then created a CAS version of the sketch below for the Week 3 Viva La Verve Sketch.   I'm also using the new No Matter What set from Verve...love it1  Hope you like it too.  Now I'm off to relax some more...I haven't tried eating yet, but am hoping that tomorrow I am able to do so and that the flu doesn't hit the boys!

 

Hope It's a Great One!

Oh spring, oh spring...I'm ready for you to arrive!  I didn't get to play along with all of the Viva La Verve Sketches this month, but I did get to three out of four.  I, of course. had to play along with CAS sketch for the last week of the month. I love the cheery spring color combo on this card.

I hope you're all enjoying the Christmas week!  

 

Trio of Christmas Cards

Hello there...I'm about to put the Christmas stamps away for a bit...need to make a few more tags and gift card holders and then I think that will be it for a while.  But...before I do that, I want to share three cards as I play along with the Verve challenges.  Maureen is always showing gorgeous inspiration using felt with die cuts...so this card is a nod to her gorgeous inspiration each and every day.

For my next card, I used some of my new MME Lost & Found Papers...and of course my favorite SU Cherry Cobbler ribbon.

And my last card, it is a bit hard to see, but the inked panel has snowflakes stamped on the ink panel too.  I had the stamps out and this card was the first attempt for the sketch above, but I too a different direction that didn't follow the sketch!

I hope you like them and that your week is moving by quickly!

Merry Christmas

Hello there, I have two very similar cards to share today both inspired by the super talented Angeline's card for this week's CASE Study challenge.   I was so tempted to use my Paper Smooches Reflections set that Angeline used below, but instead went for a monochromatic look using the gorgeous new Verve snowflakes. I love how Julee sizes the images perfectly in her sets.  Very fun fonts and awesome images to coordinate equals a happy stamper!

My second card is very similar to the first but it is inspired by the last Viva La Verve Sketch for November.  I have to remember how much I like cream and white together...I again made the sketch a bit more CAS.  If you could see this in real life, you would be able to see that the white panel is shimmery white paper too.  

I hope you like them both...and that your week has gotten off to a great start!

Happy Black Friday!

Happy Black Friday...If you are out shopping at a crazy early hour, I hope you get lots of good deals!  I normally go out early, but this year I'm sleeping in and am not sure I'll shop at all unless it is on-line!  My mum and I have a tradition of going out together, but she is recovering (very well thankfully) from her knee replacement surgery.  Not quite well enough to shop until we drop though :).  

We'll be having a lot more time with our family this weekend, but my first to do today is to take a photo of 32 people! It is a family friend...cross your fingers that it works out for me.

Before I go, I have two cards to share with you for the most recent Viva La Verve Sketches...once again I have had fun making them a bit more CAS.  I hope you like them!

May Your Spirits Be Bright

 

Hello, I'm off work today and up very early to take my mom in for knee replacement surgery.  I'm praying for a very successful surgery and a quick recovery for her.   She's so strong and I'm sureher faith and strength will help her through this. 

I do have a card to share for two challenges.  The Moxie Fab Canvas/Burlap Challenge and the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge.   On my scrapbooking weekend, I had a ton of fun using different patterned papers to create cards.  I love how this My Mind's Eye paper from the Lost & Found collection goes perfectly with the Verve Sentiment.

 

I hope you have a great day!

Praying for You a

How in the world did November get here?  I'm sneaking my last card for the weekly sketch challenges over at Verve.  I loved this CAS sketch and used some of my new My Mind's Eye Lost and Found 3 goodies to make this card. I haven't distressed the edges of my paper in ages...and Moe's gorgeous cards encouraged me to do so.  Hope you like it!  Today is my Friday and I am one happy girl!