Mint To Be

I've Moved

2011-01-21T18:46:00.000-08:00

yes, this blog has come to an end. i've started a new one for no other reason than it sounded like a good idea at the time. you can find my random blatherings here: the new bliggity blog!

Birthday Girls

2010-08-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

And the girl parties just keep coming. Actually, I think we're done. Tia had a bunch of parties all squished together, so I had a bunch of cards to make all at once. Genius me, I just made all the cards the same...but different. I'd love to take the credit for the layout, but that goes to the PTI design team. The layout & some of the card parts (the sentiment pieces & color strips) came with the Color Couture series.

Ok, so these first 2 cards were actually for twins. I love these girls. Now, they're twins, so they have their similarities, but they're also very different girls. Didn't feel the need to reinvent the wheel, so they just got different versions of the same card. Plus, it was a time crunch, since Tia had another party the very next day. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that one (not sure what happened there), but it looked a lot like the one below.

This was the last card I made, so by this time I had the hang of what I was doing - what worked & what didn't. This one is my favorite of them all. I used a smaller flourish behind the butterfly and I just love how the sentiment piece came out. I made this one all by myself. There wasn't one with these colors (which I love - yes, even the orange!). Yay me! I think the best part is that Tia helped make all 4 cards. She had input on the colors, flowers and even the bling. I'm gonna miss my little card making partner when school starts next week!

Stamps: Beautiful Blooms, Butterfly Dreams, Fancy Flourishes, Fillable Frames #4, Birthday Basics (PTI), Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest, Aqua Mist (PTI), Pink Pirouette, Pixie Pink, Wild Wasabi (SU!), Paper: white, Raspberry Fizz & Color Couture Collection (PTI), Garden Green (SU!), Accessories: PTI dies, rhinestones, corner rounder punch

Thinking of Red

2010-08-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

The power of suggestion. Or, perhaps, monkey see, monkey do? I'm not sure what happened or what to call it, but I saw cool stuff done with this set and decided I had to have it. Then I made this and called it a day. Not that I don't like the set, but sometimes I have a hard time making things I like work the way I want. Don't get me wrong, I like the card, I just had a hard time doing more with the set. Plus, things recently got so busy for me that I couldn't even enjoy or appreciate the new stuff I was getting. But I had to get it. So then I had to put a self imposed moratorium on buying new stuff until I used all the cool stuff I just had to have. At first, I was pretty sure I was going to die, knowing I didn't have a box full of Papertrey goodness coming to my door. But it does get easier as time goes on. And I'm using all the stuff I have, cuz, you know, there's nothing wrong with what I already have. But let's be clear...it was a temporary pause in my shopping addiction. Next month, Christmas stuff comes out & you know how I love me some Christmas card making gear!

Stamps: Take Three: Summer & Asian Fusion (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: black & white (PTI), Accessories: Copics ~ R29, R27, R24, YG25, YG11 (i think =/)

Gee, Thanks!

2010-08-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Alrighty. These would be the thank you cards that we sent out after Tiara's birthday. It's kinda funny...I'm the mom that crafts & makes cards and yet, I almost never make birthday invitations or thank you cards. I always mean to make the thank you cards, but then I always forget. It's a good thing she only invites people that we really know & who love us or people would think we're terribly rude. Sorry! I'm not rude, just forgetful. And,ok, a tad lazy. But this year, I remembered and actually got these bad boys out. Yay me! It could have helped that Tia helped me make these. I'm really feeling bright colors these days (yes, even orange!), so I had the color part down. But Tia cut out all the circles with my cuttlebug and then decided that the circle should be over on one side, with the ribbon on the other side of the card and not have the whole thing centered. Her version was much better than mine. Card maker in the making!

Stamps: Flutterby Friend & YOF: Lily of the Valley (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Green Galore (SU!), Orange Zest & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Paper: white & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Accessories: Nesties, Raspberry Fizz satin ribbon (PTI)

Happy Birthday Tiara!

2010-08-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

Tia turned 11 last month. *sighhhh* My last baby is 11. She had our family's first slumber party with more than 2 girls. Let me just say, these things are no joke. I went from thinking we were just going to have 1 girl spending the night to having 5 extra girls in my house. When one of the moms dropped her girls off, she told me I was very brave. I looked at her like she was a lightweight. Puh-leeease, I got this! Turns out my naive days are not quite over. I won't go into the crazy (to me, anyway) details, but I will say that we will not be doing that again. We have 3 daughters. Every night is a slumber party. Well, the kind I can handle without needing medication the next day.

Stamps: Star Prints (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Green Galore (SU!), Raspberry Fizz & Plum Pudding (PTI), Paper: white (PTI), The Sweet Matstack (DCWV), Accessories: star punch (Fiskars)

Happy Birthday Clarissa

2010-07-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

K, here's what happened. Birthdays, end of school year gifts, Father's Day, more birthdays & so on. Burn out happened. I really don't know how some people make enough stuff to post everyday and then think of stuff to say about said stuff. Still with me? Anyway, I took a much needed break (which totally bummed out my mom) and now I'm back. Sorta. I just thought she's probably sick of looking at my nephew's graduation card (awesome as it is) every time she clicks on my blog. So here's one that I totally copied from Nichole, because it was so stunning when I first saw it. I love, love, love images in white. They can be crisp & clean or soft & dreamy. But I hate, hate, hate cutting stuff out. So, smuding white ink on kraft cardstock and getting this soft look is something I think I'm gonna do a whole bunch. I just love the look. Now, I made this card waaay back at the beginning of June, but no, I don't have 2 months of cards saved up. I just have a few to catch you guys up on. But fear not. August is a crazy busy month for me. I have 7 birthdays & I really should make cards for each of those. So, I'll try my best to get those up (assuming I actually make them) but the posts will probably be light on my oh-so-witty banter. This is also the month of getting the girls ready to go back to school and Tia has soccer. Not sure whose bright idea that was...sitting outside in the heat in August...but we, as ~~great~~ ~~fantabulous~~ good parents do, support our kids in all of their ventures, whether we love them or not. Um, the ventures, not the kids.

Stamps: Year of Flowers: Lily of the Valley & Asian Fusion (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: white & kraft (PTI), Accessories: Copics (probably) YG67 & YG63

Yay Devin

2010-06-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Last graduation card for this year. Next year, it's my kid! So weird. Anyway, my nephew graduated from high school this year, and this is what he got from his most favorite aunt. Ok, I may have embellished a little there. What he actually said to me was, "Thanks," but sometimes you just have to read between the lines. Sadly, it doesn't compare to the trip to Hawaii that he also received after graduation, but hey, I do what I can.

So, as I'm writing this, we are on day 3 of summer vacation and Krista is already bored. Does anyone else have this problem: your kid announces that they're bored, so you ask them what they want to do and then, my favorite part, they answer with, "I don't know"? She couldn't wait to be done with school and now that she's out, she can't wait to go back. "How will I make it 2½ months?" Really? Well, to kill some time, may I suggest cleaning out your room, cleaning the mirrors, maybe a bathroom or 2...

Also, it should be noted that I was short on time for being truly self inspiring, so I just did what I do so well lately. CASEd Nichole. Ya gotta scroll down a bit.

Stamps: For the Graduate (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Soft Stone & True Black (PTI), Accessories: Mat Stack 1 die

For My Teachers

2010-06-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, I have waited over a year for this. Early last year, Nichole had a post using the template for this "box". Right away I knew it was what I wanted to do for my teachers for their end of year/goodbye gifts. I've been a parent at my girls' elementary school for 12 years, and the 8 teachers that they've had that are still there, all get gifts from us. We love them all and appreciate them so much, this is the least we could do!

Everyone gets a coordinating card & gift box with stationery inside. I made a cute little band to hold the paper inside and then stuck their cards on top. I was inspired by the ideas that come with the template done by PTI's awesome design team.

This is one set, all together. Yes, I love polky dots. And those apples are fun, too!

This is the other set. Same design, just flipped the colors around. The teachers got them last week, and they seemed to go over really well. Thank you to all of the staff at JL Elementary. You will be missed!

Stamps: Teacher's Apple, Polka Dots Basics, Giga Guidelines & Simply Stationery (PTI), Ink: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Antique Linen, Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white, kraft, Vintage Cream, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado (PTI), Accessories: Pure Poppy & Ripe Avocado Ribbon (PTI), Desktop Organizer Template (PTI), circle punch, scallop punch, white pen

For The Graduate

2010-06-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my mom needed me to make her another card. This time, one of her neighbors had a son graduating and it just so happened that I was getting my For The Graduate set that day. So why not use that bad boy to make a card for mom to give? I'm a fabulous daughter, so I said, "Okie dokie!" Of course, I wasn't creative enough to come up with something on my own that quickly (even though she didn't need it for a couple of days), so I just ~~stole~~ ~~pilfered~~ CASEd a card that Nichole did. All I did was change the colors and get rid of the ribbon. I used his school colors (or, the colors that were on the invitation) and that's it. Done. Sooo easy. I love easy!

K, I've got tons of things coming up. Yes, I've actually got other finished projects for you guys to see. Of course, finding the time to get them up on the ol' blog is another thing entirely. Next week is the girls' last week of school, Tia's going to be done at the elementary school (which means I'm done at the elementary school...so.very.sad) and I've got gifts and goodbyes aaannd I feel a good cry coming on. Then next year, I have...a senior. Unbelievable. Where did all that time go? And don't only old people ask that question?

Stamps: For the Graduate, A Little Argyle (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Pure Poppy (PTI), Paper: PTI black & white

A Quick Thank You

2010-05-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

So, my mom had asked me to make her a thank you card for her friend. Of course, I do not have a problem with doing that for her. My mom would do anything for me, cuz she's a mom & that's what we do. The problem is that she asked me during one of our Sunday morning, hour long conversations. "Hey, can you do me a favor and make me a thank you card for my friend that let me borrow her drapes until I get my new window treatments?" Haha. Lending drapes? That's an interesting favor. "Sure, no problem at all. So, guess what Darien did the other day...blahblahblah" In one ear and out the other. Immediately. Seriously, it was a good couple of days before I even remembered that she asked me for a card. It's not that she needed it right away (let's not get her started on why she didn't need it right away), but when I remembered that she had asked me, it was like a jolt. Oh, man, my mom needs a card! So then I had to figure out what I wanted to do. Colors? Theme? Stamp set? Golly gee, what should I do? I think I find it harder for people I don't know. It's not that my cards are part of some secret society and only "we" understand our cards and really "get it". But sometimes I see people's reactions to handcrafted (because homemade is for cookies...mmm, cookies) cards and they're like, what the heck is this hokey crap?! So I finally went for simple, elegant, classic and down to earth all rolled into one. And then when my mom saw it, she told me that the damask in the card looked just like the pattern in the drapes. So, this long babbling story is my way of letting you guys know that I'm psychic! Isn't that the coolest?

Stamps: Damask Designs & Year of Flowers: Violets (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Paper: PTI white

For My Baby

2010-05-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this week Shawn & I celebrated our anniversary. And I may have mentioned that he can be difficult to buy for. Really difficult. So I tend to just go the safe route. I make him stuff. Usually it's met with, "ohhh, cute." And not in a mean way, but how many cards & frames can you get excited about? This time, I figured, since our anniversary is about us, I'd make him a little book. Oh, yeah, the coaster book is back. I LOVE these! And surprisingly, so did he...

When I saw this set from Dawn, I knew I had to buy it & just what I would do with it. Of course, I plan on using it for the girls, too, on cards & projects for them. I totally have a list of things I love about all of them!

(Darien took these a loooong time ago, back when

she was our only kid!)

So, as people see the book (ok, the girls, my friend & even Shawn), the first thing they say is, "you guys look so young!" Um, thanks?

(Hmm, she probably took these, too. These are both in Vegas.)

I do have to say that going thru 18 years of pictures was fun, even tho some of them (ok, most of them) are actual printed pictures, so they had to be scanned. Scanning + lazy me = not fun. But, he's worth it.

(Left: at a 49ers game in December.

Right: us being silly at Pika Pika)

So there you have it. Another fun project. I love when things come together just right and it gets appreciated all at once! Of course, it wasn't smooth sailing the whole time. I had to do this last page on the right 3 times! It started out with 5 little pictures on it. I glued them on, was thrilled, thought I was done & then remembered I still had to put a hole in it. Well, would've gone right thru Shawn's head. Probably not very sweet. So then I had to put it all away for a few days while he was home. 3 days later, went back to work on it and this time used 2 pictures. Got so wrapped up in the pictures that I totally forgot about the 'hole' thing. Ugh! Really? Ok, focus! One picture. Check. Room for the hole. Check. Done!

Card: Which was inspired by this card by the faboo Maile Belles

Stamps: Top Ten & Top Ten Additions, Fillable Frames 1, A Little Argyle (PTI), Ink: Dark Chocolate, Enchanted Evening, Spring Moss, Spring Rain, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel & Ocean Tides (PTI), Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Antique Linen Distress (Ranger), Paper: Rustic White & Kraft (PTI), Accessories: FF1 die, Dark Chocolate button (PTI), twine

Book:

Stamps: Top Ten & Top Ten Additions, Vintage Labels, Fancy Flourishes, Around & About Sentiments, Giga Guidelines, Turning a New Leaf, Background Basics: Petal Power (PTI), Inkadinkado hearts, Ink: Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel & Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Creamy Caramel (SU!), Paper: Rustic White (PTI)

Happy Happy Birthday

2010-05-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm still lovin' my argyle stamps. It's just such a fun set! I had a difficult girl to make a card for, so this is what she's getting. It's more girly in person, cuz you can actually see all the glitter I threw on it. I dotted the intersections on the green diamonds and filled the candles with some Stickles. It's girly without being too foo-foo about it, much like the girl. And she's one of the few girls I know who likes green. Altho, I like green...paper...with numbers & dead Presidents on it. But that's me.

Anyway, I'm really loving the next post I'm doing for you guys. It's another project of mine and I'm super proud of how it turned out. Now all I need to do is get some good pictures of it. We all know how good I am at that!

Stamps: A Little Argyle, Cupcake Collection & Fillable Frames 1 & 2 (PTI), Ink: Fresh Snow & Spring Moss (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white & Spring Moss (PTI), Accessories: Fillable Frames #2 die (PTI), corner rounder punch

Celebrate...Cupcakes!

2010-05-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, somehow I got crazy behind on my card & gift making. This card went out the day before the recipient's birthday. That's cuttin' it close for me! I always have a 2 day cushion, just in case. Not knockin the USPS, since that's my daddy, but you never know.

I also found that as excited as I was about this cupcake set, I'm having a hard time using it. I'm not sure what my problem is, I just get blocked. I find I can't get the colors or the placement to work and bring me the kind of happiness I get from actually eating cupcakes. Oh well. I've got plenty of other things I've got to get done in the next month. A graduation card, a couple of non-cupcake birthday cards, an anniversary gift & card (i think you're gonna like this one) and the cards & gifts for the staff at the elementary school.

Oh, yeah. One more little thing. If you visit Nichole's blog on a regular basis, you might recognize this card. Yeah, I stole it. Hers {scroll doooowwwwn, you'll hit it} was so visually stunning & exciting, I couldn't wait to make one just like it. So I did. Ok, maybe not just like it, but you can tell where I got my idea. *sigh* She's my stamping hero. K, gushing over. Just wanted to give credit where it was due.

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics & Cupcake Collection (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Hawaiian Shores, Sweet Blush & Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Paper: PTI white, Accessories: randomly placed Stickles, black pen & ruler

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day, everyone. Since I forgot to do this post before Mother's day {sorry, mom}, I'm just throwin' up the pictures and will be done with it. Tiara's awake and wanting her mommy time, so I'm going to go enjoy my day with my kids. Well, kid, for right now. Those other 2 are teenagers, so they'll probably be asleep for awhile. So go enjoy your day!

Stamps: Asian Fusion, Delightful Dahlia (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Hibiscus Burst & Pure Poppy (PTI), Paper: white, black, Hibiscus Burst & Pure Poppy (PTI)

Mmm, Cupcake!

2010-04-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

I looooove cupcakes. I don't eat them too often, cuz, you know, they're not good for you & all that junk. But they are just so nice and enjoyable to put into my mouth. You know it's gonna be a good one when you have a hard time fitting the tippy top of the icing down to the bottom of the 'cake all in one bite. And turns out, I'm picky. Chocolate cupcake. Vanilla cupcake. I'm good. But now, there's more wild & exotic flavors. You get into those fancy, gourmet flavors and I start to get nervous. Why must we mess with what's already workin'? Banana? Raspberry? Peanut butter? Ohhh, they just sound wrong for a cupcake. But that's me. And don't get me started on icing! I prefer buttercream (hey, if you're gonna do it, do it right!), but if forced, I will eat a cream cheese or whipped frosting. You know, if you're gonna twist my arm...I am starting to venture out, tho. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we do have quite the variety of food. And I'm on a quest for the best cupcake in the Bay. (ok, not in any official capacity, but it sounds more legitimate when phrased that way, right?) I've got some places that I've mentioned to my husband, so when he's at work, I say, "Hey, if you happen to pass...could you pick me up...?" Oh, sure, I can stick a label on it & say I'm doing research (for what? i have no idea) or something, but let's be real. I just want a good cupcake every once in a while to make me happy. And if I'm happy, everyone else in the house stands a better chance at being happy too.

Stamps: Cupcake Collection & Vintage Labels (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Paper: white & Lemon Tart (PTI), Accessories: Prisma glitter, Raspberry Fizz satin ribbon (PTI), Copics~ RV21, RV23, Y00, Y21

Little Boy Blue

2010-04-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

K, you know how I'm not the biggest fan of making the male card? Well, if they could all just be this easy & come out like this, I'd have no problem at all. When I saw that this airplane set was being released by Papertrey, I thought, well, there's $5 (yes, $5!) I don't have to spend. But then I had this feeling that I should go ahead & get it, just in case. Now, I know you're probably thinking I say that about all of their sets. But no, I really do have some sort of self control.* Now, if you were to ask me about the argyle set...the second I saw that one, I knew I had to have it. I love this set! Oh, the color combinations! Consider yourself warned: you will be seeing plenty of this set in the future.

Oh, and just a little FYI for my mom and anyone else who hasn't done this yet. The clouds (how cool are they?!) are a scalloped circle that I cut in half. Then, I just sponged blue ink over the edge of the scallops onto my white paper. Easy peasy!

Stamps: A Little Argyle & Fly Away (PTI), Ink: Spring Rain & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white, Spring Rain & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Accessories: scallop punch (SU!), Copics~B41

*This is a total lie. I have zero self control. I love PTI. If I don't own it, I must not be in love with it. And even then, I will probably own it one day anyway.

Happy Birthday Madeline

2010-04-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, the problems I had with this card! It went poopy from beginning to end, even to taking the picture of it. I won't bore you with all the details like I did last year, but man! I think when it comes to this darling girl, I've got some seriously bad juju going on. Oh! She's also getting it late. Crikey! I was doing last minute stuff trying to get it ready, then my weekend went bonkers (i even saw her! but it was a surprise, so i was totally unprepared and didn't have it on me), then I didn't feel well, so I promptly forgot about it and then finally mailed it. Phew! I think once I get all my May & June cards & projects done (which is A LOT), I'm gonna start on her card for next year. Allow extra time for all those boo-boos.

Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Petal Power (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Orange Zest, Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: white & Scarlet Jewel (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities, Butterfly Die (PTI), Copics~

Happy Birthday Kimmie!

2010-04-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I finally find the time to come back & post something & blogger is being weird. So I'm going to keep it short for my sanity. This is going to be the year of 17 year olds around here, so this is just one card in a long line of them to come, I'm sure. Darien's friend turned 17 the other day and she needed a card really quick (or, a really quick card) to give to her at dinner that night. Tia, Krista & I went thru my cards on the computer looking for something to CASE. I found this one and this is what I came up with. It goes so much faster when I can just copy something. Glad I didn't approve of copying when I was in school or I would have learned nothing! Oh, yeah. Don't get sick of the butterflies yet. If I ever get this other one finished (the one I'm stuck on & the reason I've posted nothing in days!), you'll be seeing even more butterflies. And then I'm done. For now. Maybe. We'll see.

Stamps: Vintage Labels, Butterfly Dreams, Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Hawaiian Shores (PTI), Paper: Hawaiian Shores & white (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities, Butterfly die (PTI), Copics (BG18, BG13, BG11)

Birthday Dahlia

2010-04-07T00:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, while this flower is oh so lovely, I'm not thrilled with the card. I have thoughts of future versions and ideas of how to make them oh so lovelier, so be on the look out for that. And this card had started out completely different. I had the flower cut out all ready for something else and that totally tanked. But it was already colored and soo pretty, so I had to do something with it. And this is that something. Oh man, I cannot wait for the better versions.

I do have to say that these Papertrey dies are just amazing. Dies made for stamps? Or, stamps made for dies? Whichever. There is genius behind that idea and I'm lovin' it! I'm hoping for dies for some of the older sets, like Tea for Two. I believe I would use that teapot more if there were a die for it. Oh! Or Friends til the End. I know you guys aren't sick of me using that one yet! Ha. Or, maybe not. At any rate, if PTI keeps making them, I'll keep buying them.

Stamps: Delightful Dahlias (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: Pink Pirouette (SU!), white (PTI), Accessories: Delightful Dahlias dies (PTI), Copics~

Many Thanks

2010-04-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's that time of year again. It's time for the MS Walk and I'm excited. This will be the first year that we have someone on our team that has MS besides little ol' me. A friend of ours that works with Shawn, who was diagnosed years before I was, will be joining us this year. And following my tradition, I've made thank you cards for all the people who donate to the walk. I think it's awesome when people are actually able to do it. I'm always super grateful and feel genuinely lucky to have so much support.

Also tradition with me - variety. I get bored doing the same thing over & over. I like seeing what the same thing looks like in different colors. I also buy clothes like this. If I see something I like, and it actually looks good on me, I'll buy 2 different colors. I hate clothes shopping and this is just a time saver for me. Plus, I'm notoriously lazy.

And of course, we have to have the guy version. My father-in-law donates every year and I can't go sending him flowery cards. Well, I can, but that would be silly when I have a perfectly good "guy enough" card to send his way. Plus, I have a couple of guys donating this year and the design switched over easily enough, so there ya have it. Another year of thanks taken care of.

Stamps: Fillable Frames #2, Turning a New Leaf & Life (PTI), single flower (Inkadinkado), Ink: Hibiscus Burst, Plum Pudding, Spring Moss & Ripe Avocado (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Accessories: Fillable Frames #2 die

Alrighty, I'm Back

2010-03-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

Betcha thought I wasn't coming back, huh? Were you worried Zion was gonna be 2 by the time you saw something new? Yeah, well, here I am. Besides being crazy busy, I also wasn't in the mood to make anything, so I didn't. But I got some new stuff, which means inspiration, and here ya go. I got this set that Becky designed and I just love it. I'll try to space out my creations with it so you don't go crazy looking at the same stuff over and over. But so far, this is the only thing I've made with it, so breathe easy. For now. But I'm loving the tree in the set. And the hill. And the other houses. And I think you get the idea. So stinkin' cute! And, I had to make some thank you cards for the MS Walk again *here's my walk page in case you get the sudden urge to donate money which is tax deductible. phew!* so those will be coming up soon, too. And there you have it. New stuff to look at and a worthy cause all in one. I know, I amaze myself! You're welcome!

Also, about the card - I wasn't sure how to ground my houses, so I made a street. It's just gray cardstock and white lines made by my faboo white pen. Cuz my mom would want to know!

Stamps: Wonderfully Whimsical & Vintage Picnic Sentiments (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Hawaiian Shores & white (PTI), not sure which gray I used, Accessories: Signo white pen, Copics~

Zion is 1!

2010-03-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

So, my nephew Zion turned 1. He is seriously one of the cutest babies I have ever laid eyes on. So stinkin' precious. And big. He's wearing 3T clothes and, yes, he is a big boy! You don't see it coming tho. I was so very excited to see him when we went to his birthday party. It's been a long time since I've had a baby-baby, so of course, I wanted to hold him. I picked him up and almost went down to the ground. He is heavy! My back started hurting after holding him for about 5 minutes. He's more of a "sit on my lap" kinda baby. And at 1, he still has that yummy baby smell. Now, don't go getting any crazy ideas. No, I'm not saying that I want more kids! 3 girls are good enough for me. Especially since they're not little anymore. I don't think I have the kind of energy to start over, so I'll just be grateful for what I have. And enjoy whatever loaner babies I'm lucky enough to get my hands on.

Stamps: Boof the Bear (Rubber Stampede), Smells Like Cake (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Spring Rain (PTI), Paper: white, kraft, Spring Rain (PTI), Accessories: Bashful Blue ribbon (SU!), Vintage Buttons (PTI), twine, Copics~

Happy Birthday Amanda

2010-03-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

Seventeen. On the verge of being an adult, but still in that brief moment where mom (and perhaps dad?) wants to hold on for as long as you'll let her before you're officially legal. An adult. A grown up. Old. This will be me in September...trying to hold on to my first baby as long as possible. So I can only imagine what my girlfriend is going thru with her firstborn turning 17. We've been friends since before we were 17 and that suddenly seems sooo long ago. But, luckily, we're both still young & cool enough to keep up with our teens. haha. Ask mine & you're likely to get a smidge of a denial...and perhaps some delirious laughter.

So, the card. I am still loving my butterfly set and thought it would be good here. A little text stamping in the background, a butterfly background stamp, a little sponging on the edges for a subtle look and then pink for some color. And it shows up more in person, but there's a little rhinestone in the middle of the butterfly for a subtle bling that I colored with my Copic to match.

Just a different angle so you can see the doubled up butterflies. I die cut 2 of my lovely winged friends, colored them in, glued one flat and placed glue dots in the bend of the one on top so it would look like it's getting ready to fly right off the card. Now this had to be mailed, so I hope it gets there in one piece. It had a little protective cushion in there, but if you could see the condition some of my mail is in sometimes. Sheesh!

Stamps: Background Basics: Text Style & Butterfly Dreams (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Antique Linen Distress (Ranger), Paper: Rustic Cream & black (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities, butterfly die (PTI) & copics: RV00, RV13, RV14 & R21

Birthday Balloons

2010-03-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

This image is what pushed me over the edge to get this set. I saw it used in a card made by Heather Nichols, and the idea seemed so simple and obvious that I was annoyed with myself for not seeing this potential earlier. Really? That's it? That's all there is to it? I don't know why this seemed so much more okay than buttons (which I love and now have a ton of), but it did. And of course, I've used the set with buttons already and love that, too. I guess I just needed a push, shove and a kick in the right direction. And just in case you can't tell what makes the balloons, I stamped my beloved polky dots on some cardstock, punched out circles and then covered them up with clear dome stickers. So easy and good for mass producing...which I did not remember to do this time. Darn my addled brain!

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI), Ink: Versamark & Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Raspberry Fizz, Plum Pudding & white (PTI), Bermuda Bay (SU!), Accessories: epoxy dome stickers, 1/2" circle punch

Butterfly Dreams

2010-02-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

Happy March! March already? Crazy, right? March, in my mind, is Spring. (it's probably easier for me to think that since i live in california) So I thought I'd bring out some Spring butterflies. I'm gonna be honest here and let you in on something. When Nichole was doing previews of the February sets over at Papertrey, I saw butterflies and thought, well, there goes some more money that's safe. I'm not really into butterflies. Then I saw the whole set. Wow. It is truly beautiful and suddenly it became a must have. (i know, when do i not say that about their stamps?) Anyway, I learned a very valuable lesson that day. Don't make up your mind when you don't know everything that's involved. Hmmm. Actually, I probably should've learned that when I was about 8 and saw what I thought (in my 8 year old mind) was a very unattractive woman and later found out it was a guy. K, totally veered off topic there, but you see what I'm trying to say. I will no longer declare money safe until...oh, who am I kidding? No money is safe around me!

Stamps: Butterfly Dreams (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Raspberry Fizz & Orange Zest (PTI), Paper: PTI white, Accessories: rhinestones, Butterfly die (PTI) & Copics - BG000, BG01, BG05, RV19, YR68

Buttons, Buttons...

2010-02-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

I can be a little slow sometimes. I know this is not my first time telling you guys this. This stamp set came out quite a while ago, some time last year, and I just didn't get it. I mean, I got the idea but it just seemed like way too much work to me. You gotta stamp something and then you gotta figure out exactly where to put the buttons & which buttons to use. Round buttons, square buttons, flower buttons, heart buttons. I guess it's just a challenge for indecisive people like myself. You would laugh if you could sit here & watch me try to make a decision about things like this. I try to nail down which colors to use and then I have to find just the right buttons. This is important stuff! Then I realized, it's supposed to be fun. Oh, yeah. Plus, I'm the same exact way with my Copics and I wouldn't trade those for anything! Not to mention, I already had a pretty good button collection (that I was hoarding & not using!) thanks to Nichole. May as well get something that will inspire me to use them...and the new buttons I added to this order to use with my new button set. Don't you love how I justify these things?

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI), Ink: Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Pink Pirouette (SU!), Accessories: Vintage Buttons (PTI)

Mmm Mmm Good!

2010-02-18T20:15:00.000-08:00

Hey there! I actually got some cards made. Yay me! I made a bunch of cards, but this is the only original one I made. I needed some back-up cards for those extra busy times (ummm, that would pretty much be my every day!), so I made a bunch of different versions of my older cards. Was pretty easy to look at pictures of cards I'd made and copy them. Such a time saver. Of course, if I would just make more than one of my cards as I'm making them, I wouldn't need to go back for a bunch of do-overs. Although, sometimes, one is enough. I only made one of this card because of the coloring. And it's not like it takes tons of time to do the actual coloring, it's the decision making that goes into the coloring. Hmmm. Brown mouse, gray mouse? Orange flowers, purple flowers? This is what holds me up. No, it's not the reason for the big gaps in between my posts. That would be laziness and busy-uh, ness. But if I wanted another copy of this card, I know I could whip one up with no problem since I've colored it once already and have a picture of the Copics I used. Now I'm thinkin', huh?

Digi Image: Sooo Good (Phindy's Place), Paper: black & white (PTI), Accessories: corner round punch, Copics~

The Guy Card

2010-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. How terrible of me to just leave you here with nothing new to look at for over a week! Part of it is because I just love that last card so much that I wanted it sitting on the top of my blog. I can't wait for whatever stamp set Becky has up her sleeve to come out, cuz I'm just sure it will have the same feeling as that image. Love it! The other part is I'm just plain ol' lazy. I actually made this card before my wonderful house card, I just haven't gotten around to posting it until now. I needed another dreaded "man card", so I thought I'd sorta copy the card I made Shawn for his birthday. Only I wasn't in the mood to hand trim those rectangles & try to get them the exact same shape again. Dang OCD! Sorta close just won't do! But then there are things that drive me crazy about this final product (I won't bore you with my anal retentiveness) that I just had to leave & deal with cuz I was on a birthday deadline (sounds like a nice, official excuse, right?). Anyway, I'm hoping to get some actual cards made this weekend so I have something to show you on a more frequent basis. Ha! And if I can't think of anything wonderfully witty to say to go along with the cards, I'll just throw pretty pictures up to mesmerize you and maybe you won't notice!

Stamps: Limitless Labels, Polka Dot Basics II, Faux Ribbon, Simply Stationery & Birthday Basics (PTI), Ink: Versamark & Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white, Ocean Tides (PTI), Certainly Celery & Baja Breeze (SU!), Accessories: square punch, 0.1 black pen (Sakura), handy dandy ruler

Happy Birthday Papertrey

2010-02-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Hiya! So, as you all know, I loooooves me some Papertrey. And this month is their 3rd Birthday/Anniversary, whatever you wanna call it. There's this big celebration going on over there and normally I just sit back & watch. I'm really not one for challenges. I'll take a contest where all you have to do is comment, but I just say nah to the challenges. Not sure why, I just see "challenge" and it's like, ugh, nevermind. It's probably cuz I'm lazy. But this time...I saw this image on Becky's blog and fell in love with it. It was my favorite image of all the stamp designers and I was so excited to use it, I ended up making a card with it. Then I thought, I may as well throw it out there. So out there it is. And it makes me happy - the sun, the balloon, even the yellow and ya'll know I'm not the biggest fan of yellow.

I feel like I should explain what happened here. Becky has this image on her blog. So, I printed it out and went to work. I colored and cut out the clouds, sun and balloon so I could have that 3D effect Krista loves so much. Then, after I finally nailed down colors for the house and got that colored, I had to figure out a sentiment. I didn't want to add anything separate under the image, cuz it's a pretty good size, so I thought I'd add to the image. I just so happen to have a loooong sentiment (courtesy of Papertrey!) that I could mold to the shape of the "grass". So I did. Ha! Take that, rubber stamps! Sponged the sky and the grass, popped the cut outs on there and there you have it. I feel like I accomplished so much. Did a challenge, made a card, used yellow...yes, it has been quite the day. And I did all that with a head cold. Man, when the girl is hot, she is smokin'! And possibly delirious from Robitussin. Who knows?

See my lovely cut outs? Oooh, Aaah...

Stamps: Around & About Sentiments (PTI), Image: Birthday Balloon ({Studio 64}), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Soft Sky & Green Galore (SU!), Paper: White & Lemon Tart (PTI), Accessories: Copics~

Thanks Mom

2010-01-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

First, I have to say the spacing on this card makes me nuts. I would've liked the sentiment to be closer to the image, and maybe moved over a little bit more. But sometimes I don't notice things until it's too late and there was no way I was coloring that image over again. It took me forever. Phew! Ok, I hate to start a post whining about the negative, but it always feels so good to get things off my chest. This blog is like therapy. Well, except the blog is free and I don't have some overly serious person looking at me with one eyebrow raised asking themselves where this girl came from and are there enough meds on the planet? Although, saying things like that probably doesn't help with the image. Am I right? Anyway, this is the thank you card I made for my mom when I got tired of making the other ones. I got bored, so I thought I'd switch it up a little. For my birthday, she put together this really cool cook book of family recipes (mainly hers, tho) that I grew up on. I love it and I thanked her by not cooking for her *shudder* and by making her this card. Thanks mom!

Stamps: Women of Life (PTI), Image: GGK Flowers (Nina Brackett), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Cool Caribbean (SU!), Accessories: Copics~

Thank You, Thank You Very Much

2010-01-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

So, I was in need of some quick but lovely thank you cards to send out and this happened. Sometimes all you need is a really good image to make you happy. And I do love this image, I just don't know who made it. {It's a free digital image that I found on Splitcoast, only who made it wasn't in the file name, so if anyone knows whose it is, please let me know.} K, so the super sad part is that it's not like I didn't know I was gonna need thank you cards. My birthday was not too long ago and I knew I was gonna get shtuff. So it's not like my birthday snuck up on me, I just tend to procrastinate. And instead of making these well in advance of my birthday, I made them yesterday...waaaay after my birthday. Ok, so my birthday was Friday, but then it turned into a whole birthday weekend and Monday was the first chance I had to make them. Actually, now that I think about it, it was more like a birthday week. I went & got my gift the weekend before (a super beee-utiful tattoo), then we really celebrated with the cake, dinner, other gifts and a movie (The Tooth Fairy starring my 2nd husband, Dwayne Johnson) this weekend. Phew! What a way to start a new year!

Well, of course I had to do one in red!

Ok, who here, besides me, is shocked that I used

*gasp* orange? I know, right?

Turns out I do like purple!

Stamp: Giga Guide Lines (PTI), Image: No idea, a little help?, Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white & Pure Poppy (PTI), Tangerine Tango(!) & Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Accessories: Copics~

Polky Dot Fever

2010-01-21T19:22:00.000-08:00

Sooo, it turns out, I looove polky dots. Crazy, huh? I had no idea how I felt about them until I realized that I use them on pretty much every card I make. I was looking over my Year in Review post for the 4th time, and scrolling casually up the list, I noticed a pattern. Lots of dots! So weird. Where did this obsession come from? When did it start? I do remember that when I first got this set, it just sat there for awhile cuz I couldn't figure out why in the heck I thought buying it was a good idea. Now I wonder what I put behind my images before I discovered Polka Dot Basics I & II. And yeah, I do have other background stamps, but none of them are as perfect as my beloved polky dots. And, did you notice how many sizes I have? No? Well then, I'll have to use them all so you can see for yourself. Seriously. The card I'm working on now has no background yet. Just a colored image. Hmmm. I'm gonna try really hard to put something different back there, but I can't make any promises. Maybe some patterned paper. I dunno. I guess we'll just have to wait & see. Ooh, I'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation!

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics II (PTI), Image: Swiss Pixies Birgitta (C.C. Designs), Ink: Sweet Blush & Aqua Mist (PTI), Paper: white & Sweet Blush (PTI), Accessories: Aqua Mist ribbon (PTI), Nestabilities, corner rounder punch, Stickles, Copics:

Happy Birthday Brenda

2010-01-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

It's raining here. I love the rain. I'm one of those strange people that find it relaxing and pretty. It just seems to calm everything down. My favorite thing is to be up high, in a really tall building, just watching it come down. San Francisco is good for that, but I don't often find myself in skycrapers in the city when it's raining. So I'm left to just enjoy it at home, which is actually still pretty nice. I don't even mind driving in it. It's just the other drivers who either go waaay to slow (yes, that's possible, even in the rain) or treat the streets like the autobahn, that make me insane. It's supposed to rain all week here, which will have tons of people grumbling, wanting some sun and wanting it now. And then there's perky me (not a word I use to describe myself all that much) piping in to say, "Ooh! I love the rain!" That's usually followed by silence and somebody making a face that says 'what is wrong with you?' Eh, I'm tough, I can take it. Hey, the rain is coming down and that makes me happy.

Speaking of happy, I have to say Happy Birthday to my Aunt Brenda. Her birthday was on Friday, but I couldn't post her card until I knew she had it. She got it, she loves it and now I can move on. phew!

Stamps: Turning a New Leaf (PTI), Beautiful Kindness (Verve), Ink: Ripe Avocado & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Paper: Rustic white, Ripe Avocado & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Accessories: Raspberry Fizz ribbon (PTI)

My Brain Thinks It's Spring

2010-01-14T18:04:00.000-08:00

I know it's January. I know how to read a calendar. Well, most of the time. You'd be amazed at how often I'm looking at the wrong month when scheduling things. We could actually play "let's count the scribbles on mom's calendar", due to all the times I thought I was writing on a different month. Oops. Anyway, it just feels like Christmas was soooo long ago. And we were moving right along with the colder weather that I love so much. Yes, I do realize I'm in the minority here. But cold to us is, like, 40°. Brrrrrr. So, no, I do not wanna "know what real cold is" (been there, done that) and go somewhere with ridiculous lows, like -20°. What is the point of that? That's just wrong. Annnyway, so this week, it's cold & rainy, then it totally warms up and we get sun and then the temperature shoots up to, maybe, 57°. Ok, well now nature is confused and I can feel it coming. Ugh. Allergies. In January? Now that's wrong. But apparently I saw this coming, cuz I have been using my spring colors. This bright & colorful {and yes, Dana, simple - see, it's ok} card is just what I needed. I'm back to wanting to create, which has been missing since before the holidays. Aaaahhh, can you smell that? I can't, cuz I'm stuffed up now. But they tell me it smells like mojo.

Stamps: Turning a New Leaf & Birthday Basics (PTI), Miracles Blossom (Verve), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: black, white & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Accessories: Copics

Year in Review

2010-01-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

I'm back. I know, don't pass out from shock. I have been working on stuff, but I can't post what I have yet, so I thought I'd totally ~~steal~~ borrow this idea from another blogger and put up my favorite cards from last year. Ready to be thrilled beyond belief? Well, that's not gonna happen here, but it should be fun anyway. And if I did it right, you should be able to click on the date and it'll take you to the original post. Yeah, I put some effort into this one! Be impressed.

I don't even know where this came from. It just kinda happened

and was a fun surprise when I was done. (2/15)

I pretty much love everything about this card. The colors,

the layout, the stamps. Love it. (3/16)

I made a lot of cards with this set (1 or 2, maybe you
remember), but this one is my favorite. (5/1)

I love this card, but I really love that the title for the post with

this card was Green Tea. Ha! My clever wit at its finest. (6/17)

When I can make it elegant and not seem old fogey

at the same time, I'm very proud of myself. (5/15)

Look at all those colors! That was me bustin'

outta my box. (7/22)

Flowers and polky dots. What's not to love? (8/17)

Check out that coloring. AND, I got the chairs even.

AND, chair-ish. Price-less. (8/31)

I love the stamps and was so proud of myself for

using that color, cuz it's not me at all. Yay, me! (9/14)

Simple is good. (9/23)

Took me a couple of tries to get those birds lined

up, but once I did, it was sooo worth it. (10/11)

Bonus

K, I usually love all of the non card projects that I do, but these coaster books that I made for my moms are my favorites. They came together so beautifully that I really want to make more, I just have to find the rest of my pictures. (5/10)

So, that's it. That's last year all wrapped up. Gee, now I can hardly wait to see what happens next!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

Wow, 2010. Happy New Year to you all. Where did the time go? Time can be a funny thing. Normally, I don't pay attention to the big picture of time. 20 years since I graduated from high school, 18 years with my husband, 16 years since I had my first baby. Eh, life stuff. Don't look back, look ahead. I'm more like, the right here & right now time kinda girl. Gotta get up at 5, have an appointment at 4, need to leave by 3:30...that kinda stuff. But with the start of a new decade, all anyone talks about is the decade that just went by. So it makes me think, wow, a decade? What was different 10 years ago for me? Um, well, I only had one child in school, a toddler and a newborn. We even walked to school. Now, I've got 3 girls in 3 different schools and I'm a driving fool all over the place. 10 years ago, I still believed in cleaning my house incessantly. Ha, what a foolish girl I was! Which leads me to another big difference from 10 years ago. I had no stamps. *gasp!* I know, right? I can barely imagine what life was like before stamps and ink. Cardstock and ribbon that coordinate. My beloved Scor Pal. Stampin' Up, Verve and Papertrey. Oooh, Papertrey. How I love me some Papertrey. Blogging. Making Christmas presents for teachers, friends and family? Never. Copics?! o.m.g. Don't get me started on my Copics. Aaaaahhhh. Yes, it has been quite the decade. I mean, don't get me wrong. There were other memorable things. Girls losing teeth, learning to walk, getting haircuts, starting school. Yes, these are all momentous occasions, but stamping...come on. That's big! Would you be here if all there was to read about was Tia losing, probably her 7th tooth since school started? That's a true story, by the way. The girl is thisclose to being on a soft food diet. It's crazy. She's losing all her teeth at once and her 12 year molars are busting through. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Ok, so yes, my most loyal readers {hi, mom!} would be here for that, but I wouldn't even find that fun and these are my kids! Ok, enough blabbering. So, even if your last decade rocked, I hope this one rocks even more. Have an awesome day, year, decade!

Stamps: Birthday Surprise (Verve), Image: Fairy Tabia (Mo's Digital Pencil), Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!), Paper: Pink Pirouette (SU!), white & Dark Chocolate (PTI), Accessories: Sweet Blush satin ribbon (PTI), Copics:

Birthday Snack

2009-12-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Well, hey there! I hope you all had a fantabulous Christmas. Ours was pretty good. Crazy busy all weekend, and lots of fun, but I'm so glad it's over. I'm gonna need the year to recover and be ready for the next one! Let's see...what all happened? Well, on Christmas Eve, we made our cookies for Santa. They look forward to that one every year. Then later that night, we had a stubborn Krista who insisted on waiting up as late as humanly possible so she could catch a glimpse of Santa. Ok, I'm gonna be as discreet as I can here since I don't know who's gonna read this (children over your shoulders, maybe?), but, really?! She's 12. We know what she was trying to do and better luck next year sister, cuz I set my alarm! First for 3:00, but when I heard movement responding to my movement, I tried 4:30. hahaha. I never saw this coming when we decided to have kids! Christmas strategizing...wow. So then we had a regular ol' chaotic Christmas day, with a wee nap thrown in so mom didn't go completely bonkers. Plus, I had to rest up for our ginormous family brunch in the city on Saturday. Shawn has a really big family and they have these crazy get togethers on holidays. It's a lot of fun, but even after 18 years, I have a hard time keeping everyone straight. And then, to top off our weekend, we went to the 49ers game on Sunday. The Christmas game has sort of become a family tradition. And even tho the weather surrounding the game was crappy (it rained for some people on the way), it was near perfect the whole time we were there. Phew! We've been busy. So busy that I made this totally unrelated card over a week ago (at like, 2 a.m. - don't ask!) and am just now finding the time to photograph it & throw it up on the old blog. And to think, I was looking forward to all my "down time" this holiday break so I could sit & craft. You'd think by now I would know better!

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Smells Like Cake (The Cat's Pajamas), Image: Birthday Hamster (Mo's Digital Pencil), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Antique Linen (Ranger), Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: white & Aqua Mist (PTI), Accessories: corner punch, Copics:

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I wasn't sure if I'd have any cards made by today, so I went to JibJab the other day and started playing around, just in case. Have a great holiday!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

No Stamps Used gasp!

2009-12-20T22:26:00.000-08:00

It's a(nother) digital image. Not very Christmassy, I know. But it's what I was in the mood to make. I won't be making any more Christmas cards for about 9 months. I got this image and just adore it, but once again, wasn't sure what to do with it. So I used this patterned paper that I got a while ago and pulled some colors from it to make this card. It's different for me, but I like it.

So, I've completely finished all my shopping & everything's all wrapped, so I'm hoping that I just get to relax while the girls are out of school. I'm really hoping that I get to sit & make some cards now that I don't have all that running around to do. I've got some great images that I want to color and, of course, I'm sure I'll be getting some fun new toys for Christmas. Ha! Ask me how I know...

Anyway, I hope you all have a fabulous holiday. I'll try to get back here just as soon as I can.

Image: Little Girl in Kimono (Mo's Digital Pencil), Paper: black & white (PTI), Black Orchid patterned paper (SEI), Accessories: copics:

Just Because

2009-12-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. It's been awhile. Here's the thing. You know how I had my Christmas cards done early, and then finished my boxes to give out to everyone? I was so proud of myself! Well, I don't plan everything quite so well. Now I'm in the middle of finishing up geting presents for everyone, wrapping, school parties and delivering/mailing things. Plus, I've still got those 3 girls to deal with...blahblahblah. Who's not busy this time of year? So, I didn't plan on having pretty things made to blog about. I did have a spare minute combined with the energy to make something and this is it. And I'm actually sending it to somebody! Woohoo. I sent my dad (and stepmom and sisters) our Christmas card with our family picture in it. Well, being the super proud dad & grandpa that he is, he wanted another copy to take to work with him. Awww. Yeah, plus, I totally forgot to include the picture of just the girls, so I'm sending him the card with lots of pictures in it. Hopefully this will tide him over until we get to see each other again, which is never soon enough for me!

Stamps: Simple Little Things (PTI), Image: End of the Summer (Mo's Digital Pencil), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Bashful Blue (SU!), Paper: kraft & white (PTI), Raspberry Tart DSP (SU!), Accessories: Copics:

It's A Girl

2009-12-08T20:57:00.000-08:00

No, not for me. I've already got 3! Okie dokie. This one's gonna be quick. As usual, things around here have been crazy busy and I'm not even close to being finished with anything. I did, however, mangage to finish this card, but only cuz I had a deadline. If it looks familiar, then, why yes, I did copy myself. But I think this version is better than my original. Tiara has had a student teacher this year and today is his last day. Also, last week, his wife had their first baby. Awwww. Don't we all remember that? When it was new & exciting...before the first messy poop, first cold, first temper tantrum. Ahh, good times, good times. Anyway, this card may look like just a baby card (which, ok, it is), but it's also a good bye & good luck card for him. Tia's really gonna miss him. Good luck, Mr. DJ.

Stamps: Oh Baby (Hampton Art), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: white, Sweet Blush & Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Accessories: Sweet Blush ribbon, cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder, Copics:

Holiday Boxes 2009

2009-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

So here's this year's Christmas loot. I've done tins the past 2 years, which were wildly popular and pretty easy to do. But this year, I saw these boxes and just wanted to do them. Not sure if I really thought cutting out 30-ish of them was gonna be a big party or what, but I got it done. I just did little bits at a time and then it didn't seem so bad. I don't plan on doing a bunch of gifts next year, because right now good chunk of them is for teachers at the elementary school and this is my last year there. Some of them who have become my friends will still be getting stuff, but whatever I do, I will probably be going back to tins. Just not sure what I was thinking. Looking back now, I can't believe I did all that work. Gonna have to have my head checked out.

K, just so my mom doesn't think I went through 20 million steps for these boxes, lemme just break it down. The box itself is one piece, with the cutest little tucked in flap. I traced them (cuz i didn't want printer lines on the inside - picky picky, i know), cut them out, scored them & put them together. The decorative paper is just cut out and slapped on the box (the shape for this is included with the template). I added the eyelets on the sides, pulled the ribbon through them, then made little tags for the front of the boxes. That's it. Hmm, ok, reading that over, it does sound a little tedious, but I did it over a couple of weeks, so really not bad. Gee, I can't tell if I'm encouraging you or discouraging you to try it. Yeah, I'm scattered. It must be close to Christmas. Don't even get me started on shopping for the girls! No, I'm not ready.

Alright, now we've arrived at the good part. Yes, friends, it's the chocolate. This is the chocolatey center everyone waits for. K, so it's just kisses and not some fancy European truffles, but let me just say that this stuff gets people excited! And here's hoping that the packaging isn't so attractive to people this time that they don't wanna eat the chocolate. Come on, people. Go nuts. Eat the candy!

Stamps: Ornamental Christmas (Verve), Ink: Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel, Pure Poppy (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Vintage Cream, Rustic Vintage Cream, Kraft, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel, Pure Poppy (PTI), Merry Moments DSP (SU!), Accessories: oval punches (SU!), eyelets (Making Memories), Tucked Away template & ribbons (PTI)

For My Friend

2009-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

A little over 22 years ago, I began my sophomore year of high school in San Francisco. Days before school started, I was in the office being registered, since I was coming from a high school in Detroit. I was sitting there waiting for my mom to be done filling out paperwork when I looked over and saw a blonde girl, also sitting and waiting. I smiled and said hi, then she smiled and said hi. Then my mom was finally done and we were off. On the first day of school, I was wandering around the hallway at lunch wondering what to do with myself. People just scattered in all different directions, with almost no one heading for the cafeteria. I turned and there was that blonde girl from the office. Man, I was so glad to see a familiar face, even if I didn't know her. She saw me and appeared to be experiencing the same sense of relief. Her name was Rachel and she was a freshman, newly planted from Fresno. We decided to go explore this high school's lunchtime and see what kind of trouble we could get into. Nah, we just tried to find something to eat. I threw that last part in to see if my mom was paying attention. Anyway, we were instant best friends, and had no idea of the dances, cookie dough slumber parties, boys (ok, we saw that coming), ice cream orgies (cleaner than it sounds, i swear!), MUNI rides, McDonald's visits, NKOTB caused embarrassing moment, missed Madonna concert, years of laughter, tears, marriage and motherhood yet to come. Phew. So now we've come to one of those times when one of us needs a shoulder to lean on. A little cheering up with happy thoughts & wishes. So this was my little effort to bring a smile to her and her daughters in this very moment. I won't put her business all out there (cuz i think all that above was plenty!) but I will say I'm thinking about her and her girls and I know everything will be fine, cuz they deserve it. Love ya girl!

Stamps: Birthday Surprise (Verve), Scattered Showers & Fancy Flourishes (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Aqua Mist (PTI), Paper: white & Aqua Mist (PTI), Melon Mambo (SU!), Accessories: Copics:

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-11-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Alrighty. My last birthday for November. And because I'm such a last minute girl (i know, you're shocked!), I really struggled with this one. {I think I say that every time.} The problem this time was that I knew I had all these birthdays coming up and did them one by one, as they came. Well, I also knew that we were going out of town on her birthday, and did I hurry and get them all done in plenty of time so that I wouldn't have to rush last minute? No, of course not. So I finished all of my other cards and left my mom's for last, cuz, her birthday was the last one for the month. This is where it gets really sad. I truly did not feel I had an image for her card that was just right, so I went looking at Mo's (yeah, i spend a lot of time there). Now, at first, I'm sure you'd think, uh, isn't that image for little girls? But I saw the potential for bright colors. And if there's one thing my mom likes, it's bright colors! Don't believe me? Check out our family picture below.

Don't be mad, mom! It's a great picture.

Notice how we all kind of blend together? This was total coincidence, by the way. And then, there's my mom. Bright red dress with bright red shoes. Yep, I think I made the right call filling her card with lots of bright colors. FYI, we went on a cruise and took my (prone to seasickness) mom for her very first cruising adventure and she didn't chuck once! Way to go mom! So, all in all, I'm gonna have to say it was a very successful birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Stamps: Fancy Flourishes (PTI), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Image: Sugar (Mo's Digital Pencil Too), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Pink Pirouette & Pale Plum (SU!), Paper: Bermuda Bay (SU!), PTI white, Accessories: Nestabilities, Copics:

Happy Birthday Chance

2009-11-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a thought that started out brilliant and then later thought better of that thought but then couldn't think of anything other than that thought? K, if you're still with me, then that's what happened here. I saw this image (again, Mo's digital pencil, but you can only get it for free here) and thought I would use it for my upcoming boy birthday. Who doesn't know & appreciate Jack? Coming across something unimaginable...an unbelievable fortune for the taking. I love this image because it shows the unknown for Jack. Of course, we know what's going to happen, but he has no idea. And to me, it's like life. We have no idea what's coming and it could be great. Sure, it might not be, but who wants to look at it like that? So, anyway, let me tell you where the doubt came in. I wanted to use the image for a boy I know, but he was turning 13. Then I thought that it might look a little young for him. I didn't want to offend him, but then I got stuck & couldn't figure out anything else to use. I mean, I really couldn't. It was like my brain was blocked from figuring out any other option. So, I colored the image, printed up a sentiment from my computer (yep, I thought of that. brilliant, huh?) and put it together. He got it and I have talked to his mom about a billion times since then, but we've both been so distracted by life that I keep forgetting to ask if he chucked it as soon as he opened it. Oh, looking at the card I was reminded that I need to give Krista some credit here. I had the card pieces sitting on my desk how I wanted it laid out. I got a phone call, and while I was on the phone, she moved the pieces around and made it look like this. This is so much better than how I had it. So thank you Krista! And Happy Birthday, Chance.

Image: Mo's Digital Pencil, Sentiment: computer generated, Ink: Vintage tea dye (PTI), Paper: white, kraft & Ripe Avocado (PTI), Accessories: Copics:

Happy Birthday Ashley

2009-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that I really love this stamp set. I use that flower like it's my only stamp. I love it! Ok, I guess I love those polka dots, too. Didn't think I would, but I do! And I was aware while making this card that I used the same sentiment with the flower on my mother-in-law's card. But that's just because I really like the way they look together. Anyway, this card is for my sister Ashley who is turning 19. She lives all the way in Las Vegas and I miss her terribly. I won't gush about how awesome I think she is, but just know the awesomeness is there. There's no denying it.

I had to really dig (way back to last year!) to find a picture where she wasn't making a goofy face or rolling around in the driveway (don't ask), cuz she does that. But here she is, on the right. Those guys in the back would be my dad & my brother. And you know all those other people...

Anyway, Happy Birthday Sissy! I love you!!!

Stamps: Friends til the End, Vintage Picnic & Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: black, white, Sweet Blush & Berry Sorbet (PTI), Accessories: Copics:

Oh, Baby

2009-11-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

I believe this is the only non-birthday card I have this month. I managed to squeeze in a card for my niece's baby shower...well, the shower I couldn't go to. She already knows she's having a boy, which made my job much easier. She's registered for some fabulous baby stuff, but she doesn't live here, so I'm just going to mail the card and a gift card for said fabulous stuff to her. She hasn't lost her love for shopping yet, so I'm sure she won't mind going out to ooh & aah over all the cute stuff herself. I love buying baby stuff, but since I'm sooo totally done having babies, it can be a little bittersweet. You can buy the booties, but you won't get to smell them on a baby's sweet little feet. Or the tiny baby clothes that you can't imagine would fit on anything but a doll. Oh, how I miss all of that. It takes me back to when my girls were babies...then someone from the other room yells, "Mom! She's wearing my sweater!" or my personal favorite, "Mom! She's looking at me!" Yes, still. *sigh* Snaps me right back to reality and I wonder what in the world I was thinking to start all of this in the first place. Once again, I blame Shawn.

Stamps: Oh Baby (Hampton Art), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Bashful Blue (SU!), Enchanted Evening (PTI), Paper: white & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Bashful Blue (SU!), Accessories: Copics:

For Shawn & Krista

2009-11-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's that time again. It's my annual post wishing both Shawn & Krista a very happy birthday. Boy, times sure have changed. It used to be so cute, the two of them having their birthday on the same day. People would comment on the coincidence of it, and Shawn would joke how she's the gift that keeps on giving. And then it was more like, poor Shawn, always getting forgotten on his baby's birthday. Now they would both like their own birthday and it's my fault for not holding her in just a little longer. Well! I say it's always a miracle when a woman can eject a human being from her body and live to tell the tale. Even more a miracle when she decides to do it again. Well, this woman learned after the third time to quit while she was ahead. And, was even thoughtful enough to have that last baby in July, well away from everyone else's special day. You're welcome. Now, on to the cards.

I struggle with Shawn every time I give him a card. I don't know why. It's not like it has to be overly masculine. He's pretty secure as far as all that goes. {if you know him, you probably just chuckled and agreed with me. am i right or am i right?} And I could pretty much scribble 'I love you' on it in crayon and it would probably come across the same as something like this one. Yep, this one's a keeper! Um, Shawn, not the card. But I may just do that next time and see if he notices.

This card is very much Krista, who is 12(!) today. She loves green and black. She's very understated. Ok, so maybe the card is a little bright for her taste. And that ribbon...she's not that ribbon at all. But the other girls voted on polky dotted ribbon or solid black and the dots won. The teensy spot of pink will probably be very frowned upon once she looks at the card. I showed Tiara for her approval and she actually gasped at the pink bow. "But mom, there's pink on it!" Ok, really people? I can only use so much green without feeling like I've gotta break out! And I love using green on my cards. Sometimes you just need more, know what I mean? Anyway, we all know that this whole card making thing is really about mom and no one else. With that said, Happy Birthday!

Shawn's card: Stamps: I have no idea where that present stamp came from or who made it. Sorry. Sentiment from Birthday Basics (PTI), Ink: Ocean Tides, Ripe Avocado & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white, Ocean Tides, Ripe Avocado & Enchanted Evening (PTI)

Krista's card: Stamps: You Say It's Your Birthday (The Cat's Pajamas), Simple Little Things & Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Spring Moss (PTI), Paper: white, black & Spring Moss (PTI), Accessories: black Swiss Dot satin ribbon (PTI), Copics:

So Gray

2009-11-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm a little behind in making my bamillion November birthday cards, so I'm gonna throw up one of my extras. It's funny how I have all these birthdays and this card isn't really fitting for any of them. I like the colors and may go in this direction for Shawn (gee, guess I better think fast since his birthday is Sunday!), but the card itself isn't really him. And just to make things interesting, besides my 6 more birthdays, (altho, I really feel like I'm forgetting someone) I've got a baby shower on Saturday that also needs a card. While I can't actually make the shower, I've got a card and baby gift to send out for that as well. Phew! Man oh man, I better get to work since I need to get 3 guy cards made in the next week and we all know how much I love making those!

Stamps: Giga Guidelines, Background Basics: Text Style & Damask Designs (PTI), Ink: Smokey Shadow (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Going Gray (SU!), Smokey Shadow (PTI)

Happy Birthday Mrs. K

2009-11-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, yet another November birthday. This one is for one of our beloved teachers at the elementary school. All 3 girls had her in the first grade and we still just love her to pieces. She's one of those squishy teachers that never raises her voice, calls all the kids friends (as in, ok friends, let's take out our math workbooks) and keeps in touch with them 10 years after they've left her classroom (yep, still hugs Darien every chance she gets). Tiara still goes in her classroom to help her out sometimes. She just leaves an impression and I dare anyone who's had her to say they don't love her. Impossible! Well, that's all the gushing I've got today. You want more, you're gonna have to come back next time! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Life, Vintage Labels, Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Beautiful Kindness (Verve), Ink: Sweet Blush & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Vintage Cream & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities

Happy Birthday Theresa!

2009-11-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hmm, this is very interesting. I made this card a little over a week ago and yet I don't remember it looking like this. I thought it was different. Not a lot different, but still. How odd. Oh well. Obviously I made it, it's got my name on it. Yes, people, sometimes I can be this big of a dork. Wow, now I'm really hoping that my sister-in-law liked it. I've talked to her a bunch of times this week and the subjects have been so important, I keep forgetting to ask her if she even got it. Her mail is a little funny and she doesn't always get it. She lives in the middle of noflippinwhere. Well, gee, if she read my blog {mental note: tell Theresa to read my blog}, she could let me know right here! K, just so you all don't think I've completely lost my ever lovin' mind, this is just what I sound like when I've got several birthdays, a funeral, H1N1 (which I just heard a cat got?! good gravy!) at my schools and multiple family issues happening all at once. Hopefully one day (in, saaay, 20 years or so) things will calm down a smidge. Fingers crossed!

Stamps: Giga Guidelines, Vintage Labels & Background Basics: Text Style (PTI), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Ink: Aqua Mist (PTI), Bermuda Bay (SU!), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Vintage Cream & Aqua Mist (PTI), Bermuda Bay (SU), Accessories: Nestabilities

Happy Birthday Izzy

2009-11-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, November! It's a little crazy that it's November and yesterday it was around 80° here. Not to rub it in for you people that actually have winter, and all the shtuff that goes with it. Trust me, I've had my fair share of harsh winters (5 total, good enough!), didn't love it and can sympathize with those of you not feelin' it. But wow. If you are having yucky weather where you are, maybe it'll make you feel better to know that this "yes, no" weather is making our allergies just insane! It's cold, it's (not quite) hot, it's cold, it's (not quite) hot. It's wacky is what it is! Anyway, starting off our November birthdays is my mother-in-law, whose birthday was Sunday. I had a different card for her, but I had to veto it and decided simple was better for her. I went back to one of my favorite sets, Friends til the End. I used a lighter color scheme for her, even though she's got a very bold personality. *patting myself on the back for phrasing it so nicely* Aww, she knows we love her, and no one could ever accuse her of being shy! And that's all I've got to say about that. Have a fabulous day!

Stamps: Friends til the End & Vintage Picnic (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: Groovy Guava (SU!), white & black (PTI), Accessories: Mike's ribbon colored with R02, Copics:

Feel Better

2009-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Right off I should let you know I wasn't going to use this card. I had something different in mind when I started (don't I always?) and this happened. And I liked it. But then that thing happened where I stopped liking it as much. So I was gonna make another one. But I still had another birthday card to get done that absolutely had to go out. So I put off the second get well card for a bit. I finally finished the birthday card and then...it happened. I started to get sick. No worries, it's just allergies. But it hit so hard and so fast that I couldn't breathe, think or stop sneezing & blowing my nose. It was bad. Shawn was convinced it was the swine flu. It's going around, maybe you've heard. *sigh* Yeah, well, I only sneeze with allergies. So I gave up trying to make another card, took some okay photos of the ones I finished, got them ready to mail, went to bed and here we are. This card is for my step mom, who had some crazy reverse bionic woman like surgery. Not kidding. She had a battery pack removed from her back cuz it wasn't working right. So now we just wind her up with the giant key in her back...ba dum bum. Thank you, I'll be here all week. Yes, sadly that is the kind of sick humor our family uses. But no seriously, there was a battery pack that was doing nothing for her chronic pain, so they removed it. It's not fun (when is surgery fun, tho?) and I hope she makes a full recovery soon. So we sent off this card and some pictures of the girls to make her feel better. Tia actually made her own card and mailed it, but I forgot to take a picture of it while in my allergy induced stupor. Sorry.

Stamps: Fancy Flourishes & Tea for Two (PTI), Ink: Pretty in Pink (SU!), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Pink Pirouette (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI), Accessories: EK success punch, Darien's lovely signature on the inside =)

Trick or Treat!

2009-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking. Purple again? Or, more Bella? Let me assure you, it's purely coincidence, on both points. It's a funny story. See, what happened was, I was stalling. Gee, I guess it's not really all that funny after all. I've got all these November birthdays coming up, the first one on Sunday, and I wasn't sure which direction to go for that first one. And since I had this digital image already printed out, I thought I'd get some coloring done to get me inspired. Well, I was totally inspired...to make a Halloween card. Unfortunately, that's not what I need to get done. Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me. As far as the 'dreaded purple' is concerned, that was actually the last thing I colored. I had already done all the black and didn't want the whole thing to be black, so I ended up with purple. I couldn't get it out of my mind, what with all the Halloween decorations being purple & green lately. When did that happen? I swear Halloween was all about the orange & black when I was ~~little,~~ er, ~~younger~~...ugh, not that long ago!

Stamps: Sentiment (Inkadinkado), Image: Mo's Digital Pencil, Ink: Smokey Shadow (PTI), Paper: white (PTI), Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Accessories: Copics

Yaayyyy Purple!

2009-10-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

There it is. That color that's so hard for me to work with. I love it, but struggle to use it. Well, it happened today because that's what color dress Bella lucked out with. You would laugh if you could watch me sit & agonize over which colors to use. I just sit & stare at my Copic chart wondering which colors to use for my main images. I stare at it like a color will become obvious & magically appear on the page yelling, "Use me! Use me!" I think to myself, 'If I color her skin this color, will a yellow dress wash her out? Don't use pink, you always use pink. Would the blue be too dark?' So, as you can see, the purple won this round. Crazy, I know. Also, I should mention that this is again, a digital image. This is another of Mo's images, but this one is a freebie. If you join her group at Paper Craft Planet or SNR Card Universe, you can download it for free. And as you can see, Bella is just tickled purple about it.

Stamps: Smells Like Cake (The Cat's Pajamas), Image: 500 (Mo's Digital Pencil), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Lavender Moon (PTI), Paper: white & Plum Pudding (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities, Lavender Moon satin ribbon (PTI), Uniball Signo white pen, Copics:

Thank You, Scarlet

2009-10-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

So now I suppose you're thinking that, while making my Christmas cards, I got stuck on these colors. Well, yeah, I do love them. But trust me when I say that this is probably the 5th (at least!) color combination I used trying to make this card. I saw the Giga Guide Lines set by Papertrey and thought, "Ooh! I cannot wait to get my hands on those stamps!" And then I actually got my hands on them and couldn't get anything to come out how I wanted. I knew I would love them in Scarlet Jewel, so I tried that with kraft and on my second try with those colors, I got this. The first card is similar, but...off. So I did some tinkering. Phew. And the picture is not the best, cuz it took me so long to get the card right I had to take the picture at night. Boy, the things I do so you people have something new to look at! Really, one day (are ya tired of hearing this yet?) I'm going to figure out how to take better pictures of my cards. Maybe I can get my brother to come by & help me some time, since he's the expert {Kaleb, are you out there?}.

Stamps: Giga Guide Lines & Background Basics: Text Style (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Scarlet Jewel (PTI), Paper: kraft & Scarlet Jewel (PTI)

Christmas Boxes

2009-10-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Boxes. I love making boxes. They're fun and easy and people love getting them. Especially when you fill them with chocolate. The last 2 years, I've done the tins (here and here) at Christmas, because I love those too. They just make a great presentation. The wrapped chocolates (again, who doesn't love that?) and some cute way to cover the tin itself...just fun! But this year, I'm going to do something different. Once I saw the Tucked Away template from Lauren Meader, I knew I had to have it. But after I made a couple of them, I decided to use those instead of tins for Christmas. Now, I feel I have to say that this is what I say now. But I estimated that I'll be making roughly 20-25 of them, so we'll see how well I'm doing once I've cut out, umm, say 11 of them. It's really not that bad, so I don't think I'll have a problem. But I do have some leftover tins, just in case. I just made 8 of the bigger version of the box for a teacher at school. I gave her one for her birthday and she liked it so much, she asked me to make her some for her Christmas table at church. So of course, I said sure!

Since they are for church, I made them totally traditional (well, for me anyway). None of my funky personal touches. Most of the time, I make stuff specifically to go with who it's for. Well, I try. So she's already got them and she was really happy with them (phew! don't want my kid flunkin' 5th grade. hahaha). And I was just glad I could do it for her. This is one of those things she stresses about every year (don't we all have at least one ~~million~~ of those?) and was so thrilled to find a solution. I did 2 of each design, cuz I had to save some ideas for my own boxes. Yeah, not really. What you see is what you're most likely gettin', people.

So that's one more Christmas project down and one more to go. I gotta get started on my own boxes and figure out how to use this patterned paper and make it work with kraft, since that's what all my finished Christmas cards have. Emphasis on the finished (yay me!).

Stamps: Ornamental Christmas (Verve), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ripe Avocado (SU!), Antique Linen distress (Ranger), Paper: Garden Green, Old Olive, Merry Moments DSP (SU!), white, Pure Poppy & Vintage Cream (PTI), Accessories: Tucked Away template, Ripe Avocado, Vintage Cream & Pure Poppy ribbons (PTI), oval & scalloped punches, Wild Wasabi ribbon (SU!), eyelets

Kraft Christmas Card Collection

2009-10-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, here we are. The finished products. I finished all 50ish cards and they're all the same, but different. Got that? Lemme explain. You know how for the last couple of years, I've made about the same amount of Christmas cards, but there were different looks. Last year, I did this and this. And then there were some color variations, but it was a year ago, so I don't remember what exactly. So this year, I went with one look. But of course I wasn't gonna do them all the same. That would be crazy talk! So, using the same stamp set, I switched it up a little. Very little. But enough to make it not quite so boorrrring.

The first one is probably the most like the one you saw as my rough draft. It uses the bigger set of stockings and has the green cardstock. Of course, in the rough draft, I didn't realize I had Ripe Avocado paper, so that one used Always Artichoke. Hmm, maybe I should check my supplies once & a while. So this one has the stockings stamped on kraft instead of Vintage Cream cardstock, my pretty, pretty swirl (get used to looking at these!) and the sentiment stamped in Ripe Avocado ink instead of black. I also edged the kraft with Fresh Snow ink.

For this card, the smaller stockings are stamped on Vintage Cream. I sponged the edges with Antique Linen distress ink and then mounted the image onto Enchanted Evening cardstock. Love this look. I also used Enchanted Evening ink for the sentiment. This time the swirls were done in Vintage Cream ink for a bit of a softer look.

And for the last look, it's back to the kraft paper. I mounted it on Scarlet Jewel cardstock, and I think this look is my favorite of the bunch. I love how the Scarlet Jewel looks with kraft paper. The little swirl in the stocking matches the swirl in the background. Aaahhh. Just came together so nicely. So, if you get a Christmas card from me, all the mystery you have this year is big stockings or little stockings? Kraft or Cream? Golly gee. You're probably on the edge of your seats with anticipation!

Oh, and a little aside note for my mom & anyone else who thinks my font has gone crazy. I noticed that the normal font (this is normal size!) with my new page is tiny. So I tried the large size (just one size bigger) with this post. If it's too big, like it's yelling at you, let me know & I'll put it back. Or you can adjust the size yourself by hitting ctrl and then moving the wheel on your mouse until you get somewhere you like. If you do that and your computer explodes, um, my bad. But it seems to work for me. Have a great day!

Stamps: Stocking Prints & Fancy Flourishes (PTI), Ink: Bashful Blue (SU!), Antique Linen (Ranger), Fresh Snow, Vintage Cream, Enchanted Evening, Scarlet Jewel, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado & Smokey Shadow (PTI), Paper: Kraft, Vintage Cream, Enchanted Evening, Ripe Avocado & Scarlet Jewel (all PTI)

For the Love Birds

2009-10-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Simple + Classic colors + Elegant swirls = A happy, happy me! I was asked once again to make a card for someone for their anniversary and luckily I was in a high mojo moment. I agreed right away and when I started the card, I took out my anniversary sets and came up with this. I think it's very sweet and love how it came out.

I also think it was very lucky that I could focus on anything else besides what I was working on. I was in the midst of finishing up my Christmas cards when I was asked. Yup, I'm done! Crazy, right? Took me a little over a week from concept to finishing around 50 cards. Last year, I think it took me about 2 months to get it all done. There really is something to be said for simple. So now I'm just finishing up getting the Christmas cards together, photographing them and you'll get to see them soon.

Oh, and for those concerned...Tia has made a full recovery. She came to me yesterday when she woke up and told me, "I feel all the way better. Nothing hurts." Aaaah. Music to my ears!

Stamps: Anniversary Birds & Hearts on Fire (Verve), Damask Designs (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: black & white (PTI), Accessories: R29 copic (had to sneak 1 in there!)

Rough Draft

2009-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, first things first. I know, where the heck have I been? Well, I've had this "rough draft" of my Christmas cards done for a while, but all 3 girls got the flu at the same time and it has been just madness around here. Darien is the only one who's been to school all week. Well, Krista did give it the ol' college try on Tuesday, only to realize her mistake around 2nd period, when she called me from the office to come & pick her up. She is improving, she just didn't allow for that recovery time. Tiara is not doing as well. She's way behind her sisters and I am just amazed at how long it's taking her to feel better. I guess it's the standard amount of time for the flu, but in comparison to her sisters, it's an eternity. Poor baby.

Alrighty, on to the card. I just want to warn you. This is my first version, which I did last week some time. I have maybe, 3 other "new & improved" versions of pretty much the same card that I'll have to show you when I get them put together and can get a good (well...good for me) picture. But none of the other ones look just like this. This is a one of a kind. Not really crazy about it. Once I took the time to think about how to make it better, and me happy, the card just kinda took off. So I'll get those up as soon as they're ready.

Stamps: Stocking Prints (PTI), Ink: Ocean Tides, Enchanted Evening, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Smokey Shadow & Scarlet Jewel (PTI), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: Kraft & Vintage Cream (PTI), Always Artichoke (SU!), Accessories: Fiskars border punch

The Happy Couple

2009-10-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry. I've been sitting on this card for almost 2 weeks. I've been crazy busy and haven't had the time to post anything. And when I have had the time, I just couldn't think of anything to write. So, no, I still don't have anything earth shattering to write about, but I'm putting up something new for you to look at. I know how frustrating coming to a blog that you love can be (oh, how I flatter myself!) and there's the same picture you've been looking at for forever! One of my favorite blogs sat untouched for, like, 4 months. But I kept coming backing, hoping she'd make another masterpiece. And she did. Totally worth the wait. And then you come to mine and you get this. It's a wedding card (duh!) for Shawn's cousin. She got married last month and this is my "Congratulations on your nuptials, sorry we had to miss it cuz of Shawn" card. We got the invitation for this wedding months ago. So all summer I would tell him to call his cousin and let her know that we weren't not RSVPing to be rude, but we weren't sure about the date. I was just positive that Darien was going to have a volleyball tournament the day of the wedding, but we wouldn't know until school started. Well, then right before school started (in the middle of tryouts, actually) she decided not to play this year. So by the time we figured this out, the date to RSVP had passed. And I still told him to call her and he never did. Lesson learned: don't let Shawn be in charge of anything. Ever. Oh, and the team did have a tournament out of town that weekend. Fabulous. And I just want to point out something on the card. It was really hard to get a good picture, but the background is embossed with flourishes, just to make it fancy. Hopefully if you click on it, you can see the detail. Thanks for not giving up on me & stopping by!

Stamps: Fairy Tales (Verve), Fancy Flourishes & Vintage Labels (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Paper: white & black (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities, clear embossing powder & Mike's ribbon

Happy Birthday Alyssa

2009-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey there. I did it again. I copied myself. I made this card for a ~~girl~~ young lady turning 13. I had a card already made that I liked for her, but Darien told me it was too young of a card for her. Well, that kinda stuff usually leaves me stumped. I can't get around the idea already stuck in my head. So I just copied the layout and used a different image and different colors. I think it worked. The scrolly image, fancy pants font and use of black is older, but my latest favorite go-to background (polky dots!) and Aqua Mist keeps it young and fresh. Ok, maybe the polky dots are not fresh since I use them all the time, but definitely young. It's a fine line between old fogey and toddler. K, maybe that would be a really wide line, but the point is teenagers are difficult to make cards for. Too young and they could be offended. Too old and their mom is glaring at you. Why yes, I do have an overactive imagination. Thank you for noticing. But I like to cover all my bases with my worrying...making sure no one is left out. I think for this one, I'm good.

Stamps: Vintage Labels, Polka Dot Basics & Damask Designs (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Aqua Mist (PTI), Paper: black, white & Aqua Mist (PTI)

Darien's Sweet 16

2009-09-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

So, I was looking at my stamps, and yes, I have a lot of them. I was trying to find just the right image to use on Darien's birthday card. I like Damask Designs, but thought it might be too fancy for such a fashion forward but laid back girl. Piece of Cake...Friends 'Til The End...ugh, I just don't know. Would you believe I did not have just the right image anywhere in aaallll the stuff I have? (hey, gotta justify new stuff anyway i can!) So I remembered that I had been somewhere online that has different stuff. When I finally remembered just where that was -ah! Mo's Digital Pencil - I went & had a look-see. Hmm, I almost used this image, but it was more fairy than dancer, and that would've been perfect. Then I came across her teen drawings and this one made me laugh. Yep, that's Darien. If she doesn't straighten her hair, it would be big & puffy. Ok, curly, so she doesn't completely hate me. Plus, on the phone, eating, shopping and wearing a cute outfit...that is my baby! And the really good thing was that it's a digital image, so I didn't have to wait for it to ship to me. I just downloaded it, resized it and printed it right away. Of course, it took me an hour to color it in, but it's my baby, so it was worth it! I have to thank Darien herself for being the inspiration for the card. The day I made it, she was wearing almost the exact same outfit. Only her shirt was hot pink and I wasn't quite that brave, but basically the same thing. Oh, yeah. She'd probably like me to point out that she would not be caught dead wearing Uggs. K, moving on...

How much do you love this box? It's actually the 2nd one I've made, but I never really got a good shot of the first one that I gave to a teacher at the elementary school (it was slightly bigger and filled with chocolates!) for her birthday. This one, however, is not filled with chocolate. Darien is 16. She wants a car, way less rules and money. That's about it. Well, how about 1 outta 3? She just likes to have stuff to open, so I made this so she would have the card and a fancy box. How about that? Mother of the Year, I can feel it coming my way!

So here they are together, so you can get a better idea of how big the box is. Tiny. But just the right size for some cash! So that's it. My baby is 16 years old. No, she's not driving yet, but it's coming soon. And she should be lucky she has her dad to teach her, cuz I may be fabulous at a lot of things *snort* but I do not possess the nerves of steel it takes to be sitting there the first ~~100~~ couple of times my daughter is behind the wheel. Anyway...

Happy Birthday Darien!

Supplies: Image from Mo's Digital Pencil, Stamps: Piece of Cake & Wedding Day (PTI), Circular Sayings (Verve), You Say It's Your Birthday (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Pink Pirouette (SU!), Paper: Pink Pirouette (SU!), white & Smokey Shadow (PTI), Accessories: Pink Pirouette ribbon (SU!), flat back pearls, punches, Nestabilities, eyelets, Copics (yeah, i used ALOT this time):

Spread Those Wings

2009-09-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just made this card and have already thought of a couple of ways I would change it. But I'm short on time, so I'm leaving this one as is. I have been busy struggling to make a card for Darien's birthday (Sunday!) and I think I finally have it done. I think. Well, if I leave it alone and don't decide to completely start over, I'm done. Anyway, I thought I'd throw together a little eye candy for ya until I put up her birthday shtuff. I know I usually have a hard time with certain cards (cards for guys, all 3 of the girls...), but this year's birthday card was different. She'll be 16 and I'm sure she has high expectations. I think where I go wrong every time is I'll make a card for someone else, and one of the girls will go, "ooh! i love that. i want a card like that." And do I ever make a note of that & write it down? Nah, that would be too easy. Let's just wait until days before their birthday & sweat it out like a nervous wreck and then hope for the best that whatever I've made doesn't make them puke. K, so maaaybe I'm exaggerating. But only a teensy bit. I do try to outdo myself and sometimes I feel like I've succeeded. So, we'll see this year.

Stamps: Beautiful Kindness (Verve), Ink: Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Paper: Vintage Cream & Plum Pudding (PTI), Elegant Eggplant & Rich Razzleberry (SU!), Accessories: butterfly punches, scalloped edge punch, flat back pearls

Happy Birthday Angie

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is technically my second card for her. The first one was that lovely basket one down below. Last week, her awesome husband e-mailed me and asked me to make a card for her that he & the kids could give her. He said she'd like that better than one he bought. Awwww. It was sooo sweet. So, of course I said yes. And I was so excited and honored. Then came the panic. Two cards? For the same person? Two completely different cards? Breathe. Breathe. Ok, so I finished the first one. And I liked it. Yay, me! And I was feeling pretty good about myself. Then I got stuck. It was like I had never made a card. Like the last card was all I had in me. No more ideas. All dried up. Great. I gave him the good one! I didn't even know where to start. It was like I had no stamp sets that were worthy. And, hahahaha, that's really funny, cuz if you could only see how many stamps I have...Anyway, as you can see, I got both cards done. And I like this one for her. It's (almost) her favorite color. And it's whimsical - and who doesn't need more of that in their lives? Happy Birthday, girl!

Stamps: Charlotte & Kenya Kettos (Stamping Bella), Friends til the End & Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: Groovy Guava (SU!), white & Berry Sorbet (PTI), Accessories: corner punch, white satin ribbon (PTI), Stickles, Copics:

Birthday Basket

2009-09-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

K, so I totally copied myself here. I needed a card in a hurry, so I thought I'd just skip the whole 'let's be creative' part of my routine and instead went with 'I need a hip card that was previously well received'. Going thru my mental gallery, I came across this card. I still love this card, which is saying a lot. Usually after about a week of looking at something, it loses its appeal. (oh, i should clarify that this just applies to my cards. after 17 years, i must say my husband is still pretty stinkin' cute!) *Ahem* Back to the card. Of course I had to change it up a little. While I was making it, I realized that the white base just wasn't as nice as using the Aqua Mist. And the Aqua Mist itself just made the whole card softer, which is what I was going for. Huh, I guess working under pressure is good for me. Maybe I should tell myself there's a deadline for winning the lottery!

Stamps: Vintage Picnic (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: black, white, Aqua Mist & Everyday Blessings Patterned Paper (PTI), Accessories: Aqua Mist grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Copics:

The Sweet Life

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well, that was it. That was the last weekend of the summer. Hope you enjoyed it. It was nice for me as far as the weather is concerned. It finally cooled down. I just cannot hang with those temperatures in the 100's. It's just so unnecessary. Blecchh! And while the official start of fall will be nice when it gets here, my season is winter. Most people think I'm nuts for that, but living in California, we don't really get 'winter'. Sure, it gets cold, but man, winter in Michigan...now that's cold. I've done that and I'll take a California winter over that any day. Besides, you can always layer clothes when it gets cold. When it's hot, taking off all your clothes still doesn't cool you down. Not that I would ever subject anyone to that sight. I'm just sayin'. So bring on the cooler weather. Jeans & cute sweaters & boots. I love it. Sunshine paired with cool, crisp weather. But I also love the rain and the holidays. Our traditional Christmas 49er game at the 'Stick. Not to mention the bamillion Christmas cards & gifts that I do every year. Ok, let me quit fantasizing. After all, it's still early September and it's probably going to be 90 degrees today.

Stamps: Cupcakes (Hampton Art), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: white & Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Accessories: corner punch, Copics:

Big Ol' Candles

2009-09-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

I know. You probably thought that I'd surely follow up what seems to be a popular card (for me, anyway) with something amazing. I mean isn't that why it's been sitting up at the top of my blog for days & days? Well, it's been sitting there cuz I haven't been able to make anything since that chair-ish one (ha, still funny). Not that I haven't had time, just nothing has been coming to me. I did make this one card (but not this card) that I thought was ok. It sat on my desk for a bit and then when I went to photograph it, I noticed that the ink had smudged. I totally blame my kids. I have no idea what happened, so I thought I'd just spread the blame around evenly. No one has fessed up, so what's a girl to do? I just figure it was an accident or maybe they didn't know (suckerrr)...they're always sitting at my desk, looking through my projects, writing on my scrap pad. And I wasn't in love with the card. If it were something I spent hours on, torturing myself to get just right, there would have been an investigation. An inquisition. Bloodhounds. Rolling heads. All that. But no, it was just a card. Anyway, I needed a couple of cards, so I whipped up a few simple ones to get my mojo flowing, cuz I've got some big birthdays coming up. Somebody's turning sweet 16. No, no pressure...

Stamps: Birthday Brackets (Stampendous), Cupcakes (Hampton Art), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white & Plum Pudding (PTI), Accessories: Crystal effects on the flames (SU!), Copics:

Chair-ish. Ha!

2009-08-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen something you like, but you're not sure why you like it or what you'd do with it if you had it? That's this stamp set. See, I'm one of those Papertrey Ink fanatics. When Nichole starts her sneak peeks on the 5th of every month (right around the corner!), I'm there, even though you only get to see one little black & white image from an upcoming set. The real excitement starts on the 10th, when you get to see actual projects made with the sets. yes, i know how sad this sounds to the non-stamper. but i'm ok with that. Anyway, most of the time I secretly hope I won't like every set coming out, cuz who can afford that? This month is the exception. Christmas stamps are coming and those are my favorite! again, sad and again, ok. So, the month On My Couch came out, I saw the little sneak peek and was so relieved I laughed. Furniture? Yeah, that's one I'll use every day. Phew! Then the designer, Lisa Johnson, started making samples with it and the more I looked at it, the more I had to have it. I still have no idea why. Maybe I loved the idea of coloring the couch & chairs. Or maybe it was the sentiments (chair-ish. i must be 5, cuz that cracks me up. although, a 5 year old wouldn't really get that...). Whatever. I just know that sometimes stuff just doesn't make sense, but if it makes you happy, isn't that all that really matters?

Stamps: On My Couch & Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Enchanted Evening (PTI), Paper: white & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Accessories: Copics:

Happy Birthday Dana

2009-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. Turns out I can make a card without Copics and still enjoy making it. I just love the look of white ink on dark colored paper. It's always so striking to me. And as simple as this card is, it took a couple of tries to get the flower in just the right spot. You know how persnickety I can be about such things. So what we have here is another simple card that makes me very happy. Lots of times, when I finish a card, I like it, take a ~~million~~ couple pictures of it, look at it for a couple of days if I haven't given it away, blog about it and then realize something I would've changed. Ok, I usually have an idea before I blog a card, but if I've finished it and it took some serious time, I won't do it over. Yep. Lazy. You got me. But if it can easily be fixed, I'll fix it. This card, I actually like just the way it is. And I've already given it to Dana, so it's really too late. But if I were to make it again (which I'd only do if I needed an emergency card), I'd probably make it the same. So there you have it. Simple satisfaction. I don't get that a lot.

Stamps: Friends til the End & Birthday Basics (PTI), Ink: Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: white & Scarlet Jewel (PTI), Accessories: Scralet Jewel satin ribbon (yep, you guessed it, PTI)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-08-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

So here's the guy card I was stressin' on (once again!). While making it, I realized what a super dork I can be. When I first saw this Vintage Picnic set from PTI, I thought, "oooh, how cute! I'm sure I can find a million ways to use that!" And since I've gotten it, I've tried to use it on every card I've made. It's quite sad, really. If I could've found a way to use it on 10 year old Kayla's card, I would have. I just couldn't make it work. So, of course, when I started making my dad's birthday card, I totally forgot that I had already told myself I should use the little envelopes on it. Why, you ask? He's a mailman. Get it? Clever girl, I know. In fact, best darn mailman in Vegas. Don't believe me? Check this out:

The mailman is my dad. You can't see him clearly, but trust me, it's him. I'm not sure why the quality is so bad or where the good version went, but there he is, workin' Christmas packages!

So anyway, when I started his card, I got stuck. Hmmm, golly gee, what image should I use for his card? I sat there for the longest time before it hit me and the earlier stroke of genius returned. Phew! And then I wasn't sure it would all go together, but Darien thought the text background on the kraft paper really went with the envelopes. She thought I was quite clever. Yep, that does seem to be the consensus! Anyway, I want to wish my daddy a super happy birthday, even though he doesn't read my blog & wouldn't know how to get to it anyway. Not computer savvy in the least. No, really. Hey, that makes the snail mail thing even more appropriate. Whew! The girl is on a roll!!!

Me & my daddy earlier this month in Vegas. Isn't he the cutest?

Stamps: Background Basics: Text Style & Vintage Picnic (PTI), Ink: Fresh Snow & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: white, kraft & Enchanted Evening (PTI), Accessories: Nestabilities & Copics:

Happy Birthday Kayla!

2009-08-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

So before I could make this card for Kayla, I had to figure out what I could do so that it would match the handy box I was going to make to put her CD in. First, her favorite color is orange. I have to be honest and say I wasn't in the mood for that kind of challenge. I don't even have orange stuff. You know me, I fear that color. I thought some bright patterned paper would work for both things, so I broke out the polka dots. I love this paper. Now, she's turning 10, so finding an image that she wouldn't think is babyish was also a challenge. But Tia knows her inside and out and approved of the Huggabugg, so we had a winner. The rest of it just came together. I didn't want that 'Happy Birthday' to feel lonely down there, so I stuck some pearls underneath and colored them with my awesome Copics. I do occasionally make cards without them, but that's not nearly as much fun!

I put her box together, made sure it matched, and sent them off with Tia to Kayla's birthday party. I've had this template for a while, but never had a chance to use it until now. It was so easy it's ridiculous. I love these things!

Yes, that's a Jonas Brothers CD peeking out from inside the box. I just wanted you to see how it opens. I'm so bad at photographing these things, but you get the idea. The ribbons hold it closed and you just slide it to open the box. Easy peasy.

Stamps: Huggabugg (Stamping Bella), Birthday Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Paper: white, Raspberry Fizz & Raspberry Fizz Mix paper (PTI), Accessories: Music Makeover Template (PTI), Nestabilities, flat back pearls (Kaiser), Raspberry Fizz satin ribbon (PTI), white sheer ribbon (Michael's), Copics:

Vintage Picnic

2009-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! Yeah, I don't really believe in those, but I'm throwin' it out there for those of you that do. I'm writing this on Sunday night, so there's still a hint of optimism in me. Actually, if all my girls stay healthy & out of the ER, that would make it a happy Monday. So, the card. I realized while making this that most of the time I never know where I'm going with a card when I start. I knew I was going to use this image and what colors I was going to use. The rest just kind of evolves. I got lucky that I had enough room to make the image a circle, since I decided to do that after I colored it all in. Not that it would have been the end of the world if I had to color it over, but I would've probably changed something since I hate doing the exact same thing twice. And this card is for a September birthday, so I'm waaay ahead of the game and just so proud of myself. Of course, I still have 3 birthdays in August I'm not even close to being ready for, but why worry about such things? The closest one is...wow, 5 days away. Guess I should get to work on that since it's for a guy and you all know how much I looove making cards for guys.

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Vintage Picnic & Vintage Picnic Sentiments (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black & Versamark, Paper: white & Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Certaily Celery (SU!), Accessories: clear embossing ink (PTI), Copics:

ER Drama & Happy Birthday Kaleb!

2009-08-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Man, what a week! I've got 2 of the 3 girls registered for school. Yes, it's back to school time and you know what that means. Hospital visits! Yes, friends, that's how we McKeevers start the school year. We can't stop now...it's tradition. <--- That right there is just a little refresher for you in case you forgot, or brand spankin' news, in case you're new to the blog. So what kind of ailment have ya got for us this year, Chuck? Why, we've got an ER visit for Darien due to chest pains! Which is a real added bonus, since Tia went to the ER just last week in Las Vegas for the exact same thing. Now keep in mind, Darien doesn't like to just be limited to just before school starts. And it's never anything normal. My kids are medical anomalies. Did you know that you can get a pinched nerve in your neck that can make you so sensitive to light that you feel like your head will explode if you're not in complete darkness? True story. Did you know that a possible side effect of immunizations is strange zapping throughout your body? Maybe true. The day after Darien got her shots (MMR & chicken pox for those of you taking note), she started having weird zaps all over her body for 3 days. Since she didn't have a taser surgically implanted inside of her body, the best explanation they had was, "maybe it was the shots". Golly. All those years of school and sometimes they still come up with nothin'. So, today's outcome was "non cardiac chest wall pain. But we have no idea what caused it." To be fair, they said it could be muscular or it could be viral. Well, that makes it much better. I should say that I'm glad we have insurance and we can be seen at times like these, and I'm glad that it's "it should pass" instead of "it's a pulmonary embolism" or something horrible. But jeez. Don't kids get regular, old fashioned colds anymore?

Ok, on to the cards. My brother's birthday is Saturday and this year I thought I'd do something different. Well, it's still a card, so it's not that different, but I haven't done this before. This is not a stamp. It's a line drawing that I found online that I printed out and colored in. As soon as I saw these drawings, I knew I would use one of them for his card. So, I did the green one first and Darien's reaction was less than enthusiastic. Well! I liked it, but wanted to see what it looked like in red. So I printed it out again, a little bigger this time and this is what I got. I'm sending him the red one, so I guess the green one gets added to the collection. The pictures could be a little better (trust me, the flowers are so pretty IRL), but I took them at night so I could have something to show you. Again, you're welcome. Now, go have a healthy day!

Supplies: Paper: white, Pure Poppy & Smokey Shadow (PTI), Handsome Hunter (SU!), and of course, my trusty Copics!

Vegas & Happy Birthday Kristina

2009-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, I know. Very naughty blogger. But I have a good excuse this time. Well, ok, it's the same excuse. I didn't have anything to post. But I couldn't work on cards to make to post cuz I was in Las Vegas again. See? Needed a little down time before all the craziness started up again. And as soon as we got back, it began. The schools started calling with their "back to school" messages. Aaarrrrggghhh! Not yet! We still have 2 weeks to go. Slooooww it down, people. Sheesh! Don't they know I have like, a bamillion cards to make and can't be bothered with registration and school supplies just yet? Priorities! Anyway, so here's a little picture of all of us in Vegas. You wanna see the whole shebang, you have to be on facebook. (Don't worry, it's not that exciting)

Trying not to melt in front of the Bellagio. Stinkin' water show wasn't even gonna start for another 90 minutes. They were doing some work on it. We left.

Ok, try as I might, I could not get a decent picture of this card. I don't think it makes any difference to you, but I sure care. Her hair is brown, not all auburn-y. And the ribbon does sorta match the lightest purple in her dress. Stinkin' lighting. Eh. Whatev. It's the best I could do since I had to come home from Vegas Friday, make the card yesterday morning, photograph it & then take it to the birthday girl. Phew! And I did all this, for you. Well, I went to Vegas for me and I made the card for Kristina...but I took the picture for you! You're welcome.

Stamps: Dahlia (The Greeting Farm), Pretty Princess (SU!), Around & About Sentiments (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Lavender Moon (PTI), Paper: white & Plum Pudding (PTI), Accessories: Lavender Moon satin ribbon (PTI), Inkssentials white pen, Nestabilities, Copics:

Greetings Earthling

2009-08-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

So many different ways to go with this set and I chose awwwwww. Aren't these just the cutest little aliens you've ever seen? Not like there's tons of cute aliens walkin' around, but still. And I just can't believe it's August already. The girls go back to school on the 24th, which is only 3 weeks away. And for us, that's only 1 more week of nothing. Then it's registration for all 3 schools, volleyball camp, volleyball tryouts and trying to find green shirts for Krista's new school uniform this year. Let me just say, black or navy polo shirts would have been sooo much easier to find. Then there's the fact that I have 9 birthdays in August and have, um, yeah, NO cards made for those. Not to mention the fact that back to school time is usually when I start thinking about Christmas cards. I do know what I'm doing for half of my cards. I haven't found stamps for the other half yet. I'm on the hunt for inspiration. So as you can see, I've got tons to do and yet here I sit, typing this. Man, I've got some work to do.

Stamps: Greetings Earthling (SU!), Polka Dot Basics (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Fresh Snow (PTI), Paper: PTI white, Green Galore (SU!), Accessories: Copics

Miss Match

2009-07-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

K, so this card. The general consensus around the house was "eh". That was the feeling I had when I finished it. I'm not sure what it is that I'm not wild about, I'm just not. Then I showed Darien and she said the same thing. Then I showed Tiara and I'm pretty sure she heard Darien say she wasn't crazy about it, and then me agree, so she went along with it. She probably really liked it, but agreed with her sister instead of comforting her mother. I have to say, I kinda like that. Yeah, I would like her to be honest and have a mind of her own, but when they stick together (which is rare), I just get tickled. And I was so bummed to not be thrilled with this card, cuz I just love the image. Her name is Miss Match, so I let that be my guide. She's my tribute to Darien's friend, Jenna, cuz she wears 2 different shoes everyday. She's one of my favorite teenagers cuz she just makes you smile and she's got a great spirit. And that whole 2 different shoes thing just cracks me up.

Stamps: Miss Match (Stamping Bella), Simple Little Things & Around & About Sentiments (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pink Pirouette (SU!), Paper: White, Raspberry Fizz & Aqua Mist (PTI), Accessories: Stickles, Nestabilities, Copics:

Finally, right?

2009-07-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm a horrible blogger. But you should know this about me by now. If I don't have anything made, I don't blog. And I had absolutely nothin'. So I finally had the time to sit & create and I just had to start with my Kettos. I love these stamps. They are so fun & carefree. Look at what they made me do. I used all kinds of colors here & I never do that. You know, I'm more about the matchy matchy, not the mix n' matchy. And I have to add that Darien helped me with my colors. I had another image of Kenya colored, but wasn't in love with it. But I knew I still wanted to do shades of red with her dress. So Darien suggested yellow for the flowers and it just brightened up the whole thing. And yes, she does like the final product. And so do I.

Stamps: Kenya Ketto (Stamping Bella), Polka Dot Basics & Mixed Messages (PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Berry Sorbet (PTI), Soft Sky (SU!), Paper: white, Lemon Tart, Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist (PTI), Accessories: Palette Glitter, Fiskars border punch, corner punch, Copics:

Teepee or Not Teepee

2009-07-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ha! How fun is this one? I'm not sure if you can tell, but I'm feeling a little bit cheeky today. I really wanted to whip up a quick little card, and this set that I was all excited to get was feeling a tad neglected. When I saw this sentiment, I giggled. I thought, how perfect. For what, I'm not sure. Just thought it was perfect. Perfectly cute, maybe? Then I thought, I have to use it, but what would I use it for? Then genius struck. I know. I'll just use it to make a card for my blog and then never actually *use* it. I do know someone who I can give it to, who can then give it to someone else. Yes, she'd use it. There, genius again. Whoooo-eeee, I'm on a roll! So, real quick about the card. I distressed the edges of the white paper, so it would look, well, distressed. Almost like fabric, but not. Then, when I sponged it, I realized that it probably would have looked better if it were on cream paper. Eh. Well, I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Most of the time when I'm making cards, I make it up as I go along. I know, I know. I heard your collective gasp (since all 4 of my readers read my blog at the exact same time). Now, you probably thought, cards this awesomely put together are surely planned out step by step, detail by detail, waaaay ahead of time. Nope. I pretty much wing it. No, really. Gosh, I sincerely hope I haven't ruined any perfect imaginings you may have had of me (it's ok, you're not the first, probably won't be the last). Yes, people, turns out I'm just a regular Joe...ann, like everyone else out there, pounding out card after card. Sorry to have to dash that for you. Now go have some chocolate & feel better.

Stamps: Havin' a Pow Wow (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Versafine Onyx Black, Creamy Caramel (SU!), Paper: Handsome Hunter (SU!), white & kraft (PTI), Accessories: Copics:

Birthday Bot

2009-07-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Look at me, I found a set for boys that I can actually work with. Well, to be fair, it works for both boys and girls, and that's even better. For this one, I went back to a very simple layout, so the image is the real focus. Did some very simple coloring of the image and ta daaaaa. While I can sometimes be impressed with myself for my complicated cards, I find the simple ones make me the happiest. Of course, as simple as this one is, I still found myself to be challenged while making it. I just can't seem to line up rubber stamps anymore, cuz I can't see through them. I am so spoiled with my clear stamps that when I get something made out of good ol' rubber, I'm lost. Most of the time it doesn't matter, cuz I stamp images and then cut them out. But when sentiments or, in this case, numbers need to be in a certain spot...let's just say I got really lucky this time. On my second try. Luckily, the first card base wasn't a wasted piece of cardstock. I'll just cut it, flip it over and use the other side. I use a lot of white paper, in case you hadn't noticed! And now I've gotta get busy & use some of that white paper cuz I've got a LOT of birthdays coming up. Have a great Monday everybody.

Stamps: Lots of Bots (SU!), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Paper: white & black (PTI), Accessories: Copics:

Happy Birthday Tiara!

2009-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that my baby (my baby!) is 10 years old. That's crazy to me. I'm just going along, living my life and then BAM! No more baby. No more single digits. Double digits from now on. Forever! The good news is she's a young 10. Some people may not see that as a good thing, but trust me, I have a teenager. I know. It's a great thing. I mean, she wanted Webkinz for her birthday. Awww. How sweet & innocent is that? She loves Build A Bear. And cartoons. And hugs. Ok, that one's not necessarily age specific, but it's still cute. I'm around kids a lot and I have to say that kids these days are just older. Not to sound like an old fogey (which I've actually been accused of, but I'm ok with that), but they are. The language, the attitudes...it's really a shame that kids don't get to be kids longer. It really does just go way too fast and I'm hoping to stretch this one out for as long as possible. Happy birthday to my baby.

Stamps: Sparkle & Phoebe Ketto (Stamping Bella), Around & About Sentiments (PTI), Ink: Fresh Snow (PTI), Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: White & Plum Pudding (PTI), Accessories: pearls, Stickles, Palette glitter, Copics:

Happy Birthday Cayden

2009-07-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

I love this card. It took me 2 weeks to get it just right, but it was worth it. I even started out with a completely different image, but I just couldn't get it to work. When I came across this one, it felt just right. And I'm really feeling the bright green. I struggled with what colors to use for Cayden's birthday card, cuz I didn't want to do just pink and last year I used pink, yellow & orange for the flowers on that card. Not that I think she's keeping track, but I am and you know how neurotic I can be! {who, me?} Anyway, I thought this dress was just begging for green, so I went to one of my favorite green Copics (YG05) and this is what I got. So my next struggle was the background. What haven't I done a million times...recently? Swirls! But they too, started out as different swirls. And I wasn't feelin 'em. So I had to bring out the big guns. Priceless! Yes. Love that swirl. And of course, now that I know about making my own ribbon color with my Copics, I had to make ribbon to match. Although, looking back, going over the ribbon twice would've made it darker. Live & learn. And yeah, I know you can dye ribbon with ink pads, but the ribbons always feel sticky to me. So there you have it. A birthday card for a 9 year old. The kind of 9 year old whose mom also makes cards, so she knew to open it, and ooohh and aaahh, and say what a pretty card it was. Gotta love her!

Stamps: Dahlia (The Greeting Farm), Priceless (SU!), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Green Galore (SU!), Paper: PTI white, Pretty in Pink & Green Galore (SU!), Accessories: Silver sheer metallic edge ribbon & white satin ribbon (PTI), scalloped oval punch (SU!), Stickles, Copics:

Howdy, Pardner

2009-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

How cute is this little guy? So very, I know. This is another one of those sets that I've always wanted and have wondered what in the heck I would do with it if I actually got it. I have 3 girls. And they're not cowgirls, much to certain grandparents' dismay. K, so nobody's terribly disappointed. But seriously, mom, how cool would it have been if they (or even just one of them) were obsessed with all things equine, like you? Anyway, we don't really know any little boys anymore. They're all pretty much passed the "buckaroo" stage. But I started thinking of other ways to use these sets. Um, no, I don't have any other examples just yet, but I'll roll them out slowly. I just had to do the obvious card first. Yeehaaaaww. And these are definitely great sets if you like to color, which we all know by now, I most certainly do! Look, I'll color anything. I found coloring a cactus exciting. Yes, ladies and...well, probably just ladies, this girl has got it bad.

Stamps: Havin' a Pow Wow & It's a Western Thing (The Cat's Pajamas), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Close to Cocoa & Creamy Caramel, Paper: PTI white & kraft, Close to Cocoa (SU!), Accessories: circle punch (SU!), Copics:

Wishing for Showers

2009-06-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Man, has it been hot! I don't know about you, but summer has hit us here and it's ugly. There's just really no point in having the temperature be over 100 degrees. What is the point of that?! Yuck. I'm trying to keep the running around in the heat to a minimum. Darien is working at the elementary school again this summer, but this year it's only two days a week, which isn't too bad. The other girls don't have regularly scheduled happenings, so that really helps. We thought we'd go to the city to get a break from the heat. Well, even during a heat wave, the city can be quite warm. And even though it was warm in the city (for the city, anyway) 80 degrees beats 107 any day. So while I'm trying to stay nice and cooool, I figure, what's better than stamping? Well, other than playing referee to your bored and bickering kids.

So this is me playing with Scattered Showers. This set is so cute. It was (again!) one of those deals where it's sooo cute, but what would I do with it? Aw, heck. Why worry about such trivial things? So I made a birthday card. If you click it (figures crossed), it should get bigger and you can see the little pearls I put inside the flowers and along the bottom. They were plain ol' white, but I colored them with my Copics to match the ocean tides cardstock. Pretty cool, huh? *i heart my copics!*

This is one of the cards Miss Rachel got in her care package o' cards. I think. Yeah, I sent her this one. It started out completely different and ended up like this. But I made it so long ago, I don't really remember the details. But I do like how it turned out. Oh, I know. I think it was gonna be a tag, like for a gift bag, for some kind of shower. And then I thought she would think I was completely off my rocker, so I turned it into a real card. Yes, that's what happened. Riveting, I know. Anyway, a nice, cool, rain shower sounds so nice right about now. But no. We've got 'burn your feet with no shoes on heat'. And even though it brings school and a crazy hectic schedule, fall just can't come soon enough for me. Well, ok, fall weather.

Stamps: Scattered Showers (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ocean Tides (PTI), Paper: PTI white, Ocean Tides & Lemon Tart, Basic Black (SU!), Accessories: Ocean Tides satin ribbon, Lemon Tart satin ribbon & button (PTI), pearls, Copics: BG72, Y06 & Y02

Dem Flannel Lookin' Cards

2009-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, before you guys jump all over me about how these cards are not "that bad" and "great guy cards", let's just pretend that you are me for a moment, k? I had a vision. I had a picture in my head. Only, my picture was blurry. I could see the stamp clearly. Everything else, not so much. This was the stamp. I love this stamp. When I go to Michael's, I basically walk in the door with very low expectations, because our Michael's never has new stuff. They have had the same original Cuttlebug embossing folders since the Cuttlebug came out. And that's pretty much it. And the Cuttlebug has been out for what, 10 years now? What's that you say? It's only been 3 years? Huh. Ok. Well, they haven't had any new ones in, like, two years then. That's not a good thing. So anyway, I was moseying with no particular purpose down the stamp aisle and saw this stamp. It's almost like a stamp collage I sometimes put together for my cards. Only it's already done for you! I love that. So I got it. And had big plans to use it. Yeah, I had plans. But somewhere along the way, I got sidetracked. Lost, if you will. I'm just not sure what happened. The main focus was there and the background was nonexistent. What should I do, what should I do? I'll make a background. Mmmhmm. Exhibit A.

And I liked it. I did. And do. It's not as jazzy (i know. hip lingo, eh?) as I had in mind, but it looks like it's for a guy, right? Right. So, I'm taking my double line strip stamp and stamping out my background. Oh, yeah. Look who's doin' it. And I get to the very last one and missed. I thought I could line it up. I was wrong. It totally smudged. Which I totally thought added to the ruggedness of the card (just go with me, people). I thought (and this is totally selfish on my part) "good enough, he'll never notice", put it together and sent it on its merry way. Ok, if it were for someone who was gonna really look at it and analyze it and love it to pieces {mom} I woulda totally done it over. But it wasn't. Plus, I was really trying to work on my tendency to make everything perfect. You people are the ones telling me I'm too hard on myself and to relax. This is me relaxing. Good enough.

Alrighty, here we have exhibit B. I figured this time I would just skip the whole "let's make a background!" insanity and use some handy dandy patterned paper. And again, I like it. I kept them both simple and masculine. The problem is, I make these cards and take pictures of them and then look at them next to pictures of my pretty, pink, nonflannel, sleeping bag reminiscent cards and go "ugh". So, to clarify, I do not hate these cards. I just mentioned them and you silly people asked to see them. That'll teach ya.

On a final note, I just had to touch on Michael Jackson's passing. I was shocked to hear this news, which came across as I was writing this post. He was such a huge part of my growing up. Who didn't record (on a vcr!) the video for "Thriller" when it came out? And then play it over & over until you knew all the moves? I still know that video by heart. I remember a friend I had in high school who was obsessed (and I mean obsessed!) with Michael Jackson. The day the video for "Bad" came out, we left school and went around the corner to my house (i'm sure it was lunch time, mom!) to watch it. He was soooo excited. Michael Jackson was such a big influence on so many people. No matter what he went through in his later years, he was a musical genius and an amazing entertainer and I hope to remember him like that.

Stamps: Make a Wish Message (Hero Arts), Faux Ribbon (PTI), Ink: Soft Suede (SU!), Versamark, Paper: Vintage Cream (PTI), Soft Suede, Baja Breeze & Parisian Breeze DSP (SU!)

Father's Day

2009-06-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

So, for Father's Day, I found this thing online where they were having "live museum day" at the USS Hornet Museum. Shawn loves all that kind of stuff, so we surprised him and took him. It's this lovely aircraft carrier that you see in the picture above. Yeah, we had some grumbling, but I told them to cork it cuz we're doin' it for dad! And they did. For the most part, anyway. FYI: The USS Hornet was the prime recovery ship for Apollo 11. In other words, when those guys splashed down, this was the ship that picked them up. Pretty cool.

Here's Shawn in the cockpit of some flying thing. I don't know. A jet? Hey, I wasn't taking notes! Just think Top Gun. It's something he's always wanted to do. Now all he has to do is actually fly a plane and his life will be complete!

Shawn & his girls in front of this jet/plane thing. I'm not sure what makes something a jet & something a plane. Size? Can you tell this day was all about him & I knew nothing about what was going on? Doesn't matter. He still loved it. Let's just be glad I remembered to bring the camera.

Just to prove I was there, here's me & the girls. I won't even try to describe what we're standing in front of. Actually, it's more of a helicopter. You know, those big ones? Yeah, one of those. So, that was our day. It was actually more interesting than I make it sound. I just know more about cardstock and ink than I do about military vehicles. Limited knowledge, limited descriptions.

I'll be back before you know it with some cards. Now that's something I know about!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm gonna admit it, right here, right now. I totally and completely, 100% blanked. June is just my 'what the heck?' month. What's my least favorite card to make? That's right, cards for guys. And what's in June? Oh, you have no idea. Yes, Father's Day is in June, but so are Shawn's dad's and 2 brothers' birthdays. (yikes! don't even say anything about the grammar/sentence structure/use of apostrophes in that sentence cuz you know what i was trying to say! and if, by some miracle, it's right - nevermind) And all those birthdays are a week apart. One is today, and then Father's Day is tomorrow. My mind is just bent over all this. And I think I did start out with the idea that they were all gonna get the same card. But for some reason it didn't happen that way. I'm not sure where I went wrong. I think I thought I could improve on the first one and then something, something...I have no idea. So, when it came to Father's Day, this was all I had left. Don't get me wrong. I like this card. I like it more than the birthday cards these poor guys got. And then I justified it by thinking, do guys really care? Naaahhh. Aren't they just amazed that someone remembered them? I say yes. And simple/classic is way more my style than the flannel sleeping bag inspired cards they got for their birthdays. *shudder* Sorry, guys. And Happy Father's Day!

Stamps: Simply Stationery & Father Knows Best (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white & Smokey Shadow (PTI), Accessory: Nestabilities

Green Tea

2009-06-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I guess being on summer vacation (and I use the word vacation loosely) has me all confused. I keep forgetting what day it is and keep losing track of when I'm supposed to blog. But check out that title. Huh, huh? Yeah, I've still got some wits about me. Green tea, get it? Man, when the girl's on fire, she's on fi-yah! Or not. Anyway, how much do you love this card? Yeah, the best ones always have some kinda story behind them. I made this one weeks ago, so the details are a little fuzzy, but I do remember having 3 of these images just sitting on my desk by the time I actually got the card finished. The first one, I cut too wide so it wouldn't fit on my base. And it had to have all those layers. The second one, I forgot to leave enough green cardstock at the bottom for the ribbon. Darien was laughing at my frustration at this point. That memory is clear as day. But sure enough, third time was the charm and I got this thing done. Yay me! And this card is one in a set that I sent to Rachel, the self-proclaimed tea snob. She loved that first tea card I made so much, I made her her own version of it, and a variety of other cards, including this one. I hope she ~~loves~~ ~~worships~~ likes it as much as I do.

Stamps: Tea for Two (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Wild Wasabi & Basic Black (SU!), Accessories: black satin ribbon (PTI), Copics:

More Chocolate!

2009-06-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, school's finally out for us, so these are the last of the tins. I swear. Well, for now. You know they've become my signature Christmas gift, but we've still got some time before all that starts up again. Anyway, I thought I'd put these tins up because 1) they're different than the last ones, 2) they showcase the new SU! In Colors and 3) they're prettied up chocolate. C'mon, do we really need numbers 1 & 2? I think not. Ok, so the first one up there is the new color Melon Mambo. It's pretty close (imo) to PTI's Raspberry Fizz, which, if you've been paying attention, you know I LOVE. And yes, they came out with markers for this year's In Colors, but I'm not a SU! marker kinda girl. You probably also know that I love me some Copics. So, that's what I used to color my ribbons to match. The color I used for Melon Mambo is RV19.

This is the new color Bermuda Bay. Yep, I love this one, too. Kinda wacky. I didn't really think I was gonna "love" the new colors like I kept hearing, but I do. They are fun & bright. Not the most original colors I've ever laid eyes on, but I've loved using them so far. And the Copic I used for this one is BG13.

And finally, this is Rich Razzleberry. Even if I didn't really like the color (which I do!), I love the name. Razzleberry. So fun to say. It's more purple-y than the picture shows, but you know me & my picture takin' skills. Sad. Very sad. Leaves so much to be desired. One day I'll have to work on that. Ha! You should see my pictures before I edit them in Picasa. *shudder* Anyway, I had to use 2 Copics to get the color I wanted for this ribbon. I used RV19 and V06.

Stamps: Spiral Bouquet, Guide Lines, Wedding Day & Simple Little Things (PTI), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry & Melon Mambo (SU!), Paper: Avery labels, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry & Melon Mambo (SU!), Accessories: tins, eyelets, Mike's organdy ribbon, Nestabilities

Goodbye Tins

2009-06-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's the return of the tins. I can't help it. They're so easy & neat & filled with chocolate. That chocolate part just can't be beat. Plus, I still have a gajillion of them left. This time, tho, they're for some people that are leaving the elementary school. My buddy Bree is moving waaaay across the country, so I thought I'd give her some nuggets as a parting gift. And a super good luck to her. But now who's gonna tell random stories that make everybody crack up? (the one with the crossing guard still makes me giggle) Ugh! And then Ms. R is leaving us and is just going across town, but still. She did us an awesome favor a couple of years ago and I'm still appreciating that one. And, somehow, she didn't get a tin from me this year for Christmas (and was sure to let me know it!) so I thought it was only right to give her one as her good bye gift. She told me that she loved the one she got last year so much that she still hadn't opened it. Ok, ew. (and she's not the only one to tell me that. what?! people, eat the stinkin' candy!) Ok, well, don't eat it now. So, with the new tin, take a picture of it, then bust that bad boy open! It is to be enjoyed, not stared at. Wacky! Anyway, I'm gonna miss you ladies. Good luck and let us know how you're doing. And like that, the school year's over. Have a great summer! {yeah, i'm not going anywhere. i'll be here posting all summer. i just thought that was a good way to end my post. see ya in a coupla days}

Stamps: Best Yet (SU!), Damask Designs & Faux Ribbon (PTI), Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip & Soft Sky (SU!), Versamark, Paper: Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa & Chocolate Chip (SU!), Ocean Tides (PTI), Avery labels, Accessories: Nestabilities, Ocean Tides satin ribbon & Sweet Blush grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Hershey nuggets & tins (Specialty Bottle)

Mint To Be

I've Moved

Birthday Girls

Thinking of Red

Gee, Thanks!

Happy Birthday Tiara!

Happy Birthday Clarissa

Yay Devin

For My Teachers

For The Graduate

A Quick Thank You

For My Baby

Happy Happy Birthday

Celebrate...Cupcakes!

Happy Mother's Day

Mmm, Cupcake!

Little Boy Blue

Happy Birthday Madeline

Happy Birthday Kimmie!

Birthday Dahlia

Many Thanks

Alrighty, I'm Back

Zion is 1!

Happy Birthday Amanda

Birthday Balloons

Butterfly Dreams

Buttons, Buttons...

Mmm Mmm Good!

The Guy Card

Happy Birthday Papertrey

Thanks Mom

Thank You, Thank You Very Much

Polky Dot Fever

Happy Birthday Brenda

My Brain Thinks It's Spring

Year in Review

Happy New Year

Birthday Snack

Merry Christmas

No Stamps Used *gasp!*

Just Because

It's A Girl

Holiday Boxes 2009

For My Friend

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Chance

Happy Birthday Ashley

Oh, Baby

For Shawn & Krista

So Gray

Happy Birthday Mrs. K

Happy Birthday Theresa!

Happy Birthday Izzy

Feel Better

Trick or Treat!

Yaayyyy Purple!

Thank You, Scarlet

Christmas Boxes

Kraft Christmas Card Collection

For the Love Birds

Rough Draft

The Happy Couple

Happy Birthday Alyssa

Darien's Sweet 16

Spread Those Wings

Happy Birthday Angie

Birthday Basket

The Sweet Life

Big Ol' Candles

Chair-ish. Ha!

Happy Birthday Dana

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy Birthday Kayla!

Vintage Picnic

ER Drama & Happy Birthday Kaleb!

Vegas & Happy Birthday Kristina

Greetings Earthling

Miss Match

Finally, right?

Teepee or Not Teepee

No Stamps Used gasp!