Almost Ready!

Our house is buzzing with excitement! Less than a week til our vacation trip!! I am slowly but surely getting everything ready and I think I have finished my shopping.  I say, I think, because I am sure there will be a last minute dash to the store for something we forgot...

So here is our newest countdown card!

So now all there is to do is wait, and try to keep the house clean until we leave.  My Mom is taking care of Shadow while we are gone and she has been instructed on how to properly spoil him in my absence.  Hopefully he will have some fun while we're gone too!

Well, I'm off to the store! Trying to grocery shop for enough food to get us through until we leave... I really don't want to clean spoiled food out of the fridge when I get back...

Scrapbook Monday- CYC

Every year since my oldest DD has been in 5th grade, we have made the trip to Gatlinburg, TN with my sister for CYC (challenge youth conference).  Some years, there is a large group that goes from her church, and others, it is a much smaller group. Regardless of how many are attending, we always have a wonderful time, gain some new insights into our faith, and spend a lot of quality time together.

The pictures on this layout show some of traditions of our CYC trips.  I love the view of the Smokeys as we enter Sevierville, especially when they are snow covered! The gentleman in the middle pic is our favorite presenter.  He has an incredible talent for drawing you into a personal story filled with humor and adventure,  and then when you least expect it, he gives you the Biblical version of his story. It has helped my daughter (and me) to see that God is so much a part of our every day lives if we only take the time to look for him. The sign in the last pic has been the setting for the final picture of the weekend for years.  My sister has pictures of her little boys in front of the sign.  They are all now grown men!

I used up some stash items on this layout.  I have tons of 12x12 cardstock from various makers and I am determined to use all of it up, eventually! The stickers have been around for quite some time too!

Layout Recipe: Stamp Set- Just Journaling (ret), Ink-black Stazon, Punch-eyelet border, *paper and stickers are from stash

Flash Back Friday- Using Flowers

I'm feeling quite proud of myself today! Since summer vacation began last week, I have managed to go through the girls' closet (got rid of 6 bags of clothes), went through a few storage containers and eliminated 2 of them, AND even found time to be crafty!!! While I was doing my mini cleaning spree, I came across a plastic shoe box container with silk/fabric flowers in it.  I have not used most of these in ages and thought they would be the perfect supplies for my new resolution to use up some of my 'stash'.

So here it is... My first Flash Back Friday Creation...

I decided that in keeping with the 'out with the old' trend, I would pull out some retired DSP to work with as well.  This is Tea Party, a very retired pack from Stampin' UP.  I used an old Page Maps card sketch to create the layout of the card (I actually use those a lot, so it's not really anything new...)

So here is the recipe for my card:
Cardstock-so saffron, pretty in pink, Ink- basic gray, Stamp Set- Curly Cute, Other-scallop trim border punch, Flash Back Items-Tea Party DSP, fabric flowers

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and find some time to be crafty!!

Less than 2 weeks!!!!!

 So are you tired of my countdown for Disney?  Well, I am so excited to announce that it's almost done!! Yea!!!  Here's the latest card from my sister...

I think other than the flamingos, this might just be my favorite so far!! Now I have the Mickey Mouse Club song running through my head... M-i-c-k-e-y-M-o-u-s-e, Mickey Mouse...  Hey, it's better than 'It's a Small World'!!! I'm busy doing our last minute shopping, planning out our final details, and before long the packing will begin!!! Woo! Hoo!

I'm already trying to get enough projects completed so you won't miss me too much while I'm gone!!

Scrapbook Monday- Raiding the Stash

Hello! I have an actual scrapbook page today, and it's not even from my sister's birthday!!  I finally got some pictures from our 2010 trip to Gatlinburg, printed. I didn't realize just how many pictures I took at the aquarium until they were printed and in my hands...sheesh!  Of course, DD wanted pictures of all of the animals and they HAD to go in the scrapbook.  I would have really been stressing out over this (um... is 20 fish pages overkill?!) except that I did a little cleaning the other day.

I have a drawer of scrapbooking stuff where I tend to put odd and ends, kind of like a junk drawer, only definitely not junk!  I found some photo sleeves that can be used to make a waterfall type display on a scrapbook page.  I don't remember when I bought them and I think they were from Creative Memories (?), but thought 'I should remember to use them someday'.  Well, today is that day!! On this one page, I have 9 pictures!!!! Not too shabby!

Sorry the picture is all lopsided and has shadows! 

Mr. Sun and Ms. Camera did not get along today!!

I ended up using these for 3 different pages.  So now there will only be 6 pages from the entire weekend.  Still a lot, but DD is happy and I will be done with the pictures from this trip!! The big plus is that I used up some of my stash!

After I finished this page, I realized that the sleeves wouldn't have to be used to recreate this, especially if going in a page protector.  So here is how to do the waterfall without the photo sleeves...

1. For the top layer, cut a piece of card stock 4 1/2 x 6, then add 1/4 inch for each additional layer (ex. 4 3/4, 5, 5 1/4)  If your photos are vertical, it would be 4 x 6 1/2.
2. Score at 1/2" to create the fold at the top. Repeat for each layer.
3. Use brads to attach all layers together.
4. Attach photos to each layer, lining them up at the fold line.
5. Use sticky strip to attach the waterfall to your page.

On a different note...I've made another crafting resolution.  I am going to do at least one project a week that uses my older supplies.  I have so much paper, ribbon, stickers, and embellishments that I could probably do this for years!  To keep things realistic, I'm planning on doing this through the summer when I have a little more time to go through things.  Since posting my scrapbook pages has helped me stay on task, I am going to try the same thing with these projects! So starting Friday, I will have a post using my oldies but goodies!  Keep me in line!!!

Hope everyone has a great week!  Thanks for visiting me and happy crafting!!

Scrapbook recipe: paper and embellishments from stash, SU brights brads, simply scored, sticky strip

Disney Countdown continues...

Now that our summer vacation has started, the days until Disney are really approaching fast!  I realized in a panic yesterday that I do not have a swimsuit that fits (must have shrunk in the dresser...) So... I went online and ordered a new one from Lands End-the ONLY place I will buy a swimsuit! Of course, they had the cutest shoes on sale that I knew would be perfect for sunny Florida and I added them to my cart too! My inventory for everything else went pretty well.  A few pairs of cute shorts and capris and I will be good to go.  The girls have more clothes than I do and will have no problem finding outfits.  We bought their swimsuits about 2 months ago over spring break.  They are a little more excited about trying on and buying swimsuits than their mother!  That just leaves DH... I am sure he will tell me the evening before we leave that he needs shorts, shoes, and shirts. 

So in keeping with my updates, here is another card my sister sent to the girls.

There are only a few more of these before we load up for the trip.  I think I am getting more excited than the girls.  Of course, I have already been to Disney and know what is waiting for us!  

I really appreciate all of the input and ideas my blogging friends have shared with me! It is great to have an unbiased opinion on various rides, places to eat, and shows.  I'm not sure how we are going to cram all of this fun into each day, but we will do our best!! And if all else fails, there is always the resort pool and my NEW swimsuit!

Have a great rest of the weekend and happy crafting!

Out of the Box for Mother's Day

I am officially on summer vacation!! I can not tell you how wonderful it is going to be to sleep in the next few days!  But enough of me rubbing my good fortune in your faces!!

Last weekend, I needed to make a couple of Mother's Day cards for Mom and my MIL.   I have seen flower pot cards on different blogs, but never saved a link.  I went to Pinterest to see if I could find one with instructions.  *Here's a little background on me... I'm not sure why, but I tend to make most of my cards the standard size.  I've done a some square cards and even a few shaped cards, but I always end up going back to good ol' 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  And my cards ALWAYS  fit in the envelope (stop laughing, Lisa M, don't you judge me!!).  So I was trying to stay away from any designs that would be too big.  I found the perfect one here and Brenda's step by step instructions were fabulous! Even better, it would fit a standard card envelope!

So I got busy cutting and scoring the pot, making the insert and then the fun part-the flowers!!  I wasn't sure how many I would need and didn't want to stop to make more after I started assembling so I made a nice variety to choose from. Then something incredible happened, well at least for me...  I went crazy! I kept adding more leaves and flowers and absolutely loved how it was turning out.  I finally hit a point where I looked at it and thought 'OK, I'm finished.'  Then it hit me... There was NO WAY this was going to fit in a standard envelope!!!  I had completely stepped out of my comfort zone, had a wonderful time, made a card both Moms would love, and I had no idea how I was going to present it to them!  Luckily after a little digging, I found some larger envelopes, left over from who knows what, and there was enough room to slip the cards in without squishing them.  Problem solved!  I'm just glad I didn't have to mail these!

I decided to use all of the retiring In Colors on this card.  I absolutely love pear pizzazz, but hadn't really used a lot of the other colors.  I'm also hoping I haven't forgotten any of the supplies.  It was a bit of a whirlwind of creativity on this one!

If you would like to recreate this card, I highly suggest clicking on the link above! Her directions and pictures really made this easy to create!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-2010-2012 In Colors, whisper white, Ink-pear pizzazz, concord crush, Stamp set-Fresh Vintage (from SAB), sentiment-unknown, Accessories-bakers twine, Boho Blossoms punch, eyelet border punch, bird builder punch, fun flowers die, floral fusion and little leaves sizzlit dies, square lattice folder, perfect polka dots folder, petals a plenty folder

Disney countdown- Less than a month!!

I can not believe in less than a month, we will be in beautiful, sunny, Florida!!  We are checking the wardrobes to see what we still need and of course there will be a shopping trip for those necessary items, you know... shoes, cute bags, adorable outfits...the important things!

This is the most recent countdown card from my sister.  She has a Disney cricut cartridge that has been getting a workout on these cards!  I've already asked permission to steal borrow it after we get back!  A friend has shared a Disney digi site with me.  I haven't checked it out yet, but I'm hoping using MDS will make scrapping the mound of pictures a little easier!!

Aren't those Mickey ears the coolest?! Tomorrow is the last day of school and I can not wait! I love teaching and can not imagine not spending my days with the incredible preschoolers, but I'm really looking forward to some late night crafting time!!!  Hopefully I will also have the time to get caught up on my blog visiting!!

Have a wonderful day and happy crafting!!

Scrapbook Monday-sort of...

Well, I did manage to find some crafting time over the weekend, but it was not for scrapbooking.  I needed to make Mother's Day cards for my mom and mother in law, plus I had a special project I needed to make for some children at church.  I did use MDS for the project, so that is sort of like scrapbooking right?! (help me out here!).  I have found that I LOVE MDS for any project that I am making more than two! So incredibly easy to replicate!!

Ok, there is a story that goes with this project so bear with me.  If you are impatient and don't want to hear my entertaining tale, then scroll down to the picture!

I volunteer at our church as the children's song leader.  When they are to sing at church, I am responsible for teaching them the songs and also helping them practice.  Sunday, our church celebrated the 1st Communion of 8 children, as well as Mother's Day.  I have been working with this group since January to help them learn the song they would sing as a group.  Usually, I have a few divas and hams that really belt out the songs, but this year's group was rather reserved and quiet.  I decided I needed to work something out to get them to sing loud enough for other people to hear them.  Three weeks ago, we practiced in the church and I told them I would make a deal with them.  I said, "If you guys can all sing out the first time we practice, do you know what that means?" My answer was we would only sing it one time...but before I could finish, one quick young man replied, "You'll give us a lifetime supply of chocolate!"  Well, being the chocoholic that I am, I had to laugh and said "Nooooo...  But if you sing it well the first time, we won't have to practice it again."  Then I added, "and maybe I will have some chocolate for you after church."
Now, I should have known that children never forget anything you promise them, especially if it involves candy.  At our next practice, they reminded me about our deal.  So, there I was trying to figure out how to keep my word in a tactful way that wouldn't just be about giving chocolate.  I decided a cute wrapper would work nicely.  Normally I would buy the 'good' chocolates as a gift, but I am sure these guys and gals will be just as happy with their full size Hershey bar!  The sentiment on the wrapper is taken from the words of the song the children learned for their special day.  I printed this out on regular printer paper and cut it to fit around the Hershey bar.  A little bit of tape and I was done!

The kids did a wonderful job and even smiled while they were singing!  After church, I presented them with their gifts.  I'm hoping they took the time to read the wrapper before tearing into the chocolate!  I'm also hoping no parents are ready to beat me for giving their child chocolate while they were in their nice clothes!!

I was so proud of myself for making notes while I made this, so I can share the supply list!!  The background is Script in kraft, tree image from Thoughts and Prayers in pear pizzazz, text was Daun Penh in early espresso.

I will be back later in the week with the Mother's Day cards I made!  Happy crafting!!

and the countdown continues...

Here's another fabulous Disney countdown card  from my sister!  My girls are keeping track of who's turn it is to open the cards!! I'm just hoping they won't keep expecting so many cards from my sister after the trip...

and the inside... 

the color is a little wonky, not sure what happened...

We've made our dinner reservations and have scoped out some of the attractions.  I never thought I would put so much planning into a trip.  I'm usually a 'kick back and enjoy the ride' type on vacations!  My husband was thrilled to find out that the suite we are staying in opens right before we arrive. No worries about bed bugs and unnamed contaminants for Mr. Germophobe!!  I'm just excited that there are two bathrooms and multiple pools!!!

Orange you glad it's a sneak peek?!

Apologies for the weak humor in the title, but it popped in my head as I was looking at the picture for this post!  I am not a huge fan of orange.  I don't mind it in small amounts and as an accent, but not usually crazy about it as the primary color of my creations.  So imagine my surprise when I was looking at the different patterns in Summer Smooches (coming soon!) and decided that tangerine tango would be the perfect color to show off these lovely papers!  Guess this is a good thing since orange seems to be the hot color this year! The weather has not been cooperating with my photography, so I apologize for the blurry pic! It is so hard for me to get a decent picture inside...

This was another card from my stamp club.  I tried to keep it neutral so it could be used for male or female, young or not-so-youthful, etc. and this DSP is perfect for just about any type of occasion.  This is really the most simple card to make!  Just a few punches with the postage stamp punch, glue, stamp the sentiment, and TAADAA! you're done!!

I am putting the finishing touches on my school year this week and am hoping to squeeze in some scrapbooking time this weekend! Only one more week til our summer vacation begins! WOO! HOO!  Time to make something new with my incoming shipment of NEW products from the NEW Stampin' UP catalog that comes out in June!!!  Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting to all of you!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-tangerine tango, Summer Smooches, Ink-basic black, Stamp Set-Outlined Occasions (from SAB-ret.), Accessories-postage stamp punch

Pretty Little Purses!

I had intended to post this in April, but completely forgot! So now instead of a special early bird deal, we will just call this a sneak peek!

These cute little purses were created with a Big Shot die that will be available in the new catalog that will come out in June! I often wait before purchasing a new die because I like to see how many different ways they can be used before I buy one, but this time, I made an exception!  The purse on the right also has a sneak peek at some new DSP!  I made these cute little things as a thank you gift for my club ladies.  I also put some samples of bakers twine inside them!  I was really surprised by the actual space inside these.  They held quite a bit of twine and I also put candy in some of them as a gift for two special little girls.

It was amazing how easy these went together! The die cuts and scores, so all I had to do was add a little sticky strip, some DSP and a few brads! How easy is that?!

I may not have a Scrapbook Monday this week.  I am wrapping up my school year and there is always so many last minute things that need to be finished.  Add to that two busy girls and a DH with a crazy work schedule and there's not a lot of free time right now.  My poor supplies are feeling quite neglected right now!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and may you find some time to be crafty!  Oh, and happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you! Tee! Hee!

Project Recipe: cardstock-so saffron, daffodil delight, Summer Smooches DSP(sneak peek), Delicate Dots (ret.), Accessories-summer smooches fabric brads (no longer available and I am completely bummed!!), antique brads, petite purse die, big shot