Moon River...um...Lake?

My very weak attempt at humorous word play was inspired by a new to me stamp set from Stampin' Up.  The stamp set is called Moon Lake, but every time I see it I think Moon River, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Audrey Hepburn singing.  While 'Moon Lake' isn't as melodic, it is a beautiful stamp set and oh so perfect for masculine cards.  I am in dire need of some manly cards in my stash since there are quite a few birthdays approaching and no cards in sight!

Both of the cards I made are a nice blending of the old with the new.  My newly inked stamps went perfectly with my retired Well Worn dsp and always artichoke ribbon.  I also had to dig into my retired card stock for the river rock base.

I used a combination of markers and pastels to color the images, but I think I really like the pastels better for this stamp set.  My marker skills still need a lot of work, and chalk is pretty forgiving and blends so well!

In a few days, my DD1 will be celebrating a milestone birthday and I am trying to come to terms with the fact that my first baby is no longer a baby...  While we have  fun day planned, I know I will be just a little sad, but mostly proud of the wonderful young woman she has become.  I scoffed at the 'blink of an eye' concept when I was up to my elbows in diapers and sleepless nights, but today I'm feeling a little wiser.  My sleepless nights do occur less frequently, yet now they are for more weighty concerns.  I also find myself mentally apologizing to my own mother for every time that I must have made her worry...  I guess there truly is a circle of life-not just a Disney/Elton John song!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope I've given you a little inspiration and I really appreciate your visit!  Have a fantastic day!

Card Recipe: Paper-very vanilla, early espresso, river rock (ret), Well Worn dsp (ret), Ink-memento tuxedo black, always artichoke, cajun craze, crumb cake, early espresso, Stamp Set-Moon Lake, Accessories-pastels, always artichoke denim ribbon (ret), ticket duo builder punch, word window punch

  

February is for Friends!

Yeah...yeah... I know Valentines is all about sweethearts and love, but what about the other 27 days?!  That is why Anything But a Card Challenges picked 'Friendship' as our challenge theme for this month!  I won't be sharing my creation until the third week, but I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone shares with us!  We would love it if you would join us!

In keeping with the challenge theme (but not the no card rule), I am sharing two cards that I could not have made had it not been for a wonderful example of friendship! A while back I was very pleasantly surprised to find a package in my mailbox.  It was quite a mystery as I had not ordered anything and it wasn't my birthday or anything like that.  I opened the box to find a treasure trove of crafting supplies-everything from ink to stamps to dies!  Seems that  the ever fabulous, Audrey aka Hippie Aud, felt the need to send some happiness out into the world, and I was lucky enough to receive it!  I am feeling more than a little guilty that it has taken me this long to create a proper thank you card using the wonderful supplies!  I am also hoping that it has arrived before my post goes live!!

  

The adorable patchwork bunny and the thank you word bubble were both part of this wonderful happy mail!  I also used some of my new SU paper on this.  The pretty background dsp is from All Abloom (a mini paper pack that is perfect for cards!).

While I was playing with my new goodies, I went ahead and made a birthday card for DD1.  She went crazy over the adorable skunk stamp when I pulled it out of the box!

Audrey's kindness has also inspired me.  While I can't afford to send out boxes of goodies at the moment, I can do a better job of sending a little happiness to others.  So my plan for the month of February is to do a little something everyday to brighten someone else's day.  I also want to be a little more active with my blog and visiting others' blogs as well.  I know I appreciate all of the wonderful comments and ideas people share with me on my blog and I really love seeing what everyone else is making too!

Thank you so much for visiting today and I hope your February is filled with both love and friendship!

Card Recipes: Paper-All ABloom DSP, pistachio pudding, whisper white, daffodil delight, strawberry slush, Ink-daffodil delight, pistachio pudding, mossy meadow, strawberry slush, blushing bride, memento tuxedo black, Stamp Sets- bunny and skunk from Hippie Aud, retired Happy Birthday from SU, Accessories-pastels, pink stickles, word bubbles die from Hippie Aud, pearls, melon mambo buttons, white bakers twine

Anything But a Card Challenge 43 -New Beginnings

Hello! It's week three of our New Beginnings challenge at Anything But a Card, and it's my turn to share.  New Beginnings is open to interpretation-using new items, new resolutions, wedding related, etc.  Just be sure to let us know what your 'new beginning' is when you link up!  We would love it if you would share with us!

I went with the more obvious 'resolution', but also slipped in a new to me stamp set as well!  I wanted to make something pretty that I would see every day that would remind me of the changes I want to make in my life.  This also needed to be a one layer project since it is going to be housed in a frame and hung on the wall.

I started with a piece of watercolor paper and wrote my life goals using a gold Sharpie.  Then I stamped the background with various images from Kinda Eclectic.  This is probably one of the easiest (and cleanest) projects I have made in a long time, and I'm really happy with the soft colors-perfect for a gentle reminder!

The design team has once again come up with a wonderful variety of creations and we would love it if you would stop by and check them out.  It would be even more awesome if you joined us and linked up your own creation!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Project Recipe: Paper-watercolor paper, Ink-crumb cake, so saffron, soft sky, gold Sharpie, Stamp Set-Kinda Eclectic

Baby it's cold outside!

Hello!  I am hoping you are warm and cozy wherever you are because it's a balmy 7 degrees here...  Oh, and it's really windy too so it actually feels like 20 below.  Did I mention how much I love winter? On the positive side, this is a very good excuse to play with my crafting supplies and drink a nice warm mug of tea.  I am almost embarrassed to admit that my latest order of Stampin' Up goodies are still untouched, and I also received a wonderful RAK happy mail package from a blogging friend and I haven't used any of that either!  Time to remedy this immediately!

Unfortunately, a family member of our sister-in-law passed away suddenly and since we seem to be going through the sympathy cards lately, I really needed to make a few cards for her and her family.  I am so bad at making this type of card on demand, but I did find a pretty card on pinterest that  I essentially CASED piece by piece.  The only things changed are the colors and the sentiment. 

I really liked the simple design and who would have guessed that burlap ribbon could be 'soft'.  You can see the original, made by Diana Gibbs, here.  

I have a feeling that if the weather stays this way very long, I will be hibernating at my crafting table for the majority of the winter.  With any luck, my new goodies will soon be inky and used soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by and if you're in the wonderful mid-west like me, stay warm!!

Card Recipe: Paper-very vanilla, crumb cake, soft suede, Ink-Hello Honey, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, Memento Tuxedo Black, Stamp Set-Bloom with Hope, Accessories-burlap ribbon and Venetian crochet trim 

A New Year and a New Outlook

Hello and Happy New Year!  I am so glad you stopped by!  Today, I have two cards to share and I'm pretty sure they will be the last of my 'Christmasy' cards for a little while!  I am also sharing my  new year outlook as well (most of you know my feelings on resolutions-great for a week or two!).

My two cards are one design, but different papers, colors, and ribbons.  I found the design on Pinterest and you can see the original by Amy Frillici, here.  This is such a wonderful design for using up scraps, and is a pretty quick and easy card too!  I made several of these to use as thank you cards for the wonderful gifts I received from co-workers and loved ones.

I had to smile as I created the second version.  The paper is the very retired Ski Slope and there was not an entire sheet of any of the patterns-a small pile of scraps yet I managed to make two cards and still have a tiny bit left.  It reminded me of my blogging friend, Lynn, who once commented about the secret reproducing of scraps.  Perhaps I need to separate my scraps like we do the sheep... hehe!

With the beginning of a new year, everyone tends to reflect on the past year and make improvement plans for the future.  I can honestly say that my reflection process started around October-about the time that the days were rushing past so fast that I was left completely unorganized.  I am by nature a procrastinator,but also do a pretty good job of keeping deadlines in sight.  So this swirling chaos of three months without stopping for a breath really caught me off guard.  I began to take inventory of what had changed, what was working, and what really needed to go.  Unfortunately, blogging was one of the first things that moved to the bottom of  the list.  I came to the conclusion that I had been saying 'yes' to too many things (worthwhile and important things, but way too many), and also allowing too many 'issues' to take over my mind.  

I spent the better part of the days after Christmas focusing on family and giving myself a break. During this time, I tried to re-prioritize  things and also let go of a lot of unneeded baggage.  I am happy to say that my blog made the 'keep' list, however, I know there will be times when it has to sit for a little while-hopefully not too long!  Instead of making resolutions, I found something that I am going to do my best to follow every day...

I would like to wish you a new year full of peace, love, and kindness! Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog!

Merry Christmas!

Hello! I purposely left the photo of my last batch of Christmsas cards for today, so I would have something to share.  This is another of the super easy designs that I pulled off at the last minute.  Starting with the glittery card base made it very easy.  I think the hardest thing was waiting for the dazzling details to dry so I could put it all together!

Now that my girls are a little older and share the Santa Magic with us, I'm hoping they will let us sleep in until a suitable hour this morning!  But even if they don't, I know today will be a beautiful day filled with family, lots of coffee, and the creation of many happy memories!

I also wanted to take a minute to share some love with my blog followers and visitors.  I know that there are many throughout the world who do not celebrate Christmas, so I hope that you will appreciate my deepest wish that you and your loved ones find happiness and peace as we approach a new year.  For the Christmas celebrators, I hope this season brings you closer to to the ones you love and that we all enter this holiday season with the knowledge that 'presence' is so much more important than 'presents', and for my fellow Christians, may we keep in mind the true reason for our celebrations and share His love with others throughout the world.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Seasons Greetings to all! 

Wish upon a star... with Anything But a Card Challenges

Hello! It is week number three of our 'Celestial' challenge and my turn to share.  It was so hard for me to narrow down the direction I wanted to go with this theme.  With Christmas right around the corner, I could go with a Christmas star creation, or maybe something with angels and the heavens... But in the end I decided on something a little motivating to place in my crafty work area to remind me of where I am and the direction I would like to go.  I created an ATC to add to my growing collection (really need to do something special with them...) and decided to play with some long neglected supplies too.  Once again, I have found my photography skills severely lacking.  This really sparkles with the gold and glitter, but the photo turned out very 'eh'.

I colored the background of a piece of watercolor paper with some black, purple, and blue pastels.  Then I pulled out my stars mask and dug out my bottle of gold Smooch that I've had for ages.  After the ink dried, I stamped my mantra words for the coming year.  The whole thing was treated to a smearing of dazzling details to give it just a little more sparkle.

The three words are a gentle reminder to slow down and not allow myself to become so busy that I don't have time for dreaming, creating, and inspiring.

I will leave you with a quote and the hope that you will find time to play along with us at Anything But a Card.  You still have a week left to share your inspiration with us! Have a wonderful week!

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Do you wanna build a snowman?

Anyone associated with young girls probably has the song from Frozen running through their heads now! Sorry!!  I am so very happy that you stopped by today!  We are counting the days (hours) until Christmas vacation begins and I for one am quite ready for the break even if I'm not finished preparing for the big day!  We have been baking cookies, shopping, and putting together gift bags for some very special people.  There was only one little snafu...  While I had made enough cards for our mailing list, I forgot to add the ones that we hand out with gifts. Doh!  So here I am, the week before Christmas making last minute cards!

As I was trying to decide what design I wanted to go with (obviously, simple was in order), I spied a box of sparkly card blanks that have been on my craft shelf for waaaaaay longer than I care to admit! A little dsp, a cute lil' snowman, some fun glittery snow, and taaadaa!!  

Cold Play is a very retired stamp set, but it is just so fun to make these little snowmen!  I also have to admit to a bit of an addiction to Snowtex.  I'm not sure which of you wonderful blogland people turned me on to this stuff, but it is awesome!!

Well, there are many things on my 'to do' list so I will leave with the promise to return soon and get some blog visits in as well!  Have a wonderful day!

Card Recipe: Paper-glittery card from stash, whisper white, Christmas Cocoa dsp (ret),  Stamp Set-Cold Play (ret), Inks-memento tuxedo black, garden green, pumpkin pie, real red, Accessories-cherry cobbler bakers twine, snowtex

We need a little Christmas-a little Christmas gift idea!

Hello! I am so glad you stopped by today!  As many of you already know, things have been pretty hectic in my household, so I'm especially happy that I have something to share!

Quite a while back, my fellow ABAC teammate, Lynne, was in the spotlight and shared how to create these cute post it note and pen sets.  I loved them so much I made 60 of them for our ladies group at church!!  Of course, I did not have them finished in time to post on her spotlight challenge, and then actually forgot to take a picture until this past weekend (right before I packed them up for our party!).  They were a big hit and are actually pretty simple to make.  You can see Lynne's spotlight here, see a lot of her other marvelous creations (She makes the most wonderful quilts!!), and get to know a little more about her.

In an effort to use up my Christmas papers, I opted to make a Christmas version.  I used the Trust God stamp set for the sentiments, and I found the perfectly sized pens at Wal-Mart in their Christmas section.  I wouldn't be giving them an advertising spot but it was the only place I found pens that would fit!

If you would like to make your own post it sets, you can click on the 'here' link above and Lynne has very clear instructions you can follow.

There is a new challenge on the ABAC blog too! Our theme is Celestial and we would love to see how you interpret this into your artwork!  I would love it if you would link up and play along!

I hope you have a very pleasant week filled with creativity!  I will be back soon with a few more creations!

Giving thanks and making ornaments

Oh, my poor blog has been so neglected lately!  Seems like crafting and blogging has been getting put on the back burner more and more.  However, Christmas will soon be here and this almost always gives me a good excuse reason to be creative.  I have several things in the works and have managed to partially complete several projects, but since none of them are finished yet, I have no photos to share.

I do have some handcrafted ornaments that my girls made for our annual Thanksgiving/family reunion.  DD#2 is always so organized and knew what she wanted to do and had things to make them well in advance.  She would have been finished weeks before Thanksgiving if her mother had been more on the ball!  But I did manage to get her the rest of the materials she would need for her altered cookie cutter ornaments.

a gingerbread man complete with pearl decorations

Santa with his pack of goodies

After she finished, we discussed that a bit of glitter or sparkle would have really dressed these up.  She still has a few she will be making as gifts, so we'll have to see what she does with them!

DD#1 is most definitely her mother's daughter!  She was frantically finishing her ornaments Thanksgiving day!  Luckily, she went with a fairly simple paper ornament.  She is thinking about putting a decorative punch edge on the next ones she creates.

It was hard to get a good photo showing just how

pretty these were...  I love the papers she chose!

I know I am quite late with my Thanksgiving wishes, but shouldn't we be thankful every day?!  This year has been quite chaotic and it seems like we have very little down time, however, there have been so many positives for us that all of the stress has been viewed as a 'strengthening of the irons'.  My job has been quite the adventure this year and I am usually exhausted at the end of the day, yet it has also been so rewarding.  I am neck deep in the realization that I can make small differences that lead to great things for others.

I was also reminded of how amazing my girls are (moms need that sometimes).  We always sponsor a child at Christmas through our church's giving tree.  We do our best to get the things on the wish list while still keeping with our budget.  The girls were so caught up in shopping for a little girl they had never met (and probably never will) that the gifts were over our budgeted amount.  They both agreed that we could spend less on them so the little girl could have everything they picked out for her.  DD#2 even told me that she no longer needed us to get the game she had asked for.  She was going to save her own money and decide if she really needed it.  I love all of the little Christmas miracles that seem to happen every year!

My goal this Christmas is to make gift giving more meaningful.  Of course, this has added a lot more baking and creating to my list, but I'm looking forward to opening my busy schedule to do some fun things with my kids and sharing the love with others.

Well, it is past my bedtime and tomorrow is another busy day.  I hope you are also counting your blessings and preparing to celebrate this season with love in your heart! I also hope that you have a bit more luck than I at finding time to be creative! At least there is always Christmas break!  Thanks so much for stopping by! I am so thankful for all of my blog friends and visitors!