TESC 118 * part 2*

I mentioned in this post,
I wasn't too fond of my card
for the TESC 118 challenge.
So, while the girls napped
& it rained outside,
I made another card.
Very pleased with this one.

Supplies: Pink Paislee Queen Bee paper, rub-ons, die-cuts & alphabet stickers; EK Success border punch; flower by Danielle Flanders

So, it took me this entire time
to make this card
& now my girlies are awake.
Time to do something fun!!

movin' right along

I finally got to take the girls swimming.
The day started off dreary,
but quickly became full sunshine.
We got 2-hrs of pool time
before the clouds took over.
Now they're napping
& I'm anxiously awaiting the rain.
I love the rain,
especially when the girls are napping:)
Here are 2 more cards I got done yesterday.
The first up uses Card Patterns #70.
Remember this gorgeous paper?
Told you I was using some old stuff!!

Supplies: Amy Butler & Fancy Pants paper; Prima flower; Amy Butler rub-on quote; Offray rhinestones; Martha Stewart butterfly punch

For this card,
I used the Taylored Expression Sketch Challenge #118.
I'm not really happy w/how this turned out
& it's because of the sentiment.
I think I would have liked it better
had I simply used some Thickers?
Either way,
I can't remove it w/out tearing what's underneath.
I might still try though......we'll see.
At the very least,
I'll probably make a new card,
as I really liked this sketch.

Supplies: Crate Paper & chipboard; Basic Grey paper; Heidi Grace sentiment stamp; EK Success border punch

Welp, if I'm gonna get anything accomplished,
I need to get off this computer.
Thanks again for stopping by.

lazy day

The weather's not been so great,
so we haven't gone swimming.
We've just been enjoying lazy days:)
Lazy days also allow me to scrap,
which I've been enjoying.
My printer is currently out of ink though,
so I haven't been able to do any layouts.
For the card below,
I chose the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #75.
Instead of a circle, I used the owl.
I have to admit,
I'm having a really, really hard time w/the circles.
TONS of old product on this card,
as with the other cards I got done today.

Supplies: Hambly woodgrain paper & owl/branch stickers; Fancy Pants Kraft; Basic Grey letters

That's all for tonight.
I did get a couple more cards done,
& I'll upload them later tomorrow.
Hope your week is good so far!!

not happenin'

For 10-days I've been sick.
Though I feel much better,
I still have minor congestion in my throat
& a nagging cough.
So trying to run my normal
2 1/2 miles today wasn't happenin'!!
I even got winded doing a few
light weights.
I'll be glad when I'm 100% again!!
This is seriously wearing me out:)
On another note,
I did manage to scrap today.
For this card,
I used the current 2S4U - Laura #55 sketch.
After finishing the card,
I realized I wanted it to look more like the sketch...
ya know, longer from left-to-right, but it didn't.
Oh well!!

Look for this card in the January 2011 CARDS publication.

I did a layout too,
but forgot to take a picture.
I'll upload later.
I've also been doing my summer reading.
I have always loved to read,
& can get completely engrossed in a book ,
not wanting to put it down until I'm finished.
The one I just finished is one of those type books.
"Firefly Lane"
If you've not read this book,
go to your local library or bookstore.
It's a MUST read!!
LOVED it!!
Thanks for stopping by!!

feeling myself again

I'm finally feeling myself again.

In fact,
I needed to start running/exercising again today,
but didn't manage too:(
Really need to get started tomorrow,
these M&Ms will be stickin' pretty soon!!
We have a break from summer activities
for about 3 more weeks,
so I'm really hoping to get more scrapping done.
Here are 2 cards I worked on this weekend.
The first uses Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #74,

but I didn't get it done in time.

Supplies: My Minds Eye papers; Cosmo Cricket chipboard; Cuttlebug embossing folder; Jenni Bowlin alpha stickers; Fiskar border punch

This card uses the current CPS sketch #172.
For some reason,
the minute I saw the sketch,
I thought of this K&Co line.
I did hand-cut the flowers on the card,
but the bottom ones are part of a border sticker.

Supplies: K&Co papers & sticker embellies; Fiskar "friend" stamp; American Crafts Thickers

I'm so proud of my 10-year old.
She has a 1-yr old cat
& really wanted a 6-wk old kitten.
As a family,
we sat down to talk about the pros & cons.
Afterwards,
we let her decide what she thought
was the right decision to make.
She opted NOT to get the kitten.
Whew!!!
What a relief for mommy,
but I'm really very proud of her.
For a 10-year old that's huge.
They usually only think of themselves
& what they want.
I know she really wanted this kitten
& she even cried,
but she's fine now!!
So..............
maybe I can talk daddy into a puppy:)

me & stamping don't agree

I'm trying.
Believe me.
But we're not getting along:)
The card below HAD a stamped image.
I even paper-pieced it together.
But, I sorta did it backwards,
so, the image didn't make the card.
The sentiment is stamped though...
if that counts as stamping.

I did use 2S4U -Kazan #55 sketch.

Using more My Minds Eye
So Sophie, Quite Contrary & Cosmo Cricket.

I'm finally getting over being sick.
I NEVER get sick.
I think the last time I was sick,
was 5+ years ago?
We're talking fever, chills, aches
vomitting & loads of sleeping.
2-days later & 3 lbs less,
I'm finally starting to feel myself again.
We even got William
brand new Asics for Father's Day
& we haven't been able to try them out.
So, maybe the rest of this week
will be more productive than today & yesterday?
I'm hopeful!!

*a work in progress*

Don't think for one minute
I think stamping is a piece-of-cake.
Quite the contrary!!
People that have the talent
to stamp truly amaze me.
I buy stamp sets simply because of their beautiful work.
So, I mentioned I got my first stamp set from
Taylored Expressions, "Pet's Place."
I also went back to her current sketch
to make the card below.

What have I learned after this card?
First, daschunds tend to be a little more orangey:)
I should have used a more orange color.
And I really need to learn to stamp
on a background & not have to hand-cut.
I feel my little guy is lost against this card.
I also noticed a "splat" on the "new addition" sticker...
it's there, but it's part of the sticker?
And I might also add some twine?
All-in-all,
I'm "okay" with this attempt.
Maybe after a few more cards,
they'll start to look better?

it's all about *DAD*

I needed one more Father's Day card.
So, mixing My Minds Eye (So Sophie, Quite Contrary)
& Cosmo Cricket chipboard, I decided to use the
Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #73.

The My Minds Eye journaling tag
has flowers, so I downplayed them
with buttons, twine & the plaid print.

Now that I have my Father's Day cards finished,
I'm gonna play with some new stamps I got.
I recently made my first purchase with Taylored Expressions.
She was offering the cutest stamp set, Pet's Place,
mixed with Basic Grey's "Max & Whiskers."
Those of you that know me,
know we own a pet store.
Until I saw this set,
I'd never found one that incorporated
animal sentiments along w/images.
So, I HAD to get this set.
I've had it over a week now,
so I'm very anxious to work with it.
Wish me luck...........
I'm not a very good stamper:)

*it's official*

I run!!!
That might not seem like a big deal,
but to me it is.
I always professed to NOT be a runner.
Not because I couldn't do it,
but simply because I figured.....
"Why?"
I've been walking for awhile
& one day decided to "jog" a little.
It didn't take long to realize,
I was getting done quicker:)
I suffered shin splints due to
not having good running shoes.
So yesterday while shopping for Father's Day,
I purchased me a good pair of running shoes.
Took my first run in them last night
& boy howdy....................
the shoes definitely make the run!!!
I actually enjoyed myself,
& think I'll make a habit of this thing called "running!!"

The girls are at church this week,
participating in a summer recreation thingy.
So, today I decided to
get a couple of Father's Day cards done.
Only 1 more to go.
For the first card,
I used the 2S4U-Laura #54 sketch.
Still playing around with
My Minds Eye "So Sophie" from ScrapHappy.

Supplies: My Minds Eye "So Sophie" papers & die-cut tags; Offray rhinestones & twine

For this card I used CPS 171.

Supplies: My Minds Eye "So Sophie" papers; Heidi Swapp acetate hearts; Chatterbox letter stickers & Offray rhinestones

These layouts were made using
more My Minds Eye "So Sophie."
I really enjoyed this line
more than I thought I would.
Full of blues, greens & browns
& versatile enough for girls.

And that's all for now.
Gotta get some food started.
Girls should be home soon
& I know they'll be starving!!

Taylored Expressions Sketch #117

Here's a card using some
of My Minds Eye "So Sophie."
It instantly reminded me of Christmas
& matches Cosmo Cricket's last Christmas line
& some of My Minds Eye Quite Contrary.
So this line is extremely versatile.
I used the current
Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #117

Supplies: My Minds Eye "So Sophie" papers; Cosmo Cricket chipboard

Even though I immediately thought Christmas,
this line can be used for everyday.
Something about these colors makes me happy!!
Here's a few layouts I made for ScrapHappy.

I have a few more projects,
but I'll wait til later this weekend.
Hoping to get more accomplished!!
Enjoy your weekend!!

CPS 170

Can ya tell I'm lovin' summer?
I got these MME papers in a CARDS box.
I really, really like them.
For this card I used the current CPS 170 sketch.

Supplies: My Minds Eye "Breaking Free" papers & die-cuts; Creative Memories trim; Sassafras ice-cream felt; Fiskar border punch

I've been working on design team projects.
I got to work with several lines
of My Minds Eye newer stuff, "So Sophie."
I have to admit,
after all these years,
My Minds Eye continues to be one of my favs.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned.
I know I do!!

Happy Birthday MOM!!

It's my sweet mom's birthday.
She never wants to be bothered
with parties, cake, gifts, dinners, etc.
A card is what she prefers,
but I always put a little giftcard inside.
Always hoping she'll use it
& not give it away:)
For her card, I used the
Sweet Sunday Sketch #72

Supplies: Pink Paislee papers & die-cut tag, Offray ribbon & butterfly; American Crafts letters

So many ideas swimming around in my head
but finding it oh so hard to take
the time to stop & scrap!!
I sure hope you're enjoying your summer.

2S4U - Kazan #54 sketch

Wow am I enjoying my summer.
It's only day 2 of summer break
& I'm already sleeping in, reading books,
swimming w/the girls & just being lazy:)
I'm finding it hard to come into my scrap room,
but I decided to make a card
to get me back into the groove.
For this card I used
2 Sketches 4 U -Kazan's 54 sketch.

Supplies: My Minds Eye Breaking Free papers, die-cuts, rub-ons & acetate frame

So here's hoping I can be more productive
over the next couple of months!!

*whew*

Sooooo glad to be home!!
Our *almost* 2-week vacation
has come to an end
& boy am I glad:)
We first hit Disney World,
being gone a total of 6-days.
Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the 4 of us!!
We usually had an uncooperative 5-year old*stinker*
Came home for 1 1/2 days,
had to wash some clothes,
only to leave again for San Destin.
Picture of the "girl" cousins.
We still don't understand why we left out the 2 nephews?
We returned Thursday afternoon,
only to watch a friend's kids on Friday!!
So, I've been washing laundry, cleaning house
weeding the yard, window shopping carpet & furniture
& browsing everyone's blogs to catch up.
I'm hoping to get into a summer scrappin' groove
& have some fresh things to show this week!!
Thanks for hanging in there with me!!