Monday Monday

I guess realizing my days of laziness

are coming to an end has made me
get off my duff & get some work done.
Not quite noon & already I've gotten
so many things accomplished.
Including................................
a card using the current 2S4U sketch #61.
Since I still had the Crate Paper out,
I decided to use it for this card as well.
Plus I used a couple more stamps.
I did alter the sketch some,
but isn't that what it's all about?
Making it your own!!

Supplies: Crate Paper Restoration; Studio Calico ticket stub stamp; Basic Grey alpha letters; Jenni Bowlin butterfly; JoAnn's trim

I'm actually gonna try to make another card,
so I hope you have a very blessed day!!

CPS 184

Back in the swing of things?
Probably not:)
Where have I been?
Nowhere in particular
but apparently not in my scraproom.

This is the 1st year both of my girls are in school,
past 12:00 noon.
I now don't have to pick them up until 2:00.
So, I'm finding I have TONS of time on my hands,
but instead of scrapping & exercising,
I've been reading & doing not much else?
It's been nice to adjust to a schedule of nothing,
because starting this week,
I start back with my bible study twice a week,
so I figure I'm entitled to a little break.
Browsed sketch sites today
& found the CPS 184 sketch ready.
LOVE this Hero Arts stamp set.
I've used it before, but not often enough.
The papers are the new Crate Paper Restoration.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this new line!!

I'm hoping to do a little more this week.
I'm now 2 months behind on my kit club,
so I've got 2 kits untouched*yikes*
I really need to get busy.
Thanks for stopping by
& have a blessed day!!

CPS 133

Here in Pensacola,
Scrap Happy, our local scrapbook store,
is gearing up for the Scrap Pink 2009 crop,
to support October's Breast Cancer Awareness month.
I was asked to make a few
make-n-takes for this weekend.
Here's a card I made
using the current CPS 133 sketch.
I also made 2 bookmarks & a magnet,
which you can see here, if you'd like!!

It's been rainy ALL day
& I've been without power for awhile,
but I'm managing to get things done.
So, off to do more before I pick up Ashlyn.

Color Inspiration 46; Card Patterns #7 & Use It

I'm still muddling through my creativity.
I know we all get in these slumps from time-to-time
& it seems that during these times
is when I have the best ideas.
I just can't seem to get them to come together.
I can't tell you how many cards
I've made in the past week that will never be seen:)
It's all part of the process......I'm sure.
But through it all,
I did make 2 cards, I'm somewhat okay with.
The first is my take on the latest Color Inspiration challenge.
I'm enjoying these challenges for 1 simple reason:
STAMPING!
I have more stamps than a person has a right to
& they are sadly neglected.
So, these challenges make me use them.
NOT that I have to use them,
but I choose to & I'm glad.
For this card, I used a flower stamp by October Afternoon
paired w/some watermark ink & holographic embossing powder.
The sentiment is even stamped in a Hero Arts "soft pink"
though it probably looks white,
& the DMC floss is a light pink color.
I know it's nothing great,
but I used some stamps I've never used
& that's what counts......to me, at least:)

My 2nd card is based off 2 challenges:
Card Patterns #7 sketch
& Use It's #3 challenge.
The Use It challenge was to use:
eyelets, which I did on my "berry bush:)"
polka dots, which I did on my green border paper
something more than 1 year old, which my AC stickers qualify

So, that's all I have.
Girls were home from school today
for teacher planning day
but the weather has been overcast
& extremely windy.
Maybe I'll work on some layouts?

2Sketches 4 U & DeNami Designs stamps

Happy Monday to you!!
I hope your weekend was as beautiful as mine.
Our weather has been absolutely perfect.
I'm able to do my morning walk/run in 60 degree weather
& then mid-afternoon it's a beautiful 75ish.
I really wish it would stay this way year-round.
Since it's Monday,
that means another beautiful sketch at 2Sketches 4 U.
This week is Laura's turn
& we were sponsored by DeNami Design.
I received this uber-cute Cupcake Tower stamp
with a sentiment stamp to match.
It might be hard to tell,
but I stamped the image w/Staz-on Black,
colored the cupcakes using colored pencils,
restamped using a watermark,
then used a turquoise embossing powder to add shine.

DeNami Designs is also offering a special 10% coupon code exclusive to 2S4Y readers!
The Code:
March2S4Y
The expiration is 3/30/09
the discount is good for anything on the website:)
How to Enter:• Please provide a link to your card by posting it on this thread• Deadline for all entries: Saturday March 28th at Midnight (US Mountain time)• Your card should be based off the sketch provided and can be of any theme• The winning card will be announced as the Card of the Week on Sunday, March 29th here at 2 Sketches 4 You.• International Cardmakers are welcome to enter

I'm kinda excited about this week,
Ashlyn doesn't have school on Wednesday,
so I'm trying to think of something fun for her & I:)
She actually only has 8-days left of school
before Spring Break & she's so excited.
Welp, so much to do & so little time.
Gotta get busy!!

Color Inspiration 45 & a Guest Designer Spot

So Sketchy is looking for an April Guest Designer.
Is this something you think you'd be interested in?
Then go here to get all the details.
If you've never seen Allison's sketches,
take the time to browse them,
as she's very talented.
She offers 12x12, 8.5x11 & card sketches.
Check out this post to see some layouts & a card
I recently did using some of Allison's sketches.
Today I did the Color Inspiration 45 challenge.
Such a classic color combo that I adore,
but I HAD to add a splash of color.

FCAT is finally over
& we're thrilled!!
Ashlyn feels she did really well
& I'm sure she did.
We're proud of how hard she worked.
The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous
& it's definitely getting closer to beach/tanning weather!!
Maybe I'll wash my truck this weekend?
Or not:)

I never claimed to be a stamper....

I was reading Lea's blog one day
& she brought up something I had noticed,
but had never really given a term to:
there are 2 types of cardmakers;
stampers & scrappers.
I fall in the latter & am fine with that.
But, when I decided to tackle the Color Inspiration Challenge #44
& mix it with the current 2Sketches 4 U - Kazan #21 sketch,
I challenged myself to use stamps only
& no patterned paper.
I realize stampers use patterned paper too,
but I have seen so many gorgeous cards
created with nothing but cardstock & stamps.
It always amazes me how beautiful these cards are with so few supplies.
And if a stamper saw my stamp stash,
they would probably cry to see them so neglected.
So, before you see my card,
I only ask that you be gentle.
It's simple & very amateur,
but I have to work at getting better at this thing called stamping:)
So, here it is............"grow,"
& aptly name, I might add!!
And there I go with the derned butterflies again!!

Every month when I get my copy of Scrapbooks Etc.,
I lovingly browse each page & am completely inspired.
And, every month I say I'm going to go through the magazine
& scraplift every layout I find inspiring.
I never do it though,
until this past weekend.
I went upstairs & got busy.
I was pleased to get 4 layouts done that day.
I'm not above scraplifting....
it's refreshing, I feel good about getting so much done
& I love that others inspire me with their work.
So, the first 3 layouts were from March's issue,
with the first being a "loose" interpretation
but the other 2 being almost identical scraplifts.

This last one was taken from Simple Scrapbooks.
I used to be a very clean, line scrapper
& I love to go back to that every now & again.
I had taken this picture 2-years ago
& today, I miss these tennis shoes.
Why?
Because my 4-year old won't wear tennis shoes!!

And,
I'm so excited because my mil is getting the girls around 5:00 this evening.
So, I'll be able to scrap until about 9:30.
THEN, my parents are getting them tomorrow
to plant their Spring garden,
which means I'll have most of the day to myself again!!
I don't even know where to begin with all I can get done,
but I kinda want to take the time for "me."
So, we'll see what happens.
I hope your weekend is as beautiful as mine will be.