Saturday Snow Play

We got several inches of snow on Friday/Sat. morning!

When we went out to play, on Saturday, there were a couple of families sledding, in front of our house, down the hill. By Saturday morning, the snow was covered with a pretty thick layer of ice.



We don't own an actual sled so we decided to improvise! Michael got out a rubbermaid container top! Here is Carver trying to push his daddy down our driveway! As you can imagine... this didn't work.

However... this did! Michael pushed Carver down the driveway in this bucket and I would catch it! Carver enjoyed doing it a few times. He kept yelling to the people on the road, "Watch me guys... I'm doing it!"!! That boy always has to have an audience! :)

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Household Item Challenge

It's that time again...

A new household item challenge from the Everything But The Kitchen Sink crew! Winter Sims is the hostess this time around and Winter has chosen a box top as her item!

You can go to the Everything But The Kitchen Sink blog to view all the details and also see all of the girls creations!

We have our very first sponsor on this challenge!

Kelleigh Ratzlaff from The DigiChick has offered a $15 gift code to use on her site!


All of the girls got to use one of Kelleigh's templates as part of our inspiration for the challenge! Thanks Kelleigh!

This was my first time using a template... I know... I know... where have I been? Well... I loved it! I will definitely be purchasing more! Shhh... don't tell my husband! :) ha

I chose to use the Sassy Purse 3! You purchase the template for $3.99 and you get a large template and a small template! Here is my large... sassy purse!


Since this was my first attempt at a template... I stuck with my favorite base in the world... Kraft!

My purse is pretty Clean and Simple this time around! I can't wait to play with it some more and make some out of patterned double sided cardstock! Or... If I use plain cardstock as a base again.. I will know where I can stamp, etc!

That is the best thing about these templates... you can make them over and over and over!

So... you may be wondering where my box top is.... here it is...


The flower on my purse is made from ... not an actual box top... but some of the paperboard packaging off some Target brand Mr. Erasers! Love those things! Anyway....

I painted it with some Tim Holtz distress paint and added a button and twine! I used a velcro closure so you can open and shut it!

Okay... so let's recap!!

Make a card/scrapbook page/template and incorporate a box top/paperboard onto your project.


Upload your creation to the EBKS blog and be entered to win a $15 g. certificate to the DigiChick!


All participants of the challenge are also being offered a discount to shop! More details on that over on the EBKS blog!

On a different note.... thank you all for your sweet comments about us losing our cat, Toby! It has not gotten any easier on us to lose a pet. I don't know why I would think it would! Toby is the fourth pet that we have lost. We still have two dogs and one inside cat. I worry about him, Tucker, and how he is going to respond to Toby being gone! Anyway... I won't go on and on! I just want to say Thank you!! Toby definitely had some personality and he was boss around here for a long time! I will miss him everyday!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Key to My Heart stamps (Practicing Creativity), Kraft and Rustic White cardstock (PTI), Sassy Purse 3 template - large (The DigiChick), Dark Chocolate and True Black inks (PTI), SU Modern Label punch, Rustic Jute Twine (PTI), Sizzix Flower Layers Die, Paperboard, Pure Poppy button (PTI), Tim Holtz Distress Paint - White

Mommy Loves You Toby!

Today we had to put our cat, Toby, to sleep! We noticed the past week or so that he had lost a lot of weight. I called the vet yesterday to make an appointment for today.

Last night, Toby got really bad and we knew that things weren't looking good!

I think this was God's way of letting us know that he wasn't going to get any better. It gave us a chance to come to grips with what we had to do and to say goodbye as best we could.

Today we had to let Toby go!

Toby was our guard dog/cat and he was my friend when I was sad. He seemed to always know when I was upset or sick and he would come and love on me! He has followed me around these past few months all over the house. Toby knew I was sick and must have known that he was sick!

I will miss you Toby! You were a good kitty! Mommy loves you! :(

Thank you God for letting us have Toby for 13 years!

I am so sad!

Thursday post

Happy Thursday!

I haven't been able to make anything new the past several days so I wanted to share another one of those cards that 'regrettably could not be published at this time' ! (I still think that is great Elise!!) :)

I wanted to make some cards for the CARDS challenge and Hero Arts challenge last night but ... I fell asleep! One of those... I am just going to lay down on the couch for a minute because my head is hurting... that turned into waking up at 2am and getting in the bed! I haven't gotten anything new made this week much... where has the week gone and what I have been doing? :)

Hope you all have had a wonderful day!

I want to say Thank you for all of your encouraging words for the public speaking thing! :) You guys are the best!

Just a reminder... the Everything But The Kitchen Sink Household Item Challenge is coming up in just a couple of days! Don't forget to check it out on the 30th and get your craft on so you can maybe win an awesome prize!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Stitchery (Sassafras), Big and Bold Wishes (PTI)
Paper - Plum Pudding (PTI), Making Memories Floral Wedding and Silhouette Wedding (Thanks Carly)
Ink - Basic Black (SU), VersaMark
Other - White Filigree Detail Emboss Powder (Superior), Snow Pearls (Kaiser), Black Rhinestones (Kaiser), SU Beautiful Butterflies Die

Stamp It!

It is wee hours on Wednesday morning! I have been up ironing clothes while Michael has been finishing up the painting in the bonus room! I hate to go to bed while he is painting so I was able to get caught up on the washed laundry!

I am usually the painter... I love to paint! However, Michael started the painting without my help and I have had to let him do most of the work himself. Let's just say... we have a different way of approaching things and his way has left me unable to do any work without his help. :) So... it has taken a while. Scheduled times to work on it have not worked out and Michael has been really busy with extra computer work, etc.

Anyway... guess I am chatty in the early hours! Must be delirious!

While he is waiting for the 1st coat to dry on the last section of room... I thought I would go ahead and post a card!

This card is one of my very first publications! It is in the Stamp It issue of Paper Crafts that went on sale on Jan. 19th!



I have three cards in that issue ... all of them pretty CAS! I think CAS is definitely 'my style'! Apparently... because everyone says it is and any challenge 'wins/mentions' and any publication acceptances have all been cards that are completely CAS. I guess I just need to stick with those! :) I have realized recently that if this is truly the case... I have way too many supplies! :) Ha!

On another note... I want to share a couple of cute things about Carver.

We ask Carver not to say "Oh my gosh!"... instead we say "Oh my goodness"! Well... apparently at school (and everywhere else) he is the manners police. That boy doesn't miss ANYONE saying "Oh my gosh" and he is not shy about calling them out on it!

Last week, Carver got up out of his chair to correct one of his teachers for saying it. The teacher apologized and thanked him for telling her. Well... she said it again... Carver gets out of his chair and this time points his finger at her and says, "You're gonna learn this... we say Oh my goodness!"!! The teacher couldn't wait to get to Michaels office to tell him all about it! That boy is a mess!

It doesn't matter where we are... he gets on to anyone who says "Oh my gosh!"!!

We have started this new thing... well.. I did! When Carver gets real whiney... I always say... you need to quit being a whiney hiney! Well... recently I started saying... "do you have a whiney monster in your hiney?". Well... that seems to work for the time being. He will stop whining. He either wants me or daddy to get his hiney and get that monster out OR... he has decided that he can toot that monster out! :) That is usually his method of choice!

Speaking of tooting... I have my dad to thank for this! Carver has started saying when he toots... "Who fired that shot?"!! Grandpa's... what do you do with them? I have to admit... I do think that one is funny but I would prefer my son not say it!

Okay... one last thing before I go! These are all things I have wanted to blog about but haven't really had the time!

On Sunday night, I am speaking to a group of high school girls about my choices as a teenager and about my cancer, etc! I AM NOT a public speaker! It scares me to death! So... any prayers that you guys would offer up for me would be so much appreciated! I am not nervous about sharing my story... that is fine as long as I can come up with enough stuff to talk about! The actual speaking part is what makes me nervous! Thanks guys! :)

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
White paper from PTI, Stamp from Unity's Fresh Beginnings,
copic markers, Black StazOn, Making Memories tiny alpha stickers.

Do Something Today

Happy Tuesday!

Carver is at school and I am busy cleaning but I wanted to take a minute to post a card of the day! :) ha!

I love the new Basic Grey Origins line! So pretty!!

Hope you are all doing well! Maybe I will be back later to chat more... if not... I will be back tomorrow with another card of the day!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Paper - Origins line (Basic Grey), Scarlet Jewel (PTI)
Other - Origins line flower and die cute (BG), Rhinestone flourish accent (Colorbok), Scarlet Jewel buttons and Jute Twine (PTI), EK Success Embossed Curve punch, SU corner rounder, SU Dimensionals

Embellish Stripes Color Challenge

Happy Monday!

This is my card for the Embellish Stripes Color Challenge. I love kraft so when I saw that one of the colors for the challenge was kraft... I was all in!

Going to keep it short and sweet! My little one is napping and I have lots to do! :)

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Birds Galore (Inkadinkado), Background Basics Retro (PTI)
Paper -Kraft, Dark Chocolate, and Vintage Cream (PTI)
Ink - VersaMark, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Brown StazOn
Other - Jute Twine (PTI), SU Dimensionals, Glitter glue (Studio G), Kaiser Clear Rhinestone, AC Thickers, Copic Marker

More Moxie Fab Start to Finish

Here are two final cards for the Moxie Fab start to finish challenge! Thanks for the fun challenge Cath! It has been a little while since I have made so many cards for one challenge! It has opened up a whole different world for me! :)

This is the outside of my first card.... don't you just love that tree? It one was one of those had to haves....


This is the inside. I used glossy accents all over this card! The tree on the front looks especially awesome!


This is the outside of the last card! I stamped the Mother in VersaMark and embossed with black powder.... so pretty on cream paper!!


This is the inside! I love the new Origins line by Basic Grey!


Well... that's it! It seems quiet in blog land lately! I guess everyone but me and a few others are at CHA! :) Or... if you are like me... just staying busy and off the computer so I don't have to see how much fun others are having at CHA! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace and Love

Supplies: Shade Tree
Stamps - Heart Tree (Stampabilities), Hearts Owls (Hero Arts), Savor the Journey (Unity)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - Jet Black StazOn, Lovely Lilac (SU)
Other - SU Corner Rounder, Glossy Accents (Ranger), Kaiser Clear Rhinestones, copics

Supplies: Mother
Stamps - Mother (PTI)
Paper - Vintage Cream , Origins by Basic Grey
Ink - VersaMark, Basic Black (SU)
Other - Black Fliligree Emboss powder, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, SU Beautiful Butterflies Die, SU Dimensionals, Kaiser and Darice rhinestones, SU Corner rounder

Thinking of You

Happy Friday afternoon! :) Hope you have had a wonderful day so far! Mine has been fairly productive so that is good!

Michael and I are going to dinner at a friends house tonight... along with another couple that we love! So... I am excited about that!

Carver is spending the night with my parents tonight! That means... when we get home, Michael and I will hopefully be able to work on the bonus room and finish up the painting! That is the plan as of right now anyway! I need to get that done and get C's toys and stuff where they will be living from now on! My house is a wreck and I am ready to get it straightened up!

Anyway... Carver is waking up from nap so I have to go!

Thank you guys for enduring my Friday morning sermon! :) I appreciate all the sweet and encouraging emails.... EVERY day!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Background Basics Retro, Vintage Picnic Sentiments (PTI), Spunky Nature (My Cute Stamps)
Paper - Spring Rain, Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado Bitty Box (all PTI)
Ink - Sweet Blush, Spring Moss, Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart, Ripe Avocado and True Black (all PTI)
Other - EK Success Embossed Curve Punch, Circle punches, SU Dimensionals and SU Modern Label punch, Buttons... all PTI... Sweet Blush, Lavendar Moon, White, Spring Rain, Aqua Mist and Lemon Tart, Tim Holtz edge distressor

Friday Morning Sermon

Well... it is 2am and I should really be in bed! I have been up marking stuff off the never ending to do list! I want to go to bed but ... I need to do what I am fixing to 'preach' to you about... so... I am!

This is something that has been on my heart all day!

Sometimes I blog about personal things... things about my relationship with God, things about my family issues, etc etc!

I think a lot of women may not blog about these kinds of things because they are 1. private people who don't feel the need to share or 2. are scared to share because of what others might think!

I just want to encourage you... if you are either one... to think and pray about what God would have you to share on your blog! Pray to God to lay on your heart the topics/words that He would like for you to talk about and share about.

I try to keep an open mind and heart and hear what it is that God wants me to do! If it is in my head and I can't seem to stop thinking about it... or sometimes... if I think about it once... I assume it something God wants me to share! Now... it may not always be! :) But... I assume it is and usually go ahead and say what is on my heart! When I have done that... a lot of times I notice that I will get a personal email (not just comments) from someone who feels that God wanted me to say those things just for them! This gives that person a chance to share with me what they are going through and gives me another opportunity to try to encourage in the name of God! Do I think that I can help everyone because of my infinite wisdom... NO WAY! Do I feel that God will use me if I allow Him to... FOR SURE! I have seen it too many times in the fairly short time that I have been blogging!

When I receive those emails... I know then.... I did what God wanted and not what Kelley wanted! It is not about me.... this life... it is about God!

I just want to encourage you to share... share your life experiences... share your struggles... share about your relationship with God! You don't have to get deep in details... especially if that makes you uncomfortable! Just pray for God to use you and your blog that you can be an encouragement to other women in their time of need! Sometimes it it nice just to know that other women go through the same things and have the same fears and 'issues' that you do! It may open up doors for a more personal and in depth conversation with women who need God to work through you... on their behalf!

Now... the second thing that has been on my heart!

Since my cancer issues.... my eyes have been opened to a lot of things that God did for me in preparation for that dark and scary time in my life.

A few months ago (pre- cancer awareness), I left a comment on a fellow blogger's blog stating how much I loved her scripture coasters. A few days later... she emailed me and wanted to send me a set of four for free. She (she didn't want to be named then and I am sure she still doesn't so... she it is)... would not accept payment for them. She said that God laid it on her heart to send me some coasters. I was able to pick from several scriptures that I wanted her to stamp on my coasters. All of the scriptures I chose, had to do with having faith and not being afraid!

The coaster that sits on my craft table and that I look at everyday reads:

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed for I AM YOUR GOD. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I WILL UPHOLD YOU with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Now... you tell me why God wanted her to send me these coasters?

Would the outcome of my surgery, etc... been the same if I hadn't received those coasters? Sure! If she hadn't given me those coasters, would I have missed out? Yes...

I would have missed out on this verse staring me in the face everyday in my time of need! I would have missed out on knowing that my God loves me so much that He was working to comfort me way before I knew I needed it! Man... my Daddy loves me! :)


If you feel God is leading you to do something... say something... give someone something... DO IT! Don't keep putting it off until the opportunity has been lost and God stops bothering you about it!

And... if someone wants to bless you.... let them! I fought with her for a few days over taking money for them. I felt horrible that she wanted to give them to me!

Don't take away someones opportunity to show God's love towards you! No matter how hard it is to take something for free! :)

I have one more story! A friend of mine (I hope if you read this... you are okay with me sharing), was pregnant... only 27 weeks or so. Her doctor called her out of the blue wanting her to come in for a check up. Her doctor felt that God was telling him to call her in for a check up! During the check up, they realized there were problems and the baby was taken right then. If she hadn't come in that day... her life would have been lost and so would the life of her precious child!

If that doctor hadn't been obedient to God... man... Praise God he was! Praise God that he wasn't too prideful to risk sounding silly or like a 'Jesus freak'! Praise God!

Well... I had to do it! If you made it this far... thanks for sticking around! :) Hopefully you will come back! Ha...

This 'sermon' has been on my heart all day and I literally couldn't go to bed until I was obedient!

If you pray ... use me... you better mean it! :)

Peace and Love! :)

Moxie Fab - Start to Finish

Well... last night I made a couple of little 4x4 cards for Cath's Moxie Fab Start to Finish Week challenge.

I ended up just going through my stamp index and looking for stamps that I thought I could use. I picked several sets/stamps so I may end up making a few more just to see how they turn out. Plus... it was fun! I had never finished the inside of a card before! You may say after seeing these that I still didn't finish the inside of a card but.... in the land of CAS... I think they are! Ha!

This is my favorite of the two! I stamped the wand image in VersaMark and embossed it with American Crafts Red Zing powder. I did the same thing on the inside. I stamped the sentiments in black, rounded the corners and added a touch of bling and string! :)




This is the second one that I made. I really like the sentiment on the inside! I thought the front image looked like an amazing idea/thought... and then you read the inside and you are like... "right on sista"! :) That's my thoughts anyway! :) And I am sticking to it!




Well... hope you guys have an amazing Thursday! Thank you for taking time to visit with me for a minute! Carver is at school and I really need to get busy doing some laundry and cleaning!

Peace and Love!

PS... Don't forget about the current EBKS challenge going on! You don't want to miss out on an opportunity to win an awesome prize and make an awesome card! :)

Supplies: Pixie Dust
Stamps - simply magical (Unity)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - VersaMark, Basic Black (SU)
Other - Red Zing Embossing Powder (American Crafts), Aqua Kaiser Rhinestone, SU Silver Cord, SU Corner Rounder

Supplies: Idea
Stamps - simply magical (Unity)
Paper - White and Kraft (PTI)
Ink - Black StazOn
Other - Copics, Marvy Circle punch, SU Corner Rounder and Dimensionals, Darice Rhinestones

I'm Sneaking This In...

My sister-in-law sent this to me.... made me laugh out loud! Thought some of you might like a nice laugh! Excuse the crude terminology! :)





Maxine's Starbuck's Saga

I was in Starbucks yesterday when I suddenly realized
I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really
loud, so I timed my farts with the beat. After a couple of
songs, I started to feel better.

I finished my Latte and then noticed that everybody was
staring at me. Then I suddenly remembered that I was
listening to my iPod.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace. Romans 15:13

This is one of my favorite cards that I have made to date! It is so simple but I love it!

I hope you guys have had a terrific day! Mine has been great! Actually... everyday is great! Some days you just get some little joys that, in the big scheme of things, don't matter much but... in the small world of ______ (insert your name here)... Kelley... mean a lot! I have had several of those lately! God is good!

Everyday is great as long as I don't let the devil take away my joy! he tries really hard sometimes! :) .... for example... this is the 2nd time I have typed this post... the first one was lost... ugh!

Anyway.... gotta keep it short! I have bribed my son to leave me alone and play by himself for a few minutes so I can get this post done! Ha!! I get my post done and he gets an orange peanut! A circus peanut if you don't know what an orange peanut is... that is Carvers terminology! :)

picture taken by Carver

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Birds Galore (Inkadinkado), Inspired Verse (Stampendous)
Paper - Aqua Mist (PTI)
Ink - Jet Black StazOn
Other - Rustic Cream Twine (PTI), Kaiser Clear Rhinestones, SU Corner Rounder

Appreciate The Beauty

Edit.. this card was shown on the CARDS blog today 1/21... Thanks Paige!

In everything.... that is what this sentiment says. It is from Unity! Love me some Unity and I love this little sentiment/suggestion! :)

I sent this to Paige for this weeks CARDS blog challenge! I hope to have time to make another tree/branch card before the challenge is over... we shall see! I am feeling pretty sleepy right now and I haven't done anything crafty!

Can I admit that I didn't even make my husband a birthday card! How horrible am I? I started to make one last night but I ended up balancing a checkbook, etc... etc..!! Man cards are hard! With the sickness and all the other drama in our lives here lately... I just haven't been motivated to try! Maybe I will make him one tonight.... yeah... I can do it!! :)

He says he doesn't care but... I just can't let it go! It is bothering me! Me... I could care less if he gets me a card on my birthday but.... his heart may really be breaking! :) Ha!!

I did make him a banana pudding and... I decorated our kitchen table with balloons /other decorations and a few wrapped presents! Hopefully he doesn't feel too unloved!

Well...I guess if I am going to make a card... I need to keep the chatty to a minimum! :)

Hope you all have had a terrific Tuesday and have an even better Wednesday!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Delightful Moments (Unity)
Paper - Kraft (PTI)
Ink - Brown StazOn
Copics - G09, YG09, YG03, R39
Other - Jute Twine (PTI), Kaiser Rhinestones, Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Happy Birthday Honey.... and Brandy!

Michael... I love you! I hope that you have an amazing year this year! You are a wonderful father and husband (even though I may say otherwise at times)! You are the only man in the world with enough patience to put up with me!

Your son adores you and I can't think of a better role model of a Christian man/father for my son!

Thank you for allowing me to stay home and take care of our baby! Thank you for allowing me to indulge in a craft that I spend too much time and money on at times and never saying a word about it! :) Thank you for loving me!

Behind God... you and Carver are THE joy in my life! Happy Birthday baby!

Brandy... I don't think you read my blog but when I was thinking of you today I wanted to say these things! I didn't write them in your card... I waited till the last minute to sign it and I just hadn't had time to reflect on you and how I feel about you!

I wanted to say Happy Birthday to you! You are such a strong woman! You are a wonderful mother to my niece and nephew and a wonderful wife to my brother!

Being family is difficult at times! Being family with me can be difficult at times is a better way to put it! :) We have had a few ups and downs over the years (ha) but... I have always loved you and will always love you!

I have been blessed with 3 wonderful sisters!

Happy Birthday!!

Celebrate With Style

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

Carver and I went to do a little shopping with my parents today since my mom is off work! We ate lunch with them and now we are home. Carver is now napping and I am waiting for a friend to come over for a few minutes.

I thought I would squeeze in a post for the day! :)

I made these recently for something... hmmm... wonder what it was for? Ha!! Yeah... rejects... these are rejects!

Well... going to keep it short and sweet!

Peace and Love!

Supplies: Hey There
Stamps - Big and Bold Wishes (PTI)
Paper - Rustic Cream (PTI), The Downtown Loft Stack (DCWV)
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Scarlet Jewel (PTI), Basic Black (SU)
Other - Circle Punches, Edge Distressor, Rustic Wood and Scarlet Jewel buttons (PTI), SU Dimensionals

Supplies: Wish Big
Stamps - Big and Bold Wishes (PTI)
Paper - Kraft (PTI), The Downtown Loft Stack (DCWV)
Ink - Basic Black (SU), Dark Chocolate and Terra Cotta (PTI)
Other - Terracotta Tile and Rustic Wood buttons (PTI), Circle punches, edge distressor, SU Dimensionals

Simple Thank You

I wanted to share one of my many many... many rejects :) for the recent CARDS and PC calls! :) I won't even tell you which ones are rejects from here on out because there are so many that I will be showing them for a month... or two! :) Yes.... there are THAT many!

As disappointed as I am to not get any cards in PC... CARDS did show me some love and take one of my cards for publication so... I am beyond excited about that!

I wanted to share this simple Thank you card today because I wanted to take a second to tell you all... Thank You!! Thank you for your sweet comments that you leave day after day! Thank you for still visiting me and being my friend even though I have struggled lately with keeping up with you! Thank you for your birthday wishes for my son! Thank you... for being you! You guys bring me so much joy! :)

And... thank you to all of you new friends that I have not met yet. I have had several comments from some new names... I plan to meet you soon!! I promise! :)

Carver had a great birthday on Thursday! We went to Pump It Up on Friday with some of his friends/my friends for some play time. We were going to go to Chick-fil-A for lunch but as soon as we got into the parking lot... Carver started throwing up! He had played real well when we first got to PIU but after about an hour... he started just laying around a little bit. I thought he was just tired (we had been there an hour already and he had a big day the day before with no nap) and he was saying he was just tired. Anyway... turns out he had a stomach bug! He is still not 100% but he has not thrown up or ran a fever since Friday night! Praise God!!

I got a touch of it myself and am still not feeling 100% either! I haven't been throwing up but... let's just say... I am still not feeling all that good! :)

So.... this weekend just kind of came and went and was very unproductive! I hope to catch up with several of you as soon as I get done with this post and then catch up with everyone else tonight!

I hope you guys have had a terrific Sunday!

Peace and Love!!

Supplies:
Stamps - Chelsea Alphabet (Inkadinkado), Everyday Words by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday), Stitchery (Sassafras)
Paper - Spring Moss (PTI)
Ink - Basic Black (SU), Spring Moss (PTI)
Other - E.Line Pearl (Prima), Trellis Rose Ivory (Prima)

Everything But The Kitchen Sink - Sketch Challenge #3

Hey guys... it's sketch time! This weeks sketch is brought to you by the fabulous Lynnette Kauffman! Lynnette was inspired by her TV cabinet! You can see the inspiration picture on the EBKS blog!

Although this is Lynnettes challenge, Winter Sims is posting about the challenge on the EBKS blog! Winter is on a mission to collect Valentine cards to hand out to sick children at St. Jude's on Valentines Day! In an effort to support Winter... all the EBKS girls made a Valentines card with the sketch. Lynnette has also let Winter do the posting for this challenge so she can explain what she is doing and how we can help!

Just an FYI... making a Valentine's card is not a requirement for this challenge! But... I know Winter is not going to turn it down if you wanted to make one and send it her way! Winter is even giving away prizes on her own blog to random winners of those who donate cards! Make sure to check it out!

So.... enough chatter... here is my card...



I was inspired by a Valentine's bag that I saw at Wal-mart! :)

And here is a picture of the awesome prize that you could win for winning this challenge! Thanks Lynnette for offering up such a great prize!


Please go visit the Everything But the Kitchen Sink blog so you can see all the wonderful creations by the rest of the girls... great stuff... !! Also... you can get all the details as to how long the challenge runs, etc!

Thanks for checking in!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Space Ships and Robots (My Cute Stamps), Background Basics Hearts (PTI)
Paper - White, Guidelines I, Black and White Basics (PTI), Sweetie Pie Sigh (Bo Bunny)
Ink - Basic Black (SU), Reflection Blue (Superior)
Other - Marvy circle punch Edge Distressor, Black Rhinestones, Giggles Thickers (AC), Blue Jeans mini alpha stickers (my little shoebox), metal heart (colorbok), word window punch (SU), Su Dimensionals

Happy Birthday Son!

I can't believe you are another year older! It seems like yesterday that our lives were changed forever... far better than we could have ever imagined!


We are so proud of you! You bring us more joy than we deserve! You have made our family complete!


These last few years have been the best years of our lives! We are so blessed to have you as our son!


It has been a joy to watch you grow! You are so smart and funny and sweet! You have an amazing personality and we know you are going to do great things! You are a blessing to so many people! You are loved by so many!

I can't believe that you are not this many.....


or this many....



but this many!!



My sweet little baby is so big! But... you will always be our baby!

We love you more than words can express!

Thank you God for such a wonderful gift and blessing! We thank You for keeping him safe and for giving him to us... to raise for You! We pray that he grows to be a young man and an old man who loves You above all others! We pray that You will help us, as his earthly mother and father, to be the example that we should be so that all eyes, hearts and hands point to You!

Moxie Fab World Color Play Challenge

Edit... my card was a Moxie Fab Winner!! Woo Hoo... You can see it here!!


Happy Wednesday!

It has been hectic around here today and I need to be leaving for church right now so... another short post. Our neighbor stopped by so Carver is just now finishing up dinner.... which leaves me a minute to squeeze this in!

This is my submission for Cath's Moxie Fab World Color Play Challenge!

I went clean and simple with this challenge. I think the colors and butterfly image are enough to make a great card! I stamped the butterfly in Scarlet Jewel and then colored in the middle part with some copics! I added a couple of rhinestones and some glossy accents to just give it a little something extra!

Well... that's all for me right now! I plan to catch up on some emails and visit all of you tonight! One of these days I will quit playing catch up and stay caught up with everyone like I use to! I miss you guys when I don't know what you have been up to!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Loving Words by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday), Gem Stone Insects (Inkadinkado)
Paper - Soft Stone (PTI)
Ink - Scarlet Jewel (PTI), More Mustard (SU)
Copics - R39, V09, Y26
Other - Glossy Accents (Ranger), Jewel Stickers (Little Yellow Bicycle)

Embellish Hearts Color Challenge

Edit: This card was featured on the Unity blog today 1/17/10.

Hey guys... keeping it short and sweet today! :)

Carver is at school (1st day back) and I have a lot that I need to be doing! I just can't get motivated though so I am posting real quick!

This is my card for the Embellish Hearts Color Challenge! I think I will give this card to Michael so he can give it to me for Valentines! Would that be wrong? :)

Hope you are all having a great day!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Heart Prints and Background Basics Hearts (PTI), Loving Words by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday), go ahead wish (Unity)
Paper - Sweet Blush and White (PTI)
Ink - Black StazOn, Pure Poppy (PTI)
Other - SU Dimensionals, Pom Pom fringe (Wrights), Soft Pink Kaiser Rhinestones, SU Scallop punch, Copics - RV11, R29, Pure Poppy buttons (PTI)

Paige and Carver

Happy Monday! I hope you are all doing well!! I am tired but great other than that!

I wanted to share a card that I made for my niece, Paige! Really simple but I love it! I made it late so I had to take a picture of it at my parents house yesterday after Paige opened it. So... the lighting is not the best but... that is what I get for waiting until the last minute!

I have spent a lot of time working on cards for the CARDS and PaperCrafts publication calls! I mean... a lot of time! I am glad that CARDS call is closed and tonight... PC's will be as well! I am ready to get caught up with you guys again and work on some challenge cards! Oh yeah... and sleep! :)

I spent so much time working on cards that of course, I will be disappointed if none get picked BUT... I really like a lot of my cards! I will at least have a lot of cards to post on my blog if they don't get picked! I made so many that I noticed by the end... it was easier for me to crank them out. I started making myself actually USE my stuff... stuff that I buy and just stare at all the time! I used a lot of patterned paper... go me... and a lot of stamps that I don't normally use!

Anyway... I am just really happy about the results and the confidence in my cardmaking ability... ha... that I seem to have at the moment! I hope it sticks around! I guess I just need to crank out 4 or 5 cards every night and hopefully I will keep getting better and better! I spent less time thinking about the card I was making...I just picked a stamp, embellishment, etc. that I wanted to use and then just made a card happen! I usually spend way too much time thinking about it and trying to make the 'perfect' card!

Anyway.... for sure none of them will get picked now since it seems as though I am tooting my own horn! Ha!! I really am not... I just feel like I have found this freedom and I am excited about it! Freedom to use ALL of my supplies and to not hoard! I have finally convinced myself that it is okay to use what I have!! Freedom to just make and not think!! :) FREEDOM!! Feels good!!

Okay... so back to Paige! :)

Paige's birthday is tomorrow... she will be 11 years old! It is hard to believe!! Where does the time go? She is so tall and pretty and smart and so sweet! Paige is a great cousin to Carver! They just play and play and Carver simply adores her! Paige is a sweet sweet young lady and I am so proud to be her aunt!

We celebrated Paige and Carver's birthdays yesterday at my parents house! Carver will be 3 on Thursday! That is hard to believe too! But... I will talk more about that later! I am sure I will have a long rambling post or two about my baby getting older! :)

I thought I would share a few pics from yesterday! I am trying to do better about posting pics... I seem to have gotten away from that!

This is the birthday boy and his mommy...

This is the birthday boy and birthday girl...

This is the birthday boy being silly... (and showing off his first black eye...)

Saturday night, Michael opened the cabinet, to get out a plate, and a bowl came flying out and hit Carver in the eye. Carver was right under daddy's feet because daddy was fixing Carvers dinner!

I was in the shower but I heard the loud noise and Carver screaming so ... I started screaming to know what was going on. Michael brought Carver in the bathroom so I could see him and he immediately had a bruise under his little eye! He only cried for a minute though... he is a tough little boy!

Well... that's all folks! I will shut up now! Thanks for hanging in there! :) I am sorry to ramble so much! I am just happy... happy and blessed and that makes me want to talk a lot! Love you all!! Thanks for being such great friends!

Peace and Love!!

Supplies:
Stamps - Morphic Bugs (Inkadinkado), Mod Squad (PTI)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - Basic Black and Pink Passion (SU)
Copics - Y15, YG09, V09, R27, YR04, RV14, B24
Other - SU Corner Rounder, Kaiser Clear Rhinestones