Sunday, May 30, 2010

Bonus Room



Happy Sunday! Just wanted to pop on and post some pics of our finished bookshelves! So excited to finally have it done and it looks great! I have plenty of room for toys, coloring books, books, craft supplies, etc. with some room to spare. Room to grow I guess! :)

Now just some touch ups and clean ups and I will really be happy! :) I want to get some curtains, throw pillows and maybe a big rug at some point. Anyway... all of that is for my to do list... not my blog post! :)

BTW... only showing half the room because the other half (Michael's desk) is a disaster area! :) But hey... he has built me some awesome shelves so I will give him another day or two before I start in on him cleaning out/up his area! :)

No card to post... sorry! Still in home mode!

I have been working on getting my stamp log completed and I am very very very happy to report that I am almost done stamping all of my stamps. Whew... what a chore! One I started on over a year ago! Thinking about throwing the rest of them away so I can be finished! Ha!

I have like 8 books of just random things that I have kept over the years from magazines, etc! I am also working on going through all of those and throwing out all of the crafty things and decor things that I kept if I ever had a girl. Also just throwing away (well recycling) the things that don't interest me anymore. Thankfully... that is most of it! I hope to have 3 (not even half full) books... a decor book, a crafty/activity with Carver book, and a Holiday decor book.

Let's see... what else have I been working on? Fixing to start working seriously on my photo albums/boxes. I am going to take all of my pics out of photo albums (except C's albums) and put them in the boxes. I am 2 years behind on printing and I am not planning to catch up. I don't really need photos from 10 years ago in albums. I am getting rid of any blurry photos, etc! I am giving any 3rd copies of photos that I have away to the parent of the child in the photo. I can have doubles but triples are too many! I am hoping to eliminate a lot of the stuff on my shelves in the living room!

Anyway.... guess I am listing things again! Just feel like rambling I guess! Good thing this is my blog! :) Just excited about the progress that we made this past week! Sorry!

Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day! Hopefully I will be back in a day or two with a card!

Peace and Love!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Etsy Inspired Challenge #90

Woo Hoo... Etsy Inspired Challenge time!

Let's dive right in!

This weeks Etsy shop is Sunshyne Silverwear! Great stuff in this shop to find some inspiration. I found mine in like a nanosecond! Speaking of what I found... here is my inspiration picture...


This is my card based on the inspiration piece....



Sunshyne Silverwear is offering up a spoon pendant to 2 different winners this week! Awesome!

This weeks sponsor is Claudine Hellmuth and she is offering up this art work found here to another winner this week.

Yes.... you read that right! Three winners this week!

You can upload your blog post to the Etsy Inspired Challenge blog here. Please make sure to give credit to the shop where you found your inspiration!

If you use SCS or PCP instead of a blog, please use the keyword EIC90.

You can read more details about the prizes, etc on the EIC blog!

I am sad to say that this is my last challenge as a Guest Designer!

Ashley... this has been a blast! Thank you for asking me to join in on this awesome challenge blog! You and the DT girls are great and I thank you for the opportunity!

Speaking of the DT girls.... you can click on each name below to go check out what these ladies have done...

Ashley
Clare (May Guest Designer)
De
Emily
Heather
Jackie
Joy
Kerry
Shannon
Tiffany

Peace and Love! :)

Supplies:
Stamps - Faux Ribbon and Through the Trees (PTI), Sentiments and Fresh (American Crafts)
Paper - White (PTI), Crushed Curry (SU)
Ink- True Black (PTI)
Other - SU Corner rounder, Curvy Label punch and dimensionals

Friday, May 28, 2010

Paper Crafts


Happy Friday!

We have not been super productive today! I think we are both running out of steam! Michael worked outside getting the yard cleaned up a bit and I pulled a few weeds. I need to pull some more but it was too hot earlier. Anyway... just wanted to post real quick and then I am going to get back to it!

This is a card that I made last night for the Paper Crafts Go To Sketches #3 challenge! It felt sooooo good to stamp! Anyway... I love this sketch and have a few more ideas floating around in my head so you may see 1 or 2 more in the next few days!

Tomorrow is my last post as one of the May Guest Designers for the Etsy Inspired Challenge. I will be back at midnight with that post!

I woke up this morning to find that I was one of the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Top 20 winners! Super stoked about the prize and just to be able to say that I was in the top 20! I am anxious to see how far I will get but... no matter what... I am just honored to be one of the top 20! Thank you all for the sweet congrats comments/emails that I have received today! You guys are the best!!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Just For Boys (Close to my Heart), Sweet Baby by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday)
Paper - Baja Breeze (SU), White (PTI)
Ink - Baja Breeze (SU), True Black (PTI), Distress (Ranger)
Other - SU Word Window punch, corner rounder and dimensionals, Twine (PTI)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Halloween in May

I am pooped! :) My SIL had surgery today... she is doing well... surgery went great. I went to her house to watch her 3 kids at 3pm and I left at 9pm. I had Carver with me and then one of my nieces had a friend over. They were all great... with the exception of mine! :) He was good most of the time but what is it about getting in front of other people and then your kid doesn't think that he has to mind!?!?

Anyway... just thought I would post some cards, etc. tonight!

Here is a card and tag that I made for submissions recently. I only made one Halloween card and 2 Halloween tags. One of the tags got picked up so these are the 'rejects'! I did have an older Halloween card accepted and found out today that it looks like it never made it to its destination. Ugh!! Lesson learned... no matter how the kid is acting... stay long enough to get the tracking info. !! Of all the things to lose... couldn't the post office lose a bill or something? ha... Very upsetting... very upsetting!!


We were gone from home most of the day. Michael was gone all day so he is still working on the 2nd coat on our new bookshelf. Here is a pic....

Michael has done a great job!! I love them!!

Hopefully it will be finished up tonight and then we will just let it set for a few days before I load it up with 'stuff'! :)

Hope you all have a fab weekend!

Peace and Love!

Supplies: tag
Stamps - Spooky Silhouettes (Gina K)
Paper - White (PTI), Dusty Durango (SU)
Ink - Crushed Curry (SU), Versamark, Distress (Ranger)
Other - Labels 4 Nesties, SU Dimensionals, Twine (PTI), Black emboss powder (Superior)

Supplies: card
Stamps - Vintage Halloween (Crafty Secrets), Very Vintage Labels 4 (Waltzing Mouse)
Paper - Kraft, Vintage Cream and True Black (PTI)
Ink - True Black (PTI)
Other - SU Corner rounder and dimensionals, copic marker, Star Dust Stickles, Labels 4 Nesties

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Wednesday

Carver is eating a late night snack of strawberries and cheese crackers before he takes a bath and goes to bed (late... again). I thought I would post pics of our day today!

Well... except this picture. This picture, of our house,was taken while we were across the street a couple of weeks ago. You can see how big our bushes are in the front and if you look hard... you can see how tall the red thorny bushes are to the left of the porch.

Well... this is what I spent all afternoon doing today! I am wiped out!

I don't understand why you plant shrubs, etc... and you water them and then you hope they live and grow... just so you can cut them down. Anyway.... apparently you are suppose to so... that is what I did! I hated to do it because it was all so big and pretty this year but we were starting to have to walk in a single file line up the sidewalk to get into the house. So... I just went ahead and cut them down real good... :) ... so I won't have to do again next year! That was the plan anyway! We will see how that works out. I think it has been a couple of years since the last time that I cut them back. Oh... and the holly bushes were starting to mess with my card picture taking. Can't be having that! :)

Okay... so.. glad to be done with that. I should have lost 5 pds today just from sweating! Of course... I gained about 2 lbs of big red whelps! I hate mosquitoes!

This is what the bonus room shelves looked like earlier today! Michael put all the trimmings on and since this picture was shot... filled the holes, sanded ... and now they are ready to paint. I guess once Carver goes to bed... that is what we will be doing!

This is what Carver did today while Michael was working in the bonus room and I was in another part of the house.


Carver came down the steps to show me his level and pencil that he had drawn on the wall with like daddy! Wasn't that sweet of him? Such the big helper! :)

These are just some pics of the sky this morning while Carver and I were running errands! I love clouds. God is Amazing!!

This is another picture of the sky when I left a few hours ago to go get us some yum yum Chick-fil-A for din din! I couldn't tell if that was rain coming down in the distance. I think it was but.. I am not certain about that. I just thought it looked cool so I pulled over and took a pic!

I love having a camera in my purse at all times!!

Oh... and this is a pic of my favorite little helper this morning in his car seat. Took this right after the 1st set of cloud pictures. What a cutie!

Oh xs 2... I hate mosquitoes!!

Peace and Love!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Progress

Well... we have made some progress this week... woo hoo! Hope to make a lot more before the week is over! I am feeling much much much better today... Thank you all for the get better wishes! :) Still coughing a little but no car on my chest! Allergies/Sinus suck! Sorry for the crude terminology but well... that is the only word that describes it! Weird how I only started having issues about 6 years ago or so. Wonder why that happens? Anyway...

So... today Michael worked on the shelves a little more. I took a load of stuff to the consignment shop and got the rest of the stuff (that I am planning to take as of right now) ready to take next week. I can't take any clothes until next month and I can only take 30 clothing items at a time so... that is going to take me a while to get all of those taken but hey... at least I have a plan. I took a lot of stuff today and the lady told me I could bring the rest next week. It makes me feel sad to get rid of it but at the same time it feels good to let it go and to get it out of my attic! I hope to make at least a little money off of it to put in Carvers savings account!

Here is a picture or two of all of the stuff that I took down out of the attic at the end of last week.


Here is a picture of what is going back in the attic until I can get it out and take it a little at a time to the shop! Considerably less and hopefully it will all be gone within a few months. Going to try to sell the bigger things myself and see how that goes before I take those to the shop so those are still in the attic as of right now! Wow... I am rambling!


Here is a picture of the progress that Michael has made on the shelves in the bonus room! I am super excited to be getting this project done. I can't wait to have that storage for Carver's toys, etc! It is making an unusable space... usable! Our ceiling comes down so low that if you walk too far towards the wall... you will bump your punkin!


I hope that tomorrow Michael can get the 'dressing' on it and then we can maybe paint it tomorrow night! I hope!! :)

The rest of the week will depend on how long it takes to get the shelves done. Plenty of other projects that need to be done... hopefully we will get to another one or two this week with a day or two reserved for me. I want Michael to keep Carver all day for at least one day and maybe 2 so I can really get some uninterrupted cleaning done! My house is screaming for a cleaning! :)

Anyway... I will really be glad to get the bonus room finished and then I hope to work my way down from there and redo just about every room in our house. This will take time because we are not made of money (ha) but... to get one room done will be great and then I can focus on the next! Laundry room is next in line.... just a fresh coat of paint! It is a small walk through from the kitchen to the bonus room/garage door and it is painted a dark blue/navy color right now. My appliances are white and my cabinets are white. I am thinking I may paint it white too... just to make it seem bigger. I am really feeling a little like Courtney these days (liking neutrals)... at least with my wall colors... wanting to go more neutral and work color in ... in different ways! We will see how it goes. I have always had A LOT of color going on. It just makes me happy!

Okay... enough rambling! Going to shut up now and go do something before I need to go to bed!

Oh... one more thing... I did a little blog hopping tonight after we got home (around 10:30 pm). Felt good! I went down my list on my blog and hopped until I felt like stopping! I didn't get too far down but it felt good to not have the pressure that I had been putting on myself to 'keep up'! I actually thought when we got home that I wanted to blog hop... not that I had to! Nice... Making progress here people! :)

Peace and Love!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Monday


Today has been a weird day! I went to bed last night feeling like I had a brick on my chest. I woke up this morning feeling like I had a car on my chest. So... I have been laying around for the most part today.

Michael is off this week and doing some stuff around the house. I hate that I spent the first day of our 'vacation' not feeling well. However... if he was at work... he would have had to come home... I couldn't function for a good portion of the afternoon. Anyway....

Been really productive here this weekend. Carver spent the night with one set of grandparents on Friday and then the other set on Saturday! Friday we had a bday party to attend for a friend. Saturday Michael and I celebrated our anniversary. Our 12th anniversary was Sunday (yesterday). Woo hoo!!

Still have a ton to do but I am glad at the progress we have made with different projects, etc.! Michael is working on building shelves for our bonus room. I went through all of the baby stuff in our attic and am in the process of taking what didn't go to Goodwill and to my cousin... to a consignment shop. I hope to feel well enough to take a load tomorrow!

Okay... so ... the card... I made this a while ago... around the same time I made the chair card for the Moxie Fab chairs challenge. I am fixing to be out of things to post (except Holiday cards)... not much creating going on here lately. I miss it but... I am glad to be getting other things done.

Well.... I guess that is all for me. I just felt like posting something real quick!

BTW... I wanted to say Thank you to those of you who left comments on my latest Rambling post! You guys are the best!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Key to my Heart (PCD)
Paper - Terracotta Tile and White (PTI), Teresa Collins pp
Ink - True Black (PTI)
Other - Labels 4 Nesties, Kaiser Rhinestone, May Arts ribbon, dimensionals

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Etsy Inspired Challenge #89

Happy Saturday! I am a few minutes late with my post tonight. We went to a birthday party for a friend and when we got home, I sat on the couch and fell asleep. So... if you are here for the 2nd time to see this post... Sorry!!

So.... it is time for another great Etsy Inspired Challenge!! Woo Hoo!!

This weeks Etsy shop is Made By Michelle Brusegaard. Sooooo many great things in the shop to spark some card making creativity! Here is the inspiration picture that I chose....


I actually made 3 cards (a while ago) for this particular challenge. This picture inspired me to make some quick and easy cards for my grandmothers and Michaels grandmother for Mother's Day. I made three and here they are...



Made by Michelle Brusegaard is offering up a dish towel and sticky notes with the red poppy design to one lucky participant this week.

This weeks sponsor is The Cutting Cafe. Another lucky participant will win 3 digi sets of your choice!

Two pretty great prizes if you ask me!

You have until Friday, May 28th at Noon PST to upload your card to the Etsy Inspired Challenge blog here. If you use SCS or PCP the please use the keyword EIC89 on your entry.

Here is a list of the other DT.... how about going to take a look for even more inspiration:

Ashley
Clare - May Guest Designer
De
Emily
Heather
Jackie
Joy
Kerry
Shannon
Tiffany

Hope you guys have a great weekend!!

Peace and Love!!

Supplies: combined
Stamps -Upsy Daisy (SU), Women of Life (PTI)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - L' Amour Red (Superior), True Black, Hibiscus Burst and Melon Berry (PTI)
Other - Kaiser Rhinestone

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Another Late Night Rambling Post

Wow.... where to start! I have lots of thoughts floating around in my head! That is usually not a good thing! :) Feel free to move on to another blog if you don't want to read a book!

Ever since I started blogging, blog hopping, card making, submitting to magazines for publication, etc.. I have struggled to find a good balance of time and energy! I have been doing this for over a year. Never once (before this last month) have I considered not doing any of it at all!

This past month, however, the thought has crossed my mind more than once! This is all bittersweet! I have found a hobby that I am passionate about. I enjoy submitting for publication and being 'recognized' for doing something that I love. Making a little extra cash/earning free product doesn't hurt either! I have met some wonderful friends that I hope to remain friends with for many more years!

On the other hand... I am tired all of the time! I stay up too late! I feel guilty all the time for either ignoring my 'real' world or ignoring my blog world! I get tired of hearing myself apologize all the time! And I am sure many of you do as well! That is just how I am... I would say "sorry" if I wasn't tired of hearing myself apologize! :) ha!

So... what is a girl to do? I am officially letting myself off the hook from feeling like I have to blog everyday. More than likely... I still will... most days anyway! I am letting myself off the hook from feeling like I always have to post cards! I am letting myself off the hook to feel like I have to blog hop and comment all the time! This last one is going to be the hardest!

See... I do enjoy visiting my friends and I find inspiration from somewhere every time that I do visit! But... I have been MIA for the most part from blog hopping for over a month! I have spent probably 5 or 6 hours in the past two days getting caught up with everyone! Please don't hear the wrong thing... I wanted to do it... I have been gone too long. However... the past two days... I have not made one thing, went on a little shopping spree from all the inspiration that I have seen (never a good thing), and I am up late again! :)

I have been working on changing some things in my life and I have changed several over the past little bit. This is apparently another change that I need to make!

For the past year, I have spent just about every single night in this craft room... crafting and blogging and blog hopping. I feel guilty that I don't spend any time with my husband. After Carver is in the bed, I go to my craft room and Michael goes upstairs! Michael doesn't complain at all... you see... he can't! I love my husband but he will be the first to admit... he has done the same thing to me for years. I think this past year has given him a little better understanding of the things I use to complain to/at him about. I think it is time for both of us to start better habits and spend more of the few hours we have together... together! It has been a good thing though as far as ... for lack of better terminology.... giving Michael a taste of his own medicine. He doesn't like it! :)

I feel guilty for being so tired during the day (from lack of sleep) that I don't feel like playing with Carver. I do play with him but most of the time... I don't want to! I am too tired and just don't want to. I don't think this will change completely with more and more consistent sleep but I am hoping that it will at least help. I am not really the sit and play type person but... I want to be!

Things have changed drastically for me this past year... in all areas of my life. Carver is growing up way too fast and it makes me sad. I don't want to spend the last few years of being a stay at home mom as a tired stay at home mom whose mind is elsewhere all the time!

I am working on getting my home in order as far as cleaning out and eventually cleaning it. This has been more difficult since I took Carver out of school. I am trying to do better about asking for babysitters so that I can get some things around here done. I feel bad to ask for babysitting from grandparents because they work and have things they need to do as well! But... like I said... I am working on it!

I have quit going to my parents every week for lunch! This is HUGE for me! Michael and I have been together for almost 14 years (12 married) and we have gone to my parents on Sunday .... every Sunday... all of those years! I love my family and I so appreciate my mom wanting to have us over every Sunday! However... Sunday's are long and exhausting for our household so this has been a wonderful change. I want to see my family on a regular basis... I love my family. It just doesn't have to be on Sundays! One Sunday a month with my family... one Sunday a month with Michaels family... 2 or 3 Sundays a month... just coming home or being free to go eat with church family!

I have decided to not teach 4 year olds in Sunday School next year and I am excited and relieved about that. I will be helping with the high school instead and this will be a nice ... more relaxing change!

I have just decided to let a lot of worries go... worries that other women/people don't seem to worry about (in my opinion anyway). I am trying to desperately live my life and live it the way that God would have me to first and foremost but also in a way that we want to live and make memories that we want to make. Without worrying so much what will or won't hurt others feelings. I don't want to become insensitive in any way. I just want to find a happy medium. I don't want to live my life based on what I feel others expect from me, etc. Things are different now! I am a mother and I have my son to think about and I want to make sure that I make the most of the time that I have with him.

Wow... I am really rambling! :) Appropriately titled post... for sure!

Sometimes I think I am crazy... other times... I think a lot of other women struggle with the same things.

I am just determined to 'get it together'... whatever 'it' may be... before it is too late and my son is grown and I have a lot of regrets!

I want to lose weight! I want to be able to keep my house in some sort of order... once we get it there in the first place. I want to be a good mom who is well rested and easy going and pleasant to be around. I want to be a good wife who again... is pleasant to be around. If I don't sleep... I am not always pleasant! :)

I want to scrapbook! I want to get in some sort of routine of teaching with Carver. Homeschooling is not ruled out so far with us. I have said from the get go... God will have to do a major work on me if that is what we feel He wants us to do. Maybe that is what is going on now... maybe God is preparing me to be more disciplined so that when Carver starts school... I will be ready to home school. Maybe not! Who knows!?!?

So.... after all this rambling... what is my point?

My point is... I love you all (my friends) and I so appreciate your friendships, comments, etc! At this point... I don't want to quit blogging and I am not going to. I don't want to quit blog hopping and... I am not going to. What I am going to do is quit commenting so much! I will still visit and comment from time to time. Because of who I am and how I work... this post was meant to be one last apology from me! :) I am sorry if I don't comment a lot from here on out. I will still visit you... maybe not as often as I did before this last month... but I will visit you. If you are on my blog list... I will visit you!

If you are offended in anyway at my lack of commenting (I have felt that before so I know that it does happen)... I am truly sorry! You have my permission to quit visiting me and/or to quit commenting on my posts! : ) ha... like you need my permission but.... you know what I am saying!

Who knows... I have gone through so many different phases/emotions this past year while I have been trying to figure this whole thing out... in a month or two... after the house is officially 'in order'... I may be back at it full force. I doubt it but... I am not saying that it won't happen. I am saying that this is my new strategy... we will see how it works out!

Sorry for the long rambling post. If you stuck it out and read this whole thing... bless your heart! :) And... Thanks! :)

I get tired of hearing my own ramblings and I am sorry to put you through another one!

One of the many things that I am working on is to quit feeling the need to explain myself all the time. This post doesn't prove that I have made any progress, does it? :) I have but... I take it one battle at a time! I just had to explain because I do cherish the friendships that I have made here in blogland and I want you all to understand. You may still be offended but... hopefully... you will at least understand a little better!

And... if you haven't already figured this out about me... I like to share my feelings! Always have... probably always will. Another thing I am working on! :) Sometimes it is okay to just keep it in. However... God didn't make me that way! I seriously can't help it! Wish I could!

Oh... and one more thing... if you comment on this post... no need to tell me not to worry about it, etc. You can if you want. I know most of you might care less about this 'huge' decision that I have made! :) However... it is a big deal to me and I just needed to ramble about it!

Peace and Love!

My Little Man

Well... honestly... I am tired of posting cards! :) I wanted to post some pics of my little man so... here they are.

These are from today... after a trip to the doctor for a check up on Carvers ear tubes, we came home and ate lunch. Michael came by on his way home from Nashville to plant my mother's day gift real quick. Hopefully the tree will make it. It is looking pretty pitiful right now! :( We waited too long to plant it I am afraid. Anyway... Carver had a big time and enjoyed getting wet the most!



These last three are just random photos from the past little bit. The one of Carver in a tub is from when he had a friend over and they pushed each other around the house in one of his tubs for his toys! I should have taken a picture of his room after his friend had been there for a while. It is amazing how fast they can pull out every toy! :) They had fun and I was able to get a little bit done while Carver was entertained... well worth the clean up!




Hope you guys have a wonderful day! I will be back later today or tomorrow with some cards to post. I need to try and make something tonight. It has been a few days... don't want to get rusty!

Peace and Love!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Thank you and Congratulations



These are two cards that I submitted for pub calls.

Short and sweet again! I spent a little time blog hopping and now I need to hop in the shower before Carver wakes up from his nap. Hope to finish catching up with everyone tonight!

Peace and Love!

Supplies: thank you
Stamps - Loving Words by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - Orangerie (Superior)
Other - Marker, Ruler, Kaiser rhinestone, corner rounder, Colorbok epoxy stickers

Supplies: Congratulations
Stamps - Enjoy the Ride (PTI)
Paper - Kraft, Ocean Tides, Dotty Biscotti (PTI)
Ink - Orange Zest and True Black (PTI), Distress (Ranger)
Other - corner rounder and dimensionals, E Line crystals (Prima), Ribbon (May Arts)

Monday, May 17, 2010

A Note of Thanks


Quick post... Carver is napping and I need to try to get it in gear and get something done today! That boy has been waking up at 6am for a week now. I was hoping it was just a phase but I am worried now that it may be permanent!

Anyway.... hope you are all having a great Monday! I am tired and my throat hurts but... it could always be worse so... not complaining! :)

Oh... this is a card that I sent in for a submission and was not accepted.

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Thanks (American Crafts)
Paper - Kraft (PTI)
Ink - True black (PTI), L' Amour Red (Superior), Distress (Ranger)
Other - Twill ribbon (May Arts), Kaiser Silver Rhinestone, SU Corner rounder

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Etsy Inspired Challenge #88

It's time for another Etsy Inspired Challenge! Woo hoo!!

I just love these challenges! It has helped me to take time and dig around in some Etsy shops that I normally wouldn't take the time to do (even though I have wanted to for a long time). Anyway... let's get to it!

This weeks Etsy Inspired Challenge shop is Creation Designs! The shop owner is offering up a $20 gift certificate to one lucky winner. This weeks sponsor is Limelight Papercrafts. Limelight is offering up a great prize pack so you can visit the Etsy Inspired Challenge blog and check out those details here.

You have until Friday, May 21st at noon EST to enter to win! Make sure to link your blog post on the Etsy Inspired blog or if you use an online gallery... label your creation with EIC88.

Here is the inspiration picture that I chose from the etsy shop.


Here is my card...


I thought it would be a great card to slip in with a dinner for sick friend, etc.!

Make sure to check out the other DT's blogs...

De
Emily
Heather
Joy
Kerry
Jackie
Shannon
Clare Prezzia (May Guest Designer)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I promise that one of these days... I will get back to normal. Did a lot of cleaning out yesterday and took more stuff to Goodwill. I am working now on minimizing the amount of pictures that I have on hand. My husband built me shelves a year or so ago in our living room to house all of my photo boxes and albums. Well... I am 2 years behind on printing any pictures and I have already filled up the whole wall. Anyway.... that is what I am focusing on at the moment. I hope to make a lot of progress on that over the weekend.

I am also trying to get my head around NOT printing pics unless I am going to use them on a scrapbook page or to display. This is a HUGE deal for me as I have always... always wanted to have prints on hand. I just realize that as many pictures as I take... I just can't afford to print all of them any longer and I am going to have to have a new house just for pictures in a few years if I try to keep up the 'old ways'! :)

I have had some people ask if I am okay (and I appreciate that). I really am okay... I am just in 'home mode' and working on projects around here... trying to get my house and my life back to basics! Knowing that I will not have any other children is really driving me to get rid of stuff. I have kept a lot (didn't realize how much) of stuff thinking I may have a girl one day. Anyway... all of that is fine... I am just ready to get rid of everything! Let's just say that I think Michael is stunned at how serious I am about it.

Okay... enough rambling. I just really feel bad ... I know ... I know... you say I shouldn't feel bad for not visiting but... I do. I miss you guys. I am just really focused on home stuff right now. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and I will be back to 'normal' soon (i hope...ha)! There just aren't enough hours in the day and I am sorry that I am letting my blog hopping, etc. suffer but ... again... with a 3 year old under my feet all day (not complaining... I love him!)... it has just taken me longer to get things done than it would normally if he were in school. I have to wait until Michael is at home and with his busy schedule... well... it is just taking a long time.

Okay... sorry... really enough rambling this time. It is late (or early... however you want to look at it) and you guys know how I get when I am tired... chatty! :) Thanks for 'listening'! :)

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Handwritten Notes (PTI)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - True Black (PTI)
Other - Kaiser Rhinestones, corner rounder, Hambly rub on (these things are really coming in handy!)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Cards for Boys



Happy Friday!

It is barely Friday and I am heading to bed. I wanted to post real quick because when I wake up... I hope to get a lot more accomplished around the house.

I have gotten a lot of stuff cleaned out inside the house. My plan was to clean out and then spring clean. After I did that, I was going to start on the attic... cleaning it out, etc. Well... the way my brain works... I had to start cleaning out the attic. I can't think about spring cleaning until I get everything out and everything has a place. I just feel like I am going to mess it all up again by dragging stuff out of the attic. Anyway... I know you care... ha! I hope to get the attic cleaned out this weekend. We have several places to go this weekend though so we shall see how it works out.

Okay... enough rambling... on to the cards. I made these to submit to CARDS. I was also playing with some of my new Zing emboss powders that I got from Peachy Cheap. I got 4 metallic colors and I really like them. I think I will use them a lot!

Hope you all have a happy Friday!

Peace and Love!

Supplies: I heart Robots
Stamps - Space Ships and Robots (My Cute Stamps)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - VersaMark, True Black (PTI)
Other - Corner rounder, Metal Dots, Pewter and Copper Zing emboss powders (American Crafts).

Supplies: Lil Monster
Stamps - Monster Fun (Hero Arts)
Paper - White and Hawaiian Shores (PTI)
Ink - True Black (PTI), L' Amour Red (Superior)
Other - Corner Rounder and dimensional, Kaiser rhinestone

Thursday, May 13, 2010

All about Baby




Good morning! Typing up a quick post while Carver is eating breakfast and trying to figure out what I want to accomplish today! First on the list... wake up fully!

Wanted to show these 3 cards real quick. I recently purged my craft room of a ton of stuff. I had these stickers in the pile to go and then I took them out because I thought they would work well on cards. So... I left them out on my desk so I would make them and not forget.


Peace and Love!

Supplies: combined
Stamps - Sweet Baby by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday)
Paper - White (PTI), Baja Breeze (SU)
Ink - True Black (PTI)
Other - Corner rounder, Kaiser rhinestone/pearls, May Arts ribbon, Jolee Boutique Baby boy/girl outfit

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Quick and Easy



I made both of these in about 10 minutes the other night! Just a couple of quick and easy cards.

Hope your Wednesday has been great! Mine has been productive so far. That is always good!

Peace and Love!

Supplies: I heart you
Stamps - Key to my heart (Practicing Creativity Designs)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - True Black (PTI), Basic Gray (SU), L' Amour Red (Superior)
Other - Kaiser rhinestone, corner rounder

Supplies: You're sew lovely
Stamps - Sew Lovely (Lawn Fawn)
Paper - White (PTI)
Ink - True Black (PTI), Sunflower (Superior)
Other- Kaiser rhinestone, corner rounder, copic marker

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Thank you




I love this bicycle stamp!

Hope you all had a wonderful Tuesday!

I don't have a ton to talk about so I guess I will keep it short and sweet. I am hoping to get in bed earlier tonight and then maybe tomorrow I will start blog hopping and try to catch up with everyone! Sorry to be antisocial but in my defense... I told you on my birthday in my list of 33 things that I am as often as I can be! :) It just usually doesn't show itself for this long in blogland! :)

Oh... and thank you for your get well wishes for Carver (and us... ha). Carver is much much better today and was able to eat all day long. Thank you again! :)

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Bicycle (Hero Arts), Loving Words by Ali Edwards (Technique Tuesday)
Paper - Kraft (PTI)
Ink - True Black and Dark Chocolate (PTI), Vintage Photo Distress (Ranger)
Other - Crayola Colored Pencils, May Arts ribbon, Kaiser Rhinestone, SU Corner rounder

Monday, May 10, 2010

Monday post


Happy Monday!

This is the Mother's Day card that I made for my mother-in-law.

Keeping it short again. Carver is napping now but we were up all night off and on. Carver has an ulcer in his mouth and he hadn't eaten anything all weekend. I gave him some medicine last night and I don't know if that upset his stomach or what but... he threw up a few times last night and he was in our bed. So... none of us got a lot of sleep.

I convinced him this morning to pinch off little pieces of his breakfast and try eating it. So... he did finally eat some this morning!

Anyway... hope you all have a great day!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Mega Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper - Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Lemon Tart and Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Ink - Dark Chocolate (PTI), Tattered Rose Distress (Ranger)
Other - Kaiser Rhinestone, May Arts ribbon, SU Corner rounder, glue dots, SU Embosslits Beautiful Wings (Sizzix)

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Moxie Fab Again


Happy Mother's Day! Hope you all have had a fabulous day today! Mine was good... exhausting with lots of running around... but good!

After I made my first card for the current Moxie Fab challenge, I remembered that I had picked up some Teresa Collins paper at a LSS about a month ago. One of the pieces I purchased was a whole page of chairs so... I pulled it out and made another card for the challenge.

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Welcome Home (Teresa Collins)
Paper - Berry Sorbet (PTI), Welcome Home Chairs paper (Teresa Collins)
Ink - True Black (PTI)
Other - May Arts ribbon, Labels One Nesties, Rhinestones (MME), Dimensionals

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Etsy Inspired Challenge #87

Happy Saturday! Today is my second week as an Etsy Inspired Guest Designer! You are going to love the Etsy shop for this week..... such cute stuff and very easy to find inspiration!

This weeks shop is Lindsay Brackeen. The shop owner is giving one winner an 8 x 10 print of her choice. Practicing Creativity Designs is also offering up a stamp set, Key To My Heart. So.... you want to make sure to play along and give yourself a chance to win one of two great prizes.

This is the inspiration picture that I chose...


I was so excited to see this picture in Lindsay's shop because I had just gotten this stamp from Hero Arts not too long ago! So... here is my card...


Make sure to check out the rest of the DT's blogs to see their work!

Ashley
De
Emily
Heather
Joy
Kerry
Jackie
Shannon
Clare Prezzia (May Guest Designer)

If you post your card on your blog, make sure to link your blog post back to the Etsy Inspired Challenge blog here.

If you post your card to an online gallery... make sure to label your card as EIC87.

This weeks challenge ends on Friday, May 14th at noon EST.

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Bicycle (Hero Arts), Sentiment from You're Dandy (Practicing Creativity Designs)
Paper - Kraft and Vintage Cream (PTI)
Ink - VersaMark, True Black (PTI)
Other - Copics, Kaiser Rhinestones, SU Corner Rounder and Dimensionals, Twine (PTI), Labels 4 Nesties, Black Emboss Powder (Superior)

Friday, May 7, 2010

Mother


Hello... hope you are all having a wonderful Friday! Mine has been full.. yeah... full is a good way to put it! I am exhausted but... I wanted to post a card real quick. This is one I made for Mother's Day. I think this one will go to my mom. Hope you all have a great weekend! I will be back early tomorrow... midnight tonight to be exact... to share the newest Etsy Inspired Challenge. See you then!

Peace and Love!

Supplies:
Stamps - Very Vintage Labels 4 (Waltzing Mouse), Mega Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper - Aqua Mist, Dark Chocolate and Vintage Cream (PTI)
Ink - Dark Chocolate and Sweet Blush (PTI)
Other - Labels 4 Nesties, May Arts Ribbon, Kaiser Rhinstone, Corner rounder, Prima Flower, Dimensionals.