I'm still alive!

Hello! Yes I know, I've been a bad blogger. I've made a few cards here and there, been to a class my SU demo had, but just haven't gotten anything photographed to blog. I hoping that when the kids go back to school on Monday I can get my craft room reorganized, rearranged, and redecorated. Lord knows I can't create anything in that mess right now!

It's been a good summer in spite of the 50+ days of 100 temps. The girls have spent most of it in the pool. Dana has been busy with youth activities at church and the last 3 weeks of band camp.

Thanks for coming by and remember, Love wins!

EXTREME MAKEOVER, doggie edition!

Now that he's 7 months and we're well into 100 temps everyday, we all figured it was time for Teddy to get a summer cut! I really didn't recognize him when the groomer brought him out! Then I looked into his eyes and he was eager to share lots of kisses - yep! That's our Teddy!

Here he is before:And here he is now!

Talk about an extreme makeover! I love how he's smiling in his close-up! Hubby has been laughing all evening - in tears laughing! MEN!!!


***On a creative note, my mojo has up and went! Perhaps if I clean up my craft area it'll come back. Apparently there's not enough room in there for the 2 of us!

Riding Celery Pirouettes Friend

Is that an odd title or what? It's for today's Limited Supplies Challenge at Splitcoast. We could only use 1 wheel stamp, 1 image stamp, 1 sentiment stamp, and 1 embellishment. I think I followed all the rules.

STAMPS: Dilly Dally, coordinating wheel stamp (don't remember the name), Everyday Phrases
PAPER: pink pirouette, certainly celery
Ink: Riding Hood Red, certainly celery
ACCESSORIES: ribbon

Time to "Get a Handle On It"

Hello! Hope you've had a wonderful day!

I finally finished the Ways to Use it Challenge at Splitcoast. This week we had to do something with frames. I decided to use a chipboard frame on one of the brand new templates at Papertrey Ink. It's called "Get a Handle On It". This box happens to be full of wonderful girlie goodies = nail polish, hair accessories, & lip gloss. It's a birthday present for one of my DD's friends who's turning 9 tomorrow. Hope she likes it!

PAPER
Papertrey Ink - Lavender Moon
white

STAMPS
Stampin Up - Crazy for Cupcakes, Polka Dot Punches

INK
Papertrey Ink - Dark Chocolate, Lavender Moon
Stampin Up - Pink Passion, Close to Cocoa

ACCESSORIES
Papertrey Ink - Lavender Moon & Dark Chocolate ribbons
Stampin Up - On Board Frame
WalMart - Silk flowers, brad, button

Blog Candy Alert!

Hi all! Carla at Moralia's Weblog is offering some yummy candy - Pearls and Gems in many delicious colors! Here is the link to the post. Good luck!

While you're there, you can check out the Lil' Scrappers Mini Kit and see Carla's gorgeous creations she made with it. That Gal does amazing work!

It's a Metal Morning!

I had to laugh when I read today's Technique challenge at Splitcoast! We are to use an aluminum can to stamp & cut on our card. Well this morning I taught my daughter's 3rd grade art class and our project just happened to be "Mexican Metal Tooling"! Since we're getting ready for Fiesta here in San Antonio, the kids were to draw a fiesta related item on a piece of 3x3 paper (cascarones, maracas, cactus, sombrero, chili peppers, etc...). Next they transferred their drawing onto a piece of aluminum and color it with permanent markers.

So, since I've had a bit of practice with this, I decided to do 2 cards!

Metal Flowers: Stamp: Polka Dot Punches; Ink: Stazon black & Bic permanent markers; Paper; Raspberry Tart, Pink Passion, Pretty in Pink; Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

Metal Butterfly Trust: Stamp: Our Daily Bread Design's Scripture Collection 2; Ink: Rose Red; Paper: Raspberry Tart, PTI Kraft; Accessories: Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch


Thanks for looking!

A Bright Birthday Card

I made this for Sarah's friend Camille. I never thought I'd like pink and orange together, but somehow it works! I hope you like it too!

Recipe:

Stamps: URA Hoot - CHF; Gel-A-Tins (9)

Paper: white cs, pink passion, summer picnic dsp

Ink: black Stazon, copics, white opaque, pumpkin pie, pink passion, pretty in pink (cheeks), blush blossom (eyelids)

Accessories: white taffeta ribbon

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful Good Friday and Easter!

Love wins!

Nice Tail (aka: Adventures in puppy pictures)

Teddy is now 4 1/2 months old! I thought I'd try to get some pictures of him running around the backyard this morning. As you can see, things didn't go as well as I had hoped!

And now for your listening pleasure...

My DD plays flute in the Honors Band at her middle school. Today was the UIL Concert Competition for the district. They got all 1's, Sweepstakes, which is the highest you can get! They were so excited I wish you all could've heard the screams coming from the buses after their director gave them the good news.

Circus Days March


The King of Love My Shepherd Is


Variations on a Korean Folk Song

Spring has sprung!

That's right - 2 posts in 1 day! It's a spring two-fer! I took some pictures in the backyard yesterday. We have a lemon and a lime tree, also several other trees whose name I can't think of. But they get really pretty flowers on them. Sorry - but I'm clearly NOT a gardener. I could't resist putting them on a scrapbook page.

RECIPE:
PAPER: American Crafts pp, SU Summer Sun
STAMPS: SU Alpha
INK: SU Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: PTI Buttons, American Crafts Thickers, SU Rub-ons, Making Memories flower punch

Thanks for looking! Your comments are much appreciated!

You'll Know It's Spring Cuz the Spring Opossum's Here?

Well what can I say? I'd heard they were around the neighborhood. Last year a friend/neighborhood found a few babies in her yard. I've seen plenty of racoon (racoons? what's the plural?). Now I don't normally have this particular window blind open. Afterall - do I really need a view of the side of my neighbors house? Well I happened to be sitting here on the couch checking my e-mail and saw something out the corner of my eye. There were 2 of these critters crawling along the top of the wooden fence. I waited a few minutes and then saw this guy walking back from whence he came. Yes he's a boy, cuz.... well... nevermind. ;)

Both were the same size - slightly bigger than my 3 month old maltipoo, Teddy. The only slightly redeeming thing I can say for them is (Fun Fact Alert!!!) Opossum do not carry rabies. Not that I want to try to pet them.

Happy First Day of Spring!

I've been busy! (Keep your sunglasses handy)

Aloha Howdy!

I have more cards to share with you today. The first 2 are for the Technique Lovers challenger at SCS. This week we were to make a ribbon frame. I loved this look so much I made 2 cards. I don't know about you, but it's nice to do something other than a bow.


Lavender Petal Prints
Stamp: Petal Prints
Paper: white, American Crafts pp
Ink: PTI Lavender Moon
Accessories: PTI Lavender Moon ribbon

Aqua Essence of Love
Stamp: Essence of Love
Paper: white, PTI Aqua Mist
Ink: PTI Aqua Mist
Ribbon: PTI Aqua Mist

GET THOSE SUNGLASSES OUT!!!
This next card is one I've thought about making for a loooooong time. I'm not sure what's taken me so long to get it done - maybe the fear of failing? Silly I know! I'm absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out. I know the possibilities are endless with this Daisy - afterall they come in all different colors! My pet peeve though, is when florists take a perfectly beautiful white daisy and die it. WWWWHHHHHHHYYYY?!?!? (I'm not so happy when they do that to other flowers either but it doesn't irk me as much.)

Yellow Shady Daisy
Stamp: CHF Shady Daisy Backgrounder
Paper: ShortCuts clear, Yoyo Yellow
Ink: white stazon

This next card is one I just felt like making. Today was sunny and 80 and after our cold, rainy spring break last week, well the card seemed necessary!

Orange You Sweet
Stamp: Tart & Tangy
Paper: tangerine tango, Summer Picnic dsp, white
Ink: tangerine tango

This last card is one I made for a friend whose Dad recently passed away. It also works for last weeks Color Challenge at SCS.

Flowers to share

Aloha Howdy!

I have 2 cards to share with you today. The first one uses an adorable stamp set I won in some blog candy from Laurie Wilson's blog, Clearly Delightful. It is also for their CDS Weekend Color Challenge (CDSWCC10) at PCP.


RECIPE:
Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps: April Flower Daisy
Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, White, Black
Ink: Black Stazon, SU Markers, Copic BG 10
Accessories: grosgrain ribbon, hodgepodge hardware

This 2nd card uses some of the goodies I picked up at Michaels the other day.


RECIPE:
Stamps: SU Time Well Spent
Paper: American Crafts pp, real red, white
Ink: Colorbox Primary chalk inks

Thanks for looking!

Easiest Birthday Card EVER!!!

Hi all! Sarah's got a birthday party to go to this weekend. I think this is the easiest card I've ever made! The paper is from Sassafras - such cute characters! I just adhered it to my white cardstock, trimmed around the papers scalloped edge then added the Circle Sticker and 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY" rub-on (both are) by Martha Stewart.

I'm thinking about sponging some red around the edges of the card. What do you think?

Have a great weekend!

Anybody have a sweet tooth? BLOG CANDY ALERT!!!

Hey y'all! Carla Peicheff of Moralia's Weblog is offering some cute, yummy candy! Believe me, you do NOT want to miss this opportunity!

Good luck!

Perspective

Here's a fun fact: An ostrich's eyeball is bigger than its brain.
Kinda gives a new meaning to the term "bird brain", doesn't it!

Here's a pic of took of an ostrich at the local wildlife park. This bird scared the begeezes out of my oldest DD! When he came and stuck his head in the window she screamed and dropped her entire bag of feed on the ground! Very funny!



Shortly after the ostrich episode, Gina K came out with their Jumping for Joy set so I just had to get it and make this card for her!


***GRRR! I'm trying to provide the link to the stamp set but for some reason my puter won't let me! Just go to Gina K and look under the stamps done by Melanie Meunchinger!***

She gets older but I don't! Right?!?

Last Monday (1/26) my oldest turned 14! Where does the time go? We took her out to dinner at Red Robin. Her party was this past Saturday night. They started out at Laser Quest - 2 games followed by pizza and a yummy ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. Mmmmmm!!!



************

Don't Break My Heart

...makes me think of that old Elton John song "Don't Go Breakin My Heart". Did I just show my age? LOL! Well the title of this post is referring to the Limited Supplies Challenge (LSC202) at Splitcoast. I made 2 cards for this challenge.


Stamp: A Little Bit of Happiness
Paper: white cs, red flocked
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: chunky glitter, On board Simon upper "U" & "<3", red stripe grosgrain



Stamps: Always & Happy Heart Day
Paper: white & red flocked
Ink: white stazon
Accessories: Prima flower & Gem brad

Thanx for looking!

Get Better, Baby

Well yesterday was a toughie for my oldest. She had a headache when she woke up and was moving slower than usual. But she went to school. Around 11 am I got a call from the her saying she threw up but didn't know if she should come home or not. Well DUH!!! Of course I'm gonna go get her! The poor thing spent the rest of the day and evening in bed. She took lots of naps because, as she said, when she slept she wouldn't throw up. I think she slept from 1-5 pm.

On the bright side, I got a great workout going up and down the stairs - whew! And, she was finally able to get down 1/2 C of chicken noodle soup, 4 saltines, 1/2 banana, & some apple juice. YEAH! This morning she was feeling much better and wanated to go to school. Not sure if I'll let her go to gymnastics tonight. Illness doesn't get the same treatment when you're a competitive gymnast. It kinda gets put on the back burner. If your arm is broken you can still work legs, if your leg is hurt, you can still work upper body.

Anywho, I did throw together a quick Get Well card for her yesterday so I thought I'd share it with you. I stuck to soft understated colors that wouldn't overstimulate her senses. Normally she like bright neon colors.

Stamps: Doodle This (or maybe it's Doodle That - can't remember) by Stampin Up
Ink: Black Stazon (love the almond smell), Copics markers
Paper: Kraft & Aqua Mist by Papertrey Ink, dsp (Ginger?) by Stampin Up
Accessories: Vinyl Thickers

Happy New Year!

WOW! Can you believe it's 2009 already? I just can't believe it myself. This past holiday season has been crazy and wonderful and just crazy wonderful!

Thanksgiving was a full house at my MIL's. Christmas Eve was different this year. We went to church as usual, but we also opened all our presents. Normally I let the girls open just 1 present with is, as always, new jammies ***SURPRISE***! LOL!!! It's a tradition that started when I was a little girl and ensures, in spite of any bed head, they look nice for Christmas morning presents.

The reason for opening on Christmas eve is so we wouldn't be so rushed to go to the airport. That's right - this Texas girl was Boston bound! My nephew, Michael, got married on New Years' Eve in Boston! We flew up early to ski at Wachusett Mountain. FUN FUN FUN!!!!!

This was really Sarah's first time in snow. We don't count the last time we went skiing when she was 6 months old. Like she remembers that! SHEESH!







And where else would a couple Texans in Mass go to eat? The Longhorn Steakhouse was next door to our hotel in Marlboro and the food was quite delicious!



For those of you who remember my nephew, Nick, he can be seen in 1 or 2 of the following photos:
Bryan (nephew)& Sarah

Nick, Dana, & Sarah

Adam (nephew), Dana & Sarah

Michael & Julie (Bride & Groom), Dana & Sarah (my girls)