Quick birthday tag and entry!

Happy (early) Tuesday morning! Just wanted to get in one post before heading to bed. I wanted to squeeze it in after I finished my February challenge with my stamping friend, Jennifer. I can't post it yet, as she stops in from time to time on my blog and I definitely want it to be a surprise. AND I am actually getting it out during the month of the challenge - LOL Hey, it's the little things, right?!

So anyhow, back to tonight's post. Birthday parties are a very regular occurrence when you have 3 children who are all in school. I don't think it is an exaggeration to to tell you that we have one almost every weekend - and sometimes more than 1. I seriously should just stock wrapped gifts in my pantry to save myself time each weekend going out to get gifts. Luckily there is great toy store in the next town over that has a great assortment of gifts, most of which are educational and make for great birthday gifts. AND THEY WRAP and MAKE THE PRESENT LOOK GREAT there at the store. Definitely works for me. Love that one-stop shopping experience.

Birthday presents obviously need birthday cards, or lately it seems for me, tags. Quick and easy - and a bonus considering no one is keeping these cards anyway. This is the one I made for this weekend's party. My middle guy went to a karate party, so I knew which one to use right away. All I had to do was write the To: and the From: on the back of the tag and he was good to go.

I love this karate stamp from IA. It is perfect for the my kids and their friends at this age, since they are young and love dinosaurs to boot. Plus, do you know how hard it is to find karate stamps for kids? ....Well, I guess not that hard anymore! ;)

Hope you are off to having a great week!!

Stamps Used: Karate stamp from Inky Antics, Sentiment from PTI's Shapes by Design; CS: SU Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, PTI: White CS; Ink: Palette Hybrid Noir; Other: SU Ribbon and Twine, Prismacolors and Gamsol to color the dino

Birthday Shapes

Happy Friday (at least that is when I started this entry, although now that I see what time it is, I'm sure it will be early Saturday morning by the time I finish!)!!

We got a few inches of snow today (ughh! - I can't wait for spring already!) and the kids had the day off from school - SNOW DAY! So I decided to work from home to save myself the agony of the commute and also so my husband could do some work that he had to get done out of the house today. I was hoping that I would get a chance to get some extra stamping in given no commute, but oh well, not meant to be. I was pretty much logged in all day and on calls as well, plus all of the stuff that goes on when all the kids are at home - getting food on the table, trips to the bathroom (for my 2 1/2 year old), answering all of their queries for all sorts of things and of course, refereeing the squabbles! ;) But I can't complain because they were overall so good today - I got a bunch of work done and I made it through all of my calls without their voices inadvertently being heard! :) I didn't get a chance to sit down at my stamping table until after I put the kiddos to bed. But that's ok, because I did get a card done and I still have the whole weekend to be with my family.

I knew exactly what I was going to use to make my card - my new PTI stuff. My order came on Wednesday, but I didn't even get a chance to open the box up until today. I got a ton of stuff this time - up to this point I only had a couple of sets and the white CS, which I loved. But as I told my stamping friend, Jennifer, I really drank the kool-aid and bought myself a ton of stuff LOL! So here is the first card that I made with my new stuff. This is the first time in awhile that I didn't use PP on my card. It took me a little while, but I came up with my own panel for the card, which is btw, based on Beate's newest weekend sketch. I used one of the new sets they just released - Shapes by Design. The floral disk is definitely my favorite image of the set, so of course I had to use it first. I also really like the font used for the sentiments of this set. All of the CS is PTI-including their 2 new colors, which I am LOVING! The colors are so pretty and I love the weight of the paper. I only use the PTI white CS now, and can definitely see myself amassing all of the colors as they are released each month. Plus with the matching ribbon and inks, how can you go wrong?

Sweet Heart

Happy Monday night! Aren't Mondays are so much better when you have the day off?! ;) I had an awesome weekend with my family - just the right amount and balance of busy-ness and relaxation so that I am not too tired for work tomorrow or wishing that we made more of the weekend.

Today I made this card using AmyR's latest Friday sketch. I think that it is going to be for either my new little nephew or for my husband's soon to be born little cousin. Either way, I am really happy with the way it turned out. I've been feeling better with the cards that I've been making and I have also been making very good head way on my scrapbooking. I don't know if I ever will catch up and have books for every memory since the kids were born, but I've decided to scale down my expectations and just work on keeping current for 2008. I have done Christmas 2007, New Year's and a couple of events in January, so I'm off to a pretty good start, imo. I stamped the giraffe (isn't he just the sweetest?!) on shimmery white CS and colored it in with an aqua painter, dew drops and SU craft ink. I cut him out and popped him up on dimensionals on the layered oval. I made the oval piece with my CM oval makes and the largest Marvy scallop oval punch.

I love the style of this SU stamp set - it looks great watercolored, even if it isn't perfect. The PP is from Chatterbox (used both sides) and the base CS is SU Bashful Blue. Another scrap that goes back in the box just a little bit smaller! ;)

I hope that you have a great week, and I hope that I get a chance to drop in before next weekend.

Make A Wish!

I made this card using Beate's weekend sketch for my co-worker's birthday. It is the first time that I have made a card for anyone at work. Up to this point, I have kept work very separate from my hobby... the two worlds are very different from each other, LOL. But, I have become friends with this co-worker over time - she is a mom too, so we have that in common (even though her daughter is way younger than my kids - less than a year old). She knows that I scrapbook and I showed her TY cards that I made recently before I mailed them off. But other than her and our assistant actually, there are no other women who are moms in my direct group. I don't work with too many women really. My other work friend in my group is about my age, but is single and lives in NYC, so you can imagine, our lives are TOTALLY different when we leave work at night, ;) starting with a waaayyyy shorter commute. Ahhhh to be single and carefree in the city again... but of course I would never trade my life now for that again really, I was just saying - LOL.

Anyway, I picked this Stampendous image (sorry the card is soooo bright - I am having a really hard time with my camera lately, and I can't figure out why!) for my friend, because somehow we are always the ones who decide to get some kind of dessert to celebrate birthdays of the other members of our team. I think it is the mom-instinct in us... or maybe because we look for any excuse to run out and get an afternoon snack, expecially when it is from Crumbs - their cupcakes are sooooo yummy!)

Again I used a LAD sentiment - from the same set I seem to be using over and over again. I just love the laid back font... very me in a stamping kind of way, I guess. I better find another sentiment set to use soon! Or get another set from LAD soon... :) The PP is from an SU DP from last spring... another scrap used up! :)

Glittery Valentine's Day!!

I just finished putting the finishing touches on my Valentine's cards for the boys and my husband. I hadn't really done anything sparkly in a little while, and for some reason, the sparkly mood just hit me full force tonight. LOL Hopefully they won't think that I went too far overboard! :)

I didn't go too pink for the first card, which I made for the boys. Being the only girl (and not an overly girly one at that, except in very small doses) in our house, you don't see too much pink around here. But since it is Valentines, and I AM the only girl in the house, I definitely wanted to add some pink to their card. The little embelly at the bottom right hand corner of the card was made by coloring the outer chipboard circle in Bayou Blue and smooshing the heart in the middle in Pink Passion. I then dumped Dazzlin' Diamonds on the heart to have it some extra pizazz. The green DP behind it was made using the SU Tab Punch, but (obviously) not folding it up into the tab, and just using it flat. I thought it was a nice touch, right? And then Stickes on different parts all over the card for more sparkle and some paper piercing too. I combined a LAD sentiment and a SU image and just then put the card together. I think the boys will like it (fingers crossed!)

The second card is for my husband. The big heart chipboard is from SU. I inked it up with Pink Petunia VersaMagic chalk ink and then again poured Dazzlin' Diamonds all over to make it the obvious focal point of my card. I combined 2 different BG Two Scoops papers, that I thought still complimented each other. The letters were cut out and popped up on dimensionals. And then 2 green brads and that's it. I hope that he likes it too! :)

I can't believe tomorrow is already Valentine's Day and that February is already half way over! Where does the time go?? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that work coorperates and I can get home early to celebrate the holiday with the boys. Even though it is supposed to be a romantic, couply holiday, we always spend it together We have fun looking at the kids' valentine's that they get in school and then have a nice dinner together. I like it better that way - we save the couply thing for our wedding anniversary anyway. I hope that you all have a great Valentine's day tomorrow!! Enjoy!

Look what I made!

***Edited to add: I actually wrote this up this morning before I left for work. But I couldn't get the pics all edited and finished in time (I am so painfully slow when it comes to editing pics - it really slows up the creative process, kwim?!). But I didn't feel like changing the narrative I already wrote, hence this prologue!! ;) ***

I saw this tote on Denise's blog and wanted to try it out. So I decided to make one and matching cards for our cousin's daughter who is going to be baptized this weekend. My hubby is the godfather, which makes the occasion that much more special. I basically followed Leslie Miller's rockin' tutorial step by step to make the tote and then set out to make the TY cards. Out of 1 sheet of PP, I was able to make the tote and 7 cards - very good use of my PP, I must say! :) I rounded out the 10 I needed with other TYs but still stuck with the floral theme. Definitely a fun project and definitely one I will do again. I think this tote and cards make for a nice add-on to any gift... gives any gift bundle that handmade, personal touch. I think that it will go nice with the necklace that really is our "real" gift to her.

I'm very excited, as today is my Friday... we have a long weekend planned as the Baptism is out of town - we are headed for the sunny and much warmer skies of Florida. It'll be so nice to get away, even if it is just for a few days, kwim? We haven't been away since last fall. The kiddos are sooooo excited! And as for me, I could barely get up this morning and am just shooting for the next later train than the one I usually take in the morning - hence the time to blog now. I probably could've make if I rushed, but why would I do that on a "Friday"? ;)

Have a great weekend!! See you next time.

They Won!!!

Congratulations to the New York Giants - SUPER BOWL CHAMPS! I pretty much sat glued to my sofa watching every second of this awesome (the news reports keep referring to it as "thrilling" and "unbelieveable") game. The Giants played so well and really deserved it in the end. And hello?! - what can you say about David Tyree's AMAZING catch on his helmet - I think the whole neighborhood heard me screaming. I'm surprised that I didn't wake the kids up from their sound sleep. I can't help but smile as I sit here and watch the post-game reports. They are all so giddy with happiness and all with great reason... Kudos to them!

So since I did not move from the the sofa other than to jump up and down cheering and screaming at the TV or bring my littlest kiddo a couple of bathroom trips (aka - his latest way of delaying the inevitable bedtime on a nightly basis) - they all went up to bed at halftime, I didn't get a chance to stamp anything else this weekend. I can't wait until they can stay up a little later on Sunday night for nights like this because Monday morning can get QUITE hairy around here for my hubby when they start off the week with not enough sleep.

I did want to post the card that I made before it got too late - and before I got too much into this new episode of House. I never watch the show other than to catch re-runs on TBS or some cable channel late at night. But this ep looks so interesting and they kept talking about during the game, I can see myself watching it before heading to bed.

I made this card for my monthly challenge (for January) with my stamping bud, Jennifer (bka as mackbrad). I know that she got it in the mail, so I wanted to post it before too much time passed and I forgot to do so. This was my first one after my hiatus from the latter part of last year and I made it simple - just make a card with something that we bought in 2008. I made her a card using Two Scoops paper and embellies from Basic Grey (these brads are awesome btw, they REALLY make the card imo). I also used 2 new VersaMagicDew Drop chalks that I bought specifically to match the paper. I really love how opaque the ink comes out. I had started to buy a few of the SU classic inks at a time, but now I find myself more drawn to the craft inks from SU (I collected all 4 sets of craft spots when SU was running some special last year) and these little dew drop inks that I picked up at eP. They just feel more substantial to me, so I don't mind the extra drying time. The layout came from a sketch challenge - I think it was from SCS.

As far as other details, the card (like all my others) are pretty simple. I have to say that I'm still hoping for that "a-ha" moment when I figure out what I am all about in my creativity. At this point, I mostly just imitate styles (i.e. pp and colors combos) that catch my attention and let sketch and color challenges from other talented stampers guide how I make my cards. Oh well, as long as I am having fun and enjoying my hobby, right? I can't let something else stress me out, so... I won't! LOL :)

Have a great week!!

Details: Stamps:SU-Baroque Motiffs, LAD-Sketched Sentiments; Inks: Dew Drops-Sea Breeze and Pink Petunia; CS: SU-Barely Banana, BG-Two Scoops; Other: Prima flower, BG-glazed brads

2 Birthday Cards Done...

...Fingers crossed that my blog entry goes much more smoothly compared to the other night! :)

Happy Saturday! Today I set out to do Taylor's second challenge as well as Beate's weekend sketch to make my soon be SIL's birthday card (she marries my littler bro this June!). I decided to combine the 2 challenges in my first card. I made a card that was sized to a business envelope to stay true to Beate's sketch. I like the sizing of the card. I will have to keep this size in mind in the future when I make cards!!

This is so not a color combo that I really would ever use on my own - I would NEVER think to put pink and red together, for example, but it obiviously looks good when Taylor creates a card with those colors, so I gave it a try. I think it came out ok, but the more I look at it, I realized that I didn't use too much red after all - I guess I still couldn't get over it subconciously, but I tried!! LOL. I embossed the 3 flowers with clear embossing powder, cut them out and popped them up on the card. It has been ages since I busted out my heating tool - I'm glad that I did for this one. I definitely think it came out better than if I had just stamp it. Btw - I really love this flower and the SU set it comes in - very versatile set, imo. Definitely a great purchase for me. I used up a another piece of PP - another sheet from an SU retired pack from last year. I'm pretty sure it was the one that was paired up with that paisley set that came out last spring.

And since I am trying to make a dent in my scraps pile (and also because I am on a stamping roll - at least by my standards LOL), I decided to make a second card with Taylor's colors using the same DP, instead of just throwing back in the pile. This will also help me try to build up a card stash so that I don't have to rush and make cards at the last minute. This card came together pretty quickly. The flowers were stamped and masked to make it look like bunches. I swiped the edge of the white CS in Chocolate Craft ink. I stamped, cut out and popped up one on the front for a little extra dimension. Some ribbon and 2 red brads to finish it off, and that's it!

I'm off now to make dinner - tacos for the family (yummy!). My plan is to relax tonight tonight with the boys (and hopefully sneak in scrapping a page or two in between games or whatever we do tonight!)