More stuff coming...I promise!!!

I want to apologize for being a naughty blogger!!!

DH surprised me and the kiddies with two weekends away...back-to-back...ok the laundry alone is keeping me away from my stamps...but I have got to get back to business here! Here is a pic of the kids having a great time at Story Land in Glen, NH. We were on Alice in Wonderland's Tea Cup ride.

The kids had a blast, they loved the hotel the most though...it had a zero-entry pool which was just what Zach needed to overcome his horrible fear of the water. Now you'd think he has been loving the water for years, but not so...he wouldn't even go swimming at home with me holding him in a death grip. :D

My Papertrey order came in over the weekend and I have TAC and SU! orders coming in at the end of the week. Plus I have so many other little projects to get done! Ack!!!

Butterfly Birthday

It is inevitable that I get antsy for my PapertreyInk stamps as we approach the 15th of the month. This card uses Butterfly Kisses which is so amazing! I made this card for my sister-in-law. She was an avid gardener until some life events interupted her passion. She had filled her garden with flowers that attracted butterflies. It was wonderful to stand there and watch them flutter about the blooms.

I used Green Galore, Pink Passion and Basic Brown Classic Inks. The cardstock is Pink Passion, and Green Galore (all SU!) The white cardstock is Premium White Cardstock from The Angel Company, it is meatier than SU!'s Whisper White. I like that it lends stability to my cards and other paper projects. It creases quite nicely as well. The ribbon is from Michaels and comes on a wooden spool. I think I bought the ribbon more for the spool than the ribbon itself...I have a project that I need to photograph that uses the wooden spools...Next week sometime for that one though.

We're taking the children to a couple local adventures this weekend. I hope that you are able to enjoy your family and friends and are blessed with what will become happy memories.

"See" you on Monday! :-)

The Sneak-Peaks Have Started

Oh my gosh! Have you been to Nichole Heady's Blog {Capture the Moment} yet today?? She has started the countdown for the July release of 5, yes I said 5, stamp sets from Papertreyink.com

Nichole has provided a gorgeous sample that gives a sneak peak at the awesome stamp sets, plus some additional information on a pre-order that will begin on August 1st!

And wait until you see how she is storing her scallop punches! You'll want to run out to the store to buy everything you need to make this great rack!

Enjoy!!

Good Boots

I love the Green Thumb stamp set from Papertrey Ink. My daughters have boots that look just like this one. If they had their way they would wear them every day, too. The sentiment is so true! Don't you just feel better when you have the right shoes on...nothing can get in your way or bring you down.

Details:
Cardstock: Cool Caribbean, Pixie Pink and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Paper: Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Green Thumb (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Grosgrain Ribbon, Brads (Stampin' Up!) Mega Scalloped Oval Punch (Marvy Uchida) Flower (Prima Marketing)

Hello Froggy

Hello!

This little froggy is actually mounted to an ATC that I made for a swap I hosted at A Shade of Blue. I am in the process of hosting six more monthly ATC swaps at ASB. We just finished month three which was a summer fun theme.

Details: Cardstock - White (Premium white from The Angel Company) Cool Caribbean & Mellow Moss (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Paper - (Pocket Full of Posies Stack from Die Cuts With A View)
Stamps - Frog (Stampin' Up!) Hello (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories - Flower (Prima) Rhinestone (Target $ Spot) Ribbon (Michaels) Mega Scallop Punch (Marvy Uchida)

You're Blessed!

I just love this card! There is a story behind this creation (...isn't there always??) A beloved friend of mine, who was also the paraprofessional in my childrens pre-school has moved to Vermont. I am still reeling from her derparture. Tina is an amazing woman who can reach into the heart of even the most challenged child and come out with gold. My oldest daughter, Adrianna, is a child with many gifts, but she also has challenges that other children will never face. Tina and I met when Adrianna was three, just starting pre-school and incredibly shy. We didn't know at the time, but trouble was brewing behind those gorgeous baby brown's! Adrianna was diagnosed with epilepsy and started to regress intellectually just short of her fourth birthday. Tina was an amazing anchor for our family, and made sure that Adrianna had all the help she needed while in the classroom. She broke through a barrier that other adults inthe classroom were unable to penetrate. Adrianna began to shine like gold.

I made a thank you card for Tina, and she was blown away. Had she never been thanked before? I asked myself. No, it wasn't that. She was wild about the card. (It's so nice to be appreciated!) Well, I continued to make cards for her and the rest of staff that work with my children. Then one day Tina mentioned how all my cards are displayed in her home and that she wanted to start framing them. I was blown away now.

So, in the end, Tina has moved. But as a going away gift I made her a box of cards to send to her friends and loved ones. This card is just one of the 50 unique cards I made for her. And while it is meant to be a baby card it says so much more to me. Tina is blessed, while she isn't feeling that way right now, given the circumstances surrounding her change of address. She is blessed with one of God's greatest gifts...the ability to show love.

Details: Cardstock - (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Paper - (Stampin' Up!)
Stamps - Lion - (Paper Salon) Curly Frame - (Stampin' Up!) You're Blessed (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories - Scallop & Plain Punches (Marvy Uchida) RIbbon - (Stampin' Up!)