Teacher gifts

It has been a whirlwind around here! I am back to posting though. I am making things for the kids' teachers-my son has 6 being in middle school. Anyhow, I am so glad we are on Christmas break now! I used the mini matchbox to make earring boxes for my two teacher aides and my daughters' teacher's wife who helps out in her class. I forgot to take pictures of the earrings! lol! I used the Big Shot box Fancy Favor to make these boxes, and the sentiment... having a hard time even finding that stamp at the moment! Hoping it didn't get scooped up into a treat bag!

Elements of Style Birthday

This is the Birthday card I made for my mom. I used one of the recordable sound cards that SU sells and the kids sang "Happy Birthday", it was very cute! I used the Top Note Die with the Big Shot, twice, and trimmed the white at the perforated edge, and layered on the Choc. Chip one to make a frame. I love these colors, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip, and Pear Pizzaz. I used the lid of the Marina Mist basic ink pad, and a aqua painter to water color the flowers with since we don't have the Watercolor Wonder crayons in this color yet. I used the markers on the happy birthday sentiment. This is from the set Perfect Punches. I didn't notice this set at first when the catalog came out, but then a friend of mine showed me some cards she made- wow! Each sentiment can be punched with the punches we have. My mom has humming birds she feeds year round. This reminded me of her!

New Blog look, and Fang-tastic 2

I changed my blog look, to reflect the Arctic right now. We have had snow already for a few weeks. I am ready to hibernate! This is another card made with this cute set for Halloween. Can you believe it's right around the corner? I used Old Olive and Elegant Eggplant for the backgrounds, and More Mustard punched out for the moon, sponged with more of More Mustard to give it dimension. The bats were stamped on the moon, and colored with watercolor pencils and smoothed with blender pens, same as the Count. I cut him out and glued him on. The night sky is stippled with Elegant Eggplant too. It seems like there's never enough time to make and send out cards! I am looking forward to the time change soon. It seems like I can't get caught up on sleep and work at the same time. I have been wiped out! I love this time of year. Let me know how you like the new look.

Friends Never Fade2

We almost made this card at my August stamp party, but we already made one with this set, and one with Just Believe, shown on an older post here. I love the rich colors. This card was pretty easy to make. I used Greenhouse Gala patterned paper to help offset the stamped image. These two coordinate really well. This card a few of the new colors. For the card base I used Cherry Cobbler randomly stamped with the flower image from that set with Cherry Cobbler ink to make a background, then I layered a band of Daffodil Delight, and on that placed a strip of Greenhouse Gala patterned paper. I stamped the sentiment, with Chocolate Chip ink on Very Vanilla Cardstock, and colored in the flower with Marina Mist, and So Saffron markers. I also carefully colored the letters with the So Saffron marker, then layered it with Daffodil Delight, and Cherry Cobbler paper.
We have snow already, and it was only Sept. when it came. I always get excited about the first snow, but now I just am thinking what a long winter it could be. I should just go take my vitamin D- and stamp something else!

Fang-tastic 1

This set is fun. I am usually not one to do witches for Halloween, but I loved the vampire and the cat...too cute! I have made several different cards from this set already. I used Tangerine Tango, and Daffodil Delight, and sponged the moon with More Mustard to give it more character. I used the Basic Black for the sky, and craft white for the stars. I used the colored pencils and blender pens to color the witch, cat, and broom. Then I used the oval scallop punch and the oval punch for the sentiment. Hope you like it! I think it should say Witch way is the chocolate? Don't you?

Birthday Bakery

I used French Filigree and Birthday Bakery to make this Birthday card, for my friend. I usually watercolor black line stamps, but I used my colored pencils and blender pens instead this time. Color papers were Cherry Cobbler, and So Saffron. Can you tell I am liking those right now. I promise more colors next time. I've been working on some fall and Halloween ones. Stay tuned!

Pretty Pattern Thanks

Hope you are having a great weekend. Nothing like a bit of stamping on Saturday! I am so not done yet today. When I got this background stamp Pretty Pattern I had to try it out right away. I made this simple card using Cherry Cobbler and whisper white. It doesn't come out that way in the picture, but it's bright and clean looking. Happy stampin'

Day of Gratitude 1

Hello! I am home for a short time today, as I am taking my DS to the hospital. He's got the sore throat, can't hardly swallow, and high fever... but I am excited about this set! It has some really strong lines. I used Cajun Craze and Pear Pizazz mostly. I used the 1 inch circle punch to punch out the middle of the main image in this set. It's attached with dimensionals to raise it up, as well as the sentiment. I punched the sentiment out with the new extra large decorative label punch from the new mini catalog. I am such a sucker for punches! I used the Cajun Craze ink on the Cajun Craze paper to create the border around the edge, and then paper pierced a line between the image and the sentiment. Looking forward to playing with this set more.
Have a good one!

One year now

One of the best things we did was get our puppy Cooper. He has been with us a year now, and it has been a wonderful year with him. He has added a lot of love and joy to our family. It takes a lot of time and understanding to raise a puppy, but worth it. He is so intelligent, and has quite a personality. He loves to snuggle with us at the end of the day. Going to snuggle with the dog, blanket, and a good book.

Love this set! This is the other one that jumped out at me when I first saw the new catalog. It's called Just Believe. I used the Pear Pizazz, Marina Mist, and Rich Razzleberry card stock and ink, along with the new Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. I think this is my favorite embossing folder right now, it's so bold and classy! We added the new adhesive rhinestones to accent the flowers. Hope you like it as much as I do ; )

We are supposed to get freezing rain tonight. I am not ready for it to be really cold, cool is more like fall. I am ready to curl up with a good book and blanket. I baked last night. Okay, maybe it's starting to be fall after all. (here anyhow)

Happy Stampin' until next time!

Friends Never Fade

I promise I have been stamping, really I have. When I am not being a domestic engineer, teacher, or mom. Actually, the live football games have been great this year too. Our season is just about wrapped up due to incoming cold weather. My DS loved playing this year. It was good for him to be part of a team, and still assert himself.

Well, when I first saw the new catalog, a few sets jumped out at me. This is one of them. So, we made this at our first back from summer stamping class in Sept. It was great to get together and ink up some rubber and test those new colors! We used Daffodil Delight, and Cherry Cobbler, with Pear Pizazz to create this card. We also used the new embossing folder and the Big Shot to emboss the strip across the middle. It's a clever idea I have seen on other posts that really adds a lot of dimension to a project. We actually used Real Red ink on the flowers, because the Cherry Cobbler ink on white looked too dark compared to the paper. This was a better match.

Check back later for more from this event!

different blog design

It's going to be a beautiful day! I changed my blog design. I loved the spring/summer look- but here in Alaska it is already fall. We are getting it the full swing of school, and I had my first Stampin' group. We have really pretty sunrises and sunsets right now- even a few clear days with out clouds. I'll post what we made this afternoon. I am really loving the color renovation now.

Wild Baby card

This card was made for a baby shower, I loved the swirls on this background stamp, I think it really dresses it up. For this card I used, So Saffron, which I think is a really good baby card color, then I used Dusty Durango for the background stamp French Filligree. The lion is from the retired set In the Wild. I really like that set still. My standard "go-to" for baby cards is to use the giraffe from that set- when the gender is unknown. So this was a bit stepping out for me. Let me know what you think.

Happy First Day!

Happy First Day of School! Yahoo! Actually, summer seemed short but it's time to start back to school for us. I made this, inspired by my friend Marilyn. Thanks Marilyn- So, we have a good friend who taught Kindergarten with us last year, that is still at our school, but teaching in a different hallway, and grade level this year- this is a surprise for her. Hopefully she's not peeking, if so, well she'll know I was thinking about her last night and thought it would be fun to wish her a fun first day in her new class! She's awesome!

sad and thoughtful

We traveled back to Barrow Friday night. It is always quite the trip. We were tired and ready for some down time, when we realized we had no hot water. So, the next day DH tried to fix it, several different ways and trips out to the only builder store in our area here. Finally we had to just replace it. We got the last one they had. Along the way, one of our friend's flagged us down and told us about our son's close friend who had died in a boating accident the evening before. It was so shocking, and sad. He was such a good friend to our family and our son. They're 13, and have been in class since first grade. Both boys were getting ready to have birthdays next month, but he won't get to start 8th grade. School starts for the rest of his classmates next week, and he will be greatly missed. I will miss his big smile, and his sense of humor. I will miss walking in the door on Friday afternoons from a long week of working with kids to the sounds of shouts and gunshots, having my son and his two friends shooting "Nazi Zombies" on his Xbox. Then they'd stay over and go fencing with us the next day. I feel for his parents, and sisters and brothers. I feel for my son, who's really missing him everytime he goes out to the school for football practice, and when school starts, and during PE and Band that they had together every day. I am sad that he barely got to live life, I am glad that he seemed to do everything to the fullest, and genuinely enjoyed life. He believed in God, so I have comfort knowing he is in Heaven. But, for those of us left here, especially the people he laughed with every single day, what a huge loss! Heaven must have been getting pretty dull, and needed a star like him.
This is the second close friend my son has lost tragically. I worry about him too.

I got to do some stamping too!

This is a card I got to make this summer. It's a case from a talented demonstrator in Montana. It took some playing around with colors and since it's a two step stamping set, I really liked using the clear blocks to see where each stamp was positioned. I used Always Artichoke for the base, and Melon Mambo, and Daffodil Delight, for the flowers.

I miss my real flowers I had going in Montana. I did take some pictures of them though to tide me over. Usually there's tundra flowers here, but this year I don't see any. I can't imagine summer without flowers can you?

Baby Claire

This is more of Claire's room. I love how my sister did the letters for her name, and the vinyl flowers and butterflies...so talented! What baby wouldn't want a beautiful room like this? We have traveled back to Alaska, all day yesterday. Boy! I am wiped out! That trip takes 16+ hours for us. We came from sunshine, to gray skies and sprinkling here. DH had to get the internet up and going again, plus our hot water heater is being difficult, so as I was getting off the plane thinking, "Oh, how great a nice hot shower will feel..." I was sadly mistaken. No hot water yet! I will miss my sister, brother in law, and my nephews, and my sweet baby niece! We got so busy packing that we didn't make it to the state fair this year. I really wish I would have had another day somehow- but next year we will make up for it!

Butterfly Mobile

My sister created this mobile for Claire's room. She put beads that sparkle and cut out different size butterflies to hang from it on clear fishing line. It looks even better in real life. I just love her creativity!

I'm an Auntie again!

My awesome Sister and wonderful Brother-in-Law have made me an Auntie again!
Her name is Claire Eloise. She is so beautiful, and tiny! She's a June baby, but she just came home a few days ago! So, if I'm not blogging... I'm holding the baby! My sister is so creative. She had the room ready for a while, except the letters for her name. I'll post pictures of the beautiful room tomorrow! For you Twilight fans out there, we went to see Eclipse yesterday. I could barely wait that long! I really liked it. It was entertaining to say the least. I really wish Steph would create an alternate ending for Bree though! I grew to like her from the short mini book.

Watercolor Trio thanks

Well, this was a fun card to make. It has a lot of white, but lots of texture and layers! Of course, I used the Watercolor Trio from the Mini catalog. I just love the space saving that comes from the clear mount system.

I used, Old Olive, and Rose Red stamped off to create softer and bolder images.

Hope you are stamping too, after enjoying long summer days!

The Dog Days of Summer

After a hard day of hiking, playing and helping us geocache... our favorite fur baby is kickin' back. Last night I loaded up my nephews and my kids, husband, and Cooper and we walked along the River Walk, it was all lit on either side of the trail, and there was live music as we walked. We saw the sun go down over the falls and it was still warm with very little bugs. We got to see Saturn in a telescope at the end of the walk. I just love summer! We are headed off to swim today. It's hot already at 8am almost 80...I love to read in between getting cooled off. I am reading the Charlaine Harris series. So much better than the HBO series. However, it has it's points too. I have some stampin' to share with you tomorrow, so come back and visit again! I'd love to hear what you are reading/doing this summer!

School years envelope scrapbook

This is one of the huge undertakings I have been working on. When I first do something new, I always learn a lot and the next goes so much smoother! I am pleased with how this turned out. As I add pictures it will get more full. Each envelope is 9 x 11 1/2 . I covered chip board for the covers and scored them to get that edge you see in the front. I used my crop-a-dile to punch holes and a large piece of Choc. Chip grosgrain ribbon to bind it all together. The binding is not super tight because it will expand as things are added to the page fronts, and report cards, keepsakes and awards are placed in the envelope pockets. This one is for my son, and the next one is for my daughter. Hope you like it!

Summer vacation

There's nothing quite like summer vacation! I love being able to be with my kids and focus on just being with them! We got a fire pit for our deck and are looking forward to making smores and stargazing around the fire. I just finished another huge project for DS I have to post. However, I have to make one for my DD as well...so stay tuned. I'll take pictures of that tomorrow. I have enjoyed having the time to make it, and I want to get my DD's done before school starts as well.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

Birthday Butterfly

Another day in Paradise.... the school year is officially over. Classrooms are quiet, and all our attentions are focused on Summer Vacation. Where to go, what to do? Hmmmm and packing on Mother's Day. This year we have our new little dog to take with us. It will be fun to experience, because he really isn't used to grass, or a fenced yard, much less the plane. We had our first run-in with a Vet we didn't like. Or, rather, she didn't seem to like dogs. Hopefully when he needs his shots again there will be a different traveling vet in town. For those of you who don't know, we "migrate"every summer to Montana from Alaska when the school year is over to visit our family, and to see trees, rivers, and warm sunshine again.

I used Pretty in Pink, Mellon Mambo, Whisper White, and Basic Black to make this, and also the "kissing technique" with water color wonder crayons and the aqua painter to make the butterfly. Hope you like it! Once we get internet situated- which we will have to because we have to watch the last of LOST, I'll have more to post.

Birthday Wishes

I think sometimes masculine cards are the hardest for me to make. I reached to a retired set to make this. I also used my gel pens to accent it. I found out at the begining of the week that Brilliant Blue is one of the many blue colors Stampin' Up is retiring in July. I will miss the blues, and look forward to the new colors, and playing with the new combos that can be made. I am glad Stampin' Up gave us some time to plan ahead, instead of waiting until the time was right upon us to announce such a change. I am glad Baja Breeze is coming back. They are going to only have 45 colors in July instead of the 60 or so colors we have now. I will miss the range of purples too. It seems that the new colors are warmer and bolder than before. I wonder if it seems that way to anyone else out there? It was deffinately warmer here in our part of Alaska today. It was 16 degrees above zero with the sun shining and no wind. Our Jack Russell Terrier puppy, loved getting out and about, and it was warm enough that I didn't mind taking him! Most weekends this school year have been stormy and windy... it was quite a blessing to have a nice, pretty day and not be "stuck inside". I did do some other stamping, but I will post that next time, that way you have something to come back for! Happy Stamping!

Rockin' Birthday

Our family had the awful cough go through us, and it is just now that I am able to be caught up enough to start posting again! My son had a birthday for a friend this weekend. Teenagers are harder to make cards for I think. I am totally casing this from another SU demo though. I saw this and it jumped at me and said, "This is the card for your teenage son's birthday!" The technique is called the "bouncing brayer", because you ink up the brayer and "bounce it in a circle" to create the burst effect. I will have to play with it more to "perfect" it.

Stamps: Extreme Guitar, and Starring You, Spiral punch

Paper: Basic Black, Ballet Blue

Ink: Basic Black, Brilliant Blue

Lattice Die Thank You card

I am excited to be back. This is a thank you card I made for a sweet lady who helped out with Brownie Scout day camp over Christmas vacation. I used Real Red, Basic Black, and Brushed Gold paper with the lattice die, and the new small Stampin' up punch and scallop edge punch.

Okay, so January was a bad posting month for me, it was busier than I ever imagined January being. My DD and I got really sick with a bad cough, that zapped my energy, and none of my responsibilities lessened up that's for sure! On a happy note, our sun came back on the 23rd, and now we get a little bit more each day. We still participated in Battle of the Books, which is an Alaska reading incentive and competition, to promote reading at each grade level. My DD's team tied with the grade above 4th, so they had to do a "sudden death elimination" round, and they lost by one answer, after 20 correct tied answers. I think that's pretty good for being a third grader reading 15 books by Jan. -most of them chapter books, and having to memorize titles, authors, and recall details in the books by memory! I love being part of that every year, it is so exciting.

Happy New Year!

You may be wondering what I have been up to...besides blogging. I have been enjoying the Holidays with my family of course! Between Christmas programs, and birthdays, making cupcakes and cookies and teacher gifts...(I really wish I had taken pictures of those) testing and report cards...I got behind on posting. But, I have been stamping, creating a scrapbook from start to finish, and of course soaking up some rest and relaxation time. I love when the kids are home and I get to spend time with them. It seems that quite a bit is spent in the kitchen, maybe they are growing??? but it seems like they are always eating.

I am excited about Celebration or Saleabration what ever you want to call it! Stampin'Up is also adding unmounted stamp sets to it's catalog. For the longest time, locals here have been aware of the weight and space the wooden sets take up, so this is a very nice solution. I am looking forward to trying them myself to see if they are still the same high quality that I expect from Stampin' Up.

These are some examples of what I have been up to...if you have any questions, leave a comment, and I will get back to you! It's funny, I loved making all of these, but none of them were the card I mailed out to our family this year. I will post that one tomorrow.