Birthday Cupcakes

These birthday cards were made for a sweet girl we know. My DD and I had fun making them, using the big background size set from SU called Simple Birthday Thanks. We simply outlined the main image using a Stampin' Up marker, and left out the inside words. Then we cut it out and re-stamped the top on Pretty in Pink and cut that out, and Real Red for the Cherry on top. We used markers to color the sprinkles in, and Crystal Effects with Dazzling Diamonds to add dimension and sparkle.

The cupcake body is Creamy Caramel, and stamped with Background Basics to make the body not just solid. I made a faux button using my sm. flower punch and crystal effects with several layers of real red flowers stuck together, and the modern label punch for the birthday wishes on front. Hope you like it!

Falling Leaves

I hope this Thanksgiving season finds you well and full of thanks. I know I am grateful for my family, and my wonderful job~I love teaching children, and I am blessed to be able to do something I love every day!

One thing I miss living up in the Arctic is, fall leaves. As a kid, my Grandma had a big tree in her front yard, and I was always fasinated by the way the leaves would change colors and float to the ground. I really liked this set that SU came up with and was experimenting with Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, and a hint of Old Olive. I used Crystal Effects to add depth to the acorns, it not only leaves it shiny, but a shade darker as well.

I have often said that Old Olive is my favorite green. That holds true, except for Christmas time. There is another green that SU carries that I think is more "Christmas" and "winter green". Can you guess which one it is?

I have been creating more than posting, and I need to catch up on that for you. Thanks for visiting my site, and I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Halloween

Hope you are having a Happy Halloween! We got to go trick-or-treat with some friends, which always makes it nicer-if you are out on a cold night! (We had a warmer Halloween this year 14degrees, however if the wind chill is also 14 degrees- does that make it zero?) Last year, the snow was blowing, and it was snowing, and seemed colder. So this was a nice change.

This card is made with the hostess set on Pumpkin Pie with the Polka Dot embossed to make a background. I also used, basic black, Old Olive, and embossed the pumpkins before watercoloring them, to help the color stay. Then I used the Modern Lable Punch for the saying. I have been trying to be good about not jumping straight to Christmas cards this year. However, I can't wait to start them, Thanksgiving first. I do love fall, but I also love Christmas, and it will be upon us so quick! Each day we loose 11min. and 40 sec. of daylight. After Thanksgiving we won't see the sun rise above the horrizon until around Jan. 21rst. again. From our Patch to yours, wherever you are- Happy Halloween. And if you have Fall leaves, and beautiful trees...enjoy them for me too!

Brower's in the Fall

This is another card I made using the House of Haunts stamp set. I used Tangerine Tango, and basic black, mostly. I also embossed the house and masked the moon when I sponged the black to make the sky. I got to play with the Modern Lable Punch too. I really like this one, it's good for layering.

I don't post many pictures of my kiddos on line. However, this one is very funny. We took a walk as a family, on the beach and ended up at the whale bones behind Brower's Cafe. (They have amazing breakfast if you are ever up here) I didn't realize how funny it was until I looked aftewards at our tiny puppy and the giant bones!

Yes, these are whale jaw bones, and also the frame for a skin boat next to it, and yes, that's my DD with her parka barely on even though there are patches of frost on the ground. From the resturant, we have a beautiful view of the ocean. I am glad we took that time, because it snowed soon after, and seems to be here to stay for a while. Possibly until May... our daylight is getting shorter.

Halloween Fun

I really like my blog...but the first two times I tried to post this, it took so long, I gave up.

I have two photos for you this time, we'll see how that works. I used the SU set Pumpkin Patch for this card, and it was really fun to make. One of my friends came over to make Fall cards and it was a much needed break from all of the stress we have both been under. I used my favorite fall colors, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and even some Basic Black and Whisper White, although they are more universal colors and not limited to fall.

I really love Fall, it is one of my favorite times of the year. We made applesauce in my kindergarten class at school when we were learning about the letter Aa and doing some themed readings. It smelled like fall in my classroom! When I was growing up, my Grandma had an apple tree. She made the best applesauce and apple butter! Whenever I cook apples, I think of my dear Grandma, and miss her. It is wonderful to share the joy of cooking apples with small children though. They are always amazed at the process, and how it turns out.

This other picture is of my first Full Circle Farm order. We live up in Barrow, Alaska and for those of you that don't know where that is, it is above the Arctic Circle...so this was like Christmas for us having really fresh produce! Full Circle Farm is an organic farm growing amazing tasting fruits and vegetables! The best part is they have an agreement to ship up here, and it's less expensive than buying it from out local store. My DS who is a very picky eater was taste testing everything, even corn, mangos, and kiwi's.

Kind Thoughts

This was made for a dear friend of mine who had surgery. I got to use the new Razzleberry paper! It is very yummy! I wish SU would just add a few colors, not take any away. This would be one of them. We don't have a color like this that stays in the catalog long term. I also used old olive, and some crystal effects with some dazzling diamonds for the berries. I love paper piercing, along with the scalloped edge on Old Olive paper. Next I used the large oval punch, and sponged the edges, so it's not so stark white. I hope my friend likes it!

I am so behind on posting, but I have had some crud that won't leave me. It's in my voice for lack of a better term, and it drains me. I used to spend a bit of time once the kids got in bed stamping, but now it's a race to see who can get in the bed first!

Two for one today!

Okay, so since I have been so excited about this stamp set from SU, I will show you another card today. Two for one! I used a simple color scheme, Real Red, Whisper White, and Basic Black. I forget sometimes what a nice almost elegant look these colors can be together. In fact, if it wasn't for my friend liking red, I may not have tried this combo for a while longer! Thanks!

SU Medallion

Love this stamp! It may just be one stamp...but there's so many possibilities! I made several so you may see some of those as time goes on. The first one was a emboss resisit. This was done with white ep and then sponged color over the top of the whisper white paper, and then wiped off the white ep- because it comes off when you rub it. The colors don't show up as good as I'd like, I used Night of Navy and Old Olive, but my camera is doing something funny with the lighting! I used a rhinestone in the center to set it off, and just about any sentiment could be added. Next, I'll show you one I made for my friend's birthday.

Nephew Presents

When went out this summer, I had made these two cards for my youngest nephews. I just happened to have gift bags that matched pretty well too. I am

going to miss the Wild About You set, I really liked using it with the Inspired By Nature set like this. However, I can't take credit. It was a "cased card" I don't remember honestly where I saw it, but it was not an original idea to me. Of course I used one of my favorite colors, Old Olive, for the base, and Sarah Sand for the torn background.

The other card was my idea though. I used the Pun Fun stamp set along with the Star punch, and Staring You, on the Pacific Point and Tangerine Tango card stock. Can't wait to get in my room and make some new projects. Love the new cattalog, stay tuned for more coming soon-and Happy Stampin' .

Back at Last

Wow! I am back at last. I didn't mean to take so much time off from blogging...but time seemed to be a blur. We went on our migratory trip down south for summer. (Yes, we are opposite), we are back in Barrow now, and we even have gotten the begining of school underway already.

Summer was full family, and full of on the go fun, water parks, camping at the lake, hiking, cannoeing, and campfires. We even got to visit some friends in Dillon and go on a raft/float trip down the Madison and Jefferson Rivers.

If you have followed my blog, you would know that we "dog set" last Christmas vacation for a teacher family who went off slope for vacation. That being said, the idea of having our own special little dog was born. We met a wonderful couple who breed dogs in Belgrade, MT. They were such helpful and warm people, we went back several times. The last time we went to visit, our DD picked out a puppy. He is about 8wks old now, and we are waiting to go get him. The kids can talk of nothing else, except the puppy even as sick as they were this week, they asked so many questions. Mostly they are just excited and can't wait. So here is our little bundle of love at about 4ks. old when his eyes just had opened. I would love to hear your idea on names!