Sweet Birthday

One more card today using Sweets & Treats by Lizzie Anne Designs. Again I used the coordinating paper called Sweets. I'm not a big ice cream eater, but I do like mint chip. I stamped the ice cream image on colored cardstock and then ran through my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and brushed the raised dots with Close to Cocoa ink.

I don't know why, but I really like this picture of Benjamin. It's nothing spectacular or professional, but I just like it.

Sunday we went to Lexington to visit Bruce's g'ma and before we left I took this picture of her with the boys. I love it!

Cool Summer

Another card from Lizzie Anne Designs fun Sweets & Treats and paper from Sweets.

Musings/family stuff below if you want to stop reading here. Ü

My schedule has been so crazy! We found out yesterday that we get out the 20th (May) instead of 27th. YAY!!!! However, yesterday students started realizing they may be failing some classes and want me to perform a miracle and help them pass! Never mind ALL the reminders of where their grades are and that they need to hand IN their work to get a grade above a zero. I think they all have spring fever (don't we all?) and want out of school, but it's scrunch time now.

There are FOUR trackmeets this week! Thankfully, a policy is in place that athletes can only perform in 2 per week, so that limited how much running we had to do. One of them is Saturday and about 2.5 to 3 hours away, so we will be gone all day.

Sunday, the teens are talking about their trip to AK they will be taking this summer (actually it's in May) to work on a ranch that turns into a camp in the summer. They are hosting a camp meal after church, so we will be gone all Sunday too.

Okay, I only got ONE card uploaded (will upload the other when I get home tonite) and will add some track and boys with their great gr'ma after I get them edited.

One in a Million

I love this gumball machine from Sweets & Treats by Lizzie Anne Designs. I used digi papers from their Gizmos & Gears collection. Have you checked out their digi papers? Each collection is only $2.99!! What a deal!

You can see this same blue design on the inside of my Father's Day card I made here. See the difference? On the FD card I just printed from my computer and it was the soft blue. On this card I clicked on "exposure" with the "Touch Up" option in Microsoft Picture It! Premium 10 and got this much richer and bluer color. That is the beauty of digi papers. You can play around with your editing software and get more than just one shade or color. I have more fun things to show you with digi papers where I played around with different options.

Okay, back to the card. I used this week's sketch challenge on the LAD forum, ribbon and rick rack unknown and brad from Hobby Lobby. I colored the image with Copics. This gumball machine looks like the one my MIL has filled with M & M's. Ü

Day 3 sneak peeks

Today is the last day of the sneak peeks for Lizzie Anne Designs. Tomorrow all the sets and digi papers you've seen will be available for purchase.

I made cards using the stamp set "Sweet Treats" and a single stamp "Supergirl Saying".

For "Sweet Treats", I used 3 of the digi paper designs from the "Sweets" collection. This is a super easy card to whip up. The papers make it so easy. I colored the ice cream cone with Gamsol and colored pencils. I used 2 of the digi papers from "Garden Inspiration" for my "Supergirl Saying". Solid colors Sage Shadow and Regal Rose from SU! matched the pattern papers perfectly. I added a clear button by Basic Grey, ribbon and white gel pen dots to finish it off. Stop by the Lizzie Anne Designs blog to see who else is making samples today and see the sets in full.

Lizzie Anne's day 2 sneak

Today I have 4 stamps/sets to share with you and digi prints from 2 different packages.

My first card showcases Father Saying single and Happy Father's Day single. I used digi prints from the Gizmos & Gears paper pack. This set of papers matches Lizzie Anne's stamp set by the same name. I thought these papers were a great match for my Father's Day card. I love the sentiment and thought it went with In the Treetop perfectly. I have seen on many blogs how the inside is being decorated as well. I didn't go all out like many I've seen, but here is the inside with the Happy Father's day single. When the last release came out, I stamped a full sheet of cherries. This took awhile since I colored the stamp with SU!markers and had to recolor after every stamp to the paper, but I love the outcome, so it was worth it. After seeing this card on Nichole Heady's blog (you have to scroll down a bit to see it), I knew I wanted to use my cherries for this idea. "Happy Day" is just one sentiment in the "Everyday Sayings" set.

My last card for today uses polka dot digi paper from Perfect Polkas and stamp single "Lifesaver". I colored the image with Copic markers.

LAD Sneaks begin

I am so excited to be able to share THREE sneaks today. The first sneak is showcasing two new goodies that will be released on Saturday.

This card uses "Garden Inspiration" and digital patterned paper. I LOVE this paper!! The fun thing about digital paper is that you can play with it on your editing software. All printers will print it a little bit different. I printed the designs that come in this package and they are alot lighter than what you see here. I went back in a clicked "exposure" and it came out this richer color.
I colored the flowers with Copic markers, cut them out and layered them on top of the "stem" design (digital) to give the effect of being on stems. The sentiment is also in this set.
This next card is made with probably my all time favorite of the newly released (although I love them all and it's hard to pick just ONE favorite) called "Bless This Nest". I already had this card made, but it also fits this week's sketch challenge on Lizze Anne Designs here.I have so many ideas for this set and I can't wait to be able to share them all.
I love these colors for birds. I also have a project to share later where I colored this bird a bright yellow (I know..*gasp* I used yellow LOL). This set is so versatile as you can get so many looks with it.
The papers I used are Scenic Route (thin twig looking strip), Basic Grey's Archaic Ancient (blue/brown dot) and Deja Views Timeless Collection Circle Dots.

I always admire Debbie Olson's cards where she using the SU! punch like I used above. Of course I admire ALL she does. Ü

Be sure to click on the DT under Lizzie Anne Designs on the right to see what the other members created. I can't wait to go look too.

I'll be back tomorrow with more sneaks.

Minden trackmeet

I don't have any creative work to show you today, but stop by tomorrow as Lizzie Anne Designs starts their 3 day sneak peeks. I will have something to show you every day as well as the other DT members.

But I do have a couple of pictures to share from Minden's trackmeet Friday. The relay team finished 2nd and Benjamin finished 8th in the 1600. Here he is finishing strong in the relay. He ran last.He was in a lot of pain (shins) and did amazingly well for hurting so much. His time in the 1600 was 5:14. It was also very windy.

Baker's Dozen Christmas Cards

This is week 13 for Christmas Stampin' All Year Long. Maria challenged us with this sketch:

I turned it into a long card. I love making these and haven't made one for quite awhile. I used Treehouse Stamps Christmas Cupcake, SU! sentiment and Basic Grey papers.

Don't forget to stop by the CSAYL blog and see what the other divas created this week.

NEVER judge a book by its cover!

Most of you probably have seen this youtube as it has millions of hits. But if you haven't you just HAVE to see this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

After you have watched it TO THE END, go here and read this commentary that I feel is so true and I see this every day with the students I work with.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/featuresopinon/display.var.2501746.0.The_beauty_that_matters_is_always_on_the_inside.php

I have lots of stamping and creating I need to get done today. Lizzie Anne Designs sneak peeks start next week. I LOVE the new sets I have to work with! FUN!! Plus a new product they are adding to their line. Can you guess what it is?

Friday Challenge

My friend Michelle is the hostess this week on EIO's Friday Challenge. The theme is Spring Bling and she challenged us to use flowers using a favorite technique.

I love to cut flowers with my Cricut. I can cut several sizes and layer them. Here I scrunched them up and added a vintage button to the center.

I love this mini pizza box tutorial on Jen's blog. I cut the scallop square with my Cricut too. We would love to have you come and play along with us on Embellish It.

Christmas Penguin

It's Monday and that means a card for Christmas Stampin' All Year Long. Here is the sketch Maria sent us: and here is my card...I used Basic Grey papers & buttons, vintage ribbon, and the fun penguin is from a new Darcie stamp set I rec'd this week. WOOOHOO!! I now have one dozen Christmas cards ready to go. Ü That is a great feeling and it is only April. Be sure to check the CSAYL blog to see what the other divas created.

Happy Easter!

The true meaning of Easter...

"and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures," I Corinthians 15:4

We are headed off to church and then an Easter breakfast where the teens serve us Ü, then to mom and dad's. May you all have a Blessed Easter.

More fun triangles

I am having so much fun with this Inky Antics triangle stamp. I have another animal I am working on, but it's not coming out yet, so back to the drawing board.

Here is a chocolate bunny that I did handstitching on. This chick has been in my head since I first played with the triangle using the Inky owl. Since then, I've seen several cute chicks on SCS and kinda put it all together using my idea with all the others.

Triangle Bunny set

The triangle bunny set was the March special on Inky Antics. I didn't see it after that and asked Jackie about it since I had taught a class on it (you can see it here in case you missed it~schroll down to the bottom of the post). She brought it back and it's here on the home page. Be sure to snatch them up before their gone. I have a couple other fun animal ideas to use with them and will be posting today, so stop back by.

http://www.inkyantics.com/bunny.html

I wanted to show you the rear end of the bunny. I added a pompom and by doing so the bunny will sit. Ü You know how bunnies multiply?? I wish I would have thought to take a picture of all the bunnies I made.

Be back later...

Good Moms...

Good moms let you lick the beaters...

I LOVE this set! I just got it this week and finally have time to play. Inside: GREAT moms turn off the mixer first. (LOL!)

Happy Birthday to a great mom!

Is this a great saying or what?! This is for my SIL who calls me Martha Stewart. I think she will get a kick out of it. (hopefully she doesn't read my blog and see it first).

Stamp Set by Darcie's, paper by My Mind's Eye (HUGE paper pad~180 sheets coordinating paper~on sale at Hobby Lobby for $10), colored with Gamsol and colored pencils and used Splitcoaststampers Sketch challenge #223.

Class Projects

Last night I taught a papercrafts project and we had lots of fun. We made 3 projects that were inspired by projects I had seen online.

They got to make 3 of these bunnie candies. This project was inspired by this one that I had seen on Splitcoast. Instead of all the stamping, I cut the bunnies from Doodlecharms Cricut Cartridge at 2.5" and a circle for the back from the George cartridge at 1.5". The candies are Palmer chocolate crispie things. Here is a side view to give you a peek of the kind of candy I used. You could also use thin mints.

The next project was a card also inspired by one I had seen on Splitcoast. You can view her version of a bunny also here. I don't have the SU! Top Notch Die, so used Cricut Cartridge Accent Essentials, Walk in My Garden for the feet (cut two petals off of a flower) and Doodlecharms for the egg.

I LOVE this bunny box! The box is a STAMP by Inky Antics and the face is also stamped. You can see the full stamp set by Inky Antics here. This was so fun to make.

Christmas Stampin' catch up

Here are my cards for week 1 and 10. Now I have 11 Christmas cards done.

This is week one's sketch and my card. I love this new Basic Grey paper called Porcelain. I know yellow snow is NOT cool, but I had to make the snowman match the paper. Ü Week 10's sketch: I turned the sketch upside down and flipped the ribbon and embellishment. I love this church image by Inky Antics.

Christmas Stampin

Not only did I get alot of baking and cooking done this weekend, I was able to get in some stamping (as well as Phase 10 and Apples to Apples game playing with the boys Ü).

I missed last week's challenge due to prom and too many "irons in the fire". I did get it made up as well as week 1 (I didn't join until week 2) and will post those two cards for you to see tomorrow, so as not to get you confused with this week's sketch.

This is the sketch Maria challenged us with this week. Don't forget to check her blog and the other Diva's for their take on this sketch. I flipped this sketch on it's side to fit my image. Snowman image is Whipper Snapper, sentiment SU! and paper is Basic Grey.

,

EIO Gallery Open

**Edited** Chickie Trio from Inky Antics is discontinued.

It's the 5th and that means a new DT challenge is up for Embellish It. This month's theme is April Flowers/A Change in Time. I used flowers for my four projects.

This first card using an image from a retired SU! set that was a Valentine set. I have used this image so many times as thank you's and haven't once used it as a Valentine card. The toucan holds a heart in the image, so I cut along the beak with an exacto-knife and slipped the Prima flower between the beaks. I colored silver brads with an orange Copic to get that orange-y copper color. Patterned paper is Marrakech by Basic Grey.

I love this apple image! It too is a retired SU! image from the set Give Thanks. The sentiment is from a current set called Trendy Trees. This fun project was inspired by Lisa Somerville's tutorial here. The chick image is Inky Antics "Chickie Trio". I just inked up two of the chick's to fit the panel.

I love altering these $1 candles from Dollar General. This is from their fall line, but the rust color matched this Basic Grey perfectly, so I used it. With the lid off the Pumpkin Pie sent smells yummy AND fits all the snow and ice outside even though the calendar says it's SPRING!

The flowers are off white and I colored them with 3 yellow/orange Copics to match the paper. I tore one flower so that it only had two petals and colored green for leaves. I lvoe how that turned out.

Blizzard on it's way...

It is now snowing and blowing! Great weather to stamp in. Ü 5 minutes later it looked like this: At this rate we will have 9-12" by noon tomorrow!

Sow's Life

Love the play on words. Ü Life here is getting ready for a blizzard! I did lots of baking in case we lose power (which we tend to do when we have rain then snow).


This card is one I made for Inky Antics to use at their Spring Shows. Jackie gave me permission to post some of my cards. Some will also be posted on her blog (she posted Best Pals the other day there) and on the website. I am liking orange and pink together for spring. The pig is stamped twice and then I cut the head out and used pop dots to give it the 3-D effect.

Trackmeet results

What a windy day! If there wouldn't have been any wind the sun would have felt warm. Thankfully, I packed extra clothes, gloves, coats, blankets etc. I feel like my eyes are packed with dirt from all the wind and I can't imagine running AGAINST the wind!

Benjamin (and his team) placed 2nd in the 4 x 800 relay (4 run the 800). He didn't place in the 1600 and ran the 800 which we didn't know he was running. I'm not sure he knew til he got there either because this morning he said he was only running the two races. I think he would have done better in the 1600 if he hadn't just run the 800 two races before it. He is staying with my in-laws (sooooo glad they live in town) as he is taking the ACT test tomorrow.

Here are a couple of pictures.

Make a Mini

Today's Friday Challenge on Embellish It is to make a mini album. This is called a wallet album. Today Benjamin has a trackmeet in St. Paul. He will run first in the 4 x 8 (relay) and then next to last in the 1600. I'll update you tomorrow on how he did.

Then we are to get a blizzard according to this weather report!!

A POTENT WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS REGION TODAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIFT ACROSS NORTHERN KANSAS SPREADING WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA SATURDAY THROUGH MIDDAY SUNDAY. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH SATURDAY EVENING...PRODUCING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OFWESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. BY MID DAY SUNDAY...SNOWACCUMULATIONS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 WILL RANGE FROM 7 TO 12INCHES.

PERSONS ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA (this is us) SHOULD BEPREPARED FOR BLIZZARD OR NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS SATURDAY ANDSATURDAY NIGHT. TRAVEL WILL BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS...IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

Sold Out!

Jackie (Inky Antics) e-mailed me to let me know that a class they are teaching using the cards I submitted for CHA is sold out! Even though I'm not the one teaching it, I am honored that 30 people like the cards I designed to make the class a sold out one! You can see the link here.

I am recovering from prom and will post more pictures when I can, but right now here is one that isn't the best that I took at the Grand March. This is Benjamin and his friend Sarah.