Flower Friday, a bit early!

Okay, so it's not stamped. I've been busy getting ready for the big weekend coming up and I just won't have time in the morning to create a card as I will be on the road at 9 am.

BUT, imagine my delight this morning when I opened the patio door and our barrel cactus was in full bloom! I have been watching the buds grow and waiting patiently. These flowers only last a day or so before they droop and need to be plucked off. But when they are blooming they are magnificent and the scent, so subtle and yet so very fragrant.

Enjoy your weekend!

All packaged up.....

And ready to go! I won't be able to post for a couple of days as I am headed out to a fun filled weekend of stamping with good friends. I am so excited to see some old friends and meet for the very first time friends I've only known online.

Here is my donation to a special raffle the coordinators have put together. It's my series of warm up cards I've been making every morning. I recycled one of the nice boxes that PaperTrey stamps come in, the 3 x 3 cards fit perfectly! I saved the boxes knowing I would use them for something at some point; they are just too nice to toss! I had originally wanted to use a patterned paper belt around the box, but that covered up the pretties, so I just tied a chocolate organdy bow and hung another 3 x3 card saying who made the raffle prize. I hope that the recipient of the raffle enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them!

In addition to this raffle prize, I also made another fun raffle prize. Every one who comes to the event brings a hand stamped raffle prize, nothing too expensive, somewhere between $5 and $10 value. So I made a fun perpetual birthday chipboard tag book, a couple of flower clippies, a roll of the wooden spool ribbon and 2 small cello treat bags, all packaged up in a cute little spring bucket from Target's dollar spot. This will also be raffled off sometime during the event.

It sure will be fun to see all the prizes that will be on the table on Saturday!

And the winner is.......

Morgan randomly picked a number tonight after we ate her birthday dinner. The lucky number is


43

Michelle said...

My mom took me shopping for a "party outfit" It was great! She helped me with my hair and my jewelry. The party was typical...girls on one side, boys on the other. LOL!

Michelle, please email me your snail mail address and I will send the snacklet your way.

Thanks everyone for the entertaining stories!

More Morning Minis!

It's just about time for SCS Stamp Mania and the bundle of morning warm up cards to be packaged up in their cello box as my donation to a special raffle. I thought I'd show you just a few more samples from my morning mini card making sessions. These are so easy and fun, and a terrific way to keep the creativity flowing. All supplies are SU!

Today is Morgan's 14th birthday! Monday she was prepped for braces, so her poor mouth is really hurting from the 12 spacers they put in there. On their birthday, they get their pick for dinner, either eating out or home made. Morgan wants home made lasagna, her favorite meal. I will be preparing that in a bit, I hope she will be able to enjoy it.

I will also have her pick a number for the blog snacklet and will announce the winner later today.

Happy Wednesday!

Memo: Time to Party!

Okay, I told myself if I ever broke the Stamping 100 barrier I would do the blog candy thing. The counter is so close, just 2 away as I type this. So, I thought it would be fun to offer a little snacklet, now.... I ever break the top 50, it will more of a full course meal!

The card is part of the Featured Stamper Challenge hosted by Bethie every week over at SCS. The object is to use a card from the featured stamper as a jumping point for a card based on one of their designs. Change at least 2 things about the original card and give *props* to the artist of the week.

Let's just say this card meandered around quite a bit before ending up with what you see. It is very hard to stamp in the early morning after having a household full of teenagers celebrating Morgan's upcoming 14th birthday. And by household, I mean 18 (13 - 15 year olds) teens to be exact - lots of Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, pizza, snacks, and the like, make for lots of fun for the teens, and a need for ear plugs for me!

Without going into a lot of details, this card was made with SU! stamps, papers, inks, and accessories and is 4.25 x 4.25 in size. Exception to the SU! rule is the $1 stamp from Michaels and the caribbean grosgrain.

I will randomly pick someone on Morgan's true birthday, Wednesday, April 25th to receive this blog candy snacklet. The snacklet includes: The card, the 2 $1 stamps, and 3 rolls of that fun ribbon on the wooden spools. Okay, the requisite question is this -

What is your fondest memory of your first teen party? Or any teen party memory, I suppose!?

ETA - tired mom brain I tell ya! I'll share mine, too. I went a number of teen parties growing up, and had fun at so many of them. I have to say what I remember fondly was 7th grade and slow dancing in the living room of a friend's home to side 2 of The Best of Bread. LOL, just dated myself, eh?!

Thanks so much for stopping by and for all of your kind comments over the last few weeks!

Supplies: Stamps: Office Accoutrement, EFP (SU!), Time to Party (Michaels), Papers: Cool Caribbean, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Taken With Teal, Whisper White, Petals & Paisley Designer Paper, Inks: Cool Caribbean, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Old Olive, Accessories: Spiral Punch, Spring Bouquet Punch, Corner punch, Paperclip, Grosgrain ribbons, Clear Button, Dimensionals

Blessed!

A dear friend has recently been blessed with a sweet little grandbaby. I saw this very cute Carter's dress and matching panties and knew this would be so sweet on her. The dress has butterflies and flowers scattered all over, you can see a portion of the dress in the backdrop, and it is where the inspiration for this card came from.

Simple card directions are:
Run a portion of the card base through the Cuttlebug with the Baby embossing folder. Dotted pattern paper from SU!'s Petals & Paisley is added as the accent piece, tie a celery ribbon around and secure a clear button with a knot. A few piercings down the side with the Mat Pak and piercing tool, and the card base is finished.

For the main image, the Butterfly (PaperTreyInk) is stamped in Barely Banana, dotted in Cool Caribbean and outlined in Certainly Celery. I do so love that Nichole has thought this through so well and that each layer is its own stamp. So much easier than masking or omitting! Stamp 3 random flowers in Cool Caribbean and Lavendar Lace. This is the first time I have used dye inks with these images and I am very impressed at how well they ink the image. I stamped the Blessed (PaperTreyInk) with ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink in Lavendar so it would pop more, as the hybrid inks are more opaque and vibrant in nature. Adhere to lavendar panel, pierce a butterfly trail to the sentiment, and attach to the scalloped celery layer with dimensionals. Attach finished image panel to the card base with dimensionals.

Welcome sweet little Jasmine!

Supplies: Stamps: PaperTreyInk, Cardstock: SU! Cool Caribbean, Certainly Celery, Lavendar Lace, Whisper White, Petals & Paisley DP Ink: SU! Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Cool Caribbean, Lavendar Lace, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink Lavendar, Accessories: Cuttlebug and Baby embossing folder. Celery grosgrain ribbon, Clear button, Mat Pak and piercing tool, Scallop blade for Fiskar's trimmer, Dimensionals

More Morning Warm-Ups

A bit ago I talked about doing small, quick morning warm-up cards to keep the juices flowing. Taking no more than 10 - 15 minutes from start to finish, some have taken less than 5 - 10 minutes. These cards are 3 x 3 and are the perfect size. Simple, easy layouts, the elements of which are often scaled down versions of full size cards I have done in the past. No hard thinking here, just stamping to keep the creativity going.

Many of you commented that it was a great idea and liked seeing the first cards I posted, so I decided to post a few more. By next Friday, and the beginning of my Stamp Mania weekend, the ones I have completed by then will packaged up in a cello box with a decorative wrapper and will be my contribution for a special raffle the organizers are coordinating.

All supplies are SU!

Counting down!

To So Cal Stamp Mania! In one week I'll be heading to a fabulous weekend with friends to play, no kids, just lots of SCS friends and me for the weekend.....I can't wait! Shoebox swappin' is part of the day, and I decided that this Mish Mish layout was so fun when I did it with my Stamp Nite ladies, that I would repeat it for my shoebox swap. I have plenty of this double sided paper for 10, plus 2 samples, so off to the cutting table I go! I thought about using a different set, but I still love this set, if only for the boots and flowers. How many of us own complete sets only to love a couple images in the entire set? I know I do.

All elements on this card are SU! And this card is a duplicate to one I posted back a week or so ago, just changed up the colors, so I won't go into the details. I'm still working on my daily warm-ups to make my special raffle donation, and I still need to get going on the general raffle prize for the raffle table. I know what I am going to do, just need to git 'er done, as my pal Lisa would say.

Happy Friday!

SU! Supplies: Stamps: Flower Filled, Amazing to Zany, Cardstock: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Whisper White, Four Seasons designer paper Ink: So Saffron, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Accessories: Grosgrain ribbon, Mat Pak and Piercing tool, 1/8" circle punch, Dimensionals

Well, here they are.....3 Hello cards.

I did it! I entered an online competition. I saw a posting on Lisa's blog about the PaperCrafts Gallery Idol competition. What the heck, I thought I'd give it a whirl! The theme for this particular round is Hello cards.

Here is a link to the PaperCrafts online gallery.

What a fun time I had creating these fun, simple, hello cards! This round ends tomorrow, winners will be posted on Monday the 23rd. Wish me luck!

Supplies: Cardstock: SU!, Crate Paper, Wild Asparagus Ribbon: May Arts, SU!, and unknown striped grosgrain on happy hello card. Inks: Colorbox Fluid Inks, SU! Classic Ink Accessories: Cuttlebug, SU! Hardware, Mat Pak and Piercing tool, Dimensionals

Seems I've been TAGGED.......Twice!

Thanks Sarah ;) Thanks Lisa ;)

So now I need to name 5 of my favorite blogs. I'm not real sure of the etiquette involved here, so those who tagged me, know that I frequent your blogs! Plus many others! In no particular order, the following are blogs I peruse when I have the time:

- SWEET & Sassy Notes! Uber talented Anna! I can escape here.

- StarLitStudio Cindy, what can I say, so talented, so generous, such a friend.

- Christine Kane Live creatively, consciously and courageously. Real thoughts on living. Not stamping related; life related.

- Mish Mash - She's probably been tagged a zillion times. She's creative, funny, organized, and so very, very talented and delightful.

- Paper Trufflez - Julie's personality just seeps from her blog. Her talent, well we all know all about that! I read it for *her* and if you've met her, you know what I mean. It's my daily visit while sippin' my cuppa.

I could easily name 10 more, stopping at 5 is VERY hard!

So, I guess I have to go play tag, huh?

One of those weeks!

Ever have one of those weeks where life gets in the way of stamping? I'm having one this week. I hope for a couple of hours of escape, soon, then I'll be able to share with you!

Rohla's Joy!

Ah, Sunday means Featured Stamper day over at Splitcoaststampers. Beth called me yesterday and asked me to fill in for her for this challenge. There was a family crisis in the Silaika household, now resolved thankfully, that left the entire family exhausted beyond measure. Of course I said yes, Beth is such a giver, I was so happy to be able to help her out. Now, SCS had other plans, server issues delayed my promised posting until this morning. She had already picked Amy aka rohla, as the featured stamper. Amy and I have been pm buddies for a while now, so I was so tickled to be the one who was able to introduce her as the Featured Stamper!

I changed up the colors and papers that Amy used, added a smaller scallop and piercings, but the layout and stamp set are the same. The object of the Featured Stamper challenge is to take a card from their gallery and CASE it, modifying at least 2 items, and giving proper credit to the original maker.

I think I'll send this card to Amy's daughter. I heard she like these colors!

Supplies - Stamps: SU! Polka Dots and Paisley, Inks: SU! Cool Caribbean, Taken with Teal, Paper: SU! Cool Caribbean, Marigold Morning, Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Crate Paper patterned paper, Accessories: Striped grosgrain ribbon (unknown source), Mustard mini brads, Mat Pak/piercing tool, Sponge dauber, Dimensionals

Morning Warm Ups!

Happy Friday! It's Stamp Nite tonight over here, so today will be busy getting all the last minute things ready. I wanted to post 3 of the warm up samples I've done this week. Looking down a few posts I talked about a wonderful book called Finding Your Visual Voice and I highlighted an exercise one of the artists does daily. I decided to incorporate a similiar exercise each day - a warm up card that takes no more than 15 minutes to create. 3 x 3 cards are perfect for this! These cards don't need to be overdone or too simple, I merely recreate on a smaller scale ideas and sketches of my full sized cards. Easy Peasy, and keeps the gears rolling even on those days where hecticness is the theme. Near the end of April I am attending a SCS gathering - all the daily warm up cards I've done to that point are going to be packaged up in a clear box (recycling a PTI box) with a patterned paper wrap; this will be my contribution to a special raffle that the organizers are putting together.

Have a wonderful Friday!


All Supplies are SU! © 1990-2007

Cindy Inspired Pink Petals

Julia's weekly Way to Use It challenge this week: On your mark , use your markers to create a card. I have always loved using markers and use them all the time. So this challenge wasn't so much of a challenge as a way to just stamp like I normally do, a fun challenge anyway!

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but my SU! markers from 5 years ago are GREAT, still going strong, tips still pretty pointed, colors vibrant, and they feel sturdy; I'm not sure they will ever wear out! On the other hand, the ones I have gotten in the last year or so, the replaced colors and the newer palette colors are not the same, no matter what SU! says. They fray, dull, and flat out wear out. Disappoints me greatly.

For this card, I markered the flower, spritzed it with a fine mist from a water bottle and stamped the image 3 times. I used the Color Spritzer for a spatter of blue. Gently distressed edges on the Shimmery White layer for added texture. Double matted in celery and then olive, it was ready for accents. I wanted brads in each corner but didn't want them to overpower the image, so I used white mini brads (American Crafts), which was just the look I was trying to achieve. Cindy posted a fantastic project on her blog, StarLitStudio the other day, I LOVED the look of the dew on her flowers....but being the lazy stamper that I am sometimes, just didn't want to get out the heat tool and all its accompaniments. So, Crystal Effects saves my day, a few strategically placed dew drops and these flowers look kissed by the dew fairies. Entire image layer is raised up with dimensionals, another much loved product! I used SU!'s Petals & Paisley Designer Paper to anchor the card base. I remember when I never used patterned paper, now I can barely remember not using it! A simple bow off to the side, and an A Muse sentiment in a Word Window punch, and this card is heading to a favorite birthday girl!


Supplies: Images: SU! Petal Prints, A Muse, SU! Paper: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Petals & Paisleys Designer Paper, SU! Inks: Old Olive, SU! (unless specified otherwise) Accessories: SW Markers, Mini Brads (American Crafts), Grosgrain ribbon, Color Spritzer, Word Window punch, Distressing tool, Dimensionals

Happy Birthday........with wings!

The story behind this layout is this:

I ventured over to CPS earlier to see what layout was posted to use as an inspiraton jumping point. I like the layout for the most part, not the little rectangles in the strip, but the overall look. After selecting and adhering the patterned paper to the card base and setting it aside, I stamped the sentiment panel. Flower is stamped in Marigold Morning and Pumpkin Pie for added color and raised up with a dimensional for a little interest. When I began to attach the sentiment to the card base I noticed that the patterned paper was a tad crooked, hanging off on one side just a tad. It was too late to reposition it, so I tried to trim it carefully. Well, Riley had other plans and bumped my elbow with her nose. Now that edge was really crooked! I couldn't trim the sentiment down, it would lop off too much, couldn't toss the card base, too much precious patterned paper! Solution, trim the base card to 3.75 inches and adhere the sentiment, creating the wings off the side. It needed a little upper balance, so I added the celery bow off to the side. I like it, it's a bit different and unusual, and still fits in a standard A2 envie.

All SU! Supplies: Stamps: Happy Everything, Flowers for a Friend, Paper: Celery, Chocolate, Vanilla, Au Chocolait, Ink: Chocolate, Celery, Marigold, Pumpkin, Accessories: Distressing tool, Gingham ribbon, Dimensionals

Finding your VISUAL VOICE

When I was sitting with my mom yesterday while dad was out playing senior softball she showed me a book titled Finding Your Visual Voice , available at Amazon. Mom's work is featured in there, as well as many other wonderful artists. Instead of being a book merely about painting, and showing pictures, it is a book about the thought process and centers on how artists realize their own style. It asks many thought provoking questions and allows self-discovery along the way on your own likes or observations. I found it very insightful and one part in particular reminded me of something I used to do, but have let slip away in the busy day to day life around here. One artist profiled, Robert Burridge , a vibrant acrylic painter, begins each day with a small, quick painting. By small, I mean by artist's standards, maybe 5" x 7", taking no more than 15 minutes or so to warm up. I used to stamp every morning but have gotten away from that, reading about his art process reminded me that I need to do this more. It was a wonderful way to start my day, quick, simple, and not always successful, but it kept the gears going.


I will start this tomorrow. Today is almost over, laundry, soccer, and dinner await!

Hello..................Feel Better!

I hopped on over to SCS this morning to see what Beth had posted for the Featured Stamper Challenge. This challenge is fun, it introduces artists and their gallery, and the challenge is to create a card based on one of their designs. This week the Featured Stamper is a great friend of mine, we call her HB, a true sweetheart in every sense of the word.

I decided on this butterfly card from her gallery, but changed up the colors, used a smaller scallop, added a little piercing, and made the card a get well card for my mom. Mom took a particulary bad tumble while volunteer ushering in a dark theatre on friday night. She fractured her wrist and needed surgery yesterday. I spent the afternoon and evening with dad waiting for the surgery to be over, and then made sure they were settled in for the night before returning home.

This morning I wanted to take her some of the bearded iris that are blooming on our garden, and dad requested some grapefruits from our laden tree, so I made this card to go along the garden goodies. The kids each wrote their own get well greetings inside before we left to go visit.

If you want a real treat for the eyes, check out my mom's wonderful website. Now, I am a little biased, but I just LOVE her paintings!

Card details: Solid butterfly image was inked up in Ice Blue and stamped on Whisper White, then striped image stamped in Rouge. Hello stamped in Lime Pastel with a butterfly trail pierced to the greeting. Image panel and celery layer were ticket punched and distressed before adhering to the rose panel with dimensionals. White corner brads added to rose layer. Striped piece of patterened paper is from SU!'s SAB Scrappin' Kit, and was scalloped with my trusty "old" Fiskars rotary trimmer. Completed image panel attached with dimensionals, ribbon threaded through layers and secured with a knot. The bottom right corner stamped with Feel Better in Rouge ink, a little accent piercing and this card is now sitting in mom's family room, next to the vase of flowers!

Happy Jellybean Day!

Supplies - Stamps: PaperTrey Butterfly Wishes and Paper Tray. Ink: Color Box Fluid Chalk Ink - Ice Blue, Rouge, Lime Pastel, Paper: SU! Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Scrappin Kit Designer Paper, Accessories: Mat Pak, Piercing tool, White mini brads (American Crafts), Rose grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals

160 eyelets.....

200 Dimensionals, 640 inches of silver cording, and the 40 announcements and stamped envelopes for my niece are finished. She wanted her picture on the front, muted with a vellum overlay, and in her school colors, of course! Oval shaped picture was created in Adobe PhotoShop Elements, the junior (old) version, 2.0, printed 4 to a page in a card maker program I've had for years. Vellum layer with sentiment was also sent through the printer, printed 4 to a page in the same card program, and trimmed for each card. Sorry, I've blurred the high school name for privacy reasons, but wanted to share how easy it is to personalize and make your own announcements for the fraction of the cost of printed ones. Sure, there is time involved, but there is also personal care in the finished product.

Supplies: All SU! Cardstock: Brushed Silver, Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, Cardstock Vellum, Stamp set: grad cap from Sketch and Event (retired) Ink: Brilliant Blue, Accessories: Silver Brads, Silver cord, Dimensionals, Envelopes

It's a Flower Filled Friday!

I've been laboring in the yard for the past two days, planting a total of just over 30 plants and mulching flower beds. Beyond exhausted come dinnertime, let me tell you! No need to hit the gym, that's for sure. Hopefully Riley minds her manners back there. Let's just say we've replaced more plants than I'd care to count because of her curiosity.

When I finished gardening, I decided to blog browse for a little while. One of the most talented stampers out there has an amazing blog, full of wonderful creations, daily hints, and entertaining stories. Maybe you've heard of her? Michelle Wooderson aka Mish Mash. If you haven't, please get acquainted with her, you will be inspired! I met Michelle a few years back at an SU! convention, I knew right away we would be friends for a very long time. Not only do I value her as a friend, she is also a constant source of inspiration for me. On her blog she posted a wonderful new twist on an A2 size card, I decided I must make one of them for Flower Friday.

So late last night, my tiredness taking a leave of absence, when I surely should have been in bed, I made this card. I tried to post a pic last night, but could not get the proper lighting to showcase the card, even with my dual OTT lights. So, I waited until this morning to post this card.

Card details, for those who are interested. Since I don't own the newest PaperTrey set (yet Ü) I used the SU! set Flower Filled. I recieved this set at the same convention I met Michelle. I remember sitting with her making the card they designed for us, both of us trying to put our own twist on their sample. We took too long and got the evil eye from the convention helper. You should have heard the comments when it came to the watercolor crayon card...... Ahh, shared memories are so much fun!

Back to the card details, boots are stamped in Taken with Teal that have been kissed (Itty Bitty Backgrounds) with Old Olive, creating polka dot boots. I inked and stamped the kissed boots again on a piece of scrap white cardstock, cut out one boot, and attached to the image panel with a dimensional. I'm sure they are much cuter than the big black Eric boots Michelle wears while she is gardening. I do need a picture of that someday! *tee hee* Stems stamped in Old Olive, flowers in Marigold Morning and Cool Caribbean. The three Marigold flowers were stamped again on a scrap of white cardstock, punched out and attached to the image panel with dimensionals. I love using dimensionals. Raised images or accent pieces create, well, dimension, to your card, giving it a little more interest. Amazing is stamped in Pumpkin Pie. Image layer and Caribbean matting are distressed for texture. Patterned paper is the new Petals & Paisleys by SU! A little caribbean gingham bow (courtesy of my good friend, Joy) is tied off to the side, a row of piercing, a strip of contrasting patterned paper, and this addition to Flower Friday is done!

Happy Friday!

Our day will end very happily, Morgan returns tonight at 9:00 p.m. from her weeklong adventure to DC, Philly, and NY . We have missed her very much and can't wait to hear her stories, see the pictures she took, and Brett is eagerly awaiting whatever gift she got for him from FAO Shwartz!

Supplies: Stamps: SU! Flower Filled, Amazing to Zany, Ink: Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Marigold Morning, Cool Caribbean, Pumpkin Pie, Paper: Cool Caribbean, Old Olive, Whisper White, Petals & Paisley, Accessories: Gingham ribbon, Mat Pak, Piercing tool, Dimensionals

Time to Party!

Here is my card for Daven; please read the post below for the dual color challenge posted by Emily over at Splitcoaststampers. This card began three times with different images, pitching 2 of them.....I finally ended up with an office genre card to send his way. I just couldn't get in the groove with these colors, however, I persevered and this is the outcome. The main image is stamped on vanilla with Sahara Sand, StazOn Jet Black, and Real Red. Spritzed a bit with Sahara and Chocolate Chip markers, then just a hint of Chocolate Chip for the faux coffee mug ring. After stamping, I add the notebook feel with a spiral punch, sewed the vanilla layer to a red layer and mounted to the card with dimensionals. Patterned paper is by Basic Grey and SU!, both have Sahara Sand brayered over them to tone down the white and make it coordinate with the vanilla layer.

Thanks for stopping by! Now it's time to go have a folding laundry session with my youngest son, Brett. Can you hear his squeal of delight?! LOL

Flowers for My Friend!

This morning I logged onto Splitcoaststampers to check out the color challenge which is posted every Tuesday. Not only is it a color challenge this week, it is a combined challenge. Two VIPs from Splitcoaststampers are celebrating birthdays soon, Daven and Beate. What would the site be without them? Anyway, here is the card I made for Beate this morning. I thought it would be fun to make a card using one of SCS's fantastic tutorials, and I need practice on these as they are a class project in about 2 weeks.

The color combination is Pretty in Pink, Bravo Burgundy, and Always Artichoke. I can tell you these are colors I rarely reach for. The color challenges allow you to go out of your comfort zone and put together combinations you might overlook altogether. All supplies are SU! for this card. Pretty in Pink cardstock is saran stamped with Regal Rose ( I know, not one of the colors, but PIP didn't show, and BB was too muddy looking ). The flowers are stamped on Shimmery White, a little Brocade Blue Watercolor Crayon and spritzed Brocade Blue marker for background. Additionals flowers are stamped on a scrap, accented with a bit of Rose marker, cut out, and popped up using dimensionals. Stamp the greeting and cut apart, trimming in artichoke before adhering around the circle. Add a little gingham bow and this card is ready to head to Florida!

Supplies: All Supplies SU! Stamps: Flowers for a Friend, Simple Sayings II, Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Shimmery White, Always Artichoke, Ink: Pretty in Pink, Bravo Burgundy, Regal Rose, Always Artichoke, Accessories: Coluzzle, Gingham ribbon, Dimensionals, Brocade Watercolor Crayon and Aquapainter, Brocade Marker and Color Spritzer

Ahh, Glorious Spring!

Our garden was hit really hard by the freezing weather that hit the west coast, and most of the United States, a few months back. Many of our plants were damaged and are still in the recovery phase. Plants in this region, as a rule, just aren't made for so many days of frost. I was pleasantly greeted with the flowers on this epi this morning when I opened the door to let Riley, our dog, out for her morning patrol. The flowers on these unique plants are so delicate compared to the plant itself. What a beautiful way to start the day!



Ahh, spring vacation starts today. No school, no appointments until later. I can pj stamp this morning! I have a class coming up in just about 2 weeks and the theme is alternative size and fold cards. We will making 3 cards, this is one of them. I've wanted to try one of Cami's Tri-Fold cards for some time and finally made one today. Have I told you I actually get to meet Cami at the end of the month? I am so excited to meet her at the So Cal Stamp Mania on April 28th! I can hardly wait, we've talked on the phone several times and she is just the sweetest!

Okay, for this card, follow the instructions from the above link to create this unique fold. All supplies are Stampin' Up! I used Marigold Morning for the base, stamping the flower from Doodle That in Marigold Morning for a subtle background. I will be sad to see this color leave; it is one of my favorites, a bit darker than apricot, a bit lighter than mustard. I stamped the main flower image from Doodle That in StazOn Jet Black and used my blender pen to fill in the flower; Marigold Morning, Rose Red, and Old Olive are the colors used. Friend is from Amazing to Zany and is stamped in Rose Red. The Stamp A Majig is a stamper's best friend! I used it to line up the flower in the window and for the word friend. Perfect placement every time. I placed an eyelet in the slit to reinforce where the apricot grosgrain ribbon secures the card closed. Add a frame around the image in a contrasting color, pierce the closure side, and tie a bow. My pj session is finished!

Up, Up, and Away!

Morgan left on her Washington DC trip this morning at 4:15 a.m. to head to the airport, check in at 5:00 a.m. That's early by any ones standards! First stop Washington DC, then Philly, final stop New York City. She is so excited she just about burst! I am so happy she is able to experience this wonderful trip with some of her best friends from her 8th grade class. It certainly will be a quiet week around here with her gone. I can't wait to hear the stories and see her pictures. I promised her we would make a special scrapbook together documenting her experience.

Later this afternoon we head down to remove her exhibit from the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair; she placed 2nd in the Junior Biochemistry Division, we are so proud of her!

Happy April 1st, don't let anyone trick you today!