Mesmer-Eyes

Look into my eyes.....you're getting sleepy ...... Sleeeeeeeeeppppyyyy.....

Next week's class will be Tuesday, May 1st (Happy May day!) and will consist of these 3 cards:

 

 Class is $10. Instructions and all materials provided. All the fun from "Glue Stick Therapy" is free!

Hope to see you there!

Never-ending Circles

Its almost 80 degrees here today...and it made it to about 79 yesterday. SO. 

Since I was obviously outside working on my tan...BWAHAHAHA!!!...

..since I crawled into my craft room and waited for it to be over, I made a card. I must admit, it was very nice to look out the window and see the happy birds in the sunny bird feeder.

Enjoy the day, wherever you are!

I linked this up to a new site:
Clean and Simple Stamping
 Yes, I didn't stamp it..yet. I'm not sure what I want to stamp on the green strip.

My first ever sketch-y challenge and submission

I was just sitting at the kitchen table, slowwwwwlllly enjoying my coffee this morning because my Mr. Dude was kind enough to take my Sunday School shift and let me have a quiet morning with my coffee. Anyways....I was looking at wonderful and inspirational cards on Pinterest. And one link took me here, then there, and a side-bar link took me somewhere else, and I eventually ended up at Deconstructing Jen . She makes some pretty awesome sketches and has crafty people submit their creative interpretation of her sketch. Here is her current sketch:

So after I was done working on Tuesday's class, I made this:

 

I used Bo Bunny Ad Lib paper and Imaginisce's Polkadot Bikini. That was lots of fun...I think I'll do another one next week!

Enjoy your week!

Oh man I can't wait to show you these cards! I love them...well, I love two of them.  The other... meh.

Sorry you've had to wait so long. My computer died a sudden and tragic death and I am learning new software on my husband's computer. I know what I'll be getting for Christmas, but until then, I have to share with Mr. Dude (and the three little dudes.)

Next class is on March 13th and is an all-occasion with a spring/holiday twist.

This card is unapologetic-ly feminine. I'll bring a birthday stamp, in case you need another birthday card!

On this card you can swap those butterflies & ribbon out with buttons and a big brown brad to make it masculine.

And this card reminds me of jellybeans and Easter.

I enjoyed the 60 degree sunny weather yesterday, rain today and I'm looking forward to the snow tomorrow. It's almost like we live in Denver. ;)

Hope to see you soon!

Happy Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Observed! 

We had the day off, and after talking about non-violence civil-rights activism, (My just-turned 8 year old told me all about Ruby Bridges...we all learned today. I love when that happens!) we went out to lunch and enjoyed the on-and-off snow flurries.

 I even carved out a little time to make a second card for Valentine's day. I fiddled with this one a bit..having designed it a little differently on my sketch-pad, but it just looked too busy with the other paper I had paired with it, so I took it off and I really like the way it doesn't distract from either the hearts or the ribbon. It's pretty, a little sexy and easy to make....like me..ha!   ; 0 )

All you need

I am back...and to post a creation, no less.

I feel like I've been gone for a while, but my days seem to go by quickly! My holidays sure went by in a blur spending time with my family. I spent my new year actively avoiding taking down decorations by cleaning out paper and supplies. I unearthed a few ideas I have for Valentine's Day cards and started working on them, getting only one completed today.

This card features foiled paper, and a multi-dimensional surface. It can easily be changed to a more snail-mail  friendly or flat format.

I've also started a project for 2012, called Project Life. You can read all about it here, where Becky Higgins created the concept. I have been wanting to do this since she came up with 365, where you document each day in photos.
 Project Life is more a documented journey through your year, using her products of course! I opted to make my own journaling cards but I did buy her pocket pages for my binder. I haven't completed a journal card for the 1st but I did start with my title page. The drawback to not using the pre-packaged cards: I don't have them made up. The advantage: they are completely unique and original, limited only by my imagination. And my ability to follow-through on a project. Ha!
As for new year resolutions, well, I'm setting goals and renewing my focus on lifestyle choices. Yes, these are just synonyms for resolutions but I think there is more forgiveness and flexibility in using these terms. I don't have control over whether or not I beat cancer (other than my choice to get treatments), but I can help by living a healthier life. I have many of the usual goals, but I'll stop here by sharing with you my silliest goal: less volunteering. I have a hard time saying "no" but it's my goal for this year, because my family time is more precious and I don't want to give it up, if I can. And I bet it's the one I keep.
What about you, do you have goals for the year that are silly? Let me know...I'd love to hear from you!

Advent TREE!!

Helllloooooo!
I am still here...if you are interested in my health and my recovery, check the bottom of this entry.
So two years ago I made some pretty awesome advent calendars...(check here for full entry)

and I still haven't made one for my boys...mostly because they love those crappy chocolate ones (because they get chocolate every day, Hello-o! They are getting the Trader Joe's chocolate advent every morning, yup - I send them to school high on chocolate. I am an awesome mom! Duh! ;)

So, I decided that I didn't really want to give them more stuff...I want to lean away from that kind of Christmas. I saw a flat version of this on Pinterest made with envelopes and foam core background. I wanted a paper calendar, one I could make, and useable for my lil' dudes. So I made a list of activities and borrowed some from  All Things Simple.

Here is what I came up with, an Advent Tree:

with important family activities that we can share together. And before some of you wise-guys ask (Leanna)...no, I didn't make the tree...it's from Target. What I did make, are the envelopes and filled them with an activity for each day.

For example:
 day one is: Read "Elf on the Shelf" together
day 2: Make teacher gifts
day 3: Pick mitten from mitten tree for foster kids
day 4: Watch "The Grinch"
day 5: can you believe it...I can't remember!

Luckily, I made a master list, with the dates all assigned and even some alternate days for the outdoor activities. I made each envelope out of a 4" square of scrapbook paper, scored on all 4 corner diagonals, folded in and rounded the upper corner. I then decorated the fronts and put numbers cut from my cricut. I can't fit them all on the little tree..so I'll pop them on as the others come off.

Hope you are enjoying the season of Advent!

and as for my health...
Here I am folks....recovering from my first treatment, which was both not as bad as I expected and much worse.
I didn't get as sick as everyone told me I would...bone aches for 2 days were actually endurable. However, the bone aches were like twinkling Christmas tree lights and would go on and off constantly...for 48 hours straight. And I couldn't sleep with the pain. And the worse part: I know I have to do this two more times. But, it could be worse and I could have to do more than 3 treatments...and there might not be hope for recovery. So I will take the aches and try not to complain about the pain...or groan out loud. Too often.
Thanks for the cards and love! I'll post more as I can...