Boo Crew & Boo You!

I have a 2016 goal to get my holiday cards out before the holidays... no matter what holiday it is (birthdays, anniversaries included).  This is sometimes very difficult for me because I forget to take picture upon completion and I want to do that among the other chaos, and then I am late/forget. Procrastination at its best - they are being addressed and 1SG is stuffing envelopes and I am like "OH WAIT"... Click (with camera phone).  No best lighting but still just as cute.

 

I really am trying to keep to that 'goal' ... its October and I have only missed 6 birthdays! LOL.. thats usually the reminder I get from the other half.  I have started on the Christmas cards... GOAL=  completed about 10 a week. Starting in  September. To date: I have made 15 & 7 of those are not glued together, they are ready for assembly - thats half the battle right?

I have a good excuse... I made 20 of these little pumpkin guys- and they were a time consuming! 

 

And then we went to the Apple Orchard, and I have been cooking & preparing for the applesauce making. 1SG ran the Army Ten Miler, on October 9, so we spent the weekend in DC, and so... 

I will catch up... I promise! ... a few late nights before December 6 most likely! 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love!  

Vegan dinner invitation

2 weeks of research. {which I got educated}

4 drafts.   

Longest time its taken for invitations ever. 

Honest. 

  

Vegan dinner Party Menu: 

Black bean burgers, Baked Mac, Roasted potatoes, Salad, Buffalo cauliflower pitas, homemade Ranch dressing, Spiced Carrot cake & brownies 

Why a Vegan Dinner party? A friend of mine has become a vegan (like just in the last 6 months or so)...and her husband lives/eats/survives as like a "viking". Meshing the two worlds to have alittle party. The party was a hit!  

Have a great day! Hug the ones you love!  Thank you for stopping by! 

Hey Chickie!

I needed a birthday card for a friend who has recently acquired a few chickens... so I thought this would be PERFECT for her!   

I wanted it to have a country feel, so I embossed it a lot, and sponged the edges - not that it makes a difference but i loved the look! 

And since it football season, and I have some friends whose fellows play, I thought this make a great statement card for before the season started. I used their football numbers to identify whose card wasz whose, and rather enjoyed putting these together! 

 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hug the ones you love! 

the Big 18!

Someone had a big birthday in the house... he doesn't ever ask for much so we never know what to get him. Hiwever he's been buying these Ninja turtles tee shirts... so I made a TMNT card for him..  of course his favorite is at the top! 

We also found some wrapping paper with the turtles in as well.

The man himself!

 

Yes my heart will break in June when he graduates and head off to more military training before college ... hes my "little big man" .. even at 6'3. 

Mr. Poppers Penguins ... almost

 I had this great idea to use Penguins are a card, then they got too big for a card, so I thought they would make great tags... however the Penguin making got outta control! ... since I was making like 15!! (reminded me of Mr. Poppers Penguins movie). 

   

I didn't know what use for eyes, and so I grabbed some google eyes I had left from Halloween, put they were too small, so I searched in the kids old craft making/project bin, and found larger ones, which made them come alive! 

 

Arent they cute?  I used a few different punches: circle, modern label, oval, ornament, fancy flower. It was fun to put together, as notably, you cannot make just one!

 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love! 

Thanksgiving favors

Thanksgiving brings all family and friends together for a big meal, a fun game of football, and maybe even a Turkey Trot 5K run. We talk about Black Friday ads, Christmas shopping /events. Its a big day. I usually hold it as an Open house/ Buffet style meal for those that have family and visit others, and friends pop in. I look forward to it.  This year is no exception.

 

 

 

We will rise and run a 5K, after the turkey is put in the oven. The sides are prepared the night before and will be completed upon our return from the race. It actually may sound more complicated than it really it. 

 

 

I make the table favors, that actually will house Andes mints, since everyone loves that at some time during the day. I also made some for the craft fair, and they loved them. Of course I need like 20 for my day- and made 40, so I am pretty much a pro now on the "turkey" making part!

 

 

Using the matchbox die to create the boxes, and a series of punches for the turkey. I used some retired SU! paper for the favors, when it ran out I used solid colors found in the designer paper, so it looks pretty among the bowl. 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love!

Monkeyin' around!

A few days ago, I was wallowing in pity... we all have moments like this right?  So, I spent 2 hours with the radio cranked to the point the shelves were rattling and waited to see if the law enforcements were going to check on the house... but I needed to get out of the funk... so I DANCED! and DANCED. and DANCED!!

 

 

 

I put this card together in 3 stages. Planning, punching and adhering the pieces!  

 

 

This is a 5x7 card so it could be framed. Maybe in a bedroom for a child. Or classroom.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love.

GO AHEAD AND DANCE!!!

Watering Can

Yes, its the latest craze.

The Watering can. 

 

You put a few blooms in there and its a great table topper

 or little gift. 

You can slide a giftcard in it, or even just a pack of seeds.

 

Its really fun to make. 

You can use your DSP or cardstock.

Any color. 

Its fun! Its cute!

 Its been the talk at my office,

 so I must make a few more.

 After all, its those comments that make you want to jump in the craft cave and make more!!! 

  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hug the ones you love! 

Have a great day!  

Go make one yourself! Template from Splitcoaststampers: HERE

Little Birthday Bug

Ahhh April birthdays... just when I thought I have them covered, more keep popping them up.

I went with BUGS for starters.  Lady Bug, Dragonfly, whatever I could find ..then I remembered some punch art I had seen pooping up on the Blogsphere.

So here is my version: 

   

I added some glitter to the wings. I used adhesive sheets from SU! so I could just punch out the shape I wanted. WAY TOO EASY!!!

 

Much to my dismay, my daughter said this looked "young"... at almost 15, she has quite an opinion on my cards nowadays. I do not believe I will be showing her the clown I made for a 8 year old - that might not be "fitting" for him... oh well.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hug the ones you love! 

Have a great day! 

Swinging in....

My kids are a little to old to take to the playground to exert their energy, so we end up on bikes, hiking trails, or playing kickball. I miss some of our playground adventures. Not the scrapped knees and making sure they are clean when we get into the car, but the 'freedom' of being on a swing and just being pushed HIGH in the SKY! It was just FUN!!!!

 

I know found this on the Lynn Pratt's blog, years ago. Loved it but never tried it. It was fun to make. So I make 5 of them! 

 

Its a free hand tree, and the card base is only 4 1/4 x 4 1/4, so you can make a tall tree and fit into an A2 envelope. I softly stamped clouds in the sky. I might add some flowers near the tree before sending out! 

Thank you for stopping by!  Have a great day!  Hug the ones you love! 

You little devil!

"You little devil"

Usually followed by a "you shouldn't have..." comment.

How many times do we hear that?  Recently, when I heard it, the light bulb went off and I was like... "yep- this little devil is going to do something about it!" and today.. I did.



My little punch devil



They are created with many pieces, but all well worth the time put into them.

 I added little treats for some of my closest coworkers. Though they are on a weight loss, I didn't give them anything that would tip them over.

Aren't they fun? I mean, it brings a smile to your face. I have to thank Ellen Kemper again, for her main idea, and I manipulated her devil to confirm to mine!

 Let see punches in the short version: 1/2, 3/4 circle, 2 step owl punch, word window punch, 2 step bird punch, small oval, modern label, scalloped oval, slot punch

Happy Valentines Day!

Have a great day!

 Hug the ones you love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Eskimo kiss

 I have two teens... two totally different people. I have a passionate one and one that gives it to me straight.  Yes, I have a daughter and a son. Though my son is the oldest, my daughter pulls a close second with her mature personality and adult nature.

We had some snow this weekend. Which meant I had an assignment - to take take pictures of my daughter for her portfolio... what a "fun" job! .. however it was 22 degrees out - and tromping around in the 4 inches of snow wasn't as much fun!  

I got 65 pictures snapped - in which she like 15 of them... figures... though I love her - she drives me crazy!  She owes me...{wink wink}

Her payment ..??   She gave me cold Eskimo Kisses!

The punch art was totally CASEd from Ellen Kemper. I have been holding on to this for a long long time! I finally could use it  - and I love it!   Using all sorts of circle punches, oval punches, heart punches it all came together with only a few redos!   I used Marina Mist  and Wild Wasabi, with Very Vanilla. They cardbase is spritzed with Vanilla Smooch.

Thank you for stopping by!

Hug the ones you love!

Have a great day!



Silly scarecrow

I may live in a rural area, but we never see too many scarecrows out. I know the old addage of "scaring the birds away from crops" but I have seen more faux owls out in gardens/ more than scarecrows. Further, why are they not out in the summer- but more fall? I mean, most of the crops are being harvested in the fall, which means they need protection in the summer? .... my thoughts...only my thoughts...

However, a few weekends ago I was at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin, in Delaware. This is nothing you could ever imagine! I mean seriously, you may "think" you know this but unless you experience it -its unimaginable!  We had a fantastic time!  While I was there  - there were actual SCARECROWS in the fields! I mean, this farmer allowed this event to occur on his property and he still had crops in areas in which were yet to be harvested.

Needless to say, it got me thinking... I can so punch that!!!! ... so I did

I cannot tell you how fun this was... I mean, the punches got to me after a while but in the end, I liked it.  There are circle punches, oval punches, 2 step bird, scraps cut out.. and that hair.. oh my gosh, I think it was more time involved than getting the punches right!

In the end I made two of them. They were fun. A huge hit at work, so now, its off to make caramel corn and a few more scarecrows to attach as tags. {{they are so spoiled!}}

Thanks for stopping by!

Hug the ones you love!

Have a great day!

Thanksgiving night, on Discovery Channel, the Punkin Chunkin will be on, hosted by Kari, Grant & Tori of Mythbusters!!.. Check it out! Its been great fun!

Have a TEE-rific day

Its a masculine birthday today!!!!!

You can say it was something that just sort of happened - luckily at the right moment in time and I just went with it! 

I am not sure if you can see the tiny little clouds in the back ground, there are a few, since anytime I would attempt to golf, rainstorms come in... but hey, its a mostly sunshiny day for this guy!

 Quick and easy card to put together. I spent more time on the TEE, than anything really.

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a great day!

Hug the ones you love!

HAPPY I DO ....

If time is not on your side to really THINK about a wedding card... why in the world so you do???? I had this issue... actually this am... at 0530, when the alarm when off and I said " I cannot believe its May 26!" I then put my feet on the floor and turned around where I got TWO LARGE BLUE EYES looking at me and said..."UMM Seriously? I need to get a wedding card out to Wise" (sp?)... I was alittle terrified... I knew of this wedding.. didn't realize WHEN it was, and knew that due to travel it wasn't going to be possible to go.

Off to the craft cave I went..

I spent about 15 minutes looking to see what was cut already, and what I could put together. And then I knew that I only had a short amount of time to put this together... I managed to throw a few items in my little scrapping tote to attempt during my lunch break.  I knew that their colors were red... so how fitting when I saw I had some Cherry Chobbler Cardstock  already cut and ready to my tote!

So less than 1 hour, I got this accomplished:

excuse the nasty pictures - since lighting in the office really sucks - and it was with a cell phone..

 Have a great day!
Hug the ones you love!

Thank you for stopping by!

Graduation is coming - June 3!

ITS ALMOST GRADUATION TIME!!!!

Not for anyone in my family but for friends.. and I tell ya -the excitement just rolls off them and onto you! So does the exhaustion! I HAD to make gradutation cards -that I knew the BOYS would LOVE - so I started with this:

Since I visited Jackie Topa's site and she made them last year!  You can see them HERE.

As she mentions, she did them free hand/ eye balling it/ no measurements - as did I! I love them!

I will change up Card No 2 for Graduate No 2 but wanted to suit the cards to their personality!  So far so good!

 and for the female of another friend - graduating from another school.

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a great day!

Hug the ones you love!

Easter Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring break  - Easter  day!  I had some time to enjoy moments with the family and friends from out of town. Which put me behind in getting some Easter goodies out - but hey... I got the most important ones completed! 

I had been thinking of this - and then when I say Monika Davis do hers - I knew I had to complete mine.  Of course, the 3 year old niece didn't want to be bothered with anything on Easter Sunday. It was all we had to get her to egg hunt - but she did.   I made these for her - and in the lunch tote was an addition to her Loving Family Dollhouse- Summer Fun - with a kayak & horse!

Based on Monika's invites

 The rest of the gang got Cinnamon Clusters - Peanuts & Cashews - with bunnies on them.  And the lovely niece got Ranch crackers - since she cannot have nuts. ... yet!

Ducky inspired by Bev Watt

Happy Easter Monday everyone ! 

Have a great day!

Hug the ones you love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cherry Blossom - attempt 1

I have lived this close to DC all my life and haven't ever made it to see the Cherry Blossoms.. what is wrong with me? I love the look of the blooms.. not particularly the mess afterwards, but its not mine to clean up! LOL!!  I am so excited!

I wanted to create the blossoms themselves.. so here is my first attempt! 

I used two challenges to complete the card.  The Paper Players Sketch challenge and Card & Things Color challenge!  Go ahead, see what you can do too!

I am off to see the blossoms, and am hoping the rain and weather hasn't made them fall. I have been like a 6 year old all week with excitement! I guess if all else fails, I can go to the zoo!

Have a great day!

Hug the ones you love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lovely Lilacs

I know I know... "what happened to the break?"... guess you got to me... or my kids... who offered to make dinner, so I got to sit and create something! ... so cross off "coworker leaving" card...  did I have that listed???

So here she is...

Its spring time! I love the smell of my lilacs that are just outside my bedroom window, not that they are open yet. As it is, the weather is nothing near spring like... we have had hail and thunderstorms, plus some snow... ugh!!!


So now you are asking - HOW DID SHE DO THAT? 
I used the Eggplant CS and drew a huge teardrop shape, using this as my base to glue on the Boho blossoms in Concord, Eggplant & Plum. I ran the colored cardstock on the edge of a table to 'break up the fibers' before I punched them out. Of course the method to the madness of adhering the blooms was trial and error. I used glue dots for my outside ones, and the green glue bottle for the others so I could move them into place. I did try to vary my shades according to the light - not that you can see that in the picture. The stem and leaves are from the 2 step bird punch.
 

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a great day!

Hug the ones you love!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

These little Leprechauns are hidding in the house, and at work! Of course places where it catches your eye and then you have to stop and look again...

I love little games like this.

As a matter of fact, I wonder how long the little leprechaun did in the backseat of my fiancee's car, on the seat where your rearview mirror would catch it... {wink wink}

Thank you Ellen Kemper for your inspiration!

Maybe after lunch I will move them around again! 

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK's DAY!


Hug the ones you love!
Thank you for stopping by!