what? what's that you say?

You say she blogged yesterday AND today? (too much Dr. Seuss in this house, I tell ya!)

So, I can't even SAY the last time I did a card simply for a blog challenge.  I do what I "need" to do - assignments, publication calls, and maybe some Christmas gifts, or a card that I need.  That's about IT.  But. . .you see, there are these markers.  These fabulous, make me swoon MARKERS.  If you know me, you know I don't color on my cards, hardly at ALL.  I'm a paper-piecer.  I LOVE paper-piecing.  But I think my love of paper-piecing grew because I didn't have great markers.  It was out of necessity!  But now, i am pining for the ShinHan Touch Twin Markers. . . .and they are giving some away.  (Which I shouldn't even TELL you, because you'll spoil my chances! ha!)

BUT for the sake of my pathetic cause, I stepped right up and made a card for their challenge. . .make a card with a PERSON, and color it with markers.  Easy enough.  (Except I had to hunt for a person.  People aren't always easy to paper-piece, so I don't HAVE lots of people in my stamp stash!) But I found this cute stick figure from Close To My Heart, and I pulled out the ten year old Tombow markers.  They streak, and they don't blend, and they just aren't magical (and I am quite sure that the Touch Twin markers ARE magical.)  And this, dear friends, is what I made.  My go-to colors of aqua and green, Jillibean Soup papers, and this cute little guy.  (The sentiment and circle are from The {Stamps} of Life. Something else I RARELY do - combine stamp companies!)

So there ya go, my card with a person colored in marker, for the Touch Twin Marker challenge.  (And by the way, can I just mention this is the ONLY challenge I'm entering this card in? It's seriously driving me crazy how people create one card, and it's literally for like 15 challenges.  Come on.  Let's not be ridiculous people.  Two challenges, fine. Even three I can deal with, but stop workin' the system! Sorry if I offended you, but it's REALLY aggravating me!) Okay, I've rambled, I've rhymed, I've vented, and I've earned a chance to win markers.  Pretty good for one blog post.  ;)  (And a blog post which happened the day AFTER another blog post - two in a row baby!)
Happy weekend!!!!
xoxo

sending a line. . .

Yikes, a week since I posted anything!? I have to bop out of here in just a few minutes, but SUPER QUICK. . . .here's a card I made a few weeks ago with NEW stamps from Unity Stamp Company, (Watermelon Gazpacho Soup, from Jillibean Soup!)

The paper is Seaside by October Afternoon, and the cardstock. . .of COURSE, Discount Cardstock, silly! ;)

I used a combo of paper-piecing, and coloring on this card, even busting out a few of my ancient Tombow markers, which I hardly EVER do (because. . .well, they're ancient, and don't work that great!)

OKAY, a million things to do, and very little motivation.  I MUST get moving!

Have a fab week, and I'll be back in LESS THAN A WEEK, to share new new NEW stamps from The {Stamps} of Life, on the 1st of September!

xoxo

happy owl duo

5:30 am.  Not the time of day for Blogger to hate me and delete my post.

I attempted to keep it short anyway, and save you from my bleary-eyed, early morning ramblings.  

This is my CPS sketch card for the week.  I used cute Jillibean Soup papers on it (I trimmed the owls from patterned paper.)  Is there anything cuter than animals with party hats? I think not!

The "happy" stamp is from The {Stamps} of Life.

I'm up at the crack of dawn these days because I have an early rising little man.  His big brother was a way-early riser at this age too.  I know this too, shall pass - but dang, 5am is kicking my booty!  There are few worse feelings that being forced to be awake, when all your body wants to do is fall asleep.  And it makes me CRANKY.  But I am trying to use the early mornings to get things done, which at least helps me feel like slightly productive.  (It doesn't always work though!)

And just now, as I typed, Mr. Little Man decided to push his chair to the sink, stand up on it, and attempt to play with the soapy dishes resting there.  20 months old, but he thinks he's six, like his brother.  I suppose it's the Second-Child-Syndrome.  

So now, before he climbs on top of the refrigerator, or starts cooking on the stove, I think I'll go supervise my child more closely and leave you to your weekend.  Happy Memorial Day! We spent yesterday after school at the beach. . .and I suspect we'll have one more beach visit before the long weekend is out!  (Although I also have some top-secret scrappy business to attend to as well!!! Bwahahahaha!)

XOXO

I just gotta say. . .

I have to tell you, I feel so much less stressed about this silly blog, now that I've made the decision to blog once a week or so. If you're feeling stressed about YOUR blog - I highly recommend the once-a-week blogging. If you horribly miss me, and wish I were blogging every other day or so, (which I highly doubt, unless you are my Aunt Nancy) then speak up - otherwise, forever hold your peace!

So let's see what I have to share today. First I'd like to share a link . . . I LOVE these cute bows that are on the Jillibean Soup blog. I tried making some last night - I think I made too many loops, and I had a hard time attaching the whole thing together - but they are so adorable. I was thinking they could make cute tree ornaments too!

Okay, onto the cards. The first one I created for my mom's Close To My Heart blog. You can find all the details HERE. (I am way too lazy to retype it all up! Ha!)

The second card is using some new and old stamps from The {Stamps} of Life (mainly to showcase the new set, Minis4Circles) , plus the December kit from Discount Cardstock.
I stamped all those circles on the background, and stamped the tag - love that little tag, and love my circle punch! What did we do before circle punches!? ACK!
This morning my little man and I made some candy trees, out of sugar cones. (I felt a little silly buying ice cream cones in 50 degree weather) and lots of candy treats! The goodies were leftover from his gingerbread decorating party at school. (One of the Room Mom perks - bringing home the leftovers!)

Tonight we'll be putting on our pj's, and going for a drive across town to the yearly Luminaria - more Christmas lights and luminaries than you can possibly count!!!! I'm thinking we'll pack some cocoa and cookies in the car with us!!!!

Enjoy this last weekend before Christmas!!!!! I actually got the packages out that needed to go in the mail (well, dear hubby did - after a 40 minute wait in line - YIKES!) I hope you have a GREAT week!!!
XOXO

summery flowers and sanity

Hello weekend! It is definitely feeling like summer vacation now. We are still trying to find our groove - although the days were quite busy this week, they still seemed to drag on, by afternoon time. I hit that afternoon lull, around 1:30-2:00, and all I want to do is TAKE A NAP, (which generally doesn't coordinate with the boys schedules or moods in allownig me a catnap!) I am trying to establish some sort of routine to our days so that things will run a bit more smoothly. And I'm making some cards in the evenings, but I don't have ANYTHING new to show you. . .darn for you, all these publication calls that want "never before seen" work - throws a damper on all 11 of you that visit my blog. Right? :)

But I do have an Apron Strings card to share with you today. And tomorrow or Monday I will be back with a CPS card too!! Today's card features a bit of Scenic Route and a bit of Jillibean Soup paper. Along with some flowers and twill. This card feels super summery to me. And I left it without a sentiment, so I can just add on whatever I need to(or leave it blank!) when I am ready to use it.

We've had a couple days of swimming lessons now, and Mr. B is finally getting more comfortable putting his head in the water. I feel like we just have to get him in the pool as much as possible now, so we don't lose momentum!!! We lured him underwater yesterday by hunting for coins on the steps. $1.63 seemed to do the trick! Nothing like a good old fashioned BRIBE!!!!

We have lots of changes and LIFE going on in our household right now, and crafty business definitely helps my sanity level. . .. I hope your weekend is terrific, and that you are finding lots of sanity and craftiness in your days! XOXO

Friendship is . . . (Apron Strings)

Wednesday, Wednesday - in some ways the week seems to be flying by, and in others I am thinking "Geesh, is it only WEDNESDAY?" It's been a busy week around here though - definitely no 5 year old with the Summertime "I'm bored" Blues, around here! Today we head back to the pool for swimming lessons, so I'll be practicing my pep talk of the century for the drive over there. (Little man LOVES the pool, but is not a huge fan of someone he doesn't know, telling him to put his head in the water!)

You probably didn't come here to listen to me ramble (well, maybe you did) so here is a CARD to share with you!!! I created this using the June Apron Strings card kit. Jillibean Soup papers (love these little trees!!!) and Bazzill cardstock. The sentiment is on vellum, but I wanted a sharper look so I mounted it on white cardstock. This card was based on a sketch from Apron Strings, designed by Gloria Strengel. You can see the sketch, and Gloria's card on her blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!! Think lots of happy splashy thoughts for us as we spend the morning by the pool, (and then eat icecream at 10:30 in the morning to celebrate afterwards. Bribe? Noooo, of course not. ;)

same stamps . .. different look!

These two cards were both created using The Stamps of Life Thanks2You set. As I just sat down to post these, and I really looked at them, I was struck with just HOW different a look can be achieved with these stamps!!! It's the same stem, but on this first card I added the little puffy flowers - and left it without, on the second card. And on the second card, I outlined everything with a white colored pencil. Two cards. . .same stamp set, totally different look. I love it! XOXO

(card goodies: Thanks So Much - paper, ink (Close To My Heart, ribbon - recycled from packaging. Thank You - patterned cardstock - Jillibean Soup, green cardstock, ink - Close To My Heart, ribbon - May Arts, button - Stampin Up)

flowery goodness from TSOL!

It's new release day at The {Stamps} of Life. I think this might be my favorite set so far! It's called thanks2you and you can see it HERE on the website. Beautiful flowery stems, and lots of GREAT "thanks" sentiments. (I'm a sucker for great sentiments!) One of the fabulous things about clear stamps, is the way you can bend them. If you look at the flowery images on the stamp set, you will see that I did some adjusting to make the stems go where I wanted them to. It's also so easy to overlap images when you can actually SEE what you're doing!!!! And you just can't beat using clear stamps for sentiments. It's so much faster, because you can SEEEEE if its straight or not. I don't even have to line it up on my acrylic block . . .I don't have to measure or stamp on scrap paper first - I can SEEE (really SEE) what I am doing!!! Love that!

On this card, I traced around my image with a white colored pencil. I tried it first with a white marker and it was tooo much. But I really like the way the colored pencil highlights came out.

Be sure to check out all the inspiration arriving in the gallery at The {Stamps} of Life! The design team will have more to share on the 6th, when we get to show you the special edition sets this month! (Oooh la la! Just a few more days to wait!)