happy birthday!

Hello!! I have been waiting for this Unity stamp set forever!! It's the FIRST EVER blog candy that I've won. The flower images are huge and make for fun spotlights on a card. The happy comes from another set and if you are looking for the "birthday," it's inside the card. I've used one of my fave dp sets ever, Thrift Shop, by October Afternoon. I just love all the papers and how they play together.

I hope you're having/had a happy day! I did NOT in my 90+ degree classroom....no air conditioning:( Thankfully I am home now and enjoying the cool AC!!! Tomorrow's forecast is for much cooler weather.....keep your fingers crossed for me, please!!

Challenge: Unity Hip Hop Sketch Challenge #22
Stamps: Flowers: Insightful Meadows: Unity, "happy:" May KOM: Unity
Inks: Robin's Egg: ColorBox, Chocolate Chip: Stampin' UP
Paper: dp: Thrift Shop: October Afternoon, Very Vanilla: Stampin' UP
Extras: clear embossing powder, vintage button, baker's twine: Papertrey Ink, scallop punch

Two little words.....

Good Evening!!! After a day in a classroom with no air conditioning and 90 degree weather, it was an unbelievable pleasure to get creative!! I think that air conditioning is a blessing we all DESERVE!!

I made this card for the Crazy 4 Challenge to use Lattice. I used an arch lattice punch and another punch that I thought looked like it filled the bill too. I love to make thank you cards because I know that I can always use them!! I was inspired by Michelle when I made my tag. She has this way of combining elements that leaves me inspired.

Challenges: Crazy 4 Challenges #52
Stamp: Sensational Sentiments: My Time Made Easy
Ink: Black Memento
Paper: dp: Thrift Shop: October Afternoon, Ivory: Stampin' UP
Extras: vintage button, hole punch sticker, ribbon and flowers: Willy Nilly Art and Whimsy Etsy, Pop dots, twine: Papertrey Ink, hole punch, arch lattice: Martha Stewart, rounded lattice: Stampin' UP

Friends with Flair Friday!!

Welcome to Friends with Flair Friday!!! I hope you've enjoyed all the awesome projects that you've seen so far. My card uses my newest stamp set and paper from Ippity. I've been wanting this set ever since I laid eyes on it and I finally have it! I LOVE books!!!

Thanks to JenMarie Taylor for the cute little ribbon and twine tie. She sent a little thank you tag with the ribbon tie attached when I ordered from her. How cute is that!?! I love to reuse whenever I can! I ordered the set and paper from her here.

I hope that you have a fantastic Friday and an awesome weekend!! I know that I'm ready for the weekend and a little relaxing!!

Stamps: Books a 'Flutter: Ippity
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento
Paper: dp: Echo Park, Ivory: Stampin' UP
Extras: ribbon tie, corner rounder, pop dots

It's my Unity Challenge Idea!!

Hi!! My idea for a Unity Challenge is this week's Unity Addict's Challenge!!!! How fun is THAT??? Check out the Unity Stamp Company and Unity Challenges at Splitcoaststampers to join the fun. We would love to have you play:) The challenge is to use black and white with a pop of color, any color!! I can't wait to see what you all do!!!


Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge 15
Stamps: butterfly: May10 KOM: Unity, sentiment: June10 KOM: Fly Free
Ink: Black Memento
Paper: dp: Imaginisce, black and white: Stampin' UP
Extras: Cuttlebug swirls embossing folder, Spellbinders Label Die 1, dotted ribbon, black rhinestones: Mark Richards, pop dots

If I Had a Flower

Hello!! My project today is for the Unity Addicts Challenge to stamp on something other than paper. I chose to stamp on a canvas board. This was a fun project, but I did have a bit of a problem with the ink smearing. I'll have to research what kind of fixative to use to "set" the images. Come to think of it, I probably should have just used Stazon ink and there wouldn't have been a problem. Well, live and learn!! There's also some glitter on the inner section of the flowers, but it is a bit hard to see.

I plan to give this to my mom for her birthday. I do think of her often and want to remind her of that!

Have an awesome day!!


Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge 14
Stamps: flower-Now and Always: Ippity, sentiment: Ippity
Ink: Black Memento
Extras: Copics, button: Papertrey Ink, Glitter: Stampin' UP

First Day of School Tags

Hello! Tomorrow is the first day of school for the teachers in my district. Kids start on Wednesday. I am team leader for the first grade team and I made these tags for the teachers on my team. I wanted to have a little fun hello for them as they return to school. The catch???...I made 20 of these tags because we have 16 teachers in first grade!!! I enjoyed myself, though, and I hope that everyone likes these. It's been an awesome summer for me, but I'm ready to meet my new students and start school again!

Stamps: School Time set: Papertrey Ink
Inks: Black Memento, Real Red, Yoyo Yellow: Stampin' UP
Paper: Real Red, Yoyo Yellow, White: Stampin' UP
Extras: red ribbon: Stampin' UP, mini man clip, staples

Pretty Please?

Isn't this the cutest little saying for a card? I plan on waiting until I have a BIG request for my husband and then giving it to him. Hmmm.....I'm still working on what that request might be!! Painting our porch? Going away for Labor Day weekend to a craft show? Cleaning the garage? (Believe me, that's BIG!) What would you ask your husband, friend or anyone to do for you??

Challenge: Unity Hippity Hop Challenge #37 - Use string
Stamp: July10 KOM: Unity
Ink: Black Memento
Paper: gingham dp: gcd studios, flourish dp: imaginisce, black, white, red: Stampin' UP
Extras: Spellbinders Label #4, baker's twine: Papertrey Ink, black rhinestones: Mark Richards, pop dots

Friends with Flair Friday!!

Happy Friday!! I am so excited to participate in FWF for the first time! I just discovered Unity this summer and I've been in love ever since. All the fabulous sentiments just drew me in. Today's sentiment about life is just about perfect. I certainly try to dream about life, believe in myself, and go out and LIVE life.

Have a great weekend! I hope you have the chance to dream, believe and really live!!

Challenge: Unity's Hip Hop Sketch Challenge #21
Stamps: flower-Now and Always: Unity/Ippity, sentiment-What Matters Most: Unity/Ippity
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento
Papers: dp: Echo Park, Chocolate Chip: Stampin' UP
Extras: rhinestone accent: Colorbok, scallop edge punch, pop dots, Martha Stewart glitter(LOVE all the colors!)

Happy Music

Hello! It seems like it's been forever since I was able to stamp, but it's only been a week!! We got Brett back to college and I've been in my classroom getting ready for the start of the school year. I keep promising myself that I will save time and energy for crafting......but then I seem to run out of both!!

Today's card is music themed for this week's Crazy 4 Challenges challenge. This is the first time I've used these cute little Unity birds and I love them. They look so happy that you can practically hear them singing!


Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenge #50
Stamp: June10 KOM: Unity
Inks: Black Memento
Paper: Thrift Shop: October Afternoon, Black, Ivory, Tempting Turquoise: Stampin' UP
Extras: flowers, Stampin' UP markers

One Day at a Time

Good Afternoon!! My little pouch will be filled with chocolate and this bookmark when I give it away. I love this saying! I'll probably take it to work and give it to someone who is having "one of those days." I did some paper piecing along with coloring on the bookmark. Many thanks to Beate Johns on Splitcoaststampers for the directions to make this diaper fold pouch.

Hope you are having a GOOD day and not "one of those days!"

Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge 13
Stamps: What Matters Most: Ippity
Inks: Brown Memento *been looking for this for ages and found it:)
Paper: dp: Graphic 45, Very Vanilla: Stamping UP
Extras: flower embellishment: Jolee's, Copics, corner rounder

Vintage Picnic Thank you

Welcome to my second post of the day!! This is a first for me. My computer may rebel!

I have been so in love with the Vintage Picnic stamp set from Papertrey Ink for the longest time! Now it's mine and I couldn't wait to ink it up and use it. The dp that I used for the basket reminded me of a metal basket that my husband and I saw at an antique/flea market. I knew I should have snatched it up when I saw it, but I didn't. The flowers are brown-eyed susans. My mom loves them and I do too. Wouldn't you just love this sweet little basket hanging out on your front steps??

Challenge: JUGS Sketch Challenge 45
Stamp set: Vintage Picnic: Papertrey Ink
Inks: Black Memento, Jumbo Java Chalk Ink: Versamark
Papers: Chocolate Chip: Stampin' Up, White: Papertrey Ink, Nook and Pantry dp: Basicgrey, Thrift Shop dp: October Afternoon
Extras: Copics, scallop punch, nestabilities, dew drops

What's up, Cupcake?

Hello!!! It seems as if the whole world is in love with cupcakes right now! There was a bake-off at my school, kids always have them for birthday treats, and this week Crazy 4 Challenges is all about them! They do look so delish when they are decorated so beautifully. As for me, just give me one piled high with chocolate fudge frosting and I'm happy!!

The cupcakes on my card look much more scrumptious in RL! The frosting is all glittery and sweet looking. You can see a bit of the glitter in the photo above.

Have a sweet kind of day!!!

Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenges 49
Stamp Set: What's up Cupcake?: My Favorite Things
Inks: Chocolate Chip (of course!), Regal Rose: Stampin' UP
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, White: Stampin' UP, dp unknown
Extras: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter: Stampin' UP, Nestabilities, dimensionals

Unity Mood Challenge

Hello! This week's Unity Addict Challenge is a mood challenge. Decide on your mood and create with and through it. My mood was sad. Not the crazy kind of sad when you just can't stand it, but the kind of quiet sad you can just admit, feel and move on. I chose blues and light greens to create a muted color palette. The white clouds and the little hearts symbolize hope to me.


Challenge: Unity Addicts Challenge 12
Stamp: May KOM: Unity
Ink: Black Memento
Paper: Thrift Shop: October Afternoon, White: Papertrey Ink

Enjoy the Moment

LOVE these colors! They are happy colors to me, and who wouldn't smile looking at this fun Basicgrey patterned paper? Just delicious!

I mixed, matched and borrowed to make this card. I don't have the oval Nestabilities yet, but I plan to get them soon. That's where my great friend, Barb, came in. Then I used products from a bunch of different companies. No surprise that I had lots of these colors all around me! Sometimes it's just fun to get out all the *stuff* I have in the same colors and swirl them around on my table. I was certainly enjoying the moment!

Hope you have time to enjoy a moment or two or three today! Take the time. You're worth it!!

Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenges #48 - Sketch challenge
Stamps: Simply Sweet: Stampin' UP, sentiment - Mixed Messages: Papertrey Ink
Inks: Black Memento
Paper: Urban Prairie dp: Basicgrey, Bitty Star Basics, Spring Rain, White: Papertrey Ink, Regal Rose: Stampin' UP
Extras: Sweet Blush Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon: Papertrey Ink, copics, Nestabilities, Lush pink rhinestones: My Mind's Eye, Blue flower rhinestones

all you need is love

Love isn't ALL you need, but love sure seems to make everything worthwhile! Greg and I just celebrated our 21st Anniversary this past weekend in Galena. We had so much fun just hanging out together...... walking, wine tasting, shopping, making a jigsaw puzzle and eating. We stayed at a local bed and breakfast that was just about perfect. When I think of our life together and all the times we've been through, I KNOW that love is what held us together.


Challenge: CAStastic Wednesday Challenge 14: Bling it Up!
Paper: Tiffany's: We R Memory Keepers
Extras: Lush pink rhinestones: My Mind's Eye, Nocturne Rhinestone Accents: Colorbok