Heirloom Party

Marie is hosting a fabulous party today... the Heirloom Party. I'm looking foward to seeing the different things people share that they treasure. I'm sure my mom will be sharing something too since she's the one who helped me develop a special place in my heart for these pieces with history.

Today is my fourth wedding anniversary so it seems fitting to share a heirloom that I wear everyday.

Though my engagement ring isn't my heirloom, the center diamond is. It was my grandmother's (my mother's mother) and it sat in the safe deposit box at the bank until my then boyfriend asked my parents for my hand in marriage (how old fashioned, I love it!). Though I told my husband I only wanted the solitaire diamond in a new setting he picked out this setting on his own that suits the WWII diamond so well. I've never seen another like it! My brother asked one time why it was left to me and not him (he's 3 years older) and the answer made sense--in case of a divorce the diamond is guaranteed to stay in the family. It's not a giant stone or a perfect one, but I know that it was special to my grandparents and their near 50 year marriage, so it's special to me.

I also wanted to share a piece that was supposed to be left to me, but was given to me early. This was my great-great-aunt Greta's china cabinet. I began writing her letters in 1999 when I discovered how sad an empty mailbox is. I got to know her very well and made the drive from NH to PA at least once a year with my dad and a few other relatives. As she approached the age of 100 she asked me if it was something I would like when she passed. I loved it, my mother having one just like it. Aunt Greta will be 106 in one month and this is something that I was given early, since it was in storage. I've been filling it with yard sale finds, china and tea cups from my mother and other things here and there.

The cabinet is from the Larkin Soap company (a good article about the company here) and I believe a few of Greta's older brothers got it as a gift for her parents, in the early 1900's I think. I'm not sure how she ended up with it--perhaps because she's the youngest of her siblings--but it's a beautiful piece, and a piece of history too.

I hope you'll head over to the party and see what everyone else is sharing today. I'll see you tomorrow for my Unscripted Sketch!

Smiles,

I love to play @ PPA!

I was so excited to get up early this morning and find out all about this new challenge site that Mary and some pals started up. Pals Paper Arts looks like it's all that it promised to be and I dove right into the first color challenge.

It was a good thing Terri had sent me the new In Colors or I would've had a bit more trouble with this one!

It came together quick thanks to this week's sketch at The Pink Elephant. My camera kept wanting to make Bermuda Bay look more blue and less green than IRL but if I distored it much more I would've ended up with an odd shade of pink. Hope you find time to play at PPA too!

Smiles,

Paper: Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand (base)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Stamps (SU!): Love You Much, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Other: Cuttlebug embossing folders (swiss dots, paisley), Melon Mambo grosgrain ribon, word window punch, Making Memories brads

Another Sweet Blog Award!

What a wonderful surprise today to see that my good blogging friend Steph gave me this award:



Thanks Steph! She's such an amazing card maker you simply must go check out her blog: http://stephaniecastrodesigns.blogspot.com/



Here are the rules for this award:

To pick up the Circle of Friends Blog Award cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog.
Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends.
Link to your nominees within your blog post.
Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post.
Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation.
Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.

It's so hard to pick just 5, but here are mine!

1. Linda at Scrapcat Cards by Linda

2. Patti at Cherish Each Precious Day

3. Terri at ...Just What I Do...

4. Momiji at Momiji's Madness

5. Karen at Lilacs and Lupines

Off to comment on these lovely ladies sites and then I'll be back to share a card from a NEW challenge!!!

Smiles,

It's a Jazzy Life

A Pie Update: Sorry to everyone who thinks they're headed to NH for raspberry pie...by the time I had the picture on the blog is was GONE! We ate half and my FIL took the other half home since it was his birthday pie after all. :-)

I need to thank both Terri and Steph for today's card. Earlier this week I recieved the most wonderful (surprise) package from Terri, with a nice little assortment of all the new SU In Colors and ribbon as well!!! I was shocked, happy(jumping up and down happy) and feel very blessed by Terri--if you haven't been over to see her blog, be sure to go on over. As you may know, It's a Good Life!!!

The reason I thank fellow Unscripted designer Steph for this card because she's a Jazzy Cat over at Jazzy Inspirations, and is offering up some blog candy too. Their challenge was to use Turquois or Teal, along with Black and White. I used Black, Bermuda Bay, and Very Vanilla--because it matched the scrap I had left over from a wedding invite! This is also for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch challenge which is back! I only had a chance or two to play along before she stopped it so I'm thrilled that she's back sharing her sketches on her blog with this challenge.

So thanks Terri and Steph for being great blog friends and continuing to inspire me!

Smiles,

Paper: Very Vanilla, Black, Bermuda Bay, scrap from invite

Ink: Black Stazon

Stamps (SU): On Your Birthday (sentiment), Yummy (flourish)

Other: Bermuda Bay polka dot grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals

Monochromatic mood

I loved getting into the basement and stamping today....just as I intended to. Plus it's about 20 degrees cooler down there! This week's Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge was to make a monochromatic card. So I made TWO!

First is Stacey's all new Curtain Call challenge which I tackled first using this week's sketch from Our Creative Corner. Since I was hot and sweaty on this muggy Tuesday I was thinking cooler thoughts.

And then I couldn't get that song out of my head!!!

With my second card I went with shades of my favorite color, yellow, paired with this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

This card was a snap to put together with a RAK image from LeAnne. It will be a perfect card for a hero to send home to his little girl. If you haven't already, check out Cards For Heroes.

Smiles,

Blue Card

Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy

Ink: Midnight Blue stazon

Stamp: Snow Angels (SU)

Other: glitter, white ribbon, Creative Memories oval cutter, circle punches

Yellow Card

Paper: Barely Banana, So Saffron, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP, Washington Apple DSP

Ink: Black Stazon

Stamp: Happy Harmony (SU)

Other: RAK image, ribbon, Creative Memories oval cutter, Making Memories flowers, Michael's pearls

Mmmmmm.....Pie

No time to make a card today--I was baking up a storm!

One of my favorite parts about making pies is using the unused bits of crust to make tarts. A delicious little pie to take with you, minus the mess. Of course the downside to this baking (besides the sweltering heat) and dinner for 4 means mucho dishes. I need a manicure. Tomorrow I'm devoting to ME and card making!

Smiles,

It's so much friendlier with two

FINALLY my nephew arrived! Only 11 days later than expected, but healthy and beautiful. I have a couple different versions of his announcement though they're all the same layout. The only difference is ribbon used, and whether or not I matted the main image, but that was all based on the paper I had. I tried to use my supplies without ordering more. Of course now I only have scraps of Very Vanilla left so ordering something is now fairly unavoidable. Around the picture of Pooh and Piglet it says "It's so much friendlier with two" since Jackson is their second son.

Jackson arrived at 4:15 Friday July 24th, weighing in at 9 lbs, 11 oz (smaller than his older brother) and 21 inches long. My SIL is doing great and they head home from the hospital today. He's too cute for words:


Smiles,

Paper: Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa

Ink: Chocolate Chip, bashful Blue, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Rose Red

Stamps: Everything Baby (SU)(welcome), Clear Stamps alphabet, Pooh stamps, SU leaves

Other: Certainly Celery ribbon or Pooh ribbon, scallop circle punch, circle punches, stamp and write markers, blender pens

Happy Hellos

I'm sneaking this one in under the wire....Stacey always has great inspiration with her Jewelry Color Inspiration challenge, but this is the last one! I just had to play, even if it meant staying up...and finding suitable colors.

Sitting in the basement the only part of the jewelry I could remember was the disc like shells, once used as currency. I'm sure I read a post where someone made a card with circle punches like this once, but I have no clue who! If it was you, let me know! I also decided to incorporate the serendipity technique, which I saw both Susan and Steph do this week for the Cuttlebug Spot Challenge. I thought I'd never get all those circles glued, but it was worth it when I ran it through the Big Shot with the lots of dots embossing folder.

I'm so sad to say goodbye to the Jewelry Color Inspiration challenges, because that was one of the first challenges I ever tried! Have no fear though, for Stacey promises to bring more inspiration with her new challenge.

I'll see you for curtain call!

Smiles,

Paper: Very Vanilla, Creamy Caramel, not quite Not Quite Navy and not quite Ruby Red
Ink: Midnight Blue Stazon
Stamps (SU): Lots of Thoughts
Other: Circle punches, pop dots, lots of dots embossing folder

It's all about the shoes!

Happy Saturday! Time for another Unscripted Sketch and today's sketch is a fun one. Jenny challenged all of us to use a photo with this one, and I went back to my scrapbook pages.

The picture comes from a night out with some girls at my friend's bachelorette party. A great shot, but none of those feet are mine. My big sensible feet only wear flats and I was probably wearing some plain old flip flops.

I hope you'll find time to play along with us this week, and maybe you'll try to incorporate a picture too--but it's not necessary, it's Unscripted, remember? Check out what all the rest of the DT came up with (click on their names on the sidebar) and head on over to Unscripted Sketches to play!

Smiles,

Paper: Basic Black, unknown pink and blue

Ink: Black Stazon

Stamps: shoes (Hero Arts)

Other: Top Note die (SU), corner rounder, black gel pen

Card for Heroes

I'm on a roll with getting back into making cards this week, and DH is going to NYC for the weekend so I'll be sure to keep the mojo flowing. I combined a sketch from Card Positioning Systems with the colors from this week's Color Throwdown.

The ribbon came from my best friend's wedding invites, which I had some leftover after making hers last year. Perfect touch at the end! I'm putting this card along with many others into a box to send out to Cards for Heroes today.

If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to head over and see what you can do to help a worthy cause.

Smiles,

Paper: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Delicate Dots DSP, Candy Lane DSP

Ink: Certainly Celery, Perfect Plum

Stamps (SU): Mini Mates, Friendship Blooms

Other: ribbon (unknown), corner rounder, scallop circle punch, circle punch

You're invited...

...to an heirloom party!

That will be my fourth wedding anniversary, and keeping that in mind I've got something special to share. Check out Marie's blog for more info....See you there!

Smiles,


PS~Mom, this is right up your alley!

Where has the time gone?

I've been busy so far this summer and card making has fallen by the wayside. Besides playing with my nephew (and still waiting on the arrival of nephew #2) I've picked raspberries from the yard....

Baked raspberry buckle.....

And finally yesterday I made a card!

It's been awhile since I made a card so I decided to pile it on again.
Mojo Monday - sketch
Pile It On - mostly orange
Use Your Stash - color combo, orange/brown

And now it's off to play with my nephew for a bit!!!!

Smiles,

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, Washington Apple dsp

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Stamp: Refuge and Strength (SU)

Other: Pumpkin Pie ribbon

Last minute JCI

I wasn't planning on playing along with Stacey's Jewelry Color Inspiration this week because I had none of the colors...well just white. But since a random participant could win Rich Razzleberry I figured I'd give it a shot somehow. Turns out I had a couple pieces of cardstock that could pass for Razzleberry and some close to the other colors as well. Ink on the other hand...I went with black.

I picked up these great medallion stamps from the $1 clear stamp section at AC Moore. There are three other designs, just under an inch square each. I paired it with silver cord and brads since that's the only kind of jewelry I tend to wear.

Not bad for not having any colors but white, huh? For now, it's back to watching some TV, and making announcements for my nephew, who still hasn't arrived. Since my SIL is overdue my mom and I went to hang out with her and I got to play with the future big brother (and my favorite little boy) yesterday at the lake.

It was a good day for splashing in the water!!!

Smiles,

Grow a smile

Time for another Unscripted Sketch this Saturday morning and I went way out of my comfort zone with this one. No layers and lots of white.

Linda sent me some of these beautiful flowers with directions to make them. She made a beautiful card here. I knew I needed to grow myself a happy garden once I made a few myself. Here's the look when they open up:

This week's sketch is so versatile I know it'll be a go to one--next time with some layers! Hope you find time to play with us, can't wait to see what you create.

Smiles,

Paper: Whisper White, Candy Lane DSP, Delicate Dots DSP, Garden Green DSP, Regal Rose DSP

Ink: Garden Green

Stamps: SU Wonderful Words II

Other: ScorPal, Stamp n Write marker

Happy Birthday Stacey!

I had my Mojo Monday done yesterday but taking pictures of cards in the wind doesn't work. So it had to wait. Still not a great picture, but I've run out of patience as the wind has again picked up. This is also a birthday card for Stacey--be sure to check out her blog candy.

I don't even know how I got to this end point, and I started with completely different colors. Funny how that happens. For now here's to another productive day, and I hope to have more to share later today or tomorrow!

Smiles,

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Pirouette, Apricot Appeal DSP, other scraps...?

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red

Stamps: SU On Your Birthday

Other: circle punches, scallop edge punch, unknown ribbon