The Forever Card

Do you ever have a card that sits on your desk because you just don't know *how* to finish it? Or it's just not coming together exactly like you were hoping.... may I introduce MY card to you! LOL. Tonight I finally thought JUST FINISH IT and so I did. I'm not too impressed, but it's done & that's impressing me :) I got a few more bella's in the mail today -- I know, MY BAD, so I'm wanting to continue playing :) I also picked up some paper today to get started on my father's day mini album. Need to get some pics ordered up for that too... oh where is the time :) Only a few more weeks of school --- love that relaxed schedule!!
enjoying this heat wave too we're having on the island -- sweeeeeet!
-j.

It's Allll gooooood :)

Last night I had a knock on my door and there at my door were a dozen roses. *sigh*.... remember that movie WAY back called Bed of Roses? Loved that movie... anyway I was the receiver & was thrilled. My hubby is off working in Alberta & he sent me roses!! K, this is a BIG deal because he gives me flowers at BEST once a year (my birthday is the day before Valentine's Day so it's a combo thing for him!). So to get an unexpected delivery & wake up to the soft scent of roses this morning in my kitchen? YUMMY!!!! To top it off it's a beautiful day & I got a great run in down at the ocean front --- ahhhhh, life is good. Better if DH was home, but only 4 more sleeps :) I made a card last night for a friend of mine (fellow coffee-lover). When I saw this Bella stamp I KNEW it was a MUST HAVE for me. I thought, hey... a stamp of ME!?! ;-)
I thought I'd throw in a personal recipe too with summer coming around the corner. I love ICED COFFEE.... who's with me on this one?! To make your own, brew extra strength coffee (I use nearly DOUBLE the grounds I usually do with the same amount of water), brew & add sugar to your taste, a good amount of cream (admittedly I use 2% milk, big jump for me -- I'm a skim milk girl!) -- enough to make it look right (how are you enjoying my accurate recipe thus far! LOL)... then chill. I make it in the morning and then in the afternoon, grab a big 'ol cup, fill 'er up with crushed ice and then pour that yummy coffee over top. Grab your latest scrapbook magazine, sit & enjoy!

It's Alllll Gooooooood!!!
- j.

Fun? Yes! Productivity? Not-so-much :)

FINALLY got to stamp a Bella. Ahhhhh -- how fun is she! A stampabella! Too cute. I'd love some tips on what products everyone uses to color with!! I used watercolor crayons & an aquapainter from SU here and thought it turned out pretty good. I did try watercolor pencils, but thought the color wasn't great -- too bold for me. I love the softer effects. SO... if you know or have some tips, please leave a comment for me :)
I thought I'd have ALLLLLL this time last night to stamp, but nope. While Daddy is away I'm reading the kids a chapter book so each night we read a chapter & it gets later than usual. I did find SOME time though & hopefully there will be a wee bit more tonight. I'd love to get playing with these stamps. I just put in a pretty order with an online scrapbook store so I can get going on Father Day projects. Hopefully it arrives quick!! I love new goodies!!!

Possible STAMP night! YEEEAH!

Well we drove Daddy to the airport yesterday (*sniff, sniff*) as he starts his new job this week. Another adventure for us as we stay here in BC and he works in Alberta. He is on a 6 in and a 6 out shift, so when it's all said in done, he'll be home WAY more than he usually is, but it's still hard knowing his not coming home at night. So I'm Mom & Mrs. Dad this week. Tried to play Lacrosse with my little guy yesterday (note to self -- GOOGLE Lacrosse and figure it out! LOL), so I was already missing Daddy after being home a whole hour! haha.

We awoke to yummy sunshine, so we've been cleaning & doing the laundry today in hopes that TONIGHT.... alas -- I WILL STAMP! After 20 invites for my little girls b'day party (which was a huge hit!) I was a wee bit stamped out. HOWEVER... my Bella's have arrived, and I must stamp! LOL. So hopefully tomorrow I'll be able upload my accomplishments!

Now we're off to pick up the other munchkins from school & head to the lot -- we've got insulation -- yippeee... (ah yes, this is the slowest house ever to be built!) How does the expression go -- a mechanics car is never fixed, a builder's house is never...... hahaha. Off to vacuum & clean so the drywalling can BEGIN. It will be pure BLISS once we're IN there I tell ya!

Enjoy this sunshine. -.j.

Birthday in a BOX!

A clever lady on the cruise (Kathy Kurtz) had this great little project on display. It wasn't me, but I thought I'd share with you anyway :) It's called birthday in a box. Too cute!! The box includes a candle & matches (so they can make a wish), Candy bar (lasts longer than cake), a balloon & a card. :)

We're in birthday mode here as we have 17 little girls at the bowling ally to celebrate our Sarah's 6th birthday. Let's just hope we survive. We're surprising her in the morning & getting her ears pierced -- that'll be a scrapbook page!! My Dad is coming across on the ferry to surprise her for her special day and she hasn't seen him since Christmas so she's going to have a FABULOUS day!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Soggy....groggy... and a new auntie!!

Just got in from camping (hense no posts from me lately) and we had... RAIN, rain, RAIN! :( The kids had so much fun. They didn't seem to care one bit that the rain was pelting down on them, and of course Joshua was having the greatest time being dirty 24/7. AHHH... coming home to clean water, a shower & flush toilets -- heaven!!

While we were away my brother & sister-in-law had a new baby!!! Isaac James was born on May 19th and we're tickled *blue* ! ;-)

Guess I'll be posting a baby card here soon! Wonder if my Bella Stamps will be in my mailbox tomorrow -- wouldn't that be a sweet-treat (and allow me to procrastinate on the damp/smokey clothes piled HIGH in my hallway!!)

Happy Mother's Day

We had such a fun day today. I had hubby take a picture of the kids & I down at the falls where we went for a wonderful walk. Joshua is holding in the pain as apparently his sister is pinching him just in time for the photo! KIDS! :)))) Hope your day was wonderful!

Another Birthday is coming....

My *baby* turns six this month. I thought I'd better get going on her birthday plans & invitations. She's playing with a friend this afternoon, so I thought I'd work on one & see if she likes it. I knew I had to incorporate her favorite color (orange!) and tried to add some pink in there too ;-) A card isn't a card unless there's some ribbon & punches used {LOL}. So we'll see what the verdict is when she gets home. I thought I'd get her to help me run the paper through the cuttlebug, she'll love that!!
The weekend has arrived :-) YEAH! I'm have four of my nieces & nephews over for a slumber party this weekend -- so there will be seven children here. Yikes, what have I gotten myself into! :) They'll have fun. Still need to run out and get the junk & movies for them. Then Saturday is ball & Sunday is MOTHER'S DAY! So I'm hoping to RELAX! I think to start the weekend off, we'll take the kids to the ocean for some fish & chip for dinner.... sounds like a perfect weekend kick-off. Can't beat this weather either.... lovely.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this weekend -- don't you just ((LOVE)) Mother's Day?! :) Of course my card will be late -- just couldn't find stamping time until this morning. I had a different idea in mind, but didn't have all the supplies I needed so I will have to lock that up in the idea bin (aka my brain!) and use it another time. I know this set is retired (as was my last post - sheesh), but I LOVE the sketches sets. They are so soft & warm and this was the first one out & still one of my most loved! I know many demo's sell off their *retired* sets, but I usually can't. I have some I can part with, but many of them will be used over & over again. When I have the time, I love to watercolor. Our wonder crayons are awesome for this. Add an aqua painter to the mix & you're good to go! No little jars of water to potentially spill, which is why I almost always grab that nifty aqua painter!! Love it. Also found a little chipboard 'm' that I pressed into Old Olive craft ink & covered with clear embossing powder. It's got a little bit of everything here ( perhaps a bit too busy?!?!) but that's the life of a mom! BUSY. There's buttons to sew on here & there, ribbon & laces to tie, coloring together (or scrubbing it off the wall {LOL}).... lots of memories! To all the mom's out there -- have a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY -- celebrating .... YOU! :)

Here's the *pink* version :)

A new toy - a cuttlebug!

OK... so I've been doing a lot of juggling (not the paid, balls in the air type), but juggling just the same. I had my day fully booked today and my oldest started getting sick this morning :( Poor thing. Isn't it amazing how CRAMMED a day can be, and then the next moment you are completely free to stay home with your sick baby. I love that. I love how the world can be such a crazy place and I can be scrambling within it, but when our little ones get sick it all comes to a hault so we can be there. So my day is less busy as she sleeps this morning. While she's resting I thought I'd share my other birthday card I finally finished. I pulled out my new toy - CUTTLEBUG! First off, adorable name, secondly -- so cool! I had to call my girls in and show them and see them OOOH & AHHH... even hubby thought it was pretty cool. I got it about six weeks ago (I know, I know -- crazy), and finally got it out to play with. Here's a birthday card & I'm almost done the feminine version which I'll post here today as well. Still have mother's day cards to do as well so maybe I'll get at that tonight. The sun is shining & it was amazing yesterday -- almost felt like summer!! Marvelous.
For the card, I used Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip & Brocade Blue cardstock (and ink). I love how SU coordinates everything and I could reach over and grab a couple artichoke brads -- greens are so hard to match! Love that SU makes it easy. Some sponging on the edges; of course a few punches (circles & ticket punch on the corner), stampin' dimensionals to pop up the circle riveting image....

Where's all the stamping?!

I'm sure missing vacation time! :) I think my last GOOD stamping session was on the boat! It has been truly crazy here with ball four times a week, school field trips (I honestly don't remember having THIS many when I was a kid), swimming lessons, family dinners - missed those this week, and of course all the other things we as mom's juggle & do. Needless to say, I started a masculine birthday card and the it's still sitting on my table with ONE stamped image on it! {LOL}. I have cleaned (ok, started to clean) my stampin' area, so that's a big step. I can't seem to create in chaos. So my goal this week is to get something done. I have no choice really with a couple birthdays in the next while, a baby to be born (yeah, Auntie again!!), Mother's Day (REALLY gotta get on that one -- thought I'd try those envelope cards -- I'll post!)...... so I thought I'd poke my head in here & say HELLO! and bask in the memory of Fort Lauderdale..... oh those warm breezes are calling my name! :)

Punch Idea

We were able to get close & personal with a new punch box set that will be coming out in the new July catalog. It's adorable :) When it was being demonstrated, it was said again & again to balance the size of a card with the size of a stamp set. Makes sense doesn't it. How many times have a grabbed a wee little stamp wondering HOW to get it to work on a full card front sized card?! DUH. There were a lot of small cards (even a tiny one!) demonstrated. This little frog card wasn't made by me and I should have written down the creator with my photos, but I didn't - sorry! Very clever though. She took the set of 3 flower punch-out, covered it partially with the ribbon and voila! they become little frogs! TOO CUTE. Honestly I wonder who thinks of these things -- CLEVER LADIES! Proves to me that I need more stampin' time! LOL.

Punch Happy

I *snuck* some stampin' time over the last couple of days. You know how it goes... 5 minutes here (punch a few things) -- 10 minutes there (ink & stamp QUICK) --- forget the dishes and grab another 15 minutes (woohoo!). Of course now my house LOOKS like I snuck some stamping time! YIKES. Kids are here playing with sand from the Bahamas! LOL --- i see they have dumped it all out in a container (I almost filled a 1L bottle!) and have a spoon and they are having a grand 'ol time! :) As long as there's enough to incorporate into my next set of cruise pages!

OK, back to my stolen stampin' moments. Some of my favorite spring colors are apricot appeal, pretty in pink & certainly celery. My little girl's fav color is ORANGE, and when I was making her invites last year it was all orange & pink and I fell in love with that nifty little combo. So I played with my circle punches & made some flowers, stamped some -- added some buttons and a couple brads. I tried a new little tip from the cruise -- take the white stazon and coat your brads to make them white! :) I found it was a bit "sticky" so I used the heat gun & that seemed to "dry" them enough to handle.

Also used the new punch from the mini (love that one) and decided to use it to hold a ribbon and then make the parenthesis with it as well :)

Now I need to make a few masculine ones.... stay tuned ;-)