Happy Halloween!

There have been too many festivities the past few days to have anything to share here except photos. Boy am I ready to fall back into a semblance of a routine...maybe then I can get some crafting done!

From Trunk or Treat Sunday night:












Carving pumpkins:















All dressed up for Trick or Treating!

Come for the FUN!

We've been cooking up some challenges, games and lots of chatter! Hope you'll join us starting Tuesday at Scrap Treasures!

Finally a card with Stamping!

Used Angel's sketch #13 for this birthday card. PP is from Dream Street Papers, flower stamp by Technique Tuesday, sentiment by CTMH, ribbon from my stash. I also tried the dry embossed circles using the Crop-a-dile, but it's obvious I either need more practice or I should just stick with my Cuttlebug. LOL

Multi-tasking with Die Cuts

A sweet online friend RAK'd me the cutest Halloween die-cuts, and I've had a blast using them to make some Halloween cards. It just so happens that the challenge running at Caardvarks is to use die-cuts on your card fronts. And I'm still catching up with the Angel's 31 days of sketches.

Here's my card for Sketch #9. How about a Halloween card with NO orange??? Paper is by KI Memories. Stamp from Michael's and filled in with Stampendous glitter. Sorry for the blurry picture.















For Sketch #14 I used more KI Memories patterned paper, some ribbon I received in a Rak several months ago, my old deco scissors and a "Spooky" sticker I've had for several years now. I just love using up my stash!

CPS #36 Sketch

I was so inspired by a couple of cute turkeys I saw in the November issue of Cards magazine. I just couldn't wait to case them. This week's CPS sketch seemed perfect for this silly fun Thanksgiving card. Feathers are from the Autumn Leaves Mini Make a Flower set. Used my Marvy scalloped circle punch for the turkey head and CTMH's Storytime alpha for the sentiment.

More Sketch Cards

I found time to make two more cards tonight! YAY!



The Halloween card is for Angel's sketch #11. I'm totally not crazy about this card, but maybe then I won't feel bad about mailing it to someone who is sure to send it to the landfill. Do you ever NOT mail a card just 'cause you love it too much for someone to throw it away? The stamps were part of a set I got at Michael's last year.













Now the card for sketch #12. I can't tell you how much I am loving the stamp for the sentiment! It's a clear stamp by Inkadinkado. I love using it with the Basic Grey Infuse paper. I really like how this one turned out!

Just Keep Swimmin' !

That's my motto. I'm always behind, but I'm not giving up! I need to start working two sketches a day if I'm going to catch up by Angel's birthday. But I need to be doing 2-a-days anyway. Halloween cards are not finished, and my November birthday list is LOOOONGGG! I actually did finish two tonight, but one has glitter. It's too dark to get a decent picture, and I don't want glitter on the scanner. But here is my take on Angel's Sketch 10. Paper is by Dream Street, daisy stamps are Studio G Clear Stamps colored in with my pastels and a blender pen, and the sentiment is Papertrey Ink. I don't have a template for piercing, so you can see the imperfections by doing it freehand. This one goes out in tomorrow's mail to an online friend having surgery on Monday.



And speaking of mail! I got the Clickabella images and baubles I won in Carla's blog candy today. I also got a TAC catalog in the mail from Jen. You'll probably be seeing "angel" associated with my name very soon! I'm so excited !!

Today's Sketch Challenge

The daily challenge at Scrap Treasures is to use a CPS sketch from a few week's back. I used some older KI Memories paper, these adorable die-cuts I received in a RAK a few days ago, and a stamp from Michael's. This is absolutely the fastest card I've ever made. Literally, I made it in the time I was waiting for chicken nuggets to heat up for the kids' dinner. The scan doesn't show it, but the die-cuts are adhered with popdots for dimension. I think I'll be using this sketch a few more times this week!

If you're looking for inspiration, there are themed challenges every day at Scrap Treasures. We'd love to have you join us.

Beate Sketch 24

WOW! Beate put up a great sketch this weekend! I really look forward to her sketches...they just seem to come together so easily. I'm still using up stamped images Lori sent for her grab bag challenge. I actually had 4 of these images. All I did to them was ink up the edges a little with some Tim Holtz Distress Ink in milled lavender. I used kraft cardstock for the base. The patterned paper is by Reminisce, and it didn't leave me a very good spot to stamp my sentiment. So I just stamped it on the inside of the card. I'm participating in a group effort to mail Christmas cards to the troops, and I need to send my package off Monday. I used the sketch to make 4 more cards to go in the envelope. Thanks Beate for giving me an easy way to get 4 quickie cards finished.

Sketches #7 and 8

We've had a busy day here. Some cleaning and laundry, taking my daughter to dance class, then tonight we all went out to a local steakhouse and shopping at Target. I did sneak in a little bit of time to work on Angel's sketches.

Here's sketch 7. One of those that totally didn't turn out like I envisioned it. Oh well.



On to Sketch 8. This is for a co-worker who is getting married in a couple of weeks. I was dying to use my new Webster's Pages patterned paper so the colors are a little non-traditional. But it's the second marriage for both of them, and I think the brown, blue, and ivory combo has a definite elegance to it. I did learn a lesson though. This was the first time I'd tried emboss resist using Bazzill textured cardstock. Even though I wiped it with my dryer sheet (the poor man's Embossing Buddy), you can see that some of the clear embossing powder was still on places that weren't stamped with Versamark. I probably should have used the backside (flatside) of the cardstock instead. I hope she likes it anyway.

Angel Sketch #5

I'm going to try to post this quickly. We've got some pretty bad storms headed this way, so I'll be shutting down early tonight.

I finished this card last night for Angel's sketch 5. The stamped image was part of a grab bag challenge sent to me by Lori. I added some patterned paper from my scrap pile and you can barely see the sentiment....a Making Memories white rub-on.

Confessions of a Challenge Junkie

I realized right as I was going to bed that I needed to send a note to school tomorrow for Addison's absence last Thursday. They had fall break Friday and Monday, so tomorrow will be her first day back since the day she was home sick. Now, of course, I have plenty of store-bought notecards here. I'm sure the school would even accept a note written on a sheet of paper torn from one of the many notepads around here. But none of that mattered. All I saw was another reason to stay up an extra few minutes and finish one more of Angel's sketches. Sketch 4 was perfect for this simple note to the school. Used an old SU greeting from one of the All Year Cheer sets, 2 little brads, and three different colors of Bazzill cardstock from one of my Simply Cardstock kits. Very simple but sometimes simple is good !! Now I need to go write that note and stick it in her backpack. Nite Nite!

One more tonight...Angel's sketch #3

If I'm going to catch up I need to make more than one a day. Here's my take on Sketch #3 using some papers from Fontwerks and an SU stamp. The pink in that ribbon from Michael's seems to blend a little better in real life. Sometimes my scanner takes on a color perception of its own. One more Thank You card ready to be mailed. Thanks for the sketch Angel!

Angel Sketch #6 & Camera Poses

So now that I've got this late gift that needs to be mailed (see post below), I need a card to go with it. When I need a belated birthday card, I always reach for my retired SU Furnished With Love set. I love the inside sentiment "A birthday wish....just a shade late". Angel's sketch #6 seemed to be a perfect match with stamp I wanted to use on the card front. Used some old Basic Grey Lucky paper, navy grosgrain and brads, and added some Ice Stickles to the lamp baubles.

Now won't my mom be excited with the package she's getting this week ????


















Clark finally understands what it means to pose for the camera. I told him to smile today and I got this:


















On the other hand, his big sister has been posing so long she just says, "Take one of me!" And by the time I click the shutter, I get this:



Love Love Love these kids!!!

Using Wube's Sew Cute Magnetic Paper

I'll admit it. I'm the worst at buying stuff and letting it sit around. I think I bought this Wube Sew Cute Magnetic Paper in one of my first purchases from the Scrap Treasures store.

A couple of days ago, I realized that with all the craziness of my back problems, I had totally forgotten to give my Mom a birthday present. My Mom keeps her fridge covered with pictures, and she always loves getting updated pictures to change them out once in a while. So I thought I would make use this paper to give her something new for her refrigerator decor.














The green magnetic paper worked perfectly with some Daisy D's School Days paper that Julie RAK'd me a couple of months ago. In my typical trying-to-save-time fashion, I wanted to use a sketch. The paper measures 8.5 X 5.75, so I headed over to PageMaps. I was able to adapt one of Becky's HalfMap sketches for 6x12 LO's. Added some flowers, brads and ribbons from my stash. I thought about covering the picture with a transparency to help protect it, but then I remembered that my mom really doesn't cook very much anymore. So I'm not too worried about the grease splatters in her kitchen, and she doesn't have little hands trying to touch everything they can get their hands on. But the transparency would be a great idea if you are worried about keeping that photo protected. So in a very short amount of time (less than an hour) I've got a gift that I know my mom will treasure.

The magnetic paper is in the clearance section of the store....only $1.49 a sheet! With the holidays approaching, this would be an awesome quick, VERY inexpensive, but most appreciated gift for anyone on your list! I think I need to add a few sheets to my next order.

Always catching up! Sketch #2

It's the story of my life. Work was crazy busy this week, and I didn't have time to work on any of Angel's sketches. But I'm determined to catch up. Hey there's still more than 3 weeks. I've got plenty of time. ") I did whip out this quickie card using Sketch #2 using some Chatterbox paper, some Clear G stamps from Michael's and some ribbons in my stash.

Addison is LVN (lovin') kindergarten!

OK...Addison's teacher had already forewarned me about her writing words that don't look like words to us, but are words in the minds of a kindergartener. Recently, Addison has spent so much time writing and drawing. She'll get a stack of paper, draw pictures and/or letters on each page, then ask me to staple them together to finish making her "book".

So tonight...she brings me a paper and asks me to read this:

AddisonRTdSBK.

I needed her interpretation for the RT, but it says "Addison wrote this book."

Can I Do It?

I'm sure gonna try! Angel is posting a sketch a day for 31 days while we count down to her birthday with her. She has some great giveaways too - so make sure you check out her blog. I did make time to put together this quickie card for Sketch #1. I'm still needing more thank you cards. My poor Alphadots haven't seen ink in so long it was very sad. Paper and ribbon from Basic Grey. Now that it's finished, it might be a little too neon. I'll just have to make sure goes to someone that loves bright colors.

Beate's Sketch #22

I look so forward to Beate's weekly sketches even though I only seem to find time to actually finish them bi-weekly. Paper is from Paper Salon, stamps from CTMH and Papertrey Ink.

My baby is TWO!!!!

I've been a bad blogger this week. I went back to work Monday. Even though I'm only working about a 75% schedule, it is kicking my patootie. I have come home every night and practically gone straight to bed. But no such happenings tonight! It is Clark's birthday!

Hard to believe our little guy is 2 years old! We had a fun afternoon and evening with our little family-only celebration. Everyone is full of spaghetti and cake and ice cream, and I think I'm the only person still awake. LOL

Addison thought we all should dress for the occasion. Everyone else stayed in shorts, but she showed up in full party attire.













Once Clark understood that there were fun things in all the bags, he couldn't wait to dig into them!


















He loved his Thomas the Train cake. The wind up toy actually goes around the little track. Clark wasn't really sure what he's supposed to do with the candles, but he was happy to turn the lights on and off for us.













And who said 1st birthdays are the messiest??? I think #2 ranks right up there too!














I promise to catch up on my blogging this weekend. I've got some great happy mail to share. And I'll be making some cards. Don't forget about the Weekend Card-a-thon at Scrap Treasures. Lots of challenges all weekend! And a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to the Scrap Treasures store! I hope you'll join us.