Something to Crow About

When you're turning 18, that is definitely something to crow about!  Had to do this card for my bff's EIGHTEEN  year old girlie girl!  Used the Just in Case cart!  Used K&Co. pattern paper.  A little difficult to piece together but looks great in the end!!!

Something Sweet for Someone Sweet

I'm at the age (apparently) that some friends are becoming grandparents.  I'm not going to jinx myself by saying anything because I'm perfectly fine with the grand puppy and grand kitty I have now.  I'll enjoy my friends'  until that happens.  I made the card and photo frame for a Christening gift for one of my friends new grand baby.  For some reason, whenever they snap a shot of her she is flipping 'the bird', thus the JBird banner.  I found the frame that was in layers and worked with it!  It was a lot of fun and really enjoyed making  it for them.  Enjoy!

The card was made using the Paper Doll Dress Up cart.  I used my Gypsy to flip it and weld it together.  I used Bazzill's dotted swiss (my last sheet, bummer but worth it), it's hard to tell in the photo but it makes the dress look so sweet.  Just added a layer of velum that has sparkles, again hard to see and a satin ribbon.  The frame had multiple layers which I really enjoyed working with!  The bird was cut from the Give a Hoot cart and sandwiched in between the top two layers of glass.  The banner was from the Birthday Bash cart and layered as well.  The photo frame was from the ol' Accent Essentials and placed on the bottom layer of the frame.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye collection.  

linked to ...

Between the Naps

10 Years Cancer Free!

Here's my story in a nutshell ... married too young, got out of it as quickly as I got into it but had two wonderful children to show for it.  Met a great man that accepted me and my kids ... thought it was my happily ever after!  It took us five years to get pregnant.  Baby Melissa was born with some heart issues but nothing that couldn't be fixed.  Speeding up the story, the surgery didn't go as planned and she didn't make it.  Having two middle schoolers at the time kept the clock rolling and we all got thru it.   It wasn't a feeling of peace but more of a waiting for the other shoe to drop kinda feeling.  Two litigations later, I had science on my side and Angela came along.  Definitely 100% healthy with the personality of an angel.  Finally, we could breathe?  Not so much.  The results from my post-partum check up came back sketchy and after another few tests, I was diagnosed with Cervical cancer!  There was the shoe we were waiting for.  I was planning her first birthday, my teen's summer plans and my chemo and radiation schedule all at the same time!  We celebrate today because it was the weekend of the Preakness that I had my hysterectomy at the age of 35.  The hospital was near the racetrack so parking was not fun for hubby.  Without the help of friends and family during that time I don't know how we would have made but we did and now we are happily looking forward to tomorrow!   During the make-it-break-it times in your life, your true friends are what matter most.  I definitely have a partner for life and kids I can count on!

Ange's 10th birthday last year.  Kelly, 23 and Cory, 21.

Color Challenge

Tried to get my green thumb on today.  I had to work fast to beat the rain and I finished just in time!  After I dug thru the layers and layers of un-decomposed leaves that my husband tossed on in the fall and the sod that my son threw on after 'landscaping' ... I was done!  It's only a 6x6 garden but after days and days of rain, it was messy, muddy and not fun!  It's done so that a good thing!  I had no energy to clean so I thought I'd play a little ... here's what I made for the challenge over at Embellish Magazine.  In addition to the color challenge, you had to include a tag somewhere on the card.  I did a little searching and found this great little 99 cent stamp ... okay, it was his first time off the cling!  Poor thing was never used!!!  The Cardstock was from the DCWV Hippie Chick collection - the grey was actually a metallic shiny, just hard to see in the photo.  The pattern dot paper is K&Co.  I cut the scallop out with a Spellbinder Die.  The sentiment is fun!

Here's the color challenge ...

Gracias!!!

Sweet Card

Did you even know Marshall's sometimes has scrapbook goodies?  I had no idea!!!  Not a huge fan of the store but liking it more and more!!!  I have a hard time shopping for clothes but the decor prices are awesome.  Hubby loves the store, he gets a lot of his clothes there.  He can't understand why I don't but it's kinda hard to look for yourself when you keep hearing, "mom, look at this", "come 'ere mom", "hey mom ...."  Can you relate? But when bestie and I get a day out we try to stop in and see what's new.  Last week we spotted a bunch of paper pads!!!  The 12x12's were $5.99 and 8x8's were $3freakin99!!!!  Had to take advantage!  With my new paper pad had to make my shopping buddy a card!!!  Love the colors.  The sentiment is one of My Pink Stamper's.  The berry was from the Hello Kitty cart of things!  Starting to use my white gel pen to make it super cute!!!   Enjoy!!!!

Envelope Pillows

Finally some sunny days here in MD!  I managed to fit in a trip to this awesome flower farm in PA where they have rows and rows of green houses!  Love it!  Took the folks, Poppy didn't make it back in time for his favorite British comedy show but he's seen them all a dozen times I'm sure.  I was able to plant them all in my little patch and still had some time left.  Earlier in the week I made a quick stop at Joann's and picked up some fabric for pillows on the front porch.  I like to keep it cute but my husband swears one morning he's going to find a hobo on the bench because it looks so comfy.  I'll take that as a compliment!  Tossed out my pillows from last year so had to make new ones.  Jo's had the pillows on sale last week, and I knew I had one in the dungeon that I was saving for the perfect occasion.  After planting, I had a few minutes before the bus came so I whipped up these super easy, super cute pillows to comfy up the porch.  My method is called the "Fold it over and hope it fits" but I think the official term is 'envelope cover'.  I used less than a yard of fab to cover both pillows, about 18" squares.  Should've taken pics of the process but found a better tutorial at A Pretty Cool Life.  Here's my finished product:

Metamorphesis Monday

Made it Myself Monday

Sunday 'Site Review

I have been working on learning the tricks of my camera (that I've had for years) and I came across the website Camerasim.  It's so cool.  You can tweek the picture, snap it and see how your combination works.  In addition to taking your faux photos, it also does a great job explaining  what buttons you're pushing.  This will help me learn how to adjust the settings on the camera.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

Mother's Day Card

Woo Hoo, I'm ahead of schedule!  I finished my Mother's day card before midnight!!!  Had to ponder a few minutes to figure out what I was going to do then came up with altering one of the Crafty Secrets images like I did in a previous card.  I cut and popped parts of the image ... I love how it turned out!  Especially the 'cleaning' part.  My mom is constantly cleaning!  Even in her mid amnesia state after surgery a few weeks ago she tried to get up to clean!!  Looking forward to breakfast cooked by my crew in the am.  Hope you all have a great day!!

Teacher & Blogger Appreciation

Can't believe it's teacher appreciation week already!  Where has this year gone!  Can't believe my baby will be in middle school next year!  Wahhhh!!!  I'm not ready!  She is though.  She's enjoying this year and wanted to share with her teachers.  I picked up some funky sticky note packs and highlighters from Marshalls earlier this week.  Pondered on the packaging and came up with a quick wrap idea that left room for Ange to write a note too. I don't ever remember giving my teachers gifts except maybe at the end of the year and there was certainly no week dedicated to showering them.  Don't get me wrong, from working in the school I can't believe how they accomplish all they do.  Sometimes it just seems so hard for them to just teach and not follow so many stipulations.  I need to initiate a blogger appreciation week to appreciate all the followers!  I'm such a lurker and follow so many blogs!  I love it!  I truely appreciate all my followers and to show it I'm going to send one of you some of this awesome ribbon I used on this project - it's like a ruler.  Just leave me a comment!!  Thanks so much!

Cute sticky notes from Marshalls!!!  Love 'em!!!

The stamp is My Favorite Things, Cardstock is Bazzill, pattern paper is Cosmo!  Don't forget to leave me a comment!!!

Communion Cards

Ange's friend and her sister celebrated their first communion.  My desk was so nice and clean I had to make a couple of cards!  I used some Unity stamps for the images and the scentiments.  Pattern paper from DCWV paper pack.  Blinged them up with some pearls from Stampin Up and sticky gems from Imaginisce ...Think they liked them!! Whatcha think?

Yeah! Sunshine

Finally we are seeing some sun today!  Not just the physical sun but also happy sun from spending some much need girl time with my Chic Fil A Chick.  So productive!!!  Strolled thru Michaels, toured Marshalls, a few local plant stores and even had time for lunch and Lowes!  Picked up these flowers and had to plant them outside for a little sunshine everyday!!!  Here's the before and after and a few close ups.  I've had my camera for a few years now but I am still learning and experimenting!  

Clear the Desk, Moma's going to scrap

All squeaky clean!  Finally!  I overwhelmed myself with organizing!  I was definitely over thinking my cleaning task.  Yes, it's possible!  I would eventually like to go thru and super organize but I realized that this is not that time.  I had to stop myself and just clean.  Yuck, that hurts to say!  I want to clean!  The finished product is not 100%, I'd prefer to have my desk where I can atleast look out the window but it'll do for now!  

Here's how I decided to clean things ...


Top Left - bff's unused spice rack now a stadium for my punches (my hub thinks I should put little faces on the handles)
Below - my boardwalk basket filled with my trimmers and scor pal .... Love it!  keep it under my desk so I can just grab what I need and don't always have to have one on my desk
Middle top - my Ikea storage love love love it!!!
Below and to the right - My 'new' dresser filled with my pretties!
Top Right - my ribbon basket (definitely on my short list of things to organize
Bottom left - my newly organized tool station
Bottom middle - stamping station 
Bottom right - my frequently used punches on a magazine rack, some fun stuff I've gotten from friends and hubby, my favorite - all my solid card stock sorted by color in a large basket

I LOVE how I did my closet!  I put 99% of my paper and paper packs in plastic basket protectors and positioned them in a way my fingers could do the walkin' and I could see all my choices.  I really don't have a ton of individual sheets any more.  Mostly packs or kits.  The three black boxes with handles on the lower shelf is for my ribbon.  I got those at Michaels in the ribbon aisle and love them!  I should do a closeup of them.  They hold alot!  I still have the clear tubs that I use for individual projects - got one labeled with each kid, etc.  


The top right is just a shot from my doorway.  It's not a huge room but I'm trying to make the most of it!  


Bottom right is my work area.  Isn't it perty!!!  Got my Cricut handy, hung the mats with a command hook!  Easy reach!  Doesn't it just scream "use me"!!!!  Still some stuff under the desk and I despise my chair.  I got it at Staples a while back and thought 'how genius, a filing cabinet on the bottom of a chair!  now I don't have to squeeze another piece of furniture in here'   but oh how I do not like it!  The drawer has a mind of it's own and it is not comfortable.  It's on my wish list.  




That concludes this portion of the tour.  I have to go make something now!


Between Naps on the Porch Blog