Saturday, August 31, 2013

Celebrate Parents


This is the last day of August - WOW! Where has the month gone? Unbelievable! Before we know it harsh winter weather will be upon us.

So, since it is the last day of the month, it is the day that the Crafters of Faith blog group shares our monthly project with you.

Barb is the hostess this month and she gave us a wonderful theme to work with.

These are her words:

Memories of Mom and Dad! 
Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Even though my parents have been gone for close to 20 years, I still have wonderful memories of both of them. Some of you may have one or both of your parents still an active part of your lives and for others, the memories are what we hold close. So - what can you create on your card that reminds you of your mom or dad or both of them? A site from a family vacation? A hobby - music, gardening, literature, art, etc.? A favorite food? Your mom cooking? Your dad spending time with cars? Or vice versa. Create a card that shines of the memories that honor your father and mother.

Enjoy this trip back in time - or maybe it is just a few steps back of a recent memory. Tell us in your blog post about your card, the memory it unlocks and a bit about your parents if you want to share. I cannot wait to see all of the wonderful memories you create and post. Have fun getting inky.

Barb


Here is my card:




This card makes me think of my parents for a number of reasons:

1. The simplicity of it 

Due to my dad's work, we moved a lot... No! REALLY! We moved A LOT! Every 3 to 6 months, to be exact. It was an incredible childhood and I treasure the memories! Because we moved so often, my parents purchased a mobile home - so we took our home with us. My dad pulled it behind a huge truck, so he was the one that stopped at the weigh stations along the way. He knew how much it weighed. Therefore, he was very strict about what we could keep - no hoarding in our family. Things were nice, but simple!

2. The flowers on it

My mom loves the outdoors. She loves mowing the grass. And she loves growing things. So whenever it was possible, she would grow flowers outside our home. I also think of flowers when I think of my dad. He lost his mom not long after he graduated from high school. He and she had been extremely close. He missed her tremendously. So when we were back in his hometown (sometimes we even lived there) we would go to the cemetery where he would lovingly clean the pine cones and things off of her grave and he would just sit and reminisce for a while. Sometimes he brought her flowers, too. My mom, sister and I would wander down to the little lake at the cemetery and watch the ducks while he spent time with his mom. Because I never knew her, it wasn't a sad time for me, other than seeing my dad distraught over his loss.

3. The colors of it

Purple. Now, don't mistake this one. Purple isn't either of my parent's favorite color, at least not as far as I know. When I was in college studying speech and theatre, we did an extensive study on the meanings of different colors for a costuming class I was in. Purple is the color of royalty, but it is also the color of longevity. So I used purples on my card, since my parents are both in their 80's now and doing reasonably well. Longevity!

Perhaps the thing that MOST reminds me of my parents with this card, though is this...



As I said earlier, we moved every 3 to 6 months. We lived all over the western half of the United States. I've lived in Kansas, Washington, South Dakota, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, California, Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, and now as an adult I live in Illinois.

My parents considered our lifestyle a learning experience, so no matter where we lived, they sought out the local sights, restaurants, adventures - and we experienced as many of them as possible in the short time we lived there. We viewed life as a NEVER-ENDING VACATION. It was incredible! We truly celebrated EVERY day!

I so appreciate my parents and the experiences they enabled my sister and I to have.

Thank you, Mama and Daddy! I love you both so much!!!





Here's the inside of my card:





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image: Stampin' UP! Flower Shop
Sentiment: Stampin' UP! Perfectly Penned
Ink: Stampin' UP!
Cardstock: Stampin' UP!
Embossing Folder: Stampin' UP! Beautifully Baroque
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Stickles Glitter Glue

Friday, August 30, 2013

In the Spotlight


Kelly, one of the members of the Stamp Addicts Blog Group challenged us to something that was new for most of us - the Spotlight Technique. If you're not familiar with this technique, there's a great tutorial on SCS. You can find it by clicking here.

Truthfully, I am NOT happy with this card - but bear in mind, it is my FIRST attempt at the spotlight technique.




I used a BRAND NEW stamp that my friend Barb mailed to me - THANK YOU, BARB!!! It's a Whipper Snapper stamp called Clowning Around.  


I Whipper Snapper stamps!




I know what I wish I had changed about my card. I wish I'd made the spotlight circle of the clown's face larger - a larger circle that would have included more of his adorable face. Then I think I would have liked my card. Oh well, maybe next time. ;)







Here's the inside of my card:




Thanks for stropping  by my blog today!


Image: Whipper Snapper Clowning Around
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red and Staples White
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: JoAnn's Organdy Ribbon

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Miss August's Theme is Cool!


On the 28th of each month, the Calendar Girls blog group has a special monthly challenge that is hosted by one of our members. The hostess gets to choose the theme and all the members create a card or project based on that theme.

This month our hostess is Paola (a.k.a. Sweet P). Because she was tired of the heat and high humidity, she chose a "cool" theme - we are to create anything that begins with the word snow. Well, that's easy....








Yep, I used a SNOWman (or is it a SNOWgirl?)!!!











Here's the inside of my card:





I'm really excited to see what the other Calendar Girls created! You can check their blogs, too - you'll find the links in my left sidebar.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image: Darice's
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Regal Rose, Rose Red, and True Thyme
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Grosgrain Ribbon and Linen Thread, Stickles Glitter Glue, and buttons from an unknown vendor

Monday, August 26, 2013

Coffee Break


I've heard a lot of people say they dread Monday. It means the weekend is over and it's time to face a new workweek.... and truthfully, they aren't ready for that. I totally understand their point of view. However, I kind of like Mondays.

Okay, before you throw rotten tomatoes my way (or worse yet, rotten eggs), let me explain. My husband is a pastor - so we don't have weekends off in our family. In fact, Sunday is usually our busiest day of the week. And Monday's tend to be our day of less-activity (sort of like a day off)... so I like Monday.

Also Monday is the day that ABC Challenges posts their new challenge. Now that's a reason why we can all like Monday!









August 26 - September 1


Theme: No Flowers
Create any card you'd like, without using flowers




Here's the card I created:




The image I used is a pre-colored image. This is a new-to-me digital stamp company - Paper Shelter. I just discovered them a little over a week ago and fell in love with this image !

It was so easy to put this card together, since it didn't require any coloring. The image is also available as a line-drawn image that can be colored and truthfully, I'll most likely make a card with it soon. But for today, I wanted to try the pre-colored version.



Paper Shelter also has a challenge blog. That's fun! The current challenge is Holiday Time - and being a UK based company, I've come to the conclusion this means European type of holiday - a break from work sort of thing. So, I think my card fits the challenge. After all, this cute image features a young lady who is hanging out at the local coffee house, sipping her coffee while chatting with online friends, or checking out crafting blogs, or perusing Pinterest, etc. She's on holiday and enjoying it immensely! So I'm entering this card in the Paper Shelter Challenge.





This is the inside of my card:





Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll decide to participate in the ABC Challenges No Flowers Challenge this week!


Image: Paper Shelter Coffee Break
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Riding Hood Red
Designer Paper: from my scrap file, including a green tag from an unknown vendor
Embellishments: Paper Studio Brads and Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Friday, August 23, 2013

Dirt Cake


For the past couple of days I've been showing you cards I made for Linda's Party Time Swap. But she wanted things other than cards, too. One of the categories was 6 X 6" recipe cards for recipes with quirky/fun names. So I decided to give that a try.

Here's what I came up with:




I actually make this recipe for church picnics, etc. It's such fun. I have a flower pot that I serve it in... and a garden trowel that I use for dipping/serving it.


I thought this Meljen's Digital Image (Bucket of Worms) was perfect for this recipe card:







Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image: Meljen's Bucket of Worms
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft and Stampin' UP! Pumpkin Pie
Embellishment: Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Bumper Cars


Here's another card I made for Linda's Party Time Swap on SCS...









Here's the inside:




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image & Sentiment: Taylored Expressions Adventure Land
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers, and Copic Spica Pen
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red
Designer Paper: K & Co. Denim and Pink Paisley Captivating
Embellishment: Michael's Rhinestones

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hattitude


I made this CAS card for Linda's (lindac007 on SCS) Party Time Swap on SCS. She started the swap to put together some items for some young ladies who live in a group home. I was glad to help. (I took 5 spots. LOL!)









This is the inside of my card:




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image & Sentiment: Stampin' UP! Hattitude
Ink: Brilliance Rocket Red
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red and Staples White
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: Wright's Ribbon

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Outdoor Fun


We've had some unseasonably cool weather the past week or so, but this week's forecast shows more normal summer temperatures - even up to the 90's. Just when I was ready to think "fall". LOL!

So it seems appropriate that I have two summer-themed Challenges to tell you about today.




August 20 - 26


This is the picture to {PIN}Spire us this week:








The sponsors for this week's {PIN}Spirational Challenge are














THANK YOU Fresh Brewed Designs and Platypus Creek! We appreciate your generosity in giving the Design Team images to use for the challenge as well as wonderful prize packages for a lucky participant!


Here is my card:










This is the inside of my card:








* * * * * * * * * *







August 20 - September 2


Theme: Use the Color Pink

Twist: Show some outdoor things



Here's my card:




I did something I've wanted to do for a long time with this card. I used a flamingo notecard for the base of my card. I bought the box of notecards because my daughter was into flamingos and I kept thinking they would  be fun to "decorate." I finally did it!







This is the inside of my card:





Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you'll participate in the {PIN}Spirational Challenge and the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!




Image: Platypus Creek
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Sahara Sand
Designer Paper: Paper Studio A Day at the Beach Paper Pack
Embellishment: Ribbon from an unknown vendor





Sentiment: Image Tree
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and scraps from my scrap file
Designer Paper: Peter Pauper Press Pink Flamingos Notecards
Embellishments: Button from an unknown vendor and Stampin' UP! Ribbon