CHA - Through my eyes....SCS cupcake reception

CHA started out with a fun flight with my BFF Debbie from Albany, NY in the pre-dawn darkness of Satuday.
We made it to California and had a quick lunch with my sister Karen. We rushed over to CHA to get our badges early (but were unsuccessful!) We snuck in anyhow to check out some of the booths.

We met up with Lisa (Johnson), Kendra (Weitstock) and Heather (McNally).





We soon ran into Jenn (Balcer) and Val (Stangle)













Cupcakes - YUM!

Woohooo! I finally met Ellen Hutson! We have known each other for years and finally met in real life on Saturday! What a sweetie!











Here are some of the Hanna Stamps! girls - Amanda (I got to meet her sweet baby), Diana Gibbs (who is just the funniest with a spark of energy!), Adela (sophisticated and fun!) and ME!







Leese (aka Lisa Johnson) is such a sweetie! We had so much fun together at CHA!

I will post more tomorrow!

WT202, LSC 204 - Birthday Cards

I made these cards for the twins (Brittney and Sarah). Bella has their party this weekend.

Black base, pink passion with the spots and dots folder (Epaperie), some designer paper, mayarts ribbon (Starlitstudio), dimensionals, punches (SU!) and some fun new stamps! WOO Hooo!

The stamps are Heather's new Around & About set from Papertrey ink. The flower in the center is from her set in pink passion. The circle sentiment is in True black ink. The initial is from Nichole's new Fresh Alphabet! Fun font - very clean!



stamps: Papertrey {Fresh Alphabet, Around & About sentiments}
paper: Black, pink passion, DCWV patterned paper
ink: true black, pink passion
misc: punch (SU!), cuttlebug Spots & Dots , mayarts (starlitstudio), dimensionals

Triple Challenge card!

This card is for the SC212, WT202 (Pattern Pizazz), LSC204 (Paint it black) challenges on SCS.



I started out with black cardstock - added some patterned paper and then the pink passion cardstock. I stamped with the new papertray True Black ink and loved the coverage. Very clean! True!!! TRUE!!!

I stamped the image again on a strip of pink passion and placed that layer on top of a cuttlebugged layer of black cardstock. You cannot really see the embossing on the black cardstock but it is there - promise! This is really a kewl look in real life. I used pink passion ink for the butterfly and the flowers. I punched out a butterfly from the same patterned paper and colored some of the dots in with pink passion marker. The sentiment is from my friend Heather's new stamp set Around & About Sentiments from Papertrey Ink. Love it!


Here is a close up of the card:







They way I stamped it created a POP off the page look - it's pretty kewl!


I used the martha stewart butterfly punch on the pop up butterfly (patterned paper). I colored in some of the circles with the pink passion marker and some with sakura stardust.

The sentiment is on pink passion cardstock, then mounted on black cardstock.

Love this look!

HEY MA! NO WHITE CARDSTOCK!





Don't forget the inside of your card. When using black cards, you need to cut a piece of inexpensive cardstock in a light color (I was wrong MA! There is white)....and adhere it to the inside. Heather created these awesome long stamps to go with the Around & About Sentiments. I just stamped them on the bottom to create a finished look!




stamps: With Sympathy, Around & ABout Sentiments (Papertrey ink)
paper: DCWV patterned paper, pink passion, black (white - inside)
ink: True Black (PTI), pink passion (SU!)
misc: punches (SU! and Martha), cuttlebug (bloom dots), dimensionals, sakura stardust

Wonderful News & Off To CHA!!!

Hey Everyone!

Karen got into Drama Club. She has to read for parts, but she is in the play! Phew! Risk Reward is tough!~ Thanks for all your well wishes and positive prayers/thoughts! She is so appreciative!

I am leaving for CHA in the morning on Saturday. I am so excited. My BFF Debbie is going with me! Woohoo! I am planning on meeting up with some favorite friends and enjoying every moment. I hope to post pictures here - I will bring the mac and the camera - but I am just warning you that I may not be able to get internet access at my sister's house (it didn't work last time)....If I find some fun things - I will be sure to post them when I return! I have a Guest Featured Stamper Hostess this weekend! Can you guess who?

Breast cancer card

This was a super simple card to make. I made it for Todd to send one of his clients. She was just diagnosed with her second bout of Breast Cancer. I picked up the pin at church and adhered it to the center of the flowers (primas). Inside I put a note that she could easily remove the back of the pin and it would slide out of the flower. She can place the pin on the lapel of her coat. Sentiment is from Papertrey Ink {Everyday blessings}.

Start with your 4.25x5.5 card in white, adhere the patterned paper, take a strip of coordinating paper across the bottom third. The primas are layered on one another and adhered to one another (and the card) with adhesive. Pin slips right though like a brad.


stamps: Papertrey Ink {Everyday Blessings}
paper: white, designer paper (my minds eye and Target $ pack)
ink: black soot
misc: prima flowers, pin (breast cancer awareness)

Go with your whole heart

Super K. Karen, my eldest daughter, is a phenomenal singer and actress. She has talent which was obviously passed on from someone (I am just not sure who...) Todd and both do not sing. From the time she was 2, Karen was able to recite entire scenes from movies. She was animated and even used accents and intonations! It was funny and impressive at that young an age. She still impresses me with her ability to memorize lines.

This year, Karen decided to try out again for the Drama club so she could participate in this years play, Midsummer Night's Dream. Karen is quite familiar with the play. Her teacher last year, whom Karen ADORES, spent a great deal of time teaching Shakespeare. Karen loves Shakespeare and is really hoping to participate in the Drama Club. She has to audition for the club this year and space is limited. She also had to make a very difficult choice. She had to resign from her position in the Select Chorus. There was no way for her to participate in both. After much debate, discussion and tears, Karen made her choice. I know that she prayed about it, she spoke with our pastor about it, and she did not make the decision lightly.

I made this card for Karen and slipped it in her school folder so that she would find it today. I thought the sentiment was appropriate. Inside I hand wrote that I loved her, I was proud of her and I supported her choice....no matter what it was! Inspired by Nichole Heady's card on her blog.

It is so hard being a parent. It is so hard allowing your child to make tough choices. I just want to wrap Karen up in a cocoon and protect her from hurt. As a mom, I know I cannot do this. Instead, I have to let her make her choice and follow through on that choice. If she fails, I will be there to comfort her. If she thrives, I will be there to cheer her on. I know that this is a tough life lesson and that she will grow and bloom, like a butterfly. She will be a better person for taking a risk and going with her heart. I don't want her to look back and say "I could have....I should have...." I want her to say "I took a risk!".


stamps: heart prints, heart prints sentiments
paper: white
ink: regal rose, chocolate chip (and marker)
misc: heart punch, dimensionals

FS102: Stamp_Momma

This week's featured is Stamp_Momma (aka Lori Craig). I cannot WAIT to meet her next week! WOOHOOO!

If there are any spelling errors this week it is because we got ROCK BAND 2 for the Wii and we were playing all night (and drinking beers like REAL ROCK STARS). I don't drink - but singing makes you need beer! LOL! And I had 3 beers and I am a little woozy! WOOOHOOO! We decided to name our band 4 milks and a broccoli (after our trip to the grocery market when I bought ...4 milks and a broccoli)...Catchy name...huh?

Here is Lori's gallery and this is the card which I cased. I changed the colors and stamp set - used baubles in lieu of brads and eliminated the extras on the scalloped oval (sentiment).

Phew - it was super easy to use this Fairy Tales set from H&M stamps (Hey Heather, this set is ADORABLE!). We were making cards for the troops tonight and I made this one! I thought it would make a nice card for a soldier to send home to his daughter.

Background is bravo burgundy, rose red and regal rose with a little aqua mist (papertrey ink) thrown in!

I used nestabilities for the main image and sentiment - regal, rose and burgundy cardstock (along with white)....dimensionals on the main image, sakura stardust on the wand and the main image scallops. Simple, easy card!


stamps: H&M Fairy Tales
paper: white, regal rose, rose red, bravo burgundy
ink: regal rose, rose red, bravo burgundy, aqua mist (PTI)
misc: nesties, sakura, dimensionals, baubles