Harry Potter-Half Blood Prince

The wait is just about over!!! Can we say AMEN. I have almost finished the book (for the ?? time). I know the movie will differ & I am prepared for that when I see it, I just like to refresh my memory. It is also interesting to see how/where the changes were made. My hubby thinks I am crazy at my age loving this series like I do, but he has his Rocky. So I have to wait for the 17th due to Nic's football camp, but that is fine. I am off that day & it is the day before my birthday so it will start the weekend off with a bang!!! Also, ABC Family is showing the Harry Potter movies starting the 8th I believe. Don't forget!!!

9th Grade Dance

The group infront of their stretch hummer

Nic & I

Megan & Nic

I just had to share some pics of Nic's befoe dance photo op for parents. What a bunch of great looking kids.

Rose of Sharon

Today I am using inspiration from a card Suzanne Dean has done.  She has this sentiment in a stamp & I just loved it.  I used my printer to recreate it and my new Lockhart stamp Rose of Sharon.  This sweet stamp is from Susana's store and it was just introduced in May.  

I used CTMH designer paper along with royal red Shimmerz.

I finished it off with some beautiful Bella Baubles.  I just love these.  They really add some nice touches to your projects.  I used my copics to color the image and distressed the image & sentiment using my CTMH ink.  I just love the look when you slightly distress things.  

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I am having so much fun being the guest designer.  This has been a wonderful opportunity to get my creative juices flowing.  Thank you all for your wonderful comments.  More is on the way.  

Sweet Elly

This cutie is Elly from Fairy Song Art Stamps and I purchased her from Susana's store.

Isn't she just too precious?! I have been in a class for work all day then straight off to my son's baseball game. Finally a moment to get this post up for the day, although late and to see all the goodies over at Follow Your Heart. Check out the sneak peaks of Anki's Sweethearts for SCACD. She is releasing a new set of stamps. The deisgn team is featuring them on their blogs.

Sorry such a short post for today. It's off to bed for me to start the process all over again....where is that winning lottery ticket?!

Try It Out Tuesday - Happy Father's Day

The head of the SCACD design team is the one & only Suzanne Dean (check out her yummy blog). She gave me a heads up on the challenge for my SCACD Stampers Spotlight week. Each week the design team posts their lovely challenge creations on the store's blog, Follow Your Heart. I needed to make a Father's Day card & small gift. What great timing for me. With my busy schedule I am so happy to have my Dad all taken care of before his special day...and I even have time to pop it in the mail. Suzanne had posted a gift using these great popcorn boxes she found at Michales. They are perfect. Well I was inspired so I stopped by JoAnns & found them on clearance. Score!!

My dad is a total kid at heart & the biggest tease of them all. I remember as a kid I had to tell him to "stop teasin' me". It never worked & I am grateful he never did. I love those memories. Well my dad never got a boy...just me but I was a total tomboy so I made up for it.

This wonderful cutie Stuart & puppy is by Eat Cake Graphics. Susana has this guy along with a ton of other wonderful stamps. You have your choice of Lockhart's, Anki's Sweethearts, Victoria Case, Fairy Song Art Stamp & she will have some exclusive Elizabeth Bell stamps next month! So exciting. I used some of my Close To My Heart stash of paper and colored these guys with a combo of CTMH markers & copics. The more I use my copics...the more I fall in love with them. I am slowly growing my collection.I will be filling that popcorn bucket with my dad's favorite candy, Boston Baked beans along with some yummy popcorn. I was going to add his fav, Mountain Dew but I knew the post office might have issues with liquids and I mail all my packages after they close. Oh well...I will include a coupon for him to use. Make sure you stop by the store blog tomorrow....some very exciting things will be happening. Susana has been planning some really BIG FUN and you don't want to miss it!! Word just in...the baby's breath spritz in now in stock. How is that for superb customer service.

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

I am so excited to be the special guest designer for SCACD.  This group of very talented ladies is just amazing.  Susana has a wonderful online store with fabulous stamps, lots of shimmer, shine & sparkly bling along with other great goodies you can add to your creations.  Susana’s group over on Paper Craft Planet is a blast. 

On to my creation.  I just love this Lockhart Beach Chair.  It is such a fun stamp & always brings a smile to my face.  I can just picture the sun, sand & waves rolling over my feet as I relax the day away.  Maybe one day I will have purchased that winning lottery ticket but for now, I will make do with the stamp (he he).    

I used more of the free downloaded paper that was a part of the Stampin’ Out Alzheimer's week.  This paper was contributed by Libby Weifenbach.  I just love the bright colors.  

A closer look at the image for you.  All I need is some of the shimmerz spritz everyone is raving about.  Susana is out of stock of the baby's breath at the moment but more in on the way.  I know it is the first thing I will be ordering.

Have a wonderful day and stop on by tomorrow.  I will have something special for you to see.  

Nutcrafters Designs Design Team Call

After my exciting news over the weekend, I came across a new design team call for Nutcrafters-Nutshells.  I had to take the chance.  If you never do, then you never will get to try.  Using the sketch and the free digi download this is the card I created.  I used Wisteria from Basic Gray, CTMH cardstock & markers along with the copics that I have.  I colored flowers to match and used Bella Baubles that I purchased from Susana's store.  The sentiment is from SU.  What a great sketch.  I am keeping this for furture inspiration.  Thank you Nikki (the first DT member) for creating it.

Stampin Out Alzheimers

Today is the last day for Stampin Out Alzheimers and they have raised over $6500. The original goal was $2500 & after they went beyond that the goal was changed to $5000. Well as you can tell they beat that...plus. I entered a few challenges with my major mojo and this is what I came up with. This card is for the challenge sponsored by Susana's store. What a lovely sketch Suzanne came up with. I used the Lockhart image Rose of Shanon from Susana's store. The dp is the Wisteria line from Basic Grey and I used my Close To My Heart markers.

I used this altered notebook for two challenges. The paper, label & embelies were a free download by Libby Weifenbach. This is her Flip Flop Tan digital mini kit that was offered to all SOA members. What fun summer colors. I can see lots of projects using these papers. I used Liquid Glass from CTMH on the flowers.

Well time to finish helping Nic with his cooking requirements. He had to prepare 6 things for others. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Busy Weekend

First I have to tell you about my exciting news.  I am a part of a great bunch of ladies over on PCP.  We are all involved with Susana's store (notice my left hand side bar blinkies).  Well this SCACD group has some very talented design team members with Suzanne Dean as the lead designer.  Well I have been racking my brain to see what I could do to be a member of that team.  So to make a long story short I made a suggestion about our PCP group to Susana & between her and Suzanne they will be featuring a different guest designer from our group every third week.  Guess who is the first.....ME!!!  I am so blown away and totally excited.  This news has shot my mojo to outer space.  I so created all weekend.  I will be featured the week of June 8th.  YIPPIEEE!!  For now check out the store's blog at Hearts & Hugz to see all the wonderful projects from the design team.  

Stampin' Out Alzheimer's

I have to let you know of a fabulous event that will be happening next week (May 25th thru the 31st) for Alzheimer’s. It's called Stampin' Out Alzheimer’s and will be a huge challenge and contest site all next week to raise money for research & funding for Alzheimer’s. The cost to enter, play & win is $5 a person (good for the entire week) and we'd love to have you join us. Susana's store is hosting a sketch challenge & the prizes include an entire set of Victoria Case for SCACD stamps (9 stamps), a pack of Dovecraft paper & some fun embellies! You can check out the site & join up by clicking on the link/widget on my sidebar!! And tell your friends too!!

Hope you all have a fabulous day, a wonderful weekend and a safe Memorial Day!!

****Happy Birthday Chelle****

I am just so excited to wish Michelle a Happy Birthday today.  One reason is just cuz she is just the best friend anyone could have & she is the sister of my heart.  How many people are blessed to still be so close with their friend from their youth?  I am one of those people.   I met Chelle when I was 8 years old.  My family had just moved to a new area of Boise, ID and being an only child my mom suggested I knock on the doors of the houses down my street and see if there were any kids my age.  After meeting one boy about a year older, I knocked on another door and the nice lady said she had two daughters.  One my age and one a year older.  

Here we are.....32 years later and that daughter that was my age is still the best est.  We have endured living in separate states; hours of phone calls; letters;  summers spent together; going to college together; several boyfriends; marriages; kids; sickness and her divorce.  I so wish I could help her through all the illness she is suffering through along with the pain she is enduring.  She knows how much she is loved and that she will be healthy and happy again.  Here is to a new year and all the wonderful things it will bring her and her kids!!!!!

Me & Chelle at Disneyland in 06.  She was in pain but she still smiled.

Adam & Chelle.  She had just been through a second surgery & was able to enjoy Disneyland only due to the wheelchair.  What a blessing that was for her.  The walking would have done her in.

LOVE YA, HUN!!!!  

Susana's Blog Candy

Susana has some super duper BIG FUN (yaha...we love it) over on her store blog. There are sneak peaks, blog candy, a blog hop & a new designer......Victoria Case for SCACD. Click on the Follow Your Heart link to the left & read all about it. What a great weak we have in store for us!!!

Get ready to P-A-R-T-Y!!

An Award

My friend Beth has given me an award. It has been awhile since I have received one & I really appreciate her for thinking of me. Here are the rules...

1. I need to tell you 7 things about me/things that I love

2. I need to pass this on to 7 fellow bloggers that I enjoy & let them know about the award

Here are my seven things....

1. My family!!! There are way more than 7 people but my husband & son are #1

2. Reading

3. Crafting

4. Coffee (Dr. Pepper, but I am not doing that anymore)

5. Nature (Hikes, camping, camp fires & listening to all the sounds)

6. my bed

7. Friends

Now to list the seven I am happy to give this award to...

1. Tanjii

2. Danni

3. Lynn

4. Shannon

5. Suzanne

6. Heidi

7. Cheri

Monday with Mom

More Mother's day projects for you today. I followed the April sketch challenge on Susana's PCP Fans of Karen Lockhart group. The sketch called for itty bity's, but I didn't have any so I improvised. This beach chair is wonderful & is getting me in the mood for summer.
I took a $1 book from Michaels, altered it some to match my card and will be giving it as a gift. I really like to alter these books & the more I do it the better I get. Just a few more gift sets to go. One for my MIL and my best friend Michelle. She is going through a nasty divorce & is suffering from active TB with two young kids. She needs someone to think of her on Mother's day & I want her to feel there is a light at the end of this portion of her life. Things will improve & she will recover both emotionally and physically.

Gifts for Grandma

I am on to Mother's day gifts and this is for my grandma. She lives in Idaho (where I was born) and writes everything down. She also dates everything. I mean everything. From notes to toothpaste to canned foods. It always amazed me that everything in her pantry had a date. An excellent idea for some things, but toothpaste? It wasn't like she had purchased 12 tubes. LOL Looking back now that I am older, I really appreciate having those dates. It helps to set a time line for events in our lives.
I used my new Lockhart "Lilac in Pitcher" from Susana's store. She has some great specials going on now & when you purchase 4 regular Lockhart stamps, you will receive a free Itty Bity Lockhart. She also has the shimmerz I used. What a wonderful product. So versatile!!

Easter Dragon

I thought these cute free digi images from Dustin Pike were sweet. Who could resist this dragon waiting to fill his basket with eggs? I used two different sketches for these cards. I wanted to make them individual, but use the same image.

Vacation in Vegas

We spent part of Nic's spring break in Vegas. With the plane tickets we had left over from last year's canceled vacation (Dad's leg amputation) we decided to get some sun & spring training baseball. With spring training almost over we opted to catch the last game at Cashmen field in Vegas. We stayed at Mandalay Bay.
Steve & Nic at our Freemont Street "experience". I could not get a picture with Nic's eyes open. I think he was just being difficult.
We visited the Hoover Dam on the yuckiest day. What was nice is the storm blew in & then out in the matter of a day. NOT like home. That gray sky is almost a staple. Can you believe how tall Nic is getting and that he allowed this picture of us together? Where did the little baby go that loved to be held by mom? Well he grew up & up & up...6'3" and growing.

Nic captured between the new bridge being built over the canyon. This way they can keep large vehicles from having to go over the dam. What an incredible structure, both the dam and bridge.

Ken Giffey Jr. back with the Seattle Mariners!!!!! Yaha baby.

What a swing he has. Hard to believe he is the oldest one on the team and he is months away from being my age, well Steve's. I will have my 41st (shock & dismay) before Griffey turns 40.

Is Nic trying to hitch a ride? Two dudes at the ballpark on a sunny, beautiful Saturday afternoon.

The view from the Stratosphere observation area. Nic wanted to go on the rides at the top so I sent the camera up with Steve. I was too afraid to see him get on the rides, so I stayed down around the casino.

Nic & another rider on the claw. This ride is one of three at the top & the claw picks them up & over the edge so they are just twirling in the air. Scary!!!!

That is all for now. I will post some more Easter cards tomorrow. Now it's time to concentrate on Mother's Day gifts.

Hey Chickie

Tuesday already...I am so excited for our vacation. Things at work have been just so sad. They laid off a total of 16 people with the last one being yesterday. It was so hard to say goodbye & to wonder how they will survive. I just might be in that boat soon, but for now I am just counting my blessings & praying for good things. This vacation will help lift my spirits (we will be seeing the SUN every day) and we will be in warm weather. This is a scaled down 20th wedding anniversary trip. Not as glamorous as Hawaii, but Vegas in the spring is nice.

I purchased some digi stamps from Pink Petticoat & thought this little chickie would be a fun mingle card. I made this for my sassysistah Danni & now that she has received I can share with all.

The image inside the card is a border stamp from Elzybell's Art Stamps. I love how this stamp is just so versatile. It fits pretty much all occasions.

Suzanne's Blog Candy

Suzanne is celebrating her one year blogaversary with three blowout days of candy. Visit her over at her blog Scrap Bitz and just keep on reading & enjoying. She is a very talented & generous lady (check out her tutorials list on the right). She gives me daily inspiration & keeps me striving to improve my abilities. You will be amazed!!

Here comes Brewster Bunny

Happy Monday all. I am working on my easter cards & when I saw Brewster at Susana's Custom Art & Card Design store...I knew he was the one. I am learning to use my copic markers & think I did pretty well for a beginner. I also experimenting with my nesties. What a sweet little guy. I am working on several cards featuring Brewster & will post some more later this week.