Taking a second to breathe

This Wednesday morning is great thus far, I've been able to relax (for the most part...how anyone can truly "relax" with 3 kids is beyond me.) Swimming lessons in 20 minutes, but rather than walk the half a block to get to the pool, we have to drive as it appears it will rain at a moment's notice. They're calling for spot t-showers in spots, and it's not looking good out there (besides the fact I left the jogging stroller sitting out all night and we had a brief t-shower last night, so it's SOAKED.) Besides having to drive, the weather gives me the perfect opportunity to sit in the craft room and do the one DT assignment left for the month, which I've been having trouble with thus far. Don't know why, I think I just need to get in there more often.

I have gotten in there for the past few days working on a super secret project. All will be revealed in time, and I must say, I'm lovin how it's come out thus far. I'm not even near done, although I'm working on the most time consuming part right now (and it's only time consuming as I've not had a lot of time to devote to sitting down for a long stretch...just minutes scattered here and there.)

Are you working on anything good? I hope to make something I can post later on. Don't forget to head over to the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog to enter into our July challenge, there's a great Paint Fusion prize pack (2 to be exact!) You only have one more day!

Today is also the last day of my challenge over at sketches4all, where I'm asking you to show me your papercraft using 5 or more butterflies. Easy, right?

Have a great day!

Crafter's Companion Humphrey's Corner Sneak Peek!

Good morning, all. It's my day to post on the Crafter's Companion Information Blog, and have I got the cutest little character to show off! Crafter's Companion is getting ready to release their newest stamp line, Humphrey's Corner, and I was sent the Humphrey stamp set to play with. It is just adorable! I made this card for a friend using some Imaginisce Garden Party scraps from a layout, and thought Humphrey holding the flower was a perfect fit. (You'll have to bear with me, it's been raining for the past few days, so these pics are the best I can do. Sorry!)

After stamping Humphrey using Rock-A-Blocks (which make stamping so much more pleasurable), I colored him using my son's Crayola PipSqueak markers (I really need to invest in some Copics!) and some stickles. Stamped the sentiment, and raised it up using the foam squares available at the Crafter's Companion website. I raided my Fairyopolis Card Making Kit and pulled out 2 green flowers and pink jewels to stick in the center, affixed them on either side of the sentiment, and added some Stickles as a final touch.

Isn't Humphrey just the cutest? Stay tuned for more projects featuring Humphrey at the Crafter's Companion Information Blog, where you can find a new post each day filled with inspiration. Hope you all have a great day, and don't forget there's still time to enter the Crafter's Companion USA Challenge Blog June challenge. TWO winners will be chosen to receive a great Paint Fusion prize pack filled with everything you need to be a Paint Fusion pro! What are you waiting for?

Dream Valley Challenge 10: Use Ribbon

Good morning, my crafty friends. It's time once again for another Dream Valley Challenge, and this time we are asking you to use ribbon somewhere on your project. Don't forget, you can make anything you want...card, layout, altered item, jewelry...as long as it uses ribbon somewhere. If you enter your project in the next 2 weeks, you are in to win a sweet prize from Crafty Ribbons!

I decided to make a layout as my kids' albums are suffering. I should have done a girly page, but as I had already printed this out for my son's album, I just went with it. (The girls' albums are stuck way back in 2006, while my son is up to 2008. I guess it pays to be the youngest HAHA.) This is a photo of the whole family at Clark's Trading Post in NH on our summer vacation, trying to stay dry inside one of the many mini museums while it rained outside. (Rain is typical of any of our family vacations, luckily this is the one time we didn't camp and stayed in a hotel!) Hubby and I had a blast looking at all of the old stuff in the museums, but the kids were mighty bored! A nice man offered to take our picture. I wish the man had done a better job of getting closer and getting us all in the pic! Poor Patryk is almost lost!

I dug out some Cosmo Cricket I'd been sitting on since he was born, papers I thought were perfect for a boy page...Storytime: Jack Sprat, Souvenier: Treasure, and Wanted: Slim Jim and Journaling Cards. I love the look of that Slim Jim wood look background page! I decided to distress the edges of the photo mat and journaling card with my Heidi Swapp edge distresser (it's cute and pink and I love it.) I also decided the photo mat needed to have the upper edge punched, just because. I also coated the word "family" on the journaling card with Ranger Glossy Accents. Love that stuff!

The title is a mix of all sorts of great stuff. I started with "rain rain" in Paperback fabric Thickers. Don't you love that pattern? "Go away..." is written with blue pen and then topped with Ranger Glossy Accents, giving it a nice embossed look. "...all the children want to play" is simply blue pen I added beneath the picture.

A close up, really showcasing that fantastic Glossy Accents.

I got this Imaginisce paper ribbon I found on clearance at a favorite Etsy supply shop, Closeout Girl, part of their Bday Bash line. Love this stuff and how easy it is to mix with other paper lines!

Finally, for my ribbon...I used a couple different kinds and techniques. With the dotted ribbon (Bo Bunny Double Dot ribbon in Decaf), I just let it go crazy, folding it here and wrapping it there, adhering each twirl with Glue Dots micro squares. Those things are so strong! I also added a ribbon flower made from SEI Claire ribbon, with a Marcella by K fabric brad to hold it together.

It's funny, I made this layout using scraps from a card I made for another DT assignment HAHA so backwards, as I normally make cards with the scraps from my layouts!

Anyway, head over to Dream Valley Challenges and show us how you use ribbon. Link up your creation by July 9th and be entered to win a great ribbon prize pack! Hope to see your creation, and enjoy your weekend! I'm hoping the sun makes an appearance. My veggies need it!

VACATION!

It's here, summer vacation! You wouldn't know it looking out the window, as it's rainy, windy, and chilly. I hope I have enough in their craft drawer to keep them occupied this year on days such as this!

The girls are officially 4th and 6th graders. Patryk should be starting preschool next year as well. Where does the time go? Do I really have a middle schooler? Yikes. I'm getting old.

Andraia, my 6th grader :( She's grown up too fast for me! This was taken at her 5th grade award ceremony, 2 days ago.

My 4th grader, Rileigh, at the wedding we at attended last weekend.

Patryk at the wedding...the kids all got little favor boxes, containing stickers, crayons, chocolate, ring pops, coloring and activity books, bubbles, and silly bands. Awesome!

So much crafty stuff to catch up on and do! This summer I am DETERMINED to get the following accomplished:

• Complete up to at least 2009 in the kids' albums. Shouldn't be a problem for Patryk as I'm already in 2008, but the girls have a bit of catching up to do!
• Create at least 10 stationary sets to put up in my Etsy shop.
• Restyle a mirror I got FREE at a yard sale. Yes, free.
• Make up some mini albums to put up for sale on Etsy and at craft fairs this fall/winter.
• Grow my Etsy shop and crank out some potty charts to put up for sale. I had an order at my daughter's 5th grade awards ceremony :)
• De-stash a LOT...that means GIVEAWAYS. I need to make room for the new stuff I plan to acquire this year :)

Is any of that too much to ask? I think not. I should have no problem getting it all done, especially as I have added a new gadget to my desktop to schedule all DT assignments and writing duties. It should make my life a whole lot simpler, spreading assignments out properly and leaving room for my own crafty endeavors, even with all of the lessons/groups going on this summer. The girls have swimming lessons and golf lessons, and Patryk will start in a preschool play group "summer camp" in a few weeks. Should be great!

I have only done DT stuff lately so unfortunately, I have nothing to share with you all. I have, however, had a great time working with some *new* stuff, and can't wait to show it all off. For now, I'm off to create 3 more projects for some DT work, along with attempt to photograph them all in the horrible lighting. I hate grey rainy days!

Hope you all enjoy your weekend, I'm hoping this crappy weather doesn't last long. The kids are already starting to become restless! Maybe it's time for me to find some chores for them to do...nah, they'll probably just come get crafty with me :)

A nice day for a white wedding

Crazy busy month: almost over. Can't wait, I really need the crafty break! I have a wedding to attend out of town today, but I just had to jump on and remind you all of a few things:

1. XOXO scraplift challenge is going on, and there has been *gasp* only one entry!!!!! what are you all waiting for? Jump on in and scraplift someone (like me!) You have until the 30th, so get your tushie into scraplift mode! It was brought to our attention that a winner had not been chosen for our last challenge, so stay tuned for that announcement as well. We've just reorganized our team and changed up a few things, so thank you all for being patient! Also, Mr. Linky isn't being very nice, so unfortunately you need to leave a link to your creation in the comment section.

2. Last week for the Dream Valley Challenge #9, Father's Day. With Father's Day *tomorrow*, what are you waiting for? I'm sure you made something for your dad or husband, get it entered! Card, layout, or altered item...anything goes as long as it's for dad! You have until June 25th to get that creation linked up.

3. You definitely want to remember to enter the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog's summer challenge! Who would want to miss out on a chance to win a fabulous Paint Fusion prize pack, consisting of two Paint Fusion stamp sets, 6 tubes of paint, the Paint Fusion instructional DVD, Crafter's Companion awesome paintbrushes (these brushes are very high quality!), and two stamp sets of your choice. I just love Crafter's Companion stamps! Hurry, you have until the 30th to link up your summer creation using Crafter's Companion stamps. We only have 5 entries currently, so the odds are in your favor :)

4. Lastly, head over to sketches4all to enter my current challenge. It's pretty much a no-brainer, just make something with 5+ butterflies on it. Easy peasy! You have until the 30th for this challenge as well. (You'll want in, as I found a great little shop where I can spend little and send you a TON of great items! They are all chosen especially for you!)

That's about it, now to get everyone cleaned up for the wedding. How I do love a good wedding! Hope you all enjoy your day!

Just because! (Finally!)

It seems my DT responsibilities and life in general have taken over lately, with so many deadlines and projects for both me and my children. I haven't really had the time to craft "just for me" and it's been strange. I always seem to forget that once winter "hibernation" ends, life revs up to a dizzying speed, making it near impossible to devote countless hours to my papercrafting. I also can't forget I took on a "real" job a couple of months ago, and although my writing responsibilities are pretty easy, I'm still trying to find my "groove" so I can get it all done without fearing I've forgotten something. I feel like a chicken with my head cut off!

Well, yesterday it rained. It was only supposed to be day full of spot showers, but it decided to rain all day. No spot showers, just one giant day-long shower. I welcomed it.... 1) Didn't have to water the veggie/flower gardens 2) I locked myself away in the craft room all afternoon. Yes, I did a lot of organizing (because I desperately needed to...imagine during the past couple of busy months the amount of mess I'd made....it was awful. Paper scraps, ribbon scraps, tools, embellies everywhere!) I even organized all of my paper by manufacturer and line yesterday!!!!! This will, I hope, streamline the whole process, making it easier than ever to get some pages in my albums as everything that coordinates is all hangin' out together in the box :) Hubby says it's just my OCD. Whatever.

I finished up **finally** a layout I was working on for the Get Sketchy challenge over at sketches4all. I have only had the time to post my own challenges lately, so it felt good to enter someone else's challenge!

Here's the sketch:

..and my take on said sketch.

Basic Grey Oliver seemed like a good fit for this one (and I had recently received it in a Scenic Route grab bag deal, just dying to use them.) This is little Patryk, passed out cold, two years ago on our summer vacation in the White Mountains (which we do just about every year. I love it up there, and we don't have to travel far or spend a ton.)

That little journal card was received ages ago in an RAK, I believe it's a My Mind's Eye card. I inked it to better coordinate with the papers. Thickers Rocketeer, also inked, for the title. Random ric rac held on with Recollections silver brads.

The tickets and "lucky me" elements are random loose in my stash. Received these in an RAK as well. The arrow is Scenic Route. All of them are inked. (The ticket with the date on it is hiding some ink that got on my precious little man's head during the whole page making process.)

So there you have it :) I hope to play more today, it's another overcast yucky day. Patryk has soccer and I have to go to the grocery store, but I'm hoping that I can spend some quality time with my glue and paper :)

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

More Crafter's Companion Fairyopolis

Today was my day to post over at the Crafter's Companion Info Blog, and I played with the Fairyopolis Card Making kit and Envelobox Creator add-on board for the Ultimate Crafter's Companion tool. I am so addicted to making these enveloboxes! It really is so easy! Head over to the CCIB to find out what I used to make this beauty, all available through Crafter's Companion. The envelobox took a total of **6 minutes** to make. Amazing! You need the Ultimate tool and Envelobox Creator if you like to make dimensional cards. There is simply no other way to present these cards than in an envelobox!

Have you joined in on the fun this month at the Crafter's Companion USA Challenge Blog? You'll win a nifty Paint Fusion prize pack, so what are you waiting for? The theme is summer, and you can make whatever you want, as long as you use a Crafter's Companion stamp or image, like these beautiful fairies. Enter by the end of them month for your chance to win.

Dream Valley Challenge 9: Father's Day

Wow, it's been 2 weeks already? Crazy. That means it's time for another Dream Valley Challenge :) This time we're asking for your Father's Day creations, which is fitting as the big day right around the corner. Great sponsors this week:

3 images from Karen's Doodles

and...

I wanted to make hubby something really special for Father's Day this year. He is the most amazing man I know (besides my own dad, of course!) He works so hard for all of us. Those who don't know my husband, Eryk: he works third shift, 10:30p-7:30a, driving a big truck for a local newspaper, Foster's Daily Democrat. He brings pallets of another company's papers to them as Foster's prints their papers, and brings a bunch of Foster's papers to one of the local shuttle service companies, C&J Trailways. So in a way, he's a delivery driver who gets paid way more, as he's driving a big ol' box truck. After working a long shift hauling papers around, he returns home to the chaos of 3 kids and a grumpy, not really a morning person, wife. He heads to bed, and somehow sleeps for 6-8 hours with all of the noise and action going on in the living room or outside (Patryk is a very, very, very loud boy) and awakes to join in our day. He's either off to watch Rileigh play softball, one of Andraia's band concerts, Patryk play soccer, or he's out playing handyman, our second source of income. He's really good at fixing stuff :) Lately, he's been working on a van we scored for a sweet deal...yeah, he's a mechanic too. I don't see him much, but he's always hard at work doing something for us, and more importantly, working hard to support the kids AND my crafty dreams. That's what inspired me to make this card. I found these EK stickers a while back (while = years) and have been waiting for the perfect project to feature them, and knew this was it!

I used my Crafter's Companion Ultimate tool for the card base, making it a snap to score the lines of this card, and create the scalloped edge. From there, it was just deciding where to place the stickers! I used Fancypants Love Birds papers, and the tag is a coordinating sticker with an MM heart brad I've had forever. My black pen made little dots around the scalloped edge, making it stand out a bit more. The inside contains my message to hubby. Sorry, those words are for him only :)

My Little Shoebox alpha stickers that matched so well.

Popped up the tag because I loves me some dimension :)

Decided with the dimension of this card, I'd need an envelobox to match. Crafter's Companion Ultimate Tool to the rescue again! more Love birds paper.

So there you have it, my wonderful Father's Day card for hubby, which will accompany the best gift ever...DVD boxed set of the series The Pacific. He owns Band of Brothers, and has been talking about buying this set since he heard it was available. He has no idea, I just have to watch the mail and make sure he doesn't see it before next Sunday :) (Luckily he isn't into reading my blog posts, and he is definitely not into Facebook, so I can spill the beans without fear of him finding out!)

Head on over to Dream Valley Challenges and enter your Father's Day creation...card, layout, altered item, wall hanging...for a chance to win great prizes!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenges: Father's Day

Creative Inspirations: Something for the Dad/Man in Your Life

Paper Play Challenges: Something for Father's Day

One Stop Craft Challenge: Father's Day

The Paper Variety: The Guys

Crafting for All Seasons: Father's Day

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Something for Dad

Crazy 4 Challenges: Man card

More posts headed your way...2 in fact. I really need to start scheduling these things!

Practicing Paint Fusion

Weeks later, and I still love this Paint Fusion from Crafter's Companion. I made this little card last night for my friend Stacy's challenge over at sketches4all, which asked for a messy project. If you could have seen me after I painted that butterfly, you would have seen just how much of a mess I made!

I used the Sheena Douglass Paint Fusion Butterfly stamp set and some Eco Crafts acrylic paint to create the butterfly. (I love the practice sheet that comes included with the stamps, it really makes all the difference in how your finished project comes out!) I had received the papers from my awesome boss over at sketches4all, a 6X6 pad of Lime Twist papers from MME :) Such pretty colors and patterns!

Finished it off with a bow and some alpha stickers, which I felt needed to pop more, so I went around them with some black pen.

Quick card, as the butterfly only takes minutes to paint, and so pretty! My kids wanted me to hang up the butterfly on the wall so everyone could enjoy looking at it LOL I picked up a mirror at a yard sale this weekend with intentions of stripping it and restyling it...maybe butterflies for the girls' room?

Off to finish up the layout I started last night. I meant to get to it earlier, but I forgot that it was "Take Your Family to School" day at Rileigh's school...Patryk and I met Rileigh to have a picnic lunch together :)

New Challenge at sketches4all

Good morning! I'm posting bright and early (but don't get used to it...I've been up since 5:30 due to Rileigh getting a bloody nose and waking me up, while dripping blood everywhere, to help her.)

Yesterday I posted a new challenge over at sketches4all, running until June 29th. This month, I was inspired by the butterflies visiting my dahlias...I am asking you to submit your project using at least 5 butterflies. Here is my example, of course I played with more Crafter's Companion goodies!

I made this card for a wedding I am attending soon (I can't say who as they may see this post, but I am going to a few weddings in the next couple of months, so it's a guessing game until the big day LOL). I pulled out my Fairyopolis Card Making Kit, cutting one of the card bases contained within to the size I wanted (I was looking for a card a bit smaller than the card base actually was.) I put a decoupage fairy together to make a nice dimensional look, and did the same with the butterfly she is reaching for. The remainder of butterflies and the sentiment are rub ons contained in the kit. This card came together so fast!

I pulled out the Envelobox board and made a matching envelobox for it, using a pretty pearlescent cardstock in a shade of purple. You can't see (as I can't show it, the names are on the front) the row of rub on butterflies I adhered across the bottom of the envelope. I love being able to make envelopes that don't destroy my hard work on dimensional projects!

Alright, that's all for now. Head over to Khristen's Challenges at sketches4all and submit your project showcasing butterflies for your chance at winning a great prize pack from my favorite shop (the deals are unbelievable!) Closeout Girl on Etsy. Amy has awesome prizes and is so nice, and is my new go-to store for prize packs. I can afford to send you all more high quality goodies that are from brands we all love, leaving some leftover money for my kiddos and all the stuff they demand (oh, and hubby likes it too LOL)

I'll be posting a couple more times today, I finished up a card and layout last night while the kids were sleeping :) Just waiting for the glorious sunshine to take a few pics.

Stacy has yummy candy :)

My friend Stacy is celebrating her 1st blogiversary with an amazing candy giveaway you just have to go see to believe! Head over and see how you can enter to win this amazing prize package! (And she's added even more goodies since the original post!!) Happy 1st blogiversary, Stacy!

XOXO is back, baby!

We're back and lovin' it!

We took a brief month off over at the True XOXO Blog for a little reorganization and streamlining (brief doesn't even describe the month of May...it feels it lasted a mere week!), and are back with June's challenge. I missed XOXO, what's not to love? Stellar creations each month for you to scraplift, as many as you want, and a chance at winning a stellar monthly prize. I just love seeing everyone's take on the current inspiration layouts, and love seeing who you are all inspired by.

What, you ask, is our prize this month? Well, none other than a subscription to Scrapbooks Etc. magazine! Pretty fantastic, eh?

Here's my layout, which you may recall from another one of my challenges. It was originally designed for XOXO, but thankfully we can use the layouts in other places :) Otherwise, how would this busy mom of 3 be able to get it all done? It was a month ago when I made it, so why don't we all take a peek once again? I loved making this one!

If you're curious about the products I used on this layout, head on over to *this blog post* and read away! I just love how this layout came out. Isn't the banner cute? I've been saving bread tags forever, so it was nice to come up with this idea and clear some out of my stash.

Hope to see your entries over at XOXO (lift me! lift me!) and have a great day! I have a mysterious injury...have to get a little personal...a groin injury. It is seriously unexplainable, as all I did was apply lotion after a shower a couple of days ago. Needless to say it's been a painful few days, with no one to help out with the kids and numerous errands that involve walking and lifting :( The only commitment today is Rileigh's track team meeting at 6pm. I think I'll just have to take it easy today, up in the craft room, bag of frozen peas tucked in between my legs. It's awful, just awful...who wants to ice that area of the body? Seriously...sorry I had to share so much. I just had to vent a bit before I let the lack of mobility get to me. It's been strange not walking the girls to school this week or going for my morning run.

Off to the craft room!

Crafter's Companion June Challenge!

I hope you are all enjoying the middle of the week. I am loving today as it is a quiet one! When there are no activities going on for the kiddos, it's a good day for me :)

Today is challenge day over at the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog, and this time around we're asking for your summer projects. Summer theme or colors are okay here. You MUST use a Crafter's Companion stamp somewhere on your project to be considered for the monthly prize, which is an amazing one! If you participate in our challenge this month, you are in to win a Sheena Douglas Paint Fusion prize pack. We'll be giving away 2 Paint Fusion stamp sets, the Paint Fusion instructional DVD, and 6 tubes of paint...everything you need to get started right away using this great product.

Let me start by saying: I AM NOT A PAINTER. Not at all. That's why I play with paper and glue hahaha! I got this and said "Oh great, there goes my DT status with this company, I can't paint at all!" I popped in the DVD, and couldn't believe how easy it really was. Within minutes, I was painting, and although it didn't look as I'd wanted it to, it still looked great. The Paint Fusion system really makes it easy to look as though you know what you are doing!!!!! The practice sheets included with each stamp set really help limit paper waste, as you can just wipe off the laminated sheet and do it again until you get the brush strokes you want. It really is fool proof!

So here's what I came up with. We always have a big bbq with all of our friends, and this year I wanted to have a beach-y island-y theme. I am going to send out these thank you cards to all who attend. Even my husband told me the flower here looked very tropical :) (He followed that comment up with "But maybe you should have put it on blue paper." I'll have to try that out and see, he thinks it will add to the ocean theme.)

Isn't that great? It took me minutes to make that flower following the instructions included on the DVD. Seriously, minutes. It is going to be so easy to whip up a set of these cards! Why didn't I come up with this for Mother's Day? I could have made my mom a card set! Also keep in mind this is my FIRST ATTEMPT. I wanted to show you all how easy it is to create beautifully painted items with the Paint Fusion system.

Besides the Paint Fusion Butterfly stamp set (which, by the way, is exclusive to the Stamp and DVD bundle offered at the Crafter's Companion website), I used Crafter's Companion paintbrushses (which are excellent brushes), my Rock-A-Blocks to stamp the image, and Eco-Green crafts acrylic paint in white, rose, butternut, mulch, new grass, and zucchini. I love this paint, as I'm always looking for ways to protect the environment. It is just as good, if not better, than the other acrylic paints you would use.

So head over to the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog to have your shot at winning the Paint Fusion prize pack. It is such a great product!!!!!!! I hope to see your entry! You have until June 30th :)

Colorful Creations blog hop winner!

Random.org has once again come through to choose my winner, and the lucky recipient of some happy mail is:

MAUREEN!

She created this beauty:

PM me over at Colorful Creations with your address so I can get your goodies out to you :)

Lots of posts today, so bear with me. I think this is the first of 3 LOL Hope you are having a great day, and thanks to all those that played along in the Colorful Creations blog hop!