Book Worm Ruby Book Mark

I  squeezed some crafting time in, mostly because of all the amazingly darling bookmarks posted on Sparkle's Stamp blog for the #58 challenge - anything but a card. After seeing all the fun inspiration, I couldn't put off making something any longer so I finally mounted my new stamps from the past two orders onto some cling and did a marathon stamping out session of all my new image goodies and even stamped out images from my oldies since I had only 3 pre-stamped images left. Because the bookmarks were what inspired me, I had to make one for myself. I adore how this came out! Colored with my usual pencils and white gel pen. I also used black ink in the hair as well and I really like how it turned out ;) Anyway, I hope you all have a fabulous labor day weekend!

A Couple Thank You Cards

Wow, I didn't realize I'd been missing for so long! My last post was over two months ago! The good news is I did great this last semester and aced all my classes even though the work load was more than I'll probably ever take again, lol. It's just way too hard to take 6 classes and still take care of a family, well for me anyway, especially since I feel like I have to give 100% to everything ;) The bad news is that I've spent the last 2 1/2 weeks sick and more than a week of it practically bedridden because I have both viral and bacterial infections to get over. I've basically been down and out pretty much the entire time I had for the semester break since I'm taking summer courses. But I am feeling a bit better now. After I lost my voice, my visiting teachers brought our family dinner for two nights plus enough to last for leftovers for a few nights more. I really wanted to make them thank you cards, since it helped us out so much. So I had logged on last week just long enough to check out Sparkle's challenge, which was to use flowers, and there was a sketch for a challenge site she was hosting that week too. Here's the first card I made. I used the challenges, but didn't enter in time since I didn't feel well enough to edit the photos or post to the bloggo before today.

And here's the second card I made. I really wanted to try those rosettes that Sparkle had made months ago, and finally got the chance to try them out. My first ones were a little tight, they look more like spirals than rosettes, hehe. These second ones look a bit more like rosettes. Hopefully they aren't completely out of style yet, since I loved making them and think they are darling! And I just realized after looking at the photo that I didn't finish shading in her shirt! I hope that went unnoticed since Debra is a crafter herself, lol. The cards have long since been delivered by my sweetie hubby who has spent the last 2 weeks taking care of 3 sick girlies (yes, my poor daughters were sick as well though thankfully not as badly as I was). I haven't hugged, kissed, or even gotten to hold my little cuties for nearly 2 weeks now! I just don't want to get them to catch what I have since it's been so bad. But since today I'm feeling much better, I'm hoping by the weekend I'll be well enough to make up on all those missed snuggles! Thanks for sticking around ;) And I hope you enjoy the cards!

Have a Rockin' Good Birthday

Today is our friend Mark's b-day and this is the card I made for him. I made the card with Sparkle's challenge this last week, which is to use punches. I don't really have any manly punches so I figured circles would have to do. I really like the way this card came out. It's just circles punched out and put on top of another piece of pattern paper, so the card is really simple, but the patterns make it so fun! Anyway, I've been bombarded with homework and life this past week, so finally getting to make this card was a much needed pick-me-up. At least for the next few hours ;)

Last Thursday we got a call from the dermatologist. They had gotten the results back on Paul's biopsy and the test came back that the mole was malignant, meaning it was a melanoma cancer. However, the good news is that it hasn't metastasized at all and he'll just need a simple surgery to make sure they get all of it out, plus we're getting an amazing doctor, apparently, for the surgery. We go up to SLC on Tuesday for that and they'll do a full body scan to make sure there are no more. The part that really sucked for Paul was that he called his mom to tell her about what was going on, and found out that his parents are getting divorced. My poor hubby. So far he says he's actually fine with it all and said he had seen signs of the problems mom had mentioned to him were the reasons for the split back 16 years ago when he lived at home, but I can't help but worry about the poor guy.

Then on top of the worrying I found out that the House passed a bill to lower the amount of Pell Grants given out, drastically reduce the amount any person can receive for the Pell, and completely cut out other student programs to help with funding. I wrote my letters to our senators against passing it in the Senate but it's hard to know what will happen. The Pell Grant has been the only way I've been able to afford going back to school, so I'm stressed about what we'll do if the bill actually passes. I really hope it doesn't. Add that to mid-terms week. Blah. Next weeks schedule promises to be busy still but after that it's spring break and I totally need it! Hopefully I can hold out going crazy with life until then. Anyway, thanks for letting me spout about our weekly drama. On a happier note, I was featured as the sketch artist Thursday on Eat Sleep and Stamp for my ketto card last week using the #119 sketch! So a definite ego pick-up for me ;) I hope you all enjoy the card and have a wonderful Sunday!

Boys Rule Challenge

Here's my card for the Boys Rule Challenge over at Sparkle Creations and for the CPS Sketch Challenge she's hosting! One of my nephews has a birthday this next month, so this challenge ended up being perfect for me. The girls and I have been doing much better, no one's had a fever for a couple days now. C will get to go to school tomorrow and, lucky her, she gets to take a unit reading comprehension test. I unfortunately have to take a test as well (for chemistry), lol. But fortunately for us we're both pretty good students and we've both done our studying ;) Anyway, enjoy the card and have a wonderful week!

Sweet Treats Paper Piecing

I finally got a chance to play along with this week's challenge on Sparkle Creations, which is paper piecing! I have to say that it's been a while since I've done this technique and I've been a bit lazy when it comes to paper-crafting lately so it took me a while to get in the mode to make this card. I do love the way the piecing came out in the end though! This last week has been more crazy than usual for us, lots of appointments for Paul (dentist, doctor, and dermatologist, poor guy had to have a mole removed, he has a couple stitches from that, as well as a molar removed!), White Ribbon week at the elementary, 2 tests and a big project for me, oh and we all apparently have RSV - which we found out Friday night when the doc called us back with culture results. Little A has it the worst and she was coughing really bad, but the doc said she's doing alright and as far as risks go she's past the age when RSV is a real danger. Today she was doing a little better, so I'm hoping it will just be recovery from here on out. Anyway, a bright cheerful card to combat our dreary rainy weekend here and our sick little family ;) Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Sammified B-Day Josh

We've had such a busy week, so I've been playing catch-up all weekend. One of these things was to make a b-day card for our BIL, Sam. So using the sketch challenge at Sparkle Creations, I whipped up this card during our complex's kids club Valentine activity. The girls made cute Valentines and I made a b-day card ;) After seeing a few different looks on the soft colored hair style, I thought I'd try it out. After I was done I just felt like his hair was missing something, so I added highlights with the white gel pen. It was fun to color his hair differently than I'm used to. I'll definitely try the soft look again sometime, maybe I'll get it looking right enough to leave out the highlights. Anyway, enjoy the card and have a wonderful weekend!

It's a Girl Thing!

While this semester has given me a lot more busy work, I find that it has also gotten me to take more breaks. It's been really nice to reward myself with some me time after finishing a draft, or studying a chapter. Usually it comes in the form of some quick blog hopping through my fav sites, bookmarking and saving tutorials as I go. If I'm lucky it involves crafty time to make something fun ;) Today, after revising one of my papers, I sat down and played in this weeks Sparkle Creations Challenge. The theme is "It's a Girl Thing!" I tried pleating and stitching my ribbon to the card. While the pleating came out pretty well, I didn't realize while sewing that I was at a slant. So my ribbon is a little crooked going across. Next time I'll know to watch for that ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the card. Thanks for stopping by!

A "Lovely" Birthday

The #27 challenge on Sparkle Creations is the theme "Love is in the Air"! I've been in the mood to make valentine's goodies but haven't had much time for crafting. In fact, I should have probably been revising one of my papers instead of playing around, but sometimes a girl just needs a break! I cased Sparkle's sample card so that I would spend less time thinking of a layout ;) This card is for my sister since her b-day is the day after Valentines. There are some fun sparkles on her dress ruffle, hat, and party horn. Enjoy and have a terrific Thursday!

Stamps: Celebrating Chloe from Sparkle Creations, sentiment from Cupcake Collection by PTI
Paper: Simple Valentine and cardstock in Pure Poppy by PTI
Other: white brads, Nestibilities, colored pencils, copic marker, white gel pen, Fiskars apron lace border punch, EK Success heart punch

Birthday Chloe Inspiration Challenge

This week at Sparkle Creations the challenge is to make a card from an inspiration photo of some darling Pottery Barn luggage. I finally colored up one of my b-day Chloe images. She has fun sparkles on her dress, hat, and party horn though the camera didn't pick it up. I just kept the card simple since I don't have a lot of time to play at the moment. I just needed a break from homework ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoy! It's back to reading textbooks for me. Have a terrific Thursday!

Sketch Challenge - SCRS

I finished up my homework tonight and had some time to play! One of my nieces has a birthday coming up next week and I need to get a card out in the mail soon. So I grabbed one of my prestamped Chloe images and went to work. This card is super simple and flat so that I can just slap a stamp on there and send it out. We'll be putting some fun stickers inside for her as well as a couple images to color ;) She's a year younger than A so I figure she should enjoy about the same things. Everytime I stamp out some images for later, I end up having to stamp some out for both my girls. They love Chloe (she's their favorite) so I'm sure they'll be extra excited when my new b-day Chloe gets here. I know I will be! Anyway, this card is using the sketch challenge going on at Sparkle's Creations this week. The sketch is super cute and so easy! I'm sure I'll be using this one again in the future. Enjoy the card and have a great Tuesday evening!

Tie It Up Challenge

It's the last day to play in this weeks challenge on Sparkle's Creations and I finally got my card together. This one was a real stumper for me. I love ribbon and baker's twine and I actually have quite of bit of it, but I do have a hard time using them on my projects. Thankfully the design team's cards were full of inspiration on that ;) This is my card. I'm so happy with the way her dress and hair came out! Enjoy and have a lovely Sunday!

Rin with Snowman

It's so nice to color a small image! The art projects for my design class had to be on 17x15 inch drawing paper, so coloring anything took a really long time! I made this card for Sparkle's challenge, this week it's stitching - faux or real. Rin is colored with pencils, the background is pencil with gamsol, the shading is with a copic, and highlights are done with a white gel pen. Anyhoo, I'm off to make some dinner - french toast, lol! Enjoy!

Fall Birthday

Another month has flown by and it's so nice to finally sit down and craft. Can you believe I haven't bought any crafting stuff in 2 months?! I guess that's what happens when you've got a family and you go back to school, lol. I feel like all my free time is spent trying to get time in with them. I had gotten a few goodies back in August but haven't gotten to touch them and my desk still has the Halloween papers I was going to do more crafting with from back at the beginning of October. While this isn't new paper really, it is paper I hadn't cut into yet ;) This card is for Sparkle's #17 stamp challenge. Both Sparkle and LHM are doing this sketch challenge this week. I'm in need of a few fall b-day cards so Chloe was up again. She's been my go-to stamp for birthdays. It felt so nice to play with some paper and glue!!

The weather here has finally cooled down enough to be called fall ;) We had a pretty hectic October and unfortunately the girls didn't get to do any trick or treating this year. C came down with a bad bug and by the Thursday before Halloween she sounded awful and was running a fever. The doc said no school or trick or treating unless the fever was gone, not only was she very contagious but the cough was moving down into her chest. So she ended up missing school for a couple days and also Halloween. Because they didn't get to trick or treat (A still got to go to one Halloween party with a friend), I made a fun witch/treasure hunt game for them. It lasted about an hour and a half and they used nerf guns to shoot down ghosts, found hearts to turn their zombie dolls and animals back to normal (we made little cardstock masks and taped them to their faces), and had to follow a map to find the Witch's Watchtower, shoot the witch down, and blow up the tower with golden grenades (candy they collected throughout the hunt). The girls had a blast and it was fun to make up a role playing game for them to enact. Thankfully, C's cough was much better by Monday and her fever gone. It always worries me so much when they get so sick like that! Anyway, tomorrow I'll be getting them in their costumes to take pictures, now that C is all better ;) Thanks for visiting and have a lovely weekend!

Haunted Tunes

After last weekend's decorating and b-day card I've been in a Halloweeny mood. This week Sparkle has a sketch up for the challenge, so I pulled out the Halloween papers and set to work using Josh with this card since I had him already stamped out. I like to stamp an image a couple of times when I go to make a card that way I have one already to go next time around ;) The girls have had their costumes picked out for a couple weeks already, A wants to be Spidergirl again and this year C wants to be Batgirl. I love that they picked out superheroes for another year. As much as I like the Disney Princesses, I've always felt that women superheroes were much better role models ;) Anyway, I have all this cute Halloween paper from last year, this set is from My Minds Eye and I also have a bit of last years American Crafts Halloween line as well. I'm hoping to get in a little crop time tomorrow night at a friends, but we'll see. I also have a cute mermaid doll I made for A's b-day I haven't taken pics of yet which I'll hopefully get around to doing this weekend as well and I still have homework plus an art project to do before midterms next week. Anyway enjoy the card and have a fabulous weekend!

Spooky Chloe B-Day Wishes

Nearly a month has flown by since I last made a post! While my classes aren't difficult and I've knocked out 2 of my 6 courses already (they were at your own pace online classes), I haven't set aside the time to craft even though I'm sure I could carve it out somewhere. Every weekend I tell myself, today I'm going to create! Of course from my lack of posts it's obvious that creating, I have not. Well, at least nothing of the scrappy or sewy sort. But this Sunday we're doing a family get together and I needed another b-day card, so it was the perfect reason to check out Sparkle's weekly challenge and play along with the sketch this week;)

This particular card is for one of my sis-in-laws. I love making her halloweeny b-day cards since hers is so close to the holiday. The girls and I are really excited for this weekend because not only are we having the birthday get together Sunday and A will be celebrating her 5th, but we are also decorating for Halloween on Saturday. It's a fun newer tradition for us now that we've been collecting decor the past couple years and the girls love going through the storage totes and pulling out all the fun holiday goodies! Anyway, sorry for such a long time between my last post, I'm hoping to get on at least once a week but we'll see ;) Either way enjoy the card and I hope you're all having a wonderful fall!

On Her Way Chloe

Wow has it been a busy week! Classes started for me Monday and you can imagine what our place looks like right now. It is such a mess! The only usual at home things I've been able to do are getting up with C to do our morning routine, cook dinners, and then some laundry. Pretty much everything else is left to deal with itself. Thankfully Paul has been doing dish duty and the folding/putting away the laundry since all I've really been doing in that department is tossing it in the wash. Anyway, the site our college uses for online work is down for scheduled maintenance so I decided to take a break and make a card for Sparkle's weekly challenge! This week was to use a travel theme. Scooter Chloe is the only one I have that goes with the theme so I used her with the last of these darling tickets to make a fun b-day card. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and have a lovely Sunday!

Quite Contrary Paper by My Minds Eye

Quite Contrary Ticket by My Minds Eye

Scooter Chloe by Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps

Flowers by Prima

Buttons by Papertrey Ink and CTMH

Rhinestone by Kaiser

Colored with Pencils/Gamsol

Stickles

Sentiments from Faux Ribbon and Ink by Papertrey Ink

White Gel Pen

Lantern Rin Sketch Challenge

I'm loving little Lantern Rin! She is such a doll and so fun to color. The challenge this past week at Sparkle Creations is a lovely sketch designed by Mary Giles. It was a lot of fun putting this card together and I even got to cut into some old basic grey sheets I've been hoarding ;) I used the gamsol technique with pencils on everything except her hair, face, and some of the very tiny parts. After a tough week it was really nice to relax and color. We've had sick girls since last Friday. They've just about gotten over it and I'm glad to have the house smelling, sounding, and looking normal again, instead of radiating lemon Vics vapor rub with hacking, sniffling, and whining in the background and tissues littered all over the place, hehe. Anyway, enjoy the card and have a lovely weekend!

Emboss Josh

Isn't he a cutie pie?! This weeks Sparkle's Creations Challenge is to use embossing, dry or wet, on your card. I picked dry embossing since I haven't played with my emboss cards in forever! I also embossed the sentiment circle to define it a little more. I used the Laura's #58 Sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You for the layout of the card and tried something a little different with my pencils, using the white pencil for shading/blending. It actually worked pretty well. I'll have to remember that like with gamsol it tends to blend darker, which means I'll have to lighten up my coloring a bit. The vibrant colors look great with Josh in this though so I'll take this as a coloring win for me ;)

Between our internet (it took them 3 days and 3 different techs to figure out the problem which ended up not being the modem and something with the signal to our entire building) and back to school we've been pretty crazy the past week. C loves her new teacher and class, and the best part is she still gets to see all her old friends from Kindergarten during lunch and recess! She's making new friends and having a lot of fun ;) And here I was worried she would have a hard time handling full day school, hehe. Over the weekend some friends and I got in our last hurrahs before school started with a few crops and I've got some fun layouts to share with you later after I snap some photos of them ;) Anyway, enjoy the card and have a great weekend!

Favorite Embellie Chloe

The challenge this past week at Sparkle Creations was to use your favorite embellies!! It was way too hard to narrow down to a single favorite so I picked glazed brads, flowers, and rhinestones - since I've been using them on everything! Our internet has been on the fritz all weekend and completely stopped working Sunday before I finished my card so I didn't get to post this after I made it but oh well ;) So we have no phone line or internet right now. We think it's the modem but I guess we'll find out for sure later today (hopefully!) Enjoy the card and have a wonderful Monday!

Paper by Sassafras and My Minds Eye
Flower by Prima
Glazed Brad Indian Summer by Basic Grey
Rhinestones by Kaiser
Kraft Cardstock from Papertrey Ink
Scooter Chloe from Sparkle Creations Stamps

Sweet Surprise Ruby

This week #3 SCRS Challenge is an inspiration challenge. I needed a jump start on mine so I ended up using the ESS #93 card sketch via Sparkle's Blog since the inspiration photo simply made me crave dessert. We have the goodies for strawberry shortcake so that will satisfy my sweet tooth for now ;) Isn't Cupcake Ruby a cutie pie? I hope she's sharing that cupcake with some friends! Enjoy and have a great Thursday!

Papers by October Afternoon

Cardstock by American Crafts

Rhinestones by Kaiser

Sentiment by Papertrey Ink

Image by Sparkle Creations