Merry Christmas Tree

This is my second card done for a Merry Monday challenge.  I didn't manage to get this card photographed and on this blog in time to actually enter it though, but it was fun to do.  I used an old Christmas paper pack called Christmas Cocoa and the cardstocks are Soft Suede and Very Vanilla.  The tree is from the stamp set Bright Hopes and the phrase is from Greetings of the Season.  I stamped the tree in Versamark and then embossed with Gold embossing powder.  Then I used the Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details to make the red ornaments on the tree.  I also used an embossing folder of snowflakes purchased at a craft store on the Very Vanilla background.  It was a simple card to do and so fun.

Merry Monday Card Challenge

I created this card for a Merry Monday challenge from the site Always Playing with Paper.  I used Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Champagne Glimmer papers, Cherry Cobbler DSP, Cherry Cobbler marker, rhinestones and snowflakes from Northern Hearts and Snowflake Soire stamp sets.  I used a phrase from Retired Stamp set Warmest Regards, all from Stampin' Up.  I also used the 1 1/8 inch circle punch, 1 1/4 inch scalloped circle punch, scalloped oval punch and modern label punch, all from Stampin' Up.  I also ran the vanilla paper through the Big Shot with a Stampin' Up embossing folder with a twinkle burst design.  This is the first card challenge I have ever done and I am so happy with how it turned out.

Where has the time gone?

Wow, it's been almost a year since my last post on here.  I have decided to go back to writing on here instead of going to Facebook every day.  I deleted my facebook page just so I won't be tempted to go on there.  I don't think it will be a problem though, since I haven't really found it interesting for a while.  I am currently re-reading the Work and the Glory series.  I am at the end of book 3.  I love that series!  I also discovered a new author (to me) this summer named Claire Poulsen.  I have read four of his books so far and just purchased another 6 or 7 which I can't wait to read when I am done with the current series.

I have been busy for the last year taking care of my now 18 month old grandson Jackson.  He is such a delight to have around.  He is busy all the time and most loves to go outside.  Last night, Becca, Alyssa and I took him for a walk around the circle in our neighborhood with him pushing his stroller instead of riding in it.  As we walked he pushed part of the time stopping periodically to try to pry the chip seal gravel off the road, pick grass off the neighbors lawns and throw it on the road or put it on the stroller seat to save for later.  He also stumbled and fell once making a slight scrape on his knee which he often stopped for to rub it every steps he took.  We got such a good laugh out of watching him walk a few steps and stop to rub his knee, walk again, stop and rub.  After walking halfway around he decided he had enough and only Grandma could carry him.  After doing that for a while and my arms aching more and more I had Becca lift him to sit on my shoulders where he stayed the rest of the way home.  He then bounced on my shoulders saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah".  He keeps us all thoroughly entertained and laughing most of the afternoon and evening.

I recently designed a couple of cards that I let my neighbor use for her monthly group of Stampin' Up demonstrators at their card swap.  One was a raspberry colored card and the other a blue Christmas card.  I will post those soon and hope to design and post more cards as well as scrapbook pages.  I love to do both but don't find as much time as I would like to do those.  Here's to finding and making more time.

Martha Stewart Glitter Shoes

Cassidy and I decided to do a new craft I saw on the Martha Stewart show. We loved these shoes and decided to do ours to show support for the Boise State Broncos. They turned out great and they were so fun to make. I did mine with some rhinestones on the toes and the backs of the shoes. Cassidy did hers with rhinestones only on the back. Both pairs look cute! We plan to buy some blue shoelaces as soon as they come back in stock at the store where we got the shoes. Then they will really look great. We had so much fun with this, I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to have some fun.

Mormon.org

Baby Blanket for my first Grandson

Last April, I learned how to crochet from my friend Nicole. After learning some basic stitches, I went home to practice. I started out with a simple scarf and did a couple of those figuring out along the way what was right and what was wrong. After the scarves, I wanted to start making something simple like a baby afghan. I found a book of beginner patterns and this was my favorite. The pattern calls for five colors which I did in the beginning, making three of the same thing. But when I found out my son and his wife were expecting a boy, I modified the original which had pink and purple in it to just the blue, green and yellow. So while this is the fourth one I've crocheted, it's the first designed for a boy. I gave one of the first ones I did to my hair stylist who is expecting her first granddaughter in a few months. I can't wait to see my new grandson in just a few short weeks!

Happy 15th Birthday, Cassidy

I made this card today for Cassidy's birthday. I used Stampin' Up supplies and one Martha Stewart punch. Papers used are whisper white, melon mambo, daffodil delight and DSP Razzleberry Lemonade print. Punches used are oval, scalloped oval and Martha Stewart Double Edge punch called Linked Trim. Ribbon used is Crushed Curry dot ribbon. Stamps used are Eastern Blooms and Warmest Regards phrases. On the back piece of Melon Mambo I used the Polka Dot Textured Embossing Folder in the Big Shot. I colored in the flower stamp with melon mambo and soft suede markers. Also I stamped the Happy Birthday with soft suede. When I punched the edge I turned the punch upside down so as to make sure not to punch off the edge so I could thread the ribbon. The ribbon wraps around the whole card so as to tie in the middle.

Some fun for Cassidy's birthday was her coming home early from school after her final exams and having to spend an hour searching for her pet gerbil, Henry, who had escaped his cage and went down our basement stairs and into the food storage pantry where he hid well enough that we had no idea where he was until we were searching for a while and he happened to come out of the pantry and Cassidy was able to see him before he turned and hid back in the pantry. We were able to catch him and put him back in his cage with his buddy, Charlie. We have forbidden Dad to go near the cage since he has a habit of leaving the door open so they escape.