Little Cards.....

for a new challenge. Well, new to me anyway. And you all know how I just love a new challenge. I found this Cardvarks Clean and Simple Challenge through my friend Kelley's blog. I am always amazed at how she finds all these great sites.....I wish I had more time, but for now, I'll just have to rely on her! (Hope ya don't mind, girl!)

I've noticed that over the past few months, basically since Kellan has been born that I have been reverting back to a clean & simple style. I got kind of carried away a while back....which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I just find that clean & simple (and quick) is been good for me lately! So of course I was so happy to play along with this challenge!

I've been trying to use up things that I have....and I had this set of little pre-scored 3 x 3 cards, that I thought would be fun to use. So here's what I did with them.

Also, last week, I picked up some of these 1 inch mat board pieces....they are so fun to play with. I have a few other cards that I just made using them as well.

Here's a close up of the little mat board.These two are for halloween. I think the orange one is my favorite. The green one is missing something, I think. I think it needs some orange. Maybe I should have stamped the 'Happy Halloween' in orange.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day.

Moxie Fab Offset Scallops Challenge.

Happy Friday Afternoon!

I had a great card class last night....it was really small, but wonderful! Thanks again ladies for making class what it is.

I had the chance the other day to make a card for the latest Moxie Fab Challenge: Offset Scallops! This one was really fun.

I decided to make a card for a baby boy....hmmmm, I wonder what has influenced that decision?

I also really love blues. And the new Marina Mist from SU is just gorgeous! I used my offset scallops in 3 different shades of blue to mimic ocean waves! And I just love this cute little whale!

Sorry the picture isn't the greatest....it's been a little soggy around here, and so I took the pic inside instead of out!

Gonna keep it short, got to go pick up the 3 big boys from school!

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day....and a great weekend too!

Supplies:

Paper: Whisper White , Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue

Inks: Marina Mist

Stamps: Fox and Friends (SU) Signature Greetings (PTI)

Other: Corner Chomper, Marina Mist 1/8 inch Taffeta Ribbon, 1" circle punch, Stickles

A Card, Some News, and a Confession

Okay, so I know it was a few days ago, that I promised a card, but my life has just been insanely busy. It seems like the only spare time I have to sit down, I'm nursing a baby!

Here is a card I made a while back when I was messing around with some ideas for a CAS challenge using bling!

And now for some news.....some of you may already know this, but after 7 years with Stampin' UP, my days as a demonstrator with them are sadly over. This was a long thought out process, and in the end, although I love the company and I love their product, I just need that change in my life. The day I made the decision, a HUGE weight was lifted off of me. I will still be teaching/hosting card class, because I still love doing that, and I have come to truly love and enjoy the ladies who come regularly.....I may supply the paper and the designs, but you girls really make card class what it is!!! (Tear!)

And now for my confession. What could it be, you are wondering? Well, for the past 6 weeks or so that it has been since I have crafted, or made any cards, I have been really happy! For the past 8 or more years now, paper crafting has been a big passion of mine and a huge stress outlet for me. This past year, dealing with a difficult pregnancy, and bringing my 4th child into the world, and trying to "keep up with the Jones" so to speak in the card/blog world, I just wasn't happy. I think I got away from why I started in the first place. I like to make card and paper craft for me. I got really bogged down with trying to keep up with different challenges, feeling like I had to make a card every week for every challenge that I had ever taken part in. I felt so inferior to all you other paper crafters out there who create AMAZING things, who seemed to craft all the time, win challenges, get published, and have an amazing life for themselves and their families as well. I just couldn't do it. I was beginning to feel like I could barely keep my head above water. Crazy I know, but I have a very intense and competitive personality....it is what it is.

So towards the end of the summer, I decided to take a break. In the past, if I haven't crafted in a while (like 2 or 3 days) it was like I went crazy! But this long break for me has been great! I hate to admit it, but I have really enjoyed not crafting. I was able to really focus on my kids being home from school, and spend time with them and ENJOY them....especially Kellan!

Well, I'm back now, I don't know that I'm going to be as intense as I was before, but we'll just have to see how things go. I started up card class again this month, and I'm really excited about that. I'm also working on a card for a Moxie Fab Challenge......so check back!

Lastly, thank you to all of you who stop by and visit this blog....I originally started it just for me, to document my crafting, so I'm trying to get back to that.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

It's been too long....

Hey all-
Is there anyone out there that still even visits this blog?

The end of summer and the beginning of the school year have been really crazy for me, and that's why you haven't seen anything (cards or not) posted here. But I'm hoping by next week to be back into my regular groove. The card class that I host/teach is starting up again next Thursday, so I'm hoping that it will get me motivated to get stamping again.

I have to admit, and I never thought that I would feel this way, that I has actually been a really nice hiatus this past month or so. It's actually kind of refreshing to have had a break from crafting and stamping, and just focus on enjoying my children and the summer.

I'm hoping tomorrow to post a card.....what? Yep, you heard it right, so if you still stop by and visit me, check back real soon.....I also have some news to share.......

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

MIA

Where have I been you ask?
We lost Internet service Tuesday evening, and have been working with the Internet provider to get things resolved, but still nothing.
So how am I posting this, you ask? I am sitting in my beach chair in my front yard, connected to my neighbor's network....crazy!
Hoping to be back by early next week with some really exciting things to share! A huge box of stamps and supplies arrived last week and I haven't had the chance to play with them yet, so I hope to have a few new things to post.
Hope y'all are having a great August....my kids go back to school in 3 weeks, which should allow me to really have some time to myself to stamp and craft. It feels like I haven't been able to do much this summer, but I guess that's the price to pay for spending time with my kids!!!
Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day.

A CAS Bling Challenge

SHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone!

I'm supposed to be cleaning the craft room.

But I couldn't resist making this card when the idea came popping into my head.

Gonna make this a real short post so I can get back to work!!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

Supplies:

Paper: Crumb Cake (SU)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU)

Stamps: Apple Blossoms set (SU)

Other: Brown String, Corner Chomper, Colored Rhinestones

A Button Challenge: EBTKS #20

I had the chance to make a couple of cards yesterday, and this was one of them. I absolutely love using buttons on cards, so this was a super fun challenge for me. It was fun too, because I got to use a stamp set that has not seen ink yet, which is always good!

I have a real itch to craft today, but so far I have forced myself to work on my craft space. I know y'all are probable sick of me talking about what a mess I have and what a task it has been so far and will continue to be for some time. With the baby, I only have time to do a little here and there. What I really need is an entire day! Even though I still have a ways to go, it feels so good to clean everything out. My hopes are that with fewer things, I will use what I have, more. Does that make sense?

Kellan is sleeping right now, he didn't have a very good night last night, so I'm hoping to get a couple hours out of him, so hopefully I can get a good amount accomplished and then reward myself with making a few cards!

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

Supplies:

Paper: Whisper White (SU)

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Chocolate chip (SU)

Stamps: Playful Pieces (SU) Signature Greetings (PTI)

Other: Yellow Stickles, Vintage buttons (PTI)