Sweet Sunday Sketch #83

Good evening! Where has the day gone? I'm counting hours left until school starts back up. Approximately 15 hours until the kiddos come walking through my door. Weird. I restrained myself and didn't go work in my classroom today. I deserve one day off, right? However, I did break down and work on some computer things this morning before church. And I ran a few quick errands for work after church. But I'm home now. And I refuse to work on anything more! (until I can think of something that I just have to work on, lol.)

Can I just say that I love Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch for this week? I got a sneak peak of it last night, and the wheels started turning in my head. I've had these beautiful blooms dies from PTI that have been sitting since I purchased them a month or two back. This was the perfect sketch with which to initiate them! Then I was cruising through some of my favorite blogs, when I ended up on my friend Marisa's blog. The new Curtain Call Challenge was issued, and the colors were heavenly! Blues and greens and kraft, oh my! I just had to work with it. Now, I don't have the new Stampin' Up colors yet, so I did substitute in some similar (I hope!) colors. I used PTI's Enchanted Evening and Spring Moss. Some ric rac, half pearls, scallops, buttons, and circles later... Tahdah! My first card in a week! Ah, I love stamping. Oh!! I also played around with some new Verve-y goodness. Isn't that sentiment sweet?! LOVE the font and the gorgeous flowers in this set (which I didn't use...*gasp!*...yet.)

The joy of stamping every day is coming to an end once again. Now that it's back to reality, there will probably be only a couple posts each week rather than a post each day. Don't expect to see a ton of me this first week back, lol. I may be sleeping the moment I get home!!! I'm always wide awake and full of adrenaline the first day, but usually crash hard by day 3. I already can't wait to sleep in on Saturday! :)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful week and wish me luck! And happy first day of school to many of you out there!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Great Friend
Paper- Enchanted Evening, Kraft, Spring Moss, Pretty Pastels dp, Bitty Box dp
Ink- Enchanted Evening
Accessories- twine, buttons, ric rac die, medium scallop die, half pearls, nestabilities, beautiful blooms die #2

Viva la Verve!

I'm alive. Barely. lol

I got the "go" on Tuesday morning to move my classroom over to my new room. I took my roomie along for the ride and we spent Tuesday moving everything in the 105 degree heat. Bleck!

Wednesday brought my roomie and my parents along for the ride to unpack, put up walls, run copies, and help with basically everything to set up a room for the school year. Thursday was more of the same.

Friday was our official staff development day. Meetings all morning, followed by even more prepping of the classroom with the roomie's help.

That brings us to today. Saturday. A day of rest. 'Cause I'm exhausted! I am in utter shock by how quickly we were able to pull everything together. Yes, folks. We packed, moved, unpacked, put up, and prepared a room for the school year in just 3 days. Three. Trois. Tres. Crazy! I went to be at 10:00 last night and slept until 10:00 this morning. I ran a few errands in the late morning, came home and took a 2 hour nap. Every muscle, every emotion is tired. So thank goodness I've had this card finished since last weekend, ready for such a day as this. Ain't no stamping happening today. I'm heading to bed early!

This is the third Viva la Verve challenge for August. I took the first inspiration picture (it had Rich Razzleberry in it!) and turned it into, in my opinion, a so-so card. I must have been tired when I made this one, lol. I did lots of staining around the edges and added a contrasting chocolate ribbon rather than purple or white. It kept things a little darker. :)

I'm off to lounge around some more. Soooo tired! I had to text my roomie to tell her that I'm not going to make it to her concert tonight. It's about an hour away, and I'm literally scared to drive that alone right now. I'm that tired. Maybe I'll get some stamping in tomorrow. But ready or not, the kiddos are coming on Monday! Back to the work grind. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- PTI: Big & Bold Wishes, Fancy Flourishes
Paper- Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Pale Plum, Cottage Wall dp
Ink- Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, Old Olive
Accessories- ribbon, dimensionals, tea dye stain, embossing folder

Viva la Verve!

Good morning! It's going to be a good day, I can just feel it! I'm off to my classroom (Don't get too excited... Off to the old classroom.) to do the last little bit of packing, and start running lots and lots of copies to get ready for the start of school... Which is one week from today. Oh where, oh where did summer go? I don't feel like I had a summer. It was too busy. Too full. Too tiring. Too fun. Can I have a summer from my summer? lol

But, alas, it's back to reality, and coming more quickly that I would like to think. The estimate as of this weekend for moving into my new room is still Wednesday-ish. I'm praying, however, that they finish up today and I can start moving tomorrow. Maybe those construction guys will work extra hard (and fast!!) for little 'ole me if I bat my eyes, bake them cookies, and bring them some lemonade. It's worth a try, no?!


After some work, I'm heading out to join the Book Club gals at the movies. We're off to see Eat, Pray, Love this evening. We read the book a year or two ago, and I have to admit that none of us liked it! lol. (Well, we all liked Italy. Who wouldn't?!) However, we have a strict pact to always see the movies of books we have read. I think our next one will be Water for Elephants next year (that was a great book by the way. Perhaps THE most perfect ending to a story. Ever.).

All right. Enough chit chat. On to the card! This is the fourth and final week of the Viva la Verve challenges over on Verve's Splitcoast forum. We walked through master bedrooms this month, and I was doing just fine with all of that incredible inspiration until this week. Pottery Barn may be my chryptonite, lol. I needed to cruise through their website to see what kinds of goodness they had in the store for inspiration when I stumbled across this little beauty of a set. Be still my heart! It's love, I tell you. Love. So, I saved the image to my desktop and added that little beauty to my shopping cart! I haven't actually clicked purchase yet. I thought I had maybe better sleep on it so that it isn't such an impulse buy. But I love it! Even my roommate took one look at it and said, "Oh yeah. That's totally looks like you." See? Is it meant to be?! And it's on SALE! Ah! Seriously, Amber. What are you doing to me?!

I tried to keep some white on this card since the background of the duvet is white. To make the buttons pop just a little bit, I used some nesties in the various colors behind the buttons. I was going to use some Dark Chocolate ribbon, but horror of horrors, I didn't have enough to make a bow! It ran out! Ah! Must order more immediately! So, I dug into my random ribbon stash (haven't done that for a while!), and found some amazing brown polka dotted ribbon. So fun! And last, but not least, the top corner was feeling a little lonely, so I added a few red jewels for some sparkle. If only I had a sewing machine. Can you image how perfect this card would be with a little stitching around the perimeter of the red Tea Leaves dp? Oh well. Someday. And one last thing, that you've likely already noticed, is that I converted the card into a square card. For some reason this sketch screamed square at me, and hey, I've gotta follow the inspiration.

That's enough out of me for today. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Beautiful Kindess
Paper- Whisper White, Lemon Tart, Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, Spring Rain, Tea Leaves dp, Bitty Box dp
Ink- Chocolate Chip
Accessories- ribbon, buttons, twine, nestabilities, jewels, dimensionals, apron lace punch

Sweet Sunday Sketch #81

Good morning! I can't tell you how excited I am that it is Sunday. I have been waiting for Sunday all week long! I am just in one of those moods to be at church. Sometimes church can feel like a chore, something I do because I know it honors God and His word is so important. But other times, like now, I'm so on fire and I can't wait to go and soak up His teachings!

And in honor of it being Sunday, I have my Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge from last week to share with you. I finished this up earlier in the week, but held off on posting it until it reached its recipient. Hopefully she's received it by now. :)


A dear friend of ours just had some major surgery, and all has gone well. But Amy and I wanted to send her a card to let her know that we are still thinking about her and praying for her quick and perfect healing. Amy dug through all of my "Get Well" cards, but couldn't find one that spoke to her, hehe. So, shucks, I just had to make a new one. We went through all of my "Get Well" themed stamps and the moment Amy laid eyes on this MFT set, it was magic!

I did a ton of paper piecing on this card. Everything but her skin has been pieced with some My Mind's Eye Be Loved dp. I added some big buttons and snuck a little twine on there, both wrapped and woven into the buttons. I placed the sentiment on the inside so as to not upstage the big image and buttons. I think it would have drowned on the front, anyhow. It says, "Kick back and relax." So perfect for our friend! She's even headed to the Grand Californian at Disneyland with her hubby for some quality recovering time. :) Oh, a second larger pair of paper pieced bunny slippers found their way inside the card as well. I couldn't help myself.

Tomorrow, I'm actually heading back in to my classroom. No, it's not ready for the move yet, but I now hvae boxes and I can finish packing the last little things in preparation. One of my teammates also generously offered to let me camp out in her room to take care of paperwork. I plan on running a whole lot of copies tomorrow, as much as I can to prepare. At least that way I'll feel like I'm actually doing something to prepare for the start of school. It's looking like move-in day might be Wednesday and Thursday (staff meetings all day Friday). Then school starts Monday. It's going to be CRAZY! I've recruited my roommate and my dad, but am still trying to scrounge up a few more slaves to make it all go a little bit quicker (moving, unpacking, setting up- walls, desks, everything!).

Phew! Enough out of me. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your Sunday!
Supplies-
Stamps- MFT: Bunny Slippers
Paper- Sage Shadow, Melon Berry, Very Vanilla, MME Be Loved dp
Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories- twine, buttons, tea dye stains, copics

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #87

Good afternoon! I think I'm all recovered from the Verve Release party last night. It was so fun chatting it up, finding out who will be at CHA, and getting to see the new sets in all their glory. I ordered a few of them and will anxiously be watching the mail for their arrival! A quick thanks to all of the incredible Divas and Guest Divas for the gorgeous creations to ooh and awe over all week long. :)

I really wanted to play along with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch this week. I love the sketch and have seem some amazing cards created with it! It seems sad to say it, but I really wanted to use something other than my October Afternoon dp. I think I'm becoming too reliant upon it. Other dps are now stumping me! lol

I reached for some PTI Green Boutique and some Bitty Dots... Always good backups. :) Instead of pulling the Ripe Avocado color from the dp, I decided to lighten the whole thing up by using Spring Moss instead. And I really love the look of it! New color combos are always a pleasant treat. I used the balloons and a sentiment from my Everyday Button Bits set, but had to curve the sentiment to make it fit properly.

There's not much more to this card. It's fairly simple and self-explanatory. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- PTI: Everyday Button Bits
Paper- Hawaiian Shores, Whisper White, Green Boutique dp, Bitty Dots dp
Ink- Basic Black, Hawaiian Shores
Accessories- ribbon, tea dye stain, buttons

Viva la Verve!

I was having Verve withdrawals after the Release Challenge week, so a Viva la Verve sketch was in order for today. :) I'm going a little backwards in time here to week 2 of August's challenges. Amber took us to a fun bedding website called Beddingstyle. I had a ton of fun selecting some bedding for my inspiration.

I eventually ended up on this little beauty called City Scene: Damask Key Lime. Isn't it fun? I know I didn't use any damask, but the colors immediately made me think of my Turning a New Leaf dp (and I was trying to find some image that didn't make me choose my October Afternoon dp, lol).

I stamped the verse in Old Olive, and sponged some Chocolate Chip onto the words, "the LORD." I love the way that just makes some words pop out a little more... Like a subtle emphasis, but through ink. I also pulled out a flourish from the Blessings set and stamped it in Spring Moss in the background. I left a little of the Dark Chocolate paper at the bottom of the sentiment so that I could wrap some twine and add a big, beautiful button. (which then required three more beautiful buttons to be added to the other side of the card. It was feeling a little lonely. hehe)

That's it for now. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Jeremiah 29:11, Blessings
Paper- Spring Moss, Dark Chocolate, Whisper White, Turning a New Leaf dp
Ink- Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Accessories- twine, buttons, tea dye stains, dimensionals

Sketch For You To Try

Good morning! This was one of those special sketches that pretty much scared the living daylights out of me the first time I looked at it. Yes, that wonderful feeling of dread. The immediate desire to ignore it and hope it would go away. To cast it aside into my desktop trash can.

...And then a day or two passes and it's still staring at me. And suddenly inspiration strikes! The sketch isn't so terrifying anymore, full of doom and gloom. It's suddenly full of hope, and vision. Promise.

That was Jen's Sketch for You to Try. So, I sat down to conquer this little baby yesterday with (yet again!) October Afternoon dp in hand. I think these few papers may be my favorites out of the entire paper stack. I love the soft flowers, the colors, how it looks framed on kraft and vanilla. It's just a little bit of heaven on some dp. :)

Is it just me, or is everyone pregnant right now? It's been that way for a few months now. I've gone from never making a baby card to making more than I can count. I actually broke down and purchased a baby themed stamp set to help that mass card making along. I love this little onsie in Bitty Baby Blessing from PTI. It's just too cute. I stamped the sentiment inside so that it wouldn't upstage that ribbon. Seriously, that may be the yummiest cream ribbon on the planet (got it at Joann's). A little button/twine action on the bow and this card was complete. Oh, the sentiment inside says, "Babies are Heaven sent."

That's it for me today. I'm back to checking my work email every five minutes... hoping... reaaally hoping. So, off to go check it! hehe

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- PTI: Bitty Baby Blessings
Paper- Kraft, Very Vanilla, October Afternoon Thrift Shop dp
Ink- Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories- ribbon, button, twine, tea dye stains, nestabilities, dimensionals

Verve Release Challenge Card- A

Good afternoon! Yesterday's card is off in the mail on its way to Grandma. The mailman literally just picked it up. :) Unlike yesterday's card (which ran away with me, apparently), today's card turned out exactly as I pictured it. I'm always a little bit giddy when that happens. This card is my very last for the Verve Release Challenges, but uses the very first of the sketches.

I stuck to a very simple color scheme, and relied on some more of my fabulous October Afternoon dp. Seriously, are you sick of this stuff yet?! 'Cause I'm not!!! I embossed the gorgeous frame in black and the popped up the whole thing on dimensionals. Some beautiful rippled ribbon (perhaps a new favorite ribbon treatment!), and lastly added some Taylor's Tiny Twinkles to the base of each flourish around the circle. So elegant with a little pop of polka dotted fun!

I'm feeling rather helpless sitting here at home today. Believe me, as much as I want summer to never end, I'm am dying to get into my classroom and start preparing everything. I have a few things here at the house that I can work on, but it's so small and unimportant compared to everything else that needs to be done. I think I've already checked my work e-mail about 4 times today hoping my principal has e-mailed to give me a time estimate. Alas, no luck so far. But I'm sure I'll still check it another 10 times today. :) I could always redirect all of this energy into some card making!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Accent Notes, Thankful Hearts
Paper- Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Kraft, October Afternoon dp
Ink- Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories- ribbon, black ep, dimensionals, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles, scallop edge punch (SU!), nestabilities, circle punches

Verve Release Challenge Card- B

Prepare yourself. Today's card is just a little... well, sweet. I don't know how it ended up that way. I had the papers out, was crafting away, and when I finished... This was the end result:



See what I mean? Doesn't it just have a "awfully cute grandma" feel to it? hehe. Maybe it's the pearls. It's always the beautiful little old ladies and pearls. :) This might be a card I actually send to my grandma. It just makes me think of her (and we've been talking a lot these past few day. She called to check in on me... Isn't she amazing?!... and we chatted for a while. Then in the midst of our conversation I gathered that she needed a few things done around the house, including the purchase of a new phone for her bedroom (Apparently, the old one stopped ringing.), and a ride to AAA to get a new sticker for her license plate. A quick trip to Walmart and a scheduled date for AAA and we're good to go!). Seriously, my grandma is the most amazing woman. Heading towards 92 and still as bright and cheery as ever.

...Or perhaps it's the dp. Doesn't that flowery paper make you think of an old antique wallpaper?

How was that for a tangent? Back on topic. The card. I used the second Verve Release Challenge sketch to help this one along. I played with a new die from PTI that has been calling my name for the last week or so, added some contrasting ribbon, and lastly a few pearls. I just love this verse. It's just one of those verses you (and I) can cling to in all times, good or bad.

And today I am especially thankful because my jury duty was cancelled! Yahoo! I was really stressing over how to set up my classroom in the midst of jury duty. But it turns out I'm on hold with my classroom anyways. The room I'm moving to is not ready yet (it needs some serious alterations... They're dividing one huge room into two classrooms. This involves putting up a dividing wall, tearing down a bathroom, and adding sinks.). I can't move until there is a classroom to move to. Crazy, eh? And as of today, there was no timetable for this to occur. Never mind that the kiddos are coming in less than two weeks. Never mind that I still have to pack, move, unpack, and prepare in that time period. It's going to be a crazy time when all this does get started. Any bored volunteers out there that I can draft into slavery? I'm sure it's just a short drive from wherever you are to So Cal, lol. ;)

Phew! I'm chatty tonight! Must be the heat. It was a cooker here today. Our poor little AC is working its heart out. I'm just going to stop typing now and let you enjoy the grandma card. :) Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: 1 Chronicles 16:34 PJ
Paper- Kraft, Very Vanilla, October Afternoon dp, Bitty Dots dp
Ink- Close to Cocoa
Accessories- ribbon, Mat Stack #1 die (PTI), pearls, tea dye stains, dimensionals

Verve Release Challenge Card- C

Good evening! I've been a busy little bee in the stamping studio today trying to crank out the remainder of my Verve Release Challenge cards. I'm officially heading back in to my classroom tomorrow to begin preparing for the new school year. I just found out (literally!) that I'm moving classrooms, so the take-down of walls and gathering of belongings needs to happen asap. This would be one of those time when a husband would be really great, lol. Alas, it's just me (and my roommate whom doesn't know that she's going to be forced into slavery very shortly, mwahahaha!), and the moving must be done. My room is going to be a Kinder room this coming school year. The tricky thing about all of this is that the room I am moving to isn't ready yet. Yikes! I can pack, but I can't move until they finish the alterations to the classroom. I'm really hoping they will finish that sooner rather than later. School starts two weeks from today. Ready or not, they're coming.
But, anyways, I do have a card to share with you today! And some for tomorrow, and the day after. Did I mention I was busy in my studio today? hehe

I figured I might as well finish posting my Verve Release Challenges in opposite order. So today I present to you my card for the Challenge C. LOVED this sketch! I stamped the flower twice, cut out the blossoms, and popped them up on dimensionals. I pulled out some yummy October Afternoon dp, matched it with some Bitty Dots dp, did a whole lot of tea dye staining, ruffled some ribbon, added some sparkle, and tahdah! My card! I am loving the bright colors on this card... May be a new favorite dp combo. I wouldn't be too surprise to see more of these in the future. ;)

Now it's off to figure out something for dinner. It's a cooker outside today, so the thought of turning on the stove or over is, quite frankly, repulsive. I'm thinking nice, cool salads for dinner this evening. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Everlasting Life, Circular Sayings
Paper- Kraft, Very Vanilla, October Afternoon Thrift Shop dp, Bitty Dots dp
Ink- Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories- ribbon, medium scallop die (PTI), copics, dimensionals, tea dye stains, circle punch, nestabilities, jewels

Verve Release Challenge Card- D

Good afternoon! It's warming up to be a little bit hotter day here in So Cal. Not happy. I was enjoying this unusually mild and cool summer. I guess all good things have to come to an end eventually.

It was so wonderful to head on back to church this morning. You never know how much you miss something until you don't have it for a while. And, oh, I love my church. Afterwards, it was time for a little pedicure, a car wash, and a quick trick to WalMart to pick up a new phone for my grandma. Apparently, the phone in her bedroom stopped ringing and she can't make it to the one in the living room fast enough. It's always nice to help out when I can. :) I love my grandma!
Finally, it was home. To a hot house. :( I have serious plans to bake some snickerdoodle cookies this evening once it cools off. Gotta satisfy the craving. lol

Now, on to the card. I'm still working backwards on my Verve Release Cards. This is using the fourth sketch. My color combo was inspired in a little bit different way. I ordered a cute skirt through a mail order clothing company, and it came with this adorable tag attached to it. As soon as I saw the tag, I knew I had to convert those colors and polka dots into a card.

The polka dots were stamped in Moonlight white onto the Going Gray paper. I added some glitter to the green frame around the sentiment, and colored that gorgeous sun/flower with my copics. I also stamped some repetitive flourishes across the green in white ink to mimic the beautiful flourishes above the company's label. Oh, and the border punch is a Martha Stewart punch, but I hit most of it under the green layer.I'm really pleased with how this turned out! Hooray for inspiration in weird places. :)

That's it for now. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps-Verve: Psalm 84:11 PJ, Feel the Sun, PTI: Polka Dot Basics, Fancy Flourishes
Paper- Going Gray, Berry Sorbet, Simply Chartreuse, Whisper White
Ink- Going Gray, Moonlight White
Accessories- ribbon, copics, glitter, MS border punch, dimensionals

Verve Release Challenge Card- E

Good afternoon! It's release time over on the Verve blog and forum! My favorite times of the year. :) And from the sneak peaks that began today, a very dangerous time of the year (for my wallet! Eek!). I'm started backwards today with the challenges. Sometimes the latter sketches speak before the earlier ones. It's just the way it works.

This is a little bit different for me. The background is so busy! But I think I kinda like it. I stuck with some favorite colors, added some glitter around the white circle, stamped the flower twice, once in green, and a second time in Rich Razzleberry. I popped up the blossoms, added some ribbon, and voila! Fini!

Lots more Verve-y goodness to come over the next week. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Bountiful Backgrounds, Budding Blossoms, Filigree Fantasy
Paper- Rich Razzleberry, Ripe Avocado, Whisper White
Ink- Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
Accessories- ribbon, glitter, nestabilities, dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch #80

Good afternoon! I finished my card up this morning for Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch and decided to post it before I leave to go visit my high school bf down by San Diego in a few minutes.
I was still feeling the need to use more of my October Afternoon dp, so out it came. I used some of the yet unused browns and greens dp to help this card along. I also flipped Karen's sketch 90 degrees onto its side to accommodate the bicycle stamp from my Everyday Button Bits set (Haven't used this one in a while! I had forgotten how much I love it!). After digging through my dark chocolate buttons, I found these two little beauties. Aren't they perfect as bicycle tires?! A bit of color with copics, a generous amount of tea dye staining, some jewels and a ribbon, and this card was complete.

I'm so excited for the So You Think You Can Dance finale this evening!! Several of us girls got together to watch the last night of competition last night and had a grand 'ole time. We even busted out all of our cell phones to put in a few votes for our favorites. I truly enjoy the top three and won't be heartbroken no matter who wins. But I do have to admit that I am a little smitten with Kent. That boy just makes me smile. :) And he's ridiculously talented. I tried to find a clip from his contemporary dance last night, but there aren't any up yet! Ack! I'll have to come back and add it for you. :)

Well, that's it from me today. Time to hit the road! See ya back here tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-
Stamps- PTI: Everyday Button Bits
Paper- Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado, Whisper White, October Afternoon Fly a Kite dp
Ink- Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories- copics, ribbon, buttons, jewels, nestabilities, dimensionals, tea dye stains

Sketch For You To Try

Good evening! I'm back home once again (for yet another very short amount of time), and back in the studio. It felt so incredibly wonderful to take a few moments to sit and stamp today.

I had a wonderful time visiting with friends and family up in Oregon and Washington. And the weather was definitely better in Oregon. :) I spent Thursday through Saturday morning visiting with the parents of one of my dearest high school friends. I'm not quite sure what I've done to make them love me so much, but it's wonderful to be loved. And they are wonderful people. I never mind the little drive to go see them when I'm up their direction. And to make the trip even better, my friend from hs, Drew, drove up from Reno to surprise me! Best surprise EVER! We all ventured out on Friday to do some wine tasting and have lunch at the King's Estate Winery just outside of Eugene. Saturday found me in Washington for my sister's second wedding reception. It was a little rainy and a bit chilly outside, but it was beautiful none-the-less. We all gave our toasts once again (which I found out there on the spot! Good thing public speaking doesn't scare me... and teaching gives me lots of practicing thinking on the spot!), and had a delicious meal, all in the most gorgeous backyard ever!

We drove around Portland for a while on Sunday so that Sharon could show us the condo she and her husband are purchasing (escrow closes tomorrow! Yay!), and also the hospital that Sharon is now working at. Just a wonderful day for enjoying each other's company. And now I'm home, back in my own bed, cooking on my own stove. I think home is like a little piece of heaven.

Today found me not only stamping, but beginning the new school year shopping. I was having a bit of a difficult time getting motivated to do this, for the act of shopping was going to force me to accept the reality that summer is ending, lol. But, as usual, once the shopping started, I found myself getting more and more excited for the school year to begin. I love the full dreams and visions for the new year... The limitless possibilities. And the kids on the first day... They're so quiet and cute!

I used Jen's Sketch for You to Try from Saturday for the layout of my card. I was having October Afternoon dp withdrawals, so there really was no other choice for dp on this card. :) Love this stuff (if I hadn't mentioned that before, hehe). I paper pieced the onsie, added a paper pieced little duckie, lots of tea dye staining, some scallops trimmed with light blue tiny twinkles, and some text style stamped in more tea dye stain (just got my refills in the mail today, yay!). What you won't find of this card is ribbon. I know. Weird. I just couldn't figure out where to put it without the card feeling too busy, and attention being drawn away from the focal points. Hmmm... I can't remember the last time I created a ribbonless card!

I'm off tomorrow to drive down to San Diego and visit my bf from high school. Her husband, new baby, and she just moved down here from the bay area and I haven't seen them in the longest time! So excited to meet their new baby as well. (Now you know where the baby themed card was inspired from, hehe.)

Time to run! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- PTI: Bitty Baby Blessings, Text Style

Paper- Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, October Afternoon Thrift Shop dp

Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories- nestabilities, tea dye stains, medium scallop die, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles, dimensionals

Viva la Verve!

Good morning! I'm back with the fourth and final Viva la Verve card from July. I've been saving this one to help fill some time while I'm up in Oregon visiting friends, and Washington for my sister's second wedding reception. It's always nice to have a little back log of cards to share when out of town. :) Amber had us walking through bathrooms last month and sent us all hunting on the Bed, Bath, & Beyond website for some bathroom decor that inspired us. I chose a gorgeous shower curtain by Amy Butler and pulled my colors from it. They are definitely some different colors for me (a bit "springy" don't you think?), but they work.

I stamped the background in Versamark, stained around the edges of the sentiment, and embossed the Baja Breeze strip with some Swiss Dots. Not too shabby for throwing this together in about an hour!

Here's hoping your weekend is off to a great start! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- Verve: Hebrew 11:1 PJ, PTI: Giga Guide Lines

Paper- Melon Berry, Baja Breeze, Spring Moss, Whisper White, Tea Leaves dp

Ink- Versamark, Melon Berry

Accessories- ribbon, nestabilities, dimensionals, swiss dots embossing folder, tea dye stain