its beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

Especially with all the snow we've gotten lately!!

I must say that I am really over the whole holiday season stuff.  Frankly I think it starts too early every year and I just get burned out by the time its here.  Ah well, I have to change my view cause thats the only thing I can change!

I did get in a christmas spirit and made a couple last cards, they turned out pretty well if I do say so myself....... Since I think I am the only one who reads this blog, I guess I can say it!

Enjoy yourself wherever and what ever you may be doing!

Just Rite monogram

This is a card for a friend that is getting married this month.  They are keeping both last names, so according to monogram etiquette this is how the monogram should be shown.

I used my Just Rite C45 with a damask border and the small & medium size letters.  Because the border fits on the stamper with the opening in a north/south orientation (its usually used for only a single letter monogram) and the letters go on the stamper in an east/west orientation (because of the grooves on the stamper) I had to stamp the border twice, I cut the center out of one and used it as a mask.  I removed the border stamp from my C45, put the letters on and stamped them into the opening.  Believe me, it took more than one attempt to get it right, but I am happy with my results.

I'll probably find an easier way to do it somewhere now!!

thanks for looking!

quick Friday post

Today I am off to the hometown for some Oktoberfest adventures.  I am anticipating a really good time with old friends!

Here is a card made with a quote that I just ran across the other day and it really resonated with me.  I think the card turned out well........

Enjoy your weekend adventures - whatever they may be - I hope they bring you happiness.

another sketch to play with

My thanks to all you fellow bloggers who come up with sketches for people like me to play with!!  It really keeps the inspiration flowing.

That being said, here is a Monday sketch from Heather Scott.  I kept pretty close to the original sketch, cause thats what worked for me.  I am happy with the way it worked out and i hope you enjoy my results too.

circles!

Circles are hot, they are showing up everywhere these days.  I love it!!

Lauren M posted a sketch challenge last saturday that I decided to play along with and here are my results.  I am actually quite pleased with this card, it came together quite easily - love when that happens!

so, its Monday and its gonna be a busy week, capped off by some Oktoberfest fun in my home town.  

Love that fall tradition!

MACM 9.22.08

I am a huge fan of Kristina W her style is so fun and clean and she is so encouraging its difficult (for me anyway) to not get caught up in her enthusiasm!

This is my take on her Make a Card Monday project for this week.  This is so simple but creates a great result!  I used a brown base and the frame is a pumpkin color.  The paper is from my inventory.  I used my swiss dots folder to emboss my vellum and the sentiment is from Studio G.  Again, really simple and quick, but I think the result is very fun.  When I make this again though, I will glue the vellum to the front and put the frame over it.  With the vellum glued on the inside it shows too much of "the mechanics" for my taste, the second photo shows what I mean.

sketch challenge

I don't often play along with sketch challenges (I really should do more of that), but when I saw this one on Jen's blog the idea just popped into my head and wouldn't let go until I'd made the card.

I love this sentiment and am happy to say that I haven't had anyone in my life who has been in crisis lately that I would send this to - it just seems to me to be an in crisis sentiment, I suppose I could send it just because......

I embossed the flowers with my Cuttlebug, its one of their newer small folders.  I love my CB and the folders.  I wish I hadn't kept talking myself out of that purchase for so long.  Oh well it is what it is.

for a good cause

I am back to my blog because I have found a cause worth talking about.

one of the bloggers that I keep up with, Cammie has been talking about losing her grandmother to Alzheimer's and her personal efforts to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association, as well as recognize all the amazing caregivers on this World Alzheimer's day.  She is offering some really wonderful blog candy on her blog, all donated by incredible companies and fellow paper crafters, I encourage you to not only visit her blog to get all the details but to visit the companies and other blogs and drop a comment thanking them for their participation as well as making a card to thank a caregiver.

I personally have not had Alzheimer's touch my family closely but have seen it take its toll on the lives of others.

so, here is my card and my very great thanks to all of those who care for the families of and people with these diseases.

end of summer........

Here we are at the start of Labor Day weekend.  How did the summer slip by so fast?!  I am sorry to say that I have accomplished little of what I had told myself I would do this summer - but have accomplished other things that I hadn't even thought of.  Isn't that just the way it goes?!

I hope you have some wonderful, relaxing plans for the holiday weekend.  I am going up to the M's cabin with DH & DS where we will surely relax and have a great time.

Remember to enjoy those moments - each and every one.  Time slips away.......

notecard set

I made this notecard set for a friend of a friend who is a purse designer.

missing mojo

I seem to be missing my mojo today - have you seen it?

I have sat down several times to work on projects and am feeling just scattered.  I guess thats what a few days away from the studio does to me.  I am being chill about it though, not pushing myself.  I hope that helps!

here is a card that I made previously and sent to my sister for her anniversary.  I am really liking this particular stamp from Hero Arts, I find there is a lot to do with it.

I am off to run some errands, maybe some fresh air & sunshine will bring my mojo back...........

busy day

what a busy day I am about to have!  lots of running around to do and I have to go out of town for a funeral.  My friends mom passed away, and like anyone she is taking it pretty hard.

give another hug to those you care about today!

bad blogger!

Sorry, I should be better about updating.......

here is a more springy image than my last one.

who wouldn't love to have a big basket of tulips like this?

the weather is coming around here for us, as always it is a slow but well worth it process.

I have to get out walking again.  I quit for the winter cause of the darkness and the ice on the paths, but its time now to get back at it.  It is such good therapy for me.

enjoy your weekend!

lots of cards

I have lots of cards to post, I have been stamping crazy lately!

this is from the SU sale a bration set Friendship Blooms.  I am really liking this set - its fun to work with.

smiley

this is a new stamp from Stampendous.  I love the smiley and the sentiment and I just had to have it.

the card itself if very basic.  The bg paper is a wonderful creamy gold/yellow.  I think its Bazill but I've had it so long I don't remember.

I sponged the edges of the white panel with SU More Mustard which matches nicely.  Inside is another white panel onto which I stamped some dots from the new Stampendous clear set Flourish Frames - I am loving that set!

March cards

 so this is one of the cards I've made recently.  The sentiment is from SU Heartfelt Greetings.  The tulips are a stamp by Hero Arts.  I just stamped the flowers onto white cardstock and colored them with my watercolor crayons.  the sentiment is stamped and embossed on velum which I secured with eyelets.  the green ribbon finishes it off.

I like it, its nice and simple.  Clean feeling.