Last Day

....Of summer vacation. As much as I've enjoyed being home for the summer and not having that "regular" routine, I am ready to head back to the class room. I've been there every day since last week getting things organized and set up. The only downside to all this school stuff is it has zapped my creativity at home. I haven't crafted all week.  In addition to my mind set being on school, I have been redecorating the basement.  I have so many neat things to show you, but it isn't quite ready yet!  I have been a chevron, spray painting fool! ; )  My husband said to me the other night while watching TV down in the basement, "I can't stop staring at it, it looks SO different!"  And I couldn't agree more!  I hope to share it with you by next week!

Today I have a Crafty Secret's card that uses the Animal Party set.  It is such a cute set and is perfect for making children's cards. I colored this pup with my Copic markers and did a bit of sponging on the edges. The image was matted using various Spellbinder's dies.  The ribbon is a denim ribbon by SU!

I hadn't really intended to go towards a patriotic theme....but sometimes these cards take on a life of their own! ; )

I am headed to school once again and am hoping to get Cortney in the pool this afternoon.  Summer has returned and I couldn't be any happier! 

Have a great weekend! : )

A Birthday and Blog Candy...

Today is my dear MIL's birthday........(Happy Birthday!) So I created a card for her using SU! From the Garden, set. I stamped it in two colors and used clear embossing powder to "set" it. I decided to make the image more visually interesting by cutting the image into panels, setting them apart a bit, and mounting them on black paper. It really makes the image pop! The image was mounted on Basic Grey and SU! papers. The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink. I used my Spellbinders to cut it out. To dress it up a bit, I threaded a pretty organdy ribbon through my sentiment and tied a bow. I added a PT Ink button tied with twine. As a final touch I added a Maya Road stick pin.

............. a little close up....... : )

I survived our outdoor field trip yesterday! We didn't lose any kids.......so that's always a good thing! LOL! I had to go to the dentist yesterday since my tooth had been hurting for the past 2 weeks. The pain was actually radiating down into my jaw and neck. X-rays were taken.....and everything looked fine. The dentist thinks the pain is due to the fact that my gums are receding (from too many years of rough brushing) and my dentin is showing. So she "painted" some flouride varnish right at the gum line. (Which made me jump out of my skin.....talk about sensitivity!!!OUCH!) This stuff hardens and lasts from 6 mos- to 1 year. This morning it does feel A LOT better! So hopefully, that's all it was.

Don't forget tonight is the night for my blog candy drawing! If you haven't put your name in yet.....go HERE for your chance to win!

Sympathy, Braces, & Blog Candy!

Kind of a hodge podge post today...... : )
I am starting with a sympathy card I made a couple of months ago and never posted. Cortney's Occupational therapist's father passed away, so I made this card for her using SU!'s, From the Garden set. I embossed the image in gold and then tried my hand at watercoloring. This is definitely a medium I need to improve on! I added some pearls to the center and used the Spellbinder's tags for the sentiment. I did airbrush it a little to give the tag a bit of color. The gold cording is also from SU!

Kyle got his braces on the other day......so here is my official "teenager!" He is already claiming that he can tell his teeth are moving............yea, ok.

Don't forget to put your name in the "hat" for my blog candy! I think I forgot to mention when I would pull a name.......how about Thursday night? Let's say around 9 PM? Work for you? : ) Alrighty then!

Off to tackle the piles of laundry in my basement........*sigh*

Just Buzzin' by.....

To say hi! I have been so busy this week that my crafting and computer time have been seriously neglected! (So I apologize for not visiting....hoping today to get caught up with blog land!) I did manage to clean my scrapbook room yesterday................for 6 hours! I think the clutter, disorganization was killin' my mojo. So maybe now I can actually create something I like.....

I made this card awhile back but never posted it. I think it is a SU! set that I got from my MIL. I colored the images with Copics and used my Nestibilities. I currently, have no idea who makes the paper......cuz I made this quite a few weeks ago. (sorry)

Off to do a bit of shopping for hubby's 41st birthday. He was so funny last night.......apparently, he realized that his hair is thinning pretty badly in the back. So he kept holding up the mirror to his head, and saying, "I can't BELIEVE I am balding! I inherited everything from my mother's side except Grandpa's head of hair!" I had to chuckle to myself, because as I looked at him complaining about the process of getting older, I realized that we ARE indeed growing old together. Bald or not, I still love the guy to pieces!

Just a Quickie.....

Get your minds out of the gutter! : ) Yesterday I showed you my 4 hour shaker card, today it is a quick 10 minute card! Yep, you heard me right ladies and gents....10 whopping minutes! I needed a quick card for my niece. She just had tubes put in her ears and the adenoid's taken out. So, I didn't want to putz too much. I pulled out my Scor-Pal and created the diamond background. I also embossed a square in the center so I had a place to stamp. I used my SU! marker to color only the leaves. And of course, HAD to use rhinestones for the cherries! I added a little red ribbon and voila! 10 minutes later I had this! I think I broke records! LOL!

My 15th wedding anniversary is coming up next week, so I will post some cheesy wedding pics of me with my big curly 90's hair! So Saturday, Brian is taking me somewhere, but isn't telling me. My guesses? I think maybe he is taking me to see Jersey Boys. We'll have to see if I am right.

And lastly, I had to share this LO with you created by my good friend Simone. I clicked on her blog this morning and there was my face on her scrapbook page! I was so touched that she created a LO about me. I just met her last year at CHA, and immediately it felt like we knew each other forever! You know how you can just talk easily with some people? That's Simone! And I always love a person who can make me laugh. That girl just cracks me up!

Have a great weekend everyone! And remember, keep your eyes peeled on the 29th for some old wedding pics!

A Little Bit of Happiness...

I am hoping I didn't already post this card! Sometimes I upload them at SCS, but not here and then I forget where I posted them! So if this is rerun I apologize! Anyway, this card uses SU! A Little Bit of Happiness set. I colored the images in with my Copics. I stamped 3 of the flowers twice, cut them out, and placed them on pop dots. I added rhinestones to the centers. I distressed the paper (Basic Grey). I added some ribbon and a stick pin that I added beads to.
This weekend I will be standing on the street corner........(get your mind outta the gutter!) collecting money for Misericordia. On Sunday I get some girl time with my sister and mom. Shopping, lunch, a glass of wine.......no children! : ) Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Birthday Invites!

I FINALLY finished Cortney's birthday invitations. I made 15.....I know not really that many, but for me it was a near impossible task! I got this little girl from SU! for free. How you ask? I was part of their survey panel for awhile. I am not on it anymore, but while I was I got a bunch of free stuff! Unfortunately, I don't have the correct stickers to go with this stamp set. So if you know the name of this set, PLEASE let me know! Anyway, I used my Copics to color her in as well as my airbrush. I crystal lacquered the heart and sprinkled glitter on it. The paper is new my Making Memories. I also used Martha Stewart's punch for the first card. The sentiment was done on my computer.

I appreciate all the kind comments and support that you have given me. Many have asked how the interview went. I can't even describe the feelings I have at this moment. It's not that anything really happened definitively......it's just maybe the possibility? Misericordia seems to have an opening soon for a child. That really isn't what I want for her. I would like her to go there when she is an adult. I don't think I could give her up right now. I also don't want to cut myself off at the knees if I tell them no. So again, just taking it a step at a time. The next step would be for Cort to stay there a week. They would like to truly assess her needs and make sure she is a fit.
We also filled out some state waiver at a govt. agency. The lady there told me it is very hard to place a child these days. You now have to get the state's approval for a placement. She also informed us that the state of Illinois is 47th in the state for worst disability benefits. Maybe I need to move?
Just lots to think about....it gets harder as she gets older.....and I get older!

Reason to Smile

I really need to participate in more challenges! I think this is the fastest card I've ever made! It only took me 45 minutes! Which for me is fast! I am one of those 4 hour card people! LOL! This was for the technique challenge a few weeks ago on SCS. I would never have thought to ink up the inside of my Cuttlebug folder. I used Tri-colored Brilliance ink. I used that as my background paper. Then I used 2 colors of chalk inks and daubers to ink up the butterfly. (Thanks again Kivonne!) The other paper is by Memory Box. I did some machine stitching, added some Prima flowers, and a pretty silk ribbon.

On a personal note.....got a call from Misericordia yesterday. They want to set up an interview with Brian, myself, and Cortney. They feel she would be a good match for Misericordia. If the interview goes well, then the next step is Cort would stay there for a few days to see if it is a good fit. What does that mean? It means if she IS a good fit, they will officially put her on the wait list. This means she could get in in 5 months or 6 years, or 10 years. It is hard to say when an opening will become available. My emotions are so mixed up right now! I really want this for her, but I think the reality of it just kind of hit me right between the eyes! She is such a Mama's girl. I was thinking about the craziest things....like who is going to brush her teeth like me? Who is going to read her favorite books to her at night? Who will fix her hair everyday? Just writing this breaks my heart. I know no one can take care of her like me......but I know the reality is, I will have to let go at some point. For now, I pray they feel she is good fit, and an opening opens up in about 10 more years! (She is almost 13 now.)