Why I've Been Absent...

Proms, graduations, after school activities, retirement parties.....just a few of the reasons why I have been so quiet on my blog lately.  

This weekend was Cortney's prom and it was also her birthday. 

Her best friend...

And of course her "boyfriend."  He was trying to sneak a little hand holding!

Love that devilish smile!

Success! ;)

Kyle's prom is coming up...along with his awards ceremony and graduation.

Busy, busy, busy. 

But life ebbs and flows....and it will eventually slow down.

Until then, enjoy the ride. 

Glossy White and Water Colors!

Good morning!  I know I sound like a broken record, but life has certainly been busy around here!  I haven't stepped into my craft room in over a week!  My time has been spent taking care of Cortney, attending school functions in the evenings, and speaking to legislatures in Springfield, IL.

I need life to slow down just a bit.  I've caught a cold now and it certainly isn't much of a surprise when you burn the candle at all ends!

But any who, on to my card!

I used a digital file from 17 Turtles called,Floral Bouquet.  I cut it in white and added glossy accents to it.  I added clear sequins to the center.  The background was a watercolor wash using my Peerless Watercolors.  

I added a sentiment from SRM Stickers, coordinating string, and a few more sequins scattered about. 

My hubby and I have to attend a parent meeting at my son's high school tonight.  He has his prom and graduation coming up very shortly. 

Lots of changes coming soon.....hope this mama can handle it all! 

Have a great day my crafty friends!

Blog Hop With Bo Bunny and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

Good morning! It is day 6 of the Bo Bunny and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Blog Hop!

Be sure to go to the end of my post for your chance to win some fun prizes!

But first, let's talk about my card! I have a nephew who has a birthday coming up, so I thought the BoBunny Safari papers were a perfect choice!

I used my Silhouette for the lion cut.  I added dimension to him by using Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Foam Tape.  I hand cut the leaves from the designer paper and also adhered them using foam tape.  I added a bit of rustic twine, a gold pearl from Bo Bunny's Double Dot Jewels pack, and a few black sequins for a finishing touch. The layers of the card were fastened using  E-Z Squares® Refillable.

For more inspiration and fun be sure to "hop" along! 

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

Margie Higuchi

Michele Kovack (ME!)

BoBunny

You can win prizes from each company and each company will have 3 prizes worth $25. Awesome right?!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Farm Chicks Blog Hop!

I'm taking part in the Crafty Secrets Farm Chicks Blog Hop along with the rest of the crazy creative designers on the Crafty SecretsTeam!  Each design team member has used the new Farm Chicks Digital Art Stamps, or the new Digital Chicken Farm Print paper...or both to create a fabulous chicken themed project to inspire and delight you!   If you are coming here from Melody's blog then you are right on track.

So here are the deets on my card.  I used this fabulous rooster image from new digital stamps called, Farm Chicks.  I colored the image with Copic markers and gave the clouds and outer edge a bit of glitter.  (Because roosters love glitter right?)I matted the image using Spellbinder's circle and scalloped die.  The light blue paper is part of the Birds and Blooms digital paper collection.  The chicken wire paper (so awesome!) is part of the Vintage Patterns collection. 

I added a bit of ribbon, book paper glittered leaves, a sunflower, and a bit of twine. 

Don't forget to leave a comment on each blog you visit for your chance to win prizes!

Now hop on over to Sheila's blog next!

:)

Sweet Lemonade!

Good morning friends! It is a gorgeous day here in Chicago!  It is warm and sunny, the birds are chirping away outside, and I am drinking my cup of coffee while the rest of the house sleeps.

I savor these moments. :)

I have a summery pillow box to share with you today!

It is also up on the SRM blog as well!

I used this super cute stamp set from Jane's Doodles called Life is Good.  I colored the lemons and jar with my Copic markers. I added some vellum ice cubes. I also adhered ribbon and posies with a sweet sentiment stamped on pink vellum.  

The lemons were also given a coating of glossy accents and some glitter for the rind. 

I have some house cleaning to do this morning.....don't be jealous! Ha! 

But then I am hoping to get outside, do some gardening, and take a walk with Cortney.

The rain comes in tomorrow, so I want to soak up as much sun as I can today.

Have a wonderful Saturday my friends!

Spectrum Aqua Pens....

So......like many people I got the new Spectrum Aqua Pens. I wanted to use them right away since I have been on quite the water coloring kick lately! I stamped these flowers from JustRite's Applique Flowers & Vintage Sentiment set with Versamark and embossed them in white.  I used the Spectrum Aqua Pens to give the flowers and leaves color.  For this image, I didn't use any water at all.  I colored with my darkest color first and then blended it using my lighter shades.  The color moved like butter! I cut out the flowers and leaves and adhered them to a circle/scalloped circles using Spellbinder's dies. 

The background uses the same Spellbinder's Criss Cross die that I had used on my last post.  I used the Spectrum Aqua pens to color it in shades of pink and yellow.  I added glossy accents to the entire panel and sprinkled it with glitter.  I added some ribbon, teeny flowers, and a few sequins and pearls. 

Thanks for having patience with me as I post somewhat infrequently.  My girl is taking up a  lot more of my time these days and my crafting /blogging time has been drastically reduced.  

But it's the way it is right now and things will get better! 

Have a wonderful Friday!

Watercolors and Acetate

Good morning!  I hope you all had a great weekend! 

I have a card today that was kind of my "goofing" around card.  

I have this Spellbinder's die called Basic Lattice that I love! I used it on watercolor paper and painted it with Peerless Water Colors in shades of pink, yellow, and orange. I adhered it to a piece of acetate.  

The flowers and leaves were cut using my Silhouette. I applied glossy accents to the leaves and sprinkled them with Martha Stewart's coarse glitter.  I added a bit of ribbon and string to finish it off. 

It's a short and sweet post again......sorry!

Have a great day!