Pink Christmas

Sparkle hosts a Christmas Challenge every Sunday and this week the challenge was to make a pink Christmas card and Winter Wonderland was holding an open theme for their challenge.  I know, you all think I'm nuts for posting a Christmas card in April.  What can I say, I was inspired.  We send a silly amount of Christmas cards, so it's never too early for me to start.

This was such a fun card to make!  I used my favorite Penny Black snowflake for the background and I dug through the vast array of pink stuff I've been accumulating.  The ribbon and flower are from heaven-only-knows-where, but I really enjoy how they look on this card.

I jazzed up my antlered friend so she would be ready for a merry gathering. :)  Since this is basically a monochromatic card it also fits the Raise the Bar challenge that's going on this week.  They want you to use your favorite color on a card.  I'm not sure that pink is my favorite color, but then then again I'm not sure I have a favorite color.  Color really depends on my mood, the season, and it's purpose.  I really only like warm colors on walls and my friends and family joke about how much I dislike blue (you wouldn't know from the number of blue cards I make!!).

So, what is you favorite color right now?

Girly Girl Saturday

Stamp, Scrap, & Doodle's Challenge this week is "Make Something Girly"!  Where to begin?!?  So many choices, so little time. :)

 I decided to go a little sideways and use this Lockhart stamp.  Spring is kinda springing and the lettuce ruffles seem to go with the trim at the bottom of the card.  I used the sketch from The Shabby Tea Room for the layout of this card.  Gotta say, I'm still on the fence about this trim.  It does look a little more fun IRL, but it's so bulky... I dunno.

The colors for this card were inspired by the sunshine we've been enjoying the last couple of days and the Color Dare color picks.  I really want a salad right now, but not so much the green olive. LOL!

Here's my marker shot.  The two yellows are Y11 and Y15 and the Spica green is 06 melon.  The papers are all BG except the base, which is Amuse.

Enter this challenge over at SSDS and you could win a set of stamps from Sweet Pea Stamps.  Please join us, we'd love to see what you create! :)

Seriously- What do you think of this new ruffle trim on cards?

My Milkweed Butterfly

Did you know that the Monarch Butterfly is milkweed butterfly?  It's a random nugget of trivia that I only learned a few years ago.  It means that they need milkweeds in order to lay their eggs, so don't pull those "weeds" out of your gardens.  I know they are ugly, but there are 4 varieties of butterfly in North America that need those plants for their survival. (Random trivia nugget #2 milkweed plants are popular flower garden plants in Bermuda).

So I finally caved to peer pressure and bought that ruffled trim.  It's luscious to look at and hold!  I'm still on the fence about how it looks on this card.  Stay tuned for tomorrows SSDS challenge card.  I used yet another color of this trim on the next card.  I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on using this trim.  Take it or leave it?  Be honest, it won't hurt my feelings. ;)

I will say that I now adore using Spica pens for the subtle surprise shimmer they give to images!  My "Wanderer", as he's called in Australia, has a nice sparkle.  I gotta have shimmer- I grew up in the 80's with big hair, neon, and lots of sparkles. :)

I really like how pretty it looks to see those shots of "markers used in this project", but I have the flea market version of Copics, so I'll have to tell you the orange unmarked Copic is YR07 and the Spicas are gold 11 and orange 4. 

Shout out of challenges where I entered this PSA card :)
Hope Stamps Eternal
Colour Create
Our Creative Corner


Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for deets on the fun and easy challenge & prize!

One Park, One Card, and a Lot of Traps

Here's a hint of the card below, but first a few more photos of Northeastern Maine! :)

This is one of the many BEAUTIFUL views at Acadia National Park.  I think we were pretty lucky to come when we did.  From the looks of the park it must be a zoo of tourists in the summer months.  There is an amazing infrastructure of carriage roads for horses and hikers, then other roads for bikers and yet more for cars.

The cool, but also bummer, was that the restrooms weren't open!  Since the restrooms were closed, we did get to see this deer when we tried one of the stops.  It was skittish, but still calm as the few of us who were in the park all snapped shots.

My camera battery died just after I go this shot!  We were able to get wicked close while this little one had a mid-afternoon snack.  It was really awesome.

Good news for Cad's fan club.  Acadia was much better than the day before guys, much better. :) There was some much to smell and investigate while we explored different parts of the park!  We found a beautiful pond just before we left, but of course my battery had died so I didn't get a shot to show.  It was so quiet and picturesque, I totally get why people like to come to Acadia.

Just two more shots before I get to the card.  There are lobster traps everywhere in the town we stayed.  It's very humbling to see some of the fishing towns.  You can tell that everyone's survival depends on good hauls during the season.  My DMIL's family has many farmers in it and I can appreciate where my meat and milk come from.  I really felt an overwhelming urge to hug a fisherman to say thank you for doing this work.

There really are traps and boats everywhere, in yards, by sheds, in driveways, in fields, EVERYWHERE!  I understand that the lobster season hasn't really started yet and that's why we got to see traps on land more than on sea.  They were all sorts of colors which was kinda neat to see, although it looks like this shot doesn't have some of the more colorful traps.

Of course after all the ocean views I would make a card with a lighthouse.  I really did try to make a "boy" card.  Clearly I wasn't very successful since there is a bow and some flowery background paper.  Oh well, I'll get out my little lobsta stamp and try again. :)

Easternmost point in the US

It's spring break for me this week.  Most folks on spring break travel somewhere warm and have drinks with little umbrellas in them.  Not us.  We drove ourselves 6 hours to northern Maine and it snowed on our drive!  Well, we've never been ones for doing what the cool kids do. :)

On our first full day of vaca we headed to Lubec.  Did you see those commercials this winter about the people that see the first sunrise on New Years Day in the US?  This is where they would be.

Actually, this is where many folks come I hear.  This is the West Quoddy Lighthouse.  Kinda funny huh.  West Quoddy is the most east.

It's weird how quiet it is here.  I live in the outskirts of the burbs when I am home.  I thought it was pretty quiet.  I have even lived on a rez in SD, but you quickly forget how quiet the world can be when there aren't a lot of people around.  Even the ocean is quiet right now.

This is the bridge from the US to Canada.  We remembered to bring our passports cause they have gotten pretty strict about that sorta thing since 911.  I remember when I was in college being able to just pop back and forth, but that is no more.  The thing is, we forgot something.

We forgot Cad's papers.  Ugh!  I even made sure he had all the shots and whatnot to be able to wander over with us!  I love the look on his face here.  He is simply saying "I was stuck in the car for hours.  There is no way you are leaving me behind so you can lolly-gag in Canada.  Let's get back in the car and get something to eat."  We ended up scrapping Canada.  We got to see what we wanted to see which was the easternmost point in the US where the first minutes happen in this country every day.  I know.  We're kinda dorks.  Nothin we can do about it, but live up to the moniker. :)

I hope to have a crafty something posted soon.  Maybe something inspired by this trip, or maybe another ABC book.  I'm going to be posting beautiful pictures from Acadia too!

It All Starts Here

Happy Patriot's Day everyone!  If it's Patriot's Day in MA that means it is also Marathon Day.  The school I work at is at the start (no really like only a few hundred feet from THE START) of the Boston Marathon.

It's exciting and somewhat frustrating all at the same time.  We're excited because so many folks run for such great causes like the Respite Center in town and Dana Farber.  We're less than thrilled the week before because to get everything ready for race day they have to take over The Common (the park across from the school) and most of our parent and teacher parking is on The Common.  Oh well, it's for a good cause.  The port-o-potties came early this year- we think it's because they were trying to get everything done before the rain hit.  I snapped this shot last Wednesday while the sun was still shining.

I didn't get much time while the sun was shining to get pictures, but the starting line is roughly where that silver SUV is parked.  I snapped this pick just before they finished all the scaffolding and wrapped that whole grassy island in green mesh.  They turn the whole area there into a giant stage to make announcements, start the different races, and have a few performances.  It was pretty exciting trying to take a left on Friday when I was leaving. :)

This is the building closest to the start line and the runners can see this map as they start the race.  It really is pretty cool to see it all.  The first year Tom and I went we literally stood next to the start line.  I was determined to clap for all the runners/racers.  They stagger the starts so the wheelchair races go first, then I believe it is elite runners (they are so fast and light you don't even hear them run-seriously), then your average Joes.  It's easy to clap for the wheelchair racers and elite runners, there are a bunch, but after 10 min you've clapped for everyone.  Then comes the rest of the runners.  45 minutes and I was still clapping for people who had been running for 45 min and had just crossed the starting line when they got to me.  WOW!

I've never been one to run unless I am being chased.  These folks amaze me.  There are only two legit ways to get into The Boston Marathon, qualify by being a wicked good runner, or raise money and run under the banner of a charity.  Either way, these people have a dedication to be admired.  As I sit here and type this runners from around the world who have trained for months and months are racing 26.2 miles though MA.  All of them will be able to say tomorrow- "I ran the whole Boston Marathon and survived!!!"  Good Luck Runners!

Buttons, Bows, & Bling

It's Saturday so it must be SSDS challenge day!

This week the challenge at Stamp, Scrap, & Doodle Saturday is to use buttons, bows, and bling!  I decided to use this theme to make a wonderful baby card in celebration for our DT member, Tineke, who is expecting her first bundle of joy.  I'm so happy for her, please stop by her blog to wish her congrats!

I just adore this set by Papertrey called Baby Button Bits.  I've used it about a bazillion times already because the stamps make such cute cards!  I have gotten into paper piecing lately and this little teddy is so fun.  I used a white gel pen to white out the paws and nose of the bear and added the sweet button heart for a belly.

The card base is Amuse and the ribbon is yet more leftover ribbon from a gift package.  Love that recycled ribbon!  I added orange Stickles to the orange scalloped paper for some bling.

I've entered this into the following challenges:
KL Stampin N Scrappin-Bling it onPennys- Open week
Sundays with Crissy- Combo
Stamp Something- Layers
Papertake Weekly- Cutie Pie
Pile It On- Spring (colors)
Hope you enjoyed this card and are going to enter one of your own creations to the challenge this week!  Don't forget to enter to win my blog candy.

My First Blog Candy

I've only been blogging for a short while, but so many wonderful folks out in the blogosphere have been so supportive!  In an effort to bring joy on Tax Day, I thought I would offer my first Blog Candy giveaway.

Since this is my first candy toss, I thought I would make it super easy.  Become a follower.  Yup, that's it.  If you'd like to post a comment below or add my candy to a blog post of your own, I would be so thrilled, but it is totally not necessary.

Got ABC's?

I made this quite a bit ago, but I think this type of album is so fun I wanted to share the idea.  This one was a little more cutesy than I usually create, but it is my favorite gift to give for a baby shower.  Can you tell my day job is as a reading teacher? LOL!

I made this for my youngest nephew's baptism and then my SIL can add pictures.  So these pages would have a photo of his house and maybe him enjoying ice cream.

These pages could have a photo of DN as a toddler and a pic of my SIL.

Photo of first bath?  DN in his cutest onesie?  An album like this is designed so when all the photo's are added it can be "read" like an ABC book.  Since I don't have the photo's ahead of time, I have to leave space for the flexibility to add portrait or landscape pictures.



If you like this I have another boy one and a sweet little girl one that may help inspire you as well, but I apologize for the color quality of my scanner.


Hope you enjoyed this and are having a wonderful Sunday.  Please share your favorite crafty gift ideas in the comments section so we can all be inspired by your work! :)

Birthday Glitz

It's Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenge time!  The theme of the challenge this week is "birthday" either a card or gift.

I'm terrible about getting birthday cards out on time.  Kinda pathetic since I always have a stash and I usually remember the birthday.  I always seem to be off a week in my head when it comes to mailing them out!  I decided I should make a belated birthday card (maybe I should make a few of these!) because I know I'll be using it. LOL!

The sponsor this week for the SSDS challenge is Glitz Design and they were nice enough to share some of their goodies with the DT AND they are sharing some goodies with the challenge winner!  I used Glitz paper for the background paper and to make the pretty Memory Box flower. 

Come join the fun and you could win:

2 each of 7 different double sided 12x12 papers

1 sheet of pink and white flourish rub-ons

4 packages of frosting/bling

Have a fun Saturday and Good Luck with the challenge!

Easter Monday

Happy, with just hours left, Easter Monday to all my Canadian friends!  I gotta say given the amount of sweets I enjoyed this weekend the converse of this sentiment true as well. LOL!  (Yup I'm watching Big Bang Theory so I sound like a geek).

We pulled another "Savannah" and ended up going to Maine to celebrate Easter.  Originally I was going to host, but my DMIL got a head cold and didn't want to spread it to us and my DSIL's family. (Hi Barb! Hope you are feeling better!).  As I was on my way to the market with DH when I checked my email and the fam up in Maine invited us up! 

YAHOO!  A chance to see even more family than we expected AND we got a quick 10 minute walk on the beach before we left town.  Shots of the beach are further down. :)

The nephs got a chance to play with "new" toys (they were worried that since the venue changed they wouldn't get to play with Auntie and Uncle's lego collection- at least we are loved for something. :) )

Many thanks go to our master chef Aunt Pat.  She is a genuis in the kitchen, especially when you consider there are many very unsual food allergies on my husbands side of the family.  The food is always THE BEST.  The pot in the center is her famous chocolate sauce.  When she asked if we wanted it for the ice cream the cries of yes erupted from all over the house!  We all love ice cream in this family, but it is nothing without this sauce. :)

New England has been socked with storms lately and we were curious to see how the beaches weather the storms.  WOW!  There are usually some rocks, but this was how rocky the beach was on Sunday.  The weather was stunning and you would have thought it was early June with the number folks walking the beach enjoying our very unseasonable 70+ weather.  This is the first time DH and I have worn shorts on Easter since we lived in Clemson.

DH was excited to find a big piece of driftwood that had washed on shore.  He was equally disappointed to have to leave the wood on the beach. :(

I leave with a parting nod to Easter and the actions I will be taking soon when we finally run out of candy.  Alas, another season of Cadbury Creme Eggs has passed.  Sigh.  I hope everyone had an equally fulfilling holiday weekend. 

***Hint the countdown is around 10 or less to a fun candy announcement. Stay tuned!***