For my son

Every year it happens. I make the cards to send to everyone and do all the other Christmas "chores" only to realize on Christmas Eve (or maybe the day before) that I have once again forgotten to make my family cards. Every year. Normally I can pull something together for the hubs, but I have never gotten my act together enough to make my son a card. I know, I know. Don't say it. Don't even think it. I feel bad about it every year. This is the year. THIS is the year because I thought ahead and got the card done. Yes, he will get a card this Christmas because it is sitting in the art room waiting for Christmas. Here it is:



My little boy loves trains so this image is perfect. Once again I don't know who made it. I'm pretty sure I found it in a clearance bin at a stamp convention one year. He also loves buttons. He claims mine all the time and anything he makes for his friends or teachers is loaded with them. Ribbon is another big thing for him. He is always asking me if I'm going to use this or that piece of ribbon and if he can have it. I don't know why, I just embrace it. I'm so happy it's done and he will not be left out of the card part of Christmas this year.

Challenges:
Paper Cutz - Wheels
Christmas Stampin' All Year - Buttons and Bows
Anjillic Creations - First Annual Christmas in July Challenge
Tuesday Taggers - Christmas in July

Thanks for looking!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Ok, not really. It's still very sunny and hot, at least when it's not raining. It is still very much summer. It is, however, that time of year. Every year for at least the last 10 years my Christmas spirit kicks in during July. The first few years I fought it; now I accept it. I use this burst of Christmas spirit to work on getting our Christmas cards done. So, in my art room is really is beginning to look like Christmas.

The first offering of the year (please excuse the bad picture) is an adorable little snowman.

This little guy is from Penny Black. The snowflakes and background (you have to look really close on the light pink) are from PTI. I wanted to use these fun, sparkly lime green brads from Doodlebug and when I reached for them pink came to mind. There's lots of sparkle here - the snowman, the snowflakes, the light pink paper, the brads. I realize it's not a traditional Christmas color combo, but I like it anyway.

Challenges:
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch
Crafty Creations Challenges - happy or sweet
Stamptacular Sunday Challenges - Christmas in July

Thanks for looking.

A magical day

I recently came across the wedding candy post over at Charisma Cardz Challenge blog. It is an amazing prize and I really hoped to be able to participate. Plus, who doesn't love weddings?? Not knowing the bride and groom personally I couldn't gear the card to them which made things a little difficult for me. Here's what I came up with:

I didn't want the card to be only about the bride and let's face it, many wedding cards are geared to the girls side of things. I also wanted to have some color. And I wanted to keep it pretty simple and flat because from my view wedding cards are the most likely to end up in a scrapbook of some sort. I love the way the gold stands out on the brown. And I love this sentiment for a wedding.

It didn't even occur to me to use it for weddings when I bought it, but somehow that makes it better.
The image is from Stampin Up and the sentiment is from Stamping Bella.

Challenges/contests:
Charisma Cardz - wedding
Delightful challenges - it's so simple

Thanks for looking.

A treat for you

As promised I am posting the goody (or is it goodie) boxes from the birthday party. Of course, they had to fit into the theme of an American BBQ. Thinking, thinking, thinking...baskets. Lucky for me I already had the Pack a Picnic template from Papertrey. The only question was how to make it scream USA and basket. My Time Made Easy digital papers to the rescue. I used the Well Woven papers with the Fresh Fabric Collection 1 to make it looked like a lined basket. I made blue baskets with red liners for the boys

and red baskets with blue liners for the girls.

A birthday basket wouldn't be complete without a little sparkle so I continued the star theme using the same stars as were on the invitations (here if you missed them) glittered up with a glitter combo called Freedom (don't you love it?).
I love the fact that this template has a lid. And what better place to personalize it for the kids? So I took the same star punches and put the kids names on the lids.

Then we filled them up with gummie hot dogs and hamburgers, a candy necklace, a tootsie roll pop, a patriotic stress baseball, and two cans of playdough. I think the kids liked them. I know the birthday boy was excited about giving them to his friends.

Challenges:
Just us Girls template challenge
Thanks for looking.

Red, white, and blue...Happy Birthday to you

In case anyone is wondering where I disappeared to, I got in way over my head with birthday stuff for the little man. When inviting children to a birthday party in the middle of the week in July one should consider the possibility they will all come (or at least the large majority). I did not consider this would be the case. And of course, I had to make everything. Somewhere along the way I also got talked into letting him invite 12, yes TWELVE, kids ages 3-6 to this party.

The smart thing would have been to start with the invitations. I wasn't smart. In the end it all worked out and everyone had a great time with only one melt down and one incident. I call that good given the age group. Most importantly the birthday boy had fun and was happy.

Ted over at Happily Ever Crafter has a challenge going on this month honoring Old Glory, the American Flag. You should check it out if you have a minute. He's offering up a $10 PTI gift certificate to the winner and who doesn't love a bit of red, white, and blue in July??

The birthday party, an American BBQ, was the perfect place for a little red, white, and blue.

Here's the invitation.


I decided on an American BBQ to give his German friends a taste of American culture. Initially I wanted to make pinwheels, but it just wasn't working. While working on plan B I found this pinwheel stamp I've had for awhile but rarely use. I really wish I knew who made it. If anyone happens to know please pass the info along. Lucky for me, the pinwheel had stars and stripes. I stamped and embossed the pinwheel image and then colored it with copics. At this point I had already designed the goody bags (I'll post those a little later.) so I knew I wanted to use stars and glitter. Hubby was gracious enough to punch out tons of stars in a few sizes using the Creative Memories star punches. I then ran them through the Xyron to get a good layer of adhesive on them and then covered them in red, white, and blue glitter. Then I randomly placed the stars across to make a fun, festive, very American border. After my first run on a white card base, I realized something had to change. I had a pack of premade black cards sitting on the shelf. I had my answer. A simple "you're invited" was perfect for getting the point across through the language barrier.

I hope you like my take on Old Glory. Thanks for looking!

Back on track

A bit ago I said I was going to focus on thank you cards and then, of course, I got distracted. I am happy to report I am back on track to getting a few thank you cards at the ready. This will be short lived as it is about time to focus on birthday stuff for the little guy which will take all my time 'cause I'm just that kind of mommy. Until then we're doing thank yous.

Here's a sweet little card made with a Bella image I received in a swap somewhere along the way.



The musical border (from OnyxXpressions) is beautiful and now that I remember I have hopefully I get it inked up a bit more. The sentiment (from Papertrey) is classic. A nice combination.



Challenges
Raise the Bar - Sweet Music
Truly Scrumptious - Sketch

Thanks for looking!

Just because...

Don't you just love it when something comes together beautifully all by chance? I saw the sketch on the Papertake Weekly Challenge blog and it spoke to me so off to the art room I went. I had wanted to see if these sheer materials I have (and have used on cards) would work as a border or accent instead of a whole background and these sketch sent me straight to them. As I was looking at my choices I decided I liked this one best for today.



I started wondering if I had a coordinating stamp - some kind of flower that would at least "go" with the ones on the material. And what do you know? Yes, I do. They look almost like they were made to go together. Happiness. And in my favorite colors too!

The stamp was bought awhile ago unmounted, I don't know from where. The sentiment is from Papertrey's Damask Designs. The background is embossed with an old Fiskars embossing plate. As a side note, hubby bought these for me and I refuse to discourage him so I keep them and use them despite other, more current options. It was then brushed with white ink.

Thanks for looking.