End of July

I can't believe it is already the end of July.  In just a few short weeks school will begin again.  I'm just starting to get into the summer schedule so it just doesn't seem like it is time to change yet.  We have been having warm humid weather so it is hard to image the leaves changing and colder weather.....before the snow comes.
I made several thank you cards to thank family for my birthday gifts.  I received some $ and as you can imagine what I spent my money on...... some new stamps.

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park - Summer Days
Cardstock:     Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Tiddly Inks - Donna
Sentiment:  TLC
Tag:  MPR
Ribbon:  American Crafts
Flower:  Prima
Brad:  Paper Studio
Border Punch:  Martha Stewart
Embossing Folder:  Doodle Bug
Prima Pencils

Challenges:
There She Goes 117 - Sketch
Tiddly Inks - Tag
Paper Pretties 164- No Copics, used Prima pencils

Patterned Paper:  Authentique
Cardstock:  Paper Company, Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Bigbsy's Gift
Sentiment:  Close to My Heart
Ink:  Memento, Rich Cocoa
Twine & Buttons:  Stash
Flowers:  Bazzil
Pearls:  Recollections
Ribbon:  Creative Impressions & Wrights

Challenges:
Mojo Sketch 201
Karen's Doodle - Bingo

Color Throwdown

Patterned Paper:  Pebbles
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Lily of the Valley - Milly Hello
Sentiment:  Close to My Heart
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo & Rich Cocoa
Spellbinders:  Small & Large Petite Oval, Large scalloped Oval
Ribbon:  Michael's
Flowers:  Wild Orchid Craft's
Flourish:  Recollections

Challenge:
Lily of the Valley:  Sketch

Two in one week

I was saying before that I was making a bunch of sympathy cards for my Mother since she was going to quite a few funerals, but what can I say since I found out about a friend's father passing away so now I will have two in a weeks time.  I used Bo Bunny paper for this card and butterflies.

Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny

Cardstock:  Bazzil

Sentiment:  My Favorite Things:  Clearly Sentimental - Sympathy

Ink:  Memento, Rich Cocoa

Spellbinders:  Butterfly Circle, Pennant

Border Punch:  Martha Stewart

Butterfly Punch: Tonic

Ribbon:  Creative Impressions

Challenges:

Chupa's Sketch 21

I did it

I actually had the day off - had a staff meeting to go to, but I managed to get some crafting time in.  Now I'm up too late since I have a class to attend in the AM so I will pay for it tomorrow.  I guess things are back to normal.  Never enough hours in a day.  Unfortunately, I have a funeral to attend on Saturday for a dear departed friend so that card was necessary.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Dots, My Minds's Eye

Cardstock:  Recollections, Core-dinations

Stamp:  Kenny K - Carmen Electra

Sentiment:  Close to My Heart

Ink:  Memento, Black tuxedo

Buttons:  JoAnn's Basics

Baker's Twine:  Divine Twine

Spellbinders:  Grand Circle, Grand scalloped circle, pennant

Flowers:  Prima

Challenges:

Kenny K - Pocket Card

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park - Splash
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Kraftin' Kimmie - Little Summer Boy
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Spellbinders:  Pennant
Baker's Twine:  Divine Twine
Buttons:  Stash
Brads:  Doodle Bug
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Crystal Lacquer on water & goggles

Challenges:
Kraftin' Kimmie - Sketch

Patterned Paper:  October Afternoon
Cardstock:  Bazzil
Stamp:  My Favorite Things
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Button & twine:  stash
Lace:  Wrights
Flower:  Prima
Spellbiners:  Eyelet Circle
Liquid Pearls

Challenges:
MFTW30

Concerns about the water

I just found out another co-worker is 5 weeks pregnant while several others are in the middle or end of their pregnancy.  There is a baby shower next weekend for two of the ladies/babies so that is why I have been working on these baby cards.  I will be bringing water from home since as the old wives tale goes "there is something in the water."  and I do not want anymore children at this stage in my life.  Ha. Ha.

Patterned Paper:  Authentique
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Some Odd Girl - Momma Mae
Ribbon:  Creative Impressions
Flowers:  Recollections
Spellbinders:  Scalloped Long Rectangle

Challenges:
Pixie Dust - Sketch
Colour Q

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - free digital download

Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollectioins

Stamp:  Mo Manning - James at the Carnival

Sentiment:  TLC

Spellbinders:  Large petite oval, Large scalloped petite oval

Ribbon:  Creative Impressions

Ticket:  Coin Ticketer

Buttons:  Stash

Tag:  Cuttlebug

Challenges:

Mo Manning - Summer Vacation

Sketch Saturday

Bearly Mine - Tag

Monkey Business

Karen's Doodles has a challenge to have a shaped card so I came up with this. I used the free monkey digital stamp for this card along with my Scalloped Spellbinders.

Patterned Paper:  Authentique
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Karen's Doodles - Monkey
Spellbinders:  Large scalloped circle, Grand scalloped circles
Paperclip - from stash
Ribbon: Michael's

Challenges:
Karen's Doodles - Shaped Card

Ten Years

My husband and I will be celebrating our ten year anniversary on Saturday.  I decided to make him a card using the Lily of the Valley stamp which I think is so adorable.  We have had our ups and downs which has been with his health which has made our relationship so much stronger.  I treasure our time together and feel so lucky that we have had ten years together given that he was diagnosed with renal cancer only 9 months after we were married.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Dots, Bearly Mine Stripes
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Lily of the Valley - Together Forever
Sentiment:  Verve
Spellbinders:  Fancy tags 2
Bling: Fancy tags 2
Ribbon:  Creative Impressions
Flowers:  Crocheted unknown source

Challenges: 
Sweet Sketch Wednesday 111

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park
Cardstock:  Bazzil, Core-dinations, Recollection
Stamp:  Bugaboo- Ted xmas ornament
Sentiment:  Computer font
Ribbon:  Michael's

Challenges:
The Sweet Stop 117
Bugaboo - Christmas in July

Patterned Paper:  Paper Studio, Echo Park
Cardstock:  Recollections
Stamp:  Netty's free sentiment
Making Memories Over the Hill
Ribbon:  Michael's
Embossing Folder:  Cuttlebug
Border punch:  Martha Stewart
Card base:  Paper Cuts

Challenges:
Mojo 200

Color challenges

Well believe it or not, in Wisconsin, we are on a week stretch of temps in the 90's along with lots of humidity.  I think I'm going to have to work on a Christmas card just to get a sensation of snow and chill since it is far from that this week.  Instead I did two cards that involved colors.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Floral Fantasy, Basic Grey - Hopscotch
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Prism, Recollections
Stamp & sentiment:  free digital download
Ribbon:  Creative Impressioin
Brads: Making Memories
Spellbinders:  Small circle, Small scalloped circle, tag
Border punch:  Fiskars
Flowers:  Prima & Wild Orchid Crafts

Challenges:

Sweet Wednesday Sketch 110  http://www.sweetsketchwednesday.blogspot.com/

CR84FN Color Challenge
http://cr84fncolorchallenge.blogspot.com/

Patterned Paper:  Paper Studio,  Echo Park - For the Record
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Mo Manning - Kitchen Knight
Spellbinders:  Eyelet Square
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Brads:  Paper Studio

Challenges:
SSSC 126
Mo Manning:  Black, White, and one other color (Green)

Summer fun

Well it feels good to have made some cards this week.  Working full time again has put a strain on my crafting time.  We have had some beautiful weather this week so the challenge for Karen's Doodle for a summer card seems perfect.

Patterned Paper:  Authentique
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Karen's Doodles - Basset Girl
Sentiment: Free digital download
Flowers:  Prima, Recollections, Wild Orchid Crafts
Lace & Trim:  Wrights
Ink:  Memento, rich cocoa

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday
Karen's Doodle - Summer fun
Colour Create - Cream, Teal & Pale Pink
Paper Pretties:  PWC162 - Animals

Patterned Paper:  K & Company
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Bugaboo - Dottie Cupcake
Sentiment:  Close to My Heart
Ink: Memento, black tuxedo
Ribbon & buttons:  Unknown stash
Flower:  Recollection
Baker's Twine:  Divine twine

Challenges:
CPS Sketch 123
Bugaboo - Clean & Simple

Repeat of Girly colors

Well today I just seemed to be using the same things when I was putting together my cards for these girly cards. The first is Kenny K which I thought would look wonderful on the new Authentique paper and fit for this weeks Color Throwdown.  Then I had a scrap which was perfect for my second card where I was using the July SFYTT sketch.  The color matched so I couldn't help it.

Patterned Paper:  Authentique
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Kenny K - Soho
Sentiment:  Close to My Heart
Ink:  Memento, black tuxedo
Ribbon:  Michael's
Border Punch:  Martha Stewart
Spellbinders:  Grand Caliber Circle
Flowers:  Prima & Recollections

Challenges:
SSSC 125
Kenny K - Anything Goes
Color Throwdown -

Patterned Paper:  Authentique, Amuse
Cardstock:  DCWV, Recollections
Stamp:  Heather Ellis - Pure Innocence 02
Sentiment: Close to My Heart
Ink:  Memento, black tuxedo
Border Punch: Martha Stewart
Flowers:  Prima & Recollections
Corner Rounder:  Creative Memories

Challenges:
SFYTT July Sketch

Vintage

I survived the college orientation!  My daughter met one of my friend's daughters and they decided to be roommates so that helped relieve one of her big anxieties.  It was cute to hear them planning how they want to decorate their room.  I also feel comfortable knowing who she will be with.  My little girl is growing up.  It seems so long ago that I went off to college, and our concerns are so different.

Patterned Paper:  Paper Studio, Echo Park - For the Record
Cardstock:  Recollections,
Stamp:  Pixie Dust - Water for Elephants
Sentiment:  Close to My Heart
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Trim:  Wrights
Circle Punch:  EK Success

Challenges:
Sweet Stop Sketch
Pixie Dust - Old Photos - Black and White

Patterned Paper: Authentique
Cardstock:  Recollections, Core-dinations
Stamp:  Mo Manning - Out There
Lace: Wrights
Spellbinders:  Grand Caliber Circle

Challenges:
The Deconstructed Sketch #9
Mo Manning - Vintage
Paper Crafting Journey - For Him

Enjoy your day

I can't believe it is Friday already.  It seems like a short week because of the holiday, and luckily it should be a nice weekend.  Next week I need to go to college orientation with my daughter so it is coming soon that she will be leaving me which makes me rather sad.  She is my personal cheerleader and she keeps me active.  I am excited for her as she will start her next chapter in her life and she will be in an area where she will be close to my parents and her other grandparents and many great aunts/uncles.

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park - For the Record, Paper Studio
Cardstock:  Recollections, Core-dinations
Stamp:  Nina B- Blossom for Mom
Sentiment:  Verve
Ink:  Memento, black tuxedo
Spellbinders:  Large Petite Oval, Large Scalloped Petite Oval
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Ribbon:  Michael's

Challenges:
Iwona Sketch #18
Colour Q