Playtime

I'm having a few of my Stampin' Rogue friends over Friday night for some crafty playtime.  I've designed a few make-n-takes so that we can play while we laugh and catch up on each other's lives.  It is hard for all of us to get together, so we make the best of it when we can.  I think I'll make some Mango Margaritas---You know that will bring on the laughs.  Here are 2 of the cards we'll make.

 

and the inside:

And, I admit, I totally cased the first card from Jessica Witty http://jesswitty.blogspot.com/2011/06/happy-trails.html and Andrea Walford http://andreawalford.com/a-note-from .  The colors just make me happy and the airplane reminds me of my son, Jake, who is absolutely in love with paper airplanes and origami. 

The second, is totally my design.  I'm still not sure that I "love" it, but I know my Rogue Buddies will help me redesign it.  And that is why I love my friends.  They help me out and just make me laugh, just like this card.

A few for a friend

 

Just a quick post from my hotel while I'm on vacation.  I made these for a dear friend.  Kristy is a devout Christian and always has need for cards.  I won't give a list of all the products used other than to mention that the stamps are from Stampin' Up (a new Hostess set available July 1) and Close to My Heart and have been colored with watercolor pencils and a blender pen.  The papers are also Stampin' Up.  I really enjoy making something with a specific person in mind.  It seems to spur me on to greater creativity.  And bottom line, it feels good to give an unexpected gift to a friend.

Thinking Summer

I'm so glad that Summer is finally here.  I love being able to sleep past 6 am and all the fun I have during the days with my boys.  We are currently in Williamsburg, VA and have been taking in all the sights.  Yesterday we went to Water Country USA and played in the water all day.  I don't have any pics to share of that adventure, but here is a card I recently made that certainly fits my mood.  I did a little inlaid embossing and some coloring and a little spritzing.  Hope you enjoy.

Stamps: Making Waves, CTMH Ink: Staz-on, Temping Turquoise, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen
Paper: Whisper White, Temping Turquoise, DSP, SU Accessories: Circle punches, SU Impressions Folder- Tim Holtz, Nesties, Tempting Turquoise ribbon-SU, Plastic teardrops, Shimmer Spritz-Tattered Angels

Sweet Summer Times

I made this card for a favorite teacher now that the school year has come to the end.  Teachers have an incredibly difficult job in Bedford County, Virginia and they do a fantastic job despite low pay and the ever increasing task of doing more with less---resources, community and parental support, etc.  Even though they love our children, I know they look forward to the summertime.  Quite frankly, I know that doing their job would send me over the edge.  I raise a glass of lemonade to all the teachers, para-pro's and staff of our schools.     



All CTMH unless noted otherwise:

Ink:  Desert Sand, Chocolate, Olive and Baja Breeze (SU) Paper: Colonial White, Olive, Wishes collection

Stamps: Trees and Things, Summer Days, Paper Lanterns Accessories: Antique Brass Brads, Dimensoinals (SU)

Dirt + Water = Happy Boy

I was digging through some more pics and just had to scrap these.  The funny thing is that even ten years later, my boys still love mud.  They came in last night (while I was making this layout) totally covered in mud.  They had been sliding in a neighbor's yard and left a dirt trail all the way to the shower.  The last pic is of Jake doing his "Fire Power" imitation (from Night at the Museum II". 



Ink: SU Tangerine Tango  Paper: CTMH "Lucky", SU Tangerine Tango and Destinations, CM lined paper  Accessories: SU Chipboard, CTMH Sunset Accessories, White Gel Pen, SU Spiral Punch, Sizzix Big shot and dies.