Work in Progress

Is that a joke? Because really, what isn't a work in progress? As long as I'm breathing, everything I do is "a work in progress".

Just wanted to let you know that I am finally educating myself on how to use MyDigitalStudio (MDS) that I bought for myself...finally, after months of having it.

I found this great, genious, patient, wonderfully inciteful blog (http://www.debbisdesign.com/) while prowling SCS and she has a wonderful tutorial on how to implement MDS into your blog.

I highly recommend visiting her...especially if you are like me...non-techno-that's-why-I-like-my-paper-and-rubber stamper...

SU! Big Shot Die Pack Give Away!!!

http://www.stampinaddicts.com/ has so many great ideas using the Stampin' Up! Big Shot AND is giving away a Big Shot Die Pack as part of the Stampin' Up! summer celebration. To enter, all you have to do is blog about it, post about it on Facebook, or Twitter about it. Then, contact SA and let them know about your entry. This is my entry! I hope I win!!

Tri-Fold Shutter Card

I finally did it! I was so inspired by Sandy Hancock's blog with her cards that I just had to try to make the Tri-Fold Shutter card. I spent most of Sunday working on it, a little bit of Monday morning before work, and finally finished it this morning before I left for work.

What do you think?

I would love to post the recipe for this card but it was a gift/kit. I do know that it was the Tickled Pink kit from Close to My Heart. I used my SU! Stampin' Pastels, the Ticket Punch, and of course dimensionals. I also used my Dazzlin' Diamonds and a 2-way Glue Pen.

May's Challenge

Sorry for the late posting - family crisis that I am still reeling over. Life may very well end as this small family knows it. I am angry and hurt, dissapointed and lost. Every emotion has run through my body and with only six hours of sleep from Tuesday night to today, I am a tad sensitive. I will do what I can to keep things together, to make sure that my children don't feel the effects too deeply, to try and grow from this moment.

May's challenge theme was Forest. I went crazy looking for stamp sets and items that I could use...but when it came down to it, my thoughts would not come out on paper and it seemed to take me reaching to the depths of whatever creativity I have to pull this one off. Of course, it did not help that my baby was graduating preschool (still a little emotional about that one...), my daughter struggled with end of the year testings, only to receive Honor Roll and various other academic awards (so stinkin' proud of her!!), and of course the gifts that went to teachers. We made it.

Ready? Here is what we did for May:

First set: Bonnie's. She made two cards and a magnet. The bear is covered in Fun Flock. My kids are wanting to know how come we don't make magnets - which will change shortly. (Psst...I found a great inspirational blog by Sandy Hancock, please make sure you check it out. She has some very fun and beautiful ideas!)




Second up: my Mom. She is a little concerned that all of her cards look the same. While I can feel my mom in a card, she is changing. She has started adding texture in her cards and I can see that she is adding more detail to the cards. Don't worry Mom, you're evolving.





Last but not least: Me!

This is a Joy Fold Card I got instructions for over at Split Coast Stampers. Love that site! Here is the card open.

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, DSP from Urban Oasis (soon to be retired!!) and Walk in the Park (to get it before it's gone click here)

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Basic Gray

Stamp Set: Forest Friends

Accessories: Dimensionals, Olive embossing powder (CTMH), VersaMark Pen

Paper: Kraft, Garden Green, Striped Paper from a DCWV Paper Stack
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss
Stamp Set: Trendy Trees
Accessories: Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Jumbo Grommet, Spots and Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Paper: Old Olive, Old Olive DSP, Chocolate Chip DSP
Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Stamp Set: Treetops (CTMH)
Accessories: Acrylic Block, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects, White Embossing Powder, VersaMark, Linen Thread, Chocolate Chip button from Button Latte, Sweet Leaf button from CTMH Winter Craft Buttons, Oval and Rectangle Nestabilities,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“The growth of grace is like the polishing of metals. There is first an opaque surface; by and by you see a spark darting out, then a strong light; till at length it sends back a perfect image of the sun that shines upon it.” -Edward Payson

HAVE TO SHARE - AMAZING BLOG CANDY!!!

So, I'm doing my usual blog hop - checking out new posts and links on other blogs and I run into this while searching Katie's blog from Paper Makeup (I'm itching for some new toys!!) and I saw the most GLORIOUS PICTURE EVER:



All you have to do is post a comment here and link it to your blog and cross your fingers, wish on a shooting star, throw a penny in the fountain, whatever you do to make dreams come true!
Can you believe it?!?!!?

Sharing Blog Candy!

So I must share that Marie is offering some great blog candy ("Boot Loot"). I am greatly inspired by the things she creates and try to visit her blog weekly. I must tell you, the Boot Loot is in honor of her daughter, Emma, who is turning 6 (such a great age!). All you have to do is tell Emma Happy Birthday in the comment section and cross your fingers! Good Luck!

Blog Hopping

So, going through Cafe Mom I noticed some cute pics posted and decided to click on blogs...check out this one...I am sooo envious of her craft room! She has also posted some cute tutorials, the mini notebook is something I would love to do with the kids...although I may change the fiber binding to binder rings for something quick and easy.

Hope you get some good inspiration today!

March's Paper Craft Challenge

Today is March 1st, at least for the next hour and twenty eight minutes at least. I know, I'm up late for a school night.

But, I've been busy thinking and planning for the challenge that my mom and I put together. And now that there is a third member, Bonnie, and I'm a little nervous. I know that I'm just learning and starting out, however, I want people to be impressed with me (who doesn't?). So, I found this great blog through a fellow Cafe Mom member, Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. She has a bunch of YouTube videos that are great instructionals. And beautiful projects. I also checked out another blog ran by Stacey King. She has got to be the paper punch queen!

Anyway, since this is March, our paper craft theme is Flowers. Anything flowers. Cards, 3-D project, an alterable, a scrapbook layout, whatever the mind comes up with. And there is no limit to the medium: rubber, die cut, ink, whatever is handy at the moment.

I'm half way done with my first project. Mind you, half way means that since there are three of us (Mom, Bonnie, and of course myself), I have finished one complete, and half way finished a second of the first. I also got a great idea from Stacey's blog (Rebel Inker) and am going to try my hand at that. Should be interesting. Hopefully this will be a slow, easy week, and I can get some real work done. But, being that this week is my 10 year (HOLY COW!!) anniversary, I doubt it.

Will post pictures of the challenge as soon as the projects are received, which should be by the last week of the month. Exciting!!