August Challenge

July is coming to a quick end, can you believe it????
Our August challenge is coming up, and I got to pick for this month. So, I picked butterflies.
I'm quite excited; I've seen some amazing work with embellishments and different tools to create some beautiful works of art.
One difference this month regarding our challenge: All of our submissions will be donated to Cardsforheroes.org. It's important to me that our Armed Forces are remembered. So many come back with emotional and mental issues, including physical, that they need us. A small token for their major sacrifice...
If you would like to join in our submission to our servicemembers, please forward your cards to:

Amber Cerda

7812 Big Bear Street

Bakersfield, CA 93307

Remember - no glitter (including Dazzling Diamonds)

I am hoping to have them all in so that they can go back in the mail by August 31st.

Remember, the new catalog is live so all the new papers and stamps are available. You can place an order here.

June's Challenge

June's Challenge was a beach theme. We had a member of our group bow out; life happens and sometimes we need to take a break to remember what our points are.

Here are the pictures: Bonnie's cards are first.

Here are my mom's cards:

And, here are mine:

Paper: Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, and Whisper White Ink: Pumpkin Pie, and Kiwi Kiss Stamps: Ocean Commotion Accessories: Stickles (Crystal), Circle Scissor Plus

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Bashful Blue Stamps: Ocean Commotion Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus, Black Brads, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Blue Pad, Black Chunky Glitter

Paper: Whisper White, Glorious Green, Kiwi Kiss, Lavender Lace, and Bashful Blue Ink: Basic Black, Real Red Stamps: Little Things Matter (CTMH), Sushi Bowl Party (Stampendous) Accessories: Stampin' Pastels, ZooBalloo (Cricut), and Stretch Your Imagination (Cricut), Zip Dry Paper Glue, and Sand from My Kids Shoes (really!)

I had a lot of fun creating these cards, I hope you like what we did!

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

April's Challenge

It's the end of the month already, can you believe it? I can't. We have been rushing around doing Kindergarten registration and all the appointments: doctors and dentists. Plus, there is Preschool graduation preparation and end of year field trips - nerve wracking. Plus, now is the time to prepare for summer. Last summer DD went to art camp and it was a little pricey...this year she wants to attend again and I've been saving for it since Christmas in hopes of not causing too much damage to my budget: Mission Accomplished. I checked this week on the registration to ensure the class was still going and not another victim of the Economy and...(drum roll here...) they lowered the price! So, I have a few bucks left over. Quite proud of myself but it's going to stay in savings just in case something comes up during the summer.

Anyway - the point: This month's challenge was to be Bunnies. I was quite excited initially because it gave me a great excuse to order two C.C. Designs stamp sets: Hunny Bunny and Kisses & Hugs. Absolutely adorable. However, LIFE happened, and by the time I got to my challenge projects - I entered into it half-hearted. I am pleased with the outcome but know that I could have done A LOT better. Either way: I hope you enjoy what came in.

First, is my mom's cards. She does amazing things considering she is as gimpy as I am...you will see. I am trying to get her to use brighter colors...one step at a time.

(I love the butterfly, making a small entrance on the card...)

Next is Bonnie. I have been told that she absolutely adores Bunnies.

And last, is mine. I used the Summer Mat Stack and picked out some bright colors for the card. I used a layout that I found in the back of the May CardMaker, my Circle Scissors Plus, the word window punch, and dimensionals. I envisioned something else and this is what came out. By the time I started I had already received Bonnie's card and my mom's and was feeling a little pressure to get my projects done. Lesson: DON'T RUSH!!

I also altered a notebook I found in the dollar bins at Michael's. I wrapped it in Tea Party DSP, Certainly Celery and Almost Amethyst paper, Basic Black Ink and a little Pretty In Pink, used my Scallop Oval and Regular Oval Nestabilities, and added a So Saffron Ribbon for a place holder. After all the measuring and cutting and ripping and eventually throwing away two attempts, I figured out that SCS has a tutorial on how to make your own. Oh, the frustration I could have saved! But, it did turn out pretty cute!


May is a Forrest Theme. I'm interested to see what comes out of our heads this month...

The March Challenge

Well, here it is already, the end of the month. Can you believe how fast this year is going already?


I know that times are tough right now for a lot of people: layoffs, lost hours, burglaries, every one I know has been touched by some negative force recently. I hope you remember to hold on and cherish what you do have. Life will get better.


This month we had a new member in our monthly challenge: Bonnie. I'm looking forward to seeing her work and to being inspired. This month our challenge was flowers. Quite interesting how three different women interpret the challenge.


First off, is my mom, Kathy. She decided to do a book with different techniques on each page.








Here is Bonnie's card:




I submitted two different cards. This one I used Botanical Blooms which I got from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. I used So Saffron, Basic Gray, Basic Black, and the Walk in the Park DSP from the Occasions Mini Catalog.



This one I used the blossom from Heartfelt Thanks. The inks are Only Orange and Glorious Green.

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!!

The Cupcake Challenge

Don't know if you remember, but last month I wrote about how my mom is keeping my interest in crafting by doing monthly craft challenges. The first month, January, we challenged eachother to the Origami Box. This month, we challenged eachother to a cupcake theme. Here are the results:


This one is my mom's. She did three circle cards and sent them in an altered CD tin. Very cute.

This one is mine. I made four cards, all using a stamp set from Hero Arts. I also altered a large paper clip...I hope she enjoys it.

Next month, March, we are doing a flower challenge, and my mom has invited a friend of hers to participate. I am excited to share my projects and get some new ideas. Welcome Bonnie!

Got a New Laptop and Have Been Updating!

I just got my new laptop - I ordered it last week while it was on sale through Office Max. Since it was such a good deal, I had to get a rain check. It came in yesterday...so DH picked it up while I was having another procedure. I have it all loaded up now, still need to get a program for my iPod, but that can wait. Thought I would post pictures of some of the cards that I have been working on.

This one was done for Christmas with the hostess stamp set that I just had to have...Window Dressing.


This one was done for the New Year (duh...). The background stamp is from Stampendous! and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Holidays & Wishes...another set that I had to have.

Here are a few birthday cards that I've made for co-workers and friends. I need to get my stash back up, hopefully now that I have a camera and a laptop, I will be more willing to craft and share. I used a my Cuttlebog embossing folders, my Cricut, and my nestabilities.


This is a card I made for my mom's husband, my step-dad. I've had this stamp set from Stampendous for a few months, just never had the inspiration to use it until I found the Shadow Box Card Tutorial, which was a little confusing but a lot of fun. I laugh now that I look at the picture, can you see that I took this picture at work? My keyboard, headphones, and date stamp are hiding in the background! Well, at least I got to look at something fun that day!










Also, since my Stampin' Up group is ending this month and I am really working on my debt, I've kind of lost interest, maybe crafting steam. In an attempt to keep my creative juices flowing, my mom and I have been doing monthly challenges. Last month, I challenged her to the Origami Box from Splitcoaststampers - you can go here for the instructions. You can see my box in the two top pictures. Of course, after receiving my mom's box is the obvious winner...I love the way she puts things together. I think if I would have taken more time to really think about the task, I could have done better. And of course, she shared some goodies with me, some foil confetti and brads. This month, her challenge to me was cupcakes.

I think I'm going to go and try to find some supplies to use to make mine the winner, she already sent me hers, won't post until I get mine out to her.

I'm glad I'm back, hopefully all has been well with you, you are prospering with the use of your coupons, and are making progress in life, love, and your wallets.