bloom with hope-seize the sketch #23

hey tracey, momma and friends old and new!

boy do i love being home for the summer!  i have spent some wonderful time in the woman cave just creating, thinking about creating, wondering what i'll create next...just being!  i should be working on my swaps for convention, however, lee ann's sketch for seize the sketch #23 caught my eye.  i have wanted to used the bloom with hope stamp set...and this is what i came up with:

 

i'm really digging the blendabilities!  i think i'm getting the hang of them, thanks to all of the great tutorials out there!  this card was pretty straight forward to make...again-gah-i had to fussy cut!...but only a little bit this time.  a little side note here-when the edges of my cutting are not perfect, i take a regular stampin' write black marker, and using the brush end, run it along the edge of the not so perfect cut to 'finish' the look.  i think this is a must to making your cutting look close to perfect!  also, this great tutorial from linda coughlin at the funkie junkie will show you how i made this great bow without wasting ribbon.

stamp sets:  bloom with hope, blooming with kindness

inks:  memento tuxedo black, crumb cake

blendabilities:  cherry cobbler, old olive, pumpkin pie

cardstock:  crumb cake, black, vanilla, cherry cobbler

embossing folder:  beautifully baroque

framelits:  labels collection

edgelits:  finishing touches

ribbon:  cherry cobbler seam binding

my dear friend laura, a stamping newbie, was here this evening getting some tips and techniques on cutting paper.  after i showed her a few other tidbits, she asked, "you're going to start up the stamping clubs, right?"  that simple question nudged me into thinking...am i ready to take a leap of faith with my stampin' up business?  i think i have been afraid to go past the hobbiest that i am because i'm afraid of failing.  i was really good at this ten years ago...and now for some reason or another, wonder if it will be different.  so i sit here tonight reminding myself that a leap of faith is a personal willingness to take a chance.  i have to trust my own strength and ability to handle whatever that leap may bring.  it may be different this time around, but maybe a better different and not a different i should be afraid of!  so i proclaim here and now, i am ready to take a chance at letting my dreams become my realities.  (whew!  that's exciting to say out loud!)  i'm excited to watch my business grow...as soon as i get back from convention, that is!

the academic author and professor at the university of south alabama, louise e. boone, wrote:  "don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things.  the saddest summary of life contains three descriptions:  could have, might have and should have."

thank you for stopping by...i appreciate you!

peace be with you

choose happiness-the paper players 201

hi tracey, momma and friends old and new!

my dear husband treated me to a box of goodies from stampin' up for my birthday...boy, have i been having fun!  i feel like a child at christmas, finding it difficult to decide what to play with first.  I think it is no surprise i chose my new blendabilities...stampin' up's new alcohol markers.  well, needless to say, it has been a process in learning.  i have watched many tutorials and have gone through a great many flowers trying to find my style/technique...and...i'm still working on it!  i will not give up!

i had fun creating this card using a sketch by nance from the paper players.  if i told you how many marigold's i colored in and have only one card to show for it, you may actually feel sorry for me!  however, it was fun just relaxing in the woman cave, with some country music playing! (i swore a long time ago you would never catch me listening to that genre, but boy oh boy, i am hooked!)

     

ink:  chocolate chip, crumb cake

cardstock:  old olive, chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, naturals ivory, crumb cake

stamp sets:  choose happiness, hardwood, flower patch

misc:  blendabilities pumpkin pie and old olive, burlap, naturals candy dots

for the 'fence', i stamped hardwood in chocolate chip on crumb cake and then cut the pieces apart.  i sponged the edges to give it the weathered look.  i reassembled the parts to get this really neat effect.

*this card was chosen by ann from the paper players' design team as her top pick!  i'm am giddy with excitement!

my sister always says, "fussy cutting' again, are we?"  i can't help it...i need an intervention!

today is the first day of summer for me.  my beach bag is already packed and i'm hitting the road with my book and iPod as soon as i press 'post'.  it has been a wonderful school year and one i will hold in my heart for years to come.  the students were wonderful...full of character, wonder, insight, humor...and i loved mostly every minute of it.  this past week, i received so many lovely gifts from my class, but believe me when i say, it's the notes that the students and parents write that i love.  their words of gratitude and love remind me of why i do what i do. 

on the flip side...a couple of dear friends are leaving my building.  raylene is moving back to kansas to be with her family and alejandro is going to a different school district.  these are truly two of the happiest, kindest people i know.  they were such a presence in our school...and their absence will be felt throughout the school come september.  it is said that people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  i'm truly blessed to have worked with both of these amazing people i can call friends.

I leave you with this...

“I think if I've learned anything about friendship, it's to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don't walk away, don't be distracted, don't be too busy or tired, don't take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” 

― Jon Katz

thank you for stopping by...i appreciate you!

peace be with you