sweet sunday sketch #295

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i've been making a few cards for a friend of mine and needed a bit of a push.  when i saw this  challenge from the sweet sunday sketch crew, i knew i'd be able to come up with something!  i needed a man card, a challenge in itself, since i'm hooked on flowers and butterflies!

here is the sketch:

and here is my card:

the silver glimmer paper really jazzes it up a bit.  i'm digging' it!

...and...i missed the contest date.  anyhoo.....

and while i am stampin these cards, i can't help but watch the latest christmas movie on netflix down in the lady cave.  i know, a bit early for some of you, but i just love a good sappy or funny or classic holiday film.  it's real feel good stuff!  

which leads me to say...the season is coming!  the season is coming!  i have my hand in so many things and it's hard to stay focused.  i feel like the main character in the movie, elf, when he answers the phone, "buddy the elf!  what's your favorite color?"  that's me.  always being sidetracked by all the other colorful, glittery things i need to do!

my wish for you this holiday season is peace and joy...in all you do...in the next several weeks.  remember to take a breath once in awhile and take in all the good.  rest.  put on a sappy hallmark holiday movie in your cozy clothes and have a glass of wine.  you'll be glad you did.

thanks for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

leslie

it's all about that bass-pp#49

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i know, i know...it's been too long since i've been in the lady cave.  gah!

i had some lovely ladies over last night for a stampin soirée...so fun!  we did a few new techniques.  i could tell they were a hit from the oooooos and aaahhhhs from the girls!

it's also been awhile since i posted on  the paper plunge.  This week we are looking for fun ways to create a base to your card.  i decided to submit this card:

sooo, yeah, the pretty part isn't necessarily the base, but i think one day i may use it as such! the technique is called the ultimate glitter napkin.  it is sooo beautiful...you can't tell at all from the picture how gorgeous it really is.  glitter galore, momma!

this is the time of year i often refer to finding that special balance in my life.  school has begun so i need to plan.  i want to stamp.  i want to cook more.  i want to spend time with my loved ones. etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  having said all of that, i would also find a soothing quote about being okay with letting things go and not being hard on myself...until i found this little nugget from elizabeth gilbert, the author of eat, love, pray:  "happiness is the consequence of personal effort...you have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings.  and once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it."

participate relentlessly.

chew on those words for a bit.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

leslie

birthday blossoms...pp#44 & c4c299

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the paper plunge,  we are challenging you to use gray and one other color.  i chose to pair this misunderstood hue with blushing bride...a pretty combination, i think!

here is what i came up with...

i need to start stamping during the day so i have better light to take my pictures!  the colors are so much prettier in person...and my dazzling diamonds are much sparklier, too!

i thought i would enter this card at crazy for challenges.  

the sketch is definitely an easy one to play with.  check out the site...the design team has some great inspiration for you!  

i've been thinking...

for some odd reason...feeling a bit funky and want to make an attitude change.  one person who definitely helps is elizabeth gilbert, the author.  i recently read that she has a quote hanging above her desk...

"a person will be called to account on judgement day for every permissible thing he might have enjoyed but did not." 

about this, she wrote...

"It makes me smile to imagine God looking over your life at the end of time, and saying, "Seriously? I gave you the gift of a body and a spirit, and you could have enjoyed yourself in this beautiful world, and you DIDN'T? You had opportunities to experience pleasure and satisfaction and delight, and you DIDN'T TAKE THEM? Because — what? You were too busy? You were too afraid? You thought I wanted you to deny yourself everything good — everything good that I myself created? What were you THINKING?!"

man, that woman has a way with words!!  she continues...

"This sentiment is such a warm and reassuring antidote to a theology of suffering. 

This sentiment is the opposite of a life of self-denial, self-punishment, and martyrdom.

This theology says: HAVE A GOOD TIME, PEOPLE.

This theology doesn't suggest that the world is a paradise, or that life isn't hard. It just says: HAVE A GOOD TIME, PEOPLE...WHENEVER YOU CAN.

This theology suggests that not only are you ALLOWED to enjoy yourself sometimes in life, but that perhaps you must. Perhaps enjoyment is the highest form of worship and the sincerest expression of gratitude for the miracle of your existence."

liz ends with this...(when i met her at her store, she said...please!  call me liz!)

"Just talking about pleasure. Mere pleasure. Simple pleasure. Healthy pleasure. Sincere pleasure. Holy pleasure. 

Enjoyment is your birthright and your destiny. Don't waste the chance for it.

And after each moment of enjoyment, don't forget to say simply: THANK YOU."

tomorrow is a new day.  i will live in complete joy and be grateful for the gift of being!!

thank you for stopping by-i appreciate you!

until next time-peace be with you!

leslie

awesomely artistic atc...pp#43

hey there tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i know, i know...twice in one week!  well, it was kinda easy...

my last post included an atc made for the paper plunge challenge #42.  this week we are challenging you to turn that atc, or one you already have that is sitting patiently in a box with its friends, into a card.  to see the original challenge, go here. 

the title of this post makes it sound like i'm a braggart, but i'm not...i used the set, awesomely artistic, to create mine...

the gold embossing does not show up too well in the picture, but it sure is pretty!  

in the past few posts, i have hinted that this summer has not been awesome at times.  that is do in part to the passing of a dear friend, maureen...someone that i worked side by side with for 12 years.  she was my teaching assistant before i became a general education teacher. (i have since returned to special education, however, in a different school and in an inclusion class.)  

maureen was taken way too early and did not have more than two months to live from the time she knew she was sick.  in those final days, she managed to squeeze in a visit with so many friends...including myself. i will always be grateful for that.

she was my 'classy' friend...always a lady with integrity out the whazoo!  she was funny, kind...more so to her dogs than humans sometimes!  she always put others before herself, and loved children with unconditional dedication.  maureen did not get a huge paycheck as an assistant...but that never mattered.  she gave 1,000% of herself to her students every single day.

maureen didn't have a funeral...instead she planned a celebration-a real irish wake!  the beer, wine, food and great memories were flowing.  i almost felt silly for crying amongst all of these people laughing over some wonderful story being told.  maureen made it easier for all of her friends and family, even after she wasn't here to do it in person.  

again i ask myself...what will i take away from this experience so that her passing wasn't in vain?  the obvious...live life, for you never know when you will be called home.  secondly, friends matter...people matter.  stay connected.  i'm going to try harder with that one.  i will try harder to make the time for a visit, phone call, card...something to let people i care about know i do.  

tonight john and i had an impromptu dinner out when i picked him up from work.  we were in my teacher-friend's neighborhood, so i texted and told her so.  without hesitation, she hopped in the car to visit for just a few minutes before she took her son to hockey practice.  i really don't think tricia knew how much that simple gesture meant to me.  and that's what i'm talking about!  her little stop-in made me feel like i mattered...thank you for that, tricia!  

when it comes to seeing, calling, visiting, texting, writing-don't wait...the time will never be just right.    i read once, "nobody has time for anything.  you need to make time for the things that matter."

i'm going to try.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

atc challenge...pp#42

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summertime before it's back to school and the halloween candy!!

it has been quite a summer around here, which unfortunately has kept me out of the lady cave!  gah!! but i'm back with a challenge at the paper plunge...to create ATC cards.  my momma has always been in a swap group that focuses on these little nuggets of fun.  i decided to give it a go.

this is what i created...

artist trading cards, or ATCs, began in the tradition of business cards, but with a personal, artistic twist. most ATCs are created on paper, but they may also be any other medium that can be worked in a suitable size. ATCs are traditionally the size of baseball cards and other trading cards. they're a fun way to exchange your own one-of-a-kind artistic flair with other artists you meet. express yourself or show your style! 

If you can stamp inside of 3.5 x 2.5 inches, you can make an ATC!  join us at the paper plunge, won't you?

speaking of small things...

one of the greatest yoga masters, swami sivananda, once said, "put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts.  this is the secret of success."  imagine if we all tried?

thank you or stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

you've got this...sss#279

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

found some time to stamp with tracey the other day...well, we did more talking than stamping and it was fun!  i was showing her how beautiful using aqua painters and alcohol with reinkers work together.  when i was left with a lovely flower, i truly wasn't sure how to use it on a card...until i saw this...

the sweet sunday sketch challenge was so perfect for my flower, i quickly put it on a 5x5 card, and voila!

you really must check out their design team creations for inspiration!  i particularly love vicki burdick's beauty from itsastampthing.blogspot.com.  she does such amazing work!

stamps:  you've got this, birthday blossoms

ink:  momento black, rich razzleberry, old olive

paper:  black, white, rich razzleberry, brights dsp

extras:  paper piercing tool, crushed curry stampin write marker, black permanent marker, vanilla seem binding ribbon, antique brads, aqua painters, alcohol, glue dots, dimensionals

i've also taken a bit of time to tangle.  i wanted to combine stampin and tangling and decided to use the same flower.  here is what i created...

not bad for being self-taught!  not nearly as amazing as others...but not bad!  

the romantic poet, william wordsworth, once wrote, "fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."  i believe i do that.  every.  single.  time.  i.  create.  

whether you write, stamp, zentangle, draw, type, text...whatever...i hope you do it with all your heart.

thank you for stopping by,

i appreciate you.

until next time,

peace be with you

best thoughts...pp #41

hi there tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i know...once again it has been awhile, however, getting back in the lady cave got the creative juices flowing!  i look forward to staying up too late again tomorrow night!  i've got ideas in my head that need to get on the table!

this week at the paper plunge, we challenge you to create a tall and skinny card...one that ordinarily measures 8 X 3.5.  this size will fit in any letter-size envelope you can purchase in an office supply store.  the design team created some beautiful inspiration-please check them out!

here is what i did...

stamps:  best thoughts, hardwood, me=grateful

ink:  momento black, rich razzleberry and old olive reinkers, crumb cake, chocolate chip 

cardstock:  ivory naturals, soft suede, chocolate chip, blackberry bliss

extras:  ivory seam binding ribbon, aqua painter, lots of labels framelits, antique brads, 91% isopropyl alcohol

i love how the alcohol mixed with the ink makes it a bit thicker and easy to paint with, without weakening the paper.  and yes, tracey, more fussy cutting'!  i couldn't help myself.  i wonder if there are support groups for people like me?  hmmmm...but look how nice the layers are...

so worth the fussy cutting'!

sooooo...my sweet daughter, sarah, just got engaged to a wonderful young man named harold!  it is so exciting and crazy all at the same time...my baby is all grown up!!  the best part is, she is encouraging me to get the creative side of my brain to get to work!  

sarah is all about DIY...thank you, dear pinterest!  (you've made homemade go from nerdy to trendy!)  i have been dreaming of the day i would make my daughter's invitations, decorations, shower favors...i'm just giddy with excitement!  i feel like mrs. krank, from christmas with the kranks.  as she was getting ready to throw her daughter the best christmas party ever, she yelled to her husband, "luther!  get me my vest!"  that always cracks me up!  (i guess you had to see the movie to appreciate the analogy!)

speaking of sarah...she has grown to be someone i admire so much.  i am so proud of her for taking a risk and starting her own very trendy online business, DAISY NATIVES.  her headwraps are adorable and her tees are the next best thing!  She continues to be a full time baker at sugar + sunshine bakery in plainsboro, nj, so i know she is working hard!  please visit sarah online, on instagram and at the bakery!

so many young girls have reached out to her through social media to tell her she is 'all that and a bag of chips' and i couldn't agree more!  she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  she is such a hard worker and focused.  she is quirky and funny and definitely has her own drumline in her head that only she is following!  i am so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter and it is amazing to watch her grow up with such grace...

sweet sarah-if i could give you one thing in life, i would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes.  only then would you realize how special you are!  i love you more.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

leslie

manly man-the paper plunge #38

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

i know...it's been awhile.  for more reasons than i care to explain, life has been overwhelming.

some good.  some bad.  but...being a woman of faith, i believe ...well, i guess, i just believe.

on to stamping...this week at the paper plunge, we are challenging you to create a manly man's card.  it is a perfect time of year to share what you have created for a man in your life, whether is it for father's day, a birthday, perhaps a graduation...

this is what i have done...

i just love stampin' ups! guy greetings...such fun stamps!  i made this for my pop for father's day.  since i am just uploading now, it is bound to be late...but that's me!  i think if my parents ever received a card on time, it would put them in shock!  

speaking of my dad...he's awesome!  lately, he's getting pretty sentimental.  every time we are on the phone, he tells me that his main job, his most rewarding job, had to be having us kids.  i can hear his proud come through the telephone from 1,200 miles away.  

well, my pop made us who we are.  we are a true reflection of him.  we are all hard workers.  we provide for our families.  we are strong individuals.  we are all pretty funny.  we love our families.  we are loyal friends.  all of these wonderful traits have been modeled to us by my father, the head of our family, whose love, belief and support in/of each of us, has meant the world to us all.  dads are special, especially mine.  

pop...you are truly a gift from above! 

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

single layer...pp#35

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

the paper plunge is featuring cards made with just one layer...always a tough one for me!!  however, it was perfect for this week because a single layer card is quick and easy!

here's what i did...

nothing fancy, really, but elegant all the same!  the black is not paper by the way...it is just a border made with a black marker!

tonight i went to a retirement party for a dear friend of 25 years.  it was quite the gala and a true testimony to a wonderful lady.  as i looked around the room, there were so many people i adore.  unfortunately, my adoring them and thinking of them often does not translate into a phone call, a lunch date or martini thursday.  "we are all so busy" was the theme of the night.  well, i for one do not want to wait until i have time to visit with people who i can say always brought me joy...because, well, i don't think i'll have the time.  unless of course i make it!

my friend, jenn, and i drove together.  one of the best parts of the night was driving her back to her car in the parking lot of the dunkin donut's and sitting there for nearly an hour just shootin' the sh*t as they say.  it was a wonderful, comfortable, laugh-filled, solve the world's problems kind of hour...one that has been missing from our lives for a very long time...because we are too busy.  and it's true...we are so busy, but i miss those times with jenn.  it's not about having time...it's about making time for the people who bring us joy!

lau tau once said, "time is a created thing.  to say, "i don't have time", is to say "i don't want to".  hmmm...

go forth and enjoy your time doing anything you want with anyone you want!

thanks for stopping by-
i appreciate you.

until next time,
peace be with you.

may flowers...pp#33

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

tomorrow i am headed up north to ohio to see my step-daughter, tori, graduate from college.  it is a very exciting time for everyone...she is the last to march up the aisle to pomp and circumstance!  it is so neat to see the determination and wonder in the eyes of someone just starting out the rest of their life...it's all so new again!

sort of like spring.  everything is new again.  one minute you look outside and the trees are bare and the grass is brown.  the next minute, the buds have bursted and the flowers are in full bloom.  i really love this time of year...it is filled with hope for everything and everyone!

this week, at the paper plunge, we are challenging you to create some beautiful flowers...whether on a card, a bouquet, etc., make new life come alive in your paper crafting!

here is what i created:

i think tori will like this card.  the saying is just perfect for this young woman...she is filled with hope and determination...i know she will make any and all of her dreams come true.  i couldn't be more proud!

dr.  seuss once said, "today is your day.  your mountain is waiting now get on your way!"  i can't wait to see where tori's journey takes her...and i know she will take it by storm!

thank you for stopping by,
i appreciate you.

until next time,
peace be with you.

mother's day...pp#32

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the  the paper plunge, we are honoring our mommas!  we challenge you to create a card with a mother's day theme.  go check out the site for some wonderful creations!

here is what i did...

this set, sweet laughter, from stampin' up! is adorable!  this little plant duo reminds me of groot from the movie, guardians of the galaxy.  i'm so glad my sister picked it out for me when she was my husband's personal stampin christmas shopper!  

i mean, just look how happy this card is!  and quite simply, that's what my mom makes me...happy!  it is so cliche to say that you have the best mom in the world...nobody can compare...no one measures up...so on and so forth.  the truth of the matter is, all of those phrases ARE my mom!  they were written with her in mind!  she is pure sunshine to be around.  she is my hero...strong and wise and knows no fear.  she is creative, an amazing cook, and has such a great laugh!  and she eats glitter for breakfast...

maya angelou wrote, "to describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power.  or climbing falling colors of a rainbow."  my mom is just perfect.

thank you for stopping by-

appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you

p.s.  i am also entering this card in the paper players #242.  this sketch was just perfect for my card this week!  give them a look-see...there are some wonderful design team cards as well as submissions!

heading on out!...pp#31

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the paper plunge, we challenge you to use the retiring in color colors of 2013-2015.  some very favorite colors of mine are leaving the stampin' up! collection...strawberry slush, crisp cantaloupe, baked brown sugar and pistachio pudding.  as a matter of fact, those are the exact colors i used for this card...

i know, tracey, a total fussy-cut extravaganza!  i couldn't help myself!  i just love the layers and look of the popped out flowers!  one little trick...i decided to use my black marker and color in the back of the flower, well at least the top layer.  kinda gave it a more finished look...

I also decided to enter this card in the paper craft crew #144 challenge.  here is the sketch they are challenging us to use this week...

 update...i have been chosen as the feature artisan on the paper craft crew challenge!  yay me!!  


"i am in charge of how i feel and today i choose happiness."

sharing that quote for no particular reason except for the fact i love it!

thank you for stopping by-
i appreciate you.

until next time-
peace be with you.
leslie

seize the birthday

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

so yesterday...i lied.  i shared with you a little bit of a card that i was using in the upcoming paper plunge challenge.  well, i decided to use that card for another challenge and create a new one for thursday's post at the paper plunge.

having said that, here is my tall and skinny card for seize the birthday...

it was fun to do...using stampin' write markers to color in the flowers on baked brown sugar.  i also added my own little ditty by drawing on the card with the chalk marker for a little extra sumthin' sumthin'!  

"be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods"...just read that quote and decided it was perfect for today.  i would like to post more often=goal.  i needed to steal yesterday's card=method!  

have a lovely day.  hope to share another card with you soon!

thanks for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

a creative blog hop

hi there tracey, momma, friends old and new!

last week, (okay, so it was not last week...maybe couple weeks ago...), helen from blue dahlia designs nominated me to participate in the creative blog hop.  i was tickled pink, to say the least.  i met helen on a plane out of philly last year when i was on my way to stampin' up!s convention in utah.  she was sooo sweet right off the bat and outstretched her hand, which i gladly accepted...she asked me to join her on a tour of the salt flats.  the rest is history!  when i returned home, she asked me to consider becoming a designer for the paper plunge and i have been connected to her ever since!  i love helen for being nice to me that day!  i enjoy her blog and her amazing talents...and you will, too.  i promise!

1.  What am I working on right now?  this one is kinda easy...my next submission for the paper plunge!  here is a little sneak peak:

i'm sure you are curious about the challenge for next week, huh?  in addition to creating for the paper plunge, i am holding a club this friday with six wonderfully amazing ladies!  i am in the middle of deciding what our theme will be so that is on my brain and all over my table.  

2.  How does my work differ from others in my genre?  when it comes to card making, the trend is clean and simple.  it is also pretty eclectic...with washi tape, gorgeous grunge and splashes of color here and there.  i love the new look.  i, however, am a traditional butterfly and flower kinda girl.  i LOVE lots of layers and fussy cutting!  simple cards are the hardest for me to make...i can't help it!  here are a couple of my favorites..

3.  Why do I create what I do?  plain and simple...it makes me happy.  working in my lady cave is pure joy for me, especially when i am coloring and cutting.  i also find myself thinking about whether or not my crafty ladies would like a project...they tend to dictate some of what i do.  their successes and pure joy in what they can do also makes me happy!

4.  How does my creative process work?  most of the time, i am inspired by a challenge, another card i have seen, a color combination or by some thing i saw (one of my favorite inspirations came from a blouse a woman was wearing in front of me at church!).  from there, an idea/design will pop into my head...usually as i'm trying to fall asleep! gah!  then it's down to the lady cave and i let the magic happen.  some cards come to me quickly and some may take me hours to make...all the same, it's time i love!

i hope you have enjoyed getting to know a bit more about me as much as i have loved sharing with you!  i am humbled by helen asking me to participate in this hop.  be sure to back track beginning with helen's blog to get your creative juices flowing and for some incredible inspiration!  

now...i get to nominate someone to share their creativity with you!  Jodi McKinney from the life in between is a lovely lady i happen to have a blog crush on...as my daughter would say!  we have never actually met, but after reading her daily posts, i think we would be great friends if we did!  jodi is quite simply, very talented!  she has such an eye for colors, whether in paper crafting or painting, shares wonderful recipes and photographs, or tells a wonderful story...i know you will enjoy her work if you have not had the pleasure of seeing it already!  check out her blog next week to see what drives her creativity and talents!

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

double dippin'...pp#30

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

this week at the paper plunge, we are asking everyone to take our challenge sketch and meld it with another challenge in the world of paper crafting.  i decided to use the card concept along with our own sketch.  i needed to make a card for a friend and thought these two ideas really worked together. (you may need to use your imagination to see the sketch in mine...it was late and i was tired!)

this is what i came up with...

the card concept has defined styles...i would call mine classy and elegant.  i took the liberty to use silver in place of gray...i think they are in the same family, right?  

i just spent the weekend with my hubby...most of which was on the motorcycle.  it was finally a gorgeous day, so off to new hope, pa, we went!  it was so nice to be outside riding the winding roads...okay...so the winding roads took us to my favorite ice cream place, but still, it was wonderful! 

so i guess balance is the name of the game!  the fun part about the weekend?  i did a little bit of all the things i love...stamp, ride, cook, eat, indulge.  my heart is happy!

in eat, pray, love by liz gilbert, (i met her in her store in frenchtown.  i called her elizabeth.  she replied, "oh, please.  call me liz!"), she wrote... 

"he showed me a sketch he'd drawn once during meditation.  it was an androgynous human figure, standing up, hands clasped in prayer.  but this figure had four legs, and no head.  where the head should have been, there was only a wild foliage of ferns and flowers.  there was a small, smiling face drawn over the heart.  to find the balance you want," ketut spoke through his translator, "this is what you must become.  you must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two.  that way, you can stay in the world, but you must stop looking at the world through your head.  you must look through your heart, instead."

i hope that you will think of ketut's words this week...follow your heart in all you do.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you.

april showers...pp#29

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the paper plunge#29, we are creating april showers...for babies and brides that is!!  with all of the young women i work with, i am bound to need a baby shower card before long!  here's what i did:

stamps:  zoo babies

ink:  stazon black, baked brown sugar

paper:  baked brown sugar, whisper white, daffodil delight, regal designer series paper

extras:  ribbon and frayed burlap, polka dot ef, finishing touches edgelits, my big brother's homemade bow maker

i also entered this card in a sketch challenge from the challenge#29.  it was very simple to use...classic!

i'm sitting here right now with my sister-in-law, stacy, and her daughter, hailey.  they are both having so much fun tangling their own pens while we listen to spa music.  feeling very zen.  feeling very blessed.  these two lovely girlies are so wonderful and i'm so happy i married into their family.  

hailey can only be described as sunshine...she follows her own drummer constantly...and it takes her to some fun places!  i think she has been around this meatball planet before...an old soul.  a wonderful little girl.  

i sometimes  forget i have only known stacy for 8 years...i think our true unconditional connection makes us soul sistas!  i am so grateful for her friendship!  i love our time together...laughing, talking, indulging, philosophizing, dancing in the middle of the living room...and tomorrow we are even going to try the octopus challenge at hoffman's ice cream-8 scoops, 8 toppings in 8 minutes!  cross your fingers!  i really want the tee shirt!!

sometimes being a sister is better than being a princess.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you

happy easter-pp#28

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the paper plunge, we are celebrating spring with easter-themed cards and paper crafts!  i have been dying to try my hand at watercoloring...it's all over the place.  i think i need a bit more practice, however, not bad for my first time!

i was a bit heavy-handed with the background colors, but as i sit here and look at it, i am somehow reminded of when we used to go to sunrise service at a local park for easter.  there was such a holiness about the morning...and the colors in the sky, as well as the reflection in the water, just all seemed to be muted and beautiful.  the halo effect of the background just seems to say, "He is risen!  He has risen indeed!"

stamps:  blessed easter, gorgeous grunge

paper:  watercolor paper, whisper white

ink:  stazon black, crushed curry, pumpkin pie, old olive, real red

extras:  aqua painters, watercolor brush

i have a confession to make...i have another obsession.  i know, i know.  i feel like i am cheating on my stamps and inks...but i can't help myself.  i have fallen in love with zentangle.  i can sit and tangle for hours.  i am self-taught as of right now, however, i look forward to the day i will be taught and certified by its creators, maria and richard.  here is a little zentangle-inspired art on some pens my husband 'turned' for me.  it's a beautiful thing that we can come together with our art and create something so beautiful!

i wish you a happy easter or happy passover.  remember...this is the season where everything is new again!

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until the next time-

peace be with you.

this little light...pp#27

hey tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today at the paper plunge, we are shining the light...well, not really.  we are featuring projects that use the spotlight technique.  not sure what that is, look here!  there are so many ways to get this fun look...coloring, punch outs with color underneath, or what i did...add a splash of color with a 'tile'.  anyway you choose, this technique makes a clean and simple card pop with color!

i decided to go old school and use the marble technique to spotlight part of this dahlia...

stamp set:  regarding dahlias, gorgeous grunge

paper:  blackberry bliss, very vanilla, black, glossy

ink:  stazon black, blackberry bliss

extras:  alcohol, cotton balls, neutrals candy dots

my inspiration came from one of the very first swaps i made for the very first stampin' up! convention i had ever attended many years ago.  here is that card...

i remember putting this card in a huge collection box, hoping someone would notice me.  well, they did!  a few weeks later, my card was one of the cards featured on the stampin' up! website...and this was before we uploaded our own work!

tonight was fun...

i just spent the evening cooking with carlo, a wonderful event held every month in a local restaurant.  you listen to stories about the food the chefs prepared, drink wine with every course, and enjoy the company of others.  carlo and his sons share their passion for food and wine and truly make you feel like family.  

this evening is one of my favorites for many reasons...spending time with my husband, john, meeting new people, listening to mike play any kind of song on the organ...however, having a standing date with my friend sue is the best part.  she is quite an amazing, beautiful person, both inside and out.  she is so kind, smart, funny and one of the best special education teachers i know.  she is dedicated and passionate in every area of her life.  i know when i'm sitting on the porch with God, sharing a diet pepsi, i will be sure to tell Him..."thank you for lending me sue."

i hope you have a good friend...they are truly priceless.

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you.

until next time-

peace be with you

metal on mine...pp #26

hi tracey, momma, friends old and new!

today's paper plunge challenge  is all about adding a metal embellishment to your card.  i chose to add metal brads to complete the porthole look.  i've used this theme/stamp set before, but i just had to reinvent the card because...well, i just love this look!

stamps:  by the tide

paper:  marina mist, chocolate chip, adventure bound, bermuda bay, very vanilla

ink:  crumbcake, cajun craze, basic gray, marina mist bermuda bay

extras:  top note bigz, deco labels and circles thinlits, mini brads, rhinestone, dazzling diamonds, sponges, mister

the difference between this card and my previous fish...i tried the 'joy' fold.  i'm unsure as to who joy is or why this fancy fold is referred to as such, but it's fun!  you'll find a wonderful tutorial by beate johns here. it's just something different! 

notice the way it opens?  pretty cool, huh?

speaking of joy...

i always try to do things, everyday, for the people i love, with love.  that way of thinking truly turns the mundane into something worth doing...especially when you don't feel like it.  tonight was one of those nights i didn't live by my own rules.  i let my tired take control of my feelings, words and i suppose actions and it didn't feel good.

i once read that you should be a person that children and animals run to...they are the best judges of character.  they prefer joyful people...not cranky or mean people.  just something i need to remind myself of once in awhile! 

in the meantime, consider mother teresa's words... "spread love everywhere you go.  let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."  

thank you for stopping by-

i appreciate you

until next time-

peace be with you

leslie