goings on

This week is "spring break" around here. Now really since I homeschool, it doesn't always apply to us. But this time, we are having spring break at this time too. Both Leah and Rhys have fun sports activities going on all week. Leah is getting some special golf lessons everyday and Rhys is going to a soccer camp each day.I'm so happy for both of them to get to do some fun things. But wow, it's weird. I only have  2 little kids at home with me all day. I'm not used to that anymore lol. Levi is enjoying being the "older" kid while they are gone though. I think it's good for everyone. So that's what's going on here....

And here's a card :)

 A few of my "go-to" faves on this card. Silhouette flowers, light blue, kraft and dark brown, text and grid backgrounds :) I used  my favorite Quickutz label die and a ricrac die from C.C. Designs. And finished off with some gems and stitching (as usual!)

 I hope your week is going well. Mine's good. Tomio went to several different stores to find me some Coke since it seems to have gotten really popular and scarce since the earthquake. But he did find me some :) And I didn't ask me to, he just did :) Thanks for stopping by!!

CR84FN

I noticed this challenge a while ago and kept it in my favorites, but I hadn't gotten to actually participate yet. But I saw the pretty colors this time, and I thought I would jump in!! Here are the colors:

Plum, lavender and green---fun colors!

This is what I made:

I fiddled with this quite awhile, trying adding other stuff, but it just wasn't right. So I kept it simple. I love these butterflies, I'm afraid I use them entirely too much lol. I really love the music background from Impression Obsession. Oh, and see the gorgeous texture on the middle? It's called "Distressed" and it's from Sizzix. It's not new or anything, but I just got it. I love it! It actually comes in a set of 6 patterns and they are all great.

Thanks for stopping by! I had lots of fun joining in with everyone this time :)

yes...

It's time for another another Waltzingmouse sketch challenge. I know they actually go up on Saturday, and each week I actually plan to make mine right away. But I never do. I'm just glad that I do make one though. That's what counts, right? So this was this week's sketch:

I wasn't too into the whole pennant-banner thing when they first started getting popular. But lately I've seen some reeeallly cute things people have made with them, and now I'm liking them a lot more :) I thought  about doing a non traditional pennant shape since don't have one, but I then I thought I would try a triangle
Christmas tree die I had, and it worked just right. Yay :)

See?  They were just the right size :)  I stamped them with some polka dots in pink and then added a fun swirl from Say it With Style ,which is also where the sentiment is from. I stamped one of the flowers from it on the  butterfly too, in Antique Linen. The pennants and label are up on pop dots. I used some of my *favorite* colors-- Fine Linen, Kraft and Lavender Moon.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are having a great week :) It IS officially spring now and all, which that alone should put you in a good mood :). 

just for fun

Sometimes its fun to make a card just for fun. So here's a really simple little card I made. I wanted to try using some pattern paper because I'm still kind of pattern paper challenged when it comes to cards. I pretty much always use it on layouts, but I just seem to struggle with it on cards, no matter how much I like the paper. Except for polka dots. I can always use polka dots :)

See, I said it was simple :) But I like the colors. And I like layering sentiments over images. The pattern paper is from Echo Park. They have some really fun patterns. This one the scale is small because they divided the back of a 12x12 paper into four sections with different patterns on it. All the stamps are fromm Waltzingmouse Stamps, Teeny Trees and Frame It.

Well, that's it for me today. It's cold and rainy so I'm off to hang my laundry inside :)
Have an awesome day!!

time for a sketch :)

I was really, really glad to get some time to make something for this week's Walztingmouse sketch. It just felt so nice to make something :) That said, I have hard time with circle cards, actually just about any "shaped" cards.

 This is really my second attempt at this card. After trying a more CAS one, I went with a "more is best" card. :) And for the first time, I actually think I like it. I love butterflies :) Also love cupcakes and several other of the  "overly trendy" things lol. So I'll use them till I get tired of them, which will probably not happen any time soon. This time most of the stamps I used are from PTI, except for the text background. That is from Hero Arts.

  The white doily is from Joann's. I finished off with some gems and stitching. I like stitching around circles. I I'm always proud of myself for being able to do it well lol:)

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a super day!

update..

Hi. Sorry for the long silence. I don't know how many of my blog readers realized, but I live in Japan. And have for the last 20 years or so.  We were definitely affected by the earthquake here where we are. But my whole family is completely fine. And our house is fine too. We have trouble getting some foods and gasoline, but we truly are blessed. Even as I type this we are having more aftershocks. But I truly thank the Lord for His protection. I'm sure it will be awhile before things are back to normal. But, I am trying to have things as normal as possible for my kids.  Honestly, I am just thankful for each day we have together.
I don't have any projects to share today, but I hope to soon :) Crafting and creating brings me so much joy that I  will continue to make things as I can.

Thank you for stopping by!! I'll be checking back in soon :)

Sketch time!

I did a card for the Waltzing Mouse Sketch again! I love participating. Sometimes, (like this time), the sketch can  really throw me at first. But it turns out to be just the right amount of "challenge" that I need lol. This I time I made a small, "shaped" card. Both of which I don't normally do.

I have to say, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out :)I kind of pictured it in my head before I made it, and it really did turn out like I pictured~yay! I heat embossed the the cupcake with white and distressed the edges of the pink panel. And I finished off with a big bow :)
That's it for me today :) Hoping to get some housework and crafty things done today.
Thanks for stopping by!!

another reject

Since the blog hop is still going on, I thought I would go ahead and post one more "reject". I must say seeing all the other BEAUTIFUL cards that didn't make it, I am really surprised. So many gorgeous cards! Wow. Goodness, if they didn't make it, it's no wonder mine didn't lol.
Anyway, here it is:

Yes, I used my favorite butterflies again :) I love how they look colored in. I used a Unity background in white. I really like the plaid. I  stamped the sentiment on a transparency with white stazon and then wrapped it around.  I always have a really hard time getting white to look nice and bright, so this is my favorite thing to do make it pop. It also adds a little interest I thought.

Happy Hump Day (it's already Wednesday here in Japan :))! Thanks for stopping by!

rejects...

I saw how Amber was having a reject blog hop, and I loved the idea! I sent several cards this time to Paper Crafts call for cards for their "Go To Sketches" issue, many of which I really liked at the time. Unfortunately, none of them got picked up. I try not to get too bothered about it each time, but it's still disappointing. Anyway, I thought it was a really fun idea for all of us to show off some of those cards that didn't get picked.

Here is one of mine:

I used a lots of Papertrey stamps on this one. I really liked how the lacy pieces on sides turned out. I layered the polka dots and flourishes, then inked it lots with distress ink. I also pulled out one my border punches that I hadn't used in a while. This turned out a lot more vintage-y than any of the other cards I sent in, or even most cards I make.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by! I was glad to get a chance to share some of my "rejects". Oh, the card shared here was also one of my "rejects" lol. sure to check out all the other cards everyone is linking up.  There are SO many beautiful ones!

a different card

Today I have a little bit "different" type of card for me. It's a tall skinny one.

It's also a bit more...whimsical? Not sure it that's the right word lol. I used some letter stickers, which was really out of confort zone. I loved using these new-to-me ticket stamps and dies from Papertrey. I've already had lots of fun using them on some layouts. Something about them is just SO.CUTE. I loved switching out the different iamges and phrases. I actually didn't even give this set a second thought when it first came out,but I'm so glad I bought it as kind of an impulse :) Anyway, the card is pretty straight forward. Just stamped and diecut several different tickets. All the cardstock is from Papetrey too. I stamped with Walnut Stain Distress ink (of course).

That's it for me today. Tomio is out a a friend's wedding, so I'm just at home with the kids :) Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have fun weekend!

Mouse-y sketch :)

 Yes, it's time for my Waltzing Mouse Sketch card.This is a couple days later than I had planned, but that's ok :) I went back to what I am much more comfortable this week--I think I tried too hard with last week's "vintage" card....
ANYWAY :) this was the sketch this time:


                                        

I like this sketch. I thought of several really clever ways to inerpret it.... but none of them actually looked good . So this is what I made:

  

 I will admit that it did take longer than first appears. I usually spend just as much time sitting staring at or adjusting each thing before I actually adhere it. And then of course I had to take at least 6 breaks to either change diapers, clean up messes or find a missing Batman....but I like how it came out :) I distressed the edges of the top layer after I stitched it. The "Love you" is from Teeny Trees. The pattern paper for the hearts is from K & Co. The kraft is from Papertrey.

Happy Hump Day!! Thanks for popping in today :)