May classes are up!

I've uploaded my May classes to my calendar in the side bar. Below is a sample of one of the cards we'll make in the Boyz to Men class. Please note that class was moved from May 13th to May 21st. Class participants need to bring a basic supply kit including detail scissors and adhesive. Samples are at the store!

My sample for my May 8th Fun With The Slice class is also up at Lasting Memories. We'll be making an altered journal for boys using the Making Memories Just Chilling Design Cartridge and papers from the same line. There is a supply list available when you sign up for the class. I would love to see you there. 

 

Wow! It's sure quiet out there

Stamps: Maisy Ketto from Stamping Bella, 3-4106C Daisy Doodle from A Muse

Are you guys out there??? It's sure been quiet! I know, I know. You're all busy out enjoying the sunshine. I am, too, but I wish it was a little warmer sunshine around here. I have fallen in love with the adorable Ketto stamps from Stamping Bella and asked a friend to please send me a couple of stamped images. My day brightened right up when they came in the mail! They are much smaller than I expected them to be but that was fine cuz they fit my A Muse 4-bar notecards just perfectly! Even when I stamp with images that aren't A Muse, I always love to stick to my A Muse notecards. They just feel so good, come in the most scrumptious colors, and take ink so well. Hmm...I think I might need to restock on some colors. 

Okay, now go back and enjoy the sunshine. I'm baking some Oatmeal Raisin cookies to take into work this morning. I have a Mrs. Fields recipe that I love but I don't want to eat the whole batch myself so I'm sharing. 

Stampin Up - God's Beauty Hostess Set

Man, when Spring comes life sure gets busy, doesn't it?! Both my boys are playing baseball and it doesn't leave much free time for crafting. Still, I managed to make some time this past weekend to play for fun and I decided to give a little attention to my non-A Muse stamps for a change. I haven't had any Stampin Up parties at my house since the last fiasco (remember my post about my DH and kids getting in a wreck?) but I really like the current Hostess set, God's Beauty. I managed to track one down for myself. 

Stamps: SU God's Beauty Hostess Set, 9-8560C Happy Mother's Day Script (A Muse)

I browsed the Splitcoast gallery for this set and stumbled across this lovely beauty, which became the inspiration for my card. I changed up a few things and turned it on its side. I like it so much it's going to be my Mother's Day card to my mom. I also needed a birthday card for a co-worker this week so I made another card just like it and substituted a 'Happy Birthday' sentiment for the 'Happy Mother's Day.' I hope she likes it. 

I have more samples of cards I made with this set to share this week. 

Have you placed your order?

Stamps: 2-4146 E Dandelion, 9-8046 B Happy Birthday Retro

Papers: white 4-bar notecard, pink kitchen, buttercup

So now that you've seen the new release from A Muse, have you placed your order? Everything is just so cute! The baby images sure worked out in their timing for me. I have lots of co-workers who have had or are having babies. I love the other images, too. The dandelion is one of my favorites. I don't care for them when they pop up in my yard but I love them as a rubber stamp! 

If you click on this link you have a chance to win some fun stuff! You'll have to read all the way through the post to find out what you have to do but it's worth it cuz you get to look at some really cute cards on your way. Goodluck! Winner will be chosen on Friday, Apr 24th at noon PST.

Stamps: 2-4145E Vine Border, 2-4075A Tiny Bird, 9-8457B a little note HC

Papers: white 4-bar notecard, popsicle pink, palm, french roast

You can never have too many flourishes, I say! This lovely little flourish makes a great branch, don't you think? The entire new A Muse release will be available for purchase on April 22! Be sure to tell your favorite stamp store to place their order so you can get yours right away. Watch the blogs of the A Muse Creative Team so you know just what to order.

Ahhh...new stamps!

Stamps: 2-4144E Bamboo, 2-3116C Panda, 8-8472C luck and fortune

Ack, I know! More new stamps? You betcha! Another fabulous release by A Muse debuts very soon. This release is called Newly Hatched. It's not only full of the cutest baby images you've ever seen but also some fun, non-baby images, too. You know how much I love pandas so of course I had to start off with the new panda image and the coordinating bamboo. You can't see it but I actually cut out the panda and mounted him onto the front of the card using a dimensional. He's so cute!! And look how I combined the new images with an existing sentiment just to show you how well old and new A Muse images and sentiments go together. I hope you are all getting money back from Mr. Taxman so you can buy these new stamps. You want them. I know you do. *wink*

I was playing around the other day with my cloud stamp and came up with a cartoon-y idea for the super hero stamp. I think it's a hilarious image but I don't feel very creative with it sometimes. I'm not even sure if I'm crazy about this card but I figure you gotta post the good with the bad, right? 

I have a pic for my next Slice class to share with you but the lighting was bad when I took the picture so it didn't turn out well. I think I will try again today. It looks like it will be a nice day out. I used the Just Chillin' cartridge on this one and I love how it turned out. Can't wait for this May class! The April class is tomorrow....

I'm back!

I'm back from the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland!!! Our local middle school band travels to Disneyland every 2 years over Spring Break to perform. This is the last year for quite a while so we knew we had to go to support the band and have some fun of our own, too. We hopped on a plane (we got the Genie painted plane!) with some friends and traveled to sunny CA for a fun-filled week. Oh my gosh, I thought my feet were going to fall off before the trip was even over!

We caught two of the band's performances but missed their award ceremony (they took 1st place!) because we were just landing during the ceremony. Right after we landed, we went straight to our hotel and then right over to the park. We watched a fun Disney parade and my friend's daughter even got to dance with some of the cast. Look, Minnie is pointing right at me!

Since our trip was for 6 days, we made sure to get a Park Hopper over to California Adventure. Who doesn't love the Grizzly River Run? The kids loved getting soaked and it sure was a great way to cool off on a hot day. Unfortunately, the warm weather didn't last for more than a few days. Maybe that wasn't so bad. We were able to take the kids over to the hotel pool to cool off, where they had a mean game of Marco Polo with other kids staying at the hotel (and a dad or two, too!). 

One of my brother-in-laws lives in CA, about 25 miles away from Disney so we took advantage of that and drove over to his house for a visit. We met his very funny English Bulldog, Fendi. She had us laughing cuz she was so silly. This is her sun chair. 

During our visit with my brother-in-law and his family, we went for lunch at Laguna Beach. We had a lovely view from the deck of a beachside restaurant. 

Okay, enough with the pictures! As you can see, we had a lovely time but it's great to be back home sleeping in my own bed. My kids haven't been to Disney since they were 4 and 1. Now they are 12 and 8 and it was perfect! I'm ready to go back soon, much to my husband's dismay. LOL

Hippity Hoppity, Easter's on its way!

Stamps: 5-2224E MB Spring Basket, Happy Easter MA, 2-2206B Egg Line

Papers: Purple Kitchen 4-bar, Popsicle Pink, Buttercup

I must admit that sometimes I'm kind of a lame mother. My kids don't carve pumpkins and they don't dye Easter eggs. I tried to start them on these traditions. Well, at least with the first child. I noticed, though, that I was the one doing all the work and they weren't really interested. So I quit and no one noticed. When the second child came, I had just forgotten about these traditions or deemed them too much trouble. I never really made a big deal about the Easter Bunny, either. Maybe the first few years I would do the Easter basket thing but then we'd be at Costco and we'd see those big Easter baskets. I'd ask my kids, "Do you want one of those?" They'd say, "Nah." So that was that. The end of the Easter baskets. Just made me realize kids don't always need all that commercialized stuff that's advertised in the stores. 

However, I realize some of you probably do Easter baskets for your kids or maybe you enjoy sending Easter cards to your family and friends so here's a fun, easy Easter card for you to consider. I think we'll be at my in-laws church for Easter this year rather than our own. Several of my nieces and nephews have decided to get baptized and want us to come. 

Spring break starts for us next week so I'll be taking the week off. This will be my last post until then. Sorry it's so long. I must add one more thing, though. My SIL that is fighting breast cancer had a suspicious ultrasound the other day. We won't know more until she gets back to the doctor to find out what that means. Please just keep her in your thoughts and prayers because she could really use them. She has had to return to work (limited hours) while getting radiation. She is burned, in pain, and tired. If this new news is bad, she will need strength and the will to fight.