Getting a Little Excited for Halloween This Year!

The kids and I are really excited to decorate and such for Halloween this year. Not that we aren't usually excited about this holiday, but our enthusiasm has hit early this year for some reason, so we are just rolling with it. Maybe one of my reasons was playing with the Hallowe'en line from Graphic 45 in early September to make that altered candlestick. The paper for this card came from that line, and the Memory Box Halloween Collage stamp is so perfect. I couldn't resist using my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and some Glitter Ritz microfine black glitter to add some texture and glam  :o)
Whatever the reason being, getting ready for this Halloween has been alot of fun and the ideas just keep coming!

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Hambly Hurrahs, Chalkboard Paint Pumpkins and Prima Iron On Art

It is probably beyond wildly obvious that I like to be busy (can be read as messy) with some kind of crafty thing most of the time. If it isn't then I am failing miserably at sharing what it is that I am doing with most of my free time (besides spoiling the bad babies and hitting a tennis ball)And not that what I do with my free time is really that interesting, but what comes from it usually is pretty darn exciting (to me, lol!) But this weekend was even more fun and inspiring for me than usual, and I am just so stinking excited to talk about it. First, the Hambly Design Team Gallery went live. I just love the artists that are on this with me, they are so sweet and incredibly inspiring! Plus if you leave a comment in the next little bit you could win your very own box of Hambly Happiness, wooty woot!

Then, two of my favorite creative girls, Celeste and Natalie, came over on Saturday and we sprayed pumpkins with chalkboard spray paint! So much fun and they turned out so cute! We had home made cream scones and blackberry jam for snackies and chatted it up about all the things we have going on. So blessed with seriously amazing friends!

And then, to top all of that fun crazy, crafty energy off, I shared a tutorial over at the CLASSroom on creating your own wearable art t-shirt using Prima flocked iron-ons. Super easy, fast and fun! This week, to gear up for World Card Making Day this Saturday, Ellen's shop has a 15% discount code that is good for EVERYTHING in the shop! That is another big wooty-woot!!

I ordered on Saturday and just got my box today, so with all the new goodies in the house more play is on the schedule! Gotta get ready for card group on Saturday. We are having our get together on World Card Making Day and it is totally a banner day! I feel so lucky that I have the opportunity to do what I love with people I enjoy :o)

Very lucky and happy girl!

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A Box of Hambly Happiness!

It is such a wonderful feeling when I get a box of goodies that I have ordered online or when a friend sends some happy mail to me. But the feeling of euphoria I got from seeing this box on my front porch was one that I can't even explain! It had a beautiful selection of the new summer releases and some very cool products from collaborating companies like Clear Scraps, Tombo and Helmar. A box of happiness for sure!
So of course I had to get it out and play with all of the happiness, and will be sharing a few of the things I have created, but for today here is my favie!!
I love the kraft tree trunk sticker and the teal script on the kraft has a kind of fresh feel to the vintage design. I am a bit enamored with trees still, can't help it! Feeling inspired to maybe try a similar idea but with some fall pics now, could be something I share soon.
Looking forward to Naralie and Celeste coming over tomorrow to do a little crafting. It is such a wonderful thing to have friends that share the same love for all things crafty  :o)

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Blogs 4 Boobies Blog Bounce Last Chance Bidding!

Welcome to the last day of "Blogs 4 Boobies"

You still have time to join in on the FUN(draising)
There are 2 ways to help:
1. Shop:
That's right you can help fight the war against breast cancer by shopping. Skipping Stones Design will donate $2 for EVERY single stamps set sold in their store. This donation will continue through Thursday the 23rd at midnight. Check out the end of this post for my favorite SSD stamp set.
2. Bid:
Check out the list of Amazing designers. They are auctioning off their blogs 4 boobies cards/projects to the highest bidder. Bidding will continue until 8:00 p.m. Mountain time, at which time the silent auctions will end. See "How to bid" below for more information.

Here is the list of amazingly talented, and generous designers who are joining with us in our efforts to stamp out Cancer:
Day 2 participants:
Kim Hughes - http://paperhugs.typepad.com/paper_hugs/
Kandi Phillips - http://kraftykandikrafts.blogspot.com/
Sharon Harnist – http://paperfections.typepad.com/
Amy Sheffer – http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Buck – http://www.thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com/
Amy Tsuruta - http://tsurutadesigns.blogspot.com/
Tammie Beaton - http://alwaysinking.blogspot.com/
Rae Barthel – http://simplyrae.blogspot.com/
Wendy Jordan - http://papertherapy-wendy.blogspot.com/
Sarah Martina Parker - http://sarahmartina.com/blog/
Lea Lawson - http://leascupcakesandsunshine.blogspot.com/
Teri Anderson - http://terisplace.wordpress.com/
Deb Felts – http://withastampandasong.blogspot.com/
Kimberly Crawford - http://kimberly-crawford.blogspot.com/
Gladys Chia - http://www.gladyschia2010.wordpress.com/
Jen del Muro - http://iheart2stamp.com/
Maile Belles - http://mailebelles.blogspot.com/
Have fun bouncing from blog to blog. Enjoy all the designs, and make a bid or two! This is a rare opportunity to take home a card/project from your favorite designer, and fight the war against breast cancer!!!

Here is the list of participants who "bounced" with us on day 1:
Heather Engebretson - http://skippingstonesdesign.blogspot.com/
Barb Turpin - http://barbsboys123.blogspot.com/
Becky Olsen - http://lifeasathreeleggeddog.blogspot.com/
Megan Hoeppner - http://meganhoeppner.blogspot.com/
Kim Kesti - http://kimberlykesti.typepad.com/
Ashley Cannon Newell - http://ashleynewell.blogspot.com/
Angela Thomas - http://sparkleandbling.blogspot.com/
Ann Kranitz - http://stampwithme-ann.blogspot.com/
Shannan Teubner - http://withfeathersandsequins.blogspot.com/
Belinda Chang Langer - http://cadnileb.blogspot.com/
Brenda Weaver - http://sweetpapertreats.wordpress.com/
Jennifer Ingle - http://justjingle.blogspot.com/
Teresa Kline - http://enjoythevasunshine.blogspot.com/
Wendy Price - http://paperinkandsmiles.blogspot.com/
Jodi Collins - http://stampingalatte.blogspot.com/
IF you haven't seen these amazing cards from some of today's top talent you've got to bounce around these blogs. Make a bid or two while you are at it. How often do you get a chance to take home a card from your favorite designer? Remember 100% of the bid goes to the Komen foundation.
Here is one last look at my card/project
The current highest bid is $10.

Here is how you bid: Go to the comment section of the designer's most recent "blogs 4 boobies" post (that means this post if you wish to bid on my card set). In the comment section write the dollar amount of you bid and sign with your email address. Then sit back and watch and wait.....
"What do I do once I place a bid?"
"Watch and Wait"
The "Winner of the Auction" Will be the highest bid (that includes an email address)in the comment section of the MOST RECENT blogs 4 boobies post at the end of the silent auction. Please note that ALL cards/projects WILL BE REPOSTED on the 23rd of September. The silent auction will end at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time on September 23rd .
Things to keep in mind:
Near the end of the bidding you may not see bids as they come in. Most blog have a comment feature where the blogger must approve comments before they are published. So bid high. You might have the highest bid that is published, but someone might have outbid you in an unpublished comment/bid.The blogger/designer will declare who has won the silent auction. Skipping Stones Design will send you an invoice for your donation/bid amount. Please pay that invoice as soon as possible, so the designer can get your card/project in the mail to you.

Before I go I just wanted to share with you another fun SSD stamp set. Remember, If you buy this set or any other before midnight on the 23rd of September $2 will go to the Komen Foundation.

 Thanks so much for all of your help and support!!

B-

Ladies Tennis Weekend

This last weekend brought a wonderful opportunity to get away with a few of my fun friends. It was all about eating, tennis and chatting about anything and everything without any of the pressures from the outside world. I learned how to play the games Mexican Train Dominoes (I am not even sure if I have that name right, lol!), Scum, Top Out (not sure about that one either...) We stayed up late and snacked on all the things I have been avoiding for the last few months. What a fantastic way to get our batteries recharged and enjoy each others company! Thanks for the fantastic weekend ladies, and all the memories  :o)

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Blogs 4 Boobies Blog Bounce!!

Welcome to the 1st annual "Blogs 4 boobies" blog bounce(hop)!This is day 1 of a 2 day event! Be sure to come back to Skipping stones Design tomorrow for more cards/projects and fun!
We are so glad that you joined us today. I have joined up with Skipping Stones Design to help raise money to fight the war against Breast Cancer. SSD is celebrating the release of 2 ALL NEW Stamp sets. They are also donating $2 for EVERY stamp set sold this week to the cause!!! This is a one-of-a-kind-blog (hop)bounce! Every card/project that is show here in the "blogs 4 boobies" blog bounce is up for auction! All of the money raised through the silent auction, on our blogs, will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

There are 3 ways that you can help, and join in on the fun!
1. You can help by Shopping!For every stamp set that you purchase during Sept 15th through the 23rd SSD will donate $2 to the Komen Foundation. Stamping and shopping that you can feel good about ! Skipping Stones Design is celebrating "blogs 4 boobies" with the release of two new stamp sets!!! Click here to check out SSD stamps

Here is your first look at Bras volume #2 4"X6"

Bras volume #2 is the follow-up to our #1 selling stamp set Bras Volume #1. These stamps make the perfect "anytime" funny cards for you girlfriends. Or Use them for funny birthday, thank you,and cheer up cards. This stamp set turns cardmakers into comedians!

Here is Wise Men 4X6

Several stunning images can be combined, to re-create the scene of the first Christmas. The pointillism technique used to illustrate these stamps gives the images extra depth. These stamps will help you make inspirational cards that will be treasured for years to come.

 2. You can help by *Bidding!Another way you can help us raise money for the Komen Foundation is to *bid on a project or card along the blog bounce(hop). YES! EVERY Single card/project along the blogs for boobies bounce is up for auction. We recommend a starting bid of $5 or more. Your *Bid not only includes the card or project but shipping to your home as well. Please Note IF you want to bid, and live outside the U.S. we would request that you pay the difference of shipping charges between where you live and what it would cost to ship within the US. * See how to place a bid for more detailed instructions.
If you are the highest bidder September 23rd 8:00 p.m. mountain time then you WIN the card/project that you bid on

I created this card from Always Here and Dandelion Dreams, and if you bid on it and win the bidding, you will get a set of five of the same cards and they will all have a coordinating envelope.

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3. You can help by Telling Your Friends~Help us spread the word about "blogs 4 boobies" the more people that know, the more money we can raise!!!

*"How to place a bid on my card/project"Step #1Find the comment section of the blog that shows the "Blogs 4 boobies" card or project that you want to buy. *Please note you may only bid on the card/project shown in the specific "blogs 4 boobies" post. *Any bids not placed on the correct post will be considered invalid.
Step #2Once you are in the "blogs 4 boobies" comment section fill in the dollar and cents amount of what you are willing to pay for the card/project. We recommend a starting bid of $5 or more. Remember your bid includes shipping as well as the card/or project. 100% of the money your bid will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation
Step #3Next to your $ bid please type in your email address. During a silent auction bidders sign their name next to their bid. typing your email address is the electronic equivalent of signing your bid. Also it will help the blogger contact you if you are the highest bidder.
Step #4Watch and wait.
Once you have entered your bid/comment sit back and wait. If someone out bids you then you may bid again. Bidding will continue until 8:00 p.m. Mountain time September 23rd

* Please note that the participating stampers/bloggers will probably re-post their Blogs 4 Boobies card/project on the 23rdof September. When the blogger re-post their project then the bidding will continue on the NEWEST post and that comment section.


"What do I do once I place a bid"Watch and Wait
The "Winner of the Auction" Will be the highest bid (that includes an email address)in the comment section of the MOST RECENT blogs 4 boobies post at the end of the silent auction. Please note that ALL cards/projects WILL BE REPOSTED on the 23rd of September. The silent auction will end at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time on September 23rd .

Things to keep in mind:Near the end of the bidding you may not see bids as they come in. Most blog have a comment feature where the blogger must approve comments before they are published. So bid high. You might have the highest bid that is published, but someone might have outbid you in an unpublished comment/bid.
The blogger/designer will declare who has won the silent auction. Skipping Stones Design will send you an invoice for your donation/bid ammount. Please pay that invoice as soon as possible, so the designer can get your card/project in the mail to you.


You are here at my blog  http://lifeasathreeleggeddog.blogspot.com/.

You should have come to me from Barb Turpin's blog http://barbsboys123.blogspot.com/

Next you are going to visit Megan's blog http://meganhoeppner.blogspot.com/.
If you lose your way along the hop, or jut happened upon my blog today and want to start from the beginning click here. Or go to SSD's home page for the entire Blog bounce list. Have fun bouncing from blog to blog. Enjoy all the designs, and make a bid or two! This is a rare opportunity to take home a card/project from your favorite designer, and fight the war against breast cancer!!!


It just wouldn't be a Skipping Stones Design event without a sketch from an amazing designer. This month we are delighted to have Ashley Cannon Newell as our guest sketch artist. Here is her sketch SSD 042:



















We all have someone we love who has or will battle this disease, so let's use the hope that lives in our hearts to help in finding a cure. Who knows when it may actually be and research is helping that reality get a little closer each day!

With love to our warriors in pink...

B-

A Birthday Card for my Dad

My dad had his birthday this week, and he loves the stuff I make for him. I thought he would love a card that had a little fun with the era that he was a young man in so I used the stamp from the October Afternoon Road Trip collection that had an image of a micro bus in it. We are all getting together tomorrow to celebrate his and my nephew's birthday, and it will be fun to see the look on his face when he opens this card ;o)

Today also brought beautiful weather, so a hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon with a friend was a wonderful way to spend the mid-afternoon. We did get temporarily misplaced, and she happened to have her iphone with her that has the google maps application on it. It told us exactly where we were and how to get where we needed to be to get back on track. I think we would have figured it out eventually, but it was sure nice being saved some random wandering around until we could find our trail back. Yay for cell service on the mountain tops!

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I am Here For You...

Anytime.

It was a wonderful holiday weekend with loads of relaxing and time with the family. On Monday I went and spent some time with Jen Shaerer hanging out and doing a little crafting. I love the project that Jen figured out for us to play with, and will be sharing details very soon! I will let on that it has Graphic 45 Halloween paper and a few Tim Holtz embellishments on it. All of which can be found in Ellen's shop.
I feel so blessed to have amazing friends that are always there for me, I thought that a card with that same idea would be wonderful to share. I love this sweet Memory Box image! A darling panda, holding an umbrella! And the Hero Arts sentiment is so perfect. It is my little way of saying I will be there with my umbrella for you on all your rainy days!
And speaking of rainy days, fall is just around the corner here, changes are coming and I am ready for them! Even though I will miss my summer months of being outside for hours at a time, the idea of sweaters, pumpkins and rain are so appealing that it will be easy to let go of those hot days and move into the cool. And with the kids back in school it is time to enjoy the quiet of home and use that time to get some crafting done ;o)

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A Little More Hero Arts Happiness

It is bright, happy and orange! A sweet card that would brighten the gloomiest of days. I just had to do a quick share before the holiday weekend started.
Happy Labor Day sweet friends!
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Stamps used: Three Floral Labels and greeting from the Say Hello set. The copic color is YR04 with spica Peach over the top of the flowers.

Playing with Hero Arts for Monster Sized Fun!

Our card group met this weekend for a little card swapping, a little crafting and a lot of snacking! Our theme for this exchange was birthdays with the challenge of using buttons or brads in our designs. With 13 of them to make, I wanted to keep the card pretty simple but still fun and very me! I used paper from Oliver (the blue with the dot on the left monster) and Olivia (the blue-green on the monster on the right) and colored with my Copic markers. The stamps are from Hero Arts and I can't help but smile when I see them! And can you believe I found a googly eye that is on a spring? It sticks way out there in real life, lol!!
If you are interested in seeing more of the cards, click on the Paper Crafts badge on the side. If you leave a comment in the next few days you could win a beautiful pack of products from Bella Blvd.!!!

Happy Stamping!!
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I Didn't Really Go Away...

Sorry to be absentee for awhile, but I took a little time to enjoy the last bit of summer with the kids before they went back to school. We didn't travel anywhere or do anything special except spend some time together not rushing anywhere. They started back this week, and it was quite a time getting settled into a routine. I'm sure we will still be dealing with the curve for a few more weeks as well.
This fun card was made for a post over in the CLASSroom, so if you are interested in the details head on over there, it has a finished inside so there is more to see ;o)
On a whole different note, I have been working hard the last couple of months to change the way I am eating and exercising, and it is finally starting to show, so happy! More moving, less eating is all I am doing. But the more moving has been at least 3-5 miles a day and that is on top of the tennis I usually play about 5 times a week. The trick for me has to not let my body sucker me into those unnecessary snacks from my whiny stomach. Lots of fresh fruit and veg and way less junk food. And I am not using a scale to measure my success, I am using my clothes and how my body feels. That way I won't get obsessed about a number, I will just feel better in my skin!

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Ghost Falls Hike is Awesome!

It was the perfect August morning for a hike, and how lucky am I that my FAB friend Jen Shaerer had a wonderful place to take a hike to! We spent about an hour and a half round trip hiking to this beautiful spot called Ghost Falls. Honestly if Jen hadn't been with me I wouldn't have likely found it on my own. I was also surprised that water would still be running this time of year, but Jen explained that it is from ground water and not melt so it is there most the year round. A good portion of the hike is through scrub oak and is well sheltered from the sun for most of the trail. After a week that was filled with life's little nuggets of disappointment, this was a fantastic treat!

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Just Saying Hello

It has been a crazy weekend, the tennis team that I have been playing participated in the districts tournament which in a quick description is 8 of the top 4.0 level teams play and the team that is the best then goes on to play in the sectional tournament. Sectionals is where the top teams from Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado play against each other to see who will go on to the national tournament. Well, our team managed to win a bunch of tough matches and will be playing in the sectional tournament in two weeks here in Utah. I feel pretty lucky that I won the two matches that I got to play in and look forward to more tough competition. Anyway with all that tennis excitement I haven't had much time for crafting. But this sweet little card says it all, sometimes just dropping by to say hello is all a friend needs to hear. And if you can't pop in, send a sweet card, we all need pick me ups once in a while ;o)

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Flower Parade

I know it has been a week since my last post, so lame on my part and my sincerest apologies! But I have to admit (in my defense) that summer has just been too much fun to be spending much time inside. Most days I have the opportunity to spend a few hours playing tennis and then later in the day my hubbers and I take long (3-4 mile) walks around our beautiful neighborhood. Got to enjoy this gorgeous weather while it is here!

If you are looking for something fun to do that involves a little crafting, how about playing along with the Flower Parade that is going on over at the CLASSroom blog?!!

For this flowery layout project I used:
Candy Apple Red Glimmer mist,  Cotton Candy and Peacock chalkboard mist and created my own resist patterned paper using Hero Arts Stamps, Ranger Distress embossing ink that is stamped onto Neenah Solar white card stock and then heat embossed with Clear  Embossing powder.

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It's My 44th Birthday!

{Me with my Grandfather and Aunt Robyn this week when we celebrated his 92nd and my 44th}

 Yeah, I know I shouldn't be shouting it from the rooftops. But it is all good, being 44 has its advantages. There are a lot of things that just don't make my priority list because I know better. I am okay with my stretch marks because wearing a bikini isn't as important as enjoying time with my delightful kids. I am comfortable in my life and what you see with me is what you get. Being authentic is more important to me than how people perceive me. I won't lie, steal or cheat to get ahead. Yes their are wrinkles on my face, but in all the right places; worry lines in my forehead because I have children I want the best for, crows feet on my eyes from genuine smiles and a few starting around my mouth from deep grins. My feet are trashed and not pedicure worthy from years in ski  boots, tennis shoes and even running a few marathons. Wouldn't trade pretty feet for all of those amazing experiences. I have been married to the same man for 23 years, he drives me crazy so I return the favor. He gets me and I get him. We aren't perfect, never will be nor do we want to be, perfect would be to boring for us. I am not super tidy but still functionally organized, not going to worry too much if my house is presentable because I know it isn't. But that doesn't matter, I want to have people around me who accept me for all of my warts, and I have plenty of them. The good news is that if you do that for me, I am there for you through thick and thin and loyal to the end. To arrive at this point relatively intact has been a really humbling process. I will be the first to admit when I am wrong and will do everything in my power to make something right when I have made mistakes. I haven't always been like this, but I really like who I am right now and hope to continue on the journey of becoming a better person everyday. Milestones like these are good to stop at for a minute and assess where you are and how you got there. So thanks for letting me do that today, and if you are looking for something more interesting to read, head over to the sweet Rachel Carlson's blog, she had a few guest bloggers this week, and while I was one of them, the others are far more interesting.

Anyway, off to finish the first day of 44 ;o)

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Easy Paper Rose!

Loving that Olivia line of paper so much! Isn't that little critter peeking out from behind the flowers the cutest?!!
I have the tutorial for how to make this flower over at the CLASS room, hopefully it inspires a few of you to play along in our blog parade next Monday!

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Basic Grey's Olivia and some Brads

No surprise that I have a crafting crush on Basic Grey products, pretty much everyone does. And every once in a while they have a line that makes me hear angels singing, and usually this line (or lines) is designed by my dear friend Celeste. I don't know if it is appropriate for me to mention my crafty girl crush on Celeste, so let's just keep that between us. And if she isn't amazing enough as a product designer, she is one of the coolest, kindest and most down to earth people that I have the privilege of calling friend (that will call me back, hmmm.) I'm not technically a stalker yet (but I am flirting with that line) and someday I am going to get her back out onto the tennis court so we can torture each other. Anyway, back to Basic Grey, this card is made from the Olivia product line and was really quick and easy! And to kick up the texture, I added tiny brads to the pattern of the paper, love it! More details can be seen about this card at the CLASS room blog if you are interested. And don't forget Olivia's darling twin, designed with the boys of all ages in your life, Oliver! (So adorable and super usable!)
Also if you head over to the CLASS room, be sure to check out the details for Ellen's first ever blog parade! All the information is in the same post that I linked for the card, so you don't have to stray far to find out more.
Carter's 15th birthday is tomorrow, so we are going to do something special for him, and Chloe finished her University of Utah Chemistry 1060 class with an "A" today!!! Not bad for a cute girl who is going to be a senior in high school this fall! Needless to say, we are so proud of her and all the hard work she put into that class this summer, YAY Chloe!!!
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Card Style Love!

Paper Crafts has released a new special issue called Card Style that I was fortunate to contribute a few projects to. Most of them were in the Shabby & Vintage section, and I thought it would be fun to share one of them with you! This style is so fun to make, each of the layers adds something visually stunning and makes for a large serving of eye candy!

I have already read through this issue twice and have referred to it a couple of times as well. The way it is organized and designed is incredible, and makes finding inspiration a snap! I am hoping that this becomes a yearly release for them, wouldn't that be fantastic?

Looking at a busy week, but kind of sad that I am not getting ready to go to CHA in Chicago. I can't wait to hear about and see all of the new product that is going to be released!

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Supplies for card: Webster's Pages Vellum note cards, October Afternoon, Maya Road, Zva crystals and flowers. Most of this can be found at Ellen's shop!

Enjoy the Ride

Last week Cornish Heritage Farms announced that they have decided to shift gears and get out of the rubber stamp business and jump with both feet into the farming business. With this news, Ellen Hutson has put all of the CHF stamps on sale for 40% off! The selection is getting slimmer, but there are still some great finds there! I made this little card as a tribute to my time working with Richard and Liz and all of the fantastic Creative Chicks that I got to meet from this wonderful experience. I took the time to Enjoy the Ride, and I hope that you find the time to do the same!

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For this project I used Cosmo Cricket's Joy Ride mini deck, Jenni Bowlin note card, Ranger embossing ink and black detail embossing powder, and CHF GM Beach Party stamp. All of which can be found in Ellen's shop!

My Other Obsession

I have just a few things in my life that I am completely obsessed with. I don't think I am very high maintenance (my husband may not always agree with that assessment, lol!) and I don't get caught up in what the latest and greatest fashion trend is or who is going where and doing what. But when it comes to tennis and crafting, I am completely obsessed! If I am not on the court hitting the fuzz off the ball chances are I am in my studio making a creative mess, or vice versa.
So it only seemed fitting that I do a layout about the team that I went to districts with a few years ago, as the team that I am on this year has also made it to that level of competition. When you have a group of people who love something just as much as you do it is important to document the moments and treasure that time as it is very hard to come by! It is going to be a month of preparing for the competition that will occur in early August, with the winner from that tournament moving onto sectionals. Our team (along with the other five that we will be competing against) desperately wants to go on to the next level of play and it will take lots of cooperation, sacrifice, patience and lots of luck as well, to make that happen. I feel very lucky to have such fulfilling activities in my life, and appreciate how it all gives me perspective on what is important and what can fall to the side.
So if you don't mind wishing us a little luck, we sure could use it!!

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I forgot to share the layout I made for the trend post on "Frames" I had written two weeks ago for the CLASS room.
The Webster's Pages "Life's Portrait" papers are so beautiful and so on this trend it was a snap to make this project!

It was a pretty disappointing day on Wednesday, my sweet hairdresser had forgotten to write in my appointment and so she had over scheduled her day. We have a plan (and she promised that she has it written in ink!) for Monday afternoon for my cut. I am so grateful for all of your thoughts on this, and I am leaning toward keeping it short for at least the rest of the summer. She gives great advice, so it will be interesting to hear what she has to say about it as well. Really looking forward to celebrating the 4th of July!! We have plans to head to the farmer's market tomorrow with some fun friends and then Sunday evening we are hoping to be enjoying the finds from our adventure at the market. Of course there will be some fireworks in the evening on Sunday as well ;o)

I hope your celebrations are fun, safe and maybe hold a little adventure as well!!
B-

Making the Cut

It has been about six weeks since I had eleven inches of hair cut off of my head. I can honestly say that I am so glad that I did it, but I am also still not used to the change. I started thinking about this last week when I was scheduling my appointment for getting it cut again and will be faced with the decision of keeping it shorter or starting the process of growing it back out to the length that I had become accustomed to. The interesting thing about having it short is that it reminds me of how lucky I am that I was able to have this experience and how it isn't something that is for everybody to do.

So I need some advice and opinions on what you think I should do when I am in the chair for my trim tomorrow. Do I enjoy the short while in the summer months and then think about going a little longer in the fall and winter or do I start the process of growing it out now? Maybe I should continue to get used to the change and embrace it and keep it this short for a long time...

thoughts?

Also wanted to share one of the projects that I did with my pics from that day, this one is with the Queen Bee line of products from Pink Paislee, these colors spoke to me from the second I saw them at CHA and I knew then I would be using them to do a page for myself. It was such a fun layout to do, a little whimsy, a little elegant and a little worn, just like me ;o)

Anyway, hope everyone is having a wonderful summer day (if you are in the northern hemisphere, lol!)

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Hambly Happiness has me on Cloud Nine!!

Long have I had an appreciation and crush on Allison's clever designs and Hambly's exceptional quality and beauty. They have always had design teams that are witty, artistic, innovative and inspirational. So when the call went out for their latest team I sent in an application and tried not to obsess about how amazing it would be to have the opportunity to work with these products and with the caliber of talent that they select to carry the Hambly brand forward. I knew that my chances were slim and that who ever they selected would be fantastic, I might mope and pout for a day or two but would most certainly be impressed and inspired by the projects that would soon be gracing the blogs and galleries. This being the case, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I got a call from THE FAB Allison!!! I think I might have even told her to shut up...
Of course I didn't mean it in the rude and absurd way that I am sure it came out, but I did have a wonderful visit with her, and I hope that she doesn't think that I am complete idiot from the babbling that she had to deal with!
It is going to be so fun to create and share my passion for this product line, and work with an incredible team of American and International superstars!!!

US Team:
Amy Tangerine (Culver City, California)
Laurie Cinotto (Tacoma, Washington)
Ann-Marie Norris (Simi Valley, California)
Tiffany Johnson (Fort Rucker, Alabama)
Becky Olsen (Cottonwood Heights, Utah)

International Team:
Jennifer Johner (Sexsmith AB, Canada)
Larissa Albernaz (Sao Jose dos Campos SP, Brazil)
Yukari Takanashi (Kanagawa, Japan)
Kim Jeffress (Australia)
Leena Loh (Singapore)
Stepanie Baxter (Surrey, United Kingdom)

Design Team Coordinators:
Kerry Lynn Yeary
Dina Wakley


I will soon have these links in my sidebar as well, if you are interested in visiting their blogs and seeing their work, please head over to the Hambly Screen Prints Blog and hop around, I think you will be impressed as well!

Wishing you all Hambly Happiness!!!
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Vintage Groove Prettiness!!

It has been so fun playing with the Vintage Groove jewelry pieces that Ellen has in her shop!
I wrote a fun tutorial on putting this elegant piece together over at the CLASS room this week.

It has been a wonderful week full of tennis and sunshine for me, so grateful that summer has finally arrived! I am trying to enjoy the fantastic mid-range temperatures before they start sky-rocketing into the low 100's that we start to get this time of year.

Does it seem kinda quiet out there in crafty land right now? I think everyone is so happy to have summer here that the crafty stuff is taking a little bit of a back seat at the moment. So out of curiosity, when you do have a little time to spend creating, what will you be working on? I think I will be making more soldering and jewelry pieces, some cards and a have a few scrapbook layouts in my mind that I want to try to get done.

happy summer time friends!!

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Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Card group was last Saturday night, and I love the card that I made for everyone! Our theme for the month was encouragement and using suns, clouds or rainbows. I just adore this Hero Arts stamp called "Clouds" so it of course was the first thing I thought of when we were informed of the theme for our exchange. I did need to make 12 of whatever I designed, so it had to be something that was realistic to get put together without breaking the bank. Stamping is a great way to do that! To get the look of the silver in the cloud lining I mixed up a mini mister with water, a few drops of Faded Jeans re-inker, a few drops of Broken China re-inker and a scoop of Perfect Pearl from my Perfect Pearls collection. Gave it some shaking for a minute and then spritzed it onto my craft mat, then dipped my stamp into it and stamped it onto some Neenah Solar White cardstock and set aside to air dry while I made some kites.
The body of the kite is made with paper from Cosmo Cricket's Girl Friday collection (although any cute paper would work!) and the twine is by Jenni Bowlin.
The sentiment is from a Cornish Heritage Farms set called Encouragement Expressions. I know there will be the right time to give this to someone, but this week was a bit of a challenge for me, so I kept it up where I could see it and let it keep me lifted up with its sweet message.

Hope you are having a happy Thursday!
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