Growing, Growing, Gone

The kids are just growing too fast now. It was just yesterday when they were in diapers, making messes and tag teaming us so we were poorly rested and completely out of sorts. Now with Tyler gone two months, and Laurel getting ready to graduate in two weeks, I am really feeling the squeeze that time is putting on me. I am feeling really lucky that she does want to go to school right here at the U, and live with us for a while. It doesn't feel so rushed that way, but I am reminded that I had better cherish every little second that she lets us have with her before she is gone. A few of the things I have tried really hard to do as a parent is to never wish away the time or take shortcuts with how we spend time together. I hope that it will make the difference in our relationship down the road, but for right now it just has to be good enough. As a parent of a teen, we are only allowed inside the hallowed halls of their heads once in a great while, so I try to use those opportunities wisely. All I know is that I couldn't love them more, and as we get closer to having a half-way empty nest it seriously freaks me out!!!

B-

It was HOT today!!

HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

In other news, because it is that time of year, I spent a good part of the day driving kids hither and thither as they have events that need attending, good times!!! I also got a chance to get a little messy, but not enough got done because of the car time to have anything finished to share...

bummer.

So here is a card that went to the NY Stationary show with Clip It Up. It is a sneak peek of a new line that will be revealed on Friday! The paper is Graphic 45 Fashionista, I just love that blue, and Ranger inks.

Hope you were able to stay cool and get some playtime in! (whatever your play may be!) Going to get some tennis in this week too, and working on art for another project that I will get tell you more about very soon! (I want to share so bad, and not being able to is such torture!) I just love it when dreams do come true though!!!

Heard from Tyler today, and he is almost fluent in Portuguese, he said that he has learned that when he doesn't know the word for something he just doesn't say anything. How crazy does that sound coming from the mind of a 19 year old boy? Wacked!!!! He really is maturing so much, and I think that we won't have a kid come home, but an exceptional young man. Just love and miss him so much!

Hope you have a great week!

B-

What a week!

It flew by, nothing really important or huge went on, it just flew! I ended up playing a lot of tennis which is quite unusual for me right now with how my life is, but it was great to get outside, moving and changing things up! That also means that with my studio/office being worked on and me needing to do my job that not a lot of creative juice got flowing. I made up for that by going to Kim's last night and I made 4 layouts! One still has a lot to do on it, but the others just need a little journaling and they are done! Felt so good! It was weird to not make any cards, but there is always time for that...

;o)

This little card was one that I made a while ago, but never shared. It just went into a box that we sent to Tyler that had sour gummy worms and his favorite messenger bag. Shipping to Brazil is quite expensive, it cost about $45 to send a priority box that is $8 here. It was a great reminder for me of how I take some things for granted as a citizen of this great country.

I am off to play some more tennis. I know, crazy right? And then more organizing and maybe some crafting today! That would make me very happy! It is a gorgeous day here today, so whatever it brings, it is all good!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!

B-

Happy Monday!!!

Oh I had a surprising Mother's Day! My dear husband has creatively put together a get away for just the two of us using his airline miles and chewing gum, LOL! It is going to be a seriously shoe string budget trip as we are the parents of multiple teens and one that is soon to be graduated from high school and moving on to college at the U of U. I am so excited, he found a way for us to get to Jamaica where we originally honeymooned, and he scheduled it over our anniversary in June, so romantic and incredibly thoughtful. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I figured it all out!

Card is a little Graphic 45 Fashionista and the sentiment is from the "Friend Expressions" fussy cut and and use foam squares to give it pop.

Hope you all have wonderful week!
B-

Happy Mother's Day eve

I won't be posting tomorrow, will be with my mom giving her a hard time about having four rotten kids, LOL! I hope my kids stick around and do the same thing for me!

Laurel is going to her prom tonight, it will be fun to get more pictures of her with her date. Last one was not as formal for her because of the circumstances, but this one is her Senior Prom at Skyline, and she is a little more serious about it this time.

Sharing another layout I made last weekend for NSD. One of my morning shopping deals from Heartland was a few sheets of Webster's Pages, so delish! Since it was so fantastic all by itself, I just stamped a little mat from CHF's Spanish Script backgrounder, stitched around it and slapped that picture of Laurel on it. The flowers were super easy, just gather scalloped ribbon onto some embroidery floss and pull tight. Glue one of those gorgeous Jenni Bowlin buttons into the center and voila, easy peasy matching flowers! The journaling bit is from the Ornamental Beauty set and was embossed with Ranger Antiquities in Rust, looks even cooler IRL. The name of the paper became the title, it was just too perfect (and too easy!) This layout seriously took less than an hour to do, gotta love that!

Anyway, more prom pics to come, and I got a HUGE box of new Ranger goodness that needs tons of love so you will have to put up with me gushing about that as well, LOL!
Hope you have a fantastic weekend, and hugs to your moms for making you, as your friend, I am seriously grateful!!!

B-

Prom Happiness

I made this last week when I was scrapping with Kim. It took me forever because of the stitching, but I do like how the it all came together, the green looks so fresh on the yellow. It really lets the flowers Michael gave Chloe steal the show! I used the Fiery Floral Scrapblock with Peach Bellini Adirondack for the frames. Some Prima flowers and Maya Road sheer journal bits. Now if only it hadn't take two hours to stitch by hand, LOL!

I also want to share a quick picture of the Bad Babies out playing together in the backyard with one of their pieces of rope. They love the game of tug of war, and anything that is wider than two inches will have two sets of teeth on it trying to get it away from the other. They are so cute with each other, playing hard and resting well. We love them so much, and Tyler misses them tons, asks about them in every note he writes.

Been working this week on new art with the team. I am very excited that a project we have been working on for a new product line that I will be contributing to will be releasing in June, so happy! Loads more on that in the near future...

Hope you have a Happy Friday!

B-

A FAB Weekend!

This past Saturday was National Scrapbook Day, one of my favorite holidays, LOL!
I went to Kim's house on Friday evening and we scrapped for a few hours and then we packed it all up and moved the party to my house. We got up super early and went to Heartland first thing, with a 30% off everything for only two hours, we had to go make a dent! Then on to Paper Creations and Roberts to finish up the shopping spree! Roxanne and Julie joined us and we spent the late afternoon and evening cropping more and have loads of giggles, the perfect way to finish up the day!
I have been working on cards for "Clip It Up" to take to the New York Stationary Show, they need to be labeled, but there are some super cute ones! It has been fun to make a bunch of stuff that isn't for pub work and stamp release time.

And here is a little project that is one of those just because cards! I loved this little Imaginesce fox from the twitterpated line. I think my mom is going to love getting it, and she is so super cute, she really is a foxy momma!

Anyway, have a happy Monday!!!
B-

Card Positioning System

I am not much for sketches, they do make things so much quicker, but I never keep them handy. (I should!) Cornish Heritage Farms is the sponsor for this weeks CPS sketch, so I thought I would give it a go, and it was super fast to get it done. I did to a little embossing, waiting for paint to dry and fussy cutting, but it goes fast when you know where you plan on putting it all. Paint first so you can work on all the other layers while that is going if you can plan that far ahead.

Pink Paislee paper is the base and I used Ranger inks and embossing powder. Claudine Hellmuth paint for the American Crafts bird.

The CHF Creative Blog is having a challenge and give away using the sketch, so if you have some time you should play!!

Hope you are having a good start to your week!

B-

Friday already

This week has flown by, it has been really busy for me. Missing my guy, got a great note from him letting us know that he is adjusting really well and is really enjoying Brazil and the people that he has gotten to know there so far.

Haven't had much time to craft this week, so I finished up a few layouts that had details that needed to be done. This one was pics of Chloe and Tyler the day he left, so cute!!! Super easy and quick, some My Mind's Eye paper, love those pre-glittered dots, saves a big mess and looks great, paired with Basic Grey Porcelain chipboard for the details. Love those colors!

Anyway, got a huge box of stamps yesterday that I got cut and organized, hoping to play with them tomorrow. We took the kids to see a movie tonight, "17 Again" and we really enjoyed it, reminds you to keep your priorities in line. Something I can probably never be reminded about enough. Anyway, have a wonderful weekend!!!

B-

Happy Monday!

Very glad to see Monday! We had a busy and very fun weekend, but it sure wore me out, LOL!

I went to Kim's on Friday with Rox, Brenda met us there later and we had a great time giggling, snacking and even a little scrapping!

Saturday brought us to AMES Prom day. Chloe went with her boyfriend Michael, and they looked adorable! They had a wonderful time, and will have fun memories of the event! Laurel went with her boyfriend and a group of his friends. Her Sr. Prom at Skyline is in a few weeks, so we get to do this for her again...

wheeeee.

Of course we are still really missing Tyler, I have made a few layouts from the pictures I took from the last few days he was here. It really is fun, and lets me look at his pictures for a really long time without feeling like an obsessive mom, LOL! I used the Basic Grey Marakech line for this layout, I love the quilty look of it! And the bright colors make me so very happy!!

Anyway, I have some new stamps that are needing some ink, so I am off to my craft room to play. Hope you have a happy Monday!

B-

Hello Thursday!

Just popping in for a quick hello and to share a little project. I don't have anyone getting married, so don't get the wrong idea, LOL! I just loved the purples in the new Basic Grey Wisteria collection! That big dragonfly is so beautiful, just had to use him somewhere!
Spring took a little break this week, so with snow on the ground it is nice to look at the little blooms in this paper!
I also want to wish my dear friend Kim Hughes a very happy birthday today, LOVE ya chica!!!

B-

Spring Winner!

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Andrea McCulley said...
My favorite things about spring are blooms, bunnies and butterflies! Lovely card!
3:32 PM
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Congratulations Andrea!

Email me or leave me a comment on how to contact you!

A very Happy Easter was had by all here, we ate ourselves silly and the kids collected many eggs, the lawn and flower beds were covered!
Hope you all had a wonderful day too!!!

B-

Happy Easter Friends

Just a quick little post to wish all of you a Happy Easter, we are going to be celebrating with my family, and I feel very blessed that we can be together and that everyone is healthy. Of course we all miss Tyler, but have heard from him, and he is doing really well, so that makes us all very happy as well.

I hope that your day is blessed!

B-

Celebrating the arrival of Spring with a blog hop!!!

I love blog hops, they are so fun to follow the links and find what the next person has to share! The CHF Creative Chicks have a blog hop today, and then if you go on to the CHF Creative Blog you can find out who is getting goodies from playing along with the Spring Card Challenge from last week.

Julia Stainton

Sherrie Siemens

Joanne Allison

Kristine Reynolds

Becky Olsen

The card that I made used images from Sweet Spring and Spring Trees sets from the Kim Hughes collection. Patterned Papers are by Pink Paislee, Basic Grey and Cosmo Cricket. I used the new blender pen from Ranger (very cool, but I need to practice!!!) to color and all of the images were stamped with Ranger inks, Peeled Paint Distress inks and Adirondack Ginger.

Leave me a comment about your favorite thing about Spring, and I will randomly pick someone on Monday at noon to get a Spring Trees stamp set.

Hope that you are having a very hoppy Spring!!!

B-

Ranger U pictures and post (warning, very long!)

I made it there and back! Had a few delays on the way, and a few coming home, very grateful that I had been able to book direct flights so that I didn't need to worry about connections, that would have been a bummer!

We got started Friday morning with a beautifully organized and clean room, it wasn't that way by the time we were done with it! This is a picture of my work surface. We all introduced ourselves, and then had a tour of the facility, so fascinating! One of the big happy points for me is that most of Ranger's products are manufactured in the USA at the facility in New Jersey!! That is a good thing!!! Tim is the Willy Wonka of the inky world, he knows how to have fun and how to think of fun and clever toys that add new wonder. Suze and Claudine (who I didn't get a picture of except on my phone and that is on my FB page) were delightful and so very knowledgable and inspiring as well. Loved the fact that we learned about all of the product lines at once, it opened up so many possibilites for exploration and fun!
Patti is wonder woman! She knew exactly what was going on at all times, and had the answers for anything! The event was run so smoothly, and everything had been thought of, great planning! Mario was the go to guy! He always had a smile on his face, and I swear, he never held still! He made sure we were fed, had snacks, beverages and empty trash cans! So kind and patient, gotta love him!!!

My table buddy was the darling and oh so fun Debby Shuh! We traded pinks for greens, and if you know either of us, you know that is a good thing!!!

Cindy Lyles was across the room from me, but I tried to bother her and her fun tablemates every chance that I got!!! I have a little envy, not only is she immensely talented, super cute and incredibly sweet, she drives the CUTEST red convertible sports car! sigh.

Lynn Warner and Crystal Rieger were Cindy's partners in crime. (see I told you, super fun tablemates!!!) Crystal is so funny and Lynn is so sweet and generous! My new super FAB BFFs!!!

The darling Donna Salazar was a few seats away but I could catch glimpses of her wicked cool creativity now and then, she has such a playful and free spirit that reflects in her style, LOVE that!!!

Miss Jen Starr is super FANTASTIC! She was attending for a record setting 5th certification! She had it all going on, and it was such a nice experience to have her just a wink away! I could watch her work and find little nuances to the techniques that we were working on, obviously loads of product knowledge and experience! She has got it going on!!!

Sulie was my other tablemate! What a treasure as a new friend, and a fascinating and talented woman! She is from Vienna, Austria and has a shop there, the only one in town! She just might find me on her doorstop visiting! That is a part of the world that I have always wanted to see, and now having a friend there gives me the excuse I have always needed! Anyone want to go with me and make it a par-TAY?!!!

After working on our technique tags from Claudine's segment, we had a chance to just play with her products, and I already had a huge love for them before this event, but now that I have an even better understanding, I am ready to try all kinds of projects that I wouldn't have thought possible before! Everyone was given a box from Cosmo Cricket to decorate how ever they wanted and about an hour and a half to do it. I just went for it, I globbed on paper, paint, glaze and buttons! It was fun to just make something without a plan just to see what it would turn into! I need to do that more often!

In Suze's segment we made all of these great projects while we learned about the product and techniques to use it. Then Ranger provided the frame and the mattes to put it all together! I have plans to Beck-i-tize it, but thought that I would share what the original looked like! It gets me super amped to play more just looking at it! Does it do that for you?

We even got a melting pot! So excited to get it plugged in and goopy again!

The last picture is of my suitcase. I did have a few clothes in there, but not many, wore the same two pairs of jeans for the weekend with a fresh t-shirt everyday (no mocking, I wasn't there for a fashion show, LOL!)

The whole experience was designed to let us explore as artists, but leave feeling like we learned and succeeded in creating projects and samples that would help us teach and share with others! The encouragement and teaching styles of all three were so great, and I am hard to impress in that regard. They all checked to make sure that everyone understood, could complete the tasks and techniques and were patient and generous with their time. Seriously exceptional presentations, these people know their stuff (as if there was ever a doubt, LOL!)

I would do it again in a heartbeat, and if they ever develop a more intense program I would be the first in line to apply! Of course there are many other people I met and interacted with that I enjoyed getting to know, just didn't get a pic. And so many team members from Ranger that contributed so much that are faceless, but gave so much to make it a memorable and enjoyable experience that was without problems, thanks to all of them!

So I am running on no sleep, so I am out of here! Will be back soon with more good stuff!!!

B-

The joke is on me...

yup, it is April fool's day, and it has been hectic!!! I always think I have a reasonable grip on things the week before I am getting ready to leave town and inevitably the wheels will come off somehow! We had a fantastic visit with our friends, and they safely left town after the morning snow storm that blanketed the valley and mangled the morning commute and carpool run. We had a fantastic day of skiing at Deer Valley yesterday, it was gorgeous and no one was there. The upside is that you get a lot of runs in, the down side is that you get worn out from all of that vertical! So during my three hours of tennis today, my legs were quite tired, imagine that...

We have had a lot of changes at CHF that have needed attention, and so much exciting art that has to be scheduled that it gets me so inspired and excited that my head starts to swirl!

I leave quite early to get on my way to the Newark New Jersey airport after a long but gratefully direct flight, I will get into a shuttle that will take about an hour to get me into Tinton Falls. This will get me there in time to hopefully get a little dinner and then some sleep so I can start out Friday with a set of fresh eyes, such a good thing!

So there is laundry to be done, kids that needed to be fed (we ordered Pi pizza, yummers!), and the packing that will probably not happen until the wee hours!

I won't be posting on my blog while gone, but hope to come home with some great ideas and things to share, I can't wait to have a ball!!!

Until next week...

=)

B-

Sweet Sunny Saturday!

Yay, sunshine!!!

It is gorgeous here today, and even though another storm is on the way, we are enjoying today's wonderful weather.

Sorry so long between posts, it was a long week for me with a lot going on. Still missing Tyler alot, but he is doing great so that gives me such a feeling of relief!

I am excited to have my dearest friend visiting us from Oregon with her darling family! We have known each other since we were children, and we call each other sister and our kids call each other cousins, truly family!!! It has been so nice to catch up with them and spend time together with people you love so much! Such a blessing!

I can't believe that in just a few days I will be off to New Jersey for my time at Ranger U! So excited for that, and can't wait to learn so many new things!

Happy Saturday to all of you!!!

B-

It snowed...

***edited*** April 29th 2009

The previous project was picked up for publication. Instead you are looking at the Thomas Kinkade image that used the same technique.

Just when I was convinced that Spring would be here we got a very large winter storm and wow is it white again, LOL!

With the weather like that it was easy to go into my studio and make a mess! I got a couple of things done, and it was the perfect activity for the day!

This little card is so much prettier in real life. It is splashed with Tattered Angels glimmer mist and has a lovely shimmer when tipped at angles. I sprayed the flowers at the same time so that they would compliment the colors used on the background. That is the Vintage City Scrapblock and it was heat embossed with Superfine clear embossing powder from Ranger. That stuff looks almost like flocking when it comes out of the jar, it is so cool!!! And it is very detailed, perfect for this stamp and so many of the others from CHF! Can you tell what my inspiration for this card was? LOL! Dave went out of town for the week as well, and I am telling you, this house is now really quiet. Not sure how I feel about that...

Well, there is a Thomas Kinkade release today, and I have a card that I have been working on that is eerily similar to this that would like some finishing touches.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

B-

Blustery Sunday

It has been a beautiful week with wonderful spring like weather, something that we have all appreciated! Well today it is very blustery with obvious signs of a cold storm coming in behind it. I was so happy to see my little crocus peeking through the mud the other day, such an appreciated sign of spring! But no sooner than they had sprouted a few blooms, were they soon trampled under the enthusiastic running of the boy-zois. Oh well.

Also in the course of this week, they have found it quite entertaining to open the door of my closet and steal shoes from a shelf. The shoes that they stole and then subsequently destroyed were the two pairs that I had just found during my trip to California for CHA, one was my new favorite because it was low and oh so comfy. The other pair was a gorgeous yellow pair of slingback wedges that hadn't even been worn yet, I had been saving them for the warmer spring weather. Oh well. (I do say that alot with regards to them, LOL!)

The layout that I am sharing here was just published in the Photoplay special issue that simple Scrapbooks produced. It is filled with wonderful ideas, and I was very pleased to have been included in such an inspiring and fun project!

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

B-

p.s. we totally miss our boy, I want to thank all of you who left such kind and supportive words, so appreciated!!!

Pictures from today...

This is what two years of stuff looks like when it is put into a very large suitcase, he put his pillow on top of that and zipped it up. His bedsheets, towels, shoes, toiletries and clothing are all in there. Mind boggling to me really.

We took a few minutes to take some pictures before we left home and a few when we got to the airport. He checked in hugged us all once and then turned with a big smile on his face to head into the security check area, with not even a glance behind. We all stood there like lost pups watching him through the whole process and then had a silent car ride home. We miss his presence already.

B-

Our last evening with Tyler and some digi projects

I don't have much to say, just twelve hours before we take Tyler to the airport, so excited for him and have enjoyed spending loads of time with him and our family over the last few days. Yesterday we had his farewell at church and a day with the family and friends who wanted to wish him well. Today was spent at the temple and with our little family in a more private get together that was very special and wonderful in so many ways. Then we ate apple pie.

I have been keeping up for the most part with my assignments for my digi in deep class at Jessica Sprague's site. The layouts are all of

Laurel, it had been awhile since I had done any of her and she actually let me take a few pics of her this weekend!

I have really enjoyed working on my digi skills, this class has shown me so many new workflows, I am really enjoying it! I hope that it will also help me analyze my designs better and also give this old dog some new tricks!

Also a quick note for the tennis fans, the Indian Wells tournament is going, and it has been very good! (will be spending my time missing Tyler in front of the tv watching this...)

B-

Five days and I want to stop counting!

I know, I need to stop whining about Tyler leaving, you are all probably so sick of it!!!

The quote on this card is what I wish for him, and I know that by letting him go he can do anything that he imagines. (it really is so hard though!) They don't tell you that when you leave with them from the hospital to take them home for the first time. Seems that there should be some disclaimers of some kind dontcha think?

Dear Cath has given some wonderful words of advice and comfort and also excellent suggestions for reading that I have really appreciated.

We have a weekend of plans and activities that will allow us to spend extra time with Tyler and our extended family that want to spend time with him and wish him well.

Hang in there with me, I promise I will talk about something else soon!

B-

What a great day!!

I only have Tyler for one more week before he is on the plane to Sao Paolo, Brazil to serve in the Cuiaba Mission. So to get the most out of the time that we have, we have been doing lots of his favorite things! Today we went skiing up at Deer Valley. It was so beautiful, with almost two feet of new snow and cold clear skies, perfection if you are a skier! We came home and ran carpool, picked up some groceries and went to Mr. Mac to pick up his suits, shoes, slacks, shirts, socks and the suitcases to put it all in. (that was quite the alliteration wasn't it, quite proud of myself, LOL!)

So hard to let him go, but I am enjoying all of the time we are spending together, such a treat!

Off to get some rest, another long day tomorrow!

B-

Digi in Deep...

Submersed in this week's work, loads of exciting things going on at CHF, and up to my eyeballs with a course at Jessica Sprague's called Digi in Deep. This layout is the first week's assignment, and it took me more than a few hours to get through the videos to get it done. Honestly it wouldn't have taken me that long to make it using my current skill set, (if I could think like this) but it was great learning more tricks and shortcuts! I am picking up some very nice design ideas too, so it is a program that I highly recommend! It is really well organized, and I can tell that everything is very well thought out and her presentation is impeccable. It has been a great experience so far, but ask me in a few more weeks when I am feeling even more overwhelmed, LOL!

I am off to work on the second assignment for this week so that I don't get to far behind and watch the "Burn Notice" season finale!

Good stuff!

B-

Does anyone have any...

spare time that I could borrow for the next few weeks (month tops!) that I will give back after I am done with it!




Tyler is leaving on the 18th (yes, of this month!!) and I am not ready. He is prepping, and has a few things left to do, but while I am trying my hardest to bend my head around it, just can't seem to be able to get around not crying when I think about not seeing him for two years. I am totally excited about the adventure, the location, the reason and everything else! But man two years seems like forever right now.

This is a layout I made a few months ago with pictures from a trip to visit with Christina. I wrote myself some advice, and it seems really applicable right now for me and Tyler, so it seemed worth sharing.

Off to enjoy an evening with the family watching Chuck and snarfing down some lasagna that Tyler made for us this afternoon! We all went to the Draper Temple open house together earlier today, so beautiful, and now some quiet time together is just what I need!

B-