Can't wait to create!

2012-02-03T16:38:00.002-05:00

Valentine's Gift

2012-02-03T16:34:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to share what I have just finished for my husband's Valentine's Day gift! I used scrapbook paper and lace. I printed the saying and placed the printed copy under the glass. Then I used a glass marker to copy the saying and viola! Valentine's Day come on - I'm ready for you this year!

I LOVE Pinterest!

2012-02-03T16:30:00.000-05:00

Handprint Creation

2011-11-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

Since our daughter has decided to make monthly projects with our boys' handprints and/or footprints, I decided it was time to buy a frame to properly display their artwork. I printed out the poem, cut it so that it could go above and below their work, and then will change the center to denote the season. I'm looking forward to their next project and will update and post accordingly! Thanks for letting me share this with you!

http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/images/about/logos/Pinterest_Logo.png

Birthday Balloon Wreath

2011-10-21T17:07:00.000-04:00

Since some very special birthdays are coming soon, I thought this would be the pefect wreath for our almost 2 year old identical twin grandsons! Our daughter has chosen to hang it inside on the door of the birthday person (s) for their entire birthday month - in anticipation of the big day! I'm so glad I could be a part of their new family tradition!

http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/images/about/logos/Pinterest_Logo.png

For a Very Special Baby Girl

2011-09-06T20:42:00.000-04:00

The set is finally finished - in time for the arrival of a dear friend's newest granddaughter, due to arrive later this month! It's a very light pink, with pink ribbon roses for decorations on the hat, booties, headband, and sweater. Hope the mommy-to-be likes it! It was fun to make all these great pieces! Check back tomorrow for another addition to the collection!

The needles have been clicking!

2011-09-04T13:20:00.000-04:00

To take a break from packing this weekend, my knitting needles have been clicking with my latest project. My dear friend sent me this Fancy Fur yarn and this is what I created for her - a scarf and matching hat. Sure hope she likes it!

Mother Bear Project

2011-09-03T14:20:00.000-04:00

This is the first bear I've made for the Mother Bear Project, but I hope to make lots more! Friends at the Needlecrafters Ministry were making them and they shared the pattern with me. Mother Bear Project is a non-profit group dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children, primarily those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations. Visit the project website: http://www.motherbearproject.org/ for more information.

A Thousan Sheets Give-Away

2011-08-22T11:52:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought of what a thousand sheets of paper would look like? Well here it is - AMAZING!
And you can enter to win this incredible give-away by visiting the blog listed below!

http://athousandsheetsofpaper.blogspot.com/2011/08/1000-sheets-for-thousand-sheets-again.html

Is Fall in the air somewhere?

2011-08-14T19:09:00.000-04:00

One of my latest creations, this fun knit pumpkin was fun to make! If you would like directions, I'd be happy to email them to you. You'll be able to have several of these all ready to go when Fall is finally in the air!

Some Knitting Projects

2011-04-09T21:09:00.000-04:00

Hello, Friends, I know it's been a long time but so much has happened since I last posted! I won't bore you with all the details but suffice it to say that a LOT has happened! We are now in San Diego - yes, as in clear across the country from Florida - and I have survived yet another surgery! Praise God! We have plugged into one terrific church - Shadow Mountain Community Church - and I have become a part of the Needlecrafters Ministry! What a wonderful group of new friends! I have been knitting like crazy to create these adorable little hats and booties for baskets that are given to families in the church who have new babies as well as the premies at a local hospital! Take a look at my creations and keep watching for more posts in the near future!

Two Very Special Birthdays!

2010-10-28T13:22:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow our grandsons, Alex and Jason, turn 1! Our daughter and I have spent an incredible week together with the boys in Orlando, having been joined by my terrific mom-in-law, who flew down on Tuesday! Tonight, Gramp and Uncle Bryan will also join us so that tomorrow we can all go to the Disney Character Breakfast together! These boys are just so incredibly precious and have come such a long way in the last 12 months, when they were born 6 weeks early. I can't even imagine what life was like before they arrived - they bring so much joy and happiness to us all! I'll be posting photos of tomorrow's adventures as well but I thought I'd give you a sneak peak of Alex's birthday card (Jason's is exactly the same but has HIS name in it)! Hope they like them and all their presents and all the fun we're gonna have.....

Some of my Stamping Buddies - the SOS Jax Group!

2010-10-27T13:13:00.001-04:00

SOS - Stamping Overcomes Stress! These are some of my SOS Jax friends (missing Lynn and Sharon and a few others). We have become good friends over the months we've been in Jacksonville and have such a great time together! Our fearless leader, Lee, is second from the left, and "it's ALL her fault"! She's the best! She's a great Stampin' Up demonstrator and a great friend as well. She inspires all of us! I'm really going to miss these special friends and hope to be able to stamp with them again soon!

It's tough to get enough of Fall!

2010-10-26T13:06:00.001-04:00

A 3-D pumpkin makes a cute card, don't you think? I cut 5 ovals with my Nesties, ran them through my Cuttlebug to emboss with the dots, attached them back to back after folding them each in half, attached the flat side to the card, gave the pumpkin a stem and a few leaves and viola! My 3-D pumpkin card! I cut my leaves from c/s which I fold in half, and then run it through my crimper to give it dimension and "veins". I love how they turn out. Had this dp as our daughter gave me a bunch of her "I'm never going to use these" supplies (what a great day that was for me!) and it makes a great background! Since we don't get to see enough of Autumn because we live in Florida, we just have to make our own, don't we?

Inlaid Embossing - Autumn Style

2010-10-25T12:57:00.001-04:00

I saw an example of "Inlaid Embossing" the other day (please forgive me, I don't remember who posted the technique) and decided to try it. French Foliage works perfectly, stamped first, and then embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder. I dyed the jute by running it across my stamping pad, holding it with a piece of sponge. This went together quickly and made a card that I gave to a very special friend. I knew she had recently purchased this set and wanted to give her another idea of how to use it. Hope it helps you too!

Autumn Treats for my favorite Sweets!

2010-10-23T12:56:00.000-04:00

I decided to make some treats for my family and had to share the photos with you. Sorry they didn't come out better but you'll get the idea, I'm sure! I made dipped pretzel rods and decorated them with fall leaf sprinkles. I found these cool cello bags at Michael's and they are the perfect size. I used my Nesties to cut toppers, and stamped some leaves from French Foliage, along with "Just for You" on each. Hope my family enjoys their treats! Happy Fall, Y'All!

All dressed up with a pretty fall bow!

2010-10-20T21:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I made the 3 candle box and decided to decorate it with some beautiful ribbon that I found at Michael's. I also used the piece that I cut out of the top as a tag for the gift! I stamped the top first then had this tiny little piece after I cut out the spot for the clear sheet so I thought - why not make that the tag? We stampers tend to be resourceful and some of us have a very hard time getting rid of even tiny scraps of paper! I stamped on tissue and then applied the images to the candles with my heat gun (using wax paper, wax side down really helps). Even though I like the way they turned out, I think it's still easier to use white candles. These will look pretty in clear votive holders!

It's just around the corner, you know!

2010-10-19T12:55:00.000-04:00

Christmas is just around the corner and the ideas are making my head spin! There's just not enough time between Thanksgiving and Christmas if you ask me! I love Autumn and the change of season means cooler temps, etc. With me, it means getting out those great "Fall" colors and stamps but then all too soon, it's time for the reds and greens and blues, etc. of Christmas! I'm so torn when I sit down to create these days - will it be for Autumn or Christmas? Well, this one is for Christmas and I love it! It went together so easily and can't wait to make some more! I will hopefully be sharing this with some friends in Orlando soon and I hope they'll like it too! The original idea came from Australia and from a SU demonstrator who brought it to Shelli. I found it somewhere online and had to duplicate it. Hope you like my version of the Star Card!

Front - closed

Back - closed

Card Open!

It's Pumpkin Time!

2010-10-18T06:38:00.001-04:00

I made several of these little pumpkins last year and remembered just how much I liked them when I saw one (that I had made) at the front desk of our hotel last week! I revised it a bit with the stem but it's so fun that they last for more than just one season! Want one? Drop me a note and I'll see if there are any left in the "Pumpkin Patch"!

Autumn Candles

2010-10-17T08:06:00.001-04:00

I really like decorating candles with stamps and I recently found directions for a box to hold them! Carla Brasher's instructions were for a box to hold 3 candles but I revised it for 2 and it works perfectly! The little boxes can be so easily decorated with some jute and a twig for a touch of fall! These are perfect for any season so expect to see more soon as they'll make wonderful little Christmas gifts!

Here I am - waaaaaaaaaay behind on posting!

2010-10-16T18:05:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been months since I've posted anything on here and there's so much new that I hardly know where to start! We've been really busy - traveling and getting ready for our temporary move to San Diego in January. However, I find that my NEED to create is what keeps me on track and things do not go as smoothly when I'm not able to create. (Guess I should have taken another look at my blog title - I chose it for a reason!) Anyway....I guess I'll start with a birthday card for Keith's brother. The card should have been in the mail already - what else is new? So I'll share it with you before he gets to see it! Happy Birthday, Lenny!

Inside - peek-a-boo!

Card front

Happy Birthday to our son-in-law!

2010-09-02T20:38:00.000-04:00

Our son-in-law is such a special guy - a wonderful husband and Daddy too! He loves to ride his motorcycle and he and his dad joined my husband on a Guys Bike Trip last Spring to North Carolina. They had a great time (as did Alison, the boys, and I, who stayed behind) and I made this card especially for his birthday - so he could remember their special time together! I used strips of a map as a background. I wove them together to create an interesting mat, mounted the motorcycle with brads, placed it on a embossed background (yes, it's the Square Lattice embossing plate), and sponged some Soft Suede to age the look a bit. Since we're heading to Ft. Myers for the weekend, we'll celebrate his birthday while we're there! Hope he likes his card! I'll probably be posting some photos of the boys too - keep checking back!

Memory Tin

2010-08-26T07:56:00.007-04:00

This little photo tin has brought smiles to all the faces that have seen it - it's filled with wonderful photos of our identical twin grandsons! The photos that feature both of them are on one side of the fold out pieces of c/s and individual photos are on the back side. I plan to make lots more of these - I'm thinking Christmas gifts.....I'm also planning on teaching some classes - anyone interested? Let me know!

Shine On, Harvest Moon

2010-08-25T19:41:00.000-04:00

Found my inspiration for this creation online - I just took it a few steps further by adding the moon and using Autumn colors. I love easel cards, and my new square lattice embossing folder, which I used. I made 3 of these today - this is the first and it's for a friend who lost both her parents yesterday in a very tragic car accident. Please pray for Janet and her family as they go through the coming days. Thanks for looking and praying for our friends.

Fifth Avenue with a Twist!

2010-08-24T09:04:00.000-04:00

I was inspired by France Martin - Stamping With Frenchie - to make this card. I stamped the rose from Fifth Avenue Floral with Versamark on Melon Mambo, then embossed it in black. I took a small paint brush and applied bleach to the edges of each petal. When the bleach had dried, I applied Two Way Glue and Dazzling Diamonds. The rose, once cut out, was then mounted to the Very Vanilla, which had been embossed using Elegant Bouquest ef from SU. I applied glitter to the centers of the flowers on the VVc/s as well. The sentiment was stamped in Melon Mambo and mounted on Certainly Celery, as was the rest of the card.

I love this new technique - thanks for looking!

Here we are!

2010-08-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, for all of you who think I've totally lost it, I figured out what I did regarding my double post of Bryan's Graduation Card. I had already written my blog entry and thought I had scheduled it to post but found out that it had only been saved as a draft. Unfortunately, I didn't find this out until after I had already posted the revised version. So, when I went back to post the original, it was already too late. Sorry about that! Anyway, here's the family photo from Tallahassee following Bryan's graduation. Alison, Keith and I are all so proud of Bryan - he really worked hard to achieve his degree. This was taken in one of the many beautiful parks in Tally.

Thanks for reading my story and sharing this family photo with me.

We're so proud of our son!

2010-08-12T18:43:00.000-04:00

This is the card that I made for our son, Bryan, who graduated from Florida State University last Saturday. (I thought I had already posted it but found out that I had not yet. Oops - my bad.) Anyway, I printed out some sayings from The Quote Garden.com on vellum and used those on his card. I also used some great graduation stickers. His favorite part was the contents (not shown here) of the small vellum envelope! He did love the card too and wants me to start offering my cards for sale. He's encouraging me to "set up shop" on the internet - what do you think?

For Olivia

2010-08-07T07:29:00.001-04:00

This is the card I made today for Olivia, the sister of Bailey, my friend, Kathy's grandson who had the emergency appendectomy last Sunday. I posted the card I made for Bailey and was thinking that it might be nice to do one for his sister, since her brother is getting so much attention at the moment! I used the flourish from Elements of Style, stamped in Rose Red. I had been given the dp by their Memaw so it was a great chance to use it for this card. I used my new Martha Stewart punch for the edge, weaving ribbon through the edge to give color to the punched flowers. Tied a ribbon around some small silk flowers, attached them with a glue dot, and added some girly bling - just for Olivia! Hope she likes it!

Congratulations, Bryan!

2010-08-06T07:29:00.002-04:00

Here's my 3rd Tri Shutter card - a Graduation card for a Very Special Person - our son, Bryan! He will be graduating from Florida State University this Saturday, August 7! We are so proud of him and all that he has been able to accomplish! His sister, Alison, graduated from the University of Central Florida, in 2001, and will be joining us in Tallahassee for the weekend. Even though her husband and twin sons can't join us, we are so excited about our mini Family Reunion!!! Keith and I are both so thankful that God has chosen us to be Alison and Bryan's parents. They are such awesome blessings in our life and we are so very proud of both of them
So, more about the card: I really personalized this one. I picked out several wonderful graduation quotes from The Quote Garden.com - a fabulous website, devoted to quotes for all occasions. They have an awesome assortment - be sure to check it out. Then I chose the layouts, fonts, sizes, etc. for each and printed them all out on vellum. I added them in various spots on the card. I printed Bryan's info on vellum as well, attached all the vellum with 2 Way Glue, applied behind the text so it wouldn't show. I added faux brads, punched from dp, put on glue dots, and then covered with Glossy Effects. I used some EK Success stickers and added a vellum envelope, which will hold a surprise of either a gift card or cash.
.
Thanks for letting me share this card and some thoughts with you today! Hugs, Amy =D

Bugs & Wishes, Bailey

2010-08-05T11:28:00.000-04:00

"Bugs and Wishes, Bailey" was designed and made for my friend's 11 year old grandson, Bailey, who is recovering from a ruptured appendix and subsequent surgery. Having grandsons, I can only imagine what a tough time this is for the whole family. My friend, Kathy, thought it would be fun for friends to put him in the middle of a "Card Shower", so this is my contribution. Hope he enjoys all the positive attention and that it helps his recovery! We are praying for him every day and hope he'll soon feel good enough to "bug" everyone again! (This is my 2nd Tri Shutter card - 3rd posting will be tomorrow so be sure to check back!)

Trifold Flowers for a VSF!

2010-08-04T15:37:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to try my hand at making one of these cards and before I could even get the first one posted, I have created 3! This is my first and one of my top 3 favorites - once I figured it out, I just wanted to keep on going! Each one is so unique! I hope the VSF who receives this one will be pleased with my attempt - if not, I'll just have to keep trying! I'll be posting another one tomorrow!

Until then, keep your eyes to Heaven and never stop praying! Hugs, Amy

I love our FAMILY!

2010-08-02T09:08:00.001-04:00

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

I found this great site this morning and decided to create our family to share with you. (Sorry Spencer, the dog just didn't look anything like you - he wasn't nearly cute enough!). Anyway, you might want to check it out and make your families part of your blogs too! Have fun! Will be back later with some new card creations! I've been busy at my table again and can hardly wait to share! See you later!

It's a bloomin' watering can!

2010-07-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

This image is from Cowgirl Up Digital Stamps. I love watering cans - especially when they're filled with beautiful flowers as CJ did with this one! I colored them with markers, added some gems for centers, butterflies just because I love 'em, and an extra flower to support the easel. I cut the leaves out of the same dp that I used on the base, folded them in half, and ran them through my crimper for their "veins". Thanks to Cowgirl Up for supplying this great image. You can find more of CJ's images at http://www.cowgirlupdigitalstampenranch.com/.

Happy Birthday to a friend I've never met...

2010-07-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

My friend, Kathy, is always doing good deeds for others. She sent me a request for a funny birthday card for a gentleman who'll soon be celebrating his 91st birthday. He goes to the same church as one of our mutual friends and is special because he is always going the extra mile for others. So I decided to make this for him! As it turns out, he may even know some people who have been special in my life, who once attended his church. It's a small world sometimes and I'm glad that God completes the connections!

Happy 91st Birthday, "Fast Eddie"!

Friends - Tried and True!

2010-07-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Gotta love these flower pot cards - filled with pansies straight from the garden! Actually, my garden is now my craft table! These pansies were made with watercoloring with reinkers on white card stock and then punching out with SU's butterfly punch! Add a small brad in the center and they come alive! Pansies are among my favorite flowers, going all the way back to when I was a little girl (and believe me, it is a LONG way back!). The pansies are on a card which pulls out from the flower pot, which I cut out, decorated with ribbon, a punched edge, some dp, and a delightful Mary Engelbreit tag! All this and my hands never touched the dirt! Hope you enjoy this creation!

Operation Write Home

2010-07-27T15:27:00.003-04:00

Well, here it is - the first batch of cards that I'll be sending to Operation Write Home. Actually I'll be adding some additional cards too but I've had this idea in my mind for awhile now and it's so fun to see them DONE! I used LeeAnn Greff's One Sheet Wonder, which I purchased from her quite a long time ago. She has created templates which you print onto cardstock and then cut and assemble according to her directions. You choose your own colors and embellishments. I obviously chose the Stars and Stripes theme with red, white and blue as my colors. I used ribbons, punches, and stick-on embellishments to add to the Stampin' Up sayings to complete the 10 cards. I also used some SU embossing folders. These cards will be sent to our troops so that they can use them to keep in touch with their loved ones back home. To find out more, check out the website at http://www.operationwritehome.com/. You can also check out LeeAnn's site at
flowerbug.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/10/one-sheet-wonder.html.

Shut the screen door!

2010-07-24T08:45:00.000-04:00

The front of the card

The inside

This poor butterfly must be so frustrated that someone shut the screen door and she can't get to these beautiful hydrangeas! Yes, I used real screen between a layer of Basic Gray and Bravo Burgundy. I used 2 different size nesties to form a "frame". Both layers were run through the cb and embossed with the Elegant Bouquet folder. I used stickles on the centers of the embossed flowers. The All Aflutter butterfly was colored with a blender pen and reinkers. I used the Scalloped Oval punch on the inside, cutting off the bottom so that it would align with the edge of the card. It says "Love You" on it but it's hard to see in the photo. The flower blossoms on the inside of the card were also done with a blender pen and reinkers. Their centers were also accented with stickles. Hope you enjoy my creation! Have a wonderful day and don't forget to shut the screen door! = D

Bloomin' Beautiful!

2010-07-22T08:37:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been "missing in action" but the key word there is "action"! I have been stamping and creating still but just haven't had a chance to post! However, I hope today's card will make up for some of the long time. It's always so fun when you start out with just an idea and then watch it grow into an actual creation! I don't mean to blow my own horn but I have to say that this one is one of my most favorite cards that I've ever created. It includes so very many techniques and elements. I stamped and colored the 2 flowers, cut them out using the out of the box technique, sponged the edge of the oval, embossed a larger oval, layered them both on top of a background which I used a brayer to emboss the color on. I then turned all this into an easel card. I used ribbon on top of a small strip of coordination c/s, on which I used the Scalloped Edge punch. I stamped the word on another strip of c/s and then used my Scalloped Oval punch to cut it out. I made the strip smaller than the punch to created the flat top and bottom. The finishing touch was the bumblebee, which I stamped, flocked, and used Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the wings before mounting him for his flight! I hope you enjoy this card as much as I enjoyed making it! Have a terrific day and I will try to post again soon!

A Bouquet for YOU!

2010-07-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

Here's a card that I made last weekend with a new-to-me SU set called Pocket Silhouttes. I made it for the Stampin 411 Challenge - using Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Real Red, and Bashful Blue (my substitution). This is such a sweet set and is on its way to quickly becoming one of my favorites. I also used Beautiful Wings, my favorite little Sizzix Embosslits folder, to make the butterflies. I embossed the center panel with Elegant Bouquet, one of my favorite embossing folders, and used the new Square Lattice for the main card. What a fun creation - and the bouquet's just for YOU! Enjoy!

Happy Birthday to my dear friend, Val!

2010-07-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today is my dear friend Val's birthday and this card is the one that I made when we were together stamping last Friday! We met just a little over a year ago on Splitcoast, over a comment that I made on one of her beautiful cards. After we discovered that we both lived in Orlando, we were able to get together to meet and we've been great friends ever since! To top it off, our birthdays are only a day apart! She's like a sister to me and knows me so well and stamping together is one of life's great pleasures - even though we don't get the opportunity often enough! She loves the Asian theme so we both used Asian Artistry to create similar cards as we spent our stamping time doing something totally stress free - not stamping for anything other than pure pleasure! So, here's to you, Val, and I hope your birthday is every bit as special as you are to me! Love you!

July 11th

2010-07-11T07:00:00.010-04:00

Well, Happy Birthday to ME! Yes, today is my birthday and I'm celebrating in style with a Cowgirl Up Sunday Challenge! This week we had the opportunity to use a wonderful image of our choice from Delicious Doodles! The prize for this week's winner will be 3 images of YOUR choice from this great site! Go check it out and make your best effort for the Cowgirl Up Challenge! You may use any image that you'd like for your card but keep in mind that this week's challenge is all about your favorite ice cream or sherbert! Use those colors and make us all hungry! My favorite was Raspberry Sherbert (along with chocolate cake and fluffy white icing) so I chose my colors accordingly. Go forth and do the same! Happy crafting!

If your card is chosen as the winner, your prize will be that you can pick 3 images by choice from her store and 2 images of choice from CJ's Cowgirls Up!

Along with a "Winners Badge" to display on your blog!

The "Top 3" will win 1 Image of choice from CJ"

and a "Top 3 Badge" that they will be able to proudly display on their blogs.

More Elements of Style

2010-07-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

Once again, I used my Elements of Style set, this time with Rich Razzleberry, to create this card. The white ribbon and bow add just the right touch. There are so many great card ideas on SCS, and my friend, Karen, and I had fun just putting our touch on several of our favorites recently. It was fun to start out with a great idea and then make it our own. This was a fun and quick card which produced a great result, I think. Thanks for looking!

From the Heart

2010-07-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Again, another simple card that I cased from SCS. The color and simplicity make the card seem "cool" to me - a welcome addition to these hot summer days in Florida! I used Elements of Style for the main image. It would be very easy to step it up a notch or two but sometimes simple is best. As my Mom used to say, "there's elegance in simplicity". Thanks, Mom, for all those words of encouragement that you gave me!

Asian Artistry

2010-07-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! Here's a simple card to duplicate - I chose the Asian Artistry set for mine. I love its simplicity and of course, the little butterflies which add just the right touch. I'm really enjoying these simpler cards - they seem to fit with the warm days of summer. Thanks for looking and sharing!

Vellum Butterflies

2010-07-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

This card was made by embossing images from Elements of Style on vellum in white, using the Butterfly Punch, and then tying silver cord around each one. I mounted them over the Lavendar Lace butterflies which had also been punched. These were layered on a strip of white c/s, which had been cuttlebugged. I used the great Scalloped edge punch to punch strips of lavendar to place on either side of the center strip. I used white ribbon to tie my bow around the strip before mounting it all on a white c/s base, which had also been run through my cuttlebug. This is another card that I made at Lee's - I love the clean and simple but elegant look, don't you? These butterflies are so pretty! I love the embossing on them!

Happy July 4th!

2010-07-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

Happy July 4th, Everyone! Last week, I was asked to become a member of the Cowgirl Up Design Team! I'm so excited to be a part of this new venture! Each Sunday, there will be a new challenge, with some awesome blog candy! This week's challenge is Scallops and Embellishments, and the Blog Candy is being offered by CRAFTY RIBBONS. Here's a photo of what you'll receive if you win:

Here's a link to the COWGIRL UP STORE. You'll find some awesome digital images here. We would love to see you use them in your designs but it's not mandatory.

Here is the link to all the information on Cowgirl Up Sunday Challenge

Can't wait to see your designs on the website! Come on and have fun with us - saddle up your horses, and let's enjoy this adventure together!

Almost forgot, here is my entry for this week:

Happy Golfing Birthday!

2010-07-02T20:57:00.000-04:00

Although all my brothers-in-law play golf, this card's for the one who has a birthday in July! Found this great little stamp at Big Lots for a real bargain and just made the card around it! If you take a closer look, you will see that the golf ball even has dimples - made by my cuttlebug dots folder then I turned over the c/s! Finished it off with matching buttons for a masculine feel. Hope he likes it!

Happy 1st of July!

2010-07-01T08:32:00.000-04:00

I used one of my favorite sets, Watercolor Trio, to create this card. I colored with markers on the stamp, misted with water, and then stamped the image. It gives it a soft look. I used my MS Scoring Board to emboss the lines and then added a pearl - just because!

Elements of Style

2010-06-30T20:25:00.001-04:00

I used Elements of Style for this card, embossing with Elegant Bouquet, using my corner rounder, and accenting with Stickles. I like the finished card - cased from one I saw on Splitcoast! Clean and simple is a great way to go!

Summertime Flowers

2010-06-29T20:20:00.001-04:00

Some fun flowers in fun colors for summertime! A bow of Mary Engelbreit ribbon and some bling finish this card off nicely, don't you think?

Upsy Daisy - there's a lot of birthdays coming in July!

2010-06-28T20:18:00.000-04:00

Looked at my reminder book and was once again astonished that there are so many birthdays to be celebrated in July! Personally, I think it's a great month for a birthday - such a great month, in fact, that I decided to have mine this month too! So this is the first of many (very many) birthday cards to be sent out to family and friends this month! Upsy Daisy is one of my favorite sets to use and it's perfect for birthday celebrations. I used my markers to color the stamp, used my cuttlebug for embossing, and also for cutting out the beautiful wings butterflies for the circles too. Thanks for looking!

Kick off your shoes -

2010-06-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Kick off your shoes - it's Flip Flop time! How do you like this fun card? It'll be on its way to our daughter soon so don't tell her! Hope she likes it! It was quick and easy to make and lots of fun for the hot Florida summer!

Another Faux Linen Card

2010-06-24T09:10:00.000-04:00

Another example of Faux Linen - done at Lee's class. Fun, fast, and fabulous - what more can you ask for?

A Father's Day Card for my Sweetheart

2010-06-23T09:02:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm late posting this Father's Day card but my internet connection wasn't good this past weekend so it was actually seen by Keith before you all got to take a look! He likes blue and it worked well with "his bike" which is really White Diamond. Since he hasn't had a chance to ride much lately, I added the "Hello, baby" sentiment! Crimping the brushed silver paper added a fun touch as well. This motorcycle stamp is such a great value and really fun to use. Keith really liked his card and I hope you do too!

Faux Linen Card

2010-06-22T18:01:00.000-04:00

Faux linen - what a fun technique! This is a card I made recently at my SU demonstrator, Lee's, technique class. Hope the fine detail shows up in a closer view as it really does look like linen! This bow was fun too - we used twine through a button to secure it around the ribbon. There's always something new to learn at Lee's classes! Hope you enjoy this card as much as I enjoyed making it!

Upsy Daisy

2010-06-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

This is one of the cards we made at my friend Karen's workshop this week. Homewood Suites was gracious enough to let us use one of their meeting rooms and we had a great time together! For those who weren't able to attend, this is one of the cards that you missed making:

We used the Upsy Daisy set (one of my favorites), colored it with markers, stamped it, layered it on Summer Sun and Really Rust, and then embellished with my favorite butterflies.This set comes with 3 great sayings so it can easily be used for many occasions - so versatile!

Happy Friday!

2010-06-18T11:22:00.000-04:00

It's Friday already - where did this week go? Today is a great celebration for us as it is our son's LAST day at FSU! Way to go, Bryan - YOU DID IT! We are SOOOOOO proud of you! I know it hasn't always been easy but you have perservered to the end - what an accomplishment! We were so excited when your sister graduated from UCF and now we get to celebrate your college graduation! Dad and I are so proud of the great adults that you and Alison have become! We couldn't ask for better kids - you both are the BEST!

So for a Happy Friday, here's a Happy Friday card:

Made some fabric flowers, found some great digi stems

(thanks to Stampin Inspirations Word Art ), did a little embellishment and presto - fun card!

Thanks for sharing in our family's celebration!

Hands On Jacksonville projects

2010-06-17T09:48:00.000-04:00

Recently I met (by Divine appointment) a lady in Hobby Lobby, who was came around the corner when I announced to my friends with whom I was shopping, "Punches are on sale!". We started talking, introduced ourselves, and found that we had a common interest in stamping and cardmaking. She went on to tell me about her involvement with Hands On Jacksonville and making Cards for Caring. She is a Project Leader for them and recruited me to help. I love a challenge so I jumped aboard and will now be assisting her with this project. This photo shows the five cards that the ladies who attend will be assembling tonight. We will also be making a box to hold the cards and envelopes (thanks to Denise and Karen, who were with me in Hobby Lobby that day and made the envelopes yesterday)! These will be given to those who help at Hubbard House and other centers so that they will be able to write a personal note inside and give a card of caring to someone in need of some love! Great opportunities are everywhere - and I'm thankful to be involved with this one! If you'd care to join us, leave me a comment and I'll let you know the details!

A faithful friend

2010-06-16T08:42:00.000-04:00

This is my creation for Operation Write Home's Sketch Challenge this week. Boy, are there some awesome entries! Lots of talented card makers out there, with hearts as big as the world, making cards to help our troops keep in touch with their loved ones at home! Check out the Operation Write Home website at http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/ and join in the fun! What a worthwhile way to support our men and women who are serving to keep our country safe!

It's a beautiful day!

2010-06-14T13:49:00.000-04:00

I made this for Stampin 411's Challenge this week. I mounted the Tea Party dp on Whisper White, which I then embossed with the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder. I used more dp to create the horizontal strips, the background for my flower from Watercolor Trio, and the extra butterflies. Some Dazzling Diamonds glitter for the center of the flower and some ribbon to make a perfect bow, using Lee Conrey's bowmaker! The great colors in this dp remind me that, no matter what, it is a beautiful day!

Candy Bar Sliders

2010-06-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

These crazy Candy Bar Sliders are so much fun to make! I decided to make this my "Secret Project" for my workshop at Lee's. We used 6 x 12" pieces of Stampin Up's beautiful Designer Series paper. The slider is 6 x 7", and the remaining piece is flipped over and used for the coordination band and greeting. It takes 28" of coordinating ribbon for each one. The candy bar appears when the bow is pulled up! Every one there really seemed to enjoy making them! I can see lots of these in my future - as fun gifts!

Friends are flowers...

2010-06-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally made my first easel card! What fun! And then they have their own display as well that's just a little different! This was one I made last week with digis, coloring with watercolor pencils and a blender pen. I flocked the center, added inverted corner rounding, and some bling at each corner. Hope you like it!

Fifth Avenue Floral for Friends!

2010-06-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Love this Fifth Avenue Floral set! The possibilities are almost endless! Stamped the rose only in Melon Mambo and Summer Sun on white c/s, mounted it on Melon Mambo, added a 1/4" strip of Summer Sun above and below it, added a ribbon, Little Leaves, and a Beautiful Wings butterfly, decorated with pearls. Then I used my new Martha Stewart Scoring Board to make an envelope. I stamped another piece of white paper with Fifth Avenue and lined the envelope. My friend, Kathy, does this all the time and I think it's such a great look! Thanks, Kathy! I know the friends that I made this for will appreciate the extra touch too!

Graduation is here!

2010-06-08T04:00:00.000-04:00

It's time for graduation for some lucky Seniors! This is the card I made for our special neighbor, Theresa, as she graduates from high school! She was only in middle school when they moved in and it's been fun to watch her grown into a great college-bound girl! I had to throw in some purple as it's one of her school colors but couldn't resist the pink butterfly. She's grown into a beautiful butterfly who will spread her wings and fly into her future with God's Grace under her wings! Congratulations, Theresa!

Gotta love Melon Mambo!

2010-06-07T12:38:00.000-04:00

Another card that I helped design for my workshop at Lee's. The vanilla was embossed, as was the Melon Mambo piece, which wraps around the card. Love the Bouqet Bunch set that we used and the matching Melon Mambo ribbon. The coloring was done with the Aqua Painter and Watercolor Crayons. The sentiment was stamped in Garden Green, which matches the mat of the centerpiece. Hope you like this one as much as I like Melon Mambo!

Heading to Colorado

2010-06-06T15:26:00.000-04:00

This is a photo of one of the cards that I sent to my niece, Jennie, in Colorado, for a swap that she asked me to join. We swap every other month and it has been a lot of fun. Several of the other stampers are teachers with Jennie and they have some great ideas. This card was made using the Black Magic technique. I added the ribbon which matched the paper and then decided to add the "faux" brads in each corner. Hope they like this one!

From the Heart

2010-06-05T17:32:00.000-04:00

This is one of the cards that I helped design for my workshop last week at my friend, Lee's house. She is my Stampin' Up demonstrator in Jacksonville and has become a very good friend. I really like the new Watercolor Trio set in the new mini catalog and wanted to use it for one of the cards that everyone would be making. The Old Olive strip was stamped with the branch in Old Olive, and the center piece was stamped in Certainly Celery and the main image was done with markers on the stamp. The ribbons are tied together and the butterfly completes the image, balancing the sentiment. Thanks for looking!

For Matt and Max

2010-06-04T11:21:00.000-04:00

This is the card I made for the husband and almost 2 year old son of our friend who went Home to be with the Lord earlier this week. The sentiment was in the bag of "treasures" that another friend gave me. God is so good as He knew this would be the perfect saying for this card. I mounted it on a piece of DCWV background paper and then mounted that on a piece of blue cardstock. Please keep Matt and Max in your prayers in the coming days. Shannon will be greatly missed.

For Dear Friends

2010-06-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

This is a card that I made for some very dear friends, whose 35 yar old daughter-in-law lost her battle with cancer this week. She was a beautiful wife and mother and fought with grace. She has gone Home to be with our Lord now and we will be celebrating her Homegoing this weekend. Another friend gave me a bag of goodies last weekend and I found this sentiment among the "treasures" so I decided to color the border, put it on a piece of embossed white card stock, and add some beautiful butterflies. To me, they are a sign of Hope and those who believe in our Lord as their personal Savior will always have Hope.

Check this out!

2010-05-31T21:38:00.001-04:00

Some incredible blog candy can be found here!http://truesgiftsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/

A Tribute to our Troops - our Heroes!

2010-05-29T15:17:00.000-04:00

OPERATION WRITE HOME'S BLOGHOP is finally here! What a privilege to be able to participate in this incredible bloghop! There is a lot of talent represented on this tour but even more, there's a lot of love and support for our troops - the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the freedom that too many people take for granted. My own Dad proudly served 2 tours in World War II and I am so thankful for his service.

This card was created on white card stock, using torn strips of red, and a torn block of navy. The images are from Operation Write Home. The lamb got some help with the addition of googly eyes, "wool" from a dryer sheet, and a blue bow. Miss Ewe represents how we all feel about our loved ones who are far away.
The next card has a navy background, with cut out red stars, and a sentiment that I printed out and glued to my stamped "HERO". The digi image is again from Operation Write Home, colored with markers.

This is a weekend to remember not only the heroes of years gone by but also to remember today's heroes as well. They deserve our thoughts, prayers, and respect today and EVERY day! Thank you for your service to this great country of ours! GOD BLESS YOU ALL! Have fun on your tour!

Your next stop will be with Linda at Nana's Notes - http://www.nanaslittlenotes.blogspot.com/
Have fun and happy hopping!

Ready, set, BlogHOP!

2010-05-28T14:44:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for the Operation Write Home Bloghop, which starts this Saturday! Be sure to visit here and you can proceed to the next great stops! All stops go 'round the circuit so you'll have the chance to view the blogs of LOTS of great stampers! It will be so much fun! This is my first bloghop ever as a participant so I'm really excited! Pass the word to all your friends - you'll find lots of great ideas, tips, and blog candy too!

Here's my card for today - a birthday card for a dear friend. I watercolored the All Aflutter butterfly from SU with reinkers after embossing it with black. I used a new Sizzix plate with my CB to emboss the whole card with small flowers. Hope she likes it!

Come back Saturday for some really patriotic cards for our troops - they are true heroes and need to be in our thoughts and prayers every day!

WIth love

2010-05-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

Good morning! Getting ready for my workshop tomorrow as well as the Operation Write Home Bloghop on Friday! So here's another creation from my "archives" - using the Shaving Cream technique for the leaves and Fifth Avenue Floral rose. The sentiment was made using my cuttlebug. Hope you enjoy and be sure to come back for the Bloghop this weekend! What an incredible way to honor America's Heroes - our troops!

Hello again!

2010-05-21T17:22:00.000-04:00

Hello again, Friends,

No, my new screen for my camera isn't here yet but I did find a photo that I'd saved of a card that I made while stamping with my dear friend, Val. Since I hadn't posted this one yet, I thought today might be a great time to do just that! This was for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers that included using chipboard on our card - and it's the "Believe" addition. I used Core-dinations paper for the background, cuttlebugged and sanded it, rounded corners, mounted it on Lavendar Lace c/s. This beautiful butterfly sticker didn't show up well enough on the card so I mounted it on black cs and then cut it out. The matching ribbon was from Val and Bob's wedding so it has extra special meaning! Hope you all enjoy the card!

Be sure to keep checking back as I'm hoping to be a part of a Blog Tour for Operation Write Home next weekend - Memorial Day (already!) This is a really great organization that supports our troops by sending cards for our soldiers to send home and also sends cards of encouragement to our soldiers themselves. Check them out at Operation Write Home.com and let me know if you would like to have a "cardmaking get together". I'll be more than happy to help you!

Have a great weekend and keep checking back for new posts!

Til next time, Amy

Excuses, excuses...

2010-05-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

So sorry for the fact that I haven't been able to update for over a week but my camera screen is broken and I'm not able to take any photos to upload. A new screen has been ordered and should be arriving any day now. Then we'll be back up and running!

Anyway, that's my story (excuse) and I'm stickin' to it! Hope you all are doing well and enjoying some warmer weather! All the more reason to stay inside and stamp your hearts out! LOL

BTW - I don't think I've posted this photo of my newest earrrings - using designer paper layered over about 5 layers of plain white cs. These butterflies were cut on my cb with SU's Beautiful Wings die. I punched a hole for the wires before coating them with Glossy Accents. I "folded" them as they were drying for added interest. Have had lots of great compliments on them. Hope you enjoy the photo - please feel free to contact me for more detailed directions or to order some for yourself or someone special!

Twins are Love Times Two!

2010-05-07T18:44:00.000-04:00

This is the card I made for our wonderful daughter, who gave us such an incredible gift last year - identical twin grandsons! They are now 6 months old (see yesterday's post) so this is her very first Mother's Day! I saw this digi on Tiddly Inks and knew it would make the perfect card for her! I used chalks to color it, then covered it with Versamark and clear embossed the entire image. I mounted it on Chocolate Chip so that the image would stand out against the dp background, which is mounted on Pixie Pink cs. I colored the sentiment stamp with Green Galore and Pink Passion markers, mounted that on Pink Passion, corner punched the corners, added a few decorative
faux brads and the sentiment inside for a completed card that I hope she'll love!

I'll be back next week as I'm spending the weekend with our grandsons, their Mom and Dad, their "Gramp", and their Uncle Bryan and his new girlfriend, whom we're meeting for the very first time! I am a BLESSED lady, that's for sure! Enjoy your Mother's Day! See you next week, after I travel back to Jacksonville!

Sunshine for EVERY day!

2010-05-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

I know I should post a card creation today, but since I'm spending my days and nights with the two guys shown above, I hope you'll forgive me. If not, too bad, so sad because these guys put the sunshine in every one of my days! My identical twin grandsons are now 6 months old and bring more joy into every day than I ever thought possible!
Tomorrow I'll post the card that I made for their mom, our daughter, for her very first official Mother's Day! Check back then! Until tomorrow, you'll find me.......playing with the boys!

Mother's Day

2010-05-05T20:11:00.001-04:00

In addition to all the birthdays that we get to celebrate this month, there are also Mother's Day cards to be made! This one is for my wonderful mother-in-law. She's such a dear, sweet lady and we love her so much! Hope she likes her card this year!

May is Blooming with Birthdays!

2010-05-04T19:38:00.000-04:00

Whenever I turn my birthday reminder book to the month of May, I'm always surprised at how many wonderful people were born in this month! This card went to one of my nieces. It's done on Orchid Opulence, with designer paper punched as a border and cuttlebugged as a scalloped circle for the flowers. The leaves were punched and sprayed with Tattered Angels Glitter Spray, then mounted on the dp circle and another cuttlebugged circle of Orchid Opulence. Little Leaves were added, corners rounded, and another card created! Hope she likes it!

The Buzz About Vacations!

2010-04-25T13:27:00.000-04:00

Thought this was a fun challenge on Friday on SCS (F4A9) so I decided to use a new digi that I had found at Bugaboo Stamps for my card. We used to be campers so we can definitely relate but now we spend lots of time at the Homewood Suites and don't miss the bugs at all!

Hello, again!

2010-04-24T09:32:00.000-04:00

Well, just in case you've been wondering where I've been for the past 6 months, I have 2 of the most excellent reasons in the world for my absence - and their names are Alex and Jason! Yes, our daughter gave birth to our first grandchildren - identical twin boys! They were born prematurely and in the NICU for almost a month but we're so thrilled to say that they are doing wonderfully now! Being a grandparent is the BEST! I was so blessed to be able to spend the first several months of their lives with them -helping our daughter and son-in-law as they adjusted to their new roles of Mommy and Daddy! They are both doing an incredible job and we're so proud of them!

ANYWAY, I've managed to squeak in a few cards during my absence from my normal life (whatever that is - lol!), so I'll be posting those in the coming days. However, I thought it would be much more fun to share the latest photo of the new men in my life to share with those who might not have met them yet!

I'll be back soon with cards and creations! TTFN!

While in San Diego, eat where the locals eat!

2009-10-16T13:11:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Alison's recommendations, we found 2 awesome places to eat while in San Diego. Hodad's had incredible burgers and was a short walk to Ocean Beach and Cafe 222 had the most incredible Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast. Sooooo good! We also visited the Claim Jumper Restaurant where the food was delicious as well. We did NOT eat their famous dessert, the Motherlode - a 6-layer chocolate cake with fudge icing. I think I gained a few pounds just looking at it though!

Fontana Racetrack

2009-10-16T12:51:00.000-04:00

At the end of our trip to San Diego, we had a short time to visit Fontana Racetrack, where the Pepsi 500 was going to be run on the following Sunday. Here are a few shots of the track and our favorite drivers - Jimmie Johnson (48) and Jeff Gordon (24).

New creations - made with Val!

2009-10-16T12:26:00.000-04:00

Had a wonderful day on Tuesday, stamping and creating with my best stamping buddy, Val! She always challenges and inspires me! My mojo was in high gear for these 4 creations:

Happy Birthday, Chris!

2009-10-11T11:43:00.000-04:00

It's Chris' birthday and she's giving away some awesome presents! Check out http://twinklesglow-glowbug.blogspot.com/2009/09/birthday-blog-candy.html

Priscilla's Midness Madness Giveaway Rocks!

2009-09-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

This is my newest creation - Whimsical Wonder. I found the paper, purchased the digi from Bee Crafty, went to create with my wonderful friend, Val, who had the matching flowers and had printed out the Midness Madness Challenge #19. It all came together so well that it was just "meant to be"! BTW - you need to check out Val's creation on her blog - valspaperobsession.blogspot.com/ You'll love hers too! Don't forget to check out Priscilla's Midnight Madness blog - priscillastyles -her latest giveaway is almost too good to be true! And, trust me, I am keeping my fingers crossed that I win it (although there are so many wonderful stampers who have entered as well that I really don't have a chance lol!)!

That's all for now - thanks for stopping by!

Gracie's on my mind - and on my card!

2009-09-13T11:26:00.001-04:00

This was my creation for a challenge that I found last night - Shirleys2Girls , presented by SNR- free digi to use in the challenge. Of course, I had to make a leaf shaped card out of a paper bag, which I wrinkled and then sponged the edges. I then colored Gracie with markers and sponged in the background. I used Stickles on the leaves - wish they showed up better because they really do add sparkle! I popped up the image with dimensionals and used stick on decorations for the corners. I think she's adorable and plan to use her again and again! I'm loving digis as they can be sized according to your card or project - what did I ever do before they came into my life? A really fun challenge - thanks for all the girls who helped me through this one! You all are great!

This card is For The Birds!

2009-09-11T14:51:00.000-04:00

Found this challenge #47 on the Cuttlebug Spot and just couldn't resist using this cute crow from Sweet & Sassy Stamps Digital collection. I love Fall and it's hard to get enough of it in Florida! Mr. Crow will keep me smiling though, and I hope he does the same for all those who receive cards that I've made using him!

Goodbye (for now) to a dear friend

2009-09-11T12:02:00.000-04:00

Our wonderful houseguest, Lindsey, has left to return home to Spokane, Washington. Her mom and sister flew in last weekend, enjoyed their whirlwind tour of town and the beach, and then packed up all Lindsey's stuff for the long trip across the country. They left Tuesday morning. It was one of those happy/sad times for me. Happy, because we were blessed to have Lindsey become a part of our family for several months, and sad because we won't be seeing her for some time. I made her this card to share how we feel about her and how much she impacted our life. Our prayers will be with her as she seeks God's Perfect Plan for her life. Lindsey, you can count on this - YOU WILL BE MISSED!

Memory Books for a Special Cause

2009-09-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

My dear mom-in-law belongs to her local Grange Club. She has asked me to help her with a project that the club is doing - making memory books to give to children who are in Foster Care. These will hopefully help them preserve some special memories and give them a connection to their childhood as they grow up. It was with great pleasure that I covered these books and then decided to have another friend help me do a little something extra - make pages for them to use! They're ready to go in the mail so I thought I'd include a few photos on my blog!

Monday, August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T18:17:00.000-04:00

Here's a photo of Alison and I at her babies' shower, this weekend in Ft. Myers! Isn't she just glowing? She's going to make such a wonderful mom!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

2009-08-29T10:47:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to my baby boy, Bryan! Today we celebrate his 23rd birthday - but EVERY day, we celebrate him! This year will be a little different - he will be celebrating his special day in Jacksonville with his Dad - I'm on my way to Alison's twin babies' shower in Ft. Myers! While I'm sad that I won't be with him, I'm excited that he and his dad will spend some very special time together - just the 2 guys! (And I'm thrilled to be going to see Alison!) ANYWAY, I decided to post a photo of these 2 wonderful guys spending time together on another special day - long, long ago! Have a super day, Bryan and Keith, and know how very much I love you both!

Friday, August 28, 2009

2009-08-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

Hi, Friends, What a terrific day it was today! I left Jax for Orlando and got to spend some very precious time with my awesome friend, Val, creating some cards. Of course, she started our time together with a gift she made for me - check out this amazing bracelet and matching earrings! I'll tell you, this friend is definitely talented! She's also a "keeper" - I'm so thankful that we are friends! She and her husband, Bob, are super great people. After they took me to dinner, we went back to their lovely home and got to stamp some more! I've attached photos of the cards I created - while we were creating together. She'll have hers posted soon, I'm sure!

Friends from Huntsville

2009-08-27T18:14:00.000-04:00

Was looking through some photos I had taken and found this one of good friends of ours, Paul and Vickie Rhodes, who now live in Huntsville, Alabama. We went out to dinner one night last November when we were visiting and this was a beautiful, scenic spot near the restaurant. Thought I'd share it with you all!

Birthday Celebrations!

2009-08-24T16:49:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday night, we had a double Birthday Celebration at our house! Our sweet houseguest, Lindsey, celebrated her 22nd birthday on 8/19 and our son, Bryan, will celebrate his 23rd birthday on 8/29, so they shared a cake and ALL the candles too! Keith made his delicious homemade White Pizzas for dinner and we followed the food with a great game of Ticket to Ride. Lindsey won with a score of 196, Bryan came in 2nd, and Travis and I tied for 3rd with a whopping 104. What a great night!

Incredible Giveaway!

2009-08-24T16:43:00.000-04:00

Here she goes again - another fabulous giveaway! Be sure to visit http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/ to see what I mean!

And more creations

2009-08-21T17:23:00.000-04:00

Mini Pizza Box

2009-08-21T17:13:00.000-04:00

My friend, Lynora, and I made these the other day when we were stamping together in Jax!

It's just hard to make a pizza small enough to fit inside! LOL

Some new card creations

2009-08-21T17:08:00.001-04:00

Hello again!

2009-08-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

I'm not quite sure how it happened but I guess I'll just chalk it up to being busy! I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've last been on here but I'll do my best to make up for lost time! I've been very busy creating - stamping, knitting, scrapbook making, teaching stamping - and, of course, traveling! Anyway, here are a few of my latest cards and projects - will post some more every day and will try to be better about updates to my blog!

This is a photo of my dear friend, Val, and me at CHA! We had to stop at the SCS booth and do their make and take! After all, we met on the SCS website! We have such a great time stamping together and we had so much fun creating all weekend!