Nineth Year Celebration

My LSS (local scrapbook store) celebrated it's 9th year in business. Actually the store has been around longer than that but my friend and employer has owned the store that many years. She bought it 9 years ago on her birthday so we celebrate both! Usually we have a crop at the store but we are limited on space so it was a first come first serve basis. This year the owners of the park where we hold retreats offered to let us celebrate there with a one night stay. We had more than doubled the attendees we would have had in the store! Our summer employee, Morgan, helped Ray so that Marilyn and I could both go to the retreat. It started Saturday morning and went through Sunday mid afternoon.

I actually did get a little done although I wasn't too sure I would. I had planned all week to get things together to take but I ended up not getting to do that for various reasons and basically threw some things together Saturday morning

I just love this place. It's quiet, peaceful, beautiful and away from almost anything! I've seen this sign many times but it just struck me as funny.

The cottage I stayed in was Farkleberry. I know it makes you laugh but it is actually the name of a Texas plant.

Here is the first 2 page layout I created using paper given to us for a Make & Take. The colors were a bit pale for my liking so I added a bright red cardstock that brought out the hint of red in the design paper from Authentique's "Be(you)tiful collection. As you can see I still need to journal about this event.

These pictures are from 2 years ago when we went to visit our nieces and nephew in the Houston area on Doyle's side of the family. We had not seen them in several years.

Close up of left side.













Close up of right side.











I had another set of pictures from this same trip so with the papers I had left over and some cardstock I created this 2 page layout.

Close up of the left side.

Close up of right side.

I got more layouts done but they aren't finished. I would like to enter these layouts in WOW Wednesday at Cat's Creations. Leave me a comment for a chance to win some blog candy (prize). Cat's gives GREAT prizes! Also check out the other great talent that have linked their projects. Got a project you would like to share. Link up to Cat's blog so we can be inspired!

Our slogan this year for the festivities was "Nine is Fine as Wine" We had wine tasting. I'm not a big wine connoisseur but I did have a taste.

Every time I go to Mitchell Park I make it my goal to take a walk and look for photo opportunities. It's good to stretch my legs and I always see something cool!  As I walk outside the building the moon has risen to the East.

 I see rabbits as I'm walking. The other one is just out of view.

It is also a tradition for me to watch the sunset. Clear open sky with no obstructions in the way! I don't get that opportunity every day. I was not disappointed.

I kind of liked this one with the cows silhouetted.

 Look what else I found!



And don't you love this photo on the right?! It's the sun behind the spider! Way cool!

I had fun taking these photos!

Here's another one!

 Side view

Back to the setting sun. These pictures really don't do it justice. It was so beautiful in person.

 

One last shot. On that note... have a good one!

Have a Wonderful Day!

I made this card to enter in Doodle Pantry Digital Challegne #30. The theme is to use a Doodle Pantry image. I just love their images and I love the fact that some of their images are already colored such as this one. I can not color this good with my Copic Markers yet. I have a few friends in my life who are bird lovers so I am always looking for pretty bird images for card making. This one really caught my eye. It also came with this sentiment. 

This card is very simple but the image was so stunning I didn't want to do anything else for fear of taking away the focus from the iamge. I cut out the image and used foam tape to give the image some dimension. I did the same on the senitment. The background paper is Authentique's collection "Original". It was leftover from the letters I covered using this same paper line for my grandson's name. 

Vanessa's baby shower was Saturday. It was very nice.

These are the letters I altered for Vanessa. The baby's name will be Kashton.

My SIL wanted to do Kashton's room in a sports theme. It's hard to tell in these pics but the stickers are  dimensional. The only sport I didn't use was soccer mostly because the stickers available would have clashed terribly with this paper.

I was a little worried about whether or not Vanessa would like these as I didn't ask for her input. When this paper came in a few months ago it just seemed like the right paper to get! She seemed pleased at the shower.

This banner was made by her friend. Didn't she do a good job?! It hung over the food table.

The gift table.

The table decorations. The balloons wouldn't cooperate. There are mustache's on them.

Here's a better look.

Inside the "mustache" on the table are diapers.

close up of the cake.

Had to get a pic of these two adorable little dolls! This is Kennedy's buddy Ari. Her mom and Kennedy's Mom have been friends since grade school.

Vanessa also had on "mustache" earrings.

These mustaches on straws were too much fun!

Kennedy helped showing off the wonderful gifts.

Kashton's due date is March 4th. If he's anything like his sister he will be a February baby. Whatever the case it won't be long now! Have a good one!

Sparkles and Bling

I have been trying to find time to make a card for the Grand Re-opening of Digi Haven Challenges. They are offering some great prizes! The theme is "Sparkles and Bling". You have until the 17th to enter.

I'm beginning to wonder about myself here lately. I'm either not remembering things, or forgetting things, or just plain not thinking straight. I began creating a card and was nearly through with it when I realized I couldn't enter it in the challenge because it wasn't a digi image! It's not a lost cause as I can always use a card and I can include it in my Operation Write Home box.

This image and sentiment is a Unity set. I stamped the strawberry with black Memento ink and colored with my copic markers and added red bling for some dimension. The sentiment I stamped with Distressed Ink Barn Door, used a copic marker for the leaves around the "B" and added red bling to the word "adorable". I used foam tape behind both the strawberry and sentiment.

Here is my next attempt at a card to enter into Digi Haven's Sparkles and Bling Card Challenge. The image is from Doodle Pantry. It didn't quite come out like I had envisioned but I was commited. I didn't do a very good job of coloring the background for my night sky. For my "sparkles" I used stickles for the fireworks explosions and red glitter paper behind the image. For my "bling" I used red rhinestones over each letter "i" in the sentiment.

I also made a two page layout using new Easter papers and stickers from Reminisce.  I used pictures of Kennedy's 2nd Easter (which was last April) for this two page layout. Next time you're at the store be sure to look for this layout and for the papers and stickers.

If you've made it this far I want to remind you that it's WOW Wednesday at  Cat's Creations. Cat's is giving away blog candy to a random commenter so be sure to leave me one! For a greater chance to win link up your own project to Cat's Creations Blog. Then visit others who have linked up and leave comments there too! Who knows you might even get inspired in your hop!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a good one!

Simple But Exquisite

I know Christmas is over but it's my most favorite holiday and when you are a crafter you can never start Christmas projects too early! Besides making my own Christmas cards I like to make Christmas cards for Operation Write Home. I learned about a card challenge through my friend (and fellow card maker) Sandy  that is specifically for Christmas cards called Christmas Cards All Year Round. This month's theme is "Anything Goes" as long as it's Christmas.

This is very simple but I absolutely LOVE how this card turned out! The picture isn't bad but the sparkle really shows up when you hold the card in your hand. Unfortunately this card is NOT OWH friendly as the white glitter paper I used for the background does flake and that isn't acceptable for sending to our Heroes.  The blue glitter paper I used does not flake and I really prefer this for my projects I want to sparkle! I used an ornament die from Sizzix. I also diecut chipboard for the ornament to give it dimension. I used a Tim Holtz Alterations die "Noel" for the lettering in the ornament. Used ribbon from my stash to tie a bow and a bling. That's it!

I would also like to enter this card in Sandy's challenge January Anything Goes With A Twist. The only specifics is whatever you make must have the colors blue & white. For more details click on the link.

We got much needed rain. Final count I poured out 3 inches from my rain gauge. It rained a slow soaking rain for two solid days! Very unusual for us! Rain usually comes and goes rather quickly. It definitely helped put a dent in our drought conditions. Just hope it doesn't wait for months to rain again! We will have a really nice day tomorrow. I want to ride. I haven't ridden since before Christmas.

I also need to take advantage of the nice weather and take Christmas lights off the roof. Not much to remove though, squirrels chewed them up! Darnedest thing I've ever seen. I've been putting lights on my house for 7 years. This is the first time squirrels have been a problem. Not sure why the squirrels preferred my lights to 4 pecan trees loaded with nuts!

I first discovered it when I was throwing the frisbee for Kaidence. I saw some clips on the ground and when I went to pick them up I saw the wire.

Out of 5 strands only 2 have seemingly survived. What's even stranger is that the lights have worked all through the holidays and it wasn't until after Christmas I found the damage. Thankfully they waited to destroy my decorations! Guess I will be buying more lights next year.

Have a good one!

Card Box Completed and Afternoon Fall Ride

The card box I am referring to is not the one I did for my mother. It's the one that inspired me to do one for my mother. The one I started as my own card box in a class two months ago!

Still not sure I'm all that happy with it but it's glued down now.

I also made a card for my granddaughter Remi.

This image is from Sliekje Digi Stamps. I just lover her images and they are free! Makes me like them even better! I colored with my Copic Markers then put glossy accents on the butterflies and on the kitty's eye.





I also made a card for my Dad's birthday.

I used a sketch# 122 from Catch The Bug Challenge Blog. If I read the challenge rules correctly I have to use a bugaboo stamp to enter their challenge so I am not entering this card. I liked the sketch though and wanted to give credit where it's do! The papers I used are Authentique and the image is from SU. I heat embossed "happy birthday" and added three gold brads on the other end of the sentiment.

Now on to my adventure! I had gone to ride. I took Kaidence with me. I went to the barn for Clyde's halter. I was leading him to the gate when he began to snort and be antsy. I started looking around as I knew something had alarmed him when I saw Kaidence sniffing at something in the road. Then I saw it....

I yelled at her to get away not realizing the snake was dead. I thought perhaps he was sunning himself on the pavement. I wondered by Kaidence hadn't disturbed him when she went to investigate. I lead Clyde to the trailer. To get there I had to lead Clyde by the snake (a safe distance away) snorting and prancing all the way! I tied him to the trailer and went to get a rake to either kill or move him. It was then I realized he was dead yet I saw no reason for him to be dead.

I picked him up and moved him off the road. When I laid him in a grassy area behind the truck I noticed a bit of blood on the underside of his mouth. The only thing I can figure is I must have run over him when I drove up.

The snake was on the road behind where Kaidence is standing.

Pretty fall day.

Kaidence got a work out but she loves to go with me.

After our ride. Something has his attention. He is still good looking for 22!

Have a good one!