Happy Easter Card

Isn't it hard to believe that we are just a few weeks from Easter. I remember as a child my mom would tell me that the older you get time will go by faster. I look at this year and think it has flew by. I am beginning to think that it is time to slow down and live each day to its fullest. I made this cute card using Making Memories paper and die cuts. My egg is using a Quickutz die that I borrowed from a friend, I just thought it was so cute and had to share it today. It reminds me that spring is here.... the bluebirds are busy building their nest, the flowers are beginning to bloom, the pear trees and red buds are all in bloom. Everywhere you look you can see the life that God has given us to enjoy and cherish. Here is a little closer look at the chick, he is trying so hard to break through his shell. I placed him on pop dots to give him a little bit of dimension to my card. Enjoy the day that the Lord has given us and be reminded it is spring. Enjoy!!!

Scrapbookaholic by Abby Challenge #3

Challenge #3 with Scrapbookaholic by Abby is to use an animal and the color orange to create your project with. The ASPCA (http://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-april/) has an important annual event in April, it is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Each year, the ASPCA urges supporters across the country to support their efforts and "Go Orange for Animals". If you would would like to participate in the Challenge please go to Scrapbookaholic by Abby to get the details to see how to link your project up. I did a "mini" album using chipboard pieces from GCD Studio Chip Art, they were actually banners that I turned into a book. My project is about a kitten that my husband men watched as it was getting run over by a coal train in the rail yards where he works. All they were able to do was stand and watch as this little kitten got tossed to and fro under the train. When it had passed one of the men ran to see if it was still alive - anticipating his sure death or at least him being maul pretty seriously. When he got to the kitten he was just meowing and because of the heat of the rail and railroad ties his paws were burnt and he wasn't able to stand. His left eye was swollen from being knocked around from being under the train. The guys brought the kitten to my husbands office and tried to take care of his needs, at the end of the day though someone had to take the kitten home and guess where he went... When my husband came in he was carrying a box, of course I asked him what is in, he just looked at me and I knew right then that it was some kind of animal, I looked in the box and here was this littlest kitten that I had ever seen with a Cup Of Chicken Noodle Soup. (he said that is all he had in his office). I laughed so hard, so you guessed it we became the proud caregivers to Gracie

So we named him "Gracie" because we felt like he was saved by God's Grace, a co-worker added on the "Coal Train" when we discovered the girl kitten was a boy kitten. Gracie was so small our remote control was bigger than he was.

I did some journaling in the little pamphlet I made on the left side of the book At the time we also had a 5month old Yorkie "Charlie" that we had just got. For what ever reason Gracie has always thought of Charlie as his mommy. They are so funny to watch togethey have become inseparable friends

They are so funny to watch togethey have become inseparable friends. When Gracie would get tired he wouldther and lay imy wooden bowl to rest and I think at times to hide from Charlie. I never knew how busy a kitten could be, he played and played and then he would just sleep for hours at a time.

SUPPLIES: My Minds Eye Stella Rose Mabel Collection American Crafts Catnip Phrase and Accent Stickers Basic Grey Dog/Cat Clips Deja View Wonderful Words Alphabets Chestnut Roan Ink

Honor of My Dad Blog Hop - April 9 and 10

How exciting it is to have a great dad, have a husband that is a wonderful father and have sons and son in law that are excellent fathers. Honor of My Dad Blog Hop that Jennifer is hosting is to honor our dad, so if you came from Scappin Lil Turtles then you are in the right place but if you popped in to see what I have going on I would encourage you to do the hop, there will be so many wonder designers that are honoring the men in their lives. If you came from Chris Stinky Dog Designs than you are doing the hop in the right order.

I am so fortunate to be amongst those that have all. My father was a great dad most of the time I was growing up but when I was a preteen he returned from Vietnam and had changed so much, I lived in a nightmare most of the time but as he grew older and I became a woman and with help of the Lord we came to understand each other and made peace before he passed away. I do miss him so at times, every girl usually has a special place in their heart for their dad and memories whether good or bad - mine were equal in that respect but I do have them and choose to reflect on the good memories.

My husband is so wonderful he makes up for all the trials of youth that I had to walk through and has shown me so much unconditional lovem he loves me completely and has shown our sons how to do that as their roll model. We have 3 sons (two which are dads, I think pretty good ones so far) and one son in law that is equally as great as my sons are.

Here is my project:

I decided to show a layout with my oldest son with his little girl, she wanted her hair braided, he sat and just braided small braids in her hair until she fell asleep.

The next day I asked her to give me 10 reasons why she loved her daddy and these are her answer. Autumn was 5 at the time.. I took my paper that had the Reasons I Love My Dad and cut the words from the sheet and distressed it along with the list using my Tim Holtz Distrss Tool. I added a metal heart and a "Dream" tag that I had inked with my Peeled Paint and Broken China Distress inks. My mats are green and blue card stock but on my green mat I used my Black Zig Pen and did some ditto lines and circles to make it pop behind my photo. I added some staples from my Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher. I also ran Tim Holtz Mossiac tissue tape down the left side of the reason tag.

I punched my circles from a 2 1/2", 2" and 1 1/2" punch, wrinkled them up and inked them with Peeled Paint and Broken China and added them to the bottom of my list. I also added a button that I had tied with string to the center of the circles.

I hope you enjoy my layout and my reminiscing of the men in my life, you next stop on the hop is at Jessica's The Creative Stamper.

Supplies:

Making Memories: Paper Reverie

Bo Bunny: Clover Dot/ Dark Denim

Tim Holtz: Filligree Stamp

Tim Holtz: Heart

Tim Holtz: Mossiac Tape

Tim Holtz: Tiny Attacher

Tim Holtz: Broken China/ Peeled Paint

Tim Holtz: Dream Tag

Hippity Hop Blog Hop Designers-April 9 and 10

Jess from KinderStampO is hosting the Hippity Hop Blog Hop Designers, so if you are wanting to begin the hop go to her blog to begin if you just popped into see what I am doing today. I am sure you will see some fabulous projects, cards and tutorials on the way. If you came from Jessica's That'zUneek then you are hopping in the right direction. My Hippity Hop A2 Card is made using the My Minds Eye Stella Rose Mabel as the background. I stamped my image on Coconut Swirl Card Stock using Memento Black Ink and colored it my flowers and rabbit with my Copic markers. * Make sure you always color your images before using the Distress Ink because the Copic markers will make the Distress Ink run if you do it the opposite way. I also stamped and colored a second rabbit and fussy cut it. Place it on a pop dot to give your card dimension. I also added gemstones and Glossy Accent to the center of the flowers. Your next stop on the Hippity hop Blog Hop is My Quilling Nest with the very talented Linda. I hope you are enjoying the hop. Supplies: My Minds Eye: Stella Rose October Rubber Stamp Co Rabbit Stamp Copic Markers: Y15, Y19, YR04, YR07, B00, B02,E33, E35 Shabby Shutters Distress Ink Clear Gemstones

Winner, Winner.... Once Upon a Springtime!

I finally selected my winner from the Scrappy Scavengers Shimmering Shamrock Blog Hop, I am so sorry about the delay but I have had so much going on. I played a game where you had to count the gold coins that were in the wreath that I made and email me the answer. I had 87 post but only 36 participates that sent me an email with 24 correct answers. The correct answer was 11 Coins. The winner is Lauren B she said... Beautiful shamrock wreath!! I am a new follower and I sent you an e-mail with my answer. What a fun game to incorporate into the blog hop! This was a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of Spring. To continue in the mood of Spring and the beginning of the Easter season I made this A 7 card from the Graphic 45 Collection - Once Upon a Springtime. I just allowed the paper to do the decorating, it is a very simple layered card but it is equally as beautiful.

I love the fairies that are on the paper. and the sentiment I placed on a piece of green card stock that I had paper pieced. I place my fairy on pop dots. to give my card dimension.

April Showers Blog Hop - April 2 and 3

Kathryn from Creations With Kathryn is having a fabulous April Showers Blog Hop this weekend and I have been asked to participate in it. We will be hopping the whole weekend away in our rain boots and coats, anticipating April Showers and "singing" in the rain. I hope you play along with us. I am sure there is going to be some wonderful inspiration, projects and of course giveaways falling down with the raindrops for you to win.

If you popped into my blog this weekend to see what I was doing I would like to encourage to play along in the April Showers Blog Hop and go to Creations With Kathryn to begin, if you came here from Jennifer's Creative Army Wife then you are doing the hop in the right order.

I used the Rain and Shine stamp from Unity and Kaisercraft LaDiDa paper to create both of my cards.

This first card is a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square card. I did both of the stamped images using my Copic Markers: V15, V17, R27, R29, B95, B97, B00, B02, G12, G14, R83 and R 85. On this card I did my zig zag stitching using my sewing machine and layered my stamped image on red card stock. the circles are just a strip from the Kaisercraft paper. I did place one of the circles on a pop dot to give just a little dimension to the stripe of paper. The sticker sentiment is from Paper Studios.My second card is also from the Kaisercraft LaDiDa paper and the Rain and Shine Unity Stamp. The card is an A2 card that I rounded the right side corners off. I ink the edges of the card pieces with Chestnut Roan ink before I adhered them into place. I also used the Tim Holtz distress tool and roughed up my red card mat that I backed m stamped image on. My sentiments for this card and arrow are both from SRM Stickers Summer collection. My flower is from the Kaisercraft LaDiDa papers and I placed it on a pop dotI hope you enjoy my April Shower cards and I would love to know if you or someone you loved ever played in the rain, I remember as a girl if it was just a soft rain my parents would let us get our swimsuits on and play in it and we would get so muddy and laugh so hard. This is one of my most favorite memories. Your next stop on the hop is with Michelle at Peanut Butter & Jelly Designs.

Moxie Fab World Picking Up the Pieces Challenge

Love paper piecing or picking up the pieces, hee, hee, hee. I did this wall hanging a few weeks ago and while surfing the web I seen Cath at Moxie Fab World had a call for paper piecing and thought I would share my creation.