Busy, busy, busy

I know I have been a bit MIA lately but I assure you that I have been working on cards when I am not working or running. May is not slowing down either. I leave on Friday to go to Door County, Wisconsin for the weekend. I am running my first HALF marathon bright and early Satruday morning. Wish me luck!

The week after is my first "card party" as a demonstrator and I am finally taking a sewing class. You can always tell when its summer in Chicago, you never have any free time. Seems like all that stored energy during the winter gets put to good use in the summer. No wonder I have been hibernating all winter :)

For now, here's a picture of some wedding thank yous I made for my "little" cousin who is getting married in June.

KWerners Color Challenge #49

KWerner's Color Challenge #49 had quite an interesting mix of colors for this week. You all should go look at her site. There are some amazing cards posted for this weeks challenge. Here's my card however, I just found out that the deadline was last night. Darn! Well atleast the challenge brought out my stamping equipment and now I can add another card to my pile. I hope everyone had a Happy Easter.

I have to show off this card I received from my "cousin" Amy B. Also, of note, she is my lone follower on my blog and I appreciate it so very much. She just got some new loot and and this was one of the sets she purchased. I love it. I don't know if she knows, but it was also the color inspiration of last weeks KWerner Color Challenge. My thoughtsare that she could have easily gained a spot on the list with her "Trendy Trees." Go Amy, WooHoo!!!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Here is a picture in my neighborhood that always puts a smile on my face. This is the picture I was referring to in my "All Things Happy" Post on Sunday. This particular house always has something artistic going on. I took this picture today of the fake rose buds attached to it. This picture makes it look like it could be "spring" here in Chicago. But don't let the blue sky fool you, it was only in the upper 30's this morning. However, the roses really look quite amazing when you walk past it in the dead of winter with a never ending forecast of snow. Hence, the smile on my face when I see it.

My DH needed a sympathy card for a friend who's dad has recently passed away. Sympathy cards are always hard for me to make due to the circumstances. I don't think I should be sending some elaborate card to them but I cannot go out and buy one either. Here's what I happened on this one: I actually made this same card using versamark and gave it to my husband. However, as I was making it, I kept thinking that it was just too plain and I got to thinking....hmm, what do I have?? SU CRAFT WHITE! I think I found what I was looking for. I really like how this card turned out :) Very, very easy to make.

Recipie: All Stampin' Up:

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red

Stamps: Kindred Spirits

Ink: Craft White

Ribbon: Tafeta Chocolate Chip

Cardstock

My First Color Challenge!

Well, I am trying to make use of all of my stamping "equipment" (as my DH calls it) and I've been eyeing KWerner's Color Challenges. To see this week's color challenge, click here. The color combos are Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip. Here' s my first attempt at it. Not too bad for a beginner. You should all go to KWerner's site I plugged. There are so many cards using these colors and so much creativity. Definitely check it out.

All Things Happy

I have been obsessed with the Rasberry Tart DSP but when it finally arrived, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I have been playing around all week with bits and pieces, here and there, and finally, made this little card. I think it turned out OK and it is growing on me a little more by the minute.

Monday morning is around the corner and its another long week at work. In light of my Happy Card, I thought I would share a little list of things that make me Happy going to work on a Monday morning:

1. The tree decorated with fake rose buds that "the artist" in our neighbor decorated. Now I will have to go out and take a picture of this tree for you all to see.

2. The huge American Flag hanging in the window at the Pencil Factory Lofts.

3. The Addison Street Brown line L station attendant who tells everyone "Good Morning" with a smile on her face.

Hope everyone else has their own list of things that make them Happy on Monday mornings :)

The Occasions Mini Catalog is here and let me tell you that there are some very CUTE new products. I am loving the oval scallop punch. I already ordered the matchbox XL BIGZ die cuts. It is so EASY. Where was this two years ago when I got married? My poor MIL spent hours making hundreds of little boxes FROM SCRATCH. The stampin' industry must have been in the dark ages back then!

To view the catalog, click here.

Note: I just spent an hour this morning drinking coffee and trying figure how in the world all these sophisticated bloggers can say "click here" and "click here" will you bring to a link - i.e. like what I just did with the Occasions Mini Catalog. It took me a while but I have finally figured it out and let me tell you, I feel like my day is now complete! No more long links on my blog. WooHoo!