Card for a Challenge!

Here is my card for The Pink Elephant Challenge this week. The challenge was to use this recipe:
Dots, Punch, and Tag.
And a close up...

Supplies: Tree Paper, My Little Shoebox; Brown and Pink Dot Paper, Making Memories; Jewelry Tag, 2 Circle punches, A2 White Card, Felt, Thread, and a Button

Well, tomorrow is the BIG day... Caardvarks announces their new Design Team Member. Pick me! Pick Me! Any prayers would be helpful...

Manic Monday!

Hello! It's Monday, the day that begins the high gear I stay in until Friday afternoon. I feel like I start running at 6:00 a.m. and don't stop until about 8:30 p.m. But you know, it's okay, because it's a gorgeous day, I'm feeling caught up and the kids are happy.

Here is a layout I made before the Caardvarks Sketchfest week (I miss you so...) and haven't had a chance to post until now. It's Stephen on 7-8-09 at 10:11:12 p.m.

All papers are from the Studio Calico August kit. I scrunched the "fab-rip" and used some tickets at the bottom. Letter stickers and foam stamps are Making Memories and bronze brads are random.

If it's as beautiful outside where you are as it is here, get out there and enjoy it! I'll be sewing felties this afternoon while the kids play!

Sketchfest- The Last Day

Today is the final day of Sketchfest over at Caardvarks. I will miss the daily sketch challenge...
It was super fun looking at all the other blogs and their take on the sketches- so many gorgeous creations and inspiring cards!
Here is today's sketch:
When I saw the sketch for today, I immediately knew what I wanted to do. That big circle reminded me of a moon and owls are my new favorite fall item. So, I made a birthday card for
my father-in-law:

Sketchfest, I will miss you. I loved each and every sketch, and admired all the teams take on it daily. I enjoyed a daily challenge and it gave me a crafty goal to achieve for myself every day. So, Caardvarks, thank you. Studio Calico, thank you. And design team, you all rock!

Sketchfest- Day 6!

It's Sketchfest Friday! I really liked this sketch, the only problem I had was deciding what actually to do with those 3 squares... houses? hearts? birthday stuff? flowers? Hmmm... I liked what I ended up with.
Today's sketch: My card:

And a close up...

Tree paper is from My Little Shoebox, polka dots, Making Memories. Butterfly punch, Martha Stewart. Chipboard button, Love, Elsie and the other 3 buttons are random! Chocolate shimmery cardstock is from who knows where... in my scraps!

Tomorrow is the last day of Sketchfest at Caardvarks. BOO!!! I have been having so much fun that this week has practically disappeared! Tun in tomorrow for the last sketch and my take!

Sketchfest- Day 5!!!

They're still sketchin', and I'm still card makin'!

I finally finished up... it's been a busy day! Here's today's sketch from Caardvarks, provided by the super crafty, Heidi Van Laar:

And my take on the sketch:

I'm in love with this cloud paper from My Little Shoebox. So fun and versatile! The stripe is the reverse side. I made the felt cloud and bird myself with some scraps. Love the finished result and gunna send it to a special friend!

It's late... goin' to bed, night!

Sketchfest- Day 4!

I'm feelin' sketchy... he-he! Okay, so this week has been super fun with all the sketches at the Caardvarks blog from the super talented, Heidi Van Laar. This is today's sketch:

I flipped and flopped the sketch, but ended up using it as is, but pushing the design up more towards the top. This is what I created:

I used papers from K & Co. Cut-n-Paste collection and the the border and brad are also from K & Co. Flowers are from MM and stamps are Scenic Route and Impress Rubber Stamps. There is something wrong with my sewing machine, so I faux stitched the border.

A close up:

I achieved the look I was going for: Shabby Chic. This card is for Mamaw, Stephen's grandmother who is turning 85 (I think) on Monday. She loves handmade stuff and saves every card I give to her- which makes me want to make something fabulous for her! The pics didn't turn out very good- it's been really rainy here in Louisville today. Enjoy anyway!

Sketchfest- Day 3!

Sketchfest continues at Caardvarks! Here is today's sketch:

I had a hard time with it... that's what I get for braggin' about how easy yesterday came to me. I pondered over it all afternoon. Finally, this is what I came up with:

This card was done using papers and embellishments from the Studio Calico July kit. The rub-on is from the June kit. I like the end result!

Then, Anna wanted to make her own version. I printed out the sketch and let her go. Look at this... at 4 years old, she is amazingly creative. She was quite proud! (and she should be!)

Strawberry cardstock, white vellum, odds and ends from the scrap box, snowflake punch and a dragonfly stamped in metallic blue ink.

She asked me if I liked the red strip. I said, "Yes, I do, but do you think it's a little LOUD for all the pink you have going on?" She looked at me oddly and said, "LOUD?! Mom! The paper can't even talk! How can it be LOUD?" Good point, Anna.

Woot! I'm a WINNER!

Woo-hoo! I have WON at The Pink Elephant! The challenge was to create something with a "Back to School" theme and this is the layout that won:

Along with my clever, crafty friend, MINDY! Look!!! You won too!

It's so fun to know that people like my work! Thanks, Pink Elephant!

Sketchfest- Day 2!

Day two of Caardvarks "Sketchfest" has begun and I loved todays sketch!


This card came naturally for me... I loved the sketch, and I had just made my mom some personalized stationery with this dress form image as a hostess gift. I also drew outside inspiration from one of my best friends who got married a few years ago. Our bridesmaids dresses looked so similar! So, everything just fell into place. Don't you wish it always happened that way? The card is 5.5" square on chartreuse stock. Then I added a layer of black linen cardstock. The patterned paper is GCD Studio. I added the feminine scalloped border with punched vellum and dressed up the dress with a tiny punched flower and a pearl center to act as a brooch. The corner is the opposite side of the GCD Studio patterned paper. Simple, but stunning.

A Family Affair

Last night, my mom and dad hosted a beautiful and delicious dinner for me, Stephen, my three brothers and their wives. It was so much fun to sit, drink, eat and talk without the interruption of the 10 kids between us all. Mom is a fantastic cook and a wonderful entertainer- it seems to come very natural to her and I'm trying to follow into her footsteps!

I had my camera and tripod, hoping to get a good picture of us all together, and this was the best one. It was starting to get pretty dark by the time I took it, so the lighting isn't great, but we are together and it's a good memory!

My mom and dad... aren't they cute?

The pretty dining room table. Mom made all her arrangements out of flowers from her garden and she cooked all the food. The menu was to die for... tomato basil and pine nut salad, fresh, homemade bread, stuffed pork loin, carrot souffle, fresh vegis, and a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. YUM!
To add to moms talent in the kitchen, garden and sewing room, she can also add oil painter. She surprised all of us with an oil painting that she did herself. They were amazing... I LOVE mine!
My brothers and I with our treasured pieces from mom. The paintings were all scenes with lambs because she is a huge lamb/sheep lover.
It was a wonderful evening. Thank you, mom and dad, for always making everything we do together so special and memorable. We are so lucky...

Caardvarks Challenge!

Woo-hoo! Caardvarks and Studio Calico have come together this week to present 7 days of card sketches- "Sketchfest!" They will draw a random winner daily to win Studio Calico items and the grand prize? A spot on the Caardvarks Design Team! So, being that I LOVE both Studio Calico and Caardvarks, I am going to give it a shot.

This was today's sketch, the first day of Sketchfest:

And this is my card:

I used part of the Studio Calico kit from July and I LOVE the "FabRips". (SC came up with a sticky back fabric that you can rip and stick in any shape or form, I pleated mine). The turtle sticker and buttons are also from the kit. The rest is from my scrap stash.

Tomorrow, a new sketch and a new card! Later tonight, I will be posting about our fabulous "adults only" family night out at my mom and dad's. It was awesome!

Layout for a Challenge!

Here is my entry for The Pink Elephant Challenge. The challenge was to create something with a "Back To School" theme. This is Anna on her first day of Pre-School. I used a collection of different papers, stickers, rub-ons, and etc. The felt apple is my own creation!

I have been working my little fingers to the bone creating these precious felt apples. I love their look- not only for back to school, but also for fall! You can do so much with an apple, and here I was thinking it was just "teacher 'ish," but I'm in love... my scrappin' girls will be getting them soon! ;) (You know who you are-hint: WRCC)

And this cute, smart layout is compliments of the super crafty, Mindy Jett. Mindy is a friend, one of Anna's previous PDO teachers (and her all time favorite), and one of my special monthly scrappin' friends. At our last crop, she made these "Back to School" layouts for a swap and I LOVED them! She made the owl and the apple and they are dimensional. So adorable! Then... she gave me one! I felt so lucky and honored! All I did was add a 5x7 pic of Mac on his first day of school and the black letter stickers for "first grade".
Well, that's all for today! Enjoy all the pretty creations!

Birthday Greetings!

Happy Friday! Today, there are two people I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to! First, my Aunt Sissy turns 72 today. We are very close and she is definitely the favorite- and trust me, I have loads of aunts, uncles and cousins. She is so pretty and fun, and I love being with her. I will be celebrating her birthday today with my mom and two cousins (Sissy's 2 daughters) over lunch. The five of us do lunch together a lot!


The second birthday up is the creative and sweet, Sammye Jo! Sammye Jo is super talented and we became friends through our blogs. It just so happens that she lives very close to me! In honor of her 28th birthday (yes, I said 28...) she is doing a surprise giveaway. Go check out her blog to be entered for a chance to win! She never disappoints!


So, for these two special gals, I made a special card. I loved creating this and it was inspired by the wonderfully talented Heidi VanLaar. Heidi is super creative!

The patterned paper is from the June Bug line from Basic Grey. The scalloped lace is Making Memories. The calender stamp is Scenic Route and the other stuff is odds and ends from my stash.

Happy Birthday, girls! Have a great day and a fun Friday!

It's Owl Right...

Well, it's 10:00 p.m. and I'm just now sitting down. Whew- another busy day. Good busy, though. So, I have lots to share, pics are uploaded, and I'm going to do it in installments... ;)

First, I'd like to share the card I made for the card swap that Sammye Jo is hosting. You make 10 cards and get back 10 different ones. I had fun making this:

I just love all my little owls, and since fall is on the horizon, It just seems to be "owl" weather. So, I created another card that I packaged in a set of 8 for the Temptations Holiday Boutique show coming up in November:

You can't tell in the picture, but the owl has black beaded eyes. Super cute... just might have to save a set for myself.

And lastly, my beloved gardenia finally bloomed. My mom rooted a little leaf years ago and gave it to me. Now, this plant is quite large, being about 10 years old. The last couple of years, it hasn't bloomed. The leaves are pretty, green and glossy, but no fragrant flowers... until TODAY! I was so excited. I love this picture, so clear and real that I can actually smell the flower...

Good night... more tomorrow, so check back!

Time is flying...

My, oh my, how time does fly. It's Wednesday night and my "to do" list just keeps getting longer. I have lots of new stuff to share, but the pics are still on my camera and I just haven't had a moment to upload. So... I will share an old layout that I haven't posted before. This is my baby at 9 months. He is now 2 1/2 and seems to be growing too fast for my liking. He just recently started climbing out of his crib after naps. Another milestone coming up: the BIG BOY BED. I hate that I feel like I missed his infancy. We had a very rough first year and back then, I couldn't wait for time to pass and wished his "sweet baby" days away. Oh... how I terribly regret doing that. I tried to make up for it in his second year, and I believe I succeeded, but he isn't a baby anymore. I am blessed... he is here, he is healthy, he is happy. LOVE.

Check it out!

You can win this awesome Halloween themed blog candy!

Click here for a chance to win!

Sorry about being MIA lately, but my little guy has been super sick. He has hand, foot and mouth disease (or 5th's Disease). For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a virus that last 3-7 days and you get awful blisters in you mouth, palms and bottoms of your feet. Elan has them horrendously in his mouth and on his bottom. :( He's having a hard time eating and drinking anything, sleeping is sporadic, and lots of screaming is going on. Hopefully, he will be better tomorrow. I am praying for a good nights sleep for both of us.

I have so much to share!!! Cropping was GREAT on Friday. Nothing beats an awesome group of girls creating and sharing together. I have layouts and stationery to show you and I'm hoping to get pics this afternoon. Until then, may your household be free of 5th's Disease...

Fun Friday + Winner!

Indiana Jones stopped by this morning to choose one of Crafty Paper Girls followers to win that super cute owl stamp and coordinating goodies! The winner is... 1 Card Creator! Woo-hoo! Please email me your address so I can get your goodies in the mail to you today! Profumo@Bellsouth.net I get to go scrappin' tonight with all my crafty friends! Super excited because I haven't done much scrappin' lately... I'm in stationery mode! This is one of my favorite LO's in Anna's book. The sweater and hat were made by Stephen's grandmother. She is an amazing needle crafter! She has made my children quilts and sweater sets that are too die for- heirloom quality. I loved this set on Anna- the color and style really matched her personality!

Tis the season to craft and create until the wee hours of the morning! I have been busy making stuff for the holiday season! I have a BIG show coming up in November and I can't make too much...

Those were pictures from last years show, which was a huge success! I am making lots of new items: stationery, gift sets, Christmas decor, and more! I'm really excited... I can't work fast enough, so I wrote all my ideas down! I'll share soon!

Have a great weekend!

Giveaway! + Lots of Pics!

It's September, and I want to give away this cute stamp with coordinating paper, ribbon and buttons! This little combo just screams "fall!" and fall is my favorite time of the year.
How do you win? You follow the blogaroo, but only if you think it's totally rad and inspiring! If you are already a follower, you have already been entered. To "follow" click the "follow this blog" button to the right. I will draw out a random winner on Friday. Good luck!

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It was a super busy weekend... I am just now recovering. Two of my brothers were in a triathlon and it was my younger brother, Adam's first one. I became nervous and exhausted just watching, but loved every moment of cheering on "Team Norrenbrock."

Love this pic of Adam coming out of the pool- yes, he is one handsome dude. He was worried about the swimming part, considering his "swimmer wife" just taught him to swim correctly only weeks before the event.

Off to bike 19 miles...

He did awesome! Afterward, he looked and felt great! Great job, Adam! You and Nate are real CHAMPIONS!!!

So then, on the way back home from the triathlon, Stephen suggested we stop at Dinosaur World. Seriously, in my mind, I was thinking, "You have got to be kidding me. That place is probably the cheesiest place on Earth. I mean, who puts this gigantic dino on the side of the highway?" We got there and loved it. We even hiked up to the side of the highway to get some really funny pics...

So, if you are ever in the Cave City, KY area, check it out! It was fun, funny and even a little bit cheesy. But the kids had a ball, and seriously, that's all that matters!

Anna's First Swap

If you remember, Anna created her very own embellishment while I was creating mine for a swap in Australia. Here is hers:

She had a super crafty lady named Lauren compliment it when I posted it the first time here, on the blog. I read her comment to Anna and she beamed... she wanted me to ask Lauren if she wanted it- Anna loves to send mail! So, Lauren graciously agreed to accept the embellishment on the condition that she could send one back. Anna's reply was, "Huh? She wants to send ME mail?!!!" Yep, sweetie, that's what a swap is all about!

We got Lauren's beautiful envelope in the mail. It was pink with butterflies on it and decorated beautifully. Anna hugged the envelope and said, "Oh Mommy, I love it!" Not realizing there was more inside! This is what Anna found from the wonderfully talented Lauren:

*photo courtesy of Lauren Bergold

You can read Lauren's post about the swap here. Her post is really cute and worth reading... I printed it to save in Anna's scrapbook to mark as her first ever swap.

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We had a super busy day today... we were in Bowling Green, KY to watch my two brothers compete in a triathlon. On the way back home, we stopped at Dinosaur World. Yes, you read correctly, and it wasn't near as cheesy as I was expecting it to be and the kids loved it! I will have pics uploaded by tomorrow. Have a great night, I've been creating for Christmas!

Sharing... feelings and a layout + Giveaway news

Good morning... I have to get something off my chest.
Yesterday, I got my CK magazine in the mail. I had submitted several pages for their "Amazing Pages" call and knew one of my pages had not been chosen because I didn't get notified. That's okay. I will continue to try to get published. I eagerly opened my magazine so I could see all the "Amazing Pages" that actually were chosen. I was so disappointed. First, there were 10 published and some of those 10 have been published several times before. Second, there were a few that I personally did not see amazing qualities in. There were a couple that did deserve the recognition, because they were amazing, but geez... CK, do you think you can come outside of your box? I have noticed that the same people get published, the same type of layouts get printed, and so on. I have preferred Scrapbooks, Etc magazine for a long time now, so when my subscription is up at CK, I will be subscribing to Scrapbooks, Etc.
Okay, I feel better now. Thanks for listening. ;)

Here is a layout to share... it actually was a submitted page that didn't get chosen. Mostly, I love the photos. Elan was only a week or so old and Mac adored him. Mac would refer to him as "My Baby." I am so hoping to craft today. Lots of card and layout challenges are out there and I want to play! I got my Studio Calico September kit Thursday and I want to so bust it out and make something great!

*And, it's the beginning of a new month which means Giveaway time! Monday you will get to view the goody giveaway and have a chance to win. How do you win? Follow my blog, but only if you think it's awesome. A random winner will be drawn.