No tricks... just treats!

Happy Halloween! Today, I wanted to share the last of my Halloween cards that I made...

This one is for my crafty niece, Kendall that loves *glitter*! The witch is covered in crystal glitter and her shoes are red. Kendall is also going to be a candy corn witch for Halloween, so "good little witch" was perfect!

These last two are just random... no one in mind and they didn't even get sent! Sheesh... I am bad at actually getting a card in the mail.

Hope you and all the little goblins out there have a happy, safe Halloween! I'll post a picture of my little creeps dressed up tomorrow! Anna's costume is a hoot! ;)

And the winner is...

Ruth Little!

You are now the proud ower of two Washi Tape rolls from Washi Wishes!

Enjoy your treat! :) I emailed you!

'Tis near Halloween...

I have made several Halloween cards this week! Here is another using the papers from Fancy Pants "Oct. 31st" collection. The vintage image is from an Etsy shop... forgot the name.

Tonight, I have declared it "Family Movie Night." I feel like we have all been going is several different directions pretty much since school started. So, a pot roast for dinner and snuggling in PJ's tonight in front of the TV. Sounds good, huh?! Now, if we can all agree on a family movie...

GIVEAWAY time!

Hi crafty peeps! I had a super nice gal ask if she could send me some of her Washi Tape to work with to help get her business name, Washi Wishes out there. Well... uh, YES! Please do send it! I *LOVE* working with Washi tapes- they are easy, removable, versatile, and add so much to any project. They are a definite must have for any crafter!

So, this is what I made with the generous package of samples that came my way!

This Thank You card was a snap to make and really packs a punch. The flower was easily made by pleating the tape in a circle making a flower. I added a brad and the sentiment is an SRM sticker.

Sometimes, birthday cards for boys are hard for me to create. Well, using some cute boy paper a stamped sentiment and a little Washi Tape at the top- BAM! Done!

My last project is this Christmas tree card. I used the green and yellow and red and yellow striped tape only on this card. However, I got out my Copic markers and colored the yellow stripe. In the tree, I colored it grass green, and in the gifts, chartreuse and prawn. I finished it of with a glittered button at the top of the tree and some sequins and rhinestones at the top of the gifts. Fun and bright!

And for you? Washi Wishes sent me *two* full rolls of tape to giveaway! Yippee!

 Argyle Print

Bright Stripe

Leave a comment below by Saturday and I will randomly choose two people to get a fun roll of Washi Tape in the mail! In the meantime, visit Washi Wishes site and browse through their selection of tapes.

Use the code: Fall Tape Fun to save 10% on your entire order too!
*If you can only choose one roll to purchase... get the green stripe. My fave!

PTI October Blog Hop

*If you are here for the Jingle Belles card, scroll down to the post below. I am such a dork... I thought today was Wednesday!
OK... on with the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop for the month! I got this stunning picture via email for the inspiration and I had to participate!

Holy gorgeous! The colors, patterns, stacked fabric, and darling decor just screams "FALL!" I love it. With the inspiration of the photo pumping through my veins, I came up with this card:

I used all scraps on this card! The paper, the fabric strip and the orange twine were all scraps from another project! I hand cut some leave from the PTI chartreuse felt, added a button, the twine and a rhinestone. Then, I repeatedly stamped the PTI sentiment "birthday wishes." An instant fall birthday card. Enjoy!

A "soft" card...

Jingle Belles prompt this week is by a *lovely* guest star... she suggested that we use the term "snow is softly falling" and interpret it any way we like, making *soft* the focus. So, I used some soft felt and die cut my Christmas tree. I decorated with blue rhinestones and used a SRM sticker on the banner for my sentiment. The paper is a new fave... full of glitter! It's from My Minds Eye, lost and found collection.
Ok, off I go in a rush to link up before the deadline! I'll be back with my PTI blog hop entry! ;)

Hello, My Pretty!

It's almost Halloween! I have my house decorated with pumpkins, witches and gourds and the kids are always jacked up on the bowls of candy corn I have in the house! It smells good with the candles lit and soup is on the stove. Ahhh... the autumn season is here!

Lovin' this card mostly because of that homemade broom I made with a scrap of kraft paper and my handy dandy Martha Stewart fringe scissors! I tied it together with a bit of twine and inked the edges of the paper. I also glittered the witches shoes in red.

Inspiration for this little gem was brought to you by:

This weeks sketch from Card Patterns:

And, Paper Craft Star's 67th challenge: Trick or Treat!
Enjoy, my pretties!

Happy 7th Birthday, Anna!

My oh my, how fast seven years has passed. Anna, sweet girl, you have grown up so much in just the past year that it is frightening. You are too old for bows and precious cotton dresses, you want to dress like me and have sparkles in your ears. You still have a taste for adventure and excitement and seem to fear so little.

Holiday World, August, 2011

You continue to excel in sports, soccer being one of your favorites. Maybe it's because daddy coaches and your bestie, Molly, plays too:

Fall Soccer, 2010

You are still a great runner and you sometimes ask to go with me on my runs. I hope you still like running in a few years so we can do a quick few together. You'd be great company!

Rodes City Run, March, 2011

All I ask of you is to be the best you can be, by your own standards. Be yourself, be unique. Never be ashamed of who you are and always stand up for what you believe in. Do what's right. Be smart. You are such a blessing, and every time I think of you, I smile.

Layout: November 2010

Happy Birthday, darling daughter. I love you.

26.2 Layout

I feel like I haven't done a layout in so long, but looking over all my race day photos that Stephen took, I felt inspired to create. I used this weeks Sketchy Thursdays sketch and really liked the design. So, here was the starting point:

And this is the layout that came to be:

Sorry about the crappy photo- it has been raining all day and I couldn't get outside. Had to use my flash. OK- there are a lot of happy goodies on here: Smash tape, Glimmer Mist paint, rhinestones, a faux Polaroid stamp from Lawn Fawn, felt, a fussy cut camera from some wrapping paper I got at Paper-Source, number stickers (26.2), and star embellies. Whew!

The journaling reads: He said I couldn't do it. I was determined to prove him wrong. It took courage, commitment and determination. I was scared and nervous, but also excited and anxious. I trained, and I trained hard. It all paid off because now I can say, "I did it." He was so proud... "

Thoughts from my first marathon- 26.2 miles of trying to beat myself. I won.

Everything but the kitchen sink...

Hello friends, I have a doozie of a Christmas card for your viewing pleasure today. First, I got started with the Jingle Belles prompt "A caroling we will go." Meaning: use music or a song somehow in your card. So, I came up with this little gem:

There is actually a method to this madness of a card. This is my *special* card for my uncle Gene. Uncle Gene is one of six children, my mom's older brother. He is sensitive, sentimental, and truly cherishes everything that has any kind of meaning. A couple of years ago, I made him a card and it was a big hit. Last year, it didn't get done in time, so this year, he's getting a good one!

This card has a ton of meaning. Each little piece of it has significance. My grandmother, my mom's mother, passed away several years ago, but because of her, it's why we have all the wonderful traditions we still carry on today during Christmastime.

The base of the card is red cardstock layered with Silent Night sheet music. On Christmas Eve every year, we would gather together, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters, and sing Silent Night together before opening any gifts. It was usually off key and wonderful, which always sent my Grandmother into a pool of tears. Thankfully, she kept Kleenex tissues strategically stuffed under her sleeve. So, I added crumpled Kleenex to the bottom of the tree. Once the crying was over and laughing began, it was time for the presents! Grandmommy always wrapped her gifts in tissue paper or newsprint and tied them up with yarn. To remember that, this tree is made of all the things she used to wrap our gifts with. Sometimes, Grandmommy even made all of our gifts- and they were always crochet. Crochet stuffed animals, toboggans, scarfs, and one year... slippers. Have you ever tried on crochet slippers and walked on hardwood or linoleum? It's not pretty and a few of us almost broke our necks. So, the bottom of the tree is adorned with some beloved crochet. Finally, we come to the tinsel. The tacky, messy silver stuff that clogs vacuums and immediately makes any room "vintage." I had to add this because Grandmommy's tree- no matter how big or small it was, it always had a load of tinsel on it. Uncle Gene always came over and helped her decorate the tree when she got older, and he never left off the tinsel. In fact, he probably saved the darn stuff from years past and just re-used it.

So, you see, this tree made with everything but the kitchen sink actually has meaning and symbolism. I know my uncle Gene will love it... especially since it's "Grandmommy's Christmas Tree."

My First Marathon...

My first marathon was this past Sunday in Chicago. I am still in awe that I actually did it. I set a goal and accomplished it. This race was an unbelievable experience- the city, the crowd, the 20 minute crawl to the start line, the miles and miles of hilarious posters made by the spectators. It was a new found energy at this race. I enjoyed (almost) every step. To share with you, here's the day in photos...

Wake up call at 5 am. I head down to the hotel lobby after getting dressed and have 2 cups of coffee and some oatmeal. I go back up and do my Trigger Point stretching/massaging. It's 6:15 and time to meet everyone else in the lobby to start walking to the start.

This is where Stephen leaves me. He can't get into the area that is just for runners, so he snaps a picture of us and gives me a kiss before departing.

 My brother, Ironman Nate, sister-in-law, Lara and me.

Stephen had his day mapped out and planned to see me at several mile markers. He had a backpack full of my nutrition, just in case I got hungry, weak, dehydrated, etc. He was at every spot he said he would be at plus a few and navigated the city by train by himself! This is where we see him at the first spot... mile 4.

Nate took his camera and took so many pictures along the way- it was cracking us up- we really had a lot of fun!

This race was packed with runners... about 45,000 to be exact. It was crowded and the weather was hot- a sunny, almost 80 degree day. The heat didn't bother me much since I trained all summer long and lots of days the heat index was well over 100 degrees. Stephen got a picture of this guys running outfit...

Someone must have paid this guy $2K to run in that awful outfit.

Hi guys! I run into my brother, Adam, sis-in-law, Erin and Stephen again at mile 21. Adam is hootin' and hollerin' cheering me on! I stop for a minute to say hi, laugh and ask if they think I can finish in 27 minutes. Um... I don't think so...

Adam says, "LULU, You can do it! You look great! Keep going! Woo-hoo!"

Later, guys! I have about 5 more miles to go. See you at the finish line... 

By the time I reached the 24th mile, I really felt like stealing this guys shirt:

I did have a goal to finish in 4:45 or at least under 5 hours. Already, I had been running for about 4 hours and 50 minutes. I knew I was getting closer to the finish, and I also knew I wasn't going to make my finish time, but never during the entire race did I say, "I don't think I can do this" or, "I need to stop" or "I just can't go any farther." I never hit a wall or ran out of steam. The only thing going through my head was, "I trained so hard for this, I can do it and I am not going to give up." And by God, I didn't. I came across that finish line with a smile, saying to myself (or I may have said it out loud) "I knew I could do it!"

showing off my bling

My reward, immediately after the race... 

replacing lost carbs

I reunite with Nate and Lara, they were about 20 minutes behind me. I was so proud of Lara for pushing through. Not only was she running a marathon with an injury (shin splints), but she also has colitis. She did awesome! 

The sweat, the tears, all the self doubt, 16 weeks of training, over 300 miles of running, sore legs, blisters, narly toenails, 4 am wake up calls on Saturday mornings, running through 2 states in one day before 7:30 am, music malfunctions, carb loading and obscene potty breaks... it all paid off.

 The best running buddy and friend anyone could ask for, and I get a bonus because she's family!

Will I do it again? Absolutely. 

I'm Leaving...

I am bustin' out early in the morning to go to Chicago. My first marathon is Sunday. I am excited. I am nervous. I have worked and trained so hard for the past 3 months, I am ready.
When I started running, just this past January, I was elated that I could run 1 mile without stopping after "training" by running around my measly little court a few times. I set some goals, stuck with my training and here I am... headed off to conquer one of my biggest accomplishments. A 26.2 mile race. I can do this.

I hope to give you all a play by play when I return Monday night and share some pictures of the experience.
Wish me luck! ;)

Hang In There!

Good morning! Wanted to share this little card and goody bag I made for a friend of mine going through a rough patch. 

I used the Paper Smooches set "Falling for You." This was the first set I purchased and it's still my favorite. Lots of cute images that can be used all year round! I stamped the bat and colored him with Copics and added black rhinestones for his eyes(which you can't see from this picture). I added some decorative tape, twine and chipboard buttons. I used stickers to spell out my sentiment.  I folded the card over and attached to a polka dot bag filled with Dove chocolates.

My friend loved it and I think it cheered her up. Mission accomplished! :)

Peace

This weeks Jingle Belles prompt is "Peace." You can use the word peace or a peace symbol. I love the Paper Smooches stamp set, "Pretty Phrases" and that's where I started.

I embossed the sentiment in white on kraft and then added my patterned paper, felt border and small stitched felt heart. I used the new Claudine Hellmuth Studio stamps for my bird. First, I stamped him with white paint, then ink chocolate ink for the outline. I added a small silver rhinestone for an eye. This card was pretty easy and could easily be mass produced.

Enjoy!

More Recycled Cards

A few posts ago, I wrote about the flyer I got in the mail with a circus theme. I loved the images so much that I cut them out and saved them. So glad I did too... I made 4 birthday cards from something I would normally pitch!
The fire eater...

The muscle man- this one went to my Ironman brother, Nate yesterday for his birthday...

The trapeze artist- this card went to Stephen's grandmother this weekend for her 89th birthday. She's still always up for a thrill of any kind!

So, together with a few odds and ends, this trash certainly turned into some treasure!
Enjoy, and I hope you find a treasure in your sea of junk mail soon! ;)