In Memory

**Edited** - I felt the left side of the card needed a little something so I added some bling from ZVA. I think it's just what this card needed.

My dear, sweet, wonderful great-aunt Helen passed away a couple of weeks ago. Aunt Helen lost her husband Al several years ago and her mind was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Because of this, she did not have any real quality of life in her later years and it's a blessing that she is now home with her heavenly father and once again reunited with her wonderful husband.

Aunt Helen and Uncle Al were always so good to me and my family. They were loving and funny and kind. They were incredibly generous with hugs and kisses and laughter. Aunt Helen was also an amazing cook! I remember going to visit at the house and she made these beautiful homemade breadsticks and ginger cookies. Everything looked as good as it tasted.

I made this card for Aunt Helen and Uncle Al's son Keith and his wife Katie and their daughter Natalie. They are such a dear, sweet family and I know that they are happy for Aunt Helen that her suffering on earth has come to an end, but still miss her dearly. Keith was the son that Aunt Helen and Uncle Al always dreamed of and he was the apple of their eyes. The love in that family was evident every moment that you spent with them.

Aunt Helen, I know you weren't really here over the last few years, but still you are missed terribly. I look forward to seeing you again one day in heaven. Until then, you will remain in my thoughts. I love you!

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Webster's Pages

Cardstock - The Paper Company

Ribbon - Unknown

Cricut Cartridge - Heritage

Hardware - Making Memories

Spellbinders Dies

Edge Punch - Stampin' Up!

Corner Punch - We R Memory Keepers

Jen's Sketch Challenge 09-18-10

For Jen's SFYTT this week, I broke out some Halloween patterned paper from Stampin' Up! that I got on clearance a few months ago. I thought this paper was absolutely adorable when it first came out, but I am glad I waited to order it because I got it for a great price, and even though it's not new to the scene, it's new to me! I also got to use a stamp set that my dear friend Leslie gave me about a year and a half ago. It's from a retired stamp set from SU, but again...new to me :).

We don't make a big deal of Halloween around here, but I do like to make cards for the girls and love breaking out supplies that I don't get to use very often.

I hope you enjoy!

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Stampin' Up!

Cardstock - Stampin' Up!, The Paper Company

Stamps - Stampin' Up!, Martha Steward Crafts

Epoxy Sticker (Skull) - Making Memories

Acrylic Tag Sticker - Making Memories

Ink - Stampin' Up!

Ribbon - American Crafts

Gemstones - Little Yellow Bicycle

Edge Punch - Martha Stewart Crafts

Corner Punch - We R Memory Keepers

Tag Punch - EK Success

Fun with the Cricut!

I am having so much fun with my Cricut! I actually made this card for a friend's birthday and showed it to my friend Carrie at work (we share projects with each other all the time) and she loved it so much that she took a picture of it and kept coming back into my office and commenting on it that I had to give it to her instead. I made a different card for her birthday, but decided that since she loved this card so much, she should have it. So, essentially, Carrie picked out her own birthday card ;).

This card was a lot of fun to make. Once again, I used a collection from Basic Grey. I used the Oliver collection on this card, which was designed for little boys, but I have made a couple of feminine cards with it now and I think it's extremely versatile.

I used the Sentimentals cartridge to build the owl using coordinating cardstock and made him the focal point since he is so extraordinary that he demands attention!

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Basic Grey

Cardstock - Bazzil, Stampin' Up!

Uniball Signo White Gel Pen

Spellbinders Die - Scalloped Oval

Sizzix Die - Top Notz Made for Stampin' Up!

Stamps - Stampin' Up - Frame and Sentiment

Flower - Bazzil

Brad - Basic Grey

Ink - Stampin' Up!

Corner Rounder - We R Memory Keepers

Jen's Sketch Challenge 09-11-10

Let me just say this. I am not ready for Christmas. I am not ready for cold and snow. I am still enjoying the warmth of the sunshine and the scents of summer. But, I know that it's coming. It's around the corner and I am going to have to get used to fuzzy socks and thick sweaters and scarfs and having a dirty car.

The only good thing about winter coming is Christmas. I love December. December 17th is our wedding anniversary and Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I love having the house decorated and baking cookies and singing Christmas carols and buying gifts for the people I love and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

I also love making Christmas craft projects. The papers are all so very delightful and sweet. Last year I didn't get around to making indvidual Christmas cards for the family and am determined that this year I am going to make individual, handmade cards for immediate family members. In order to accomplish this goal, I must get started early!!!!

So, I took Jen's sketch this week and used Basic Grey's new Jovial collection to make my first Christmas card for 2010. I think this collection is SO beautiful! I love the blue-greens mixed in with the traditional rich reds and forest greens. There are lots of poinsettas and snowflakes and beautiful plaids. Basic Grey continues collection after collection to push the bar higher and higher. This is one of my favorite Christmas collections to date!

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Basic Grey (Jovial collection)

Cardstock - Stampin' Up!

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug

Stamps - Verve (Snowflake Border), Inkadinkadoo (Sentiment)

Ink - Stampin' Up!, Clearsnap

Hardware - Snowflake Brads (Unknown), Frame, Brads (Unknown)

Dimensional Sticker - Basic Grey

Cricut Cartridge - Christmas Village

Stickles

Spellbinders Dies - Oval, Scalloped Oval

Jen's Sketch Challenge 08-28-10

I love all of Jen's sketches, but this one I really, really like! The layout provides endless possiblities and I just had so much fun creating with this one.

I decided to use my Cricut again, since I just can't get enough of it! I am finding it is pretty easy to use, just as long as I stick with heavyweight cardstock. I am a little intimidated to try thinner patterned paper with it. My mat isn't quite as sticky as it was, but I still have to use my spatula to pry pieces off of it and I'm afraid I'd tear up anything other than CS.

So, for now I am using it to cut cardstock and just love it! I used the Storybook cartridge to cut the flowers and leaves for this piece. After I finished it, I decided the colors are very Christmas-y (it's my blog, I can make up words if I want to) and although that was not my intent, I am now in he mood for making Christmas projects. I just ordered the new Christmas Village Cricut cartridge and am looking forward to playing! It has nativity pieces....delightful~

Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Unknown (got in a huge pack from Costco a couple of years ago and did not save the packaging)

CS - Stampin' Up!

Cricut Cartridge - Storybook

Stamps - Stampin' Up! (sentiment), Hero Arts (Background stamp)

Punch - EK Success Label Punch

Ink - Stampin' Up!

Pearls - K&Co.

Jen's Sketch Challenge 08-21-10

Well, big news....I got a Cricut! It was totally a gift from God, I just know it was. I was looking at the Cricut Expressions and saw the $400 price tag on the machine and then saw the $70 price tag on the cartridges and had decided it wasn't something I would invest in right now. I was considerig putting money aside each month and saving up for one, but it really wasn't a huge priority. I just started investing in Copics and felt like using dies in my Cuttlebug would be just fine for now.

Then my friend Carrie at work comes in one day and tells me I'm getting a Cricut. What???? She was bidding on machines on eBay and accidentally bid on a Cricut personal cutting machine and she wanted the Expression, so she was giving me the personal machine. Of course, I could not accept it for free, so I offered to buy it from her. She got it for $100 and it came with a cartridge that she wanted, so she took the cartridge and I paid her $75 for the machine. So, I got a Cricut for $75!!!! It's brand-new and I think the size will work just fine for my needs, since I am primarily a card-maker.

I also found some cartridges for great deals online. I made this adorable tea set using the Heritage cartidge. I hand-stamped it with a damask stamp from Unity to give it a little added interest. I am still learning to use my machine (and will be learning for years), but thanks to all of the great tutorials on You Tube, I don't feel like I have to start from scratch!

Jen, thank you for yet another great sketch.

Supplies

Patterned Paper - Making Memories
Cardstock - Stampin' Up!
Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. (Damask), Stampin' Up! (Sentiment)
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Cricut Cartridge - Heritage
Die Cutting Machine - Provo Craft
Punches - Marvy Uchida (Large Scallop Circle), Stampin' Up! (Border, Mini Hearts, Word Punch), Corner Punch (We R Memory Keepers)
Flower - Prima Marketing
Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels
Gemstones - Kaiser Crafts

Jen's Sketch Challenge 08-14-10

For this week's sketch for Jen's SFYTT, I used a Sugarplums CC Designs digi stamp. These are a new discovery for me and I absolutely LOVE them! They are the cutest kids and they totally remind me of Precious Moments figurines that I had growing up. I still have a few that my grandmother gave me and they are so sweet. I think that's partly why I am so drawn to these Sugarplums....aside from the fact that they are so stinken cute!

I also got another chance to use my Copics. I have once again fallen in love with coloring. There are some things that never get old, no matter what your age:

• Long talks with mom
• Afternoon naps (in fact, these get better with age)
• Ice cream
• Disney movies
• Sand castles
• Coloring
• Laughter between sisters (if you're lucky enough to have one)
• Dancing
• Staying up way past your bedtime

In our busy lives, it' so important to appreciate the little things that bring us joy. Making this card brought me joy. I hope it does the same for you!

Supplies

Cardstock - The Paper Company, Neenah

Patterned Paper - Basic Grey (Ambrosia Collection)

Digi Stamp - CC Designs

Frame Border, Sentiment Stamps - Stampin' Up!

Ink - Stampin' Up!

Felt Ribbon - Creative Imaginations

Gemstones - Michaels

Copics - YR04, YR24, Y32, RV93, R08, R27, YG95, YG97, E00, E02, E25, E27, E33, C3, C5, B100, Colorless Blender

Punches - Large Oval Punch - Stampin' Up!

HP6500 Printer