color challenge #19

With the entire WEEK off for break there's time for things a working mom can't usually justify.  Like trying a card challenge.  Dawn McVey & Nichole Heady visited Pioneer Woman's book signing (I was also inspired to try a recipe posted on PW's blog - chicken tikka masala... Dee-licious, if somewhat lighter in color than the photo).

The color challenge at Raspberry Suite is a mix of pastels which made me think of a candy shop.  I do need Xmas cards so here's my interpretation: 

I love it ;) although I was lazy reading the Sunday paper and missed the best morning sun for the photo.  And I think with more time I would box in the back panel sewing with some brown thread - I'll have to pick some up at Jo-Anns.

SUPPLIES:
stamps - PTI Holiday Button Bits, Borders & Corners - Square, Background Basics - Retro & Rustic Snowflakes 
paper - PTI chocolate, raspberry, moss & cream 
ink - PTI chocolate, raspberry, moss, lavender, aqua & cream; Tim Holtz linen distress ink 
accents - PTI vintage raspberry, moss & aqua buttons; vintage cream twine 
tools - Marvy giga scalloped square punch; Tombow mono adhesive; foam dimensionals

thankee kindly

Here's a thank you gift for a crafty mom friend who watched Caitlyn when I set up my classroom.  Such a big help because that was a wild time - the desks and chairs for my 45 1st period students didn't arrive until 2pm the Friday before Labor day (and we were kicked off campus by 3).  Total whirlwind test in letting go.  Normally, teachers like to be prepared before the first day in a new school year (sarcasm?) but it was out of my hands.  Anyone but these super sweet kids would have sensed anxiety and gone for the jugular.

This is a cute & super easy download template from PTI - All Boxed Up.  I dig flourishes so I stamped kraft paper with leaf ink and added dots with a white pen to the tip of each swoop.  I stamped the flourish on the small square envelopes so it hangs over the back flap.  The ribbon is a cream satin flipped over to the non-shiny side and stamped with a sentiment.  The glass jar has a monogrammed top, also dotted with white (hard-to-see) on the green dot in the tiny repeating image.

SUPPLIES:
stamps - PTI Fancy Flourishes, Simple Stationary, Fresh Alphabet, Damask Designs
paper - PTI kraft, leaf
ink - PTI leaf
accents - PTI vintage leaf button, bitty dots leaf ribbon

tools - Marvy circle punch; corner rounder punch; Scor-tape; Tombow mono adhesive; Sakura Gelly Roll white pen
other - small glass jar from the Container Store

giving thanks

We're so thankful for the friends and family that helped us this summer and fall on our vacation up the coast to Oregon and while transitioning jobs.  There's still some gifting we have to do, but here's a trio of cards from our first round of thankin'.

I just adore the Basic Grey Lemonade collection.  There was a 'fun & funky card set' layout in the July '09 Papercrafts '225 Cards & Gifts' by Kim Kesti (p.9, my favorite #).  I used a combination of papers & chipboard, as well as rub-ons, stickers, brads, gems & button.  No stamping except for inked edges, which is crazy unusual for me.

There's a great download for every possible size of envelope liners at Nichole Heady's blog (here) - it's so cute and another good way to sneak in another coordinated print.  I tend to put paper on the outside of the flap so this is another unexpected change.

DH a SAHD

Yes, my darling husband's a stay at home dad.  Lucky dog - cashin' in on the deal after Caitlyn's already in school :)  Actually, I couldn't be happier.  Once, when I came home, there was a ROAST in the oven.  Once there were organic reverse chocolate chip cookies - baked from scratch.  Once there was a red velvet star bundt cake - cut into 3 layers and iced with cream cheese frosting.  I haven't done laundry in weeks.  He clips recipes for my recipe binder.  This is a man who spent 13 years as a commercial/industrial electrician.  And I am loving every minute of this.

queen of hearts

Well, we dealt with a Halloween fever for the little one. I finally finished sewing the Queen of Hearts costume that day - Caitlyn wanted it as much for the Mother Goose queen (you know, the knave stole her tarts...) as for the queen in the Alice in Wonderland books. She's growing fast (size 5) and loves dress-up clothes so I made it a little big (5/6). Pinning up the baggy bodice misaligned the checkerboard, but my perfectionism can take a rest for a moment.
Poor kid was draggin' for the first pictures, but she revved right up for trick-or-treating with her buddy, Leela. All were forewarned of her fever, but the girls could not be stopped.
All the parents dressed up and it was soooo much fun. We didn't make it far, but did grab a great shot of these two queens (snicker).

pumpkin carving

Daddy helped Caitlyn scoop out her pumpkin, and carved all the jack-o-lanterns by himself. The newspaper was a good idea - until they got wet and dropped the guts everywhere.

(a very sassy lady)

wedding + gift

Summer slipped by so fast, I didn't snap pictures of some of my favorite crafty creations. Two days before I started teaching my hard drive crashed and I lost all the teaching files and about a year's worth of photos :( That was a BIG bummer. Thanks to the blog I have some pictures intact - and new found motivation to document this & that. Today I have a gift, a card, and a lovely wedding to share.

My dear friend Java got married on 10-10. It was so moving and I teared up during one of the readings (e.e. cummings I think). Here are two shots to share:

I also took a rest from sewing for some beloved paper crafts - it's so fun to make a set of monogrammed cards and a wedding card. I love their color scheme, and there's just something wonderful about October weddings ;)

The card photos are taken at the Compton cabin, Pinecrest, in the high desert North-East of L.A. The sun was a wee bit shiny so it's hard to see the front of the 'Happily Ever After'. I like the white grosgrain ribbon on the front of the notecards - it's simple & elegant.