Sunday, July 31, 2011

Shabby Tea Room - week #72

Hi all,

I cannot believe it is Sunday already! Wasn't it just Friday at 5:00 when we left work for the weekend?! How time flies when you're having fun!. Last night my sisters and I all got together and stamped for a few hours...over Mango Marguarita's. Yummy! I also made little mini Taco's, and had chips and salsa to soak up the alcohol! I actually made one whole card! I am going to use it for the challenge over at The Shabby Tea Room. Here is the picture for the inspiration:


We had to use pink, yellow and green for the colors. Here is what my brain came up with after 3 Mango Marguarita's!



I got my new stamp sets from PTI and was anxious to play with them. The pattern paper is October AfternoonThe flowers, mini jar, oval, sentiment and button are from PTI. The lacey scallop punch is Martha Stewart. And the seam binding ribbon is from memriemare etsy shop.

So what are your plans for this last day of our short weekend? I'm either going to my sister's pool or take my daughter shopping....hmmmm....swimming or shopping???

Enjoy your Sunday!
Nancy

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

PTT #25

Hi all,

Aahhh, a relaxing dinner with a good friend, good food and a nice glass of wine. What a way to end my day!
Just popping in tonight to load up this card I made for the Party Time Tuesday challenge. Here is the challenge:


And here is my card:




I apologize for the poor photography! Pattern paper and die cuts are from Melissa Francis and Crafty Secrets. Ribbon is from PTI. Off to post my card. Have a good night -
Nancy

Monday, July 25, 2011

Another baby boy

Hi all,
How was your weekend? Here in the Chicago area we had a couple of nasty storms roll through early Saturday morning and Sunday...the thunder was so loud it woke me out of a deep, sound sleep. The lightening was pretty scary too. Whenever there is an electrical storm, I hold my breath and pray my power doesn't go out. I dread the thought of my partially finished basement flooding. I do have a battery backup sump pump but you just never know!!

Are you all seeing alot of Japanese Beetles on your flowers and trees? I sure am. As soon as I start spraying the liquid Seven, they fly out of the trees in swarms! Next time, I am wearing a ski mask and long sleeves - hehehe!

My friend at work loved the 'congrats on becoming a Grandma' card. So for the baby shower I am going to in August, I followed the same layout, used the same pattern paper but changed up the ribbon and used a different Crafty Secrets cardstock die cut.





I found a couple more challenges to enter. So I think I will sign off and go to work on them! Have a great Monday!
Nancy

Friday, July 22, 2011

Congrats Grandma!

Hi all,
I hope everyone is staying cool during this exceptional hot, hot weather we are having. If you live in the Chicago area, you all know what I mean! Or anywhere in the midwest for that matter. It's kind of funny how I'm trying to conserve on gas so I won't run the air conditioning while driving to work in the morning. I work in an office that is freezing cold so by the time I leave for the day, I don't turn the air conditioning on in the car until I have thawed out! And by that time, I'm almost home!

Speaking of work, one of my coworkers just became a grandma for the first time. It is hard to believe that she could possibly be old enough to be a grandma!   She's a beautiful person inside and out. She was so excited when her grandson was born that she carried her camera around with her all day and kept showing the little guy off to anyone who came around her desk! So I had to make her a Congrats card on her new little grandson.



I just received a package with oodles of Melissa Francis goodies that I ordered last week so I couldn't wait to start playing around! The flowers and rub on are from Melissa Francis The sweet little boy is from craftysecrets Little Blessings. Paper is from MME. The chipboard frame I cut out using my Cricut and painted it white. No glitter on it this time! So unlike me not to shabby and glitter up a chipboard frame! The button, pearls, pom-pom trim and ribbon are from my stash.
I have another baby boy card to make tonight for a baby shower I have coming up. But first, I have to make a birthday card for my late nephew's daughter, Paige who's birthday party is tomorrow. So I better get cuttin here! Have a great Friday and a fun and safe weekend. Stay cool!
Nancy

Monday, July 18, 2011

Heat Wave

Hi all,
I cannot believe a week has gone by since I've posted anything...where does the time go? Right now in the Chicago area, we are all trying to stay cool. We are in the middle of a heat advisory. Meteorologists are saying we could possibly reach a heat index of 116 degrees by Thursday! Now that's a record!
 My lawn looks like straw...and I've been watering when I can. The town I live in has water restrictions. If your address is an even number, then you can only water on even days. And the same for odd - if your address is an odd number, you can water on odd number days.
There are a couple of card challenges that I made a card for. Card Patterns Sketch 124 and CR84FN34.

The colors were not a problem for me -I love shades of pink with a splash of yellow. I was a bit thrown by the shape of the card. I'm use to the standard size card. Well, here is my take -



I think my card is too long. But again, this is why they call them challenges!
Enjoy the rest of the week and stay cool!
Nancy

Monday, July 11, 2011

Ribbon Reel challenge #6

Hi all,

Today was my first day back to work after having 3 weeks off to recover from back surgery. Thank goodness it was not a typical busy Monday! It sure was long though - missed that afternoon nap!

I wanted to pop in quickly to show a card I made for the Ribbon Reel challenge.



Here is my take on it:





Cardstock from Stampin Up, DP from October Afternoon, ribbon and misc buttons from Michael's craft store, doily was made from my Cricut, twine from PTI and the die cut from Crafty Secrets.

That is it for today.
Nite,
Nancy

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Shabby Tea Room - Card #2

Hi all,

I'm hoping to enter another card over at the Shabby Tea Room blog using the below photo for inspiration. For some reason, their link won't let me add more than 1 card.



 Here is my 2nd card:




The papers I used were scraps so I'm not sure who the mfg. is. Once again I made the star die cut and added glitter and bling along with red scrunchy seam binding and a white button and twine.

Another glorious day here in Chicagoland. My little godson and I spent some time in a little 3-ring blowup pool and has finally seen its last days. I've had it here for 3 years and he is going on 6 years old. I'd say it is time for a new one!

That is it for now. Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!
Nancy

Monday, July 4, 2011

Shabby Tea Room Challenge

Hi all,
Another red, white and blue challenge over at the Shabby Tea Room. Thought I would post this card for the challenge:


This same card was entered in the Party Time Tuesday Challenge too. That's all for now. Happy 4th!
Nancy

CR84FN33

Hi all,
Happy Independence Day! We celebrated Saturday at my brother-in-law's (my late sister's hubby). And then again yesterday at my sister Vonnie's house. My little godson, Aiden came home with me to take care of his Aunt Nancy! Love him to pieces. Today - no plans! Yippee!!

Another color challenge at CR84FN - pinks and reds. These colors remind me so much of my late sister, Leslie. She would have loved this challenge!!


I used papers from Stampin Up. Chipboard heart is my own using a Cricut cartridge and colored it with Stampin Up's Real Red ink.. Misc. ribbon, lace, button, twine, posies and pearls.                                                            




Once again, happy 4th. Stay safe,
Nancy

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Card Patterns - Sketch 122

Hi all,

My 2nd blog for today! Just finished another card to enter into a challenge over at Card Patterns weekly sketch blog. Here is this week's sketch:


And here is my card:





All the papers used on this card are from October Afternoon's line - Thrift Shop. Thanks for stopping in and looking. Comments are always welcomed!
I think I will start on the new color combo challenge over at CR84FN - all pink and red - yummy!
Nancy

My Favorite papers & embellishments

Hi all,

Woke up bright and early to a gorgeous Sunday morning. Actually, the birds chirping woke me up! Made a pot of coffee and took a cup outside and sat at the patio table enjoying the quiet!

Today is the last day to enter into the challenge over at the Shabby Tea Room. This one was easy for me - all you had to do was make a card using your favorite papers and embellishments. Naturally I went with the beautiful Melissa Francis 5th Avenue line of papers - they are my favorite. Take a look:




Well, that is it for today. Off to post my card! Enjoy today while the weather is cooperating!
Nancy

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Party Time Tuesday Challenge

Hi All,

Found yet another card challenge for red, white and blue! I came across these die cuts in my stash - I think I  downloaded these from the Crafty Secrets website last year. I put together a few cards to celebrate the 4th of July. Thought these would be perfect for this challenge. Not my usual shabby style and colors though. But then again, it wouldn't be called a 'challenge', now would it? 










All the papers are from Melissa Frances, ribbons from Stampin Up, misc. buttons, gems, twine, doily, etc. Most of the glittery chipboard shapes I made myself. I save cereal boxes, oatmeal boxes, fruit snack boxes, and cut out frames and shapes using my Cricut.

That's all for now. Going over to PTT website to post my card! Have a happy Saturday!]
Nancy

Friday, July 1, 2011

Ribbon Reel challenge

Hi all,

My, my, I am having so much fun discovering new blog sites and links! Just came across another challenge over at the Ribbon Reel. Since I am still learning about blogging, I need to figure out how to add 'links' when writing about any one website or blog site.

After linking myself over to Ribbon Reel, the challenge was to use at least one brad, 2 ribbons/lace or twine and incorporate fruit. Here is what I came up with:



The papers I used were from the Graphic 45 line "Domestic Goddess", I made the doily from my Cricut cartridge "Elegant Edges", twine, tag and sentiment from PTI, ribbon from memriemare. I incorporated the brad by pushing it through the tag and hooked its legs through the cutout of the doily. I also used a piece of crochet lace under the picture of the strawberries...not sure if you can see that. So there you have it - another card for a challenge!

Yesterday was the first day I actually was able to go outdoors to do a bit of gardening. With the back still healing, I made sure not to overdue it. I pulled a few weeds and did just a bit of dead heading and called it quits. But I did take a few pictures of a special garden statue. My late sister Leslie had given this statue to my other sister Lynne as a gift. But since Lynne sold her house and moved into an apartment, Lynne asked me to put it in my flower bed. She is just too beautiful to be put away in storage!


Can you tell I love pink flowers! Yarrow, cone flowers and bee balm are all pink. I have some day lilies that are just starting to open. They are more of a deep coral color:


Here is a pic of one of the many pots I have...thanks to my sister Lynne for doing all the potting!




Well that is it for now. I have to run to the store to pick up the ingrediants to make a pistacchio dessert to bring to a party tomorrow. It is a favorite of my family's and a must at most gatherings. I will share the recipe in a bit.
Have a great Friday!
Nancy