Graduation

Hi all!
How is your Saturday going? Mine has been a bit lazy. With 8 inches of snow outside, I really don't want to venture outdoors! Most of the laundry is finished, my house is clean, so what's left to do but get crafty! Or at least try. After Christmas I just kind of petered out and lost my mojo...

I have been organizing my craft space...very slowly. Sorting through each drawer and cubby hole takes time!
Right now it is a mess - looks like a tornado swept through here. Maybe that's why I can't seem to get creative...you think?

My daughter is graduating from college in February but the school is having its ceremonies on Tuesday. I thought I would surprise her with a hand made card from her mama! Maybe I'll stuff it with something green ($$$)!

The school colors are maroon and gold. I dug out my colored pencils and mixed red and brown together to color in the cap and gown. I have not used a stamp on a card in so long - it felt good. The stamp of the sweet graduate is by Inkadinkado.

The sentament is a stamp by Hero Arts. Ribbon is from Michaels. And that little do-dad on top of the bow is a Webster Sparkler - they are gorgeous in person...my photography is terrible!

Well that's it for now. Back to sorting through and organizing my craft room. Hopefully my mojo comes back soon! I have so many projects I want to start and finish!
Nancy

40th birthday giveaway...

Just poppin in to tell you to wish sweet Melissa Bove a happy 40th birthday. She is having a wonderful giveaway on her blog @ http://www.keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/. Here is a taste of what she is giving away:

Michaels Gift Cards totaling $140.00!

~ 1 Kaiser Crafts 6.5 x 6.5 Vintage Timeless Paper Pad

~ 1 Maya Road Chipboard Love Banner Set

~ 1 May Road Love Banner Stamp Set

~ 1 Fancy Pants 6x6 Love Story Paper Pad

and 1 Inkadinkado Birthday Fun Clear Stamp Set

Now go jump over there and comment on her blog to be entered!
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Nancy

Final scrapbook...

Hi all,
Hope 2012 has started off good for all of you. I spend a quiet evening at home with my nephew Aiden watching the festivities on TV. I did buy a package of horn blowers for us to share at midnight but we never saw midnight! But Aiden still got to blow his horns.
Speaking of Aiden, I finally finished the last of his scrapbooks. Every year since he was born (2005), I have made him a scrapbook covering the last 12 months. When he turned 5 in 2010, that would have been his last book. However, I never finished it in time to give it to him (his mother). I finally finished it this past week. Here are a few pages from it:

Aiden has always been fascinated with fire trucks and the apparel that goes along with it! For his birthday, his dad contacted a friend in the local fire dept. and arranged for this fire engine, with all its flashing lights and sirens on, to pay a visit to the birthday boy!

This picture was taken after a trip to our local Build A Bear store. And of course, Aiden named his furry friend, "Mr.Fire Chief". And Mr. Fire Chief is outfitted in only the best fireman's clothing along with boots, helmet, and suspenders!

This page shows off Aiden's obsession with tools. I took him to the toy store one afternoon and he picks out a tool set that included a belt and safety hat!

Christmas, 2010.

And this was taken on his Golden birthday - August 5, 2010. I'm going to miss making these little 8x8 scrapbooks for my sweet little Godson. But with all the pictures I take of him, I'm sure I'll be altering picture frames and shadow boxes or something with his picture all over it!

Well that's it for me. I'm in the middle of cleaning out my craft room and reorganizing it. What a mess! What a huge chore!! I have way too much stuff and not sure what to do with it all!

Enjoy your sunday -
Nancy

New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve!

I can't believe Christmas is already past! But I am so happy both my kids made it home Christmas Eve night and woke up at home with me Christmas day. The festivities began around 7:00 a.m.with Dana waking me up and then her brother. Then on to my sister Vonnie's house for a great dinner and more holiday festivities.

 It seems one little lady was plum-tuckered out from good food and celebrations!

 Now plans are being made for the new year celebration! Not for me though. I'd rather stay at home - in my jammies - and celebrate with whatever TV station has the best coverage - heehee. Most likely it will be ABC - I love Dick Clark and his Rockin New Year's Eve celebration. Did you ever go to New York for the famous ball dropping? I have not but would love to some day.

I'm still slowly packing away my Christmas decorations - very slowly. I have way too much and don't unpack all of it. This year I'm weeding out stuff and will be donating it to the future 'garage sale' of 2012. More to come on that subject!

I wish you all the best for 2012.
Nancy

Merriest Christmas Eve

Hi all,
Merry Christmas Eve! Are you all ready for the big day? I am! Surprise! All I have to do is make my famous Texas Sheet Cake to bring to my sister's home for our big feast tomorrow. I did buy some last minute gift cards to put in my children's stockings...yep, still filling those stockings hanging on the mantel even though they are 23 and 25 years old! 
Of course those gift cards need a holder so I've been whipping up some gift card holders that I had learned to make a few years ago in a Stampin Up class.

All you do is cut out a 4x5 piece of card stock, adhere a piece of pattern paper on top. Take a smll envelope and fold it in half. Cut the right side of the top of the flap off and glue the left side down. There is your opening to slide in your gift card! Then take another piece of card stock, decorate it with your favorite embellishments, weave a strip of ribbon through the bottom and wrap it around the envelope before adhering the envelope on top of your pattern paper. Easy Peasy! This is a good way to use up those scraps of card stock and pattern papers left over from other projects.
Well, the post man just delivered a package for me from Two Peas in a Bucket!! Yippee - now my October Afternoon "Holiday Style" is complete. I'm off to start a holiday mini scrap album. Or two...
Merry Christmas to all
Nancy

Oh Joy

Hi all,
Just poppin in real quick tonight to share some more christmas cards I've made. Too many bits and bobs for these cards to go through the postal service! I have been hand delivering them!

The ribbon in these pictures looks black but actually it is green! And the trim is a new die I just received from Papertrey Ink along with the sentament stamped onto a tag. That cute little snowman in the corner is an older Hero Arts stamp. The pattern papers are from the St.Nick Vintage Collection but not sure who the manufacturer is!

This card uses white card stock from Michaels (I think), pattern paper from S.E.I., stamped image and sentament from Papertrey Ink, ribbon from MemrieMare Etsy shop and pearl is from my stash.
I have a few more cards to show but I'm super tired and need to go to bed. But I will be back tomorrow to post some more cards for you.
~night~
Nancy

coming up for air...

Hi all
I have finally taken a break and am coming up for air long enough to write this post! I guess when you get your mojo back, it's good to keep going for as long as it lasts - kinda like the engergizer bunny! I have been making nothing but Christmas cards and tags. I have been visiting  lots of blogs, going through magazines and getting tons of ideas. I actually took some to work today for a co-worker who asked me to bring some in. I brought in a whole shoebox full. She ended up purchasing 12.

This card (pic taken from an IPhone) was made using kraft cardstock (Michaels Craft Store), pattern paper is from Graphic 45, holly berries and leaves from Petaloo and ribbon from MemrieMare Etsy shop.

This card uses Melissa Francis pattern papers and die cuts. Ribbon is from Stampin Up and the button and pearl is from my stash.

Now I need to switch gears and start making a couple of birthday cards for the December birthdays in my family and some friends. Then I'm going back to making more Christmas cards, tags, and some mini albums. I have so much paper pads and die cuts that I'm dying to use!

Enjoy your Tuesday!
Nancy