Olivia Accordian Book

 Where does the time go? The kids are back to school and I feel like I barely have time to breath anymore!! I'm so glad I take the time on Friday evenings to unwind with the girls at Priceless for a little creative release!! I made a couple of cards while I was there but this little book is from a few weeks ago. So much to do.....
I love these little books from Close To My Heart. They are six by six and have several panels that unfold. The books come in a clean white finish that is so quick and easy to decorate up. I used Basic Gray Olivia papers to make mine.

I used an assortment of ribbons, rub-ons, and other little embellishments to decorate the pages. Not sure where this little book will eventually end up....
Now I'm off to work on something for tomorrow's challenge at Totally Stampalicious. Still have swap cards to make, classes to prep for, and three baby flip books to make!!! Oh yeah, and lesson plans for at least the coming week at work!!! Off to start on my list!!!

Bring on the texture!!!

I just love all the wonderful embossing folders that are available to add texture to your creations and the challenge this week at Totally Stampalicious was a great excuse to use some of them!!! The challenge is to use at least two textures on a card. I used TS's Witch Brawd to make my card. I added texture to several of the layers using embossing folders. The designer papers from Graphic 45 were dry embossed and then sponged with Creamy Caramel ink. I then ran a scrap of the purple card stock through a Halloween themed embossing folder and cut pieces of it into triangles to embellish the corners. I added Star Dust Stickles to the spider webs to add a little more texture. The sentiment layer is popped up for dimension and I addded Graphite Stickles to the edges for texture and sparkle. When I was done, I misted the whole thing with Caramel Apple Glimmer Mist. The image was colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.

Cook Book

This is a little cook book I made a few weeks ago and never got posted. It's been a little crazy with all the my meetings and activities getting ready for the new school year! I used cooking themed stamps from three different companies to make this. The cook is from the Voila set by Stampin' Up! I used a mask to place him in the center of the the text circle which is by Bo Bunny. The image was colored with Copic markers.
I love these little flip albums from Close To My Heart!!!

The cover with the chef flips up to reveal 12 pages of inserts ready to be filled with whatever you want....recipes, photos, etc. My friend and fellow teacher were talking about this yesterday. We could use them in our classroom to use as a reference tool for the students. It could contain information, charts, steps to work a problem, and so on. The possibilities are endless!!

I used a set from CTMH to make my pages. Each page is a 6x6 piece of card stock stamped with the lines for recipes and a place to put the number of servings at the bottom. Other images to decorate the pages will be added as I decide which recipes I will include in the book. Watch for future posts with these in them. I think the first recipe I will include in this book will be the one for guacamole I found a couple of weeks ago....YUMMY!!!
Thanks for stopping in!!

Pink Black and White

 The challenge this week at Totally Stampalicious is to make a card using the colors pink, black, and white!! One of my fave combos!!!! One of the other girls on the DT used this cute image from the Bugaboo line from TS to make a baby girl by adding a bow and I really wanted to try it having a granddaughter who loves to spend lots of time at Grandma's house.
Stamps: Bently from Totally Stampalicious
Paper: GP white, basic black, melon mambo card stock and dsp
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Nestabilities scallop circle dies, Colluzzle, Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, ribbon

Board book scrapbook

It took two weeks of Friday night crops to get it done, but here is a scrapbook I made about my recent trip to Ohio with my daughter in law and grand daughter. I still have to add some journaling, but the book itself is done. I used two $1 board books and cut them apart to make my pages. I added Bo Bunny papers and accessories to the pages. The book is held together with 2" rings with some ribbons added to dress them up.

Finally doing Christmas cards!

 I usually make most of my Christmas cards over the summer, but summer has been so crazy this year, I never even got started!! I finally made one last night at the Friday night crop down at Priceless. Actually got a lot done the past two weeks at the crops, but the rest of my time has been so jam-packed, I haven't stamped a thing other than at the crops!! Where did my summer go????? I go back to work on Tuesday and it feels like I've been working all summer! I do feel like I had a break from the kids, but sure never took off that teacher hat!
Anyway, I broke out some new goodies and dug in the scrap bin, too to make this one. I used a new set of Just Rite stamps for my main image and border. Begged a piece of the new papers coming out from SU! for the background...isn't that yummy????? The corners were done with a MS corner punch and some scraps of brushed gold card stock....so glad a keep a stash of scraps at Priceless!
Thanks for stopping in today!!! Hope it's a great one for you!

Only one layer??? Are you serious???

 Well, it wasn't easy, but I managed to make a card that only has one layer!! I used JJ Pregnant from the Totally Stampalicious Bugaboo line to make my card for this week's challenge at Totally Stampalicious. The card base is Sahara Sand and the inks used for the stamped design on the border are chocolate chip, close to cocoa, and tempting turquoise. I used the rock and roll technique on some of the flowers from a clear set from Our Craft Lounge. Sponged an oval shape using the negative space from a Nestabilities oval and colored the image with Copic markers. A little bow finishes it off. I have to make a confession though. I will have to add a layer to the inside because I forgot that the Copics bleed through cardstock!!! JJ is just as visible on the inside and that won't do!!! I think this is the only one layer card I've made since I first started stamping about eight years ago!! Definitely a challenge!!!

Inside and Outside Challenge

I made this card for the challenge at Totally Stampalicious...to make a card that is decorated on the inside as well as the outside. This is something that I haven't done so well in the past, but have been making more of an effort to do, so this was a great challenge for me! Also a great excuse to hide in my stamp room for just a little while after unpacking from my trip last week. Here is the front of my card:

 I used Morning Margaret for my image...because I have looked like her the past three mornings!!! Had pre-4 am wake ups for my dad's outpatient surgery and traveling home from Ohio. Then, after getting in after 10 pm from the trip and then getting unwound...I was awake before 7 am this morning with so much to do, I couldn't get back to sleep! Uuuuuuggghhh!!! The sentiment on my finished inside sums it all up for me.......

 I will probably use this for one of my co-workers with a sense of humor (accompanied by a cup a java and a yummy treat, of course) after the new school year starts.
Stamps: Totally Stampalicious Morning Margaret
Paper: Neena Super Smooth white, Poppy Parade, Cosmo Cricket dsp
Ink: Momento tuxedo black
Accessories: Nesties, buttons, Copic markers, crystal effects, trim from stash, border punch

No card...just a personal post

 Home at last!! We left Ohio at 4 am and got home at 10:15! It was longest it ever took me to make the run between Ohio and Florida. We had heavy traffic and lots of rain. To add to it all, my stomach got all in knots making driving even more stressful and I had to make a few extra stops along the way. But we are all home safely and for that I am thankful! We had a great time! In case you don't know, my daughter in law and granddaughter went with me on my annual trip north to visit my dad in Ohio. I took this photo at the lake that is on the property that adjoins my dad's, which he owned until about ten years ago. The new owner dug this lake and it was such a pretty place to take a few pictures. Kyli was so interested in the geese and other things going on, that I couldn't get her to do any posing. I think this turned out okay anyway!

And here's my dad!!! I just love this big guy!!! This is my favorite picture of him ever and I have my DIL to thank for it! I didn't even see it until we got home.

 One of the reasons my DIL wanted Kyli to go was so she could meet her cousins (my sister's grandchildren and children). Of course, all of the children are grown, but she had a blast playing with the two grandchildren. This is Kyli and Charity. I couldn't get all three of them still in one photo, so I caught this one of Hayden a little later:

My oldest nephew and his wife are the proud parents of Hayden and Charity and they were expecting the arrival of their third child while we were there.

And so it came to pass that Leah Rae was born while we were there...

She definitely takes after her daddy's dad in the hair department....or maybe it's recessive genes from me considering what Kyli inherited from me! Anyway, I haven't had the chance to ask them about the origin of her name, but since I AM the favorite aunt, it may not be a coincidence that we share the same middle name!!!
We made one extra stop on the way home that had nothing to do with gas, potty breaks, food, or stomach pains. We stopped at New River Gorge. This is a spot that is one my son's favorites and he speaks of it often, so I thought it was a great opportunity to stop and let Linda see it too! Robbie was so glad we did! Just one of the ten zillion pics we took while we were there:

 

 So, that's the trip! I'm so glad to be home even though the time we spent was so enjoyable. A whole week with my granddaughter was unbelievable!! I never seem to get tired of that girl! Thanks for stopping in and sharing my vacation with me. I missed the cyber world more than I imagined (no internet at Daddy's) so I will be back tomorrow with a card to share and to get some comments out on the blogs I follow!! Hugs to all....