Happy Birthday, Mom!

Actually, my mom's birthday was a couple days ago, but this is the first chance I've had to post. We got a new computer--our first Mac, and it's been a little bit of a challenge to learn how to use it, and get everything moved over. The best news in that deal is that Mike surprised me with an iPad while we were in the Apple store. I never thought I could love a device this much! It's so quick for checking email and Facebook, plus music and movies. I know it's silly, but I already can't (ok don't want to) live without it!

Anyway, onto the card:

I used the bicycle from the Enjoy Life set. When my mom saw this set, she got excited because she used to have a bike just like it. After I gave it to her, she told me her bike had been teal, but in this case, it's pink to match the beautiful Sophia papers. I used Hollyhock and Pear for the stamping. I then used pink Stickles on the bike for the sparkly effect. I also used the You and Me stamp set for the swirls on the flowers and the journaling box. Happy Birthday came from the Happy Birthday set. I added Opaques, Pretty Pins, and White Daisy flowers (one is sponged with Blush) to complete the card. I love that I was able to take a neutral image (the bicycle) and make it so girly :)

Happy Father's Day--part 2

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and grandpas!


This card is for Papa. I used Passages paper and Enjoy Life and For Every Occasion stamps. The pattern is a sketch from Operation Write Home.

This is Mike's card, and I shamelessly stamplifted it from Vicki's fabulous You and Me card. I loved her design! I used Passages papers, and You and Me, Enjoy Life, New Horizons, and For Every Occasion stamp sets.

We have double the celebration because today is also Mike's birthday. Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday to the best husband and father! I love you!

Happy Father's Day--part 1

I have a number of people in my life I send Father's Day cards to, so I've been busy! These first three cards all use Lucky papers. This is one of my favorite paper packs because I love the muted colors, so perfect for masculine cards. These three cards are for my dad and both my grandpas.

This first one also uses the Enjoy Life stamp set--love that bicycle stamp!



This one uses Enjoy Life (bicycle figure) and Lucky stamp sets.



The last one uses Enjoy Life (clock) and For Every Occasion (Happy Father's Day).

I will post the last two cards tomorrow. Since Mike and Al (my stepdad) are online, I don't want to spoil the surprise :)

Fanfare Layout--Brendan's Birthday

This is the Workshop on the Go layout for the Fanfare kit. It worked out perfectly for the pictures from Brendan's 6th birthday party. We had it at Jump Time indoor trampoline park. The kids had a blast, but most of my pictures didn't turn out because I forgot my DSLR camera, and my little Nikon couldn't keep up with the action. I was at least able to get cupcake photos and a couple shots of the birthday boy.

In addition to the workshop kit, I used You and Me stamps (journaling box) and Extreme Caps (title).

Operation Write Home Cards Second Million Challenge

I have to give a HUGE shout out to Nona Davenport for these fabulous cards! I purchased her Thrifty Thirty Template last week, and I am in love! In this template, she shows you how to get THIRTY cards from HALF a paper pack. You make six different designs, five cards each. If you want to get the most cards from a paper pack, I highly recommend getting her template. Such a great deal--best $5 you'll ever spend because you'll use it again and again!



On Saturday, I hosted an informal crop. I told people to bring their own projects to work on, or come create cards for Operation Write Home. I decided to cut cards from Nona's template for both the Passages paper pack and the Moon Doggie paper pack. I figured 60 cards would be plenty. Boy was I wrong! I had a fellow teacher bring her two daughters and niece (two of whom are former students of mine). They had the 60 cards done in no time, even helped me decide on stamps and embellishments for some of the cards. Next time, these girls come, I'll have to double the prep!


The cards turned out beautifully. I love the designs. Thank you, Nona! I will be hosting a workshop to make these cards in August. More details will follow, as it gets closer. In the meantime, Operation Write Home is holding the Second Million Challenge this month. Make cards for a great cause, and get a chance to win fun prizes!

Passages:



Moon Doggie:


I started one more set, but didn't get very far...

Lucky and Fanfare Workshop on the Go Cards

In case you haven't guessed by now, I love the Workshop on the Go kits! With them, I feel like I get a lot of bang for my buck. You can create six cards and a layout and STILL have half a paper pack to be creative with! Note: I do add a few sheets of White Daisy or Colonial White cardstock to make all the projects. Plus, you get a stamp set to use for your creations!

Here are the workshop cards for the Lucky Kit

and the Fanfare kit--love the ice cream cone stamp!

I can see using the ice cream stamp and cupcake stamp for lots of future projects!

To get your own Workshop on the Go kit, which includes paper, embellishments, a stamp set, and full color instructions, click here.

Why I Love Studio J

Yesterday afternoon, while I was upstairs posting the pictures from our adventures, my boys were up to no good. They got the brilliant idea to cut their own hair! I probably should have been mad, but I couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous they looked, especially Brendan. Austin told me I shouldn't laugh at them, and I said if he didn't want people to laugh, they shouldn't cut their own hair. Poor Brendan was crying because I told him we were going to have to shave his head. He kept saying, "I don't want to be bald!" Luckily, Mike came home and buzzed their hair, and they love the results.


What does that have to do with Studio J? Last night, I uploaded the pics and created this layout. Click on the layout to see it larger.





I love that I can create fabulous layouts quickly and easily the same day the event took place, while the details are fresh in my mind. While I still love traditional scrapbooking and the process of creating pages, I love the flexibility and ease of Studio J. I can create fun layouts in 30 minutes or less with no mess to clean up. When the layouts are in my scrapbooks, the only way you can tell they are digital and not traditional is to run your hand over the pages.


Don't forget that in June you can create your own Studio J layout and receive a FREE JPEG file of your layout. Simply log on to Studio J, create a layout, then order one JPG file of your layout. It’s as easy as that! Download and save your file so you can post your layout online, email it to family and friends, or print it.

If you have a Studio J or a MyCTMH® account, just log in and start creating. If you don’t have an account, creating one is easy. You can access Studio J here.

Close To My Heart is also holding a Facebook contest for this promotion. Upload your finished layout to their Facebook page, and the layout that gets the most votes wins 10 Studio J layouts (jpeg and printed copies). Win, win! Happy creating :)

Just Another Summer Day

This morning started out like the rest of our lazy summer mornings this week. However, when I asked the boys what they wanted for breakfast, they said Star Wars pancakes. I bought these molds at Williams Sonoma last year for Father's Day. The only time we've attempted to make them, the result was disastrous. I gave it another go. This time, they weren't too bad. I only ended up with two that went to the dog because they stuck to the molds.

Bren looks like he's on sugar overload before he even takes a bite.

Then, like Phineas on Phineas and Ferb, I said, "Boys, I know what we're going to do today!" The plan was to go to the zoo and see the new butterfly exhibit, then roller blade in the park. Apparently everyone else in Boise had the same idea. I forgot that Thursday is half price day, and when we got there, not a parking space in sight, and the line was around the corner. We decided to skip the zoo.

As I was driving around looking for a place to park, we drove by the big pond. The boys asked if we could go for a ride in the paddle boats. Since this is something we always say we want try , but never have, we rented one.

It's not easy to get a photo of all three of us in the boat.



I opted for our feet instead.

It was cool and sunny, a perfect day for a boat ride.

We saw tons of geese and ducks. Other than this little guy,

Mama ducks kept their babies far from us. We saw one duck that had 11 babies!

The Canadian Geese, however, had no qualms about swimming right up to the boat.

It was a fun experience!

After the paddle boats, we strapped on the roller blades and went for a ride. The bridge turned out to be the biggest obstacle. It took a lot of hanging on to keep from flying down.

Once we reached the other side, we bladed along the backside of Boise State, down to Broadway, and back to the park. About a mile and a half.

A shot of the BSU football field--love the blue turf!

All in all, the boys did a great job. Brendan got pretty tired on the way back, but he was a little trooper. At the bridge, he decided to take of his blades and walk the rest of the way because he was scared to try the bridge again. Smart boy! I was carrying all his gear, and almost ate it on the down side of the bridge!

Afterward, they were thirsty, so we stopped at McDonald's for frozen strawberry lemonades.
Tomorrow, I think we're going to try the zoo again and take along our bikes for a greenbelt ride. Even though these 65 degree days don't feel like summer, they're perfect for getting outside and having some fun :)

June Specials

During the STUDIO J® FREE-FOR-ALL IN JUNE, Close To My Heart is Giving EVERYONE a FREE Studio J® JPG file—no purchase required!

Simply log on to Studio J, create a layout, then order one JPG file of your layout. It’s as easy as that! Download and save your file so you can post your layout online, email it to family and friends, or print it.

If you have a Studio J or a MyCTMH® account, just log in and start creating. If you don’t have an account, creating one is easy. You can access Studio J here.

Discover how quick and simple scrapbooking can be with Studio J—and get your FREE JPG layout in Free-for-All June!

Here's a few of my favorite Studio J layouts. Click on each one to see it larger.

Also in June, remember that fabulous You and Me kit from May? It's back.

When you purchase this kit for $15 in June, the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross to help those affected by tornadoes in the United States. A great kit and a great cause. While supplies last.

June Scrapbook Club

These are the last of the project for June's Scrapbook Club. We're using Lucky papers this month.



Here's one of the cards. The other one doesn't want to load for some reason. I used Enjoy Life stamps.

I already posted this layout, but I added the pictures, journaling and title.


To order your own Lucky Workshop on the Go kit, click here.