Gifts for Teachers

It was a very full Memorial Day weekend for me. Sorry for the delay of my "supposedly" Sunday blog post. We were busy hanging-out with my mom and my sister and her family. I spent yesterday making Thank You cards and broaches/pins for my son's teachers. They turn out really nice. I used my Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439) and the Fun Flowerz Bigz L Dies (121812). My son is eighteen and usually just ignores my hobby, but last week he asked me if I could make fabric pins for his teachers. He even picked the fabric for each of his female teachers. I was ecstatic! So, here they are.

Fabrics: Springtime Vintage (121817) and Timeless Portrait (122337)

Antique Brads (117273)

Fabrics: Flirtatious (122335), Sweet Stitches (121818) and Summer Smooches (125411 - in the 2012/2013 Catalog out June 1st, 2012)

Thank You cards for my son's male teachers. I used my new obsession, sponge daubers!

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set(s): Lovely as a Tree (115026), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Paper: Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla card stocks, DSP
Ink: Basic Black Craft Ink, Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Lucky Limeade and Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' pads.
Accessories: Heat Tool (100005), Stampin' Emboss Powder in Clear (109130), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sponge Daubers (102892), Punches in Modern Label (119849) and Word Window (119857), Brads Neutral (119736)


Back to work today. Blech! I need an extra day. Hahaha. Have a wonderful week, everyone! Come again soon.

Retired BNF Friday #7

Well, the countdown for the last day of the school year is definitely on. This is my kids' last Friday of school, next Thursday will be my son's High School graduation. It has been crazy busy. My days have been filled with tasks and dates/deadlines to remember, both in the office and at home. Sometimes I amaze myself how I do it all and still manage to stay sane (most of the time...smile). Oh well, c'est la vie! My final Stampin' Up! order for the 2011/2012 Catalog came in last night. I was up late playing with my sneak peek goodies. I got the new In Colors and I have not made up my mind if I like the reconfigured stamp pads. I feel it's too juicy for me. Hahaha!

Oh well, I have two cards to share today for my son's upcoming graduation. The first one is from my all-time faves, Sail Away; and the other one is from the recent Sale-a-Bration stamp sets called Sprinkled Expressions. I am completely in-love with Sponge Daubers! All these many years I have been using the sponges, but the daubers are more precise and it gives off more impact just like when I used them in the background night sky of this sail boat and the waves. Plus I love how it fits in my finger. I am seriously contemplating on using it to apply my makeup. Hahaha.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set(s): Sail Away, Word Play (Wood 120308 Clear 120651)
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler and Crushed Curry card stocks
Ink: Basic Black Craft Ink, Night of Navy and Pool Party Classic Stampin' pads
Accessories: Stampin' Emboss Powder in Clear (109130), Embossing Folder in Square Lattice (119976), Stampin' Write Markers in Cherry Cobbler and Crushed Curry, Decorative Label Punch (120907), Baker's Twine in Early Espresso (123124), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sponge Daubers (102892), Heat Tool (100005), Post-it Note (punched with 1 3/4" Circle for the moon)

Card Recipe

Stamp Set(s): Sprinkled Expressions
Paper: Whisper White and Real Red
Ink: Real Red Craft Ink and Night of Navy Classic Stampin' pad
Accessories: Stampin' Emboss Powder in Clear (109130), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sponge Daubers (102892), Brads Star, Ribbon, Heat Tool (100005), Post-it Note (punched with 1 3/4" Circle to highlight the Star).

Well, it's a 3-day weekend for me due to Memorial Day. Yay! My mom is visiting to attend my son's graduation, and will be spending a couple of nights with me. We will watch movies, drink wine and go to TJ Maxx. That's the plan. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone! Thank you for stopping by.

Fox & Friends

I have not created a Baby card in quite sometime, so I thought that for this week's post I would share a card that I made for my co-worker's wife who just had a baby girl. The stamp set I used here, Fox & Friends will be retiring end of this month, so I decided that this is a nice way to say farewell. It is such a versatile set and can be used for baby shower invitations, kids birthdays, thank you cards and lots more. The sizes of the stamped images are also perfect with Stampin' Up! punches. If you don't own this stamp set yet, you can order it online until May 31, 2012 by going to My Store and click Shop.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set(s): Fox & Friends (Wood 117020 Clear 118565), Teeny Tiny Wishes 115370)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Whisper White card stocks
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Textured Impressions Embossing Folder in Polka Dots (117335), Small Oval Punch (120908), Stampin' Dimesionals (104430), Spiral Punch and Polka Dot Melon Mambo Ribbon (both retired)

Well, that's all I have for now. Eight more days before school is out. Yay! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Retired BNF Friday #6

I can't believe it has been six weeks since I started this Retired BNF (But Not Forgotten) Friday series. I have a Masculine Cards Class tomorrow so I have been racking my brain trying to come up with ideas for layouts that are simple and in other words, not too "girly" or colorful. So, while I was in the mood for creating Masculine style cards, I dusted and took out this stamp set called True Friend from my Retired box and used it for today's post. It turned out okay, I think. Fast, easy and simple - my kind of cards, easy to duplicate.

True Friend Stamp Set with the card

up close

Card Recipe

Stamp Set: True Friend
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Very Vanilla card stocks
Ink: Basic Black, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pads

That's it for now, have a good weekend y'all. Thank you for stopping by.

Mixed Bunch

Happy, happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there! This is my 18th Mother's Day and I am thankful every day that I have been blessed to join this wonderful and challenging club. I am honored to be called Mom by my two amazing kids. I can go on and on about all the favors and rough roads of motherhood, but today I choose to just take it all in as it is. My husband always say that I am his wife, therefore it is my kids' duty to do something for me on Mother's Day because I am their mother. Yet for the past eighteen years, I have always encouraged and guided my children to make sure they make something or remember their dad on Father's Day. I believe it is one of my very long list of duties as a mother to make certain that my kids grow-up to be thoughtful and grateful individuals. Maybe mothers are just wired differently after all. Personally, I believe that every single day is a gift to a mother as long as her children are safe and healthy. I will take that over any trivial material thing any day. I have the best gifts this Mother's Day, they are in their rooms still asleep while I cook brunch that we can all share together in a little bit.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set(s): Mixed Bunch (Wood 125535 Clear 125537), All Year Cheer II (retired set)
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Pool Party and Very Vanilla smooth card stocks, DSP Attic Boutique (retired from Occasions Mini Catalog 2012)
Inks: Pool Party, Daffodil Delight and Soft Suede
Accessories: Punches in Blossom (125603) and 3/4" Circle (119873), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Well, that's it for now, I have to get started with my cooking before the day heats up. Darn it, my household chores did not take the day-off even when the world declared it Mother's Day. Haha! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Retired BNF Friday #5

It has been a busy week. I can't for the life of me recall everything I did or what kept me occupied the past five days, but I know for a fact it has been hectic. I feel weary, and I don't use that word lightly.

My husband had a birthday last Tuesday. We didn't do much, just went out to dinner at El Torito's. I love that place, crazy about their corn cakes! I made sure we had photos for my scrapbook because I know next year my son will be in college and won't be with us to celebrate occasions like this.

I have been trying to steal time here and there organizing and sorting my paper crafting supplies and stuff. I found leftovers of this Simply Scrappin' Kit Summer Sketches from 2005 when I became a Stampin' Up demonstrator (and the kit cost $12.95). So, I got to work right away and put together a few cards. I just love the soft colors and I am so glad I still have the coordinating stamp set.

This is what I gave my hubby for his birthday. The sentiment is from PS I Love You stamp set from the recently retired Occasions Mini Catalog.

I love this image, reminds me of my younger sister and me when we were kids. The sentiment is from Blessings from Heaven stamp set (Wood 123050 Clear 123052)

Remember that Sunday is Mother's Day. Let your mom know she is the best. I, for one frequently feel neglected. I kind of miss when my kids were small and they'd draw a picture or make anything to show how much they appreciate me. They were once thoughtful little angels. Now, it's a good day when they pay attention to what I say. I guess that's what growing-up means.

Oh well, that's all I have for today's post. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Morning Cup

Did you know that today, May 6th is the National Beverage Day? I didn't, until yesterday afternoon while reading a special edition of Paper Crafts magazine called 365 Cards. So, I felt inspired to create a card that shows my beverage of choice: Coffee! I would have made one from the Cheers to You stamp set, but that one retired last year. I can always save that set for my Retired BNF Friday card, right?

A morning without coffee is like sleep. So true!

Card Recipe

Stamp Set: Morning Cup (Wood 116988 Clear 120489)
Paper: Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie, Olive Green, Whisper White card stocks and Summer Smooches DSP
Ink: Basic Black and Stampin' Write markers
Accessories: Punches in Word Window (119857), Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer (122464), 1 1/4" Square (119865), 3/16" Brights Brads (119740), Stamping Sponges (101610), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Yesterday was really windy. I don't understand how my husband could play in a golf tournament with such strong winds. Oh well, that's it for now...have to do my chores. Augggh, chores! Have a wonderful week, everyone! It's getting hot out there, remember to always wear sunscreen lotion.

Retired BNF Friday #4

My son who just had his 18th birthday was sick yesterday, so I decided to stay home and take the day off, too. He slept most of the day, while I did some housework and managed to make a few cards. Mother's Day is only a week away. This is the one I am sending to my mom. I have two younger sisters, so I know she will love this. The colors are awesome and will surely brighten her day. I think it will pass as Fun and Cute card, right? I can't believe I almost gave this stamp set away. It's so nice to find new and renewed love for my old and retired stamps. I swear, now each time I open my boxes of retired stamp sets, I feel like Gollum whispering ..."Come here, my precious". Hahaha.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set: Happy Together
Paper: DSP, Whisper White, Old Olive, Real Red and Marina Mist card stocks
Ink: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin pad and Stampin' Write markers
Accessories: Punches in Modern Label (119849), Word Window (119857) and Scallop Edge Border (119882), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), 3/16" Brads in Brights (119740), Paper Snips (103579), Ribbon.

Well, happy Friday! Have a good weekend, everyone. Come back soon!

Message to my Son

My dearest Son,
     You are eighteen years old today. It IS indeed a very special day. I know it's a cliche when we hear people say, "It seems just like yesterday..." It's true though, it seems not too long ago when I held this tiny baby boy in my arms with thick black hair and now you are by definition an adult. You make me so proud every single day. When I look at the young man that you've become it's awfully hard for me not to feel emotional. Eighteen years...it's a milestone for the both of us. It's bittersweet: watch you go out on your way to college while hoping that your dad and I did a good enough job in preparing you for the real world. As your mom, a part of me wishes that you could stay little and will always want me by your side. Then again, I believe it's every parent's hope and dream to see their children as independent, responsible and self-sufficient individuals. I hope all of those for you and more.

A few weeks ago, you asked me what I want for you and your sister to be when you grow up. Jokingly, I quickly replied, "I want you both to stay out of prison." You laughed and said, "Wow, you sure don't have high standards." But I do know that you know my heart and that all I've ever wanted is for you and your sister to do whatever brings you the most joy. Ever since you were six years old, all you've ever wanted to do was to dance. You did soccer and basketball, even got a black belt in Karate - but you always go back to your passion, dancing. You always tell me that you're happiest when you're choreographing, dancing or listening to music. You've known at a very young age what you wanted to be when you grow up and I envy you for that. 

I am indebted to your passion for dance, because it kept you out of trouble. Dance gave you the discipline to set goals and tools to achieve them. Dance gave you a sense of commitment and it kept your momentum. High School is rough, with pressures coming from other kids, teachers, authorities and the society as a whole; dance was your instrument. Dance kept you sane and focused in a world filled with chaos and stress. A week ago you told me that you wish you did more fun things in high school. You feel that you missed out on so many things/parties because you wanted to do well in school and maintain your GPA; that you spent most of your free time in Dance Club or with your dance crew. You feel a little bit cheated. Son, it doesn't seem like it now, but trust me that high school is only a blip in your lifetime and you have already performed wonderfully. Twenty years from now, you'd look back and not remember many faces or recall names, but you will always remember that you danced.

 Happy birthday, my dear son and please know that you and your sister are my greatest achievements in this lifetime. I am so very blessed. Thank you for giving me the world. May you always dance. I love you.
                                                                                                                           Mom xoxo

The stamp set I used on this card isn't from Stampin' Up! It's from Tim Holtz and I just had to have it because it summarized the message I want to convey to my son.

Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede and Not Quite Navy card stocks.
Ink: Crumb Cake and Soft Suede.
Accessories: Antique Brads and Crochet Trim Chantilly Ribbon.

That's it for now. Thank you for stopping by.