No Orange for Halloween

I stumbled upon a really great blog a month or so ago called CAS-ual Fridays. Each Friday they post a challenge that needs to be incorporated into a clean and simple card. This weeks challenge was to create a Halloween inspired card WITHOUT using the color orange.

I automatically turned to Jack of All Trades, my new favorite fall/pumpkin set, to set the stage. I have been seeing pictures all over the internet of white and tan pumpkins, so I used Crumb Cake ink instead of orange. I used Lucky Limeade and Concord Crush for a pop of color. I added a bit of dazzle by including a small 1/2" strip of silver glimmer paper. Love that sparkle!

October Card Class

For our October class, I decided to take the opportunity to try a OSW or One Sheet Wonder. I think OSW cards are a great way to maximize your designer paper, which lets face it is expensive, as well as make a bunch of cards. I used the Spice Cake DSP from Stampin' Up and Crumb Cake cardstock, my go-to color.

At this class we scaled back from a 12 x 12 OSW class to a 6 x 6 OSW class which allowed us to make 4 cards out of one 6 x 6 sheet of designer paper. I decided to make them all thank you cards so that we could give them as a card set for a gift.

Pumpkin Time

My new guilty pleasure...the Jack of all Trades stamp set from Stampin' Up. Not only is this set adorable, but a perfect pumpkin and fall set, which just happens to be my favorite season. I am looking forward to pumpkin picking soon.

I used a wild color combo provided by Paper Pal Arts and their PPA Challenge #114.

I also played along with Karen Giron, at The Sweetest Thing blog, who always has the most fabulous sketches. This week's Sweet Sunday Sketch # 138 was just amazing.

So here's what I came up with. I used the Lucky Limeade and Rich Razzleberry in the background, which I embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper folder, and used the Pumpkin Pie in the foreground with my spectacular pumpkins.

Happy Fall everyone!

Message Monday

I do apologize for my absence. I said I wasn't going to let anything get in my way of continuing to blog and share what I love and look what happened...I let school get in the way. Well I've made some time to get back in the groove. I envy people who can let their creative juices flow everyday without putting them on hold for other things.

This message is inspired by my Aunt Lori who passed away last week. Life is too short and we never know when ours will end so it is more important to me than ever to find the time...for anything and everything. 

Birthday Card for a Special Student

David was my student a few years back and we got along so well. He helped me out in my room after school and he was always very sweet and polite. He started high school this year and it's been a little weird to not see him around the halls anymore. He still invites me to his sporting events. One of his football games just happened to be on his birthday. I made him a special birthday card and gave him a small box of Skittles as they were our favorite after school snack.

I used paper piecing for the balloons. I wanted this card to be fun, yet appropriate for a high school boy. I love the Curly Cute stamp set. It's pretty much got a sentiment for everything occassion. I also busted out my new In Colors...Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, and Island Indigo.



September Card Class

For September my stamping club focused on Tricks and TREATS...treat packaging. These ideas could be used for any occassion of treat packaging including baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, and secret santa gifts. We had a lot of fun using new techniques.

This first project was a little treat bag to give out to special neighbor kids or family members. We used a faux marble technique on the pumpkin cardstock. I am in love with Jack of All Trades. It has got to be one of the cutest sets I've seen in a long time. We also used the Frightful Sight DSP and mini clothespin. 



The next treat bag we made was using the Frightful Sight DSP to make little Hershey Nugget wraps. We also used the It's a Wrap Holidays set on alternating chocolates. I made this one for my nephew, Austin.

The last project we made used the new skinny cellophane bags from the Holiday Mini Catalog. We filled them with Skittles, but you could also use mini M&M's to fill them easier.. We created a bag topper using the Wicked Cool set.

I'm looking forward to Halloween and fall in general, although Wisconsin has been feeling more like summer than fall the last couple of days. I hope you enjoy this time of the year as well. 

Message Monday

Love this, but the "worry less" is going to take some work for me. A great outlook for the new school year! To all you teachers/school staff out there...Have a great year!

Birthday Cupcakes

As I said before, my birthday was not on the first day of school, but I did still have to be there. I decided to make a special birthday treat...CUPCAKES! Are you surprised? I made my favorites...Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese frosting and a new flavor Pink Lemonade. They both turned out wonderful and were all gone by the time I was ready to leave at the end of the day.

Do you love my little display? By the way, I made the cupcake pedestal. So cute and easy!

Big Storm = Big Trouble

Yesterday we had a storm roll through the Fox Cities in the morning. It was supposed to just be rain, but we soon found that it was anything but "just rain." I went to school (to try and narrow my to-do list). About 5 minutes after I entered the building it started downpouring. The Cross Country students continued to run through the halls and the Football players took the gym.

I went to grab my compter cart to take upstairs to my room. As I walked past the front windows, it looked as if Hurricane Irene had indeed graced Wisconsin with her presence. I continued along with my cart...almost at the elevator, when the lights and power went out. Can you imagine if I would have been in the elevator????

I ran upstairs to my room quickly to see that my windows weren't shut the night before and there were puddles of water everywhere. We were hurried back down to the first floor because severe weather sirens were going off. I visited with the Cross Country and Football kids while we all waited to hear what was happening.

Eventually the storm passed. Trees were down all over town, the power never returned at school (making it impossible to get anything done), and power lines were down all over the city. I decided to go home. When I got there this is what I saw in my back yard...

A chunk of the neighbor's tree fell on the power lines behind the house and into our back yard. It broke the top line and was resting on the bottom. The funny part is that we never lost power or cable. With all the other power outages around the city, this wasn't on the top of their priority list. We went out for lunch and this is the addition we came home to...

Caution tape surrounded the area of the down power lines. Who knows when they will get to it, but I'm feeling a little like I'm in an episode of CSI. Hopefully people's power returns soon.



Turning 30: A Birthday Celebration

Yesterday, September 1st, was my birthday. It was a very special birthday indeed, because I turned 30! Some people feel weird about leaving their 20's behind, but I think that my 30's will be even better than my 20's were.

For the last two years, school has started on my birthday. It was a weird feeling to be up in front of a new sea of faces on such a special day, but I came to really enjoy it. It was very strange for me this year to not have that happen.

I spent lunch with my mom at an amazing Italian Bistro. I had meetings at school all day...most very stressful. I got nothing done and I am no closer to being ready for kids to start next week, but we will manage.

My husband bought me a new lens for my Cannon. I am so excited because I'll get to take way better (up-close and personal) pictures of kids for the yearbook. Not to mention I am excited to try this little baby out in Europe next summer.

I went to have a sushit dinner with my hubby, Nick. Then later we bought an ice cream cake (picked out by Nick) and took it to my sister's house to celebrate with the family. We shared cake with my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews. All in all it was a pretty great day. I love birthdays!