Happy Haunting!

It's that time of year to celebrate all that's dark and spooky...a very fun night in my opinion.  Not only can you get your inner witch on, but get candy for doing it!  Can't beat that.  I made some cards for some friends and family using lots of K&Co.  Just the right amount of sparkle, I think, in a creepy sort of way.

Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween with just the right amount of sweet and scary :).

WCMD

   Here's my one and only card for World Card Making Day- made it using my Paper Smooches stamp set :).  Hope everyone had a great WCMD like I did ! I spent it making crafts galore and got my mojo going.....

For a Friend

I made this card for the one of the lovely employees at my favorite scrapbooking store: Scrapbook Island.  You need anything, and this store has it! And the staff there is just incredible.  Really.  Check it out when you are in the Silicon Valley.  You won't be sorry :).

I do have to be sorry for the long absence between posts....you know how summertime gets so busy.  Hope you have been enjoying lazy days, warm weather and all that goes with this season :).

My Friend

  My wonderful friend Angela and a group of her friends are walking in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.  It's a great fundraiser for the ACS- they camp out around a school track and walk 24 hours, since cancer never takes a break (unfortunately I have had first hand experience & know how true that is).  They  raise much needed funds for those affected by cancer.  I'm so proud of Angela (and all the incredible volunteers!) for     what she's doing and made this card in her honor.....I had a fun time working with Distress Ink stains, Glitz stamps and various punches.  Hope you have a special friend in your life too :).

Miss You

  A friend down the street from me just lost her battle with cancer this morning.  I was blessed to have known her and her family for a long time now.  I was very glad to have been able to say goodbye the day before, but so sad to lose her.  I know my neighborhood will not feel the same without her.....Life can be so bittersweet sometimes.  I'm sending love to Carolyn as she begins a new journey, prayers for her family as they navigate without her, and hopes that we all can remember to live life to the fullest :).

Happy Mother's Day

   Dream come true!  This is what my husband gave me for Mother's Day...and incredibly he designed it himself! (I better watch out, if he gets into paper crafting he might be my competition!).  It's a beautiful trunk from Micheals thoughtfully filled with roses, craft supplies, skittles (my weakness) and each one of the envelopes you see are to my favorite crafty stores.  It was like Christmas opening everything.  It was unbelievable!  My oldest son gave me a beautiful bracelet he bought at the Stanford Powwow he goes to with his grandmother every year, and a funky craft book.  I can't wait to try some of the projects.  My youngest son made me a great picture in a frame using macaroni and beans. So cool.  It was the perfect Mother's day- not because of the wonderful presents, but because I was with  my beautiful boys and my thoughtful husband.  Hope you were surrounded by loved ones today too :).

Working on Mother's day gifts...I'm making tea cup pin cushions.  They are so cute and really fun to make.  I searched through my favorite thrift store and found the perfect tea cups and saucers.  The rest came together pretty easily.  I've made one each for my mother and two sisters, one for my sister-in-law and another couple for my sons' grandmother and my mother-in-law.  When I have time I need to remember to make one for myself!  Hope you have as many wonderful women in your life as I do :).

Sending Love

  Thinking about my aunt today...she is a very special person in my life and has been through the wringer this year.  She is one strong woman and has been quite an inspiration to me.  She's the kind of person who's always there for someone else- ready to help out in any way she can.  I wish I could be there for her as she is going through this tough time.  She's in southern California and I'm up here in northern California.  So I'll be sending  my love and hoping that she knows how much I care for her.  Hope you have someone special like that in your life too :).

So Nice

      Feeling very happy today....Paper Crafts Magazine included my name and blog as they introduced "newbies" (card designers that have never been published before) who have been blessed to have a card  in their new Card Creations Volume 10 publication out on newsstands now. It's a great magazine filled with lots and lots of eye candy & inspiration.  I'm so excited to be a part of it and created a little something to express my feelings.  They really are SO NICE!  Hope someone was nice to you today too :).

True love

   Thinking about my parents and their life together....It's my father's birthday today, and even though we lost him 4 years ago, his love is still strong.  My parents would have been married 47 years in July.  I'm so glad to have been blessed with so many fantastic memories of a wonderful dad, but sad that my mom misses him so much.....True love never fades.  Hope you have someone wonderful in your life too :).

Have Faith

I made this for a very special friend of mine awhile ago.  It's something we would (and still do!) say to each other when times get tough.  It's difficult to find words to say to someone when things are out of control or out of OUR control.  Sometimes all we can do is just remind ourselves to have faith that all will be okay.  My friend and I have gone thru some pretty intense times ...sometimes hard on her side, sometimes it's on my side.  We have said these words many times to each other, and I'm sure we will repeat them many more as life is always changing.  Hope you can have faith that it'll be okay when it's your turn :).

Feeling grateful

Played around with some doily stamps awhile ago...took my time with masking and embossing.  Not sure if I loved the result, but it did get me out of my comfort zone.  It's a fitting card for my day, too- I spent the day with a very good friend at Stanford Women's Cancer Center as she got her twice-monthly chemo injection.  She's fighting the fight against breast cancer (second time around) and I'm her note-taker, patient advocate and encourager.  Not to mention we share alot of laughs and  get some really good girlfriend time in! Sometimes you just gotta make the best of whatever situation you're in, and I'm grateful to be with her.  She's a very strong woman and she will kick cancer's butt.....
Hope you have lots to be grateful for in your life too :).

She had so many stamps.....

Remember the story of the old lady who lived in a shoe- you know, the one with so many kids? Well, as I've been cleaning out my craft room and trying to find room for my million & two stamps, something has been running thru my mind- "she had so many stamps she didn't know what to do.."  Ever feel that way? Sometimes I just get overwhelmed with all the choices of stamps I have and can't get started.  Sometimes I even make a card without using a single stamp, such as this one I made for my son's teacher!  Can you believe not one stamp?

Well this year I'm going try and use ALL of my stamps (ok, let's be honest- of course I won't use  EVERY one- but I'm going to give it my best shot!) and somehow justify my collection.  Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy what I come up with :).