Card Happy

This is going to be a very image heavy post today.  There have been so many reasons to make cards lately and I love that.  Although I'd love to have more time to put in a layout or two as well.  Oh well...it's summer vacation so why not enjoy it while I can.

Here goes....cards, cards and more cards!

A birthday card for my sister-in-law.

A birthday card for one of my nieces.

A couple thank you cards.

And a birthday card for one of my brothers.

I've been a busy little card maker but I love that my recipients thoroughly enjoy getting my handmade love in the mail!

One Down...One to Go

So one of the boys is done with his baseball season for the Summer.  I offered to make the thank you card as well as pick up the gift for his coach.  I sure am loving my Cameo (when I remember to use it).  I love how it created this perfect baseball with no problem at all!

My crafting has taken a bit of a back seat lately to this...

A trip to So. California to celebrate my parents' 50th anniversary with all my siblings and their children.

and this...

Taking the family to Disneyland and California Adventure - so much fun!

and this...

Taking our two youngest boys to the beach - a first for our youngest and the first time that our middle boy will remember (he was just a baby the first go around).  They were in awe!

and this...

Sunset Cliffs and tide pool exploring!

It doesn't get much better than that...just wish our oldest didn't have to return home prior to our stay in San Diego.  We missed sharing the beach with him.  We're all home safe and sound now and wishing we were still on vacation.

Now...back to crafting!

More Cards to Share

It seems to be celebrating season around here.  Lots of birthday parties for the kids to attend and graduations to continue celebrating.  That means cards, cards and more cards.

Here's a birthday card for a birthday party one of the boys attended recently.  I used my oh-so-handy Cameo to cut out the sentiment.  Simple and boyish.

This card is for my cousin's daughter who recently graduated from college with a double major.  VERY impressive!  I used rub-ons and stamps from an older Bo Bunny collection as well as paper from My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey.  Her school colors were black and green so I tried to keep in that theme for her card.

I hope you have celebrations going on in your corner of the world today - even if it's just celebrating the day...it doesn't always have to be a special occassion.  Sometimes it's a blessing just to celebrate for no reason.

Celebrating our Fathers

We had such a nice Father's Day around here.  We celebrated my husband with homemade pancakes and eggs for breakfast and then spent the afternoon hiking in Castlewood Canyon...exploring the cliffs and playing in the water.  It was relaxing and we even got in a little exercise in the great outdoors.



Of course cards were made not only for my husband but for his dad and my dad.  Here's a peek...

The cards for my dad and my father-in-law

The card for my hubby from me...

The card for my hubby from the kids...they are all BIG ice cream lovers so I thought this one was very appropriate for him from them.

What would we do without our dads.  Thank goodness we have them and they are wonderful!

Take a Hike

My husband recently returned from a long weekend of backpacking with some of his guy friends.  This has been an annual event for them for several years and every year I send him off with some little notes from home...just in case he feels homesick.  Judging from the amazing pictures he brought home, I don't think he was too homesick but he did say he loved reading my "love notes" as he was wrapping up his day and heading into to his teeny, tiny tent to go to sleep.  This year I used several of my Studio AE stamps to create the mini cards.  Her sentiments work so well for so many situations...love them!

Supplies used: Cardstock - Bazzill; Embossing powder - Zing; Patterned paper - My Mind's Eye, Little Yellow Bicycle; Echo Park Paper Co., Die Cuts With a View and Crate paper; Stamps - Studio AE by Technique Tuesday; Stickers - October Afternoon; Paper Punch - EK Success; Ink - Colorbox Pigment Ink and StazOn Ink (Timber Brown); Pen - Signo Uniball

A Very Special Anniversary

A quick post to wish the most amazing parents a very Happy 50th Anniversary!  50 years...pretty amazing right?  My parents have truly taken their wedding vows to heart and have stuck together through the most wonderful of times and some very trying times.  They have been such an inspiration to me...and ever since my husband and I met - an inspiration to him too.  We are so excited that we'll get to celebrate this momentous occasion with them a little later in the summer when the entire family gets together to raise a glass and toast their love.  Until then, a card has been sent their way to let them know how much we love them and how much we wish for them to have many more years to share their love.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...we love you!



The Sweet Life

Summer is in full swing around our household.  Kids running in and out, visits to the pool, baseball for one boy or another almost everyday (or so it seems) and that ever present smell of sunscreen!  We're loving it all even if we are a little more worn out at the end of each day - isn't that what summer is about?  I hope that your summer vacations have started and that you're enjoying the sound of kids laughing and playing - and maybe getting to a little playing of your own.

I had a little time to myself the other afternoon while the kids were busy at a friend's house.  I worked with the My Mind's Eye Fly a Kite 6x6 pad for this layout.  By tucking strips of the smaller patterned paper behind my photos, I was able to make a 12x12 layout with only the smaller papers (with the exception of the background paper) and I love how colorful and fun the end result turned out.

Supplies used: Alphabet stickers - Bo Bunny (green) and My Mind's Eye (brown); Brads - Basic Grey and Bo Bunny; Die Cut - My Mind's Eye; Ink - Distress Ink (Frayed Burlap) and Jenni Bowlin (Cough Syrup); Patterned paper - My Mind's Eye; Pen - Zig Writer (Chocoloate); Stamp - Studio AE by Technique Tuesday; Stickers - My Mind's Eye and October Afternoon

I have more to share but, like I said, summer is in full swing around here and we're headed out for another day of adventures.  Get out there and soak up some sunshine!