Stamp-a-faire pre-game

Edited - Well, I didn't get to play along at all, but still had a fun weekend checking out all the fun videos and posts - not to mention everyone elses amazing inspiration!!  PTI addicts are one inspiring group :)  Now, what to use my gift card for....

 

Looking forward to a fun day of stamping tomorrow.  I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do, but my daughter and hubby are away at a Father-Daughter camp-out tonight, so hopefully I'll be able to get a little fun done.


I didn't order a SAF apron, but I do have a lovely Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz apron from the mid 90's.  And, I guess since Karl's nickname was, "The Mailman" that will be good for a stamping party :)  My amazing yard sale-ing grandma found this for me years ago.  I actually really love it as an apron because it's vinyl and water proof.

I noticed that others are sharing the fun foods they'll be trying.  Since my DH is gone, it will PB and J  for the boys (7 and 3) around here.  Can't let cooking get in the way of stamping :)  

July PTI Blog hop

 

Yes, it's time again for another PTI blog hop.  Nicole gave us some fun, summery color combinations to work with.  There were two I was immediately drawn to, but decided to play around with all 6.  WARNING - I may have a bit of an obsession with the Chevron cover plate.  If you don't share this obsession, or are concerned that it's contagious, please close this window NOW!!!!!!

I cut a cover plate from each of the colors in the challenge.  I ended up with quite a few cards, which is great.  Now I'm a week early for my card club (as opposed to finishing LATE the night before we meet.)  Thanks to my little teether, there's no sentiments yet.  But hey, CAS is very trendy, right?

Yes, I did loose two green triangles on my way out to take pictures.  I'm sure my little one will find them when she starts crawling and eating everything on the floor.

 These cards are much more pleasing in real life.  They make me want citrus fruit.  Oh well, I guess that's what you get from a cheap camera.  Bad pictures, not citrus fruit.  Unless you're taking the "if life gives you lemons" route.  Dang, now I need lemonade too :)

I think these are my favorite ones.  Just loved how they turned out - in real life.  You'll just have to take my word that it's limeade ice, not yellow.  So cheery and fun.

Ok, one last one for me.  I had a harder time with this color combo, so I just put the chevrons on a grey cover plate, and it worked much better.  Still not my favorite, but at least I tried going outside my comfort zone. 

Here's all of them together.  Yes, that's my lovely deck underneath.  My little helper was with me for this picture, so only had one take.

Thanks for looking.  I'll post some follow-ups once I get the sentiments on, as in the afternoon of card club.  And here's my little helper, sleeping peacefully while I try and figure out how to post and crop all these pictures.

Why I have to resort to the middle of the night for crafting.

Here's just a few of the things that are taking my time during the day.

 Alex has a fascination with "nails"  He drops the "s" sound from  words, so hence the "nails".  It is sometimes confusing, but in this instance, it's good advice with or without the s -"Watch out for the nails!  Don't step on the nails!!"  The reason I have a picture of it is because that was the only way to get him inside that morning.  Well, I probably could have brought the "nail" inside, but shuddering.

Well, this is just cute.

Next is Alex doing his best ET impression.  We had a big box of stuffed animals out, so of course why play with the animal when you can play with the box.

Last day of school

Well, it was almost a month ago that the kids had their last day of school.  But, since I finally remembered to bring my phone cord down to the computer, I've downloaded my pictures.  Yes, I realize that I could have just walked upstairs to get the said cord in 35 seconds, which according to Jack and Hubert isn't a very long time.  Anyway, here's some pictures of the last day. 



Here are their crazy faces pictures.  FYI - Alex dressed him self this morning.  I don't actually believe that camo goes with everything :)

  

I told Emma and Andrew to squat down to be the same height as Alex, but he squatted down too, so we were just left with this picture.

 I guess them sort of squatting isn't much better.  I like how their fingers look like they are both in great pain.

  

We're going in backwards order here.  Because I'm too lazy to switch them around.  And, because chances are that something will happen to them if I do.  Here's Emma and Andrew together doing their crazy picture, before Alex had made it outside.

But, by going backwards, we've saved the best for last.  Two sweet pictures of my 1st and 4th graders.  Wow, I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  They've both grown and learned so much over this last year.

Matching Skirts

I have a problem.  A problem that I don't really want to seek help for, but probably should.  And, I know I'm not the only one with this problem.  I think it's in my genes.  I'm a hoarder - a fabric hoarder.  Ok, and I paper and washi tape hoarder too, but that's not the point of this post :)  
So, after Erika was born, I purchased quite a few cute fabrics to make skirts.  And, I still have quite a few yards sitting around waiting to be made into skirts, but for the last two Saturdays I've made skirts.  And no, that's not at the last minute.  Sunday morning, when I'm usually trying to make a hair bow is last minute.  
Emma also got a new skirt too.  I know, I was on a roll.  
So, here's the new skirts.

These are their matching skirts.  Aren't they cute?

And here's the coordinating ones.  

 And just a few of Erika because she's so darn cute!

 I know this one is blurry, but it so seems like her.

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Well, I think I'm squeaking this in just under the wire.  Here's what Nicole gave us to get our creative juices flowing.


I had a vision of the card I was going to make, and was actually able to come close to that, thanks to the delivery of my newest PTI die - Cover Plate Chevron.  Super fun to use!!!  My card came together rather quickly, once my 6 month old decided to take a longer than 10 minute nap -it was like a whopping 30 minute one.  Hopefully she'll sleep tonight!!  Well, if not, I'll be blog hopping in the wee hours of the night.

What's been keeping me busy

I love crafting and always plan on taking pictures of what I've done, but it somehow never actually happens.  But, I have a good excuse - introducing Erika

 

This is from St Patty's Day.  I made the skirt and head band, thanks to pinterest.  How did I ever do anything with out them?