SFF and CCMC for this week 8/31/13

So today's card is for two challenges. One is a color challenge from Create with Connie and Mary:

The second challenge is from Sketch Frenzy Friday:

So using that design and those colors, I created a fall inspired card. Just wish it felt more like fall!

Macaroni Kid 8/26/13

So I was a wee bit excited for school to start this week.

http://leaguecity.macaronikid.com/article/550069/mommy-confessions

Office Supply Gift Basket

My daughter has a friend who turned 8 and we were invited to her birthday party. The little girl is so sweet and loves just loves office supplies and craft items. Last year we got her this craft box you could decorate and she loved it and still plays with it, so I felt the need to do as good of a job this year for her birthday.

I decided to create a gift basket full of craft and office supplies. I may or may not have gotten out of hand with it because I decorated and monogramed some of the supplies as well. I really like how it all turned out.

I purchased items from both Target and the dollar store. I love summer time when you can buy crayons and markers for dirt cheap and with kids you always need that stuff. 

I decopodged a binder, giant cloths pin (It holds photos or artwork), a composition notebook, and a clip board. I used some paper I had in my stash and than punched out layers for the monogram. 

I packed it all up inside the basket I picked up at the dollar store. 

Unscripted Sketches #7

This week on Unscripted Sketches, I am being very literal with my card.

retro sketches #78

What a fun sketch this week over at retro sketches and it screamed rainbow for me. I created a hybrid card this week using My Digital studio for the pennant background and than stamping the image and cutting it out using this month's stamp from Paper Pumpkin.

cQc # 203

This week's cQc colors are so pretty but I was lost on what to do. I for some reason was drawn to the British police/phone box stamp that was part of the SU saleabration. I had gotten the set specifically for that one stamp because it reminded me so much of Doctor Who so I only stamp it ever in a variety of blues.

Here is the cQc color pallet:

Here is the card I created. I  used the Pacific point for the flowers and box and than stamped celebrate in the Island Indigo. I kept adding flowers on it and I really liked how it turned out. 

Macaroni Kid 8-18-2013

Here is my Macaroni Kid column for this week

Getting Ready for Back to School

The Kids Clothes all bought- check. I like that we have nice weather almost year round, so we can be in shorts longer and warmer clothes do last longer on my kids who grow at a much slower rate though I admit I know one of these days they are both going to shoot up.

School Supplies- check. I admit to loving the annual school supply trip. I always buy extras for both the classroom, Girl Scouts, and the house. Especially when I have a kid who mostly colors and cuts paper all day. Even though I KNOW the scissors help with gross motor skills, I don't know how much more I can take with the constant clean up. At least he knows we need to sweep it up and he is helping.

Lunch and snack station- check. I decided to bring the snack bins inside and stick them up on my black shelf in the kitchen. The first thing out of the mouths of both kids is always I need a snack. I took the four tubs I got from the dollar store and filled them with granola bars, fruit snacks, etc. So I should be good for awhile because all three are basically filled to the brim and I still have a stash of fruit snacks in the garage. I like Miss O to  buy lunch because it is way cheaper than me making it but Mr. L may have to take it on occasion and I also don't mind Miss O taking it to break up the regularity of school lunch.

Teacher gift for the first day- check.  So I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was so cute and super easy to do. I just filled the drink cup up with about 30 drink packets.  I hope who ever she ends up with will like it- actually I know which ever 2nd grade teacher she gets will appreciate it.

So only a week to go for the first day for Miss O and a week and half for Mr. L (I am so excited for him to start Preschool- we both need it).

Becky

Recycled Art

My husband and I wandered into Downtown Houston for the Flea by Night Market at Discovery Green Park.  It was a quaint little market with a variety of goods. One of the vendors was The Tin Armadillo  who took cans of all sizes and created amazing artwork out of it. On our first pass of the market this hanging lamp caught my eye and I wondered where I would stick it.

After we tried some of the yummy food from the food truck, we passed them again and I decided that this lamp would find a place to live in my home. I am a sucker for owls and the artist told me they had also done a sculpture as well of an owl which had sold. Lucky thing for me that if I had seen it I might have ended up with that too.

So today my hubby hung the lamp in the corner of my living room over where my white tree is. I love the soft purple blue light that radiates out of it. It is such a unique piece of artwork that was hand created. I love handmade things!

cQc 202 & US#92

So this week I really liked both challenges on the colourQ and Unscripted Sketches so I thought that I would use both of them to create a single card.

colorQ offered a color inspiration:

Unscripted offered this sketch:

Using the two designs, I created this card. 

Card Challenge Blogs

Here is a list of all the awesome blogs that have card challenges.


Clean and Simple

Sketch Frenzy

retro sketches

Mojo Challenges

Crazy 4 Challenges

Create with Connie and Mary

ColourQ

Try Stampin on Tuesday

Unscripted Sketches

Hand Stamped Sentiments

Tuesday Morning Sketches

Stampin Celebration

Technique Twist

My Pumpkin Challenge

Macaroni Kid 8-12-13

Macaroni Kid Column :http://leaguecity.macaronikid.com/article/537705/mommy-confessions

Back to School Wreath

Now come on you didn't really think I wouldn't have a wreath for Back to School. I love these colors that I picked out. I used muted primary colors because I didn't want something so vibrant.


This was an easy one to create, the only problem was I had on a black dress so I got all the little fibers on it.

I just quickly painted the ABC in red and only did one coat so they were muted. So now only a few weeks left till school starts.

The Sweet Stop #223

Well I missed the deadline for last week's challenge so I made sure I had ti in this week because I really liked the challenge for Sweet Stop.  I am trying ombre with blues this week because it seemed that the eyeglasses screamed to be used.

Close up of the eyeglasses- I see you clearly!

retro sketches #76

This week has started off with some fun card challenges. As you will notice with my theme so far I am trying ombre with different shades of tealy blue. I always love the retro sketches has to offer and I created this card using this week's sketch.

Here is a close up of the ombre flowers. 

Fab Friday 24 Color Challenge

Fab Friday  had a great pastel color challenge this week with this palette:

The Sweet Stop 222 Challenge

This week I made the stop to see what the challenge was and this was the sketch and I totally missed the deadline to get it in but here it is anyways.

So I also had to create a card for a swap next week, and I really liked the sketch.

cQc #201

This week colourQ has this color challenge.

So I once again did a modern MDS take on it. It is clean and simple but is dynamic in my eyes. I mimic not only the colors but the picture as well.

retro sketches #75

So this week's retro sketches was one I used to create a Halloween card plus I have to make a bunch for a swap and I thought this would be perfect.

Here is the sketch:

Backpack Station Updo

So last school year I started using this bird hook thingy for backpacks, purses, hats, etc and than I added the bench there which is more decoration that usefulness (it had to be repaired after a certain seven year old stood on it).

So I wanted to bring down some hooks for the kids back backs now that both will be in school starting in about three weeks. Miss O is going to second and Mr. L is starting preschool (I am super excited to have some me time while he is there the three days). 

I wanted to make it easy for them but the hooks are giving me some problems, so we will see if they last. I moved my to do chalkboard to over by the door so we can write things down. The Live, Love, Laugh sign, I picked up in WI on my travels from this store in Antigo, WI. It is the weirdest store with all sorts of craft items and home decor. If I lived close by, I would be there ALL the time. 

Finally I fell head over heels in love with the giant B. I saw it at Hobby Lobby and wondered where I could put it. I decided that it  didn't need to come home with me and I walked away. Than after finally finding hooks I liked, I had an idea and after rewandering around the store because I couldn't remember where I saw it, I found it so it came home with me. 

Oh and if you are wondering about that black thing in the corner- that is a pet door which leads out to the garage for the cat box. 

So I figure this is a great drop zone for the kids backpacks when they get home. We usually come through the front door anyways. I love that not only is it functional, it is also appealing to the eyes. Did I say how much I love the giant B!!!

Becky

CCMC262 Color Challenge

Oh my was I excited when I saw this color challenge because those were the colors that had just arrived in the mail. I got them to start okaying around for the holidays (yes I know it is only August).

Here is the color challenge:

Here is my take using the party owl!!

ABC Banner

I have been wanting to do a Back to School banner but I Really didn't want to use the traditional primary colors because they would have stuck out like a sore thumb with my muted pallet of my house so as I was trolling the world wide web today and looking at the different challenges out there, I came across Hand Stamped Sentiments and the awesome idea of having a inspiration challenge. You could be inspired by the colors which I totally am and I added in more to complement it and you could be inspired by the back to school theme as well which I am too.

So you know me, I of course got to work at creating. I am home alone with no kids and no hubby and after my trip to Hobby Lobby and my slight redecorating of the backpack area (see it reveled on Monday), I got to work.

I used some of the new DSP from SU called Etcetera. The colors in there were  just perfect so I went to work. Yes I made rosettes which are a pain so that was why only three were created. I had at first thought of doing ABC/123 but I liked the triangles with just the rosettes. I die cut out from the apothecary framelits and than using a old letter stamp set did the ABC. I added in some silver bling.

I really like how it turned out and I am off to working on a new wreath for the front door which will also be back to school themed but with more of a punch of color.

retro sketches #74

Okay this week I am getting back into the swing of things with being gone for all of July. I finally got my desk cleaned off and all of the stuff I brought back with me. I am kidless for the next 24 hours as well and completely alone till 5 when my hubby comes home, so I am off to the craft store to wander by myself. I NEVER EVER get to do that. Usually a crying three year old prevents me from going in very long.


Here is this week's sketch:

I love the hot air ballon and as I was putting my stuff away, my eye caught this big K & Company embellishment that I got during my clearance rack raid. It is so cute and works perfectly. I used Afternoon Picnic DSP and just punched out some scallop circles and popped it up. It was a quick card but I think it delivers a punch. Now who can I send it to????

Sketch Frenzy Challenge 080213

Well this week's sketch was an fun one after I got going with it. As I was cleaning my desk up (see previous post) I was inspired to create a card and I also thought what a fun card for some one with a milestone birthday. My Mom just turned 60 two weeks ago so I used that age and I hope someone else will too or I can always change out the numbers.

Here is the sketch:

Here is my take on it. 

clean & simple 252

My desk at the moment looks like this:

I suppose I should clean it up. It is a mixture of a card making session and going through the stuff I bought. I cleared out the clearance rack at Michaels while out of town. I found some great embellishments that work really well with the colors SU has now. The embellishment I found from K and Company matched the Afternoon Picnic DSP.

Here is this week's sketch:

Here is my creation:

Supplies:

A mixture of stuff

SU Basic Grey, Very Vanilla, and Bermuda Bay

Afternoon Picnic DSP

I embossed the 1-7 with a strip I have had for ages. I think I picked it up on the clearance rack a long time ago. It is Cuttlebug. 

The stamp is the SU This and That rotary stamp with Basic Black ink

The embellishment is K &Company dimensional flowers. I think the colors all work well together. 

ColourQ #200 Challenge

Oh my what a fun color challenge to some back to after being gone from my stuff for over a month. I was itching so bad to craft especially if you saw the pile of stuff sitting on my desk which includes the July Paper Pumpkin as well as a whole new slew of papers I ordered plus Halloween. My hubby laughed at that but I told him it is never to early to get ready.

When I saw the color palette this week from ColourQ, I was so excited because these are some of my favorite colors right now and from what I already saw from the other projects submitted, I am not alone.

Here is the palette badge for this week. I love it because I love peacocks. I so want to redo our master bathroom in these colors and I have been slowly picking up stuff here and there for when we tackle that.

With being gone for over a month visiting family, I took close to 200 pictures from all over the state of Wisconsin. The ones I choose for this week's challenge page are from our day at Old World Wisconsin which is a wonderful area to explore full of vintage farms and old buildings. We went specifically for the Laura Ingalls Wilder weekend so my seven year old who has been reading the books wanted to dress up (poor thing was so hot that she had to change). She loves the costume and is planning on using it for Halloween as well. 

We had a blast just exploring the grounds and seeing how farms and towns worked during the 1800s. We had a blast. 

Macaroni Columns for July

July 30 Column

July 21 Column

July 16 Column