{Paint}

Ahhhhhhh, I fooled you! You thought I was going to show you a really cool project using paint----

NOPE! Instead, I'm just telling you that the reason I haven't posted a pretty is that I have been painting Joshua's room---yep---it's summer time---and that's when I have the time to do these awful tasks! Now, I really don't mind painting a "room"----"room" meaning WALLS----it's the woodwork that I hate---and yes, I'm painting the woodwork----

Our house is over 30 years old---think back, 1977---COUNTRY  is JUST coming onto the scene---natural wood is IN----but not really natural wood---but really DARK STAINED WOODWORK===NOW, fast forward 30 years later and you have some nasty woodwork to paint---So, I have spent the last few days sanding, dusting, taping, and finally painting---THREE coats is what it takes to cover that dark woodwork--even after priming, SO---I HATE painting the woodwork.......

BUT, lest you feel I have whined you straight on to the next blog---I must say, when it's all done---it's truly worth it. It TOTALLY changes the look of the room---(and, this is my last room in the house to have to do it in) *Insert "Hallelujah Chorus" here.

Joshua wants an Indiana Jones room----so we are just painting a khaki color and I'll buy some brown bedding---put a little whip and hat on the wall and call it Indiana Jones---I figure we can change it easily enough to something else when he tires of Mr. Jones this way!! I am trying to think of something fun to do with his window treatment to help with the theme, so if you are super creative---and know how to do it CHEAP--let me know!!! I'm really not the girl who spends a ton of money on the "stuff" in our house (except for MY stuff, that is!!)  ; }

My goal is to have the room back together (at least the bed in it's place and most of the furniture back to the right spots) by Wednesday night---SOOOO, perhaps I can post something then--

If you are still here, you are probably Connie or you are related to me----so thank you very much and I love you! 

Hugs~

Kathleen

{Sweet Little Baby and a Tag}

I loved the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge this week. I have "lurked" before, but never participated, but I thought this was so fun that I had to use it.

I LOVE this baby set from PTI, Bitty Baby Blessings. I made this card a 5" x 5"----I usually use 5.25, but I just cut it at 5" and then wondered why??? That's what I get for watching TV while I'm stamping! For the focal point I stamped the elephant and cut and embossed the square, then matted it on a scalloped mat. I haven't used this Everyday Blessings patterned paper yet because I don't have the aqua mist ink pad, but I thought I could use it for this particular card since I was paper piecing.

I never would have done this card had I not had some square punches---I don't have the SU! punches but I have my old Creative Memories square punches ---you remember, the one with two punches on one thingy---that's the technical name for it! I'm sorry, I didn't think to measure the dimensions of the squares. Anyway, that made this SOOOOOO simple! I was amazed at how fast this went---I made the envelope to match---I LOVE that!

I decided I would keep it simple and not "bling it up"---(I just made that up!) :) I thought it was cute the way it is. I have done a lot of clean and simple cards lately...which usually means more cards to share!

Well, you know you are a blogger when you get your first "tag"--I'm assuming it's called tag because you get tagged and then you "tag" someone else---like "tag you're it", when you were a kid---anyway, LeAnne over at Wee Inklings has tagged me. (LeAnne is a stamping MACHINE---she can produce more in a day than I can in a week!) Check out her blog, I know you will enjoy it!

Anyway, here are the answers to her tag. I'm supposed to give you 7 random facts about myself and then tag seven other people, so here goes:
1. I am a preacher's kid and I actually enjoyed it---(ask me about it sometime---I have great parents).
2. I have two daughters and then a nine year gap and a son---that will change your life!
3. I have had a baby in all three states my husband and I have lived in----I told him we couldn't move again ; ).
4. I love all my in-laws---really, all of them.
5. The Ku Klux Klan put out a contract on my Father's life and shot into our home when I lived in Mississippi in the 60's because my Dad stood up in a Baptist Church pulpit and said that we had to do something to help the people in the African American churches in our state that had been burned down.
6. I have traveled to 10 (or maybe a few more that I can't remember right now) countries in this beautiful world we live in.
7. I LOVE Harry Potter---the books, I mean, not Daniel Radcliffe!

OK---that was sooooooo much harder than I thought it would be!!

Now, about tagging 7 other people---I honestly don't KNOW 7 other bloggers. I mean, I feel like I know a LOT of bloggers, but I don't have even 2 actual friends who blog, SOOOOOO, I will skip the tagging and do this----you can leave me 7 random facts about yourself here in the comments, or just one, if you don't have time for seven! I'm sorry mine are a little lame---but I really couldn't think of 7 INTERESTING facts about myself!!
Thanks so much for looking!
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: Bitty Baby Blessings (PTI)
Paper: Everyday Blessings Patterned Paper, Kraft, Spring Moss, Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White Cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Square & Scalloped Square Nestabilities, Dimensionals

{Stella}

I was in Atlanta when Taylor posted her Cupcake Challenge 21, but as soon as I got home I had to use her sketch! I made this little card. Taylor (from Taylored Expressions) always has a little drawing of all the people who use her sketch and gives them some little "candy". I missed out on that, but her sketch was so fun with that circle on the side that I had to try it.
I used my Creative Memories Circle Cutter (is that what that is called?) to make the circles. I have the Nestabilities Circles, but I didn't think they were big enough for this--so I just used the other.

Stella is from Stamping Bella and she's amazing. And, of course, she has a cupcake, so it was just fitting for me to use her on this Cupcake Challenge. (You don't have to use a cupcake, but like Taylor says, "if you have one, why don't you use it!") I used my Stampin' Up markers to color her dress and I used my aquapainter and SU! ink for the rest. She turned out OK---I'm going to try it all with watercolor paper next time and see if I can blend it with some water or alcohol in my aquapainter. Jody Morrow (aka TexasJodyLynn) has a tutorial on how to use alcohol in your aquapainter on her blog here . And Cambria Turnbow just did a tutorial this week using water in her aquapainter and SU markers. Now, don't get me wrong---I don't know these girls at all, so I'm not "dropping names"---I just read a LOT of blogs and I learn a lot from them---these are some things I'm going to try!

I used some more Basic Grey paper from the Romani paper pack. I LOVE that--I will be so sad when it's gone! I double coated the "icing" of the cupcake with Dazzling Diamonds glitter from SU! I was surprised at how thick it turned out. I put more glitter on the star and some Crystal Effects on the cherry--even though you can't see it. Well, I need to run~I hope you have a great day! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Kathleen


Recipe:
Stamps: leaning tower of stella (Stamping Bella)
Paper: Real Red, Ballet Blue Cardstock (SU!), Spring Moss, Stamper's Select White CS (PTI), Basic Grey Romani
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, More Mustard, Certainly Celery, Ballet Blue, Blush Blossom (SU!)
Accessories: Large & Small Star Punches, Slot Punch (SU!), Circle Cutter (Creative Memories), Celery 5/8" ribbon, Bella Baubles (Stamping Bella)

{Clearly Quick & Simple}

OK---I just got the courage last night to post a link to the PTI June Blog Hop. I am a bit insecure about my abilities, but I have just decided---DO IT! What can it hurt!? So, here's my June Blog Hop "entry".

Since I only had a few minutes this morning, I decided I would make it simple. I'm sure there will some amazing folds and uses of transparencies tonight, but I just made a simple 4x4 card. The PTI products make everything look so good! Coordination is a beautiful thing!






I paper pieced the gift to make it look like wrapping paper.














Here's a close up of how it's "popped up" and I had to add a little bling---which looks like it doesn't match in this picture, but it does IRL! I know your time is short, so I'll just post the details below!

Thanks for looking and come back anytime~
Kathleen
(mamanelchik)

Check out the other great blogs participating on this list.

ETA: OF COURSE, my PTI stuff just came, (I ordered a little late) but I can't play with it!!! My daughter is home from Turkey and she's making dinner "Turkish style"!!! It ought to be yummy--she's a great cook especially to only be 19!! SO, I'll have to wait until later to use my yummy purples!!

Recipe:
Stamps: It's a Celebration (PTI)
Paper: Pink Patterns DP, Sweet Blush, Stamper's Select White CS (PTI)
Ink: Sweet Blush (PTI), Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Transparency (Staples), Dimensionals, Pink Gemstones (Hero Arts)

{Scoring}

We went to the mall last week before we left for Atlanta because David wanted to go to Barnes & Noble...Joshua is always willing to go somewhere if he gets to buy something and a book is something we are almost always willing to buy him!

ANYWAY---as I was leaving the house, I remembered I had a coupon to Archivers---a 30% off any one item coupon! Suddenly the trip got a little happier for me! I have wanted a Scor-pal for sometime---so I bought one! YEA for me! For my friends who endure this blog and are not stampers/paper crafters, a Scor-pal is a tool to help you "create accurate and precise scores giving you professional looking folds, no more crooked cards" (in their words!) Here's my first creation with it:

(As I look at this lattice in the picture, it looks like that one place didn't score all the way, but it did---very curious photography....hmmmm??) This is a simple card that didn't take me long. Now, when I see these blog posts: 10 minute card....I just laugh----not because I don't believe THEY could make a card in 10 minutes, but it takes me 10 minutes to just think of which image to use!!! Not to mention paper, layout, etc! BUT, I will say, if I wasn't such a slow worker, this could have been a 10 minute card! The Pink Patterns patterned paper piece (say that 3 times fast) was a scrap I had tucked into the rest of the pages. I love this Spring Moss paper and ink and the Berry Sorbet saddle stitched ribbon is SOOOOO great to tie. I am definitely bow challenged but the PTI ribbons really help my bows look better! This image is from the new Stampin' Up! Catalog. I got it early because I had a party in June and got it FREE! I LOVE FREE!!! Anyway, I hadn't used it yet and wanted to pull it out--I resisted adding anything else to this card---clean and simple--that was the point! Thanks so much for looking~

Have a blessed day~
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: Fresh Cuts (SU!)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet, Pink Patterns DP (all PTI)
Ink: Spring Moss (PTI)
Accessories: Berry Sorbet Saddle Stitched Ribbon, Dimensionals

{Georgia Aquarium}

Good morning from Atlanta~

We went to the Georgia Aquarium yesterday---can I just say this: DO NOT GO TO THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM ON A SATURDAY! Don't get me wrong, we had a fun time, but, DO NOT GO TO THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM ON A SATURDAY!  (Sorry for yelling! I just want you to go on another day!) I felt like I was at a theme park---it was just insane the number of people they let in there. The only reason we went yesterday was because it was the only day we could go. We aren't just on a vacation, David has meetings he has to attend,---so, it was either fight the crowds, or not go, so we chose the former and held on to our child! 

I do highly recommend this aquarium. They have some amazing displays. Several of these pictures were taken in a display where you step onto a moving track and it takes you underneath all the creatures--that's where this picture is taken (if I can get blogger to oblige me!)

They have numerous touch pools where you can feel all sorts of sea creatures-sea stars, crabs, shrimp, etc.

I'm sure my blogger problems are USER problems---but I just can't get the writing to go where I want it---anyway, I'm new enough to this that I'm still on a pretty large learning curve!  I'll be home tomorrow evening, so hopefully I can stamp some on Tuesday! I miss my stuff!! :) 

Thanks for stopping by~

Kathleen 

{Pictures from Indianapolis}

No card today---just some pictures from the Indianapolis Children's Museum a couple weeks ago---for those of you interested in my family, I'm sorry I've taken so long! Here's Joshua attacking some cotton candy after lunch....I'm not sure I would have let the girls do this...that's sort of sad! BUT, that's one of the great things you learn when you have a child later in your life...the small stuff really doesn't matter!! (and my girls just tell me I can pay for their therapy someday!)

Here's Joshua sitting on some "dinosaur eggs" and holding one. They had little costumes that you could dress up in, but he was way too cool for that....yeah, being 7 is pretty cool! They have a HUGE dinosaur exhibit that is really amazing. This is only one little part of it. They have a game room with all sorts of video games from PONG, who remembers PONG??? to Pacman, to the most recent X-Box and Playstation games. In this same area there are numerous board games. Here are David and Joshua in a mean game of Jenga!

Below, Joshua was in a bulldozer that kids can "drive" (like a bicycle, only using your hands) and pick up thousands of rubber rocks and then transport them to different places---quite cool! And, of course, with Spiderman. They had another large exhibit on comics---and had thousands of artifacts and interactive ways for children to get involved. One of the batmobiles from the movie was there. I forgot to upload one of those pictures, I guess, but it was pretty cool to see that.

This picture, below, isn't at the museum...this is at a restaurant in Indianapolis with some of our closest friends in the world---we've known them for over 20 years. Here's Drew Melton, Joshua, David and Doug Melton with the Pope---yep, we got to eat with the Pope.....well, sort of! The restaurant is Buca di Beppo---it's a chain of restaurants across the US---it's a loud, family friendly place. We had a fun time---but we always have a fun time with the Meltons! Well, that's the post for today. We are enjoying Atlanta---tomorrow we are going to the Aquarium and Sunday to the Coca-Cola museum, so I will have some happy memories and maybe a picture or two to share! Hugs~

Kathleen

{a quick gift}

I am always looking for a quick gift for a friend....not because I'm so spontaneous and giving, but because I'm always LATE! On Saturday, when I was having serious "mojo" problems, I was browsing around SCS and saw these easy cards---I decided they would be the perfect gift for a couple of my friends who have birthdays this month. I just made two of each and have an easy gift to present on their special day. Both of them are stampers, so it's not like I will wow them with my talent, but even the best stampers need a last minute card occasionally. I used the PTI colors because they don't have them and I thought it would be fun for them to have something made with them. I don't have the aqua mist, so I used tempting turquoise ---is anyone else having trouble getting that? I guess that's what happens when you wait a couple months to order it! Bummer---I also just tried to order the guide lines stamp set---yep, it's gone! Here's the lesson: Order on the 15th of the month!!

I used the outgoing SU! hostess set For a Friend. I found these great cards--and the idea HERE on SCS. I just loved the simplicity of these cards. I decided to just use each of the stamps once except for Birthday wishes--I used that one twice---they each have 3 children, so there's always a birthday party around the corner.

The cards I CASEd used a dauber to make the little spotlight of color---I loved that size "dot", but I don't have those daubers and I didn't want to wait around to get some. I found a circle stamp that I use on something for school, so I just used that--it's a little bit big, but I think it worked anyway. I resisted the urge to add layers and more embellishments and kept them simple. I just used some tulle to tie them up and added a tag. I hope they enjoy them. I've put all the information below, but I didn't show it by indivdual card---I just lumped them all together.

Here's a picture of each individual card:




















Thanks for looking~
Recipe:
Stamps: For a Friend (SU!)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, Lavender Moon, (PTI) Tempting Turquoise (SU!)
Paper: Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, Lavender Moon, (PTI) Tempting Turquoise (SU!)
Accessories: 5/8" grosgrain in Berry Sorbet, Double Stitched ribbon in Lavender Moon & Lemon Tart, 3/8" twill in Summer Sunrise, Bella Baubles & mini glue dots

{Baby Boy}

NOOOOOO, I'M not having a baby boy, but a man at my husband's office just did---well, his wife did, of course! I needed to make something quickly---so I went back to Beate's Weekend Sketch Files and found this one. I don't think I did it before---I had this great idea in my mind, but it didn't turn out quite like I had hoped---I made the mistake of actually taping down the twill before I really looked at it---and I don't really like it---it was a good idea, but the execution is not great---if I wasn't in a hurry I'd try to fix it, but I need to send this in today---SOOOOO, there ya have it!

I used that sweet buggy from Papertrey Ink's set Bitty Baby Blessings. I love that set. I found this paper at the Target Dollar spot. I paper pieced the buggy---I love that technique....is that a technique??? It seems so easy to be called a "technique"! As I was digging through my paper today I made a commitment that I had to use the paper I had instead of buying anymore stuff---it's just insane the amount of designer paper I have. Anyway, I pulled that out and when I saw the buggy it was a done deal for me. I used the flash on my camera because I wanted you to be able to see the little shiny birds. I ended up washing out the photo a little bit, but the coating shows up. :) The details are below!

We are leaving for another trip with David today--Caitlin is still out of town and Hannah left last night for a study abroad program to England with Hillsdale College. So it's just the three of us at home again. We are going to Atlanta. David has all sorts of meetings, and we will just be hanging out---there's a great Aquarium there and we'll tour the Coca-Cola museum. That is a really fun tour. We went several years ago with the girls before Joshua was born, so it will be fun to take him. The Braves are in town, but I'm not sure that either my husband or myself could stomach that---we love baseball, but we hate the Braves! But, it is a major league ballpark, so we may have to sacrifice for our son! Anyway, I don't know if we'll go or not, but I'm sure we will have a great time together---this is our last little trip for awhile, so we'll make the most of it!

I've scheduled a post or two and if I get brave, I'll see if I can post something from Atlanta. Have a great Thursday!

Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: Bitty Baby Blessings (PTI)
Paper: Certainly Celery (SU!), Stampers Select White (PTI), Baby Boy (Target Dollar Spot)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon,
Accessories: Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise Markers (SU!), String of Pearl Baubles (Stamping Bella), Mini Glue dots, Celery 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (SU!) Spring Moss Twill (PTI)

{MWAH!}

MWAH! I recently sent this in a text message to my sister and she texted me back saying, "what's mwah?" She was thinking it was an acronym, and I was thinking "MWAH!"---it's a kiss---go ahead, say it aloud, MWAH!---Do you hear the kissing sound? Think DIVA giving a big FAKE kiss to her girlfriend---do you hear it now? See, it's kinda fun, huh? Now, I HAVE been called a diva a few (hundred) times in my life, so perhaps that's why I knew immediately what this was when I first saw it written on a note that my daughter had from a girlfriend in 7th grade---Anyway, I sign my kids stuff with this occasionally--

I made this card for my oldest, Caitlin who is coming home from 5 weeks in Turkey on Monday. I am SOOOO glad she's going to be home soon! I'm going to give her a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure and thought this was the perfect image to use for the card. She has a wedding to attend the weekend after she arrives and I know after roughing it in Turkey for 5 weeks, her feet will likely be a mess. AND, I just wanted to pamper her a little.

I used the mwahbella for Jen's Sketch for You to Try (SFYTT). I really didn't know how to color this image, so I found some of my favorite paper from the Basic Grey Romani line and went from there. The green here looks like Green Galore, but it's actually Certainly Celery---I just layered it a few times and it turned out darker---I used my aquapainter some, but still added some marker as well. By the time I finished coloring, the celery ribbon just wouldn't do, so I used green galore. I had a close up of the image, but when I uploaded it it just looked AWFUL, so just the one picture today! This sketch was a lot of fun--I hope to try it again soon. Well, I'm off the mow the lawn! Yeah, I hate that, but it's about 60 degrees out there this morning, so I can't really complain!!

Thanks for looking~have a wonderful day--
MWAH!
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps: mwahbella with words (Stamping Bella) Borders & Corners Monogram Edition (PTI)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Certainly Celery, Brocade Blue, Blush Blossom (SU!)
Paper: Brocade Blue, Basic Black, Blush Blossom (SU!) Stampers Select White (PTI), Romani line
(Basic Grey)
Accessories: Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa, Real Red, Creamy Caramel Markers, (SU!), Aquapainter (SU!) Glue dots, String of pearls baubles (Stamping Bella), Dimensionals, Crystal Effects (on the heart--you just can't see it in the pictures), Fiskars Paper Cutter/Scoring tool, Cuttlebug, Embossing folder, Circle Punch, Yellow Marvy Scalloped Circle Punch

{Boy Birthday Card}

Hello again---now don't faint! I know, I know---a post for three STRAIGHT days---seriously, hang on to something! (I just crack myself up!--it's very sad, actually!) I told you I did a lot of stamping on Saturday---so now I have a few things ready to show you!

Hannah had a birthday party to attend on Saturday night, and, horrors---it was for---duh, duh, duhn (sung in the most 1920's style possible---think silent movie---do you get it...OK, if I have to ask, I just should delete it---but, I'm not going to---back to the duh, duh, duhn...)....A BOY!!! NO, he's not a "special boy"---at least not to her---the horror is that I had to make a card for a 16 year old boy!!! I just don't do that very well. On top of this tragedy, I have had some serious mojo problems lately. When this happens, I usually browse around on people's blogs or SCS until I find just the right card to CASE (copy and share with everyone).

I had just had a Stampin' Up party, so I had a new stamp set---I probably wouldn't have gotten it, but I do love the punches and had gotten both star punches FREE---HELLO! from the party, so I decided to buy the In the Stars set in the Occasions mini (until June 30, btw). It's a good stamp set for boys---it could be patriotic with the right colors, etc. Anyway, I looked that set up on SCS and found this giftcard holder. Isn't it cute?? It doesn't look girly and I had everything I needed to make it. Here's my take on it---I used an old Itunes card to help me know the size to make it----so that's why this picture has a black card in it. But, of course, when I actually BOUGHT the itunes card(after I had made the holder)---it was WIDER---Murphy's Law should have told me this.

Anyway, I was able to just fold the card I had gotten for said boy and then put it on a piece of stamped cardstock. It looked cuter this way anyway---not that I was going for cute---right? Anyway, Hannah was happy---I'm sure said boy was happy (with the gift card) and I was just happy I got to stamp for awhile!!! All is well!

Thanks so much for stopping by....
Kathleen

Recipe: ALL SU! Card
Stamps: In the Stars (SU!)
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, More Mustard, Stazon Jet Black, Versamark, Wild Wasabi (on insert) (SU!)
Paper: East Coast Prep, Kraft CS, Wild Wasabi (SU!)
Accessories: Double Stitched Wild Wasabi Ribbon, Dimensionals, (SU!)

{Bella Birthday}

Here's my take on Taylor's sketch challenge. Taylor had a birthday this week, but I didn't really get this ready for her virtual surprise birthday party---oh well, this is typical for me! I hope it was a happy one! I had a lovely Saturday---I stamped all day long. I made some gifts for some friends and a few other cards. It was a great day!!! It's been forever since I've just stamped all day....

As I began coloring this bella I really wished I had some Copic markers, but I just don't think I can justify the cost, so I color with my SU! markers. I tried to use my aquapainter, but I'm just awful at it----I recently had a Stampin' Up party and asked my demonstrator to use my aquapainter to make sure nothing was wrong with it....and just as I suspected, it was fine....it's just user error!!! I think I need to just keep practicing. As I'm looking at this card on my blog, I think I'll change the little tag---it's too busy with that stamping on it. I think I'll just get a tag and stamp the writing on it---but not the little swirlies. (Again with a made-up word---can 'swirly' be plural?!) What do you think? Is it too busy?

Anyway--I had intended to use this card to fulfill another challenge besides Taylor's. It was from Sharon Johnson's blog....No Time to Stamp. The challenge this week was to use BOLD colors----and this, I did. But when I realized that the title was Stamp Simply, I realized that it didn't really fit the challenge....this is not a simple card...not that it's difficult, but it took some time, so it didn't work for her challenge....all of this to say, this is why I had the BOLD colors on this card today. It's much busier than I really like, but I do love this paper.

So, short and sweet today---Happy Belated Birthday, Taylor! Thanks for the lovely challenge.

Have a great Monday!!!

Kathleen

Recipe:

Stamps: Cuppacakeabella (Stamping Bella), It's a Celebration (PTI)

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie, Stamper's Select White (PTI), Basic Grey-Romani DP

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Vintage Brads, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue, Bella Baubles, 5/8" red ribbon, Tag---Cuttlebug die cut, Linen Thread, Markers: Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Close to Cocoa, Pixie Pink, Blush Blossom

{Happy Father's Day}

Here's my wonderful husband! David Nelson--husband to one, father to three~(there's a card below, if you want to just scroll until you see it!) I giggled when I took this picture, because his hair was SOOOO long---he usually keeps it really short, but he just got too busy and didn't get it cut...anyway, I love this picture of him because it captures him! I'm sure some of you are wondering why I have a picture of my husband up here and not my daddy. Well, this is a tribute to my husband---the father of my children. He's a good father---we have a happy family--lots of laughter, and lots of noise. Too much for his taste sometimes! David is not the dad who seems to be super dad----but he is. I remember when we first moved to North Carolina---David brought this Texas girl across the Mississippi and far into North Carolina---and not just to visit, but TO LIVE!!!If you know anything about Texans, we really like our home state---and we don't like to leave it. We were headed here for him to go back to school. We had two little girls and I had been staying home with them. He knew that my desire was to continue to stay at home with them---but how would we do that while he went back to school? He worked several jobs and went to school in order to allow me to continue to stay at home. That's the kind of dad he is....he knew that I wanted to be at home. He knew that this was important to our children, so he worked A LOT and took an overload to give our children that sense of security they had known their entire lives. He still does that sort of thing---he teaches extra classes to provide for our family. He wants our children to have opportunities, so he takes on an extra student at school to give them the extra money it takes to travel abroad.

He encourages our children to think. At dinner time David always asks our children thought provoking questions---most days they love that---some days they don't...but he asks them anyway! Some days Joshua and I just sit there and let the girls and David go after it---I know it won't be long before Joshua joins in. I will then be forced to engage my mind....something I try to avoid most days!!

He's a good husband. he LOVES me---23 years he's put up with me---through cross-stitching, Longaberger Baskets, scrapbooking, and now my stamping stuff!!! It's become fodder for the Christmas letter! And this is the easy stuff he puts up with!

He loves our children---he has developed such a sweet relationship with the girls. As they have grown up, their relationship has changed and matured into more than just the little girl viewing her daddy as her protector and hero, and into a growing friendship. It's a sweet thing to see. I love to see him outside playing baketball or football with Joshua ---this is what Joshua needs right now---He's even a better dad for him now than he was with our girls---age will do that to you!

He loves my family---his "in-laws"---all of them. My clan can be a quirky bunch, but he loves us! This is so special to me! He treats my parents like his own and he honors them whenever possible. He is a good man.

He serves the community. He's an elder at our church, he's the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Trinity Academy of Raleigh, he teaches Sunday School. He's KIND---this would not have been a word I used to describe him when we were dating---don't get me wrong, he wasn't mean, but he has matured into a very kind person. His dad was kind--he always thought of others---and he raised kind, thoughtful children. David loves the Lord, serves others and honors his family. How could I ask for a better father for my children? He's a great example to them of a godly man. He's a blessing to me. I wish I had begun this note before midnight on Saturday night---I might have had a better text. But I couldn't let Father's Day get away from me without letting the world know what a great dad my kids have!

SOOOO-Here's the card I made for him. I used Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge as my starting point. I copied the idea to put the tree on the side of the paper from this post by Lauren Meador---she's fantastic! I am always amazed when I see her projects---she sees things in stamps/paper/alterables that I NEVER would see. She's so creative. I'm so glad she shares it for everyone to see and use. I'll put the details in the recipe---I need to get going! I hope your Father's Day is a special one!

Whether you have your daddy still on earth or not, I hope you have some good memories of your dad today!

Hugs~

Kathleen

Recipe:

Stamps: Father Knows Best-PTI

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White, Father Knows Best DP

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Summer Sunrise

Accessories: Cuttlebug and Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, 5/8" Summer Sunrise Grosgrain, Paper Piercing tool and mat

{Indianapolis}

Well, my husband has a meeting in Indianapolis this week. Since both the girls are still overseas, we decided we'd bring Joshua and make a trip of it---you would think that Indianapolis was quite an exotic place to hear Joshua describe it! We did spend a day at the Children's Museum today---I'm going to try to post some pictures, but I'll have to see if I can actually figure out how to get them on this computer! I had hoped to have a few posts ready before I left, but I just ran out of time--so, you'll have to wait until I get home for any paper projects! For the two of you who actually read this, I just wanted you to know where we were---Kris, you were right about the museum---it was an amazing day. We stayed almost 5 HOURS!!!! YEP---FIVE! I'll get some pictures up soon.

Have a great day~
Kathleen

{A Father's Day Card}

I made my Dad's Father's Day card---yes, I made it early. Don't faint! I am the queen of procrastination when it comes to my family's cards---seriously. I know every family member's birthday---these dates do not surprise me, but I NEVER have a card made on time---SOOOOO, I used Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge and made his card. I had made a card for this sketch already---you can see it here. But I really liked this sketch, so I decided to make his card NOW---(now, realize I haven't made my husband's yet, but I do have one for my daddy....I haven't been inspired yet to make yours honey, really! But, I will---I promise!)

Where was I? Oh yes, the card---I used PTI's Father Knows Best set. I really don't have many masculine sets, so I was so happy to find this one. I love the trees in this set---and all the sayings will last me several years. I have never felt very comfortable with my cards for men, but I really like the versatility of this set---that's one of the things I love about Papertrey Ink---the sets are so versatile. It makes for a better investment....at least in my humble opinion!!


I scored the image piece on this one. I do like that look---and I used the leaves with some Spring Moss ink to create some grass.


I also stacked two dimensionals to attach the stamped image. I have been on a 5.25" square card binge lately---I'm not sure what that's about, but I love that size card!

Well, I have an Inservice Day today, so I'm going to run. I hope you have a blessed Monday~

Hugs~
Kathleen



Recipe:
Stamps: Father Knows Best
Ink: Chocolate Chip- SU!, Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss-PTI,
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Stamper's Select White, Summer Sunrise-CS, Father Knows Best Patterned Paper,
Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, CB, Square nestabilites, Vintage Brads (SU!), Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon,

{TECC18}

Here's another Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge. I love her sketches. I didn't have an image that size so I had to get creative. I needed a baby card for someone, so I just used these precious onesies by Papertrey Ink's Bitty Baby Blessings and went for it. The stamping is not my best ever----but overall I thought the card turned out cute. I should use a Stamp-a-majig or whatever that thing is, but I don't have one, so my onesies aren't quite straight and the little stamps on top===not so straight....why am I telling you everything wrong with it??? Sorry about that. Isn't that what we do? We do something nice, but it's not perfect so we disect it to death---

I really like this stamp set---I know I will have many opportunities to use it over and over again. And I got to use one of my favorite techniques---paper piecing. It's SOOOO easy and makes a card look special. The patterned paper is all from Papertrey, too.

Well, my husband and daughters are still out of the country, so Joshua and I are having a good time hanging out. He's enjoying a movie tonight---much later than he could usually stay up on a "school night"---since we are out of school! Do you remember that feeling as a child? All you could think of was the days upon days of summer fun in front of you!!! I remember it well~those were great times! What was your favorite summer memory growing up?

Have a wonderful day!!
Kathleen

Recipe:
Stamps:PTI Bitty Baby Blessings
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Lavender Moon, Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, Lemon Tart
Paper: Lemon Tart, Lavender Moon, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White CS & Bitty Baby Blessings Patterned Paper-all PTI
Accessories: Lavender Moon Grosgrain, Summer Sunrise Twill, Spring Moss Twill--PTI, CB die for tag, Dimensionals (double stacked), Linen Thread, sponge