{Gable Box}

Last weekend my sister turned 50---I can say that because she doesn't read this blog, so blabbing her age isn't a problem! You know.... what she doesn't know won't hurt her...!

I made her a little gable box to put all her gifts in. She's not really a pink and green and orange girl, but this coordinated with all the "50" stuff we had bought for the table and balloons, so I went with it!

I didn't have any paper with just those colors in it and it was the day before---have you ever been there?SOOOO, I made my own. I used my Guidelines set to make some patterned paper--
Then I pulled out my ever useful Just Rite Stamper and made the "focal point"---I used the small letter set and the medium/large number set. I put them on a wooden stamper and stamped several in black. Then I used my circle and scalloped circle nestabilities dies to cut them out. This was so simple. I used Pixie Pink cardstock and Gable Green cardstock for the scalloped edge..

I bought her various things for inside the gable box---but the two main things were two giftcards to her favorite places---Home Depot and Linen's and Things.

I made gift card holders using Kristina Werner's template on Two Peas in a Bucket. You can find it here. This honestly only took me 30 minutes to make both of them. I used Rub-ons that I got free from the last Sale-a-bration from Stampin' Up. I really like those, I don't know why I don't use them more often? Anyway, that was my sister's birthday gift. It was fun to make something for it.....one of these days, I'll do it a week ahead so it can be exactly what I want it to be!

Have a great day!!

Stuff I used:
Stamps: Just Rite Stamper-Small letters, medium/large numbers
Paper: Pixie Pink, Gable Green, Only Orange, Basic Black (SU!), Stamper's Select White (PTI)
Ink: Pixie Pink, Gable Green, Only Orange, Stazon Jet Black
Accessories: Rub Ons, Dimensionals (SU!), Random Black ribbon from my stash, Cuttlebug and Embossing Folder, Foofala Button

{Papertrey Ink Blog Hop}

Well, I just got this in under the wire! I was reading Nichole's blog yesterday and she mentioned the Blog Hop and I knew I wanted to participate. I had to travel to a funeral today and I won't be home until around 7:30, so I knew I'd have to get something done last night and set it up to post. I was thrilled when I read what we were supposed to do for this because I have really needed to get on top of this gift giving thing! So, I made a box for this ornament that I found at Restoration Hardware. I bought enough to give to the kids teachers. I'll have to bake something, too---it's what I always do and they have come to expect it...not at all in a demanding way...they just love it. BUT, when I saw this ornament I couldn't pass it up. My sister and I cleaned out the whole store---it was so fun! You wouldn't believe what I paid for them---and it's my little secret, but let's just say it was a HUGE deal!

I don't think I'll use these colors for the actual gift box, but the box will be similar to this. Since I started after 9:00 last night I had to use what I had. I had NO plain 12 x 12 cardstock---none...how does that happen? Anyway, I wanted to use my new patterned paper from Papertrey and use my new yummy gold ribbon---this is why I bought it, BUT, I didn't have everything to make it like I wanted it, so I went with what I had.

I love this Fruitcake paper from Basic Grey's 2007 Christmas line. It's yummy. I used a 12 x 12 piece of that and scored it at 4" and 8", then turned the paper and scored it at the same places. I cut the sides up to the "square" in the middle (I didn't have time for a tutorial, but this is soooooo easy--you can figure it out!) Then I just folded it up and taped it with redline tape. I made the box top with an 8 x 8 piece of Pure Poppy and scored it at 2" and 6" on both sides. Then I folded and taped it as well. This part goes so fast.

I stamped the wreath from Rustic Branches on Kraft paper with Old Olive Ink. I added the berries in Pure Poppy. I added the ribbon and tag to the top---again in Old Olive and Pure Poppy on Kraft. I cut the tag and circles out using my Nestabilities Dies and my Cuttlebug---LOVE THAT THING!

Thanks so much for looking! Details are below~





Ornament Gift Box:
Stamps: Rustic Branches (PTI)
Paper: Fruitcake (Basic Grey), Pure Poppy, Kraft (PTI), Old Olive (SU!)
Ink: Old Olive (SU!), Pure Poppy (PTI)
Accessories: Dimensionals, Mini glue dots (SU), Pure Poppy Satin Ribbon (PTI), Tag punch, Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities Dies (Spellbinders)

{Heart to Heart Blog Candy}

Have you heard about Cammie's blog candy? You HAVE to go check it out---

My card for the entry is below. To enter for the amazing candy, all you have to do is make a card for the caregiver of an Alzheimer patient---if you don't know one, she has the name of a place where her grandmother stayed until she died this summer. I won't go into all the details, but you MUST go read her story on her blog. It's so inspiring and I'm so happy to be a part of it.

My Mother in law has Alzheimer's and David's brother and his wife cared for her in their home until just recently when she had to be moved to a facility. We are so fortunate that this facility is 5 minutes from their home. My BIL has lunch with her everyday. They are still very involved in the daily care for her. This is a huge sacrifice for their family as my SIL is also the only child in the town with her aging parents. They NEVER complain and are such faithful caretakers. SOOOO, I made this card for them to just remind them that they are appreciated. We are so grateful for their care for David's mom. Alzheimer's is an awful disease---I hope you never love anyone who goes through it. Thanks for stopping by---go check out Cammie's blog---you'll be so glad you did.

No description today, details are below! Let me know if you have any questions.













Grateful for you ingredients:
Stamps: First Fruits, Rustic Branches
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream, Kraft (PTI), Pumpkin Pie (SU!)
Accessories: 1" & 3/4" circle punches, dimensionals, Vintage brad, Hemp twine, Old Olive Marker (SU!), Foof-a-la buttons (the dark one actually looks "pumpkin colored" IRL---what's up with that?), Dark Chocolate Satin ribbon (PTI), DMC brown floss

{m&m clock}

ETA: It's Talk Like a Pirate Day today! I'm looking forward to surprising all of my students with this.....I don't think I have 45 minutes of it in me, but I can keep it up for part of the time! Lucky them~
Go here to find out more about it!


I've been busy preparing my new classroom and haven't had a lot of stamping time. I did do a quick altering of a clock for my classroom.

At the end of every music class I hand out the marvelous musician award. I give the student a pack of m&m's for his prize (or he can choose from some other options if he's not an m&m fan)---I use m&m's for the name of the award.....Marvelous Musician...two m's....get it?

Anyway, last year before school started, I found a bunch of m&m paper in the clearance bin at Archivers, so I bought all. I used it last year to package the m&m's----it takes me too long to do that this year, so I just give them a sticker and they choose their prize out of a basket. Anyway, I had several pieces left, so I used one of them to alter the clock---
And here's the finished clock. It's not fancy, but it looks better than it did...a teacher suggested I put m&m's all over the outside----I'm still considering it. If I thought I could really get them to stick and STAY, I'd do it for sure---do you have any ideas about making m&m's stick to this plastic clock?
I couldn't really get a great picture of it without a glare on it, so please pardon the glare---I think you get the picture---so to speak!

Have a great day~
Kathleen

{God's Beautiful Creation}

Last Saturday, after a VERY HOT soccer game, Joshua found a butterfly on our mum by the front door. Joshua wanted to "catch him." As he approached, the butterfly almost called to him to pick him up....it was the craziest thing! Below is a series of pictures of what followed....

The butterfly climbed onto Joshua's hand.....

and up his arm (I missed part of the "up his arm" part---fiddling with my camera)

...as I saw the butterfly up close, I realized that he may have been around for awhile...

Joshua was enjoying this...so far....

Joshua: "Ok, he's getting on my neck...."

"....OK, he's totally on my neck..."


"...OK, uh, I think I want him off now...."

...putting him back in his place.....
As I looked at the pictures and thought about what a treat it was for all of us to have a butterfly "want to play", the Lord reminded me of the following passage from Matthew:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I know I often worry about all the "stuff" of life---but in seeing this butterfly, and how our gracious Heavenly Father has SO cared for it, it reminded me that my heavenly Father "knows that you (I) need them all (v. 32)", and He cares for all of my needs---

So, I've been resting in him this week and I wanted to tell you how I got there----I'm positive I won't stay there----this is a struggle for me, BUT, for the moment, I'm resting in the promise of God's precious Word--

Have a great day~
Kathleen

Sympathy Sketch

Sadly, I have a Sympathy card to share today. I have needed more of these lately. I never really know how to make one---I don't want it to be "cute"---I'm never really satisfied with my sympathy cards, but I don't think people in mourning are paying as much attention to the card as they are the words you write---or even just that you THOUGHT of them.

I used Jen's Sketch For You to Try from last Saturday, September 6. You can find the sketch here. And I also used the First Fruits set for the embellisment and the sentiment is from Out on a Limb Sentiments ; both from Papertrey Ink.

I stamped the sentiment and embellishment with Dark Chocolate and then with Versamark. Then I heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.



I used patterened paper from the First Fruits collection. It coordinates beautifully with the stamp set. I love the colors of fall and this paper is scrumptious~(can paper BE scrumptious?)

I tied a piece of dark chocolate satin around the piece of Summer Sunrise cardstock and used the slot punch to bring the ribbon through the patterned paper and tied a knot. This sketch was fun---Jen's having a blog candy offer---might I say, a REALLY COOL blog candy offer on that sketch post I sent you to until this Saturday. Check it out and maybe play along on the sketch! (If you win you have to thank me! ;} )

I cut a piece of white cardstock and stamped it and placed it inside the card for my words. I don't do this often, but on dark cardstock, I try to just because it's easier than getting my white pen to actually write like I want it to!

On another note---my classroom at school is almost ready---YEA!!! , well, I should say, it's almost ready for me to get into it and GET it ready!! (I've been teaching room to room off of a rolling cart while we waited for our new modular unit to be ready to occupy.) I'm supposed to have students in there for the first day on Monday---so, I'll be busy for the next few days trying to get my room ready! YIPPEE!

Enjoy your day~
Kathleen

Stuff I used:
Stamps: First Fruits, Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White cardstock, First Fruits PP, (PTI), Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive cardstock (SU!)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Summer Sunrise (PTI), Pumpkin Pie (SU!) Versamark
Accessories: corner rounder punch, slot punch, dimensionals, (SU!), nestabilities (Spellbinders), embossing powder (Ranger) Heat tool (Marvy)

{Ahoy Little Sailor}

Oh my goodness! I've missed my blog!! I hope you are all loving life these days! I have a quick post for you today. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this set from Papertrey Ink. It's Bitty Baby Blessings and it has become my go-to set for all things baby! I have been making mostly little girl cards lately, so I was so happy to have an excuse to make a little boy card! I hadn't even used this little sailboat until now.

I'm sure you have seen this card layout numerous times lately. I have seen it in many places. It's so simple. I'm considering using it for my Christmas card this year----I'm one of those people who mass produces the SAME card for all my Christmas cards. I know some of you hard core stampers can't stand to do that, but it's what I do---so it HAS to be simple. I'm thinking of doing something like this for Christmas 2008.

I embossed the Stamper's Select white cardstock with a square nestabilities die. Then I stamped the boat on some white cardstock and three colors of paper from the Basic Grey Cupcake 6x6 paper pad. I paper pieced the boat(cut the shapes out of the different colors of paper and then glued them on the stamped image of the boat. [That explanation was for Pri----you know who you are---he gets confused when he reads my blog, so I'm trying to help him!]) & punched it out with a square punch and then rounded the corners with my corner rounder. I made the scalloped square with another nestabilities die. I popped it up on some dimensionals. I scalloped the bottom of the card with my SU! corner rounder (still no scallop punch......some day). I tied on some yummy ribbon that I received on a gift over a year ago---I LOVE it and have waited to use it until it was the right project. I decided at the last minute to add the little sailboats on the scallops---I'm not sure about them----do you like them? I thought they turned out pretty cute, but it does take away from the simplicity of the card!I'm late sending this gift/card---as usual, but I hope to get it to the mama before she delivers that sweet little one---I still have a couple weeks! Have a fabulous day~I think I have another post for tomorrow, too---don't faint!

Kathleen

Stuff: Stamps: Bitty Baby Blessings (PTI)
Paper: Stamper's Select White cardstock (PTI), Basic Grey Cupcake 6x6 pad
Ink: Black Stazon
Accessories: Monomulti glue, Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Corner Rounder, dimensionals, Brocade Blue, Real Red, Summer Sun markers (SU!) random red/white striped ribbon

{Hanna is almost gone}

Not my daughter---but the tropical storm! (Actually, Hannah is gone, but there's no need for you to know everything!) I hope to get some pretties up later---it's the perfect day for stamping!

Kathleen

{Pics of our Labor Day "Gathering"}

Hmmmmm--Labor Day---a time when we celebrate the workforce in America...what a great time to honor those who work----so we spent our day having a party with a bunch of mostly unemployed college kids....hmmmmm.

WE HAD FUN---please don't misunderstand me---basically, Labor Day was a day when I COULD see my college aged daughter and all her friends, so we did it! It really helps that I like them! They are members of the Providence College Ministry (well most of them). You can find that group here.

Here's a picture of the "group"---most of them are Sophomores at NCSU, but one is older than them and another is a graduate student at SEBTS.

Caitlin with her roomie, Taylor---they have a fun blog---OK, maybe only 3 posts so far, but the concept is funny.
Check it out here. I know you'll feel enlightened~


Brentis (I hope I spelled this right---I'm sure he'll love that picture)

"The Girls" on the swing--cute!! (with th

"The Boys" on the swing--eeeew! ; )

Michael getting some homemade ice cream

Lindsay--she'll hate me for this picture. My camera was acting up, so I needed to take some shots and I captured this one!

My parents and David

The Liz---look at that beautiful skin!!!

And....this is just disturbing!!! I mean, I knew STATE was a major research institution, but I had no idea that this sort of thing was going on.....hmmm, GO WOLFPACK?

{Happy Labor Day}

I hope you are having a lovely long weekend. I don't know how I could be so excited about having a day off when I just started back to work, but I sure am! I love not having to get up at 5:20....I think that's what it is! This will be a quick post. We're having 14 of Caitlin's friends over for dinner tonight---and you know how college kids can eat---it's that nasty dorm food. It just ruins them!

Saturday night we went to a party that some of our best friend's had for their son and his new wife to celebrate their recent wedding in the Virgin Islands. The mom is one of my closest friends (and my most committed blog reader). It was a lovely affair with great food and CUPCAKES for dessert! She had this lovely tiered cupcake holder---it was really great. I had gotten the gifts ahead of time, but of course, it was an hour before I needed to leave and I was starting this card and trying to get ready. Hmmmmm, now, let's see....if you know you have a party/wedding/birthday coming up, wouldn't it be a good idea to make the card, let's say, AT LEAST A DAY AHEAD OF TIME? Just a thought. Anyway...I did the quick go to wedding card again---

I think this one is pretty self explanatory, so I won't go into a lot of details. I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder for the brown paper.














I have a close up of the monogram made with my Just Rite Stamper that I purchased here. I'm looking forward to some more time to play with this. I love it for wedding cards, but you can do so much more with it. I used the small letters for the first time to spell out "Congratulations" and the date of the actual ceremony.

I used my Stampin' Up! corner rounder to make the scallops---I don't have that cool new scallop punch yet. On the Celery scallops I added a 1/16" punched hole to each one. I had planned to add buttons on the cream sentiment line, but I was already 10 minutes late leaving----so you can imagine how nice that would have been (not the arriving late, but the buttons)!! This is the blog of the hurried stamper---perhaps that should be a new title....hmmmm.
Well, I need to close. I still have two pans of brownies and some home made ice cream to make---not to mention the laundry and cleaning I have to do! I hope you have a blessed day and enjoy some relaxing time with family and friends...until the insanity again tomorrow!!

Hugs~
Kathleen

Here's what I used:
Stamps: Just Rite Stamper Special Occasions font, small letter set (Just Rite Stamper) Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper: Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate (PTI), Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Dark Choclate (PTI), Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: 5/8" celery grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, corner rounder punch, 1/16" hole punch (SU!), circle and scallop circle nestabilities (Spellbinder's), Embossing folder & Cuttlebug (Provocraft)