THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES --- PART 2....

The second gift I did for the teachers this year was inspired by my friend Beverly Cole. She found this really cool website that will fill in shapes with words of your choice. See the details on her post. My take on them is much more simple (mostly because I did not have any of that wide ribbon to match and, let's face it, I can't make the gorgeous bows that she has on hers).

The first one is the one made for Ms. Witt and it uses the Summer Smooches DSP.

The other one is for Ms. Beyrau and uses the long retired Jersey Shore DSP (no relation to Snooki or the Situation --- this paper came and went long before them).

Are they not the cutest idea for teachers???? Thanks so much, Beverly!!!!

Have a great day, everyone!!!!

CON"GRAD"ULATIONS, LOGAN......

I watched my son graduate from 5th grade today. If I am so emotional for this, I can only imagine how bad I will be when he graduates from High School. I really didn't think I was going to get emotional, but then one of the teachers started crying when she was giving out awards. And then, to really add to it all, three of the 5th grade girls sang the most beautiful song in remembrance of a teacher who passed away this year. Then, there was the slide show that showed all of the kids going from babies to now. It got to me. I am so not tough. Here is my little man with his cap (they did not wear gowns) and "diploma":

Way to go, Logan!!! Your dad and I are so proud of all of your accomplishments. We love you!!!!

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES - PART ONE......

Tomorrow my son will graduate from 5th grade. This means that --- other than the fact that he is growing up way too fast and I am rapidly getting older --- I will no longer have any kids in elementary school. I will only have middle schoolers. What the heck happened???? Where did all of that time go????

So, in order not to beat my head against a wall over how fast everything is moving, I occupied myself with making gifts for his teachers. The first things I thought to make is an altered picture frame turned message center. This one is for Ms. Witt, his homeroom teacher:

A couple of closer views:

I used the now retired Cheerful Treats DSP. For the "notes" label, I used the Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Lower and added the vine at the bottom from the Borderlines stamp set (both retired). The verse is from Pursuit of Happiness and is cut out using the Labels Framelits. I added corkboard to the center with a few push pins all in a row and tied a dry erase marker to the side using a length of baker's twine.

This one is for Ms. Beyrau, who is the other 5th grade teacher:

The close ups:

This one uses the new Floral District DSP. The "Details" is from Notes & Details (retired). This one uses the Apothecary Accents Framelits to cut out the sentiment. The Rich Razzleberry border is made of two of the labels cut and attached a little off up and down. Ditto from the first message center on the other details.

These are only half of what I made for the teachers, but since this post is getting a bit long, I will save the other part for another day. So until then............

Have a great day!!!!!

BIRTHDAY BIRDIE...........

This is a card I made for a friend here at work, although she has since retired (lucky dog!!!). I just adore the Aviary stamp set (and, luckily, it did not retire in the new catalog). To think I was not going to buy it. On this card, I mixed it with the now retired Nursery Nest DSP (it's not just for babies, you know) and the retired Hostess set Swirls and Curls Verses for the sentiment. I blinged it up with a little bow at the top of the cage and  a row of pearls along the bottom of the cage, as well as a couple on either side of the sentiment. Very simple, but eye catching (I think, anyway).

The inside:

Have an awesome day!!!!!

SWIRLS & FLOWERS.....

This is another birthday card that should have been posted months ago. It is the card I made for my friend and fellow Simply Paper Design team member, Cindy. The stamp set is Button Buddies. It is a really cool (and still current) set that you can replace certain spots with buttons. Of course, the images are great without embellishing them, too. On this card, I glue-dotted flower buttons where the stamped flowers were and popped up the cut out vase. The bottom layer was all glued together and then ran through the Big Shot to get the swirlys on it. The "Happy" circle is from the retired set It's All Good and I added a little loop of ribbon out to the side. The bottom corners were rounded off with my corner punch. I really loved this color combo, which I copied from the Ice Cream Parlor DSP -- Pink Pirouette, Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Old Olive and Concord Crush.

The inside:

Luckily, even though I am slow as a snail on posting this, the card arrived on time for Cindy's birthday in November. Actually, she and my daughter share a birthday --- so I had better not forget sending her card, huh?

Have a great weekend!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEBBIE....

My last post was showing you the card I made for my hubby's birthday. His birthday is in September. That shows how far behind I am in posting. Today I have the birthday card I did for my friend and upline, Debbie Naylor. Guess when her birthday was. Go ahead, guess.... Give up? It was yesterday. That's right --- I am actually posting the day after the event. The only thing better would have been posting yesterday on her birthday like her sister and my Simply Paper Design team cohort Cindy did. Oh, well, on to the card......

I was clicking through my Favorites list for the web one day and I saw a cool card that Dawn Griffith did with folds and Framelits for the Big Shot. I loved the look of it and Dawn even had a video that shows how to do it here. Good thing, too, because I would never have figured it out on my own. Here is how it turned out..........

Partially opened:

Fully opened:

Isn't it the most awesomest? Of course, it was not as easy for me to handle the Big Shotting as Dawn makes it look in her video, but I finally managed it. The flowers are from Field Flowers and are stamped in Rich Razzleberry on Rich Razzleberry cardstock. The DSP is the new Floral District, coming out in the new catalog tomorrow. The front sentiment is from Pursuit of Happiness and the "Happy Birthday" on the inside is from Bring on the Cake.

I hope Debbie enjoyed her day yesterday and was properly spoiled!!!

Happy Birthday, Debbie!!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!! Have a great day!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIMMY........

I never make cards for my husband. Not sure why. I guess he just never really seems impressed with my projects, or he is there when I can work on it, or I just can't come up with what I want to say to him for the inside sentiment, or I just don't know why. However, for his birthday last year (September --- sad to take so long to post the card, I know), I actually made him one. I was inspired by this Simply Paper Design challenge. When it comes to "manly" cards, I think harware --- brads, eyelets, anything metal --- and the hemp twine (in place of ribbon). So this is what I came up with for him. It uses the long ago retired Wildlife Reserve stamp set and the very soon to be retired Well Worn DSP. It is all layered on a Crumb Cake base.

Thanks for visiting!!!! Have a great day!!!!