Fun Times!

I'm getting ready to go on an incredible trip where I'll have the opportunity to lead activities, crafts, games, and Bible studies with a group of preteens. Part of the time will be spent with the VBS materials "Colossal Coaster World" (think roller coasters, popcorn and cotton candy, theme parks, etc.). I wanted to give them an opportunity to make a Smash Book/Journal project as an option during free time. I really like how the sample turned out - so thought I'd show it to my blogging friends.

I mostly used things from my stash to make it, though I did purchase some DP and Journaling Cards - October Afternoon Midway Collection.

The pages in this picture are actually on a white lunch sack size paper bag:

Therefore there's a nice little pocket for adding memento's to the book:

I love the fuzzy little duck - coordinates well with the Duck Pond Journaling Card that is in the pocket of htis page:

The striped part on the page is actually the bottom of a paper sack (you'll see the rest of the sack on a later page of the book). It makes a nice little SECRET compartment:

The SAY CHEESE! Journaling card twists up (thanks to a mustache brad) to show something underneath:

Here's the red/white striped bag I was telling you about:

I love the quote:

It's part of a Taylored Expressions stamp set called Adventure Land.



I used a variety of Washi Tape to make a background to attach the daily themes to this page:

These images are from an older Stampin' UP! set called Time for Fun:

The Colossal Coaster World stamp is manufactured by Lifeway.

I made another pocket - this one holds index cards. We're going to write "Warm Fuzzies' to each other on the last day together and tuck them into the pocket.

The "ticket" is such fun - I purchased it at Hobby Lobby. You use a wooden stick to etch onto it.

These are the last two pages of the book:

Another clever pocket for storing things is formed by putting the ticket DP onto a small sack:

On the last page there's room for us to share email addresses with one another:

I put it all together with office rings and added ribbons and such to them for color. I actually used pieces of brightly colored shoelaces that I found on Clearance at Walmart for part of the fun.

Now, I need to make the kits....... EEK! I'm leaving in two weeks!


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Mystery Mouse

I'm in a swap group called Mystery Image Swap. Each round one of the swappers is the hostess and she provides the images that the group uses. This month Melina is our hostess and she provided an adorable little image - Blessed Mouse - from My Favorite Things. THANK YOU, MELINA!

Here's the card I created with it:

This is the inside of my card:

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image: MFT Blessed Mouse
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, and Tempting Turquoise
Designer Paper: Prima Breathe Paper Collection
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon

The Sport of Skateboarding

{PIN}Spirational Challenges looks like a sporting theme this week. Take a look at the photo...

The {PIN}Spirational Challenge sponsors this week are

Cutting Cafe

and

The Stamping Chef

We ♥ our sponsors!!!

THANK YOU Cutting Cafe and Stamping Chef for providing a prize package for a lucky participant plus images for the design team to use for this challenge!


I had the privilege of using an adorable little skateboarding image from The Stamping Chef.

"Shane"

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in this week's challenge at:

May 21 - 27

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Stamping Chef "Shane"
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Dusty Durango
Designer Paper: DCWV Everyday Essentials Paper Stack
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Heartfelt Thanks

ABC Challenges has a great challenge for us this week - participants are to make cards with stamped backgrounds. How fun!?!?!? That's actually sort of how I did things when I first started stamping - before I discovered my love for designer paper. Sooooo... this was like going "old school" for me. And I enjoyed the experience!

I actually dug out two very old Stampin' UP! stamp sets for this card. The flowers are from the set Definitely Decorative Daisy (2000). This is a 2-step stamp set. The sentiment is from Heartfelt Thanks (2005). They needed to see ink. It had been a while since I'd used them.

I added some buttons to the center of the flowers.

And of course I had to do a little something inside:

I can't wait to see what you create for this week's ABC Challenges Stamped Background Challenge!

May 20 - 26

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Images: Stampin' UP! Definitely Decorative Daisies
Sentiments: Stampin' UP! Heartfelt Thanks
Ink: Stamin' UP! Always Artichoke and So Saffron and Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Always Artichoke and So Saffron
Embellishments: Foof-a-la Buttons

Say Cheesecake!

Today is the 15th so it's time for a new Dueling Darling post. If you are a regular to my blog, you know all about the Dueling Darlings. We are comprised of two groups and each month a hostess from each group gets their heads together (so to speak) and come up with a theme for the duel. Then the hostesses put together card kits and mail them off to their team members, without telling the other team/hostess what the kit is. On the 15th the two teams post their creations on their blogs and we all ooh and ahh over them.

This month it was Kelly and my turn to serve as hostess. Woo Hoo!!! I love hostessing... and I love the anticipation of seeing what each Dueling Darling does with the kits.

Here's the informtion we sent to the Darlings (Kelly to the Divas and me to the Dazzlers)...

Since May is traditionally the month of celebrating Mother's Day, Holy Communions and Confirmations, graduations, and so much more, we thought we'd take this time to celebrate those moments that mean so much! Your theme this month is:

Making Memories,

Celebrating Moments!

We hope you love this theme as much as we do as one thing is for sure: We are celebrating knowing each of you!

In addition to your card, on blog post day please share with us a past memory or current moment that is happening in your life that means so much to you!

* * * * *

When I thought of the theme and looked at the many stamps in my stash, one particular stamp set seemed to jump out at me... Art Impressions Picture Perfect. I wasn't sure the Dazzlers would understand my choice, so I added this note to their kits:

Now, Dazzlers, lest you think I've lost my mind and can't figure out why on earth I chose this iamge for the theme Making Memories, Celebrating Moments, let me explain. When I think of making memories, I think of Kodak moments... so those moments can be celebrated againa nd again as we look at the pictures and remember.

'Nuff said, here's my card:

Here's a closeup so you can get a better view of the fun image:

The film stip is actually a piece of washi tape and the oversize camera in the lower right corner is a puffy plastic embellishment (Me & My Big Ideas Mambi Stick Camera).

Here's the inside of my card:

This was such fun... I can't wait to see what the other Dazzlers did with the kit I sent.


By the way, here's what was in my kit (with the items I used in red ink):

Image/Sentiment: Art Impressions Picture Perfect Set stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Staples 110# White Cardstock.

Designer Papers: Little Yellow Bicycle Escape (small camera), Hampton Art Flashback Viewfinder (large camera), and Hampton Art Flashback Timeline (stripe).

Embellishments: Kathy Davis Designs Adhesive Pearls, KI Memories Rhinestones, Me & My Big Ideas Mambi Stick Camera, Michael's Ribbon, Michael's Ribbon Paper Clips, Recollections Photo Frame, Recollections Waship Tape (3 different designs, I used 1), and a clear adhesive circle from an unknown vendor.

The only thing I added to the kit for my own use was Recollections Black Cardstock and Stampin' UP! Pumpkin Pie Cardstock.

* * * * *

As you remember, we are supposed to share a memory - old or new - of something that means a lot to us. That is easy for me! This past weekend I had the honor of attending my niece's college graduation. I am so proud of her! My niece is a single mom, raising an adorable 6-year-old daughter while working fulltime, yet she found the time to complete the college degree she has been working on for the past 7 years. As we sat in the stadium, waiting for an hour for the graduation to begin, we chatted and enjoyed hanging out - my parents, my sister (the mother of the graduate), my great niece (the daughter of the graduate) and myself. To entertain herself, my great niece Ali took my cell phone and played some games and took some pictures.

Here is a picture Ali took of me:

Please don't blame Ali for this horrible picture! It was the subject matter that she had to work with - and she did the very best she could! (BTW, I think it's uncanny how much my mom -  in the background - looks like my sister. YIKES! When did that happen???)

And here's a picture I took of Ali:

I asked Ali to make a silly face so she did. ;)

Okay, I'm going to head over to the other Dueling Darling blogs now to see what they made. I hope you will, too, and when you do, please leave them a little love.

DAZZLERS

April

Darlene

Deb

Melina

Paola

Terry

DIVAS

Barb

Carol

Judy

Kadie

Kelly

LJ

Tami

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Say Cheesecake!

Twisted Tuesday Hop With Friends

Note: I have two blog posts today; this one and the {PIN}Spirational Challenge one that follows it. Please be sure to check them both out. To go directly to the {PIN}Spirational Challenge post, click here.

Today is a VERY SPECIAL day! Twisted Tuesday Challenge is presenting a blog hop featuring the newly selected design team. I have the pleasure of being a continuing member of the Twisted Tuesday design team, but you'll also notice some new faces along the way, as the design team has expanded.

If you are just arriving at my blog (because you love me), you are at the right spot! ;) If you are just arriving at my blog (because you like a good blog hop), you are at the right spot! See... you are at the right spot, because I am the FIRST stop on the Twisted Tuesday Blog Hop!

Now, about prizes! WOW!!! We've got prizes! So you will want to make a comment on every design team member's blog post, because you don't know who's blog is the one where the prize winners will be chosen. (I don't know either... so don't try to twist my arm to get me to tell.)

Without further silliness, here is my card:

I love this stamp set - it's from Unity!

Here's the inside of my card:

Now be sure to check out the Twisted Tuesday Challenge Blog and participate in the challenge.

May 14 - 27

Theme: Girly

Twist: Friends

And don't forget to leave a comment on EVERY design team member's blog in order to have a chance to win one of the two prizes we're offering in the blog hop. Then go back to the Twisted Tuesday Challenge blog and leave a comment letting Melina know how you liked the hop and tell her you commented on every blog. That's all you have to do!


The next stop on the hop  is Tracie!


But just in case you get lost along the way, here's a list of all the design team member's blogs in the order that we're hopping today...

Jeanette - that's me.

Tracie

Carol

Vickie

Lori

Lynne

Lizzie

Louise

Andrea

Deanne

Hillary

Jamie

Majo

Melina

and then back at the Twisted Tuesday Challenge Blog.

I hope you  have fun with the blog hop!

Image & Sentiment: Unity Angie Girl (Vicki, Catherine, & Lec Girls)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP Ruby Red
Designer Paper: My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Paper Stack
Embellishments: Melissa Frances Pearls