Traditions

Do you have any?  Do you like or dislike them?
Today's post is about traditions. Old, new, and...newly dropped. ;-)
The past month has been full of them.

OLD: Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, Canning beans, Going to the Fair, Going fishing/camping, Taking a picture of each child on the first day of school.













NEW and OLD (simultaneously!):  Growing up as a student, I attended Convocation on the first day of school for 12 years!

Watching my lil' 1st grader file in with her class was so sweet, bringing back memories of that "First Day of School."  A great speech by our youth pastor, combined with prayer and worship - what a great way to start off a school year!

DROPPED:
Every year since I can remember, I make (or mom has made) a certain cookie when we go camping.  They are soooo yummy and addicting!  At about 9:30 the night before our 1st camping trip of the year, I was making these "camping cookies." (original, eh?)













Peanuts, Marshmallows, Rice Krisipies, and Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch adhered together with the yumminess of CHOCOLATE!

I proudly brought them out one night while playing games with our couple friends, and guess what I found out?!!!  After 10 years of marriage, I found out that these cookies, to my hubby (putting it nicely), "aren't really my favorite."  You're just telling me NOW??!!  Luckily, my feelers weren't hurt, I had a good laugh about it, and still do.  I just wish I had known MUCH sooner! lol

What about you?  Do you have traditions that you uphold, look forward to, or maybe don't look forward to?  Are there any that you might want to ask "is this something you really enjoy, or shall we drop it?" ;-)

I'm so happy to be back sharing with you...Please come back tomorrow for some stampin' inspiration! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

MIA

Yup, I've been missing in action here...So sorry.  :-(
You don't know how much I wish I could be on here, sharing my love of stamping and life!

However...I've been crazy busy around here, more so than I thought I'd be.  I'll be gone for a few days on a camping trip too, so please don't leave! lol

((insert Arnold Schwartzeneger voicing))

I'll be back! :)

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day! :)
Crystal

Owl Love You Forever, Part 2

Yes, I suppose I could've been a little more creative in my naming of this post, but really...it makes sense.  I made another card, just like the one on Monday's post (see here)...only changing one thing.

Would you like to take a look?  OK. :)

They're sittin' on a little woodgrain this time! :)

Literally. :)  I stamped our BG stamp "Woodgrain" in Crumb Cake ink on Crumb Cake cardstock. Then, I sponged a bit with Crumb Cake, and Close To Cocoa (retired).

I can't decide which one I like best.  What do YOU think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, More Mustard, Garden Green, Crumb Cake, Afternoon Tea DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake
Accessories: 2way glue pen, Unibal Signo gel pen, XL 2step Owl punch, XL 2step Bird punch

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Owl Appreciate You!

Pun intended, yet again. ;-)
(remember yesterday's post?)

I'm back with another lil' project using the 2Step Owl Punch! :)

Dontcha just love it when you God blesses you with a friendship out of something that's so random?  This little gift is for that friend of mine who miraculously started out as a Stampin' Up customer of mine. She's such a sweetheart, and I'm so thankful for her friendship! :)

Well, without further adieu...

















Oh, and a little gift card too.  Not a big deal...just a quick lil' card to match...

I'll admit that I like my new eyes better (yesterday's card), but I made this gift before I figured out a different way to make them...these are ok too (it's using all the pieces that come on the punch).  It's nice to have different ways of doing things, right? :)

I used a new DSP from the catalog, called Greenhouse Gala...love it! :)

Well, what do you think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Cardstock/Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Accessories: SU ribbons (Kraft & Chocolate Chip taffeta, Wasabi stitched), XL 2step Owl Punch, Lg Circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch
Other: RSVP pen, Mini Spiral Notebook

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Owl Love You Forever

Pun intended. ;-)

I'm so excited to unveil the sweet lil' lovebird card I made for my bro and his wife for their 6th Wedding Anniversary!

















How did I make those adorable owls?  With a PUNCH!!!  Seriously...a new Stampin' Up punch!  It's one that I saw and thought...Yes. Yup. Need that one. :)  I've finally played around with it (I have more projects to share soon), and I was right...it's so fun!

I used a lot of green b/c it's her fave color. :) The leaves are from another great punch, the 2step Bird Punch.  What I love about the owl punch is that it comes with the little heart, even!  I used that heart to make the beak, AND  the bow by the female owl's ear (is it called that?)

You're wondering about the DSP, aren't you?  Well, I'm sorry to say, it's a retired one...called "Afternoon Tea."  I'm trying to give up my DSP hoarding habits. ;-)

Well, what do you think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, More Mustard, Garden Green, Afternoon Tea DSP
Accessories: 2way glue pen, Unibal Signo gel pen, XL 2step Owl punch, XL 2step Bird punch

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Keep On Truckin'

Do you ever feel like that's your motto in life?  Just keep on truckin', keep on truckin'....

Sometimes I do. When I get overwhelmed, when I have a lot going on, so many things to do and be for everyone...

Instead, I should be thanking God for life. Thanking Him for every day that I live, thanking Him for every moment with my children, for a messy house to clean, for food to cook.  So maybe the motto should be Keep On Truckin' and Thankin', and Praisin'! :)

Yes, it's Monday.  A Monday full of things to do...so I won't tary long. ;-)

Today's post is one of those stamp sets that I absolutely HAD to get upon perusal of the new catalog. ;-)  I saw this image specifically, and said gotta have it! :)













It's called "Countryside" and I love it!  Perfect for those hard-to-make masculine cards! :)

One of my favorite techniques to work with in cardmaking is watercoloring.  It so relaxes me!  It's especially nice with Stampin' Up's watercolor paper.  Nice and thick, it absorbs the color, blends well....ahhh..love it! :)  I colored this with my SU markers and aquapainter.

I also used something else that is new...one of my new fave colors, called "Cherry Cobbler"...it's a nice deep red. The Chocolate Chip layer is distressed with our distressing tool from the cutter kit.

Well, what do you think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Countryside
Ink: Stazon Brown
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Watercolor Paper
Accessories: SU markers, Aquapainter
Technique: Watercoloring

Thanks for stopping by, and have a GREAT day!
Crystal

Making the Cut

Today I'm back to show you the baby shower invitation mentioned in this post, AND the one that didn't make the cut (the original).

Remember, it's definitely NOT my favorite creation, but what I did with the colors I had to work with (bright pink & orange).  Let's just say it didn't inspire me for some reason. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I did a few things, then decided to take a minimalist approach with the colors. ;-)

Well, here goes (don't laugh), lol.

















 The difference b/w the pink (Melon Mambo) and orange (Pumpkin Pie) isn't real obvious until you click on the pic to view it closer. ;-).

Here's the original...the one I made, but then we decided to change the colors from pastel to bright. :)

The pastel (Pretty in Pink) is my fave...which one is YOURS?

The Small Print (Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Baby Bundle
Ink: Basic Gray
Cardstock: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Scallop circle punch, 1 3/8 and 1 1/4" circle punches, Paper piercer, SU markers

That's all...back tomorrow with a great NON-BABY creation! ;-)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal