'Tis the Season.....PPA 113...Embossing

The sentiment is embossed in silver, the stockings in black. Paper: Pick Your Poison DSP.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes the Great Pumpkin soon would be there.........

It's My Day!

The Library Brunch last Sunday was a huge success!  We raised a lot of money for the library and I am pleased to report that not one person left a thank you card favor behind!  So Monday was for me.  I combined some Spice Cake and Pool Party to make this card for Freshly Made Sketches and then I spent the whole afternoon reading on the porch. It was probably the last 80 degree day until next summer so a cookout for dinner was in order. Translation:  Husband cooked, I did not!  Oh we all need such a day now and then..........

PPA112 - Lace

Meet Thank You Card #120 tied up with some lace for this week 's PPA challenge! Our library brunch is this weekend and I am happy to say that there will be a Thank You card at every place setting!  My dining room is full of items for the brunch: 120 place cards, 120 Thank You cards and 30 centerpieces of Baby's Breath and sprigs from the "Money Plant". A friend dropped off several branches of the plant and said that each of those "silver dollars" had to be peeled to reveal the pretty translucent layer inside. Then she left saying "Have fun!" So every time I walked the dog last week I would grab a branch and peel away, scattering the seeds and outer layers as I went along.  Only after I finished did my friend mention that she had a hard time finding the plant because it is considered a weed.  People work very hard to keep it out of their gardens because it takes over. Uh oh - well perhaps we won't have such a hard time finding some next year!  All I need is a pot on my head and I am a regular Johnny Appleseed!

Before the reveal!

And after!

Freshly Made Sketches 3

These colors are so bright and happy that you can't help but have a happy birthday when you receive a card like this! Big Top Birthday DSP looks fabulous with a Tempting Turquoise background and a pop of Real Red.  I used stamps from Happiest Birthday Wishes and snuck in a candle image for the i.   The skinny taffeta ribbon that peeks out along the edge of the turquoise panel sort of sneaks up on you - like birthdays! 

Head on over to Freshly Made Sketches and join in the fun!

I remember when........PPA111

I loved using Domestic Goddess DSP when I put this card together for PPA's sketch challenge.  It is wonderfully retro and makes me think about life at home way back when.  Reminds me of that "I'm so old" game.  Some of you  must have played that game a time or two!  I'll start:  I'm so old I remember catching the squished clothes and shaking them out to hang after my mother put them through the wringer of the wash machine!  Your turn..........

I Should Have Been a Cowboy........

I am liking these clean sketch challenges at Freshly Made Sketches just fine!  Spice Cake DSP and a combo of stamps from Easy Events made putting this card together a breeze.  This card is to say thanks to my Cousin Cindy who managed to get second row seats for my daughter and me this week at the Toby Keith concert!  But we never even sat in those seats - we were dancing the whole time!  We were so close to the stage that we were even ahead of the big screens on each side of the amphitheater.  About half way through the concert Erin received a text from her brother - who was home watching opening night football - that said:

Receiving texts from friends at the concert that say you two keep appearing on the big screen.  Don't act like idiots. 

That kid sure has a way with words!  My apologies to all the guys out there who were hoping for a hot girl in a cowboy hat on the big screen and got me instead................

PPA 110 - Happy Halloween!

Pals Paper Arts is celebrating the soon-to-arrive fall season with a Halloween challenge.  Frightful Sight DSP worked well with the stamps from Scaredy Cat. How convenient that Halloween has its own built in candelabra! 

A Fresh Start!

After all of those years of teaching school, September always seems like the beginning of the new year for me!  The seasons change, school starts and those lazy summer days fade away.  It is the perfect time of year to start something new!  I am excited to be part of the Freshly Made Sketches Design Team!  The challenge is to follow the sketch and keep the design clean - doesn't have to be simple - just clean!  Hope you join us!

I used stamps from Button Buddies, Sew Suite and Sweet Shoppe alphabet with Just Add Cake DSP to create this card for a friend of mine who is still teaching. But the message is for all of my fellow teachers  - and students - school does rule!  Have a great year!

PPA109 - Color Challenge

If I could send flowers to all of the power company crews I would!  They have done an amazing job turning the lights back on in our area!  I live in upstate NY - in the foothills of the Adirondacks.  Hurricanes?  Never!  Until Irene........the devastation upstate and in neighboring Vermont is just incredible. We were very fortunate locally and just had power outages and some trees down.  Unfortunately a tree did fall on our garage up at the lake.  The damage wasn't too bad - the power wires actually kept the tree from going through the garage.  My husband is always glad for a reason to power up that chain saw!

I used PPA's challenge colors this week along with stamps from Button Buddies and Friendly Phrases.