Nothing Could Be Finer.........FMS151

Like the song says......Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina........

                                                 

Having a wonderful week and enjoying glorious summer weather here in the Outer Banks.  No sign of fall or pumpkins anywhere down here.  But it was fun making a pumpkin card for this week's sketch using the new set Fall Fest before we left NY and headed south.  It has been a great trip with our whole family and we have three more days left..... :)

The ocean waves have been wild due to an off shore hurricane but the pool has been just fine - Emma agrees!

Our guest designer this month - and one of my all time favorite designers - Kim Singdahlsen designed our sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

                                                   

Last Days of Summer..........PPA216

We are off on a road trip to the Outer Banks and when we return my world here will probably look like the colors on this card. The leaves seem to change colors in a heartbeat.  But in the meantime I will enjoy summer weather in North Carolina.  Our whole family is going which should be an event in itself!  It has been a long time since I have traveled with a toddler but it looks like she is the first one ready to go.....

                              Pals Paper Arts has a terrific sketch for us this week!  I used images from Work of Art and the new set For All Things along with a wonderful new DSP called Colors of Autumn.

                                    

Sneeeeek Peeeek.....FMS150

Thought you might like a sneeeek peeeek at some of the amazing products that will be available August 28th from Stampin' Up!  The new holiday catalog is jam packed with one fabulous item after another! The houses (with matching framelits) are colored with Blendabilities and are from a set called Holiday Home and includes Halloween and Christmas "accessories".  The bats are stamped with a small image from Holiday Invitation and the E-E-K comes from an adorable set called Tee-Hee-Hee!  And those eyes, trees and leaves are all part of a wonderful pattern in the Designer Paper Set called Motley Monsters.  The elementary teacher in me is definitely showing in this card. Halloween is more about fun and less about scary in my world!  

I am hosting the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  We have a fabulous group of gals on the team and the amazing Kim Singdahlson is our guest designer this month.  I do hope you join us - we are not a scary group at all!  It's more about the fun!  We love to check our your creations in the gallery every week.....so come on over.....create and have fun!

                                        

Welcome Ian! FabFri48, CTS88

The regular challenge at Fab Friday this week has been hijacked!  The design team changed it up this week to celebrate Mindy Backes and her brand new baby boy Ian!  So I created this baby card with love and best wishes going out to Mindy, Jon and their new little guy! If you want the full scoop on Ian's arrival you can check out this post on Mindy's blog.  I have to admit that I love hearing everyone's birthing stories.  It's just like making cards - we all make cards but we all put our own twist on them!  :)  OK maybe cards aren't as painful......and they don't keep you up at night.....but then again sometimes........

My husband was teaching in our local high school when my son was born over 30 years ago.  A high school gal walked by my room and noticed him in there and waved.  A few minutes later she strolled by again.....this time with a friend. Just as they passed the door I heard one say to the other "OMG I can't believe Mr. Callahan and his wife had a baby! They're soooooo old!"  I was 31.......sigh............

I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch to create the baby card using SU! sets Something for Baby, Celebrate Baby and A Dozen Thoughts.


                                    

Summer Engagements - FMS149

This bright summery card is headed to a newly engaged couple. The heart clip and "diamond" studded heart keep with the engagement theme. The soft blue/green background is a watercolor wash over embossed hearts framed by a Strawberry Slush border. 

We also had another summer engagement recently.  To celebrate my mother's recent 89th birthday and Emma's upcoming second birthday we decided to have a four generation tea party.  It is a very exclusive group!  

Emma and I are clinking cookies and saying cheers in this first photo. I love that we are using my grandmother's china cups on a tablecloth crocheted by my mother and sitting on chairs that were hand caned by my dad.

And these two may be 87 years apart but they are definitely partners in crime!

Rita has designed a terrific sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  My card also qualifies for one of the recent Dirty Dozen challenges on Splitcoast.

Sweet Summer Designs.......PPA214

A cluster of flowers from Flower Patch makes a pretty bouquet on a thank you note all decked out in Pals Paper Arts challenge colors.  We welcome two new designers to Team One this week.  Shannon Jaramillo and Katy McGloin will be sharing their wonderful designs with us!  Hope you play along and share your wonderful designs with us as well!

Emma is sharing her designer look with us as well while she enjoys the last few weeks of summer!

There's a sweet summery color combo at Pals Paper Arts this week!

It's August - Not Autumn....yet! FMS148

Oh I know it is August but Autumn has a way of sneaking up on you here in the Northeast.  This sweet starry baby card also has a hint of fall on it. The designer paper that frames the mobile from Celebrate Baby is part of a Halloween collection in the new SU! holiday catalog called Motley Monsters - some fun monster scenes backed with great designs! I used embossing paste and the new SU! Star stencil to create the stars in the background.  I scraped the paste on with a serrated plastic knife to make the ridges.

And just in case anyone around needs reminding what will be here all too soon I thought I would share my son's latest Facebook post with you....

            Jen Mitchell designed our super sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  Hope you play along!