Happy Easter!!

Oh my goodness! It has been well over a month since my last post. It definitely shows how craaaaazy busy the past month has been.

Here are some pictures to share from our Easter activities:

Sand pails that were used as Easter pails for the morning Easter hunt:


Tye Dye Easter Eggs:


The two oldest cousins:


My 2 boys!


Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Hoping to get some crafting done tonight! It has been a very long time.

5 things that made you smile this past weekend...

Just a quick challenge I saw on Lisa's blog "Aw Scrap":
List 5 things that made you smile this past weekend!

1. Keiji curling up in my lap and snuggling while watching the Disney Channel on Sunday morning.
2. My boys racing around the home, laughing uncontrollably.
3. I have to smile everytime I walk past my guest room or the living room.
4. The strange lump on my bed turned out to be my cat curled up under the comforter.
5. Ken had a bad dream Saturday night and cried out for me, instead of his father. He even asked me to stay by his bed until he fell asleep. He hasn't done that in a long time.

Now it's your turn!

A Japanese Workshop!

Wow! Did I have a blast today! My friend, Fujimi, asked me to host a card workshop in Japanese for her friends. Unfortunately, her daughter was running a fever, so she had to miss out on the fun. However, her 3 friends did make it over, despite the rain. Here are a few of the cards that we made.


The image was stamped on vellum. Turned over, the image was colored in with Watercolor crayons or Watercolor pencils and Aqua Painters. Then for the finishing touch, the words were written over with a white gel pen. I also highlighted areas of the cup and saucer with the white gel pen. A large square punch was used to create the window. Word Window Punch was used to create the 2 strips along the bottom. Black brads are from the Vintage Brads collection.


A very simple card... the white gel pen was used to create faux stitching.


The Winter Mini has the Pocket Notecards, which we stamped on with Print Pattern and French Script background stamps. A 1-1/4 " square punch was used for the window. On the flower, the 2-way glue pen was used to adhere glitter. A piercing tool and piercing template was used on the end of the notecard.


A card with a bookmark! The crimper was used on the stamped cardstock for the bookmark. And the perforating tool from the Cutter Kit was used on the fold between card and bookmark.


Sponge daubers were used to create soft distressing along the edges of the Mellow Moss and So Saffron cardstock. Flowers were stamped and cut out.


Bright and cheerful colors for a totally Wild About You birthday card! The distressing tool from the Cutter Kit was used on the Only Orange cardstock. Lots of layering on this card!

And there was a 6 x 6 scrapbook page that was made with the SAB Simply Scrappin' Kit. I forgot to take a picture of it. Whoopsie!

I really enjoyed doing this! My next workshop will be the Techniques Workshop & Hostess Club next month... date still to be determined. I know! I'm running out of time! And after that, there will be a series of card workshops where guests can pay $10 to make and take 8 cards home with them, envelopes included. Mail art is all the rage right now! Can't wait to show my clients how to jazz up their envies!

Clean up!

I'm still laughing at a post made by Julie at 2SCD that started with "MY EYES!! MY EYES!!!" This was in regards to this picture of my craft/guest room that was temporarily a storage room:

Well, I challenged myself to get it cleaned up within a few days and I did it! Just in time for Anna, and her girls! They came down from Reno for a few days to stay with us.
Here's the new room:

AND...
Yesterday, my dear friend, Amy, helped me re-decorate part of the family room and here it is!

It's amazing what she did with this room! Everything looks new, but they are just things she found around the home. I love it! Thank you, Amy! Besos!

Happy 2nd birthday, Keiji!

February 10th was Keiji's 2nd birthday. It's so hard to believe my baby is two!


Next up will be Ken's 4th birthday. FOUR! Yikes... time certainly flies by quickly.

Stamp Camp Projects!

Well this is it! My first stamp camp is set for tomorrow morning.
I have been working on several projects for my guests. Each project is $10 or my guests can make as many as they want for $15. They will get $5 back with a $50 order on top of their free SAB set. And any orders over $100 will get $10 back on top of the 10% discount that I am offering to those who participate in the Stamp Camp and the free SAB sets that they qualify for.

One Sheet Wonder - Bodacious Bouquet of 8 cards:





Sell-A-Bration sets

Pop-up Delight in Life:


Swing Happy Harmony:


So Very "Simple" with Big Blossom:


Very Punny Pocket Notes:



I am still working on a Spinner card and one last project - a buckle purse with 6 mini notecards.

Stay tuned for more pictures!

A New Day

Update: I'm finally recovering from the flu.
The boys now have a stomach virus. Keiji is in an awful lot of pain from a severe rash.
I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a better day for our little ones.


Speaking of a new day, I've been working on a journal/planner called "A New Day." I can't post it here because it's an entry for a monthly challenge at 2SCD. I will post it in a few days, when we hit February.

Here is a cute little box that Mary (Flutteringby) sent out for her "Alter This" Challenge swap which we had to alter.

All SU! except for box -
ink: Close to Cocoa, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Barely Banana, Blush Blossom, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
stamp sets: Paisley, Bodacious Bouquet


And something very precious to our Ken:

Buh-Buh Bear... he is well-loved and worn from many hugs and tears. He was there on the day we brought Ken home from the hospital and accompanied Ken for the first 2 months of preschool. He has gone on every trip away from home. He is Ken's best friend. I bought another bear "just in case" when PB decided to retire this bear from their shelves. I thought it would be a great way to remember how loved Buh-Buh Bear is and what a great picture this would be for Ken's scrapbook. It is so hard to believe that it's been over 4 yrs when I first bought this bear after I found out that I was pregnant with Ken.

How fast time flies.

Hoppy For You!

I am happy to say that the latest round of migraines has started to show signs of letting up. Bowling was difficult. We had the San Francisco tournament this past weekend. I bowled a 227, 212, and 200 for my high games. Surprisingly, only the 200 game managed to hold for second place during that squad. I got beat out of the other games. I loved bowling at Serra Bowl, but the constant pounding in my head and having to constantly reach for my inhaler was a stinker. Need to make a run to the doctor's office tomorrow to find out if I am having asthma attacks or if it's something worse.

Anyways, I managed to crank out a card for a card challenge I posted on 2SCD.

Hoppy For You:

Colors used: Brocade Blue, Old Olive, and More Mustard.

Background stamps: Paisley and Linen

Stamp sets: Very Punny (SAB) and Hearfelt Thanks

Orders have started to come in for SAB. The Stamp Camp is set for Saturday, Feb. 3rd.

It's gonna be fun!

Wild About You!

I'm back! I had the best time participating in the online crop at 2ScrappyChixDesigns. I survived my first online crop! And I managed to finish every project and challenge that was posted. What an incredible experience!

I am excited to mention that I will continue on as a member of the Creative Team at The Stamp Shack. It is also an incredible honor to be a moderator for the Card Challenges forum at 2ScrappyChixDesigns.

The Stampin' UP! Spring Mini is coming out soon! And don't forget Sell-A-Bration is on right now!

Here's my latest card creation:



pp: the back side of Holly Berries / Spearmint (Basic Grey Fruitcake), Confetti White (SU!), Bordering Blue (SU!) - stamp: Wild About You (SU!) - ink: More Mustard (SU!), Chocolate Chip (SU!), Bordering Blue (SU!), Night of Navy (SU!), Old Olive (SU!), Always Artichoke (SU!), Peeled Paint (Ranger Ink), Faded Jeans (Ranger Ink)

And I sent in my hair to Locks Of Love... 16 inches!


A card using scraps of Holly Berries / Spearmint (Basic Grey- Fruitcake) pp:


Have a wonderful evening, my friends!

Tickled Pink!

This is such an adorable set from the SU! Sell-A-Bration Mini. I made these cards for my demonstrator swap.