Monday's Fun Day

Did you have a good day?

I am faced with several deadlines and am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.
How did the end of April creep up on me like this?

Do you ever feel like there is never enough hours in the day?

I am about to go get the boys ready for bed, even though it's only 7p. They have had a long day and have started to wind down. I would love nothing more than to curl up under the covers with one of them and hide from the world! lol!

Okay... I feel a little better now that I got that off my chest!
On to the fun stuff!

Who missed out on this beautiful set of rub-ons ?

Love & Happiness


You are probably wondering what you need to do to get in on the rub-ons! lol!
What you have to do is post a few words that come to mind when you think "Love & Happiness."

Me: Snuggles and kisses from my little ones and my wedding day.

I will use a number generator or a number picker (one of my boys) and post a winner on Friday, 3pm PST.

What?! Just one stamp set as a giveaway? I wouldn't do that to you. lol! My blog candy has a special twist. You get little extra treats with the stamp set. You just have to wait and see what else you get!

Check back in tomorrow for a Try This! Tuesday Techniques tutorial on the Stamp-a-ma-jig!

How does your garden grow?

How does your garden grow? Mine is coming along nicely! We are expected to have some frost tonight. I don't think my garden will have any problems though.
Here are some pictures of the flowers that have begun to bloom.



My roses are in full bloom as well!



I was inspired by my rose garden to create this card with one of my all time favorite stamp set, Wild Rose:



Ink: Cameo Coral, Groovy Guava, Old Olive
Paper: Whisper White, Cameo Coral
Accessories: White halfback pearls (Pretties Kit), Dimensionals
Technique: Masking, scoring, 2-step stamping

I used my black scoring blade to create a border on the layer of Cameo Coral card stock.

Happy stampin'!

A few pictures to share and a new Monday's Fun Day winner!

Happy Friday, everyone!

I have to apologize for the lack of posts the past couple of weeks.
My migraines are back full force and I have been unable to do very much, other than take care of my boys and do my best to keep the home from looking like a tornado went through it everyday. I think it's time to up the doseage on the Topamax, but I am so worried about the severity of the side effects that I am really hesitant on doing so. If anyone has had any experience with this medication and has been taking it for more than 6 months, please email me!

My oldest proposed to one of my dearest friend's daughter a week ago.
He had warned me that he was going to ask, but I didn't think he would do it. He's only 5! lol! Well, he did and here is the happy couple...



His reasoning for this was that they will not be going to the same Kindergarten in the Fall, and he loves her and will miss her very much. I asked him why he wanted to ask her and not any of the other girls and he said that she's pretty, she likes to play together with him, and he loves her family. Now how can I argue with that? lol!

Here he is playing soccer. It was his first day of soccer and it was just him and five girls.




I did craft a little.
You will be seeing me use this onesie template a lot in the next couple of months.
My friend, Denise, is getting ready to have twins in a month or two.
Here's a card I made for her:



Please visit Lauren's My Time, My Creation, My Stampendence blog for her Onesie Tutorial.

I'm working on another onesie card for another friend, Tia, who is due next week and two more who are due next month. I just can not wait for August when Kari and Shawn are due with their daughter... my niece! A new baby to cuddle!

Now for Monday's Fun Day winner!
A random number picker selected lucky # 27!

Here's the list I have:

1. Pam's Pride
2. Kathy H.
3. Christine
4. Skye
5. jenmarie
6. sandyh50
7. Kathyd
8. Laurel
9. julie a
10. Carolina
11. Allison
12. Fay
13. Debra E.
14. Patty W.
15. jmniffer
16. Linda SS
17. bunny b
18. Ashli
19. tams
20. Amy
21. Rose
22. Gina
23. kim3timemom
24. Catdidit
25. Lea
26. Sara
27. Joanne
28. Kathy B.
29. Veronica
30. Carla
31. Jenn

Congratulations # 27! Woo hoo! Joanne!! Email me! whoopsie.daisy@sbcglobal.net


Everyone else... check back in next week for another round of Monday's Fun Day!
I will also be back with a tutorial on how to use that Stamp-ma-jig!

Cheers!
Jane

Monday's Fun Day!

Oh my! This Monday has almost come and gone! lol!
Did you get your taxes done? Mine are just about done! Hooray! A few signatures and all we have to do is turn the paperwork in.

So it's another round of Monday's Fun Day!

Did you miss out on getting this beautiful set?



What you have to do is take a look at how many comments have been posted so far because you will theoretically be the next number. Be sure to type that number in first before typing in anything else in the comment box so that you don't forget! Please try not to post more than once. :)
Then tell me about your best friend or someone who makes your heart happy, other than your partner.
Here I am giving away this set called "Friendship Blooms" and I have one of my favorite songs playing "You've Got A Friend". Now I want to know about you.
I realized that as I have been reading everyone's posts, I know many of you through blogs I visit or message boards that I hang out at or used to be on. It would be fun to learn something new about you that ties in with this stamp set that I am giving away.

I will use a number generator or a number picker (one of my boys) and post a winner on Friday, 2pm PST.

What?! Just one stamp set as a giveaway? I wouldn't do that to you. lol! My blog candy has a special twist. You get little extra treats with the stamp set. You just have to wait and see what else you get!

Happy Monday!
Jane

OH! Happy Friday!

Thank goodness, it's Friday!

I don't know about the rest of y'all but it has been one LONG week for me.
Kevin came home safely from a quick trip to Japan and Taiwan today.
This is the first time in days since I have been able to sit down in front of the computer and post anything. I am really sorry about being absent, but I have been so exhausted by the end of each day that I didn't have much time for anything else except for getting the boys ready for bed and getting us ready for the next day.

My dear friend, Carolina, handed me this most precious altered tic-tac-toe game for Emily last night. Thank you, Caro!





You can see visit Carolina's Creative Pad for more details on the wonderful gift.

For one of my Japanese workshops, I case'd this card that was made by Luv2Stamp&Scrap. I made the cherry, strawberry, and orange into a scratch-n-sniff so the ladies had a lot of fun learning this terrific technique. The card base (Old Olive) is 8" x 9", folded in half to become 4" x 9". The Summer Picnic DSP squares are 2" x 2". Such an easy card to put together!









My number picker is my husband, Kevin.
He picks.... #19!!

I had to go back and do a re-count because of all the extra messages in between.
So here you go!

1. Erica
2. Christine
3. Mochamama
4. Veronica
5. Joanne
6. Julie
7. Allison
8. Fay
9. Linda SS
10. Stampin Cats
11. Sally
12. Pat
13. Jenmarie
14. Melissas
15. primitiveseasons
16. swedie
17. Theresa
18. Regina
19. Amy
20. Janet B.
21. Patty W.
22. Skye
23. debbiedee
24. Sara
25. annelies
26. jailbird
27. Rose
28. Giovana
29. Cindy
30. Brenda
31. Gill
32. bunny b
33. Gina
34. Laurel
35. Veronica
36. Kathy H.
37. jmniffer


Congratulations, Amy!
Email me and I will get your package to you!

Everyone else, come back again next week for a chance for the next set!
Have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Happy Stampin!
Jane

Monday's Fun Day!

Can I make someone's wish come true?
Here's a Birthday Whimsy stamp set that's for grabs for today's Monday's Fun Day Giveaway!



What you have to do is take a look at how many comments have been posted so far because you will (theoretically) be the next number. Be sure to type that number in first before typing in anything else in the comment box so that you don't forget!
Then post a link to your favorite craft site or favorite online gallery. I want to know where you like to go for inspiration!

I will use a number generator or a number picker (one of my boys) and post a winner on Friday, 1pm PST.

What?! Just one stamp set as a giveaway? I wouldn't do that to you. lol! My blog candy has a special twist. You get little extra treats with the stamp set. You just have to wait and see what else you get!

Have a fun day!
Jane

3-D Friday - A tisket, a tasket... Here's a little basket!

I know... it's Saturday.
Kevin left for Japan this morning and it has been one crazy week.

I wanted to get this little basket tutorial up tonight before it became too late.

It's really easy and all you need is a piece of 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper (any double sided paper will do), scoring blade, scissors, adhesive, hole punch, and ribbon! Oh! Maybe something to put inside the basket. Wait until you see what I found at Target! lol!

Score your paper in half both ways at 3".


Score all four sides in at 1-1/2".



Trim off the four squares of each corner:



Between the two remaining blocks, cut along the scored line up to the next scored line.



I am right handed, so I will work from my right to left. If it's easier for you to work from left to right, I don't think it makes a difference. Put adhesive on the back of one side and bring it up in front of the other side and press down.





It is easier at this point to flip your basket over and put adhesive on the rest of your panels before continuing. Just remember which panel you are putting in front. I am working right in front of left, so I am running the adhesive on the back of the right panels:





Turn it back over and continue putting the panels together:



Until it looks like this:




This is what I found at Target this morning:



Remember the Scratch-n-Sniff tutorial I did for "Try This Tuesday Techniques"? I made one with Sugar-Free Cherry Jell-O and the cherry stamp from the Tart & Tangy stamp set. I added some Real Red striped grosgrain ribbon and voilà!




Happy Stampin'!

An award and a tag!

I am playing catch up!
Before I get started, I want to thank everyone who has sent me tags and awards. I will post them all here... just need to get caught up first.

The most recent one is from Carolina. She is just a wonderful and creative person... if you haven't visited her blog yet, please do so. She's amazing!

The award is the Arte y Pico (Art & More) award. It's given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogging world.


Carolina, I am so honored that you passed this on to me and that you think of me as an artist. You are ever deserving of this award, so consider yourself tagged back!

Here are the rules:

1. You pick five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

Here are the 5 blogs I thought of for this beautiful award:


Amy - Familia Bencomo because of her delicious and inspiring creativity with food and beautiful photography.

Amy - Tsuruta Designs because of the beautiful simplicity and the fantastic colors that she uses in her card designs. I love the sewing that she does on her cards too!

Erica - Doodling Art because of her fantastic paintings. I love her art!

Jeri - An Artful Gathering because of everything she does with her art. Whether it is a button fairy or a gothic arch or a mixed media challenge, Jeri's art is captivating.

Veronica - Ramblings and Art by Veronica because of her amazing talent to think outside the creative box and try new things without missing a beat. She has heart and she wears it on her sleeve.


The tag came almost a month ago from Katie. Her blog is fairly new but I love popping in to see what she has been up to. Her latest is this elegant card called "Tranquil Japanese". I also love that she talks to her cats! lol! She's also expecting another baby on their anniversary in November! Congratulations, Katie!

I have to work on the random things about me!

Scrappy Themed Thursday AND Monday's Fun Day Winner!

How about "Scrappy Themed Thursday"? Too silly?
I still want to get some scrapbooking done.
Come on, ladies! Help me out here! lol!

Here's the theme for this Thursday.

Family

Ever need to feel like you need to re-group or re-connect?
I think that's why I have this sudden urge to have to scrapbook my family.

I'll go work on it later this afternoon after we have had the playdate with Ken's sweet friend, Kimo, and I have dropped my boys off at my in-laws.

For now, here's a favorite family layout I hand stamped last year.
It was for a challenge where you had to make your own background paper.




Now go scrapbook your family and link back to here.
I will use a number generator to pick a number and send off a small scrapbooking treat to someone who posts with their layout linked back to their blog, onsite gallery, or online photo site.

Happy Scrappin'!



Now for Monday's Fun Day Winner...


Drum roll please...


CHERYL #33!
Engineered Expressions

Here's a funny story for everyone.
My Hostess of the month for March was also a "Cheryl". Her name was drawn by the previous hostess (February). One of the ladies in the club wanted to know how the hostess was picked, so I showed her how we had just picked Cheryl's name (the piece of paper) and I folded it back up and tossed it back into the bowl without thinking about it. I mixed the folded pieces of paper up (7 in there) and had her choose one. Amazingly enough, she picked Cheryl's name. So apparently, Cheryl was meant to be our Hostess of the month.

So for Monday's Fun Day winner, I went to a random number picker online and it picked #33. The boys were running around and I had to settle them down so I asked my 5 year old what number he would choose between 1 and 33, thinking he would say "5" since that is his "FAVORITE" number (lol). He put a lot of thought into it and said "33". So, Cheryl, you are meant to be our first Monday's Fun Day winner! Speaking of scrapbooking, what a fantastic scrappy blog!

Send me your mailing address to whoopsie.daisy@sbcglobal.net and I will get your stamp set and some additional goodies out to you in tomorrow's mail.

Congratulations!
Jane

Color Challenge Wednesday

Have you ever tried not using any neutrals? How about sticking to one shade of color? I gave it a try... see what you think.



I made a mask with a post-it for my butterfly:






Hard to see, but I stamped the first butterfly in Pink Passion and the second butterly in Pixie Pink.




For added dimension, use VersaMark to bring out the natural color of your base card stock.


If you like some added embellishment, you can create your own butterfly:


Add a ribbon, glitter on the wings, and stamp some words:


A rather challenging day for me and the boys.
I'm off to bed now.
Happy Stampin'!
Jane