Dude, You're cool :)

Hi - Here's wishing you all a happy weekend!  I'm heading out for a long weekend with dh and little man - the girls are off on a trip this weekend so we're taking full advantage!  Friday morning we bid adieu and we're off to a belated bday celebration - YAY!  I need the time away desperately to refocus, rest (ha!) and recoop! x0x0

So just to share with you the card I made for this month's SOTC card swap with April as our hostess - her son challenged us to make a card for teeenage boys - love it!  Here was my take on it!  I did have to get create with the paper, lol, and made 2 of each design.   Hope April doesn't mind too much!

Blessings to you all!

xoxo

~Kelly

Hey, sweetie - whatcha got cookin'?!

Welcome to another Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge!  This week, we are cookin' up something really sweet with our card creations with this week's challenge theme - Cook it up!  For my card, I am using Angel Cakes Bakes from the Angel Cakes series - you can see the delicious line up HERE.    Did you know that FBD has a Mocha Monday freebie?  That's right!  And this Monday coming up (4/4), you'll want to stop in here and check out what Heather, owner and designer of FBD, has in store!    And did you get a chance to pick up your card kit - you can see it in my sidebar off the right - fabulous, fresh, so much fun!  {click the picture to find all the details!}

For my card, I actually did something I never do - colored my image first and added some super fine glitter!  I almost always plan out a card in reverse :)  I used some paper from a mat stack I found in my scraproom from Sevengypies "Victoria" collection with matching hues - not sure how it's working for me as a finished product, lol, but as we say in crafting - no mistakes, just works in progress!

Close- up of Miss Angel Cakes!

Inside

We hope you play along this week, too! 

 You can find this week's Challenge #41, Cook it up,  @ the challenge blog HERE!

Blessings to you!
~Kelly

Tuesday Inspirational Passage (T.I.P. 2) - Matthew 7:13

First and most importantly, thank you all sooo much for the wonderful birthday wishes!  It made my heart smile!  I'm truly blessed to have "bumped" into so many of you online and in the blog world - you brighten my days and inspire me daily!  Thank you - you are a blessing!

For this Tuesday's T.I.P, I was inspired by something one of my daughter's asked me when she was little.  We were deep in the dirt, planting a vegetable garden with hopes of wonderful summer fruits in a variety of colors and kinds.   We ran into the typical coral rock that grows just inches below the soil here, bugs of every type and it was hot.  Like seriously hot!  In the midst showing her to pull the bull thistle and pennywort growing wildly about, she asked why we were pulling those ~  They were cute!  Not cute, I explained, especially when it grows rampant and they were just weeds.  I remember her asking me, "Well, why does God make the weeds if we are just going to pull them and throw them away?"  And I found myself without the right answer ~ I was stumped as I wasn't expecting the question and all I could remember was if you don't pull up the weeds, eventually they will take over the garden and our vegetables wouldn't grow.  

I thought of that recently moment recently when I was posting some of my bible study to my friends internet site for our chat.  I found myself in the wrong site but was intriqued by a poem that someone had posted there.   I wanted to share it with you all as well :)

Ladies of His Garden

We are ladies of His garden,

tending His fields with care

planting gospel seeds of faith,

sprinkling sunshine here and there.

Guiding to the narrow gate,

those seeking peace within,

offering them the Word of God

freedom from all sin.

Counting it a privilege

to share the truth of Christ,

the least that we can toil

for Him,

for “He” is our sacrifice.

~Lisa R. Gaines


 With the first day of Spring just gone by, I hope you take some time to play in the garden of life :)  I hope you take time to look through the pages of life and throw out the weeds and tend to the gardenin your heart, mind and soul.  When the weeds are gone, we have so much more room for happiness and joy abundant! Let peace be the seed you plant today and His love with shower you with all the rest!

As always, Blessings to you!
~Kelly

Cardstock by SU! Soft Subtles, DSP - Tea Party, Image:  Swiss Pixies, Momento Ink; Prismacolor markers, misc. flowers, twine, cuttlebug, nesties, 3d dots, SU! Border punch, Aileens, Tombo

Entered into the following challenges:  Delightful Sketches - Pastel/ribbon
Wee Memories - Anything Goes
Delicious Doodles - Floral Fantasy
Creative Stamp Friends - Spring

It's my Birthday! ~ Let's go to the beach! :)

Ouch! Today is my birthday - eek!  Another year older and I'm feelin' it!   I woke up the morning with my daughter running down the hall saying I had to check the table, to see this yummy cup waiting for me!  A Starbucks with my name and Happy Birthday on it, lol!   They sent dh at 6:30 am and boy do they know my heart!  *Muah!*   This afternoon, dh and I are sneaking in some alone time and he's taking me to one of my favorite restaurants at the beach - the tables are right on the water, overlooking the gorgeous ocean and the waves lap right up next to you!  It's heaven on earth, I tell you!   I feel very, very Blessed!

Today is also Calendar Girl posting day and our hostess this month is April!  She gave us 3 rules to follow for our challenge this month:
1. a sketch to follow
2. the instructions to use something we are normally afraid to use in crafting and
3. to show something we are looking forward to!

For my card, I followed the sketch (mostly!), I added stickers which I steer clear of on card making, and something I'm looking forward to is summer - I love having my children home with me and the endless, carefree days we spent at the beach!  (Of course, I'll look as good as Florence in my next life! *g*)

Here is her sketch for us:

And my bright, sunny Florida card! :)

The stamped in the inside was gifted to me in a beautiful tropical beach  stamp set from my fabulous friend, Jeanette!  Thank you!

Now be sure to stop on over and see what the other Calendar Girls have created using this same sketch!

Blessings!

~Kelly

Card deets:  SU Green Galore, Yo Yo Yellow, Joanns green cardstock; PTI White (image); DSP = Doodlebug; Kraftin' Kimmie Florence stamp, primscolor markers; "Sand" embossing powder; Cuttlebug, nesties; Doodlebug stickers, Crate Paper ribbon

HMC - Kids need love, too :)

Good morning!  I'm having some blogging trouble it seems!  Today is a *special* day and I hope to share this post to start a busy blogging day :)  This week at Deedee's Digis Happy Monday Challenge, we were asked to make and send a card to the kids!  Mine will be sent to a little boy that my friend, Heather, told me about that is just 4 years old and battling cancer.   That just breaks my heart to hear and my prayers go out to him and his family!

My card is using Deedee's Digi "Unconditional Love" and I paired it with some bold and cheery papers to match this sweet little boy image.  I had fun coloring this, and of course, I couldn't resist doing the inside as well in a matching theme :) 

Blessings to you!
~Kelly

Deets:  SU!  Kraft, Real Red, Brocade Blue, and PTI White:  DSP = Cosmo Cricket; Image and sentiment from Deedee's Digis "Unconditional Love";  Buttons from Basic Grey; Cuttlebug, Nesties, thread, 3d dots, Tombo, prismacolor markers

Entered into:  Card Makin Mamas - Animals!
Sentimental Sundays - Cute and Cuddly
 Phindy's Place - Animals
Stampin' B's  - For the Guys

Java good Friday, everyone! :)

Mornin!  Rushing through with a quickie casual Friday post ~ I seem to have my addictive coffee theme this week!    Actually, I don't have a clue what image this is -- I received it in an image swap last year on SCS and I am wondering if it's actually chicken soup!  LOL!   I managed to turn it into a ginormous coffee mug and wish it were mine right about now :)

Blessings to you all - forgive the quick post ..... off to dr appt this morning and then help the little Kindergarteners have their Dr. Suess Ice cream party :)    My back won't let me participate much but at least I can be a great cheerleader! 

Blessings!
~Kelly

Kind hearts are the garden ......

Hey Hey!  Longfellow, anyone? :)   I love, love English + American Lit ~ I took those classes as electives in school/undergrad college when my friends were busy with pompoms and boyfriends :)  {yes, we're all still friends, and my nose is still buried in a book all the time!} :)  I thought this small quote would be a perfect addition to my flower card that I put together for this Wednesday's FBD Challenge! 

My card for you today is using Fresh Brewed Designs Flower Mug!  It's so fresh and fun, I couldn't wait to make a vibrant card to bring in the beauty of spring :)   You can find sooo many digis available here in the store - so many of them are less than a cup of coffee!  And the challenge this week?  Use 2 or more embellishments - I went with ribbon, brads, buttons!  The small flower on the coffee card is paper pieced to match, and I propped it up using 3D dots. 

I decorated the inside as well, keeping the theme of the dsp + flowers ..
the inside poem reads:

"Kind hearts are the gardens;
 kind thoughts are the roots;
 kind words are the flowers;
 kind deeds are the fruits."

Blessings to you!
~Kelly

Card deets:  GKD Sweet Corn, Dusty Durango by SU: inside - Joann's white paper; dsp = Basic Grey Origins; Image - Fresh Brewed Designs; cuttlebug, nesties, BG button, SU seam binding in cream; brads; glue, 3d dots, marker

Entered into these challenges: 
Amber's Crafts - Anything Goes
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Something sweet!
Scrap Creations - Welcome Spring!

T.I.P. #1 ~ Tuesday's Inspirational Passages: Phil 4:6

While fellowshipping with a friend last week, an idea came to me to start a post weekly on things that inspire me scripturally.   I tend to lean towards passages and live by the goodness and power of His Word ~ hence, T.I.P. was born!  (Tuesday's Inspirational Passages) 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6, 7

This was the blessed verse that greeting me this morning as I awoke -  it is humbling, beautiful, perfect!  

First, I need to thank my wonderfully sweet daughter, Kaitlyn!  In my drugged stupor, I was able to give her very little information on my unfinished post that was due but she came through!   Although the mom is me shuddered at her less than stellar grammar and sentence structure *wink!*,  I am proud of her and it was uber sweet that she went through the trouble with her already full schedule to post my card for me :)  I hoped to make a new card and finish this post, but ....     ** Telegram version - I'm okay ~ today is a new day! I'm badly bruised, have big time pain and soreness, and will have to walk a whole lot slower in the next few days, but nothing broken from a slip and slide through the dining room to the kitchen!  Our poor doggie is battling terminal cancer and makes water messes when she drinks - being a mastiff, she doesn't drink in her water bowl,  she  *swims*!  And it goes everywhere.   We try to catch her, but missed this one - and I slid right into her water mess .... I started in the dining room and didn't stop sliding/falling/twisting/crashing til I got 12 feet into the kitchen.   Ouch!!   I have a "bruised spine" - which is a very super cool way of saying I hurt my back, go home and kick the feet up.  If I weren't in agony, I'm sure kicking my feet up would be pretty cool! :)   Alas ....

I tell you, I have honestly felt that my life has been in constant upheaval this past month ~ no matter what I seem to do, adversity seems to be 2 steps ahead of me.  I try to stay upbeat, positive .... I think push onward, keep going - it will get better!  And I'm knocked right back down again, falling faster and harder than the time before!   What to do?  Keep getting up!  Eventually I'll be standing on my own two feet again.   I just keep reminding myself that we are not the ones in control and NOTHING is bigger than my God! At the end each day, everything - and I mean everything - will fall into place!  Can I get an AMEN?!

 

So ... in seeing that daily verse, I was inspired to create today's card.  Luckily, I already had it stamped out and the papers chosen!   I followed the Mojo Monday sketch #183 to pull it together, and was inspired to submit this as well to SSCC #81 which challenges us to create  a card with something hidden from view - in this case, my prayer note is on the inside :)

I hope today finds you filled with joy abundant :)  I'm off for a follow up with my regular dr today and really hope PT/a Chiro is not in my near future.  I am praised that my dh is home with me, taking such good care of me and the kids and the house and the dogs and !!!!!!!!!  I've got my Starbucks to ease the pain, hee hee ... and I was able to get much needed rest and stay off my feet for many hours {not to mention a personal blogging assistant - oh a girl can get used to this! *wink!*}

Blessings! 
~Kelly

Entered into these challenges for consideration:
1.  Mojo Monday #183 - Sketch
2.  SSCC #81 - Hidden from view

Deets:  Pixie Pink; Old Olive by SU!  PTI, white:  Image and sentiment - Verve; dsp by Basic Grey; Cuttle bug, nesties, Momento Black ink; border punch, 3D dots, ribbon from London, England; BG buttons, embroidery thread, Tombo

Take time for Bubbles!

Hi.  My mom is Kelly.  My mom got hurt and  is resting in bed so  I am posting for her today.   I would have made a post earlier but we went back to school today and I had rehearsal after school.  And a lot of homework.  She already had her card colored and it needed to be photographed and I
just now finished doing that.

She told me the card was from The Deedee's Digis.   This is the one that came out today called Greatest Joy.  I hope you make it to the Deedee's Challenge blog, too.   There is a sketch challenge going on.  But her card isn't following the sketch.  She told me her card was done before she remembered the sketch challenge, and then she got hurt and couldnt' make a new one!   I don't know anything else so I will say bye!

 

From Kelly

Deedee's Digis "Time to Bloom" Blog Hop!

Spring is such a marvelous time of year! A time of warming weather, of lengthening days, and best of all, a time of vibrant colors and new life -- a time to BLOOM!  Join the Deedee's Digis Design Team today as we celebrate the (almost) start of this very special season with a "Time to Bloom" blog hop!


If this is your first stop on the hop, be sure to visit the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog, where you will find the directions for participating in the hop, a chance to win the grand prize of a $15 credit to our store, AND a little gift for you!  If you arrived here from Kelly C's blog, then you are on the right track :)

My card for you today is using God's Peace.   The moment I saw this image, it just spoke to me with it's quiet beauty and serenity ~ spring to me has always had a focal point on Christ, Our Savior and what the ressurection has meant.  I love Spring - bunnies, baskets, bonnets!  But truly God's Grace and the peaceful sentiment that Deedee has captured beautifully in her scripture that comes with this image from Colossians 3:15 is what captures the essence of this beautiful season! 

From here, you will hop on over to Lawren's blog to see what she has created for you!  But before you leave, please be sure to leave me a comment in order to be entered to win $5 in free digis of your choice from the Deedee's Digis store! You have until 12 noon Eastern Time on Sunday to comment. I will choose a random winner then, and all winners will be announced on Monday at Crafting with Deedee's Digis -- be sure to check back then to see if you've won. Thanks so much for joining us today, and may all the blessings of Spring be yours!

Blesssings!
~Kelly

Card Deets:  SU!  Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery, So Saffron; PTI White;  Image and sentiment - Deedee's Digis God's Peace;  DSP = Fancy Pants Little Sprouts collection; Cuttlebug, nesties, prismacolor markers, brads, ribbon scraps.

She made it, She made it, SHE MADE IT!!! :)

Top 'o the morning to ya!  I'm Irish, and don't have a card for today - ACK!  Scandelous! :)  But I do want to wish all of you a most blessed St. Patrick's Day today!

And share with you some most wonderful news!!!!!!    Finally our "luck" has turned around and in the midst of choas and upheaval, we received two letters in the mail this week from dd14 trying out for high school next year ...... yes, trying out, lol - I get asked a lot why do you apply to high school, doesn't everyone go?! They are speciality schools for voice/choral performance and you have to apply, wait an excruciating couple of months, and then stalk the mailman the week of the 15th!

Our Chrissy received not one .... but  two acceptance letters to both high schools she applied for!  We are over to the top giddy and blessed and humbled!  Competetion was fierce - in one school alone, they had 9 openings of the 100's that applied - NINE!  We could not be more excited and at the same time, help her decide which path to chose and which school would better fit her ... still much praying left to do but we know He will lead us to where we are supposed to be :)

And I remember the wonderful wishes you sent to us as she applied and how nervous we were, and all the cheers, prayers, and wonderful wishes you sent our way meant the world to me!  I can't thank you enough for your support, friendship and love!   *MuAh!*

Stay tuned! Celebration candy soon to follow!  Thanks for letting me share this blessed news - a Lucky Day indeed!! 

x0x0x0
~Kelly

OWL have another cup, please! :)

Hee hee, cheesy, I know!  But I love me some coffee!  I can't go a day without (a trip to Starbucks) coffee and that's the first thing I thought of when I saw this absolutely adorable coffee owl from Fresh Brewed Designs :)  

Our challenge this week at FBD was to use *spots* on our cards :)  Another thing I love to work with is spots and dots, so I was two for two this week!  

Here is the front - again, pretty simple and no fuss ~ a few sheets of dsp, ribbon, flower and button und das ist alles!  {eh, catch that?  This is a test ... to see if I'm awake ... and had my coffee, yet!!}

Sideways: 

And the yummiest part is on the inside!  I thought this would make a cute coffee card  holder :)   I'm seem to always need one in a pinch!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Blessings to you!

And CHEERS!!!!!!!!!! :)

Dueling Darlings - Round 1: Be a Kid at Heart!

**Let the games begin!**  We are ready to duel again with the Deuling Darlings starting a new round of friendly kit swapping!  This month, I am the hostess for the Divas kits ...   Since my birthday is this month ::: eeek, getting closer - I won't look!  My eyes are closed!!  29 Forever!!  Tee hee! :::: , I thought the perfect and most fun theme would be how I always strive to be each and every day - young at heart, and always let the kid in me come out and play!!  (with 4 kids, this is quite easy to do, lol!) My children's friends always tell me "your mom is FUN!" - to which I am glad they aren't saying I'm funny LOOKING :)-  But I digress!

I actually thought of SO MANY stamps when I put together this kit. I knew I wanted fun, bright, primary colors that really bring out the memories of childhood and all the fun things we would do ~ but what sealed it for me was this adorable Riley stamp, bouncing along and so happy!   I thought of jump ropes and bikes and hopscotch, but Riley finally won me over with his happy face bouncing ball!  {Now the only one I have is by Leslie Sansone but it comes with a yucky tape that she makes me work out to for 3 whole miles!  Ugh! :)~ }

My card is simple and no fuss - just a wee background in papers called "Celebrations" by Cricut (yep, the big cutting machine!).  I actually forgot to make a kit for myself when sending this out - oops!!  I managed to squeeze enough corner pieces to make a full back ground piece and a center focal point and wee flower, rofl - note to self, count out the correct amount of kits before mailing!  Doh!  

*We try to include an optional CHALLENGE to the card kit - this month, to reflect something from our childhood, I chose pieces to a Winnie the Pooh puzzle :)  My son thought I was trying to spell out the word "HI" and said I need the "I", LOL!  Oh to see things through the eyes of a babe!

Here are the other Divas who have this exact, identical kit and you can see their take on it:
              Barb *  LauraJean  *  Carol  *  Joan  *  Judy  *   Jamie   *  Tami *

Then hop on over to the Dazzlers and see what "Kid at heart" image they came up with! You can start here, on Jeanette's blog, and she'll take you through the Dazzler roster!

Blessings to all ~ In the midst of all the fun and crafting wonder, I hope you are able to take a moment of prayer as I have for those hurting and lost in the devastation of Japan.  The news clips are just so heartbreaking and it's a terrible tragedy, one that weighs heavy on my heart.

x0x0x0x0x0

Blessings,

~Kelly

Sitting here, THUNKING of you .... :)

When our  6 year old son was around 2-ish, he used to tell me all the time "I thunk of something!"  It cracked me up every time ... his "past tense" version of think - instead of thought, he usually said thunk :)  Even now, I tell him *thunk* insead of thought and he gets pretty giggly, knowing that we do it out of love and sheer cuteness ... and that's exactly what I thought of when I saw this adorable Hello Teddy image from Glitterbabe's!   So I titled it a tad differently, since this is a card I plan to send some a special someone ;)

This weeks, Deedee's Digis is a sponsor at Glitterbabe's Digis - I was gifted this adorable Hello Teddy image to work with and just love, love him :)  It comes with a sweet stary night background, but for this card, it worked to have him as an outlined figure, peeking out of his card to share he is thinking of someone special :)  I paired it with some bright and fun papers to represent the happy card I'm hoping it will bring a smile to my friend!

Also, the Happy Monday Challenge at Deedee's Digis is to decorate insides of our cards - something I really love to do almost always, so this was a real bonus for me!   I kept the same bright, happy theme and added a sentiment.   Be sure to stop in to the HMC, too, and enter your inside and outside cards! 

Blessings,
~Kelly

Card deets:  Stampin Up! Marina Mist, close to cocoa, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango; Image:  PTI White and by Glitterbabe's Digis, sentiment PTI white and computer generated; DSP - October Afternoon; Colored with prismacolor markers; Ribbon; SU! Fairy Tale; Basic Grey Buttons; Cuttlebug, scallop + ric-rac die, nesties; tombo; aileens

Entered into the following for consideration:  

SSCC #80  - treasures (ribbon!)
Simon Says stamp - Anything Goes
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Anything Goes
The Rubber Cafe - Favorite Die