Christmas is in the air?

Yes, I know not many people are thinking about Christmas already but for those of us who make our own cards...you gotta get started sometime!  I can't stand waiting until the last second to get things done (unless it's a paper or project for school) so, I usually have my Christmas cards finished by Easter.  The new year hits and I dive into my cards.  I even start planning next year's card before this year's makes it to the post office.  I'm a planner and I like to have my design and everything I'll need purchased for the cards I'll make at least a year in advance.  This has many benefits!  I can take my time finding a design I like and getting it just right, I get to wait and see what new Christmas stuff is available to help me make that decision, and I get to take advantage of after Christmas clearances when I buy my supplies.  Can't beat that!

This year I was all prepared (as always).  I had the paper, stamps, and embellishments all picked out.  However, I had no idea what design I wanted to use.  I figured I had plenty of time to worry about that in Jan/Feb.  WRONG!!!  Things ended up being completely crazy and only got crazier as the year went on.  Easter came and went and before I knew it, it was summer.  However, I still didn't start my cards because we were moving!  I didn't get my crafty stuff unpacked until the very end of the move.  So here I sit, September is almost over and I'm just finishing up my cards.  I'm not complaining...at least they are done but waiting puts a serious crimp in my creative juices.  It took me forever to come up with a design I like and then I got sick of making that design and had to find another!  In the end, I did four different cards. 

Here they are:

All four use elements from Martha Stewart's Scandinavian Christmas line.  I also used tons of different items from Papertrey Ink.  The Holiday Photo Finishers with dies are my favorite!!  Signature Christmas always comes in handy and the new dies this month are fantastic, especially the snowflakes! 

I'm pretty happy with the results and I already have a plan for next year!  I hope everyone is having a great day...how are your Christmas cards coming?

Two more blessings!

This post is about two more amazing blessings in my life.  Gee...I'm pretty darn lucky!  I have some amazing family and I couldn't be happier to be included in the ranks of the Larsons, Anos, Pfeifers, and Spenards.  Each marriage and birth in these families has only brought me more to be thankful for! 

A certain nephew of mine, that has a birthday this week, holds an especially special spot in my heart.  Four years ago this coming Thursday, I was party to an amazing event.  I was innocently rearranging furniture under the watchful eye of my sister-in-law, Christina, to get her living room ready for a new baby.  My brother was making himself useful in the other room (he was playing computer games).  It was three weeks before my new nephew was supposed to make his appearance so we were trying to get everything ready thinking we had plenty of time.  Christina sat down to take a break and got a strange look on her face.  Then things got a little crazy!  Her water had broken and my nephew decided I needed to be there when he was born instead of 3 hours away.  My brother scooted around the house in a daze while Christina and I directed him on what he should be doing.  He flipped out because she wanted to take a shower before heading to the hospital.  I've never seen my usually REALLY chill brother in such a panic.  We put him on the phone with the doctor and then Christina's mom to calm him down.  The later didn't do much to calm him down since she was so shocked she just kept telling us all to calm down.  It was funny, crazy, and exciting all at once.

We drove to the hospital and after hours and hours of labor (I don't know how she did it!) my little perfect nephew was born.  He was perfect and had more hair than any baby should ever be born with.  It was love at first site.  I was so lucky to have been there for this big day and to hold my sweet little nephew when he was only hours old.  There is no way that was four years ago!  He's growing up so fast and is still the perfect little specimen he was on that first day.  Garret is a blessing to all of us.  He's smart, funny, and adorable!  He deserves a very special card and that is what I set out to make.

Here it is:

 

The front of this card uses Papertrey Ink products including the Train Tracks stamp set.  I have yet to play with that set and it is ADORABLE.  I'm not perfectly happy with the front and wish I would have used a bigger "Happy" stamp but I LOVE the train!  I made the interior of this card using a template on my Silhouette for a pop-up card.  It totally turns a boring card into one that I just know my nephew will love!

The second blessing I'm posting about today is my middle son, Abram.  He's going to be 5 on October 2nd.  It seems like only yesterday he was this little bundle of LOUD!!!  He has always been silly, fun, smiley, but especially loud.  In fact, the first comment my mother made upon meeting him was that she had never heard a newborn with such a loud cry.  

He's my little goofball.  A bundle of drama that can have you laughing one second and wanting to pull your hair out the next.  No matter what, having Abram around makes life an adventure.  

When asked what he wanted for his birthday theme, he immediately said monkeys.  He has always had a thing for monkeys and no other animal sums up his personality better.  He flips and flops, climbs on everything, and acts goofy all the time!  Luckily, Target has some AWESOME monkey party stuff from Paul Frank.  I decided on digital invitations this year because I wanted his goofiness to be front and center.  Abram obliged me with the PERFECT picture and the invitations were made. 

 

We are now ready to PARTY!!

I hope you enjoyed today's post!  I had fun writing about these two amazing boys!  Have a great day!

Scrappy little cards!

Today was the day to dive into my scrap collection.  I keep all of my usable scraps in a small plastic container for easy access.  The problem is...I don't use them often enough and they end up not fitting in their designated spot.  So, every once in a while I have a day where I will use only scraps to make my cards.  It's actually pretty fun and I've been surprised because often times the cards made with scraps become some of my favorites.

Today started in a autumny sort of mood and then moved on toward a wedding kind of feel.  You never know where a whim will take you!  :)  I have three scrap cards to share with you today and I hope you enjoy them!

This was my first card of the day and I like how it turned out.  I was in a layering mood and just happened upon the perfect flower for the card which was a leftover itself.  The felt letters were also leftovers, in fact, the i is really an l cut in half.  How's that for using things up?

This card uses the very last bit of some of my favorite paper.  I don't even remember where I got it because I've been holding on to it for so long!  It is the brown damask paper.  The brown is actually soft and velvety.  I love the color combo and I think it would make a nice wedding card. 

This is my favorite card of the day.  I love the patterns and colors together.  It has a nice modern feel and isn't too over done.

All in all, I think I had a great day working with my scraps.  In fact, tomorrow may just be a scrap day also.  Have a great one!

Inspiration!

Today, I needed a little inspiration to make some cards.  I found some great inspiration on one of my favorite blogs:  Kwerner Design Blog.  Whenever I feel stuck, Kristina's blog is one of my first stops!  She's amazing.  I took three of my favorite cards from her blog and played with some supplies I'm trying to use up in order to make these cards today.  I hope you enjoy them!  If you click on the picture you will be send to Kristina's blog and the post with the card that inspired me.

 

My favorite 14 year olds' birthday!

Well, two of my favorite 14 year olds celebrated their birthday this past weekend!  Emily and Noah are my sister-in-law, Jenny's, oldest kids!  These two are amazing in completely different ways! 

Noah, I feel a real kinship with.  His mind works much like my own and I don't find people like that often.  I just feel like I kind of "get" him and I like that.  He's smart, funny, helpful, smart, sweet, and did I say smart?  He's like a book and with each page that is turned, I find something new and intriguing.  My youngest and Noah have quite the little bond and it warms my heart everytime I see Micah reach up for Noah's hand.

Emily...wow!  She's amazing but you have to know her to understand why.  She's quiet, smart, and funny but most of all she is caring.  She is probably one of the most caring kids I know and that earns her a VERY special place in my heart.  She loves animals...probably even more than I do.  I know that if anyone would understand the sadness I feel when an animal is hurt or killed, Emily will.  She's also amazing and I mean AMAZING with my kids.  They all adore her and really who couldn't? 

I feel very blessed to have two amazing teenagers in my life and I still can't believe they are 14.  It seems like only yesterday that I was watching them roll around on the floor while I played peek-a-boo with them.  Two amazing kids deserve two one-of-a-kind birthday cards. 

When I make cards for my family, I never make an extra to keep for later.  I like for each card to really mean something and for them to know that I feel they deserve something as special as they are.  Here's a glimpse of the cards I made for Emily and Noah:

 

Noah's card is an electric guitar I cut using my Silhouette.  He's decorating his bedroom in guitars and I know it will ROCK!  Noah is one of those kids who can pick up an instrument and figure it out.  He never ceases to amaze me!

Emily's card turned out really well!  I loved the drum set and it just seemed to suit her.  I also cut this out using my Silhouette.  Emily is also gifted musically (these kids TOTALLY get it from their mother who sings like an angel!) and got a new guitar for her birthday.  I'm waiting to hear her play for us and I can't wait!

I hope you enjoyed a quick glimpse of what a lucky aunt I am and why I make cards like I do.  When you make cards for people, it is like sending a little bit of yourself along with the card and I love that feeling!