Bella Blvd. Cards on Thursday

Hey!

Wow, we've had some amazing weather this week! The past couple days were warm and summer-like with temperatures close to 80 degrees and today is the opposite, cold and rainy. A mix of everything!

Today I have a couple of fun card shares for you and the Bella Blvd. Cards on Thursday post.

I got to choose the Bella Blvd. collections that I want to use! I love free-for-all days because there are so many cool lines to choose from! For my ‘Family’ card I thought I’d take a break from holiday crafting, and use the Sunny Happy Skies collection.

 These houses caught my eye … they’re so detailed, colorful and fun! Makes me want to move into that little neighborhood! I’d move into the red house with roof-top patio and shades lined with hearts!

After Halloween, I thought it was time to stash away the Too Cute to Spook line, but I didn’t want to! I’ve been having a good time playing with this line and decided to challenge myself to use it in a different way. So, I came up with this thank you card.

Usually when I sit down to make a thank you card, I start by choosing colors and accents like bright colors, butterflies and flowers. This time, going at it from a challenge to use a particular product, I ended up with a look I would have never thought of. I don’t think I would have used black for a thank you card, but I love the results!

Well, I have a special share tomorrow so I hope you can come back! I created my first scrapbook page using a picture of one of my new sugar gliders! I haven't even had the babies for two weeks yet, but one of them is a little friendlier and outgoing than the other so bonding is moving right along and I was able to get a few photos! The other is still to scared for a photo op so we'll just wait patiently, right? :)

Thanks for dropping in today! I hope you enjoyed the cards and you have a lovely day!

Kathy :)

Thanks

Hi!

I have a hybrid card to share with you this Monday. I used an adorable new digital kit at Two Peas in a Bucket called 'When I Grow Up' by Edeline Martin for this project.

This digital kit is perfect for scrapping childhood memories and for just about any project you can think of like thank you cards.

I cut the sentiment with the Silhouette and used the reverse portion to make the tag.

I've added my go-to accents such as buttons, die cuts, and stitching. This time I included a little star charm and mini wood clothespin.

It's supposed to be a lovely, warm and sunny day here. I think I'll get out and run a couple errands to enjoy it. I hope you have a great day too. I really appreciate that you stopped by!

Kathy :)

11-11-11

T.G.I.F!

It's Friday, Veteran's Day and 11-11-11! Seems like we should be doing something to celebrate! But it's just another day, right? Hubs is working and I'm working. Christopher has the day off from school for Veteran's Day. Thank you to all our Veteran's and service people for your sacrifices and commitment to our country! I think we should remember this all the time, not just Veteran's Day!

If I hadn't been so busy tearing apart my office this week, I might have remembered to make a patriotic card to share today. Instead I have this hybrid card that I created with a new digital kit from Two Peas in a Bucket called 'Cupcake Toppers' from Tricia Chapman.

When I design with a digital kit made for something specific like this kit, I like to show how versatile it can be by making something different. I think these colorful cupcake toppers are perfect for Thanksgiving invitations, table setting place cards, scrapbook page accents, notes and greeting cards.

This card was quick and easy to pull together. All I did was to add a couple coordinating card stock colors and a sprinkling of gems. The black frame is a Spellbinders die cut and the yellow piece of card stock is a scalloped shaped scrap from Bazzill Basics.

Most times I like to add lots of stitching and accents, but for this, I wanted to show that you can also put together pretty paper crafts in no time and very little product.

Well, my office is looking pretty bare! Since Monday I've been emptying things out, dusting and vaccuming. Now comes the fun part...decorating! Without so much stuff everywhere I can make things look pretty! No more unsightly piles and things put in every possible nook and cranny! It'll be fun to incorporate some of my beloved vintage items as storage pieces. Hopefully, I can show you some photos next week!

Have a wonderful Veteran's Day, 11-11-11 and weekend!

Kathy :)

Bella Blvd. Inspiration Tuesday

Hi!

Today I have a crafty share for you!

Over on the Bella Blvd. blog it's a Tuesday inspiration day and a couple of my teammates and I have projects posted that we created with this photo in mind.

The rich, warm colors remind me of our local farm and the Bella Blvd. Finally Fall collection!

 I love how the Miniatures and Alpha + Bits stickers provided fun accents and phrases for my card!

I'm making my post short and sweet today because something hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday...and made me want to clean my office! I have soooooooooo much stuff that it's out of control! I'm sure a few of you can relate?!?! Maybe more than a few? Anyway, I have my work cut out for me so I better get to it. My hope is that I may be able to share some photos of my office for the first time...minus the clutter! Wish me luck, I'll need it!

Hope you have a swell day!

Kathy :)

Thankfully

Hello!

What kind of day are you having? Is it sunny? Rainy? Is there snow? It's about 40 degrees here with rain. Not a good day for outdoor activities. But it's perfect for hanging out at home and taking it easy! Christopher is creating a train layout on his computer here in my office while I blog and craft. Mr. Dan went to fetch some groceries and will spend time reading magazines and playing his guitar. This kind of weekend would have bored me to tears once upon a time. Today, it's the little things, the simple everyday things, that make me happy. I'm going to bake some pumpkin cupcakes, we'll carve our pumpkins and roast the seeds. How about you? What are your plans?

Before I get to the crafting portion of my day, I have a couple cards to share with you. Would you believe these cards started out as a scrapbook page? I created a page yesterday that along the way lost its focal point. Some projects are like that, they don't turn out as planned. This time I had the idea of cutting it up to make some cards! I salvaged the photos and added a couple things...and here you have it.

I used an adorable new digital kit from Two Peas in a Bucket called 'Thankfully' by Polka Dot Pixels. Love this turkey and the children rolling that huge pumpkin along!

I almost created a sign for this turkey that said, "Eat Tofu-rkey!" :)

Instead, I opted for this cute phrase from Bella Blvd.

I like the way these cards turned out...cutting up my page wasn't such a bad idea! I have two cute cards instead of one bad page! ;)

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of my page to show you before I put it on the chopping block.

 

I hope you enjoy whatever you have planned for the weekend! I think I'll add a cat nap and reading to my weekend agenda!

Enjoy!

Kathy :)

New Bella Blvd. Release Projects

Hey Hey, it's Friday!

Earlier this week I mentioned that the new 'Winter Wonder' and 'Spring Flings and Easter Things' mid-releases by Bella Blvd. started shipping on Monday. Yippee! They might be at your favorite store by now! Guess what? I saw them at Two Peas in a Bucket! Just click on the collection names above to find them! I also mentioned that I would be back today with a couple cards made with these fantastic new lines...

Since spring is my favorite season, I'll show you my 'Spring Flings and Easter Things' card first! Mother's Day is just one of the special occasions that occurs during spring and a great time to send handmade cards!

When a collection such as this has a lot of beautiful coordinating papers and colors, I like to create a design that uses several of them. I also enjoy finding ways to use products in a different ways. The yellow check paper is actually a conversation bubble sticker that I turned upside down, using it as another strip of patterned paper.

Here's the card I create with the 'Winter Wonder' collection.

 I love the way stitching can jazz up a project! I thought it would be fun to stitch around the phrase letters and heart. I used an awl to pierce the holes first and then added the stitching by hand with a regular needle and thread.

So, what do you think of these new lines? Gotta have 'em, huh? :) In know the feeling! ;)



So what are your plans for Halloween weekend?  We will be laying low since the weather is going to be ugly. I'm so happy we didn't wait until this weekend to visit the patch! We'll carve our pumpkins, bake seeds and maybe some pumpkin cookies or cupcakes and I'll get a little crafty...just got my new Papertrey Ink goodies! :)

Have a good one and enjoy!

Kathy

Hill Ridge Farms

Hi!

With Halloween just days away I have a timely scrapbook page share with pictures from our recent visit to the pumpkin patch, Hill Ridge Farms.

This is one of my usual Two Peas hybrid pages with a twist. Each week one of the Creative Digital Team members picks a paper page from the gallery to recreate in digital or hybrid form and this is my week!

I chose this fabulous page by talented Garden Girl Lynn Ghahary. Isn't this page darling?

I used the gorgeous 'Autumn Leaves' kit by Polka Dot Pixels for my project. It includes a lot of fabulous vintage accents that I adore!

Here's my boys on their annual train ride at the patch. Look at Christopher's face. He was in a quiet sort of mood that day.

I used one of my favorite Papertrey Ink dies and made a bunch of buttons to scatter throughout the page. If you look carefully, you may even notice those that blend in with the patterned paper.

What a fun assignment this was! I look forward to my next paper to digital (hybrid)! Thanks to Lynn for her terrific page design!

Before I go I have to tell you about a sinful cake I made from a Pinterest recipe. Yep, I'm at it again! ;)

This is Almond Cake with Almond Frosting from Sweet and Savory by Sarah. Oh wow is it DELICIOUS! So moist...there's a little sour cream in it. So sinfully good! I made cupcakes instead of a sheet cake. This is to help me with portion control. Otherwise, I'd cut a little slice and eat the rest of the cake!!!! :) Anyway, this cake is ultra easy too. What more can you ask for?

Have a sweet day!

Kathy :)

Lil' Racer

Hi!

Can you believe next Monday is Halloween? It's coming up quick! And I bet there will be a lot of great Halloween projects on blogs, on-line craft sites and Pinterest all this week! In fact, Doodlebug Designs challenged me and two of my teammates to create a card or layout with the 'Monster Mania' collection and a sketch they provided!

I've been looking forward to sharing this page with you! I think it turned out so cute! There are so many great accents made for this line and even more that coordinate with any Doodlebug collection!

That spook-tacular bat is just one of many Doodle-Pops dimensional stickers and the eerie spider is a
Braddies. You know how much I like Doodlebug brads!

Everything on this page is from Doodlebug! Boutique Buttons, Shin-Dig glittered alphas, Cute Cuts die cuts...even twine!!! I used a few of the patterned papers from Monster Mania to make these rosettes.

Check out this Happy Halloween sentiment! It's one of the Doodles Sticker Sayings! The size is perfect for cards or embellishing scrapbook pages!

 How about some more crafty Halloween inspiration? Check out the Doodlebug blog to see what Sherry Cartwright and Stepanie Buice created with this collection and sketch.

I hope you have a fun-filled Halloween week!

Kathy :)

Santa?

Ho Ho Hello!

Is that Santa I'm hearing? No! It couldn't be! Although...Halloween is next week and this month has gone by at lightning speed! Perhaps I am hearing the faintest sound of Santa?

If you are like me, you are thinking there's plenty of time to make Christmas cards, ornaments and gifts. Then I blink my eyes and it's just two weeks until the big day! Does that happen to you? You go from having all the time in the world to it being the eleventh hour in the snap of a finger?!?!

I've already made a half dozen or so holiday cards this month so just maybe this year I'll be a little further ahead? Yea, right! Not! ;)

Here's a Christmas card I made yesterday using the 'Santa's Workshop' collection and a 'Create a Card' base from Doodlebug Designs. Could this card be anymore colorful or cute?

I'm in love with Doodlebug's Create a Card line!!! They're a series of stylish card bases created in the nine colors Doodlebug is famous for! They make it so easy to create the cutest cards! Pretty darn quick too!

For this card I picked a card base from the Polka Dot Assortment...there's a subtle polka print on the inside and a scalloped edge on the bottom of the card and the flap of the envelope. I simply cut a square piece of Candy Cane Lane paper from the Santa's Workshop line and added a scalloped border at the top with  Fancy Frills. Santa is a Cute Cuts die cut. Then I accented the die cut with a few Mini Jewels and Icon Stickers. I added a die cut snowflake using one of my thin dies and layered it with a Boutique Button. All these products coordinate perfectly! So easy! So cute! So much fun!

So, what are you up to this weekend? Have you been to the pumpkin patch yet. Do you have your costumes picked out? Oh, guess what? Christopher decided that he didn't want to trick or treat this year! The only reason I'm not in complete shock is that he mentioned this a couple years ago when he was eight. I was very shocked then! Since then, I've been expecting he might give it up. His dad and I are fine with it and told him he could always go next year if he missed going this year. And you know what? The reason he gave for not wanting to go was that I make such yummy desserts, he no longer needs candy! That makes a mom feel pretty good! :)

Well, whatever your weekend plans are, I hope you have the best one! Enjoy!

Kathy :)

State Fair

Hi!

We just went to our State Fair on Monday and I have a scrapbook page share for you today! How's that for a quick turn around time? I'm usually not that ahead of the game!!! In fact, I usually scrap these events about a year later!

I love the chevron goodness is this new Two Peas in a Bucket digital kit called 'Hallow Fields' by Kenner Road! As usual, I elected to create a hybrid page...I can't get away from the need to hold and play with paper and accents! And I used a fabulous Page Maps Sketch from Becky Fleck.

I thought a few of our State Fair photos would look awesome with the papers and goodies in this kit! Was I right?

Banners, banners everywhere! I love a great looking banner and this one has fun shapes and prints!

Looking at my photos makes me want to go back to the fair! I have a lot of fair favorites. I always have to have a roasted ear of corn, browse the crafts, check out the biggest pumpkin and watermelon, and stroll the gardens. Oh and we always partake in homemade ice cream on the way out. It's all good!

I'll be back tomorrow with another crafty share! Until then, take care and enjoy the day!

Kathy :)

Our House

T.G.I.F. Everyone!

We've arrived at another weekend! I absolutely love Fridays! The entire weekend is stretched out before us, two whole days to enjoy with my boys! I make dinner during the week and on Friday night, Dan makes dinner for Christopher and I! Oh I love it! That means I get extra time in my office to craft while Christopher sits across from me playing Rule the Rail, a train similator game he adores! It's the simple things that are so much fun!

I'm popping in this morning to share a card with you.

I created this card yesterday with a darling new digital kit at Two Peas in a Bucket called 'Our House' by Chrissy W.

This kit has some great phrases for scrapbook pages and greeting cards. I could give this card to someone who's moving...it would be perfect for a newly built house, wouldn't it?

The scalloped border was made with a Fiskars border punch, the clouds were cut with the Silhouette and that little heart button I added to the house...old stash from Karen Foster. And stitching...have to have some stitching!!!

So, I mentioned yesterday that we will be visiting our local pumpkin patch this weekend. For the past few days I've been thinking about all the things we do there...hay ride, train ride, pumpkins, animals, giant slide, corn crib, a big juicy ear of corn! Oh yea! It's all good! :)

I'll be back tomorrow morning with another crafty share!

Have a great Friday!

Kathy :)

Snow Day & Stamping from A to Z

Hi!

We're not actually having a snow day today...not yet! But I do have a snowy scrapbook page share from our day after Christmas snow last year.

Watch out! Christopher's loaded! Snowball in hand! :) But not smiling because he's too cold! ;)

This is my fourth project using this awesome new line 'Winter Wonder' from Bella Blvd. and I have to tell you, I could keep going and going!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...these Miniatures and Alpha and Bits sticker accents are a lot of fun and addicting! I LOVE all the little tags!

This collection makes it ultra easy to put together awesome looking projects!

I've added some die cuts too! The clouds frame is from Silhouette and the snowflakes are thin dies from My Favorite Things.

Today I have another share for you!

Two Peas in a Bucket started it's Stamping from A to Z class on Monday. Today they're on the letter D for Digital stamps and Distressing. I created a card with a Digital Doodles stamp for the event and have included a little peek below. I hope you have a little time to go check out the class and see the rest of my Creepy card! :)

Well, we're just a day away from another wonderful weekend! We plan to head out to the pumpkin patch...our annual visit to Hill Ridge Farms. There's oodles to do there and Christopher always looks forward to riding the train. Should be a good time! Until then I'll be cookin' up some crafty projects to share with you and I'll be blog hoping while I work so I can see what spook-tacular goodies you've been up to!

Have an awesome day!

Kathy :)

Woody

Hello!

T.G.I.F!

We're heading into another weekend! A fall weekend too. There's so many cool activities to participate in this time of year! Around my neck of the woods, there's a fall festival happening at Suzanne's Antiques and around the corner from there is a semi-annual flea market at another of my neighborhood vintage shops. You can bet I'll be there!

Today, I'm craftin' up a storm and I have a Halloween scrapbook page to share with you.

Here's Christopher dressed up as Woody! Last Halloween he picked this costume after seeing Toy Story with his dad over the summer.

I think Christopher made a very cute Woody! I tossed in a photo of his jack-o-lantern too. He always draws the face on paper, then I transfer it to the pumpkin for him.

I created this colorful page with the spook-tacular Halloween collection 'Too Cute to Spook' by Bella Blvd. Oh how I love this line, let me count the ways...or count the numerous projects I've created with it so far!!!

For the little flags, I used toothpicks and added a couple Bella Alpha Bits phrases. I used a die cut, to make the cool little rosettes! The Ciao Chip embellishments are awesome...I used a lot throughout the page.

There you have it...last year's costume page is done before this Halloween! I usually run about a year behind! By the time Halloween actually arrives, I'm usually up to my eyeballs in Christmas ornaments, cards and decor! I love it! That leaves my Halloween photos for next year and new collections to create with!

Hope you have a splendid weekend! Enjoy every moment and make some great memories!

Kathy :)

Happy Birthday Dan!

Hi!

It's a very special day at our house! It's Dan's birthday! Happy Birthday sweetie! Dan is my better half of 19 years, my best friend, and my rock! He's hands down the best dad! Dan has a great sense of humor that get's us through rough times and he's got an attention to detail that keeps our household running smoothly!

In honor of Dan and his special day, I created this card for him.

I'm always challenged when it comes to making manly cards! And I'm happy that I was able to pull it off this time around! Well, it may not be manly, but it's not girlie either! You should see some of the cards Dan has received from me over the years...some with pretty bows and flowers! :)

I used the gorgeous autumn themed papers from Bella Blvd's. 'Finally Fall' collection. The papers were die cut with the smallest circle and oval Spellbinders dies. The only thing I added to make this a birthday card was the green 'Birthday' rub on from my stash.

Well, I'll be spending a bit of time in the kitchen today. It's a tradition in our house to make the birthday person's favorite dinner and sweet treat. If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you can guess that Dan picked Chocolate Chip Cookies instead of cake. He can never get enough of that chewy chocolatey goodness!

For dinner he surpirsed me and picked chicken with green sauce...that's what we call it. It's actually called 'Creamy PHILLY Pesto Chicken' from All Recipes.

To tell you the truth, I put off making this recipe for a little while because the green sauce didn't look too appetizing to me! Anyway, I finally decided to make it and it's become a family favorite! Even requested for a birthday dinner! So, I have a nice big basil plant and freshly toasted pine nuts for the pesto sauce. Instead of rice, I make this with quinoa. My boys love the stuff!

I've mentioned quinoa a couple of times on my blog, but haven't told you what it is because I don't know how to describe it, but I thought Rebecca Crump of Ezra Pound Cake summed it up well when she wrote:

It’s strange stuff, quinoa, a plant-based complete protein, with all nine amino acids. A nutritional powerhouse respected by the Incas as the “mother grain.” But most of us have no idea what to do with it, much less how to pronounce it.

I’d been avoiding those little beads since the Great Quinoa Disaster of 2010, when I cooked it for the first time and wound up with a bowl full of nasty, gritty stuff that tasted like old pennies.

So, I wasn’t even tempted to try quinoa (that’s KEEN-wah, in case you were wondering) again until I saw a recipe for Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado Salad in Marie Simmons’ “Fresh & Fast Vegetarian.” A big, summery, main dish salad with toasted quinoa, fresh sweet corn, diced tomatoes, scallions, creamy avocado and a small handful of cilantro tossed with a bright lime-jalapeño dressing.

And there, in Simmons’ section on quinoa, I finally learned what I’d done wrong the first time.

Before you cook quinoa, you have to RINSE it.

Doh.

Quinoa requires rinsing, because it’s covered in saponin, a natural bitter-tasting compound that protects it from being eaten by birds. Just pour your quinoa into a fine-mesh sieve, place it under running water for about a minute, and it’s ready to be cooked.

Consider me schooled.

Hope you give quinoa a try! It's a delicious, easy way to replace those simple carbs and add nutrition!

Have a super day!

Kathy :)