SSW212 - part deaux

Good golly Miss Molly it is HOT here today.  It's supposed to get to 92 here and our air conditioning unit is making a really odd sound.  Hang in there little dude, the repairman is on his way!!  I suppose I shouldn't complain, in Arizona where I used to live it's supposed to reach 120.  Yikers.

I'm giving my darlings some fun today.  They have the choice of a movie, Monsters University, or lunch over at Chuck E. Cheese.  Is it wrong that I am praying that they choose the movie?  I hate Chuck's place ... the noise, bad pizza, rampant kids.  Sigh.

I loved the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge so much that I made a second card using it.  Alright, if  I'm going to be REALLY honest, this was actually my FIRST run at this sketch.  If you look closely you can see that I left a crucial element off this card.  Did you find it ... the half ovals!  I have GOT to stop printing these sketches off in black and white because I didn't even notice this element until I took another look.  Ra-roh!

There is still time to play so head on over to the Sweet Sketch blog.  Bugaboo is offering 7 free images!

SSW212: Bugaboo

I am back from a fantastic visit with the in-laws.  I loved seeing all
the nieces, nephews and grands.  I finally got to meet the newest, baby Nathan (or "mayfun" as my oldest grand-nephew says).

It was a bittersweet visit because one is moving to Idaho, one is going to Japan for 18 months and one is deploying to Afghanistan.  The kids are growing up and starting their own lives.  Boo Hoo!!

But in better news, it's Wednesday!  We have another GREAT sketch on the Sweet Sketch Wednesday blog AND another great sponsor ...  it's Jodie from Bugaboo. 

Sally came through beautifully with our new sketch.  It's a fun one.  In fact, I liked it so much that I made not one but TWO cards with it.  I'll post my second card later this week. 

I gotta be honest and tell you that I LOVE my card this week.  It just makes me giggle.  I first envisioned this as a card to give TJ's basketball coach, but when I thought about 8, 9 and 10 year olds signing this card ... I thought NOPE!  It WILL be perfect for my nephew Logan's birthday in a few months.  This is soooo his humor.

This week Jodie is offering her usual AMAZING prize of seven, yep (7!!) digis to the winner this week.


Remember, in order to be eligible for this week's prize, you must comment on the Sweet Sketch Wednesday blog.  Good luck!

SSW 211-122: DigiStamp Boutique

 

Fire is at 85% containment ... Wahooo!  It's Wednesday again and that means it's time for another sketch challenge over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  Our sketch is a blast from the past ... it was so good that we had to bring it back for another go.  If you'd like to see what the designer's did LAST time, click here.

We are once again sponsored by Sally-Ann from DigiStamp Boutique.  I used her fantastic "Funtime Dan" this week.  There are 4 images in this set and they are ALL darling.   It is the perfect set for me, a mother of two very active boys!

The prize this week is six digital images from Sally-Ann's shop.  So what are you waiting for ... get crafting!

DS105: Oh Chute!!

I'm baking right now.  Hubby kinda of got gyped from having a real Father's Day celebration with us all being trapped here at the house.  I didn't REALLY get to go hog-wild like I normally do.  So I made him an ice cream cake and I'm making him his favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I'm kinda down about the fire and just wanted to DO something ... not that making cookies helps put out forest fires or anything!  It just makes ME feel better.

Here's the second, "Sorry Your House Burned" card I made this week.  I got this Cat's Pajamas stamp set from my Secret Sister and have had it on my desk for some time, reminding me to use it.  Cute isn't it?  Thanks Kathy!

I LOVED Jen's deconstructed sketch (this and Freshly Made Sketches are among two of my favorite sites ... well other than Sweet Sketch Wednesday of course!)  I wanted to make sure to use it.  I embossed the parachute and that gave it a weird look but since it was the SECOND time I had colored it, I didn't feel like stamping it a third time!  Other than the parachute, I really like how it turned out.

Tuesday Morning Sketches 202

We had rain yesterday.  If you want to see all of Colorado smile at one time, let it rain during a fire crisis.  It was a significant amount of rain and it helped the firefighters increase containment from 0% to 45%  Good news.

The bad news is that  as of now,
2 are dead
503 homes have been destroyed
and 14,500 acres of beautiful Colorado forests are burned.

It's sobering.

Tuesday Morning Sketches has a theme of Masculine this week but I don't need a Father's Day card.  I need "sorry that your house burned down" cards.  This was the first that I made.  The inside says, "Remember that stressed is desserts spelled backwards."  I'm going for humor.  I have two friends whose houses are gone and I want to send gift certificates to them.  They both have kids who lost everything.  It's hard enough dealing with losses when you are an adult, no kid should have to go through this.  I hope they take the money I'm sending to buy some joy for their kids life.

Joy is hard to come by after a fire.

Desperate For A Distraction

If you watch the news at all, you probably know that Colorado is on fire ... again.

Believe it or not, this isn't my family's first rodeo ... we were in last year's evacuation for the Waldo Canyon fire.  If you want to read about LAST year's party, click here.

What I've learned is that you DO actually get better at packing the second time around.  And, it isn't any less stressful this time ... kind of still freaking out!  I still didn't have pictures of my the stuff in my house but my boys are calmer.

Right now, the fire is about 3 miles away and the evacuation boundary is within walking distance to our house.  I've been crafting up a storm right now to keep myself busy.  Initially I had a bit of a crying spree looking around my craft room but there is no room to pack it.  And, as I keep telling myself, it's only stuff and it can be replaced.


I'm including a picture of our stuff piled up ready to load into the car and also a picture of the ridge that separates us from the fire.

This card is one of the many projects that I made to distract myself.  I've also done 4 loads of laundry and vacuumed (those who know me, know that I HATE to vacuum, so I MUST be desperate!!) I used last week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches that I never got around to using.

SSW 210: Stamp ~N~Doodle

Wow.

Half-way through June already.  Crazy how fast life flies by once  you aren't six and waiting for Santa to arrive. 

We're in the middle of Summer Baseball.  TJ is on the Blue Jays this year.  All the boys love it because their coach's name is Jay and their uniforms are blue .... get it, Jay is sad (apparently you have to be seven to think it's hilarious but they certainly do!)  I've got to get back into the habit of taking an umbrella to the games.  Parking is a million miles away and I've sat in the rain (like an idiot) too many times now!

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for another stamp challenge from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  We have a new sponsor, Stamp~N~Doodle.  I chose this one, Storm's a Comin'.  I tried coloring the image but liked it best just grey-toned.

The prize for this week's winner is two images from the Stamp~N~Doodle store!

Sweet Sunday Sketch 186

Today is the first day of Vacation Bible School.  I have to admit something ... I was a stop and drop mom.  Yep, I registered the kids and then basically hid from people who I knew would ask me to help.  Because ... if someone asked, I would have been obligated to say "yes."  And (whispering) this year, I wanted to hog all the free time to myself.

But ... it went well.  Songs were sung, crafts made and fun had by all (and when I say all, I mean ALL!!)

I used my free time to catch up on challenges.  I loved Karen's Sweet Sunday sketch this week and so that was the first I did.

SSW 209: Meljen's Design's

Happy Wednesday!

It's time for another challenge from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  This week we have a fun sketch from Sally to work with and our sponsor is Melissa from Meljen's Designs.

This week I've used PenPal Mouse.  I did make one small change to little mousie: I flipped the image.  I wanted the pencil to point towards the opening of the card.  Can I just say how much I LOOOOOVE digis?  They are sooo much more versatile than rubbah?!!

My hubby is a spoiled boy.  During HIS weeks (birthday and Father's Day) I usually give him 4-5 cards.  One year I only gave him one for his birthday and he was a bit pouty-face!   I mail them to his work or tuck them in his briefcase or sometimes hide them in his car.  Happy Father's Day sweetie!

So we hope you will join in the fun with us over on the blog.  You do NOT need to use a Meljen's Design image to play but don't forget to comment on the blog so you are eligible for Melissa's generous prize of 4 free digi images.