Black, Gray, Pink and Red

 This is the paper that has been on my desk lately, so this is what I've been using. I'm over this color scheme now, but I still have lots of projects to share from the week or so that I used only these colors.

 I guess I'm a super lazy paper crafter, because I just use whatever is nearest. Of course I'll get up for ribbon or other embellishments, but if I can make what is within arm's reach work, then that's what I use!

 I think I did four lay outs with this color scheme, all about love and friendship. Yes, I added glitter.

 Some leftover snippets became this little card.

I had a scare last night. Our youngest, who is seven, got in the way of a baseball bat and caught it right between the eyes. It split the skin all the way to the membrane covering the skull. It was a harrowing experience, and doubly bad because Troy is at K State taking a class. Why do these things happen when he walks out the door? Don't worry, Wilson is okay and upstairs stomping around like Rumpelstiltskin, which is what Troy and I call him. He's 54 pounds of noise, I tell ya.

I have grabbed him, held him and smothered him with kisses every time he has been within reach today. He was so brave. It makes me cry just to think of how well he has handled all this-including the tetanus shot he had to get today. Some days mothering is real work, you know what I mean?

Of Friendship and Paradise

 This card features A Muse Studio's Vintage Labels stamp set and the coordinating Labels Dies. I love these because they come with a clear positioning plate, which allows you to mark exactly where the metal die should be to cut your stamped image perfectly.

 Of course I added some ribbon and some handmade paper flowers, and a couple from my Prima stash. Those things last forever, don't they? The sentiment is a Basic Grey rub-on.

 Here is some Crafty Secret goodness! The ocean truly is paradise for me! White sandy beaches and blue seas-that's the life for me**SIGH**

You may remember me pondering whether I should apply to be on the CS design team. Well, at the last minute, I did apply, and was not one of the lucky (and super talented) ones chosen. The same day I found out I had not made it, several CS cards sold in my Etsy shop. I guess I'm finally old enough not to be much bothered by these things. While I'm certainly not happy I didn't make it, I am also not especially bothered by it either. I love Crafty Secrets. It has been one of my top three favorite companies for about six years now. I adore their products, and always have fun when I use them. They sell with great regularity from my Etsy shop. Really, is there anything to be upset about? Those of you who are much younger than I may not have reached this easy ability to let things go. But, as the Rolling Stones always say, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you get what you need!"

Toodles girlfriends! Remember, we are doing this for fun!!!

A Scrapbook Page and CPS 223

 

This layout has a little journaling tag which slides out. It looks like there are a ton of different papers here, and while there are five or six, a lot of it is just the pattered paper. It's old HOTP paper, and is designed to look layered.

                                       

 This is the first challenge I have done in over a year, I think. My job of the past two years required 10-14 hour days of me for six months of the school year, and pretty much my whole life has been my job and recovering from my job. I resigned as Drama Director and next year, I will just be a regular old overworked teacher, not an insanely overworked teacher.

I want to get back to my blog and my stamping friends and all the silly little things we do for pleasure. CPS was the first challenge outside of SCS challenges that I ever did. I loved it way back when, and I love it now. I used A Muse Studio's Birthday Builder on this card. It's such a fun and clever little set. It is part of a|s's Clearly Creative line, which makes it an absolute cinch to line up and stamp perfectly every time! That gray grosgrain ribbon is part of what's left from a ribbon swap I did with TexasJodyLynn about five years ago. I guess I don't use a lot of gray! The crown is a leftover from a large custom order on Etsy. They were tags for school treat bags for three brothers. Each boy had his own color combo using two of these three: black, gray and red.

Toodles, girlfriends! I'm off to continue to try to get my house in order. I need to CLEAN, do some remodeling finishing touches, and rearrange the living room. What are you doing this summer?

A Muse Studio June Blog Hop

Please hop on over to my A Muse Studio blog for the hop! Thank you! Carla's A Muse Studio