Playing a bit of Catch-Up!

warning: today's blog post is going to be all over the place. ;o)

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I am feeling a bit overwhelmed today.

In the last month or so, I took on several new obligations:

*Friday Fun Challenge

*Limelight Papercrafts DT

*Paper Makeup Stamps DT

*organizing Friends with Flair for Unity Stamp Co. with Maren

I have no doubt that I can manage doing them all, but right now I feel like I am constantly forgetting something. So, today, I am organizing my calendars and check-lists so that I am sure to stay on top of things/obligations/DT's.

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I also have several fun things that I want to share with you all on the blog over the next few days...a few favorite's lists from 2009, a revisit of my to-do resolutions by age 40 (August) list, etc.

So today is my day to get organized and get my thoughts in order.

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But first, I have a Paper Makeup Stamps share that I have needed to post since Friday!?! (see, I NEED to get organized!!!)

Every Friday, over on the PMS blog, there is a Makeup for the weekend challenge. Last week's challenge was to create a Christmas/holiday scrapbooking page.

I don't have any of the PMS Christmas stamps (I know, what is up with that?!? I think that I need to go shopping...) so I had to get a bit creative with my page. I have had this quote from PMS for a while about being a mother of a little girl, but hadn't figured out exactly what I wanted to do with it, but then I found these photos of Kat and me from last Christmas and inspiration struck. {click on the layout to see the details better!}

Supplies used:

*Paper Makeup Stamps Jaina Fairy

*Paper Makeup Stamps Whoever Said Fairies

*Paper Makeup Stamps Dream Big Set (swirl on ticket)

*Bazzill Kraft paper

*Basic Grey papers

*Tim Holtz Ticket

*Prima bling

*Nestabilities Labels 4 die cut

*Derwent watercolor pencils

*Palette Black Noir inkpad

*Making Memories acrylic journaling paper (snowflake overlay at the top)

*Fancy Pants journaling piece

*Creative Cafe red tag

*Fiskars border punch

Feel free to play along with the challenge. We like it when everyone plays!!!

The details:

You do not have to use Paper Makeup Stamps to play along but if you've got them why not use them! When you play along be sure to link up your creations to Mr. Linky on the PMS blog post using a direct link to your card and when you upload to SCS/PCP please use keyword M4TW09 so we can see your creations there as well!

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And here is today's Unity January Kit of the Month sneak peek.

Under a Shady Tree, You and Me....

If you are a mom of a toddler, you probably recognize those words....

I love this song from Nick Jr/Laurie Berkner Band. So much fun... Simply Happy!

So I wanted to create a card that was fun and happy too. I actually used a scrapbook layout sketch for the design of this card from 52 Sketches (#51).

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. January kit of the month

*K&Company Flea Market paper (Target)

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

*watercolor pencils

*Prima bling

*Marvy Uchida circle punches

*corner rounder

January Unity Sneak Peeks are here!!!

It's the end of the month which means we are prepping for the January 1st release of the new Unity Kit of the Month with a few sneak peeks!!!

I love this time of the month!!!

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. January Kit of the month

*Unity Stamp Co. Grainy Background

*MME papers from the November Collage/Scrapbooking kit

*watercolor pencils

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

*MM copper brads

*Marvy Uchida oval punches

And don't forget,

Unity released 10 new kits yesterday

for $10/each

with FREE shipping for orders over $25.

After the 1st,

these will sell for $23/each

so be sure to grab them now!!!

It's Boxing Day!

And I have a few boxes to take care of...

This is the view of the hall going out to the garage right now. Ben and I usually tag-team the boxes during the unwrapping, but without him here, this is what happened. I know what my job is for today! ;o)

To celebrate the ringing in of the New Year, Unity decided to release 10 NEW KITS for$10 each!!! And they are all so darn cute. These will regularly sell for $23/each so you can see what an amazing deal this is and FREE shipping if you order over $25 worth!

I had the chance in the pre-Christmas rush to put together a card using one of these new kits, Spring Unity.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Spring Unity

*MME paper (blue clouds)

*Cosmo Cricket paper (pink)

*velvet ribbon

*watercolor pencils

*Marvy Uchida circle punches

*button

*cotton string

*Fiskars border punch

*corner rounder

And when I was taking photos of the boxes this morning, she thought that I should be taking photos of her so I obliged... Some boxing day cuteness for you....

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself...

~Norman Wesley Brooks

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas

from our house to yours.

Limelight Christmas Eve....

...and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

This is absolutely my FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR!

So magical...it's all about the kids today and their belief in a bit of Christmas Magic...

Hopefully you are spending some wonderful time with friends and family today and all this week, but don't forget that you need a bit of time for yourself too. And what better way to spend that than with a new Limelight Papercrafts sketch. ;o)

This week our focus is all about STARS!

The Deets:
**Use the sketch above and try to incorporate STARS!!
**Key word for SCS upload is LLPC037.
**Post a comment with a link to your card on the Limelight Papercrafts blog on the challenge post.
**PRIZE ~ One lucky winner will receive the Unity Stamp Co. stamp kit, This is the Time!

Going shopping?

**Basic Grey Sugar Rush & Origins arriving 12/29!

ON SALE NOW (Click on the On Sale Now tab to view products):

• Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses, Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly, and select holiday stamps 30% off!
• Cosmo Cricket Oh Joy! Crafting Kit ONLY $10!
• Selected Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, and other products at major savings!
  
• October Afternoon Good Cheer and Very Merry & Jillibean Soup Grandma's Christmas Soup 20% off!

As I started to create with this sketch, I was inspired by the New Year and the way that we are always resolving to better ourselves, so as you start into the New Year, I dare you.

Dare to Believe

Dare to Be Different

Dare to Inspire

Dare to Try Something New

Dare to be a Better YOU!

Supplies Used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Stylin Stars

*October Afternoon Detours- Fruit Stand

*Stampendous Mint Green Ultrafine Glitter Pearl

*White Brads

*American Crafts pearl brad

*Zig Writer

*Fiskars border punch

*CTMH inkpads

Did you see???

FUN stuff coming!!!

Settling in for some Comfy Cozy Reading...

I love to read at this time of the year.

There is nothing better than snuggling up in a big blanket in your favorite chair with an easy fun book to pass a cold, wintery evening...

So when I got this cute Comfy Cozy kit from Unity Stamp Co, I knew immediately that I wanted to make a bookmark with it.

This kit is the free kit this month if you sign up to join the Unity Stamp Co kit of the month. Both kits for $24 plus shipping...that is 27 red-rubber stamps for $24!?!

The books stamp is from Hodge Podge of Happiness.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Comfy Cozy

*Unity Stamp Co. Hodge Podge of Happiness

*PTI mini-dot paper

*Making Memories Jessica Houndstooth paper

*Nestabilities Labels die cut

*Palette Black Noir inkpad

*Fiskars border punch

*watercolor pencils for shading

Christmas Week H-Ippity Hop!!

Hello Ippity Peeps!!!

If you are here and have no idea what that phrase above means, go check out the details HERE and then you can come back around in a bit! ;o)

I am not sure what to say about this card, except for "It's growing on me." LOL!

Believe it or not, this started out as a Clean & Simple card, but if you have been around here for long, you know that is not really my style so I just couldn't handle all the white space on the card.

Originally the base card was just that...a plain white base card, but the kit that I used on this, Because of You, has that great Love collage stamp and I thought that it would help break up all the white space.

So now I am just calling it a collage card, because there is a LOT going on there. LOL!

Supplies used:

*Ippity Because of You

*MME papers (from the Unity Collage kit last month)

*Marvy Uchida scallop circle punches

*brads

*Palette Black Noir inkpad

*flat-backed black gems

*ribbon

*pop-dots

Be sure to go check out all the inspiration from the other girls on the blog hop...

A Bit of Limelight Scrapbook Love...

I got an order from Limelight Papercrafts and as soon as I saw this butterfly paper, I knew that it would be perfect for these photos of Kat from this fall, so I printed them all up, laid them out on top of the paper and then it sat on my desk for a couple of weeks. Hehe...some layouts are just like that...

Inspiration did finally appear and now I love this layout. Please click on it so that you can see it better. You will want to do that just so you can see those cute photos of Little Bit... ;o)

Almost everything on this layout came from Limelight Papercrafts (I'll link up everything that did in my supply list at the bottom) and this week if you use the code: NOEL, then everything in the store is 20% off. You simply cannot beat that!

Supplies used:

*Kaiser Craft Flutterby Monarch Paper

*October Afternoon Night Light- Katie

*Jillibean Large Spring Fling Felt Flowers

*Jillibean Medium Spring Fling Felt Flowers

*Jillibean Journaling Sprouts

*American Crafts Brads

*Unity Stamp Co. Sweet Affections (trees)

*Unity Stamp Co. Priceless Reflections (circa block)

*Suede Ruffle Edged Ribbon

*watercolor pencils

*Fiskars border punch

*Heidi Swapp chipboard alphabet

I made my last trip to the store this morning until after Christmas (at least that is the plan) and now I have a date with my kids for some rocking games of Yahtzee! Have a great Sunday everyone!!!

Exciting News!!!

I have been sitting on this secret for a while, but I finally get to share....

Katie asked me to be part of the

Paper Makeup Stamps Design Team!!!

YIPPEEE!!!

I cannot explain how excited I am to join this team. The PMS stamps are gorgeous and so different from everything else out there. If you have been hanging around here for a while you know how in love I am with all the Beautiful Day Fairies and Moody Girls that PMS sells.

I'll be joining the current team members (copied from Maria's blog...hehe):
Katie Cotton (company owner)
Christi Thorsen
Lisa Kind
Tangii Crain
Tina Hale
Dawn Barrett
Lisa McKinney
Randee Elsing

and these fine ladies will be joining with me:
Melyssa Connolly
Gabriela Arriaza
Amber Kroenig
Danni Bindel
Maria Gurnsey

So in honor of the announcement today (you can go see it HERE as well as the other girls that were chosen to join this incredible team,) I chose to make a couple of cards....

The one thing that is really intimidating about joining this team is that everyone on it has some AMAZING coloring skills. I simply use watercolor pencils and water and the images are so much easier to color than they look....

Supplies used:

*Paper Makeup Stamps Melody Fairy

*Paper Makeup Stamps Dream Big Set

*Making Memories paper (polka dot blue)

*October Afternoon paper (music)

*Cosmo Cricket paper (red holly)

*Nestabilities Labels 4 DieCut

*Prima Bling

*corner rounder

*watercolor pencils

*Palette Noir Black inkpad

*Fiskars border punch

*brads

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Another thing that I love about Paper Makeup Stamps, they have incredible sentiments. This one is so perfect for my cards for Ben right now (although this card may be a bit girly to send him, but it is about my feelings so it can be girly since I am a girl, right? hehe!)

Supplies used:

*Paper Makeup Stamps Moody for Fashion

*Paper Makeup Stamps Life's Lonely without You

*MME Bohemia paper collection

*watercolor pencils

*Palette Noir Black inkpad

*flat-back black gems

Oh, and by the way, Paper Makeup Stamps is having a Countdown to Christmas sale and this week's is amazing....

SO, here's is our sale for you today!!! There is a category in the sidebar that says Countdown to Christmas Sale! In this category you'll see Spend $15, get 1 free, Spend $20 get one free, Spend $25 get 1 free, and Spend $30 get one free. While you're shopping, just check the amount you've spent and add one of the listed freebies into your cart. Now the cart will let you add more than 1, thing to your cart. The site is just set to have these items as free. However, you can only get 1 item for the amount in your cart. But, for example, if you spend $30, and you'd rather get 2 items from the $15 category, this is ok. :)

You've been good this year, so you can do a little shopping for yourself, right? ;o)

Friday Fun Challenge #62!

Confession...

I made this card 10 minutes ago

while sitting on the floor while Kat took her bath.

Hehe! Some days are just like that...

I do love Fridays.

Friends with Flair mixed in with a little Friday Fun Challenge.

It's a good thing!

For the whole list of Friends with Flair participants, go check out the Unity Blog. You will not be disappointed. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be incredibly inspired!

Our Friday Fun Challenge this week was to use the colors red, blue, and yellow...

Obviously, this is a pretty simple card {since I made it sitting on the bathroom floor! ;o) } Basic stamping with some gorgeous stamps and pretty papers. That's all it takes!

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. The Artist in You (Limelight Papercrafts has this kit for $35- it retails from Unity for $60 and this week you can get another 20% off that price using code: NOEL)

*Websters Pages paper collection

*lace trim

*button

*Nestabilities label die cut

*Glitz flat back pearls

*Fiskars border punch

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

Be sure to check out the other Friday Fun Girls blogs for more inspiration. We would love for you to play with us- just use keyword FFC62 when uploading to your SCS gallery.

Jimmi
Sherry
Kimme
Sara