Smudges in Time

Prickley Pear Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:40:00 +0000

I'm dragging a bit this morning, but with coffee in hand, I think I can handle today's activities! It's the last day of school for DS1, so summer vacation is about to break loose and I still need to finalize some plans and routines! I feel like I have a million ideas floating around in my head, but haven't organized them into something we can work with yet! Better get that done today or things will quickly turn into a zoo around here!

Since it's Monday, it's time to share a Prickley Pear creation! I've been thinking in black/grey and white quite a bit lately, so it's no surprise that this is what I came up with for today!

I used the newer Clearly Beautiful Hibiscus 2 set and Hibiscus Flower & Leaf Die. I love how versatile the clear sets are and the coordinating dies make them all the more fun to play with!

Now I'm off to deliver a boy and his teacher gifts to the bus stop! Have a great Monday!

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 12:00:00 +0000

...the color yellow.

...kiwi fruit.

...a toddler's hug.

...a long walk outdoors.

...the sound of tree frogs.

...quietness at the end of a day.

Dynamic Duos Challenge #5

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It's time again! This is color challenge #5 over at Dynamic Duos and what a fun color combination this week! Real Red & Island Indigo! Go on over and play along! There are so many talented players joining us each week and it has been so much fun visiting all the different blogs!

Here is my card for the this week's challenge:

I used a chevron background stamp from Hero Arts and colored it with Real Red and Island Indigo markers. I stamped the car image from The Craft's Meow and added a touch of red Stickles along the side for fun. The car is popped up using foam dots. I created the sentiment banner using a square punch and added some baker's twine and a button. After I finished this card, I thought I might use something similar for some Father's Day cards that I need to get started on! I just love that car image!!

The challenge ends on Thursday, June 7, at Noon (PDT). Winners will be announced Friday, June 8.

Here are some basic challenge rules:

Any project is welcome...paper crafts, scrapbooking, digital, or crafts...
Please ONLY use the two colors listed for your project. Neutrals are welcome.
Combine us with as many other challenges as you would like, except other color challenges.
Please add our graphic to your blog with a link back to us.

Be sure and visit the design team's blogs and leave them some blog love!

A Quick Clean & Simple

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:41:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but my clean and simple cards can end up clean and complicated! So many times, I complete one and think to myself, "Now, HOW is this considered clean and simple when it just took me over an hour to put it together?!" Does that sound like you too?

Today was not one of those days and I am so happy to report that this card went together in ten minutes! Yes, that's right! Ten minutes. How's that for genuine clean and simple?!

Just so you know, I am still recovering from the holiday weekend. Too many late nights with family and then easing back into the "daily routines!" Whew! I'm slowly getting some mojo back, so hope to be back to my usual self here within the next couple days! Until then, thanks for being patient! :)

A Prickley Pear Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Mon, 28 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

The holiday weekend is coming to a close, but I hope you've had a good one!

For today's Prickley Pear creation, I used a butterfly set called Clearly Beautiful Butterflies and its coordinating Butterfly Die. I used a soft blue and white and kept it simple.

The DP is from Stampin' Up and I created the banner strip using a square punch.

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

...fresh fruit.

...a good night's sleep.

...a cool evening breeze.

...fresh baked cookies.

...a good book.

...cold lemonade on a hot day.

...good memories.

Dynamic Duos, Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sat, 26 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It's week four of the new Dynamic Duos Color Challenge and this week's color combination is monochromatic, using my favorite color: BLUE! I used a couple Stampin' Up! sets for my card this week. Using a foam dot, I popped up one of the stamped images after punching it out with my scalloped circle punch. I applied some clear Stickles to the flower center for a little extra shine!

The challenge details:

The challenge ends on Thursdays at Noon (PDT). Winners will be announced Friday, June 1.

Here are some basic challenge rules:

Any project is welcome...paper crafts, scrapbooking, digital, or crafts...
Please ONLY use the two colors listed for your project. Neutrals are welcome.
Combine us with as many other challenges as you would like, except other color challenges.
Please add our graphic to your blog with a link back to us.

Be sure and visit the design team's blogs and leave them some blog love!

Unity Friends with Flair

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:34:00 +0000

It's Friday and I am so ready for the weekend! Okay, maybe not completely ready. I need to change some sheets on the guest beds and help DH move a bunch of things back into the garage before guests arrive this evening! There's one event this afternoon that I'm looking forward to! DS2's class is having an ice cream celebration for the end of the school year! With the weather becoming so warm so fast, I'm in the mood for some of that cold stuff!

Since it's Friday, it's also time for Unity's Friends with Flair hop! I made a clean & simple card using the Itty Bitty Flip Flop Happy set and my favorite color combo: red & turquoise! So fun!

I'm also submitting this card to this week's Clean & Simple Sketch Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.

I hope you have a great long holiday weekend! I have some posts all ready to go for it, so now I'm off to try to enjoy the moments! There's nothing like spending time with family!!

Small Things

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:27:00 +0000

I'm posting this really quick before heading on into my day! I'm off to clean teeth and stress flossing in the next little bit, but wanted to get today's post up and going!

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog has a challenge going using handmade flowers with butterflies until the end of the month and this is the card I made for it. I used a Nestabilities flower die, Echo Park DP, Unity Stamps (butterfly and sentiment) and some SU ruffled ribbon.

Now off to work for a little bit and then back home to keep going with holiday weekend plans!

Have a great Wednesday!

Celebrate Today

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Do you celebrate Monday?

I love Mondays when I'm rested and refreshed from a weekend. If I'm feeling tired, Mondays aren't all that special. In fact, they can be painful. Given enough coffee, however, they quickly become bearable.

I'm a bit tired from a weekend full of grandparent fun, but it's a content tired, so that helps! Our boys have been happily spoiled and have been absolutely exhausted from it all every night! Only grandparents can work that kind of magic.

For today's Prickley Pear creation, I used some My Mind's Eye DP (one of my favorite companies). I chose SU's Night of Navy, Pool Party and Old Olive for cardstock colors. I used Prickley Pear's Scalloped Circle and Mini Butterflies Dies along with the Clearly Beautiful Spring Scalloped Circles Stamp Set.

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

...the color orange.

...the fragrance of a rose.

...a calm day.

...loving grandparents.

...a refreshing run.

...sweet strawberries.

Dynamic Duos #3

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It's Saturday and that means it's time for another Dynamic Duos color challenge!

This week, we're playing with Basic Black and Daffodil Delight! What a bold & fun combination! But wait! There is a dessert option this week too if you'd like to add it to your creation: dry embossing!

When I saw the color combination for this week, I immediately thought of silhouette images! I used an older set from Close To My Heart (CTMH) for this card and a sentiment from Unity. I added a yellow gemstone to the dress to jazz it up a bit and then tied a simple bow with a piece of black & white baker's twine along the top after wrapping it around a few times.

Head on over and play along with us this week! The winners will be announced on Friday, so you have until Thursday at noon (PDT) to enter!

Here are the basic rules:

Any project is welcome...paper crafts, scrapbooking, digital, or crafts...
Please ONLY use the two colours listed for your project. Neutrals are welcome.
Combine us with as many other challenges as you would like, except other colour challenges.
Please add our graphic to your blog with a link back to us.

************************************************

The "Dynamo" design team has created some wonderful projects to inspire you, so head on over to their blogs and leave them some blog love!

Allisa Chilton

The Absent-Minded Crafter

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:14:00 +0000

I'm still here. I promise! I've got the first of two busy weeks going full steam ahead and the real fun hasn't even started! I'm a very detail oriented person and the planning for an event takes more out of me than the actual event! With that said, I am in the planning phase for having company this weekend and my mind is a whirlwind! It's only two guests...family...in-loves...very easy going people, but as usual, I'm working out the smallest of details in this ole brain of mine, wanting them to be well accommodated while visiting us! I like to pamper people when they are under my care. Not with extravagance, but just with little thoughtful gestures thrown in here and there. I want to have the grunt work mostly done when they arrive so that I can sit back and relax with everyone as much as possible!

Fast forward to today. What did I do this morning?! I have been bothered by DS3's closet. You know, the closet filled with an ever growing stack of plastic storage totes of outgrown baby clothes and all that goes with caring for a baby. I have them organized into age group (e.g. 0-3 mos., 3-6 mos., 6-12 mos. etc.). Silly me pulled all the totes out of the closet and then sorted through the stray things that have been floating around for a while, putting them in the appropriate totes. I pulled all the totes filled with no longer needed items & the baby accessories (swing, bouncer, etc.) out into the hallway and hope to get it all moved down to our storage spot under the garage by tonight. Now tell me, why did I dig into such a project with company coming? Yes, that is the room they will be sleeping in, but not in the closet, for goodness sake!

Now you know why I haven't been stamping as much this week. I simply get distracted when I'm in the middle of prepping for company! So, be prepared for a little extra silence this week and next week because we have a bigger crowd coming for Memorial Day weekend! :)

I managed to sneak a little stamping in last night and came up with this medallion card (medallion stamp is from Stampin' Up!). I've been playing with this idea in my head and, though it's not perfect (the center panel isn't really very centered), I'm okay with this card. I stamped the image twice and cut up a portion of one to create the panels in the center. I then popped those up with foam dots, added a gemstone and stamped the sentiment.

Hope you're having a great Thursday! I'll be back for sure on Saturday since that's the beginning of a new color challenge over at Dynamic Duos and I have a card all ready to share!

Scatter Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

It's a new week and to start it off right, I'm sharing a bright, happy card I made for Prickley Pear. I absolutely love the new Hibiscus 2 clear set and have been having a ball experimenting with it!

For this card, I layered two of the flowers, placing a pink gemstone in the center and popping up the completed flower with a foam dot. The rest of the card was very simple, using some Stampin' Up decorative paper and ribbon. How's that for another quick card?!

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day! I enjoyed some potted flowers from my boys, a break from cooking duties, home made shortbread cookies (one of my favorites), a long afternoon nap, the luxury of quietly reading a few chapters of a book outside and a relaxing walk with the family. I feel so spoiled!

The "How To" (because someone asked)!

1. Cut the desired color of cardstock for your card base (I used SU's Melon Mambo) to a dimension of 4.25-in. x 11-in. Fold in half.

2. Select a decorative paper and trim it to 4.25-in. x 3 1/8-in.

3. Trim a piece of white cardstock to 4.25-in. x 3/4-in.

4. Round the bottom corners of your card base and the decorative paper using a corner rounder punch.

5. Glue the decorative paper to the card base, lining up the rounded corners.

6. Glue the white strip of cardstock to the card base, lining it up with the decorative paper.

7. From a coordinating light color (I used a light pink), cut out a large hibiscus and a small hibiscus using Prickley Pear's Hibiscus Flower & Leaf Die and the Mini Hibiscus Die.

8. Ink up a large hibiscus image from the Hibiscus 2 Clear Set using a darker ink than the die cut shape (I used Melon Mambo ink to coordinate with my card base color). Line the image up with the die cut shape and carefully stamp the image onto it. Do the same thing with a small hibiscus image from the same stamp set.

9. Using a foam dot, attach the small hibiscus to the top of the large hibiscus and then add a gemstone to the center of the smaller flower.

10. Tie a small ribbon around the card, lining it up with the white strip of cardstock.

11. Adhere the assembled flower over the ribbon, placing the foam dots on the back of the flower, but avoiding the center as that is where the ribbon will touch.

12. Stamp a sentiment.

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

...a bouquet picked by your children.

...a warm breeze.

...seeing a red headed woodpecker.

...a long walk.

...a toddler having a conversation with himself.

...cheese pizza.

...glitter.

Dynamic Duos: Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sat, 12 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

After an amazing first week, it's time for week two of the brand new challenge called Dynamic Duos! This week, we're moving on to a Subtly Yours combination (soft, romantic colors): So Saffron & Pool Party. What a pretty combination! I really can't wait to see what everyone who participates comes up with because last week was fabulous!!

Here is my creation for the challenge:

I used a flower image from The Craft's Meow and a Memory Box flourish die to create a Mother's Day card. I looked in my stash and discovered I had some gemstones that matched Pool Party! Was I ever happy! :)

Head on over and play along with us this week! The winners will be announced on Friday, so you have until Thursday at noon (PDT) to enter!

Here are the basic rules:

Any project is welcome...paper crafts, scrapbooking, digital, or crafts...
Please ONLY use the two colours listed for your project. Neutrals are welcome.
Combine us with as many other challenges as you would like, except other colour challenges.
Please add our graphic to your blog with a link back to us.

************************************************

The "Dynamo" design team has created some wonderful projects to inspire you, so head on over to their blogs and leave them some blog love!

It's New Release Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Today is the day! Prickley Pear is releasing brand new stamps & dies in their store and we're celebrating with a Blog Hop! The hop starts today and continues through this Sunday, May 13, so be sure and stop back each day and check out the design team's creations, beginning at the Prickley Pear Blog!

One winner will be drawn at random at one of the blogs to receive a $15 gift certificate! Last day to enter the hop is Monday (at midnight EDT), and the winner will be announced on the Prickley Pear Blog on Tuesday (May 15).

For my card today, I used the new Clearly Beautiful Hibiscus 2 set. There is a coordinating die for it too! I decided to go with neutrals this time around since I've been using a lot of bright colors lately!

Now head on over to Amy's blog and check out her wonderful creativity!

Here is today's blog hop order:

Prickley Pear Blog
Ujjwal
Melissa (here)
Amy

Flowers & Butterflies

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:27:00 +0000

I can get myself into trouble over Unity Stamps if I'm not careful. The company has so many wonderful stamps that it's hard to choose just one or two stamps or stamp sets at a time! Thank goodness for the Kit of the Month Club because that seems to keep my Unity cravings at bay!

Unity is the sponsor over at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog this month and I can't tell you how excited I am about it! The theme for this month's challenge is Handmade flowers with butterflies. To be honest, I have never made a flower before other than punching one out with a paper punch! *gasp!* Yes, it's true! I have a couple flower dies in my stash, but just hadn't taken the time to use them until this challenge forced me into action! Now that the first step has been taken, I can see myself playing with handmade flowers more often!

My card for the challenge uses stamps from one of my Kit of the Month kits and the flower was made using a Sizzix die. The ribbon is Stampin' Up! and the decorative paper is from Echo Park.

Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:14:00 +0000

"If at first you don't succeed; do it the way your mother told you to."

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I decided that, this year, I was going to have my cards made and ready to go in the mail ahead of time! Well, they are ready...just two days early (I need to mail them.)!

My own mother has always lived life rather simply. She's not given to show or competitive in nature. She's never felt the need to "keep up with the Jones." She has always been a quiet, steady example to us and, despite her secret struggles in life, we have always felt nurtured, loved and secure. Now that I'm a mother, sometimes I wonder how she kept it all together so well with four of us to look after!

With my card for today, I used a simple card design and chose a delicate butterfly as the main image! I had to use purple since that's Mom's favorite color.

Now I'm off to run errands and enjoy the beautiful sunshine that's to be ours today!

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Owls with Class

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

It's Prickley Pear Monday and I'm sharing a quick and simple card with you using the Owls red rubber stamp. I'd been holding off using it for quite some time now, but an idea for showcasing the image came to me late last week and here it is:

Those owls just make me smile and would coordinate nicely with the Mini Owls Clear Stamp set really well! I added red gemstones to the little red buttons to try to mimic the little circles in the main image a bit.

Head on over to the Prickley Pear Blog to see the rest of the design team's beautiful creations!

Be prepared for a Prickley Pear Blog Hop this coming weekend! There is a new release coming, so mark your calendar for Friday, May 11 - Sunday, May 13! The design team is going to be showcasing the new releases and the new goodies will be available in the store! I'll be showcasing my creation on Friday.

Happiness is...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

...fresh raspberries.

...fresh air.

...a long walk in the great outdoors.

...a warm breeze.

...a thankful heart.

Dynamic Duos Kick Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Sat, 05 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

The day is finally here! It's the kick off challenge for the brand new Dynamic Duos Challenge Blog!

We are starting things off with a "Bold and Sassy" color choice! This very first Dynamic Duo was created by Sharla of This Thing Called Life. On our FACEBOOK page, she suggested that we use Lime and Aqua together!

I created a clean & simple card using a set from Stampin' Up! for the challenge.

Here are some basic rules:

Any project is welcome...paper crafts, scrapbooking, digital, or crafts...
Please ONLY use the two colours listed for your project. Neutrals are welcome.
Combine us with as many other challenges as you would like, except other colour challenges.
Please add our graphic to your blog with a link back to us.

The challenge ends on Thursdays at Noon (PDT).

***********************************

The "Dynamo" design team and Sharla have created some wonderful projects to inspire you, so head on over to their blogs and leave them some blog love!

Unity Friday: Peace is a Smile

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:06:00 +0000

I wonder what you're up to on this particular Friday? Me? I'm home today, along with an under-the-weather DS1. It's always pretty obvious when he's coming down with something. He's our Energizer Bunny of the family, always bouncing around like a pogo stick on caffeine! Last night at suppertime, he had this weary look in his eyes and then wasn't very hungry for the bratwursts we'd grilled (one of his favorite indulgences). I figured something must be up as he'd barely touched his popcorn after school either (another favorite). After supper, he wanted to stay inside and, next thing I knew, he'd taken his shower without being asked and had put himself in bed! Yikes! Sure enough, he had a temperature of 101 degrees F. No school for him today. Poor little guy is missing the class field trip! I'm thankful he's only experiencing the fever & a mild stomachache so far and hoping it's not the beginning of strep as that's been going around at his school recently.

I did get some creative therapy this afternoon. I was a bit worried I wouldn't have anything to share because this morning my mojo was completely missing. I gave myself a good dose of caffeine and now I'm wide awake and the mojo is flowing! It helps that the sun is shining in the windows too!

I'm playing along with Unity's Friends with Flair again this week, the usual Friday happening over there on their blog. So fun! I've got quite the Unity stash and decided a few weeks ago I'd better start using them more regularly if I am to justify continuing my subscription to the Kit of the Month Club! Eek! My refrigerator menu board provided the needed inspiration today, a dry erase board with a floral design on it in pinks and shades of grey. Here's what I came up with:

I actually stamped each of the corner flowers twice, just tilting it a bit the second time. The diamond background image behind the sentiment was stamped in SU's Melon Mambo first and then lightly dipped in Basic Gray. I popped up the entire center panel to give things a little more dimension. The stamp set I used is called Quiet Essence and I'm thinking I bought it at Archiver's some time ago!

Be Happy.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:03:00 +0000

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

-Abe Lincoln

I just love that saying! Isn't it really a lot about attitude and looking for the good around us and within the lives of others? I think so.

While in WalMart last week, I came across an itty bitty clear stamp set by Studio G that contained some cute little flowers and a very simple sentiment. I think I ended up buying it for the sentiment. :) I put it to use today and made this card for a couple challenges over at Splitcoast Stampers (Color Challenge, Ways to Use It Challenge).

It's a choice.

Bird Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa) — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

It's a rainy day here today. After I get done brightening a few smiles and nap time has started for DS3, I'll probably get to play in my craft room! Love rainy days for creative projects!

I can't resist playing along with the Clean & Simple Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers each week! Afterall, that's my favorite card style! The challenge this week is to use chocolate, green and white or ivory on a card. I used a paper punch this week to create my card! I have to remind myself sometimes to use my punches, especially those that are images rather than basic shapes. I tend to use the shapes for sentiments.

The bird stamp, sentiment and punched out shapes are all from Stampin' Up! The decorative paper is one from Echo Park.

Enjoy the moments in today!