Challenge for My Mind's Eye

Challenge 21 for My Mind's Eye.
I got to play with some Stella and Rose. Need I say more? The colors of this line are so amazing that I could not stop finding more patterns and combos that I wanted to put together. Sometimes you get a line where you like either the A or B side of a paper or just a few sheets, but there is not ONE paper that I do not like. The 6x6 pads are golden to me also, perfect for making cards and super easy to store!
This Card sketch:

Yielded this pretty card:

Supplies used: Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye (Gertie); Stickers: October Afternoon and Cosmo Cricket, Ribbon: craft supply; Punches: FiskarsThis Layout Sketch:

Yielded this fun layout (IF I do say so myself)...


Supplies used: Cardstock: Craft supply; Patterned paper, chipboard and dimensional stickers: My Mind's Eye; Stickers: October Afternoon, American Crafts; Rubons: K&Co, Creative Imaginations; buttons: Craft Supply

While I am almost certain that little old me did not win the prize, I loved working with the awesome papers. I seldom will buy something twice...usually I work with something once and then am so over it, but on my list is the 6x6 paper pads for MME for Hazel and Gertie AGAIN, as I have exhausted the stash quite a bit. I also made a wonderful "quilted" card for my mom's upcoming birthday using the scraps, so I am in the running for the 6x6 papers again! Have a great week! Love and Hugs! Lara

I'm Not Ready

June is bearing down on me. I feel the anxiety in my heart. I am so proud of my son, but realize, as a mom, that my initial job as a teacher and mentor and booboo-kisser and conscience-raiser is coming to a close and soon I will assume the role of consultant, looker-on, while he moves on toward adulthood and total independence. I realize he will be living at home, at least through the first year of college, but again realize that he will be an adult.

I am panicking a little bit here and there. What if I did not teach him enough? What if the life we gave him, did not give him enough reality? What if he really is not ready? My heart is so full of pride for the man he is becoming before my very eyes, and I see some of the choices he is making and I realize that most of what we taught him, he learned well. He said to me the other day...Mom, you raised me to think better than that...so maybe we did ok, but I am still anxious.

I know that growing up is an independent thing, that each of us have to learn for ourselves. I did, but as a parent, the anxiety is still there. I am sure this is a inner struggle for most parents, and letting go is so hard, but just yesterday, he was this little blond-headed rascal that giggled like there was no tomorrow and ran up to me to hug my legs and almost bowl me over with his force.

He is running towards his independent life just like that, and I pray that he does not run into an obstacle that hurts him or that he cannot handle. I pray that his adult life, will be filled with as much joy as we had, having him all these years so far. I know he is not going away, it's just that I look forward to seeing him every day, and I know that he will move on, and I will miss him. I do not want to be one of those moms that criticize his adult choices and meddle in his business either, so I will quietly look on, offering any support and encouragement that I can, while he becomes independent.

I truly am not ready for the day when he leaves our home for his own, and even now, knowing that graduation is just a couple months away, I recognize I am not ready for him to graduate and be ALL GROWN UP! I pray for his success and happiness, even now!
Love and hugs, Lara

The Luck of the Irish

I am not Irish. I am married to a Irish-Scotsman though and my kids are part Irish. We celebrate St. Patrick's Day like everyone else. We usually make Reubans--because NONE of us care for corned beef and hash. We always wear green and my son usually wears his green "Kiss me I'm Irish" tuxedo shirt for kicks, and I imagine, to see how many kisses he will get at school. My daughter will use her practiced Irish Brogue all day long, until we tell her to stop. I would love to say I am Irish, and they say, everyone is a little Irish on St. Patty's Day.

I sell some of my cards at a little gift shop down the street from me for a very modest fee. The ladies that run the shop, asked me for some St. Patrick's Day cards, as they pointed out that St. Paul is very Irish and they would be a hit. So I made a few a couple of weekends ago that I took to them. If they do not sell, I will send them to my favorite family members.

I am a simple person who makes cards for certain occasions and this was one of them that I struggled with a bit. I am not in to theme-y cards much, but I sure had fun pulling my green out and using my Irish-ness (HA! Who knew I had any?!) to make this little cards. I was pretty happy with the effect of all the green.

The adorable little pictures were a download from Vintage Scrapbooking blog. They did not print very well, and no matter how I adjusted the images, they came out slightly pixel-y (sure that is NOT a word) and a bit blurry but I wanted to use the adorable images so I did and found that even with less than great image, they turned out so adorable.

I find card-making so much fun, and while scrapbooking is my first love, cardmaking gives me a quick creative release. I sell my cards, not to make money, but what else am I going to do with them after I make them? There are only so many occasions to send people things but I need to keep making them, so I may as well spread my creativeness. While Hallmark I am not, I love getting a handmade card, so if there are people out there that would rather give a unique handmade card, then I plan to keep supplying them and that is NO BLARNEY! Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all. Love and hugs, Lara