April 29, 2009

Row, Row, Row Your Boat...

Here are few pictures of the boat Hubby and I built for VBS. I will hopefully, get them painted by Monday. I will post pictures when it is finished. I put my kids in the pics so you can see the size. Of course, you can't be in a picture without props. I am not sure what they are holding, but they were very insistent that their toys were needed.
Do you see that leaf on the boat? That was already there. I got the cardboard from Michael's. It was used to cover their fake trees. One less feature I have to add;) Oh, did you also notice the perfect placement of the "prop"? OK, Mom, now we're ready!
In other news, about 3:30 yesterday my oldest informed me he had an orchestra concert that night, and he had to be there by 6:00. UMMM, Honey, did you just find out about this? Yeah, a couple days ago. And I thought I was a last minute person! Anyway...you can see that the 4 year old is less than thrilled to be there and be quiet.



I am not so sure the performer is all that thrilled either. He actually does enjoy playing and music. He inherited that from his dad. Although, I enjoy music, I was not gifted with singing or playing abilities. I am proud of him because he was selected for Honors Orchestra and All-State Orchestra this year. I have learned that only a couple pictures are needed at concerts because they all pretty much look the same...dark, hard to find the child (sometimes), etc.
Have great day!
Sheri

April 28, 2009

Life Is Like A Yo-Yo!




There are so many ups and downs in life. I guess that is what keeps it interesting. Over the weekend our beloved dog ran away. It was dramatic and traumatic for the boys, especially. We finally tracked him down to a neighbors house 2 doors down. We were excited to get him back, but the family that found him were not excited to give him back. They, too, have four children and one of the boys cried when we took him home. We are going to make a thank you card and cookies to take to them. I wish I had it done so I could show you, but life is crazy busy with VBS. So I am going to show you some canvases I painted 2 years ago for VBS. These hung in the church like they were windows. Afterwards, we auctioned them off to help raise money for the next year. I think the igloo one is my favorite. What's yours? Have a great day!
Sheri












April 24, 2009

Beanie Wienies!

The scrapbook is almost complete. I will be finishing it today. So instead of any pictures I will leave you with the recipe I will be taking to the celebration picnic. I so love easy recipes and I hope you like this one too.

Beanie Wienies
3 cans (two 28 oz., one 16 oz.) pork and beans
1 package (1 lb) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Enjoy!

Sheri

April 22, 2009

Cowgirl Up!

The clerk at my church is retiring, and we are going to miss her dearly. I made this little gift card holder and envelope for her. There is a crafting blog that I frequent. I got on there yesterday and she had instructions for a gift card holder. Talk about perfect timing! For Valentine's day I made this type of envelope for the boys to put the candy for their classmates into. There is a tutorial here . If you want to see a picture of just the envelope for this project you can go to my SCS gallery . I only used one stamp on the whole project. It is a Stampin' Up! stamp. I am not going to be able to give proper credit to the paper maker because it is mostly scraps from my stash.

Some friends are coming over to paper mache some projects for VBS (vacation Bible school). I am always astounded that I still have the same friends after VBS as I do before VBS. I have fabulous friends that bail me out every year. If you stick around for a couple months you'll get to see pictures and understand what I mean when I say bail me out. Hey, Mom, do you miss Arizona? I would love to put you to work see you again. Have an amazing day!
Sheri



















Catching Up...

on pictures I promised to share. The first two are the backside of the purse I shared the other day. The top view isn't a great picture, but it lets you see the depth of the pocket for the note. The one oversight I had was, how in the world is she going to get the note out? That thought came to mind as I adhered the pocket. Well, I tied a ribbon on it so it could pull out, kind of like the ribbon used to get batteries out of toys, games, etc.

Today I am working on a scrapbook and gift card holder. I will share them over the next couple days. Oddly enough, I feel like I can predict the future. I envision lots of recipes coming your way over the next month and a half. Vacation Bible School is sneaking up on me and I play a large part in directing/planning and decorating for the week long event. It is a ton of work, but so worth it. I am about two months behind where I usually am so I need to light a flame. I have some awesome volunteers so I need to take advantage of them!



Now onto the Botanical Gardens. There was some really cool glass sculptures. I am not sure if that was a special event or if it is something they always have. I do know they were working on new ones. I am only going to post one picture of the sculptures because there are kiddos in the others and I don't have permission to post them. This blue sculpture is so cool. The kids said it looked like flames or birds. Check out that striped flower. I can see it turning into inspiration for a card! I have lots of pictures of different butterflies, but I am not going get too carried away. I love this Zebra Longwing picture. Are you impressed that I knew the name? Well, don't be, I have a butterfly identification guide. The cool thing about the last picture is that it is the food chain in motion. These two fish jumped out of the water to catch and eat that butterfly. I am such a boy mom. I thought it was cool while others weren't so impressed. We saw another science lesson when another butterfly got caught in a web. The rather large spider patiently drooled over it's lunch waiting for it to get completely stuck. Have a creative day!
Sheri
















April 21, 2009

Nature Does It Best!

We went to the Desert Botanical Gardens yesterday. It was a school fieldtrip. The best part was the butterfly pavillion. I am giving you two pictures to enjoy and I will be back this afternoon or this evening with more details and pictures. I have a crazy busy day today. Enjoy yours!
Sheri



April 20, 2009

A "Purse-o-nel" Project!

This purse is made from chipboard. I found these fun purses that are supposed to be a scrapbook album. They come in a set of five and are hooked together with a key ring that opens up (can't think of the proper name). They were in the dollar section at Michael's (big surprise, I know). I have a few ideas for them so don't say I didn't warn ya when they keep on coming! This one took a little time to come together only because I wanted it to be just so for the person I am giving it to. I love the shabby chic look! I used embossing powder on the handle. I embossed it 3 times to get it thick and even enough for my liking. I am not quite finished, but close enough to share. On the back of this I am going to make it so that opens up. I will have a button on the front with an elastic piece that will hold the backside shut. I have made a list of 50 reasons my friend is important to me so that if she is ever having an off day or needs a smile she can read through them. I will post pictures of the backside when I am finished. I am like a kid at Christmas, I just can't wait to share!

I was going to make it a little differently on the backside, but when I showed my hubby this morning he asked if it were a card. I said "no, but do you like it?" He said, "I told you what I think would be cool." So typical I tell ya! Where was he last night when I was making it? It's like when I buy a new shirt (which rarely happens because clearly when I spend money it goes towards crafting) he won't say anything. When I put the shirt on to go somewhere he asks, "are you going to wear that?" No, honey, this is the pregame show. Afterwards, I thought I'd decorate the closet with new clothes. Where was your opinion when I bought it? Sheesh!

I get to chaperone a field trip today, so I should have some fun, but not crafty pictures tomorrow. Have a great Monday!
Sheri

April 16, 2009

Candy Bouquet

My Mom and I put together a fun get well basket with a candy bouquet for my sister-in-law. It was fun to make, and it was the first time I had made something like it. It's funny because barely a month later I have a ton of ideas to "improve" it. I have to apologize for the photos. I was taking them as I was running out the door to deliver it. Therefore, they are not "staged". At least you get the general idea. The big flowers have a Ghiradelli chocolate in them and the smaller ones have the mini Hershey's. We wrapped the leftovers and included them in the gift set. The bouquet has wint-o-green mints in the jar. The picture with the two yellow flowers and leaves is a pack of gum. I am not experienced enough to figure out how to write directly under each photo. Sorry.

It's approaching teacher appreciation week and I generally make stuff to give the teachers. I may have to try one of these again. The challenging part this year is that one of my kiddos has a male teacher. Do I still give him the same gifts in a masculine paper/theme or do I change it altogether? He does have a wife and kids, but is it fair to make something that will mainly benefit his wife? He's throwing me off, I tell ya! I only have a couple weeks to figure it out. I was also thinking about putting together a recipe book or box. There again, would he really appreciate it and the countless hours that will go into it? Oh, the decisions I face are just unbearable (note sarcasm)!
Have a yummy day! I'm thinkin' I should clean house today or I just might get banned from the crafting world ;)
Sheri

April 15, 2009

Lists, Taxes, & Birthdays...Oh, My!

What do they all have in common? Usually, not much, but today they are all on my mind. My to-do list is expanding with everything I cross off. How does that happen? I think during "down" times, projects and tasks accumulate so that they can sneak up on me all at once at a later date (that just happens to be now)! Does this happen to anyone else? For those of you who are bigger procrastinators than I am, taxes are due today. I am quite thankful that is one "to-do" that has been crossed off the list for a while. Happy Birthday to my dear sister-in-law, Jamie. She, too, is a list maker. Her lists actually shrink, though. I guess I am going to have get some advice from her on that!
...Oh, My Here is her birthday card (I am counting on her already opening it since she is one of my 5 loyal readers). I originally put the green polka dotted piece on straight, but off to one side. My oldest, who is a very gifted artist, suggested that I put it caddy-wham-pus. I love it! He went on to suggest that I make it glittery. I did add some shimmer with the Pearl-Ex. Unfortunately, the shimmer doesn't photograph well (at least for this amateur). You can see all the dimension in the side view. If you look closely you can see how I stitched around the green layer. I like the cheery feel of this card.
Stamps: Studio G
Paper: designer paper from JoAnn's pack (don't know which one)
Ink: Su! basic brown, markers, Pearl-Ex
Accessories: ribbon from Michael's, sewing machine, circle punch, dimensional foam

April 13, 2009

AWW, It's So Cute!

What is it about things/people that are little that makes them so stinkin' cute? Well, actually, I know why God made little people cute. In case you're wondering, it's because when they think it's great fun to unroll an entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet, flush to see what happens and flood the bathroom... they will get to live to tell about it (names have been omitted to protect the guilty innocent).


This card is so cute! It is 3"x 3". A friend of mine gave me a gift, so this is her thank you. I like little cards like this, but I don't usually make them because I don't stock that size envelope.

There is Pearl-Ex on the doughnut to give it some nice shimmer. I don't think I will ever get sick of the stuff. It's hard to see but I added some faux stitching using my pattern tracer. The doughnut is popped up with foam tape. I wrapped the greeting around my finger to give it flagged look.
Have an awesome day!
Sheri
Stamps: studio G
Ink: markers, pearl-ex, SU! basic brown
Paper: unknown pack, chocolate chip
Accessories: ribbon and gem from Michael's (big surprise)

Thank You "Fairy" Much!

Our neighbors are wonderful. There is a super sweet family that lives across the street. A few weeks ago, the little girl was learning how to bake so she and her mother brought over a plate of pumpkin bread and strawberries. It was so yummy! With any luck she'll keep practicing (wink). I made this thank you card for her. I used the Pearl-Ex to paint the image. It was back when I didn't realize it looks better if you apply other ink first. The designer paper was great for pulling lots of different colors out to paint the image. What little girl (or big girl for that matter) doesn't love shimmer?

What kind of week do you have? I have a very busy and slightly creative one. One of my friends is getting married and I am making some (300) stuff for her party favors. I will share photos next week.

Have a great day!
Sheri

Stamp: Studio G from Michael's clear dollar spot
Ink: Pearl-Ex, black Stazon
Paper: unknown designer paper and gifted card stock
Accessories: dew drop wanna be's, ribbon from Target, aqua painter

April 11, 2009

Easter Blessings!

Yesterday I got a wild creative hair to paint this frame. I saw an awesome frame and tutorial here so I gave it a whirl. My version is a little different and my texture isn't as pronounced as hers, but I still like the results. I think it would be really cool to put a picture in sepia color in this frame. I didn't use any ink. I painted acrylic paint on my stamp. I also sanded the frame after it was mostly dry (I'm not patient enough to wait until it's completely dry). If you look closely you can see the swirl texture. I used the stamp set Upsy Daisy from Stampin' Up! I really like that set and use it often.


We are getting ready to dye our fingers eggs. Have a blessed Easter. I will be back on Monday with some creations and pictures.

Sheri

April 9, 2009

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes!


My kids make me laugh on a regular basis, however, yesterday was a little extra funny. Of course, I can't always let them know that I am laughing at them. My four year old is so stinkin' funny. What makes him even funnier is that he so matter of fact. Let me give you a little background. He could be sitting there playing a game (electronic), and I would be fussing at one of the other boys. He would be very nonchalant and quietly say something like, "it sounds like (insert brother here) needs to go to his room." Thankfully, the fussee usually doesn't hear his brother or it would most definitely exacerbate the situation. He is always trying to start something with his dad too. It's quite humorous. Anyway, he answered the door and I didn't want him to because I had just gotten out of the shower and because I hadn't looked to see who it was yet. So after the company left I was explaining to him why he couldn't answer the door and asked him what would happen if someone he didn't know was there and tried to hurt him. He replied very confidently that he would kill him. Intrigued, I asked him how. Without hesitation he replied, "with my moves". The situation of course is serious, but the answer made me laugh (not in front of him).


There were two other funnies that happened that I want to share. We were working on writing his name and I asked him if he was excited to start kindergarten. He said, "yes, and now you can go shopping by yourself!" He doesn't miss a thing! Whenever people ask me what I'm going to do when all the kids are in school my generic response is grocery shop without kids. I better make sure I throw in how much I'm going to miss him since I know he is intently listening. Then I was making dinner and he is my big helper so he was on his chair "helping" and I was fussing at my oldest because although he had just washed his hands they didn't meet my standards with the gray hue and smell of dirt lingering. My four year old pipes in, "he's getting the business and I'm not!" It was so funny! I wish you all could hear his inflection and tone.


Then, right before bed look what else came out of the mouth of one of my babes. No, not the toy, the front tooth. He has been working on that one for quite a while. The one next to it will be gone soon as well.
I will should have something creative to share tomorrow. Have the kind of day that makes you smile!
Sheri

April 8, 2009

It's A Girl!

Did I have you going for at least a second? OK probably not since the "g" word was mentioned. Oh, well, at least my friends have girls. This might just be my new favorite card. Since it's not a child it's OK to play favorites, right!?!

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the black stitching on a baby card, but I love it. The reason I used it in the first place is because I was being lazy resourceful. My machine was already loaded and ready to go. Just like that round stamp (the same style as the last 3 or so cards)...it was out and ready to go. I saved so much time I actually was able to work on a second project all within the same hour! Heck, I think it took longer deciding on which designer paper to use than it did to actually make the card.

Well, I have a huge to do list to finish up today so I had better get crackin' cause it's not getting any smaller!
Have a great day!
Sheri

Stamps: Stampin' Up! Riveting
Paper: patterned paper from a JoAnn's stack, cardstock from Michael's pack
Ink: Black Stazon
Accessories: sewing machine, dimensionals

April 7, 2009

Watercoloring With Markers

Just tried another new technique and loved how much fun it was. I used markers and water colored the image. I just put a little color down and used a small brush with a little bit of water to spread the ink. I dipped my brush in the water and dabbed it off on a paper towel before spreading the color. If you want the color to be darker you can add more color after the area dries. This technique apparently only works well on watercolor paper or so I'm told. I haven't actually tried it on any other paper. I wanted to add some sparkle, but ran out of time.

Designer paper is awesome for creating quick cards. This one actually came together rather quickly. Believe it or not most of my cards take around an hour or more to make. It's a good thing I don't get paid by the hour or my employer would be losing money ;)

Don't you love the stamp? Michael's recently had some new cupcake stamps in their dollar section so I "had" to get some. I am pretty certain they know me by name! Oh and don't worry, I am almost out of bottle caps so I can find a different embellishment to overuse.

Have a fantastic Tuesday! I have a friend coming over to stamp today. We don't have an agenda, but I should have something new to share tomorrow.

Stamps: Studio G dollar stamps from Michael's
Ink: Stazon black, markers (water based)
Paper: Stampin' Up! Baha Breeze, dp from a JoAnn's pad
Accessories: EK Success punch, bottle cap flattened with cuttlebug

Sheri

April 6, 2009

Happy 2nd Birthday Keyan!

Today is my nephew's 2nd birthday. We were lucky enough to get to celebrate with him yesterday. He is so cute, and he cracks me up. For about the last year or so he has been carrying around a little blue car. He does everything with this car...eats, plays catch (using a ball), golfs, plays baseball, sleeps, the list goes on. The funny thing is that the car never leaves his hand and goes mostly unnoticed. We like to joke around about it being an extra appendage since he functions so well with it in his hand.

Since he so into cars I was going to make him a car card, but whenever he is at our house he becomes buddies with our dog. This card was fun to make. I put crystal effects on the dog's nose. There is glitter on the package and on his collar. There is lots of dimension as you can see on the side view piture. I love the look of using the bottle caps as an embellishment, but the question is always in the back of my mind "is that appropriate for a kid"? I am sure it's OK because they are unused and unlabeled bottle caps.
Thanks for stopping by! Happy birthday, Keyan. I hope all your wishes come true!
Sheri






April 3, 2009

I've Been Framed!

OK so not really, but I couldn't think any other title. The picture makes this frame look so basic. It's pretty cute in real life though. It's for a boy so I hesitated on putting the ribbon across it. I never know where to draw the line on embellishments when a creation is supposed to be masculine. My hubby said it looked better with it on, so I'm going with the male opinion. I hope the recipient of this likes it as well.

I painted a frame from Michael's white. I then watered down some brown paint to antique it a bit. I picked out this fabulous paper from a pack I got from Costco. After I adhered the paper I sanded it down around the edges for a more weathered look, plus it covers imperfections in cutting nicely. I applied Mod Podge over the top, but I am not certain I will do it that way next time. I had read that it will make it more durable. I'll get back to you on that. Did you notice the brads on the bottom? I thought about putting a chipboard initial on the frame as well, but simplicity won out.

Have a fabulous weekend!
Sheri

April 2, 2009

Eye Candy 0 Real Candy 1

I have no projects to share with you today so I thought I would share a recipe with you instead. Some people only make candy around Christmas time. They are missing out I tell ya! This stuff is so yummy and easy. Without further ado:


Almond Rocha
Saltine crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 package (10-12 oz.) milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds

Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with foil. cover with a single layer of crackers. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, boil for 2 minutes. Pour evenly over crackers and bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. Sprinkle bag of milk chocolate chips over candy and bake for 1 more minute. Spread chocolate evenly and sprinkle with nuts. Chill. Break into pieces.
Enjoy!

Have a delicious day! Check back tomorrow and I will even the score.
Sheri

April 1, 2009

A&W...Go Get Ya Some!

Do you remember a few years back, like 30 or so, when the A&W colors were orange and brown? Well, the buildings and signs colors have stayed the same, but the uniform colors have changed many times throughout the years. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought orange and brown as a fashion would be back "in". Well, it is and I love it! One of my friends was wearing a super cute brown and orange outfit that was the inspiration for this card. I wish I had taken a picture of her so we could all see it! It's amazing how inspired I get every time I go to church (my friend was there). This time it just happened be a creative inspiration. I'm sure I got something out of the service as well. I digress...

There is lots of dimension on this one. All the flowers are hand cut (get it? Never mind, it's early). The little orange ones across the bottom are popped up as well as both of the big ones. The butterfly wings are bent upwards as well. I should have taken a side view picture.

Thanks for stopping in today. If you are ever in Worland, Wyoming stop in at the A&W, buy lots and lots of food, send all your friends, oh and tell my dad I said "hi!" Hey, Dad we can talk about that advertising kickback later.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! Eastern Blooms, Michael's clear dollar stamp (sentiment)

Ink: Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: halved pearls, Michael's ribbon, Marvy butterfly punch