i'm leaving, on a jet plane...

i'm going to Ecuador!

i was just looking through pictures on Flickr, and Ecuador is simply stunning. i'm sure i'll be seeing some of the same beauty, and taking pictures too! (...just not of that quality)

i'll be leaving on Tuesday, August 11th, and i'll be traveling with my youngest brother Joey, and a missions team from my church. we're going to Quito (the capital), and Otavalo to teach some conferences, reach children through Vacation Bible Adventures, and fellowship with the local church bodies down there.

i am so excited! i've been to South America before (last summer, actually--Brazil, with my sister, Cecelia), and i had an absolute blast. i'm looking forward to going again, and actually understanding a little more of the language. i picked up the main ideas in conversation while i was in Brazil (they speak Portugeuse), but i've taken several years of Spanish (although i'm rusty), so i think i'll understand a lot more when i go down this time :D

fortunately our whole trip will not just be missions--we're going to spend one or two days seeing some sights and hiking around. i'm so excited to be ministering with such a great team of people (hey guys--you're awesome!), and also to try something new.

well, wish me luck, i'm off to do laundry so i can pack :D hehe, yes, i know, i should be *finished* packing by now. well, i'm a procrastinator!

hope you have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for looking...

rock on!

i LOVE this card. i just have to tell you... it was fun to make, and i think it's super cute to look at :D

okay, so this card uses the same paper from the "Pirate Pink" post, but this time, with a "rock on" twist. i cut out the letters using pink glitter sticky sheets and my Cricut "Simply Sweet" cartridge... just the right mix of lettering for this funky, punky card. i then added some sweet pink ribbon/ trim i got on sale at Michael's (i think), and added the focal point...

that amazing felt guitar (really, a bookmark found in the $1 bin at Jo-Ann's) with a gem added to the star :D

i LOVE the final look... such a great card for a teenager, or just someone who loves to play some air guitar, or whomever :D this wasn't hard to make, and every time i look at it, it makes me smile...

i sure hope you're rockin' on for the last bit of summer... i know i'm super busy (getting prepared to leave for Ecuador on Tuesday, eek!) and i can't believe that school will start so soon... too soon for my liking. i hope you know i love reading your comments and appreciate that you took the time to stop by :D ROCK ON!

pirate pink :D

super fun paper from BoBunny and these sweet leather flowers just add the perfect touch to that pirate image, eh me maties? hehe. i couldn't resist adding some bling (and those button brads are too cute, right? Making Memories.)

finished card = fabulous. the border punch is threading water by Fiskars. currently there's not sentiment, but when the time comes, i'm sure i'll find the perfect one.

any suggestions?

been working on my writing class and getting ready for leaving for Ecuador on Tuesday, August 11th! agh, so busy! i'll post some more cards soon, promise!

take care, and thanks for looking!

monkey box!

i'm back and i have a cold! :( yuck. it's like an ear-infection/ stuffiness combination. i was actually sick/ not feeling well for the majority of last week, but was able to tell stories and help out with the VBA just like normal (i'd just feel totally drained afterwards)... BUT! the good news is that while i was on outreach in Oregon, i missed the incredibly hot Washington weather! (and let me tell you, i was LUCKY! we're not used to 100+ degrees for several days in a row...)

unfortunately, i didn't get to schedule any posts for my absence, so you'll be seeing some cards i've already made, but haven't gotten to post in these next few days.

here we're starting off with a monkey gift box... hehe. the stamps come from the DoodleFactory line... don't you think the leaves and the monkey are too cute? :D i did some embossing for the leaves and the green around the rim of the box... just stamped my green pad directly on the edge and tapped some clear embossing powder over it! there's a little rubber frame on the lid, along with some K&Co rub-ons from their Actopus to Zelephant line.

inside you can kinda peek the monkey yo-yo inside :D this was a fun project, and cute gift... and i really enjoyed experimenting with some new things.

thanks for looking, and my apologies again for not posting in forever!

bonus sketch from clouds!

wow, i had a LOT of fun playing with Clouds lovely sketch this week over at 2sketches4you... i don't think i've been able to make a bonus sketch card in... like... forever! i love layered flowers, and the big circle/ square element on the card was too perfect for this white, pink and orange flower. i know flowers don't come like this in nature, but wouldn't it be fun if they did? i tied a bow beneath the orange flower with some brown satin ribbon, and added my orange flower, button, and twine onto the bow.


this card was fun to make... partly because of the flower, and the sentiment i chose... "go wild" :D hehe, i cut out the "wild" using the Simply Sweet cartridge with my Cricut. i added some orange bling to the letters, and used some lovely brown hounds tooth layered with kraft cardstock...

oooh, and don't you love Sassafras Lass paper? i bought a single sheet the other day, and i love this color combo. pink = one of my favs, and orange = second set of favs :D here's the finished card, in all its bright blingy glory!

i love the little border on the bottom of Sassafras paper... and this was no exception. too cute not to use! loved making this card, and will most definitely use the sketch again. so thanks for looking, and thank you Clouds for a LOVELY sketch! :D

hello! (another card for kazan's sketch #31)

i really liked Kazan's sketch over at 2sketches4you. i thought that i would have a hard time with the 4 elements, but i ended up having plenty of ideas, and this is actually my 2nd card :D

i recently got this sweet K&Co paper, the Carolyn Gavin collection (ultra funky, UBER me!), as well as these fun bauble bubbly gem things :D i used the heart bauble on one of the punched circles to add some interest/ dimension. the sentiment is embossed using VersaMark and a Heidi Swapp stamp set.

i decided to let the sentiment hang from a small safety pin and twine instead of fastening it to the card with dimensionals... i think it looks sweet :D

this cards was super simple to make--just punch out 1", 1 1/4", and 1 1/2" circles (the biggest one with a scallop punch) in alternating papers (these were double sided, so just flip 'em over) and adhere along with some side strips to the left (i only used one mat stack paper for the whole thing) and satin ribbon. i kept the circle with the bauble adhered directly to the card so it would be somewhat different than the rest.

anyway, thanks for looking :D i'm off to pack up for a week-long VBA outreach... i'm going to schedule some posts for when i'm gone, so don't forget to check back! have a lovely friday and fabulous weekend, XOXO.

more zombie goodness...

i made these zombie bookmarks on commission from my sister, Cecelia, who is holding a giveaway. strangely enough, you can win one of these AND a book if you head over to her blog, Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia. she talks about life, books, food, foibles, family *yay sisters!* and just posted a yummerlicious sounding recipe :D

check it out if you haven't already, and who knows? maybe you'll win a bookmark!

thanks for looking :D