Live Your Dream

Do you ever try to stretch yourself creatively? I try to step out of what I think is my "box" from time to time, and todays post is a perfect example. This gorgeous Live Your Dream set in the SU! occations mini, customers can start buying from it tomorrow!!! Well, what to do with this set....hmmm...it's very elegant looking. Habit would say that you would color the flowers, stems, etc. Well, I went way out of my conventional thinking. Okay, I'm a little embrassed to admit what inspired this card. I am a bit of a QVC fan, and yesterday I was watching a swimsuit show and I saw this very cute swim dress that was all done in black and white and viola-inspiration.
So anyway, I really am not sure what to think of it. I think I like it, simple, elegant, clean. It's just so diffent to do black and white. I like the little pop of red. Anyway, I'm in a swap, so those of you in it, here it is guys, your Live Your Dream sample. Stamp Camp tomorrow, so it's a busy day of finishing everything for that!
Thanks girls!

Quick edit, I tried this the first time with no luck getting you to the right link, if you would like to see the swimsuit, click HERE.

Creative License Clear Envelope Book

Hi friends! Well I am back, and today it will be light and fluffy. I clearly weirded everyone out with yesterday's post-slightly depressing and scarey apparently, not a single comment. So....back to stamping, the sun is shining, the temperature is going up in the ice bowl that I live in and spring is on the way!
When I saw the tutorial for a CLEAR ENVELOPE BRAG BOOK, I thought it was pure genious. I knew I had to make one.I decide to go back and get out the Creative License Simply Scrapbook Kit from SU! that I never got around to using. I think I have one stamped image in the whole little book.I printed the title on the computer and cut it out.
My favorite pictures of the boys always seem to come from our vacations. This is 2 years ago (time flies) in Cocoa Beach.
The boys were just so excited to be at the ocean and Nick had to get out there and "surf" a little too.
Everything I used came out of the Simply Scrappin' Kit, except I did use the scallop punch on the one page.
Nick always thinks this picture looks like he is giving the boys some sort of lecture, but maybe it's just that I know it was kind of loud with the waves crashing that he bent down to hear Joe talk, but I don't think it looks that way.
Some of the pictures just crack me up, they just look like drowned rats in some pictures.
I absolutely love the way the book turned out. I have to say that is was very easy to do and what a great way to use pieces out a Scrappin' Kit. This is my kind of scrapbooking!!!! Have a fabulous week!!!!

Prayer for a Stranger

Well, I've tended to not get overly personal on my blog, but I have to say that I am having a oddly melonchaly day here. I seem to be greatly affected today by a tragic story that has unfolded here in Minnesota. I know that this story made nation news, but perhaps you may be unfamiliar with it. Last week 4 students were killed in a school bus crash in the small community of Cottonwood Minnesota. 2 of those killed were brothers, and for some unknown reason I am feeling such emense heartache for that family that I cannot even begin to explain it. I do not know this family, I do not know anyone that knows them, Cottonwood is no where close to my part of Minnesota, but I just ache for this family today. I cannot explain why am affected in this way by this particular story, but for some reason I am. The younger of the brothers, was 9 years old, the same age as my oldest and perhaps that has something to do with it. He also has a twin sister. I just cannot even imagine starting your day off as normal and watching your kids go off to school and you never see them again. I put my boys on the bus every day, and cannot imagine them not stepping back off at the end of the day. And to loose two of them....unimaginable! How do you possibly live out the rest of your life? It is days like this, stories like this, that test my faith. I have always considered a faithful person, not religious, but very faithful, and a absolutely believe in the power of prayer, and the idea that everything happens for a reason. But how do you see the reasoning in this...a great challenge that is greater than us and must be turned over to the Lord. I have lived through watching a my best friend cope with the unexpected loss of a 3 year old daughter, and perhaps I ache all the more for this family knowing the road that is ahead. To add to the tragedy, this family has previously lost a child. I clearly do not understand the "why" in this case. That family is burying those boys today. Somewhere in Minnesota they are saying goodbye to their boys, and my heart and prayers go out to them. I ache for people that I do not know and I ask that when you go to bed tonight (and in the coming nights) that you pray for this family. That they will find the strength to live without Jesse and Hunter. It is the only thing I know to do to help them and I ask that you do the same. I decided to make a card for this family and was able to find their address in a search. It is not my place to post it here, but I would share the address if you felt like you would like to do the same.Paper Trey's new Everyday Blessings set, which ended up being the PERFECT thing for this card. I love the sentiment on the front, "Someone remembers, someone cares, your name is whispered in someone's prayers". I colored the cross in with a blender pen and added a brad from the hodgepodge hardware kit. I feel a little odd explaining this card, as it wasn't really meant for the blog, but I was compelled to share where I am at today.
I do not mean to minimize the fact that there are 2 other families in the same position as the Javens, but I am struck by there story.Remembering the school bus crash victims. The following is a description of each of the 4 students that died last week:

February 21, 2008
The four Lakeview School students killed in Tuesday's school bus crash near Cottonwood, Minn., were Emilee Olson, brothers Hunter Javens and Jesse Javens, and Reed Stevens. Relatives and friends share memories of the children.

EMILEE OLSON, 9

Charles and Traci Olson of Cottonwood adopted Emilee in China when she was 10 months old. Relatives said first sight meant everything.

"She looked up at Traci from the floor, and their eyes met, and you knew that it was meant to be from that moment on," said Terri Hutchinson, Emilee's aunt and Traci's sister, who joined Traci in China.

Emilee was already crawling, strong and vibrant that day, her aunt said.

"She sang in choir, learned to play piano and picked up pieces real easily," Hutchinson said. "Her sister Bailee played, and she could pretty much play the (song) right away.

"She was energetic, fun, loving. Loved life. Very talented with a smile on her face all the time. She lit up a room. Such a beautiful young girl with so much left."

Emilee's mother is a physical education teacher at the school.

HUNTER JAVENS, 9

Hunter loved basketball, football, wrestling and baseball. He also liked video games, drawing and hanging out with his friends. Friends described him as a happy-go-lucky kid.

Hunter was a fourth grader at Lakeview School. He and brother Jesse were the sons of Marty and Rita Javens of Cottonwood.

Robert Javens, a great uncle to Hunter and Jesse, said the boys "were just typical kids."

"They weren't no angels and they weren't no devils. They were normal kids."

JESSE JAVENS, 13

Jesse was a big pro wrestling fan and could be the class clown at times. The seventh-grader liked hunting and being on the middle school football team.

"It hit everybody in the town really hard, but especially this family, with two of them gone," said Terry Lange, ex-brother-in-law of the boys' father, Marty Javens.

In addition, Lange said, Hunter has a twin sister, and there are four older siblings in the blended family.

"All you can do is just be with them," he said of the family members. "Everybody is still in shock."

REED STEVENS, 12

Reed was remembered as outgoing, with an interest in sports, leadership and a strong faith.

The seventh-grader was the son of Dan and Kandy Stevens of Marshall.

"Reed was a young man who loved God, his country and his family. And he also loved his football family. We know that he is with the Lord," his mother, a former teacher at the school, said in a statement read by Superintendent Sheldon Johnson.

Reed had helped organize a "gather at the pole" prayer event at Lakeview School, and was planning for a trip to Australia as a People to People student ambassador this summer.

"He had a lot of imagination," friend Quinn Fenger said. "He liked to draw a lot of fantasy stuff."

There's now a memorial fund in place at a bank in Cottonwood for the families of the four students.

Contributions can be sent to:

Lakeview School Memorial Fund

c/o United Southwest Bank

PO Box 288

Cottonwood, MN 56229-0288

---Information from the Marshall Independent

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


I am oddly mixed with deep contempt for the woman you killed these children. An illegal immigrant who is lying to police about her real identity. She has no drivers license and is now claiming the bus ran into her-THERE IS NO WAY! If you have seen the pictures of the damaged bus and how it was over turned there is one person at fault here. But I don't want to focus on her, I am sorry that she does not recognize the gravity of her actions, but I understand that someday she will have to face a great force and she will have the proper judgement day. Sorry for the long post, I write with a heavy heart today.
I promise to not make this a habit.
Kat

Please pray for all of these families.

I really am alive!

It's true, I really am still alive. It's amazing how some weeks are just more condusive to investing time into stamping and posting and some weeks it just doesn't work. But I have great news-I have joined the millenium!!! To those of you that are computer savvy-check this out-I just got DSL. Do you have any idea what that means????? It means the cobwebs can stop growing on me and my computer when I post to the blog. You have NO IDEA how much time it would take me to post something, especially a tutorial. I can't even believe how much time this will save me. I can't believe we went this long without it. As I previously have mentioned, DH, not a techy guy at ALL. Can check his email (once a week) and that's about it. Somehow I let his low tech life influence mine and I was just a step above snail mail. I have no idea why I didn't do this sooner. Do you know that I have never been to YOU TUBE until this last week? My dial up couldn't buffer it in. Anyway, a whole new world has opened up for me!
I did want to get something posted though. I made this adorable 5 in 1 template box (a splitcoast tutorial) using Paper Trey's Beautiful Blooms and Mixed Messages sets. I have to give credit for the flower to a customer of my upline. She made a card using the 5 petal punch with the petals folded up. I have to get her name again and give here the proper credit. Doesn't it just make the cutest accent?
The center of the flower is a metal self stick dot from the dollar bin at JoANN Fabrics.
I made another box that I will try to post tomorrow.
Here's the Recipe:
Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Very Vanilla
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Almost Artichoke, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: Apricot Ribbon, 5 petal punch, small flower from Boho Blossoms punch, metal dot from JoAnn Fabrics
Technique: 5 in 1 template box from Splitcoast tutorial

It's my Itty Bitty Basket Tutorial

Well, I've been working on a lot of projects lately, trying to come up with some ideas for the next stamp camp that we will hold the first weekend in March. I was inspired months ago by Cambria's adorable little Halloween treat baskets and in playing with it, low and behold I came up with my own pattern for a slightly different twist on her basket. So let's get to it! You will need:
1 6x6 piece of cardstock or two sided designer paper
1 strip of 1/2"x 7" piece for the handle
4 1 1/2"x2" designer paper piece (omit these of you are using 2 sided paper)
something to score with (still need that Scor-pal)
Scallop edge decorative scissors
Good cutting scissors
Start by scoring all the way around each edge at 2". There are numerous ways to score, my one cutter happens to have a scoring blade in it that makes it quick and easy.






Now go all the way around each side again and score at 1/2". (This is where my brain works in reverse and my paper is at the 5 1/2" mark, so that I get the 1/2" score mark)
You will know need to look at the paper to see the pieces that you are going to cut off. I trace with the pen what you will cut off.
After cutting, your paper should look like this.
Now on those little edges that you have popping up, you will use your decorative scissors to cut a scalloped edge. Using your other scissors you will cut in the cuts as shown in the picture.
If you are using cardstock you will adhere your designer paper as shown in the picture. If you are using two sided paper you will not need to do this step.
Now you will add adhesive to those little scalloped edges and fold them down. After this step you will add adhesive to the corner pieces, fold the sides up and assemble the box.
Your little box should look this this all folded together.






To complete the box you will add your handle piece with brads and fill. (I used Cambria's idea for the scallop punch on the mint patties.) With Easter coming, think of all the fun little eggs and such you could put in there!!!!!





If you used designer paper, your box will look something like this. With the two sided, you get the automatic advantage of the matching paper with the opposing side folded down.





Here it is finished in basket version. So sorry for the washed out photo, that's what happens when you walk away from a project and come back and take a picture in different light, and then are too lazy to take another one and upload it when you see how crappy it looks. I knew you'd get the idea. Have fun making your own "Itty Bitty Basket", and leave me a comment with a link to yours for all of us to see!!!!!!