I LOVE GRAPHIC 45 PAPER!

So as it goes here in the North East we have snow again. We have been very lucky and missed most of it. But last night it hit with a bang. As I was watching Pat out the window plowing, I turned to my left and there in my paper stacks was a pretty paper sticking out from Graphic 45. And oh the thoughts that went from one side of my snow filled brain to the other. Then it hit me, lets make a little wearable from this pretty paper and so I did. I went to my trusty stack of washers and pulled out the perfect size for the clock that I had my eye on in the center of the paper. It all was down hill from there. I punched, cut, burnished, glued, dried and finished off with a layer or two of Diamond Glaze. And there you go, this pretty paper will be around my neck or should I say around Morgans because she already has her eye on it.

So that is part of my paper mission this year. Add all of these beautiful papers into my everyday life. I love creating new and fun projects like this, don't you!

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THE FLY RIGHT INN KIT IS UP AND READY FOR SALE!

Can you believe all of this wonderful STUFF? I am totally in love with this new kit. It comes with all of these great items for you to create a BUNCH of fun scrapbooking memories. There is a bunch of chipboard, buttons, ribbons, fibers, rub-ons and so many more pieces. I am sure you will all love this one. Here is the link to the kit FLY RIGHT INN KIT so go check it out and let me know what you think. Pick one up for yourself or a friend!

AND CHECK OUT A VIDEO HERE OF ALL THE GREAT PRODUCTS INCLUDED

So I hope you all enjoy this one and look out for the next kit which includes a TEAPOT ALBUM. Yes I said TEAPOT. I know, I am excited too!

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OH HOW I LOVE DELIVERY MEN...JUST DON'T TELL MY HUSBAND

Everyone including Dallas gets excited when the deliveries arrive!

We have all been waiting for the Glimmer Mist to arrive!

I don't mean I love them like they are hot. I mean they bring me boxes of stuff that I order to create and make fun things with. Come on people, get you mind out of the gutter. Any who, such deliveries have arrived today. UPS, or Brown brought me this great big box of love today from 7 Gypsies. I have been waiting for a lot of this stuff to put in my two new kits. That's right kids not just one but TWO new kits chalked full of tons of mini-book fun. Once it is all unpacked I will get it up on my site as well as a video on my you tube channel for you to all see what comes in the kit.
Alright, I need to get this box unpacked and the new kits stuffed with goodies!

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NEW FLY RIGHT IN KIT IS ALMOST READY TO GO!

Oh my, when I ran into this set of paper while ordering a few weeks ago I totally fell in love. The colors are so wonderful and can be used in so many ways. Here is a sneak peek at my next kit set coming out this week. I started the cover of my kit using this great little combo of items from the kit. I love have dimension on the fronts of my mini albums. The lolly made with the antique book pages really gives the dimension that I am looking for. I still can't decide between the words family or home on mine. It will happen here soon.

Above is the paper set that you will get in the kit with tons of goodies to create your own quick, easy and fabulous mini kit. Stay tuned for the video as well as the kit being posted on my sites!

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Mrs. Petersons Special Valentine

Mrs. Peterson is Logan's K-Teacher. She is wonderful. Everything you would want in a 5 year old's teacher from being nice to teaching the kids how to get along. So Logan looks at me with those big eyes and says..."can you make Mrs. Peterson one of your cards?" How could I say no?

So I have been having a ball with the streamers but didn't have the right color. Now if my Glimmer Mist had arrived by now I would have just sprayed white to the color I needed. But it is not here yet. So I folded pink inside of white and it gave me a soft color once I folded it. I punched a butterfly out of these wonderful K & Co. papers and turned it over. I bent the wings and glued down only the body so it looked like it was coming right off the page. There where some little left overs from me trimming the streamers so I tucked those under the heart. Added a little gold metallic ink around the edges and there you are the cute little Valentine that I know he can hand her with pride. I love creating things!

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WHOOOO LOVES YOU LIKE I DO CARD

Well Noah is home sick today so I finally got this cute little owl finished. I love owls but I didn't have a big enough one for this 6 x 6 card so I made my own from this and that. This was so easy. For instance, the feet, beak and ears are all made from a heart punch. The red scalloped area behind the main part of the body was made from two oval scalloped punches. The eyes are just various size layered punches and all edged with ink pad. For the white ruffle ares along bottom, that is a piece of crate paper(streamers) taped with double side tape and folded back and forth. The little frame stands out with foam dots and I think it all goes together pretty well.

So what do you think? I think you could change from these beautiful Cosmo Cricket papers to any other color line to make this card fit for so many occasions. Just change the wording and you are all set. A little layered paper can go a long way!

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Getting Ready for The Big Sweet 16 Is A Full Time Job!

Well the race is on. Morgan is having a big 16th Birthday Party here this spring. We are both so excited. She is my oldest and only girl so we need to make it so beautiful for her. I started these pinwheels. They are so easy to make and what a great way to pull all of the the colors together. And lets face it, I have plenty of paper to make 1000 of these puppy's. Now these start out as a 6 x 6 square of paper. I am also working on 12 x 12 to hang along the banner. Mo and I already have a enormous folder of ideas from food to decorations and it is oh so exciting!

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I AM THE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF ALTA AND CLARENCE....

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5-6

Growing up you have all these plans for life. You want to travel have some great career and be larger then the small town you call home. That was me. I had set my mind to never getting married or having kids and well you know what they say about plans we make.... I would never thought that on the verge of 40 in 2010 I would be THRILLED to be a married mother of 4. It totally blows my mind but I have never been happier. The price of having 4 incredible kids some times is not one that you pay yourself, but one you have to watch them go through with your hands tied behind your back. 10 years ago this happened with my oldest Morgan when on December 8th she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This one is a moment in time that stood still for me and changed me forever. Well one of those days 10 years later has come up again. My incredible little Red Head was just this week diagnosed with PDD(Autism). It looks like the final classification will be under Asperger's Syndrome, but they want to do way more before that specification is made for education reasons. I have known we where going in this direction since the fall. It has been totally eating me up knowing that possibly things in his life could be different for who knows what reason. And as my kids call me "MAMA BEAR" it is hard to stand by and watch this all unfold.


So, What is next? Well, I educate myself on everything we can do to get him into a place in life that is good and fulfilled. We stay strong and help each other when things are not so great with him and never give up. Someone said to me this week..."when are you ever going to get a break, you have been through so much?" I can't think that way. Sure I had to cry for a day or two and pull out that bottle of Vodka for a good shoot of Polish warmth. But I know that I can do this. I know that this incredible cute, loving and so sweet little boy needs me and my family. When people say you come from strong stock they mean it about this group. I have the most incredible "strong like bull" parents. I grew up having wonderful grand parents and great grand parents that showed me that LOVE and FAMILY can conquer all. I grew up with a grand mother that made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. I was one of her girls and and her strength and love follows me everyday even on the hard ones. And yes I have the best sister ever, so what more could a girl ask for? Being a parent isn't a right, it is a job that is nothing short of mind blowing but should be taken so seriously. With all of the history I have behind me to make these hard days easier well, it all has to start somewhere. We all have to have something we look to in our time of sorrow and need. And for me, just knowing that I come from these incredible parents and family is what will get me to my next path every time!

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OWED TO THE QUEEN OF PINK...HEIDI SWAPP!

Well I was watching some of the awesome video's from CHA Winter 2010. I got to one with the new Heidi Swapp products. They showed a little set of three frames that she had used as the base for a project with her Tattered Angels. I thought, hey wait a minute, I just picked up a set of those frames myself a couple of weeks ago. So I made my own version of 3 for above my closet door. I started out with the Amy Butler line Specialty Papers from K & Co. I really liked the pink and brown with the black frames.

The background paper is under the glass while the rest is affixed to the glass with a little liquid glass. The background paper is matching in the two end ones with the same pattern in the center flower one just different color.

As far as the butterfly one, I wanted to make it look like they where migrating their way over the frame. I only glued them on the centers. The butterflies as well as the other papers are all highlighted with brown ink along the edges.

The bird was landing on a branch and then I remembered I had a fence die so I punched it out of chipboard and used Tim Holtz-Distress Crackle Paint to make it look like a old country fence. I added a little clear Stickles to give it a bit of bling. And finished off with a butterfly in the matching papers to the bottom flower from the center frame.

So....What do you think? I am so happy the way they turned out. Of course my husband looked at them and said he liked them but... I knew that but means...Why are they on the outside of the glass? I promptly said...Well if Heidi Swapp can do it, so can I!

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New Thinking of You Card!

Hey all! Here is another fun idea I came up with to use my stickers. This card design is so easy to do but really gives you a great result. I started by taking the middle paper in the sandwich and punching out the three 1" circles. Then I took the top layer and turned it over. I traced the circles on to the back of the top layer and used the scalloped 1 1/4" punch. It makes it really easy to eyeball the sizing and placement this way. Then I wrapped around the ribbon and and connected them to the card itself.

I used a complimentary paper from the set so it really went well together. Once again the back looks as good as the front and it has a great clean finish. Then the very last thing was to stick the stickers in the 3 circle punched on the front and it is all done. What do you think? I would love to hear from you!

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SEMI-FORMAL 2010- ISN'T SHE LOVELY!!!!

Well there is my girl. She is the most beautiful bell at the ball! When we picked up this dress before she ever tried it on we knew it was the one. She picked up her new glasses today to top of her outfit. She enjoys being able to see and these new glasses really help with that. Unfortunately, you can't see her really cute silver shoes in this one but they worked beautifully. This photo was taken at her friends house. All of them meet there to go together. I totally forgot to take a pic at home and some how by the grace of God my camera was in my purse so I didn't miss this wonderful girl on her way to the dance.

Well now I must wait to go pick her up so I am going to work on a page for this picture. I am making a 16th Year album for her so she has a hard copy of all the fun she had when she was 16. Maybe it is because I am turning 40 this year, but I think it is important to be able to look back at those carefree times. I will share the book when it is all done and as I go along this year!

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More Love is in The Air, Or @ Least in The Air Mail!

I know, I know, I can't help myself. I love making Valentine's. Maybe it comes from the excitement of that white paper bag that would hang on the front of your desk as a child on Valentine's Day. You would get to decorate it in art class and then hang it there for the big day. For that very moment to see when and if that special someone is going to drop a card in your bag. I remember buying my box of cards as a kid and going over them and deciding who was going to get which one. What would this card say or mean to the love of your life. Now for me, that was my husband(he just didn't know it at the time.)

For this one I wanted it to be romantic. I think the papers lend to that feeling very well. The card measures 6 x 4. I went around the edges of everything with Color Box dark brown Chalk Inkpad. The brads and the frame add dimension to the card. And I layered the blue layer up and over the back to give it a really finished look. You can see this in the picture below. I hope you all enjoy this and it gives you all some inspiration!

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Birds of a Feather Celebrate Birthday's Together

So here is some inspiration for everyone today. I have been trying to build up some special cards for the upcoming birthdays of 2010. I can't stand when I am walking out the door and there is no handmade card in hand. See it is my own fault. I have been making cards along with many other projects for so long that people come to expect it and I think that I should live up to that expectation don't you.

This one is more for a adult. The picture doesn't totally show the shine to this card. On much of the black on the bird I layered the liquid glass to give some more dimension to it. I love the combo of colors. I make a bunch of bright happy colors for many of my birthday cards but it is nice sometimes to have a stronger more masculine set of colors. I also rolled the edges of the double sided paper flowers so they gave a pop out look. Also on the flowers, which you really can't tell in the picture, I used the liquid glass on the tan areas. It pulls the eye over the front of the card while leaving the bird the dominate feature. I hope you all enjoy it and make it a great Tuesday!

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This is for sure a girl holiday. The great day of love many refer to as Valentine's Day is truly just a excuse for us to use PINK. I love pink and all of the fun that goes along with it. Here is my daily dose of pink for this time of year. And here is how I made it....

• Start with a 5 x 5 base card(5x10 before folded)
• 4 Similar papers that are 2 1/4 x 2 1/4
• Edge them each with Metallic Gold and round one corner
• Layered nesting hearts on chipboard and more Metallic on edges
• Tape runner embellishment to card and add words

As far as the letters I used for love. They are foam stickers that where black but I wanted them to blend in a little more to the color scheme. So out came my trusty paints and everything matches beautifully!

Now as far as this little toss in. It was 2:00pm eastern time and the house was VERY, VERY FREE OF SOUND. This is not normal when all four of them are home from school. So I looked around downstairs and there was no one. I made my way up stairs and still no sounds. Until I opened our bedroom door and all of my little friends, along with their pillows, where watching a movie together. WOW this is the kind of stuff pictures are made of. So I grabbed the camera to mark this moment in history. And this is what I am thankful for today!

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Mail is Here!

Hi all! Just wanted to drop in and show you what has arrived at the Lane. These really darn cute MAILBOXES! They come in Pink with a pink flag and White with a red flag. You will be able to find them at my Artfire site as of 1/18/10 Monday. They are a great price at 2.25 and they are made of tin and the flag is plastic. From Valentines to Birthdays you will have great fun with these. I know I can't wait to dig in and make one!

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