An Unscripted Sketch

It's Saturday which means it's Unscripted Sketches time. I had a lot of fun with the sketch.

***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: PTI In Bloom
Stamps: Stampin Bella, CTMH Happy Birthday
Other: CTMH markers, Cuttlebug
Make sure and head over to Unscripted now for your chance to work with this week's sketch. You'll also want to check out all the fabulous art from the designers over there.
Do you all have any fun plans for Halloween? We'll probably be going to a church activity and then we have a party with friends tonight. I hope everyone has a safe day.
Some have asked how my studying is going. It's going okay. I've gotten a lot more done this past week than in prior weeks. 3 1/2 more weeks. I think I can, I think I can.

Penny's sketch #4

Can you believe another Wednesday is upon us already? I love Wednesdays because I get to show you my art for Penny's challenges. Have you played with us yet over there? I'd love to see what you come up with using this fabulous sketch. I had a lot of fun making this card and decided to pull out some really old but still fabulous papers from CTMH. I just {heart} anything pink and a pink/black combo is one of my favorites.


***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: CTMH Stylin
Stamps: CTMH Month Blocks
Other: Cuttlebug, CTMH twill ribbon
Thanks for the visit and remember to play with us this week at Penny's challenges. And be sure and give the other DT members some love. Their interpretations of this sketch are fabulous.

A trip to the Pumpkin Farm

I first have to apologize for being absent in the blogging world the last few days. My next test, which could possibly be my last one, is in just a month and I've decided to give up blogging and paper crafting for the next month. I might come visit a few blogs here and there but won't be leaving any comments.

I do have scheduled posts for my design teams so if you want to come visit on Wednesday's and Saturday's, I'd love to have you.

Anyway, I hope you'll bear with me through this hiatus. I've just really got to focus hard on this test and pray that I pass and that I won't have to study anymore. It's been 2 1/2 years since I've started this journey and I have to tell you that I'm more than ready for it to be over with.

Okay, onto my post for today. We went to a local pumpkin farm last week and I wanted to get these pictures posted before Halloween. We had lots of fun but unfortunately, I couldn't get Christopher to smile at all. I'm not sure why he was being such a crabby patty but such is the life of a mother of a small boy, I suppose.

Well, if you've made it this far, I thank you. I hope you have a great day and I'll be thinking of you all in my absence. One more month, one more month, one more month. That's my mantra.

Unscripted Sketch #28

Yeah for Saturday which means two things of course. A much needed day off of work and a new Unscripted sketch. Yeah for both! I decided that I needed to add more thank you cards to my stash, as I really only have about 5. Yikes. How did that happen? Back to my card. It's simple for sure but now I've got another card for my stash.

***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: Unknown
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits, CTMH Thank You
Other: CTMH ribbon and waxy flax, PTI buttons, Nesties

Thanks for you visit and be sure and go give some love to the other designers. And if you get a chance to play, I'd love to see your interpretation of the sketch. Have a great Saturday.

Halloween time with Penny's challenges

It's Wednesday so you know what that means, right? Yep, it's time for another challenge at Penny's challenges. This week, the challenge is to make something Halloween. Pile it On and One Stop Craft Challenge also want to see something Halloween this week. The challenge at Whimsy Stamps is to use embossing. Lastly, Crafty Calendar wants to see something autumn related.

***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: CTMH Enchanted
Stamps: CTMH Month Blocks
Other: Marvy scallop punch, Cuttlebug, CTMH brads, prisma glitter

If you look real close, you might be able to see the glitter on my pumpkins. And I super love the look of the swirl embossing folder with this card. It just seems to go with the pumpkins. Who knows though? Maybe I'm imagining that it looks good? Anyway, my plan, and I use the term plan loosely, LOL, is to make up a couple more of these cards and send them to my nieces and nephews for Halloween. Hopefully my "plan" works out like I want it to.
I was also asked by Jeanne about the card I posted on Monday with all the challenges. Her question was, do I make the card and then hunt down any applicable challenges or do I already know the challenges I want to incorporate into my card. My answer is both. For Monday's card, I only had the sketch and color challenge in mind when I made the card. After the card was made, I was blurfing and came across all the other challenges. How fun is that?
Make sure and pop over at Penny's challenges to see what the other fabulous DT ladies have created for you. And then we'd love to have you join us this week.

Joy to the World

I've got another Christmas card for you today. The card uses last week's sketch from Paper Play challenges and it's also my second submission for their current challenge, which is to use your favorite embellishment, which of course is buttons for me. This card also qualifies for the color challenge at JUGS, the challenge at Stamp Something for bling, the challenge at Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential wants to see a scene, ruffles for Moxie Fab World, bling for If the Shoe Fits, Alma of Dancing in Pajamas is the hostess for this week's TCP challenge which is to use buttons, and Die Cut Dreams has a theme of winter wonderland. Wow, that was a lot of challenges. But hey, if the card fits? LOL.


***Supplies***
Patterned paper: Unknown
Stamps: CTMH Snow Friends and Christmas Scripts
Other: Nesties, PTI buttons and ribbon, Prisma glitter
If you look close, you can just make out the bling on hill that the darling snowman is sitting on. I went over the area with my glue pen and then sprinkled the glitter on. I also had a fabulous time making the ruffled ribbon, which I've seen a lot of in blogland as of lately. I'll definitely be doing that again.
Devin and the kids have today off from school. I think they're calling it a fall holiday. I really do think I got into the wrong profession as I definitely could use a fall holiday but instead, I'll be going back to work. Well, I hope your Monday is fabulous.

Merry Christmas

I haven't been able to play in Sparkle's weekly Christmas card challenge for the past couple of weeks and it's made me sad so I made time yesterday to make a card for this week's challenge. It also qualifies for the challenge at PaperPlay this week which is to use your favorite embellishment.

I am totally loving my card and it is probably in my favorite top 5 of about the 45 Christmas cards I've made this year. Again, my simplistic nature has shown through but it's the colors and the gorgeous paper that I'm in love with.

***Supplies***
Patterned paper: Unknown
Stamps: CTMH So Sweet Seasons
Other: Tag punch, PTI buttons, CTMH ribbon and waxy flax

I'd also like to thank everyone who commented on Friday's post about Arianne's birthday. Your thoughts mean a lot to me and I truly appreciate the love and support I felt.

Well, I hope you have a fabulous Sunday. Mine will be filled with church, football, and studying. Until next time, take good care.

Unscripted week #27 -- Cupcake time

It's Saturday which means Unscripted Sketches time. Woo Hoo for the weekend. This birthday embossing folders is one of the first ones I got with my Cuttlebug and I decided that it had been too long since I used it. I'm really happy with the way it looks on the cream cardstock.

***Supplies***
Patterned paper: CTMH Life Delights
Stamps: PTI
Other: Cuttlebug, nesties, CTMH brads

I hope you'll come play with us this week at Unscripted. Thanks for your visit and have a great day.

Happy 15th Birthday Arianne

October 16th is a very special day, as it was that day that I went into pre-term labor at 34 weeks and gave birth to my sweet baby girl Arianne Raquel. I blogged about her 14th birthday here. I can’t believe that 15 years have passed since that eventful day. I was just a mere 20 year old with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Sad circumstances led to my unplanned pregnancy and I agonized for months on what to do. I finally decided that my sweet baby would have a better home with two parents. I did get to spend two glorious weeks with my little girl before I had to say goodbye. I visited her each day in the NICU and would spend hours there just holding her, watching her, and wondering if I was making the right decision. Two weeks later, I said goodbye to my baby and placed her in the arms of her new parents, who were chosen by me just a couple of weeks earlier.

The road has been long and full of much heartache, which will never fully go away. I also rejoice in the life that I was able to bring into this world and the blessing that she was to parents who so desperately wanted a baby. With that, I wish my sweet Arianne a very happy 15th birthday. It’s hard for me to even think of her as a teenager as this is one of the last pictures I have. Aahhh, the world of adoption was so much different in 1994 than it is now.

I hope one day that I will be able to be reunited with my precious girl and that she knows how much I love her and that my heart has never stopped aching for her. I love you Arianne.

Autumn

The challenge this week at Penny's challenges is to make something autumn related with a tree. I decided on a simple 4x4 card that I'll probably send to one of my friends just because this season. My card also fits the bill for this week's challenge at The Pink Elephant, which is to do something fall related. The Whimsy Stamps challenge for the week is to get punchy by either using punches or die cutting tools. Caardvarks wants to see something with ribbon. The challenge at Secret Crafter is to use autumn colors. Creative Belli wants to see something fall related with a leaf.
***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: CTMH
Stamps: CTMH Four Seasons
Other: Nesties, CTMH ribbon, button, and waxy flax

Make sure to stop by Penny's Challenges and give this week's challenge a whirl. There's also some gorgeous art over there from my fellow DT members that you don't want to miss. I hope you all have a great Wednesday. And thank you for the visit and comments. They really brighten my day.

Happy birthday

I went to make a Christmas card the other day and was looking through my Christmas paper and came across this piece in the BG Wassail line. I studied it and thought about it and in the end, decided that I wasn't brilliant enough to make a Christmas card with this paper. I do think it's gorgeous, though, and a super simple card was born.


***Supplies***
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey Wassail
Stamps: CTMH Happy Birthday
Other: CTMH waxy flax, Nesties, PTI buttons

Thanks for your visit. I hope you are all happy and well. And if you are lucky to have this Columbus Day off, do something fun for me.

The highlights

Several people asked me to post so here are the new highlights in my hair. What do you think? Nothing too drastic, as I do work in a professional office, but still some noticeable change.


And here's my whole head. Harder to see the actual highlights so that's why I posted the pic above. On a sidebar, this is me most days. I've pretty much given up wearing makeup for the most part. I've decided that I don't apply it well enough and that it's just one more thing to do in the morning. Anyways, I digress.

Well, there you have me, in all my UN-glory. I am really pleased with my hair but hate having my picture taken. Have a great Sunday. It's off to church for me and the fam now.

Unscripted Bella style

It's Unscripted Sketches time! Yeah. There's a great sketch for you to try this week. Remember that you can really have fun with it and create whatever you would like. Make sure and go give some love to the other designers. You're in for quite a treat today.


***Supplies***
Patterned paper: CTMH More to Adore
Stamps: Stampin Bella, CTMH Say it in Style
Other: Fiskars border punch, CTMH buttons, waxy flax, and markers

Have a great Saturday. I'll be getting my hair cut and highlighted today. It's been over a year since I've put any highlights in my hair so I'm looking forward to a somewhat different look. Oh, and did I mention that it snowed yesterday and last night? Snow on October 9th? Seems pretty early for me, even for crazy Colorado.

Presenting Irelynd

I've decided that I need to get more caught up on my scrapbooking so hopefully, you'll be seeing more of my pages. I blogged about these pictures here and have been itching to get them scrapped.

The empty journaling box on the right side is waiting for a good white pen. Does anyone have any suggestions? The one I have is kind of old and the ink doesn't flow nicely at all.





***Supplies***
Patterned paper: CTMH Cocoa Cafe
Other: Nesties, Cricut, Making Memories flower ribbon and rub-ons, Fiskars border punch, American Crafts Fabric Thickers

Thanks for your visit. I hope you have a fantastic Thursday. We're getting closer to the weekend.

Finding inspiration

This week, Penny's challenges wants you to make something inspired from this picture. My card is also for this week's challenge at Cupcake Craft Challenges which is "thanks a bunch". In keeping with my true form, I have a real simple card for you today. Also, I haven't had as much play time as I'd like in my craft room. :(


***Supplies***
Patterned paper: Unknown
Stamps: CTMH Thank You
Other: Nesties, CTMH buttons
You'll want to be sure and check out the other design team member's creations. And then why don't you come and play with us. I'd love to see how this photo inspires you. Happy Wednesday!

World Card Making Day with an Unscripted Blog Hop

ETA: Candy giveaway is closed. Random.org picked Jenny. Jenny, please contact me within 48 hours at alannamoses@aol.com or I will draw another winner.
It's October 3rd which is World Card Making Day! The designers at Unscripted Sketches have a special blog hop. You're not going to want to miss this. Some designers are even giving out special candy for the day, including me! If you came from the Unscripted Sketches site, than you are in the right place, as I'm kicking off the hop.

I decided to make a group of 4 thank you cards, all using the same color scheme and and my favorite stamp set. :)

***Supplies***
Patterned paper: CTMH Elegant Bouquet
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits, CTMH Thank You
Other: Nesties, PTI buttons, CTMH buttons and white waxy flax
Now hop on over to April's blog to see what she has in store for you. In addition, one random commenter today will receive a surprise stamping blog candy package from me. I'll pick a winner and post that tomorrow so be sure to check back. Have fun with the hop and don't forget to make a card yourself today.

Here's a list of all designers participating in case you get lost along the way.

Alanna
April
Aymee
BR-T
Caryl
Dawn
Hollie
Irit
Jenny
Jeryn
Kelly
Keri Lee
Liz
Marcy
Sarah Kaye
Steph
Susan