Totally EXCITED for December!

I'm super excited because I'm doing something super fun and totally just for me this Christmas season to celebrate this magical time of year!  Starting December 1st (tomorrow) through the 21st, I will be sharing new hand crafted holiday projects that I've made that were  inspired by Pinterest.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  

 I've also got some other surprises planned throughout the month, so check back here each day for my fun event!  I can't wait to share everything with you that I've got in the works.

OK...time to get busy, busy, busy!

Hugs and Kisses

Howdy Peeps!  Hope your week is going well.  Now that Thanksgiving is over {and Christmas with my side of the family}, I can get some serious crafting time in again.  Today I wanted to share a quick card I made with the super cute Happy Heart Day Appetizer set by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  The cute paper and sticker inside the flower are both from Echo Park.  

I added another sticker from Echo Park for the inside of the card.  Just a sweet little surprise when you open up the card.

 
I have TONS of Christmas fun planned here on my blog for the upcoming weeks...it's going to be quite a celebration so check back this Saturday for all the details!

Time for a Color Challenge

Today at Gourmet Rubber Stamps, the team is having our monthly color challenge.  Here's the inspiration photo and colors...

And here's the simple little gift card I made using these colors.  I used the Grow with Love single ... it's one of my favorite images!

I know you'll want to see all of the great projects from the GRS designers:

• Deb Felts

• Jeni Allen

• Kendra Wietstock - You're Here

Kelli Palmer

• Jennifer Ingle 

• Stepanie Lee

New from Gourmet Rubber Stamps...Cookie Cutter Stencils!

Good Monday Morning & welcome to Monday!  Today I have some new cards to share with you using a new product from Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  They are stencils and how cute is this...they are called Cookie Cutters!  My first card uses the Small Heart Cookie Cutter Stencil along with the Ornate Love Single.

Here's how I used the stencil...I attached my pattern paper to my work surface with a bit of adhesive and then taped my Cookie Cutter Stencil in place with a few pieces of tape so it wouldn't move.  Because I didn't want to have overspray on my pattern paper, I added some sticky notes to the rest of my pattern paper to cover it up.

Then I lightly sprayed some Hollyberry Red Glimmer Mist over my Cookie Cutter Stencil.  I gently pulled up the sticky notes & Cookie Cutter and then let the paper dry for a few minutes before I picked it up.  While the Glimmer Mist was drying (which doesn't take very long), I worked on the rest of the pieces for my card.

For my next card, I used the Stars Cookie Cutter Stencil along with the Tweens & Teens Stamp Set & used the Cookie Cutter in a completely different way.

I pulled out several colors of Memento inks and sponges.  Then I randomly sponged the stars in the 5 colors to make the background for the card.

Here is the completed background and once that was done, I added my Divine Twine trim, guitar and sentiment.  Easy Peasy!

The Cookie Cutter stencils clean up super easy with a baby wipe or a wet paper towel.  You can find all 24 of the new Cookie Cutter Stencils on the website ~ HERE.

New Appetizers from Gourmet Rubber Stamps

Today it's time for another fun release for Gourmet Rubber Stamps!   I am TOTALLY IN LOVE with both new Appetizer sets this month!  The first one I'm showing is called Happy Heart Day.  Although it's perfect for Valentine's Day projects...I think it would also be fun to make cards for weddings and anniversaries using this set.

Next up is another great set called Peace & Love Flowers!  The images in this set are so chic and have a great Indi look to them which is totally trending right now!

You'll find both new sets over on the GRS Blog & then you'll want to see all of the great projects from the GRS designers:

• Deb Felts

• Jeni Allen

• Kendra Wietstock - You're Here

• Taylor Usry

• Jennifer Ingle 

• Stepanie Lee
  
  
  Supplies from i{heart}papers:
  Stamps ~ Gourmet Rubber Stamps
  Papers ~ Echo Park (card #1); My Minds Eye (card #2)
  Ink ~ Memento
  Copic Markers
  

GRS...Sketch Challenge Time!

Today it's time for the monthly DT Sketch Challenge with Gourmet Rubber Stamps and here's the sketch...

I've got a fun little peek-a-boo card to share for this challenge using the adorable little penguin from the Holiday Season Sampler.  Don't you just LOVE HIM?  I also used the snowflake swirl background from the Made of Snow set and used VersaMark inks by Tsukineko to stamp it.  I colored the penguins with my Copics and Atyou Spica glitter pens.  Then I used Daiquiri Ice Sparkly Fluff and/or Glitter to add some bling to the penguins scarves and finished the card with a bit of May Arts ribbon & silver cord.

There are lots of other cute cards from the GRS designers today ~ take a peek...

• Deb Felts

• Jeni Allen

• Kendra Wietstock - You're Here

• Taylor Usry

• Jennifer Ingle 

• Stepanie Lee

Moxie Fab Christmas!!!

WOOHOOO!    Moxie Fab has put their "STAMP OF APPROVAL" on five wonderful Christmas sets by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  

Here is one of the cute sets they are featuring today called  Holiday Cheer and I made a cute little gift bag in very unconventional Christmas colors ~ I JUST LOVE IT!!!

Now you have a chance to win all five sets featured today on the Moxie Fab blog ~ leave Cath a comment by midnight EDT on Sunday, November 11 and she will draw two random luckies to win all 5 sets!  Don't forget to tune in first thing Tuesday morning for the weekly Winnerday! feature to see if you are one of the lucky winners!

Band Treats and Decorations

Photo by Bateman Photography 

Well now that Marching Band season is over, I thought I would share a bit of what I've been up to since July.  My primary volunteer duties with the band is as a Home Team Band Mom.  We take care of the uniforms & make sure that the kids are in tip top shape for each competition.  In addition, we pack snacks for their bus trips, bandage their wounds, provide cool drinks on hot days, hot cocoa on cold days, give them lots of hugs, dry their tears and just make sure they have the things they need.  We are their "moms" when their mom isn't there.  It's very rewarding because I know they appreciate what we do and they really want us there {and that includes my own child}.

You may have noticed over the last few months that I haven't had tons of projects to share with you ~ but that doesn't mean I haven't been crazy busy creating!   In addition to being on the Home Team, I am also on the Spirit Team & that means decorating the music hall and the kids lockers.  Here are some of the decorations I was part of creating. It was fantastic to be able to use my creative skills to put smiles on the kids faces!

These pinwheels were placed along the music hall for each band & color guard student ~ each color represents one of the sections of the band.  The title of the show was Clash of the Patterns so we used double-sided pattern paper to create the pinwheels.

The music hallway

We intermixed music notes cut from our Cricuts along the entire wall on both sides. 

This is a huge banner at the end of the hall.  I painted the glasses and then my husband helped me put the garden spinners on the front of them ~ and they actually spin!  The bottom of the banner was pained by the head of the Spirit Committee along with one of the art teachers.  Along each side of the banner, I made the instrument names in a cool ransom font and then added each student's name.  This banner is over 9 feet tall and 12 feet wide. 

A little inspiration for each week of competition.  Districts, Regionals, Semi-State and State!

Each week I made a treat for each student in my daughter's flute section.  I would have loved to do this for the entire band, but with 213 members, it would have been way too expensive.

For Districts, they needed to get a Gold Rating to move on so I gave the kids a chocolate coin in gold foil with a hidden message under it.   Then for Regionals, I got SKOR candy bars so they would SKOR BIG at Regionals because they needed to score in the top 10 bands and get a Gold Rating.

This year the band added another competition to their schedule called Bands of America.  It wasn't part of the ISSMA Competition schedule, but it was a good test for them to get ready for the rest of the season.  This week they got Reese's Pieces because they are such an important "PIECE" of the band.

For the Semi-State Competition, there were 20 bands performing (10 north and 10 south), they needed to score in the top 10 to make the State Finals so I gave them Rolo Candy so they could ROLL OVER the competition!

After a very long band season with intense competition, I wanted them to keep their EYE on the PRIZE for the State Finals.

As you can tell, I had TONS OF FUN with all of my
big and little projects this season!

Here's a video of their Music warm-up from State ~ OH SO GOOD!

Proud Band Mom!

I'm taking a deep breath today after a very long and busy marching band season.  I'm the proud mom of one beautiful flute playing daughter {and a future trombone playing son} and a very proud BAND MAMA to 213 Marching Minutemen!  If you live in Indiana, you know marching band is pretty big here and very competitive.  We pretty much eat, breathe and sleep marching band music and drills from July thru October {this year November 3rd}.  This past Saturday was the end of our season and our kids marched at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Class B finals.  Although we placed 5th, it was our kids best march of the season.  We were hoping for top 3, but they know they left IT all on the field and that's so important!

Here are a few pictures of our busy weekend...first up the Pep Rally performance last Thursday evening in 35* temps.

The band moms/dads had a little surprise flash mob dance for the kids.

Ready for the kids to depart for Indy!

My daughter, Megan is on the left with the pink pillow.

The Concord Fire Dept escorted our 6 buses and band trailers to the county line.

Me and my girl at the hotel before State.

The big day has arrived!

One BIG band!

The jumbo-tron 

Part 1 of Clash of the Patterns!

The PIT

Meg - right in the middle of this shot with her head held high!

More from the flutes in Part 3

Surprisingly enough, I found Meg again.

Nervously awaiting for results 

The BLING!

Our Drum Majors with our pretty 5th Place Trophy.

A cheer from the Band Dads and some Travel Moms

Meg with our Family...

Emily, Meg and Britt...such beautiful girls! 

Two seasons done and two more wonderful seasons to go for my daughter & 4 seasons for my son with just one overlapping.  I'm excited to spend the next 5 years with my wonderful band kids!

Congrats to all of the area bands ~ Concord, Goshen, Northridge, Fairfield, Northwood & Penn for making the State Finals.  What a year!!!