We Are

• We are excited for sister's new DesignTulip venture on Etsy
• We are capturing details before they become egg salad
• We are grateful for the kindness of strangers
• We are positive this is a BIG lie (and GPS fail). . .44 minutes for a half mile?  What was I crawling?
• We are so proud of our boy (pictured with his grandfather and sponsor) on his Confirmation
• We are counting the laps
• We are too cool to wear the t-shirt, but are giving some effort to running . . . even though walking is way cooler
• We are cheering on the big kids
• We are rockin' the after-race schwag
• We are obsessed with being a goalie and continue to ask if the store is open to go get the gloves
• We are making big sis so proud being her hockey buddy
• We are mental noting the need for more bulbs being planted this fall

Happy Wednesday,

Out of Shape and a Layout

Sorry about missing a post on Friday.  It's been a hectic couple weeks and I totally spaced it out until dinner time Friday, but didn't have a moment to write something up and by the time dinner was over it was out of my head again.

You read about the start of our hectic schedule HERE.  It continued into this past week as my 15 y.o. was being Confirmed last Thursday.  We had family in town, which meant hosting some additional meals, which means more cleaning and shopping.  I'm convinced that not being a "soccer mom" anymore has lessened my ability to juggle the schedule, because I know when we were in sports we'd had busier weeks.  I'm out of practice.

Saturday was the first day where there was really nothing to speak of on the calendar until later in the evening.  I texted a friend I intended blowing off house work and just scrapping.  I told her I had a couple "must-do's" to get done first, but that was the plan:  Me, my StashBusters challenges and photos.  Ahh . . . yeah.  Not so much.  I'm not sure what exactly I did.  I mean other than the must-do's, but I didn't seem to find my way to my work space.  Don't you hate it when that happens.  Somehow the time just . . goes away.

Sunday was the last of the busy days, but I managed to squeeze in time to stick-down the layout using StashBuster's Challenge #4.  

We moved into hard embellishments during this week.  I think I used up all the label holders in my stash with this one layout.  I combined them with my April Smaller than a Breadbox kit - this is the Imaginisce Welcome Spring line.  I have basically all the patterned paper left and most of the embellishments from this kit left, but haven't decided what to do with it - another layout or cards.  

I have five challenges outstanding, two more from week two and then all three from week three.  I have the photos trimmed and a kit pulled for challenge #5.  Now it's just a matter of getting downstairs.

Happy Tuesday,

Shameless Plug

A few weeks ago my sister posted this photo on Instagram of a bag she made.  I adored it.  Seriously, I was coveting it and commented so.  Later that day she showed up at my house with it and two more.  She said she was glad I liked it because it was mine.  MINE!  It is awesome.  It looks black in this photo, but it's navy and the green is nice and appley.  I love it!  I've stowed my own knitting objects in the case (she made that, too) and put all my yarn and in-process projects in the tote.  The other two totes (same design, different colors) were for my mom and her BFF.

I've been (and so have others) telling her she needs an Etsy shop.  The things she creates are amazing (she made an insulated tote for a friend that I wish I'd had when we were doing soccer!)  A.Mazing.  She knits, sews, beads, scrapbooks, is an awesome photographer, and has even made a reusable book for her garden that now that we have a garden, I may need her to make me one.  For crying out loud, the past couple years she's built, painted and decorated doll houses and then donated them to local charities for holiday raffles.  So very cool and extremely talented my sister is.

Well, she finally took the plunge and opened her Etsy shop:  DesignTulip.  Right now she has totes like this one - but if you're not a knitter, no worries, they are so big and roomy - perfect for scrapbook supplies, yes even 12x12, for when you're heading to a crop.  Stitcher?  Perfect.  Shoot, they'd be perfect for weekends sporting events or even an overnight trip.  They are so nice, and her ability to pull together amazing patterns and colors have me thinking I need one just because I need one.  I see my laptop, eReader and some magazines tossed in one for our yearly fishing trip - and there will probably still be room.

So, Mother's Day is coming up - get one for yourself, give the link to hubby or grab one for a family member or friend.  They are great bags - yes, she's my sister, but that's just a plus, because they'd still be awesome.  I see she just loaded some cases as well.

Happy Thursday,

We Are

• We are walking inside today. . .blah. . .but we are walking
• We are always amused at the goofiness of this 5 y.o.
• We are totally surprised!
• We are going to prom.
• We are still walking
• We are enjoying the signs of Spring on our walk
• We are starting old routines
• We are swinging
• We are coaxing 
• We are hand holding
• We are enjoying a bit of peace before the chaos
• We are egg dyeing
• We are kinda missing the days of wax polka dots, zig-zags and intense colors. . .just kinda
• We are seeking and searching
• We are needing a bigger basket
• We are family

Happy Wednesday,

Easter Recap and a Layout

I hope your weekend was a pleasant one.  We enjoyed a nice Easter weekend, though hectic (the hectic schedule continues into this week.)

The half-marathon trainers headed out for a long run on Saturday morning.  There was cleaning to be done since we were hosting breakfast/brunch for 22 on Easter Sunday.  There was a menu to figure out.  There was the trip to the store to get menu items.  We had egg coloring to do.  We had a coffee cake to bake.  We were attending Easter Vigil Saturday evening. 

Sunday, here, dawned gorgeous. The grass was greening up - at least in our backyard - and trees were starting to bud.  The bunny, with his cargo, made a stop at the house.  There was searching and seeking to be done, followed by shoving a ham in the oven and last minute clean-up and set up.  The weather allowed us to take advantage of eating on the back porch; a first for the year.  We sent some bunny-helpers down to the park, just a half block from the house, to spread out eggs for gathering.  After grabbing all the loot, the kids played a bit at the playground while the adults chatted and soaked up the sun.  We headed back to our house and continued to enjoy the weather and company - it was sunnier longer than we expected.  After everyone departed there was the clean-up and then a lot of sitting and doing nothing.  We did catch up on "Turn," our new family addiction since "The Walking Dead" is over for the season.  My 13 y.o., in particular, seems to enjoy it - even had some commentary for us during the first episode.  He really likes this time period and it helps that they've been studying it this year.

I entertained the idea of working on my StashBusters challenge #4, but couldn't make my body get out of the chair.  I have challenge #4 laid out on my table, it just needs gluing down, which, with luck, will happen today.

I did get Challenge #3 done last week.  The challenge was making chevrons; you saw the card based on the challenge HERE.  Had I looked in the gallery, I may not have taken the easy route by using chevron paper, as there were some good examples.  However, I was coming off the Starburst challenge and I couldn't make my fingers cut all the paper necessary to make chevrons.  Given the number of photos for this week's Project Life® 2013 page, I'm not sure all the cutting would have worked very well.  I'm pretty sure it would have been too busy.  I have the card and I have the idea should I have a page where that would work, so I'm good with this.  Plus it's now done.  And that trumps everything.

With this page, I'm well into July, 2013.  I barely dug into the October Afternoon All Boy line found in the April Bigger than a Breadbox kit.  I've got three more challenges laying out on my work table and like I said, #4 is laid out.  I'm loving this class.  Not only for the inspiration for digging into my stash - which I did for Challenge #4, but because I'm tag-teaming it with getting last year's album done.  It also has me rethinking how I'm storing my embellishments.

Happy Tuesday,

Another Layout, Two cards and Food

Last night we enjoyed, though that's probably not the right word for it, a nail-bitter of a playoff game watching the Av's take it down to the wire to tie the score with 15 seconds left and forcing an overtime, where they scored and took the first game win.

I decided to watch the game while working away on my StashBuster class and playing catching up on Project Life® 2013.  I got myself current with the challenges, I need to do #4 (just released yesterday) and managed to use up the Echo Park Splendid Sunshine line from the April Smaller than a Breadbox kit and barely scratched into another.

Last week's challenges focused on using paper.  I made this starburst pattern and created the layout.

These weren't the first photos I tried - the first set, there were just too many and it was just too much.  But this group works well.  Or at least, well enough.  I had a some scraps left, though looking at all that paper it's hard to believe.  But I popped out two cards as well.

The top card I used a sketch from the PageMaps U card class I took; a very loose interpretation.  The second card was based on StashBuster's  third challenge.

From that line I managed two layouts, the first was HERE, plus two cards.  I have some ribbon, a round diecut and a few bling dots left.  There was some of the Cherry paper left, but it was pretty thrashed and there was practically nothing left of the other two patterns.

I also managed to use Pinterest to menu plan, but it was more from rearranged dinners than intentionally planning from it.  I didn't end up cooking last Friday, so I have that recipe moved to tonight.  

I did make this OMGoodness awesome Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake.  I was a lemon shy of the recipe and I didn't have enough powdered sugar for the glaze, so I cut it in half.  You wouldn't know it though!  Moist, lemony, Springtime in a cake.

I paired the cake with these Cilantro Lime Tacos for our in-law dinner on Monday.  I doubled the recipe, but otherwise made it as called for.  They were so good.  It'll be a great hot-day recipe, they were just so fresh.  I had people all over the place on Monday, so it was the perfect make ahead.  You could do it for a "running around" night or so you can go watch a playoff game and crafting away.

I still have a couple recipes to make, kinda snacky things, that I just haven't had the time to pull together.

It's supposed to be mid-70's today and I have a walk and a ton of other things to deal with.

Happy Friday.

You're So Sweet Card Tutorial

Hello and good morning...

It's Wendi here, and I'm sharing with you a tutorial from a card that I recently made using the April All Year Cheer Card kit...

Here is the finished card:

Let's get started:

• Cut your cardstock base to create a 4 x 7" card (so cut it to 8 x 7")
• Cut your base patterned paper to 3 3/4 x 6 3/4"

Next you'll want to cut out three papers that will turn into your "envelopes"

• Cut three 1 3/4 x 1 1/4" squares and then three strips of 1 3/4 x 3/4"

Take your smaller strips and then cut one side into a triangular shape, those will be the "envelope" tops:

Adhere down the triangles onto the squares and you will have created your "envelopes"

You'll want to start laying out your card and getting things ready to glue down. Add a sheet of notebook/ledger paper and tear at the bottom:

So it should look like this:

You will then add your sentiment and a bit of twine on it for a bit of texture:

And for a final touch, add a strip of stitching down the bottom for a bit of pop:

And you are done!!!

Thanks sooo much for stopping by and have a great day....

How cute is that?  This card and six more were created using the April Card Kit.  Each kit comes with complete instructions for all the cards Wendi creates.  Join autoship today and start making up a stash of hand-made sentiments for all your occasions this year.

Happy Thursday,