Baseball!

Ok, So...Its baseball season. Its always sports season in my house, but baseball season is my favorite. It turns out that it is my son Peyton's (he's 2) favorite too. He absorbs every move every baseball player (the Mets to be exact) makes and repeats them to a tee. He is a better slider than any 10 year old I have ever seen slide! It really is remarkable! Lets go Mets! He sees David Wright on TV and says, "Lets go David!" CRAZY!! Anyway, being baseball season, the whole family is into it, including Jaiden, the newly turned 8 year old! Not that an 8 year old can truely appreciate a homemade card so much, but hopefully mom and dad will keep it for later in life...

I had a lot of fun making this card. I was only a little bit into the stitching and Peyton knew exactly what it was! Here is another shot a little but closer....

I think the hand stitching took maybe a half hour...tops. Super easy and it really makes it look so nice. I was pretty impressed myself. I had "the vision" pop into my head a few days before as to what I wanted the card to look like and it came out exactly as I has hoped! How about the new PTI set? LOVE IT. The font is the BEST EVER. Thanks for looking!

Stamps: PTI Star Prints
Ink: SU! Not Quite Navy, PTI Chamomile & Chai
Paper: PTI Rustic White
Accessories: Needle & Red Floss, SU! Black Stamp & Write Marker, Paper Piercer

Thank you, Teacher.

So, I am totally slacking getting my blog updated. I know once its done, its done, but its just like there are so many things I want to do, but so little time to do it. Anyway, I really wanted to make something special for my stepson's 5th grade teacher...she deserves it. If I had a classroom full of kids like my stepson...well...I don't think I could do it. I know, I know, it sounds horrible, but if you don't have step kids, specially ones that you don't get along with all that great....yeah....she really deserves it! So I wanted to make her a stationary kit. One that she could set notes home to the parents without having to write on a post it or something! I was walking thru Michaels one day and saw the COOLEST CUTEST new K&Company collection, I mean it was IRRESISTIBLE! So, I had to have it....(I kept the flash off for some of the pictures...won't do that again..You know, its crazy, I am looking for the "official" name of this and can't find it, but its Carolyn Gavin and it is just the CUUUUUTTTIIISSTT! Love it.
I started with Lauren Meader's Timeless Template All Boxed Up, but decided to add my own little twist. Again, sorry some of the pics are so yellow, I turned the flash off. I had some extra raw chip board from Stampin' Up! I had from an album class I had around the holidays, so I thought it was the perfect size and sturdiness for the stationary box I wanted to make.

Here is a side shot...don't mind the orange and brown dotted paper, that was on the chipboard already, I was covered that up. I did a lot of compromising as I went along! I covered the inside with the cool K&Company Paper.

Ok, so for the side pouch, I wanted to have an open/close type of flap for the envelopes, so I combined 2 of the side pockets....piece of cake.....

Heres a shot of the side done....

Now for the other side...I used the pocket template again...but sort of...just flattened it. I printed "From the Desk of...." off of the computer, stamped over it...cut...and Whala! I thought it came out pretty nice, something I think I would totally appreciate getting as a gift.
Here are the rest of the shots. Open shot.

Close up of left side...

To Open/Close.

The Cover.

So, thats it! I think if it wasn't so last minute, there would have been some things I would have done differently, but isn't that they way with everything?

Thanks for checking it out!

Stamps: K&Company Carolyn Gavin (Eco-Series)
Inks: All PTI
Papers: Design Paper (K&Co.) Solid Papers (PTI)
Accessories: Misc. Rhinstones, K&Co. Carolyn Gavin Rhinestones, PTI Linen Thread, Double Sided Super Sticky Tape (SU!), misc. eyelets, crop-a-dile, raw chip board, My Timeless Templates, computer, printer, SU! Ribbon

Dawn's Color Challenge Week 6

**You definitely have to click on the photos to see closer...I didn't know they were going to be so small!!**

Welcome to my new blog! It is still under construction...so its not at full potential yet-but hopefully soon! My other blog was a typepad blog. I did a little research on HTML and all of that good stuff, figured out how to make my free blog site, how I wanted it and not just a template from their library. Every penny saved counts right? Now I just have to figure out how to get my other information onto this blog-maybe I can't, I am not sure. ANYWHO...My "first" post is for Dawn McVey's color challenge-Week 6...I missed the last couple, so was super excited to get this one done. I guess I am cutting it a little close-better late than never!

I am going to visit my cousin in North Carolina, with my mom (and Peyton of course) for the holiday weekend. My cousin sent me some pictures and asked me to make her a scrapbook. Now, one whole year later, I think I am going to finish in time to take up there with me. I think this will be the first and last scrapbook I make for someone else. If you haven't ever made a scrapbook, with someone elses pictures, it is SUPER hard to do! I didn't ever realize it until I did this, but when you are scrapbooking your own photos, you remeber what was going on at that moment, and you get inspiration to design a page....but when you have photos that you weren't there for, you can't journal them...you just have a to leave a space and its just plain hard to design a page for a photo that you have no part of, do you know what I am saying?
That was long winded, but anyway, I wanted to make my cousin a little thank you gift for having us stay with her for the weekend. So, using Dawn's color inpiration was a perfect opportunity for me to do that! Here is what I came up with...

Here is a shot of both the card and the gift

One of the just the card...

Just the gift...

And a close up of the frame...


I made some bigger versions of these for my mom and mother in law for Mother's Day. They are really fun to make and they look really great in a matted frame. Not too bad of a gift...I had all of the materials, just went to Home Goods and bought a $6 frame! I'll be posting pictures of the Mother's day versions hopefully later today.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: PTI Polkadot Basics, PTI Beyond Basic Borders, SU! Cute and Curly, SU! Season of Friendship
Inks: SU! Chocolate Chip, SU! Cameo Coral, PTI Aqua Mist, SU! White Craft
Paper: PTI Aqua Mist, PTI White, PTI Polka Dot Paper, SU! Chocolate Chip, SU! misc. retired DSP
Accessories and other stuff: Sewing machine, Big Shot, Misc. dies, SU! Heart die, SU! Sans serif alpha die, SU! hardware, SU! White 1/4" grosgrain, rhinstones, SU! Star die, SU! punches, misc. buttons

Just wanted to share a picture of Peyton...I got a new camera, Nikon D60 to be exact!! Worth EVERY PENNY!! This is a cute one....eating green and yellow M&M's at a baseball game.

RETIRED LIST ISSUED!

Stampin' Up is releasing a new Idea Book and Catalogue in August! There are talks of a new product line, new colors, everything!! So, to prepare for new stamps and such, Stampin' Up! has issued a list of stamps that are going to be retiring and will no longer be available for purchase thru Stampin' Up!

SO-to celebrate my FRESH START and to get your hands on these stamps before the disappear, you will receive a 10% Discount on any of the stamps on the retired list!! Page numbers and stamp names are listed, so you can view the Idea Book and Catalogue . Contact me to place your order today!!

Offer only available thru Suzy Duffy, Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator until July 16th!

I'M BACK!

Hey Everyone! Welcome to my blog! I have had it for a little while, but just have not had the opportunity to take advantage! I have made the decision to share my ideas, classes and crops on my blog rather than having a business website. This way, I can post WHATEVER I want! I know that I really enjoy reading other's people's blogs, whether they be about life, stamping, baking...whatever! Its just always fun to see what other people think and do with what they've got!

Its been quite some time since I have a had a workshop or class. Many people have been asking..."When's your next class?" So-this is the fresh start! I am sure most of you are not aware, that I am offically an LLC! The name of my company is Prickly Pear Scrapbooks! I am still a Stampin Up! Demonstrator-and hope to be for quite some time! You will find all events such as classes and crops posted on my blog, as well as Stampin! Up Promotions...AND...Contests! I love taking part in other blog's contests and I am so excited to have some of my own! I can't wait to get started and have a library full of projects for everyone to create and make their own!

I am still going to be issuing a monthly newsletter-so keep an eye out for June's-its a bit late, but I still have 2 weeks! Keep posted the next few days-I will be continuously adding more information as I get my FRESH START!

Thanks Pick a Petal!

My first "official" post!? I am a little nervous, posting this for the world to see but I guess I better get over it fast. I needed to create simple thank you cards for Peyton's first birthday. I wanted something fast and easy, but not cheesy looking. I don't know, maybe some think its cheesy...but I don't! I really like the way this came out alot. Simple, but nice. I used SU! Pick a Petal with Sky Blue and Blue Bayou-add a little Dazzlin' Diamonds, and you've got your self a snazzy little card! I am still testing photo ops for paper...I am not sure how good this photo is, but its my first posted photo-so cut me some slack.

I posted this card on Splitcoast today too, that was my first Splitcoast post too. I have been on Splitcoast since I became a Stampin' Up Demonstrator in July of last year and have NEVER posted anything. Or commented for that matter. I'm not sure why...I guess I was afraid as to what people were going to say!

On a personal note...I am so loving this blogging thing! I love just reading other people's blogs and seeing what kind of creations they've made...or baked! Its so great! The pictures on some blogs are just amazing. I am starting to feel like a junkie. And you know I am going to be spilling my guts somewhere on down the line! Have kids? How about Step Kids? OH BOY! Do I have some stories to tell you!

My Second Post

Ok, my second post. I am really getting into this blogging thing! I am trying to come up with some creative designs to make it my own. Its pretty addiciting. Lets hope that I can get a different post up everyday. I think it will just be about getting this blog up and running, but we'll see.

Here is a really great picture of my son-it was his first birthday on March 29th. He was too funny...I think he enjoyed the bath after the cake more than the cake itself!