Sketches! {by tamara} Card Sketch #93

Tamara has decided that this is the last week for our Blast from the past sketches! Enjoy!

Paying it forward to YOU YOU YOU YOU and YOU

Have you seen the "Pay it Forward" and "Blog Giveaways" where if you're one of the first ones to respond you get a gift created by the blog owner who has posted the message.? Well guess what! I was one of those five over at Angelique's blog, Whimiscal Interludes! So I'm getting something like happy mail from her and I can't wait to see what it is!!!

Now for the PAY IT FORWARD part! Five wonderful people will receive a gift from me!! I'll be giving a gift to the first five people to respond to this post.

A FEW RULES TO FOLLOW ( and I am a rule follower....)
1. The gift will be a mystery of my choice, created especially for the recipient.
2. I have one year to get all five gifts made. I am a doer so it is likely to not take that long!
3. If you're one of the five, you must make a post in your blog offering to make a gift for five people, spreading the joy of creation.
4. When you receive your gift, you should make a post on your and show everyone inspiring others to follow the chain and participate.

With that said......want something specially made just for you? Leave me a message

Inspirational Card Sketches #14 and a RAK!

Wouldn't you like to win a rak? It is so easy to do! Just look at the sketch below created by the very talented Dawn the owner of Inspirational Card Sketches and link it up on the blog. Your name could be drawn to win this:
RAK includes:
2 sheets Die-Cuts with a View Mini Scalloped Cardstock
1 sheets of Bazzill Cardstock (orange)
1 sheet Making Memories Vine Cardstock (black)
1 sheet Frances Meyer 'Dance of Angels' PP
2 sheets Daisy D's 'Heirloom' PP's
2 sheets SEI 'Oasis' PP's
1 sheet Dream Street Paper 'Two for Tea-Passion Fruit' PP
2 sheet Bo Bunny 'Beautiful Life-Blessed' PP & Cutouts (doublesided)
1 sheet My Mind's Eye 'Magnolia-Serene-Grown Up' PP (doublesided)
1 sheet Imaginisce 'Go For Baroque' PP (doublesided)
Daisyd's Natural Beauty Rub-ons
Making Memories Metal Square Frame
Chipboard Words

Here is the sketch and what I did with it using my scraps and keeping it simple. I also turned the sketch on its side a bit. Enjoy!

Making Handmade Cards!

This go around I had the pleasure of working with the Glam Bags N Heels Ekit! Boy was this fun. Here is the first card I made from www.making-handmade-cards.com using this kit and the backing papers from the Madison ekit and the Petal Patch ekint. You really have to go here and register for their free newsletter and free ekit! Here is the recent video too of some of their soon to be released kits and card ideas from fellow DTers. http://www.making-handmade- cards.com/video-bou-jar-doc- ros-gallery.html I was excited that one of my cards made it into the video finally!
There will be a new priority email notification listing going up too on the site and you can register by following this link: http://www.making-handmade- cards.com/card-making-shop- list.html. They will be giving away bonuses soon!!! Go check out this great size with digital images and digital papers that can be easily printed out and used as you wish. It is truely amazing and seriously fun!

May Kits at Paper Popsicles!!!!

Here they are!!! Drool away and wipe off your keyboards! These are BEAUTIFUL! Webster's Pages Picket Fence, Mini Kit $9

Vanilla Full Size Kit, $25

Card Kit for May, $12

Funkalicious, Mini Kit, $12

I got to work with Funkalicious this month and I can't wait to show you what i did with everything! Here is what is in that kit:

8 12x12 double sided patterned papers by We R Memory Keepers

2 custom butterfly die cuts

PomPom ribbon

1 Rub-on by Daisy D

1 Alphabet by Doodlebug Designs

1 Packge of droplets by Kaiser Krafts

Flowers by We R Memory Keepers

Crystal bling Tulips by Zva Creative

Wouldn't YOU Like to be a part of Paper Popsicles?

Well here is your chance! Paper Popsicles is looking for YOU...we're having a Design Team call and open Audition for our Guest Designer!!!
Here is the scoop on our Design Team call: We are looking for fun, enthusiastic, and creative paper crafters to join our Design Team. Our design team motivates, inspires, and supports our online community. We are looking for paper crafters of all skill levels, with or without design team experience. Paper Popsicles kits and store products appeal to a wide audience, so we're looking for all type of scrappers... from traditional to chic. We are accepting applicants from the U.S. & Canada. Deadline for Design Team submissions will be Thursday, April 30, 2009.
To apply, please send the following items to paperpopsicles@gmail.com.

• Full contact information (Name, Address, Phone Number, Email Address, and message board user ID).
• 3 layouts (1 layout must be 2 pages with multi-photos),
• 1 altered project and 1 card - these can be previously published items - we just want to see your best work!
• Links of your blog, online galleries, or other places where your work can be seen.Please include any user IDs necessary.
• Register for our message board and get to know the members of our community and allow us to get to know you a little better.
• A short resume of your paper crafting experience, including any current or prior design teams.
• A short bio about yourself; including what you consider your scrapping style to be and why you want to be part of the Paper Popsicles Design Team.

Design Team Requirements: Our designers rotate between the main kit and mini-kit assignments. Main kit assignments consist of 4-6 projects using the supplied kit contents. Projects should be a variety of layouts and cards; 3-4 layouts (a multi-photo two page layout is required each month) and a card set (2 or more cards) per kit.All projects should be made with at least 90% kit contents or store product.All items to be submitted prior to the monthly deadline. Every other month, choose a project you have recently created using store products and provide written directions and photos for an online workshop. Directions should focus on specific steps needed to recreate your project, including techniques used, measurements for cutting, and include sketches as needed. These may be published on the blog as well as the how-to forum. Each design team member is expected to participate actively on the message board, gallery and contribute content to the Paper Popsicles blog. Activity includes starting new threads, posting questions, tips, responding to threads, and leaving gallery praise. Every designer is assigned a week each month to post the question of the day on the board.. Participate in any online events that are held during term.Participate in Design Team discussions. Commitment to a 4 month contract term May 2009 - August 2009 with the possibility of an additional 2 months or until October 2009.

Design Team Compensation: Receive a discount on purchases from Paper Popsicles.Receive monthly Design Team kits as assigned to be used in creating monthly projects. Free shipping on orders shipped with Design Team kits. Other store merchandise as creative work is needed.

Watch the Paper Popsicles blog on May 2, 2009 for the exciting announcement of our new design team!!!

We're also having an open audition for our Guest Designer position....here are the details:

Paper Popsicles is changing things up again….for our Guest Designer position that is….From now on, we’re going to hold open auditions for our Monthly Guest Designer position…Interested???Here is what you will need to do:

You'll need to supply your contact information to the paperpopsicles@gmail.com mailbox so we know you are interested.If you happen to also be applying for the design team you can just send an email letting us know you would also like to be considered for a guest spot…You need to be active on the board….so get chatting…we want to see what you are all about….You need to be active in the gallery….show us your stuff….leave some love...You need to participate in at least two of the challenges issued during the month or one challenge and one how-to class….the challenge girls and Stacey offer you a wide variety of challenges that something is bound to spark your interest…Once you have completed these...post your creations in the gallery and link them back to the challenge/class thread and kick me a message to the paperpopsicles@gmail.com mailbox so I know you are done…You have until the last day of the month to complete these steps if you would like to be considered.So...what are you waiting for....get busy!!!For our May Guest designer spot…you’ll have to get your information completed and into the mail box by April 30, 2009.We are accepting applicants from the U.S. & Canada. this time.The winner will be selected from those that satisfy the requirements and contacted.The lucky selected individual will receive:* Awesome supplies to work with in early May.* A special Guest designer designation under your name...* A special spot in the gallery to post your work...I hope you will consider applying for one or both of these exciting opportunities!!!

Inspirational Card Sketches DT Call!!!

June - Sept 2009 Term
Go to check out the Design Team Call Dawn has going on for Inspirational Card Sketches (ICS).Be sure to make a card using thesketch provided. Send it along with a link to your blog or gallery. NO file size over 250 kb! Hope to see many of you trying out! Good Luck to each of you!

Sketches! {by tamara} Card Sketch #92

Once again, we are doing sketches from the past. Tamara sure has a flair for these sketches! I have really enjoyed working with them every week. Why don't you give it a try and load your link on her blog. Here is the sketch this week and how I used it. The DT rocked it again!

Inspirational Card Sketches #13

Our amazing sponsor this week, is Dustin Pike. He has an incredible digi stamps in his Etsy Shop. Be sure to go check them out. On Wednesdays Dustin has freebies for you to enjoy. So be sure to get his freebies during that time. Dustin has kindly offered the winner for this weeks sketch challenge these lovely digi stamps!

Here's the sketch this week.. Once again, the DT all did a fantastic job. Remember have fun with the sketch. You can rotate the sketch around, make it square, a circle, whatever! It doesn't have to be exactly like the sketch. Once you are done, go to ICS and link it to Mr. Linky to be entered into the drawing.

Sketches! {by tamara} Card Sketch #91

Tamara is using sketches from the past for awhile. They certainly are new to me so I don't mine one bit! And what the dt this week with the sketch just ROCKS! I so love all of the stamping I see **envious**. So here is the sketch and what I did with it:
Let's see what you can do! Go to Sketches! {by tamara} and load up your creations!!!! Happy Scrapping!

Inspirational Card Sketches #12 and new RAK!

I am blown away by the talent in our DT at ICS. Every week, they turn out some simply AMAZING projects! Scrapbook Dreamer is our awesome sponsor this week. Laura the owner has generously offer the winner of this week sketch a nice gift certificate of the amount of
$15.00. Laura will ship anywhere. Be sure to check the store out for all the new wonderful products Laura has. Everything is discounted at already 10% off the retail price. So do hop on over and see if you can find yourself something nice to buy.
Here is your inspirational sketch for this week, by the very talented Dawn! I had a lot of fun with this one this week! Let's see what you can do with it! Use the sketch, upload it at ICS, and maybe YOU can be the one randomly selected for the gift certificate!

Thanks for looking and Happy Scrapping!

Run Run Run Faster....can you?

So a friend of mine has asked me for years to run the local race with her. "Just the 5k" she says. "C'mon! It'll be fun!" Anything with the word "run" in it cannot be fun! She doesn't understand that I have not done any type of aerobic exericise since, well, probably childbirth with my third child. So seriously, this is a leap for me. But alas, I have conceded this year and I registered. Now I am not sure why or how my fingers managed to register me. But I am registered. At least I will get a free t-shirt. And maybe some pictures if my dh will take them as I limp across the finish line.

Of course this means I have to train/condition. I envy people who run past my house. They look so agile, so free, like gazelles really. They seem so content. It looks effortless. Then there's me. Has anyone had a stroke after one block? I am sure I could be the first! I have continued to persevere. After the first week I was fitted for some running shoes. A size 9 they say. Seriously? But I really wear a 7 1/2! I leave feeling somewhat like a clown wearing my husband's shoes. But whatever. And they don't let you pick the color of your shoes. I guess color really doesn't help you cross the finish line any faster or easier.

There is so much to remember when you run. Lean forward. Breathe in through your nose/out through your mouth. Don't bounce. Breathe deep into your stomach. Keep your arms loose. Work past the hard part. On and on it goes.
It is the breathing that really trips me up (so to speak--do you like that pun?). I have the hardest time filling my lungs up with air.

I felt a breakthrough today though! Today I got to 7 blocks and it finally was more comfortable. And wouldn't you know it--it was because I stopped looking at the next block or stop sign, I stopped thinking about my arms or my breathing, or how freaking cold it is outside. What I started to do was plan my next scrapbooking project! Yeppers! That did it. I think I finally found my stride!

Happy Easter!

I try to impart on my children the reason for this blessed season. It isn't just about the egg hunt, the new clothes, and the chocolates. I work hard at education them despite the commercials, the store ads, and what our friends "do". For now, I will leave you with our home photo shoot:

Another post....WOW!

I am a bit behind this week so you get a "two-for" one day posting session! Who knows...perhaps I will show you more later?!?!?!?! Anyhoo, I forgot to get these little cards posted that I made with the new DECADENCE ekit from Making Handmade Cards. These are such affordable digital papers and they are simply DELISH! Check out what I did this week:

This is really a cute site. If you register for their newsletter, they also send you fun techniques that are really practical! The printing of the papers is super easy too!

Sketches! by tamara Card Sketch #90

We are continuing on with our "Blast From The Past".Check out what the Design Team did with this older sketch.If you decide to use it, we would love to see it. Just put a link in the comment section of where we can find it on Sketches! by {tamara}. Your layout could be featured on the Sketches! Blog next week for the Friday Inspiration!
I decided to use my scrap stash for this one. Coming up soon is teacher appreciation day so I made one of the cards up now...thanks for looking and as always, HAPPY SCRAPPING!

Inspirational Card Sketches #11 and a RAK!

This week, we are very delighted that Leslie from Treasured Scrapbooking is sponsoring us. Treasured Scrapbooking is a monthly Kit Club based on the East Coast of USA. Also this month Treasured Scrapbooking is celebrating their 2nd Birthday so be sure get on over there an check things out in the store. Great deals everywhere!Here's what Leslie the owner of Treasured Scrapbooking will be giving generously to one lucky winner, March Card Kit 2009
What are you waiting for? Get over to ICS now and upload your card to Mr. Linky!!!!! Here is the sketch this week and the card I made using it.

Happy Scrapping!

Uh oh, I have been tagged!

My friend Elisha tagged me today....
Here are the rules-

*Go to the photos folder on your computer.
*Go to the 7th folder of photos.
*Go to the 7th photo.

*Put the 7th photo on your blog along with a description.
So, here is my 7th photo in my 7th folder...
At work, we had a silent online auction to raise money for our Kitchen for Independent Living (MEals on Wheels). One of the items up for auction was a homemade German meal prepared by one of the directors of the agency, Ingrid, and served by the CEO, Becky. Well, of course I WON! Becky is in the picture helping my daughter get some flowers in a vase. Becky brought all of the dishes, linens, candles, flowers, napkin holders, glasses, wine, soda, EVERYTHING. We did nothing but sit at our meal as if we were guests at a restaurant! The food was fabulous!
Ok, now I have to invite 7 friends to join.
I am tagging

Fink, Becca, Terrie B, Olena, Carol, Lesley, and of COURSE Lynda!!!

Sketches! {by tamara} Card Sketch #89

We are continuing on with our "Blast From The Past". Check out what the Design Team did with this older sketch. If you decide to use it, we would love to see it. Just put a link in the comment section of where we can find it at Sketches!{by tamara} . Your layout could be featured on the Sketches! Blog next week for our Friday Inspiration.