Hello from the Puget Sound!!

Well I'm back again in the fabulous state of Washington!!!  
I seriously can't get enough of this beautiful area!!
This week was the week....the start of college for my daughter.
This past month it's been an incredible journey with her.
We have planned, shopped, mailed, flew back and forth, hauled luggage of an unspeakable weight and shopped some more.  Amanda has now officially started her first day of classes yesterday. 

 I'm so proud of my girl!!

Well, enough of the college stuff!!  On to this fabulous sketch by Nicole!!!
What do you think?  Isn't this fun?

   Here's the card I made using this sketch:

 I made the card using the "Ecetera DSP."  This paper is absolutely one of my favorites!!  I paired the DSP with "Crumb Cake," "Very Vanilla" and "Calypso Coral."  I used lot's of layers, but kept the project clean and let the paper and the sketch do the work.  I used the stamp set "Hello, Lovely" for the sentiment.  The card was made for a very special person Amanda and I met in Washington that worked for Western Washington University.  She was introduced to us by a friend I work with here in San Antonio.  To start, we were greeted as we arrived in our hotel room with a fruit basket and chocolate.  Then she called and took us to dinner at a lovely restaurant.   Words can't express what that meant to us.  A complete stranger who went out of her way so that Amanda could have a friendly face should she need someone while she's at school.  Wow!!

This week's Just A Thought...

Never give up on
a dream just
because of the
time it will take
to accomplish it.
The time will pass anyway.

I leave you with a couple of beautiful pictures along the Puget Sound.
This was our view as my daughter and I ate dinner together
before I left to go home the next morning.

My dream is to wake up to this every morning...

Thank you for visiting my blog!!  As always, I love to see your comments!!
Join my blog and be notified of all the fun as soon as I post!!  In addition, see the occasional fun pictures lately of my recent travels!!  LOL!!  Shortly, I'll be gone for two weeks in the Mediterranean!!  I can't wait to see what awaits me!!
 Please let me know if you have any questions.
Remember to stay tuned for another PPA Challenge next week with Team 1!!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Amy

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Time for Tea with the Paper Players

This week we have a marvelous color challenge with lucious colors of
Baked Brown Sugar and Calypso Coral.  I was so excited to play with these colors!!   I had a tough time deciding which stamp set to use though.  Should I go with a coffee theme again with Perfect Blend?  No, I've been doing a lot with that stamp set lately.  Then I thought, not coffee, but how about a tea?  Woot, woot!!  That's it!!  I pulled out the set called "Tea Party."   These colors would be wonderful in a vintage card with this stamp set.  Here's what I did below.  What do you think?

and a closer look.......

This week's "Just A Thought"......


being creative
is not a 
HOBBY
 it is a 
way of 
LIFE.

Oh so true!!!  I was in my crafty spot Sunday night working away when I had......let's say a "moment," with my ink pad.  Anyone out there know what I'm talking about?  Well, it turns out this is a pivotal "moment" in a crafters' life.  It was 12:53am and I finally finished my cards for Pals Paper Arts team and our Pals Blog Hop.   Woot, woot!!!  Then it happens.......I had a serious wrestling match with my ink pad called Always Artichoke!!  The darn thing won't close.  I'm struggling, pulling pushing...nothing!  Next thing I know, the ink pad goes flying in two parts across my work table!!  Noooooooooooo!!!!!  I watch in slow painful horror as this thing flies!!!  It's like seeing something in slow motion floating in there air and heading for any number of things you wish you could move, cover up or push out of the way.  Then it lands...... right side up!!  Whew!! Woot, woot!!!  It's party time!!  Not wanting to push my luck any further;  I very carefully picked the thing up....picked up the bottom...pulled out the trash can and dropped the puppy in there!!!  I then got up and proceeded to the bathroom to wash my green hands for 15 minutes.  Well, I'm still green.  Looked at my once white shirt...well it's a goner too!!  I'm not sure who came out the winner in this wrestling match but at least my cards are ok!!!  Ruined shirt fine,  ruined white carpet (yes....white)....well... ok...but ruined cards...Absolutely not!!!!!  So this my friends is evidently the moment when you come to the realization that this is a "way of Life."  Definitely not just a hobby!!

As always I love to see your comments!!
Join my blog and be notified of all the fun as soon as I post!!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Remember to stay tuned for another PPA Challenge next week with Team 1!!
 
Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Amy

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Paper:  Baked Brown Sugar, Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral, Modern Medley 

Stamps: Tea Party

Ink: Baked Brown Sugar

Fabulous Tools:  Dimensionals, Lattice Embossing Folder 

Shop 24/7 anytime by clicking on my online store HERE. 

BONUS!  SHOP WITH ME AND GET A

 FREE 2013-2014 ANNUAL CATALOG!

SEE DETAILS HERE!!! 

September Stampin' Pretty Pals Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for the September Pals Blog Hop. This month we are showcasing projects made with the Stampin' Up! tools we love. 

You should have just left stop number 10 on the Pals Hop, Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits From Dawn. If so, you are in the right spot.  If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

Here in Texas Fall can't come fast enough!!  This week I decided to feature my favorite tool during my favorite time of year in hopes that Fall arrives here sooner!!!  It's starting to cool down to the mid nineties....so maybe?  LOL!!!  Ultimately my favorite tool of all times is the "Big Shot."  I use this tool on every single card I make.  Yes, I love my stamps, but the Big Shot adds that special touch that takes my cards to "WOW!!"  The possibilities are endless between embossing folders, dies, framelits or sizzlits.  What ever your pleasure might be, the possibilities are endless!  Here's my card below:

Here's another view.....

For this card I used a couple of recent favorite stamp sets, Walk in the Wild and Harvest of Thanks.  In addition, I took the Birch Paper Ribbon from the Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit and used this as the background with the fabulous 1 1/4 Burlap Ribbon accenting the lower portion of the card.  Just one small note......I could buy the whole warehouse out of this Birch Paper Ribbon!!!  It looks so real!!!  I love it!!  The tools I used, along with the Big Shot, are the Square Lattice and the Woodgrain Embossing Folder.  Then I used the Apothecary Accents Framelits.  Then last, but not least, I used Delicate Doilies Sizzlits Die.  Imagine this card without these added touches.  This card would not have had the same impact without all the layers and textures if I had not used these tools. 

The next stop is Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons, stop number 12 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting – and I hope to see you next month! 

As always I love to see your comments and hear your questions!!  

Have a fabulous week!!!

Amy

1. Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp
2. Shirley Sumption at Look at My Cute Stuff
3. Barbara Chatzkel at Take Out Paper Arts
4. Debbie Mageed at Secret Stamper
5. Lynn Kolcun at Stamping with Avery's Owlery
6. Debra Simonis at Deb's Stampin' Grounds
7. Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness
8. Maria Flores at Maria's Sandbox
9. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
10. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits From Dawn
11. Amy L. Lazzell at Just A Thought...Cards by Amy
12. Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons
13. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
14. Peggy Noe at Prettypaprecards.com
15. Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog
16. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping
17. Sherrie Gross at Stampin' Sunshine
18. Debbie Crowley at expressivelydeb...
19. Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards
20. Martie Pollard at The Crafty Bandit
21. Nicole Watt at Pixel Maven's Retreat
22. Barb Furlong at The Love of Stamping
23. Susan Itell at Simple Stampin'
24. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts 

Ready for Autumn!!!

Autumn is almost here!!!  In my book, it can't be here fast enough!!! 
It's September 5th and we still have 100 degree temperatures daily here in Texas!!!  Ugh!!  As you saw back in August, I was with my daughter in Bellingham, Washington for orientation.  You could definitely tell the season was beginning to change there.  The days were in the mid 70's and the evenings were in the low 60's.  PERFECT!!!
 

This week I have a card I'm entering in two challenges that inspire the Autumn theme.  The first is the Paper Players and the second is our
fabulous Pals Paper Arts.












The card below was inspired by two people,  Ann Schach and Becky Garcia!!  I saw a similar card that was done by Becky using "Walk in the Wild" while I was at Convention 2013. Gorgeous!!   The leaves were inspired by my up-line Ann on this very challenge with the Paper Players!!  Wow!!!  I mean WOW!!!  Autumn is absolutely my favorite time of year!!  When I saw her card, I was immediately ready for cool evenings, a fire in the fire place and Pumkin Spice Lattes!!!  Heaven!!!  Anyway, here's the card below.

This week's "Just A Thought"......

"The secret of
change is to focus
all of your energy,
not on fighting the
old, but on building 
the new."
 - Socrates

These words are so profound.  The only thing we are all guaranteed in life is change.  We know it, we expect, sometimes we even want it, but when it happens we question it.  Whether it's your child going off to college, the change in the season or the loss of a friend or family.  We must embrace it, accept it and shape ourselves with it.  Grow and let the change become part of you, rather than resist the process.  I know this is easier said than done, but we should strive to use this opportunity to grow and be better than what we were yesterday.
 

As always I love to see your comments!!

Join my blog and be notified of all the fun as soon as I post!!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Remember to stay tuned for another PPA Challenge next week with Team 2!!
 
Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Amy

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, SOHO Subway DSP 

Stamps: Walk in the Wild, Petite Pairs (retired)

Ink: Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso

Fabulous Tools:  Dimensionals, SU 1 1/4 Burlap Ribbon, SU Antique Brads, Woodgrain Embossing Folder

 

Shop 24/7 anytime by clicking on my online store HERE. 

BONUS!  SHOP WITH ME AND GET A

 FREE 2013-2014 ANNUAL CATALOG!

SEE DETAILS HERE!!!