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Make A Wish: Two Challenges

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I’m getting this card into the Embellish Challenge just under the wire,but it’s been on my to-do list since I first saw it.

Stars

Once I saw this week’s Retro Sketch I thought they’d go together nicely.

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Here’s my take on the challenges. I think this card would work for a guy, a gal, or a teen.

MakeAWish

Cardstock:  Select White & Enchanted Evening (PTI); patterned paper: Bitty Stars (PTI); foil paper & glitter twine: Paper Source; gem:  Mark Richards; star punch: McGill; stamp: Think Big Favorites #1 (PTI)

It’s a beautiful fall day here, but very chilly. Tracy left to golf. I think his fingers may be frozen by the third hole! I’m happy to have nothing on my schedule but the gym.

Ten on the Tenth: Caleb

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This post was ready to go when I found out this morning that my dear blogging friend, Deb, has lost her mother to ovarian cancer. Marti was such a lovely, strong woman and she will be sorely missed by her family and friends. I feel blessed to have had a connection with her through the mail this past year. Deb and her family are being held close to my heart today.

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It’s Ten on the Tenth again. September flew by, and I thought I’d better share some photos of the darling Caleb taken in August before he arrives here in just a couple of weeks for a visit. He’s already grown quite a bit from these photos, and is now crawling and pulling himself up. I’ll try to be more timely for the next set of photos. So here are ten of Caleb:

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Possibly my favorite, but when I asked Sarah to pick one for my photo-of-the-day, she chose this one:

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I love this litte suit that protects Caleb from the sun. Less sunscreen to apply.

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In general, this is one happy baby!

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Even before he could crawl, he could scoot across the floor on his belly. One morning he got himself all tangled up in his carrier.

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Caleb and his mom

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At Zoo Atlanta with Grandpa

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Playing with a bag from our shopping spree at the outlets.

Sarah and Caleb are coming for two weeks the end of this month. It’s been a year since Sarah was here. I hosted her baby shower a year ago. The extended family hasn’t had a chance to meet Caleb, and we’ll be going to my brother’s for a couple of days while they are here. I’m already counting the days.

Take Twelve: August

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I intended to spend yesterday making cards since I missed World Card Making Day while I was in Canada. But instead, I got busy scrapbooking and finished a three layouts. I started with my August Take Twelve photos. I’ve already posted September’s but August 12th was right at the beginning of our summer road trip, and the project seemed to get put on the back burner.

Take12August

Thanks to Melissa I finally got a shot of two pages together, although it’s still not quite right. You can click on the image to make it a bit larger. (The background papers are BoBunny Dark Denim Dots, and the yellow border is from Amy Tangerine’s Sketchbook series. The American Craft Thickers (Eric) are the perfect blue, and came in a Studio Calico kit. I used a photo template by Kitty Designs to organize the photos and do the journaling.)

Take12Journaling1

TakeTwelveJournaling2

Like a Flower

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I had time this morning to make a card for three challenges (and with a birthday greeting inside), another card for upcoming occasions. First, for the Retro Sketch Challenge which I love:

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Next, the ColorQ Challenge:

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And, lastly, the CASual Friday challenge:

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The three challenges seemed perfect for one another. The ColorQ and CASual Friday challenges both celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. CASual Friday’s was to celebrate the women in our life. The sentiment from Floral Frenzy (Papertrey Ink) seemed just perfect.

Friendship

I used Raspberry Fizz cardstock for the base, and all the other papers came from my scrap drawer. In the photo, the sentiment block almost appears white, but IRL it’s a definite pink.The scalloped border was made with a Fiskar’s border punch, and the flowers are old, old Prima flowers. I gave away most of my flowers but, fortunately, saved one small box of a variety of flowers. The ribbon came from Michael’s.

September Recap

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September was a long month for us, and I’m quite sure I would have rarely picked up a camera if it weren’t for the Capture 365 project. But every month it helps me capture our activities, and gives me an opportunity to summarize what I’ve done during the month. Somewhat like the Month in Numbers that many of you do (and I love.)

SeptLO

I raided my stash of Studio Calico kits (I have bits and pieces left from several months) for the materials on this layout. I found the Flair button and the woodgrain paper first and then worked from there. You can also see some Washi tape! (The patterned papers are Studio Calico, My Mind’s Eye, and American Crafts; the clip is also My Mind’s Eye and the wood veneer camera -colored with the Chai Tea ink pad by Papertrey- is by Studio Calico. I cut the title with my Silhouette.)

Here’s a better look at the monthly photos:

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And the journaling:

SeptLOJournaling

September’s was a hard month here. Bill has been in the hospital and rehab the whole month, and decided at the end of the month that he was ready to go. He waited for Marcy to come home from her trip, and now he’s resting and being given comfort care. Ellie is still living here, and her life is such a roller-coaster of emotion. She supports Bill, but is devastated at the thought of losing him. The insurance has finally been settled for the B&B, so she’s had to deal with the loss of her home and possessions all over again. Tracy and I do what we can to support her as does the rest of the local family. It was a long month.

Tracy and I did get away one weekend to the Adirondacks. Tracy and Bob backpacked for two days, and Cathy and I “camped out” in Lake Placid at the Lake View Motel overlooking Mirror Lake. We had a lovely time, eating at favorite and new-to-us restaurants and doing a bit of shopping. We also made a road trip to Buffalo with our book group.

With everything going on here, keeping up with a photo-a-day was much harder. I resorted to a lot of plant photos, but honestly, if it weren’t for this project, I probably wouldn’t have picked up the camera at all.

I finished two books:  The Violinist’s Thumb (for book group) and A Wedding in Haiti. I learned quite a bit from the first one, and loved the second one as I have everything by Julia Alvarez. I completed seven cards and four layouts. I also joined a study group at church where we’re reading the Psalms through a process developed in the 1600’s by an archbishop in England. I’m fascinated by the reading, and enjoying the small group discussion as well as the staff worship service that follows our group each Tuesday.

 My social life didn’t suffer:  lunches with Marie, Jane, Maureen, and Tina; duplicate bridge at Jack & Cathy’s (we won for the first time in over a year!); and dinner with Susan. My volunteer commitments were really heavy this month for all three Presbytery committees. A dinner with the Children’s Agenda was a highlight.

We’re off to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario for the weekend with our good friends, Karen and Mike. We have tickets to see the musical “Ragtime” and dinner reservations at one of our favorite restaurants. We’ll visit a few wineries and wander through the town. The four of us have been going each fall for nearly a dozen or more years and it’s always a great time.

Sad News

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My mother-in-law, Ellie and Bill 

Tracy’s step-father and the Grandpa to my children, passed away last night. Bill was a wonderful man, kind and caring, intelligent and witty, and a wonderful step-dad to Tracy, his siblings, and all the grandchildren. He will be sorely missed. He’d been in the hospital and rehab since the end of August, and as time went on it became abundantly clear to him that he was not going to recover enough to live an independent life. He was 91, and five days ago decided that he had had enough. He was able to say his good-byes to his daughters, all of us, and especially to Ellie. Please keep her (and us) in your prayers. Although she supported his decision to stop treatment, it is a devastaing loss to her. Given the awful fire in January where she lost her home and nearly all her possessions, this has been one year of terrible loss.

Casual Friday Challenge & Papertrey Ink Make-It-Monday

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I haven’t played along with a Casual Friday challenge in a long time, and it’s been even longer since I participated in a Papertrey Ink Make-It-Monday even though I do look at them each week. This week, however, the two fit together perfectly. Casual Friday’s challenge is to create a card based on your blog header. Since Random Reflections is the blog, and I almost always have a photographic reflection as my header, the Papertrey Ink technique of creating reflected sentiments couldn’t have been more timely. I was quite pleased with my first attempt at this, and know I’ll give it a try again.

ReflectedWishes

I started with stamping the sentiment (Think Big Favorites #16) in Smoky Shadow ink and then doing the reflected sentiment.Then I used the Herringbone Impression plate (PTI) to emboss just the top half of the card front. I found the perfect patterned papers in the 6X6 Calico Classics paper pad (Studio Calico) and used the Happy Hexagons cover plate (PTI) to cut and arrange the hexagons. A small strip of one of the patterned papers and three woodgrain stars (Studio Calico) that I colored with Copics finished the main card. I mounted it on a Smoky Shadow mat, and then on a card made from Soft Stone (PTI).

Layout: Summer Scavenger Hunt

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Ever since I saw Jackie’s mini-book for her summer scavenger hunt photos, I’ve been thinking about what to do with mine. During Rinda’s final check-in, I visited Irene’s blog and was inspired by her photo collages of her photos. I found a Paislee Press template that seemed to meet my needs. Since there were slots for 24 photos, I included a couple of the multiple shots I took for some items on the list. I’m quite happy with how this came out and glad I found a way to document one of my favorite projects.

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The journaling:

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And though it’s hardly ideal, the only way I could figure out so that you get a sense of both pages together:

ScavHuntTog

Cardstock:  Bazzill; border:  Hambly transparency; alpha: American Craft Thickers; camera:  Hambly rub-on; journaling dot and Flair button:  Ormolu; and journaling card:  Technique Tuesday.

ColourQ Challenge 156: Fall Birthdays

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I have six birthday cards to make for October and nearly as many in November. As soon as I saw the most recent ColourQ challenge I knew I wanted to get started with making the cards. These are such beautiful fall colors. It’s been really difficult to find time to craft recently, and the last several cards I’ve made have taken much, much longer than usual. This first one was no exception. And despite color correction in PSE, I can’t quite get the colors of my card to show accurately. The raspberry is a bit darker than the challenge color, but the lighter orange leaf is much more true to the challenge than it appears.

FallBD_1

I started by cutting the leaves with my Silhouette (all American Craft cardstock). Then I embossed a Rustic White card (PTI) with the Woodgrain Impression plate (PTI) and adhered them all on an orange textured card (American Craft). The border was also cut with the Silhouette and the sentiment and twine are both Papertrey Ink.

I had some leaves left on my desk and decided to make a second card. This one doesn’t meet the challenge requirements because I added the black frame cut from one of the Fabulous Frame dies by Papertrey Ink.

FallBD2

The leaves seemed a bit flat in this one so after I had arranged everything, I added some Tim Holtz Distress Stains. I’m not sure I like them, but it’s a done deal. The banner was cut with the Double Ended Banner die from Papertrey Ink, and the sentiment came from “Birthday Basics.” I used the Herringbone Impression plate on the Rustic White card and added a few AMuse Creative Candy pearls.

Thanks

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I needed a couple thank you notes. The first one was inspired by two posts. The first by Sian about Flair buttons. I use Flair buttons regularly on layouts, but never think of using them on cards. Not any more. The other post was Melissa’s about Washi tape. I own a small assortment, and don’t often remember to use it either.

WashiThanks

I’m pretty sure the Flair button is by Ormolu, but I’m not sure where the Washi came from. Most of my stash came in Studio Calico kits, but I also bought a few rolls in May from a great little store in Portland, OR called Collage. The card is one from Impress that I’ve had for years.

The next card uses a stamp I bought this summer at an Archiver’s Store in Georgia. It’s an exculsive stamp made for Archiver’s by Hero Arts. I know I’ll be able to use it again and again for quick and easy thank you notes.

ThankYou

The fabric tape is 7Gypsies, and again, it’s been in my stash forever. The card is one of my favorites from Memory Box. The colors are beautiful, and the insides are white. Perfect for writing a note to a friend.

Take Twelve: September

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I still have Take Twelve for August to scrap, but I got this layout done this weekend. I still haven’t found a way to photograph a two page spread effectively. If anyone has a good process, I’d love to hear about it. Take Twelve seemed overwhelming this month because, truthfully, there wasn’t much happening that day. I had just decorated the house for fall, however, so I decided to take 12 shots of some of the decorations.

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Take12_2

I decided the layout really didn’t need any journaling. I put the photos together in PSE without a template this time, just arranging them on a grid. It turned out pretty well. The background paper is more BoBunny Dots, and the cardstock for mats and letters is Terra Cotta Tile by Papertrey Ink. I cut the letters with my new Memory Box dies: Typewriter. As soon as I saw them on Jennifer McGuire’s blog, I knew they were a “must-have.” They’ll be perfect on cards as well. The leaves are Amy Tangerine by American Craft and the buttons from a collection by Papertrey Ink.

Lemons

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I finally found some time this weekend to scrap. Ever since Adam posted these photos I’ve wanted to do a layout. The tiny letter stickers provide the journaling, “The pictures tell the story.” I think the last photo sums it up, “What were you thinking, Dad?”

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LemonsPhotos

I used BoBunny dots for the background, always one of my favorites! The corrugated letters are Jillibean stained with the Tim Holtz Wild Honey. The tiny letter stickers are by Jenni Bowlin. All these supplies have been in my stash for quite some time. I cut the lemons with my Silhouette, and backed the slices with vellum.

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Birthdays

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Yesterday was Skylar’s first birthday. She’s walking, has four teeth, and is still just a delightful, happy little girl. The two photos of her aren’t the best as the light left a lot to be desired, and I’m so reluctant to use a flash. (I ought to get over that!) She was more interested in the bow than the package or what was in it. Pretty typical for a one year old.

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Here’s the card I made for her:

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Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse and Select White (PTI); patterned paper: A Muse; glitter paper: American Craft; dies: By the Number, Double Ended Banner, & Tag Sale #3 (PTI); Stamp: Big Birthday Wishes (PTI); ribbon from stash.

And a peek at the inside:

SkylarBDInside

Stamp:  Heart2Heart 2 (PTI); patterned paper:  A Muse and American Craft (glitter); small scallop die (PTI)

At the other end of the spectrum, a dear friend of ours turned 81 last week. Here’s the card I made for him.

BirthdayWishes

Card:  Paper Source; Stamps: 2012 Birthday Tags, Fabulous Frames, & Background: Herringbone (all PTI); button: Pure Poppy (PTI)

2012 Summer Scavenger Hunt

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It’s the official end of summer today, and thus the end of the summer scavenger hunt hosted by Rinda. You can see her post here. This year I managed to find all 21 items and posted about them here, here, here, here, and here.

My first find for the border item was the international border between Canada and the United States. As Tracy and I traveled this summer we tried to capture all the border signs for the states we traveled through. We never saw a border or welcome sign in Kansas (coming or going), and although I’m quite sure we took photos of the welcome signs in Ohio and New York, neither show up in my Lightroom folder for the trip. But here are 16 more border signs:

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I loved hunting for the items on Rinda’s list and am already looking forward to next summer’s edition.

August Photo-of-the-Day

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I’m somewhat amazed that I’ve continued to take a photo every day for the last eight months. I can’t say it’s always been easy, and there are evenings when I really need to scramble, but it’s so satisfying to see them all arranged on a layout. These calendar templates have prompted me to do a recap (somewhat like “My Month in Numbers”) of what I’ve done and accomplished each month. This month was all about travel, and the tag hiding under the layout has a summary of all the places we visited during our three week trip. I just barely managed to get it all on the two sides of the tag.

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I was quite pleased to see this map paper in this month’s Studio Calico kit–perfect timing. The ribbon on the tag was also from the kit. The two dimensional stickers are Amy Tangerine by American Craft and the Flair Button is by Ormolu. The woodgrain Thickers are also American Craft.

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Feel free to skim (or skip) all the journaling, but I thought I’d add it in case anyone wondered about the trip. Photos are coming. Every day I make some progress on culling and editing them. I bracketed most of my shots in Rocky Mountain National Park, and now have to learn how to use the PhotoMatix software I purchased earlier this summer. Here’s the August recap:

We were on the road for three weeks in August. Like our previous two big trips, this one met or exceeded all our expectations. After a lovely weekend, with Carol & Gordon in Charlotte, we drove to Atlanta to babysit with Caleb while Sarah & Adam worked at a conference. While they were visiting with friends on Monday night, Tracy & I splurged on a fabulous meal at our #1 restaurant, Canoe. 

We spent four relaxing days at Shelter Cove on Hilton Head Island. Sarah and I did some serious shopping at the outlets, we took Caleb to the pool and to the beach, and we enjoyed some great food. We spent our last day together at Zoo Atlanta. 

When we left them at the airport, we headed toward Denver. We enjoyed our stay in lovely Birmingham, AL.  We visited Vulcan Park, the Peanut Depot, and spent a morning at The Civil Rights Institute. The next morning we visited the National Historic Site at Central High School in Little Rock, AK. After reading Elizabeth and Hazel:  Two Women of Little Rock on the way to Atlanta, I was particularly moved by seeing video interviews with The LIttle Rock Nine. The only other book I managed to finish this month was Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. 

We arrived at the stunning Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville about 2:00. After three hours in the galleries and a short walk on The Art Trail, we had dinner at Eleven, the museum restaurant. The salmon with blackberry salsa was the best salmon dish I’ve ever had. Then it was a day and a half of driving across the plains to Denver.

We had a great time in Denver with all the Collins. When Matt finished the practical exam for the national landscape certification Saturday morning we left for Boulder. Boulder is one great university town. We walked the Pearl St. Mall, sipped beer at the Avery Brewery, and took a short drive around Boulder Chautaqua. We spent two days in the Rocky Mountain National Park, hiking one day and driving across the park the second day. In Estes Park, we had a great dinner at Twin Owls Steakhouse.

On our drive home, we spent a morning at the Amana Communities in Iowa, and started planning our next adventure.. All told, we put 5,417 miles on the van and enjoyed it all.

Before we left, I managed to squeeze in a night volunteering for RAIHN and three lunches with friends. We hosted a dinner with Tina, Bill, Gary, and Chris as well as our book group. I participated in the Liberate Your Art swap, receiving six postcards from around the globe when I arrived home. Quite a lovely August!