Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!!!

Did you do anything to be a little greener today? I rinsed out the cat food can and put it in the recycle bin instead of in the trash. I also brought some silverware to work to use instead of the plastic ware at the cafeteria.

Best of all, I played along with the Odd Bird Planet Earth Day Challenges. Several of the design team members have challenges posted on their blogs. The best part is that there is a LOT of moolah and prizes up for grabs. BUT, you have to complete your submissions within 24 hours. There isn't a lot of time, so head on over and check it out!!

I was all sorts of inspired tonight and played along with 2 of the challenges! The first one was to repupose an item. I was sitting at work today and in a small OCD fit, I sorted a box full of mixed paper clips, binder clips and rubber bands. We have literally thousands of binder clips at work. So many that we send e-mails to the rest of the building for them to come and take. WELL.... I decided to make over some giant binder clips and rescue them from the abyss.

Aren't they cute??? I used the Forrest Friends paper from Michaels, SU! and PTI ribbon and then I colored both images with copics. I think the clips are much prettier now than when I pulled them out of the box.

The next one was to create a 1 layer card. Well, we could use the card base and 1 additional layer. Then you could add non-paper embellishments. Well, I pulled out some white PTI paper and stamped these sign carrying gnomes. I colored them with copics and then I cut out flowers from some October Afternoon designer paper. I popped them up on dimentionals and added some ribbon and a button. Still no paper. Yea!!!

I hand wrote the sentiment in my not so great hand writing. I thought it would be really cute to make a bunch of these cards and add different green sentiments. Maybe "Always fill the washing machine before washing a load." or "Save water, shower together". snort...

Off to bed all, have an awesome night!

Lara

New look!!!

Yesterday I was looking for blog templates and I stumbled across this site. They have the cutest templates!!! The best part is that they load them for you after your puchase.

Love, love, LOVE the colors

Enjoy!!
Lara

A little more technology..

I would like to draw everyone's attention to the picture in the previous post. Yep, I changed it from yesterday. Please draw your eyes to the fancy schmancy new... Watermark! Yes, I know that there are Internet pirates stalking my blog and waiting to steal my pictures, I'm on to you...

While I was blog hopping today I came across this blog. She had the cutest watermarks for sale for only $2!!! I'm super excited!!

Enjoy!
Lara

In a nature kind of mood...

On Saturday Kev and I were struck with the brilliant idea to head to the local home improvement store and get some stuff to beautify our house. Before I start this post, let me preface it by saying that we can't grow anything.. Nothing, I seriously have a black thumb. It all started a few years ago when we decided to plant some flowers at the old house to add some "curb appeal" before we sold it. Seriously, we planted them one day and they were dead the next. I don't have any clue what we could have done that was SO awful as to kill them so quickly.
Fast forward to this house. One of the people Kev used to work with was a master gardener. She wanted to give us snippings of her garden to start our own at the new house. I explained that while I was flattered that I wouldn't be able to keep it alive. She SWORE to me that they would be fine. Again, I planted and in 2 days they were dead.

This time I asked for bushes that would flower, I wouldn't have to fuss with AND that I couldn't kill. We are now the proud owners of 2 reddish bushes and 2 gardenia bushes. All of which are in the ground and hopefully still alive. I did learn that they come with a 1 year guarantee, so you bet I'm keeping the receipt!

In addition to the bushes, I also put in a hummingbird feeder. Right in view of the front window. So the kitties will be entertained while we're gone. Grin... Since I still had birds on the brain, I pulled out the owl from My Cute Stamps and paired it with this super cute designer paper I got at Archivers. I played along with the sketch challenge on Paper Craft Planet, and this is what I came up with.

I colored Ms Owl with Copic Markers to match the retro-tastic designer paper. I also added some more buttons AND flowers. Woo Hoo! I am really loving the olive, orange and turquoise combo. I have a feeling this won't be the last time it shows up!

Enjoy!
Lara

What is up with all of these birdies?

There's been a birdie-paloza around here. 'Round here meaning on the blog and in my card making, NOT here in the house. I'd never been a "fan" of birds. That's just me though. I prefer kitties and fish. And let me tell you that my kitties would NOT stand for a bird in the house. I've seen them with the odd cricket or lizard that happens to find its way into the house. I couldn't intentionally bring a bird in here. Now bird stamps are a complete other story. I can't stop with the bird stamps. They're everywhere lately and I just can't help myself!

So, why so much talk about birds? because I made another card using "My Cute Stamps" This time I rotated the branch and made it into a tree. I paper pieced the leaves and the birdie and popped them up on dimentionals. I once again used DP from Stampin'Up!, and all of the card stock is SU as well.

I would also like to draw attention to the number of embellishments used on this card. I am quite proud of myself for using buttons, flowers, ribbon, rhinestones AND baubles. These are also my very first Prima flowers.I honestly have not used Prima flowers before today. Not sure what took me so long, but I bet this won't be the last time!

Alrighty, I'm headed up to the craft room. I had a 30% off coupon to Archivers today. yea... Have a good night!

~Lara

Sneeze, sneeze, cough, cough blech.

I think I have allergies. Then those allergies turned into a cold. Yick... I hadn't heard of pine pollen before we moved to NC. The first spring, we work up one morning to find everything covered with a bright yellow powder. Which lasted for 3 weeks. I sneezed a little then, and a little more when the following year rolled around and a lot more this year. Boo, we don't have that up north. Needless to say, I've spent the last 2 weeks sneezing and blowing my nose and main lining honey lemon cough drops.

I haven't been terribly creative over the last few days and I was getting ready for the big craft show at work. I was a dip making fiend. In light of all of that, I DO have a little something to show. I got some stamps from Queen Kat Designs one of them being these adorable birdies.

I colored them with Copics to match the SU! designer paper. I really like the color combo of So Saffron, Riding Hood Red and Pumpkin Pie. I especially like that I had some red stick on flowers that matched the red. I also liked that they covered up a mistake I made. Shhh.... Yeah for embellishments!

I also added a few stickles and some gold glitter pen for a little extra bling. A

Alright, off to take the beer bread out of the oven. Have a good night!!

Lara

Birthday Card

How about another card using My Cute Stamps? This is the "Eeek a Monster!" set. I thought this one was adorable and since I didn't have any boy stamps. I HAD to get this one. In the set there are monsters, fire and a city sky scape. Too cute!!

Well, one of my good friend's son is celebrating his 3rd birthday. I was actually running a little late getting his card and present out so I called her last week and to let her know. I learned that 3 year olds don't care when they get presents or mail, no real sense of time yet. Ahhh, those were the days.

Since he's 3, I didn't add my usual sparkles, baubles, flowers or ribbon. Instead I went with a monster eating a city. I'm not quite sure if a monster eating a city is appropriate for a 3 year old, but I think he'll be OK. I'll tuck this in with his present which is also late. Grin... Hey, I'm just extending the celebration. Right???

So, I colored the monster with some Copics and covered him with Crystal effects. All the rest of the supplies are from Stampin Up!

Enjoy!
Lara