ETA: GEE WIZZ!! It WASN'T meant to be!! I missed the hop!! Time difference! Have to laugh!!!

Welcome "night owl" hoppers! This will be brief--promise! It's the card and post that almost wasn't, but after all my frustration with it...it SHALL be posted!!

The challenge was to make an interactive card. Mine was made the old fashioned way--didn't get any of the new bells and whistles from PTI in time, so I came across a tutorial for a similar design and thought I would work up this pull-out card. Here it is together...

and here is the pull out message...

You can probably see one of my frustrations in that photo...my last step, the sentiment, didn't stamp completely and I had to try to fix it...NOT happy!! I apologize for the photos, also. It has been a long time since I have had to take a photo inside and at night...pitiful!!

I appreciate your visit. Forgot about the blog hop and really didn't plan on participating...wish I could have been earlier and a little more creative! I think this is somewhat of an old design. Went back to search for the tutorial I watched to include the link and couldn't find it. The card is almost 100% PTI products...if you see anything you don't recognize, give me a holler!!

Geri

This post is for some special friends who have helped me to celebrate a couple big days in this new year. Thank you to each and every one of you...

I made this little party favor for Charlotte Ann and Nancy L. Charlotte Ann, I have appreciated your excitement and your sweet comments, and, Nancy, so good to hear from you again! You've been around for at least 1/2 my blog life and I appreciate you hanging in there with me. I'm looking forward to visiting and seeing what you have been up to on your blog lately! (Charlotte Ann, I'm not seeing a blog for you--let me know if I'm missing it!) The party favor is made from a glassine bag and is trimmed out with some handmade tissue trim I've been playing with in preparation for Spring and Easter projects...

It has some little 1$ stamps to create with tucked inside...

And tucked inside the big back flap is a card made with one of the stamps...

Simple, but I'm appreciating *simple* more and more!! ;) Hope you two ladies enjoy this little token of my appreciation of your support, encouragement, and good wishes during the last couple weeks.

Tracy, Nancy (NickleNookNancy ;), Susan and Meredith...I hope you know how dear you are to me! If it weren't for the 4 of you, I might just hang it up! I so enjoy your friendship, and SO APPRECIATE your support and encouragement, and would love to send you one of my handmade party gifts! Just email me and let me know your preferences from 1st to 4th, and I'll do my best to please you all! (Let's use: October Afternoon Memo Board, Nature Memo Board, Art Journal 1, and Joy Art Journal) Everyone can email me at kfreeman4004@aol.com with mailing addresses, and you last 4 ladies with your preferences also. I'm so looking forward to time to visit everyone again!!

My next big project is stenciling Susan's bedroom. Susan, shall we blog about it?! And What do the rest of you think? We'll just have to see about it!

Love you all! Thanks so much!! (Jillian has finally turned the corner! She's looking and sounding like herself again!!)

Geri

Checking in with the last art journal...

Good morning, friends! I had hoped to work up a final party post last night after I got the kids in bed. For one of them, though, bed time never came. Jillian fell asleep while I was at church (too early...somethin's up...) and when it came time for her real bed time after I got home, she was awake with a tummy ache. We were up all night with the tummy flu. (Round 2 for her this season--not fair!) And she's still got it, although, thankfully, it has slowed down. Wanted to share the last journal, quickly...

Just started stitching and hoped for the best...some sort of pattern would have balanced things out better, I'm sure...I tried several different flower embellishments and liked this one the best...

I hope what goes in it brings its owner lots of joy!

Not perfect, but from the heart!

I'll be back with winners sometime soon! Thanks for your patience!

Geri

Helloooooo from *party central*!!! It's been such a great weekend! Lot's of sunshine...runnin' around after Caleb's band performances (which were great--mama's so proud!!!)...and partying yesterday after the special band performance/fundraising dinner with family. We had a house full! Caleb was so pleased...he's a teenager now, but still my little boy at heart, and still needing to know he has a special place in the family...

His birthday was in December but celebrating at the holidays last year just didn't work out, and he ended up disappointed. With his basketball conflicts in January, we just decided to celebrate our special days together on my birthday...I enjoyed sharing it with my big guy!!

Here are the last scrapbook pages to share...lots of Crate Paper on these...

this set on the softer side...

...and this set a little edgier...(you know those teenage personalities!)...
I was in a hurry...this one is so blurry...didn't realize...
And here's the Sweet Sixteen page...the rectangular template in the middle will be replaced by the photo. It's just tucked in for now...(and gosh...this one is blurry too!)
One thing I didn't share is that the pages are sewn together to form pockets. The journaling tags are tucked inside...
Alison was thrilled with the album. I put it in one with page protectors for now, but told her I would still like to create a more personalized cover later. I just really want to be able to take my time with it...and I will share it! I appreciate everyone's encouragement, though...I won't let you down!!!

OK, if you'll forgive me, I'm not ready for the give away. I have one journal to finish. Please join me on Wednesday, if you would, for that, and winners to be posted. It could be later in the day. Everyone is home today (even Daddy!!) so we're heading out for a birthday lunch, and then two basketball games tonight. I would like to be able to enjoy embellishing that last journal tomorrow, and not have to rush it. Poor planning on my part...so sorry! But I sure appreciate you joining me so faithfully, and appreciate your visit today! (If you haven't visited in awhile and would like to get in on the give-away, be sure to let me know. Details are HERE.)

Thanks again...hope to see you Wednesday!!

Geri

Happy Saturday, everyone!! Scrapbook pictures to share...using some October Afternoon...

...and My Mind's Eye...

Looks like she's growing up!

Thanks for stopping, and enjoy your weekend!!

Geri

More of my little scrapbook to share...Thank you so much for your encouraging comments yesterday!! I sure do appreciate you gals!!

Years 4 through 7 today...I'll let the pictures do the talking...it's not like I have expert advice to offer anyway!!....;)

There you go!! Lucky for you, I'm a woman of few words today!! It's sunny here in Indiana today! Hope the sun is shining down on you where ever you are!!

Thanks again for stopping!!

Geri

Well, here's the revealing of several things...first...my FIRST album of any kind...second...it's a gift--and it's late...third...I had set a goal for myself to have it done by MY birthday...fourth...it won't be done and bound by my birthday--however, EVERY PAGE WILL BE DONE BY MY BIRTHDAY!!! You heard that, right?! The PAGES WILL be done!! Lastly...I had planned to start posting the completed pages as I

finished them long ago, but felt the cover should be posted first, because it explains the theme of
the album...THAT cover is a major stumbling block for me! I just don't know if I can do it and be
satisfied with it. I've tried one...FAILURE!! And in my head I'm just not sure I have a more
successful plan...but I'm not giving up and purchasing one yet!! The idea or theme, and what I want the cover to say is..."Audrey...your sweetest 16 smiles". There are 16 pages with a space for only one photo on each. Her mommy and daddy get the job of choosing one smile per year to go in the album...and it won't be easy!!! Here's the first...

This page will stand alone.

The next two...

years 2,

and 3...

will face each other...

My plan was to use bits and pieces of my favorite papers, making sure there is pink on every page, and to have each pair of pages coordinate with each other...that's really the only continuity it will have...I haven't stuck with one paper line or anything (that would be way too sensible!!). It has been fun, but WAY more of a challenge than I was expecting! My hat goes off to you people who create the gorgeous things I see online, and still accomplish other things!

Anyway...I'll continue sharing a few pages at a time (and eventually, that RASCAL COVER) until you've seen them all!

(Side note: While Google Chrome has been a MAJOR improvement--it seems to be picking and choosing which text it's going to center in my posts, and I can't seem to adjust it. Does anyone else experience that?)

Thanks for stopping!! Hope to see you tomorrow!!

Geri

Hello, friends! Hope this finds you a little *extra sweet* after Valentines Day! Hard to believe it's time to put the pinks and reds away! Have to say, though,...I'm looking forward to those pretty, fresh colors of Spring. I've just finished up the 3rd gift I'll be giving away on the 20th and wanted to share...

I keep seeing these and hearing about them...was kinda wanting one myself, so I thought...maybe my blogging friends would like one, too! So here's the first of two...

An "Art Journal"! What do you think? Do you have one? Have you ever wanted one? And what exactly would you do with it if you did have one? Personally, I was wanting one to use more as a daily devotional journal, but I've made these covers around sketch books, so...no lines. I thought I would keep them open to more of the "Art Journal" style...since we're all artists...it obviously could hold more handwriting than art, if that's what you prefer. And how very nice it would be to combine the two...recording special thoughts and memories, while clipping in pretty pieces of this...and that...to inspire us!! Just something I wanted to try...and share. (I found the idea for this one in Crafts N Things, February issue, by Rebekah Meier) If you are interested in this one, remember to comment (Let me know what you would use it for!) and I'll share winners on the 20th! I'll have another to share in similar fabrics before the week is up! Stay tuned!!

Thanks for stopping in!!

Geri

Super quick post today...I don't know how inspired you'll be by this anyway!! Our son, Jared is stationed in North Carolina. I usually just purchase him a card to send at holidays because, well...I just don't do masculine much,...especially grown-up masculine. However...he is always so faithful to remember me with gift certificates for my favorite stamping shops whenever my special days come around, so I felt it only fitting to hand-make him a card. Thank goodness he's easy to please...

...and thank goodness there's money inside!!! ;)

I'll not insult you by explaining anything here! But while I was at it, I did a girl version...

(Had to get a little pink in my day somehow!)

OK...it's crunch time...unless I get totally desparate and come up with one more quickie to stall with between now and Sunday... (DETAILS HERE). I only have 3 (slightly more involved) projects to share...two of them, your final two gifts for the give-away...one of them, a gift for someone else which I'll share over several days...NONE of them are completely finished!! (gasp!!) The cat's out of the bag...can she DO it!?!? If you don't hear from me tomorrow, (you'll KNOW I'm a failure and just couldn't quite pull it off) please come back on Wednesday!

Stay tuned..... (and thanks so much for putting up with me!!)

Geri

Don't you love a good bargain?!? Found these Martha Stewart treat bags on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics...8 for $1.97...

...right up this thrifty mama's alley!! So I thought I would dress them all up for Valentine's treats...

I used all kinds of bits and bobs of ribbons and twine...

...some pretty images from Bety, HERE...

...buttons...die cuts...

...pearls and flowers...

...gotta have doilies for Valentine's Day...

...in classic Valentine's colors...

So much fun using all my favorite things...including the chocolate inside!!

Thanks for popping in friends!! I appreciate you, and hope you're having fun preparing treats for your loved ones!!

See you soon!

Geri