(I guess I'M the stranger here!!) But, finally...some time to create!  I just survived our busiest time of summer and the older I get...the more victorious I feel in saying it!  We had lots of people in for the 4th...always busy preparing inside and out for that.  And when I wasn't knee-deep in those preparations, I was chest-high in Bible School preparations and decorating.  I was so tired by the time it started...at the end of the first day, I was already thinking...'is it Friday yet?'  And of all things, this year...I was the game girl!!  The game girl!?!  I think I'm too old for THAT, too!!  And what I know is that I'm too old to be pretending to be an ox, pulling preschoolers around in laundry basket carts to build their cardboard box palace!!  (and who had THAT bright idea?!?)  I DID survive though, and now feel like I have all the time in the world!!!  It was so nice to pull out my stamps and papers and make some time for creating!  At the top of the list was the Craft's Meow July Sketch Challenge...

I had already experimented with this little chipboard owl using the Owl Journaling set, and thought I could work him in to this sketch just fine.  He's hanging on to a couple of Owl Journaling banners with some snipped up sentiments from Vintage Rides...

The papers are some soft pretty ones from My Mind's Eye...

And I guess that's it.  I have another one in the works that's way more clean and simple...(and maybe a stretch of the sketch...I don't know...) stay tuned! I'll leave you with a picture of my little Jilli-bean dancing in the rain in her night-y.  First rain all summer...we had to celebrate!  It wasn't enough...but we didn't complain!!

Have a great day!! And thanks so much for stopping in!!
~Geri~

Hello, everyone!!  Hope this finds you enjoying summer, or something close to it!  Our summer vacation is already in the history books, but it was so memorable and so beautiful, I thought I would use it as inspiration for my card for The Craft's Meow June Sketch Challenge...

I used a little clay/coral mix of color from this, my favorite pathway to our room from the pool/restaurant area...

...and from flowers in a similar shade...ALL OVER the grounds...

...this one was like a flower in a flower...

...and, of course, the beautiful aqua color of the water...

...I put it all together in a fun, easy-going theme...

I brought home a sweet hand-woven basket/bag, so I had to weave a little paper to add as an accent.  The flower, leaves, and bee are from TCM's Happiness Is..., and the aqua background is from the new set I won from TCM, Retro Foundations.  (The tag die, sentiment, card stock, ribbon and buttons came from Papertrey.)  So glad you could pop in, and thanks for letting me share a little of our trip with you.  I hope to get one more Jamaica inspired card done soon, and pay tribute the wonderful people we met there!  They were the best part of the trip, so I hope you'll stay tuned!!  Thanks TCM for the fun challenge!!

~Geri~

Hello, all!  Back from vacation and doing my best to catch up!  Just posting some treats I made for some special staff members at my kids' school for their last day (before vacation!...when I really should have been packing!!)  I used papers from my new Crafty Secrets CD.  It was fun mixing and matching these pretty papers...

Yes...these are the little TP roll pockets...doesn't get much easier...

They're just full of chocolates (with the little daisy tucked in, of course)...(the black papers on these two aren't from the CD)...

Each one a little different...

It would have been nice to top each one off with some tissue paper fringe trim, but I didn't have any made up, and didn't have time to create any :(...

Oh, well...they were sweet without it, too...

If you have any Crafty Secrets goodies...there's still time to create something and link up for a chance to win a SWEET gift certificate!  Thanks so much, Crafty Secrets, for the opportunity...and to everyone else for your visit!! I have a couple "Jamaica Inspired" cards running through my head...I'd like to say I'll get those done and share some pic's next week...but this summer schedule...I don't know...;)

~Geri~

Hey, everyone!  Popping in with a quick post!  We head out for vacation bright and early in the AM and I wanted to quickly post this card before I crawl in bed for a few hours.  My friend, Char, inspired me to create a card for the current Moxie Fab Challenge to incorporate gingham.  I love gingham on my projects and needed a get well card for a neighbor so I thought I would play along.  This is my first time participating, and my first time inking up this little guy...

...isn't he a cutie?  He was stamped on a piece of gingham from Bety's shop...lots of pretty color swatches on one sheet...I love em!  Melissa Phillips created the sweetest card with these little PTI birdies using clouds and the "under the weather" sentiment for the April release (I think)...I thought then it was the cutest idea and that I would have to try a version of it for myself...I didn't even go back and look at hers...didn't want to tempt myself to try to recreate anything she had done...

This goes out to my neighbor who has broken her leg for the 3rd time!!!  This time she hadn't even gotten rid of her walker from the last break!  I know she needs a lift and I think she'll like this.

OK...gotta git!  We're off to Jamaica tomorrow!!  My kids don't need a cranky mommy getting on and off of airplanes, now do they?!  My brother will be holding down the fort for us, but I've not given him blogging instructions, so you won't hear from me for a bit.  I know I'm behind on a little visiting...promise to catch up when we get back!!  Thanks so much for visiting!!
~Geri~

Hope everyone is enjoying a special weekend with families!  My gals at the dentist's office requested some Mother's Day cards.  This first batch was made with my new Strawberry Patch images from Papertrey.  And I have to say...this set is SO much fun to play with!  The possibilities are endless with the sizes, layers and sentiments included (in two companion sets).  Anyway...I thoroughly enjoyed playing and creating...and I'll get right to the pix...I know you're all busy enjoying your weekend!...

Wasn't crazy about the green on this one...brightened it up on the rest...

A familiar layout from me...with part computer generated and part stamped sentiment...

This is a design by Ashley Cannon Newell that I liked...I just made a few minor changes...

These were actually my favorite...but they didn't sell...I used a computer generated sentiment on the front...

 My mom is no longer living, so I sure had fun creating for these gals wanting to share some love with their moms!  I have a few more (on the 'not-so-fruity' side) to share...maybe tomorrow!  Enjoy your special weekend!!
~Geri~

Goodness, it's been awhile!  So busy!!  But I'm in luck with Crafty Secrets' second Linky Party, as I recently had a published card returned (along with a box of goodies!!) from CARDS magazine that I used a CS stamp set on...just in time to post it for this months party!  This one was accepted for the style/color challenge of bees/honeycomb and the colors of melon pink, yellow and green.  The little bee and sentiment are from the small Queen Bee set.  This is the prettiest little set...I love the delicate little bee, and the garland of leaves, not used on this card, is so pretty also.

I've used the chipboard frame, a MF crown,  Prima flower, and some pretty Crate Papers, (and even a little die cut lace) all layered up in the perfect colors for the challenge...

I was pleased with this one when it was done, and, needless to say, was thrilled it was published!  Hope you like it, too!!
Have a great day, and thanks so much for stopping in!
~Geri~

Hello, everyone!  So glad you could join me today in celebrating The Polkadot Door's second Blog-iversary!  They're hosting a little hop to celebrate, with goodies involved, so you might want to go check it out!  You can play along if you'd like...here's the inspiration board...

The fabrics, handmade felt flowers and buttons are what caught my eye, and I was in the mood for something a little different than my typical cards, so I set to work with a small jar, some buttery looking fabric, quilt batting, and my own handmade flower...

That fluffy little thing is kind of like the cherry on top of my milkshake...or my cupcake...

Yep, it's a little cupcake pin cushion!  And it was really so easy!  I'm sure there are bunches of these around, but I was inspired this week by THIS ONE at Andrea Budjack's blog, to get creative with my own fabrics and whip up one of my own.  It was made with a whole lotta love and intended to bring a smile to a dear friend's face...

Hope it does the trick!

The trims, by the way, are from vintage table linens that I purchased quite some time ago for just the right project, and this was it.  They were not in colors I would ever use in my home, and on several, while the cloth was stained, most of the trim was NOT!  (That just meant I was able to get them pretty inexpensively.)  I just cut the pretty trim off the edges, leaving about a 1/4 inch of the cloth (and giving me space for glue!)  I wrapped the olive green around twice at the top of the jar, and then finished off with the white.  The ribbon that I pulled around the top of the jar covered up my raw edges.  I left a little more excess edge on the trim on top of the cupcake, and just tucked the excess down inside the "swirls" or folds.  And I thought the quilters pins to keep the pretty scallops down made great "sprinkles".  This was a no-sew project that I would highly recommend that you try!  So much fun!  If you would like to, and need more details...just let me know!

If you're hopping, next on the list is

Megan

If you would like to start at the beginning, just click HERE for all the details and the full list of designers.

Thanks so much, Rebecca and Sarah, for the invitation and the inspiration!

So glad you could stop in today!!

~Geri~