I've Been Busy....

Yep, I've been busy! My friend Chantal had a birthday recently and I made her a card to celebrate it! I had seen some really pretty, but expensive, flowers at Michael's that were light colored and looked like they had been stamped! When I saw them I thought "hey I can do that"! LOL! I just took one of the flowers from the SU Pretties kit, my SU Baroque Motifs swirly stamp and some SU Ruby Red ink (to match the cardstock) - stamped it and voila I had a flower just like the expensive ones at Michael's!! In case you're wondering I used the SU designer paper "Ginger Blossoms"!



I also decided to make her one of my "mother's bracelets". I used all sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals in her son's birthstone color. The heart shape letter beads spell out *M*O*M*. She was really excited to get it, especially since it came from her son!



Her table is so neat and uncluttered isn't it?! It's always that way! No matter how hard I try my house just doesn't look as neat as hers!

Well, enjoy my creations!

Until next time...........

Out With The Old.....

And in with the new! It's that time of year for me to get my new running shoes! My other shoes are a little worn out - poor baby's! I can still wear them casually (good thing at the price I paid too!) but for training it's time for a new pair! I decided to go with some Adidas brand this time for a couple of reasons.

One - the pair I got sent proceeds to support breast cancer research (I'm a big advocate seeing as I was so close myself - long story!)

Two - they're pink! (Did you read that Vanessa?!!)

Three - when you run long distance and it's warm weather face it - your feet sweat! They stink! This pair is ventilated not only on the top with mesh material but the bottom has ventilation holes as well! Down side to the bottom holes? Don't run in puddles or wear them when it's raining! Ask me how I figured this one out! LOL! I still like them though! I also like the larger toe spread since I have wide feet! Okay, maybe that was TMI but it's one thing I have to look for! LOL! So now my Mizuno's are resting comfortably in the closet and the new Adidas are on the steps always ready to go!

Here's my Mizunos now 392.60 miles, two fun runs and one half marathon later!



My new girls, laced up and ready to go (okay they've already gone.... almost 10 miles but that's only because of my nice snotty cold I picked up in Ohio!- Adidas (gotta come up with a catchy title for these now! LOL!)



In honor of my purple babies I'll have to work on some purple projects when my friends come over today!

My Special Friend - Prayer Request

It's not easy to work in an elementary school without getting attached to a few hundred of them! LOL! Then along comes a special few who drop by every day to give hugs, wave and knock at the windows or tackle you for a hug as you walk across the cafeteria! Something so wonderful about 25 kids with arms open wide begging for hugs! LOL! Anyway, you do meet a really special one once in a while too! For me, this was my little friend "Adria"! A gorgeous little girl with a giggle that defines "infectious"! She is just the sweetest little girl for more then just her cute smile, this little girls attitude towards everything makes all your "troubles" seem so much smaller! Adria is a survivor of stomach cancer who, has had it return for a second round. To look at her skipping down the hallway just waving and smiling to everyone you'd never know the paths her shoes have gone in the past! Okay, you can tell she's really special to me! If she can handle that, what can't "I" handle? Well, with Mom's permission, I have a picture of her to put up and a special request! If you're so inclined could you please pray for Adria, and her family? I know this is taking a lot out of everyone so they sure can use the extra prayers! Thanks in advance!

Here we are - she's the cute one on the left!

Long Time No Blogging - lots to blog about too!

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged! I have had so much going on it's not funny! This is a busy time of year at school so that's got a lot of my time but there's more! We found out, 100% for sure, that we're moving! Those details are keeping me going too! We're going to be stationed at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio. They are sending my DH back to get his master's degree! It's a huge compliment to him as they only selected 6 people Air Force wide! I'm so proud of him I could bust! So that's the big news, let me back up and fill you in all the other little details! The last week of April we had company for 3 days, going out to eat and other activities that didn't allow for computer time! Then we had our family reunion in Charlottesville Va and had some family members come back and spend the next week with us too! This was my sister-in-law who is a great photographer and works free lance for a magazine like BHG in China. She left to go home Saturday afternoon but I took off for Dayton Ohio early Saturday morning and just got home late last night! I went house hunting up there! What fun! I did squeeze in a little time for Michael's since I had a 50% off coupon that I couldn't let go to waste - right?! I got lucky and found some great houses so now the hard part! I have to pick one! Then the harder part - choosing the details! Too many options that would all be awesome but you can only have so many bathroom faucets and countertops and cabinets! LOL! I've also started my hard training for the Marathon coming up in September! Well, we're in "phase 1 -no sugar"! That's not an easy task for a person with a big sugar tooth! LOL! I just have to work on my endurance but the souvenier I brought myself home was a nice snotty nose cold! Energy? What energy! LOL! I feel it all being sucked right out of my body! LOL! I saw today in the school job opportunities that my job was posted too! Lots of phone calls coming in about it! I hope they can start soon! I have "stuff" I need to do! LOL! Gotta get ready for the purge/garage sale coming up fast! I'm sort of chatty today but I guess that's because I'm so over due for a post! Enjoy my family reunion picture I'm sharing!

Hale Et Al Family reunion! There was more then just the "Hale's" there! That's the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains behind us while we were at Monticello.

New Header Photo!

It's Springtime so it's time for the birdie to go and flowers to go up in it's place! Here's another "Breanna Original" for my header! She took this picture in my Grandmother-in-law's garden last year! I really liked it so it's the header picture....for now! She has so many great selections to choose from I might have to change it again! LOL!

Enjoy!

Single Layer Card

Hi,

One more camera phone picture to upload and my DH will be home! YEAH! I can't wait! Almost 19 years of being together and I still hate when he's gone! Like a sad puppy in a window! LOL! Anyway, here's an idea I had in my head for a while and thought I'd give it a try! What do you think?!!



I used all SU Products including the stamp set - "Embrace Life"! The paper is Taken with Teal, Bashful Blue and Whisper White. I didn't have all the matching inks so I used Sky Blue ink and black! I scribble colored the flowers with the Taken with Teal marker though! The corners were done with the ticket punch. I still like how it turned out and can see more being made....soon!

Stamp Camp April 27

Well if you're anything like my you're a very curious, impatient, gotta know, have it now type of person! Instant gratification that is! That being said, I am posting a few pictures of the things we're making at this Sunday's Stamp Camp! I have a couple of other things still in the works but, for now enjoy these pictures! Sorry about the clarity but my DH is still gone so I took these photos with my phone again! Don't forget you can click on the pictures to get a better look too!

This is a "gate fold" card. It uses the set "A Little Birdie Told Me"



This is a candle holder we'll be using the new Stampin Up "rub on's" with! These are so versatile as to the surfaces you can put them on! The pink paper is in there just so you can see the rub-on better!



If I had to choose a favorite I think it would be this one! This is a "Z-fold" card using a hostess stamp of a "Plumeria"! I just love how elegant you can make a card with this stamp. If you look closely the first layer has a brushing of silver on it too! I can't wait to show you how simple it is to do that!



This card is made using the little note cards that come from SU complete with envelopes! There are 3 different colors and I chose to use the Kraft color. Since the picture isn't the clearest, you can't see the pink "ty" behind the thank you words! It's much prettier in person!



Well, I hope you're planning to be at my house on Sunday! I'm looking forward to seeing you and so is my personal baker! I hope you like chocolate as she found a new brownie mix to try!

Talk to you all soon!