Missing you

Another lesson in the Hybrid class. Kind of fun!

Hybrid card

I, of course, signed up for the free J-Sprague class on cardmaking. It's all about digi/paper hybrid cards. This card (2nd assignment in the class) was all made from plain white cardstock (except for the brown card base and the green ribbon). All the pattern papers and the embellishments were just printed from the printer, kinda neat, eh? But that certainly doesn't help me use my stash that is continually growing! LOL

Needed to paper scrap so I made some cards

I think this is one of my most favorite cards I've ever made. It's got a lot going on compared to my usual... but I love these colors. The papers are all from Taylored Expressions May kit. You have probably noticed I've been on the same color scheme lately... it's all part of this kit.



This card is from another kit.. and also out of my norm a little bit. I'm not a big inker... I love the look, it just never looks right when I do it. I always feel like it just looks sloppy when I ink edges, but I keep trying.. those crafty cardmakers that do it so perfectly keep making it Look easy.. I figure one of these times I'll "get it". LOL


I've been focusing so hard on my Art of Digital Design class that I'm to the point of burn out. I needed to get back into my craft room and touch some real paper and create, therefore, I've been on a card making frenzy lately. I haven't even taken the time to do my digi weekly layouts. There's just so much time involved in this class that the last thing I want to do when I have free time is do digi...so I'm taking a bit of a break. My brain has learned/absorbed about all it can handle the last four weeks... we've still got one more week to go before class is over, then its testing time... don't get me wrong.. the class is great.. but I really needed to just get back to the fun of things, touch some paper and just make something without the objective of "learning something"... I don't think I'm going to pursue trying to sell my digi creations.. seriously.. it takes a TON of time. I like the process, I love learning all the awesome techniques... but I also love scrapping (digi and paper).. and I don't want to take it and make it a job, I like to do it when I want and just go willy nilly..not have to "perform" on demand. So... my hope is to create some things when I have the time and inclination and offer them as free downloads (if anyone would like them)... and keep my passion for scrapping a hobby... not a job. I'm sure I'm rambling at this point.. I guess by writing it out I'm giving myself permission to CHILLAX.. and remember this is supposed to be fun... not stressful. :)

We Make the Pefect Pair

Another card for nothing in particular! LOL If you follow my 365 blog, I apologize for posting in both placed, but I like to keep all my cards/layouts on this blog and since I didn't have a picture for today, this card had to pull double duty. :) This card is "missing something".. I just haven't figured it out yet. Everything I try to add to it just doesn't fit.

Happy Anniversary

Quick Thank you

Just a quick thank you card for a friend.

Smile Card

Just messing around....

Get Well Card

Made this card for Cliff this morning. We're heading up to the hospital in a little bit. They (he and Betty), love birds and bird houses...

A free Jessica Sprague Class!!!

You may know that I am a Jessica Sprague junkie... if you didn't, you do now! :) Well in honor of her websites 3rd birthday, she's offering a free class. If you are interested in learning photoshop and/or digital scrapbooking I HIGHLY recommend her classes. She is so talented and her teaching method is so amazing. She walks you step by step through the process of learning Photoshop. You can go at your own pace, watch the video lessons when it's convenient to you. Here's the little blurb she has on her website about the free class.

"Do you want another gift? Can you handle another one that is just as fabulous as the last? Announcing a BRAND NEW class, Computer Tricks for Cardmaking! And guess what? IT'S FREE! Registration for this FREE class will run June 14th-28th with class starting on the 28th."

If you would like to visit her website and/or register, click HERE.

These cards are not my original ideas. They were in "Card Creations" magazine, but I thought they were so cute I wanted to try. So, here's my attempt at a couple Father's Day Shirt cards. So fun to make!

Missing you

Made this one in literally about 5 minutes! lol I was sitting here watching yet another update on the BP oil spill and this popped in my head, so I got up, grabbed my scallop square punch and some cardstock out of the scrap bin... voila! :)

Whew!

My first digi layout completed totally in CS5.... this was a lesson in the J-Sprague Digi In Deep Class that I never finished. I took this photo when I was on my trip with my small camera thinking it would be a great time to work on the layout.. but I never did it.

Sunshine Layout

I actually made a paper layout. This is made using mostly Create A Critter cartridge. I really enjoyed getting back to a 3D layout as opposed to digital. I added a lot of stickles... and a few embellishments from K & Co.

Senior Day Baseball

This was my son's Senior Day at the ball park. All the Seniors were recognized. It was bittersweet. I've watched baseball every summer since he was 5 years old. This is his final season. I wanted to be sure and document the special day.

Live in the Sunshine

Didn't realize the Stickles weren't dry until I uploaded the photo. I fixed it, but didn't retake the photo. Just threw this one together for no particular reason. lol

Thanks So Much

I'm certainly in an "orange phase" right now! lol

Birthday card

I seem to be stuck on this paper pack. I just love it. The last several cards I've made (except the graduation card) are from the MiCasa DCWV paperstack.

Graduation Card

The inside is a pocket for money.

This is for Richie who graduated last weekend from college and is having an Open House Graduation Party this Saturday.

Card for a friend

This first card is a card for my good friend who has a birthday at the end of the month. It's really cute in person. The "birthday" is glittered and very sparkly and so are parts of the flower. Both cards were inspired by "cards" magazine.

This card was just using the left overs from the card above.

Mother's Day Card

Made this card for Doug's mom

Dude, you ROCK

Here's the counter-part to the card I posted earlier.

Girly, You Rock

Made this card for a special friend who did something really nice for me :)

Just playing around with my Stampin' Up order that just arrived from the workshop I went to a few weeks ago.

Wooohoooo... I actually paper crafted today!

and the insides:

I got my Stampin' Up order today and love it! :) I went to a SU workshop a couple weeks ago and she made a similar masculine card. I used different papers and she didn't use ribbon, so I can't take credit for the design, but I thought they turned out cute.... (in a guy kinda way!) lol

What I know for certain

Just a digi layout about my family. This is the second to final lesson in the Type + Writer 2 class.

One of my fav photos of Ashlea and Alex

This just didn't come together like I had pictured. Not sure if it's my choice of papers or what... I will probably redo it, but I need to walk away for a bit and look at it tomorrow.. maybe I'll like it more (or less) tomorrow.

Just a funny story

I was journaling today and this memory flashed in my mind. I wanted to document it because I still get teased about it. Someday, I hope my kids will read these things and remember that I was more than just "MOM".

Type + WRiter 2, Another lesson completed

I had fun with this one. I struggled trying to think of a topic, my daily journaling didn't have anything to do with our "concert nights", but it was about Doug, so I guess it did inspire the journaling I ended up using.

Just some simple cards

Just wanted to try out the preserves cartridge. It's really got some cute images.

Ashlea and I went to a Stampin' Up Workshop last night. This is her very first card!!! Woohoo... Way to go Ashlea. The demo had us all make a version of the same card the only variation being the sentiment and the pattern paper.

Here's the one I made:

Type + Writer 2, Lesson Completed

Another Jessica Class Lesson completed.

Type + Writer 2, Lesson 1

I finished my first class in Type + Writer 2. I didn't follow exact instructions, but pretty close. I see a couple typos, but I put this together this morning before work and I had to hurry, I'll fix it and repost. What happened to "Slow down, Lorrie?"... I tell ya!

Happy Dyngus Day Everyone!

Ok... so I know that not everywhere celebrates Dyngus Day, but it's very big here. It's the Monday after Easter. It's a polish holiday (no, I'm not polish) and it's celebrated with Polish Sausage, or a Pierogi, drinks and it's generally a light-hearted holiday. Around here all the restaurants observe it. So... Happy Dyngus Day Everyone! :) Another day of eating... UGH! (Think Polish Cinco de Mayo or a Polish St Patty's Day....that type of holiday).

The nicest Email

Hi there. I wanted to share this lovely email I received from the lady that prints my 12 x 12 layouts. I always send my prints to be printed for whatever I've worked on during the week on Saturdays and pick them up on Sundays. Look at this email I got yesterday.

I picked them up on Sat since today was a holiday and I got to meet the lady that wrote this. She told me that she gets so excited to see what I'm going to send and told me how my layouts have brought her to tears (not sure that's a good thing)... but I was very, very touched by her kind words. Normally when I pick them up on Sundays she is not there, but she said she always prints them on Saturday so they will be ready for me when they open on Sunday.

Another class project

I started this Jessica class quite a while ago and just remembered that I never finished it. It's a rainy, dreary day here today, so I finished. This is using the pen tablet class... harder than it looks is all I've got to say!! LOL

Final Class Project

This is my final class project for the class. We had to write a "fairy tale" about an object that we have a personal connection with. I don't think my layout is quite what Jessica had in mind (I imagine she thought light, uplifting fairy tale), but it fit my situation. ........and yes, I saw the typo. :(

Almost done with my Jessica class

This is the second to last class in the Type + Writer series. One more to go. The journaling assignments get increasingly more challenging. I almost gave up on this class. I've got my final class journaling finished, but I've not had a chance to complete the layout.

Golden Grilled Ham Steaks

This is just the best ever recipe for ham steaks on the grill. We're doing it for Easter. Doug's sister cooked this for us a couple years ago and the kids (and I) went wild for it. It's the best ham I've ever had.. and I'm not even exaggerating! When you buy a ham, take it to the meat counter and ask the butcher to cut it into 1" steaks. Yes, I said 1". I bought a 1/2 a ham and he cut it into about 7 steaks.... it takes about 3 steaks to feed my family of 5 (if Doug and Rich are here). So I just freeze the rest and use them in the same way later.

Golden Grilled Ham Steaks:

Mix in a gallon ziplock bag:
1/2 Ham cut into 1" steaks.  (Note:  3 1" steaks feeds 4-5 people)

1 Cup Ginger Ale

1 Cup Orange Juice

1/2 C Firmly packed brown sugar.. (I use dark, but you can use either)

3 TBS Vegetable Oil

1 tsp White Wine Vinegar

2 tsp dry mustard

3/4 tsp ground ginger (I use fresh, but you can use powdered and it's just as good)

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Now add your ham steaks to the bag and marinate for up to 24 hours, but not less than 2 hours... (we usually marinate about 1/2 a day or so)

When you're ready to grill, reserve about 1 cup of the marinade and simmer on the stove until warm (we just throw it on the grill in a pan).

Grill ham steaks over slow coals about 10-15 minutes on each side just to heat the steak through.. drizzle with the warmed marinade... now eat up... it's SOOOOOOO YUMMY!!!

Another class project

I almost didn't do this assignment. I struggled very much with the journaling assignment. You were supposed to interview someone and use a direct quote... my teenagers are not willing interviewees, so I used a memory instead. Anyway... Here it is. The papers I used are from my Stampin' Up Software instead of the the class kit. The layout as planned was a bit girly, so I had to toughen it up a bit for my Alex.

Hippy Chic!

I USED MY CRICUT and not only that, I took the Easter Cart out of the clamshell wrapping that it has been nestled in now for a few months...WOOOHOOO.. I SO ROCK! lol Now I'm out of practice.. the chic should've been much smaller, who knew 3.3/4 would be that big, right?!?!?!? Anywho... did I say.. I USED MY CRICUT!?!?!!!!!!!

I had no idea where I was going on this one. I picked papers, put the first mat on...looked around found another that matched. Made a tag, then thought "now What?"... saw my SU bird punch.. ok, that's quick and easy... that'll work... hmmmm that corner is still empty... hey, let's just cut off a corner of cardstock and stick it on... there all done! Seriously, that's how that one went together. Sometimes I want to craft, but I sit down and have "creators block".. that ever happen to you?

Jessica Sprague Type + Writer Class Assignment

Here is today's assignment. This class is turning into be one of my favorites.

Using my scrap drawer

Once in awhile I go into my scraproom and just open my scrap drawer and see what I come up with... this is one of those cards. I spent about 20 minutes on each card. LOL At some point I'm going to have to just toss all those scraps because I seem to keep going back to the same ones. I am not a stamper and I'm worse at coloring, but I have fun! Not quite sure what occasion the duck card would be, but I just love the goose! lol He looks like I feel most mornings! lol