I love days that hold a little surprise.  I agreed to take a job today at the elementary school for a friend.  I knew I'd be moving from class to class covering for teachers who had meetings to attend.  It's fun to travel around to different classrooms all day hanging out with the little people.  I like the little people best of all, they have a special place in my heart.  So, today I got to attend an assembly with the little people.    The local arts association provided a very interesting Korean dance group for the little people.  They performed a beautiful fan dance and used drums in interesting ways.  It was a real treat. I'm thankful for days with little surprises.

I hope your day holds a special surprise, too.  Thanks for stopping by.

The time is flying by me faster than I can count.  This is the card I made for our last card swap of the year with my stamping group.  We meet during the school year and take time off in the summer.  We'll get back to it in September.  The theme was sympathy and this single layer card was a personal challenge for me.  I'm trying to get back to a simpler way of stamping.  The grey block behind the image is direct to paper with a grey inkpad.  It didn't cover completely which was a happy accident.  I stamped the silhouette over it with versafine ink and the same ink with the butterfly which is fussy cut out and the sentiment.  A few gems finish off this simple design.  I think it works for sympathy or even for illness or other losses.  

In other news around here.  One month left of the school year.  I'm teaching bunches.  I was at the high school all week and even taught a couple of Kyle's classes this week and we both survived.

I've been having a blast making plans for CHA and creating class samples.  So many exciting things happening this summer.  I'll share my schedule when it's complete.  I hope to meet up with lots of artsy  friends while I'm in Chicago.  It's my first time there and I'm hoping to sneak in a few fun Chicago snacks and sites before all the CHA fun begins.  If you have any suggestions or tips, please share them.  

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Mother's Day.  Mom and I celebrated our mother's day by going out for a proper tea.  I'd love to show you the photos, but they're so blurry they made me dizzy.  Darn it all.  I didn't have my regular camera and took a newer one that I don't know how to use well.  I couldn't figure out how to review the photos that we asked the girl at the next table over to take.  Just imagine that we were smiling, happy, and wearing the most adorable flowered hats.  Our server, Lady Betty, brought out the tea leaf blends of the day for us to smell as she explained each one.  I chose a lavender earl grey and Mom chose a peach ginger.  We each got our own little pot of delicious tea.  The plates of food seemed to go on and on and each bite was even better than the last one.  If you're in Temecula, call the Truffles and Lace Tea Parlor for a reservation. You don't even have to bring a hat, she has a wonderful selection for you to put on when you get there.  It was a real treat.

We stopped in an adorable quilt shop and stamp shop after our tea and oohed and aahed over all the pretty fabrics and stamps before heading back home.  It was a grand girls' day out and we had the best time.  It feels like it's been forever since we've gone on adventures together.  The best mother's day gift of all is that my mom is finally getting well after being sick for over 2 years.  We found out last week that the disease is finally waning and that the surgery and medications are working.

The guys spoiled me yesterday with breakfast, flowers, a massage certificate and the most beautiful letter from my sweet taller than me teenager.  We rounded out the day with a trip to see Iron Man 2, which was so much fun.  Of course with a teen boy, I had to go see an action flick.  Having a boy has been an adventure that I never imagined.  Being his mom is one of the greatest joys of my life.  It was a beautiful mother's day and I'm thankful in so many ways.

Thank you for stopping by today.

It's teacher appreciation week.  Please take the time to thank your children's teachers sincerely.  A kind note or kind word is as appreciated as any gift you could make or give.  This year we have the ability to make a difference with our voices, and it doesn't cost a dime. Across the nation our teachers are receiving pink slips in record numbers.  You can sign a petition with pink hearts not pink slips online.   The goal is 300,000 signatures; one for each teacher getting a pink slip.  It's not only the teachers receiving pink slips who are suffering, it's the teachers who don't receive pink slips.  They're being asked to do more work, and teach more students while giving up pay and benefits.  I'm a substitute teacher.  Each day I work I hear the stories of these dedicated teachers and how hard they're working to maintain quality education with such little funds, time, and appreciation.  It's taking a toll on them. Something has to give, and this is a simple act we can do to help.

supplies: large shipping tag, distress ink, fiskars my funny valentine punch, stampin up sentiment stamp, penny black background stamp, dictionary page, button, satin ribbon.  Video tutorial link for the flower is over there on the right, called punch crazy flower.


Thanks for stopping by today.  And a huge huge thank you for all the kind words of support for my new role as Lead Fiskateer.  July can't come soon enough for me!

I'm honored to be hosting the gothic arch challenge this week.  Our theme is Mona Lisa.  I have a funny story to share about the first time I ever saw the actual painting almost 25 years ago.  I was in Europe with three friends and a backpack, staying in hostels and riding trains to get around.  We were in a dimly lit room at the Louvre for our viewing of the Mona Lisa.  She really is much larger than I imagined with a richness of color beyond my dreams.  I was enjoying the splendor of it all when a flash of light nearly blinded us.  Somebody in the crowd took a flash photograph of the painting.  Pow, the lights all went off and it was totally dark in the room and they covered the painting.  That was it, our moment was over.  No more Mona Lisa for us.  We had to move along.  Life is like that, you have to enjoy the moments as they happen.  I'm glad I got to see her.  I hope to see her again someday.  Thanks for stopping by today.

supplies: glossy cardstock; ink potion #9; distress ink; stampers anonymous mona lisa stamp; wordsworth quote stamp; vintage postage stamps; bingo marker.

joy

Oh, it's a happy day!  I'm beyond excited to share with you that I've accepted my dream job with Fiskars.  I'll be one of four Lead Fiskateers for the next two years.  I get to travel to trade shows and other crafty events, teach online and in person, and spend lots of time online with The Fiskateer Community.  I can't imagine a better job in the whole world.

I've adored Fiskars orange handled scissors since I was a little girl.  Mom used her orange handled Fiskars scissors to cut out the fabric for all of the clothes she sewed for us.  They were referred to as "the good scissors" as in "don't touch my good scissors".  Now I can touch all the orange handled scissors I want.  I'm actually a part of the good scissors company.  It doesn't get any better.

Here's the video announcing the Lead Fiskateers.  I'm the only new one, so I'm at the end of the video.  The other three leads are such inspiring role models.  I'm honored to be in this group of talented women.




Thanks for stopping by today.

The stamp girls came over to play this morning.  We stamped tile coasters and trivets and swapped spring cards. Nine years ago I was invited to go on the stamp girls' annual field trip to a stamp store and out to lunch. It was such a fun day that I joined the group. I'd always been artsy crafty, but had never stamped before.  I had no idea what I was getting into.

I bought my first stamp that day. I wasn't very good at it, but they didn't kick me out of the group.  The girls shared their stamps and knowledge with me at every turn in the road.  It wasn't long before I jumped into stamping with all my heart. Playing in the ink, paint, rubber stamps, and messy techniques makes me happy.  It's taken me places I never imagined.

No matter where my stamping passion takes me, it's mornings like today that get to the heart of what makes creating such an important part of my life.  It's getting together with girlfriends and sharing our lives, our laughter, our stamps, and our ideas.  It's inviting new friends to join us, missing old friends whose lives are too busy to stamp, and then hugging them when they find time to come back.  It's taking a break from chores, kids, and responsibilities to spend time with the girls and play. It keeps us whole and sane so we can go back to chores, kids, and responsibilities with a smile knowing that we get playtime again with our girlfriends next month.

Thanks for stopping by today.

It's sunny and warm and I'm so happy the weekend's here.  We're going to a BBQ and softball game this afternoon.  What a fun way to spend the day.  I hope you're having a beautiful weekend and that spring has finally arrived for you, too.

This is a card I made quite a while back, but it fits for today.  The image was given to me by a stamping friend, so I'm not sure who made it.  I colored it with various markers and used the Fiskars threading water punch on the bottom. There's a bit of sparkle on the flowers, too. Thanks for stopping by today.

How about a new video tutorial?  We recently indulged in slightly used HD video camera and updated our imovie software.  This is the first of a new crop of videos.  I'm so happy that I can finally produce videos like a dreamed about in the beginning.  If you don't want music turn down the volume before you click on it.

Thanks for stopping by today!

It was a lovely getaway!  We swam, shopped, ate out, went to see a big hole in the ground, watched movies, oh and I gambled a bit.  Mostly, we enjoyed the sunshine and spring flowers and time to hang out together and laugh and play.  It was a long winter and we really needed to run away for a while.  Of course, it snowed last night after we came home and has been raining, snowing, and hailing today.  Hurry up spring, we need you.  Here's a short clip that hubby shot of the big hole in the ground.  I love rocks and geology and this place has it all.





Thanks for stopping by today.