Shades of mustard

I believe this is a hero arts stamp, I colored with copics and distressed the edges with distressed inks. I had colored it some time ago, but didn't have any idea what I wanted to do with it. While organizing some of my stuff I came across this PP and I loved the combo.

We are having a taste of some cooler weather this week, and I am eager for Fall. I am looking forward to making soups, casseroles, and breads. Decorating the house inside and out with pumpkins, and beautiful earth colors. I have even started scouring the web for halloween costumes. I have decided my little pixie must be a pixie, and am in search for the perfect fairy costume. This year is going to be such fun for the holidays! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

Goodbye Irene

Just a quick card for today: not a favorite, but one I had done for a challenge and never had time to post. I stamped the magical background in green, and then used versamark to stamp the reverse image and the I embossed it. The image was colored with markers, and then attached to background colors that complimented the image.

Well the hurricane is gone and thankfully it wasn't too bad. We were well prepared, generator, gasoline, water and tons of food. She seem to stay in our area forever, we had a lot of rain and some pretty kicking winds especially in the early morning hours of Saturday. I fell asleep and was dreaming about being in a house on stilts, the wind knocked the house over and I woke up. That was when I realized the wind in my dream was actually outside our house. After that I could not sleep, and spent the rest of the night pacing the house trying to listen for trees breaking. Unbelievable we did not lose power except for moments of flickering thought the night. We usually lose it during a thunderstorm so I don't know why we didn't have any problems. Many others were not so lucky, and even school is closed today because some schools were still without power last night. Once we went outside we were surprised that we only lost a few older trees in the field, lots of branches and debris but that is all. We were so blessed that we were spared the worst as she was a massive storm and it could have turned out very different.

The boys enjoyed playing in the rain before the winds kicked in, I call them my storm chasers, you could hardly keep them in during the early rain showers, before the winds started.  Owen finally got tired of getting soaked and decided to go out in his swimsuit. I wish I could of gotten good pictures but my little pixie was very sick. She had been running a high fever since Wed. luckily we had her check up the next day and they thought she might have roseola. She felt so bad, all she wanted to do was lay on me it's scary when they are not their usually perky self. Her fever finally broke Sunday, and then the rash developed so they were right. Today she is definitely feeling better, still tired but much more herself. Not sure what we will do today, have lots of things to get done, just no energy. Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!

Last day of summer vacation : (

Tomorrow Owen starts school at a new school. We went to the open house on Monday, to meet his new teacher. She seems very nice, and I hope he has a good year. They have a all new administration this year and I was not comforted by the fact that they still did not have definite plans on how the day would go. He will most likely switch classes, but they had no idea for what subject or how it would be selected who would go where. Not very reassuring to say the least hopefully they will get it together. I struggle so much with Owen and school. He is such a sweet boy, and just wants to have friends. Children can be so mean, and last year he had problems with a group of boys in his class. It breaks a parents heart for someone to be that way to your child. This year we did not recognize any kids in his class by name. I know he is the only one from his 2nd grade class in the new class. I am hoping that there are some nice children in his class that he can make friends with. So tomorrow we begin our new routine of making lunches, getting backpacks ready and drives to school.  Hope everyone has a great day, and stay safe.

Delicate flowers

I stamped the card in grey Mementos, and colored with copics. The flower centers are using pearl enamel, All stamps are from Hero Arts. Every time I say I am taking a break from challenges, I find one that interest me. I love dry embossing, I use it in so many cards. This card is for the CFC16.

Lainey and I had a wonderful girls weekend, I didn't cook at all and actually watched a few movies. Then on Sunday we went to visit my good friend Debbie for her Birthday! We spent the day playing with pixie, and having a photo shoot! Little girl is definitely a ham, she had a blast showing off all her tricks. The boys had a wonderful time at the farm, but really missed their baby sister. It makes me so happy to hear them both tell Lainey how much they missed her and are glad to be home. Later today we get to meet Owen's new teacher and then school starts Thursday. The summer has just flown by! Have a wonderful Monday.

Clarity

Do you ever have those moments of clarity that allow you to see things just as they are? I usually get them while I am driving, I see things as they should be, feel the complete and utter appreciation of how they are. Good or bad I am calmed by the truth.  I wish I could live life with these brief moments all day, but it seems that they go as quickly as they come. I am sure its the craziness of life, its constant chatter that keep them from staying, but I try to learn from them when they occur. Life goes so quickly, each day has it's own agenda most of which you probably don't have much of a say on how it goes. I usually start out in one direction to only find I am in a totally differnet one. I constantly try to be a better Mother, Wife,  and Friend, and each day vowell to try better. Somedays I feel that I have done a good job, others I know I fall short. I have learned to be okay with that as tomorrow is another day. Things in my life our not as I had thought they would be, some expectations have fallen short.  I am learning that I have to be okay with that too, you see these things are nothing that I have control over. I can only control my actions and decisons,  and with that I have to create the picture of my life I want. My husband and my children are my everything, I am so incredible blessed to have a wonderful husband who would do anyhing for me. He is the most hardworking man I know, an incredible father whom the children adore, and a truly caring person. I was only 17 when I met him and Thank God that even at my inmature age I found a genuine person to spend my life with. Together we have built a life that I absolutely would not change. As my children grow into adults and begin their lives I hope they remain close. My vision for my family is Sunday dinner at our house,  where we can all catch up on each others lives. However I am not naive in the fact that this may just be a fantasy, they may move away, make choices I may not like,  they will meet other people and fall in love. I know this, but I know I am in control of my choices, my reactions, and if I am okay with that then things will be as they should be, either way.

For my crafty friends, I will be back Monday with a card, I have been super busy with the kids, school is starting  Thursday for Owen. Then we have the new Cleaning business we are trying to start, lots going on! DH took the boys to the mountains yesterday, so I am hoping to have some time to craft while baby girl is napping.  Lainey and I are eating take out food and watching girly movies all weekend!

PDCC # 93

The colors for this weeks Play Date Cafe are so gorgeous, I had to play. I found these flower stamps from Serendipity Stamps in my stash. I remember buying them years ago, because they could be used with McGill flower punches. I never got around to purchasing the punches and the stamps got lost in my mix of stamps. I stamped the flowers and colored with copics, the leaves are from two different hero arts collections. The PP is from Basic grey, and the sentiment is PTI.

Pink florals

Just a simple card with a favorite Hero Art flower. I colored with copics, and overstamped the Thank you definition. The edges were distressed and the sentiment is from PTI.

Baby girl has two new tricks as of last week! She is now pulling up to a stand anywhere she can. She is still figuring out how to get down from this positon gracefully. Sometimes she just lets go which requires some TLC on our part to soothe her. Her other trick is clapping, not the best picture, but its so cute watching her clap. Owen has been practicing with her and was tickled when she finally figured out it out. She makes herself laugh and squishes her face up it's the cutest thing. Thanks for stopping by, wishing everyone a great day!

Shades of sunset

Hello Monday! This card is for the Flourishes challenge. I made the card using glimmer mist to create the background. Then I stamped the sunflower image and colored with copics Y00,Y02,Y04, Y06 & Y08, and YG21, 23 & 25 for the leaves. I used flower soft in earth for the center of the image and cut it out. The white background is a impress plate from PTI.

Last week was super busy, we had my birthday, in-laws visit and a new business venture beginning. Not something we were expecting but with us that is usually how things happen. Sometimes things don't go in the avenue you plan, but that can be a good thing. We are still primarily landscaping, but soon we will be cleaning construction house prior to move in. I am so extremely proud of my DH, with many years of hard work he has earned himself a stellar reputation. We do not know what the future holds with the state of our country, but for now I am so very grateful for the work.

Summer pictures

 My dear sweet little pixie girl, I could just eat her up! Lainey is learning so big, and to clap her hands, and crawling. She is still very petite, but don't let her size full you. She can scurry after the kitty cat and has even learned to sneak attack my poor thing. She is now pulling herself up on everything, so nothing is safe. The boys have taken to entertaining her with remote control vehicles and think its a riot as she chases them across the room. She is has a very mild temperment, very happy to explore and play as long as I am within site. She is my girl for now, Daddy watches her and as long as he keeps her moving she is good. I would love to have a camera set up to see how things go when I leave them. I know it won't be long before she is put under the spell that takes all my sweet babies to "the dark side" as I jokingly call it! Each of the boys were all about me until they became Daddy's boys. For now I will enjoy me sweet, beautiful baby girl, oh how I wish time could stop and keep her this way.

You should see the sequence of photo's it took to get one good shot, it is hilarous! These three keep me on my toes, and busy all day! It is by far the toughest job I have ever had, but for sure the most rewarding. My wish for the three of them is to be happy and healthy and always stay close to one another. I love seeing families that have a bond that cannot be broken, and I want that.

This is my child who keeps me constantly questioning what am I doing wrong! LOL! He is too smart and quick witted for me and knows how to drive me mad! I am aware that some of our issues has to do with his age and testing limits, but it is still so difficult. He is an awesome kid, so sweet and caring to his baby sister. He loves to help me cook, and clean, and enjoys watching cooking shows with me. He is becoming quite the fisherman, and he really knows his stuff. We have lures, worms, and all kinds of other fishing stuff all over.

Wyatt, my curly headed crazy child. He was put here I do believe to make sure I know I am not in controll! He has always done things in his own time, when he was ready not when I thought i should be done. He was delayed walking and talking, but has definelty made up for lost time. He is very athletic, swinging a golf club and bat like a pro. He can throw a ball and accurateley hit a target almost every time. It is funny how night and day the boys are. For example, when Owen would get hurt I would say let Mommy kiss it and make it better. He would accept that kisses help, and be consoled by it. Wyatt will get hurt and I will kiss the the spot and he will look at me and say "it doesn't make it feel better". It makes me laugh, because he is right even though I wish I had a magical cure to fix a boo-boo, I don't! He loves popsicles, milkshakes, but he also loves carrots, celery and apples. I love that! Then there are the days that Wyatt ask's if he is big yet? Big enough to go fishing with Daddy and Owen, Oh sweet boy it will happen soon enough.

Owen loves the water

Love those curls



Owen fishing in Greenfield lake

Coloring Green with copics

I have been spending some time working thru the class as Color Me Creative. I used the above image from Mo's digital Pencil and used copics to color the clothing. It really takes practice and time to learn to shade and color in order to make images look life like. I still have tons of work to do, but I feel like I am heading in the right direction and definitley understand light and shading much better now. If you are intrested in taking an online class check out Color me Creative. I am hoping to have more time to work on some more later this week.
Summer is in full swing here, it is hot so we try to spend as much time as possible at the pool. Otherwise it is quite miserable to be outside. Yesterday I took the boys to the beach and DH watch baby girl for the morning. We haven't been this summer yet, and I miss going so much. They had a blast, tomorrow I will post some updated pictures of the kids. Have a great monday!