Happy Mother's Day

 We had some baseball rained out this weekend which allowed me some time to spend in the craft room getting crafty.  I had gotten a new kit so it was perfect timing.

I used the As You Can See It #248 sketch.

The new kit I got was the Dandelion Messages from Simon Says Stamp and I used a sentiment from Verve Stamps.

Hope you all have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Card details:

Stamps:  Dandelion Messages from Simon Says Stamp, Blessings from Verve Stamps

Inks:  Night of Navy, Pickled Raspberry Distress Oxide

Accessories:  Liquid Pearls Petal Pink

Eucalyptus Card Set

 

This weekend was a struggle trying to create cards-I couldn't seem to get in a groove, but I managed to create a few CAS ones.

My first was a small set of cards using the Layered Eucalyptus set from Gina K. and Timeless Tropical set from Stampin' Up! for the sentiment.

I utilized the FMS479 sketch which I rotated to fit my image.

Card details:

Stamp Sets:  Layered Eucalyptus from Gina K. Stamps, Timeless Tropical from Stampin' Up!

Cardstock: Basic Black, Teresa Collins Far & Away,  PTI Rustic White, Burgundy unknown

Inks: Simon Says Stamp

Birthday Floral

This is probably one of my most favorite cards that I've created recently.  It took me a little longer to create but it was well worth it.

Using one of my favorite sketch sites, this week's Mojo sketch.  I adore that Julee provides measurements for the layers, it's always so easy to follow.

I distressed all the papers on this card and then stamped my flower on patterned paper and added some watercolor to it.  I ended up adding some Enamel Dots to one of the panels to add a little to balance the image.

 Thanks for stopping by to see my creation today!

Card details:
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Even More Spring Flowers & From Us
Cardstock: MME Lost & Found Portobello Road
Inks: Simon Says Stamp, Stampin' Up!
Accessories: MME Enamel Dots, Aquapainter

Love

 

I've been spending a few evenings stamping while we are still off from sports most nights.  It's been great to get back into stamping a little more and using up some supplies I have.

For this card, I used the Freshly Made Sketches #470 and turned it onto the side (although now I realize my hearts are the opposite of the sketch).  The hearts were stamped & cut out of some backgrounds I had created using Distress Oxide inks awhile ago and hadn't gotten around to putting them together with anything.  The background on each of the cards were done using repetitive stamping of a background stamp from the Love Notes set from Verve Stamps.  

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Card details:

Stamps: Take Notes & Love Notes from Verve Stamps

Inks: Distress Oxides, Basic Gray from SU

Cardstock: Confetti White from Papertrey Ink

Poppies & Flowers

This is the first slimline card I’ve made in years. I used the Poppy Bouquet stencils from #simonsaysstamp along with a sentiment from #stampemdous . I do love this color combo! #basementstamper #slimlinecards #stampemdous #simonsaystamp

While I had my Poppy Bouquet stencils from #simonsaysstamp out, I created another card using the #freshlymadesketches 429 along with a sentiment from #stampemdous . Another color combo I will have to use again. #basementstamper #stampemdous #simonsaystamp #freshlymadesketches

Of course I love creating with flowers as they are fun to color so I threw this one together using the Fusion Card Challenge using the sketch & inspiration along with the #simonstaysstamp Summer Garden set with a Stampendous sentiment and My Mind's Eye Flair Paper.  I fussy cut the flower out and used some dimensionals.

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas!

While I didn't get our pictures printed in time to go out in my cards, I hope Scott's cool idea of a QR code works for us this year and will reach all our family and friends.

This year has been crazy for us as it has been for the rest of the world as well.  We started off 2020 with some beautiful snow-while it was nice to look at, it didn't last long.  Scott ended the month having surgery on his torn meniscus in his knee.  His recovery went really well and was out coaching his last lacrosse season about 2 days later.

The kids were all in school when it all came to a halt come mid-March and then went virtual for the remainder of the year as Scott and I also went work from home.  This was not easy on all of us being home, juggling laptops, phone calls, school work, and being housebound, but we made the most of it.  

In the summer the kids and I took a few days to spend down with my Mom & Dad in FL and got to enjoy some sunny days, pool time, & fun games.  Our dreams of taking Finley to Cooperstown were canceled and we were all disappointed to hear this, but know it was the best decision they made being it was in NY and we are hoping that in 2021 we'll be able to attend some other fun tournaments.  

Surprisingly, the kids all returned to school at the beginning of August face to face.  Scott & I have remained work from home and will probably be until mid-2021.

We moved Tristan into his new house at school and shortly after he contracted Covid and went into quarantine.  Thankfully he didn't have many symptoms and was only ill for a few days.  If you can believe it, he turned 21 in September!!!  He's a junior this year at Georgia College & University-he's changed his major back to Computer Information Systems so he'll be extending his classes a semester-hoping for a Summer 2022 graduation now.

Sydney still keeps busy with lacrosse year-round and is excited to begin playing this year for the high school team.  She got the opportunity for some travel tournaments in North Carolina, Maryland as well as a recent showcase event in Florida.

Finley, while disappointed not to get to go to Cooperstown this summer is still enjoying playing baseball with Barrett Warriors.  He was quarantined shortly before Thanksgiving after being exposed, but didn't have any symptoms and went back to school after 2 weeks.  Unfortunately, this happening meant we were going to miss out on a much-anticipated visit from Terri & Vic.  We hope that when Covid quiets down a bit that we'll get a visit from them.

Scott continues to be busy working with Change Healthcare.  I don't think he knows what to do with some of his time as he's no longer coaching any of the kids...so he's been golfing a little more.  He headed back to the hospital in October for yet another last-minute surgery to remove some kidney stones from one of his kidneys (he still has some in the other).  This recovery wasn't as smooth as the knee as he had to have a stent placed for a week and he was in so much pain.  Once the stent was removed he was like a new person.

I'm still with McKesson-shortly after Covid we were notified our contract wasn't being renewed.  I was very thankful to be offered another contract to move to and am enjoying working with the new program.  Shortly after Scott's kidney stone surgery, it was my turn to have my very first surgery having my gallbladder removed.  My recovery went fairly well although my system is still adapting to not having it.

We are wishing you all a healthy and prosperous 2021.

Love, 

The Howard Family

Scott, Kim, Tristan, Sydney, Finley & Mooch

Christmas Cheer

 

I broke out another darling image from Stampotique to create these fairly simple cards.  I again used the Echo Park papers and a little bit of coloring with my Copic markers.

Card details:

Stamps: Snowy Fran 6127

Cardstock: Confetti White, Echo Park

Embellishments: Peapod twine from The Twinery and sentiment strip from CZ Design