Hoot Hoot Hooray! Happy Leap Day!

Well I wanted to somehow acknowledge that today is Leap Day... but didn't have a project of a leaping frog or any silly story about this day in history... but I did find this adorable Owl card... so have a hoot making this one!

See how cute it is with Mr. Owl sitting in the tree "hole"
Linda Aarhus gets my vote again!

Have a wonderful Leap Day....
gives us one extra day this year to stamp .... yippeee!!!

Easter Dove

I can't believe I'm already thinking about Easter... but can't help it when I see this awesome tag made by Debbie Henderson using the new Easter Dove stamp, again in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

To make the tag, just start out with a small tag from "Lots of Tags" and stamp the image in "Concord Crush Ink". Use an Exacto Knife to cut out the inside of the dove and "Stampin' Dimensionals" to glue the tag to a 2nd layer. The 2nd layer is "Peach Parfait Cardstock" cut out with the "2 1/2" Scallop Circle Punch". Add a small flower cut from the "Punch Pack" in "Concord Crush Cardstock" and add a "Rhinestone Jewel" to the center of the flower and also to the inside of the cut-out dove.

For the other end of the tag, use the "Little Leaves Die" and "Old Olive Cardstock". Accent the leaves with the same flowers as were used on the dove. Add a few smaller tags from the "Jewelry Tag Punch" and "Peach Parfait Cardstock":

For the main tag use the "Two Tags Die" in "Whisper White Cardstock" and the "Background Plates" to add some swirls to the background. You'll be excited to know tht the additional ribbon used here is available to you as a FREE product in the Sale-A-Bration Catalog this year! Glue everything in place and this is what your tag will look like:

Supplies:

• Tools: Two Tags Die, Jewelry Tag Punch, Background Plates, Punch Pack, Little Leaves Die, Lots of Tags Die, 2 1/2" Scallop Circle Punch, Exacto Knife
• Accessories: Rhinestone Jewels, SAB Ribbon
• Cardstock: Peach Parfait, Concord Crush, Old Olive, Whisper White
• Stamps:
• Inks: Concord Crush

It will make a cute little gift as a bookmark for someone's Bible or daily devotion book. Or you could just mount it on cardstock to incorporate into a nice Easter card for a special friend.

Create & Keep Kit

And have you seen this Simply Sent Kit???

It's the new Create & Keep Simply sent kit in the Mini Occasions catalog.  It's a box and cards kit that includes 10 pre-cut (and printed) cards and envelopes along with adhesive die-cuts for embellishing.  It's just $14.95!  Here's a sample of what you can do:

Again Lee Ann Greff gets the credit... she added a few pearls or rhinestones, tiny flower punches (Itty Bitty Punch pack) and dimensionals.  No stamping is needed as the greetings are included in the die-cuts.  This would be a wonderful project for yourself or a great gift.

You don't even need a creative bone in your body..

it does it all for you... how cool is that???

Blossom Builder Cards

Have you seen the Blossom Builders kit in the Occasions mini catalog?  Here's another great idea from LeeAnn....

In this Designer Printed kit you get two 12" sheets of die-cut, double sided printed flowers along with 2 sizes of pink rhinestones.  It's just $9.95.  Here's what you can do with just one sheet of flowers and some rhinestones.  

She made 10 cards using our Stampin' Up! notecards.  They come in a pack of 20 cards with envelopes for just $5.95.  So easy to makequick cards with these. Just add strips of ribbon, a sentiment and a few cards also have texture from our new  Adorning Accents embossing folders. 

Here's a few close up:

Too cute and too simple!

Sniff and Sniff

So you know Stampin' Up now has the scented embossing powders you can get... and since I'm on a watermelon roll... take a look at this darling card from LeeAnn Greff

The card smells like real melon.

You dont' have to SCRATCH and Sniff...

 just breathe it in.... thus my title today...

Sniff and Sniff... get it?

Watermelon Sweet Treat!

Watermelon is my very favorite summer fruit... well actually it's my very favorite all time fruit.... I seriousy can sit and eat an entire watermelon I'm sure.... might take me awhile but I could...

So I just loved seeing this darling Watermelon Sweet Treat project.... from Connie Babbert.



She  used the 3" inch Circle Die to make the Real Red Patterns DSP layer and the 3 1/2" Circle Die to make the Garden Green layer.  The Whisper White layer is cut at 3 1/4" with the Circle Scissors Tool.  You only need to make one or each, then cut it in half for the other side of the favor basket.  Next make a simple box to go between the two half circles to hold the small cello bag of candy.  The watermelon seeds are the smallest heart on the Heart to Heart punch, cut in half, then highlighted with a white gel pen.  The handle is the ric rac pattern on the Tasteful Trim die from Garden Green cardstock, held to the box with Garden Green mini brads.

Tie the Small Cello Bag closed with Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon and add a little tag with the You're So Sweet greeting from the Sweet Cake stamp set, stamped with Basic Black on Whisper White.  Here is a side view, too…

Now doesn't make you long for summer!!!

Ponies and Pirates!

You just can't come to the Reed Ranch and not expect to see horses and sheep or goats and rabbits.... just about anywhere in the neighborhood.  Every time Bradyen comes I try to take him for an adventure walk... in hopes to wear him out a little so he might take a nap... right? So why did I put him in the stroller? It was me that needed the nap afterwards... he had a nice ride on a bumpy road looking at all the neighborhood animals!

Of course we found the horses... and just loved this little miniature pony... how cute.

Brayden just wanted to get out and play with them all...

That afternoon we made a quick trip down to the local park to play on the pirate ship before heading home.... and now that he is bigger he was able to get down the giant slide by himself.... so fun!

Do we have to go home?

Until next time..... xoxoxoxoxo

Too Much Fun!

After a wonderful time at the Magical Circle on Saturday, we made it back home in time to get some dinner ready. Grandpa took him down to his wood shop to see if he was ready to help out there... and show off his old time toys... that will one day be his.

A quick detour stop...between Route 66 and old US 395...

After dinner, he got his first bubble bath in the bathtub instead of the kitchen sink... Brayden's just grown too much now to fit....

After bath time he thought climbing into the toy box
would be more fun than taking the toys out to play with them....

Sunday morning started with scrambled eggs

and then being my little helper cleaning up afterwards..

The rest of the day was spent in front of the wide screen...
and I don't mean TV...

He loves to be outside... and see everything!
Just wait and see what we found for our next adventure!

Queen Califia's Magical Circle

Last Saturday and Sunday we had the pleasure and delight to have Brayden stay with us for the weekend... February 20th is David & Holly's wedding anniversary so they had a chance to get away for the evening... and we benefited! Fortunately too it falls on President's Day weekend so how cool is that... for everyone!

I had been thinking about some fun places to go with him and sharing with others about my plans... then a friend told me about Queen Califia's Magical Circle Sculpture Garden. It's the only one in America!!  Its' at the north end of Kit Carson Park in Escondido. There's a "snake wall" that circles the garden which opens into a maze whose walls and floors are covered with black and white and mirrored tiles. Once through the maze, you enter into the central courtyard. The sculptures feature tens of thousands of individually hand-cut glass, ceramic, and stone mosaics. You can read more about it on the City of Escondido website.

Brayden had a great time... and so did I.. it was so unique and unusual.. you  must go visit sometime... every age will enjoy this one!

The Magical Circle is surrounded by this rock wall

featuring these two mosaic snakes



Queen Califia reigns on her flying parrot... I think...

 

I took this picture as a reflection from one of the maze wall mirrors...

Underneath the Queen is a really cool "room"... with a golden egg and incredible mosaic night sky scene....

Brayden is enthralled at the sky art... with the moon and stars and planets...

 

 

 

This totem pole is named "Steps"... of course Brayden's favorite since you could climb up and sit awhile...

Actually maybe this was his favorite... since it had a cool "tunnel" in it to enjoy...

We took a quick break for lunch... hummm..

peanut butter sandwich of course!

Hey  maybe if I make a wish on this falling star

we'll get to come back again soon!

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket!