It has been beautiful here the past few days. Close to 70. We've thrown open the windows and enjoyed the promise of Spring. I had seen a card similar to this on SCS (see link below) and decided to change it a bit to be able to use this cute Hedgehog I got from Penny Black many years ago. The cardstock used is pretty in pink, apricot appeal, barely banana, certainly celery and whisper white. I stamped, colored and blended the image. Used the flower background stamp from Fresh Fillers set on the pink with versamark. Finally got to use the cute flower brads I had gotten from a secret sister last year. And to finish it off, white grosgrain. My goal this year is to use at least one stamp from every set that I have. I have some sets that were mounted but never used, at the time I just had to have them (I thought) but then never got around to using them like I thought I would. Does anyone else have that problem?

link to cased card:http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=485261

Just a few more pics and I'll be done with Italy. Hubby made it back home last night safe and sound from Rome. Sounded like he had a great time and made some new friends.

Promise...next entry will be stamping again...lol

Whew! What a trip. The flight over to Rome was 9 hours. We arrived at 8:20am, and hit the floor running. Hubby had someone meeting him so we braved customs and baggage by ourselves. Met back up again and made plans to meet him in Rome after he had gotten settled. (he was staying at a hotel close to the airport) So we grabbed our stuff and found the train to take us into the city. Got to the Termini station and found an info booth that could tell us where our hotel was...a block a way. The brochure had said to take a taxi...hello.. why? We quickly learned how to cross the streets, Italian style. Found the hotel..our room wasn't ready. So they stowed our luggage.

Hubby showed up a while later and we headed back out to the Termini to find the Metro. We wandered around a bit and found it and the ticket booths downstairs. Off to the Colosseum (it was the 1st subway ride for us and the kids were a bit freaked about how crowded it was) It was sprinkling a bit and there were umbrella vendors everywhere, I think they got a little surly that we didn't need one. We actually went to the Roman Forum first, took lots of pictures there. Great ruins. Then we walked around the Colosseum and the Arch. We didn't go in like we had planned because the wait was too long and everyone was drooping from jetlag and lack of sleep. (hint, if you want to bypass the lines go to the Palatine Hill next to it and get combo ticket for the museum there and the Colosseum..no wait) Back on the Metro, said our good-byes to hubby as he headed back and we went to the hotel and crashed for about 4 hours. Woke up in time to eat dinner at a divine pizzeria just down from the hotel...awesome pasta!! (and waiters oozing charm...lol) I really got a kick out of the fact that a liter of wine was the same price as the kids soda, guess which one I got? lol

Day 2, hit the floor running at 6 am. Went down for the breakfast buffet at the hotel. I liked, the kids didn't. Out the door heading for the Metro. Got off and it was pouring down rain..finally broke down and bought an umbrella (haggled the price though) Went to the Capitoline (spelling) Museum above the Forum. Was actually 3 building in a piazza there that was connected underground. Great museum! Youngest one started complaining about the lack of clothes in ancient times...lol. We headed to the Pantheon (rain had stopped and sun had come out..yes!) and then the Trevi fountain. (no we didn't throw any coins in..we were low on euros)

Ate lunch at...McDonald's. Shesh we come all the way to Rome and eat at Mccy D's. Got about 3 blocks away and youngest realizes that she left her bag there. She spins and breaks the sound barrier running back. Bag gone from chair, she asks the mamager if anyone has seen it. He asks her what it looks like and whats in it. Guess what? Someone turned it in. Whew! (had her digital camera and the guide book with the map among other things)

Back out we go. See the Spanish Steps and walk through the Spagna shopping district. I can hear my credit cards whimpering, but they remained firmly in my bag. Middle one had her sweet 16 in the middle of Gucci, Prada, etc. We found a pair of jeans and a headband that didn't break the bank on the next street over. Kept walking and ended up in Piazza del Popolo where there was an Egyptian obelisk. By now the kids were getting tired of walking and we had seen all the major things on our list, so we headed back to the Metro and the hotel. Crashed again for 3 hours and off to the pizzeria again. The waiter remembered us and another wonderful meal was had. (had the best pizza there) Loved the chocolate gelato!!

Got up early again, showers for everyone, checked out. Took the train back to the airport and then flew home (10 hours) Drank about 3 cups of coffee on the flight..missed that most of all. The coffee over in Italy is too...um. different.

The countdown

We are heading out in a day. I'm so exited and nervous I'm about to puke... does that mean I'm exitous or nervited? Anywho... Obvious there is going to be a few days of no posting. No stamping for a while. I think I'm going to go into withdrawals. Here is a pic of the Colosseum to go with the trip.

Belated Valentines Day

Here is a 2/4/6 small box I made last year for the kids bowling team members. Tried not to make it too girly for the coed teams. Don't have all the details on the making of the box right now because I am going a mile a minute. My dh informed me last night that he is going being sent to Rome....now. Do we want to come? Hello....what do you think. We have a week break from school, what better time? So I'm scrambling to get everything ready to go. So, for a bit...Ciao!

Another challenge card

Woohoo, I'm on a roll. Got to do a challenge 2 days in a row. This one using So Saffron, Cranberry Crisp, and Certainly Celery. I would have never thought to put these together, but they work. I used the main flower from the Natural Beauty set and a sentiment from Warmest Regards. The background stamp is Crosshatch.

Sympathy

Just got an email last night from the leader of my kids bowling team and one of our team mates lost their grandfather last night. It made me stop and think, that my parents are so precious and losing them would hurt more than I care to think about.

This card is a case of another card from SCS: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=442660&cat=8590

The base is Vintage Violet, pierced down the side. Basic black, Whisper White stamped with

Happy Harmony flower. Sahara sand side piece with sympathy stamped on it. Black gingham tied around.

Last one..shew

Ta-da..finished! Whisper white base, cut mid way and pattern paper panel. One inch certainly celery strip under flower squares mounted on regal rose. Window punch bottom corner with Wish sentiment stamped on card.

I really enjoyed this. I think I'm hooked.

Three

This one was fun...got to try a new bling...little bitty diamond stickers. Let me tell you , fat fingers and these things do not mix well. But in the end they finally went where they were supposed to go. Regular size card made from Certainly Celery, top piece patterned paper with one inch regal rose in middle. 3 white squares stamped with the flower and leaves, sponged on the corners and centers with the diamond stickers.

Numero 2

Next we have regular card size using certainly celery base, pierced in the corners and side punched with pink grosgrain ribbon. Layers in middle are white, pattern paper, regal rose and then white with flower and saying stamped. Bottom edge of top layer sponged with regal rose and middle of flower has large green jewel brad. (I love those little blings...got them at a scrapbook store on an impulse...going to need more soon) : )

Card details

Let's start with the easiest of the cards. The papers used for all were: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery and one piece from last springs 12 x 12 papers(?) (someone help me out here...drawing a blank) Anywho, standard size card. Middle square made with scalloped square punch and pierced, then graduated smaller square CC and then WW with Bud Basics flower stamped, center of flower is green jewel brad and sides are sponged with RR. The sentiments set for all cards was from Small Script.

TLC 103

Another new first for the year! I finally got to do one of the challenges on Split Coast Stampers. I have sat back many a day writing down the challenges and hoping to get time to do one, but to no avail. Time and kids seemed to conspire against me to do anything but drool over the many wonderful cards and examples came out each challenge. But ta-da! I finally got one. I feel like a baseball player hitting his first home run...oh the euphoria..the giddiness. Wait, I think that is the lack of sleep. Oh, well. Any way, it was a 4x4 plus holder challenge.

The beginning

A long journey begins with one small step. Not very profound, but then again, its not meant to be. This world of blogging, what a wild concept. My morning starts now with the required coffee (hey! its a food group) and the reading of my favorite stampin blog spots. I love seeing all those talented people out there...and by the way where were ya'll when I first learned to stamp? You could have saved me alot of bad cards that I made...lol

So here it is.. my first card to upload to my blog. Whisper white base, old Su vellum punched with scallop square and pierced, main image stamped in black and color and blended with pencils, gold narrow organdy ribbon.

A good friend of mine was getting married and her mom and sister had a last minute bridal shower (2nd marriage) so I needed a quick card. Let me know what ya'll think for a first card.