sleepless and so very hot

I can't sleep and probably I'm too hot to sleep...

and being bored and awake, I am looking back at my blog...nearly 3 years ago and reading what I wrote and forgot I wrote.

And now I am reminded, again, that I need to make a better effort at writing down those everyday things that happen here.

So we are great friends with a family down the street. My three kids and there 3 kids makes for lots of fun. Although once in awhile someone gets hurt or won't share or gets lippy with a mom, over all, the kids do not tire from one another!

So today, this afternoon, the kids were making Bakugan houses. Basically just taping construction paper together as if to make a large game board. And then of course, a little arguing b/c so many of them were squished around a few pieces of paper. So I hatched a plan...brought up some priority mail boxes from the USPS...and cut them up. Voila, everyone now has a Bakugan house. Complete with a lid. So, the next hour or 2 were spent decorating the "rooms." Making pockets complete with eyelets to hold the special cards. Old toilet paper tubes became chairs. Much paper was taped and glued. Then time was spent walking back and froth between our homes carrying these new boxes filled with the treasures of youth.

No pictures...b/c I"m not one to stop to take very many pictures. I just enjoy the moment. The mess. And I think about the future when there won't be the noise or the mess. And I'm glad to enjoy it while I can.

And yes, there are notes on the boys' room to the Bakugan fairy, hoping that she (or he) will bring a new one under their pillows one day. If I was a little more awake, I just might fly over to Meijer and pick up a pack.

I'm glad that 10 hours a day is not enough time to play with good friends.

Blog Candy Winner!!

So, I'm a little late in posting a winner for the PMS blop hop...for several reasons. hehe. But I did the random.org thing...and #24...

AlienAnnessa has won the "Fairiy Tales are more than real..." digi sentiment!

Please send me your email address to: dawnmercedes at hotmail dot com so I can send you the digi sentiment!

Thank you to all who hopped from blog to blog. It was tons of fun, wasn't it! Now, as you wait for the August release, feel free to print out those digis!

Let's Get Decorating!!

Starving Artistamps has done it again!! An innovative stamp set with accompanying sentiments. Who needs to redecorate a family room or master bathroom? Now you can create endless cards and stamped projects...all with a "Trading Spaces" sort of feel! (You know you loved that show back in the day!)

Hopefully, you've just seen Irene's cards. If not, start at the beginning and leave comments on the designers' blogs until the end. Because, one of us has BLOG CANDY; but you don't know who! So...here are my examples...

I love the glitz and glam of this over sized chandelier!! I couldn't add enough bling between the rhinestones, stickles and glitterly EP!

This is one of my favorites! I stamped the window two times come create a door for the pup to sit on. The shutters became the walk way. Aren't Starving Artistamps' images so adaptable!!

To make these stainglass windows more authentic, I embossed several layers of clear embossing powder for a slick and glassy finish.

Another little detail using some flowers from an Easter set!

Know anyone with an anniversary? Make a set of Him and Her chairs!


This wainscotting is awesome...and I am certain that I will be thinking up a few more ideas for it! Love the little details of the switches and outlets!

I'm not a cat lover AT ALL...but what a handsome tiger cat!!
I use watercolor crayons and squished ink pad lids for my coloring needs.

Yes, I handdrew and then carefully cut this "at sign" out. haha. But that was before my mom reminded me that my neighbor has a Cricut! Boy, wish I had thought of that earlier...and that she wasn't out of town! But, I love the challenge of cutting out my own shapes (like the banner on the dog card). Sponging and stickles adds depth and interest to this at sign. Are you "At" home with your loved ones?

Dig out that patterned paper and use with these Vintage Furniture! Doesn't that carpeting look so lifelike? Again, with the magic of a pencil and scissors, I drew out and cut out a TABLECLOTH for this end table. Remember...TRADING SPACES...you gotta mix it up!

Now, just remember, pop up cards are hard to photograph. Esp. late at night after a really bizzaro day! (Hope to reshoot it in daylight.) But this is the front for the following pop up card.


Shazzam...a PUNNY computer generated sentiment to congratulate the receipient. Though, I now need to find out if there is a Congratulations stamp in the Doodlefactory Line and then I need to add it to my next order!
Okay, this is also in my top three of favorites...A CHRISTMAS CARD...using the new stamps. You can snuggle up with your sweetie as your wait for Midnight and Santa!

Note the reversed brad...used for the coocoo clock's hands!!

(Mistletoe...sidewise as Blogger loves to bug me out. Just neck exercises to help you get through the blog hop!)

Now remember, there is a 3 day special from the 8th-10th of July. And boy is it a GREAT one! Buy both the complete collection of stamps and coordinating sentiments and get cling cushion for them FREE. Tracey is just making it TOO easy for you guys. haha. So, again, leave comments and I'll keep my fingers crossed that YOU will be the lucky winner. And now, scamper in a doodlicious fashion off to Jenn's blog to see some more funtastic ideas!

Here are the other Designers: Donna D., Juliana, Donna B., Kathy, Lori, Lydia, Andrea, Natasha, Irene, Dawn (aka ME), Jenn, Nina, Laura, Kazan, Tracey

I'm sure you'll find tons of neat ideas and inspiration along the way!

Release Party Card #2

Remember earlier I wrote that I really liked this tree? Well, I decided to use it in the next challenge...to CASE Katie!

Here is the card I created:


I used blues and white with silver accents in the ribbon and rhinestones. I did a bit of sponging too. All this was based on Katie's card. As you can see here...

Release Party Card #1

Here is what I came up with..before I saw that there was supposed to be a bow/ribbon down the left side. Oops! But using the digi and my trusty computer, I flipped the image so it would work with this layout! The eyes have Crystal effects and there is a page pebble on the little round embellie.

It's time to HOP with PMS!

I sure hope you started at the beginning of the blog hop today. If not, turn around and start on the Paper Makeup Blog. Wasn't Kim's card neat! Today, designers are showing you the nifty digi sentiments. The more you buy, the more will be turned into rubber!! I have been learning about the advantages of digis..namely resizing and flipping images. I know there are often times that I wish the stamp images faced the opposite direction. So, digis are growing on me.

I decided to make a gate fold card for today's blog hop. Since the sentiment was fairytale like, I thought the theme of the card should also be fairy tale-ish. Thus the velvet ribbon, colors, parchment cardstock and flowers.




Now, the swirlie tree is a must have from the PMS collection. Seriously. I can be a tree or a background. For any fairy, monster or sentiment! So when you are ordering, better add a tree to your collection. I'm so glad I (finally) bought it myself!

And now my royal stamping princesses...my magical letter to bestow to you, in honor of Brant (a July fairy), is...




With that, hop on over to Meli's blog. I know she'll have some sweet eye candy...along with the next piece of the puzzle. Be sure to leave comments on all the designers' blogs so you can be in drawing for a prize! And then hop back to the PMS forum tonight at 9pm EST for some fun chatter, challenges and cheer!

A combo challenge...

Here is a card I made for a combined challenge. The Corrosive Challenge by Janet wants you to make a summery card while the CAS Challenge wants a birthday card. Well, perfect since all of my family's bdays are in the summer, except R*, the boy formerly known as C*. So I made a clean bday card with a summery image! I challenged myself a third way. It seems a lot of my CAS cards are white CAS cards. So here I used yellow for the wide expanse as well as the main image. White was only used as a mat.

Remember, tomorrow is the PMS blog hop (100% digi)...and Wednesday is the big unveiling for Starving Artistamps' latest Doodlefactory release.

New Names

Last night, my oldest child decided that he is no longer C*. He now wants to go by his middle name..which is R*. haha. I told him that his wanted to do this during the school year, he would have to gently and softly let his teachers know of the new name. I really shouldn't be surprised by this. In kindergarden, he started writing the name "Max" at the top of his papers. I guess I gave him the "wrong" name. haha. Once in a while, he would even use a pokemon name in kindergarten. But...he settled down and used C* for several years. But recently he gets annoyed when people spell his name wrong. That is a new development b/c in the past when it happened, it didn't bother him. He would just shrug it off. So...now, I am trying hard to call him by his new name.

DD also wants to start going by her middle name. So...if you talk to my kids and they don't respond, then try their middle names. Thankfully, E is still E!

Get Inspired...

Today, Paper Makeup Stamps is presenting an Inspiration challenge.



Although I have already posted this, here is my entry.



The flowers and colors were taken from the inspiration pix. Be sure to link your card to the PMS blog. Also, use the keywords: PMSMC18 when uploading to an online gallery.

Reminder!

Just a remember...The Paper Makeup Blog hop is on TUESDAY...and the Starving Artistamps reveal and blog hop will be on WEDNESDAY!!