Erin and Nick

Today I posted something on SCS regarding our beautiful granddaughter Erin, and her long-time boyfriend Nick.  I thought I should post some pics so you could see them.

CCEE1550 Leap Seconds

Our hostess Joanne says:

"Did you know?  There are occasional "LEAP SECONDS" added to the official year.  They help to correct minor variations in time.  On DECEMBER 31, 2015, the folks who maintain the official time for the planet will add an extra second to the day!  To honor this, the challenge for this week is to incorporate time into  your card.....a clock, a date, a watch, etc.

Here are the outsides and insides of my card.

We have a friend and neighbor who is a clock and watch repair person.  He repairs not only ours, but some from all over the world.  He maintains clocks for museums, did the one for the Chinese exhibit at the Peabody-Essex Museum, and repaired a clock that was purchased at auction for 2+ MILLION dollars!!  This will be a thank you card for him (he never charges us!)

The background is a clock embossing folder, sponged in Suede.  The tag has sepia and suede ink, and uses rubber stamps of pocket watches, old men (Stampendous/Tim Holtz), and a saying.  I added a strip of burlap to the tag, along with some brass metallic paper run through the cb with a Sizzix die, and put together with a brass brad.

This is our last challenge of the year.  I hope you will find time to join us, adding your card to our blog HERE.

 Happy Holidays to you all!

CCEE1549 National Roof Over Your Head Day

To celebrate this day, Joanne, our hostess, challenged us to make a card with a house or building on it.  She said it's a day to be thankful for those of us who are fortunate enough to have a safe home to live in, and to think about those around the world who do not.

There is snow lightly sponged in blue,, and fair weather clouds at the top.

 This house has a number of stamps that go with it for other holidays.  The trick is to get them to line up...........even with my Stamp-a-majig I had trouble.  This may be the only one you will see.

Speaking of seeing.....see you next week for our last challenge for 2015.

CCEE1548 Black Friday

Today is Thanksgiving and tomorrow is Black Friday in the USA.  Many will be taking advantage of the sales.  Our challenge was to create a card with a shopping theme, and the card must also have included the color black on it somewhere.

This gal is having a great time shopping, in her black high heel boots.  I'm just glad it's not me!!

Please join us, adding your card to our blog HERE.

CCEE1547 Universal Children's Day

Tomorrow is Universal Children's day.  Let's create a card featuring a child having fun of some type.

Herre's a kid all set to play some ball......kinda looks like John, our youngest grand!

Please join us, linking your card HERE

CCEE1546 Sesame Street Inspiration

Frances' challenge to us is in celebration of Sesame Street.  The 10th of November marks 46 years since the show began.  Create a card inspired by the show (something related to a character, cookies, or feature a letter, etc.)

I chose our BIG yellow friend, Big Bird.  This stamp is from the Tim Holtz set Crazy birds, and I just love them.

Join us and link your card HERE.  See you next week.

CCEE1545 Look For Circles Day

According to the Holiday Insight website, The 2nd of November was LOOK FOR CIRCLES DAY.  Frances challenged us in her first this month to create a card using circles.  How many can you include on your card????

I didn't even count how many circles I used....Perhaps you would like to count them for me??

Please join us, linking your card to our blog HERE.

CCEE1544 Down Under

For her last challenge, Maryann asked us to create a card with something down under.  It could be under the sea, or a tree, under an umbrella, or even from down under in the world.

Mine with a mermaid is from under the sea.  I love this little image from Whipper Snapper!

Please join us!

CCEE1543 Reflections

Maryann challenged us this week to create something with reflections - it could be a mirror,or on water,, or a verse that looks into the past.

My card shows a cat seeing himself as a lion.   The large image is inside a mirrored frame.  Both images are retired from MFP.

Please join us, linking your card HERE.

CCEE1542 Acetate

Maryann challenged us to use acetate today.

The acetate on my card is between the two shades of green, and is printed with white script.  Please join us!

CCEE1541 Chocolate Combination

We couldn't be female without some CHOCOLATE in our lives.  Make a card using a chocolate combination - chocolate and pink, chocolate and green, or chocolate and vanilla.

I used the combination of chocolate and vanilla, and threw in a bit of cherry for fun (who doesn't LOVE chocolate covered cherries???).  I thought this old advertisement for French Chocolate was wonderful.

Please join us, and link your card HERE.

CCEE1540 Block Card

Well, this was a fun challenge from our October hostess, Maryann Einam.  She gave us two tutorials to watch to make our card/project today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H6Kveu0ctc and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkK9r2taoms

Here's the block card I made:

I used SU's set, Happy Fall, Y'all for my words, done in markered distress ink, and the leaves are Lawn Fawn Stitched Leaves.  I think it's really cute.  I'll next make an envie to send this (5 x 6 1/2 to give it enough room).  

Thanks for looking.  Please join us, linking your card HERE.

CCEE1539 National Cherries Jubilee Day

As our last challenge for the month of September, Lois asked us to make a cherries card in honor of this National Day. (YUM!)

How cool I could find a small piece of paper that was perfect, covered with cherries.  I even had a sentiment that went with it!!!

Please join us, and be sure to link your card HERE.

CCEE1538 Citizenship Day

Today Lois challenges us to make a Patriotic card , or one indicating our heritage.  I chose Patriotic, as I send cards to my Uncle Warren (Korean War), son Paul (Desert Storm), and neighbor Brad (Viet Nam) for Veteran's Day.  I think I like this well enough to make three of them!

The image and words (inside it says "Thank you for your service") are from Taylored Expressions, and includes the die cut.  The hardest part of this card was pressing together the snap stars!!

Thanks for looking, and I hope you will join us, linking your card HERE .

CCEE1537 Swap Ideas Day

Lois challenged us to make a card using a technique we've learned and want to share.  I thought up this technique, using ONLY one color of cardstock (but not white!).  Here is my card using my lavender cardstock.

If you look closely, you can see the punches (Halloween fence, graves, owl, moon, spiders, bats), die cuts (clouds, hat, ghosts, cat, branch), and I cut pieces for the hilly graveyard.  Please join us, linking your card HERE.

NBUS Challenge #5

I'm entering this card in the NBUS Challenge #5.

The theme is Anything Goes.  The rule is that you must use Never Before Used SCHTUFF!!

My NBUS is a Bushel of Apples die cut from Obsession Impressions, and also the Accordian Fancy Label from Elizabeth Crafts Designs.

I die cut Twiggy Tree from Memory Box, and punched green leaves with my Martha Stewart Punch.

Paper:  RED, white, tan, green
Ink: Sepia Versafine
Sentiment: Country Apple from Stampin' Up

Thanks for looking!

CCEE1536 Skyscraper Day

Lois is our hostess for the  month of September.  Today is her birthday (Happy Birthday girlfriend!!)...also that of Louis Sullivan, the architect credited with designing the first skyscraper in 1856.  Today's challenge is a Word Play.......include on your card something that starts with each of the letters in CITY.

Here's my card:

Did you figure out the letter items??

C = city, clown, circus, clouds, clumps of grass, clubs

I = Indian Clubs (for juggling)

T = tent, tie (polka dotted), trees

Y = yellow (hair, tent, sun, clubs)

Please join in the fun this week!!

CCEE1535 Bow Tie Day

For the last of August, Frances has challenged us to include some sort of bow tie on our cards, in appreciation of Bow Tie Day (tomorrow).

I couldn't resist these three blind mice I found on the web, and saved in my digis.  The bg is a Rubbernecker stamp.

Please join us, linking your card to our blog HERE

CCEE1534 Lemonade Day

Our challenge this week is to make a card featuring lemonade, lemons, or other fruit beverage.

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!  I used an old retired MFP image on some wonderful nestie dies.  Please join in on this fun challenge, and be sure to add it to our BLOG as well.

CCEE1533 Screen Divider Card

Frances challenged us this time to make a screen Divider card.  Here's mine:

This card is layered in vanilla and gray.  The cats are of course all in black.  The twine is red and white.  My girlfriend Cheryl has six cats..........this is obviously for her!!

CCEE1532 National Golf Month

In honor of National Golf Month, our challenge is to make.....DUH....a golf themed card.  Extra points for green.

Obviously our Minion has lost his ball in the deep rough.  My eldest son, David, conducts a lot of work on the golf course.  He also loves the minions, so this card will be perfect for his birthday next January.  I hope I can find it then!!

Please join us, this week and every week.

CCEE1531 Honoring Harry Potter

Tomorrow is Harry Potter's birthday.  The challenge from Lynn is to create a card of some kind that honors this amazing literary character.  Here's mine:

These are Harry's glasses and his books......he learned how to cast spells.  He also wears glasses.  The bg is purple.........and everything is versamarked and I used white embossing powder.  I hope you like it.  Please join us here:  http://www.cceestampers.blogspot.com/.

CCEE1530 Watercolor Bokeh

This week Lynn has given us a technique challenge - Watercolor Bokeh.  there is a great tutorial oon SCS that let us know how it is done.

Here's mine:

My card was made with cocoa, sand and crumb cake inks on watercolor paper.  Then I added white craft ink using different sized circles.  That was the background.  Then I stamped my favorite SU image from Lovely as a Tree.  I think this makes a great guy card.

Please join us here at http://www.cceestampers.blogspot.com/

Jake is 16!

Jake came home from fishing in Maine to celebrate his birthday.  His mother baked a cake, and brought it along with them.  Dad was at home taking some meds for a bad back, so there was more cake for Mimi, Buppa, and Great Gram.

 Here is Jake trying to light a match for the candles.  (We KNOW he will never be an arsonist!)

 Mom took over.

 Jake getting ready to blow out the candles..........but

 ...we faked him out by singing to him again.  His actual birthday was the 16th, so we called him and sang loudly and off key into the phone.  He thought that would be the last of it.....but oh no!!

 Here is the first present he asked for................

 ....and the second.  He can always count on his Mimi to get what he wants.

This is from Buppa.....music  from Nickleback for his guitar.

We enjoyed out cake, visiting, and off they went.  We can't believe he is already 16, and learning to drive!  WOW!

CCEE1529 Under the Sea

Things are hot this time of year in Texas.  What better place to cool off than underwater.  Lynn challenged us to create an underwater scene.

Here's mine.....please join us!

CCEE1528 Card of Friendship

This week our challenge from Lynn says...This Friday is Cheer Up the Lonely Day.  Make a card of friendship and send it someone you know who lives alone.

My BFF is in FL, and loves flowers.  This will go to her.

Please feel free to join us!

CCEE1527 - Celebrate the 4th!

Lynn is our hostess for the month of July.  Her challenge to us is to make a card showing how we will celebrate the 4th of July.

For the past 35 years, we have had family and friends come here for a cookout, and to enjoy the pool, hot tub, games, and conversation.    I do all the work, and when it's over, I'm exhausted.  Not only that, there are so many people, I don't get to enjoy being with any of them. This year, we have decided enough is enough.  No plans.

I intend to sit in my bathing suit (no, it's not RED) by the pool, in the hot tub, and enjoy some peace and quiet.......also a margarita or two.  Here's my card:

Shopping Day!

I took my two granddaughters, Erin and Sam, out to their favorite stores (eight of them I think) for a little shopping with Grandma.  No limits, just fun.  We were gone for four hours, but that includes a lunch as well.  When we got home, there was a fashion show for Grampy and great Grammy.  I can't show you their purchases, but here they are afterwards.

Here are the girls, Erin on the left, Sam on the right, with me, then DH, then Great Grammy.

Aren't these girls beautiful???  YES!

CCEE1526 Wedding

For our last challenge in June, the theme is weddings or wedding cakes.  I couldn't resist this sentiment to go with the little cake:

See you next week with another fun challenge.........for the month of July.

CCEE1525 Long Cards

The challenge for this week is to make long cards, in honor of the longest day of the year, June 21st.

Please join us, and be sure to link your card HERE

CCEE1524 Roses

The flower for the month of June is roses. There are so many varieties and they come in so many pretty colors and shades.  Make a card or project that makes use of a rose or a bouquet of roses.

For my card, I used Stippled Roses from Stampin' Up, and a Hero Arts sentiment.  They are stamped in black on white vellum, and colored on the reverse side with cameo and celery reinkers and a paint brush.  To hold the vellum on the card, I pierced four holes, and inserted celery brads.

Please join us in this challenge, linking your card or project to our blog HERE.

Samantha graduates

Here's our girl!

Sam is on the left.....best friends!

Cutie pie on right, wearing a lei and showing off her diploma

Hand shaking of course!

And getting a last hug!

Now that our two best girls have graduated, here they are together, and aren't we lucky to have these beauties!!

Erin Graduates!

Here's our girl!

Before Graduation in cap and gown with Honor Society cord.

Receiving the Chamber of Commerce Scholarship from the Principal.

Erin and Nick before the awarding of the diplomas.  Aren't they cute?



Four hundred and eighty four graduates, fabulous band and chorus, and air-conditioned room.  What could be better?  Both sets of Erin's grandparents were there (even Omi and Grampy from Arizona!)

Erin will be home for a month before she leaves for college......whew!  Did the time fly!!!