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!!!

CCEE1523 Brayers

Summer is rolling right in, so to get things rollin', show us your favorite technique using a brayer.  You can Google "stamping techniques using brayers" to get some fabulous ideas going.

Here's the square card I made using the brayer technique and a fairy silhouette image.

Please join us, and link your card to our blog HERE.

Erin's Senior Prom

Last night, Erin and her boyfriend Nick attended the Wachusett High School prom.  My daughter sent some pictures, and I'm happy to share a few with you.

CCEE1522 Tools!

Joanne has given us a DOOZY of a challenge today:

Heat Embossing
Piercing
Paper Piecing
Framing.

Wow.  I had to really think about this, and here's what I came up with:

Please join us, and link your card to our blog HERE.  See you next week!

First and Last Day of school

First Day of School for Erin

My daughter sent me these pictures of our Granddaughter Erin, and her little brother Tommy, taken on the steps of their house, one in 2003, and one in 2015.  Erin and her sidekick Tommy have sure grown up.  She is graduating from Wachusett High School on June 6th.  He is finishing his Freshman year.

When she was little, and would argue with him, I told her one day he would be bigger than she was, and to be very, very careful.  Well, he just turned 15, and look at him!

I thought this set of pictures was too good not to share.

CCEE1521 Fabric and Corrugated Paper

This week Joanne challenged us to use fabric and corrugated paper on our card /project.  The corrugated paper can be made using a crimper or already be crimped.  The fabric must be something other than ribbon.

Here's mine:

In another life I was a dressmaker.  You will laugh at this:  I have NO fabric.  I found some that I had saved from the wrapping of some apple butter made by a friend, so that dictated a Christmas card.

After sewing for so many years I ruined my hands, and subsequently had to have surgery last year on both thumbs, having bones removed.  Luckily it hasn't hampered my cardmaking!!LOL!

In addition to this cute fabric, I sewed (yes I did) with my daughter's old machine - she has my beloved Bernina - , punched out a holly strip, and added a bow with a snowflake brad.

Please join us HERE, and link your card/project.

Fabulous Grands!!

Last night I attended the Achievement Awards at Wachusett High School, where two of my grandchildren matriculate.  Erin is a Senior and Tommy is a Freshman

Erin received the Achievement Award for her Excellence in Restaurant Management.  She has just returned from Anaheim CA where (after winning the statewide competition) she competed in the National Restaurant Association Pro Start Program against 48 teams, and came in 13th.  We are going to her graduation on June 6th, and she leaves July 6th for New England Culinary Institute.  Upon graduation, she will have a Bachelor's Degree in Pastry and Baking.

Tommy is a first year Latin student.  He took the International Latin exam (along with 11,000 other freshman) and scored a Level 1 Silver Maxima Cum Laude.  The award was a certificate and a silver medal.  Not a bad start to his High School years!

We are so proud of our grands!!

 Erin is the blond, third from the right.  As the names were called, they were added to the wall below.

 Tommy is the farthest student on the right.  and is already a tall and handsome guy!

Here is Tommy after receiving his award.

Thanks for looking, and allowing me to brag about my smart (and beautiful) high schoolers!

CCEE1520 Acrylics and Inks

Joanne challenged us to create a bg using inks, but no stamps or embossing folders.  There has to be something acrylic on the card or project.  You can use stamps for the main panel, but the bg must be made without stamps or embossing folders.

My bg was made using distress ink spray in London blue and postbox RED.  I used the same colors on a manila tag, embossing, and then sponging on white acrylic paint.  Then I used Versamark and white embossing powder on the fireworks, adding gold to all the edges.  I topped it off with white ribbon, an eagle charm and brad, and gold star brads.  Whew.

Please join us on our blog, linking your card or project HERE.

CCEE1519 Three-part Challenge

Joanne is our hostess for the month of May.  Her first challenge is to use an embossing folder, brads, and a self-made flower.  (You can use dies to create the flower if you want).  Here's mine:

As you can see, I went with my favorite color combination (and Joanne's too!), and the music embossing folder.  Joanne Travis was kind enough to send me these petals and leaves, which I curled and layered for my flower, and used a white brad to hold it together.  I finished off with a strip of white cs, black gingham ribbon, and brads.

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

CCEE1518 National Astronomy Day

Our last challenge from Frances this month is to make a card/project which includes stars.  Here's mine:

I just couldn't resist using starfish, and as an afterthought added not only a star, but a star saying.

Please join us, linking your card/project to our blog HERE.  See you again next week!

Crafting with Richele Christensen - The Whole Weekend! (Long Blogpost!)

Our fabulous LSS, Absolutely Everything in Topsfield MA, invited Tim Holtz distressing expert Richele Christensen for three classes.  My friend Julia Aston (artystamper at SCS) told me it was registering, so I hustled and signed up with her for all three.  Here are the results............

Distress is Best Class - cards

Down By The Sea Mini Configuration Book

 This is the inside (with the lantern unlit

 Here is the front

Here is the inside again, with the lantern lit in the upper corner, center.

The second day...............

Collection Folio

I know it's a lot to take in, but guess what it was like making these fabulous projects!!

Be sure to check out Richele's blog HERE.

CCEE1517 Hug an Australian Day

Frances challenged us today to use a cute critter that we think is huggable (and bonus points is we use an animal native to Australia.  Of course, I used a Koala Bear!

I think he's just plain adorable.  Don't you?

Please join us HERE on our blog so we can see your cute critter too!

CCEE1516 A Favorite Book for Inspiration

Our challenge today is an inspiration, as this is National Librarian Day.  We are to use a book (children's or adult's) on which to base our cards.  Here's mine:

One of my favorites is "The Time Traveler's Wife".  I thought this beautiful large image was perfect for portraying beauty, travel, and pensiveness (as she wonders where Henry is, and what year it may happen to be!).

The color didn't show up well, but it's in lavender and purple.  I added some die cut poppies and a ribbon to finish it off.

Please join us, and let us know your favorite book too!

CCEE1515 Stencil

Our challenge from Frances today is to use a stencil.  Easy peasy!

My card uses a single stencil that I bought about 15 years ago in the wallpaper department. I guess it was about time I used it!!

Please join us the fun and show us your stencil!

CCEE1514 Humor

Our hostess for the month of April, Frances challenged us to make a card using either a funny sentiment or a humorous image or both.  Yesterday was April Fool's Day, and this month is National Humor Month, so show us some fun!!

Here's mine:

I used some crimping and piercing to go along with my funny image.  The inside says, "Heard you caught a bug.  Hope you get rid of it soon!"

Please join us.

I'm the hostess

...of course with the mostest.  LOL.  This week I am the hostess at SCS for the Technique Lover's Challenge.  I challenged the group to make a card using only cardstock, and in only one color (but not white).  Here are my samples:

I hope you will try this!

CCNS Challenge # 78 Bunnies Rule!

Here's my card for this week's challenge at Classy Cards n Such..........HERE.

These bunnies are in a hurry....only a week to go!

CCEE1513 Lamb

March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb (we hope!).  My final challenge this month is to make a card using the image of a lamb.  If you have no lambs, you may use any farm animal.

On my card, an escapee is going to have a better day than his pasture-mates, for sure!

Please join us, linking your card to our blog HERE.  Thanks for joining me this month.

CCEE1512 Weather

We expect March winds. This week I have challenged the CCEE Stampers to make a card with a weather theme.  Here's mine:

I thought this get well card (with the funny panel) would be great for a guy friend who can use soon cheer.

Please join us, linking your card HERE, and join me again next week for my last challenge of March.