Clean, almost simple

I've been out of town again, another Special Ed. conference, this one in Billings, MT.  The conference was good, the food was great, the best part was spending time with family again.  My husband and his siblings (9 of them) are wonderful about spending time again, and we've become very good friends as well as family.  Doesn't that make us some of the luckiest people?  The real highlight of the conference for me, however, was the presentation of a "Yes I Can!" award to one of my students who is about to graduate.  This award is given to students who have accomplished many things in spite of having disabilities.  It was very exciting to watch her accept the award as a young woman ready to go out into the world. 

As much fun as it was, I'm hopeful that I can stay home from now until the end of school, which is May 25.  That would really be nice.  I've started my graduation cards, but am way behind on my cards for the CDAC challenge.  Here is my first card (I hate to admit that), for the challenge which ends tomorrow.  I have another started and would have finished it tonight except for more family dropping in on us.  No complaint, but there are only so many hours in the day.

This gorgeous image is from Wax Fruit Company and is printed on a digital paper background called Whisper.  The brown/gold mat is from a DCWV mat stack called "Once Upon a Time," which I've had for a long time.  I've been hoarding the paper - I love the touches of glitter on every page.  I started out to color the flower with my colored pencils, and probably will do so still, but the idea of letting the lines tell the story just took over.  The flower is so lovely that it really doesn't need anything else.  This card was a congratulations for the daughter of a friend who, after 9 years, just graduated from medical school.  How exciting for our small town to celebrate such a wonderful occasion. 

Hope to be back tomorrow with my next project.  And hope you are all enjoying lovely spring weather.

SiskiyouSue

Butterflies - Zzzz

Okay, I had to make one more Z card.  This is obviously a fold that I love.  I also love these butterfly stickers from Jolee.  They're so pretty.

The flower is from Prima, the flourish is by Recollections.
Here's one more shot so you can see the beautiful paper:

 

Its another Monday morning at school, with only five more after today (I only count the mornings that I have to get up, and since I'm already out of bed, this one doesn't count already...  gets the time over faster, lol.)  Our seniors graduate on May 19 and the rest are finished on May 25, so we're down to the wire.  This is the most difficult part of the year because most of my students are either chomping at the bit to get going, or suffering major "senioritis," since they have suddenly realized that the world as they know it isn't going to exist after graduation.  Often they get so far off that after four years of hard work they put their graduation in jeopardy for the last quarter.  I do a lot of pushing, prompting and reassuring that the world will be different but still okay and that they will survive it all.  It's always interesting.

Have a good day.  If you're living in the East where there is a big storm, hope you aren't hit too badly and aren't without power for long.  If you're in the West where the hot sun is shining (it was 78 here yesterday), please remember your sunscreen before you go out!

SiskiyouSue

Challenges I've entered this card into:
Card Caravan Challenge 17 - Spring
That Craft Place Challenge 9 - anything but a square or rectangle
Stampin' Sisters 136 - Pastels
Pile It On 17 - Sparkle and Shine
Come and Get It - Z Fold (the reason for this card!)
Make It Monday 86

Windy Friday

Hello again!  The wind is howling like crazy outside, sounds like we could be working into another spring storm, but we haven't heard that something bad is coming.  In fact, the weatherperson is predicting "nice weather" on Sunday and 80 degrees on Monday.  For northern Montana in April that's amazing.  I certainly hope the report is right this time! I'd like to finish cleaning out my flower beds.  For those of you who have yards full of iris and other beautiful things, my iris are about 2 inches tall right now.  They won't bloom for another month!

This has been a messy week here.  The inside walls are all down in my living room and there is dust knee deep (well, almost) everywhere.  I think I'll do what I can tomorrow then retreat to my craft room.  So glad it's upstairs away from all of this.  I can't wait for it to be done.  Unfortunately my husband and I will be away for several days next week (I'll attend a special education conference in Billings) so we won't make much progress for a while.

Card-making saves my sanity so I've been doing a lot of it lately.  Here is one of my latest.

  I've been playing around with digital backgrounds again and this is one layer with only the flower (from A Day for Daisies) and the ribbon on top of it.  The butterfly is part of the background, so except for the ribbon there are no embellishments.  I really like how it turned out, and it was perfect to send through the mail.    The background papers are from  the Friends Fur-Ever set at Lettering Delights.  I love the color combination in the main section.  You could put so many things with it

Have a great weekend!

SiskiyouSue

Challenges I'm entering:
Crafty Ribbons Challenge
 Craft Us Crazy
Prairie Fairy Fridays
 Clearly i stamp
 Crafts for Eternity

Z-Fold #2

Here is my second Z-Fold card.  I love the glitz, which is hard to see in the picture.  The brown paisley paper is kraft embossed with gold and very, very beautiful.  Wish I had bought more than one piece...  It'll be a while before I can get back to town, but if they still have it at Joann's I'll be stocking up next time.  I've left this card blank inside so that it can be used for whatever comes along later on, birthday, anniversary, etc.

I just realized that the row of pearls on the left almost looks like spiral binding in the picture.  Too funny!

Thanks for looking tonight.  Hope you've had a great day!

SiskiyouSue

Z Folds

I've had so much fun today, making some Z-fold cards.  I think that these and the Gate-Folds are my favorites, so many interesting areas to decorate.  This is my Mother's Day card.  Yes, I'm early.  Can't help it.  I start planning and then I just have to get it done!  I'm a little bit obsessive that way.  Anyway, I think my mom will like it, that's what counts (or is it the fun I have in creating it?), lol.

The colors on my card are dark and light purple and orchid, all Core'dinations Gemstone.  Love that cardstock!  Over those is a wonderful white on white with touches of silver from Joann's Fabrics and Crafts.  The stickers are Jolee's which are always fun to use, and the flourish and double row of pearls on the orchid cardstock are Recollections.

Thanks for visiting me!  And have fun with your creations...  It's good for your soul!

SiskiyouSue

It's all about the Bears!

This card was really fun to work on.  The entire background, the ribbon, and the image (Bugaboo's Cloud Bear) were all layered digitally.  After printing them, I colored the bear and added the dots and flower.  It was made for a belated birthday, but it would have made a great baby card, don't you think?

The pink flower is felt and came from Creative Memories.  Wish I had more, it's really nice.

We have begun renovation of our living room.  The walls are almost 60 years old, and back in the 70's were covered with wood paneling.  The paneling was glued on, so in order to remove it, we have to remove the wallboard under it also.  This is what we found on the first wall, which is where my father-in-law added the living room on to the house, the original 80 or 90 year old wood siding.  Kind of interesting.  Can't wait to get it finished and see how good it looks.  After this it will be a BIG improvement!

Happy Spring!  We're on the last day of our Easter Break, and tomorrow is the first day of the countdown to the last day of school.  Hope my seniors can hang in there!  Oh, good news.  I just got word today that one of my seniors will receive the YES, I CAN! award at the state Council for Exceptional Children conference in Billings in 3 weeks.  I am so excited for her.  What a great ending to her high school career!

Have a nice week!
SiskiyouSue

Challenges I am entering this card into:
CDAC Progressive Challenge #15
Digital Tuesday Challenge
Sassy Cheryl's Challenge
Incy Wincy Designs
Make It Monday 

Easter/Spring

Hello.  It has been gorgeous here for two days, in Great Falls yesterday it got up to about 70! That's amazing for the last day in March.  It is windy again today, and probably 20 degrees cooler, but that is still above our normal.  Wow!  I can even see green in our lawn, though there are no signs of green in my flower beds yet.  I'm really jealous of those of you who have blooming things.

Anyway, here is my Easter and Spring entry.  The digi stamp is the creation of Shelly's Images, a gift for those participating in CDACPC freebie challenge.  I had a good time with it, but didn't have enough time to do what I had hoped.  Still, I'm pretty satisfied with it.  The paper is from a DCWV Premium Stack, called The Green Stack.  I really like this paper.  The sentiment is my own, and the eggs are puffy stickers.  Hope you like it. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges: 
CDA Progressive Freebie Challenges
That Craft Place Challenge
Paper Sundaes
Creative Inspirations
Come and Get It
Addicted to Stamps Challenge

Thanks for looking!  Happy Easter and Happy Spring!
SiskiyouSue