My Time Made Easy Release Peek!

Good Morning!  I hope everyone (in the US anyway) is enjoying the long weekend, and have been getting to spend time with those you love most!


I can honestly say that I have.  Got to spend time with some old friends on Saturday, and yesterday was spent  at home, just the four of us - we went to the beach, and did some gardening.  It was a good day.  This morning we're off to march a parade for Memorial Day, and then it will be getting geared up to go back to school/work tomorrow.


Speaking of old friends...I had lost touch with one of my CLOSEST friends, for about 10 years or so...not really sure what happened, if it was that we were in different places in our lives, or what, but thanks to Facebook (and a little guidance from another friend) I found her!  Her name is Amanda, and we used to be really tight.  Could spend HOURS on the phone, you know the GF you tell EVERYTHING.  We went through a lot together.  I'm so glad to have found her again, and she doesn't even live that far away...yet.


Now that I've tracked her down, it appears as though she's fallen in love, and is making a BIG move to Florida to be with her boyfriend.  I'm happy for her, though a little sad for me.  I was looking forward to catching up on time lost face to face, but I guess I will have to settle for Facebook ;).  (I promise, I'm getting to the point here!).  Next week, her parents are throwing her a going away party, and I plan on heading up there to see her one last time before she moves south.  I decided to make her a little something to take with her, in the event of getting home sick...

The Tabbed Tea Box template from My Time Made Easy came to my rescue!!  I thought it would be fun to make a project with it that doesn't use tea, actually.  You see, the additional cut file, Time for Tea Bag made a  PERFECT little 'folder' for a piece of chocolate, and a little note, some funny, some sappy, so if she gets a little homesick, she can head to the box of chocolates for a smile.  I did resize the tea bag (width 3.10" height 7.29") in order for the width to be small enough to fit through the opening on the front of the box.

The box itself has panels featuring some NEW digi paper form the Candied Apple Jack collection.  The tag uses images from the A Spot of Tea stamp set, and is colored with my Copics.

On the Time for Tea Bag folders, I stamped an image from A Spot of Tea in white on the outside, and in Brilliance chocolate on the inside panels...in the photo - I show you one opened, with the note that tucks in the pocket on the right, while the chocolate is in the pocket on the left -- the Ghiardelli squares fit PERFECTLY in this resized version of the tea bag, and also one closed.

So what do you think??  If you didn't come here from Lauren's, Lesa's, Geny's or Dawn's blogs, be sure to go see theirs as well...LOTS of goodies to peruse today!!

Thanks for stopping by, and check back tomorrow - it's release day, and the whole design team will have lots of inspiration to share!!

Take a Moment Today...

This is a photograph by John Gaffney -- I think it speaks volumes.

This is my friend Josh Dukes, he is a member of the 3rd US Army Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard.  Each year, he and his comrades, plus many many more service men and women head out to Arlington Cemetery and place flags and each and every of the near 300,000 graves of the fallen buried there.  What an honor to be a part of something so amazing.

I started to think the other day about how this weekend has turned into a reason to shop, picnic, barbecue and head to the beach...and thought how awful that those who died are not remembered more...

Then I thought a little more, and really think, hey - you know what??  These men and women died so that we COULD celebrate the way we want.  So, this weekend -- I hope you DO take time to remember those that fought so that you can celebrate FREELY with those you love, celebrate what they gave to you, and give thanks to those who continue to fight today.  Celebrate their lives.

I do have a card -- I used Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try for this week, and it will be going to one of my favorite Marines...

So to those serving today, and those who have gone before you... THANK YOU...

Testing... Testing.... *tap* *tap* *tap*

Just making sure this thing works, since I haven't been here in forever...lol.  Sorry I haven't been around - just been SUPER busy with all sorts of things - birthday parties, school events, and even a date with my hubby!


First off -- thank you to those who have sponsored me for the Relay for Life -- it means a lot to me...I appreciate it!!


I DO have some cards to share with you today -- but I thought I'd share a few photos from my outing to NYC last weekend.  I got to meet one of my friends from Splitcoaststampers in real life last weekend.  While a bunch of the ladies from our "Group" were meeting up in Michigan, I got to go on a date with my hubby to NYC, and meet Samantha and her husband Chris.  We had BEYOND perfect weather, and just enjoyed the day.  We went up to the "Top of the Rock" at Rockefeller Center - take a look at these views:

Now, I had to laugh, because it really was such a PERFECT day -- LOOK at the sky in the photo of the Rockefeller building, doesn't it look fake???  like the building was superimposed on the sky... but nope, that's the real deal!

Breathtaking views of the skyline from every angle.  

We had a great day - and Samantha and Chris were so much fun to hang out with...too bad we live on opposite sides of the country, and can't do it more often!

Now, onto the cards... I made these for my two nieces...this first one features an image from a new to me company called Woodware USA.  I got a few sets at CKC Manchester.  I thought they were SUPER cute.  Moreso for my older daughter to use for cards for her friends, but hey - she gets to use my stuff, I get to use hers too, right??  ;-).

The background was made with Papertrey's Dot Spot set.  The Woodware stamps are great quality photopolymer, stamped crisp and clean too -- check them out HERE

My second card for today uses Dot Spot again - and a great set from My Time Made Easy called Puckered Up Patterns - in fact, there is a sale on this set NOW -- so head on over to the store and get YOURS today!!  I used the large pattern from Puckered up Patterns on the kraft piece on the bottom.  I stamped the images from Dot Spot randomly in different colored summery colors.  Finished it off with a faux bow, and a big fat button.

Thanks for stopping by today!!  Hope you're all having a GREAT weekend!!

Supplies:


Just for You card:
Stamps: Mary and Friends (Woodware USA), Dot Spot (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Memento Black, Berry Sorbet (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Lemon Tart, Berry Sorbet (All Papertrey Ink), One Sheet Wonder (Couture Cardstock)
Accessories: Berry Sorbet Swiss dot ribbon, Copics


Fabulous Day Card:
Stamps: Dot Spot, Signature Greetings (Papertrey Ink), Puckered Up Patterns (My Time Made Easy)
Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink), Lime, cumquats (SEI), Versamark, Memento brown
Paper: One Sheet Wonder (Couture Cardstock) Kraft (SU!)
Accessories: Raspberry Fizz swiss dot ribbon, Orange Zest Buttons

Please Support My Relay...

Hello all --


Sorry I've been so quiet.  It's been a busy time around here - but know that I'm working on NEW stuff from My Time Made Easy for June!  YIPPEEEE!


But my post today does not contain any cards.  Just a quick plea to support me in my upcoming Relay for Life.  I realize that so many people are involved in their own communities, but I thought I would reach out, just in case you are interested.


My first relay was 3 years ago, a month and a half after my uncle died from Cancer, just about a month after my friend Pam's husband died of Cancer, and at the time, Lauren Meader's daughter Alexa was fighting against leukemia.  What a moving experience.  We had a big storm blow through during the day (big enough to overturn tents, and down trees) - but no one left...the luminary ceremony went on just as planned...If you have never been to a relay, I highly recommend going, it is a truly moving experience.

This year, I've unfortunately had to add more names to my fundraising page, with the most recent addition being Eddie, whom I just posted about on my blog a few weeks ago...

So, if you would -- click on that little button in the upper left of my blog, and donate to a worthy cause, no amount is too small...pennies make nickels, nickels make dimes...it all adds up.

Thanks so much -- it means the world to me, and everyone you will help.

{{HUGS}}

Tracey

My Time Made Mother's Day Easier :) No PEEKING MOM!

I can hardly believe it's the weekend again already!  That's ok though, it's been one heck of a week!  I'm exhausted!

Anyway - I'm glad you could join me today, it's the last day of projects from the DT for the May My Time Made Easy Release.  There have been SO many cool projects this month, I've loved them all.  Today, I'm sharing the Boxed Lunch Pretty Packaging Template with you.  Of course -- I didn't plan very well, seeing as Lauren already gave my Mom one of these templates...but now she'll have a pair ;).  lol.

My brother, sister and I decided to chip in and get mom a Pandora charm bracelet for Mother's Day this year.  Mom is always SO HARD to buy for - and the nice thing about this is that as time goes on, we can get her more charms to fill her bracelet...I love this idea.  Now, originally, my color scheme for my project would have been perfect, had I gone with my original plan for the bracelet, which was to get charms with our birthstones, but when I saw them in person, I didn't really care for them. So I decided on Murano glass beads instead, and chose colors that I think well represented the three of us...

Yes, yes, I know, you aren't here to hear about the bracelet...lol.  Sorry -- I get carried away!  Onto the template.  I used some Candied Apple Cardstock from Couture Cardstock for my base and lid.  Then I used one of the patterns from the Retro Lunch