Black & White

In honor of our new NBA CHAMPIONS, my home-team, the SAN ANTONIO SPURS, we were challenged this week in my Stampin' Up! group to create using only black & white (and some silver if we wanted). So here's what I've come up with so far.

I love creating with black & white. It gives everything such an elegant & classy look. It's not over powering, so you can add a ton of little embellishments without it getting overwhelming. Love, love, love this challenge!

Too Much of A Good Thing...

...is most definitely a GOOD THING! Lol. I absolutely LOVE creating things- cards, scrapbooks, tote bags, hair bows, t-shirts. Oh the list goes on & on! Right now I'm lost in pure bliss playing with my newest goodies from Stampin' Up! 

I've been a SU demonstrator off & on since around 2006 & this is the longest I've committed myself to it 150% and I must say, I'm glad that I did! I'm learning so many new things & meeting so many amazing new people...bonus, I'm getting some much needed - and very much deserved - ME TIME to create! Here's some of my latest creations from this week before Fathers Day.

 Hope you enjoy looking (and "casing" lol) as much as I enjoyed creating! 

Balance

So it seems that every time I get some "me time" it's so few & far between that I tend to go a bit overboard & then I suffer so-called burn out from one of the things I love most- CRAFTING!!! Lol. So I've placed 3 new Stampin' Up! orders in the last few weeks & have yet to use ANYTHING I've ordered- until yesterday! I broke out all my new "Big Girl Toys" & got creative! I managed to make 36 cards to use as my swaps at our monthly meetings - which means I'm good for the next 3 months! I also made several single cards of varying sentiments to always keep on hand. Being that I've been at my lovely craft table the last two days, I'm in need of a little break. But here's where the title of my post comes in... I need balance! I love being a stay at home wife & homeschool mom, but I'm also a woman who loves to craft! I know I need more me time. Time in my Word & prayer, time to rest & meditate on God's plans for my life & time to kick back, relax & have fun! Soooo, here's what I've done the last TWO DAYS! 

Me Time!

Finally! Some much needed me time! I was actually able to create some super cute cards using my newest Stampin' Up! sets, punches, cardstock & designer papers. I had a blast! 

Feeling Crafty

It's so rare for me to get some time all to myself to create. Being a stay at home mom, many people assume I have all the free time in the world. Ha! How I wish that were true! With homeschooling all 3 of my kids (ages 12,13, & 14), taking care of cooking, dishes, laundry, & all the other miscellaneous housework, I cherish the few moments I am finally able to sit down & get "crafty". I love crafts! I'm a craft hoarder! Lol. One day, I'm going to carve out an entire weekend devoted to just me & crafting...maybe then I'll finally get to use up some of the massive amounts of craft supplies I have! But for tonight, I was able to steal away for 15 minutes & came up with this cute card. I enjoyed it!

 

Sickness Sucks

Ok, so when your kids are sick, it's naturally your mothers instinct that kicks in & allows you to fight off the fatigue & illness & care for your kiddos. But what happens when your husband gets sick? Yup, that's the boat I'm in now. Daddy seemed to have escaped the "plague" (flu) that had visited us all a couple of weeks ago, but yesterday, it hit him & it hit him HARD! So, I've been running around ragged caring for my sick hubby. He's actually got it WORSE than the kids had it. So what to do? 

Well obviously, the ONLY thing to do is suck it up & care for him. Lol. Whoever said being a homemaker wasn't a job has clearly never been one! 

Long Break

Obviously it's been a while since I last posted. Being that as I yet I still don't  have any followers, I don't really see a problem with this (lol). 

Things have changed (obviously) in the past couple of years. I'm getting ready to celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary this April, my youngest "baby" will be 12 this March, my oldest will be 15 in May & my middle child just turned 13 in October 2013. I'm almost 33 & the mother of two teens & a pre-teen. Where did the time go? 

Hopefully I'll be able to actually maintain my blog this time around, if for nothing else, so I can write these notes to myself. Ha!