Best Friends and Better Together Imagine Cartridge

Ok - so here's the honest truth.  I have made a few cards this past week but have not posted them because I didn't feel they were "blog-worthy."  I have younger children and I just don't want to put a bunch of embellishments on their cards or spend hours creating when there is that very real potential that they will be fed to the dog or given to their 1 year old sister to practice her paper-tearing techniques.  I know it is horrible - I should want to spend just as much time and attention on cards for my own children as I do on cards for people I don't know as well but if you lived here and saw what happens to most of the things my children are given, I think you would probably take my side on this one.  Here are the cards:

Imagine More Cards "Rocket Birthday"

It is my father-in-laws birthday tomorrow and I do not consider myself the best at making "guy" cards.  I love glitter, ribbon, and all those other embellishments that lend themselves toward the girly cards.  I had been playing with this cart all day so I decided to try my hand at the cute rocket ship and see what I could come up with.  I was really pleased with how it turned out but I have to say......I don't think I ever want to spend that much time placing "skittles" on a card again - Lol!  The "recipe" is as follows:
4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card base in white
2 - 3/4" x 5 1/2" rectangles flooded with the blue striped pattern - obviously, the simpler method would be to flood an  A2 size rectangle instead of cutting two strips but I like to conserve my paper.
2 3/4" x 5 1/2" rectangle flooded with yellow polka-dot pattern
3 7/8" x 4 1/8" rectangle flooded with red polka-dot pattern (I rounded the corners with a punch)
Rocket ship was cut in layers at 3" and pop-dotted
Dark brown eyelets set
Lots of "skittles" :) - I have found Zots small round dots to work perfectly for adhering these to my cards
All paper was inked with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in "Tea Dye"

Imagine More Cards "Friend" Card

I am on a roll with this cart - lol!  All images and papers were once again cut from the Imagine More Cards cart.  The recipe is as follows:
4 1/2" x 5 1/2" card base in dark brown cardstock from Hobby Lobby (no specific color)
2 - 2 1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangles flooded with patterns from IMC and slightly overlapped
3 1/8" x 3 3/4" rectangle using SU Gable Green cardstock and cuttlebugged with "Swiss Dots"
"Friend" and all layers were cut at 3 1/2" and pop-dotted
Light Pink Ribbon
My Mind's Eye sparkly brads
All papers were inked with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in "Tea Dye"

Imagine More Cards "You're Just My Type"

Here is my second card using the Imagine More Cards cart.  I am still loving being able to print my own paper but I am really glad I was able to get in on the free ink promotion as I have been using my Imagine quite a bit!  I would never trade this machine for my Expression, but I do love it.  Here is the card "recipe":
4 1/4" x 5 1/2" white card base
1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangle flooded with pink polk-a-dot pattern for bottom strip
3 3/4" x 5 1/2" rectangle flooded with checkerboard pattern
1 3/8" x 5 1/2"  rectangle flooded with blue stripe pattern
1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangle - brown paper (no specific color) from Hobby Lobby
Typewriter images cut in layers at 3 1/2" and pop-dotted
Blue buttons
All images inked with Tim Holtz's Distress ink in "Tea Dye"

Imagine More Cards Telephone Card

It has been such a great afternoon!  With the blizzard here in northwest Indiana, we have all been snowed in and there couldn't have been a more perfect opportunity for making some cards!  I just received the Imagine More Cards cartridge on Saturday and I am just loving the images on this cart.  They are perfect for so many different occasions and so easy to put together.  The card recipe for this card is as follows:
4 1/4 x 5 1/2" card base in dark brown (no specific color as I bought it from Hobby Lobby)
2 - 2 1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangles flooded with patterns from IMC cart and slightly overlapped
Telephone image cut in layers at 3 1/2"
Pink gross-grain ribbon from SU
Clear "skittles"
Pop dots
All images inked with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in "Tea Dye"

Home at Last!!

This morning marked the big day.  Last night, I had everything laid out that my children could possibly need for this morning to eliminate any last-minute stressers.  Their outfits were neatly laid out, the baby's diaper bag was packed, the coats were ready, the table was set, all my accompaniments were in my music folder, etc......and then my son spiked a fever of 103 during the middle of the night.  I don't know what it is about being a parent but anytime anything important comes up that you "just can't miss", that's when someone becomes ill.  I have almost come to expect it at holidays.  While most people are filled with thoughts of what dish to bring or whose home they will be traveling to, I am trying to imagine which child will be sick and with what.  After phoning my mom with the news, my parents graciously offered to come to my home this morning to watch the children instead of having me transport them over there. 
I had forgotten just how noisy these competition days were.  It was very chaotic - people scrambling to find the correct room, music flying out of someone else's hands, someone frantically running to track down the missing ensemble member for their instrumental group because they were due to perform within the next few minutes.......it makes me thankful, once again, to be done with highschool.  All in all, the day went well and I was able to make it back to my sick little boy by 3:30 p.m.  He is still not feeling well, but at least he has his Mommy home at last!

What a week!

Good morning, bloggers!!   What a crazy week this has been!  I had hoped to have a few new cards posted by today but I have found myself having absolutely 0 minutes of free time since last weekend.  One of my piano students phoned me last Friday night in a panic.  Every year, the state instrumental competitions are the last weekend of January.  Most of my students take a second instrument as they are encouraged to be in band class at their schools.  Up until my baby was born 1 1/2 years ago, I had my name on the list of available accompanists in the area but when our little girl was born, I removed my name because I wanted to take a break for a couple years.  Now, you would think that since this is an annual competition, the highschoolers would be well aware that they need to hire an accompanist early on for their solo but such is not the case.  No - they prefer to wait until the last possible second.  Lol  Long story short - my student called me as she and several friends did not have an accompanist and they had 7 days until their competition.  She dropped off the music on Saturday - except for one girl who couldn't find two pages of her accompaniment part. :(  I have since been working on scheduling practices and hurriedly learning several pieces of music for this Saturday.  I have to admit, I am not looking forward to sitting all day at a highschool filled with hundreds of people even though it pays well.  I did, however, purchase two new carts as I felt I had earned at least that much and I hope to share some new cards this next week.  Have a great day!!