Cheapy $1 car cups turned FABULOUS

We decorated those little plastic car cups at MOPS this last week. I can't believe I've never bought one of those at the dollar store before! So many possibilities!

So this year in MOPS, anther lady & I are in charge of crafts. My friend was in charge of crafts last year and I just loved our projects! I feel like I have a huge role to fill just by following her! Luckily, there's two of us to do it ;)

I am so excited for our meeting in October. It's on "Love & Logic", a parenting style. I heard someone speak on it before and boy did my interest get peaked! Having a teenager in the house is more trying than I thought it would be. My job as a mother is to ensure that when gown up, my kids love Jesus and are respectful to others (pretty much sums it up I think). Right now, I don't know for certain if I'm winning that battle with my teen. The biggest lesson that I have learned this year is "Your response is your responsibility". That not only applies to my kids, but to the adults in the home as well. I have to trust that even though she is not acting the way I hope she will someday, she is seeing a good example in me and will keep that in her heart for later on in life.

This year has been a tough one and it doesn't seem to be letting up. Just got the news that my father in Georgia has a brain tumor. When it happens to you, it's not like how you imagine others felt when it happens to them. My mind is jell-o about it. Like mush. I've been trying to collect my thoughts about it and can't... so I craft.

Embossed Birdy card

This was the other make & take from my last workshop. This card was less in depth but took longer as I let all the ladies pick their own paper. We used the "Everyday Enchantment" designer series paper, which is pictured below.

We also used cardstock and patterned paper from the 2011-2013 in colors, seen below.

Whoooo's birthday?

I made this card for a lady in my community. I believe it's for her nieces 1st birthday :) So many layers, so much texture. i LOVE it! Some fun things I did on this card: --distressed using sandpaper and razor blades --paper pieced the owl (stamped him in pink first, cut out his eyes & belly, then glued them on top of a brown stamped image) --made a paper medalion (maybe this will be the next tutorial I do?) --threaded a (very) cool button with patterned paper instead of thread

Fathers day card

this was made for my fantastic mr. he is the kind of guy who loves to get dressed up and collects ties. he is also the kind of guy who adopts his wife's kids from a previous marriage to make sure they have the best father figure around & that they always know that he considers them "his" kids. the kind of guy women dream of meeting. yep, he's a pretty fantastic guy. know what else he is? MINE. i made my own patterned paper (background) by stamping ties in a pattern on white cardstock. these stamps are 2-step stamps. that means the outline is one image & the fill in is the other. for the main image of the tie, i stamped just the outline onto patterned paper & cut it out. the rest of it is layered & ink distressed. to all the fathers out there, happy day to you! Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Blue bird card

Get it? This birdie is blue cause it's thinking of you (and it misses you)! :) Background piece is embossed with cuttlebug then sanded for that distressed look I love so much. Birdie (SU) is paper pieced with some great blue paper. Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Grocery bag card

Super simple card, right here. To save time, money, and paper, I go to my local michaels store and buy their card/envelope sets that are blank inside from the $1 bin. This is cheaper than just buying envelopes, plus then I have the right sized cards already made and just have to make a "card front" to adhere to it (saving my white cardstock). The background is actually cut from a safeway grocery bag, I used the inside of it. I stamped buggy (stampin' up) on front and again on a piece of patterned paper. I fussy cut only the basket part of the buggy out of the patterned paper and adhered to the card front on top of the other stamped image. Layered ribbon (from $1 bin at michaels) & adhered. This card would be super simple to mass produce, I'll just have to go shopping first to get more grocery bags =D Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Lots of dimension

I got this cute owl stamp from the $1 bin at michaels and was just messing around to use it. I stamped him on patterned paper twice, fussy cut his eye balls & tummy from one and paper pieced them to the other stamped image. Used patterned paper and scallop nestabilities with my cuttlebug, also dry embossed them. Crimped the bottom chunk of patterned paper. LOTS of dimension going on with this one! Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Layered & inked

This reminds newer is strawberry shortcake piled high. Absolutely mouth wateringly delicious! Look at all those flourishes (TAC)! What great layers! My birdie (SU) is adorable! And ribbon on top of lace?! I love this card. Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Sketch card

Have you been over to splitcoaststampers.com? Best galleries, best challenges, TONS if info and techniques. Every wednesday is card sketch day, and I did this card for sketch #321. Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android