giddy in the mail

there is something that makes me a little giddy when i have hand crafted for someone specific in mind...
then i finally get it to the post...
and i know it is on it's way somewhere in the world...
makes me simply giddy.
it's a simple pleasure that has inspired me for years to send pretty stuff in the mail.
i only wish i had more time to do even more of the same.

as shared earlier in the week, i am a little obsessed by these large tag cards...
pretty large tags cards as i have named them.
totally and completely inspired by heidi swapp's card she shared here...

this card is heavy with sugar chic off cuts.
some new color magic alphas...
plus the timeless color magic chipboard pieces and notes.

you know how when you use only part of a 12x12 sheet of pattern paper?
and then you try to save it in your stash...
and that one little skinny strip just keeps getting in the way...
those are perfect scraps to layer in on these tags.

i want to encourage you to do the same...
take out your scraps...
a few of your favorite pattern papers (that you may or may not be hoarding)
layer them up anyway you want...
add some pockets for hidden messages...
and send some giddy in the mail.

pretty large tag card

happy new week...
o.k...i know it is tuesday already...
and i want to share a recent fun expression i have been playing with...

i am calling them pretty large tag cards.
on a summer edition of my craft channel by heidi swapp, she shared a most gorgeous card. a tag card. a pretty large tag card. i swooned big time over that card.
then even more recently i was able to actually see, feel, and touch that card...
and i knew i had to take that inspiration and play around with it.
thus was born my version of a pretty large tag card.

these  cards are pretty big...
about 5x7 if not larger.
some i have made are six inches wide.

what i really really love about these tag cards is the layers of differing patterns and texture and color.
although i am a thematic kinda girl, and my color schemes stay themed...
i still had fun using differing shades of the same color. and that is what i think gives these tag cards their pop.

you may or may not see this polka dot stencil showing up on all or a few of these tags i will share with you this week. because i love it!!! the polkas just make me happy. especially with acrylic paint used on the stencil.
did i say i loved it?

this tag card has lots of pockets and places to slip sentiments throughout.
sort of a treasure hunt for the recipient.
and that is just where this card is headed. to a very special friend who took very good care of me recently,
a regular card just wouldn't do...
a pretty larger than normal card and sentiment i felt was in order.

so...what say you?
are you up to the challenge of pulling your favorite patterns and textures and colors together to make a pretty large tag card?
if you do, please link me up...i would love to see what you.

i will be back with more of these this week.

supplies: Color Magic Resist Paper. Vintage Chic Pattern Paper. Serendipity Paper Pad. Vintage Chic Notes. Clear Pop Tags. doily. Banner Delights. mini glassine bags. mini shipping tags. label from the Mixed Company Memory File Kit. Color Shine Blush. Pink Paislee Sentiment Stamps.
 

enjoy today

i shared earlier i would be back with a look at how i am going to begin to document this girl's california adventure. this is only the beginning...don't say you weren't warned.

pink and black seemed to be what popped for this photo.
even though minnie is in red...(did she NOT get the memo?) i think the colors still work.

i love this pattern paper that belongs to the Sugar Chic collection. the collage of words and script and images that runs along the right side always brings me in. that little label space is begging to be filled.

of course layers have to be apart of a page of mine.
and stamps...do you ever get in the mood for a certain technique? stamps have always been a favorite supply of mine...and i am breaking them out and putting them to work again. sort of a little addicted to the stamps currently.

the layers are home to hidden journaling and another photo, which i will share in a minute.

a few of my favorite things...
here a piece of ColorMagic paper is colored with Blush Color Shine...that has got to be my new favorite color of present. it is so gorgeous.
i took a plain o' shipping tag and notched it and layered it with seam binding (dyed in Blush no less) on top of the resist paper.
love these chipboard stickers found at Michaels too...they are whimsical and on trend and full of great iconic embellies to tell the story.
more stamps and splatters and stenciled polka dots make me smile at this little embellishment cluster.

this layout page is interactive and hides a few words and another favorite photo. seems to be another go to technique i continue to employ.  i think often we feel like we have to recreate the wheel each time we make a page and share  a story. i say do what you know and love. so much of this page is just that.

just took another piece of ColorMagic paper and basically made a card with it.
folded over it is attached on the back to the background paper.

a look at all the dimension.

this is just the beginning of many photos and projects i have in my head to document this recent trip.
more ideas than i will probably actually use...
but i love having a bank of creativity waiting for me.
and more than that...i love having these stories to tell and am eager to get them all down on paper.

have a fabulous weekend.

a family tradition...

the pate family has several traditions...
one of which is how we celebrate when one of our children turns 10.
a family tradition we started way back when our first born turned ten was to take them on a trip.
mom. dad. child.

with four (at the time) children in tow, it can be hard at times for that one on one activity.
so a special trip seemed to be the thing.

now each child has been able to choose a trip that is meaningful to them...
a location that holds some sort of significance to where they are at that point in their life.
something that would be more than memorable.

child number one, who has always been an americana buff, chose to visit our nations capitol.
we are here in front of our favorite place, the National Archives.
we did all the touristy things in D.C. and have many photos and memories from that special time.
this trip continued to spark much interest for him in our country and he even played around with the idea of going into political science. one never knows what inspiration one will find while traveling.
(this one is 18 later this week...sigh)

child number 2 at the time of her turning 10 was in love with American Girl Dolls.
most especially Felicity who was of pre-revolutionary days.
so we traveled to Williamsburg Virginia to observe all things colonial. that was where she most wanted to go to visit.
we are here in the garden of the Governor's palace.
this trip really cemented in her mind the sacrifice made for this country to be birthed. no easy task she discovered.
she was able to see, hear, and touch those things that were at our beginning. i loved this so much for her. and it still goes with her today.

now child number 3 is a horse lover...
so her choice was to visit the horse parks in Kentucky.
i was not able to make that trip. (and her trip had to be delayed a year as she was actually 10 in 2011)
but it was a very extra special time for her and her dad to explore and find adventure in all things horses.
i love to hear of her still talk of that adventure and all that she saw and learned with her dad.

this week we celebrate daughter number 3 turning those grand double digits of 10.
sigh...can i really have a fourth child who is 10?
well...she had some trouble choosing what was near and dear to her...
so we gave her many suggestions.

and Disneyland was the winner...
sort of a no brainer, don't ya think?
her dream came true to meet Minnie Mouse and get her photo and autograph.
the smiles she produced that weekend were priceless.
being number 4 in the birth order with a cute toddler brother behind you can be a real tough place for a kid to live...
i hope this time will always be a special memory we all shared together.
i know it was for me.

i look forward to pulling all our photos and ephemera and journaling notes together to document this most recent of special times. there are all kinds of ideas swimming in my head as to how i want to share all my memories.

while it is almost usually a sacrifice of some sort to take these children on their 10 year old adventures...
it is a tradition i am most thankful mr. pate and i started.
the photos and stories will last forever in my heart.
the time spent together like that will always be special in their hearts and minds as well.

come and visit again later this week to see how i document a few of these memories.

pretty little party

 

my recent pretty little party is posted in detail over at HeidiSwapp.com. 

 

this was a fun creative activity with my girlies...

look forward to making one happen with my big girl friends.

This was posted last week on Heidi's blog too.
We blog hopped with Core'dinations card stock...
and this was my take on a project...

we have been talking a lot about gifts in our home.
gifts of gratitude.
gifts of beauty.
gifts of simple everyday things.

with this in mind...
i am creating different ways for my girlies to list their daily gifts.
the things daily they are grateful for.
a place to write and see what is beautiful around them.

'gratitude begins in the heart
and then dovetails into behavior'
anne lammott

gratitude begets behavior.
i want my girls to be good.
but they must know what is good first.
we all do.

hoping a desktop journal,
set out everyday for my daughter to see,
will remind her to list these gifts as she thinks of them.

maybe you are inspired to do the same too.

core'dinations & heidi swapp

the team has been 'teaming' up with the core'dinations blog this week.
we are combining heidi's products with the some card stock options from core'dinations.

i chose to create a fairly simple desktop journal for my daughter.
and of course...the team went very pastel and soft and sweet...
i had a need to make a stronger statement with that olive green hue played against the black polka.
the soft came in a bit with the Mixed Company ombre pattern.

but then there is glitter...
the glitter from the Glitter BuzzWords really makes this little book so gorgeous.
my daughter has an obsession about glitter...
can't imagine where she gets obsessions from...
however she does...
so i HAD to oblige her.

i am a big fan of the distress of the card stock,
with the soft of the ombre,
and the pop of the glitter.
i may just have to keep this journal.

lots more details on heidi's blog today...
plus a chance to win a collection of Mixed Company...
i wish you luck.

kraft obsession

i almost forgot about my kraft paper obsession.
but the other day the girlies and i were getting the table ready for some serious project making...
and we covered it with kraft paper...
and then we started doodling all over it!

and then there was a birthday party...
for my neice to be exact...
with three of my own girlies in the house there seems to always be a birthday party of some sorts.

well out came the kraft bag.
i am sure i need to stock these in bulk...
because they are more than fabulous with my favorite 6x6 stencil from Heidi Swapp...
and the new White Color Shine + Pink sprayed on top of that.

oh...and can we get a little giddy about that Charm Setting from Epiphany Crafts...
i. love. that Round 25 Shape Tool. so. much.
it adds instant glam to any project...

even a kraft bag.

world card making day

if you have followed along here even a little...
you know i love cards...
have loved cards for like ever.
they are fun, easy, doable little creative exercises.

it would seem the world is celebrating world card making day today...



are you playing along?
better yet...
are you sending your handcrafted canvases of love and pretty stuff out to someone you know and love?

well i for one would like to encourage you to do just that.
enjoy your weekend.

supplies: Mixed Company 6x6 Paper pad (cheetah pattern paper). Color Magic Album Tabs (striped).  Seam Binding.  Color Magic Paper Goods (heart) Mixed Company Glitter Buzz Words (glitter heart) Color Pop Friends Bright Epoxy Stickers ('hello' and striped heart) 6x6 Polka Dot Stencil (used on vellum) Color Shine: Black Velvet, Mint Green, White. 
other: vellum