Little Einstein Birthday Party Page (CQC150)

Hello there! Getting into the swing of things with this week's ColourQ Challenge! :) Here's the bright and happy palette for ya.

I pulled out one of the cute pics from Ev's birthday party last Fall. Honestly, his 5th birthday is only about a month away, I can't believe it's been a whole year since these were taken. You might remember the centerpiece and the invitations that I made last year for Ev's obscure birthday party theme! Have you ever had to do a party for your child that wasn't the "in" theme of the moment? This was one of those. Seems the boys go that way more often than not, picking something that no party store carries paper plates in ;) Ha! For this particular theme, I printed out a pic of the Little Einsteins from the web and took it to the grocery store and had them make a "photo" cake with it. 

I also ordered LE party hats from eBay, bought an iron on from there, too, so I could make him a l/s LE shirt that you see him wearing here! I've found mixing solid color plates and tablecloths with a few themed items really helps get the party theme across without spending a fortune! Particularly if the party theme is a hard one to find. As a side note, Dollar Tree has lots of solid color party supplies for only a buck. :)

For games we did "Classical Music Chairs" where Ev was the "conductor" of the musical chairs music wearing his "Leo" glasses with his baton! :) We also had "Pin the Moon on the Starry Night." For that I got an inexpensive poster of the famous Starry Night painting, scanned in the moon section of it, and printed and cut out 10 moons, then did the pin the tail on the donkey kind of game with that! Both games were big hits with the kids, and I felt proud of my creativity in dealing with the obscure party theme. :) If you've ever watched the Little Einsteins show, you know that the games were very fitting!

So this page was about him "conducting" the musical chairs game. The lightbulb paper seemed a good fit for the word "Einstein." I decided to go with "Little Einstein" instead of the plural "Little Einsteins" because the page was really about Evan. Made a little tag with a chipboard button and some stickers that I tied to the clip on the photo. Pulled a bunch of bits and pieces from here and there, like I often do with my ColourQ pages. I even traced over the light blue and pink lines on this large arrow die cut with Bermuda Bay and Poppy colored markers! ;) Not to say I'm perfect, bummed that there are tiny bits of orange and gray on my page, I normally like to stick to the strictly the palette colors. I also used that arrow as the journaling spot, which worked out well, I think. :)

Here's a few pics from yesterday! My big 4th grader went Back To School! His bros have a few more weeks at home yet, but here's a couple pics from Collin. :)

"Ok Mom,  just one picture!" 

"Mom, I said ONE!"

Last 3 brothers moment of the summer.

Ev "photo bombing" a picture I was trying to snap of Collin and his friend
who had unknowingly bought the same backpack in different colors! ;)

Well that's it for me today! Please come play at the ColourQ with us this week! :)

hugs, Noelle

supply list: patterned paper: BoBunny, DCWV, Crate Paper; stickers: Martha Stewart Crafts, The Paper Studio; Cricut cartridge: "Don Juan" 

DUST IT OFF!: Actually there's nothing NEW on this page, so I guess it's all a "dust off!" :) some of the things I'm not even sure the brand on, hoping the supply list is just close to being right! ;)

Bicycle Dude Birthday Card (PP108 and MOJO254)

Hi there! Well, one kid went back to school today, 2 more to go in the next couple weeks:) Here's hoping that my stamping increases exponentially by 30% or so with the return of each boy to his classroom! LOL, hey one back today and I got two challenges covered with this card! ;) I'll post some pics of Collin tomorrow with my ColourQ post, so if you like Back To School pics, check back then! 

So, this is for Paper Players 108: Ann's Colour Challenge

and I used this week's Mojo Monday Sketch #254, you can see I flipped the sketch.

I decided another boy's birthday card is ALWAYS in order! As my boys get older so do their friends, and I'm starting to make my cards a bit more mature in style, too. This one isn't overly "cute," and the bicycle motif would work wonderfully for any of the boys triathlon friends! :) The "Dude" stamped panel keeps it feeling enough like a "tween" card, I think. I used a variety of papers, stamps, and dies from several different brands. All in all, it didn't take too long and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Hope you like it, too! 

That's it for me today! See you tomorrow with my latest page for ColourQ! 

hugs, Noelle

supply list: stamps: Verve, TCP, Stampin' Up!; designer papers: Stampin' Up and Little Yellow Bicycle; dies: TCP and LID; burlap ribbon: The Ribbon Carousel; button: Crate Paper; clip: SU!

DUST IT OFF! That denim brad, just found it floating around in my stash. I don't have any more, but I like the way this one looks on the card! :)

Back To School

**UPDATE: While waiting for my computer to make it home, I got a second card made for the same 3 challenges:) Here's better pics of the cards, "live" links and prettier graphics for ya. Enjoy! xo-N

Hi there! Just got back from our little trip. Lucky me, I got to fly home with my son. Poor hubby had to drive back with the other two kids alone :( We set all this up before because Ian was supposed to be back for his middle school orientation, and it was the only way to make our trip work AND make sure he was here for his orientation. Came to find out 2 days before we left that they rescheduled the start of school and the orientation. So, we really didn't HAVE to fly back then. But my hubby is so awesome, he said no go ahead and fly back and he would still drive the 13 hours with two kids alone. What a guy:) this is why I'm still crazy about him after all these years! :) so anyway- pardon my ugly post with the non-pretty links and the iPhone photos.... Making this post from my iPhone since my laptop is somewhere in KS right now ;)

Anyway- this is for this week's ColourQ! Love these colors!! :) They are Certainly Celery, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, and White.

ColourQ 149



It's also for Retrosketches 23


And for Paper Players 107/Back To School Rules


The boys will all go back to school at different times now. But I am really ready! I'm in the mood for that crisp fall weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and jeans and sweaters. :) Back to school sounded like a GREAT theme to follow! :)

(on the blue background card) Used some old Stampin' Up! stamps that I've always loved "Elementary Essentials." Also used "School Lines," and "Tart and Tangy" as well as my TCP postage stamp die and stamp from a coordinating TCP set. A new piece of DP (October Afternoon) and the new In-Colors really give this card a fresh new feel in spite of most of the stamps being years old. Collin is the first kid to go back, and I think I'll give this to his teacher. I'm so excited that I already know her from my running club, and she is a real sweetheart. Collin was so excited to get her and that so many of his friends are going to be in his class! It's shaping up to be a great year for him:) Inside of card reads: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." :) that's it for me! Hope you like this and that you can play at ColourQ this week! I'll "pretty up" this post with graphics and link buttons, as well as return comments, once I get my computer home:) Have a wonderful day!

xoxox, Noelle

supply list: stamps: SU!, TCP, Inkadinkado; papers: SU! and OA; die: TCP; twine: TCP; punches: EK Success; inkpads and solid cardstock: SU!

Fun Filler

Easter card 

Hey guys! Not able to get much done for this week, but I thought you might like to see *something* so I pulled my magazine reject photos out for ya. Just a little eye candy, inspiration for the week! :) Big hugs and I'll be back next week with more fun challenges! 

xo, Noelle

Male Valentine submission

Male Valentine submission

Male Valentine submission

Male Valentine submission

Easter Card 

More Vegas pages (CQC148)

Well, hello hello blog friends! This summer just seems to be getting busier and busier! We are having a TON of fun, but I am having a hard time keeping up with anything, even the dishes! ;) I know, stamping should ALWAYS take priority over housework (and in my heart it does!) but sometimes I have to be practical, too. :( Oy, it's looking like the next few weeks will be just as sporadic, so sorry to be MIA, but we have just a couple more weeks to go. We will be out of town for some of the time, so posting will be minimal at best, but then I will be BACK! :) Hope you are all doing well and having loads of fun, too!

Ok, this week's ColourQ palette, looks like THIS!

Seeing the pink, I knew I had to do something girly.... I had a stack of pics still laying around from the Vegas Girls Trip I went on last summer, so I went with that. 

The title was made by cutting out my own "playing cards," and stamping them with the mini heart from my TCP Bingo stamp set, then I used sticker letters for "Vegas." I had a few Vegas themed stickers that had the right colors, and some Vegas buttons that I incorporated. 

The DSP is new SU! and reminded me of some of the designs that are on dollar bills, so I went with that cutting 2 large banners with my LID die on the LH page, and border punching a strip on the RH page. It's actually a heart border punch, but I just let the bottom parts of the hearts peek out from behind the photos, the v shape mimicking the fishtail banners. That's a great tip, to really look at the different shapes you can make with your punches! :) 

I did my journaling with my label maker again, was bummed that the shade of green isn't quite Lucky Limeade, but by that point it was already done, and (in the interest of time, of course!) decided to just go with it! 

I hope you like my pages and I'd love to see what you will do with them at the ColourQ this week! 

Big hugs, sorry for the absence, but I'll be around more soon :)

xoxox, Noelle

*oh and I am SO excited to share my happy kudos with you! I was featured at JUGS for this card! :) and also featured at Jingle Belles for this card, thank you SO much for the shout-outs, ladies! Love ya all! :)

Bright Birthday Wishes...with a candle ;) (CQC 147)

Hi all! Time for another fun challenge at the ColourQ! Hope you will come play with us this week. Here's the palette:

I confess it took me a while to figure out what to do with these... I was using retired color Rose Romance in lieu of Regal Rose, so I was using 3 retired colors. And, even for me, the "dust it off" girl, sometimes I struggle with using the retired colors, I don't want my project to feel dated, you know?

 My original intent was to do the layered stamping with the flowers, and then stamp the sentiment on the top of the same piece in the Brilliant Blue. I tried it, but it just didn't "gel," so I cut a smaller Nestabilities and put the sentiment on the solid white piece. I thought it looked pretty layered with the larger piece, though, so that's what I did.

I was really happy with the candle addition to my last card, and I still had the package of candles sitting there, so I did the same for this one, also adding the "Happy Birthday" banner and some bakers twine  to the candle. 

I found this old piece of Baja Breeze DSP in my stash, the delicate flower print seemed a good fit for the card. This is a large card, 5 1/2" square. 

And that's all for me! Hope you can come play at ColourQ this week! :)

xoxox, Noelle

supply list: stamps: Stampin' Up!; DSP: SU!; dies: Spellbinders and Lil' Inker; blue bakers twine: TCP

DUST IT OFF!: Old colors and some old DSP still look pretty! :)

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Hi there! Kids were gone for three days and I feel the quiet really helped me to reclaim my mojo! :) Happy stamper, here. This is for Tracey's  sketch at  Retrosketches 21, and a new challenge I haven't played before Just Us Girls 146, gosh, I am just SO in love with these colors! :)

I decided to make a boy's birthday card since I always seem to need those! I have some new stamps (also helping my mojo along....) and this was one of my new sets, called "Storybook Friends." Love these little animals! :) I can't wait to use the fox, he was the one I was just smitten with when I saw the set.

I created my own tag with a technique I'd seen on Pinterest, to use the Spellbinders die to cut just the top of a paper, I will be doing that again!  I layered a mini paper bag as the back/top of the tag.

I used a birthday candle at the top of my tag, have seen a few of these in Paper Crafts, and thought "what a cute idea!" :)

I really just added the airplane because it was so cute! It really doesn't go with the dog theme, but it does go with the boy theme, and the colors were perfect, so I went with it. :)

I used an ANCIENT tab sticker, a sentiment from Paper Smooches, and a reclaimed bottle cap as embellishments.

That is all for me today! Kids are home now and I'm shoulder deep in laundry! ;) See you soon, I have a fun ColourQ card coming up on Tuesday! :)

hugs, Noelle

supply list: stamps: Stampin' Up! and Paper Smooches; patterned paper: My Mind's Eye; dies: Papertrey Ink and Spellbinders; tab sticker: K&Company; airplane sticker: October Afternoon; ribbon: Stampin' Up!; bakers twine: doodlebug design; candle; mini bag; large button

DUST IT OFF!: That tab sticker is ancient, and I keep all the bottle caps that come off bottles 'round here, so I never have to buy any! ;)