Butterfly Birthday!

Good Wednesday morning! I trust everyone has recovered from your long holiday weekend by now? I would like to thank everyone who visited my blog during the Cards For Heroes Bloghop. It was a HUGE success! Thanks for all the wonderful comments on my post. It is appreciated! On Sunday, Cody and I went to a birthday party for Emma, who turned one! (Hers is the room I painted and posted last week.) I decided to make her card, a gift, to match her room! Here is the card I made:

This is what i used:

Cardstock:Pink Pirouette, YoYo Yellow, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, and GP White

Ink: Lavender Lace, Pink Pirouette, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise, YoYo Yellow

Stamps: SU! Flight of the Butterfly, Happy Everything

Other: Pink sheer dot from Michaels (Dots, Dashes and Checks) Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 3-D Glue Dots

For Emma's gift, I made a sign to hang on her bedroom door! I took the pattern from the butterflies I painted on her walls, so it would all match. Instead of putting a sawtooth hanger or a wire on the piece, we bought a wreath hanger and cut the curved end off it, and screwed the butterfly to the end. That way, they don't have to put a whole in the door for a nail, and it won't bang when the door is opened and closed! I highlighted the flowers with glitter, and then sealed it with a clearcoat that had more glitter in it. We also added pipe cleaners for cute little curly anntenae!!

Here is the view from the back!

That is it for now, we are expecting rain for the next three days, so I don't expect to get much done outside!

Have a great day!

**Keri**

Memorial Day Cards for Heroes BLOGHOP!!

Hello and Happy Memorial Day weekend! Thank you for visiting my blog, and participating in the blog hop! To celebrate Memorial Day, and to honor our troops, I am taking part in the Cards For Heroes Memorial Day BlogHop! If you happened by my post, and would like to read more information about the bloghop, visit http://cardsforheroes.org/bloghop/ . If you would like to learn more about the Cards for Heroes organization, visit http://www.cardsforheroes.org/ . Cards for Heroes is a not for profit organization that collects and sends blank handmade cards to troops all over the world for them to send back home to their family and friends. They take donations of both cards, and money for postage, to help keep their organization going.

You will see below the card I made in honor of the Cards for Heroes Bloghop.
This will be sent to Fabre, as an ANYHERO card, for a troop that needs a lift!

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Here is what I used to make my card:
SU! Cardstock::Riding Hood Red, Blue Bayou, GP White
Patterned Cardstock::My Mind's Eye
Stamps:: SU! The Free and the Brave
Ink: SU! Craft Black, Riding Hood Red, Blue Bayou, Always Artichoke, Blush Blossom, Night of Navy
Other: Black Detail Embossing Powder, SU! Blender Pens, ribbon from unknown source
**Note** The image was colored in, using the blender pens with a bit of ink from the cover of the inkpad. It was really fun to color, because the image was embossed, so those embossed lines kept the color from flowing where it wasn't supposed to be!
Adhesive: Duck red dispenser--(the new and improved ones, which I am loving!)

I have been aware of the Cards for Heroes program for quite some time, as my best cyber buddy, Lisa Renea, provides many cards for our troops. After recently seeing the Cards For Heroes Youtube video that Lisa Renea linked, it convinced me that I had been sitting on my backside not doing anything for TOO LONG! Since I have a great group of ladies that I scrap and stamp with at my church and in my community, I got everyone I could together for a Card Making Event! We had a great turn out, and I sent in 275 cards to Fabre, for her to send on to the troops!! It was a great feeling to know how we helped out! If you would like to see my blog post about our Card Fest, {{CLICK HERE}}.


Now, on to the next participant in the blog hop! Click Here to hop to the next blog! Paula has The Paper Spa--some wonderful creations from a very talented paper artist--she knows her stuff-and she loves challenges. Oh, to be that disciplined! Hey Paula!!

**Added NOTE: Due to overwhelming inquiry, I just want to add that the Patriotic Figurines were a recent Anniversary gift from my Mom! She purchased them from Collections, ETC. (the 14.99 catalog) Their product name is the Yankee Doodle Family! **

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank our troops and their families, both at home and abroad, for their bravery and unselfishness. You are in our prayers!
Thank you so much for visiting, and have a blessed weekend!

**Keri**

My Latest Work...

Well, everyone knows I have been MIA lately. I have been fighting allergies, and a bit under the weather, but I have also been working on the *biggest* project I have ever done!
A couple weeks back, I got a call from Kim-(her hubby and my hubby are cousins) asking me if I thought I could paint a design on her daughter Emma's bedroom walls, to match some furniture they had recently gotten for her. They re-decoratied Emma's room, cause yesterday, she turned ONE! They thought it was high time Emma had a girlie girl's bedroom! They had the cutest toy chest, and table and chairs set, with butterflies and daisy faces on it. I took patterns off the furniture, and got to work! It took me a week off and on, but I finished last night, and it is SO adorable!
They painted the walls pink ahead of time, so I had a wonderful blank canvas to work with. Here are several photos from different views of the room, along with a close up of one of the butterflies:







We also put her name up on the wall, in between the two windows..

It took about 15 hours to complete, from beginning to end. I added some brush on glitter here and there, on the name, and on the butterflies and daisies, for a little sparkle. It comes in a 2 oz. bottle and is in liquid form, so once it is brushed on, and dries, it won't flake off.

She was very happy with the results! It was a great experience, and something that I have always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity. So thanks, Kim, for believing that I could do it!! I appreciate the opportunity!

Happy Birthday, Emma!

xo

**Keri**

A Monday Morning Chuckle...

Good morning everyone!! I have not been here for a WEEK! I am so sorry..I have had several painting jobs that I have been working on, as well as a mini demo project upstairs that I have been helping Peter with, on top of regular household responsibilities, and OH YEAH, my DAYCARE KIDS!!
We decided over the winter that we were going to cut a hole in the wall, between Cody's room and the spare bedroom (aka junk catcher) so no only did everything need to be moved out, a HUGE mess had to be cleaned up afterwards! We started a week ago today, and the project is done! I still have a mess of junk to sort out, and think I see a garage sale in our future!
I also got hit with a bad allergy attack that has been dragging me down, but I will keep on going!!
Peter and Cody took a break and went fishing on Friday night, and had some success!

This was their third trip this season...Of course, leave it to Cody to be silly!

Have a Blessed Monday!

**Keri**

A Day to Remember!

Good morning, and Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there! Especially to my Mom, Happy Mother's Day!! I was thinking about this day a few days back, while I was out on a walk, and this layout I did a couple of years ago came to mind. I thought it would be the perfect tribute to all the strong women that came before me. This layout chronicles 5 generations of women, beginning with my Great Great Grandmother, then my Great Grandmother, then the ever famous Omi that you read about, she's MY Grandmother, then my Mama--Diane, then ME!! So this is my Mother's Day salute to all the strong women who made me what I am today.
I love you, Mom, and I wouldn't be who I am without you. You are always there for me whenever I need you, we also have so much fun together-I can be my silliest when I am with you. I can talk to you about anything, and you are the stable Christian voice of reason that knocks sense into me on a weekly basis! XOXOXOX!!


Today is also a day of remembrance for another reason. Two years ago today, we lost our beloved cousin, Darcy. He was a victim of a violent and senseless crime, and even though justice has been served, it doesn't make our hearts hurt any less for losing him. Please remember his family and friends in your prayers today!

Have a Blessed Sunday with your families, and

Happy Mother's Day!

**Keri**

Back to Paper!!

Back to what I love best! Paper and glue. This first card is an ANYHERO card that I sent, along with the Cards for Heroes Cards. Just a little note of support from our family, to a soldier that needs a little lift! I used the SU! set The Free and the Brave, for this card. SU! cardstock in Night of Navy, Very Vanilla, and Riding Hood Red. I embossed the image, and colored it in with blender pens and ink. Patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye!

Here is another Fishy Friends (SU!) card! I love this set so much! It is very fun to color in. I used Tangerine Tango, Kiwi kiss, and Summer Sun cardstock. I also used Tangerine Tango Ink, and Basic Gray Ink. I don't remember where the patterned paper came from, but the stars were perfect! I used the new Swiss Cheese edge punch from EK Success, and a square scalloped Nestabilities Die. After I stamped the cute little guy, I colored him in, using prismacolor pencils and odorless spirits. When he was all colored, I covered him with SU! Crystal Effects. I took a second photo, so you can see the shine and dimension! The Happy Birthday Sentiment is from Purple Onion Designs!


Happy Friday!!
**Keri**

Sunshine on a rainy day...

Well, it seems the April showers have decided to put up a fight, and drag their heels as long as they can! We are now a full week into May, and we have seen several days of rain already! I did manage to take a few pictures of my daffodils on one sunny day, they have been blooming for more than a week already! I know, I have been really lacking in the crafty department lately...I have some more cards to post, I just need some good daylight to photograph them! These dark, dreary days do nothing for taking a good pic in the natural light!
Many of these daffodils, I dug up and brought with me from town when me moved out here, 9 years ago. There are also some tulips and grape hyacinths in white and purple mixed in. THEN I had a really good offer from a catalog about 3 years ago, and got another bunch-a hybridizers mix..and planted them around my other flower beds in the yard. I *LOVE* the white ones with the pink centers the best! I have a really great assortment, I just wished they bloomed longer! I get all my bulbs from Brecks--a bit pricey, but in my opinion dutch bulbs are one of those "you get what you pay for" things. And the company is really great about replacing for FREE anything that gets eaten, killed, etc. NO QUESTIONS ASKED! You can't go wrong! I just placed a huge order for my Dad a couple of days ago-we will have about 200 bulbs to plant for him in the fall!! They are SO WORTH IT!!



So, I hope you enjoyed my little walk through the daffodils. Back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow (aka hunting photos)!
Have a Blessed Day!
**Keri**

Daddy Catches Up!

So regular season opened yesterday--with not much luck. This morning Peter and Cody were up at the crack of dawn and behind his Mom's house in Churubusco waiting for the birds to come off their roosts. They were home by 7 am with ONE bird in hand. Peter got his, Cody did not. I don't think Cody's eyes were even open to see where he was shooting!? Peter got this nice very mature Jake-almost Tom. They were both very pleased, and Cody is currently sacked out on the couch back asleep!! Teenagers!!
Here is my man and his trophy!

I would also like to add that they always follow safe hunting practices and Cody has taken all required courses by the state, to be out hunting!


NOW!! I am pleased to state that I had two sales in my Etsy shop this week! I painted two custom house number slates for Etsy customers this week! I am very pleased, and it has done a lot for my confidence! I have added a few new slate styles to the store, and there will be MUCH MORE added in the next month or so!
Have a Blessed Saturday!
**Keri**

More Cards for Heroes

Here are a few more of the Cards for Heroes. These three, I created as kits for other participants.
This one uses Birthday Best, from SU! A set I keep going back to!! I used the oval nesties dies and raised it up with some 3-D glue dots.


This card uses Reason to Smile, and rectangle nesties.


This one uses Cool Cat, and the scalloped rectangle nesties, once again.

All the paper I used was from the multiple stacks I used to purchase. I gave a lot of it away, but still had some, and decided to use it up! I love how they came out! Simple, easy for beginners, but really nice.

Today is the first day of Turkey Season. For adults, anyway! Cody got a head start last Saturday by taking advantage of youth weekend. So Peter is out in the brush somewhere, soaking up the rain...
I did find out two days ago, that we will be losing our health insurance next month. Which is what I have been dreading!! So, if anyone knows any rich benefactors who love to fund kid's oral health--send them my way!! All kidding aside-if anyone knows any places that I can go that offer assistance or funding for such things, please let me know! We make too much for any public assistance and Child Health Plus is not an option, cause we are insured SOME of the time and they don't cover orthodontics, anyway. I really feel like we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, here. If it wasnt' absolutely necessary that we get moving on this, I would just put it off, but his teeth need to be exposed, and the braces need to be put on. Please keep us in your prayers!
Have a Blessed Friday!
**Keri**