Sweet Threads Congrats!

Hello!  It's a beauitful day over here and even though I had some fun stamping this am!  The other day I was cleaning and was a bit frustrated and my hubby told me to stop cleaning and it was time to get happy and go do something that I want to do.  He asked me "What do you want to do?"  And I looked at him and said "I want to stamp" and he looked surprised and told me to go and do it and I did.  And I was a lot happier.  I think he got it.  I am pretty sure he used to get it but must have forgotten or something.  Since than after he sees me creating he asks me about it.  :>  Let's hope that also means he understands my need to buy new things!  LOL Well I've gotten A LOT of new things lately that I haven't touched so really I shouldn't be buying new things!  Today's card uses some new stamps and papers!

I made this card for two challenges.  One is the current challenge at the Hero Arts Blog is Congratulations.  And I am also entering this card into the Paper Crafts Magazine challenge of Gallery Idol.  I am happy that it's open to us international gals this time!  It's rather terrifying to put oneself out there like this but I guess really what do I have to lose?  It's better to try than sit on the sidelines right?

I started this card by stamping the damask image from the Hero Arts Sweet Threads Thank You in a pattern with antique linen Tim Holtz ink all over the white cardstock.  I than stamped the flower with versamark ink and embossed it with ruby and citrus recollections embossing powders.  What I did so that the ruby powder wouldn't get onto the stem is that I put a plastic knife in between the flower and the stem when I poured the ruby powder. Than I stamped the leaves after embossing the flower.  I stamped the congrats sentiment with versmark also and embossed with chestnut zing powder.  Added some paper from the Sweet Threads paper pad and some twine by the Twinery.

Last time I was at Micheal's I noticed that the recollections line has colored embossing powder!  I am sure you can imagine how excited I was with my love for embossing!  Although I think the colors emboss darker than the bottle I took a picture of them to show you.  I thought that the ruby color was a hot pink but Chad thinks it's more of a red.  I wanted hot pink!

Today was such a nice day Carter and I enjoyed spending it outside.  Ariel had school, at the start of June she had 9 days of school and now she is done to 4!  Yay!  Since Ariel has been home she has been playing with the little girl who lives across the street.  They can be found where they always can be found:

Chad and I decided to get the kids a swingset this year.  We were in the process of saving for it when one of his clients of a home he sold were moving out of province and the new owners did not want the swingset!  So we got a swingset!  LOL  We wanted a nice wood one or a bigger one but really how could we not be happy with this one? (BTW Chad is sad about the grass going under the swings but I told him grass is cheap and happy children are more worth it!)  I tuned the water/sand table into just a water table and here is Carter having a lot of fun and getting oh so wet (at least it isn't sandy and wet!)

And what's a better treat than a Popsicle?  Oh I know a homemade healthy one!  I blended some banana's, strawberries, threw a few raspberries in there, yogurt and a bit of juice.  The kids LOVE them!  And I love that they are healthy and probably cheaper than store bought ones!  Last  night after coming home all hot from the park they asked for ice cream but were thrilled to get these instead!

Well I've been cooking dinner as I've written this post and it's done now!  Hope are having great weather too where you are!