Happy New Year and New Year's Mantra!

Happy New Year, friends!  I love when our Christmas Break starts close to Christmas so we have a nice week after to clean up the decorations and PLAY in the studio.  I love being able to play with PTI's Make it Monday early rather than scrambling to create something last minute on a Sunday.  It's the A La Carte time so we get to pick a challenge we missed.  Can you believe, that was a challenge?  I've played along with most of them but did find one that I missed...#312, Framing Sentiments and Images with Laurie.  Though my poinsettias are done now, I was happy to make one more for my card that will make it's way to my cousin in the States.

I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Something New.

Speaking of PLAY...this is my "one word/New Year's Mantra" for the year.  Being a Grade One teacher means that this word is always around me and a big part of what I try to bring into my class.  However, it really became imprinted on my heart this summer when I bought a bracelet at a local market.  The bracelet had a "2018" charm on it so I asked if I could change it out.  The artist opened her charm container and the first one I saw was "PLAY."  I picked it right away.  So now it's my mantra for the year (and forever!).  I'll leave you with a photo of the bracelet and some playful quotes...to see more, visit my Pinterest New Year's Mantra board.  You'll also see quotes from past mantras.  Thanks for stopping by!

what's in it?
stamps: Penned Elegance Christmas, Painted Poinsettias (PTI)
dies: Painted Poinsettias, Noted: Scalloped A2 Vertical Die (PTI)

New Year's Mantra ~ Viva La Verve

Happy New Year, friends!  I have been AOL these past few weeks... just enjoying a house full of company, then cleaning, then reading, then having lazy mornings.  However, I am now taking some time to warm up the studio and start creating.  I found my one word for the new year, "calm."  I thought this sentiment from Verve's Winter Peace Digi was perfect to express my new mantra for 2018.  I'm using a brand new Viva La Verve sketch and some more Verve goodies to create the first card of 2018!  Head over to the Viva La Verve blog and play along this month!  Thanks for stopping by!

What's in it?
stamps: Winter Peace DIGITAL Set, Beyond Measure (Verve)
dies: Falling Leaves Die Set, Christmas Spirit Die Set(Verve)


Here are some quotes I've pinned for this year's mantra...



 











 

 

 

Happy New Year ~ Mojo Monday

Happy New Year everyone!  I spent my last day of Christmas vacation cleaning up the studio and making my first card of the year using the Mojo Monday sketch below!  I had this quote from Verve's Potter's Clay ready to go then saw Diva Teresa's GORGEOUS card on the Mojo Monday blog.  I just had to CASE parts of it.  It's a Happy New Year card for a dear friend :)  Thanks for stopping by...hope your year has started out well!

stamps: Verve's Potter's Clay and Holiday Greetings (retired)

Celebrate 2015 (with Grace)

Good morning!  I’ve had such an enjoyable holiday, but sadly it’s coming to a much too fast end.  I am blessed to have such great holiday time to recharge and enjoy other things besides school and work.  Spending time in the studio always feeds my soul.  This card is one I made to celebrate the new year and start thinking about my New Year’s Mantra.  The word “grace” came to mind right away and it came up a few more times this week so I knew I was on to something.  I did a Pinterest search for some quotes to add to my New Year’s Mantra board found HERE.  I’ve added some of them here below. Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day :)

Peace & Joy & Happy New Year

Good morning!  I’m thinking that if we’re still in the first week of the New Year, I can still post New Year’s cards :)  What do you think?  This card was part of a set of cards I made last Friday. 

Because I sold most of my Christmas in my sister’s wine store last month AND didn’t have any extra time before Christmas due to work and school, I thought I would send out New Year’s cards this year.  What a great idea!  I wasn’t stressed and my friends would get some extra happy mail in January :)  PLUS my card won’t have to compete with any of the lovely Christmas cards received, but can stand alone on a table or mantle well into January!  I was also pleased as punch to have my PTI  order arrive last Thursday.  I got the angled panel die and really wanted to use it on my card.  It’s perfect to layer on top of patterned paper!  I chose some lovely Authentique paper as my base, but this angled die would be perfect for those pieces of LOUD and BOLD papers that you don’t know how to use.  UGH!  It’s the first Monday back to work and classes begin this weekend.  But the days are getting longer and I hear the sweet sound of Spring just around the corner!  Thanks for stopping by!  Come back tomorrow for a super fun post that I’m SO EXCITED about! 

stamps and dies: Papertrey Ink