Whalecome, Baby!

 Whale, it's been a while! ;o)

Pandemic teaching is, without a doubt, the hardest teaching I've ever done. It leaves little time for creative outlets because by the time evening rolls around and I can't face another moment of work I'm so exhausted I don't want to do anything. :oS

However, life goes on and normal things, such as babies and baby showers are still out there, making the world just a little bit happier. My colleague (and Beanie's teacher) is welcoming a baby boy in April and we are showering her with everything sweet, cute, and wonderful in the world. :o) 

I'm playing along with The Paper Players theme challenge this week. 

Who doesn't love a good heart/star card? 

As for the baby, I can't wait to see what the spring brings when the little guy joins us. :o) 

A Mug of Birthday Tea

Somehow in the midst of life and this insane pandemic that feels like we're on March 432nd, it is in fact December 18th. We're in this weird place where time feels incredibly drawn out and yet insanely protracted. 

I find it's rather like parenting, in fact. You know that old adage, "The days are long but the years are short"? That one? And, as anyone who is a parent knows, it's the truth!

My darling Bitty will be 15 tomorrow and I'm sitting here contemplating how in the WORLD that has happened while simultaneously remembering all those loooooong days. And then, it hits me...three years and that's it. Oh goodness! ALLLL the emotions at once!

When making cards for friends and family I try hard to create cards I know they'll love. My Lil? She loves hot beverages, especially tea. She loves the process of making it and cradling the mug and sipping and feeling warm. 

I knew what images I wanted to use, but couldn't decide how to make it happen. The Paper Players are hosting a color challenge this week so I figured I'd try it out and see what happened. If I didn't like it, I could always make another card. 

I'm not unhappy with the results. :o) 

I'm also not unhappy with the fact Winter Break is finally here and I can get my creative groove on without those other things niggling at the back of my brain. Teaching is always challenging. Teaching during a pandemic? Whew. I NEED this break! 

I don't know if I'll be posting any more cards. I certainly hope to! Stay tuned! 

We Need a Little Christmas!

I just closed out the first marking period--got in grades, chased down missing assignments, worked on report cards--and decided to reward myself with some crafting time. :o) 

As always of late, when I need inspiration, I headed over to The Paper Players to check out this week's challenge. And there it was, right up my alley--CHRISTMAS!! 

2020 has been something else, hasn't it? I always balk at skipping over Thanksgiving and racing right to Christmas, but as my youngest has been singing over and over again, "We need a little Christmas, right this very minute!" 

We've had the Christmas movies playing on repeat and I have been playing Christmas music practically nonstop. ;oP  And, let's face it, it doesn't hurt to get a jump on making the yearly Christmas cards, does it? 

The photo isn't the best quality--because, drat it all it gets dark at noon these days--but here it is. :o) 

Happy week, everyone! It's always a great end if I have crafting time. :o) 

 

Autumn-y Friends

 

I needed to just sit and make a card this afternoon. Being a teacher in 2020 is a whole new ballgame, let me tell you. Suffice it to say I'm exhausted. There's "teacher tired" and then there's "2020 teacher tired". Whew!

I needed a creative outlet after a very challenging day (12 out of 15 kiddos failed to do an assignment I EXPLICITLY told them to do and I was done). 

Where do you go to find mojo when you have none? Why, to The Paper Players' Challenge, of course! 

This week was a color challenge from Ann, and my autumn-loving heart leapt with joy! 

I dug out one of my favorite little sets, "Trendy Trees", found my stamp-a-majig and got to work. I paired it with a sentiment from the "Lovely You" stamp set and voila! 

Then I had to remake the card because, well, Cajun Craze the stamp-a-majig and my arm collided with the card. 

I decided I didn't like the bling on the card that much anyhow so was more than happy to go ahead and remake it...at least that's what I told myself. ;oP 

Honestly, though, my CAS heart just loves the final form of the card--I couldn't be more pleased. :o)

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Paper: Mossy Meadow, Whisper White

Inks: Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Cinnamon Cider, Mossy Meadow

Stamp Sets: Trendy Trees, Lovely You

Notes: 

I stamped off the "leaves"

I "rock and rolled" the Crushed Curry with the Cajun Craze with the yellow leaves

Happy New Year!

The new school year is upon us. Living in a part of Virginia that doesn't begin until the day after Labor Day (the so-called "King's Dominion Law" because there is a belief we need the high school kids to run all the amusement parks and tourist attractions in this part of the state), I still have a few more weeks before I being with students, although I "report" to work via Zoom next Tuesday. :o)

I come by my teaching honestly. 

My mama (Lissie!) was a teacher and I spent my childhood before and after school in her classroom learning the ropes of the life of a school teacher. In turn, I set up my own classroom, teaching my stuffed animals and a--at times--resentful sister. ;o) And, then, somehow, 20+ years passed, and here I am! 

All this to say, my life has always (always!) revolved around the school calendar. Whether it was beginning daycare in September or starting school (and later college), or now, as an adult, setting up my room and making plans for the year, the school calendar drives my life. 

Every September I call out, "Happy New Year!" because, to me, this just makes sense! It is, without a doubt, a new year!

Starting a "new" year in January? 

Nope. ;o)

This week at The Paper Players the challenge was to make a CAS Back to School card. 

I've been trying to forget my summer of "freedom" (um, really? Freedom? In the time of Covid-19?) is ending and put off this card to the last possible moment. :oP 

The beginning of the year is always hectic, chaotic, and exhausting, and this year will undoubtedly be more so. We will be starting all virtual and this is going to present its own unique challenges. I hope my family's ready for Teacher Rachael to come on in and shove Summer Rachael on out of the way. LOL!

For now, I have a few more days of leisure before I hit the ground running on my New Year. :o) 

 (I always laugh at what a huge mess I make when making such a crisp card.)

Stamp Sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Tart and Tangy

Ink: Real Red, Shaded Spruce, So Saffron, Early Espresso, Memento Black

Paper: Whisper White (both), Real Red

Miscellaneous: basic pearls

Notes:
That apple stamp has always bothered me a bit because when you slice into an apple, in general, it is NOT red (or green!). That said, I have seen pink-y streaks in an apple so I wasn't too bothered by the touches of red on the "flesh". My biggest dilemma was trying to figure out what color to use for the fruit inside. 

I inked the stamp up using my Stampin' Write markers and used my trusty and old faithful Stamp-A-Majig to place the apples.

Always Love You

 

I'm starting to get that "summer is almost over it's mid-August and I have to go back to work" feeling. ARGH!!

Summers are so important to teachers. We need that time to recharge our batteries after giving 200% of ourselves during the year. This coming year is nothing but uncertainty and looks like it's going to be one heck of a roller coaster ride...

I'm trying to put off those thoughts. All of them. Darn it all! I don't "return" until the 25th, so I still have time! Forget about that deep cleaning that still needs to happen! There's always time for that! :oP Let me get in the offudio and create!

Liss and I have a new Saturday and Sunday morning routine. Saturday we check to see The Paper Players' design team picks for the week and then Sunday we check out the newest challenge. 

I know I said earlier I usually have an easy time with colors. Well, this time, I struggled a bit. Then I looked at my desk and saw a brand new stamp set staring at me, and I knew. :o) 

This is proving to be a versatile and lovely little set and I'm off to play some more. :o) 

As for work...well...it can wait. ;o)

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Stamp Sets: Branch Out (butterflies--oh how I love those little butterflies!), Field of flowers

Paper: Whisper White (heavy and regular), Night of Navy

Ink: Night of Navy, Melon Mambo, Mango Melody, Pool Party

Miscellaneous: brayer

How to:

I used the brayer to lightly put in the Pool Party for the background. Because I didn't want it super dark, I rolled it off on a scrap piece of paper and then rolled it on my paper. 

For the Newlyweds--A Paper Players Challenge

In an effort to keep the mojo flowing, I'm continuing to play along with The Paper Players. 

This week's challenge was a theme from Laurie:

I had to give this challenge quite a bit of thought. I'll be honest, Brien and I aren't the most romatical of couples so I wouldn't create a really fancy card for him. And, I'm fresh out of weddings to attend. That said, It never hurts to have a card in your stash for those "just in case" emergencies. In my building at school, you never know when you might need a shower card, and to be honest, in the middle of the year, I don't have as much time to craft as I would like. 

I thought about the next wedding we have coming up in the building (in October if Covid behaves!). The sweet bride is a modern young woman with elegant yet simple taste. 

I pulled out my embossing folders to see if anything inspired me (since I have NO stamps that did so) and lo and behold, there was this gorgeous paisley swirly one. :o) 

Because I'm not sure what her "colors" are, I went with my favorite, the lovely Smoky Slate. However, it still didn't "pop" with me like I wanted it to so I pulled out my pearls and starting putting them in all the holes. (Anyone else find their "pokey tool" is a godsend when placing bling?)

The pearls were the thing! I finished it off with the beautiful scripted "For the Newlyweds" from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in the lower right corner. 

Perfect! :o) 

I don't know if we'll be together to celebrate this beautiful couple, but I do know how USPS works so I'll get this card to Miss Madison one way or another. ;o)

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Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Whisper White (heavy and regular), Smoky Slate

Ink: Smoky Slate

Miscellaneous: Basic Pearls for the win!!