This blog is about stamping, scrapbooking, food, writing, painting & family. Sweet pieces by me.
Just a couple of layouts I had fun with. I can’t believe my babies are 4 and almost 6! I honestly have no idea where the time has gone.
It’s warming up here in Colorado Springs just when we are planning our move. More to come!
Charlene 😊
Hi Everyone!
So I’m finally participating in the challenge over at the Paper Craft Crew! Pam, aren’t you proud of me?? My hope is to be a regular participant! Pam Staples and I go way back…well back to 2011, where we first met. We were roomies for my first Stampin’ Up! Convention year, which was such a great one. (had a little drama at the house we rented from another roommate, but we all survived! ha!) Overall it was a great experience! That’s what I’ll always remember. We’ve been Facebook friends ever since! 🙂
This was such a cute sketch that we had to play with. I had to make an Anniversary card for my sweet friend Dixie, who’s been married 33 years today! She is the sweetest little lady and makes beautiful hand-knit items. If you need a special hand-knit gift, she’s your lady! Check out her site HERE. (I’m working on her website – trying to make it better, still in the works!)
I love this stamp set Number of Years and the matching Large Number framelits. Even though my framelits are on backorder and still in the mail! You can’t really tell I “fussy” cut the 3’s can you?? Ugh, such a pain lol. I’ll be making more birthday and anniversary cards when I get the framelits! 😉 I just love this color combo though…and thanks for the great sketch Pam!
Happy Valentine’s Day too! It’s funny how the dynamics of a relationship change. Now instead of a quiet, romantic dinner for two, it ended up being a loud, fast paced spaghetti dinner for 4! It was great and fun spending the time with my loves…just not your typical V-day dinner. Even though we had a cartoon on in the car on the way, my son still fell asleep! (He’d gone all day without a nap) So when we got there my husband carried him in and he was a little cranky. He perked up though, especially after the offer of a little Sprite.
And of course I had to include a picture of THIS face….and a little selfie action. Not sure why my husband didn’t get the wear pink or red memo…
Thanks for stopping by! And Happy Valentine’s Day!
Here’s what I used to make my card:
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
Yes, it is almost 8:30AM and my 2 kids are still sleeping. (3-1/2 year old and 2 year old) I get a lot of friends asking me, do you wake a sleeping child? No! Why poke a sleeping bear? More on this in a minute…
So this morning, I set my alarm for 7:15AM. It went off, I grabbed my phone like I was going to get up, then stretched, curled back up and closed my eyes. I rested for what seemed like 5 minutes, but it was actually an hour! Oh man, there goes my blogging time. However, I got up, made my coffee and got the kid’s milks ready. Back to the keyboard I go and here I am typing away and it is 9AM. I feel blessed. Relaxed. So back to the question, do I wake the kids? So they are “sleeping in” a little, don’t bother them. Enjoy sipping your coffee for one minute and just breathe. Because you and I both know that it is short-lived. 😉
(Enter kid #1)
I’ll keep writing until I have to make breakfast, but I just wanted to say some more about this. So back to waking them…why wake them if their bodies are telling them to sleep? So, they will get a little off schedule. That’s ok! I know my son was very tired from going to a Monster Truck show with daddy last night. He didn’t nap yesterday and woke up at about 9am and went to sleep on his way home about 9pm. That’s a LONG day for a 3-1/2 year old so I know his little body needs that rest.
My daughter is teething or growing because she has been extra feisty lately. So I know that any extra sleep will help her. If I were to wake either of them, there would be sadness, confusion, whiny children and then an irritated mommy. Why cause all that? 🙂
Instead, we have 2 adorable “quiet” toddlers, a calm mommy getting fueled up for another busy day. There’s a load of laundry to do, dishes to put away and a possible grocery trip. However, it’s pretty rainy out and as you know that would not make it a fun trip for mommy or the toddlers. Hmmm…I wonder if I can get what I need on Amazon Prime Now. Have you tried it? WOW, it’s amazing. No fee, (except for the $100/year Prime Membership), optional tip for the driver and 2 hours later you have your order. I’ve used it several times and I’m spoiled! I think I could find something to order everyday 😉 Anyway, it’s only available in major cities right now so you might not be able to try it, but if you get a chance definitely give it a go!
Ok #2 is awake now and I’m ready for today!
Have a great, restful day!
Charlene 🙂
I got up at 7:30AM this morning. Ok, so that’s not early for most of you but it is for me LOL! My kids have been trained to sleep in. We usually put them in bed about 9 or 9:30 so they sleep until 8:30 or 9. It’s NOT clockwork by any means and it’s been rough the last couple weeks. After the holidays we got off schedule because of staying up late and the kids were sleeping until 9:30-10! Which hey, that’s ok for me since I was staying up until 1 or 2am stamping! (Ugh…crazy I know!) We finally had a couple of days (4 or 5 really) where we got the kids up by 8:30 so they went down for a nap by 2 (instead of 3!) and in bed by 9. I’m okay with that. I’m a night owl, so if I get 2-3 hours in the evening to cuddle and watch shows with my hubby, then I’m happy. :-)Even happier if I get to stamp and make cards! However, I need to also sleep train MYSELF! I have gotten used to going to bed at 12-1am and sleeping until 9! I would love to have a couple hours in the morning to myself. Me and coffee. Quiet. Then I could write, journal, read, stamp and make cards, scrapbook…or whatever! So that is a definite resolution for me. I feel like I have all these thoughts and ideas in my head and I need to get them out!
One BIG problem is that the computer now lives in the garage. Why? Well, we wanted to make room for other things and not have the rooms look so cluttered. My stamping space was also out in the garage (I had a space heater), plus it’s California, not like the weather is that bad. So in November my husband said just move what you NEED to stamp and make cards into the spare room and he moved the baby’s crib into our son’s room. SWEET! Dude, I moved all my stuff in a couple hours during the baby’s nap time. IT WAS ON. I am nice and toasty when I’m crafting now. 🙂
So now, I’m happily crafting away…but I have this deep desire to write. Not just “blog” but actually write! I have ideas for children’s books in my head as well as two ideas for novels (fiction and sci-fi). I have no idea why I feel this pull to write but I know I must. I think it must be what “The Force” feels like. So, moving the computer is next.
This leads me to my New Years Resolutions! C’mon, we all do it. We make them. We break them. Maybe we make them just to have something to break? HA! Well anyway here they are!
Yes, I realize that #9 and 10 should be at the top…these aren’t really in any particular order…but I do feel that in order to do #2 – 10, #1 definitely has to happen first! hahaha
When I started this blog, I hoped it would be a place where I could write my little anecdotes, share pictures of the littles and their cute videos, share my photography (another hobby of mine), share my cards and scrap booking.
However, being a mom of TWO toddlers…well there’s that whole I don’t have time for ME thing. Well, I’m making it! I recently saw a video of Jada Pinkett Smith answering her daughters question about how hard it is being a wife and a mother. I feel like she was answering this question for me! She hits the nail on the head. It’s very hard to balance being a wife and a mother and still being able to enjoy what we want in life. It’s our life too, remember? So the list above doesn’t include “spend more time doing things for myself” but I feel that 1-8 are doing exactly that. I mean, the list could go on and on…get more massages, get more pedicures, go mall shopping (for myself), have more coffee dates with friends, have more girl’s (mom’s) nights out, etc etc etc. I would really love all of that…but time, money and resources are all a factor. So for now, I’d be fulfilled with the 10 above…for now.
Now my son has come into the garage (with his Kindle) and is asking me to hold him so I must go for now…but I’ll leave you with this…sometimes the only thing holding us back is US.
Here’s a couple of pictures of my cuties opening presents at Christmas! Sophie was fully aware of what was going on and loved every minute! This one is a bit blurry (most are because my kids never sit still!) but I just loved how she held up these Frozen toys. She loves her Frozen 🙂
Ok, so my son is now out here and in full “I’m going to annoy my mom mode”. Can’t get writing done yelling “stop” every 2 minutes. Guess my time is up. Guess 30 minutes of writing will have to do!
Now, go out and do what YOU want to do. It’s a new day, a fresh start.
Charlene xoxo
Sweet pieces by me 