Where does time go?

Hello Everyone,
     I can't believe it is December already. Actually it is 1/3 gone. I have been so busy catching up from being gone while Bobby was in the hospital. I lost most of October and little of November. Next I was getting ready for Thanksgiving. All the kids were here and we had a great time. We had Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Since Amber is working I made the noodles this year as well as a lot of the baking. We had pies, cookies and fudge. Of course now it is time for Christmas, I am done with my Christmas shopping except for a few things to go into the stockings. I have some holiday baking left to do but it takes me longer than it used to. I can't do it all in a day or two like I used to. I have made a few cards which I will try and get up later. (it may not be today, it might be this week.) I want to blog daily but that is just too taxing for me so I have decided I will try and blog at least once a week, then if I can I will do more and if not you will not be disappointed. I want to thank all of my followers, I hope you understand with my health issues sometimes I am unable to blog. (I won't go into all the different thing things that I deal with on daily basis) I am thankful for what I am able to do. So I will go now, Happy Crafting.
~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

Thanksgiving Card

Hello Everyone,
     First I want to apologize for not blogging during the month of November. (Most of you know the family emergency I went through in October, if not check out my last two blog entries)  This is the card I made for my class for Thanksgiving. They are just rubber stamped images on plain white card stock.  These are super easy & cute.

First I cut the card stock into quarters. (5.5 x 4.25) I then folded each sheet into a card. Finished size is 4.25 x 2.75. I just stamped the cornucopia in brown and "thanks" in orange on front and inside I stamped "happy thanksgiving". (Leaving room for my own message and signature.)

To Make this page you will need the following:

• plain white card stock (beige wuld look good too) 1 sheet per 4 cards
• cornucopia & "thanks" rubber stamps by Inkadinkado (99619 clear stamps)
• Happy Thanksgiving stamp by studio G (97cents from Wal-mart)
• Brown Ink pad by Studio G (97 cents from Wal-mart)
• Orange Ink pad by Studio G (97 cents from Wal-mart)
• corner rounder punch

~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

Home-Going of Bob Fuqua

Hello Everyone,
     First I want to apologize  for not blogging this month. November is half over and this is my first post for the month.  Most of you know, Bob Fuqua went to be with the Lord on October 28, 2011.  This is quick "short" version of what happened in the month of  October. He went in to hospital on Oct 11. He was having mini strokes. He was told he needed to have surgery to open the blocked carotid artery. He had surgery Monday, October 17. He was not as alert as they would like Tuesday (10-18) morning. Tuesday evening he ate dinner with Brenda and they watched a movie on television together. Around 11 to 11:30 she kissed him good-night and told him that she was going home to shower. She would see him in the morning. The hospital called around 2- 2:30 a.m. Bob had suffered a major stroke. Wednesday Amber and I went to hospital to see him. He was in a coma. They put him on a vent to keep his airway open.  Thursday they took him off of medicine so he would wake up (off of twilight sleep) He did not come out of the coma. Friday evening they life lined him to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Amber & I drove to Indy on Saturday morning. We stayed at hospital with the family. They did an EEG and Bob was not brain dead. They did say however that he would not be able to breath on his own, feed himself or even open his eyes. The neurologist could not even tell if he was conscience or not. The family decided to take Bob off the vent on Thursday, Oct 27. All of the family was there to support Brenda and the children during this terribly tough decision. Bob went to be with the Lord on Friday evening about 5:50 p.m. The visitation was at the Mattox-Wood funeral home from 2-7 (actually from 3-7 family viewing was from 2-3) The funeral was Thursday at the church with a meal following the grave-side services. 

~~ Tracy (cardmakermom)

UPDATE

Hi Everyone,
     Sorry I have not posted anything recently. I had a family emergency and I am at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. I will be back home soon. I will need to make several new pages & cards to keep my mind busy.
~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

Gone Fishing Page 2

I said I might turn the "gone fishing" 12x12 into a double page and I did. I also said if I did I would post pictures for you (so I am) I had four photos of Jordan and Amber fishing that I really liked. I just got those photos printed. I have been busy working on my daughter's "save-the-dates" for her upcoming wedding.  The "save-the-dates" are to go out on Nov 1st. They were almost finished all but the photos. She just got her engagement photos last week. We went to print some of her photos to finish the save-the-dates so I printed the four photos for the "gone fishing' pages. Anyway, Here is the second page of the "gone fishing". I think it turned out really well.

This page was very easy to finish. I just cut the green photo mats 4.5 x 6.5. I cut the black gone fishing from the billionaire (font) cricut lite cartridge. I cut the letters 2" on shadow feature (I plan on getting another page of the green and cutting the regular letters out of green) The letters will then be green with the black shadow.  The two fish (cut at 5") are from the everyday paper dolls (fisherman pg 70). I inked around the fish with TH distress ink, vintage photo.

~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)  

Another 12x12 "Gone Fishing" (Thanks Vicki)

Hi Everyone, 
   I know, I know, I know ...I'm cardmakerMOM ...why the 12x12s well, I guess you can thank my YT friend Vicki over at melovebono (her YT channel). She makes some really cute double 12x12s. She has been a huge inspiration to me!!! Thanks Vicki!!! My last scrap-book LO was inspired by a Halloween sticker and this one by the "fishing" paper. My son Jordan loves to fish so I just had to get this paper and make him a page (this may turn into a double LO and if it does I will post more photos)  Right now I am not sure what to put up in the Left hand corner of my page but I have learned just leave it alone and I will come up with an idea to finish this page. (or what I consider finished)  I may put another photo mat up there but I do not have any more of that color green card stock. I will pick up another piece  and see what 3 mats looks like. I have another idea or two and if I change this page then I will upload addition photos.


To make this page you will need the following for this page:

1- 12" x 12" Gone Fishing patterned paper (I will have to let you know which paper co.)
2- 4" x 6." pieces of green card-stock (for photo mats) in photo they looks like two different sizes but they are not.
Adhesive to glue down all your elements, black maker, and white pen for fisherman's face. 
(I also used distressing ink around the edges of all paper elements )  colors of paper for fisherman you will need

• flesh (body)
• blue (shirt)
• green (waders)
• cream (vest, hat, 3 fish, circle from 3/8" hole punch)
• brown (hair, rod and reel)
• yellow (fish bag)

1-Fisherman cut from cricut everyday paper dolls cut at 5" (Everything was cut at 5")

• cut body page 28 (I cut on black out so I could draw the face or you could use peachy   keen face stamps if you have them)
• waders page 70
• shirt page 70 (shift)
• hair page 70 (Feature 1)
• hat page 70 (shift Feature 1)
• vest page 70 (Feature 2)
• fish bag page 70 (shift Feature 2)
• rod and reel page 70 (Feature 3)
• fish (for end of rod) (shift Feature 3)
• fish page 70 (Feature 4)
• fish page 70 (shift Feature 4)

Ink around the edges of all your cut outs.
Glue layers of fisherman together.
Glue fish to rod and reel.
Glue the circle cut from hole punch onto fish bag (I use cream card stock then inked brown)

*Place the fish on the photo mats where you would like (if you place them on corner only glue down the part of fish that is off the photo mat this way you can tuck your photo under the fish)  

 ~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM & 12x12s maker LOL)

My first challenge!

This has to be posted by tonight at midnight. . . better late than never. (took me this long to get up the courage to do it ...ha ha ha ) Remember Baby steps.  This is the first time I have ever entered a challenge. I am entering this in the Cardz TV ~ Cricut Cardz Challenge # 92 
Check out www.cardztv.blogspot.com 
~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

This is the cover of my new album.

~~ Tracy (cardmakermom)

Halloween 12 x 12

Hello everyone,
I found this really cute Halloween scrap-book title sticker at Wal-mart for $1.50 and I had to get it. This is the 12 x 12 LO page I made when I got home.  I think it turned out really cute. (Vicki, I am working on a YT video of how I did it.) The camera I am using is not a working correctly and I am having trouble with the video so that may have to wait until my new camera gets here. The delivery date for my camera is Oct 18. (I can hardly wait)
Here is a picture of my Halloween layout.

To make this page you will need the following for this page:

1- 12" x 12" Halloween patterned paper (mine came from the Cloud 9 Designs Seasonal paper pack)
1- 3.75" x 12" piece of green colored card-stock (You can use the color of your choice)
1- Halloween Title sticker (wal-mart) It just says $1.50 & Stickers (made in China)
2- 4.5" x 6.5" pieces of black card-stock
2- 4" x 6" pieces of spiderweb patterned paper (All seasons paper pack by The Paper Studio)
2- Bats cut- 5" out of black with Cricut from Paper Doll Dress Up Cartridge (page 52) 
1- Pumpkin cut- 6" out of orange with Cricut from Paper Doll Dress Up Cartridge (page 53) 
Small scrap of black for back of pumpkin
Adhesive to glue down all your elements & white pen for decorative dots. 
(I also used distressing ink around the edges of the pumpkin) 

I glued the bats down by the wings leaving the face unglued. The Pumpkin I glued down the middle leaving the sides unglued. The reason I left places unglues is so you can add your photo and tuck them under the bat & pumpkin.

• Attach Halloween sticker to the Green Card-stock

• Glue the green card-stock down the bottom of the 12x12 patterned paper.

• Attach the spiderweb patterned paper to the black card-stock

• Glue the black card-stock down

• Cut Cricut pieces. (2 bats 5" and 1 pumpkin 6")

• Put small scrap of black card-stock on the back of pumpkin to cover eye holes.

• (I just left the holes in the bat eyes open.)

• With white pen add decorative dots.

• Glue bat wings down (see photo for placement)

• Glue pumpkin down in the middle 

• Add photos 

~~ Tracy (cardmakermom)

Lady Bug Cards

Here are some cards I made for the children in my Sunday School Class (3 & 4 year olds) The ladybug is cut with the Cricut Doodlecharms cartridge. 

I love lady bugs. The kids really loved them. They really liked the fuzzy antenna. These are made with the sentiment "so thankful for you" on the front.

 This is a quick look at the inside ...I just stamped a couple of ladybugs and added the sentiment. You could also stamps the ladybugs with red ink. 

The back of the card. I do not have a signature stamp yet. (remember I'm a newbie) 

Here is one more with the same lady bug but with the antenna drawn on with Sharpie marker and a different sentiment on front "Thanks Friend"

~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

New Project Update

Hello Everyone,

     Like I said ...the plan is ....I just finished taking photos of  the new wedding album I am making and was ready to upload them ...only one problem. I do not have any way to get them off the SD card and onto my computer ...I have to get my SD reader from my daughter's. If it isn't one thing it is another.  LOL My baby album mini photos I took with her camera but I was at her home. I just put the SDcard into her laptop and then put the photos on a disk. So as of right now it looks as thought it will be another day or so before I get the wedding album photos uploaded. I only had the paper on the pages with no embellishments so maybe it is just as well. (as they say this is the learning curve for a new blogger, we must remember it's not the destination but the journey) Can you say never a dull moment!   Bye for now bloggers.
~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

Cricut Expression 2

Hello everyone,
     Okay, let's see where to start (at the beginning I guess) As you know I purchased somethings from HSN on their scrap-booking day. Everything was delivered. I was so excited with everything I bought.  I actually received my cricut on Friday, September  31, 2011. I was so busy over the weekend with church, family and just life in general. I was not able to open my cricut and check out all the new features. I did play with my Martha Stewart punches (Oh do I love them!!!) I also finished up a few projects with my crop-a-dile big bite. I had the projects all finished except for the holes in the album covers.  I had used or tried everything except my cricut. Well, Monday night when I got home from class I opened it and was so excited to finally begin to check out the new features as well as the new cartridges. To make a long story short my cricut was damaged in shipping. It will not work.  It will not do anything! I called HSN and they were very helpful. I can sent it back and get a full refund. I wanted an exchange because I really want the expression 2. HSN is sold out ...No more E-2 machines. I had to call Provo craft. They were very helpful too! They are sending me a shipping label to return my cricut for a new machine. The only problem is it will probably be a week or two before I get my new machine. I am just thankful that I am getting a new machine and I didn't have to send it back to HSN and just get my money back because they do not have any more machines. 
     I am going to work on some projects with my cricut create and maybe I will be able to get something posted before the day is over. I say maybe because I never know when something is going to happen around here to derail my plans. I guess that is why I am not a planner. I tend to be more of a "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" kind of girl.  Bye for now
~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM)

NEW Scrapbooking Tools

Hello Everyone, 
     I am so excited my stuff from HSN is starting to come. Yesterday a box from UPS had my cricut E-2, big bite and my glue gun helpers. Today one set of my Martha Stewart punches came. Tomorrow I am expecting the other set to come.  I got the set of everyday punches and the all occasion set of punches.
In the everyday essential punch kit I got 11 punches

• Doily Lace edge punch
• Doily Lace double edge punch
• Daisy Fan deep edge punch
• Scallop with dots deep edge punch
• Double Loops set (1 edge punch, 1 corner punch)
• Eyelet Lace set (1 edge punch, 1 corner punch)
• Monarch butterfly double craft punch
• Alpha punch set of 2 punches  

Tomorrow the other set should be here. It is the all-occasion punch set. It also has 11.

• Swirling Lace Punch Around The Page™ punch set
• Laurel Leaf Punch Around The Page™ punch set
• Cherish Punch Around The Page™ punch set
• Monarch Butterflies Double-Edge Punch
• Floral Vine Deep Edge Punch
• Corner Rounder Corner Punch
• Starry Sky Punch All Over The Page™ punch
• Flourish Square Punch All Over The Page™ punch

I tried the Monarch butterfly and oh how BEA-utiful (in my best Jim Carrey voice) it is so delicate. I can't wait to make something and use it. Tomorrow the other butterflies punch will come. They are going to be so amazing together. Might just have to make a butterfly album. I have some 12x12 butterfly paper and a scrapbook album with butterflies on it. Hmmm that maybe the next project. Well, gotta run can't wait the try the other 10 new punches I got today. 


~~Tracy (cardmakerMom) 

New Followers!!!

Hello Everyone, 

I am so excited. I now have some new followers. Although I accidentally added myself as a follower and can not find out how to un-follow myself. (Like I said I'm a newbie) I am still really happy. I was trying to send a message to those who now follow my blog and when it asked me to sign in to send them a message it added me as a follower . I want to thank Ms Vicky and Katy for stopping by.  Ms Vicky has been a huge inspiration to me. I love her YouTube videos (melovebono).  I feel like I just maybe able to do this (although with adding myself and not being able to un-follow myself on this blog is a testament to the reason I have not done anything until now). Well, I better get busy on a new project so I can have something to post soon.  

If anyone can tell me how to un-follow myself please leave a comment. THANKS 

~~Tracy (cardmakerMOM) 

MY FIRST BABY ALBUM

This is the cover and the first two pages. In the pocket of page one is a three photo tag (front & back) so that is a total of six photos.  There are three tags in the pocket of page two. There is room for journaling on the fronts and photos on the backs. You could also put a photo on the base of the page.

These are pages three and four.  I like the way these turned out. The yellow photo mat slides under the teddy bear and the blue photo mat comes out of the bath tub. You can put a photo on one side and journaling on the other or a photo on each side. You could also put a photo on page behind the photo mat in the tub. 

These are pages five and six. I really like the tags in the crib. You can journal on front and put photo on the back. The mat on page six flips up so you can add two photos. You could also put a photo on page down in the crib.

These are the last two pages. The yellow mat comes out and you can put photo on each side or photo on one side and journaling on the other. You could put photo under the yellow mat as well as the two on the mat.   In the pocket on the last page there are three tags for journaling. There is a photo mat that space for three photos on each side. This makes room for six birthday photos. You could also put photo or photos on the back page behind the tags. 

~~Tracy (CardmakerMOM)

***Special Thanks ***     I want to thank Laura from following the paper trail for her inspiration. Watching her videos I found the courage to try this. THANKS, Laura

Website: http://www.followthepapertrailwithlaura.com

Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/followingthepapertrail
Blog: http://www.followingthepapertrail.blogspot.com

Sad day for my family

Hello Everyone, 

     I will get this started soon, I promise.  I need to get another camera for photos and videos. Mine has mysteriously disappeared. I thought we had gotten though this stage with my children being grown (guess, not!!!) Oh well a great excuse to get a new one.  I just finished my first ever Baby Mini Album!!! I am so excited to share it with you all. I am really happy how it turned out. Thanks Laura (following the paper trail) for the courage to try~

     I want to share with you the things that I am doing. I want to share all the crafts that I am currently enjoying! I am sure that some of this will be lead by what my followers want to see as well. 

     As I said ...this is a sad day for my family.  I learned this morning that a dear family friend passed away in his sleep.  I am sad that he is gone but thankful to God that he went very peacefully and without pain and suffering.  RIP Herb Ford (we love you Herbie)

~~ Tracy (cardmakermom)

Brand New Blogger!

 Hello Everyone,

     I am brand new to blogging and I am just learning all this stuff! So please be patient, email me with your tips to help this run smoothly.  I love watching all the videos on scrapbooking on YouTube and U stream. Most everyone I follow have a blog so I have decided to give it a try.  I have a You tube channel but I have not uploaded any videos yet.  This is baby steps.  First the email, then the you tube channel, now the blog. 

My email is CardmakerMOM@yahoo.com

Thanks,

~~Tracy