Trying to stay in the Carribbean as long as possible...

Finally, some of the sights of my cruise....some are labeled, some not :) Here are the carvings and swan ice sculture that awaited our welcome luncheon. It's all food :) And the ice serpent on the last day at sea.

Port Canaveral from the ship (above) and as we sailed away (below). Also some pictures from the safety drill we had to do before leaving port.

And some deck pictures including the "exercise deck" (Deck 12) and my perfect view from the deck chair on deck 11.

And then there were the dining room (s). I say it that way, because it was actually a THREE LEVEL dining room. We were in "Top Hat and Tails" the middle level room, but above us was the "Sound of Music" with these beautiful scultures and mural on the stairs. So wonderful!

Here's the promenade where all the shops were and where we had to cross at times to get to the back of the ship from our room in the forward section!
And although we saw most of the Shows on board, I only took pictures of the ice show. The show's theme was Under the big top, so here are some of the Circus performers :)

And here are some of our projects made with the stamp sets especially designed for our cruise adventures. Bellas are in back, PTI is on the lower left and Gina K on the lower right.

More pictures to come, but as I said...I want the cruise to last as long as humanly possible; especially with snow falling outside :)

Happy week!

Some favorites and HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Hi all! I know you have patiently been waiting for my cruise pix....we due to technical difficulties at Wally World...the CD's I need to show you pix of my adventures is taking a few days longer...but no worries! I can show you my favorite projects we did! The 3 companies prepared almost 40 projects for us to do while we were cruising...I really don't think I can show them all, although I may throw in a few here and there now and then...but I wanted to show you some of my very favorites.

This first one was a "satchel" project we did with Gina K's stamps. We used a scor pal to score the two pieces of DP we glued together, scored then folded. The cards were simple layered notecards. We colored a bit of the flowers to coordinate with the paper and voila! I did not yet color the last two cards. The flap on the satchel closes with a button magnet that Gina K sells! It was fun to make and so pretty! :)

This set was designed by Nichole Heady of Papertreyink. She is all about the simple and elegant. We used her Floral Frenzy set and the wonderful Kraft cardstock she sells. It was definitely more complicated a project, but not hard. Just lots of steps, which she walked us through beautifully. We also used her Polka Dot Basics set. I don't have either of these stamp sets, but now they are on my Christmas wish list! The little purse holds the cards and the folder has a note pad in it. How adorable is this set!?

This little set was designed by stamping bella's Nicky and she is such a sweetheart! The box was already punched and scored and we just put it together and layered on the flower. Then we made these little adorable cards using Stamping bella stamps...they were all simple and fun to make. The cards go in their little cellophane envelopes and fit in the box. Adorable, yes?

The images from Gina K and Stamping Bella were all included in our goody bag! Oh and did I mention they also gave us a score pal?! Scor pal donated one to EVERY ONE ON THE STAMPING CRUISE! How wonderful it was to get my own!!

My girl is #14.
Now, for some really really exciting news!! We have been going to games and games and games of soccer...our girls' team won their division, their class and their regional game and now

My daughter's team is once again GOING TO THE STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS!!! WOO HOO!!!

We have been there 3 of 4 years, going to the final game twice before and winning it all once, two years ago. What a joy to be able to experience this with our Danish daughter too, as she is playing on the team as well. God is so so GOOD!

It's gonna be quite a week!

Enjoy yours! Off to church!

Be blessed!

A winner! and Home again from an Incredible adventure!!

Hi all!

First, I want to congratulate Doris on being the closest guess to how many pieces of "stuff" was in my kit for my travel book....the answer was 122 (all those brads!) and her guess was the highest at 65! Email me with your address in Poland, Doris and you will be receiving a Gina K stamp set and acrylic block, both part of my goodie bag!

I will post the pictures of all my stuff, projects and fun when I get my pictures back from processing...

Yes, I said processing. Well, Kim Marie, why didn't you use your digital camera, you ask....well........that's a different post in itself.....

I do have a few cruise pictures to post, though, sent to me by my new friend Pam, who was one of my delightful dinner companions and stampers that I met during one of the best things I have ever done in my life! This is Maureen and I at dinner one night. Maureen is the friend I went with on the boat. She was not even close to being called a hobby stamper...she enjoys the fellowship of stamping, but was just content to watch other's enjoy the craft. Now, I have to say, she is quite sold on the whole thing!

And here are Maureen, me and Barbara, another dinner table friend....why we even ate breakfast together! This pic was snapped by Pam as well...she had come in from taking pix of the sunrise...we are sitting in the Windjammer restaurant...a 24/7 food fest! Isn't the sea scene just so lovely??

The best part of the cruise was meeting kindred spirits...here are the women we spent time with every evening.....sweet, wonderful woman of strength, creativity and fun! Here are Cara and Carol in the pink and black, and Pam and Barbara in the suit and dark top

Makes you think all we did was eat on this ship, huh? Ha! More info to follow...I promise!

Next post, I hope to share some pix with some new BFF's of mine....and some superstars :)

Love you all!

PS My girl's team is once again going to the state playoffs....omigosh...so exciting! Pray for us! No injuries!! :) Game is Tuesday night!

Packing....and some blog candy to win??

Well, it's time....to start packing....the lists have been in my head for weeks, parts of lists on little pieces of paper all over the house and car. I have the clothes packing in one place, the stamping stuff pack list in another place...the toiletries list in another place...the documents/$ list in another...and now they all have to come together in a beautiful symphony of two check-ins and a carry-on. Oh no, not all the stuff has come together! All the pieces of paper. Whew...tired just thinking of it :) Now the hard part of actually gathering it all.....but while I'm doing that....

Nichole of Papertreyink, one of my fav companies and a sponsor of this cruise, suggested that we bring a trip scrapbook to put together while we are on the trip. I have decided to do that, to see if I can, really. Here is my "starter kit" that I am bringing.

Since I will be away and not blogging, I decided that "away-blog candy" was in order. So--can you guess how many pieces are in this kit?? Yes, counting each thing (marker, prisma, etc. separately? but not the ziplock bag or bowl holding the embellishments, silly) Make your best guess and comment here, then tell people on your blog about a chance to win something fun that I bring back from my wonderful wonderful stamping cruise! I will award the prize to the answer closest to the right one, or pick randomly from all the right choices. You have until October 28th to guess, then I will choose a lucky duck!

I will miss you! Have a great time this week and know that I am thinking of all of you and wishing wishing wishing wishing you could come with!! I won't be online tomorrow and I leave Saturday, so BON VOYAGE!

Blessings to all!

You make me JUMP for JOY!

You all are the spring in my step!!

Thanks for being there, supporting me and being so so kind! Your comments always bless my days!! This is a bookmark I made for those who blessed me by prayerfully and financially supporting my mission to Mozambique. I added (not shown) an African designed and colored ribbon to the top and one of Gina's K's zoo brads to the bottom corner of Mel's adorable Zack zebra image from the Jumping for Joy set, including one of them with my report letter. The DP is actually flocked! I fell in love with this paper and finally found a perfect use for it...I bought it over a year ago from Oriental Trading Company (OTC). Their scrap booking supplies run the gamut from fair to GREAT, so it's a guess which you'll get when you order...the prices are pretty good though!

Have a joyful Monday! Happy Columbus Day holiday to my US friends!

Happy Anniversary!

Do you remember that my DH gave me the cruise I am taking next week for my 25th Wedding anniversary? It's coming up on November 5th, but I plan to celebrate every day I'm cruising!

This is a card I made for my friends, Jack and Sandy, who are also celebrating their 25th anniversary this fall as well. I received this House Mouse stamp from WishRAK. No, not the image! A sweet stamper sent me the ENTIRE STAMP when I only asked for images (this is now the only HM stamp I have.) Isn't is sweet?? Stamping friends are the BEST, aren't they?!

Have a very Blessed Sunday!

Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

It's my best friend from high school, Lizzie's, birthday today! Happy Birthday to her!!

I actually call her on her b'day to sing and chat for--oh an hour or so-- so I'm not posting a card for her, but I will post a gift and some cards I made for my friend Mary Angela's birthday last week. I love the new rub ons so much, I could almost trade a few stamp sets for more rub ons...I am trying not to add a new obsession!! But it's way too much work, isn't it??

These are stampin up's fresh cut cards and the Fresh Cut stamp set. They are so easy and versatile! I looked at SCS for ideas and kind of went from there. I love the colors! I used Ranger Ink's Distress inks and the SU 5-petal punch. Thanks Deby for loaning me the punch...I really should buy one. I made these into a 6 card set.


Here is a frame and a "pencil mug" that I made using SU's rub ons. You can't really drink from the mug and then wash it without rubbing off the rub ons, so I told my friend to use the mug to hold the pencils on her desk. I'd love to see a picture of her with her 3 boys in the frame!

I think they turned out okay, don't you?

Enjoy Lizzie's birthday, everyone!

Oh and visit my SBS9 sister Natty's blog for some BLOGVERSARY CANDY!!

What the heck?!

Hi friends!

I had a boy once in my class that always said that title phrase when he was surprised by something. I just loved how he said it...with the emphasis on 'heck'. So....SURPRISE! I'm actually sitting in one spot and posting...I know, right. What the heck?!

Believe me, it's been so painful not to be sitting down and checking in. I have been creating a few projects here and there as needed and I promise to post them this week without hesitation....I haven't posted in soooo long!

Here's a start.....

We had my daughter's soccer team over for a "Night before the game" spaghetti dinner. The typical fare with a twist from my DH who made the girls delicious Chicken Parm and Linguini with a tossed Spring mix and spinach salad and garlic bread.

But I made the dessert! Brownies with mini M&M's for sprinkles....with a purple and gold tag for each girl personalized with their name and jersey number! I used Melanie M's set Just So Sporty set from Gina K Designs. Aren't they so cute?! The girls loved them and one girl even put the tag in her locker at school! That is a nice compliment from a 17 year old!
















You can kind of see that a few are not hoodies with numbers, but words...using Mel's set, I also made some brownies with special tags for coaches and for soccer fans, too...for the coaches wives and kids. How fun, huh??

I am getting ready for my cruise this upcoming weekend...and I haven't had even ONE MINUTE to pack...I have to pack clothing and stamping supplies for both me and my friend who is joining me....pray I have the time I need!

My daughter's soccer team is doing VERY VERY WELL! After 3 of 4 of this week's games, we are now at 11 wins, 1 loss and 2 tie games....this is so exciting as they have their hearts set on another state title. (they won two years ago). We have been so crazy keeping up with them, I can barely believe I will be on a cruise this time next week. Wow.

To my blogging sisters, I want to catch up soon on all the blogs, but it is so overwhelming I shall have to take it one bite at a time. You are all amazing women...thank you for your patience! To my blog readers who aren't in my SBS9 group: Thanks also for your faithful visits...you are ALL blessings to me! More to share tomorrow!!!
Love ya!
Kim Marie

Remember

So Grateful Today

(click here)

Try it!

HI all!

Just wanted to let you know of an opportunity to win a gift from Clear Artistic Stamps! You will be totally BLESSED if you win...Belinda is so generous and wonderful and the projects and cards her Design Team comes up with will inspire you!

Head over to the Cottage studio blog and CAS's site as well...Two chances to win!! The odds are good and you will love the store and the blog! Trust me ;) Here's the links to the STORE and BLOG Be blessed and win!

Love ya!
Kim Marie

So busy, so crazy, so tired.....but so GRATEFUL!

Hi all my faithful friends!
I am here! Living life for sure, multiply blessed and trying to find a good time for stamping!!

You have all heard about my crazy days, so you know that I would be here every day if I could, devouring all your wonderful blogs and cards and such....I long for more time to just BE.

I am involved in so many wonderful things, but I am getting tired, so I have promised my family and God that I am going to scale back on my very sincere "Yes! Sure! What a great idea; I 'd love to!" and start saying, "Oh, wow, what a great idea! I just can't right now...." That way I will have time to just hang out and chat or actually create something with my favorite hobby! (Or spend time with my hubby! imagine THAT! LOL!) A friend to whom I was lamenting the difficulty of saying no to things I really love to do said this to me, "Kim, it is your daughter's senior year. You should have the time to spend it doing things that you will also love to do." She is right! Thanks, Mary Angela!

So, I am choosing not to teach a class next semester, I am not taking a student teacher, I won't be signing any songs (not a typo, I mean sign language) at church unless God directs me to and I'm not adding any new projects...oh, I don't mean crafts...I mean PROJECTS. I'll still coordinate our thanksgiving dinner deliveries...can't change all my traditions! But really, I know God wants me to stop being so busy busy, so I can find time to sit down and chat with Him more! A car cannot go without filling up on fuel, and I can't go without filling up on God. And in this crazy crazy world there is just so much to PRAY for! I want to give it my best effort...and I will be blessed!

Of course, you all are not on my "no more" list....in fact, this moves all of you up on my "gotta do it for my sanity" list!! Isn't that GOOD? And I may even open up some of those stamps I've had for awhile and actually ink them up. Isn't that GREAT??

I want encourage YOU to reassess your busyness, too....and to take more time out of the chaos to chat with God...He's waiting so patiently to share Himself with you!
I'm so grateful for you!

And the winner is!

These are cards from my Amazing and Creative SBS sisters...check out their blogs under the SBS9 banner over there----> Scroll down for the winner!!

Suzanne's card (with an E)

Lulu's card

Louise's card

Alex's card :)

Manna's Entry #2

Natty K's Entry

Manna's Entry #1

Debbie Y's Entry

Aren't they fabulous??

By random drawing, the winner is Manna! Congrats, girl!

And thanks for all the entries! Quite a variety of fun and color!

Whew. Now my challenge making days are done for awhile! Gotta go do the next bunch from our SBS group! Blessings!

Happy week!

Hi everyone! Happy week! We had a fabulous family weekend. Here's a snap of my girls that we took at Niagara Falls in their snazzy raincoats you wear on the Maid of the Mist boatride...aren't they so cute??

School started today and besides the headache I've had since 8 am, it was a good day! Scheduling therapy services are a BEAR, especially once you get out the high schooler's schedules! I work with ages 4-18! I think, with God's help, I almost got it down today...til tomorrow! LOL! Honestly, relying on God is the only way this thing comes together, and I pray a lot in these first days. Especially when I see which kids make it back for another year and which ones don't. One of "my kids" who is 16 didn't come back. I am so sad. He has a tough life and I can see why he might give up on school...I mean, should he really have to worry about homework when he barely has a home life?? I continue to pray for him.

Hey, do any of you read the comic strip, For Better or for Worse? I've been reading it for years and years...since just after I had my first baby, oh, 22 years ago. The strip is drawn by Lynn Johnston, a Canadian artist. One of the things I've always loved about the strip is that the characters grew up in real time...and the life of her characters were so real, I sometimes thought she must have hidden cameras in my house! So why am I telling you all this? Well, Lynn has decided to end the strip as far as the growth of her characters, so really the last chapter of the life of the Pattersons has just ended and the book is finished....I am so happy for her, but sad for me! She will continue to publish some of her original strips with a more modern look, and I will enjoy those, but I will miss checking out the new and exciting things....isn't it funny how wrapped up we can become in something so simple? If you have a chance, check out some of her strips...her site is really interactive and you can look at months of the strip at a time to follow a story line. My personal favorite story was when her teenaged character April befriended a girl with learning disabilities....see all that storyline here. The last strip on the first page is my absolute favorite of the story.

I also wanted to share the cards I am making to send to our Church sponsored missionaries this Christmas. We are putting cards made by a few of our stamping crew on a table in church so everyone can sign them during our mission emphasis month. Then we will send the cards to them with a gift for the families. Mine will go to Egypt, the Middle East (an undisclosed location) and locally to a missionary that helps international students. I chose to make all three of mine the same as I had only a little time, but check out these cards made by one of my stamping cult buddies, {as my DD likes to call my friends}.

Blessings!

An honor, a challenge and a post...finally, a post!

Thank you all my fans for continuing in your patience...I know we are all so so busy, but this blog has been yelling my name ever since I got back! It is a jealous blog and kept saying, "Where are you???" "Why aren't you stamping?!" "You even missed my anniversary!!" Hoo boy. So sorry! I have been overwhelmed with projects to finish before school, but it's all good. Really!



First...I received an award while I've been 'gone'. This one is so cute and school-like! Thanks, Rox! I love your blog, too! My friend Roxanne sent this award my way and I'm so glad to know her.

Also I do have a card that should have been posted two weeks ago!

Gasp! My SBS9 green and purple card challenge began mid August and here I am just posting now...hoo boy. SBS9 sisters, please comment here and link your challenge card in the comment. I will add all your cards to my blog and on the last day of the first week of school (Friday, September 5th) I will randomly choose an SBS9 sister winner! Here's my card to get you inspired!! {Gina K stamps, JOY sticker from creative memories and my SBS secret sister, Lulu and the new kiwi color from SU as well as PTI's purple paper and ribbon; and two OTC brads} :)

Also, I want to share this little booklet that I made for my trip to Mozambique...you see, I have both prayer and financial partners who support my trip when I go...and because they commit to pray for me the whole month...I pray for them, too. This is the way I kept track of who to pray for while I was on my trip. The stamp set is Clear Artistic stamp's Delicate moments. I stamped a piece of vellum for the cover, cuttlebugged it, glued it to a covered piece of piece of CS with SU's Winter designer paper, and used Nestabilities oval diecut to make the book and pages with the same DP. I attached the vellum piece with a glue stick. Then I calligraphered the name(s) of those individuals who supported my trip on each page. I originally had ribbon on the ring, but they kept falling in the dirt floors in Africa, so I put them as markers in my bible instead! :)

Me? Oh, I am working on my report from Mozambique, editing a friend's book, stamping thank you's for my mission supporters, prepping my lectures for my college class, organizing for school stuff {for both me and my girls! Our exchange daughter, Em, arrived from Denmark two weeks ago today! See her below?} Oh, and I'm coodinating a mission month for church with new speakers every week in September. Oh, and getting ready for that cruise I told you about last spring. Yes, six more weeks to go for that and boy, will I need it!



I am so missing blogging, stamping and hanging out with all of you! Know that you are all on my mind, but God has been so good to me with all of my 'projects', how can I complain?! And for those who continue to keep my mom in prayer...she remains in the hospital (she was out for a few weeks while I was gone, but back in a few days after I returned!)...so continue to keep her in prayer, please! A lot going on there too! I am longing for the routine of school just so there is a routine. I'll post more soon! Blessings to you all and happy fall!

You've all been so patient!! and a Mystery solved!

My randomly chosen winners of my sketch challenge for July are here! (My daughter randomly chose numbers with no idea who was who) You will receive a prize from me soon!

Now, for the Winners names!

Roxanne S (nonSBS9)

Natty K (SBS9 Sistah!)

Congrats! And thanks everyone for playing along!!

Also, I have the color challenge for this month for my SBS9 sisters, so look for my green and purple card soon! Any one can feel free to play along, and I will post all your cards, even though a prize will only be awarded to an SBS9 sister!

I also have a special announcement! Three of my very very talented stamping friends have started their own blogs:

Kathy

Roxanne

Becky

Visit their blogs, drool over their creations and leave a comment or two...we've all been at the starting gate in blogland before, haven't we?? They'd love to hear from you!

And!! Mystery solved!! Remember this post?? Well, it turns out that my mystery blessing is none other than Becky R whose new blog I mentioned above!!! She told me the day before I left for Africa that she had a little something for me...well, it was a big something!! When I checked out this post on her new shiny blog, the mystery was solved...so fun!!! Isn't it??!!