Teacher Appreciation

Just wanted to share a little card that I made for Paige and Sophie's teachers in honor of teacher appreciation week. In typical Katie fashion, the cards and gifts were not actually delivered to the recipients until the Monday following Teacher Week. It's the thought that counts, right?

The cards accompanied clear buckets that I decorated with patterned paper and prima flowers. I chose buckets because Paige's Kindergarten class has been focusing on the concept of bucket-filling (and I had buckets in my stash of packaging...) The buckets were filled with a cute little notepad, chocolates, and a Panera gift card. They were easy to put together and the teachers appreciated that Paige filled their buckets with all kinds of goodies. Sorry I don't have a picture of the buckets- next time I will try to remember to take one!

Card Supplies:

• Cardstock: Pink Pirouette (Stampin Up), Dark Chocolate and White (Papertrey Ink)
• Stamps: Elements of Style (Stampin Up) and Out on a Limb Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
• Ink: Pink Pirouette (Stampin Up), Dark Chocolate and Tea Dye Duo (Papertrey Ink)
• Ribbon and Bling: Making Memories

Thanks for looking!

Katie

Boo to You!

Halloween was last week and we are still overflowing with candy and sugary treats in the house. Just wanted to share a couple pictures of the cutest Cheerleader and Princess around! (Yes, I am biased...) Hope everyone is enjoying Fall!

Our Anniversary

Eight years ago today, Jason and I were married in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy. As I listen to Paige in the next room acting out Sleeping Beauty, it's a wonder to me how quickly the time has flown and how much our lives have changed. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our wedding day. I can't believe how young we look...

Happy Anniversary Jason! Thank you for eight years, two homes, two beautiful kids, hundreds of trips to Lowes, countless laughs, a few arguments, and lots of love.

Feeling Thankful

So many people have shown us wonderful acts of kindness over the past two months and I am so remiss in sending out thank you notes. I decided to indulge my inner Miss Manners this weekend, quiet the nagging voice inside of me, and tend to creating, writing and sending out thank you notes.

Still determined to make the use of my stash, I created these cards with supplies and materials that I have on hand. I think they turned out well and they certainly have an air of spring about them! Hopefully the cards will brighten the day of those who have brought sunshine into our lives.

Floral thank you note:

• Instructions: To make the flower, I punch three different sized circles 2", 1.5" and 1.25". I trimmed the edge of each circle with my deckle edge scissors. Stack the circles and adhere a button for the center. I made a few of these this weekend for cards and scrapbooking accents.
• Supplies: Cardstock- Archivers; Patterned paper- Heather Bailey for Autumn Leaves (print), Creative Memories (pink), Circle punches- Creative Memories, Fiskers; Stamp- Amuse; Ink and Ribbon- Stampin' Up; Other- Thread and Button.

Bird thank you notes:

• Supplies: Cardstock- Archivers; Clear stamp- Hero Arts (exclusive to Archivers); Ink- Clear Box; Gems-Hero Arts; Stamp- Amuse; Ribbon- Offray (green) Bo Bunny (green polka dots); Colored Pencils- EK Success.

Snow Days

Winter has a firm grip on Northeast Ohio. Now that Paige is older, she had developed an appreciation for playing the the white stuff. She loves getting all bundled up in her snow pants, coat, hat and mittens and making snow angels in the yard.

Sophie wants so badly to join her big sister, but she is simply not old enough. Instead, Sophie will stand at the storm door watching Paige banging on the glass saying "please, please!" This is a tough age for her. Each day she grows bigger and develops skills that distance her from simply being a baby. At the same time, she is not quite old enough to hang with her big sis. Hang tight, Sophie, give it another year or so and, my to mama's chagrin, you will be running around with the big kids before too long. In the meantime, let's enjoy cozy time together inside the house.

Simple Happy Birthday Card

I am trying really hard to make better use of the mountain of papercrafting supplies I have stashed in the spare bedroom (a.k.a. the craft room). Faced with a birthday party for one of Paige's classmates, and no time or desire to run to the store to buy a card, I put one together using what I had on hand, and here is the result:






I think the card took me 15 minutes to make. Heck I doubt I could get to the store and back in that amount of time! Next time I need a card for some occasion, I am going to try to use what I have instead of buying new.

By the way, as a friend or family member who may be the lucky recipient of such a handmade work of heart, please be kind. :o)


Supplies- Tools: Creative Memories Corner Rounder, Cardstock: Stampin' Up and Creative Memories, Stamp: Papertrey Ink, Buttons: Jesse James Co, Rub-ons and Ribbon: Doodlebug Designs, Other: thread.

The question

Yesterday, Jason attended a funeral for one of his antique car club friends. As I was putting the kids to bed, Paige wanted to know where daddy was. I told her that he was at a funeral. She gasped and said, "did somebody die?" I nodded my head. She was quiet and then said, "will daddy give a kiss to bring them back to life?" I shook my head and said "no, honey, there isn't anything that we on Earth can do to bring him back."

"Did he touch a spindle?" Paige asked. "No, sweetie, sometimes when people get old, their bodies stop working and they leave this life to go live with God," I replied.

"Oh," she said, struggling for comprehension.

"Will I die?" she asked. "Well, Paigey, nobody has ever lived forever, so yes, someday you will die." She looked concerned, I continued, "but hopefully that won't be for a very long time." "Ok, Mommy," she said snuggling into her bed, "goodnight, I love you."

"I love you too," I said kissing her forehead. Closing her bedroom door, I wondered if I had handled those questions appropriately. I imagine the concept and finality of death must be tremendous to a child whose only exposure to the topic is through Disney fairy tales.

I wanted to be open and honest with her, but at the same time not scare her. Death is simply a part of life. Recently, It's been a familiar part of our lives having lost several friends and family members over the last couple of months. But what I really wanted to tell her is even through people leave us, they are never truly gone as long as those who remain keep their memory in their hearts. In that way, a little piece of us will always live on.