Courageous Cub Keeper

At my daughter's elementary school, if you are given a "courageous cub" it means that you have been caught doing something good. It's their positive reinforcement system. They bring their courageous cub in to the office to show the principal and they get to pick out a special pencil. So far this year, Natalie has brought home 3 of them...and well you know I just can't throw them away!!! That would just be wrong. So I decided to create a little book for her to paste them into. Since the school mascot is a tiger cub, I designed the cover to look like a tiger.


The inside is made up of blank pages so she can add her courageous cubs as needed. As I was cutting and pasting the cover, my 4 year old Zander, was watching and asking me all about it. "Will you make one for me too?" he kept asking. I told him this was a special book for his sister, but when is old enough to go to 1st grade, I would make him one too. He really, really wanted to make one, but I didn't have time to sit down with him, so I just cut out an orange head shape and told him he could just draw the rest with his crayons.

With that I went outside to get some yard work done and after a while, Zander came out and showed me this:
It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen (you know the kind of cute only a mom can see!) It took my breath away because all this time I was out in the yard, he was in the house just working away on his tiger, using the left over scraps from my project. I could have cried!!!... I was so proud of him.

Happy Birthday Anne!

Yesterday I made this card for my friend Anne. It's kind of in the style of a money holder...

...because I wanted to include some Schrute Bucks in honor of "the Office" starting up again this week.

Here are all the Schrute Bucks in all their smarmy Dunder Mifflin glory:

Patterned paper and cherry ribbon are from Bo Bunny. Red card stock, paper punches and stamps are from Stampin' Up!

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Arrrrr ye wonderin' where I've been? I took on a campin' voyage with me kids and caught me a bad case of the scurvy...(actually me caught a very bad cold which makes it hard t' Yarrr)! Avast, me hearties, for I want t' tell ye of me recent discoveries...It seems that today be "talk like a pirate day" on this 19th of September an' I been busy within' me kids who be also sick.

Dollar Store Barrrrrgains:

Earrings, socks n' straws arrrr perfect for today's festivities. Aren't they Darrrrling! (Never mind that the skull earrings appear to be wearing a grill!). Me also got the pirate hats n' eye patches for a piece o' eight (a dollar)!

In the Galley:

Today fer lunch, Capt'n Pirate Mama served up a sea-dog boat fer me wee shipmates. Made of tuna, this seafarin' vessel includes a walk the plank pickle and some scary sea fish crackers sure to bring out the fear in all ye land lubbers! Yarrr!!!


Fer dinner me fixed a Sea Monster surprise:

(Well, actually, it looks more like Hitler, but he be scary too, Yarrr!)
The we eyes were made of eggs in this fashion:
Ewww!

And fer dessert I served key lime pie. Why key lime? On accoun' o' limes help prevent th' scurvy!

The skull an' cross bones be made from meringue.

Thanks fer lookin'

If I gets over me cold by the week's end me plans t' go t' the Portland Pirate Festival!

Western Birthday Round-up!

Today is my brother-in-law's birthday, so we used it as an excuse to get together and celebrate all the end of summer birthdays we missed along the way.

I made this card for my sister-in-law Katy:
(all supplies Stampin' Up!)


My other sister-in-law Rebekah, and her DH, Dylan own a ranch, so they are very much into horses, so I made Rebekah this card:
(all supplies Stampin' Up!)

...and this is Dylan's Birthday Card
Step-by-Step

While searching Split Coast Stampers for a great card idea I came across this bad boy and just had to give it a try. Well, an hour later and I think I figured it out! It was pretty easy, but there were a few things that I had to figure out by trial and error. Rather than make you guess how this card was made I am going to show you step-by-step:

First, start with a piece of 12x12 "Bandanna Flat Paper" by K and Company. Cut out 2 large diamonds, so they each fit within a 4 1/4" square. Fold the diamond in half, then tuck the right edges in on the top and bottom. For the second diamond, fold the left edges in.


Next cut a piece of white card stock to 4 1/4 x 9 1/8. Score at 2 1/4 from one edge and 2 1/8 from the other edge, which leaves a very slight gap when you close the gate folded card. Using coordinating background paper, line the inside of the card (works best in a light color so you can write your message). You don't have to cover from edge to edge since this will be covered with the other bandanna background paper. Next take the bandanna paper that's been folded and glue the unfolded portion to the inside panels of the card. Close the card to match up the seams so the 2 diamonds on opposite sides connect to form one diamond.


Now you can glue the coordinating background paper to the front flaps and trim away any excess. I made the band out of pleather (found at my LSS) and cut out a smaller diamond shape from the same bandanna paper, then added some jute twine and a bronze brad by Making Memories. Sponge edges of card with Close to Cocoa ink. Finished card size is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4.

Lunchbox Notes

Well, I kind of went MIA this week as my 2 older kids both started back to school on Tuesday...and it's been a little bit of an adjustment. For starters my daughter is gone all day, which means she eats lunch at school. I have been enjoying packing her lunch, but want to try and make it fun for her too (in hopes that she will want to bring her lunch more.) For now, we are allowing her to get school lunches once a week, but it's $1.75 and for the most part she just wants the pizza...not the best choice, but she's 6, right?

So now that she's learning to read I have been sending notes in her lunchbox (see her cute princess lunchbox!!!). This was a great way to use up all those scraps I seem to have. Just can't seem to throw those scraps away because...say it with me: "I could use that someday!" Well, someday was today. Using scraps from my monster scrap bin, I created some little lunchbox notes for the upcoming weeks:

Retired Stampin' Up! "Fairy Nice." The images are water colored and embellished with prima flowers.

Stampin' Up's "Cute as a Bug." I made a bookmark too...for when she is reading a bit more. The leaves on the bookmark were made using the 5 petal flower punch and cutting the petals apart. I also used the scalloped circle punch, which I just love. Sayings inside the cards include "Bugs and Kisses" and "Cute as a Bug."

These were created from Stampin' Up's "Unfrogettable" set. I water colored them and added dazzling diamonds glitter.

These were fun to make, but if you don't have time to create your own notes, you can print some out from the following websites:
Lunchbox Notes 1
Lunchbox Notes 2

River Rafting Q & A

Q: Sherri asked "Who took the photo?"

The rafting outfitters have someone positioned on a bridge a few feet away from Husum Falls to take photos of all the rafts that come down. I think our guide said he takes something like 16 frames a second ...or maybe it was 16 frames a minute. Honestly I'm not sure, I was concentrating on not having a heart attack! Anyway, you can kind of see the shadow of the bridge in some of the photos.

Q: Tara asked "Which company did you go with?"

A: We went with a company called Zoller's Outdoor Odyssey. My husband researched a bunch of them and Zoller's had the best rating. I think we got the best guide too. He was having us turn 360s down some of the rapids...quite fun. We also got several chances to "surf" against the rapids. Highly recommended trip. Our guide also told us that the rafting starts in May with the first run off (from the mountain), but you can't go down the falls this early as there is more water making it too dangerous...Imagine that!

Thanks for your questions. Hope I answered them all.

Our little day on the river...

Here's what I did yesterday...

My husband and I and some friends all paddled down the White Salmon River...

...and down a class 5 waterfall!!!

Still hanging on to the the raft, we were submerged under the falls.

What a ride!