Pure Inkspiration

Month in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:22:00 +0000

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I didn't realize it's been over a month! I apologize for the long absence.

My family enjoyed a wonderful vacation. We were blessed to be able to just relax and re-connect. We spent a day just enjoying our rental house...playing pool and Clue, cooking out and watching a movie together. The boys spent a day golfing while Sarah and I stamped, read, baked, chatted and napped. We also went to the beach at the lake, hiked and fished at Apple Canyon state park and visited the shops of downtown Galena. It was just what we needed.

Our last day of vacation was cut short by the news of my father's passing. He'd been ill for some time so it wasn't unexpected, but the emotions that surfaced were. My parents divorced when I was 18 and my father and I haven't had much of a relationship since. His choice.

As his next of kin and leaving no will or wishes behind, it took a couple of weeks to sort things out and a couple more to work through some memories and feelings. In His faithfulness, my Heavenly Father has seen me through by opening doors, offering healing and providing me with wonderful family and friends.

As month end drew near, school began and with it came my return to work. It's been a whirlwind of a week. Registration is up at my school and the office has been hopping. In addition, our 4 children are now at 3 different schools. Sarah in her last year of elementary, Jacob starting middle school and the two oldest in High School, Justin a Sophmore and Josh a Senior. We have something going on for someone every night of the week. We are truly blessed!

Sounds crazy I know, and in another month I may be whining about the chaos, but right now I can think of nothing better than enjoying my family and all their goings on! I hope you're enjoying yours as well! God Bless~ Patti

Sweet Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:43:00 +0000

If you were looking for an excuse to go out for your favorite ice cream treat...you've got one. It's National Ice Cream Day!

According to the International Dairy Foods Association, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. He recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by a full 90% of the nation's population. In the proclamation, President Reagan called for all people of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."

I'll admit, it's hard to say no to ice cream. ;) My faves...our local Ollie's Strawberry Arctic Blast, DQ Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard and from the grocer's freezer, Fanny Mae Mint Meltaway. Yum!

I'm headed up to Galena territory this week with Chris and the kids. We're looking forward to some serious downtime and the opportunity to reconnect. Our big guys have been very busy so it seems like they haven't been around much. It will be wonderful to enjoy five whole days together! :)

I'll catch up with you when we return. Until then, may you enjoy lots of sweet moments! Smiles~ Patti

Project Details
Stamps: Hero Arts Sweet Moments
Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, SU! Whisper White, Blue Bayou, Sage Shadow
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Versamagic Cloud White
Other: May Arts Ribbon, Bling, X-mas Red Stickles, Copics

CP Monarch Butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:49:00 +0000

When I received my Monarch and Swallowtail Butterflies stamp set from Creative Play, my husband asked "Don't you already have butterfly stamps?" I replied, "Um, yes, but these are a totally different design." Fortunately, he let it go at that. Truth is, I think I've developed a thing for butterfly stamps. ;)

Laura's take on the Monarch and Swallowtail are so realistic. They are truly beautiful! I've used the Monarch here with Daisy D Gypsy Harvest Paper. The paper is gorgeous! It looks similar to a scarf that my uncle brought back for me from his trip to Turkey a couple of years ago. Coupled with the black embossing powder it helps make the Monarch come alive.

Thanks for visiting today! Take care~ Patti

Project Details
Stamps: Creative Play Monarch & Swallowtail Butterflies, Thank You
Paper: SU! Basic Black & Whisper White, Daisy D Gypsy Harvest
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, SU! So Saffron & More Mustard
Other: Black embossing powder, Scallop scissors, Ticket punch, black velvet ribbon, amber bling

Inspired by Priscilla

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:40:00 +0000

Hello! It feels like ages since my last post. The weather changes here in Northern Illinois have left me dealing with some migraine headaches. I had one Friday which made me miss a stamping get together with friends. (pout) It lingered through Saturday and then I got some relief yesterday.

I found myself anxious to stamp today, but needed a bit of inspiration to get going. I recently recieved this lovely tulip card from my friend Priscilla. Isn't it gorgeous!? The red, white and black combination is so striking, it inspired me to use the same color combination with my new Inkadinkado stamp.

My card is pretty simple but it was the beginnings of a fun afternoon of stamping. I'll stop back later on with another design. Until then, enjoy your day! ~Patti

Project Details

Stamps: Inkadinkado, Verve

Paper: SU! Basic Black, Whisper White, misc

Ink: Versamagic Midnight Black

Other: brads, Queen & Co felt fine, word window punch, photo corner punch, Fiskars treading water punch

Brilliant!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:23:00 +0000

I'm so honored to have been given an award by my blogging friend, Christi Milliken. Christi shares her beautiful work and her beautiful self through her blog Blessings on Paper. Her blog name says it all! It has been a true blessing getting to know her Christi through her blog and our email chats. Thank you Christi, you inspire me in so many ways!

The rules for this award are:
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you've nominated.

I'm sharing this award with the following ladies. The first four, Paula, Amy, Priscilla and Juli are dear friends of mine. I enjoy visiting their blogs not only because they are incredibly creative, but also because it's just one more fun way that we can connect and share life.

Like Christi, Angel and I have become friends through blogging. Angel's so sweet, does lovely design work and I really enjoy the stories she shares about her family. It's through Angel that I found Nancy and Amy's blogs. Be sure to make some time to visit them as their blogs are simply delightful.

1. Paula
2. Amy
3. Priscilla
4. Juli
5. Angel
6. Nancy
7. Amy S

The common thread among these women and myself is that we are all Christians. So ladies, if you haven't seen this, I'm passing it on to you for your blog.

Thanks for the continued stamping and spiritual inspiration that you so freely share! Blessings & Hugs~ Patti

Feeling Glamourous?

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:00:00 +0000

This girl definately is! She's all decked out and has been on a major shopping spree. I hope it wasn't in downtown Chicago with those shoes. ;)

My sister, Kenee and I were recently sharing some giggles about feeling glamourous at 40. She called to tell me that Molly Ringwald had also turned 40 this year. Which made me feel a lot better. ;)

I've really been missing Kenee, so this glamour girl is headed for Alabama. Hope she can stand the heat!

Thanks for stopping by today! ~Patti

Project Details
Stamps- Melanie from Rubber Romance, saying from Art Impressions
Paper- SU! Whisper White & Basic Black, Misc DP
Ink- SU! Basic Black, SU! Markers
Other- Bling, Stickles

Wickedly Green

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +0000

I was so happy that I felt up to stamping this afternoon. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to go back to working every day. I'll have to attend therapy for stamp withdrawl. ;)

This card is totally inspired by the musical production, Wicked. My mom bought me tickets for my birthday! My daughter Sarah, my mom and I are going to see it in August and Sarah is so excited that she can hardly stand the wait.

My mom loves green, so I'm hoping she enjoys the card. I used my Creative Play Swirl Garden set, this time featuring the large butterfly. This set has quickly become a favorite of mine!

Going to the theatre is such a treat and I'm just thrilled that I can share it with two of my favorite people! Thanks mom, we're looking forward to spending the day with you!

Project Details
Stamps: Creative Play Swirl Garden & Thank You
Paper: SU! Whisper White, Basic Black, Gable Green, Misc DP
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Lime Stickles, Ribbon, Bling, Marvy Giga Scallop punch

From Amy

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:02:00 +0000

Just wanted to show off this gorgeous card that Amy sent me for my birthday. The color combination is lovely isn't it? Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pomegranate...love it! Amy has a real eye for color. And look at those cute little pearls and all that ribbon! This card is a slice of heaven!

Amy is such a sweet friend. She can find the silver lining in just about anything. I enjoy being around her positive spirti! She's also a teriffic mom to three beautiful girls and an amazing stamper and scrapbooker.

If you haven't been to Amy's blog yet, be sure to visit it here.

Thanks again for the beautiful card Amy! :)

Chicago Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Made it through the "bug" and I'm feeling a lot better today. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes you sent my way. You are all so very sweet!

I enjoyed spending the day with my family in Chicago. We took the train and then a water taxi to Michigan Avenue. I recommend the water taxi as it gives you chance to take in some of the architecture and it's only $2 a person.

The Magnificent Mile was pretty intense. The pace of things had me feeling kind of rushed. But we did have a fun time at the Lego Store and the Hershey Store and we even stopped in Tiffany's!

After shopping Michigan Avenue, we took a walk to a stamping store called Stamp On In. Let me just say that 20 "city blocks" are NOT the same as 20 blocks in good ole DeKalb. Sarah and I are pretty sure we walked about 5 miles! lol The store was a lot of fun though and I picked up few goodies and even got 10% off because it was my b-day.

From there, we took the bus (again, well worth it as it had AC) back toward Millenium Park. At the park, we took in the Cloud Gate which was amazing and Crown Fountain which we thought would be a nice treat for our feet, but Sarah and I ended up getting drenched by some very obnoxious children who were kicking water. Fortunately, the warm breeze had us dried off in no time.

By then we were all starving and landed at Giordano's Pizza for a very delish stuffed pepperoni pizza Chicago Style! By the time we ate and chatted about our day, it was nearly 8pm and we needed to head back to the train station.

We missed Buckingham Fountain due to the Taste of Chicago and decided to wait on the Sears Skydeck because it was such an overcast day. All in all it was a great day, but I have to admit "there's no place like home", especially when you realize your not a "city girl". ;)

Thanks for stopping by to share in my trip! Smiles~ Patti

CP Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:55:00 +0000

Dropping in real quick to announce the winner of the Creative Play stamps.

Priscilla Heistad said...

I love this color combination and the beautiful swirls.
Favorite technique? Of course, adding glitter to anything makes me happy!
PH

I'm with you there Priscilla!!! Thanks for playing along and for all the congrats!

I'm not feeling well today, so I'll have to catch up with you later on my trip to Chicago. Off to rest. Have a good day! ~Patti

Fabulous 40!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:41:00 +0000

Last night I went out with my dear friend Carol. She took me to our favorite Mexican restaraunt for dinner, (mango) margaritas (yum) and chit-chat. As we pulled into the driveway, there was a big Happy Birthday banner in my front yard and a door hanger featuring the Grim Reaper! Shocking!

For a moment I thought I'd pulled into the wrong driveway. lol And then I realized that all the fuss was for me. I turned 40 today! While Carol and I were out to dinner last night, her hubby, Todd came over and decorated the yard and my kitchen. It's just like Carol and Todd to make a girl have a good long laugh on her birthday. It helped put things into perspective.

40 really is fabulous! I am incredibly blessed by a God who is loving, merciful and faithful. I have a husband who adores me, 4 healthy, happy children, and the best of friends and extended family. What more could a girl ask for!?

Well...a trip to Chicago! Despite being born and raised in Illinois, I've only been to the windy city to go to museums, theatre, a Cubs game and the American Girl Store. So, when my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I requested a day in the city with him and our children. We're looking forward to going to Michigan Avenue, Water Tower Place, the Wrigley Building, Millenium Park, Buckingham Fountain and the Sears Tower. I'm hoping for good weather tomorrow. ;) Enjoy your weekend! ~Patti

CP Bear Cub

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:40:00 +0000

Hello! Just popping in for a quick post this afternoon. This little Bear Cub and the Wolf (featured below) are on their way to visit friends in Washington. We miss you Macie and Savannah!

My daughter Sarah assured me the Wolf card was perfect for her friend Macie. Macie's sister, Savannah is a girly-girl, so I'm hoping she enjoys my take on Creative Play's Bear Cub. Once again, I pulled my watercolor pencils and blender pen out and had a great time coloring. Coloring is so therapeutic!

When I was little, I used to love to color in coloring books. First tracing along the inside edge of the image and then carefully coloring it in, all in the same direction. Yes friends, even as a youngster, I was completely anal. To this day, my sister and I giggle about my color coordinated sock drawer. ;)

Well, now that I've revealed my secret, I'm off to enjoy the evening with my family. I hope you get to do the same. Warmly~ Patti

PS- Don't forget to enter to win your own Creative Play stamp set here!

Project Details
Stamps: Creative Play Bear Cub & Thinking of You
Paper: SU! DP, So Saffron & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip
Other: May Arts ribbon, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, CTMH paper flower, misc pearl, scallop scisors, SU! oval punches

CP Wolf

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:53:00 +0000

Happy Monday! Whew, what a weekend. Chris was working this weekend, so I put in a lot of mileage with the kiddos.

I've decided to take the day off today. I'm going to leave the taxing to my oldest son and I'm going to stamp! :) Although I may have to tidy up my stamping desk, as I think I only have about a 6x6 square left to stamp on.

I've really been enjoying my new Creative Play Stamps. This Wolf image is amazing! His eyes look as though they can see right through a person. I don't usually do a lot of watercoloring, but this one was a joy. I used Memento Tuxedo Black Ink to stamp the Wolf and watercolor pencils and a blender pen for the coloring. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Don't forget to leave a comment on this post for your chance to win your own Creative Play stamp set.

Have a wonderful day today...hope you find some time to stamp too! Smiles~ Patti

Project Details
Stamps: Creative Play Wolf
Paper: SU! Whisper White, Basic Black, Going Grey, Bliss Blue
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Cuttlebug Textured Textile embossing plate, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, MM Brads, SU! Black Gingham ribbon

Sharing Exciting News!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:35:00 +0000

I am simply honored and thrilled to be able to share that I am the newest Design Team Member for Creative Play Stamps!!! :)

Laura and Art Hampton are the owners of this lovely little online shop. Laura's stamps are beautifully detailed, very economical and available in unmounted red rubber for easy storage. In addition to stamps, you'll find lots of other fabulous items at Creative Play, like Stickles, Glimmer Mist, Marvy punches, Cuttlebug accessories, Sakura pens, Grungeboard, Memento ink, Pallette Hybrid ink and much, much more!

To share my excitement, I'm giving away one of my favorite sets from Creative Play, Swirl Garden! I've featured it here in my first card design for them. All you have to do is leave a comment (one per person, please) on this post telling me what your favorite stamping technique is and why.

I'll do a random drawing the morning of Monday, June 30th, to reveal the winner. In the meantime be sure to check back for more designs with Creative Play Stamps!

Thanks for sharing in my news! :) ~Patti

Project Details

Stamps: Creative Play Swirl Garden

Paper: SU! Whisper White, Cool Carribean, Garden Green, Misc

Ink: SU! Blue Bayou, Cool Carribean

Other: May Arts Ribbon, SU! Silver Cording, Patina Stickles, Bling

And The Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:06:00 +0000

#3...spatters said...
These look like a nice addition. I never have luck finding things like you do. Your sharing ideas is really nice. SLSP

Thanks for visiting Sherry! I'll have your blog candy for you when I see you next! :)

I'll also be back later this weekend with some very exciting news as well as some new card designs, so be sure to stop back. :) Blessings~ Patti

Sending You Smiles

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:00:00 +0000

I can't get enough of this Elzy image. She's just too cute! I'm hoping that she brings a smile to a friend today.

I'm so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful dear friends. You know who you are! You brighten my day just by sending me a quick email, calling to chat for an hour (or two), meeting for margaritas or stamping the day away. You share in my celebrations and sorrows and always have a listening ear and a kind word.

Whatever you're up to today friends, I hope you know how special you are! Hugs~ Patti

Project Details
Stamps: Elzybells, Verve Thoughtful Phrases
Paper: SU! Pixie Pink & Whisper White, Basic Grey Sultry
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip, Adirondack, Copics
Other: Fiskars Treading Water punch, Primas, Pearl

Austen Heroine Quiz

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Being a big fan of Jane Austen movies, I just couldn't resist taking this fun quiz to see which Jane Austin character I would be. I was honored to be likened to the very sensible Elinor Dashwood! Although my husband said that 15 years ago I was much more like Miss Marianne Dashwood. I suppose there's a little Elinor AND Marianne in all of us!

Take the Quiz here!

If your not familiar with any of the movies, you must see them! I recommend Sense & Sensibility first. Followed by Mansfield Park, Emma, Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion and Northanger Abby. I also recommend keeping a box of tissue nearby. ;)

I've decided to add reading the Jane Austen novels to my summer "list". If you're an Austen fan, I'd love to hear which book, movie and character are your favorites.

Thanks for stopping by today! Smiles~ Patti

VVPP03: Tulip

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:42:00 +0000

Another beautiful day here in Illinois! I wasn't sure I'd find time to stamp, but as I was blog hopping this morning and I saw that Verve is holding another Project Parade Challenge. I couldn't resist trying it out as the inspiration for it is simply awesome! Not only is the quilt gorgeous, but look at that sparkly picture behind the bed! I can totally picture a big vase of red and yellow tulips in that room! Can't you!?

This Anna Griffin tulip stamp from All Night Media was one of the first stamps I ever purchased. It's been a keeper all these years as I love using my SU! markers on it. I paired it up with some patterned paper from Daisy D, keeping with the red, saffron, white and sand color combo. This was really a fabulous challenge to play with! If you get a chance be sure to join in all the details are HERE. Thanks for the inspiration Verve girls!

Have an awesome evening! ~Patti

Project Details

Stamps: Anna Griffin Tulip, Verve Starlight Starbright

Paper: SU! Real Red, So Saffron, Whisper White, Daisy D

Ink: SU! Real Red, So Saffron, Mellow Moss, Sahara Sand, Close to Cocoa

Other: CTMH Organdy ribbon, X-mas Red Stickles, Crystal Stickles, Fiskars Treading Water punch, SU! Oval punches, Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

A Swinging Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:38:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I hope your week is getting off to a great start!

I got to stamp this morning! :) I think I mentioned that I was going to try to get back in the swing of some challenges. This morning, I stopped by Julee's blog and she has Mojo Monday #42 up.

I'm late on several birthday cards, so I was thankful for Julee's inspiration. This card is for my aunt. She likes "cute", so Elzy is perfect for her. I colored Elzy with Copics! In fact, she's my first attempt at using Copic markers. :)

My friend, Juli was nice enough to bring her Copics to our little stamping get together last week and I got to play with them. I love how smoothly they blend! I'm afraid I'm going to have to have them...ALL. lol

Enjoy your day! ~Patti

Project Details
Stamps: Elzybells, Amuse
Ink: SU! Basic Black, Adironack Pitch Black, Copics
Paper: SU! Ballet Blue, Summer Sun, Green Galore & Whisper White, Misc
Other: Green Galore Grossgrain, Bling

Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:00:00 +0000

It's time for a little giveaway! The occasion? Just because! :)

I came across these great little stamps at Michaels and paired them up with some double sided black and white satin ribbon and several fun adhesive chipboard shapes.

Just leave a comment here (one per person please) for a chance at these goodies. I'll do a random drawing next Friday morning to select the winner. Thanks for stopping by and have a super day! :) ~Patti

Summer Stamping

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:39:00 +0000

Hello Friends! What a wonderful first week of summer break it's been. I've accomplished so much and have had a wonderful time in the process. My house is clean, really clean, for the first time in months. No cobwebs or dust bunnies around here. Just a pile of laundry. ;)

The best part has been reconnecting with friends. I got to meet my dear friend, Carol at Panera on Wednesday morning and we enjoyed a wonderful time of chatting, sharing and laughing over warm toasty bagels. Life is so much better when I can connect with Carol.

Yesterday, my friends Theresa, Paula and Juli came over to stamp. We shared a Shoebox Swap in the morning (my card is above), took a break for lunch and then enjoyed sharing stamps and tools in the afternoon. I was also introduced to Copic Markers and I now understand why everyone loves them so much. They're fabulous! (Thanks for such a fun day girls!)

I'm still in my PJ's today and it's well into the afternoon. I'm being lazy... doing laundry, catching up on phone calls, emails and blog hopping, while the revolving door of our home has my 2 younger children and their friends running in and out enjoying bike rides, ladder golf, a trip to the playground and some Guitar Hero in between. Needless to say, the dog is very tired from trying to keep up with all the activity.

Tomorrow brings the Great Day of Serving at Christ Community Church. Our family will be at Chesebro Elementary School doing a variety of projects including spreading mulch, transplanting bushes and organizing a reading room and storage area. On Sunday we're taking the train to Chicago to go to the Shedd Aquarium. I'm really looking forward to this weekend, there's nothing better than spending time with my family.

Enjoy your weekend as well! Blessings ~Patti

Project Details

Stamps: Inkadinkado Pattern Bugs, PTI Mixed Messages

Paper: SU! Cool Caribbean & Whisper White, Crate Paper Blue Hill

Ink: SU! Cool Caribbean, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel

Other: Spare Parts Flowers, Primas, CTMH Bling, Crystal Stickles, SU! Oval Punches, Cuttlebug Texture Textile Folder, Fiskars Treading Water Punch, Swirl die cut

Star Shine

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:58:00 +0000

High School Graduation is such an exciting time in the life of teens.

My two older boys have been celebrating with their graduating friends over the past week and I have made about a dozen grad cards already. As I don't own any stamp sets with graduation caps, etc, I went with stars.

Verve's Starlight Starbright was just perfect paired up with this designer paper from Close to My Heart. I covered chipboard stars with matching paper and lots of Stickles to really make them shine! The inside verse says "Reaching for the stars, we find our greatest self."

The "Your time to Shine" card features the Fiskars Treading Water border punch. Was so excited to find it at Archiver's! The "Headed for Stardom" card features Julee's Mojo Monday 39 sketch. I'm hoping to make more time for participating in her sketch challenges this summer, along with Beate's.

Now that summer break is finally here, I have a whole list of things I want to accomplish and enjoy this summer. Shall I share? OK, I will. ;)

1) Spending time with my family, going to Chicago, vacationing in Galena, visiting with extended family and friends, enjoying Concerts in the Park, bike riding, going to the Theatre, catching some movies, bowling and lots more!

2) Doing a major house cleaning! I know, doesn't sound like fun but it needs to be done. I think there might be something to feng shui because I don't function well in clutter. ;)

3) Working on home improvement projects! We are hoping to put new siding on our house this summer...Slate (a medium grey color) with black shutters and a red front door. Can't wait to see it done!

4) Sorting and organizing my children's school work, projects, pictures and memorabillia. I have several (at least 4) big boxes of their "stuff" that I've collected over the past 12 years. It's time to get it into some kind of order.

5) Walking with Leslie! I'm working on shedding about 30 pounds this summer and my favorite work out is the Leslie Sansone Walk away the pounds series. No matter what the weather outside, I can always walk inside, no excuses.

6) Stamping! I've already spent a couple of days getting my stamping space in order and I'm looking forward to playing more! Even have a few days on the calendar to stamp with friends. :)

7) Relaxing with some downtime! I really enjoy watching movies and like to watch Pride & Predjudice, Sense & Sensibility, Emma and Mansfield Park each summer. In addition, my children and I like to take rainy summer days and watch all of a series of movies in the same day. One rainy day we'll watch all the Harry Potter movies, another the Star Wars series, and so on.

I hope you and your family are able to enjoy some fun and relaxing times this summer too! Thanks for stopping by today! Smiles ~Patti

Sultry Wish

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:28:00 +0000

With graduations, birthdays, retirements and people leaving my school to move on to other jobs, I am finding myself in need of a lot of cards!

I found a little time over the past week to make a few, but didn't have time to take photos of all of them before needing to address them.

This one was my favorite though, so I had to share it. It's a best wishes card for a sub that has been on a long term assignment at our school this year. She's fantastic and will no doubt be enjoying teaching her own class in the near future. You'll be missed Lana!

The card features Basic Grey's Sultry paper. The patterns and colors on this paper are so beautiful! I have a confession to make...I can't resist patterned paper! And the paper companies make it so easy for us card makers to purchase it...those little 6x6 pads call my name!

I have much to do this week, so I don't know when I'll get a chance to post again. Until then, take care and have a super week! ~Patti

Project Details
Stamps: SU! Petal Prints, More Petal Prints & Small Script
Paper: SU! Gable Green, Pink Passion & Whisper White; Basic Grey Sultry
Ink: SU! Pixie Pink, Pink Passion & Gable Green
Other: Crystal Stickles, bling, ribbon

Faith and Family

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:21:00 +0000

Last Friday, I said I'd be back to share about the baptism of my husband, Chris and our two younger children, Jacob and Sarah. It's been a busy week filled with lots of wonderful things, including track, band and choir banquets, but I do want to take you back to last Saturday because it was a lovely ceremony that filled my heart with sheer joy!

Chris' testimony brought me to tears, as he spoke of his parents and the wonderful Christian home he was raised in. He shared how he turned away from the church during college and made his way back when we married "for the sake of our children". He went on to tell how that turned into a longing for a personal relationship with Christ. Jacob was next, saying that he wanted to be a true follower of Christ and live with Him in heaven someday. And Sarah finished by sharing how she had accepted Christ while talking and praying with Chris and saying how much she loves Jesus.

I praise God for His faithfulness and love and thank Him for the gift of salvation He offers us through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to be a child of God. There is nothing better in this life than to be His and I am so overwhelmed with joy that my children call him Father too.

My heart's desire is for my children to grow so deeply rooted in their faith that nothing can move them from their relationships with our Lord. When growing up, my family went to church in spurts and then stopped when I was a teen.

It wasn't until my daugther's death and moving in with my aunt, that I started attending church again and began to realize how much I needed God. When Chris and I married, we agreed that He needed to be an important part of our family. Early on in our marriage, it was challenging getting to church on Sundays. I worked retail, which required me to work every other weekend. Chris was a real trooper, faithfully taking our 2 little guys every Sunday, even when I couldn't go.

Eventually, moving out to DeKalb allowed me the privilege of being a SAHM, which was a good thing because at that point, we had 2 more little ones. After settling in, we found a home at DeKalb Christian Church. Pastor Tom's sermons touched my heart and began to remove the layers of guilt that I had carried with me over past sin. I was baptized at DCC 7 years ago, and through God's word and Spirit, I discoverd that I had worth and that He loves me. I learned how to forgive. I learned how to love. And I learned the value of passing on my love of our Lord to my children.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope it's as beautiful and sunny where you are, as it is here. I'll be back later this weekend to share some projects. In the meantime, enjoy your day! Blessings ~ Patti

Butterfly Trio

noreply@blogger.com (Patti Gingrich) — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:23:00 +0000

My daughter Sarah makes the most beautiful glass bead jewelry! For Mother's Day, she made each of her grandmas a necklace that reflected their personal style using one of their favorite colors.

Because the necklaces were so lovely and Sarah took such care in making them, I wanted her to have something pretty to put each necklace in.

Using recycled candy tins, Sarah and I made a little trinket box for each necklace with the Unity Stamp Co. Butterfly Beauty set, patterned paper from SU! and Basic Grey, Stickles, ribbon and bling. The boxes were super easy to make and the grandmas were simply delighted with their special gifts.

It's been so neat to see how well Sarah's beading and my stamping compliment each other. I think I could even get into doing beading, but I'm trying to resist. ;)

Hope your week has been a good one. I'm sure glad Friday is upon us, it's been a hectic week at work and I'm ready for the weekend again. It's going to be another good one! My husband, Chris and our two little ones, Jacob and Sarah are getting baptized at our Saturday evening church service! Very exciting! I'll definately be back to share the details on Sunday.

Until then, I hope you have a fabulous weekend! ~Patti