I spent the afternoon cleaning up my CTMH sister links. I deleted non-reciprocal links. If I deleted you by mistake, you’re a CTMH sister and you do have a reciprocal link back to me (or if you just want to exchange links) leave me a comment and I will add your link.  It took me forever to get through all the blogs on my list too – I had no idea I had accumulated so many.

I also moved some stuff around, re-posted some artwork, and did some adjusting so if something doesn’t work or appears broken, please tell me so I can fix it.

We’re getting ready to go out of town this weekend, heading to Branson to see my bff’s husband and his band play. This is the first “far away” gig they have done, and it is because they are playing with Aaron’s old band which is pretty cool, in my opinion. We need the vacation and getting to see Whiskey Dixon play is always a plus for me.

It is hard for me to get a handle on it, but my step-daughter goes back to school on Thursday. Yes, a week from tomorrow. I cannot even understand why anyone think’s year-round school is a good idea, but it royally sucks – especially when you have other kids on a different calendar. The other four don’t start school until the middle of August. So a week from now, I will have been up bright and early and waiting for a kid to get home from school – unbelievable! Where in the world did our summer go?

I have to keep reminding myself that summer is NOT over, just because Jesse goes back to school – the other four deserve a good summer, but I have to admit I am REALLY going to enjoy next year when they ALL get a full summer.

When I get back from my trip, I will post some of the cards and layouts I have been working on.

UPDATE: My friend saw these (the bra and panty or bikini cards) and decided she wanted me to make her some for a pool party this summer. I’ve already started (using a different template), and they are way easy to make dozens of, once you get the hang of it.

Also thought I’d give you the link where you can download your own pattern or template to make a bra and panty card – this was not the one I originally used, but I loved this one so much that I have switched to using it. Stamp Owl is brilliant! Click Here. Her card is SO cute!

These bra and panty cards were just too cute not to try myself. I tried to make them look more like bikini’s so my kids would not think I was losing my mind, plus I could think of nothing to do with a card of a bra and pair of panties. My kids giggled, but they thought they were awesome. LOL I had to download them each a template to make their own bra and panty / bikini card. :)

The bow on this card looks lopsided but it isn’t at all on the actual card. I have no idea why it looks like this on this picture.

I have two birthdays coming up … well one was yesterday but I will see her today. So, here are two cards I made (yes I realize they look very similar) for the birthdays. I wanted to use up some of my scraps from this paper pack and it worked great.

Boom-Di-Ada Card #1:

Boom-Di-Ada Card #2:

I used the Boom Di Ada Level 2 My Reflections Paper Pack (Summer Catalog), D1152 Because of You, D1187 For Every Occasion, Liquid Glass and Z1290 Sparkles. So fun!

If you are ready to sign up, or have questions I can answer, please feel free to contact me and I will get back to you quickly. nicole @ nicolehumphrey.net

So I’m behind the times, yes I know.

Yesterday I finally pulled out my Life Delights Memory Showcase kit because I was tired of dusting it off. So why did I wait so long? Because I just could not understand why I would want to make an album of that design. (the accordion stand up thing). Let me just say now, I am going to be making loads of them. What a perfect gift idea. Who knew? (yes I realize many of you have known for a very long time, I just happen to be behind the times a bit and couldn’t get it).

The things I liked about it: When I opened the kit (yes I just broke the seal yesterday morning!), I was thrilled with the ease of the layouts, the sizes of the photographs required and the idea behind a “family showcase”.

I didn’t want to wait to get any different photographs enlarged to cut down to a 5×5 which was requested so I cut them to 4×4 and wrote and/or stamped on the bottom of the mat.

I changed it up a little but I mostly used their diagrams with the exception of a few My Stickease changes, a couple of rotated pages and different sized photographs (plus two added embellishments and two added stamps)

You also need a brown ink pad, a black ink pad and walnut ink.

To begin, protect your work surface and then begin stamping your brown ink pad along the edges of the tag (or other item) blending into the center of the tag.

Next, take your walnut ink and add to the edges of the piece only. Try to avoid getting anywhere but the edges.

Last step, grab that black ink pad and ink the entire piece only on the edges. You can apply the ink to the edge directly from the ink pad. Now, use a sponge and blend the inked edges into the center of the piece. This is what you get.

It is now complete and time for you to embellish it however you would like. I have had a sepia toned photograph of my daughter for awhile that I was unsure of what to do with. I decided to unevenly cut the photograph and attach it to the tag. I then placed a transparent overlay over the top and trimmed the edges.

To finish off the look, I added a Making Memories Washer that says “Treasure” and then I gave the ribbon a inked/stained look as well. This is my finished product.

Now it’s time for you to get creative and have some fun with the different things you can create with this look! Have fun!

I’m up to my eyeballs in typical summer stuff:

- sticky, hot days <check>
- ice cream, slushes and loads of crushed ice beverages <check>
- water in any form (pools, the lake, sprinklers, water parks and water balloons <check>
- crazy hot days at the park trying to have a picnic and stay cool in the shade <check>
- frequent breaks from my computer and facebook <check>
- a trip to Chicago to see Marty Casey and four other bands with a girlfriend <check>
- warm, starry nights with hot campfires and roasted marshmallows <check>

Am I missing anything?

Only thing left to do is to continue to enjoy it and find a home for the rest of these puppies I have left.

Hope your summer is going wonderfully and that you are enjoying the time with your family and loved ones.

I’m going to give the blog a new face lift (cause you know me, I have to change ALL the time) and then we’re going to be back in the swing of things.

Missed you all (but if you’re bored, you can go visit me at my food blog: www.dailydishrecipes.com

I swear that’s the last time I will mention it.