Monday, Monday

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

Happy Memorial Day!
*****
I will be blogging over at Midnight Rooster this week.
I'll be here too (i know you were reeeeeeally worried), but I am going to do some additional stuff over there.
Like today my post is all about how I am pretty much obsessed with this single sheet of paper from the May kit.

I've used it on several projects already, like this card where I cut some of the letters out to make the sentiment.

And I am hoarding the rest of the bits & pieces I have left!
:)

So come say HI! over on the Midnight Rooster blog!
*****

There is a new linky party up at Paper Issues.

This one is all about guys!

Show us all your layouts, cards, altered items, etc that feature guys or are for guys or use boy-ish colors...whatever!!
If you used paper, you are in!
So go link it up!

We want to see what you've got!!
*****
Now go enjoy the rest of the holiday!
:)
gretchen

KI Friday Focus On

Today is my day to put up a Focus On over on the KI blog.

Well I picked my favorite product (besides the fabulous patterned papers) from the Over the Rainbow collection to focus on!
I love these Hip Chip chipboard alphas!

I made this layout to go along with the post...

But there is alot more inspiration using the Hip Chip alphas over on the KI blog!
Check it out here!

:)
And have a happy long weekend!!
gretchen

Birthday challenge!

There is a new challenge up at Noel Mignon.

Since it seems like everybody over on the Noel message board is either having a birthday or knows somebody having a birthday in the next couple of months, it only seems fitting that we have a birthday-themed challenge.

This one is called the
"They Say It's Your Birthday" challenge!
And since you can never have enough extra birthday cards on hand, I made a couple for the challenge using the new Mary Ellen kit!

*****
OUT FOR
PUBLICATION
*****

OK!
That's all I've got today!
Happy Tuesday!
:)
gretchen

Things to share

Happy Monday folks!
First of all, here is the layout I did as part of the winter tag game we just finished over at Noel Mignon.
I love the layout by Kimmy that started it all off!
And I love the layout by Virginia that inspired this layout...

(I used mostly the Very Virginia kit for this layout)

This game really stretched me to make a layout differently than I normally do & I love the end result!
__________________________
And secondly, I have been playing with the Mary Ellen kit!
{there are still a few available}

I was organizing pictures on our computer last week and came across this one from a few years ago.

I love finding stuff like this that brings back a flood of memories!

And you know what that means...
It must be scrapped!
:)

(everything is from Mary Ellen except the Basic Grey chipboard numbers & baker's twine that I pulled from my stash)

Have a great week!!
And don't forget to be checking out Noel's Deal of the Day!

I was pumped to pick up some Stickles & baker's twine last week for a great price!!

:)
gretchen

Cards for a Cause **UPDATE**

OK so I know I said I would buy "guy" stuff with the rest of the money, but I heard this weekend that there is a distribution center in Cullman, AL running dangerously low on non-perishable food items.

So since there is a need there, I went the food route instead!

Now I am sure that all you couponing gurus out there could have bought an entire Publix, but I was pretty stoked about what I was able to get with the $155 I had left to spend from the cards yall bought!

I did hit up 3 different stores in search of the best deals:

Publix (for some buy 1, get 1 free deals & cereal on sale), Dollar General (twice! so I could use their $5 off if you spend $25 coupon more than once), & Wal-Mart (because I just feel like everything is cheaper at Wal-Mart).
And this is what I got!
{it looks like so much more on my kitchen table!!}

10 packs of spaghetti

8 cans of spaghetti sauce

5 big cans of baked beans

10 boxes of Hamburger Helper

15 boxes of Kraft mac & cheese

5 jars of peanut butter

10 cans of chicken

15 cans of tuna

5 family-sized of green beans

5 family-sized cans of peaches

5 family-sized cans of pears

15 cans of different Progresso soups

& 4 8-fun packs of various cereals

Thank you all who donated and bought cards!!
Hopefully there are going to be some fuller stomachs in the Cullman area soon!
:)
THANKS!!!
gretchen

TGIF

I've got a post up on the Bella Blvd blog today!

It's all about how to make gift card holders like these.

Do go check it out!

:)
And have a great weekend!!

gretchen

All about cards!

I've got a couple of cards to share today!
I made this one last week for the KI blog.

For card makers I think the new Puffies might just be the greatest thing since sliced bread!
________________________________
And then I also made a card for the May challenge over on the
My Mind's Eye blog.
Here is the sketch...

I used some My Mind's Eye from the Mary Ellen kit from Noel Mignon

and made this little gem.
{which now holds the title of my favorite card of the moment!}

OK that's really all I've got!

{my "all about cards" post title might have been a bit ambitious}
But I would like to throw a big TGIF out there!

:)
See you tomorrow!

gretchen

Well this is cool...

I've never made the table of contents before.
{for some reason i think this is cool! ha! i am easily amused!}
Flip through this preview of the newest special issue from Creating Keepsakes and see if you recognize anybody!
:)

{Click on it to make it larger}

P.S.
My little cards for a cause thing is still going on!
See the post below!

Last call for cards!!

**EDITED on 5/22: I've still got cards! If you buy them, I will keep donating all the proceeds to wherever there is a need!**

_______________________
I've already spend the $600 that was donated!

I got $100 more last week!
Now I want to do a last call for cards to help out the victims of the tornados here in Alabama on April 27th!
I will take the $100 & whatever I get through Friday and go shopping for boy stuff this time around!

There are a bunch of cards on this post, including several new ones since the last post.

If you want one or some, leave me a comment here or email me at
gretchenmcelveen@yahoo.comtelling me what you want.

{the name of the card is underneath each one}

Then paypal me at that same address or put a check in the mail with whatever contribution you would like to make.

{email me for my address}

And I will get the cards out to you asap!
{shipping is on me}

Then I will take whatever is contributed and load up on more stuff for tornado victims!!

So let me know if you want any of these cards for a cause!!

"Happy holidays"

"Dear friend"

"Let it snow"

"Thankful for you"

"Thank you-blue"

"I heart you"

"Remember good times"

"Home-heart"

"Love laugh dance"

"Celebrate today"

"Congrats lovebirds"

"Congrats newlyweds"

"Be mine"

"Just popping in..."

"Good luck"

"Glad to know you"

"Congrats-baby"

"Baby carriage"

"Wanna hang out?"

"Thank you -flowery"

"Love you - scalloped"
*****
OK!
That's what I've got left!
Thank you in advance!
:)
gretchen

A few things...

First of all,

Boston Rob is my hero!

:)

________________________

Secondly,

there is a new linky party up at Paper Issues!
This time the theme is Summer!
Interpretation is up to you...
summer BBQ, graduation, Father's Day, pool parties, camping, the beach, etc!
Show us what you've got!
Cards, layouts, altered items...whatever!!
If you have used paper, you are in!

Link your projects here.

Supplies: Patterned paper & brads & ribbon & rub-ons & lace cardstock (KI Memories), Button (SEI)
______________________________
And lastly,

I forgot to post one of my Midnight Rooster projects!

Oh one more thing...

have a great week!!
:)
gretchen

May at Midnight Rooster!!

I just realized that my Midnight Rooster post got eaten by Blogger!
Let's try this again...
It’s May!

And that means another kit is up for grabs from Midnight Rooster!

This new kit is appropriately named “Fairy Cottage“.

To me it has a very fun, shabby chic feel to it!

And I love what I made with it!!

Wanna see??

****

Wedding pics are just so fun to scrap!

This is my brother and his new wife Ginny.

They’ve been married almost 2 months now!

****

OUT

FOR

PUBLICATION

****

I made this next one as kind of
a “therapeutic” layout.

And a card for good measure!

That’s what I have made…so far!

Get your “Fairy Cottage” kit while they are still available!!

Happy scrappin’!!

gretchen

Bon voyage!!

I have a post up on the Bella Blvd blog today!
I played with some of the new Bella Blvd papers and stickers to make these banners.

And those banners go on this layout!

Check out the full post and an explanation of how I made the banners here!
Happy Tuesday yall!!

:)

gretchen

P.S.
I still have some cards up for grabs!
(click here)
Buy a card & help the victims of the tornados here in Alabama!

"I love..." challenge

There is a new challenge up at Noel Mignon!
It's an "I love..." challenge

and I will admit to getting totally cheesy with this one!

:)

{I made this one with the Mary Ellen kit!!}

OK that's all I've got today!
I am busy mailing out more cards!
They are going like hotcakes tonight!!
THANK YOU!!!
If you still want to buy a card (or more than 1) to help the victims of the Alabama tornados, see this post here!
:)
gretchen

Well it was burning a hole in my pocket!

I was going to wait a few more days to see if I could sell anymore cards.
But the $600 yall donated was burning a hole in my pocket!
So I attacked Big Lots and Dollar General with cash in hand!

{this pictures does not really do justice as to the amount of stuff I was able to buy! however, i was not going to get anyone to take a picture of me trying to maneuver 2 buggies around Big Lots!}

Want to know what just over $600 will get you??
8 6-packs of soap
20 toothbrushes
15 2-packs of toothpaste
16 boxes of various sizes of diapers & training pants
35 bras in various colors, sizes, & materials
20 3-packs of panties in various sizes, styles, & patterns
13 boxes of tampons
10 big packs of maxi pads

Looks like I neglected the men though!
I totally didn't mean to!
I think I was just so excited to see $6 bras!!
:)
Buy more cards and I will go back for men's boxers & briefs!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU WHO BOUGHT CARDS OR JUST DONATED MONEY!!!
I appreciate it so much and I am sure whoever gets this stuff will appreciate it much, much more!
And seriously, I will keep the cards up for sale and whatever donations I get from now on I will use to buy stuff for the guys!
{click here to see the cards}

Thanks again!!
:)
gretchen

Mother's Day is Sunday!

***my little "cards for a cause" effort is the post below***

**buy a card to help tornado victims here in Alabama**

Don't forget to get a Mother's Day card this week!

I made one to send using the Mary Ellen kit from Noel Mignon...

Patterned paper: Crate Paper, The Girl's Paperie, Sassafras; "lovely lady" sticker: My Mind's Eye; Star pin: Maya Road

Everything (except the string) is from the Mary Ellen kit!

And I am putting it in the mail today!
(this one is going to my grandmother)
____________________________
Have yall seen this fun contest from Bella Blvd??

Enter it!! Enter it!!
:)

gretchen

Cards for a Cause **more NEW cards added on 5/9**

OK this is my feeble attempt at putting my craftiness to work for a good cause.

I feel like I should do something!
I've got a bunch of cards that I have made sitting around collecting dust.

But I want to use them to raise some money for the victims of the tornados that destroyed so much of Alabama last week!
I took some extra cash that I had to Dollar General this afternoon and bought stuff like diapers, wipes, tampons, soap, socks, and underwear (yes, my friends, I bought some sexy Hanes Her Way!).
I was amazed at how much I was able to get with that little bit of cash I had!

But goodness knows that stuff is going to be very valuable to those victims who lost soooo much.

*****
So this is what I want to do:

I've put up a bunch of cards on this post.

If you want one or some, leave me a comment here or email me at

gretchenmcelveen@yahoo.com
telling me what you want.

{the name of the card is underneath each one}

Then paypal me at that same address or put a check in the mail with whatever contribution you would like to make.

{email me for my address}

And I will get the cards out to you asap!
{shipping is on me}

Then I will take whatever is contributed back to Dollar General
or Wal-Mart or wherever
and load up on more stuff for tornado victims!!

So let me know if you want any of these cards for a cause!!

"Home-heart"

"Love laugh dance"

"Celebrate today"

"Congrats lovebirds"

"Congrats newlyweds"

"Be mine"

"Just popping in..."

"Good luck"

"Glad to know you"

"Time to relax"

"Congrats"

"Baby carriage"

"Wanna hang out?"

"Thank you -flowery"

"Love you - scalloped"

"Give thanks"

"Boogieman"

"New home"

"Baby boy"

*****

THANK YOU!!
:)

gretchen