She was just a baby ... now look at her ...

First I'd like to wish you all a HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!  Please remember our troops today as they continue to fight for our freedom!

The main purpose of this posting is to share our beautiful granddaughter, Morgan's graduation photos with you!  That's right ... Morgan graduated from high school yesterday and it was a WONDERFUL, PROUD day for all of us!!

As some of you already know, one of Morgan's high school prides was her participation in the band.  She just adores her teacher, Mr. Rodick and was proud to not only be 1st chair clarinet but she was also the Field Commander for the marching band both her Junior & Senior years.  Today as they march in the Memorial Day Parade in their town, it will be a sad occasion for Morgan as it will be the last time she commands the band and marches in a parade representing Leetonia High School.  She also received a scholarship towards college from the band a few weeks back.

Here is Morgan receiving her diploma ... such a proud moment for us all!  Especially for Morgan.  School has not always been easy for Morgan but finally her senior year it came together and she made the honor roll every 9 week period throughout!  She's not sure what she will be doing throughout the summer ... but she is certainly looking forward to starting college in the fall and we support her in all her future dreams!

  Not the best of photos, but can you say "PROUD!"

 

I don't think Morgan stopped smiling from the time she walked into auditorium!  She has certainly enjoyed her high school experience ... made many friends, both students & faculty and I have no doubt will miss them a lot!  She, like most of us, will keep in touch with a hand full of those special friendships ... but as time goes on will meet new friends and make new memories!

Can you tell we are PROUD GRAND-PARENTS!!

Morgan with Mom, Dad and brother Jon ... being silly and VERY HAPPY!

MY FAMILY!!

I asked Morgan where she's like to go to eat after the ceremony and she picked Olive Garden!  From the time she was a very little girl, she would choose a salad over a steak any time we'd go out to eat!  She loves the salad & breadsticks at Olive Garden so .... that's where we went.  It was just the 6 of us but you can tell this family doesn't need a crowd to have a good time!

Here's Morgan and her brother Jon sharing dessert!  The ceremony is over and now it's time to visit other graduation parties ... so we parted ways and headed back to Akron where our neighbor Tony was celebrating his graduation with a party and Morgan & her family had other family members to visit and other grad parties to attend as well!

Did you notice Morgan never took her graduation cap off!!!  She probably slept in it too, LOL!!

Thanks for letting me share this blessed day with you!  Hope you have a wonderful day today ... enjoy those Bar-B-Q's and friends/family!  We are all truly blessed with this day!

Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop

Due to technical difficulties, I didn't get in on the special Memorial Day Blog Hop over at OPERATION WRITE HOME as planned, but did want to share with you the card I had originally created for this special event.  This adorable little guy is a free image available over at *Wink *Wink Ink ... made by Melanie specifically for this special hop.

(click on image to enlarge)

While we are enjoying all the weekend festivities, parades & Bar-b-Q's ... let's not forget those who have (and still are) paved/paving the way for our FREEDOM!  Be sure to pop on over to this wonderful blog and get involved in letting our men & women of the armed forces know that we appreciate all that they are doing to keep the freedom here in the great U.S. A.!!

                                                                                                                                        

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

                                                                                                                                        

Enjoy your loved ones this weekend, 

remember those who have fallen 
to secure our freedom,

and pray for those who continue the fight!

Please Vote For Me ...

(This post will remain on top until voting ends June 1st.

Please scroll down for new inspirational postings.  Thanks)

 

WOW ... I am so thrilled & honored to let you know that I am one of the finalist for the prestigious "Priscilla Award" over on the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge Blog.

 I would be thrilled if you would stop over at their blog and "vote" for me. Thanks so much for your support!!  
While you are there ... be sure to check out this week's sketch ... always unique & challenging!!  See you at the poles and thanks in advance for your vote!!

Raise The Bar - Sketch Challenge

SO SORRY for the late posting of my RAISE THE BAR creation!  Dear husband decided to take the day off and HELP me with some outside work!!  Since that rarely happens, I couldn't pass up his offer!  So while I take a quick lunch break, here is my card for today's challenge.

Joni decided to give us a SKETCH to play with today and this image from TJ Designs worked perfectly!!  I matched it up with a couple DCWV designer papers, a vintage button and some gold elastic cording.

Please be sure to pop over to our CHALLENGE BLOG and check out the other designers inspirational creations.  You will find their blog links in my sidebar.

Before I go, I just wanted to share with you my neighbor's son TONY who graduated last evening from our local high school.  He is such a delightful young man and I can only wish him the best in his future.  He wanted to be sure I got to see him in his cap & gown before heading to the ceremony.  Introducing my friend & neighbor, Tony ...

CONGRATULATIONS TONY!!

Thanks everyone for stopping by ... break time is over ... headed back outdoors for "more fun!!"

WOW ... it's a FIVE CHALLENGE DAY!!!

Sorry to have SO MUCH to share with you today but sometimes that happens ... everything at once!  I'm sure you understand perfectly with this busy time of the year!!!

Today I have The Sisterhood Challenge, Penny's Paper-Craft Challenge, Midnight Madness and Crafty Secrets Challenges to share.  Let's start with The Sisterhood Challenge since I am your hostess for today.

For the Challenge at The Sisterhood we are focused on techniques today ... specifically the WAX-PAPER RESIST or WAX-PAPER CUTTLEBUG RESIST techniques.  If you have not tried these techniques ... you really should ... they are easy, fun and you will love the outcome!!  Makes a wonderful background and you choose the color!!  There are links to the tutorials over on The Sisterhood Blog.  Here are the creations I've come up with today:

   This first card uses SU Blue Bayou ink and a retired SU image which was also stamped in Blue Bayou then just gently colored in with a blender pen. This is the WAX-PAPER RESIST background.

Next is the WAX-PAPER CUTTLEBUG RESIST technique. I have used TWO shades of SU yellow ink and the Victoria Cuttlebug folder for this creation.  My image is the FREEBIE offered this month over on *Wink *Wink Ink ... be sure to pop over and get yours.  While you're there check out all the fun they have going on ... a new challenge will be posted on June 7th! 


Today is also the bi-weekly challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog.  Our challenge was to use a Fruit and/or Veggie theme ... I chose this lovely Creations by Penny fruity image.  Don't they look good enough to eat!!  A bit of news from Penny's challenge blog ... Penny will no longer be running the challenge ... she has turned the reins over to Courtney (good luck girlfriend) so she (Penny) can concentrate more on her digi business/blog.  I wish them both the best of luck on their new adventures!

I actually used scraps that were laying on my worktable for this creation!  Multi-tasking you know!  Hurry!  Hurry! these days!!! A touch of Crystal Effects helped add a "real" appeal to this fruit.  

ARE YOU STILL WITH ME???  PLEASE HANG IN THERE >>> 2 MORE TO GO!  

Now this week for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge, I used the CAS  (Clean & Simple) sketch for my card.  So much to do and the brain is beginning to get tired ... but that's okay ... maybe next time I'll get back to the FANCY version.  

(And please notice on this same link is the voting for the PRISCILLA AWARD of which I am in the running for!  I would truly appreciate your vote and thanks to those of you who have already shown your support ... hugs to you all!)

This card also qualifies for the Crafty Secrets Challenge over on Paper Craft Planet to use FLOWERS.  My flowers here are from the Crafty Secrets Summertime booklet.  You certainly see pansies everywhere right now (at least in N.E. Ohio, lol).

LAST BUT NOT LEAST ... the Crafty Secrets Challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers.  This week Marcy has us remembering SCHOOL SPIRIT!  What an appropriate challenge for this time of the year.  I know with my grand-daughter graduating this weekend, it has had me reflecting not only on my daughter's graduation ceremony but my own ... OH SO MANY YEARS AGO!!!  

I have created this "graduation card" using ALL Crafty Secrets products with the exception of the tassle which is by Darice.  The background paper is from their EARTHY paper pack, the images are from the SEASONAL booklet and the stamps are from the PARTY QUEEN and STORY OF ME stamp sets.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today and hanging in there through this very long post ... I do appreciate your patience! Hope you are having a wonderful, fun-filled day!

Church honors it's graduates ...

Today our little family church honored it's upcoming graduates!  My grand-daughter, Morgan Darlene Franjko was one of the honorees and Jeremy McCarty was the other.  Like I said ... it's a "very small" country church but everyone was so generous and kind!!!

Here are Morgan & Jeremy standing in front of the choir while they sang a "special" song just for them.  (The lady in the blue dress -middle- is MY mother ... Morgan's Great-Grandmother).  Can you say, PROUD!!!

After the service the church ladies put on an amazing luncheon to honor these two young people and since they go to 2 different schools (Morgan lives in Ohio and Jeremy lives in Pennsylvania) ... the church basement was decorated to match each of their school colors.  They even had a cake decorated in Jeremy's school colors and another decorated in Morgan's school colors. 

Everyone came over and expressed their well wishes to Morgan and made her feel so special.  I think everyone that came to service this morning came down stairs afterwards to honor these two young people.  They were both having so much fun and feeling so good ... it was really nice to see and be a part of.

Of course the day couldn't go by without a "NEW" 4-Generation Photo.  From Left to Right:  Daughter - Carolyn, Grand-daughter - Morgan, Grandma - ME, and the matriarch Great-Grandma - Pat (my mom).  How blessed are we to be able to share this wonderful milestone 4-generations strong!   


Thanks for letting me share my wonderful day with you!  Hope your day was just as exciting and memorable!

A NEW FUN image ...

... for those Summertime cards!  Introducing "PEARL"!  Isn't she a cutie??

 Pearl comes in a wonderful set that includes "shells" and several sentiments.  Be sure to check out all the new stamps Melanie has been coming up with over on the *Wink *Wink Ink Blog.  You can see them ALL in the STORE ... check 'em out!!  Here is a little creation I made using Pearl ... what do you think??

 The sentiment on my card is one from the set and the only extras I've added to this PRE-COLORED image are Crystal Effects to the seashell border, Stickles to Pearls hat & ruffles and Liquid Pearls to the pearl in the shell.  Here is a close up ...

While you are over at the *Wink *Wink Ink Blog, be sure to check out this month's challenge ... all the details can be found HERE!  You have to hurry though ... time is almost up!!   And if you haven't ordered any of these adorable images yet (what are you waiting for?) ... grab the freebie and play along in the challenge.  You just might win yourself THREE sets of your choice and a chance to be guest designer for the June challenge. 

I sure hope to see YOUR entry pop up at the InLinkz portion of the challenge posting!! What a great opportunity to win these cuties!  And by the way ... we have picked a WINNER in the CHALLENGE CHOICE for our June challenge!  I can't reveal it quite yet but you are going to LOVE IT!!!  Be sure to STAY TUNED!!!

Crafty Secrets #120 and Stamp-By-Step

This week's challenge over at the SCS Crafty Secrets Forum, hosted by Pammyjo, is to use zig-zag or ric-rak. 

I found this beautiful, vintage image over on the Magic Moonlight site and thought it was just perfect for what I wanted to create.  My designer paper is from Paper Pizazz and the other images/sentiment are from Crafty Secrets (Sew Special & Material Girl). 

*******

Another fun creation I made today is a "Memory Box" created with designer paper from Stamp-By-Step.  I made this with a senior graduate in mind that she might like to have it to house some of her "senior memories".  I'm sure it won't be large enough for EVERYTHING ... but maybe just for those "VERY SPECIAL" trinkets.

You can click on the image to enlarge for a better view.

Cheryl over at Step-By-Step offers a different sale every month and has a WIDE SELECTION of products for all your crafting needs.  This month's sale is a 30% off Flower Sale.  Be sure to pop over and check it out!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Wishing you a wonderful, fun-filled weekend!

Now here's a fun challenge idea ...

Happy Friday Everyone and welcome to another Raise The Bar challenge.  Today Joni has ask us to use our favorite handbag as inspiration for our creations.  How much fun is that??  

With having shoulder problems, I recently bought a new purse at Kohl's that DIDN'T require a shoulder strap to carry and it has quickly become my favorite.  I really liked the "summer time" colors too ... well, here is a photo to show you what I mean.

Isn't it cute? 

Since the colors reminded me of those beach umbrella you see along the Carolina beaches, I decided it would be fun to take a photo and use that as my background paper & theme for my card.  

 My main image is by DMD clearstamps and after stamping with Versafine black and embossing with Detail Clear EP, I used my Nestabilities Labels 10 to diecut my shape.  I didn't like all the WHITE SPACE so I took a couple sponge pods and created my sand/sky using Creamy Carmel & Soft Sky ink.  I added a little color to the umbrella using Prismacolor markers.

My sentiment and flip-flops are from a Summertime See D's stamp set and I've achieved the curvy cut on the background panel with my Creative Memories decorative cutter.  All in all ... a very easy & FUN card to create!

Please pop over to the Raise The Bar Challenge Blog and check out the other fun creations made by my co-bartenders using their handbags for inspiration ... what fun!!! 

Here's wishing you a fun-filled weekend!  I know it's a VERY BUSY time of the year and I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by for a visit!

The Sisterhood ... GERMANY

It's time for another SISTERHOOD challenge and today we are going to GERMANY!!  Micki is our hostess today and I would like to thank her for all her efforts on this challenge.  I don't know much about Germany but after a little online investigating I know I would LOVE to personally visit this country!!

(click image to enlarge)

I have printed my images from various sites through my investigating and put them together for my Germany Collage card.  My tag is from Crafty Secrets and the background paper is DCWV and Kraft.

Please be sure to pop on over to THE SISTERHOOD for all the challenge details and for more inspiration provided by my Sistahs!!

Thanks for stopping by today!  And, if you've ever been to Germany, please leave me a comment on those special locations I won't want to miss when I (we) make our trip abroad!  Happy Stamping my friends!!

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #54

There is an amazing amount of fun going on over at Midnight Madness  ... but I only have time this week to play along in the sketch challenge.  Here are the two sketch versions you have to choose from this week ...

 I guess you could say my creation for this week's challenge falls somewhere in the middle of these two versions.  

 I have used an image from a site called Magic Moonlight.  The color on this little girls flowers was the main bases for my entire creation. 

Here is the recipe for my card:
Stamps:  Retired SU sentiment
Papers:  Memory Boutique dp, Basic Grey Ambrosia dp, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Inks:  Versafine Black
Accessories:  Image from Magic Moonlight, Dollarama gems, Martha Stewart birds punch & branch punch, Offray grosgrain ribbon (black & peach), Bazzill paper flowers, Prima flowers

Be sure to pop on over to the Midnight Madness Blog for all the fun you can handle.  I do believe there is a Bar-B-Q going on this week!  INTRIGUED??

Thanks for the visit ... I hope you are having a wonderful day!!

Saying GOOD-BYE to High School

Good Evening Everyone!!

I've been busy trying to help my grand-daughter by creating a few "good-bye gifts" for her High School Teachers.  Friday is her last day of school with Graduation being on May 30th.  She has enjoyed her senior year and I think sad to say good-bye!

If you follow my blog you know that Morgan is VERY involved in her High School Band and has the highest regard for her band director, Mr. Rodick.  She saw a set of notecards laying on my worktable and asked if I would make a set for him.  Being involved in music, of course I used "music" designer paper.  

 While at the workshop at Joan's Gardens over the weekend, we created this really cool box and I thought it would be good to house this notecard set and Morgan can even add his favorite candies in there too!!  She had mentioned adding a "CAT" somewhere in his gift because he is always telling funny stories about his "crazy cat".  And the fact that he got the "crazy cat" as a kitten from Morgan ... well, of course we had to get "this fun pet" included somewhere.  

I've met Mr. Rodick several times and I'm sure he is going to really appreciate Morgan's thoughtfulness and will think of her anytime he uses this box or sees these kitties.   I also decorated the inside of the box and the lid ... just to give him a reason for an extra smile in his day!


Morgan also text me the other day and ask if I would make her a journal for her English teacher.  I don't know this lady but from what Morgan described, I thought she might like this creation.  I've also made matching cards for Morgan to add her personal note to each teacher along with their gift.

I haven't made a journal for quite awhile now and I really enjoyed working on this one.  I sure hope her teacher enjoys it!  

I hope you can stop back again tomorrow when I will have my SISTERHOOD challenge creation and my MIDNIGHT MADNESS card to share with you.  Thanks for your visit ... I truly appreciate you taking the time to stop by!  Until tomorrow ...