Spring is here!

I love the Spring... I love Easter, I love crisp walks, I love the sun.  I DON'T love the rain, and having to replace my leaking roof... but what can you do?
This also is the month of our due date of our second child on April 24th... I'm excited, and feel like there are still a million and one things to do to get ready, but I know that the baby will come anyway, regardless of me being ready, and at least this time I have a functional kitchen and bathroom!

There is a fabulous Spring Promotion going on at Stampin' Up that you won't want to miss... and it's for April, only, so don't forget to check it out!  If you want to take advantage of these amazing offers, email me at yummy_starbucks@yahoo.ca.

I won't be doing workshops for about 6 weeks, but you can still put together orders.

Here's the stamp sets that are on sale:

 Item #   page #          Stamp Set Name         Price      Sale Price                                         
113824        94                 Greenhouse Garden         $34.95      $27.96
113734        98                 Fifth Avenue Floral          $32.95      $26.36
111578      101                 Flower Fancy                   $48.95      $39.16
113258      112                  Trendy Trees                   $23.95      $19.16

there is a brand new stamp set that is out on April 1st... here is a sample of a card made with the stamp set (copyright stampin' up)

 More details April 1st!

Odds and Ends...

Well, I finished my last workshop on Saturday for a while, as the baby is coming in a month.  I will still be doing my monthly club, but I thought it would be wise to take a break from workshops for 6 weeks or so.
I'm still planning for a Birthday Stamp-a-Stack (where you make 12 birthday cards, 4 each of 3 designs in an afternoon) for May, but other than that, just trying to relax and enjoy spending time with Audrey, who is 2 1/2.
Here is a sample of a 6 x 6 that my sister and I came up with: (my sister Heidi and her husband, and myself and my husband, purchased a house together where we live up and down from each other but in seperate residences).

I think it is simple and beautiful!  Colors are basic black, melon mambo and rich razzleberry.  The stamp set is once again "Priceless" (I canNOT stop using that set!)  I used the new edge punch from Sale-a-bration for the embellishment in the middle.

Youth Birthday Cards

Danny and I usually give out birthday cards to our teenagers (we are youth pastors) when it's their birthdays... this year I've decided to make them, to give that extra personal touch.
This is for the boys:

It uses Pacific Point and Kiwi Kiss, old "In Colors" that I just loved, but barely got to use because my house flooded.  The stamp set is Party Hearty, which to me is the most versitale of all the birthday sets.  I have made birthday cards from it for toddlers, grandparents, and teenagers, and never tire of the many possibilities!
This is for the girls:

This is a card I've done several varients of, as it is so simple, yet eye catching!
I used "In Colors" again from when I first started, man I loved those colors! This is Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Buyou, and Wild Wasabi.  This is the "Hello Again" stamp set, and I think everyone should have it! It's only $16.95, and you can use it for so many things... scrapbooking, valentine's day cards, birthday cards, thank you cards, for a cute display... I could go on and on, but I won't:)

Spring Workshop Door Prizes

I had so much fun with this month's workshop door prizes!
I made these buckets, that are made with an older Easter set, and the Scallop Oval Punch, and filled it with Easter Grass and assorted chocolate eggs:

And then, for another door prize, I made my signature candle, but switched it up, and did Spring colors: Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, and Certainly Celery:

I love the Spring!

Spring Inspiration

Here's a picture of a card I created for a workshop I'm doing on Saturday.  I fell in love with this stamp set a while ago, and finally gave in and bought it... I'm also doing a more complicated birthday card with the same set for this month's club (picture to come).  I used basic grey (one of my favourite neutrals), elegant eggplant, orchid opulence, and lavender lace.  The dsp (designer series paper) is cottage wall (page 160) and the ribbon is basic grey taffeta (page 183).  This set is on page 71 of the Idea book and catalogue, and if I do say so myself, it's a must-have!

Last of the Olympics...

Here's a look at my wall, in completion...

The Olympics are officially over.  I feel like a part of me is missing!  We spent so much time organizing, shopping and cooking for the Olympics, that I almost don't know what to do with my life!
The final tally is that we did 71 Countries out of the 82 Countries represented... which makes me realize that if I had only been a little more disciplined on a few of the nights, we would have accomplished all 82.  I have to remind myself, though, that I'm 32 1/2 weeks pregnant, that I felt like my feet were going to fall off for 2 weeks straight, and I have a 2 1/2 year old, 2 jobs, and volunteer twice a week at youth group... so overall, we did really well.
The last sha-bang (is that even how you spell that?!) was Saturday Night... We had a South America/Carribean Night, and we really went all out.  The food was absolutely spectacular... unfortunately, just as we sat down, Audrey got really sick... like projectile-all-over-the-house-in-360-mode kind of sick... which pretty much ruined the meal for most of us.
It was not pretty.
But I come out of the Olympics thinking that I'd love to do this challenge again (2 1/2 years is enough time to recover, I think) and with some recipes that I am DEFINITELY doing again...
Here was the menu for Saturday, if you're interested...

Bermuda: Ginger Beer (which I actually HATE... but it was made in Bermuda, so why not?)
Argentina: Black beans a la Olla (delish)
Brazil: Chicken Cutlets with Tropical Salsa (Rachael Ray.. and a MUST do)
Chili: Chilean Potatos (oh my word, sooooo tasty... layered potato slices, tomatos, mozza cheese and sour cream baked)
Cayman Islands: Iced Coconut Soup (sounded good... was the only disappointment of the 2 weeks for me)
Iceland: Pickled Beets (okay, not Caribbean or South America, but we were grasping at straws to finish)
Peru: Peruvian Pound Cake (with a lemon/sour cream topping and peaches... mmmmm)
Puerto Rico: Baked Bananas

and then I managed to whip up some Portugal Sweet Bread for breakfast for Sunday... so overall, a pretty busy day!

I am sad that it's over, but excited to get back to stamping... have some workshops and club to get ready for this month, plus I'm hoping to do a Birthday Stamp a Stack... so I'll be busy doing that this month...

On top of all that, it's our Youth Groups "Amazing Race" this month... and Heidi (my sister) and I are organizing the whole event, so our husbands can race... HUGE undertaking...

Whew, that's everything!