Back to school....

My two sweet grandchildren started back to school on Tuesday. Dillon will be in 6th grade and Jessica will be in 3rd. They are in different schools and both do well in class, so they didn't mind starting back--except that it means the end of summer and long visits to our house!

I wanted to make them each a card wishing them good luck this year and just to let them know I was thinking of them. Here are the cards I made each of them. Dillon's is blue and yellow and used some retired SU stamps, current SU punches, and non-SU paper and punches. Jessica's looks more girly and uses Spellbinder dies and non-SU designer paper. But it had numbers and alphabets on the stars so I thought it was perfect for her.
Since both kids love getting their own mail, I hope they like the mail they get today! And I hope they both have a wonderful school year! Smiles, Laura

Butterflies and blue skies....

Butterflies and blue skies---don't you LOVE that title! I love seeing butterflies in the summer. These blue and black butterfies come in our area in late summer and they sure enjoy my husband's zinneas in his garden. He has some beautiful flowers in all colors and sweetly brings me bouquets to the house for our table. I could not resist capturing pictures of these butterflies.

I don't show it here, but one little fellow was near the end of his life cycle, had torn wings and yet still was flitting about enjoying the flowers. We should be like that--enjoying life in spite of our age or infirmaties! What a beautiful blessing from God!!

I did see my first monarch butterfly of the fall yesterday, too, but of course did not get a picture. The monarch butterflies migrate across the Blue Ridge Parkway near us and we oftentimes see a few down our way. I guess they are starting their trip home for the winter. Butterflies are my personal symbol, so I particularly enjoy them---all kinds and colors of them!! Smiles, Laura

A box for tags.....

Here is a neat little tag box I made yseterday, using the Level 2 hostess set Christmas Punch and the Christmas Lounge DSP. I got the instructions from Valerie Stangle and the pattern for the cut-outs on the front from Bev Victory. Thanks to both ladies!! I used the SU thick window sheets to line the cut-out squares. This is a neat little box for tags or any other small pieces. Thanks for looking. Smiles, Laura

Subtle Difference....

This first card is one I made for a Christmas in August swap I am participating in. I'm not sure if you can tell it, but the ornament if covered with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I used the two way glue pen to adher it. The sets used on this card are Tree Trimmings and Christmas Greetings. The colors are Taken with Teal and Sahara Sand. The designer paper used is Holiday Lounge. I hope the swap participants like it. Then I decided to use some of the darker sheets from the Holiday Lounge paper on one and I added another ornament. I think I liked this even better, but of course all my swaps were in the mail already. I guess any time you keep working on a card, you will always find ways to change and sometime improve it. Thanks for looking!! Smiles, Laura