Spring...At Last!

“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly. “One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”               ~Hans Christian Anderson

Confessions of a Sweet Tooth Stamper

Hello, my name is PK, and I'm addicted to sweets. Cookies, cupcakes, candy...and without a doubt, Coca-Cola. How ironic that all my weaknesses start with a "c". And they all have this naughty word in common too...calories!

So it's no surprise that I would also have a weakness for stamps that feature all my beloved sweets. Here's a few projects I made with Paper Smooches Sugar Rush stamp set. Though addicting, these sinful "sweets" are calorie-free!

Chocolate milkshakes, right? Wrong! Coke floats, baby!

Can you also tell I have a weakness for polka dots?

Since I'm making confessions here, these projects were actually made for Paper Crafts magazine's upcoming Stamp It! Cards special issue. You're probably saying, "Those tags don't look like cards to me." Well, you would be right! Apparently in my sugar-induced stamping coma, I overlooked that little detail. So I went back and made the Celebrate card above. Sadly, none of my projects were Stamp It! Cards-worthy, but I had fun getting "inky" anyways. And like they say, "Practice makes perfect," so I'll keep stamping...

And consuming my beloved sweets!
PK

P.S. Paper Crafts is currently accepting submissions for Holiday Cards & More, Vol. 7. (And for this special issue you CAN submit tags, as well as cards, gift bags, treat containers, home decor, and more!) The deadline is Monday, April 16, so don't delay! Click HERE for all the festive details!

National Siblings Day

Do you believe in serendipity? Dictionary.com defines it as: "luck in making desirable discoveries by accident."

I just happened to be thinking about my sisters today and out of curiosity typed "National Sisters Day" into my Google search engine. I learned National Sisters Day isn't until the first Sunday in August, but serendipitously discovered that National Siblings Day is today, April 10!

It must be a sign I need to celebrate these two girls and our shared DNA!

Seamstress extraordinaire, aka Gigi, made us these gorgeous dresses, circa 1989. Since I was a mature 7th grader, I insisted that my dress not match my sisters. 

I believe this is my 26th birthday. Holly and I had both just moved back to Texas and were about to become roommates.

Laurie and I at our cousin Todd's wedding in Spokane, WA, 2005

Lounging in the pool in McCall, Idaho, 2008

At our cousin Taylor's wedding, Salt Lake City, 2011

Our favorite happy place, McCall, 2008

"They laughed a little louder,

they cried a little softer,

they lived a little stronger,

because they stood together...sisters."

Since my siblings just happen to be sisters, I guess it really is National Sisters Day, after all!

Love you, girls!

PK

Pins, Peeps & Bears, Oh My!

Lexus and I went to Smith Lodge (aka my aunt's house) for a fine Easter feast. It was slightly delayed because my sweet uncle accidentally turned off the oven (instead of the timer) when they got home for church. That's okay...Eric has vowed to never touch the oven again! It's an Easter miracle!

Since we had some time to kill, I pulled out my camera and snapped Bonnie's latest Pinterest projects. Unlike me who pins ideas with the intent to recreate them, Bonnie actually does! Every time I come for a visit, she has added a new organizational masterpiece or holiday wonder to her home.

And Easter was no exception!

Some jelly beans and Peeps sweeten this pretty bouquet of flowers.

Peeps also found a home on Bonnie's infamous bundt carrot cake.

Watch out, Martha Stewart! Serious baker in the house!

Meet Bert the Bear. He joined the family last week (Costco, $29.99). As you can see by his choice of beverage, he has very good taste!

And just so you can get a feel for Bert's size, here he is next to Lexus! 

Hope everyone had an eggs-cellent Easter!
PK

Easter Wishes

While the weather in Utah is still pretty unpredictable, the calendar confirms that spring is officially here. And I, for one, am very happy about it. Besides the longer days (which warms my heart), I can't wait to shed my bulky winter coat and boots for a pair of cropped jeans and open-toe wedge sandals. I guess I better schedule that pedicure, huh?

Spring also makes me think of new beginnings. A chance to redirect your compass, adjust your sails and look at the world with renewed eyes. Perhaps that's why I love flowers so much...they're little reminders that life is full of wonder.

Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

Dallas Arboretum

Texas Bluebonnets (with one very cute Little Dame!)

With Easter right around the corner, I'm looking forward to a weekend of chocolate bunnies, flowers in bloom and quiet reflection on the One who made everything possible.

Speaking of bunnies, today over on the Paper Crafts Connection blog, we're spotlighting my Easter Wishes Card from the March/April 2012 issue. I made it with one of our free downloadable sentiments:

Here's to a weekend full of wonder!

PK