Wooden Button "WOW" Tutorial

Learn how to paint wooden buttons and add them to your projects on the Create blog today!


For the rest of the day, I'm working on Cricut Magazine tutorials and filming a new class for 2Peas with my daughter, Katelyn. Just wait until you see how talented in the art department she is!
Happy, Happy Easter!

So it's a little belated, but it didn't make much sense not to include photos which had to be taken during Easter so here you go.

The eggs waiting to be colored. (I blow mine out since we don't have many people here that love hard-boiled eggs.)

Jimmy has to wear gloves to color eggs as he has an allergic reaction to egg whites and yolks. It actually worked well so he was less "inked" up at the end:


One Stamp, Three Ways: a 2Peas FREE Class!!

This month twopeasinabucket.com has been hosting 30 days of stamping and card making. This week I'm hosting a class on using one stamp to create three cards of a different color. Just by changing the color, you can change the feel of your cards.

Be sure to check out the class here and enter the challenge this week to be included in the drawing for a prize! Questions can be posted here in the Education Forum!

Please Join Me!

The next installment in my "Stretch Your Sketch" class hosted at http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/ is now available here. This FREE class includes a video, a downloadable pdf, as well as, guest designer samples.



Read more about this class!

Create Blog: WOW Tutorial Today!

Be sure to visit the Create blog for instructions on cutting with cork!


Easter Pre-Game Prep

I'd like to blame the fact that we haven't colored Easter Eggs in the past 6 or 7 years on the fact that my youngest cannot have eggs in their raw form (allergies), but that would not be the case. It's simply been because every year Easter sneaks up on me before I've prepped the eggs and bought the dye!

I used to love coloring eggs as a child, but it's Easter this weekend and once again we've yet to prep our eggs. So this week, I hoping to change all that and give my youngest his FIRST (gasp) opportunity to color eggs, even if he does have to wear gloves to do so.

One thing I did complete on time this year, was a 2Peas Easter layout that I wanted to share with you today. You can find all the supplies to complete this layout here:


Now how about some Easter prep tips to help save this looming holiday?
Bumps on the Head

This week our kids celebrated their school district's Spring Break. The kids were VERY happy to just relax and play with friends here at home. I took some time off, but did have several projects that required attention during the week so I worked half the time. But everyone seemed happy at just having a break (and thankfully, the weather cooperated).

Unfortunately our break ended with a trip to the ER for Kate. She was riding her bike and had some kind of accident. Her little brother was riding with her, but the details are still a little sketchy. We don't know if she crashed or fell off, but she scrapped herself up pretty badly. Brett and I went out to help her while a neighbor was walking her home and she was walking home as well.



Continue reading for the rest of the story!

Happy Birthday Joseph!



Today would be my son's 17th birthday. That just amazes me! One, that I am old enough to have a 17 year old. And two, that the little boy I knew would be nearly a man.


Joseph was born in the wee hours of the morning on April 14, 1994. As our firstborn son, he made quite an entrance in just four short hours. He was a beautiful baby boy, but he suffered from colic for the first 3 to 4 months of his life. Neither his dad nor I were all that thrilled that what we had been so excited for came with such a holler. He was unfortunately destined to have stomach problems nearly all his life.

When Joseph was just 2 and a 1/2 years old, we returned from a trip to Hawaii to learn from his sitter that he had been ill while we were gone. His diahrea continued until we were concerned enough about dehydration to take him into the doctor. The doctor instantly admitted him to the hospital where he underwent tests to discover what was wrong. He was diagnosed with a c. diff which is often caused by too many antibiotics in the system. Joseph's case was from an unknown cause.


Joseph suffered from chronic diahrea for the rest of his life. He underwent frequent colonoscopies. He was admitted and stayed in the hospital nearly every year either with dehydration or complications for his asthma.

Beyond his health issues, Joseph was a lively child. He loved playing with friends. The creative leader of the bunch, he would lead his friends through elaborate, made-up games. He was kind and very loyal to both his friends and his family.


Joey had an amazing laugh. When watching his favorite TV show, "America's Funniest Videos", he would throw back his head and just laugh and laugh. I can still picture him on the couch caught up in a fit of the giggles.

Despite his stomach problems, Joey had a stomach of steel and loved riding fast and spinning rides. I remember once when visiting the Kennedy Space Center he rode the space simulator with his Dad. Hopping off the ride he hopped right back on with no physical effects. We were constantly amazed by his resilience.



Joseph was not a complainer, which meant we often didn't know how much pain he was or wasn't in. He would rather have fun and get back to doing things he loved. He was often sick over the holidays including one Christmas where he passed two kidney stones and spent several hours in the Emergency Room.

Joseph adored his brother and sister and taught them all the in's and out's of sword play, Lego building, and soldier training.


Joseph surrounded himself with amazing friends who loved him as much as he loved them.

Joseph wanted to be a soldier when he grew up, but most of all he wanted to be a Dad.


I am super proud of the young man he was and I'm sure he now is. I can hardly wait to greet him in heaven as a healthy, happy man.

I love you, son! Happy, happy birthday!
Polaroid Frames


I love, love, love this craze!! Join me as I show you how to incorporate small die cut frames on your project in the latest Create blog "WOW" post here.


Challenge: Scraplift!

Since I'm ALWAYS inspired by the projects posted in the 2Peas Gallery, it wasn't a stretch to create a layout based on a project found in the gallery. I selected this layout by melsboys. I just love her style and wanted to use the piece as my inspiration! Here's my take on the challenge: Want to join in on this challenge and possibly win a 2Peas Gift Certificate? Simply scraplift a layout from the gallery (be sure to give credit to the original artist), and then upload it to the proper challenge gallery. You can find my challenge here. One winner will be selected to win the GC. Entries are due this week!
One of My Favorites

Unlike my children, I do have layout favorites from time to time. Sometimes I'll make something that just makes me happy and really feels like me. Today I have a 2Peas Gallery share that does just that--feels like me. I love the way it came together, and I feel like it represents my style very well.

I cut "polaroid" frames from my Silhouette machine and then hung one of them from the mini wooden spool line. Love those mini spools because they don't create much more bulk than a brad! Of course, you knew I had to do some stamping and die cutting. Both of which always make me very happy.


You can find the complete supply list for this layout here, as well as, additional photos of this layout.

Calling In a Sick Day


Yep. Three sickies in the house, and thankfully I'm NOT one of them. Currently one is wanting a nap (the big one), and the littles are drawing. I'm hearing lots of coughing and possibly some snorring, but if it's helping them rest then all is well.


We spent yesterday trying to rest, as well. More drawing:




And playing in the snow (we got 4-6" yesterday):



And we watched the final sessions of conference with my mom and niece:



I consider it a thoroughly peaceful day!


It's Good to Be an Aunt

Especially when I'm the Aunt to so many fabulous nieces and nephews. I never realized how much I would enjoy being an Aunt. I also never knew how much I would love the little men and women that my siblings have produced. If only they would just let me keep all the kidlings, then I would be so very happy. Unfortunately not one of my siblings has been willing to part with their children permanently so I kiss and squeeze on them as much as I can when they visit.
I created this layout with my niece, Zadie, in mind. She has a fierce and bright personality, which perfectly matches the American Crafts "Hello, Sunshine!" line. I knew I wanted to create some kind of chain with the tags so I added some smaller tags with one journaling circle and some black and white photos. To give the page dimension, I added adhesive foam squares to pop up some of the tags. It's a simple but graphic look, but I love it:


Supplies used to create this layout: * Silhouette SD * Hello Sunshine Dawn Ribbon * Zippy 12X12 Hello Sunshine Paper * Dandy 12X12 Hello Sunshine Paper * Hello Sunshine Butterflies Sunbeam Delights * Hello Sunshine Bits Round Metal Rimmed Tags * Hello Sunshine Phrases, Accents, Journal Good Morning Small Remarks Stickers * Gossamer Kraft 12X12 Hello Sunshine Paper * Gee Golly Phrase, Accents, Journal Small Peachy Keen Remarks Sticker Book * Elizabeth Park Collection Jewel Stickers * Mulberry Doll Fabric Chipboard Peachy Keen Thickers Stickers

Happy Day

Today is a beautiful, warm spring day and I am enjoying myself listening to conference for my church. It is uplifting, peaceful and reminding me of the things that are truly important.


One of those is family. Yesterday we attended a funeral for my husband's great aunt. She was clearly well loved and will be greatly missed. What a beautiful tribute to an amazing woman!


I have one share today from the first issue of the Cricut magazine--a layout that makes me very happy as it focuses on my beautiful niece. I love both the thematic shapes and the general shapes found on each of my cartridges. Two that I use regularly are the Accent Essentials cartridge that came with my Expression machine and the Doodlecharms cartridge. The hearts, the butterflies, and the large green label shape were all cut with my Cricut Expression.


How are you passing today? How are you finding peace this weekend?

Just An Ordinary Day

I was working on a project for American Crafts when I came across this photo of Joey. It seems appropriate that I share this layout today, on April 1. This is the month of his birth. This was the month of his passing.


If you were lucky enough to know Joseph, you were lucky indeed! He was funny, full of life, happy, kind, loyal, honest, hardworking, intelligent, sweet, thoughtful, and so many more things. This month would have marked his 17th birthday, which absolutely amazes me. On this particular day, we had gone to the local park and were just enjoying running around and being happy. Little did we know that cancer was growing inside his little body. He just never complained. My sweet, sweet boy. So although it was just an ordinary day, it was an AMAZING day!


Supplies used to create this layout: * Campy Trails Medium Brads * Salmon Cove Campy Trails Paper * Elk Creek Trail Campy Trails Paper * Campy Trails Fabric Brads * Pine Meadow Glossy Chipboard Campy Trails Thickers Stickers * Campy Trails Buttons Elements * Charming Chap Peachy Keen Details * Twist Pinwheel Flowers Peachy Keen Delights * Powder Point Camp 12X12 Campy Trails Paper * Black Sunrise Printed Natural Chipboard Hello Sunshine Thickers Stickers

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