Friday, May 30, 2014

Growing In Unity :: Day 5 - Thanks Card


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Welcome to the final day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

It's been a wonderful week and I am so thankful for each of you that have stopped by to check out and comment on each of my projects using Unity Stamp Company stamps. If you haven't already, be sure to go back and comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.


For my final project, I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for visiting me each day this week.
What better way to say thank you, than with a card?

Thanks for stopping by today (and every day this week!) - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can be entered to win!

And, of course, I'd love it if you sign up to be a follower!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.

{I will be announcing the winner of this giveaway on Friday, June 6th.
Be Sure to check back!}
Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (Rustic White);
Other Paper: Papertrey Ink (Vellum);
Stencil: Heidi Swapp (HS01148);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Sentiments O’Simple - sentiment, Wood Grain Script);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); Tsukineko (VersaMagic Chalk - Sahara Sand, Jumbo Java, Aloe Vera, Tea Leaves, Persimmon, Pink Grapefruit, Perfect Plumeria);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors, Paper Trimmer); ScorPal (Scoring Board);

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Growing In Unity :: Day 4 - Shoulder Stamped Shirt


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Welcome to the 4th day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

I am so thankful for each of you that have stopped by so far to check out and comment on each of my projects using Unity Stamp Company stamps. Be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.


One of my new favorite ways to use stamps is stamping on shirts. I love the new BIG heart from the DIY L.O.V.E. stamps - it is the perfect size!
I recently created a stamped shirt for my daughter using the same stamp set, but wanted to do something a little different for myself. (And, let's be honest...I don't need any detail on my shirt that will be drawing someone's eye to my gut area...haha.)
For my shirt, I stamped the heart on the shoulder area of the shirt. I love how it turned out!

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can enter to win!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.
Supplies:
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (L.O.V.E.);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Growing In Unity :: Day 3 - Have A Lovely Day


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Welcome to the 3rd day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

I am so thankful for each of you that have stopped by so far to check out and comment on each of my projects using Unity Stamp Company stamps. Be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.


Today's card is a simple one to create, really. I think it looks more involved than it really is.
First, I placed some strips of washi tape on my card base. Then, I die cut a piece of cardstock (the same size as the front of the card) and saved both the positive and negative cuts. I adhered the negative die cut to the card front and then added the positive cuts as embellishments. It's all topped off with a bit of twine and one of my favorite new sentiments from Unity - this one is from the A Lovely Butterfly Day Itty Bitty.

(If you are interested in seeing a couple more cards created with the same basic supplies - see my post here.)

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can enter to win!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.
Supplies:
Washi Tape: My Mind's Eye;
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (A Lovely Butterfly Day);
Ink: Memento (London Fog);
Twine: The Twinery (Gold Shimmer); 

Dies: Top Dog Dies (Pretty Petals Dies Set);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Growing In Unity :: Day 2 - Stamped Bags


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Welcome to the 2nd day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

I am so thankful for each of you that have stopped by so far to check out and comment on my first project using Unity Stamp Company stamps. Be sure to comment on all five of my Growing In Unity posts this week if you want a chance to win some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.


For today's project, I used the new DIY L.O.V.E. stamp set (love it!) and the Deco Hound background stamp.
I love having these quick (and cute) stamped bags on hand. They are great for a handmade touch when you want to give someone a gift card, or great for wrapping small gifts. I even use them to help organize the smaller items in my purse. And they are also perfect for making lavender sachets or dryer bags.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can enter to win!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.
Supplies:
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Deco Hound, L.O.V.E.);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black); Memento (Lilac Posies);

Monday, May 26, 2014

Growing In Unity :: Day 1 - Party Monster


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Welcome to the 1st day of my week as the Growing In Unity gal!

Stay tuned each day this week as I show you something I've created using stamps from Unity Stamp Company...and be sure to comment on each of my Growing In Unity posts this week because Unity Stamp Company is allowing me to give away some free stamps!

If you are new here or aren't already a follower: I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.


Let's get this party started, shall we?
And of course...if you're having a party...there are probably gifts near by:
This gift (yep, I wrapped it myself) is decorated with a tag using the new Party Monster Itty Bitty. (I happen to love this one since I created it. I love being a Unity Artista!) I did some paper piecing on the monster and then added a bit of twine and a cute clothespin to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by today - and don't forget to leave a comment so you can enter to win!

From the comments that are left on each of my posts this week I will be randomly choosing someone to win any two Itty Bittys (winner's choice!) from Unity Stamp Company - to be sent to a domestic address only, please.
Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Heidi Swapp (Serendipity - 6x6);
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Party Monster);
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Strawberry); 

Other: Recollections (Clothespin);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors); 

Friday, May 16, 2014

Lupus Awareness Month :: The Impact of Lupus in America

The following infographic only lists the impact of lupus in America, but it at least gives an idea of the scale of this disease:

{PS - Don't forget to get in on my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway. You can find it here.}

XOXO Layout


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>


I love these pictures that my favorite photographer took of my kids a couple years ago at a fun Valentine's Day photo shoot.
(Yes...I said a couple years ago. I am not generally a scrapbooker, so even that is ahead of the game for me.)

When I came across this patterned paper from Crate Paper's Love Notes collection, I thought it would be perfect to pair with these love-themed photos. I added overlays (again from the Love Notes collection) on top of each picture on the page. The printing on the overlays helped the bright photos blend better with the aged look of the paper.
I finished off the page with a few transparencies and chipboard pieces from the same collection and then added in some simple pearls. 
Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Crate Paper (Love Notes - 12x12);
Chipboard: Crate Paper (Love Notes);
Transparencies: Crate Paper (Love Notes - Valentines);
Pearls: Melissa Frances (Pearls - GN297);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer); Tim Holtz (Tiny Attacher);

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Stamped T-Shirt :: Unity Thursday {Blog Hop}


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

I am thrilled to be able to sneak into this week's Unity blog hop!
Although I am not technically a part of the Unity Design Team, I am one of Unity's Artistas...so I was able to squeeze my way in. :o)

I am so excited to share my project with you today. To create it, I used the new DIY L.O.V.E. stamps.
These stamps are huge!
(Like 4" huge!)
While of course these stamps are awesome for so many home decor projects, I wanted to do a little different version of DIY and jazz up a plain t-shirt.
After I stamped the letters and heart onto the shirt, I used my iron to heat set them. (This step is important when stamping on fabric.)
(Tip: If you are wondering if you own an ink that will work well on fabric, check out this post on Craft Test Dummies.)

My daughter loves her stamped t-shirt! She has already asked me if we can make more. And I can't wait to try making one (or more) for myself, too.


Don't forget: for today's blog hop, Unity is giving away two great prize packages! Be sure to leave a comment on each blog in the hop (including the Unity blog) to be entered to win. The winners will be announced Saturday night on the Unity blog.


And don't forget to check out the great sale this week! It all starts at noon (Central).

There are new stamps this week, too! I love how Unity gets involved in raising awareness and giving back in various ways. There is a great new release this week for #bringbackourgirls :
And I am excited that this new stamp I designed is available now (and on sale!):
Continue hopping on through to the Unity blog, and then go shopping!







Supplies: 
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (L.O.V.E.); 
Ink: Memento (Bahama Blue, Lilac Posies); 
T-shirt: Hanes (White Undershirt);

Lupus Awareness Month :: POP (Put On Purple)

Do you know what you are wearing tomorrow?
I do!
No, I don't generally plan my outfits a day in advance. (In fact, what I wear on a daily basis probably doesn't even qualify for such a lofty term as "outfit".)
But tomorrow is special:
Put on purple tomorrow for lupus awareness. {And don't forget to tell people why you are wearing purple.}

Have a great day!

{PS - Don't forget to get in on my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway. You can find it here.}

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Twinery/Top Dog Dies {Blog Hop}


<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

The Introduction:
If you are hopping along with us today: You should have come here from Anita Mulcahey's blog. If you did, you are in the right place! Welcome!
If you aren't already a follower, I'd love to have you follow my blog!
If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.

If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you! Please join along in the hop - you can start at The Twinery's blog.

The Hop Order:
Top Dog Dies
The Twinery
Anita Mulcahey
Tifany DeGough <-- You are here
Christine Meyer
Jaclyn Miller
DoBea Alberts
Tobi Crawford

The Prizes:
The Twinery is giving away a Sampler Pack of Twines (retail value $25).
And Top Dog Dies is giving away $50 worth of exclusive wafer thin dies! 

The Details:
Leave a comment on each blog along the hop. {Please include your e-mail address.}
Blog comments close on Friday, May 16th at 11:59pm (EST). The winner will be announced on The Twinery's blog on Monday, May 19th.
Details for how to win the dies can be found on the Top Dog Dies blog

The Projects:
Each of my cards that I am sharing today use the same basic supplies (dies, twine, cardstock, stamps, and ink), but by using the supplies in different ways I was able to create two different looks. 
For my first card, I wanted to showcase the beautiful flowers from the Top Dog Dies Pretty Petals Die Set. I used the dies both as a method of debossing, and also the regular die cuts. I like the dimension this technique gives to the card. I stamped a sentiment and then added a big pop of color with The Twinery's Solid Midnight Blue twine.
Since I wanted the twine to really stand out, I used two strands of twine to tie a double bow.

For my next card, I added in a bit of washi tape to highlight the die technique I was using.
For this one, I used the negative cut from the Top Dog Dies Pretty Petals Die Set then added The Twinery's Solid Midnight Blue twine and the stamped sentiment to finish off the card.

I love how both cards turned out and think that dies and twine have proven to be a great match!

Thanks for stopping by today!

The Next Stop:
Christine Meyer
Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Midnight Blue);
Dies: Top Dog Dies (Pretty Petals Die Set);
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Washi Tape: My Mind's Eye (aqua houndstooth, Cut & Paste: Presh - green diagonal stripe, 
Cut & Paste: Adorbs - navy arrows, aqua hexagon); Sandy Lion (coral polka dots); 
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (A Lovely Butterfly Day);
Ink: Memento (Paris Dusk); 

Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Monday, May 12, 2014

Lupus Awareness Month :: Take Action

Would you like to take part in spreading awareness about lupus?
Take Action for Lupus Awareness Month
Thanks for spreading the word!

{PS - Don't forget to get in on my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway. You can find it here.}

Friday, May 9, 2014

Hello/Goodbye Layout

<<<Looking for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway?>>>
<<<You can find it here.>>>

Today I've got a layout to share with you.
The majority of this layout was created using paper and ephemera from the Styleboard collection (by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper). I love the look and the colors in this collection - a great mix of vintage and fresh.
I used two pictures here - one was from when my dad arrived for a visit, and the other from the airport as he was headed home. Generally I wouldn't be scrapping two pictures together on a page that were so far apart time-wise, but I just thought these told a story when they were put together. I love the emotion in these pictures, and wanted to represent the "memory" feel in my layout with all the scattered ephemera pieces.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Crate Paper (Maggie Holmes - Styleboard);
Ephemera: Crate Paper (Maggie Holmes - Styleboard);
Other: Celebrate It (Paper Bag);
Stickers: Stickopotamus (Nostalgiques - Black Typewriter ABC); American Crafts (Thickers - Cream Soda #42715);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Let's Talk About Homeschooling :: Part 1 - Getting Started

So...you're thinking about homeschooling? Great!
Homeschooling may not be for every child and/or family, but I can say that our family has been blessed by it and I have seen many others benefit from homeschooling as well.
Let's talk about it...

Where do I start?
Start at the library.

I suggest checking out:
Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling
This book gave a good overview of the different education styles and also some information on learning styles. I didn't read everything in the book, but I did enjoy the sections that I did read. I took notes as I went through it, and that has been helpful for me - particularly the notes on the different education styles. (As with pretty much everything else these days, you can also do internet research on those.)

101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy
This book gave good information on some of the different curricula and it was very helpful. Cathy Duffy also has a review website (http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/), but I believe the reviews on her 101 top picks are clipped short so that you have to get the book.

(Note: I personally do not think there is a good reason to own these two books...but do be sure to take notes as you read.)

In addition to these two books, I highly recommend getting one of Rainbow Resource's print catalogs as a source for checking out a variety of curricula. I kid you not - it is as thick (or thicker) than a phonebook. It. is. BIG. It may be a bit overwhelming at first...but it has been tremendously helpful to me. They list a review (sometimes two) for each product and often mention what types of families/kids each curriculum would work for. You can order a catalog from their website here. (Bonus: they have one of the largest selections and some of the best prices I have found.)

I live in [insert state name here] - is there anything in particular I need to know?
Yes, where you live does have an impact on your homeschooling. Each state handles homeschooling differently: some states have very few laws and regulations, some have many. In some states, homeschooling families are actually considered private schools.
For a general description of each state's laws, check out A2Z Home's Cool.

For further research, try Googling: "[state name] homeschool laws". You will be sure to find plenty of relevant results.

(Note: Compliance with any state's laws and regulations is up to you and your family, so be sure to thoroughly research on your own. If you prefer, you can join HSLDA who provides legal help and advocacy for it's members. You can join HSLDA here.)

Can I really teach my kid(s)?
Yes...and the good news is you will learn along the way, too. If you can read, you can teach your kids. (And by the way...who do you think has taught them up until now? It was most likely you...whether you were calling yourself a teacher or not.)

If you are starting off your homeschooling in preschool, kindergarten, or even first grade - please...go easy on yourself. Often times, kids already know what they "need" to know at those ages (colors, shapes, letters, etc.).
But what if they don't?
Don't stress.
Really.
It will come in time. I know that may be hard to hear, but at this age, fostering a love for learning and exploring and loving books is so much bigger than stressing out your little ones over the basics.

Can I teach multiple kids at once?
Yes. You can teach multiple kids (different grades/ages) and still manage to get it all in each day. There are many ways that families teach multiple levels all in one shot. I hope to expand on this further in a future blog post.

What do I need to cover for each grade?
The basic subjects are:
  • Social Studies (History/Geography)
  • Language Arts (Formerly known as "English")
  • Science
  • Mathematics
If you want to know more specifically what should be covered for each grade (Preschool, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-12) - I recommend checking out the Typical Course of Study from World Book.

Do I have to teach each subject individually?
No. If you've come from a public school background, this may be a surprise to you. You do not need to break up your day into "math time", "history time", etc. Although many families do keep the various subjects separate, you don't have to. Try researching unit studies to see how this can work. (Hopefully I can touch on this in a later blog post, as well.)

Okay...so now can I plan out the next 12 years of our homeschooling life?
We've adjusted what we do over the years, and we will probably keep adjusting as the years go on. I love research (yes...really) so I had every. single. thing. planned out before my kids officially started school. I knew what curriculum we would use (from kindergarten through high school for all 3 kids), how much each year we would be spending on new curriculum, etc. But - that's kind of all out the window now. (Let this be a lesson to all of my fellow researchers and planners.) Sure, go ahead and plan it all out (I know you will)...but don't be disappointed in yourself when you veer off course in a year or two. I'd suggest just taking it a year at a time and adjust accordingly.

That's all I am going to cover for this post, but stay tuned - I have more homeschooling posts headed your way.

Have a great day!
Disclaimer: Any information and links provided are my personal preference or suggestions. In no way is any of this meant to be taken as (or in place of) legal advice. 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Lupus Awareness Month :: GIVEAWAY

To help get awareness out there about lupus I've decided to host a giveaway for Lupus Awareness Month.

Here's what you can win:
Prize package includes:
The Details:
To enter:
  • Leave a comment on this blog post. That's it!
If you would like additional chances to win you can do so in one (or all) of the following ways:
  • Follow this blog. {Please let me know you are a follower by leaving an additional comment.} 
  • "Like" InkBlotsbyTRD on Facebook. {Please let me know you are a follower by leaving an additional comment.}
  • Share about this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, or anywhere else. {Please let me know where you've shared by leaving one additional comment.}
Blog comments for the giveaway will close Friday, June 6th @ 11:59pm (Eastern) and the winner will be announced Tuesday, June 10th here on my blog.
Please remember to check back to see if you've won.
{The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their information.}

{Due to shipping costs, giveaways are available to US mailing addresses only.}

If you'd like to learn more about lupus, be sure to check out the Lupus Foundation of America's website.

And if you haven't ordered my 'All About Hope' stamp set yet, please do. (If you win it then you'll have an extra to share with a friend!) You can find it here.
This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with: Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, The Twinery, and/or Unity Stamp Company. 

Friday, May 2, 2014

Paper Bag Journals {The Twinery}


Today I am over on The Twinery's blog sharing these fun little journals:
Please be sure to head on over and check it out!

Thanks for stopping by today!
{PS - Stay tuned for my Lupus Awareness Month giveaway. Check back here on Tuesday.}

Supplies:
Paper Bag: (5 1/4" wide x 10 1/2" tall x 3 1/2" gusset);
Washi Tape: My Mind's Eye (listed in order from top to bottom: Now & Then: Milo, Cut & Paste: Adorbs, Cut & Paste: Adorbs, Yellow Polka Dot, Now & Then: Milo, Cut & Paste: Presh, Teal Houndstooth, Yellow Arrows);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Natural);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Lupus Awareness Month :: Signs & Symptoms

I can't believe it is already May!
And you know what that means...Lupus Awareness Month.

I am hoping to share a little bit about lupus and spread awareness throughout the month of May, and figured I would start by sharing the signs and symptoms of lupus. 
{Infographic from lupus.org}

Keep checking back for more lupus information and be sure to check back next Tuesday for a giveaway!

Have a great day!