Who will miss you?

I had dinner last night with my colleagues from work to celebrate the retirement of Paul {after 35 years in the industry!}. We went to one of Paul's favorite hang out places - the Bobby C's Dockside. The weather was perfect so we had an 'al frecso' dinner overlooking the beautiful lake Ontario.



For someone who's been in the business for 35 years, Paul's unwavering enthusiasm and passion for his craft are just a couple of things I would like to emulate. You will definitely be missed ....



.... by ALL of us!



Life starts @ retirement dear Pauly! Enjoy a well-deserved life with your beautiful family and with all the Callaway golf goodies you brought home yesterday, we wish you more "birdies" on the fairway!!!

Cheers,

Mei Ann














Supplies:

• Cardstock - Reflections {white}
  
• PP - s.e.i. {alpine frost}, Jillibean soup {talk soup}
  
• Ink - Versa Magic {jumbo java}
• Embellishment - google eyes
  

Thank You Teachers

Another school year is about to end. It's the time of the year when parents express their gratitude to the all the teachers who mentored their children. Not having kids of my own didn't stop me for making this "thank you" card for a teacher. I was out with my best friend Tey last Saturday and she was looking for a gift for Bea's teacher so I volunteered to make the card to go with the gift.



How I wish I can make cards like this during my school days. I would love to give it to my 2 favorite teachers ... Miss Lucia Mateo, my Religion teacher and Miss Dolly Soriano, my Pilipino teacher and fourth year adviser. They influenced by formative years and thought me not to be afraid to follow my dreams. In their loving hands, I am a clay. With the patience of a potter, they both honed me to be the best I can be. Thank you so much my dear teachers. I hope I gave justice to your teachings ....



Cheers,

Mei Ann

Bianca's Birthday

I made this card for Bianca's {my friend's daughter} birthday. She turned 1 year old today. There was a part in the program when Bianca was carried by her dad in the middle of the dance floor for her "first" dance. It was so cute and sweet ... just the 2 of them ... father and daughter ... a captured moment indeed!


Going back to the card, I attempted to do a dimensional design to capture the playfulness of the dolphin using pop-up glue dots.


Ahh, the joy of simple things ... a cute card, a happy birthday and watching father and daughter's first dance ... priceless!

God bless,

Mei Ann

3 S's {Sand, Sun & Sea}

photo courtesy of bid4assets

The countdown begins! South Carolina here we come!!!

My hubby knows how much I love being in the ocean so for my up coming birthday he booked a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC. We both can't wait to walk on the shore at sunrise, finish a book while basking in the sun, enjoy a nice dinner and wine, or simply just stroll on the boardwalk.

Ahhh, I can almost feel the the soft tides on my bare feet! One more week ....

Have a great weekend.

Mei Ann

I Believe

In less than a month, I will be "trekking" on higher grounds. The roads are different but not entirely unfamiliar because I have taken the same challenge in not so distant past. Nervous? I wouldn't say no but I am also very excited and enthused. I am looking forward to new challenges and reaching new heights. I will make a difference. I believe!



Obviously, this card is inspired by what's coming out from within me. Sunrise marks a new beginning. I made the sun rays background using shading technique and combining fired brick distress ink and sunflower yellow Tsukineko die ink. Mountain represents bigger challenge. Again shading/grading technique using peeled paint distress ink. Horses define hard work, focus and winning. I will not have it any other way! I believe!

Have a fantastic day,

Mei Ann



Supplies:

• Cardstock - Reflections {white}, Brazzill {mud pie}
  
• PP - American Crafts (everyday line}
  
• Stamp - G Studio {sentiment}
• Inks - Ranger Distress Inks {peeled paint, fired brick}, Tsukineko {sunflower yellow}
  
• Embellishments - Dress it Up buttons {horses}, black gems
  

CPS Fan

When Carly Roberston of CPS e-mailed me about a month ago, I have to read her message twice to make sure that I understood it right .... she asked me if it's OK to feature my work based on a CPS sketch for the Facebook Friday Fan blog post! What a blessing! You can read the CPS post here.

As soon as I got the sketch, I worked on this card using my favorite color combination : gold, aqua and black.


I stamped and heat embossed the flowers in gold to match the ribbon. I also matched the aqua background with the aqua gem embellishment on the butterflies.



Thanks again Carly and the rest of CPS design team for continuously inspiring us with your sketches and your great designs!

Thanks for dropping by and have a fabulous weekend!

Mei Ann

Rain or Shine

It's been raining on and off here in our neck of the woods for the last 2 weeks and I LOVE it! Oh yeah ... I love hearing raindrops on window panes ... I love the smell of grass after a rainfall ... I love the burst of sunshine in between rainfalls ... I love the inspiration that rain brings out in me ...

:Sometimes I see myself as a child in a rain storm, running around trying to catch all the drops in my mouth. I long for adventures to be like the raindrops the child saves and not those which crash on the ground!:

The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain! ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Cheers!

Mei Ann

Supplies:

• Cardstock - Reflections {white}
• PP - American Crafts (everyday line}
  
• Stamp - My Favorite Things {sentiment}
• Ink - Memento {tuxedo black}
• Others - American Crafts {ribbon} , Fiskars puncher {boarder}, Jolee's boutique (3D stickers}
  

So Thankful

Whew! What a tough week it has been and I am sooo glad it's over :-) ! I'm not going to dwell on it on this post but suffice it to say that I am blessed and my prayers were answered! For that, I am forever grateful!

For this thank you card, I used the color inspiration from the current Embellish Magazine Challenge : brown, yellow and coral.

To be honest, I don't think I've used this color combo in my previous projects so I was struggling at the beginning. That's what challenge is all about! It pushes me out of my comfort zone!!!

For the watering can template, I took advantage of the free template from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

"I thank you, Lord,
for the victory that growing brings.
In surrender of everything
life is so worth while.
And I thank you, Lord,
that when everything's put in place,
out in front I can see your face,
and it's there you belong."

Mei Ann

Supplies:

• Cardstock - Brazzil {mud pie}
  
• Stamp - TPC Studio {sentiment}
• Ink - Versa Magic {jumbo java}
• Label - Martha Stewart
  
• Others - Prima flowers, EK punch {butterfly}, gems
• Template - Waltzingmouse stamps {watering can}
  

In Our Thoughts ....

I totally agree with most of card designers when they say that the hardest card to make is a sympathy card. That's how I felt when I made this simple card for a dear friend who I will be seeing tonight.


No word is good enough to ease the pain but you are in our thoughts and prayers as you grieve for your loss ....

"Nadie puede venir a Mí si no lo trae el Padre que Me envió,
y Yo lo resucitaré en el día final"
Juan 6:44

Thanks for dropping by,

Mei Ann




Supplies:

• Cardstock - Recollections {pure white}
  
• Patterned paper - Black and white dots from stash
  
• Stamp - Prima Clear Stamps { foliage}, TPC Studio {sentiment}
• Ink - Ranger Distress Ink {peeled paint}, Memento {tuxedo black}
  
• Others - Stampendous Embossing Powder {clear} EK punch, gems
  

Spring @ Home

Casa Guerrero is bursting with colors! The spring flowers are in bloom making our front porch an inviting place to read a book and our backyard a retreat to spend our summer afternoons sipping iced tea with lemon and rosemary {super refreshing} while sunbathing.

I thought I'd share the fruits of my hubby's labor {yes, he's the gardener, I am just the garden director - I point where the plants should be planted!}!

.... the front porch







.... backyard treasures:








.... the MAN with the green thumb!


Bloom where you are planted!

Mei Ann

Nail It Girlfriends!

I was thinking about my girl friends when I was working on this current challenge from EBTKS...


Every now and then, my bffs from work and I will book a spa to ourselves for a late afternoon of girl bonding in the midst of our manicures and pedicures. Each of us will bring a bottle of our favorite wine and some finger foods plus lots of girl gossips that last for hours!

Now back to the challenge :-) ... I made a small "freebie" card for our next spa get away. I took out my favorite RED polish and color parts of the robe of the lady in the salon who reminds me so much of the way we look when being pampered on those afternoon nail bonding moments!



Then I attached the nail polish inside the middle fold of the card like so ....



There you go .... a small gift to remind them of our favorite bonding moment.


I truly enjoy being a GIRL!!!!

Mei Ann











Supplies:

• Cardstock - Recollections {black, cream}
  
• Patterned paper - Melissa Frances {Philip}
  
• Stamp - Stamping Bella { Georgina}, My Favorite Things {sentiment}
• Ink - Dew Drop {graphite black}
  
• Others - Nail polish, ribbon, EK punch, flocking powder, eyelets
  

Like A Sunflower

"Like a sunflower that follows every movement of the sun.
So I turn towards You to follow You my God!"

Remember that song from Sunday school? I just love that song and so is this card! So bright and cheery. I was inspired by the colors from Stacey's Stamping Stage: ACT 32. I paired this gorgeous color combination with the fabulous sketch from CPS 169. I think the result is quite nice :-)

"In simplicity, charity I follow..."

Be happy always,

Mei Ann












Supplies:

• Cardstock - Recollections {white and yellow}
  
• Patterned Paper - Crate paper { Very Berry}
  
• Stamp - Inkadinkado {Sunflower}, TPC Studios {Just a Note sentiment}
  
• Ink - Color Box {Pink}
• Pens - Prismacolor {orange, black, canary yellow}
  
• Embellishments - Gem and ribbon from Martha Stewart