Retro Sketches #79 and lunch with family and friends....

One more day to play...so fun to have a 3 day weekend. Yesterday I met my mom for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and tried their grilled cheese, it was ok but it is a good thing it is not on their menu. Somehow they missed the concept of "grilled".  I was just nice to hang out with my mom even if they messed up on their "grilled cheese".

My mom....she will turn 80 next Saturday!

Today Ashleigh and I headed out to meet up with some sweet friends we have not seen in months, we would get to laughing so hard, I would have bet money that Fuddruckers was getting ready to kick us out! We could have sat there all day and chatted and laughed! 

Darlene, Sarah, Ashleigh and Arlene

After being out and about the last 2 days and seeing all the Halloween goodies, I could not resist making another Halloween card. Thank you so much for taking time to stop by to peek at my card.....enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Ingredients - All Papertrey Ink unless listed

Solid Card Stock: Black, Canyon Clay and Ivory

Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Trick or Treat and American Crafts - Halloween

Stamps: WM - Midnight Feast and Halloween Party

Bling: Creative Imaginations
Dies: MFT - Stacked Flags

New Friends and Retro Sketches & Paper Smooches Challenges

What a wonderful way to start off the new year, meeting new friends from Blogland.  Yesterday I drove out to Livermore to meet Darnell from djkardkreations and was given the grand tour of her amazing playhouse. It has to be the cutest little places to lose yourself and get crafty.  Darnell is very, very, very organized, makes my craft room look like a bomb went off, oh well.  Another gal from Blogland drove out to meet up too, Harriet from Ally Cat Cards. Both ladies are just as sweet as can be and we had a wonderful time chatting about everything crafty and I think we all learned a few new things too. After chatting for about an hour, we headed out to lunch at Campo di Bocce for a lovely meal and quick lesson on how to play bocce ball.  The restaurant was so beautiful and had several courts both inside and out.  Here are a few of the photos that were taken after lunch.  Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a peek!

Me, Harriet and Darnell

I had to get a picture of a game that was in play...

Now on to my card that I made last night for both the Retro Sketches and Paper Smooches challenges...

Ingredients

Solid Card Stock: PTI - White, Black, Pure Poppy and Blueberry Sky

Ink: VersaFine - Black

Stamps: Paper Smooches - Woofers and Tweeters and Sentiment Sampler

Button, Ribbon and Bakers Twine: Stash

4 of a Kind - Beautiful and Elegant

This is our 5th month of doing our 4 of a Kind challenge and Cathy Weber's turn to be hostess...each month one of us sends "kits" to the other three and then we have a few weeks to be creative with all of the supplies and if you are anything like Joyce, your cards will "Self Assemble".  Our challenge group consists of some pretty creative and talented ladies and it is a real honor to be part of this group.

Joyce    Cards-by-the-Sea

Cathy    Empty Nest Crafter

Renee    It's A Patchwork Life

This month's kits were just breath taking beautiful...the color combinations that Cathy Weber choose are just so incredible and such fun to play with.  Cathy included so many wonderful elements to the kit and some I had never used before so that was a real treat. 

Kit Ingredients

Finished Cards and Projects

Note Pad and Post-it Pad

Thank You

Friends