Back to School

I was in a panic earlier this week when my DH mentioned that our August vacation was coming up very quickly and that we would only have one week of summer break left after that before the kids go back to school. How could that be??? There are so many more things that I want to do with the kids this summer--it can't be over yet!!

Of course, it's not (over yet, that is) and they don't go back to school until September 7, so there's time, but I've got to make sure it doesn't get away from us. Adding to my panic was the matter of back-to-school supplies. My DD starts middle school in the fall, and she received her class schedule and supplies list in the mail this week. With my new awareness that time is flying, I was afraid that if we didn't get a handle on school supplies now--before our vacation--that nothing would be left in the stores (or on sale) by the time we get back. SO, we hit the back-to-school sales yesterday and today, and I'm happy to report that DD is now completely provisioned with her middle school supplies! She was a huge help in surveying what could be re-used from last year and is tickled pink over all of her new stuff, including her 3-ring binders, highlighters, calculator, Wite-Out, and 4GB USB flash drive, all of which are making her feel so grown up. She can't stop looking at it all and has been carrying her loaded school backpack around the house today. It's so cute!! DS hasn't received a supply list from his new teacher yet, but second grade supplies aren't nearly as complicated, so we guessed. New crayons, colored pencils, glue sticks, and an assignment folder are safe bets, so he got to pick out all of those. If he doesn't need them at school, we're sure to use them at home. When his list does arrive, we'll take a quick trip to buy anything that's missing at that point. Whew! I'm feeling a little less harried now!

With the fresh scent of school supplies still in my head, I had so much fun this afternoon kicking back to make this "Back to School" theme card for the Paper Sundaes #28 Challenge! I don't normally send back-to-school cards as such, but I thought it would make a great teacher thank you card later in the year, so I'll put it aside for that. This is also for:

• today's SCS challenge, WT281, to incorporate woodgrain in a card. I don't have anything woodgrain, so I tried making some faux woodgrain (by dragging my burnt umber ink pad across a scrap of kraft card stock). Here's a close up. Not too bad, I thought!
  
• this week's {ippity} challenge IHHC34, which is a your-choice 1-2-3 challenge. I chose 1 great sentiment, 2 punched butterflies, and 3 buttons.
• this week's Unity Addicts' Challenge UAC11, to make a card with no designer paper. No problem! I ripped a page from an old dictionary as my background paper, plus used {ippity}'s A Bit of Burlap background stamp in several places, and, of course, a panel of my faux woodgrain!
• Flutter By Wednesday #115
  
• Card Patterns Sketch #74 Challenge, which was a bit tough. There's a lot going on in this one!
  

I'm looking forward to meeting a friend for dinner tonight. I've hardly seen her this summer! So it will be great to relax and catch up. We're going to a local grille famous for its barbecue. My mouth is already watering for one of their pulled-pork sandwiches!! Can't wait :)

Thanks for dropping by to share my little slice of bliss today!!

SUPPLIES:
Stamps: {ippity} Books a'Flutter, {ippity} A Bit of Burlap
Paper: PTI kraft CS, various Paper Company CS, book page ripped from vintage dictionary
Ink: Palette burnt umber
Accessories: SU tag corner punch, MS royal butterfly punch, colored pencils, OMS, paper blending stump, buttons from my stash, brown burlap string, glue dots, dimensionals
Techniques: gamsol magic, faux woodgrain