Quote of the Week

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Sunday, May 31, 2009

It's BLOG HOP Time! Let the Summer Begin!

Want to win some Blog Candy?!?! Make sure you read the entire post to find out how;)



Make sure you scroll down to see both posts for the STAMPTACULAR SUNDAY CHALLENGE

Welcome to my blog today. If you arrived from Paula's blog you are on the right track. If not, please head back over to check out Paula's creations and leave her a little love. We have some summer inspiration and fun challenges along the way with PRIZES. How does that sound?!

First let me tell you some of the things my family enjoys doing over the summer. I'd love to hear what you like to do too!

We love to go camping every year with my ENTIRE family for a week. It is a great week full of love and laughs as we catch up with family from all over the US.







We love to spend time at our local pool or any lake we can find and go swimming. My kids become fish while I get to indulge in some long awaited reading.



We also love to head out for ice cream. My favorite is the Coffee Lover's special from Cold Stone Creamery. Yummo! My kids' palates are finally surpassing the "Superman" ice cream flavor...blek! We really just love spending time together relaxing. I can't wait for the "official" summer break:)



I have a SPECIAL CHALLENGE for you with some BLOG CANDY if you complete this challenge today. (If you can't play today then I will have some separate blog candy that I will post tomorrow so you have a chance to play too)

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Do you ever think about why you love making cards and gifts? I love giving people something that I hope will make them smile. Is this why you love to make cards? Well then this is a great challenge for you. Please go to the website MAKE A CHILD SMILE . Please choose a child that you would like to make a card for and send the link for your finished project to Priscilla at misscill@yahoo.com BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. Make sure you don't forget to send the card to that child, ok? Please read THIS SECTION, especially the Do's and Don't part before making your card. All cards need to be cheery and fun!

I know sometimes because of time restraints you can't finish your card in one day. SOOOO, I will be posting the same challenge tomorrow with some different blog candy that you could win. The details will be posted tomorrow for that. You can participate in both by making 2 cards...one for today and one for tomorrow. Let's fill these kids' mailboxes with some smiles, ok!

Now head on over to Line's Blog to see what she has to show you:) Have fun!

53 comments:

Lorraine A said...

Hi Nikki, this is a lovely idea and I will definitely be participating in this :-)

Lorraine x

Emma said...

What a lovely idea. I am off to do this too in a minute.

Manuela said...

your summer sounds to be fun! i guess it's really funny to go on holiday with the entire family :D i would love that too! i will go to carinthia for a few days to see the beachvolleyball challenge which is very famous in austria. and i have promised myself to spend more time with my family who is away from me about 350 km.
have a nice sunday, manuela

Stampin'Piper said...

Hi Nikki,

thanks for telling about you and your family! I love your ice cream card! Thanks for the link to that great site, hope to finish a card today!

Have a great sunday! Hugs Tanja

crafty amy said...

Hi Nikki, that is such a lovely idea I will go and have a look and hopefully I will have the time to do it today.
My familly always used to go walking and camping here in the UK and we all loved it sadly though now we all have jobs and a lot of us work shifts so don't get much time or chance to all get together any more but we are trying to arrange something for later in the year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. This is so much fun gettting to know people a bit better.

X Amy X

sandra's crafty corner said...

hiya nikki what a lovely idea, i will go try do that, great cards by the way.

Anonymous said...

that is a lovely idea, although I am based in the UK, I send cards to a similar organisation called postpals Here's my cardKate x

Lisa said...

Hi Nikki, Your summer certainly sounds lots of fun. In the summer months we like to have fun playing with the children in the garden, BBQ's, picnics and going to the beach. We now have a trampoline in the garden so this should add to the fun.

Lisa x

Anonymous said...

i know you guys are going to have a great summer. can't wait to see the pics from this year's camping trip "up north." this is a great challenge you've set forth and sophie and i will have to get busy on it!

Linda said...

Hi Nikki,
Your summer sounds wonderful. I'll visit your challenge web site as it sounds like a wonderful project. We'll see how my day goes....they aren't always "mine" :) to plan.
Linda

Anjou Krelovich said...

Lovely idea Nikki! Great inspiration too!

Lena Katrine said...

I've just been visiting Paula, and now it's your turn!

My favourite things to do in the summer, is spending time on our 23 feet boat with my family, at the sea outside where we live! We also have a 1 km long beach, where we love to go swimming from.

Happy summer! Hugs, Lena

Nunt said...

Hi Nikki,
what a nice family summer you have :) I am living together with my boyfriend for the second year now (we're a bit old for this, both close to 30), and we are still making our own traditions. This summer will be spent arranging a move into a new apartment, some new furniture and finally, getting a cat for the new place! We can't have pets in this current apartment, and I cannot WAIT to go to the animal shelter in our new town to give a home to a cat in need ^_^

xx, nunt

Shelley said...

what a great idea. We have charities here that do similar things. So I will do one for a local charity. But you doing a great job.

Your summer time together as a family sounds fun and happy. hugs Shelley

Callie said...

Hi Nikki... I've done cards like this before. I would love to participate. You'll see a card from me later today! Have a great summer

Beccy said...

I will try to get a card made by tomorrow - we have the same thing in the UK called Postpals.

My fav summer activity is riding in Eping Forest.

Hugs Beccy x

Elizabeth Sanchez said...

what a great idea!

Creative Heart Designs said...

This is my first 'blog hop' and it's so great to participate and see all the cards. I love the idea of sending a child a card. Thanks for sharing that website!

Have a wonderful summer.

Debra in Conroe, TX

PinksyDoodles said...

Hi Nikki,
Thanks for telling us a bit about yourself and how you spend your summer.
I won't take part in you additional blog candy - I already make and send cards to children who are poorly via a UK site called Post Pals. I think this is a wonderful scheme and seems to be similar to "Make a Child Smile" - I hope you get lots of participants in this challenge.
I love the summer here in the UK and try and spend as much time as possible out in the garden playing with my son and going on family walks in the light evenings.
Clare x

Anonymous said...

Awsome I idea can't wait to get started.

jennruggeri75 said...

Hi Nikki!! What a sweet challenge... I will be heading over there right away!! I just love your blog- happy summer!

Lisa Foster said...

How neat! I didn't even know such an organization existed...Your card is really adorable...your summer sounds like fun too:) TFS

Crazy For Scrapping said...

I will definitey be participating in this one, I will be making 2 cards though because I have 2 kids and know that they will want to make these children cards themselves. TFS this with us

Love how your summer sounds

Michelle Redman said...

Hey Nikki, I have a card in mind I am going to create take make a child smile!! What an awesome thing to do!!

My fav summertime thing to do is hanging out with my girls!! Going to Disney, Adventure Landing (our waterpark here in Jacksonville, Fl), the pool, the beach, etc. If you can't tell we enjoy being out in the sun all summer!!

Awesome cards!!
Have a great day!!
Michelle

Sheila, The Dreamer said...

That is a wonderful idea! I hope to get to participate, if not today I'm saving the site for later!
Camping with the whole family sounds fun. Our summers get quite hot so we spend them inside or in a pool!!! Ice cream is definitely on top of the list!!!

Julies Crafty Creations said...

What a great idea, I will definitely be participating in this. We love the beach, castles, picnics, fireworks in the summer. Hugs Julie x

Janiel/ janny said...

Hello Nikki, cute blog and thanks for your sharing yourself.. janny

Tertia said...

I think it is a wonderful idea, but I will not be able to do a card for a while because I am setting and marking exams. Would like to make a card after that anyway!

tracy said...

wow what a lovely thing to do off to read all about it now!
I love to spend time with my family in the summer we usually go away to the lake district in a cottage or wales in another my kids love this as they have an icecream shop that sells over 45 flavours and they have a different flavour everday lol
tracy x

Pam said...

Hi Nikki

It sounds like you really enjoy your holiday. My kids are just the same show my daughter a pool and and you can't get her out of it, she's actually at the local one now doing an 1 1/2hrs of laps with her swimming club.

Love

Pam

debra said...

Hi Nikki
Great reading of your blog and fab pics to, great site i have checked out, c if i can get a card made later seeing as the deadline is 12pm
hugs Debra

Anonymous said...

Hey Nikki~ we love swimming in the summer too. Your kids look like they are having so much fun in these pictures. Summer ... is ... the ... BEST! I love your ice cream card.

Joey said...

Hi Nikki, lovely piccys and I love that ice cream card! Joey.x

Anonymous said...

Hi,

enjoyed the blog hop, and have completed a card for Emily on Make a chils smile, it's all ready for posting tomorrow !
Here's my linkKate x

Katherine S said...

Nikki! What a great idea. I surly want to participate in this. Not today, as I have to clean for next weekends slumber party ( 4 extra 14 year old girls in my house)! Love, Love, Love the icecream cone card!! :)
Katherine :)

Sprytebyrd said...

Hiya Nikki! Beautiful family photos! We tried camping at the beach one year, but the sand drove me crazy, so until we get a camper, we'll hotel/cottage it!! I love your card! I was so excited, on Memorial Day, we visited a town about an hour away and found a Cold Stone creamery! I haven't had Cold Stone since we moved away from Seattle!! And, yes, I had the Coffee Lover's! Now, at least I know it's only an hour away, instead of 4 hours!
Have a wonderful summer!
--Dee

Susan said...

What a great idea!
Off to have a look!
Its wonderful you holiday with your family - I have had the best and funniest times of my life with mine.
Love to all
SueX

Nikki said...

Hi Nikki
What a Sweet Idea
I don't know if I'll have time but I'll try :)
Nikki C

The Crafty Den said...

Hi Nikki, what a fab idea. I'm off to look at the website. Hugs, Denise x

raindropecho said...

I love camping during the summers also! You're doing a great thing by asking your readers to send out a card to those kids and I will try my best to make one for today and tomorrow, but if not today, then definitely tomorrow! THanks for the chance to win!

Michelle Redman said...

Nikki, here is a link to the card I made for your challenge!!

http://designingwithmichelle.blogspot.com/2009/05/nikkis-stamptacular-sundays-first-blog.html

Have a great day!!
Michelle

Emma said...

I have completed my card for Emily, and it will be in the post for her tomorrow.

I hope she likes it.

Emma
x

martha said...

Hi Nikki! I have my card for Emily ready to send! This is my first Blog Hop!
Hugs! Martha

Handmade Creations by Stephanie said...

Love yor card. we love camping in the summer a great thing for the kids to enjoy.

Carmen O. said...

Hi Nikki, Thanks for giving two days to participate what a sweet thing to do! Your summer sounds fab!

Amy xx said...

ah this is such a great idea, I cant play tonight but will be back tomorrow to play

Hugs
Ammie

terriavidreader (IN-USA) said...

At least one of the days I'll do that card! I love to make people smile when they get a card they aren't expecting! Summer fun is just lazing in a swing and reading!

Toothy said...

That ice cream card is so cute, and that coffee lover's flavor sounds soooo good.

Skraptacular Designs said...

Hi Nikki...

I would so LOVE if our whole family would come from all over the US to get together for a week each year! That would be so awesome...I'm jealous and yet, admire your family for being able to create so many memories for generations to come! Too cool!

Thanks for offering such fabulous blog candy and coming up with such a great idea for a special challenge! LOVE it!

I'm glad you're a part of the SSC DT! Truly a blessing to me and the team!

Hugs,
Priscilla

Gwendolyn said...

Oh we love to camp too! And we have a new comer to the family that we really want to introduce to the joys of camping.

Rima said...

Hi Nikki, sounds like you have a lot of fun with your family in the summer time!! I have been & had a look at Make a Child Smile & how could you not be involved!! I have chosen Emily F, so once I have stopped blog hopping, I will be off to my craftroom & make her a cheery card.
x
Rima

Christine said...

Very cute ice cream card. I also love to camp!!! I hope I get a chance to do all the challenges but if not, I'll come back tomorrow or actually, I'll come back tomorrow anyway!

Blessings,
Christine

Michelle Redman said...

Nikki, thank you so much for such a fun challenge!! I can't beleive I won the blog candy!! I sent my addy to Priscilla and I put my card in the mail for Kole!!

Have a beautiful day!!
Michelle