Cute Card Thursday challenge

I used this adorable Christmas frog digi image from Pink Cat Studio for the "Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails" challenge at the Cute Card Thursday blog. This little guy is perfect for a young boy's Christmas card:

I used Stampin' Up! WW, Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, and Certainly Celery above.

Then I was just having fun coloring this cute frog, so I made a couple more cards. This one uses the same colors except I used Mellow Moss for the frog's color:

And this one I turned into a girly-frog for my cousin Angela's adorable little girl Siiri, who adores frogs:

Peace.

Digital Tuesday Challenge

I decided to use this cute digi image from Robyn's Fetish for the Digital Tuesday challenge this week, which was to include "thank you".

Colors are SU! Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Bravo Burgundy, and More Mustard (Close to Cocoa for hair). Ribbon is also SU! Very Vanilla.
Peace.

Tuesday Morning Sketches & Anyone for Anya Challenges

Pay attention here, this card is being used for TWO challenges today...

Since The Greeting Farm is sponsoring this week's challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches, I figured I'd use a TGF image for the challenge. I was able to combine it with the Anyone for Anya challenge too - that challenge was to "fake it" - you could do anything "fake", and I decided on a fake frame, since the sketch resembled a frame to me anyway! I used the digital image Elf Anya that was available on Black Friday only, at the generosity of Marie from TGF!
So what do you think - cute, no?

Colors are Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, and Certainly Celery. Triangular buttons are from my stash.
Peace.

TGF cards

Just some cards made with some of my favorite images (which were limited editions and no longer available for purchase), The Greeting Farm's digital images Joyce and Ebony:

I am so excited for Christmas... my sister and I went shopping on Black Friday and I got to pick out my own gifts from both her and my mom. We went to A.C. Moore because they had a 50% off coupon that morning - and although they don't sell Copics, they do sell similar markers, and my sister bought me an entire SET of them. My mom got me an entire set of Prismacolor colored pencils, too - I think it was a set of 120. I cannot WAIT to teach myself how to use these things - I have only really colored with Stampin' Up! Stampin' Write markers. I am anxious to learn the blending and shading techniques that are possible with the alcohol-based markers and the pencils. I am lucky enough to have time off from Christmas Eve until the Monday after New Year's Day, so I will be spending a lot of time teaching myself and playing! :)

Hope you are all having a nice weekend. Peace.

Elzybells - Seeing Stars Challenge

I love Elzybells stamps, they are so adorable. The company is based in the UK. When I joined the SplitCoastStampers Wish RAK group, I immediately put some of these cuties on my wish list (this is a group where you wish for stamped images, and people send you some). This card was made for the Elzybells Seeing Stars challenge last week -

I used "Girl & Frog" and "Knight & Princess", along with the "Dream Big" sentiment. The challenge was "seeing stars" and was open to interpretation... this is my idea of "seeing stars" - dreaming big. :)

Hope you all had a happy and safe Thanksgiving and Black Friday! I went out with my sister shopping - she picked me up at 3:30 a.m. and we got home at 1:30 p.m. Can you say WIPED OUT??? But we had a blast and I got 90% of my shopping done - only have to finish up the gift cards and stocking stuffers, etc. Then maybe I'll get to relax and enjoy the holidays? ha ha ha

Have a great weekend! Peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving - I wanted to share a couple of cards with you and also some of the reasons that I feel so thankful. These were made with the Itty Bitty Betty Turkey Ride digi image by Pink Cat Studio:

I used Stampin' Up! papers and inks in the colors WW, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, Ruby Red, and Really Rust.

The holidays are funny, aren't they? They bring out the best and the worst in people sometimes. They bring back memories and feelings that you would have sworn you were "over" - again, both good and bad. When I was a kid, holidays were always spent at one of my aunt's or nana's houses. Thanksgiving Day was spent with my father's side of the family - Christmas Eve was spent with my mom's side, and Christmas Day was spent with my father's side. I remember those holidays so clearly - my father's side was a little more "formal" - there was an adult table and a kid table. I remember being a kid and soooo looking forward to the day that I would sit at the adult table... but that never happened. Before I could grow up, my father left our family. The family fell apart, my grandmother and favorite aunt passed away and by the time I was old enough to sit at the adult table, there was no more adult table, no more Thanksgiving or Christmas Day dinners at nana's or auntie Judy's house. So I incorporated some of their recipes and traditions into my own and when I got married and had kids, we made our own new holiday traditions by combining the stuff that meant the most to us. I make Chex Mix and fudge and watch the parades and shed a few tears while watching because I still miss my auntie Judy so very much even though it's been 15 years that she's been gone now.

Christmas Eve was always utter chaos. My mother is one of ten children and they are all about a year apart. They all have children, which means I have more than 20 first cousins. We always had pinatas - my mom was usually in charge and it was so much fun. She would fill at least 2 pinatas, one for the "big" kids and one for the little ones. She would also make sure every kid had at least 2 or 3 little gifts to open. We had a blast - everyone would bring food and drinks and we'd just have the best time. But the years went on and before you knew it, one sister or cousin was mad at another and the kids started growing up and having their own families. It was never the same again - you can't force people to have fun and love or even forgive each other, unfortunately. But I will never forget those Christmas Eve's, those are some of my absolute fondest memories of childhood, dancing and singing and then falling exhausted into the backseat of my parents' car for the hour-long drive home watching the sky for a sign of Santa Claus and being absolutely CERTAIN that I saw him! LOL

Things change, and change is hard. I happen to be an emotional person and I almost always get migraines around this time of year. I can't help it - I think about how different life is now, how hard it is to be a grown-up! I get so excited, I want to make everything perfect for my family. I want them to always look back on the holidays with joy and to look forward to every new year with excitement and anticipation. So I try so hard to stay upbeat and happy and optimistic - cuz that's my nature, anyway!

But I also can't help but think about the past and I can just feel the lump in my throat develop and I start to feel sorry for myself - because I lost my father to drug abuse at such a young age, because my mother and I are not as close as we used to be and I don't always feel like I have that unconditional love that a daughter should feel. Then I worry that my kids will feel that way some day, and I would rather die than have my kids feel that way about me. See - I'm crazy! :) LOL I can't be alone in this - the holidays must do this to other people, too, right? RIGHT?!? hee hee

So what AM I thankful for? I am so thankful for my family - I'm so thankful that my husband and I still love each other after 17 years together, but even more than that, I'm thankful we still LIKE each other and enjoy each other's company.

I'm thankful for the 2 wonderful, giving-me-gray-hair teenagers that I have. I'm thankful for Trevor's school and the fact that I send him there every day knowing that there are teachers and staff who truly care about him.

I am thankful for my sister, who is always there when I need her. I am thankful that my cousin Angela and I are BCF's again (Best Cousins Forever - hee hee). I'm thankful for all of my extended family and Jeremy's. I am thankful that my children have had their great-grandparents in their lives for so long and that even though grandpa passed away on August 31, my kids will NEVER forget him. How many people get to spend 16 years with their great-grandfather?

I am thankful for my good friends Tim and Shannon - for their friendship and for inviting us to their home for Thanksgiving dinner.

I am thankful for the fact that I have a job, even if it's making me crazy. ha ha I am also thankful that Jeremy is working.

And as silly as this might sound, I am thankful for Facebook and the fact that it has reconnected me with a lot of people/friends/family members who I otherwise probably would not have seen or spoken to again without it!

There is so much more - I am thankful for my life. Even when I'm having a bad day or whatever, I'm thankful to be me. I hope you all feel the same way. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friends. Peace.

Pink Cat Studio - Kitty in Christmas Tree

Made these Christmas cards using the Pink Cat Studio's Kitty in Christmas Tree digital image, and I was struck by how different the cards look even though they use the same image. My latest addiction is cutting the image by trimming close to the outline, so it was hard NOT to do that in the first card, but I like the way it came out!

I used Stampin' Up! WW, More Mustard, and Garden Green:

For this one, I used SU! Garden Green, Real Red, WW, and Yo Yo Yellow:

Peace.

Dare You to Digi Stamp.... Glitter

This is just a mini box of chocolates that I covered with Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper and decorated. This is for the Dare You to Digi Stamp Friday challenge, which was to use glitter on your project. Her wings and dress are covered in Dazzling Diamonds glitter:

Colors are SU! Ruby Red and Taken with Teal - the ribbon is from my stash.

I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving! I'll be back tomorrow with a pre-Thanksgiving post and to share a couple cute turkey-day cards. Peace.

One Card - Two Challenges

I'm exhausted - I started making cards around 10:30 this morning and I'm just finishing up close to 10:00 at night!

This is a card I made for two challenges - Digital Tuesday challenge (challenge was to use purple and white along with either silver or gold) and The Greeting Farm's NO PATTERNED PAPER challenge:

More tomorrow - peace.

Robyn's Fetish and Crazy 4 Challenges

I was excited to see I won the entire new release at Robyn's Fetish with this card I made for the red, white, and blue challenge - click here. Big thanks going out to them!

Here is my entry for the latest Robyn's Fetish Challenge, which was to make something with a "vintage style or shabby chic".... what do you think? I used SU! colors Very Vanilla, Real Red, Garden Green, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, and Chocolate Chip:

And this one is for the Crazy 4 Challenges sketch challenge this week, using a digi image from Pink Cat Studio, and SU! cardstocks/inks in WW, Real Red, and Basic Black:

More tomorrow. Peace.

Just quick for today - this is made with some flower-sticker-embellishment things, a printed out sentiment, and SU! So Saffron, Close to Cocoa, and Garden Green cardstock:

Peace.

Betty Candy Cane Fairy

I made all of these cards using the Pink Cat Studio's digi image Betty the Candy Cane Fairy. On this card, I used Real Red, Basic Black, and Whisper White for colors, and I used Dazzling Diamonds glitter:

On this one, I used Pink Passion, Only Orange, Green Galore, and WW, with pink glitter:

And on this one, I used Pixie Pink and WW, with Dazzling Diamonds glitter:

Peace.

Two Totally Different Cards

These are totally different, but equally adorable - dontcha think? :) This is Princess Ava done up in SU! Pretty in Pink and Whisper White, and pink glitter. Her froggy is colored with Certainly Celery. Sentiment is by Stampin' Up!

This is Ebony from the Greeting Farm, using bright colors. I love her dark hair and eyeshadow:

Peace.

Oh Baby

Just some baby/b-day cards I made using these adorable Pink Cat Studio digi images and some old retired Stampin' Up! background papers:

The colors are Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, and Certainly Celery. Peace.

Two More Challenges

This is it for me for the weekend, and I'm quite pleased with all I've accomplished! :) This is for the Just Magnolia challenge blog, this week it was a sketch challenge. The colors are Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue, So Saffron, and Certainly Celery:

This one is for the Sugar Bowl's challenge, which was to include thankfulness (Maggie with Spring Flowers is the stamp I used, along with SU! colors Tempting Turquoise, Taken with Teal, WW, and Designer Series background papers):

Hope you all have a great week - last full week before Thanksgiving, I can hardly believe it! Peace.

Lazy Sunday & Blog Candy

Today will be another multiple-post day, as I create my entries for the challenges I'm participating in. This one is a "twofer" - I am using it for TWO challenges. The two challenges are the Pink Elephant challenge, which was to be thankful - and Whimsical Wednesdays: The Diedrich Dare, the challenge being to make a card or project inspired by these cool mugs - this was easy cuz this is one of my favorite color schemes! :)

So here's my take on it - whaddayathink? I used SU! WW, Barely Banana, and Certainly Celery colors:

Also - please check out the blog candy being offered at Passion For Crafts - it's a big one!! :) Enjoy!

Be back later! Peace.

Robyn's Fetish - Red, White, and Blue Challenge

The Robyn's Fetish challenge for this week was to create a card using only the colors red, white, and blue. I love this party hat image, and love the way these cards came out, simple yet eye-catching. I used SU! Whisper White, Ballet Blue, and Real Red:

Peace.

Rainy Saturday

It's been raining allllll day - so what better to do than make cards and do challenges? :)

This one is for the Digital Tuesday challenge, which was simply to use a digi image to create a holiday card or project. I had been dying to use this adorable image from Whimsie Doodles on something like this, this is Olive and Toasty and the "merry xmas" is from the Greeting Farm:

For the Etsy Inspired Challenge blog this week, the challenge was to pick something from Quiltish from Allisa Jacobs and this was the picture I chose for inspiration (Baby Set Bib and Burp Cloth in Farmers Market Red Apple Harvest):

And here is my card:

For Whimsie Doodles Paper Craft Planet challenge group, the challenge this week was to create anything altered using a Whimsie Doodles image. I made this cute little gift box, my family and I were invited to Thanksgiving dinner at our good friends' home, so I'm going to fill this with chocolates and give to them as a thank-you gift:

Well, that's all for now! Be back later with some more! Peace.

Just a Few Cards...

Just a few cards for today... my obsession with the Greeting Farm's Twinkle Tots continues....

Princess Ava

Madelynn

I used Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Bashful Blue colors above, with coordinating Designer Series papers.

Next is a card I made to include in an order for "assorted" cards, I just liked the way it came out (using SU! Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White, with coordinating Designer Series paper):

And last - a quick, simple and pretty Christmas card:

This one used SU! Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, and Very Vanilla cardstock, along with coordinating Designer Series paper.
Peace.

Happy Veteran's Day and Altered Box

First, I want to say happy Veteran's Day - to any/all past and current members of our military, you and your families have my utmost appreciation, gratitude and respect for all that you do. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I had so much fun making the altered Christmas goodie box for a challenge, I decided to make another one. For this one, I used some retired Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper in one of the old "In Colors", and one of the Greeting Farm's adorable digi images, Ebony, which was offered for a limited time last weekend, and gave it a "teen" theme:

My poor daughter Cassidy has been sick since last Friday - I guess it's seasonal flu or a bad cold, the doctor's offices are actually requesting that people with those symptoms NOT come into their offices so as not to spread their germs. So Cass has been home, pretty much in bed, since last Friday. She's taking ibuprofen and those thera-flu drink mixes and taking it easy, poor kid. She's 14, so she's devastated to be missing out on her social life - she doesn't mind missing school for a week, but we've got another weekend coming up here, she'll be heart-broken if she is still sick on Friday! LOL

Hope you're all having a good week! Peace.

Stampin' For The Weekend - Distressed Christmas Goodies Box

For this week's Stampin For The Weekend challenge, the challenge was to make a festive goodies box and it was optional to use distressing... I had a ball making this and I was thrilled with how it came out! It was originally a small box from Harry & David - I altered it by covering it with Stampin' Up! Designer Series papers, rubbing some Close to Cocoa ink all over it, and adding some buttons, an image (CC Designs digi image Swiss Pixie Heidi with Ornament), a sentiment, and a ribbon, what do you think? Cute, no?
This is the cover of the box:

Side view:

And this is the box opened - I filled it with Lindt dark peppermint chocolates - this is going to make a nice little Christmas gift! :o)

Peace!