2 Sisters - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Happy 20th birthday to my awesome nephew, Eric.  I cannot believe you are 20 years old - this seems like just yesterday...

(my sister, me, and Eric - 1992)

The years have just FLOWN by, and I am so glad that we stayed close through them all.  LOVE YOU!

I have one card for you today:

2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I used Lollipop Abby from By Lori Designs.  Cardstock (Whisper White, So Saffron, Rose Red), DP (Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, So Saffron), ribbon (Certainly Celery & Bashful Blue) & gemstone brads by Stampin' Up!

Have a great week, my friends.  :)  Peace. 

Help for Katie, Club Anya MM & DYSU

When I read about the "Help for Katie" fundraiser going on at Jak Heath's blog, I had to help out. Then she decided to run a card competition... to simply to make a card with one of the images from the Help for Katie digi pack - so here is what I made, using one of Mo Manning's adorable digi images:

I used the designer paper "Pawsitively Prints" from SU! and colored in the girl with SU! markers and Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol.  Brads are from SU!

Next is a card I made for 2 challenges:

Club Anya Mystery Monday - CASEing Claudine

and

Do You Stack Up?  Challenge #4 - Patterned Papers

My friend Melissa had seen the devil card I made the other day with the dark hair, and she commented that she should be a blonde (of course, Melissa is blonde... LOL) - so this one is for Melissa.  :)
Cardstocks and papers are from SU! in Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Basic Black.  Ribbon & orange gemstone brad also from SU!  Her clothes are colored with SU! markers, her hair is colored with a PrismaColor marker (Deco Yellow) and her skin is colored with PrismaColor colored pencils and blended with Gamsol.

Peace.

Mojo Monday, MTF Wednesday & MMSC

I have been very busy - first up is a card I made for the:

Mojo Monday Challenge 175 - sketch

I used Kayle Lollipop from By Lori Designs - colors are SU! Pumpkin Pie, Not Quite Navy and Old Olive.  

Next  up is the card I made for the sketch challenge at the:

My Favorite Things Wednesday Challenge (MFTWSC4)

 

 I love the paper-pieced dress on this sweet digi image from Pure Innocence... colors are SU!  Real Red, Pretty in Pink, and Chocolate Chip.  :)

And lastly - this one is for the:

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #88

I used the adorable Macie's Rainbow digi from By Lori Designs, along with some REALLY old SU! background papers in Eggplant Envy & More Mustard.  Buttons are from my stash.

Peace.

All That Scraps Magnolia & Michelle Perkett Challenges

TGIF!!!

We ended up getting almost another foot of snow yesterday - the piles on the street corners are like 6-10 feet high, it's ridiculous!  I hope some of it melts before we get another storm!  

The weather is, however, perfect for staying in and making cards!  :) 

This card is for the:

All That Scraps Magnolia Challenge #6 - Queen of Hearts

...and while we're on the subject of hearts and I had my cute SU! heart paper out... I made this little cutie below for 2 challenges:

Michelle Perkett Challenge - All That Bling

Embellishment Challenge on CDAC  hosted by Michelle Perkett

 

I love both of these images (top is Tilda by Magnolia, bottom is Queen of Hearts Birthday Girl by Michelle Perkett)- I used SU! Whisper White & Real Red cardstock and designer papers.  For the Bling challenge, I used lots of Dazzling Diamonds glitter and crystal clear gemstone brads.  

Peace.

 

US, Cupcake Crafters and The Sweet Stop

Even though I am no longer a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I am still a faithful user of their products.  I love how a package of their designer series paper can go such a long way, and give such different results.  For the 2 cards below, I used DP from the Pawsitively Prints line - I just love how they look so completely different even though they use the same papers/colors.

This first card is for the

Unscripted Sketches #90 (I was a Top 3 Fave for last week's sketch!)

I used this sweet digi image from Spesch - colors are Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, and Old Olive.

This next card I made for 2 challenges:

Sweet Stop # 92 (I flipped sketch on its side)
Cupcake Crafters - Bright, Summery Days 

 

I used Mavis from Stamping Bella again (OMG - she just came out with a new release that I am totally trying to refrain from spending HUNDREDS of dollars that I have no business spending.... go check out the yummy Bella goodness here...) along with the same papers in Pretty in Pink & Old Olive.  Felt flower from SU!  Ribbon from my stash.   

Can you tell I am becoming addicted to paper-piecing?  Both cards have paper-piecing for the clothes... :)

So today is Snow Day #5, I do believe... according to the news, we got at least another 6 inches last night, although I haven't been out yet to judge for myself.  So it looks like another day of staying in and making cards - rough life, eh?  hee hee

Peace.

By Lori Designs #2

I love this new challenge blog at By Lori Designs, and I found this color combo extra challenging for some reason!  But that just made me more determined to participate.  LOL 

So this card is for the:

By Lori Designs #2 Color Challenge

 I interpreted the colors as Stampin' Up!'s Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, and Chocolate Chip.  I used Gracie Lollipop from Stamping Bella and paper-pieced her dress.


My poor daughter woke up not feeling well today - and we're expecting another 6-10 inches of snow today/tonight, so I am just letting her stay home.  I am getting sick of winter already and feeling the need for some sunshine and warm sand between my toes... ahhhhh!

Peace.

Friday Sketchers, SFTW & Pollycraft Monday

This card turned out to be one of my favorites of all time (if I do say so myself - hee hee).  I love the sketch, the colors, and the image - and I had a blast putting the whole thing together.  I ended up being able to use this card for 3 challenges:

Friday Sketchers Challenge #138

Pollycraft Monday Challenge #77 (black, white & another color)

and...
Stampin' For the Weekend - Getting Warmed Up
 

 

Get it?  Getting warmed up?  Cuz she's a devil...aren't I clever?  hee hee  I crack myself up.  ;)

I used the adorable devil from the Naughty or Nice set at the Greeting Farm along with a freebie digi image that I picked up at Tiddly Inks (the "hi" in pitchfork font background). Cardstock, designer papers, ink and ribbon in Whisper White, Basic Black and Real Red by Stampin' Up!  Dazzling Diamonds glitter and crystal clear gemstone brads also by SU!

I drew the fishnet stockings on her with my black marker - the card is even cute IRL (in real life), but I think you get the idea. 

Peace.

Creative Craft World, DYSU and Paper Pretties

Today I have a super cute, super sweet card that I made with 3 challenges in mind...

The Creative Craft World Cute & Cuddly Challenge

and

Do You Stack Up Challenge #3 - Pink

and

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #137 - Paper Piecing

 

I used Cuddle Anya from the Greeting Farm and all different pink papers I had in my stash by Scrapbook Wizard.  Pretty in Pink cardstock & ribbon by Stampin' Up!  I love this little girl, isn't she just too cute?  I drew the freckles on her.  

I love "meeting" so many new people who have the same interests as me - participating in these challenges is such a great way to do that.  Please keep those comments coming, I love to check out your blogs, as well.

Today we had a 2-hour delay for our public school systems because of the temperatures - it's so cold, there is an advisory posted until 9 a.m.  Basically, you can get frostbite just by being outside for more than 15 minutes.  YUCK.  We are also looking at the possibility of another big snowstorm mid-week... ha!  There is nowhere to put any more snow, but Mother Nature doesn't care!  :)

Peace.

Peachy Keen & MMSC

Today I have 2 different cards for 2 separate challenges, so please continue to scroll down... thanks!

I love finding new challenge blogs to participate in, like this one at

Peachy Keen Stamps Challenge #43

I actually busted out a Stampin' Up! stamp set for this one - I hardly ever use my poor SU! stamps since I discovered The Greeting Farm, My Favorite Things, Tiddly Inks, By Lori Designs, Stamping Bella, All That Scraps, and Sugar Nellies!  LOL  But I thought these stamps from the Espress Yourself set went perfectly with this sketch.  I used SU! cardstocks and papers in Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, and Almost Amethyst.  Pink flower brads and white rub-on sentiment also from SU!


Next up is a card I made for a challenge that I try to participate in regularly, the 

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #87 (Priscilla Styles)

I used SU! cardstock, designer paper, ribbon and rub-on sentiment in Whisper White & Basic Black.  Crystal clear gemstone brads also by SU!  

Peace.

Tiddly Inks Challenge #34 - Just Be Me

I am super excited - now that I'm back in the swing of things, I've been entering challenges like crazy and making cards to submit for possible publication to magazines, etc.  I sent in 2 cards to Scrapbook News and Review for their February 2011 issue and they want to use both of them!  For now, I have to replace the cards on my blog with this little "out for publication" icon, but I will share them with you again as soon as I can!  I can tell you that they were both recently published on my blog and both made with Pure Innocence images from My Favorite things.  :)

I had a lot of fun with this challenge -

Tiddly Inks Challenge #34 - Just Be Me

it took a lot of thought to come up with a card that represents me without going overboard!  LOL  I used an image called Tree Hugger, and I used all recycled items and/or scraps for this card.  The "buckle" that I threaded the ribbon through is a soda can top.  I have been recycling since before it was mandated in our community, and I think this card portrays my GO GREEN mentality:

Colors are SU!  Rose Red, Barely Banana, and Old Olive.  Image is colored with Prismacolor colored pencils and blended with Gamsol.  

I don't know about you, but I tend to hoard a LOT of scraps - so every once in a while, I make myself use them up.  I use them on cards, I make bookmarks and teabag cards, and sometimes I make magnets.  I have this sheet of magnet paper that is sticky on one side, so I will stamp out mini images and color them up and decorate the scrap kind of like a mini card, and attach a piece of the sticky magnet to the back.  I now have a cute, inexpensive little item that I can easily mail in a card.  Some samples are below: 

 

The "Sweet & Toxic" one is about 3 1/2 x 2 inches and the ducky one is about 2 inches by 1 1/2.

Do you use your scraps in any unique or interesting ways?  Let me know if you do, I'd love to hear about them.  Peace.

Bellarific Friday & Craft Your Days Away

Holy cow - we have just had one snowstorm after another around here lately!  The kids are loving the days off now,  but they won't be too happy at the end of June, let me tell ya!  Last week they had Wednesday and Thursday off, this week they had Tuesday off and a 2-hour delay on Wednesday (after already having Monday off for a holiday!) and now they have another snow day again today.  I love it - my kids are older, so all it means for me is that we all get to sleep late and I don't have to chauffeur them around all day!  :)

Today I have a whole bunch of stuff to share with you.  First off, I made this card for 2 challenges:

Bellarific Friday at Stamping Bella's Bloggabella 

and

Craft Your Days Away

I also wanted to share something with you all that I think is just awesome - CardMaker magazine has a feature that showcases a charity every month and asks readers to send cards to the charity.  This month, they featured an organization called The Gray Matters Foundation.   You can click on the link to learn all about what they do, but they basically offer support to people who have brain tumors.  I sent them a package of 10 cards, here are a few that I haven't already showcased on my blog previously:

 

 

(Above - Cuddle Anya from the Greeting Farm, SU! cardstock, ink, heart punch and designer paper and button from my stash)

 

(Above - All Stampin' Up! products: sentiment is a rub-on.  Hearts are from the Sticky Cuts Sweet Collection and are sprinkled with Rose Red glitter.  I used Old Olive cardstock and the designer paper is from the Welcome Neighbor pack.) 

Please consider volunteering with this or other organizations that support cancer patients, such as ChemoAngels.  It's appreciated so very much and it makes YOU feel good, too!  :)  Thank you.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend, stay warm!  Peace.

Oh, Alice! Chapter 46 Queen Alice

I know that YOU know that I love Christy Croll's artwork, and here is another of her adorable Gothic-looking images, this one is called Poppy.  You can find her Tiddly Inks digi images by clicking here.  Rumor has it she also has some new stamps coming out at Stamping Bella, too - I can hardly wait!

This card was made for the:

Oh, Alice!  Chapter 46 - Queen Alice (red OR white challenge)

 

I used Stampin' Up! cardstock, ink, and designer papers in Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, and So Saffron.  Ribbon in Rose Red and White, and Dazzling Diamonds glitter by SU!  Her hair and skin are colored with Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol.  Button is from my stash.  

Peace. 

Unscripted Sketches, Pollycraft Monday & Friday Sketchers

I was really excited to wake up this morning to an e-mail from an old friend letting me know she is getting married - and she wants ME to make her WEDDING INVITATIONS.  I am super pumped for this challenge - will be sure to share the results with you!  :)

I have two cards to share with you today - 

First up is my card for the

Unscripted Sketches #89 - Piggyback (Masculine)

I used one of the Ian stamps from the My Guy Ian set at The Greeting Farm (I drew the freckles on him), and I paper pieced his clothes and hat.  Cardstock, designer paper, and rub-on letters from Stampin' Up!

Next is a card I made for 2 challenges -

Pollycraft Monday Color Challenge (pastels)

and

Friday Sketchers

I used Cuthbert from Pollycraft and some papers and ribbon I had in my stash.  He's colored with Prismacolor colored pencils and blended with Gamsol.


Peace.

The Sugar Bowl Sketch #51 & Latte Lounge Happy Birthday

Today's card is for the Sugar Bowl Challenge #51 - Kiki's Sketch

 

I used Bedtime Maggie from Sugar Nellies and I paper-pieced her pajamas and slippers.  Cardstock, designer papers and brads by Stampin' Up! in Brilliant Blue, Only Orange, Old Olive, and Bashful Blue.  

And here is a card I made for 

the Latte Lounge - Happy Birthday challenge

 I used Gracie Lollipop from Stamping Bella.  Cardstock, designer paper, ribbon, flower brads, and sentiment rub-on all from Stampin' Up!


If you can believe it, we have ANOTHER snow day today - no school.  Last week was Wednesday and Thursday - yesterday was a holiday... my kids are going to forget what school is!  LOL

Peace.

Farm Fresh Friday - TGF

Darn Patriots.... ;)   Guess I'm rooting for the Steelers now!  

On to business!

The challenge for the Greeting Farm's Farm Fresh Friday Challenge this week is a color challenge - turquoise, black, and any other color you choose.  I chose Cameo Coral from the SU! color family as my 3rd color and here is what I came up with:

I used Thursday from the Creeper Crew line at the Greeting Farm.  I paper pieced her clothes and hat with designer paper in Cameo Coral & Tempting Turquoise by SU!  Ribbon, brads, and glitter also by SU!

I decided to go through my all of my Stampin' Up! sets and made myself a promise that I'd sell at least 10.  I ended up setting aside 29 sets to sell!  I was proud of myself - it's hard to purge, but the way I look at is that these stamps should be being used and loved.  They are not doing me any good sitting in a closet!  So I posted them on Facebook and within 15 minutes, I had sold 17 of the sets and made over $100!  I was thrilled - since I'm not working right now, that money will help pay some bills this month and maybe I can sneak a little for a couple of the new Sugar Nellies or CC Designs images that I have been wanting... hee hee  Years ago, I would have sworn that I'd forever be dedicated to wood-mounted stamps... flash forward to the past year or two and I'm amazed at my obsession with unmounted rubber.  I have binders and bins full of yummy, beautiful rubber always within my reach, along with several sized acrylic blocks to mount them to.  I cannot imagine life without them.  hee hee

Hope you all have a great day - stay warm!  Peace.

Peace.

MMSC #86

GO PATRIOTS!!!  

hee hee  Had to get that out of the way...

So anyway - today's card is for the:

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #86

 

I actually didn't even use any stamps on this project - I used SU! cardstock and designer paper in Cameo Coral along with these rusty-looking brads in butterfly, dragonfly and the word "Dream."  The black ribbon is from my stash.  This isn't my typical "cutesy" style, but I like it.  

Peace. 

TPE #91

I loved the color challenge this week at the Pink Elephant... pink, orange and aqua.  

The Pink Elephant Challenge #91

I used this sweet little girl from the Pure Innocence line at My Favorite Things, along with SU!  designer series papers.  I did paper piecing and used Stampin' Dimensionals to make the girl and the cut-out flowers "pop".

Peace.

Bellarific Friday & Moxie Fab World

Happy Friday!  My kids had 2 snow days this week and we ended up with 21 inches of the white, fluffy stuff!  So back to school today and then hello weekend!  Not too shabby!  :)

Today I have 2 cards to share with you.  First up is my card for this week's Bellarific Friday, which was a sketch challenge:

I used Stamping Bella's Mavis Has a Daisy along with this cool paisley/bandana-looking cardstock by Martha Stewart, believe it or not!  I paper-pieced Mavis's dress, too.  

Next up - this card is for the - 

Moxie Fab World Color Challenge

I used SU! ribbon, punches, & flamingo rub-on, SU! Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Whisper White and Pixie Pink cardstocks and papers - buttons from my stash.  It actually came out MUCH cuter than I had anticipated! 

I used the sketch from the Midnight Madness Sketch challenge #85, but didn't realize I was on the previous week's challenge page, so I used it for inspiration only.  LOL 
Peace.

Pollycraft Monday Challenge #75 - New Things

I was excited to have a reason to break out my new stamp set from the Greeting Farm, Sweet & Toxic.  The challenge at the Pollycraft Monday Challenge blog this week is 

New Things (Challenge #75)

Here is what I came up with:

 I love these papers from Stampin' Up!  They are from the Sweet Pea designer series paper stack.  Colors are So Saffron, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, and Chocolate Chip.  I used SU! glitter, ribbon, and punches, as well.

Peace.

Sweet Stop #90

SNOW DAY!  Woke up to over a foot of snow and it's still going strong.  Nothing to do but stamp, I guess.... hee hee

Today I have a card for the 

Sweet Stop Sketches Challenge #90

  I used this adorable stamp from Sugar Nellies, the image is by Diane Duda.  Cardstock, designer paper and ribbon by Stampin' Up! Image colored with SU! markers.

Peace.

Friday Sketchers #136

Helllooooo!  My friend Linda asked me to make her a card like last week's "Start Each Day with Whee!" card, but in pink/lavender.  So I decided to take that challenge and combine it with another one... 

Friday Sketchers Sketch Challenge #136

 

I love the way this came out, and I hope Linda does, too.  It's for her sweet little grand-daughter, Lili.  I used SU! ribbon, cardstocks and designer papers in Whisper White, Pretty in Pink and Lovely Lavender.  The stamp is from the Pure Innocence line at My Favorite Things.

Peace. 

By Lori Designs challenges

Second post today!  Scroll down for first!  :)

One of my favorite artists is Lori Boyd - I first stumbled across her work at Stamping Bella. Lori draws these adorable Lollipop images that you can find here.  Then I realized she also had a digi image shop on her blog, with all kinds of adorable artwork that she calls "Sugar Sticks", "Puddle Jumpers" and other charming names.  Each image is even cuter than the one before.  Anyway - Lori started a challenge blog this week, and I couldn't wait to play along.  

This week's theme was a color challenge that you can see 

here.

I am also using this card for the Inspirational Card Sketches challenge #96 which is a sketch challenge.

And here is my card: 

I used Ella Lollipop from Stamping Bella, colored with Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol and SU! markers.  SU! colors are Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion, and Pixie Pink (cardstock & designer paper).  Rub-on sentiment by SU!

Peace.

US #88

The Unscripted Sketches challenge blog is one of my favorites.  This week's sketch was particularly fun, you can see it here.  Here is my take on it:

 

I used the super cute stamp called "Fleur Anya" from the Greeting Farm, along with brads and some retired DP from SU!  Her dress is paper-pieced.  The sentiment is a rub-on from SU!

Peace.

 

Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combo Challenge

Happy Sunday!  Today's card is for the 

 

Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combo Challenge

 

I used "Start Each Day with Whee!" from the Pure Innocence line at My Favorite Things.  Cardstock, designer paper, and brads in Whisper White, Very Vanilla, and So Saffron (all by Stampin' Up!).  Her dress is paper pieced.

Peace. 

New Challenge (Do You Stack Up?) and Sugar Bowl

One of my favorite sites, the Free Digital Stamps blog, has just unveiled their NEW challenge blog - Do You Stack Up?

I made today's card for DYSU's very first challenge, which was "Cute as a Button" and combined it with The Sugar Bowl's sketch challenge this week (I flipped the sketch onto it's side):

The image is Sugar Nellie's Gorgeous Girl "Flower Girl" - she is stamped on Bella's Bestest white cardstock (Stamping Bella) and I used buttons from my stash along with SU! designer papers.

The Sugar's Bowl's optional theme was embossing - I almost always emboss my images because I color with Prismacolor colored pencils and blend with Gamsol, and I find that embossing the image helps prevent bleeding of the ink.  I use Versafine Archival black ink with Stampin' Up! Crystal Clear embossing powder. 

Peace.

My Favorite Things - Pure Innocence

**Note - this card is being published in the February 2011 issue of Scrapbook News & Review, which will be available on February 13, 2011.  I will re-post the card here 30 days after the publication date, at the publisher's request.  Thank you for understanding!**

I simply adore the Pure Innocence images drawn by Heather Ellis and sold at My Favorite Things.  This week, the MFT blog started doing weekly Wednesday sketches, and I loooooove sketches!  Sketches are great because they are like instant inspiration.  I enjoy all kinds of challenges, but I have to admit that sketches are my favorite.  

Soooo - here is my card for this week's 

My Favorite Things Stamp Club Challenge - Getting Sketchy

I used the "Happy Mail" image by PI and some scraps of Stampin' Up! designer paper that I had laying around.  I paper-pieced her dress and colored the rest of her in with my Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol.  The mailbox is colored with a grey marker by SU!

Peace.

2 Sisters - A Challenge with Heart

This week, I found a challenge that is right up my alley.  The 2 Sisters Challenge Blog has issued their 20th challenge - create a Thinking of You or Hello card and send it along for a patient in the transplant ward at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston (click HERE for details).  How could I resist participating in this challenge?  I couldn't, of course.  Here is my "thinking of you" card:

I used the "Funky Clothesline" image from Stamping Bella colored with Prismacolor markers in turquoise, pink, and orange.  Cardstock, DP, and ribbon by SU!  Buttons from my stash.

Peace.

JUGS #65

Yup - 2 days in a row.  :)  Today's card uses Stamping Anya from the Greeting Farm colored with SU! markers and Prismacolor colored pencils blended with Gamsol along with SU! papers and cardstocks.  I drew the freckles on her. 

This card is for the Just Us Girls Sketch Challenge #65.  Enjoy!

Hopefully I'll be back again tomorrow.  I plan to really throw myself into my cards and hope to make more of a business out of it.  I hope to join some design teams this year, too.  Wish me luck - 2011 is a year full of possibilities.  :)   Peace.

I'm back - Club Anya Saturday Sketch

I am back!  Back to stamping, that is!!!  I was soooo excited to get organized and finally feel good enough about my new place to get my stuff out and start stamping!  The very first order of business - creating a card for the Club Anya Saturday Sketch challenge:

I used Tuesday from the Greeting Farm's Creeper Crew collection in pinks and greys.  See you tomorrow!  Peace.