A Valentines card

Morning everyone and a dreary day outside here in Pennsylvania. Good day to use some happy colors so I made my first Valentines card. I don't normally do Valentines day cause hubby and I usually just buy a card for each other and call it a day (kinda sad huh) but this year I decided to take advantage of all the adorable images and paper I found recently. This is a LOTV image along with some K and Company paper and the ribbon is some of the new recollections line at Michaels. I did edge the circle with some liquid pearls and doggone it if I didn't smear a bit on the bottom of the card but I don't think it will be that noticeable unless I point it out and frankly, I just didn't know what to slap over it to cover it up. I might take a white pen and try to cover it up a bit though. Ok guys, I have a busy day planned so enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Wishin for warm weather...

Today is Saturday and I am glad it is the weekend but for some reason spring fever is starting to creep up on me. We have one of the lucky ones and our winter really hasn't been too bad this year, especially compared to last year and what most of the country is going thru. But it has been gray and dreary the past few days so that always makes me wish for bright springlike colors so I made a couple of cards with that thought in mind. This first one is a house mouse stamp I have had for awhile, I think they are so adorable but only have a few. May have to check around and see if I come across any although I don't believe Michaels and Joanns carry them. This is for the Simon Says Stamp challenge which is to use an animal image on your card. Not quite happy with this card but it has set on my desk for several days and since I can't quite pinpoint what I don't like about it I am going to call it done and move on.

This is my second card for today which I am much happier with. I am entering it into the Cute Card Thursday which was to use a sketch and into challenge 63 at Color and Create which is to use lemon, green and white and for the kraftin kimmie challenge which is to reuse and recycle. Wow! That is a lot of challenges for me!  I have used some bridal flowers I have had for years up in the corner and some clearance cardstock I had laying around for the kraftin kimmie challenge. Well, that is it for me for now, hopefully will get a chance to play a bit more later. Have a great weekend!

Yeah Steelers! Booo Monday...

Good morning everyone! Monday again but I guess we should be thankful to be able to say that. I have had a recent somewhat unexpected death of one of my patients so today I am trying to appreciate things a bit more as you never know when that opportunity may not be there. This is my card for next weeks stamping bella challenge which is to do a valentines day card. My husband and I don't really do much for valentines but maybe this year I will make him up a card. I am sure he would prefer there be a deer or fish on it as opposed to this little cutie so this is going in my pile. This is one of the Green Bean baby images and I glimmer misted the doily shapes behind her but you can't really tell in the photo. The brads are glittered and I added some diamond dust glitter to the edges of the heart so in real life she has a bit more bling. I am also entering her into the Totally Papercrafts challenge which is to use hearts.

My next card is for the lili of the valley challenge which is a sketch. I had ordered these when the new release came out and got them the end of last week. I so admire the coloring the dt does and thought I would try to imitate it but I have waaayyy more color on my images then they do so will try again with another image. At least I bought several so I have lots to play with! Not quite sure about my paper choices but I think they are just out of my comfort zone a bit. This card will probably go to my sister in law or mother in law as they both have birthdays this week. Ok, time to make my tea and hit the road. Drive safe and stay warm everyone!

Paper Sundaes challenge and a RAK

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Trying to get some cardmaking in so I can watch the Steelers play tomorrow. Sorry if you're a Jets fan! My card today is for the Paper Sundaes challenge and this is their first year anniversary. You needed to pick your favorite challenge they have sponsored and I always like when someone uses a corner decoration so that is what I went with. I have used my new scallop edge die from MFT that my bestest buddy Patty sent me just cause. Isn't that like the best type of present? I should make a point of trying to do that for other people, even if it is only a card just to say I am thinking of you. I will make it a belated New Years resolution. The other gift on my card is the greeting farm stamp that Elaine sent me when she was cleaning out her craft room. I sent her some felt I got but I think I got the better end of the deal!

The paper is the Wanted collection and I think it is by Cosmo Cricket, colored with copics and some twine I got from PTI. Okay, think I will sign off, surf a bit and then maybe work on another card.

Kraftin Kimmie card

TGIF!!! Well, we got some snow here last night but only looks like a couple of inches, they were predicting up to 5 so I can handle 2. I love looking out my back porch over the woods right after it snows and seeing the snow on all the branches. So pretty! Ok, down to the card. This is one of the releases from last year and my buddy Patty bought it for me for a xmas present. (Love Patty!). I have made this for another birthday card for one of the girls at work. Her name is Linda and she is one of our bath aides and does a fabulous job! She doesn't even get wet when she helps shower patients. I, on the other hand, would probably be as wet as the patient by the time we were done so I am very thankful to have Linda to work with. I believe the background paper is Tim Coffey Blossomwood and I used some prima hydrangeas for the corner with some stickles in the center of each. I am entering this into kraftin kimmies challenge this week which is to use flowers. Hope everyone has a good Friday and a Great Weekend!

Hambo submissions

Hey everyone, just a quick post to show you a couple of cards I made up for the Hambo stamps dt try outs. Have always loved their stamps and the sentiments are truly hysterical. I made a card for my supervisor when she was ill (remember I am a nurse) that said "Sorry to hear you're not feeling well" on the front and when you opened it it said "Dibs on your organs!" Now I find that hilarious and my supervisor did too, my husband thinks we are all cracked in the head so he didn't get the joke. Anyways, these are my submissions for the dt applications, the first one I made is for my nephew, we are Pittsburgh Penguins fans around here so I tried to go with the gold and black. Added some glossy accents to his helmet and skates and colored him with my copics but the coloring seems a little washed out in this photo. Still need to practice with the camera and lighting more I guess. I thought the striped paper reminded me of a referee so there ya go.

My next card is for my niece for her birthday and inside it says "Hope this card puts a spring in your step" or it will once I print it out! I actually used some xmas paper from last year for the background but I thought the blue, lavender and white was pretty. I also used some felt I got from etsy and my flower dies from PTI. Ta da! I even did a little colored pencil and OMS around the bunnies to make them pop. Okay, well wish me luck and I will let you know when I hear. I do have to say they have been extremely good at keeping us updated on progress which is very considerate. Also check out their new challenge blog, the blinkie is on my sidebar and they will be starting next month.

Wild Woman!

Happy Hump Day everyone! (you too Elaine!) I finally got a chance to make up a card and am entering it into 2 challenges which is crazy for me. I am lucky to enter one at a time so 2 from the same card is something to pat myself on the back for. I don't understand how people make a card and then find 20 challenges it qualifies for and enter all of them. I am pretty organized but they have me beat! (or maybe just more time on their hands). Anyways, this card is a stamping bella image, I love the little kids in the different cups, buckets etc. The paper is a paper pad I picked up on clearance at Michaels. I don't normally care for gray (too dreary of a color) but I liked the design and the pop of orange and blue and I think it came out pretty well. I have also mounted it on kraft cardstock so I will also enter it into the spotted chicks challenge which is always to use kraft cardstock in some way. If you haven't see Jeanies blog you should definately visit. Not only are her cards great but her sense of humor always puts a smile on my face and you can't have too many smiles now can you? Oh, her blog is http://thespottedchick.blogspot.com and of course stamping bella is just that.

Hope everyone has a good hump day and Elaine, tell Phil I said Hi and have fun!!!

Love award from Elaine

Hi everyone! Well I have been tagged by one of the funniest most generous people I know, my friend Elaine from http://atechnophobesblog.blogspot.com/ . She has given me The Love Award which is to be passed on to help spread the word about up and coming great blogs. I am so pleased to have been picked by Elaine as her blog is amazing so check it out.

There are a couple of conditions for the award


You have been TAGGED and want to participate? Then create a post where you post the 'LOVE BLOG' image. You should also blog the persons link that gave you the award and inform her/him that you accept the award. You can then choose 3 - 5 favourite blogs which you also link in your post, then each blogger will inform you that they have been tagged.

The aim of this action is that we bring unknown, good blogs to light, so I would ask you not to blog fellow bloggers that already have 3,000 followers.

As always, the hardest part is to pick who to pass this on to, there are so many bloggers I could give it to, so.......



http://patty-inkitup.blogspot.com/    This is my friend Patty that introduced Elaine and I, couldn't ask for a better friend!

http://thespottedchick.blogspot.com/  This is Jeannie Witmers blog and she provides both great inspiration and a bunch of laughs when you visit her. She is one of the blogs I visit most when my mojo is lacking.

http://gobeagirl.blogspot.com/   This is for Lisa who was one of my first followers and always takes the time to leave me a nice comment which I truly appreciate.

So these are my blogging friends I would like for you to visit and hope you all have a safe and healthy week.

Long distance thanks!

Well, I am killing two birds with one stone, actually 3 in a way. This is a card to enter the Paper Sundaes challenge which to use circles, this is also a long distance thanks to my friend Elaine as we have sent each other goodies in the mail but have never managed to send a card along except for christmas and since she isn't actually getting the card I can pass it along when needed. How's that for multi-tasking?

This is a pure innocence stamp she sent me recently. I have to say when I first started making cards I didn't care for the little girls but they have actually grown on me and now I thing they are pretty darn cute! Not so with Tilda's Patty so don't ask! The circle paper is a from a christmas pad from last year and the edging is a MS punch. The doily is from Michaels and she is colored with copics. Well, stay warm and enjoy your weekend and have a cup of tea for me cause I gotta work! Someone has to support this hobby!

Another TGF image

Happy cold and windy Wednesday huh? We got about 4 inches of snow last night and the wind is blowing to beat the band. Even my UPS man isn't braving it and that is saying a lot in Pennsylvania. This is my card for TGF's sketch challenge this week. I have used this gorgeous sparkly embossed black paper on my image but unfortunately I have no idea where I bought it and it was already cut up so I must have thrown out the description part awhile ago. I cut my flowers out of some felt from Giant Dwarf off of etsy (nice felt and very reasonable) and edged them with some stickles. I also put clear stickles on the flower in her hair then added some red and tried to swirl it around. Looked pretty good til I accidentally stuck my finger in it. I tried to go a little retro with her and give her red hair which didn't turn out too bad but not sure about the red mouth. She is also still looking a little pale so may have to change my skin technique. May have to give this to my best friend Missy who is italian. She is having surgery next week and the open mouth would fit her to a tee. Now if only I could make her arms move to like Missy does when she is talking it would be perfect!

Ok, gonna grab my cup of tea and a cookie and head back into the craft room. The dishes will be there when I get to them!

stampin bella challenge

Happy Saturday peeps! Managed to get a card done today and I have to say it came together pretty easily. The face looks a little washed out in the picture but I think it is good in real life, but I will double check just to make sure. Sometimes you look at an image so long you don't notice things until you post them. I really like this paper but can't remember who it is by, I got it as a sampler pack and the balloons have a little glitter on them. I figured this would be a good general card, birthday, just because or even get well. Love these images from stampin bella, I have quite a few of them and spent last night stamping out a bunch of images so I have them ready to go.

I did use a bow in the corner which is unusual for me cause I never like how they look on my cards but I think this one is okay, not too big or distracting. Happy with the hair too, it has 6 different colors in it and I think I am finally finding some technique I am pleased with. Ok, gonna go work on my next one, TGF I think...

Multi challenge card!

Evening everyone! Almost to hump day thank heavens! Pretty sad we have only been back to work for 2 days and I am already looking forward to the weekend. I made this card up a couple of days ago for a couple of challenges. TGF of course, Simon says stamp and show, Paper sundaes and papertake weekly. I am trying to enter more challenges this year, so far so good!  I used a variety of papers from my scraps and copics to color, she has some glitter around the edges of the image and on her skirt and a few roses from wild orchid crafts. Not wild about how the sentiment came out but just one of the things I will work on.

http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/2011/01/simon-says-stamp-and-show-your-newest.html
http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/2011/01/paper-sundaes-challenge-50-something.html
http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ and http://www.tgfllc.com/galleria/showgallery.php?cat=1004

Great new use for cards, please check it out!

Craft It Forward Blog Release


Craft for Charity – and a chance to win $500!

I wanted to let you know about a really cool charity movement that Scrapbooks etc. magazine has just launched! It’s called Craft It Forward and it’s a great way to use your passion for
crafting to make a difference in YOUR community. A handmade card can bring smiles to kids in
crisis, a fun banner can brighten the day of adults in residential facilities and a bookmark can
encourage someone learning to read.

Here’s how it works: throughout 2011, visit the Craft It Forward website each month for a new
downloadable pattern and suggested recipients. Make the project and donate it to a charity that is
near and dear to your heart. Then, add your story to the Craft It Forward gallery for a chance to
win $500 in cash and a $500 donation to a charity! They’ll be looking for stories to feature in the
magazine and on the website, too.

So join me and Craft It Forward throughout 2011.

For more information, visit the Craft it Forward website: www.scrapbooksetc.com/craftforward

Mo manning challenge

Post number two in one day, my year is off to a great start! This is a mo manning image I colored up for my niece for her 4th birthday. I tried using more pastel colors as I have seen some beautiful images colored that way, makes for great contrast. I am happy with this card but would love to slap a flower or something on it but hate to cover up the background paper cause it is so pretty and since I am mailing it I am trying to keep it rather flat.

I did use some prismacolor pencils to do a little blue shading around the image but it doesn't look like much. I guess trying something new I go for less is more to begin. Ok, that is it for tonite, watching the penguins game but it gives me a headache trying to follow that darn puck all over the ice!

1st Card of the new Year

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone is safe and well and the santa was good to you and yours. This is my first card for the year and unfortunately it is for a friend at work that is moving onto another job. Good luck Andrea but we will miss you! I used some bright cheery colors and I thought the bus image was a good one for this type of card. One of my intentions (sounds more realistic than resolution) this year is to enter more challenges so I will have to check around and see where I can put this one.

Well, back to the craft room as I am finishing up a card for my nieces birthday. I am trying some softer colors, inspired by my friend Elaine, so we will see how it goes. God Bless!