You, always.

One last quick post today... laundry calls =/
Case Study #197, with a darling inspiration card:

 

 

Here is my take:

Inside:  You always stand out in a crowd =]

 

MFT die and YOU from SSS, Mama Elephant, and also "always" from Winnie & Walter.



Summer lovin'

Since the day I saw the new challenge post from CAS-ual Fridays, I've been singing the song from Grease.  That's both a good, and bad thing =/ 

Since the day I received my newest order from MFT, I've been dying to use these cool Peek-a-boo alphas.  Always fun to stamp those sketchy letters from Mama Elephant.  And summer days bring plenty of wild raspberries to our woods, so the cardstock from PTI couldn't be a more perfect summer color!

It's another rainy, summer day in my neighborhood - good for a laundry day, and the garden.  Hope it's sunny where you are... have a great week, everyone!

A super-hero would not forget. But...

I would... meet my Super-Blockhead alter-ego:

 

 

Over the weekend, I forgot the birthday of one of the sweetest ladies I know, June - yes, I also wondered what would have happened had she been born in November!   Hopefully, this will make her smile in spite of my memory lapse =] 

 

I've used my favorite little super-stamp from MFT that I have often left un-colored for my grandkids so they can color with me =]  I'm giving June a box of crayons, and a coloring book with it... after all, she is only 83!! 

 

Of course, I'll be adding it to my punny collection over at CASology for their wood challenge, too =]  I promise this is the last of them... for this week =]

Just another utensil

Another utensil for the Wood challenge at CASology, before it runs away with the dish =]

I'm also sending this one over to the newest blog I know of... "Tag, You're it!!  They did mention a tiny little tag would suffice =]  Soooo:

No. It wasn't an after-thought!  I've stitched those straws on with the tag threads so they can be removed and used!  Inside sentiment:  "... and a Margarita sounds like the remedy.  Call me.  I've got the Tequila and salt, too =]"

Stick a fork in me...

Pa dum, dum...

Oh I just crack myself up sometimes =] < See! 

 

Oh, but, I may not be done =[  I might have saved this one for last!!

Melissa, you CASology guru: You may have created a monster here =/

 

For those of you who are thinking "how does one mail this?"  One doesn't - I have a stock of clear boxes that I have on hand for just this type of hand-deliver-only card.  Insert card, tie a piece of ribbon or raffia around it, pop it in the gift bag.  Today this one gets delivered in one of these darling go-together glassine bags I picked up at JoAnn's - how could I breathe without her?

 

Run. Do not walk to your neighborhood JoAnn's as these little darlings are 50% off!!

 

OH!  Look. There may be a little bit of wood on that pinwheel card!!!  Do I dare? =D

I 'wood' not lie...

When CASology posted the cue word for their next challenge, I nearly couldn't contain myself with the pun cards that popped into my head.  You might get very tired of me, DT =]  First up:

Now.  If you don't get this?  Well.  I won't say it, I just won't.

 

That wonderful little Cherry wood veneer tag was found on a little excursion to JoAnn's yesterday.  I could not believe how beautifully the letter dies from PTI cut from it... wow.  Not a sliver in sight =]

 

Next up?  Wait for it....

 

 

P.S.  Also sending it over to SSS Wednesday Challenge "Anything goes."  I still cannot believe I had the nerve to sign up for their Designer Call!  Little old, new blogger, me =]  I'm like that "little ol' ant"  - I've got high hopes =]

 



Colour me... Yes!

I've been challenging myself with color/colour challenges and, also, to use all these patterned papers that seem to have been loved once and kicked to the corner.

Colour Me - Subtle has used two shades of pink: strawberry and pale pink, and added pool party, a pale blue/green.  Needless to say, I didn't have any of those.  But, ta da, I found an awesome patterned paper from another TJ Maxx find from DCWV that not only had the colors but hints of fish-scale like patterns... did anyone else notice the fish in the inspiration photo?  

When I'm in the craft cave, I have a little 19" tv/monitor that I normally have tuned in to the Food Network, or Turner Classic Movies.  I certainly haven't seen many of these oldies-but-goodies but often times recognize some of the songs from them.  Today "Taking a Chance on Love" caught my ear.  It may have inspired this card for Time Out Challenge #8.  It's so much fun CASE-ing Donna Mikasa - her cards so often inspire me.  So I'm taking a chance on LOVE!

One last card for today.  Promise.  This one for CASE Study #196.

I took the liberty of making my own little sentiment flag for the hot-air balloon, added a touch of Winnie & Walter and, on the inside:  "I'm already blown away BY you!" 

Have I mentioned how much I'm blown away by your friendly stop-overs?  Thanks so much for leaving comments... it gets me through the day with a smiley face...

 =] Michele

A little fishy

Yes. You've seen this little guy before. He's one of my favorite Paper Smooches characters, for sure.  Today, I'm celebrating with the crowd of well-wishers over at CASology who are celebrating their 100th Cue Word.  I've often said this is my favorite challenge.  Their cues are just the right "bait" to "reel me in." =]

Shhhh!  Yes.  It is a real hook, but don't tell Tom!

 

I made Tom a cake in culinary school using his real Tilly fishing hat as my inspiration:

 

All edible but the hooks =]

Fusion

 







A second card, since it is a combination between CAS(E) this Sketch 81, and Fusion card challenge. that I've never submitted to!!  I noticed before heading down to the Bat cave, that cute little grapevine star =] Hmmm... there may be a few gold butterflies left on the table =/

 

Did you find it? =]

This beautiful stamp is from Clearly Besotted; cardstock ink from MFT: fuse green

embossed with fine detail gold; on Coats gold thread.

 

I lost my momentum [and mojo] for a few days.  This makes me feel as if I'm starting my week out creatively... tomorrow: laundry =[

 

Choosing hope

Since the day I received my order from MFT, I knew I intended to put this beautiful saying to use.  I hadn't heard these words from Christopher Reeve before, but he made them truth.  Hard to imagine nearly ten years have passed since his death.

All the DT cards were just amazing providing inspiration for this, my submission for CAS(E) this Sketch #81 a dual challenge with Fusion Card Challenge:

Just in case my photography skills fail to capture this fine gold stamping, it reads:

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible."

 

Supplies:  MFT dies, and stamps, and cardstock.  The last little sliver of gold cardstock from that envelope liner I have been recycling; Coats gold thread, and a vintage Kenmore sewing machine =]

Confetti candy

I'm entering this month's Reverse Confetti color challenge... I must say these were pretty challenging colors, too.  THEN my '70's days came back to me and I immediately remembered a pack of American Crafts paper I bought at ... where else?  TJMaxx!  There.  I've admitted two things about myself, I'm old, and a Maxx-anista! Here is the challenge inspiration:

   

Don't you love that old fabulous dresser?  It's RED! 

And, here, is my take - talk about retro-seventies with those MOD flowers!  Far. Out.

And, because I was trippin' over these papers, a second take =] 



... peas and carrots =] 

Color-ing

As much as I talk about coloring, one would think I'd have skills at using color, and more pattern paper on my cards.  But it is difficult for me. . . which is the reason I push myself to submit to the color challenges.  Colour Me is asking for blue and green this week, so I went through the many, many pads of patterned paper and found a cutie.  Here is the result, which I'll enter to Time Out Challenges #7... I hope seaweed counts as a flower =]

This little PCC for Colour Me CMCC#24

 

 

Another from this darling assortment for boys by DCWV my last for today:

 

 

My submission for Seize the Sketch #22 by Lori Techler and, yes, I had to color =]

 

Blessed with love

I am blessed with love, every single day of my life... for which I am so grateful. 

This week the CAS-ology cue was Anniversary - Melissa and the DT are celebrating 100 challenges soon - wow.  I sure am happy that I found them.  Here is the card I created thinking of my own true love:

 

I'll also be submitting it to Case Study #195 where Jacquie inspired me to try my hand at kraft and coloring. 

=] Michele

Surprise!!

What a nice surprise... I'm waking up, having my first cuppa and browsing through some unread bloglovin' posts when, there! What? I see one of my cards!!  This one:

And suddenly, I'm a Rock Star. . . a Retro Sketches Rock Star =]

 

Today, I also wanted to share a little trick I use when I don't want to add dimensionals which can be a little thick when you want to mail a card.  We all occasionally have this on our craft tables:

I turn them into this:

And adhere strips of them around a layer to give a little lift.  Or do this, when I just want to lift the die cuts:

When adding Tombo, I apply it to the debossed area to create thickness, then the embossed dots to add to the card.  Here is how that turns out:

If you look closely, you'll see the background paper I've created for the inside using Word.  I do this often for the card front, too:

 

This is one of a set I made called "It's all about you."  The sentiment inside? 

               " Yes it is all about you...Today. Tomorrow, we go back to me, me, me!" 

 

I'll submit this one: to Muse this week as my homage to Therese's lovely inspiration card.

 

Happy Father's day, to my daddy in Heaven.  I'll be thinking about you all day long.  Wish you could have met Tom, Dad... he is honored to be number two dad on my list =]

 

 

Beginner's luck?

Wow.  I can't tell you how surprised I was to have my card chosen for this challenge!  New-to-me challenge, new group of wonderfully creative people to share with = the reason I've started blogging!

Thanks so much to Tara Bourgoin from Colour Me Challenge! for liking my little creation =]

 

[I also had an HM from CASology for my "Shine" card!!=]

 

 

 

Wow.  What a great Tuesday - Thank you!  =]

 

 

Next post: sharing backgrounds done "my way"

and saving money on dimensionals  by using your scraps!!

=]

 

Colour Me =]

Many of you who have gotten to know me a little better know how much I love to color.  So when I came across a new-to-me challenge called Colour Me - well, need I say more?  I've decided to share a little PCC into their lives and they'll have to a little browsing around my blog to figure that out, won't they - hope they enjoy it =]

One, of a set of six all-occasion cards, I've designed using my favorite embossing folder and die cut with Mr. Ben Moore, of course. 

Pop

I lost my dad when I was just 30 years old.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him and smile... he was the best, and taught me all of my coloring skills - yes, he colored with me nearly every day, teaching me shading, blending, and how to trace over the outside lines to make the image "pop."  He never once used the term "don't go outside the lines" during our time together.  Dad was 52 when I was born - I'm number nine =]  After you pick your jaws up, here's my dad:

 

Father's day weekend, he'll be gone 32 years. Dear God, I love that man.

 

Twenty-two years ago, I met Tom and was blessed to be given the gift of having a Dad again.  No, he's not a replacement for mine, but someone who is always there when we need him for heavy lifting, or thinking, and [my favorite] a chatty chat on the phone =]

 

Thanks to Vicki Dutcher for the inspiration this week, here is the card I made for my father-in-law, and the Muse challenge this week:

 

A few perfect words from W&W, Mama Elephant's Sketchy letters, and

newsprint background stamp, and ink from Hero Arts.

Zigzag die from MFT

 





In retrospect..

I might have not waited until nearly the last moment for this one... there is a theme going on here in my corner of blogland - it must be my grey period?

Retro Sketches #117: by Erin:

By me: 

Take # two

Curtain Call - the White Album =] Something Simple has been an incredible challenge to participate in - white on white is a favorite of mine.  Here is the B side of the album =]  Though it could be my favorite =]

I love the SSS die cut flower and have used it many, many times over.  Sentiment is from the MFT stamps purchased on sale =]  The peeled paint patterned paper is a scrap from the hordes of scraps I'm working through - yeah, right, you say =]  Also making another appearance is that gorgeous little bit of French beauty embossing folder.  Oh, Ben M. there - surprise!!

White! My favorite color =]

Curtain Call has made me a very happy camper this week:

   Something Simple - is everything I love about white.

 

Here is my first try:

 

Hope it makes the designers smile, too =]



Moon-shine!

The cue word at CASology this week is "Shine!"  All the inspiration cards are delightful so I can't wait to play along with a little night sky - hope this reads well here in blog land =]

 

Here is another I've created using those little lanterns from American Crafts Terrace Collection.

 

 

It was a bonus to have some extras already embossed on white cardstock.  I knew I was going to create a night sky, so when I colored them I added Heidi Swapp's gold spray with a water-color brush right over the top of the coloring.  The tea-cup moon is a recycled mirror-gold foil envelope liner =] Starry sky is a border stamp from W9, and Inkadinkado had the perfect sentiment.  All embossed with Recollections Fine Gold embossing powder.

Do your best to Twinkle today, too =]

 

Third time's a charm? =/

Last but not least, a little card for my son on Father's Day.  Gosh, he's doing a great job at fatherhood [if I must say so myself =]  Just one child, but she's a keeper.  He just bought Madelyn her first set of golf clubs - she's six - go figure =]

Those that have visited in the past should recognize Martha's punch.  I used the tiniest pierced circle Die-namics from MFT for the centers - and Benjamin Moore =] You had to know I would sneak a paint-chip in there, right?  Why use costly cardstock, when there's a perfectly free chip just waiting to add a little color?  That's my story yada, yada, yada. CTS #21  Also, just to prove to myself I could do it, What a Catch at CAS-ual Fridays CFC132.

Take # two

For #21 STS - no, I promise I didn't make 21 cards for one challenge - silly =]

There may be just one more - I promise =]