For Shirley-Bee - and not a Boo in sight!

Thank you, Riesling Mama, for hosting this birthday party for Shirley-Bee.  I've admired Shirley's fabulous creations since starting my blogging journey. She makes me smile with every post of her blog, and every sweet kind word shared on mine. I adore your stamps, Shirley... I must have that rose!

You are one fantastic, blog-friend, Shirley!  Happiest of birthdays to You!

 

No challenges, just a little beauty of a stamp from PTI that I'm thankful for, on a backdrop of Chocolate Chip CS.  The little squash makes a pretty cute Pumpkin-stand-in =]

 

A really scary thing happening outside my window today... hint: it is a four letter word, that begins with S.  Me thinks I've tempted the fates with all of these Christmas cards I'm making =/



Give it up for the Ghost!

I was so happy to see the cue word for CASology Week 119 - GHOST!!  Perfect timing to share the Halloween card I made for Tom!  It may be a repeat performance with a tiny little twist =]

Well?  Do ya??

For those of you with an enquiring mind - the  inside sentiment:

There, now you know my husband a little better... he loves nothing better than... a pun-y card!!!

Happy Halloween, everyone!  It's not just for kids, you know! 
                

Less is More - Recipe Week 195

A really quick post today as I want to submit this to Less is More's Newsprint challenge.

Though I'm not really leaving today... I am so excited about a little trip across the border next week to celebrate my birthday, and that of a very sweet friend - whom I've never met before!  So excited, TMcN =]

For Less is More Newsprint Challenge:

MME newsprint PP stars sewn to vellum; Stars and Today die from PTI from their

Smokey Shadow CS;  sentiment from my PC.

 

I miss my window =[



CAS(E) this Sketch No. 97

I'm convinced my brain cannot multi-task.  Hope you don't mind one more post today.  Then it's back to laundry for me!

The sketch by Sam Simpson for this week, CTS#97, is just too delicious for me to wait another moment to play along!  Bonus to find the adorable Hannelie there with a beauty of an inspiration card :

I know Hannelie won't mind if I bring the die-cuts forward.  These little SSS Village dies deserve to be in the spotlight.

For Sam, Hannelie, and CTS:

This is one of another of the sets of three I've created for Christmas. 

Have you checked out my very first GD post at Muse Card Club?

 

 

Have a really great week!!

 



Time Out Challenge #17/ Runway Inspired Challenge

I've decided to try and combine a few challenges in one post... I'm not chewing gum, or walking =/

First up, Time Out with Jill and her lovely inspiration for:

 

'Birds of a feather flock together'

I love birds, and am so happy on a dreary Winter's day to catch a gorgeous bright pop of a red Cardinal and know they will stay with me through the season.  I'm definitely following Jill's lead with this:

 

A lovely bit of DP, and "tree tops" cut with a few MFT rectangle dies.  The tree's trunks are also MFT; snowflakes from Wplus9, PTI sentiment and Pure Poppy ink.

 

 

For the Runway Inspired Challenge:

 

Is this not just frighteningly inspiring?

 

I was taken by the horns and immediately thought of that MFT tree trunk again from Lisa Johnson's Out on a Limb set!!  Funny how that brain of mine works, isn't it?

 

A few sprinkles of sequins to mimic the chandeliers;  and red leaves for her gown, and a slip of vellum to represent the partitions behind the model.

The wonderful sentiment is Clearly Besotted... and I can't wait to use the others in the set!

 

 

The Muse - Guest Designer!!

 

I could not have been more pleased, honored, or surprised to receive an invitation to Guest Design for the Muse Challenge this week!  Thank you so much, Ardyth! Remember, I'm the new kid on the blog.  So here I go! Fingers crossed!

I've been working diligently on my Christmas cards already.  I couldn't be the only one, right?  I make and send between 40-50 each year. I find I get really bored if I make even two of the same. Are you like that?

Going through my stash of holiday papers, I found a few single sheets that I purchased after-season from a darling little paper/scrapbook place 2 hours north of me in Ludington, Michigan.  Single sheets work well for me. I especially love those that are double-sided, and heavy like cardstock.

So, with that in mind, if you choose to accept *wink, wink* here is my challenge to you for this week: find a single sheet of designer paper, and create a SET of THREE cards, each different, but sharing a theme!! 

I'm working with non-traditional colors for my holiday set, you can use any color you'd like. My theme is die-cuts, and cream - instead of white. Here is one of my sets:



I do hope you like the idea, and have fun with this! I so look forward to seeing what you make!! 

Thanks again for inviting me, Ardyth! I love The Muse Card Club and enjoy playing along as often as I can! =]

Supplies: Primitive White CS from MFT and some leftover stars from their Blueprints 18 set; Memory Box Evergreen Landscape die, PTI Holiday Cheer trees die, and Wplus9 - Joy from Seasonal Sentiments dies, and Snowflake trio. Grey polka dot DP is jillibean Soup - 2012!!

And for fun, this is how I was able to take a photo before the sun was up this morning.  The red sticks are in a tall vase and they live in that niche all year long.  I hang the Christmas cards we receive each year from the branches. =] 
 



Muse Challenge 90

I love the name of Miss Marion's blog:  Made Marion!  Especially since my grand-daughter, Drew, was just in a mini-production of Robin Hood!  Marion's inspiration card at the Muse Card Club is an inlaid masterpiece:

Here is my attempt, where most of my pieces are inlaid, with the exception of my sentiment:

I've used PTI star trio dies and Smokey Shadow CS... with a little help from my PC.



Mojo Monday ... on Thursday. Eric's birthday!!

Yep.  I'm a bit late to the party... again.  But not because I haven't put this sketch to good use!  Chosen my fave from the pack for MOJO 368.  With a little bit of creative license taken for the circle in the corner...



had to use some of my new sequins from Teresa Collins... which perfectly work with my new Liquid Platinum EP!  A very old DP from last year's SSS October card kit - Orange peeled paint looks textured, doesn't it?  Thankful Phrase Play #7 die from PTI, and a few well chosen words from W&W Big, Bold, Blessings... just look how beautifully they emboss! 

I am truly thankful today, for my wonderful son, Eric... I'm celebrating his birth, on a gorgeous, warm October day... the doctor hurried me up - he had a Tee Time!!  Men.

CASology Week 118: Home

"Home is where the heart is" - a well used, well known phrase.  I welcome you to my home - well the dining-room where I take my photos - you'll see my white tray over by the corner window.  This is what it looked like on Monday morning... couldn't resist trying to capture that gorgeous early morning light...

 

My heart is definitely here in my kitchen.  On a day like this?  You bet.  But home is often where you feel the most welcomed.  That is the inspiration for my submission.  You're all welcome here, any time! For CASology Home:

 

Darling die from Clearly Besotted, thrice cut - once from the back... Welcome sentiment: PTI Autumn, embossed with Ranger Silver EP.

 





Second helpings for The Curtain Call

Wait!  That would actually be a curtain call!  That wonderful new-to-me burlap cardstock  from DCWV also comes in WHITE!!

For The Curtain Call Burlap Banner Challenge:

Another snowy embossed background, this time with SSS dies,

and PTI sentiments, and a little Pure Poppy ampersand -

die from Paper Smooches.

Wish my photo wasn't so bad... love the texture of that burlap paper.



Curtain Call Burlap!!

I'm late with this, but knew immediately what I would do for The Curtain Call Burlap Banner challenge!!  Remember that burlap paper I snagged at J.A.'s?  Yep, you guessed it!!  Here is the wonderful inspiration photo:

 

I decided, since it's Christmas already in my craft-room, to use the inspiration to go Jolly, but let the burlap be the star of the show... over, snow? =/  Let's go!!

 

The ornament and sentiment stamps/dies are SSS.  Burlap by DCWV.

And my NEW and adored Platinum embossing powders -

{insert angelic harp music here}

 

 



 



Kraft, Red and Simon Says

I've not submitted to the SSS Wednesday Challenge in some time.  But when I saw them call out for kraft?  I couldn't resist... I've made a whole collection for this year's card selection! 

For the Kraft Challenge, I've added a little red for a negative and positive duo:



Peace and Joy dies Wplus9; MFT kraft CS; PTI star dies; and Pure Poppy CS;
 Hero Arts newspaper BG stamp;
SU Crumb Cake Ink.

Therese Calvird - Muse #89

Look at this gorgeousness from our Muse this week, Therese Calvird:

 

This was a really fun inspiration, Therese.  For you, and Muse Challenge #89:

A darling little ewe and sentiment from BasicGrey with

a few DPs from MME provide the field cut with SSS Slope dies.

Paper Smooches clouds.  MFT stitched circle for the sun.

 

Tag - you're it! #8

I made a little card, with a tiny little SSS tag - I think it fits the TYIC challenge #8 - love when that happens!

The fussy-cut house, and DP is from American Crafts - another oldie, but favorite! 

What will I do when it is all used up?  Love the dark brown in this paper! 

Enjoy - SSS, as is the tiny tag. The background die is MFT.



CASology Week 117 - CANDY!!

Oh Melissa!  You've tapped right into my heart with this one!  Week #17?  Candy!

 

I've gone deep into my stash again to find this darling little stamp from Michael's dollar bin for my submission.. might be three or four years old?  But she never goes out of style:

 

I fussy-cut the candy quote from a Recollections Halloween 4x6 DP, took the DARLING & T or T? from another old stamp set.  Her feathery boa is another rubber stamp from the clearance rack at JoAnn's many moons ago. 

Hope it's not too busy to be CAS - thus the purple, black and white minimal color.

 

Ready for her cheeky sentiment?

 

 

Life is sweet as candy, isn't it?



Reverse Confetti October SFYTT and a little Jingle!

This month is flying by!  I've been really busy creating, but not sharing!  So... I had fun with the Reverse Confetti SFYTT making Christmas cards this week!  Here is the sketch:

I have a tiny little stamp set that is probably one of the oldest I have in my stash.  It's my favorite style: cheeky =]  The papers are also from one of the oldest DCWV Stacks I own.  Hmmm.  I see a bit of a trend here.  First up, my submission to Reverse Confetti #17 SFYTT:

 



Hero Arts Hounds-tooth background stamp, Reverse Confetti Love Note die, and Go Together for the cheeky little note in parentheses... just love it! 

Ready for the sentiment?

 

 

I loved the pink birch-wood paper so much, that I made a whole set - in fact I'm sending this one over to Jingle Belles for their fabulous Pink Christmas challenge!  What incredibly generous ladies - make sure you check out their blog and what they are doing to help the cause for breast cancer research!!

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember: Jingle all the way!!!



First, of many, Christmas Cards

Since I'm new to blogging, I'm so excited to spend these holidays with all of you creative card-making friends!  Is it too early for Christmas cards? Nah!  A friend commissioned a set, so I must get to it!

Today, I'll be dusting off some of my older designs, and making them current.  I'm delighted to bring out some of my former favorite Papertrey Ink products.  Their Layered Postmarks Holiday set will continue to be used for years to come as I adore vintage postcard prints. What's new?  I finally got the Seeing Stars dies!

For today's card I used MFT kraft, and Primitive white cardstock; a Cuttlebug embossing folder; PTI Poppy ink with the stamp set, star dies, and twine; Hero Arts Newspaper background stamp with SU Crumb Cake ink, and Wplus9's 'Joy' from the Seasonal Sentiments die set I love so much.*

It's a bit more country than I usually rock and roll =]

*Sadly, I've still not found my darling heart or snowflake die for this set =[

I'm stepping out on a limb today and entering the $100 a Day challenge contest at Scrapbook.com!  What have I got to lose?  Oh, oh.  Enter Mick Jagger in my head.

CAS(E) this Sketch!

Here is a sketch I could [= probably will] get a wee bit addicted to... just sayin' you might be prepared for several helpings =/

 

 

Still working on the Bras for a Cause set for Christina's event coming up next week... I sure hope my collection of cards earns these ladies a few dollars for their efforts.  They really work hard to make a difference.

 

Here is my first card for CTS #96, and the final one for BFaC: 

 

Supplies: Wplus9 cs; PTI Smokey Shadow CS; SSS thinking of you, ink, and balloon die;

MFT Moroccan border die; my own inside sentiment.



Mojo Monday No. 366

I actually started this card at the beginning of the week with the card stock I'd used while CASEing Vicki Dutcher over at Muse.  Without ever having laid eyes on the Mojo Monday's challenge, I think it may have been in the cards =/  See if you agree.

For inspiration, the fabulous Julee Tillman gives us this sketch:

 

With that in mind [and second helpings possible] I give you:

 

PTI Smokey Shadow card base; Precious Remembrance sentiment heat embossed in Ranger Pewter;

MME DP; MFT Gerbera Dies with their Fuse Green CS; SU and Cuttlebug embossing folders.

 

Because I have one more card to make for Bras with a Cause, and the Verve company was so generous with the prize I received during the Coffee Day, you may be seeing pink before you know it!

 





The Card Concept No. 20

What a seasonal delight this inspiration photo

and color combo is, right?

 

It couldn't come at a better time for me, as I get my "cards in a row" for our grands.  Those kids just can't get enough of their Grampy's terrible jokes.  So for Drew - 6, who writes her own knock-knock jokes - OH! and The Card Concept :) I present my [maybe? 'cuz I'm never sure] a Clean and Graphic card:

 

The orange DP is from last year's Recollections' Halloween 4x6 pad,

A little bit of Word from my PC; and those extra expressive Google Eyes? from J.A.'s

 

Here is the punch-line?!:

 

I promise I didn't manipulate those eyes... but aren't they just perfect like this?

She's like [don't waste my time] Who's there? and [like I don't know this one] Boo who?

hey... tap, tap, tap... is this thing on? =/

 





A Cure for the Monday Blues

Wow... would it not be great if Monday could be Sunday, and Saturday be Friday?  With the full moon brightly shining through my bedroom drapes, and the time change looming, my body-clock is really out of sorts!

At any rate!  I was so happy to see that the deadline for A Cure for the Monday Blues challenge extended their submission date... love that challenge and have missed the last few weeks!! =/

So.  For challenge #31, here is the amazing inspiration photo... which makes me want to climb in amongst that fab bedding and read a great book:

 

I give you my take:

 



The beautiful pinks and yellows of the MME papers; Ivory PTI CS; a scrap negative Love - die from Paper Smooches and W&W words.

 

Sorry for the shadow of the window screen in my 'photo set-up.'  It may be time to take them down... another seasonal change to deal with =/  This challenge was just the bright spark my day needs!



Time Out . . An apple a day...

... keeps the doctor away?  Time Out is looking for an apple... hope this does the trick, as Loll's inspiration is just gorgeous!



For Time Out with a Twist of Apple:

Reverse Confetti Tag, Too. W&W words, and a darling

little $1 stamp set from J.A.s, and scraps of DP.

And, look! a bit of washi... only my second time using it!