Hydrangeas

They had beautiful pots of hydrangeas lining the vestibule at the church for their wedding service. Beautiful, full purplish bluish blooms standing tall. I was so dang excited when I was told to take one home with me. The husband wrapped a blanket around the delicate stems so the rough bumps during the long trek home wouldn't disturb the beautiful blooms. Then, I planted it in the ground. Sigh. I shall not tell what transpired over the next couple of months. Let me just say that I do not have a green thumb.

Mandy decided that this will be Limelight's last sketch challenge as her family has grown by one cute little boy and time to create has dwindled. Will you join me in playing along (use your favorite flower stamp!) and wish Mandy and her family well? Thanks, Mandy, for the opportunity! Up for grabs is a Basic Grey Accessories Prize Pack! Upload your creation here for a chance to win.

I once again took some creative liberties with the sketch. Truth be told, circles are intimidating to me. I used, rather, the shape of TiffanyDoodle's digital Hydrangea Stamp as the circle and created the division shown in the sketch by debossing only a portion of the white background. The hydrangea flower, leaves and white panel were layered and then glued to a light blue card base. For the flower, I printed in black ink the whole image then "smooshed" the petals into a blue/purple watered down ink mixture, let it dry and did the same to the leaves. I then cut the image apart and reassembled in layers to create some depth. The sentiment is handwritten.

So please join in on the last sketch challenge over at Limelight Papercrafts, and be sure to check out the amazing deals still left in the store.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max, (Teal) The Paper Company
Stamps, digital: (Hydrangea) TiffanyDoodles
Ink: (Peeled Paint and Broken China Distress) Ranger, (Perfect Plum Pigment) SU
Tools: (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder) ProvoCraft, (Black Pen) Pilot

Rings of Life

**Thank you for all your kind comments on my Moxie Fabber of the Week Announcement! In appreciation, I'm planning a little giveaway in the near future, after things settle down a bit.**

"I made a bargain with my dogs. I told them that if they would put one in a tree, I'd do the rest. Well, they fulfilled their part of the bargain. Now it's up to me to do my part, and I'm going to, Papa. I'm going to cut it down. I don't care if it takes me a year.'" - Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 8

Now with being older and may I say a bit wiser?, I can appreciate the story of Where the Red Fern Grows. Not only does it discuss the bond between boy and animal, but it also tells a story about a boy becoming a man. Cool-io. I first started this blog when my littlest one was sleeping and the oldest was out hunting coons with my husband. A nice quiet household...I couldn't help but remember this passage from my favorite book when I pulled out the big ol' woodgrain circle from Hero Arts Hello Circle (thanks Erin!) . Nothing says masculine to me like a clean and simple design, brown hues and rough and simple embellishments.

Yeah, you can say it, this stamp doesn't technically contain rings, just the grain, but I'm so happy for the memories it brought forth. The circles were stamped in many layers, a little water spritzing between each one. I topped the card off with inked edges, wrapped it with some rustic twine and finished it with a sticker sentiment.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI
Stamps: (Hello Circle) Hero Arts
Ink: (Wild Honey, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Twine) May Arts, (Sticker Sentiment) SRM Stickers

Thud.

Thud.

Yep, that was me falling of my chair.

I fell out of my chair,

literally,

when I found out that I would be featured as

 Moxie Fabber of the Week

over at Moxie Fab World.

(Then I might have made some really loud noises.

That just might have made my husband

and two little boys come running to see if I was all right.)

Yep, me being all right is an understatement.

I am ecstatic and ever so grateful and VERY VERY excited!

To be honored in the crafting industry like this humbles me.

I work hard at making creations for others to enjoy and it doesn't come easy,

and it doesn't come without forgotten household duties.
It doesn't come without knowing that I have met so many friends
through this hobby and receive so much encouragement from you.
Yes, you.

I've discovered a style that I truly love and
can't wait to share more of it with you.
Yes, you.

Thank you, Moxie Fab World, and Cath, for this opportunity.

Spring?

Spring will be pretty. Just give it a week, When flowers are blooming down by the creek. Bees will be buzzing as trees start to bud, But for the moment I'm covered with mud. Snow has been melting, since winter is through, Replacing the whiteness with puddles of goo. I stepped off the sidewalk and into the ooze. Next thing I knew, I stepped out of my shoes! Mud on my ankles and mud on my clothes. I stumbled face-first and got mud up my nose. Spring will be pretty, but I must confess, The first days of spring are a muckety mess!    ~Dave Crawley


Such is life at our household these past few days...
 
TiffanyDoodles just released a whole assortment of new digital stamps at the store, this crocus image being one of them. After printing and coloring the image with ink and water and adding the sentiment, I embossed the entire panel and adhered to the card base.

I hope you all have a fun, safe and special Easter Weekend!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Ivory) Georgia Pacific
Stamps: (Crocus Digital) TiffanyDoodles, (Sentiment from Teeny Trees) WMS
Ink: (Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke Pigment) SU, (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Other: (Woodgrain Embossing Folder) PTI, (Colored Pencils) Prismacolor

Hi-ya Peeps

Sometimes you never know how good you've got it until you leave. I thought I was doing what was best for me by leaving a job I've held for seven years because it was time...time to grow, time to do what I went to school for, time for a change. So I left. And it was ok. Just ok. The new gig wasn't for me. I had the opportunity to obtain my old job again and I didn't let it pass up. I was welcomed with open arms by the ladies I left and by the ladies who covered for me for two months. Thank you, peeps at work, thank you for welcoming me back. Thank you for bringing me back to the land of normal.

Peeps. Those marshmallowy, much too sweet, brightly colored sugar-coated candies that emerge for the Easter holiday. After noticing some Peeps peeking out in the corner of the inspiration board at Off the Wall Craftiness and staring at Critters in the 'Burbs, my only critter set that I could use for The Lawnscaping Challenge, Calling All Critters, I knew what I wanted to do! I know it's an unconventional Easter card, and a non-cutesy Critter card, but I liked that I found another way to use my stamps.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) OfficeMax, (Teal) SU
Patterned Paper: (Papyrus) Basic Grey
Stamps: (Critters in the Burbs) Lawn Fawn, (Fillable Frames #2) PTI
Ink: (Bashful Blue Pigment) SU, (Onyx Black) Versafine, (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain Distress) Ranger
Other: (Teal Marker) SU, (Black Pen) Pilot, (Natural Twine) May Arts, (Rubon Letters) Making Memories

Sweet Sixteen

Do you remember the days? Freedom. Ahh, the freedom of having a license to drive. Running to the grocery store for a much needed box of baking soda in the family station wagon was so very exciting. Carting five other students to school was no big deal. Feeling like you could go anywhere or do anything at the drop of a hat. Ahh, the freedom. Of course, this was back in the day before gas was $4 a gallon...

The Happily Ever Challenged Challenge is all about the sweet sixteen. Ted has challenged us to make a birthday card using purple and green and a few other requirements as well. The HEC challenges are some of my favorite, they really make me think and stretch my creativity.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Naturals White, Purple, Green) SU
Stamps: (Modern Basics) PTI
Ink: (Green, Purple) SU, (Fresh Snow) PTI
Other: (Button, Thread)

Across the Miles

My little nephew is getting big-it warms my heart that he is so healthy and alert! His eyes follow his mama everywhere she goes...he looks, and looks and looks some more around. His little legs are getting the cute little creases. Skype has to be the best invention around. How I wish I could have held him when he was tiny, but I'm so very looking forward to the few short weeks when I can hold him for real, possibly even get cherish the coveted smile he might bestow upon me.

Going for a soft and warm feel-good feeling for Moxie Fab World's In My Beautiful Balloon Challenge, I drew and watercolored my hot air balloon and stitched the image onto a clear card base, to represent/replicate the balloon floating.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (So Saffron) SU
Stamps: (Up, Up and Away Sentiments) PTI, (The Birds and the Bees) WPlus9
Ink: (Bashful Blue, So Saffron Pigment) SU, (Antique Linen Distress) Ranger
Other: (So Saffron, Sahara Sand Markers) SU, Acetate, Watercolor Paper, Thread

Scallops

It's the little things that really matter in life.

Today I took my youngest (4) to his first day of school. (He was evaluated for Speech Therapy for next year and the teachers offered to start him a bit early to get a grasp on improving his speech during the summer.) He was so excited. So excited! Grinning from ear to ear as he placed that backpack in his very own cubbie, chest out, strutting around his new room, happiness spreading through his body as he noticed the lego table, and... giving me a hug with all his might around my legs and saying "Have a good day Mama" as I left him, and his brain, in the care of someone new.

Are you up for a challenge? Design a card with scallops based off the below sketch at Limelight Papercrafts and link it up to Mandy's blog by Monday for a chance to win a Pink Cat Studio stamp set of your choice. Did you hear? Limelight Papercrafts is also offering an extra discount at their store, enter APRIL at checkout for a 10% savings!

I received some much needed color assistance for this card from the challenge at Off the Wall Craftiness, as well as trying to replicate the femininity and delicacy of the inspiration board. Congratulations Kim and team, on 50 challenges!

It's Punny

Puns are funny. I admit that I like them. They can make a 90 year old man laugh and a two year old boy laugh at the same time. Yep, I like funny puns.

The deadline for Lawnscaping Challenge is almost up and I wanted to share this card. I created my own patterned paper with the acorn from Lawn Fawn's Critters in the Burbs, like the acorns were falling. I added the shading too, to try to replicate some of the beautiful patterned paper out there and it just meant for a frame to highlight something. The something being the squirrel from Critters. It has been mirrored, a technique popping up in blogland these days. Fun, fun! To complete the card I added a sentiment from Paper Smooches Falling for You set and a heart from Lawn Fawn's Sophie's Sentiments.

(...Oh, one more thing. If you are so inclined to check out the tutorial I have over at the May Arts blog on this post, I would really appreciate it! Thank you if you've already taken the quick minute!...)

April Showers Bring May...

April Showers bring May (Arts) Flowers! I have a tutorial over on the May Arts blog on how to make these chrysanthemum flowers for yourself and I'd really love for you to take a peak and please, please leave a comment over there!

If you decide to try out this technique, come back and leave a comment so I can stop by and check out the handiwork. They are so easy!
 
I sincerely thank all of you for the congrats on the CAS-ual Fridays Design Team spot. Super excited to have you all join in on the challenges.

I'm a Girl Friday

Somebody pinch me.

I'm a Girl Friday! That's my name up there in the marquee!

So excited and honored to work with Michele and Julie, and the rest of the gang that will be revealed over at CAS-ual Fridays these next few weeks.

Have you heard? CAS-ual Fridays is the newest clean and simple challenge that will be starting soon.

Very soon!
(May 6th is the day for the very first challenge!)

Hangin' Pal

The Little One has this habit of calling everyone and anyone "Pal". It sounds way too cute coming out of the mouth of a four year old no matter who is uses this endearment with. Makes me smile thinking of it.

 

This bat from Paper Smooches is pretty dang cute too! I pieced him from a black misted sheet of white cardstock and gently inked the edges in blue. His eyes and teeth received extra attention in the form of enamel accents. The color inspiration from this card come from The Paper Variety's  April Showers Bring May Flowers Challenge and the layout is inspired by Artful Delight's Delightful Inspiration April Sketch Challenge. I don't know about you, but when times are tough, I could not resist a smile when if he showed up in my mailbox?

(Please do come back later tonight for an announcement. An extra special announcement that has been really really hard to keep in!)

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max, (Teal Blue) Bazzill

Patterned Paper: (The Boyfriend Collection) Cosmo Cricket

Stamps: (Falling for You) PaperSmooches

Ink: (Onyx Black) Versamark, (Buckaroo Blue Pigment) SU

Other: (Stickers) Making Memories, (Black Shimmerz Spray) Shimmerz, (White and Black Enamel Accents) Ranger, (White Gel Pen) Signo, (Thread)

Get Well Etiquette

 

Etiquette. Appropriateness. Those tiny little nuances for every single thing we do. I guess I never realized that there was "proper etiquette for get well wishes":  "...You should include a handwritten note inside the card. While it doesn't need to be a lengthy note, something simple and heartfelt will work perfectly. If you can include a little joke, a funny story from the office or a little good news, that's even better, as you will help the recipient smile and still feel connected to the outside world." Makes sense, eh?

Waltzingmouse Stamps has a CASE challenge for this month. (I think it is a fabulous idea that they are taking a month break in between each release to give their customers a chance to enjoy the previous month's release.) I chose to case this card by Anya by using the clever angled placement of a repeating background image and her fabulous sentiment treatment. There still is something missing in my version, I believe, but it was time to call it quits and move on. (Any suggestions, however, would be most welcome!)

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Marigold Morning, Natural White) SU
Stamps: (Teeny Trees) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Ink: (Wild Honey, Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger

Pear Blossom

The cousins played in the basement until we heard Grandma's voice saying it was time... Time for the Easter Egg hunt! All of us (I think there were thirteen at the most?) would rush up the stairs and head outside to Grandma's yard and begin the frenzied search for the coveted egg that held the dollar bill. Those uncles of ours hid eggs pretty darn well. I don't recall ever finding that egg any of the years.

TiffanyDoodle's has yet another beauty for her Granny's Yard Series, the Pear Blossom. This card involves some colored pencils, clear embossing and distress inks. I hope to have a tutorial soon! The colors were inspired by the Decorative Trim Color Challenge over at Embellish Magazine. I turned some ribbon into clean and simple trim that runs the length of the card.

Forsythia

 

Taking an image and transforming it into something new and and unique is what I like about digital stamps. Stretching the bounds...

Today begins a new challenge over at TiffanyDoodles! We are all seeing shades of turquoise. I invite you to play along, there are some great prizes up for grabs! (Click on the graphic for all the details!)

My card today uses the top portion of the Forsythia & PussyWillows image. I layered, colored and rotated about ten images to compile this graphic. I then stamped with a clear stamp and ink, added rhinestones and mounted it to a colored paper panel and white card base. Easy!

Check out the other design team member's samples, they are amazing!

Tiffany Doodles

Tiffany Richards

Anne Ray

Cammy Wall

Collette Landwer

Donna Mikasa

Jill Foster

Jodi Ann Lee

Joy Taylor

Karen Baker

Kim Schofield

Pattie Goldman

Shannon Neparko

Simone Naoum

Sue McRae

Willemien Katerberg

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: (White) OfficeMax

Patterned Paper: (Sweet Pea Collection) SU

Digital Image: (Forsythia & Pussywillows) TiffanyDoodles

Stamps: (Mega Mixed Messages) PTI

Ink: (Onyx Black) Versamark, (Fresh Snow Hybrid) PTI

Other: (Rhinestones) Michael's

Decorative Trim

Today was a good day. In the normal scheme of life, I should be sad that I was sent home from my job because there was not much work. Instead, today I celebrated that it was warm enough to go for a walk with a long standing friend. I celebrated with my oldest son the euphoria that freedom brings as he ran off the bus after a long day of school. I celebrated knowing that our district still has the funds to employee a wonderful speech therapist so she could to help my youngest son. Today, I celebrated the return of work for my husband. Yes, today I celebrated. Today was a good day.

 

This clean and simple card (with a lot of decorative trim!) was created with the current Embellish Magazine's Color Trend's Challenge in mind.

Do share, what are you unexpectedly celebrating today? 

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: (Very Vanilla) SU

Patterned Paper: Webster's Pages

Stamps: (Mega Mixed Messages) PTI

Ink: (Peeled Paint Distress) Ranger, (Summer Sun Pigment) SU

Embellishments: (Ribbon, Trim, Twine) May Arts, (Thread)

Tools: (Metal Die) Wplus9, (Circle Punch) Creative Memories

Monopoly

Knowing somewhat of the real rules, making some up as we went, contracting out and building more hotels and houses than were there, and drawing bills upon bills, we'd stay up late playing for hours in the small room. Monopoly was fun when your oldest sister ruled the board (except when we all fought over who got to move the dog piece around and around).

Wow, what a beautiful combination of colors over at the Play Date Cafe Challenge. I went with an elegant well wishes kind of card. I wouldn't have really put these colors together myself, but I rather like the blue band and pops of blue beads amongst the pink spray and silver rub-on background.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Stamps: (Tag-its #2) PTI
Ink: (Pink) Clear and Simple Stamps
Embellishments: (Rubon) Pink Paislee, (Antique Rose Glimmer Mist Spray) Tattered Angels, (Bashful Blue Silk Ribbon) SU, (Pins, Beads), (Silver Cord) SU
Tools: (Tag Punch) McGill

Ross and the Leather Pants

Do you have (or will have) that one iconic tv show that defines our late teens and mid twenties?  For me, it is Friends. The catchy tune, the characters that didn't change, hidden meanings, the lessons learned. My all-time favorite episode?  The one with Ross and the Leather Pants (season 5, episode 11 "The One With All The Resolutions"... here's a link, I dare you not to laugh.) Still chuckling now...

So many of the Friends episodes ran through my mind as soon as I pulled together this sentiment and card for Wplus9's Color Cue Challenge. Ahh, love it when cards make me feel a bit younger again...

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Yellow), (White) Office Max
Patterned Paper: (Green) SU
Stamps: (Brothers and Sisters, All Occasion Tags) Wplus9
Ink: (Basic Gray Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Sticker) Heidi Swap- thanks Kelly!, (Gray Grosgrain Ribbon) Offray
Tools: (Metal Die) Wplus9, (Circle Punches) Creative Memories

Dream

I dare you to dream

Dream of what you can do,
And what you will do.
Dream of who you are,
And who you'll become.
Never believe that dreams are for fools,
The fools are those who don't dream.

Sarah C. Ward

The inspiration collage for Jay Gee's Nook's Challenge is so dreamy. When I think of dreamy in the stamping world, chalks come to mind. They create such a soft and imperfect look...

May you always have happy dreams, sweet friends.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Vintage Cream) PTI, (Creamy Caramel) SU
Stamps: (Modern Basics) PTI
Ink: (Versamark), (Vintage Photo, Antique Linen Distress) Ranger
Other: (Chalk) SU