Waltzingmouse house

There's a new forum in the crafting world. Claire Brennan started her own forum, Waltzingmousehouse.com
i signed up  for two reasons, I love her stamp sets and I wanted to be in on the ground floor of something new and exciting for the crafters of our time. You check it out. You don't have to register, just be a guest and see how Claire's forum is fresh and new. It left me wanting for more and that will come with time and good people leaving their marks/art/cards/pages, etc. it looks user friendly and was for me, and you all know that I'm not at all technically inclined, if you KWIM? I am more technically challenged when it comes to computers and urls, html, ICQ. there it is, all laid out, your choice. See ya there!

Friday Nite: Girl's nite in

Friday night  and it was time for a get together. In my circle of family and friends we call it "Girls Nite In". My Sis, SIL, and DTR came over and we put together some card kits that I made up the day before. we had some Sangria, my sis drinks Manhattan's and brings her own! we had a cocktail hour and then we sat for a delicious dinner of Greek salad and pita bread and a Greek pastry that was delightful to look at but it left us wanting something sweeter for dessert. DDL had arrived from work and had a cake in her hands. One of her co-workers had made a cake that resembles a shoe. It was adorable and we all had a bite or piece. Just what we needed to finish our meal. 

then it was time to go downstairs into the mancave and create some cards. I had bought a table at Ikea for crafty guests to create in the mancave. I fit perfectly with four chairs. I had four kits made and boy, did we have a good/great time creating our masterpieces.

Card number one was SIL's creation using the "Thoughts and Prayers" set.

 

she used a different stamp and did not want a sentiment.

DDL's card

 

she used chalk and Q-tips to color her flowers from 'In Full Bloom". She cut out the flower x 2, once in Lovely Lilac and one in Barely Banana then the bee on top of those. Her creation used the stamp set but looked nothing like the sample. she did a great job. Well, really all three of them had great cards. SIL got 7 cards made, all different. Sis and DDL each got four finished.

Sis's sample card......

Sis's card was very much like the sample, but she didn't want the bird on hers and unfortunately I did not get a pic of her actual card. The stamp set is Set Sail.
The girls all had a great time visiting, eating, and creating. It's really all about getting together and spending time with each other. The food and creating are the benefits of coming here for Girls Nite In.

Pink Persimmon Blog Hop and sketch challenge

 The Pink Persimmon Blog Hop and sketch challenge is baaack!

I am going to post all the rest of the Pink Persimmon challenges on one post....here.

 

Julie requested the use of buttons and flowers. You can see her card by clicking on her name. 

All the papers were sitting in my scrap pile waiting to be 'filed' except for the hounds-tooth dp. all the other papers you have seen in the last two weeks. I like it better before I added the sentiment, but every card should have a sentiment, well almost. i was thinking of a sympathy card so i picked that verse from SU set 'Words of Wisdom'. that was the only ink on the entire card. lady bug button, in case you can't see it. Can you enlarge the pic by clicking on it? the black strip came with the glittery swirls. this is a 6" square card.

NEXT

Kelly asked the stampers to use paper piecing. I wanted to pp a couple of birds, but I had already done that with Kristie's request and I didn't want two bird cards. i wanted totally different and that's what i made!

I pulled scraps from my drawers of red, yellow, blue, gold, vellum. the vibrant colors were all cut at 5 1/4 " then cut randomly into thin strips and adhered to a pc of cs 5 1/4" x 4" - paper piecing, I think!! I wanted my focal piece to be vellum so the stripes would show through. The gold rings were an accident, but fit in with what my intentions were for another challenge somewhere else (later). the white stars, well, i felt they were ok once I decided to do the "God Bless America" sentiment. Anyone want to take a guess on the theme of this card other than paper piecing? (later)

NEXT

Samantha had no special embellishments for the sketch. The image is on the dp, so no stamping except the sentiment from 'Curvy verses' on an oval with the set 'All Oval', oops, 'Oval All'. the dp was a scrap also from a card i made last year. It had a huge gold bow on it and it was a TY note to my sister for my Christmas presents. This is the only card that looks like the sketch, don'tcha think?

here's a pic with all five in one in one shot. say that ten times quickly.

Love the Tervis tumbler in the back holding the card up! what can I say? always a drink on one work surface or another. O, calm down, it's only water.

Thanks for coming by!

Pink Persimmon Blog Hop and giveaway

 ED Note; I won the "Snging Birds" stamp set from Pink Persimmon by putting this card on Kristie's blog.
Whoohoo!! I'm a winner!!!

Five cards, one sketch. this will be my first entry and go check out Kristie's Blog she is giving the winner a stamp set from Pink Persimmon called 'Singing Birds'. So the challenge is to follow the sketch and add some singing birds.

 

I turned the sketch sideways added some gold faux stitching with a border stamp from WMS, button on the right side bar. the sentiment and paper is from Club Scrap. Added some peel offs, the musical notes and gold DMC. The baby bird's wing is movable, and the larger bird on top has three layers of wings. harder to see than IRL.

Stamps: None

Paper: Phoebe from Basic Grey, Club Scrap

Ink: gold pen for trim

Incidentals: Brad

Thanks for coming by!  More soon!

Here's a view of the sketch that i shall be working on with five cards all for different prizes.

Jule's and her Daisy Doodles

This adorable little creature was free for posting a card I made and entered on Jule's blog,
Daisy Doodles. This week if you make a card and use one of her designs.......
Well, let me let her tell you.

This weeks challenge at Daisy Doodles is make a project using

just black and white. 
Challenge ends 27th February

A digital image is required on all challenges.

Now we do have a little surprise for you.  It is not required to use a Daisy Doodle stamp, but if you do, you will get a free stamp to use for the next challenge.  Here is the stamp you will get………

 For more information head on over to Daisy Doodles, Jule's blog. You just missed the bingo game that she is playing. If you're thinking about trying a digital stamp, Jule's is just the place.

Freddy is the whole reason I started over at Daisy Doodles. DDs was having a contest to name the poor sick bear in bed with a thermometer. He was so cute, so I tried to win and gave him a silly name, Seymour. Needless to say, I did not win as the bear's name is  Freddy. Here's my black and white friend patches

 with some of his friends the ants. I decided since a needed a bit more real estate to properly fit Patches, I would make an easel card and the card base is 5 1/2" square.

I used the Canvas bg and masked three areas to look like holes in the screen where the ants could crawl into the card! Now the screen looks like it needs 'patches'. Pun intended. The polka dots all over Patches is transparent paper from a specialty set from my stash. The sentiment is a rub on, also from my stash. 

Stamps: Jule's Daisy Doodles' patches, Bunch O' Bug

Paper: DSP, white, acetate paper with dots

Ink: Palette Noir

Incidentals: Ribbon x 2, rub-on

Thanks for coming by! 
ED: I, also, entered Patches in another challenge over at a Pink persimmon's DT member, Linda .

Friend

This is for a special person who shall remain nameless for now.
This is another Technostamper challenge. First of all, it looked easy and second, why not!!
The DSP was sitting on my desk in the exact size you see here.

The yellow ribbon and frames for the image are/were all scraps. The red matched the fine red lines near the pink horizontal lines. The white cs base was a little blah so I sponged in the red and turquoise.

Thanks for coming by!

Stamps: CTMH 'Be True' C1308

Paper: SU DSP scrap, Bubblegum(image), white, Red, turquoise

Ink: Palette Noir

Tools: CAD

Incidentals: ribbon, brads

Coffee and a friend with PSA

Just surfin' around today. I call it 'lurking' cuz I seem to be in all the familiar places! anyhoo! I just saw this card and WOW. Not a lot going on, but I wouldn't call it simple. A few layers but not overwhelming.  Several colors but not sensory overload.  I am not being paid or compensated for this PSA (public service announcement aka perfectly serious achievement).However, I may just get an atta girl/thank you from the artiste! Go take a look at Kathy's creative masterpiece. I just love a cup o' joe in the morning! I need to give this crafter a button to post on her blog, ooops, don't have one. It needs to say something like "PSA, you can, too, after your cuppa in the AM."  BTB, I love this card of Kathy's! Did you get that?

Yes, Virginia, I did post a card today! Go check it out. Another challenge. What would I do without my challenges?

masculine card

I picked up the crossword puzzle stamp and before you know it, voila. A card was born. This could be male or female, since it lacks a certain feminine touch I'll just qualify it as a man card.

 

Guess where the challenge came from? The Pink Elephant, yup, TPE. What was I thinking? I wasn't!! I should have made a pink card, just kidding! this card is clean and simple, that's for sure. I cheated a bit on the actual design challenge, but i think artistic license wins.

Stamps: Word Search, crossword puzzle

Paper: black, red, white, natural white

Ink: Palette Noir

Incidentals: Twill

I missed the deadline

I am so disappointed. Waltzingmouse Stamps is having a blog hop today. I didn't read it right and when I went to post my card....oooops!

Mr Linky was closed. Plus, it looks like I should have put my name in earlier in the week, last week. Oh well. there's always next time. Had to use a Waltzingmouse stamp to enter the hop. The stitching on the back ground is from WMS. The two stamped images are from Delight in Life from SU and are partially cut out and popped up a bit. This is a one layer card with two embellishments attached, and one pc of ribbon. i used tiny beads for the inside of the flowers. The pink flower is almost the same as my last post. this one I added some green flowers that had been stamped in pink passion.

I may not be part of the hop, but you can go hop around there a bit and maybe win a prize!!!! See ya there!!!

Thanks for coming by!

To err is.....so funny

 I am so glad that I can laugh at myself.
It was only two days ago. Can you remember the 'YouWarm My Heart' card and I said I'd be back?
I'm baaaack!!!!!
I created the layout, colored my teapot, sewed down the paper, then started to apply dimensionals to the teapot, then.....................
I realized that i had forgotten to sew the right side of the DSP. No harm, no foul, no worries! the machine was still out (duh) on the counter, plugged in and screaming my name, "Goofball!" "Crazy Ole Laydeeeee!" "so you think you can sew!" Stuck it under the needle....sew, backstitch (I hate tying it in the back), sew.....ooops......
stop, look, think, oh well, sew, backstitch, cut thread. Done. I had neglected to open the card before i started to sew. Know what happened? yep, you guessed it! Well, at least it looks pretty. maybe I could frame it. It's useless as a card. yea, I know there are other options. I'm gonna frame it and hang it under a sign that says, "So you think you can sew!" I gotta go give some attention to another post. I promised.
I made a couple of cards Saturday and will get them posted this week. I gotta go. I promised and I want to watch some recorded Olympics.

SFYTT challenge...third time is the charm

I need a special card for a special friend and i have left the sentiment off for now.
Jen del Muro is back in my life for the third installment of the fantastic February SFYTT!!

I am officially caught up as this is the post for Feb 20th, that's today. You won't see another of Jen's fabuloso sketches til next week. Aren't you sorry?

 

There it is ladies and gentlemen the card you have all been waiting for!!! Oops, sorry, wrong blog!! LOL

I learned to make these flowers this week over at Julie's blog, Paper Pleasing Ideas. I would send you to You tube to check it out but I don't know how to link 2 Utube. In a nut shell - you take a piece of SU cs, 3 x 3" and crumble it all up, re-crumble a couple of times. Open it up again and you can see where the paper is separating. Gently separate the two layers. The inside feels so soft. Now punch out your flowers. I used the five pointed one from EK success. Layer two or three layers with the soft side up and lay on top of a green regular pc of cs, not crumbled up. Pierce a hole and put brad through. Voila! Did you get that explanation? I used SU's pastels to color in the image.

Stamps: Garden Collage

Paper: Orchid Opulence, Barely Banana, white, Pink Passion (flowers)

Ink: O Opulence, Pallette Noir

Tools: CB ef, Textile, Swiss dots, Argyle

Incidentals: ribbon, brad

You Warm My Heart

An old stamp set from SU, 'You Warm My Heart'.  I haven't even cut the stamps out or mounted them. Now, I'm just gonna put the label on the foam and pretend I have a new acrylic set from SU....no wood. The sentiment is from that set. The teapot is a digi from Designed 2 Delight digital Stamps
 It was a freebie for playing along on their challenges. If you are just starting out with digital images or have been coloring them for years you really should go over to D2D and see what freebies they are giving away. Their progressive challenge restarts every month but any one can join in at any time.

 

I am so tired. I gotta go upstairs and get some sleep. I'll be back and let you know about the guffaw!

The SFYTT Prize package

I'm trying to catch up with the SFYTT over at Jen's. I just found the challenge on Wednesday and it began on the sixth. I have so many coals in the fire right now and trying to prioritize, which I am not very good at this moment. I just want a chance to win the awesome stuff that's up for grabs.

 

The flower came first as it was sitting on my desk. made some up last week. The circle was penciled on white paper, cut out and then scalloped with a corner rounder. The CCelery strip with eyelet border was also on my desk, a remnant. the yellow embellies are 1/4" punched out circles and placed on my flip-flop and worked with a stylus into a bowl-like shape.

I used a small red 1/4" circle here on my flip flop so you could see it better on the pink. Your circle needs to be on something firm yet malleable like a flip flop. Picked up a pink pair for a dollar and cut the back side off so I could use the toe hole for a pipe cleaner to hang it from a hook.

take the larger side of the stylus and press lightly while going in circles. You will see the sides start to come up, then circle tightly in the middle pressing a little harder and the sides will come up even more. Just practice and you'll have cute bowls in no time. The center of the flower has a brad holding it all together. Then I took a yellow 'bowl' and turned it upside down to cover the brad using some glue to hold it there. The flower is a mish mash of felt, a prima or two, a green flower cut down to resemble leaves and a big glue dot. the bird was stamped four times. Once, on the cs, second and third on red, fourth on confetti Cream and then cut out. the branch was stamped only three times. Once on the cs and twice on the green and then cut out.

Touch of Nature was the stamp set used as was the morsels from See-D's on the edges of the scallop. I bought them awhile back on clearance at my LSS. I just love the tiny images and must ink them up more often.

The inside is rather subdued compared to the front.

 

This post was long enough!! Thanks for coming by!

Wish to go fishin'

entering a challenge over at Jen del Muro's SFYTT. jen has a few challenges, one on each Saturday in February. she is a fantastic artist with two wee one's, one is just a month old! Go check out her blog. she is amazing.

and here's my interpretation:

wanting to make a guy card, this is what I came up with. scanned a paper stack for something manly and found the hooks in a DWWV, "The Summer Stack' and the same stack had the camping, fishing, family dp.
You all know the fish from Little layers from SU. The sentiment is SU's 'Riveting' that I used the stamp- ama-jig to change a letter. Lest I forget the ruler is from the Elementary Essentials stamp set. glued on some home made fish bubbles in two different colors and hook, line and no sinker, it was done.

thanks for coming by!

Pink Flamingoes

sorry to disappoint you but there will be only one flamingo today. How do you like him?

 

He does look lopsided in the photo. He is lopsided. Well, was lopsided. I unattached the image gently and repositioned it so it looks better, much better, now. but what the hay, I'm not wasting batteries (see previous post) to reshoot. Trust me he's perfect. DDL would accept no less. With the exception of the base cs all paper is/was scraps. It was all siting in my scrap pile waiting for it's file. Ariel was here yesterday (no school) shoulda/woulda/coulda had her put all the scraps in their respective drawers. she stated that she was my secretary at lunch when I put her in charge of my cell phone. When we got home she got a tablet out and asked for a pen. "I'm your secretary and I'm going to answer all your calls." I should have been thinking on my feet and had her do that. After all, I do pay her to be my secretary. I prefer personal assistant as she made sure that I had a beverage by my side every time that I changed offices and or chairs. Plus, I like the sound of PA better.

Thanks for coming by!

My sister 29, Cheryl emailed me the digi flamingo when she heard that I needed one for a bday card. Isn't he just perfect for the job. Cheryl has an awesome blog, you should go visit. click here to see She Stamps!!

Butterflies are free to fly

If you read the post yesterday you saw that I had my own challenge. Purple and butterflies per DDL's request:
 Much prettier IRL. The Butterflies are sponged with gold on the edges, the smaller one with glitter pen. Small pearl beads are their bodies on the dies and stamps at the top

 

.

 

I know DDL will want to write something so I left a little room and held back on the inside. MC!!

This was part of another challenge over at Technostamper. 

 

Technostamper is one of my bookmarks, and can't remember who introduced me to that blog. You really should go for a visit, scroll down and see some of the fantastic cards that crafters make. Mary-Jo is a Su demo.

I have decided not to give a description of my card. Let me rephrase that - a lengthy in depth description of my card. I notice that most bloggers don't and if any one wants more info they can ask in the comment section. Any feedback on that? Any and all is welcome- I am thick skinned! LOL

DDL's Bday

So, you read what my DD did for me for a Christmas present. her bday is the end of the month. she sent me an email today. She wants a griddle for her bday. WHAT? Yep, she wants something bigger than a pan so she can cook her family more than one pancake at a time! she requests a griddle that covers two burners, easily washable griddle. She would prefer an electric griddle if it's easily wash up able. I know that they make immersible electric  griddles because we own one. use, unplug, immerse and it's clean. However, i bought it for DH (his camping trips) two years ago at Kohl's for cheap the day after Turkey day at 4 o'clock in the morning. I also bought the same one for DSK at the same time. He uses his all the time and loves it. Here's the dilemma - A griddle can't even compare to the wonderful evening we had on Friday. (She's a better date than her Dad.) I need some ideas here, please!!! I don't want to take her to the theater, that was done. I don't want to repeat what she did for me. I need fresh ideas, please. O, I said that already. Don't say sky diving, she did that  on her anniversary- gift from her husband. Don't say trip to the Bahamas - done that been there. Don't say be a surrogate for her third child - impossible!!! My oven is on the fritz, remember? Yes, I mean that oven!! O, no, I only have one oven. Really, I have two but they're both stuck in the wall right now. don't say shoe shopping cuz she owns a million gazillion pairs already. O, o,o, she did happen to mention that she needed some certain color with a certain heel and certain toe. i would still like to hear from you all about great gift ideas for DD!

There has been no card making in my creative space all weekend. Creating yes, but no cards. i am stuck on a particular idea and trying to get it to work. the elements are partially done (last week) but i'm stuck on the rest. It's for a secret sister so I can't even give you a clue. I promise to get something put together for Monday on Monday as i have no wee ones just a nine year old that thinks she's 23!!! School is closed for Pres Day tomorrow. all of you that have it off from work- enjoy your day! all of you that have to work - enjoy your work. The rest of you have a wonderful day and pray for those that have to work - pray that they enjoy their work day!!!

I almost forgot! i have my own personal challenge for monday. DDL needs a card that is purple and has butterflies1 She also needs a card with flamingos, but that is impossible as I don't own a flamingo stamp or digi or even a sticker. where's a flamingo when you need one? She's also in need of just a girly card. So I have my work cut out for me tomorrow! My first own personal challenge! three cards in one day...I can do it! just substitute something pink for the flamingo and, voila.

thanks for spending a few minutes here! leave your bday ideas in the comment section. You know what to do!!

Please forgive all the typing errors. it's late, i'm tired, refuse to go back and fix them! It's this tiny keyboard that has me all crazy!

Wicked

DDL gave me some awesome Christmas gifts. One gift was in a black DVD case and inside was a book of coupons. One was for dinner at maestro's in Tampa, one was for admittance into Morsani hall, and one was for the play 'Wicked'. First of all dinner was scrumptious. My hand to the chef. I ordered Lobster ravioli striped with squid ink in a tomato basil sauce--delish. L ordered Coq Au Vin and it was so good, it was fabulous! They had an open appetizer, salad, soup bar that was exquisite if food can be exquisite. Peach butternut squash soup, and a tomato artichoke soup, both were amazing. L took one bowl and I took another and we shared so we could have the best of both soups. There was fresh fruit with a passion fruit dressing, dried fruit, mixed greens, artichoke salad, blanched broccoli and green beans, cheeses too numerous to list, breads/crackers, crostinis with brie. that's all I remember. The dessert bar was gorgeous. Fresh bananas Foster made right before your eyes with ice cream, fresh whipped cream. Cakes, tortes - just fabulous looking table. Thank goodness we didn't have much room for dessert so we shared a banana F, L picked up a fruit tart slice, and I chose a lemon mouse tart. We shared. MMMMM good. A fine cup of coffee and I was good to go. dinner took us 2 hours to eat. We chatted over each course and truly enjoyed each others company. The play did not start til 8pm so we had time to spare. I'll spare you all the details of the play, just to say it's about the witches before Dorothy lands in OZ. Remember where she lands? And on whom? The wizard was Richard Kline who played on Three's Company as John Ritter's best friend, Larry.

 

If you get a chance to see 'Wicked' or any play for that matter, go. You won't be sorry.

If you have small theater companies in your town/city/burb you should go at least once to enjoy a performance. I like the small community theaters as well as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Theater ( now called The Straz Center).

Thank you darling L. I had a great time. You, the theater, the dining experience -  all made a wonderful evening.

Go see who won

Hop on over to Julie's blog, Inky fingers, right now! Go see who won her blog candy! Scroll down til you see this picture. Then scroll back up and see who won! (Just kidding about the scrolling part.) The winning announcement is on the Feb. 11, 2010 post right under the colorful quilted teddy bear titled, 'Bear Hugs to All'.

 Just look at all the stuff that she's giving away.  Here's the list. DROOL!! Wipe your chin, lick your lips, it's gonna drip into your keyboard.

50 sheets Bazzill textured card stock (8x11) (10 colors)

1 flip-book album kit (little girl)

20 clear envelopes (3x8 & 3x4)

2 clear check book covers

1 set unmounted rubber (5 stamps) (love, hearts, anniversary)

1 package adhesive sheets

1 sheet epoxy (31) stickers (island style)

10 bookmark sleeves

1 box hand-stamped watercolor cards

1 hand-made scrapbook in a box (classic autos - heritage style)

1 Prismacolor watercolor pencil - white (great for highlights)

4 Art Impressions stamps (shoe, sassy, flower, & Japanese symbol)

Mean while back at the creative desk of Cardology, Etc. I'm having camera issues and thinking of buying a new one. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my camera.

EXCEPT

I am running out of $ keeping the thing working with all the batteries. It takes 2 AA and I replace them every three days. I am only taking as many pics as you see on my blog. About one or two pics a day. I bought 

 

this lithium battery and I get about a week out of them.  anybody experiencing the same thing? any ideas for a camera that won't leave me broke buying short term power? My camera was a gift two years ago from DH.

It's a Kodak easy Share C875. I know the zoom probably eats a lot of the power, but won't they all? any ideas, suggestions, help would be greatly appreciated. It's not just about the money, it's annoying having to change the batteries so frequently.

Thanks for coming by!

 

Wish

This cake image is from Delightful Inspiration, which I got for free, BTB.

 

Now, that I am looking at it from another perspective I 'wish' that I had placed the bow more to the right on the Red Riding Hood cs. This is twice in a row that I made a card with the 'fence' look using my eyelet border punch. No promises to quit using that style.

The green scrap was punched out with me trying to figure a corner. the piece was not the right size, but I liked what I had and used it. I only punched two sides. then I placed the images corner into the border punch and bang, that's what happened. I liked it cuz it was different. Used my glitter pen on the candle flames and the green dots on the cake. Used the water color pencils and a blender pen to outline the cake on the inside, make green dots and the rest of the coloring. I used a marker to outline the image itself. To fit my tab punch on the image I lost a bee, so colored another, cut it out and glued it on and did the little trail on the tab punch. AND because of MC I had to add a little yellow flower brad near the bee. Tried the brads on the cake but did not like and added half pearls in the center of the flowers. The DP in pink is from DDL's wedding programs from 2002. Do I save my stuff or what. It was a piece in the red/pink bin. the bow is ribbon from SU and this is the first time that I used it. (Joan, where are you?) It still had the clear wrapper on it.

This card will be entered onto the Digital Ink challenge that runs til February 21st.

  

click on the pic to go 

Thanks for coming by!

Vases in Vogue

The name of the stamp set from SU is Vases in Vogue.

 

I stamped the vases onto some rusty colored paper and then covered them in Crystal Effects. Sat them aside to let them dry and proceeded with the rest of the card. Cameo Coral, Bashful Blue and a DSP scrap from the BOTD. Spiral punch to weave in and out the silver, gold, and copper cord. Popped up the dry vases and added silver, gold, and copper stickles to the flowers in the vases. Each vase held a different color of stickles.

Thanks for coming by!

Went to lunch and a movie with my brother, Bill. Then to Target for a few items. Found the small craft drawers that I needed to re-organize my craft room, well, really just my immediate creative desk area. I decided that I need more stuff at my fingertips and may have found a way to do that with the addition of more drawers. I spend much of my time gettin' up and foraging through stuff to get what I need. Most of it is basic needs, in the crafting arena that is, not to sustain life kind of basic needs. I have finally decided that I will never have a Martha Stewart kind of craft room. I may want one, but reality bites!  My space is a mere 12 x 11 foot bedroom that we converted to keep me out of trouble. I have a piece of furniture in there that I can not part with at this time as it is covered with Modge Podged pictures of my entire family, from my G'mom to the grandchildren. I must decorate/furnish/create around this desk til one of my dtrs wants it. Since, she who will remain nameless, wants it, I have to keep it. I realize that some of you don't even have that much space, but this is my blog and you can listen to me whine! No really, I just want to make it more workable in my mind/cardology, etc. world. Someday, you will get pictures, but for now I am just tooo busy getting it like I want it to take you into my fantasy.

Happy Birthday to Kathy

Kathy has an awesome blog, Will Stamp for Wine! Go see her blog and wish her a big, bigger, biggest Hbday evah. Read her profile, see how many children she has, their ages, and wonder how she gets it all done! You won't be disappointed. Go Now. CLICK. ON. WILL Stamp. Don't tell her any one sent you. Just please, go do it, for me! Pretty please with a cherry on top. I'll be back later with a card. Today is Tuesday, and I have a standing date with my brother on Tuesdays. See you later!

Here's a hint

The sky is the limit

Had to pull out an old template to make the clouds in the sky. (see the inside shot) Lately have just been using a punched out scallop circle to make my clouds. This card was/is special so I dug out the Clouds, Moon, Stars template from SU. The eyelet border punch was in the scrap pile, also. A little on the short side, but it works for me. The green leaf wasn't green enough for me so I laid it on my Garden Green stamp pad and mushed it down with a popsicle stick. Glitter pen across the eyelet bottom after sponging on Brilliance Moonlight White.

 

I have a large butterfly ready to go here on the front, but I just don't know. Think I will leave it off for now. the two wee butterflies are from the embosslit from SU called Beautiful Wings. I used Blush Blossom paper and just went over them with my glitter pens. So Saffron and Buckaroo Blue with white are my paper choices because they were all in my scrap pile that had been building up all week. Now I need to separate the color groups and throw them in their respective homes. The sentiment is from a brand new acrylic set from SU, Vintage labels. Here's a shot of the inside--

I cut the bottom of the white to match the blue on the front, and suddenly I was looking at trees, so I colored the trunks brown and punched out green for my apple bg. The teeny tiny little red dots that fell from the red paper (top layer of apples) were used to fill in the wee holes on the bottom of my trees and a few extras. there were some yucky smudges, lower right- sky, from a brand new sponge. I made them into birds using the same color but with a marker. I find that the markers and ink pads don't really match. they resemble one another, but no match.

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The oven decided to stop working five minutes after I put the artichoke spinach appetizer in it. Will get it in the MW soon as our company gets here. Why haven't I fixed the oven? Because as soon as I decide to call Whirlpool the oven decides to work. I know, I know. I'm just trying to live with it til DH says he'll pay to have it fixed. This stubborn ole mule is just waiting to see who breaks first, me or he, me or him, him or me, he or me. What's the proper way to put those three words? Any body?

Gotta go see to some final details - overall looks of the house. It's clean, but there's always a couple o small details that need some attention. KWIM?

love for 365

I think this just might be my last challenge for 365 Cards. That means I did 5 out of 7 and I can live with that.

 

This time the card had to have the word 'love' on it. I used the wonderful words set from SU. It's one of the first sets that ever bought from SU.  I made the base of this card awhile back and just found it today! Now I know why it was shoved in a box. The main image was just colored and popped up two minutes ago. It definitely needed something and I didn't have my mojo on that day, obviously!  I pulled the In Full Bloom (my fave) out of my cabinet and chose this flower. why? Just because. That's why!! I am learning to use my ink pads and aqua painter--practice. I found that my Craft White can take color out when it needs. so I use it to lessen the density of too much of a good thing. i wanted to do something with 'love' to make it stand out better, but MC (milk carton). That's my new term for keeping the motto less is more. I just say, "MC."

I can tell you the ink colors that I used on the flower were: Rose Red, Craft White, and Regal Rose. the paper colors are probably the same. To stamp my image I used Pallete Noir. It gives a truer black than my other one.

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Meanwhile the party prep is going great. I just have to pull 6 pounds of pork, get my sauce doctored up and put it all in the fridge.  My DH has everything a grown man or little boy could possibly want. He has big and small toys, diesel, gas, and oil toys. Toys that go over and under water, over land with two wheels, three wheels, six wheels, etc. He even has a house on wheels - must be four wheels cuz it's called a fifth wheeler. What does he want for his bday? A winning lottery ticket. What could he possibly need to buy with all that money? A man and his toys. Not complaining, I'm just sayin'!! He does have 'bad' knees and would like to quit the work that ruined his knees. That would be a good reason to WIN!!! I have never gone to bed and prayed for him to win the lottery, but I could pray about his knees!! With my luck, they would fall off and he'd never walk again. Pooh that idea. Be careful what you pray for!!!!

I found Samoa ice cream today at Publix, how would that go with German chocolate cake and that gooey pecan frosting? DDL came by today and p/u the ingredients and the recipe that was chicken scratched on a piece of paper with three other scratched out recipes. I'm not baking!!

Goodnight to you all that stayed and read my rambling.

I'm going to go CLEAN my creative space's desk. I hear there's a secret challenge for the SBS29 sistahs and I want to be ready!

Hearts of many colors.....

I'm back again with 365 cards. It will be over on Sunday, so  the last card should be on Saturday. Right now I have two done and ready to post one. this one challenge was to replace with hearts where flowers would have/ should have been. This DSP from SU has glittery pages and I covered the one glittery flower with four hearts using RRed, BBurgundy, PPassion, and Natural Ivory. Each heart was stamped after being punched out because the hearts were sitting there on my work surface begging to be stamped and glued to something for V day.

 

They were stamped with Craft White, R Red then drawn over with a glitter pen from Sakura. Be mine stamped from the set Tag Time, punched with 3/4" circle and popped up a bit with a glue dot over the gold ribbon. Inside was interesting to say the least. The heart that I used on the front with N Ivory was punched from the card front twice leaving two hearts facing each other and covered with the back side of the DSP on the front. KWIM?

Here's a pic:

The two hearts on the top are humps to humps. I just added some first and second generation stamping using Real Red. the challenge was called Substitution Please.

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No kids today and I have been on the phone with a few family members, just catching up on every day news and such. I allowed it to take up some precious time (like all AM) away from my work and must get back to it, NOW.

There are cards to be made and posted, party details to be made around the SB, delegating food prep to my children. (the oven thing)  John wants a German chocolate cake for his bday and every body gets exactly what they want for their special meal right on down to the dessert. DDL will make the cake and my recipe for the pecan frosting, yes, I will allow it! I have all the ingredients, I just need to have her come and pick it all up on Sat AM.

  Here's his menu request 

Pulled Pork Barbecue, crock pot, pulled, then back in pot with bbq sauce, Me

Potato Salad, DSK's recipe

Coleslaw, DDL suggested from a local restaurant as it's DH's fave

Rolls for sammies

Baked Beans

Weinies wrapped in crescents, for the kids

Assorted drinks

Cake and ice cream

Hey! come on over and enjoy the SB and bday with us!!!

My children in birth order:  DDS (California, SO and three boys)

DDH (East Coast Florida, DH and three wee ones, 2G, 1B)

DDL (close by with DH and 2G)

DSK (close by with SO and her 2G)

I just today came up with those initials for each one of them as I have not rec'd permission to call them by name on my blog, yet!

Bye, Bye, for now.

Bee mine, a 365 Card challenge

Just in case you haven't caught on yet or this is your first visit, I'm tied into 365 Cards for about one week.
There is a prize, I don't know what, at the end of the week for each of the challenges that I do. I was bummed when the last challenge that I did at another site was dc'd due to technical problems so I found this one and decided to do it. It certainly keeps me busy and I am learning new techniques and the ins and outs of Bloggerville. BV for short. My SBS29 are always letting me know where there is a good challenge in BV. It's good clean fun and keeps me out of the kitchen for now.

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Anyone just interested in cards, go to BV and have a good time lurking around. Maybe find a great challenge to keep you off the streets.

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Anyone else interested in reading on about my rambling's- welcome, cuz here it comes.

The oven is working now, but I'm afraid it will quit in the middle of baking something. I need a new control panel.  Cooking in the oven, like dinner, well, I tell myself, "Self, if it quits while cooking chicken or meatloaf I can always finish it off in the MW. If it quits in the middle of a chocolate dessert or cookies, well then I'm toast!" Cooking - baking, not the same thing. Cooking  - throw something together in a casserole dish or roasting pan and bang, call it dinner when the timer goes off. Serve and receive accolades from DH. Baking, on the other hand, it's a chemical reaction that calls for each ingredient to be measured precisely for the perfect results. The taste buds in my mouth request desserts on a regular basis. For lunch, I eat a p-nut butter and jelly sandwich and my belly, taste buds, mind want something for dessert. Take me out, serve me a nine course meal, I am stuffed, but my body screams dessert. I can pass on dessert if I am full, duh, but I still crave that little piece of chocolate or that special little tingle for my tongue. My grand mother, Meshe, was the exact same way. always wanting a cookie or just that little something after a meal. Back to the oven - I think that's why I love to bake. I love eating my own concoctions! Ooops, specially created chemical reactions that resemble desserts.

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RX for this card will be posted later, just in case you were wondering.

Friend in your heart

Another challenge over at 365 Cards. This time the challenge had to have a heart, many hearts, or a heart as the focal point. I think I hit all three with this one. The burgundy piece with the hearts punched out was a throwaway from , duh, punching out three hearts for another project. I punched Lexicon of Love from SU on Crushed Curry and glued it behind the center heart. Punched out three gray hearts and here you have it with a little ribbon and doodling.

Super Sketch Sunday at 365 Cards.

This is a big Card. Big, I say, BIG. It measures 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. It was a card making kit that came with envies. There was 25 sheets of this shimmery paper. My SIL gave it to me one year for my bday about 10  years ago. The cs came scored, which is a time saver. I have used the cs mostly as paper not cards. Today I needed a really big piece of real estate to get this challenge done. I wanted several hearts behind the dp so I knew that I needed wide. Just chose this cs for it's shimmer and the size was perfect. Let me tell you how hard it was not to put too much stuff all over the front of this card! You'd be proud that I held back. There was some craziness going on here for a bit of time. The red paper with the cut outs-I found in the drawer-called 'Narratives' by Karen Russell. The brown dp is from CTMH (no name) and I rolled Friendly Word over it in Perfect Plum. I used some BOTD rub ons and punched out a few hearts. The brown and red ones are hiding behind the dp. The ones out in the open are sporting a couple of rubons. Chocolate ribbon and bow and I'm calling it a card. I ran the roller over the envelope, too!
This card was part of a challenge over at 365 Cards. It's was the Super Sketchy Sunday for January 31st.

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No one's perfect....

and their projects aren't perfect either. sometimes it's trial and error. If you want to get good or better at what you do you have to try. Practice is what I call it. All my work is practice. I am practicing to get a technique better, to color better, to put together color combinations on my own-without a challenge, to exercise my right to put embellishments on a milk carton. Yea, it didn't work in my favor on the carton. I posted it anyway. I don't like it, it needs help. it needs a remake. But that milk carton taught me two things. One, that I need practice to get the flower size correct and add embellishments appropriately, leave gaudy in the drawer. That I need to try to do digital images and try to color and do more to practice. My images aren't perfect, but I'm not looking for perfect, I'm practicing for perfect. Two, humility. I learned that all that I make, create, etc. is not perfect and sometimes even practice will not make it perfect. But I will persevere in my creating because it stills my heart, puts a smile on my face, gets me an atta girl, a pat on the back and once in a while a comment or two from you.
God Bless and goodnight. As I lay my head down tonight , I will pray for you and you and you, and the Haitians, and the homeless, and the hungry, and our armed forces, the troops that spare their safety every minute of every day to save ours. Thank you for spending a moment here with me this evening!

Hoot, whooo....

 

Delightful Inspiration blog has a great progressive challenge at Designed2Delight Digital Stamps.  

Each time I use one of their digitals and post it on their site I get another free digital image. The first one is free and it's these two owls. Used labels Five from Spellbinders, from the smallest to the second from largest. I used the spritzer and markers over a masked image to get some color on the white mat. Just Rite wooden stamper and the tiny letters made the sentiment. The SU embosslit leaves were just too naked on the River Rock by itself so I used the French Script with Creamy Caramel to give it some more depth and interest.

I forced the aqua painter and Close to Cocoa to get the colors to 'bleed' into the closer areas around the eyes to look more like the owls feathering. I popped up the owl image and the Guess whoo.

The inside was not plain, but not too much either, after the milk carton fiasco.

Mojo Monday's sketch is also seen here.

  

  Here's a shot of the inside: 

   

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My milk carton

Oh my. I might have over done this a bit! Where is the carton?
Splitcoast Stampers had a limited supply challenge, 3D, and I blew it.
Make a milk carton. DONE
Decorate it. DONE
Make it look good enough for people to comment: OOPS

 

I am so glad that I am good at laughing at myself! What was I thinking? OK, joanne, sometimes, less is more!

In this case less would have been better. The only part I like and you can't even see it, is the key tied to the bow with copper cord.

Here it is without the heart. Took the pic while the GA was drying on the heart.

Tried to get a close up of the heart. No go.

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