I think I'm still alive!

Give me a second to check my pulse...... Yep, I'm still here. Not going into too great detail, I have been very busy with lots of different things lately. We have been starting a garden which means we had to dig it, till it, fertilize it, and today I have to plant everything. By the way, the tiller must hate me because my arms and hands are so sore! The kids and I have been doing more homeschool subjects too which has added to the lack of time during the day. We are getting rid of our extra couch, chair, end table, dining room table, chairs, and a few other stands so I have been trying to take those things apart and get them ready to go to the incinerator. All of the things we are getting rid of are older and not so sturdy anyway. The only thing we do at the dining room table is school anyway. And we are also building me a super cool desk that I designed! I am so excited about it! Hopefully it actually gets done and in a timely manner! It's got everything I need on it! Anyway, the girls started gymnastics too (which they love) so I'm stuck trying to get everything I need to do done on the day of their class since gas is so high!

So, other than a few things I left out, you can tell how busy I have been the last few weeks. However, I have gotten a lot of DT cards done in the process! Mother's Day cards too! I'm gonna share a card from each company today that I have been working on.....

STAMPS- Blip of Doodle Factory Urban, Lil' Squares BG (Starving Artistamps)
PAPER- black, white, gray, metallic adhesive back paper
INK- Brilliance black ink
OTHER- Copic markers, Nestabilities, ribbon, pop dots

STAMPS- Harlequin BG (Queen Kat Designs)-soon to be released
PAPER- Basic Grey Sultry
INK- Versamark
OTHER- buttons, chipboard

STAMPS- Daisy Trio #1, Proverbs 31:28 (smARTworks)
PAPER- MME, brown CS
INK- Versamagic Agean Blue, Colorbox Chestnut Roan
OTHER- Nestabilities, pop dots

STAMPS- Beautiful, French Quarter (Inque Botique)
PAPER- Cool Caribbean, Certainly Celery, black
INK- Palette Hybrid black, Versamark
OTHER- Marvy punches, edge distresser, sewing machine, ribbon, pop dots, Stickles

Thanks for stopping in today and I'll probably be back on Wednesday to share some more Doodle Factory goodies!

Tea Par-tay! Hey! Hey!

Okay, so don't ask why I chose that title for today's post. I guess I'm just in a goofy mood. Plus, I haven't eaten yet so I could be a bit delirious.

Since all of the Smart Cookies (smARTworks DT members) have all taken a turn with the sketches, we decided to change things up a bit this time around. It will be kind of a free for all for who ever's week it is. This week Dina from Mama Dini's Stamperia challenged us to do a Matchbook card. This was a first for me. I think all of the different card shapes are neat but I never seem to actually try them. I am so glad I did though! I really love how this turned out! Thanks for the kick in the pants Dina!

• STAMPS- Dk-04 Birdie Fun (smARTworks)
  
• PAPER- MME
• INK- Pumpkin Pie
• OTHER- Nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies, slit punch, Cropadile, eyelets, ribbon, Primas, white brads

Make sure you check the rest of the Smart Cookie blogs throughout the day to see what they came up with. You're welcome to play along too! I dare ya!
In the Works.....smARTworks
Mama Dini's Stamperia
Tah Dah!
SusieStampsAlot
Dee's Studio

Also, don't forget to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win 2 Queen Kat Designs sets! I'll be drawing tomorrow at noon! See ya then!

Tea Party Wednesday!

So, for the second week in a row I am a day late for the Tea Party! This time though I was sparing you from the hideous picture I had to take of this weeks card! I had my card made on Tuesday and was all ready to take pics and post on Wednesday morning but hubby ended up taking the day off and had to have an emergency visit to the Dentist so that threw off my day a tad. Ended up taking care of him most of the day and then last night when I went to take the picture and post I realized my battery was dead on my camera. AAAAGGHH! So, I tried to take a picture with my small Sony, which normally takes perfectly fine pictures, but not so much at night, with a close up, using flash. Anyhow, I couldn't bear to share the hideous picture so I waited till this morning when my battery was fully charged. So, here it is.

Trish provided the sketch this week and I figured out that I need more smARTworks stamps! LOL I didn't have a whole lot of stamps that fit this sketch except for Christmas ones. Therefore, I decided that I need to order a few more sets! Now, I just have to decide which ones to get!

• STAMPS- Spring #1, Middie Messages #2 (smARTworks)
  
• PAPER- MME Wild Asparagus DP, Baroque Burgundy CS
• INK- Palette Hybrid Noir, Tim Holtz Walnut ink (with sponge)
• OTHER- Nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies, Word Window punch, Copic markers, sponge, pop dots

If you want to check out what everyone else did for the sketch then just hop on over to their blogs and see! We have something different in store for you for our next Tea Party so be looking forward to that!!
In the Works.....smARTworks
Mama Dini's Stamperia
Tah Dah!
SusieStampsAlot
Dee's Studio

I'm getting ready to make a post over on my Photography blog as soon as I get off here so if you have a minute, go check it out here! Have a great day!!

smARTworks Tea Party!

Good afternoon everyone! Today will be a pretty fun day because it is the first 'Tea Party' of the smARTworks design team! Every other week (Wednesday) we will be taking turns posting a challenge for ourselves and hopefully you guys as well, if you'd like to join in the fun. This week it is a sketch done by the fab-u-lous Dina from Mama Dini's Stamperia. She is our DT 'momma' and she threatened to take my stamps away if I didn't participate. Just teasing! But isn't that what moms usually do? I know I do! Anyway, this sketch was really fun and as soon as I saw it I knew which smARTworks stamp I wanted to use! He is one of my favorites!! So, without further ado, here is the sketch and the my version of the sketch!



I do have to admit that I completely *heart* this card! It helps though that I also *heart* this snowman oh so much! Can snowmen really get any cuter than this!? And he even has a little birdie on his hand!

• ABC-Starstruck, Middie Messages #2 stamp sets (smARTworks)
• MME 'Front Porch' DP
• Certainly Celery, white CS
• Cuttlebug Swirls EF
• Stazon jet black ink
• aqua painter and re-inkers
• Copic gray marker
• brads, pop dots

Check out the talents of my smARTworks DT buddies! Susan T, Susan L, Dina, Trish, and Donna!

So, if you get a chance sometime this week play along and post your results here! I'd love to see them!!

See ya later alligator!!

Pirates, bears, and sweets, Oh my!

I definitely have a mix of cards for you guys today but first I want to say that I am so looking forward to Grey's Anatomy tonight!! I was on vacay last week with the season premier so I had to watch it online yesterday (the first chance I have had this week!) and I was pretty impressed! I cannot wait to see what happens with Izzy and George! One part of me hates their relationship because he is married but the other part of me wants him to drop Callie and be with Izzy. How many of you feel the same way?

Alright, I'll get to the cards now. My first one is an invite for my niece's 4th birthday party. They are going to Build a Bear but after that they will go to my sisters house and dig up burried treasure by following a map. I think they will have lots of fun! My sister is going to give out pirate attire as part of the goody bags.

I paper pieced the bottom of the boat and the brown flag. I also paper pieced the sail but popped it up. I tore the paper for the waves, chalked it to darken it a bit, and added stickles. I also added hair to the pirates on the invites that were going to girls.

• Ahoy Matey (SU) stamp sets
• Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel, white CS
• Copic markers (except for the pants)
• stickles
• pop dots
  

The next one is for the same sisters birthday. It is the first time I have gotten to use my Tier of Treats stamp. I just love that stamp! I also got to try out flocking for the first time. They had 2 pack for 1.99 at Hobby Lobby plus 40% off so you know I couldn't pass it up! I got 4 different colors, light green, pink, white, and blue. There wasn't a yellow in sight (obviously not a Christmas color) otherwise I would have snatched that up too! They did have pack of red and green though so I'll probably get that next time I am in. Anyway! I flocked all of the pink, white, and green on this card. You can't really tell but it looks (and feels) really cute in person!

• Tier of Treats (Stampendous), 1/8 inch snap (Karen Foster) stamps
• MME and SEI patterned paper
• black, white CS
• Stazon jet black ink
• Copic and ZIG markers (can YOU tell the difference?)
• glue pen
• ric rac
• pop dots

The next two are for my design team for Starving Artistamps. These stamps seem to make my creativity flow so easily! Although I have noticed that I seem to do a lot of cards that focus on the left side. If you take a took at all of the creations I posted today you will see what I am saying! I guess it's just a 'classic' way to layout a card. I am going to challege myself though that for the next 5 cards I make I won't do one that looks so similar to these in layout. I don't think it will be too hard. At least I hope not. {wink}

I ran a piece of Bashful Blue through my Sizzix with the snowflake Cuttlebug die and then I dragged my Versamagic Cloud White ink pad over the top to highlight the snowflakes just a little bit. I highlighted the bear with my gray Copic marker **If you never get any other Copic marker, invest in the gray one! You will not be dissapointed!!!!** and added some flocking to hs hair, ears, and the hair on his legs. Once I was done with that I colored under him with my blue C. (Copic) marker and added stickles and a black line.

• Polar Bear KSAI-317 (Starving Artistamps) stamp
• Bashful Blue, white, black CS
• Satzon jet black, Versamagic cloud white chalk inks
• Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder
• Copic Markers
• glue pen & white flocking
• black pen
• stickles
• ribbon

This one highlights the fall/winter scene from the set of two from SA. I wanted to make the colors very muted so after I colored them with my Prismacolors and OMS I sponged Chocolate Chip over the whole piece. I also used the new Mellow paper from BasicGrey. Now that is a sick obession of mine! BG paper! But that's a whole other story! **sidenote: When I just typed 'whole other' I wanted to type 'whole nother'. LOL That's how I say it out loud.....whole nother.**

• Tree Duo KSAI-208 (Starving Artistamps) stamp
• BasicGrey Mellow DP
• Chocolate Chip ink
• Prismacolors and OMS
• brads
• push pin

I also decided to start labeling my posts. I think I am going to try and go back and label most of my previous posts from this year too. I never even noticed it in the beginning and then when I did notice it I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Now, after browsing through blogs that have easy ways to get to the cards you wanna see, I definitely think it's important. So, keep an eye out for it!

Gotta go! Have a great TV night Grey's fans!!

Flurry of Fall cards!

So, part of me loves fall so much (my fave season, mostly cause I look better in a sweater and jeans than a bikini!) that I want it to hurry up and get here. I love the getting up in the morning, stepping outside, and smelling how fresh the air is! But, the other part of me is saying, get a tan, swim in the pool, wear the tank top that makes you look like you have more cleavage {wink}! What is a gal to do? I think for now I will be happy with summer but in a month I will be pulling out my ribbed tutleneck whether it's chilly or not! To help me get in the mood though, here are some fall and Halloween cards!

We interrput this program to bring you this important message.
****I will be posting something pretty cool later today so make sure you come back and check it out!!!!!****
Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Sorry the pic is a little dark, it was a little cloudy and I forgot to lighten it up a little before I saved it. I really like how easy this pumpkin is to use! When I put the adhesive on the back to keep it on the block, I cut the stem away from the pumpkin. This let me use the stem on either side of it. There was quite a bit of masking with this and I do have to say this was my first time with so much masking. I have actually only masked anything a handful of times. I like the look of masking so I think I'm going to do it a lot more often. Once I stamped everything out and started to color with my re-inkers, I realized that I didn't have any orange re-inker. Uh-Oh!!!! So, instead I grabbed one of my acrylic blocks (what I always use to put my re-inkers on since it cleans off so well) and put Barely Banana and Cranberry Crisp in two spots and mixed them together a little. I didn't get the same color every time which I honestly like the look of because pumpkins are really all different shades of orange.

• Autumn #1 (smARTworks) stamp set
• Fabriano watercolor paper
• Stazon jet black
• SU re-inkers (Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Barely Banana, Cranberry Crisp)
• aqua painter

I think this card and I have a love/hate relationship! I have never done a layout like this before and I like it, I just done know if I like the final product. I think maybe doing the sponging and the stardust pen together might have been a little much. Or maybe it's those blue lines in the Magnolia paper that throws it off? I love this pumpkin stamp though!

• Autumn #1 (smARTworks) stamp set
• MME Magnolia DP
• Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery CS
• Cuttlebug Swirls embossing folder
• Marvy Mega scalloped square punch
• Prismacolors and OMS
• Sakura stardust gelly roll pen
• pop dots

Just wanted to make an easy Halloween card. I don't know what I would do without my Marvy punches!! I might go back later and add googly eyes to the spider, once I find them that is. I think the kids might have snuck them away and used them for their many projects!

• Autumn #1 (smARTworks) stamp set
• Lavender Lace, black, white CS
• Stazon jet black ink
• black Prismacolor and OMS
• Marvy Giga and Mega scalloped circle and Super Jumbo circle punches
• SU Word Window punch
• Cuttlebug Swirls EF
• ribbon
• black pen (for the web)
• pop dots
• push pin

This next card is one I made for my niece who just started Kindergarten this week. I have seen several different ways to spell 'Yipee' but this is the way I have always spelled it. I love these Doodle Factory creatures and animals from Starving Artistamps! Now they have Doole Factory Halloween stamps! I am going to see if I can possibly make the ones I already have a little Halloweenish.

• Doodle Factory 'Yapples' (Starving Artistamps), Alpha (Rhonna Farrer) stamp sets
• teal Prismacolor, brown Rose Art crayon (stay tuned later today for all of the details!!) and OMS
• Copic grey marker

I have to show you the card that Jolee made when I decided to make a few Halloween cards myself. We were browsing the SCS gallery when she saw Speale's card and decided she wanted to make her own version. The only thing I did was cut the pieces and loan her my finger for the ribbon while she was tying the second knot. She is so talented for a 5 year old!


That's all for now but remember to come by later today for something pretty cool!!!

New rubbah to cheer me up!

So, I got a major disapointment the day before yesterday. I called the fair office to ask one more small question before I went into town and printed out and purchased mats for all of my pictures. As I am asking the question she said
"Well, that should have been on your pre-entry form"
"Pre-entry form? Don't we do that tomorrow?"
"Oh, no, you had to have a pre-entry form turned in by July 28th to be able to participate in the fair."
"Wow, I'm glad the 3 different times I called that someone told me about that!"
"Yes, sorry."
Click
So, if you haven't already guess I can no longer enter my photographs in the fair that I have been working on for almost a month because more than one person can't do their job. Man, am I irritated! However, I am taking the girls to the fair tonight to check out the animals and eat some fatty foods (we don't let them ride the rides, the safety aspect freaks me out!) and see just who would have been my competition had I been able to enter. Everything happens for a reason so maybe this year I just wasn't ready! Thank goodness I got my new rubbah from smARTworks to cheer me up!!

My first two cards today are using my new smARTworks stamps that I am on the DT for. I LOVE these stamps! They are deepy etched and the rubber is nice and thick! I am just giddy! I used Fabriano watercolor paper folded with this one and re-inkers and my aqua painter.

• Spring #1, WD-27 for sentiment (smARTworks) stamp sets
  
• Stazon jet black ink
• Old Olive, Rose Romance, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa re-inkers
• ribbon

This next one I used my Cuttlebug EF for the background. I used Prismacolors and Gamsol to color the Birdie and Balloon and my gray Copic marker for the outline. If you get no other Copics, make sure you get the gray! There is nothing better for shading and outline than that marker! I stamped on the word window punch and popped it up beside the image.

• ABC-Birdie Bitties, Middie Messages #2 (smARTworks) stamp sets
• Tempting Turquoise, black, white CS
• Prismacolor pencils, gamsol
• Cuttlebug Happy Birthday EF
• Word Window punch
• Copic gray marker
• eyelets
• ribbon

This next one I made for my sister who was having 'one of those days' Not a favorite card but I wanted to try and use some paper from my stacks that hasn't gotten any use so far.

• PMS (Rivercityrubberworks), Grumpabella (StampingBella) stamps
• MME Magnolia DP
• black, Chocolate Chip ink
• Prismacolors and Gamsol
• Copic gray marker
• eyelets

Alright, so my mom is adorable! She is about 5-10 years 'behind the times'! She tells us all that 'we're the bomb', so when I saw this stamp in the unmounted rubber round robin swap I was in, I had to take it to make her some cards! These are really simple because she is all the time sending out the nieces and nephews cards with $1 for each of them in it! I swear she is the sweetest person ever! Anyway, I plan on making lots more for her so she can have a quick card to pull out. I used Stickles black glitter on the bomb but it's hard to see in the picture.

• Bomb (unknown), Karen Foster 1/8th inch snap stamps
• black ink
• Black Diamond Stickles

This last one didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to. I was going for more of a digi scrap looks with the swirly background and the black flowers. Oh well, it will just be one for my stockpile! All of these stamps are also from smARTworks!

• Shorties, WD-27 for sentiment (smARTworks) stamp sets
• Versamagic Sea Breeze chalk ink
• black ink
• push pin

Can you believe that I didn't use a single Marvy punch in any of these!?! I think this is a record for me! Usually those are the first things I pull out!

Well, I am off to change clothes and brush my hair so I can take the girls to the fair. I will be making another post though before I do that on how I use my unmounted stamps, just in case you are interested! Have a fabulous weekend everyone!!!

Many Happy Hello's

Just pretty much have a card today. The kids and I are trying to finish reading our batch of books today for the summer reading program so we can go in and get some more.

Card size is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4. I got this daisies stencil from HL. I just loved the flowers on it but didn't know how good it would look on paper. It looks like a stamp! I use this stencil all the time on envelopes and am lovin' it on this card! It was less than $2 and there are 5 different flowers on it. Can't beat that deal!

• MME Wild Asparagus patterned paper
• red, white CS
• Just Smile (TAC) stamp set
• Delta 'Daises' stencil
• Colorbox Warm Red chalk ink
• Marvy Mega scalloped circle, SU Word window punches
• Icicle stickles
• pop dots, push pin, sponge

*****
I called yesterday about the photography displays at our county fair. The fair isn't until mid August but I am going to enter some of my pictures so I need to start thinking now about which ones I want to put in. It is going to be so hard to choose! There are 8 categories and I am only allowed 1 picture per category. The categories are:
1-People
2-Place
3-Humor (have the perfect one for this!!!!)
4-Animals
5-Flowers (I think I know the one I'm putting here)
6-Miami County (something from around our area)
7-Black and White
8-Misc.
I got a funny picture a few weeks ago while I was leaving town. It was a big 'ole John Deere tractor parked in the parking lot of a Home Depot! It didn't turn out 'fair worthy' but I'd love to get another one just like that only better quality.

Anyway, I think I am going to raid my MIL's pool today to cool off. High of 89 here today. Hope everyone else stays cool!!! See ya!

Hey cupcake!

You guys might be noticing my new banner. I can't keep the same one for very long. I like to change it up every once in a while, kinda like my furniture. I also get better with the digi scrapbook stuff as time goes on. Speaking of digi scrapbooking stuff, I was browsing a lot today and ordered some stuff and also downloaded some free stuff too. The new banner uses Corina PhunkyPower paper and the corner overlays from Traci Murphy Designs.

I made this birthday card with some scraps I had laying around. I got this cupcake stamp last week because I NEEDED one. You all know how that is!

• MME patterned paper
• DCWV CS
• Cupcake stamp (Stampabilities)
• Karen Foster 1/8 inch snap stamps
• Mega scallop oval punch, Word Window punch
• aqua painters and re-inkers
• Stazon Jet Black ink
• ribbon, pop dots, stickles, push pin

I do have to say that I am very proud of myself! Last week I did 5 out of the 7 daily challenges on Splitcoast! I rarely ever do any of the challenges over there but I have loved the cards that I have made with the challenges in mind! So, I might end up like a few of the other 'stalkers' on there and get more of a direction on what I can do to expand my paper crafting. Speaking of which, here is my FS18 challenge. Every Sunday they feature a stamper with awesome talent and style (maybe one day I'll be feature, *sigh*) and then you CASE on of their cards. The stamper this week is Seewah. I paper pierced the lines above and below the good friends and I also paper pierced all of the dots on the flourish stamp. I inked the edges with Versamagic cloud white ink and distressed the pink layer.

• Paper Tray (PaperTreyInk), Flourishes (Rhonna Farrer), Simply Said (SU) stamp sets
• kraft, DCWV pink CS
• Stazon Jet Black, Versamagic Pixie Dust, Versamagic Cloud White inks
• ribbon punch
• ribbon, edge distresser, pop dots, push pin

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a fantastic day and be sure to check back tomorrow for a new special weekly feature!!

No Copics for me!

Good morning all! Today is going to be a good day! I just have a good energetic feeling this morning! I hope everyone has a super-duper day!!

I wanted to make a simple card this morning and I had only used this cherry blossom stamp by Stampendous once before. It's such a beautiful stamp I don't know why I haven't pulled it out more. Anyway, I stamped with Satzon black and used my aquapainter and re-inkers to color it in. I know cherry blossoms are white but I wanted some flowers with color so I just went ahead and colored it with the Rose Romance re-inker. I also added stickles to the centers of the flower but you can't really tell in this pic so I added another up close one.

*By the way, I didn't need a sympathy card for a specific reason, just wanted to keep one handy.

• Cherry Blossoms stamp (Stampendous), Paper Tray (PaperTreyInk)
• watercolor paper
• Stazon Jet Black
• Rose Romance, Close to Cocoa re-inkers
• aqua painter
• stickles
• ribbon
  

You couldn't see the stickles in the big picture so I wanted to give you an up close. Plus I love taking pics with this camera so I don't even need a reason really. {cheesy grin}



This is one I started yesterday a few days ago but got stuck once I got the crown paper sewn on. *Glad I got my sewing machine back in working order by the way* I have been using the flowers from a stem lately (well, always except for the little blue primas I have) and they work just as well as the Primas I think. At least they work for me! I stuck the flowers on and then used my 1/2 hole punch for the center and added a rhinestone and dots with my peach Soufflee pen. The pink in that set seems to be very bright for most of the things I would need it for but the peachy color works well. Next, I stamped with Stazon onto my silk ribbon and added some stickles to the edges. Tah-dah! All done!

• MME patterned paper
• Hampton Arts clear stamps
• Stazon Jet Black
• 1" pink silk ribbon
• flowers from stem
  
• stickles, rhinestone, Soufflee pen, sewing machine, 1/2" hole punch
  

***
Okay, so yesterday I had my regular trip to Blockbuster and Kroger (we get movies every Tuesday) and I wanted to see if Hobby Lobby carried Copic markers. So, being the organized girl I am (if you knew the truth you would laugh) I decided to call first. Riiiiing, Riiiing, "Hello, may I speak to someone in the art department please?" -Transfers call- "Yes, how may I help you?" "I was wondering if you carried Copic markers." "Why, yes we do." "Do you sell them in sets or individually? And if individually, how much are they each?" "We only sell them individually and they are $2.49 each." "Wow! Okay, thank you!" Then, I drive there, park, get my 3 kids out of the car (it is on the way to Blockbuster so I won't complain about that), go straight to the art department and ask someone where they are. She had to take me to the back because I guess they don't keep them up front. So I say "I can't believe that you guys have them for $2.49." "Um, these are $5.89 each ma-am." "Well super! I'm so glad the person on the phone wasted my time! Thank you!" Then I proceed to walk away with a trip into HL wasted! I was pretty mad but I guess I should have known better than to think I could actually find them that cheap. Oh well, I guess there will be no Copics in my future!

On a happier note, I will be introducing new feature to the blog next week! There will be some fun goin' on here! Make sure you check back! I will be sharing some great work by a fantastic artist! Stay tuned!

Working my way back up

So, a few weeks ago my 'Stamping top 50' numbers disappeared. I was at 123 which I was very proud of and then it just vanished. I waited a week or so to see if it would come back up but it never did. What I should have done was email one of the people at the top 50 to see what was going on. But, instead I re-registered assuming that my website would still be #123. Wrong-o! I now have to start all the way from the beginning. Ugh! But, I know with all of you guys being so great and loyal, I'll make it back up to 123 and hopefully even higher!

***
I rarely ever do any of the challenges on Splitcoast and I realized the other day that I am seriously missing out! I am passing my some great techniques and avoiding awesome card sketches!

This card is for the SC126. I loved this sketch as soon as I saw it. The card went together easier than I thought too. Isn't that always a a relief!? For the center of the flower I punched a 1/2 inch circle in the turquoise and used a standard hole punch to do the green. Then I just added a few dots and some stickles. Gotta love the stickles!!

• Swirls (Rhonna Farrer), Paper Tray (Paper Tray) stamp sets
• MME Magnolia DP
• DCWV CS
• Stazon Jet Black ink
• 1/2 inch circle punch, standard hole punch

***
I hope everyone has a good weekend! I have to take some stuff into the Salvation Army for donation, get a baby shower gift, and then I have the baby shower to go to. it will be an hour and a half drive but I just love spending time with the people that will be there so it doesn't bother me a bit!

We also have a huge Strawberry festival in town this weekend. The girls want to go but hubby hates crowds (rightly so, there are waaaaaaay too many people in such a small area for this thing!) and I don't know if I could do it by myself with all of those people. Wait, let me rephrase that, I don't know if I WANT to do it by myself! Guess we'll see.

Have a great weekend everyone! Soak up some sun!

Have a safe weekend!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to pop in and say that I hope everyone has a fun and safe Memorial day weekend! I plan on lazing around the house with hubby and kids!

This is the card I made for my niece. I was trying to think 'Amy Westerman' style with the different patterns of papers. She is so good at that!!!

• Cakeabella (Stamping Bella)
• Paper Tray (Paper Trey Ink)
• MME, MAMBI patterned paper
• Slit punch
• aqua painters and re-inkers

See ya next week!

Still tinkering

Hey guys! It has been a busy beginning of the week for me. I have been tinkering with my new photography blog (almost done) and coming up with a new banner for this one (I like to change things up a bit every so often) which has left me little time to do much else on the computer. Also, we had a nasty storm the night before last and our power was out for 13 hours. I had planned on posting this card that night, but obviously couldn't. So real quickly here is the card I did earlier this week. Final size is 5x5.

• MME paper
• Chocolate Chip CS
• Chipboard flowers (JoAnn's)
• Cuttlebug flowers die (thank you piece)
• Karen Foster rub-on
• velvet ribbon, sheer polka dot ribbon, felt, buttons, stickles, pop dots, push pin, brown marker

Now back to the storm we had. That morning Joe and I decided to move Jolee and Ava into an upstairs bedroom. We rent a pretty big farm house and except for the bathroom we don't use any of the rooms upstairs except for storage. I have been sorting and cleaning and cleaning and sorting and had cleaned out a lot of the stuff upstairs so we decided it might be nice for them to move up there. It was a pretty quick move (except for the bed that I had to take apart, move upstairs, and put back together by myself) and they were so excited that they got a 'new room'! However, I didn't realize just how bad that storm was supposed to be later that night. They had already fallen asleep by the time it started. It was nasty, let me tell ya. And once our power went out I was up there carrying them down to lay in my bed. They were mad at me for waking them up! The thunder shook the whole house and they were mad at me! I thought that was amusing! I ended up taking them back up once the storm was over but since then they have been just great up there.

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Since I haven't gotten my blog completely up yet I just wanted to share a picture quickly with you. I took this one last week and I think it will be a favorite of mine forever. Joe doesn't see why I love it so much but there is just something about it, I dunno.

P.S. Hmmm, can you get what the title to my photography blog is gonna be?! (check the watermark)

I've been tagged!

Woo-Hoo! Jovita tagged me! I am in someones top 5 fave blogs to read! Go me! Go me! Now the hard part is choosing my top 5! This will be rough! I'm sure all of those that I will pick have already been tagged by someone so be prepared for repeats from other blogs.

Ana Wohlfahrt's Ink a Stamp

Amy Westerman's Heartfelt Greetings

Debbie Olson's Thinking Inking

Tracy Durcan's Durcan Designs

Kendra Giles' Inkin' it Up

There are so many more! I am thinking about picking one blog a week to feature. Maybe putting a permanent link on the side or something. Everyone is just getting better and better that I can't keep up with all of them!

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I know this card looks familiar! I made one just like it for Amy's scrap paper challenge last Saturday. I also liked it enough to re-make it and submit it to the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol contest. Still used scrap paper so I guess it works for todays challenge on her site too!

You had to make a hello card for the contest (the other one said 'smile') so I just changed the colors and sentiment but everything else is the same.

• MME patterned paper
• Pumpkin Pie CS and dye ink
• Delight in Life (SU), Paper Tray (PaperTrey) stamp sets
• Marvy Mega scalloped circle punch
• Prismacolors and Gamsol, push pin, pop dots

I also had to make a sympathy card for a friend of my mother. I printed out the verse and just used my Mega scallop punch on it.

• BasicGrey LillyKate patterned paper
• Flourishes (Rhonna Farrer), Fanciful Flowers (TAC) stamp sets
• Chocolate Chip dye ink
• Marvy Mega scallop oval punch
• brown velvet ribbon
  

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Thank you to all of you who left a comment yesterday! It means so much to know that I can share those kinds of things with people I have never even met but get such a positive and wonderful response! God bless you all!

Some cards and a giggle

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a lovely morning so far! If not, I have a joke to hopefully make you smile, and wonder what the world is coming to, all in the same breath!

A mother was reading a book about animals to her 3 year old daughter.

Mother: "What does the cow say?"

Child: "Moo!"

Mother: "Great! What does the cat say?"

Child: "Meow."

Mother: "Oh, you're so smart! What does the frog say?"

And this wide-eyed little 3 year-old looked up at her mother and in her deepest voice replied, "Bud."

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I did another Super Sunday Sketch challenge over at Amy Wetserman's blog. The friend panel and the top flower are popped up but you can't tell in the pic. I am really loving her challenges! I rarely ever do any of the SCS challenges so these are nice for me.

• MME Magnolia line paper
• Chocolate Chip CS
• Delight in Life, Lexicon of Love stamp sets (SU)
• scallop scissors
• prismacolor pencils and gamsol
• pop dots

I want to start doing a simple card along with any more detailed card that I do. That way I am getting two done at once and I don't feel I have spent a whole hour working on one card! This is what I came up with this morning. Card is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 (my new favorite size). I tried to use the Love you Latte set a little differently. The 'steam' stamp almost reminds me of wings beside the hearts.

• Love you Latte (SU), Hey there (TAC), stamp sets
• Black Stazon, Pixie Pink die ink
• pop dots

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I have to go out and about today to pick some things up. The high is 62 degrees so today is a good day to do it. I just hope we don't have the wind we had yesterday, whew! It blew everything around in our yard and off our porch. Then again that's a pretty normal thing around here. We are in the middle of wind central! We are on a hill with only a few trees around. So in that case, I guess we're kind of asking for it!

I'm going to pick up some new sand for the kids' sandbox. Hopefully we won't keep having 40 degree weather anymore. The kids are just dying to go out and I feel bad to keep having to tell them no.

I don't think there are any other mind numbing things I have to say. Oh, we didn't win the lottery last night, so that was a bummer. Better luck next time, right?

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My stuff is still for sale! Check it out here.

Scrap paper card

I took a cue from Amy Westerman to use those scraps to make your cards. Granted, there aren't many scraps on here, but I would have to say that this is a card I probably would have never came up with if I hadn't looked at the scraps in my pile. The only thing that wasn't a scrap was the flower (it was even stamped, just not colored). I actually really enjoy this card! It was super quick and easy! Final size is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4. I am really liking the perfect square sizes lately!

• MME patterned paper
• DCWV cardstock
• Delight in Life (SU), Smile (Hampton Art) stamps
• Marvy Mega scallop circle
• Prismacolors and gamsol
• glitter glue, pop dots, push pin
  

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I'll be posting my sale/trade list a little bit later today. I'll also be doing some blog candy once I get 10,000 hits! Keep an eye out!

It's freezing! No fair!

I can't believe how freezing cold it is outside! The temperature dropped 40 degrees from yesterday. I thought the weathermen might be wrong and it would end up being a warm front instead of a cold one......but no. As my momma always says "Dwell on the good and lovely." I'm gonna really really try!

I did Amy Westerman's sketch challenge! I am a regular to her blog and love it but this is the first time I have done one of her Super Sunday Sketch challenges. Yes, I realize it's not Sunday, but at least I did it, right?

• MME Magnolia line patterned paper (yes, AGAIN)
• Like it a Latte, Riveting stamp sets (SU)
• Cuttlebug sliders die
• Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink classic ink
• Prismacolor pencils
• ribbon, pop dots

Thanks for the challenge Amy! Now I need to get my booty busy on my Easter cards so I can hand them out this weekend. And I'm only saying hand them out because I could never make them and send them in the mail in time! Wish me luck!

Can't put this paper away!

Alright, I just HAD to make another quick card with this paper! The scraps from earlier were just screaming my name! I used this layout from an old Paper Crafts mag I was flipping through while the kids were taking a bath. It was really simple to put together since I use just about everything I used on the previous card. Except I added a metal rimmed tag, new ribbon, and changed the stamp set. This is a 4 x 8 card.

• MME Magnolia line patterned paper
• Paper Tray stamp set (PaperTrey)
• Paisley Rockz stamp set (TAC)
• ribbon (RABOM)
• metal rimmed tag, glitter, pop dots, aqua painter

Both the tag and the flower are popped up but I just couldn't seem to get a good enough angle that you could tell. I also used the aqua painter to smudge the dye ink a little once I stamped the paisley. I learned that from the good ole' Nicole Heady herself! She's such a smartie I tell ya!

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Well, I'm off to clean some more. It also has the makings of a long night with Jolee's coughing. It seems to be getting worse.

Sweet dreams to all! See ya tomorrow!

Getting better

Thanks to all of you sending your good thoughts to us! I feel much better this morning but I'm still pretty tired (what's new!?). Ava and Clinton are back to normal! Although Jolee now has a cough that's bugging her. She is actually sleeping on the couch right now. If you'd ask her though she'd say "I'm just resting my eyes". Wonder who she hear that from? {blush}

I wanted to get a quick card in this morning because I seriously need to clean my house. I think I'm going to open the windows and doors and try to sort though some things. The Am. Vets are coming on Monday to pick up stuff I'm donating. I don't have anything yet, but by this weekend I'm sure I'll have plenty! I love that they come to my house to pick it up! Saves me a trip into town to drop it off somewhere else.

• MME Magnolia line patterned paper
• Happy Everything stamp set (SU)
• paisley ribbon (RABOM)
• Word Window punch (SU)
• Marvy Mega scallop oval punch
• brads, pop dots, glitter, push pin, black pen

I got this slab of paper half of for $10 at Hobby Lobby and I love all but like 9 sheets in it! They are all really great patterns! If you are in need of paper, or not (I never am but paper is my weakness) then you need to get this 180 sheet pack!

The lone stamper

I got this card made last night. I got the paper together, the bird colored, the ribbon out and then I sat there. I must have struggled with the placement of things on this card for 25 minutes. It's still not my fave layout, but it works.

I figured out that this is a Tuft Titmouse bird thanks to Jovita! You are a lifesaver girl! I don't know much about birds and I had no idea what color these really were.

• Things of Nature, Sweet Sayings stamp sets (TAC)
• MME Everyday Tango paper
• black CS
• watercolor paper and aqua painter
• Black Stazon, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Creamy Caramel, Mellow Moss classic ink
• Ribbon, brads, pop dots

I need to stamp with someone!! I am getting a tad bored stamping by myself lately.

For those of you who don't know me that well, I don't have any friends {sighs}. I have 5 sisters who are my best friends but still, they are sisters. And I have cousins and Aunts of Joe's that are great friends, but there again, they are relatives. My one true non-related friend is Heather who lives an hour away and has a brand new baby girl and also has a job as a baby nurse. She doesn't have time to come stamp with me!! So, here we are, back to square one, me with zero friends. I have tried to make friends with people and was even voted friendliest in my class in HS but I don't know if it has worn off or I am just too talkative for most or what. It's also hard to find someone my age (24) that has kids and is into stamping. I don't mind at all actually if they are my age. I get along with people older than myself perfectly. Actually, it seems to be people my age that I can't bond with. I think I know where I am in life. I have 3 kids, I am homeschooling, I'm happy that I can stay at home with my kids and that be my job every day. A lot of women (or girls, depending) my age are fresh out of college and still go out every weekend with friends or boyfriends. If I can't talk about my kids to someone, I pretty much don't have anything to talk about! And those of you with kids know exactly what I am talking about! I keep telling Joe's best friends to hurry up and get married so I can have someone to hang out with, even though I have a feeling they might be the complete opposite of me. Who knows!?!

Alright, I'm done whining now. Off to stamp......by myself.