Wild About Wildlife Challenge

 What good timing!  I got my Paper Pumpkin for this month on time for a change and it is a Safari Celebration theme so several cute animals in the kit.  Then today I  stumbled across a blog posting about a Clean & Simple Challenge using animals.  My monkey fit the bill!  What do you think?

The bananas are stamped from last month's Paper Pumpkin and colored with my Stampin' Blends.  The sentiment is fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals (as is the monkey himself.)

Thanks for stopping into my Inkie Fingers blog.  I really love the Wild about Wildlife challenge.  It goes perfectly with the Safari Celebration Paper Pumpkin kit for February.  You can see other entries at The Paper Players 579 theme challenge.

Paper Craft Crew Challenge with Swirly Birds

Once upon a time .... I used to do a lot of card challenges.  Splitcoast Stampers have several challenges every week - from color challenges to design challenges.  A lot of stamping blogs also offer different challenges.  With this card I am doing a design challenge from the Paper Craft Crew Card Sketch (say that 10 times fast!)  They are celebrating their 200th challenge with this design.  I was a member of the Paper Craft Crew when it first started and did weekly cards for a few years as a member of the team.  Back then, I mainly did digital cards for the challenge since that was when Stampin' Up still supported My Digital Studio.  Sadly, that is not the case anymore (and I am still sad about it!!)  I decided to get out my new Swirly Birds set.  This is the cutest stamp set!  It's funny - when I first saw it in our pre-order, I did not like it so I didn't purchase it early.  Well, guess what was on my first order when the new catalog came out!!!

I used several stamp sets on this card.  For the Dapper Denim striped background, I used the  Diagonal Stripes Background Stamp (pg 125).  For the light Flirty Flamingo center background, I used one of the watercolor wash stamps in Work of Art, stamping off once before stamping on the white card stock.  I like the combo of denim and pink in this card, what do you think?

Here is the sketch if you are interested in making a card with it.  You might want to visit Pam's blog since she is giving away a pretty good prize this week!  (Sunny Girl Scraps)  Also stop in at the Paper Craft Crew Challenge Blog and see the other cards for this challenge.  Many of team members are also giving away blog candy.

Up, Up and Away!

I haven't made a card for a challenge in a long time.  I used to search out challenges and make cards to fit them but I haven't done that in a while.  Yesterday when I was looking at different blogs to get some inspiration, I came across the Paper Players Challenge with the theme of "up up and away." With so many balloon stamps available, I decided to make this card.

I stamped the sunburst with Versamark, sprinkled white embossing powder over it and sponged the area with Pool Party.  I used the Balloon Punch and punched out 3 balloons from Designer Paper.  I ended up not stamping any balloons after all!  I actually did stamp them (on the other side) but liked the un-stamped balloons best.  I die cut "happy" with framelets and glued them to the middle of the card.  I stamped the stars (from Balloon Celebration) with Pool Party and Pink Pirouette ink.  I used glue dots under the balloons to anchor the silver cord.  I used the Washi Tape punch for "birthday" (from Celebrate Today).  Next was to layer the white card stock onto Pink Pirouette and then onto the Pool Party card.

What do you think?

See Ya Later Alligator - Paper Craft Challenge #78

I tried to post last night but our internet was soooo slow!  Don't know if it's the weather causing it or not.  I just reset our internet connection and hope that will solve the problem.

So, it started snowing yesterday around 1:00 pm and didn't stop until after dinner time.  It was a fine light snow and only got about 1-2" accumulation.  I had an eye dr. appointment this morning at 9:30 and was a little worried about driving.  As it turned out, all Sonny's buddies "wimped" out this morning on going shooting so he was able to take me, plus I called and got the appointment moved to later in the morning.  Actually after driving to town, I believe I could have done it.  (I do NOT drive in snow or ice!!  I've had about 3 car accidents in my life and 2 were on iced over bridges!)  My eye doctor finally agreed with me that I needed cataract surgery!!  This has been an on-going issue with him and me for about 6 months.  I am scheduled for the surgery on Feb. 13 and I can't wait!  I hate having trouble seeing.  I can only imagine how bad it is for my mom who is legally blind with Retinosa Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease.  After the eye doctor, Sonny and I went to Corrine's for breakfast and ran into two of our Pittsburgh buddies who had just gotten there so we all had lunch together.  It was fun and such a coincidence as I was next going to one of the gals' house to drop off the calendar I had made for her to give to her sister when she goes to Florida in a couple of weeks.  (I'll be posting pictures of the calendar tomorrow.)

I have not participated in the Paper Craft Crew Challenge since early December so it was fun to design my card in MDS last night and post it for the challenge.  I used items from the new Occasions Catalog (DSP) and a stamp set from Sale-a-Bration.

The Paper Craft Crew design team has come up with some fun card samples using this week's card sketch.  Go HERE to check out the rest of the cards.  You may click any of the photos to see a larger image, and you may also click the name under the photo to go to the designers blog for more information on their creation.

• POSTING END TIME:  If you'd like to be considered as one of our Featured Artisans, please be sure to link your project by February 4, 2014 at 11:55 PM EST
• VOTING:  Voting on submissions starts on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 11:55 PM EST.  Voting ends on Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 11:55 PM EST.

SOCIAL NETWORKING and UPDATES…  Look for the Paper Craft Crew on Facebook!  You can like us by clicking HERE!  You can also find the Paper Craft Crew on Pinterest.   Don't forget to sign up for email updates if you haven't done so!  

GUEST DESIGNER OPPORTUNITY…  Each time you participate "adds up" and may earn you an invitation to be a guest designer for a future challenge!  How cool is that…  Also, the more participation by our readers increases the exposure for everyone from participants to the design team to Stampin' Up!  To be eligible as a guest designer, you MUST participate in no less than 5 consecutive sketches AND be able to create a card that is created using 100% Stampin' Up! products. 

BLOG CANDY…  The Paper Craft Crew periodically offers BLOG CANDY!  You will never know when the Blog Candy will show up.   We have to keep you on your toes and coming back for more!  NOTE: shipping of blog candy within the United States is free, unfortunately, we must ask our international winners to pay for shipping on any blog candy they may win.

Sammie

I am so sleepy I can barely hold my eyes open so this is going to be a quick one!  I created a card tonight using My Digital Studio for the weekly challenge on Late Night Stampers.  The challenge was to include an insect in your creation.  I actually think I have gotten rid of most of my buggy stamps but I can always count on MDS to find a stamp.  Think I included enough insects? 

 I also have to share this picture that Ashley sent me tonight.  My friend, Kenny brought Sammie a toy last month when she came to Stamp Club.  Sammy wasn't impressed with the toy and never played with it.  The blue plastic circle has holes in it for them to put their paws and there is a ball rolling around inside.  I knew the perfect place for the toy since Sammie didn't want it .... with Bogart!  So, I sent it to Ashley and she got it today.  Looks like I picked the right cat!  That should keep him busy for a while.

I got registered for CKC-Charlotte today.  Ashley is going to come down in August and go with me.  We are taking 2 classes on Friday (and doing a little shopping!) and 4 classes on Saturday.  Marianne is going to try to take 1/2 day off on Friday and go to one of the our Friday classes and all the ones on Saturday with us.  We booked a hotel room across the street from the Convention Center so it will be a fun girls weekend!

I'm A Stampin' Queen!

I have great news to share.  I have been chosen to be a Stampin' Queen!  I will be part of the Stampin' Queen Design Team.  Can you believe there are four Sharon's on the team?  Maybe that was one of the requirements!  HA!!


Each week (on Wednesday) we will be posting a card sketch along with the Stampin' Queen's interpretation of the sketch. Here is the first week's sketch:

Here is my version of the first sketch:

I used one of my favorite color combos - Pink and Brown!

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Pink Pirouette, Choc. Chip, Whisper White, Flirtatious Specialty DSP (pg 183)
Stamps:  Delicate Doilies, Smarty Pants (FRIEND)
Access:  Corner Rounder, Circle Punches and Dies, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, White Brad, Dimensionals


I hope you will visit the Stampin' Queen's blog site HERE and see the other versions of our sketch!  There is also going to be an opening day GIVE AWAY that you don't want to miss!  So hurry on over and check it out.

To participate:

• Post the image of your creation to  your blog, Splitcoast, or whereever you like to post your images for all to see
• Please put some where in the post that you are participating in the Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge or SQSC #1.  It will help if you put in any keywords so it can be searchable
• Link the image of your creation to the STAMPIN' QUEEN BLOG

I can't wait to see what other creations everyone makes with this sketch.

This is really so exciting for me.  I have wanted to part of a design team for a long time and now I am!!

Heat Embossing on Dry Embossing

Yesterday, I did some challenge cards.  I used to do challenges faithfully on Splitcoast  - mostly color and sketch challenges.  But on Monday's the challenge is "Try a new Technique" so I did.  This technique is called Heat Embossing on Dry Embossing.  Here are the steps:

• Dry emboss your cardstock with an embossing folder.
• Run an embossing buddy over the dry embossed cardstock before applying the ink.
• Ink up your brayer with Versamark and run it across the raised area of the dry embossed cardstock using a real soft touch...you only want the ink on the raised part.
• Apply the embossing powder, shake off the excess, remove stray embossing powder with a small brush, and emboss with a heat tool.

 For this one, I stamped on the Whisper White cardstock with my new Cover A Card stamp called Criss Cross in blue ink and did the embossing on top of that.  Then I embossed with white embossing powder.  The yellow centers are made with a yellow Pearl Pen.  How do you like that bow?  Made with my bow maker!!

close up of embossed flowers (used Elegant Bouquet folder)

This card I made for my sister, Angela's, birthday which was today.  We took her out to dinner at Chilli's tonight to celebrate.  I can remember when she was born and what a cute little kid she was with her curly hair.  We are 10 1/2 years apart!

The embossing folder is a Cuttlebug Happy Birthday folder.  The cupcake die is from Sizzix and the saying is from a retired SU set called Goody Goody.

Got my Mojo!

I forgot to mention our good Steelers news yesterday.  We always go to a local bar to watch the game with a bunch of other Steelers fans.  They do raffles during all the games of some great Steelers stuff.  At half-time, they draw 5-6 names and at the end of the game, they do one final raffle and it is always a authentic Steelers jersey.  The very first game, we won one of the prizes at half-time - a tee shirt and a Steelers gnome.  Well, yesterday we won the Steelers jersey!!  It was from the 1970's team (Steel Curtain) and was of Mel Blount.  I didn't even get to try the jersey on - it went straight to Sonny.  It still had the price tag on it - $300!!  Pretty cool, huh?

Today I made a card using the Mojo Monday sketch.  It's been a while since I did one of their sketches.  I had picked up this stamp a couple of weeks ago at H. L. and hadn't inked it yet.  I think it worked very well in this sketch.

 I turned the sketch on it's side so I could fit all my elements in there.  The ovals and rectangles are cut from Nestabilities.   The DSP is from a retired SU stack that was in last year's catalog.  I used my nifty Imaginisce tool to melt the bling onto the flower stem and in the center of the flower in the circle.  I wrapped the brown grosgrain ribbon on one side and used sticky strip to adhere it to the card.  I used the bow maker to make the bow.  Don't you love the saying?  Guess who I'm sending this card to!!

I bought a new laptop today and I'm so excited!!  There was a really good price at Best Buy but of course, when I got there, there were none left.  So, we had to order it.  That's ok - I can wait.  I have been using the Newcomer's laptop for two years while I have been Secretary/Newsletter. but I will be giving up that position at the end of the month (YAY! ) so I wanted my own laptop.  That's what I spent my first Social Security check on!! 

Finally!

Finally .... I used some of my new toys!   I made a card this morning before tackling  the Christmas decorations!  I used the Blossoms Punch and the stamp set, Build A Blossom from the Occasions Mini Catalog which will go into effect January 1.  So ... if there is anything that you have been wanting to get from the Holiday Mini Catalog, today and tomorrow are the last days that you can order from it.

I also decided to do a Color Challenge from Splitcoast.  If you have been a long time follower of my blog, you know that I love doing challenges.  But, it has probably been six months since I have had time to do a one.  I am going to start to challenge myself more!!  The color challenge was to use Old Olive, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight and neutrals.  Those are great colors for a man's card - which I also need to do for my brother's birthday - but I decided to do a flower instead.

 

 The punch makes it so easy to make the flower.  I stamped the petals onto Shimmery White card stock and punched away!  To adhere them to the card, I punched a circle of SU's adhesive paper (in the Holiday Mini - love it!) and put the tips of the petals on it in a circle.  I ran the Old Olive through the Big Shot using the Little Leaves Sizzix die.  The Daffodil scallop is a Martha punch. 

This is the center of my flower - how cool!  I got this neat tool for Christmas.  It is an I-Rock Bling heat setting tool.  You put the bling where you want it and heat set it with the tool.  The heat transfers through the bling and activates the glue.  Probably overkill on the bling, but I was having fun!

Well, I'm off to work on taking down the decorations while Sonny is here to help!  Hope you have a great day!

Challenge Central

If you are like me, you enjoy a good challenge.  Well, this site has all the challenges out there in Blog World listed - or at least they have all they know about!  Check them out.

Birthdays - Old and Young

 Wow - I have been on the go all week.  I'm trying to do better with my exercising so I went to the "Y" a few times this week.  Sunday is my mom's 82nd birthday so I had to do some shopping to find her a present.  She really doesn't need anything but she loves clothes.  So, I found a really cute black and white kinda leopard print jacket at Ross that I bought for her.  We took her out to dinner last night at Red Lobster.  Plus, I had two doctor appointments on Thursday and played mahjong on Wednesday.  I had an appointment with a rheumatologist Thursday morning to discuss my osteopenia.  I have taken Fosamax for about 10 years and was my doctor was concerned if it was doing the trick for me since my last 2-3 scans have shown a slight decrease in bone.  The Rheum. gave me all the options that are available and did a test on the computer showing my risk of breaking a hip in 10 years (.07).  After weighing all my options, I have decided to stay on the Fosamax which is what he recommended.  Later that afternoon I had an appointment with my primary care doctor to discuss my recent lab results.  As I was afraid of, my sugar test was high as well as my chloresterol.  I am going to work real hard to bring it down with diet and exercise.  Wish me luck!!  I don't want to get diagnosed with diabetes and have to do the testing and take the meds every day like my husband does! 

Today we went out to lunch with friends to a restaurant that we had never been to, Caruso's in Mooresville.   It was delicious!  I had Salmon Picatta ... yum!  I really prefer to eat a larger meal at lunch and just have salad or something light for dinner.  We have been doing that a lot more often.  Plus, if we eat out at lunch, I don't have to cook at night!!  (I'm no dummy!)   Twice this week I've made "Chop Chop Salad".  This was a salad we used to order when we lived in Gig Harbor and it is so simple I don't know why I didn't think to make it before.  I used the shredded lettuce that is pre packaged.  Then just finely chop up vegetables to go in it.  I used celery, green pepper, red onion, shredded cheese, green olives, salami and deli ham.  Add a little low-cal dressing and you're good to go!  Now, take it to your tv tray and eat it while watching Jeopardy!! 

Another of the reasons I haven't posted in a few days is because my monitor went out on me.  Wednesday night it kept flickering so I turned it off.  When I turned it back on Thursday, I could only get a black screen.  If I turned it off and back on, my screen would come on, but only for about 10 seconds.  So, this morning, my nephew came over to see what the problem was.  I was afraid it was the video card in my hard drive.  He brought another monitor with him and hooked it up.  Voila!  I had a picture.  So, he is letting me borrow his monitor until I can get one.  I will be looking for the best deal this weekend.

Here are a couple of cards I did have time to make this week. 

This card I made for Noah.  He is my friend, Margaret's grandson who lives in Charlotte.  His birthday is Sunday - the same day as my Mom.  I hope to see Margaret and Graham next week since they are in town visiting their daughter and her family.  The card uses the old faithful, Bugs and Kisses and the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.  Have I said how much I love this folder???  The card is 4 1/4" square so it will still fit in a standard envelope.  The colors used are:  So Saffron, Tangerine Tango and Pacific Point - taken right off the SU Color Combo.  I embosses the bugs with white embossing powder and punched them out with the 1 3/8" square punch.

This card I made for my Mom for her birthday.  It is also in response to the Mojo Monday Sketch.  This was a tough sketch this week - lots of layers!!  The colors I used are Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose and Sahara Sand.  The DSP is retired - from an old hostess pack.  Lots of punches that coordinated with the stamp set, Punch Potpourri (Level 1 hostess set).

Well .... stay cool if possible.  It's still really really hot here - still 83 degrees at 11:45 pm!  Supposed to get up to 99 or 100 tomorrow.  Might be going to an air conditioned theatre!!

Mojo Monday on Tuesday

My new catty goodies finally arrived yesterday ... about 6 pm!!  I didn't get any time to play last night - just got the box unpacked and orders bagged up.  And then this morning bright and early, I had to go into town to work at the Soup Kitchen. My volunteering at the Soup Kitchen may be coming to an end if things continue to go as they did today.  The ladies in charge of the Soup Kitchen berated the volunteers today over stupid things - we weren't putting the food on the plate fast enough, we used the end slices of the bread on the sandwiches, etc.  This has happened before but not as much as it did today.  It's sad that volunteers are treated that way when we are there to help them out. 

 So, I was happy to finally get home this afternoon and make a couple of cards.  It had been a while and it was nice.  I did a sketch for the Mojo Monday challenge using the flower from Apple Blossoms, a Level Two Hostess stamp set.  Here is the sketch:

And here is my card:

I stamped the flowers on white cardstock in Old Olive, Daffodil, Bashful Blue and Cherry Cobbler.  I cut out the smallest flower and mounted it on top of the large flower with dimensionals.  The flowers are punched out with the 1 1/4" square punch.  I edged the squares with my olive marker.  The "wish big" sentiment is from another new stamp set ... Wordplay.  I love this set!  So many great sentiments.  The DSP is some I bought last month in the Clearance section.  This paper may not be available anymore but there are still some good deals there on other stuff.  Check it out (see my sidebar).

More Baby Cards

I came up to my craft room this morning with the intent to get started on making a few Christmas cards.  Then, as happens a lot ot the time, my mind went off on another tangent and I remembered I needed to make a couple of baby cards.  So, I figured I'd whip a couple of them out and then do the Christmas cards.  Well, 5 hours later .... here's what I've got:

 

Of course, I did take a lunch break plus I was called away by the Red Cross.  But after I got in the car and went about a block, they called and canceled.  We had a drowning in the area yesterday.  A father was trying to teach his daughter to swim and he drowned himself.  The Red Cross has been on site providing meals to the rescue team.  They found his body this afternoon; so therefore, they didn't need me.  So sad.  Please, please, if you are out on the lake, use your flotation device - even if you can swim.  You just never know.  Supposedly, this man was a good swimmer so I don't know what happened.

Ok back to the card - This is why I don't do punch cards very much.  They just take me forever and when I'm finished, I have every punch I own on the table!    I found a similar card to this one on Splitcoast and set to work. HERE is the link to the directions on the punches to use.  I changed it up just a little.  Instead of drawing in the legs, I used the Word Window Punch and for the "hoofs", I used the 1/4" circle punch and cut it in half.  There's a lot of retired SU cardstock used in this - Barely Banana, Really Rust, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Gabel Green, Green Galore!!  A good way to use up what ya got!

I had to do two giraffes because the couple I am sending it to had twin girls last week.  I am so happy for them.  They lost a baby girl a year ago so this was a blessing for them to get pregnant with twins!

Here is another baby card that I am sending to the new grandparents.  This was much easier!!

This card was also a Sketch Challenge over on OWH Stars and Stripes.

Here is the sketch - I didn't do the measurements exactly.

 

Getting my Mojo on

Tonight I did a couple of cards in response to the Mojo Challenge this week.  The sketch challenge is always a fun one.  Plus I had a couple of new stamps that I wanted to use. 

This card is my favorite!  I just love this stamp.  I made two cards with it tonight.  On this one I embossed the black craft ink.  The stamp is "Inspire Butterfly Collage" by Memory Box.  I sponged So Saffron, Regal Rose and Bashful Blue on the butterfly trying to blend the colors together with muddy'ing them up.  I used my Nestabilities to cut out the ovals.  I stamped the French Script (SU) on a piece of So Saffron in black ink and adhered it down one side of the card.  I glued black strips down vertically and glued pink grosgrain ribbon horizontally.  The "inspire" is actually cut out separately and pieced onto the oval. 

Here is the other card I made with this stamp.  This is the full stamp image.  I sponged Turquoise, Amethyst, Celery and Banana onto the butterfly this time for a softer look. This card is also glittered.  And I used my Scor Pal to score lines around the card.

This is second card I made for the Mojo challenge.  I just love this saying!  Are you flipping right now .... or flopping???  The stamp is one from "M's" $1.00 bin that I have had forever.  The seashell paper is some I had left over after making Marianne's BEACH book which I'll be sharing soon.

Of course, I had company all night while I was stamping.  Sammie was either sitting on my desk or in my trash!  Here she is in my little mini trash bin:

I have trash all over the floor now!

My local stamp store, Stampers Alley had a close call this weekend.  It is in an old wooden building and behind it there is another long wooden storage building.  I don't know what it was used for but it caught fire Saturday night and burned to the ground in quick time.  There are pictures of the fire on the left column under Stamper Alley.  Also, you can read about it HERE and see other pictures.  See for yourself.  Brenda at Stampers Alley was extremely lucky.  The firemen did a good job of keeping water on her building so it didn't catch on fire also. 

I Scream for Ice Cream

This past weekend I had a little extra time to play and make a few cards.  I used to do the Splitcoast challenges faithfully - especially the sketch and color challenges.  It's been a long time since I did any of their challenges.  In fact, they have a new challenge I didn't even know about!  It's called Free for All and I think they post new ones on Thursdays.  Anyway, last week you were supposed to make a card that was inspired by this little poem:

I like ice cream. Yes I do!

One scoop for me?

No! Make it two!

Hmmm two scoops of ice cream,

I want more

How about three?

No, make that four!

1, 2, 3, 4,

Splat! "oh no! It's on the floor!"

I decided to combine the Free For All challenge with the Sketch Challenge and came up with the following:

I used Pink Passion that I used my NEW embossing folder - it finally arrived from back order & I love it!!  The DSP is some that I had in my stash - not sure who it is by.  The stamp set is a retired hostess set from last year - Goody Goody Gumdrops.

That ice cream looks pretty refreshing after all the 90+ degree days we've been having (17 in a row so far).  Today was 98 and tomorrow is supposed to be in the 90s too.  BUT ... a cool front is on it's way and the highs on Wednesday .... 76!!  And the rest of the week it is only going to be in the 80s.  So, we'll be able to go out on the boat.  We went out on Sunday but stayed in the water (which wasn't that cool) most of the time.

Card Challenge 411

Sorry my posting has been sporatic.  Ever since I returned from Texas, I just have not felt good - allergies, vertigo ...!  I don't know how I lived in Texas for 22 years.  Of course, I had constant sinus drainage the whole time we were there and just thought that was normal.  And, every year, like clock work, I had sinus infections in February and October.  Since Ashley moved back there, we have visited her twice and I have come home sick both times.  Saturday, I was feeling good and thought I was on the road to recovery.  Yesterday, Sonny  & I went over to Concord Mills and then to Ben Franklin.  By the time I got home, I was so nauseous -  I crashed on the couch for a few hours and had saltines and butter for dinner!  Guess that was better than Sonny's dinner of ice cream & nuts!  Today I felt better so I took my decongestant and went to play bridge but I am dragging now. 

I did have a little time this weekend to make a card just for fun!  I did it for the Stamping 411 challenge.  I had seen this really cute flower and wanted to give it a try.  Here's the link to making the flower if you want to give it a try. 

This is the sketch I had to follow:

This is my card:

I used the designer paper from the Summer Mini, Island Oasis.  The piece of paper on the top actually has a white background but I sponged Rose Red over it (see sample below).  The flower is made with Rose Red cardstock; the leaves are from the Island Floral Die from the Summer Mini in Old Olive (I creased them down the middle and sponged them).

Here is a close up view of the DSP:

See, you can alter your paper any way you want it!

Well, Ashley left today for Fort Polk in Louisiana for her training for Iraq deployment.  She will be there for 2 weeks "roughin it".  I can't even imagine how hot and muggy it will be and I figure the mosquitoes will carry her away!  She'll be here late in July for a visit with us before leaving for Fort Hood in August and Iraq in September. 

Mojo Monday Challenge Card

I made this card for my mother for Mother's Day.  It is also a Mojo Monday Challenge card.  I have been so busy making cards for swaps, classes, etc. that it felt good to do my own thing!  I made the tulips using the wonderful Bird Punch.  Do you have that punch yet?  What are you waiting for??  There's so much you can do with it! 

We are going to my mom's house on Saturday evening. Sonny and Greg are going to cook out on the grill .... what, we don't know yet! Something easy without a lot of clean up! I'm thinking tin-foil dinners for each person. I remember making those when our kids were little at home and when we went camping. They were so good. I put a hamburger patty, potatoes, onions, and green pepper in the packs and added a little Worcestershire sauce. Yummm!!  My sister, Angela, is preparing the dessert.

Picture Perfect Card Challenge #6

I almost forgot the challenge from Picture Perfect Creations this week!  Today was the last day so I was able to get this card done in record time. 

Do you ever make a card and get it all put together only to discover all your pieces are glued down to a card that opens backwards???  Well, I do that a lot it seems.  Today I did it twice and this was one of the cards I did it to.  Then I have to get out my faithful, Undu and take everything apart and redo it!  I just need to slow down. 

The color combo this week wasn't my favorite, but I did the best I could. 

My card base is Dusty Durango.  I made my own background paper!  I stamped the Very Vanilla piece on the bottom with stamps from Boho Backgrounds in Mellow Moss and Dusty Durango.  The top piece is Mellow Moss stamped in Always Artichoke.  The rectangle is Very Vanilla stamped with Boho Backgrounds in Dusty Durango and the Always bird in Mellow Moss.  It is matted with Always Artichoke and Dusty Durango.

That Old Black Magic with a Mojo Challenge

Here's a card I made for the Mojo Monday Challenge.  I won't tell you how long it took me to do this card!  I just couldn't decide on the colors or the layout ... whether I wanted a round card or a square one.  I would have it all taped together and decide "nah - don't like it" and undo it all and try something different.  I should have taken pictures of all the rejects!  I'm still practicing the Black Magic Technique.  I really like this technique.  I explained how to do it on THIS post.  I just didn't use the white re-inker on this one for any accents on the flower (actually forgot but think it looks ok without them.)  I used my white Gelly Roll pen for the added white accents on the Black and Razzleberry cardstock.  The base card is some retired Pink Piroutte.  The DSP is from the Saleabration stack.  Today is the LAST DAY!! 

I got some new stamps yesterday and I'll be putting them together and sharing some cards with them soon.  Only problem is 2 of them will be retired after today since they are FREE Saleabration ones.  Maybe I'll sneak upstairs later today and make something with them.  I doubt it though.  I promised Sonny I would help out in the yard today .... with the $%$#$^ WEEDS!!  A never ending battle, don't you think?  If anyone has any good solution of getting rid of weeds, leave me a comment!  I could use it and so could my daughter who is fighting the weed battle in her yard too.

Easter Blessings

Here's one of the Easter cards I made.  Again, I used a challenge to give me some inspiration.  This was done for the color challenge on Picture Perfect Creations.  I did a card for this earlier - this is my second one.  I don't think I have used this stamp from the set, Peace Within!  Not sure why though.

I love the bird and basket of flowers!  It reminds me a lot of one of the stamps in the set, "Flower for All Season" which I have just ordered (FREE from Saleabration!!).  I also used the FREE Saleabration Scallop Trim Border.

Recipe:  Stamp:  Peace Within, Abundent Blessings

Cardstock:  Pretty In Pink, So Saffron, Elegant Eggplant, Watercolor paper

Ink:  Black & Watercolor Crayons

Acces:  Aqua Painter, Modern Label Punch, Photo Corner Punch, Scallop Trim Border, Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Pewter Jumbo Eyelet;  Crop-a-dile; Dotted Texturz Plate, Big Shot