Everything is just the way it should be...

Everything is finally back to normal at home, and is just the way that it should be. Gidget visited the vet last night, and except for some scrapes and a couple bite marks, she survived the ordeal fairly well. The vet did say she was VERY lucky that she did survive. I am so very thankful that she was brought back home to me, and the family is once again complete.

I stamped this fabulous card today for the Mojo Monday 110 sketch:I used various papers from the Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP. I love all the prints on this card, but the simple color selection. It reminds me of hot chocolate :) I heard it was snowing in Sierra Vista, where I will be settling in and making it home in December, and I can't wait. This card reminds me of a cold winter night with light snow outside, and I'm curled up in the window with hot chocolate - ok, so I'm missing the snow just a LITTLE bit right now.

The stamped image is from the Holiday Best stamp set, and is stamped in soft suede.

I flipped the Mojo Monday sketch, but I have to be honest, that was completely by accident. I made a mistake with the way the card opened, so I had no choice, but I love the way the card came out.

Ciao

Harvest Time

It's been a crazy week. Between starting to pack up my house, having a yard sale, Gidget running away (and then being found today...48 hours later), it's been one hectic week. I'm looking forward to hopefully a much calmer week.

I finally had time to sit down and be crafty, and I wanted to get to the SPCC challenge from this past week. Here is the color challenge and card:
I used the Branch Out stamp set and Holiday Best stamp set. I stitched the cardstock together to create the background, and stamped the 'dots' from the Branch Out set onto the cardstock. I stamped the tree image in Chocolate Chip, and stamped the leaves in Always Artichoke, Really Rust, and Crushed Curry. The 'Give Thanks' sentiment was done using the Stampin' Write markers, and cut out with the oval punch.

Happy Monday all!!

A little fun with blue and greens

I had some fun using some different shades of blue and green today. The first card is for the Mojo Monday challenge, but is also the 365 card challenge (Day 232) for the day. The challenge for 365 was to use fabric as inspiration. I made this great purse a month ago out of some beautiful Amy Butler fabrics, and I used it as my inspiration today:Here's the card that I made:

I used the large medallion stamp, stamped with Not Quite Navy ink on Bermuda Bay cardstock. I then stamped the image using Not Quite Navy ink on Very Vanilla cardstock, and cut out a rectangle. I then used the scallop punch to cut out the center of the image that was stamped with Bermuda Bay ink on Very Vanilla cardstock. The final layer was cut out using the 1 1/4" punch - Not Quite Navy ink stamped on Bermuda Bay cardstock.

The bottom of the card was finished off with a strip of Not Quite Navy cardstock, cut out in a wave pattern, and Bermuda Bay grosgrain ribbon was added. The thank you sentiment was stamped from the For all you do set. I stamped the polka dots with only a little Bermuda Bay ink, and then stamped the thank you in Not Quite Navy ink.

The second card I did today is for the 365 Card Challenge (Day 231), and the challenge was to think clouds.I used the sponge daubers to ink Mellow Moss and Sage Shadow in the sky to make a unique cloud image on the card. I then used the same colors in cardstock on the bottom to create the rolling hills effect - I like how it came out on my card the other day, so I thought I'd use it again. The tree came from the Branch Out stamp set (on the retired list), and I inked leaves using the Mellow Moss and Sage Shadow ink. The stamped images come out darker than the sponged area.

Happy Monday!!!

Finally Friday

Here is a card made for Finally Friday at SPCC and 365 Cards (Day 232). The challenge??? - a sketch challenge and a challenge to use embossing on my card. Here is my final card:I used the Fifth Avenue Floral Embossing folder, and embossed four pieces of paper. To create the color on the embossed image, I rubbed an ink pad on the raised side of the embossing folder, and then ran the folder through the Big Shot. This created color on the depressed side of the image. I used Sage Shaddow, Mellow Moss, Not Quite Navy, and Certainly Celery on this card.

I topped the card with cream and greenish/blue ric rac that I had in my stash, and a Happy Birthday greeting stamp.

Happy Sunday!!

A few challenges...

Here are several cards for you all today. I've shifted from Christmas cards back to every day cards. After working so hard on the Christmas card making event this past week, I needed a break from red and green!!

The first one is for the Paper Pal Arts Challenge, and for the Color Throwdown Challenge:
I used the Birds and Bloom Bigshot die for the bird, and stamped the wing with one of the stamps from the Circle Circus stamp set. The circles were cut using the Bigshot. For the Baja Breeze circle, I cut a larger circle out, and then cut a smaller circle from the larger circle, to create a frame. I saved the cut out circle for another project. A great way to maximize your use of the paper.

This card is for the SPCC challenge #19, and for the 365 cards challenge (day 218):


The colors and sketch reminded me of rolling hills. I trimmed the Green Galore and Taken with Teal to have the impression of grass. The trees are all from the Trendy Trees stamp set. Thank goodness for the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line these trees up!!

This is a card for the 365 cards challenge (day 218). The challenge was to stamp a background image in the same color as the cardstock.
And finally, this is a card for the 365 card challenge (day 228). The challenge was to use the same patterned paper, in two different colors.The hostess paper pack worked perfectly for this project. It's a fabulous sampling of the DSP, and you have multiple prints to choose from. I was easily able to choose a print in two different colors. The colors on this card are Always Artichoke and Sahara Sand.

Ciao

Dropping by...

Just dropping by to say hi. It's been a hectic week, and I've felt a bit under the weather today. I've been busy all week preparing for the holiday card making event, so I've had little time to sit and create. It's almost the weekend, and I can't wait. It means more time to do wedding preparations, and more time to stamp. I'm officially at 49 days until my fiancee and I are finally together again. I must warn you - I'm obsessed with counting down the days!!

Here are a few fabulous pictures from the button shopping adventure that I just took. My friend and I bought about 1200 buttons to use for my wedding. I'm a shopper, but about 4 1/2 hours into this, I was really tired of shopping for buttons!!!The shop had a book to pick out the buttons that I wanted. They were sold as a minimum of 100 each - ok, do I really need that many of one type of button?!?!

A button shoppers paradise - so many buttons to choose from in so many different colors...

I'll share more pictures of this shopping adventure, and what I am creating with all of these buttons when I have a bit more time. Gotta run.

Ciao

Mojo time again...

It's time again for Mojo Monday. I made this card today for my upcoming holiday stamp class in a couple days. Here is the sketch challenge:

and here is the card that I made:


Almost any DSP in Old Olive will work on this card. I have a couple sets of DSP that have Old Olive paper, and any of them would work.

I bought the Stampin' Up! clear buttons awhile ago, but have lacked inspiration to use them, until now. I used a clear button topped with a green button from my stash, and it really helped to break up the clear button. The 'Happy Holidays' was spotlighted, and colored in with watercolor crayons and aquapainter. Lastly, the background is Always Artichoke and I ran it through my big shot to give me the polka dot background.

Ciao

A little bit of everything

I had a chance this weekend to get several cards done, and I wanted to share them all with you. These were all based off of challenges I found on various websites.

This first card is for Day 225 of 365 Cards:

I couldn't get the picture to come out just how I wanted it, so the sentiment is hard to see - boo. Anyways, this was some old christmas patterned DSP that I had. I used buttons from my stash, and had some pom pom trim that I cut two off of. The sentiment is from an old Stampin' Up! Hostess set, and I used Old Olive and Chocolate Chip ribbon. I don't often make cards this size, so it was a really nice change for me.

Here's another card for 365 Cards (Day 222). the challenge was to use only 5 things - I used three pieces of paper, the rick rack, and the sentiment.

Such a fun card!! I just bought this rick rack this weekend, and couldn't wait to use it. The paper is from the Pink Flamingo DSP, and the sentiment is from the On Your Birthday stamp set.

Ok, another one for 365 cards (Day 223). This challenge was to create a shadow effect:


The paper is from the Christmas Cocoa Specialty paper, and the tree images are from the Patterned Pines hostess set in the mini catalog. To create the shadow, I stamped the image on Sahara Sand paper with Sahara Sand ink. I then stamped the image on Sahara Sand paper using Always Avocado ink. I cut all of the trees out, and using Stampin' Dimensionals, placed the trees slightly off center from the stamped image underneath - creating a shadow. Images can be difficult to cut out at times, but these trees were so simple - a great project for even those that hate the cutting!!

Here's the last card for the day, but no doubt my favorite. This is for multiple challenges:
-SPCC Finally Friday - challenge to use flowers
-365 cards (Day 220) - to use cross stitch
-Color Throwdown #63 - to use the following colors:

And here is my card:

I layered a couple pieces of cardstock and then stitched around the card a couple times on my sewing machine. The sentiment is from the Really Retro stamp set. The buttons were just randome buttons from my stash, and the large flower was made from white and green felt, with an embroidered flower, and topped with a button. These are new flowers that will be featured on my Etsy shop soon. Stay tuned for more information!!

Ciao

Mojo Monday 107

Time again for Mojo Monday -here is the sketch that we played with this week:and here is my card:

I was a little button happy on this card. The Bermuda Bay cardstock worked perfectly with the Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip cardstock. Add a stamped image, and lots of buttons from my stash, and voila. The sentiment in the lower corner is adhered to Bermuda Bay ribbon (remember - it's not just the polka dot side of the ribbon that you can use!!)

I wanted to share one other thing with you all today - I baked a couple items for a bake sale last week - a bit last minute, but I still had to package them nicely. I baked for two hours the night before and was up at 5:30am the next morning to package these goodies. Thank goodness for box mixes!!

I used up several of my smaller ribbon spools (love it when I use up some of my stash), and made these very simple tags. Such a simple addition makes these cookies look so much better. Pulled this basket out - I had bought it over a year ago and it has never been used. It completed the look nicely I think.

Happy Sunday all!!

Ciao

Seeing trees...

I haven't had a ton of time to participate in the week long challenge over at SPCC for world cardmaing day, but I did have time to get one card done. Here was the color challenge:
and here is my card:I just received this stamp set a week ago - it was on backorder, and then it took weeks to get here - I was sooo excited once I finally got it.

The layout is simple, and I used a variety of buttons that I had in my stash, and some old embroidery floss on the buttons. This card is definitely in the running for mass production as my x-mas cards this year!!

Ciao

A new blog design and a day at the beach

I'm so excited about the new blog design that I have. I put my name on the design list with Veronica over at vk design company about two months ago, and I've been anxiously awaiting my turn to be at the top of the list. My turn finally came, and I love what she did with my blog. It's exactly what I wanted, and now I need to finish some of the other details of the blog. Let me know what you think.

I took time out from work and wedding planning to take my two dogs to the beachthis past week. Let me introduce them to you - two adorable, loving, but incredibly stubborn Shih tzu's named Herbie and Gidget.

I left the door open while bringing in the groceries before going to the beach. Herbie decided to hop in the car with the hopes that we would actually go for a ride. He's been doing that repeatedly for weeks. We finally went somewhere today!!!

They are both fearful of the water, and even my best attempts did not get them to relax...they fought me the whole time.

They enjoyed the off the leash time, and they listen so well!!!

Later

SPCC #18

Hi All - wow, it's been a crazy week with lots of work, and a ton of wedding planning. I'll share more of the wedding planning at a later post - spending the upcoming weekend working on it, so I should have some pics to share with you.

I finally had time (and found my creativity again after a temporary absence) to sit down and stamp. The SPCC challenge for this week was a tad bit difficult with the Not Quite Navy color, but I love a good challenge. Here were the colors:
and here is my card:

The buttons were from a bunch of random buttons I just purchased (I'll post the pics of that later too - 5 hours of button shopping and I was exhausted). The background paper is from the Christmas Cocoa DSP.

More on my busy week later!!

Ciao

Rasberry Suite Color Challenge #17

Love the color challenge over at Dawn McVey's website. Check out her website, but if you don't, here is the color challenge:Here is my card :)
I'd had this idea in mind over the past week, but the color combination fit the bill for this card very well. My BigShot did most of the work for this card, with the circles and the texture. I cut out the circles first (Circles #5 die), then used the Texturz plate to create the small dot background. I used my ink pads and sponge daubers to lightly add ink to all the circles, to make the texture pop. I really like the geometric feel that this card has.

Ciao