Who Can Resist Ian?

Yesterday was a "My Day".  I had my hair done, lunch with my mom, and a bit of shopping for fresh summer clothes.  Very nice day!  But, I didn't get a new card posted.  I didn't even get into my studio. 

I do have a couple of cards I haven't posted yet.  Greeting Farms Anya and Ian are so adorable I had to have a few of their stamps.  These are not easy to get! Some of the stamps I want are always sold out --- everywhere.  But I was able to grab a few.  Like Skater Ian.  Who can resist Ian, anyway? 

The images are colored with Copics and the DP for both cards is the rockin' DCWV Rock Star Stack.  I love these little guys! We'll be seeing more of Ian and some of Anya, too!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope your week has been good and a terrific weekend coming up!

House Mouse Challenge #35 -- Get Well Soon

I hope everyone is having a great week!  It has been rainy here but that brings out the new leaves and thick, cool grass! I love spring!

This week's House Mouse Challenge is "Get Well Soon" or to wish someone well.   I don't have any HM images yet that show bandages or thermometers, but I love this bubble bath bunny.  Besides, what makes one feel better than a long soak in the tub? I used DP from the S-E-I Black Orchid collection and my scrapbook stash to make a little bathtub scene.  The mirror is some holographic CS I keep on hand.  The vase has been in my sticker drawer for ages, and the leaves are from silk flowers.  Some pearls and paper flowers and voila!

Jump on over to the House Mouse Challenge blog and show off your House Mouse, Happy Hopper, or Gruffies on cards to make someone feel better.  Be sure to check out the design team's cards and all the participants', too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Earth Day Card

Last Wednesday, April 22, was Earth Day.  I decided to
take note of the day by making a "recycled" card.  Over the years I have saved nearly every greeting card, mostly Christmas cards, and my aunt recently sent me card fronts she had been saving.  So I took one of those older cards and made this simple all occasion card.  The card front with the branch and beautiful red bird was actually larger than my typical 5 x 7 size, so I trimmed it just a bit.  I placed it on a striped DP and attached that to Bazzill CS.  To highlight the pretty little bird I cut an opening in vellum with my Nesties and folded a margin around to the side and attached it to the back of the card. 

On the inside is a quote I found in a collection of Vellum Sentiments.

All was very simple and, best of all, reused a wonderful old card.

Sunday Sketch and Stamp --- Design Team Blog Hop!

Thank you for joining us on the first day of the brand new Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge blog!!

Maggie, our fearless leader, gave us a terrific sketch for our first challenge and it is posted over on the blog .  We would love for you to post your takes on the sketch and the DT will be touring the blogs and looking at all the great talent out there.

Below is my card from Maggie's sketch.  I used DP from K & Company Classic Collection. The double-sided CS gives so many wonderful combinations. The image of Whiff of Joy Willow is colored with Copics. Isn't she just the sweetest? The ovals are cut with my Nesties. The scroll on the right side and the flowers are cut with Cuttlebug dies and accented with pearls. The "Cherish" charm makes a nice finishing touch and could be used for a number of sentiments.

But there is more today!  Scroll below the card ............................

We're having a blog hop today (26th April) to mark the launch of the site, so if you'd like to join in then hop back on over to the SSS blog where you'll find all the instructions and the link to the first blog to visit.

If you're already joining in the blog hop, you should have come to my blog from Clare at Taffy Crafty Creations (and if you didn't, you've taken a wrong turn -- oops --- and need to go back to SSS and start again...sorry!).

My blog hop question is: "How did I get the name for my card business?" You'll find the answer somewhere on my blog, so be sure to have a good look around! When you've found the answer, write it down and then hop on over to Stephanie's blog, Owl Whimsy, where you can see her wonderful DT card and the next question and blog hop link.

Good luck, have fun, and thanks for playing along with us - we can't wait to see what you create!

Sunday Sketch and Stamp is Ready to Launch!

We are getting really excited about launching our first sketch on Sunday, April 26!! We have a terrific sponsor for our first sketch.  Crafty Ribbons has provided the prize for our first challenge and it is really cool!!

 Also we have been busy behind the scenes adding a surprise for our first day:  A BLOG HOP!!  Whooo hooo! It will be starting at 9:00am GMT (3:00am CDT) and you will get to move from one designer's blog to the other. We will have our take on the sketch posted plus a question for you to answer.  There are prizes!  In the US, don't worry about getting up in the middle of the night to play --- you will have 24 hours to get the answers.  More details are over on Sunday Sketch and Stamp.

I am personally very excited as this is my first honor to be a designer.  I have to thank everyone for your encouragement and support.  I know you will all be around for our kick-off and we appreciate that, too!

See y'all Sunday!

One Card, Two Challenges: Whiff of Joy #27 and Cute Card Thursday #57!

When I finished this card last night for the Whiff of Joy Challenge I realized that it also fits the Cute Card Thursday Challenge. 

 

For the WOJ challenge Heather gave us a wonderful sketch this week.  I had this image colored and matched up to the DP for some time and thought it would be perfect for the sketch.  Willow is colored with Copics and surrounded by green and purple paper flowers from Oriental Trading Company and aqua flowers from Fabric Fancies.  The DP and green paper are from The Paper Studio and the lavender is from Paper Pizazz.  (These have been in my stash for a long time!) I distressed the edges of all the layers, which is the Cute Card Challenge: Getting Edgy.  Add some rickrack and a pretty little charm and ta-da!  At the last minute I added stick-on letters to spell "mother" and will add a sentiment for one of the sweet moms I know. 

There are more terrific cards at both of these sites, so jog on over for a look and play along, too!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Gift From a Friend

A hand made card is truly a gift, a creation from the heart. So when I received this beautiful card from my dear friend Marion of Myrt's Card-O-Craft I was surprised and elated!

A photo just doesn't do it justice. Marion's work is so neat and precise, every detail in place. The sweet stamp has her beautiful coloring and the inside of the card showed the same loving touch. The message brought tears of joy to my eyes and I'm going to keep that to myself, but she printed it in such a professional manner.

I feel truly blessed to be part of this wonderful community where talent, creativity and friendship are freely shared and appreciated.

Thanks, Marion! You are a gem!

Sunday Sketch and Stamp Launches In 4 Days!

Mark you calendars, set your alarms, and call your friends! Sunday Sketch and Stamp launches our first challenge on April 26 --- just 4 days away. Not only do we have some fabulous cards to kick off our first sketch, but we also have a terrific sponsor! So, what are you waiting for? Jog on over to Sunday Sketch and Stamp and see who this sponsor is!

See ya Sunday!

House Mouse Challenge #34 --- Springtime

Today is Tuesday and I have a confession to make: I am hooked on House Mouse and friends! Today I colored these cute little guys dressed as flowers, and before long I had a springtime bouquet. The House Mouse Challenge this week is Springtime so I am back already with this entry. Aren't they so cute?!

The DP is DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies. What better paper for springtime? The paper flowers are from a fun assortment called Fruit Salad Flowers from Oriental Trading Company. The little sunflowers in the centers were from Michael's bridal department --- really!

I haven't put a sentiment on this card yet because I haven't decided whether to use it for a birthday or Mother's Day.

Thank you for taking a look! Join us in the House Mouse Challenge and be sure to take a look at the other participants' springtime cards, too.

Whiff of Joy Challenge #26 --- Black & White with a Splash of Color

This week the Whiff of Joy Challenge isn't a sketch, but a color challenge: black and white with just a splash of another color. Fun! I knew just what touch of color I wanted to use. After I did my blog candy give-away I really wanted to get the the Pretty Poppies DP and embellies by Autumn Leaves for myself and, lucky me, they were on clearance at Michael's last week!

I chose Willow with the basket from the spring kit and set aside my beloved Copics in favor of PrismaColors for softer blending. I'm not as well practiced with the Prismas but I'm very satisfied with the results. The poppy brad, the DP behind the image and the journaling card are from the Pretty Poppy collection. The black glitter paper for the background added a lot of sparkle and the hounds tooth ribbon seemed to tie it all together. I really like this card. What do you think? It's a good thing I took pictures of it last night because my cousin snatched it right up today!

There is still time to add your favorite WOJ creation to the challenge this week! Be sure to check out all the other awesome cards.

Oh, and do you know about the new WOJ Summer Stamp kit now open for pre-orders? There's even blog candy to go with it!! Visit Katharina for details and a sneak peek.

House Mouse Challenge #33 --- Multiple Images

Yay! I finally did it! I finished a card for the House Mouse Challenge! For months I have been admiring these adorable little critters and the cards by the DT are amazing. I have to give special credit to our friend Carolyn who inspired me with her beautiful creations. I recently bought some Happy Hoppers stamps and with Carolyn's generous collection of more images, I have plenty to work on.

I guess I've hesitated this long because I am more comfortable coloring with Copics, but these little guys deserve the softness of PrismaColors. But you know what they say, "Practice makes perfect". These are far from perfect, but I'll keep on practicing. I had a piece of scrapbook paper with a photographic image of the beach which somehow suited these cuties. Imagine one of those watermelon seeds finding their way into the lemonade glass!! Heehee, LOL! Uh, um, I hope you enjoy this brief trip to the beach.

Please feel free to leave your comments. I appreciate the feedback.

Copic Creations #2 --- Blue Jeans

Copic Creations Challenge #2 is coloring/blending/shading jeans, which I have been doing quite a bit of lately so I had this adorable Country Girl from Sarah Kay ready to go. I love coloring this image (as I do all of them) with Copics because of the opportunity to shade for depth and highlights.

I just started coloring with Copics in November '08 and was immediately hooked! The Copic Creations blog is so terrific because of the tutorials offered by the DT. Be sure to check it out!

I apologize for the shadow over the card. The lighting wasn't cooperating and I wanted to show the embossing on the white CS. Thus the close-up below.

This challenge is up until April 30 so you have plenty of time to join in! Oh! --- there is a terrific prize, too!

Embossing on smaller white rectangle by Cuttlebug embossing folder. Grid on card base was done with Scor-Pal at one-half intervals.

One Card --- Two Challenges!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend! This is the first day I've had time to make any cards. I really missed the time in my studio, so today made me feel great!

This card actually fits two challenges. The first one is the Whiff of Joy weekly challenge #25, which I always love and, again, got in under the wire. The sketch by Katharina was such fun. The second challenge is the very first for Copic Creations and is coloring faces and skin tones.

Our beautiful Willow is sitting in a bed of flowers. She is colored with Copics and the flowers were pulled from a $1.00 stem from Walmart (talk about economical!), dipped in glitter and held together with simple white brads. The DP is Basic Grey's Porcelain Collection. It is so delicate and charming. The bottom edge is made with one of my favorite Martha Stewart edge punches.

Thank you for stopping by for a look! I'm looking forward to more time in the studio this week. Spring is finally making a more colorful showing here in SW Missouri and I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful season, too.

Happy Easter and Glorious Spring!

Happy Easter and Glorious Spring!

Easter Reflections

by Helen Steiner Rice

With OUR EYES we see

The beauty of Easter

As the earth awakens once more...

With OUR EARS we hear

The birds sing sweetly

To tell us Spring again is here..

With OUR HANDS we pick

The golden daffodils

And the fragrant hyacinths...

But only with OUR HEARTS

Can we feel the MIRACLE of GOD'S LOVE

Which redeems all men...

And only with OUR SOUL

Can we make our 'pilgrimage to God'

And inherit His Easter Gift of ETERNAL LIFE.

BIG NEWS! I'M NOW A DESIGNER!!

It has been so hard to keep this secret the last few days!! A brand new blog Sunday Sketch and Stamp is starting up and I was selected for the first design team!! Woo hoo! You just wouldn't believe how big this is for me! I just can't wait to get started! You'll be seeing our first sketch soon so be sure to check back often! Thanks go to Maggie Bob, our founder. Please be sure to check out her blog as well as the blogs of the other five designers: Simonne, Ger, Clare, Stephanie, and Adrianne. I am truly blessed to be in very good company! Our bios will be posted soon, too. As I have said before, this is a very caring and encouraging community and I am sure I wouldn't be seeing this dream come true if it wasn't for my paper craft pals. Hugs to y'all!

We have our DT in place and we are also looking for sponsors. It is so much fun to win some of the amazing scrapping goodies out there. If you are interested in sponsoring a week, or two, or 20, please let me or Maggie Bob know. You will be much appreciated!

Another Favorite Sarah Kay....

This is going to be a very busy week with my brother and his fiance coming this weekend, cleaning house, and doing taxes (yep, I procrastinate out of fear!). I still want to get entries in my favorite challenges and maybe a surprise or two this week!

The card I have today is from a sketch I found on Tina's Kreativblog back in February. Do you hang on to favorite sketches? I have enough to keep me busy for months! Anyway, this sketch was Stamp with Stampavie Challenge #31 and I love the slight angle of the background layer. It does create a bit of an optical illusion, especially with geometric DP. But that is half the fun, right?

So, here is "Puppy Love" and I love this puppy because he reminds me of my three Shih Tzus! Margeux is colored with my beloved Copics and layered on papers from the gorgeous Basic Grey Marrakesh collection. The brads in the upper right corner as well as those in the flowers are from the Marrakesh collection, too. The little puppy is offering a key to Margeaux, so I finally had a chance to use one of the hand-wrought iron keys from my embellies stash.

Here is the sketch. If you haven't used it yet, I recommend it. I'll probably use it again!

Busy week and all, I'll try to get back with something new every day. Yep, I'm hooked!

Thanks for stopping by!

With A Friend Like Carolyn..........

................ my life is truly blessed!!

Many of you know Carolyn over at P.M.S. etc; if you don't, pop over there right now and get to know this fabulous lady and look at her amazing art! WAIT! First take a look at what she sent me:

Isn't this just the cutest card? Carolyn knows that I love photography and this image from House Mouse Designs is made more perfect by her coloring and the love she puts in every stroke. The card is just wonderful! Photos just don't do it justice. Not until you hold one of Carolyn's creations in your hand do you see the details like tiny flecks of glitter, absolute precision in cutting, and out-of-this-world creativity. I love this card almost as much as I love the bubbly, classy lady who made it for me! Thank you, dear friend, for sending me this treasure!

But this isn't all I found in the package... for months I have been "threatening" to set aside my Copics, take up my Prismacolors and try my hand at some House Mouse images. Well, Carolyn sent me so many adorable images of the House Mouse, along with his pals Happy Hoppers bunnies and Gruffies bears, that I just have to make good on my threats! Oh, and more Sarah Kay cuties, too. I am one lucky lady!

Like I said, with a friend like Carolyn, I am truly blessed!! She is a God-send!

Carolyn, thank you so much! Love and hugs and chocolate kisses to you!

Ok, now you can rush right over to P.M.S. Etc!

Catalog Color Scheme #2

Last week I posted a card I made after seeing a bedding ensemble color scheme I liked in a catalog. Well there was another color scheme I liked in that catalog and here is the card I made from it. Again, a simple layout, letting the image and DP take the stage.

Whiff of Joy's Willow is colored with my Copics and nestled on frames cut from my Nesties. The DP is the charming DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies. The charm says "Imagine". I chose it because I think Willow looks a bit wistful here, as if lost in her imagination.

This is the bedding ensemble from the Penneys catalog. I love the mix of colors here.

And here is Willow's close up.

Don't forget to browse through those catalogs before tossing them into the recycle bin! They are full of inspiration!

Be sure to come back tomorrow! I will be showcasing a gem from my adorable friend Carolyn, who I compare to a rare champagne because she is "classy, bubbly and has very good taste!"

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Mojo Monday Week 80

After regularly visiting Mojo Monday I finally completed a card to meet the MOJO80 weekly challenge! This was a fun sketch, one that I will probably use over and over.

I used this adorable Sarah Kay image that is a favorite of mine because I also love to paint, but just don't get a chance to. She is colored with Copics. Then I used papers from Basic Grey Sugared Collection, lightly sanding and distressing to add texture. The medallion cut-out is also Basic Grey. The cream colored mulberry paper is topped with gold-trimmed ivory ribbon. Add three pearls and it's done! Easy and classic!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to make Mojo Monday part of my weekly plan. Now I'm off to look at all the other great pieces.

Whiff of Joy #24 --- Let's Get Dirty!

The Whiff of Joy Challenge this week is let's get dirty --- as in distressed. Distressing the papers adds so much to the card and I love the look. One of my favorites I did recently for Heather's WOJ Challenge #21. I scraped edges like crazy on that one! So for this card I scraped plus sanded plus dabbed on antique linen distress ink. Here is the result:

I love this image of Willow kneeling. I used my Nesties to cut the image and also for the scalloped layer. A touch of Antique Linen distressing ink and some sanding "dirty" it up. She is colored in Copics bright colors which were pulled from the fabulous Basic Grey paper ensemble Marrakech. Even sanded and scraped this paper is amazing. This DP sparks so many ideas! It is no secret that I love colors, bright bold colors, and this ensemble is one that I will probably use up all the papers in the stack! The pretty brads in the centers of the flowers are Basic Grey's coordinating embellies. The flowers are miscellaneous from my stash, as is the sentiment which is stamped with Memento Sepia. Many of my embellishments I've had for years so things like the photo corners have long ago lost their identity, but have been waiting for just the right project to perch on.

Another fun challenge, design team! Thanks!