A Thank You for a Special Lady

This is the third of four cards I made last Wednesday. It was intended for a special lady, my crafting friend Peggy.  I was able to hand-deliver it to her this morning as I was leaving her lovely home after an overnight visit that had us coloring into the wee hours of this morning!  She treated me --- spoiled me, is more like it! --- to a delicious New York spaghetti dinner last night and yummy potato patty breakfast this morning.  This card is thanking her for her hospitality.

The image is a merging of Mo Manning's "Perfection" and "Vintage Stove" and colored with Copics. 

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you had a restful weekend.

Birthday Card for My Sister

Last night I posted one of the four cards I made on Wednesday, a birthday card for my son.  Well, this is the season for birthdays in my family and tomorrow is my sister's birthday.  So this is the card I made for Patty.  Patty doesn't look like this, but I do! So I thank Mo Manning for giving us images that reflect our outer beauty, even though we wish we looked more like a Barbie doll.  This image is called Veronica.  She actually makes me feel glamourous!

I'm not at home as I write this so I can't run to the cabinet to look, but the dp is from a beautiful stack that is called Mariposa, I think, by DCWV, I think.  Anyway, it is gorgeous paper full of butterflies and bird cages.

The image is colored with Copics. I kept the layout pretty simple to show off the image and the paper.  The butterfly attached to the lower left corner is cut out from the corner of the paper I didn't use. The sentiment and background die cuts are Nestibilities.

So, Happy Birthday, little sister! I love you!

A Birthday Card for My Son

I am so sorry I've been MIA the past month or so. Actually, just missing, no action.  I don't know if my mojo totally abandoned me or I just go burned out, but it certainly has been a creative desert in my studio.  Good news, that spell might be over!  Yesterday I colored four images and made four cards, so the next few days I have new posts!  Woo hoo!

My son's birthday starts in 31 minutes, as I write this.  I am actually at his new house in Bellevue, NE for a couple of days to celebrate with him and his fiance.  I arrived to a delicious lasagna dinner, then a rousing game of Phase 10.  Below is the card I made for him.  Many of his birthdays have been near a beach or on a ship, but since he is land-locked for a few years I thought he might like a beach scene.  This was made possible by Mo Manning's fun new digital images Beach Elements and Surfer Dude.

The background and sand castle are from the Beach Elements collection and I added Surfer Dude.  These made a very fun image!  The whole scene is colored with Copics. I kept the design simple but colorful.  The collection of sea shells has been sitting in my embellies cabinet for ages and made a nice finishing touch here.

Here's a close-up of the sand castle.

And here is Surfer Dude himself.  I merged the images together and the possibilities are endless.  In fact, you will see another beach scene in the coming days.  I just don't have that one colored yet.

Thanks for stopping by today and sticking with me.  I feel myself coming out of this slump and I hope for good!  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Home From "Mother's Day Tour"

My Mom (left) and her best friend of 55 years Lil

Mother's Day 2011

Mom and I got home last night after our Mother's Day Tour. We had a wonderful time! Starting from Branson we drove to Sioux City, Iowa, with a side trip to our favorite antique mall north of St. Joseph, MO. While in Sioux City we stayed with my brother and his wife where we always have a great time. My sister lives in the area, too, so we spent time with her and her fiance having lunch at the legendary Green Gables. It has been on the same corner since before I was born. Let me just say that was a looooong time ago. Best matzo ball soup anywhere!

Mother's Day was a large family gathering for brunch at my brother's. Oh, so much great food, games and conversation.  It was fun to watch Mom's grown-up grandsons playing with the young great-grandsons and great-grandaughter. My son got a bunch of us playing Phase 10, which was a blast, as always.

From Sioux City we headed across Iowa with a stop in Woodbine, Mom's hometown, and a visit with her cousins. Then to Newton, home of Maytag, where my Uncle George had worked for over 40 years. George passed on last year, but we spent time with my aunt and cousins. We drove over to Cedar Rapids with a stop at Little Amana (didn't have time to go up to Homestead and the other colonies) where I was able to get some wine and other favorites of the Amana Colonies.  In Cedar Rapids are my Uncle and Aunt, ages 90 and 89, who are doing well and still self-sufficient.  I stopped at Hy-Vee and loaded up on Chinese food and salads from the deli there --- great stuff! So we had a great lunch and conversation. They love to look at my photos so I took out the laptop for a slideshow.

We had wonderful weather, except for the wind, almost all week.  Coming home yesterday I drove through a nightmare of a thunderstorm south of Des Moines.  It lasted about 30 minutes then the skies parted and we were in the clear for the rest of the drive home.

Now that I am home I have lots of catching up to do, especially with my favorite blogs! I'll get back in the groove soon! Thanks for stopping by and letting me share my special Mother's Day trip with you.

Mother's Day Card for My Mom

This is just a quick note to show the card I made for my mom. She won't be looking at my blog for the next couple of days so it is safe to post it. I get so tickled at Mom and her laptop. She will soon be 79 years old and it wasn't too many years ago that her laptop was only good for playing Solitaire in bed.  Now she is on the internet first thing in the morning, often before she gets dressed.  So when I saw this image by Mo Manning I knew just what to do with it!

The dp is from a Basic Grey scrapbook collection. The sentiment is computer generated.

I colored the image with Copics. The color scheme was chosen because it is one of Mom's favorites. Her laptop isn't red, but she often sets it on fire with her internet research!

Inside is a sentiment I made up (a rarity). The computer and stack of books is from the Print Shop 2.0 application. When she is not on the computer she is reading.. and reading.. and reading!

I am proud of my mom for thousands of reasons, especially that she keeps her mind active and is involved in important issues facing our country. As a volunteer for the Branson Tea Party Patriots HQ she talks to many people nearly everyday as well as prepares informational materials pertaining to the issues and candidates.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

And Happy Mother's Day to all Moms, Step-Moms, Grandmoms, and Moms-in-law out there!

Bah! Humbug! Challenge --- Pleats and Ruffles

We can always count on the creative ladies at Bah! Humbug! to give us interesting challenges. That will make for a wide variety of cards to send out when the holidays come around again, that's for sure! This week the challenge calls for pleats and ruffles.  To understand the source of this inspiration you will just have to pay a visit to the challenge for all the deets! T'is a Lofty inspiration, this one! But first, let me show you what I came up with.

A couple of weeks ago Bah! Humbug! had a challenge calling for Christmas stockings, but I wasn't able to participate in that one.  I was going to recycle this beautiful card with the three stockings hanging from the mantle.  So when this challenge came up I wanted to use this Mo Manning image with the pretty ruffled robe. I added a simple row of ruffled lace and ribbon around the top, much like the lace in the illustrated stockings, to make a quick and simple card. 

The image is colored with Copics. I like that so many non-traditional colors are now used for Christmas cards. I'm all for variety!

Thank you for stopping by! Be sure to hop over to Bah! Humbug! and see what is new in the "Hall". Jump in with your own projects, too. Before you know it you'll have a pile of cards ready for the holidays!

Mo's DP2 Challenge #80 --- Pink and Girlie!

The challenge at Mo Manning's DP2 this week is "Pink and Girlie".  Mo has so many adorable little girl images and coloring them in pink comes so naturally to me, I guess because pink was my favorite color when I was a little girl.  For my card I used the image "Cupcake Princess Violet", one of Mo's latest creations that can be found here.

I used only one sheet of dp, a double-sided selection from the new Susan Winget stack at K & Company. There are so many gorgeous sheets in this collection.  The image is cut with the Nesties circle die and is placed on a pink vellum die cut using the new Beaded Circles Nesties.  The large flower made up of a pink silk daisy, a paper flower, and a small flower cut from the dp.  I punched three more small flowers from the dp and added my favorite leaves by MS punch.  The border punch is also a new MS punch around and is so pretty!

The image is colored with Copics.  This just might be a birthday card for my mom later this month. As I mentioned, I loved pink as a little girl, especially in frilly dresses.  I also had long blonde hair and loved to decorate cupcakes.

The inside is finished and ready for a hand written note or a stamped sentiment.  There is a piece of the pink vellum over the dp along with the border punch and a strip of the dp at the top.

Thank you for stopping by today. It is the beginning of a glorious week leading up to Mother's Day and I have plans to spend some travel plans with my mom over the weekend.  We've always loved our road trips. 

Be sure to travel over to the DP2 Challenge to seem the amazing pink projects by the DT. 

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #61 --- The Great Outdoors

As I write this we are just hours away from the first day of MAY!  Where did April go?  If that old saying about "April showers bring May flowers" holds true we should have a FANTASTIC May! Last week alone we had 11 inches of rain here, and that was moderate compared to other areas nearby.  Cheryl's challenge topic, "The Great Outdoors," is quite appropriate.  Who wouldn't want to be outdoors now that the trees are a delicious green and the flowers add so much color everywhere!

I chose the image "Ladybug Lady" for my card.  I have always loved ladybugs.  When I was growing up bugs scared me and I'm allergic to bees. Then my grandmother told me that the ladybugs wouldn't sting or bite, so I actually looked for them in her garden.  This card makes use of scrapbook paper I've had for years and I added some new Jolee's ladybug stickers.

The image is colored with Copics and I've been practicing using the colorless blender to create clouds.  I'm really happy with this one! A touch of C1 adds dimension.

Thank you for stopping by! I hope May brings you lots of flowers and many happy days outdoors!  Be sure to hop over to Sassy Cheryl's to see the DT's gorgeous projects.  Then add one of your own!

Tiddly Inks Treasure Hunt Blog Hop

Welcome to the Tiddly Inks Treasure Hunt blog hop. We are kicking off Tiddly Inkʼs first birthday celebration and I am so glad you joined us to hunt for inspiration and goodies. If you came from Tracyʼs blog then you are at the correct spot. If not, you might want to go back to the Challenge Blog and start hopping THERE. You might miss some of the prizes that are hidden around the hop if you donʼt start at the beginning. :)

My creation today features Tiddly Inksʼs new image Bev Tiddlyinks. Christy created about 20 new images for her birthday celebration and you can find the rest of the images HERE.

I colored the image with Copics.  The dp for the card is the new Watercolor Bouquet by K & Company which is double-sided so the background Nesties label is the reverse side. I love the extra large border punch by Martha Stewart and it makes a lovely fence.  The flower border is matching Watercolor Bouquet dp stripes.  The butterfly is by Recollections at Michaels.

Here is a close-up of Bev. I added a flower from the border strip and a bit of bling to her hair. This card will be either a Mother's Day card or a birthday card. 

Just a little reminder that Tiddly Inks will be having a sale May 1-3 to celebrate itʼs first birthday. If you are interested, visit the SHOP and then plan to create a fun project for the challenges or the next blog hop on May 10.

On May 10, Tiddly Inks will hold another blog hop that is open to everyone. You can check out the details on Christyʼs blog HERE. It will be part of TIʼs fun birthday party celebration and the special prize for the that blog hop will be a chance to win a digital stamp customized and designed for you.

Thanks so much for hopping in our Treasure Hunt. I hope you enjoyed seeing a lot of  new images, some beautiful cards and visiting with our special guests and regular designers.

Lou

 

 

 

Barb

Bah! Humbug! Challenge -- The Man Himself - Santa Claus

This week at Bah! Humbug! the challenge is to make a card or project featuring the man himself, Santa Claus.  I took a little different approach to this challenge.  If there are any children in the room, you might send them to the kitchen for cookies and milk.  The image you are about to see might be disturbing to them.

The old man got caught playing Santa Claus!  This image is from Mo Manning and reminds me of the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".  The image is colored with Copics. I used the large border punch from Martha Stewart.  The gift foam stickers are from Michaels.

Here's a close up.  The looks on both faces tell it all! Mo has such a gift for expressions!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to visit Bah! Humbug! for their next challenge, which will be up in just a few hours! Happy crafting!

Happy Easter!

My son is definitely grown up, but when it comes to Easter time I think there is still a lot of child in each of us. When Scott was little, and even to this day, he likes to be the one to play Santa Claus and hand out all the presents.  But when he was little he didn't play Easter Bunny and hide the eggs -- he was way more into hunting for them. This year I made him this card, preserving the his childlike enthusiasm which, fortunately, he has never lost.

                                    

The image, Bunny Wannabe, is from Sassy Cheryl and is colored with Copics.  I used papers, ribbon, and embellies that are odds and ends in my stash.  I sent a similar card to Paula, Scott's fiance. You can see that one here.  

I didn't notice till the card was done and I looked at the photos that I mounted the image a bit on the downhill side.  Oops! Well, I do live on the side of a hill so I guess I was a little off kilter the day I made this one. If it keeps raining the way it has been we just may be sliding down this hill!

Bunnies, eggs, chocolate and Peeps are all wonderful things about Easter.  But the true joy comes from the truth of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I hope you all have a blessed and fun Easter!

Design D.I.V.A.S. Facebook Group -- Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop

What's one of the best things about crafting?  There is a very good chance that we have supplies, toys, and tools that we have neglected for at least 6 months --- maybe even longer --- and we get to dust them off for the monthly Design D.I.V.A.S. Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop.  Today is the day for the April hop and I know we are going to see some fantastic projects.

The Design D.I.V.A.S. is a private Facebook group, which is a branch of the Original Design D.I.V.A.S. on the Splitcoaststampers website.  The acronym for the D.I.V.A.S is, Divine, Inspirational, Virtuous, Artistic (or annointed) Sistahs.  This is a very talented and supportive group, which I'm blessed to be a part of .

If you came here after visiting my wonderful friend Cindy then you are on the right track. Today the hop started with the lovely and talented Vicki so if you didn't start there be sure to hop backwards to take in all the stops.

Everything about my card is an oldie but goodie!  I colored this adorable House Mouse image last year!  I matched it with the paper and layout --- last year!  The dp has been in my stash for a couple of years.  And the flower brads came in a kit --- last year!  The Mother's Day sentiment was actually computer generated --- you guessed it, last year! Can you believe Mother's Day is less than three weeks away?  So, this might be an OBG, but it is timely!

I colored this image with Prismacolors.  GASP!!  NOT COPICS??  Well, I guess my Prismacolors would be another OBG to get dusted off.  Maybe I'll do that for next month's OBG hop.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Now, be sure to hop on over to see what our clever and crafty Gina has dusted off for the hop!

Mo's Digital Challenge #78 --- Start of Something New!

Spring is the season of "new" and that is the theme this week at Mo's Digital Challenge.  I chose the image "Wonder", which is new to me.  As I watch the new flock of hummingbirds visit our feeder, and see the new tulips and crocuses burst up from their winter hibernation, and see young children look at the world in a whole new way from last year, I am also reminded of the Easter promise of new life through Christ. 

I made this Easter card for my future daughter-in-law.  It actually coordinates with the card I made for my son, which I will show in a couple of days. 

I've been trying to use scraps and miscellaneous papers and these worked so well with the image, which I had already colored.  I love the shape of the Nestabilities Label Sixteen. It adds the feeling of motion to the project. The flowers and brad centers are also odds and ends I am using up. The sentiment is computer generated.

Here is a close up of the image, which is colored with Copics.  Mo has so many wonderful images that I just can't pick a favorite, but this one just really tugs at my heart.  I remember sitting in the cool grass near my grandmother's flower bed. I never had a hummingbird light so close to my hand, but often got close up looks at butterflies and ladybugs.  Now, though, we have our regular hummingbird visitors and many don't care if we are standing right there as they drink.  We have some that actually hover as we hang up a new batch of nectar!  They are amazing!

Be sure to visit Mo's challenge blog to see the great new projects by the DT.  I'm sure you will find something new that you will want to try.

I hope your week is amazing and joyful as we celebrate Easter and Passover.

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #59 --- Think Spring!

Horray! It is finally spring! Don't let those April blizzards around the country fool you! The calendar says it is spring, and Sassy Cheryl says it is spring, so it must be spring! And that is the theme for Sassy Cheryl's Challenge this week.  Since Easter is also a very important part of spring my card is an Easter card that I am sending to my aunt and uncle. 

I used Cheryl's image "The Little Girl's Flower", colored with Copics.  The card, butterfly and inside liner --- and this is the best part --- is all from one 12" x 12" sheet of double sided dp from the K & Co. Susan Winget collection.  So many times these large sheets have beautiful artwork that is just too large for a card.  Well, with some inspiration from Becca Feeken at Amazing Paper Grace, I was able to use this gorgeous paper, front and back. The rhinestone swirls add sparkle.

Here is a close up of the image.  She is so cute!  This time I actually colored the image after choosing the paper and the pink and yellow worked out nicely.

The butterfly is two layers, Martha Stewart large and small punches.  Both are from the dp, the large one from the back side and the small from the front. 

Inside is the back side of the dp with the remaining corner of the front design layered on the right.  The sentiment on the front and the Bible verse John 3:16 are embossed with Pearl Lustre opaque Emerald embossing powder.  All in all this was a simple card to make and will mail nicely. 

Now, I've gotten run and get this posted.  I'm sliding in at the last minute again.  Where has the time gone?  But, it looks like my mojo is returning and that is a very good thing!  Be sure to hop over to Cheryl's and see what the DT has come up with.  You will be inspired!  And another challenge will start tomorrow!.

Happileigh Scrappin' Challenge -- Royal Treatment for the Royal Wedding

This week at Happileigh Scrappin' Challenge we are celebrating the royal wedding with our own "Royal Treatment".  Amanda, our favorite Brit, is our featured designer this week and, with Leigh's image of the royal couple, we have made cards for the celebration.  Leigh's image, and many more new ones, can be found here.

My card is quite simple. I used silver cardstock for the card base and gold cardstock for the tiara and sentiment.  The tiara and sentiment were cut on my Cricut using the Storybook cartridge.  The image is colored with Copics and placed on a Nesties die cut, flanked with little roses. My card is ok, but you MUST see what the rest of the DT has come up with! We have carriages, crowns, and even argyle. Hop on over to Happileigh Scrappin' Challenge and see what my Happi Sisters have come up with!

We all wish much happiness for Prince William and Kate.  It doesn't seem that long ago that we were watching his parents' wedding.  There is something about weddings, whether simple or royal, that brings good feelings of hope in new beginnings and the love that brings people together.