Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Planting Love

Getting this card into the JustRite challenge at the last hour.....
 
 
I bought this JustRite stamp set "Seeds of Friendship" with my own
garden in mind.....I have been making a never ending scrapbook of my gardens
and the stamps and sentiments are perfect for it!!!
 
 
I used SU markers to color in my flowers......
they don't blend like the watercolors or Copics, but gives these fowers a different look
the sentiment is from the same JustRite set...i love it....
The paper I used is from a new pad I just bought designed by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper....

Vase Bouquet

Hello All....
I am finally posting something on my blog after being gone for almost 6 days...
I have lots of catching up to do.....
need to leave blog comments, send a thank you for a wonderful blog candy I received....
and try to "catch up" on a few of my favorite challenges.....
I decided to start with a challenge ending soon at Stampendous Impressions
called "Fabulous Florals".....
I won their April challenge and received 4 gorgeous bottles of their "micro glitter".....
I saw the stamp I used "Vase Bouquet" on their blog used by a DT member....
I fell in love with it and ordered it right away.....it stamps so precise and beautifully....
I colored it with my limited amount of Copics I have....
stamped it right on my cardstock, and thought it is such a beautiful stamp, it deserves
to rather "stand alone"......
 
 
So that's it, it's a start to get me going again.....
and while I was gone, my gardens decided to bloom their lovely heads off...lol
So the next few days I wanted to share a few photo's I snapped this morning
 
I am rather addicted to finding new Iris plants each year and am sharing 2 I bought last year...
I just LOVE the vintage look of the colors of these....
 
 
 
next while snapping pics, our "resident ducks" came for a visit in the creek....
 
 
The next two pictures are of a Clemetis growing in our "bedroom" garden.....
I might have to show these again later, as there is also a pink striped one that mixes in
\with them and should open soon (hopefully)!!



I will be back tomorrow with my news to share!!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

A Couple of Things

Just wanted to let you know that the voting is open thru noon today at the "Fusion" blog...
my card is #7.....take a peek, anyone can vote....
 
Also I probably won't be back on my blog until next week...
so want to wish everyone a safe and fun Memorial Day...
I will miss you all, I have no internet where I will be...ugh...
I am going to miss seeing lots of my garden coming to life as well
it is just beginning to burst with color.....

I also have some news I can share next week...
I am going to be a guest designer for June and July
and will tell you where then.......

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Color Challenge at City Crafters

This week at "City Crafter" the challenge is a color challenge by Ros
Yesterday I spent the entire day in my gardens....
 
It was the most perfect day....
the temp was warm, it was breezey and the sun was in and out
making it not so hot...
 
 
when I first went out and stepped into my "Gator" "garage", I noticed one one of the baby
robins had fallen out of it's nest, so I picked it up and placed the little cutie pie back in...
then, while working I was serenated all day long with bird song...
it's amazing what you can hear and see if you pay attention...
I saw a bluebird land on a nearby branch, a family of ducks in the creek....
and heard my stepson's rooster crow....
and a farm a few roads over peacocks "scream" in the way that only peacocks can!!
It was a beautiful day to enjoy nature, making one glad to just be alive.....
of course there was also the bunny watching me planting my veggie garden ....
the little stinker has been out daily, just licking his lips I am sure....
so, my project for this challenge is some of what I saw and heard yesterday.....
Here is what I had orignally thought to do....
 
 
have you seen these dies yet?
they are by Sizzix...
I found mine at Hobbylobby, and with the 40% off coupon, how could I pass it up!!
But not enough time to put one together.....
 
Items used for my card are:
Impression Obsession Bunny dies
Memory Box Summer Border Die
Cardstock SU Baja Breeeze

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Lucky You

Such a beautiful Sunday morning here
and I have to rush out the door...again...
to go to a shower.....
I miss not being able to create....
but was excited to see the "Fusion" challenge
 

as an idea immediately "clicked" in....
this is a fast post, but better then nothing...lol
 
 
I once again used my favorite little Memory Box dress die...
some SU Crumb Cake card stock....
a bit of twine and an SU sentiment....
I think it turned out kind of cute...what do you think??
 
Why don't you head over to the Fusion Challenge blog and give it a go, too!!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

One Stamp Two Ways

Wow!!  It's been a super duper busy week here at "the nest"....
I helped my daughter with some wedding decorations for her BFF wedding today...
I cut 225 birds with my Cricut, then had to glue ribbons on each....
and we made cute labels for the brides "candy bar"....
such things like love is sweet~lovey dovey etc and decorated all the jars
the candy goes in.....I had 2 ball games and 2 grandkids concerts....
and had to shop for a wedding gift and shower gift.....
so had to put my creating aside for awhile...where does the time go???
 
 
I worked on these cards, simple though they are, for the challenge this week at
"City Crafters" which is "Same stamp two ways".....
the first card I colored my $1 Michaels stamps with SU markers, then stamped
the second card I stamped solid with SU Poppy ink and underneath the flower
 
 
I added a ruffled crepe paper "rosette"...the birthday banner on this is up
and down wavey, which does not show in the photo.....
why don't you give the challenge a try...you could be the "next" guest designer there...
I challenge "you"!!!
 
Also my very badly neglected garden (even with all the weeds) is starting to get pretty
here are a few photos for you...



....

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Heart of a Friend

I was just "itching" to get my Julie Nutting Prima girl stamps out again....
I was "cruising" thru my challenges and saw this one at
to use the colors slate blue~peach~apricot
 
 
My slate blue paper was gorgeous with slate blue roses on it...
but I covered them up and you can't even see them.....lol....
The theme was "To The Mom In Your Life" or "Love"
Since Mother's Day is over, and I am posting this by the seat of my pants so to speak
I decided to make a "friend" tag...as we all LOVE our friends...right???
 
 
This is a BIG tag, using a Prima tag that was made for these stamps....
the tag has a vintage writing on it...which I flipped the tag over and used it for my back
of the tag, afterall, why cover up that gorgeous writing.....
This will be a fun tag to tie on a friends gift......
 
 
 
And I wanted to share with you a crazy fish....
I took my grandson to a place to eat called "Lunkers"
they have a huge round aquariam that you can sit at and eat...
this fish looked like a big fat lemon and he sat
for 25 minutes staring at us while we ate
(I think maybe because my daughter was eating a fish sandwich...lol)
but look at his teeth....we just cracked up over that!!
He is a real fish, about 9" long!!!
 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Let The Sun Shine ~ Inside and Out

I decided to post this second card today.....
for a challenge at Papercraft Star to
"Let The Sun Shine"
I made it several days ago and hadn't decided if I would post it or not....
but, the more it sat here, the more it kind of grew on me
I  made it out of some "stuff" that was in my stash I was trying to use up
 
 
I had long, long ago stamped the flowers with SU inks....
I added some bling to a few of the flowers, made a sun and
added the last piece of my gingham ribbon...(but I will purchase that again)...
 
 
As I mentioned in my previous post, my friend "Dar" has been inspiring me to
finish the insides of my cards.....
I had purchased a "sunshine" stamp set from Technique Tuesday last year
and finally used them.
 
Do you find you "just have to have" an item and then don't use it right away...
oh well, I guess that is all part of it......
 
I received some new goodies today, and one was the
 We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board......
all I can saw is WOW...I LOVE that thing...it makes approx 66 different sized
envelopes and is super easy to use......
well gotta run, one of the kiddos has a concert tonight.....

Watercolor Inside and Out

Well, I sure have been missing for awhile....
May is (and has been) a super busy month for us...
Ball, soccer , 5 birthdays, a wedding and a bridal shower...
and more to come.... 
 
So. to get me back in the "mood", I did this card for the
challenge at the Moxie Fab World which ends tonight...
 
 
I used some of my TH distress pens and water to color my flowers
I first stamped with Versamark and embossed with black EB powder...
on watercolor paper.....I colored my flowers in and cut them out...
same with the butterfly...
I spritzed water on my craft mat, and scribbled the pens on the mat
using a water brush I first wet my watercolor paper, then "painted" in the colors....
 
And since my friend "Dar" at Dar's Crafty Creations has inspired me
to finish the inside of my card, I did just that, using 3 more of the watercolor flowers
 
 
Also for a bit of "shine" to my flowers I painted on a bit of Stickles Rock Candy
on the edges of my petals......see ya later


Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

Hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!!!
 
 
Sharing a photo from June 1942 of my Mom and her sisters.....
My Mom is the second from the right.....
She is 86 today....
they are all with us still today, except for my aunt Margery....
aren't they just the prettiest girls!!!
 
 
And the last photo is of my Mom's Mom...my grandma...
awesome photo!!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Voting at The Fusion Card Challenge

Voting is now open at the Fusion card challenge today until NOON...
if you would like to vote, you select 3 cards to vote on HERE....
if you would like to vote on MY card...it is #24 (hint~wink)
but feel free to choose YOUR favorites!!!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Guest Designer This Week At City Crafter Challenge Blog

It's such a pretty Spring.....
the trees are blossomed out and "gorgeous".....
makes you just feel good to be alive, doesn't it??
 
This week I am the guest designer at the City Crafter Challenge Blog....
I would love to have you go there and leave me some "love"
but most of all I would love for you to participate in the challenge...
the challenge this week is "Royal".....
think queens~crowns~castles~ or anything "royal"....
 
 
I made this rather large (and a bit heavy) card using bits and pieces
I picked up at Hobbylobby...the crown was a thick, thick chipboard
piece that I pulled apart and covered with a "new to me" product
called Viva Inka Gold Metallic Rub using the color silver...
a neat product you apply with a soft cloth, rub and then buff...
giving this wonderful metallic finish!!
The flowers, ribbons and gems (they came on a stem, which I snipped off)
were all found in the bridal department at Hobbylobby...
I think it turned out kind of  "pretty"  and I sure had fun creating for City Crafters!!!!
 
Why don't you give this challenge a try, who knows "you" might be the next guest designer!!!

Monday, May 6, 2013

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A Note For You~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, our "little" trip was fun.....
we had a nice time....
the weather was much cooler and I guess I missed some great weather here....
Now I came back to a ton of work to do...
guess that is just a part of normal life....
so I decided to do the most important things first...
like doing a challenge...lol...
 
I love the new "Fusion" challenges...
I chose that for today, it fit my schedule!!
 

 
here is my entry...very clean and simple....
 
 
this is the challenge you can vote on your 3 favorites...
why don't you give it a try yourself...you still have a couple of days....

Thursday, May 2, 2013

I'll Be Back

Just wanted everyone to know I won't be visiting any blogs
or posting anything until Sunday or Monday....
the "hubs" and I are headed North to Spring clean the Lake house
just what I need another house to Spring clean...right??
We will be 30 miles from this "the Mighty Mac" as we call it....
 
 
I still haven't packed, and the "hubs" has a birthday on Friday
and I still need to make his card.......see ya when I get back

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Tulip Time

Good May 1st to you all!!!
It's another wonderful warm, sunshiney day today....
I have tons to do, we are leaving tomorrow until Sunday....
I also have several cards to make this month for birthdays...
which brings us to this card I made for my Mom's birthday
she will be 86 and all she wants is seeds for her gardens...
yep she is 86 and she still gardens...
on a smaller scale then me...but isn't that great??
 
The challenge this week at Joan's Gardens...well, it was my idea.... 
while at Joans last month we (5 of us) helped Joan with some challenge ideas
so, if you have any complaints, blame me...lol...
the challenge is the word "TULIPS"...
use something from each letter of the word
here is mine
 
 
T....I used my tulip dies...I combined 2 of them to get these 3d kind of tulips
U...this one was tricky, so I used the word "ultimate"
L....I added some lace to my wheelbarrow, which was cut on my Circut
I....this was easy, as I used an "item" purchased at Joan's Gardens, the Memory Box
      dies Tulip Petals and Dancing Tulips, as well as the Kaiser pearl, and the Joy
      grass die
P....Red Pearl
S....sentiment
 
I wanted to share a few pictures of my "kitchen Garden".....it's where I got the inspiration
 
 
 
my kitchen garden is full of herbs and flowers, small but powerful at times
and also my gorgeous all white daffodil...I have about 37 varieties of daffodils

 
and the blooming Leopards Bane

 
well off to, you can guess where...the gardens!!!