Lattice and Butterflies

I am doing something I never do...combining "two" challenges........The challenge at the Shabby Tea Room was to use butterflies...I have 4 on this card.......

The challenge at Joan's Gardens was to use lime green and pink, lattice, make a vine and butterflies.  Well, I have to admit the lattice thru me.....but thanks to my Cricut I cut a fancy fence piece and cut it up to look somewhat like a lattice, then I also used my Cricut to cut the "vine".....the flowers were punched with a SU punch and inked with Pretty In Pink...I added a little jewel for bling to the centers......my butterflies were made with a SU Sizzix die...it cuts and embosses...I also inked a butterfly with pretty in pink and cetainly celery along the edges........

Tag Tuesday and A Few Spring Photo's

I made this tag for Tag Tuesday Challenge which was Arbor Day...make a tag with a tree.....I really had planned to use some TH Distress Inks and go that route, but I needed a more sun~shiney "pick me up" type of project after all the dark and gloomy and rainy days we have been having (still having).....after I made this tag, I didn't like it much, but it sat here for a few days and I decided what the heck...just post it...... so here it is in all its glory...lol.....however, it will make a cute little tie on for a package at some point.

The other pictures are  of my few tulips I still have...I quit planting them as all they ended up being were deer food...but I have a few they haven't found...yet.....notice the rain drops onthe petals...I love that.......the other photos are of my Daffodils...I have 30  plus different varieties of them..this is just a small sampling.....enjoy!

Joan's Gardens Tag Challenge

I was finally able to make a tag this week for Joan's Gardens Weekly Tag Challenge.  My entire tag was made based on the lavendar scrap of ribbon sitting on my desk....the ribbon tie looks a different color then the ribbon bow...but its not...it's all the same color...just a trick of the light I guess...or should say "what light", as its dark and dreary and raining cats and dogs today!

The base of the flower is one we made at the workshop at Joan's last month...just a sample of what they had done on the day before......I like how the tag has a "vintage" look to it......if you like my tag you can "vote" for me at Joan's...just click on the tab at the top of her blog.....voting starts in  about 4 days...and thank you to those that voted for me last week........see you tomorrow with another challenge...hopefully!

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge FTTC115

I have been up since 3am...yep thats me "sleepless in Michigan".....so while I was up I decided to get going on a few of my favorite challenges this week.....it seems I mostly do challenges lately...but not only is it fun..but it keeps me going....so that being said I picked the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday to start my Wednesday off...does that make sense...haha...probably not.....but remember a few posts back I had shown my very generous "gift" from Flourishes?   I decided to use 2 of those new wonderful sets for the challenge...this will be my Mother's Day card for my Mom this year......yeah...I have her card done and not making it the "day of" which is my usual...thank you Flourishes! The sets I used are the new April hot off the stamp press sets......April showers and Motherly Love.........

My Mom's birthday is May 6th...she will be 84.....she still lives alone...cooks for herself and still does some gardening...how bout' that??  I feel so blessed to have her...my best friend!  Just a thought...if you would like to send her a birthday card...just email me and I will send you her address...she would love getting cards from all over...my email address is on my right side bar.......

Papertrey April Blog Hop Challenge

The April challenge from PTI this month was all about men or boys...make a masculine or a boy card......now I have to admit this is my weakest spot in card making....I much prefer making "girlie" cards....I had to get real creative this month...I used Papertrey's Take A Bough for both cards...those little round ornaments come in really handy ..... making it a very useful set year round.  The ribbon on the first card is a Twill also from Papertrey.....I love twill ribbon and it seems a good choice for "boys"...the sentiment was computer generated.

The second card I cut a tree base from my Cricut and stamped the polka dot ornament from the same set, punched it out and made my tree top

to make it a "bit" more "manly"... I tied a washer on my ribbon...funny!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone!

Just wanted to share what I put together yesterday for my grandkids

I spent all day baking 2 kinds of cupcakes

brownies, rice krispie treats nest cookies

and added bunnies and jelly beans.

About half the time was spent packaging it all.....

I made five of these......

Less Is More Challenge ~ Off Centre ~

This week the Less Is More Challenge is "off centre"  or "center" as we call it here.... you would think this would be a simple challenge for me, but I "trashed" 6 cards before I decided to rethink it...those darn hot air balloons anyways........so my card is double off center..I stamped the background image off center and added my glittery butterfly off center (not to mention the sentiment).   I have a friend that her Dad passed away last week, so this card will go in the mail to her today.....I wanted to mention the background stamp has been in my stash for 7 years.....this is the first it has seen ink.....I have a few other ideas for it... I kind of like it!  I would love to have you as a "follower"...am trying to reach a goal...and comments are always welcome!  Ink used was SU Kiwi Kiss and Basic Black...butterfly was cut with from a SU Beautful Wings die...sentiment is also from SU.....

Added this second card to this post...as it is somewhat off center, too...I made this one a few weeks back ....

Bargains ~ Budget ~ And A Win!

I don't  have anything "creative" to share with you today.......but.....I do have some of my bargains and my "paper" budget to share.......I put myself on a little paper crafting budget......I allow myself to spend $10 or so per week...and one larger item per month to purchase for my "addiction"......so far its working...so thought I would show you some of my bargains......but before that I also wanted to share my free stamp sets I won from Flourishes...can you believe I won the entire April release...OMG....was I excited or what.....I can hardly wait to use these.

Up next are my "coupon" purchases...wow, what you can get with a coupon.....from JoAnn Fabrics is my stamp set called Ancestral Collage.....reg $14.99...with 50% coupon...a mere $7.50....also purchased at the same time is my TH Distress Red Barn ink...reg $4.99 for a mere $3.

Last week from Hobbylobby with a 40% off coupon are my COPIC multiliners...a set of 4...reg $11.99 for $7.20....

My last 2 items weren't on sale...but I wanted them and they were "in my budget".....a few weeks ago I purchased on Ebay this wonderful vintage look LaBlanche stamp...I find myself wanting to collect all of them...they stamp like a dream!  And last is my Zentangle book purchased from Michael's for $8.99 ..my friend Mary at primitiveseasons.....has been posting some beautiful creations she has done in Zentangle, I was so intrigued I had to try it myself...lets just say I need alot of practice!!   Will be back later with a few creations!

Pansy Tag

I made this tag for the challenge at Joan's Gardens.....it will be for my Mom for her birthday in May...she loves pansies........I used a few different "fibers' for this one....I had a tiny piece of mesh I used, some tinsel fiber, a glitter button...a bit of a paper doily....the lace at the bottom I dyed with my grape jelly ink...I added a bit of black stickles for the pansy veins........the challenge is to make any kind of tag you want...I am getting  a nice selection of tags...one of these days I am going to work on Christmas tags just to get ahead!

Mother Nature STINKS!!!

April 18th in southern Michigan...whats up with this......Mother Nature Stinks!!!  This is  a Spring snowstorm....I have over 27varities of Daffodils and they are covered in snow....it makes me sick...I know...it could be worse...but for me today...its sickening!!  My poor "babies"!!

Tag Tuesday ~ The Chair

This is my first entry for a challenge called "Tag Tuesday"......for this challenge you had to use a chair......luckily I remembered I had bought this bag of unmounted stamps last year at a garage sale.....I had no idea of what they were until I bought some EZ Mount and mounted them...I must say there are some rather strange stamps in the lot.......but in the mix was this "chair"...perfect......I cut my tag on my Cricut and then sponged 4 colors of TH distressed inks to make a "beach" scene.....the lace on the edge was white....I colored with more of the TH distressed inks to make it the color I wanted...the little star fish are from a punch that I probably would of never purchased, except I found it in a clearance bin for $1..........a simple tag.....but a fun one for a gift......now this is last weeks Tag Tuesday challenge, so there will be a new one posted tomorrow...will be fun and interesting to see whats next!

Edited to add:  I added a fourth star fish to the top of the lace...looks more "finished".....and the chair was to be the focal point...not the person in it...so just look at the chair...NOT the bathing beauty in it...LOL!!

Less Is More Challenge ~ Acetate

This is my extremely "simple" card for the Less Is More Challenge using "acetate"......the hardest part for me was to keep my fingerprints off the acetate, and how in the heck to attach it to the cardstock......I finally used my tim Holtz tiny attacher...everything else I tried showed...the acetate I used was a pre-printed piece from SU that I have had in my "stash" for about a year...time to pull it out...hmm??
I had wanted to stamp a sentiment, but should of done that before I adhered the acetate...so this card can be used for anything I need at the time...sometimes those kind of cards are great to have around when you need a quick card..will be back tomorrow with more.....have a nice day!!!

Flourishes Spring Has Sprung Challenge

I made this card by the seat of pants so to say...the challenge closes in 34 minutes.....I just got back from the dance recital and decided to do this Flourishes Spring Has Sprung Challenge.....I used an Easter stamp set I purchased from Flourishes last year called Easter Baskets.....love it!  The challenge was to use green grass~robins egg blue and daffodil,,,I first stamped a chocolate bunny and then masked him off and then stamped two more...so the bunnies you see in the basket are all one piece....and here I am again using gingham ribbon...I have to confess, I just bought 8 new Spring colors of gingham ribbon!

Flourishes Speed Challenge

Fourishes is having a "speed challenge" to celabrate their new releases this month...you (me) have until noon to post a card using their sketch (see below)...well it definately was a speed challenge for me, as I just saw it this morning (thank goodness I subscribe to their blog posts) at 3am...why am I up so early...couldn't sleep and have to be out the door by 7:30....am helping my granddaughter this morning with costume changes for a dance recital...busy~busy!

I used a set I purchased from Flourishes last year called Easter Lily...I kept my lily a true white.....now if I would of had more time, I think I would of embossed it...might try that later tonight...anywho I added some stickles to the petals to give a bit of shine...I add my stickles with a tiny paint brush so I can get it just where I want it...I put a tiny bit of stickles on my leaves as well...see the little butterfly...well who would think a little thing like that could give you so much trouble??  First I had a set all done and on and just didn't like them, so took them off and cut these two from vellum.....well one flew right off and when I went to pick it up I ran over it with my chair...so punched another one and dropped it afer I had put the glue dot on...and its now stuck to the floor.....arggggg......okay I got that out, I feel better.......at least I made the challenge in time...now have everything crossed that I just might win those new sets.....that would be heaven...it's a random drawing so anyone can win...give it a try , you know you want to!!

Thumping Technique Version 2

Did a bit of playing around with another technique today from Stamp TV called "thumping"......all instructions can be found on the link.......I love how my hydrangeas turned out...in the video......you use 2 colors of ink....for these I used 4!  My main color of ink was certainly celery....on the leaves and stems I thumped with old olive.....for the flower I used 2 of my SU pink markers Pretty In Pink first and then Melon Mambo.

The third card I just used two inks as the video suggested...certainly celery and old olive...I have a few more to share tomorrow...these stamp tv videos help me keep my "mojo" going...and I need allthe help I can get!

Hey "PEEPS" ~ My Give Aways Are In The Mail ~ Finally ~

These are the "PEEPS" I made for Amy~Deb and Wendy for my Spring giveaway I had.....the peeps are made of a vintage wool blanket...I made a prim tag for each...the cracked shells they are sitting in are from an old quilt that has been "stiffened" to make them stand up perfect!  This old quilt had hand embroidery all over the front...all flowers......it was a quilt that was in very bad shape...but parts of it could be selvedged for projects like these.

I hope they  like them..they are bigger then they look.

Now am working on a pinkeep for the pinkeep swap....fun!

My Banners~Buntings~ are in the Mail...Yippee!!!

I thought I would show you a "sneak peek" of my buntings (or banners) as they might be called.........I was in a swap that you made 5...all the same or all different...they could be paper.....sewn...knit...just about anything...I choose to sew mine...as I mentioned several posts back, I bought these American Living large dinner napkins from JC Penny's...I was able to get 6 out of 1 napkin...the sixth one is for "me".......I added a backing of a matching green check from my stash...and lucky me...the fabric was exactly the same as the napkins!

I found some very vintage crochet edging, and all but one has that on one side.....I hand gathered some double sided ruffled gingham ribbon (wow..say that real fast)  into rosettes.....added a vintage small crochet doily underneath and an old button on top...added some ribbon bows and cut butterflies from felt with my Big Shot...a white glittered jingle bell is sewn to the tip.....I just love them...I hope whomever gets them will as well...I think I might make a few to put on my Etsy site if interested.......my link on the right will take you to the swap info and more pictures........

Less Is More Challenge 10

Morning All,

I have been super busy with all my projects...but just had to do a challenge or create something!!  I chose the "Simply Less Is More Challenge"......this week it was to make your sentiment to be your focal point...I purchased this sentiment a few years ago from Unity...and this is the first I have "inked" it....the ribbon was a last scrap that I had...for some reason, "gingham" ribbon just appeals to me, and I find myself trying to buy it in every color...must be a thing from my childhood memories, where everything was gingham!  The ink I used is the yummy color Melon Mambo from SU.....

Last is my picture of "Big Bird" as we call him...he came to visit us this morning and just drives Nellie nuts......I spent all afternoon yesterday in my "snake garden"...thats what I like to call it, as its always full of snakes...so first thing that popped its head up was a huge green frog...frog heads look waaaaaay too much like snake heads to me....so after that dramatic moment...next was a big brown toad........so I moved to another garden and was reaching down to pull out the dead from my day lillies...and and...yep..you guessed it..... a snake.......the fun of gardening on a creek in the country!

Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone??

Heehee....really my dog is fine....but where has this Mama dog been???  I have been working on so much....lots of Spring cleaning (down sizing)...and sewing....finishing my giveaways for my blog winners...they are so cute...will post a pic of them , once I know they have been received!

Sewing for my banner swap...oh these are "sew" pretty!

Working on my pinkeep swap...so stinkin cute I want to keep it for myself!!!

Trying my best to find time to work on my creative room table skirts and curtains.......and we have been remodeling a bathroom...oh so very inconvenient...thank goodness for that second bathroom!!!

I did do some challenges, but never got them posted....ugh.......where does all the time go??

I will be in the gardens tomorrow...its to be in the 70's and 80 on Sunday,,,,but we have bad storms predicted for the midwest Sunday night......not a pleasant thought...I'll be posting soon.....

Stampin Up Stamps for Sale

My friend gave me the idea to sell some of my many SU stamp sets I don't use anymore..........I will have more...still sorting out

Price does NOT include shipping......can ship one or 2 sets in a flat rate envelope for $4.95...some have never been used, some might have slight staining...all have been mounted..email me with any questions...I only take Paypal...thank you!

$5.00 sets:
Out of the Box Hostess Set
Too Terrific Tags Hostess Set

$6.00 sets
Sweet Dreams Hostess Set
Oh My Word Hostess Set
Double Line Doodles

$7.00 Sets
Picnic Parade Hostess Set
Mixed Bouquet
Basket Full of Fun Hostess Set