A New Challenge!

This is the second post for the day, so click here if you would like to see what I did for Tracy's sketch challenge!

I can never resist a new challenge! My friend Kelley is part of the design team for this challenge, Everything But the Kitchen Sink, and I have wanted to play along but it seems like it started right around the time that I started to not feel well. My intentions were there, but I just wasn't able to do it, UNTIL NOW! Yay!

Well , here is my card, this is actually the second card I have made today for a challenge. It must be like some 5 month record for me! I have a MILLION things I could be doing, like making my family dinner, or finishing up my scrap calendars that need to go out in the mail tomorrow, but this is way more fun!

Usually color combinations come to me really easily, and it's the layout of cards that I struggle with the most, but for some reason, colors have been really tough for me lately. Perhaps its this cold I have foggin' up my brain, or the never-ending list of stuff I need to get done for Christmas, I don't know.

Okay, so enough babbling...here's my card!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek! Now I'm off to make dinner for the gang!

Supplies: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, and Taken with Teal CS (SU); Taken with Teal, Old Olive inks (SU); Great Friend Stamp set (SU); Fiskars Border Punch, Chocolate Chip 5/8 grosgrain ribbon (SU), Chocolate Buttons (PTI); Swiss Dots embossing folder.

Sketchy Thursday #64

Whew! I think I just made it! I had wanted to make a card for Tracy's sketch challenge this week, and have had this idea in my mind, but I don't know where the time went! I promised myself this year, that the craziness of the season wouldn't get the best of me, but here we are with just over a week to go, and I feel like I have so much left to do! Anyone else feel that way?

And the fact that the kids are out of school this Friday, makes things even more crazy! I'm trying to come up with loads of fun activities that we can do next week where we don't have to go out and brave the traffic and the crowds.....perhaps we'll just go swimming at the Y a bunch! And make sure we have a bunch of good Dukes of Hazard re-runs around!

Well, here's my card, it's a little simpler than I had planned on it being, I wanted to be able to see more of the flower, but oh well!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek! Hope you all are doing well and surviving the Christmas season!

Supplies: Kraft, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip CS, (SU); Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red Inks (SU); Cheery Chat & Fabulous Flowers Stamp sets (SU); Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (SU); Buttons (PTI); Chocolate Chip 1 1/4 striped ribbon (SU)

I shouldn't have made this card right now.....

but I really needed a little down time, and this seemed to be the key for relieving my stress for the moment....the irony is, though, that by taking the time to make this card, I'm going to be crunched for time later, and highly stressed out by this evening I'm sure! But Oh, well, I thoroughly enjoyed my few moments of craft time here this morning!

I love color challenges, so I just couldn't pass up Dawn's Raspberry Suite Challenge! Here are the colors she gave! What fun!

I had wanted to use some buttons on the card as well, but when I got the card to this point, I just didn't know if the buttons were going to work out! Anyway, here is the card as I first made it:

And here is the card after adding some buttons....I am so indecisive, it's sickening! What do y'all think? With or without the buttons? I am now off to get the rest of my stuff done for the day....we have a huge weekend filled with all sorts of events and family gatherings.....I hope I can make it through all of it....and to top things off, I woke up sick this morning! I hate colds!!! Especially when you're pregnant, cuz ya can't take the good stuff that really works!!! Oh well!

Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of year! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

Some tags....

Hi!

Just wanted to share a few Christmas tags with y'all! These were some that I came up with for my card class last week. I don't know when, but a couple years back someone wanted to make fancy tags, so for my December card class, we do half the amount of cards, and them make gift tags too!

I finished my Christmas cards this past weekend, and got them in the mail Monday! Yay! The only thing is, I didn't make them this year, and I'm still feeling bad about that! Well, I made about a dozen, but that was all! I don't think I've sent a store bought card in like 5 or 6 years! Something must have told me last year when I picked up a boatload of cards on clearance at Target last year, that this year I just wasn't going to have the time or energy to do them myself!

Slowly I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can't do everything and be everthing to everyone all the time. For those of you who know me, know this is a REALLY tough concept for me to grasp. I am horrible at saying NO. (Except to my kids!) For some reason, I think I really needed to learn this lesson, and that's why I think I've had such a tough pregnancy this time around. I've had to say no to a lot of things, and have had to rely on people, neither of which I am good at....but I'm getting better!

I hope all of you are enjoying this magical time of the year! I love Christmas. Love it with all my heart! I hope that in the midst of all the craziness and turmoil that this time of year can bring, that you all are able to step back and enjoy the peace and joy and hope that is there!!!

Thankfulness, Joy, and be merry.....

Warning: this post is a little lengthy, but well worth it, and there is a card at the end.....

Yesterday was a bad day? Ever had one of those? I was so grumpy, I didn't even want to be around myself, it was ugly. But thankfully, I woke up this morning in a much better disposition. I think I will be able to handle being around myself today!

I know that we're past Thanksgiving, and quickly approaching Christmas, but I've really been thinking a lot lately about all the things I am thankful for and for all the blessings I have in my life. There have been a few things lately that have happened around me or to people I know, that has caused me to step back and really focus on the things that matter most in my life: my relationships with my family and friends. I am so grateful to be surrounded by people in my life who love me and graciously put up with me.

I don't know if y'all have heard about the terrible tragedy that occurred near where I live, where a man walked into a coffee shop and opened fire on some police who were there, leaving 4 officers dead, and 4 spouses and 9 children without their parents, husbands and wife. Losing a parent at a very young age as a child, my heart just breaks and goes out to these families, especially the children hit so hard by this devastating occurrence.

Another thing that has got me thinking lately is the situation surrounding my friend Kelley, she very recently discovered that she had cancer and underwent a radical surgery on Monday to eradicate it from her body. The reports have come back looking great, and I'm sure it is a huge relief to her and her family to have been able to catch the cancer so quickly. Many prayers were offered on her behalf and I'm know that had a huge bearing on what happened.

So why do I bring all these things up? I know I have kept this blog mostly light and fluffy, but there are certain things that I just felt prompted to share with all of you. Life is precious. You can never predict what life will hand you. Love your family. Tell each person in your life how much they mean to you. Hold your children (if they'll let you), and remember why it is you love them so much, even when they drive you crazy!!! Live each day as if it were your last. Don't leave important things unsaid to the people you care about the most.

Lastly, I just wanted to say how very thankful I am to live in this incredible country. I am so thankful for all of those who have gone before me and risked EVERYTHING to secure my freedom. I have family members and close friends who have or who are currently serving in our military, and for this I am truly grateful. I am thankful for the families who stand by and spend great amounts of time including holidays away from their loved ones, so that I might be allowed to celebrate and worship and enjoy the freedoms I take for granted so much.

I do have a card to share with you today, as well! This is one of the cards I had at card class last night. Again sorry for the yucky photography, hope y'all can see the card! I'm currently working on resolving these issues!!! I had some fun gift tags for everyone to make as well, but I'll post those later!

Thank you for those of you who have made it through this entire post, you deserve a medal!

Amanda

A little bit of Sketchy Thursday

Hi!

I know what y'all are thinking....2 posts in 2 days.....it's a festivis miracle! Yup, I can't believe it either....but if I really want to get technical, yesterday's didn't really count cuz it didn't have a card.

But I do have a card to share with you today! I have so very much missed regularly playing along with Tracy's Sketchy Thursday sketch challenges....and so now that I'm finally starting to get back to life as normal, I'm hoping that I will be able to play along quite often.

With that said, when I saw the sketch she gave for this week, I totally had this awesome card in my mind, the problem is that once it made itself into a physical representation in paper, it didn't really live up to the beautiful perfection I had in my mind....does that ever happen to any of you?

But, it's growing on me, and although I know these aren't traditional Christmas colors, they are one of my favorite Christmas combinations.....a friend of mine has a Christmas wreath, that has all these turquoise, blue and olive green ornaments on it, and it is absolutely stunning!!!

You'll have to excuse the bad photography....I'm going back to my regular camera....my "bad boy" as I call it.....I had just been using my little point & shoot, but thought I would get better pics with my old one, problem is, that I haven't' used it in a long time, and I think it's going to take some practice.....that and I think I want to make a light box as well, but that's a whole separate issue to tackle....I think I'll try to get through Christmas first!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Amanda

IT'S A.............

BOY!!!

Hey all, I know there isn't a card on this post.....check back later today, and hopefully I will have gotten to posting a bunch of stuff. But I just wanted to get this out there.....we had our ultrasound a week ago, and found out that we are having our 4th boy!!! Not really a surprise, I guess, but we are still excited!

Thanks to everyone who has sent well wishes, and have stuck with my blog the past few months, cuz heaven knows there has not been much going on around here.....I hope that changes soon, as I can finally say that I'm feeling good, back to myself!!! Yay!

Hope y'all are doing great out there, and that everyone is having a great beginning to the Christmas season!!!

My First Sketchy Thursday in a LOOOOOONG Time

Well, here's the card I did for Tracy's Sketchy Thursday! It's been so long since I've been able to play.....like months! I'm so happy I got a chance to play. I got home from getting the boys at school, and sat down to check email, and then bopped on over to her blog, and just decided to make a card right then and there.....It's now, like an hour later, and I haven't seen my kids since I started. Perhaps I should do this more often.

Well, it's down pouring outside, with thunder and lightning to boot! What a great night for date night.....but it has to happen, now that I'm feeling better.....I think the last night out we had was like mid summer....oh yeah, but we did have a week in Hawaii.....I guess that counts!

Hope y'all have a fabulous day! Thanks for stopping by!

Raspberry Sutite Color Challenge

Hey all-

Yes, I am still alive!!! Albeit, barely. I have been sick for too long, but I'm finally beginning to feel better. I feel like I have lost 3 months of my life. For those of you who don't know, I am expecting baby #4, and the beginning of this pregnancy has been really difficult, way worse than my other 3 put together! Crazy!

Well, enough about that, just wanted to keep everyone posted. I made this card for Dawn's color challenge. It's really simple, but that's about all I can do these days. I actually made this card about 5 days ago, but it's taken me this long to take a picture of it and get it uploaded onto the computer!

Oh, and I'm a total ding-dong.....missing some brain cells, obviously, because I thought that it was supposed to be black instead of chocolate, so just imagine that that black piece behind the butterflies is chocolate......as well as the 'thank you'. Oops!

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by, and have a great day!

Raspberry Sutie Challenge #17

I have actually felt good for part of the day today! Yay! I guess I should add that my definition of good is very relative these days. I actually felt like stamping, and so I made a card! I have dabbled a little bit here and there, but this is the first time in 7 weeks that I have felt good enough to start and complete a card or project.....I won't let y'all know how long it took me to come up with those projects for The Cat's pajamas Blog Hop.....it would be quite embarrassing! You can click here, if you'd like to see those!

I can't imagine a better way to start out stamping again that with a Raspberry Suite Color Challenge! And these colors are amazing. This is one of my favorite color combos, and I have used colors similar to this before and have always loved the outcome. Well, without further ado, here's my card: I used SU kraft card stock for the card base, and used my new Circle Circus stamp set, also from SU. The sentiment is one that I absolutely adore, and is also from SU, Small Sayings, and I can't remember if it's current or not. I stamped chocolate chip on the kraft cs, and then stamped the real red, chocolate chip, and baja breeze on Very Vanilla card stock and punched them all out with various size circle and scalloped circle punches! The edge of the Baja Breeze card stock was punched with Fiskars Upper Crest border punch....love this one by the way, and I topped it off with Real Red Stitched Polka Dot Ribbon....but where are the polka dots you ask? I didn't want the polka dots and for the life of me could not find ANY plain red ribbon in my entire stash, so I had to improvise......the little bit of bling you see around the scalloped design are Twinkles from Taylored Expressions.....love these little guys, but they make me feel old, cuz I always have to wear my glasses when I'm working with them! Oh, yeah, and I rounded the corners with a corner rounder punch!!!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek! Have a wonderful day!

A Haunted Hopping We Will Go....

Wow! I am so excited to be a part of The Cat's Pajamas Halloween Blog Hop! What's even more exciting, is that all the Cat's Pajamas supplies I used on my projects,(the stamp set "Fright Night", the buttons, and the glitter) can all be purchased in a Kitty Kat Pack Bundle for just $20.39....discounted 20% from it's original price of $30.49! What a deal!

What's more, if you visit all the blogs on this blog hop and leave a comment on each blog you will be entered win a Kitty Kat Pack that will be given away to one lucky winner on Friday, October 2. What could be better than that? So if you happened to stop on by blog first, why not start at the beginning of the hop, here!

Well, without further ado.....I give you the projects I have worked on for this blog hop.

For this first one, I took a magnetic closure box, which is made to hold your standard A2 cards, and decided to make it into a "treat box" for one of my kiddos' teachers. I filled a little cello bag with candy and added a little tag....I just love this little sorcerer frog. I think when I actually give this one to a teacher I might fill it with cookies instead.....pumpkin with cream cheese frosting....that seems a bit more up a teacher's alley than candy!!!

I used the buttons from the Kitty Kat Pack on the front of the box, and used some of the glitter as well on the cauldron on the inside of the box.

Next are a couple of 4.25 square cards. I've just been in love with this size lately...don't ask me why!

Here's the inside of both cards:

To get to the next blog on this incredible blog hop.....bop on over to Jen's site, here! If you would like to get back to the previous blog on the hop, click here!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Come join me next week for The Cat's Pajamas 'Haunted Hop'

I'm so excited and honored to be able to be a part of The Cat's Pajamas Halloween Blog Hop, named the "Haunted Hop". This will happen next week, so be sure to come drop by and see all the exciting things that I have created! There will also be an exciting prize give-away, so don't miss out!

Be sure to stop by next Tuesday, September 29!

Just a little shout out!

Sorry I have nothing to share today....I just wanted to let y'all know that I am still alive....albeit still very sick. It feels like I have fallen off the face of blogging lately! I'm hoping this week, to get some stamping in.....because I have some really exciting goodies to share with you at the beginning of next week at the latest! Shhhh! I have been asked to participate in a certain stamp company's blog hop....so be on the look out! I'm hoping I will be up for the challenge!

So yes, I am still here, and if I can manage a few moments of wellness this week, I will hopefully have some things to share sooner than next week!

Hope y'all are doing well! Thanks for stopping by!

The Swankiest Stamper.......Me?

Note: The following was actually written and meant to have been posted on September 1, but I have been soooooooo sick lately, that I haven't been able to post it until now. I hope in my sick absence that there are still a few of you out there who still stop by!

Wow! That's about all I can say. I went to check my email today, and I received an email from my friend Tracy, who by the way is amazing, you should check her out sometime, and she let me know that I was chosen as September's Swankiest Stamper of the Month over at The Cat's Pajamas! Go check it out! I am not really one to toot my own horn, but this is really exciting for me to be chosen.....thanks, Alma!

I am truly honored. And just when last week I was moaning about not feeling like I was producing anything worthwhile, this happens. Yay! This totally lifted my spirits! And especially since I haven't been feeling well lately, this is just what I needed. Now if I could just feel better!

In honor of the card that won it for me, (with all the pp together) I think I will show y'all a card that I made last week that I took to my card swap.

A really simple card....that's why I had to use the sentiment that I used! Easy Peasy! And I am in love with this Earth Love paper from Cosmo Cricket!

Thanks for stopping by....and have a GREAT day!

Raspberry Suite #16

I haven't stamped in over a week, since I haven't been feeling well. I found Dawn's new color challenge the other day, but just didn't have enough energy to even think of anything, let alone actually pump something out. But this afternoon, I gave it a shot....didn't want to get too rusty, ya know. I made a very simple card....used some very old pp that I had, and a retired SU In-Color that I had as well.

Love these colors. They totally make me feel like fall. I'm ready for summer to be over, and so happy that school is beginning tomorrow!

The Goods: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip Card Stock. Chocolate Chip DSP. Chocolate Chip, Marigold Morning ink. For All You Do stamp set (SU). Handwritten Notes Stamp Set (PTI). Scallop Border Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Summer Sunrise Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons.

A Sketch for "Boo!"

Well, Kerry took off to coach Dylan's first soccer practice of the year, and he took Cody with him too, so that just left me here with Sam! So with no one to fight or argue with, Sam has been playing nicely and has allowed me to not only create two cards for card swap tomorrow night, but also for me to make this card for this week's 2 Sketches 4 you challenge, which is fast becoming one of my new favorites! Yay! I totally had to do a Halloween card because I was just over visiting Travellingmama, and she make this adorable card with a pumpkin on it made out of a circle of pumpkin colored fabric. Well, I didn't want to go trying to find fabric in my fabric Rubbermaid's, since they have been totally put away under the stairs since I broke my sewing machine over 2 years ago, and I still have 2 quilts that are half done....okay enough rambling.....so I used paper instead for my pumpkin.....I think it still works!

This was such a fun card to make, and really came together in probably under 12 minutes! I sponged the edges of the 'pumpkin' to try and make it pop a bit more....can you tell? And I think this Cosmo Cricket paper is going to be super fun for lots of Halloween stuff this year!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Goods:

Paper: Basic Back, Dusty Durango, SU; Cosmo Cricket Haunted

Inks: Dusty Durango

Extras: Nestabilities circles, swiss dots embossing folder, Old Olive 3/8 grosgrain ribbon, black satin ribbon, letter stickers

A thank you, some crazy news, and a card for Sketchy Thursday!

First of all, thank you, and I mean THANK YOU to those of you who listened (read) to me ramble on about how I've just been kinda 'out of it' lately and just not feeling it, if ya know what I mean, and who have bravely come back! I promise not to do that for a long time.

And now for some crazy news: My kitty Titan got hit by a card right in front of our house yesterday evening. Don't worry, he's okay, he only suffered a fat lip (it's pretty funny on a cat), and some lost brain cells, which he obviously didn't have many of in the first place since he went running into the street when a car was coming. The car was going pretty fast, though, which is a completely different issue altogether, I will spare you from my rantings about that! I guess cats really do have 9 lives! Titan is now down to 8.

And now for what you all came here for in the first place, and that is my card for Tracy's sketch challenge! I decided to use another one of my little poppy 'gnomes' for lack of a better word to call them. I just love this little guy holding his little bird on a stick!

Edited to add: OH MY! I can't stop laughing....did y'all notice up there in the post when I was telling you about Titan, that it says he got hit by a CARD?!? I think I've been crafting too much! Well, he actually got hit by a car, not a card, although sometimes when he comes jumpin' up on my craft table, I do swat him with a card!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Goods:

Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Marigold Morning all SU; Cosmo Cricket Earth Love PP

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black, all SU

Stamps: Bobby Bird, Poppy Stamps; Sentiment, The Cat's pajamas

Extras: Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Michael's; Nestabilities, Scallop Edge Punch, Copics, SU Markers, Sponges

Raspberry Suite Challenge #15

Well I thought that it might help my spirits a bit to play a color challenge. And what better challenge that Dawn's Raspberry Suite Challenge.I loved this color combo. So fun. I love this challenge, because it is actually a challenge to match the colors I have to PTI colors, which I don't have.

I also decided that since I am HORRIBLE at putting my stampin' stuff away after I create, that I would just use what I had laying out on my table, (with the exception of the moss and cream card stock and moss ink) but everything else was sitting out on my table, I promise. A sad habit that everyone knows about now. How embarrassing!

Well, it did in fact help me to feel better making this card.....it also helps that I actually really like this card too! Even if my entire living room floor is covered with legos and monopoly money! Ahh, the price I pay for stamping!

Hope y'all are having a great day, thanks for stopping by!

The Goods:

Paper: Mellow Moss, Very Vanilla, SU; Melon/Pink, Taylored Expressions

Inks: Regal Rose, Mellow Moss, Groovy Guava

Stamps: Organic Outlines, True Friend, both SU

Extras: Ribbon, Taylored Expressions KI kit; Corner Rounder Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Colored Rhinestones, TE KI

Totally Uninspired.....sniff!

Okay, I have to admit. I just haven't been feelin' it lately. I don't know what it is....actually I have a good idea, but I just don't want to admit it yet. I keep getting on the computer and looking at all the amazing creations that all of these AMAZING women are making, and instead of inspiring me to be great, I just want to cry. Kinda sad, huh? Perhaps it's just hormones, I don't know. How do all of you gals do it? I look around at all of my blogging friends, and am amazed at how y'all pump out all of these incredible things, and still have all these wonderful stories to tell about your children and families and all the time you spend with them. Somehow I don't think I'm making things work right.

I have just been feeling lately that my life has been pulling me in so many different directions all at the same time, I feel like someone being quartered by horses. Crazy, I know, but I just feel like I am barely keeping my head above water. I think that perhaps the answer is to slow down. It always is for me. I am such a motivated and competitive person that it is REALLY tough for me to slow down and say 'no' sometimes. The toughest part for me is to say 'no' to myself....to some of those things that I really want to do, but aren't as important as, say, my children and family. Because it's all about family, isn't it?

Well, now that y'all are tired of my whining...I do have a card to share....it isn't my favorite, but it's okay.....it's one I made a couple of weeks ago, and just never got around to posting. I used some pp that I found in my crazy stash of paper that I cleaned out a few weeks ago, and really wanted to use it.

Thanks for stopping by. And for listening to me ramble today!

Sweet Sunday Sketch with my new favorite OWL!

This week has flown by.....I'm so happy I got a chance to stamp this morning, and make a card for Karen's SSSC#31. I think the deadline is tonight!

I pulled out some BasicGrey Marrakech paper that I've had for a while....but I didn't know what image I wanted to use. Well, Mr. Owl here, was still sitting out on my table....I really have a horrible habit of not putting stamps away, so I decided to use him. I used some sticky letters that I have had sitting around for sometime, thought they would stand out on the pp better than a stamp, and I really didn't want to add another layer. My friend Kelley has been using a lot of these lately, so I guess, seeing all the work she's done lately with all these, has inspired me!

Lastly, I pulled out some rhinestones that I just received from my Taylored Expressions KI. They were the perfect color, so I just had to use 'em! I think w/o the rhinestones, though, I could almost pull this off as a masculine card!?!

This is my third post for the day....so keep scrollin' if you'd like to see more! Thanks for stoppin' by...and have a marvelous day!

Hey there, chickadee!

So this has been my week to participate in challenges that I haven't played in a LONG time. This sketch challenges comes from 2 sketches 4 you. I always love looking at their stuff, and I think I've only played once, and that was probably more that 4 months ago.

Well, I received my Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit yesterday, and there is some of the most awesome pp in there, so I had to use it. And I had to use by Everyday Button Bits from PTI. I hadn't gotten to ink up this little birdie.....I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but it doesn't seem to look as cute as when I have seen others use it....perhaps I just need to play around with it a bit more.....twist my arm!

Hope everyone is having a GREAT day, thanks for stoppin' by!

The Goods:

Paper: Taylored Expressions KI

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, SU

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits, PTI

Extras: Scallop Edge Punch, Basic Grey Buttons, Nestabilities

Hi - ya, cherry!

Okay, so I thought it would be a bit obnoxious to post 4 cards in one day, so even though I am writing this here on Tuesday, y'all won't see it until tomorrow or maybe even Thursday. But perhaps it's still obnoxious that I let on to that.

It just seems like I'm either on a roll, and my mojo is going strong, or it's like I can't get an idea in my head to save my life. Does anyone else feel that way? Well since I've been on a roll today, I decided to make one more card. I thought I was done after the last card, I really thought I was, but I came downstairs, and this cherry paper was just calling to me! I couldn't resist! And I haven't had a chance to ink up my Every Day Button Bits from PTI.

I used the Fall to Layout #55 from Clean & Simple. I so like these card layouts. Sometimes I feel like I get too complicated with cards, and I end up not that pleased with their outcomes....but I usually am always happy with the simple ones, it seems!

Cupcake Challenge #78

Wow! It has been a LONG time since I have participated in a cupcake challenge. Here's my card I did for Taylor's weekly challenge. I got this Cosmo Cricket Earth Love paper last week in my order from Two Peas....and I just love these little birds....so cute!

So I decided to add a little bird on the top of my cuppie, here, but then started to think that you probably don't really want a bird on your cupcake....but it works in the world of cards, right?

Anyway, I pulled out some ribbon and this little shiny flower from an old Key Ingredients kit....i think it was back from April, added some glitter to the top of the cupcake, and there ya have it.

Thanks for droppin' by!

The Goods:

Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Earth Love; Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, SU; Random key ingredients paper

Stamps: Bird & Sentiment, SU; Cupcake, Taylored Expressions

Inks: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral

Extras: Glitter, Ribbon and Flower from April Key Ingredients kit

Third Time's a Halloween Charm!

First off, I have to say, this one's for you, Kelley! Seeing your Christmas card the other day, inspired me.....okay, so I'm not quite to Christmas, yet, but Halloween is half way there, right?

When I was making this card for Mojo Monday, earlier today, I thought that this sketch would lend itself well to a new little cauldron stamp I recently purchased. I tweaked the sketch a bit, and this is how it turned out!

I used some Cosmo Cricket Halloween PP, and some BasicGrey buttons I had lying around. The ribbon and sentiment are retired SU!

This is my third post for the day.....there must be something in the water....so keep scrolling if ya would like to see the other posts for today!

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Here's to Mojo Monday!

I think that when I began blogging my cards and such, Mojo Monday sketches were one of the first sketches that I routinely participated in. And I realized, just today, that I don't think I've taken part in a Mojo Monday sketch for a couple of months now.

Well, I had to play this one, not just because it is an awesome sketch, but because Mojo Monday is 100~ yay!

I bought this pear pp last week, and it was the LAST sheet they had. I was a bit teary, because it's super cute and I wanted to have enough to use for a card for my card class. But oh well.

This is my second post of the day.....I'm on a roll! Can you believe it? So scroll down if you would like to see some more of what I've been up to today!

The Goods:

Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, all SU; pp: American Crafts, Blue Skies

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Stamps: Image: Trendy Trees, SU; Sentiment: Everyday Button Bits, PTI

Extras: Chocolate Satin Ribbon (Michael's), Sponges, ek success edger punch

A New Sketch Challenge

So I decided to try a new sketch challenge. I have been checking out Amy's site for a while now, and have seen a few of her Friday Sketch Challenges, but have just been too busy to be able to play.....until now. Even with the kiddos fighting, and all the craziness that comes with 3 boys, I managed to sit down, (actually I find that I am usually standing while stamping) and make a card for this challenge.I decided to pull out some pp from BasicGrey (Urban Prairie) that I haven't used in a while. And I had this SU cake stamp still sitting on my table from card class last Thursday, so I decided to use that too! One of my favorite cake stamps! The sentiment is from a stamp from a new set from the new catalog. Love it. And it seemed like I hadn't used a Nestie on a card in a while either......

Thanks to all of you who take the time to stop by and see what I've done!

An Owly Sketchy Monday...and some more Dahlias

Well, I didn't get as much accomplished today as I wanted to, but hey....do we ever? I did get a chance to chat with my neighbor, Heather, for an hour or more....sitting outside on this lovely day, so I can't complain.

And I did get this card done for Tracy's Sketchy Thursday. I picked this owl stamp up today....at Michael's, believe it or not....the few times that I have purchased stamps there, I say, really, with all the INCREDIBLE stamp companies out there....you're buying a stamp from Michaels.....? Oh well. I do like this guy. He's super cute, don't ya think?

The patterned paper I received as a "bonus" on an order from Two Peas. I just happened to pull it out late last night.....hadn't used any of it.

It's a totally simple card, I know, but sometimes ya have to do simple! And I love that little sentiment....I debated whether or not to even add the sentiment.....perhaps just have some buttons, or a flower or something, but the sentiment won out!

Oh, and here are a few more pics of the Dahlias.....

This last one, I wanted to put my hand next to the flower, so y'all could get the perspective right.....this Dahlia is HUGE! It's gorgeous......probably my second favorite to the deep red.

Dahlias - A color inspiration!

Can't believe I've been MIA for so long....anyway, I hoping I have some time to stamp today. I have about 5 challenges sitting on my table. It would be nice, but summer is quickly coming to a close, and we have a camping trip planned starting Thursday, and soccer practice starts this week as well. So I guess my leisurely summer is coming to a halt! Oh no!

Well, I don't have a card right now, but thought I would share these pictures of some of my favorite flowers in the world. Aren't they beautiful? I'm hoping they will inspire me to create something today that is just as amazing as they are! Don't ya think these are great for a bright summer color inspiration?

Hope y'all are having a GREAT Monday!