R&R

Tomorrow morning early our family is heading up north for some R&R and to spend some time with family. This is our last trip for the summer before the kids go back to school, I can hardly believe how fast this summer is flying by and that tomorrow is August first. I have a few posts scheduled of cards that I made before I left that will be popping up over the weekend, so please stop by.

The potted flowers in this picture are just one of the pots on our back porch and I love the colors, so I thought I would share this picture.

SC187

Today's card was made with the help of the sketch challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers. I haven't participated in a sketch challenge on Splitcoast in while and wanted to give it a go. This sketch is something I could defiantly see using again, because I like the panels and layers that it has. I used a new Stampin' Up stamp set called Fall Flair, this is a hostess level one set that you can only get by hosting a party and will be available in the new Fall/Winter catalog. I've switched gears over the past few days, after stamping and coloring several Stella cards I felt it was time to do some Stampin' Up cards and projects.

Supplies: Fall Flair, Sincere Salutations, Canvas BG, Ribbon, Piercer w/mat, Aqua brush, Sponge, Pop dots. Colors: Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Ruby Red, More Mustard.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mixed Bouquet

Today's post is a card and candy topper for a friend of mine, her favorite colors are dark blue and maroon, so I tried to use colors close to that. I used the stamp set Mixed Bouquet because for me even though its a retired stamp set I still like it and enjoy using it. On the card and candy topper I stamped a rose and some leaves separately, cut them out and applied them with pop dots on top of the randomly stamped flowered pieces. All of the roses have a ton of dazzling diamonds on them to give the card a bit of sparkle!

Supplies: Mixed Bouquet, Warmest Regards, Polka Dot BG, Ribbon, Brads, Dazzling Diamonds, Pop dots. Colors: Night of Navy, Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Old Olive, Brocade Blue.

How Sweet!

BFF Gold Card Award

My blogging friend Deb has passed this fun BFF Gold Card blogging award onto me and I feel grateful that she has! Deb has always been a supporter of my blog and right from the time I started blogging shes been there with kind words and sweet comments for my cards and projects. Thanks Deb!

The rules of this award:

1. Only 5 people allowed.

2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog

3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.

4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award, quite simple really it is a way of saying thank you to those who take time out for wonderful comments to boost your day.

Tina ~ Wooded Views

Danni ~ Danni's Dreams

Cyndi ~ The Scrappy Chick
Jena ~ Live, Love, Laugh, Scrapbook

Krystinah ~ Krystinah

Please take the time to visit all of these fabulous ladies and their blogs and be sure to leave them a nice comment because they sure have taken the time to brighten my day with the comments they've left for me!
Thank you

Scrappy Sketch #23

Its time for Cyndi's weekend Scrappy Sketch #23! This weekend I scrapped some of my oldest son Zachary's football pictures from last year, these pictures are from his first game. His team went undefeated all season and they worked very hard to make that happen.

One thing that I have to say is that I'm really proud of Zach for not being afraid to try out new sports and go for it, I think he's tried out just about every sport out there except for lacrosse and track. Right now the sport that he loves is baseball and he's getting really good at it and can't wait to sign up next season.

Hop on over to Cyndi and Libby's blogs to see their great take on this fun sketch!

Supplies: Reminisce Football designer paper, Karen Foster Touchdown stickers, Cricut with Opposites Attract cartridge, Card stock, Eyelets.

wish BIG

This Leaning Tower of Stella birthday card and Peekaboo Stella card holder are for my friend Dawn, along with some other goodies I put together. Dawn's birthday is this coming week and a few of us girls were supposed to get together today and scrapbook and stamp the day away and celebrate Dawn's birthday. Sadly I wasn't able to make it for the day because my little guy Connor had a high fever of 104 and needed his mommy. I stayed home with him for the day other than to run and drop off a cake and Dawn's birthday gift and say a quick hello to the girls over at the Little Scrapbox. I hope they had a fun day and that Dawn liked her gift.

Supplies: Leaning Tower of Stella, Peekaboo Stella, wish BIG, - Stamping Bella, Copics, Nesties, Yellow glitter, Ribbon, Prima flowers, Rhinestone brad, Baubles, K&Comp. Berry Sweet designer paper, Creative Imaginations wood clothes pin, Sanding block, Glue dots, Pop dots. Colors: Green Galore, Summer Sun, Pink Passion, Real Red.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Just wanted to say....

Sorry I've been MIA this week, I've been feeling a little run down and tired. Every mother/domestic goddess can relate to how I've been feeling lately, with my DH working so much I've been trying to keep things together and feel like I can't keep up. Our youngest Connor has been cutting more teeth and has not been sleeping through the night and has been crabby just like his mommy! Add to that and I pulled a muscle in my shoulder (probably from carrying him to much) and I'm having a hard time sleeping at night because I'm a side sleeper.

Onto the card, I broke down and bought myself some more Stella's, I couldn't help it!!! I LOVE STELLA and all of this waiting for the new SU catty is killing me! The card base is Summer Sun, then Green Galore and then I added strips of the K & Company Berry Sweet designer paper (what a great deal that 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" pad of paper was for $6.99 and I still have a ton left). Then I did something I said I would never do..............I actually sewed on my card, and it was fun! I used my Copics to color Gossipy Stella, cut her out and embossed her and the scalloped mat added pop dots and some bling and flowers and I was done. Whats so great is that I could use this card for anything (well almost anything), on the front it says just wanted to say... and on the inside it could say, I miss you, I love you, you're the greatest! I think I'll send this card to myself, LOL!

Thanks for visiting :)

CHA Info

For those of you who don't know, CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) was this last weekend in Chicago. CHA is a huge three day trade show that showcases art materials, fabric, scrapbooking and so much more, at the show new products are released and demonstrations are given. I've never been to a CHA, but I sure do enjoy see all of the highlights from the show. For anyone interested here are just a few links that I've gotten to see some sneak peeks as far as new products:

Craft Critique
Splitcoast Stampers gallery for CHA
Monique's blog I'm Just Telling My Story




In order to attend CHA you need to be member of CHA or know a member that will give you a pass. Most of the people attending are store owners or people that work the booths for demos.

And the Blog Anniversary Candy WINNER IS...............

A New Heart to Love

This baby card is for a new baby on my husband's side of the family. I kept this card relatively simple, I used Fun & Fast Notes for the baby carriage and Full of Life for the saying (I love this saying for a baby card). Yes I have naked buttons on this card, I just didn't have the time to keep going with it. My DH the landscaper has been working a ton, weekends included which is totally great, it just limits any creating time for me and by late at night I've been too tired. Our little guy who is 20 months old has really been keeping me on the move lately, I never remember our other two kids being THIS busy!

I really like the little flag (I guess that's what you call it) that I added, I've seen this being used some of the Karen Lockhart cards and I think its a neat little way of adding to the main image. I saw a trick on someones blog about how to get a perfect "v" cut into the end of your flag, you take and cut your strip of paper the length that you need, stamp your word or saying (leaving enough room for a brad) and insert one end into your square punch, holding your punch up side down and punch like this:

Supplies: Fun & Fast Notes, Full of Life, SU's New Scalloped border punch, Swiss Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder, Copics, Ribbon, Brad, Buttons, Nestabilities dies, Spica glitter pen, pop dots. Colors: New Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Whisper White.

PS I'll be drawing the blog anniversary candy winner tomorrow!

Stella dressed in Yella

Today was a super HOT day! It was in the 90s and humid and as much as I tried to get things done today, I felt like I was just chasing my tail! Now I'm all pooped out, LOL! Today's card is a Stella card and I wanted to try and stay away from using the color pink when making this card. So I went with more of a monochromatic color scheme and went with yellows and greens. Stella's dress and shoes were paper pieced and the rest of her I colored with my Copics and then added some yellow glitta to her wand and crown. The main image was popped dotted for dimension and the circle I cut out using my Coluzzle. I added the strip of Summer Sun card stock and a row of silver cord and green fibers, then added two Prima flowers and a green gem.

Supplies: Stella has something to say, thank you fairy much - Stamping Bella, K & Company Berry Sweet designer paper, Prima flowers, Copic markers, Gem, Silver cord, Fiber, Coluzzle, Su Photo corner punch, Brads, Yellow glitter, Pop dots. Colors: Summer Sun, Green Galore, Whisper White.


Don't forget about the blog anniversary candy below!

Blog Anniversary Candy!

Scrappy Sketch #22

Its time for Cyndi's Weekend Scrappy Sketch #22! For today's scrapbook pages I used some older pictures of two of my kids when we lived at our first house, I love these pictures of them from the summer time and I think about what a fun time we all had around then.
I think its time for me to stock up on some new scrapbook supplies, because I created these summer scrapbook pages with only a single sheet of summer themed paper, no stickers, no die cuts, just the paper and my Cricut along with some embellishments. I'm happy with how they came out and again I used bright colors (I do really like bright happy colors). Stop over at Cyndi's blog and check out her fabulous pages she created for the sketch! Then hop on over to the newest member of the Scrappy Sketch Team, Libby and her blog Libby's Little Addiction to see her pretty cupcake pages! Welcome Libby :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: We R Memory Keepers Endless Summer designer paper, Think Happy Thoughts SU stamp set, Buttons, Card stock, Cricut with All Mixed Up and Mickey Font cartridges, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Coluzzle, Making Memories Summer, Black Zig Millennium pen.

Stellaaaaaaaaa!

Wowza, don't you just love computer problems? I had the hardest time getting this card tweaked and loaded on my blog just now, I know its the computer and not me of course, LOL! I've added my watermark on a bunch of cards on my blog and I haven't used it in while so I must be a little rusty. Anyway, I made this card for my friends birthday (wink wink you know who you are) and I thought it came out pretty good, until I made another one and I liked it better, so that's the one shes getting. This is the one Stella stamp out of the ones I have that I have not made a card with until now. The colors on this card are so much bolder and brighter IRL, I wish you could see it. I tried a new thing on this card with the ribbon, I used my heat gun to heat the ends of the ribbon and make them look all funky (I'm pretty sure I melted my finger nails on my right hand cause I couldn't find my twisters), but I like how it came out! I used a card sketch to make this card from Michelle Wooderson and her blog Mish Mash, this woman seriously needs to write a sketch book cause I would buy it!

Supplies: Peekaboo Stella, Have a fairy happy birthday - Stamping Bella, K&Company Berry Sweet designer paper, Nestabilities dies, Copics, Spica glitter pen, Scallop scissors, Ribbon, Flower from my friend Bonnie, Rhinestone brad, Gems, Silver twine, Pop dots for the main image. Colors: Green Galore, Real Red, Pink Passion, Summer Sun, Whisper White.

Thanks for stopping by!

SC184 - BIG Stella

This card is for today's sketch challenge #184 over at Splitcoast Stampers. When I first saw this sketch I was intrigued and thought that it looked like fun. Then I started making my card with my Stella image and cut her out along with the smaller squares and laid it all out and realized I needed a BIG card if I was going to fit all of these diamonds together. This card measures 5"x7" and now the only problem is finding an envelope that will work for this. Stella was colored using my Copics and I added dazzling diamonds to the star on her wand and outlined her crown and some of her dress using the Spica glitter pen. I cut and embossed all four squares using my Nestabilitie dies and popped dotted only the large Stella diamond. I'm not sure that I'm all that crazy about how this card came out, there's a whole lot going on and I think its a tad to busy!

Supplies: Daisy with a Stella on top, Have a Magical day - Stamping Bella, Me & My Big Ideas designer paper, Nesties, Copics, Ribbon, Gems, Eyelets, Spica glitter pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Flowers from my friend Bonnie, Rhinestone brads, Pop dots. Colors: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Whisper White.

Bloom with Happiness

This is another Lockhart image that I received as a RAK, this image is very tempting and I may need to put this stamp on my wish list, I can see using this stamp for spring and making some pretty Easter cards with it. Although any rubber stamp purchases are all on hold now until the new SU catty comes out, I can't wait to get that catty in my hot little hands and see all of the new stuff. August can not get here fast enough! I just pre-ordered my catalogs yesterday and am awaiting the shipment of the few items I could pre-order from the SU sneak peek! Oh so exciting, I'm looking forward to getting some fresh new SU rubber stamps!
Its hard to see from the photo, but I used Crystal Effects on the tulips after coloring them with my Copics.

Supplies: Lockhart Tulips, Blooming with Happiness - SU, Square scalloped nestie, Old designer paper, Ribbon, Brads, Crystal Effects, Pop dots. Colors: Whisper White, Real Red.



PS, I have some blog anniversary candy coming in about eight days, so stay tuned!

Garden Roses

I wanted to share a few shots that I took of the roses and clematis vine growing in our back yard. These pink roses are so pretty, but already this year they have a little bit of yellow spot on the leaves. Its been a wet summer so far with rain almost twice a week some times more, but I shouldn't complain because I think of how dry its been out west and the wild fires they have and realize that the rain were having keeps everything green.

Have a great day and take time to stop and smell the roses!

Blog Award

My friend Dawn and Blogging friend Laurel both nominated me for this Brilliant Weblog award and I feel honored. Thank you both for passing the award onto me, it means so much.
Since so many other bloggers have been nominated with this award already, I'd like to pass this award onto any of my readers who have not been nominated as of yet, all of you are brilliant!
Thank you for making my day with your visits and sweet comments!

I'm Back

Our family is back from up north as of last night, we all had a great time and enjoyed seeing family and having fun. The kids went boating, tubing, swimming, had silly string fights, a water balloon toss, ate smores, watched fire works, stayed up late, got sun burned and mosquito bitten and had a blast! I hope all of you enjoyed your holiday weekend and had some time to relax and have fun.

I received the Karen Lockhart image above as a RAK and have wanted to color it and make it into a card ever since I got it. I think coloring a stamped image is the best part of making a card for me, maybe it goes back to the love of coloring in a new coloring book when I was a kid (yes I was the kid who outlined every picture and colored inside the lines).
This image was colored using my Copic markers, with a little Spica glitter pen on the centers of the daisies and babies breath, then it was cut out and embossed using my Nestabilities die and matted on Brocade Blue. I used So Saffron card stock for the main background panel and some old yellow checked designer paper I've had forever for the top panel.

Supplies: Lockhart flowers, Warmest Regards, Copics, Nestabilities, Scalloped scissors, Ribbon, Baubles, Pop dots. Colors: Brocade Blue, So Saffron, Whisper White.

Cherry Thank You

This card was the last project from Stamp Camp last week. I wanted to make a smaller sized card but didn't have any small sized envelops to give out along with a small card, until my resourceful sister-in-law found this link to Cindy Lawrence's blog The Creative Closet and found the directions on how to take a regular sized envelope and turn it into a 4 1/4"x 4 1/4" envelope. Cindy's directions were great and just what I was looking for, some people are just so darn clever! Then since I was working on cards for Stamp Camp the day of Stamp Camp, I needed a card to go along with the cute envy that I made and after searching Splitcoast came across SCEmily's adorable card and decided to case it but make it smaller. I owe a thank you to these ladies (including my SIL) for helping me finish my final project for camp.

Supplies: Tart & Tangy, Much Appreciated, Summer Picnic designer paper, Ribbon, Pop dots, Circle punch, Corner rounder, SU markers. Colors: Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White.

I wanted to wish all of you a Happy 4th of July, our family is leaving today for up north to spend the holiday with family and will be gone for a few days. It will be great to get away, spend time with family and have some fun! Enjoy your holiday and be safe. :o)

Exciting SU News and a Buggy Waterfall Card

Before I write about this card, I'd like to share some exciting Stampin' Up news! As a demonstrator today online I got a sneak peek and am able to order the new hostesses stamp sets and a few of the new sets that will be in the up coming Fall~Winter Collection Catalog. The exciting news is that not only are the new stamp sets fantastic and fun, but all of the new stamp sets in this up coming catalog will be die cut and ready to pop, peel and mount! Stamp sets that are being cared over from the current catalog to the new catty will still need to be cut and trimmed, but all of the new sets including the hostess sets will be die cut.

This waterfall card above was another Stamp Camp project that we did, I must have been stuck on these colors for some reason because we made two cards using them. I love this Bugs & Kisses stamp set, its such a fun set! For the directions on how to create a waterfall card click here.

Supplies: Bugs & Kisses, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, East Coast Prep designer paper, Circle punch, Eyelets, Ribbon, Tacky Tape, Sponge. Colors: Old Olive, Real Red, More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White.

Thanks for stopping by!