Happy Sunday all!  I hope you are enjoying this delightful day and finding a good reason to relax.

I am back today to share my Asian inspired card for Sentimental Sundays. 

I used a great new set that Ann is releasing for Raindrop Echo at Whimsy Stamps.  The set will be released on Feb. 1st and is entitled, "I Heart You" with 6 different sentiments. 

I had this DMD paper for quite some time now and am glad I was able to use to it.  I really like the thickness of it.  I sewed around the edges and then distressed the edges to give a little texture.  The sentiment I printed out and then stamped a SU heart with ruby red ink.  I added a row of bling under Confucius and then tied a fabric remnant around and attached a silver heart charm.  Pretty easy huh?  I am liking the easy cards these days.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life: #36 scripture in background

Crafty Purple Frog: distressing

Creatalicious Challenge: love and ribbon

Daring Cardmakers: oriental theme

Delightful Challenges: use a heart

Paper Pretties: #138 sewing

Studio 313 Hot Spot: charm

Tuesday Throwdown: #33 distressing

Have a blessed Sunday!

Hearts, love, and blinking plastic cups

Valentine's Day.  It seems to be on my mind. I guess the stores really do have a way of getting you in the spirit? I was walking in T*****  and saw the cute kitchen towels, plates, cups, etc. and was drawn over to inspect at a closer range. I used to buy all that super cutesy stuff when J was younger, but now it's definitely NOT okay to drink out of a miniature plastic cup with cupid bears. Sure was fun back then though. Have you seen those cups that  light up with different colors? Almost like a strobe light on the bottom of the cup? My nephew has one and loves it! It gives me a headache. I guess the good news is it can be found in the dark?  Here's one if you have missed out.  Clearly, I have too much time on my hands. 


Anyhow, so I was at my sister's house and my nephew just stared at this cup for like 5 minutes.  Huh?  I think there is some kind of mind distortion going on there.  I guess some would say it's better than video games and many television programs. Sigh.  I am getting old because I just found it annoying and even more so when I saw it had to be hand washed.  Ugh!  I love my dishwasher!
 
Which brings me to my latest card because J did the dishes while I was making this beauty.  Okay, I was hoovering a bit  while she was washing.  We don't put pots or pans in the dishwasher.  Hand wash only. She was learning that the sponge will not eat your hand when you apply it to the dirty pot after making your macaroni and cheese.  I figured if she was old enough to cook it by herself, she could certainly wash the pot by herself.  Being tactile sensitive is an issue for lots of kids and adults for that matter, whether you have Autism or not.  She doesn't like her hands being submerged in warm sudsy water.  I think it was the fact that the pot had cheese and noodles stuck to it.  I will have to buy one of those brushes with a handle for her.  Maybe then she will wash all the dishes?  Wishful thinking.   I can't knock her because she cooked her own dinner and cleaned up afterwards.   That's fantastic!

My card is based upon Skipping Stones #61 sketch.  First time joining their challenge.  I might be addicted now. 
The inspiration is from the Moxie Fab World Trigger Tuesday photo seen here.
 

Doesn't that look divine?  Yum! 
More challenges
Charisma Cardz: #4 Valentine/Love
Crafty Sentiments: Favorite Things (love my polka dots and foam dots)
Creative Belli:  #109 The Letter P (pink and polka dots)
Little Red Wagon: #65 Lace
Paper Play: Week 4 Layer It Up
 
 
Supplies used:
cardstock: Bazzill red and pink
pattern paper: Creative Imaginations
stamps: heart swirl Autumn Leaves; sentiment Hampton Arts
ink: SU Ruby red and Archival Ink Sepia
lace and buttons: craft supply
glitter: Martha Stewart
other: corner rounder and foam dots
 
Thanks for stopping by!

Heating things up with a freebie

Hey there! 
We are experiencing some questionable weather here so not operating on a normal schedule or frame of mind.  I am totally bummed because it's exams week for my daughter and now they are delayed.  It looks like the teacher work day will be pushed back to Tuesday and my weekend plans to escape Virginia will crumble.  Oh well.  Can't control the weather.  My daughter studied for her exams and now the anticipation of waiting another day is causing anxiety.  I was the same way.  Just wanted to get them over with.  As I am typing this, I am watching my neighbor leave his home in his truck.  He's doing a little sliding so it must be getting slick.  Ice is never good unless you can stay inside and not drive on it.  Or at least for me. 
Okay my card for today is really fun and oh so cute.  In my opinion that is.  :-)  At Crafty Creations, our challenge was to heat it up!  I chose to work with this really cute Meljen's digi.  It may not be  exactly what you were thinking for a "heat it up" theme but my  brain works that way. 

As you can see, I kept this card very simple because I think the digi and sentiment should steal the show.

The design team has some fabulous creations to share with you so please pop over and leave some love for them.  Better yet, please join us in the challenge and be enetered to win a Whiff of Joy stamp!

Supplies for my card:
cardstock: Recollections and Bazzill
image: Meljen's
ink: Sakura Gel pen and Zig markers
other: glossy accents and glitter

 I made the sentiment on word  and added a free light bulb clip art if you care to use for a card.  Just right click and save.

My card is for the following challenges:

All Sorts: #87 card for a male/boy

A Spoonful of Sugar: #136 Valentine's for kids

Challenge Up Your Life: #35 clean and simple

Fab 'n' Funky: use a digi

Lexi's Creations: #32 Valentine's

Paper Play: back to black

Scrap-Creations: color challenge (red, white, and black)

Woodware USA Clear Stamps: #11 anything goes

and just cause I have been watching it all day.  Thought I would share the view from my patio which is right off my studio area where I create. 

Birthday weekend

What a weekend!  My daughter turned 15 yesterday.  I always get a little emotional because I am reminded of that day I went into labor and the moments leading up to her arrival into this world.  What a glorious moment and I thank God for blessing me with a beautiful daughter.  By far the greatest day ever! 
We celebrated the entire weekend.  What could be better than that?  She had her friends over Saturday night which was a blast!  I don't think there was a quiet a moment while here.  I loved having the girls over and must say they were so polite and appreciative!  J was a great hostess and I was so tickled to see her take the lead and be so gracious.  On Sunday, my family came over and we celebrated again with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.  I was completely exhausted though yesterday and hence why my card is just getting posted now. 

My card for Sentimental Sundays this week is based on a color challenge:

Gorgeous colors aren't they?  You should see what the design team whipped up!  Fabulous creations I must say!  Check them out here!

I used a new sentiment from Raindrop Echo,  Crowned Oval Heart
The sentiment reads, "My Bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep.  The more I give thee, the more I have, For both are indefinite"  - William Shakespeare

I had a scrap of this Daisy D paper left and it fit the color scheme wonderfully (IMHO) which I paired with the old olive, summer sun, handsome hunter, and poppy parade.  I can't believe how the hunter looks more blue than green.  It's the real SU handsome hunter that I have had, gasp for 5 years!  I bought it when I first moved in my current home. That's quite a while.  I told you my paper collection was enough to wallpaper a huge room right?  My goal is to get it down to a small room by the summer. 
Supplies for this card:
cardstock: SU and Creatively-Green
pattern paper: Daisy D's
digital image: Raindrop Echo
ribbon: craft supply
pearls: Kaisercraft
ink: Papertrey Ink distressing kit
other: foam dots


So challenges for this card are:

Top Tip Tuesday: All Sentimental
Paper Sundaes: distressing
Tellen's Place: polka dots
Totally Papercrafts: use a heart
Pile It On: Love is in the air
Aud Sentiments: love
Craft Your Days Away: love

Thanks for stopping by!

Digital Images and 3 freebies!

Hey there!  Hope you are warm or cool in whatever part of the world you are visiting from.  We had a bit of an ice storm Tuesday night that cancelled school Wednesday.  Ice looks pretty from inside but not so much to drive on.  I watched as a few of neighbors left this morning and slid at the stop sign outside my house.  That was enough encouragement for me to stay inside.  Nothing I need that badly. 
Back with two new cards today!  One big post.  Are you addicted to digital images?  I certainly am.  They don't take any space in home so love that!  I listed 3 sites today that you can pick up free images to use in your crafting.  After you see this "free" a link is available for you to find the image.  Hope that makes sense?  I just like sharing these with as many people as possible.  :-) 
First I want to share the Crafty Creations challenge for today which is birds and polka dots.   Whoopsi Daisy is sponsoring this week so be sure to enter for your chance to win some digital images!   I used a  free digi image from Designed 2 Delight.  Thank you!  There are two different versions.  I printed the image 5 times to get this final effect. The three colors I used, black, white, and pink are based off the Kaboodle Doodle's challenge.   I paper pieced the hearts  and bird  after I saw Stamp Fairy's challenge.  In the shop you can find free digital images like this really adorable cat found at the bottom of the page.   I followed  the CPS's card sketch for the week. 

Supplies used:

cardstock: Recollections

pattern paper and die cut border:Making Memories Sabrine

sticker: SRM

glitter: Stickles pink

pearls: Kaiser Craft black

other: corner rounder

My next card is for Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge.  We have an "anything goes" theme with a sponsorship from Whimsy Stamps.  I used Meljen's digi found here colored in with glossy effects on the umbrella and boots. Speaking of which, have you seen this week's freebie she is offering?  It's a really cute light bulb!  Better snag it while you can! Die Cut Dreams challenge is to use a digi and rubber stamp which I did with the image and the sentiment.  Pollycraft's challenge is pastels this week and I chose soft hues of pink and purple with a touch of blue.  At Craft Your Days Away, the challenge is anything goes and a new challenge blog I found: By The Cute and Girly is bling it on which I used rhinestones for my rain splashes. 

Supplies used:

cardstock: Creatively-Green pink and Recollections white

digi image: Meljen's

rubber stamp: Close to My Heart

die cut border: Making Memories Sabrine

rhinestones: Studio G

brad: craft supply

ink: Hero Arts black

other: glossy effects

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you a blessed day!

Warm Winter Wishes

Are you tired of winter yet?  I know it was reported last week that 49 states had snow.  Crazy huh?  Except Florida.  It escaped the winter fluffy stuff.  We have been blessed with the beautiful fluff but not enough to keep us immobile.  I like that.  :-)
My card for today is a simple one.

Supplies:
cardstock: Recollections
pattern paper: SEI
digital stamp: Raindrop  Echo
snowflkae: craft
rhinestones: MAMBI
button: craft

The newest challenge at Sentimental Sundays is winter with a sentiment. I seriously feel honored to be on this design team because the creations my fellow DT's create are out of this world!  Please go visit and leave some love if you can! 

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Creative Belli:  snow
Dutch Dare:  stitching
Freshly Brewed:  black, white, and one other color
Papercrafting Journey: use a digi
Top Tip Tuesday: anything goes
Papertake Weekly: cold and frosty morning


Have a blessed Sunday!

Butterfly Thanks and winner from Crafty Creations blog hop

Time is flying by now!  I have so much to do and so little time to complete it.   Isn't this the case for everyone?  We got a touch of snow last night to cause a 2 hour delay today.  Bummer.  Was hoping it might be a full day off but we have a 3 day weekend coming up.  :-)  

If you read my blog you know I share stories about my beloved daughter out of love.  My latest story to share is her boot debacle.  She and I have suede boots except hers are a camel color and mine are dark chocolate.  Hers are a size larger than mine and mine come up higher.  Sunday when we got in, we both pulled our boots off and placed them next to one another.  Monday morning, she gets up rushes off to school which is typical.  I get dressed come downstairs for work, and see one camel colored boot and one dark chocolate colored boot.  Hmmm.  It seems she chose the wrong boot.    Turns out she put the boots on in the dark and never noticed that one was shorter, smaller, or darker than the other or that they were both left feet.   I asked if anyone at school thought it was odd?  She said, no one said a word.   High school rocks!  She said, "it's not that big of a deal Mom. They felt fine."  Hee hee!  She just rolled with it.  Being Autistic doesn't mean she always conforms.  She sure has changed.  Then she threw in, "you know in a few more weeks, I am turning 15 and then I can start thinking about driving."  Eek! 

 I want to thank everyone for their super sweet comments and for participating in the 100th challenge blog hop at Crafty Creations.  I had my daughter select a number and she chose...23 which is

Please contact me about your prize from The Cutting Cafe!

Supplies:

cardstock: Recollections,,pattern paper: Imaginesce, doily: Wilton, digital image: Raindrop Echo,  sticker: SRM, red diecut: Bazzill edgers, buttons: Autumn Leaves; rhinestones: Studio G, florist wire: craft supply

Challenges I would like to enter this in:

A Spoonful of Sugar: Thank You cards

Aly's Sunday Challenge: Things with Wings

Crafty Cardmakers: Use Red and a Die Cut

Oh La La Creations: Bling It On

Scrappy Frogs: Sentimental

Secret Crafters: Tons of Texture (doily, rhinestones, wire for antennae)

Sentimental Sundays: Something with Wings and sentiment

I want to thank everyone for their super sweet comments and for participating in the 100th challenge blog hop at Crafty Creations. I had my daughter select a number and she chose...23 which is...

xxxtglxxx

Alison's  comment:

Gorgeous card - you have worked that sketch perfectly and it looks brilliant! :)

Great image, simple and classy

hugs

xxalisonxx

                                                        December 31, 2010 6:18 PM

Please contact me about your prize from The Cutting Cafe!

Party time!

Okay not literally.  But very soon.  My daughter is having a birthday and I can't wait. She is making her  invitations to give to friends because it's not "cool" anymore to have your Mom do things for you.  Except your laundry.  :-)  Apparently, I embarrass her.  Who me?  Wink wink.
My card today is for her.  A surprise if you will.  She doesn't frequent my blog very often so it's a safe bet she will not see this.  I made this card based on quite a few challenges.

I recently purged my paper supplies and found this single sheet of Rusty Pickle paper I purchased quite a while ago.  I love it! I was happy to discover I had something like this in my collection.  I cut the paper doll out to be the main image which I placed on  this super cool hot pink embossed felt.  I have no idea where it came from.  I have just a smidgen of it but it was enough for this card.    The ribbon is "new" because a crafty girl can never have too much ribbon. ;-)  The stamps are "Close to My Heart" that Amy Heller sent me a while back.  The rub on was another remnant I discovered and thought the ticket would be cute with this.  The Making Memories stick pins are from last Spring.  I also found some vintage school book paper.   Finally, I used my PTI distressing inks to make this a true vintage feel.  
Create with Connie and Mary: #132 sketch
Gingerloft: 8 distressing (I used my PTI distressing inks on edges)
Paper Issues: new (ribbon)
Paper Sundaes: something new (ribbon)
Pile It on: brand new (ribbon)
Stampin' Royalty:  #53 birthday
and
The Shabby Tea Room: #43 use 11 elements breakdown of this: cardstock, pattern paper, felt, ribbon, rhinestone, stick pins, rub-ons, floss, button, ink, and stamps= 11 items for this card.  Whew!  I was challenged for this but in a good way!  :-)

Okay off to play on the Wii with my daughter.  We are going to try the 'Just Dance 2' tonight.  Wish me luck!  :-)

Sentimental Sundays and MSW

Happy Sunday to you!   I hope you are having a very blessed day!  I am back with my card for this week's Sentimental Sundays challenge: " Celebrate Friendship"   and my monthly challenge over at MSW to recycle something.  There are prizes to be won at both spots so please be sure to join in for your chance to win!

Supplies:
cardstock: Recollections
pattern paper: Making Memories and KI
recycled items: doily and ribbon
rub-on: Wordsmith
button: Dress It Up
floss: DMC

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges as well:

Colour Create:  Use pink, red, and white
Crazy 4 Challenges: Celebrate Something
Little Red Wagon: Leftovers
Secret Crafter: #115 Buttons and Bows
The Play Date Cafe: #62


Thank you for stopping by!