ISSC44- and a Fond Farewell!!

Happy Friday morn'!! This is a sad morning for me. Ya' know, there are priorities in life- we all deal with that on a daily basis and decisions have to be made- it's hard.  This is the last I Spy sketch (fabulous sketch and inspiration card, BTW!!) The concept for I Spy sketches was Kimberly Warner Teasdale's--girl has a creative mind- and a big heart! Surfing the blogs/ SCS and using cards from other "addicted" cardmakers to base a sketch on, yep love it!! Unfortunately, life changed things.

Kim- you took me by surprise when you asked me to join the DT  (well maybe once in a while I make a good card, LOL!) and I have "met" and had fun with all of the DT, both past and present! Thanks for the opportunity!

Back to business.. the last I Spy sketch-ISSC44 is by Christine Okken  ( ChristineCreations at SCS) and is inspired by this card.  Love the bright colors and that rooster!!

Pulled out some recently acquired TCM stamps, O Christmas Tree. This set was designed by Amy Wanford at Crafting Confessions. Love the modern/trendy feel of this set. There are several trees with different patterns and several sentiments... LOVE! I played a little with the sketch... my circle became a doily with a couple of the trees. Papers are MME All is Bright. Added a SU wooden button and some twine.

The sketch..

A special Thanks to everyone who has played along with us and created cards using the sketchs over the past months!! I have enjoyed "Spying" the different interpretations of the sketch and appreciate your support of the challenge!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Thinking of You--WMSC!!

I was a "busy bee" over the long weekend! Have several posts for this week--yeah me {code for -one cardmaker who had the chance to get inky!!} Actually, have two cards today- one for the current Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - sketch designed by Ms. Jean Martin and another for last week's sketch by Ms. Karin- got caught up in the holiday preparations and didn't get to photo and post.

Thinking of You-

Large circle panel is a gorgeous image from Victorian Frippery, stamped in olive and cut out with a nestabilitie- Doesn't it look fabulous with the Vintage Christmas Backgrounder! Sentiment from Compact Sentiments-love these!! Added some stitching, Websters blossom layered with a crochet doily and Wild Orchid Crafts flower.

Jean's sketch..

This card was for Karin's sketch last week...

I was a bit stumped--- Karin you challenged me!! The background and butterfly are from WMS Nordic Spring. I stamped the butterfly in navy and heat embossed with clear- sponged with riding hood red and pink pirouette, added some glitter and pearls. Sentiments from Compact Sentiments and Compact Family- masked the "sister" to "sis" as I was thinking of her when I made this.

Karin's sketch...

Story behind the card-- Had a phone conversation {prior to Thanksgiving} with my sister and neice about noodles-- {from scratch- my sister is the queen of noodles!!} My youngest heard part of the conversation and piped up with- "They could FedEx them to us"..... seriously? That's a 19 year old speaking- noodles- FedEx prices, no concept of the cost etc.--really? Honestly- Bill and I laughed about the whole thing. Haley had no conception of the cost, she is a frugal girl and if she had realized the cost she wouldn't have made the same statement but, lord- when she said it, you had to laugh!!

So, the day before Thanksgiving I received a two-day pkg. via USPS with---- you guessed it, noodles!! Long story but, this card was for my SIS- I mean how sweet was that!!

Link to Waltzingmouse Stamps here

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

CR84FN68-glad tidings!!

Good Sunday morning- hope yours is a relaxing one and if you celebrated Thanksgiving this past week...hope it was filled with good times and lots of good food!! Today were kicking off some new colors at the CR84FN color challenge-- burgandy, gray, and cream. Gorgeous!!

I'm also working on getting my Verve sketch challenges done this month. 

This is the week 3 sketch by Maureen. The background and one of the die cut trees was embossed with a Victoria folder and the other tree was stamped with Verve's Bountiful Backgrounds (color on color). It's kind of hard to see but, the cream panel was stamped with versamark using a leafy sprig from Verve's New Mercies. Sentiment from Verve's Glad Tidings using a MFT flag STAX {love these!- not sure what I would do without them}tag. Added a button and ribbon to finish.

  

Can't wait to see what you create with these colors!! Check out the CR84FN blog for all the details and to see fabulous inspiration from the design team!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Oh, how time flies!!

It's flying by for me... have had lots of fun inking this long holiday weekend!! Have a few cards ready to go that I'll be posting later this week, yippee!!

This card is for the montly sketch challenge at The Crafts Meow!! Click on the link for all the details!

Finally got to ink up my Vintage Clocks {Nina B. Designs}. Papers are Authentique Splendid-- fun, it's full of eclectic patterns and colors. The image was stamped in early espresson onto cream and die cut with a circle nestabilitie-layered on a scallop nestabilitie. Added a sentiment on a MFT flag STAX die-namic, twill, and a couple buttons. It's funny- the top button is darker than the turqoise in the pattern but, definitely not as dark as it appears in the sketch??

Here's the sketch...

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Sunshine and Laughter!!

Enjoying my long weekend stamping...and I guess Mona helped me "get over" the purple thing... since I made a card using this week's SCS colors of " A Perfect White Night that Julia picked out and the week 4 Verve sketch from Teresa.

 Flowers and sentiment from Verve's Brighter Days. Flowers were stamped in SU Perfect Plum onto XPress It blending cardstock, cut out with Verve's Scalloped Flower dies and colored with copics. Sentiment was stamped in SU Night of Navy onto a panel die cut with Spellbinders Romantic rectangles and layered on a perfect plum panel embossed with SU's textile folder.

Julia's dessert is bling... happy mail brought me these SU clear buttons... reminiscent of old door knobs!!

Thanks for stopping by and appreciate all the kind words!!

ISSC43- welcome!!

It's a lazy Friday morn' for me- due to the long Holiday weekend. For those of you that celebrated--belated Happy Thanksgiving- hope your day was wonderful!! We had a wonderful day at my house full of family, good friends, good food and lots of laughter!! I'll be soaking in the quiet and leftovers this weekend and.... catching up on some challenges and blog surfing I've missed this past week, Whoo Hoo!!

Back to business.. it's time for another I Spy sketch!! Y'all created fabulous cards last week.... keep 'em coming!! This is the sketch challenge where we look for YOUR cards for Inspiration!!

ISSC43 is by Jean Martin  and is inspired by this card. Adorable, huh!! Love The Crafts Meow image and the banner across the top with twine and clothespin is fabulous!!

My interpretation of the sketch

I made a baby card for my stash. In trying to channel Jean's use of making her own backgrounds- I stamped the stars from Verve's To The Moon set on the middle panel and added some MME Fine & Dandy True Blue papers. The image is also from Verve's To The Moon set (love this set for baby cards!!) stamped, fussy cut, and adhered to the nestie oval. I didn't adhere the upper half of the giraffe to "pull up" and add a little dimension. My banner is the crochet with buttons. Finished off with a bow and flag tag sentiment- sentiment from Verve and tag was made with MFT's flag stax die-namics!

Here's the sketch

So.....have fun and get to Stampin!! Make a card using the sketch - and link it up.... we'd LOVE to see what you create!! Make sure and stop by the blog to see what the other Special Agents created-serious creativity and inspiration!!

Can't wait to drink my coffee, relax in jammies and check out all the cards from last week!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

WMS- Blog Party!

It's the 17th of the month and time for the WMS Blog Party!!

To be honest, with Bill's surgery... I've been so busy and in my mind I didn't have to post until Monday-don't ask, I know a lost a couple days, LOL!!  Halfway through the day I realized the time was upon me and I better "get to shaking"!!

He's really doing great- so much better than the surgery in July- a bit bored and with the sling/anesthetic drip needs help to bath etc. but, nothing like the last one! Pain is under control!!!!!!

The theme this month is Gratitude and since we have a Holiday coming up soon.. and this is the first Thanksgiving Lauren {my oldest} has been "wedded"... thought I would make a little book for her first married Thanksgiving. Keep in mind- left room/space for her to journal and add pics.

*beware there are several pics*

Sentiment- Say It Loud Winter Holiday.



Sentiment is from WMS Yonder Star and leaves/acorn from Peace and Plenty.

The background on the left was made using WMS Yonder Star backgrounder and the pumpkin is from Peace and Plenty.

Sentiment is from Peace and Plenty.

Sentiment and pear are from Peace and Plenty. Background is WMS Cabin Plaid backgrounder.



On the left I used Heirloom Patterns and the wreath from Peace and Plenty. On the right is a star and sentiment from Yonder Star.

After Lauren decides on her pictures, we can add, and spruce things up a bit more- maybe some buttons, twine, jute. more images from Peace and Plenty. And we'll "fancy up" the jump rings.

Chipboard- some were WMS images stamped on paper and adhered, some are patterned paper from Simple Stories, and some were painted and then misted with glimmer mist.

Have a great Sunday. Hoping to get a chance to see what everyone else has created. Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

CR84FN67- Joyous Season

Good Sunday morning! Hope you've been having a fabulous weekend!! Today is the 2nd installment for the current CR84FN color challenge-- we're still playing with plum, gold, and tan.



Today I made a small gift/Christmas card and tag. Haven't started on tags this year and it's always fun to add a little "something something" to those Christmas packages.

The sentiment is from MFT's Seaonal Sentiments with  snowflakes from Verve's Glad Tidings stamped in perfect plum. Love the "gold on gold" embossing and this sentiment- perfect for this technique. All those gorgeous snowflakes are a MFT die. As I was posting this-- I wondered what the snowflakes would look like with the colors mixed.

So, 


Fun either way!!

Can't wait to see what you create with these colors!! Check out the CR84FN blog for all the details and to see fabulous inspiration!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

ISSC42- Wonderful Time of the Year!!

It's Friday morn' and time for another I Spy sketch!! Y'all created fabulous cards last week.... keep 'em coming!! This is the sketch challenge where we look for YOUR cards for Inspiration!!

ISSC42 is by Anya Schrier and is inspired by this card.  Fell in love with the Anya's card and wheelbarrow- Anya did too!! My family went to the Country Living Fair the year before this and had a blast!! They wanted me to meet them but, things just didn't work out, although they did get me some goodies! Fabulous LO- open to lots of interpretation!!
I had fun using some "oldies but goodies" myself!

Oldies but, goodies: Girls Paperie Tinsel & Twig papers, SU felt snowflakes, SU punch, black halfback pearl, and Verve Sentiment from Christmas In The Air. Ahh, but they still look fabulous!!

The sketch..

So.....have fun and get to Stampin!! Make a card using the sketch - and link it up.... we'd LOVE to see what you create!! Make sure and stop by the blog to see what the other Special Agents created-serious creativity and inspiration!!

Had a lot of fun looking at the cards from last week's sketch today!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

PS Bill's doing fine. Things took a lot longer than we expected... it happens. I {we} did have some chuckles though- both with Bill and with Dr. Hamid {he's a cutie patootie with a great sense of humor!} And, I practiced a bit of nursing- anesthesiologist did his thing prior to surgery and then, surgery was delayed- well, Bill was a bit sleepy {O2 sat dropping and respirations slow-9} several nurses popped in for the alarms-it was lasting longer than expected so, I helped out. At the beside "bugging" {that's waking up} the patient- it was a project and I was glad I could help out-Bill still loves me and so do the nurses, LOL!! The nurses would have taken care of it but, I was glad I could give them a break.

WMSC123- Vintage Seed Packet!!

Squeaking in my card for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge before Bill's surgery tomorrow {DH}!! Although I do have some stamping plans for tomorrow late afternoon and evening, since he'll still be under the influence of anesthesia, LOL!!

This week's sketch was created by Lenet Mos.... fabulous!

Love, no, ADORE the Vintage Garden Seed Packet and all the Vintage flower/vegetable stamps that Clare released earlier in the fall but, hadn't had a chance to play with too many of them so... it was time to get this one inky. Look at all the fabulouse detail in these images!!

Used some Authentique papers along with SU early espresso and vanilla. The right panel was stamped with a grid image from Off Beat Backgrounds {really versatile set}, seed packet and pumpkin are from the Vintage Seed Packet set. The scallop borders were "flicked up" with my finger to add a little dimension. A little flag tag, seam binding ribbon/bow, and an opera tag stamped with the coordinating image to finish. Thinking the opera tag is probably a little bit too fancy for the "feel" of this card but, I just wanted to use it-it's just gorgeous, LOL!! Do you ever have days like that?

Lenet's sketch...

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Special Day-- CR84FN67!!

Woot... woot! I've been keeping a secret!! I was thrilled when Mona sent me a message inviting me to join the CR84FN team!! Today is my first official post with the new DT. Make sure and check out the CR84FN blog... there are several new DT members!!

The colors that we'll be playing with for the next week and a half are plum, gold, and tan.

Gorgeous!! Now, I have to admit I am not a "big" purple person and, I was a "titch" intimidated at first...but, these colors look fabulous together!

I stamped text from Waltzingmouse Stamps Text It onto crumbcake and then stamped the hyacinths from Waltzingmouse Stamps Vintage Garden Flowers and heat embossed with clear. Distressed the edges and layered onto gold cardstock with a perfect plum base. Wanted the gold to blend a bit with the crumbcake so I sprayed with Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist. Sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Vintage Garden Seed Packet was stamped in perfect plum onto a flag die cut with MFT's flag die-namics. Added some gold ribbon, button, and bow!

Close up of the glimmer mist... looks delish IRL!!

Now have fun, can't wait to see what you create with these colors!! Don't forget to check out the CR84FN blog to see all the new DT members and fabulous inspiration!!

Thanks for stopping by... appreciate all the sweet words!!

PS Blogger is messing with me... will get the sidebar DT links fixed in the am!! Geesh...

I Spy Sketch 41-- Lean On Me!!

It's Friday morn' and time for another I Spy sketch!! Y'all created fabulous cards last week.... keep 'em coming!! This is the sketch challenge where we look for YOUR cards for Inspiration!!

So... last week the weaving was fun!! This week we have "rays" of a sort for you!!
ISSC41 is by Chris Franco (allamericanstampers at SCS) and is inspired by this card.  Fun!!

I used a tutorial from Shannon Tuebner which you can find here. Actually should have carried out the strips all the way to the right... another day! Papers are Authentique Glory, SU Night of Navy- Riding Hood Red- and Cherry Cobbler... fun colors!! Border die is MFT. Flower outline was stamped in corresponding colors and die cut with Verve's Pointed Flowers. The grid pattern is from Verve's Making A Statement and sentiment overstamped.  Flower outline and sentiment from Verve's Lean On Me. Added some big halfback pearls and cream seam binding bow.

The sketch...

You could use the tutorial link I provided but... I also see rays from an embossing folder or masking or a stamp.... so many fabulous possibilities!!

So.....have fun and get to Stampin!! Make a card using the sketch - and link it up.... we'd LOVE to see what you create!! Make sure and stop by the blog to see what the other Special Agents created-serious creativity and inspiration!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Keeping a Lamp Lit for You!!

This week's Waltzingmouse sketch is by Mischief Maker Renee Lynch!! Fabulous sketch and definitely will be a "go to" for me!! I had fun inking up some new stamps!!

The fleur background is a wooden piece I purchased at Michael's and painted. Stamped the "rays" from WMS Little Lanterns onto an oval nestie, trimmed to fit, and adhered to the back. Stamped a lantern with rays, and candle from Little Lanterns, fussy cut and popped on top. Tried several borders for the sides but, with the fleur wooden piece the card needed a simple border so, I added some piping bias tape from the fabric store- you can't tell in the pic but, it adds some dimension and texture. A big ole' bow with bells and sentiment from Bright Season finished it off!!

Renee's sketch..

Hope you're having a wonderful week... mine's been busy. Tomorrow's Friday... Whoo Hoo! We're going for a family dinner at Firebirds for my step grandson's B-Day, my son-in-law's fathers' B-day, and my daughter's 1st Anniversary-- okay...that sounds complicated!! I should be celebrating--ha, that wedding is a year down the road--geesh, what a project AND time consumer AND money consumer AND time consumer-- you get the idea!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate when you do and love to read all the kind words!!

Sweet Birthday Wishes- CR84FN66

Good Sunday afternoon. Created a card for the CR84FN color challenge that's ending soon. You have until Wednesday, I believe, to make a card using gray, tan, and cream.

Here's my card

The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse stamps-Compact Sentiments. Fishtail flags were created with a die from MFT as well as those flowers. Love MFT dies!! Middle panel was embossed and added a little stitching around the largest oval nestie.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Today is laundry day for me and catching up a little on the internet. My visiting blogs was about nil last week due to busy life so hoping to rectify that tonight {in between the laundry}.

Yesterday hubs and I went to the Flea Market Extravaganza that is held twice a year. Lots of interesting things but, the prices were a bit high. Big puschase of the day was a "tomato" knife. I have one and love this thing and haven't been able to find a spare. Now, he did take me to lunch and even went on a Michaels run!! I do a lot of anitquing when I visit my family in Indiana and there a couple of fun shops around here so, I'm waiting for better bargains!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Appreciate all the kind words!!

Hold Christmas In Your Heart- ISSC40

It's Friday morn' and time for another I Spy sketch!! Y'all created fabulous cards last week.... keep 'em coming!! This is the sketch challenge where we look for YOUR cards for Inspiration!!

ISSC40 is by Julie H. (Juble at SCS) and is inspired by this card.

Now... I want to make clear that when you see the sketch the middle oval panel does have weaving and I just wanted to try it but, if you aren't in the mood... that's good... definitely not required!!

I did my weaving with some older SU silky ribbon on a piece of cardstock {horizontal layers on the left margin with sticky tape}. Had to play with the ribbon a little to get it to lay right. Adhered an oval border and trimmed the outside. I cut another oval border and layered that on top. There may be a tutorial in blog land somewhere with a technique much easier. Stamped one of my fav images from Waltzingmouse Stamps Santa Is Coming To Town, fussy cut, and popped on top. The sentiment is from Walzingmouse Stamps Compact Sentiments, embossed in white, and layered with SU punches. The white background panel needed a little sumthin' so I sprayed some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. Added a big ole' bow-- love these things and every once in a while the urge hits!

Here's the sketch

Remember you are not required to weave... I did because I wanted to try it!! So.....have fun and get to Stampin!! Make a card using the sketch - and link it up.... we'd LOVE to see what you create!! Make sure and stop by the blog to see what the other Special Agents created-serious creativity and inspiration!!

Thinking of the Northeast this week... what a tremendous challenge moving forward after Hurricane Sandy. I lived in Charlotte when Hurricane Hugo came through and we had challenges but, I think we were lucky to not have as much of a dense population/geographic area in the path from the coast to us. We had neighborhood grilling/sharing food/sharing power/sharing rides/finding gas/water etc. When I think of the damage we had here, so far inland, trees down- power out for days/weeks for some, gas shortages etc.--I'm speechless {some would find that amusing at my house} about the devastation in NJ/NY and surrounding areas... My thoughts and prayers go out for everyone struggling through this... and my heart swells when I see pics of those with power offering to charge batteries on phones, food, etc. etc. Those may be simple things compared to larger rescue efforts but, those are things that matter too and they DO make a difference in this world. Sorry, I guess I had to "get that out"!!

Thanks for stopping by and if you read the whole conversation- thanks for being patient!! Appreciate all the kind words!!