This card was created with digital elements from Sunshine Artz My Fantastic Little World.  The card base is a digi paper from that kit, with another digi paper printed on the other side of the white card stock for a contrasting but colored inside.  The DP cut with Spellbinders Labels 14 and the heart came from the same kit.
The leaf, and 'Gratitude' stamps are from SU! Day of Gratitude and the flower is from SU! Seasonal Icons.  I used SU! inks, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze and Cameo Coral.
The leaf branch was also stamped on the inside with Chocolate Chip ink, but I can't show it to you since my photographer forgot to take a picture of that! =)

Sneak Peek from Sunshine Artz

Well, I've been on hiatus.....again!  I think I try to accomplish too many things in a day, and of course, there are always those unexpecteds that take time away from what we have planned, so.....I don't get to all the things I want, and scrapping is the thing that always falls to the bottom of the list!! =(

I do have something to share today, but it is a digital layout, not a paper one.  I have lots of digi files from SunshineArtz which I love to use for hybrid projects, too.  It's a lot of fun to 'shop' for papers by browsing through the files I have from her, especially this time of year since I don't have to drive snowy roads to do it! =)  And, the headers I've been making lately are done with elements from Tabea's kits.

I recently got an email giving me a sneak peek of her new kit, DejaVu........and the chance to play with it before it was released!!  YEA!!!  The kit will be available next week.

Here is the layout I made with it.  All papers and elements are from this kit and even though it's a little 'cluttered', I just couldn't call it done until all this stuff was in there.

Oh.......and for those of you who may be wondering.......Yes, I do spin.  I own some sheep. I have a webstudio on Artfire.  I did not dye these yarns myself, but I do some of that on occassion.  And......originally this blog was started to help me stay on track with my fiber adventures. (You can find evidence of that in my right sidebar.)  Ha Ha! Then I found all of you wonderful scrapping friends online, and as they say....The rest is history!

Blessings!

I'm squeeking in for The Color Throwdown Challenge #160, but nice and early (the first day of the challenge ~ Yea! =D ) for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #108.

The Color Throwdown combo:

SSIC scripture:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

SSIC Challenge:  Create a card that says 'blessings' or uses an encouraging scripture.

I didn't have any Very Vanilla, or any ivory card stock of any kind!  (I'll have to fix that very soon!)  So... I used white CS and softened it with some ink distressing using a nylon stocking.  Since I didn't have any Soft Suede ink (I know, I'm batting a thousand, here!) I used a combination of Crumb Cake and Close to Cocoa.  I used the same ink combo to stamp the image, and then colored the flowers with Regal Rose ink and the leaves with Crumb Cake ink using a blender pen.  The paper flowers were colored with Regal Rose ink applied with the nylon stocking.  I also highlighted the tips of the petals and the centers with Crumb Cake.

Challenges
The Color Throwdown #160 ~ Regal Rose, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
SSIC ~ 'blessings' or an encouraging verse

Credits

Stampin' Up ~ card stock (Soft Suede, Regal Rose); Ink (Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake); stamps (Herb Expressions); Vintage Wallpaper emboss folder; Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon.

Petaloo ~ paper flowers

Mark Richards ~ Pearls

Stash ~ white card stock

Last But Not Least-August Challenge #8

Hello. blogging and scrapping friends!  I am entering a new challenge.  I've been following the Last But Not Least challenges for several months now, but haven't ever entered.  Well, today is the day that changes!

The challenge for the August, Last But Not Least is, 'embossing'.  Dry or heat.  I like to do both!! Yea!  And, if you do both on your project, it qualifies for two entries! =D

 

This was such a fun card to make!  First of all, blue is one of my favorite colors, and this is SU! Bordering Blue.  I was very sad when this color was retired.  I used the card stock for the base, and the BB ink on the embossed panel.  To make the panel I ran white card stock through my Big Shot in the Ornamental Iron emboss folder from Cuttlebug. 

The sentiment is an SU! stamp done in silver emboss powder, also from SU!, and then lightly colored with SU! chalks using a blender pen.  I then punched it out with the SU! Scallop Oval punch, matted it on Spellbinders Label 14 cut from more BB card stock, and embelished with SU! jewels.

Just to the left of the sentiment you may (or may not! =( ) see a shiny little embelli.  This is a medallion cut from white card stock with the Ornamental Iron die, coated with VersaMark, and embossed with SU! silver emboss powder.  I'm sorry it doesn't show up very well.  The best place to take pics of this card was outside and the sun made quite a glare on the silver items.

The flowers are a combination of SU! Boho Blossoms punch, Trio Flower punch, an EK Success punch, fabric flowers from my stash, and a blue paper flower from Faith at Mark's Finest Papers.  (A sweet little bag of these paper flowers was a 'thank you' gift because I had to wait for an item that was on backorder! Lovely Faith! =) )  I inked and crumpled some of the flowers and various brads, pearls and jewels adorn the centers. An SU! ribbon is laced through the 'bouquet'!

I'm sorry to say, I like this card so much, I don't know if I'll be able to part with it!!  Maybe I'll just write a sweet note to DH in it.  Then I can 'keep' it, and some day frame it with a nice Bible verse or poem in a collage! =)

I'm Back!

Hi everyone!  I've been MIA from Nutty's News for a little while.  Being a wife, mom and work-at-home business woman takes lots of time and energy.  Gotta have a break once in a while.  =)

In reality, it wasn't a vacation, but rather having come to a very bumpy place in this road we call 'life', and I had to reduce my stress load.  I wish I could say it's all worked out, but I can't.  God is faithful, though, to carry us through the even roughest spots, and He's the one I'm clinging to, so I'm looking forward to the day when things are smoothed out.

I have some goodies I need to finish putting together to send to several of you.....No! I haven't forgotten, it was just moved to the back burner! And I'm going to be more regular at my scrapping table!  For now, though, I'm going to share with you some cards I've made over the last weeks.  Some of these were originally for some challenges, but weren't posted or entered.

Today's card is one I started to make with a stamped element that wasn't the right color for another project I did.  I'm trying not to leave too many UFO items around, so I decided to make something with this 'F-friends' SU! image right away.  I took some Creamy Caramel card stock and cut a 4"x6" tag, then rolled it with the Rough Texture roller.  I wish I could tell you what ink I used, but this was so long ago, and I didn't write anything down because  I had planned to post it right away! =(  I'm really liking my Tim Holtz Fourishes emboss folder from Sizzix, so I used that on some ivory card stock and then inked it with, I think Creamy Carmel, using a wadded up nylon stocking. (My favorite material for a soft distress with ink.)

The polkadot DP was cut with my Spellbinders Label 14 from a scrap of Digital DP I printed for another project.  The DP is from the 'Baskets and Bunnies Paper' set at Raspberry Road Designs.

I had the various flowers all layed out on the card, some punched from SU! Boho Blossoms and a Marvy punch, some fabric flowers from my stash, a Prima from Faith at Mark's Finest Papers, and a scrunched up paper flower I made,  and I liked it, but the card just didn't look 'finished'.  Then I saw this Shabby Tea Room inspiration and knew I had to add the ruffled ribbon.  It's actually two layers, one is a light pink lace from my stash, the bottom is Very Vanilla ribbon from SU! and the two are gathered together.

The hanger is the same Very Vanilla ribbon and the various brads and pearls are from my stash.

I'm very pleased with this card: First because I used a lot of stash and UFO items, and second because........I like it!!  It's me!  =))

Thanks for stopping in.  Hope you'll come again soon!

A Blooming Good Day!

Aren't friends wonderful things to have?
I've been getting to know some fantastic people in this place we call blogland and beginning to call a few of them 'friend' along the way.

The card I have to share with you today happened in part because of one of these new friends.  In a very sweet RAK, Kelly sent me some stamped Pure Innocence images after I made a comment on this card on her blog.  The Happy Mail arrived this morning and I headed to my scrapping table as soon as I could! (NOTE: this was written last Thursday, when Blogger was down!)

I used the color pallete from this week's Color Throwdown #141.  The image is from the Pure Innocence Blooming Day stamp set and I colored her with SU! inks using blender pens.
I cut the image out with the Top Note die and trimmed off the outside (where the perforated dashes are).  The Rose Red mat is hand traced and hand cut. (Don't ask me why I didn't use the Top Note die for the mat......'cause I don't know!)  I used Primas as the base for the layered flowers, adding DP and Rose Red flowers made with the Boho Blossoms punch. I used the Curly Label and the Heart to Heart punches for the tag and heart at the top of card. Hope you like!

Thanks so much Kelly for sharing these with me! =))

Challenges:
The Color Throwdown - So Saffron, Rose Red & Aqua
Flourishes: Timeless Tuesday - Anything Goes

ETA: OOPS!  Got called away from the computer, got busy..........And FORGOT to come back and load these on the challenges! =((

Credits:
SU! - card stock (Bermuda Bay, Rose Red), Top Note die,  punches, ink
Prima - flowers
Oriental Trading - brads
Stash - DPs, white card stock

Friends

I've been learning a lot from various blogs that I visit, as well as some of the challenges I try to enter.  This week Our Daily Bread Designs is having their Shining the  Light Challenge 59.  The challenge is to use a technique I'd not heard of before, Embedded Embossing.

This technique is done by placing some elements onto a CS or DP and then embossing all those layers as one.  I layered a trim cut out of Sage Shadow (SU!) with my Cuttlebug Ornamental Iron die, and a Nestabilities Lable 14 cut out of a digital DP (polka dot), onto another digital DP (stripe), and then ran it all through my Big Shot using the Regal Flourishes emboss folder.  I so, so like the way this came out!!  I think I'll be using this technique a lot!  (Thanks, ODBD ladies!  Especially Sabrina - I took the embedded label inspiration from your sample!)  I inked the edges of this and wrapped lace and a Chocolate Chip ribbon around it before adhering to a Chocolate Chip textured card base.

The smaller Label 14 was cut out of handmade paper we make ourselves, here.   I stamped the Label 14 with the vine flourish from the Vintage Vogue set (SU!) using Creamy Caramel.  The 'F-friends', also from Vintage Vogue, was stamped with VersaMark and embossed using Stampendous Chocolate Brown emboss powder.  Then I hand cut it and popped it up on dimensionals.  The fabric flowers are from my stash, and the pink flowers are SU! Pretty in Pink DP punched with the Trio Flower punch.  I inked the edges with Chocolate Chip.  The layered flower was cut out of some more handmade paper with the Boho Blossoms punch.  I inked these with Creamy Caramel, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip, and then crumpled them a little to give them dimension.  I like the way this paper  holds a 'crumpled' distress job without using water.  I finished it off by putting a small pearl in the center of every flower.

Thanks for stopping by!!

CREDITS:  
The Digital DPs are from two kits sold by Rasperry Road Designs.  The stripe is from Away in a Manger Papers, and the polka dot from Baskets and Bunnies Paper Set.
Stampin' Up! - card stock, DSP, stamps, ink, satin ribbon, VersaMark, dimensionals, punches
Spellbinders - Nestabilities Label 14
Cuttlebug - Ornamental Iron die
Sizzix - Tim Holtz Regal Flourishes emboss folder
Stash - lace, pearls, handmade paper


Challenges:
ODBDSLC59 - Embedded Embossing
RRR Challenge #23 - Double Dutch (two ribbons, laces, or trims)
 ETA: Stampin' Sisters in Christ - put all things "beautiful" on your card

YEA!!!

It's official......

.........I have ten followers!!

Now, if you look at the list I know it will tell you I have 11, but one of them is my daughter who lives with me and knows what I put up here, (she takes a lot of my pictures, as a matter of fact), so I don't count her!! =D

To celebrate, I have a little gift for each one of you followers.  A couple of the cards I have made recently have included some hand crocheted lace motifs on them.  I'd like to give each one of you a set of crocheted lace trims amd motifs as a Thank You for welcoming me to blogland in such a friendly, delightful way! 

Please contact me via email so I can mail these off to you!  And then I'll be watching and waiting to see what you do with them!

MFP-Hat pin

I really need to do a better job of knowing when the deadlines for these challenges are!!  I'm squeaking in at the end of the Mark's Finest Papers Challenge #53.

The criteria was to use a hat pin.  I didn't have one, so I made one!!  The card itself started several weeks ago when I got this stamp set from MFP.  At the time someone had a collage challenge going on so I stamped a collage image with the Gerbera Daisies using Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip on Ivory Naturals CS die cut with a Nestabilities Label 14.  I used Pale Plum for the card base and mat, but because I didn't have any Chocolate Chip CS, I punched the corner and flower and sponged with Chocolate Chip ink to make my embellies.  The ribbon bow was made using Dana's tutorial, with one alteration;  I made a double bow and wired the center before placing it inside the 'knot'.

That was as far as I got, (actually I hadn't done the five petal flower yet, at that point!), and then I was stumped!!  I just couldn't come up with any way to finish this off.  I tried the hand crocheted lace (yes,made by me), which was great, but it still needed more.  Then...........the MFP challenge for a hat pin!! Eureka!!

But I didn't have one  ={!  I decided to make one using a flower head sewing pin, which I colored with Timber Brown StazOn, and then decorated with a button and a pearl.  That's when I decided to use the flower punch and add a pearl to the center of that, also!  Voila!!  Card done!

Challenge:
Mark's Finest Papers - hat pin

Thanks for stopping!

SU! - card stock, ink, ribbon, punches
Mark's Finest Papers - stamp
Stash - pearls, lace, button

A Wedding!

We got some exciting news this week.  My eldest daughter's close friend called to tell us she is getting married.  This, of course is a great reason to make a card.....so I did!

I found a new challenge I wanted to try at CardPatterns, (I think I got there from Lovely Linda's blog.....I think!), so I used this challenge as well as this week's Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #87 as the inspiration for this card.  

Marilynn is the hostess at SSIC this week, and she chose the verse Romans 8:28:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Marilynn's devotional and testimony are so amazing that I can't even begin to think of anything else to say.........so I won't.  But please, click over to her blog and read beautiful, encouraging, inspiring words from a heart that serves the King of Kings.  (There isn't a link available directly to her post so I've sent you to her blog.  At this time the post is at the top, but if you don't find it there, look for the date 'May 1, 2011')

Marilynn's challenge was to use no DP.  I chose white CS from my stash as my base, and then decided I wanted some color on this card.  I still had this piece of Sage Shadow that was used for the test run through my Cuttlebug Ornamental Iron emboss folder.  Although you can't see it in the picture, the half circle at the top of the card is bg stamped with a flower image in Blush Blossom and then I inked the edges with VersaMark and gold embossed. 

The flower in the center was stamped in Sage Shadow and the 'love' was embossed in gold.  I matted this on Blush Blossom and then popped it up on a dimensional inside the crocheted circle (no center to this) which was hand crocheted by......ME! =)

The white ribbon is from my stash and has a little sparkly flower pattern to it.  I thought that would be enough but then decided the gems from SU! were really necessary to finish this off.  All supplies and materials not already noted are from SU!

Challenges:
CardPatterns - sketch
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - No DP

Thanks for stopping!

Dare to be fabulous!

The Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger.

I've tried for several weeks to make a card for this challenge, but don't ever seem to get it posted in time.  I'm squeeking in just under the wire this time. =)

I made the card base from SU! River Rock and embossed it with the SU! Framed Tulips Emboss Folder.  I cut a Nestabilities Label Fourteen and embossed the edge, then stamped the sentiment with a combo of Crumb Cake (stamped off) and then Ruby Red (retired), and inked the edges of the label with the Crumb Cake. The stamp and inks are all SU!.  The Ruby Red flowers are cut with the Sizzix Flower Daisies #2.  I pleated the SU! So Saffron grosgrain ribbon and stitched the pleats down to make it easier to work with.  Then I covered the stitching with some satin picot ribbon from my friend's stash.  The yellow flowers are from my stash and the pearls are SU!.

Whew!!  Got that done!  Now off to the Moxie Fab blog to link up! =))

I'm early this year!!

Usually I'm running around at the last minute making a Mother's Day card for my husband's mom.  (My mom has been gone for several years. =( )  But this year, thanks to The Color Throwdown #138, I have my MIL's card done!! Yea!!

Here is the card I made.

When I first saw the colors for this challenge, I immediately thought of red to go with the navy and white. This is such a common color combo that I decided I needed think about it and try to give some other colors a chance, so I didn't make a card right away. I've been working on some new product ideas for our little home based business so I sat down with my hook and crochet thread.....red crochet thread...to create a few things. When I was done making the little flower, I knew it was going onto a navy and white card!! And that it would be my MIL's Mom's Day card!

The blue is Not Quite Navy from SU! and I embossed the white CS with my new Cuttlebug Ornamental Iron emboss folder.   The two navy medallions were cut with the die plate from the same Cuttlebug set.  I stamped the MOM in Riding Hood Red with the Lovely Letters alphabet, both from SU!  The pearl on the red crocheted flower, (which was made by me! =) ), is a button from my stash.


Challenges I've entered this card in:
The Color Throwdown #138 - navy, white and one other color

Jesus Paid it All!! Hallelujah!

It seems I'm dropping my entry into the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenges at the very last minute, lately! Today is the last day for Challenge #85, and the verse for this week is Matthew 16:23:

"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

The challenge is to use VersaMark or the same color ink ink on the same color of paper somewhere on your card.

 

I was clicking through various blogs today, including some challenges, and found the Timeless Tuesday Challenge #114.  The color challenge going on there right now is to use aqua, yellow and brown.  Then, I got my latest order from Mark's Finest Papers, which included the Cuttlebug Ornamental Iron cut and emboss.  I had one of my daughters test the cutting die, and she chose SU! Sage Shadow for the card stock.  Well, it's not aqua, but when I saw this lacy trim after the test cut, I knew I had to team it up with yellow and brown for this card.  The other colors of card stock are SU! Creamy Caramel (retired) and Daffodil Delight, and white from my stash.  I stamped the Weathered background on the yellow CS with SU! Summer Sun ink, (also retired).

The stamps I used are some new ones my lovely children gave me for my birthday a few weeks ago, and yes! this is the first time I've inked them.  They are from Blue Ridge Impressions.  I used SU! Creamy Caramel ink (retired) and colored with SU! chalks.  I also chalked the edges of the cross CS and then distressed with my scissors.

The flowers and pearls are from my stash.  I'm not sure I'll enter this in the Timeless Tuesday, we'll see. =)

(ETA) I just found another challenge into which I could enter this card.   Grace had a button for the Inspire Me Fridays challenge so I clicked over to check it out.  I decided to add this card to the challenge, and with enthusiastic encouragement coming from the same Grace, I'll enter the Timeless Tuesday, also!  Thanks, Grace!!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Frown!

It appears that Blogger is on the blink again.  I've gotten some information that comments made on this blog have not been showing up.  I do have comment moderation enabled, but these messages aren't even appearing in the spam folder.   =P

I don't know where the missing comments are going! But I wanted to let you know that I haven't been rejecting comments, I just haven't been receiving them!! =((

SSIC Challenge #84

Kris Breach was the hostes for Challenge #84 at Stampin' Sisters in Christ this week.  She chose Mark 15:16 as the focus verse.

"They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him."

The challenge rules were to use shades of purple and/or wood paper or elements on your project.

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (Perfect Plum), from my stash (gold)

Stamps, Ink & Gold Emboss Powder: SU!

Ribbon & Pearls: stash 

Inspiration for this card came from the second card 
(on the right in the picture) in Susan's blog post.

I'm sneeking this very simple card in at the very last minute due to a bit of a trial in my life this week.  Right now sharing this with all of you is 'safer' for me than telling the 'flesh and blood' people in my life.  That's because I'm really raw and need to get past my initial reactions before I can deal with what others will say to me.  You see, we were expecting another child in November.  I say 'were' because I lost the baby this week.  I'm fine physically, and emotionally, too, just still in the middle of dealing with it. =)

For that reason, this verse, and especially the passage, Kris chose is very special to me.  When I read those parts of scripture I am reminded that there is nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, that I suffer on this earth that Jesus doesn't suffer through with me.  Yes, he never carried or lost a baby, but He did suffer the greatest loss anyone can suffer - the willful turning away of His Father.  But, Hallelujah!, the story doesn't end there!  He conquered death and the grave and now sits at the right hand of that very Father, having provided the means by which we can all join Him, if we choose to.   And neither does it end for me and my little one.  I know that there is a day when we will meet, not again, but for the very first time.  Thank You Jesus!

And Thanks to all of you for being my 'shoulders to cry on'. =))

Too Many Temptations!

I've figured out that there are way too many good challenge blogs out there!  =))  If I'm going to get back into any kind of regular paper crafting mode, I will have to limit the challenges I read and participate in.

For today, I'm posting some pictures of cards we made, but didn't finish in time, or didn't post in time to make the deadlines of the challenges that inspired them.

And....... I'll be choosing two challenges each week to use as the inspiration for my cards and other scrapping.  This week I'm going to do the Stampin' Sisters in Christ and either the Moxie Fab World or the Color Throwdown,  I'm not sure yet.  And actually, I may be able to make one project work for both of those!  =)))

Here is a card I did for a previous Moxie Fab World: An Idea in Yellow.

 

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (yellow), stash (white)

Stamps, Ink & Ribbon: SU!

Buttons: stash

Here is a gallery of cards done by some of my girls.

 

 

 Credits:

Card Stock & DP: SU! & stash

Stamps & Ink: SU!

Punches: SU!, Fiskars, Marvy

Stencil: Pebbles Inc.

Ribbon: SU! & stash

Brads & Eyelets: SU! & OTC

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Looking for a groove!

I'm really missing my paper crafting time so I'm trying to work back into some scheduled times for doing my fun stuff.  Part of what has inspired and motivated me where scrapping is concerned is posting to many of the challenges I've found online.  Well, I haven't had the time this week to make any new creations for those, so I'm going to post at Make it Monday, over at Michelle's blog.  The card I'd like to enter there is one I made this past February for a Lollipop Ladies Challenge.

Click here for the original post showing this card and giving credit info.

A great surprise!

Well, I was a little surprised to realize I hadn't posted anything here for three weeks!  But only a little.  All my scrapping activities had to go on hold while I take care of some pressing fiber activities, like 3 pounds of alpaca that I have to spin for a lady.  I do need to post some pictures of fiber and scrapping things I did do during that time, but I just wasn't able to do any challenges.  The deadline thing didn't fit lately!!

The great surprise for me was to log into my blog today and find a message from Monica at Handmade cards with love.  The message said she had left something for me on her blog.  "What could this be?",  I wondered, so I clicked on over there to find out.  Low and behold, she has passed on to me The Versatile Blogger award!

Now I'm supposed to share seven things about myself in order to receive this award.  Hmmm.....I'm so new in the land of personal blogging, that shouldn't be too hard!  I think! =))

1)  I hate heights. Just climbing a ladder to clean out gutters makes me shudder!

2)  Right now, purple is my favorite color.

3)  I grew up in the midwest.

4)  I wear size 11 shoes.

5)  I wear glasses, sometimes, contacts the rest of the time!

6)  I own 8 sheep, and 1 llama.

7)  And......I love chocolate! But that shouldn't surprise anyone since it's the best dessert out there! =)


Now...I'm a little at a loss for who to pass this on to.  I'm so new at this, that I have't become aquainted with too many other bloggers.  And it doesn't help that two of those I would have chosen were Monica herself, and someone else she already named.  =))

So I can only think of three other people to whom I would like to pass this award. 

Grace  at  http://th-ink-ingofyou.blogspot.com/

Linda   at  http://lovelylindascraftcentral.blogspot.com/

Marilynn  at  http://mississippi-mcgyver.blogspot.com/

These ladies have been very encouraging and inspiring, not only in the scrapping world, but also because they shine the light of Jesus so faithfully in what they do.  I hope, if they don't feel they can accept the award, they will at least receive the heart of gratitude with which it is given.

Blessings!

I like these colors!

It's time for another Color Throwdown.  This week is Challenge #131, and these are the colors:

And the answer is Yes!  Blue and pink have been my favorite colors for as long as I can remember.  My group of likes has grown over the years, and I've gone through phases of being really into certain other colors, (right now that is purple! =) ), but I always come back to these for comfort.

'We', (the two daughters who scrapped with me, and myself), were honored to be chosen as the Featured Stampers on last week's Color Throwdown #130.  (The badge is in my right side bar!)  The girls had started scrapping some of these challenges with me when I came across one that really stumped me.  They offered to help me out by making their own interpretations, hoping that would thaw my brain freeze.  Then, it just kind of kept going, which isn't surprising since scrapping is one of the hobbies these girls and I share.  I had only entered my card in the challenge, but the girls' cards were in the same blog post, and as they say, 'the rest is history'!!  We are thrilled to have this honor, and have decided to keep scrapping the challenges together.  It's lots of fun and a great way to spend some time together.

So, now I will show you the cards we all made with this week's colors.

I found some fun tutorials on line this past week.  One of my favorites is Tracy's Paper Flower video, which means I've been making lots of flowers!  My favorite spring flower is the daffodil so I decided to try making some.  I don't like the one on this card as well as the first one I made, but I still think it looks as good as it can for a paper interpretation.  And, of course, it's that time of year when we all begin yearning for spring, so I have a fluffy little robin on my card.  I remember as little girls, my sister and I would eagerly scan the yard looking for the first robin.  I still do that, only the little girls with their noses pressed to the window next to me are my own precious gifts from God. 

Here's my card.

 

Credits: 

Card Stock: SU! (Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron), from my stash (white)

DP: SU! (Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze)

Stamps: SU! (Spring Song, Vintage Labels, Weathered BG)

Ink: Tsukineko (StazOn-Timber Brown, VersaMark), SU! (Choc. Chip, Stampin' Pastel chalks)

Punches: SU!  -  Die Cuts: SU!

Ribbon: SU! (Crumb Cake Taffeta), from my stash (blue sheer)

Pearls: Mark Richards  -  Buttons: from my stash

I'm also entering this in the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge #78: Psalm 9:10 - use at least three buttons.

Here is the one Sis made.

 

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (Not Quite Navy, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla), from the stash (white)

Stamps: SU! (Of the Earth, Weathered BG)

Ink: SU! (Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake)

Emboss Folder: SU! (Vintae Wallpaper)  -  Ribbon: SU! (Very Vanilla)

And here is Cowgirl's.

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (Crumb Cake, Choc. Chip, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla)

DP: SU! (Baja Breeze)  -  Stamp: SU! (No One Like You-ret, Three for You)

Ink: SU! (Not Quite Navy), Tsukineko (VersaMark)

Emboss Folder: SU! (Polka Dots)

Embellshments: SU! (gems), from the stash (sheer ribbon)

Thanks for stopping by!

A VERY challenging challenge!

The current challenge over at The Lollipop Ladies (#14) blog gave me a bit of a fit.  I made four...yes 4!... cards before I had one I liked and thought really fit into the challenge.  The sweet picture of inspiration was some smarties and the extra 'cherry on top' was to use hearts.  I so did not like the other three attempts that I won't even post pics of them.  As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what I'll do with them!!

Here is the one I liked.  And I really like this one!  My style is more vintage/distressed and my difficulty was in putting the 'smarties' colors into this style.

Credits:

Pumpkin Pie, Lavender Lace and Certainly Celery card stock: Stampin' Up!

White card stock and vellum: from my stash  -  Tea Party DP: Stampin' Up!

Stamps, Inks and Pastels: Stampin' Up!

Punches: Stampin' Up! (large heart, three heart, curly label, ticket corner), Fiskars (corner)

Die cuts: Stampin' Up! (top note), Provo Craft (scalloped flowers)

Ribbon: Stampin' Up! (Certainly Celery twill), from my stash (sheer)

Jeweled brads: Oriental Trading Co.

A couple of my girls scrapped along with me for this challenge.  They were trying to 'help me along' on my troubled path toward a pleasing card.  What sweeties! =)

This card was made by Sis.

Credits:

White, pink and ivory card stocks: from the stash

Certainly Celery, Real Red and Marina Mist card stocks: Stampin' Up!

DP (yellow): from the stash  -  Stamps and Ink: Stampin' Up!

Punch: Stampin' Up! (eyelet border, three heart)  -  Brads: Oriental Trading Co.

And this one was made by Cowgirl.

Credits:

White, yellow and green card stock: from the stash

All other card stocks: Stampin' Up!  -  Stamp: Stampin' Up!

VersaMark: Tsukineko

Punches: Stampin' Up! (three for you, three heart, corner)

Sheer ribbon: from the stash  -  Brads: Oriental Trading Co.

I missed a few!

I had plans for doing several challenges this past week but I missed out on some of them.  That might have something to do with the fact that one of my little girls had a birthday a week ago, and one yesterday.  And maybe just a little bit with my thinking I can get a lot more done than reality allows!  But that last one is only a slim possibility.  =)))

One of the challenges I was able to finish a card for is The Color Throwdown #130.  I'm really excited about this challenge blog because they choose Stampin' Up! colors for the challenge.  Since 80% of my paper stash and all my inks are SU!, that makes it easy for me.  Except for this time because I had no DPs in those colors!!  What did I do?  Made a mad dash to the local (40 miles one way) scrapping stores!!  But forgot to bring SU! color swatches.  Thankfully there were enough choices I hit pretty close with what I chose.  I'm pleased with the result.  And with the fact that two of my teenage daughters joined me in making cards with these colors.  I'm only entering mine in the challenge, but I've included pics of theirs here, too.

Here is mine!

Credits:

White card stock: from my stash

DPs: Bo Bunny (stripes), Pinecone Press (yellow on mushrooms), 

American Crafts (orange scalloped circle) and SU! (pink mat)

Stamps and Ink: SU!  -  Flowers: Imaginisce

Punch: SU! scalloped circle  -  Ribbon: from my stash  -  Brad: SU!

And now for the cards made by my girls.  This one is Sis's card.

Credits:

White card stock: from the stash

Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip card stock: SU!

DP: Pinecone Press  -  Flowers: Imaginisce  -  Stamps and Ink: SU!

Punches: SU! (scalloped circle), Marvy (small daisy) and Fiskars (corner)

Brad: SU!  -  Lace:  hand made by her! =)

And this is Cowgirl's card.

Credits:

White card stock: from the stash  -  Chocolate Chip card stock: SU!

DPs: Bo Bunny (striped), American Crafts (orange scalloped circle), Pinecone Press (yellow daisies)

Vellum: from the stash  -  Stamp and Ink: SU!  -  Die cuts: SU!

Punches: SU! (scalloped circle) and Marvy (daisy)

Flowers: Imaginisce  -  Gems: SU!  -  Ribbon: from the stash

Whew! What a week!'

I just got my computer back from my techie guy!  (I happen to be a Mac fan, so even though I used the PC while mine was in the shop, I felt very computerless for 8 days!)  The Two Year Old had put a cardboard heart in my optical drive.  Not too detrimental, but we didn't know it was a cardboard heart until the tech took it out!  Dinky-Do had told us it was a penny!  GASP!  =))

Said Two Year Old is turning THREE today!  Since her favorite color is blue, and the "main" color that is part of the current challenge at The Color Throwdown is blue, (SU! Ballet Blue, to be exact, along with a light green and a dark green.) I decided to make the birthday card my challenge card.


I also gave myself a personal challenge. I couldn't cut into a new piec of anything to make this card.  As a result, the card base is 4 1/8" x 4" since that was the folded size of a piece of handy Ballet Blue card stock.  I dug in my scrap folders for some Certainly Celery as the light green.  It has a little texture to it as it was a sample piece used to run some Fiskars texture plates on my Big Shot.  Very subtle texturing, but it's there!  And, I had so much fun making polka-dots for The Lollipop Ladies last challenge, I decided to make some for this card, too. -)  The only dark green that shows up is in one of the ribbons, but that's okay.  I think this is the perfect card for my No Longer The Two Year Old.  (Hmmmmm,  now I have to come up with a new 'name' for her!)

Here's the card!

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink, dimensionals - Stampin' Up!

Ribbon - from my stash

Mint Fudge!! YUM! YUM!

That's what the theme was for the latest challenge over at The Lollipop Ladies.  I kind of waited until the last minute to do my card.  Partly because I had lots of other things going on, partly because I didn't have any polka-dot paper.  Which means I had to create my own!  That turned out to be lots of fun!  You see, polka-dots were supposed to be 'the cherry on top' of this yummy project.

Here's the card I made.  I already know it's going to be one of the cards I use for my week of Valentines to my Dear Sweet Hubby!  Hope you like it.

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink, punches, linen thread - Stampin' Up!

Designer Paper - My Mind's Eye [polka-dot papers created by me! =) ]

Flowers, button, ribbon - Hot Off the Press

Some kind of Valentine colors!

I'm speaking of the colors for the challenge over at The Color Throwdown.  This is the second week I've participated in this challenge.  Last weeks colors were much more in my ball park.  This week's colors (all selected from Stampin' Up! color families) are Basic Black, Real Red, Pink Passion (retired) and Orchid Opulence (retired).  These are definitely NOT in my ball park.  Which means I have to send a big TY to the ladies over there for helping to stretch my color thinking box.  And this is the very reason I have chosen to participate in this challenge.

Here's the card I created.  It took me a while to come up with something that I could live with!  =)

Credits:

Card stock (Pink Passion-ret, Orchid Opulence-ret, Real Red), 

stamps (Merci-ret), ink, punches - Stampin' Up!

Scalloped circle dies - Provo Craft

Black card stock, red grosgrain ribbon - from my stash

1John 3:18

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and truth." (KJV)

This is the verse that inspired the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge #75.  The projects created for the challenge were to represent love, without using words.  (On the outside, if the project was a card.)

This is the card I made.  I'm pretty pleased that four of my daughters knew the meaning of the key/ heart symbolism.  Guess I wasn't being as vague as I thought! =)

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink, emboss powder, lace punch, 

linen thread, dimensionals - Stampin' Up!

Designer paper - My Mind's Eye

Vellum - Paper Wishes

Ribbon - from my stash

I'm trying for a design team!

I was checking out The Lollipop Ladies challenge blog when I found out they had put out a Design Team call.  This may be a crazy (nutty?) thing to do if I make the DT, but I decided to give it a try anyway.  I just figured if I was going to be following and participating in this challenge blog, why not get the 'spotlight' for a while?

So, I took the rules to heart and decided to use my favorite dessert, 'scrummy' banana split, as my inspiration.  Here is the card I made.  [Sorry for the poor pic!  My computer is in for repairs - courtesy of the two year old - so I can't be as fancy as  normal with my posts! =( ]

Credits:

Card stock, designer paper, stamp, ink, 

punches, grosgrain ribbon - Stampin' Up!

Brads - Oriental Trading Co.

Pearls - Mark Richards

Paper flowers - e./Prima Marketing

Velvet ribbon - from my stash

My first Color Throwdown!

I have found another scrapping challenge site called The Color Throwdown.  I'm not sure how I got there (again!) but I really like this challenge site because the colors they choose for the challenges are from Stampin' Up!.  The majority of the scrapping materials I use come from Stampin' Up! so this works really well for me.

This weeks challenge was to use the colors Early Espresso, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake and So Saffron.  The finished card wound up looking nothing like the vague idea I had in my head.  I wanted to use the Early Espresso as my card base, but found out I didn't have any! =(  so I had to think on my feet.  I like the way this card turned out, even though it is a little different from my normal vintage/distressed style.

Credits:

 All materials and tools used to make this card are from

Stampin' Up!

[with the exception of the thread and sewing machine! =) ]

I'm also planning to enter this card in the  

Your Next Stamp challenge #35 - Pretty Pleats.

The card set I was working on for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge has not been finished yet.  It was a case of 'life getting in the way'!  That set is destined to be a gift for a friend so I will finish it next week.  Too much on my plate this week! =)

Challenge Card Four - Psalm 23:4

I'm a little later than I planned to be posting this card.  I didn't make it on Wednesday because that is my town day - 40 miles one way! (Yes, we live way out in the country!)  So....

I started my fourth card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #74 last night, but wasn't able to finish it.  I sat myself down early this morning and got the job done!  I like this one, but I'm thinking it might be a little better if I had inked the edges of the Designer Paper.  (Oops!  Too late now!)

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink, journaling marker, 

grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals - Stampin' Up!

Designer papers - My Mind's Eye

Brad - Making Memories

Twill tape - from my stash

Sentiment - my personal handwriting

Challenge Card Three - Psalm 23:3

WHEW!!  Did I know what I was doing when I decided make a set of cards for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #74?  Yes - and no!!  I knew it was a good idea, but I didn't realize how difficult it might be to come up with a new card design every day.  I'm not exactly thrilled with this one.  Take a look and tell me what you think!

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, inks, ribbon, glitter and dimensionals - Stampin' Up!

Verse - computer generated using Pea Font Sandra Dee from www.kevinandamanda.com

Adding a Post Divider to your blog.......

.......WITHOUT NEEDING PHOTOBUCKET OR FLICKR!!

Yes, you can now host all your images with Google and then place them in all the fun and funky places on your blog using the 'codes' that are available from all the blog experts out there!!  And really, I can't take any credit for this since I discovered all of this info by accident! =)

I will be posting a page (which will show in the top tabs) as I gather all this info.  Each update will have a date attached to it so you will know how current the info is!

The basic 'Need to Know' is that, every blogger blog now has its own web album in Picasa, which is hosted by Google.  Every picture you post to your blog is in that album!  And I even found some info in the Google Blogger help that tells how to put your own original background onto your blog by hosting it on Picasa and using CSS.

My post divider is hosted on Picasa and linked in CSS.

Whee!  More room for originality and creativity!!

Check back over the next few weeks for the 'Blogging Help' page!

[Sorry I can't get all the info up sooner, but I do have to be wife and Mom, too!]

Challenge Card Two - Psalm 23:2

Here is my second card I have made for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge #74.

The passage of scripture used as inspiration for this challenge is....Psalm 23! =)  I decided to make one card for each verse in the Psalm, even though the only requirements for the challenge were to use blue (still waters) and green (green pastures) in your project. 

I think this will be a wonderful set when it is done, and I already know who I will give it to!  (But I'm not giving out any names!  Wouldn't want the surprise to be spoiled! )

Credits:

Card stock, stamp, ink, chalk, glitter, journaling marker, ribbon, 

lace punch, plain and scalloped oval punches - Stampin' Up!

Paper - My Mind's Eye

Brads - from my stash

Journaling - my personal handwriting

Challenge Card One - Psalm 23:1

I've been doing some hopping around on the web lately following links from scrapping blogs to other scrapping blogs.  I've found some wonderful inspiration and have even come across a few neat challenges.  Of course,  I couldn't tell you how I wound up at these sites I now call 'favorites', but I'm glad I got there!

One of my new favorites is the Scrappin Sisters in Christ blog.  Each week they have a challenge that is based in some way on a Bible verse or passage.  I was going to do a card last week as part of their challenge, but the days got away from me.  When I saw what this week's passage of scripture is, (Psalm 23), I decided I would make time to do this challenge!  I plan to make one card for each verse of the Psalm, which will result in a set of six cards.   And yes, I will enter each card in the challenge!

Here's the card for verse one.

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink and journaling marker - Stampin' Up!

Decorative paper - My Mind's Eye

Ribbon - from my stash

Journaling - my personal handwriting

My First Digital Scrapbook page!

Well, at least it's the first one I am posting somewhere!  =))  It is actually the third digital page I've made, and the second one I made today.  I'm posting this one because I like it better than the other one I made today.  And I don't at all like the very first one I made, although I can't bring myself to trash it yet!

I must say, I was so sure I wouldn't like this digital way of scrapping 'cause I really like the physical ripping and punching of paper scrapping.  And....I don't like the flat printed digital page.  Maybe I'll change my mind about that.  Maybe I'll just store them on a disc or something.  What I do know now is, that I totally liked getting two pages done in one day!!  And I love the way they look!  I may find myself trying to reproduce them in hybrid form......and I may not.  We'll see...............

Here's the page! (12 x 12)

Credits:

Papers and elements from Diary Pages and My Fantastic Little World, both available from Sunshine Artz (blog.sunshineartz.com)

 Font: Pea So Lovely available from kevinandamanda.com

Not a very good start! =(

I had great plans for the start of this year.  I haven't made it very far.

The fact that most of the household came down with a cold the first week of the year was the first bump in the road and my project plans were put on hold.  It takes a little while to catch up, so project plans stayed on hold!

I did manage to ply 4 oz of some wool I had spun as singles a l-o-n-g time ago.  (This is the 'Hershey' in my Spinning WIPs list to the right.)  It is the second skein of three that I will use to make a shawl for myself.  I eyed this wool roving for a long time before I bought it.  Then it sat for another long time before I found the perfect pattern for using it.  I started spinning with that pattern in mind, but it has been another long time finishing the spinning.  ={   I guess 'life' gets in the way more than my 'plans' say it should! lol  I've also been knitting a hat that someone commissioned from me.  Have to get that done and delivered next week.

On the paper crafting side of things, I joined a scrapping challenge-sort of!!  At the end of last year I found Faith Sisters digi scrapping site.  I noticed they had a challenge for scrapping the journey of your life.  Because mine had been full of trials for the last few years, I decided I was going to start 2011 with a new perspective and scrap the blessings God showered on me, focusing on the scriptures He put in my heart and mind along the way.  Then when I read about their new challenge for this year, the Providence 365 challenge, I decided to merge the two!  I have been working on the first layout using hybrid scrapping.  I just don't get as much time to work on it as I'd like.  I know I need to 'schedule' that time, like I do a lot of other things.  I'm getting there, just not helped by some 'unexpecteds'!! =(  I'm going to focus on that layout this weekend and plan to post a pic next week.

I needed a little pick-me-up today so I changed my blog background!  This new one is Whisper (3 column) from Shabby Blogs.  You might want to check out Megan's blog, too!

A New Year ~ A New Approach

I'm taking a new approach to the way I do things.  Mainly,  I'm entering the tecno age and planning to blog my way through my year.  At least as far as my crafts and things go! =))  I have a plan that I hope will help me get a lot more done this year than I have in the past.  My idea is, if I 'showcase' my accomplishments here, 1) I'll have a reason to get them done ~ So I can show them off!!  and 2) I'll have a record of all I did this year!  And if a little bit of 'me' creeps in now and then ~ Well, I guess we'll all know I'm human!!  =))