Just Because

I am in LOVE with this weeks CR84FN color challenge!  They are my favorite colors and match my house perfectly....if you add a touch of pear green....  I could make cards with these colors every day!  Since I was having so much fun adding pretties to this, I decided to do it with gusto and put 10 embellies on it for Cath's 75 Creative Cards Challenge; 10 Different Embellishments over at Moxie Fab.  I adore how this came out and I plan on using it for my little Lily.  Although, she's not so little anymore, she'll be 9 in a few months.  She loves all things 'magical', fairies, princesses, Santa, you know what I mean.  I loved this little fairy on the turtle from Webster's Pages Lullaby collection.  I fussy cut it....my aching hand....and it was completely worth it!

Here is the list of all the embellies I used:
1. little pearl on the ear of the fairy
2. small yellow button with string
3.aqua button with hemp twine
4. large yellow button with string
5. aqua and brown scallop strip sticker
6. aqua and white pointed sticker
7. scalloped sticker behind the buttons
8. bow
9. doily
10. fussy cut fairy and turtle

Who'da thunk so many embellies would be so darn adorable?

Joy & Happiness

After my "Cream in our Coffee" kudos last week....Thanks ladies!.... over at the Play Date Cafe I knew I needed to get back there to play some more!  This has been a crazy few days and I just now was able to sit down to create for this great color challenge!  I was hoping to be able to make an awesome card like this one I had published in Paper Crafts last year,

but alas, I just couldn't make it work.  Here's what I came up with instead with the color story they gave us.  I think it's a pretty good card for the men in my life.

 Hope you had a great day!

Out of this world

Today I spent some time in the craftin' spot with my little one.  To say that I got stuff done would be a stretch.  Here's our process.

Me: "What do you want to make honey?"
Elizabeth: "I wanna stamp."
Which stamp set would you like?
The snowman one.
I hand her the stamp set.
Which ink do you want?
Pink (of course)
She heads off to her table for about a minute.  Stamps one image and rubs it on a baby wipe.
Is this clean momma?
Yes, honey.
30 seconds go by.  Stamps another image, rubs on baby wipe.
Is this clean momma?

This goes on for about 2 hours as she goes from stamp set, to drawing, to Playdough, to stamping again.  When she was little and I tried to put her in a pack-n-play while I crafted, she lasted about 7 minutes....tops.  I was pleased with the 2 hours of highly interrupted time in the craftin' spot.  I shared it with my baby!

Here's something I was able to get done today.

It's for one of the Moxie Fab 75 Creative Card Challenges going on there right now.  Can you guess which one?

Ain't it cute?  SO itty bitty.  I had to put the life savers candy next to it so you could see how small it was.  I'm still working on my COPIC coloring skills, but I was pleased with the moon.  I made it myself!  A little sparkle and shine....that I can NEVER get to photograph well, but I promise it's there.... and I consider it done.   Join Cath at Moxie Fab for the rest of the challenges!

Itty Bitty Sunshine

Have you been working on all the challenges that Cath at Moxie Fab World has been posting this week?  They are next on my creation schedule....I don't really have one, just finishing my Disney books before I do them.....  Any hoo, as I was creating last night for the Paper Smooches Guest Designer call, I made a cute little 3x3 card with one of their free digi stamps.  Lucky for me, it fits perfectly into today's 75 Creative Card Challenges, Make an Itty Bitty Card!....I'm so lucky!....  I had already planned on posting it today on the PS blog, and now I've already started on my challenge list!  1 down, 4 to go....

I thought this little sun was cute.  Since I could use a little sunshine, I decided to make my own!  Are you challenging yourself today?  You should.....

*Whew*!

I've been a busy beaver!  It's been so much fun creating, I'm starting to feel like the old me again.  It's nice.

I started the long....and pricey....process of acquiring all that PaperTrey Ink has to offer, but they just keep coming out with more.  That's a good problem to have I guess, 'cause that just means I get more goodies!  I purchased this set months ago...during my hiatus....and they are just now seeing ink.  So the season is off, but I really wanted to use these stamps.  So, I did.

The ladies at PTI are hosting their weekly Make It Monday series.  I missed last weeks....I was sooo bummed....but jumped right in with both feet for this challenge!  You are to use one of the 6 provided rainbow collections with repeated stamping.  Thus the Repeat and Rainbows name for this week!  I chose to use #5, 'cause I thought it was the only collection that went well with this set.

The larger card is stamped on a natural paper that has flecks in it.  In the photo is looks almost like smudges - they're not....just so you know....

 The leaves are stamped in a rainbow down the page.  I then went back and stamped the veining with white ink and embossed it with white embossing powder.  I tried it the other way, but it didn't look as good and the ink on the embossed parts just kept smearing everywhere.

 I do think I may like the smaller one better.  It only took 3 minutes to make.  

Short and sweet and to the point!
 

Lucky me!

I am the luckiest gal in the world!  My hubby brought home a nice bottle of wine for me when he got off work today....isn't he sweet?....  He's always doing nice things for me, not to mention being patient as we figure out my health sitch....he's been really helping out around here, big time....  I'm very lucky!  We tried to get away for a night over the holiday break when his parents were in town, but alas, sicky-poo here had issues.  I'm going to pick him up something special and give him this card while I'm at it.

It's inspired by the CARDS Blog Challenge sponsored by Paper Smooches.  The challenge is to use these colors:   Only some of my *fav*!

I got busy creating with those awesome free digi's Paper Smooches provides for us poor souls without their polymer....*sigh*....  Soon, I will have some of my own....Yes, very soon....  Until then, I will happily use these cuties for my creations!

 My aqua may be a scouch off....

I think I'm SURE to score some points with this one!

Smooches and Sparkle?

Ya know when you're out of the loop, you really miss some good things happening.  Like Paper Smooches.  I remember when Kim Hughes deputed her company....a long while ago....her images are hand drawn, perky and have the most adorable sentiments around!  I knew I had to get some.  Then life got in the way.  Big time.  Now, after a 6 month hiatus from the blog-o-sphere Kim and her creations are EVERYWHERE!  I covet each and every one.  I.  Must.  Buy.  As I was shopping her site, I surfed all the info and found some fun challenges, like this one.   I thought I'd partake in the festivities....I'm a *party girl*.... 

Since I haven't purchased said stamps....yet....Kim is so kind as to give us stamp challenged folk some free digi images! They are super cute and right in my budget.  I fell in LOVE with this little bumble guy.  He's so cut and pudgy, I just want to pinch him!

It's really hard to tell in these photos, but his wings and stinger are super sparkly!....Apparently I must work on my photo editing skills....  I think I'll go and try another.....

Frosty Beauty opps

Don't you hate when you have a great idea or layout for a card, and for some reason it's just not coming together like you want?....I HATE when that happens.....  I just spent 2 hours on one card. 2.  Hours.  That's crazy!  I had the hardest time with the layout.

THEN I realized I used the wrong color of BLUE!!!....mine's a bit more teal-y....  I was trying to make this card for the Play Date Cafe Challenge this week.  UUGGHHH.  Oh well.  I'm still going to post it and perhaps if life isn't too crazy tomorrow, I'll make another one in the right colors.

Perhaps you should make a card in the right colors and play along!

Raspberries and Plums

Boy have I been having LOADS of fun creating these last few days!  Mostly for Paper Crafts and CARDS current calls, but this one was for 2 challenges!

 

 The current challenge at CR8FN Color Challenge has us making a creation with Raspberry, Lavender and a Neutral; while CASE Study is using this as our inspiration.  Lucky for me, it has purples, pinks and gray!  I obviously had to combine the 2 challenges....I'm resourceful ya know....   Here's my creation:

I did use 'creative' interpretation with the elements from CASE.  I still used the big bow, colors and swirls....they're behind that cray panel, see em?....I opted for butterflies instead of flowers.

I've had these butterflies hangin around in my accessories bin for about 4 years now.  I'm trying to use up all my retired or out of date product on my challenge cards, although I had to use my new MME Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks papers too....so pretty!....  Now that I look at it longer, I think it needs a little something in the bottom right corner.....hummm......

Alright ladies - you still have time to join me in these 2 challenges, so follow those links and get creating!

New Beginnings and Lullaby

Do you remember this card?  I made it 1.5 years ago for my daughter's 3rd birthday.  She is always carting around her favorite stuffed animal 'puppy'....very creative name, I know....  Well, it was published in CARDS Magazine in the March 2012 issue!....whoo hoo!....  I love this card, not only was it inspired by my daughter, but also from Lullaby from Webster's Pages....see that cute puppy, flower and scallop stripes?  That's from that collection...  It's been long since retired, but lucky me they have a new baby set debuting!  New Beginnings, it's so cute and a MUST have for the quads baby books.  Brandin and the ladies are hosting a giveaway for this collection too.  Go and check it out!

2012 recap and 2 Trigger cards!

Can you believe it's been 6 MONTHS since I last posted?  Well, I can!  It has been a CRAZY end to 2012 and I'm hopeful that 2013 will be less stressful and healthier.  The good part?  My niece and nephews arrived July 19th - a full 10 weeks before their due date.  They are all miracles and are so darn cute!  They are now 5 months old, happy and healthy!  Aren't they cute?  I've been on babysitting duty when ever they need an extra set of hands, it's so fun!

Besides babies and all the party and wedding events I've developed, I have been a medical lab rat since December 2011.  Over the last 12 months I have had a kidney stone....Nov 28, 2011....and surgery for said stone which resulted in a damaged ureter and a stint put in place until early January.  I tripped on a stool left out by my kids and shattered my middle toe and foot joint....late Jan....which kept me in a boot until March.  I had 2 months of 'good health' then I contracted WHOPPING COUGH in late May....PLEASE immunize your children....which had me hacking and unable to breathe until September....I wouldn't wish that on anyone....  In October I found a lump on the side of my neck.   Meanwhile, since mid summer, I thought I was going thru menopause....I'm only 40....  I had all kinds of weird things going on. Loosing hair; weight gain no matter how hard I worked out or how little I ate; skin issues; hot flashes and cold spells; MASSIVE migraines; extreme fatigue; joint pain and many more lovely icky things.  The Dr. finally scheduled tests and an MRI of my head...for the migraines....and my neck in December.  The lump is just filled with fluid....yea!.... but they also found a nodule on my thyroid.  Humm....an ultrasound later, there is no cancer....thank you Jesus....but that I have Hoshimoto's Thyroiditus.  Oh joy.  So 40 of the 60 lbs I lost in 2010-2011 has RAPIDLY....since September....re-established itself on my belly and thighs....*sigh*....  My health MUST get better in 2014, right?  Enough medical talk...

NOW to the good stuff!!  Since June 30th, I haven't been crafting....what?....  At all....sacrilegious!....  No challenges, no magazine calls - nothin'.  It's been quite sad really, my craftin' spot just kept getting stuffed with whatever we wanted to keep but didn't have the time to find a place for it.  It's amazing how much stuff you can stuff into 100 sq ft!  I took the time in December to finally organize our lives and I was able to get back to my desk and my beloved paper and stamps!  Yea!

I thought I would get my stamps wet by participating in this week's Trigger Tuesday at Moxie Fab!  It's been so long since I've even visited any of my beloved inspiration sites and Cath at MFW is always at the top of my list.  I love the photo she provided, it's my FAVORITE color combo.  Golden yellow, robin's egg blue, a touch of dark pink....add a bit of lime green and it's my house.... - yum!

I had so much fun yesterday playing with my papers, inks and stamps!  It was so therapeutic.  My girls even joined me down there for a couple hours.  Between re-acclimating myself with my supplies and helping the girls with their creations, I was able to make 2 cards for this challenge....YEA!....  One was planned and the other was made from the scraps!  First up:

 I was lucky to find in my stash a perfect paper to match the bedspread!  It has a touch of blue in it - excellent!  The houndstooth and qualfoil from PTI were stamped in white craft and embossed with white EP.  I love the strong white on the colors.

 I think this is the perfect salutation for someone you care about.  It was also heat embossed with white EP.

Like my faux washi tape?  I just cut 1" strips from the stamped and patterned papers then tore them.  I really think I may need to get some...

 This is the one I made from the scraps from the first one.  I stamped the houndstooth pattern with Crumb Cake but for some reason in the photo, it looks green....weird....  I promise its not.

I put a simple little collection of buttons under the sentiment to keep it nice and simple!

I'm really glad I'm making this a priority again in my life.  It's great therapy and Lord knows I need it! 

Bakin' beauties

 

Here it is!  My last Our Creative Corner challenge as hostess.  I hope you enjoy it.  I do tend to make you work outside the box, but this one is pretty easy.  Are you ready?  

I'm obsessed with beautiful cookies and 'fancy' cakes!  I always try to make them myself, but generally fall a bit short...  Your challenge this week is to make a creation based on these delish looking treats - the catch?  You MUST use something you would use in baking in your creations.  Get creative - use food coloring, paper liners, or sprinkles.  Know any cool techniques with egg whites, flour or sugar?  You need to explain your 'ingredient' in your description of your creation.

Are you drooling?  Well, let the let's see if I can get your mouth watering!

This tag didn't exactly come out as I had planned, but it works.   I used a mix of inspiration from the 1st, 3rd and 4th inspiration photos.  I went with the black background....the 1st photo....the sprinkles....the 3rd photo....and the tag shape....last but not least 4th photo.  It only came out o.k., but I must point out my insanity.  You see those little white dots along the border?  Those are white nonpareils.  Yes, I placed each and every one of them with tweezers.  

See?  *crazy*

This next one I wanted to try out using powdered sugar.  I had hoped that it would give a burnt, vintage-y feel, but it ended up just looking like a water mark. Bummer.  It smelled kind of good though...

I wonder how egg whites or lemon juice would have worked?  Hummm.....  Any hoo, I covered my 'you' die cut with pink sanding sugar like glitter and added little white nonpareils again for a touch of dimension.

 Go ahead...raid your baking supplies, then link up your creation at the OCC!

Now, I don't want you to think I won't be around since I'm leaving theOCC DT.  On the contrary, after the 7th, I don't have anymore parties scheduled for the summer, so I can get my crafty on!  I really quite excited about it!

Final 2 OCC Challenges...

I really have been around, checking out all the fabulous creations at the OCC over the last few weeks.  I do however have some sad news, after hosting these next 2 challenges I will be leaving the OCC as a Design Team member.  It has been a great 2 years of challenges and inspirations, working with a group of  very talented women!  These challenges have helped me hone my skills for my magazine and professional works.  Who'da thunk having so much fun would be so beneficial?  Thank you all!

Ok, now on to the challenge!  10 years ago yesterday, I married my amazing hubby.  In honor of a decade of married bliss, my challenge is for you make a creation with either the number 10 in it or it must contain 10 of the same items (ex: buttons, flowers, repeat images). 

 So my10 items are buttons.  Not terribly creative but they are sure adorable!

 

I added some Stickles to the pear and added my own little heart instead of the seeds from the stamp.  You know, 'cause I love him!

 Don't get overwhelmed - check out all the amazing creations the Design Team came up with!