Monday, September 29, 2008

Surprise!


I didn't think I would get this done before I left on my trip, but I did (while I was waiting for laundry at midnight!), so here is my House Mouse card for this week.

Our challenge was to use a tag anywhere on our card. As you can see, I backed my main image with a tag die cut! Stacy {twinshappy} sent me this cute mousie image to color!

I used Stampin' Up! markers for coloring and Martha Stewart designer papers. The tag is Close to Cocoa cardstock and the card base is Summer Sun. The sentiment is by Hambo Stamps. The brads and ribbon are by The Paper Studio.

Be sure to check out all the House Mouse & Friends Design Team cards today HERE.

Tomorrow I return home and will have pictures to share later this week. I am having a great time in North Carolina. It is really neat to see how my baby son has grown up into a wonderful young man. I have had such a precious time with glimpses into his life this weekend. I will really hate to leave tomorrow, and I get teary even thinking about it. So on to something else! :)

On Wednesday be sure to stop by as I will have a peek at one of the five new sets being released on October 1st by Our Daily Bread Designs! I love them!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Three Times Tagged~

Well, it's time to play "Reveal Weird and Random Facts That You Really Don't Want to Tell and They Really Don't Want to Read..."

I am kidding --- I love all kinds of games -- even this one! I was tagged by three wonderful women - all of whom stamp incredible things (you MUST check out their blogs) and one who makes some of the fabulous stamps the other two (and me!) use (and you MUST check out her blog and website!). Kim, Jami, and Kelley all tagged me this week! (And this is an easy post to schedule ahead while I am gone to NC!)

So here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

(What did we all do before blogging?? LOL)

Okay - let's see if I can come up with new ones, since I have done this before....

1. I hate spiders. I can't even kill little tiny ones - they are so icky. I sprayed on this morning with Redken Mousse -- worked great, although I will have to send my husband in to scrape the spider off the floor.....

2. My biggest pet peeve is being late. To anything. 2nd place goes to misspelled words!

3. I love watching professional football. The Dallas Cowboys have been my favorite team since I was 10 years old! Roger Staubach was the quarterback, followed by Danny White. I can remember how excited I was when White became the QB, as he is from my home state of Arizona, and I met him when I was in 9th grade! I have stuck with the Cowboys through Barry Switzer and Michael Irvin - and am hanging in there with T.O., Pacman and Jerry Jones..... ugh. Tony Romo makes up for it!

4. I don't like heights much....... (Jami, there is NO way I could jump out of a plane. I would die of fright. Seriously.). Roller coasters are not for me.

5. I would love to have time to take ballroom dancing lessons. And so would my husband. Some day.....

6. I don't really like talking on the phone. Except to my son. :)

7. I would rather have mashed potatoes with butter than a piece of chocolate cake.

Yeah, that last one is weird, huh? And I mean REAL mashed potatoes! :)

Here are the seven gals I am tagging. Take some time to visit their blogs too!

Julie
Stef
Liz
Connie
Angel
Stacy
Janette

Have a wonderful day! I am enjoying the North Carolina weather today!

Kelley is offering FREE SHIPPING at Our Daily Bread Designs this weekend!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Charmed by a Snail


While I am on my way to North Carolina, Blogger is being a great helper and posting my scheduled posts for a couple of days! :)

I made this colorful card for Thursday's SCS Ways To Use It Challenge: Charmed, I'm Sure!
We were to use a charm on our card. You would think I would have a lot of them, since I make bracelets, but I only had snails and giraffes. The giraffes are already spoken for! Deborah {beadn&stampn}, whom I am meeting for the first time on Monday for lunch in NC, is making me a watch with them (a pink and black one!)! So that left this cute little snail!


I used my Hambo Stamps and a little snail charm by Watch Us. The snail is attached with Tangerine embroidery thread from Making Memories. I got the little metal postage stamp brad as a gift from Deborah {beadn&stampn}. The mailbox is stamped twice and raised on dimensionals. I used The Paper Studio's Kaleidacolor paper to also fit the Dirty Dozen's Fan Club Inspiration Challenge for Colors of the Rainbow. The darker red inner squares on the designer paper are actually shiny bright red foil!

Thanks for coming to visit my blog! I hope to see you again!

Stamps: Hambo Stamps
Paper: Summer Sun, Georgia Pacific White, DP by The Paper Studio
Ink: Black Stazon, Only Orange, Green Galore, Bashful Blue
Accessories: embroidery thread by Making Memories, postage stamp brad, colored brads by The Paper Studio, orange stitched grosgrain, snail charm by Watch Us

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Scent of Fall is in the Air!


I love fall! Fall means football (my Cowboys are 3-0!), marching band (my daughter plays the baby bass drum!), pies, spice candles, pumpkins, soup season, beautiful colors, and pretty leaves~
It is my favorite season of the year.

Today I made a fall card using Sketch #63 from Sketches! by Tamara. Click HERE to see all the Design Team cards using this sketch.

My sentiment (Impression Obsession) is stamped in Chocolate Chip ink on Naturals Ivory cardstock and then the edges are sponged with Close to Cocoa and Really Rust. All other layer edges are sponged in Chocolate Chip. I bought these leaves a couple of years ago and hadn't used them on anything. When I saw this week's sketch, I knew I wanted to use them where the flourishes are. I love this patterned paper, and really wish I had about 5 more sheets of it - I can't eve remember where I got it! In this card, in addition to the DP and Naturals Ivory, I used Really Rust, DCWV Textured Neutrals, and Prisma Tawny Pack papers.

Join in and design your own card using this sketch. You can flip it, turn it, make it square, change the sentiment layer to a circle -- just be sure we can see the main idea of the sketch in your card! Play along! Link it back to Tamara's blog and your card may be featured next Friday!

Beginning tomorrow I will be in North Carolina visiting my son, so I don't know how much I will be able to post until I get back next Wednesday! I will not be posting a Monday House Mouse Challenge card, or a Sketches! by Tamara card for next week, as they are both due while I am gone! Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Wise OLD Owl Says......

Head on over to Hambo Stamps and get FREE shipping on your order today!

I made this card for today's SCS Sketch Challenge #195. I used my cute Owl and double sentiment set from Hambo Stamps and made a pocket for a tag in my card. This owl is old enough to know better than to be so sassy!


The sentiment says, "I don't think getting older is a big deal, really." And the tag that you can pull out says "But I guess you would know more about it than would." I love that! :)

It's perfect for my husband, who is older than I am. I may just have to save this for his birthday in February! Then I would really be ahead in my card making! I probably wouldn't know where I put it, though, so I suppose I will send it to someone else and make a new one when February rolls around!
Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Hambo Stamps: Owl - 0929; Big Deal - 1503
Paper: Martha Stewart DP, Prism Tawny Pack, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip, Marigold Morning, Pumpkin Pie, Copic C-1
Accessories: Nestabilities, grosgrain ribbon, brads (The Paper Studio), copper eyelet
Techniques: watercoloring

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Color Challenge #185


Today's SCS Color Challenge uses two of the new In Colors - Baja Breeze and Kiwi Kiss. I have to admit that I am one of those naysayers who, when I first saw these colors, was not impressed. But of course, once I have them in my hands and can actually see them, I love them! Tangerine is still growing on me, but then, Guava took all year! :)

The images from Our Daily Bread Designs are stamped in Black Stazon on Very Vanilla cardstock. I watercolored the angel using reinkers and an aqua brush. I added Gold Stickles to her wings and Silver Stickles to her dress.

My layout is from CPS #83 HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today! My posts for the rest of the week will be shorter, as I am getting ready to go to North Carolina later this week to visit my son in college!

Be sure to check out the FREE SHIPPING offer from Hambo Stamps today! It is good for only today and tomorrow! Check back tomorrow to see a new Hambo design!

Stamps: Angel by Our Daily Bread Designs
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
Ink: Black Stazon, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Cremy Caramel
Accessories: Nestabilities, Pretties kit, black grosgrain ribbon, Cuttlebug EF, corner rounder, Flower Fusion Too, dew drop (The Robin's Nest), misc. jewelry beads
Techniques: watercoloring, sponging

Monday, September 22, 2008

A House Mouse Shower

This weekend I went to a baby shower for a sweet friend and made her this little card:

Over at the House Mouse & Friends blog, you can see all the Design Team members' cards. This week we were to use stitching of some kind on our card. I keep my sewing machine out all the time, so I just sewed a square border around the Wild Wasabi layer. These little mousies are having a fun time in their shower!

I received this image from Stacy (also on the HM&F DT), and colored it using my Stampin' Up! markers. The edges were distressed with the Cutter Tool, I added some flowers and gems - and voila! A House Mouse Shower!

Over at Hambo Stamps, Monica is offering FREE SHIPPING this week! Check out THIS LINK and see how you can get it!! Don't wait too long - the offer expires THIS Wednesday, September 24th!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: House Mouse by Stampabilities
Paper: LSS Slab DP, Wild Wasabi, Lavender Lace, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi DP
Ink: Copic C-1, Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Certainly Celery, Lovely Lilac, Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace, Bashful Blue, Bliss Blue, Green Galore
Accessories: Cutter Tool, Primas, purple gems, sewing machine
Techniques: distressing

Sunday, September 21, 2008

A New Sneak Peek for a Wonderful Cause!!

Be sure to check out Carolyn King's blog this week, as she has an incredible never-before-seen HUGE blog candy offering for World Alzheimer's Day in honor of her grandmother. You will want to check it out, as the prize is worth more than $1000!! Anyone can enter to win. Just go to Carolyn's blog and read the instructions on how to enter.

So very many companies have generously donated prizes to this worthy cause, and there are so many that it would take a huge post to list them all. In addition to the great company prizes, many individual amazing stampers have also made projects and cards as part of the prize. How can you help? Make a card to send to a care giver of an Alzheimer's patient! Deets are on Carolyn's blog!

The card I am sending for Carolyn's blog candy entry is also the one I made today for the SCS Featured Stamper Challenge. Shannon {E3stamper} was chosen as the Featured Stamper #85 this week. She always leaves such sweet comments for everyone. I cased her card HERE. I kept the main layout and bird theme, changing colors, images and substituting piercing for faux stitching. I used an Ornare piercing template to pierce the corners, and added a little red gem to each corner, as well as to the beginning of the sentiment.

All stamps available from Our Daily Bread Designs on October 1st. This Flourished Christian Symbols set is so elegant and versatile, and absolutely perfect for so many occasions. You will definitely want to keep an eye out for this one! I will post a picture of the complete set later this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: Flourished Christian Symbols by Our Daily Bread Designs (available October 1)
Paper: Pacific Point, Real Red, Going Gray, Georgia Pacific White, Real Red POP DP
Ink: Pacific Point, Real Red
Accessories: wide red organdy ribbon, white dot trim, Nestabilities, Ornare piercing template, red gems (CTMH)
Techniques: piercing

Friday, September 19, 2008

Striped Silhouettes


Today I used a terrific and fun technique that Beate wrote for SCS called Striped Wipe. I am not really a techniques kind of person (only because it takes me long enough to make a card as it is!), but I really liked this one. It was easy and fun! Be sure to check out the tutorial!

Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery and Perfect Plum are my three background colors. I used to use Perfect Plum all the time, and realized I hadn't in a very long time! This was a really fun card to make. I chose the silhouette stamp from Upsy Daisy (Stampin' Up!) so that I could also do the SCS Ways To Use It Challenge. The flowers are stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. The patterned DP is two-sided, with the solid blue being the flip side of the pattern.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for some fun stuff!! :)

Stamps: UpsyDaisy
Paper: Perfect Plum, Glossy White, Scribbles Palette Mat Stack DP by Paper Reflections
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum
Accessories: brads by The Paper Studio, small and large oval punches, word window punch, Martha Stewart border punch, rick rack, paper piercer
Techniques: Striped Wipe, piercing

Thursday, September 18, 2008

It's A Little Early For This But....

I am one of those people that don't want to see Christmas stuff in stores or hear Christmas music playing until after Thanksgiving. I love for each holiday to have its own "time." I guess they do - just months before they actually occur! :)

So I surprised myself when I pulled out my new Santa stamp that I won last week at Country Blessings (Thanks Barb!) for this week's sketch at Sketches! by Tamara. But I thought it was a perfect fit for the sketch, so early I am!

I stamped the Santa and sentiment in Night of Navy ink on Georgia Pacific white cardstock, and then sponged the edges with Bordering Blue. My scallop rectangle Nestabilities is cut from Bordering Blue cardstock. The snowflake brads are from The Paper Studio and I thought they would make a good border along the bottom of the card. I have a whole box of fibers that I have been trying to use up - I don't think I ever will since there are soooo many of them, but I bought them when fibers were "the thing." The GP cardstock background is embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflake folder.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's cards HERE and play along!

Thanks to all of you that left suggestions and kind words about my dogs. I have talked with the vet and we are on a "watch and see" mode. It was nice to know that it is a common occurence, but unless they become longer and more frequent, that we are not to worry!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Has Anyone Else Experienced This?

No new picture for me today -- I spent my crafting time this morning making my card for Thursday's challenge at Sketches! by Tamara! Be sure to stop by on Thursday to see my wintery card with the stamp I won over at Country Blessings!

Last night as I was listening to my Cowboys duke it out with the Eagles (I just also have to mention that we won, by the way, in the last few minutes of the game - 41-37!! It was close! We don't have cable, so I was listening on the radio.), my lab/basset, Lucy, had a seizure. It is her second one. Our little beagle also had seizures (3 of them) after we moved to this house. It just seems weird to me! We have had dogs our whole life and I had never even heard of that. Then we move here four years ago and the dogs had a combined total of five seizures. Is that common? Has anyone else experienced this? My new little puppy (my beagle had cancer and we put her to sleep in July) is seizure-free so far. I don't know if it's a breed thing, or something in the house, or what. Any thoughts? We took her outside and just held her until she stopped shaking and then she wanted a drink! In ten minutes all is back to normal.

Since I don't have a new project to share yet, I would like to draw your attention to an awesome blog and Teapot Tuesday over at my friend, Cindy's "This is My Story." You simply HAVE to check out her teapot creations. I have wanted to play in her Tuesday challenges for almost three months now, since she started, and I haven't been able to yet! Cindy {aka Mothermark} is so creative, and you will LOVE her stories and cards. Be sure to tell her I sent you! Go now!!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

It's House Mouse Monday!


It's time for a new House Mouse Challenge, and over at House Mouse & Friends you can see all the design team's cards for this week. The challenge is to use paper piecing in your design, and a House Mouse image of course! Paper piecing is not something I do very often, although I love the look. It might be like watercoloring for me. Years ago I couldn't watercolor and didn't like it, and now that's about all I do! So I am hoping that piecing will become more frequent on my projects.

I chose to paper piece the tree stump that my little bird and mouse are singing on. I used Cosmo Cricket's Wanted designer paper for the trunk of the tree. The images were stamped in VersaFine Black Onyx ink, and then colored in using Stampin' Up! markers and watercolor with reinkers. The sentiment is from Hambo Stamps and is stamped in Basic Gray ink (Stampin' Up!). I know I will have to reorder the Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, as I am loving the frames! The little stamped leaves are from the set Tweets by The Saltbox Studio (available from A Muse).

I know the post date at the top of this post says Sunday, but I write the draft Sunday night and then post on Monday morning, as I work on Mondays and have to be up and out early! So it is a little easier for me to have this ready to post and then save it for publication on Monday.

Stamps: House Mouse by Stampabilities, Hambo Stamps, The Saltbox Studio
Paper: Wanted DP by Cosmo Cricket, Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue, Naturals Ivory, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi DP, DCWV Pocket Full of Posies Glitter Stack
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Tempting Turquoise, Bashful Blue, Going Gray, Creamy Caramel, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Mellow Moss, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point
Accessories: Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, circle cutter, designer label punch, organdy stitched ribbon (Hobby Lobby)
Techniques: watercoloring, sponging, paper piecing

Friday, September 12, 2008

Delightfully Delicious!


Today's card uses one of my favorite techniques - watercoloring. I used Stampin' Up!'s watercolor paper and an aqua brush from Michael's (pack of 3 for $6.99). I stamped my image from one of the new Stampin' Up! sets, Always in My Thoughts (111562), in VersaFine Onyx Black ink (I buy my VersaFine from Our Daily Bread Designs). Then I spritzed my paper with water and began coloring/painting, using dye ink pads and reinkers from Stampin' Up! The sentiment is just brushed with a couple of strokes of different color to match the flowers and pot.

I used my Scor-Pal (also purchased from Our Daily Bread Designs) to score a little frame around the main image. The Cuttlebug embossing gives a nice texture, along with the distressed edges of the cardstocks and the Cheesecloth background stamp (Stampin' Up!). The Silver Hodgepodge Hardware is my favorite from Stampin' Up! yet (and I loved the Antique sets that are retired!), as it has such neat designs (see the brad in the corner). The ribbon is retired Wild Wasabi, and one end is attached in the little sentiment frame, while the other is attached to one layer of the card. I used Copic C-1 for the shadow underneath the flower pot. The inks I used were Elegant Eggplant, Marigold Morning (retired), Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Wild Wasabi (retired). Designer paper is from the Old World MatStack by DCWV.

And now for some food! :)

This is a good recipe from the Joy of Baking. There are so many yummy delicious apples out there right now, and this is a perfect recipe for a fall day! I have also listed metric amounts for my international readers! Enjoy! Let me know if you tried it and what you think!

Tart Apple Crisp (or Crumble)
Filling:
2 1/2 pounds (1.2 kg) or 6 cups Granny Smith Apples or other firm, tart-tasting apple (peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) chunks)
1 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries (optional- but this is the best part almost!)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons (40 grams) white granulated sugar

Topping:
1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh or ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup (30 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats (NOT instant)
1/3 cup (40 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans (I don't put these in as I don't like nuts!)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray with a cooking spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) deep dish pie plate or an 8 x 8 x 2 inch (20 x 20 x 5 cm) baking dish. (Can also make 8 individual ramekins.) Set aside.

2. For Topping: Place all the topping ingredients (flour, sugars, spices, butter, oats and nuts) in a food processor and process until the mixture is crumbly (looks like coarse meal) and there are no large pieces of butter visible. (This can also be done with two knives or your fingertips.) Set aside while you prepare the filling.

3. For Filling: Place the apple chunks in a large bowl, along with the berries (if using) and lemon zest. Toss with the lemon juice and sugar. Transfer to your prepared baking dish Spread the topping evenly over the apples.

4. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes (20 - 25 minutes for individual ramekins) or until bubbly, and the topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Here A Chick, There a Chick, What's Up Chick?

Today's sketch comes from Sketches! by Tamara. I like the three panel design because it is so versatile. Be sure to check out what the other Design Team members did HERE.

Tamara is also looking for Design Team members for the Layout Team. That information is HERE. Join in the challenge and make your own project using the sketch below, then be sure to link back to the Sketches! site for a chance to be the Featured Stamper!


I chose my cute chickens and sentiment from Hambo Stamps for my layout. They are stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black (my new favorite black pad) and then colored with Stampin' Up! markers. The shadow is drawn with Copic C-1. I have so many fun fibers that I decided to use two different kinds.

Monica has a fun game over at the Hambo blog. Check it out for a chance to win free shipping on your next Hambo order! With several different holidays comng up, take a look at the fun holiday Hambo stamps HERE.

I have received a lovely award from some of my friends, and have not yet had a chance to post it. Thank you to Connie and Sue for awarding me with "I Love Your Blog." You girls are AWESOME!

Here are the rules for this award:

1) The winner can put the logo on their blog
2) Link the person you received your award from
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Put links of those blogs on yours
5) Leave a message on the blogs you’ve nominated

There are so many blogs I love and visit daily. These are a few I visit:
1) Barb and Donna at Country Blessings
2) Becca at Amazing Paper Grace
3) Cindy at This is My Story
4) Viv at Crafting Haven
5) Juliana at Stampin' With Inky Fingers
6) Suzanne at Stampin' & Kwiltin'
7) Jami at Stamp Happy!

PATRIOT DAY: I also want to give a huge shout out to everyone who works in our country to protect its citizens. As we remember 9-11, and those who died, let us also say thank you and pray for those who continue to keep our country safe! THANK YOU. Here are some sites for you to visit today to remember and recognize Patriot Day:
Presidential Proclamation
America Supports You



Thanks for stopping by today!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

I Love Poppies!

When I was younger, my father bought me a painting - my first! It is a beautiful oil paiting of poppies. It has always hung in my house, and since then I have acquired a few more paintings and silk poppies that decorate my living room. Today's SCS Color Challenge (Riding Hood Red, Going Gray, Green Galore) was perfect for this new set I got from Flourishes yesterday.

And I was inspired by this painting that is in my living room (one of a few - and this is not the one my dad gave me!):

I wish I had remembered to spatter my card, but I didn't, so it will have to stay the way it is!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall day! A little fall recipe is coming your way later today!




Stamps: Flourishes
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Basic Grey Black Tie DP, SU! Watercolor
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, RHR, Green Galore
Accessories: Nestabilities, black brad, slot punch dotted organdy ribbon, aqua brush
Techniques: watercoloring

Sunday, September 7, 2008

House Mouse on a Budget!


Today's challenge over at House Mouse & Friends was to make a card using one of our House Mouse images and have the total expense (minus intial ink cost and the cost of the stamp, or other non-consumable items - like the scallop punch) be under $2.00. I "squeaked" in (little pun there....) just under the wire at $1.85. We had to just estimate the cost of cardstock, trims and embellishments and that is what I came up with!

This little guy looks as happy and satisfied as can be after enjoying the luscious Lovely Lilac and Elegant Eggplant colored grapes. I received this darling image from Stacy (twinshappy) awhile back, and finally got to make something using it! I colored the mouse and leaf using Stampin' Up! markers, and I watercolored the grapes with ink pads and an aqua brush. The lavender trim was from another stamping friend, Sara (deipara). The patterned paper is all from a collection that I got at Hobby Lobby a long time ago. I don't yet have the photo corner punch, but I do have a few that Stacy punched for me a really long time ago, and I used one of those as a pattern to cut out my own. The little dew drops are from The Robin's Nest (available at Our Daily Bread Designs). I used Sketch 185 from SCS for my layout:

Check out the challenge today at the House Mouse & Friends blog and play along!

On a totally different subject -- I am so excited that pro football season has started! I know that a lot of you don't have any interest in football, so you are free to skip this part! :)

I have been a Dallas Cowboys fan since I was in 7th grade (and that is a really really long time ago!), and we had a great start to the season yesterday with a 28-10 win over the Cleveland Browns - in Cleveland. And our QBack, Tony Romo, had 320 yards!! What an awesome game! If it hadn't been for that one interception........ perfect game!

Tomorrow I will have a new challenge card and another one of my favorite fall recipes!

Have a great Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Blog Candy Alert!

Check out the blog candy today at Our Daily Bread Designs blog!

Friday, September 5, 2008

I Love the Java Jive and It Loves Me!


Yum! There is nothing better on a cool, cloudy, fall day than the smell of coffee! I am not a coffee drinker, but I sure love to smell it. It's a good thing my husband likes to drink it, or I would have to just brew it for the scent!

Today is a very cloudy, overcast, cool fall day. Four days ago it was 92. The high today is supposed to be 60! Welcome to Autumn!

Today's card uses two delightful images from the Hambo Stamps line:
Coffee - 1724
How Have You Bean? - 1618

I think the warm colors of the designer paper and accessories help the whole "aroma" of the card! (Oh brother!) The SCS Limited Supplies Challenge, hosted by my friend, Silvia, challenged us to use a coffee image and the color orange somewhere on our card. Perfect for the day! Here is a sideview of that awesome frame by Portafolio:


Stamps: Hambo - Coffee - 1724 ; How Have You Bean? - 1618
Paper: DCWV Textured Neutrals, LSS DP, SU Watercolor Paper, Really Rust, Bronze and Copper Metallic (Our Daily Bread Designs)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Only Orange
Accessories: silk flowers (The Paper Studio), antique bronze frame (Portafolio), big brads (The Paper Studio), Chocolate Chip Satin ribbon (retired SU!)
Techniques: watercoloring


I hope you will join in the challenge - and have a "cuppa"!
Thanks for stopping by today!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Specialty Papers are Special!


I love designer paper. In fact, I love it so much I "keep" it - I have several drawers full (you know those 12 x 12 drawers?) and honestly have no idea really how to organize it the best. When I want a certain pattern or color, I just like to look through it. I know I am not alone here, right? There must be lots of you out there that love it too!

Today's card was made with two different kinds of specialty paper: DCWV Luxury Stack and the Silver Metallic available at Our Daily Bread Designs. Both have a beautiful sheen to them that is just so pretty. I know my card picture is a little bright and shiny, but I did want to pick up some of that sheen in the picture.

I used VersaFine Onyx Black ink and stamped the angel (from Angel by Our Daily Bread Designs) on Whisper White cardstock. I watercolored her dress and hair, and then added Stickles to her wings. The sentiment is stamped in Night of Navy ink. All hardware is from Stampin' Up!'s Silver Hodgepodge Hardware set. The ribbon is in two layers, one Silver Organdy and the other Blue Grosgrain.

I used Sketch #60 from Sketches! by Tamara for my layout and added one panel and flipped the sketch. Be sure to check out the other neat designs by the rest of the Design Team HERE. For more specialty paper samples, see today's SCS Ways to Use It Challenge: Specialty Papers!
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

P.S. - A HUGE thank you to all who responded yesterday to my card request for Sally. I know she will have a special birthday and be so encouraged by all of your cards! THANK YOU!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Be Sure to Check Out the Newest Issue...

.....of Sheetloads!! If you are looking for sketch ideas, here are TWO resources for you:

1) Check out the current issue of Sheetloads, which features my friend, Riley!!


2) Tomorrow I will be posting the card I made for this week's sketch over at Sketches! by Tamara. Two great places to find ideas for making some wonderful cards! Riley is on the team too, so it will be fun to see what everyone comes up with!

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Help With Hope for Sally


For today's SCS Monochromatic Color Challenge, I chose shades of teal.

I made this card for a dear friend of my sister's, Sally, who is suffering from Stage 4 ovarian cancer (hence, the teal ribbon). She is a sweet woman, and will also be celebrating her 55th birthday on September 8. If you would like to send her a card, either for her birthday or for encouragement, I know she would sooooo appreciate it, even if it was a quickly made one layer, or a store-bought card. She has already had surgery and she recently learned that they didn't get it all. :(

Please email me at lidaroseroz@yahoo.com for Sally's address if you can help brighten her day.
I used the Hope set from Our Daily Bread Designs. I love how this set looks good in any color!
For information on ribbon colors and their meanings click HERE.
Stamps: Hope by Our Daily Bread Designs
Paper: DCWV Textured Brights, Very Vanilla, K & Co. DP
Ink: Cool Caribbean, Taken With Teal
Accessories: organdy and grosgrain ribbon (Target and American Crafts), pearl gems, Primas, photo corner punch
Have a blessed day!

Monday, September 1, 2008

House Mouse Challenge 3 - A Sketch!

Scurry on over to the House Mouse & Friends blog for a look at the fabulous creations the Design Team came up with this week! Our challenge was to use this sketch:


I chose the colors for my card after deciding how I wanted my little bird to look. I used Blue Bayou and Groovy Guava (both retired Stampin' Up!) as my main colors. I stamped the House Mouse image and the Hambo sentiment with VersaFine Onyx Black (available HERE) and colored using my Stampin' Up! markers. The rick rack is by Prima and came with some gorgeous big blooms. The color was a perfect match. The brads are by The Paper Studio and the silver frame is from the new Silver Hodgepodge Hardware set from Stampin' Up! All panels are popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

Join in the fun and create your own House Mouse card! Link at the blog for everyone to find! Thanks for stopping by today! Happy Labor Day to those in the United States!