A Little Cheeper

Happy and Blessed Sunday to you!

I made this card for the SCS Featured Stamper Challenge.
Congratulations to Laura - aka - Scrapnextras! THIS is her lovely card that I chose to case.
I kept her layout and changed colors and images. I added ribbon and brads and primas. There are Stickles in the flower center on the right panel.

Stamps: Hambo Stamps
Paper: Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Gray, Apricot Appeal, So Saffron, Green Galore, Gable Green, Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, Barely Banana, Night of Navy
Accessories: Primas, corner rounder, grosgrain ribbon, Stickles, CTMH gems, big brads, circle cutter

Speaking of CHEEP (lol), last night I felt like I was at one of those cheap motels that used to have the vibrating beds for 25 cents. My little beagle is scared of the thunder, and when the small rain storm came through, she was out of her bed and crawling under mine. She is a smaller bred beagle, but since I have a Select Comfort air bed, I could still feel every movement she made as she tried to find a safe refuge from the noise. And then of course, once she found the spot, she had to turn around several times. It was kind of funny -- for about two minutes -- and then I had had enough. It was 1:55 a.m. after all! I finally coerced her out and let her get up with me for awhile. She is such a spoiled little Queen. And now that Uno (another beagle) has won the Dog Show.....
More rain tonight......


It's Never Too Late

to have a pet

It makes you a gentler person,
more compassionate, more tactile.
It expands your life and widens your focus.
It brings rewards:
unconditional love,
time for reflection,
warmth.

"To his dog every man is king." -- Anonymous

Thanks for stopping by!

Home Inspired....

Today we were to find something in our home that inspires us and to create a card using that piece for inspiration. I chose this giraffe music box for my inspiration piece. I collect giraffes and it is one of the first things I bought for my collection after I was married. I remember thinking at the time that is was sooo expensive and frivolous. It has survived many moves and a lot of years! It plays "Born Free" (which makes me think of lions, rather than giraffes.....not a good thing for a giraffe collector lol!).

My giraffe stamp is one of my favorites. My sister gave it to me. I love the design. The giraffe DP is some I have had for awhile and never found the right time to use it. I love the border along the bottom. It is by Hot Off the Press.

What a great challenge! I have two or three other things I may have to use today as well! And thanks for coming to take a look~

It's Never Too Late

to make your house your home

Stamp your personality on your home.
Invest some love in it.
Give it something of yourself.
Your colors.
Your pictures.
Your favorite objects.
In return, it will welcome you
and your friends.

"Home is where the heart is." --Proverb

Stamps: Peddler's Pack
Paper: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, DCWV Textured Tan, Giraffe DP by Hot Off the Press
Ink: Close to Cocoa
Accessories: eyelets, twine, photo corner punch, sponge dauber
Techniques: sponging

It's Never Too Late......

I found a wonderful little book during my trip last week to North Carolina. It's called "It's Never Too Late" by Patrick Lindsay. I am usually not one for motivational and inspirational stuff. I find it a little cheesy. But I did like this little book. So I thought I would share maybe one entry with you now and then. If you find it too cheesy :) scroll on down and see my card for today!

It's Never Too Late

to fly a kite

Embrace the freedom.
Find the child in you.
Ride the wind.
Abandon yourself to its rhythms.
Feel the wonderful lightness.
And the underlying power.

"Remember a kite flies against the wind." -- Anonymous
(The picture is of my daughter in Wisconsin last May)

I bought these Scrapbook Stitches from Making Memories a long time ago. I loved the bright colors and thought I would embroider with them on cards. Today I opened them for the first time! Obviously haven't stitched with them yet!

Flowers are watercolored using pads and reinkers and an aqua brush. Each panel is raised on dimensionals. I used my Rolodex punch for the top.
Stamps: Sentiment by Inkadinkadoo, Flowers by Hero Arts
Paper: GP White, Lovely Lilac, Pink Passion, Stamping Station DP
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Marigold Morning, Pink Passion, Certainly Celery, Green Galore, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Gray (thank you Betty!)
Accessories: pearl gem brads (thank you Jessie!), ticket corner punch, Rolodex punch, and my unloved embellishment: Watercolor Brite Scrapbook Stitches by Making Memories
Techniques: watercolor
Thanks for stopping by to fly a kite with me!

Yes, I love my PINK robe........

I have this pink robe that is probably 15 years old. I LOVE it. It's hot pink and long and actually goes around me, and is made of terry cloth. I can't stand that new polyester whatever material that robes are made of now. They are supposed to be soft and all comfy wonderful, but I want a robe that soaks us excess moisture when I get out of the shower, one that is warm, and one that doesn't have static cling!

So, needless to say, my robe is a BIT worn out. Like, I have a hole the size of a crock pot on the shoulder in the back! And various other places that are thin. My husband said "I will buy you a new robe!" But the kind I want is hard to find - at least something that I can afford! Most of the long terry robes are $80-100!

At Christmastime, my husband searched on the internet and found a possiblity -- but white......nice price - $40 - it was at a place called Sierra Trading Post. I liked it - they had my size - he said GET IT. But I put it off and put it off.....and then one day I decided okay - white it will be. I have black dogs, so wasn't too excited about white, plus my favorite color is PINK!

So I go back to the website and GUESS WHAT! They have PINK now!!!! (This was at Christmastime). I immediately check the return policy -- I read all the reviews -- it has to be real terry and plush and long and big (cuz I am definitely bigger than at Christmas (bleh!).......I order one, knowing I have a 100% money back guarantee!
And oh my goodness! It is perfect - better than the original - softer, longer, bigger, and I LOVE it!

So my friends tease my about my pink robe, because I am always talking about it and I wear it a lot! :)
So look what I get in the mail:

I got the above card from my friend Billie. I laughed so hard. I knew something was up when a couple of days later this one from Stacy came:

Now Stacy knows that I love my OLD one too -- when I first saw this card, I was all concerned that the Post Office had mangled it in one of their machines -- so there I am -- trying to fix the edge of the robe, and then DUH! The light bulb finally comes on and I see that Stacy has made it all ratty and torn! HAHA She thinks I need to dump my old robe now! NOT! What would I color my hair in??? She also knows that I surf the net in my new robe, with my hair not even yet combed! What a hoot!
Not to be outdone, Angel sends this one:

Isn't that a hilarious sentiment to use for my dearly loved NEW robe???
And for the last -- Deborah sent me this one, with a computer generated sentiment.

We both love the theater, so the inside says "It is the robe of Thespis!" Isn't that clever? I have some crazy friends.....and they really make my life way more fun! And PINK!
By the way -- need a new robe? Check out Sierra Trading Post!!!

Thanks for reading my story!

Finally! I love to stamp!

Wow! It has been a long time since I was able to put ink to paper and I missed it! Here are two cards I made for today's color challenge:

After a 10 day vacation there are too many jobs and responsibilties to take care of! Calgon, take me away! :)

There are Stickles on the bubbles and flames. The first group of candles are stamped twice, cut out, and mounted on dimensionals, hence the shadow underneath. When you look at the card straight on, you don't see a "double line" of candles. All edges are sponged with Bashful Blue.

What scent do you think they are?

Stamps: Hambo Stamps
Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Bazzill Gray, Slab DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Bordering Blue, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Denim Primas, American Crafts brads, grosgrain ribbon, scallop punch, circle punch
Techniques: sponging, watercolor

There are Stickles on some of the blossoms and also around the sentiment, which says "happy".
Stamps: It's All Good, Oh So Lovely
Paper: DCWV Textured Gray, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Slab DP
Ink: Bashful Blue
Accessories: satin trimmed organdy ribbon, big brads, scallop punch, circle punch, circle cutter, paper piercer, distressing tool, Stickles
Thanks for stopping my and taking a look at my cards!

Some pictures from my trip~

If there are no pictures, just hit refresh!

Family Times

Greetings from North Carolina!

We are having a wonderful time visiting my son here. The weather is really nice (at least to us Nebraskans!) and we are enjoying our week off. I had not been here since we brought him as a freshman and left him at his dorm room, not knowing anyone! THAT was a really hard day. I can remember making the huge mistake of going into his empty bedroom when we got home. Don't do it, Moms! :) I think I cried for that whole day. It's a little easier now, but not much! 1500 miles is a long way away!

He is in an apartment now, and last night I finally got to meet his roommate. They are in school this week, as their break was last week, and in a way that's good, since we got to go to a concert my son was playing in last night. It was awesome!

His university trumpet ensemble competed at the National Trumpet Competition in Washington D.C. last week and they got 5th place in the nation! We are excited and proud!

We stopped at Mammoth Cave National Park on the way here. It was 280 steep steps down into the cave and 220 out! My legs are still sore and that was last Sunday! I have places that hurt in my legs that I didn't even know existed! ha!

Today we leave for Nag's Head, and the beach for a couple of days. It's supposed to rain a bit, but it will be fun, as all four of us will be together. Easter Sunday my son plays at a church in his city (he is a trumpeter). We will go to that service and then start the long drive back home.

I don't look forward to that, but I will be able to stamp again! (I have been working on my afghan instead!)

Thanks for stopping by and look for another post and a project on Tuesday when I get home!

Spring Break Here I Come!

Today is the last day I will post for awhile (unless I have internet access somewhere along the way). We are leaving for North Carolina today to go visit my son, who attends college there. I am so excited! Ten days away with spring showing in the blossoms and trees there! And a room at the beach! (Too cold to get in, but it's still the BEACH!)

So here is my last card for awhile! What will I ever do now that I can't stamp????
Maybe work on that unfinished afghan.....

Have a great week and a blessed Easter everyone!
Stamps: All stamps by Hambo Stamps
Paper: Whisper White, Blush Blossom, DCVW Posies Matstack, Slab DP, Bordering Blue
Ink: various for wwatercoloring, Black Stazon
Accessories: grosgrain ribbon, oval punches, word windo punch, corner rounder, Primas
Techniques: watercolor, doodling

Hoppin' By to Say Hi!

Did you think from the title it might be a bunny? :)
I guess it's that time of year - no one has ever heard of the Easter Frog! haha

I made this card especially for Blooming-Flowers (Lynn), a fellow SCSer who is very ill. If you would like to send Lynn a card go HERE.

My weekly Need a Lift forum challenge with my friends included the requirement of a fun Get Well Card, using 4/5 colors on your first "Surprise Me" click at http://www.scraptitude.com/colorcombo/

My colors were Purely Pomegranate, Kraft, Certainly Celery, Cool Carribbean, and River Rock.

I had a lot of fun making this card! I used River Rock to paint my snail's body, and all of the rest of the colors to paint the rest of the scene. Card base is Cool Carribbean, with Certainly Celery for the Cuttlebug panel. Edges are sponged in Certainly Celery, Cool Carribbean and Purely Pomegranate. I left out the Kraft, as I don't have any! The sentiment is computer generated (the dots on the *I*s are little starbursts, but look like blobs here!). There are Stickles on the dragonfly wings, snail shell, and underside of the mushroom. Dragonfly, snail and mushroom are popped up on dimensionals.

I used this SKETCH, but turned it upside-down to fit my images better.

Stamps: Unfrogettable
Paper: GP and Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Cool Carribbean (I love it and I am running out!)
Ink: Certainly Celery, Purely Pomegranate, Cool Carribbean, River Rock, Black Stazon
Accessories: scallop punch, circle cutter, Primas, brad, dimensionals, MM plaid ribbon, Cuttlebug EF, sponge dauber, Stickles
Techniques: watercolor and sponging

Today's Color Challenge, a Sketch Challenge for You and my Blog Candy Winner!

Today's Color Challenge was to use Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray and Basic Black. What elegant colors! This is one of those times where the colors seem so easy to put together and the card took FOREVER! I put it together, took it apart, added this, took off that! It was so ridiculous! Do you ever have cards like that? And of course when you think you are all done, there is something you aren't happy with. haha! But in any case, here is my card for today!

The bird is from Inkadinkadoo and the corner flourish is a small part of Baroque Motifs. I have a ton of sticker sentiments that I never use and decided to start using them. The Primas came with glitter on them - and are layered with a tulle flower in back of the glitter flower.

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Bird by Inkadinkadoo
Paper: Purely Pomegranate, GP White, Basic Black, Basic Grey Black Tie DP
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Rose Red
Accessories: bards, CTMH crystal gems, photo corner punch, sponge dauber, circle cutter, Glitter Primas, Satin Pomegranate ribbon, sentiment sticker
My friend, Jules, said I should sketch this out and put it on my blog! Well, I did it, Jules!! I am not very good at drawing sketches, but I did my best! Hopefully someone will want to do this sketch! If you do, use SQJARSC01 for your keyword on SCS, and post a link to your card here in a comment! Or send me a picture of it and I will post it in a slide show! Here is the sketch:

And now for the blog candy winner! No one that knows me would believe this if I just posted it, so I am posting the whole message I got from random.org! The winner was #19 - Stacy!!! So, Stac, if you are reading this, GUESS WHAT??? You won!!!! I will send out your goodies this week before I go on Spring Break!

Here was Stacy's comment: "Whohoo more blog candy.. Well my favorite birthday gift would have to be the chocolate cake with chocolate frosting that DH makes me every year. He does it all and he is more of a bbq man than a baker but he loves me and does it. -Stacy"

See below:
Here are your random numbers:

19
Timestamp: 2008-03-11 17:42:15 UTC

Thanks to all who played! I loved reading about all of your special gifts and even got some great ideas!!

Birthday Cake and Blog Candy!

Happy Birthday to my Baby! She is 15 years old today!

We will celebrate and open gifts after church. I am excited that her grandparents will get to celebrate with her -- that hasn't happened since she was like 2! They live in our town now, so we see them often!
My daughter is a great photographer -- very artsy -- so we got her Photoshop Elements 6 for one of her gifts. I hope she will have fun with it. So in her honor, instead of posting a card I made (you can see her birthday card if you scroll down a few days), I am going to post some of her photographs, including a few of herself that she has taken.

Today is also the birthday of Solomon, the little boy from Ghana that we sponsor through World Vision. If you are interested in changing the life of a child, please click here and read how you can help!

And now for the Blog Candy! In honor of my daughter's and Solomon's birthdays, and to pay it forward for the blog candy I have won this week, I am giving away several goodies, including an unmounted retired fun Stampin' Up! stamp set! To be eligible to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Monday, March 10 at 9 PM CST, telling me what your favorite birthday gift has been! I will choose a random winner Tuesday morning. Thanks for stopping by!

Inspiring Ireland

Well, I loved today's Inspiration Piece (see below) and it got me a little excited for my trip I am taking in May with my DD to Ireland! We are going for 11 days and I haven't been too excited about it yet (I hate to fly). But thanks to this challenge, I am getting there! That, and the fact that I would love to see "green anything" right now (no one else is tired of winter, are they LOL!)!

So here is my card. I used my new Cuttlebug stuff - the heart reminded me of some of the patterns in the middle of the quilt. The little tag sentiments are attached to a green safety pin with jump rings. The hint of sparkle at the bottom of the ribbon is three green gems that are not looking so sparkly in the picture!

Stamps: So Many Sayings
Paper: Glorious Green, Mint Melody (SU retired), GP White, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug, green gems, jump rings, green safety pin, word window punch, Basic Grey Black Tie ribbon, green organdy ribbon

Blog Candy tomorrow!

Quick Minis Using Scraps....and Blog Candy on Sunday!

I love it any time I am challenged to use scraps -- and some of the prettiest and cutest things come from them. I like to crochet and my favorite afghans are those where I have used scrap yarn. (I also like to eat leftovers! lol)

This little card is made from leftovers and was a much needed little project as we woke up to snow (yet again) and MINUS 16 degree temps.
Think Spring, Chickies!!!

I used my slit punch and the DP to make a matching scallop border down the right side of the card.
Stamps: Springtime Smiles, Think Spring (Penny Black)
Paper: Barely Banana, American Crafts DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Apricot Appeal, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Lavender Lace, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Primas, scallop punches, slit punch, sponge dauber
Techniques: sponging

My second card:

I really tried to make this work for yesterday's Computer Challenge too, but the sentiment was a little too big. So it is on the inside and says:

"Guess What? You're going to be an Aunt!!"

I made this for a friend who just found out she is expecting (her first!).

The background is stamped with Chicken Wire. The sky is sponged with a dauber using Bliss Blue and the edges are sponged with Apricot Appeal. This is approx. 3" x 2".
Stamps: Chicken by Hambo Stamps, Chicken Wire by SU!, Ant by Rubber Stampede, Ground by CTMH
Paper: Ruby Red, Color Me Silly Basic Grey DP, Very Vanilla
Ink: Black Stazon, Barely Banana, Apricot Appeal, Yoyo Yellow, Going Gray, Bliss Blue, Sage Shadow, Gable Green, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: plaid ribbon, yellow brads, corner rounder, computer (for inside sentiment), sponge dauber
Techniques: sponging

And now for the Blog Candy -- I don't have a lot of subscribers, or even visitors, but I do have some very faithful people who come here (and some of those are subsribers!) to see what I have made and to read whatever gibbety gib I post. I have had the good fortune to win some blog candy this month, which I am anxiously awaiting so I can play with it! Now it is time to pay it forward. On Sunday, my daughter will turn 15. I can't believe she is growing up so fast! So to celebrate her birthday, my 10,000 visitor (a few days back!), and my blog candy win, I will be giving away some fun stuff on Sunday, March 9th. Be sure to check back and see what you need to do to win!

Get Whale Wishes

Isn't this whale the cutest? With his goofy smile, he just brings a smile to my face! I made this card for a weekly challenge I have with some SCS friends. We take turns choosing a thread from the "Need a Lift" forum, add some kind of requirement, and then we each mail our cards to the intended recipient. This week Debi chose Michael, a man recently diagnosed with melanoma. We were to make a masculine card -- I figure this doesn't have any flowers or pink or girls on it! It does have glitter in the ric rac, but any fisherMAN knows that shimmer on the water means it's too hot and the fish aren't biting anymore! lol

My whale is watercolored with pads and an aqua brush and is raised on dimensionals, as is the sentiment.

Stamps available at www.hambostamps.com
Paper: Cool Carribbean, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Slab DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Ballet Blue, Bordering Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: oval scallop punches (Marvy), tag coner punch, designer label punch, glitter ric rac (Target $1 spot), blue brads by American Crafts, Cuttlebug EF
Techniques: watercolor, sponging

Today's Sketch Challenge....

I am wishing and hoping and thinking if I keep stamping it, Spring will come soon! :)
These stamps are from a new Close To My Heart set that I have been waiting to ink up. All the stamps are separate images, and I just put them together in a little scene. Images are stamped in Black Stazon ink, and then watercolored using reinkers, pads, and an aqua brush (I use a cheap $2 one from Hobby Lobby!).

Today's SCS Sketch Challenge:


Stamps: CTMH
Paper: Whisper White, Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow, Regal Rose, DP by The Paper Studio
Ink: Black Stazon, Green Galore, Regal Rose, pink Passion, Sahara Sand, Glorious Green, Summer Sun, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, Gable Green, Blush Blossom
Accessories: scallop punch, aqua brush, pink square brads

Recipes to Share

I have a couple of recipes to share today! One is a card recipe :)
and the other is a dessert recipe.

This is my card for today's Color Challenge: Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, and Purely Pomegranate. I bought this designer paper at Hobby Lobby last week, and tdoay's colors worked perfectly with it!

My main image is an Elzybell by Amuse stamp - a newer one from their Spring line. I also just got my two new Marvy scallop oval punches from Papertrey Ink, and wanted to use those as well. All panels are raised on dimensionals, incl. the sentiment tag. The main image is watercolored with pads and an aqua brush.

Stamps: So Many Sayings, Elzybell by Amuse
Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Whisper White Daisy D's DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Green Galore
Accessories: CTMH anchor & brad, Wild Wasabi stitched ribbon, oval punches, scalloped oval punches, word window punch, spring green brads, dimensionals, aqua brush
Techniques: watercolor, sponging

And now for a YUMMY dessert recipe -- chocolate at its best!! You MUST try this!
I got this from my friend, Sonja, who played Mrs. Peacock in our production of "Clue" (see older posts for pictures!).

Melt-in-your-Mouth Dessert

1 C. flour
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. nuts (optional)
1 C. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 C. milk
Cool Whip

Mix flour, butter, nuts, and pat into a 9 x 13 pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 15 min. Cool.

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar, plus 1 C. Cool Whip and spread on crust.
Mix both puddings with 3 C. milk, and layer on the cream cheese. Layer remaining Cool Whip over the top. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

A delight!!