I'm Sooo LOVED...LOL (and I needed some cyber love!)

I've been awarded this award 3X...first by Anjou and then by Laura and Carisa...thank you so much ladies...you are all just fab!

And then Carolyn Bounds gave me 3 awards (hey, noticing a trend?) THREES? LOL

Thank you all ladies, you made a really rocky week smooth out...(read below for THAT...LOL) These mean more to me than you guys will ever know!

No cards today...sorry...

...I've been going through an emotional upheaval since last Friday...and was finally put out of my misery Wednesday... It's been a rough several days... what about? My horse...LOL...someone was finally interested in purchasing him (deal fell through) and I didn't realize how much I LOVE him...I really do...it'd be like selling the little white dog in my avatar. You would think being in the "biz" I could be a little more hard hearted...and normally I am...last horse I won the worlds on... TWICE... didn't even have a sniffle...patted her on the head and told her new owner good luck...no problem...this horse...just even the THOUGHT of sending him away sends me all in a twitter and I just don't know why...he's my special guy...I mean, what horse do you know, that will zip and unzip your zipper? LOL... We haven't really won anything at any shows, he just holds a special place in my heart... Anyway...here's a picture and I'm getting all misty again.....and yes, that's me...we showed at like 10 p.m. at night in that picture...talk about a long day! LOL and his name is Boo (short for Boots and Saddles)...

Ok, onto card related stuff...I HAVE been card making...just nothing I can show...YET...LOL... I'm getting my cards together for my upcoming stint, Artist of the Week on Card Sketch a Day...PLUS I got new Copics (although apparently not every color I'm needing...THERE's a surprise!) and not the right ink or a blender pen, or, or, or....LOL... so I've been playing too... there will be cards soon, I promise, I've GOT to get one done by the 28th...(which is tomorrow)...sigh...LOL

Ok, so things are looking brighter...

Earn FREE Stamps from Inkadinkado

I just received Inkadinkado's newsletter and you can earn FREE STAMPS by submitting projects using their stamps... The details are HERE ... now WHO couldn't use free stamps? Think I'll get to inking...

Card Sketch A Day: Popping Up to Say Happy Easter! & Make a Wish!

This is another sketch I was assigned from the Card Sketch a Day blog...I just love that blog...one of my favorites! I always love the sketches Susan assigns me...this one I REALLY loved, I knew from the get-go EXACTLY what I wanted to do...a little bunny popping up out of his hole one frame at a time...
Now searching for a bunny right after Christmas seemed darned near impossible...I mean I looked at several big box stores, several lss's...and no one was thinking Easter (I mean snow on the ground, Christmas Trees still up, come on people, I've got OTHER holidays to stamp...LOL!) However, persistance paid off and I did manage to find this adorable little guy!

I drew my hole with the help of my nestabilities oval die and colored it in, I then drew and colored my "grass". I added the butterflies, stickled them and added their flight "path". All on top of Fiskars Treading Water lace punch and for the final touch I stamped Happy Easter (from Paper Trey Ink)...the recipe is below for all the "deets".

Recipe:

• Stamps: Bunny by Inkadinkdo, Butterfly by Doodlebug Teen Girl, Happy Easter by Paper Trey Ink
• Paper: Nana's Nursery (boy) by DCWV
• Ink: Tim Holtz
• Punch: Fiskars Treading Water
• Other: Stickles Artic Ice, Colored Pencils, Micro Pen

Here's another card using the same sketch...I couldn't resist the MS cupcake punch the moment I saw it...and the paper (Sweet Shoppe by DCWV) went just perfectly with it! I took the colors of my card from the dp. This is mostly a punchies card, but I still think it turned out cute! I just love the glittered frosting and the little hearts on each cupcake! Below is the recipe...

• 

Recipe:

Punches: MS Cupcake, CM Squares, Fiskars Threading Water

Paper: DCWV Sweet Shoppe

Stamp: Sentiment by Studio G

Hearts: by K & Co.

Other: Organza Ribbon, Pop-Dots, Stickles

Heard You Caught a Bug!

Here is another dual challenge card, this time I used Cupcake Craft Challenge #28 sketch (see last photo for sketch) in combination with Penny Black's Saturday Challenge to create a get well card. This little hedgie looking at the bug seemed just perfect for this challenge, so I made in Word, my little sentiment, "Heard you caught a bug" I then watercolored and cut out the bug and pop dotted it off of the sentiment (this was also done for the bugs on the bottom). The hedgie is watercolored, as are the bugs, and I also put some stickles on the bugs...this was a really simple card, and I hope it cheers someone up who's feeling a little down...recipe below:




Recipe:

• Stamps: Penny Black Bubbly
• Paper: Baby's Breath by Imaginisce
• Ink: Staz On
• Other: Treading Water Punch, Word sentiment, Stickles

Spreading Da LUVVVVV....

After a pretty LONG, COLD day, I went to visit one of my favorite blogs.. Dreaming in Color with Anjou, and what should my wandering eyes should appear (no, not eight tiny reindeer!)...but this wonderful little award with my name on it (first no less)...that made my heart warm up...so thank you Anjou for thinking of me! And now I'm gonna be "The Spreader of Love" so here's the "rules":

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

And without further adieo...here are my nominees:

Shell, Without you I would have never visited SCS and rekindled my love of stamping...so thank you! (you enabler you! wink!)

Sumbine for always inspiring me in some little way, I just absolutely love going to her blog, she looks at stuff completely different than I do and in a completely fresh way to me...I just love it...and if you want a real kick in the pants...have google translate her blog in english for you...I think it's easier to read in German! LOL...

Alicia for always have such yummy color combos! I just love how she throws colors together and they look so nice!

Michelle always has such wonderful composition and coloring...I aspire to be as good as Michelle!

Ellie for not only having amazing cards but designing the stamps themselves! WOW!

Creatively Cute Challenge #1, Pink Elephant Challenge #3: Fluffy Little Gift

Double the challenge, double the fun, with double mint, double mint, double mint gum! (oh, "almost" the song...huh?) ANYWAY, my Creatively Cute Blogging Group has started to do Challenges (see here for all the deets) and this weeks challenge is to create a card that is about YOU... so I chose this Gift From Kitty stamp set (I've been looking for a good excuse to use it) and the REASON I chose this kitty is his funny little sentiment...A Fluffy Little Gift from Kitty... which explains me...a little bit sassy, and a little bit sweet (and I LOVE making and gifting homemade goodies...as apparently does this kitteh...)
Now onto the card, I did a different type of coloring job...I was unhappy with my High Hopes entry (my coloring job), so I decided to try something different with today's post. This kitty was stamped on watercolor paper, I then used water based pens (Tombow and Martha Stewart brands) and wet a paintbrush and did a little watercoloring...I think I like the results...and I think I could get much better...LOL
I added some fiber instead of ribbon to my card to bring some attention to Kitty's "gift"...I also knotted the fiber and put it in the middle of my prima flower. This card was made with this weeks Pink Elephants Challenge #3 sketch (see below card photos for actual sketch). Recipe below...thanks for looking!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Inkadinkado A gift from kitty, Studio G Swirl
• Paper: Vibrant, Watercolor
• Ink: Staz On
• Markers: Tombow, Martha Stewart
• Punches: Fiskars Treading Water
• Other: Prima Flower, Fiber, Paint Brush, Water, White Gel Pen

High Hopes Howdy Pardner!

Here's my design team entry for High Hopes Stamps. My prize from a Spoon Full of Sugar got here none to soon too! I used Cowgirl Candice with the Howdy Pardner sentiment. I wanted to go with an "old west" theme, so I used my Basic Grey Calamatie Jane papers for this card. I love how the paper looks like old fencing (something I see daily!)...and to keep up with the "old west" look, I also distressed my image a little by inking the edges and then using my distressing tool. I added the sentiment banner and distressed using the same techniques and then put a little wave on it for a touch of dimension, so it actually comes off the card just a tad bit. I added some "rope" ribbon behind my image and tied a few knots onto it, kind of a barbed wire feel...and then I added a lasso in the corner with a star button to complete my look. Enjoy...and recipe below... Happy Trails to YOOOOUUUUU....un.til we meet ag.ain.....

Recipe:

• Stamps: High Hopes Cowgirl Candice and Howdy Pardner
• Ink: Stazon, Tim Holtz Vintage Photo
• Paper: Basic Grey Calamatie Jane
• Other: Star button, hemp, distressing tool, sponge, pop dot

House Mouse Monday Challenge: Thanks

This weeks House Mouse Monday Challenge was a sketch from 2 Red Bananas (see last photo for sketch). It was very circle-y...which I like, cuz I have THE PERFECT stamp, Donut Bliss...doesn't a donut just SPEAK circle? LOL... Anyway, I used my favorite dp to go with my little donut blissed mouse, Sweet Tooth by Creative Imaginations. I decided instead of layering my circles, that I would pop a circle frame off of my card instead, to give it a little dimension, then I ran my ribbon behind the frame and added my sad little bow on top...truly that's what took the longest is my sad, little bow...I tied and retied and tied again, and just dealt with what I ended up with...LOL... I added a little Thanks tag (I can NEVER have enough thank you cards around!) and added 3 eyelets (dusted them babies off...LOL) to the upper right. I also added some dimensional glaze to the donut (see second picture, it shows up there). Ok, now this has made me hungry, so I'm gonna go have some breakfast...recipe and sketch below...enjoy!

Recipe:

• Stamps: House Mouse Donut Bliss, Paper Trey Ink Limitless Labels, Hot Off the Press Expressions
• Ink: Staz On, SU Pretty in Pink
• Paper: Bazill, Sweet Tooth by Creative Imaginations, Circle Paper unknown (sorry)
• Ribbon: American Craft
• Other: Nestabilities Circle Dies, Eyelet, Tag, Pop Dots, Dimensional Glaze, Colored Pencils

My Pretty Pony - Penny Black Challenge

I saw this Pony image on a card and I had to track it down...the pony is soooo adorable...and I know of many people in my social circle that would love to get such a cute equine card. What's funny about this little image is that it reminds me of a horse we just got in...long maned and a little chunky, her owner dropped her off to be broke out and called her a marshmallow...which is appropriate, because she's very out of shape (which is fine by me...less energy to buck with! LOL). So we've nicknamed the horse Princess Marshmallow, it fits!
Anyway, onto our card, I joined the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week (the pony stamp is by Penny Black BTW) and this week they had a sketch (see below card for sketch). I think the most challenging thing to this sketch was the amount of paper that was used and getting everything to match up just right. I took a lot of work out of it and used My Minds Eye paper pack I picked up at HL on some super sale, so much easier when everything already matches (wink!). I added a horseshoe with some glittered ferns (ran them through my Xyron and then glittered them) and a daisy with a rhinestone...gotta have just a little bling somewhere! I also dusted off (cough cough) my felt rick rack that had never seen scissors before and added it on the bottom...perfect match! Below you'll find the sketch and the recipe, enjoy!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Pony by Penny Black (Heart to Heart), Sentiment by Hero Arts (Thinking of You Messages)
• Paper: My Minds Eye
• Ink: Staz On
• Die: Quikutz
• Punches: EK Success (flower), Unknown (fern)
• Other: Rhinestones, Felt rick rack
  
  

Welcome Baby Love Bunny

Today's card was made using Mojo Monday's Sketch #74 and completed the second challenge on the Pink Elephant blog...which is one of my fav's GLITTER!

Here's the sketch:

...and here's the card. Dh's aunt is going to have a baby next month, so I thought I'd better get a baby card done! Doesn't this Happy Hopper from House Mouse seem like she's loving on a baby? I think so.

It seems like I used a lot of "stuff" on this card, but when I look at it, it doesn't LOOK like a lot of "stuff", KWIM? I glittered up the scalloped heart and the welcome baby medallion by sticking them through my Xyron sticker maker and then added the glitter to them...makes that glitter stick evenly and still be able to read the message on my little medallion. I added the little stamped hearts behind the welcome baby message, I just LOVE how that looks and I always forget to do it...but not this time! Other than the glittered heart and medallion this card is pretty straight forward...recipe and another close up below...

Recipe:

• Stamps: Love Bunny Happy Hopper by House Mouse, Paper Trey Ink Limitless Labels for Sentiment and hearts
• Ink: Staz On and SU Pretty in Pink
• Dies: Nestabilities Labels 1
• Embossing: Cuttle Bug Swiss Dots
• Punches: Martha Stewart; Scalloped Heart, Branches, EK Success; Circles
• Other: Ribbon, Glitter, Xyron, Hope Charm, Pop Dots

Thanks for looking and have a "hoppy" day! :)

Card Sketch A Day; Hello There

I have one of the featured cards on Card Sketch a Day blog today. Sometimes inspiration strikes you when you least expect it. I was given this sketch and I thought AND THOUGHT about it...and then the idea brick hit me (in the ER of ALL places a few weeks ago, no, not for me!)...with a HUGE thud... and off I was creating...
I decided to use Tilda from Magnolia for this sketch...and I decided to go with a spring time theme, because, this time of year, we are ready for some warm weather! I used blue and green (springy colors) and added some butterflies to give this a nice spring time feeling. I used some pop-dots to give Tilda and the Butterflies some dimension. I also added some stickles to both to give it a little "bling" factor. The flowery paper from DCWV really lent the springy edge I was looking for. Hope you like her and as usual...the recipe is below, enjoy!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Tilda from Magnolia, Butterflies from Doodlebug Teenage Girl, Sentiment from Hero Arts
• Ink: Tim Holtz
• Paper: DCWV Nana's Nurservy
• Other: Stickles, Colored Pencils, Pop Dots

Cupcake Craft Challenge #26, My Card Photo Studio and MORE!

This card was done for the Cupcake Craft Challenge #26, our challenge was to create a scene. I brayered the background, added the sand, color and cutout the sandcastle and fish, both were pop dotted and the seaweeds (actually my fern punch) was added behind the castle. Dew drops were used as the bubbles. I did emboss using my Cuttlebug folder, printed out my sentiment and cut it out with my Nestabilities die. The card opens on my scalloped edge (see below photo). Hope you enjoy! Recipe below as usual...and my Card Photo Studio is below that!

Recipe:

• Stamp: Stampendous Sushi Bowl Party
• Inks: Marvy
• Punch/Die: Nesatabilities Oval and Scalloped Oval, Fern (Unknown), Fiskars Threading Water
• Other: Brayer, Markers, Robins Nest Dew Drops, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Spots and Dots, Printed Sentiment

Here is my card photo studio...this is a light box purchased off of ebay for about $14, I use a desk lamp to light it... as you can see I have very limited light in my studio even with it next to the window and this has been the best thing for my cards! I've added white cardstock for a smooth background (the fabric on the box is wrinkled and I was unsure if I could iron it...). I use a Kodak Easy Share digital camera...so nothing fancy. See photos below card studio of cards with and without photo enhancing software.

I wanted to touch a little on photo enhancing software, the card on the left was un-enhanced, the card on the right was auto enhanced...seems a little clearer doesn't it? I just let the program do "it's thang"...nothing hard, just an extra step to make my photo a little better. I also use my "close up" selector on my camera, it takes clearer, close up photos than just "auto"...so make sure you know your camera also. I hope this helps someone!

Here's the more:

I've been a little away from my blog for a few days...Let's just say I had a bad day at work on Friday (ooooh, I know it was FRIDAY the 13th...bwahahahaha...actually I'm not superstitious), but when I have a bad day at work, it usually means I got hurt...and well, yeah, I got hurt. I was riding a young horse and the short version is he zigged, I zagged and face planted myself into the ground (luckily I was in the indoor arena and the ground is pretty soft!). Nothing major except I'm sore and stiff all over. So I spent Friday resting and Saturday I went to an all day crop...didn't get a lot done except chatting with my BFF and making some wonderful new friends...so I really don't have anything FAB to show you from my efforts since I wasn't exactly feeling the "creating mojo"...I just kind of puttered along...and supported the local CMC (and no, I don't really scrap CMC style, but enjoy the fellowship of other scrappers...although they do have some pretty paper...have you seen it lately?). The I came home and dh and I did a little Valentine celebration, I made his favorite dinner (Hamburger casserole..he's easy to please) and we rented some movies of which I stayed awake for almost one of them...LOL...so anyway...that's why I've been MIA... and I'm ok...just a little stiff and sore...

Spanky, We're not in Indiana any more...

For those that know me IRL (in real life), know that "Spanky" is my Jack Russell Terrorist (see photo in avatar and is pretty much with me 24/7 (well, maybe not always to the grocery store)... anyway, we had high wind warnings last night, K and I actually saw the storm a brewing in the distance and it got here FAST! Just long enough to get the bags of feed from the truck to the barn and the donkey fed and then BLAM a wall of wind hit us...and threw some rain in it too... they always say it's calmest before the storm...they were right, it was beautiful and then not so much. So I wanted to post today's card last night, but the wind was playing hinky with the electricity, we lost it on and off constantly which was difficult to say the least for blurfing (blog-surfing), watching tv or anything...so we went amish for awhile (well, maybe not TOTALLY! LOL), but we gave up on anything that need continual electricity...so on with today's card...

The sketch is by Mojo Monday #73, I just rotated it. The inspiration for the card is from Cinema Saturday's Challenge #18, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon...I had never seen the movie and with such rave reviews on the challenge board, dropped the $5 (found it in the bargain bin) and watched it. Now I'm not a martial arts kind of gal and I remember when the movie first came out and all of their "flying" really fascinated me. It was an interesting martial arts movie, but it was also a love story, so that where I decided to draw some of my inspiration from...and the picture I found online. I loved the flower in her hair and the blue and reds in her outfit.

Admittedly, I have no asian themed stamps, so I had to make do with what I had. I decided roses right off the bat, both roses are actually from one single silk flower I took apart (actually I had 5 roses when I was done with the flower)...I then added a punched star (see close up photo for details) for the green bottom of the rose and then added the "ferns" behind them. The sentiment is cut out of Nestabilities Label 1 and then I cut out a frame with the same dies and gave it a little dimension with pop dots as well as putting the blue ribbon through it and popping that off the card as well...that was a little harder to do because my glue dot wasn't cooperating and I had to put a brad underneath the rose to hold the paper in place...it worked though. Recipe below...enjoy!

Recipe:

• Stamp: CTMH Sentiment
• Paper: K & Company
• Die/Punches: Nestabilities Labels 1, Martha Stewart Butterfly, Fern Unknown, EK Success Star
• Other: Flowers, Ribbon, Rhinestones, Pop Dots
  
  
  
  
  

Sweet Dreams, A Surprise and FINALLY...OUR NAME...

First and foremost...SCS Blogger Group 8 is now called CREATIVELY CUTE! Appropriate I think, it was a tight voting race...as this name won by only ONE vote! So now things are really going to happen...right? LOL...

Now onto our card. House Mouse Monday Challenge this week is for Tall and Skinny cards... DL... to be exact... so I had NO IDEA what D2 was, but I assumed it was a business sized envelope and that's what I went with... I used some more paper I have been coveting...this blue paper from IOD...sooooo pretty! I also used my HM stamp Dream Puff, mostly because everything else I own is TOO BIG! LOL I haven't used her enough anyway, she's soooo sweet! I used my Nestabilities Label 1 and cut her out, then I cut out a frame for around her and popped it out with pop dots (so there's some dimension here, more noticable in the close up photo). Now I have to admit, I've been on a floral frenzy here lately and I probably spent an hour fiddling with flowers and couldn't find "just the right" floral combo for this card...so I turned to my Martha Stewart butterfly punch and pondered over that ... what was I gonna put as the butterfly body?(certainly couldn't leave it plain! LOL!) then I remember I had seen somewhere someone had made the body out of a ribbon knot going vertically... and I was cutting the Organza ribbon with very dull scissors and getting frustrated because it wasn't looking right, I cut and extra long end and ended up liking how it looked...so walla...happy accident! I also drug out my sewing machine for this card...sewing skills are a little rusty, but I like how it turned out... recipe below the card...and keep reading about the surprise (for me that is)....

Recipe:

• Stamps: House Mouse Dream Puff, Sentiment CTMH
• Ink: Staz On
• Paper: IOD, Scenic Route
• Punch/Dies: Nestabilities Label 1, Martha Stewart Butterfly
• Other: Ribbon, Thread, K & Co Heart Stickers, Pop Dots

My surprise...I won the random drawing on A Spoon Full of Sugar! I won High Hopes Stamps and some Prima's donated by Nutcrafters...Go take a look at the stamp...is that NOT PERFECT for my JOB? (horse trainer for those that don't know me)... I saw that on their website and thought...wow, it'd be kind of neat to win that...there were over 130 entries...and I GOT PICKED! You can bet I'll be using ALL of these a LOT!

Rock ON Valentine, Reminder to Vote and Good Mail Day!

Lots going on here today! A reminder to my Split Coast Stamper Blogging Group to GO VOTE for our name...ANYTHING is better than GROUP 8...right? So be sure to p-mail me from Split Coast Stampers with your VOTE! You have until tonight midnight to do so... it's a very close race and your vote COULD make the difference!

Ok, now onto our card today...which was super fast fast fast.... I made this for my little brother (ok so he's like 6'6"...so not so little), but he's in a rock n roll band...The LOVE Handles (he's the youngest Love Handle at age 33), and they play 70's & 80's Rock Music...they are AWESOME! So I thought he'd appreciate this card...it is void of any "major" colors because he's color blind...so he sees things in shades of grey...in fact the red on here he'll think of as green...because of it's shade, but I digress... The layout was one of the Mojo Monday sketches (not this week's but past), and the sparkly paper seemed very "rockerish". The stamps were BRAND SPANKING new, so they didn't ink up quite as well as I would have liked, even though I stamped and restamped and scrubbed...sigh... I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with new acrylics...I LOVE them 'cuz they're new and hate them 'cuz they aren't cured quite yet... so maybe by next card the ink will settle in a bit better. Anyway, recipe below...

Recipe:

• Stamps: H & M Rock On
• Ink: Mary Cherry Red, Staz On Black
• Paper: DCWV
• Other: Circle punches by EK Success, Heart Stickers by K & Co., Pop Dot

And now onto my good mail day...I got a lovely package from KL Stamping and Scrapping Friday (it's been a super busy weekend) with this lovely little Tilda with a Candle from Magnolia stampers. Now I've never tried an EZ Mounted Stamp before, I buy everything unmounted ('cuz let's face it...I'm cheap!), so I'm anxious to ink her up and try her out. Be sure to stop by KLSNS' blog...they are having a fantastic contest this month where you could win some Yummy paper (Bittersweet by Basic Grey)...not too mention all the fabulous ideas...those dt ladies are just soooooo talented! They also have blog candy quite a bit...and everything they have offered so far has been uberly awesome!

Limited Supplies Challenge

Have you ever had paper you just coveted? You can't bring yourself to use it because it's soooo pretty! And of course you ONLY BOUGHT ONE SHEET? Well, this rose paper by IOD I only bought ONE of, on one of our "away" trips...and I have coveted this ONE PIECE for-evah! I finally broke down and used it for this card though...

This card was made for the Limited Supplies Challenge on Split Coast Stampers, our limit was that we were only allowed to use ONE sentiment stamp...no more stamps...so that left paper and embellishments. Since I was in a "flowery" mood from my Princess Bride card (see previous post) I decided to continue in my floral mojo with this one and I planned the entire card around my coveted rose paper. I also FINALLY inked up this Birthday stamp that I've had for awhile... This card is pretty straight forward...no secret stuff going on here (wink)...so below is the recipe and have a great weekend!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Paper Inspirations Birthday Calligraphy
  Ink: Tim Holtz Antique Photo
• Paper: IOD, MME
• Punch: Martha Stewart; Branch, Butterfly, Lace Border
• Other: Robins Nest Dew Drops, Flower, Ribbon, Charm