Make-over Tree for CAS

The Clean and Simple challenge at SCS this morning was to make over a card in the CAS style. I took the card I made yesterday, which you can see below, and changed it. Luckily I had an oak leaf punch (MS), and used it up the side. Kind of a different look.

I am packed and ready to go to Mom's for a few days, so I'll see you Thursday. We'll be making cards, going to lunch, Dr. appts, the usual. I'll also be meeting Julia (artystamper) for dinner Tuesday night. I told her I would wear RED so she would recognize me!!! I'll give her hellos and hugs from you!! Have a great couple of days, and see you soon. Bye!

Two for Darlene

I was really in a Fall mood today....we have had a couple of cool nights, and putting on jeans and a long sleeved shirt feels good for a change. Next week is September! Can you even believe it???? Soon the pool will be closed, and the grands start school next week. We had a miserable summer, so I hope we will have a decent Fall. Our Featured Stamper, Darlene, hails from Ohio, where I grew up. I thought two cards were called for since we were NEARLY neighbors! Check out her gallery......she has some wonderful classic cards and layouts. Congratulations Darlene...enjoy your day. YOU TOO!! Hugs to all.

Gift Card

Today is Wendy's birthday at SCS. She challenged us to make HER a birthday gift card or money holder. It had to have chocolate or cocoa, and one or more butterflies. I haven't made one of these in a long time! It looks pretty simple, and it is..........but I had an awful time this morning! I made the folder with no problem (crease and fold, then punch). the front had me stumped. I punched out tiny flowers in RED, and layered them with tinier flowers in white. I stamped on a green branch, and put the butterflies over a smudge on the top edge of the nestie, and one over where some tape pulled off a little of the white. I really hated it. I started over, and then it went right together. PHEW!

DH and I went for haircuts this morning.......his 50th reunion from HS is two weeks away, so we should be pretty spiffy by then. He suggested we go out to lunch, and so I said, "Well, I guess so" (LOL!!), so we are off. Check you out later today. Have a good one!

Vintage Baby Dress

The challenge on SCS today was to make a vintage card using ephemera. Would you consider 1944 Vintage????? My mother, who saves EVERYTHING, gave me the cards she and my father received when I was born. I had such a good time looking at them and reading the messages......from people who have been gone a long time. I cut out the cards, saving pieces I really liked, and thought I might use someday.....And I guess someday is here.

My grandmother, mother and I made a Christening dress when I was pregnant with my 1st child, my DS. Gramma did all the lace (11 yards of it!), Mom did the putting together (34 tiny tucks), and I did all the embroidery. A real work of love! My three wore it, and then my grands!! The lace is left over from this dress. (I guess I'm a saver too!) The dress on this card looks just like the one we made all those years ago. How cool is that!!! I hope you like the card and this story that certainly goes with it!!

Have a great day (I am.........that headache is finally gone!) Hugs.

Soft and Gentle Flower

Even the person who loves RED sometimes has to do something different. Yesterday I woke up at 1:30 in the morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed. This morning I woke up at 8:30 with a terrible headache, and feel like I've been beaten within an inch of my life! Needless to say, the world goes on, with or without us, so here I am. No bright or zingy card today. I needed to use soft and gentle colors, hence the title.

I got this paper many years ago when I bought a scrapbook set that included a voice chip. My grands were all little, with those cute voices, you know? I made a book for my parents, who played it over and over and over. My Mom still does! I'm so glad I did! I used different paper, so I had all this left that matches.......even die cuts. I pulled them out today. Perfect. Not a lot of thinking, on a morning that thinking is well near impossible. I'm off with my coffee to the hot tub. I may feel better after. Have a great day. I'll visit you later. Hugs.

DDC, Dance For Joy!

I am dancing for joy today with these cute girls from TAC! The CC today is to make a card in RED, .......oh yeah.....and some other colors! LOL! You know how I feel about RED, and how I use every opportunity to sneak some in, one way or another!! I got a pm from Christine at chrisations.ink early this morning, telling me the CC. She thought this would be a big day for additions to the RedDivas gallery. YOU BET!!! If you should do the CC, and make a RED card, be sure you put RedDivas in your keyword so we can find it there.

This week's hostess for the Doubledog Dare Challenge is Joan Ervin, who dared us to make a card with glamorous women. I would say this sure qualifies!! Thanks, Joan.

DH and I had a wonderful DATE yesterday. We enjoy dates, even though we are retired and spend quite a bit of time together. On September 8th, we will be celebrating 46 years married. Wow! Does the time go fast.

Have a great day.........be creative.......be kind.........do something RED!! (LOL!)

Kreative Blogger Award

Today I received this Kreative Bloger award from Francie G. You can see her blog here:

http://franciesfancy.blogspot.com/

After accepting this award, I had to complete the following list! *Thank the person who nominated me for this award! *Copy the logo and place it on my blog! *Link the person who nominated me for this award! *Name seven things about me that people might find interesting! *Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers *Post a link to the seven blogs! *Leave comments on the seven blogs letting them know I have nominated them!

So, I have linked to Fran's blog.

Now...................

Seven things about me....

I attended eleven different schools before college!

I was a dealer in rare books.

I eloped with my college sweetheart.

I am in my hottub with coffee every morning.

My only job in the house is cooking!

I am a fan of the RED Sox and Patriots.

I love hot and spicy foods!!

Now, let's see about seven Kreative Bloggers...................

Beth at http://bigskypaperanddesign.blogspot.com/

Cathleen at http://crookedcardcreations.blogspot.com/

Rachel at http://gingerbreadgallery.blogspot.com/

Shannon at http://hoppycreations.blogspot.com/

Mary at http://itsallaboutthejourney.typepad.com/its_all_about_the_journey/

Tenia at http://jazzypaper.blogspot.com/

Connie at http://cmc2stamp.blogspot.com/

You are all fabulous bloggers, and I love to see what you have done daily!!

Bourbon Roses

The Clean and Simple challenge today was to use an article for inspiration. I chose this fabulous bag. The colors just knocked my socks off! My card has no sentiment on the front because whatever I started to add didn't work, so it is what it is. I hope you like it. IRL it is so shiny.....and very hard to photograph, especially on this dark day.

I will be back to check out your postings later today. DH and I have an all-day date to meet a friend for lunch, but it means a lot of driving. When food is involved, we really don't mind!! Have a wonderful day, and do some fun stuff!! Hugs to you all.

.....and another for Joanne(jojot)!

You know about potato chips.......that you can't eat just one? Well, Joanne's gallery is so fab, you can't CASE just one either!!! I just HAD to do this!!!!!

Hooray for the RED white and black!

Today's Featured stamper on SCS is jojot, my friend Joanne in CT who loves my favorite colors!! I adore her gallery, not just because of that, but because her cards are always beautiful, stylish, and wonderfully thought out!! Today I took a card from her gallery to CASE that she had NOT done in RED, black, and white. I thought I would like to see how it looked in our favorites!! Because we have to change at least three things, I changed the orientation, colors, cb and dp bgs, image and corner punch. Joanne, I hope you like what I have done, and that you will enjoy all the so-well-deserved honors that come your way!!!! Hugs, GF!!

Winter Deer

The Limited Supply Challenge today was called "Lovin' Dat Man", the song from Showboat. We were to make a masculine card, and I think this does it! I kept singing the words to the song as I worked on this post today (fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly......so I added - Deer gotta tromp around in the winter woods - LOL!). I went with DH to HD yesterday, and they had these BIG paint chips, so I brought home a few (?), and used one as a bg this morning. The trees stamped really well in Stazon, but stamping the deer was terrible. Eventually I had to cut one out. Hope it looks okay. I added some WW 'snow'.

Now, on to DIL, Debbie. They kept her at the hospital, and she had surgery yesterday to repair a displacement fracture of her ankle. She had a plate put in. She will go home today, and it sure ruined the class she has been teaching this summer!! If you would like to send her a card, let me
know.

Have a great day.

Flower Soft is Messy! and a Sad Ending.....

I decided to do the Ways To Use It Challenge at SCS today. I needed some happy RED to shake off some not so good news.

My DIL, Debbie, got a gift certificate from her Middle School students for a mani-pedi, and she was very excited to get one for the first time. As she was leaving, she fell, and broke her ankle, tore the ligaments, and suffered a dislocation. She went to the hospital, where they gave her DRUGS, and she had surgery this morning.

We didn't know until this afternoon whether or not we would have Jake, our DGS, stay with us, or how she was doing, so we have been here all day waiting to hear.......she is now home, and DS says she is okay. I will feel better after speaking with her. Men are not good at telling who, what, and all that stuff.

In the meantime, keeping busy with the challenge was a bit of a challenge........my sweet friend Anne (Itsapassion) sent me some Flower Soft. I didn't remember what she told me about how to use it. as a result, even though I used it sparingly, it's all over my table, shirt, pants, hands, you know!

I hope you like the card, and I will keep you posted on Debbie's condition!!

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #10

This is my very first DDIC and I want to thank Lori Rider and the DT for inviting me to join them.

On the left is the bedroom taken from Wrapables.com that was to be our inspiration. The colors of chocolate and gold just seemed so elegant, that I took the gold of the pillow and the print design as the basis for my card. I also included the flickering candles in the gold and orange button embellishment.

I used the Autumn Days and Autumn Leaf Prints stamp sets from SU, and brushed gold and chocolate chip paper. I stamped in Stazon Timber Brown. The gold leaves in the bg are embossed in Egyptian Gold EP, and are dazzling IRL.

I hope you like what I have done with this challenge. Please visit the other members of the Divine Divas to see their cards by going to the left and clicking on each name under the badge. If you would like to join us in this inspiration please link it here:

http://divastamper.blogspot.com/,

and you can also post to SCS by putting DDIC10 in your keyword.

SC242 Rose

Had a chance this afternoon to do the sketch challenge........I love the new Rich Razzberry ink and dp from SU. Balanced it with white and celery, added some punching and a ribbon, and as they say, VOILA! That's it for today, FOLKS!!

DDC A Pair of Pirates

My DGD Erin is spending the day, so of course we had to do the challenge!! Hers is mostly green, mine is mostly, well you know! The DDC today is hosted by Julia (artystamper) who DARED us to use digi stamps by Dustin Pike....freebies from his website! There's a lot of coloring and cutting involved, and we were glad when we were done!! Thanks a lot, Julia! NOT!!!

We hope you like them. Have a great day!!

Belli Challenge #72

The Belli Challenge this week is sponsored by Peachy Keen Stamps! They have the most adorable digital images, and are known for their cute faces! We were each sent three images, and were to use one for our cards posting today.

This challenge is to use water-based markers..........NO COPICS!! Please join us by 'markering' an image for your card and posting to the CBC72 gallery!!


I chose this Sleepy Bear. The card is made with Brocade Blue dp, and the coloring is done with SU markers in Summer Sun, Brocade Blue, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel, and Bashful Blue. the star and the bear's face are popped to give it a little dimension. In addition, I used punches and brads for embellishment.


Check out the CBC72 gallery on Split Coast Stampers, and go to the Creative Belli Blog by clicking the blinkie and see all the cards made by the group! Make sure you add yours!!!! If you are chosen at roandom, you will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to Peachy Keen.....how cool is that??? Check out Peachy Keen Stamps by going to their website. Tell them the Belli Girls sent you!!!

Paper-Pieced Boat and MMTPT60

I love these colors together for the Color Challenge - Teal, Cocoa, vanilla. I have a cousin who is a ship captain. He works one month, then has a month off. His wife is very used to it, but I would HATE it!! I usually make him cards with SHIPS on them, but today I thought I would make him smile with a tugboat. He actually did handle the tugboat that brought the QE2 into NY harbor a few years ago! He is a really sweet guy, and I just adore him!

This is also for Teapot Tuesday. We are going to Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia for the teaparty today. It's jojot's favorite place, and I love it too!! We have to bring fish, but instead I am bringing my tugboat that is so cute, fish just love to see it, and swim right up to the side. These fish will be really easy to catch, and fresh fish are not so smelly!! I think this is a much better idea!! I'm sure Muddermark will agree!! LOL!

Another scalding hot day, and if any of us sit by the pool it won't be for long. Hope it's cooler where you are!! Hugs.

Hats and Hats

You know what takes the sting out of Monday?? Making CAS cards! The challenge today was to make a masculine card. I love this set of men's hats, and I love my scor-pal. Finding the right ribbon was the hardest part, and with the amount I have, it took about 4 seconds!! We had a great weekend, and now that I have posted, I have a chance to look around this morning.

We are expecting the H-H-H day (hazy, hot, humid), so I will be spending some time by the pool. Paul, Debbie, and Jake will be here later this morning. We love to have them come. That's it for me, now off to see you. Have a great day, my friends!!

Hoot If You Love RED!

Well, darn! I had no intention of doing the IC today, so I just took a quick peek, and I saw this baby owl stitch kit: http://www.curiosityshoppeonline.com/baowlstkit.html and that's all it took! If you go there and look, you'll see how cute and RED it is! I really didn't have time to do it, but I squeaked out a few minutes, and here it is. We are off for the weekend, so no commenting today, but I'll be back on Monday. I put this in the RedDivas gallery as well, if you want to go there. Bye!

Third and FINAL post!!

These two cards are for the other CASDT challenges. I think you could see them better on my SCS Gallery! Once I had the stuff out, I figured there was no reason not to! I harbor no illusions that I will be chosen to be a CAS team member, but I have enjoyed so much making CAS cards in the past few months.

I appreciate your interest in looking at my blog. Now I'm off to look at yours!! Have a great day!!

Ladybug Autumn......2nd post today

I took a look at Miss Boo's DT Challenge call, and was hooked by the second challenge.........a clean and simple card with shades of brown and one tiny spot of RED. Well, if you know me, you'll know the clincher was the tiny spot of RED! I used three different colors of brown, plus the satin brown ribbon, which I love. For the RED, I used a small brad with tiny dots of black which I made with a sharpie. I love this look!! I also love the new set, Autumn Days. I hope you like it too! Please take a look below for my first post.......my DGD's smiling face!

Samantha's Braces Are Gone!

This is my granddaughter Samantha, who is 12. She called us yesterday with wonderful news...... she is OUT of braces!! Her teeth are beautiful!! I asked her how it felt, and she said she had a lot of room in her mouth, all of a sudden. I asked her what she was going to do about that, and she replied,"Fill it up!" I figure she will be eating Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter sandwiches, gummy bears, and all the things she hasn't been able to eat for quite a while!! I thought you might like to see this happy and smiling face!!

Autumn Trees

How cool is this.......a wood bg for autumn trees!! I just noticed it (obviously I'm not smart enough to plan that!!)! This is for the WT today - variegated something. I chose to use variegated ink, which I think makes FABULOUS FALL cards. Thanks for joining me here today. Make it a good one! Oh! Almost forgot....I put this in the RedDivas Gallery on SCS because I thought there was enough to qualify. PLMK if you think that's okay, or if I should remove it. Hugs!

Out-of-the-box Baby Giraffe

This card is doing double duty today. The sketch at SCS is easy, and so different. I wanted to make a nontraditional card for my cousin's baby boy, and I think these colors are great together!

This is also for the Doubledog Dare Challenge, and I am this week's hostess. I dared the group to make an out-of-the-box card.......no other requirements. I love the look, and seldom do it......I wonder why that is??? Anyway, if you would like to join us in this challenge, just put DDC in your keyword. Simple.

Have a wonderful day. Hugs. And if you didn't see my BIG NEWS yesterday, check below.

Big News!!

I am pleased to announce I have been asked to join the Divine Divas! Lori Rider contacted me, and I promptly accepted the new challenge! The Divine Divas Inspiration Challenge (DDIC) posts every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Above is the Badge I am adding to my blog sidebar, and this is the list of members of the DDIC Team:

Angela Jones

Chat Wszelaki

Chris Olsen

Julie Warner

Keri Brown

Lori Rider

and ME!

I am so honored to be a part of this fabulous group of creative artists! Watch for the DDIC here on August 20th. That's when I submit my first post. YAY!

Bleached Trees

I have to admit that this is my all-time favorite SU set, Lovely As A Tree! Whenever I'm stuck for an idea, this set jogs my memory. The CC today was very interesting..........bleach, take the color that comes from it, and add a neutral. I chose a very dark RED, and the vanilla it became with the bleach, and black as a neutral. Instead of doing a bg, I used the image itself as my focus, and had this fabulous matching dp to go with it! I had a little trouble with what to do with embellishments. I didn't want to overwhelm the trees, but it looked a little bare. I hope you don't think the corners are over the top.......the ribbon works really well I think. Anyhow, I am pleased with the results. I decided to also post this card in the RedDivas gallery. It's dark, but still the right color, don't you agree??? Have a great day. Hugs to you all.

Bling Anniversary in RED!

Happy Monday! The headache I woke up with is finally gone, and I have been to my addict...ahem...craft room for the CAS challenge. Today we had to use BLING, and I think this anniversary card says it all. I even used my xyron for the FIRST TIME....can you believe it?? The dress is paper pieced, and I knew I could never get the glitter to stick with just my glue pen, and then I remembered that I had that sticky machine. Now that I have used it, I think I'll leave it out. Who knows what will hapen next?? I HAD to do RED today. Isn't her dress glamorous in the RED glitter??? I also used gold metallic for the stars and under both the image and the heart punched border. This card also qualifies for the RedDivas, and if you make a card (in my favorite color), you can add it to that gallery here:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=all&si=RedDivas&what=keywords

The only requirement for the RedDivas is that you have used RED.

Thanks for looking, and have a great day!!

Roses For My Sweet Joanne!

My VERY DEAR FRIEND Joanne (sleepyinseattle) is the FS at SCS today!! How wonderful, and about time, too! Joanne is so fabulously creative, and so willing to share her expertise with us all! Congratulations Joanne! I am in and out of her gallery, so it was especially hard for me to choose a card to case, but I finally chose this one called Here For You :

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1359230?&cat=500&ppuser=14567

Joanne makes such beautifully embossed roses. Rather than try to replicate hers, I changed the image to one that is smaller, and used two roses. Never again will I emboss white on white and then try to cut it out!! I had to keep turning it to catch the light so I could see where to put my scissors!! Oh well, live and learn! I also reversed the colors and orientation. I hope you like my version of her card, although I could never do what she does!! Congratulations again, Joanne!!!

Sage is food, right?

The challenge today was to use only food colors and a food as a theme. I figure a take-out box of rice covers the theme, and I used Vanilla and Sage as colors. They are spices, but I think they are food too, aren't they? My friend Heather K. (tankgrl) sent me the template for the box, and I just love it! Thanks, GF!

Mom arrives this morning for the weekend. We are planning a quick trip to Ink About It, then back here for a day with son Paul and family. Tomorrow we go to DGD's Irish Step-Dancing Competition, then to friends' for dinner. In between, mom and I will make....oh....maybe some cards!!

Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by. Hugs to all.

Pleated Harlequin

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! This card was a real nightmare! The challenge was to make a card with pleats. Sounds simple, right? WRONG! I thought I had this great idea to make the skirt and neck ruff in pleats, and it would be fun and cute. I couldn't get the pleats to stay down. I must have tried every kind of glue, paste, tape, and sticky stuff in the universe, and I'm still not pleased. Needless to say, this will not be repeated! I love this image, I love the print pattern stamp for the bg, I love the RED as you well know, and I love punches and gold metallic paper. I don't love pleats.

This card is also for the RedDivas, a group of us who really love one color, and whenever we make a card in this color, we put that in our keywords. If you would like to be one of the RedDivas, the next time you make a card that fits, please join us. We have a fun gallery on SCS. Take a look.

Have a great day.......we have errands, I'll be reading by the pool, and then to DS's for a corned beef dinner......he's been corning the beef himself for a few days! (He's a wonderful cook!) Hugs to you all.

CBC#71 Wood is the Theme!

The theme of the Creative Belli Blog this week is WOOD. I got a little crazy, and decided to make a wooden 'out-back' house that is virtually IN the forest. I made a bg of leaves, then ran the cs through the cb of Forest Branches after I rubbed it with brown. You can figure out the rest. The girls of the Belli Blog have made some amazing cards. Please check them out, and if you care to join us, post your card to CBC. We'd love to see what you can add to ours!!

Time Runs...........

I am no longer suffering withdrawal! The sketch challenge today gave me an opportunity to use a stamp I bought in NH in May. Isn't it incredible????????? My only dilemma was in choosing which of my RED markers and paper I would use! The clock and the main panel are distressed, and the sickle is silver embossed. I had lots of fun making this card today, and I hope you get a kick out of it too. Oh! and it is also for the RED Divas! Thanks for joining me today.

CLOSE TO RED Roses for the DARE!

Is Cameo close to RED???????????

A twofer today.......for the CC aat SCS, and the Dare. This week's hostess, Beverly (beestamper) gave us this sketch to follow, so I thought I'd combine the two. Please join us...the sketch is wonderful! I spent a lot of time on this card, and now that I see it blown up, there are some things I would change if I were doing it again. For one thing, I would make the panel smaller so you could see the roses by the trellis THAT TOOK SO LONG TO CUT OUT! And I would use a thinner ribbon so things were easier to see. The sentiment is a little off......well, you get the gist.

Another lovely day......DS and family are coming back with steaks for the grill. We'll be outside all day, and they will probably stay to play cards and listen to the RED Sox, so I may not get to your blogs today.

Enjoy the summer......it's going FAST!! Hugs.

Black and White and NO RED!

A quick card this morning. It's going to be a perfect pool day, and I have just heard from #2 son Paul. He and family and a little friend of Jake's will come and enjoy the day. We had nothing planned, so this will be fun and relaxing. We will cook on the grill and just be laid back. Have a wonderful day too. See you tomorrow.

Daisies Make Me Smile!

Teresa Kline is the FS at SCS today! I love her gallery.......her layouts are simple and clean. She combines wonderful colors and images, so it was very easy to case her card. I changed the colors and sentiment, and the shape of the card to accommodate the image I chose. I saved a bunch of her cards to case later. I hope you like what I have done, and that you have a wonderful day.