Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #26

The DDIC this week takes its inspiration from

a site called Lovely Package.These four bottles of Herbal Waters are surely beautiful, but when I saw the RED and the hibiscus, I knew just where I'd be going with my papers and inks!!

I kept the background vanilla color of the label, and watercolored an image of the flower I received in a grab bag and never inked. Can you imagine?

The tan punched piece represents the lettering below the flower, and the RED ribbon finishes it off.

Please join us in the challenge, and upload your card or project to:
http://www.divastamper.blogspot.com/
so we can see what you've done. If you upload to SCS, please add DDIC to your keyword. Play with us again the first Thursday in May.

Sketch and Belli Challenge

Here's my card for the sketch challenge today. The details are on the write-up of my gallery. I just wanted to show a close-up of the RED berries I added, that didn't sho in the bigger picture.

Thanks for looking, and be sure to check out the Belli Challenge below.

Belli Challenge - Die Cuts #89

We have a sponsor this week, Sweet N Sassy stamps. They sent us some wonderful digis to play with, and I chose this beautiful bouquet of daisies.

The challenge this time is to use die cuts. They can be anything ....... chipboard, nesties, anything at all. The fun part of this Belli (and ALL of the Belli's) is that we are to use what we already have in our stash!!

I used nesties and a template behind my jellyroll gel pen painted daisies, and watercolored a little so they would show more.

I hope you will link your card or project to Mr. Linky here:

http://www.bellichallengeblogspot.com/ so we can see it, and maybe YOU will win a prize from our sponsor! While you are there, also check out what the Belli Girls have done! Don't forget to upload to SCS with CBC in your keyword.

See you again in two weeks.

Double Trouble!

Mom went home yesterday afternoon after Triple A came and started her car. Dead battery. She got home okay, and called me to let me know. We had great fun as usual, and now we can both rest up!!

Speedy the Cat is trouble!! He causes Faith all kinds of problems, makes messes all over the house playing with her craft supplies, and generally casing mayhem! She needs a break, and needs to send him to Kitties for a few days.

Speedy loves to prowl around Faith's garden (Did you notice not one single weed??? Mark and Markie spend hours taking care of it for her). Speedy chases butterflies, watches the ants, and catches small bugs of all kinds. However: he is afraid of SNAILS!

Markie knew just how to get Speedy to go to Kittie's........he found a giant snail, and there goes Speedy! Enjoy your vacation from everything he does, Faith!! Watch out Kittie! You don't know what you're in for!!

This is also for the CC today. Thanks so much Betty for these wonderful colors.....especially the RUBY RED! I can't believe these colors will be retiring! *sob*. Thanks for looking today!

Hunk for FS, Pat Smethers!

Pat Smethers is the FS today on SCS. She happens to be (like me!) enamored of cowboys and just plain hunky guys! Normally I case one of the FS's cards, but not today.

The card here is purely for Pat's looking pleasure. He is as hunky and gorgeous as the WWW man, and I know she will appreciate how handsome he is, even when she can't see his whole face!!

Have a great day, and make a cowboy card for Pat!! Hugs, my friend!!!

QFTD04 Linda (snail)

Anne Ryan's choicce for queen today is Linda, aka snail on SCS. I cased a wonderful card she made of a winter tree at sunset, with a wonderful thin winter fence. I made a few adjustments to make this summer or spring, and punched the fence.

I really liked the simplicity of this card. It has the kind of layout that you could use anytime, and any image in it would work, as long as it would fit.

I hope you like this case of her card....... if you go to my gallery, you can see hers as well. You can also join in, and be sure to congratulate her on this fun honor.

Massachusetts Chickadee

The challenge today is to make something that comes from your home state. At first I thought of "Boston, Boston, home of the bean and the cod, where Cabot's speak only to Lowell's, and Lowell's speak only to God", which really is true!! Then I thought about the Boston Common, and the Swan Boats, and even the walking tour of Old North Church, freedom trail, and historical stuff like that. Nah!!

Mom and I ended up making a card using the SU punch of our state bird, the chickadee. We have a whole bunch of bird feeders (for DH's pets!!), and those little guys flit in and out so fast!! I love their little voices calling "chickadee...dee...dee" all day. I never get tired of it.

So here is our bird. We have never tried this out before, and next time we will make a few adjustments, but it turned out okay. Enjoy the birds wherever you are, and have a fun day!

An award from Lynn

An award passed on from Lynn McAuley. Now I have to tell 10 things that make me happy, and 5 bits of trivia before passing it along to 5 friends.

Family, candy, SCS, new stamps, lunch out with DH, visiting Mom, grands, retirement, hot tub, stamping.

I don't like TV except for sports, I love breakfast ALL DAY, I love HOT foods, don't talk to me before coffee, I don't like to talk on the phone.

Now I send this award to: Stef, Julia, Emily, Joanne, and Mary. Pick up the picture, and tell all!

RED Friday!

After a lot of messages pleading, and some threatening to call 911, here, finally, is a card done all in RED!!!

I know you expect this from me, and darn it! it's a burden, but here's a quilt made from all RED scraps. I'd love to tell you what dp I used, but who can even guess when the pieces are so small. I save every bit of RED, and I love all these different patterns put together!

Now. Mom is coming for the weekend. She's getting a perm this morning, and then will drive here. Stay off the highway ...... she's 88 and that's the speed she goes in her Caddy!! We are having our SU! demo here on Sunday for some fun and crafting, so she'll be here with bells on. We always have a list, and this time it involves some more punches. (Are there ever enough??)

Have a great day. My comments will depend on how busy Mom makes me!!!

THT044 Color Challenge Featuring ME!!

Happy Thursday! This week, I am featured after choosing the challenge for TreehouseThursday. I chose a Color Challenge......Yellow and Lavender. I love these colors for Spring, for babies, for kids, for flowers, for cute little anythings.

This image is from the set called Zoofari Friends. I happen to LOVE giraffes, so this was a no-brainer for me.

There are lots of parts and layers for this card, but they really aren't necessary if you want to join us in this challenge. Be sure to upload to http://www.treehousestamps.blogspot.com/ and connect to Mr. Linky. In your gallery, please put THT044 in your keyword. See you next week with another fun challenge!

Little tweety Bird

The sketch today at SCS is wonderful ........ color blocking, and great for using up odds and ends of paper, of which I have mountains!!

The image is a new digi by

www.treehousestamps.com,

called Little Tweety. There are a number of really cute designs and words. Be sure to check it out.

Have a great day today. It's supposed to be in the mid 80's, so I'll be outside most of the day, soaking up the rays and cooling off in the hot tub. See you tomorrow!

Two on Tuesday!!

The color challenge today is to use Soft Suede, Teal, and Celery. Great combo, isn't it??

I just got a new cb folder, one of four in a set by Provocraft. The big one is a checkerboard pattern, and this one of bricks (?) has a real Asian feel to it.

I used my markers on Art Of Life, still one of my favorite sets, and crimped a piece of celery, which was the "dessert" of the challenge. I had a great piece of ribbon to match. How cool is that?

This is my entry for MMTPT88. The story is pretty involved, but my response to the story is this:

Frazzle, the rooster at McCoy's Farm is panic-struck to think he may lose his job. Frizzle is out behind the barn teaching the hens to "rap", and their nests are empty. Normally they lay 42,00 eggs, but today there are only 17! Maybe Frazzle needs to learn "rap" to get those girls back where they belong, but everyone knows they lay more eggs when the music is soothing. Here's the RAP for the card (with apologies to your sensibilities).

Behind the barn

Learnin' how to rap

Layin' those eggs

Is really no snap.

Frazzle can't do it.

He needs them girls.

Losin' his job's

The end a his world!

Send Frizzle back.

Fill those nests.

Heck with that rap,

Muzak's the best!!

Two for the CAS

The CAS today was to use a sentiment as our only stamp. Good chance to use some fabulous dp, or to make a nice bg by yourself.

I think some of you will be pleased to see a little RED from yours truly. You know I sneak it in whenever I can!!

I hope you all had a nice Easter. We spent it with DD and her family, and this year all our kids and grandkids were together. Nice. DH, Mom and I stayed until we were tired (which gets earlier every year!), and left the younger generation to chat and laugh among themselves. To tell you the truth, I'm always glad when the holidays are over. Now Mom and I can concentrate on going on vacation to NH to stamp ourselves silly! Have a great day!!!

RED for the IC today

Mom is here for Easter weekend, and we have had the giggles this morning. The card is for the IC, and what inspired me is shown here..... a fabulous hat with a RED rose. How could I resist???!!

When I was a kid, Mom, Gram and I would go to the BIG dept. store and try on hats. We would get laughing so hard we would have to go to the Ladies' room. Just thinking about it made us laugh again.

I hope you like my hand-made rose. Have a wonderful safe and peaceful Easter, unless you'll be like us, having dinner with the six (out of 7) grands, in addition to all my kids. Bedlam for sure! Hugs to all!

Accordian Book for Spring

This is the front of the accordian book I made while I was up all night, instead of sleeping. It only took about an hour to do, and most of that time was figuring out what my theme and images would be. The actual putting together was easy after the brainwork, which was a little impeded with lack of sleep!

I'm going to tuck this into the bag of goodies I have for my Mom when she arrives later this morning for the Easter weekend.

Here is the inside of the book. I hope you can read each of the little pages. They are only 3 by 2 1/4, so they're not all that big. They say: Welcome rain; Welcome sun; Welcome flowers; Welcome trees; Welcome friends; Spring has sprung. If you click on the picture it will enlarge. Have a great day!

THT043 Spotlighted Lion

Happy Thursday! The Treehouse Thursday Challenge today is to use the Spotlighting Technique.

I used an image from http://www.treehousestamps.com/ called Zoofari Friends which will be available next week. I love the look on the lion's face, so that was the part I popped to spotlight it. Get it???

If you would like to join us this week, be sure to put THT043 in your keyword. See you next Thursday!

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #25 and a PRIZE!

Happy April! Today's Inspiration Challenge comes from Pier I. I really loved the colors of the advertisement, and wanted to keep both the colors and the flower of Spring theme.

The image I used is from SU!, called Bloomin' Beautiful. The Dp is from the Dollar Tree, and the colors I used to paint are yellow, pumpkin, celery, olive, and black. The blossom is popped up. The little bird is a punch from MS, and the white ribbon takes the place of the words all in white.

If your join us, please link your card to us here: http://www.divastamper.blogspot.com/. There will be a PRIZE offered this time, as we have completed our first year as a team!! You could win!! We'll see you again in two weeks!

Creative Belli Challenge #88

The Creative Belli Challenge this time is to make
a card or project using COLOR SPRAY (glimmer mist, walnut ink, make your own, etc.).


Our sponsor for this challenge is The Stamping Boutique. They kindly sent us some digi images to use, and here is the one I chose called "Spring Cleaning".


The colors suggest spring cleaning to me..... dirty water, yucky walls. Hmmmmm.... I don't think I've done Spring Cleaning since ..... 1978??? And NEVER will again!! No point to it. It only has to be done the next time, right???


Please feel free to join us. Be sure to connect your project to Mr. Linky on our blog here at http://www.creativebelliblogspot.com/ for a chance at some fun stuff, check out the DT's pictures, and upload to SCS with CBC in your keyword. Don't forget to take a look at http://www.thestampingboutique.com/ as soon as you can!!

Bunny Chick

I'm making this my absolute last Easter themed card. If it wasn't for Teapot Tuesday, I wouldn't have done this one. Then again, I would have, because I like to send my Mom a bunch of cards for whatever holiday.

She loves to get mail (don't we all!), and she decorates her mantel and organ with them, so whoever comes in the house can't possibly miss 'em!

She is actually one of my favorite peeps, along with DH, kids and grands, not to mention the actual marchmallow ones. Diet be darned when those cute guys are around.

Have a great day, enjoy the sun if you see it......we are still having rain, flooded basements (not us, thankfully), closed roads, and rivers at their highest ever!!

Inside, Outside

With thanks to Amy S. for this fab layout!!

I never do anything with the inside of my cards except use them for a sentiment. For some strange reason, when the outside is done, I'm thinking about the next project. Lately, I've been eliminating sentiments on the outside, telling myself I'll use it for "whatever". Possibly that's not so. I seem to be in a hurry these days, and I have no reason to be. I'm retired. What could be that pressing?

I need to get out of my rut. Holly may just have nudged me to alter my behavior by her challenge today. I hope so. I love the results, and will try to slow down and do more of this sort of thing. Input, please!! Hugs to you all!!

Moonflower Inspiration

The website chosen for the Inspiration Challenge today is called http://www.thymes.com/, and has the most beautiful packaging for their products. The one I chose is pictured here, along with my card. I had no intention of doing this today...... I have lots to do, and company coming for dinner and cards.

I used gold embossing and liquid pearls to add a little punch to the image, which is a bit smaller that the one on the box, and I think it looks great!! I hope you like it too. I left off a sentiment, and will just use it for whatever comes along. Have a wonderful weekend!!

I Love/Hate Cats!!

I love little furry creatures. I probably will never have another cat, but I really have fun with those that belong to my friends and family.

The challenge today at SCS is to make a card other than A2, inspired by your favorite musical. My favorite is My Fair Lady. I also love Bye, Bye Birdie, which I saw with Dick Van Dyke on Broadway. I couldn't come up with anything I really liked for the first, and have done a number of birds lately, so those were out.
I have this crazy friend, Cheryl, who has three cats at the moment (she's had more, believe me!), and she's having a birthday shortly. This card is for her.

Now to the Hate part of the story. When Cats was first playing in Boston, we bought outrageously expensive tickets with two other couples. We went to a pricey restaurant for dinner, then to the theater. At the intermission, we talked it over, and all went home. We hated it. The costuming was fabulous, but nonetheless, we hated it. Now I'm sure some of you loved it, but it just wasn't our thing. That's my story about Cats, and I'm stickin' to it!!

And it's snowing! Is eight o'clock in the morning too early to start drinking?????!

Birthday Card for Sarah

My DIL Sarah is having a birthday shortly, and I have been thinking about a card with a purple lily. She loves both the flower and color. What a pleasant surprise today to discover the WT and the StampinB's challenges incorporated both!!

This card is a bit over the top, but I think she will like it. I used all kinds of punches, cb, pendant, ribbon, beads, photo turns, brads, painting, sponges, dimensionals, the WORKS!!

Hope you like this, and that you will also take a look at my other post below for the THT042!!

THT042 Sketch Challenge

The TreeHouse Thursday Challenge this week is to use the sketch provided here by owner, Ashley Bowen. When you upload be sure to add THT042 to your keyword.

My card for the Challenge uses a stamp from the new digi set called Out Of This World. The Alien is painted in celery, yellow, blue and RED.

You can see all the rest of the DT's entries this week by going to www.treehousestampsblogspot.com, and you can add yours there as well. Mr. Linky would LOVE to see you!!

You can also see the rest of this set, and a whole bunch of new ones at www.treehousestamps.com.

We'd love to have you visit, and shop too!!

Sketch Challenge

Thank goodness our blogs still work!! SCS, in transfering to another server, is just plain WONKY!! It will take some time to work out the 'bugs', so in the meantime, here is the card I made for the SC273 today.

I paper pieced the cute little bird from http://www.treehousestamps.com/ after I printed it out (and the saying as well) and punched a bunch of other stuff to add to it. I think it's really cute. Nice card for Spring. Today the sun is shining, and I have hopes Winter is over!! Have great day, and thanks for looking and your comments!!

Color Challenge

I thought these colors were tough until I started using them! Durango, pink, and caramel would not have been my first choice, but there is a certain beauty to them. I went to my old reliable Stipple Rose, the stamp image I use when I have no idea what I'm doing. I guess I use it a lot! LOL!!

The Martha Stewart satin ribbon is just the right shade to go with the paint, and the darker brads really looked nice, I think.

The SCS website is down until late this afternoon, so instead of commenting and looking, I'll be visiting more of your blogs. Have a fun day!!!

Memories of NY

Two challenges today, the TLC.....Childhood Memories ... and CAS ..... NY,NY.

For the TLC :When I was 6, we moved from MA to OH. Every time my Dad had a vacation, we got up and left the house at 5 AM and he drove 26 hours back to MA, so my Mom could visit her family. The drive was awful. There was no Ohio TPK! We went through every little tiny town!! It seemed to go on forever. I took no notice of the scenery until we came to NY. That skyline said we'd be at my grandparents' soon. I remember the excitement, and still get that same heart-turning-over thrill when I see NY.

For the CAS: When my grandson Tommy was almost three, his family went to Boston to pick up a friend who was going to spend Easter with them. As they approached downtown, little Tommy said, "Is this New York? Are we in New York City?" We never have an inkling as to what little ones know, do we? Now, whenever we go to Boston, we always repeat his words in a little boy voice!! It has become one of our family stories.

Thanks for joining me on a trip down Memory Lane this morning. Have a great day!!

Don't Panic!

Today's Featured Stamper is Mutnik, or Nutmeg, or Cathy! Her cards are fun, her sense of humor wonderful, and her originality is fabulous!


To see the card I cased from her gallery, you'll have to take a peek at mine, which you can find on my sidebar.


I think she will get a kick out of my crazy chicken, and I know YOU will enjoy seeing some RED for a change. Enjoy your Sunday!!

Roses and Tulips today!!

My card for the Inspiration Challenge today is on the right, and you can see I chose a Chocolate Rose to copy. It sure is a good thing there is no chocolate in the house, because I would be scarfing it all up after seeing the website of pretty food!!

The Rose I made is covered with Crystal Effects, and is shiny and glossy, just like you-know-what. Instead of the glass of milk, I used a white ribbon. I really love how it came out!

My second card is for a brand new challenge started by the one and only Anne Ryan, who named a QUEEN FOR THE DAY, and today that person is MarilynPreston, otherwise known as Peggy! Her gallery is wonderful, her comments are the sweetest, and she is just an all-around favorite. How fitting for her to be selected. Her favorite color is BLUE, so there will be lots of it in the gallery in her honor!

That's it for me. Have a great day.

Easter Basket #2

I had such fun making the first Easter basket (see below) that I decided to make another. This one is a long and narrow pattern, and very easy. I used another image from Spring Blessings by TreehouseStamps, and a punch. I love the lacy handle, and the big layered flower on it. Inside the flower is a plum colored butterfly with little gold beads on the body. Of course, it has some wonderful candy ... what is Easter without candy? (Or ANY day, for that matter!!) Thanks for looking.

Mom's Easter Basket

The challenge today was to make a basket, using the colors Perfect plum, celery and banana. I made a basket with dp celery and cream, and added some plum and green print in the scalloped circle behind the chickie.

The chick is a digi stamp from a set called Spring Blessings made by TreehouseStamps. It's painted in banana, summer sun, and orange, with a little pretty in pink for cheeks. I added some white gel pen dots for highlights. The brads are cute little yellow buttons, and there's a big celery brad holding the yellow and plum Prima flowers. It's filled with one of Mom's favorite candies!!

THT041 Thank You

This week the TreeHouseThursday challenge features Yaneri, a fabulous member of our Design Team! Be sure when you check out the cards and projects made by our members that you tell Yaneri how wonderful her work really is!!

Our challenge is to make a thank you of some kind. I used the digital image that I think is just so sweet! The Momma is paper pieced, the rest is watercolored. I love aorange and gray together, and got out my crimper, which I heard moaning in a drawer from disuse.

I think the punching and primas really spark it up. I hope you think so too. Please join us at www.treehousestamps.blogspot.com with your thank you card via Mr. Linky. there are lots of new releases and a FREE digi contest too!!!

DDIC#24

Here is the picture for the Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge this week.





The textures in this headboard and the pillows on the bed are wonderful. I also love the combination of colors ... Spring blue,shades of orange, & green.






Here is my card, inspired by that picture. I went with texture too. The image is Eastern Blooms, in cameo and caramel, with some white, and DP from Sandy Lion.


I used the same inks, and added brads, hemp, and dimensionals. Please check out the rest of the DT on the DDIC blog which is on my sidebar, and join us by putting DDIC in your keyword. See you again in two weeks!

Belli Challenge #87 - Sketch and CLIP!

For the Belli Challenge this week, we have a sketch ... our first!! Obviously, my card is on the right. For the image, I used www.treehousestamps.com chick and sentiment from the set called Spring Blessings. The paper is HOTP and Paper Pizazz, as well as yellow, white and lilac. I colored the image with Summer Sun, Pretty in Pink, outlined in black, and added a gel pen. The requirement today is to use a CLIP of any kind. I used a diamond-shaped paper clip to attach my bit of ribbon to the sentiment.

Please come and play along with us. Enter your card/project on the Belli Blog, and check out the DT members things too. You can get there from my sidebar. Have fun!!

Lovely Lilies

I really had no intention of posting this morning. Mom is on her way here, as I type, and I need to get a few things done before she arrives. I saw the color challenge, and got waylaid!!

I love this combination of colors, and just happened to have some Cottage Wall dp which has all of them. Everything goes together so well, and I really like the results. I decided to omit a sentiment.... whatever I need it for will go on the inside.

Have a great day. Mom and I will be busy!

Tastes Like Chicken For the Queen!!

Cathy (Mutnik? Nutmeg?) is a wonderful artist. Her cards are always colorful, and mostly humorous. Anne Ryan decided to make her Queen For The Day, and as such, qualifies for casing!!

I chose a card of hers to case called "...here, chick, chick", for a couple of reasons. 1. It was RED. 2. I could keep the theme of chickens (sort of) 3. I got this cock-eyed (pun intended) idea as I was looking at it, and knew it would work.

Here is her card:

Cathy, enjoy your day as Queen! Thanks for sharing your talents and funny sense of humor. I hope you like what I have done to honor you!!

No cats were injured in the creation process.

BIG Winners!! TLC and CAS

On Saturday, DH and I went to our Granddaughter Sam's basketball playoff game. The first half was rather disheartening.......they were down 8 to ZERO. Apparently their basket had no hole in it. The ball just would not go in.

In the second half, they tied it up at 18, and it got very exciting when they went ahead. The last minute of play was a real nailbiter.......but they won 22-21. We were so happy for the girls!! They jumped and yelled.....just what you'd expect.

The challenges today allowed me to make this card for her, and it's in the mailbox waiting to be picked up. I wanted her to have it while the feeling was still fresh!