Belli Challenge #67

I am so pleased to upload my first card as a Design Team member of the Belli Challenge! The layout is from Sassy Stamps, and was such fun to follow! Belli is looking to fill in a few new Design Team positions. Go to www.bellichallenge.blogspot.com for information. You will see the cards posted by the team for this week's challenge: Father's Day. Timely, right? Mine is here a little late, as I was away most of the week.
I love this SU set, especially because we have all the men in the family as summer cooks. The grill is their personal property, and we girls don't mind a bit!! I didn't have to have my arm twisted to use my favorite colors, and they seem to be just right for cookouts!
Please join us in the Belli Challenge this week, and think about being a DT member.

White Pearls and Hearts

Didn't think I'd have time to post today, but the CC was up early. The challenge was to make a one layer card only in white. I haven't dry embossed in forevah with my metal stencils, stylus, and light box, so that's what I did for this card. I traced the outline from a scalloped card, and cut it out of white CS. I really love the result. White only is so elegant. I hope you like it. I am off in a few minutes to Mom's to help her clean out one of her attics so she can have more room in the Craft Room for all her stuff. Big job, and NO ONE could do it alone. We have also enlisted the help of DH who will load up my van with stuff from 1959 that has never been unpacked!! See how big a job it is? Have a great week, be back Friday PM. Hugs to you all.

Beautiful Erin!

No card making......Mom arrived on Friday, and we did a lot of errands. Saturday AM we left early for my Uncle Paul's 90th birthday party in New Hampshire.......long ride, great fun! Sunday was my granddaughter's Feis (pronounced FESH), her Irish step Dancing competition! She of course is central in the picture in her beautiful dress. (If you click on her, the picture will enlarge, I think) Erin has just turned 12, loves purple, but her latest favorite is Teal! She competed for the first time in hard shoes, in addition to soft shoes for the Reel, Jig, and Slip Jig, and won medals in all four. By the time we got home, Mom, DH and I were very tired. We sort of watched the RED SOX lose, and were really bumps on logs. Busy weekend. Tomorrow I leave for Mom's for a few days...we are attacking the attic before it gets too hot. Be back on Friday afternoon. Have a great week. Hugs.

DDC, WT221 Heard the NEWS?????

WOW! Was this ever fun!! I combined two challenges today, and I hope you like what I've done. Anne (Itsapassion) Dared us to make a card that has real newspaper on it for the DDC this week. (Please join us!) Julia challenged us to make a card being creative with punches, etc., instead of stamps. I used the tag punch to make the shingles, and made a very simple chimney to show the paper on the roof, which is where it generally is, right? That's it. Hugs to you all, my dear friends.

Puffer Fish

Today I am starting with an explanation. This was a simple sketch, but for me it was nothing but trouble. Everything that could go wrong did, and a few other things did too. The glue I was using was VERY sticky...so much in fact that things got stuck down in the wrong places too soon. I ran out of dp, and had to piece it after it got stuck down to my cs, and I had to replace that too. The punch got stuck, I couldn't figure out how to cover up the holes in the button so they wouldn't show. I had only a scrap of the right color ribbon, and in the picture, it looks like it's now way near what I had in mind. When taking the photo of the card, the light was so awful I couldn't get a true color, or get the glitter to show up. I should have quit when the first thing went wrong! Now here's the final truth......I really like it!

Thanks for looking and putting up with my whining!! Hugs.

CC Baby Giraffe

Imagine my delight when Betty filled in for Emily, and posted the color challenge this morning!! No problemo!! RED works for me.......and added orange and green. I had fun with punches, my cb, and paintbrush. I hope you like it. We are awaiting the arrival of a baby in our family. My cousin Stefanie is due any minute, maybe today??? Glad it's not me!! We don't know what to expect, so a card with a giraffe in these colors will work for a boy or girl. Will keep you posted!

DDC Purple and Gold

I was up really early this morning, checking for the CC and the DDC. The CC wasn't posted, but the Dare was. Considering I'm a week behind, I thought I had better do the one I owed the group. The hostess for last week was Michelle (sf9erfan), who dared us to make a card with metal, 2 ribbons, and sponging. The sponging and the ribbons you can see pretty well, and I used a single metal brad in the primas. When or even if I decide to send this card, it will surely break the bank....thick with layers, and HEAVY!! The gold in the bg is embossed with French Script, and there's a bit of Baroque Motifs hiding in the bg too. I hope you like it. Off to PT. Hugs.

Layered With Flowers

I know, I know.......still no RED! {(Don't PUSH me, jojot!)} This card is a case of one of Roxie Glaza's beautiful cards. She was the FS yesterday. I love Roxie's sketches, and case her cards all the time. Mom was here for a very busy weekend, but we did find time to make a couple of cards, and this is one we cased on Saturday.......how fitting for the FS to have what we had cased!

Mom just went home. We entertained friends Saturday night, and had our youngest grandson John's First Communion on Sunday morning. There was a party afterwards, and then we attended part of grandson Tommy's Lacrosse game. About twenty minutes into the game, it started to sprinkle. When the sprinkles turned to outright pouring, the game was called. What we saw was such fun........I had never seen Lacrosse played, so it was very new to me!!

Today I am really tired. No sleep for days. Actually, I sleep, but only in fits and starts, so I never feel rested. Gotta get back to my neurosurgeon and see what more he can do for me. He mentioned cortisone shots in my neck, and maybe that's the way to go. Pain is radiating up on both sides of my head along the nerves. Wait!!!.......aren't these supposed to be the Golden Years???????????

Today we are picking up grandson Jake after school, and he'll be here for supper. His Mom has her next-to-last Track meet, and Dad has a meeting and a dinner, so Jake is ours for a while. He announced yesterday that he is 9 and 3/4! I guess every bit helps!!

I'll be reading and lying low today until Jake is here. Hope you are getting some rest too after a busy and fun weekend. Hugs to you all!

Smiling Frogs

The LSC today was to use patterned paper, no copic or other coloring media, and limited embellishments. How fab that I spent the day going through my paper, and reorganizing! (Took ALL day!) I had these two wonderful pieces, so I used them for the challenge. I have no idea where they came from, so I can't really give anyone credit. I only know the ribbon that is printed with "smile" came from T. I added a charm to the ribbon and a few brads. Now that it's done, I'm not so crazy about it. Maybe the charm is out of place and should just be removed. Maybe you should see more of the plaid.......but I hated to have less of the frogs. Comments and criticism please!! Rain, rain go away.......bring us all a sunny day! Hugs to all!

As Time Goes By

The WT today is to use buttons........of which I must have MILLIONS!.......but I never think to use them. My son Paul and his wife Debbie are shortly to celebrate an anniversary. Their favorite movie is Casablanca, and so this song from it, "As Time Goes By", is perfect for them. I just happened to have this fabulous clock button in my stash (how cool is this!), so the button combined with the word stamp made the decision as to color. Not my first choice, but I think it goes together well. Thanks for looking, and have a great day. I'm off to PT, and will be back to comment on your gallery and blogs later. Hugs to all.

A Single Flower for the DDC

Today has started off VERY strangely.......DH said it was barely sprinkling, and that I should get into the hot tub and get some work done on my feet. As I stepped out the door, it was pouring. I thought, what the heck, and stepped in anyway. It felt lovely, but I was really wet with 2 different temperatures (the rain is pretty chilly!). I came in for coffee, and a check of the Sketch Challenge.
This is the result....and I used the Dare posted by LilLuvsStampin (Charlene) to catch up on what I missed while I was away. The rules this week were: paper piecing, piercing, and black, rose, and Kraft paper with Sage optional. These colors sure work for me!
Today is the big grocery shop day. DH is having his yearly checkup, and will come and get me.....I have been promised lunch out. Who could resist? It's supposed to rain all week (got this from you Southern gals, right??), so yard work will wait. So will just about everything else.....no cleaning or baking on rainy days!! Just reading, crafting, watching baseball games, and generally having fun. If it's raining where you are, skip the work. I give you permission!
Hugs to you all.

The Simple Things

I was really reminded about enjoying the simple things in life this morning when I got a phone call from my daughter. She was on her way to work, so we had about ten minutes to catch up. I am not a person who likes to talk on the telephone, but I sure love to hear from my kids. Their lives are so busy.......we don't get together as much as we used to, so a conversation one on one is fabulous!!
My card for the Color Challenge today is not one of my best efforts. I just noticed the small punching got stuck a little. I wanted to do a splash of pumpkin on one of the words, and forgot to do it. I hope this is not an indication of how my day is going to go.
Had a beauty of a migraine last night......guess we are in for the rain a lot of you have been getting. Our garden has exploded into lovely color, and some rain would be welcome (just not a week of it!)
I feel like I'm back into the life I left before our vacation....and I'm going to try to follow the simple life for the summer. Hugs to you all.

Making Up For Lost Time!

Two in one today for my first day back home...for the TLC, a Hinge Card (fun and easy!), and a catch up on the DDC. Fran (Francie G.) dared us to make a card with a water theme. I had this wonderful umbrella sticker that was just right to fit on the hinge card, and I cb'ed the bg in bubbles to keep the theme going. Inside it is stamped with the little umbrella stamp from SU that says "showered with love". This will go in my stash for the time being (as if I need another one in my stash!!!). Hugs to you all, and have a fun day!!

A Card-Making Frenzy!

Here is the proof that I have been on vacation for two whole weeks!

Mom and I spent each morning making

a variety of cards, as you can see!


We brought the makings of Halloween and Fall, but of course we ended up buying a few more stamps and paper and embellishments (oh surprise!!).

It was little tough taking pics of these on a really dark day, but I think you get the idea of what we were doing. In addition, we were able to eat and shop and watch baseball..........all in all, a really fun time. DH and I go back in November........I think I'll do my Valentine cards then. I'm glad to be home. Hugs to you all!

On Vacation!

Mom and I (and sometimes DH) are in NH at Lake Winnepesaukee enjoying not having to do anything special. Mom and I are just about done making our Halloween cards, and are doing Fall cards too. We have brought more stamping stuff than food, clothes, you know the drill! We go out for a sizeable lunch every day, then snack in front of the TV and watch something idiotic, or a ball game.
DH has left us his laptop, but no ability to photo the cards we have made......later I will post a picture of them all grouped together. (I'll probably have to take the photo from across the WORLD to fit them all in!!!)
I have had fun looking at what has been posted on your blogs and on SCS, but haven't taken the time to do much more....we've been too busy making a big mess in the vacation craft room.
Today I am going to Stamping Memories in the Belknap Mall to meet MARY ANDERSON......how cool is that??? Her blog stated that she had recently fallen off the wagon, and I think we should get together and *sigh* commiserate on how little $ we have left!
Hugs to you all, my friends.......be home by Monday, and back to some serious stamping with my NEW STUFF!!!

May 12th, Kite Day

It's 2 AM, and guess who's not asleep! Thank goodness the challenge was posted. This was a fun one........choose a holiday in May and make a card about it. I found May 12th was Kite Day, and since that's my 65th birthday (YES! I'm officially OLD!), that's what I chose. Also, I had this fabulous FREE digi stamp from Dustin Pike.......he offers a freebie every Wednesday on his website. I love the look on the dragon's face, and there was plenty of room for clouds. The blue and green jumped right out, and you can figure out the rest. I played with the gel pen on the dragon and also the corners.

I will be commenting in the REAL morning after I get back from the podiatrist (see? I said I was OLD!) and have my fascitis checked, and then I'll pack up my stamping stuff for two weeks vacation. (A few clothes, lotsa stamping stuff!) Be back on the 25th, rarin' to go with the challenges again.

Thanks so much for checking in here, and happy Mother's Day hugs to you all.

Kraft is Kool!

This is not my title. Kraft is Kool was the title of the WT at SCS today, hosted by Julia. I had a harder time thinking of what to call this than I did making it! I started with what was already on my table, and used a few things I never think of: my crimper, my sewing machine, and versamarking the bg. I forgot to mention I used my bone folder for curling the leaves, and a new EK punch when I listed the details in the gallery. Oh well! Attribute it to another rainy day.

If you have a chance, go to the gallery and wish Joan Ervin a Happy Birthday.......this is her day.
If it's raining where you are, smile. If the sun is out, dance (and send some sunshine MY way!). Hugs to you all!

Flowers and flowers and flowers for the Doubledog Dare Challenge

This card is for the SC, which I really liked, and also for the DOUBLEDOG DARE CHALLENGE! This week's hostess is Joanne (sleepyinseattle). She dared us to make a Mother's Day card with LOTS of flowers and some sparkle. I think this qualifies.......my dp is all flowers and I embossed eggplant paper in silver using the flower from Embrace Life (SU). For sparkle, I added gems to the flower centers, and I consider the embossed silver to be sparkle too. I hope you will join us for this fun DARE.......please enter DDC in your keyword so we can find it.

Oh No, It's Morning!

You know, I really don't do mornings well. I used to be a night person, but now I'm not good at any time of the day or night!! I posted this card for the SC today on SCS, dashed out to do errands, and got back sooner than I expected. Now I'll have time for breakfast, picking up (UGH!), and cleaning up the mess I made making this card. I bought this stamp over a year ago, specifically because I thought it was so funny! The face on the lion really kills me! Finally I had a chance to ink it up. I hope you like it.

I'll be posting for the next two days, then off for two weeks vacation. DH will be joining Mom and me when he can......this is a busy season for his Track and Field officiating. Mom and I will be crafting, and hitting the few remaining stamping stores in central NH. We'll also be going out for lunch every day, and tooting around in general at a few antique shops. This is when we get a start on Fall cards, and the majority of our baggage is stamping related, of course.

Have a great day. It's gray and overcast here.......supposedly for most of the week. Good weather for making cards, right? Hugs to you all!

A Blossom For You

A fast card this morning for the CC on SCS. The colors are Cameo Coral, Garden Green and Ballet Blue. I love using the markers to "paint" the stamp, and also to use a template to make clouds. Luckily, the template I use is clear, so I can see pretty much where to put the clouds......but occasionally the branches get in the way! I am off to PT this morning.......be back to check out your beautiful cards a little later. Have a wonderful day, and hugs to you all.