Two Faux's!!!

Good afternoon Today we took our last trip to scrap/stamp stores. This trip was very disappointing. I bought nothing!!! But DH walked around patiently, and was so surprised when I said, "Let's go!". We ate out (I had fabuous stuffed haddock and some COLD wine.....wonderful).

Back at our condo, I combined two challenges: the WT, which was Faux Texture, and the new tutorial on the home page, Faux Bricks (thanks Birgit!!) For the texture, I brought in a pinecone from the ground...they are everywhere in NH!... and squeezed it to get out all the seeds. Then I rolled it in Suede ink on white paper. The rest you can figure out just by looking. No more car trips....we'll be reading, eating, resting, and one of us will be stamping and doing crossword puzzles and sudokos. See you tomorrow.

Sketch and Belli Challenges

I think you are gonna get real sick of seeing this image! I brought very few images, colors, dp with me on vacation!

For the SC today, I used the same Anna Griffin dp, which I just LOVE! The other colors are artichoke and celery. I watercolored the blossom in rose romance and old olive, and added piercing, as I have only one ribbon with me, silver gray. The lighting here is not great, so I thought I'd better tell you what I had done.

I love this sketch, based on a card by Dawn (flowergal36), whose things I adore!!

DH and I are off to Manchester, if the Paper Tree is open on this Holiday. Its just before ten, so I'll give them a call first. Is he not the BEST, to take me places where I spend our $??? I'll be checking in later on SCS and on your blogs. Make it a great day!! HUGS!

Creative Belli Challenge #78

Our sponsor for this week's challenge is Creative Cuts & More. They sent us some fabulous die cuts! You really need to check out their website. I used their Tag Card with Tag-side Opening #P082. The wonderful color was perfect for a vintage Christmas card.

The challenge is to make a card with Christmas embellishment, using what you already have in your stash. I have had these jingle bells for ages, and thought they dressed up the ribbon wonderfully! Of course, I had to have some RED, so the thin border behind the holly leaf dp and the ribbon called out to me. I hope you like my tag card, and that you will join us in the challenge. Upload your card to our blog, which is on the left of my post, and please look at the cards made by the girls of the design team. Just click on their names. If you post to SCS, put CBC78 in your keyword. Join us every other Wednesday for a fun challenge!

3challenges, 2 Cards....Still on Vacation!!

The color challenge today is to use Kraft, vanilla, and Bravo Burgundy. Wasn't it lucky I had this gorgeous Anna Griffin paper with a vanilla bg, and variegated flowers containing the burgundy.

DH and I went out early this morning, and I spent some time (and money) in two stamping/craft stores. One of the things I bought was a fun package of primas, and used them here. I also used my favorite new punch, the EKsuccess Curve punch.

I also did the combined DDc and MMTPT67 challenge.

The hostess for this week's Doubledog Dare Challenge is Charlene (LilLuvsStampin), who DARED us to make a card to go with the MMTPT67 story, ending with our weekly tea party. I bought some fab silver gray metalic dp and used it with Classic Pickups, and a pkg. of clear stamps that have words for transportation.

My story is that the truck is the color of the dust in the attic where our poor teddybear has been languishing for years. After picking up supplies and a host of seamstresses to repair Dusty's fur, we'll have tea, and discuss who will be custodian of our re"fur"bished bear. Join us and be sure to put DDC and MMTPT67 in your keyword.

I'm having fun on vacation...especially because I can take part in card making too!!

CAS40 Penguin ... COOL!

I guess the COOL must refer to my DH, who brought along a computer on vacation so I could not only LOOK at my sites, but ADD to them as well. What a guy! no wonder I have kept him for 46 years!! WOO-HOO!!!!

With truly limited supplies (because you can't take it ALL), I was able to do the CAS today... white and one color. Since I have no RED, or flowers, or brads, or punches except for a very few, minimal stamps, paper, etc., I really am only able to make simple cards. I used a marker to make the flower center. I think it's kinda cute. I hope you like it too. The amount of blog checking I can do depends on when we are back in our condo. I hope to see you all later today. Have a good one.

Giraffe Friend

On the far right is a Jonathan Adler ceramic giraffe I chose for the Inspiration

Challenge at SCS today. I just adore giraffes, and have a collection of them.

When I saw the adler website stef had chosen for today, I went right to the

section that was called 'menagerie', and there it was. It just so happened I

also owned the CM hexagon punch set, so I got right to work.

This is the card I made keeping in mind the giraffe was white, and the spots were in a variety of colors. I hope you like my interpretation of the wonderful ceramic translated to paper.

After making this card, I packed up the stamping supplies I am taking with me on vacation. I couldn't leave things here..... what would I do in the morning and evening????? We leave in the morning. see you in a week.

Winter Sprite with Stickers

The Ways To Use It Challenge today was to use stickers. The whole idea was to create an easy and fast card. HAH!!! Not so fast or easy. First of all, I gave all my stickers to my grands to play with, so I really had to hunt for something that could pass for a sticker. All I could find were these ..... and blue didn't seem to be in my plan today. I finally made a decision......not quick or easy, and this is what came out. I kept adding things, until I finally said, "enough!" I don't think this will be a card I will reproduce in my future, but at least it got rid of the few stickers I had remaining in my stash.

I leave today to take care of Nate and Sam (15 and 12) while parents work or go away. Then packing for our timeshare in NH from the 8th to the 15th. This will probably be my last upload for a long while, but I send you hugs, and will see you when we return.

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #15

The DDIC today comes from this image ..... Pacifica Garden Gift Set. I thought this set was very pretty, with the gold and purple. Then I realized there was more pink, with some yellow and blue. This threw me for a loop. I had the hardest time making a decision. Would I go with the shape? Could I possibly get all the colors in?

So here's what I did. I made two cards. I thought I would pick the one I liked better, and upload it, and say, THERE! The problem was, they were so different I couldn't make a decision.

One uses the shape and combines the colors in a similar pattern. The other uses the theme of Pacific, which means peaceful and serene. So the upshot is, two postings. I couldn't decide. I guess it's up to you.

Please check out the rest of the team. Their blogs are in the left hand panel and you can highlight their names. If you join us in this challenge and upload to SCS, please put DDIC in your keywords.

#2.......Nature Pauses

This is so not like me!! I made this card in five minutes out of a recycled card I couldn't bear to throw away, and two colors of metallic paper, blue and silver. Sorry the silver doesn't really show true, but photographing metallics is always a trying experience. I added some sparkle snowflakes to match the card. Altogether, it's very shiny and bright.

Thanks for looking!

Cardinals and Snowflakes.....A Shadowbox

The sketch this morning was very interesting! I flipped the diagram, and made a shadow box. I don't know if you can see it, but the bg is trees in the snow. I used my new MS cardinal punch, but had to cut off the legs and feet (EEEEEWWW!!) because I didn't want the birds to be standing. The pieces are really small, and they were hard to hold while sponging. You should see my RED fingers!! Have a fun and creative day!! I'm off to check out YOUR blogs!!

CC and DDC - 2nd post today. MMTPT66 Below

First I have to thank Janice (catcrazy at SCS) for sending me a whole bunch of these images. I asked for one, and she sent 18!! How wonderful is that!! Hugs to you, Janice!!

The hostess with the mostest for the Doubledog Dare Challenge today is Fran (Francie G.) who DARED us to make a card with at least 4 layers, and ribbon or cord. I combined the Dare with the Color Challenge, which was to use neutrals, and use an image to make the card POP! Using the bright colors and Merry Christmas ribbon worked really well here. I hope you like it.

Hi-Yo-Silver.....MMTPT66

We're off to a tea party with Mrs. Claus. She has wonderful cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, and other yummy lo-cal(!) stuff for us. She has found a way to help non-tech Santa this year. She got in touch with the scientists in England who cloned a sheep. Remember that? Well, she asked them if they could combine a rocket with a reindeer, clone it, and send eight of them to the North Pole. They said they could, and did.

Santa will be calling his reindeer by different names this year. He'll call to his team....Hi-Yo-Silver, as the lead reindeer (clone #1) has that name. The rest are Argentous, Chrome, Luster, Metallic, Amalgam, Aluminum, and Tinny (he's the little one on the end). Rudolph has retired to Florida.

All of this is rather silly, but it's fun on Tuesday to be a little around the bend (some of us are that way daily!). This time I ended up with a card I can actually send. Hope you like it.

Projects for kids - Thanksgiving

I spent a frustrating morning trying to do the new technique. No good. I should have given up in the beginning, because I broke my CB!! DH took it apart, and the white metal had broken. Totally unfixable!! SOB!!

After I got over the fact I had ruined my cb, I started some projects for Thanksgiving, and thought I would show them to you for your constructive criticism (or even NON-constructive!)While the grands are waiting for dinner to be ready, I usually have some crafty thing for them to do. In past years, they have traced everyone's hands and made a book; they have colored turkeys; they have done mazes and word searches; they have made marshmallow and apple turkeys, etc. The kids range in age from 15 to 8, so it has to be something they can all do.

This year they will make candy place cards for each other, and for the accordian tag booklet, each person will get to write their name, age, and what they are thankful for. I have left enough tags for all the adults too (this year, my eldest son and family will be in FL, so there will only be 11 of us.). This will be part of the Centerpiece on the table. I think it will be fun. PLMK what you think too. Thanks.

Here are the tags I made for everyone to write their names and what they are thankful for, and we'll start with the youngest.These are the little patterns I made for the candy-place holders for the kids to make for the table. I think they're easy enough for them to make in a few minutes, even with the time it takes to eat a few pieces!

RED Card and some Fussin'

This morning has been awful! I woke up at 2 AM and never went back to sleeep. Lying awake, I thought of a fabulous idea for a Birthday present for my Mom. I read the paper, saw the ads, and took off. Rite Aid no longer stocks coffee. Aborted mission. Went to Staples. They didn't open for another half hour. Checked out Stop & Shop....nothing. Went to Building 19 (a junky place that sometimes has good stuff). Nothing. Staples opened, and they didn't have what I went there for. Another aborted mission. I came home, and here I am uploading the card I made EARLY this morning. Thanks for letting me fuss.

My card is a case of Miss Boo, our Featured Stamper. All the details are on my post in my gallery. I'm much too far gone to add it all again. There is a link to my gallery on the left, farther down, if you really want to look. I hope my day gets better. Hope yours it GREAT!

Inspiration Challenge

Today's Inspiration Challenge comes from Precious Possessions. The maker of the cup and saucer I chose for inspiration is Franz Porcelains. I just loved the Zebra stripes combined with the colors in the violets and leaves. And here is my card. I had a wonderful image to use, and also a great zebra stripe bg stamp. I used the purple and green for accents. I hope you like it.

Sharing a great idea!

I'm not so sure this card is all that great on the front, but just wait until you see what's on the inside!! The only thing I will tell you is.........be sure of the size of the three flaps before you glue them down. Luckily, I discovered that the middle one was just a BIT TOO WIDE, and could trim it. I had already stuck down the other two flaps, so it worked out okay.

I just had to share this with you because I thought this card was such fun, and easy to boot!!


Here is the blog where there are directions for this card, http://www.creationsbypatti.blogspot.com/search/label/Cards, and lots of other really neat creations. I found this blog sorta by mistake, and am I ever glad I did.

I changed the papers, and the front, but of course I had to keep the RED.......Gee! I don't know why!!!! I thought this was a wonderful idea, and I'll be making more of these for Christmas. The front may change, but I really love the snowman inside with the snowflakes.

I hope you will check out her blog.....her name is Patti, and she has a LOT of fab things.

...and the Leaves Came Down

What a fun challenge today.......we were to make a card showing our weather, and 2/2/2. We are having a cloudy windy day, and this new Inkadinkado stamp was just perfect. I used my cloud template (thanks Mothermark!), and added a couple of extra leaves. For the twos, 2 ribbons, 2 swirls, 2 popped leaves, and 2 colors of layered cardstock.

The leaves really are coming down fast. All I could think of, looking out the window, was ..."and the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down". You know, from Winnie the Pooh. In this case, it's not rain, but leaves. DH took care of them two days ago, and it looks like they were never touched! Guess how happy that makes him!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you are having nice weather where you are. Boy, the TX-CO area is really getting socked! I'm so glad I live HERE. Have a great day, wherever you are!

Purple Thistle

I just love this image!! The WT today is to use purple. This is the only stamp that comes to my mind when I think of purple. I have lots of other images that would work as well, but this one really does it for me!!

It also gave me a chance to use my new E K Success Curve Punch, some pretty paper (I love sage shadow and any kind of plaid), and some girly pearls.

I am spending the day alone...YAY!... and hoping to get some birthday cards done for November. We have a lot of them... all in the same week as Thanksgiving. Since DH and I will be away from the 8th to the 15th, I thought I'd better work on them now.

Have a creative and wonderful day!

Silent Night

This card is for the SC today on SCS. I love nontraditional colors for holidays, and I really like this combination.

The sketch is interesting...thanks Roxie! The panel was to be smaller, but I couldn't get this to fit in any other size. I think the words are more important anyway. I added a white row of punching, and a navy and gold ribbon, the holly and some gold beads. I hope you like it. Please check out my Belli Challenge card below!!!!

Rain all day today....better than snow!

Creative Belli Challenge #77

The Creative Belli Challenge this week is being sponsored by Sherrod Studios, who sent us some images to use for our cards. I chose to use the turkey for a Thanksgiving easel card. I watercolored the image, added leaves, a brad, and some sentiments. I tied some raffia in a knot, and done!

The challenge was to use RAFFIA or twine on our cards, in addition to whatever we already had in our stash for card making. That's the fun of the Belli......we are to use what we already have. We invite you to play along with us. Check out the cards submitted by the Design Team, andupload your card to the Belli Blog at http://www.bellichallenge.blogspot.com/

and find our sponsors website here:http://sherrodstudio.com/.