SYmpathy with Dianthus

I am just in love with this beautiful flower, the dianthus, from Mark's Finest Paper. The set is called Butterflies, Dianthus, and Flourishes.

This is for the sketch challenge at SCS today. Obviously, I need a nice sympathy card for one of DH's best friends who lost his mother.

I love this color combination, as you all well know, and am pleased with how this turned out.

Have a wonderful day. I'm off to join a good friend for lunch!!

CC277, MMTPT100, The End

For two challenges, the CC, and MMTPT. I really like this combination of colors, and would never have thought of putting these together. I hope you like how I did it.

For MMTPT100, with apologies to EVERYONE!!

Silly Sydney has some power
On her board she has a flower.
She just needs Kahuna Kai,
And some surf, and that's no lie!

Silly Sydney hates his bud,
Thinks Moondoggie's just a dud ...
Surfin' surfin' all the day,
Always in the couple's way.

Silly Sydney wants some space
When she kisses K.Kai's face.
Tells Moondoggie "three's a crowd,
Get a life, fer cryin' out loud!"

Silly Sydney's got Kai now
(batted her lashes - she knew how!)
Fixed HIS friend up with HER friend.
Now the foursome's fine. The End.

This is what happens when you wake up with a migraine at 4 AM, then have to drive an hour to a funeral, have dinner there, and have a glass of wine, drive to the grocery store to stock up for a party on Saturday, put away the food after making the hamburgers, then look at the Teapot challenge. Maybe I should just go back to bed!!

A quick report on yesterday.......DH and I met Julia (artystamper) and her DH for dinner. We yakked for two hours, and hated to see the time fly by so fast. I hope they will be at our party on Saturday, but I have warned Julia about my addiction...er....craft room. I just hope her heart is strong enough for what a mess she will see!! Hugs to you all, especially Julia and Kent!!

A YAY! and a *boo*

Here are the cards I made for the challenges at Splitcoast today. The flower card is done with a technique called Pounded Flowers, and they are real flowers literally pounded and crushed to give off the colors they possess. I started with a bright RED Bee Balm, but the colors came out pink. Strange. I really expected RED! The sets I used for this card were Believe in You, and a sneak peek of a July set called Flourishes and Frame from Mark's Finest Papers.

The second card is for the CAS, to use celery, blue, and pumpkin. I used MFP sets Ferns and Chickadees, Ladybugs and Carnation, and Speedy the Cat's Friends.

Now the Yay and *boo* - DH and I have to go to a wake today for the mother of one of our oldest friends. She was in her 90's, and very ill. A blessing. After the calling hours comes the YAY! We are meeting up with Julia (artystamper) and her DH Kent, for dinner. I can't wait to see her again. This will be the first time our DH's will be with us. It should be great fun.

Speaking of great fun, I hope your day is full of it!!

Honoring Two Royals!

This week, Anne Ryan announced that the QFTD15 is none other than the fabulous Kittie Carrasciolo, kittie747 at SCS.


Kittie is such an amazing artist. I felt overwhelmed when I had to choose a card of hers to case. Her backgrounds defy description, and I am not worthy of trying to do what she does!! Here is my attempt to case her card here.

I changed the frog to a cat, the daisies to little punched flowers, and made an A2 card instead of a square. Kittie I hope you like what I have done with (or to) your card!

The Featured Stamper today on SCS is .....

.... Debbie Seyer, my MFPDT pal!! How cool is that!! Debbie has such a clean and fabulous style! I kept her wonderful layout, but changed the color and image.

I hope you enjoy wearing the crown you so deserve, Debbie, and that you also enjoy all the honors heaped upon you this week!!!

Be sure to check out my gallery at SCS to see the card of Debbie's I cased, and to go from there to her amazing gallery. Have a great day!

A Three-fer!

Today I can play catch-up. This card is for three challenges I didn't have time to do when my DGS was here:

StampinB's #64 - Summer Fun

IC238 - The Bicycle Muse

Speedy's Friends #9 - 3 flowers

I used three sets from Mark's Finest Papers to make this card. The frame is inked with Background Fun, which will be released in July. The flowers are from the set called Butterflies, Dianthus, and Flourishes. The saying is from Ferns and Chickadee.

I hope you like my three-in-one for today. It's another beautiful morning. There will be a bunch of us enjoying the pool today, then to friends' Tom and Cheryl's for dinner. Have a great day, and thanks for looking.

Waffle Bowl

Today the challenge involves ice cream. Here, we like waffle bowls instead of cones. You can get more ice cream in them, and adding caramel syrup works really well. Of course the grands add everything else, and they get very gloppy, but yummy all the same.

I cut this out of paper, added some punches and a sizzix, and that's about it.....oh, and scoring to make the waffle texture.

We'll be making these today. It's a fabulously beautiful day for the pool. We'll be joined by some other members of the family to enjoy the slide and diving board, various pool toys, some reading, and some outside snacks. See you tomorrow. I'm off to play!!

THT055 Color Challenge by Gloria

It's TreeHouseThursday! Gloria Morizen has chosen to give us a color challenge: pink, moss, white, and one extra color.

As you can see, the extra color I chose is Black. The image of the flower and the sentiment, from the new set Embrace Life, is inked in black, and I added some black brads and ribbon.

I used my cb and Nesties Pinking Circles, sponging, watercoloring, and layering. The rose is popped up to give it a little more dimension.

You can find this set at TreehouseStamps, along with three other new sets. Please take a look at what the Design Team has done HERE, and be sure to add your project to Mr. Linky.

Belli Challenge #94

Today's Creative Belli Challenge is to make a Patriotic Card using the sketch here.

I think this sketch is really interesting, as everything seems to be happening at the bottom. It's a good opportunity to use small images or even inchies!

Here is the card I made for the challenge:

I used Provocraft and Metallic gold paper, in addition to white and RED, of course. The images of fireworks were markered and glittered with gold. I finished it off with an eagle charm on gold cord, and added some doodling.

Please join us HERE, and add your card to Mr. Linky. If you upload to SCS, please put CBC in your keyword. See you in two weeks with another challenge.

Two Challenges today...CC and Teaparty

I sure wish the colors of this card would photograph better. The apricot, amethyst, and suede are mush brighter IRL. I tried to get this better, but it just wouldn't work out. You'll have to use your imagination. The image is from MFP, a sneak peek of a July release, called Southwest Cowboy.





This card is already in my mailbox for my lettercarrier (How PC!) to take. It's going to my DGD Sam who is at horse camp for two weeks. I'm sending her a card a day, all horse related. I know she's having a BALL taking care of her horse for the whole time!











I also made a card for the MMTPT99 today. The story is really involved, so rather than bore you here, if you want to know why the card is so silly, you'll have to go to my gallery. The Teapot Tuesday cards are always related to a long and drawn-out story, and my DH thinks I'm as crazy as.....well ..... Mothermark! Here's the card.



Have a fun day. I'm off to look at your blogs!

TLC Never Again!!

Today, the TLC challenge is to make a card using the Magical Marquee Technique. I had never seen this before, and I will probably never do this again!! I spent more than 2 hours trying to get the pieces to fit. The directions were for a 5X5 card, and I wanted to make an A2. I couldn't figure out how this was put together, then I watched Jan Tink's video again, and saw what I had overlooked.

I like the results. I hope you do too. This one and only card will go to my Mom who will really appreciate what I went through to make it!! Have a great day!!

For Pam, our FS!

Today the FS at SCS is Pam Hooten (Iris). She has a wonderful gallery. I was truthfully unaware of her creations, but really enjoyed looking at what she has done.

I cased a card of a bicycle, but obviously changed the theme. I kept her easy layout, but changed most everything else. I hope she likes what I have done.

Happy father's Day to all the Dads out there. We are low-key today. All three kids have to be somewhere else ... one delivering a child to the airport early this afternoon, one delivering a child to camp far away, and one celebrating with an in-law. Mom went home early this AM, so it's just DH and me. I think he's kinda glad to have no company for a change.

I made him a nice big breakfast, and will cook for him, instead of having him at the grill for a mob!!

Have a great day, wherever you are. See you again tomorrow. Hugs to all.

The Best Nest - Mark's Finest Papers

The two challenges in one today are the IC from a fun website called LoveArtWorks, and Speedy's Friends Challenge #8.

This is the piece I used for inspiration. The nest image and sentiment come from "Ferns and Chickadee" at Mark's Finest Papers.

Please feel free to join us, by linking. You just might win a set of stamps!!

....and a Bone

This card is for the F4A17 challenge at SCS.....Man's Best Friend. I thought the doberman from

Mark's Finest Papers was perfect for it. This image comes from a set called "More of Speedy the Cat's Friends". Go visit, and see what else is in the set ...it's fabulous!

Mom just arrived for the weekend, so that means we'll be making lots of cards. I will have VERY little time for the computer, so I will catch up with you all next week.

Happy Father's Day to all the guys out there.

THT054 Favorite Tools

The TreeHouse Thursday challenge this week is to use your favorite tool. I have a number of favorites, but first, I have to say is my Cuttlebug. I use it for all kinds of embossed bgs and for cutting Nestabilities. I also LOVE to cut with scissors, so this card employs both.

I used the new stamp set from Treehouse stamps called Tea Time.

I hope you will check out the blog to see what the DT has done, and will join us by adding your project to Mr. Linky. See you next week!

DDIC#30

Here is the image Lori, our fearless leader, chose for us as our inspiration this week. It comes to us from a place called Nostalgia Organics .

I thought the shape of the plate was really interesting, and I just loved the little rim of flowers and the bird. There were a lot of items to choose from, as well as the colors. I thought this one was very interesting!

Here is my card. I used Tapestry dowel stamps to make the ring of flowers. The bird is a punch by SU, and the tiny birds are tiny punches I got at M's.

I hope you will join us in making a card or project using the picture as inspirations, and that you will check out the DT on my sidebar to see theirs. If you post to SCS, please add DDIC to your keyword.

Hang in There!

This is my card for the Sketch Challenge today. I have had this digi image for a while, and have been just dying to paint it. Isn't it a hoot? Doncha love this fun tree frog?

I have an easy day today......DH is gone most of it. Today is the day before the Math finals at the High School, and as a volunteer tutor, he will be helping kids get ready. Since he retired, after teaching Math for 40 years, he is at the school almost every morning to give one on one to any kid who wants his services. They LOVE him (and well they should!)

Have a fun day yourself. Don't forget to take a look below, and wish Ashley Bowen a Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Blog Hop for Ashley!

Today is Ashley Bowen's birthday! She is the owner of Treehouse Stamps, and those of us on the DT wanted to send her BIG wishes by blog hopping our cards for her big day!



This card uses the set "Happy Dragon", one of the four sets that are being revealed tomorrow. I paper pieced her(she's PINK!), and added a big bow and flower to make this festive for Ashley.



Here is the list of Design Team members taking part in this special day. Be sure to check out what they have done, and be sure to send your best wishes along to Ashley!

Neva McMullen

Kelly Hampton

Maria Levine

Yaneri Rodriguez

Gloria Morizen

Katie Tate

Heather Prince

Kimberly Lowery

Stephanie Serrano

and ME! (you are already here!)

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Be sure to check in with us tomorrow for our regular Thursday Treehouse Challenge!

RED Roses and Hugs, and a Teapot Poem!

If you know me at all, you know today I am a happy camper. The CC is banana, moss and RED! That makes my whole day!

The roses are stamped on banana, colored with markers and painted, and framed. Wasn't I lucky to have this wonderful striped paper in my stash? Can you imagine the amount of dp I have with some RED in it?? The only pile bigger is white, of course.

Hope you like my card for today. I'll be back in my addict...erm....craft room in a minute to do the Teapot Tuesday challenge too. If you have time, come back later to see. Have a great day!

And now for the zany Teapot Tuesday story: The RED bus and 42,000 pencils.

Do not laugh and do not smirk,

We've been warned by Sgt. Burke.

No more pencils. That's not cool...

Break's the city's littering rule.

Breaking rules, we say, is fun.

On this bus we've just begun.

Burke, he tells us, without fail,

Any more and we're in jail!

In jail we know there is no tea,

Just BARS - hey wait! Sounds good to me!

(I'll have a wine spritzer please!)

(Sincere apologies to Dr. Seuss)

A Little Humor........

Are these cannibal images KILLER or what??????? I bought them from a company called BEEZink in Warner NH while I was on vacation. I had to have them, although there was no sentiment to go with them, and I had no idea how I would use them. BUT......I HAD to have them. Today as I was considering what I would do for the StampinB's challenge (Beach theme), I knew what I would use. As I have a number of friends who have need of get well cards, it says "Better Get..... " and on the inside, "......Better!". I think a little humor is fun for a get well card.

There. I have proved how really nutty I am. I'm not even sorry for the opening line of my comments here!! The pun was intended! Have a great day, and if YOU are not feeling so well, I hope this gives you a smile!

Combining Monday Challenges!

The challenges today on SCS were close enough that I could combine them. TLC - One layer wonder, CAS - something that flies.

Sponging around the image was the hardest part of this card. I used Chickadees and Ferns from

Mark's Finest Papers for the image, and the word "everyday", and Believe in You for the word "friend".

The only extra was to punch tiny holes for the ribbon to go through, and that took the most time!!! This will go to my friend who just had mastectomy surgery.

Have a lovely day!