BAD, BAD Blogger!

I have been a very bad blogger! Bill & I are in sunny Mesa, Arizona escaping from the brutal winter happening back home in Manitoba & blogging hasn't been high on the priority list! I have made lots of cards since we arrived on Jan. 1st....just haven't posted any of them. This is one that I was asked to make by someone here in the RV park we are in; it is for her granddaughter for Valentines' Day.

                   

The image is "Sweet Sensation" by House Mouse which I have colored with copics; DP & letters are Recollections & CS is that awesome "bling" stuff by Bazzill; the hearts are cut with a Martha Stewart punch, ribbon is from Michael's & gems from the $ store.
I am entering the following challenges:
 1. House Mouse #162............"Love"
 2. Brown Sugar #80..........Valentine
 3. Craftitude #58..........Valentine/love
 4. Crafts 4 Eternity #162..........With love
 5. Delicious Doodles #74..........Love
 6. Sister Act #43..........ATG
 7. Sweet Pea Stampers............Love

Merry Christmas to all & to all a goodnight!

 Merry Kissmas....this one is for my lovely Bill...inside it says "if kisses were snowflakes I would send you a blizzard"

                                         For my beautiful daughter Keri & her hubby Stuart

                           For my two amazing granddaughters Jessica & Emily....love you to bits!

         For my son Chris & daughter in law Alison who are expecting their first child in May!

To all of you.....have a blessed Christmas & a happy, healthy 2014! Thank you for letting me have a peek into your world & for your encouragement & kind words on my cards! I will be offline for awhile as we are heading to the city to spend Christmas with our family & then leaving for the drive down to Arizona on the 29th. See you in the New Yr.
Love you all!

Stamps for sale at TLC

Check out the loads of rubber stamp sets my friend Tammy Louise has for sale on her blog. There is a real wide variety to choose from.....Magnolia, Wee stamps, Mo Manning, LOTV etc While you are there have a look at her beautiful creations....she is one talented lady!

The Stockings Were Hung!

I made this card to enter in the challenge at Sketch Saturday. Unfortunately I missed the deadline....have to remember that time difference!! Oh well, there is always next week! The image was a freebie from ADFD last year, isn't it adorable? I colored it with a combination of copics & prismacolor pencils....did the red on the stocking with the pencils as I just can't get the shading with red copics yet. Practice, practice, practice! The die is Memory Box, Bazzill CS & I'm not sure about the DP as it is from my scraps bucket. I went outside on our deck to take this picture in the snow. We have had about 6" of the white stuff this week & it really is very pretty out there (but freezing cold!) I also took this picture of a decorative bird house that sits on the rail....gives you a look at the snow.

 

 

 

Challenges I am entering:  

1. Challenges 4 Everybody.....ATG

2. Come & Get It.....ATG               

3. Scribble & Scrap.....ATG           

4. Crafty Sentiments.....ATG          

5. Shopping Our Stash.....holiday   

        6. Simon Says Stamp.....ATG                 

                 7.Charisma Cardz..... Christmas                       

8. Cute Card Thurs.....ATG             

9. Sister Act.....ATG                       

                            10. Totally Papercrafts.....Ho Ho Holidays                 

                                                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

Believe in the magic!

 

 

This beautiful image is from A Day For Daisies & I have colored her to enter in their challenge to "add gold" Unfortunately my picture doesn't really show most of the golden touches that I added. The image is matted on gold shimmer paper, on her wings I used gold Stickles, the word Believe is        

stamped with metallic gold ink & the lush sparkly brads are gold. The swirls are from Memory Box.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Challenges I am entering:                                                                                                                    

1. A Day For Daisies.....add some gold                                                                                              

2. Brown Sugar.....ATG                                                                                                                     

3. Sister Act.....ATG                                                                                                                          

Holly Fairy

I have spent the day in my craftroom making cards in between trying to find things.... I keep promising myself I will put everything away as I use it but that never seems to happen! It's a lost cause. Todays card is another sweet image from Pollycraft called Holly Fairy. She is colored with copics & her wings are glittered with diamond Stickles. This is my take on the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  The lush papers are Carta Bella, Christmas Holly (how appropriate) the holly leaves & berries are a Sissex die & the tag is Spellbinder, pearls & glittery button are Recollections. The ribbon was a steal of a deal....I went into the fabric store with my daughter last week & they had all of the Christmas ribbon on sale 75% off! Needless to say I bought a "few" yards. Hope you are all managing to stay warm. We ended up with 6" of snow the other day & the temperature has dropped to -13C. WINTER HAS ARRIVED!

Challenges I am entering:
 1. Sweet Sketch Wednesday

 2. 4 Krafty Girlz.....ATG
 3. Crafty Ribbons.....anything with ribbon
 4. Cute Card Thursdays.....angelic
 5. Sister Act.....ATG
 6. Creatalicious Ch......Christmas time
 7. Little Claire's.....Christmas
 8. Speedy & Friends.....red Christmas
 9. Challenges 4 Everybody.....
10. Christmas card challenges.....bling
11. Dream Valley.....CAS
12. Scribble & Scrap.....ATG
13. Crafty Bloggers Network.....Christmas
14. MIM.....ATG
15. Crafty Sentiments.....Christmas

Cutie in Blue

We have had some unseasonably warm weather here the last couple of weeks but this morning we woke up to a white world. We had about 3" of snow overnight & the view outside our livingroom window was really beautiful. This little cutie is certainly dressed for the weather. She was one of the last images I bought from Pollycraft before the shop closed. I colored her with copics, which I am getting a little more comfy with. The DP is from Bo Bunny & sketch is from The Perfect Sentiment. I used Spellbinders ovals & scalloped ovals, snowflakes are a Recollections punch & the pine boughs are a McGill punch. I've blinged things up with diamond Stickles on the snowflakes & boughs.  This was the 24th Christmas card I have made so I'm getting there! How are you doing with your cards?

Challenges I am entering:
 1. Crafty Bloggers Network.....Christmas
 2. Cards und More.....baby it's cold outside
 3. Crafty Sentiment Designs.....blues
 4. ABC Christmas Ch.....winter wishes
 5. Crafty Creations.....dies & punches
 6. Divas by Design.....snow
 7. The Perfect Sentiment.....Christmas & sketch
 8. Crimbo Crackers.....Christmas words
 9. Christmas Stampin' All Year.....stripes
10. Creative Corner Ch.....Let it snow
11. Jo's Craft Shack.....ATG
12. Sister Act cards.....ATG
13. Crafts 4 Eternity.....tic tac toe.....(stripes, sentiment & glitter)

Ho Ho Ho!

`I'm disappointed in the way this card photographed....there is quite a glare on the left side & I didn't even use a flash! Oh well, such is life. This is a sweet Christmas image from Bugaboo which I colored with copics & blinged up with a little bit of Stickles here & there.  The gorgeous DP is Imaginisce....it's left over from last year & I wish I had lots more of it! The sketch is from Sketch Saturday & is right up my ally as I'm a CAS kind of girl. The sentiment was printed on the computer.
Challenges I'm entering:
1. 2 Sisters.....Christmas sparkle
2. Crafty Calendar.....all things Christmas
3. Sketch Saturday
4. Sweet Stampin.....Christmas is coming
5. Scribble & Scrap.....ATG
6. Stamping Sensations.....Christmas

Lest We Forget!

                                  Thank you to all who served so we can live in freedom!

Bunny Bath

I could sure use this hot tub right about now! I have been in the city for the last few days & my daughter Keri & I went on a Christmas shopping marathon.....my feet are aching & my wallet is empty but I got a great start on my shopping. One of the few draw backs of living out in the country is that I can't just run down to the shopping center any time I feel like it. I need to be very organized.... which just isn't in my gene pool! I also just happened to stop in at Michael's & bought myself a few new copics. My collection is slowly growing but not as fast as I would like!
I made this card for the challenge at House Mouse which is to use twine. The image is called "Bunny Bath" & is colored with copics; DP is Peebles & CS is Prism; I used the lovely mini Tilda Swirl die by Memory Box & the twine is a combination of DMC & Prism. Thanks for stopping in.

Challenges:
 1. House Mouse.....use twine
 2. 4 Krafty Girlz.....ATG
 3. Party Time Tuesday.....ATG
 4. HIMCR.....use a critter
 5. Paper Creator's Crafts.....use pink or blue
 6. 613 Avenue Create.....ATG
 7. Scribble & Scrap.....ATG

BOO!!

How cute is this little ghost? I would love to see him at my door on Halloween night....the spider & the bat can stay away though. To say I'm afraid of spiders is a bit of an understatement! I hate even looking at pictures of them so using that spider brad was a big step for me! LOL The adorable image is a freebie from Chi Chi Memories & is colored with copics & it's hard to see in the picture but the eyes one the pumpkin & the ghost are done with black diamond stickles. The DP are all by Echo Park, that icky spider brad is from Making Memories, the buttons & bling are from my stash.
I've managed to get a good start on my Christmas cards this week & tomorrow I'm heading in to the city for a few days to make a serious dent in the shopping. Wish me luck!

This card is going in to the following challenges:
 1. Crafts 4 Eternity.....Halloween
 2. Stampin with the dragon.....Halloween
 3. 2 Sisters Ch.# 167......cute & spooky
 4. Crafty calendar.....Halloween
 5. Come & get it.....Halloween
 6. Dream Valley #68.....Halloween
 7. Scribble & scrap #4.....ATG
 8. Craft your passion.....Halloween
 9. Created with love #64.....ATG
10. Kaboodle doodles.....Halloween
11. Love to create.....
12. MIM....ATG
13. Melonheadz.....dress up
14. Tammy's scrappin corner.....ATG
15. The crazy ch. #157.....B is for Boo, brad (spider) buttons, black, bat
16. Whoopsi Daisy.....Halloween
17. Without words.....pumpkins

WOW, THAT'S ALOT OF HALLOWEEN CHALLENGES!!
 

What's with this snow?

Hello crafty friends. We are having some crazy weather here at the moment....today has seen sunshine, rain, sleet & heavy snow.....the lovely fall leaves that I posted a while back are now gone & my view is a little dreary. This is what I call the "yucky" time of year. The garden has been put to bed for the season, the leaves are gone & we don't have that beautiful layer of white snow covering the ground yet. While our winters here can be very cold they are also very bright & beautiful. On a sunny day the snow sparkles like diamonds. That said, I'm hoping the snow doesn't stay yet....it's way too early for winter!
I spent this weekend at a scrapbook/card making retreat & had such a wonderful time! The event ran from Fri. at 6:00pm until Sun. at 4:00pm & was crammed full of creating, laughing, learning, laughing, eating, laughing & meeting new friends oh, & more laughing! One of the classes offered was to make 5 vintage Christmas cards which I was happy to add to my "slowly" growing stash. I can hardly wait to go back next year!

So, my card for today is another birthday card & it is for a very dear friend & crafting buddy. Happy Birthday Gail! The adorable image is LOTV which I have colored with copics; dies are Spellbinders; sorry, but once again I'm not sure of the DP as it's from my "scraps bucket"; the pearls are Recollections & I printed the sentiment on my trusty computer. I am entering my card in the following challenges:

 1. 4 Krafty Girlz Ch.#4.....ATG
 2. MilkCoffee Ch.....spots & dots
 3. Sister Act Ch.#29.....ATG
 4. Stampin for the Weekend.....ATG
 5. Stampin with the Dragon.....circles
 6. CMC Copic Ch.....ATG
 7. HIMCR Ch.#120.....color it
 8. Sketch Saturday.....sketch
 9. Challenge 4 Everybody.....ATG
10. That Craft Place Ch.#3.....think pink
11. Craft Your Passion Ch#185.....think pink
12. MIM.....ATG
13. Crafty Sentiments Designs.....bingo.....red(roses), pearls & die cuts
14. TTCRD.....ATG

"H is for..... Hubby"

 

Boy, I am really cutting it close for getting this into the "H is for" challenge over at Mo's! I have had company visiting for the last 4 days & it sure cuts into the crafting schedule! I love having company but I find my mind wandering to the crafty stuff I could be doing quite often....is that awful of me???  So, this card was made for my Hubby Bill for his 65th birthday. Thanks goodness Bill is a little more handsome than this fellow! However, I couldn't resist this image when I saw it....made me giggle! Don't think Bill was very impressed though....his comment..."I don't look that bad do I?"
So, the image is "Yeehaw" from Mo's which is colored with a combination of prismacolor pencils & copics; I have used a sketch from Fetch a Sketch; the DP is Simple Stories...Life Documented; CS is Paper Company; Spellbinder "tag" & the button is from my Mom's button box!
I'm off to plant 4 lilies that I bought the other day. Apparently, I should not be allowed near a greenhouse even at this time of the year! Have a wonderful day!
By the way....I finally learned how to watermark my cards.....& felt like a total idiot when I realized just how simple it is to do! DUH!

Challenges:

DP2........"H is for"
Crafty Sentiments...ATG
Creative Craft Challenges2.....ATG
Loves Rubberstamps.....polka dots
Papertake Weekly.....2x2.....use 2 of something (DP & brads)
TTCRD.....ATG
Challenges 4 Everybody.....ATG
Dream Valley.....buttons
C is for Challenge.....boys & men
Eureka Stamps.....ATG
Fetch a Sketch.....sketch
Make It Monday.....ATG

Welcome to Paradise!

This gorgeous view is what I get to look at every morning as I drink my coffee on the front deck of our home! (it's starting to get a little nippy to have coffee outside now though) While the view is lovely at all times of the year fall is definitely my favorite. I love the rich, vibrant colors & the cool, crisp air. Hope you enjoy the glimpse of my little piece of paradise.

I have another birthday card to share today. This one is for my sister-in-law Dianne, the sister I never had.....my crafting buddy, confidant, shopping pal & best friend. She loves cats, flowers & the color blue so this adorable LOTV image is perfect for her. It is colored with copics.....I am falling in love with copics & now NEED more!!!! The papers are Recollections & CS is Prism; the dies I've used are Memory Box mini picket fence & Petal Party, Spellbinder labels 18 & the Martha Stewart butterfly punch; the pearls are Recollections & the sentiment is Penny Black. Oh, the sketch is from Sketchy colors.  That's it for tonight....I'm off to watch Criminal Minds. Have a great evening!

Challenges I am entering:
Sketchy Colors
Bunny Zoe.....Sept. challenge.....something blue
Crafty Cardmakers.....cute & furry
Loves Rubberstamps.....ATG
Top Tip Tuesday.....flowers
Inky Impressions.....main color blue
Penny's Paper-Crafty.....ATG

"Fairy Special"

 

Recently I shared a picture here of the fairy garden I made this summer. I wish this magical little creature had found my garden but unfortunately the fairy house remains uninhabited! Oh well, there is always next year.

My card today is one I made for my niece Alyssa on her birthday. I've had this lovely Jelly Park image for ages...I won it in one of the first challenges I ever entered. I colored her with some of my VERY limited supply of copics & used good old Stickles on her wings to make them sparkle. The beautiful DP is from Prima & the CS is Bazzill. The lace is from The Paper Studio & the "glittery" brads are by Pebbles.

I have made several cards in the last week which wouldn't be any great deal normally but, on Sept.9th I had surgery to remove a small growth from my right eye & thought I would be out of commission for some time. The vision is still quite blurry in the eye & it is very light sensitive. However, I am finding myself drawn to my craftroom more than before the surgery....go figure....can't see, so lets go make cards! LOL At least I have an excuse now for coloring outside the lines & crooked papers!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Artistic Inspirations.....ATG or frame it
2. Crafty Bloggers Network.....things with wings
3. Created with love....#58.....ATG
4. Crafty Cardmakers.....winged things
5. Lady Anne Challenge.....wings
6. Make it Monday.....ATG
7. Tammy's Scrapin Corner.....ATG
8. Pink Elephant.....Ch.217.....digi image
9. Papertake Weekly.....make it sparkle
10. Tuesday Throwdown.....#165.....anything with wings
11. 4 Krafty Girlz.....ATG
12. Cute Card Thursday.....fairy nice

I Love Fall!

Hello my crafty friends, I hope you are all well & enjoying this marvellous time of year. Fall is my absolute favorite season! I sit on my deck in the cool mornings savouring the taste of my coffee....the geese are gathering, the chipmunks are storing the acorns, the blue jays have returned & the trees surrounding our property are the most brilliant colors! I know these are all signs of the nasty winter that is only a few months away but I still love them!

So, all the fall/autumn themed challenges out there are right up my ally. My card was created using the adorable House Mouse stamp "Autumn Cruise"....doesn't this little mouse look totally relaxed? You can almost feel the lovely warm sun on her face! The sketch I used is from Digi Sketch Challenges.  The CS is Bazzill but I'm afraid I don't know where the DP is from....found it in my stash. The Tessitina border & Grove branch dies are by Memory Box; leaves were bought at the $ store, twine is Prism & the button is from my Mom's "button box" which I inherited when she passed away in Jan. (see picture in the side bar)

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
1. ABC challenge.....#45.....fall
2. Craft Your Passion.....#180.....fall colors
3. Digi Sketch Ch.....sketch &/or use a rubber stamp
4. Eureka Stamps.....#57.....fall colors
5. House Mouse.....#153.....autumn leaves
6. House of Gilli.....#54.....ATG/fall
7. Lexi's Creations.....#99.....autumn colors
8. The Crazy Challenge.....autumn colors
9. Crafty Sentiments Designs.....fall colors
10. Simply Challenged.....fall colors

50 yrs. & counting!

Our wonderful neighbors recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary & their family organized a surprise pot luck dinner for them. It was a beautiful evening & we were able to sit outside for the meal....which is a good thing because there was atleast 50 people there! We stuffed ourselves with turkey, prime rib roast, perogies, a potato/veggie casserole that was to die for & all sorts of other goodies. It was all topped off with gorgeous cupcakes decorated with yummy chocolate hearts & swirls. Ray & Kay were very surprised....as a matter of fact when the first few people showed up Kay told them "We haven't had supper yet....come back later if you want to sit around the bonfire!" The evening was filled with good friends, good food & lots & lots of laughter! Perfect!!
This is the card I made for the special couple. I don't think I have ever made a card before without a colored image on it. I love the way this one turned out....it's CAS, just the way I like cards to be. I'm not an "over embellisher".  I have used Basic Grey...Picadilly DP & Bazzill CS; die cuts are Memory Box small Tilda swirl & whimsical flourish & Spellbinder tags. The ribbon & blingy heart are from my stash.
Thanks for stopping in....hope you are having an amazing day!

I am entering my card in the following challenges:
1. 4 Krafty Girlz Ch.1....ATG
2. Charizma Cardz Ch55.....fancy flourishes
3. Crafty Ribbons.....ATG with ribbon
4. Paper Crafting Journey.....ATG
5. Polkadoodles.....significantBD/occasion

Ribbons, ribbons & more ribbons!

Earlier this month the little community that I live in had it's annual "fair" where all the locals enter their wares with the hopes of winning a ribbon. I am one of those locals (I'm also the president of the garden club who sponsors the fair) so of course I had a "few" entries. We have sections for cut flowers, flower arrangements, planters, veggies, baking, crafts & photography. I managed to have entries in all but the photography section this year (my printer was out of commission so I couldn't print my pics) & collected lots of lovely ribbons!

     

This is my favorite project I did this summer! A fairy garden...it was so much fun to put together & I am hoping to convince the committee to have a whole "fairy garden" section next year. The fairy house is a little wooden birdhouse that I covered with small stones & moss for the roof. I made the arbor from twigs & planted some sedum that grew over it. I used a sea shell as a little pond & the "gazing ball" beside the pond is a golf tee with a marble glued to the top. The plants on either side are lobelia & Irish moss. The moss was covered in tiny white flowers right up until a few days before the show (of course) This won a coveted red ribbon!
   
Here are some more of my entries....there are lots....hope you don't get bored! (this is about half of them!) The first ones were in the flower arranging section:

 

 

    This one we were to use marigolds & succulents....this also got a red ribbon.     

 This was to be an all green arrangement & include a "blarney stone" (my stone was actually from Ireland!)

 This one was an arrangement of grasses & grains. This is the first time I have entered anything in the arranging sections so I was thrilled to win ribbons!

                                                    Outdoor planter for the shade.

                               This was the craft special: a 2 page layout featuring "winter fun"

                                                                 2 page layout

                                                               1 page layout

                                                      Hallowe'en craft....red ribbon

                                                                       Easter craft

                              Christmas card & any occasion card (my first "never ending" card)

                                                    Christmas craft.....snowmen in a jar

                               mini album....our trip to the redwood forest this spring....red ribbon

handmade jewellery

 

I am already starting to think of stuff for next year!!

Copy Cat!

I was nosing around blogland yesterday & stopped at one of my favorite sites only to discover this adorable image & that it was a freebie to use in a challenge. (thanks to Jennifer Scull for the heads up!) The challenge is at Digi Darla & as well as using this sweet image you are challenged to "copy" one of the design teams cards...I "sort of" copied Julie's card & I really like the way it turned out! I am going to keep this really short because I am just going to slip in to the challenge under the wire. (it closes in a couple of hours!!) So, the DP papers are from Paper Studio; image is Digi Darla; colored with prismacolor pencils & copics (a first for me); the sentiment is from Penny Black & the buttons are from my stash. 
I am entering in the following challenges:
Digi Darla....copy cat
Crafts & Me.....ATG
Inky Impressions.....button it
The Paper Shelter.....ATG
Ladybug Crafts.....floral (flower on digi & the buttons)
One Crazy Stamper.....birthday
The Crafters Café.....ATG

The Fabulous Finkle!

 

 

My card today is made with a fabulous image from Lacy Sunshine called "Finkle".....one of the many adorable gnome images available in the shop. The deal is if you buy this image for $2.00 you will get the next challenge image free. Who wouldn't want free Lacy images? Anyway, I have colored Finkle with my good old prismacolor pencils. Last week I took a plunge I swore I would never do....I took a copics class & bought a few basic colors. I will need LOTS of practice before I feel comfy with the results of coloring with these markers! The lovely papers I used are "Beach Babe" from Fancy Pants. I know, I know, Finkle isn't a "babe" but I really liked the papers & the flowers sort of match the ones on his shirt. The twine is from Prism.

I have been working like a fiend on loads of crafty projects as our little community has a big flower & craft show coming up in a few weeks. I usually have about 30 entries between crafts, flowers, photos & baking & last year won ribbons for nearly every entry. Will post some pictures after the show (can't have the competition seeing my goodies before hand! LOL)

Till next time...toodles!

I'm entering the following challenges:
...Lacy Sunshine.....ATG
...Challenge 4 Everybody.....ATG
...Sweet Stampin.....balls
...Crafting When We Can.....floral