Thank You, Patti!

Well, I have to sing out a big ole "Thank You" to Patti today! And luckily for everyone, I'm blogging it rather than singing it!! I've not been feeling good today, having a bad sinus headache and haven't felt like doing much of anything. However, that changed when I read Patti's blog. She had an inspiration picture for the Color Dare challenge and a lovely CAS card that she had made. Put me in the mood to create! And I knew that I wanted to use the Our Creative Corner sketch along with the color dare to use Baja Breeze, Ruby Red, and Whisper White. I used two different punches, Martha Stewart Double Loops and Fiskars Read Between the Vines. My stamped images are Stampin' Up Take Three (for the sentiment) and a Studio G clear stamp from Michael's. Found the patterened red and white papers in my scrap file and used a comparable Baja Breeze color from a Little Sizzles paper pack from Sizzix. I hope that my card with brighten someone's day just like Patti's did for me!!

Betty

Have You Hugged An Egg Today?

Here's my card for Vicki's Sketch Challenge over at stampTV. The image is by Nina from There's Magic in the Air. I printed the image last night and after I colored it this morning, I had a "senior moment"!! Sue Walsh who hosted the challenge at TMITA wanted us to use this image on an Easter basket and guess who forgot all about it ------ yep, Moi! As you can see, this ain't no Easter basket!! But it did make a really cute card and it does match the pop-open box that I made last week for my grandson. Any hoo, sorry Sue! And thanks to Vicki for the sketch!

Betty

Sketch & Color

Happy Morning to Everyone! This card was made for the first ever sketch challenge from Creative Clear Stamps as well as the color challenge from Color Dare 61 to use Pretty in Pink, Green Galore and Basic Black. The butterfly stamp is from the Paper Studio, Botanicals & Birds; the sentiment stamp is from Gina K. Designs, Eclectic Summer Sayings. I didn't have a Green Galore ribbon so went a shade lighter with Certainly Celery, topping it with a piece of black ribbon. I punched the squares with Stampin' Up punches and cut the circles with Nestabilities and the frame for the sentiment with Ribbon Tag Trio 2.
Come on over to Creative Clear Stamps and get in on the ground floor with the first challenge. If you don't have their stamps, it's okay, (I don't have any yet, emphasis on the yet!) you may win some!!

Make a Card with Scraps

This is my second post today. Melanie Muenchinger issued a challenge on her blog, Hands, Head and Heart. It was to make a card with scraps that are on your desk. Thankfully, I have a "scrap box" on my desk so I was able to get right to work on the challenge! The little round frame is from Pam Lefors Designs. The flower is from My Mind's Eye paper pack, Simply Delightful. I just got the Martha Stewart border punch yesterday and had punched several pieces with it, just waiting for use! I made the layered background papers for another project but decided not to use it so into the scrap box it went! The sentiment is from Gina K. Designs, Many Wishes. I enjoyed your challenge Melanie -- Thanks Bunches!

Betty

Shades of Rose

The card sketch that I have used here is from Midnight Madness 46. Card base is Stampin' Up Old Olive and the patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye, Simply Delightful. Image is stamped twice, on Very Vanilla and on the darker pattern from My Mind's Eye which I cut out and pieced onto the vanilla card. Border punch is from Martha Stewart. The wider ribbon is Garden Ridge and the smaller is Stampin' Up. Sentiment is from Gina K. Designs, Pressed Flowers, illustrator Melanie Muenchinger. I will also enter this card in the Moxie Fab challenge for paper piecing.

March-ing With the Troops

Hope you enjoy my card today. It was made for Kym Weber's son Travis who is serving in Afghanistan. I took this picture six years ago when we first moved into our new house. The doe and her fawns were out front off to the side and posed so beautifully for me as I took their picture from the front door. I have taken thousands of deer photos since but this remains one of my favorites. I sure do hope that Travis will enjoy it too. Wishes for health, safety, and thanks go with it for Travis and all of our military in service to their country!

Make Mine Pink

I was in the process of making this little box with a template from Lauren Meador of My Time Made Easy for the Just Us Girls Challenge when I was delightfully interrupted by a phone call from online friends Kerrie from Australia, Connie from Canada and Olga from Virginia. We just had a wonderful time laughing and joking with one another. All three are close friends whom I've never met personally but love just the same! Do any of you use Skype and your computer to talk to long distance friends? I have a hard time with reception in the area were I live but I can hear everyone else and I type a message in from time to time. When I took my laptop outside they were able to hear me for a little while but the deer were looking at me funny! Anyway, I did finish up the little box and will enter it in the JUGS26 challenge to use a template and Gina K's Inspire Challenge on stampTV to "Make it Pink".

The Sunflower Speaks

The caption says "When words escape, flowers speak." I guess that means that I don't have to write anything else -- the flower will say it all! However, since they probably save their voices for more important subjects, I will give you the recipe for my card.

I have used three stamp sets from Gina K. Designs, illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger for this card -- A Year of Flowers, Pressed Flowers and Say It With Flowers. Card stock is also from GKD, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin Spice and digipaper. Also used Stampin' Up Very Vanilla card stock and inks Summer Sun, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Olive Green and Really Rust. The cuttlebug embossing folder I've used is Bloom Dots. I made this card for the sketch challenge at Card Positioning Systems.

Some of our favorite Gina K. Design illustrators are sponsoring the challenge at CPS this week. Go on over to check it out and participate.

Betty

Spring Singing

This little songbird comes from GTC's Crafty Corner. The color combo is the challenge at Just Us Girls (light brown, light blue, light green and yellow). The sketch is courtesy of the challenge at Card Patterns. A spring time card is what Crazy 4 Challenges wants to see and my little bird is singing because it's spring, so it fits perfectly!
Hope you all had a good day. I got a new punch but haven't put it to paper yet. Maybe I'll have something to show you tomorrow. Come back again, okay???

Betty

Come Join Me!

I made a card today but it's a secret and can't be published until next Sunday but I'd love to have you come back then to find out about it!

For today's post, I'd like to invite you to join me in cruising the Caribbean with the Midnight Madness folks! It's going to be an event to remember!! I've been wanting to do something like this for a year now and the opportunity has come -- just call me excited!!

The dates are Sept. 9-13, 2010. We'll be sailing on the Carnival Fascination; there will be lots of fun and card making every day while we look out at beautiful blue waters! I'm excited to meet Priscilla from Midnight Madness and would like to meet a bunch of my other online stamping friends too! Go check out the article at Midnight Madness to get all the details.

Don't you think this would be totally wonderful???? I'd love to see you there and maybe even room together as long as my snoring wouldn't bother you too much!!

Betty

Sleepless in Texas

I got the idea for the layout of this card while trying to get to sleep last night. Couldn't get to sleep so I got up and made the card! It's for three challenges.
1. Blast from the Past at stampTV to use some sort of stitching on your card. (Mine is faux cross stitch!) The wonderful stamp of the butterfly and the sentiment are from Gina K. Designs, Take Flight.
2. Color Dare 60 to use real red, gable green, more mustard and tempting turquoise.
3. Oh Alice Challenge 5 to use a butterfly or caterpillar.

Because of the Oh, Alice site I just discovered and also because Mo Manning just gave her Papercraft Planet members a freebie of the White Rabbit, I am headed to the library to get a copy of Alice in Wonderland. Never have read it -- how did that happen??? But I mean to correct the situation!

Till later,
Betty

Friends Share

Hello my online friends! I'm tickled pink (or maybe blue/mustard) with the way this card turned out. You probably recognize the image -- it's from Mo Manning and the card is made for Cathy Edgar's Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge to use at least three punches, for Vicki Dutcher's stampTV Sketch Challenge, and PaperPlay Challenge to use good luck or thank you as a theme. Paper colors are Stampin' Up Brilliant Blue and More Mustard. The More Mustard piece is embossed with (oops! a blooper! typed "emblossed" first -- just trying to emulate Gina K!) Sizzix Dots and Vines folder. Colored the image with Bic markers and used pieces of three different stamps for the sentiment. Had to "borrow" one of DH's cookies for the photo! Now, your mission (should you choose to accept it), go make your own (card or cookie, your preference!)

Betty

Monochromatic Monogram

Morning, friends! I came into my craft room with the intention of clearing off my desk and guess what happened? It was this card!! My desk is even messier than it was but I'm pleased with the card that I made for Donna's challenge during the release party at stampTV last night for Gina K's new stamp sets. Since St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, it's time to move on to other colors. Mine are shades of burgundy; Stampin' Up's Bravo Burgundy and two misc. 12x12 papers. Found a pretty ribbon to coordinate and the rose is part of my winnings from the Midnight Madness Challenge 44. The monogram was computer generated and printed on Very Vanilla card stock with a couple of flourishes added. Hope you like it! Now, onward and upward! Should I clear off the desk or move on to another card??????

Betty

Dragonfly Green

My card today is for the sketch challenge at Midnight Madness. It uses some of the same paper and ribbon I used for their previous challenge. The dragonfly stamp is from Studio G.
Have you heard about the upcoming cruise sponsored by Midnight Madness? It will be leaving from Jacksonville, Florida on Sept. 9, aboard the Carnival Fascination, going to Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas. Best of all, there will be card making classes, make-n-takes, door prizes, extra surprises and more! What could be better??? I'd love to be able to go but I would love to have some friends go with me. Think it over, guys; see if it might be a possibility for you!!
There's also some blog candy being offered to help spread the word about the cruise. Here's a picture of the candy being offered. Click on "blog candy" above to be taken to the info page.
Let's go cruising now, everybody's cruising now......

Check it out,
Betty

Cute Treat Box

Hello all! My card today is not a card but is an Anything But A Card Challenge from Karen at stampTV. The box was made from 4 pieces cut with a Sizzix Bigz Scallop Envelope die. The tutorial can be found at Splitcoast Stampers. The cupcake image comes from Nina May at There's Magic in the Air/Paper Cupcakes. Their challenge was to not make an ordinary card but to use a special fold. Well, I didn't make a special fold card but I didn't make an ordinary card either! I made a box -- is this okay, friends at TMITA? It was a fun project to make but I can tell you from experience, be sure to read the directions carefully!!

Later, Betty

A Sketch and a Blast from the Past

The sketch is Card Patterns Sketch 55 and the Blast from the Past challenge comes from stampTV to use the thumping technique. Card base is Stampin' Up Very Vanilla with the next layer being Pumpkin Spice Pure Luxury card stock by Gina K. Designs, embossed with Bloom Dots embossing folder by Cuttlebug. Designer paper is from the Simply Delightful pack by My Mind's Eye. Stamps are by Studio G, colored in Stampin' Up More Mustard and thumped with SU Pumpkin Pie. Rhinestones were a sweet surprise from Vicki Dutcher (thanks, Vicki!) and ribbon from Michael's.

Midnight Madness in Green

The card I'm posting this evening was made for Tina Gilliland's color challenge at stampTV; she wanted us to use green, any shade or shades of green. The sketch is from Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 44. Card base is Creme de Menthe Pure Luxury card stock by Gina K. Designs, dp from Basic Grey Origins paper pad. Images are from Stampin' Up Embrace Life, stamped in Certainly Celery ink. Ribbons, rhinestones and a little flower are the embellishments. The Basic Grey paper and the flower were part of the prize package I won for the Midnight Madness Sketch 43. Thanks so much, Janice, at Sunshine & Giggles!

I appreciate your coming by!

Betty

Recipe Card

This is for a challenge at Phindy's Place at Papercraft Planet. We were challenged to use two of her images merged together (either by cut and paste or digitally). I managed to get them to merge in MS Word -- don't know if I could do it again, though, so don't ask me how!! The images (the border is one image) were colored with colored pencils and baby oil to blend; sentiment was hand written. I thought it would be really neat to use to send a recipe to a friend. I have receipes that I've gotten from friends over the years and it's so nice to think of them each time I use their recipe!! By the way, I got the handcarved pieces of wooden fruit (or veggies -- not sure which!) in Bali, Indonesia. I loved trying the many different types of fruits and veggies when we lived in Indonesia!

Thanks for coming by,
Betty

Saturday in the Seventies

Now, I'm not talking about the decade, but the temperature! It was a lovely day and I walked around and saw evidence of new growth on many of the trees and plants. Wildflowers are beginning to peek out too, along the roadways. I've been having sinus problems so these are probably the culprits, but I'm still so glad to see spring coming!

Couldn't let the day pass without making a card, so I decided to do one for an Embellish Magazine challenge to use fabric and the colors Red, Kraft, Blue and Green. The apples on the white and blue striped material is the fabric, which I adhered to a piece of cardstock and cut out with a nestability. I used Cuttlebug's Candy Cane Stripes embossing foldervto emboss the kraft paper. All papers and ink are Stampin' Up (Kraft, Night of Navy, Real Red and Garden Green)
A navy ribbon was used along the side with tiny pearls. Larger pearls were used in the corners, colored blue and green with Bic Markers.

Hope you had a wonderful day too!
Betty

Dancing for Joy

Doesn't this card just make you happy? With the pretty colors, flower and youthful exuberance of the dancer, it puts a smile on my face! Made this card for three challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's 2 -- sketch challenge

Flourishes FLLCCEL4 -- to make a card that sparkles

Stampingbs -- Faith want us to make a Springtime or Easter card


The image is from Sassy Cheryl's and has to be one of the most joyful images around! Colored it with my Bic markers and added sparkle (Dazzling Diamonds Glitter).

Hope it puts a spring in your step!!

Betty

Painted Cat

I'm back with a second post today. My first picture shows a piece of needlepoint that I made over 30 years ago. So when I saw a digi image at Paper Cupcakes for $3 called Painted Cat, I just had to have it. My second picture shows the card I made with that image.

Looking at it now, I wish I had rotated the digi image so that my kitties would be sitting in the same position!! That's just one interesting thing you can do with digi images. I colored my cat with Bic Markers and cut it out with a Spellbinders Nestability. I used a sparkly plum piece of cardstock and black cardstock to mat the image. The card base is SU Perfect Plum and there is a strip of Pale Plum with a piece of ribbon over it. Brads in the corner of the image make it done!
I have used a sketch challenge from Vicki Dutcher over at stampTV. Thanks, Vicki!!

Come back again, Betty

TMITA Pot of Gold

This card is for the challenge over at There's Magic in the Air/Paper Cupcakes. Nina is giving us the image to play with and the challenge is to use metal along with the colors green and gold. Well, my metal is in the ribbon and the glittery gold cardstock. Sentiment is from Stampin' Up "A Little Birdie Told Me" and is embossed in gold, punched with SU small oval punch, and adhered to the Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Trio. Then, that is attached to the card with a "golden thread" (lol). Please forgive Mr. Leprachaun's face -- I messed up a bit trying to color his beard. Got brown on his face and didn't like brown after all -- it needed to be gray. Think I fiddled too much trying to get the brown off his face (first with WhiteOut which didn't work, then with a white pen) Finally, colored his face with a Bic marker (which I used on the entire image as well) and was "sorta" okay with it! Also had another Oops -- the gold pen I used to color the coins in the pot covered all the coin outlines -- drew them in with pen but they seemed to disappear. Finally decided to gold emboss them. My card looks okay as long as you don't click on it to make it larger!! Be kind, ok? Found some coins from our travels (Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, The Netherlands) to add to the photo.

Later, Betty

Volunteer Cards

I've been working on cards for church nursery volunteers today. I included a sampling for you to check out. The middle card is made with Stampin'Up stamps, Baroque Motifs and Lovely Labels. The topiaries were stamped with Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits and SU's Thank You Kindly. DP is Simply Delightful by My Mind's Eye and SU's Very Vanilla was cut out with Spellbinders Labels Six and Ribbon Tags Trio.
It's been a totally gorgeous day today here. Temperatures in the 70's; my hubby took me out to eat lunch at The Fish Place; we had fried shrimp, catfish, onion rings and steamed vegetables. Unfortunately the veggies don't cancel out all that fried food on the "bad for you" scale but it all sure tasted delicious! Hope you've had a wonderful day too!

Betty

A Stamping Treat Day

I received this lovely award from two of my stamping friends today -- Selma and Geri! They are both such sweet ladies, always willing to share what they know with those of us who don't know so much!!!! lol I am to pass the award on to six others whose blogs make me smile. There are so many, and Selma, Geri and Mary Anne have already awarded many of those that I would have too. But, my goodness, there is so much talent out in this stamping world -- we could send this award to six people six times over! Here are the ladies who I love hearing from because they make me smile --
Anne
Connie L.
Giovana
Kerrie
Peggy
Carol
Theresa (I meant to include Theresa because even with a bum wrist she is making digital cards in Photoshop -- I love her tenacity) So, I'm giving 7 awards!!

Also wanted to share some other wonderful news with you. Random Integer Generator smiled on me at Midnight Madness Challenge43. I was so excited because I love seeing my name in print (lol -- I really am kidding, guys!) actually, I really enjoyed working on this challenge and received lovely compliments from many wonderful people. It was like putting a cherry on top of the ice cream sundae to be the prize winner!

I'd better get to sending out my awards before some one else tags my choices!!

Betty

Thinking of You

Good Evening All! I have a card tonight that I am entering in two challenges.
Color Challenge -- stampTV -- wine, yellow and kraft

Sketch Challenge -- Flourishes Day 1 Celebration Sketch


Recipe for this card:
Stamps: Stampin' Up Lovely As A Tree and Take Three
Paper: Stampin' Up Purely Pomegranate, Kraft, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink: River Rock, Old Olive, Purely Pomegranate
Other: Martha Stewart Border Punch & Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Swiss Dots

Thanks for stopping by to see me! Come again any time!!

Betty

I'm In Love!

I'm in love ......... with this precious, sassy bunny from Sassy Cheryl's! I made a card with him yesterday and had to do another today!! I love his combination of spots and stripes (wonder who he's wearing??? After all, this is Oscars night!) I think he is just too cute for words and will be sending him to a granddaughter in Louisiana. I promise to post something different tomorrow if you will just indulge me today!!

Betty

Sassy Cheryl's Card Patterns

I hope you all like this card as much as I do! The digi image is from Sassy Cheryl's . I made the card for their first challenge to use green. The sketch is from Card Patterns54. The image was colored with Bic markers. Glitter was added to the rabbit's cheeks and ears and then was covered with Crystal Effects. Crystal Effects was also added to the boots (they needed to be waterproof -- you know, for hiding eggs in grass damp with dew!!) Next, I cut out the rabbit and adhered him to the card stock rectangle with pop dots. The little butterfly is part of the digi image but I chose to add it to the upper part of the card (to go along with the sketch). Firstly, my "old eyes" didn't want to focus as I colored this tiny image. Next, I punched it out but then decided that it needed to be cut out -- what was I thinking???? Somehow, it survived my scissors and I glued it to some elastic type string. It will most likely be an Easter Card for one of my grandkids but I'll wait to add the sentiment to the inside of the card when I decide for sure!!

Sure hope he gave you a smile,
Betty

Monochromatic Birthday Card

Happy Saturday Morning Everyone!! I am posting a card that I made for Vicki's sketch challenge at stampTV. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep so this is what I did. I didn't plan for it be a monochromatic card but that's what happened. Some times surprises are good things! The card base is Pure Luxury Moonlit Fog by Gina K. Designs and the dp is from Pam LeFors Designs. I used Nestabilities Labels Six to cut the shapes in the middle and highlighted with a bit of gold and copper metallic rub-on paste. Embossed the sentiment in gold and punched with Stampin' Up's small oval punch.
I'm so glad to hear that temperatures in the north are coming up!! Enjoy the day, Friends!!

Betty

Copper Butterfly Lace

This card is my entry for the latest Moxie Fab Challenge to use lace as the focal point. I went out to buy some doilies and this is what I found. It's definitely not a doily, but I thought it had a nice lacy effect and best of all, it was on sale!! The card base is Stampin'Up's Always Artichoke and the background is from Pam Lefors Designs. I used bits of metallic cardstock for the frame around the focal image and for the sentiment (which comes from Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits). A bit of copper colored ribbon and brad finish it off. Bye for now!

Betty

Cards for Fun

Here's my second post today. This happy little butterfuly image comes from GTC's Crafty Corner. I colored it with my Bic markers and added a little aqua brad to the center of the flower. Card base is Lavender Lace by Stampin' Up and the Elegant Eggplant piece is embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. The darker aqua textured paper is from Sizzix Little Sizzles Cardstock Brights. Sentiment is SU's Polka Dots and Paisley glued onto a couple of pretty purple ribbons!!

My next card came about because I had a bit of Pam Lefors' musical score paper left over from my Golden Wheat card. The image is from Flourishes Little Drummer Boy and I colored it with the Bic markers after embossing in gold. Cut it out and attached to the card base. Quick and easy!

We had the most beautiful day here north of Houston. Temperature was in the 60's and the sun was shining. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't turn cold again. Also hoping that Spring will soon find all of you in the north who have had so much snow this year!

Glittery Diamonds

Afternoon, All! This is my card for Gina K's Inspire Challenge at stampTV to use a diamond background. The diamond paper and the cut out flowers came from a 12x12 paper pack. I've lost the front cover but it was something like Nana's Nursery. The card base is from Marco's Paper, a natural white with deckle edge (looks more like ivory to me!) Ribbon and sentiment stamp were purchased from Michael's.
The little chick is from Whimsie Doodles; their Wednesday Challenge is to use flowers on a "spring fling" card.
Glad you stopped by! Hope to have another post this evening!

Betty

Scalloped Thank You

I've made a card today for two different challenges. The color challenge comes from Scrapbooking and Crafting Friends. This is Vicki's last week to host the color challenge and she came up with a brilliant combination!
The Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge is to use scallops. I think I've used enough scallops on this card to qualify!! What do you think???
The inspiration for my card comes from Dawn McVey. You can see her card that I cased here. I admire Dawn's work so much and thoroughly enjoy her blog!!
Thanks for stopping by -- come again!

Betty

Midnight Madness Sketch43

Hope you enjoy my card for Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 43. The "grungy" music background paper and frame are from Pam LeFors Designs -- isn't it gorgous? Can you see the flowers in the bottom left hand corner? The wheat stamp is from River City Rubber Works and is embossed in gold. The little butterfly punch is from Marvy; punched out of gold card stock with gold microbeads for the body. The ivory piece is embossed with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots embossing folder. Thanks for coming by to take a look -- come by any time!!

Betty