Welcome to CardSwaps Blog Hop!

There are some awesome things going on over at CardSwaps this week! Challenges and games will be posted February 8-11, 2012. You will have until February 14, 2012 to get your projects posted to the appropriate thread. If you've never participated before please don't worry. There are many members, myself included, that will be around to offer support and encouragement. You will find out all you need to know in the forum. So.... AFTER the hop... you will be taken to the crop and I do hope you join in. I know this is a long post but there is a prize on the line for the hoppers and you don't want to miss anything. Please.... read all my ramblings... don't skip ahead!!

The blog hop "theme" goes with the crop title "Winter Warm Up". All of us blog hop hostesses were given a lot of creative license. The type of project, sentiment, and style were all left open. The only requirement was that the completed item has to make you smile and bring warm, fuzzy feelings to the cold, cold Winter months.

When I think about it, I have one special way to warm up during the Winter. Maybe I've been out shoveling snow, going to the store, or running errands. Sometimes I'll be enjoying myself visiting family or friends and discover, when it's time to come home, we're having a snow storm. It's cold, cold, cold outside but I know when I get in my home I can make a creamy, yummy cup of hot cocoa, put on some music and curl up in my favorite chair. Why does this make me feel warm and fuzzy? Because it reminds me of when I was little and my mom always had a cup of hot cocoa waiting for me. And, my friends, thinking of my mom always makes me smile.

So in honor of my mom, hot cocoa and feeling warm and fuzzy... here's my card.

Most of my card is paper pieced using paper from my stash. The "wallpaper" is one piece and I used another piece to print the girl and chair image on. I printed the image a second time on white cardstock and used my Prismacolor colored pencils and gamsol to color just the girl. Then I cut her out and adhered her to the chair. I used foam tape the pop the chair out and give it dimension. The image is by Sara Sherlock at Folded Paper & Printed Pixels  [I'm so sorry that I got this wrong. The girl in the chair image is from Sassy Studio Designs thank you Sara for catching my mistake.]   For the "floor" I used a scrap piece of brown cardstock and the wood grain embossing folder by Sizzix. The lamp is an image by Bird at BirdsCards . I printed it on white cardstock, colored it with my Copics, cute it out and adhered it behind the chair arm. The "baseboard" is white cardstock. The mini picture is also from my stash and I've had it, and others, so long I can't remember. It came from Artful Illusions but all of their links are not working properly right now.

Now for what you've been waiting for.... the game for hoppers... You will be collecting a letter at each blog you visit. Hostesses will also be able to play along because they don't know any letters except their own. The last hostess in the blog hop will direct you to the thread in the forum where you can find all the details you need to enter the drawing. All hoppers collecting all the letters, unscrambling the word or phrase, entering the game by following the directions in the forum, and leaving feedback on EVERY blog they visit WILL be entered into a random drawing held on February 15, 2012. ONE lucky hopper will have their name drawn and will win a prize!! You will have lots of fun and find lots of inspiration... so visit every blog and collect all the letters. Your only hints are: it's a phrase and it's a way papercrafters warm up.

OK... You should have arrived here from the fabulous Laura's blog. If you're just joining in then please go to the beginning at CardMaker's blog to start the hop and collect your first letter.

My letter is:    W

The next stop on your hop today is Jane's blog and I know you're in for a treat! I love Jane's projects and admire her talent! Her project is sure to make you warm and fuzzy.

The list of hoppers, in case you get lost.

CardMaker  http://www.cardmakermagazine.com/blog/?p=1256
Lora  http://lorabrinkman.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
SusieQ  http://lilbitofme-susan.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-you-are-on-cardswaps-winter.html
Laura  http://ljjonescircus.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-with-cardmaker-magazine.html
Marlene  http://marlenescubbyholecreations.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-to-cardswaps-blog-hop.html  *you are here*
Jane  http://jane-notsuchaplainjane.blogspot.com/2012/02//welcome-to-winter-warm-up-crop.html
Golda  http://goldapete.wordpress.com/2012/08/winter-warm-up-blog-hop/
Angelina  http://angel-artdesign.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Tina  http://tina-craftingkewpie.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-crop.html
Judy (PrairieWildflower)  http://prairiewildflowerpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Ivanka  http://ivankascardstudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/cardmaker-winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Teresa (WingsNThings)  http://tickellexpressions.blogspot.com/2012/02/card-swaps-winter-warm-up-crop-and-blog.html
Ana  http://anaggarciam.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html