Unhappy Blogger :(

O.K. peeps, there's trouble in River City! I've been trying to get the photos of my son's wedding card I made uploaded. Nope! No luck! I'm still at my son's till Wednesday so I'm wondering if that has anything to do with my upload snafu. The photos upload but the colors are all wonky. I don't know... they posted just fine to FaceBook.

See what I mean?? Wonky colors, not to mention psychedelic. So, if you stopped by today I apologize for the short post. Please come back again. It will get better, I promise.

Santa Card

Two posts in one day... Whoot Whoot!! Last week there was a tutorial on making a Santa Card over at OWH. Here is my card.

At first I was going to pass on this but thought, what the heck, I gotta start thinkin about my Christmas cards if I'm going to get any done. This was super easy and quick to make, and can be mass produced very well. The hardest part of my card was getting the dumb pop tab off the can. :(  I'll just put a call out to the grandkids to save me their pop tabs. They're wizards at getting those suckers off! heeheehee...

Wouldn't you know I didn't have any plain black ribbon [gasp]for the belt. I used some black and white chevron ribbon from my stash and I really like it. It doesn't show up well in the photo, but I used some black button brads for the buttons.

Thanks again for stopping by... hope you enjoyed your visit.

OWH Sketch #134

Happy Monday peeps! Yesterday a new Operation Write Home was posted on their blog Stars and Stamps. It's a great sketch and I knew right away what I wanted to make. Unfortunately, in my eyes, it's a card fail. You know what I mean... it looks so fabulous in your head but the finished product, yeah not so much!

Don't get me wrong, I really like the way it turned out. And I know
someone will love it... I just don't love it. The brightness of the yellow just isn't workin for me. I'm not a Bold color person. I'm more of the Softer Vintage color type. Sooooo, this card really pushes me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and go for it.

I got the focal stamp, and other kitchen related stamps, back in the spring. The background stamp on the yellow has a repeat pattern of rolling pins, measuring spoons, and measuring cups. I used a slightly darker shade of yellow ink and it helped tone down  the plain yellow cardstock. It's not very noticeable but it works for me. Of course I had to get the utensil brads because, well... I loved them!

Supply list:
Stamps - by Great Impressions #s G356 and H 193
Cardstock - by Bazzill in red, blue, yellow
Ribbon - my stash
Brads - Eyelet Outlet

Thanks for stopping by... hope you enjoyed your visit!

Itty Bitty Purse

Meredith hosted the challenge Beautiful Bags last week on CardSwaps Treat Yourself Cardmaking Crop.

Meredith had the link to Brenda Quintana's blog, Qbees Quest, for Brenda's Mini Explosion Box Purse tutorial. You really need to click Brenda's link and make 1 or 20 for yourself. They are quick, easy, and so much fun to make. Thank you Brenda for you wonderful designs.

My granddaughter, aged 10, loved the one on the left and asked if I could make her one for one of her mom's [my daughter's] friends. She calls this friend Aunt Katie and she was in town on vacation. She wanted to get her a gift before Katie left town. Of course I let her have it for her gift, which was a key ring and charm, and fit perfectly in this little purse. Here's a pic of the inside of the purse.

Supplies:
Paper: MME [My Minds Eye] 6x6 paper pad, Reunion
Ribbon: Scraps from my stash
Closures: BG [Basic Grey] magnetic snaps
Embellies: odds 'n ends from my stash

Thanks for stopping by my humble blog... hoped you enjoyed your visit!

An "Ah-HA" moment

Happy Thursday friends! My "Ah-HA" moment was the challenges this week at CardSwaps and OWH. On Sunday, OWH's weekly Sketch Challenge [#133] was posted and I knew right away it was a design I would use a lot.

On Monday CardSwaps posted their weekly Members Challenge. This week it's Stash Raid where you only use scraps from your stash. Like most of you, I have lots of scraps. [said with a degree of embarrasment] So I had my sketch and the recipe, but hit the proverbial brick wall. The scraps I was picking just didn't work for me. Blah I hate when that happens.

Moment of Ah-HA! Yesterday OWH posted their Midweek Throwdown using kraft + color. The light bulb popped on and I went back to my scraps for paper I originally looked at but passed up. And Voila! My finished card. Ah-HA! I love it when an unplanned plan comes together.

Recipe:
Cardstock: Kraft, dark red
DSP: Pebbles double sided DP from With Love collection
Speech bubble & Bird: cut from same Pebbles DP
Sentiment: Stickers from Authentique "Celebrate" Elements
Ribbon: Hug Snug rayon seam binding. dark red

Thank you for stopping by my humble blog... hope your visit was enjoyable!

Wednesday's Crop Challenges

The "Treat Yourself" Crop started yesterday over at CardSwaps. [That's Aug 8 - Aug 11, 2012] If your tuned in to yesterday's blog post, right here, then you will have the information. Each day there are 3 challenges which are always soooooo much fun, and 1 game each day. That's 12 challenges and 4 games all totaled.

I always seem to run a day in getting my challenges made. Good thing we have until Aug 14th to get them done and posted to the approriate challenge. This evening I'm posting 2 challenges from yesterday.

Christina's challenge was "3 Tier Treat" and we were to make a 3 tier cake. As you can see, my top tier comes out to add a sentiment. Since it's a pocket it's a good place to put a gift card or even money. The stamp set to make this cake is from TooMuchFun Rubber Stamps. I stamped it in Crushed Velver Distress Ink from Ranger. I colored the roses and trim with Copic markers. For a little glitz I added Frosted Lace Stickles and White Opal Pearl Pen, both from Ranger.

This next challenge, "Box of Sunshine" is hosted by Christine K. We were to make a box that would hold a giftie, and decorate however we wanted. My box is made with 2 double sided pieces of Graphic45 paper from the "A Ladies' Diary" collection. My bow is wired lace ribbon in off white, and the glittery butterfly is a leftover... but I don't remember where I got it.



I'm so sorry about the photos and line spacing being all over the place. It seems Blogger has some issues on where I want things and where it's actually going to go. Oh well... tomorrow's another day.

Thanks for stopping by... hope you enjoyed yourself!







Treat Yourself Blog Hop

Good Morning my friends! Don your bunny ears and hoppin shoes, and get ready for some fun and inspiration. This week over at CardSwaps we're having our "Treat Yourself Crop".  Challenges and games will be posted on the forum starting today, Wednesday August 8, 2012 and will run through Saturday August 11, 2012. You will have until 11:59 EST August 14, 2012 to get your projects posted to the appropriate thread in the forum for a chance to win prizes.

If you arrived here from Ivanka's blog you're on the right track. Doesn't she do beautiful work?  If you didn't arrive from Ivanka's blog make sure you start at the beginning of the hop with Brooke Smith.

The blog hop "theme" goes with the crop title of "Treat Yourself". This is my card:

One of the ways I treat myself is by going to the Spa for "the works". Money is tight these days so that doesn't happen too often, but I can treat myself right here at home. When I remodeled my bathroom several years ago I splurged on a Jacuzzi tub. Now when I want to feel pampered I light some candles, get a glass of wine, a good book, and settle in for the luxury of the bubbles... Jacuzzi bubbles that is.

Supplies:
Digi image by Sassy Studio Design
Ribbon by May Arts
Designer Paper by Grafic45
Sentiment stamp by Stampendous
Copic markers
Adhesive pearls

At every stop along the hop you will collect a letter. Make sure you collect every letter and please... leave some "love" for the hostesses. You will need all the letters later for a chance to win a prize. Lora, the last hostess on the hop, will direct you over to the forum for information on

My letter is... M

Your next stop on the hop is the talented Anya. 

Here is the list of hoppers in case you get lost:
Brooke Smith
Jane
Susan
Margaret
Trudy Sjolander
Golda
Meredith
Jeanette
Colleen Schaan
Laura
Ivanka
Marlene   [you are here]
Anya Schrier
Angelina
Ana
Ashley
Lora


Thank you so much for stopping by... I hope you enjoyed yourself! Now go... skedaddle... finish the hop, head over to the forum for the challenges and games. Most of all - enjoy yourself!

Finally... the perfect blog planner... on Pinterest!

Good Morning everyone in blog land! Isn't there a quote about good intentions? The only one that comes to mind is what my Grandma used to say, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." That's the way it's been so far with my blog.

When I started my blog last November I had the best intentions of posting at least twice a week. Right? Not! The blogger gods had differant intentions. My house was broken into and ransacked the following week. In January through June my mom had a series of bad falls, broken bones, hospitals, and now nursing home.

Out of chaos comes a greater need for organization, which is what this post is about. I found this wonderful Blog Planner by Beckie at Infarrantly Creative.

I have to say this is the best thing for me since sliced white bread. The left side is a monthly calendar and the right side is a weekly blog schedule. I finally got around to making one, even though the year's half gone, and it's been exactly what I've

Here's a close-up of the left and right sides respectively. I bound my pages with the orientation in the center of the book. When I complete a week I tear the page out and put it in a pocket on the inside of the back cover. The new, or current, week is always on top. I do the same for the calendar page. When a month is over I tear the page out and put it in a pocket in the inside of the front cover. By doing this I can see exactly what I'm working on without flipping through pages. [Hmmm... I hope I didn't confuse you here.]
        

For the front and back covers I used the new Grafic45 collection called A Ladies' Diary.

I resisted the urge to fancy up the front with a lot of embellishments. I could have gone hog wild with lace and flowers, but I wanted this to lay flat when opened. I used my new, inexpensive, compact, highly portable, spiral binding system by CarlaCraft to bind it all together. [note: stayed tuned for a post on this binding system.]

If you're still with me... thank you for reading this incredibly long post. Thank you also for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed your visit!

OWH Sketch #132

I love this week's sketch at OWH... real good for a CAS card. I made mine as Hero Mail, and I hope they enjoy it. This is my second try.

My first try seemed way too blah. It's O.K., just doesn't do much for me.

The paper is from Authentique. The striped is Genuine "Natural", and the chevron is Genuine "Friendship". The stamps are from Paper Smooches Circle of Honor set.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Ideas from Pinterest

Are you a Pinterest-aholic? I love the extra card ideas and inspiration I find on Pinterest. Maybe it's a color scheme, or a layout. How about a new way to use stamps or make punch art? Whatever it is... I love it! Today I have two sets of cards I made for OWH using ideas found on Pinterest.

The first set is by Mary Jo at Technostamper. I found this was a very easy card to put together using embossing folders and scraps of paper. It's also a great CAS design.

The second set is by Chanda at Bellvue Stamping Club. How many of you had a toy xylophone when you were a kid? I did, and I loved it! I don't know about you... but this card makes me smile.

Thank you Mary Jo and Chanda for your ideas and inspiration. And thank you my peeps for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed your visit!

Ready to start crafting again!!

I'm finally back and can start posting again. I was visiting my son almost the entire month of July... and quite a bit of the time we didn't have internet.

Today I'm showing my attempt at combining two separate challenges. Trust me... I have lots and lots of trouble combining challenges. This time it came together very well and I'm pleased at how my card turned out.

This week's Member Challenge at CardSwaps. This week it's an Inspiration Challenge and we had darling photos to get out inspiration from. I chose the Teal and Yellow colors to use. I would have liked to use some purple, but I don't have so much as a scrap of that color.

This week's OWH Sketch Challenge found here. I love to use their sketches. The measurements are always given right on the sketch so there's no guessing what size to cut the pieces.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed you visit!