Alota Valentines

Nancy at Windstar Creations had done these adorable pocket envelopes to go with her Cards 4 Kids valentines. She was kind enough to send me directions and I had to try one, which led to three. Thank you, Nancy. They're super easy to do, so I made them and then copied her idea of putting valentines in them with the tab on the top. I did my valentines with the set I ordered from Alota Rubber Stamps, "Valentine Cuties." I love this set. The DP and hearts are from the SU! bundle which included a great Valentine stamp set, the 3-heart punch, and the DP. These are for 3 of my 8 grandchildren. I need to get more done, but I'm waiting on my robot images to arrive to do a few up with those. They are also from ARS, and I'll post those when I get them done. ARS also has some new sets that are beautiful and versatile so check them out if you get a chance. Thanks so much for looking. Loved all the cards I took the time to look at today. Flourishes also had some beauties to showcase. So much eye candy, and so inspirational! Hope you have a lovely week-end, wherever you are.

A Big Thank You! and a Card Challenge

Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 days since I last posted to my blog. I seemed to be on such a roll last week and then this week I've had a lean week for stamping. I do want to say a big thank you to Nancy, Windstar Creations, and Carolyn, P.M.S. ETC. Each of these sweet ladies nominated me for an award. To say that made my day would be an understatement. Thank you so much, girls, for honoring me with those awards. Each of these girls is so talented and generous and I am thrilled to be nominated by them. I will be back to post my awards and nominate someone for them, but I did want to acknowledge Nancy and Carolyn for thinking of me.

I also wanted to post my HM challenge since I managed to get it done. I was recently in Hobby Lobby and remembered that they sell HM stamps there. I found one of the images I fell in love with on the challenges, AND....it was on sale! I even found a sentiment that went perfectly with it. This week's challenge was a color challenge....Cameo Coral, Old Olive, and Night of Navy. I think my card is self-explanatory, given those color perameters. I colored my bunny with my Copic markers. If you can see, I colored her necklace beads in Old Olive and Night of Navy, alternating colors. My bunny has a keen sense of fashion when it comes to color coordination. :) Thanks for stopping by. I'm always thrilled to read your encouraging comments. The HM design team did some adorable cards so be sure to check them out. I'll try to be back soon. Nancy sent me a tutorial on making ATC pockets and I made 3 and put valentines in them for my grandbabies. Can't wait to show them to you. Thank you, Nancy for sharing that. Happy Saturday!

Sweet Little Donkey

I have another quick post to share with you before heading for work. I'm only going in briefly because technically today is a holiday, right? This was for a sketch challenge on PCP for Alota Rubber Stamps. I'm getting really addicted to their images and this one is another in the "Michelle's Sweet Little Donkeys" set. The DP is from Basic Grey's "Cupcake". The ribbons are Chocolate Chip from SU and the yellow is Lemon Tart from PTI. I cut out my donkey and then made my own grass for him to sit on. I popped him up on dimensionals and I colored all of it with my Copic Markers. Hope you like it and thanks so much for looking. Today is another new challenge at HM&Friends. It's a color challenge, so check it out and if you can, be sure to join in.

Ya Gotta Luv Alota

I finally put two cards together yesterday of images that I received from Alota Rubber Stamps and colored right after Christmas. I made the one a Valentine's card (DUH!) and the other is for a baby shower we're invited to. I colored these with my Copics that my husband so generously got me for Christmas. I'm loving these little donkeys and have more colored/to color. The donkeys are in a set called Michelle's Sweet Little Donkeys, and the other is called Walking in the Rain Umbrella. Aren't they just too cute!!! Alota Rubber Stamps issued a sketch challenge beginning the 16th but sadly these won't work, so golly,....guess I'll just have to do another card. Darn! :)
Thanks for stopping by and hope you like these. If you have any of their stamps, join the challenge!

Flourishes Home Decor Challenge

To celebrate the release of 3 new home-related stamp sets, Flourishes is having a challenge. The idea is to find something in your home and use it as inspiration to make a card. The DT came up with the most gorgeous and creative cards. They are choosing one lucky winner to give the new sets to. I wanted to get in on this challenge because,.....well, it challenged me. (I long ago gave up on the idea that I might ever win anything free, so I don't do the challenges with that as my main goal. I mean there's still hope, but miniscule at best when it comes to me.) Anywhoo, I have a Charming Tails piece in my craft room that I just love. I bought it with my daughter, for my daughter, but it graces my craft room because she still resides here. I decided to attempt to capture that for my card. Most everything I used is from Flourishes. The coffee cup is from "Coffee with Friends". The large flower and the leaves are from "Poppy Patch" and the small flower is the coneflower from "Summer Botanicals." The sentiment is from "Mixed Greetings." The pearls are "Blush" Kaiser pearls, and the background paper is from Memory Box's "Grove." I colored my flowers and leaves with copic markers and adorned the edges with Stickle's Stardust. It is all mounted on Bazzill dotted swiss CS. The green and white ovals, cut with my Nestie's, are from SU and PTI. Be sure to check out the cards the DT did, and I think there's still time to get in on the challenge, but hurry. Thanks so much for looking.

Blog Award from Rachel

Rachel from My Cardstock Creations nominated me for this award. Thank you bunches, Rachel. Needless to say, I was ENCOURAGED.

The rule's of this Award are as follows:

1) Post a link of the person who gave you this award.
2) Nominate 5 other people and give a link to there sites.
3) Let the people who you have nominated know.
4) Put a logo of the award on your blog.

My 5 nominees are : (this is always the tough part, because there are so many incredible bloggers and talented stampers - but here is my list for this time)

For beautiful card creations and the ability to make me laugh: Joan, Paperlicious
For adorable cards with critters that I'm just now discovering: Teresa, Crafteresa
For beautiful cards and as much encouragement as any person could give: Carolyn, P.M.S. Etc.
For cards and a blog that keep getting better and better: Cindy, Stamping Therapy
For a fun blog to visit and really great projects: Nancy, Windstar Creations

Please be sure to check out their blogs. I know you'll smile and be inspired. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by my blog. It encourages me more than you know.

HM-ATC

Yay! House Mouse Monday Challenge is back! This week's challenge was to make an ATC, or Artist's Trading Card. These have to measure 2.5 x 3.5. I used SU papers in the Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze. I then used my Rectangular Nestie on Shimmer White and cut out and mounted my HM image, "Morning Kick Start", on that. The sentiment is from Amuse, and the "coffee" on the mug is from Flourishes Coffee and Friends. I colored my image with Copics.
I'm frustrated that my pictures, once uploaded, have been looking so washed out. I'm still playing with solutions, but IRL they look so much perkier. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the DT's entries, as well as all the participants. These are fun little cards to make.

Baby It's Cold Outside

I kind of wish that were true where I live, but right now it is not. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that we're not up to our eyeballs in snow, nor are we freezing and having to huddle together to stay warm. I'm quite sure it's in the lower 60's right now, which I know many of you would opt for in a heartbeat. But I grew up in the north and when January arrives you just kind of want to wear warm clothes for a little while and experience a change in season, to some extent anyway. But enough whining and on to my card. This is Willow and I've been seeing her a lot lately. She's from Whiff of Joy and I love the image. She's officially called Willow and Hot Chocolate, but she makes me think she's contemplating something while she's sipping her HC - hence, the "You're on my mind." I colored her with my Copic markers and I'm enjoying using them and getting more comfortable with them. My main CS is SU's Creamy Caramel, and I used SU's Ski Slope DP mounted on a strip of Riding Hood Red CS. The sentiment is from SU's Upsy Daisy and is one of the reasons I bought that set. I also used Baja Breeze for the scalloped oval and sentiment and my Nesties for Willow's image and the scalloped oval and sentiment. I used Prima flowers and a Build-a-Brad for their center.
Thanks for looking and have a wonderful week-end and for those of you who are having cold weather, have a cup of HC and stay warm. Hugs,

Be Mine Dragon

Recently I pre-ordered a new stamp from 7Kids College Fund that I thought was adorable. This Dragon with Flower is a Stampavie clear stamp, Lelo Design and I colored it with my Prismacolor pencils and decided to make it a valentine card. I then decided to send it plus others to Julie Koerber's mom to help out with her challenge called Cards 4 Kids. You can read about it at Julie's blog here. The plaid DP is SU's Prestwick, and the CS is Rose Red behind the dragon. I used Prima flowers and Taffeta ribbon from SU. I had fun coloring this little guy. They have more adorable images at 7Kids CF, so check them out if you get a chance. Thanks for stopping by and happy Friday.

Little Lady

I'm finally getting a chance to catch up a bit on my blog visits and comments and thought I'd take a quick moment to post another card. This is one I did for my granddaughters 5th birthday which was in December. She loves pink, and when I got my
" Lizzie with Muff" stamp from Whiff of Joy, I knew I had to use it for her card. I tried to imagine her all fancied up with a fur muff and ear muffs, and some sparkles on her outfit. I also made one in a powder blue and they both turned out as I had hoped they would. I heat embossed the "fur" in white embossing powder and used my Stickles on the flourishes on her top and skirt. I used SU's Parisian Summer and Pink Pirouette for the scalloped oval. I colored her outfit mainly in Copic Markers, using R20 for the main pink color. I need to start taking pictures of my Copics that I use to color with because afterwards I forget what I used. Does anyone else have that problem? Thanks for your visit to my blog. I hope you like Lizzie. Tomorrow starts a new 2009 HM challenge. Hope you can join us. Happy New Year!

Celebrating with Truffles

Happy 2009! I wish you all a blessed year and hope it's starting off in a delightful way. I did get my HM card done for the latest challenge. I'm glad they gave us two weeks because the holidays definitely pulled me away from stamping and I'm anxious to get back to it. The HM challenge this time was embossing. It could be heat embossing, or any kind of embossing. Check out the blog for specifics. I have been waiting to use my Truffles HM stamp and decided to do it and emboss the frosting drizzles on the candies, as well as gold-emboss the "Chocolate Truffles" at the top. I tried using my Turpenoid Natural, which I'm guessing does the same thing Gamsol does, to blend my coloring with my Prismacolor pencils and I like how it blended the coloring on the chocolates, but I didn't like the way it "bled" the purple around the "Truffles" lettering. I usually don't use the turpenoid and I just need to be careful what I'm using it on I guess. I am acquiring more Copic Markers so next time I'll try my hand at using my Copics. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I saw so many gorgeous cards and I'm going to challenge myself to do some kind of Christmas card or project each month so I go into the next Christmas season, Lord willing, with a head-start. Take care and be sure to check out the other HM entries as I know they'll put a smile on your face.

Merry Christmas to all!

This card is to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! I have a few more tags to make to go with the fudge that we will deliver to our neighbors, and then it's off to bed. Gifts are done and under the tree and I'm ready for a "long winter's nap." I hope Santa is good to you and yours but more importantly I pray that you will celebrate the birth of our Saviour and that your hearts will be filled with joy because of the good news that was announced to the shepherds so long ago. Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas!!

SSNOTIME66 Challenge

I'm actually participating in a challenge while at the same time doing a card that needed doing for a December guy-birthday (our Pastor, actually.) My ornament and the pine branch are from Verve's Ornamental Christmas, and the birthday sentiment is from It's Your Birthday from SU! Verve includes the "caps" to the ornaments in either a solid or outlined version, so I stamped the solid in silver on top of the black. The ribbon is double-sided black and silver from May Arts, from Flourishes, and the buckle is from SU! It was quite simple....the card front is 4 x 4. I have not done my HM challenge, which I'm still hoping to have time to do. I love Sharon's entry for the SSNOTIME challenge, and I've not had time to check the others yet. Check them all out if you get a chance. Thanks for looking and I hope you have a wonderful pre-Christmas week-end.

Check out this great recipe!

Just a quick post to link you to Sue's blog for a great and easy recipe, "Candy Cane Kisses & Pretzels." I'm sure this would be a winner with the combination of salty and sweet. My mouth is watering. :) Can't wait to try it.

Warm Wishes from a Cool Dude

I have time for a quick post so thought I'd share my little Inkadinkadoo snowman that I found on sale at Michael's. I really thought he was too cute and had to work him up and this is what I came up with. I used my trusty Prismacolor pencils to color him and my MS punch for my snowflakes. The DP is Memory Box's Winterberry. The sentiment is from PTI's 2008 Holiday Tag Collection. I attached a close-up pic in case you couldn't see on the big picture how I "hung" my snowman and sentiment from a word window-punched "banner" (from SU!) I popped it up on dimensionals and "Frosty" is hanging freely.
Well, it's time to get some rest. Thanks so much for looking.....hope you like this little guy.