Easter Egg

I wanted to get on my computer last night but my husband was using it to do our taxes. And tomorrow night my daughter will be over to do her taxes using my computer so I better get my card posted tonight or I won't get to post it for a while. LOL! The weekend will be busy since Tom's parents will be visiting and we'll be out at Baby Creek without Internet access. So I'm working on some Easter cards to send.

Isn't this fun. I found this scrap of designer paper that I used on my in-laws Christmas cards. So I matched some of the colors from it to make the layers. The image is from Bugaboo Stamps. The sentiment is part of Studio G Easter stamp that also has a little duck on it. I covered the duck before inking and after I had the sentiment inked I pulled the tape off and stamped the sentiment. The Easter eggs are another stamp that has 5 eggs on it with various patterns. It's also a Studio G stamp. I stamped them on a scrap of card stock and colored them with a mixture of Copics and Bic markers. I added a faux stitched border around the image after I distressed the edges with Squeezed Lemonade Distress ink. I am entering these challenges:

• Stella Sketch challenge: sketch
• Scrap Creations: Easter
• Outlawz Saturday: animals
• Stamping Boutique: Easter
• Paper Players: 3 spree
• Simon Says: Easter/sweet treats

The paper has arrived that I ordered for my daughter's wedding invitations. I can start folding and make a mock up for her to see. We also have any idea for the centerpieces that I am excited about. If you have any ideas for  favors we can use I'd be thrilled to hear about them. The these is Moments of Magic and her colors are cornflower blue and silver.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope the first half of your week has gone well. Here's to an awesome second half and weekend!

Bloom

Where does the time go? I rarely get time to craft any more. This weekend was a wedding out of town and cleaning my house. I miss my crafting time. I did get one quick card done for a swap. It was a flower swap.

The daffodils are just starting to peek out there pretty flowers around here so I thought this image by Ann Fenton would be perfect. It was last Thursday's free image and it's still free so you can check it out at the link. I colored it with Copic Markers: Y11, Y13,YG03 and YG13. I distressed the edges with Stampin' Up Certainly Celery. The background embossing is my favorite embossing folder Victoria. The designer paper is K&Company Citronella. The sentiment is from a Gina K set.  I added a ribbon with knot. I really liked how this turned out.
I am entering these challenges:

• Seize the Sketch: sketch
• Bugaboo: anything goes
• Outlawz Friday challenge: spring is sprung

It rained all day today. Very gloomy! The medication for my hip helps but ti seems to wear off by the end of the day. My leg still goes numb so he thought maybe it was a pinched nerve. I have to go back to the doctor in a few weeks so hopefully they will look at them then. He wanted to see if the medication would take care of it. it helps but it certainly hasn't cured it. I am thankful though they it isn't worse. I can still walk and get around. The last two weeks I have just been maintaining my weight loss and no more downward movement of the scale numbers. Maybe this week. Thanks for stopping by. I am hoping to get some craft time in this week. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Hugs,

Deepest Sympathy

I'm not sure why I don't make sympathy cards ahead of time. I always hate making them when I need them but it never occurs to me to make them ahead. But I needed one tonight for a friend who lost her mother over the weekend.

The image is from Beccy's Place. It's a pre-colored image which makes putting these kinds of cards together very easy. The sentiment is from a set that I won in a blog candy. There was no markings to tell which company the set came from but it has lots of nice sentiments in it. I kept it very simple.

Challenges:

• CAS(E) this sketch: the sketch
• Beccy's Place April challenge: use an image from Beccy's Place
• Outlawz Monday challenge: anything goes

My doctor's appointment yesterday went okay. He decided to try anti-inflammatory drugs before trying more expensive methods. He said that the MRI didn't show anything wrong so he is thinking maybe it's tendonitis. So if this works it will be an easy fix. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Hope your weather is as lovely. Ours is rainy. We've had an inch of rain so far today. But they are predicting 3-4 inches by Friday. Wishing you a warm breeze and lots of sunshine! Thanks for stopping by!

Die-Namics

Happy Sunday! I haven't had much time to craft this weekend but yesterday I did go to my LSS for a die class. For the cost of the die you get the die and all the class ideas and materials. The die this time was a fun one from MFT called Blueprints 3.

.With the die set we got a page of card sketches that we could use to create a card during the class. She had lost of scraps out for us to use. Here's the card I made.

I used the dies from the set to create the flowers and the bands as well as cutting the background paper to fit the 5x5 card perfectly. I don't often make this size card but I might more often with this die set. The sentiment is from a Gina K birthday sentiment set. And I used a couple other elements from the die set on the inside of the card.

I love the cute little bow in this set. Perfect to make sure your cards are flat for mailing. Some of the elements have piercing points. It's really hard to see in the pictures but the strips and the circles have the piercing on them. Lots of possibilities with this set.

I am entering these challenges:

• Creative Knockouts: texturize it
• Outlawz Monday challenge: Just add texture
• Pile it On: floral fantasy
• Hiding in my Craft Room: free style - anything goes

We had a gorgeous day today. Bright sunshine but a bit chilly. Tomorrow it's supposed to be warmer. I have an orthopedic appointment tomorrow morning for my hip. I have my x-ray and MRI pictures on a disk from the hospital. Hopefully he'll be able to see something that will help.

Thanks for stopping by today. Here's hoping you have an awesome start to your week.

Hoppy Easter

Well last night was Christmas and tonight is Easter. LOL! I am into holidays this week. I owed a friend an Easter swap card so that's what I was trying to get done tonight. And I am really happy the way it turned out.

The bunny image is from Bugaboo Stamps. The sentiment and tulip paper are from Doodle Pantry. I colored the bunny with Copics (E33, E35, B29, RV02, and RV06). The border punch is Lacy Swirls by Martha Stewart. The frame is the same Spellbinder's frame that I used last night on my Christmas card. I distressed the sentiment with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink. I popped the bunny up to give it some depth and added Fruit Punch Stickles to the bunny for texture.
Here's the inside of the card.

I used a few different Copics on the inside (Y13 and V15 and the two pinks from the bunny). And distressed the sentiment again with Squeezed Lemonade.

I am entering these challenges:

• Stella Sketch: sketch
• Outlawz Thursday challenge: anything goes, add texture
• Party Time Tuesday: anything goes

I've managed to pick up a cold somewhere or maybe allergies. I almost didn't go to work today but after I got there and got busy I was okay for the day. We'll see how it goes tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon is my Diabetes Prevention Class. I wonder if I've lost more weight this week? Thanks for stopping by today and checking out my card.

Poinsettia Christmas

Happy Tuesday! How are your New Year's resolutions coming along? I had a fairly simple one, I though. But it turns out I'm not doing too well keeping it. My resolution was to make 5 Christmas cards a month so I wouldn't be scrambling in December when I needed more. I did that in January but since then I've kind of fallen behind. So much for resolutions.But I do have a Christmas card that I made last night that I'd like to share. I am playing with a progressive Christmas challenge over at DigiStamps4Joy. This month the image is the sentiment block.

I used a Spellbinders frame to highlight the sentiment block and paired it with the swag of poinsettias from Doodle Pantry. The two flowers in the corners were made with Spellbinder's dies and then I embellished the flowers with Golden Rod Stickles for texture. I popped up the poinsettias and the sentiment block just to give it some interest.

I am  entering these challenges:

• DigiStamps4Joy Christmas challenge: use the provided image
• Outlawz Wednesday challenge: sketch
• Hiding in my Craft Room: let's get digital
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown: dimensional paper flowers
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

We had some snow today and it stuck for a while but then melted. It's supposed to be 15 degrees tonight. Way too cold for March in my opinion; but Mother Nature isn't asking me. LOL! I finally got hold of my doctor today. The MRI on my hip didn't show any fractures but they are sending me to an orthopedic specialist next Monday. I guess we'll wait to see what he says.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope your week is going well.

You're So Sweet

Happy Thursday! Thursday has become one of mt favorite days because I get to go to my class for the Diabetes Prevention Program. We have an awesome instructor and the others in the class are very supportive. This was our fourth class so we've just been at this for three weeks. This past week I lost 3.2 pounds for a total of 5.8 pounds so far. I am loving it! And so far I am not missing my cheese, nuts and chocolate. I did have nuts and cheese this week so you really don't have to give anything up.
My card tonight is a birthday card for a cute little girl. She has a birthday this weekend. Not sure if she will be three or four but I thought she would like this card.

I had trouble getting the card to stay closed so that the mouse showed through the opening correctly. So it's slightly off in the pictures. The adorable little mouse enjoying those blueberries is a Doodle Pantry image. The background stamp is from Penny Black Stamps. I colored parts of the background with Copics and then added the pearl embellishments. The opening was cute with Spellbinders circles and then outlined with Spellbinders Heart Circles. So here's the inside.

The "Your so Sweet" sentiment is from the same Doodle Pantry set. And I stamped the Happy Birthday from a Gina K Stamp set. I just love how this came out and I really hope she likes it!

I am entering these challenges:

• Doodle Pantry challenge: use a Doodle Pantry image
• Through the Craftroom Door: anything goes
• Sentimental Sunday: cute and cuddly
• Outlawz Thursday: add texture

I hope your Thursday was wonderful. I did get to walk at lunch today but it was chilly. Tomorrow we are supposed to get into the 60s. Yeah! I can't wait. Have a wonderful weekend! I am so looking forward to it! Thanks for stopping by!

Tractor Birthday

What a whirlwind week this last week has been. I was in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand for 5 days for a conference for work. That was fun and exhausting. Lots of walking. I averaged over 15,000 steps a day on my pedometer. Lots of interesting people and while we didn't have time to go to the shows, they brought some things to us. We got to see the Rat Pack impersonators and Elvis, Cher and Tina Turner. A couple of really great bands and a performance similar to Cirque du Soleil but to Beatles music. Spectacular show! It's taken me a little while to get it back together. And on the weekend we had to go to Cincinnati for a wedding shower for Tom's nephew and future wife. The wedding is coming up in just a few short weeks. Nice to see family again.
Two weeks ago I started a class that's being offered by the university I work for. The class is free. It's the Diabetes Prevention Program. It's supposed to help you lose 7% of your body weight in 16 weeks. The first week I lost 0.2 pounds; not much. But last week, even being in Las Vegas, I lost 2.6 pounds. It's a real life style change and I am thrilled to be taking the class. I love the instructor and it great to have a support group behind me. And I have to say it's really not that difficult to do, although there are a lot of foods that just aren't on my radar anymore. And that's okay. So I feel like I am off to a great start!

My card tonight is for my FIL's birthday which really is tomorrow but we gave it to him when we saw him on the weekend.

The picture is really off of a blanket package. But he has a FarmAll tractor very much like this one. I jazzed it up a bit with some background paper, a Happy Birthday sentiment from Hero Arts and a coupe of hexagons from Fresh Squeezed. Nothing too complicated since I didn't have much time after I got back from Vegas.
I am entering these challenges:

• Outlawz Wednesday challenge: sketch
• Pile it on: for a guy
• DigiStamps4Joy: add a birthday sentiment

Thanks for stopping by after my long blogging vacation. I am hoping to get back into the swing of things. And I am hoping that spring will decide to peek out really soon. I am tired of heavy coats and no sunshine. Wishing you many days of sunshine ahead!

Missing my Craft Action

Howdy friends! If you've wondered where I am, I am in Las Vegas for work this week at a conference. While Vegas is so much warmer than Indiana and the sun is shining all the time, I am missing home and my crafting. The conference is great fun and Vegas has been spectacular but I find myself hoping Wednesday gets here very soon. My DH told me this morning that there will be snow tomorrow morning so that's a downer but he said it was supposed to bounce back to 60 by Friday. I'll take that! I've been walking almost 8 miles a day. I am wearing my pedometer. The conference is spread out all over the MGM hotel and conference center so there is lots of walking. Before I left home, I started a Diabetes Prevention Program so I am recording everything I eat and trying to keep my fat grams below 33 grams per day. So far I have been under everyday, (yeah me!) so today I am going to splurge and eat what I want. But between watching my diet and all the walking I hope that when I weigh in at my class on Thursday that I have lost some weight this week. Who goes to Vegas and loses weight? LOL! That won't make the promotional literature for Las Vegas for sure.
Well, it's almost 6:30 am so I better get moving and head down to breakfast before my first session. Hope your week is going well. It will be a while longer before I get back to crafting so hang in there with me. When I get back early Thursday morning I then have to work on Thursday and Friday and then a trip to Cincinnati for a wedding shower and to celebrate my FIL's 84th birthday on the weekend. So here's to next week when I can finally get back to my routine. LOL! Have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend!

I'm a Wee Bit Irish

Happy Monday! After about a half inch ice we got about three inches of snow yesterday. Schools were out today here but now the university. So off to work we went. Tom dropped me off so we only took the four-wheel drive. Since we drove together he had to take me to the hospital after work for my MRI. That was a really different experience. If you've never had one, it's a long tube that the put you into and I had to lie still for thirty minutes while a magnet makes all kinds of noise. LOL! They gave me ear phones and piped music in for me so the noise wouldn't bother me so much. I'm not terribly claustrophobic but I certainly wouldn't want to spend a long time in one of those. Since they were imaging my hip my head wasn't totally inside the tube. If I glanced up and back I could see the outside of the tube. The radiologist will read it tomorrow and hopefully I'll get the results soon. Quite the experience I must say.
My card tonight is a Saint Patrick's Day card. I usually don't send many of these and since I will be in Las Vegas next week for a work conference I won't get many of them made.

This cute little piggie is the stamp of the month at From the Heart stamps. It's a progressive challenge but if you haven't played in the past you can buy the stamp and then get the next month's free stamp. This set also uses the pig in a very cute spring setting too. I colored my image with Copic markers and cut and embossed it with Spellbinder's circle die. The 'kiss me' sentiment comes in the set. I die cut it with a die from a company no longer in business. I inked the sentiment and then added pearls. The background paper is from Scrap Happy Paper Crafters. I stamped the edges with a border stamp from the February Simon Says Stamp Kit.

I'm entering this card into these challenges:

• From the Heart Stamp of the Month challenge: use the stamp of the month
• Simon Says challenge: anything goes with pearls
• Hiding in my Craft Room: spring colors
• Paper Makeup Stamps: anything goes
• Corrosive Challenge: animals

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope your week is off to a great start.

Stella Birthday

Good Sunday Morning to you! As I write we have about a quarter inch of ice on the ground. We won't be going anywhere today. We have another 3-6 inches of snow yet to come. A winter storm warning going until tomorrow. Will spring never come? Well, I'm making up for the nasty weather by making bright cards. Anything to think spring!
This card is for a friend's birthday. I used a Bugaboo Stella image.

I colored the Stella image with Copics (YR00, E00, Black, E35, RV06, YG03, YG17, C5, C1, and Y02). I used the Tuesday Morning Sketch for the card.

The designer paper is K & Company Citronella. I love the bright bold colors and the chevron patter. I cut the image with Spellbinder's circle die. The flags were cut and I punched the pennant end with a flower punch to make it look a little different. Added some ribbon and rhinestones from my stash.  The inside of the card uses the same paper and banner. The banner reads: Still hot.... if flashed count!

I am entering this card into these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch
• Bugaboo: March anything goes
• Pile it On: bold/bright or sweet/soft
• Hiding in My Craft Room: spring colors
• Outlawz Monday: anything goes

Well, I am hoping to go back and spend the day creating cards at my desk. Certainly can't go anywhere but I could do some cooking and cleaning up of my craft space too. So it will be  a lazy day today. I am looking forward to it. Hope you have an awesome Sunday too.

Birthday Chick

I have been very unmotivated this week. My x-rays came back this week and they show that there is arthritis in my hip but it also shows a tear injury. So Monday I have to have an MRI. So we'll see how the results come back on the next set of pictures.
I made a quick card tonight using an image for a progressive challenge at From the Heart.

I backed the image with a Spellbinder's die. The background paper is from a Simon Says Stamp Kit. I added a quick sentiment that I won in  a blog candy. And I edged the paper with faux stitching.
I am entering these challenges:

• From the Heart Stamp of the Month: use the image
• Fresh Squeezed challenge: sketch
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

More snow this weekend. It's supposed to be a pretty big storm. Enough already. Could we move on to spring. Hopefully it'll be here soon. Have a wonderful Friday!

Donna

Engagement Card #2

I didn't quite get time to post last night. We are visiting Tom's parents this weekend and time got away from me yesterday after we arrived. Thursday I posted a card for my son who proposed to his lovely bride to be last weekend. So today I post the card I sent to my daughter-in-law to be. While my card for Steve was somewhat serious my card for Anne was meant to be amusing.

I apologize. Somehow I got another blurry picture but I had already sent it off before I realized it. I struggled with the background paper for this card. I started with pinks but just felt it needed some other colors. After trying a number of designer papers I found this one. I like the chevrons. I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

The image is from Beccy's Place. I colored it with Copic markers and cut it with Spellbinder's frame dies. On the pink background banner I used a technique that I saw this week on Kristina Werner's blog. She took a stencil and pressed Versamark ink through the stencil and then embossed with clear embossing powder. I need a bit more practice on this technique but it worked okay fr my first try. I think the sentiment is from Bugaboo but I can't find it now in my files. Go figure! I cut the sentiment with Spellbinder's circles and faux stitched around the circle. The I added the 3 pearls and the pink striped twine.

I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place challenge: use a Beccy's Place image
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch
• Stamping Boutique: use a die cut or punch
• Simon Says Challenge: wedding or anniversary
• DigiStamps4Job: die cut or punches

Today was a lovely day weather-wise but tomorrow we are back to snow. I hope your weekend is going well and you have time to relax. Thanks for stopping by.

Donna

Only One Star

Happy Thursday! It's been a whirlwind week. I've been very busy at work and making cards at home in the evening. I have a couple of special cards to share with you. Last weekend my youngest son proposed to the love of his life on the beach at Pensacola, FL at sunset. We are so pleased. I hope they will be so happy together. But I made them both a card. I'll share one with you tonight.

This card didn't photograph very well. The stars in the background looked smudged but they really weren't. I embossed the stars with gold embossing powder on the kraft background. I used a couple of strips of paper; the blue one I embossed with the distressed lines embossing folder. The sentiment is the focus cut with a Spellbinder frame die. Then I punched the large star and added the star brads for added embellishment. The sentiment is from Ginger's House. The words are a bit fuzzy but it reads: Girls are like stars there are a million out there but only one can make your dreams come true. How fortunate to find that sentiment at just the right time.
I am entering these challenges:

• My Favorite Things: sketch challenge
• Outlawz Saturday: anything goes
• Paper Players: use star and CAS
• Pile it On: sentiment as focus
• Sentimental Sunday: pack a punch

Tomorrow night I'll show you the card I made for Steve's fiance. Thanks for stopping by. Yippee for Friday! Five o'clock on Friday is my favorite time of the week! Hope you can relax and enjoy the weekend.

Donna

I'm Tweet on You

Happy Tuesday! It's been an eventful past few days.Doctor's appointments , tests and more snow and ice. And a warm up today and tomorrow. A much needed respite from all the cold and ice. But they keep telling us not to get used to it. I am grateful for whatever warmth comes out way. Of course now flooding is a concern. We've already had a flooded garage but if the ice and snow continue to melt that will actually make the garage drier. It the ice build up that's backing the water into the garage.
Last Friday I had 2 doctor's appointments. And today I had two sets of x-rays and 2 ultra sounds. I'm kind of tired of being poked and prodded. My hip has been giving me trouble so the doc ordered x-rays. Unfortunately I fell on ice on Saturday which made it worse so I am anxious to see what the x-rays show. I am hoping that I won't be on crutches. Nothing back yet of course. I am hoping by the end of the week.
My card tonight is a shaped card for a swap. This was fun to make. And I couldn't decide which sentiment to put on it because I found a bunch that I could use. I finally decided on this one.

The image is a pre-colored image from Doodle Pantry. Just love the beautiful peacock tail with all the eyes. I used the Spellbinder's heart shapes to cut the sentiment from Scribbles by Sandy. And I stamped a few hearts on the birdhouse base. It was really fun to make and I hope my swap partner likes it.

I am entering these challenges:

• Outlawz Monday: animal planet
• Stamping Boutique: love
• Delightful Challenge: love notes (add a heart, music or letters)

Thanks for stopping today. Gotta get a moving tonight and get some other things accomplished. Take care!

Donna