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

Die Cut Thanks

This is my second post for today. Scroll down to see my earlier post. My class at my LSS was a lot of fun! We used the Lawn Fawn Alphabet Dies to make a couple of things. Here is the card we made.

As part of the class we got the die cut set but they hadn't come in yet so I'll have to go back to get my die cuts. We learned this technique to cut the letters but keep them attached. We cut two of them, one from the striped paper and one from a solid aqua color which became the shadow. I really enjoyed the class. We did another thing with the alphabet but I'll have to make something with the alphabet letters that we cut. And then I'll show that one later. Can't wait to get my set so I can play with this some more. Thanks for stopping by. Hope your weekend is relaxing. More snow tonight. What's new. Ha ha! Have a super Sunday!

Donna

Birthday Wishes

Happy sunny Saturday! After 4 more inches of snow yesterday we have partly sunny skies this morning. We have another chance of snow this afternoon. I'm not too worried because it's supposed to be 60 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Yippee! Finally warmer temps in the forecast. But the snow did cancel our weekend plans. We were going to see Tom's parents in Cincinnati but the roads were not very good for traveling. So that gives me a chance to go to a class this afternoon at our LSS. It's a die class and I am really looking forward to it!

I made a card today with a sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches blog.

I used the Fresh Squeezed stamp set called Happy Hexagons. I added the sentiment from Gina K's Birthday Greetings. The pearl flourish is from Zva Creations and the flowers I had in my sticker stash. I'm sorry that the patterns on the hexagons don't show very well. The yellow also has a pattern to it. I haven't decided if I like this one or not. It kind of reminds me of what Sandy Allnock calls "sneeze." Just kind of randomly throwing things on a card. What do you think?
I am entering these challenges:

• Freshly Made Sketches: sketch
• Outlawz Thursday challenge: add a flower
• Simon Says: get krafty

I will likely drop another blog post today after my class at the LSS. I think we are doing three cards and the die cut we are using is an alphabet. Thanks for stopping by and hope you visit again soon!

Donna

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy sunshine today! We had bright lovely sunshine and the temps approached the freezing mark. It felt like a heat wave. And rumor has it that we might hit 60 by next Friday. What a treat that would be after this really nasty, cold winter. My heart goes out to all the people in the southern US as they endure the ice and snow storm. My prayers are with you all. 
I finished another Valentine's Day card this evening. I've actually been working on this one a couple of evenings. I kind of got carried away with layering. LOL! But I didn't like it without the layers.

I used a Stampin' Up! background stamp that I've had for quite a while and it's called Background 1. It must be retired by now I am sure. I stamped it several times and then cut and layered the pieces. The pink layer I embossed with a Spellbinder Mbossability and then layered it with the same dark brown card stock as the other layers. I colored my Valentine image with Copics (R27, R46, RV02 and RV06) and then fussy cut the image. I added a little ric rac to finish off the card. I like this one a lot.
I am entering these challenges:

• Stella's sketch: sketch
• Simon Says Monday challenge: we love stamps
• Outlawz Friday challenge: use alcohol based inks; Valentine's Day/Love
• Sweet Stamps: love
• Papertake Weekly: with a heart
• Kaboodle Doodle: to my sweetheart
• Through the Craftroom Door: anything goes

Tomorrow is my Friday at work since I have 3 doctors' appointments on Friday so I took the day off. I need to get my hair cut that day too. So I'll have a full day on Friday. Thanks for stopping to visit today. I hope you liked my card today.

Donna

Happiness Enclosed

Well it was cold enough today that I didn't go outside my office for lunch. Since I work on the eighth floor I walked all the floors and the stairs in the building to get exercise at lunch time. I would so much prefer to get out at lunch time to break the day up. But I had a 1pm meeting so that kind of cemented my thoughts of staying indoor today. Tomorrow will likely be worse but I will probably bundle up and venture out to the library. It's only two blocks away and I often head there if the weather is less than perfect. It gets me out of the office for just a bit.
I made a couple of today's cards; three to be exact. They are going to my two brother and one sister as Valentines.

I cased this very CAS card from Julie Ebersole at Paper Trufflez. The little envelope is made from a punch that one of my non-crafty friends gave me. I'm not sure where she got it but I thought it would be fun to use it for a change. The hearts I traced on different kinds of paper and then faux stitched around them. The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp kit and I embossed it with black embossing powder. Easy peasy!
I am entering these challenges:

• CAS(E) this Sketch: sketch
• Outlawz Paper ala Mode: Valentine
• Hiding in my Craftroom: super scraps
• Bugaboo: love
• Stamp Boutique: CAS
• Simon Says: have a heart

Tomorrow is supposed to be very cold. Below zero tonight and then chance of snow on Wednesday. I do sound like a broken record.  Maybe spring will surprise up very soon. We can only hope and pray. Thanks for stopping by. I hope your week is off to a fabulous start!

Donna

Sent with Love

Happy Sunday!We got a bit more snow Saturday and Sunday. Not a lot but enough to get the salt trucks out and about. Tonight we hit the deep freeze again. I am longing for spring flowers and bright colors. I think as soon as I get my Valentines finished I will be heading for more sunny cards. Today I have a valentine for my MIL who is a huge purple fan. So this one is for her!

I got this Spellbinder's die on clearance at Hobby Lobby yesterday and just had to try it out. It's a cut, fold, tick die and I didn't have any of those so I couldn't resist. I just used the biggest one on the front of the card and I used the smallest one on the inside of the card. It's hard to find a name on some of these dies but this one might be called Angle Approach. Then I stamped a small heart stamp from Simon Says Stamp Kit around the die. Added a few layers and the sentiment from Gina K Designs called Heartily Yours Additions. And finished off with a few self-adhesived gem stones. Pretty simple.
I am entering these challenges:

• Outlawz Thursday challenge: Valentines/Hearts
• Cut it Up: Valentine
• Simon Says challenge: have a heart
• Papertake Weekly: anything goes

As the weekend winds down I wish you a wonderful week ahead. Thanks for stopping by. I hope your weather is better than ours is but I know lots of people are suffering the same fate. Take care!

Donna

In My Heart

Almost the weekend! I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to find more time to craft or my co-workers won't be getting any goodies for Valentine's Day. But tonight I worked on another Valentine card. This one my go to Operation Write Home since I used one of my favorite color combinations: red, white and blue.

I used a My Favorite Things stamp set called Love you with all my Heart. I did a little bit of everything on this one. I embossed one of the banners with a stars embossing folder, faux-stitched one of the banners, and used patterned paper for the third banner. I also added faux stitching to the layered background piece. I cut the image with Spellbinder's circles and backed it with the scalloped circle. I added Diamond Stickles to the scalloped circle the heart on the image and one of the stitched hearts near the sentiment. I like the way this one turned out.
I am entering these challenges:

• My Favorite Things challenge: sketch
• Simon Says: Have a Heart
• Kaboodle Doodles: valentine
• Crafty Playtime: hearts
• Hiding in my Craftroom: I'm blue without you

Below zero tonight here and then more snow coming in. We just can't shake that pattern. I hope you are warm and dry wherever you are. Thanks for stopping by today.

Donna

Christmas Dragon

Seven inches of snow last night. Most of the schools were closed today but not the university so I didn't get my crafting day I was hoping for. Bummer! More snow coming on Saturday. Tomorrow and Friday we are going back to the deep freeze. The nights will be below 0 again. So, baby, it's cold outside and I turned to making a Christmas card.

DigiSatmos4Joy again has their progressive Christmas challenge. You use the image they provide and you get the next month's image. This month the image is this adorable little dragon. I have lots of nieces and nephews that will love this card. I used the image and backed it with a Spellbinder's Pendant die. The background paper is double-sided and I used both sides of the Lori Whitlock paper. I embossed the sentiment with fine black embossing powder. On the strip I used a berry lace die from Magnolia stamps. I added the three sizes of pearls as embellishments. I used the Tuesday Morning Sketch for this card.
I am entering these challenges:

• DigiStamps4Joy Christmas challenge: use the provided digi.
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
  Outlawz Friday challenge: anything goes with a Christmas twist

That's it for tonight. It's about my bed time. Hope you are enjoying your week. We are counting down to the weekend. Thanks for stopping by today.

Donna

My Dog Valentine

As I type, the snow falls. We had about 3 inches in 2 hours this afternoon. Driving home from work was no fun. I did see one accident and fortunately it wasn't my car. The totals were varying depending on who you were listening to throughout the day. The schools are already closed for tomorrow but so far the university is still open. We'll see what the morning brings. I have my fingers crossed for a craft day tomorrow or at least working from home.

My DH and I play cards with a couple who have a midnight black large dog. We sometimes keep the dig while they are gone. So I often send the dog a card because I know they get such a kick out of it. So here's my valentine for our dog friend, Margo.

The dog image is from Bugaboo Stamps. I cut the image out out with Spellbinder's Lacy Rectangles. I added the hearts from the Simon Says January card kit. The sentiment I pulled from my stash so I'm not sure where it came from. I cut the panels and then sponged them with Pink Passion ink and embossed them with a Spellbinders Mbossability. The layered the red and black.
I am entering these challenges:

• Friday Mashup challenge: sketch and sponging
• Creative Knockouts: tic tac toe: stamp, sentiment and dies
• Through the Craftroom Door: anything goes
• Bugaboo challenge: anything goes
• Crafty Boots: bingo: embossing, heart, die cut

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you are staying safe and warm if you are in the path of this storm. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Donna