Let Heaven and Nature Sing

 Welcome to June! And a new challenge at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. I am getting this up a little late as the twins showed up earlier than I expected today and I had to make them lunch and dinner. I hadn't planned on that. I am one tired Grammy tonight. One day down and 15 more to go. But they do make me laugh, a lot! So our new challenge for June is, as always "anything goes" with our special twist which is "Merry ChristMouse" this month. Our sponsor is Hetty Clare Art and of course Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. 

I used Hetty Clare's Christmouse Caroller and added several tress in the background and also inked the background with Memento London Fog for the snow and Salty Ocean and Broken China Distress Oxide inks. I also used MFT Mini Cloud Edges Stencil. I die cut the scene with MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares. The background paper is from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Velvet Jewel Tones.

The music paper is from my stash. The sentiment is computer-generated. I do hope you'll play along this month at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch challenge: 
  
• Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog: anything Christmas goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that at some point in the next two weeks I'll get a chance to craft something, but if today is any indication I will be wiped out by the time they go to bed. Take care! Stay safe. Peace and all good.

Donna

Sending Love

 Long time no see? Haven't been doing much crafting lately. I'll have a design team card on the first of June and then I'll be busy again. Our grand twins will be moving in with us for two weeks on June 1st. So I doubt that I'll have much crafting time. But I did this quick card tonight specifically for the Rudolph Days challenge. So here's to Christmas!

I used up lots things that were already printed and die cut. The image is from From the Heart Stamps (sadly no longer in business). I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers. I die cut the image with Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Rectangle Frames. The outside frame was a scrap from my scrap box already cut with the same die. The sentiment was already printed and die cut with MFT Blueprints 13 (retired) washi tape dir. I added Diamond Stickles to the stars and several of the birds. I am entering these challenges:

• May Rudolph Days challenge: anything goes Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes
• Merry Little Christmas challenge: anything Christmas
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by. I know that the twins will keep me busy for the next few weeks but maybe I'll get a chance to play a little. If not I'll be back in a few weeks. Take care. Stay safe. Peace and all good.

Donna

Hoppy Birthday

 Happy Monday! I hope all is well with you. It's been a while since I've had a chance to craft and it will be a while until I am able to craft again. Tomorrow we leave for Boston for two weeks. We are finally going to get to see our boys, Haven't seen them in almost 2 years. Since we are fully vaccinated now, we decided to make the trip. We are driving and not flying so the drive time will be two days out and two days back. So a lot of time in the car. I am pretty much packed and ready to go. At first I wasn't taking anything with me to do, but decided I'd take a small box with images to color. So when I return home I'll have images ready to add to cards. Tonight I had a chance to use an image that was in my "ready to craft" box.

The cute frog image is from Beccy's Place called Frog and Oleander. I die cut the image with Spellbinders Large Octagons. I inked the card stock with Altenew Rose Quartz ink. The sentiment is from Firecracker Designs (found a Facebook page that turned up "not found"). I lightly inked the card stock with Peeled Paint Distress Ink. It's die cut with MFT Sentence Strips. The background flower paper is an upcycled greeting card. I loved the colors. I added a white dotted pink ribbon from my stash. All the layering is done with black card stock. I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place May challenge: use a Beccy's Place image
• Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Seize the Birthday: anything goes
• Love to Craft: anything goes

I do have one other card that I will post when I get the time. Otherwise, I probably won't be posting much for the next few weeks. Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe until we meet again! Peace and all good!

Donna

Another Year Flies By

 A rainy day here today. Very gray and chilly and just a good day to stay in and do things around the house. I got a few chores done and had a meeting on Zoom for a committee that I am on. But finally this evening I had a chance sit down at my desk. Since we are leaving for Boston a week from today I am trying to get my progressive challenges done for May. So tonight I used the digital stamp set for May from Imagine That called Go Fly a Kite.

I decided to pull out the instructions for a fancy fold card that I found on Brenda Quintana's web site called a Pull Out Card. There are 3 images in the Go Fly a Kite set. I used the adorable bunny image for the front of my card. When you open it, it looks like this:

The inside is a Z-fold card that pops into the aperture in the front of the card. And finally this is the inside of the card:

Stamp sets: Imagine That Go Fly a Kite (images and front sentiment); Stampabilities Card Phrases

Card Stock: navy blue and white

Designer Paper: Imagine That

Ink: Salty Ocean Distress Oxide 

Dies: MFT Stitched Circles, MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags, Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Circles Large

Embellishment: yellow self-adhesive gems

I think I need to try more fancy folds. I like how this one came out. I am entering these challenges:

• Imagine That Digi-of-the-Month-challenge: use Go Fly a Kite
• AAA Birthday challenge: birthday
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Seize the Birthday challenge: furry friends
• Through the Craft Room Door challenge: anything goes

I hope your week has gotten off to a great start! Thanks for stopping by today. Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna

Trust Issues

 Rained this morning so volunteering this morning kept me busy. But this afternoon  I got some crafty time. Tomorrow is supposed to be more rain so maybe more crafty time. 

This image is Bertha's Bread Baking Bonanza from Dr. Digis House of Stamps. It's the free progressive image at The Outlawz this month. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut the image. I changed her bread-baking habit to cookie baking. The sentiment is from my stash but I neglected to write down the source (possibly Create with TLC). I die cut the sentiment with C.C. Designs Say What Bubbles (retired). The chocolate chips along the bottom of the card are from Sweet 'N Sassy Chocoholic. The card base looks much darker in the photo than it really is. The chocolate chips show up much better in real life. I added a ribbon from my stash. I really wanted cookies on the background paper but had to settle for this striped paper. Not only did I not have any cookie paper in my stash but I don't own a cookie stamp to make my own paper. I was surprised. Oh well. This one is going to my SIL who (as the story goes) used to swallow raisins whole when she got them for snack at a Girl Scout meeting because she didn't like them. I thought this might bring a smile for her. I am entering these challenges:

• Catch the Bug Stella Sketch: sketch 
  
• Simon Says Wednesday: anything goes
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra: anything goes
• QKR Stampede challenge: anything goes

That's it for me tonight. With luck I will be back tomorrow. I have several cards I need before we take off for Boston next week so I'm going to have to carve out some time this week. Take care! Stay safe. Make it an amazing week! Peace and all good.

Donna

Thinking of You

 We had a beautiful day today and the twins had lots of fun outside for a change. The rain returns tonight and supposed to be around for a couple days. We were able to get the tomatoes and peppers planted at the house this evening before the rains came. And after we did the planting, I had time for a card.

Digital Stamp: Bugaboo Sunbonnet Flowers

Coloring: Spectrum Noir markers

Sentiment: Stampabilities Card Phrases heat embossed with  walnut embossing powder

Dies: Gina Marie Designs Wonky Stitched Circles

Designer Paper: from my scrap box

Ink: Shaded Violet distress ink around image

Embellishments: ric rac ribbon; Diamond Stickles on flower centers

Card stock: purple and white

I am entering these challenges:

Bugaboo Stamps Stella Sketch: sketch 

Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Creative Knockouts challenge: Tic Tac Toe (embossing, image, sentiment or blue, die, ribbon)

Penny's Paper-Crafty challenge: anything goes

Crafter's Cafe challenge: anything goes

I hope your week will get off to a great start! I hope to get some creating time this week. I have a few cards that I need to complete before we leave for Boston next week. Stay safe! Peace and all good.

Donna

Gnome for the Holidays

 Well, it's been a very busy week and I am late getting this post up as we were out at Baby Creek for a break without Internet. But today begins the new challenge at 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. As usual our theme is anything Christmas (cards) goes but we add an optional twist. This month it's a personal favorite: gnomes! Our sponsor is SheepSki Designs and Andrea has lots of fun gnome images. And Lisa has designed some fun gnome papers, so check it out! Here's the card I made for the design team.

My gnome image is Garden Party from SheepSki Designs (thank you Andrea!). I colored with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut with MFT Stitched Squares. I added Stickles to each of the gnomes' hats using lime green, eucalyptus, baby blue, diamond, aquamarine. The papers are 2 of the papers from the Gnome for Christmas kit from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. 

I added a die cut bow from Die-cutting Essentials #59 All Wrapped Up. I used green glitter paper for that die cut and also all the layering. The ribbon is from my stash. I am entering these challenges:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch #204 
  
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything goes
• Merry Little Christmas Blog: anything Christmas goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes 
• Penny's challenge: anything goes

The twins will be here tomorrow. We had them overnight Wednesday night and Valerie had a ball stomping in rain puddles after the rain stopped but woke up the next morning not feeling well, so neither could go to school them on Thursday. Lots of other things going on this past week and no crafting. I hope that will change this coming week. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your visits! Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Christmas Love

 Tonight I have a Christmas card to show. Since we had the twins all day, I colored the images yesterday and then after putting it together I needed time for the Stickles to dry.

My card is 5 inches square with a base card of green card stock. The layering is with black card stock. The images are Sunbonnet  Christmas Tree from Bugaboo Stamps. They are both called the same thing so here is the top sunbonnet image and here is the bottom sunbonnet image. The sentiment image is a freebie from Beccy's Place called Margie's Christmas Freebie. The background paper is from my stash and I made an attempt at tying a bow. I am really not very good at tying bows. I used a number of different colors of Stickles: Christmas Red, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Grape. The dies I used were MFT Inside and Out Stitched Rounded Squares and MFT Pierced Fishtail Flags (retired). I am entering these challenges:

• Rudolph Days challenge: anything goes Christmas
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch #205 
  
• Catch the Bug challenge: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes
• Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog: anything Christmas goes
• Sparkles Christmas challenge: trees

The twins wore me out today. Lots of things for them to play with and we hit the playgrounds after we picked them up and before we took them home. It was nice outside so they played outside for quite a while. They should be worn out tonight. We have to pick them up from school on Wednesday and my DH thought we should keep them overnight, so we'll have them all night Wednesday and drop them off at school on Thursday morning. That will be another adventure I'm sure. Thanks for stopping by to visit. Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna

Thinking of You

 Welcome to the weekend! It's finally arrived. I do have to admit that my weeks go so fast. Being retired every day is Saturday so my weekends aren't too different from the rest of the week, except for our day with the twins. When they finish school for the summer we'll probably have them 2 days a week instead of just one. Anyway, I need some thinking of you cards so I thought I'd start with this one tonight.

This lovely image is from Beccy's Place. This Gnarled Wreath is a freebie at Beccy's Place. I added the sentiment from Echo Rainbow designs.  I printed off two copies of the wreath, fussy cut out clumps of flowers, and popped them up with foam tape. I used Copic markers to color around the wreath before I fussy cut the wreath out. I added Diamond Stickles to the middle of the flowers. Hard to tell how sparkly they are in the photo. The background paper is from my scrap box and layered it with some kraft paper to bring out the brown of the wreath. The card base is a bright blue. I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place April challenge: use a Beccy's Place image; optional floral
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Simon Says Monday challenge: bright cheerful colors
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes 
• 613 Avenue Connect: anything goes; in the garden

It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow. I have a couple errands to run and have to get ready for the twins to come on Sunday. But I hope to get some time to play too. Have a super weekend! Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna

Make a Wish

 Back again today with a card I had to finish. Today was out volunteer day. It's great to get out and be with people who also enjoy volunteering. We have as much fun as we do work so it's all good! I think my card tonight is going to be for my granddaughter, Valerie. She loves sparkly, girly things so this kind of has her name on it, I think.

The image is from Bugaboo stamps called Wee One Fairy Star. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with Quikcutz tag die. I added some clouds in the background with Salty Ocean Distress Oxide ink and a scalloped circle. I used Stardust Stickles on the image to make her sparkle. The sentiment is another freebie from Desert Diva (thanks Hannah!). The designer papers are from my stash and each is layered with black card stock. The background is yellow and the card base is blue. Lots of layers on this card! To finish off I added an enamel heart and dot at two of the corners. I am entering these challenges:

• Stella Sketch at Catch the Bug: sketch 
  
• Sweet Stampers challenge: lots of layers
• Creative Knockouts challenge: wings and things
• The Paper Shelter challenge: dies and/or punches
• Crafty Friends challenge: ladies or girls 

  

Tomorrow morning I have an early rise as I have a doctor's appointment at 7:30am. Who made such an early appointment? LOL! Oh well. I do hope to get some time to play again tomorrow evening or Saturday too. We'll have the twins again on Sunday. Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe. Peach and all good to you!

Donna

Birthday Wishes

 We woke up this morning to a little more than an inch of snow. It was very heavy and wet and it broke tree limbs. But it was really pretty outside! I did get some time to play this afternoon. Kind of nice for a change to play during the day. 

The image is from Pattie's Creations called Gift Time (the free version). I paired it with Desert Diva's Birthday Wish Circle sentiment. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers. The image and sentiment were die cut with MFT Stitched Circle dies. I inked the circle with Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide ink. The layers are blue and green. The dotted background paper is from my scrap box. The base card is also blue. I die cut the bow from Die Cutting Essentials #59 All Wrapped Up. I added Stardust Stickles to the presents and bow. I am entering these challenges:

• Try Stampin' on Tuesday: sketch 
  
• Pattie's Creations challenge: birthdays
• The Outlawz Color challenge: green, blue, yellow and use a die
• The Paper Shelter challenge: dies and/or punches
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: anything goes

That's it for me tonight. I hope to get back tomorrow after I finish another card that I started earlier. I hope you'll have a wonderful Thursday! Stay safe. Peace and all good.

Donna

Birthday Bunny

I had a little time to play this evening. Hoping to get more time tomorrow as I will have most of my Opportunity House stuff priced and ready to go back on Thursday. But I wanted to get my other progressive challenge finished for the month.

The sweet bunny image is the Imagine That Digi stamp of the month called Teacup Bunny. I die cut the image with TODO Rectangles and then used ek Success corner rounder to round the edges. I inked the image panel with Mowed Lawn distress ink. The pink layering paper is a scrap from my scrap box. The leafy paper is from Imagine That Sweet Pastels Paper. I didn't find it on the website so unfortunately I don't have a link. The sentiment is from the Teacup Bunny stamp set and I die cut it with MFT Essential Fishtail Sentiment Strip Dies and inked the strip with Spun Sugar distress ink. I added three pink pearls in the upper righthand corner. The card base is green. I am entering these challenges:

• Imagine That Digi of the Month challenge: use Teacup Bunny
• Sketch Saturday challenge: sketch 
  
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter
• Crafty Friends challenge: for ladies or girls 
  
• Jan's Digi Stamp challenge: anything goes

Here we are at April 20th, and it is snowing outside. I was done with winter over a month ago and Mother Nature is playing April tricks on us. This afternoon I was repotting some of my tomato plants wishing I could plant them outside and now I'm glad they are warm and comfy inside for the time being. What a mess. I hope spring makes a quick return. LOL! Thanks for taking the time to stop by. Hope your day has been awesome. Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

 

Let's Shell-ebrate

 Happy Sunday! I really liked the sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches this week; and since my first attempt forgot to use the slimline requirement I decided to try again this morning. 

I turned the sketch but used the mini slimline element they asked for. The image and sentiment were both in my crafting box ready to go. The image is from Bugaboo Stamps called Turtle Birthday. The images are colored with Spectrum Noir markers. I cut the balloon off the image and then drew a line to it to complete the connection. The present is from MFT Birthday Bears (retired). I'm not sure about the sentiment. The designer paper is scraps from my scrap box and I layered with black card stock. I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Catch the Bug challenge: anything goes
• Pattie's Creations challenge: birthday
• Creative Knockouts challenge: add a sentiment
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

That's it for me for a couple days. We are heading out to our Baby Creek property and tomorrow we are supposed to meet another builder. Hopefully this one will show up. Have a great start to a new week. Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Hello

 It's been another busy week again! And not much crafting time. The good news is that the deck that my DH was replacing for the neighbors is finished! Yeah! So I won't need to help with that anymore. The bad news is that the next project is to replace flooring in our washer/dryer area that was damaged when our wash machine overflowed a couple weeks ago and the flooring buckled from the water. So I am sure that I'll have to help with replacing that. 

We usually have the twins on Sunday, but this weekend we had them today instead, so I keep thinking this is Sunday instead of Saturday. I thought I wouldn't have time for the Tuesday Morning Sketch but since today is Saturday I worked it in after dinner. The only problem was that I forgot it was supposed to be a mini slimline so it probably won't count for the challenge, but I loved the sketch.

I tried a tone on tone background and it doesn't show up well in the photo especially in the bottom left corner. The base is kraft card stock and I used Delicate Branches stamp set from Inkadinkado with MFT latte ink. The two smaller red birds are from the same set and stamped with MFT Cherry Crisp. The designer paper is from my stash. The larger cardinal is recycled from another card and popped up on foam tape. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn and stamped in the MFT Cherry Crisp ink. I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Crafty Critter Crazies challenge: use a critter
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

We had a very gray and rainy day today. The morning was very rainy but the afternoon got a little better. We got the twins out for a bit this afternoon. Took a wagon ride around our neighborhood and stopped at the playground before we took them home. It was a wonderful day with them. Of course I'm tuckered out after chasing them around. Thanks for stopping by today. Stay sage. Peace and all good!

Donna

With Love for your Birthday

The days are flying by around here. We are still working on our neighbor's deck. We were supposed to meet a contractor this morning out at our Baby Creek property to talk about building a house. But he decided he didn't want to come and let us know last night after we were already out there. My Dh was very disappointed. But after a couple other projects we had to do today I sat down at my desk to finish up with an image that I already had colored but not on a card. 

The image is from Scribbles Design called  Flower Pot 2. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with Spellbinder's Classic Rectangles Large. I used two different designer papers from my stash: one with flowers and one with dots. I added a pink ribbon and instead of the bow (that's on the sketch I was following) I used a circular sentiment from Jak Heath, die cut with MFT Stitched Circles. Lots of layering on this card done with black card stock. The card base is pink. I am entering these challenges:

• Scribbles Designs challenge: spring fling
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch 
  
• Crafty Friends challenge: for ladies and/or girls 

  
• Love to Scrap challenge: spring forward
• Pattie's Creations challenge: birthdays

I hope to get more crafting time tomorrow. It will depend on whether Tom needs help with the neighbor's deck. I have a presentation tomorrow evening and I need to finish off my comments for that. So fingers crossed that some time opens up. Thanks for stopping by. Hope your week is going awesome! Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna