Easter Blessings

 Happy April! It's been a while since I had some time to sit down at my desk to create. This evening I made a cute little Easter basket for a friend. I want to give it to her tomorrow at church. We won't be here next week since we are heading back to Cincinnati tomorrow to help Tom's Dad for a while.

I'm sorry the picture isn't clearer. I used a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers for a mini jar treat holder. I skipped the jar. I mostly used spring designer paper as I don't have much Easter paper. The sentiment is from  a retired Gina K stamp set. The eggs and bunny are from a sticker set. I hope she likes it!

I am entering these challenges:

• Double D challenge: Easter
• The Paper Shelter challenge: pastel colors
• Cupcake Inspirations: bunnies 
  
• Simon Says Monday challenge: Easter/spring
• Penny's challenge: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to be back before the end of April. Wishing you all a Blessed Easter! Peace and all good things for you.

Donna

Awesome Takes Practice

 Happy Wednesday! I am back for with another card before we head back to Cincinnati to help with Tom's Dad. The image I am using is the progressive image for this month's challenge at The Outlawz challenge blog.

The image is from Moon Flower Digital Stamps called Lust. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with Spell Binder's Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large dies. I used Star Dust Stickles to accent the roses and petals. The sentiment I found in my files from Mudmaven Designs. I really thought it fit the image well. I used Gina Marie Designs Diamonds dies for the sentiment and then trimmed it down. The inked edges for the image and sentiment were Distress Oxide Salty Ocean and Broken China. The sentiment is popped up with foam tape. I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Progressive Challenge: use Moon Flowers Lust image
• Tuesday Morning Sketch: sketch 
  
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Since we've been home for the last few weeks we've been spending time time with the twins and working on things for the new house. It's been a busy time. We've now signed a contract with the builder and he's working to get a building permit and then we can get started. Monday the surveyor was out and staked the house out. We had to make some changes to fit into the space but we are happy with it. Tomorrow the excavator  company is coming out to look at the property. Since we had two inches of rain in the last 2 days it's way to wet to get started but they'll be ready to go when it dries out and we have our permits. We are making progress! So I'll leave you with pictures of the twins from this last weekend. 

Thanks for stopping by. We'll be heading back to Cincinnati soon. So I'll see you when I get a chance to craft again. Take care! Peace and all good things to you!

Donna

I'm a Little Behind!

 Haha! How prophetic (or pathetic) are those words? Not much time to craft these days. Today, out of necessity, I desperately needed a belated birthday card for a dear friend. Here's what I came up with.

For the image I used Forest Friends #3 from Inky Antics colored with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut with Stitched Circles from MFT. The background was done with Mowed Lawn and Salty Ocean Distress Ink. The two background papers were from my stash.  The lighter brown color was die cut with MFT Stitched Squares. The sentiment was computer-generated. Everything on a dark brown card stock base. The inside of the card reads: "No "butts" about it... you're great! (from Inky Antics)  Happy Birthday  Sorry I'm late, hope it was GREAT! "(retired Gina K set). 

I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• QKR Stampede: anything goes
• Crafty Critter Crazies: use a critter

So, we are still going to and from Cincinnati to help with Tom's Dad. We'll be returning sometime this week. He's getting better physically but he still needs someone with him most of the time. We are getting closer to starting the new house. We hope that the first part of this next week, the surveyor will be stacking out the house and if the weather gets better we can get started. It's been crazy busy. Last Wednesday I spent the day picking up bricks from existing sidewalks. We don't want the brick in the dirt when the foundation is dug. Lots more to do there. Hope you are all well. Please pray for peace in our world. Peace and all good thing to you.

Donna

 

Happy Birthday

 Long time, no see, once again! We've been going back and forth to Cincinnati to help Tom's Dad and when we are home we have lots of things to do for building the new house. Not much crafting going on. But I decided I better get this card done before we have to go back to Cincinnati because we may not get back home before the end of the month. So here is the adorable image that The Outlawz Progressive Challenge is using this month.

The Image is from Hetty Clare called Flower Pot Hat. I colored it with Spectrum Noir markers and die cut it with the A2 size die from MFT Blueprints 13 (retired). The sentiment is from Digi Doodle's Shop die cut with MFT Fishtail Flags (retired). I used a scrap od dotted patterned paper to back the sentiment. I am entering these challenges:

• Penny's Challenge: anything goes
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch  
  
• The Outlawz Progressive Challenge: use Flower Pot Hat from Hetty Clare
• Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Who knows when I will be back. It all hinges on Tom's Dad getting better. As soon as the house starts to be built we'll be busy working. We are doing parts of the house to cut costs. So thanks for stopping by Hope you are staying well. I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from this past Sunday with the twins who have recently recovered from Covid. The whole family came down with it. We were with them the day before and fortunately for us we did not get it. But they are all back to their rambunctious selves!

Take care! Be safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Be my Valentine

 Happy Monday and goodbye to January (already!) I am sneaking this card in under the wire at The Outlawz for their progressive challenge. 

I will be sending this one to my grand daughter Valerie for Valentine's Day. The image is called Rainbow Girl from All Dressed Up. I colored her with a variety of markers and die cut the image with Gina Marie Designs Mosaic Triangle Edge Squares. The heart designer paper is from my stash, as is the fun red ribbon with the gold flowers, At the corners I punched a corner punch that left a pattern of holes like the triangle squares and then I added a die cut heart from MFT Blueprints 32. I am entering these challenges:

• The Outlawz Progressive challenge: Use Rainbow Girl from All Dressed Up
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2: sketch 201 
  
• Creative Knockouts challenge: die cuts and punches
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes

So it's been quite the day today. I volunteered this morning at Opportunity House. Rushed home to finish this card and just got it done before we had a meeting with our builder. We spent several hours with our builder and then went to see a house that he built that was just finished. The people will move in tomorrow. So that was fun! So I rushed home to get this post up before time ran out. Hope you had a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by! Peace and all good!

Donna

Warm my Heart

The prodigal daughter returns! This is my first card of 2022! It's been a rough (and exciting) start to the new year. My father-in-law had a medical emergency on January 2nd and needs 24/7 care right now. So we've been helping with his care. We had only 2 weeks at home in January and those have been working on getting things going on a new house that we are building this year. That's the exciting part! Ground-breaking should happen in April or May. We had a mobile home (trailer) on our property and we finally found someone who wanted it and could move it. So between getting it ready to move and moving it, it took a week or more. So it's been a busy time when we are home and a slow time when we are taking care of Tom's Dad. But we are making due with  what we have. We'll be heading back to Cincinnati at the end of the week. Today we had the twins. My youngest son is flying in from Boston on Tuesday (if he digs himself out of the snow they are getting there). After the twins went home I made this card!

The image and sentiment are from From the Heart Stamps set called Snowman and Cocoa. Unfortunately, the stamp company is no longer in business and I miss Faith. I really loved her images and sentiments. The snowflake strip behind the snowman is bulletin board border that I picked up from Teacher's Warehouse. The dotted paper is from my stash die cut with a die from MFT Blueprints 32. The sentiment is also cut from Blueprints 32 as is the heart. The snowflakes at the top were punched from silver glitter paper. To finish it off I added pearls and rhinestones to the center of the snowflakes. I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• Penny's challenge: anything goes 
• Creative Knockouts challenge: die cuts/punches
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• QKR Stampede challenge: anything goes

Thanks for stopping by today. I have at least one more card I want to get done before the end of the month. So I hope to be back with another card. I hope the start to your year has been more relaxing. Wishing you peace and all good things.

Donna

Joy to the World

 Our Lord and Savior has come among us once again! Just popping in today to wish you all a very Blessed Christmas. At present I am at home (sick) while my family is gathered in Cincinnati for all the Christmas festivities. Fortunately it is not Covid but just a very nasty cold or virus of some kind. Being all by myself I have plenty of time on my hands. So I whipped up a card this morning to post for Christmas.

The image is Angel from MMedel Illustrations. I colored her with Spectrum Noir and Copic markers and die cut the image with  MFT Stitched Ovals. Al of the designer paper is from Recollections Christmas Collection. I layered in black card stock. The sentiment is from Technique Tuesday Christ is Born stamp set. I am entering a few challenges:

• The Outlawz Freebie/Progressive challenge: use Angel from MMedel Illustrations
• Creative Knockouts challenge: Tis the Season
• Tuesday Morning Sketches: anything goes
• Sketch ~n~ Scrap challenge: sketch 
  
• Carlin's Card Paradise challenge: inspired by a song (Joy to the World)

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas Day. May the love we share today bring us into the New Year with love to spare for all our brothers and sisters. God bless you and your families. Stay safe. Peace and all good in 2022! I am now headed for a nap!

Donna

Three More Cards

 Happy Tuesday! At least I think it's Tuesday. My days seem to be all mixed up. We had the twins yesterday (Monday) which is not a normal day for us to have them. But they are out of school until the new year begins so we took them yesterday to give their parents a break. We hope to have Christmas with them Thursday night before we travel to be with family in Cincinnati. So I finished my three sets of Christmas cards today. I am not showing them all to you but here is another set of three.

Stamps: Beccy's Place Seasonal Windows digital stamps, Hero Arts Everyday Sayings (sentiment)

Designer Paper: from my stash

Dies: MFT Stitched Circle dies

I backed the image with a deep purple card stock.

Entering Beccy's Place December challenge: use a Beccy's Place image

Image and Sentiment: Doodle Pantry (no Longer in business

Designer paper: from my stash

Dies: Gina Marie Designs Wonky Stitched Ovals

The inside reads: Pucker up and give it a kiss!

Image and sentiment: Doodle Pantry (no longer in business)

Designer Paper: from my stash

Dies: Gina Marie Designs Wonky Stitched Ovals

I used the same design structure for all three cards. I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: anything goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft: anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper challenge: use patterned paper
• The Male Room challenge: food

I have one more set to show you but it's time to get some dinner ready. So I am off to cook. My son has arrived from Boston so I am taking time to be with him while he's here. Stay well! Peace and all good!

Donna

Love is Everything

Here we are for another set of cards that I made today after I got home from Indianapolis. The Colts played a great game last night and we had a wonderful time. And the Colts won 27-17. Go Colts! So I have 5 more cards for each set I am making for Christmas gifts so I found this one sheet wonder tutorial that will make enough cards to finish my sets. 

So this is the first card that I made. I picked out three pieces of double-sided 12x12 inch designer paper and cut it down to 6 pieces of 4x6. Then Jeanie Stark shows you how to make each of the cards. I used one piece of the 3 designer papers and folded them back at one corner. I taped the folded designer paper to a white card stock piece of the same size. I stamped the sentiment from a 2014 Simon Says Stamp set called Favorite Flowers. The rose images are from Beccy's Place Painted Flowers (retired). I colored them with Spectrum Noir markers and fussy cut each one. I popped them up with foam tape. I tired to match the card bases with colors from the designer papers. I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place December challenge: use a Beccy's Place image
• Crafty Sentiments Designs challenge: anything goes
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes
• Sweet Stampers challenge: anything goes
• Penny's challenge: anything goes

That's it for me tonight. I didn't sleep well last night at the hotel: different bed, too much excitement from the game, and I missed my bed partner. So I think I will be going to bed early tonight. Make it a great week! Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna

Evergreen for Card Sets

 Happy Saturday! I am getting ready to drive to Indianapolis to meet up with my son Dan and go see the Colts vs. the Patriots game this evening. Dan flew in from Boston last night but we haven't seen him yet. Looking forward to his week stay with us. I have another card for my card sets done. Time is getting short I am going to have to start moving faster.

This image is from Eureka Stamps. It's one of four stamps in the Winter Set of 4 Digital Stamps. The images are colored with Spectrum Noir markers and then I added Star Dust Stickles to the pinecone edges. I played with different colors of card stock bases and different designer papers but used the same design. Even changed up the size of some of the triangle edges. To finish off I added some self-adhesive gems on each card. I am entering these challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches: sketch 
  
• QKR Stampede challenge: anything goes
• Crafter's Cafe challenge: use your favorites (I love to use sketches for my cards)
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: bling it on (Star Dust Stickles)
• A Bit More Time to Craft challenge: anything goes

That's it for me today. I was hoping to get 10 cards done for each of the three sets I am doing for Christmas gifts. I am halfway there. 5 done and 5 to go. Thanks for stopping by. Stay well. Peace and all good!

Donna

Thinking of You!

 Welcome to Wednesday! I am continuing to make cards for my 3 card sets that I need as Christmas gifts. This is my second card for the set.

I saw a similar card on Pinterest and this is my version. I used Beccy's Place Painted Blooms. I don't see this precise set so it may be retired. I die cut the image with MFT Stitched Circles and added the background circle and embossing with Gina Marie Designs Wonky stitched Circles. I liked the green card stock but ran out so I used black as I layered the dotted paper with black. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Everyday Sayings. I used my MISTI to stamp all of the sentiments and then die cut them with Spellbinders Grommet Tags. Instead of grommets I used black brads on the tags. The dotted paper is from my stash. I used Black Diamond Stickles on the centers of the flowers. Lots of sparkle in real life. I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Place December challenge: use a Beccy's Place image with twist: brads, paper clips, or eyelets
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Crafter's Cafe challenge: use your favorite (Dies are a must have. I use them on almost every card I do)
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: bling it on (Black Diamond Stickles)
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes

Two down and 8 more to go. Making the cards for the three sets all the same helps with time a little bit. I may do more of this kind of thing in the future. Back to the drawing board. Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe! Peace and all good!

Donna

Happy Birthday!

 Happy Monday! I hope your week started off great! A few things are dropping off my plate after this week, so I am taking stock of what I need to do yet and 3 sets of cards popped up on my radar as Christmas gifts. So I need 30 cards done (3 sets of 10 cards). So I've been watching my Pinterest feed for some simple cards. I am making all the sets the same so I am making the card at least three times.

So this first set of cards was inspired by Paper Daisy Crafting. She has a very nice video and instructions on how to make these cards. They are very similar to a Z-fold card. The background floral paper is one I've been wanting to use for a long time. The colors are gorgeous and it has some shine to it. The card base is purple and I colored the Happy Birthday sentiment purple also. The gingham paper is from my stash. I die cut the sentiment with MFT Stitched Circles. The backing to the circle is also purple and die cut with Spellbinder's Classic Scalloped Circles. I used a small flower die that's included in Gina Marie Designs Cross Stitched Rectangles (retired) to add three flowers around the sentiment with a blue paper and a chunky glitter paper from my stash. I made a fourth card just the same since all the papers cut for four cards. The last one went into my stash. LOL! Thanks to Paper Daisy Crafting for the tutorial.  I am entering these challenges:

• Through the Craft Room Door challenge: anything goes
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft Extra challenge: anything goes

I hope you are farther along to preparing for Christmas than I am. I have lots to do yet. Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you are staying safe. Take care. Peace and all good.

Donna

 

Sweet Holiday

 Happy Wednesday! Today I finished my last Christmas card that I need for this year. It's a card for my grandson Arthur.

I used the same stamp set that I made Valerie's card with: Imagine That Digistamps Gingerbread Cookies n' Cocoa. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers. I die cut it with MFT Stitched Circles. The card base is red card stock. The background paper is from Recollections Christmas collection. The candy cane paper is from my stash and die cut with Gina Marie Diamonds die set.. I backed the image and diamonds with black card stock. I used a red and green ribbon from my stash. The sentiment is also from the stamp set. I cut the sentiment apart. The image is popped up with foam tape. I am entering these challenges:

• Imagine That Digistamp of the Month: use Gingerbread Cookies n' Cocoa
• Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge: sketch 
  
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Crafter's Cafe challenge: anything goes
• Merry Little Christmas blog: anything Christmas goes
• Crafty Hazelnut Christmas challenge: anything goes

Tomorrow is our volunteer day. So no crafting tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my card. Stay safe. Peace and all good!

Donna

Sugar and Spice

 It's been a while again. Life is keeping me busy. I finished writing my Christmas cards today and hope to get them in the mail tomorrow. But I have two more Christmas cards to do. One for Valerie and one for Arthur. So tonight I finished Valerie's card.

This is one of the images from Gingerbread Cookies n' Cocoa, the Digi of the Month at Imagine That Digital Stamps. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I colored the image with Spectrum Noir markers, fussy cut it, and popped it up on foam tape. The designer paper is from Recollections Christmas Collection. I die cut the rectangle with MFT Single Stitch Rectangle Frames. The twine is  Doodle Twine, a multicolored red, white and green Christmas twine. The sentiment was die cut with one of the stitched sections from MFT Collage Cover-Up die. I used the same pink Spectrum Noir marker that I used on the gingerbread girl. I used a red card stock base. I am entering these challenges:

• Imagine That Digi of the Month challenge: use Gingerbread Cookies n' Cocoa
• Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge: sketch 
  
• Through the Craft Room Door challenge: anything goes
• 12 Months of Christmas challenge: anything Christmas goes
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: Christmas

Tomorrow I hope to get Arthur's card finished. Then I will be done with Christmas cards. Yippee! I really hoped to get them out much earlier than this. Oh well. Hope you are all well! Thanks for stopping by. Stay well. Peace and all good!

Donna

Snoopy Halloween

 Happy Tuesday! And the end of November. Where does the time go. I finished one more card for Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards that I want to share with you.

It's a simple Halloween card but great fun. I love using the napkin technique for card making and someone gave me these napkins (from Hallmark) a while back and I hadn't used them yet. So I set out last night to see what I could do. I started out with one panel and decided that I wanted to cut the panel down and guess what. It ripped the edges of the napkin. So I made a second but didn't want to waste the first one since the image was still intact, so I fussy cut the image and popped it up with foam tape on the new panel. To complete the card I used Yellow Stickles on the pumpkin eyes (and then ran out), Star Dust Stickles on his mouth, and Black Diamond Stickles for eyes and noses. I just love napkins! I am entering these challenges:

• Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards: do what you love
• Simon Says Wednesday challenge: anything goes
• Penny's challenge: anything goes
• Mix it Up challenge: 3-D project
• Love to Craft challenge: anything goes

Today we have a another busy day. We are visiting two places to pick out things for the new house. Apparently it takes forever to order materials these days so the builder asked us to go look at cultured stone at a masonry shop and doors at the door dealer. So I guess we'll be doing that today. This afternoon we may need to be out at our Baby Creek property for movers to come look at the trailer that someone will be moving out. We advertised it for free but they have to move it. But the catch is it's on the top of a steep hill down a county road with 3 fords to cross over a creek. So it is a bit of a challenge. I hope to get another card made tonight but we'll see how time goes. Thanks to Beccy for a month full of fun challenges! Stay safe out there! Peace and all good.

Donna