I ♥ Punch Art

Just a quick post this morning... wanted to show you a card that we made at card club last night.



And a big shout out (THANKS!) to Lyndee, the SU demo who makes card club such fun!!!


Sorry, I don't know all the details on this card.

Umbrellas and Rain Puddles

It's the 28th of January! That means it's time for the Calendar Girls (a blog group I enjoy being a part of) to post their monthly creations. YAY!

I happen to be Miss January, and for this month I challenged the Calendar Girls to use one of the images for one of their cards for the Calendar Girls in 2011. They were to use the same image, but nothing else was to be the same on their card.

I chose this adorable Stamp Fairy image. She's truly one of my favorite rainy images. I guess I'm kind of in an umbrella and raindrops frame of mind, since the swap I am currently hosting on Splitcoast Stampers is RAIN in the Forest. But I digress.

I also asked the Calendar Girls to post a picture of the card they made last year, using the same image. Mine is here on the right. It was my April 2011 Calendar Girl card. If you'd like to see the details about it, click here.

I tried something a bit different with this card. I have heard of twisted easel cards, but have never made one. Now... so as not to confuse you, I didn't look up a tutorial and example, I just played with scoring and bending my paper. LOL! So this isn't a true twisted easel card. It is just my take on one.

Be sure to pop over to each of the Calendar Girl blogs and see what they came up with. This is such fun!!! (You can find their blogs by clicking on the links in my left sidebar.)

I'm so glad you stopped by today. I hope you'll come back again soon!

Image: Stamp Fairy Patsy April Showers

Ink: Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black and Marina Mist

Designer Paper: American Crafts Umbrellas, DCWV Glitter Flower Dots, and Paper Studio Water Droplets Photo

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones, Recollections Paper Flowers, and Flower-shaped Brads (vendor unknown)

SomeBUNNY Loves You...

... and that someBUNNY is me! ;)

This is a friendly little reminder that there's a fabulous challenge going on at

Craft Us Crazy

Theme: VALENTINE'S/LOVE and/or ANIMALS

Dates: January 19 through February 1

Sponsor: Stamp Fairy

Prize Package: A $10 gift certificate from Stamp Fairy

Now, with a prize like that, why wouldn't you want to participate!?!?!?

See, this someBUNNY loved you enough to remind you to join the fun at Craft Us Crazy!

Image: Stamp Fairy Clementine Love (given to me by Stamp Fairy... THANK YOU!)

Ink: Copic Markers:

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Recollections rhinestones

Love Is In the Air

I just LOVE a fun challenge... and my favorite challenges are the ones at

Craft Us Crazy!

The current challenge theme: VALENTINE'S/LOVE and/or ANIMALS

Dates: January 19 - February 1

Sponsor: Stamp Fairy

Stamp Fairy is offering a WONDERFUL prize to one lucky challenge participant - a $10 gift certificate! Woo Hoo!!!

Stamp Fairy has also provided images for the Craft Us Crazy design team to use to promote this challenge. THANK YOU, Stamp Fairy! I am so excited. I got to use the Stamp Fairy Donna and Danny image!

I put just a little bit of decoration on the inside of my card, too.

I hope you'll join along in this Craft Us Crazy Challenge. It's all about Valentine's/Love and/or Animals!

Image: Stamp Fairy Donna and Donny

Ink: Copic Markers

Cardstock: Michael's and Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Recollections Brads and Stampin' UP! Ribbon

I Can't Imagine...

... I can't imagine having more fun (or being more challenged) by a group of swapping friends, that I am with the Mysterious swappers over on SCS.

Every other month we are up to the challenge. The hostess for the month sends images - they are a mystery until we receive them - and then we create four cards and mail them to the hostess for swapping purposes. WOW! Our hostess this month is Darlene (THANK YOU, Darlene!!!) and she sent us the most incredible image. It's a D. Morgan stamp, which has all kinds of wonderful detail... to stretch our coloring skills to the max.

I love this stamped image!






Because the image is large and gorgeous, I went with a very very simple layout and supplies list to let the image be the focus. (You notice I said "image" and not my coloring. LOL! I can see I need a lot of practice with my coloring for these realistic looking images. But I gave it the good ol' college try.)


I did add a touch to the inside of my card, too. You knew I would. ;)

Image: Stamps Happen D. Morgan stamp called "A Better Friend"

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Wausau White and Stampin' UP! Black and Mellow Moss

Designer Paper: Paper House Pine Porch

Embellishment: Stampin' UP! Black Grosgrain Ribbon attached with a common stapler

Whoo Whoo! Whoo Loves You?

I truly do love and appreciate all my blogging friends who regularly come to my blog to see what I've been working on. You are a treasure in my life!

I am sure that we all have cards that we've made that we really like..... and then there are the cards... you know the ones I mean. The ones we look at and say, "UGH!"

Today's card is an "UGH!" card. (I'm sorry!) I had the assignment to make a card using a Taylored Expressions image. I love Taylored Expressions stamps so thought this would be an easy task. WRONG! I chose he adorable pair of owls in a tree image... this stamp was a gift to me from my online friend Joan. THANK YOU, Joan!!! I love this stamp!!!

However, "UGH!" is all I can say about my card.



Truthfully, the only thing I do like about my card is the simple aspect I added to the inside of the card.




I used my Stampin' UP! trio-heart punch to punch three hearts onto the front card base before adding the layers to the front of the card, which allowed the Early Espresso cardstock to show through.

I'll try to do better with the next card I make and show you............. as I see it, it can't get much worse.

Image: Taylored Expressions

Ink: Early Espresso and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

The Little Things

There is just one moon and one golden sun

And a smile means friendship to everyone.

Though the mountains divide

And the oceans are wide

It's a small small world.

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small, small world.

Perhaps you're wondering why I posted the words to the famous Disney song. If you were here with me, you'd even hear me humming the tune. I just want you to know... it's all Melina's and Joan's fault! (snickering)

Who are Melina and Joan, you ask? They are two of the Dueling Darlings, and this is the day for the Dueling Darling post. In case you're new to my blog, there is one day each month (the 15th) that the Dueling Darlings post their kit cards. This month the hostess for the Divas is none other than Joan and the Dazzlers hostess is Melina. They put their heads together and came up the with the theme The Little Things! And their instruction to us was to not only create with the kits they sent us, but to also put onn our blogs the first thing we thought of when we saw the theme for this month's duel. For me, when I saw the theme, I immediately thought of the song "It's a Small, Small World."

Now that that's out of the way, here is my card:

The kit Melina sent was wonderful, so I had no trouble making a card... well, except for the sentiment. EEK! Melina's instruction was to "think of some witty sentiment for your card." I tried, really I did, but I came up with ZILCH!!! So finally I gave up and came up with something quite silly/dorky! Sorry, Melina!

Now it's time to hurry off to the other Darling's blogs and see what they made.

DAZZLERS

April

Darlene

Deb

Melina

Michelle

Paola

Terry

DIVAS

Barb

Carol

Jamie

Joan

Judy

Kelly

LJ

Tami

Images: Crab (Stampin' UP!), Turtle (Stampin' UP!), and Snail (Inkadinkado)

Ink: Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Early Espresso and Marina Mist

Designer Paper: DCWV, My Mind's Eye, and Stampin' UP!

Embellishments: Twine and Ribbon (Stampin' UP!), Button and Paper Clip (Walmart), and Pearls (Queen & Co.)

I've Been Good!

Or have I???

Only Santa knows for sure. LOL!

Image: Whipper Snapper

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishment: Swirly Brad

Chillin' With Friends

There's nothing quite like two friends, spending time together enjoying a common hobby.

Of course, unlike Riley and Percy, ice fishing is not my hobby of choice. LOL!

Image: Riley and Company

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishment: snowflake brad (vendor unknown)

A Two Cup Day

I haven't been a coffee drinker for very long, but oh I do love Starbuck's frappuccino's. YUM!

Then a little over a year ago I started drinking coffee... I thought I needed it to get warm. I was freezing! Over time, I've learned to "sort of" like the stuff... though my husband tells me I make it much too weak. LOL! His exact words were, "Some people think it takes more water to make coffee than it does." hmmmmmm!!!

I also have a real love of stamps/images with a coffee theme. That being said, here's my card for today...

It's true, you know.

Some mornings you just know...

it's going to be a two cup day!

Image & Sentiment: Stampendous

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishments: Buttons and Crochet Thread

Work It Some More!

At first glance, you may think this is the same card I posted yesterday. (snickering!) It isn't! It's the same image, colored the same way, but it's different designer papers (from the same collection), different embellishments, a different layout, and a different card.

Gotta love those exercising chicks!

Image: Penny Black Chicky Workout
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP!
Designer Paper: The Paper Studio Farm Fresh Collection
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Work It!

This Penny Black image is way too cute. It almost makes excercising look fun!

Image: Penny Black Chicky Workout

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: The Paper Studio Farm Fresh Collection

Embellishment: Stampin' UP! Grosgrain Ribbon

What's Cooking?

I like to cook! I like trying new recipes. I like watching faces light up when I fix an old family favorite.

Therefore, I like cooking types of stamps/images.... and of course, I like cooking types of designer paper, too.

What's cooking at your house today?

Image: MFT Pure Innocence Fresh from the Oven
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock and Designer Paper: The Paper Studio I Love Baking Kit
Embellishment: Stampin' UP! Grosgrain Ribbon

Fairytales and Sweet Dreams

Yesterday's post featured an adorable Stampavie hedgehog reading and today's features an equally adorable My Favorite Things Pure Innocence little girl reading in bed. Awwwwwwwww.... this is definitely bliss. To crawl under the covers and indulge in a good book.

Now if I could just figure out how to stay awake long enough to read a few chapters. Tee Hee!

Image: My Favorite Things Bedtime Story

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' UP!

Designer Paper: from my scrap file

Embellishments: fuzzy brads (vendor unknown)

Read Any Good Books Lately?

I used to read quite a bit, then a road block in my life seemed to take that joy away from me. I've decided to jumpstart my life again this year by reading a book a month. Wish me luck!

For my first book of the year, I'm reading the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, a novel authored by Mark Haddon and written from the perspective of a person with a disorder similar to Autism or Asperger's. So far, it's pretty interesting.

Of course, I will NOT let reading get in the way of my love for cardmaking. LOL!

Sooooooo... here's a card I made:

Image: Stampavie Hedgehog Reading
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP!
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stampin' UP ribbon and dots (vendor unknown)