Water Under the Bridge

Today is the day for a new challenge at 
Sweet Stampin'... 









May 31 - June 6

Theme: Father's Day/Special Man

Weekly Sponsor: Di's Digis Marianne/Designs


I have a tough time with masculine themed cards, so this one stretched me a bit.

Here's my card:

Here's the inside:

I hope you'll participate in this week's Sweet Stampin' Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Cornish Heritage Farms Gates & Bridges
Sentiment: A Muse Studios Essential Sentiments
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! River Rock
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Stampin' UP! Ribbon

Calendar Girl Fun

Today being the 28th of May means it's time for the Calendar Girls blog group to have a little fun.

This month April is "our Calendar Girl" which means she chose the guidelines for our creative challenge.

April said:

Well, it is May and I always like to honor my father this month.

So, to celebrate him (and fathers every where) let us make a masculine celebratory card with any SCS sketch that ends in 25 (the year he was born).

Please let us know which sketch you used and a memory of a special man in your life!


THANK YOU, April! I had a lot of fun with this challenge.

Here is my card:

I used the SC225 sketch:

I liked how the inside turned out:

Be sure to check out the other Calendar Girl blogs to see what they did with April's challenge. You'll find links to their blogs in my left sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Stampin' UP! Harvest Blessings
Sentiment: A Muse Studio Essential Sentiments
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black, Stampin' UP! Mellow Moss, and Staples Ivory
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Yee-Haw! Who Wants Ice Cream?

I have two fun cards to show you today...

{PIN}Spirational Challenge

May 27 - June 2

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

May 27 - June 9

Yee-Haw! Who Wants Ice Cream?

{PIN}Spirational Challenge

Here is the photo for our {Pin}Spiration this week:

The sponsors are:

Meljen's Designs

Oak Pond Creations

and

Stamping Dragon Designs

THANK YOU to all three of our sponsors!

Here's the inside of my card:

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

Summer Sun, Playin' All Day

Theme: Sunshine! 

(Either use a sun on your project or lots of yellow)

Twist: Use a playful theme 

(childlike, playground, etc.)

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the {PIN}Spirational Challenge 
and the Twisted Tuesday Challenge!


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Meljen's Designs
Ink: Copic Markers and Zig Wink of Stella Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Vintage Violet
Designer Paper: DCWV Boyhood Stack
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons, Offray Crochet Thread and Stampin' UP! Ribbon

Image/Sentiment: Unity More Than Ice Cream
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers, and Zig Wink of Stella Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Crushed Curry
Designer Paper: My Mind's Eye On the Sunny Side Collection and Recollections Honeycomb

Happy Memorial Day

Today is a day to honor the men and women who gave everything for our freedom. THANK YOU! It's such a small thing to say, but it represents hearts full of gratitude and admiration. 

When I found out that today's NEW Melonheadz Friends Challenge had the theme "When I Grow Up" I immediately knew that I wanted to use this soldier image.

MelonHeadz Friends Challenge 

May 26 - June 8

Theme: When I Grow Up (Professional Images)

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: MelonHeadz Community Helpers
Sentiment: Hero Arts Thank You
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Designer Paper: DCWV Boyhood Stack
Embellishments: Star-Shaped Brads from an unknown vendor

The Big Fish

Today's the day for a new One Stitch at a Time Challenge...

OSAAT Challenge #214

May 25 - 31

Theme: Anything Goes

Sponsor: Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet

Here's my card:

Image: Stitchy "The Big One"

Here's the inside:

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Cards Galore - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
D L Art - Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet "The Big One"
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Garden Green
Designer Paper: Colorbok Nature Lover Paper Pad
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Dear Algebra

Darlene is the hostess of the current round of the Mystery Image Card Swap, which means she selected the stamp and sent the stamped images for us to use. She picked a unique and fun image - it's actually a humorous saying. I had so much fun creating with it.

THANK YOU, Darlene!

Here's my card:

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Riley & Co. Funny Bones
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Marigold Morning
Designer Paper: My Mind's Eye On the Sunny Side Collection
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

A Peek At My Week

It’s Friday… and I’ve decided it’s time for another Peek at My Week post.

A PEEK AT MY WEEK

1.      What was a highlight of my week?

Our Brock’s birthday was Tuesday. He loves presents, so I try to make sure he has LOTS of them, which is easy to do since everything he wants is just a dollar or two (and consumable.) He opened all 18 packages in mere moments of time. I enjoyed watching him tear into each gift and then promptly put it to the side as he reached for the next gift. After all, it’s tradition.

2.      What lesson/s did I learn this week?

Baby birds leave home without any warning. “My” three baby robins were in their nest Wednesday morning, but by lunchtime they were gone. I miss my little feathered friends!

3.      What did I make this week?

I made some personal name cards (like business cards, only I don’t have a business). They turned out kind of cute.

4.      What have I enjoyed doing this week?

I enjoyed flip flop weather. I hate shoes and always look forward to warm weather so I can switch to flip flops. This week I only had one pair of my socks in the laundry – that’s a very good week!

5.      If I could change one thing about this week, what would it be?

I would have done the laundry a few days earlier. Yikes! That was some mountain of laundry.

6.      What did I do for this week’s 30-Minute Challenge?

What is a 30-Minute Challenge? It will vary from week to week, but basically, I am going to choose something to do – perhaps it’s an organization task that is calling out to me, or a topic I want to research, or (*gasp!) an exercise I want to try, etc. – and I will set the timer and invest 30 minutes in that challenge.

I didn’t do a 30-minute challenge this week – the week was challenging enough all by itself. ;)

7.      What are my plans for the upcoming weekend?

We are going to take a little 2-day trip to visit a favorite aunt and also to go put flowers on my precious father-in-law’s grave. This is a new road that we travel and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him.

SCORE TIME: Would I give this week a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down”?

My goals for the coming week…

1.      I will be leaving for Thailand in just under three weeks. My lesson plans are finished, but I still have “busy” work to do for the lessons we’ll teach the children. I plan to work on that this week.

2.      I need to complete cards for a swap and get them in the mail, since the due date is approaching.

3.      I need to trim up some overgrown mess in the flower pots on our back patio. I’ve been hoping my husband would do it, but that doesn’t seem to be happening, so I guess I will take matters into my own hands.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I appreciate you so much!

Thematically Thursday - CASE

I've been sporadic on my blog lately, but I've decided to try to do better. My life has been quite hectic but I always seem more able to function when I've had a little therapy with my papers, ink, and stamps.

This is Thursday - which on my blog means "Thematically Thursday" and because it's the fourth Thursday of the month, it's time to CASE a project. Honestly, these are some of my favorites - because I get to snoop around galleries and other places to see what catches my attention. This time I found my  inspiration in the SCS Gallery. Click here to see what I'm CASE'ing.

I knew I wanted to go with the world idea... and didn't find anything in my stash of stamps that quite worked with what was going on in my mind, so I googled "world globe images". WOW! I sure found a lot of options!!!

Here's the (first) card I made:

Isn't the world impressive? I did distress it a bit with black ink (since the card I CASE'd had ink distressing on it), but later I wondered if I should have done that or not. Oh well!


Like I said, I found a lot of world images and couldn't choose just one, so I chose a few instead.

This is the (second) card I made:

I like the way the globe has different landmarks on it - the Eiffel Tower, a skyline, the Statue of Liberty, the Pyramids, etc. Pretty impressive world we live in, isn't it?

Oh, and I also made a (third), (fourth), and (fifth) card, too, but I'll save them for another day.

Here's the inside of my card:

CASE CLOSED!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: World (from Google Search)
Sentiment: Penny Black Good Wishes
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Brads

Image: World (from Google Search)
Sentiment: Craft Smart Rock My World
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon from an unknown vendor

May Baker's Dozen: One Kit - Four Cards

I am in a group on SCS called the Baker's Dozen Monthly Challenge group. This is my first month to participate with the group.

There are thirteen of us in the group - hence the name "Baker's Dozen". Each person is assigned a month (well, actually, we chose our month) and during our month we send identical card kits to the other group members along with some instructions. We create..... and then share with our group what we've made.

I posted pictures in the thread last night, but now I'm going to share pictures with my blogging friends, too.

Suzy, who happens to be the "owner" of the group, was our first hostess. She sent us a nice little turquoise envelope with designer papers, several images/sentiments, and an assortment of embellishments.
THANK YOU, Suzy!

Here are Suzy's words...

April Showers do bring May flowers!!!

That is what I'm sending out in the May envelopes..... Flowers! Just a small selection!! Your one challenge is to make one card in only black and white. No other color added to this card!! I know... it might be hard!!! But, worth a try!!! I included some colored DP that might get your creative juices flowing for the other images! Now to see which image you pick to be just black and white! I'm not sending much in the way of embellishments..... just a few items. I figure we all have a stash that is begging to be  used! So, feel free to use whatever embellishments that you have collected over time!

Here is the recipe of what I sent:

Penny Black: Blooming Tags (clear set); Hampton Arts: Drams Come a Size too Big; Hampton Arts: Butterfly and Flower; Hero Arts: Take Time to Enjoy; Black Ribbon: Celebrate it 360*; Gemstones: The Paper Studio; DP paper: White & Black Script (The Paper Studio), Purple Sponged (Paper Pizazz), Yellow Gingham (The Paper Studio), B & W Swirls (The Paper Studio); Tiny Polka-Black Tonal (The Paper Studio). B & W flowers Spare Parts (The Paper Studio). Memento Tuxedo Black on GP white for all images.

Have a great time and enjoy! Can't wait to see what you make!

Stamping hugs,
Suzy


Well............ I decided to use EVERYTHING Suzy sent! ;)
The only thing of my own that I used was some cardstock - Recollections Black for Layering and Stampin' UP! Crushed Curry and Perfect Plum and Staples White for card bases.

Here are the four cards I made...

The small pictures on the right are the insides of my cards.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!