Kick Back and Read

Sometimes it's fun to pick up a good book and kick back and enjoy reading it!

Ahhh! There's nothing quite like a good book!

Unless, it's a good challenge...

{PIN}Spirational Challenge

September 30 - October 13

Here's the photo to {PIN}Spire us:

Our sponsors are:

Flat Friends

and 

Sami Stamps

THANK YOU, Sponsors! We appreciate you both so much!!!

Here's my card:

Image: Sami Stamps - My Free Time

This is the inside:

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


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Sami Stamps My Free Time
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Rose Red
Designer Paper: Heidi Grace Sunshowers Paper Pad
Embellishments: Spare Parts Brads

Hall Pass to the Library

Today begins a new challenge -

MelonHeadz Friends

September 29 - October 12

Theme: Fun Folds

I really like fun folds types of cards - but they are so difficult to photograph, as you'll see with today's photos.

This card is only 4 1/4" tall, but it's made with a 4 1/4 x 11" piece of cardstock so that it can have multiple folds.

I love the image - 

from MelonHeadz Illustrating's Reading Lucy Doris Bundle. 

I hope you'll participate in the Fun Folds Challenge at MelonHeadz Friends!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image: MelonHeadz Reading Lucy Doris Bundle
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso
Designer Paper: We R Memory Keepers Hall Pass Paper Pad

With Sympathy

Today is the day that the Calender Girls blog group has their monthly challenge. Terry is Miss September and she gave us these instructions

I have recently (within 2 weeks time) had 3 friends lose parents. Very sad situations for all of them

With that and the anniversary of 9011 coming up I would like you all to create a Sympathy card.

Unfortunately, we will all need them at some point. it's a sad thought, but reality.

As an added challenge, I would like you all to share a memory of someone you lost and what that person did to change your life.


Terry, you're right; we do need Sympathy cards from time to time. Thank you for giving us this theme.

Here is my card:

This is the inside:

It has been many years ago now, but I lost all three of my grandparents in less than a year's time (my dad's mom actually died before my parents even met, so I only had three living grandparents). It was a very difficult time for me. I still have days that I miss them tremendously. Each of them taught me so much!

Now please check out the other Calendar Girl blogs to see what they've made. You'll find the links in my left sidebar.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Sentiment on Front: PSX
Sentiment Inside: A Muse Studio
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! True Thyme
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishment: Stampin' UP! Ribbon

Read Any Good Books Lately?

One Stitch at a Time has a new challenge today...

Challenge #220

Theme: Anything Goes with a Flower

September 21 - October 4

Sponsor: Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet - September 5 image pack

I was given a Floppy Latte image to use for this challenge (THANK YOU Stitch Bear Outlet!)...

Image: Books & Candle by Floppy Latte

I love vintage look of the stack of books with the candlestick and vine. Very classy!


For my "flowers" element of the challenge, I used a floral designer paper and also some Prima Mulberry Flowers for embellishment.

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the OSAAT Challenge!


I'm entering my card in the following challenges, too:

Alphabet Challenge - P is for Petals
Crafty Bloggers - Anything Goes
Crafty Girl Challenge - Anything Goes
Lady Bug Crafts - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet Floppy Latte Books and Candle
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Early Espresso and Rose Red
Designer Paper: Heidi Grace Harvest Flower and Paper Studio Texture Brown
Embellishments: Prima Flowers and Stampin' UP! Brads

Celebrate Today

Today's a day to celebrate...

because it's the day for a new challenge at Sweet Stampin'...

September 20 - 26

Theme: Ribbons & Bows

Sponsor: The Ribbon Girl

£10 voucher

Here's my card:

Image: Tiddly Inks Celebrate Joyfully

Here's the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the Sweet Stampin' Ribbon & Bows Challenge!


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Images/Sentiment: Tiddly Inks Celebrate Joyfully
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Wild Wasabi
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishement: A Muse Studio Ribbon

Peek At My Week

It’s Friday. It’s time for…

A PEEK AT MY WEEK

1.      What was a highlight of my week?

I went to Verizon and pre-ordered a new phone!!! My iPhone 6 should arrive today. YAY!

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

Perseverance pays off! I bought a storage container at Big Lots over a year ago – got two of them, in fact. And love them! So I wanted more. I’ve gone back to Big Lots MANY times, always looking for this particular item. I found them back in stock this week – and bought several! 

3.      What did I make this week?

I had been admiring a scrap of designer paper and thought it would make a fun card – without any stamping, so that’s what I did. I kind of like it…

Here's the inside:

 

4.      What have I enjoyed doing this week?

I had a very good visit with my aunt this week. I went and spent a few days with her. She is such a sweetheart – and a good hostess, too.

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

It’s been a good week; I don’t know what I’d change about it.

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.

A friend of mine was in need of 30 hand-made cards that were to be donated for a worthy cause, so I took 30 minutes and went through my stash of cards to find 30 for her. She was pleased, which made me very happy!

7.      What are my plans for the upcoming weekend?

We have several meetings this weekend… so I guess it’s going to be a working weekend.

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

My goals for the coming week…

1.      I need to put together a card-making activity for a group of girls (grades 1-6) who will attend our state-wide meeting in early October.

2.      I plan to organize things on that shelf that I mentioned in last week’s goals – yep, it didn’t happen yet. UGH!

3.      I’m sorting through stuff and trying to purge/organize, so I will spend some time this week working on that.

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

Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Early Espresso and Taken with Teal

Designer Paper: Paper Studio Hoot Hoot Owl Paper Pad

Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Mystery Solved

Today is the 18th, which means we can now share photos of the cards we made with the "mystery images" that Kelly sent for the Mystery Image Swap. This was such a fun round - with a sea-inspired image, oh-so-appropriate for our Miami hostess.

Here's the inside of my card:

This is also "Thematical Thursday" on my blog, which means that today (being the 3rd Thursday of the month) is a Challenge post.

Therefore I am entering this card in the Crafty Bloggers Anything Goes Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: My Favorite Things You Anchor Me
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Beach House Paper Pack
Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor

Taxi! Taxi!

I have only ridden in a taxi a few times in my life, but for some reason I always seem to think it's an adventure to do so. Therefore, I was VERY excited when Jessica (of JessicaLynnOriginal) sent me the When the Sun Goes Down in New York NY digi image to use. It has a bunch of taxis in it!

I wanted to make the taxis the focal point of the image, so I decided to use the "Spotlight Technique" on my card...

Do you see the street light on the spotlighted area? 

It's a rhinestone.

This really is an great image with so man possibilities. Be sure to go to the JessicaLynnOriginal store and look at the card example for this image. The image on that card is fully colored - and the billboards and signs are amazing!

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: JessicaLynnOriginal When the Sun Goes Down in New York NY
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Gray
Designer Papers: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Sweet Dreams

It's time for a new challenge...

September 16 - 29

Here's the photo to {PIN}Spire us:

Our sponsors are: 

The East Wind

and

Robyn's Fetish

THANK YOU, Sponsors! We appreciate you!!!

Here's the card I made:

Image donated by The East Wind

Here's the inside of my card:

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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: The East Wind
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Wild Wasabi
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Colors of Autumn and a Duel, Too

MelonHeadz Friends has a new challenge today...

September 15-28

Theme: Colors of Autumn

For my card I used one of the newest image bundles from MelonHeadz Illustrating - called Lucy Doris Dressing Up...

Isn't she cute?!?!?!?

Of course, I had to do a little something inside my card, too...

 I hope you'll participate in the MelonHeadz Friends Colors of Autumn Challenge!


Now, if you're here to see what the Dueling Darlings have for you this month, you will want to check out the rest of this blog post.

The hostesses this month are Barb for the Divas and Debbie for the Dazzlers. They came up with a theme for us that is different than any this group has ever had...

Recipe Cards

The fun part about this month is that we'll get some new recipes to try out.

Here's the recipe that's on my recipe card:

I actually made these cookies for the first time yesterday. I was fixing a simple meal for the youth group at our church - and we have one youth who is allergic to chocolate, so I knew I needed to avoid chocolate. The cookies were a huge hit! (So was the pulled pork sandwiches and the chips.)

 

Debbie sent a marvelous kit to the Dazzlers - but unfortunately the Post Office was a little brutal with mine...

 

Yes, the envelope was torn, as was the ziplock baggie that held the embellishments. The only embellishments that arrived were the chipboard pieces... so Debbie, I hope you aren't disappointed with the simple look of my recipe card.

Debbie's shipped these items:

Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip card stock
Image:    MFT a la modes What's Cooking?
Maya Road What's Cookin Chipboard
Clips from Michaels or Joann's
Eyelets from Eyelet Outlet

The only thing I added was some Stampin' UP! Early Espresso cardstock and the white cardstock for the recipe.

Now, let's go see what the other Dueling Darlings have created...

DAZZLERS

April

Darlene

Deb

Melina

Paola

Terry

DIVAS

Barb

Carol

Judy

Kadie

Kelly

LJ

Tami

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: MelonHeadz Illustrating Lucy Doris Dresses Up Bundle
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Early Espresso and More Mustard
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Buttons from More Buttons