The Best of 2014

I can hardly fathom that today is the very last day of 2014. It seems like we just welcomed the new year a short while ago and yet, here it is, the very last day of the year. I hope it has been a good year for you!

I've noticed the past few years that several bloggers do a "Best of the Year" blog post at the end of the year; choosing their own personal favorite blog posts from each month of that year. This is my third year to do this. I hope you will enjoy looking back with me at my personal favorites of 2014.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Happy New Year!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Baby It's Cold Outside

I know some of you like snow! Truthfully, I'm a fair-weather kind of gal. However, I do love winter-themed stamps. They are some of my favorites - snowmen, children bundled up in coats, igloos and eskimos, etc.

And I love the JessicaLynnOriginal stamp that I used for today's card - it's called Brentwood Owl Baby It's Cold Outside.

Here's my card:

Here's the inside:

If you haven't been to the JessicaLynnOriginal store lately, you really should check it out - she's added several new stamps in the past few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: JessicaLynnOriginal Brentwood Owl Baby It's Cold
Ink: Copic Markers and Wink of Zella Marker
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Soft Suede
Designer Paper: DCWV Stack 8 Paper Pad
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons, Stampin' UP! Ribbon, and Stickles Glitter Glue

It's a Bittersweet Day

Today I have good news and I have not-so-good news...

First, the not-so-good. For the past 4 years, the 28th of every month has had significance, since it is the day of the month that the Calendar Girls Blog Group had a little challenge. These women have embraced my dream to have a blog group and they've motivated me to step out of my comfort zone more than once. I admire their creativity; I value their opinions, and I treasure their friendships. But, alas, the Calendar Girls Blog Group will no longer exist in 2015. And since December is our "free" month, there really isn't a Calendar Girls challenge today either. But I want to thank the "girls" for four years of fun! Thank you, April, Barb, Carol, Deb, Kelly, Linda, Paola, Tami, and Terry!

Now, for the good news...

There's a new One Stitch at a Time Challenge today!

Challenge #227

Theme: Anything Goes with Stitching

Sponsor: StitchyBear Digi Outlet

This is the PRIZE that a lucky participant will win:

Here's my card:

I had so much fun STITCHING on my card! I actually sewed the buttons on the card - no glue used! And then I stitched a cute little snowflake on the bottom right corner of the card. I used a scrap of the DP as a pattern for poking the holes and then stitched the snowflake into the design with crochet thread.

Here is the inside of my card:

I hope you'll participate in the OSAAT Anything Goes with Stitching Challenge!

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Hambo Hoedown - Winter
Inky Impression - Winter Wonderland
QKR Stampede - Lots of Layers
Sweet 7 - Winter

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: StitchyBear Digital Outlet Beary Happy Winter Bear
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Sky Blue
Designer Paper: A Muse Studio Check and Recollections Mom's Diner Salt
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons and Offray Crochet Thread

Snowman with Stars

I haven't had any blog posts for a while - for very good reason. Our young adult children have been home for the better part of a week. We've played games, eaten lots of food, hung out together, and enjoyed giving/receiving Christmas gifts, too.

I hope you and your families have enjoyed the holidays as much as I have enjoyed them!

Our son leaves today, but our daughter who teaches in the bush of Alaska doesn't leave for another few days. So I'm taking a brief break from the fun of family to put together this blog post.

Why? Because there's a new Sweet Stampin' Challenge beginning today!

Challenge Theme: Anything Goes
Sponsor: Crafty Devils Papercraft - £10 voucher

Here is my card:

Here is the inside:

I hope you'll participate in the Sweet Stampin' Anything Goes Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Unity Season Snowman
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Tiver Rock
Designer Paper: We R Memory Keepers Antique Chic Paper Pad
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

The 15th is for Dueling...

The Dueling Darlings have a little fun on the 15th of each month. However, we've decided to lay low this month - there is no duel.

Instead, I thought I'd show you (once again) my personal favorite of the Dueling Darling cards that I made for 2014.

It was in February and Barb and Deb were the hostesses. If you'd like to see the original blog post, click HERE.

These two cards were the runners up in my "favorites" of the year of dueling:

June - hosted by Darlene and Tami

 July - hosted by Kelly and Jeanette

I'm looking forward to dueling again in 2015!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today - for a look to the past!

Glitter Is Not My Friend

I don't know if you know this about me, but I have a Love/Hate relationship with GLITTER! I love it when other people use it... but I always hate it when I try to use it.

However, I gave it a good try on this card:

I used Stickles on the designer paper - yes, everyone of those snowflakes glitters! I used glittery small white brads, and I even added glitter to the snowflake brad. And I added a touch of glitter to the snow-covered ground of the image as well as to the snowmen's carrot noses. "Why?"  you might ask. Well, there a very good reason for that...


The new One Stitch At a Time Challenge is

Anything Goes with Glitter

December 14 - 27

Sponsor: StitchyBear Digital Outlet

Prize:

I hope you'll participate in the OSAAT Anything Goes with Glitter Challenge!

My card features a lovely snowflake designer paper that is actually a digi image. It's part of the Panda Bear Baby It's Cold Outside paper pack from StitchyBear. The adorable snowman family digital image is also available at StitchyBear. It's called Snow Trio.

The inside of my card is way too plain:

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

A Creative Need - Playing with Snow
Craft & Smash - Ice and Snow
Doodle Pantry - Any Digi Goes
Stampavie and More - Snowflakes
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: StitchyBear Digi Outlet Snow Trio
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Vintage Violet
Designer Paper: StitchyBear Digi Outlet Panda Bear Baby It's Cold Outside
Embellishments: American Crafts Glitter Brads, Hobby Lobby Ribbon, Spare Parts Snowflake Brad, and Stickles Glitter Glue

Oh Christmas Tree

Not only green when summer's here,
But also when it's cold and drear.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
Thy leaves are so unchanging!






It's time for a new Sweet Stampin' Challenge...

Theme: Oh Christmas Tree

December 13 - 26

I hope you will participate!

Here's my card:

Image: Penny Black Merry Merry Christmas

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Penny Black Merry Merry Chrsitmas
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red
Designer Paper: Adorn It Bright Gathering and scraps from my scrap file
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons, Michael's Rhinestones, and Stickles Glitter Glue

I ♥ Pizza #5

Today is Thematically Thursday - the second Thursday of the month - which means try something new. Well, this is a stretch, but the "New" I'm going to do today is this - I've never before made 10 unique, one-of-a-kind cards from the same stamp/image before. But I have now.  I think I mentioned that I made 10 different cards using the same stamp/image - for the Mystery Image card swap group. These are the last two that I have to show you.

Card #9

Card #10

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Image/Sentiment: Sugar Pea Designs Pizza My Heart
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red
Designer Paper: Paper Pizazz Brick Wall and Brown Leather
Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor

I {heart} My Friends

Barb is the hostess of the current round of the Unidentified Image card swap on SCS and she sent an adorable Whipper Snapper image for us to use - Bristol & Friends. THANK YOU, Barb! I sure had fun with this image!

Here is my card:

This is the inside:

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Whipper Snapper Bristol & Friends
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Cherry Cobbler
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Holiday Wonder Paper Pad
Embellishments: Paper Studio Snowflake Brad and Stickles Glitter Glue

Snow Angels

PLEASE NOTE: I have two blog posts today - this one and the {PIN}Spirational Challenge one that follows it. You can either keep scrolling or click HERE to see the "Pin" card I made.

This is a very special day!

It is the day that the Three Musketeers are posting the December project. If you recall, the Three Musketeers are Barb, Kelly, and myself. Each month, one of us sends images to the other two and  the three of us create a card using that image.

This month, Barb sent us the images. And let me tell you, it was a fun image that brought back childhood memories, for sure.

Here is the card I created:

I remember making snow angels, do you?

Barb's note said this: "I am going to challenge you a bit for December."

The challenge for me was the size of the image. That is one BIG stamp! So it fills most of the card - which is a 5 1/2" square card. But that's okay because it is a fabulous image.

The image and sentiment on the front are both manufactured by Northwoods Rubber Stamp Co.

Here is the inside of my card:

The sentiment inside is made by Door Country Rubber Stamps.


Barb, thank you so much for sending a fun image/sentiment for us to use. 

I can't wait to see what Barb and Kelly have done with the same image... so let's all head over to their blogs to see....

Barb
Kelly

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Be sure to scroll down to the next blog post to learn about the new {PIN}Spirational Challenge that starts today!

Image/Sentiments: Northwoods Snow Angel Snowman, and Believe in Snow Angels and Door County Rubber Stamp Co. Snowman Wishes & Snowflake Kisses
Ink: Copic Markers and Zig Wink of Zella Marker
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Vintage Violet
Designer Paper: TPC Winter Blues Flurries
Embellishments: A Muse Studio Rhinestones

Santa Bear

It's time for a new {PIN}Spirational Challenge...

December 9 - 22

Here is the photo to {PIN}Spire us:

The sponsors for this challenge are:

Pattie's Creations

and

Spyder's Other Corner

We ♥ our Sponsors!

Here's the card I made:

the image was donated by Pattie's Creations - Thank you!

Here's the inside of my card:

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

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Pattie's Creations
Ink: Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Red
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Stickles Glitter Glue and Ribbon from an unknown vendor