I {Love} Sydney

I made a card using the JessicaLynnOriginal "Sydney" image... she's so cute! I love her. Of course, I love a lot of the JessicaLynnOriginal stamps/images. If you haven't been to her online store lately, you should check it out... HERE.

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: JessicaLynnOriginal Sydney colored with Copic Markers and a Spectrum Noir Sparkle Marker
Cardstock: Recollections
Designer Paper: Target Dollar Aisle (from 5+ years ago - can anyone say "Hoarder!"?)
Embellishments: Spare Parts Brads

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

I just recently learned that Gerda Steiner Designs has a monthly challenge featuring one of their images. And the participants all get the next month's challenge simply for participating. This month's image is an adorable bunny with a carrot. He made me think of Easter, so I made a card complete with Easter designer paper.

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Gerda Steiner Designs "Carrot Bunny" colored with Copic Markers and a Sparkle Spectrum Noir Marker
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Pixie Pink
Designer Paper: DCWV Stack 8
Embellishments: Candy Dots from an unknown vendor

Argh!

It's time for a new {PIN}Spirational Challenge and here's the theme photo...

The sponsor - All Dressed Up - provided images for the design team's use as well as a prize for a lucky participant. THANK YOU!

Challenge #162

March 29 - April 11

Be sure to participate for a chance to win the prize!

I used the All Dressed UP Pirate Puppy image to make my card...

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: All Dressed Up Pirate Puppy
Ink: Copic Markers and Zig Wink of Stella Marker
Cardstock: Recollections
Designer Paper: DCWV Boyhood Paper Pad
Embellishment: Pirate Flag Brad from an unknown vendor

It's Time to Bloom!

There's a new challenge at MelonHeadz Friends today...

March 28 - April 10

Theme: Throw on Flowers

I hope you'll participate!

I used the MelonHeadz Illustrating "My Leafy Garden Bundle" to make my card...

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Images: MelonHeadz Illustrating My Leafy Garden Bundle colored with Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Gray
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Brads

Friends, Flowers, & Birthdays

Sue is the hostess of the Baker's Dozen cardmaking group this month. She sent us a fun set of goodies to play with (THANK YOU, Sue!) - embossed paper, designer paper, ribbon, pearls, and punched flowers... and encouraged us to add our own sentiments/images if we wanted to do so. I loved her comment - "just have fun!!" So I did.

Here are the two cards I created...

Card #1

Inside:

Card #2

Inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

 Sentiment: Inky Antics "Swirly Sunshine & Flowers stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Cardstock: Recollections Black and White

Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Tempting Turquoise

Stompy

I love making cards with JessicaLynnOriginal stamps - so today I have a card to show you that I made with one of her wonderful digital stamps: Stompy Elephant.

 

Stompy sure is a handsome fellow, isn't he?

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: JessicaLynnOriginal Stompy Elephant colored with Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! River Rock
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Button. Imagine Crafts Clear Pico Embellisher (on eyes), and Stampin' UP! River Rock Ribbon

Peek at My Week

On Fridays I reflect on my week and post some of the highlights (and sometimes low points, too) here on my blog.

This week has been busy - in good ways.

We had our mid-year meeting of our association of 26 churches on Monday. It was the first one since my husband became the Director of Missions and I thought it went very well. Our state Executive Director was the guest speaker and he motivated us well.

I've also worked on the writing assignment that I had looming - our national women's missions organization commissioned me to write four blog posts that will appear on their blog in July. I am excited to say that I've completed all four articles. YAY!

I've made 23 cards this week. WOW! I don't usually make that many cards in a week.

My Inspire Journaling Bible arrived in the mail on Wednesday - and I've drooled all over it. (Have yet to do anything in it... but drooling is okay for a while, right?)

I've added some things to my stamping inventory on Evernote, still in my quest to get everything uploaded there.

And perhaps one of the most exciting things for me (since I absolutely love to organize) is that I started organizing all of my dies.

It began with an ebay purchase... I bought 500 outdated magnet calendars HERE.

I know... 500???? Sheesh! But I didn't think 70 would be enough and so I went with 500. ;)

That box was sure heavy!!! 

I think he said it weighed 40 pounds.

I began carefully removing the calendar...

Once it was removed (notice the white backing on the magnet), I noted the specifications of the die that was stored on it...

Then I slipped the magnet, the die, and any appropriate packaging in a sleeve and stored them in a small black plastic crate...

I am still undecided on how I'll organize them in the crate. I know I will label the categories to make them easier to find. And of course I'll have a Dies Notebook in Evernote. But I don't know if I want to organize them strictly by company in the crate, or if I want to categorize them... things like "Borders" - "Nestabilities" - "Words" - etc.

Truthfully, I'm leaning toward categories and then in alphabetical order by company within each category, but I am not completely convinced yet. If you'd like, give me your thoughts. It might help me decide.


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

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Did I Do That?

March is quickly coming to an end so I decided it was way past time to make my card for this month's "From the Heart" challenge. Each month that a person participates, she will receive the next month's image free... so I sure didn't want to miss out on that. Besides, this month's image set (Digging Dog) is just too cute.

There are so many sentiments to choose from! 

It's an absolutely adorable set!!!

Here's my card:

Of course, I just had to decorate the inside, too...

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiments: From the Heart Stamps Digging Dog colored with Copic markers
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Stampin' UP! Bashful Blue
Designer Paper: DCWV Boyhood Paper Stack
Embellishment: Offray Grosgrain Ribbon

You Saved the Day!

Each month I receive a mysterious envelope in the mail. It's from one of the Mystery Image gals (a different one each month) - who sends an image to all of us to use in making a card. Then we mail the card to a specified member of the group. Imke keeps us so well organized. And we have fun!

This month Joanna was the hostess - THANK YOU Joanna for great images (and bonus die cuts) to use this month.

Here's my card:

Thanks for stopping  by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment: Birdie Brown "You're Super" stamped on Cryogen White #89 with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers and a Spectrum Noir Sparkle Marker
Cardstock: Recollections Black and Kraft
Designer Paper: Colorbok Old Glory Paper Pad
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

A Work in Progress

Do you ever try to make a card... and can't seem to get it to look right? I had one of those experiences lately, so I thought I'd show you my trial/error journey to happiness.

Card #1

Card #2

Card #3

I finally gave up and settled with Card #4

This card was actually made for a swap group I'm in that also requires matching envelopes, so I stamped a bit of the image on my envelope, too... and added a touch of ink to the edge.

Here's the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image/Sentiment: Unity Take Care of You
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black), Ranger Distress (Antique Linen and Peeled Paint), and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Recollections (Black and Ivory) and Stampin' UP! (Confetti Ivory and Wild Wasabi)
Designer Paper: Authentique
Embossing Folder: Tim Holtz Honeycomb
Embellishments: Imagine Crafts Irresistible Pico Embellisher (Bronze) and Michael's Pearls

What a Tangled Mess

Goodness! I sure own a lot of Embossing Folders................... I don't even want to tell you how many! And I very VERY rarely use one. So... when I found out the new challenge at One Stitch at a Time is "Anything Goes with Embossing" I knew it was going to be a great opportunity to dust off an embossing folder and have some fun.

Nothing is more fun than Christmas, right?

Here's the inside of my card:

Don't forget to play along (you could win a PRIZE - $10 to spend in the StitchyBear Digi Outlet store!)

One Stitch at a Time

Challenge #258

Theme: Anything Goes with Embossing

March 20 - April 2

Sponsor: StitchyBear Digi Outlet

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: StitchyBear Digi Outlet "Christmas Lights"
Sentiment: unknown vendor stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ink: Copic Markers
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Christmas Ornaments
Cardstock: Recollections Black, Red, and White and Stampin' UP! Wild Wasabi
Designer Paper: DCWV Year Round Paper Pad
Embellishments: Imagine Crafts Irresistible Pico Embellisher and Brads from an unknown vendor

I Am Not Fat...

I am not FAT,

I am Sturdy!

I love that quote!!! 

It's just one of the many things to love about the JessicaLynnOriginal stamp set that is being launched today - if you love Bulldogs, you're going to love this set!

I couldn't choose just one of the three bulldog images to use, so I made three cards. (Just so you know I didn't use all of the sentiments in the set.)

Card #1

Card #2

Card #3

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Items used to make these cards:

Images: JessicaLynnOriginal Bulldog
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers (also colored pencils on Card #2)
Cardstock: Recollections
Designer Paper: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Ribbon and Brads from unknown vendors