Tinkerbella

I decided I needed another entry on the blog... I've not had a whole lot of creative mojo going for me this whole weekend and that's not good since I've got 5 swaps due this month! I'm hosting a recipe swap with the ladies I work with, so I need to work on my two spots for that - fortunately one of them is designed but I haven't thought of the other one. Then I have a Christmas cookie swap due and I bought this way gorgeous paper by Basic Grey and now I can't remember what I was going to do with it. I still need to make my notebooks for the swap I'm hosting. I've got it thought out, just nothing made!

Anyway, earlier this year I hosted a Bella swap and I had approximately 50 participants. I made each participant a card (you saw one on an earlier posting - Bellarina with the pink glittery tutu) and those that took multiple spots I, of course had to do different designs. This is one of the cards that I did. I love how it turned out! Brocade Blue is one of my favorite blues and the black card stock really allowed the detail of the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls show up. I used my Brocade Blue marker to color her dress and then I used a silver gel pen to highlight the flowers. I colored her wings with Bashful Blue and then I used holographic highlights embossing powder to make the wings sparkly. I used my Coluzzle envelope template to create the scallop edge and then finished it off with a bit of bling. I hope you like it.

Awareness!!

Hi All,



With the beginning of October fast approaching, it brings to mind many things... cooler nights, apple harvest and more vibrant colors of Fall. But one color that is becoming more equated to October is pink.



Think pink! You'll see it everywhere. Don't become complacent to the color... don't roll your eyes... don't ever say "it won't happen to me." We are women, we are mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters and Breast Cancer will hit 1 in 8 women this year alone. Early detection has a 97% survival rate. Do those self-exams, get your mammogram done. It's so important. (BTW, these are numbers I have heard, they are not confirmed. For more accurate statistics, please visit the American Cancer Society website or talk to your doctor.)



Someone very near and dear to me was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, in fact she just had the lump removed yesterday. For her, she caught it in time. For this I am so thankful. During my wait to hear how her surgery went, I was surfing SCS (as always) and I came across a swap for Breast Cancer Awareness - it's due October 5th, so not a lot of time to get cards made, but I signed up anyway. I'm sharing with you the card I made for this swap. I hope you like it. I CASE'd the layout from a snowman card that was submitted in the swap I'm hosting. I absolutely love this and I hope you do, too. I used Kraft card stock as my base. I love Kraft with Pretty in Pink. I used the word "hope" from a retired set (Wonderful Words II) and I used my SU! scallop punch and these wonderful little crystal brads my sister sent me. I also used Swirls stamps by Autumn Leaves. I feel my card is very soft and feminine and I love the creative fold.

I hope that you will hear my call to take care of your parts - you are most important to someone. Whether it be your children, your spouse, family or friends.

There's not a lot of time to participate in the swap, but there's a whole month to make a card to send to a special woman in your life to remind her how important she is to you.

Big hugs to you all!!

Absolutely love Penny Black

As you all know, my blog has become the ramblings of a mad swapper. I signed up to participate in a Penny Black card swap and I took two spots. Two sets of cards. I shared one a while ago, the card that has the adorable hedgie chatting with a worm. I haven't shared the other spot I did, I will soon. But anyway, Jen the hostess, desperately needed the last spot filled and guess what! I took it. I decided it'd be fun to have the swap return to my friend Judy. She adores PB stamps, too. So I borrowed a stamp from her and this is what I came up with...

I used Chocolate Chip card stock as my base, I stamped it with the flourish stamp from Priceless. The tab I created using my tab punch and a stamp from Totally Tabs and "friend" is from Everyday Flexible Phrases. Next the decorative paper is Tres Jolie that I got out of the clearance bins when Sari and I went to Recollections. The stamp is Penny Black Sunshine Hedge! and is such an awesome image. Judy used it to make me a birthday card. Sooo cute!! I used my prismacolor pencils and Gamsol to color. Oh and just a touch of dark olive green grosgrain ribbon. I hope you like it. I hope Judy likes it!!

OK - off to get ready for the stamp camp. Stay tuned and I'll upload the photos of the finished project later. I think you'll like it!!

Where has the month gone!

My, has September flown by or what!! I hadn't really realized that I'd neglected my blog until one of my faithful readers made a comment about missing my blog!

Do you want to hear me ramble on or would you just like me to jump right into the latest project? Haha! Speaking of projects, I don't know how long ago I promised to have a sample of my paper bag recipe album put on the blog. I haven't done it yet. And I have a good reason. I finally received my order of the new tasty paper from the Holiday Mini called Apple Cider. I wanted to put up exactly what we'd be making, instead of a sample. If you want to make one yourself, join me on Saturday (1pm to 4pm) for the stamp camp. Laura, for you, we'll set you up after the store closes! *hint, hint*

Anyway, so I nominated a couple of really awesome SCS hostesses to honor and I've been making things, buying goodies, and I needed a card to make. I'm not going to tell which hostess this is for because she might be a reader and not a commentor on the blog. She'll figure me out after she gets the package. So I made this card for her. I tried scanning since it's night-time and not the best time for picture taking. I hope you like it. As always, I love your comments.

I used Very Vanilla for my base, then I used this really cool paper from a mat pack that I either received from a secret girlfriend gift or from another friend. Yipes! I can't remember. But it's a 4x6 K&Company Designer Mat Pad - these are so cool... double sided, so I used the design for one layer and the solid for the other layer. I used Oh, So Lovely stamp set and my prismacolors and gamsol to color. I can understand why this is the coloring method of choice of my sister's. The colors blend out so nice.

OK, so don't forget the stamp camp if you're in the area. I'd love to have you join me.

Just a thought to share

Good Morning Everyone,

It's about 6:15 a.m. and I'm doing my daily routine... get up, shower, dress, get my son up and then come to the computer to check my email and SCS. I was also reviewing my weekend and it seems the more I tried to get done around the house, the less I accomplished. It puts into mind a stamp I saw while wading thru a ton of sentiments for my sister on the Whipper Snapper website. I'm not sure what image you'd put with this saying, but it goes:

Housecleaning with children around is like stapling jell-o to a tree.

LOL! I think that is so funny and so true. My kids are 12, 9 and 8 and I don't know how I managed when they were little guys. Now they are old enough to help and they still get underfoot. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Fall is my most favorite time of year!

I love Fall. I love the cool, crisp mornings, the warm afternoons and the chill in the evenings that make me want to cuddle under a blanket with a good book and cup of hot tea. The colors are so amazing here in West Virginia. As some of you know, I am a Colorado native and my heart will always be there. The changing of the Aspens is so spectacular - but then we moved to WV and the colors are truly amazing. The golds, reds and oranges are so vibrant! This is a picture I took in our old neighborhood. I am sure it doesn't capture the beauty I am describing to you.

I also have a card to share with you. This is my very first House Mouse card. Of course I bought my stamp from the "mean, old nasty Dick" at HM Stamps! Haha! He signed one of his recent email to his customers that way and I'm sure it made everyone laugh, because I don't think he could pull off mean and nasty with any amount of effort. Great guy, great customer service.

This is for a swap that is due soon, I just finished it. Tell me what you think. Oh, and I think my picture is better, lighting wise - it's fuzzy but I had already shared that my particular model of Kodak EasyShare doesn't have a close up mode. Let me know what think!! I likey those comments!!

I used House Mouse cater-mouse, I colored him with my Stampin' Markers (Kimmie, are you proud?), I had to try the Cami's Trifold Card that Kimmie featured on her blog recently and I found the tutorial on SCS. My paper is from SEI (love their products)! I also used the Marvy Giga Scalloped circle punch, or is that Mega - whichever one is bigger, and my Coluzzle circle template.

I do wish the picture was clearer for you to see this adorable little guy - including his icky fingers and toes. I had a lot of fun making this card. I hope you like it, too.