Some Days You’re the Dog…

My sweet baby girl started college this week.  And yes, Mama is having a hard time holding it together!  LOL  We left home at 6:15 a.m. Sunday for the two hour drive to Columbus with two car loads of stuff to move her into her dorm/apartment with two other girls.  And then we left her behind by early afternoon to head back home.  And right away this morning she started her classes for Vet Tech training.  :)  But not before texting Mom at 10:00 p.m. Sunday night because she was sick!  Yes, laying on the bathroom floor, trying not to lose her supper, that kind of sick.  The poor girl… I think the day was just so exciting and overwhelming and long, and it all caught up with her.  Thankfully, she felt somewhat better by this morning and made it to class. 

So, of course, I had to make a card to send her and being the animal lover she is, I knew I’d HAVE to use the Birdie Brown You Make My Tail Wag stamp set (and the matching Die-Namics) from My Favorite Things.  I followed the layout for the MFT sketch challenge #243 for this week, making a square frame for the front using Lemon Drop card stock.  The card base is a piece of Tropical Teal card stock, and to that I adhered a panel of polka dot paper from the Dots & Stripes Fresh Paper Pack.  I embellished the scene with some Flat-Bottom Clouds Die-Namics cut from Sweet Tooth card stock, and some Gumdrop Green card stock that was cut with the Grassy Fields Die-Namics.  I added an Electric Red card stock flag that was cut from Blueprints 16 and stamped half of the sentiment on the flag.  The dog and hydrant were stamped with Steel Grey hybrid ink on Copic X-press It card stock, and colored with Copics.

The other half of the sentiment went on the inside…

…along with the hydrant image stamped in Tropical Teal hybrid ink.  Then I added another sentiment from the stamp set, but changed it slightly because of the bad day/night my daughter had with being sick right before the first day of school!

She’ll be coming back home this weekend since it’s a 3-day weekend, but I hope that if I get this in the mail right away she’ll get it before Friday!

Thanks SO much for stopping by today!

Color Throwdown #357

Hi friends... it's time for another Color Throwdown challenge, and this week Joan is taking us for a walk on the wild side with this inspiration photo...

I struggle when using anything close to blue and pink... I just automatically want to make a baby card.  But at this point in my life, I don't find myself with a need for baby cards very often!  So I was really glad when the idea for this card jumped into my head!

I finally used the Crazy Birds stamp set that I just HAD to have a few months back!  LOVE these silly birds!  I colored very simply with Copics, then masked the image and splattered some gray ink on the card stock.  The Seriously Word Die is from Lil' Inker Designs.  Before I cut the light pink card stock, I sponged some darker pink ink onto the card stock, then die-cut to create the ombre look.  The sentiment was stamped on black card stock, and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I mounted the background panel to a piece of black and white striped paper, and then to a white card base.  I finished the design with some enamel dots.

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details.  And visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration!

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Lindsay Amrhein, August Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by today!

Herd You Had a Birthday

My brother-in-law had a birthday this past weekend, and I’m late getting his card sent but here is what is going in the mail today…



My sister Kendra and her husband (known by everyone as Townsie) have a great little farm, and they have an abundance of dogs, and pot-bellied pig, and five massive Percheron draft horses!  So I just had to pull out The Whole Herd stamp set by Birdie Brown from My Favorite Things for his card.  I also used the matching The Whole Herd Die-Namics, the Rolling Hills Die-Namics, the Cloudy Day stencil, Blueprints 13 (for the sun) and Blueprints 15 to cut the back panel from Gumdrop Green and Blue Breeze card stock. 

I colored each horse to match the horses at my sister’s farm.  Three are all black, as most Percherons are when they’re young.  Here is one of her beautiful horses at the county fair just last week, along with the Best of Show trophy!



This is Super Grover and my sister (holding the trophy) at the Henry County (Ohio) Fair last week.

And most Percerons, as they age, turn a dapple gray like Gonzo, shown here in this photo from the fair with my sister’s friend Chris…



Two of their horses who stayed home last week are black like Grover, and one, (the oldest affectionately known as Grandma Hilly because she’s named after our Grandma Hilda) is all white.  Here’s my daughter Kelsey riding Hilly back in the winter.  Isn’t she beautiful?



So you can see why I had to have five horses on the card, all colored to match!  :)

Since I colored with Copics, I'm entering my card in the current MarkerPOP Blog Anything Goes challenge #76 this week.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Apples for the Teachers

Where I work, we like to have name tags on the office doors, and it’s fun to use something seasonal.  So last weekend, I got a little carried away with apples!  I used bunches of scraps of red, yellow and green designer paper scraps to cut out a bunch of Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples using the sweet Red Delicious Die-Namics die from My Favorite Things.

So, like I said…. I got carried away!  I was watching a Walking Dead marathon, and just kept cutting and before I knew it I had well over 100 apples!  LOL  We only needed about 20 of them at work, so with the remaining 80 I made some 4x4 note cards, and plan to bless four different teachers in my life with them!  Three sets are going to church today, and one set is being mailed to my beautiful cousin’s daughter!  These were so fun to make!  I loved mixing the patterns of the apples and the leaves.

As luck would have it, the great folks at Simon Says Stamp are having a Back-to-School challenge this week on their Wednesday Challenge blog, so this fits perfectly with that theme!

Have a blessed Sunday, and thank you for stopping by!

Birthday Bear Hugs

I colored this sweet bear a few days ago, and now found a great use for him on this card using the current sketch #242 from My Favorite Things this week!  The bear and sentiment are from the darling Birdie Brown Birthday Bears stamp set, and was cut with the matching Die-Namics.

For the background panel, which was die-cut with the Blueprints 15 Die-Namics, I stamped a piece of watercolor card stock with the BG Grid background in Versamark ink, then heat embossed with white detail embossing powder.  I used a piece of acetate and some Summer Splash dye ink to do some ink smooshing on the background.  The sketch this week calls for an oval in the center, and since I didn’t want to cover up my inky background, I die-cut a vellum oval.  I added a sentiment from the Birthday Bears stamp set on an Orange Fizz card stock flag that was cut with Blueprints 2 Die-Namics.  I accented with a few Sparkling Clear sequins, and adhered everything to a Lemon Chiffon card stock base.

I’m also entering my card in the current Tag You’re It challenge #28.

Happy Friday!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Color Throwdown #356

Hello friends!  It's time again for the Color Throwdown challenge, and this week Broni is our hostess.  She's got this great inspiration photo for you!  With Summer still in full swing, but Fall on the way there are a LOT of possibilities with these colors...

For my card, I just had to finally use my fantastic new Blissful Blooms stamp set and matching Die-Namics from My Favorite Things… 

I die-cut a BUNCH of flowers and leaves from watercolor card stock, then used my MISTI to stamp them all.  Then I pulled out my Zig Clean Color watercolor markers and started coloring.  After I had a good garden full of flowers, I started on my card.  My layout was inspired by my BFF Barbara Anders and her great CTD card from two weeks ago.  On the Sweet Tooth card stock background I started by applying a thin layer of white embossing paste using the Harlequin stencil from MFT.  After the paste was dry, I laid the stencil back over the embossing and sponged the diamonds with some Orange Zest dye ink.  I layered this panel on a piece of Black Licorice card stock, and mounted to a Sweet Tooth card stock base.  I die-cut the Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX from Green Room card stock, and layered it behind a piece of Black Licorice card stock that was cut with the Blueprints 12 and my Stitched Circle STAX.  Then I arranged my floral bouquet and added the sentiment on a Sweet Tooth card stock Fishtail Flags STAX.  The sentiment is from the LJD Spring Tulips stamp set, but I only used half the sentiment.  A few black enamel dots completed my design.

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details.  And visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration!
Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Lindsay Amrhein, August Guest Designer
Yapha Mason, Guest Star Stamper

Happy Wednesday, and thanks for stopping by today!

Make Lemonade

I was on my way home from work last night, thinking about what a crazy, hectic day it had been… phones that never stopped ringing, piles of paperwork that seemed to grow before my eyes, and it was “Energy Conservation Day” which means the central air was shut down at 2:30 in the afternoon, and didn’t get turned back on until 6:30.  It makes people cranky (including me!) and adds burden to an already semi-unbearable day.  So I just knew that what I needed when I got home was some stamping therapy!

I thought all this past weekend about participating in the current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge, but was just bummed because the theme is mason jars, and I have NO stamps that fit that theme.  But then I started thinking about stamps I do have that might fit that bill.  A mason jar is basically a vessel for holding foods, right?  (Most of the time anyway, but mine also hold buttons, tools, pencils, etc!)  And then I thought of my Bowl of Sunshine stamps and matching dies from Papertrey Ink, and thought maybe a Pyrex bowl would fit the challenge!  So here’s my card…

I turned the current Sweet Sunday Sketch #282 on it’s side for the layout (wow, it was a trial stamping that sentiment straight on the angled panel!) and am also participating in the Create Along With Us challenge for August at Papertrey Ink.  (Although I didn’t realize until now that I’m too late with my entry!)  I found the colors in Danielle’s “Brushed Off” card here for my inspiration with these colors.

Just what I needed… a little stamping therapy!  And if Tuesday hands me lemons, I’ll make lemonade for everyone!  Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Balloons

Hi friends!  During my stamping time this weekend, I worked in a little time to make a card using the current sketch from My Favorite Things.  I really wanted to come up with something other than the stars shown in the sketch for my card, and I am pretty happy with these balloons!

I just LOVED the color combo in Stephanie’s cute card here, so I used it for my card today… Orange Zest, Ripe Raspberry, Limelight and Summer Splash.  The balloons and strings were die-cut with the Die-Namics Birthday Balloons.  The balloon strings and sentiment strip were cut from Steel Grey card stock and the sentiment, stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in white, is from the Totally Happy stamp set.  I used my Stitched Circle STAX Die-Namics, and the Blueprints 12 to cut the circle from silver mirrored card stock.  On the Sweet Tooth card stock background panel, I used white embossing paste to add some tiny stars using the Starry Night stencil.  I die-cut the background panel with Blueprints 24 and mounted to a piece of Steel Grey card stock, and a Sweet Tooth card stock base.  A few enamel dots for embellishment completed my design.

Thanks for stopping by!  I appreciate the visits and comments!

Color Throwdown #355

 

Hello friends!  We have another Color Throwdown challenge for you, and today Barbara is our hostess.  She’s going to cool down our summer temps with these shades of blue and gray…

Like Vickie’s purple a few weeks ago, I accused Bar of trying to torture me because I just don’t feel like blue and I get along very well.  But once I remembered that I had this sweet little elephant already colored, my card came together quite well!

This sweet guy is from the Wplus9 Design “Unforgettable” stamp set, and I used the matching die to cut out little Dumbo.  He’s colored with Copics and mounted to a Sno Cone card stock circle.  On the Lush Lagoon card stock strip that was cut with the Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX Die-Namics, I stamped a sentiment from the set and heat embossed.  The background was stamped with the BG Simply Circles background in Versamark ink then heat embossed with white detail embossing powder.  And on the Steel Blue card stock at the bottom I stamped the BG Diagonal Stripes background in Steel Grey hybrid ink.  (Card stock, dies and background stamps are all from My Favorite Things.)  I used the sketch again from CAS(E) this Sketch #135 for the layout.

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details.  And visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration!

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Lindsay Amrhein, August Guest Designer
Jenny Lane, Guest Star Stamper

Thanks for visiting!

Such a Peach

Well, my nice 4-day weekend has come to an end.  It went fast.  :(  I don’t want to go back to work!  Oh well, that’s life!  I did manage to get a lot done and had some good stamping time, too!

Here’s one card I made that combines the current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge, the current Colour Q challenge, and the current CAS(E) This Sketch….

I had used my Zig Clean Color markers last weekend when I was stamping with friends to color these peaches from Wplus9 Design's Punny Produce: Peaches stamp set.  I used some white embossing paste on the background with the Harlequin stencil from My Favorite Things, and added a few background stamps from MFT including the BG Fine Chevron, BG Diagonal Stripes, and the Darling Dots stamp set. My Favorite Things Die-Namics used include the Zig Zag Stitched Circle STAX, the Stitched Scallop Edges, and Blueprints 13.

Happy Monday, and thanks for stopping by!

Build-Able Blooms

I just don’t know why, but on a recent order that I placed at My Favorite Things I just felt like I HAD to have the Build-Able Blooms stamp set.  And the stamps arrived, and I drooled over them a little bit, then…. smacked myself in the forehead!  Duh… I didn’t order the matching Die-Namics!  What the heck?  Darn if I didn’t have to place another order!  LOL

On Saturday evening I set to work trying to create a card for the MFT sketch challenge #240 this week, and thought it’d be fun to use these flowers for my design.  I also used the colors of the current color challenge #26…

The colors are Ripe Raspberry, Limelight, Jellybean Green and Steel Blue… LOVE this combination!  I also also added some Tickled Pink for contrast.  On the Steel Blue card stock strip, that was cut with Blueprints 12 I stamped a sentiment from the DC You’ve Got Mail stamp set.  I used Versamark ink, and heat embossed with white detail embossing powder.  The Sweet Tooth card stock panel was cut from Blueprints 13 and then layered on a piece of Steel Grey card stock before adhering to a Sweet Tooth card stock base.

My layout is a slightly different take on the sketch, but I hope you like it!  Thanks for stopping by!

Thank You Florals

Hello friends, and happy Saturday!  I hope you’re having a beautiful weekend!

I recently saw these beautiful floral stamps from the Clearly Besotted Fairytale Ending set on Debby Hughes’ blog, and I just had to have them!  (There’s a matching die, too!)  The sentiments in the set are all wedding-themed, which I don’t have a need for right now, so I just made a thank you card because there is always a need for those!

I’m a little late, but the layout of my card is from last Saturday’s Retro Sketch #175, and a can also enter this in the Tie It Up challenge this week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog.  I stamped the floral spray with Versmark, embossed with white detail embossing powder, then colored with my Zig Clean Color markers.  On the oval panel, which was cut from watercolor card stock, I just did some easy ink smooshing with Tumbled Glass distress ink.  Then I made the sentiment by stamping “Thank” from an old MFT stamp set in Steel Grey hybrid ink, and added the “you” cut from Ripe Raspberry card stock using the Simon Says “You” wafer die.  I added a big yellow flag behind the oval that was cut from the Blueprints 13 dies, and stamped with a polka dot background stamp.  The green panel was die cut with the Blueprints 24 and stamped with the BG Diagonal Stripes background.  I added a twine bow, and some black enamel dots for embellishment.

Thanks for stopping by today, and have a great weekend!

Color Throwdown #354

Hello friends, and welcome to Wednesday!  Otherwise known as Hump Day, otherwise known as the last day I have to work until Monday!  Whooohooo, I took a few paid days off and created myself a 4-day weekend/stay-cation, and I can’t wait!  At 5:00 p.m. today Eastern time, you will hear me holler!  :)

But before I get carried away, let’s get to today’s Color Throwdown challenge!  Wanda is our hostess today for challenge #354 and she’s got some pretty, earthy colors for you to try…



I stuck with the earthy-theme and used this cute gnome who’s totally diggin’ things!



The gnome is from the You Gnome Me Birdie Brown stamp set at My Favorite Things, and I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch #280 for the layout (GREAT sketch, don’t you think?)  On the Peach Bellini card stock panel I stamped the BG Woodgrain background in Peach Bellini hybrid ink, and on the Berrylicious card stock strip I stamped the BG Diagonal Stripes background with Berrylicious hybrid ink.  The gnome was stamped on watercolor card stock and I colored with my Zig Clean Color markers.  I added a strip of grass that was die-cut with the Grassy Fields Die-Namics and a flag from Blueprints 12, both cut from Jellybean Green card stock.  I embellished with a few enamel dots to complete the design.

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details.  Visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration, including my uber-talented friend Lindsay Amrhein who’s joining us this month as Guest Designer!

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Lindsay Amrhein, August Guest Designer
Jen Wills, Guest Star Stamper  Hey gnomies, thanks for stopping by!