Closer...Closer...

My blog posts that is...they are getting closer together than they were for a while!

My girl heads off to college in a couple of weeks and my goal is to start creating and posting more 

once that happens. 

I recently went through my stash of "pieces" of stamped "stuff" and started making cards with the pieces.

This is a great guy card! I did use some old TAC images but  the sentiments is all newer stuff. 

The tab die is from MFT and the Birthday is a die from PTI.

I took this bottom picture hoping you would be able to see the stripes reflecting on the card front. 

One of the cool things about this card is that I used glossy cardstock. It can be intimidating to use but the results are awesome!

 Thanks for stopping by!

Oh...It's Feelin Like Winter

In honor of finally feeling cold winter weather, (which I would trade for the 50 degree weather we had in January) I decided I would post this little frozen friend card!

These snowmen are SO cute. It is one of my old sets from TAC, but I have to say it is a set that I thik will be kept for a very LONG time!

We are off to watch our girl play some warm weather fun in an indoor complex this weekend. Indoor softball...in February, pretty awesome!

Then next weekend, hosting a craft day at church...add that to closing on a house next weekend...GOOD TIMES ahead!

FTL170 Been Thinking of U

Amazed??? I am...2 post in 2 days...that is amazing for me these days!

This was another sketch challenge that "tripped my trigger". This one is from the

Clean and Simple blog, one of my favs!  

I immediately thought of this flower die when I saw it.

I LOVE this die! The flowers are so awesome once they are put together. I added a close up so you could see some of the detail. I embossed the background paper with an embossing folder. The "ribbon or cording" is from Hobby Lobby.

The pearls were colered with Copic Markers.

Thanks for stopping by, I really do appreciate all of you who continue to look at my blog!

Supplies:

Stamps: Sentiment TAC

Paper: Patterned and Cardstock SU!

Other: PTI Flower Die, SU! Embossing Folder, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Pearls/Cording from Hobby Lobby

Happy For You

I would like to say that the weather outside in Kansas would be perfect for this little guy but I think it is too cold here even for a penguin! I have a "snow" or shall we say "blizzard" day today...no work, YEAH! So I am going to post this little number and go make some more cause my stash of new stuff has run dry!

Stay Warm!!

All My Heart

Here is another card made with that cute little animal set that I have. The bear is so cuddly cute!

Thinking this is what my dear hubby may look like when he comes home from calling coyotes today. It's a tad nippy out but it is warmer than yesterday!

I went a little out if my element this round, I dont usually use two different patterns, a background stamp and scallops. But it just happened on this card and it seems to work. I used the window light for this photo, I seem to go from one extreme to another on my photos, lol, too little light or too much light.

Supplies:

Stamps: TAC, SU, Glitzy

Paper: PTI Pure Poppy and Hawiian Shores, SU Choco Chip

Ink: LAmoer Palette, Black Memento, Copics

Other: PTI Woodgrain IP, SU Snowflake Embossing folder

A Valentine and A Banner...

Ever notice that on some days things are way more difficult than on other days?? I've been having one of those mornings! Started the morning by taking my 6 year old bird dog to get her some puppy prozac.  I am hoping in a few days we will all be able to sleep through the night once again with out the constant sound of licking! Came home vaccuumed and then started this card....I just could not get it to come together for the longest time. My girl comes home from Lindsborg around noon excited that they won the basketball tournament and that she played both games. Seriously...she wasnt supposed to play at all...they were saving her for the next tournament. Bad parents...didn't go cause the coach told us we should stay home. We won't be listening to her anymore, lol. 2:35 and I am finally done and posting this card. It is for the TAC from the Heart blog hop. Figured I better jump on the valentine wagon before it gets here and I haven't done one valentine's card.

The banner was done by cutting apart the sections of a large scalloped border. I used the scallp edge trimmer for all the little scallops--just cut them down to size. Dug out the old "Soft Spoken" stamp set for the words. And lookie there, I finally used some of that twine I bought.

Stamps: The Angel Company
Paper: Raspberry Fizz (PTI), Choco Chip
Ink: Snow White (PTI), Choco Chip

Best Year Yet....

I found myself making this one last weekend and stamping this little sentiment as it fit the occassion. I plan on having my best year yet and I hope the same for all of you!

This little number started out with the idea of stamping a background image and then stamping the flower on top. I did it once and had too heavy of background image and color...so tried again and liked the results much better. Then I inked the edges of the flower and the leaves with some graduating colors...LOVE the way that made them pop...and what better way to make the whole thing pop...put it on a darker background. Notice that this was taken outside...my neighbors probably really think I am crazy...at least there was no snow ;)

Stamps: TAC, PTI and Glitzy

Warm Wishes

Go, go, go....that is what today has been like. Good news is that our girls basketball team swept all three games tonight! YEAH! Not sure about the boys. I dont ever get to watch them play. Now it is 10:41pm and I feel like there are many things I want to get done in the day but no day left, nor energy. So with that, there will be very little typing in this post. This is one of my most recent favorite cards using tha TAC cuddly critters set...all the images are just adorable. You havent seen the last of this guy/gal...I have more planned for this little image!

Supplies:

Stamps: TAC, PTI and Hero Arts

Ink: Snow White, Memento Black, Copic Markers

Misc. PTI Victorian Lace Border, kraft, white and purple cardstock

Just Because...

...it is cold outside and I can relate to this little critter all bundled up! The next few posts will probably consists of cards made using this stamp set. These are the most adorable animals...and I need to play with them before it gets warm out and I loose my desire to play with wintery type images. I know...I have a couple of months,lol---I am just dreaming that Spring will start tomorrow. Especially since I will start burning a lot of rubber between here and Topeka in a week. I am really hoping for gentle weather. I am good with rain for the farmers...it just needs to stay at or above 32 degrees with no north wind and mama will be a happy camper!Has anyone else noticed that it is staying light a little longer...just by a few minutes but it is happening! Ok...nuff about the Kansas weather.

This card was inspired by all the stamp sets out there that are made to use as "frames" for the nestabilities. I cut out one large shape out of the card stock to be used, then cut a smaller one out of a post it note. Put the post it note down in the middle. Stamped my "frame" and then worked on my focal image.The ribbon was colored with Copic marker to coordinate with the rest of the card. I used pencils for coloring.

A Little Krafty Christmas Love....

This is the first time I have used this color combo and I am sure that I will return to it in the future. A little Ocean Tide, Olive Green and Aqua Mist...sweet!

I have a HUGE scalloped tag sizzix die from a LONG time ago and decided to use it to make a card tag. The base is made out of kraft cardstock and I stamped a little "text style" in versamark and rubbed some shimmering chalk over it. I added teh white and patterned paper. along wit the victorian border. I sta,ped the wreath, used a circle punch for the middle and hand cut the outer edge...topped the whole thing with a little irredescent ice embossing powder. There are two tags that have been connected using a large eyelet to keep them together.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI and TAC

Paper: Patterned, Ocean tide, Kraft and White

Ink: Old Olive, Oasis Green

Mojo Monday 168 and A Sweet 16

I LOVE this sketch and I LOVED this image the minute I first laid eyes on it. The little girl with the car keys is SO where we are at in life! This was going to be what I made Sam's Sweet 16 card with but I didnt get it ordered in time. I decided what the heck...I would go ahead and make a sweet 16 card with it anyway.

The skecth that I used is from the Mojo Monday Blog, Sketch 168 ---lots of awesome inspiration over there...and when I last looked, lots of cards for this sketch challenge. Take a gander over and look around about. Some amazing stuff!

Lots to get done today, not sure how I am going to fair on blog posts next week but I have pictures taken and waitingto be editing for the purpose of blogging!

Supplies:

Stamps: The Angel Company and PTI

Paper: Basic Grey

Ink: Memento Black and Copics

Misc: Ribbon and Gem Stones

TAC Brayer Blog Hop...

                                                

It is finally here, December 10!!! This card has been sitting behind the scenes on my blog just waiting to be posted for a few weeks now. I LOVE the way this one turned out...particularly proud of myself I have to say!! The brayer and I are NOT friends. It is one of the most under used pieces of equipment in my stamp room. But who can resist a good challenge and I had GREAT inspiration. This one was done as a retirement card for a very special man that has been both friend and dad-like throughout my life. Take a bow Rex! Fishing is one of his favorite pass times and he passed that right down to me. I don't get to do it nearly enough but the day will come when my days at the lake will return. There is nothing better than the feeling of a fish tugging on the end of the line {sighs, smiles,giddiness}.

                                                           

Kinda clever huh?? How did I do it, since this is actually a lined image not a bold image?? I started with glossy cardstock. I used a piece that was way bigger than what I needed to give plenty of room to work. I stamped the image with versa-mark and embossed with black embossing powder. Then I took the versa mark pen and colored in the image. The versamark pen does make the black embossed powder bleed a bit so be prepared. In this case it made no difference because I was going for black. If you wanted to you could actually color the image in black and then add versamark by pen to help cover some of those little pitted areas that don't get quite as much embossing powder as other. I like the little pitted areas as the color in those areas is kinda like a relflection of the sun.Once versamark has been applied all over the image, I again embossed with black embossing powder.   

Once that is complete, I started working with the brayer on the background. I tore a piece of 8 1/2x11 computer paper in two making sure to give it a wavy edge. I used this as my mask. I did the grass first. Put the mask over the top of the image, lining it up with his feet. I brayered using Kaleidacolor Fresh Greens ink pad. There are many layers of color here.

Once the grass was done, I used the other half of the computer paper to mask the bottom (grass). I brayered a layer of yellow. I then cut a circle out of computer paper and placed it on the cardfront where I thought a sun (or moon whichever you prefer-fishermen are out at the crack of dawn and don't come home till after dark) would look good. I then went to work brayering on color with the Kaleidacolor Dessert Heat ink pad. To finisih, I cut the piece down to size and built the rest of my card.

Supplies:

Stamps: The Angel Company (Wonder and Joy) Sentiment: PTI (Enjoy the Ride)

Paper: Glossy Card Stock, Kraft and Black

Ink: Memento Black, Sunflower, Frsh Greens and Dessert Heat, Versamark

Misc: Black Embossing Powder, Embossing Folder, Black Embroidery Floss, Silver Sticky Bling from Hobby Lobby

TAC Deck the Halls Blog Hop and SSSC#92

I decided a couple of weeks ago I wanted to participate in the TAC Deck the Halls Christmas blog hop and have some items picked out that I have been intending to order for a few weeks now...but I never got my order placed,lol. Last Sunday I decided that I was just out of time to order and get something done. Hummm, what now??

As I was going through some images that I had previously stamped out on paper, I found this gem. She is the cutest little MRO image EVER and is from the set WinterCheer (very retired!! but woulnt she be great to see again~). This is another all time favorite of mine. I bough this set just for this image. Unfortunatley, I sold this set at my last garage sale (probably should have not done that). So this was my one and only image that I have left.

Talk about pressure! I started to sweat over coloring this little jewell. Copics or pencils??? Safe side of me said pencils...I can do those and I am not sure how old this paper is and how it will react to the Copics. The other side of me was screaming COPICS cause vivid color would look awesome with this image. I watched a few of the videos on the TAC Papercrafting site on how to use my Copics, practiced a couple of techniques using circles and off I went. I took my time coloring this frosty snow girl and was pretty please with the coloring..considering I have not done much practicing :) It was only after I finsihed the complete card that I realized that the light should be coming from the camp fire...uh duh! I had an imaginary sun to the back of her,hehe. Once done coloring I decided to try to use the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge from

The Sweetest Things blog for this week. It was a challenge but it was fun!

Supplies:
Stamps: The Angel Company (WinterCheer)
Other Supplies: Pure Poppy Ribbon and Paper,  Snowflakes Dies, Copic colored crystal gems, Large Scallop Border Die, Tempting Turquoise Paper-and a button

Followers Widget plus Bright and Cheery

Morning, Morning!! I have been trying to add one of those fancy reader things on the side of my blog...you know the ones were you can click and then just scroll down and see all the feeds and photos of great stuff. Yeap, well I am a little technologically challenged and the " help" function doesn't seem to be much help. I did however read that I should add a followers widget to my blog to make it easier for people to return and read. That one is easy enough...so I will try it. We will see if I can get more than 3 followers,lol.

After a few days, I have decided that I need something a little more bright and cheery when I open my blog. This purple and green card is just a tad more cheery :) :) :). You won't get to see the whole card, hehe, because I forgot to take a full card photo,lol.



Supplies:
Stamps: The Angel Company

BooBaby!

Goodmorning, Goodmorning! It is a sunshiny bright Saturday morning here in Kansas! It looks like it is going to be a great day to be outside doing some fall things. We hope to make it to the Gypsum Fall Fest around lunch time for some amazing BBQ from the new BBQ place that recently opened.

I was reading Mischelle's blog and noticed that she was going to hold a blog hop and I thought it would be fun to participate in a little card sharing with some of my old pals from TAC. I noticed that I didn't have a very big selection of Halloween stamps to choose from...but that was ok because this is my favorite EVER set of Halloween images. They are just adorable. The set is an oldie but goodie from TAC called BooBaby! Welp...I should post this and move along for the day. Thanks for stopping by and reading this. Hope everyone has a marvelous Saturday!

Supplies Used:

Stamps:The Angel Company

Paper: Hobby Lobby

Layout: Verve WCM Sketch

Misc: Ribbon, Ric-Rak Die (PTI), Embossing folder, ribbon and nesties circle dies.

It's Not That Bad!

So turning 40 is it really that bad? No...I really dont think so. I was happy when I turned 40 cause at 39, I had set a goal to reach by the time I turned 40 and I made it...so I was focused on that versus the number of birthdays. I had a very wise friend tell me that this time in my life is the best because I should have a better idea now of who I am versus in the past. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that, but for the most part it is true.

So one of my bestest friends, Tricia, recently turned 40 and I thought I would make a little something for her. This was the perfect opportunity to use the "40 Sucks" ideas I had seen online. That is my disclainer, this is not my idea and I dont know whose original idea it was...so if it was you...cheers to you!

My first creation was the card. Now, as many of you will note, I dont do the collage style well, pretty much everything you see from me is clean and simple. So this was a little out of my box, but I think the tickets are just adorable!

Lastly, I used a "repuprosed" candle can for the sucker "vase". I put floral foam in the bottom and added some pink grass over it. Then I counted suckers and stuck them in.

Warning: Keep out of the reach of dogs. My birdie dog decided to snatch 2 suckers out of here when I was not looking. It took my husband and I FOREVER to count and re-count to make sure I had 40. The dog ate the sticks and all so there was no evidence and I would not have known had it not been for the loud crunch I heard!

Happy Birthday Tricia!! It will be a GREAT year!

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI (Up,Up and Away, Just the Ticket, Library Card, Fillable Frame 4, BB Tin Types and Enjoy The Ride) TAC (Needed Numbers)

Paper: SU! Regal Rose and Patterned Paper (?)

Ink: Snow White(PTI), Momento Black, SU! Regal Rose, Palette Charcoal Greay

Misc: Ticket Border from PTI, Ribbon

Fall Friend...

I love this card! I even put a button on a card and it looks good...Yeah Me! The middle panel is glossy cardstock withthe leaves embossed on white. I then brayered over the images with the Capuccino Kalidacolor (can't spell either of those confidently this morning) ink pad. The colors in that ink pad are some of my favorite but believe it or not it is the first time in 3+ years I have used it. I used the woodgrain impression plate from PTI on the piece behind the focal image. The layout came from this Clean and Simple Challenge

Change, Routine and Normal...

Today....will be ramblings and maybe by the end I will have a name thought up for this post. Normal is good, routine is good and change is good and inevitable. So how on earth do you make it all work together? I think the answer is a little at a time. From what I am seeing this past week, too much change at one time can be fun and exciting but it can also throw one for a tail spin. When what you have always known as normal is no longer what you do everyday, eventhough the changes are good, it can really throw a person off. Today we took our first trip of the year to the bus stop~we will be doing this for a week or so~and I am guessing that this won't be the only time this year we get to taxi to school on the big yellow bus. Changes have been extraordinary in our house this year. New car, new classes, new after school routine, change in sports schedule plus more. Nothing seems to be the same as it always has been and that caught up with us a bit. "Mother's intuition" man I hated that phrase as a kid and have to say that it is something that one does not understand until you have children and it is limited to "mom". Dad's have other super-abilities...but mom gets the "mother's intuition" all to herself. I could tell there were some internal struggles happening, even before the outward signs began. With the good changes have come some struggles and we are currently "reeling" it back in for a bit. The nice thing is that the struggles have been minor...nothing out of the "teenage ordinary". So for just a very short time, we will return to what was once known as "normal". If I had to make a guess (and she would ever admit it), with all of the change in routine and schedule this year...this one little slice of normal, how it has always been for 10 years up to now...it felt reassuring and good to both mom and daughter this morning.Boy...it sure felt good to take that 5 mile drive with the music on too loud and no actual speaking until we saw the bus. Funny the things we end up cherishing! And yes...I figured out the title of the post just now.

Cleaning Up and Out...

Good Monday Morning! I have been busy cleaning out all my stamp supplies and my room in preparation for my big garage sale this weekend. I have taken so much out....yet I still have SO much stuff! I spent some time reaaranging a bookshelf that holds my paper and inks and it is wild how doing something so simple like this can make you feel like you have a whole new space...and it makes me feel a little more creative! I did not have the chance to make anything this past weekend but I did have a chance to take a few pictures of things I have made in the last few weeks. Not sure there will be much creating going on this week....but I have a few things I can share anywhay.

Birthday Celebrations...

I did this little birthday card from a sketch challenge over at Clean and Simple Stamping. This is one of my favorite color combos...and I am loving this new flower set from TAC. I did another card using this set...thought I was doing another sketch challenge...looked at the sketch again and I was not even close.lol. So I guess that one will be just a regular post someday.