Wednesday, December 31, 2014

2014 highlights

Today is time to highlight 2014 and plan for what is ahead in 2015. This year, I spent time learning to blog. I still have a lot to learn but it comes with a son that I pay to help with the blog, practice, networking and perhaps taking a blogging class. I have had a lot of fun using my stamping supplies and adding to my stash!! Note to self (join hoarders anonymous)!

Here come the top five highlights of 2014:

I entered the digi world ...felt out of my comfort zone but love the results. You can always teach an old dog new tricks!! A look at my favorites.


I became a CCC enthusiast http://dominodebi.typepad.com/sos/card-chain/ . I mailed my card to Mauritius and received a card from Florida.
How much fun to get snail mail that has no bill enclosed! I also learned how to use a light box for picture taking.





I did my first blog hop(Coffee Lover's blog hop.) I commented on all the posts and admired all the creativity. Here is my card for the Coffee Lover's blog hop.


I entered the Jingle Belles Pink Christmas Challenge on my first blog post. My lesson here is listen to others!! My blogging buddy Becca at the Damsel of Distressed Cards http://damselofdistressedcards.blogspot.com/ encouraged me to do it and I won!


I entered the Archiver's Online Make, Share, Win contest. New word carpe dium. The card was featured in their email along with the other three winners!


In 2015 expect great things! My grandson will be born in January. This will be grandson #2.This is my first grandson named Reily.

My youngest son goes through driver's training(EEEEK!)
I will spend the year stamping and having a BLAST!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Sugar Rush

Yeehaw! I got my Sugar Rush stamp set in the mail today from STAMPlorations and a few hours later...a finished card!! I think this is the fastest I have ever used a new stamp!! The Mojo Monday sketch works perfectly.
After fussy cutting the ice cream sundae, I colored it and used tulip pearl paint for the whip cream under the cherry. I had this paper with the ticket stubs for one banner and the flowered paper to match for a few years. I knew someday there would be a perfect card to use it on. I love this new stamp set and the card I made with it!!
This card is posted to Mojo Mondayhttp://mojomonday.blogspot.com/ STAMPlorationshttp://stamplorations.blogspot.com/p/stamplorations-anything-goes-challenge.html Tuesday Morning Sketcheshttp://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/ Simon Sayshttp://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ Sweet stampinhttp://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/anything-goes.html Loves Rubber Stampinghttp://www.lovesrubberstampschallenges.com/

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Made with lots of LOVE

I love homemade things. It means someome has taken the time to put together something while thinking of you. Today, I made a card that was made with lots of love. Although there is no one specific I made it for, someone very special will get it for a valentine. I used the sketch from Retro Sketches
and the photo inspiration from Just Us Girls.
Here is how the card turned out. It is a new Bugaboo stamp and I used some old papers I had. This week I have been using papers that are growing old!! I just love it!!
This card is linked to: Just Us Girls http://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/ Retro Sketches http://retrosketches.blogspot.com/ Hiding in my craft room http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/ Simon http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ Sweet Stampinhttp://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ Loves Rubber Stampinghttp://www.lovesrubberstampschallenges.com/

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Cute Boots

Today, I decided to play and CASE Becca's design. Her blog is The Damsel of Distressed Cards. http://www.damselofdistressedcards.blogspot.com/2014/12/you-can-stand-under-my-umbrella.html Here is her card I CAS'd...but I needed to add a twist.
Becca wanted a sad rainy day but also wanted to incorporate the brightness of the sunshine. I used tissue paper and inked it with Weathered Wood DI. After adhearing it to the cardstock it looks like a grey, dreary day. Then I found this digi stamp that says When it rains on your parade...just put on really cute boots. I added some sunshine in the corner of the sentiment. Then I framed it, added some chalked clouds and raindrops. I added an umbrella and the cutest boots with bling!
I am linking this card to: Sketch Saturday Challenge http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/ Simon Says http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Love you snowmuch!

I had fun using the My Favorite Things sketch this week to make this card
The snowman stamp is one of my favorite with the hair all over the place and the big heart! I also used a Memory box snowflake to bling it up a bit! This card is posted to: My Favorite Things sketch challengehttp://www.mftstamps.com/blog/Eureka http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/

Candy Cane

An iconic Christmas item is the Candy Cane. It comes in sticks, canes, circles, wreath shapes but it still tastes the same. I wanted to do a vintage Christmas card so I put some Vintage Photo DI on the edges of the card and all the elements. I cut a strip of candy cane paper and applied a red stripe sticker next to it. Then I punched out some vines and holly leaves. I used the Copics marker to get the color I wnated. After stamping Merry Christmas on the card I placed the vines and leaves. To complete the card I added red acrylic dots.
This card is being linked to: Curtain http://curtaincallchallenge.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 22, 2014

Happy Ever After

And the fairytale ends...they lived happy ever after! I made this card to enter into STAMPlorations December challenge. Since it is my third entry, I have hit the limit. I have a niece that will be getting married in 2015 and she will get this card. Happy Ever After will fit into either stamp and layers or stamp and embossing. I needed a wedding/anniversary stamp set and this set can be used to make a variety of cards.
I am posting this card to: STAMPlorations December Challenge http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/ STAMPlorations http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.com/ http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/p/stamplorations-anything-goes-challenge.html

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Bugagoo Birthday Bash

Well, I am ready for some cake and ice cream...are you? Help celebrate Bugaboo's 5th birthday!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Secret Santa

Have you heard of A Vintage Journey? Those craft geniuses have created secret Santa gifts for a fellow design team member. The projects are fantastic! They have so much creativity in their fingertips! Check out the projects they have made and leave them some blog love. Oh by the way, did I mention the prize they have? A Vintage Journey http://www.vintagejourney.com/2014/12/secret-santa-bonus-post-and-christmas.html

Monday, December 15, 2014

A Wisconsin Winter Poem

Home...click my ruby red slippers...there is no place like Wisconsin...Wisconsin is home~ I think Mother Nature is playing tricks on us this year because it is 40 and all the snow has melted but usually...this Wisconsin Winter Poem describes my home.
If you cannot read the poem it says:

A Wisconsin Winter Poem:

It's winter in Wisconsin

And the gentle breezes blow

Seventy miles an hour

At twenty-five below.

Oh, how I love Wisconsin

When the snow's up to your butt

You take a breath of winter

And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around

I could never leave Wisconsin

Cause I'm frozen to the ground!

For this tag, I used concord grape and weathered wood distress ink to create the background. I applied some white acrylic paint with sheet rock tape. Then sponged concord grape and edged in weathered wood. I used Stamploragions Mini Media Mixed Backgrounds for the circles in the background with vintage photo DI.Getting out a map, I cut the state of Wisconsin out and dipped it in faded blue jeans DI. Of course, it had to have an acrylic heart!! I stamped a pair of mittens and used baker's twine to hang it on the state. I stamped the A Note From Wisconsin (contents may be frozen) on white paper and curled the edges. For the thermometer, I punched an oval, made the mercury and diamond glazed it. I added lines and a negative twenty-five. Three white metal brads snowflakes and a ribbon dipped in concord grape DI finish the card. I also applied glitter but the photo does not pick it up. My honey thinks I should send the tag to Governor Walker. This card is posted to Stamplorations gallery http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/p/stamplorations-anything-goes-challenge.html Mixed Media Card Challenge http://themixedmediacardchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/12/mmcc-6-home.html

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Enough Reineer?

When I saw this Bugaboo digi stamp I knew instantly I had to have it!! I am more a fan of cute, funny stamps than I am of realistic stamps. To start, I used an old, OLD holly circle stamp by Stampendous. I ran old paper DI across my paper and stamped the holly on the edge to create the straight line and curve. Then I colored the holly leaves with a mixture of Spectrum and Copic markers. I used a gel glitter pen on the holly leaves. I wanted BIG red berries. The dog/reindeer image was sized and fussy cut. He was colored with Copic markers. I had some metallic gold to use on the jingle bells. Needing still more sparkle I used the gel glitter pen on the bells and the hat brim. I put the card together and added a few more acrylic dots and a bow.
This card is posted to: http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.ca/ http://doodlepantryblog.com/ http://sendasmile4kidschallenge.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-fun-4-kids-challenge.html http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

djkardkreations: Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

djkardkreManations: Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!Man oh man, he can deliver me coffee anytime~~  You created such a diversion...oh yeah, your card is fab.  Love the blue and brown together!  Your design is great!!

Holiday Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

Coffee, coffee, coffee! I had so much fun making this coffeeology card! My coffee stamp...yes, I only have one, is at my friends house. So, it is punt time. I went onto pinterest digi's and was able to get the coffeeology saying. It is so funny. Friends do not let friends drink bad coffee,Deja brew, expresso yourself along with others. I added some hearts and holly leaves to perk up the card. I just love it.
I also made an aqua and peach card with the same design. I used the stacked cups and rhinestones for this one.
This card is posted to: Thanks for visiting!! Happy Hopping.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Just Horse-ing Around

It has been fun trying to find three of something that match to make sketch challenge 24 at STAMPlorations. This month you can enter as many times as you like, so here is card #2. Talented stampers are creating their own backgrounds, so it is time to give it a try. I used my finger and made the green and blue background. Then I stamped the barn and horse. Being from Wisconsin, barns are big here in our landscape! I found a gold horseshoe sticker. The happiness sentiment at the bottom explains life here in Wisconsin...even though it is cold!
This card is posted to: STAMPlorations sketch 24 challenge http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/11/bi-weekly-sketch-challenge-24.html

Sunday, December 7, 2014

A Christmas Hello

I have had fun playing around with the sketch from STAMPlorations. I created a little Christmas Hello using the stamped image, a resin St. Nick postage stamp and a pointsetta. This Old Type Vignette caught my eye and works nicely in sketch challenge 24. On my white background paper I punched the edge and stamped the months of the year.
This card is posted to stamplorations sketch 24 http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/11/bi-weekly-sketch-challenge-24.html

Birthday Buzzards

This is one of my favorite stamps to use for those turning the BIG 50! It depicts old and so it is perfect for CAS ology and uses a stamp and feathers so it will fit into STAMPlorations December challenge.
This card is posted to: CAS ology http://casology.blogspot.com/ Stamplorations december challenge http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/12/december-challenge-stamps-designers-choice.html

Rocking Reindeer!

This is the photo inspiration from House of Cards and it is time to play along. I cut out a circle and stamped the reindeer inage. Then I put the circle in the center of my white square and stamped a swirl and repeated shortening the
swirl as I got closer to the top of the paper. A little glitter on top of the swirls, along with three terquoise rhinestomes. The bow completes the card. This card is posted to: House of Cards http://www.houseofcardschallenge.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 1, 2014

Candy is Dandy

All these sweets are part of the Christmas festivities! I have not used many digi's but decided to try them. They are cute, fun to work with and the Doodle Pantry has coordinating paper! I piled the glitter onto the snow, gum drops and peppermint candies.
This card is posted to: Jingle Belles Challenge http://doodlepantryblog.com/ Send A Smile 4 Kids Pile it on

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Build a snowman

With all the snow across the country, it is time to build a snowman! I made a large card in the shape of a tag. Then pieces were cut to stamp images. I wanted to leave a little space for the base card to seperate all the pieces. Embellishments were added and a bow completed the card.
This card is posted to:http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.com/http://www.craftysentiments.blogspot.com/ Woot! Woot! I just found out today that this card was chosen as a winner in Archiver's Make, Share, Win Contest. It will be featured in their e-mail December 10. I am so excited!!

A blue Christmas

I love the reds and greens that are traditional Christmas colors, but sometimes you just need a different color. I was visiting my sister and did not have all the supplies so my family came to the rescue. My mother donated the blue paper and my sister had the image and die cut so it was time to make a card. I used a snowflake embossing folder for the background. I punched a strip on both sides for the blue layering piece. After stamping the ornament and die cutting it, I added a blue ribbon. Silver bling added to ornament and three snowflakes finish the card. This card is posted

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Happy Holidays

Today is dedicated to organizing my supplies. Which brings up a good question. How do you store your stamps? I have my favorites which are in their own spot. They are the ones I use the most. But what about the others. Do you seperate them by theme? While organizing, I found a wreath stamp that I had never used. That will just not do and the Mojo Monday sketch is a perfect sketch to use it with. The background paper has little santa's on it. After stamping the wreath image, I added black dots around the wreath. Then I punched red berries and added glitter. The bow is adorned with sprigs of leaves and a big pearl.
Happy Holidays is posted go:http://craft-deebowz.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-challenge.htmlhttp://getcreativechallenges.blogspot.com/ /http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/ http://www.unrulypaperarts.com/2014/11/november-reader-art-quest-mid-month.html

Monday, November 17, 2014

Sew Happy For You

I love to sew. It was a tradition passed from my grandmother to my mother to me. My grandmother spent meany hours behind the sewing machine and helped support her family. My mother sewed and sold items and bought many Christmas presents with her hard work. I was excited to see the pincushion challenge on Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge this week. Sew...let's do it.
I used the pin cushion. ribbon. button and tape meausre. This card is posted to:http://curtaincallchallenge.blogspot.com/http://useyourstuff.blogspot.com/entimentalsundays.blogspot.com

Let's Talk Turkey

Golden brown with all the sides, finished with pumpkin pie and whip cream...back to reality, I am getting ahead of myself! This is just a simple card. I stamped the months on a orange cardstock. I stamped the turkey, cut it out and colored it with my Lycra watercolors. Then I stamped and arrow towards November...let's eat turkey!!
This card is posted to: http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.comhttp://www.cardsinenvy.blogspot.com/http://www.cardsinenvy.blogspot.com/http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/p/challenge-rules.html

Friday, November 14, 2014

Just a note Dog-gone it

How fun it is to punch, punch and punch! This dog uses a lot of punched pieces. I learned how to make them at Dawn's stamping thoughts. I did not have the punches she had so I improvised. They are so cute I had to make one...or a whole kennel's worth of dogs! Using different colors of brown they all turned out differently. Using the paws Darnice folder, I inked and ran it throught the cuttle bug. The strip under the dog reads: I feel sorry for people who don't have dogs. I hear they have to pick up their own food if they drop it on the floor. http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/ http://www.throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.com/

Monday, November 10, 2014

Joy to you and me!

I just sent off my Caring Hearts cards and now I am working on my batch for next year.  No procrastination here...ha ha!!  I used the sketches from My Favorite Things.  I changed the orientation and it should fit into the Mojo Monday sketch too.

Print



I just got this Christmas tree die cut so I wanted to use it.  I put red circles in the open areas.  I ran my ribbon on the stamp pad to get it to the color I wanted and pleated it.  Then I looked through the button can (my mother had the best button can in the world!  Us kids would sit every Sunday in the winter and play bingo with my mother's buttons as the radio announced the numbers. I had more fun looking at the buttons than playing bingo and my mother had quiet children for two hours every Sunday afternoon!)






I am posting this card to:http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/
http://www.mftstamps.com/blog/
http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.ca/
http://coloringoutsidethelinez.blogspot.com/

A Few Notes

I had fun with the bi-weekly sketch at Stamplorations.  I do not know why but the square sketches are difficult for me.  I thought it would be cute to do snowflakes and it looked to heavy so musical notes it will be!







I stamped musical notes on the white cardstock.  Then I punched out squares and adhered them diagonally to the base cardstock.  I stamped love and fussy cut it.  (Every time I fussy cut I tell myself it is time to invest in stamps with the die cuts that match!)  I used some metallic paint to change the color to gold.  Then I punched out some circles, and drew the musical notes.






This card is posted to:http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/11/bi-weekly-sketch-challenge-23.html
http://www.mybestienorge.blogspot.no/

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Vintage Christmas

Tim Holtz has more talent in his pinky finger than I have in my whole body!  I love, love, love his projects, blog and products!  I was inspired by his artistry and here is what I came up with for a vintage Christmas card.





I started out with white cardstock and used old paper distress ink to age the paper.  Then I took the fired brick distress ink and patted it in the corner to add the red and smudged the edges.  I used  forest moss and stamped pine branches in the upper corner and then smudged the edges.  I stamped with black spot distress ink on gold paper the jingle bells to give them an aged look and take away the shiny gold.  The bow was stamped in fired brick and embossed with clear embossing powder.  The bells and bow were fussy cut.  I stamped jingle in black soot distressed ink.  I think I would like the job of coming up with names for the ink pads...that would be a fun job.  After adhering the bells and ribbon this is what the card looks like.  It is not a Tim Holtz  finished project but it is mine and I like the finished card.

This card is posted to: http://themixedmediacardchallenge.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/
http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-challenge-stamps-layers.html#

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Thinking of you

Celebrating Veterans Day and sending heartfelt thank you's to all our service people and veterans.  Thank you for your service to our country.  At parades I love standing and clapping for the veterans marching in the band.  These are the people who are truly our heroes.

My son is a veteran of Iraq.  He was deployed in 2008-2009.  He was in the 82nd Airborne in the United States Army.



Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is dedicating this week's challenge to thinking of you.  I used Mojo Monday's sketch this week.  I made a leaf card using brown, kraft and orange cardstock.  The orange cardstock is run through and inked cuddlebug swirl folder.  I like this simple step to give texture to the card.  Do you remember mullberry paper?  This comes from the depth of the craft room but I still love using it.  Wetting the edges of the mullberry paper and tearing it to give it the frayed edges.  I fussy cut the leaf and added it.  Then I stamped just having one of those thinking of you days to complete the card.
I worked today getting my cards ready for
Print








What a wonderful project and thank you gals for collecting the cards and sending them to the nursing homes.  My family sat down and signed the cards together.  I hope the cards will bring joy to their hearts and smiles to their faces.
I am posting this card to:
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/
http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Pumpkin

Oh pumpkin on the vine,
Oh pumpkin on the vine,
I picked the one that weighted a ton
And that's the one that's mine.

I carved two funny eyes,
A mouth thats oversized,
My mother took the other gook
and made some pumpkin pies~~

Here is a pumpkin card made with a Northwood's rubber stamp.  The pumpkins are stamped on the white back card base in the center.  They are then stamped and embossed on a white paper and colored with copics markers.  The front three pumpkins are cut out on the embossed paper along with the vines at the bottom.   The green cardstock is embossed with clear.   The card is then layered with orange and green cardstock that has had circles cut out of the center.  The pumpkins that have been ct out are popped up and adhered to the front of the card.

Posted to:http://www.cardsinenvy.blogspot.com/
http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Family card exchange times seventeen

Most of the women in our family make cards.  We used to have a quarterly get together where one would host, serve lunch, plan a few games.  It was a girls day out where we could get together and visit with each other an catch up on what was happening in their lives.  My mother who is now 74 to the youngest girls who are now 12 looked forward to our girls day.  Years have passed, the kids have graduated from college, gotten married and have moved away.  Since there is so much distance between us we are doing a mailing exchange this year.  All our cards are sent to Becca who distributes them to all the participants  (Becca should get lots of chocolate)  I mailed mine to Becca yesterday.  I found some cards on pinterest I really liked so I copied there cards.  We have a competition card this time themed valentines so I made the peekaboo owl card.
 Inspiration for the two owls on a tree limb from: http://juliesstampjournal.blogspot.com/
Inspiration for reindeer from: http://debraclarkpunchart.blogspot.com/
I'd like to give someone credit for the peekaboo owl card but unfortunately I cannot find the website.