Strength

this card truly just came together & I am super pleased with the outcome!

I started out using CAS#78 but I'm not sure if you can still tell or not as I moved the sentiment and added the wide ribbon, but it's there.... I promise!

I actually started out with a piece of white cardstock, added some Tim Holtz Inks: Pumice Stone & Rusty Hinge from the ink pads then dripped on, sprayed it pretty heavily with water and smacked it a few more times with the Rusty Hinge ink pad

Next I stamped Unity Stamp Co.'s LOL Spring Inspired

Then stamped Unity Stamp Co.'s Donna Downey Imageine It Largest Flourish

Both using using TH Scattered Straw ink pad

After that I stamped the next to smallest flower from Unity Stamp Co.'s Mega Blooms

with ColorBox in Black then partially Clear Embossed

Followed up by taking the Prima Distressing Tool to the front & roughing it up just a bit

Sentiment is Unity Stamp Co.'s Donna Downey Empowered Words

with Memento Tuxedo Black

Added that wide gorgeous ribbon (I've forgotten where it came from)

Graduate Gift

Sketch Inspiration - Freshly Made Sketches #138

Also for Unity Stamp Co.'s
Friends with Flair

I've already posted the card I made for one of my bestie's daughters who just graduated from college

and has been accepted to Law School

how flippin awesome is that?!

With a little girl and husband to raise, she did that!

And is going to do more :-)

So I thought, "hey, you should do more for her"

a little something to keep giving.

I called my 94 year old father-in-law (yes my hubby was a late in life surprise for them)

I asked him to make her a special pen (yes he still works in his woodshop!)

but this pen isn't made from wood...

Isn't it beautiful?!

I made her a little tag to maybe use as a bookmarker, I don't know if she will or not

A little pick-me-up sentiment for when she starts doubting her self with a "what the heck am I doing" moment that I know she'll have, especially when she's missing her family.

Sentiment - Unity Stamp Co. Each Moment is Success

Flower Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Wild Poppy Silhouette

Leaves Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Make Your Mark

Butterfly - UmWowStudio Nature Walk Butterfly (I covered it with Zing embossing powder in 3 colors before melting it - these are So Much Fun!)

threw on some dew drops, a bit of twine & some seam binding

Then I tied it all to just a blank dark green cardstock which I wrote her a short note on the back of, it's going postal today

Take Care

& feel better soon

yes, I sure hope she does!

One of my favorite people on the whole wide planet

(the kind of friend that can make you pee in your pants laughing)

 is having surgery this week...

damn breast cancer

Seize The Sketch STS121

watercolored background

stamped flowers - Unity Stamp Co. KOM 1/14 Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

stamped with paint from KaiserColour - Yellow, Orange & Red

sentiment - Unity Stamp Co. KOM 9/13 Happiness Has No Limit

inks - CloseToMyHeart Sunflower, Sunset & Cranberry

cardstock (green) - Stampin' Up

One Stamp, Two Cards

oh Unity Stamp Company.... you are killin' me with these amazing stamps!

Another of Angie Blom's called Whitney Girl has made it's way into my collection

Since tomorrow is Memorial Day, I colored my first Whitney in honor of those

men & women we give thanks to

Isn't she fantastic?  I couldn't resist coloring her skirt in Red/White/Blue

and her background..... it's from

WeRMemoryKeeper's collection called Red, White & Blue

the Ribbon I got on Clearance for $1 for the roll at Hancock Fabrics!

Whitney #2 is all decked out for Summer

I can just imagine her going to a picnic with her friends

Her summery palette is from

Fancy Pants Park Bench 6x6 pad

Ribbon is CloseToMyHeart

Mountain Plains Crafters Giveaway!

yep, you read right.... Mountain Plains Crafters is having a wonderful giveaway, you'll need to go to the blog & read all about it. And since it's Memorial Day weekend, we decided to honor the REAL reason for this long weekend: 

Aren't these patriotic papers FANTASTIC?!

I just them love, had to buy multiples of them since next weekend I am hosting a

4th of July cardmaking party at church

Printed Papers - WeRMemory Keepers Red, White & Blue

Star Chippies from UmWow Studio

painted with KaiserColour Paints

fabulously thick twine - May Arts Ribbons

Handmade by Meg & Paul

Today one of my besties came over so we could make Thank You cards for people who contributed to our Band's end of the year Concert & Potato Supper... whether it was food, raffle items or their time... we appreciate them all so very much!  And this year we were in our new high school, we LOVED the new kitchen & appliance!  So have have a lot to be Thankful for!  We needed 28 cards but ended up making 32 which was good because after reviewing, we can definitely use the 32

love yourself

well I am just blowing thru these new Unity Stamps I received recently...

and I'm loving them ALL!

For this sweetie, I used Pals Paper Arts #204 Sketch

Printed Papers - Echo Park Yours Truly 6x6

Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Love Yourself

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black with Various Copic Markers

Cardstock - Stampin' Up Red Riding Hood, Basic Black & White

Creative Memories Heart Punches

Tim Holtz Black Soot Refill Ink for splats

thanks girlfriend

starting Monday I won't be posting during the day.... I've taken a part-time job to get me out of the house!

I know, working from home sounds like a dream,

but when people don't think about is you're always at work... and my work computer is in my crafty space so it kinda started sucking the fun out of my favorite room - no bueno.

And people feel free to email, text and call all hours of the day, evening & night - what is up with that?!

so no more

But I get to set my own hours and I've decided that Friday is a great day to have off! 

Today is MASSIVE CRAFTING DAY for me :-)

I'm entering this in Unity's Monthly Challenge: Basically Said
Color Combo Challenge

This huge stamp is amazing!

When I first saw it obviously I liked it enough to buy, but it wasn't an instant favorite.

Then when it came in the mail, I was Oh My Gosh, it's HUGE!

and I wondered if I'd ever use it, you see I have two sons so....

Image Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Spring Flower Chic

Clouds - Unity Stamp Co. KOM Love in an Instant

Sentiment - Unity Stamp Co. Sentiments O'Smiple

Printed Paper - Simple Stories Sn@p

Liquid Pearl on flowers

White Fabric paint for buttons

Do All Things With LOVE

This morning, my friend LBAB aka Caffeinated Scrapper LB posted on the Facebook group called

Unity {show & tell} that the Unity FWF Linky was broken,

I commented back then felt guilty that I may have hurt her feelings...

so I jumped in & made this card just for her.

She is one sweet crazy lady who fills everything with light & love!

Red Layer - CloseToMyHeart Cranberry Cardstock

Stamp Set - Unity Do All Things With LOVE

Inks - CloseToMyHeart Cranberry & Black

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For my encore, I  whipped out my new Beautifully Confused Stamp Set from Unity
I received #42 of 250

To create the effect on the heart, grab four shade: pink to deep red
I used Tim Holtz Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick and Aged Mahogany

working lightest to darkest, I inked up portions of the huge heart stamp
then with my kitty spray bottle set to the finest mist possible
I gave it a few squirt then stamped carefully so not to splatter

Next I added three splots of Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Spun Sugar

Last I used Tim Holtz Black Soot in the sentiment stamp and well... I love this!

Hello Mountains Plains Crafters!

oh wait... that's ME!  If you remember my post from last week announcing that I am now on a Design Team!  Mountain Plains Crafters selected me to be one of them and I am super duper happy about it :-)

Today marks our first challenge, and it's a good one!

Sponsored by Lawn Fawn and there is a prize available - sweetness, right?!

Here's my creation

I know, it's a little different with the outlining of the deer, bunny & girl... at first I was ummmm welllll but once I got it all together, it grew on me

Printed Papers - Fancy Pants Summer's End 6x6

Girl w/Bunny Stamp & Sentiment - Unity Stamp Co. Beauty Surround You

Deer - Sassafras QuackQuack

Ink - Brown is Memento Rich Cocoa, other colors are various Copic Markers

Sentiment Ink - CloseToMyHeart Topiary

Bling - Heidi Swapp flower centers

and just a bit of ink distressing on the bottom of the "sky" piece - Tim Holtz Stormy Sky

It's almost Mother's Day

today was such a crazy, family filled, body abusing kinda of day!  We helped my sister move her stuff into her new house about an hour away from us... all the way from California, we are in Arkansas!  One of our brothers & a cousin, plus our dad & step-mom came to help along with my younger son & my sweet birthday-boy husband!  After being treated to lunch out, we got cleaned up then went to visit my wonderful mother-in-law who recently had to start living in a nursing home.  Since my mil doesn't have any touches of home and loves photos of the family, we got her a digital picture frame & loaded some pictures on the SD card for her... every time a picture of my fil came up, she would say "doesn't he look good for a 94 year old?" LOL and it's true!  I married a man with some excellent longevity genes, although he only turned 47 today.

For my inspiration, I used Freshly Made Sketches #135

Printed Papers - Authentique Cherish

Ribbon - His & Hers

Stamps - all from Unity Stamp Co.

Sentiment from Heartfelt Sentiments

Butterfly from Kit of the Month June 2012: Sweet Summer Love

Rose from Layers of Life April 2014: fly unique

Inks - Roses CloseToMyHeart Baby Pink & Key Lime

Butterfly CloseToMyHeart Lime & Heavenly Blue

Sentiment Memento Rich Cocoa

and in other Good News:  I found today that I was chosen to be on the Design Team for Mountain Plains Crafters!  I am THRILLED to say the least!  I haven't been on a DT for quite some time now (ok so I haven't applied for many, only MPC & one other that I wasn't selected for), I kinda just thru my name in and didn't worry about it at all.... then much to my surprise today after returning home exhausted, I saw the announcement on Facebook!  Thanks for choosing me!

love you

ok so I'm just gonna say it... I love how my card turned out!  I do, it's pretty darn simple and oh so sweet

Great sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch #75 and for Friends with Flair from Unity Stamp Co. 

Solid Cardstock - Stampin' Up

Heart Cardstock - Canvas Corp (used both sides, solid for the Heart cut-out)

Stamps - Unity Stamp Co. ...everything love

Ink - CloseToMyHeart Cranberry

Twine - The Twinery

Thanks so much

I didn't think I was going to make the deadline for this one!  Unity Stamp Co's monthly challenge

of a card sketch eventhough I've had this card made for three days... sheesh

I didn't buy the stamp that was actually used in the sketch
but I so liked the flower coming out of the letter
so I draw up my own

Printed Papers - ki Memories Urban Era

Washi Tape (green stripes)

Unity Stamps - Faith & Bloom plus Moment by Moment

Inks - Memento in Tuxedo Black plus various Copic Markers

Chipboard button - Maya Raod

Painted with KaiserColour in Orange

Ribbon - Making Memories Celery

NSD 2014 Card Workshop!

Today was a great girls day for me!  My boys are all three gone to a Trap Shoot Competition down in the Little Rock area, so I've been playing & having a great time.  This morning & met a friend to hit Garage Sales, including a Scrapping one with another friend! Then we all came to my house for lunch & a Card Workshop. Neither of my friends do much card making, so I had a big stack of Operation Write Home Sketches printed off for us to play with.  Here are the cards I created today while teaching them!

There was one more using Tin & Alcohol Inks but I didn't make one to keep, just helped them make theirs then failed to get a picture of one of them, they turned out very pretty!  I think I've got them hooked on card making, hopefully I can get them into making some for OWH as well :-)

summer lovin'

ahhh, summer it really is just around the corner and while I'm not ready to be hot & sweaty all the time, I am looking forward to it being a bit warmer (and to turn off the furnace for the season!)

From my friend Miwa's blog post today, I found a new-to-me sketch blog: Sunday Stamps, this is SSC74

Also, I just found a new blog to join in, it is Anything Goes All the Time!  *gasp*  Sisters of Craft

Printed papers - My Mind's Eye Lime Twist

Trims - Doodlebug Designs Inc. Paper Frills

Distressing - Tim Holtz Walnut Stain

Bike Stamp - Imaginisce

Sentiment Stamp - Basic Grey Alpha

Inks - Memento Rich Coca colored with various Copic Markers

Making Memories Brads

have passion

if you don't have passion about something, why do it? but then I'm a two feet before looking kind of person too, so that could be telling you a little something about me! HA

Sketch Frenzy Friday 050214 was not the easiest thing ever for me to work with, but I do enjoy a challenge!

Also since it's Friday, I'm entering this one in Unity Stamp Company's Friends with Flair

Printed Paper - PaperTreyInk in BLOOM

Card Base - Stampin' Up Pistashio Pudding sprayed with Adirondac Color Wash in Lettuce

Cardstock Layer - CloseToMyHeart Baby Pink

Stamps - Unity Stamp Co. ....everything resides in hope

Inks - Memento in Tuxedo Black colored with various Copic Markers

Sentiment Ink - CloseToMyHeart Vinyard Berry

Ribbon - Making Memories Celery

make us real

talking about flaws and imperfections, and they do make us real.  I'm one very flawed person and so very imperfect but then what is perfect?  No clue here!

I love this half circle piece on Freshly Made Sketches #134 sketch, it's probably why I played along

and I combined the sketch with the color combo from

Pals Paper Arts #202: Crumb Cake, Bermuda Bay (which I had to use a substitute for), and Real Red

Crumb Cake was embossed using Cuttlebug folder then I applied CloseToMyHeart White Daisy Pigment Ink so the dots would POP

The Bermuda Bay looking strip is actually Washi Tape

Tiny Flower was from stash embellished with Imaginisce Bling

Stamps - Unity Stamp Co. ...everything resides in hope

Inks - CloseToMyHeart in Cranberry (I had the SU Cardstock but not the inks) and Lagoon