destiny is calling

oh so many people I know who started college after starting a family & are graduating!

I can't tell you how proud I am of my besties, Wendy's daughter Arrie...

she is truly inspirational!

And she is going on to Law school this fall!

Did I mention Arrie's sweetheart of a husband and

totally adorable little girl

(one of those kids you really enjoy spending time with)

This is for Arrie

My inspiration for her card: Sketch Frenzy Friday 042514 sketch

Just Add Ink #212 color combo

Printed Papers, Swirl Chippie, Sentiment Stickers & Stamps- 7 Dots Studio Nature Walk

Chipboard Banners - UmWow Studio

Ink -CloseToMyHeart Lagoon, Bamboo & White Daisy

Embossing Powders in Winter White & Teal

Cardbase - Stampin' Up Crumb Cake

Layer Cardstock - CloseToMyHeart Lagoon

Washi Tape

Twine - The Twinery

Faith, in your Heart

I think this creation catches me up for this week's Unity Stamp Co facebook challenge of using an

Itty Bitty everyday and I got to use the latest Just Add Ink #209 Just add... Layers

Solid Cardstock - Stampin' Up

Floral Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Feel the Joy

Inks - CloseToMyHeart Sunflower, Sunset & Hydrangea;

Tim Holtz Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean & Pickled Raspberry

Sentiment Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Faith & Blooms

Imk - Tim Holtz Black Soot

Ribbon from Hobby Lobby (half price sale!)

The inside I could NOT get a good picture of, but here it is:

true beauty comes from within

Just Add Ink #99 is a great sketch utilizing circles which I'm also using for Unity Stamp Co.'s Friends with Flair

I received my awesomely amazing Unity Layers of Life kit on Monday & hadn't even opened the poor thing.  Its just been sitting here on my desk, making me drool every time I looked at it

Today was my day!

this is the before of the "blank" card base

Printed Cardbase - My Mind's Eye Meadow Lark

Colored with Tim Holtz Distress Stain

Birds - Unity Stamp Co. Layers of Life Dream a Little Bigger (two smaller birds) & Unity Stamp Co. KOM 11-13 Strength & Dignity

Ink - Memento Black plus First Card - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen (background) & Second Card - Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans & Chipped Sapphire (background); Both Cards - Stormy Sky (edging); First Card - CloseToMyHeart Pacifica & Brown Bag on birds; Second Card - CloseToMyHeart Barn Red and Brown Bag on birds

Misc twine (gift from friend)

Chippies - UmWowStudio Hexagon Confetti

i miss you... stars

Ya know how you start out as creating one thing then end up taking a turn, could be better and could be worse? well, this card took a turn... for the better!  Just Add Ink #193 is a photo inspiration (see bottom of this post) which I combined with TipTopTuesday's Challenge #115 for Kraft

Cardstock - Canvas Corp Kraft

Star Mask & Star Chippies - UmWow Studio

With Mask, I used CloseToMyHeart White Pigment ink & allowed to semi-dry overnight, then topped with Zing Embossing powder in Silver

On the Star Chippies, I painted them using KaiserColour Paints in Red & Marine Blue

Twine - The Twinery

Star Punch - Creative Memories

Sentiment - Basic Grey

Ink - CloseToMyHeart Cranberry

missing you butterfly

I don't know if you've noticed but I very rarely do color challenge, they are... well challenging.  I think it's because I don't have the manufacture that the people are using and I'm pretty OCD about colors being just so, but this time I forced myself to do it anyway.... I substituted CloseToMyHeart's Sorbet & Lagoon for Stampin' Up's Island Indigo & Tangerine Tango for this challenge from Just Add Ink #192

Another thing I don't do is stamp ON my card bases... just because I'm a nervous nellie about messing up, which I do A LOT.  Took my chances and I think it paid off this time ;-)

Butterfly Stamp - CloseToMyHeart Butterfly Wings

Twine - The Twinery

Sentiment Stamp - Unity Stamp Co. Miss You So Much

I created the watery effect by smearing my inks on my Gelli Pad then spritzing it lightly with water before inking up my stamp. Then once it dried, I added just a touch directly from the ink pads to the tip of the wing and the body/antenna to give it all the color variations I could.

I made 4 of these, all will be heading to Operation Write Home when I hit 250 for my box again

a friendly hello

it's Friday!  wahooo.... and yes I FINALLY just now got finished creating my card(s) for Unity's Friends with Flair. And being the slacker that I am of late, I've been in my jammies all day long!


I was checking out the awesome creations of those I follow and found a new-to-me challenge blog... Just Add Ink, loving it!  This is sketch JAI#191


Printed Papers - October Afternoon Midway (fun isn't it?!)
Green Cardstock - Stampin Up
Blue Cardstock - CloseToMyHeart
Card base - DieCutWithAView
Circle Dies - Lifestyles Crafts Flower Nesting Dies
Ribbon - Offrey
Hot & Pale Pink Tissue Paper used with Spellbinders Carnation Creations Die
Image & Sentiment Stamps - Unity Stamp Co. KOTM July 2012 Ol' Bag of Fun
Inks - Tim Holtz Black Soot, Pickled Raspberry, Evergreen Bough & Spiced Marmalade
Brad - The Paper Studio


while I only took a pic of 2 cards, I actually made 4 and they'll all be going to Operation Write Home!