Silvery Blues and Tiddly Toos

After what seems like forever, I'm finally back with an entry for this week's Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog. This week's challenge was to create a project using some variation or all of the following colors.

First thing I went looking for papers in my Digital Paper Notebook. I found this free kit from Shabby Princess called Moody Blues. It met all of the colors except the silver. I added some silver twine and some bluish silver shiny paper.

Then for the hard part, picking 1 image to use on this card. After scanning through my Tiddly Ink folder of images, I finally selected this image called Wizardette. I thought the bubbles went really well with the papers. I've colored her with my Copics. Please check out the Tiddly Inks store as Christy as recently added some adorable new images.

Of course, if she's a wizardette, then she's casting a spell, thus the sentiment which I created in Photoshop. Please feel free to grab it if you'd like.

Pink with an Inspiration

Now knowing how I love the color Pink, it does not make me happy to know that I've been so busy this past month with getting ready for my Fall Camp Taz and a visit from our daughter and MonkeyMoo, that I have not participated in the first 3 Pink Challenges on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. I can positively report that the girls have had their annual squeezing though and that's a really good thing.  This week's challenge had as an added addition to the Pink an inspirational picture provided by the Sassy Miss Dawn. This is the picture that she posted.

I loved the shapes of the plates as well as the colors, so I decided to use the plates and the colors for my inspiration. First off, my task was to duplicate the shape of the smaller plates. Using a die cut shape from Penny Duncan Creations and doing some overlaying and cutting to create the small plate shape. The papers were all out of my scrap box and that's a REALLY good thing.

I had printed out 5 images to choose from for my card, but none of them was right for the plate shape. If you're focusing on plates, then you have to do food. It's a given.  I used this image called Birthday Cake Desire(and don't we all desire a good piece of cake). I've colored it with lots of Copics(see my SMT post if you don't beleive me). Sassy Cheryl has been on a roll of creating new images so be sure to come and check them out to the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store. She also has a store for colored images called Sassy Cheryls Illustrations for those times when you don't have time to color or you need to produce multiple cards.

The sentiment is a rubber stamp from Stampabilities stamped on more scrap paper, glued to a toothpick and stuck under the image.

I think I met the challenge and am more than happy with the results.

SMT 48 or Creative Chaos

It's once again time to for a nosey around in every one's lives or work spaces over on the Sassy Cheryl Blog. To enter for a chance at a free Sassy Cheryl image, all you have to do is post a picture(or in my case two, three or however many I want) of either your workspace or what you have going on in your life each week. Now for a chance at a free image and even better a chance to poke around in other people's spaces, how can you lose?

Thankfully, I am happy to report after almost 3 weeks of no challenge creations, I am back in TM creating challenge cards. High School get together is done for this year, DD and DGS have visited and returned home, and the annual Fall Camp Taz is officially over, so it's crafty time again until Christmas rolls around(my neighbor is having us over for Thanksgiving).

I wish I could say that I was a neat crafter, but I have to be honest. When I'm working on a creation, the honest truth is CHAOS REIGNS. Below are pictures of me working on my SC Challenge card for this week.

In this first picture is my coloring area, and YES, I did use every one of those Copics to color my image(I had put the ones up I used on my last creation). You'll notice there are many SC images to color. Can you see my smiling face?

This picture shows my scrap box through which I dug to find the papers for my challenge card. I have to be honest and say some of the paper under the box is left over from my last 3 cards.

This final picture is the area in front of my Black Cat and you can get a glimpse of my finished card. I'm blogging it next. I have a mess going on their because I used it my baby to create my card.

So now I guess I better go fix my afternoon latte, and come back and clean up this mess in order to create the next one.

Three Isn't Making Me Feel Blue

I did it! I got three cards made for the Phindy's Place Challenge this week. If you use a Phindy's image in your project you get two entries and a better chance at winning. I just can't figure out why EVERYONE doesn't use a Phindy's image. I want to own every last one of them.

This time the image I've selected is yet another of Phindy's Winter Cuties and is called Big Box. I'm betting whatever is in the box won't be nearly as entertaining or as fun as the box itself, given his young age. He's colored with my Copics. You really need to check out all the wonderful images at the Phindy's Place Store.

Again I've gone for digital papers. The main papers are from a kit by Jeanine Baechtold called American Made at Computer Scrapbook Dot Com. I also used some of the leftover papers from my previous two cards.
The sentiment is one I created in Photoshop and thought it was appropriate for a Baby's First Christmas. Please feel free to grab it.

Let's Make It Two for Blue

After a two week(three for some challenges) hiatus from making cards, I was so happy to actually get two made yesterday for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.  In case you didn't read my previous post, the theme this week is Blue Christmas.

This cute little fellow from the Phindy's Place Store's Winter Cuties is called Delivery Man. I can so sympathize with him on the difficulty of delivering a plate of Christmas cookies(especially Chocolate Chips) without doing a taste test. You really need to know they taste all right before you give them to someone else. I've colored him with Copics.

I truly have a love affair going on with Digital Papers. I love that they come in coordinating packs. I can file them by Designer in folders on my computer and they don't take up any physical space. Each kit will have a one page preview of all the papers included in the kit. I've printed those out each preview and have them filed alphabetically in a 3 ring binder, so that when I can flip through one notebook and find what I'm looking for. It doesn't hurt that there are tons of free kits out there, but there are also tons of inexpensive kits. Add to the fact, that with a continuous ink system on my printer, it is such  a total win for me. The papers I used on this card are from a free kit called Brisk that was designed by Jeanine Baechtold for Computer Scrapbook Dot Com.

The sentiment was a quick design in Photoshop, so feel free to help yourself.

Hopefully there will be time for a 3rd card for the Challenge, but I have some other chores that I have to do first.

It's a Blue Christmas at Phindy's Place

That's the challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog this week.. I am so happy to be back at my crafting. After a month of really not being able to craft like I wanted to, I am dancing a jig to be back in TazMania.

This first card is using one of Phindy's latest Winter Cuties, called First Snow. Isn't she adorable? Of course given the right colors, I guess she could be a he. I have a fondness for little girls, so a girl she is. She's colored with Copics. Be sure to check out all the wonderful images at the Phindy's Place store.

The papers are digital and are from a kit called appropriately enough Winter Bliss by Rachel Dickson found on Computer Scrapbook dot Com. The snowflake embellishments are Christmas decorations for a mini tree that I bought at Hobby Lobby on clearance last year.

I created the sentiment in Photoshop, and it's posted below. Feel free to grab it

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SMT #47 and A Camp Wrap Up

I'm so happy to be taking part in the Show Me Thursday over at Sassy Cheryl's Blog. For a chance at a free Sassy Cheryl's image, all you have to do is post what you've got going on in your work space or your life over on the Sassy Cheryl's Blog.  It's great fun  having a nosey in everyone's life. You never know what you'll see or learn.

I have a group of friends that I made over on the Weight Watcher's board on a group called the 10K Challenge. They were online friends to begin with, but in the Spring of 2004, I had a couple that came for a visit. In the Spring of 2005 there were 5 of us and that was the year Camp Taz was born. My nickname is Taz(think of the Tasmanian Devil). The first camps started as a long weekend in the spring of each year. Now it's a semi-annual event and lasts from Wednesday through til the next Tuesday. We spend the week preparing points friendly and very healthy Weight Watcher foods, truly discussing the Program and walking, kayaking, laughing, dancing, and even playing the Wii.  It's a twice a year kick in the seat of the pants and a chance to refocus. With the exception of one(she's only 40 and got in being the neighbor of one of our Posse members), we're all now 60 or older, but you'd never know it. I'm going to  post pictures with captions of pictures from this past week's camp. It ended today, and I have to say that it was a huge success.

The group invading MonkeyMoo's Tree House

Chicken Piccata and No Noodle Lasagna and a Salad Dessert was a French Apple Tart that didn't stay on the plate long enough to photograph.

Fall CT Campers at Noxubee Refuge

Alligator spotted sunning himself at Noxubee Refuge( a super zoom lens was used in the making of this picture)

Barley, Grape Tomato and Arugula Saute, Lemon Shrimp Linguine and a salad

Sunday morning sunrise kayaking

Spider webs spotted on a kayaking run

Great Blue Heron

Sunset kayaking on Monday afternoon(you can see that Fall is happening)

Thanks for stopping by. Now hurry and post a pic on Sassy Cheryl's Blog. Oh and don't forget to check out the spaces of the other challenge participants.

It's Show Me Thursday

Our youngest daughter and our grandson, MonkeyMoo aka MM for short flew in for a long weekend visit. On Monday night before they came, MM called to ask Grandpa if he could build him a tree house with a couple of boards in the tree with his swing. Well the tree with the swing is a pecan and really doesn't have any limbs suitable for building a tree house. There is however a large cedar tree that just happens to have a view of an open lane where deer like to hang out(so do you see a dual purpose going here).

On Tuesday afternoon, DH commenced work on the tree house. This is all that he had done as of dark on Tuesday(remember they're arriving on Thursday and he has to drive to Birmingham to pick them up).

Wednesday needless to say was a very busy day for him. These are picture of what he had finished on Wednesday afternoon about 4:15. You'll notice that there are still no walls, and MM wanted walls.

Thursday morning he added the walls. The walls are actually a portable deer stand that DH already had built. He hinged the walls with door hinges, so he could take the pins out and handle the walls one section at a time. He also made the roof with a grooved slot so that it too can be easily removed.

These final shots are of MM and Grandpa in the treehouse on Friday morning. They decided to enjoy their coffee up there(MM's is more milk than coffee, but the cup was full).

Now be sure that you go to Sassy Cheryls Blog and show us a picture of what's going on in your world so we can get to know you better( a polite way of saying be nosey). There's a chance for a free image. BUT  WAIT THERE'S MORE, this week Sassy Cheryl has a second challenge going on, again for a free image. She's looking for you to help her name her latest little girl image. Just leave a comment on the post.

Two for Anything Goes with a Phindy Image

I did it. I got my second card made for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Anything Goes as long as it's a Phindy's Image.

I took off in one direction and ended up totally in another. I didn't plan on the glitz, it just happened.LOL This adorable image from the Phindy's Place Store is called Chocomonster, and I have to confess to being one myself. She's colored brightly with Copics. You will notice that she's very neat with her chocolate eating.

The papers are from a matstack called The Glitter Sweet from DCWV( I think that's the way the letters go), and the background paper is from My Mind's Eye Party Time. The flourishes are a sissix diecut that I added glitter too. The ribbon as well as the My Mind's Eye paper were a gift from a dear friend, and I'm loving the green, pink and brown combination.

Like I said, I ended up going in a different direction than planned. I had the perfect Word Art (I had this on a T-shirt at one time), but it didn't seem to fit with my glamor look(she doesn't look like she's concerned with chemistry at all). I'm adding it just for you to grab if you want.

It's an Anything Goes with a Phindy's Image

This is definitely my favorite Phindy's Place Challenge of the month. It's the challenge where anything goes as long as you use a Phindy's Place. That's never an issue since I own quite a collection of Phindy images to which I keep adding. I just hate that I've been so busy this past week trying to get ready for a visit from my daughter and grandson and my camp buddies next week, that I'm down to the wire and don't look to get 3 cards made. I'm still hoping for two.

I printed this image out last week planning on using it for a fall card, but didn't have time to get it made. This week I decided it would be the perfect image to use to make a card for someone needing some peace and comfort. Knitting is so therapeutic, even if you do occasionally drop a stitch. You truly can knit away your troubles. This image is one of Phindy's Two Seven Oh images. The image is colored with my Copics.

The papers are some I printed last week and came from Computer Scrapbook Dot Com, but don't ask me  the kit name. I had this idea for an embellishment of knitting so I went to my floss box for the yarn. I tried starting out with knitting on toothpicks(perfect miniature knitting needles) but the sanding job on the toothpicks wasn't the best. I ended up knitting this using two plastic needles and then knitting over to the toothpicks. The flowers came out of a box of a gazillion flower pieces that is now turned upside down on my desk.

Card one done, and hopefully I'll have time for card two. Please come and join in the challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.  You still have about 17 hours to get your entry in(it's 10:34 CST).

Time for a Nosey with Show Me Thursday

The week is almost over, and I'm about to miss out on the Show Me Thursday Challenge over on Sassy Cheryl's Blog. I would love to show you what I've been really working on for the past week, but it's happies for my Camp Taz friends who are coming next weekend. Let me just say that it's required a lot of computer time and holding my mouth just right while the printer does it's job.

Besides that project, I cleaned my house(that doesn't show well either after 4 days). When I finally made it out to TM this is the mess I found. I have done a little straightening up, but still no crafting of cards.

Thursday afternoon, MonkeyMoo and his mother are flying in to Birmingham for a long weekend visit. On Monday night, MM called and asked Grandpa if he could build him(MM) a tree house with a couple of boards in the tree with his swing. Well that pecan tree didn't have any low limbs or good ones either, so yesterday DH commenced building on the tree house in a cedar tree that looks down an open lane where the deer like to hang out. Fortunately DH had built a portable deer blind that will work for 3 of the walls(and MM wants walls). Here's what DH got done yesterday. Needless to say, he has a lot to get done before he leaves tomorrow to pick them up in Birmingham.

I'm betting next week will have some finished pictures of the tree house and MM in it.

Time for a Cozy Cuppa at Phindy's Place

I love making cards with Phindy's Place images, and this image surely conjures up images of cool fall days and snuggling in with a cup of something hot to drink. Although I'm not a hot tea drinker(my tea is supposed to be iced, and my coffee is supposed to be hot), I love sharing a cup of whatever the beverage of choice is with a friend. It reminds me of my childhood, when my across the street neighbor would come over every morning to share a cup of coffee with my Mama and eat the leftover toast spread with mustard(still can't quite wrap my mind around the idea that this might be tasty). In our hustle bustle world today, it's a rarity to share a cuppa with a friend, but just this week, I got that opportunity. Perhaps that's what triggered the idea behind my card.

This is my second card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Autumn/Fall challenge, and this is one of Phindy's new Two Seven Oh images. Be sure to check them all out at the Phindy's Place Store. This one is called Take Five(make that more like take an hour and enjoy a visit with a friend). I've colored my image with Copics.

These Digital papers are a freebie kit  called Tuscan Summer created by Debbie Knorr for Computer Scrapbook.Com. They were such warm and perfect fall colors. I created the sentiments in Photoshop and printed the Cozy Cuppa on vellum. I decided to fold it to make a tea bag, and it needed the translucence of the vellum to work. I added the fall colored rhinestones to perk it up a bit. I think it all works.

Fall at Phindy's Place

Create a project about fall or autumn, that's the challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog this week. I'm running out of time, but I've gotten a couple of cards made.

This card is called Fall Fun, and this adorable fellow is enjoying the first days of fall. The image is called Dragonfly Days and doesn't he look like he's chasing the last dragonfly of summer. Be sure to check out all the wonderful images at the Phindy's Place Store. I've colored him with my Copics.

The papers are from digital kit called Heart & Soul by Doris Castle from Computer Scrapbook Dot Com. The sentiment was created in Photoshop. You're welcome to grab it if you'd like.

Show Me Thursday with Friends, Paper and a little Stimulus

I don't know about anyone else, but I love Sassy Cheryl's Show Me Thursday, because by nature, I am an extremely nosey person. SMT gives me  a chance to be nosey without offending anyone, not to mention getting my name in the box for a possible free image. All it takes is to post one picture(but not limited to one) of what you're working on or what's going on in your life during the week.

On Friday of this past week, I met a group of my HS friends in Jackson(150 miles from home) for lunch. One of our classmates recently retired from the California School System, and her retirement present was a month long trip back HOME. It's a long day if I do the trip down and back all in one day, and since I needed to stimulate the economy a bit before the lunch, I opted to drive down Thursday night and spend the night with my sister, who works in Jackson. The company that she works for had a printing department that they shut down almost a year ago. It was filled with paper, card stock, and chipboard that they were throwing away. She's been steadily bringing it back to her apartment and stockpiling it and sharing it with me. Her apartment is tiny, since it's where she lives during the week only. Her home is 60 miles north of me. So first thing on arriving in Jackson and at my sister's was to load half of the paper in my trunk.

My sister doesn't drink coffee(I think she may be kin to Marlene), so shortly after she left for work(before 7), I showered dressed  and headed out for the nearest Starbucks for my caffeine fix and to wait for the stores to open. Here's where the stimulus comes into effect. First I headed to Michaels(opened at 9) and picked up a few items on sale and then headed to Fleet Feet. It's the store that does such a wonderful job of fitting you in the right walking or running shoe, to the point, that I won't buy mine anywhere else. One pair of Saucony's and two pairs of Balega socks,  and then a quick trip by Sam's Club for a few staples and the cheapest gas, I've stimulated the economy about all I can afford.

So it's on to lunch. We call ourselves the GRIGs(Girls Raised in Greenwood), and we first started meeting for lunch when six of us were planning our 40th Class Reunion. They totally kept me sane when I was driving to Jackson to spend part of each week helping my brother take care of our Mother in the last year of her life. They weren't all close high school friends, but I have to tell you I count them today among the dearest friends I have.  The blond with the sunglasses is our California girl and our excuse for this lunch. The lady that's second from the left on the back row is the first person I ever tried to spend the night away from home with. Her dad had to take me home at 2:30 in the morning. Lunch was at the Palette Cafe at the Art Museum and our favorite place to meet. I think we all look pretty darn good for 60 and 61.

These last two pictures are the boxes of paper unloaded from my car(thanks to my sweet hubby) and then unboxed and stacked on the table so you can see what my haul was.

Starting on the left at the bottom of the stack and working up  is 11 x 17 in. chipboard,  11 x 17" 90 lb. card stock, 8 1/2 x 14" 90 lb. card stock. Next stack to the left is all 8 1/2 x 11" 90 lb. card stock. Third stack from the left is various colored 8 1/2 x 11" 20 lb. papers, followed by a stack of 65 and 67 lb. colored card stocks and finally a stack of 20 lb. and 24 lb. white paper. If it weren't so expensive to mail because of the weight, I'd gladly share with y'all.  Now I'm back out to TM to find a place to put all this paper and get it off the table. I will definitely be sharing some of this haul with our church preschool.

Come on and play along. You have until Wednesday at 5 p.m. EST to get in the challenge.