Tangents from TazMania

Show Me Thursday #61

2012-02-07T21:43:00.001-06:00

I may not be making cards this week, but I can definitely share what's going on in my life with you this week. I love that Sassy Cheryl does this Show Me Challenge. It's so much fun to see what others are working on.

As you all know from last week, we're in Colorado on a two week skiing vacation. I'm not sure DH and I have ever taken a two week vacation. Fortunately the bed at the condo is comfortable, otherwise, I'd really like to be home. That said, we're having a great time and MM has learned to ski. He's been quite the character and his instructor today told his DM, that everyone at Ski School knows him.

MM is quite the character for sure. He had us hysterical the other night dancing for us. My DH and I both love to dance, but let me just say that his Mom and Dad do not. Before he was born, they only listened to Talk Radio. This child has loved music since he was in the womb. I'm telling you all this because one day while in his ski class, they stopped for an ice cream on the top of the mountain. Riperoo who is Keystone's mascot was in there dancing, so MM decided he'd join him. Here are some shots of MM and Riperoo dancing.

The night before these pictures were made, MM heard some music on the TV and started dancing. DD found the IPOD and put some music on. You can hear me barely restraining myself. He's dressed just like his Grandpa, and they were swapping places.

Hope you're all having as much fun as I am this week.

Valentines At Tiddly Inks

2012-02-06T08:26:00.002-06:00

I love the two week challenges on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog. I always seem to be running behind and am the last minute finishing my challenge project. The challenge for Challenge #79 is to create a Valentine. As you know, we're in the mountains for a couple of weeks, so creating a card for the challenge could have been a problem. However, when I was creating my last challenge card, I printed out two Wryn images, and I couldn't leave the second one uncolored. I created this card hoping the next challenge would be a Valentine's Challenge. Lucky for me, it is.

This image is called Wryn - Grow A Little Love. There isn't a Wryn image out there I'm not in love with. She's just too sweet. Christy has recently added some more Wrynn images along with some sentiments to go with her to the Tiddly Inks Store. Please go check them out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

The papers are digital papers, and as I don't have access to my paper files, I can't give credit to the proper creator. I promise when I get home to come back and give credit where credit is due.

SMT #60 with Sassy Cheryls

2012-01-30T22:29:00.003-06:00

It's that time of the week again. Time to nosey around in everyones lives to see what's going on and posting it for a chance at a free image from Sassy Cheryls. Notice I didn't say crafty space, because as we all know, some week's crafting just isn't happening. That's the case for me for the next two weeks.

My DH and I met our younger DD, her hubby and our 5 year old grandson on Saturday in Keystone, Colorado for our annual ski vacation. This week we're doing two weeks instead of 1, as MM starts kindergarten next year, and DD wants him skiing on the mountain(so far he hasn't gotten off of the bunny hill).

So here are some shots from our day on the slopes today. Captions will explain the shots.

Grandpa and MM as we're heading for the mountain this morning.

DH and I on the top of Outback Mountain. You can see the slopes of Breckenridge in the background.

Me, DH, DD, and DSIL on the top of North Peak. Independence Mountain on the Continental Divide is in the background.

This is a shot of Lake Dillon from the top of the first mountain.

Glad you stopped by. There won't be any crafting until after Feb. 10th.

So take a shot or two of what you've got going on and post in on Sassy Cheryl's Blog for a chance of a free image. Also be sure and visit the others that have entered the challenge. You'll be in for a treat.

Blues and Browns at Sassy Cheryls

2012-01-25T17:04:00.002-06:00

Sassy Jeni picked the challenge this week on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog, and it is to create a project using blues and browns. What a fabulous combination.

I have a young WW member who lost her mother a week ago to pancreatic cancer. She was only diagnosed the week before Thanksgiving. My member is the most remarkable young person, and has a faith that is to be admired and embraced. I want to send her a card to let her know that she and her family are in my prayers, and what better image to use than this image from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store called Praying For You. I've colored her Copics.

The papers I've used are from a digital kit, appropriately named Serenity from Just So Scrappy Too, and met the blue and brown challenge to a T. The sketch is from this week's Inspirational Card Challenge. I fell in love with it and love the way this card turned out.

I want to share my members remarkable faith by sharing with you words that she wrote on the Caring Bridge Site after her Mom passed.

"I am reminded of a verse from Psalm 30 - my grandma actually read it yesterday afternoon at Mom's bedside - "Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." What a mighty God we serve Who NEVER breaks His promises! We are in mourning, but Mom is IN her morning. Praise the Lord."

No Squares or Rectangles Please

2012-01-24T17:57:00.000-06:00

What a fun challenge the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog has going this week. Just create a shaped card that isn't a square or a rectangle. I've had NO difficulty with this challenge.

For this card, I used my Make the Cut Software and my Black Cat Cougar along with a Lettering Delights cutting file called Card B. This cutting file has several different shaped cards. There are several reasons why I love the Make the Cut software. One is that I don't have to cut using a pair of scissors. The second reason is that you're able to create shadows of a file either exterior or interior, and from that you can cut a smaller inset. I used this smaller inset to also cut out my image and shadow it.

The image I used is from the Phindy's Place Store, of course. She's another of the cuties, and she's called Special Day. This is one of my favorite images. I know, I say that about all of them, but it's true none the less. I've colored her with my Copics.

The papers are again digital and from a kit by Just So Scrappy Too called Have Tea With Me. I love digital papers because I always have coordinating papers and like digital images, I can make them smaller either because I need a smaller image or I don't want to waste paper.

Well I've maxed out the number of entries I can post this week, and I have to say it was a fun challenge for me. I had to get as many as I could done, since we leave for Colorado for two weeks on Saturday, and I'm going to be in crafting withdrawal. I needed to overdose while I can. Thanks for stopping by.

SMT 59 at Sassy Cheryl's

2012-01-23T21:56:00.001-06:00

Every week, it's a "I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours." Now get your minds out of the gutter. What you're showing is what you're working on or how your crafty space is looking. Sassy Cheryl shares what she's working on or her space. For reciprocating with pictures of your life, you're in the running for a free Sassy Cheryls image. There's no way you can lose, because I promise you're going to see beautiful cards, creations and places(oh and sometimes you see messes). Just post a link to a picture at the Sassy Cheryls Blog.

I've been working on cards, but what I wanted to share with you today is what I was working on today. Before MM was born, I made 4 small blankets that were exactly alike. They were 20" x 24" and just big enough to cover him in the car seat when he was small, and small enough when he got bigger to take it with him and not drag it on the floor. The reason for 4 was so that my DD could make sure there was always a clean one on hand. At any rate, a friend of mine wanted some help to make some of these for her soon to be born grandson, She came out today for some instructions.

For a PDF tutorial with instructions and pictures please find it HERE.

Here's the first one with the bias binding ready to be sewn to the blanket. The trick I figured out how to do, is sew the binding with mitered corners and then insert the main part of the blanket inside the binding square.

Then late this afternoon, I was washing dishes as I was cooking supper, I looked out the window to this shot of our sunset today. We've had gray, gloomy weather for days, and today was a gorgeous sunshiny day. This was the perfect end to it.

Go Fly a Kite

2012-01-23T18:08:00.002-06:00

It's a shaped card challenge this week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. Any shape for your card base except a rectangle or a square that is. The DT is off to great start with fun and different challenges this year.

When I found the The Frugal Crafter site with the instructions for the beach pail card, I also found a blog post where she had made a kite card. The instructions for it came from Qbee's Quest. I added some length and some width to mine, but I kept the 2 1/2" from the center fold.

Again, it was seeing the card and in an instant knew the perfect image for the card. This cutie from the Phindy's Place Store is called High Hopes. Isn't he just the cutest thing all bundled up in his jacket and hoodie? I've colored him with Copics.

As usual the papers are digital that I printed on my HP large format printer. I wouldn't have been able to make the card as big if it weren't for the fact that I could print 11 x 17 cardstock. I was also able to print on both sides for the inside and outside of the card. This kit is called Denim and Daisies and is from Just So Scrappy Too. I just used Word to print the sentiment. Here's the inside of the card.

I'm liking this shaped challenge and even have a third card done. Thanks for stopping by.

Shape It Up

2012-01-22T15:40:00.000-06:00

The challenge this week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog it to create a shaped card that is not a rectangle or a square. Oh for the possibilities. I have some shaped card files in my SVG folders, but decided I do a Google of shaped cards. I happened upon the The Frugal Crafter's blog and found a free template for a beach pail.

Needless to say, when I saw the pail, the image from the Phindy's Place Store that popped into my mind immediately was Summer Bare. I've colored her with Copics.

I used my Black Cat Cougar to cut the card, handle and scoop. The papers are digital and from two kits Aloha and Pool Party by Just so Scrappy Too. I used my MTC software to create the Word Art .

This was a fun card to do, and while I was over on the The Frugal Crafter site, I found another great shaped card. Off to work on a second card.

Chase Away the Grays

2012-01-21T16:31:00.000-06:00

With the dreary weather we've had this week in Mississippi and especially today, making something Bright and Cheery to Chase Away the Grays, is the perfect challenge for me. It's the challenge by Sassy Dawn this week on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog.

Sassy Cheryl recently created this adorable image called You Are My Sunshine, and how perfect it she for this challenge? She's colored with my Copics. Cheryl has recently added some great Valentine images, just in time for Cupid, so be sure to check out the Sassy Cheryl Digi Store. The sentiment comes with the image.

These papers are from a digital kit from Just So Scrappy Too called Pool Party. It certainly doesn't get any brighter or cheerier than a summer pool party. Don't you love the thought of needing sunglasses?

I'm so glad you stopped by and here's hoping you have some bright sunny skies in today or in the near future.

A Tiddly Inks Color Challenge

2012-01-20T18:19:00.002-06:00

The challenge on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog for the next two weeks is a color challenge. Here are the colors that we were challenged to use.

If you've been to the Tiddly Inks Store, you've missed out on her latest little character. Her name is Wryn, and she's utterly delightful and so much fun to color. For my challenge, I've chosen this Wryn called Wrynn-New Nest. She's colored with Copics.

I CASED this card from The Sweetest Thing Blog. The papers are from a digital kit from Just So Scrappy Too, appropriately enough called Tweet Tweet. The Bird and limb were SVGs from a freebie by Shery K Designs and the nest was created with my Martha Stewart branch punch.

I created two sentiments in Photoshop. Either is perfect for the image. Please feel free to grab them if you'd like.

Tic Tac Toe Times Two with A Valentinte

2012-01-18T21:16:00.000-06:00

I love the Phindy's Place Challenge this week's Tic Tac Toe Challenge. All you have to do is use three elements either in a row, a column or on a diagonal. Here's my choice of Tic Tac Toe for this challenge.

This image is also one of Phindy's newer images and is called Love Message. Isn't she adorable? You REALLY need to check out the Phindy's Place Store for all the fantastic images you can find there. She's colored with Copics. I used the following as my sketch base from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

These papers are also ones that I got from Just So Scrappy Too. These papers are from the I Toadily Love You kit. This is one fantastic set of papers. I used the Block Hearts Embossing folder. The hearts were punched with my Martha Stewart Heart punch and embossed with Tiny Stars or the Swiss Dotted embossing folders.

Tic Tac Toe and Aloha

2012-01-18T20:45:00.000-06:00

There's the best challenge going this week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. It's a Tic Tac Toe Challenge. You just have to make a card using three elements either in a row, a column or a diagonal. Below is the my choice of 3 for my entry.

The image I've chosen is one of Phindy's newest and is called Hula into Your Heart. If you're like me and you visit Phindy's Place Store, I promise she'll just jump into your shopping cart along with some of her other friends. I've colored he with Copics.

The papers are some I just bought on a great sale at Just So Scrappy Too. The kit is called Aloha and is perfect for this image. I'm loving this card and this little cutie. I hand cut the fringe to make it look like her grass skirt.

Show Me #58 At Sassy Cheryl's Blog

2012-01-17T14:57:00.001-06:00

Well, I missed the last two challenges and shame on me. Jeez, Louise, I mean all you have to do is post a picture of what you have going on in order to have a chance of winning a free image. I guess I had too much going on to stop and take a picture. From the pictures below, you'll understand what I mean. This is my desk last Thursday afternoon, and it truly looked like a bomb went off. I was trying to get a last minute card in a challenge and then head out the door to my WW meeting. I was also busy creating a gimme for my members to try to encourage them and keep them on track. So here's TM in full disaster mode along with the refrigerator magnet Subway Art that I created as a "Happy" to my members.

You will be happy to know that since these disaster pics were made I have not only cleaned my house, but also cleaned up in TM(not that you'd know, since I've messed it up again, although not as badly as these pictures. I'm trying to do a bit of reorganizing and shifting of stuff, to make room for the Big Shot Pro I ordered at the encouragement of some of my friends.

If anyone is interested in the Subway Art, feel free to grab it below. I printed it at 4 x 6 and laminated it and added a strip magnet to the back.

Let's Celebrate

2012-01-16T15:06:00.003-06:00

The first challenge of the New Year over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog was to create a project that pertained to celebrating. I know it's a New Year, but any celebrating I did for that is over and done with. I have a wonderful friend, who taught me the real meaning of Celebrating your birthday. Instead of celebrating for a day, she says you should celebrate at least for a week. So we celebrate Birthday Week now. And if you're really wise, you'll celebrate each and every day of the year ahead.

This image from the Tiddly Inks Store is called By Royal Decree. I think she's spreading the words that Birthdays are more than a day's event. She's colored with Copics with some addition of Spicas to glitz it up a bit.

The papers are from a digital kit caloled Party Time from Shery K Designs. She has some fantastic paper kits that are very reasonably priced, plus if you're also into svg files, she's forever giving free svg packs. Be sure to check out her store.

Snow with a Sketch

2012-01-15T19:40:00.002-06:00

I always tell me people that the only place I want to see snow is on a mountain in Colorado in February, when we head out for our annual winter vacation. That's not entirely true. I am not averse to seeing it on a card. This week, Sassy Dawn threw out a Snow Challenge with the twist of a sketch on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog.

For my challenge card, I chose this delightful image from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store called Catching A Snowflake. I've done this and quite honestly, I'm betting you all have too. It was fun wasn't it? Now come on fess up, you know you enjoyed it. I've colored her with Copics.

The papers are digital from a kit called BRRRRR from Just So Scrappy Too. She had a tremendous sale in December and I grabbed a bunch of great kits. I love printing papers from a kit of coordinating papers, since it also allows me to change the size, to make it work with my card without too much leftover. I created the Snowflake Die cut with MTC software and cut it with my Black Cat. The snowflakes and stars are a Cuttlebug Die.

Now you have until 5 p.m. EST on Monday the 16th to get a card entered in the challenge. You don't even have to use a Sassy Cheryl's image(although for the life of me I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to use one), but if you do you get two chances to win.

A Second Color Challenge Card for Phindy's Place

2012-01-12T11:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday when I was working on my first Color Challenge card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, I was so successful that I immediately began on my second one. You're going to see a repeat of one of some of the papers(after all I need to be using the scraps, right).

This is image is entitled Patience, and she's so sweet squatting there after tenderly nursing the plant and waiting for it to perk up and BLOOM. She's another of the Phindy's Place Summer Cuties and can be purchased at the Phindy's Place Store.

The solids and floral papers are from the Summer Driggs Happy Mother's Day Kit and the brown gingham is from The Paper Studio. The corners are a Quikutz die that I got on the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago, and the die cut was a free svg from My Time To Craft, that I cut with my Black Cat. Can I tell you how much I love this machine?

Well that'll be all the entries I have time for this week, but I'm looking forward to next week's challenge, so stay tuned.

Phindy's Place with a Color Quartet

2012-01-11T21:10:00.002-06:00

For the first challenge of 2012, the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog has issued a Color Challenge using the following Color Quartet.

This image is called Love Flutterfly and is one of Phindy's Summer Cuties. Isn't she adorable? You can find her along with a cart full of delightful images at the Phindy's Place Store. Please check them out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

I had to do some searching to find papers that I liked, that I thought worked for the challenge, as well as for me. The papers are from Summer Drigg's Happy Mother's Day Kit., and the sketch is from last week's Tuesday Morning Sketches.

New Beginnings at Sassy Cheryl's

2012-01-09T15:05:00.000-06:00

Sassy Ann has set the challenge over on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog this week for New Beginnings. The DT did a fabulous job with their creations, so it was a challenge for me to come not to copy something they had done. It's a great challenge after all since this is the beginning of a brand new year. Sometimes I think the older we get the harder it is to see the NEW in things. All it takes is to watch the world through the eyes of a child. Seeing their eyes light up at something as simple as a butterfly in flight or a bubble drifting in the breeze, makes even the most hardened of individuals take a new perspective on the joy in the simple fact that we're alive and one of God's Glorious Creations.

With that in mind, I chose this sweet image called Nature Lover from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store. I know that my grandson MonkeyMoo thinks it's pretty cool to investigate nature, and with a magnifying glass you get a whole different view of the world. She's colored with Copics. I can tell it's been awhile since I colored, as I struggled with the coloring of this one.

The papers are from my scrap box. I really am trying to get rid of some of the scraps. The sentiment was whipped up in Photoshop, but could just have easily been done in Word. I'm posting it at the bottom in case any one would like to grab it. Just right click on it and save it.

Thanks for stopping by. I better hurry if I want to beat the deadline for entries.

Using More Scraps for Phindy's Place

2012-01-05T21:15:00.002-06:00

I want to personally thank the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog DT for the extra week on the challenge. With all I had going on during the past two weeks, this was a great break for me.

I actually got this card made earlier in the week. This adorable image is called Bedtime Story. I can tell that this little character really gets into her books and bedtime stories, and that her imagination is in overdrive. She's one of Phindy's cuties and can be purchased at the Phindy's Place Store. She's colored with Copics.

The papers are of course out of my scrapbox, and another reason I'm thankful to the DT. I have too many scraps, and this challenge forced me to use them. The sentiment is something I created a while back. Like this sweetie, I love my books and the chance to let my imagination soar.

Snowman with a Die Cut

2012-01-01T20:34:00.000-06:00

Well it seems like forever since I created a card or posted a blog, but it's time to get back to it. The Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog DT had a two week challenge to create a project with a snowman and a die cut. It hasn't felt like snow men here lately, but there's talk we're going to be getting some cold temps over the next 48 hours.

For this card I chose this adorable image called The Love Struck Snowman from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store. Doesn't he look as timid as Gomer Pyle or Goober and can't you almost hear him say, Aw Shucks or Shazam? I've colored him with my Copics. He and the backgrounds are cut using the Deckled Long Rectangle Die Cut from Spellbinders.

The paper is cardstock and the ribbons are some I purchased somewhere along the line. The sketch is this week's sketch for Tuesday Morning Sketches, so guess I'll be entering that challenge too.

Now I better get back to baking fruitcake cookies for my DH and a hunting buddy of his.

Scraps for a Phindy's Place Challenge

2011-12-22T20:24:00.003-06:00

Here it is the end of the year and the DT over at Phindy's Place Challenge Blog must be like the rest of us and have lots of scraps they're wanting to use and not just toss. The sad part about this challenge for me, is that with so much going on here with DD and her family visiting and getting ready for my Open House, I only had time for one challenge and am barely getting it blogged in time.

This sweet image from the Winter Cuties collection from the Phindy's Place Store is called Hot Cocoa. I've colored her with Copics.

This paper layout has the effect of bargello that you see in needlepoint where the patterns repeat, but with a dropped down effect. The paper is all from my scrap box. I didn't have time to create a sentiment or find one, so this card can go however it's needed.

SMT #55 at Sassy Cheryls

2011-12-20T22:20:00.000-06:00

Here it is Tuesday night, and I'm about to miss out on one of my favorite challenges, Show Me Thursday on Sassy Cheryls Blog. Just for posting what you have going on in your life each week and entering it in the Sassy Cheryl's blog, you might win a free Sassy Cheryls image. Just so you know there's another good side to this. You get a chance to nosey around in other people's spaces and therefore, get to know some really talented people and not just in crafting.

This week's SMT for me is all about getting ready for the Swoope Christmas Open House. This is the 27th year my DH and I have hosted his family for Christmas night. It's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun. I had my Christmas tree decorated two weeks ago, but the rest of the decorations have been sitting in boxes waiting for my BFF to come over and do her thing. In past years, her DD would do it for me, but she's moved out of town. Well it was worth the wait and in the meantime, I finally started doing some cooking for the party. So here are pictures of what I've been doing all week.

The top picture is fruitcake cookies. These are my DH's favorite cookie and the only cookie that doesn't scream my name. Too bad I can't fix only fruitcake cookies, then I wouldn't have to worry about overeating the wrong thing. The second picture is fudge I made with JDK or Judy's recipe. This one not only screamed my name but jumps up and down and waves at me. First thing this morning after cutting it and getting it in the can, I took it, along with one can of fruitcake cookies(recipe makes like 10 dozen), biscotti and pecan brittle down to the camphouse. At least 3 miles from home, they're not screaming quite as loudly and I can't see them jumping up and down and waving.

I'm a fairly decent cook and I can craft most anything, but decorating is not my forte, so this afternoon, my BFF came over to decorate for me. She didn't make it until about 4:45, but by 6 she was through and my house looks great. One of the things that I wanted her to do was to use antlers from deer my DH has killed through the years(man doesn't get rid of any of them and he's been hunting a LONNNNNNGGGGG time) These are the antlers before and after the transformation.

This picture is of the counted cross-stitched Christmas pieces framed and hung over the sofa. The coffee table has my Fontanini natitivy set. This is the one thing MM has been waiting for me to get set up. If you're looking for the perfect gift that you can continue through the years for a child, may I suggest the 5" Fontanini nativity. The pieces are made in Italy of a resin polymer and hand painted. They don't break and yet they are utterly beautiful. You can add a piece each year.

This is my foyer. The mantle is free standing and not surrounding a fireplace. The mantle was in the parlor in the house where my DH was raised. Before the house fell down, they had a drawing for the mantles and furniture in the house. My SIL actually owns the mantle, but when she moved from Columbus, she took it out of that house, and so far hasn't asked for it back. The framed angel is cross-stitched and hangs there all the time.

This is a picture of my dining room table and the washstand that are in there. I'll give you a better picture of the table next week, when I post pictures from the Open House with all the food in place.

In the kitchen she worked up this decoration over my kitchen sink. The ornaments are counted cross-stitch that I made many, many years ago. I still have to do the breakfast room table, but that will wait until the day of the party, since we're still eating in there. I'm glad it was dark so you can't see the cobwebs on the outside of the windows.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and here's your invite.

WOW at Sassy Cheryls

2011-12-17T20:31:00.001-06:00

The challenge set by Sassy Judy over on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog was to create a White on White creation. Is there anything more elegant or classically beautifully than white on white? I love it in children's clothing, so how much more fun to create it in a card.

This adorable image from the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store is called Bowlegged Cutie Stamp. She's colored with Copics, and that's all the color you get, so I made sure that she was colorful.

The wonderful thing about white on white is that by using a punch or two, a diecut, embossing folders, Pearl Shimmer Mist, a few pearls and a couple of buttons, along with a delightful and you have a card anyone would be happy to receive. I hate that the pearlescence of the Shimmer Mist doesn't show up in the pictures.

Now that I have this challenge done, I can start thinking about some baking and decorating. Someone reminded me that a week from tomorrow is Sunday, and I'm hosting an Open House. Time to change gears.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday.

CAS Card 2 at Phindy's Place

2011-12-15T20:40:00.000-06:00

I've just enough time to post my second CAS card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.

Again I've gone with a Phindy's Place cutie called Cheery Chat. Please checkout all the cuties at the Phindy's Place Store. The papers are again from my scrap stash and the sketch is from Clean and Simple Stamping Blog.

And here I thought I was going to miss out on this week's challenge.

CAS Cards at Phindy's Place

2011-12-15T19:32:00.001-06:00

The challenge this week at Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is to create a CAS card. You can use any image you want, but you get a double entry if you use a Phindy's Image. I love to improve my chances any way I can. This week with my daughter and her family arriving for the holidays, and having to do some babysitting and having a test run, I really didn't think I was even going to be able to do a CAS card. Thanks to my DH though, instead of going to sleep when I got home from the test, I was wide awake and slipped out to TM this afternoon for some card making.

The image used in this first card is called Flower Frock and is one of the Phindy's Place cuties from her STORE. I've colored her with copics. I actually found the sketch on the Clean and Simple Stamping Blog and the papers are from my stash. Off to get this one entered so I can get my second card blogged.

I want to thank the DT for making this a CAS challenge or I wouldn't have made it.

Show Me Thursday #54

2011-12-11T21:55:00.005-06:00

You have to love an artist that is willing to offer up a free image without having to create a project of any kind. All you have to do is post what you're doing in your life this week. That's exactly the awesomeness of Sassy Cheryl over on her Sassy Cheryl Blog. A chance for a free image just for letting us nosey around in your space.

This week definitely isn't going to be showing my workspace. My younger daughter, her husband and MM arrived yesterday after a 2 1/2 day road trip from Phoenix. They were here when I got home from my WW meeting and MM needed to get outside and burn off some cooped up energy. We started with a hike back to the new WOT-wildlife observation tower(or deer stand) that DH built and erected back behind the pool behind our house. This is a picture of MM and Grandpa on the walk back. What is it about little boys and sticks?

From the WOT we walked through the woods to our neighbor's to check out the WOT that he built for his grandchildren who visited over Thanksgiving. They have two pups and this picture is of MM petting them. This is huge, since my BIL's dogs totally traumatized him about 2 years ago. This was huge.

For at least the last 15 years, a family down the road from us has been caroling us each year at Christmas. It has become the highlight of Christmas to me. Besides the parents, there are 7 children. The oldest is grown and in pilot training with the Air National Guard. That didn't stop him from being here to participate. Last year there a couple that were sick, but this year all 9 were outside our front door to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Joy to the World". As if that isn't enough, they always give us a plate of cookies. I should have videoed, but I did take a picture.

So snap a shot of what's happening in your life this week and post it HERE. Hey, I won last week, so that means you could win this week, plus I highly recommend that you pop around to each entry's blog. It's always inspiring.

A Second Entry for December's Anything Goes at Phindy's Place

2011-12-08T19:44:00.001-06:00

Much to my surprise and probably yours too, I'm back with a second entry for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's Anything Goes with a Phindy's Place image. I really didn't have time to make another card, but then Cec challenged us to create a card with this newest of images from the Phindy's Place Store called Bird Tree. How could I not take up the challenge(especially after seeing the image and seeing a tree made using the branch punch on a card). The two just went together. The image is colored with Copics.

The tree was cut out with the Sissix Christmas tree die and then covered with branches using different shades of green using my Martha Stewart Fir Branch punch and my Martha Stewart bird punch.

The papers are from two different digital designers. The tree paper is from Lily Bimbles Woodland Kit from My Grafico and the plaid paper is from Shery K Designs Christmas 6 pack. Need to get this posted on the blog before time runs out. I'm loving the way this card turned out.

First Week Anything Goes With Phindy's Place

2011-12-07T19:08:00.001-06:00

This is the first week of the month and on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, that means one thing - ANYTHING GOES as long as you use a PHINDY'S PLACE image. It's definitely my favorite challenge week of the month. The sad part to this is that I think this week, I'm only going to be able to get one card made for the challenge.

I jumped on this image when it first appeared on the Papercraft Planet site. She's called Favorite Cuddle, and I couldn't wait until Easter to make a card with her. In fact, I've had her colored for over a week, just haven't had time to get her into a card form. This afternoon, I prioritized and got this card made before returning back to the chore of decorating my house for Christmas. Be sure to check out all the adorable images over at the Phindy's Place Store.

The papers are all from my stash box, so I have no idea from whence that came. I saw a card somewhere with the best carrot sentiment, but I didn't write it down and I can't remember or find it. Therefore no sentiment as of yet. Perhaps I'll come across it soon .

In the meantime, I think if I don't do the decorating, it just isn't going to happen. At least I have the tree up.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2011-12-04T19:54:00.001-06:00

The challenge this week on Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog is to create a winter themed project. Well today instead of decorating for Christmas(I did at least get all the decorations moved from TM to the garage), I had to go out to TM and do a little crafting. I worked on my Open House invitation first and I think it would qualify for a Winter Theme project since it is after all an invitation to a Christmas Open House and I did use a Sassy Cheryl pre-colored image called Better Not Pout.

However, it's not what I'm entering in the challenge. Instead I'm using this image from the Sassy Cheryl's Store called Cup of Cocoa. See, I tend to agree with her. Instead of being out in the cold, it's better to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa inside. I've paper pieced the chair, pillow and throw, and colored my little friend with Copics. Every little girl should have at least one red velveteen Christmas dress with matching shoes. I have to say it wasn't cold when I was working on this. In fact with the lighting in TM, it was more like a sauna.

The background papers are from a digital kit Christmas 6 from Shery K Designs. If you haven't checked out her papers, you really should. Her prices are very reasonable, and she has sales on a regular basis, along with lots of freebies in SVGs and clip art.

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, so maybe now that I have the den vacuumed(and my challenge card finished), I will at least get the Christmas tree up and decorated. I need Cathy's magic elf. If you know of one, please send him my way. I'm really missing my BFF's daughter who used to come do my decorating, but alas she's moved 2.5 hours way.

Anything Goes Wrap Up at Tiddly Inks

2011-12-02T15:57:00.000-06:00

The month of November was Anything Goes on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog. Yes I know it's December, but the last challenge was a two week one. I was a bit busy last week and didn't get a card made. Am I ever glad that I waited. Yesterday Christy released new images inspired by her niece, the real Lily Claire, in a bear coat called Little Somethings. The new images are wonderful so be sure to check them out at the Tiddly Inks Store especially since there's a sale on right now.

As you may know I have a grandson that I affectionately call MonkeyMoo, so needless to say the image "Little Monkey" really spoke to me. I've colored him with Copics. Since I plan on scrapping for MonkeyMoo, I've been collecting monkey papers. Since I couldn't pick A paper, I opted for two cards.

The papers are all from Reminisce. The papers from the first card are from a paper pack called Simply Fun, and the other papers were individual sheets. I used my MTC software to create the cut file for the bananas and cut them out with my Black Cat Cougar. The sentiment was added to the image using Photoshop..

I can't wait to create cards with the other new images.

SMT #54

2011-12-01T12:24:00.000-06:00

Well here it is Thursday again and time for a nosey in everyone's workspace or life.Why you ask? Because Sassy Cheryl has a blog, and she's a nosey parker just like me. For showing what's going on in your life, you can be entered for a chance for a free Sassy Cheryl image. Now why wouldn't you want to participate?

I can't believe it's the 1st of December. This year has gone by way too fast. Do you remember thinking as a child that life was at a stand still, and 24 days to Christmas sounded like forever? Well let me tell you, the older you get the faster it goes, and 24 days is the blink of an eye. I'm scared to make a list of all I've got to get done between now and then too.

I try not to make plans that are too firmly set in stone, because they have a tendency to change. My BFF who will and has come to my aid more times than I can mention, called me on Sunday to ask what I was doing this week. I said not too much, which opened the door for a project(she's famous for projects, just ask her DH). She is a phenomenal hostess and loves giving parties. December is like one non-stop event for her. She has a both a house and a 2 bedroom guest house that she uses for hostessing her parties. She decorates both for Christmas, and there will be at least one party a week out there(if not more) from now up until Christmas. It used to be everything was done with crystal, silver and china when she had them at the house. Since the coming of The Honey House(name of the guest house because it's where they used to store the sugar for the apiary they ran), it's a little more casual but still fully decorated.

So you're sitting there asking yourself, what does that have to do with the price of eggs in China and specifically SMT. Well here's what. She decorates the Honey House with Snowmen. Last year I made her a Merry Christmas for her table that was done in blues and Snowflakes. This year she wanted tablecloths for the card tables with a blue background and white snowflakes. She called on Sunday remember, and she didn't have the fabric and neither did I and neither did our Walmart. Thankfully my neighbor and I had planned an outing for lunch on Monday, and instead of going to Starkville, we adjusted location to Tupelo where we had access to Hancock's, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby to look for the fabric. Fortunately after no success at Hancock's, little success at JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby had the PERFECT fabric and almost a whole bolt. Needless to say, I bought every bit of it. So here are the pictures of how my day was spent yesterday. I made 8 card table cloths and two bigger cloths with a white border. I started after lunch yesterday and finished about 10 last night.

starting the process of cutting out the cloths for the card tables

Card table all set up and ready for food

The two wooden tables had to have a white border added to them, but this is the setup for 3 of the tables.


This is the main table. You can see the Merry Christmas I did last year, that I think inspired the need for the tablecloths. The table is made from a bowling alley lane and trimmed in walnut. Her DH built it along with being totally responsible for turning a concrete block building into this phenomenal guest facility for family and friends.

Let There Be Snow at Phindy's Place

2011-11-29T21:30:00.000-06:00

This week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, we're supposed to do a sprinkling of snow. Well here in Mississippi, it's been quite damp and chilly the last two days, so snow isn't that far fetched an idea. There are only a few places I want to see snow, Colorado in February and on a card are two of them.

For what I hope is just my first challenge card, I had to use this Winter Cutie from the Phindy's Place store called Snowball Stash. This is one of the newest of the Winter Cuties and each and every one of them is a delight. I've colored him with Copics.

The paper was printed from a digital kit called Winter from Shery K Designs. The sentiment is a freebie from Little Footprints.

Hopefully I'll have time for another entry before Thursday afternoon, but I have some tablecloths to make first, and guess what? The fabric is blue with snowflakes. Now could I enter them in the challenge since after all it is about snow?

Anything Goes Again at Sassy Cheryl's

2011-11-27T17:04:00.000-06:00

The DT at Sassy Cheryl's had so much fun and such great response to the Anything Goes Challenge last week that they repeated the challenge again this week on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog. Thank you very much ladies.

I seem to be in a Christmas frame of mind creativity wise. I just hope I can translate it to my house and SOON! For my challenge card this week I had this adorable image is called Sassy Angel. Images of Sally and her pals, Lucy Lou, Polly and Noah can be found at the Sassy Cheryls Digis or colored images at the Sassy Cheryl's Illustrations. I've colored her with Copics. That hair cut is very reminiscent of one I had at the ripe old age of 5, but you would never have associated the term angelic with me.

The papers are from my scrap box, but I can tell you they're digital papers.

I'm happy to be a whole 24 hours ahead of the posting deadline.

SMT #52

2011-11-26T19:54:00.001-06:00

This is the 52 week of Show Me Thursday over on Sassy Cheryl's Blog. For a celebration, this week's winner will win a $10 gift certificate at the Sassy Cheryl's Digi Store. This is about the simplest challenge out there. All you have to do is enter a picture of what you have going on in your life this week.

This has been a very busy week for me, and I didn't have time to take pictures of all I had going on. However, this Thanksgiving with neither of our children home to celebrate, our neighbors invited us over to share Thanksgiving with them and their children. This is a picture of the table I shared with my neighbor's grandchildren on Thursday. My neighbor is standing on the right and the other two adults are her two children along with 6 of their 7 children(5 of whom are under 5). The 7th grandchild is only 3 months old and was being fed in the back of the house. That's my plate you see at the end of the table.

On Friday I went over to play photographer for my neighbors. We did shots of the entire family, individual families, all the grandchildren, just the boys and then we remembered we needed a shot of just the granddaughters(not good to save those to last). This is perhaps my favorite shot of the day. The two on the outside are, believe it or not, twins and are two. The one in the center is their cousin whose 3. The expression of Audrey's(one on the right) is priceless.

A Second Christmas Card for Phindy's Place

2011-11-24T18:42:00.000-06:00

I did get a second card done for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, but only because I already had the card base made.

This image is another of the Winter Cuties from the Phindy's Place Store and is appropriately called Tasty Flakes. Even at almost 61(this Sunday), I love to catch snowflakes on my tongue. It's the kid in me, and I hope I never lose it. I've colored her with Copics. I actually owned at one time a down coat this exact color. I guess there's a lot of the kid still in me.

The papers on the background of the card are digital from a kit called Advent by Katie Fairlie from Pickleberry Pop. The sentiment is from the $1 stamp bin at JoAnn's.

I'm so glad that I was able to get two cards in the challenge. What I can't figure out is why everyone isn't using a Phindy's image. The images are the best, and you get two entries when you use a Phindy's image. For me, that's a WIN WIN if I ever heard one.

Christmas Cards At Phindy's Place

2011-11-24T16:21:00.000-06:00

This week it's a Christmas Card challenge on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. That's a safe and sure challenge for all of us, because you can always use a Christmas card or seventy or so.

For my image, I've used this adorable Winter Cutie called Shy Boy from the Phindy's Place Store. You really need to check out the Phindy Place Store because she's recently added some fabulous new images that will be perfect for Christmas or birthdays. I have actually had this image colored all week, but just haven't had time to get it into a card. Thank goodness I didn't have to make Thanksgiving dinner, because it gave me a few minutes today for some creativity.

I actually had an image colored and a card base put together. There was just one small problem. They didn't work together. On Tuesday, I went to Tupelo to spend the day with my sister hitting the craft stores and stocking up on embellishments and sale goodies. The papers I used for this card were from the DCWV Christmas Matstack that I found for 40% off at JoAnn's. Aren't they perfect with this image?

The sketch is from this week's Card Patterns challenge. Now let's see if I can convince myself to go color an image for a second entry for the challenge.

Show Me Thursday #51

2011-11-23T12:04:00.000-06:00

I am obviously playing the last minute nosey around Show Me Thursday Challenge over at Sassy Cheryl's Blog. You know the one, where you post a picture or few of what you've got going on for the chance of winning a free image from the Sassy Cheryls Store.

I can honestly say that the reason I haven't posted isn't because I don't have anything going on, but the exact opposite. Trying to fit crafting time around all the activities of this week has proved almost impossible. I do however have some pictures to share with you. When we first built TazMania, we put a single track of track lighting over the desk and over my sewing area. It left some dark areas to me, so Sunday morning DH and I proceeded to add an additional track to each of them. It was not a fun experience, and I really wish I could have done it myself, but I needed an extra hand. Thankfully it's done and I'm loving all the extra light over my Black Cat Cougar on my tall table, as will my neighbor since I've also lit up her tables along the wall. Here are the pictures of the extra lighting.

Monday was a full day of Weight Watchers with first having to lead a meeting and then having to attend a certification class. My DH says I had to get certified to work for free, and he's not far off. However, I'm doing it to keep me on track rather than the money, and it at least pays my gas to go to a meeting. I also think you have to practice what you preach.

My sister who lives 60 miles north of me is on vacation this week, and she likes crafting as much as me. So yesterday, I drove to Tupelo and spent the day with her, her daughter and her grandson. We hit Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, Sam's and Walmart. We also ate a Newks, just so I could have 1/2 of a toasted Pimento and Cheese sandwich(it was worth every single WW point). Since most of what I bought was from the Christmas decorations for small trees for embellies, and they were 50% off, I didn't get to REALLY make use of my 40% off coupons. Here's a picture of my stash from yesterday's shopping adventure(please be sure to notice the paper mess immediately to the right of my stash).

Now I'm got to get in cooking mode and start doing some prep work for the one dish I have to take to my neighbor's for T'giving and for the dishes I have to prepare for a Family Dinner for DH's family on Friday night.

May you all have a blessed day tomorrow whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving or not. I am so thankful each and every day for the friends I've made in the crafting world and want each of you to know you hold a special place in my heart.

Anything Goes in November for Tiddly Inks

2011-11-21T17:38:00.000-06:00

I love that the whole month on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog is Anything Goes. It has certainly made my life easier, especially for getting a card made for the challenge.

I had to use this free image from Tiddly Inks last week called Ice Bear. Once I saw him, I knew I had to use him in a card soon. What better than this week's Tiddly Inks Challenge. Be sure to check out all the wonderful images at the Tiddly Inks Store especially the Christmas images HERE. I've colored my bear with my Copics, and I didn't want him to look like the Coca Cola bear.

I wish I could tell the creators of the paper, but all I can tell you is that they came from my scrapbox. I let the paper be the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate all comments.

Anything Goes When the Game is Stump the Boss

2011-11-20T19:12:00.000-06:00

The Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog is playing Stump the Boss this week with Sassy Cheryl. How you say, well this week Cheryl has to put a DT name to the cards created by the group. We'll know on Tuesday how she did, but since I know these girls to be as sneaky as Cheryl herself, I'm betting on the DT stumping her(I love you Cheryl, but I remember last year). At any rate since they're trying to stump her, the challenge this week for a free SC image in a random drawing is ANYTHING GOES!!!! That works for me!

For my card, I've chosen this image from the Sassy Cheryl's Digi Store called Going To See the Star. I imagine this Little Girl has heard the story of the Christ Child and the Star that led the Wisemen and is on a journey of her own. She's colored with Copics. I have always loved this image and though Cheryl has a ton of new images(some of which I own), I had to use this one.

The papers are from a digital kit from Pickleberry Pop by Designs from CRK. The Sketch I used is this week's Clean and Simple Sketch. Finally the sentiment, I simply typed in Word and printed it out.

Thank You for Being My Friend

2011-11-17T13:24:00.000-06:00

It's my second and last entry in the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's challenge to create a Thank You card or project. I wish I was going to have time for another entry, but it's been a week of doctor's appointments(just check ups) for my DH, and it's cut into my crafting time.

For my second entry, I'm again going with a Summer Cutie from the Phindy's Place Store. This image is called Spring Bouquet. She's colored with Copics and isn't she just the sweetest?

These digital papers are also from Raspberry Road Designs from a kit called Color Your World. This sentiment is actually a rubber stamp that I picked up in the dollar bins at WalMart just for this challenge. I used my MTC software to recreate the flowers in the background paper and then glass beads for the flower centers.

Showing Thanks at Phindy's Place

2011-11-16T20:18:00.000-06:00

This week's challenge on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is to create a Thank You card or project. We can always use a Thank You card, especially at this time of the year.

For my first card I've used this adorable Phindy's Place image called Summer Blossom, and she's one of Phindy's Summer Cuties. You really need to check out the Phindy's Place store, because she's recently added some wonderful new images including the cutest little boy with a snowball and a Shopping Collaboration with Paulette of Create with TLC. My image is colored with my Copics.

The papers are digital that I printed. They're from the Garden Path Collection at Raspberry Road Designs. The sentiment is from an acrylic set by Inkadinkadoo.

Show Me Thursday #50

2011-11-14T22:06:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it's almost been a year since Sassy Cheryl started the Show Me Challenge over on her Sassy Cheryls Blog? All you have to do is post a pic or as many as you want sowing what you have going on in your life, and you're entered in a random drawing to win a free Sassy Cheryl image. Now if you don't know, Sassy Cheryl has been on a roll creating tons of new images, so winning a free one would be a very good thing.

All of a sudden we have folks cooking and my mouth has been watering looking at all the foods that are being prepared. Over the weekend, my niece and great nephew came down with her DH for the night. While her DH was hunting, she and Coleman came down to see me. He's 14 months old and could walk if he wanted to, but is totally not interested in walking.

Sometime between Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, I lost the flash card for my camera. As a result on Sunday afternoon, after cleaning my Copics I cleaned and reorganized my half of the table. If you're not sitting down, you might better. You're not going to believe these two pics. I even want you to know that this afternoon, after making a card I left it looking just like it does in these pics.

This morning I went to town and stopped at Wall's(a closeout store) where I found these ornament boxes for $.99 each. These will be stuffed with a little cash and given to the great nieces and nephews.

Rozanne Paxman, the CEO of Scrap Girls, has a blog called How Mom Did It. It's dedicated to sharing the things she learned from her Mother and her Grandmother. She also shared a tip on how to make your own laundry detergent. This is what I mixed up this afternoon.

Finally, last week I showed you pics of the turning leaves. Well, this is a picture that shows some of the leaves that have fallen in my front yard. The trees still have at least this many still on them. You'll have to wait to see pics of my DH's creative way of raking them, because we don't rake until they all fall off the trees.

Anything Goes at TIddly Inks Round Two

2011-11-14T19:36:00.000-06:00

The DT on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog have taken pity on us as we approach the holiday season and designated November as an Anything Goes With A Tiddly Inks Image Challenge Month. This works wonderfully well for me. I'm always needing to add cards to my OWH stash.

The image I have used for this challenge is Did You Hear with Lilli Claire and her little bird Friend. Christy has recently added some new Christmas Images to the Tiddly Inks Store, so be sure to check them out.

I'd love to give credit where credit is due on the paper, but I have to say I just grabbed pieces out of my scrap box. The flowers were cut with my Cougar using the Make The Cut software. I love them both. The sentiment is from a dollar set I picked up at Michael's.

The good news is that I had straightened up in TM yesterday when looking for my flash card for my camera(didn't find it), and I left it looking the same when I finished this card. Could I be turning over a new leaf. Nawwwwww! I don't think so.

Emboss It At Sassy Cheryls

2011-11-12T19:49:00.000-06:00

This week on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog, Sassy Peggy is the hostess. She set a challenge of using embossing in your creation. Also for the remainder of November, all challenge entries will be looked at for the opportunity of some crafter to be chosen as a Guest Designer. Now how wonderful would that be?

For my card I used one of then new Sally images from the Sassy Cheryls store called Sally and Her Bluebird. You'll notice my bluebirds turned into redbirds. I love redbirds and snow. Sally and her friends are colored with Copics.

The background papers are digital papers from a kit called Winter by Shery K Designs. The large snowflake was a free SVG file from SVGCuts, and I cut it on my Black Cat Cougar using my MTC software. I love this machine. The sentiment is actually a Christmas ornament for a miniature Christmas tree that I purchased on sale at Hobby Lobby. Both the large snowflake and the banner behind the image are embossed with the Cuttlebug embossing folder.

And My Final Entry for the Phindy's Place Anything Goes

2011-11-10T20:42:00.000-06:00

This last card may be my favorite of the three I've done for this Phindy's Place Challenge this week.

This is a new image that Phindy has just added to the Phindy Place Store. It's called Winter Candle, and i'ts one of the Two Seven Oh images. When I came upon it in the store, while looking for another image, it just FELL into my cart. It was just in time for this challenge. Isn't this the most wonderful image?

The papers are from Summer Driggs digital kit called Old Fashioned Christmas. They were perfect for the card. I cut the holly leaves out and added the red rhinestones for the berries.

When I first saw this image, this verse from Matthew immediately came to mind. Feel free to grab it for your use.

Another Anything Goes With A Phindy's Image

2011-11-09T20:09:00.000-06:00

Well when it's an Anything Goes with a Phindy's Image over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, I'm going to do my dead level best to get as many entries in as I can.

I had this image picked last Friday along with the papers, just waiting for me to find the time to get my card made. This image is one of Phindy's Winter Cuties called Big Hill. She or He depending on how you color the image can be found HERE at the Phindy's Place Store. She's colored with Copics. I don't see my Grandson being caught outside in those colors.

The papers are digital and from the Christmas Days Kit from Shery K Designs. If you haven't checked her store out, you really should. She has great paper kits as well as SVG files. She's also wonderfully generous with freebies.

The sentiment is very similar to one I created last year, but for this year I decided to use winter as the theme rather than Christmas.

Well, hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to get my third card put together tomorrow. I have my image and sentiment ready to go.

It's the Anything Goes With a Phindy's Image

2011-11-08T20:03:00.000-06:00

The first week of the month it's an Anything Goes as long as it's a Phindy's image on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. It's definitely one of my favorite challenges each month. I just can't figure out why there are tons of entries each week as Phindy's images are just so much fun to work with.

For my first card of the challenge, I'm chosen this Phindy Cutie called Belle of the Ball. She along with so many other cuties can be found at the Phindy's Place Store. I've colored her with Copics.

Are you sitting down? The papers are from a paper pack from My Mind's Eye called Party Time. It's a very appropriate choice don't you think? Thank you Linda, I'm loving this paper. It just makes me happy.

The sentiment and party hat are rubber stamps that I think I picked up from the $1 bin at Michael's. They worked.

Now I already have plans for my next two cards. There's a new image, I've got to use and have already bought. come back tomorrow for the next installment.

Tiddly Inks Anything Goes

2011-11-07T15:42:00.000-06:00

With everyone getting busier than bees with the Holiday Season, the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog has elected to do an Anything Goes with a Tiddly Inks Image for the month of November.

For this week's challenge, I've chosen this image from the Tiddly Inks store called Happy Birthday Girl. I would love a piece of that cake about now.

The papers are from the Charmin Kit from Shery K Designs, that I had leftover and hadn't used from the last challenge card I made. I really like these papers and they were a good match for the image. The Sketch is from this week's Card Pattern's Challenge.

In All Things Give Thanks

2011-11-06T20:30:00.000-06:00

Sassy Pat chose the theme of Thanks for this week's challenge on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog. After all it is November and the month of Thanksgiving. When I was thinking about what I was going to do I remembered the first from I Thessalonians 5:18, "In all things, give thanks," and that was the direction I took with my card.

With that verse in mind, the image I HAD to use was this sweetie from Sassy Cheryls Digi Shop called Praying for Peace Girl. I thought she was most appropriate for the theme and for the verse. I've colored her and her friend with Copics. I even dressed up the inside of the car and added a sentiment.

The papers are from a digital kit called Charmin from Shery K Designs. I thought they were most appropriate for the card. I created the verse in Photoshop.

Several years ago, I had to create a bio for my 40th Class Reunion. In the bio, I included the following list. At nearly 61 years of age, these are a list of the 10 most important things I've learned.

Life Lessons Learned

God has the reins, quit trying to take them away.
In all things, give thanks.
Live every day like it’s your last and seek to make a positive difference and have no regrets.
Family is about heart, not blood.
Be yourself and like who you are, for that is the only path to happiness.
Be willing to give of yourself, for the return is a hundred fold.
Be tolerant of others. To them you may be different.
Be able to laugh at yourself. Taking yourself too seriously can take years off your life.
Be the best child, spouse, parent, friend you can be.
God has the reins, quit trying to take them away.

Thanks for stopping by.

Show Me Thursday 49

2011-11-06T10:24:00.000-06:00

I actually look forward to this post each week. Sassy Cheryl of Sassy Cheryl's Digitals generously puts up a free digi image and all you have to do is post a picture of what you have going on in your life over on the Sassy Cheryl Blog. It can be a picture of a card or project you're working on, the creative mess you've made in the creation, or even pictures of your uber organized space(this one you're never going to see from me). All of this is just a disguised way of noseying around in other peoples lives and getting to know them better. I know that's I've discovered new ideas and made some new friends along the way.

This past week fall has hit in a major way in my part of the world. As most of you know I live in Mississippi in the Southern part of the United States. There are several reasons that it's a great place to live, but one of them is that even though we don't usually have very bad winters(little to NO snow), we do get all 4 seasons, and they're usually spectacular. After this past summer's drought and blistering heat, I feared our fall would lack the beautiful colors we usually have. Thankfully the leaves didn't all turn brown and fall off the trees in one day. With the first cool snap we actually started seeing some colors. So this morning I wanted to share my world with you.

This first picture I made this morning. This is the view from my office window. It's a gorgeous day here, and most days I can see fox squirrels and gray squirrels out playing chase.

This second picture is one of the views that I see each morning when I walk with my walking buddy. This is the view at our almost turning around spot. You can't really tell much, but I promise the leaves, they are a changing.

This final picture is the canopy of trees on the road to our camphouse. I've seen commercial shots that this can compare to.

I have to say Spring and Fall are probably my two favorite seasons, but I'm so glad that I get to see them all. What's your favorite season?

Now go out and make a pic of what's happening in your life and join us on SMT.

Sweet on Paper Piecing

2011-11-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

I actually got my 3rd Paper Piecing challenge card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog finished and with over 15 hours to spare(on the making if not the blogging). That's way ahead of schedule for me.LOL

I have to say, I've really had fun with this challenge, and I could have kept on making cards. I'm loving the look of paper piecing and need to do it more often. Phindy just has so many images that are suitable for the challenge over at the Phindy's Place Store. You REALLY need to check them out. If you're not hooked on her images, after you go to the store, you WILL be. This sweet image is called Lolly Dolly and even the cat is paper pieced. Don't you love those few wisps of hair on Dolly? Both my girls were bald forever as was my granddaughter. MM on the other hand was born with lots of hair and didn't lose any of it.

These fabulous digital papers are from the Garden Path Collection from Raspberry Road Designs. They might have been free, but I'm not sure. Go check out the link, because there are a ton of free kits as well as sales and bargains. I had to make the suckers with some Q-tip sticks and some hard candy small tree ornaments. The swirls are from a free SVG file called Home Decor Stencils by Shery K Designs.

The sketch is this week's Sketch Challenge over on Mojo Monday, so I guess I'll be entering that challenge too.

Again I went to Photoshop to create the sentiment. Seemed to be the right message for the image.

Another Paper Piecing for Phindy's Place

2011-11-02T19:56:00.000-05:00

I love that the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog allows for double entries when you use a Phindy's Place image. Needless to say, I am going for the best chance I can at winning, so I'm sticking to Phindy's Place images. I can't for the life of me figure out why everyone isn't going with using Phindy Images just because they're so great, forget the double entry.

As you know this week's challenge is to do Paper Piecing. I sat down yesterday and found the papers I wanted to use for the three cards I plan on making for the challenge. For my second entry, I've used the Phindy's Place image, Smooch. I must have Katie on my mind today, because this image reminds me of her two children, big sister and little brother. Again there is only minimal coloring with Copics.

These papers are also from a digital kit called April Showers from Just So Scappy Too. I had to use those little rubber ducks on the baby boy's pj's, and Big Sister needed a polka dot dress and this Big Sis just happens to like lavender.

Saturday Challenge has an Easel Card Challenge, and it was there that I saw a card that I CASEd. I'll also be entering my card in that challenge.

Paper Piecing at Phindy's Place

2011-11-02T17:50:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is Paper Piecing. I never think of paper piecing without thinking of Katie Boshart. I remember the cards she turned out doing paper piecing, cutting her stuff out while holding a wee baby. I have a hard enough time cutting with both hands free and just holding the scissors and image. I do however love the look of paper piecing, so thanks DT.

For my first card for the challenge, I chose this image from the Phindy's Place Store called Unwrapped. The only thing that's colored is his hands, feet, head and belly. The rest is all paper pieced. I even had fun tearing up the wrapping paper for him to toss.

The papers are from a kit from Raspberry Road Designs called Big Boy Design. I decided that train paper was just too perfect for his pajamas. The sketch is this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches.

The senitment was created in Photoshop, and you're welcome to it.

Silvery Blues and Tiddly Toos

2011-10-30T14:59:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-28T14:55:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-28T13:56:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-27T08:56:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-26T21:34:00.000-05:00

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

SMT #47 and A Camp Wrap Up

2011-10-25T19:14:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-14T15:38:00.001-05:00

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

2011-10-13T13:51:00.001-05:00

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

2011-10-13T10:32:00.001-05:00

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

2011-10-12T07:06:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-02T14:23:00.000-05:00

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.

Grow Old Along With Me

2011-09-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

I have my third and final challenge for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog's color opposites challenge. This time I've used Greens and Reds.

When Phindy first posted this image, I knew I had to have it. They remind me of my grandparent's on my Mother's side, Papa and Big Mama. He was tall and thin and she was short and pleasantly plump. I've colored them with Copics. There is no end to the images in the Phindy's Place Store that bring back memories of my childhood.

The papers are from a free kit from Summer Driggs called Believe and the sketch is one I saved from way back when. The sentiment that came to mind was from Robert Browning -

“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”

I've been fortunate to have known many couples that have seemingly been married forever including my husband's sister and her husband. They've been married for 68 years. He's 90 and she's 88, and it was love at first site. He told her he was going to marry her the first time they met. She politely responded "Today?". 4 months later they wed and the rest is history. Of course my DH and I had our first date the first week of December and were engaged on Valentines and wed in July, and we've got a 33+ years streak going. How about you?

Another Set of Color Complements

2011-09-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

I've really gotten into this Color Opposite challenge over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. This time my colors are pink and it's complement, green. Again here's the Color Wheel.

This adorable image is called Hop Bunny, and this one reminds me of a friend's little girl. Seems all little girls seem to love pink, thus the pink/green color combination. She's colored with Copics.

The papers are from a free kit called Softly Summer by Jeanine Baechtold from Computer Scrapbook Dot Com. The sentiment is one I created in Photoshop. Feel free to grab it if you want.

Fall Colors

2011-09-28T19:33:00.000-05:00

This week on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog the challenge was to use Fall Colors. I think they chose this challenge in hopes that it will bring on the Fall temperatures. After all it is officially Fall by the calendar. There's a new twist on the challenge. You don't have to use a Sassy Cheryl's image(although personally I can't imagine why you wouldn't), but if you do you get two entries in the challenge. I like better chances.

When I went looking for an image to use, I came across this one at the Sassy Cheryl's Digi Store. The image is called Day Dreamer Boy. When I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my card. Fall conjures up images of lots and lots and lots of leaves at my house( my house sits in the middle of a forest of trees). I decided my little guy was sitting amongst a pile of leaves pondering one of life's deepest questions - to rake or not to rake.

I used my new Baby to cut out the leaves, using papers that I had printed from a digital kit and had on hand in my scrap box. The papers are from a free kit called Falling for Fall from Summer Driggs. I created the sentiment in Photoshop and don't know whether you can use it or not, but I've posted it below if you'd like to grab it.

Color Opposites At Phindy's Place

2011-09-28T19:08:00.001-05:00

The challenge this week on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog is to create a project using color opposites or complements. The DT provided us with this color wheel.

I went searching and found this wonderful site with an Interactive Color Wheel. Not only does it give you the color complement but also the RGB number so that you can create your own complementary papers. I, however, just used this wheel to find the right papers for my cards.

For my first card, I used this image called Pumpkin Baby. I think she looks like Phindy's granddaughter, and knew I had to make a card with her. Isn't she the cutest thing you've ever seen? There are more images just as cute to be found at the Phindy's Place Store. I've colored her with Copics, and I had to give her red hair.

The papers are from a free kit called Sassy Lass from Raspberry Road Designs. The sentiment is a rubber stamp I picked up from the $1 bin at Michaels.

Flower Power at Sassy Cheryl's

2011-09-26T13:54:00.000-05:00

That's the challenge this week set by Sassy Jackie on the Sassy Cheryl Challenge Blog. I can't begin to tell you how happy that made me, as I got to use my new BC to cut some looped flowers and oh what fun.

The image I've selected is one of several featuring bird houses over at the Sassy Cheryl's Store and is called Bird Houses on a Hill. I think I used half my box of Copics to color this one. The papers are from my scrap box.

Off to get this one entered in the challenge before time runs out. I've been dealing with computer issues and this was a last minute effort.

Show Me #43

2011-09-22T14:03:00.000-05:00

Looks like I might be first this week in the Show Me Challenge over on Sassy Cheryl's blog. I've got a new toy and can't wait to show it off.

I have been waiting and saving for awhile for a shipment of Black Cat Cutters to come in and finally they arrived a couple of weeks ago. There was a glitch in the shipping of them to the dealer, so mine wasn't shipped until last week. It was showing a delivery from Fed Ex on Saturday. Just one problem there, it had to be signed for and I was headed out of town for my class get together. Well DH was home and was supposed to wait for it, but when the delivery didn't happen by 8:30 a.m.(who does he think is going to be there at 8:30 a.m.), he left to do his thing. Well guess what I had to wait until Tuesday(seems Fed Ex Home delivery doesn't work on Sundays and Mondays) to receive? Needless to say those few hours cost DH a few days if you know what I mean. I hope he learned his lesson, but I doubt it.

Monday I worked on cards and cooking. I snapped this shot of the deer in the back field from my carport Monday afternoon.

Tuesday morning around 9:15, the Fed Ex man showed up with my newest gadget. Here's the box. Notice the 4' wide table behind it. I let the Fed Ex man put it in the house instead of TM. I have no idea what I was thinking. It didn't weigh but 33 lbs., but man was it cumbersome.

I got it unboxed, and I spent Tuesday getting it set up and watching tutorials. Wednesday was spent trying to perfect the cut. I named her Sultry Sinta(Cherokee for Cat) and cut her name out of vinyl. The table she's sitting on is over 36" wide. She's a BIG cat for sure.

These are a close up of some of the things I tried cutting. I wanted to see how well it cut small detailed stuff. I was not disappointed.

So now it's time for you to post what you have going on in your space this week. Remember, you're in the running for a chance at a FREE Sassy Cheryl image. Of course anyone can drop in for a nosey, so it's only fair that you post your space too.

It's Still Christmas in Phindyville

2011-09-21T22:06:00.000-05:00

There's still time for another Christmas Card, and I'm thinking a girl can never have too many Christmas cards. Christmas is the theme for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. For my second entry, I"ve chosen to use this Phindy's Place Image called.Miss Crissy Tree. She's just one of the fabulous Christmas images available at the Phindy's Place Store. Go check them out.

My last card was very traditional in colors, not so this time. Again these papers are from Shery K Designs and are from a kit called Christmas Days. You know that when I saw the Christmas Light paper, I HAD to use Miss Chrissy Tree for my card. The sentiment is from Create with TLC. I used my new Black Cat Cougar to cut out the Christmas lights and the scalloped circle around the sentiment. The background Christmas trees were cut with a Sissix diecut.

SMT #42 and Weekend Get Together

2011-09-20T09:43:00.000-05:00

It's time for a nosey in everyones life over on the Sassy Cheryl Blog. Just for posting a pic or two of what's going on in your life, you have a chance at a Sassy Cheryl image of your choice. Now how can you go wrong.

In 2008, my High School class celebrated our 40th High School Reunion. It was a lot of hard work, but soooo worth it. The weekend of our Reunion also coincided with the 300 Oaks Race. A group of us decided we'd show we were still in pretty good shape by participating in the 5K Walk portion of the race. We had so much fun that we have had a mini-reunion each year since on Race weekend. This past weekend was the weekend for out get together and for our 4th consecutive participation in the race.

Since I pretty much put myself in charge, my DH stays home and lets me do my own thing, without having to worry about him. Before I left on Friday, I made him a big pan of biscuits.

For those that came in Friday night we met for dinner. This is a picture of the group that was there. I think we all look pretty good for 60 and 61.

There were 7 of us on a team for the 5K walk, 5 were classmates and 2 were either spouses or dates. Our team came in 3rd overall which was pretty remarkable. The two of other females in my class that participated took second and third place for our age group, one of the guys came in 2nd, one girlfriend came in 3rd, one guy won his age group in the 5K Run, and I finished a respectable 4th. I only got beat in time by two 65-69 year olds and one 75 year old (racers older than me). This last picture is a picture of me crossing the finish line, looking a little the worse for wear. Considering that this was only the third time I'd walked this distance in 6 weeks with a month off of no walking, I think I did pretty well.

The group met for lunch at a favorite restaurant and then met at a classmates house Saturday night for a Barbecue(catered) and just visiting. It was a fabulous weekend.

It's not too late to post what you have going on in your space or life. You have until Thursday at 5 p.m. EST to make it.

We Need A Little Christmas

2011-09-19T19:48:00.000-05:00

Or at least that's what the Phindy's Place DT are saying over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog for this week. If you hang out over on the Phindy's Place Papercraft Planet site, you'd know we're a Phamily over there and are very close. As a result Phindy has created a series of images of Phindyville, our imaginary town.

This image is of the Post Office and is called Phindyville Winter, and the perfect image for a Christmas card. Please check out all the fabulous scenes at the Phindy's Place Store for all of her delightful scene perfect for a Christmas card. I've colored Phindyville with a combinations of Copics and Prisma Pencils.

The papers are from a digital pack called Christmas Mega Pack 2 by Shery K Designs. I used some white Flower Soft for the snow.

This card is far more traditional than the next one I have planned. Come back tomorrow and see.

Stripes Again

2011-09-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

I never fail of tiring of participating in the Phindy's Place Challenges on the Challenge blog. I especially like the fact that if you use a Phindy Image in your creation, you get two entries in the challenge, and that you can enter more than one creation. I always have at least two ideas for card creations for most challenges and sometimes, I find myself having a hard time limiting myself to 3 choices. Phindy's images are just so REAL to me. Just go out and check the Phindy's Place Store and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

When I was picking papers for my first challenge card, I came across this digital paper from a kit called Ho-Ho-Ho designed for Pickleberry Pop by CRK. When I saw the musical note paper, I KNEW exactly which image I was going to use. She's called "Sweet Carol", and she brings back such sweet memories of my childhood as well as my children's. Can't you remember the Children's Christmas program from church where you were dressed in a white choir robe with the gold trim, the wings and the gold halo that refused to sit straight on your head(just making the performance that much more adorable). There's little coloring to her, but what there is is done with Copics. I added gold glitter for her robe and halo and then clear glitter for her wings.

The sentiment was created in Make the Cut and exported as a JPG file. I LOVE this program, that was primarily designed to be used with die cutting machines, but Andy has made it so much more versatile than that. The best thing is that it allows me to open tons of fonts without putting them into my Windows Fonts folder and slowing down my machine. Sometimes it's just so much faster for me than Photoshop.

Show Us Something Good To Eat

2011-09-14T19:37:00.000-05:00

Now what kind of cruel challenge is this? It's the one set by Miz Sassy Jackie on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog. I didn't become a Weight Watcher member because I couldn't find much that was good to eat. Obviously Cheryl likes food too, because there are many images in the Sassy Cheryl's Store, that have good things to eat in the image.

When I went searching through my Sassy Cheryls folder of images, I found this cutie holding a Candy Cane. Hello, I really like sweets, so Christmas Candy Cane Girl was just the ticket. I have to stay away from cakes and cookies, even if they are on paper.LOL She's colored with Copics and in colors to coordinate with these digital papers from a free kit from Summer Driggs called Old Fashioned Christmas.

I used my Make the Cut software to create the sentiment, and isn't Christmas definitely the Sweet Season? Feel free to grab it. The flowers are a combination of the Daisy Flowers Spellbinders die, the Cuttlebug Asterick flower and some buttons, I recently bought.

Stripes Somewhere Please

2011-09-14T11:37:00.001-05:00

This week over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, the theme is Stripes Somewhere. Needless to say that doesn't present much of a challenge for someone that's as addicted to papers both real and digital as me. As always my challenge is in picking the image that I want to use and then finding the perfect papers to go with it.

If you read my blog, you know I have a grandson that I call MonkeyMoo. He LOVES Halloween. He loves dressing up and is constantly "in costume". The other night when we SKYPED with him he was a black ghost with glowing red eyes. He totally impressed his Great Aunt Boo, on his last visit because he could read her name. We didn't tell her about his thing for Halloween. We just let her think he's very smart(which he is).LOL

This card uses the Phindy's Place image called appropriately enough BOO. I think it will be perfect for his Halloween card this year, don't you? I've colored it with my Copics. Please go check out the Phindy's Place Store for some more delightful images.

The papers are from a freebie that I found at Sherry K Designs. Notice that even the bat paper has a background of stripes. I added some felt Halloween embellishments that I had left over from making Halloween cards for OWH last year.

It's ALL about the BOO!

Falling for Fall

2011-09-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

The theme for this week's challenge on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog is Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall. Quite honestly I'm ready for fall and in the past weeks, we've actual had a few decent days with fall like temperatures.

I think the squirrels at my house are thinking that it may be a cold winter. because they've already stripped our pecan trees and long before the nuts are ready to fall from the trees. When I head out to TM, you can hear them in the trees jumping from limb to limb. My squirrels were the reason I chose this image called Nuts for You, but it's certainly not the only image in the Tiddly Inks Store that are appropriate for a fall themed card.

My image is colored with Copics. The papers as well as the sentiment are all from a free digital kit from Summer Driggs called Falling for Fall.

Well, again I've waited to almost the last minute to enter the challenge, but I did make it.

Bag It, Wrap It, Box It or maybe a Combination

2011-09-11T15:21:00.000-05:00

Sassy Judy is in charge of the theme for this week's Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog. The theme is decorate a candy wrapper, a box or a bag. I opted to create a treat box/bag using my Make The Cut software and my Cricut. I found a template for a purse and then started changing things up and then along with a pumpkin clip art that was free, I created a pumpkin treat box/bag(when you say treat in September, my mind immediately jumps to Halloween). I love building things, so being able to design and construct a paper project isn't so much a challenge as just plain fun.

For the image side, I chose this Sassy Cheryl image called Funky Scarecrow. There are some really great Halloween Images over at the Sassy Cheryls Store. You really need to check them out. I've colored the image with Copics. I cut out the Boo sentiment again using my Cricut, and the bats were a free SVG file that I can't find the blog link for. They came in multiple sizes, so it was an easy cut. On the back side of the pumpkin, I just gave him a Jack O' Lantern face.

I filled the box with crinkled khaki papers(someone gave me something that was packed with this and I saved it), and filled it with Tootsie Roll Pops and caramels(the only candies in my house). My final touch was the pipe cleaner cork screws that I love.

Another fun challenge. Can't wait to see what the next challenge is going to be. Bring it on!

SMT #41

2011-09-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

Well, thought I'd post a fun SMT this week. I'm an avid walker, but a 4 week hiatus of resting my foot and hoping to make the plantar's fasciitis issue better(NOT), has me looking for alternative forms of exercise. My walking buddy suggested that we might try bike riding.

I refuse to buy a new bike when I don't know how long I'll stick with it. In our barn is one if not both of the bikes our children had as children. Keep in mind my oldest is 42 and my youngest is 40, so the bikes are about 30 years old. About 3 years ago, we put new tires and a padded seat on one of them so I could ride some(I didn't stick with it long-reason below). Well the other day, DH aired up the tires, and so far so good with them holding air. The bike HAS been in the barn, but remember I live in a very humid place so some oxidation(rusting) has occurred.

Reason for not sticking with it - I grew up in the Mississippi Delta where the terrain is totally flat(think Holland), so hopping on a bike and riding for hours even when you're out of shape isn't difficult. However even though we don't have a real hill here in Lowndes County, we do have inclines, so I'm having to build up gradually. I mean who knew that my driveway that I thought was flat actually has about a 2 degree slope to it(my thigh muscles that's who). The bike has NO gears just me, so I decided before I start riding with my walking buddy(she has 7 gears on her bike and she's 6 years younger than me), I better start getting the old legs in shape. I've been taking short rides(no more than a mile) several times a day. Today, I rode a mile away from the house and then had to ride the mile back. There was one incline(maybe 6 degrees) that had my muscles screaming. I thought I was going to have to get off and walk the bike, but I persevered(read that I could walk faster than I was pedalling). I made it home, so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I'll do another run after lunch and then I'm calling it quits on exercise for the day.

This is a picture of me on the bike, but not after the 2 mile run(I wasn't grinning but grimacing then). I just went up the drive a little ways and back so DH could take the picture before he got on with his day. You will notice that I am wearing a helmet and have on a reflective vest. I'm old enough to know I'm not invincible.

Tootsie if you see these pictures, I know you're horrified. Too bad you don't live closer, because, I'd let you repaint it(see I haven't forgotten the pink tricycle).

So come on everyone, post a picture of either your craft space or what you have going on and enter it on Sassy Cheryls Blog in the Show Me Thursday Challenge. You not only get to nosey around in other people's lives(and admit it you know you love to do that), but you also have a chance of winning a Sassy Cheryl image. There's no way to lose.

Phindy's Place Anything Goes Gingerbread Hugs

2011-09-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

For my third and final challenge card for this month's Anything Goes as long as it's a Phindy's image on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, I chose to use this Winter Cutie called Gingerbread Delight. I told you picking the image to use for the challenge was the hard part. Good thing I'm not limited to only one entry. If you haven't discovered Phindy's Place Store, may I encourage you to head on over. Her images are so real life, and I simply adore her children's images and let me tell you, her Plump 'Uns hit real close to home

.

For this one, I again hit Raspberry Road Designs for the papers I used. This kit is called the Gingerbread Memories Collection and could anything be more perfect to use with this image? This time the sketch is from last week's challenge over on Sketch Saturday. I seem to always be a week behind on these. I've colored her with my Copics, and again I used my Make The Cut to create my Word Art.

Thanks for stopping by and hope I've sent you on a shopping excursion.

Show Me #40

2011-09-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

Can you believe this is the 40th week of noseying(my very own word) around in our crafting friends lives drooling over creations, commiserating over calamities, laughing and sympathizing over craft messes, and just supporting each other. I'm so glad Sassy Cheryl started this challenge, and it would be fun to do even if there weren't a chance to win a Sassy Cheryl image. I've made some great new friends by venturing out and sharing. Thank you Cheryl.


check out the Sassy Cheryl Rubber stamp from Kraftin Kimmie in the bottom left corner-it stamped beautifully)

So this week, it's a total disaster in TazMania. It looked pretty good until I went over yesterday afternoon and started on 2 of 3 cards for a challenge. I got two of them made, but didn't stop between to do any picking up. I normally at least put the Copics back after I finish coloring an image, but not yesterday. I will put them up before I start on the third card, but sorting paper scraps is going to wait until I'm finished. I left the mess because I had to come in and fix hubby some dinner(that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

It's only Wednesday so you've got some time to share what's happening in your life with us before the 5 p.m. EST deadline tomorrow afternoon.

Anything Goes With A Phind Image Card #2

2011-09-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

I'm back with my second card for the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog. I love the first week of the month, because it's all about using Phindy's Place images, which I personally think is the only way to go. Phindy's Place is hosting the Outlawz Color Challenge over on the The Outlawz.

For my second card, I chose this image called Spools. I love to sew, so the image was one I had to have. I have colored them with Copics. Raspberry Road Designs had this wonderful free digital kits called Fitting Room Collection. How perfect is this paper with the Clarks spool labels, and the best part is that it was the right colors for the challenge, or I hope close enough.

I modified a sketch from Card Patterns to design the card. I actually created the sentiment in Make The Cut and exported it to a .jpg file. I love this program. It's so much easier to put a sentiment in a circle compared to Photoshop. Please feel free to grab it if you like it.

Anything Goes Phindy Challenge Card #1

2011-09-06T19:07:00.000-05:00

It's the first full week of the month, and you know what that means don't you?That's right, it means that over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, it's anything goes as long as you use a Phindy's Place image. The only problem is WHICH Phindy Image to use. Well I quickly picked out 3 images and the papers for all of them. I've actually got two made and even have the sketch for the 3rd one chosen. Now to get the first two blogged and the third one made and blogged.

For my first card I chose this image called Hyacinth and Ivy from the Phindy's Place Store. I've had this image for awhile, but this is the first card I've made with it. I think hyacinths may be one of my all time favorite flowers. They just smell soooooo good. I've colored the image with my Copics. Not much shading because the leaves were really small.

I found this delightful sketch over on Card Patterns. It was last week's sketch, but that didn't bother me. I found this delightful paper on the Raspberry Road Designs digital paper site, from the Moving Day Collection. It was a freebie, but I have to tell you they have a whole bunch of Dollar sets and a great sale going on right now. Just followed the sketch and finished up with some pearls.

Now off to blog card number 2.

Reading is FUN!

2011-09-05T15:48:00.001-05:00

The challenge this week on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog is Reading Is Fun. Since I'm a great believer in reading and an avid reader, I knew I didn't want to miss out on participating in the challenge. I am a firm believer that it doesn't matter what you read as long as you do, and that if you can read you can do anything you want.

When I got ready to start my project, I first went to my Tiddly Inks digital folder, and I had a bunch of free book images, plus there's one at the Tiddly Inks Store right now. Now how can you be a proper Wizardess if you can't read and understand the creation of making magic potions so of course I had to have the image called Wizardette? I got the title of my book from the Harry Potter Lexicon. I used Photoshop to create my scene, with Wizardette casting a spell from the top of a stack of books. For the most part everything is colored with Copics, buy I did use some Tim Holtz ink pads to color the book pages.

The papers are from a free kit created by Jen Reed for Computer Scrapbook.Com. I also used Photoshop to create my sentiment. I can't give you the book sentiment, since the book is a Tiddly Inks image, but I did create some word art without the book. Feel free to grab either or both.

Happy Birthday Challenge

2011-09-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

This week the challenge over on the Sassy Cheryls Challenge Blog was to create a Birthday Card. Since there is never a time we don't all need a birthday card, this is a perfect challenge in which to participate.

Needless to say that the Sassy Cheryls Digi Store has no lack of images perfect for a birthday celebration. I had to use this delightful image called "Momma's Little Clown," and you have to admit he doesn't look scary like most clowns do. He obviously had a great Momma, because she's put together the perfect clown ensemble for him. Mostly he's colored with Copics, but there's some paper piecing for his suit of clothes. I want to thank Kathy Curry for the idea on the polka dotted shoes. How perfect are they for a clown?

All the papers are from a free kit created by Susan Darter for Raspberry Road Designs called Clovis the Clown. The do remind me of the circus. The sentiment is an acrylic stamp I picked up in the dollar bin at Michael's, and the curly-cues are made with a punch that I recently bought on clearance at Tuesday morning. I punched and layered about 8 for each one to give it a real 3D effect.

I'm off to get this posted on the Blog Challenge, and I'm not even last minute. How about that?

Make Your Own Embellishments

2011-09-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that with me it seems to be all about waiting until the last minute? I promise, it's not intentional, and tonight I'm really placing it close to the wire. Thankfully, I came up with a plan quickly when I got home to make a card with my own embellishments. That's the challenge this week over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog.

This image from the Phindy's Place Store is called Giddyup. He is colored with Copics.The papers are from a digital kit also called Giddyup from Nitwit Collections. My embellishment is a cowboy hat I cut with my Cricut from a free svg file from Images by Heather.

If you read my blog, you know I have a 4 1/2 year old grandson that I call MonkeyMoo, aka MM for short who is ALL about being a cowboy. He knows every word to Toby Keith's "I Should've Been a Cowboy". He recently told his parents he wasn't going to work. When his dad mentioned the fact that he would need a car, MM told him he was riding a horse. When his Dad mentioned he would need to pay for a house, MM replied that he would build his own. When I created the sentiment, I couldn't do Should've Been a Cowboy, but I'm Gonna Be a Cowboy. Please feel free to grab the sentiment.

Publish Post

SMT #39

2011-08-31T14:55:00.000-05:00

Well here it is Wednesday, and I'm about to miss another Show Me Thursday. It's not because I've been sitting on my duff doing nothing, just the opposite in fact. In case you're new here, Sassy Cheryl hosts a challenge on her Blog each week where the random winner gets a free Sassy Cheryl image. All you have to do is snap a shot of what you've been working on during the week and post it on her blog, you're entered. Over the 39 weeks, I've been participating, it's given me a chance to make new friends and get some great ideas. So being nosey isn't a bad thing. I'm just going to post pictures with captions for a recap of my week.

Sunday morning started off with an early morning kayak trip with my DH if you look just to the right of the tree snag, you'll see the head of a deer that we startled. He's swimming to get away.

Sunday afternoon two of my nieces came down with their babies to work on a birthday party invitation for the Coleman's first birthday.

Corbin 8 months old in the chair and Coleman 11 1/2 months old standing. Coleman is just before trying to pull Corbin out of what he considers HIS chair.

Coleman's Birthday Party invitation. I created this from a free coloring page for Clifford and some additions in Photoshop.

This is a pair of Indian pants and a vest(cowboy) I've made for a friend of mine's little boy. I had to make another one for my daughter to take to Scotland for one of MM's cousins. They sent MM a kilt when he was born, so DD is taking a western outfit for this 3 year old cousin.


Finally these are money envelopes that I've made for my BFF for she and her DH to give to their children, son-in-laws and grandchildren to celebrate BFF and her DH's 50th Wedding Anniversary. Talk about doing it backwards, but she said their family is the fruit of their marriage. I love that thought.

So get out your camera sang a shot of what you have going on and post it HERE. You win regardless, if you go check out the other entries spaces.

Purple and Green Combo with a little Yellow Thrown in

2011-08-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

The challenge this week on the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog was set by ever so delightful Judy. The challenge is a color combo of Purple and Green. I just happen to love those two colors together, but decided I had to use a girly image, since I don't know too many boys impressed with those two colors on themselves. As usual, I'm down to the wire getting this done, but it isn't because I've been goofing off. I've had other commitments(birthday party invitations for one of my great nephew's 1st birthday party and getting a box of OWH cards in the mail). Now with having this done, I'm headed to the sewing machine to make a couple of cowboy vests. How did I ever work full time and get anything done?

At any rate, the image I chose is a fairly recent Sassy Cheryl Digi called Day Dreamer Girl. I mostly colored in Copics. However, I decided she needed a print top so threw in a little paper piecing. The DP backgrounds were some free tiles that Fred She Said offered for a freebie well over a year ago, but the colors were too perfect not to make a paper out of them. WalMart must have known about Judy planning this, because when I went in there last week, they had spools of purple and green ribbon. Quite timely don't you think? My sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse Stamps and was in one of the sets I won from the Lungs for Life raffle. Thanks again Cheryl. I love these two sets.

Now I'm off to get it entered in the challenge before time runs out.

Something New At Phindy's Place

2011-08-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

The Phindy's Place DT has challenged us this week to created a card for something new. Phindy has several images that would be great for a new baby including some new ones with a Guardian Angel over at the Phindy's Place Store. However, I have to say that when I first saw this image called Come On In, I fell in love. I thought at it would be perfect New Home card. I agree with Phindy though that there are several uses for this image including any kind of party(thanks to those balloons).

My image is colored with Copics. The papers were some I found in the stack of digitals I had printed out on my desk. Believe it or not, I actually know where they came from. They are from a free kit called Prego designed by Maya De Groot and found at Oscraps. Finally the word art is some I created in Photoshop(I've since added a flourish). Feel free to grab it. I figure it can be used for lots of different cards.

Give Me An Inch and I'll Take An Inch and a Half

2011-08-22T09:22:00.000-05:00

This week the Tiddly Inks Challenge DT tried to stump me with an Inchie Challenge. I had never heard of Inchies, so I did a Google on it and found that they are (and I quote) "the thumbnails of paper crafting". In fact there is a company called Inchie Arts that is dedicated to Inchie crafting. Basically you create a card using 1" squares, but they can also be just small squares. Since coloring with Copics on very small areas seems to be virtually impossible for me, I upped my size to 1 1/2".

I used this beautiful butterfly image from Tiddly Inks for my card, and then colored them with my Copics. I obviously reversed the color scheme on one just so they wouldn't all look alike(or too different from each other from my coloring skills). The purple paper is some I printed and that was in my scrap box. The orange DP is from a kit of Paper that I bought at Sam's more years ago than I care to remember. The sentiment was on a Rubber stamp I had, that was so small that you wouldn't have been able to read it, so once again Photoshop comes to the rescue(you can find it at the bottom of the post). I printed it directly on the DP(I'm beginning to really like doing this, as it doesn't add a layer that distracts from the image.

I have another card I made yesterday with a Tiddly Inks image called Orchid. This card is for a note to parents whose 16 year old was in a diving accident a little over a week ago and is now paralyzed. I wanted to send them something that invoked beauty, simplicity and a feeling of serenity, as I'm sure they're feeling like they're on the worst ride of their life right now. I put the message on the inside of the card. The song "His Eye is on the Sparrow" is one of the most uplifting songs to me, as it is a constant reminder that God is watching over all of us even the sparrow, and that He has a plan for us(whether we understand what's going on or not).

If you are a praying person, would you take a minute and say a prayer for Cole and his family. They have a long road ahead, but life is not over for any of them. I actually have a friend whose oldest son was paralyzed at 18 from the shoulders down from a diving accident. Clay is now in his mid 40's, is a CPA, married to a wonderful woman and the father(yes they are his) of 3 boys( one set of twin boys and then another boy).

Here are both Word Arts if you'd like them.

Show Me A Little Stitching Please

2011-08-20T20:22:00.000-05:00

Surprise, here it is Saturday night and not Monday afternoon, and I have a challenge card to enter in the Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog. Pick yourselves up off the floor, and don't worry, I doubt seriously I've turned over a new leaf.

This card is serving a double purpose. It's going to a special young man who was recently paralyzed in a diving accident. It's certainly not a Get Well card, but I did want him to know that he was in my thoughts and prayers. I chose to use this image from the Sassy Cheryl Digi Store called Flower Bear. He just is the sweetest thing, and who doesn't love a bear. I've colored him with Copics.

Yes, you have seen this paper and very recently. It's from the Urban Kiwi kit by The Shabby Princess. This is a free kit. I do love printing my paper, since it gives me the option to make the pattern the size I want it. My sentiment was something I quickly whipped up in Photoshop using the flag function in text. The stitching was done with my sewing machine, and the sketch was from a card I saw in this month's Paper Creations.

A Show Me and OWH cards

2011-08-19T20:42:00.000-05:00

Can you believe, it's only Friday and I'm doing my Show Me Thursday post for the week. Are you impressed? You should be. Just in case you're wondering what Show Me Thursday is let me explain. It's pretty simple. It's a chance for each of us do a nosey around in other peoples spaces. Just for showing your space, the delightful Miss Sassy Cheryl puts up a chance for a free image from the Sassy Cheryl Digi Store. Just head over to the Sassy Cheryl Blog and post a picture of what you have going on in your life this week(it doesn't have to be your crafting place).

I've been really busy this week making Operation Write Home cards to be sent to our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is what my desktop looked like after I finished the last set of cards before I cleaned up. This is the mess from just one set of cards.

Here are the cards that I've created.

Music Paper: Carol Anne's Boutique
Sentiment: Mine, so feel free to grab it
Embellishments: Letter Delights Music SVGs; Paper Studio's Music Embossing Folder

Designer Papers: from my scrap box
Sentiment: Make A Wish from Hampton Arts
Embellishments: ribbons from my stash

Designer Papers:I'm still looking for my source LOL
Sentiment: Elegant Word Art
Embellishments: Ribbon from my stash

Designer Papers: Baby Cakes Kit from Summer Driggs
Sentiment: Create with TLC
Embellishments:Ribbons with my stash.

Designer Papers: Victorian Sunflowers from I don't know where
Image: WinkWink Ink(closed)
Sentiment: Simple Doodles
Embellishments: Ribbons and buttons from my stash

Just so you know, before I left Tazmania, I cleaned up and got the cards ready for me to stamp with the OWH logo and stuff in envelopes. Now I'm off to watch some TV and read. I think I've earned a little relaxation.

Vintage? Retro? or Both?

2011-08-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

This week the challenge on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog was to create a Vintage project. I am vintage, but didn't think a photo of me would work. I had several ideas of images to use, but when Phindy posted this image in the Phindy's Place store earlier in the week called Looking Good, I had to have it and use it. I'm not sure if this qualifies for vintage but I think it does. Black and lace are so very vintage and yet at the same time timeless.

What part of her that's colored is done with Copics. The dress is paper pieced. I created the paper using a free lace pattern I found on the internet last night. Her stole is colored with Copics, and then I colored over the top with Crayola glitter. Her shoes and hand handbag were colored with my black Spica pen. She's finished off with some seed pearls for her necklace and earrings. She's definitely looking good and ready for a night on the town.

The papers are from a free digital kit called Urban Kiwi that I downloaded from The Shabby Princess. I loved this paper the first time I saw it. It just seems so Retro to me. I used my Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace Edge punch to create the frame around the picture and the sentiment. The flowers were created by first taking my black ink pad and daubing it all over some white cardstock. I cut the flowers out with my Cricut, did a little embossing to give them shape, assembled and added a black baby button center. The word art is some I quickly whipped up in Photoshop. Feel free to grab it(it's in jpg format).

Now for the best part, I know exactly who is going to get this card. My neighbor across the road has lost 60 pounds over the past year. We ran into her in the store the other day(I'm used to only seeing her in her car and that's a head shot), and you could seriously tell she was looking good. The only problem is that her clothes are way too big. She says she's not through losing, so she doesn't want to invest too much money in clothes she's going to undergrow. I'm sending her this card as encouragement and as a pat on the back for the wonderful job she's doing.

Three For One

2011-08-14T19:47:00.001-05:00

It's Sassy Cheryl's Challenges in the barrel today, and I got really industrious. I didn't make one card, but two. Along with that, it's also time for the Show Me Thursday Challenge. I decided I'd give my faithful followers a break and only make them drop in one time instead of three. You can see I'm a very accommodating blogger(we won't mention the fact that I only had to type up one blog instead of three).

Sassy Flip-Flop Jeni set the challenge this week on the Sassy Cheryl Challenge Blog to "What's Buggin You?" Too bad I didn't get this message last week when I made my card challenge using the Ladybug bear. This week, I couldn't make up my mind between two images, so I decided to make a card with each. Since these are going in my Operation Write Home box, it's all good. I used the same sketch using a ladybug paper that I think came from Cuddly Buddly, and solid papers that I made to match using Photoshop. The first image I chose was the Thinking of You Boy image and the second image is called Gentle Friends. Both are colored with Copics. Both images can be found at the Sassy Cheryl's Digi Store.

Thinking of You

Gentle Friends

The Thinking of You image was a freebie from MelJen's and the Am I Bugging You? sentiment is one I created for my sister to use on a card. Feel free to grab it if you like.

Needless to say that with making two cards at the same time and using different colored Copics, I had quite the mess going in Tazmania. I'm also using this blog post to enter the Show Me Thursday, where just by showing your work space you can enter Sassy Cheryl's Blog Challenge for a free image. Well I want you all to see my workspace as I left it this afternoon after making the two cards above. Yep, I cleaned it all up. I know Cheryl is going to be so proud of me. Now I'm ready to go start working on another project. Thanks for stopping by.

My coloring and assembly area

Cutting end of the table, that's usually piled high with paper scraps

I even cleaned up the area around my computer

Are you all suitably impressed, that even my tall table top is clean

Music for the Soul

2011-08-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

Recently Phindy O'Neill introduced a new set of images called Two Seven Oh int the Phindy's Place Store. These are simple things from everyday life and quick to color(or maybe not). At any rate, I absolutely loved this image called Skeins. It reminds me of one of my dearest friends, who is an avid knitter. Then when I found this Word Art over at Create with TLC, I knew I had to make a card for her. Her life is often chaotic, because she's the BEST Grandmother in the world and has 12, yes I said 12 grandchildren. I know that a day doesn't go by that she doesn't take a few minutes, usually at night to sit and knit. Knitting is truly music that feeds her soul.

The papers are digital and are from a kit called Sunday Gardens by Coreen Silke from Computer Scrapbook.Com. These soft greens and yellows are so tranquil to me and definitely put me in a happy place.

This is my second entry in the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog Anything Goes as long as it's a Phindy's image.

It's Anything Goes With A Phindy's Place Image

2011-08-10T21:50:00.000-05:00

It's the first week of the month and over on the Phindy's Place Challenge Blog, it's the Anything Goes as long as you use a Phindy's Place image. I love it, and can't understand why you wouldn't want to do a Phindy's Place image every week.

For what I hope is just my first card for the challenge(I have all the parts for a second one, just need to find the time to get it done), I chose this sweet image called Melon Baby. There's not a Cutie or Wee Babbie image at the Phindy's Place Store, that I don't have. They are just too cute and REAL to me. I've colored her with Copics.

The papers are digital and were from two kits. One kit is called Fruity Papers and is from Zenware Designs from My Grafico. I have to say that when I saw this paper, I had to have it, because I knew it was perfect for Melon Baby. The second kit is called Watermelon Patch from Sprouting Seeds Studio. and the sentiment is from Create with TLC.

A Tag, A Fold and a Little Gel Please

2011-08-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

I think the DTs are out to make sure they test my metal. Last week the challenge was for Tags and/or Tickets on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog. This week it's to use Gel, and I don't mean a gel pen either. We're talking hair gel or the hand sanitizer. Since I also had a challenge this week to do a less than basic fold, I decided for this card, I'd just do them all. tag, fold and gel.

There is a story behind this card. This is a picture of my cousin Peggy with her Cairn, Charlie. Charlie has an ottoman in the dining room at their house. It sits right in front of the window, so that he can lay and watch the road waiting for Peggy to come home. After enjoying seeing her every day this summer, I'm sure he's on that ottoman looking pretty sad right now, as she returned to Auburn last Friday for her sophomore year of college.

Christy has this delightful image called Kiki that looks a lot like Charlie. Kiki is a freebie image that can be found at the Tiddly Inks Store, but be sure you check out all of the images when you drop in to grab him. I decided to do a scene with Charlie sitting on his ottoman and looking out the window. It was perfect for the gel concept. Now lest you think this is something terribly difficult to do, here's a link to Meredith's Tutorial, that made it not a very difficult challenge at all. I drew the ottoman in and colored it all with Copics.

I printed these digital papers out from a kit by Vicki Stegall Designs called Just Breathe that I found for free at Oscraps. I love this set of papers. I decided that this card needed to be something that would stand up, and since I just learned how to do a center step card, I decided to do another one. It was perfect for displaying the window, that I created with my MTC software. I also created my box for my gel with the software. I used a tag to insert Charlie behind the window.

Finally, I used the MTC software to create the circle word art and then brought it into Photoshop to add the Missing you. I finished my project off with some pearl embellishments. I'm going to take this card to Peggy's mom, so she can send a note to Peggy from Charlie. Hopefully it will make her homesick enough that she decides to come home before Thanksgiving. I'm glad she loves school, but she could miss us all a little more.