I'm a retired Legal Assistant, married to Garry for the past 32 years, and mom to Ashley who's married to Blake and the mother to my grandsons, Brecken and Brenner, and Amy, an intern for CRU at WSU. I love most paper crafts, but especially rubber stamping and card-making. It is, for me, exactly what the title of my blog says - therapy, it's cheaper than the real thing. I also love to laugh, travel and play BINGO!
How's your weekend going? Mine's been super relaxing, really. I've been a little crafty, but not too ambitious. I've got a big week of visitors coming up, and hubby was at the big golf tournament in Scottsdale all weekend, so I've had the whole house to myself. Today, I'll probably do all the last minute preparations I need to do to get ready for our guests that will start arriving on Thursday. How about you?
Friday night, I decided to play along with one of the Virtual Stamp Night challenges over at Splitcoast Stampers. I used to participate in these amazingly fun weekends on a pretty regular basis, but have stepped back from it the last several go arounds because of my design team commitments. I realized how much I miss it after Friday night. But it's kind of nice to be able to pick and choose which challenges I want to play in this time. I was instantly inspired by my buddy, Denise's, sketch challenge. It's kind of a funky little sketch based on the Olympics' Inukshuk (say that really fast 10 times! LOL), but I really liked it. Of course, being the rebel that I am, I created something that's definitely a "loose interpretation" but all of the elements are there if you squint your eyes and look real close! LOL
If you ever get a chance, you really should play along with one of the Virtual Stamp Night events. They're super fun, and the hostesses are fabulously talented and inspiring!! That's it for me today. I'll be back on Tuesday with my ABC Toys & Crafts sample, as well as some news on a new competition that I hope you'll help me out with! Have an amazing day!
Happy Saturday! Yes, I know it's late . . . but I've been doing a little creating this weekend, so I thought I'd share a bit. I created this little sweetie for the Embellish Magazine Color Challenge that's going on right now, and the added requirement, in addition to using pink, yellow, light green, and peach, is to use borders. I just had to use my new Papertrey Ink Medium Scalloped Border die for that one. And I've inked up these sweet Blooming Button Bits images for the very first time. Isn't that a shame?!! I'll definitely be using these cuties again real soon though. Note to self: get more ink spots - it's much easier to ink up individual images with different colors. I think I might enter this into the Moxie Fab Olympics Competition in the "Love" category, too. What the heck, right?!
STAMPS: Blooming Button Bits (Papertrey Ink); Signature Greetings (Papertrey Ink) INK: Spring Moss, Melon Berry, Sweet Blush (Papertrey Ink), Tuxedo Black (Memento) PAPER: Lemon Tart CS, Melon Berry CS (Papertrey Ink), White CS (Neenah) ACCESSORIES: Lemon Tart Buttons (Papertrey Ink), Self-Adhesive Pearls (Recollections), Glue Dots, Medium Scalloped Border Die (Papertrey Ink), Stampin' Dimensionals (SU), Sweet Blush Satin Polka Dot Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), Corner Rounder, Cuttlebug
I'll have another fun card for you tomorrow if you'll come back to visit. Thanks so much for stopping by today . . . it really makes my day when you do!
I had a super fun day of stamping with my chickies yesterday. I actually got one card made, in between all the laughing and silliness. It wasn't this one - I'll share that one with you another day. But today, I wanted to share a little card I made in response to a challenge set up by my buddy, Lee, who challenged us to create a card using our favorite "color combo." My favorite color combo changes frequently, but as of today, it's Robin's Egg Blue/Lt. Aqua and Orange, with a splash of white. I think these would make amazing wedding colors. Don't you?!!
I used some new JustRite stamps that I received recently called "Stitched With Love." Super cute images and sentiments - I'll be using more of these again real soon! I love anything that has to do with sewing lately . . . kind of obsessed really. I really had fun making this - thanks for the challenge, Lee! Oh, and did you know that if you create projects using JustRite stamps, you can upload them into the new JustRite Flickr group for a chance to win a stamp set. Sounds easy enough, right? I'm always up for an easy challenge like that!
STAMPS: Stitched With Love (JustRite), Victorian Diamond Panel (Rubbernecker Stamps) INK: Aqua Mist (PTI), Tuxedo Black (Memento) PAPER: Sno Cone CS (Poptone), Pumpkin Pie CS (SU), White CS (Neenah) ACCESSORIES: Orange Zest Satin Ribbon (PTI), Stampin' Dimensionals (SU), Copic Markers, Self-Adhesive Pearls (Recollections), Scissors Charm (Bunny Zoe's Crafts), Pinking Scallop Border Punch (Martha Stewart Crafts)
*****************NEWS BITS**********************
So are you playing along with the Birthday Card Challenge over at ABC Toys & Crafts? Could this challenge be any easier?!! Go play - it'll be fun!!
There's still a sale going on at ABC Toys & Crafts - if you spend $65 and use the discount code of FEBLOVE, you'll receive 20% off your entire order. Nice, huh? Offer expires February 28th - you're running out of time!
That's it for me today, peeps! Thanks so much for stopping by. I'll be back soon with the other card I made yesterday. I hope you'll come back to see!
Today is Day 3 of the ABC Toys & Crafts Design Team Challenge, which is to create a birthday card. Pretty simple, right?! Right!! I can never have enough birthday cards on hand, so I was glad for the challenge to get a fire lit under my you-know-what to get some done. This one came together pretty easily. I recently received my order of Quite Contrary DP by My Mind's Eye - how freakin' delicious is this stuff?!! There are a couple of different lines and I'm loving every single sheet of it. I used my Labels 8 Nestabilities to cut out the main image panel. The butterfly image is from a new Hero Arts clear set called Antique Engravings - lots of amazingly beautiful butterfly images in this set!! Will definitely be using this again. Of course, I had to add some glitter and bling - doesn't every butterfly have glittery wings? In my world they do! The sentiment is from another Hero Arts clear set called Birthday Messages.
We'd love for you to play along with our little challenge. All you have to do is create a birthday card and link it up on (click here====>Mr. Linky<====click here) by Saturday, February 27th at 12:00 p.m., CST. Be sure and visit the Design Team blog every day this week for another delicious sample from the design team girlies. They'll inspire the pants right off ya, I promise!! The prize? Random number generator will be used to pick the WINNER of a $10 store credit to ABC Toys & Crafts. Helloo!! More free stuff!! What more could you want?!!
BIG NEWS!! The card that I made a few weeks ago for the Caardvarks Wedding Card Challenge HERE was picked as the winner!! OH MY GOSH!! My card will be published in the July 2010 issue of CARDS magazine! I am beside myself with excitement, as this has been a long time goal of mine. Just wanted to share with you all. Your kind words have been instrumental in encouraging me in what I do, so thank you for the time you take to leave me comments. They mean the world to me! Hugs!
ETA: For some annoying reason, Blogger put my post into "draft" form instead of "scheduled" as I told it to. It's so annoying when that happens. Sorry for the break in links - hope you enjoy the hop!!
Hello!
The day is finally here!! The first ever Waltzing Mouse Stamps Customer Blog Hop! If you arrived at my blog in your daily blurfing and you want to enjoy some wonderful spring goodies, then the Blog Hop starts at the Waltzing Mouse Stamps blog HERE. If you've arrived at my blog from Lee's blog, then you're in the right place!!
I just love spring, don't you?! So, when Claire said she wanted our theme to be "spring" I jumped at the chance to play along. I immediately thought of the sweet images contained in the new "Spring Baskets" stamp set that I just received in the mail a few weeks ago. Oh my gosh, this set is chock full of darling images, but my fave definitely has to be this sweet flower bouquet image. It reminded me so much of what is typically the first sign of spring in Washington - primroses. Right?!! I cut the basket template (from a template I downloaded from Papertrey Ink) out of Kraft CS, and ran it through my Cuttlebug using the Retro Diamonds embossing folder. I thought it represented a fun basket weave. I stamped the flower bouquet three times on white CS, colored them up with my Copics, and then cut them out. I adhered them to the basket template with pop dots, and then added buttons and self-adhesive pearls for the centers. Wouldn't it be so fun to get a sweet basket of primroses like this?!
That's it for me! Tisha Ann has more delicious spring goodies to share with you, and is the next stop on the Hop! Thanks so much for stopping by - I hope that your spring arrives where you live very soon!
Justine has challenged us to a new ABC Toys & Crafts challenge this week, and we sincerely hope you'll play along with us! My sample will be shown on Tuesday, but Justine started us off with her darling sample today. Each of the DT members will share a sample with you every day this week for inspiration, and a random player will be chosen to win a $10 gift certificate to ABC Toys & Crafts. So, please come and play with us - I'm sure you have birthdays coming up that you need cards for, right?! Well make 'em up and share them with us.
The details of the challenge are located HERE. Mr. Linky (where you'll need to add a link to your submission) is located HERE.
Hope you're enjoying your Sunday. I'll be back tomorrow with my Waltzing Mouse Stamps blog hop entry - please come back to see!!
I don't have anything creative to share with you this beautiful Saturday morning, mostly because I've been laying on the couch for the last five days! Ugh! The flu really sucks - don't get it, okay? But I'm happy to report that I think I'm FINALLY on the down hill slide of this nasty bug, so hopefully I'll have something crafty to share with you on Monday (actually, I'd better or Claire from Waltzing Mouse Stamps is going to KILL me! LOL)
I do, however, have a couple of bits of news for you. One that made me dance like Elaine on Seinfeld - NO JOKE!! LOL My Happy Bird-Day card that I showed you on Tuesday was picked as one of the winners of the CARDS Magazine gallery challenge last week, which was to use a transparency. This little tidbit of news absolutely made my day!!
The other bit of news is that Julie at ABC Toys & Crafts has another fabulous give away going on at the ABC Toys Store Blog. There are some really great prizes, and you don't have to do too much for a chance to win, so head on over there and enter!! Great stuff, I tell ya - and FREE!!
Hope your Saturday is a beautiful one. Once I finish my cuppa joe, I'm off to disinfect my entire house and put up a germ fence to keep that flippin' flu bug from EVER returning to my house again! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Has your crafting - whether stamping, papercrafting, painting, or whatever your crafting poison is - helped you get through something in your life that you thought was insurmountable? Like my blog title says, stamping, scrapbooking and cardmaking have been very much a form of therapy for me.
Today I am thrilled beyond belief to share my funny little story as to how I began stamping and how it helped me through something in my life that at the time I was going through it seemed like my darkest hour. Kathy Peterson of Craft for Health, contacted me a few months ago, and asked me if I'd be willing to be a guest blogger and share my story. And today is the day that my guest blog post goes live.I'd love for you all to wander over there and take a look for yourself. If you do, and you leave a comment (CLICK HERE====>)HERE(<====CLICK HERE) confirming that you did, your name will be thrown into a hat for this four card set that I made up the other day using one of the recent Papertrey Ink anniversary color and sketch challenges. While you're there, read some of the other amazing stories that people have shared - my story pales in comparison to many of the others. But I love that crafting helps people in so many positive ways. Don't you?!
That's it for me today. I think I'm finally on the mend. Unfortunately, hubby has now come down with what I had. Yuck! Hoping to get some housework done today that I've neglected the last four days. Thanks so much for stopping by - you have no idea how much it means to me that you take the time out of your day to visit. Before I forget, I'll be participating in the Waltzing Mouse Stamps Customer Blog Hop next Monday (2/22). I hope you'll pop in and see all the fun creations! Have a great weekend!
Still feeling a little under the weather, but wanted to pop in and share a card that I made for the Caardvarks Challenge last week to make your best wedding card. My all time favorite wedding color combo is tiffany blue and cream. To me that color combo just screams beautiful wedding. I used THIS card as my prototype because I loved the clean lines and the simple elegance of the pattern. I won't bore you with the blah, blah, blah of how I made it. But I will list the supplies used below.
I'm back today with a sweet little card featuring some of my newest goodies that Julie from ABC Toys & Crafts sent me. And are they ever delicious!! When I saw these new My Cute Stamps - Elegant Bird Cages, I knew that they would be mine . . . they inspired me from the minute I laid eyes on them. I have so many more fun ideas in my head for these stamps, so I hope you won't mind if they appear a few more times here on my blog. Of course, they couldn't have been more perfect for the 6" x 6" mini pad of Basic Grey Porcelain paper that arrived in the same box as my stamps this month. The colors in this paper just make me smile. I also created this card for the latest challenge on the CARDS blog - to use acrylic in your creations. I stamped the bird cage using Staz-On Jet Black onto a piece of acrylic cardstock. I stamped it a second time onto a coordinating piece of the Porcelain DP, and cut out the two strips on the bird cage, adhering them with adhesive. I colored in the scallops and a few of the dots with a white paint pen that I had in my stash. I then stamped that sweet little birdie onto the same coordinating DP and cut her out. I thought she looked cute standing outside the cage - she's a rebel like me. LOL I matted the image using my Labels Four Nestabilities (green panel) and Labels Nine Nestabilities (white panel), and ran the white panel through my Cuttlebug using my Swiss Dots Embossing folder. A little lace, a little ribbon, and voila - you've got yourself a sweet little bird-day card! Isn't it tweet?!!
Before I go, I wanted to remind you again that ABC Toys & Crafts is offering a 20% discount on your entire order for any orders over $65 - just use discount code FEBLOVE (offer expires Feb. 28th). That's it for me today. Hubby and I are feeling a bit under the weather, so I think I'll go take a nap. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Just wanted to pop in to tell you about a fantastic sale over at ABC Toys & Crafts. From now through Feb. 28th you can get a whopping 20% off your total purchase of $65.00 or more...how great is that? Among lots of other goodies, Julie also has a HUGE selection of Martha Stewart punches, so if there are some you have been wanting . . . this would be a great time to get them! With her "flat rate" shipping cost of only $6.95, it won't even cost you that much to have them sent! Just use the code FEBLOVE at checkout!
I'll have something crafty to share with you on Tuesday. Our family is coming over today for a steak and crab feed, so I best get busy and start prepping for that! Have a wonderful day, and thanks so much for stopping by!
STAMPS: Home Sweet Home (Helz Cuppleditch/Stampavie), Scattered Showers (Papertrey Ink) INK:Tuxedo Black (Memento), Pixie Pink Chalk Ink (VersaMagic), Thatched Straw Chalk Ink (VersaMagic) PAPER: Sweet Blush CS (PTI), Lemon Tart CS (PTI), White CS (Neenah), LilyKate DP (Basic Grey) ACCESSORIES: Lemon Tart Saddle Stitched Ribbon (PTI), Pink Slice (Making Memories), Vintage Findings Design Card (Making Memories), Piercing Tool and Mat Pack (Stampin' Up!), Rectangle Classic and Scalloped Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 3-D Dots (EK Success), Quickie Glue Pen (Sakura), Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (Stampin' Up!), Lemon Tart Buttons (PTI), Glue Dots, Rustic Button Twine (PTI), 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Lyra Colored Pencils, Gamsol
Here's a sweet little card that I made the other day while hanging with my girlies, Kim and Terri. I created it for Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #99. Taylor always has the cutest sketches, and I rarely play. But since my New Year's Resolution is to participate in more challenges, I decided it was time I play along.
I used a Helz Cuppleditch/Stampavie image called "Home Sweet Home." I love how sweet and detailed her images are, and am so excited that ABC Toys & Crafts is going to be carrying her newly released images very soon!! I created the sunshine with my new Pink Slice and the Vintage Findings Design Card. Love my Pink Slice!! Kim suggested that I add the layered buttons - and I LOVE how that turned out, don't you?!! Such a clever girl . . . . I colored the image with my Lyras and Gamsol and pulled the color scheme from the LilyKate Basic Grey patterned paper - it's some of my favorite!!
NEWS!!
So how about some super fun news!! First, one of my goals when I started my blog was to get one of my cards published. But I really haven't pursued that goal very assertively. So, the other day I got an email from Jennifer Wuthrich over at ScrapStreet.com - an e-zine (online magazine) that's been around for awhile now. She saw one of my cards on Two Peas and asked if she could use it for their April 2010 issue. Well . . . you can imagine my response - "DUHHHH!!" I was equally flattered and humbled, but thrilled to pieces, too! So, when the issue goes live, I'll remind you again to check it out. But until then, you should check out their current issue. There's some really interesting stuff in there!!
One final bit of news . . . and then I'll let you go. I received another super flattering email from Kathy Peterson at "Craft for Health," a blog that features people who have been healed in some way by their art. Kathy asked if I'd be willing to be a guest blogger, and I jumped at the chance. So my guest blog post will happen on February 19th, and I'll have a bit of blog candy to share in celebration of this fun event. So, I just thought I'd give you a heads up that this will be coming up very soon, and to also send you in the direction of "Craft for Health" - the stories shared there are really inspiring.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a great weekend!!
Look at this darling cookie flower bouquet!! I celebrated my birthday on Sunday (and by celebrate, I mean that I did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because that's what I wanted to do!! LOL). I had so many sweet phone messages, emails and Facebook messages from all my wonderful family and friends. It really makes a girl feel special. And THEN I got to spend a crafty afternoon with my GIRLIES yesterday and this amazing sight was waiting for me when I walked in the door at Terri's. Helllooooooo!! Can you say frickin' DEE-LICIOUS?!! Yeah - Terri MADE those cookies!! And check out that sweet card (not to mention the gift card to my absolute fave paper store)!! I know, I'm using a lot of exclamation points here, but I just need to express how spoiled rotten and special I feel for all the kindnesses and thoughtfulness shown to me for my birthday . . . you have no idea how much it means to me. I simply don't know what I've done to deserve such great friends, but boy am I happy I have them! Thanks for a great day, Terri!
Okay, I know I promised you a card, too. I created this little card for the sketch challenge over at the new Our Craft Corner sketch blog . . . I think I got it in at the very last minute, but I really wanted to play. I'm embarrassed to admit that this is the first time that I've inked up these Waltzing Mouse Stamps - how freakin' cute are these images?!! And Claire, the owner and designer of these stamps, is just about the sweetest lady you'll ever want to know - and she lives in Ireland! The patterned papers are from the October Afternoon Farm Fresh paper pack - I really like the scale of the 8" x 8" pads. I wish my sentiment popped off the page a bit more, but all in all, I was pretty happy with how this turned out.
STAMPS:Sewing Box Hugs (Waltzing Mouse Stamps) INK: Tuxedo Black (Memento) PAPER: Pure Poppy CS (PTI), Spring Moss CS (PTI), Kraft CS (PTI), Vintage Cream CS (PTI), Farm Fresh DP (October Afternoon) ACCESSORIES: Spring Moss Button (PTI), Rustic Button Twine (PTI), Tag - Basic Elements Design Card (Making Memories), Pink Slice (Making Memories), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Provocraft), Cuttlebug, Spring Moss Grosgrain Ribbon (PTI), Janome Sew Mini, Scallop Trim Border Punch (SU), Stampin' Dimensionals (SU)
That's it for me today, kids. I've got some housework to do and some grocery shopping to get done. Our first load of spring house guests are arriving this afternoon . . . so I must get my booty in gear! Thanks so much for stopping by today. I'll try to post another little cutie in the next day or so . . . I actually got some work done at Terri's yesterday for a change! Thanks for stopping by - it means so much to me that you take the time out of your day to visit. Hugs!
I'm back from Cabo San Lucas, and boy did we have a fabulous time! I won't bore you with the details, especially those that are under several feet of snow, but suffice it to say that this was by far the best vacation we've ever had! Can't wait to go back!
PAPER: Lemon Drop CS (Poptone), Orange Kitchen (A Muse), White CS (Neenah)
ACCESSORIES: Heart Charm (Bunny Zoe Crafts), Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Corner Rounder Punch, 3-D Dots (EK Success)
I'm glad to be back creating though . . . I was surprised at how much I missed it while I was gone. I made this before I left, just in case I didn't have a chance to get my fingers inky right after we returned. It was inspired by this sweet ribbon that I picked up on my last trip to the ribbon store. I loved the non-traditional color scheme - don't you?!! Under the ribbon, I've turned once again to my go-to set these days - Scalloped Borders - stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder. Oh how I love those scalloped borders!! And I finished it off with the Heart Flourishes background stamp - stamped in Versamark and heat embossed using Apricot Embossing Powder. The sentiment is from the Hero Arts Valentine Saying stamp set. All highlighted supplies are from ABC Toys & Crafts - your one-stop shopping destination!!
I'll have some additional crafty goodies for you later on this week, so I hope you'll come back to visit!! Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Just wanted to pop in and let you know that I'm having a fabulous time in Cabo! This picture gives you an idea of what we see from the amazingly gorgeous home that we're staying in. We've seen whales breaching every day - who needs to go whale watching when you can do it from you own patio?!! It rained really hard on Tuesday, but it has been spectacularly gorgeous before and after, so we're not complaining. The guys are golfing today, and as you can see, the ladies are lounging by the pool. Wish you all were here to enjoy it with us!
I also wanted to remind you that you still have a few more days to join us in our "Sweethearts" challenge over at ABC Toys & Crafts. There's a $10 gift certificate to ABC Toys & Crafts to the lucky "random" winner! Who doesn't want free products?!! You can get all the details HERE.
I'll be back in town on Saturday and will definitely have something crafty for you next Tuesday . . . maybe sooner if I get over my vacation blues soon enough. LOL Thanks for stopping by!
As you read this, I'm sitting by the pool in Cabo San Lucas, sipping on drinks with little umbrellas, floating on my floatie and having the time of my life.
The ABC Toys & Crafts Design Team decided to pose a little challenge to each other and to you all to create some type of gift set or project for Valentine's Day - something for your Sweetheart. I'd seen some really cute paper fortune cookies, and decided it'd be a fun little gift for my hubby. Oh my gosh - I had so much fun making this up, and it was super easy!! I didn't take any pictures while I was creating, but you can get the general gist of how to make these little sweeties HERE. I kind of improvised by using my Circle Nestabilities to cut out the circles. I also found that, depending on the thickness of the paper that you use, that you'll need to use really strong glue dots to keep them from popping open.
I stamped the sentiments onto different ribbons and twills using Staz-On, and then adhered them to each of the fortune cookies with another glue dot. Easy peasy, lemon squeezie! I had this clear take-out container in my "alterables" stash - I think you can pick them up at Michael's.
The little tag was made using - MY BRAND NEW PINK SLICE!! Oh my gosh - people, why did it take me so long to get one of these babies?!! ABC Toys & Crafts has them in stock, with FREE SHIPPING. It comes with two design cards - this tag was on the Basic Elements card, and it's 4". I can't wait to get back home to play some more with this little gadget. With all the new accessories that Making Memories announced at CHA, I'm thinkin' this is going to be my new favorite toy. Here's a comprehensive list of all the goodies I used for this fun little project:
STAMPS: Valentine's Sayings (Hero Arts), So Sweet (Hero Arts) INK:Versamark, Jet Black Staz-On PAPER: Valentines DP (Martha Stewart), White CS (Neenah) ACCESSORIES:PINK SLICE (Making Memories), Basic Elements Design Card (Making Memories), Rouge Embossing Powder (Zing/American Crafts), Red Gingham Ribbon, White Sheer Ribbon, Pink and Raspberry Twill (Taylored Expressions), Glue Dots (K Company), Take Out Container, packaging shred, Valentine Candy (Dollar Store), Scalloped Border Punch (SU), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)
WANNA PLAY WITH US? Create a project using the following theme:
I love you....... "Sweetheart"
No other requirements than to be creative and interpret "I love you....... Sweetheart"!!
Each day this week one of us will share our project with you on theABC Design Blog.
Would you like to join in on our "CHALLENGE"?
Mr. Linky will be
-----> HERE<----- Deadline to enter your project is Saturday, February 6th @ 12pm EST
Random number generator will be used to pick the WINNER of a $10 store credit to ABC Toys & Crafts.
Thanks for stopping by today! I'll fill you in on some of the details of my vacation when I get back next week.
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