SFYTT Challenge Spiral Thanks

Well apparently today I got to play in my craft room. After this card I have to clean up the mess I made. LOL. So I have been reading Jen Del Muro's blog i{heart}2stamp since my demo introduced me to blogs last year. This is the first time I have tried one of her sketch challenges.
Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

Recipe:

Stamps: PTI Spiral Bouquet, Clearly Wordsworth Thanks

Paper: Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Wild Wasabi, Always Artichoke

Accesories: Wild Wasabi ribbon, coppper Vintage Brads, Scallop Punch, Circle Punch (CM)

I really enjoyed making my own background paper. I think I might have to do that more often.

FS76 Susie Stamp Alot

This was my first try at SCS's Featured Stamper challenge (FS76). When I started going through Susie's gallery I thought no way am I going to try and CASE this lady. And then I saw a Halloween card that spoke to me. My daughter's birthday is November 1st and she has always had a Halloween themed party. So I pulled out the papers that I wanted to use and let her pick which of my Halloween sets to use. Here is a link to the card I chose to CASE. And here is my card:






Recipe:

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Only Orange, Basic Black, DP is retired SU Halloween Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Only Orange, Apricot Appeal, Elegant Eggplant, and Orchid Opulance
Stamp Set: Haunting Halloween
Embellishments: Pumpkin Pie Ribbon
Tools: SU oval punch (I think), blender pens and aqua marker (I don't have the SU markers yet)

The things that I changed are the stamp set, the use of ribbon, the DP, where the file folder tab is, and I added a second sentiment.

I also followed Beate's File Folder tutorial to complete the card.

CC175 Almost Wild Saffron

Tuesday's Color Combinations challenge on SplitCoastStampers was Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, and So Saffron (CC175). As soon as I read it I rushed to my craft room and pulled out those stamp pads, then I turned to my stamps and figures out what I was going to do. This is what I came up with.

Recipe:

Stamps - SU Fresh Fruits, PTI Spiral Bouquet (sentiment)

Ink - Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Chocalate Chip

Cardstock - Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, DP Sampler Prints

Fresh Fruits is one of my favorite sets. I don't think I will ever let it go. Apparently I also have a thing for tearing paper this week as well. Pears are done with the Rock and Roll technique in Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, and Chocolate Chip. I also masked them to get a layered look. Friends is stamped in Almost Amethyst on the DP in So Saffron.

ARGGG!!!!!!!

I don't know what happened but a ton of my stuff disappeared. Off to try and fix it.

AFSS26 and TLC177

I started off my day checking my e-mail and I got an e-mail letting me know that someone had commented on my blog. I have to say I love these e-mails, but today was a special one. Nicole Anderson over at Anderson Arts had left me a comment saying congratulations for winning Allison's AFSS25 challenge. SHOCK!!!!! I was on the phone with hubby and just gushed. I've never won any of the blog candy's or challenges that I have done. I have wanted to do more challenges and this was just the incentive that I needed.

Today I combined Allison's AFSS26 using white ink and SplitCoastStampers TLC177 Got Grid? challenges. When I went downstairs to my craft room I found the card that I did for Allison's last challenge lying in the middle of my desk so I used it for my inspiration. I used Regal Rose, Rose Red, and Pretty in Pink cardstock as well as the DP from the Prints Sampler again. I of course used my white craft ink as well as Regal Rose and Rose Red inks. I used my Scor-Pal to make my grid and then I ran the white ink pad over the grid to add some color and texture. I then stamped one of the flower stamps from my favorite set, Paint Prints, three times in white and three times in Regal Rose. I then stamped the sentiment and flower centers in Rose Red. I love how it turned out.

AFSS25 Dare to be Fabulous

One of the blogs that I visit regularly is Stampin' When I Can. Allison started Suggestive Sunday's a while ago but this is the first one that I have participated in. This week's challenge is Words, Words, Words... The challenge this week is for the sentiment to be the only stamped image on the page. The card I created is not the one that I had first envisioned. I stated off with Ginger Blossoms DP and Close to Cocoa cardstock. I went looking for another DP and found one that I really liked in the Prints Sampler, but it didn't look right with the Ginger Blossom paper that I had. Then I had my aha moment. Last month at the monthly crop I go to we had a field trip to the LSS and I found crushed velvet flock by doodlebug design inc. The single butterfly on the 6 x 6 page just screamed flock me please. So I did. I also flocked the sentiment Dare to be Fabulous and I think the flocking does just that. The pictures do not do this card justice but the flocking is just not showing up real well. The flocking is pink almost like Regal Rose. I love the way it feels and I so wish you all could see it the way I do.

Here is a close up of the sentiment (sorry it's blurry). In the lower right hand corner you can also see the butterfly that got flocked as well.

Please visit Allison's blog to read more about Suggestive Sunday's and see the other really cool stuff that she posts.

Teacher Gift

These are the items that Regan and I made for her Kindergarten Teacher, Miss Bryant. It took awhile but we finally found out that her favorite color was pink, so we used lots of it.

We used all Stampin' Up! papers and ribbons and we used My Favorite Things Back To School stamp set.

We made a regular sized and mini composition book along with 10 3X3 Just a note notecards and a pen wrapped in ribbon.

China Album Finished

Well I finally finished my China album a couple of weeks ago. I used a Creative Memories album but all Far East papers. I also used my alphabet diecuts instead of stickers and I have to say I love how every thing goes together now. On our trip we went to Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai. We spent most of our time in Beijing and its surrounding area. I hope you enjoy my slide show.

31 Days of March Finished

YEAH!!!!!!! I am done. Thank God. I absolutely loved this challenge. It did take awhile but i think that once I finish the album, hopefully Friday, it will be totally worth it. Once I am finished with the actual ablbum I will post a slide show.

Day 31 Me

Barb posted:

Get someone to take a photo of yourself or you take it by setting up the camera on timer. Now write about one feature you like about yourself and one you don’t. Write a little about what you’ve chosen.

The picture I choose to use is of me and the kids on St. Patrick's Day.

One feature I like about myself is my hair. I can do just about anything with it. Now I just have to remember to make appointments, in a timely manner, to get my roots done. It looks so much better. Both kids got my hair. Regan's hair is very thick but fine just like mine was before puberty. Alek's hair is thick and very course, like mine is now.

The thing I don't like is the extra weight that I carry around my midsection. It is something that I have decided needs to be fixed. And now rather than later.

Day 30 News story

Barb posted:

If you could make a news story about one of your family members to put on the TV news, what would it say? Take a photo of something that represents that, or of the person you are talking about.

This was an incredibly had one to do so I will pick one that has already been in the news this month. And that is my daughter Regan. She is a Daisy girl scout and she amazes me every day. She imbibes the girl scout promise: On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

She was recently up on the wsls7.com website for her participation in Crazy Daisy Days and in the news paper for officially becoming a Girl Scout.

You can check out my early post where I talk about her more here.

Here is a picture of her and her troop. Regan is the second from the left.

Day 29 Driver

Barb posted:

When you go somewhere, Who drives the vehicle most of the time, you or your spouse or your children? Take a photo of that person driving the car, then tell a little about why they seem to drive most of the time. If it’s yourself, get someone to take your photo behind the wheel.

Baker almost always drives when we go out. I think he drives most of the time because he is a cop and has had specialized driver training. He also gets very frustrated with other drivers and with me when I am driving. Thus he drives.

Day 28 Books

Barb posted:

Take a photo of the books you have autographed from the author. If you don't have any autographed then take a photo of either the books you'd like to read this year or one's you've read in the past. If you don't read any books take a photo of a magazine where you read an article and then write a little about what you've read. If you have read some books list your favorite and least favorite and write why you picked those books. Same thing if you are listing magazines.

I do not have any autographed books which I find amazing. I read so much you would figure that I would find some. I do collect books by two different authors so that is what I took a picture of. The authors whose books that I collect are Laurell K. Hamilton and Nora Robers writing as J.D. Robb. Here is a picture of their books.

Laurell K. Hamilton writes about vampires, werewolves, zombies, and faeries to name a few.

J.D. Robb writes about a futuristic female cop.

Day 27 Game Show

Barb posted:

Take a photo of something that relates to your favorite Game show on TV. Example: If you watch “Cash Cab” you might take a photo of a taxi or some cash. If you watch dating shows, take a photo of a couple holding hands or fighting (who knows?). Write about why you like this game show. Or, list your favorite and worst game show. Or, make a list of all your favorite game shows you watch.

The only true game show that I watch any more is Cash Cab. I grew up watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with my mom and brother. We used to eat dinner watching them and seeing who got more answers right. It was my favorite time of the day. Baker started watching Cash Cab and then so did I. Since Barb took a picture of cash I decided to take a picture of Cash Cab's website.

Day 26 Purse

Barb posted:



What’s in your purse or wallet? Dump it out and take a photo of it. Come on! You know it needs cleaned out anyway. Why do you carry around the stuff you have in there?

Here is a picture of my purse:



These are the things that I always carry with me. I have my little betsy purse that I keep my wallet and phone in so that I can grab that for a quick run into a store or the gas station. Then I have my coupon holder, almonds, lip glass, pens and pencils, work key chain, eye glasses, check book, digital camera, a book, and itch gel.

I always carry a book and my camera. You never know when you will get stuck in traffic or when a great photo oppurtunity might present itself.

I even had to dig out my old digital camera that my 6 year old now uses to take the photo with my camera in it.