The best giveaway EVER!

Check out Melissa's blog at:

http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/

to see how you can win some AMAZING prizes!

Who wouldn't want these??? 

Nope, not gonna tell you what it is, you'll have to look for yourself!!

And if you don't want to win these great goodies,

then just cross your fingers for ME!!

LOL!

New Year's Resolution

MY SCRAP SPACE

I feel that having posted this on my blog, I will feel much more inclined and responsible to carry out my 2012 plans for my scrap space.

This is an especially long post for me, and I thank anyone who makes it through the entire thing!

I am very fortunate to have a large area (well, actually 3 areas) in which to extend my passion and express myself.

My main space is my Scrap Room (AKA, the upstairs den)

It gets a lot of natural light during the day, and we installed an overhead ceiling fan/light fixture with great bulbs for evening work.  As you can see, I decided to hang most of my cards that have NOT been mailed out, on twine that hangs from one corner to the other. I found that if I SEE the cards on regular basis, I am more inclined to send them to people as hear someone is sick, or has a birthday, or just because....  I'm going to need more twine! (lol)  The storage cubes from Michael's holds all of my papers and a lot of my company stamps. Love those little drawers!  Oh yes, and I have a little TV in the corner for those evenings I can't miss CSI, or the Mentalist!

This space also has my computer (desk is IKEA), printer, and scanner tucked in the corner. I've found that the pegboard is pretty useless for what I need. It's slated to be removed.  The wipe-off board is priceless!  If I didn't write all my bill-pay  and DT deadlines on that, I would be lost! 

The last wall in my room holds my IKEA Expedit unit.  The boxes and spaces have been labeled and re-arranged so many times, but it holds all of my little embellishments, Copics, paints, and Xyron adhesive machines. (Which I will admit, I do not use as often as I should)

Note the corner paper storage rack...

I bought that at the Bazzill sale several years ago for $40!!!

I think "someone" needs to go back for another!

My table is a 6 foot antique library table that came out of St. Genevieve, Missouri, a long time ago. It has seen many dining rooms along the way, but has finally found it's way into my scrap space.  The top is always cluttered and messy, but I truly know what's on there! And since I've kept my sewing machine out, I use it!

Now I know you're saying, "Where's her Cricut and Cuttlebug kept? "  Well, what does a person really use a "master retreat" for anyway?  In our house, it houses the TV at one end for watching our shows at night (yes, we are one of those couples who watches tv in the bedroom!  Shame, oh shame...) and the treadmill.  On the opposite wall, I have the walnut storage that is from a large local grocery store chain that sells about everything (Fry's Marketplace)  The white bookcases hold all of my back issues of scrapbook/card making magazines from the last 4-5 years. I keep them arranged by month so that I can pull 10-12 issues from a particular month at a time.  Where the photographs are on the wall will be some shelves I just purchased and need to paint. They will hold the many jars of Prima flowers that a friend (Thanks, Jenn) just recycled to me!  If I see them out, I will use them more!

Last, but probably most important, is my little niche in my master bath that I refer to as my "Photo Studio"...lol!  It is tucked under the window at the far end of the bathroom where I get tons of natural light, and what would I use that counter top for anyway?  I hear many bloggers asking about taking their pictures and needing a space.  This works perfectly for me. As long as the sun is shining (and in Arizona, that's most of the time) I can usually get a fairly good photo of a card.  For me, layouts work better outside, laying flat on a posterboard, in the light.  You can see I have black cardstock ready for a dark background, if needed.  And props come from all over our home.  I have "borrowed" western/cowboy items from my husband's den, and Southwest decor from the loft. I've even nabbed Tuscan decor from downstairs! 

If you haved made it this far, you have a very good idea of where I spend much of my day. (well, when I'm not doing housework or cooking, Larry!)  I'm very lucky to have the time and space these days to play. 

My New Year's resolution is to get better organized and to learn to sit back and appreciate what I DO have. Many changes have happened over the last 2 years, but we are in a better place than some and looking forward to retirement. It may not look as great as it did 5 years ago, but we'll figure it out.  And for now, these rooms are my refuge and I am glad to have friends both in my daily life and online, my health, and my very understanding and enabling husband.

Happy 2012 to everyone! 

DYSU Challenge #52 - Rainbow Colors!

This week we have a huge celebration in store! Do You Stack Up?! has made it a whole year and we are ready to party! For this challenge, we want to see a
Rainbow of Colors!
On your project, use at least 3 colors from the Inspiration Photo below.

This week's Sponsors:

Do You Stack Up?! Surprise Package	Stitchy Bear Designs $10 Gift Voucher
Bugaboo Stamps Winner’s Choice of 7 Digis	Dearie Dolls Winner’s Choice of 4 Digis
The Paper Shelter $20 Gift Certificate	Pink Cat Studios Winner’s Choice of 5 Digis
Amber Ink $10 gift certificate	Little Claire Designs Two Clear Stamp Sets

Hope Jacare
Winner’s Choice of 3 Images




I just had to get silly, with the holiday stress and all! 

With this post post falling after Christmas, but before New Year's,

I thought it needed to fit both.

Bugaboo's "Ruby" has had quite a week of parties!

From her sequined hot pink shoes to her gold globe earrings, she's quite the catch!

(Come on, we all know someone like this!)

Inside of the card:

Stamp - "Ruby Xmas Drink" (Bugaboo)

Paper -  "Hog Heaven" (Sassafras Lass)

Copics Markers

Stickles

I hope everyone has enjoyed seeing all of the creations and joining in the challenges at "Do You Stack Up" over the past year!  I know I have enjoyed every assignment with the gals on the Design Team and look forward to the next term! 

Whee!  More fun to come!

Happy, Happy New Year to you all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

  ((hugs))

Jan

Off to a New Year with Imaginisce!

I decided that one of my New Year's resolutions was to start doing more layouts, and not concentrating completely on cards! I have really slacked off journaling my life around me, and have perhaps escaped into cardmaking for everyone else.
So, when I saw the monthly color challenge at Imaginisce, I "challenged" myself. I have little of their DP left at this point, so it was really interesting seeing what I could come up with using only Imaginisce products!

"Hayden in Scottsdale"

I combined several collections-Polar Expressions, "Frosted Forest", and "Fun Drops", with Apple Cider (where I inked the brown woodgrain leaves).
I used my I-Top and covered four Braddies, two with denim, and two with holiday fabric.
I also used the "Tickets" stamp from the Snag "Em line and heat embossed them in red.
Blue cardstock is Bazzill Basics, and the rub-ons are some very old Making Memories.

And, yep, that's our winter!  The temps will dip down in the low 40's some nights, but basically, the days will recover and reach the high to mid 60's.
It sounds great now, but ask me how I feel about it in the summer when we're seeing 110 degrees for the 30th day in a row! LOL!

I am submitting this layout at Imaginisce Monthly Challenge for December! as I can really use some newer Imaginisce papers!

DYSU Challenge #51 - Stripes!

Hey everyone! Welcome to a new challenge at Do You Stack Up?! This week we want to see your Stripes!

This week's Sponsors:

The Craft’s Meow Winner’s Choice of 1 Stamp Set

Prairie Fairy Designs $15 Gift Certificate

My card for the week:

The image is from Prairie Fairy and is different from what I'm used to working with. That's what I love about Design Teams, you get the chance to create outside of your comfort zone!

I had fun adding the whipped topping to the cocoa, and the bling to her wings!

Enjoy the holidays!

Some Odd Girl Challenge...

I perused through my SOG digi stamps, and remembered I had this adorable image, "Cowboy Tobie"!  I still have several Christmas cards to send out, one of which is to some friends from the cowboy gatherings my husband and I used to attend .  This window card should be perfect for the "Mens" Christmas category!

We know what this little cowboy is thinking about!

His little head was colored twice and popped up

and I've added Glossy Accents to his eyes.

What a great way to greet the Christmas Holiday!

Have a good week,   

Jan

Blame it on Claire!

It's all WaltzingMouse's fault that I was up at 7 am this morning baking my cookies!  No, not really, but that's my story as to why I had Chocolate chip cookies for breakfast!
Actually, I wanted to get my holiday cookie gifts out today and there is the terrific tag challenge over at Waltzingmouse!

Yesterday I worked with the silver glitter for my candy tags, so today I chose to go GOLD!  These "Rescue Remedy" stamps are pretty regardless of what you pair them up with!

If you have multiples to make, this is so easy with the Spellbinders!
And I used vacuum jars purchased at the Dollar Store!  They hold about 8-9 cookies each, perfect for that individual on your list.

So, as I sit here with a "sugar high headache",

I'll just keep telling myself, "It's all Claire's fault"!  Haha!

The little tassle is one I just recieved from Pink Paisley, and the swirled paper is

last year's SEI, "Glitzmas".

SOG Blog Hop!

I made this card the other day thinking perhaps for the DT call at Some Odd Girls... I think I can still submit with my DT call info later...

I love their stamps, both acrylic and digital, but have been so spread financially thin that I haven't been able to get more.  Maybe I can win one, or make the team...wouldn't that be great and keep me out of trouble!  LOL!

She's an older stamp, but a cutie, nonetheless!

It doesn't qualify for any particular category, just a sweet little Christmas card...

Waltzing Mouse Tag Challenge

I love that the Waltzing Mouse "Rescue Remedies" coordinates with the

Spellbinders Labels Four!

It makes tags so easy and pretty!

I simply stamped the "SWEET" labels, and heat embossed,

die cut with the Nesties out of AC Glitter Cardstock,

and added some little bows....

I plan to put these on my candy gift bags!

 

I wish the photo could do the glittery background justice!

They are so gorgeous!

What's really weird is that the glitter cardstock is silver, not gold!

I will retake the pictures tomorrow in the daylight, rather than artificial...

Now to get to work on my tags for my chocolate chip cookie jars!

More Stampendous Colors!

I have another card for the Color Challlenge at Stampendous Impressions this week. Who can get enough of these gorgeous vintage stamps and that Fran'tage glittery goodness?

   Aren't those little pink poinsettias really cute?  I always thought of them as being red, and have  really enjoyed seeing them in various hues of pinks and reds this holiday season.

   I wanted to give the image a somewhat postage stamp look without actually punching all four sides.  Just enough to mimic the feeling of travel. 

   I added gold micro beads on the poinsettias, and sprinkled Shabby White Embossing powder on the corners and across the Eiffel Tower. I used Fran's terrific "Fran'taging" technique and heated the powder from the underside. I love the effect! 
   Next, I distressed, gold and vintage inked the edges of the layers, and added the soft, little pink ribbon and bow.  Hope you like!

I entered this as my second card for the Stampendous Color Challenge
and in the Scrap it With a Song -Holiday Christmas Carol ( "Noel' A Paris", and oh how I long to be somewhere else this holiday!)!

My Favorite Little Gal!

Back again with a card featuring that adorable little Pure Innocence girl from

My Favorite Things!

She's spunky, she's cute, and she can get you out of just about any sticky situation,

even a forgotten birthday!

This was submitted for the sketch challenge at MFT.

Since I flipped the sketch sideways, I figured I would download onto my blog that way! LOL!

Stamp: MFT, Pure Innocence, "Happy Mail"
Sentiment is also MFT, "First Class Friend"

Pattern papers are Basic Grey, "Nook and Pantry" 

Die; Spellbinders, "Labels Eleven"

I realized after I took the pictures when the sun was still out, that I had forgotten to add the tiny flower I had dug out from hundreds of tiny Prima flowers to match her dress.

Ok, it's glued on now...  close your eyes and try to picture it!

If I think of it in the morning, I'll retake the picture.

She's a cutie, though, right?

Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge #77

The sketch this week at Waltzing Mouse is an easy layout, and made for so many possibilites!  But I wanted to step out of the box a bit.  I only have a few WM stamps (not that I wouldn't want to have them ALL! LOL!), so I had to get creative!

Here is the sketch:

I looked at my stamps and decided to make a hot air balloon!

I'm getting rather tired of Christmas cards. I love the holidays, but I needed a break!

Here is my card and an explanation of how this worked!

The basket and sentiment are from the

Waltzing Mouse, "Bountiful Basket Additions" stamp set;

The scrolled portion of the balloon is a label from "Holiday Labels No. 14";

and the back portion of the balloon is cut with the Spellbinders, "Labels Nine" die.

The pattern paper is Prima, so you know it has to be gorgeous!

Lots of lots of distress ink was added, of course!

I popped up the balloon and the basket and added the twine as ropes.

It was so terrific the way these dies and stamps all worked together!

I think it's adorable!  Perfect for sending a Spring birthday message!

This card is proudly entered into the challenge and posted on their Gallery.   http://waltzingmousehouse.com/wmsgallery/main.php

If you haven't been there, go check it out!

oh, yea, and wish me luck! 

I could really use some new Waltzing Mouse stamps!



Say it with a Flourish!

This challenge at Flourishes was particularly fun for me, because I LOVE working with the ribbons and lace, and buttons, and pearls, and well, everything vintage and romantic!

Here's my card. 

When I have a morning like today, I have to just shut myself off in my scrap room and play...  I am sooo frustrated with my medical doctors right now,I could scream!!!!  Leave it to say, from what I'm experiencing, this country's health system is going down the toilet!  But, for now, I'm happy playing with my goodies!

And suffice it to say, when I fell in love with the resin pieces, I decided I had to have tons! Little ones, big ones, and all colors and shapes...  isn't this one gorgeous! Definately a "no mailing" card!

The stamp is Flourishes "Medallion", and I absolutely love it!  I have used it more than most!  It heat embosses so beautifully and detailed.

I've also used this sketch from CardPatterns, as my jumping-off sketch guide.

They have some wonderful metal sheets to giveaway over there!  Check it out!

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye, "Lost and Found"