ENJOY THE JOURNEY

You should always have a few men's cards around for that unexpected birthday or promotion that pops up! So I put together this one to have on hand. I don't have many men friends who read my blog, so no worries...

I love the masculine feel of this card.  I used Tom Holtz stamps and cut the "tire tread" from some travel paper I had. The chipboard key was painted black, and hung with a key chain. The LARGE photo corner is actually metal!



Somtimes...

This card I made for a very unfortunate situation. I have a dear, sweet aunt who is having to make a difficult decision in regards to her husband's health care. It has come down to some very sad, and depressing choices. So, this card reads, "Sometimes... the hardest choices in life are those we know we must make out of love." 

Sorry that the picture isn't better, but I had to take it quick and get this off in the mail.   'Nuff said.

Chandelier stamp is Inkadinkado; papers are K & Co, Ancestry: brown ribbon; and pearl from Recollections.

The sketch over at Pixie Cottage helped immensely in getting this card made!

Miss "EwE"!

I will be out-of-town this weekend and the next, so I will not get to visit with my grandson. It's been waaay too long!
So I thought it would be a nice surprise for him to recieve this card from me while I'm gone.  I am having a good time with the paper piecing and it makes for a sweet, quick card!

My grandson is only 5, so there may have to be an explanation to go along with the card!  Ewe?  Ewe?  And he's a good reader. That'll confuse him! LOL!
Stamps, My Little Shoebox, Simple Life; and "I miss you" sentiment, TPC Studio. Wiggle eyes are from JoAnn's. Papers are from my scrap stack, so I really can't say.

This card just happens to qualify for entry in the challenges at:
Critter Sketch (include an animal)

Valentine's Challenges

So many Valentine's Challenges, so little time!!!
This week's challenge at Crafty Creations is to include a "rose" on your project.  While scrapping at a friend's this weekend, I decided to try my hand at cutting and piecing together my own rose...wish I had not added the Stickles to the edge...oh well...

From Millan.Net
Also looking for roses on your cards this week is Pixie Dust Challenges. I don't own any of their images, but hope to win one!  They have some adorable digis for kids cards!

This card is also entered in:
Moving Along With the Times (Red)
KraftinKimmie (Seeing Red)
Simon Says Stamp Challenge (Love is in the Air)
Sentimental Sundays (Love Sentiment)
RED HOT! challenge over at Do You Stack Up?  FUN!
I Did It! Creations (Love is in the air)
Paper Cutz (Love, NO hearts!)
Stamps R Us (Valentine/Love)
The Crazy Challenge (Lots of Love)
Incy Wincy Designs (Love) They give all their profits to charity!
Have you checked out their blogs yet?


Hope everyone had a great Super Bowl weekend! Even though my DH's Steelers didn't win....

Quick Pizza Follow-Up!

Only posting this because several friends read  my "nasty" pizza experience the other day!  Thanks for taking the time to read about my cooking antics on my scrap blog!  I guess I needed to vent....
I almost decided that homemade Prosciutto, Baby Spinach, and Smoked Gouda Cheese Pizza was NOT in the cards for me. Then I bought a frozen pizza dough at Sprouts. I had my reservations...no not at the local restaurant, but about the dough meeting any expectations that I had. I love cracker-thin crunchy crust and that's not easy to get here in Phoenix!

Soo, long story short, I thawed out the dough today, rolled it out pretty darn thin, and managed to transfer it to the pre-heated pizza stone without mishap.
After baking for 5 minutes, I took it out, layered on the goodies, and finished baking.  I have to tell ya, I had my fingers crossed the whole time.

It may not be the most perfectly shaped pizza, but man was it good!  "Yum Yum, give me some", as my friend, Amie, would say! And it made a 16" gourmet pizza for about $10!  
Whew, I have redeemed my Rachel Ray status!

New Cardabilities Challenge!

I love the sketch this week at Cardabilities!  Check it out!

I so enjoy getting out old supplies and "challenging" myself by also using only those!

Starting with a blank ready-made card, I made a template and masked off the area that would be covered by the transparency. Then I stamped my text with matching ink, leaving the center white.  I then painted the chipboard swirls to match my pattern paper.

This is my first accordian flower, so please be gentle!

Supplies: 
Plaid attern paper, ChatterBox; Blue paper, Unknown;
Sentiment and text stamps by Stampendous, "Dream Text";
Transparency is Little Yellow Bicycle (also edge was re-inked with Copics to match papers);
Cricut butterfly, "Give a Hoot";
chipboard swirls, Lil' Davis Designs;
flower center, Melody Ross;
scallop scissors, ProvoCraft;
Helmar 450 Adhesive

Many of these items have been in my stash for a long time! What a thrill to finally put them to good use! This card will eventually be sent through Send Love Today to one of the many young cancer patients they sponsor.
Have you decided what you want to do with the many cards you make?
http://www.sendlovetoday.org/

Entered in challenge at:
PaperPlay Challenges (Stamp It Out!)

Kim Hughes' New Stamp Line!

In case you haven't heard, my friend and fantastic card maker, Kim Hughes has a brand new line of clear stamps, the first sets of which have just been released! And just in time for Valentine's Day! Some of you probably remember Kim's previous stamps from Cornish Heritage Farms. This was BIS..."Before I Scrapped". So the ones I'm familiar with are the older ones that I've been fortunate enough to run across over the last few years.
     Along with the online store, she has a great new blog that will include challenges and a Design team that I'm sure we'll see some terrific ideas from!

What's the name of the new stamp line?

Paper Smooches

Isn't that adorable?

The stamp and sentiment I used for this card is from the new

"Falling For You" set.

I stamped the apple image twice and colored it with my Copics, adding the black cardstock apple seeds.  I popped up the bottom layer just a touch, and then folded and glued the top layer on.

The pattern papers are DCWV, "Citrus"; punched scallop is Martha Stewart; and polka dot ribbon is from my scrap stash.

Isn't the little sentiment cute?

Go check 'em out now!

This card will be entered in:

City Crafter Challenge (Love)
I Did It Creations (RED)
Moving Along With The Times (RED)
Paper Sundaes (Valentine)
Paper Play Challenges (Stamp It Out!)
Simon Says Stamp (Love)

Should'a been scrappin'!

I don't post things from my daily life because, quite frankly, nothing too exciting ever happens. But I couldn't help sharing this little tidbit of knowledge I gained today.
I decided that pizza crust CAN'T be that hard to make yourself....I 've made rolls and breads for years and enjoyed the freshbaked goodies. So, when I decided to roll out some pizza dough for the first time, it seemed easy enough. 
The dough recipe was one off the internet...a simple, thin crust. Just like I grew up with in St. Louis. Cracker crunch, topped with smoked gouda, arugula, and proscuitto! 
It felt bad from the start.  The dough was sticky and had no stretch. The texture was not what I expected. I had a difficult time even getting it to the size I did.
Long story short, I decided to make a "test pizza" earlier this afternoon. And for toppings, why waste the good stuff?   Just sauce, mozzarella and a bit of basil.

Fifteen minutes later, this is the mess that came out!  Yuck!  I couldn't even muster the courage to give it to our outside dog!  I tasted the crust (yes, I am THAT brave) and it was awful!  Thank goodness I had a Plan B!
Whatever your favorite pizza place charges for a pie, PAY IT!  I am more appreciative of Papa Murphy's than ever before! 
Just wish I would have spent that hour scrapbooking!

Paper Line Sneak Peek from Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker!

I am a sucker for turtles, especially ones carrying umbrellas! How adorable! The new "It's Raining, It's Pouring" is so cute! Check out all her new lines! They are all so perfect for kid's pages and cards! Paper Line Sneak Peek from Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker!

Great Promarker Tutorials!

If any of you are looking for some information on coloring with Promarkers, Wiccababe has some very nicely done tutorials!  Check out:  http://wiccababe.blogspot.com/ 
And right now she's having a Birthday Giveaway and a chance to win some of these markers! I'm anxious to try them, but haven't the budget just now to invest in more art supplies.  Oh, and I might mention, there's a ton of other goodies, too!   A big thank you and Happy Birthday to our friend "across the pond"!

Teeny Little Moments!

 My last Some Odd Girl entry for the Anniversary Week challenges is this cute little card. I used "Deery" and a pre-made 3 x 4 blank card. I love this sentiment that I cut from the Cosmo Cricket paper pack, "Hello, Sunshine"! Perfect for this simple, teeny message. The felt flower and rhinestones add just enough bling to make him adorable! The angle of the camera is a bit off, but everything is straight on the card...really!  LOL!
Back to football and the Steelers!  Go, Pittsburgh!

What's the Scoop?

SCROLL DOWN FOR CARDABILITIES ENTRY!
Some Odd Girl's Anniversary Week of challenges is almost over!  All projects have to be entered by midnight tonight! Not one to want to miss out on all the fun, I put together my final two entries.
The first on this post is for the "1 image 3 ways" challenge.  I used the
"3 Scoops" ice cream cone image. I used the larger version to paper piece and pop up as my main focal point, ran a row of tiny images across one strip to make a patterned paper, and applied the third to an envelope to match the card. Quick little project, but I can use it to send any number of sentiments.

And because I will miss them, I entered this card on "The Altered Alice", the NEW blog replacement for  "Oh, Alice". It looks to be just as inspiring as the old "Alice" challenges!
             What's the Scoop?

Pictured with one of my favorite phrases from my favorite paper line,

Cosmo Cricket! 

Close-up with envelope detail

My second post is for the "Odd Elements" challenge which consisted of picking at least 3 from a list:
I chose to use 4 of the elements -
Ink, (my Copics on the digi image, "Coffe Mae"); Organza Ribbon; Die Cuts, Nestabilities "Blossom" and "Deckled Rectangle"; and Embossing with Cuttlebug, "Numbers". 
I made this for a friend who is coming from Iowa out to Phoenix in April for a vacation to see the Grand Canyon! Can't wait!
          Counting the Days
For this card I used this Cardibilities Sketch !

It was, as always, great fun to work with the images! And I managed to get some scrapping done between weekend chores and the football games!
Have a good one!

Also entered in :
If The Shoe Fits (Friendship)



Penny Black Blog Candy!

Kathy (at the Daily Marker) is having a Penny Black Stamp Giveaway !!!

See Kathy's post by clicking the link above!

I love Penny Black stamps, and always am thrilled at the possibility of winning some!  Good luck! I know I'm crossing my fingers!

Wishing...

To keep up with the Some Odd Girl Anniversary challenges, I made this card for a good friend to whom I wish a very happy future! 

The sketch that inspired me this week was from

Pixie Cottage.

I used  SOG's "Kiss a Prince Tia" image, but removed his crown. Wanted him to be less Prince and more your average "bewildered" frog! LOL! The challenge was to use the colors blue, green, and yellow.  I colored it with my Copics and popped up Tia, and then popped up the frog again. It meant printing out additional images and I think my ink cartridge is about to run dry!  My own challenge was to get better at making those cotton-pickin' bows!  Practice, practice, practice....
the grid background and the flower border is Sassafras, and the circle was cut out using the Spellbinders "Blossom" die and embossed with Cuttlebug's "Birds and Swirls".  Yellow bow and a vintage button were applied, along with a few rhinestones from Studio 18.
I'm really happy with my bow, so it's time to STOP!

This card will hopefully be entered in the following challenges:
Fab N Funky (Animal Magic)
Easy Craft Projects (Old stash)
I Did It! (Blue)
Moxie Fab (Jewel Tones)
Paper Sundaes (Favorite Challenge from 2010, #49, "Cut it Out")
Simon Says Stamp Challenge (Bingo!) Die cut/Embossing/Ribbon
Paper Take Weekly (Ribbon)
Pixie Dust (Button Up)
The Crazy Challenge (Buttons)
Karber Weekly Challenge (Ribbon) Because our names are so close!
Card makin' Mamas (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)

Big Day!

The 24th of January is an especially big day in our family.  That birth date is shared by both my only sister and my only son! It was so exciting having her visiting me where I was living 800 miles away from our hometown when my son was born, and on HER birthday! My son is all grown now and we all live within an hour of each other. Hopefully, we can continue to spend that day together for a long, long time!

I must explain that although my son is not particularly a couch potato, he IS a computer freak. He is either sitting at his desk or recording movies when he has any "down" time. Relaxing and watching TV is something he gets less time to do now than before, so here's to "laying low" on his birthday!

The digital image is Digi Shack's "Dad's Remote", colored with Copics. I paper-pieced the armchair and ottoman, which I thought was really fun!  The Co-ordinations cardstock is also a favorite of mine, so I embossed it using the Cuttlebug, "Numbers" folder and sanded it. The TODAY stamp is a Soloz from Studio G.

Thank you for looking!

I plan to enter this card in the challenges at:

Paper Sundaes (your favorite challenge, mine was "For the Boys"  #42)

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge (Anything Goes) and a chance to be a Guest DT on the team!
Catch The Bug (Birthday)

Celebrate!

It is difficult to make cards for some members of our families...that much has become obvious to me over the past few years. But perhaps the most difficult is my sister, my one and only sibling.  She's not a big lover of flowery things, doesn't swoon over the pinks and purples, and for the most part, has nothing to do with girly decor at all!  I agree with her that a little bling goes a long way, but I can appreciate a pretty bow or row of pearls and rhinestones most days.

So this is the card I made for her.  Neither of us are "spring chickens" so the nostaligic print and distressed edges will appeal to her sense of

TIMELESS AGE...LOL! 

Happy 50+(something), Sis! 

I used a Cosmo Cricket journaling card cut from the "Love Notes" collection, paired with the matching "Wonderland" paper as background. The flower was a punch-out from one of the Chemistry lines, and the edges distressed with my Zutter Distress-It-All. 

I hope to have this card considered for entry in:
Easy Crafts (Old Stash)

SOME ODD GIRL WEEK!

I know those of you who read my posts (yea, there are a few!) realize that I do go on about how much I LOVE the images at Some Odd Girl.  Even my DH knows some of the little characters by name!
Well, this week, SOG is having a First Anniversary Celebration! Go to their website at http://someoddgirl.blogspot.com/2011/01/welcome-to-anniversary-week.html to find out how you can win a really great prize, or help me to win. (which would be way cool!) 
See the Cosmo Cricket prize package below!

and they  also have a $50 gift certificate to




Please leave a comment and mention my name for me to have a second chance at winning! I don't "Tweet", so I can't take advantage of that!

Just Tossin' Ideas Around....

I wanted to make a card but couldn't decide what I wanted to make it FOR....I am not in the Valentine mood. At least not yet...mid-January....maybe eventually.

So, I went through some old paper packs that I haven't looked at in months and played with the idea of popping up a characters head just like on the Some Odd Girl School Boy card. Sadly, I picked a cow...yea, a cow. It's a cute cow, but a cow none the less,

The only message I could imagine a cow delivering is that we've Mooooved.... clever, eh?  LOL! Hey, it's been a long week...

The paper used was Apple Cider by Imaginesce. I've had the 6 x 6 paper pack in my drawer for months without opening it. I may even add some matching ribbon to it before it goes anywhere.  I just really like the "bobblehead" effect on the cards! Makes me laugh! I know my grandson liked his, too!   The image is a ClickArt Free Image off the web.  Cute, eh?  Liking the gold cow bell?
I will enter this card in the challenge at:
 Easy Crafts, (Using Old Stash)
Kaboodle Doodle (Digital image)

Surf's Up!

2nd post for January 10th!

(Please scroll down to see My Mind's Eye Card Challenge and

my first Some Odd Girl "My Tiny Challenge" entry!

My second post was just as much fun! It was for the layout challenge at
My Mind's Eye!
I decided if one entry at Some Odd Girl is good, two would be even better!
I absolutely adore their images and could use them all day!
This layout allowed me to really practice my "less is more" resolution I have put into place! I actually like all results of having more white space and using a larger photo.

All three papers are from the "Complete Boy" collection at My Mind's Eye (even the arrows on the chipboard circles), along with the sentiment which is Bohemia Transfer Title (also MME) ; shirt label, Karen Foster; and wave edge; Bazzill; brads from MME,  "I Believe" collection (darkened to match surfboard and paper dots!).



School Time

I LOVE a challenge!  Yes, I like it when I make a card and am able to enter it on a fantastic blogsite where the possibilty is I could win a prize, or better yet, have my project be seen by others!  But what I really LOVE is to find a blog with a truly inspiring and different challenge (one that forces you to think WAAAAY outside our usual comfort zone!)

Well, Some Odd Girl has found a way to do just that. And when paired with the great new card AND the layout challenge at My Mind's Eye, I was really working the ol' creativeness overtime.

                                         Inside reads:

Using an image from Some Odd Girl, I made a card for my grandson.  He (and by that I mean probably ME!) misplaced a stylus for his LeapFrog last time he spent the weekend. I promised I would mail it to him if I recovered it.  Of course, it was exactly where I had left it!  He loves when "Grandma" sends a card, even though they live a mere 40 minutes away. The real fun came when the challenge was to color an image to resemble someone in your own life!   When I enter this card at SOG, it will be shown side-by-side with my 5 year old grandson's

"First Day of School" picture, taken this past August here in Phoenix, Arizona.   How cute is he!

It was easy to follow the requirements for the My Mind's Eye card challenge!

Papers were from the "Complete Boy" and "Simply Delightful" My Mind's Eye paper packs, and two out of the three buttons from "Lost and Found".  Colored "Tobie"  with my Copics markers, popped up his little head, and done!

I also was able to enter these challenges :

Digi Doodle Shop (Buttons)
Delightful Challenges (Buttons)

and a brand new challenge out there...

Do You Stack Up? (Buttons)