CHA Pictures

We had such a great time at CHA meeting so many people you finally got to put face to name.  I just can't believe that I didn't take more pictures!  I got to room with Carolyn and Carole. 

I started off my trip by spending some time with Carolyn at her house in TX for a few days.

Meanwhile, the rental car I had gotten decided it was time to quit! We had spent a day of shopping at the lss and a few other errands, when we were at the last stop; the car would not start! (you might think this was a trick by our Dh's to stop spending money...)   SOOOO.... we had to wait for 3 hours until we got another car from the rental company and we were finding things to pass the time.....

Here we are.... Carolyn looking thrilled sitting at Taco Bell....

Tired of Taco Bell,  we went back to the car to sit.... Don't worry, we are our own little posse with no meaning behind our action other than absolute boredom!!! 

We finally made it to CA and met up with Kim and the MFT 's team for dinner at the Rainforest Cafe.... Kim received a welcoming gift from Carolyn and I....


Carolyn.... need I say more?? I think she is enjoying herself!

Later that evening was the SCS Cupcake reception...  Here is Judy (StampingQueenJar)  It was so nice to see her again!

Lisa Johnson.... I was fortunate enough to meet her in Chicago last summer and I was thrilled to see her again in CA.  She is such an awesome person!

We were having lunch on our last day at CHA... Carole knew she was headed home the next day... Chug chug girl!!  

Do you think Carole likes that placemat?? Maybe she needs another drink?

Our last night.... we were tired, but enjoyed it nonetheless!! Awesome dinner, awesome server, spending it with awesome friends!!!!

MWAH!!! Emily from Stamping Bella and Nicky... Absolute dolls!

Two more wonderful girls I got to see again!! Michelle and Laura!

Carole and Laura living up the cupcake reception!

Just had to get in another photo with Michelle!!

I hope you enjoyed these pictures!! I know I had a great time sharing and being there! Thanks for stopping by!!  

Back from CHA with a sketch!

I'mmmmmm bbbaaaaack!!! CHA was wonderful and I had such a great time visiting with everyone and meeting new people!! I will post some pictures tomorrow, but I am sure you will see some sooner elsewhere!  In the meantime, it's sketch time!! Here is this weeks sketch for Sketches! {by Tamara}

I have had the new in color from SU! called Kiwi Kiss for some time and wasn't sure if I really liked it.  It is like a yellow-green, but you know what?  I really like it!!LOL!!  I decided to make a monochromatic card with this color using Very Vanilla with it.  

I used a set from The Cat's Pajama's called It's a mod mod world.  I stamped the sentiment in the center panel after using my decorative scissors to create the wave.  Then I stamped on the dp the cat which I then stamped again on VV and cut out and popped up.  I didn't have any matching ribbon, so I used my white grosgrain and the ink pad to dye it to match.  I added some brads and I was finished!  A simple and fun card!! 

I hope you are able to play with this sketch or any other's from Sketches! {by Tamara}  Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Materials used: TCP, My Minds Eye dp, Kiwi kiss, VV, dimensionals, slit punch, ribbon, vanilla brads.

We interrupt this blogging...

for some time spent at CHA!  I have headed off to CHA and can't wait to share the pictures with you!!  Keep checking back because I will post from California!!  Right now, I am in TX spending some fun time with Carolyn (Cammie)!  We are headed to the LSS today! LOL!!  

Have a great day!!

Coffee is always better...

with friends!!! Don't you think?  Nothing is better than relaxing with some coffee or tea with a good friend and chatting.  Even if your good friend is your dh! DH and I do it often, although not often enough, but we enjoy when we do!  Sometimes it requires me to bring some to his office and we sit there to drink and chat! LOL!!  

It is sketch time at Sketches! {By Tamara} and I finally got around to inking up one of my favorite sets that has sat uninked since it's release at the beginning of summer, I think!  We were in the process of moving at that time so I never got to play with it.  But now I have and can't wait to use the set again!! This is from Fourishes called Coffee with Friends.  This card measures 5.25x5.25".  For the flourish corner embellishment, I colored it with my black Copic Marker and then distressed it with my sanding file.  The coffee panel is popped up and I added some piercings to the side.  I hope that you have time to play with this fun sketch and visit Sketches! {by Tamara} for more great sketches!   Don't forget to visit the the other designers on the team to see what wonderful creations they have come up with!

As always, thanks for stopping by! It is appreciated!

Mosaic Love in Snow

I live in North Carolina and we woke this morning to SNOW!! We knew it was coming but never expected this much! We got about 6 inches and it kept falling until late into the afternoon.  My kids had so much fun playing in it!! The most amazing part was the snowflakes! It was a "dry" snow, so when it fell and landed on you, you could actually see the design of it!! It was just so cool... this is a picture of the tree in front of our house.  The down side to having this wonderful day? My kids have no school tomorrow!! (Sniff, sniff...)  apparently the school did not get my memo of having much to do before leaving on Thursday!! Yes... just 2 more days until I see Cammie and then were off to CHA!! Can't wait to share with you the pictures!

NOW... on with a card!

I am finally getting around in finishing Monday's challenge on SCS! It was making faux mosaics.  

Mine, however, blended a bit too much with the color and shimmer of my paper, so it was a little more difficult to make out.  I used some fun Valentine paper by Reminisce which I picked up at a lss.  Of course, since I had to cut it up, you really can't see it, but I did use the back side of the paper for the bg! : )  I used a CTMH set called Heart throb which I had won as blog candy.  I stamped the image and flower and cut it out.  I popped up pretty much everything and used my SU! Wide oval punch for the sentiment.  Thanks for taking a look and I will have some blog candy to share soon!! 

Thanks to Betty (gbedwright) for giving me the Butterfly award!  You are too sweet! I am to pass it on to others and the list is below.  Check out their blogs!

1) Becky 

2) Olena

3) Riley

4) Bev

5) Laura

Flopsy is mine!

Isn't this guy cute?  I inked up my new MFT set of Flopsy today for the Ways to use it challenge on SCS.  It was to be inspired by your favorite color combo site on the internet.  I chose Colour Lovers as my inspiration site and picked one called Sugar.  I inked up the image with Momento Cocoa and colored him in with Copics.  I added some ric rack to the center panel and popping up Flopsy.  I also added some self adhesive metal dots for additional texture.   The dp you can find at Paper Addiction and is made by Imaginisce.  

Thanks for taking a peek!

Materials Used: Regal Rose, VV, Imaginsce, MFT, Nestibilites, Copics, dimensionals, ric rac, metal dots

Absolute Bliss with a Congratulations

This for this weeks sketch on Sketches! {by Tamara}  A fun sketch to play with!  The panels and sentiment are popped up and I added some stickles as if it were pouring out for some sparkle.  This stamp is one I had picked up while at CHA in Chicago this past summer at a really cute lss there.  There is no better time to use it than Valentines, don't you think? The sentiment is a one liner from the SU! set So Many Sayings.  

Thanks for stopping by! It is always appreciated!  BTW... a big congratulations goes to my good friend Carolyn (Cammie) who just made the SCS Dirty Dozen!  It's about time!!!

Let's hear it for the boys!

I can't help but think of the song from Footloose when I see this set! LOL!! This card was made for today's color challenge on SCS.  The colors were to use NQN, Kraft, and Baja Breeze.  I accidentally used NON instead of NQN, but it still worked.  I decided to pull out one of my neglected sets from MFT-Let's hear it for the boys, since this color combo is very masculine.  

In keeping with that resolution of using what I have, I used another item I have and is neglected- my PrismaMarkers! The images are colored in using those markers and are popped up on dimensionals.  I added some ribbon that I frayed and some brads and was finished! A simple and quick masculine card.  Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!  

Materials Used: MFT, NON, VV, Kraft, Baja Breeze, Brads, NON ribbon, Prisma Markers, dimensionals

Orange, orange, everybody's orange!

Strange title isn't it?  Well, I couldn't resist using it with this challenge I was given.  The challenge was to make a card but using only orange and white.  My son used to say, "orange, orange, everybody's orange!" when he was young.  We were never sure how he came up with that, but it was cute when he said it; and he said it whenever he saw orange.  So, hence the title!  

This challenge is for a group that I am part of and Stacy (Twinshappy) came up with using these colors.  I really like them together and like the card I made.  Except for the ribbon!! I was determined to use it and I don't like it! I may have to change it.  Anyway, I used Starving Artists stamps for the bg, Fishy Friends for the main  image, and PTI for the sentiment.  I colored in the crab with Copics and popped up the image and sentiment.  I may have to send this card to me since I am still sick and really should slow down and rest! LOL!!  Have kids? You don't slow down! 

Thanks for stopping by and peeking!! Only 10 more days until I head off to CHA! 

Materials Used: Only Orange, White, Momento Black, PTI, Starving Artisits, FIshy Friends, Lil'Davis Ribbon, Copics, dimensionals

Single Layer Cards

Single layer cards... sometimes seems to be a challenge for some stampers.  But I really embrace them.  I love doing single layer cards.  For me, I like the simplicity of them and like them clean.  These two cards I made for the MFT Guest Designer challenge.  I really had fun doing them and probably will do more! LOL!!  The biggest item that is a must have from now on for these types of cards is using Gina K's Pure Luxury Cardstock.  Perfect weight, smoothness, and the best when using Copics to colors the images in.  No bleeding through!

For this card, I thought it would be fun to give this image a little retro feel by making the couch a velvety red material.  So, I used red Flock to cover the couch with.  I really liked how it turned out and it is definitely better irl!  I then colored the remaining image with Copics and added some liquid pearls to the hem of her skirt. I then added a prima with a pearl accent and metal dots in front of the sentiment.  Simple!

Materials Used: MFT, Gina K Pure Luxury cs, Primas, Red Flock, Copics, Pearl accents, Liquid pearls, real red 

This card falls into the non-traditional valentine category.  But I like it nonetheless.  I used MFT's Nature calls set  and colored in the image with Copics.  I then masked the tent to added the trees and stamped a heart on the top of the tent.  Stickles were added to the heart for sparkle and ribbon and a ribbon slider for the finishing touch.  I also sponged in the ground around the tent for the "outdoors" feel.  

Materials used: MFT nature calls and sentiments, Sweet Talk, Gina K pure luxury cs, Momento brown, Copics, ribbon, ribbon slide, Old Olive, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Choc Chip, Stickles

Thanks so much for stopping by! It is always appreciated!

A Two-fer

Today you get a two-fer!! LOL!! My meds are kickin' in I think... I am sick today and woke up feeling as if the local town bus ran me over. (did anyone catch that number??) Anyway, I am really trying to stick to my resolution of doing the daily SCS challenges again! At least M-F! So, here are yesterday's and today's challenge...

For this card, it was the Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  I have had this poor Bella staring at me since I got it and I never got to ink her up.  Well, yesterday was the day as I need a thank you card for someone who loves coffee/tea. I wanted to use this funky paper I have also had for lots of color.  I colored in the image using, what else? Yes, my Copics and the sentiment was stamped over again using the sentiment from MFT's Coffee or Tea.   I added some ribbon, Primas, and bling because all Bellas deserve that!

Materials Used: Stamping Bella, MFT, Paper Studio DP, White, Basic Black, Tango Tangerine, Primas, Rhinestone, ribbon

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For today's challenge, it was to use stars.  Perfect! Another set I wanted to ink up and it has a star!! I also wanted to dig into my Gina K Pure Luxury Cardstock, which in my mind, YOU MUST HAVE!!! Especially if you like to color with Copics.  PERFECT!  I stamped half of it using Flourishes and the other half repeatedly with 'Friend.' For the Friend sentiment, I used the rock and roll method to get both colors. I stamped the star twice; popping up the second. I used direct ink to paper for the edges and added some stickles to the Rock Star sentiment and Friend. I added some ribbon and done!   

Thanks for stopping by and peeking... BTW... only 13 more days until I visit my good friend Carolyn (Cammie) for 2 days and then we are off to CHA in CA!!! Whoo hoo!! Plenty of pictures to share again!

1st Sketch of the New Year!

The sketch challenges for Sketches! {by Tamara} is back from holiday and here it is:

I am not sure why I chose an earthy theme, but I have had this great Eco Chic set from Unity Stamps for a while now and it has sat patiently waiting to be inked.   It sort of just fit.

I used some Basic Grey DP along with Bravo Burgundy and to go along with my using things I have for the New Year, I decided to use my Prisma Markers instead of my beloved Copics!  I used my Threading water punch for the bottom and added ribbon, a prima and brad for the final touches.  The sentiment and main panel are popped up.  For the glossy look on earth, I used some clear self adhesive pebbles from CTMH that my good friend Stacy (Twinshappy) sent me for my birthday, among other fun stuff! The pebbles fit perfectly over earth! 

Thanks for stopping by to peek and hope you will play along with the sketch!

Time for an Appletini!!

Well, with the holidays behind us, this card is about how I feel!! : )  I made this for a friend for Christmas, and like the rest of creations lately, just not able to get it posted!  BUT! It is a new year so I am making a resolution of uploading quickly and to use most of what I have and not purchase anything new unless needed! (HA!) (DH is probably reading this and laughing...)

This is such a fun set from MFT and I think it says a lot for what we all go through during the holidays! Ok, maybe just me? Anyway, I colored in the image using Copics and added some Stickles to the ornaments for some sparkly.  The fun festive dp you can find at Paper Addicition from Scenic Route.  I figured the poor girl is dreaming for a drink which is why I have the martini above her with the thought-dots.   I added some ribbon and brads and was finished. 

Thanks again for stopping by to take a peek at some of my schtuff!!

A Sweet Creation

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday!! It was a busy one for me as I had family consistently for 2 weeks in conjunction with some sick children! Luckily, nothing big, just a cough and cold.  Unfortunately, it has passed on to everyone else! Being my birthday as well on Christmas, I was happy that I was not sick at that point for it!! 

On with the projects.....

Here are two projects using American Art Stamps that I made and did not get to post!  For this project, I made a small box/cover for the bottom of this chocolate bar which I then covered and decorated using a sentiment and Prima flower.  I used the main image as a topper which I applied to the top of the box using dimensionals.   I colored the image using Copics and cut it out.  I added a ribbon and crystal brad for the flower.  This was a pretty easy project and I think a nice little gifty for a neighbor/friend; especially one who likes coffee and chocolate! (Now, who wouldn't like that?!?!)

Material Used: Choxie bar, Basic Grey-FIggy Pudding, scrap pink cs, American Art Stamps, Prima, Crystal brad, corner rounder, dimensionals, ribbon, Copics

I mentioned on a card that I made before using American Art Stamps Angels, that I love them!! This is the other angel in the set and one I will use again and again.  I colored in the image using Copics and added some Shimmerz to the wings for some sparkle.  The ribbon color seems to stick out in the photo, but irl, it is more subtle.  The ribbon is from PTI in Aqua Mist and the dp is K&Co.  The image and sentiment are on dimenionals; I added some copper brads and I was finished!

Materials Used: American Art Stamps, Shimmerz, copper brads, Choc. chip cs, creamy caramel cs, K&Co dp, VV, Copics, PTI ribbon, dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you all have a good start to your resolutions!!