It's the Anniversary Squirrel! {Being A Little Squirrelly }

Waving "hello" to my blogging visitors!

 It's the Anniversary Squirrel! (another Bugaboo cutie) Sigh - I sure miss Jodie. What a fun artist!

This is the 49th anniversary card for my hubby. He enjoys nonsensical, humorous cards. Since I'm a little nutty by nature, it was only appropriate to use this squirrel - not to mention the fact that we live in an oak hammock where acorns are plentiful, and we are frequently over-run with the little varmints in our rural area.

Colored with Copic Markers and Distress Oxide inks, this little cutie is another of Miss Jodie's quirky creations. Jack prefers non-mushy cards, although he always finds the most beautifully meaningful cards for me. Being a sentimental fool, I've kept all Jack's "love letters/cards". After 49 years the container is huge!

 Do you save love letters and cards from your honey?

PAPERS: BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE BY LIS ROBSON, and green handmade by me(!), and SU Early Espresso, MS Lace Heart Edge.

Lis has an amazing paper-making business, incorporating every technique, texture, and natural element imaginable! Here are the three I used:

I also made some paper. The texture was accomplished by pressing between pieces of old, old, rubbery, lacy shelf/drawer liner "paper" (do you remember those shelf liners?) Like mulberry paper, a wet brush was utilized to "tear it apart to the desired size.

Here are the unassembled pieces:

The fun interior, using a "flipped" squirrel, gathering more nuts:

Finished Creation:

Products: Bugaboo Digital Squirrel, Copic Markers Spellbinders S4-306 Wonky Rectangles, [Oxides in lucky clover, twisted citron, vintage photo, salty ocean] Brilliance Ink in Tri-Mineral, Teresa Collins Love Triangles Craftwell EF, home-made digital sentiments, PAPERS: BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE BY LIS ROBSON, and green handmade by me(!), and SU Early Espresso, MS Lace Heart Edge.

Challenges:

1. Crafty Animals #97 (AG with animals) 8/28
2. Critter Crazy Challenge #101 (AG with animals) 9/1
3. Ally's Angels #97 AG 09/12
4. Heart's Quest for Love Challenges Blog HQCOLCB #8 "BEWAS themes" Mine is an Anniversary for hubby 8-31, (9/7)
5. Neglected Stuff Challenge (Aug 3) Use at least one neglected item (handmade papers which have not been used for 15 years or more.) ends 8-28 (9/7)
6. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #8-2025 AG ends 8/28 (9/30)
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2533 AG 8/25
8. Crafters Cafe Challenge #322 AG using Patterned Papers 9/23

Wishing you a beautiful day, filled with ordinary moments that comprise a life well-lived.

hugs,

A Little Christmas -

 Hello, my friends! I can't believe I've actually finished a card (5 months in the making) and that I'm posting it as well. 

Many thanks for all your cards of encouragement. Once Jack and I learned that I am at my Maximum Medical Improvement (meaning a continued "down hill" trend), and that symptoms will continue worsening, it became easier to accept. We have left "no stone unturned". With each layer of loss, I need to accept the new level. This is a neuro-immune disease that begins in the brain, filtering into all the body's functions and organs, thus causing one event after another. About 1/2 of a percent of the world's population contends with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Some have it mildly, others have it severely. I've dealt with this since early childhood, and have gratefully lived longer than anticipated. 

YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT in the form of Love, Support and Acceptance is the best of all gifts! Life is much easier to enjoy when friends are by your side, so that the sick person doesn't have to constantly fake that they are "better" or that they will get better. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for your precious gift. 

Today I'm presenting a sweet snowman image stamped and snail-mailed to me by friend Brenda Smalle. (Thanks, Brenda!) Brenda and I used to work together at Sparkle N Sprinkle, and I learned so much from her!

Interior:

After coloring with Copics, I stenciled the background clouds with MFT stencil and masking a few "ski slopes" surrounding Mr. Snowman. The dark green layer was die cut then embossed with a dotted EF, and inked with Pink Pearlescent inks and Black Soot DI. It was fun playing with a wee bit of glitter, too - all done in non-traditional Christmas colors because pink is THIS snowman's color of preference.

Products: Cute Snowman Image from friend, sentiment from Heartfelt Creations, Copic Markers, Craftwell Delicate Dots EF, Marianne Creatables, Tonic & Spellbinders die cuts, INKS: Orchid Pearlescent, Spun Sugar DI, Salvaged Patina DI., Worn Lipstick DI, MFT stencils, silver and clear glitters, MS border punch.

Playing in the following challenges:

1. Classic Design Challenge #11 (11/15 - 12/15) AG 12/15
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2345 AG 11/21

Thanksgiving Hugs to you!

There's a Brand New Challenge in Town! Beautiful Blossoms

Hello, my friends!

How exciting! A Brand New Challenge to begin the New Year!

HERE'S THE LOW-DOWN:

Beautiful Blossoms is a fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus. The Mood Board is a starting point. 

You do not have to follow the theme of the Mood Board, but you do need to use it as inspiration.

You may enter up to 8 projects in our challenge. Projects are truly anything goes as long as florals are the main emphasis, including paper crafting, home decor, apparel, etc.

Details are on the blog. Hope to see you there! 

I was inspired by the warmth of earthy brown tones, and the icy-clear blueness of promises to come.

On today's card are several NBUS items - the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly.

Stamped with Acorn VersaFine Clair and heat set with clear detail embossing powder, these "beautiful blossoms" were colored with Copic Markers. There are very few pieces to this pretty card, including a dry embossed, slightly distressed die cut:

Because I wanted to use a paper clip embellishment on the sentiment, a little something was needed to help with dimension to keep the tag all one "level":

The image is quite pretty in person because of the heat embossing:

The finished card uses Craftwell's Modern Stripe embossing folder.

Looking forward to seeing your Beautiful Blossoms projects each month in the challenge! 

Products: Simon Says Stamp "Beautiful Flowers 2", "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly, VersaFine Clair Acorn & Pinecone inks,  Walnut Distress Ink, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Copic Markers, Anna Griffin Ornate Slimline Concentric Die Set AG-1248H-AS, Taylored Exp Banner Stacklets 1, Craftwell Modern Stripe embossing folder

Supporting these fine challenges:

1. World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #1 AG DT 2/15
2. As You Like It (Jan 12) Favorite Reason to Send a Card (I enjoy sending "thinking of you" type cards because they can be used for sympathy, cheering up, get well, thank you, a reminder someone is thought of, and just because) 2-25
3. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #1 AG 2/1
4. C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #663 Something New (1st entry) (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me) 1/18 (check weekly and monthly)
5. The Outlawz Challenges Twisted Thursday (Jan 12) theme: It's New To Me (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me) Feb 1.
6. Classic Design Challenge #1 AG 2/1
7. Sweet Stampin (Jan 7) theme "New" 1/20 (listed week after sep post) (the Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Flowers stamp, the Anna Griffin Die Set, and the "You're Delightful!" sentiment from My Sentiments Exactly - all new to me or NBUS)
8. Allsorts Challenge #711 AG with Winter Blues 1-20 THANK YOU, BRENDA!

Stamping Hugs,

Lovin' Lily of the Valley - Jan's Digi Stamps

 Happy New Year, my friends! I hope you all survived that terrible "Bomb Cyclone" during Christmas week. Here in Florida, we were grateful to have the fireplace burning for 4 days solid to keep the air drier and toasty warm. 

 It's a New Year, a New Month, and that means new stamps, a new sale, AND a new Anything Goes Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps!  If you use a JDS image in your card, please mention it. There is a 2nd draw specifically for those who use one of Jan's fun images.

Do you ever...

Do you ever plan out what your card is going to look like, only to have it resemble NOTHING like your plan? That's the case for me today. Well, to be honest, that is the case every single time! (giggle) I flipped Jan's lovely bouquet horizontally, and fussy cut it first BEFORE coloring. It's the first time I've done that and I think I like it better.

Lovin' Lily of the Valley is on special for $3.75 WITH both colored and black and white versions.

After coloring Lovin' Lily of the Valley with Copic Markers, I "antiqued" the edges and parts of the leaves and flowers with Tea Dye Distress Ink to tone down the purple hues, and give it a bit more of a vintage appearance. 

My Great Aunt Agnes' lace graced this card, along with NBUS Honeycomb embossing folder on decades old Glossy Oyster Pearl cardstock, which is also NBUS. 

Another NBUS is the Blackberry Bliss cardstock. 

We grew lavender roses in our front flower bed, so that is why the purple theme is selected. 

Jan's fine quality PNG images are easy to color and piece together. This one brought back precious memories as I colored:

Don't forget to play in the Challenge!

Products Used: Stamps  Jan's Digi Images: Lovin' Lily of the Valley, Just For Fun Script, Dies: SB Labels 4, SB Labels 4 Grands, SB Elegant Labels 4 5x7, Other: Great Aunt Agnes' lavender lace, Express-it cardstock, Oyster Pearl Glossy cardstock, Blackberry Bliss, Lavender card stock, Craftwell Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Tea Dye & Milled Lavender Distress & Seedless Preserve Oxide ink, Copic Markers.

On a Personal Note:

In December I had my second round of lower lumbar shots, which afforded more relief, and is keeping me out of a walker and wheelchair! Also in December, the shots that made the greatest difference were the first round of shots in the cervical area. We'll see how long the benefits last. Right now, I don't have tremors in my hands. I do still drop things and have weakness, but it's nice to be able to color again, and do some fussy cutting!

I'd like to play in the following Challenges please:

1. World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #12 AG DT 1/12
2. Creatalicious Challenges #250 AG with "something new" (new stamp, NBU cardstock & EF).
3. We Love Stamping (January) Favorite colors (Lavender & green are one of my favorite combinations) 2/7
4. Crafts Galore Encore #107 AG 2/1
5. Sweet Stampers #75 (final challenge sob!) AG 1/8
6. Crafters Cafe Challenge #292 AG 1/11
7. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #1 AG 2/1
8. NBUS Challenge #46 AG never used 2/1 (new stamp, never before used lace, embossing folder, oyster pearl CS, Blackberry Bliss CS) (commented on 3 other entries)
9. Classic Design Challenge #1 AG 2/1
10. Morgan's Artworld #1 AG 2/1
11. Birthstone Challenges #1 AG with Garnet &/or Amethyst Colors (I used Amethyst) 2/15

Stamping Hugs,

Lavinia World - Christmas Fun

Greetings, dear friends! I hope you are doing well, and enjoying the holiday season. Today's card share is Christmas Sweetness - (surprise - giggle)

In real life these cards look so sweet. I wish the photography could pick that up.

And now you know it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!

Details of our Lavinia World Challenge: A Winner receives

a $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World store. Submissions can be placed either on our Lavinia World Challenge blog which has an ANYTHING GOES theme using ANY brand clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. Or if using a any Lavinia Product in your creation, you may play in our friendly Facebook Group called Anything Lavinia. Either way, we enjoy seeing your artwork!

Store -- Facebook -- Challenge -- Instagram

Today's projects use Rue Fairy:
Rue was stamped twice with VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green, and twice with VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, then heat embossed with a clear EP containing glitter:

This is how she looks after being "inked" and die cut:

Boo-boo sharing time, and how I fixed it:

Worn Lipstick Oxide and Cracked Pistachio Oxide were applied to the dry embossed areas:

The difference a little ink makes:

I die cut the sentiment and used glitter on three of them:

Hopefully you can see the difference between the VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green and the VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, here - one is bluer and slightly darker - they both have the same color EP on them, but the light catches it differently:



VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green and the slight difference when the light hits the image just right:

A White background and a Green background - both inked the same way:

The sequins are actually the same pale pink as the ink:

Different sentiments:



 Thanks for stopping by today.
Hope to see your projects in one of our challenge locations soon!

Products Used:

• Lavinia World Rue Fairy LAV515
• Inks: VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green, VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, Worn Lipstick Oxide, Cracked Pistachio Oxide, Mowed Lawn Distress, Spun Sugar Distress, Cracked Pistachio Distress.
• Embossing Powder: a detail clear EP mixed with a little microfine clear glitter
• Papers: White
• Dies: SB Mega Nestabilities Long Classic Scallop Rectangles, Tonic Slab Merry Christmas
• Embossing Folders: Craftwell Love Triangles, Craftwell Delicate Dots

Stamping Hugs,

It's a Girl Thing - Blog Hop is Almost Here!

It's almost Here!

The "It's a Girl Thing" mega blog hop with lots of sponsors!
February 1 - 7, 2019

Even though we have 19 caring sponsors and 11 designers offering prizes to bring awareness to your attention, you will not have to visit all the blogs in order to be eligible to win a prize. More details in coming days.

Did you know that one in 2,500 girls are born with this genetic condition?
For TS information, please visit Lori's My Turner Syndrome Journey blog. 



In the meantime, I leave you with this thought: every little girl has two "x" chromosomes. TS Girls only have one. They are little miracles to survive in this world and face a host of challenges.

My card features Bugaboo's Kidz Love Digital Stamp. Bella is one of my favorite Bugaboo characters! She's so cute, and perfect for It's A Girl Thing cards.

She is colored with Copics, and then surrounded by pretty shaped dies.

See you on February 1 when we launch our mega blog hop!

Challenges I'd like to support please:

1. Papercraft Challenges #29 "Use Bright Colors" 2/5 (sep post)
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1903 AG 1/28 sep post C5
3. Scrapyland Challenge #106 AG SL dies (dies listed below) 2/6 sep post
4. Sweet Stampin' Challenges (Jan 19) Bright and Cheerful 1/25 sep post
5. Catch the Bug January BINGO Challenge (Jan 19) 2/26 (DIAGONALLY Something Blue - Player's Choice - Sentiment

Products:

Bugaboo Kidz Love Digital Stamp

SW Italian Decorative Frames die set
SB Grand Big Scallop Circles die set
SB Grand Decorative Labels One die set
SB Labels One die set
SU Labels Punch
Craftwell Delicate Dots Embossing Folde3r

Distress Inks BluePrint, Shabby Shutters

Copic Markers

Stamping hugs,

Using Digitals - Back to Basics and Beyond

It's another blog post from me!
Thanks for stopping by.
Hope all is going well for you.

It's time for another
Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge!

For the next two weeks, join us by uploading an "Anything-Goes" challenge as long as a digital image is used.

In this case, I colored this Vintage Country Home Digital Set with Copic Markers - however - as a digital set, it is available done in these colors and in a more vintage color theme as well, so you have 3 options. There are also three sentiments, one is shown here.

The green sparkly frame is actually an embossing powder called Tuscany Pear Star. Love the rich color and sparkle! The leaves under the bow are glittered with Ocean Breeze Microfine Glitter.

Here it is in CAS styles:

Products Used:

• Digital Image: Vintage Country Home Digital Set 911
• Tuscany Pear Star embossing powder EP432
• Ocean Breeze Microfine Glitter GM2039
• Sue Wilson: Ornate Pierced Rectangles die set (frame), Double Pierced Rectangles (sentiment)
• Spellbinders: Foliage set
• Embossing Folder: Craftwell Modern Stripes
• Ribbon, flowers

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Paru's Card Making Challenge (Aug) Family 9/1
2. Try It On Tuesday (Aug 7) "Inspired By A Song" - Country Road-Take Me Home by John Denver - (only combine with 5 challenges) 8/21 sep post
3. Craftaholics R Us #32 Use Something Yellow (colored my image with 2 yellow Copic Markers) 8/17
4. Sum More Fun #34 mood board - yellow green, white, black - 8/18

thanks for visiting today!