A Cards Delight

Irish Blessings

2012-03-05T04:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! So many of us say "I hate Mondays" I read somewhere if you hate Mondays then you hate 1/7 of your life. Makes you stop and think doesn't it? . I did a few calculations. Hating Mondays equals approx 52 days a year. I will be 60 in a few weeks so that would equal 3120 days or 8.5 years of your life. I don't hate Mondays!

Today is Greetings Challenge at The Outlawz and the theme is "I see green!" March and green to me is St. Patrick's Day! Did you know that "Colleen" in Ireland means girl yep, that's me! I am Irish and German, hmmmm Irish temper and German bullheadedness! what a combination.

Irish Blessing:

Paper: First Edition "New Leaf". I love First Edition paper pads! 16 design, 4 sheets each. 8 glitter with effects and 8 double-sided. The best and most economic place to buy paper pads is at Oozak. I think I can honestly say Rusty/Oozak has the largest variety of paper pads and the best prices!! Check it out!

TIP OF THE DAY: So you want a particular image and you cannot find it in any of the digi stores. This is what I do next! I do a Google search. For the above card I entered "St Patrick Day coloring pages" and sure enough a slew of free coloring images pops up! Easy Peasy!

Happy Birthday, Leap year!

2012-02-29T18:20:00.009-05:00

Hello and happy birthday to all the leapsters today! How many people do you know that were born on leap year? One of my childhood friends birthday is today.. She used to get angry when her brother would say "you really do act your age like a 2 year old!" She would cry "I am not 2, I'm 8." Now since we are quite a few years older she gets smirky and sings "I'm still a teenager, na na nana na nah!" LOL I love her anyway!

I would like to share with you today a super cutie! I founds this adorable stamp set at my local scrapbook store made by Stampendous. I love the them for they stamp very clean and sharp! The sentiment in the set was "Scooting by to say hi" and I cut off the "hi". Even though it is cut off from the phrase you could still use it by lining the edges up on your acrylic stamping block.

I was commissioned to make a birthday card for a lady who turned 84 years young today! Since her birthday is February 29, She has had 21 actual birthdays!! Most of my card idea is from casing a card at my local stamp store: Photo Scraps in Eldersburg, MD

The sky was sponge with Memento Ink, sky blue.

The gate is a Memory Box Die Cut: Wrought Iron Gate

Memory Box Die: Fresh cut grass

Copics. Scooter: YR24, YR23, Y15, Y11, Y00, Tires C5, C3, C1

Diamond Glaze is a dimensional adhesive that dries to a clear glass-like finish,.

I added it to the metal sections of the bike

Inside

The froggies are from my stash, but pretty sure I bought them at Michael's. Aren't they adorable! The Calendar is one found online and my sentiment is computer generated. Papers from Stash.

TIP OF THE DAY: Diamond glaze is water based. I am able to dilute the glaze with water and add glitter or Stickles to it and apply it with a paint brush. You end up with a very shiny, glittery hard surface.

Thanks for joining me today and Happy Birthday Leapsers!!

Challenges:

Fab and Funky: Leap
Friendship Garden: opps, I entered this one by mistake. Your not suppose to have any stamp images. Sorry:( colors blue, pink, green, orange with a twist: Birthday Ok my pink looks red! is it?
Gingersnap Creations: Leap
Paper Craft Star Photo and Save the frogs!
Penny's Paper Challenge: anything goes
Simon says Stamp: Anything goes
The Perfect Sentiment: Sentiment and die cut.

Happy Mailing - Bells and Whistles

2012-02-27T16:52:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! Since it is 1 AM here I'm going to keep this short and sweet!

Today is the Greeting Challenge at The Outlawz and the theme is Pearls and Lace. My card is created using the adorable Bells and Whistles, Happy Mailing image by Elisabeth Bell! I had the great pleasure of meeting Tab, owner of 7 Kids College Fund, at her store in Phoenix a few months back! Oh my gosh, talking about drooling! She had all the Bell's and Whistles images and I wanted them ALL! Good thing hubby was with me to keep my sanity in place! I love "Happy Mailing" for it can be used for so many different occasions; birthdays, Easter, Thinking of you, really just about anything! I love the sizes of them too for they are just below 3 inches and perfect for any size card!

Paper: Memory Box: Viola which is the first paper pad in a long time to come out with pretty purples!
Die cuts: Memory Box Tilth Floral and I purchased it at my Local Scrpabooking Store, Photo Scraps, Eldersburg, MD. Rusty @ Oozak.com will soon be getting Memory Box dies in stock!! Yah! This is the Tilth Floral.

Four cuts: 2 purple and 2 green. I stacked the green on top of the purple and was really pleased with the look! Pearls were added to each corner.

My lace and ribbon are from my stash, but I do know I purchased it on Ebay! The happy Birthday sentiment is a Basic Gray Rub On in white. I love Rub-ons! Flower Soft applied to the flowers and and grass. Sky done was created sponging Summer Sky, Memento Ink.. I sewed around the edges with my sewing machine. Copics for coloring.: Outfit V95, V93, V91, skin E11, E00, E000, pants: E43, E42, E41, Mailbox: C05, C03, C01, C00 and colorless blender.

Challenges:

Outlawz: Greet Challenge: pearls and lace
Craft Bloggers Network: Spring Time
Creative Mondays: Anything goes.
Love to Create Challenge : Add stitching / real or faux
Kaboodle Doodle: Shades of purple

Coloring with Memento inks

2012-02-16T23:46:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I am going to keep this short for I have too much information to share! First of all I apologize for not being very good with blog hopping the past few weeks. I have really been busy organizing The Outlawz Rodeo taking place in Baltimore May 18-20. If you are not familiar with The Outlawz it is a challenge site I created January 3, 2011. I invited 11 amazing women to join me and we started seven different types of paper craft challenges, obtained monthly sponsors for prizes and have grown from 12 members to currently 1543 members. The DT consists of 38 super, fantastic amazing women who's name are on my right side board. They have the biggest hearts and amazing talent and I love each and every one of them for they really are my sistah's!

Tomorrow I am driving to Glen Allan, VA for the Copic Intermediate certification class. Even though I have learned everything I know about Copics from Suzanne Dean and Colleen Schaan I need the certification to obtain a position teaching Copics at my local community college and Scrap booking stores:)

Do you know what TTCRD stands for? It's abbreviations stand for "Through The Craft Room Door'" an online digital crafting magazine started by the talented Suzanne Dean and Marti Wills. This week the TTCRD challenge is CAS with a sentiment. The random winner will win a $20.00 Gift Certificate to SCACD where you can purchase many of your crafting needs.

My birthday card was created using "Pine and Lake Silhouette" by Northwood Rubber Stamps. I love Northwood stamps esp. the ones with scenery. I sponge ink my colors using Memento Inks. First I sponged Cantaloupe on the left hand side just right behind the tree line and made sure everything I did on top, I also did on the bottom to make it look like an identical reflection in the water. Around the Cantaloupe I sponged Angel Pink. Lulu next spreading it over the rest of the image and added a little bit of Grape Jelly on the edges. I love sponge coloring! It took me five minutes! I originally did it on Cryogen paper and hated it. The beautiful sparkles in the paper are awesome for copic coloring but not sponging. The A2 size card was embossed with Cuttlebug embossing folder and sorry it doesn't have a name on it.

Watch this awesome video created by:

Jo Ham for The Outlawz Rodeo!!

The Baltimore Rodeo Retreat details are all on

The Outlawz Website!

Lots of fun and classes

Suzanne Dean, Copic Coloring

Marti Wills, coloring with colored pencils and mixed media.

Bell's and Whistles GD

2012-02-13T01:05:00.007-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!! Burrrr winter has arrived here in Maryland and temperatures sure have dropped. We are at 28 degrees as I write this. Too dang cold for me to be out there! My hubby called me Friday from work and said "How would you like to go to one of the Islands the first of April?" and my response was "do we have to wait so long!?!" Silly question, he knows I will go anytime!

I had an exciting email a few weeks ago asking me to be a Guess Designer on Bell's and Whistle's. I couldn't say yes fast enough and what a huge honor this is! I was chosen for top 3 Designers. What an honor!! I love Elizabeth Bell images! This month's challenge at Bell's and Whistles is "Hearts" and I knew immediately which stamp I would be using and it is Blowing Kisses. She was designed for SCACD and you can find her here. She is blowing you heart kisses with lots of love! I wanted to create something a little different and found this video on Splitcoaststampers by Beate to create a Heart candy box with easy to follow directions. I love the way it turned out!

Paper: Bo Bunny/Crush Collection
Memory Box Die: La Rue Heart
SpellBinders Classic Heart and Scallop Classic Heart on sale here for 19.49!
Flowers: Prima
Copics: Face: E21, E00, E11 and R20. Hair: E35, E53, E51, E50. Dress: RV23, RV21 and RV00. Socks: YG23 and YG21.

LOL! I am on a diet and had no candy to fill the box to make it pretty!! Lace holds the top and bottom piece together when open.

Lace was adhere to the sides in two strips.

Hope you like it!! Very easy to make following Beate Directions and Video.

TIP OF THE DAY: Store your not so juicy ink pads upside down to let the ink sink to the top of the pads.

Challenges:

The Outlawz Copic/Promarker: Love is in the air
Addicted to Stamps: Must use Stamp, Valentine love
Catered Crop : Hearts
Dream Valley Challenges Valentine
Let's Ink It Up: No digi's Ribbon or Lace
Scrappy Frogs: Die Cuts
That Craft Place: Love is all around
Crafty Bloggers Network: Love is in the air
Crafty Boots Challenge: Valentines
Kreative Stempelfreunde: Valentine
Hooked on Crafts: Hearts
Lollipop Crafts - With Love (NON CARD creations)
Make it Monday - always Anything Goes
Make My Monday - ROMANCE - Hearts and Flowers
The Crazy Challenge - 2E - Valentines day

Round up your friends

Come meet some of The Outlawz Design Team members and your online friends.

Happy Tuesday!

2012-02-07T15:27:00.005-05:00

Happy Tuesday everyone and hoping you doing well. I have been really working hard for our Baltimore gathering, May 18, 19, and 20, which is open to everyone. Suzanne Dean and Marti Wills will be teaching Copic Coloring, Prisma Coloring and Mix media. More details will be availabe in a few days which you will be able to see on The Outlawz website. I am so excited and cannot wait to meet people face to face!!

Today's card, I used a Sugar Nellie Digi Stamp, Victoria. I saw her on my friend, Kevin blog and had to have her immediately! I love, love her face and her sweet expression.The photo makes her face look red and it's not! Anyhow, she was made for a very sweet friend of mine, Anary who is the creator of Gilli stamps and a super person with a very large heart! On Saturday, Anary's significant other arrange a surprise birthday luncheon and four of us, from the Outlawz Design Team were a part of it! We had an awesome time and she was soooo surprised!

Copics: Lavender V25, V22, V20, V00. Hair: E55, E53, E51, E50. Yellow: Y15, Y11.

Cherry Lynn butterfly.

Spellbinder: Lacy circle: They are having a sell right now!

Flowers and paper: stash.

TIP OF THE DAY: Adding glitter to a project. Glitter as you know sticks to everything! To keep your glitter on your project, spray it with hair spray. It does not loose it's sheen and the glitter does not come off!

The Outlawz Challenges

The Outlawz is an online challenge site with 7 different challenges. The challenges run for one week and so we have a new challenge every day along with a free digi challenge.

We have site wide prizes and many times, prizes within the challenges. Oozak.com is one of our monthly sponsors. Rusty who owns the company gifts a $50.00 gift certificate each month to one lucky random drawing. Come on and play for we would love to have you!

TIP OF THE DAY: Cleaning your rubber and acrylic stamps is easy with baby wipes. The cheapest brand works just as well as the fancy name brands. They clean the rubber/acrylic stamps completely and when your done, throw it away!

Challenges entered:

Smudgy Antics: Anything goes

TTCRD Challenge: Valentine's for a Male, NO PINK

2012-02-01T12:19:00.002-05:00

Hello crafty friends! Where did January go? LOL It disappeared on me when I blinked! If the rest of the year goes this fast it's going to be Christmas again! Our weather today is 60 degrees and in case you forgot I live in Maryland. This time last year we had snow up to our noses, but I am not complaining! Hope you stay warm and dry where ever you are! Sharon, hoping you will have cooler days in SA!

Who has been watching the new products at CHA this week? My bank account is going broke for sure! Lots of awesome, must have toys this year for us to play with! There is even a new embossing machine! So stay tune to your favorite stores to see what's coming!

Today is another fun challenge day at TTCRD ! We are being sponsor by Dude Time Doodles who supplied us Archie Heartful, who is one handsome dude! So come on and play with us! Dude Time Doodles is offering a $10.00 GC, and Althea, from Ippidy an $18.00 shopping spree!! Lots of shopping for the lucky winners!!

Paper: Jillibean Soup/ Dutch Mustard. I only found one store with some left here.
Conversational Heart Brads: Stash
Sewing on edges by machine
Nestability Classic Heart
Copics: Skin:E11, E00,E000. Hair: YR09, YR07, YR04. Shirt: YR65, YR13, YR04, R24, R22. Pants. YG23 and YG21.
Flowers: flower soft
Cuddlebug heart embossing folder.

TIP OF THE DAY: When your buying your craft supplies and you have a specific item you know you want. Do a Google search. You will sometimes find large differences in prices between stores. I always check E-bay before I purchase anything online, but make sure you check out the cost of shipping. What you might save in price you could be making up in shipping cost. But, I have found lots and lots of bargains on E-bay including Nestabilities for as low as $10.00!

Challenges:

Cooking it up with Katie: Hearts, embossing, punch
Creative Belle Blog: Hearts and Valentine

Close Knit Friends

2012-01-23T13:21:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday! Brrrr very cold this past weekend with lots of ice mixed with snow. . Needless to say I didn't go anywhere! My body doesn't like cold and makes me well aware of it. When it comes to hubbies though I have one of the best! I don't even have to say we need groceries, medicines for he knows when we are low on something and goes to the store and never complains.

Did you see the Patriots knocked the Ravens right out of the stadium yesterday!?! Yah! I am a from Pittsburgh and a HUGE Steeler fan. I live in MD and not far from Baltimore, but they are still rivals to my family and me! This time last week, a dear friend text me "Sorry about them Steelers...guess they're feeling a lil black-n-purple huh...hehehe." ( I won't mention any names here!)and she also wrote on her blog; "we strongly, strongly DISLIKE the Steelers (hey we are Ravens and Redskins fans and Steelers are our biggest rivals 'he) . So we enjoyed seeing the Steelers crying in their terrible towels." Paybacks are painful and so my dear friend received this text from me! "I don't know about you , but I am feeling a little Patriotic, where you must be black, blue and purple" LOL I must say though, she was much better at the humor than I was!

As you know, I have been spending a lot of time at Gina K's and StampTV, which has excellent tutorial video's. My cards today is using the "Close Knit Friends" stamps and I had a lot of fun creating them! Very easy to create multi cards with! They were all colored at the same time! Can you tell? LOL

Paper:Basic Grey; Out of Print . Lace: stash. Nestability: Lacey Circles. Nestability Circles. Copics: Basket: E17, E15, E13, E11. Pink yard: RV23, RV21. Blue: B66. B63, B60. Green: G99, G94. Yellow: Y13, Y11. Stitching by machine around the borders.

Paper: Basic Grey; Out of Print. Martha Stewart: Garden Trellis deep border punch. Cheery Lane Butterfly punch.

I changed direction of the paper and used a Fiskar Punch, sorry not sure of the name.

TIP OF THE DAY: I did not know this until today! You can not color any embossing powder except clear with Copic Markers. The color bleeds and mars your nibs. I stamped a Christmas tree today and embossed it with green embossing powder. When I attempted to color it the green bled and tinted my nib. I thought it was because I bought a non brand name. Always learning something new!

Challenges:

Cheery Lynn Designs: Embossing and one of the Cheery Lynn die cuts.
Craft Your Passion: Colored Bingo
Hooked On Crafts: Something Bright
Make It Monday: Anything goes! Love this challenge
Fashionable Stamping Challenge: Butterfly or bug
Lets Ink It Up: Anything Anything goes, Must use stamp/no digi's.

I'd rather be stamp'n! CMC Challenge Hot pink!

2012-01-17T22:53:00.008-05:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! You would never think it was January with the sun shining and temperature in the 60's. Yay! Have you ever watched The Big Bang Theory? OMGosh, if you haven't ever watch it... I highly recommend it for laughs. It is hilarious and I can honestly say there has not been a single episode where I didn't burst out laughing. I am sure Sheldon's, personality might get on some peoples nerves, but I find it hysterical!

Do you like to color with Copic's but want to learn more? The best online classes are with Suzanne Dean at Color Me Creative Classroom. There are five different classes from beginning to advance with about 10 lessons in each class. This month, at The Outlawz Challenges, you can win one of the classes by entering any of the 8 challenges! You don't color with Copics? No problem, Marti Wills teaches how to color with Prisma Pencils or how to use your Cricut, Distress Ink with Angie Hunt, or coloring Magnolia's with Mindy! You can do the classes 24 hours a day at your own speed. A video for each lesson. You can also win a $50.00 gift certificate to Oozak, $25.00 gift certificate to SCACD, a goodie bag from Paper Temptress, Gilli good bag...come check us out. The right side panel at The Outlawz has a list of our sponsors, plus we have sponsors within the individual challenges!

Also, at CMC is the Copic Challenge Group! The current challenge is Retro Hot Pink/ black/ white. My card is design with one of my all time favorite artist, Sara K and it's been way too long since I colored one of her delightful images! I have had this image for so long I don't remember the name of it and can't find it at any of the online stores:(. Isn't she adorable!! And she rather be stamp'n instead of cleaning!

Paper: Black and White Mini Dot Reverse by Canvas Corp. This paper has a nice heavy weight to it.
Copics: Hair: E59, E23, E35, E31, E50. Skin: E11, E00, E000. Pink: RV14, RV13, RV10. I hate RV11, it looks dingy to me! Shoes, N3, N1, N00. Broom: E23, E17, E21. Shadow on floor:C2, C1, C00
Butterflies: Cherry Lane Designs: Exotic Butterflies. Set of 3/ $9.95.
Corners: Spellbinders/Shapabilities
Nestabilities: scallop oval
Flowers: Prima
Leaves: Martha Stewart

Challenges:

Anything Goes: Anything goes!!
Celebrate The Occasion: Polka dots
Scrap Creations: Die cuts
The Outlawz Color Challenge: Red, black, white and embossing! Red, hot pink...they are sorta close!
Paper Minutes: anything goes
The stamping Boutique: Die cuts
Make It Monday: anything goes

Homemade Stationary Gift Box

2012-01-15T15:39:00.007-05:00

Hello! Happy Sunday to you! It's a little bit like winter this weekend in Maryland. Of course Simba and Bailey had to prove to me it was anything, but warm outside. Those boys do not go out of the yard if it is a beautiful sunny day, however, if it is raining, cold, icy or nasty outside off they go and I am usually in my PJ's chasing them like a maniac and today was no exception:) Brrrr it was cold.

You don't want to go out in the cold? Well come on over to TTCRD's challenge and create "Anything but a card and your own embellishment" It was a lot of fun and Ippity Demonstrator, Rona is offering a $15,00 gift certificate to one lucky winner who enters the challenge!

I decided to make a stationary gift box. One of my customers has requested small thank you and hello note cards and I thought what a cool way to deliver them.. For my home made embellishment, I made a rosette flower using this technique and added a Bo Bunny Trinket to the center of it!

The sides fall down when you remove the lid. Inside the address book is line paper and compartments for your pen, stamps, tags, note and greeting cards. I found the tutorial here! It was really easy to do! And not a single thing is colored with copics!! YAH me!

Thank you for stopping in and visit the TTCRD to see the rest of the wonderful creations made by the DT. They are really fantastic!
Challenges:

Dream Valley Challenge: Anything Goes
Crafty Pad Designs: Sparkle
Little Claires Designs: Anything but a card
Secret Crafter: Anything goes with blue. My main color on the paper is blue
Simply Stampin challenge: Must use dies

Believe In The Beauty Of Your Dreams

2012-01-07T15:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Weekend everyone!!I am so glad today is over with!! It started out my neighbor who is elderly felled and I went to the ER with her. . She has no family close by and I didn't want her to be alone. She's okay and was only shaken up! Phew!

Thank you for all the nice comments on "Green Acres!" it was a lot of fun to do and glad it brought back golden memories for some! Today, I am going in the opposite direction with a sympathy card. I have never made one before, because I was afraid it would look cheesy. Well, I didn't make one, I made two using Gina K's Nature Stamp Set and following her easy DVD directions. They were easy and I really love the look ! I love no brainers! Don't we all!? Gina shows different stamping techniques for each card and I had a blast just following along! It taught me to look at design paper in a different way. If you don't have paper that matches your image or project... change it.

The design paper was changed by stamping leaves with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink onto the paper. The butterfly was stamped with the same colored and it pulled everything together.

This back ground was stamp with the focal image on the card with the same color ink. The paper before being stamp was plain and now it all ties well together.

Have a great day everyone!
Challenges:

Sisters Challenge: Things with wings
CES Challenge: Anything goes

Green Acres

2012-01-05T19:00:00.007-05:00

Hello Happy Crafters! thank you for coming and visiting with me today! If I haven't been to your blog the past few days I will see you tomorrow for sure!

Brrrr it was cold yesterday at 14 degrees, but watch out for today for it was a heat wave at 40! Those 26 degrees makes a big difference to Simba and Bailey though when we go outside. Yesterday was "hurry up and pee!" and today we stayed out for a bit longer. How's come dogs have to sniff everything, including the air when the pee??? They put their nostrils up and sniff to the right, sniff to the left, sniff the ground here and over there...come on guys, I am freezing! Bailey esp. oh my gosh, Simba can pee, play a little and run back to the door and there's Bailey still sniffing away.

Were you wondering why I used Green Acres for the title of my posting today!?! When I saw "Retro Crew"and "Street Views" rubber stamp sets, designed by Victoria Case exclusively for SCACD, the "Green Acres" theme song sprung to mind. Now, I know those under the age of 40 probably have no clue what I am talking about so here is the original show opening from way back when!! Watching TV was so simple back in the day. You had 3 main stations, plus educational and PBS! And, let me tell ya, the stations didn't keep getting flipped by dear hubby with a remote control!! Nope, if you wanted the channel changed you got up off that couch and did it manually on the TV! LOL how many times did you sit there and watch something you normally wouldn't watch just b/c you didn't want to get up and change the station? Guilty!!

Anyhow, I wanted to make a project with all the imageson the same card, box etc., but because of their sizes, I decided to go with the cards and will send them to my g/f who moved from city to the country and misses the city big time. Not me, I have lived city and country and I will take country any day!! Less traffic, everyone is not in a super huge rush and everyone knows your name!! Where ever you went people greeted you with your first name rather it was the bank, post office, grocery store any where in town and it was nice! I surely miss it!

On this card I used City View and Sass and Swager. I sponge Memento inks to create the sky and copics to color the images. I applied to Stickles to her shirt to glitz it up and Diamond Glaze to some of the buildings and her outfit to make them shiny. The Diamond Glaze blended some of my shadowing and highlights but it is still very pretty!

Stamp: Coutore Avenue! You have to love the store in the middle!! I am sure Eva Gabor didn't frequent stamp stores, but I wouldn't be surprise she visited Couture Avenue!

The next card is using one of Victoria Cass Digi Images. Unfortunately, VC will not be doing any more digi's b/c her copyright laws were often violated. Isn't it a shame how some ruin it for others? I love this image with her sexy shorts and cowboy hat! The sun was created by punching a circle and masking the area while sponging the background and sponging the sun with Memento Dandelion.

We're back to "City Views" again! I stamped using Delicata which is a non-tarnishing metallic gold ink pad. . It dries naturally and is so shinny, without heat embossing it.

So my friends this is how I came up with Green Acres!!

Challenges:

Just For Fun: 60's and 70's
Moving Along With The Times: Step back in time
Rainbow Lady's Challenge: Travel Through Time:
Art Impressions

SCACD 2012

2012-01-03T11:02:00.004-05:00

Hello happy crafters! Don't fall over from shock, because I posted two days in a row!! One of my resolutions is to keep up with my blog!! It's turning colder here in MD. We have been so lucky with mild temperatures until today! Our high was 36 and in the 20's tonight....brrrrrr!!!

I have good news for you!! SCACD has reopened after taking a much needed rest and holidays! Susana has loaded the store with lots of new goodies to play with and I have some of them listed below.

My card today is using Melody, an Elisabeth Bell stamp from the Odds and Ends Sampler Set made exclusively for SCACD. How many of us sang into our hair brushes, in front of the mirror when we were younger?? Not me...of course not! LOL

Copics: Skin: E11, E00, E000. Pink: RV13, RV11, RV00. Pants: E27, E25, E23, E00. Top: E53, E51, E50. Hair: YR21, YR20, E31, E50

Prouducts: The corners, I used Design Adhesives by Clearsnap which are design double sided adhesives which you use with glitter, embossing power, flocking, etc. and are very user friendly and mine were sprinkle with glitter.! Guitars from stash, Flowers: SCACD, Nestability: Classic Hearts embossed with Cuttlebug embossing folder. Heart Paper: Sweet Owl by Trim Craft, Leaves were punch with Martha Stewart Leaf Punch. I distressed the hearts with Tim Holtz distress ink: Antique Ribbon.

SCACD is reopened today after closed for the holidays! You will want to check out all the new products that were purchase during Susana's rest!!

New paper- Kaisercraft, Crate Paper, Fancy Pants, etc
Cool New Adhesives
Memory Box Dies
Craft Concepts Embossing Folders
Cuttlebug Embossing Folders

Challenge:

Outlawz Copic Challenge: Anything goes
Elisabeth Bell World: Tic Tac Toe
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop: Ribbon and Valentine
Really Reasonable Ribbon: Ribbon and sparkle
Craft Your Passion: Anything goes and distressing

Monochromatic Coloring

2012-01-02T13:39:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year!! Well, what kind of new year this be? Will we keep the promises and resolutions we make to ourselves? I have many! My two biggest ones are to lose the weight I have gained in the past several years, which is quite a lot for me. I am only five foot and one pound on me is like 5 pounds on someone else. And, I want to try and regain my muscle strength. I have fibromyalgia and muscular dystrophy and my muscles have gone pah toot and it's time I fought to get them back! Are you making any new resolutions?

I would like to wish you a very Happy New Year and may it bring you good health, love, joy, prosperity and lots of mojo!! This year went so fast I keep thinking of the song "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. The words are so true about how fast time flies. I look at my children and think "I was just your age!" You blink and the year is gone. I love this video...listen to the gentleman in the very beginning.

Today is my official day of being a Designer on "Through The Craftroom Door" Design Team! I am so excited to be on the team for TTCD. What is TTCD? It is an online crafting magazine founded by two very dear talented friends of mine, Marti Wills and Suzanne Dean! A bi-monthly digi-craft/arts magazine with great tutorials, templates and articles in each issue! Come join in the fun and read about new products, tutorials and much more!

My first challenge with TTCD is "monochromatic coloring." When I saw what the challenge was I gasp and thought "oh no” for I have never colored monochromatic before. Well, nothing like the present to learn! Right?

I decided to color mine in greys with Copic Markers. My sweet image is Snow Gear, Snowbaby" a Elisabeth Bell image. Isn't she adorable!?! She is blowing you kisses!

TTCRD sponsor of this challenge is:

Prize: $50.00 gift certificate

________________________________________________________________________

Don't forget to check out The Outlawz Challenges! Our sponsors and wonderful prizes are:

Oozak.Com

$50.00 Gift Certificate!! Online crafting supplies!

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress
$20.00 Special Collection
for The Outlawz!

Winner will receive an invitation to classrooms of their choice!

Copic, Prisma Pencils, Distress Inks, Magnolia classesHave a great week!
Challenges:

TTCRD: Monochromatic Coloring - come on and join the fun!!
Heart Song Inspiration: Anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs: Anything goes
Make It Monday: Anything goes
My Craft Spot: winter wonderland
Paper Creations: Die cut or punch
Stamp A Lot Challenge: Monochromatic coloring

Almost end of the year!

2011-12-30T16:58:00.005-05:00

Hello! The end of the year is upon us and I am definitively ready to start a new adventurest crafting year! I have been doing a lot of blog hopping the past few weeks and you are going to start seeing me using different mediums, folds and more than just cards. Plus, I joined a new design team which I will reveal on New Years Day!

One of my favorite sites is Stamp TV with Gina K. for she has a video for lots of fantastic techniques you would like to learn! Her stamps lines are so versatile and they stamp gorgeously on all kinds of paper and what I like the best is they come already pre-cut on cling cushion that you can use on acrylic stamping blocks. She has her own line of paper. The Pure Luxury 120lb Heavy Base Weight Card Stock is great to use for the base of your cards or projects. It is thick but bends without the paper becoming jagged and tearing along the edge.

I purchased the Natures Greetings Card Kit which has your paper, brads, ribbon and a DVD on how to make six different cards using various techniques. It was so nice just following directions instead of trying to come up with ideas and you learn at the same time!! Hours of blissful fun and this is one of the cards I created with it.

TIP OF THE DAY: How the butterflies were created by following Gina K's DVD. I stamped the butterfly several times on cranberry card stock with VersaMark watermark stamp pad and embossed it with black embossing powder. Using a small paint brush, I colored the butterflies with Clorox bleach and heat set it. Isn't that a cool effect!! Easy as 1-2-3! Look at the different shades I got and it was a "no thinker!" You have to be very careful not to let the bleach reach outside of the embossed lines. Yeppers, I learned that on my own! The design paper is included in the kit!

Happy New Years and my wish is you have a new year filled with peace, love, joy, and esp. good health!

Dont forget to check out The Outlawz Challenges with all of their awesome sponsors and wonderful prizes!

Challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: use something new
Aud Sentiments: Anything goes
Charisma Cardz Challenge: Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet: Anything goes
The Outlawz Twisted Thursdays: Anything goes except alcohol markers ....well, you can use a tad of them!
Flutter By Wednesday: Open but must include: Butterfly, angels or something with wings....decides bugs!!

Six more wake-up days!

2011-12-19T22:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! Six more wake up days and it's Christmas!!! Two of our grandchildren were here visiting for 3 days and we had so much fun. Nothing like a four and six year old to take you back to the magic of of Christmas! Abbie said "How many more wake-ups until Christmas Grandma?" I replied "6" Her eyes got real big as she grabbed her brother "Andew only 6 more wake-up days!!" Their excitement is so contagious and wonderful to be around! We took them to see Happy Feet 2 on Saturday and would you believe I got out of bed at 8AM to go to the theater!?! The movie started at 9:55 AM and we wanted to go to the mall and tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas and look at all the decorations! It was an awesome day from start to finish!

Today I did a marathon Christmas shopping!! I literally didn't have one present bought and so I got up early and headed for the malls and was back home by 6 PM! When I got home, I hurried up and took my make-up off and put my PJ's on so when hubby walked in the door it looked like I didn't budge all day! Hehehe Wait until he see's what he got for Christmas!! It put me back a little bit but he is so worth every single penny and then some! He will think I bought it for me and it really is for him! I will just borrow it:)

My cards today were made with an image from the Christmas Rose Digi Set at Fred She Said! I bought this candle last year and love the clean and simple cards I can make with it! My idea for my card today came from visiting Tina Gilliland's blog! Tina used the partial embossing video by Gina K on Stamp TV which you can watch here!

Thank you for visiting with me today!

Santa's Hat - Mo's Digital Pencil

2011-12-14T16:11:00.005-05:00

Happy Hump Day!! The week is almost over and I am finally starting to catch up a little bit! I have made over 20 cards so far this week and have about 15 more to go, but I am getting there! I didn't even photograph over half of them or you would be looking at Christmas cards until next Christmas and I am getting to the point I am ready to move on to other celebrations!

I had to share this card with you for I am so happy with the way it turned out and I might just have to keep this one! I used the cutest image from Mo's Digital Pencil! Oh my gosh I love the angelic face she created with the wishful look "Are you coming?" I love, love her images! Last night I bought one of her elf's swinging on a Christmas ball and I can't wait to color it!

I sewed gold thread with what I call my Snowflake stitch around the border and in it is so shimmery! All my thread was given to me by my mom who used to be quite the seamstress! I was looking at the various colors when I spotted spools of silver and gold thread and guess how much they were in the 80's? Originally they were 45 cents each but had a sticker over top of the original 10/1.00!! Gasp!! Today I have no doubt they would be $7.00. Unreal!!

The tree is by Jolee's from last years stash. Paper: 6 x 6 Lost and Found Christmas paper pad by My Minds Eye. I cut the rug out with Nestability Scallop Oval and embossed it with a Craft's Too Scroll Works embossing folder to give it a little texture. DecoArt Glamour Dust which is a iridescent superfine glitter and sparkles big time! Copics: R39, R37, R35, YG99. YG95 YG93, YG91!

Don't forget to stop by SCACD for all of your crafting needs!

Susana has been adding new products again!

Merry Christmas!

Challenges

Colour Q: Red, green, white, rose.
Craft Room Die cuts or punches
Crazy Amigo: Embossing
Creative Crafts: Sewing Faux or stitch
Party Time Tuesday: Christmas Red and Green
Riley and Company: Holiday Theme

Doggie treat bags for Simba and Bailey!!

2011-12-11T16:06:00.009-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone! Eeeks this weekend went fast and I am still where I was last Sunday making Christmas cards for customers and hoping to have them all done by Wednesday!! Yesterday, I took time out to go to my local craft store, Photo Scraps in Eldersburg, MD. I never realized how fortuante I was to have a huge privately owned craft store so close to me for it is less than 4 miles. I have been taking several of their awesome classes and have met woman who have traveled more than 2 hours to attend because there was nothing closer to their homes. Amazing! Today Lisa Halstead had these adorable Christmas doggie and kitty treat bags, which I had to make! I brought one home, not put together to show you how easy they are to do!

This is the supplies you will need to complete this project.

Plus: Cuttlebug, Nestability 1.75 inch scallop oval, 1 1/4 circle punch, score tape or tape of your choice, Christmas stamps or digi's, border punch, clear small baggie, small dog bones or kitty treats.

Cut (green) card stock 9" x 3", Red 2 3/4" x 3 1/4" and green pattern 3" x 2 1/2".
Score the 9" x 3" at 4" and 5"
Punch a 1.25 inch hole in the of the 4" x 3" section on the green card stock. Center your red and green pattern paper on the 4" x 3 " section of the green card stock and punch a 1.25 inch hole in each. It is much easier to punch one hole at a time.
Red pattern paper cut to 3 x 2 inch and score at one inch. Using any border punch cut a border on the 3" side of paper.

Cut a 1.75 inch scallop circle using white paper.

Using your 1.25 circle punch cut out the center of the scallop circle.

Layer your circle punch paper together and

adhere to the 4 x 3 inch section on the green card stock.

Your bag should now look like this when folded on the score lines.

Place the small dog bones or kitty treats in a small baggie and

staple onto the inside top of the 5" x 3" green card stock.

Fold your red pattern paper at the score line and attach it over the top of your green folded card stock.

Decorate the front with anything you like. The word woof was printed by a stamp at the store but, you could do this yourself using word on your computer. Cut around the word to give it a white outline. Make a small tag and punch small hole at the end of it. Place twine or ribbon through the hole and tie into a bow.

Sounds difficult but it is really easy to make and treat bags can easily be made for anyone and filled with red candy hearts for Valentines day! Lots of possibilities!

SCACD has so many new products including paper pads,

embossing folders and lots more!! Check it out and

wish yourself a very Merry Christmas!!

Challenges Entered:

Anya and friends: anything goes
Christmas Inspiration: Christmas/Folds
Come and Get It: Red, Green and your choice
Dream Valley Christmas: Christmas
Ginger Loft: Christmas or Winter
Paper Sundaes: Anything Christmas
Sparkles Forum: One you love!! My doggies!
Challenge Up Your Life: packaging or box - GDT call

I believe!! Yes, I do! Suzanne Dean's Online Copic Classes!

2011-12-08T18:25:00.007-05:00

Hello Happy Crafters! I love, love this card I made today for it is the spirit of children who make the season!! Do you still have children at home? I'll tell ya Christmas isn't the same without them! We are never home on Christmas for we travel to where the grandchildren are! This year we don't have to go far for my daughter, Amy moved back to Maryland and is only 2 hours away! The rest of them live in PA, Las Vegas and Orlando and it makes it very hard not to see each one on Christmas morning. Amy has the two youngest grandchildren who are Abbie 6 and Andrew 4 and they get wide eye and so excited every time they talk about Santa. What is even more special is they know Christmas is really about the birth of Christ. We always sing happy birthday and it puts the entire day into respective! I love watching their eyes when they see what's under the tree for they dance with excitement and yes glee!!

My card is made with Mo's Digital Pencil. image. A lot of my customers are multicultural and I struggle sometimes to find the right images for their cards and why I love Mo's Digital Pencil! Mo does a lot of her images in multicultural hair and eye shapes and so if your looking for that special card Mo will probably have an image to suit your needs!!

Do you color with Copics? Do you want to learn different techniques and ways of coloring- like a rusty vehicle, ethnic hair coloring, animal prints or how about hot pink?!! You can learn all of these techniques and more with Suzanne Dean, Color Me Creative Classroom Copic Class 5!! With my image today I used one of Suzanne's techniques and I love it! My image didn't have any hair lines and I used the technique Suzanne teaches in "Ethnic Hair" and was super please with it! If you do not know how to color with Copic, Distress Inks or Prisma Pencils and want to learn how...easy peasy head on over to CMC for online classroom lessons!

Some day I will get my pictures taken in sunlight so you can see all the sparkle and shine they have!

Suzanne shows a little more of a highlight/ gap between the front and back of the hair rows and it does look better her way but I am still happy with the way it turned out for my first time!!

Copics: Hair: E49, E29, E25, E35, E31, E50. Skin: E25, 23, E13, E11. Green: G29, G28, G24, G21. Red: R29, R27, R24, R22. Blue Strips: B16, B14, B12.
Ribbon: was a gift.
Stickles "Diamond"
My edging is actually gold adhesive strips but they look silver in the photo

New goodies at SCACD where you will find all of your crafting needs!

Gorgeous new Kaisercraft 6x6 paper pads-HERE
New Gorjuss Girl Stamps- HERE
Fun Flower Grab Bags- HERE
Very cool Wood Flourishes- HERE
Awesome new Memory Box Dies- HERE

Do you like to do challenges with fabulous prizes? Freebies, tutorials and a very friendly community of crafters? It's all at The Outlawz!! Some of the wide site prizes are Oozak. com $50.00 Gift certificate; SCACD $25.00 Gift Certificate, Paper Temptress: A special goodie bad with over $20.00 of paper, Gilli Stamps; awesome goodie bag.....come on and play with us!

Tip of the Day: How to attache fine detail dies to your paper. I started buying very thin dies from Memory Box and Cherry Lynn Designs and some of them are very thin and it's a PIA to try and glue down from top to bottom. After my card is created I place the die cut in place and spray lightly with Goosebumps Clear Texture Spray: Goosebumps texture spray adds unique speckled texture with the press of a spray button and it glues your die cut into place!! I love it!!

Challenges:

Art Impressions Stamps: Try something new
Aud Sentiment Challenge Blog: Holiday Sentiment
Colour Create Challenge: Red, White and Green
Crafty Ribbon Challenge: Traditional Christmas Colors
Cute Card Thursday: Anything goes
Paper Crafting Journey: Christmas Creation
ABC Christmas Challenge: anything goes

Letter to Santa

2011-12-06T03:14:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!! First I want to give a great big shout out to those that follow me and take the time to leave such loving comments. You have no idea what a moral boost you give me with each one I read. Even the ones that say "I would have done this differently" for I will try it and sometimes I think "Hey I like that better that way!" so thank you very much!

Did you have a great weekend? Ours was okay with lots of yard work. Hubby cleaned up the rest of the leaves outside and I more or less did nothing!! LOL Seriously the only thing I did was work on some cards for customers and that list is getting bigger!! I need to make 38 more Christmas cards and if I don't speed up my rate I will be making them for 2012 orders! The Christmas cards I send out from us are store bought!! Every single year I promise myself I will do ours all year long and they'll be done. Well!! January comes and goes and February seems to early to be working on Christmas cards and before I know it I am out buying them! Terrible isn't it!

My card today is using this sweet "Letter For Santa" image from Elisabeth Bell's Digi's. I didn't have the right color of Christmas paper to match the rich blue coloring of her snow suit and of course my mojo decided to abandon me big time. So I found solid blue paper that matched the coloring and drew white snow flakes with a Sharpie marker and added a few 3 D snow flakes! My version of clean and simple!!

Do you like how big the snow flakes are surrounding the image!?! I thought ok let me use my Pearl pen and sprinkle glitter on top...what was I thinking!!! Now I have these globs of snowflakes but you know what!?! I decided to post it anyway! In person it's really pretty and the snow flakes sparkle big time!

Copics: Hat and coat: B29, B26, B24, B21. Red: R29, R24, R21. Mail box: C7, C5, C3, C01, C00 Wood: E44, E43, E37, E50. Bird: B16, B12. Mouse: E34, E31.
Martha Stewart Flocking Powder,

SHOUT OUT FOR SCACD new products alert!! Yummy more Memory Box Dies and they are to die for! New paper pads, Jorgus girl and whole slew of stamps. Also did you see the new stocking stuffers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD...ah you need to leave now and go see all of the new things she collected.

Challanges

Bells and Whistles: Must have an EB stamp and sparkly.
Through The Craftroom Door: 3 embellishments

SCACD release of Elisabeth Bell Odds and Ends Collections!

2011-12-02T04:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to the SCACD's release of the Elisabeth Bell Odds and Ends blog hop! 8 adorable images and so cute to color and decorate! Each image can be used in multiple ways including Christmas, Happy Birthday, Let's Party anything you want and they are wonderful stocking stuffers for your crafty friends or even for yourself! LOL

I have the pleasure of showcasing "Sharing Is Best" from the "Ends set!" Isn't she as cute as can be! I love her face to pieces and you know I am a HUGE dog lover!! Look at my photo's on the right side bar! Sharing Is Best is sharing her yummy cookies with her brand new Christmas puppy!

Copics: Hair: E55, E53, E51, E50. Skin: E21, E00, E000, R20. Dress: BG02, BG01, BG000. R85, R83. RV10. Dog: E44, E43, E40. Apron: W00, W01
Spellbinders Die: Fleur De Lis Rectangles
Leaf Punch: Martha Stewart
Flowers: Wild Orchards Crafts.

The Design Team blog hop is filled with gorgeous creations from these two wonderful sets by Elisabeth Bell! You should have arrived here from the awesome creator Dianne and after here hop onto the very talented Lorraine's blog! If you need to start at the beginning you can start at the store blog : Follow Your Heart! Have a great time!

Challenges entered:

SCACD Elisabeth Bell Sneak Peek!

2011-11-30T04:00:00.006-05:00

Happy Wednesday everyone!! How are you doing and did you survive all the sales in the stores and online? I only bought one thing and it was for me and it was a Crop-A-Dile Eyelet and Punch Kit from JoAnn's for $20.99 and free shipping!!

Guess what today is? Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stocking Stuffers release with two sets of stamps. The Odd Sampler and The End Sampler! They are cuties and you are going to say "I want that one and that one and that one!" LOL My sneak peek is with "Acuppa" from the Odd Sampler Set isn't she adorable and a classic EB image! When I saw this image I knew exactly what I was going to make with her! One of my customers loves to give cards to anyone and everyone and this is my little thank you to her. I placed an envelope of hot cocoa in the box with a thank you note on the inside of the card.

BLOG CANDY at SCACD BLOG! Two free sets will be given to the lucky winners! Hurry to see what you need to do to win....hint it's very simple to enter!

This is the first box I have made and I was inspired by Catherine! Catherine is one of my favorite blogs to visit for she is always creating something beautifully different and her cards are so adorable! The boxes she created are gorgeous using this template! It's a free template from My Time Made Easy and it really was easy peasy to use!

Paper: I cut one inch strips from KaiserCraft "Christmas Carnival Collection" and sewed them together. My inspiration came from Gina K at StampTV.
Border die: "Frostyville" by Memory Box
Flowers: Sugar Bloom/ turquoise, Roses by Wild Orchids Crafts
Martha Steward leaf punch
Copics: Turquoise BG32, BG15, BG11, BG10. Bow: R85, R83, R81, RV10 - I just noticed it looks blotchy in the picture but it isn't!
Nestability Oval and Scallop Ovals

You can see another awesome sneak peek at my DT sistah Anki! ! You won't want to miss her's for she is one creative lady!

Challenges:

Bearly-Mine Challenge: All things you love - die cuts, flowers, borders, EB images
Creative Craft Challenge: Free for all!
Scrap Creations: Christmas
Party Time Tuesday: Anything goes
Make It Monday: Anything goes

Happy Holidays

2011-11-26T20:19:00.011-05:00

It's the weekend and we are having a beautiful Indian summer for it was 72 today and I was loving it! Did you go shopping on Black Friday? Me, I stayed home in my pj's all day reading "Bonnie" by Iris Johansen. If you love mysteries I highly recommend her books!

Since it is the beginning of the season I thought I would color Santa for my card today! This stamp is "Our Family" by Giordano and you can purchase it at Oozak. If you want to see a large selection of Christmas stamps, House Mouse, Some Odd Girl, Craft Lounge, Tim Holtz and fantastic prices on inks, Copics, 6 x 6 paper pads and much more visit Oozak!

Supplies

Copic R89, R39, R37, R34, Skin: E11, E00, E000, R20, R21, Boots: C7, C5, C3, Dog: E44, E42, E40.
Memento Summer Sky was sponged around Santa
Flower soft white for fur on hat and coat.

Have you joined The Outlawz yet?

If you haven't you are missing out on 8 wonderful challenges, including free digi's.

It's not too late to enter for the awesome gifts from our sponsors:

Oozak.Com

$50.00 Gift Certificate!!

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress
$20.00 Special Collection
for The Outlawz!

Anita Be Stampin

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Come join us!!

As I was making my rounds to the different challenges I was super excited to see I won the top 3 at 4 Crafty Chicks! Such an honor and thank you!

*Sale, Sale, Sale at SCACD*

Flower Grab Bag Mixed flowers $19.50 value for $11.50

New 6 x 6 Paper Pads: 15% Off

Embossing Folders: 25% 0ff

Tonertex Foils and Glitter: 25% Off

Select Spellbinders: 15% Off

Epiphany Craft Tools:15% Off

Select Flower Soft: 15% off

Challenges Entered:

The Outlawz Copic Challenge: Anything goes
2 Sisters: Festive Holiday
Crazy for Challenges: Snow
Hiding In My Craft Room: Mix it up Holiday
Sweet Stampin: Stamp/ punch or die
Totally Paper Craft: Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks: Snow

It's almost Christmas time!

2011-11-20T19:46:00.004-05:00

Happy weekend everyone! Can you believe Thanksgiving is only four days away? Saturday my hubby asked me if I wanted him to take off Friday for a four day weekend. Oh no you mean Thanksgiving is this week!?! I am so not ready for this! Needless to say off to the grocery store we went to buy the turkey!! When you don't work you lose track of the days...at least I do!

Do you use digital image? One of my favorite places to shop for digi's is over at Phindy's Place. Two weeks ago I won Phindy's challenge and received a five dollar gift certificate...wahooo!! Cosy Cottage is the image I chose and it was hard to pick for I wanted them all! This is the card I created with it! The windows look a tad orange yellow in the photo but are a soft glow in person!

Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle
Copics: House and drive-way. E44, E43, E42, E41, E40, C5, BV25. Windows: YR21, YR30 Y11. Tree's: YG 63, YG61 G40. Red: R39, E35, R32

White/ fine Crystal Snow by Steampendous to the roof, snowman and ground.

Sewed around the card and sprayed it with clear Goosebumps! I love this spray for it doesn't change the copic ink and leaves a shimmering texture sheen!

TIP OF THE DAY: Did you know you do not have a tight seal on your marker if it has any kind of build up around the closure? After coloring - I would spend countless hours cleaning my caps for they would be full of gunk. Now I clean them in a few minutes and this is how I do it!

You will need:

Isopropyl Alcohol: I buy 91% and the cheapest brand

Jar with lid

Paper Towel

My reds get ugly fast

Pour some alcohol into your jar

Add your dirty caps

Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about a minute

Remove and dry on paper towel... That's it!

No rubbing or q-tips to get down inside the cap. It all comes off with the shaking!

Don't throw your alcohol away it is still good!

I added brown, green and blues to the jar and you can see they are now clean too!

Challenges:

Phindy's Challenge Blog: Christmas Card
Dream Valley Challenge: Sewing
One Stitch At A Time: Anything goes
Pan Pastel: Frosty and Bright:
Sparkles Forum: Vintage Christmas
One Stop Craft: Blue
So Artful: Sewing
Christmas Stampin

I'll be home for Christmas - Carmen Medlin New Release

2011-11-18T04:00:00.008-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Today is the release of two new fantastic SCACD Stamp sets by:

Carmen Medlin designed exclusively for SCACD

Reflections Fantasy
and
Reflections Yesteryear
plus

2 "Just Because" stamps- Carolyn's Bonsai and The Topiary

You will have the option to purchase the stamps individually or as complete sets. The sets include bonus accessory stamps and are of course offered at a discounted price.

I am show casing "Regency" from the Reflection Yesteryear Set! I love her face with the look of wonder and reflection of past memories. As soon as I saw her I knew this was going to be my mother and father's Christmas Card. My parents live in Arizona and my children live in Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania. I so miss the family living in one area and celebrating the holidays together. When I was working, I flew my family here for five days to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was awesome for about 48 hours!! But when you put 2 great grandparents, five children and their spouses, 6 grandchilren under the age of 4 and two were under the age of 3 months (4 grandchildren were not born yet) and my hubby and I in a single home .... Let's just say on the fifth day I was counting the trips to the airport down! 2 gone 18 more to go!! LMBO! Seriously though I love being around family!

The paper I used I believe is Spiceberry from Memory Box. Several posting below this you will see where my grandchildren thought they would help me out by removing each and every page from my 6 x 6 paper pads. I came to the conclusion I won't ever know what belongs where! I paper pieced the sofa with the same paper I used in the layers. I love the way it turned out!

The background is a Christmas Card Topper made by Flower-soft. I purchased a pack of 6 two years ago and when they arrived I thought "what was I thinking" they just were not what I was expecting. This was before my Copic days! But it made the perfect background for what I was trying to accomplish today!

The song "Ill be home for Christmas" makes me cry every single time I hear it. I mean every single time!! My daughter, Amy knows it too! While she was in college she drove 10 hours straight, in a snow storm, because she found a musical Christmas snow globe with a house inside of it that plays "I'll be home for Christmas". She wanted to see me get all emotional over it! No lie, she wanted to see me get all teary eye!!

Copics: Skin: E21, E00, E000, Hair: E59, E55, E53, E50, YR 23. Red: R89, R37, R35, R32. Green: YG97, YG95,YG93.

I hope you enjoy my card as much as I had fun making it!

The blog hop!

You should have arrived here from Melanie's gorgeous creation and your next stop is at Lorraine's for another fantastic, beautiful creation!

For our international friends you can purchase these at Quixotic Paperie.

TIP OF THE DAY is located in the posting below this one!

Challenges:

Four Crafty Chicks: paper piecing
CCEE Stampers: Two die cuts or punches
Crimbo Crackers: Christmas
Digi Doodle Shop: Red and Green
Just For Fun: Favorite Technique: I love sponging distress ink
Lili of the Valley: Christmas Card for someone special
Samuel Taylors: Christmas Card
Shelly's images: Anything goes
By The Cute and Girly: Girly Christmas

SCACD BLOG CANDY & TIP OF THE DAY

2011-11-17T00:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday!! For the past several days the SCACD Design Team have been doing sneak peeks on the upcoming:

Carmen Medlin for SCACD

Reflections Fantasy
and
Reflections Yesteryear
plus

2 "Just Because" stamps- Carolyn's Bonsai and The Topiary

Plus, you know Susana! What is a release without prior blog candy?

You can read all the information on the store blog here!

TIP OF THE DAY: I posted this tip about a year ago and thought I would post it again for a new followers I have acquired. Each of you that read my blog, I want to say thank you from my heart for joining me in my ventures of crafting! Your all special and lately I have been a bit tardy getting around to commenting on your blog but eventually I do make it there! Life is crazy!

Coloring Lace and paper flowers with Copics.

You can use Colorless blender solution or 91-95% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, which is a LOT cheaper.

Pour some alcohol into its lid, or very small container. Lay down the copic color you want onto an acrylic block. You do this by pressing the base of the brush tip of the pen onto the block with gentle pressure.

Take a regular small paintbrush and dip it into the alcohol...the more alcohol on the brush the lighter the color.

If you want a vibrant color, wipe the brush once onto a paper towel.

Next, take the brush and mix it with your color on the acrylic block and brush onto flower, lace etc.

You will see that you use very tiny bit of marker. You can make it as dark or as light as you want by how much alcohol solution you have on the brush.

Here is a white rose and white lace I did with R29 in a super hurry.

Have a great day and don't forget to visit SCACD store blog to win some candy and see teams sneak peeks for the day and those posted earlier! Please go to their fabulous blogs and leave them some love!!

Merry Christmas - Victoria Case

2011-11-13T11:19:00.015-05:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

It is a special day at SCACD! The store is reopening after a much needed rest for Susana! I want to share with you about the SCACD design team which I am very proud to be a part of!! We are not only a design team together, we are a true family who care deeply about one another! Today we are honoring our boss, friend and leader, Susana who makes us who we are!! Susana has been such a great friend for several years now and I cherish our friendship sincerely! Welcome home after a much needed rest Susana!! This card is dedicated to you to wish you happy holidays and that you are so busy packing boxes your head spins!! I shopped at SCACD for more than 2 years and the experience, customer care cannot be compared to any other online store. Susana goes that extra mile for you!

Victoria Case is a wonderful friend to Susana and I thought it was only fitting to use her image to create my card today!! It's an oldie but goodie Christmas stamp: Santa and Friends from the Winter Wonderland Collection. I love, love this Santa with the reindeer, birds, squirrel and packages surrounding him! Does it not scream Merry Christmas!?! I kept the traditional red and green colors because I am soooo traditional! I step out of my box at times but this is who I am!

Copics - Skin: E21, E00, R20. Suit: R29, R27,R24, R89. Deer: E44, E42, E41, E40. Gold: YR24, YR23, Y15. Boots: C9, C7, C5, C3.
Doodlebug Flock Crushed Velvet 5.5 gm Lily White on his Santa's fur and Squirrel's hats. I love to feel this after it is done. Very easy to apply with a little bit of glue!
Highlighted the image with Copic BG000
Cut out the doe and popped him up using Pop ups
Skakura Clear Star gel pen on the belt and ribbon to make them sparkle
Paper: Cosmo Cricket; Mr. Claus - filled with traditional Christmas paper!
Red Thread and stitch snowflake - that is what I call it and it is very hard to see~

Welcome Home Susana!! We love ya!

Challenges:

Dream Valley Challenge: Christmas and Stitching
Let's Ink It Up: Use a stamp and not digi
Fashonable Stamp Challenge: Days Gone By: Stamp needed
Here Comes The Boys: Masculine with colors Red, White and Green
2 Sisters Challenge: Anything Goes
Crazy Hazel Nut's Challenge: Christmas and whatever lights your candle - Christmas lights mine!

Happy Birthday!

2011-11-10T00:19:00.007-05:00

Happy Thursday everyone! Popping in from my parents in Arizona and all is good here. My father looks the best he has looked in the past two years and my mom is doing great too!! God gave me this extra time with them before things start developing and I am a happy camper to say the least. This will probably be my shortest post ever!

My card was made for a customers daughters birthday who just had a baby boy!! Phindy's Place is the creator of this adorable digi image! If you would like any information on anything on my card please email me and I will send you the information when I get home on Sunday! Thank you!

TIP OF THE DAY: Bow Easy. I have received several emails asking me how I do I make my bows. It is as easy as 1 -2- 3 with a Bow Easy. You can make 7 different sizes: 3/4", 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8", 1 3/4", 2 3/8" and 2 3/4" Here is a video by Suzanne Dean demonstrating how to use it!

Challenges:

Phindy's Place Challenge Blog: Anything goes but must use a Phindy Place image
The Pixie Cottage Challenge: Blue for baby boy
Ruby's Rainbow: Something with wings on your creation
Scrapbook Sisters: Baby, baby
Whimsy's Stamps Challenge: 1 ribbon, 2 DP, 3 Embellishments
Anything Goes Challenge: Stitching faux or real
Digital Tuesday Challenge: Anything goes but must use a digi

Football

2011-11-02T05:11:00.002-04:00

Happy Wednesday everyone!! I left Maryland on Sunday after our snow storm on Saturday to visit my parents in Arizona!! It was 91 degrees here today and tonight it is 65 as I sit in their living room with the windows open!! Needless to say I am one happy camper. However, Let me tell ya about my trip here!! My parents live in Yuma and even though they have an international airport only USAirways fly to it from the east. I already had a voucher for Southwest Airlines and decided to fly into Phoenix and take a shuttle to Yuma since they didn't fly into Yuma.. WRONG thing to do!! I had to sit between two very large woman who were competing with one another for the strongest, most horrible smelling perfume and the loudest high pitched voice. Let me tell ya!! This trip was for 3 hours and 45 minutes and each minute seemed liked an eternity!!

My father was diagnosed with Colon cancer several weeks ago and has the beginning of Alzheimer's disease. He is 88 and as hard as it is, I have to support his decision not to have any surgery, chemo or radiation. He has severe COPD and would not do well. My mother has the beginning of dementia and it is very hard living 2000 miles away from them. This trip, I had no clue what I would have to face when I arrived. Well, it's all good!! My father has lost a lot of weight but has no pain! He is in good spirits and still tinkering around the house. My mother is doing good and this is turning out to be a great visit!!I didn't know if I would be able to go home and I am flying home on the 12. . I will come back in another month and keep doing this until I need to come and stay. My hubby, daughter and family are coming in on Saturday and so all is good!!! I know what's coming, but God has given me a little bit more time to be with my dad and I am very, very thankful!! Well, anyway that is why I go in and out of MIA with my postings. Thank you for hanging in here with me!! I am so thankful!

My card today was made for one of my card customers grandson!! My background paper is digital and I forgot to bring all the information with me. I printed it out once on white card stock and the second one is the same images only I used Photo Shop to colored some yellow sections before printing. I used Soot Distress Ink on all of the edges with a sponge. I am not sure who's digi I used and if you would like to know about it or the paper please email me and when I get home I will send you the information.

Skin: E24, E13, E11, E01. Black: C7, C5, C3, C2. Gold: YR24, YR23 and Y11. Blue: B21, B00, B000 The sentiment was made in Word and used Nestability Scallop Ovals to cut it out. The footballs are from Jolene.

TIP OF THE DAY: Did you know you can make pearl dots, icicles and much more with your glue gun? These are video's by Jo Ham, who is on The Outlawz Design team! I bought the the pointed gun and started making my own for they are so easy to do. I did purchase Bazzill Splat Matt: which is one slick, non-stick work surface! This reusable mat withstands up to 500 degrees. Nothing sticks - glue, glitter, paint, ink, wax, soap, or starch; it all peels off once dry. Resists the hot temperature of a soldering iron, wood burning tools and hot wax or glue.Awesome pad for they glue dots come off of it so easily!!

Don't forget to check out SCACD for all your crafting needs! The new Victoria Case images are totally awesome! You can the city skyline on my posting below! I used it for a Steeler Super Bowl invite but it could be used for Christmas, Halloween or any holiday! Check it out!

Challenges:

Color Me Creative Copic Challenge Group: Male cards
Die Cuttin Divas: Die Cuts and football theme

Victoria Case Release Day at SCACD!

2011-10-28T04:00:00.079-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters! So sorry I have been MIA for the past week and will explain in the next few days why. Today, I want to focus on this exciting release of not one but two fabulous releases: "Street View" and "Classic Retro Crew" collections designed by Victoria Case exclusively for SCACD Stamps!

This is a blog hop and you should have arrived here from Lori's Blog.

I am showcasing two images, one from each collection so make sure you scroll all the way down!!

Oh I had tons of fun playing with "City Skyline!" I did everything from embossing it with white embossing powder on black paper and coloring with Twinkle H20 and placing a moon behind it with bats and could not get a good photo of it:( It kept looking blotchy and it was far from being blotchy! I also started another really cute card and will finish it at a later date! Then the light bulb really went off!! This idea brought a super big smile to my face!! Esp. since a good friend and I are friendly rivals when it comes to football!! She is on the DT so I am pretty confident she will see it!! Go Steelers!!

hehehehe!!

Now, I just hope I don't eat my words!!! KWIM?

The City Skyline, one of four different images from the Street View Collection and can be used in so many different ways! Colored with Copics: gold colors are the only ones I remember YR24, YR23 and Y15 and Y11 my favorite gold combination! The blue sky was done with a sponge and "Summer Sky" Memento/Tsukineko Ink. Paper: stash. Sentiment: Computer generated.

My second card I used "Order Up Table 5" from the Classic Retro Crew Collection! Another fun image to play with!

The Classic Retro Crew Collection has four different female images and one super nice bonus image if you buy the entire set!

Both set can be purchased at SCACD and for our international friends and the UK you can purchase them at Quixotic Paperie!

Copics: Skin: E11, E00, E000. Hair and skirt: C9 C7, C5, C3. Blouse and shake: RV02, RV00, RV000. Paper:stash. Ribbon: Olfry. Flower: Pink one is: Gillian/Rasberry - I love these flowers! You can't see all the sparkle in the photo:(

SCACD has all of your crafting needs including Memory Box Dies, 6 x 6 paper pads, gorgeous embossing folders and lots, lots more! You really need to check the store out!

Next on the blog hop is my fabulous and talented DT sistah: Diane and I know you won't want to miss her blog with her awesome and spectacular creations!

Challenges:

Airfactory: anything goes
Chrisma Cardz: Anything goes
Crafty Purple Frog Challenge: Sparkle
Make It Monday: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Card Makin Mama's: Die cuts - cards only
Inspire Me Fridays: Anything Goes
Our Craft Lounge: Going Pink
Raise The Bar: Sewing
Sew Many Cards: Use two background papers
Wags'n Whiskers: Black with pearls or ribbon

Are you ready for another Sneak Peek!

2011-10-25T16:52:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been MIA and will have a card posted tomorrow!

Today starts a week of fun at SCACD!! We have a new release by the talented Victoria Case for SCACD coming on Friday, October 28th so mark your calendars!!

Starting today there will be a sneak peek on the store blog, Follow Your Heart, each day along with blog candy!! So be sure to check it out!!!

There are 2 fabulous new collections from Victoria Case for SCACD being released~ Street Views-which has 4 stamps and a 1 free image and sentiment only when you buy the set and Classic Retro Crew-which also has 4 stamps and 1 free image and sentiment only when you buy the set! Both are amazing and I know you’ll love them!

We are sharing sneak peeks of the Street View’s but you know you’ll want to hop along with us on Friday to see the one Street View not shown during sneak peeks and also to see the Classic Retro Crew!
Today Danni is showing the super fun Fairy Hollow Street View! So be sure to hop over to her blog today to see it!

Princess by Sylvia Zet!

2011-10-13T19:42:00.006-04:00

Happy Thursday! It' been raining steadily here for the past two days and sure wish the sun would come back like it was over the weekend. We finally made it to the Apple Festival on Saturday and couldn't ask for better weather. It was a super fun day and delicious apple treats including my apple pizza!!

I have to tell you this story which happened a few weeks ago but it will be with me for a LONG time! My spare bedroom is my craft room too! Abbie, 6 and Andrew 4 are spending the night and I thought they were all tucked in!! I was walking by the room and noticed the light shining from underneath the door and opened it to see what was up. Over 50 + 6 x 6 paper pads are strewn all over the bed and each and every single page is torn out. When I saw the covers with no paper in them...I went numb. Abbie looks up with her beautiful innocent eyes and says "Look grandma, we help you and pulled them all out for you!! Andrew pipes up with "yea, and we didn't tear any of them. Abbie told me to be real careful!!" - "aren't you proud of us?"

I told them I was speechless. If I would have opened my mouth and said anything ...it wouldn't have been nice!!! I very quietly pushed all the papers together into several piles, kissed them goodnight AGAIN and was gently closing the door when I heard Abbie say "Andrew, I don't think grandma was happy we did that!" and out of the mouth of a four year old, Andrew replied "ya think?" LMBO! I had to laugh even though I could strangle them!!

Today my birthday card was made using the Princess image by Sylvia Zet for SCACD Stamps! She is so adorable riding her hobby horse! Did you have one when you were a child? I did and loved riding it! I would watch the TV westerns like Wagon Wheel, Gun Smoke (nothing like giving my age away!) Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers are only naming a few. When the cowboys would take off on their horses I was right behind them on my horsie!

Supplies:

Paper: Basic Grey: Olivia.
Scroll dies: Marianne Design Creatables. I love these!
Flowers: Prima and see the pink one in the middle. The camera does not pick up how pretty this is! It's called Fleurs De Prima and this color is Gillian Raspberry. The are fabric flowers with two shades of paper and dusted with glitter! Very pretty!
Corners: Shapabilites
Copics: Hair: E57, E55, E31, E51, Skin: E11, E00, E000. Green Coat: YG97, YG95, YG93, YG91. Dress: R29, R27, R24, R21. Sadle: E 55, E53, E51. Horse: E43, E42, E41, E40. Wood: E59, E57, E35. Reins on horse: YR24, YR23, Y15. Mane: E57, E55, E31, E51.
Flower Soft: Heather for her headband.
I used the zig zag stitch on my sewing machine for the border in white thread. Hard to see!

Hope you like her!!

TIP OF THE DAY: Any glitter pen such as American Craft, Sakura/Gelly Roll or Copic Atyou Spica Pens should be stored horizontally. I have ruin several pens by storing them vertically (straight up and down). When they are vertically... the glitter will clump together and form balls. No matter how much you shake them you will not be able to separate the glitter and as they enter the tip of the pen they clog the opening.

Susana at SCACD has a 25% off on all Halloween 6 x 6 paper pads and so much more! The sweetest new holiday Chipboard from Make It Crafty has landed at SCACD!

Challenges:

Little Miss Muffet: Girly
Crafty Creations: 3 Pattern papers, 2 embellishments and one image.
Creative Belli: Flower Soft or Glitter
Anything Goes: Die cuts

Festive Welcome Peeker

2011-10-07T20:35:00.005-04:00

*The Outlawz 1000 Member Party post is below this posting*

Hello happy crafters! I don't know what the weather is like where you live but here in Maryland was a GORGEOUS day! Lots of sunshine, slight breeze and 68 degrees! .My g/f, Tammy lives in Idaho and they had snow this week!!! I couldn't believe it and she sent us a picture! No, thank you!! I only want to see that white stuff on Christmas Eve and not a day before! One of our local stores has Christmas decorations already and we didn't even celebrate Halloween yet. I feel that takes the whole spirit out of the season. It was fun to look forward to Thanksgiving because the day after all the stores would have their decorations out and it was the beginning of the holiday season. I just don't get it.

Speaking of the season! I made my second Christmas Card this week using a cute stamp "Festive Welcome Peeker." from the Holiday Peekers over at SCACD! I had a lot of fun playing with her with her big bow and gorgeous hat!

My leaves are laser cut chipboard by Make it Crafty. I colored them with Pearlized Smooch then applied Diamond Glaze and sprinkled them with red glitter. They are really bright and shining! Doodlebug crushed Lily White Flock was added to the bottom of her dress. I added glittery shine to her shoes with Stickles X-mas Red Stickles...I love this color for a vibrant red! I also put it on the reef in various places!

Copics: Skin: E11, E00, E000. Hair: E59, E31, E13. Blue: B29, B28, B24, B21. Red: R29, R27. R24. R22. Greens: Sorry I didn't keep tract.
Ribbon: Olfry
Pearls: Kaisercraft

Don't forget The Outlawz 1000 Member Party with over $800.00 in prizes. Lots of fun with Scavenger Hunts, Bingo, Name That Tune, 7 challenges and much more! Tons of fun! All my products on my card are sold by SCACD and Susana generously gave a $100.00 Gift certificate for the party! And, she isn't the only one! Look at my blinkie on the top right hand side! Yep! Oozak.com also gave a $100.00 Gift Certificate!
AND on my posting below this...if you leave a comment and are a member of The Outlawz you could win a $20.00 Gift Certificate for 7 Kids College Fund!!! Come on and play!

Challenges:

Bah Humbug: Christmas
Crafty Ann's Challenges: Inspired by a Christmas Song:
Frosted Designs: Use four things from their list: I used Chipboard, rub-on (Christmas sentiment), inks and ribbon.
Prairie Fairy Friday: Girly
Floweret: Chirstmas
Joyful Stamper: Anything goes

2011-10-03T00:01:00.020-04:00

Welcome to The Outlawz first blog hop!

In case you do not know about the party... The Outlawz is celebrating reaching 1000 members with games, puzzles, scavenger hunts and over $800.00 in prizes!! It's a party you do not want to miss!

We have quite a line-up for you filled with great tutorials! The DT has been busy working hard to present to you techniques and awesome inspirations! Be sure to comment on all of the blogs along the way to be eligible for 9 yes 9 prizes! Each blog is giving away a prize and one random grand prize will be drawn at The Outlawz for those of you who have commented on every blog and entered your name into Inlinkz here.

This blog is sponsor this week by:

7 Kids College Fund

$20.00 Gift Certificate

All winners will be announce at The Outlawz on October 12.

My tutorial is melting a digital colored image onto a candle.

My digital image is from Fred She Said Designs

Easy Peasy

Supplies needed: Tissue paper, wax paper, digital or stamped image. Copics or other coloring medium, heat gun, card stock and glue stick. You only need glue stick and card stock if you are using a digital image.

Glue corners of tissue paper onto card stock to print the digital image onto. You do not want any excess paper hanging over the card stock or it will get stuck and ripped in the printer.

This is what your digital image looks like on the paper after printing.

Color your image with your favorite medium. I used Copics. You are unable to blend like you do on regular paper, however, you still get great highlights and shadowing. Place something under the tissue paper while coloring for your ink goes right through to the other side.

This is how much ink leaked through to the other side of the paper.

Cut your image out as close to the image as possible. It's okay to leave some of the surrounding tissue.

You want to went the tissue paper slightly! I wet the tip of my finger and slightly moisten the corners to help the tissue to adhere to the candle. You do not want any of the image to become wet for the ink will bleed.

Wrap your wax paper around the candle making a handle in the back to hold onto tightly. This will keep a tight seal around the image. Make sure there are no wrinkles or air pockets. You can also secure it with rubber bands.

Use a heat gun to heat the wax paper. What will happen is the heat gun will melt the wax coating on the wax paper and this is what seals your image onto the candle. You want to keep moving the heat gun so you do not melt the candle. Don't put the heat gun as close as I have it in the picture or it will melt for sure! Heat until you see everything turn shinny. This will take several minutes to do.

The total cost $1.50 for the candle for I had everything else. You can burn these candles and they make gorgeous gifts for all occasions.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing!

You must be a member of The Outlawz to win!

You receive an additional chance if you follow.

Good luck everyone!

You want to hop over to my sis-tah Maureen's to see another great tutorial! If you stumbled onto my blog without going through The Outlawz ....I am the first one on the list so keep on hopping!

Good luck and thank you for stopping by!!!

Holiday Peekers are here!

2011-09-30T04:00:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday my friends!! Can you smell fall in the air! Where I live is in the rural part of Northwest Maryland, not to far from the PA, WV and VA state lines! I have tree's and hills and pretty soon lots of colors! Fall is my favorite season! I love cooler mornings and evenings but still warm enough to go without a coat on. If you don't like near the eastern mountains I highly suggest you take a trip to visit mid October for the colors are just spectacular! You can see some of the trees starting to change their colors now. This weekend kicks off the Apple Festival at South Mountain Fairgrounds in Arendtsville, PA. OMGosh, have you ever had Apple Pizza? Five years ago when I saw the sign for "Apple Pizza" my nose did one of those turn ups with an ewwwww. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to check it out! It is to die for! Now we go to the festival each and every year just so I can have some! It is a flaky type dough spread out on a pizza pan and topped with apples, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Baked until the apples are cooked, but still a little crisp and topped with your choice of either caramel, chocolate, drizzle icing and much more! If I could send each of you a piece, I surely would for everyone should be able to taste this awesome, mouth watering, yummy pizza!

Today SCACD design team is show casing the "Holiday Peekers 2011!" created by Elisabeth Bell exclusively for SCACD. These cuties are so sweet! I was the lucky one chosen to spotlight "Where On The Tree" Let me tell ya there is a lot you can do with this sweetie. When I saw her I wanted a big Christmas tree behind her. I tried making a few and they just didn't cut it! Then I remember I had Christmas Tree Topper's from Flower-Soft which I had to cut down quite a bit but it was exactly what I wanted! Nestabilites circle was used to cut the round Christmas ball out with and I used Versamarker watermark Pen to color the cap of the ball and heat embossed it with gold embossing power, I replaced the sting on the image with gold string that came with a fruit basket I received. Packages were added the bottom of the photo to give a more realistic look!

Supplies:

Basic Grey Nordic Holiday paper
Copics: Face E11, E00, E000, Hair: E50, E39, E37, R59, R37, R35, R32 E21, Shirt: E59. R37. R35. R32., Pants; G28, G24, G21.
Stickles; To her bow

TIP OF THE DAY. Cleaning Copics. My friend Suzanne Dean showed me a really cool way to clean the tips of my copics. When your pen starts squeaking across the page and you just filled it. Or your paper starts getting tacky and if you feel the brush it feels tacky. This means probably your brush needs clean. Before I used to take my nibs and soak them in alcohol. You don't have to do that anymore!! Use an alcohol pad to clean it. You can purchase them in any drug store, walmart, CVS, etc. You have all seen these 2 x 2 alcohol pads if you ever receive a shot or had blood drawn, They are used to clean your skin. Simply take your tip while it is still in the marker, lay it onto the alcohol pad and squeeze it with your fingers and thumb. I do it until I see the white of the tip. That's it! It will act like it's brand new.

The Holiday Peeker 2011 Collection are now available at Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design OR for those of you in the UK/Europe: Quixotic Paperie!

You can see lots more inspirations with these cuties by visiting the SCACD store blog to see my sis-tahs awesome and gorgeous creations.

Last but not least: Read my post below for an awesome party you do not want to miss with over $800.00 in prizes being given away at The Outlawz!

A big hug to all of my friends for stopping by!!

Winter Wonder by Sylvia Zet

2011-09-27T10:02:00.002-04:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun or just for you? Saturday morning we delivered the favors I made for the baby shower (pictures of them are in my previous posting) and let me tell ya! The lady I made them for made me feel like I turned saw dust into gold! She raved on and on about how much she loved them and it was a good feeling to say the least! I love to craft and make money and it is awesome when you can combine the two!!

My card today is showcasing "Winter Wonder!" Yep, another cutie pie from the "Adventures of Loli" collection created by Sylvia Zet for SCACD Stamps! I really love this image and think she is so cute walking hand and hand with her teddy!

Over all I love the card, but her hair is a little bland and I am still learning to do the pleats. The pleats did look much better before I tried to add the swirl pattern into the dress with my white pen! We live and learn in crafting!

Copics: E11, E00, E000. Hair and teddy bear: E50, E51, E53, E55. Dress, B16, B14, B12, B000, R85, R83, R81. Sparky Fluff on her cap and coat. Diamond glaze added to the candle and her shoes. Stickles added to the snow flakes and flower. My snowflakes are foam found in the children's dept at Michael's topped with Prima snowflakes

The Outlawz Challenges is having a huge party celebrating 1000 Members!! Oh let me tell you!! You do not want to miss this party!!! Our sponsors have been more than generous with us!! Two of the prizes are $100.00 gift certificates....YES, you read that right!! TWO $100.00 gift certificates to your favorite stores!! Plus, lots, lots more! Right now we are having a pre-party challenge going on ...do you like paper? Do you like ribbon? Then follow me over to The Outlawz Challenges and you can win these...you don't even have to do a creation to win these prizes!! Come on let's go!!!

Challenges:

Critter Sketch Challenge: Anything goes
CupCake Craft Challenge: Teddy bear in the image
Make It Monday: Anything goes

Thank you my friends for stopping by. Your the reason I'm here!

Poppy Sylvia Zet

2011-09-23T12:44:00.005-04:00

Hello happy crafters! Read to the bottom for important information!! I am so sorry I have been MIA. Life is sometimes very busy and you know how it can be. We made a trip to Pittsburgh to see the STEELERS win! I made 120 favors which made two cakes for a baby shower. I will post photo's below. Went on a road trip with Suzanne Dean to Delaware for her wonderful copic classes. I met anaRy (creator of Gilli), Melanie and Ann who are on my Outlawz Design Team and had a blast!! I can't even remember everything I did! Plus, our next door neighbors are having their kitchen remodel so I have been having them to dinner. I'm tired!

My card today was made using Poppy! Poppy is one of the images from the Loli and Poppy Collection which Sylvia Zet created exclusively for SCACD and I love them! They are adorable, whimsy, cute and fun to color! I am really happy the way she turned out!! I love fall colors!

Paper: I believe it is Victoria Gardens by Echo Park
Copics: skin: E11, E00, E000, RV11. Hair: E17, E15, E11. Mushroom. E17, E15, E11, E43, E35, YR04. Outfit: BG45, BG02, BG000. Yellow: Y18, Y11.
Scroll: Maryann Design Dies
Flowers: Petaloo
Butterfly: Stash
Nestability Lacey Circle
Martha Stewart deep doily punch
Shapabilities tags

SCACD has new embossing folders and Kraftin’ Kimmie stamps in stock—so check them out! Lots and lots of 6 x 6 paper pads with some yummy Halloween and Christmas!

This is what I have been waiting to tell you!!! The Outlawz Challenges is having a huge party celebrating 1000 Members!! Oh let me tell you!! You do not want to miss this party!!! Our sponsors have been more than generous with us!! Two of the prizes are $100.00 gift certificates....YES, you read that right!! TWO $100.00 gift certificates to your favorite stores!! Plus, lots, lots more! Right now we are having a pre-party challenge going on ...do you like paper? Do you like ribbon? Then follow me over to The Outlawz Challenges and you can win these...you don't even have to do a creation to win these prizes!! Come on let's go!!!

These are the pictures of the favor cakes I made!!

Challenges:

The Outlawz Copic/Promarker Challenge: Anything goes
Four Crafty Chicks: Autumn Fall
Art Impressions: Girls
Crafty Purple Frog Challenge: Autumn Fall
Crafty Ribbon Challenge: Anything goes
Hanna and Friends: Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet: anything with wings!
Southern Girls Challenge: Anything goes
Stampin' B's Designs: Two or more Nestibilities

Thank you so very much for stopping by! See you at The Outlawz!

Hope Sylvia Zet's Release day for SCACD

2011-09-09T04:00:00.004-04:00

It's finally here and happening right now! Sylvia Zet images created exclusively for SCACD Stamps are released and available now! Wait until you see all eight, yes eight! Each one is cuter then the next and so versatile! All holidays from Christmas to birthday creations could be made using these stamps. A complete year available in 8 adorable images!

Susana wants to make sure everyone can enjoy Sylvia's adorable images and has made them available in discounted sets! Buying the complete sets in good quality red rubber is the way to go! It's like getting one image free! They can be purchases at SCACD and for our international friends and the UK you can purchase them at Quixotic Paperie!

To celebrate the SCACD and Quixotic Paperie design team with some fabulous guests have created an awesome, inspirational blog hop for you to enjoy! Come see the adventures of Loli, Shellie, Poppy and the rest of their friends!

I have the honor of introducing to you "Hope!" Look at this sweet, hopeful angel holding her puppy! My card was created for my sweet cousin, Barb. Our family has seen better days and I want her to know, she is my angel and we will always have prayer and hope together!

Copics: Hair:25, E31, E50, YR 20. Skin: E21, E00, E000, RV10. Wings: YR02,YR00, YR000. Hope chest: YR24, YR23, Y15, Y11, YR 02. YG23.
Ribbon: Olfry
Paper: Jillibean, Dutch Mustard Soup

You should have hopped here from special guest: Mary Giemza.

Next hop will be to another fabulous quest: Zoe McGrath.
If your just joining and would like to start at the beginning of the hop - that would be at my talented DT sister: Elaine Huges.

The complete list of all the inspirational blogs can be found at SCACD blog "Hearts and Hugz"

Don't forget to check out all of SCACD's wonderful products,

for all of your crafting needs!

The best selection of paper pads anywhere!

Happy Hopping and thank you for stopping!!! Enjoy the rest of the hop! Hugz, Colleen

Good Luck Penn State!

2011-09-07T22:39:00.007-04:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! Yea! It's hump day! Row, Row, Row your boat! Let me tell ya, we have been getting constant heavy rain for 3 days now. Pretty soon we will be rowing down the streets. Sure wish we could ship it to Texas and other states that are in a major drought with wild fires. Gosh, can't the weather just even out for a bit and give everyone some relief?

All the schools went back in session including the colleges this week! Sad for it means the end of summer, but it is also the beginning of football season!! Yeah Steelers and Penn State! Can you tell I'm a PA girl? At my husbands work they have interns for the summer. One is a young man returning back to Penn State College and is a player on the great Nittany Lions Soccer Team! They ordered a "good luck" card for him. Oh yea, I would be happy to make him one! I love Penn State!!

My card was created using Elizabeth O'Dulemba's , "Back To School" image. Are you familiar with her work? Elizabeth is an award winning author/illustrator who creates awesome images and even better yet...she sharess them for free. Each Tuesday she releases a new creation and you can see all of them here.

Copics: Apple R37, R35, R32. Green: G28, G24, G21. E37, E35, E31 (I think) Y35, Y28, Y15, Y11.
Penn State emblem: I copy and pasted one from the internet and printed it out on Gina K 180 lb card stock.
Paper: SEI, I'm An Athlete

TIP OF THE DAY: Making flower soft or fluffy snow. Take two Styrofoam balls and rub them together. You will create a friction and will create tiny little flakes and perfect just like it is for snow. By placing the shavings into a plastic bag or placing them on a dish, add a few drops of re-inkers, food coloring and mix thoroughly till you have your desire color. Let dry to air. Flower soft or other fluff can be up to $7.00 per jar. A bag of Styrofoam balls $1.00, which will make you as much as you want! Easy peasy and they look almost identical!

Don't forget...

Friday, September 9th is RELEASE DAY

for the Sylvia Zet Collection for SCACD! We hope you will join us in welcoming these cuties to the SCACD Stamp Family!!! Please, check SCACD Store blog HERE on Friday, September 9th for an awesome blog hop with VERY special and extremely talented designer sisters and guest!

Would you like to win?

A $50 gift certificate to Oozak

A $25 gift certificate to SCACD

A Gilli Goodie bag from Anary

A special Paper Temptress package put

together for The Outlawz

All you need to do is enter one challenge over at The Outlawz!! That's it...so easy!

Challenges entered

Divas by design: Back to school

Dude Time Doodle Man card

Sweet Cheeks Peeker! SCACD

2011-09-01T00:30:00.007-04:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope where ever you live you had a beautiful, gorgeous day like we did here in Maryland! It was in the mid 80's, lots of sunshine and gorgeous clouds!! One of my favorite things to do is look at the clouds and make animals, creatures, angels or whatever comes to mind. At one time, every time I looked up I saw my dog, Sparky, who was my best friend for 15 years. The strange part is when I got Rags those clouds disappeared. LOL and I have looked and looked for them and never see them anymore. It's like once he knew I had another best friend, he didn't need to watch over me anymore. I know your all thinking I am nutzy...well, at least it's a good nutz!

Say "Hello!" to Sweet Cheeks, just one of the adorable images from the Peekers # 2 collection,
created by Elisabeth Bell exclusively for SCACD Stamp Company. Doesn't she just melt your heart!?!!

Copics: Skin: E21, E00, E000. Hair: E25, E31, E50. Bathing Suit: R39, R37, R35, R32.
Paper: Stash
Flowers: Prima
Nestability Big Scallop Oval and sponged Memento Ink: Summer Sky around the inside edges.
Magic Mesh
Sentiment: Stash

If you love adorable - you will love all of the Peekers!

All of the stamps at SCACD are over the top! Not only are the totally adorable but are made with good quality rubber. The images, stamp with distinct clear lines the first time, every time!!

SYLVIA ZET FOR SCACD BLOG CANDY! Sylvia designed 8 super darling stamps exclusively for SCACD and Susana split them into two sets, Poppy and Loli! And that's now all!! She is giving one set of each away!! How can you win a set? All's you have to do is answer one question!! ONE! And, they could possible in your hands next week!

Talking about cuteness! Did you see who else is designing for SCACD now with a HUGE release on Friday, September 9? Honestly, you have to check these images out by Sylvia Zet!! Sylvia designed 8 super darling stamps exclusively for SCACD and Susana split them into two sets, Poppy and Loli! And that's not all!! She is giving one set of each away! How can you win a set? All you have to do is answer one question!! ONE on the SCACD store blog, Follow Your Heart and they could possible be mailed to YOU the day of the release. You can only have until 10 EST on September 1 to answer the question! RUN!!!!

Check out SCACD store for all kinds of new products. These are two to die for embossing folders by Craft Concept!

TIP OF THE DAY: Did you hear about the new Scor Pal No More Shims Embossing Folder? Check out this video for everything you can do with it!! Mine came in the mail yesterday and can't wait to try all of this myself! You can emboss a lace, material, bottle caps that you have in your house! MONICA: This reminds me so much of you and your crafty creations with household items!!

Challenges entered:

Crafty Creations Challenge: Die cuts
Little Darlings Challenge: Ruffles or Pleats
The Paper Shelter: Anything Goes
Ruby's Rainbow: Buttons or brads
The SisterHood of Crafting: Flowers

Gecko/ Happy Birthday Ryan!

2011-08-27T21:21:00.015-04:00

Happy Saturday everyone! Well, we arrived home from Florida on Monday afternoon, had an earthquake on Tuesday and a hurricane headed our way today! Gesssshhhh who's bored? Let me tell ya about the earth quake! We have a two story home and we made an office out of one of the upstairs bedrooms. My hubby and I are sitting there and he says "the house is shaking." We look at each other and both go and look out the window! Smart huh? It felt like you were in an old building next to a train and it was rumbling by. It started out with just a small rumble and kept getting stronger. The walls were shaking and my first thought was possible an old coal mine shaft was shifting underneath the house and DH says "your not in PA anymore!" Since he is from Florida he thought it might be the beginning of a sink hole. Have you ever seen a sink hole? A huge hole in the ground suddenly appears and anything standing there sinks into the hole including houses. Egaddds my heart started racing like a jet plane ready for take off. After we didn't sink into oblivion DH says "that was an earthquake" I looked at him like he was nutz! Who the heck would think it could be an earthquake in MD? I sure as heck didn't!! But low behold it was! EEEEkkks!

I had awesome news!! I won the Color Me Creative Challenge #24!! My prize was 4 Copic refills and a Gilli Stamp!! I was so excited for I never win anything! It's a fun challenge with friendly members!! This week is winged thing!

The card I am sharing today is a birthday card I made for our son, Ryan. He loves snakes, lizards and has both in his house. Not me! I don't even like worms near me all alone a snake! I found this cute Gecko on a coloring page you can download for children to color...adults too!!! Isn't he cute!

Copics: G28. G16, G14, YG23. Y11
Paper: My Minds Eye: Stella Rose Hattie

TIP OF THE DAY: I have several tips for you today! Many times there is a too much space between one die cut to the next size. This is using one die!

Using a black Copic-multi liner, I traced the inside of the die onto my cut out piece. As you can see above it makes a nice frame surrounding my image.
Using a cutting blade, I laid the die onto a piece of card stock and cut around it.

LOL, I switch to another color. I used painters tape to hold the die in place.

I have a beautiful framed Gecko using one die. On the card you will notice I have a butterfly ...it wasn't planned! I goofed up the top of the die cut by cutting too short and my ink tracing wasn't the best right there!!

I made this card the day we were leaving for vacation. To anchor my image by just dotting around it with different colored markers. If I were to do it again, I would have only used colors specs you see in sand.

Would you like to win?

A $50 gift certificate to Oozak

A $25 gift certificate to SCACD

A Gilli Goodie bag from Anary

A special Paper Temptress package put

together for The Outlawz

All you need to do is enter one challenge over at The Outlawz!! That's it...so easy!

_____________________________________________________________

Did you see the new Fall Fairies Collection at SCACD? Check these cuties out!

Challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life:Male Card
CMC Copic Challenge: Must use Copics and have a winged something!
Crazy 4 Challenges: Male card
Ellephantastic Challenge: Layering
Sugar Creek Hollow: Male Card
Digi's With Attitudes: Anything goes/ ends August 31.
If The Shoe Fits: In the jungles: Lizards are in jungles and butterflies!
Fun With Shapes and More: Water
Joyful Stamper: Anything Goes
Jelly Park Friends: Die cuts or punches
The Poodles Parlour: Anything goes
Show and Tell: Anything Goes
The Outlawz: Copic/ Promarkers Anything goes
Flutter-by-Wednesday: Must have a butterfly, angle, or something with wings. Anything goes this week

Hope you enjoy! I want to welcome all of my new followers and thank those who have stayed with me!!

Happy Birthday Travis! Karate Boy!

2011-08-17T21:38:00.000-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters! Gee, I can't believe half of our vacation is gone here in sunny Florida...Sometimes I just wish time would stand still for awhile!! Don't you? Our grandchildren, Trinity 10 and Christian 12 are here with us. It's been a week full of swimming in the pool and beach! Today we went for a bike ride and it felt wonderful to be on a bike again with the wind blowing through my hair! Until after we did 2 miles and it's noon time with the sun beating down on us...it got very hot out indeed! The kids started complaining of the heat and that didn't help the situation, so we cut it short and return after riding for an hour. I felled not once but twice because the bike was a tad big for me. I don't know what was hurt more...my leg or my pride? I am fine but have HUGE bruises on my legs! I look like someone who was beaten up with a baseball bat. Eeeekss.

Monday, was our grandson, Travis birthday and he turned 10!! And, believe it or not his birthday card was there on time! That is the first one this year! Patting self on the back for if you follow my blog you know ...I am always late:(

TIP OF THE DAY:

Travis lives in Las Vegas and loves Karate! He has his yellow belt, so when I saw Karate Boy created by Karen Doodles I had to have it! Perfect card for a very special kid!

Copics: C01, C00, C000. Belt: Y13 Y11, Y00. Hair: E35, E31, E51, E50. Skin: E11, E00, E000, R20. Wood: E74, E34, E 70. Highlighting the image: BG0000 and Colorless Blender.
Paper: S.E.I 6 x 6 paper pad. #1 All Star: SCACD
Ribbon: Stash
Fiskar Punch
Sentiment: Just Right Stamps

Would you like to win?

Oozak

$50.00 Gift Certificate

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Rubber Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress

$20.00 The Outlawz Special bag of paper!

All you have to do is enter one challenge over at The Outlawz and you will qualify to be entered in the random drawings! Come on and join the fun!!!

Thank you for stopping by my friends! Your all very special to me!

Hydrangea Hugs and Sylvia Zet!

2011-08-14T04:00:00.011-04:00

Happy Sunday from Sunny Florida! We finally made it to Vero Beach and will write more details next week! I have to tell ya about our exciting time at the airport on Friday! Our flight was to depart at 12:48 and after arriving at the airport, we found out we had a two hour delay. Eeeeks, I hate delays and I always arrive at the airport the very last minute and Friday we were early...go figure right! So we are sitting there and I am playing on the my laptop when they announce "anyone willing to give up their seats and leave on the 9:30 flight will receive two free round tickets to anywhere Airtran flies. Well, it took me a total of 10 seconds to be at the counter. Some big guy tried to cut me off! I might be only five feet tall but let me tell ya! Don't get in my way when I am on a mission. I asked the ticket clerk "do you need two seats" and when she said those magical words "yes" immediately I started planning our next trip!! .Airtran flies to Aruba, Cancun, Puerto Rico, Key West and Dominican Republic and baby I am going! We received four free round tickets (2 each), 2 $25.00 gift certificates to use with Airtran and you are allow to use it for your luggage and 2 $10.00 meal tickets for anywhere in the airport. Wowzie I was so excited, I couldn't quit talking and had smiles from ear to ear! It was like winning the lottery!

Well, you have seen bits and pieces of Sylvia Zet's image for SCACD Collection. Do you want to see the entire image? Today is the day you have been waiting for!! Why? Because you can see the unveiling of the 1st stamp from Sylvia Zets image for SCACD's Collection on SCACD's Blog; Follow Your Heart! My DT sister, Elaine is doing the unveiling, so you know your in for a real treat because all of her creations are gorgeous!! That's not all!! You can pick up the official Sylvia Zet's SCACD blinkie, colored by Sylvia herself, for your own personal blogs! All of this is on the stores blog; Follow Your Heart today!!

The card I am sharing with you today is created using Hydrangea Hugs by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD stamps. Isn't she adorable? I love her adorable happy face, which was perfect for my thank you card!! I just love the way it turned out!

The bumble bee buttons were found in my stash and sure wish I knew where I got them!!!

Copic: YG97. YG95, YG93, YG91. Yellow: Y18, Y15, Y11

Stickles: Frosted Lace on the white area of the flower pot. Flower Lace by Stickles is very thick and perfect for creating snow, icing or anything you want to add a texture area to. Star Dust on the flowers and ribbon.

Paper: Stash
Scrolls by Marianne's Design Creatable dies

Tip of the day: How to remove paper from the intricate detail die cut (Marianne's, Spellbinders, etc) You have read to run the dies through your Cuttlebug using wax. Or to use a paper piercer to lift it out. This trick is so dang easy!Hold a piece of tape and apply the end of it to the die cut paper and lift! Like you were picking up a piece of lint! It comes out of the die with no problem!! No tearing or marring of the paper!! It is so dang easy to do!!!

SCACD: is having another new set release next week created esp. for SCACD Stamps! These images are cuties and you will want to check them out!

New paper pads by at SCACD] and much more!

And much, much more!!
Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to pop on over to the SCACD Store blog to see Sylvia's for reveal image for SCACD!!

Challenges:

The Crafty Pad: cute and girly
Ginger Loft Challenge: sparkle or glittery
One Stitch At A Time: Anything goes
CMC Copic Challenge Group: Color embellishment.with Copics and friend inspired.
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge : use 3 or 4 of your favorite embellishments
Inspire Me Fridays: Anything goes

Secret New Artist At SCACD

2011-08-10T04:00:00.002-04:00

Join us at the SCACD Store Blog to Welcome the Newest Artist to SCACD!!!
There is also a chance to win something but you will have to go to the Store Blog to check it all out :o)
We are all very excited about this addition and look forward to the upcoming release next month!!!
SO head on over and check it out!!!‖ Ladies and Gents ....trust me...you are going to go ahhhh, ewwww , how cute...and everyone is going to want them all!! Lots of fun things to do!!! Here is a sneak peak!! Can you tell anything? LOL
Here is a sneak peek!!!

Hugzz see you over there!! Love you stopping by today!!

What's In The Box? Peeker!

2011-08-05T22:57:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!! Yeah the weekend is here! Even though I am not working I still love the weekends, esp. in the summer! What are your plans this weekend? I am having my hair cut tomorrow and then a corn roast! Have you ever had fresh corn on the cob cooked on an open fire or grill...it is the best corn you will ever eat!! Yummy and I can't wait to sink my teeth into one!

Did you go see the Peekers yet at SCACD store? Hmmm, your asking what are the Peekers? They just happen to be the most adorable, cutest images ever by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stamps. Susana, who owns the store, says they're selling like crazy, so if you want oneor perhaps all of them I wouldn't wait to long! Personally, I had to have them all!

Today's card was made for my granddaughter, Trinity. Her birthday was August 3, I know, I know it's late. I didn't want anyone to go into shock for a card arriving on time! Let me tell ya something! I had my daughter-in-laws card made early and her birthday was on July 27, when I was visiting my parents. I packed the card in my suitcase with stamps on it! All's I had to do was drop it in the stupid mail box and thought this card will be on time! HAHA fat chance! Every time I went out, I forgot to take the card with me to mail. Dang if I didn't bring it back home and mailed it late.. So I just give up! I am not meant to be on time.

Let me introduce you to "What's In The Box?" Peeker! She is as precious as can be. Right before mailing the card, I folded a $20.00 bill into a very small fold. I placed it behind the box on the card with a fan fold showing at the top of the box! Too cute!

Isn't she adorable!?!

Authentique Paper Pad - Journey I love, love this 6 x 6 paper pad.
Copics: E11, E00, E000, Hair: E18, E09 YR14, YR04. Dress: B18, B16, B12, B00.
Pearl Scrolls: Zva Creative
Nestability: Label #16
Ribbon: Ofry
Flowers: Prima
Ribbon Charm:: Blue Moon Charms - Medium Hearts

SCACD received 18 different My Mind's Eye 6 x 6 paper pads! OmGosh, paper heaven over there! While you're there check out the Christmas Paper section...GORGEOUS.

Would you like to win?

Oozak

$50.00 Gift Certificate

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Rubber Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress

$20.00 The Outlawz Special bag of paper!

All you have to do is enter one challenge over at The Outlawz and you will qualify to be entered in the random drawings! Come on and join the fun!!!

Challenges:

Alphabet Challenge: Navy plus one other color!
Frosted Designs: Color with Copics
Joyful Stamper: Anything goes
Mami Doodles: Flowers
Raise the bar: Anything goes
Craft Us Crazy: Anything goes

Thank you my friends for stopping by!

Mama's Purse Peeker

2011-08-01T18:40:00.006-04:00

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had an awesome weekend. We traveled to Pittsburgh to attend my cousin's funeral. En-route we learned our daughter-in-laws grandmother passed. I'll tell ya, it's been a heck of a year for us with cancers and death and hopefully this will be the last. Today, I got up and said "this is my day!" Since my hubby works at home 3 days a week and he was gone today....well, let the cat play! I drank my coffee on the deck, played with my dogs and made this very pretty card! It's the first time, since the beginning of June, I have been relaxed and it felt soooo good! Life is way to short not to enjoy it.

This sweet card was made with "Mama's Purse Peeker," isn't she adorable!?! She is from the Peeker's Collection 2 set by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stamps! What little girl does not love playing in mama's purse? And, you think she is adorable, you should see the rest of the set! Each one is more adorable then the other one! For the first time I paper pieced (her purse) and it is so easy to do! Lots of fun too!

Design Paper: Echo Park, Victoria: Yummy, yummy paper pad!
Copics: Hair: E57, E55, E31, E51. Rose: R37, R35, R32, Dress: BG75, BG72, BG70, G000. Skin: E21, E00, E000. Money: YG61, G10.
Flower: left bottom; Prima Flower, Flewurs de Prima, Bluemen...so pretty for they have gold tip glittery edges!
Flower, right top: Prima
Nestability: Labels 14.
Leaves: Marianne Design Creatable Dies: Open Flowers Trendy

TIP OF THE DAY: If your paper is not colored through all of the layers, it will show white on the side edges, after being cut. Glide the edge of your paper over a similar colored ink pad and you won't believe how much better it looks!

LQQK at the awesome sponsors over at The Outlawz this month!! You only need to complete one challenge out of 28 to be eligible to win! There are also more prizes within some of the challenges! Come on and join us in all the fun and win some awesome gift certificates and prizes!!

Oozak

$50.00 Gift Certificate

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Rubber Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Have you checked out SCACD lately? Susana has the new Gorjuss girls in stock and are totally adorable. Susana's store is growing, growing and growing! You would not believe the stamps she has in stock now! Or the pretty Christmas Paper in 6 x 6 pads. You should stop by and check it all out, Susana has everything you need for your paper crafting needs!

Challenges:

Craft Your Passion: Anything goes
Hook On Craft: Cute and Cuddly...don't you just want to pick her up and hug her!?!
Icopic: Copic skin tones
Make It Monday: Anything Goes
Paper Creations Ink: Stitching ...outside of my card is stitching with machine.

Thank you my friends for stopping by!

PEEKERS 2 COLLECTION!

2011-07-29T02:49:00.000-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters! Oh what a day!! Has your personal email ever been hacked? This is the second time it has happened to me on AOL and I am livid! First, I find out every person in my email address book was sent two emails; advertising either pills, Viagra or whatever! Just what I need for the business's I deal with!?! Have Mercy on me! I can't even imagine what their thoughts would be..esp. if they never saw spam emails before!! Ok, so I took care of it! I sent an email to everyone in my address book, and placed in the subject line "My email has been hacked/spammed. I was upset, but I dealt with it, until... Dear AOL sends me an email with a warning for spamming!! OMGosh, in less than one second, I went from singing with my I tunes, to over the top fury!! I couldn't type a reply fast enough!! I wrote with no professionalism at all and said: Let me tell ya, if you had a better security system for your subscribers, which would prevent hackers from infiltrating their personal accounts and address books ...we wouldn't have this problem, would we? and I hit send. Guess what? You can't reply back...it states undeliverable. I don't need to go any further, except to say "I'm not done!" I will find an email address for their TOS Accounts and I will probably give one person a headache, who does not deserve it, but an eye for an eye, my head was splitting!

On to more pleasant things!

Remember the adorable Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stamps? I’m sure you do for they are so adorable! Well, they were so popular Elisabeth designed a second collection of Peekers, exclusively for SCACD Stamps. Every day this past week you have seen sneak peaks of the collection except for two! And, I have one of them!!! I am so excited! Introducing to you for the first time ever "All Peeked Out!" which happens to be one one of my favorites!!

Is that not the sweetest face!?! She was so eacy to color too with just enough details to make her totally adorable!

One fine Christmas, many years ago, my daughter, Amy was awoken by her older brother to come and see what Santa brought. When she saw the presents under the tree she started crying, yes crying, presents everywhere and she starts sobbing! We were like dumbfounded! Why? she was upset because she missed seeing Santa!! "All Peeked Out" instantly reminded me of the day when they still believed!

I kept my card simple by adding embossed what on top of white card stock. I added Flower Soft Diamond Range - Polar White inside of the bunny ears and noses. Green to the bunny vest. Diamond Stickles to her bow and stars on her PJ top, it doesn't show up very well.

Copics: Face: E21, E00, E000. PJ's: RV23, RV11, RV000. Green bunney: G00, G000.

SCACD is not having a hop today:( However, do you really want to miss seeing this gorgeous, adorable collection! You can go to the SCACD store blog or if you are following the DT's in order...you would have come here from Kim and you will visit "Danni!" next! You will want to see Danni's creation for they are always gorgeous!

The Peekers 2 Collection are now available at Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design OR for those of you in the UK/Europe: Quixotic Paperie!

Check out the store for MORE yummy paper or for any other crafting needs you have!! OMGosh, Susana has the new Bo Bunny 6 x 6 Paper Pad - Father Christmas and Bo Bunny 6 x 6 Paper Pad - Blitzen. You have to see these....no, I will show you for they are GORGEOUS!!!

Thank you to all of my friends and new followers for all of your support each and every day! You really do make my world a whole lot brighter! Thank you!

Celebrate Victoria Case & Sneak Peek of the Peekers 2!

2011-07-24T03:07:00.006-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters!! Let me tell ya! I never knew what hot, hot, hot really meant and I lived in Orlando for five years! It has been 115- 117 degrees F (47.22 C) here at my parents in Yuma, Arizona. If you know me, you know I LOVE to go to the pool and not only read my books, but I love to be in the water and swim... Never in my born days did I ever think I would say it was too hot to go swimming! No lie...walking from the car to the store burns your skin and I was tan before I came here. It is awful and my mom wants to go to Mexico tomorrow. Nothing like going further south!!

TIP OF THE DAY! Did you hear the news or any rumors? Well, there is another sneak peek at SCACD!!
Remember the adorable Peekers illustrated by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stamps? I’m sure you do, as they have proved very popular! They were so popular Elisabeth designed a second collection of Peekers exclusively for SCACD Stamps.

Over the next few days, the SCACD Team are previewing the new collection, so make sure you check in over at the SCACD Store Blog to see where you can find the preview Peeker each day! Trust me...you'll want these ones bad!!! They are so dang adorable!!

Release day is 29th July 2011, and the stamps will be available at Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design OR for those of you in the UK/Europe: Quixotic Paperie!

Today is the first day of previews with my talented DT sister, Elaine and Guess designer, who is totally awesome, Janiel are showing off the first of the Peeker 2 collection! Both of these ladies are awesome designers and I know their creations are going to be over the top!!

PRIZE ALERT: Leave a comment on both Elaine and Janiel’s blogs today and you could be in with a chance of winning the gorgeous Peeker stamp we’re previewing! See the SCACD Store Blog for full details on the release and prize draws.

My sweet card today is Celebrate which is one of the images from Sweet Meets Sassy 2 Collection, by one of my favorite designers, Victoria Case designed for SCACD stamps. Isn't she adorable!?! And how many different celebrations cards could you make with her...hmmmm, anniversary, graduation...just about any celebration and guess what? She comes with a sentiment and guess what it says? LOL "Celebrate!!!" I made my granddaughter, Trinity this cute birthday card! Love the way it came out!

Copics: Skin: E21, E00, E000, R20. Hair: E31, YR31, E51, E50. Top and shoes: RV11, RV02, RV00, RV000. Pants: G02, G00, G000,
Ribbon: Paper Temptress
Flower Die: Marianne Dies
Sakura Glitter Pens: Gina K... used on the confetti.
Sentiment: Justrite Stamp
Gold Border: Peel Off Sticker by Flower Soft
Paper: 6 x 6 paper pad ...sorry forgot which one but know I bought it at SCACD

Thank you for stopping by my friend! Hugz, Colleen

Gathering Love by Carmen Medlin

2011-07-18T00:02:00.001-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters! Did you have a great weekend and do anything fun? Life is so short and you need to take time for YOU and do the things you love to do. Me, I am trying so hard to quit putting things off until tomorrow and enjoy something every day. It makes my life much happier even if I only take 10 minutes.

My parents moved from Nevada to Yuma, Az and I flew there to help them unpack. It's hard for after I unpack something I have to ask where it goes and many of times my mother has no clue where she wants it! Eeeeekssss it is frustrating to say the least! I do have her kitchen scrubbed, polished and clean from corner to corner. All the cabinets and drawers are scrubbed and polished inside out!! Why can't I find this kind of energy when I am home???? Why? Because I keep putting it off until tomorrow!! LMBO.

This is one of the cards I made before I left and it is "Gathering Love" from the Carmen Medline's Natural Beauty Collection which was created exclusively for SCACD. All the images in this collection are gorgeous and so easy to use for a variety of cards! My daughter-in-laws birthday is on July 27 and this image reminds me so much of her! Beautiful and happy go lucky personality!

Copics: Hair E25, E23, E31, E50, Skin E11, E00, E000. Dress: V04, V00, V000, Sash: BG75, BG72, BG70. Grass: bunch of greens!!! Sorry didn't keep tabs.
Flowers: Prima SCACD
Ribbon Charm: SCACD
Scroll Die: Marianne Dies
Paper: 6 x 6 paper pad: SCACD

TIP OF THE DAY: When you cut your card stock do you ever end up with fray's or stringy cut? If you pull on them it rips the paper more and cutting it off usually ends up with an uneven cut. Easy Peasy! Use an Emory board and file up and down on the side. Not from side to side for this will fray it more . just up and down and watch it disappear!!

These are the awesome sponsors at The Outlawz this month!! You only need to complete one challenge out of 28 to be eligible! There are also more prizes within some of the challenges! Check it out!

Oozak

$50.00 Gift Certificate

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Rubber Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Thank you for stopping by and visiting me! Hugz, Colleen

Birthday Fairy Lee

2011-07-13T11:28:00.003-04:00

Hello Happy Campers! How are ya doing today? Me, about time you read this I will be flying across the states from Maryland to Arizona to visit my parents for two weeks. My mom turned 85 on Sunday and my dad is 88 and I have been trying to visit them several times a year for 2 week periods. Each time I go and leave to come back home, I get that great big lump in my throat. Yes, we can lose a love one, at any age, but when your parents are this old you know the inevitable is coming. They are both still active, my dad has the beginning of Alzheimer's and my mom is at the beginning of dementia. It's hard to watch the mental changes occurring and at times it takes a lot of patience to be around.. They have been my best friends forever and July 5 they celebrated their 68 anniversary!! Wowzie!! Can't wait to hug each one!!

I made five cards in the past two days to post while I am away! Today's card was made using Birthday Fairy Lee by Mo Manning! If you are ever looking for a special image, or of a different culture, Mo's Digital Pencil is where you want to look first! She is a fantastic artist and her images are for all walks of life, holidays, get well and the list goes on and on!

Coloring pleats is not my forte! I envy anyone who can do it and it looks natural!! So what I do is to color over the lines in the images!! Use your imagination and you will see them! I added Diamond Stickles to her wings and bottom of her outfit to make them glittery! Have you tried any of Marianne Design Creatable Dies? I LOVE them! The scrolls are perfect for cards, they are thin enough to place anywhere and have a little more curves than the Nesties. On this card I used to different ones that come in the same package, along with a scallop circle and two flower dies. It's an awesome deal compare to the prices of other brand name dies.

Copics: Skin: E11, E00, E000. Dress: R02, R01, R00. Cupcake: YG2r, YG23, YG21, YG00.
Paper: Best Creations: Let's Party
Sentiment: Justrite
Leaves, scrolls, flower: Marianne Design Creatable Dies

TIP OF THE DAY: While your coloring and you go out of the line...don't despair! Two ways of fixing it. One is with your colorless blender by putting a piece of your paper underneath your image and pressing down with the blunt side of your colorless blender, let it dry, do it again if necessary. The paper below will catch the extra ink. For very small marks use a white marker. I use Sharpie's Poster-Paint Marker, extra fine point. It covers in one stroke!

Challenges:

Bearly-mine: Anything goes
Clear It Out: Wings
Die Cuttin Divas: Must include a die cut. I have 6!
Digital Tuesday Challenge: Digi and die cuts.
Scrap Creations: 2 PD and 2 embellishments. My flower cut out is make with a different DP.
Ladybug Crafts Ink: Summer Birthday
Marianne's Design Divas: Use Marianne's dies or other Marianne Products

These are the awesome sponsors at The Outlawz this month!! You only need to complete one challenge out of 28 to be eligible! There are also more prizes within some of the challenges! Check it out!

Oozak

$50.00 Gift Certificate

Want this badge?"

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Goodie Bag

Paper Temptress

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Thank you for visiting. I love to hear your comments and critique's helps a person grow! I will wave as I fly over you today!! I am one number away from 300 followers...Please make my day and take me over the top of it!! Hugz

New Release

2011-07-08T04:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! Amazing how fast this week went flying by! When ever there is a holiday on a Monday I get all screwed up with the days and thinking this is Thursday! I had a fantastic week with the grandchildren. On Monday my daughter, hubby and her two children brought our two grandsons, Tyler and Travis who live in Las Vegas to go see the fireworks in Annapolis. Gosh, let me tell ya Annapolis goes all out to celebrate the Fourth of July! We went on a harbor cruise and watched the fireworks from the middle of the harbor. They were really pretty for they reflected off of the water. Tyler and Travis stayed until today and are now off visiting with their other grandparents before they go back to Vegas.

Susana, SCACD was having a "Just Because" moment and decided that 2 amazing Perfume Bottles designed by Victoria Case and 2 Flower Children designed by Elisabeth Bell could not wait to be shown!!! So today is the release and showcasing of these four adorable stamps!

I am introducing "Daisy Doll" who is just adorable! I had so much fun coloring her with blending the petals and designing the flower pot. After I was done making the card...I thought "wow, is this bright!" Yep, it is certainly bright and cheerful and will make a perfect "Get Well" or "Missing you this much!" or "Happy birthday!" so versatile and could be used on just about any card. I love when I can use a stamp for more than one type of card.

Copics: Petals: R17, R14, E08, E02, YR16, YR15, YR09.Y15, Y02. Skin: E21, E00, E000. Outfit: BV02, BV00. Flower Pot: YG67, YG63, YG61, Y02, YR15. Leaves: YG23, YG21.

Scrolls and flower: Marianne Design Creations

Ribbon: Paper Temptress

Paper: Jillbean

Don't forget to check out SCACD for all your crafting supplies! Let me tell ya, she has the best paper selection around and I would most definitely check it out this weekend (hint, hint!) These are the latest that has been added!

Lots and Lots of rubber stamps!

These are only a few products out of 1000's she has in stock!

Check out the store blog: Follow Your Heart to see the other new stamps release today. Our UK crafty friends check out Quixotic Paperie!

Thank you for stopping by!

One more candle

2011-07-01T13:28:00.006-04:00

Hello Happy Crafters! How is your week going? For everyone in the US are you ready for your 3 day weekend? I love when the holidays fall on a Monday or a Friday! Do you have any special plans? Two grandsons Tyler 13, and Travis 9 will be here Sunday. My daughter, Amy is bringing them to the house along with Abbie, 5 and Adrew 3. On Monday we will be in Annapolis on a harbor cruise to watch the fireworks!! I am so excited for it's going to be beautiful! The boys will stay with us until Friday when we drive to Ohio to meet their other grandparents. Busy week ahead!

My card today with another Bugaboo image! Maybe I should try out for their DT!! This is Stella and Stella has a comment for everything! A customer of mine picked this image for me to make her best friend a birthday card! Sure hope she likes it!! I was torn over how to design it. I still added my ribbon and glitz just not a lot.

Copics: Skin: E15, E21, E02, Hair: E97, E99, E17, E29. Shirt and Hat: BV: 13, BV11, BV000. Cake: #53, E51, E50. Table: BG15, BG 13, BG10. Top of cake: E19, E11, R02.
Bow: Stash made with my Bow Easy. Bow Easy tutorial by Suzanne Dean
Flowers: Prisma
Magic mesh: Self Adhesive weave, baby blue. I love, love this stuff!

Tip of the day: Mounting Red Rubber Stamps. Do you buy red rubber stamps? Or, do you not buy them because, you do not want to cut the sticky, tacky cling foam mount to adhere them to? Well, no more! I found this product "Tack N Peel" and I think it is the best thing develop for non mounted rubber stamps..
Tack N' Peel clear sheet is a unique, reusable product designed for creating a stamping block and you can use it over and over again. Here explains it much better! I love, love it and will never mount a red rubber stamp again. When it loses it's ability to stick...rinse with water and it's like brand new again. Easy peasy my friends!

Digi images! Do you love digi's? I love you don't have to worry about stamping. I use less paper for I am not the best stamper in the world!! Free Digi's! Anne Fenton and Sandi Hugget offer free digi's at The Outlawz Challenge site!

Sneak peak of this weeks:

The Outlawz awesome sponsors this month are Oozak who is sponsoring a $50.00 gift certificate and Gilli Rubber Stamps with a Gilli Goodie Bag! How awesome is that? Oozak sells Copics, paper, stamps, crafting supplies and much more!! Gilli Stamps are so sweet and adorable! All you need to do is enter one of the seven weekly challenges within the month of June. It is a random drawing so anyone can win!! Come on and play with us!!
Challenges entered:

Air Factory: Favorite embellishment: Mine is ribbon and flowers
DYSU: Square
Just For Fun: Anything goes
Lili Of The Valley: Celebrate

Thank you to everyone who visits my blog. You make me smile big time!! Hugz, Colleen