Doggie treat bags for Simba and Bailey!!

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!

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

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!

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!

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

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!

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 either 70 or  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 30 seconds. Depends on how dirty they are.

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

No rubbing or q-tips to get down inside the cap - I use the q-tip to only dry it.   The Ink 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 clean too!

I dip my marker into a clean jar of solution for nano second. Squeeze it gently with a paper towel - this removes all the dried particles that might make it tacky when coloring. This happens with your darkest colors. Remember only gently squeeze and quickly.  If done quickly and gently it will not affect your tip or colors. 

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

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

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

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!

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

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