Happy Columbus Day weekend!

Hello and happy Friday! I am not even sure if anyone will be visiting my blog - it's been 3 months since I have been here and I want to say I miss everyone. I miss the banter between the blogs and friendships I have formed over the years.  So much has happened since my last posting - it would take a book to catch you all up:)  So here are the highlights! We left here in July and went to Las Vegas to pick-up our grandsons, Tyler-15 and Travis-12 for a LONG road trip. We stopped in Yosemite National Park and  went hiking,  took the cable snow lift to the top of the mountain where there was still SNOW on the ground - the view was spectacular, we only wished we had more time to stay. We then headed up to San Francisco and visited with my niece and grand-nephew and showed the boys the sites including the Golden Bridge and I drove down the famous Lombard Street.  Our next stop was in Santa Cruz, California where we stayed one block from the boardwalk entrance to the amusement park which is right on the beach! The boys had a great time and it was nice they were old enough to go off and enjoy the rides while we walked the beach for two days. We kept on the Pacific Coastal Highway - US1. I can't even describe this gorgeous, beautiful stretch of highway.  There is a stretch of approx. 60 miles and heading south you have the mountains on your left and the ocean on the right. The road is one huge curve after curve and you cannot travel over 30 miles an hour and many spots you are doing 15 MPH. There are no towns, nor gas stations and you see an occasional road side restaurant. It took four hours to do 60 miles and the only thing I can say is ...if you have a chance to do it - Just DO IT for you will not be sorry!  Being from the east and only seeing California's cities before this - I felt like I was in another country:)

Anyhow! Through The Craft Room Magazine is doing good,  we sure would like to see you there:) This issue is full of great tutorials, articles and step-by-step card making.  Everything you ever wanted to know about Panpastels, learn how to quill easily, lots of Halloween bags and treats to make for the little ones -well, big ones too!

Well, I gabbed up a storm and so I best get moving! Today's card is in the magazine with all the details. Yep, it is a Mo Manning digi  and colored with Copic Markers. 

Thank you for stopping by today:) Hugz

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Yikes we are in July already - I sure wish the winters would go by as fast as our summers do.  It seems like only yesterday was Memorial Day:( Well, we are enjoying the few warm sunny days that we have had with no rain:(  I would be very happy to have just a few days in a row with nothing buy sunshine on my face. One of my most favorite things to do is swimming and in the SUN! In door pools are okay, but I much rather be outside with fresh air and sunshine. How about you? Do you like to swim or what is your favorite thing to do in the summer months. My friends in South Africa are currently having their winter months - the ideal world be to live between the two continents and have summer all year long!!

Today is the beginning of a brand new challenge at http://7kidschallengeblog.blogspot.com Challenge and the  theme is "Markers" it doesn't matter what kind of markers you use to color with. Come on and join the fun and have the chance to win a $20.00 gift certificate to the 7 Kids College Fund store.

Ok, Rhea Wiegand told me to get out of my comfort box and so I did on this card! Ok, just a little -  so it's still a Sarah Kay image and if you follow my blog - you will know I LOVE Sarah K...just look at my previous post:)  I on all the sidedistressed the edges of all the papers and sponged Tea Dye Distress ink over them and the lace. Sprinkled it with Stampendous Shabby White and Aged Bronze Embossing Enamels and heat set it from the bottom, so the powder would stay in place. I sure wish you could see it in person for it is really much prettier then it shows in the photo.

Zoe Gazing At Butterfly - Artist Sarah Kay

Shabby White Enamel Embossing Powder by Stampendous

Aged Bronze Embossing Enamel  by Stampendous

Nestabilities Labels 11 by Spellbinders

Copics: Hat and Shirt: G24, G21, G21, Pink: R85, R83, R81 Pants: B95, B93, B91 Skin: E11, E00, E000

Lyric Brads

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink to stamp stamp

X-Press It Blending Card - paper used to stamp image on

X-Press double sided tape

Prisma Butterfly Brad

Prisma Flower

Cherish 6x6 Paper Pad from Authentique

Happy Birthday USA!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Today is another fun day challenge at 7 Kids College Fund Challenge and the theme is Red, White and Blue! I love this combination - not only because it is the USA colors, I love them because they are bright and cheerful  colors together - don't ya think? This super cute image is Engineer by Mo Manning. I chose this image because it reminded me so much of my dad. He worked for The Union Switch and Signal for over 50 years and no one could be more patriotic then my father. So there you have it!  I airbrushed the background with copic markers and I see I need a lot more practice with it. Oh well, it was fun to do and that is all that counts! Don't forget to stop by the challenge and possible be a winner of a $20.00 gift certificate to the store! Everything you ever need for your paper crafting and more can be found at 7 Kids College Fund. 

Engineer by Mo Manning

Tuxido Black Momento Ink to stamp image

Stamped onto white - X-Press It Blending Card 

Colored with Copic Markers

Nestability Die Grand Circle

Nestability Grand Scallop

X-press 1/4 inch two way tape

Pop It Up By Ranger

My love of Sarah Kay

Hey Everyone!! Today I am sharing one of my  favorite stamp artist and that is Sarah Kay! Her images just bring back so many good memories for me and I love coloring them. This sweetie is: "Country Girl" - I can imagine sitting there dreaming of things I would love yet to accomplish. I think my dream is to travel more and see all the beautiful places. My mother and father who have RV for 20 plus years say "you don't need to leave the US, it's all here!" so that is my dream to travel more in the US! Well, and a few other places!

Sarah Kay: Country Girl

I thought I would show just how much I love Sarah Kay and how nostalgic the images can be and perhaps you will love her too! These are just a few of the cards I have made using SK images.

Spring Is Back

Can you tell this is one of my favorite stamps!!

 Zoe Gazing At The Butterfly

Eloise and Mimi Saying Hello

Can I Tell you A Secret

Rose's Garden

Bernadette Admiring The Spring Flowers. 

DON'T FORGET TO GO THE THE 7 KIDS COLLEGE FUND CHALLENGE BLOG TO SEE THIS AWESOME CHALLENGE "JUST WRONG" OH MY, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF AND CHECK OUT THE SUBMISSIONS BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BLOG!! YOU WILL GASP, LAUGH AND SAY "THIS IS JUST WRONG!"

Bearly-Mine Challenge - Anything goes

Craft Room Challenge - Here comes Summer
Deep Ocean Challenge- For a girl
Creative Card Crew: Die cuts
Party Time Tuesdays - Fancy Folds, anything goes
Lady Anne's Challenge- ATG

Just Plain Wrong Challenge

Hey everyone you have to check out 7 Kids College Fund Challenge this time!!  This is the  most fun challenge of the year!!! And the most rewarding! Not only will there be lots of prizes, there will be lots of laughs! The purpose of this challenge is to get a bit out of your usual cardmaking groove and be funny, weird, unexpected and unusual. We are looking for strange coloring, funny and edgy sentiments, goofy cards or things that will make people laugh or say "That is JUST WRONG!" Have fun with this challenge. And, this time around all winners will get prizes!!!

Cardmakers will compete in the following categories for TOP 3 and each category winner will receive a $20 gift certificate:

1) Best zombie or strange creature
2) Card that gave us the biggest laugh
3) The card that made us say "That is JUST WRONG" the loudest!

Come on and join us for fun and laughs!! 

Did you ever hear the song by Joe Nichols "Tequila Makers Her Clothes Fall Off? My Hubby says this was me in my younger days...I never came home with a table cloth on though!! I didn't lose everything:) But a few contacts, earrings, sweaters, coats and one time even a pair of shoes:) 

Here is the lyrics:

"Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off"

She said, "I'm going out with my girlfriends
For margaritas at the Holiday Inn"
Oh have mercy my only thought
Was tequila makes her clothes fall off

I told her put an extra layer on
I know what happens when she drinks Patron
Her closet's missing half the things she bought
Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off

She'll start by kicking out of her shoes
Lose an earring in her drink
Leave her jacket in the bathroom stall
Drop a contact down the sink

Them panty hose ain't gonna last too long
If the DJ puts Bon Jovi on
She might come home in a table cloth
Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off

She can handle any champagne brunch
A bridal shower with Bacardi punch
Jello shooters full of Smirnoff
But tequila makes her clothes fall off

She'll start by kicking out of her shoes
Lose an earring in her drink
Leave her jacket in the bathroom stall
Drop a contact down the sink

She don't mean nothing, she's just havin' fun
Tomorrow she'll say, "Oh what have I done?"
Her friends will joke about the stuff she lost
Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off
Oh tequila makes her clothes fall off
Oh tequila makes her clothes fall off

 Clotheline Cow by Art Impressions

1/4 X-Press It Tape

X-Press It Blending Card

Copic Sketch Markers

Memento Ink

Scor Pal

Have fun with this one!! Come on and play but check out my awesome DT sistahs creations! 

Embellishments Sara K

Happy Thursday everyone!! Today is another kick off day for 7 Kids College Fund Challenges! 

Are you ready to play along with us?  Our challenge is...

Embellishments!!!!

We are kicking off another fun filled Embellishments Challenge!  We sure hope you play along, because you can win a $20 gift certificate to the 7 Kids College Fund store.  There are a few simple rules so be sure to visit the challenge blog to check them out.  

Bernadette Admiring the Spring Flowers by Sarah K

Copic Sketch Markers

X-press It Blending Card

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink for stamping Images

X-press Tape 1/4 inch

Pop It By Ranger

Dandelion Blog Hop

Happy Saturday everyone!!! It's time for another fantastic blog hop with 7 Kids College Fund Design Team and we are show casing these adorable stamps by Dandelion. Not only is this a fantastic blog hop for inspiration but look what Dandelion is graciously giving away just for you to hop along!

And not only that!! 7 Kids College Fund Store is giving a 10% discount on all Dandelion products! As you can see in the photo above - these adorable stamps are so versatile to use. Wishing you well, Hello, Smile they are all so stinking cute!  The Discount code is: DD10

For my card I used "A Happy Hello"  It is so nice and sweet to receive a card  in the mail for no reason at all except to say "Hello"   Whenever I get a one - I get the warm fuzzy feeling inside, knowing someone cares enough to just send a simple card, to let me know they are thinking about me. Let someone you know, that you are thinking about them!:) 

Dandelion Designs "Happy Hello"
Copic Sketch Markers
X-press It Blending Card
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink for stamping Images
X-press Tape 1/4 inch
Pop It By Ranger
Top Design Paper - Come find out how to make your own background paper in the next issue of
 Through The Craft Room Door Magazine
Bottom Design Paper by: Dove Craft - Garden Party

Karen G
Grandma Bonnie
Rosie Bridges
Shannon White
                      Colleen Holmes -you are here
Kim O'Connell
Rhea Weigand

Have fun finishing the hop! Your next stop is Kim O'Connell who always has fantastic inspiration!

Challenges:

•  One Stop Craft -  Anything Goes
• Our Creative Corner - - Anything Goes
• Penny Black Saturday Challenge -  Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz -– 3 of something 2 of anything and 1 of what ever you want 
• Inspire Me Fridays– Hosted on New Blog -  - Anything Goes
• Polka Doodles - Spring Colours / Pastels
• Simply Create Too -  Anything Goes
• Sister Act Card Challenge - Always Anything Goes
• Wags 'n Whiskers -  Anything Goes
• Crafting Musketeers - Anything Goes

Happy Birthday - Gone Fishing

Happy Thursday everyone! I wanted to share with you a  sweet Happy Birthday Card I made for my grandson:) His middle name is Fisher - why? Because his father is a fishaholic! No lie:) His name is Andrew Fisher and he LOVES fishing just like his dad!

I created my card with "Gone Fishing" by Sarah K - one of my all time stamp artists. Her creations are nostalgia, adorable and fun to color.

Supplies

Copis Markers: Hat and pants: E55, E53, E51, E50 and E31.

 Skin: E11, E00, E000, E21.Shirt: B16, B14, B12. 

I sponged the grass with Pistachio and Olive Grove Memento Ink.

After cutting out a template for the clouds using my whacky scissors ( I forget what they are called but we all have a few!) Anyhow, colored by using my Copic Airbrush with B91. 

Trees were colored with G29, G28, G24, C7. 

Sentiment was computer generated. 

DID YOU KNOW WE WERE HAVING A BLOG HOP ON SATURDAY, MAY 18 on the 7 Kids Store Blog!! Come on and join us for a fun time with adorable stamps by Dandelion! 

You don't want to miss it for there will be fabulous prizes and lots of inspirations by the DT! 

Big Shoes - Mo Manning Stamp

Happy Thursday everyone!! I am bringing back an oldie, but one I love and is still available at 7 Kids College Fund  store. I was commissioned to create 26 Father and Mother's Day cards. I sent a card I created before with  Big Shoes by Mo Manning by Stamping Bella  and she wanted 5 more in different colors! Here are two different ones. I love this image for she can be used for almost any occasion and so fun to work with!

I used Secret Garden by Graphic 45 paper pack! If you have not seen this paper pack yet...trust me you want to - it is one of my most favorite paper pads to date! 

I used  "Paris Girl" by Carta Bella! Very girly paper pad with  lots of different shades of pink with black! Ah who doesn't like pink and black together? 

Colored with Copic Markers

X-Press It Blending Card

X-press tape 1/4 inchPop It Up

***Check out the sells at  7 KIDS College Fund right now!! Up to 80% off on selected merchandise! You can't afford not to look!! ***

DOCRAFTS Blog Hop

                        

Happy Saturday and welcome to the 7 Kids Blog hop featuring Docrafts products! When I learned we were having a Docraft blog hop, I wasn't familiar with Docraft Products - but holy smoke you should see them all. They have the famous Gorjuss stamps that are so sweet, die cuts, paper pads, ribbon, buttons - I was totally blown away:) 

As I was going through store I spotted the Wellington Clear Stamps and felled in love with them. You can see why! 

And, I especially loved this sentiment and stamp together.  I am also using these stamps to create Father's Day cards too - as you can see it  has Husband, Dad, Uncle, Grandad, No.1, Brother, "Your the Best" - I think they covered every male relationship, which will make it much easier for me! 

Below is one of many cards that will be created with this one stamps set:) I just love the little girl hugging her teddy and the sentiment. I used the Wellington 6 x 6  Paper Pad which is perfect for men cards:)

Supplies: 7 Kids College Fund carries all of your favorite items to craft with and more! 

Wellington Clear Stamps

Wellington 6 x 6 paper pad

Copic Sketch markers - used to color my image

Hair: E55, E53, E51, E50, E25, E23. Skin:E11, E00, E000, R20. Teddy bear: W03, W01, W00, C6, C3, C1. Jumper: B95, B93, B91. Belt-shoes- shirt: R14, R12, R11. 

X-press It Blending Card

Pop It by Ranger

Be sure to hop to all the DT's blogs and have a chance to when this Docraft Die set!

Your next hop is  Kim's Blog

Rhea Weigand

Colleen Holmes 

Kim O'Connell

Shannon White
Karen Gauthier

Rosie Bridges

Challenges:

  

Bird Swing - Anything Goes at 7 Kids:)

Hello Happy Crafters! Guess what? We are going into the 90's today! Good-bye winter, forget spring and hello summer. Crazy, crazy weather. Last night I purchased most of my flowers for the flower bed and it is going to be pink, red, violet and yellow! Ah, and to be outside without a coat or sweater, watching kids ride their bikes, birds humming in the back yard, windows open with fresh air coming in and I am one happy camper! What is the weather like where you live? My friends in South Africa are headed into winter - eeeks. Talking about SA - I want to give a great big shout out CONGRATULATIONS to my friend Sharon Keanly who purchased a home this year and will have her own crafting room and lots more!! I am so excited for her, she has worked so hard and deserves her little corner of the world:) Love you Sharon!

Well, are you ready for some fun by creating what ever you want? It's  "anything goes" over at the 7 Kids College Fund challenge! Come on over and play for a chance to win a $20.00 gift certificate to the store! Have you been to the store lately?  Let me tell you about some of the sales going on. Do you love Popcorn The Bear, Stampendous, Magnolia's - they are all on sale right now. 7 Kids is growing and growing and you need to stop by the store daily to see all the new products Tab has been adding.... unbelievable. Here are just some of the new items coming in and are up for pre-order: The links will not work at this time for they are on pre-order. If you purchase anything from the 7 Kids College Fund Store - please use the store blinkie on my right side bar so I will get credit or on any other DT's blog.

BTW did you see the soap I made on my last posting! EASY PEASY kit from 7 Kids and they make wonderful gifts for the ones you  just don't know what to buy and fantastic Mother's Day gifts. Picture a card and the wrapping of the soap done in the same design paper!! Cute!

Cutterpillar Pro - paper cutter that is awesome!	Doohickeys Dies
Gorjuss Girls	Heidi Schwoerer/2 Cute Ink
La-La Land	Magnolia Once Upon a Time
Prima	Spellbinders D-Lites
Stamping Bella	Tiddly Inks
Wink of Stella Glitter Markers	WRMK Envelope Punch Board
Tim Holtz Idea-ology	Embossing Folders (92 Darice folders!)
Frou Frou

Well, after all my gabbing!:)  This is my project for the "Anything Goes Challenge"  I created a step- card and if you like this design - guess where you will be able to find the directions to make it?? That's right - in the next issue of Through The Craft Room Door Magazine. You can can see a sneak of what the magazine has in the spring issue by watching the video above. 94 full pages with no advertisements, full of tutorials, articles and inspirations.

Colleen

Bird Swing from Whimsy Stamps

Graphic 45 8 x 8 Paper Pad "A Secret Garden"

Copic Markers:  B-000, B000, B1, BG000. E35, E33, E31, YG61, YG25

X-Press It Blending Card

X-Press It double sided tape 1/4 inch

Pop It from Ranger

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink for stamping

Spellbinders - Grand Big Scallop Ovals

Have an awesome day my friends and thank you for stopping by:) 

Challenges

• 
  

Making Gift Soap

Making Homemade Soap - awesome Mothers Day Gifts!

Hello happy crafters! This is Colleen and I am bringing you a whole new level to making craft gifts and just in time for Mothers Day!! 7 Kids now sells a all in one soap making kit and let me tell you, my son, granddaughter and me had a blast doing it. It was our first time so there is a little bit of room for improvement but I am still please with our results. Did I tell you this was easy peasy to do?

There are several kits available to chose from, I chose   SOAP MAKING 101 KIT from Life of the Party to try first. The kits comes with 16 ounces of clear soap, 16 ounces of white soap, .27 ounces of Cucumber Melon Fragrance, 27 ounces of red color, .27 ounces yellow color, .27 ounces of blue color, .03 ounces of white pearl powder, four molds and instructions. You need to supply a glass measuring cup and a small spritzer filled with alcohol.  Decide what shape you want your soap and the colors you would like to make it. We did four different shapes and designs. Break your bars of soaps into pieces into a glass container. The directions will advise you to how many you will need for each design.  Place in microwave for approx. 1 minute or less. Keep checking to see if the soap has melted. Add your coloring and fragrance and stir. At this time you can add the shimmering  powder which I forgot to do:(  Stir.   Pour into your mold. Easy peasy - my son is doing this while I shoot the photo's:) Spritz with alcohol to remove all the air bubbles. I filled my mini mister and it was perfectly. While that was hardening - we prepared the other bars.  It takes 1 1/2 - 2 hours to completely dry. We made two fancy bars by removing them and cutting them into regtangles or straight lines.  With the rectangle bar we sliced evenly 3 times across the length and 3 times across the width. We placed every other rectangle back into the mold   Slowly pour the second color between the rectangles. Spritz again with alcohol which made this look like glass when done This is how it looked when dried. I love the way it has a marble look to it.  The circle we cut into triangles and layered the hexagon with pink and white . Square bar was cut into four strips and filled with the white soap in between to form the strips. Before wrapping you can wrap your bar of soap tightly and heat it slightly with a heat gun to adhere the plastic wrap to the bar. There are so many different ways of wrapping your soap to make a beautiful gift. Create a card with matching paper and will make a very loving gift.  Love you Abbie, thank you for helping me! Challenges: Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon