Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick post to say Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm going to visit a dear friend and will be MIA for a little while.  Until then...Happy Crafting!

Memory Box Love

Today is going to be another quick post.  I'm not feeling well and debating whether I will be going to trivia tonight.  It's to support a good cause and I would like to go - but am not sure how it will impact my recovery.  I also have a ticket to New Moon tomorrow and I'm going there come hell or high water - so I feel like I should be the same with trivia.  I'm super good at blowing these things up in mind and giving myself a guilt trip.  Today is going to be a long day of should I or shouldn't I.

On the crafting front - I have one card to share with you today.  The stamp is from Memory Box and is definitely in my top 3 favorite nature stamps.  This card represents one of those times I've just went with it despite "mistakes."  Coloring the tree didn't go how I expected.  So in a moment of hope, I continued to color and just accepted not everything is perfect.  I like the end result.

In other news, I received the Tree Trimming Trio set from Papertrey Ink in a sweet little package from my Mom.  I'm making Christmas cards for her this year - and the stamps were part of our rockin' deal.  Gotta love that.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.  If you're not feeling well - my heart goes out to you.  I hope you like the card.  Until then...Happy Crafting

Weekend Sketch Challenge

I have a card to share today for the weekend sketch challenge on Beate John's blog.  She is another blogger with a mass of tutorials on her blog.  They're all technique driven.  In fact, I used a tutorial from her blog to make this joy fold card.  I highly recommend popping on over to her blog and trying a tutorial.  So without further ado...here is my card:

 So I really want to emphasize that everything about this card is out of my comfort zone.  I used my cat inchies from Inkadinkado.  I used patterned paper with bold, primary colors - not my style at all.  I absolutely love the ribbon.  Not sure how I feel about the finished product - but it's good to try new things.  That's all for now.  Have a great Thursday!  Until then...Happy Crafting!

Humpday Challenge

It feels so good to write that title - it's been a long time since I've posted a humpday challenge.  Not much to report here.  I'm dealing with quite a bit of stress right now but I'm working hard to stay positive.  I have a really simple card to share with you today.  I completed the challenge from the Stamp Something blog.  I used a stamped image from Hero Arts and paper from Cosmo Cricket.

I also have some fun finds to share from the blog world.  I love to search for new ideas, techniques, and interesting artists.  I found four wonderful blogs yesterday - one for the second time around.  I added three to the links on the side!  I liked them so much. :)

*Smile and Wave by Rachel Denbow

*Polka Dot Robot by Vivianna

*Freckled Nest by Leigh-Ann

*Freedom in Creativity by Michelle Zindorf

I want to make a very large plug to Michelle's site.  She is an expert in brayering techniques and has over 290 tutorials on her blog.  Definitely a must see.  So that's it for now.  I hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday.  Until then...Happy Crafting!

New Day...New Challenge

As promised, I am posting another challenge card today.  To be perfectly honest, it makes me so happy that I have a big project going right now.  It gives me the opportunity to do a lot of creative work: plus it helps me have plenty of material for the blog.  Gotta love that.  So this post is going to be quick and dirty.  I made this card using the Friday Sketchers challenge.  It's really not my color pallet at all - but I went for it willfully!  For the stamped image I distressed the paper then stamped the bird bath image.  I then embossed it.  While embossing a curious accident happened.  The distress ink was was still wet so the powder adhered to the entire paper.  I decided to go with it instead of doing my normal freaking out.  I think it was a happy accident in the end because I do like the look.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!  Until then...Happy Crafting!

It's a New Day

It's a new day and I'm trying to be faithful to my blog!  I know I sound like a broken record - but it's what I'm dealing with now.  It's a rainy Monday here and I really want nothing more than to stay at home with my diva kitty (who happens to be right next to me stretching).  Alas, being a grown-up means going to work and making a living.  I'm really not a fan of Mondays.  I'm more of a Tuesday/Thursday/Friday girl.  Anyhoo...I have a few cards that were not created for a challenge so I thought I'd share one of those today.  I hope you like the card (and the pic of diva Tonks).  Until then...Happy Crafting!

One more thing.  I found making this card to be very easy.  I had just finished a bunch of cards (6 to be exact) and was pulling ideas from the previous sketches to make something from scratch.  It worked out pretty well for me.  I really enjoyed coloring the stamped image because I was able to pull from so many colors in the patterned paper.  Just another way sketches and challenges help me - even when I don't have one in front of me.  Very cool.

It's All About the Challenge

The parade of cards continue.  I'm still working on Christmas gifts.  I'm also trying to figure out a new plan for the 3 boys I buy for.  No idea what to do for them.  I don't think they'll be down with the cards so I need to rethink my plan for them.  So - this means my goal for cards is down by 15 which is a huge load off my shoulders.  I love cardmaking - but the number was a little daunting.  Originally I was going to make 10 cards for everyone starting in November - clearly I had lost my mind.

I've still been using challenges to make my cards because they are really my life's blood when it comes to crafting.  I was listening to Craftcast recently with Alison Lee.  She was interviewing Claudine Hellmuth and they were discussing Project Runway and how the rules of the challenge allows people to create more freely.  The basic theory was the creative brain longs for some structure.  So many people are able to create their own structure.  But for me - challenges give me that structure.  And - it's a good fit until I'm ready to take the next step.

I've made 8 cards in the last two days and unfortunately will not be posting any for some time.  I'm working on my mom and sister's cards (they know they're getting some).  They check the blog regularly so I need to keep their cards hidden.  I'll try to throw in a few of my own for good measure.  So on to the challenges...

Card Patterns

Color Throwdown

So that's it for today.  There will be more coming later this week.  I'm going to try spreading the cards over a few days.  I'm halting Monday Madness and Reading Corner until the new year.  I need to focus less on spending and more on using/reading what I have.  Trust me - there's plenty!  Anyhoo, I hope everyone has a lovely week.  Until then...Happy Crafting!

Reluctant

I'm trying to keep my commitment to this blog and post a few items I did over the weekend.  I have to say it's been pretty hard to get my butt in the chair and post.  To be honest, it's been pretty hard to do anything lately.  When I made my blog public - I had to remove items.  Part of what I removed was my musings on my daily life - and that has started to feel wrong.  There will still be a few parts of my life that will be separate - but not everything - not anymore.  Things here have been like a roller coaster ride.   I had something amazing happen - a big step forward in my career.  But...it seems the everyday things have been getting me down.  I'm going to try and turn that around this week.

It was super nice to focus on something different this weekend.  I have quite a few cards to make for Christmas.  I'm making 45 cards for personal gifts.  I'm making 25 other cards for a family member.  My first order for cards.  It's a little daunting right now - but I'm having fun.  Here's what I was able to knock out today.  The first card is for The Pink Elephant Challenge.

 The Pink Elephant Challenge #39

That's all for now - I hope everyone has a nice weekend.  Until then...Happy Crafting!

MIA AGAIN!

I know...I know, I've been a horrendous blogger lately.  I've been a little busy and overwhelmed in the last two weeks.  However, I hope to change that over this weekend.  I have a long date with my craft table.  I got the Branch Out stamp set from Stampin' Up.  I was able to unmount them - now what to do with those wood blocks.  If you are interested in unmounting your Stampin' Up rubber stamps, check out this video.  It was a huge help for me.  I'm excited to use this new stamp set.  I should have some examples on Saturday or Sunday.  I'm hoping for a challenge extravaganza!  That's really all of I have to report here.  I hope everyone has a happy Friday.  Until then...Happy Crafting!