Birthday greetings for the biker

Happy Saturday everyone!
As a brief update to the Waldo Canyon Fire, we have it 30% contained (WOOHOO!).  Unfortunately, we now have found 2 people dead.  Today should be hot, dry and winds blowing from several directions--the forecasters are worried what that will mean to this fire.  About half of the neighborhoods have opened back up though, allowing people to return to their homes.  I cannot imagine being displaced like that with not even knowing whether your home is standing.

Today, I am posting a card for a young lady I know who is a competing bicyclist.  While the card hardly depicts a racing bike (more like a bike I'd ride -- LOL), nevertheless it is a bike!  She will be turning 29 tomorrow---but you couldn't even tell because her maturity would make you think she is far wiser than her young 29 years!  Anyway, here's to her.  Thanks for stopping by today! Margaret

This card will be entered into the following challenges:  

Fun with Shapes and More Challenge #112

Delightful Challenges: Weekly challenge of celebrations

Moving along with the times: Birthday Week 2 Challenge

Stamp: Printworks, Sentiment: Michaels Clear Dollar Bin Stamps 

Paper: Jillibean soup

Edge punch: Martha Stewart

Embellishments: Glossy accent on bike; pearls (Memory Box), FlowerSoft (coming from basket)

Let Happiness Blossom in Your Heart

Hi everyone!

Today I have a card for you that uses the sketch over at The House That Stamps Built for What If Wednesday sketch challenge.  I have never done a sketch quite like this one and I was intrigued, so I gave it a try.

I used an American Art stamp, adding a Swarovski crystal to the center of the flower.  The image is stamped in Imperial Purple Versafine.  I added 3 purple Martha Stewart pearls to each of the triangles.  I double mounted the image using my Nesties.  The paisley paper is back from my scrapbooking days (2008 Paper Studio), while the triangles are the backside of a paper called Sunset Stained Glass, but I'm not sure who produced it.

I am also entering this in the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon - Sentimental You~sentiment as main focus

Waste Not Wednesday - use forgotten products (2008 dp)
Word Art Wednesday - Use an uplifting sentiment
PartyTime Tuesday - anything goes
Paper PlayTime - Sentiment w/ anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Birthday salute

Hello again everyone!
It's my uncle's birthday and we are going to go celebrate at his favorite restaurant with his family, and little ol' me.  A little bit of news about him...so you'll understand why I made the card I made.  He's a retired Lt Colonel from the Air Force and so I thought it was befitting to give him a birthday salute!

This card has lots of sparkle and shine.  I am attaching two separate pictures to show the detail.  Lots of glitter paper, stickles on the cupcakes and a little bit of gloss on the shoes and pockets.  I hope you enjoy this card...I had a blast making a little bit o' red, white and blue!  Thanks for stopping by -- Margaret

I'll be entering this card into:
365 Card: Day 120 Challenge (Sparkle and Shine)
Charisma Cardz Challenge #25: Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet Challenge, Number 28: Sparkle
SJCrafts Monthly Challenge 6: red white and blue
Paper PLay Challenges: Flags, Banners, Pennants
Fun with Shapes: Challenge #112

Stamps:  MFT (girl), Sentiment (MFT, from separate sets), Cupcake (Michael's dollar bin, G series)
Dies/punches:  Family treasures, Marvy Uchida, Spellbinders, MFT
Embossing: Cuddlebug (on white paper strip and center)
Patterned paper: Jillibean soup

Thank You So Much

Hello!  You get double the pleasure tonight because both Margaret and I are posting!

I have a thank you card that uses the sketch over at Inspired by Stamping.  As I am writing this, my DH asked me what our 14.5 yo schnauzer had.  I got up to look only to discover that while my flower drawer was open to make THIS card, she stole a package of unopened flowers so she could open the package.  You see, Sadie is the official box opener around here.  She loves Christmas and birthdays, but this is a first.  She has never stolen from my paperart stash before!!!  At least I know her mind is still working and she still has the desire to be mischievious!!!

Okay back to the card.  I used Inspired by Stamping stamps, as well, and cut our the frame using Nesties #18.  I added SU! ribbon, Kaiser rhinestones and Prima flowers held together with a coordinating brad.

 

That's it for today.  Let's hope Margaret doesn't have to evacuate and that we get rain...it's 101 degrees at 8pm with no rain predicted until August or September.  Everything is dying.

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

I mustache you a question

Hello again!  I'm back with another mustache card.  This card is for Julia.  She's not really into mustaches but she sure is into plays on words.  The sentiment is "I [mustache] you a question but I'll shave it for later"  LOL!  Since her sister is getting a mustache card, she will need to get one too--preventing the "it's not fair" business!  Kids.  Below are some pics from our fires....

Paper: Basic grey
Stamp:  Cat's pajamas
Dies: Martha Stewart punch (edge) and Spellbinders

Our fires in Waldo Canyon really got out of control last night when a freak 65mph wind came through. ~32,000 people evacuated, the size of a small town.  We are expecting more wind today but am hoping you can all join me in doing a rain dance, or pray for rain.  It isn't likely but miracles can happen.  In the meantime, we're being told to prepare for evacuation just in case.  I don't think that will happen where I live, but they also didn't expect what happened last night.  Just glad the girls are far away from here right now...and they have all their clothes with them!  Sharing a few photos from the news.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Have a funTACHEtic day!

Hello everyone!  I'm back from NY and have been dying to access my art room!  Do you guys ever feel "cut off" when you go on vacation??  I sure did, especially since I had very little internet access.    I'm going to post my card first and then if you feel like reading, I'll have a few updates from my travels and the forest fire going on in Waldo Canyon below.

So...my card today is for my daughter Claudia, who is spending her summer with her dad.  She has a necklace with a mustache (I just don't understand) and loves all the mustache stuff coming out.   So this one's for her!  I showed it to her tonight on Skype because I can't keep a secret...and she was ecstatic!  Such little things tickle her funny bone...she's a great kid!  The sentiment says, "Have a fun{TACHE}tic day."  So cute!

I'm also entering this card into Paper Playtime Ch#77 -- Anything Goes, Say it With a Sentiment.  I hope you have fun with this one...thanks for stopping by!   And now...If you'd like to read more, scroll down.  Margaret

Sentiment:  Cat's Pajamas
Die cuts:  Mustaches (Cat's Pajamas); Spellbinders
Paper: SEI and American Crafts POW glitter paper
Bling:  Michaels dollar bin

Updates -- Ink Pad
As you know, I was in New York City, visiting my parents and attending my sister's graduation.  Did lots of walking and eating (and am paying for it now), and of course visited my favorite place, the Ink Pad.  However, I was a little bit let down this time.  You see, the store moved.  Albeit to a larger place, but my disappointment came in the fact that it just didn't seem like the selection was there that they used to have.  (Although they still have about 10,000 stamps which is not shabby at all!)  In addition, they seem to now specialize in ephemera, whereas my style is the cutesy stuff like Magnolia, little girls, flowers, etc.  So, I guess if you are an ephemera type artist...you will be in seventh heaven if you visit, but if you're like me, you might not find the selection you hoped for.  However, I still highly recommend anyone who visits NY to visit the InkPad as it is something else, for sure and definitely a cute and unique shop.  They have the largest selection of dog stamps I've ever seen!  I'm sure you'll find something there that you don't find in your current stash.

Highlights from my trip
The week was very hot -- high 90s with humidity (try that on for size in the subway stations).  However, I've grown up in NYC and never saw the stuff I saw this week.  You see my cousin was visiting with me and so I took him on lots of touristy sites (I learned a lot that I never knew about the place I grew up in!).  If you ever visit NYC, I highly recommend the Circle Line, and the Intrepid (right next to each other).  If you're a dare devil, you might enjoy the Beast instead of the cruise...you get wet and you visit the Statue of Liberty supersonic speed.  The World Trade Center (Ground Zero) memorial was also a site to see.  The last time I visited there was still a big dark black hole of rubble  Today it's been transformed into a beautiful memorial with the Freedom Tower rising up right next to it.  I still felt like crying the entire time however.  I used to spend my summers at the Twin Towers watching puppet shows and shopping in the underground mall as a teenager.  It was a special place.  Macy's on Herald Square was a real treat for my cuz as he'd never seen a department store that size.  We made sure to get a good view of the city from the Empire State Building.  We did lots of other things and ate all types of ethnic cuisines...but those were some of the highlights I recommend to visitors.

Building 1 World Trade Center Memorial.  Haunting, yet a beautiful memorial.

The Freedom Tower, 1776 feet high to commemorate the birth of the US.  It is not completed yet.  Compare this to the Empire State Building, 1250 ft.

Beautiful Downtown Skyline from the Circle Line Cruise

Give my regards to Broadway!  Unfortunately, no discount tickets for Wicked or Lion King...sold out for months, with the CHEAPEST seats costing about $200!

Waldo Canyon Forest Fire
On a sadder front, our forest fire in Waldo Canyon is quite something.  I am attaching a picture of what the sky looked like over the last several days, including tonight as we were headed for a big thunderstorm (that never did show up).  The red is probably from the sun's angle, but the air quality is poor enough that they closed the university tonight!  Please folks say some prayers for the people that needed to be evacuated (~1,000 homes) and the firefighters--that is such a dangerous job, especially in our unprecedented high temps of 99 all week and no rain.  (very unusual for here)

1 hour after fire broke out on Saturday

Last night, from my house

5% contained.  View from the highway this morning.  Can hardly see the mountains

Tonight, eerie and magnificent.

Well if you stuck with me this long...have a great evening!  Will see more of you this week! Margaret

Even The Naughty Deserve Something Nice

Hi All!

I'm here tonight with a quicky Christmas card.  It took me longer to figure out what I wanted to do with the sketch from Always Playing with Paper than it did to put it all together!

I used a Sizzix embossing folder to dry emboss the poinsettias onto AC Foil paper.  The image of the presents is an SU! stamp from 2003 that I heat embosses with Queens Gold from Ranger.  The sentiment is also SU! from the Tags for Christmas set.

I am also entering this in the following challenges:

Crimbo Crackers - anything goes Christmas

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - monochrome

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b



Sing Hello

Good Evening!  I wish it weren't Sunday night already because I have an early meeting at work tomorrow - ugh! 

I have a card for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge.

I used a Pure Innocence image which I paper-pieced the dress.  I colored the other parts with Copics.  I added 2 filligree flowers put together with a teal brad.  The sentiment is from PaperTrey , stamped with Versafine and cut out with a Taylored Expressions die.  I like how they provide the clear image of the die so you can easily line up the image and then run it thru the Big Shot.  I also die cut the zig zag and the rectangles were cut with my Nesties.  I added Kaiser rhinestones in the corners.

I am also entering this in the following challenges:

PaperPlay Challenges - use a die

Allsorts - any die will do

Thanks for stopping by.

kathy b



Dream Big!

Oh my, it is unbearably hot here - 100+ degrees!  Wildfires, burn bans, crunchy grass, dying plants...very sad for the environment!

I have made a card with an owl today.  We have one that lives in our woods.  He is HUGE and looks really mean.  The one on the card is very sweet and sleeping!

The sketch comes from Sentimental Sundays, but I didn't use the theme so I won't enter it in the challenge.  The stamps are from Sweet 'n Sassy.  I stamped the owl twice and cut out his nightcap and popped it up on 3M tape and used orange Liquid Applique at the tip of the cap.  I colored the images with my Copics.  I added some Flower Soft to the limb.  The dp is ancient stash from Scenic Route Paper Co, and cs is from DCWV.  The sentiment is stamped with Versafine Sepia on a tag die from MFT, adhered to the twine.

I am entering the following challenges:

365 Cards - nature

Stampavie and More - Things with Wings

Fashionable Stamping Challenge - nature

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b





Dog Gone It

Yea it's Friday!  Let the weekend begin!

Buster Posey is at my feet as I write this post.  He also visited me while I was making my card tonight.  We had a great day. He rolled in the grass and showed great enthusiasm when my DH and I came home today.  Last night he got up on the couch and laid down next to Sadie, our 14.5 yo schnauzer.  He is becoming more comfortable.  We may rename him, though, because we keep calling him Bruno, which is the name of the dog across the way that visits us daily.

I made a quickie card tonight.  The sketch is from Stamps + Fun = Creativity.

I used an Impression Obsession stamp, stamped with Versafine.  Cut it out with a nestie.  Added a strip cut out with a Memory Box die (one I bought while on vacation in CO).  Mounted all that on black, then on a card blank.  The sentiment is from Rosie's Roadshow and cut out with an SU! punch.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Moving Along With The TImes - Happy Birthday

Kreative Stamp Friends - Birthday

Forever Friends - Anything Goes, must include an animal

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b



Tis the Season

Good evening one and all!

 I am here with GREAT news about Buster Posey (the schnauzer). 

Heartworm negative!  He does have a bad skin infection and his right hip hurts him alot, so he has antibiotics and pain meds.  Surprisingly, he is a lot younger than the groomer and my husband thought.  The vet thinks he is about 5-6 years old.  I think it is wonderful because we will be able to provide him with a quality life for a long time.  He is such a sweet boy.   When I picked him up at the vet's office this afternoon, he jumped up on me for the first time and showed excitement to see me.  We are a family now!

Okay, on to today's card.  I used the sketch at Always Playing With Paper. 

Stamps are from 2 different JustRite sets.  I punched the center out with 1.25" punch and popped it up with 3M tape.   I used Nesties Labels 13 to cut out the ornate part and decorated it with pearls.  DP is basic grey and cs is dcwv.  Ribbon is from my stash.

I will be entering in these additional challenges:

Holly Jolly Christmas - die cuts and punches

ABC Christmas - L is for lyrics (tis the season by Mary Mary)

Thanks for letting me ramble about Buster and thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Teal Mandala

Hi Everyone!

We had a very uneventful day today.  I worked from home and all my furry creatures were on their best behavior.  I go in to the office tomorrow, but Buster Posey is going to town with me because he gets to see the doctor!  I will update you in tomorrow's post.

My card today uses a stamp from Holly Berry.

I embossed the image several times with Stampendous Glitter Gold on different colors of Bazzill cs and then cut out the parts, mounting them using 3M foam tape for dimension.  There is a Swarovski crystal in the center of the top layer.  The card stock is glitter paper.  Simple, but does take a little time to emboss and cut out.  I enjoy it though, because I do the prep work, then can join the family watching tv in the evening while I scissor away!  

I am entering in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - anything goes

Hiding in My Craft Room - heat embossing

Crafty Catz - embossing

Thanks for stopping by

and thanks for all the sweet comments I have received about our new family member, Buster Posey!

kathy b

Woof

So sorry for missing a post yesterday, but it was a very busy day in the Barrett household.  We have a new family member...
meet Buster Posey~

For you MLB fans out there, yes, he is named after the San Francisco Giants catcher.  I was thinking something like "Kaiser" or "Hans", but DH came in from work and started calling him Buster Posey. 

Poor fella, he was full of matts and burrs and briars and fleas.  His skin is a disaster and we don't think he sees well.  He got groomed today (shaved to the skin) and the groomer thinks he's probably 12-14 years old.  He was dumped :-( 

How do people do that???

  He goes to the vet Thursday so we won't know his health status until then.  The good news is that he hasn't peed in the house and he is learning to use the doggie door!  YEA!!!

So in honor of our new acquisition, I have a card for you tonight that uses the sketch at Come and Get It challenges.

I used very old DCWV pet paper and cs.  Ribbon is from Papertrey and the woof clip is from Basic Grey.  The stamp is from Your Next Stamp and I colored it with Copics and Spicas.  It kinda looks like Buster, don't ya think?

I'll be entering this in the following challenges:

Craft-room Challenge - furry 4-legged family

Papercrafting Journey - hand coloured

Forever Friends Challenge - anything goes, must include an animal

Totally Papercraft - It's raining cats and dogs (1,2,or all 3)

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b



Sending Holiday Joy

It's Sunday evening and it's been an eventful day.  I watched racing, baseball and golf with my husband, in between cleaning house, doing laundry, losing our water and getting a call about a wayward schnauzer.  I'll let you know the status of the dog tomorrow, the good news is that we live in a small community and the guy on call at the water company saw that we got our water working again, despite it being Sunday.  Yea!

I have yet another Christmas card for you.  I made this one without bulky embellishments so I would be able to mail it without difficulty.

The stamp is from Hero Arts, the dp is from Basic Grey.  I added Swarovski crystals to the snowflakes and beneath the sentiment, which is from Papertrey.  I used SU! Taken with Teal ink.  The sketch is from Freshly Made.

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b



Girl Talk

Happy Saturday!

We have big plans for this evening.  Geena Bea, Sammie and I are going to our agility teacher's home for "run-thru's", which means everyone and anyone can go there that evening and play and visit.  It's going to be as hot as Hades, but we will have a good time!

My card today is for the MFT Wednesday Sketch. 

I paper-pieced the design with Basic Grey dp.  The cream cs is SU! and the other dp is very old stuff from my stash.  I added some rhinestones for bling and drew tiles on the floor. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Nutcrafters - spots &/or stripes

2 Sisters Challenge - stripes &/or plaids

Allsorts - paper piecing or piercing

Annabelle Stamps - paper piecing

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Born to Be Wild

Hi eveyone.  I am really going to miss Margaret while she is gone.  She won't be as accessible by phone since she is going to be entertaining her cousin, not to mention I am spoiled by her sharing the posting duties!!!

I have a card today that I am going to be using as a birthday card, though the sentiment on the outside does not indicate that.  It's for a friend that I hope won't be offended by the person on the Vespa, because she is far more attractive than this woman!  But she is a wild woman, so I thought the sentiment fit!

The image is from Art Impressions and I colored it with Copics.  I used the sketch from The Sweet Stop.  I used a nestie to cut her out and mounted her on several layers of DCWV cs.  I used an SU! punch for the sentiment. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Freshly Brewed - anything goes

My Time to Craft- hats or handbags

Try it on Tuesday - anything goes

Stamp & Create - bold & bright

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Believe in Miracles

Hi there! 

Today I have a card for a special friend.  She and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for quite awhile.  They finally went to a fertility specialist who basically told her in no uncertain terms that it would take a miracle for her to get pregnant and that just wasn't going to happen.  Bottom line is that she is now pregnant (6 weeks) and is due the day before MY birthday in February!!! 

Even though the medical professionals continue to be negative about her pregnancy going to term, I want to celebrate this special time with her.  It's hard for her to be excited about this special event when all the professionals are dooming her to miscarry.  So I made this card to celebrate her pregnancy and to put an exclamation point on the fact that the docs said it would take a miracle.  Miracles DO happen!!!

All paper is from Basic Grey Oh Baby! except for the cardstock used for the sentiment (SU!).  The sketch is for the MOJO Monday challenge.  The sentiment is from the Verve set, Believe.  I used an SU! punch for the large butterfly and a Martha Stewart punch for the the small one.  I added purple Swarovski crystals to accent the Imperial Purple Versafine ink.  Ribbon is from PaperTrey.  I used a Sizzix embossing folder to add the texture to the orange cs, using the indented side on the outside.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Ooh La La - baby

The Crazy Challenge - ribbon, gems & punches

Emergency Crafters Challenge - butterflies

Stampin' For the Weekend - bugs & butterflies

Southern Girls - Things with WIngs

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Graduation

Good morning everyone.  This will be the last day for a while until I post again.  I am going to NY tomorrow morning for my sister's graduation and to visit my parents for a week.  The most exciting thing about this trip (aside from seeing everyone) is the fact that I get to visit the Ink Pad.  Oh my!  It is a teeny little store but jam packed with several THOUSAND stamps and all other stamping products.  I was able to purchase some really unique stamps I'd never heard of (their words are awesome).  If you ever get yourself over to NYC, I highly recommend a visit.  Kathy and I have toured numerous stamp stores.  The best one we've ever been to is the Branson, Missouri store which closed shortly after changing ownership (that was a real crime to the stamping community I might add).  That was even larger than the Ink Pad.  And the second best is the Ink Pad.  But if anyone has recommendations for great stamp stores, we'd love to hear about it (We regularly plan our vacations around our stamp store trips).

OK, today I am posting the card I made for my sister on behalf of her graduation from college.  I really like how it turned out!  I used Glossy Accents by Inkessentials to bring out the balloon and Stickled it in certain areas.  It really pops! ( the foam adhesive underneath helps with that!)  THe image is actually quite a big bigger than what you see but it was cut off when I cut it out with the die cut.  I stamped the image in brocade blue (Stampin Up) and then stamped it again, cut out the balloon and adhered it on top of the original image to make it pop out.  I colored the balloon with Copics.   Tried angling the camera so you can get a feel for the gloss.  I also used glitter paper for the bottom so this card really shimmers.

I am going to enter this card into the Anything Goes #2 Challenge on the Just Keep On Creating Blog

Will see you after June 24!  Thanks for stopping by! Margaret

Stamps:  Balloons (Stamp a Mania); Sentiment (Stampin Up)
Paper:  Patterned paper by Paper Studie; Glitter paper by Doodlebug
Jewel: Bazzil
Other Bling: Hobby Lobby
Dies: Spellbinders
Accessories: Glossy Accents by Inkessentials and Stickles

Here's The Scoop

I'm here with an MFT Wednesday Sketch, but I missed the deadline :(

but that's okay, though, because I like the end product!

I used the a la mode stamp, "Here's the Story". 

I used my trusty Nesties for the circles and MFT dies for the flower and sentiment.  I colored her with Copics.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Sir Stampalot - bingo:turquoise, polka dots, bling

Bearly-Mine Challenge - tic-tac-to: dies, flower, sentiment

TSG CHallenge - circles

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

I really miss shoe and your purse-onality

Hi everyone,
Boy was I glad to see Kathy posting!  Keeping a schedule is rather hard work...though very fun.  I have felt my creativity is slowly coming back after pretty much a year long hiatus.  All I want to do is stamp stamp stamp, although work does call if I want to continue stamping.  One of the nice things I've discovered is as Kathy has told me would happen--I'm starting to lose the fear of using up my paper (remember, I'm a paper hoarder).  So much so that I may need a trip to the craft stores to purchase more card stock as my stash of some colors is starting to dwindle...

I am leaving for NY on Thursday so I won't be back to post for a week.  Today, I am going to ship off the cards I made for Julia and Claudia but I thought I'd upload both of them at the same time as I do have a couple of others I need to make before I go.

So back to the important things...as you remember, usually I send them cards with a similar theme each week so no one gets upset that one got a "better" card than the other.  This week's theme is fashion.  SO Julia will be getting the purse and Claudia will be getting the shoe.  Claudia's greatest wish is to have 365 pairs of shoes...one for every day of the year.  I'm hoping to start her on her collection with cards.  LOL  (well she never specified REAL shoes...)

I will be entering these cards into the Hooked on Craft Challenge: All that glitters  and Just Keep on Creating Challenge #2, Anything Goes.   I attached the closeups so you can get a feel for all the glitter!
Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!  Margaret

Stamps: Make an Impression

Paper: Sparkly cardstock (edging) and patterned paper (Nursery collection) both by DCWS

Embellishments: Stickles, Embossing powder by American crafts (pink) and Ranger (Sparkly black), Roses by Treasures by Shabby Chic (Michaels), bling (Hobby Lobby); green brad (Spare Parts), Diecut (on shoe card) by MFT, edging by Martha Stewart punch

Snowman and Pup

Boy, was I in error the other day when I thought the rain would pull us out of the burn ban and drought!  Our fire risk is as bad as ever and no big rains are predicted until August!  Now you know NOT to trust me to be your meterologist!

I'm back today with a Christmas card.  This one uses a sketch from Retro Sketches.  The stamps are from There She Goes and are colored with Copics and Spicas.  I used the SU! Bigz Top Note and cut part of one side off.  I used SU! ribbon and added 3 pearls for a little bling.

 

I am also entering this in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - photo inspiration

Christmas Stamping All Year Long - anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Just Because You're You

Hi Everyone!

I'm baaaaaaaacccckkkkkk!!!

Thanks to Margaret for giving me a nice long break.  I spent yesterday evening in my art room and created a few cards, then spent some time cleaning up and tossing out.  I've got the Tony's on tonight, so I won't be in my art room tonight, but when I go back there tomorrow, I will be feeling really good since there is nothing like a clean table with everything put away where it belongs!!!  Know what I mean?

Today's card features the sketch from the 2 Sisters Challenge.  I used a well-loved Stamping Bella stamp and colored her with Spicas and Copics.

For the first time in quite a while, I did not use any dp!  Her wings and her skirt are totally glittered up (including the bottom cs layer - doesn't show well in the photo).  The butterfly die is from Memory Box and I used SU! ink brushed on with a cosmetic wedge.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - ice cream colors (mine are sherbet, my fave)

Stamptacular Sunday - Fairy Fever

Crafting for All Seasons - Many layers

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Another sparkly birthday-MOJO244

Happy Saturday everyone!
You may be wondering where Kathy is.  Well, she is taking a break and since I'll be going on vacation next week for a week, I am taking over this week while she will take over when I'm gone.

Today I have yet another card for a birthday (I have lots of June birthdays)!  I found the fabulous MOJO Monday sketch and crafted my card after that.  This card will be entered into MojoSketch Mondays 244 (MOJO244).  There's a lot going on in this card, and I enjoyed every minute making it (using some of the toys I picked up during Kathy's trip here).  I attached a closeup--the mandala is actually in three different pieces, all popped up, and embossed with sparkly red embossing powder.  Thanks for stopping by! Margaret

Stamps:   Mandala (PaperTrey Ink); Sentiment (Verve)
Dies: CheeryLynn, Spellbinders, Stampin up punch
Paper: Cosmo Cricket
Embellishments: Ribbon (Hobby Lobby); Swarovski Crystal, Prima Flowers, Liquid Pearls

Happy birthday

Hello again,
Today's card is a birthday card using the Deconstructed Sketch #55 (DS55).  It's actually much sparklier in person so I attached a closeup too.  I'm also entering this card into Anything Goes Challenge #2 by Just Keep on Creating Blog.  Enjoy!  Thanks for stopping by.

Stamp: The Stamp Barn (Image), Stampin Up (Sentiment)
Paper: Jillibean Soup
Dies: Spellbinders
Embellishments:  Swarovski crystals, stickles, ribbon from Michaels

Happy Father's Day

Hi Everyone,

Today's card comes with a story.  My father and I have a running joke that he's the Sheriff.  He will call me and leave a message saying the Sheriff from NY is calling. LOL.  He also LOVES Colorado, and I am trying to convince him to move out here...so imagine my joy when I found this little pin in a store here "Sherriff Steve Colorado"! LOL...He will get a big kick out of this one of sure.  I am entering this card into the June SFYTT.  Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Cowboy image (MFT) and Sentiment (Stampin Up)
Punches/diecute: Stampin up (Gold stars) and Nestabilities
Embossing: Cuddlebug
Paper: The Paper Patch

L'il Birthday Buckaroo

Tonight I am posting a card I made for my aunt for her birthday.  She is a big cowgirl/horse lover so I am slowly gathering anything I can get my hands on that is horse/western related. :)  Slowly she will have her own little gallery.

I actually CASEd this card from the MFT gallery on Facebook...I love this girl!  I actually used two different sayings from MFT stamps to make the "L'il Birthday Buckaroo" sentiment.   Enjoy!
Challenge entered:  Card a Day June's Challenge

Stamps: MFT
Die cuts: flower and star (MFT); other (Spellbinders)
Embellishments: Stickles, specialty lace from scrapbook store, bling (Michael's dollar bin brand); Swarovski crystal.

PInk--Isn't just a color, it's an attitude!

Hello dear readers,
I am sharing a card with you that I made for my other daughter, Julia.  As you may recall, on Sunday I posted a card for Claudia which had converse sneakers and peace signs.  Well, since these two girls are so close together (17 months apart), what gets done for one, a similar one needs to be done for the other, otherwise "it's not fair".   :)  SO, here are some more converse high tops.  However these are more befitting of Julia.  Rather than sparkle, this card is loaded with pearls and flowers.  This girl is more of a quiet classic type--though the card is hardly quiet! LOL.  Enjoy, thanks for stopping by! Margaret

I will be entering this card into the following challenges:
Crafting When We Can, Challenge 19 - Fashion and pearls
Let's Ink It Up, Challenge 24 -  use your favorite embellishments


I meant to follow the sketch for another challenge (Sketchy Colors, #120), but after I finished it, I realized I made it wrong! LOL!  Anyone have those moments?)

Stamps:  Sneakers (Stamping Bella); Sentiment (CC Designs)
Paper: Jillibean Soup
Die cuts: Circle (MFT); Rectangle (Nestabilities)
Bling:  Sparkly Ribbon (Michaels); Pearls (Michaels); Glitter (Stickles); Flowers (Michaels); Brads (Making Memories)

Don't Forget

It rained up here on the mountain today.  Yea!  The no burn ban will be gone, as will the high risk for more wildfires!!! 

Speaking of wild, I've got a "wild" card for you today...a wild animal, that is.  This sketch is from the MFT Wednesday Sketch challenge  #74 and the stamps are from an oldie but goodie MFT set, "It's a Jungle Out There".

 

The blue dp is from Shery K designs and the purple swirls are from Echo Park Summertime.  Both are digital papers.  CS is from DCWV.  I stamped the image with Memento, then colored & outlined the elephant with my copics and used my white Uniball pen for the tusks and toenails!  Ribbon is from Papertrey and I added teal Swarovski crystals to the zigzag die (Papertrey) and sentiment (SU! punch).

I will also be entering this in the following challenges:

There's Magic in the Air - Bingo (punches,ribbon,2 or more patterned papers)

Let's Ink It Up - use favorite embellishments

Love to Create Challenge - Father's Day/Special Guy

Lexi's Creations - for the man/boy in our lives

The Poodles Parlour - card for a male

Crafty Creations - circles

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

You're Groovy

Happy Sunday Everyone,
Well, my kiddos are off to be with their dad all summer.  They just arrived in North Carolina last night.  It is always such a weird transition.  And highly emotional...I couldn't fall asleep until 3am!  Always feels like a big chunk of you is missing.

Anyway, I've already gotten started on my cards to send them.  They have demands you know.  LOL  So this particular card I created for Claudia.  She is very much into Peace Signs, Converse High Tops and bling.  What a perfect blend for this image!  I am entering this card into the Deconstructed Sketch Challenge DS54.  I absolutely LOVED this sketch, and had so much fun with it.  As you can see this card is colorful and very sparkly...just like Claudia!  Happy stamping and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: High tops (Stamping Bella); Sentiment (MFT)
Paper: Doodlebug (old versions I found in my stash) and glitter paper
Ribbon: Hobby lobby brands
Die Cuts:  Flags (MFT); Scalloped circle (Nestabilities)
Bling: Michaels brand plastic crystals (Dollar bin), LOTS of Stickles, colored with Copics

Thanks X3

Happy Saturday!

Margaret is getting her girls off to their dad's for the summer, so I am here tonight with a post.  This card is FOR Margaret.  I had a fantastic time visiting with her and the girls.  So I sat down tonight, and while listening to my San Francisco Giants play the Chicago Cubs, I made this card.

I CASED this card from Irene's Scrapbook: Fijine Dag!.  It's a step card with a twist.  The left side is whole, while the right side has 3 steps.   I used a very happy Tilda (Margaret LOVES Magnolias) and colored her in purples using Copics and Spicas, then fussy cut her.  Julia will tell you that purple is MY favorite color.  I used a few of my newest dies, picked up in Colorado last week!!!  The tree and flowers are all Memory Box.  The grass is an MFT die.  The butterflies are from a Martha Stewart punch, and remind me of Claudia, flitting here and there.  The sentiment (SU!) is stamped with Imperial Purple Versafine and a Nestie die was used to cut it out.   I added Swarovski crystals to all the flower centers, sentiment and butterflies.  The cloud paper is digital and is from Shery K. Designs.

I will be entering this card in the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - add butterflies

Secret Crafter - anything goes

Card Makin' Mamas - feeling punchy

Inspire Me Fridays - anything goes

Just Magnolia - anything goes

Phindy's Friday - pile it on

Totally Papercrafts - Folds, folds and more folds

Aud Sentiments - any sentiment

Southern Girls - die cuts or punches

Midweek Magnolias - put on the bling

Thanks for stopping by. 

kathy b