Tilda Sweet Surprises

Tilda has a surprise cupcake for you today! I just got this set, Cowberry Muffin, and paired it with the Basic Grey Lemonade designer paper for this week's Magnolia sketch challenge. The challenges run weekly and it is about to expire today!! Good grief, I can't believe how fast a week goes by!

My Tilda was colored with copic markers. I can't tell you which ones, because once I start, I just keep grabbing and blending, and in the end, I usually have about 20 sprawled out over my table. I like the idea of blending 3 colors per color family, but it usually doesn't work that way for me! The background paper is SU Rose Red, the designer papers and Tilda were matted in Certainly Celery. Sugar coated brads from Making Memories and one little pearl for the cherry were added for fun. White polka dotted sheer ribbon was wrapped around the base, per the sketch requirements. The side tab is from SU's Sweet Sampler set, stamped in Rose Red, then punched with a large oval. Only one side was trimmed and tucked under the main image...I like that sentiment, "Sweets" it fits a few people in my life right now!

There is a place not too far from my house called "The Cupcakery," and putting this card together has assured a visit soon...Tilda will probably pick the red velvet, which one do you want??

I hope you like my Tilda submission, and always love to read your comments. Thanks for stopping by today!

Here is a picture of the sketch:

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday

Good morning! I have been away from stamping for a little while, but after reading the Flourishes Newsletter, I wanted to join the challenge this week to make a monochromatic card. The only stipulations were you could only use one color and variations of that color, and one white or cream cardstock. This card uses one of the most versatile Flourishes sets, Thinking of You. The top white panel was stamped with a small stamp from the set. The bottom panel is from the SU designer paper, Bella Birds. The center basket and border is actually two stamps arranged on an acrylic block. The colors used were pink pirouette and pretty in pink. These were framed in 3 ovals from the nestabilities line. And to add a little interest, tiny pearls were also added for a little shimmer to match the shimmer in the ribbon. To see the design team entries this week and participate: http://flourishesnewsletter.blogspot.com/
Thanks for stopping by today, I wish you happy stamping!
Oh, and I realize this might be hard to see, it is so light, so click on the picture if you can't~

Snail in Waiting

Thanks for coming by my blog, today is a whacky day for all the Teapot Followers...we are at the Tour of France and having a party. Who knows if we'll get by as spectators, join the race, or end up shopping at some fancy stamp botique...but this snail in my little card is waiting and worrying about what to do as well.
To see the inspiration story and card from Cindy, visit her blog here: http://mothermark.blogspot.com/


My snail is a little shy...she feels a ruckus and a rumblin under her shell so close to the ground, and is thinking about venturing out to the road to get a better view...well as well as a snail can see with one eye!! She is curious and wonders if there is a big storm coming and should she seek cover...but her curiosity is getting the better of her. Now I am wondering what she should do in this situation, what do you think??

This scene was created with Basic Grey's acrylic stamp sets, Critters n Treats...the clouds are made from an acrylic sheet cut with scalloped scissors and sponged at angles in bashful blue ink. The tree was covered with artichoke ink then hit in a few places with glorious green ink for some dimension. Then I decided to add some berries to the tree with some bright red brads. To complete, I took some felt flowers and addded these big BasicGrey brad centers. The ribbon was was threaded with ginham, then another wider gingham was tied in a bow and added to the top. The background polka dot paper was ran through the cuttlebug with the flower and circle embossing folder. Last, some crystal effects was added to my snail's shell.
Can't wait to see what unfolds today at the party...hope to see ya there!!

Thanks Beth!!

My dork sister, Beth, bestowed this fun blog award to all the dorks (well those that had blogs!!)

I am honored to receive this!! Thanks Miss Beth!!

You are supposed to tell ten things about yourself...so here they are...Think think think...

1. I love Jesus, my country, my husband, family and friends!

2. I love the creative process of stamping. But I am not good at figuring out how to assemble templates unless I have a video. If you know how to do this, come on over!! I am a slow stamper, so if you like something, leave me a comment. Maybe I'll be motivated to spend another three hours on my next card. :)

3. I wouldn't recommend getting a Corgi dog unless you love to vacume.

4. I kinda like to vacume.

5, I kinda like my Corgi.

6. I live in Colorado, and feel most at home in the mountains with a nice creek!!

7. My last job was doing home visitation/companionship/and respite care for elderly.

8. I want to learn to take better pictures, and hope to take a photography class.

9. I enjoy decorating and faux painting/stenciling.

10. I love my stamping friends!

That is my exciting ten honest things for today. Most likely this will be edited when my brain shifts past neutral. I need to think of a few people to pass this along to.

Meanwhile, you can visit Beth's blog here:http://hartleyhandcraftedathome.blogspot.com/

Beth is one amazing stamper, and she does home daycare and runs a scrapbooking business as well. She is one busy woman and one wonderful friend!

Tilda makes her Mark

Tilda is getting ready for back to school, and her Mom just took her shopping. It wasn't long ago that Tilda was dressed in polyester pantsuits, usually out of some subdued (ugly) gold or brown sewn on Mom's old Singer, but this year she begged her Mom to take her shopping to a real store where she could buy this pretty jumpsuit. The brown shirt is from last year's pile, but with this pink number, it looks brand new!! Tilda is so excited, she even stuffed her pockets with art supplies, her ruler, paintbrush, and pencil. She is ready for art class after many summer days of helping her Mommy in the craft room!!

This is for the Magnolia challenge to use buttons on your card, and this one has quite a few! I used my Papertrey collections in Raspberry Fizz, browns, and creams. The bottom button is a flower I made using cardstock handtorn into circles. The circles were spritzed with water, crumpled up, uncrumpled and then each corner was wrapped around a stylus tip and rolled up. This helped me to use some different colors to tie the card together.

Thanks to my friend, Dawn (flowergal36) for sending me this Tilda image...I love her!!

Thanks for stopping by. Tilda is going to do a model runway of the rest of her school wardrobe, won't you join us in the living room? I have some fresh lemonade!

To find the Magnolia challenge, just click on the Tilda on my sidebar!

Feel Better Wishes

I think I like the sentiment, "Feel Better" better than "Get Well." I am learning lately that some of our medical issues, or emotional hiccups in life really affect our emotional well-being as much or sometimes more than our physical troubles. When someone says "feel better" it is like a hug that reaches the soul, it doesn't leave you dangling in the physical unknown...
When I need to feel better, I count on my friends, my family, and my faith in God. Knowing that He is all powerful and is ready to intercede on my behalf is the balm I need for my hurts...and I am so thankful for that. And the friends He sends me along the way are the best!
This is for one of my friends who is suffering right now...in hopes that this feels like a hug from me to her...
This stamp is from Flourishes paired with the Basic Grey Urban Prairie designer paper. The stamp was colored in with markers to add a colorful boquet, one I wish I could give her in person.

Strawberries in a Basket

This is one of those cards that is cuter in person...I made this for today's challenge on SCS, "Seeing Double" where you needed to have two of one thing. What better way to showcase this new set, "Strawberries" from flourishes? I was excited about this card because it was the first time I attempted the basket technique with my Scor-Pal, and it sure does add a lot to a card like this...plus was able to use some gingham ribbon...what is it about gingham that makes me think of summer and sweetness and innocent days gone by?
Anyway, I hope you like this card...and that you are having a happy relatively care-free summer! Thanks for stopping by, and we're having strawberry lemonade on the porch!!

Life's a Beach

Today is the sketch challenge on SCS, and I decided since I just received this set, Beach Life, from Flourishes, to try it out.

The technique used for the beach/sky scene is called "Smackin Acetate" and is found here:

http://stamptv.ning.com/ This site has been very helpful with learning new techniques, and is called StampTV with Gina K!

I tried this with copics and spraying with rubbing alcohol which has worked in the past, but it didn't this time...so I switched to regular SU markers, and even though my supply is limited, it did what I needed it to do and we have a psychedelic sunset...which I kinda like. So much for serene, this is one bright card...but it does remind me of the sunsets on the beach...I just couldn't get the shoreline to cooperate...so that will be more practice for another day!

Oh there is a boat out there, see it?

Thanks for stopping by and I have a Bahama Mama in the blender...ask my good friend from Cuba, she can tell you what's in it...but it's guaranteed to soothe the mind if it doesn't put you under the table first. The drink reminds me of this sunset, it's colorful and full of lots of Caribbean flavor!I always ask to make mine "light."

Flourishes Blog Challenge

One of my favorite blogs, Flourishes, is having a stamp challenge this week as an opportunity to win all the new stamp sets this month, to be released tomorrow!

You can read about the contest on the Flourishes Newsletter:

http://www.flourishesnewsletter.blogspot.com/

The challenge was to stamp a card evoking the feeling of the sea. I have had this image for awhile and have honestly been too imidated to attempt coloring it, but decided today was the day. The background is my favorite, a Flourishes stamp called "Reverse Damask." To make this, I first used glossy white paper to stamp in versamark ink. Then I embossed with ultra thick embossing powder. Afterwards, I just experimented with ink colors to get the feel of the sea that I was going for. In this case the colors blended were first: antique linen distress ink, then creamy caramel, then a little bit of cameo coral for highlights. I used a Tim Holtz gadget for blending that is very helpful, it has removable pads and blends like a dream! This background reminded me of the dreamy swirly waves of the ocean water, and the colors of the sand and conch shells!

The image was colored with copics and then cut and embossed with the Labels One Nestabilities. It was framed in blush cardstock. The card base is 5 inches square in Soft Sky...I loved these two colors together for a feeling of sea and sky. The image was accented with Hero Arts rhinestones and tied with a Martha Stewart bow.

Thanks for stopping by today ...I hope you enjoy my card and it evokes a feeling of the sea to you too!!

One Lovely Blog Award

Good morning! I received this Lovely Blog Award from a sweet friend, SCS'er and fellow blogger, Charlene Merrick. (also known as LilluvsStampin on SCS. You can find Charlene's blog in my sidebar, "Where m&m's Gather.") Charlene's creativity of layout and design plus color equals one amazing stamper...and her blog is so fun, you have to check it out here:http://www.wheremmsgather.blogspot.com/

Charlene and I started this blogging venture at almost the same time, how fun is that? Thanks Charlene, I am honored!!

The idea behind this award is to pass it on to other bloggers that you enjoy or are newly discovered. I have a few blogging friends I'd like to forward this to. Hopefully you can figure out how to upload it to your blog easier than I could, I am definitely technically challenged...but I think I finally got it!!

Here are my picks for now, I may add a few more as I get to know more of the wonderful inspirationally talented bloggers out there!! The name is listed on top, the blog (in my sidebar) listed underneath the name.

Peggysue

Roses by my Window

Beth H
Hartley Handcrafted @ Home


Dawn (flowergal 36)
My Stamping Thyme

Betty Wright
Stamping to the Wright

Linda Borneman
My Little Yellow Cottage

Cindy (Mothermark)
This is my Story


You can find the links in my sidebar to each of these women's names. Each was chosen for their creativity, inspiration, fun, and friendship!

Tea at Botanical Gardens in Dublin

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The other day our daughter told me after taking out the boat that the local reservoir (normally a dry arid place) looked "just like Ireland, it was so green!" That made me giggle, she has never been to Ireland and neither have I, but today I get to go and meet the other Tea Partiers at the Botanical Gardens!! Oh, and did I mention Dublin? Someday I'd like to go there for a real visit, but for today, it's an imaginary trip where you are only limited by your imagination. And the nice thing is, no jet lag!!

It is Tuesday's Teapot Challenge at Mothermark's Blog...and this was my card I made in honor of the big day!

You can see the teapot challenge here on Cindy (Mothermark's) blog:

http://www.mothermark.blogspot.com/

This was a piece of vellum cardstock run through the Birds and Vines Embossing folder paired with a single Inkadinkadoo stamp that I just love...only in the photograph the coloring looks much darker, but the card has very subtle pastels in real life. The vellum was flipped to the reverse side and lightly gone over with mellow moss, barely banana, regal rose, and almost amethyst. I framed the tree in three ovals using barely banana and mellow moss. Then added some tiny Kaiser pearls and a white taffeta ribbon bow at the base. I've never seen a pink bird, but this is make-believe and I kinda like it!

Thanks for stopping by and you know we are having tea, and it is on the terrace today overlooking the rose gardens!!

Oh Sweet Pea!

I just returned from our trip to check out today's Featured Stamper challenge on SCS. Sandra, B-Gin-R had a wonderful gallery to CASE a card...so I pulled out this Sweet Pea image I colored earlier with my copics and paired it up with the oh so bright Raspberry Fizz paper and ribbon from PaperTrey.

The background is a stamp called Reverse Damask from Flourishes. Neither of these stamps had seen ink yet, and I was surprised how compatible they were!~

Still need to unpack my suitcase, but thanks for stopping in and hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!!

Late for the Wedding!!

I'm running late for a wedding...not mine, I'm already married...and honestly I am not even attending this one. It is for my old high school buddie's firstborn daughter. I haven't seen her in about 20 years, but it's one of those obligatory cards you make because of old old friendships. But when I RSVP'd I was so relieved that I had remembered, I threw out the invitation with the outer envelope! Then I couldn't remember what the date was...but thankfully another friend of the same friend helped me out last night. So this is the wedding card, first one I have ever made.


I used the two stamp sets: Friends 27 and Elegant Greetings. The damask flourish is stamped on bashful blue, then the sentiment in black. I thought these two colors looked somewhat formal and appropriate for a bride and groom. The rest is self explanatory, using the Cuttlebug embossing folder for more texture, and white sheer ribbon. Once I had the ribbon done I noticed something I had not planned...the ribbon formed a cross! That seemed so fitting to me! Two tiny rhinestones adorn the top and base of the flourish! I hope the black matting is alright for a wedding, I was thinking black formal tuxedos! What do you think?

On the Lake

Saying Hi from Steamboat Lake about 30 miles outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado! My husband, daughter, and I took the boat out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. The clouds overhead are looking ominous, but we made it until we docked and then the rain came down in huge droplets. I was able to take a picture of a patch of daisys sunning themselves right outside the marina store, and changed out the snowy mountain from my previous header. I hope this brings a little sunshine your way!
Our adventure: My daughter is better than I am with the boat, so she was behind the wheel and her job was to swing by the dock and pickup her Dad. Well, the starter was cranked over a dozen times while Tom stood, then sat on the dock waiting for a ride. We meanwhile drifted further and further from dock and were quickly heading out past the buoys. I was getting a little nervous as our boat was tilted towards the muddy shore and still no start. Finally, after an estimated 15 minutes, the engine started. A bit of a relief...but it was comical to see my husband becoming a distant speck and contemplating how many olympic size swimming pools were between him and us and would he be able to swim out to rescue us. Alas, it did not happen.
That bald topped mountain in the background is Hahn's Peak. It only looks dark because of the skies overhead, normally it is a friendly looking mountaintop!



Thanks for stopping by...no iced tea on the boat, I forgot to bring it. But Erin, who works on the golf course and serves beverages off her golf cart, informed me that an Arnold Palmer is just an equal mix of iced tea and lemonade. How simple is that? Hope you are having a good summer and fun plans for the 4th of July!