Hello "Tweet" Friend!!

Hi, and hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday!

Yesterday was my anniversary to my fairly wonderful husband of 28 years. It is odd even to see that in writing, as it doesn't seem possible it has been that long. I sometimes think the longer you stay married, the more interesting your bond becomes, as two people are always evolving. So ther person you are married to after 28 years may not seem like the person you married, but if we let God enter in, then what we are both becoming is more of what we were created to be...and my husband means even more to me now than when we were first wed. I don't think God could have chosen a better mate and lifelong partner for me!! We had a nice day and it felt good to have some time together to celebrate our marriage. We went to see the movie, Knight and Day, and out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants here, Carrabba's. Our youngest daughter works there, so she was able to be our server and as always, it did my heart good to see her on our special day!!

Today my card is a CASE for SCS's featured stamper on Sundays, Debbie. (debbiemom23cs).

I used her basic layout for this card, and changed pretty much everything else. Congratulations Debbie!

And on my favorite blog, Stamping Sisters in Christ, Randi challenged us to use stripes on our cards. This paper is a scrap piece and was just the one I was looking for, and of course, all that is left of this design, but it had stripes, and it had the exact colors I wanted for this sweet mailbox image. The lil bluebird perched on the top of the mailbox is a brad, I just colored the wing with a copic marker to blend it in to the papers.

I may be back to comment on this verse, but for now, just wanted to get this card posted.

Have a blessed Sunday!!

Ribbon, Shimmer, Bling...a little bit of Everything!!

For today's Teapot Tuesday challenge...(click on the black and white teapot on my sidebar to read all about it!) ...and using this week's Flourishes sketch by Silke.

After I made the card, I looked again at the sketch and noticed the ribbon running through the lower panel with something on the side...thankfully was able to pry this oval up and added some ribbon under it and more bling!! So this card is a little blingy, but I still like it!

Wanted to join my friend, Cindy, and the Teapot Tuesday gang...but alas, today I am not having luck uploading my card...so hopefully they can bop on in here on the birdbrain train!

Thanks for looking!! Come join in the fun on today's Teapot Tuesday!!

Do you like my hat?

This Strawberry Tilda from Magnolia caught my eye the minute I saw her...she has the cutest hat on, don't you think?? It reminds me of my online friends on SCS...the Travelin' Dork Sisters, who on many occasion, say silly things like, "Do you like my hat?" To which there will be some type of Dr. Seuss reply that makes us all giggle...

Anyhow...I hope you like my Tilda, her hat, and the strawberry center I made by cutting the strawberry out from the paper and adding crystal effects. Then I stuck my finger smack dab in the middle of it...and after trying so many other embellishment centers and removing them, I just stuck it on and thought, yes, I do, I do like this strawberry with the thumbprint in the middle. Hee..

The Just Magnolia challenge is "In the Garden," and I thought this image fit!

I spent way too long on this card, but it is summer, and no one is here to work on landscaping, or painting, or anything...and I just needed a day to relax and play for awhile.

The flower was made from some heavy cardboard packaging material that I ran through my CB with some Papertrey Ink flower dies (love those!!)

I am going to list the copics for you who like to know these things, this is the first time I have been able to keep track of them.

Copics Used:

E000, E00, E11

E53, E25, E59

G20, G40, G82

R00, R20,R22,R46

C1,C3,C5

Thanks for popping in, and hope Tilda brings a bit of summer your way...It is supposed to be high 80's here all week, so we are definitely getting our dose of sunshine after last week's rain!

Happy Father's Day

Last night at my monthly stamp class, we made three cards...all of them fun and with totally different looks!
This was my favorite, it uses this set which I love but don't know the name and makes one really dramatic Father's Day card. I love the colors and the tree and the elk were stamped in Versamark ink and then embossed with black embossing powder. The moon was masked with a punched out circle and then blue ink was sponged on for the sky.
I am going to go ahead and enter this on the SSIC challenge this week to make a masculine card because I rarely make them...and maybe it will inspire someone else! I did not come up with this design, my SU demo, Carn, did! Thanks Carn, if you're reading this!!
And thanks for looking...I hope to have the final landscaping pictures updated here in a couple of days. They still need to finish the step and are waiting for the quarry to cut the slab for that. Then it will be done!
Thanks for stopping in...hope you are having a good day!

Two Little Chickadees Sitting in a Tree...

The Shabby Tea Room is having a DT call and I am answering it!!

This ornament was made with the inspiration from the Victorian Teapot shown in the following post...I have two projects today, so please scroll down for the card.

I love Chickadees...and I love Christmas! When I saw the deep red and white from the teapot...I had two immediate thoughts, and one of them was Christmas!

The image of these adorable chickadees was an old note card I had and did not want to throw away. So I decoupaged it on to these glass ornaments. I followed up making a frosty scene with some TH crackle paint, flower soft for snow and white fluffy pom poms. I added a narrow line of glitter to finish off the edges and Pearl Glimmer mist to give it even more shimmer. The bow is three parts, white crochet lace formed into a bow, tied off with a button from PTI and crochet linen thread and hung with some pretty silk ribbon.

I am excited to submit this for The Shabby Tea Room challenge...and hope you will make a comment if you think I have a chance. Either way, I love these projects and have made something I truly enjoy and will use!!

Thanks so much for dropping in...have a blessed Sunday!!

Not Too Shabby!!

Good morning!

One of my favorite places to visit, "The Shabby Tea Room," is having a Design Team challenge this month!! The inspiration is a photograph of this antique Victorian teapot featured in the first frame.

When I "see red," I visually hone in on toile, a favorite design element! This card was created using the floral image in the SU "Elements of Style." The image was stamped first in Cranberry Crisp dye ink, and then each line was traced with a blender pen to give it a very softened effect.

There is a wonderful tutorial on the Flourishes blog from Julie showing just how to do this technique!

The teapot had a centered focal point, so that was recreated using the Nestabilities Labels 9 die and a Verve stamped verse. My favorite shabby crochet ribbon was added with a strip of cranberry ribbon over it and then a simple pearl accent for Victorian embellishment.

I think this card captures the essence of the photograph...don't you?

Thank you so much for stopping in, and especially on such a rainy cool and cloudy afternoon. I have the teakettle on and some pretty cups to serve from, what's your preference?

Special Delivery

I just received this stamp set from Flourishes using a gift certificate so graciously donated from the company. On release day, if you go to the Forums on SCS and play in the games, you just might win a prize!!

I received a card with this stamp set from my friend Dawn, (flowergal36 on SCS)...and I liked the layout so much, I copied it. Well, actually, I loved the entire card...but I didn't copy the card...The colors and overall "feel" are very different...this is using white, yellow and blue for the Flourishes month's challenge, "Sunshine and Blue Skies." And wouldn't you know it, today it is overcast and cloudy?!! Well, if you click on the picture, maybe you can get a better idea of the colors....one of my favorite combinations!!

And this week's challenge on the Stamping Sister's in Christ blog is taken from the verse Genesis 1:26. "And God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth."

So for this card, I chose the "fowl of the air..." which I am very fond of. The Stamping Sisters In Christ Challenge blog is featured on my sidebar, click on that and you will be able to view all the DT cards!!

Thanks so much for your visit today...hope you are having a good summer.

Scroll down if you'd like to see the progress of our landscaping. Going on week 3 and looking good!!

Work In Progress...

Good afternoon!

As promised, this is a photo update of our landscaping project. As you can see, the crew is working hard on the front porch and front walkways. Last week was pretty much taken up with just laying the stone and the grid, leveling, and the slate border of the front porch and step. The beginning of this week, they added grout to the porch and began the front walkway. Seeing the tediousness of the exactness used in laying out the front porch makes me think of stamping and the time we put into a layout and measuring. It makes me feel a little better about the time it takes me to get a card just right!

Thanks for coming by...I'll update again in a few days. They are supposed to be adding the plants, flowers, and trees later this week. I think that will make this all come together!!

Inspired Christmas

Good afternoon!

This week Splitcoast Stampers' Queen for the Day was Grace (aka:scrapingramma2). Grace has a gallery full of gorgeous heartfelt artwork. I have always admired her cards so this was my feeble attempt at a tribute in her honor.

This card follows Flourishes' blog's Christmas Spirit Challenge for the month of June as well. The inspiration was a beautiful room decorated for Christmas. (See top photo.) I chose the red, silver, and white as my theme for this card.

Also for this week's Stamping Sisters in Christ the Lovely Linda hosted with a Bible passage from Hebrews 11:6. You can visit the blog (on my sidebar) to read her wonderful devotional this week. Linda challenged us to make a card with a heart...could be an image, paper, or embellishment. I chose a tiny heart charm that has the word, "love" engraved on it.

I used the fancy tags and cut them up for the borders of my focal image. The ribbon is offray, and the tiny shimmery flowers are from the wedding department of Michael's. Silver pearls were added, along with the heart charm.

Recipe:

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs

Paper: PTI white, Bravo Burgundy, and Designer paper

Ink: Versamark

Access: Silver Embossing Powder, silver cord, silver heart charm, Offray ribbon, flowers, silver pearls, Fancy Tags by Spellbinders, Labels 4 Nestabilities

Pretty Poppies

Just wanted to share a favorite picture of mine from our mountain home in Steamboat Springs at the Botanical Park. This is the loveliest color of poppies! My card is one post down if you'd like to see it. Thanks for stopping by!

Hip and Hippier

So, this is my version of a CAS (Clean and Simple) card inspired by the blog, "Simplicity." Except that it was supposed to be one layer and a repeated image. I got the repeat...but two layers for this baby...oh well.

I have to say, I think CAS is difficult, because placement is key. Exactness is mandatory. I am going to continue to work on this concept, because I need some calm and order in my life right now, and fussy just doesn't do it.

I think this is kind of a hip card...don't you? It uses colors that are in right now in the decorating world...orange, lime green, and blue. Not my normal color repertoire. And I imagine these cups on a painted black table, also hip. Not me, I still have cherry wood with brass hardware. But I can be hip in my cards...and that black and white gingham is the cool table runner I'd have my cups sitting on...my mocha non-fat lattes with a shot of espresso. Made with my black espresso machine sitting on my hip countertop.

And the" hippier"...you ask? That is what I see when I look in the mirror. Which is why I should not stamp until I start exercising.

Thanks for looking, won't you join me for a latte? It's fat free and oh, so hip!!