My Sister

Well I always wanted a sister, but I got brothers, lol.  My three daughters are lucky -they all have each other and I always tell them this..you may irritate each other but you'll always be sisters..be friends.  From what I've heard, sisters have a unique and special bond.

Like I said, I don't have any sisters, but I do have my best friend.  We've been friends for over 25 years. We've definitely been through thick and thin together.  But we always joke we're more like sisters than anything.

As soon as I got this new vintage image from TLC, I immediately thought of my best friend and decided to make her card with it and her favorite papers from SEI.

The image is so unique and vintage I just adore it!!!  I also used the vintage corners that are part of the TLC set called A Little Edgy.  You can find this image as well as the fab corner set in the TLC store by clicking here.  I colored the banner and the corners with my Copics (R32, R83) and distressed them both in some black Making Memories Distress ink.

Now I just need a reason to send it to her ;)

Recipe:
Image & Sentiment:  Vintage My Sister by TLC
Corner Pieces - TLC
Paper:  DCWV Shimmer Stack and SEI Chocolat
Prima Flowers
Making Memories Distress Ink in Black

Challenges:

Fresh Brewed - CAS 3 or less Embellishments
Tip Top Tuesday - Straight Edges (no circles or ovals)
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes

New Color Challenge at The Outlawz!!

Wow, I can't believe Tuesday is here already!!  Where did the week go?!  They seem to be going faster and faster that's for sure!!!

It's time for another Color Challenge over at The Outlawz and for this week, the color combo is Cherry Red, Green and White (yum-o!) but there is a twist!!!  The twist for this week's challenge is to use this color combo for your project and include a transparent embellishment :

For my card today I used a darling image from Di's Digi Downloads which is our month-long Sponsor!   

Isn't that image precious?!  The sentiment is from TLC and I thought it was perfect for her (and so true)!  For my transparent embellishments I used a "clear" band-aid (which is placed behind the image) as well as a Band-Aid wrapper!!

Hoping to see you and your creations at The Outlawz this week!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Sew Mad

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Recycle 
AI Factory - Anything Goes 

Stamp Something - Use a Digi

Happy Birthday

Happy Monday, too!  Hoping that each one of you had a wonderful weekend!!

I found out yesterday that our new neighbor's birthday was....you got it, yesterday!!!  Don't you just love when that happens?!  Thankfully the little ones played Life's Twists and Turns all together, all nicey-nice (yay!) and I was able to whip this card up in a quick.  Phew!

 I had so much fun coloring this sweet image from Elisabeth Bell and paired her with a freebie sentiment from TLC!  Paulette gives away tons of amazing freebies daily and always has something fun in store over at the blog,  so don't forget to stop by today!!  The flower was a white baby Prima which I colored in R83 and R32 to match her pretty dress.  There are glints of Cotton Candy Stickles in the centers of the flowers on her dress but it was hard to captivate with my lack of photography skills ;)  A little bit of pink... a little bit of lace.....some pearls and........ Happy Birthday!

Recipe:
Image:  Kneeling Willow (2009) by Elisabeth Bell
Sentiment:  TLC
Digi Paper:  Birds Gingham Pastels
Paper:  Bazzill Mauvelace and DCWV The Sweet Stack 8x8 pad
Close to My Heart self- adhesive pearls
Pure Color 1 3/8 White Lace
Prima flower
Stickles:  Cotton Candy

Challenges:
Sketch & Stash - Sketch #67
Sentimental Sundays - Flowers w/Sentiment
The Paper Shelter - Flowers, Flowers, Flowers
 

Anything But a Card Color Challenge

Guylou's Inimitability is back from a short summer break with a new challenge hosted by none other than Guylou herself!

For this challenge, there are two requirements:
1.  Your project MUST be anything BUT a card;
2.  Your project MUST use the following fun color combo:

At the end of every school year, my daughter comes home with a nice little list of authors and book choices for the summer.  Now mind you, my daughter loooooves to read, however, most of the summer reading selections never seem to catch her interest.  I don't really blame her - the choices most of the time leave a lot to be desired.

I decided for today's challenge to make her a little bookmark using Caroline to try and get her excited about the selection she made and hopefully give her something pretty to look at in those moments when she gets distracted from the plot!

I used the dot technique and my Swiss Dot embossing folder to add some oomph since I went dp-less.   I created a heart border using my Expression and doodled the framing on the hearts with my multi-liner so you could actually see them behind Caroline, who is colored in Copics.  And what 7th grade girl doesn't love bling?  Well that's where the Bo Bunny jewel candy comes in at the bottom of the bookmark!  ;)

Needless to say, Caroline's expression and these fabby fun colors really made my daughter squeal with delight and I'm happy to report, she actually LOVED her book this summer (yay!!) and her new bookmark!! 

We'd love to see your project (remember it can't be a card this time around) in these awesome colors.  You have until August 18th to enter for a chance to win a Guest Design spot and a $5 gift certificate from Guylou's Inimitability Store .  Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - No DP
Crafty Purple Card Challenge - Anything but a card
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes August Challenge
Sisterhood of Crafters - Simply Handmade
Stamp Something - August Digi Day

I was MOOOOOved :)

Happy Hump Day!!  LOL, I think I secretly love posting on Wednesday's just so I can say that!  Hoping that you are all having a good week so far!

You know, it's really not often that someone does some random act of kindness that really brightens your whole world up like a Christmas tree.  It doesn't have to be anything special - just a phone call or a "hey, how are ya" is all it takes - I'm really a simple kinda gal ;)

I never seem to have enough "Thank You" cards on hand to thank those people who so generously give of themselves, so I figured it was time to build up my stash.   I have been wanting to use this sentiment from TLC since the day I got it but I just never had the right stamp.  I was stoked, to say the very least, to get this new stamp from Bugaboo that I absolutely adore and fit the sentiment perfectly!!

So here is Molly Moo tending to her sunflower (my favorite!!!) - she is so super adorable isn't she?!  Who knew Bugaboo had farm animals?!!?!!  I just love her big, soft nose and that adorable blouse she's got on!!  I kept it simple today - no flowers, no bling (oh the horrors!!! lol) because I just love her so much and want all eyes on her.

Without preaching, I just want to say that these women that draw these images for us to enjoy are women. They are mothers. They are friends. Your sister perhaps.....they are wives. Co-workers. Daughters. Dealing with real life like we all do.  They are real women. So when an artist offers us a beautiful gift in the form of freebie, please leave a thank you.  It's the least we can do.   :)))))


I can't thank YOU enough for stopping by today and taking the time you take away from your very busy life to leave an encouraging word or a smile.  They mean the world to me! 

Recipe:
Copic Markers
Image:  Bugaboo Stamps
Sentiment:  TLC
Yellow Stickles
Papers and trim in stash

Challenges:
Bugaboo Stamps - Make a Splash
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Any Kind of Creature
Some Odd Girl - Thank You
MMSC - Week 115 Sketch
Kaboodle Doodle Challenge Blog - In the Garden

Guest Designer for The Outlawz!!

Yay!  Tuesday is here!!  I know, I usually don't get all excited about Tuesdays but for the month of August they just might be my new favorite day!  I am so psyched that I was asked to Guest Design over at The Outlawz with the girls over at the Tuesday Color Challenge!!!  The DT over there have been my inspiration for quite some time, and I am wicked thrilled to be an Outlawz girl for the next few weeks along side of them! If you have a few extra minutes to spare, try to head on over to their blogs and see what the girls cooked up for you this week - you won't be disappointed!!

Brenda
Guylou
Roxann

This week's color combo for the challenge was picked by Rox, and she picked such a fun, summery one at that!  There is a little twist which is to add a frame or a slide mount!  Easy peasy, right?!

Had me all ready for some backyard fun with friends and family ;)  And speaking of the backyard, someday I would love to have some gorgeous sunflowers in mine - which is where I gleaned my inspiration from:

I paired this beautiful Whimsy & Stars image with one of my most favorite sentiments by TLC.  I have used both versions of it so many times in so many different ways, that I've lost track.  The papers are hybrid - the ginghams are digital paper by BirdsCards and the white eyelet paper is from Making Memories (another all-time favorites!!!).  There is just a touch of Diamond Stickles on that cutie bee's wings, however, I'm not sure if you can see it!!!

The Sponsor for the month of August is Di's Digi Downloads which is totally worth playing for!!

Hoping to see you and all your lemony-lime creations over at The Outlawz!!!!

Recipe:
Medium:  Copic Markers & Faber Castell Watercolor Pencils
Image:  Mabelle R.O. Whimsy & Stars Studio
Sentiment:  TLC
Digi Papers:  Birds Gingham Brights
Paper:  Bazzill Textured Brights cs and Making Memories Eliza Collection
Diamond Stickles
Martha Steward Craft Seam Binding
Close to My Heart self-adhesive pearls

Challenges:

Sentimental Sundays - In the Garden
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Week 114 Last Free & Easy
Make it Monday - Party 48
Sir Stampalot - Whatever you Fancy

TLC Design Team Blog Hop!

Hello all my crafty friends!!!   Happy Friday!  And what an awesome way to start our weekend!!!!  TLC is having a Design Team Blog Hop today to help welcome the new DT, which I am thrilled and honored to be a part of.  I am super excited to be your final destination for today's hop. :)

Hopefully you've come here from my fabulously talented teamie, Hetty.  If you haven't, you should go back to the beginning or starting point which is Karen, another uber talented teamie o'mine ;)   You definitely want to start at the beginning, because each DT member has a little surprise in store for you!  I've put the blog hop list here for your convenience just in case you get lost along the way!

Karen ..... http://kraftykarens.blogspot.com/

Judith ..... http://jarfullofjoy.blogspot.com/

Angela ..... http://mijnhobbyhonk.blogspot.com/

Hetty ... http://craftchaos.blogspot.com/

Sara ....  http://ladylipz1.blogspot.com/

For today, I created a sort of Clean and Simple masculine card using the very freebie that I will be giving you at the end of the post!  The name of the image is called Too Many Numbers, and once I saw him I fell in love with his cherubic face and angel eyes.  Thank God I'm not his mother, I'd never be able to tell that face no ;)

I just love that look, don't you?!?  And I love the vintage feel and the versatility of this image.  He could be used with so many of Paulette's word art sets and sentiments (trust me, it was hard choosing just one!). I decided for today's creation to use TLC's, Thinking of You, since he looked so lost in thought!

 

So for stopping by and joining us in all the blog hop fun, I've attached your little gift from Paulette - all you have to do is click on it and right click to save yours!

This concludes our hop today!!  Hopefully you've enjoyed all the mahoosive amounts of creativity from my fellow teamies and all those fabby freebies from Paulette! Isn't she the most generous?!  Don't forget to spread some TLC today :)

Recipe:
Medium:  Copic Markers
Image & Sentiment:  TLC
Papers:  Kraft cs, Cherry Red cs, Deja Views Global Views Paper Pad
Distress Inks:  Tim Holtz in Vintage Photo and Making Memories in Walnut
Buttons in stash

Challenges:
The Outlawz - Friday Copic/ProMarker Challenge - Anything Goes 
Totally Gorjuss - Punch or Die
Charisma Cardz - 4 Legged Friends
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges - Anything Goes