Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Blessings to you during this Christmas Season

Good morning girls!
It's Wednesday!!! I don't have any projects today for you BUT did want to remind you of what's up with the challenges that I usually post on Wednesday! I decided yesterday morning to take a break for a few weeks....more on that later in case you are just insanely curious! LOL!

Cuttlebug Challenge - no challenge today. I do hope you got to see the 12 Days of Christmas inspired projects that we all did. You can see mine HERE in case you missed it.

The Diedrich Dare - on holiday break as well. But there will be a challenge next week AND really great
news coming in January!!!

FlutterBy Wednesday - there is a challenge this week. Use a butterfly, fairy or angel to create a card or project. Be sure to upload your creation over on Danni's site. You can also see what the rest of the girls are up to as well.
Please visit the rest of the Flutter By team to see what beautiful creations they have for you this week!

AnnChrisChristineDanni
HarrietHeatherJodiKaren
KrisKristieLeliaMichelle
NancyNicolaPam

I want to leave you with a wish for a Merry Christmas. I hope that as you go through the hustle and bustle of the season, that you have time to reflect on the true spirit of Christmas. So long ago, we received the greatest gift of all time. God sent His son, to be with us here on earth, to love us and ultimately to die for us, paying the price for our sins. I hope that you have unwrapped that gift. That you know how loved you are by Our Heavenly Father.
Perhaps you haven't invited Jesus into your heart and have a relationship with Him. Or maybe you've just been bogged down in the worldly trappings of Christmas. Either way, The Purpose of Christmas is a wonderful book. We read it in one of my bible studies and whether you are lost or just need to be uplifted, this book will do the trick. Pick it up. Read it. Even if you don't get to it till December 26th.

So Merry Christmas dear readers and friends.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Some Q & A

I'm so glad you visited this week and enjoyed my card for The Diedrach Dare. I had a few questions -- but no way to answer you directly -- so I'll post them here!

One reader asked how I got the text to be different colors on my stamp - she wondered if it was done digitally. I know that you can do that with digital images...but this is a rubber stamp. So I just used 2 markers to color each section. Then I huffed to re-moisten the ink and stamped. It's a VERY easy way to get color in your images and get a WOW effect.

Another reader wanted to know where to buy the gems in the corners. I pick those up at 2 places consistently: Michaels and Hobby Lobby. The ones I used on this card were found at Michaels in their dollar bin. And then I also buy gems at Hobby Lobby when they run them on sale. Hobby Lobby doesn't tend to have too many colored gems but you can color a clear gem with a copic marker (or any other alcohol ink) and get a custom match.

Hope that helps! Thanks SO MUCH for stopping by and leaving a comment. It's a sweet spot in my day! Have a beautiful day girls!!

Have you been checking out the 12 Days of Christmas over at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog? Lots of good stuff over there!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Flutter By Wednesday: A Mercy Sketch

Post 2 - please scroll down for my Diedrach Dare blog. It's the 12 Days of Christmas at Cuttlebug Challenge so head there to see what is up over there.
This week we are sooo lucky to get to create with a sketch designed just for us by Mercy!! As always, we are to use a butterfly or fairy or even an angel during the holidays. Every week when I am writing up my post I think "Next week I'm going to use an angel". And then I forget.

Until today!


And here's my take on the sketch:


I still think Baja Breeze is one of the prettiest blues ever! I have about 6 full sheets left. I paired it with some paper from my scrap drawer. The angel was embossed and I painted her wings with (appropriately) Angel Wings Shimmerz. The blue flower is one of my favorite things that you can find in the 2RedBananas store. The embellishments on this card seem over the top to me - definitely outside of what I normally do. But I see sooo many other gals doing it that I thought I'd give it a whirl. Let me know what you think.....


Please visit the rest of the Flutter By team to see what beautiful creations they have for you this week!

AnnChrisChristineDanni
HarrietHeatherJodiKaren
KrisKristieLeliaMichelle
NancyNicolaPamStef

And then be sure to upload your creation using the sketch and either a butterfly, fairy or angel over at Danni's blog!

The Diedrach Dare: Hope

Post 1 - please see my Flutter By card above too!

Good morning girls! Wednesday again already - the days just fly by! I'm so thrilled to get to share today's Diedrach Dare challenge with you today. This week Jack gave us a terrific sketch to work with.

And my take on it



I created my card as a personal message to one of my fellow DareDevils, Sandra. It's a message for you too if there is uncertainty of confusion or discouragement in your life. I hope you know how amazingly precious to God you are. His plans are not to harm us, but to uplift us.

This is the final Dare of the year - so you'll have 2 weeks to work on this challenge. Pretty neat since one of the DareDevils, Randi Wall, is giving away a single unmounted image from the Sweet Pea Fantasy Art Collection by Ching-Chou-Kuik plus one of my cards. Now, I have a piece of artwork from Randi and so owning a card from her is some serious stamping treasure! Be sure to leave a link to your card at the blog for your chance to win! And good luck!! I also hear that a little something might be up for grabs over at Jessica's blog too!

Take a spin over to the Diedrich Dare blog to see the featured team member this week. And check out the rest of the team members too!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Banana Split Sunday: Tree Inspiration

Good morning girls! It's Sunday and time for another Banana Split Sunday challenge. This week it's an inspiration challenge.....What can you create with a tree?

I had so many ideas on what to create for this challenge. And as usually happens, what I ended up with is drastically different from what I first sat down to create. I was going to use ribbons ... and then I thought maybe eyelets or gems. Then I decided to use words since text fascinates me so much. I couldn't get quite the look I wanted so I thought and thought some more.

And then I had an idea. And asked my little man to come help me.


This is what we created together. It's so simple it's almost amateurish --- but it's personal and a little piece of him that is now frozen in time. LOVE THAT!!

I sketched out a simple triangle for my tree shape and then used Olive Pastel chalk ink and his thumb, pointer and pinky fingers to create the tree. The trunk is stamped in Memories Chestnut Roan. The sentiment is from the Winter Wishes set at 2RedBananas. I really wanted to keep the focus on my little guy's fingerprints so I matted it and used dimensionals to attach it to a white card base.

Join in the fun this week and show us what you can create with a tree! We've loved all the participation!! Spend some time visiting the rest of The Banana Bunch and see their take on this challenge!
Jeanette Fincher
Deb Felts
Teresa Grau
Wendy Kastner
Dawn Burnworth
Lynette Neus-Guest Designer

And I'll leave you with a picture of the proud artist - he's in front of our tree that we decorated this morning. You might see lots of open space at the top. I let him put up most of the ornaments and so they are all at the bottom. And I'm leaving them ---- it's not very many years that you get to have a lopsided-ly decorated tree and I intend to enjoy every one of them!


Have a blessed Sunday!
p.s. I'm pre-posting this and my little guy just came in and said "I have to tell you Good Night and about my life". And then he proceeded to jabber on about all sorts of things. I'm off to tuck this little guy in for the night.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Flutter By Wednesday: Winter Theme

Good afternoon girls! I have my Flutter By card for you today. This week we were challenged to create a winter theme project, being sure to use a butterfly, fairy or angel (during the holidays angels are fluttering too!) on our cards.

I created a snowglobe first yesterday morning. It's pretty cute ---- except for the fact that there is so much glitter constantly in the water --- you can't really see the picture. My little man discovered it this morning though and was so excited. He couldn't care less if the picture was visible or not!

So after the day full of activities and getting the little guy down (we slept fever free for the first time in I forget how many days - thank you Lord!) I set out to create a second project - this time a card.

I stamped the tree in some Olive Colorbox Chalk ink and then added some Tulip Dimensional paint in all the "open" spots for snow. It is white in the tube and came out white. It took forever to dry which is why I'm just now posting it. As you can see - it dried clear. Hmph. Not the effect I wanted. I did scatter more glitter over it when it was wet so it's pretty sparkly like snow. Then I just decorated my tree with butterflies. My little man declared it beautiful this morning. I have to confess that I agree - I am really liking the simplicity of it. And the idea of it. Imagine lots of pretty butterflies adorning a tree in nature, in celebration of the birth of our King.

I hope that with the busyness of the season, you get to reflect and enjoy the whole reason for it: Jesus' birth.

If you haven't already, take a moment to visit the rest of the Flutter By girls and see their creations. I'm off to do the same myself!

AnnChrisChristineDanni
HarrietHeatherJodiKaren
KrisKristieLeliaMichelle
NancyNicolaPamStef

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Diedrach Dare: Out of my Comfort Zone

Good Wednesday morning girls! I hope you are having a terrific day! We are in the middle of the third straight week of a cold snap. Very unusual for here; I'll be happy when we return to our normal winter temps in the 60s.

Since it's Wednesday, there is a lot going on here at the blog.... first up is my post for Whimsical Wednesday: The Diedrich Dare. Madelynn brought us an inspiration challenge this week. These are the hardest challenges for me and I'm really steppin' out with the BRIGHT color scheme.  Here's what she chose:

She loves the fun, funky style of the Alex, the main gal on Wizards of Waverly Place. I can see why she does. I love how cheerful bright colors are even though I don't wear them, decorate with them or create with them very often. I chose to use the colors and the white blossoms on the plate as my inspiration.

I am not even sure what colors these papers are. I got them in a color family stack from Stampin Up and I'm pretty sure that I have every sheet still! But I do love that blue color - it might be Taken with Teal? I stamped the snowflakes in Craft White and then embossed in white as well. The pink panel is popped up on dimensionals but you can't really see the dimension in this photo.

The layout is pretty simple. I was originally going to have a sentiment, but every one I tried just didn't look right. So I finally said: "okay - no sentiment. just ribbon and gems". And now the card and I are both happy!!

Please take a moment to check out The Diedrich Dare blog --- and upload your creation using the inspiration piece as well. Then see what the rest of the DareDevils have done. Debbie isn't participating this week; she's been swamped at work. (bummer.) BUT -- we do get to welcome 2 new DareDevils to the team: Jacquie and Valerie. I'm so excited to get to design with Val again and really can't wait to get to know Jacquie well too!

Come back later* as I have a FlutterBy Wednesday post coming up too! The Cuttlebug Challenge team is on hiatus this week as we prepare for our next Big Event coming up in just a few days!

*MUCH later as I've just realized it's Wednesday and I forgot to create that card earlier today!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Turn the Ordinary into the Special

I have a project posted over at the Cuttlebug Challenge today - take a spin over there to see it!

And scroll down to see my card for Banana Split Sunday today!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Banana Split Sunday: Warmth

Good morning everyone! Or at least Good Afternoon! I'm sorry this post is up late today: my little one woke up crying as I was working on my post at Cuttlebug Challenge. He had a fever over 104 so needless to say he took up most of my time and evening last night. I did get that post finished but was just too tired to work on one here. And knowing that I'd be up throughout the night checking on him, I figured any sleep I could snag was more important! I know all you moms totally get that!

The challenge this week at the 2RedBananas blog is to create a card that reflects WARMTH.  I used Penny PJs for my card today - she's one of the new releases coming up for 2RedBananas - this release is one of the Best Yet!! Seriously. Anyway, back to my card - I know my paper is more of the cool tones, but what is more warm and cozy feeling than putting on those soft fuzzy footed pajamas, and baking fresh cookies. Maybe Penny is just having a snack before bed. Maybe she's putting out a plate of cookies for Santa. I colored her pjs in pink and then covered them in blue flock; I just love the colors in the paper and wanted to use both of them - what can I say? I'm not good at making a decision.

I hope you'll play along this week too! Be sure to link up your creation over at the 2RedBananas blog. This week one lucky participant will win a House Mouse stamp!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Flutter By Wednesday: Blessings

This is my 2nd post today - please scroll down for my Cuttlebug Challenge and Diedrich Dare post!

This week the challenge is an open one for FlutterBy Wednesday - you can do anything you want as long as you use a butterfly, fairy or angel (for the holiday season) on your creation. We also have a terrific guest designer this week - Mercy! Can't wait to see what she has for us!




I created an ATC this week using pink - I was wearing pink when I created it so it seemed fitting somehow. LOL!! I hope that you are having a wonderful day and that you feel the blessings of God around you! Be sure to link up your creation over at Danni's blog!

Be sure to visit the rest of the Flutter By team - Taylor has stepped down - she's getting closer to welcoming a new bundle into their home - I wish her all the best!!! Leave her a little love this week, K?


Please visit the rest of the Flutter By team to see what beautiful creations they have for you this week!

AnnChrisChristineDanni
HarrietHeatherJodiKaren
KrisKristieLeliaMichelle
NancyNicolaPamStefTaylor

The Diedrich Dare: It's December Already?!?

Happy Wednesday girls! Can you believe it is December already? It seems like it was just summer!

This week for Whimsical Wednesday: The Diedrich Dare, we are being challenged with a great sketch by Nicky! Take a look at this layout - imagine all the possibilities!


He wants you to know that the circles in the corners are buttons!!

Here is my take on the sketch - a little simplified!



I had scraps out on my desk and really wanted to get them used up instead of stashing them in a drawer. This card has some of my favorite things on it: velvet ribbon, gems, distressing, embossing. I hope you'll play along with us this week - be sure to visit the rest of the girls too and see how they rocked this sketch! We are so excited to welcome a new DareDevil this week to the group! Please say hello to Kris and check out her blog HERE!

You do see those snowflakes embossed on the main panel, yes? Oh My Crafts is the sponsor at Cuttlebug Challenge - last week's challenge is running through this week too --- they are giving away 15 prizes this week so be sure to head over there and complete the challenge for your chance to win!

Take a spin over to the Diedrich Dare blog to see the featured team member (it's me!) this week. And check out the rest of the team members too!

Have a beautiful day!!