Sue's Scraps and Snippets

February Stamp Release Blog Hop!

2012-02-09T23:00:00.002-06:00

I have been so busy, and the time has been sailing by. But I just couldn't miss the opportunity to share in the fun of the February SP & Co./Scrapmaster's Paradise Blog Hop. I am so happy that you are here. If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from Bonnie's blog.
I want to show you how versatile this wonderful Journal This stamp set is. I know that it is wonderful for journalling those scrapbooking layouts, but I just haven't done much scrappin' in the past few years. So I thought I would give you another idea. Some of my stampin' friends made some wonderful card books, and I thought that would be fun. The book is made up of 12 envelopes (I used envelopes for 5.5 x 8.5 cards), one for each month. Each envelope has a place to list birthdays, anniversaries, and other events for the month. Then you can put cards in the envelope so that you are all set to get them out on time (something that I never do - LOL). I also used the SP&Co Circletastic Background and Round Sentiments I to decorate the book. I hope that you like it and give it a try.
This month's color is Bright Red! After you're done hopping around today, make sure you play along with this month's Red challenge (click here for details) for a chance to win some awesome SP and Company prizes!

Join us for our Release Celebration that is happening today and tomorrow on the SP Forum HERE. You can talk to all of the designers, discuss projects and chit chat with other stampers!

Don't forget that the random prize patrol is watching so leave a comment on every blog to be eligible for the prizes!!

Make sure you check out the SP Blog to see what Samantha did with the new stamps! We also have the Stamp Team and the Challenge Team teaming up today to show you lots of amazing projects with the newest stamp sets!

Here is the list of designers that will inspire you today:

Chrissie
Lori
Jen
Amber
Britt
Vicki
Kelli
Michelle
Stephanie
Patty
Bonnie
Susan (You are here)
Tella

SWS Challenge #4 and KSU Cards

2012-01-22T18:58:00.002-06:00

Hi Everyone! I hope that your week is off to a good start. I haven't had much creative time lately, because I am in the process of decluttering. Let me tell you, after 30+ years in the same house, and raising 4 kids, we have a lot of stuff. Okay, okay, I'll admit it, a lot of it is from scrapbooking, stamping, and sewing. And, maybe after I declutter a bit, I will be able to find what I need (or maybe not).
So, I have a new SWS challenge, involving coloring. I wanted to do a lot more coloring. You know, some Copic, some colored pencil, etc., but that didn't happen. One of these days... What I did was a simple card (and I can't remember where I got this adorable frog). I love frog images. A little layering, and a sentiment from SP&Co., and voila! Check out Sami's website here to see what some of the other DT members have done. Join in on the fun, and you could win a gorgeous and versatile stamp set!I also have some note cards to show you. I made a set of 20 cards for my daughter, a proud KSU grad (Master's in Landscape Architecture). She wanted some thank you and some multi-purpose cards. These are just a few of what I gave her. I made them pretty simple and used a lot of scoring for decorations. I hope that some of what I have here today inspires you.
Have a great week, and be kind to yourself.

One Challenge and Some Cards

2012-01-14T23:00:00.000-06:00

Catchy title, Huh? I know, pretty weak. Actually, I have one new challenge to present to you, and I have a card for that challenge and then a couple of cards from previous challenges (which I didn't post in time).
This week, the Stamping With Sami (SWS) challenge is one with a ton of flexibility. The challenge is to create your project in blue and white. Easy peasy, right? Check out Sami's post, and see what the other designers have done. Then create your project and link it up. There will be a nice prize for one of you (randomly drawn from the entries).For my project, I made a card for a friend of mine. He has been plagued with diabetes-related health issues, so I want to cheer him up. This card uses the Bold Houndstooth Background and Bold Sentiments I, both available from SP & Company. I love the added touch of baker's twine (also available from SP & Co. in a big choice of colors).
My other cards are from Sami's past two challenges. I got the cards submitted to her, but didn't get my posts done. One of these days I will regale you with the tale of my last couple of months. Absolutely cra-cra, but not necessarily in a bad way (does this post just leave you wanting more? Yeah, I thought so. Toss out the hook and reel them in). Thank you for stopping in and leaving some love. I hope that your week is blessed with love and joy.

SUE

Scrapmasters Paradise January Blog Hop!!

2012-01-09T22:56:00.005-06:00

This month's color is WHITE (or Cream)! After you're done hopping around today, make sure you play along with this month's White challenge (click here for details) for a chance to win some awesome SP and Company prizes!
Join us for our Release Celebration that is happening today and tomorrow on the SP Forum HERE. You can talk to all of the designers, discuss projects and chit chat with other stampers!
Don't forget that the random prize patrol is watching so leave a comment on every blog to be eligible for the prizes!!
Here is my project with the wonderful Little Floral Background stamp. What a versatile stamp! For my project, I used Versamark to stamp the image on white CS. I then embossed using white pearl EP. I then sponged over the embossing with two shades of blue pigment ink (darker toward the outside, and lighter toward the middle). The sentiment is from the Bold Sentiments I set, and I finished it off with a sheer ribbon and bow. I hope this project inspires you!

Make sure you check out the SP Blog to see what Samantha did with the new stamps! We also have the Stamp Team and the Challenge Team teaming up today to show you lots of amazing projects with the newest stamp sets!

Here is the list of designers that will inspire you today:
Chrissie
Lori
Britt
Jen
Kelli
Patchi
Patty
Stephanie
Susan (hey! that's me!)
Tella

New Color Combo Card

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hello, my friends. Was your week as wild and crazy as mine? I certainly hope not. Later on, I'll tell you about it when you have time to sit for a cup of coffee. For now, I have a card. I saw a version of this wonderful design on Curt's Blog, and he linked it to the youtube tutorial. It is one of those gorgeous, striking designs that looks much harder than it is. Here is my rendition for this week's combo. Check out the SPCC blog for other samples with these colors. There is also information on a nice prize that you could win if you decide to play along. I hope that you do. And I hope that you have a great week. I will have final exams this week. After they are graded, I will take a breather!

Two More Cards

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

Hello friends! I am so happy that you have stopped in to see my blog. I have a couple of cards for you today. After I get through this last week of school and final exams, I hope to have more for you. Up first is the new SPCC combo for this week. Sami has a nice prize for a randomly-drawn participant, and it could be you! For this combo, I used one of my favorite stamps (I will bet you had no idea how I felt about this SP & Co. Musical Butterfly, did you?). I also used the Musical Background stamp to pretty up the butterflies cut with an amuse studios die set. I love this color combo, don't you?My other card is one of my Christmas cards. I might actually get them out before Valentines Day! I thought that I had enough cards already, but I can't find the ones I made a month ago. I guess I have learned a hard lesson about getting ahead on something. It's back to procrastinating for me. For this card, I used a Clever Level scalloped circle punch and a smaller circle punch to create the wreath. Then I glittered it up with Stickles, and added a bow. The red background has been run through my Big Shot with a CB folder. The sentiment is from SP & Co. Bold Sentiments II. I really love the font, don't you?Well, that's it for now. I need to get some papers graded and get working on finishing some of the props for the Sunday School Christmas Program next weekend. I hope that you have a good week. I know that I will try mighty hard to have a good one. Hugs to all of you.

Let The Wild Rumpus Begin!

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I hope that you did, as well. And, now, it seems to be time for craziness. I have three weeks left in the semester, and then grading, grading, grading. But, I am very fortunate to have some time off after that (almost a month before the spring semester begins). Other than school, I also am in charge of Sunday school Christmas program. Not sure how I took on this responsibility other than that I am the kids Sunday school teacher. I have had about 2 or 3 of my kids show up on any given Sunday, but should end up with about 12 in the program. Well, whatever happens, at least it will be entertaining.
Amidst all of this craziness, I am really going to work hard to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. I have much to do to prepare my heart for the birth of Christ. I need to be less judging and more forgiving, and that is something I will be working on.
Now, let's set that aside for the moment and check out some cards. First, I have a Christmas card using SPCC combo 128.The snow and sentiment are from SP&Co. stamps. The paper, tree die, and sparkles are from amuse. I also scribbled on the tree with a sparkle pen, but I don't think you can see it. Check out SPCC for ideas and prize info and give these colors a try.
Other card info will be added later, after I get some grading done. Until then, I wish you all the peace and joy of the season that cannot be found in a Black Friday sale or a shopping mall.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-21T06:00:00.005-06:00

What a wild and crazy week it was! I had so much to do and the week flew by. I am blessed to be off this week, so I am going to slow the pace a bit. I have so very much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Aside from all of the material blessings, I have an amazing family composed of folks to whom I am related by blood or by marriage, as well as those who are my family because of a bond of mutual love and caring. As if that wasn't enough, I have a sense of peace about my life and my faith in God's love for me.
Here is just a glimpse of last week. First is the new color combo for this week. Check out Sami's blog for prize info and lots of great ideas. I used a fun rosette on this card (made some of them in the card classes I have been attending - serious fun with gals who are anything but serious). I used SP & Company Round Sentiments I.The next thing to show you is a quilt that I put together late last week. Our pastor and his husband left Sunday after 11 years of ministry. As part of our efforts to honor them and send them off with a special memento of their time here, we each created a quilt square with a special message. I even stamped on some of them, which was fun. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time, and not everyone created a quilt square. But the quilt came together beautifully, and I know that they will enjoy it. I haven't done much sewing lately and have missed it. I might just start doing some more stamping on quilts.The remainder of the week was filled with quizzes and tests and grading, a Thanksgiving potluck feast with my Flint Hills PFLAG family, and a trip to Wichita (100+ miles away) for a recheck with my oncologist - just good news, so it was a lovely trip. All in all, it was a good week.
I hope that all of you have a beautiful Thanksgiving. We (DH Alan, DD Bree, and me) will be spending the day with our love-created family, and I know that we will have so much fun. My DD Sarah and her husband and kids will go to his parents. Hopefully I will get to see them over Christmas break Sarah emailed my some pics of the kids today. DS Andrew and his wife and daughter will be with her family, as always. And my youngest, Alli, has chosen to stay "home" and relax in her apartment instead of coming home. I think she's afraid that I will put her to work if she comes here. It's her choice, and I hope that she has a relaxing day. I love them all so very much. And I love you, my friends, and wish you all of the best that life has to offer.

SPCC #126 and Some Butterflies

2011-11-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

This is just a quick post with the new SPCC color combo for this week. For me, it just screamed Christmas, so I went with that. My card is very simple. I cut two triangles of Amuse polka dot paper (love this stuff) and one larger triangle of green (Bazzill, maybe, but not sure exactly what color). I stamped the SP&Co Musical Background Stamp using Versamark, and then embossed with silver EP. I popped the green tree up, and used some of SP&Co Bold Sentiments II Holiday stamps. I love the way these sentiments mix and match.
If you want to try this week's color combo, check out the SPCC blog. You might win a nice prize. Also, if you want to check out all of the SP&Co stamps, click here.
My next cards are ready to add a quick sentiment based on the occasion - very versatile. I used some of my favorite colors and my favorite stamp, SP&Co Musical Butterfly.The pictures were taken with my phone, which isn't great. I had to switch computers, and not only lost all of my bookmarks, but couldn't read my camera SD card. Aarrgggghh! Frustrating. I know that it is a minor frustration, compared to what many folks have to deal with. Take care, my friends. Have a great week, and be kind to yourself.

SPCC 125

2011-11-07T17:41:00.003-06:00

This is just a quick post with this week's color combo. If you didn't see my previous post, be sure to check it out - lots of fun!
This week's color combo is kind of spring/summer, which is kind of nice to think about on this cold, rainy evening. Sami has a wonderful prize for a randomly drawn winner, so try this combo and have some fun. I used a*muse studios paper, stamps, and ink for this "care about you" card. I even did a little Copic coloring.

My Top LO's and SPCC 124

2011-10-31T06:00:00.004-05:00

Hello! Thank you for visiting my blog. I am in a bit of a nostalgic mood today, so I felt like sharing some posts from the past. I am starting with my favorite scrapbooking layouts from the time that I started blogging a few years ago. They are in no particular order and cover a variety of subjects from my own childhood to my cats to my grandchildren. I haven't scrapbooked in awhile. You will see that there is only one from when my children were small. That is tricky, because I haven't figured out how to scrapbook all those years without showing little boy pictures of my transgender daughter. Someday I will figure it out, but for now I just don't scrapbook. I also don't have pictures of my youngest granddaughter, except for one or two, but that's another story. As you can see, I have changed gears and try to focus on cardmaking, and trying to be a blessing to others.
The card that I have to share uses the next SPCC color combo. I made this card for a friend who had surgery (and happens to be very musical). The stamps are from SP & Company. I used another SP & Company stamp with pigment ink to create the musical background paper. I fell in love with the musical butterfly the moment that I saw it. I also like to play with alternate ways to fold cards, to make them a bit more fun for the receiver. Why don't you check out the SPCC blog and see what you can do with these colors? Sami always has a nice prize for one entrant drawn at random.
That's it for today. I am getting busier with school and other commitments. I find that by keeping busy and trying to focus on others and on service, it will be easier to get through the holidays. I have always thought that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were almost magical. This was true when I was growing up, and we did the best that we could to make it so when our children were growing up. It is hard now to not get together with all of our children and grandchildren, but I keep busy with church (I plan and teach the children's Sunday school - such sweetness and joy), Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG - I am the local chapter president because I can help others through my pain), and Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project (K-STEP - I am secretary; education is the key to understanding). All of these things allow me to love what I see when I look in the mirror. I also have so many wonderful friends through church and my stamping groups - amazing what that can do! Sorry for the melancholy ranting. I hope that all of you are well and happy and taking care of yourselves.

SPCC 123

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all of my friends! I hope that this post finds you well and enjoying fall. I just have a quick post for you today. Samantha has a new color combo for you over at SPCC. I hope that you will check out her blog and give this color combo a try. She always has a nice prize for a winner, chosen at random from all of the entrants. You won't want to miss out! Although the colors listed are SU, you can use any brands as long as the colors are close. I used these gorgeous colors for another Christmas card. The stamps are from SP and Company, and I colored with Prismacolor pencils and Goo Gone (you can also use OMS for blending). The polka dot CS is from A*muse Studios. I love snowmen! Although the real ones are not warm and fuzzy, the ones in pictures looks so cute and cuddly. My daughter even has some fluffy stuffed snowmen, which are adorable.
Have a good week, my friends. I posted a few cards mid-week last week, so be sure to check those out, too!

I Love This Gingham CS!

2011-10-22T01:28:00.003-05:00

I just got some gingham CS and I love it! These cards all use green (sage, maybe?). But there are about 10 luscious colors! Now that I am not an Angel for TAC, I am a customer for lots of my friends (LOL). This CS is from a*muse, and the stamps are from a variety of sources. The gorgeous musical butterfly is from SP & Company. I think that I will use this one a lot!. The roses and leaves are from a*muse. And I made the baby card for the anticipated granddaughter of a very dear friend. This one uses a Stamp by Judith. I just love her whimsical animals. They always make me smile. I colored it with Copics for the challenge by iCopic.com. They are giving away a wonderful carrier for Copics and I would really like to have it!
Not much else new for now. I will have some more projects on Monday morning, along with a new color combo. We are getting some more seasonal (meaning cool) temps and I suspect winter will make itself known before too long. I guess that I need to get started on some Christmas cards and projects! I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend, and (as I tell my students) make wise choices!

SPCC 122

2011-10-17T06:25:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I hope that you are enjoying autumn. We are having unbelievably beautiful weather here in Kansas. After a brutally hot summer, I truly appreciate the moderate temps.
Well, Sami has a new color combo over at the SPCC blog. I had some fun with these colors. I made two cards. First one uses SP & Company's Sewing Chic stamp set. I even created the background paper with Versamark and a small dressform stamp. The sentiment is a combination of part of one from Sewing Chic and one from Bold Sentiments 1. I love to mix and match. I also love to sew about as much as I love to stamp. In fact, my fabric stash easily rivals my paper and stamp stash! I need to finish a KSU quilt for my youngest daughter and make a quilt for my youngest granddaughter.
Why don't you give these colors a try? Sami has a wonderful prize for the winner (chosen at random from all of the entries).
Okay, just a side note: I am trying to type this while my cat is resting on my arms and keyboard. It is a challenge!
My second for this color combo uses a set called Save the Girls from The Angel Company. I love this versatile set. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so I wanted to make this card. It is for my dear friend, Caren, who is a five-year survivor. What you might not know about breast cancer, is that there is nothing magic about the five-year mark (like with other cancers). Breast cancer can and does often come back any time. The best thing that you can do is educate yourself and know that early detection can save lives. This is true for so many cancers. I am a living testament to that, having gotten off "easy" this past summer because my cancer was detected early. So don't shy away from those regular check-ups, just because they are inconvenient or uncomfortable (this includes you, too, guys).
Off my soapbox, and back to my card. I colored with Prismacolors and blended with Goo Gone. So much fun! Thanks, Curt, for reminding me how much fun that was. I had some fun with the folds of this card, so have three pics to show you how it opens. As some of you know, I was a demo for TAC. About 2 months ago they closed their doors. That was tough (tougher for many than for me). I was just a hobbyist, enjoying the benefits while supporting my habit. Many of my friends made a living or enhanced their income through TAC. TAC had an amazing line of stamps and was a Kansas company. Fortunately, I still have all of the amazing friends that I made through TAC and we still get together as often as we can. Several of my friends have signed on with a*muse|studios (a|s), who have no idea what an amazing bunch of talent they have acquired!
My next card is a start for my Christmas cards. This card uses the tree from a|s Winter Stag. I love this tree. I used white pigment ink and embossed with sparkly ep. I wish you could see how sparkly and pretty this tree is! The CS is DCWV shimmery CS. Can you tell that I love sparkly, shimmery stuff?
Thanks for stopping in to visit. I hope that you found something that you liked. Enjoy your week, and take a little time for yourself!

SPCC Color Combo #121

2011-10-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today I come to you as a member of the SPCC Design Team. I am so excited to be designing for one of Samantha's blogs. She has had a weekly color combo for over two years. I was on the inaugural design team for a year, but then stepped down due to a number of other obligations. I am delighted to be back. I love the challenge of working with specific colors - often a combination I would never have considered. Try these colors and see what you come up with (you don't have to use SU colors - just try to get close). Samantha offers a lovely prize to a winner chosen at random from the entries. For this card, I used two different sets from SP & Company stamps. The design on the green strip is from Flourishee. I love this set, because it has a lot of different sizes of a similar design. I also repeated the design inside the card. The faux stitching is from Stitchery Doo. Samantha designs her own stamps, which are made in the USA of high-quality photo polymer.
I have been delightfully busy lately. It is mid-semester, so I have been giving (and grading) mid-term exams. I teach 5 classes, mostly structural classes in Construction Science and Management. I love teaching at the college level. My students choose to be there and, best of all, I don't have parent-teacher conferences!
This past weekend, I took my oldest daughter, Bree, to Lawrence, KS for a weekend getaway. We had a delightful time shopping, eating, and relaxing. Now it's back to the work week, but we both feel rejuvenated. I will post some pictures at a later time.
I hope that you all have a lovely week. Be sure to take some time for yourself!

Some Random Thoughts

2011-09-17T16:06:00.003-05:00

Today's post is a mix of ramblings that kind of fits my rambling thoughts. I have one card to share with you, and plan to have some more soon. This is my first House Mouse post. I absolutely love HM (and I covet Curt's collection, even though I am not supposed to covet - but I love Curt, so it's okay, I guess). I colored this image using my Prismacolors. Haven't done much coloring with them lately, but find it a nice break from Copics. I treated myself to some new pencils, because the set I had was about 25 years old (my hubby had gotten it for me for Christmas then to use in designing quilts).
This morning, my daughter, Bree, and I went to the Farmer's Market. I love the FM. It is such a delightful small-town atmosphere. The weather was cool, which is so welcome after the hot summer we had. The last time we went to the FM, we ran into my son and his wife. I didn't see them at first, but saw their daughter. I thought "What a sweet baby", and then I saw my son and realized that the chubby 14-month-old was my granddaughter. As I have mentioned before, my son and his wife have cut contact with us. But I went right up to them and made casual conversation as if we were best friends. And I looked at my precious granddaughter, touched her cheek, and said, "You don't know me sweetheart, but I am your grandma." I must say that I enjoyed their discomfort. Bree just stood there smiling and looking gorgeous. The following week was a bit tough, but I am fine now. I surround myself with beautiful positive people (and I visit blogs of beautiful positive people like Seleise, Heather, Curt, Audrey, Sami, to name a few).
Now, back to today. After the FM, we went to JoAnn's. They had an Ott Lite on clearance, and I must have indicated that I really wanted one, because Bree bought it for me as my Christmas present. I am just giddy about it. Bree was teasing me and said I would have to wait until Christmas to have it. I pulled rank and threatened her, so she gave it to me now! It has a craft caddy in the base, and folds up for portability. As if that wasn't enough, she cooked a delicious stir fry dinner....Mmmmmm.
Not much else going on right now. I am watching some college football. I am the only one who likes to watch it. My youngest daughter, Alli, is in town this weekend for the K-State game. Hopefully I will see her tomorrow before she heads back to her apartment. She stays with friends when she is in town - more fun than Mom and Dad. We live quite close to the stadium, so we can hear the crowd during the games. I love crowds when they are half-a-mile away!
Have a great week, my friends. Take care of yourselves, because I know that you always take care of others.

Just a Quick Post - SPCC #116

2011-09-05T20:38:00.002-05:00

Here is a quick post. I made a card for Sami's SPCC #116. Sami has a weekly color challenge. I love to push myself to use combos I wouldn't normally think of. This card uses SP and Company Flourishee to create the background. The butterfly and sentiment are from various sets. I am now getting busy with school and still trying to get my scraproom organized. I hope that all of you are having a good week.

Two More Cards!

2011-08-21T20:05:00.003-05:00

Hello, my friends. It was a bittersweet weekend! I took advantage of my time to craft a bit and spend time with family and friends. Saturday night we got together with a group from church and had so many laughs - pretty much what happens whenever we get together. But this is the end of my summer break. I will still make time to craft, but I will miss sleeping late and taking naps!
Today I have two cards for you. The little umbrella girl is colored with Copics, and I used the colors blue and orange for the iCopic challenge #43. (Edited to say that I thought they were due Monday, not Sunday; so I missed the deadline - OOPS! Check them out anyway, because there are such cute entries). Check out their blog and the other wonderful entries here. The other card is my little flower girl. I made her for iCopic's "All About Kids" blog hop challenge. Blog hops are such fun - great ideas and prizes! Check them out here.
That's it for now. Thank you for stopping by. Hugs to all of you, and double hugs for anyone in need of them!

The End of My Summer

2011-08-19T10:51:00.002-05:00

Hello there, my dear friends. Thank you for stopping by today. I have a sweet little friendship card for a very special friend (I hope that you are lucky enough to have several of these special friends). For this card, I stamped the image in Memento black and colored with Copics. I used the color combo from Samantha's SPCC #113. Check it out here. The image is fron TAC's "Oh, No, She Didn't". I love the attitude in that set!
When you flip the image to the right, on the left there is a wonderful sentiment stamped (found on e-bay). I love, love, love the sentiment! On the right is a sentiment from TAC. Then, open the flap on the left to finally get inside the card. I found this "double card" idea on another blog, but I'll be darned if I can find that blog now.
At any rate, I can't wait to send this card to a dear friend who has been by my side through good and bad. I've had a lot of both this summer. I sure do hate to see this summer end. Monday I go back to my "other life" as a college engineering instructor. I love what I do, but I sure do enjoy my free time!
Until next time (whenever that may be), I wish you love and the best that life has to offer.

Butterfly Swirls

2011-08-07T18:25:00.003-05:00

Life is back to some semblance of normal and is chugging along. We got our youngest daughter moved into a new apartment in another town. She has a 7-month internship in Landscape Architecture. After she finishes that, she will have completed her MLA degree. She will continue looking for a "permanent" job. Such exciting times for her (and so nice fr us to have all 4 of our kids finished with college).
This little card is one that I am doing for a swap. I don't think that you can see it, but the butterfly image is sprayed with Tsukineko sparkle stuff. I stamped the background swirls with Memento London Fog, over a mask on the butterfly (stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black). I colored the image with Copics. The frame is Bazzill CS cut with a Nestie, with faux stitches inked around the edge. I actually made these in about 6 different colors. I will try to add a pic of those later. This pic was taken with my phone, and isn't great.
Well, my friends, wherever you are on life's journey, I hope that you are doing well. Take some time for yourself, and then take some time to give a hug (you will find that is for yourself, too, in the end).

Become a Butterfly

2011-07-27T18:54:00.002-05:00

Hi to all of my beautiful friends. I am so glad that you stopped by today. I have a fun little card to share with you. I love cards that are special folds (flip cards, trifolds, etc.). But, you probably already knew that! This little flip card is almost all stamping, with just a small piece of DP and some ribbon. I used all 6 stamps in The Angel Company's (TAC) "Want to Fly" set. I thought it might be fun to use an entire set in a single card. I also used a swirl from TAC's "Wonderful News", and a script background from TAC's "Vintage". Feel free to e-mail me if you want more information about TAC's wonderful stamps.
For colors, I used Memento Grape, Lilac, and Pear Tart on Birch CS. These are approximately the colors of Samantha's SPCC Color Combo #110. If you haven't visited Sami's blogs, you don't know what you are missing!
If you have read some of my previous posts, you might understand why "Want to Fly" is so special to me. It is a constant reminder of the incredible courage that my daughter has demonstrated every single day as she travels her life journey to become a butterfly - a confident beautiful woman - in spite of incredible obstacles.
My wish for you, my friends, is that you find the courage that you need to overcome the obstacles that you face in your life. I know that my faith in God's unbounded love for me, as shown to me through the love of family and friends, sustains me through the tough times and makes the good times even better. I have been so very blessed with restored good health, and am now back at work to teach the last week of summer school, before three weeks of break. Take care, my friends, and find joy in the little things of life.

Another Plastic Wrap Sunset

2011-07-17T21:19:00.004-05:00

I know that I have done one of these before, but I have been playing with the technique and really like this one better. I used plastic wrap scrunched up to put on the ink, mixing each one in with the next for some nice blending. The stamp set is The Angel Company's "Anchor to the Soul", which is one of my favorites. This particular verse has brought me great comfort and peace through some tough times over the past few years. I made this card for a swap with my fellow Angels. I used a mask with the stamp, then colored the image with my Copics. I framed it with blue CS cut with a Nesties frame. and added a few brads. I am entering this in Samantha's Being Blue Blog Hop. If you haven't visited Samantha's blog at Scrapmaster's Paradise, you are really missing out on a lot of fun and an amazing young lady filled with energy, creativity, and fun!
I am healing nicely, although I will be seeing my primary care physician tomorrow for what appears to be a little infection at a couple of my incisions. Other than that, I am feeling good. I have one more week off of work before I go back. When I get back I only have one week of class then three weeks off before the fall semester.
Last week, my sister came for a visit for a few days. She lives in Wisconsin, and drove down just to see me. I was so happy to have time with her. We managed a little time for fun, even went to the Oz Winery in nearby Wamego. What an amazing little place! They make their wines right on the premises, and they are wonderful. The wines have such cute names as "Squished Witch", "O-E-O", and "Drunken Munchkin", just to name a few. You can check out their website here.

There Are Worse Things Than Cancer

2011-07-10T14:02:00.009-05:00

Yesterday was a really tough day for me. And it had nothing to do with my (now no longer an issue) cancer. Yesterday was a day that most people would see as a joyous celebration. It was my granddaughter's first birthday. Precious Addison is the daughter of my only son and his wife. They live just a mile from us, but I haven't seen Addison since October 1, 2010. That was the day that I sat in my son's living room as he and his wife (she did most of the talking - he was choked up) informed me that we would no longer have any contact or be a part of their lives. The reason? Because they believed that I was an unrepentant sinner. They had been praying for me for over a year and I refused to change my ways. And what was this horrible sin that was responsible for the rift? I was (and still am) the president of our local Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).
For those of you who don't know, PFLAG is an amazing national organization devoted to education, support, and advocacy for families, allies, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. At this point, I am not going to get into the morality of being in the LGBT community. Suffice it to say that I am a Christian who is active in an open and affirming church. I believe in the equality and dignity of ALL human beings.
I got involved in PFLAG in October of 2009 after my oldest child, then 26 years old came out to me as transgender. The child that we had raised as a son told me that he was really a female trapped in the body of a male. This precious child who had been deteriorating into depression, anguish, and self-loathing for about 20 years suddenly gave me a reason for what I could never understand. It all became so clear to me. The past two years have been amazing, as I have watched the child that I thought was my son (Brian) become my beautiful, confident daughter Bree (confidence is not a term that I would ever have used in the same sentence with Brian).
But transition is long, difficult, expensive, and agonizing. The hormones, hair removal (when she can afford it and find someone who can/will do it), and eventual surgery are an ongoing endeavor. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I told Bree that she was my hero. That what she faced, and had already accomplished with courage and dignity, were far more daunting than anything I might have to endure. In addition to all of the physical and medical challenges, Bree also has to face the scorn, shunning, and possibly worse from those who would judge her as immoral or worse. And, sadly, most of those people claim to be Christian. Their hatred is proclaimed to be love and they say that they are just doing what the Bible tells them to do. And leading the pack are two of Bree's siblings. Her brother and sister will no longer acknowledge her existence, and we are not allowed to speak her name in their presence or in front of their children. And then her brother carried it one step further by cutting all contact with us. Our other daughter does not approve of what Bree is doing, nor does she embrace Bree, but she is civil to her (although she won't say "she" or "Bree").
My husband is completely supportive, but with his own array of chronic health problems, is mostly on the outside of the drama. I, on the other hand, have become very involved in the fight for human rights, equal rights. In addition to being Flint Hills PFLAG president, I am also on the Board of Directors of Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project (K-STEP). I have spoken at numerous rallies and City Commission meetings as we fought for equal rights. I am a mama tiger, and I will fight for the life of my child (and, yes, my child is an adult; and , yes, I am fighting for her life).
Well, that was a lot of background. If you are still with me at this point, I will get back to the birthday. Yesterday, Addison's birthday hit me hard. The last time I held her in my arms and kissed her cheek was eleven and a half months ago. The last time I saw her was ten months ago. And now she is one. I bought her a little gift and made her a card and I called and left a message for my son to ask permission to drop the gift off. He actually called back - he usually doesn't. He waited until after Addison was in bed in case I asked to see her. I didn't. He met me at the door and I handed him the gift and the card and casually asked how the day was. He said that they went to the park. I know that they probably had a party with his in-laws, who also live in town. I thanked him for accepting the gift. That was it. He didn't thank me or ask how I was doing (we had left phone messages after my surgery and path reports, so he knew I was okay; and he did actually call my husband on Father's Day, so we had spoken briefly). I came home and sobbed and my husband and two of my daughters were there for me.
And now you know why getting cancer just wasn't that big of a deal for me. Just another bump in the road. And why I am so very thankful for the multitude of true friends that hold me close when I am down. And I count my stamping friends (even those of you whom I only know through your blogs) among that beautiful group. And my church friends. And my PFLAG friends. And my wonderful siblings, dad, and step-mom, and my husband's father and siblings. And the list goes on. And if you made it all the way through this post, thank you and God bless you.I promise you some more fun and creative posts in the near future.

A Small Setback - or Gee, I Guess I am Not Superwoman

2011-07-05T04:18:00.002-05:00

Hi All,
Thank you for stopping in. I hope to have some cards to show you in the next day or two. I haven't had much creative energy lately. I am now one week post-op, and I guess that I felt too good. So I overdid things a bit. And I paid the price. I am virtually without pain at all, so I forget that I still have a lot of healing to do on the inside. Well, I went out and did a little grocery shopping with my daughter, and didn't pay attention to restrictions on lifting. Then I cooked dinner. I still don't have pain, but something very weird happened, and it wasn't on any of the lists of things to watch for. Fluid started running out of the tiny incision in my belly button. So, yeah, that is weird. And it scared the heck out of me (and any desire to do too much). Off to the ER, which is a busy place on the 4th of July in a city where you are allowed to buy and shoot off almost any kind of fireworks). The ER doc was very nice (and the nurse and student nurse were real eye candy - so glad to see more men getting into nursing). The ER doc consulted my local gyn and I guess the belly button fountain isn't that unusual after a surgery like mine. I guess that it is the clear part of blood (or something like that), and it is present when there has been some sort of injury (or surgery) internally. It should be reabsorbed, but wasn't, so it leaked through the nearest opening - the incision in my belly button. There didn't appear to be infection so they cleaned it up, put on a huge bandaid, and sent me home. I will call my doc in the morning (my local doc, because my surgeon is 100 miles away). Sorry if this is weirding you out, but I wish that I had known before that this could happen. So now I am insisting that my family treat me like a princess. They take their cues from me, and if I am doing things for myself they let me.

Doing a Happy Dance and Praising God

2011-07-01T14:18:00.003-05:00

I am doing a happy dance and am overwhelmed with joy. I feel so richly blessed by God's goodness. I just spoke with the nurse from my gyn-onc's office and got the official word - the cancer was completely contained in the uterus and they got it all. It WAS stage 1 and is now a part of my past. I am so happy and so grateful. I know that my life will never be the same as it was before, and for this I am so very thankful. I don't want to take life for granted.
Of course, I still have to heal from my surgery, but even that is going very well. And my husband is really stepping up and working around the house. My family is pampering me, and for the first time in my life, I am letting them! And I am getting plenty of rest. Well, that is about all for this wonderful update. I am going to take a nap and then do some stamping (always good for the spirit). Thank you for checking in on me and for sharing my joy. I will keep all of you in my prayers as you negotiate the twists and turns of life.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

2011-06-28T06:29:00.003-05:00

I am now resting at home. My surgery was yesterday, and I cannot say enough positive things about the daVinci robot for surgery. I really feel good, and will have to force myself to not overdo it. Unfortunately, some of my family has a tendency to allow me to overdo it (i need to stop making things look easy). I am sitting here just 30 hours after surgery, looking at two baskets of laundry and thinking that I should fold it.
So, about the surgery. The news, so far, is really good. My surgeon said that, to the naked eye, they got all of the cancer, because it appeared to be confined to the uterus. I will not really breathe a sigh of relief until the pathology report comes back in about 3 days (ovaries and lymph node samples). I am very optimistic, and am sure that it will be good news. But I am also prepared if the battle isn't over yet. Either way, I feel so incredibly blessed and thankful. I know so many people who aren't lucky enough to get cancer-light! And there are so many other struggles that people face. I am humbled by the blessings that I have received, especially the beautiful family and friends that I have.
Until later, I wish all of you the best that life has to offer, and I thank you for stopping by and for your prayers.

Stampin' With My Peeps

2011-06-24T16:04:00.003-05:00

Hello Friends! Last Saturday, I spent the entire day stampin' with my Angel Company friends. We sure had a lot of fun. We always laugh a lot and share our joys and sorrows. It was wonderful therapy, and helped to relieve my mind about my worries. When we share our struggles, everybody helps to carry the load a little.
Surprisingly, I also got some card-making done! I have so many wonderful friends and family helping to carry my burdens that I made some thank you notes to have on hand. These little toads are from one of my favorite TAC sets (now discontinued - Boo Hoo). The DP is from Hip Hop. I've shown you the inside, too. I also made a couple of birthday cards for my granddaughters. Adelyn will turn two in couple of weeks, and her cousin Addison will be one, just three days later. The ladybugs are from a discontinued set, and the chickie is from a set called Cupcake Cuties. I colored the image with my Copics. I hope that the girls like their cards. The last card is for my bff Caren. She continues to amaze me with her strength, courage, and love of laughter and mischief. She is a breast cancer survivor, and has been through a lot. And she believes that each day is a gift to be enjoyed and reveled in.
I have spent the last couple of days wrapping up my classes and preparing lessons, quizzes, and tests for my substitute. I plan to take four weeks off to recover from surgery. I have also been keeping myself busy cleaning and decluttering and getting caught up on laundry. Keeping busy keeps me from getting too nervous and anxious about the days ahead. Also, I want to come home to a clean house, and the only two choices I had for that were either to clean my house, or go to someone else's. I am still keeping that as an option (LOL).
Just a couple of days left to wait, and I will be in Wichita. Surgery is first thing Monday morning, and it will be a long morning - but not for me, because I will get to sleep through it all!
I will update when I can. I thank you for the love and prayers. You just don't realize how very you mean to me.

The Next Step - My Spa Vacation

2011-06-21T22:51:00.003-05:00

Hello Dear Friends. Thank you all for the thoughts, prayers, and love. I draw strength from all of you and feel so very much at peace with my world. I am continually reminded how very blessed I am. I spent last Saturday laughing, visiting, and stamping with my Angel friends. I will try to post some pics of some of the cards I made.
Today my husband and I drove to Wichita to see an oncologist. It was an incredibly beautiful day, and some of my dear friends (thanks Diane and Caren) texted me love and encouragement and laughs as we drove. It made the trip much easier (2 and 1/2 hours can be very long if you are a little nervous about what awaits). My sweet friend, Caren, texted me a wonderful quote that she turned to in her battle against breast cancer several years ago. Caren is one of the strongest and most positive people I know. Here is the quote:
"Promise me you'll always remember...
You're braver than you believe,
and stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think." - Christopher Robin to Pooh
Now for more about our visit. Everyone in the doctors' office was wonderful, and we really liked the gyn-onc. She was straight forward and listened and treated us as if I was her only patient. She thinks that we caught this little monster early (if this isn't enough reason far everyone to see their doctor for regular check-ups, I don't know what is - I had no symptoms). She also said that I am an excellent candidate for robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery using the DaVinci robot! I am so excited about this! It is state of the art and far less invasive than abdominal-incision surgery, which is the general protocol for endometrial cancer.
I will have surgery first thing Monday (6/27) morning. If all goes well, I will be released Monday evening or Tuesday morning (hospital stay for abdominal hysterectomy is typically 4-6 days). So my spa stay is shorter than I had planned! After my appointment at the gyn-onc I was able to get all of the preop lab and tests done at the hospital. I had a great nurse (with a delightful sense of humor) guide me through the process, and fill me in on all of the benefits of my "complete spa package" (like these cool compression boots during and after surgery to prevent blood clots). During the surgery, they will sample the lymph nodes and find out the stage of the cancer. Whatever it is, I know that I can handle it, with the help of God through my family and friends. And I don't intend to take things too seriously, either.
Once I get home, I am sure that my hubby and the (adult) kids still at home will cater to my every whim. Hah! That is a joke! Actually, I have been working very hard to make sure that everything is ready for me to take a vacation. I have a sub for my summer school classes, and have all of the notes, quizzes and tests prepared for him. If all goes well, I will be back in class for the last week of the summer session.
Stay strong, all of you, and turn to your friends and share that strength. You will never know how much you mean to someone else.

My Life is Forever Changed

2011-06-09T15:15:00.011-05:00

Just about a week ago, my life changed forever. Really, that sounds like a profound statement, but doesn't my life actually change forever every single day? The past month has been a roller coaster of emotions (so cliche'). Truthfully, my whole life is a roller coaster. But this post is about what is happening now. I got a phone call following some tests, and heard the words that we all seem to dread, "You have cancer."
That was on Tuesday, May 31, while I was hauling a cart load of books from my old office in one building to my new office in another. I will forever remember exactly where I was at that moment. I will also remember how I felt. Surprisingly, it was more of a, "Wow, so this is how it feels to hear those words" and "Hmmm, even though they kept saying that it didn't appear to be cancer, there was always this nagging doubt".
I didn't feel mad or sad or anything, except maybe that it couldn't be, because cancer happens to other people. But I have found out over the last several years that I am "other people" (more about that in a future post). Over the past month, I had been researching like crazy, just in case. And in the past week, I learned more about endometrial (uterine) cancer than I could have imagined.
Right now, my life is kind of in a holding pattern. In some ways, nothing has changed. I am teaching summer school and just living a blessedly normal life. I feel fine. And I check the lab report that says "Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma With Squamoid Differentiation, FIGO Grade 1", just to make sure this is real. On June 21, I will be seeing a gynecologic oncologist (OMG, oncologist - why would I need to see an oncologist - that's for people with cancer...not me) in Wichita. At that time I will find out when I will have surgery. Waiting, waiting, waiting.
In a way, I can't wait until June 21, because waiting and not knowing is agony. The staging won't be determined until during and after surgery. On the other hand, as long as June 21 never gets here, I will continue to live in my "Gee, I can't have cancer, because I don't feel sick" bubble. But I am starting to get my ducks in a row. I have told my immediate family (husband Alan, and four children). We have told our parents and siblings. I have told my boss so that he could arrange for someone to take over my summer school classes for me. And I have told all of my "peeps" what is going on, because they are my friends. I know that I will need a support net for me and my family if things get rough. I have been blessed with a huge number of incredible friends, and I know that they will hold me in their hearts and pray for me. Knowing this is allowing me to keep a positive outlook, which is so important. I know that I have some tough times ahead, I am not in denial or foolishly oblivious. But I also know a lot of other things. Over the weeks to come, I will expound on some of them.
What I know (in no particular order):
- I have been incredibly blessed.
-Cancer (especially endometrial adenocarcinoma) is not an automatic death sentence.
-I am alive now, and each day is a celebration.
-I have more true friends than I could have imagined.
-I have an overwhelming sense of peace about this whole thing (yes, I have cried, and I am scared; but I know that everything will be okay - whatever that is).
-God has spent my whole life preparing me to face this next hurdle, and He will not abandon me now.
-This stuff we face helps build character, and I am apparently not yet enough of a character.
-Having a diagnosis of cancer cannot immediately wipe out my sense of humor.
-If any of your body parts are trying to kill you, it is best to get rid of them if you can. In my case, those bitchy little lady parts have been put on notice and will be evicted within the next month.
-There are worse things than cancer.
-If you pray for something, be specific. I kind of indicated to God that I wanted a break from teaching and would love a journey or vacation. I was thinking more along the lines of a cruise. I didn't mean an "Oncology Spa"!
Until my next post, pray for all of those folks who have it worse than I do. There are way too many to mention. Thank you for taking the time to share in my journey.

Color Me Pink for iCopic!

2011-04-14T18:17:00.002-05:00

I love creating with paper - it is therapy for me, and allows me to leave the stresses of my life behind. It also gives me a great excuse to spend time with my delightfully funny friends (as if I need an excuse). I used to say that it is cheaper than seeing a therapist, but that is absolutely not true!

I am trying out for the iCopic DT. ICopic is a fabulous store with amazing prices on Copics. They also sell stamps from a variety of small stamp companies, my favorite of which is SP and Company, owned by the amazing Samantha Peyton (the Energizer Bunny of papercrafting). One of the requirements for the DT call is a project created just for the DT, which highlights the color pink.

I made this fun little card holder out of the top of a pizza box (Valentino's Special is the best pizza). I stripped the paper from one side of the cardboard (I like the narrow corrugations on this one). The DP is TAC's Maggie. The images are from a limited edition set, and are colored with (what else?) Copics (R81, R85, R89, YG93, YG95, YG97). The shapes are cut with Nestabilities Labels One. I hope you like this little project!

Hoppy Everything!

2011-04-14T18:12:00.003-05:00

Here is another of those trifold cards that I love so well! This one uses TAC's Hoppy Everything stamp set and Hip Hop paper. These colors are so much fun, and the critters are whimsical and cute! I colored a variety of images from the set with my Copics, and then cut them out and slipped them in around the card. This card just makes me smile, so I can't wait to share it with a friend.

Plastic Wrap Stamped Background

2011-04-14T17:59:00.002-05:00

I have been dabbling with different techniques for stamping for many years, but was recently inspired by Michelle Zindorf's plastic wrap texturing tutorial. If you've never checked out Michelle's work, you are really missing out! I used a modification of her technique for the background of this card, with various Memento Dew Drop inks. I stamped the image from TAC's Anchor to the Soul (which is one of my favorite sets), and then masked it. I did my coloring with Copics (N1, N4, N7, YG93, YG95, YG97). I also used Copics to color the ribbons to match. Oh, how I love my Copics!

Butterfly Swirl

2011-03-10T22:34:00.003-06:00

Good evening one and all! Wow! This is my second post for the day - I guess that my mojo has found its way back to me. This little card is for two different challenges. I haven't entered any in awhile, and have missed the inspiration that they provide. For this card, I used Heather Scott's sweet little sketch #141 from last week. I selected my colors from the iCopic Color Challenge #20 that I found on Samantha's blog. Both Heather and Sami are very near and dear to me. I admire both for their amazing energy and desire to share their passion for stamping and scrapping.
This card uses Maggie paper and CS from TAC, as well as TAC stamps from Butterfly Swirls and You Are Awesome. I cut the shape behind the butterfly with Nesties Labels One. I colored the butterfly with BG01, BG05, V12, and V15. I also did the butterfly twice and layered some of the wings with a pop-dot (not sure if you can see that). I embossed the card base with a Sizzix embossing folder. Ink is Memento Hint of Pesto and Memento Tuxedo Black.
Once again, thank you for checking out my blog. I hope that you find a brief respite from your day. I wish you joy and peace in this crazy world.

Rustic Chic Thank You Notes

2011-03-10T13:38:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! Wow! I used to post several times a week, but now it seems that every other month is the norm. I guess that my life keeps getting in the way of my creative outlet. But I am back, and I thank you for stopping in to visit. I appreciate the time that you take to visit me. Today I have a set of 4 thank you notes. I made about a dozen, but gave quite a few away as gifts. These were made using TAC's Rustic Chic, along with some CS textured using a variety of Cuttlebug and Sizzix folders. The sentiment is from one of my TAC sets (can't remember which one), and the ovals were punched with Clever Lever punches.
I like making cards for swaps, etc., because I get to be creative, but also produce quite a few cards in a short amount of time. I just finished 40 cards for a swap later this month at a weekend getaway for TAC Angels - I am so excited for a whole weekend of stamping, laughing, and creating with some of the most wonderful gals in the world. Definitely a cure for what ails me! I used to say that stamping and scrapping was cheaper than therapy, but it is not! It does have a lot of the same effects, though!
Until I see you again, I hope that life is kind to you. Take care.

Lucky Me - I'm a Guest Designer

2011-01-31T13:49:00.003-06:00

Today is one of those unexpected days off from work. We got freezing drizzle last night and are expecting heavy snow tonight. My husband usually drops me off at school before heading to work himself. We like to leave early so that I have an hour or so before my 7:30 a.m. class. So this morning, we scraped the ice from the car and literally slid down the driveway - no control at all. I made the comment that they should close KSU, which they almost never do. Then my cell phone rang - it was the automatic alert system, saying that school was closed and classes were canceled! We were less than a block from home. I was so glad that we hadn't left earlier or I would have been stranded at work!
Anyhoo, this week I am the guest designer at SPCC for their Color Combo #85. I am so honored to be able to do this, because Sami's blog is great and she has some amazing talent over there. Be sure to check them out!
For this fun little card, I used TAC Hip Hop paper, which is so vibrant and fun. This is a trifold card, which is loads of fun to do. I accented the paper with Sami's Flourishee stamp set and did some fussy-cutting and pop-dotting.
I hope that all of you are safe and warm!

Two Cards - Birthday and Get Well

2011-01-28T10:45:00.003-06:00

Well, it is a gorgeous Friday and the sun is shining. Most of the snow is gone. I am looking forward to a productive weekend. I don't know if or will actually be productive or if I will be a face-booking couch potato, but right now, I feel ambitious!
Here are a couple of cards that I made for some card swaps with my Oz-Some Inkin' Angel stamping friends. When we get together, we have so much fun. We always have plenty to laugh about and ideas to share.
The birthday card base is kraft (so amazing and versatile), and the DP is More Mimi from The Angel Company. It is gorgeous, two-sided CS. I didn't want to hide any of it, so I cut the kraft with cloud scissors and attached the More Mimi so that there is a pattern on the inside too (sorry that I didn't show a photo). The stamps are from TAC. The little girl is from Rolling By (love those darling kids). I colored with Copics.
The get well card is on TAC Hemingway CS (my fave - love the colors). The butterly and foliage are from a limited edition mini of Happily Grateful. I colored the butterfly with my Copics, cut it out and popped out the wings with pop-dots.
If you like what you see and are interested in ordering some of this luscious paper, see my page on TAC.
And watch for a special post in a few days. My SPCC card entry (Rolling By Just To Say Hi) was selected as the winner, so I will be the guest designer at SPCC starting Monday. I have a special card to show you!

SPCC 82 - Rolling By

2011-01-10T22:13:00.002-06:00

At last, another post. I haven't done a card for Sami's SPCC challenge in the longest time, but am so excited to have time to visit her again. I love this color combo of raspberry, turquoise, and rose. This card uses TAC's Rolling By stamp set (which has a lot more adorable images). I colored the little girl with my Copics (BG01, 05, 09; R81, 85, 89; E000, 01, 00; V12, 15, 17; E74; and N1 and 4 for her shadow). The solid CS are Copic Caboodles from TAC, and the pattern paper is from SU.

I hope that you like this card. If you are interested in obtaining these adorable TAC stamps, contact me!

Two New Cards - Finally!

2010-11-17T23:57:00.002-06:00

Well, my friends, I have been missing in action for quite some time. Sometimes life just gets in the way. Today I have two cards for you. Both are made with TAC Angelee CS. One was made using the "Anchor to the Soul" set from TAC, and colored with my Copics. The other was made with the "Be Lifted" stamp set. I love them both! I hope that you like these cards.

New TAC Promotions - What a Great Deal!

2010-10-21T21:49:00.000-05:00

www.theangelcompany.net

Hey Everybody - I'm Back!

2010-08-31T22:58:00.004-05:00

Click www.theangelcompany.net to see the delightful stamps in this bundle!

I am finally back. Such a crazy-busy spring and summer. I will be posting some fun projects in the next few days, so be on the lookout. I will also tell you about my amazing Angels retreat! But for now, I have some sweet deals for you. As a demonstrator for The Angel Company (TAC), I get some sneak peeks at what is coming in the next amazing catalog supplement. This time, though, I get to share it with you. This special preview bundle even includes a Level C Hostess Set (that would normally require a $500 FunShop)! You can order this pack and all of the gorgeous Angel Company Products from me at http://sueg.ismyangel.net. Be sure to contact me with any questions.

Friend

2010-05-27T23:12:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is a special day for so many reasons. First of all, it is my daughter's 28th birthday. She is my first-born and has had so many struggles in her life. She has overcome many obstacles to be where she is today, and I am so proud of her strength, grace, and courage. Later I will post some pics from her celebration.

It is also a special day because I am meeting a friend for breakfast. She now lives out of state and is visiting her family for the weekend. I haven't seen her for many years, but we recently reconnected on facebook. I can't wait to see her and to catch up. She is also a scrapbooker and a cardmaker. I made this little card for her. The image is one that I had in a stash of stamped images, and I colored it using Prismacolor pencils. The background CS is from the DCWV Pocket Full of Posies stack. The sentiment is from TAC. I hope that my friend likes it!

I've also entered this at the Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog Challenge #54: Bright and Cheerful. You should check out all of the fun creations there!

SPCC #49

2010-05-24T12:46:00.004-05:00

This week's color combo at Samantha's SPCC is so bright and joyful. You should check out the fun examples from the talented designers. And Samantha always has a wonderful prize for the winner of the challenge, so why don't you see what you can come up with?

I made this fun Father's Day project for my DH, using a pattern I got from Heather (although I made a few impromptu changes - a.k.a. mistakes). The stamps are from TAC's Celebrate Him and That Guy sets. I made the pattern paper from white CS and a swirl stamp using three different colors of ink. The small shaped tags were cut using Nestabilities Label 1 (also available from TAC). If you like what you see, be sure to check out my TAC website!

SPCC #47 and Heather's Sketch #113

2010-05-10T01:20:00.004-05:00

I thought that I'd sneak in a card here in the midst of a crazy-busy schedule. Just gave me a chance to create a bit. This week is finals week for me. I teach 5 classes, and will have about 200 final exams to grade. I will need to take a few creativity breaks! As if things weren't mad enough, I have managed to catch a miserable cold (I still don't know why we say "catch", because I sure didn't pursue it). I know, I know, do I want some cheese with that whine? Maybe I need to call a whaaaa-mbulance. Whatever!

This little card uses the SPCC color combo #47: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, and Bermuda Bay - gorgeous combo, in my book! You should really see what you can come up with for this combo and enter it over at Samantha's blog. She always has a lovely prize for the winner! For this card, I used Heather's sketch #113. She has a new sketch every week. I love all of the layers on this sketch. To make it more fun, I added a lot of texture with Cuttlebug folders. I cut the little label shape with my new favorite Nestabilities, and the stamped image is from The Angel Company (TAC). It is from the set Everyday Cuties - a huge set with lots of adorable images. I got it in my starter set from TAC, and I can't wait to use more of them. I colored the image with watercolor pencils, and then used a water brush - fun, fun, fun!

Well, I hope that you'll check out those other blogs. And no matter how busy you are, take a little time for yourself!

I'm an Angel, and I'm So Excited!

2010-04-28T19:50:00.003-05:00

My new stamps all ready to be used!
A small sampling of my stamp sets in their CD cases.
My amazing box of stuff ready to be sorted!

Yesterday was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one! Why, you ask (you know you did)? Well, yesterday was the day I got my starter pack to be an Angel with The Angel Company (TAC)! For those of you who are not familiar with TAC, it is a wonderful company that sells delightful stamps, paper, and other products for rubber stamping and paper crafting. If you have looked at my blog before, you will see some of their wonderful stamps. I will soon be set up on-line so that you can buy their wonderful products or host a funshop to earn great hostess gifts (it only takes a $100 funshop to qualify for gifts).

My starter set had 10 different stamps sets (that I got to select), two paper pads, three paper packs, acrylic blocks, ink, die cuts, chipboard, cardstock, markers, and all of the catalogs and forms that I need to get started! I can't wait to start sharing projects with you.

I'll start a bit slow at first because of this little thing I call a job (yup, as I mentioned before, the semester is winding down and it is almost time for a break). I am also trying to get a little organized (although, I really need to get a lot organized). Actually, I already got a start last night by getting all of my stamps mounted on cling and put away in CD cases. That is how I store all of my stamps, because they take up a lot less space and it's easier to find what I'm looking for.

Well, maybe some of the grading can wait so I can play with my wonderful new stuff!

Sorry That I Have Been Gone So Long!

2010-04-26T22:04:00.003-05:00

Oh dear! It's nearly the end of the semester for me. Less than two weeks left of classes, then finals, and then grading, grading, and more grading! It is a good thing that I love my job so much! But I am looking forward to a few weeks off before I start teaching summer school.
I did manage to sneak in a little time to create a card for SPCC #45 (although I was supposed to have this to Samantha a week ago - she has the patience of a saint). Check out her blog for a great combo challenge every week (with a wonderful prize for the winner). This card was made with Heather's Sketch #111, which is really fun. The embossing on this card was done with a Cuttlebug folder (gotta love 'em), and the shape was cut with the Nestabilities Label 1 (oh, yeah - love that too!). The stamped background on the label is from TAC Sprigs and the sentiment is from a hostess set.
I'll be back soon with more creations and an exciting announcement (well, it's exciting for me).

SPCC #43 - Want to Fly

2010-04-12T21:10:00.002-05:00

Samantha has another bright and happy Color Combo Challenge for you (with a great prize to be won). This little card uses one of my favorite stamp sets from The Angel Company (TAC), which is called Want to Fly. It has several other image stamps, all of which are absolutely beautiful. The sparkle on this card was added by using the Stardust Clear Gelly Roll Pen.

Some of My Favorite Cat LO's

2010-04-08T15:26:00.003-05:00

These cat layouts are some of my favorites (honestly, I think that I have more layouts of my cats than of my kids). The double LO is a tribute to Shadow, a delightful little cat whose personality and energy added lots of sparkle to our home. He lived hard and died young (heart attack when he was 4). The DSP is from Karen Foster and the CS is Bazzill. The single LO was mischief caught in the act. Feline Dion (rhymes with the singer, Celine Dion) and Adidas were not supposed to be up behind the sink, but they apparently could not resist. The CS is Bazzill and the DSP is Karen Foster.
I hope that you enjoy these layouts. I am entering them in Audrey's Contributors' Showcase #1. What a delightful idea from a wonderful lady. Check out her blog Cute and Some.

Heather's Sketch #109

2010-04-03T23:37:00.002-05:00

My amazing friend, Heather, creates a card sketch every week. This little thank you is based on her sketch #109. I used The Angel Company's Designer Collection paper (Brighten My Day) and a hostess stamp set from TAC. The border punch is from SU. Check out Heather's blog for lots of great ideas!

Easter 1957

2010-04-03T17:35:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is the joyous celebration of Easter Sunday. We will be attending a delightful Easter potluck breakfast at church before attending the service. I love Easter. The music is beautiful and the message is the ultimate message of hope. Easter always brings back fond memories for me. Easter bonnets and shiny shoes were always an important part of the day. And, of course, our Easter baskets and marshmallow peeps! I created this LO for the Cricutters Anonymous Spring/Easter challenge. You should be sure to take a look at the wonderful creations by the DT and all of the participants. What fun! For this LO, I used Home Decor to cut the word "beautiful" and my SCAL for the word Easter. The gorgeous lamb and bunny was cut using SCAL and an .svg created by Paulo at scale-files, who is amazingly talented and generous. He has loads of intricate designs that he joyfully shares.

Audrey Made My Day!

2010-03-31T21:13:00.003-05:00

I recently met a delightful woman named Audrey. She has an amazing blog, which you should really check out. She creates wonderful projects like none that I have seen before! And she gave ME a blog award! And now it is my pleasure to pass this award along to some friends who have been bringing sunshine into my world (in no particular order, because they are all delightful):
1. Nuria
2. Deanne
3. Kristin
4. Allison
5. Samantha
6. Robbyn
7. Shauna
8. Emily
9. Melisa
10. Heather
11. SPCC Divas and all of my delightful friends

SPCC #41 - Pisa is Leaning

2010-03-29T16:27:00.002-05:00

Hey! It's time for another SPCC color challenge. This week's colors are Almost Amethyst, Pumpkin Pie and Soft Suede. I used these colors to create another LO of some of my daughter's Italian adventures. This time, she was visiting in Pisa. She said she had to take a "cheesy tourist-holding-up-the-tower" picture. I like the reflection picture (should have called this Reflections of Pisa). This was a really simple LO to do with the Destinations cartridge for my Cricut. The little title was done on the computer and attached with brads. I hope that you'll check out Samantha's blog and see what you can come up with for these colors.

Samantha's Having a Crazy Spring Cleaning Extravaganza!

2010-03-28T18:29:00.003-05:00

My dear friend Samantha is spring cleaning! And why do we care? Because she's getting rid of perfectly good punches, markers, and other wonderful scrappin' supplies. And as if that's not enough, she's also giving away a gift certificate for Stampin Up merchandise. Check out her blog for chances to win!

Hello Kitty Notebook

2010-03-27T21:51:00.003-05:00

This project was so much fun! I got to use my Hello Kitty Cricut cartridge. It is sooo cute! I used scraps of CS for the cover. The light blue CS was given those wonderful texture dots with a Cuttlebug folder. The pages of the notebook are 5 x 8 notecards cut in half using my Zutter Dream Kuts. I used some chipboard for the covers and bound it with my Zutter Bind-It-All (I love my Bind-It-All). This was a really quick project that my daughter is going to love. She's 27, but still loves Hello Kitty. I also did this project for the Cricutters Anonymous Woman Project challenge. Check out the amazing projects there.

Heather's Sketch 110

2010-03-26T00:50:00.002-05:00

Heather Scott is on sketch 110 of her weekly card sketches - be sure to check it out. This was a fun sketch to do. I used the SU Vintage Vogue set with white, Purely Pomegranate, and Certainly Celery CS. It's late, and I should be in bed, but the K-State - Xavier game just ended after an exciting double-overtime win for KSU, so I'm a bit wound up!

And the Winner Is......

2010-03-18T14:50:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all who stopped by during the Blog Hop. I appreciate the kind words and the tips. I hope that you will continue to visit my blog! I have a winner for my Blog Hop blog candy.......Shauna {SK Studios}. Shauna, please e-mail me your mailing address so that I can send your goodies!

New Cricut Cartridges!

2010-03-18T06:42:00.003-05:00

These are three of the new Cricut cartridges coming soon: Robotz, Nursery Rhymes, and Create-a-Critter. Aren't they cute?

SPCC #39 - Crib Notes

2010-03-15T17:40:00.002-05:00

I just love Samantha's Color Combo #39 - it's so joyous! Check out her blog and see the wonderful projects that my DT sisters have made. And did I mention that there is a prize at stake? See what you can can come up with using these fabby colors.

For my LO, I used my new favorite stamp set - SU Vintage Vogue. The flowers were stamped and cut out and layered. The border on the big photo is from that wonderful set also. I used the SAB Scallop Trim punch on the mat for the small photos, and cut the title out with my Cricut. And the subject is my DGD in the gorgeous crib that her daddy and his dad made.

"Going Green" Blog Hop

2010-03-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to SPCC's first ever blog hop! If you just happened upon my blog today, the blog hop starts at SPCC so go there to begin. You should have arrived here from Deanne's blog. I am so happy that you are here! I have some exciting things to share with you. First, is my project. This little accordian folder is a quick and easy project. For mine, I used the colors of turquoise, lime green, and white. My recycled items are scraps of tissue paper (the paisley and the green background on the right panel) and paper from the box that my daughter's cell phone came in (used to punch the scalloped circles). I also tied the panels together with scraps of ribbon. Each panel is 4"x6" (scrap chipboard works great for this).

I also have some wonderful blog candy for one lucky winner (to be drawn at random after the close of the blog hop). This is a wonderful collection of embellies, including sticker packages from Jolie's, Brenda Walton from K and Co., Paper Loft, Cloud Nine, and more. As if that wasn't enough, my sponsor has donated a Tropical Waterfall tealight from PartyLite and a package of Two Sisters Gourmet Peppery Herb Rub Dip. All you have to do to be eligible is to leave me a comment letting me know your fav scrapbooking "green" tip. Of course, I'd love for you to become a follower, but that is only if you really want to (and not a requirement for you to win).
I hope that you have enjoyed this stop on the hop. Now it's time for you to got to Emily's blog. Enjoy the rest of the hop!

Exciting Things Are Coming!

2010-03-11T21:50:00.004-06:00

Two exciting announcements:
1) I have a sponsor for my blog! My friend Brandy is a demonstrator for Party-Lite. They have amazing products for home ambience (candles, holders, and such) and I absolutely love these products. They also have yummy gourmet products to help you entertain. Be sure to check out the links on both sidebars of my blog. You won't be sorry!
2) Be sure to tune in this Sunday (3/14) after 9:00 a.m. EDT for a delightful blog hop. It is my first, and I have an exciting project for you to check out, as do all of my talented fellow DT members (and, of course, our fearless leader, Sami). I'll even have blog candy (some of it is donated by my sponsor, so a lucky winner can sample PartyLite and Two Sisters products).

SPCC 37 - Italia

2010-03-01T08:55:00.003-06:00

It's another week and another fun and exciting SPCC color combo. Be sure to check out Sami's blog for the combo, the PRIZE, and lots of inspiration. I really enjoyed these colors. I printed out some photos from my daughter's blog about her study abroad trip in Italy. She has been there for about a month and has another three exciting months. She is studying Landscape Architecture and this semester is a marvelous experience. I selected four photos - 2 are interior views of dome (1 from a basilica and 1 from the Pantheon). The other two photos are from Rome. One is St. Peter's Basilica. When they walked in, she was surprised how crowded it was, until she realized that the Pope was saying Mass!
Details for this: SU CS, SU Night of Navy ink, ribbon from Target, swirl stamp from TAC and Italia stamp (I'm not quite sure), SU Scallop circle punch.

SPCC 35 - Thank God I'm a Country Boy

2010-02-15T07:22:00.004-06:00

This 2-page LO uses SPCC combo #35 - be sure to check it out and see what you can come up with. You could win one of Sami's generous give-aways! For this combo, I used 4 pics that my daughter gave me of her precious son Coltin. My son-in-law took these pictures last fall. I love Coltin's look of freedom in the great outdoors. I used SU CS and Citrus Sarapapers. The title was stamped and cut with Sizzix.

Biker Chicks

2010-02-09T23:15:00.002-06:00

This week is my off-week for the SPCC DT, but I just LOVE the color combo, so I wanted to do a layout. I hope that you'll check out Sami's blog and see all of the fabulous work that the talented DT members came up with for this combo of Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, and Soft Suede. See what you can come up with, and you might win a wonderful prize. I also included some brads to give more texture and accent, so I'm including an entry to Practical Scrappers challenge as well.

For this LO, I dug out some old photos of my big sis Barb, my twin sis Mary Ann, and me. Mary Ann and I were about 2 in this picture (dated 1957, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how old we are).

Details on this LO: CS is SU Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry DSP, and the blue is printed from a digi paper pack from LetteringDelights.com, which is also where I got the title and the frame. The ribbon is SU Soft Suede that I got through Sami's ribbon share. The swirls are stamped with VersaMark using stamps from TAC and Autumn Leaves (I love to use swirls and they went so well with the paper). The journaling was done with Prismacolor markers and the brads are from my stash.

SPCC #33 - My Little Pumpkin

2010-02-01T15:00:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the lousy photography when trying to take a pic of the LO. I got my daughter's hand-me-up camera when she got a new one, and I'm just not used to it yet. I know, she should be the one to get the used one, and me the new one! But she left a week ago for ITALY for a semester abroad, so I wanted her to have a good camera so I can live vicariously through her photos. She is studying Landscape Architecture and is now at the Santa Chiara Study Center in Castiglion Fiorentino (in Tuscany, no less). Her blog is It-Alli-A (her name is Alli - cute, huh?).

This LO is using Sami's SPCC Color Combo #33. Can you tell that she's feeling overwhelmed by the cold, dreary winter? What a way to put a little zip in a LO! This LO features my darling granddaughter Adelyn. The pics were taken this past fall when she was about 4 months old. These colors don't scream "pumpkins", but the colors did match what she was wearing (sort of), so I went with that. The CS is all SU, the flowers are punched, the mat borders are punched with SU's eyelet border punch, and I added some tulle that I got on sale at JoAnn's (a roll goes a long way, and it adds some fun texture).

Why don't you see what you can come up with for this wild color combo. It might just brighten your day, and you could win a wonderful prize from Sami's extensive stash!

SPCC #31 - Love, Love, Love

2010-01-18T15:17:00.002-06:00

After a long hiatus from any real scrapbooking, I am back with another LO. This is for Samantha's SPCC #31. If you haven't checked out her delightful Color Combo blog, you really should! Each week she has a wonderful new color combo and a great prize. This week's combo is pretty tough - Real Red, Apricot Appeal, and Pretty in Pink. I have to admit that I rarely use these colors. They made me think of Valentine's Day. And this year I have a new little love. Adelyn is my 6-month-old granddaughter. For this LO, I used SU Real Red, SU Apricot Appeal, and some Daisy D's checked pink paper. For trim, I used red rick rack. The "love" words were cut using a Sizzix die. The stamps are from Carolee's Creations (Beautiful) and TAC (Sprigs).

SPCC #29 - Notebook

2010-01-07T19:22:00.002-06:00

Samantha and her SPCC challenge are up and running for 2010! Be sure to check out her blog. Each week she posts a color combo challenge. Some are pretty easy, while some are really tough. This week's colors are Brilliant Blue, Melon Mambo, Rose Red, and Lavender Lace (the ones with four are a little tougher)! These colors are gorgeous (and make me think of coooold winter, but everything right now makes me think of coooold winter). I am supposed to do LOs, but got in a bit of a time crunch with final exams and Christmas. So I put together this little notebook. For the pages, I used 5x8 notecards cut in half (yay for the Zutter DreamKuts). The cover is chipboard. And I bound it with the Zutter Bind-It-All - definitely a must-have! I also used the SU Scalloped Border punch when decorating the cover.

SPCC #25 - Helping Daddy

2009-11-23T12:40:00.003-06:00

The weeks are flying by, and the only scrappin' I seem to get done is for the SPCC DT - good thing I have that! This LO uses Color Combo #25 and Memories Forever is our wonderful sponsor this week. Check out Samantha's challenge blog for the scoop! This LO is of 2 of my daughters "helping" their daddy in his shop. The photos are from the early 90's - my kiddos are all grown up now. This LO uses SU CS and ink, a quote from a DCWV quote stack, ribbon scraps and some acrylic alphabets in my stash.
I hope that all of you enjoy a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving. I know that I have a lot to be thankful for.

SPCC #23 - chance to win some Copics!

2009-11-09T12:24:00.003-06:00

I hope that you have fun with this week's SPCC color combo! This week's sponsor is icopic.com, and the prize includes Copic markers! Thanks to Samantha, at SPCC, who works very hard to put together combos and line up great sponsors, you have a chance to challenge yourself! Don't forget to check out all of the other great entries!
This LO was so much fun for me. It features my youngest daughter, Alli, who will be 22 on Tuesday 11/10 (sniff, tears in eyes). These pictures were taken when she was in 2nd grade. Everyone in their class got to choose a favorite character for Halloween. She, of course, had to be Amelia Bedelia! I had fun making her costume, and she had fun wearing it! For this LO, I used SU CS, SU Melon Mambo ribbon, Prima flowers, and a stamp from TAC.

Heather's Sketch #93

2009-10-28T22:40:00.002-05:00

Here is another of the talented and energetic Heather's wonderful weekly sketches. And you might want to get in on this one, because she's got blog candy (yum)! This card uses SU Bella Birds, SU Chocolate Chip DSP, SU pink ribbon, andTAC Simply Divine (with SU Watercolor Wonder Crayons). The sentiment is from SU Bird on a Branch (with Staz-On brown ink). The scallop edge is SU and the scalloped oval is a Marvy Punch from TAC. Thanks for checking this out!

SPCC #21 - Two Beautiful

2009-10-27T06:41:00.003-05:00

I'm finally back after a week off with the flu and bronchitis - I was a sick puppy! Samantha's color combo this week over at SPCC is Creamy Caramel, Ruby Red, and Bravo Burgundy - and they really look good together! Check out SPCC Color Combos, and give it a try. This week, the very talented Sammye Jo is our guest DT member (all month), as well as our prize sponsor. Her company, 62 Cards, has provided some sweet prizes for our winner.
This LO was inspired by Scrap Sketch (another DT that the amazing Samantha is on) and my beautiful grandchildren. I used SU CS, the SU Eyelet Border Punch, the SU Sizzix Top Note Die, and SU Purely Pomegranate ink. The stamps are from Judith (animals), Carolee's (Beautiful), and Autumn Leaves. I used VersaMark ink for the swirls on the sides.

Surrounded By Love: SPCC 19

2009-10-12T20:46:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody! I can't believe it's been a whole week since I've posted. So, maybe I do have a life after all! Actually, I'm shifting into quilting mode now that the weather's turning colder. I've got some flannel squares ready to go to make some rag quilts. They are so soft and cuddly. I'm making one for my 3-month-old granddaughter and one for my almost-22-year-old daughter (shhh, don't tell, it's a surprise).
Well, back to scrapbooking! It's SPCC #19, and these are great colors. Every week, Samantha has wonderful color combos and a great prize for the winner. This week's sponsor is Susan Zuzarte. She is so talented and energetic. Be sure to check out her blog and the great prize!
The picture in this LO was taken in July, while I was in Wisconsin. My twin sister had just lost her husband quite unexpectedly, so we gathered for a memorial service. My family does a great job of celebrating life and sending off a lost loved one. This was the first time in many years that my dad and all seven of my siblings were together, so we could not let the opportunity pass. The title says it all.
I used SU Close to Cocoa for the base, and cut circles (with Coluzzle) out of Green Galore, Taken With Teal, and DCWV Pocket Full of Posies. The letters were cut using the old Big Shot. The left side of the base was stamped with VersaMark using TAC's Simply Divine. I then went over it with a Stardust Clear Gelly pen to add sparkle. The flowers are Prima, highlighted withCarolee Sparkles (which I have had for years). Can you tell that I love Sparkle and bling?

ABC Emboss and Practical Scrappers

2009-10-05T21:28:00.002-05:00

I was lucky enough to have a little me time so I decided to restock my card stash (while watching the Packers/Vikings game - go Packers). This little card is for two challenges: ABC Challenge is doing E for emboss, so I used one of my favorite Cuttlebug folders on SU Bermuda Bay CS. I cut the edge with decorative scissors, which I must admit that I seldom use. But Practical Scrappers has that for their challenge this week. The base of this card is SU Very Vanilla. The sentiment is from TAC, while the image is from Inkadinkadoo (I love that name and I got this stamp in a great set at Target today). The pattern CS is DCWV Pocket Full of Posies. Now, I just hope that I don't need this card!

Sketch 89

2009-09-29T17:09:00.004-05:00

There's nothing better at the end of a hard day at work than to come home and do a little scrappin'. Heather, over at Oz-some Stamps, has a new card sketch every week. If you haven't checked out this talented lady's blog yet, you don't know what you're missing! She had a crop over the weekend with several other Oz-somely talented (and fun) gals, and I had a great time! I'm not sure if we laughed or scrapped more! Anyhoo, this card uses SU Parisian Breeze DSP (retired), which is luscious. I've added SU Kraft and Chocolate Chip, and Kraft ribbon. The stamped design is TAC Simply Divine (another fave), and ink is Brilliance Sky Blue Pearlescent and brown chalk ink. I hope that you like it.

ABC Challenge DT Call

2009-09-29T08:30:00.003-05:00

I just found a wonderful challenge blog called ABC Challenge, and they are having a DT call. I am having so much fun being a member of the SPCC DT that I thought I'd try out for another DT. The DT call asks us to post our three fave cards, so bear with me if you've seen these before. My style is a cross between classic and eclectic (is there such a thing?).

Blog Hop Die Cuts

2009-09-28T14:53:00.003-05:00

Here are several cards that I did at a crop last Saturday (fabby fun times with some Oz-Some friends). These are for the Challenge Blog Hop. Just Buggin' wants us to use an altered die cut, while Practical Scrappers wants us to use a die cut. I used the SU Top Note die for one card, and embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder (I love them). I used Stickles to highlight. The other cards use more embossing, one with the brayer technique - fun and striking, but rather messy! I also used a scalloped circle die on one and a scalloped oval punch on another.

Blog Hop

2009-09-28T14:43:00.002-05:00

This card is for the Chirpin' Challenge part of the Challenge Blog Hop. The theme is "sweet", and the desserts on this stamp are as sweet as they get. The stamp is a retired SU set that I use a lot for cards (hmmm, I must have a lot of stressed-out friends). I embossed the background with a Cuttlebug folder on SU Not Quite Navy CS. The ribbon is from Offray. I didn't use my Cricut for this one because I did not have it at the crop on Saturday.

SPCC 17

2009-09-28T14:34:00.002-05:00

I love this LO because it is another of those precious times! This is my DH as he is ready to walk our daughter down the aisle three years ago. It uses SPCC Combo 17. The paper and CS is SU and some from my "stash". The ribbon is SU So Saffron that I won at an on-line crop through Scrapmasters Paradise (thank you Samantha). The title was done on my Cricut with SCAL, and the scalloped edges were done with SU's Eyelet Border Punch. Be sure to check out SPCC for great challenges and fabby prizes!

SPCC 16 and Blog Hop

2009-09-28T13:11:00.003-05:00

Lots of cards over the weekend - because I had a lot of challenges to "conquer". This card is made using Samantha's SPCC color combo 16 and a sketch from Peachy Keen. It was a fun sketch to use!

Blog Hop Fall Cards

2009-09-28T12:51:00.003-05:00

I had a great time scrappin' last Saturday with some wonderful Oz-Some friends at Heather's Creative Get-Away. I made a lot of cards for the Challenge Blog Owners Blog Hop - such a great time. These fall cards combine Samantha's SPCC blog hop combo of Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Glorious Green, and Pumpkin Pie, as well as ScrapFIT's challenge for a Happy Fall card, and the cuttlebug spot's fall challenge (I don't send fall cards, so I thought that "Thinking of You" was a happy thought).
Here are the details: card base is GP white, CS is SU Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip, paper is Karen Foster highlighted with Stickles, ribbon is from TAC Reese collection, stamp is from SU Bird on a Branch, with SU ink, die is SU Sizzix Top Note.
So, Happy Fall, Y'All!

Finally Friday - Turtles!

2009-09-19T00:49:00.002-05:00

Yippee! It's Finally Friday. That means that it's time to take the Finally Friday Challenge at SPCC. This week's host is Julie, and she is a super crafty girl. Her challenge is to think in threes, because it draws in the eye. For my little card, I used two different-sized deckle square punches and layered them. I punched a little tortoise out of the smaller square (I love turtles and tortoises). I put the little punchies on the bottom of the tag, and topped it off with three ribbons. The sentiment was written with my Tombow Gel Pen (I love it, too). The CS is SU Kiwi Kiss and Wausau Papers Metallic. The paper is Tim Coffey by K & Company. If you haven't tried the Finally Friday or SPCC Color Challenge yet, you don't know what you're missing.

Practical Scrappers Challenge

2009-09-16T19:49:00.002-05:00

Practical Scrappers has some really fun challenges, intended to get us to use up old stuff. Well, this week, we need to use alphabets in a creative way. Now that I stamp and Cricut, I seldom use letter stickers anymore. So I have lots of them! I made this little card using the SU scallop punch to form the base for my flowers. The accents, stems, and leaves are from the same letter pack (DCWV). It's hard to see, but the background is a really deep plum shimmery CS from Wausau Paper with black on the reverse (Sparkling Merlot on Black Knight). I used a couple of brads to attach the flowers. I hope that you like this! It was fun to make.

Heather's Sketch 87 and Finally Friday

2009-09-14T19:43:00.003-05:00

Oh, dear! Can you tell that I prefer blues and greens? It's a good thing that Samantha has SPCC color combos or I'd never try anything different! This card is actually for two different challenges. Heather Scott, an amazingly talented crafter, has an Oz-Some blog where she posts a card sketch every Monday. This is #87 - WOW! Check out her blog. This card also fits with SPCC's Finally Friday Challenge. This week's hostess is Erin. She has created a beautiful card and challenged us to use designer paper (as if we need encouragement to do this), as well as to make a get well or cheer up card and send it to a friend. This little card uses SU Blue Bayou DSP, Georgia Pacific White, and a piece of some beautiful shimmery paper that I got from Samantha. The stamps are from TAC and Autumn Leaves, with Versa Magic Ocean Depth Chalk Ink. The fiber is a scrap that I had laying around. The sentiment is in a circle inside of a double scallop from SU Scallop Punch. Thanks for checking this out, dear friend.

SPCC 15 - I Only Had Eyes For Him

2009-09-14T14:46:00.002-05:00

This week's SPCC colors posed a bit of a challenge for some, but I had just been waiting for the right combo for this picture of my son. He and Alison got married three years ago. As is the case with most weddings, everyone turns as the bride enters the church with her daddy. But I was watching my son, and was lucky enough to catch his eyes as they welled up with tears as he first saw his beautiful bride coming down the aisle. I wasn't sure how the photo would turn out with my point-and-shoot camera (my son had told me that he didn't want me sitting up front taking pictures during the wedding, so I didn't use the flash).
If you haven't yet checked out Samantha's awesome SPCC blog, you are missing out on some serious fun, sometimes-crazy color combos, and wonderful prizes. This week's sponsor is Memories Forever Scrapbooking, and they have donated some wonderful embellies (who can't use more of those?).
Here are the details on this LO: CS is SU basic Black, Really Rust, and Whisper White. I ran the three strips of rust through the Big SHot with a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. The journaling square was printed on Whisper White (I'm not sure if you can see it, but the image behind the journaling is a photo of the church, printed at about 50% transparency). The flowers are Heidi Grace Clear Flowers, inked with Brilliance White, and attached with brads. The butterflies are from SU Live Your Dream (one of my favorite sets), and the title was done on the Cricut with SCAL (not sure which fonts). I hope that this inspires you to look at things a little differently!

Heather's Sketch 86

2009-09-12T13:50:00.002-05:00

If you haven't checked out Heather's Blog, you really should. She posts a fun card sketch every week. She also has lots of great ideas and tutorials. Here is my take on her sketch Number 86. This is a card to encourage a friend who has been on a journey to fulfill her dreams. The paper is Heidi Grace Urban Acres Blvd (the little circle is shimmery). CS is SU Whisper White. The stamp set is SU Live Your Dream (one of my favs), and the ink is Dew Drop Versa Magic Ocean Depth and Dew Drop Brilliance Crimson Copper. I also outlined the flowers on the stamped image with the Gelly Roll Stardust Pen. The ribbon is a scrap.

SPCC #14 - Key to My Heart

2009-09-08T00:54:00.009-05:00

My husband, Alan, and I recently celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary. It's been a wild ride, filled with children (we have 4 grown children and 2 grandchildren) and other blessings and the usual trials and tribulations. Someday I'll share some with you. Being married for 31 years isn't always easy (the card posted below this one vouches for that!), but is worth the effort. I was lucky enough to marry my best friend, and we are still best friends.This LO is a tribute to the man who loves me no matter what, and to my love for him (can we have a collective "Awwww"?)! The picture for this LO was taken 3 years ago at a family gathering following our daughter's wedding and reception. I used the SPCC Color Combo #14 - check it out! This week's challenge was to use Ballet Blue, Basic Gray, and Soft Suede. I added in Very Vanilla for a bit of contrast. The adorable key and the fun little acrylic tag were in the Diva welcome pack that I got when I made the LO DT for SPCC. They were provided by our very sweet and very generous sponsor this week, Susan Zuzarte. She has an awesome blog filled with delightful creations. Other materials in the LO: stamps - Simply Divine (TAC) and heart from unknown, ink - VersaMark, pattern paper - SU Urban Garden, ribbon scrap.

Heather's Sketch #85 - Stress!

2009-08-31T21:40:00.003-05:00

This sketch of Heather's was really fun to use. And I had the perfect use for it. I've been really stressed lately, so this sentiment popped into my head. I typed it up on the computer, and added a retired SU image to it. I used scraps of paper and CS, and Dew Drop Memento Grape Jelly ink. I think that I'll send it to my therapist!

SPCC #13: Me and Frog

2009-08-31T12:56:00.003-05:00

Oooh! This LO was so much fun to do! I was really fine with the Yoyo Yellow, Old Olive, and Basic Black, but struggled to fit the Regal Rose in (although, I love pink). Soooo, it's in the in the edges of the flowers from the patterned paper. When my grandson was born about 15 months ago, my youngest daughter and I posed him for pictures with our good friend, Broos the frog. I wanted to work with frogs on this, so I printed some fun frogs (as well as the title and journaling block) from letteringdelights.com. They kind of got loose and hopped all over the page!. I used some wonderful Canson art paper for the grass, and just tore it for dimension. This page was really fun to do. Why don't you hop on over to SPCC to see what you can do with this week's color combo. And did I mention that you could win a set of COPICS from our wonderful sponsor iCopic.com?

Carrie's FF Challenge - Multihobby Scrappin'

2009-08-29T11:04:00.004-05:00

I just love the SPCC Finally Friday Challenge! Every week, Samantha has a different guest designer, and they are all so talented and creative! This week's challenge, by a wonderful gal named Carrie, has us combining scrappin' with any of our other hobbies (and aren't we all so multifaceted?). This week was really stressful for me, and I've got lots to do this weekend (laundry, mowing, grading,...), so of course, I am papercrafting! One of my other hobbies is quilting. And, like most crafters, I have a variety of UFO's (UnFinished Objects) laying around. So I took some little quilt squares and stitched them into some get well cards. Isn't that kind of what we crafters do? After a stressful week, we focus on others (or use them as an excuse to craft). Here are the details: CS is SU Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue, and Bella Birds DSP; ribbon is SU Kraft Taffeta; sentiment is from TAC; and ink is SU Brocade Blue: Miscellaneous: Heidi Swapp edge distresser. I have been so inspired by Stacy M and so many others who use sewing on their cards, so I thought I'd try it too. I'm so glad that I did. The sewing machine might just become a fixture in my living room!

Dol-Fans SPCC #12

2009-08-26T22:15:00.002-05:00

Oh, Sam! When you picked the SPCC #12 colors, you must have known that I'd be headed to a Miami Dolphins game with my sis! And that I'd have the nerve to wear hot pink to the game. So I had to do this LO of our tailgating fun and Landshark Stadium. Here are the details: CS is SU Only Orange, G-P White, and some teal from my stash; paper is TAC Brighten My Day; dolphins were cut with Cricut and SCAL; title is from letteringdelights.com; journaling pen is from Tombo.

Two Sweet

2009-08-25T22:54:00.002-05:00

My friend Samantha over at Scrapmasters Paradise was just named to a DT at Practical Scrappers, so I thought I'd check it out. They have challenges to use up some of those supplies that we have laying around (as if we have lots of "stuff" accumulating and not being used. Seriously?). This week's challenge was for vellum - a wonderful, but definitely underutilized material! Here is a LO I made of yours truly and my twin sister. The background paper, mat, and tag are from K & Co, and the letters were cut using Coluzzle. I added torn vellum to frame the little darlings, and held it in place with buttons sewn on with embroidery floss. The black-and-white photo was enhanced just a bit with chalk.

SPCC #11, Finally Friday, and Heather's Sketch #83

2009-08-22T02:55:00.003-05:00

Okay, hang onto your socks, folks! This is a first for me - I've combined 3 challenges for this card. Now for some of you super-scrappers, who combine eighty-'leven challenges into one card or LO, this might not seem like much. It's baby-steps folks; learnin' to walk before I learn to run! I've used Sam's wonderful SPCC Color Combo #11 (be sure to check out her blog - she's giving away COPICS - yes, I said COPICS), the Finally Friday Challenge (no prize, just some fun-spiration from a wonderful guest Diva, Mara), and Heather's weekly Sketch #83 (uh-huh, eighteee-threee).
Rcipe: SU Green Galore and Soft Suede (and some white I had around my stash), TAC's Enjoy Nature stamps, Colorbox Fluid Chalk (Chestnut Roan) and VersaMark, Making Memories brads, Fiskars Border Punch (which even cuts cardstock).

I Learned What an RAK is! Thanks Kristin!

2009-08-19T21:40:00.005-05:00

About two weeks ago, I was notified by this amazingly sweet and talented sister SPCC Diva that I was the lucky winner of an RAK! I did a little happy dance even though I didn't know what an RAK was! I had been away from the internet for a few days (and was obviously going through withdrawal), so I didn't even know that she had a give-away. I emailed Kristin at Leading a Craftastic Life to thank her and ask her what an RAK is. She informed me that it is a Random Act of Kindness (she did not add, "Duh, everybody knows that!" but she should have). Well, the package arrived last week while I was in Florida, visiting my sister and enjoying a needed break from a stressful time. When I got home, I had the joy of her wonderful package of goodies! You can see what adorable and wonderful things she sent : a beautiful bracelet, sweet cards, an adorable picture frame, the cutest clipboard you can imagine, a lovely bookmark and keyring, some chipboard, some envelopes, and she even added the sweetest "Grow Your Own Rubber Ducky". The great news is that she sells many of these wonderful items in her etsy store, Craftastic Boutique. So check out her blog and her store and see for yourself how amazing she is!

Finally Friday Mono Challenge

2009-08-11T22:26:00.002-05:00

Robbyn was the Finally Friday host last week at SPCC, and she challenged one and all to create something monochromatic (as a contrast to Sam's awesome color combos). Here is my project using the SU Sizzix Textured Impressions Manhattan Flower, TAC Circle stamp, and TAC sentiment. I used VersaMark ink (not sure I like the blockiness on the embossed image - meant to just highlight the ridges, but got a little carried away). Be sure to check out SPCC for the challenges!

SPCC 10 and Card Sketch 82

2009-08-11T21:04:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! I had kind of a tough day today, so I decided to escape from the world and lose myself in scrapping and cardmaking. It's my haven from stress. This card is for Sam's SPCC Color Combo #10. If you haven't checked out her awesome weekly challenge, you should. It's so much fun, and did I mention that she has awesome prizes? This week's prize is a set of Copics - yes, I said Copics! I also decided to combine that challenge with Heather's weekly card sketch. Heather is giving away blog candy this week! Things just keep getting sweeter and sweeter, don't they?
Card details: CS-SU Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie, Ink-Brilliance Pearlescent Purple, SU sizzix Texturz Plate, SU Live Your Dream Stamp Set, and Prima Flowers.

Heather's Card Sketch 81

2009-08-07T00:06:00.004-05:00

Here is my version of Heather's Sketch 81. I love Kokopelli, and I think it looks great stamped in black on a background made by swirling three colors of ink on glossy CS. The blue ink is Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue, so I also used it for the word stamped on black. For the card base, I scored diamonds before inking. The ribbon is actually purple, but looks blue in the photo. If you haven't checked out Heather's card sketch yet, you should. She posts a new sketch every week!

SPCC #11 - Support

2009-08-05T22:20:00.003-05:00

I absolutely love this pair of stamps, and thought that a picture of me and my sisters was the perfect place for it. Several years ago we all met in St.Louis for a sisters weekend. We left our husbands, kids, and housework at home, and had a wonderful time.
This LO is inspired by the colors at Sam's Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combo Challenge #11. Such a fun combination of colors. If you haven't tried this challenge yet, you really should. Every Monday, Sam has a new color combo (and if you check back on Fridays, she has a fun Finally Friday Challenge).
For this LO, I used SU CS, Sizzix Little Sizzles Pastel paper, VersaMagic Jumbo Java Chalk Ink,and American Art stamps.
One side note: At the time of this posting, I am in Florida visiting my twin sister and getting some much-needed stress reduction before I start another semester of teaching. I'll post more later about this magnificent visit with my sis.

SPCC #9 A Mother's Arms

2009-08-03T16:11:00.003-05:00

This beautiful color combo from SPCC Challenge made me think immediately of my beautiful daughter and her beautiful new daughter. Fortunately I had just the right picture for it. I used Bazzill Bling CS as the base, with SU Close to Cocoa and some paper from my stash. The quote is from a DCWV vellum quote stack, the corners of which are embellished with Heidi Swapp Large Flower Jewels. I also used the SU Eyelet Punch, Cricut for the title, and mulberry paper flowers, all decorated with Stickles. If you haven't tried the Color Challenge yet, don't wait any longer!

SPCC Finally Friday LO

2009-07-31T23:44:00.002-05:00

This LO was created for SPCC Finally Friday Challenge. Our friend Beverley created this week's challenge which was based on a photo. She created a lovely card using the same colors and design elements. I love the pink, blue, kraft, white, and green, and I used them to show off my beautiful grandchildren. While Beverley's photo displays simple clean lines, I chose a bit more flourish. The blue cardstock is Bazzill Bling, which gives a little shimmer. I hope that you like my LO, and I really hope that you'll check out SPCC for some really fun challenges!

Celebrate (SPCC #8 and Sketch 80)

2009-07-28T21:00:00.003-05:00

I've joined the group of those who combine challenges (although, I am a fledgling - only 2 challenges). This little card has the colors of SPCC Combo #8, from Sam's awesome challenge blog. It was a bit of a challenge for me to combine the colors. Check out her blog and take the plunge into the color combo challenges. It is so much fun and there are awesome prizes! I also used Heather's Sketch 80. Heather does some amazing cards and other projects. She has a card sketch every week (and has been doing it for 80 weeks!).
About this card: CS is from Stampin' Up, as is the Sizzix Top Notes die. The pattern paper is from Autumn Leaves (I used a scrap to make the flower). The stamp is from TAC, with VersaColor black ink. The stitching was done with Bic Mark-It.

SPCC #7 - Birthday Boy

2009-07-25T03:15:00.003-05:00

If you haven't yet checked out Samantha's Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combo, you are missing out on some serious fun! Every week, she posts a new color combo to challenge our creativity. Oh, and did I mention the fabulous prizes? This week's winner receives a wonderful assortment of Elmer's glue and paint products (and what scrapper ever has enough adhesive).
My entry (my first as an SP Diva) uses the following products: CS: SU Summer Sun and SU Old Olive; Paper: Autumn Leaves Mod; Stamps: SU Birthday Whimsy and Scrappy Cat; Ribbon: Ribbon FX; Ink: Versa Marker, VersaMagic Chalk Ink (Turquoise Gem), SU Certainly Celery, and Colorbox Chalk (Yellow Citrus); Marker: Zig Metallic; Punches: SU Scallop Circle and SU Scallop Border. I put the balloons on with dimensional dots, but the photo doesn't show that.

I'm Doing a Happy Dance - I'm a DIVA

2009-07-20T19:54:00.003-05:00

I just can't believe it yet! I have been chosen to be an SP Diva! That's right - I am a member of a design team! Let me tell you about SPCC, in case you don't know about it. SPCC is Scrapmasters Paradise Color Combo . Every week Samantha (more about her later) posts a a combo of three or four colors and challenges everyone to come up with a card, LO, or altered item using those colors. And what amazing things everyone comes up with each week! It is now only week 7, and there are already so many participants! It was my first attempt at a challenge and I am hooked!
Oh, and did I mention the fabulous prizes each week? Samantha has lined up so many amazing sponsors. And even if you don't win (I haven't) you still get to display a cool blinkie that says how much you love the challenge. I even made the top 5 once, so I got another blinkie! If you haven't tried the challenge yet - what are you waiting for?
Let me tell you about Samantha. She is the Energizer Bunny of scrapbooking! In addition to SPCC, she has her own blog Scrapmaster's Paradise . Every day she posts challenges, tutorials, and inspiration. She has been my mentor and really encouraged me to set up my own blog. She is such a genuine, positive, sweet girl, and I am so honored (and humbled) that she selected me to be among such esteemed company! I am excited for the opportunity to try new things and to share what I am so passionate about.