3 for today

Hi!  I made the first card using the SplitCoastStampers sketch.    I don't know if you shop at Tuesday Morning, but a friend of mine, thanks Wendy,  told me that they carry some scrapbooking and stamping supplies.  Well come to find out, I have 2 Tuesday Mornings close to me and another not too much farther away.  

 I have actually bought a few things there.  On the card above, the background paper which is the plaid paper on the opposite side was purchased from Tuesday Morning.  I had to buy the whole package of 25 sheets, but it was $1.99 for the whole package and it's double sided.  I decided this would be good paper for masculine cards.  I will be making a few of these for Operation Write Home.

The second card is for the Ways to Use It Challenge on SplitCoastStampers as well as Operation Write Home's Midweek Throwdown.  

The SplitCoastStampers challenge is to make a thank you card.  The Operation Write Home challenge is to use red, white, and blue.  I made these next two cards to be used as Hero Mail   I will write a note in them to a hero and send them with my next Operation Write Home package. 

Quote for the day:  "You don't need a reason for everything you do in your life.  Do it because you want to, because it's fun and because it makes you happy."  - unknown

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

I love sketches!

When I think about how I begin to make a card, I find that more often than not, a sketch is what gets me started.  I don't always follow the sketch exactly, but they are great idea starters for me!  Just a little tidbit about what I learn about myself.  :)

This card uses Tuesday Morning Sketch #171. It stumped me at first but then I got an idea. 

This one will be going to Operation Write Home.   I used scrap papers and my quickutz Chocolate alphabet.  I used a stamp from Michael's that actually says "Missing You", but I didn't ink the "you" part.

Today is the sketch challenge on SplitCoastStampers too!  :)

Quote for the day:  "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless."  - Mother Teresa

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

OWH Sketch

A new OWH Sketch was posted yesterday and I got a new stamp set in the mail Saturday.  See where this is going???  :) 

 I know this isn't a newly released stamp set, but it's new to me and I love it!  The sketch is shown below and is definitely a fun one! I used Lawn Fawn's You've Got Mail set along with a Hero Arts shadow stamp (used for the sidewalk) and the hearts are from a TPC Studio set.

I made 4 of them for Operation Write Home.  :)

Quote for the day:  "Happiness is when what you THINK, what you SAY, and what you DO are in harmony."  - Ghandi

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!!

Sweet Friends

Hi!  Today's card was actually made yesterday.  I used the Freshly Made Sketch #59

I was very true to the sketch on this one, except for my squares being a bit larger than the sketch.  I had this paper and these rub-ons by Imaginisce on my desk from the last card I made, so I used them.   Yay me!!  Yes, I am very proud of myself when I do these little things.  LOL.

Today I have been working on the scrapbook for our newest grandbaby due in January.  I have made them each a little scrapbook that has a page for each month of their first year so their Moms are not overwhelmed and can still keep some notes on what went on during the year. 

Our quote for the day:  "Music is what feelings sound like."  - Unknown

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Valentine's Collage

Hi!  Today's card is a new technique for me.  The clean and simple challenge on SplitCoastStampers yesterday was the collage technique.  I LOVE the way collage looks, but I have always been intimidated by it.  So, I jumped in with both feet!

This is also a one layer card, another thing that intimidates me :)  A white card base, festive berries Distress Ink for the masked circle, Simon Says Stamp music heart stamp in Crimson Red from Versafine and various stamps from TPC Studio.  I rounded the corners to finish.

This was fun!  I think I'll try it again.  Oh, if you're thinking I've lost my mind because I'm making Valentine's Day cards already, my mind was gone long ago.  But Operation Write Home's Midweek Throwdown is to make a Valentine's Day card.  The deadline for getting Valentine's cards to the shippers is December 31st.

Our quote for the day:  "There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day."  - Alexander Woolcott

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Paper Smooches Thanks

Hi!  Today's card was made with a free digital image from Paper Smooches.   I love this little bird.  She is so ecclectic and that's what I love about her.  I've looked at her so many times and just haven't come up with something that I thought was her style...until now  :)

This paper is from DCWV, the mainstreet stack, and I have had it for quite some time.  I really love it with this sweet lttle bird.  I added washi tape from Tim Holtz and from K&Co and a gem for her eye. 

I went with a thanks sentiment (also downloaded from Paper Smooches) because they have a giveaway going on their blog.  You have to make a thank you card and will be entered into a drawing for some SWEET winter/snowmen stamps.  I LOVE snow people.  :) 

Our quote for the day:  "LOVE is such a big word, it really should have more letters."  - Kobi Yamada

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Distress Markers

Hi!   This sweet Lawn Fawn fox card was made a couple weeks ago, but I hadn't gotten to share it.  It's a very simple card, but I like that about it.

 I colored the little fox and his hot chocolate cup with distress markers on watercolor paper.  I really like using the markers this way.  After putting the color down, I took a water brush and blended the colors. His tail has white fun flock on it.     The papers are Basic Grey and I added a piece of fiber.  Easy as hot chocolate. :)

This second card was made for the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge and Ways to Use It challenge which was all about embossing. I LOVE embossing, both heat and dry.  Anyway, back to the card.  I used old Scenic Route paper and a Stampendous stamp that I love!  The poppies were colored with distress markers on watercolor paper.  The watercolor paper is pretty thick and when I cut it this small it started curling on the edges.  This is what made me decide to stitch the corners.  The red panel is the one I dry embossed with a dot embossing folder.

Quote for the day:  "If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be."  - Maya Angelou

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Sketch Challenges

Hi - I have two cards today that are based on sketch challenges. 

The first one uses Freshly Made Sketches #58.  One of the additional challenges playing along with Freshly Made Sketches is that they ask that you keep your cards "clean lined and fresh".  I try not to ink edges when I play along with this one too.  It's a great challenge blog and you can find them here.

 My first card uses a SWEET stamp  from Stampendous called Little Angels.  :)  This card also goes along with the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown, celebrate friendship.  I  used paper from my stash.  :)

My second card is based on the Operation Write Home sketch #143.  This is a really fun sketch.  At first I was intimidated by it, but as I went along I like it more and more.  I think I will be using this one again too.

Quote for the day:  "Be the person your dog thinks you are."  :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Weekend Project

Hi - I don't have a card to share with you today, but I do have pictures of our weekend project.  I LOVE pinterest and I found a picture of a headboard that I loved so of course I pinned it.  :)

Ben needed a headboard so I decided to make it for his room.  I hope he doesn't wonder why we didn't make it before he left for college.  In our defense, we were at soccer, softball and volleyball tournaments every weekend.  :)  That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

We have a fence that is falling apart, but the fence boards have so much character, so we used our fenceboards.  This first  picture is raw wood.

 This picture is after he first coat of varnish.  I used water based varnish in satin sheen.  I don't like oil based products and I don't like shinyness.  :)

 This picture is after the 2nd coat of varnish.  The directions say to use 3 coats and then let the  piece cure for 7 days.  We will see if I'm that patient.  I've already been into Ben's room quite a few times to try to visualize it!  Yes, I have sent Ben pictures of his new headboard.  :)

Our quote for the day:  "Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess, just breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best."

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Can't get Much Brighter :)

I don't often use really bright colors although I really like them.  Most of the time my colors are a little more subtle and I ink edges most of the time too.  This card however is more outside of my norm.  I started with this really cute little stamp and I could only imagine it on bright colors.

I keep a collection of cards I have made so I can use them as inspiration.  I try to make at least 2 cards when I'm making them, really how much harder is it to make 2 than 1, I already have all the supplies out.  Anyway, one of them usually goes into my inspiration box and often I flip through it for color inspiration, layout inspiration.....just any inspiration.  I used a card I made a LONG time ago for my inspiration and this is what I came up with.  I almost thought I didn't use ribbon, but I did tuck some May Arts jumbo ricrac under the left side of my chevron paper.

3 more cards for Operation Write Home (I made 4 but messed up a bit on one of them so it is going into my inspiration box.)

Quote for the day:  "We must all make the choice between what is right and what is easy."  - Professor Dumbledore

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

OWH Midweek Throwdown

Another Operation Write Home card.  Actually 6 of them, but they are all like this one.  The Midweek Throwdown Color Challenge is to use black and white, with a pop of red or green.  I chose green.  :) 

I really wanted to use a little blue on the snowman and around him for the sky, but I resisted.  :)  However, I couldn't resist his orange nose.  I just couldn't use gray or green for his nose!  This was a really fun challenge and one I think I will use again.  I really like the simplicity of it!

Quote for the day - "Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it's troubles.  It empties today of it's strength."  - Mary Engelbreit

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great day!

Using a 6X6 Paper Pack.....Completely :)

Hi!  There is a tutorial on the Operation Write Home blog on how to use your 6X6 paper pack completely.  I LOVE this idea.  I was trying to figure out what pack I was going to go out and purchase for this tutorial, but then it kind of just hit me.....I have HOW MANY 6X6 paper packs that I have used maybe 2 pieces of paper out of????

I chose Basic Grey's Granola paper pack for my first try.  I wanted to make some masculine cards.  I'm sure I had used a few pieces of paper from the pack, and my paper was not double sided, so I have 1 piece and still a few scraps left over, but I will go back and use those as well.    Here they are all together.

This one uses OWH Sketch #23.

This one uses OWH Sketch #57.

 This one uses OWH Sketch #100.

OWH Sketch #142.

SplitCoastStampers Sketch - SC239.

SplitCoastStampers Sketch - SC240.

This was a FUN challenge to do.  It also helped me get a good start on my next Operation Write Home box.  I think I am going to only  make non holiday cards.  It will take the pressure off me as far as deadlines go and from reading the blog, it sounds like they are needing more general cards.  :) 

Try it, I plan on doing it again!

Quote for the day:  "What a beautiful world it would be if people had hearts like dogs."

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Busy Weekend

Wow!!  It has been a VERY busy weekend for us.  Saturday we laid sod on our front yard!  4 full pallets of sod.....needless to say, I am sore today!  So today I got to play in my craft loft until dinner!  :)

This is the first card I made.  It uses the OWH sketch #142.  I love sketches!! 

 This one uses the Penny Black sketch!  I love Penny Black too.  :)

I took some pictures of our yard as we laid the sod and I think I have a picture of our front yard from when we bought our house.  I hope to share the pics soon! 

Our quote for the day:  "Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you."

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Cards to College

Hi -  Today's cards are ones that I made to send to my college kids.  I LOVE sending packages to them.  Nothing big, just little things that I know they will like or silly things that I think they will have fun with.  Almost always with cookies and/or brownies.  :)

 This one was for Ben and uses Graphic 45 paper, Tim Holtz stamps and some black velvet paper too. :)

This one was for Sara and uses K&Co paper and embellishments and a stamp from All That Scraps.

I made 2 cards today, but haven't taken pictures of them so I can't share them yet.  That will come later.

Our quote for the day:  "Please and thank you are still magic words."

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

The challenge I used today was Cute Card Thursday's challenge to use ribbon.  The challenge I gave myself was not to use as much ribbon as I could, but to use some of the fun, but not so easy ribbons to use.   This is what I came up with.  :)

I have a tendency to use sheer ribbons most often, then solid colored grosgrain ribbons.  I wanted to use some of the really fun ribbons I have bought, but not used.  Simple cards prevailed!  I am very happy with them though. 

Our quote for today:  "God's plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day."  - Louise Giglio

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

Christmas cards

Well, I found another fun way to be creative!  I had a few "card kits" that I haven't used yet.  I have had them for a few years......no judging please :)

These kits had only a few pieces of cardstock in them and 1 piece of patterened paper.  But that's all I needed to come up with some simple yet sweet cards.  I realized that having a few starting points, such as colors and stamps made it easier to bring the rest of the cards together.  It was really fun!

So, I'm thinking that maybe I will make some "cards kits" with leftover stuff from cards I'm making today.  Then put the kits away for awhile.  When I come back to them, I'm sure I will come up with something totally different from what I made today. 

Our quote for today:  "Worrying is like a rocking chair.  It gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere."

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

Thanksgiving Fibers and Charm

Back to my regularly scheduled cardmaking.  This card has....not ribbon, but fiber. 

I used another older sketch from SplitCoastStampers and some new Simple Stories paper.  An older Kim Hughes Thanksgiving stamp, some old fibers and an old charm.   I finished up my Thanksgiving cards for Operation Write Home and will be mailing them Monday.  Now I will be moving on to making Christmas cards for OWH, Halloween cards for my kids and grandkids, and some cards just to keep me sane.  :)

Quote for the day, "What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it."

Have a great evening and thanks so much for stopping by!!

Quote for today

No Ribbon!

Hi!  The other day I hinted at a possible self-imposed challenge.  No ribbon!  Well, this Thanksgiving card is the result of that challenge.  There isn't any ribbon, fiber, twine or anything remotely like that!!!  :))))

I CAN make a card without ribbon.....(I wasn't so sure!)

A long time ago I printed the sketches from SplitCoastStampers sketch challenges.  Well, while I was organizing my loft I came across them and then.......well, that was all I needed to decide to take a break from organizing. :)  This is what I made using one of the sketches.  I really wanted to put some ribbon along the green gingham paper across the center, but I decided I could do without it!  Yay!!  These gem pumpkins were on my gate that contains things to use and I used them - woo hoo!!  (Can you tell I'm proud of myself today?  LOL :)

Our quote for today:  "Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving."

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

A Turkey and a Pumpkin

I just checked the date that Thanksgiving cards have to be to the shippers at Operation Write Home and it's September 30th.  That means I only have a couple days to make a few more Thanksgiving cards.  Well, okay then, Thanksgiving cards are on my to do list.  :)

Here are my 2 most recent ones.   This one uses an older Kim Hughes set, from when Cornish Heritage Farms was selling her stamps. More scrap paper used.  :)

This one uses Bo Bunny paper and a cute little wooden pumpkin.  Of course ribbon.....that would be a challenge in itself, for me not to use ribbon, fiber, twine.  Hmmmm.

Quote for today:  "Beauty isn't about  having a pretty face.  It is about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and most importantly, a beautiful soul."

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

Hi!  I haven't been making cards today, so I'm sharing one I made previously. 

I've had this Hero Arts stamp set for quite some time, but haven't used it as often as I should.  There are a few different really fun cupcakes on it!  This card uses paper scraps again.  :)  I paper pieced the cupcake top and paper too.....more scraps.


Quote for today:  "I can't tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone."   - Ed Sheeran

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

3 cards for today!!!

Hi!  I have been pretty busy today.  :)  Okay, one of these I made yesterday but didn't get a chance to take a picture until today.....but still!

I used the OWH - Paper Smooches sketch one more time with this card.  I love this sketch and I love this stamp! 

 This one is for one of our grandboys!  I used the SCS Sketch Challenge.  I love to make holiday cards for our grandbabies!!

This is the one I made yesterday for the Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge.   These papers are scraps from my stash and these cute little pilgrim turkeys were on sale at Hobby Lobby the other day.  They jumped into my cart before I could tell them "no"!! 

More cards to go into my next Operation Write Home box!  :)    

Quote for today:  "Dwell in possibility..."  - Emily Dickinson

Thanks so much for stopping by!

OWH - Paper Smooches Sketch

Good Morning!  It was a busy weekend, lots of working in our yard.  Our yard will definitely be complete before the inside of our house is.  I guess that makes sense since we will be putting sod down soon.  Fall is the time for that.  However, I am ready to start some of our inside projects.  Oh well, until we get to that, I will work in my loft and keep rewarding myself by making cards.  :)

Today's cards were made using the sketch from OWH - Paper Smooches.  You can have a chance to win a Paper Smooches set of stamps by entering.  They have a really cute set designed for OWH.  I don't have that set, but I used some older stamps....I might have even loved and unloved stamp. :) 

Here is the sketch.  It's a fun one!  I'm sure I will be using it more.

OWH also has a cardmaking challenge they just started.  I'm going to put a link to it on the sidebar and I've already started making my cards for it! 

Quote for today:  "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"  :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Keeping Up

Good Morning.....I haven't really gotten into a good schedule for posting yet, so right now it seems to be whenever I have a couple minutes to sit down and get it together :)

Yesterday, I got all my packages mailed except one.  That one goes out today.  I got my box mailed to Operation Write Home and have now started on my next box of cards. 

I'm also making cards for my Mom to send out to members of her church.  She's my Mom, she loves my cards no matter what, but I love that I can make some for her that she will share with others.   It makes me happy.  Sometimes she has a tendency to just keep them.... I think that's where I get my "saving my supplies for the perfect card/page etc." 

But not anymore, I'm using stuff!!!  :)  I love these stamps from Verve.  I do love all the new, latest and greatest products, but there are some stamps in my stash that I go back to over and over.  This set is one of them. 

Still working on cleaning my craft loft.  There is so much STUFF in there, but every day I work a little more on it, then I reward myself with making cards :)

Quote for today:  "You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one."

Thanks so much for stopping by!

3 for 3 :)

Today, I got my box for Operation Write Home ready to mail and hope to get to the post office tomorrow.  I actually have a bunch of packages to take.  I'm trying to send packages fairly regularly to our two kids in college.

I LOVE pinterest.  I get on it every day and save so many card ideas to it.  I thought I saved the card to my pinterest board that I based this card on,  but I can't find it.  I know that on the original card, they used one of the Hero Arts Basic Grey stamp sets, but I had this flower in my stash so decided to use this one instead.   I stamped on watercolor paper and use my watercolor pencils.  I added little gems to the centers of the flowers and rounded the corners of my card.  I love the simplicity of it!

Quote for today:  "Being powerful is like being a lady.  If you have to tell people you are, you aren't"

Thanks for stopping by!!

Another day

I'm back today with a couple more cards I made for Operation Write Home.  Again using paper I love, but have had in my stash for a while.  I pulled out some old fibers for this top one.  I forgot how much I actually like to use fibers.  Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE ribbon, but I can honestly say that there are some cards I like fibers on better.

I used stamps from the dollar spot at Michael's for both cards as well.  Simple yet fun!

Quote for today:  "When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story.  Everyone has gone through something that has changed them."

Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening!