WOYWW 143 - LEAP DAY!!

HAPPY LEAP DAY EVERYONE and welcome to my desk from Julia's Stamping Ground where we enjoy traveling around to each other's craft areas because of her great "what's on your workdesk."  Well, surprise, surprise!  I didn't buy anything this past week, so I have no new toys to open for you.  I know, waugh!  But seriously, don'cha think it's about time I put things away and got down to work?

Today in honor of LEAP DAY, I made a ... ta dum ... froggie card!  So original, right?  I'm curious how many other crafters are doing that today.  It also makes me happy to do a frog card since we got some rain!  Happy-Leaping-Lord-Do-We-Ever-Need-Rain-Dance!  This whole country, with the except of the Northwest, is so dry this winter.  We aren't going to get much, but it's something, and all the little buds and bulbs and worms and frogs and birds ..., okay, enough already.  Here's the inner playhouse with the luscious wet and gray behind the window:

And here's the froggie card:

He looks like he sat on my hat pin, doesn't he? 

Please welcome my new follower Norma from Pink Bling Crafter.  Thank you so much for joining!  And thank you all for stopping by today and for your comments.  You make my day!!  Have a great time popping in to all the other workdesks through here.

Enjoy!

Paper: SU Old Olive, Vanilla, Night of Navy
Stamp:  Penny Black 2621F "Green Gargoy!"
Ink:  Marvy Markers
Ribbon:  SU Mistletoe
Hole Poking:  SU Mat Pack, hat pin
Cuttlebug:  Swiss Dot Embossing Folder

MOJO MONDAY 230

Happy Monday!  It's happy for me 'cause I had a migraine part of yesterday and feel better today.  Hate when that happens, the migraine I mean, not the feel better!  Today I am playing for the second time with Mojo Monday and this week you can be a circle or you can be a square.  I choose (I chose?) to be a square.  Here is the sketch:

and here is my take on being square:

I was lucky enough to finish and get outside to take the pictures between clouds.  It's been threatening rain all day, and we desperately need it, but so far it's all show and no go.  It has also been windy, so I jammed my card into a space between the wall caps to keep it from blowing away.  There's a bird bath nearby and I could just envision my card taking wing and flopping into the water.  Eee-iiii!  Has anyone had a beautiful card destroyed in a horrible accident?

Until next time, be well, and if you have a sec to leave me a note, I thank you!

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU Whisper White, Stampland Glossy, Other
Stamp:  Papertrey Ink Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink:  Papertrey Ink
Flowers:  Recollections Floral Embellishments
Leaves: Cuttlebug Leaf die and embossing folder
Various pop-ups, drugstore ribbon

Take Two LIM WEEK 56 - Don't Scrap It!

This time I used a proper scrap and stamped my basket onto the scrap of designer paper.   That's when I noticed that I could cut around the paper's bloom design because they looked like they were growing right out of the basket!  I then had to do a bit of paper piecing (which I just learned how to do) at the basket opening to complete the look.  Actually, at first glance it looks like a basket of yarn sitting out in the grass, doesn't it?

Now that I've poked all the way through my scrap bin, I've found some marvelous papers that I've forgotten about and I will enjoy using them again.  If I can only remember tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that ...

For some other really great ideas, head over to Less Is More, check it out, and join the fun!

Enjoy!

Paper: SU Whisper White, and I think SU DSP
Stamps:  Mostly Animals "Bushel Basket; ASX Grass
Crop-a-dile Corner Chomper

LIM WEEK 56 - Don't Scrap It!

This week Chrissie and Mandi at Simply Less Is More challenged us to use our scraps to make a card.  Honestly, I couldn't quite decide how I wanted to play with this.  I do save my scraps and, um, yes, I don't use them as often as I should, but when I do use them, they don't look like they are scraps.  You know what I mean?  I don't think you can tell whether I cut them from a bigger piece of paper, or used a scrap from something else.  Soooo, because I couldn't think of how to do this, just for fun, I reached in my waste paper basket and made a card out of an otherwise not-useable scrap. 

It's silly, I know, but I got a kick out of it.  I do thank Chrissie and Mandi for the challenge as it does remind me to be more environmentally aware and use my bits and pieces more often.

Please welcome my new follower, Jean Berling!  Have a great Sunday everyone!  I can't wait to see what you all put together for this challenge!

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU Whisper White, Old Olive, and DSP
Stamp:  Hero Arts E2094
Ink:  Papertrey Ink, and Marvy Markers

CAS-ual Friday (CFC41) Jest for the Pun of It!

Oh, how fun!!  I can't wait to see everyone's card in this week's CAS-ual Friday challenge.  There are some really fantastic punful stamps out there.  I've got a few myself, but this is the sentiment and image that I thought of immediately and it came together in a snap.

You know how I love CAS cards and this sentiment always cracks me up because it is one of those that takes a second.  Ba, dum!  I'm off to start my world-wild tour ... with a duster ... from one end of the house to the other.  It's a small house, not much bigger than my playhouse, but it does need some attention now and then.  Have a great day, thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU White
Stamps:  River City Rubber Works
Ink:  ColorBox Rouge, Marvy Jungle Green

OLW 80 Two By Two Plus Masking

Since I lean towards clean and simple card-making, I enjoy OLW challenges.  Susan's challenge post says:  "This week's One-Layer Wednesday (a.k.a. OLW) Challenge is to use two colors, two images, and masking. Sentiments are optional but must be in one of the two colors, just to make the whole thing more diabolical, um, challenging."

Oy, yoy, yoy!  Diabolical Challenging is putting it mildly!  I made this card FIVE (5), five-holy-Toledo-I-can-do-this-I-will-do-this-five-frappe-times before I got it right.  Phew.  I need a drink moment.  Thanks, I'm good.  Susan, why I oughta ... I mean, my goodness, I only had to mask a square corner of the one stamp and I used my Stamp-a-ma-jigger and it was still a booger.  Well, actually, I masked both the images and the sentiment, because the two words "best wishes" are on one stamp, not two.  But for all my moaning, I really did enjoy the challenge and I love how the card turned out, if that's okay to say.  Someone very special will get this labor-of-love card:

I'd like to thank my new followers for joining my site.  I'm so pleased to have you!  Please visit my new friends:  Joanna King (aka Asia K) and May and Chris and Anne.  (I hope I haven't missed any new peeps.)  Have a great day everyone and thanks, as always for stopping and leaving me a note!

Enjoy!

Paper:  Papertrey Ink
Stamps:  Michael's WS-095 550
               Stamp City X2696
               Penny Black 3657C Wishes
Ink and Markers:  Marvy Violet and Turquoise

WOYWW142

This fun Wednesday get-together brought to us by Julia over at Stamping Ground is growing ever more popular!  It's mid-morning here on the west coast of the US and there are over a hundred workdesks linked already from all over the world!  Here is mine:

I actually took the picture last evening so I could put things away and start playing with my stuff.  I know I do seem to be showing lots of new goodies and, no, my great-uncle Fergus LeRoy did not pass away and leave me lots of money.  You online stampers are totally to blame for this!  I have been swept away by all the beautiful cards using die cuts and embossing and so I was unable to avoid getting into all that, hence the recent Cuttlebug, etc. purchases.  I have also been blown away by most things from Papertrey Ink and so, wah-hoo, that is what you see in the above picture.  Just a couple, four stamp sets, some dies, some paper ...

... as far as I know, my husband does not read my blog.  Ahem.

(I just noticed that the picture shows two cards on the windowsill that the grandboys made while they were just here.  I wish you could see, in person, the two of them working away so happily.  I suppose they will outgrow it soon, but I'm cherishing it while it lasts!)

Okay, I've got ladies lunch today, but I hope to be back later with my other favorite Wednesday challenge, maybe, hopefully, using some of my new toys.  Please do check out the Stamping Ground site!  And, as always, thanks for stopping by!  Leave a note so I know you were here if you have a minute.

Enjoy!

MOJO MONDAY 229

This is my first time playing with a sketch challenge at Mojo Monday.  Here is the sketch designed by Mary Fish:

The cool thing about this sketch for me is the side story, which is that this is also a surprise blog hop to celebrate Mojo Monday Sketch Master Julee Tilman's impending birth of identical twin baby boys (due in March).  I know all about that, albeit not first-hand, as my son and daughter-in-law also have identical twin boys, Adam and Henry, born in December 2004.  Here they are at one month old:

And here they are six years later:

And here is my card for this challenge:

I wish Julee and her family all the best of good health and happiness as their two blessings arrive!  Thanks for visiting and your comments!

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU white base, others unknown company
Stamp:  All Night Media 995G07
Ribbon SU Blue
Embossing Powder for booties: Judi-Kins Metallic Bronze

LIM WEEK 55 THEME

Somehow I missed last week's Less is More challenge completely, which makes me sad because I enjoy them a lot.  This week the LIM Challenge is "Theme" and Mandi and Chrissie would like us to use punches or dies.  Here is what I came up with:

After I was all done I found a boo-boo, but I'm letting it go, which is pretty huge for my somewhat perfectionist personality.  (Did you spot it?)  I view it as a consequence of being a novice at using dies and my new Cuttlebug and I'll get better as I practice. 

Thanks for visiting me!   Head over to see what others have created for this fun challenge at LIM.

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU Whisper White
Ink:  SU Bordering Blue, Vivid grey
Stamps:  SU (unknown set)
Accessories:  Nestabilities Lacey Circle and Cirle dies,
  Cuttlebug, We R Memory Keepers ribbon

CAS-ual Fridays 40 "Tie One On" and The Play Date Cafe Challenge 119 Color Splash Week "Hot Pink"

I am entering my card in two challenges for the first time and also playing with The Play Date Cafe for the very first time.  Their challenge this week is "Color Splash Week," which means to use black and white with a "splash" of color, this time, hot pink.  The CAS-ual Friday challenge is to make a "party" card with ribbon.  I think my card complies with both ...

The family is off to the snow at a friend's cabin in the Sierra's; hopefully it hasn't melted in the last couple of days!  Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy!

Paper:  Papertrey Ink
Ink: Papertrey Ink, Marvy marker
Stamp:  Penny Black "cheers" 3476H
Accessories:  SU ribbon

OLW 79 - Stamp, Stamp, Stamp

This week's One Layer Wednesday by Jennifer was really a challenge (especially with two 7-year-old boys competing for stamping space on my desk!).  If I get a chance I may do another card which will look more like a checker-board, which is what I really wanted to do, but this card preferred to lay a different way.  I'm afraid this card may grate on the nerves of those of you who are "math people" and who would have measured things precisely.  Math is not my thing and, even so, I didn't have time to do the calculations or use my stamp-a-ma-jig, and well, it shows.  But I'm going to enter it anyway, just for fun, remembering that that is the whole object of the challenge.  I used 10 stamps, which doesn't hold a candle to Ardyth's fab use of 19 stamps!  Check out both Jennifer's and Ardyth's sites and join in the fun!

My eight circle stamps came from Stampin' Up!, but I don't know the name of the set. The one little flower stamp is also from some unknown Stampin' Up! set. (I break up my sets to organize my stamps by category.)   The one thick line stamp has no company marking on it. The paper and ink are also from SU.  (Digression: I notice that my cards tend to look like they are made of cream cardstock when, in fact, they are white.  Is this because I don't have a "light box?"  It's a bit disconcerting to me that it does this when I upload to the blog.  The photo in my pictures file folder looks just fine.)  Okay, where was I?  Oh, yah, the little buttons just wanted to be in the picture and have nothing to do with the card. 

Happy Friday, everyone!  Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

Enjoy!

Flexmarker Give-Away!

My sister Diana has left, but my twin grandsons, Adam and Henry, have arrived for a couple of days with Papa and Bama.  I wanted to sneak on here and post quickly about a spectacular give-away and pass the word on to other crafters.  Please stop by Going Buggy for a chance to win a complete set of Flexmarkers!  How cool is that?!

Enjoy!

WOYWW 141

Here is my workdesk for this Wednesday for all you peepers coming to visit from the Stamping Ground What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Below that is a pretty (I think) card I made using my Cuttlebug and my Scalloped Circle and Circle dies and my A, B, and now-famous C plate!  I think I'm really going to like this whole new dimension to my crafting.  I also have two "posed" items on display for your viewing enjoyment today.  One is my poor eyeglasses you heard about, all split in half.  Sigh.  The second, and the most important, is that impish woman peeking in my playhouse window.  That's my big sister, Diana, who came down from Portland for a visit.  Doesn't she have the best smile? 

Here is a close-up of my card which I made yesterday because I knew I wouldn't have time today:

Have fun hopping on to the next desk at WOYWW!  As always, thanks to Julia!  And thank you for stopping and leaving a comment.  I really appreciate it!

Enjoy!

Paper:  SU Night of Navy and DSP Neutrals
Stamps:  Penny Black, "Song Bird" (2827K) and
               SU "heartfelt wishes"
Ink:  SU Night of Navy; Gelly Roll marker
Accessories:  CB circle and scalloped circle die
                       Papertrey Ink Itty Bitty Dot ribbon
                       K & Company pearls

Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought I would pull some of my archive Valentine's from Smugmug on this Heart Day.  I know it's time-consuming looking at blogs, let alone following links back into the past, so this way you have some card inspirations brought up front for you.  Okay, yes, the truth is that I have lots of non-artistic things to do today because my big sister arrives tomorrow from Portland for a visit.  These are cards which you can put into your Binders of Inspiration for next year if you want!

  

 

 

 Enjoy!

Journal Update

Just a quick note today.  I've been to the optometrist and had my eyes dilated so today I'm out of focus for a good and proper reason!  I did get a chance to update my Journal tab (above) before I had to leave for my appointment, so click there if you'd like to see some new journal cover inspirations.  The journals themselves I pick up wherever I can find them cheap (not easy to do), such as Michael's, our local Richard's, Tuesday Morning, Big Lots, Tar-Jay, Wal-Mart, etc.

Enjoy!

CAS-ual Fridays CFC39: Clean and Simple Paper Piecing

This is yet another new thing for me!  I can't believe how much I haven't done in ten years of making cards!  This entry is for CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 39: CAS Paper Piecing.  I first checked the website last Friday to see what the challenge was and made a note that it was paper piercing.  Well, I thought I knew what paper piercing was, but I Googled it, just to be sure.  I was taken to a SCS tutorial which confirmed that it is most often used as a border of holes punched around a card.  Just like I thought.

Then I went back to CAS-ual Fridays and took a look at the entries.  Hmmm.  I wasn't seeing a whole lot of punched holes in these cards.  I went away for a while.  I came back and looked at more entries.  No holes that I could see.  Finally, I sent off an email to Karolyn, seeing as how she said, "This week’s challenge is one that always makes me happy – paper piecing makes my creative world a breeze!!" 

You probably know where this is going.  Karolyn very kindly explained that I was putting an R where no R should be.  My stars.  (For some reason, typing a blog makes me want to sound like my grandmother.)  In all fairness to me, my frameless eyeglasses broke completely in half at the bridge Saturday morning.  I mean the bridge, or nose, of the glasses; not that I was out standing on some bridge.  Luckily, I found a very old pair of glasses to wear, but, unluckily, they do make my vision blurry.  Oh, wait.  That doesn't explain why I thought it said "piercing" instead of "piecing" on Friday, so I guess we're back to the Old Age Excuse again!

In any case, I pulled my shoulders back up, shook off my embarrassment, and made my first paper-pieced card.  And, I agree, it is fun to do!

I origInally posted the following pictures, but on rereading this before heading to bed last night, I noticed there was something wrong with the way gravity was impacting this card. I've had this cute stamp for years and always used it upright, like a hand, but that can't be right if you look closely at the button. Ribbon / thread tails don't fly up!   How have I never noticed that before? You see, Karolyn, I really AM a goober!  Is there a Stamping Group for Dummies on the Web somewhere? If not, I may start one! Lotsa head shaking going on 'round here! 

Thanks so much to the "Girl Fridays" for the challenge and their hard work and beautiful cards of inspiration.  If you haven't joined in, hop over there and check it out!  As always, TFL and for any comments!

Also, welcome and thank you to Beryl for becoming a follower and commenting!

Enjoy!

Paper:  Papertrey Ink Cream. Bazzill Dots
(the glove is stamped on old faux quilted paper, unknown)
Stamps:  Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Papertrey Ink Black
Accessories:  Pop-Up Dimensionals

LIM WEEK 54 ONE-LAYER STRIPES

Foreward:  Below this paragraph and pictures you'll find the first part of this blog.  This is really a P.S., but I'm putting it first for those who link here from Less Is More Week 54  expecting to see a proper striped card.  After doing it incorrectly further below (as usual!) and correcting myself, I made this very CAS, very LIM striped card:

The paper is Papertrey Ink white and both stamps are very old with no markings on the wood indicating the company name.  The ink is SU Magenta.  Hope you enjoyed looking!  Read on for the segment of if-at-first-you-don't-succeed!

I seem to be having a lot of challenges with these new challenges I'm trying.  I made a card last night for this week's Less Is More "Stripes" challenge:  I took my pictures and just before loading and writing this, I checked to see if anyone had already posted a very similar card.  In looking again at the LIM website, I noted that your card is supposed to be one layer.  Well, slap your mama.  I'm posting this card anyway 'cause it's so cute.  I may go make another one or move on to a different challenge I was hoping to get to today.  We'll see.  In the meantime, here is a CAS card of hearts, using stripes.  TFL!!

I'd like to thank Gay (Mustavcoffee) from Crafty Musings for joining my site as a follower.  Welcome!  I appreciate it!

Enjoy!

Paper:  Papertrey Ink, white
             Designer Paper, SU
Punches:  Heart, large, SU
                 Heart, medium and small, EK Success
Marker:  Marvy, around hearts