Birthday Butter Flies

Hello! Hello!

How are you? I hope this finds you doing great!

I'm sorry I haven't posted for almost a week and thank you for your inkuiries. I did manage a coupla cards, so let's start with my onefer:

These Altenew magnolia flowers were started a while back, so all that was needed was some "finish" watercoloring (which I always overdo!) and then some fussy cutting and mounting. And, of course, winking. The sediment is from Waltzingmouse's "Compact Sentiments." 

Challenges

• Inspired by All the Little Things: Photo inspiration.
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Show us your metal.
• Time Out Challenge: Celebration with the twist of fussy-cutting.

My twofer:

This retro card was sparked by Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge, which I've been neglecting lately. The current challenge is a butterfly, of course, plus we are to include texture and/or teal. 

For texture, I heat-embossed the butterfly image (SU) in white and then I watercolored her using my Zig KGT paints in shades of teal. Next I did a watercolor wash of the background. The lace edging (SU punch) mimics the butterfly wing. The twine and butterfly charm are from my stash. The sediment, part of which is NBUS, is from Uniko's "Classic Numbers" stamp set.

Challenges

• Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything goes.
• Butterfly Challenge: T is for texture and/or teal.
• CAS on Sunday: Tic-Tac-Toe. Top row across: punch, girlie, floral.
• Creative With Stamps (CWS) Challenge: Butterfly. Their first challenge!
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes.
• Uniko Challenge: Use metallics.

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So, What's The Dealio?

Where have I been? I could tease you, but sad to say, I've been mostly in bed since Saturday. After much dithering about with medical tests of this sort and that, a course of action was decided to increase one of my medications in the hopes it would calm things down. That's all well and good for the basic intent of it, but I have been hit hard by one of the side effects, which is extreme fahteeg. I mean I am exhaustipated to the max, Jax.

I am hoping this will simply be a matter of a few days or a week or two during which my system will adjust to the change and I'll be back to myself. The hardest part, besides not posting and visiting you as much as I'd like, is the lack of mojo and seeing six dejected and wound-up hamsters staring at me. For all our sakes, Hammy and I have decided the time has come to adopt out the furballs. Some of you have made requests over the past several months, so I will try and remember who you are!

Thank you for understanding and being patient with me. Be well and enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by and I'll return the flavor as soon as I'm able.

(Don't forget the current Giveaway ends tomorrow, April 29th! 

See the tab at the top of the blog!)

*Life is too short!

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Just Saying Hi.

Hi.

I say that because of this.

I love the adorable and fun stamps that Stampingbella makes. You'll be seeing a few of their stamps featured in posts to come because, well, because I just bought a bunch, okay?! Mt. NBUS is excavated to the point where I can now see over it if I stand on my tallest ladder tiptoes, so I felt Justice Fied.

This NBUS tiny townie stamp is called "Penelope has a pencil." The "Hi." is a separate stamp in the same set. The written words panel is also NBUS. It's from the "Out Loud" set by Casual Friday Stamps. I stamped it off on a piece of scratch paper first so that it would look soft and not overpower Penelope.

(I don't know why Penelope's hair and the silver band of the pencil are the color of wisteria. I used my black Ziggie to paint them, which apparently photographs purple. I also have to tell you, it was really, really, really hard to hold back the hamsters from putting a dot where her nose should be. They just do not understand how she can breath. I distracted them with strawberries and got the picture taken.)

Challenges

• CAS(E) This Sketch. Below.
• Less Is More: Use 3 stamps. 
• Pals Paper Arts: Colors: wisteria, daffodil, and pool party.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Make it girlie.
• Virginia's View Link-Up Party: Miss you, hello, any type of friendship.

Sometimes I make a card and then find challenges that coinkiedinkly match and sometimes a card is born directly as a result of seeing challenges. Either way, I want to say thank you to all the Challenges People for lighting warm fires of inspiration all over Blogland!!

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So Odd

Does anyone know what's going on with JoAnn's? I sent the company three emails in the last couple of weeks regarding a problem with a gift card (after going to phone hell first). Each time they sent me a receipt saying I would hear back within 24-48 hours, but that didn't happen. (I checked my spam folder.) And BTW, they charged me a dollar fee for the gift card, which I've never had a company do before! I'm not a happy costumer and I needed to vent, so thanks. But have you heard that JoAnn's is going out of business or something? Cousin, this is odd.

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Giveaways

I have new items up on the Giveaways tab at the top of my blog:

The directions for entering can be found by clicking the Giveaways tab. You have until April 29, 2016 to enter.

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New Friends Corner

Please give a warm welcome to these new friends! Ladies, come on out!

NieNie Sambuco of SambuCOrona Papercrafting Adventures. NieNie began blogging in February 2015. She only posts now and then, but I think her creations are fabulous. She has a vivid and very creative imagination. And she recently made a quoteworthy statement on her blog: "Even the unintentional can be beautiful." We've all found that to be true, haven't we?!

Jamie Martin of Stamp This! Jamie started blogging in - whoa! - 2007! She is a pro at it, that's for sure. Put a pillow behind your back because there's a lot of inspiration and tips and tricks waiting for you when you visit Jamie!

Kay Wallace of Art From the Main House. Kay and I could retire away together, she in the Main House and me in the Playhouse! Kay has been blogging since 2012 and loves playing in challenges. She has also served on many design teams! Her works of art will blow your socks off so you'd better put your garters on!

Carol of Crafty Carol's Cards. Carol only just started her blog in January of 2016, so please pop over now and welcome her to our supportive community in Blogland and leave her some encouraging words about her lovely cards!

Sharon of From My Craft Desk. Just like Carol, Sharon has only been blogging since January of this year, so ditto the above! Sharon, too, makes terrific cards, especially for the Less is More challenges. It feels so great to give back and remember how thrilled we were to have visitors and receive comments! For that matter, how thrilled we still are!

Thank you for joining, ladies, and welcome to the Playhouse!

~~~

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and a pop-up box opens.
Click "Jump to Comment Form" and walla, no more car pool tunnel!
Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me
your email address so I can respond. Thank you!

Happiness Always

Good Day, Friends!

Yesterday was the last day to file your income taxes (or get an extension) here in the US of A. Lots of grumpy faces were at the grocery store. It comes around every year, just like Christmas, yet we are always shocked a bit, aren't we? What? Again? So soon?

Shake it off. Let your elbows go limp and really shake it off! Feel the tension travel up through your neck, behind your ears, and out the top of your head. The only other forshure thing in life is death so, hey, let's not be grumpy!

Instead, let's look at a pretty card:

I made this card to play along with my friend Carol who is the featured designer for the current Tag You're It challenge and some of the awesome stencil challenges that are happening in Blogland. Yes, that's right! I stenciled! And I used my NBUS Yupo plastic paper to stencil on with DI pink and Brilliance gold. Here is a closeup of the sheeny shine:

The stencil was handmade and given to me by my friend Loll. BTW, if you haven't been to her blog lately, go check it out. She is doing mind-blowing things with gilding her lilies and butterflies and whatnot!

The tag is from the Stitched Main Street Tags by Poppystamps. The dual dragonfly is from Clearly Besotted and the sediment is from SU. The dragonfly was cut using ancient gold and pink lahmay paper from my stash. Oh, and the text background on the tag is from SU.

So, can we talk a second about that mesh peaking from behind the tag? I got the mesh design element idea from my friend Ros. I was planning to play in the City Crafter Challenge in honor of their SIXTH birthaversary!!! Congratulations!!! The brief was to CASE one (or more) of the DT's cards. I just missed the challenge, but I still wanted to mention it, because six years is something worth mentioning!

And I wanted to give Ros a shoutout for making me open this drawer, which hasn't seen the light of day in (cough) years:

Look at all those rolls of pretty mesh. Some of you younger crafters are thinking "ern?" and cocking your heads. And remember those spools of colored wire? Oh my Sainted Bernard! Since I only use small bits of it when I do use it, it will definitely outlive me. Do you see anything that you want? 

In addition to TYI, I am playing in:

• CAS Mix Up Card Challenge: Stamping + Stenciling + Die Cutting + Sponging.
• Happy Little Stampers April Mixed Media Challenge: Mix your media.
• Pixie's Snippets Playground: Use your snippets.

I see I missed the other stencil challenges that were open a minute ago. I must be slowing down, folks. I can't seem to keep up with these one-week challenges any more, even with seven hamsters to help me. Maybe someone can make it a nine-day week ~ with four-day weekends, of course!

Carol's TYI card   ~   Ros's City Crafter card

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Giveaways

Speaking of anything you want, I have new items up on the Giveaways tab at the top of my blog:

The directions for entering can be found by clicking the Giveaways tab. You have until April 29, 2016.

~~~

New Friends Corner

I'm delighted to introduce you to these new friends:

Lee Ann Barrett of Greyt Paper Crafts. Lee Ann started blogging the end of 2011 and I've been an admirer since then. She often made cards for Operation Write Home and she has become a prolific challenge player and winner. Lee Ann's designs and coloring are perfection!

Pam Simpson of Pam's Crafts. Pam has been blogging since March 2012. Her cards are exquisite and truly gifts unto themselves. You'll find lots of layers, textures, beautiful embellishments, and amazing folds and shapes to amaze and inspire you!

Pen of Sunshine Pens Rambles. Pen lives in a log cabin in the middle of a small village in the UK and she has only been blogging since July of 2015. She has gradually started playing in more challenges and she enjoys this relaxing and fun hobby. In addition to her inspiring designs, Pen very kindly shares her process photos!

Tracie Pond of Creations for Kindness. Tracie started her blog journey in April 2015, so happy first blog birthaversary, Tracie! As the title of her blog suggests, Tracie blogs to share her beautiful cards and to encourage us to give our own cards away for the simple reason that they bring kindness and joy into the lives of others!

K.M. Meena Herale of Sunshine Creations. Meena only started her blog in February so she is brand new to our community! Her cards are happy and her creations are well-designed to play in challenges. Please do take a minute to introduce yourself to Meena and welcome her to our supportive and caring corner of Blogland!

~~~

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and a pop-up box opens.
Click "Jump to Comment Form" and walla, no more car pool tunnel!
Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me
your email address so I can respond. Thank you!

Christmas and Springtime

Greetings!

It's happy weekend time! The hamsters are back and filled with unrequited creativity. I did my best to let them requite themselves. Whoa, wait a sec. The word "requite" was not underlined as misspelled by Mr. Blogger spellchecker, which surprised me because I thought I made it up. What? I'm off to ask Daniel Webster what it means ...

Okay, so those of you who thought it meant to be quite all over again, you would be wrong. It means: a) return (a favor); b) repay or reciprocate (a service or wrongdoing); and c) respond (to love or affection). Obviously, when Dan W. was thinking up the meanings of requite, he only had the use of words that began with the letter r! I wonder if that made him feel unrequited?

Turning now to the reason you stopped, my onefer:

This adorable little guy has cold ears, in spite of his stylish stocking cap with ear flaps. He is made by Stampendous. I watercolored him and his ornament bauble with Ziggies. I used some white paint and a stamp from SU to make the snowflakes. The sticker snowflake is from my stash and the gold-embossed ornament holder is a NBUS stamp from Avery Elle's "Merry & Bright."

The fishtail banner is a panel covered with a piece of Washi tape and then die cut. The consensus was to stop at that point and not add a sediment, but I think I will override the consensus and add one on the Washi banner. I know you can imagine it.

This card is in honor of the 200th challenge happening over at Merry Monday Christmas Challenge!! Congratulations to Lesley and her Team and all the wonderful Guest Designers! Cheers to the next 200! This challenge has inspired many a Christmas card in the Playhouse!

Here is the Inspiration Board we were given. I chose the top two squares.

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My second card was sparked by the Muse: Christmas Visions challenge where my friend Chriss Blagrave is the Muse.

My pp is from SU, the NBUS sediment is from Stamping All Day, the holly die is from Penny Black. The label dies are also NBUS and I got them free with the We R Memory Keepers Genius cutting platform.

It's too hard to see in the photo, but I made three die cuts (in the pp, and using black and white snippets) in order to inlay the focus pocus label sediment into the pp. I did it that way so I could join in the Addicted to CAS challenge (inlaid dies), but I see that they have closed the linky door right in my slow-pokey face. On the other hand (thank you, Carol), I'm not too late to enter both of these cards in the Happy Little Stampers April Christmas Challenge, which is die cuts!

Here is Chriss's card to inspire YOU:

First of all, I love this classic design. I also and especially love that Chriss used her Christmas pp front and center, so I hopped right on that. I copied followed the rest of her design elements because, Shuckz, why mess with perfection?! I hope you get a chance to join in the fun!

I'm also racing over to Pixie's Snippets Playground before the gate closes. I seem to be making a bad habit of being a straggler there and I may have to sit on the naughty step. I hope one of the dearies slips me some hooch to warm my hackles.

~~~

And where does Springtime come into play today?

Well, spring is on display over at another fun blog: a photo blog challenge called Our Beautiful World. I couldn't decide which photo to use so I made a collage of everything on springtime display in our backyard right now.

~~~

I apologize that I have forgotten about my Giveaways page. I will resurrect that next time and continue with my New Friends Corner.

For now, Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by, so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling:

Click CTL + Home. 
Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post.
Click Page Down to reach the end of the post.
Click Comments and a pop-up box opens.
Click "Jump to Comment Form" and walla, no more car pool tunnel!
Mwah!
If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me
your email address so I can respond. Thank you!