Birds at the Feeder

I just love case-ing the cards of fellow stampers and on Splitcoaststampers today, a new Queen for the Day was crowned. It is Julia aka artystamper and here is the wonderful card I cased. I didn't use a silhouette image but kept her sketch mostly.

I am entering my card into the challenge at Charisma Cardz Challenges #29-Sunshine colors

Well, I'm off today to buy shrubs and hope the rain doesn't come again today so we can get them out tomorrow. It seems the heat of the day brings on late afternoon storms quite often. But, that does mean I don't have to water as much and that's great.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Recipe:
Stamps: Inkadinkado (no name) #60-00499 (picked up at Michael's), Stampin'Up! Vintage Labels-sentiment
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Marrakech-calming moon, ColorMates light terra cotta
Ink: Memento Dandelion, Cantaloupe, and Bahama Blue
Accessories: corner rounder, Spellbinders deckle nestabilitie, Stampin'Up! 1 1/4" circle punch and scallop circle punch

From the Beach

This week the Stampin' B's Design Team  hostess is Vicky Gould and she asked that do a color challenge of brown, black, and ivory. I found that a bit hard with my image. I wanted to add some sea blues to this beach card. I will just have to make another later and do that.

The image is Sand, Surf, Relax from Mark's Finest Papers and I'm using a Martha Stewart Beach Shells punch and a crab and fir punch. Added a little netting on the side which I cut from a Finch seed bag and dyed, stickles, and Flower Soft for sand.

We hope you'll join us this week. If so, link to our inlinkz tool at the link above.

Entering the Scrapalicious USA challenge-Anything Summer

Recipe:
Stamps- Mark's Finest Papers-Sand, Surf, Relax.
Paper: PTI Black, dp is double-sided Mulberry-Chocolate/Tan from The Paper Co.
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Spellbinders deckle nestabilitie, Copics, Stickles in Frosted Lace, Martha Stewart crab, fir, and Beach Shells punches, Flower Soft - Sand (color)

My Stressful Creation!!! And, Some Flowers (Torenia)

Have you ever just had the most horrible time trying to make a simple card???? That was my day. Nothing went right...had to do my flowers over two or three times. Nothing fit, colors wrong, punch didn't cut well as you can see, and it didn't come out right on the ends (my fault). I left off the panel behind my punched area and had to do that again. I had no time to do the card again sooooooo here it is and I am FRAZZLED.
Plus, I took a chunk out of my finger trying to put my patio umbrella up and it is hard to type. O.K., on to my card. Whew!

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday-challenge #127 has an inspiration challenge this week.

I was certainly inspired by the beautiful violet/purples and the basketweave. I tried to imitate the basketweave with my herringbone folder and even sponged some Memento London Fog ink on to try to get the color of the chairs.
Maybe I shouldn't have mixed the leaves background with the hydrangeas but too late now.
Hope my colors are good.

I used the sketch from the QFTD69 on SCS as I didn't get to do a card for the Queen, imastampin, yet. This is her gorgeous card.

Because I am working with these colors, I thought I would share a few photos of my Torenia that I have blooming in a 7 ft. box my hubby made for me after going to Gulf Shores, AL one year. There were the most beautiful flowers at several shops in these boxes. I'll just show the flowers...not the box.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes Swan Lake (water hydrangeas), Flourishes Humming Along (sentiment)
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Old Olive, violet cardstock from Hobby Lobby
Ink: Memento London Fog and Tuxedo Black, Memento Bamboo Leaves
Accessories: Button from Jo-Ann Stores, Tulle from Jo-Ann Stores, Stampin'Up! Dazzling Diamonds, Martha Stewart French Scroll border punch

Blogoversary Candy on the Scene!!!!!

As promised, I have my blogoversary candy posted. I can't believe I have been blogging for one year as of 7/25/11. I was a bit nervous about it but decided one day while on vacation I would get started and I'm still going strong and having a lot of fun.

If you would like to win, here is what you do as I am a bit curious as to what you like best about blogging. If you don't blog, just tell me what you like about visiting blogs. Just leave a comment (only one, please) and let me know. AND, follow the rules below. I would love to read your answers. There are so many things I like.....meeting new people from all over the world, learning new techniques and getting soooo many, wonderful ideas. Of course, I love the blog challenges and winning awards and prizes.  Who doesn't?  I could go on and on but I want to hear your thoughts.

Here is my list of goodies:
1-Tim Holtz Tissue Tape (symphony)
1-Tim Holtz Ruler Ribbon/36 inches
1-Spellbinders Nestabilitie-Long Classic Scalloped Rectangle
1-Stampabilities wooden stamp-Distressed Leaf
1-Stampabilities (clear stamps) Tree and Leaves
1-EK Success edger punch-scalloped scallop
1-Martha Stewart oak leaf punch
1-Martha Stewart 'happy birthday' deep edge punch
1-14 pc dimensional sticker (robots, etc.)

I have so much fun searching for these items to give away. I look for the items on sale so it doesn't cost an arm and leg.

Rules:

• One comment per person telling me what you like about blogging.If you don't blog, tell me why you like to visit blogs.  Your comment must be on my blog by 7/25/11 no later than 7:00 pm. CST
• You do not have to become a follower (sure would love it, though).
• Be sure to come back on 7/26/11 when I'll draw a name from the comments and post the winner! Either email me (from my profile) or leave a comment on my blog  that you're the winner and an address if you don't blog so I can get in touch with you for your mailing address.
• This is not a rule but I would love if you put my candy on your side bar. 

Good luck to all!!!

Tuesday Throwdown-Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps

This week, challenge #58 at Tuesday Throwdown is being sponsored by Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps and I'm using their beautiful hydrangea image. The challenge is to use something metallic. I punched my butterflies using metallic paper. The hydrangea was so easy to color and so much fun. I added some adhesive pearls and gemstones for the leaves and swirls. Of course, I'm using my favorite Cuttlebug embossing folder, 'Textile'.  For my image to fit the nestabilitie I used, I did an out-of-the-box technique on one of the leaves.
Add a pretty ribbon, sentiment, and corners and that's it.

Entering the Icopic Weekly Challenge #39 to use pastels.
Also, I want to enter Paper Playtime challenge #50-Summer
Kaboodle Doodles #76-Embossing

Recipe:
Stamps: Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps - hydrangea
Paper: PTI white cardstock, ColorMates Medium desert dune, DCWV The Metallic Stack-Gun Metal, Stampin'Up! Old Olive
Ink: VersaMagic aloe vera
Accessories: Copics, Spellbinders Labels 14, EK Success corner punch, ZVA Creative adhesive pearls, Batik Leaf-Lime Offray ribbon 1 1/2",Cuttlebug textile embossing folder

From rainboots/umbrellas to birdhouses

I'm back with one of Flourishes Noontime Challenges. It is a challenge where you could possibly win their entire July release and I'm liking what I see of those new stamps. This is their 'let's all case for fun challenge'.
Or, it may be called a Copy Cat Challenge. All you have to do is choose a designer from any of their teams and find one of their cards you like and case away.

I chose this beautiful and fun card of Leslie Miller's:

 It is so bright and cheerful. I LOVE birds, birdhouses, bird nests, bird eggs...you name it. So, I changed my image to Flourishes set Home Tweet Home and used the birdhouses and one of the small birds. The sentiment is from the Birthday Pennants set. I used a Cuttlebug strip 'Just my Type' at the top of my card to imitate stitching and changed the designer papers and cardstock colors. I paper pieced my birdhouses.

You can find Leslie's blog, Running with Scissors here. I love that name.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes Home Tweet Home and Flourishes Birthday Pennants
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Old Olive and Kraft, dp is from Paper Loft-wild daisies(bottom of card) and my die cut dp is Magnolia Ink-A Little Yummy for the Tummy...red plaid
Ink; Memento Rich Cocoa and Bamboo Leaves, Stampin'Up! Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Martha Stewart Laurel Leaf punch, Spellbinders Poseabilities Flower Creations die cut, Spellbinders nested pennants die cuts, Cuttlebug embossing folder-Just My Type

Happy Birthday

I posted a card earlier this week for my little granddaughter who just turned one year old. Her brother will be three years old this coming Saturday and they are having a birthday party this weekend. The parents can get away with having their parties together while they are so young, but just wait!! That won't work forever. Ha

My grandson is surely going to be the next Pele in the soccer world. He loves kicking a ball. Of course, it doesn't have to be a soccer ball...any ball will do. Plus, he is really good for a two year old. Occasionally, he kicks hard and misses the ball and down he goes but he doesn't have far to fall so it doesn't usually hurt..unless he is on concrete.

So, with all this ball kicking, I just had to make THIS card. It is so 'him'.

I am using a Mo's Digital Pencil image called Soccer Boy, making an out-of-the-box card. Adding some dsp for the clouds, colored the image with Copics, and stamped a sun. Of course, that is the Cuttlebug Happy Birthday embossing folder.

Entering these challenges:
Crafty Creations Challenges-#127 -Boyz to Men
Penny's Paper-Crafty #57-Happy Birthday


Recipe:
Stamps: Digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil-Soccer Boy, Art Impression - Simply Stated Greetings (sun)
Paper: PTI Lemon Tart cardstock, Blue cardstock from Hobby Lobby, Stampin'Up! Welcome Neighbor dsp  pad
Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug Happy Birthday embossing folder, Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle nestabilities

How About Some Bling?

This week for the Stampin' B's Design Team challenge #119, Pam asked that we 'Go Blingy and Embellie'-use as much bling and/or embellies as you can.  I did my best to please her by using a lot of pearl swirls and some flowers. We hope you'll get out your bling and embellishments and join us this week. Just go to the blog link above and use the inlinkz tool to upload.

My sister gave me this stamp from the $1 bin at Michael's. She gave me  5 of these and they are all butterfly/sentiment stamps. I had not seen these. They were wooden, large, and stamp really well.

I want to enter these challenges:
Craft Room Challenge-Butterflies
Stamps R Us Challenge Blog-Through the Garden Gate Theme
Totally Gorjuss-Summer Time

Recipe:
Stamps: Count Your Blessings (Michael's $1 bin)
Paper: PTI white cardstock, Turquoise cs from Hobby Lobby, dp is unknown
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Martha Stewart double scallop punch, Copics, Martha Stewart hydrangeas, ZVA Creative adhesive pearls, Spellbinders long, classic scalloped rectangle die cuts, Cuttlebug textile embossing folder

Getting Sketchy at Flourishes

My gosh, I am fortunate this is posting as I lost everything on my blog except one card as I tried to post my labels, all because I put an exclamation mark. Yikes!!! Well, I'm back and breathing a sigh of relief..so let's get on with it.


My card is for Flourishes Get Sketchy ... and WIN! challenge. It is today's noon challenge and the sketch is given to us by Barbara Anders. You should check it out and possibly win their entire July release (4 stamp sets). Oh my, that would be awesome as I love their stamps! And, today is not the last day.

I am using Flourishes Humming Along set for the leaves, sentiment, and hummingbird. I hope it was o.k. to turn the sketch a bit. I was trying to preserve my clock. LOL I'm using some Webster's Pages paper and used both sides. Thinking I wanted some texture, I ran my nice, thick dp through a Cuttlebug textile embossing folder. Of course, there are Spellbinders that I use on just about every card. This is a classic,  large oval and I used a Spellbinders nested pennant to stamp my hummingbird.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes Humming Along
Paper: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI white cardstock, Webster's Pages dp-Lullaby Lane (dbl sided)
Ink: Memento Bamboo Leaves and Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Brown seam binding, Recollections Adhesive faux pearls, Copics

Chrysanthemums

I know it isn't the Fall season when we normally see chrysanthemums because it is 98 degrees today with a heat index of 110-115 degrees. I guess that means stay inside and craft where it is nice and cool.
I think these mums are so pretty and cool looking. It is Flourishes-A Year in Flowers, Sept. thru Dec.
I wanted to enter my card into the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge #126 to do embossing, wet or dry. I embossed with the Cuttlebug Bird Call embossing folder. And, my sentiment is from Flourishes Friendly Reminders.

I tried a new technique today I found on Flourishes Limelight Designer blog. Dina Kowal showed how to get dimension with your flowers by cutting and using a stylus on the back to pop them up. My top two flowers and the lower side flower are the ones I did. I hope you can see it in the picture. It looks really pretty irl.

I am also playing in The Play Date Cafe challenge #89. Listed are the colors for their challenge:
Mint - (my ribbon and leaves)
Taupe
Butter Cream

I'm using the sketch from Mojo Monday-The Blog Sketches #199

 Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes-A Year in Flowers-Oct. thru Dec., Flourishes Friendly Reminders
Paper: PTI white cardstock, ColorMates Light Creamy Cocoa, dp is unknown
Ink: Memento London Fog
Accessories: Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle nestabilities, Sakura Gelly Roll pen, button from Jo-Ann Stores, Martha Stewart double loop punch, mint green ribbon.