Happy 9th Birthday

Good Morning! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I did. It was crazy busy but I had a lot of fun. I participated in my first 5K, taught a Copic class at my LSS, and had my parents visiting here for the weekend. Mom and I did quite a bit of shopping and Dad and Kip hang out and watched a movie. On Thursday evening we helped my little crafting buddy Samantha celebrate her 9th birthday. This is her birthday card. The image is from Shirley's 2 Girls and was colored with Copics. I added some glitter and brads and around the 9 on the number paper I added a circle of rhinestones. All the 9s on the paper were colored with a glitter pen that doesn't show up very well in the picture.

So I had three goals for the 5K. I wanted to actually do it, do it in less than an hour and not be the last person. I accomplished all three. I'm pretty happy with myself for accomplishing that. I will start working today training again so that I can beat my time on the next one!

Have a great day!!

Card for a Soldier

Hello! Today I have a card to show you that I made for the son of a friend that is serving in Afghanistan. I am putting together a card package for him and wanted to be sure to include a card for him letting him know that he is being thought of and prayed for and to thank him for what he is doing. I pulled out this image from S2G and colored it with Copic markers. I love this image and think it is perfect for lots of occasions to mark something important for a military person. I have had the paper and those jumbo eyelets for a while and don't remember where I picked them up at.

I am back from my mini vacation, rested and ready to play in my craft room. We were in Indiana last week and of course you know I had to stop by my favorite store in the world, Papertrix. That is one store that when I go in I just want one of everything! If you are ever close to Nashville, Indiana you have to stop by there. Great selection and great people.

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Thanks for all the encouraging remarks about my weight loss and the changes I have been making to become a healthier person. I feel great!! I don't really make New Year's resolutions but I do try and set a couple of goals of things that I would like to accomplish before the end of the year. One of the things that I have on my list is to participate in a 5K this year. My first 5K of the year (well, to be honest, of my life) is coming up this Saturday! This one was listed as a walk/run so I thought it would be a great one to start with. I am not quite able to run the full distance but since it is also a walk I know I can complete it. I don't have a time goal or anything, this time I just want to complete it. I know some of you read my other blog about my journey to getting healthy so you know the struggle concerning my back issues so you know what a big deal this is for me. I will post race day pictures!!

Doggie Hugs

Hello! I have a cute little dog card to show you today. I think its funny that as an adult I have only had cats for pets but I have tons more dog images than cat ones! Maybe that is most of my friends are dog lovers or maybe I really want a dog! Right now, we have two cats and that is enough for our household. My card today uses an image from Shirley's 2 Girls and was colored with Copic makers. I used paper from DCWV's Pet Stack and ribbon from Hobby Lobby.

Las year after the water came into the house due to the flood a lot of my craft stuff got packed away in boxes. Well lots of stuff did, but I knew I had a big box of clear stamps that I couldn't find. Somehow that box got mixed in with some other storage items and I just recently found it. It is like Christmas! I have tons of older stamps that haven't seen ink in far too long. I am sure I will be posting lots of oldies!

Thanks for stopping by today!

You've Got a Friend

Good Morning! Another Monday, so I thought I would post something bright and cheery this morning, especially since it is also tax day here! If you have read my blog before, you know I love the colors yellow and orange. They just make me happy. When I am making cards to cheer someone up I reach for those colors a lot. This image is from Shirley's 2 Girls and was colored with Copic markers with a little orange Stickles in the center of the flowers. I added a panel that had been embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and used ribbon from Target's Dollar Spot and paper from DCWV. Off to work now, have a great day!!

Happy Monday!

I had another great weekend, lots of fun and relaxing time. It was another weekend full of movies for us. Over the course of the weekend we watched Hanna at the theater and on Netflix we watched An Education, an episode of the original Mission Impossible, and Food Inc. Kip bought the disc of Tron: Legacy, so we watched that too. Then last night I hung out with my MIL while Kip worked on my FIL's computer and we watched part of a TV movie. We don't normally see so many movies in a weekend, or at least I don't! I taught a Copic class at the LSS too. Great times!

I have another easy-to-mail card to show you. I used an image from Shirley's 2 Girls, I knew this would be a perfect image to use for any of my dog loving friends. I colored everything with Copics and used one of my favorite color combos; pink and gray. Have a great Monday!

New Year's Twisted Thursday

Hello! Doesn't my Christmas Cheer woman look like she is relaxing after a perfect Christmas celebration? Kicked back in her favorite comfy chair with a good glass of wine; sounds good to me! Our Twisted Thursday challenge is all about New year's this week. Don't forget to check out the huge sale going on at the S2G shop, great prices so you can stock up on some of your favorites. 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We aren't quite done yet, due to the weather last weekend we were unable to make it to see my family so we will probably get together with them in the next week or so. Other than that, it was a wonderful Christmas. I will post some pics as soon as we finish celebrating. 

Happy New Year!! If you are out and about please be careful.

My Top Ten Cards of 2010

I thought this would be a fun blog hop to participate in. It was a lot of fun going through all my pictures over the past year and picking out some of my favorite projects. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look! If you click here it will take you to the list and you can see others' favorite cards of the year too.

Image from Sweet Pea Stamps

Image from Sassy Cheryl

Image from Sweet Pea Stamps 

Image from Sassy Cheryl

Image from Sweet Pea Stamps

Image from Shirley's 2 Girls

Image from Simply Betty Stamps

Image from Sweet Pea Stamps

Image from Pholkart Blessings

Image from Simply Betty Stamps

I changed cameras this year too and can tell a huge difference in the colors of my photos. Looking back, I could see exactly when I changed cameras too, there was no doubt. Thanks again for taking a look.

The Day Before Christmas Eve

And if you are a crafter like me you are frantically trying to finish up all your homemade Christmas gifts! I have a couple of more to finish and am in the midst of my holiday baking. So far I have made caramels and am starting a few other things. Not on the menu? Fruitcake! I am not a fan, but I love this S2G image anyway. In addition to my Copics, I used some Spica markers and a little bit of Stickles. 

My twelve year old niece told me all she wanted for Christmas from me was a card making/stamping kit. I fond her an organizer and have filled it full of supplies for her. Since she is a novice, I have  been working on making her some card fronts. I will try and get some pictures of them and posted.

Have a great day!!

Twisted Thursday--Glitter and Bling

Welcome to another Twisted Thursday! Our challenge this week is to use GLITTER and BLING. Shirley's 2 Girls have got some great Christmas images, Isn't that little mouse peeking out of the stocking just adorable? For my bling I added rhinestones onto the stocking and for glitter I used some glittery Spica marker on the stocking and my poinsettia has been misted with Glimmer Mist. We would love for your to join our Glitter and Bling Challenge, just create your project and link it to our challenge blog.

I just bought my first bottle of Glimmer Mist recently and I do not know what took me so long! My LSS carries this and I had looked at it over and over again and never took any home until about a month ago. The last time I was at the LSS, they had restocked and had lots of new shiny colors. Hmmm, maybe I need to tell Santa that those would make great stocking stuffers! I know Santa reads my blog sometimes so who knows? I may have a very glittery Christmas.

Buttons and Bows Twisted Thursday

Welcome to another Shirley's 2 Girls Twisted Thursday! Our twist this week was to use buttons and bows on our project. I love this image, the look on the cat's face is too funny. One of the sentiments that comes with this image says "one more 'boing and you are a goner" and that sentiment is going on the inside of  my card. we would love for you to join us in the challenge this week!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you are having a Happy Thanksgiving! For this week's Twisted Thursday, I decided to make some items to be used on the Thanksgiving table. I used all the images from this set, except the turkey.

Instead of using these cute little pilgrims as place cards, I decided to use them as buffet cards, listing the names of some of the food items that I have cooked for this year. After coloring them, I just wrote in the name of my dishes.

I love the sunflower image and decided that they would look great as napkin rings around my fall napkins. This was they serve as both the napkin ring and the place card.

I have really been trying to focus on all the blessings in my life and wanted to share some of the things I am grateful for:

***I am grateful for all my friends. It's been a fairly rough year for me and without the support of my friends, I am not sure I would have made it through as well as I have. I am constantly amazed by all the friends that I have made online through blogging. People that I would have probably never have come in contact with any other way. All my friends have blessed my life this year, both my friends I see every day and the friends that live in my computer. My friend Angela makes work infinately more fun and since we have the same hobby she also makes the rest of my life happier too, my friends Janet and Elaine have especially encouraged and supported me this year, and Judy has been there to talk to me online late into the night offering advice and encouragement.

***I am thankful for my in-laws and the way they have welcomed me into their family. I am grateful that they are different for my family. I have never been an outsider with them, I am simply part of the family.

***I am grateful for my health. Even living with chronic pain issues, I know it could be worse. I am thankful that I can walk and that I don't have to use my cane all the time. I am grateful that my doctor and I finally after many, many years have finally found a medication that I can take that gives me some slight pain relief.

***I am grateful my two little crafting buddies. They bring such happiness to my life and they love crafting with me more than just about anything.

I am thankful for the library and that it is so close to where I live. I read a lot and spend a lot of time in there. There is no way I could afford to buy as many books as I read in a year.

***I am thankful for my Copic markers! Sounds a bit weird I know, but finding them has opened another creative outlet for me and the more creative I am, the happier I am. Coloring is something that I have always found very relaxing and since discovering Copics, I enjoy stamping even more.

What about you?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twisted Thursday--Falling Leaves

Welcome to another S2G's Twisted Thursday challenge! The Twist this week is to use falling leaves on your project. I just adore scarecrow images and this one is just too cute I think. I used paper called "Falling Leaves" along with some card stock from DCWV. Image was colored with Copic markers and I used a Martha Stewart punch to punch out my leaves in different colors. Want to play along? Create your project then link it to the challenge blog for your chance to win a free digi. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT, they have some cool stuff to show off too. 

I haven't been around much this week. We went to South Carolina last weekend so that I could spend some time with my Great Aunt. It was a wonderful trip, great weather, lots of time to visit and chat, but we both have really bad colds now. My nose is stuffy, I can't quit coughing or sneezing and my eyes are so runny I can't color or even read too long. It's just a cold, but it is really kicking my butt. I am hoping that soon I feel somewhat human again! Especially since today is my hubby's birthday and I have a dinner plans for family and some friends. I will show his card tomorrow since he sometimes checks my blog!

Oops, one more Halloween Card!

I forgot that I had one more Halloween project to share.  It's a little sad that it's all over now. I still haven't put away all the Halloween papers and embellies though. {{Sigh}}, maybe I will start that project later this afternoon. Anyway, this card was made for a challenge to use your favorite Halloween candy as the color inspiration. I chose York Peppermint Patties and got my colors of the bag of them I bought last week to pass out the the trick or treaters. Yes, that's right, I bought them for the kids, not myself! Maybe a ate a few. Or most of the bag, who is counting?? My card uses an image from Shirley's 2 Girls, an embossing folder from Spellbinders, papers from DCWV, photo turns and brads from Joann's and button flowers that I have had in my stash for a zillion years. I painted her wings with Twinkling H2O paints.

Here is what I am grateful for today.

Halloween Treats and Party (lots of pics)

I guess this will wind up my Halloween posts for the year. I love Halloween and all the fun that goes into it. I love seeing all the trick or treaters dressed up in their cute little costumes as I pass out candy. I don't usually get into all the scary stuff since most of my little visitors are on the very young side, but I do love all the cute, fun stuff. Here are the treats that I made for Samantha to take to school with her this year. 

She picked out all the different patterns of paper that I had and we made as many different ones as we could. I made the sour cream containers and the she stuffed them with Hershey kisses and then she stamped the little tag and then wrote her name on the back of the tags.

When I make things for them, I usually show them several samples that either I have made or found online and then let them choose what they want to give out/help me make. Jenna picked these:

Since she is in middle school now, I didn't know if she would want to make something or not, but I was happy that she still wanted to participate. She informed me that there were 57 kids in her grade and that would be too many to make, so we settled on the 15 that are in her advisory group since that is how they celebrate birthdays and everything. I used a Shirley's 2 Girls image on these candy bar sleeves. 

We started out planning to incite my in-laws over on Halloween night for dinner. At the last minute, I decided to have a little party and ended up inviting about 20 people over for chili. Here are some random pics of my decorations:

I rolled my napkins and then added Halloween rings for my napkin rings.

This was the centerpiece of my dining room table. See my little candy men??

And a close up of the candy bowls, eyeballs and vampire teeth candies!

My cupcake display! 

Thanks for looking if you stuck around this long. 

Here is what I am grateful for today.

S2G Trick or Treat Challenge

Hello and welcome to our Twisted Thursday challenge! The twist this week is trick of treat. My image is colored with Copic markers and a green glaze pen on the bubbles in the caldron. My bubble look very dark in the picture for some reason, but they are  really green. I used paper from DCWV, trick or treat image and candy are from K&Co. We would love for you to join our challenge this week. DOn't forget the rest of the DT, they have great samples to show too!

Tonight is Digi Day on SNR!! We will have some games to play, a challenge or two and lots of fun chatting. The fun starts at 7:00 pm (CST) right HERE. 

S2G Spots and Dots Challenge

Welcome to another S2G Twisted Thursday!! Our twist this week is to use SPOTS or DOTS on your project. I think this cat popping out of the pumpkin is just too cute. He's got one of those mischievous looks on his face, just daring you to get on to him for being inside the pumpkin in the first place. As the owner of three cats, I know that look very well. I used the Shirley's 2 Girls Hallow Scream digi and colored everything with Copics. My papers are from The Paper Studio and the pumpkin border is from K & Co.

One thing I really like about the S2G images is that they come with a couple of different sentiments you can add. Having two or three to choose from make them more versatile to me. I usually put my sentiments on the inside or add them when I am going to send the card. What I do is when I print out the digi to color, I also print out the sentiments and then will paper clip them to the inside of the card and when it is ready to go, I add the sentiment that is most appropriate to the recipient.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's samples! Links are in my side bar. Also you might want to play along with us. Simply create your own Halloween project and then link it to the challenge blog. You can even see a sample there of the digi that is being awarded this week. Have a great day!

S2G's Black and White Challenge

Welcome to another S2G Twisted Thursday!! No, the color has not left your monitor, our challenge this week was to use the provided sketch and to make a black and white card. My friend Angela has made several black and white cards that I have admired but this is my first attempt to use only those two colors. I do black and white a lot but I usually add one other color or at least my image has different colors in it. I really like the way this one turned out too. My image is from Shirley's 2 Girls and was colored with Copic markers. I pained over the moon with some Twinkling H20 paints for some shimmer and added some Liquid Applique to the bubbles in the cauldron for some dimension. Papers are DCWV. 

The rest of the DT has some awesome projects to show you featuring even more of the great Halloween images, don't forget to check them out too!

Here is the sketch. Want to join us this week for a chance to win a S2G image? Use the sketch below and create your own black and white project and then link it to the challenge blog.

S2G's Friends

Hello! I love this image from Shirley's 2 Girls called friends. One of the reasons I like it so much is that I think it is just so versatile. It makes a great birthday, congratulations, an invitation, or a friendship card. Really the possibilities are almost endless. This particular card will be one that I am featuring in my next Copic class. The class is on coloring skin and hair and I really like that there were three different people to color in this image. Image was colored with Copic and I used Basic Grey Paper and DCWV card stock.

I have spent the last two days making Halloween treats and will post the pics as soon as I get them finished. Samantha is helping me make hers and she wants to finish stuffing them so I can take a picture of all of them. She has 24 kids in her class and so she picked out as many different patterns of paper that she could so there are no more than two of each pattern. Since it used up most of my scraps of Halloween paper that worked for me too!

Twisted Thursday--Orange and Purple

Hello and welcome to another Shirley's 2 Girls Twisted Thursday! Our twist this week is to use the colors orange and purple. I used the image Picture Perfect, Copic markers, papers from DCWV and little silver heart brads from Joann's to make my card. We would love for you to join us this week! Make your own project using the colors orange and purple then link it to our challenge site. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT for more inspiration.

Twisted Thursday-Let's Get SPOOKY!!

Happy Thursday to you! I think my absolute images, especially holiday related ones have to be Halloween images. I just can't get enough of them. Not sure, why, but they are just so fun to play with, you can go a little wild with the coloring and just have fun. Our challenge this week for Twisted Thursday is to make a spooky card. I colored this S2G Love at First Bite image with Copic markers and then cut out around the image. I went over the cape with some black Stickles for some shine and then added him to my card with some foam dots for dimension. My tree was cut out with a Sizzix die and the tombstone border was made using a Martha Stewart punch. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's projects too. Want to play along? Create your own SPOOKY project and then link it here to the challenge site.

Shirley's 2 Girls will be hosting Digi Day on SNR tonight from 5-6 PST. We would love for you to join our group over there and then join in on all the fun. We will have a free digi, some chatting, a challenge and some more chatting for an evening of fun!