Mojo Monday

Good morning! My card that I have to share with you today is actually last week's Mojo Monday sketch. I had a sudden burst of inspiration and had to play! I barely squeaked it in for submission on Sunday evening, but saved it for later this week to share with you all.

It's a pretty basic, simple card, but I'm quite pleased with it. I pulled out some really old SU dp. I think it is called Summer Picnic. I can't even remember which catalog it was in... but it was a few of them ago. When I saw this oval on the sketch I immediately thought of my little branch and birdie from Cheep Talk. So cute! The curved sentiments didn't really work with the location, however, so I dipped into my Upsy Daisy set for this birthday sentiment. The only thing on this card not by SU is the ribbon. I didn't have any Pumpkin Pie ribbon and it just absolutely needed to be orange. I practiced tying the bow a bit more and I think there is some definitely improvement! Yay!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- SU: Cheep Talk, Upsy Daisy

Paper- Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Summer Picnic dp

Ink- Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Bashful Blue

Accessories- ribbon, nestabilties, dimensionals

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #58

Good morning! I whipped this card up last night and couldn't wait to share it with you. I actually bumped the scheduled card to tomorrow just so this one could come first, hehe. I used Mercy's Tuesday sketch for the layout on this card. It was one of those sketches where I saw it and an idea immediately popped into my head. When I saw the large image panel, I immediately thought of this yet-to-be-inked image from my Blooming Button Bits set (I am slightly addicted to my Button Bits sets!). Then, I actually reached for some of my brighter colors. This is my much under-used remnants of Pacific Point cardstock. I seldom use this paper... It's just soooo bright. But it works well with my also leftover Good Morning Sunshine dp. Thanks, Mercy, for another great sketch!!!

A few buttons, some glitter on the stem, punched border, and a bow this card was done. I love how it turned out! I think this one will head out in the mail pretty quickly. I know just whom I want to send it to. :)

That's it out of me for today. Today's my Friday with the kiddos. We have a staff development day tomorrow (yay for all-day meetings!), but are sans kids. At least I get to sleep in an extra 20 minutes, hehe. I'll take it!

Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies- Stamps- PTI: Blooming Button Bits, Mega Mixed Messages
Paper- Pacific Point, Old Olive, Summer Sunrise, Good Morning Sunshine dp
Ink- Old Olive, Basic Black
Accessories- ribbon, apron lace punch, buttons, glue pen, glitter

Viva la Verve!

Good morning! Here is my final Viva la Verve card, as promised, for the month of January. I don't know what in the world it was with this sketch and the inspiration pictures, but I was absolutely stumped on this one. I've stared at these pictures for the last two and one half weeks, and nothing has jumped out at me... I've been completely "un-inspired."

The red coat hanging against the coat rack finally stood out a bit more than anything else, and I figured I'd better run with it while any shred of inspiration was present. I can't say that I am in love with my card... It's just OK. But goodness am I glad that it is done! And I'm glad that I can say that I at least attempted it. It just feels like it is missing something... but I don't know what that something is.

Well, that's enough out of me. Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies- Stamps- Verve: Meditations
Paper- Red Riding Hood, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Candy Lane dp
Ink- Red Riding Hood
Accessories- ribbon, brads, stickles

Mojo Monday

Miracle #1- Tackling a Mojo Monday on the Monday it is revealed.

Miracle #2- Immense panic didn't set in when I saw the circle sketch because I figured I could do the square sketch, lol.

Miracle #3- Julee posted this amazing card on her blog that inspired me to give the circle a try.

Miracle #4- I actually completed the card.

You all know my pity story when it comes to circles. We usually don't get along so well. Therefore, when I first saw this week's Mojo Monday sketch, I pretty much brushed it aside and told myself I would do the square sketch. But then that little nagging voice in the back of my head kept telling me that I had never, not once, made a circle-shaped card before and maybe, just maybe, this might be the perfect opportunity to give it a go.

Darn voice, lol.

But I did it. I conquered my irrational fear of circle-shaped cards (for now) and actually have something half-way decent to show for it! I figured it I was conquering fears, I had might as well pull out some of my much-hoarded, new-favorite dp. Love this stuff! Thank you Doodlebug for creating it! I layered a few circle nesties, added a few buttons and a ribbon and stopped playing with it. I have to admit, that my finished product is pretty close to the image I had in my head. I think my sentiment panel is a little bit too large, but, eh, I cutting myself some slack on this one. I conquered a circle-shaped card!

Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies- Stamps- PTI: Mega Mixed Messages
Paper- Berry Sorbet, Carribean Breeze, Whisper White, Doodlebug dp
Ink- Pure Poppy
Accessories- nestabilities, ribbon, buttons, twine

Sweet Sunday Sketch #53

Good morning! It's back to work with me after playing on Friday. I had some time yesterday to sit and make a few cards so that there is something to share with you here on the blog this week.

First up is my card for Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch. I had to huge honor of meeting Karen at CHA on Friday. It was so wonderful to put a personality and a voice to her blog and picture. People always look so different in person! I was laughing with her that I tend to be the last minute Wednesday night or Thursday entry for her sketches, and here I go posting it on a Monday! Guess I was excited and motivated.

I pulled out some of my much-loved Urban Garden dp and got down to business. I even used my extremely hoarded Baja Breeze paper on this card! I'm still having fun playing with my Blooming Button Bits set and this was an image and sentiment that had yet to be inked. I initially stamped the stems in chocolate on the beautiful embossed side of the circle, but the brown just didn't work. And I didn't want to stamp the stems is gray... That would just look, well, dead. So I flipped the circle over to the ugly side, stamped again in old olive and glittered around the edge using my glue pen. Overall, I think just one color of button flowers worked out well, and I really like the shimmery look of the circumference. I might try this mistake more often, lol!

Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies-
Stamps- PTI: Blooming Button Bits
Paper- Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Urban Garden dp
Ink- Old Olive, Not Quite Navy
Accessories- glue pen, glitter, buttons, ribbon, apron lace punch, nestabilities, dimensionals

Viva la Verve!

Good morning and Happy Sunday! It's another beautiful day down here and the temperature is already a few degrees warmer than our high temp yesterday! Maybe I'll open a few windows later this afternoon and let in some fresh air.

I'm trying to catch back up with my Viva la Verve sketches. This is the fourth, but I still need to go back and do the second. So be on the lookout for another VLV on here sometime this week. :)

I was quite inspired by the third inspiration picture this week. I love the streaks of brown with the hints of rust on the walls. Such a bold statement! I took those colors and transferred them to my card. I'm still in the process of replenishing my birthday card stash, so this one was a no-brainer. I added a few brown brads around the oval and in the bottom right corner to help balance the sketch a bit more. The bottom just felt so empty.... And I didn't want to add anything that would move the focal point from the sentiment. I also played around with a few new single sheets of dp I picked up at CHA. This paper is by BoBunny and is so yummy! I'm looking forward to playing around with it some more. I have a few ideas in my head. :)

Well, I'm staying home from church today. I am feeling much better this morning, but am terrified of using up too much energy. I think I'll just do church from home today, watch some football, and make a few cards. I want as much of a fighting chance as possible going into the work week.

Oh! And on a happy last note... My sister got engaged last night! Her story and phone call were too romatic and cute. The wedding should be sometime this early summer! I can't wait!

I hope Sunday finds you blessed wherever you may be. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- PTI: Say It With Style

Paper- Dark Chocolate, Terracotta Tile, Very Vanilla, BoBunny Delilah dp

Ink- Chocolate Chip

Accessories- ribbon, brads, nestabilities, dimensionals, EK Success edge punch

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #57

Good afternoon! I just had to break into some of my new goodies from CHA yesterday and make a card today. My new Be Loved paper by My Mind's Eye was calling my name. And Mercy's Tuesday sketch was staring at me from my computer desktop. I matched it up with some cream and terracotta tile cardstock and got to work. I thought this bunch of flowers from my Blooming Button Bits set mimicked the dp beautifully and opted to make them my main image.

I was supposed to go to a Stampin' Up get together today, but am feeling a little under the weather. I've been fighting something since Thursday night and I'm think I used up just a little bit too much energy yesterday. On top of that, I slept terribly last night. Today just sounds like a good day to lay low, stay home, eat food, drink lots of liquids, and nip this thing in the bud.

The sun finally reappeared today and it is simply gorgeous outside. I love how clean it feels after a rainstorm... And after six days of rainstorms it feels really clean! Our house backs right up to the foothills and they are all covered in perfectly white snow today. It must have been cold up there! It sounds like we are going to get two more days of sunshine before yet another storm makes its way through. But you won't find me complaining about having weather. Here is Southern California, it is fun just to have weather! Don't get me wrong, I love sunshine, but something to break it up and keep life interesting is always welcome.

Have a wonderful Saturday and I'll see you back here tomorrow with another card!
Supplies- Stamps- PTI: Blooming Button Bits, Mega Mixed Messages
Paper- Very Vanilla, Terracotta Tile, Be Loved dp
Ink- Sage Shadow, Really Rust
Accessories- ribbon, buttons, apron lace punch, dimensional

I'm a CHA Fan

Good evening! I am back after an absolute whirlwind of a day taking in CHA down in Anaheim. I have been to scrapbook and stamping conventions, but this one certainly put them all to share. It was absolutely HUGE and absolutely amazing. I can now understand why people were so excited about the summer one in Orlando a few months back.

I met up with my stamping buddy Angie around eleven, and then we carpooled down to Anaheim (only about 30 minutes). Of course it took a little long than thirty minutes due to rain still coming down. We got there right about noon, which was when it opened. Thanks to buying our tickets in advance, we got to skip the long lines and walk right on into the hall. It was huge, HUGE I tell you! The Supershow was open from 12-8pm and we figured we might be there a few hours, based on our past convention trips. But, no! We were there until 7pm! And we were busy the whole time! We did countless make and takes, all for free, visited tons of booths... Everything from stamping to sewing to jewelry-making to yarn.

My personal favorite booth was Taylored Expressions. It was so cheery, and meeting people like Karen Giron, Dawn Easton, and Jodi Collins was amazing! It is so wonderful to put real faces, voices, and personalities to typed words and blogs. :) Taylor even remembered me from the class I took from her back in October. So fun!

We pretty much shopped 'til we dropped. But I did well, controlling myself and really only bought some paper I have been eyeing, a few stamps, and a glue pen. We got a bunch of free stuff, especially from Memory Makers: they gave us all aprons that say "Slice" and bags. Michael's and Joann's Fabrics gave out bags as well.

There were not very many "new" products there... I think that may have been in the other two ballrooms which are only open to industry members beginning tomorrow. But we did get to try out some new Post It crafting paper (which is already sticky on the back!), and take some surveys to help them with marketing. We definitely felt important. :)

By seven o'clock, we were tired, but extremely content. We had conquered the CHA Supershow. And we had conquered it well. It was an absolute blast and I would definitley go again. Maybe next time Verve and Papertrey Ink will be there!

I only snapped a few pictures while I was there. It was so overwhelming that I could have simply lived behind my camera, but chose rather to simply enjoy my time and snap when really needed.

The spoils of my trip. Not too bad in the damage department, hehe.

The countless make-n-takes. Everything from cards to knitting, crafting, screen printing, and bedazzling.

Free stuff! Bags, aprons, flowers, glue runners, paper... You name it, we snagged it!

So, in closing, our CHA experience was wonderful. We both agreed that we could have gone back for more tomorrow! Maybe next year we'll book a two-day pass and really do it right!

Thanks for stopping by!

CHA Bound!

Good morning! I am so excited because today I am meeting up with one of my stamping buddies to take on CHA! The Winter CHA Conference is being held in Anaheim which is only about 30 minutes away from me. I went ahead and got a sub for my kiddos today hoping that it would be less crowded today rather than tomorrow when no one has to work.

For those whom don't know what CHA is... It is usually only open to industry crafters: retail store owners, etc. Most of the major crafting companies (everything from knitting, to stamping, scrapbooking, etc.) come to showcase upcoming new product releases to already in stock items. But starting this last summer, they began having a consumer fair for the first two days. Thus our heading down there to soak it all in.

I know there will be some blog friends and company design teams there that I am so hoping to meet! I'm definitely taking my camera with me to snap some pictures to help inspire me in the future. I know the Baker's Dozen from Taylor's SASI line will all be there. If only Verve and PTI were going to be there, too. Maybe next year!

It opens at noon and that's when we're arriving today. It closes at eight, and who knows... Maybe we'll still be there! I've heard this thing is huge! I've got my comfy shoes on and a nice sweater. Is it just me or are convention centers always cold?

Well, I'm off to keep getting ready! Camera is loaded, but I think I should throw in some extra batteries... See you back here tomorrow with pictures (hopefully!) and a card!

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #56

Sheesh! That was some storm we had yesterday! For a solid three hours in the early afternoon we were averaging over one inch of rain each hour. Total out of this storm? Probably around 5-6 inches. I think we're well on our way to the 20 inches expected by Friday afternoon. The wind was screaming.... It was more sideways rain than anything else. The power even went out for two hours. Our poor dinner was in a crock pot! I had to throw it into the fridge to save the meat and hope the power came back on eventually. Crazy! And to think that was the smallest of the three storms hitting this week.

Have I mentioned that I love weather?! I do! I love that I cannot control it.... That it is just something you have to take as it comes. I love watching it degrade outside, the trees whipping around, the rain so loud on the roof that you can't hear the person sitting next to you... It just puts this giddy smile on my face. I was giggling to my roommate that we need to get a rain gauge to keep track of all this moisture. How fun would that be?! She looked at me like I was a lunatic, lol. Apparently, that thought never crossed her mind. :)

Well, I sat by candlelight (those clouds were dark!) and finished up my card for Mercy's Tuesday sketch from last week. I've been in the mood to pull out some of my Razzleberry Fizz dp again, and this seemed like a good enough card as any to employ it. I played around with bows again, this time trying a horizontal one. I've been using Dawn McVey's tutorial video she posted a few weeks back on these last two cards.... And, I think I still need to more practice. It may be time to hit up a few other blog tutorials and u-tube videos. :) I can do bows with two pieces of ribbon, but just one still seems to be a work in progress. But I love learning new things to make my cards look even better.

I'm back at work today, and back in the rain. We're experiencing storm number two out of three. Hopefully the power will manage to stay on this time. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- PTI: Tea for Two

Paper- Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Whisper White, Razzleberry Fizz dp

Ink- Rich Razzleberry

Accessories- ribbon, jewels, MS flower punch

Sweet Sunday Sketch #52

Good afternoon! It's a gloriously rainy day down here in Southern California. I love it! It did rain on us at Disneyland yesterday, but we were prepared. Rain coats and umbrellas in hand. We did end up leaving a little earlier than planned, but it was great to come home to a warm house, dinner, and hot chocolate. :) It rained all night and is still going strong. Another reason I'm glad today is a holiday: the kids aren't trapped inside with me all day! lol

I have my card for Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch today. I pulled out some old SU dp for this card. Remember Haiku? Love this paper! I've seriously been hoarding it since it was retired. But it seemed like the perfect happy paper for a gray and rainy day. I also pulled out some more Verve stamps for this card, and even played around with a new technique for tying bows. I think I need to play with it a little more... Maybe it works best horizontally and not vertically. I had to stick a little glue down under it to make it face the right way, hehe.

Well, enjoy your Monday! I think I might whip up a few more cards, and then curl up on the couch, under a blanket, with my new book club book. We're reading The Help and it sounds like it should be a good book. I've heard nothing but good things about it from friends whom have read it. Oh, and beef stew is in the crock pot! Yum! The house is going to smell soooo good in about two hours. :) Don't beef stew and rainy days just go perfectly together?

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- Verve: Budding Blossoms, Circular Sayings

Paper- Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Old Olive, Whisper White, Haiku DP

Ink- Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip

Accessories- ribbon, tea dyes, apron lace punch, dimensionals

Viva la Verve!

I'm skipping week 2 and going straight to week 3 for this card. For some reason, I'm stuck on week 2.... I'm going to have to stare at the inspiration pics a while longer and see what starts to jump out at me.

But this week, I was totally captured by the second inspiration picture. I loved the polka dots and the little subtle pops of color. The green jumped out at me (I'm beginning to notice that I'm stuck on a green and brown trend, hehe). This card did take a bit of fiddling. I actually started with the background being stamped with polka dots, but then I got stuck as to what to do on the panels. I wasn't using dp, so more polka dots would just feel waaaay too busy. So, I nixed the background polka dots and turned them into panels. A pop of green (again, though, I wish I had a bit fatter ribbon for the bow.... This one just feels to puny. But it was also the last of my Spring Moss ribbon. Time to reorder!), a few light green jewels, and this one felt complete. I loved the light and airy look of the room and wanted my card to have that same open feel.

Amy and I are off to go to church at my home church again this morning. So excited! I miss that place. We're going to Disneyland immediately afterward to meet up with some of Amy's friends from her hometown that just happen to be here for the weekend. I think we will be conquering California Adventure... And I'm definitely bringing my rain coat, and maybe an umbrella in my bag... It's supposed to start raining sometime this evening. Maybe that will help the crowds be a bit smaller! Maybe they'll all leave when it starts raining! Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

I'm so looking forward to sleeping in again tomorrow morning. I love holidays! It's supposed to rain pretty much all day and all week. It's going to be a good day for stamping, reading, and some hot chocolate!

Have a wonderfully blessed Sunday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- Verve: Bountiful Backgrounds, PTI: Big & Bold Wishes

Paper- Whisper White, Soft Suede

Ink- Soft Suede

Accessories- ribbon, jewels

Verve Release Challenge Card- E

We've finally made it to the last of five cards created for Verve's release challenge this week. I had a great time at the party last night. That forum sure was flying! I left earlier than planned because the roomie and I decided to make sugar cookies together. :) We've had the baking bug lately and always planned on making sugar cookies before the holidays, but never got it done. So, we have a bag full of Christmas decorated sugar cookies now, hehe. But I did hop back online when the new stamps were released and ordered my favorite set! I can't wait to get it and start getting crafty!

Today, it was a nice relaxing morning. It felt great to sleep in a little bit. I spent a piece of the morning cleaning all of the dishes from our dinner/dessert combo last night. It's no fun to do them right away, lol. This afternoon, I think we might head out and try on some dresses for my best friend's wedding. She's not getting married until June, but I just like to be on top of things. She's given me a list of dresses to try on and pick between in a beautiful berry color!

There quite possibly is some stamping in my schedule today. It's such a gloriously beautiful day outside, I've got the windows open and the sunshine is pouring in. On second thought, maybe I'll just go outside and read for a while. It sounds like this is one of the last times we're going to see the sun for a week or two. Ready or not, here comes 15-20 inches of rain! Eek!

Anywho, this last challenge of five was to create a shape card. Anything other than the typical A2 card. I made a little 4x4" card. I very briefly entertained the idea of making a circle card, but let's just say that thought went in and then straight out, lol. The mellow colors on this card just made me think of a sympathy card, so I went with it. A few light green jewels finished it up by decorating the corners.

Have a wonderful weekend! And thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- Verve: Forever in our Hearts

Paper- Ocean Tides, Spring Moss, Dark Chocolate, Whisper White, Tea Leaves dp

Ink- Chocolate Chip

Accessories- ribbon, button, twine, jewels, EK Success border punch, corner rounder punch

Verve Release Challenge Card- D

It's a fantastic evening here is So Cal. I have a three-day weekend thanks to MLK day on Monday, there is a giant (and I do mean giant... They're estimating 15-20 inches of rain from Monday-Friday) series of rain storms headed our way, and tonight is the release night party for Verve! Woohoo!

I have the fourth of five challenges to share with you today. This was a sketch challenge, and for some reason I really found this one tricky. Something about having that bow and a circle image just threw me for a loop. I had all of my Turning a New Leaf dp sitting out still from my Mojo Monday card, so I just went with it. The circle image turned into a button cluster. :)

And does this sentiment remind anyone else of the old worship song? I've been walking around all night and day singing it. :) "Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ, his son..."

Well, I'm going to run. With all the time I have this weekend, tonight is going to be a bit busier. I'm off to start dinner, enjoy some roomie time, and finally hit the Verve release party over on the Splitcoast forum! Maybe I'll see you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies-

Stamps- Give Thanks PJ

Paper- Spring Moss, Dark Chocolate, Whisper White, Turning a New Leaf dp

Ink- Old Olive, Chocolate Chip

Accessories- ribbon, buttons

Some Mojo Verve-y-ness

I'm killing two birds with one stone today. I've combined this week's Mojo Monday with the first Verve Release Challenge. I liked the Mojo Monday sketch this week, and knew I was going to have to find a nice big stamp to fill up that big image space. I immediately thought of my verse stamps... and this one in particular. Such a beautiful verse, isn't it? I hope that my words, heart, and actions are pleasing in God's sight.

It certainly was beautiful yesterday. We had a short little rain storm early in the morning and it tapered off around 10 a.m. It was just beautiful. The clouds rolled out and we were left with big, puffy clouds, the sun shining through them and glittering off of the rain that had fallen. The trees looked shimmery. God truly is the greatest artist! We even had some fun thunder and lightening around 5 o'clock in the morning. I think thunder and lightening may be my favorite kind of storm. I love night storms.... I just sit in my window and watch the world flash and rumble. At my parent's house, the lightening will silhouette the mountains and trees.... So stunning.

The first of five release challenges was to use chipboard on our cards. Little problem there... I don't own any chipboard! Ack! Thank goodness for blog friends and their amazing ideas. Thanks to my friend Maureen, I rescued a thinner cardboard box out of the recycle bin and used my SU! butterfly die to create my own chipboard! I covered it with dp, stained the edges, and added a button in the middle to give it a little more "oomph." To create the two-toned verse, I stamped in Old Olive and then sponged on Chocolate Chip. I'm really pleased with how this card turned out. I think it's actually better than the picture in my head, lol. Isn't it great when that happens?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies-

Stamps- Verve: Meditations

Paper- Spring Moss, Dark Chocolate, Whisper White, Turning a New Leaf dp

Ink- Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Accessories- buttons, twine, corner rounder punch, tea dye inks

Verve Release Challenge Card- B

Good afternoon! I'm back with my second creation for Verve January Release celebration. The second of the five challenges was to create a 3D project in honor of Valentine's Day. Something that could hold a special Valentine's treat.

Oh gosh.

Yeah, I stopped there. Say WHAT?!

All right. Projects... Thinking, thinking... Oh yes! I have some of the Timeless Templates from PTI and maybe, just maybe one of them would work. I opened up the files on my computer until I landed on this one, the Pack a Picnic template. I used the small version to keep things a bit more simple and Valentine's Day treat realistic. I do think this was one of the trickier ones to assemble. It took me a try or two (and a few little made-up changes that we won't tell to anyone) to get it together. Assembling just isn't my gift. Trust me.... My roommate will back me up on this one, lol. But the timeless templates are usually pretty simple. Cut on solid lines, fold on dotted lines... I can do that!

I used all Verve stamps on this project. I pulled out my polka dots from Bountiful Backgrounds to create a stripe around the perimeter. One of the sentiments from a free digital download (get it now on the Verve website!), graces the top of my gift. I did sneak two little hearts on the top from Hearts on Fire.

I'm calling this one done. I think I could fiddle with it and decorate it for a whole other night, but I've just got to move on, lol. Two challenges down, three more to go! Off to go stamp!

Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies-
Stamps- Verve: Bountiful Backgrounds, Hearts on Fire, Regal Heart digital image
Paper- Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet, Whisper White
Ink- Berry Sorbet
Accessories- ribbon, brads, prima flowers, apron lace edge punch, timeless template, printer