I didn't fall off the planet...

Wow...I feel like it was forever ago since I last blogged. I apologize for my "absence"...life has been well...life. This past weekend was non-stop! On Friday my girls were off of school, so my mom and I took them to Rochester, NY to a children's museum of play. Then Saturday I was gone all morning with my dad, and then we took our girls to stock car races in the evening. Sunday was church then camping, and Monday we had friends over for the holiday. So yeah...no time at all...lol. I did however take some stamped off images camping with me, and got them colored after the kids went to sleep. Then last night, I was able to make them into cards. I was pretty impressed with my 3 cards in a hour last night. I am hoping to whip a couple more off tonight...since the basement is nice and cool, and the weather is 90 degrees today.

Well...moving on...I am thrilled to officially announce that I have been asked to join the Design Teams for BOTH sister companies of QKR Stampede...and I will be staying on QKR Stampede for another term too! In case you aren't aware...Biblical Impressions and Eureka Stamps are sister companies to QKR Stampede. They are all owned by the fabulous Maribeth! Well, today I am going to share a card I made using one of the Biblical Impressions images. Isn't that flower just awesome? This is the Large Sunflower image...and it also comes in medium, and there is a really cool sunflower background image too! As a matter of fact...just check out all the flower images...because they are all awesome! Anyway...I stamped this image off, and colored with watercolor crayons. I like the way they blend so I can add orange and yellow to them. I stamped the image on brown CS, and cut the center out and layered with foam tape. Then I fussy cut the image out, and layered onto the PP from CTMH. I thought the green and orange went really well with the sunflower. Last, I added the little sticker sentiment. OH, and when I layered the flower onto the background papers...I did not glue the outside rim down...I wanted to give it a little dimension there too.

Well that is all for now. I will hopefully get some more stuff done tonight to share with you.

This is for the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenge - color challenge - yellow, orange, green, and white

Sweet Stop Sketch - card sketch/layout.

Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge - Red, White, and Blue

HI there...and happy Memorial Day weekend to all my readers from the USA. I am sure many of you have picnics or parades in your plans this weekend. I know we do! I always love to start my gardening this weekend too. Actually I started yesterday...pulled all my weeds in my flower garden bed. Now I need to decided what the plant this year...might change it up from my normal impatients. Although with the way the rain has been this spring...I am thinking maybe I should go with water lilies...lol.

Anyway...today is a brand new challenge for you over at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi challenge. This time we challenge you to create a project using Red, white, and blue...and of course a Sweet 'n Sassy Digi! Colors are in honor of Memorial Day...but it doesn't have to be a patriotic card. Well I went patriotic...with Cocoa of course!

I wanted to try a different LO for this card. I pulled out the sketches from the last Sketches call from Papercrafts magazine, and thought this one looked fun. At first I didn't' like the way it turned out, and more and more I really think it is fun. I was ultimately trying to stray from my norm...lol. Anyway....I started with the adorable Patriotic Cocoa Digi, and colored with watercolor crayons. Then I added some stickles to the red stripes and the stars. Next, I fussy cut and layered him onto the blue circle. All the PP are from a stack I purchased over 9 years ago. I still have sooo much of it left...lol. So I am slowly starting to use it up. I cut circles all an inch bigger then the last. I layered them onto the blue PP, and then onto a white CS base. Last I added the little sticker letters. Like I said before, not my normal LO type, but I really like the way it turned out.

Now head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge Blog, and see what the other ladies have come up with for your inspiration. Then grab a SNSS digi, and play along! Can't wait to see what you come up with! Have a great Memorial Day weekend...and Thank you to all our troops!

This card is for the following challenges:

Do You Stack Up? - Animals - Cocoa is an animal!

Simon Says Stamps - Stars and Stripes

Life Is Good

Hi there. I have been having "issues" with my Internet the past couple days. For some reason, it goes off and on all evening long. During the day it seems fine, but in the evening when I have time to get my posts up and ready...NOTHING! Soooo frustrating. Plus the issues a lot of my fellow blogger friends have been experiencing. For some reason I cant' leave comments on most blogs. Uggggg. Gotta love technology. Anyway...I wanted to share a card I made today using this gorgeous image from Eureka Stamps called Butterfly and Sunflower. As I mentioned before...Eureka Stamps is a sister company of QKR Stampede. I am soo excited to be able to design for these companies. The images are just fabulous, and the quality of the stamps are awesome too. Plus the variety is just endless! Anyway...here is the card I made. I started by stamping the image on white CS, and coloring with watercolor crayons. I recently found these PP in my stash, and fell in love with them. So, I used the colors from those for the image colors too. I layered all onto a white CS base. Then I added the little rub-on sentiment to the bottom, and the little orange gems to the top corner. I also used an orange gem for the dot on the "i". I just love the way this turned out. Just such a pretty nature scene. Well Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully I will have my post in the morning for the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi challenge...pending the Internet stays on long enough...lol. It has gone out 4 times just while I was trying to write this post! At the same time...I am just grateful for our safety right now, and saying lots of prayers for the people in the Midwest USA. Soooo sad...take a minute to pray for all the loss and devastation today.

Creative Belli Challenge - Tool Shed

Hi there. Today we have a brand new challenge for you over at the Creative Belli Challenge. This time our challenge is "Tool Shed". What does that mean you ask? Well, we know if you are anything like us, you have purchased a crafting tool that you HAD to have...and now it is sitting in your craft space collecting dust. Come on...we all have them....lol. I know I LOVE to purchase the newest "toy"/tool, then use them once, and they sit. Well...my Fiskars Texture Plates are a fine example of this.

I actually own 2 full sets of these various texture plates from Fiskars. HAD to have them, NEVER use them...lol. I even have both tools to use these (the little embossing thingys). Well, when I saw this challenge was Tool Shed, at first I had to think about what to pull out...then I remembered these. Now that I have used it...I am wondering why I haven't used them more. These things are pretty awesome!....lol. I went through the plates and thought this one went perfect with my Little Boy image from QKR Stampede. See what I mean? PERFECT!!! I started by stamping off this little guy on white CS and coloring him with markers. Next I layered him onto the piece of green CS that I used the Texture Plate with. When I did the texture plate, I felt I wanted the little lizards and frogs to "pop" more, so I did some ink distressing on it. Next, I layered the textured CS onto some PP from my stash (I believe it is from TAC). Then I used a navy textured CS for my base. Last I added some eyelets I have had FOREVER to the corners, and a sticker for the sentiment.

Now, head on over to the Creative Belli Challenge, and see what the other DT ladies have dug out from their "Tool Sheds" for this challenge. Then play along with us. Grab that dust covered tool, and USE IT!

Thanks for stopping by!

Male Birthday

Well today is my favorite father-in-law's birthday. Oh wait...I guess I only have 1, so he is favorite by default...lol. Anyway...I needed to make a card for him. I decided to use the LO sketch from this week's Sweet Stop Sketch...and there is a twist this week. The twist is to make a masculine card. So that worked out perfect! Here is what I came up with. I started with the new SNSS digi stamp Mr. Fix-it. This is a cute digi image that includes a couple sentiments too. I didn't use the sentiments, but I did print them for future use. Next I colored the image with colored pencils and gamsol. I trimmed the image down, and layered onto the green CS. Then I added some grey/silver liquid pearl to the saw blade and hammer head. I love the look it gave the "metal" part of the tools. Next I layered onto the PP from Kaiserkraft that I picked up at my LSS specifically to use with this image. The nuts and bolts are on the one side, and the other side is ruler lines. I layered onto some green CS for the base. Last I added the rub-on sentiment. A perfect masculine card, don't' you think?
Well, I am off to my in-laws for a celebration later. Have a wonderful Sunday!

This card is for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge 109

SNSS Digi Challenge - CAS with Buttons

Hi there. Today we have a brand new challenge for you at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge. This week our challenge is to use a Sweet 'n Sassy digi to create a CAS (Clean and simple) card with buttons on it. Here is what I came up with...I started with this cute Benjamin Bunny Digi image. I then used my watercolor crayons and added just a little bit of color to his feet, ears, face, and belly. I also colored the pot and flower center. Next I fussy cut him out and layered onto the PP from SEI with foam tape. I recently read on a blog that making your main image pop can add so much to a CAS card. So, I tried it. next I added the buttons with a little bit of fibers in the centers. Last, the sticker sentiment. Still working on getting those Thank you notes for my DD to use...lol. Well that is all from me for now. Now head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog, and see what awesome inspiration the rest of the DT ladies have come up with. Then grab a SNSS digi image, and play along! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

May Flowers Blog Hop

HI there! Welcome to the QKR Stampede May Flowers Blog Hop! If you have arrived here from KRISTIE'S BLOG then you are on the right path. If you are starting here...well you missed a whole bunch of great projects...so please head back to the QKR Stampede Blog, and start from there.

This month the fabulous DT ladies are sharing projects we made using some of the flower images available in the QKR Stampede Store. There are so many fabulous floral images to choose from. Check them out HERE to see them all. For my project I decided to use the Large Roses image. This image is also available in a smaller size, since this one is actually pretty big. What I like about this image is because it is so big, you can make a quick simple card using just this image. Well, today I decided to make an altered project. A while back, I went to an event at my LSS, we made a "cover" for this paper pad, but silly me, never attached it. Which now is paying off...lol. I pulled it out, and started over. Here is the before...Inside...After...LOVE IT! Sooo easy, and such a great gift. I used a green CS square , and layered another green CS square on that. (Different shades of course) Before attaching the layers together, I stamped the Lg. Roses image onto the top layer. I stamped in a green ink to stick with the color scheme. Next, I grabbed my bottle of green stickles, and glittered up just the roses. Last, I added the raffia bow (which was actually from a bag of shortbread cookies we got at Panera Bread...lol...yes I saved it...it was so perfectly tied!)

Well that is all for now. I hope you have enjoyed the hop as much as I did. I just love seeing what the other ladies come up with. Now head on back to the QKR Stampede Blog

Here is the order...

1. QKR Blog
2. Kristine
3. Monika
4. Dawn
5. Roxie
6. Kristie
7. Jessica (you are here)
8. QKR Blog

HI there. Today I wanted to share a card I made using this adorable Smiling Flowers image from QKR Stampede. This is one of the first images I got from QKR last year when I first joined the DT. I haven't inked it up in awhile, so I decided to pull it out again. Since our DT Blog Hop TOMORROW 5/20 is a flower themed hop, I thought this was a great way to get started. What until you see the amazing cards from some of our DT ladies tomorrow! Be sure to come back tomorrow morning beginning at 8am EST to check out this fabulous Blog Hop! Anyway...back to the card...See...isn't it adorable!!!!!???? I stamped the image and colored with watercolor crayons (I can't seem to stop coloring with these lately...lol). The PP was from my stash...I actually got it a couple years ago as a freebie from my LSS's booth at a convention. I used the colors as my flower colors too. Then I pulled out my bag of ribbon pieces...I am trying to use things up before I buy more (although I did buy more ribbon yesterday...but that is another story...lol). I actually layered 2 pieces of ribbon for this one so I could pull out 2 of the colors in the paper. I really liked the way the double ribbon turned out. Last I added a "Thank You" sticker as a sentiment to the top corner. Still trying to get enough Thank You cards for my DD to mail out from her 1st Communion.

Well that is all for now. Be sure to stop back tomorrow for the QKR Stampede May Flowers Blog Hop!

For the Guys Blog Hop

Hi there. I was hoping to have some time to get this card done. I just returned home from Girl Scout camping with my oldest DD's troop. What a rain filled adventure! The kids had a blast though. Well I wanted to share a fun GUY Themed card I made for the Sweet 'n Sassy For the Guys Customer Blog Hop. This is a fun way for the customers of Sweet 'n Sassy to share their creations, and have a chance at an awesome prize! Here is the card I came up with. I printed the brand new Cocoa's Baseball Hat digi, and colored with colored pencils and gamsol. I then fussy cut, and layered onto some cream CS. I layered that onto some baseball themed PP I had in my stash from a gift I made last year. I added some brown twill ribbon, and layered the PP onto some brown CS. I used a white CS base. The sentiment is also from SNSS, and is called the Father's Day Sentiments. I cut with a square punch, and layered onto a brown CS square. I layered that with some foam tape. Oh, and I almost forgot. When I cut and layered Cocoa, I didn't glue his tail down. I just love his little curly Q tail to add some dimension.

Well that is all from me. If you have time today, be sure to play along with this great hop!

This card is also for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - my take on the sketch!

SNSS Digi Challenge - Photo Inspiration

Wow...what an interesting 24 hours with Blogger! I was going to have this post up for you first thing this morning, but couldn't get it ready to post, so...you are getting it now...lol. I was out all day today...had a MOMS group, stop at my LSS, lunch with a friend, then grocery shopping (woohoo!), and picked up the kids from school. NOW I am finally home and ready to share with you. I will keep the rest of this post quick...since the temp. is 90 degrees out...I need some sun! Today we have a new challenge for you at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge. Our challenge this week is a photo inspiration. Here is the photo...

Now here is the card I came up with...

I started with the adorable Baking Bethany Bunny digi image from the Sweet 'n Sassy Store. I colored with watercolor crayons. I used the various colors from the photo as my color choices. I then layered onto some PP from Echo Park (which is also available in the SNSS Store). The little felt flowers are some I got in a Stampin' Up grab bag (which was my birthday present last month). Well...lets see what you come up with using the photo as inspiration. Be sure to link up your creation on the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Blog (as soon as the post is up and ready...due to the technical issues with blogger it went a little MIA.)
Also...today starts the SNSS "For the Guys" Customer Blog Hop....

Head on over HERE to find out more!

I used the LO from the Sweet Stop Sketch for this card.

Spring Tulips

Hi there. Wow...Thursday already! I have so much to do to get ready for our first Girl Scout troop camping trip this weekend too! ARGGGGGG...panic setting in...lol. Anyway, I wanted to share a CAS card I made last night using the Tulip Border stamp from QKR Stampede. I just love tulips, so this image just called my name. I started by stamping the image, trimming it down, and coloring with watercolor crayons. I then layered it onto the green PP piece...which is the back of the Tulip PP in the background. The PP is from SEI. Then I cut a strip of the PP and used the rub-on for the sentiment. Very simple, but cute. Well that is all for now. Off to go get the pillows I made for camping sewed up. Was supposed to do it last week, but they are still just sitting there...lol. Have a great day!

Oh Nuts!....Creative Belli "S"

Hi there. Today we have a brand new challenge for you over at the Creative Belli Challenge. This time our challenge is the Letter "S". We challenge you to dig up some embellishments that begin with the letter "S"...yes...dig them up, don't go buy something new! Grab those spots, stripes, swirls, stars, stickles, slides, etc...you get the idea. Here is what I came up with for this one. Isn't this little "S"quirel so cute???!!! This little guy if from Eureka Stamps, and is called Lg. Nutty Squirrel. He is also available in a smaller stamp. Well, I inked him up, and colored him with watercolor crayons. Then I fussy cut him out layered onto the green "S"wirly PP from Imaginisce. Next I used some of PP from the same line to cut some "S"quares, and layered them. I stamped the sentiment, "Oh Nuts" onto the red "S"quare. Then I used a ribbon "S"lide, which I have had, and never touched one of these in my life...lol. I "S"lid that onto some ribbon from Maya Road, and layered along the bottom. Last I added some "S"tickles to the acorn tops.
Gotta love some "S"parkle! Well now it is your turn. First, head on over to the Creative Belli Blog, and see what the other ladies have come up with for your inspiration. Then grab your "S" embellishments, and play along. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Sunny Wishes

Today I wanted to share a card I made using some of my new images from Eureka Stamps. If you have never heard to Eureka Stamps...it is a sister company of QKR Stampede. There are so many fun images to choose from. Well one of the first categories of stamps I fell in love with is the Balloons and Holders. You have to check these out! They are just so fun and sooo cute! Here is a card I made using the Girl Balloon Holder and the Daisy Balloon. Isn't this just adorable???!!! So much you can do with all these balloon images too. For this one, I stamped the images and colored with watercolor crayons. Then I fussy cut them out. Next, I used some Echo Park PP for my background, and layered the girl onto that. I wanted it to look like she was floating in the air. For the balloon, I used a pop-dot, and some pink fibers. I slipped the fiber under the girls hand to make it look like she was holding the balloon. It is hard to see in the photos, but I added some Smootch to the balloon to make it look like a Mylar balloon. Last, I added the sticker sentiment. A very simple but fun card. Be sure to stop by the Eureka Stamps store and check out the other Balloon/Holder images...and the many other images! Thanks for stopping by!

Mother's Day Gifts 2011

Wow... what a weekend! Yesterday we celebrated my DD's 1st Communion. It was a beautiful event and a beautiful day. She had a ear to ear smile the entire day too. The weather held off, and was perfect for an outdoor party too. Now it is Mother's day! Well, today I wanted to share with you the gift my girls are giving to their grandmas. I am all about the homemade gifts...so...we decided to make homemade birdbaths. I got the idea from my MOPS group. It really is a simple fun project. You need 2 terracotta pots, and 1 terracotta base. Plus, liquid nail, paints, and sealer. Here is the finished products.

Aren't they so pretty????!!! I painted the base coat, and let the girls go to town with creating fingerprint flowers....well at least they were supposed to be making fingerprint flowers. As you can see...we got a few other "things" too...lol. Here are a couple "in-progress" shots... It is all about the process...lol. They did love painting them. Now we will see what the grandmas think. Although, because of the business of the past week and yesterday, I never got them sealed. My DH bought the sealer for me, but we didn't get a chance to do it. So I will be giving them their gifts and taking it right back....lol.
Well...I wish you of my fellow moms, aunts, grandmas, etc out there a very happy mother's day!

Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge #1!!!!

Hi there. Today is the first challenge for the new Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge Blog. I am sooo excited to be a part of the DT for this new challenge. Our first challenge for you is Mother's Day. In honor of the big day on Sunday. A little about our challenges...we will have a new challenge for you each Friday. The only "catch" is you must use a digi image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. There are TONS of them to choose from too. Something for everyone really. Well here is what I came up with for this week's Mother's Day themed challenge. I made some little gift enclosure cards. I used the Tulips Digi image, and colored with watercolor crayons. Yes...you just read that right...I colored a digi with watercolor crayons...lol. Actually I LOVED the way it turned out so much, that I have been coloring a few digis with watercolor crayons...which you will be seeing in the near future. The trick is to work quickly, and maker sure your aquapainter isn't super wet. I keep an old cloth diaper (only ever used as a burp cloth...lol) that I wipe my aquapainter on between colors and to help keep the amount of wetness down. Here is a closer look at each of these. As you can see, they are all a little different. The base and PP are all the same, but the images are all colored a little different. I also did the glitter different on each, and the scalloped part different. The sentiments are either rub-ons or stickers.

Well...now you need to head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge Blog, and see what the other DT ladies have created for your inspiration. Then...grab a digi and play along! Don't have any Sweet 'n Sassy Digis...no worries...just head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy online store, and you can pick one up. The nice thing about digis is you have your purchase instantly! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Orange Roses

HOLA! Ok...that as far as I go with my Cinco De Mayo celebration...lol. Well today I wanted to share a pretty card I made using the Lg. Roses image from QKR Stampede. This stamp actually measures 4 1/4 x 4 1/4...so yes...large is the right word for this. There is also a smaller version of the same image that is 2 1/2 x 2 1/2. Sometime I enjoy a large image...because one stamp makes your whole card for you. Well here is what I did with the image. So I went with a bit of a "non-traditional" rose color. For some reason I loved the way the orange roses looked. I colored them with 3 different shades of orange makers, and 2 shades of green for the leaves. Then I fussy cut only around the outside, and layered onto the PP from Imaginisce. I used the Happy Anniversary image from the QKR Stampede set called Happy Birthday. This set actually has 4 sentiments in 1 set! Not a bad deal! Last, I added a little bit of orange stickles to the darker parts of the flowers.
A very simple card...yet sooo pretty. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Thursday.

A little Coffee Gift

HI there. Sorry I have been a little MIA. Things have been a bit crazy with preparations for my DD's 1st Communion this coming weekend. I also experienced a case of the missing mojo last week...but I am back and coloring images and creating again. Yesterday I got 3 images colored, and ready to be made into cards! Well, today I wanted to share a quick little gift idea I made. Being teacher appreciation week, this is a fun idea to give to a teacher too. This project seriously took me like 3 minutes. So you could whip a whole bunch of these off in no time. Could also be used for shower favors, end of year gifts, or you can use them at Christmas time for office gifts...you get the idea...lol. Enough rambling...here is the project.
Sorry the photos are so fuzzy...the constant rain this past few days isn't giving me the sunlight I like for photos. Anyway...as you can see...super easy! I took a piece of mug PP, and wrapped it around the little bag of coffee. This coffee bag, I found in the Target $1 spot...they have them a couple times a year. I got this one a few months ago, and have been staring at it, and never did anything with it...lol. I used scor-tape to hold the PP on. Then I used the Smell the Coffee image from QKR Stampede. It is actually stamped onto the back of the mug PP. I trimmed it down, and rounded the corners. I added the little mug brad, and layered it onto the PP. That is it...super easy...I told you. You could also add a bow to the top, or other embellishments. I decided to just go simple for this one though. Well that is all...I am off to lunch duty at my girls' school, then hoping to get the other cards done tonight. Thanks for stopping by!

THis is for the following Challenge:
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Something with a C - Coffee starts with a C!

Morgan's DT Card...and Ashley's Guest Design Card

Hi there. Today is a new month...which means a new challenge for the kids at Messy's Mini Missions! My DD Morgan is sooo thrilled to be on the DT for this great kids challenge blog. I encourage you to help your kids play along (if you have little ones). The theme this month is "Food and Drink". Here is Morgan's card...She used this fun Watermelon fruity drink image from Limited Runs Digis. They are one of the sponsors of this month's challenge. She colored with markers and layered onto the PP from Imaginisce. She used a sticker for the sentiment, and added some red rhinestones down the right side.

Now...for Ashley's card. Ashley was asked to be the Guest Designer this month! So here is her card...She also used one of the Limited Runs digis. She colored with markers, and layered onto some PP from the Target $1 spot. The sentiment is from another piece of PP that we trimmed off, and added to the card. The ribbon is actually from a chocolate bunny she got in her Easter basket...lol. Mommy thought the ribbon was too cool to waste...we she saved all 3 of them (since the bows are so perfect too).

Well that is all for now. Be sure to stop by the Messy's Mini Missions Blog and see what the other talented "Agents" on the DT have created, then link up your little agents creation!