Can I come sleep over at your house --

Cause I don't want to sleep in the doghouse tonight!

I was so bad today.  I went to a Stamp/ Scrap Art Tour show in Columbia, SC and had a blast, but I did way too much damage too.  I was kidding about having to sleep in the doghouse because my sweet hubby doesn't say a word about my buying craft supplies, but the guilt when I go overboard like today is what eats me up, (at least until I start playing with all my new stuff.) 

My haul for today

I got a friend of mine to go with me to the show and as soon as we walk up to the doors to go in, she recognizes a lady who lives just down the street from her, Carol was the lady's name.  Well Carol is a card-maker too, and she expressed just what I've been whining about for a year and half now, "There is no one around me that makes cards or at least I can't find them if they're out there," and here we are in the same town!  She gave me her blog name and I'm going to check it out as soon as I finish this post.  I'm so excited to find a fellow card-maker right here in Aiken and get this, this is the second one in 2 weeks!  So my wish of finding some local craft buddies may be finally coming true at long last, plus, I am in the beginning stages of starting a new card-making/paper crafting group at my church.  More about that later.

I haven't been on here in a while but I have been crafting.  If you can stick with this post (it's gonna be a little bit long 'cause I've got a lot of lost time to make up for) but if you can stick with it, I need some input on a project below.  We'll get to that in a minute.  

Here we go.

vinyl on glass wall hanging for my daughter (an idea she found on Pinterest--go figure)

Yarn wreath I saw on Pinterest, but I made mine small so it can be a candle ring

*What I can't decide is whether to put tiny flowers in it or small Easter Eggs, or both.  What do you think?

Of course I've been making cards, below are just a few.  I've actually been working on a special project that I'll tell you about later because it deserves a special post of it's own.  It has to do with a horrible tragedy that struck our little town and about our community showing appreciation to our public safety department employees.

(Waiting for some bronze brads to finish embellishing these two.)

I made several Valentine's cards but who wants to see those now- (nobody.)  I just wanted to show this one because it uses a digi I got from Cre8tive Hands.  She puts out some really cute free digis.  Check her out.

Birthday card for one of the nephews (the only little one left in the family.)  I think this penguin is "Dexter" by Bugaboo if you know or if I"m wrong please tell me.

 

 

I CAN NOT wait to show you some of the things I got today in more detail- that is if you want to see them.  I'll be posting them over the next couple of days.  I got some new "things" to try out which always excites me, so I hope you'll come back soon.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

Wishing you 

Sunshine and Smiles

Love and Laughter

What's on your list?

 I've come to realize there is just no getting ahead, or even just slightly caught up in the crafting world when it comes to those magically infinite things we call our wishlists.   Every time I think I"m getting close to paring my list way down, badaboom, new release &/or CHA time!   Have you seen all the cool new stuff that's coming out?!  Not to mention the things we have only been given teasing little sneak peeks of. 

So, what's on your list?  Inquiring minds want to know..... 

No really, I DO want to know.  (I may have missed something that I need to go check out, he,he.) 

Me?  Well, I'm always wanting more Lawn Fawn stamps, and of course there are tons of new paper lines coming out and new Spellbinders dies that I want to get my hands on.  Luckily I haven't really seen any new  machines that I think I've just got to have.

Speaking of Lawn Fawn, I whipped up a card for Lawnscaping Challenge #26: Winter Wonderland

sets used- LF: Ornate Ornaments and Winter Bunny, Hero Arts: Thinking of You

This is one of those times that I am totally baffled by the way this photographed.  There is very subtle inking around the frame of blue and lavendar, but in this pic it looks like dark blue blotches. 
I have got to invest in some kind of photo editing software!  Any suggestions, and please keep in mind, I am a total dunce when it comes to computers.
Have a great rest of the week everyone.  (I really do hope you'll tell me what's been added to your lists.)

White on White- Heartsong Challenge #31

I have a couple of baskets I keep my cards in until I'm ready to mail them off and lately the basket for my everyday cards is running really low, while my holiday basket is overflowing, (actually it's overflowing into the everyday basket) so I have really got to get back to making birthday, sympathy & T.O.Y. cards for now, and here is my first one.  I'm entering it in the Heartsong Challenge #31 -Glitter or White on White.

I'm really hating the bow on the front of this now that I'm seeing it on the screen, so that's probably gonna go- thank goodness for "UnDu"! 

Edited:  I've just found a great site called ScrapChallenge.com
I'm pretty new to the challenge scene and have been overwhelmed by how many challenges there are out there.  This site makes it so much easier.  I will also be entering this card at a site that I think is fairly new that I found because of ScrapChallenge called Friendship's Garden for their Clean and Simple challenge.

Wishing you Sunshine and Smiles

                Love and Laughter!

Why I don't post Layouts

In the 14 months I've had this blog I think I have only posted two LO's and they were both for blog hops.  It's not that I don't do them, I've been scrapping 14 years, and have done hundreds of pages, it's just that I don't follow the "trend" of scrapbooking with the ultra elaborate embellishments, and layering, etc.  I stick to a very simple look with the pictures being the main item on the page, (and rather boring by industry standards,) therefore I don't post my LO's.  I've got to admit that this one is even a little more simplistic than usual for me.  I'm entering it in Emma's (My Creative Time) Throwback Thursday challenge.  The theme for this challenge is "sports".
I actually had a card in the works for the hubby for Valentine's that had a lot of sports terms like, "touchdown, score, homerun, goal, etc."  on it (because he's a sporty kinda guy and that'll grab his attention,) but I was afraid the suggestive nature of the wording might offend someone, but I've got to tell you, I think he's gonna like it ;) 

Football cut from Cricut Sports Mania cart.

I took a class with Shelby Dredge from Embellish It, last summer and she made the joke..."who else but scrapbookers would spend $50 on embellishments and papers to scrap $2.00 worth of pictures?"  She was so right.  So, what's the worst you've probably ever done as far as spending on a LO?  I don't think I've ever spent more than $5-7 on a page, and I mostly do double page LO's.  Be honest!

More Snow & missing stamp update

Inside sentiment:  to warm your heart

Yes, another snow themed card!  It looks like my craft room is gonna be the closest thing I get to seeing snow this year.  (I'm seriously thinking of hanging pretty glittery snowflakes all over my room to enjoy.) 

In the past 2 weeks I have gone crazy buying old Stampin Up stamp sets on Ebay, and it's all because of that crazy little missing stamp I posted about last week.  It was so heartwarming to read all of your sweet comments offering to help or wishing that you could help with my little dilemma and I just wanted to say THANKS!   Two ladies offered to stamp me out a few copies of the stamp that I can use to make the cards I want to.   This was just more proof that crafters are the biggest-hearted, sweetest people around and yes, we do look out for each other.

Materials used:
Stampin Up stamp set, Spellbinders oval dies, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Snowflake buttons from Hobby Lobby, Copics, Stardust Stickles.

Entering in the following challenges:
My Craft Spot #41: Snow Much Fun
Little Scrap Pieces:  Anything Goes
Whimsical Wednesday:  Anything Goes

Do you have this Stampin Up set?

Your help is needed......
The Loads of Love Stamp set and its accessory set are two that I immediately wanted the first time I saw them.  Although the set has lots of uses and possibilities, I had a very specific idea/plan for a Christmas card I wanted to make.   I found the combined set on Ebay and was so excited.  I got it for a good deal, or it seemed so at the time.  When I got it, it was missing 3 stamps and I didn't catch that fact when bidding nor was it written in the listing, (so buyer beware.)  This really wouldn't have been so bad considering the good deal I got except for the fact that my "idea" card requires one of the missing stamps, the little pile of presents.

If by some heavenly ordained chance someone is reading this post that has this set or knows someone that does, could I please "commission" you to stamp me out about 10-15 of the little "pile of presents" stamp?  I would be ever so grateful and I will send you the $ upfront. Hopefully if I start now, I can somehow get what I need and be ready for next Christmas. 

How's this for an unorthodox post, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures and when I get my mind on something I don't/won't rest until it is resolved! 

Thanks everyone.

Snowflake dreams continued.....in blue

Yep, it's this little guy again, but this time in blue.  OK, that's 3 with him so I'm in the clear with this stamp.  Actually, 2 would have put me in the clear because he didn't cost much but I made one more for good measure.  (If this makes no sense to you, see previous post.)

When I said I was going to start entering challenges I had NO IDEA there are so many out there!  It's quite overwhelming.  I visited a blog that must have had between 20-25 challenges she was entering with just one card.  I picked 5 that my card will fit the requirements/theme and they are:

Creative Card Crew #1: Snow Day 
Sentimental Sunday #84:  Snow, Blue &/or glitter
Make it Mondays #71:  Anything Goes
Do You Stack Up (DYSU #53): Let It Snow
Critter Sketch Challenge #97:  Baby It's Cold Outside (Snowman/Snow-woman)
Stamps R Us:  Anything Goes

I think what I need to do is find a handful of challenge sites and just stick with those 5-6.   Any suggestions?

Have a great day and make it a good day for someone else too,
it'll come back to you.

Snowflake Dreams & a new vow for the New Year.

It seems that pretty much everyone has been experiencing Spring weather lately.  It was an unbelievably beautiful sunny weekend in the low 70's here, but wait.... it's January, or at least that's what the calendar says.   Granted, we rarely get snow around these parts, but I absolutely love it and I wanna see snow.  (That's easy for someone to say who doesn't have to deal with it for weeks/months on end, right?)  So for all you normally snow-laden friends, I'm glad you're all getting a reprieve from the cold, at least for now.  It sure does make it nice on the electric bill doesn't it, but I still wanna see snow! 

So snow it is.....

 

This little snowman is a new stamp I got by Inkadinkadoo, the snowflake trim is a Martha Stewart punch (that I have been trying to buy since last year and Michael's finally got them back in.)  The embossing folder is by Cuttlebug and the vellum strip with the text is a strip I cut from an old Christmas card.  The tiny bit of coloring I did is with Copics.

This stamp is from an old Stampin Up set that is new to me (thank you Ebay.)   The snowflake background was heat embossed with a glittery embossing powder and is stamped using some pretty Studio G ($1 bin) snowflake stamps I just got and some smaller snowflake stamps from Lawn Fawn.  I used Spellbinders ovals to cut the acetate and the frame and the same Cuttlebug embossing folder as in the previous card to emboss the acetate.  The "Let It Snow" stamp is another $1 bin find from last year and I used Copics.

 

Inkadinkadoo snowman again, Sizzix embossing folder, Martha Stewart snowflake punches, Stampendous for the little 'winter greetings' stamp,  'Stardust' Stickles (my favorite!) and Copics

MY new vow for the New Year...

I realized recently that I have been buying way too many craft items/supplies that I can't justify the price I paid for either because I'm only using them maybe once or twice or worse not at all!   So I vowed for the New Year that if/when I buy something I've got to use it and I have to use it accordingly.  I've devised a little formula for myself which tho' as dumb as it may be, it will make me feel a little less guilty hopefully.  My formula is simple, if I pay $10 for a stamp, then I need to use it a bare minimum of 3 times because I figure I would spend (on the very low end) $3 for a store bought card:  3 x $3= $9 so that kind of justifies the price.  Is this the dumbest thing you've heard lately or what?  Anyway, just as in this post, you will probably start seeing a lot of duplicate cards of slightly differing variations in my posts and this is why.   Is there anyone else out there as ridiculous as me that has to devise schemes to justify how much you spend on craft supplies?   Please let me know if you're out there.....(and maybe share a few of your excuses, I mean ideas.)

I'm entering this in the following challenges (I told you I was gonna start trying to enter a few challenges, now didn't I?)

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Something New

For Fun Challenge- also Something New

Jellypark Friends- Old Year/New Year

Have a wonderful day and remember...

Pay it Forward, even if it has to start with you!

Lawn Fawn CHA Challenge

AAckk!  I've only got 45 mins. to get this thing posted and my computer is kaputz.  Which is one of the reasons I haven't been posting lately.  Our new one is to be delivered tomorrow but that won't help me tonight.  So I'm sorry this is getting posted (at least I HOPE it's getting posted!) with no photo editing.
The card is for Lawn Fawn's CHA challenge.  Y'all know I love Lawn Fawn and several of you have written me about checking out their stamps.  WELL???  What did you think?  They're so cute aren't they and they are so fun to color.
Since the challenge is up in just a few minutes I won't go into all the details other than tell you one thing that made this a little more challenging than usual.  It couldn't have patterned paper in it.

Sets used:  Critters in the Snow (bear), Cozy Christmas (fire log) and Smitty's ABC's

I'm excited that I got to try a new technique that I learned just this week from one of LF's design team members, Chari Moss.  She was so very kind to respond to my question about how she did something called reverse stamping.   She gave me a great tutorial and I decided to try it on this card.  If you know your LF sets, can you tell what I did? 
Anyways, my time is running out and I don't even know if I'm going to be able to get this to post, so bye for now, but before I go I did want to thank those of you who checked in on me during my absence.  December was a difficult month with a lot of tragedy and deaths in and around my family, (5 in 9 days starting at Thanksgiving and one more the week of Christmas,) but knowing that God is in control and that He holds us in His arms in times like this make it all bearable.   Thank you again for the emails and comments they really meant the world to me to know y'all care.

Here's one I didn't finish but I'm going to keep working on.  Since I didn't get it in in time for the challenge I can go back and change it up a bit.

Sets used: Critters in the Snow (seal, penguin, and igloo) Bannerific (slide)

Lawnscaping All About Red Blog Hop

 

Welcome to the Lawnscaping All About Red Blog Hop.  If you've been hoping along the list in order, you should be coming to me from Britta's.   If you've just stumbled into the hop from the dashboard you may want to start at the beginning at the Lawnscaping home page HERE. 

This hop runs from today, Friday, December 9th - Sunday, December 11th.  There are lots of prizes to be be won from our great sponsors, Lawn Fawn, Mold Muse and Whiskers Graphics so be sure and comment on all the blogs for more chances at winning. 

With a theme of "All About Red" I should be making Valentine cards for Operation Write Home, but I really wanted to make a Christmas card.   The stamp set I wanted and planned to use for this hop (Lawn Fawn's Cozy Christmas) was ordered on Cyber-Monday during a particularly good sale at a 3rd party site.  (It was the only one out of the 4 sets I planned to order that wasn't sold out.  Everybody loves Lawn Fawn!)  I was happy I was at least getting this one.  Sadly, my order was not delivered till yesterday afternoon around 3:30 (go figure,) so I had to back up and punt and here are the substitutes I came up with yesterday morning.  

Sets used: Critters in the Snow (deer and snowflakes), Making Frosty Friends (snowflakes) Inside sentiment (printed from the computer) reads "Wishing someone very deer a very Merry Christmas"

Sets used: Making Frosty Friends (snowman, sentiment & snowflakes) Critters in the Snow (bear & snowflakes.)

To make commenting easy tell me your most favorite Lawn Fawn set or any other stamp set that is your all time favorite. 
Thanks for stopping by, enjoy the rest of the hop and I hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful and blessed holiday season!  

Your next stop is DEB L.  

Wishing you all

Sunshine and Smiles,

Love and Laughter.

*If you get lost along the way, head back to the Lawnscaping home page to see the complete blog list so you can get back on track. 

Making Frosty Friends

Critters in the Snow