Just Us Girls 6

Sorry it has been a few days since my last post, but my DS deposited flu germs in my house last weekend and trust me it has not been a joy. Today is the first I can keep my head up, even though the nose faucet is still working overtime.

Here is my entry for the new sketch challenge over at Just Us Girls and I really didn't want to miss a week, so here is what I was able to come up with. I used a digi stamp that I re-worked with lots of distressing and Stickles. I stamped and popped a sentiment stamp from Mel's Festive Frame set at Gina K. Designs. I used gold crystal stars for the twinkle in the 5 spot border. I added snow tipped MS branch punches with coordinating pearls as holly berries.

Thanks for looking and I also want to thank all of my stamping/blog friends on your thoughtful best wishes for my DD's engagement.

Blingity Bling!

I had a few requests to see Dee's engagement ring, so I figured I would oblige. It's a girl thing!

You can never capture the sparkle you get in real life, but it is just so pretty! She is one lucky girl. Beyonce said it best in her song! Enjoy all the excitement, Dee! Shaun, ya did good!

Combo Challenge Card

I created this card for the Stamp TV technique challenge to use glaze for shine. I also thought it would work well for the MOJO Monday 111 sketch. The papers are from DCWV. The wreath stamp is from Rubber Stampede and I had never used it before. I added Crystal Lacquer to the bow and berries. The Noel stamp is from a new Gina K. release set by Asela, called First Christmas. I did some piercing, some distressing, and colored with both marker and colored pencil & oms. I used a water brush and sahara sand from SU to add shadows. A few buttons threaded with paper slivers were used to embellish. Thanks for stopping by!

Wonderful News and A Card!

First I will post the card. I made this for the Potluck Challenge over on Stamp TV. We had to create a background using word stamps. I can not be DP with writing. I think I pulled it off. What do you think?

I really love the combo of red, white, and kraft. It always looks so clean to me. My inks are ridinghood red and sahara sand from SU. I used 2 Gina K Designs stamp sets. One is the Vintage borders set that is new from Nina Brackett. The other is an older set from Melanie Muenchinger called A Year Of Flowers. The sentiment stamp is from Wood Cellar Graphics, dated 2000. Dewdrops and Stickles are true staples in my stamp room. I really like the pencil and oms look.

As for the good news, my beautiful daughter got engaged last night to a wonderful man. This has been a long time coming so we are extremely happy. They were best friends since their freshman year of college and now they will be together for the rest of their lives. Her father and I could not have asked for a better partner for her. I think we will have great fun preparing for this wedding. Her partners name is Shaun and he was just so cute and proper yesterday. He drove 2 hours to ask my husband for her hand. He brought me beautiful flowers to seal the deal. Then he drove 2 hours back to North Jersey and awaited her arrival home from work so he could ask her. He dressed and left the house like he was going to work so she would not get suspicious. The poor thing was still waiting for her at midnight with flowers and wine. Isn't that sweet? Her ring is exquisite. Thanks for listening to me ramble on!

JUGS5 Wild Card

I created this card for the JUGs5 challenge which is a wild card this week. We were to create a holiday card that can incorporate a photo.

This is a very favorite photo of my son when he was about 4 yrs. old and I was actually able to dress him up ! He is 25 now and a 6'3", really big guy. I will use this for his Christmas card this year for giggles.

I used Melanie Muenchinger's new Festive Frame stamp set that was created for Gina K. Designs. I used detail gold EP from Ranger and colored with markers and pencils and OMS. I added some gold cording and red gems as accents.

Thanks for stopping by and I will see you soon!

I Love The Smell Of Apples!

It does not matter if it is candles or scented oils or fresh baked apple cake, I can't get enough of that wonderful smell when Autumn arrives.I was burning a spiced apple Yankee candle this morning and I thought about making this card!

I made it for the sketch challenge this week at Stamp TV. All of the papers are from a tablet I recently purchased at JoAnn's Fabric. It is Debbie Mumm and is for making calendars, but I love the season paper. My stamps and ribbon are from the Signs of Autumn, Stamp TV kit. I used green gems and some coordinating Martha Stewart, branch punches to embellish. Thanks for taking a peek and I will see you very soon!

It's Fun To Share!

I think it is fun to share sometimes, but sometimes things get a wee bit lop-sided. My DD came home for a visit this weekend and brought all her new stamping play toys. I created this card using her new Martha Stewart punch set, to create this loopy background to show case my new star stamp.

The stamp is from Impression Obsession, and I used Marvy markers and colored pencils and OMS to color it. I applied accents of Stickles for sparkle. My embellishments are olive pearl studs and a stripy woven bow to pick up the colors in the star. My loopy background is Rich Razzleberry card stock from SU!

Now, what makes this lop-sided, is that she needed to use my Nesties, my Stickles, Basic Grey papers, textured card stock, pop dots, gold cording, red ribbon, and borrow part of a Stamp TV kit ( cause I would not let her take the whole thing for weeks). I also gave up 8 sheets of Avery labels to wrap around Hershey Nuggets. Now ya all know I am just messing around....... what would we do with all of our extras, if not for our kids? Have a great evening. Go Phillies!

All Business

I have been absent for a few days but hope life gets back to normal soon. I was so excited that my sweet DD and her honey, Shaun, came for the weekend. They have not visited for a long while because they are searching for the perfect house. Let's just say it has not been very productive.
Shaun's birthday is in the next 2 weeks and as they don't think they will get back before then we decided to celebrate his special day now. This is the card I came up with for him since he is a financial analyst. It just reminded me of him heading off to work each day! Thanks for looking!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween. It poured rain here so I am up to my neck in candy bars. Goodness know, I don't need them in this house as temptation. Candy anyone?

What A Nice Surprise!

I woke this morning to find this surprise waiting for me! I was awarded this sweet badge from Geri Utterback over at Geri's Cards. She is an amazing paper artist that never disappoints with her creations. Please go check out her blog! Thank you so very much, Geri!

I see I am supposed to tell you 5 things you may not know about me.........

1. I have been a supervisor for Goodwill Industries for the last 13 years. I am an on-call employee for the last 2 years.

2. I am the mother of a severe spinal cord injury survivor for the last 9 years, which has made me a much stronger person. (Gonna get killed for telling this one.)

3. I have 2 grown children, Denise (Dee Marie) and Ken.

4. I love to buy lots of unmounted stamps on Ebay and that is why I never know the maker.

5. My favorite place to vacation is the Outer Banks in NC but I am a very poor traveler.

I may have to duplicate on my 5 people as I don't have a large following:

Linda Payne: because she gets my humor.

Patti: because she has such a bubbly spirit.

Jennie Harper: because she has creative determination and gets hold of a new stamp set and masters it.

Olga: because she always has kind words. She makes me giggle!

Selma: because she creates beauty with all her work.

Please consider visiting all of their blogs! Hugs to you all! Thanks for all the special things you bring to my life. Go Phillies!

I Am Branching Out

I decided it was time to try a new challenge to fill up my empty slot on Tuesdays. There is a new challenge posted every Monday. So many of the girls do this wonderful Mojo Monday challenge, that I thought I would give it a try. This is their week 110 and quite an interesting sketch. I think I may become hooked

My dp is from DCWV. I layered with a textured black card stock. I used a piece of a pre- embossed metal border that was made for a 12 inch scrapbook. I Cuttlebugged a white panel with my swirl folder. I used Nestie circles to cut my unknown angel stamp. The sponging was done with Memento's london fog. I embellished with smoky grey gems and b/w gingham ribbon. My sentiment is from Theresa Momber's "Very Merry Christmas" set over at Gina K. Designs.

I had so much fun with this sketch! Maybe you should give it a try! It seems to be very popular.

Combo Challenge

I decided to combine challenges for this entry. Over at the Just Us Girls website, the JUGS4 challenge was to create a paper flower. At Stamp TV, the color challenge is for Green Apple, Cranberry Tart, and Ivory.

I was lucky enough to find some green striped tissue paper in my gift closet. Where it came from, I have no clue. I folded it into about 18 layers and ran it through the Cuttlebug using Spellbinders, Flower Creations 3, Shapeabilities. It cut the flowers like butter. I used a brad to secure the center and then Glue Dotted a cranberry button to the center.

The rubber stamp that was used is from Hero Arts. It was stamped with Memento, tuxedo black. I colored the image in spots using OMS and pencil. I added flourishes by cutting them with a Sizzix Sizzlet. Cranberry organza ribbon and touches of Stickles were used to embellish.

Thanks for looking!

What has Santa Been Up To?

The more I look at this image, I wonder what Santa and Rudolph have been up to! I am beginning to think that they have hidden a bottle of joy juice in the pine trees! What do you think? I wanted to create another card for the color challenge over at Stamp TV, but decided to use a stamp from my vast collection of unmounted stamps that have never seen ink. I had to stick to certain colors, (blue, olive, and bright yellow) so I decided to dress Santa in anon-traditional suit. The pines stamp is a very old D.O.T.S. stamp and the Santa image is from RBBB. My dp had dots that did not fit into my color scheme so I covered them with punched circles and a tiny snowflake stamp for Theresa Momber's new set "Very Merry Christmas". I trimmed the fur on his suit with diamond Stickles and also put a wee bit on the snow. I used a simple button and bow to embellish.

If it were not for all these challenges, I don't think I would be so far along with my cards to send. I think this will be the first year that everyone gets a handmade card! That has me excited!