A Rainbow On My Doorstep

Last week, I was the lucky recipient of the 18 Rainbow Days of Angelosity box of goodies. Yes, I won the whole shebang! I was so excited to come home friday and open this load of treats:The only thing is then I had to find places to put things, so I spent Friday and Saturday morning re-organizing my things. I certainly don't have to shop for a while now! A huge thanks to Angel for that great run of challenges. They really got my mojo going and I added to my stash each day.

Also in my mailbox on Saturday was this package of goodies from Allison. I won her Suggestive Sunday Challenge a while back and she sent this great ribbon, stamps, stickers, altered notebook, etc. Thanks, Allison!

Yesterday, I received the Sultry paper pad from Cindy. Sadly, my camera batteries are dead and I can't get a clear picture right now. They should be fully charged by the time I return home tonight and I can add a pic of the cute Thanksgiving card she included with the paper pad. Thanks, Cindy!

I'm off to work now. I hope you all have a great day! Thanks for looking!

Let's Chat Challenge Card

I just love Mondays. Not because it marks the start of another work week, but because of the challenges that are posted. One of my favorites is from MJ's Monday Lunchtime Sketches. You can see the details here: TechnoStamper Sketch #31. Usually, I don't get them done till Wednesday or Thursday, but I'm an early bird this week. It's been so long since I stamped, though, that this card took almost 2 hours to complete. Never mind that I set off the smoke alarms while roasting a chicken halfway through creating it...I used a foam stamp that I've had for quite some time, and a new sentiment (let's chat) that I just won from Karen. I also used the French Script in Ruby Red for the left side panel. The ink I used for the sentiment is from Ranger, their new pigment inks. I LOVE this white!! It actually stood up to the black paper and didn't fade into the background! Scalloped circles were cut with my Nestabilities in the Cuttlebug. Recently, I rearranged my room and have the Cuttlebug on a shelf beside my desk. It's much easier to pull out and I find myself using it more often.

This card also celebrates Red Phone Day, which is a wacky holiday posted by my SBS12 sisters. Red Phone Day is August 30, and I have to admit that I don't know the history of this holiday. And how many of our children actually think that this is what a telephone looks like? Isn't that funny? I have an aunt who only went to push button dialing about 5 years ago. Until then, she had a rotary dial, and I remember when a friend of my cousin was over and didn't know how to use it! How many of you remember your first phone number? Mine was 9-1005. We didn't have to dial area codes, and numbers were only 5 digits...

I hope you all had a good Monday. Thanks for looking!

Gettin' My Mojo Back...

After a nice nap yesterday afternoon, DS was content to "be busy" with me in my craft room. He got to work on the computer and then did some painting, and worked on his math fun book. I know, math and fun should not be in the same sentence, but he had a great time practicing his numbers! I noticed that at his pre-k they spend LOTS of time on literacy, but not so much on numbers. Maybe that will come with time (he is only 4yo)?

While he was busy, here's what I was busy with. The first is a birthday Bella card. My SIL is having a birthday next week and I will be sending this off to her. I used the convex square punch for the presents, and made the bows with Primas, attached with a Sprinkle brad from Queen & Co. The sentiment is Verve Visual. The rhinestones are Hero Arts, and the dp is from my stash. I've had it forever, but cut the name off. The solid color panels are also from the scrap pile. It's huge, and I'm determined to shrink it down before getting more paper (well, after my latest SU! order comes, that is).

I like this second card because it is very cheery IRL. The flowers were embossed with the Cuttlebug, then colored with chalks. I do wish the yellow was a little more vibrant. The centers of the flowers are microbeads, which I applied to Diamond Glaze. The dots across the bottom are Cotton Candy Stickles. The dp is K & Co, and the ribbon is Ribbons and Bows, Oh My. The sentiment is from So Many Sayings, punched with the Word Window punch.

So, did you see who today's Prima winner is?????????? YES - that's ME!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited :) Ok, just had to get that out of my system, since DH wouldn't understand the joy.

Have a great night - Thanks for looking!

PHEW!

Well, I haven't stamped all week, and it took me a while to get my mojo back today. I spent some time cleaning up my stamp room, rearranging things. Didn't get to rearrange furniture, because that is a major undertaking, but cleaned off more shelves to house all my new toys. Each time DH comes home from a business trip, he is amazed at how much stuff I have. Luckily, he doesn't give me a hard time about it all. He's really very supportive of this new addiction...

Anyway, I was bound and determined to finish a card for Beate's Weekend Sketch. I have only done one or two others and each week it slips by me. So here it is, hours after I began:

The trickiest part for me was the mixing of 3 patterned papers. Yikes! After I got those sorted, it was a pretty quick card. The candles are SU! Fun With Shapes. I had this set for the longest time before I figured it out. Now I think it's a ton of fun. The papers are some I won from Candace at Crazy for Papercrafts, so I'm not sure of the brand. If you recognize it, let me know - I'm awful at identifying papers without labels :) I layered each panel with a burgundy panel to make them stand out. The brads are from my stash, and the candle flames are covered with yellow Stickles. The sentiment is a Studio G $1 stamp. Love those! A tiny rhinestone from Hero Arts is above the i in "wish". Now that the card is together and complete, I really like it.

Now for a blog candy winnings summary of the last little bit:

A package of goodies from Candace. It was so nicely wrapped with satin ribbon! Thanks, Candace!

A Sale-a-Bration stamp set from Heather at Heather Rolin's Creations. I chose Friendship Blooms and played with it today! So fun! Thanks, Heather!

A stamp set from Lorie at Live, Love, Laugh, Create. She sent along Burst Into Bloom, which I can't wait to ink up. Thanks, Lorie!

I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. If I did, I still send sincere thanks! Wishing you all a fun remainder of the weekend. Thanks for looking!

My Blog Candy Dish Runneth Over...

OK, I enter lots of drawings for Blog Candy. But not EVERY one! Truth is, I love to discover new blogs and often find them through blog candy giveaways or tutorials. So here are a few winnings I've received over the last several weeks:

From Sara, at Sara's Studio: Two little tins with embellishements, two notebooks to alter, dp, even a necklace! Thanks, Sara!

From Brandie, at My Life is Crazy and Insane: Some precut and folded cards (A2 and 3x3s), tags, gorgeous brads, Flowers of Gratitude, YEAH! I loved the 3x3s because they were pink and red and made DS's valentines for school a breeze to put together! Thanks Brandie!

And from Erika, over at Stampin' Mama, a travel themed scrapbook kit. I have TONS of travel photos that need to be taken care of, and I will start by completing this little book. But which trip to start with: Hawaii, Vegas, St. Thomas, Paris, our year in Ireland? Oh, the decisions... Thanks, Erika!

Do these bloggers a favor and pop on over to their sites. They are creating some gorgeous things and don't we all appreciate new admirers??

Thanks for looking!

ps - I'll be posting those Valentines I mentioned this week sometime!

The Secret Elf Swap and a RAK

Robyn, who's wonderful blog is The Pink Stamper, coordinated a Secret Elf Swap just after Thanksgiving, and my Elf package arrived today. My Elf was Michelle, who's blog is Whimsical Creations. Check out the goodies she sent me! (Sorry about the glare on the photo - I can't seem to be home during daylight hours to get a good photo these days) Hanna Stamps, Studio G Series 6 stamps, Primas, eyelets, mini-glitter, brads, some diecuts, and a flower set for the Cuttlebug. What great fun it will be to create with these items - I can't wait for the weekend to get started... And she sent a card with an image of a woman looking behind her, with the best sentiment: "How did my mom's butt get back there?" ROFL!!!! I love it! I may just send it to my mom - she won't get offended.

Also, I have been remiss to not post this Thank You RAK from Allison that I received a few weeks ago. She won a round of blog candy from me and sent this cute note as thanks. I love the color scheme and the curvy sentiment.

But wait, there's more... Bobbie (Inspired by Ink) sent me this wonderful package of treats for winning her blog candy (way back). I should have enough supplies to keep me out of the craft store till Spring! Yeah, right, you know I'll sneak there on my lunch break after the Christmas rush dies away ;)Hopefully if you are in the midst of this newest round of winter storms, you are safe and warm in your stamping rooms! We are getting another horrid batch of weather Saturday into Sunday. DH is supposed to fly out Sunday for another business trip (really, honey the last of the year!), so let's hope he gets out safely.

Thanks for looking!