My First Tilda

The Stamping Gals have issued their first weekly challenge - Out of the Box. I am entering this card because it contains several elements that are outside my usual comfort zone. I used the bright orchid paper, watercolored my image, and also cut out the image and layered her on pop-dots for dimension. Not to mention the microbeaded heart that I have used only once before, despite the hearts being in my stash forever! I hope they like it!

I have seen these Tilda stamps around and have not ordered any for myself. Then Karin sent me some stamped images for my birthday. Some of them are stamped on watercolor paper, and this Tilda was SO fun to watercolor!!


She is sitting upon a micro-bead and glitter covered heart, which doesn't show up well against the scalloped rectangle. It looks kind of like a purple heart cloud to me. But IRL it's nice and sparkly :)

The sentiment in the upper right corner is from Verve. The dp is from a great K & Co pad in my stash. Tilda is mounted on foam tape for dimension. Karin sent more images, and I can't wait to color them. I have the new Bic Mark-It markers that I haven't tried yet. My poor Prismacolor pencils are getting dusty as I play with watercoloring and other coloring media.

Don't forget to go HERE for blog candy in celebration of my blogaversary!! Have a good day. Thanks for looking!

CPS #77 - Happy Anniversary

My mom and step-dad are celebrating their wedding anniversary on Friday. They have been together 27 years. Here's the card I made for them, using the CPS #77 sketch. I turned the sketch on it's side to make this layout. The stamps are SU! unknown and Verve Wonderful Wishes. The card base is Purely Pomegranate, but of course I realized I don't have PP ink and instead used Rose Red. The match is close, but not perfect... The ribbon and dp are from my stash. I'm so bad, I have so much stuff that I don't know the brand or name of half of it.

So I just realized that my MIL's birthday is next week, so I'd better get creative for her. If you miss her birthday, look out. I hope DH realizes that it is coming so soon!

Hope you are having a good day. Don't forget to scroll down for blog candy to celebrate my Blogaversary!! Thanks for looking!

Little Bits of Happiness, and a Missed Blogaversary (Candy!)

When we went camping in June with my brother and SIL, she gave me this set, A Little Bit of Happiness. I had mentioned to her that I loved it, but it was a hostess only set. Well, she had a huge Stampin Up workshop and earned it. Thing is, she doesn't love it like I do. So she gifted it to me. A little bit of happiness on my part, indeed! Finally, this weekend, I had a chance to play with it. I got out the watercolor paper, watercolor pencils and ended up with this set of four cards. Notice I also played with my new Cuttlebug edging folders - love them :)

I used mostly scraps for these, and precut cards that I had from other projects. They came together very quickly and I think I'll be making more. I like the limited layers and think they would make a nice gift. I always feel badly when I give a pack of cards that require extra postage to send!

This weekend, I missed my Blogaversary!! Can you believe it's been a whole year? I want to extend a thank you to all my readers - it means a lot to me that my creations aren't lost in the ether or simply collecting dust on my shelves. I have met some wonderfully generous people and reconnected with lost friends through this blog.

As a token of thanks, I would like to give some blog candy. I have a pack of Hip Chip in black and white designs, as well as a Making Memories project pad filled with gorgeous stickers and dp.To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling me WHY you stamp. I'll draw a name on Sunday, August 17th at 5pm EST.

Thanks for looking!

We're In This Together...

I've mentioned once or twice that I am registered to walk the Avon 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer in October. It's something I've wanted to do for some time, and each year have found a reason not to do. This is the year. It's 39.3 miles over the course of 2 days, and I'm very excited to be a part of something bigger.

Today I took the time to draft my letter that will be mailed to all of my contacts. A letter campaign to my town's businesses is next. I am hoping to raise more than the minimum of $1800.

Please consider making a donation to this very worthy cause that has such far-reaching results. Each year, millions are raised to fund local and national research efforts. The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade has raised more than $250 million. Every dollar makes a difference in finding a cure for this disease that takes the life of one woman every 14 minutes.

Make a donation by clicking on this link, which will bring you to my Participant Page. Then click on "Make a gift" under the thermometer or the pink button above the thermometer that says "Support Me". After making your donation (ANY amount helps!), post a comment on this post, and I will draw a name for blog candy each month until October, when the walk takes place. The candy will be a surprise each month, but will be my small way of saying Thank You to all who take the time to donate.

Meanwhile, here's a card that I'm working on as part of a series to go to each donor. I have used MFT Think Pink stamps, and have been coloring these images for a week now. Each card will be slightly different, using every dp with pink in my stash. The embellisments will be limited, though, as I hope to be mailing out a ton of these!
Thanks so much for looking!

Monday Lunchtime Sketch...On Tuesday

I ended up taking a sick day today, since I have this awful cold. I struggled through the workday yesterday, and this morning just couldn't do it. So I've been stamping all morning and will retire to the couch after a bit of lunch for a nap. Meanwhile, here is my card for the Techno Stamper Lunchtime Sketch #30. Can you believe how time flies?? I had better start planning my Christmas cards soon!

Ever since I ordered Seeing Stars by Verve, I have been itching to use it. The Emerson quote she included is just perfect. I might send this card to my brother who will be a Senior in high school this year. I embossed the sentiment with black EP and embossed the stars in gold. It is all mounted on a Bazzil base, but I'm not sure of the color name. DP was from my scrap stash, ribbon from my ribbon bucket.

Thanks for looking!

This Week's Project - Invitations

My neighbor is turning 70 next month, and her husband is throwing a surprise party for her. Since he never asks us for anything, I said "of course" when he asked me to make the invitations. In all, I had one week, full of work and regular tasks, to make 40 invites. At first, I had about 12 completed, and he said he needed them for hand-deliveries. So I still had to make another 28. I finished them last night, addressed them and got them in the mail today.

Here they are:

I had to change up the ribbons because I didn't have enough of any one kind and had no time to get to the craft store to find a new one in a greater quanitity. I like the variety, though, and it's not like people will compare ribbons, right? DP is from DCWV Spring Stack; brown scalloped rectangle is Bazzil in Carob, cut with Nestabilities. The blue layer under the information is from my stash, and the information panel is computer generated. Truthfully, there is no stamping on these invitations. Is that cheating?

This week at work truly was the pits. I can't believe everything that happened! It must have taken its toll on me, because this morning I slept until 9am. I haven't done that since before DS was born!! Today was spent running to the Farmer's Market, and stocking up on some stuff. Tonight and tomorrow are for relaxing and stamping! I played with my new Cuttlebug edging folders today and I love them. There are also new stamps and papers to play with. Oh and the new Tim Holtz ruler :)

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. The weather here is just gorgeous. Thanks for looking!

Finally, A Card!

For those who are wondering, I am still around! I have been dealing with utter ridiculousness at work, and have been to frustrated to do anything in the evening. My neighbor needs 40 invitations to his wife's surprise birthday party, and he asked me to make them. I have begun, but he told me today he needs more... I'll post those when I'm done.

Today, after losing 2 1/2 years of computer files (thanks to my new "IT" associate - don't even ask!), I felt that I had to feel the ink on rubber pressing onto a page. I wish I could say that it soothed my frazzled nerves, but it hasn't really. I feel too edgy to sleep, but know I have to go to bed after this post because I have to get up in the morning. Is it Friday yet?????

Here's what I came up with tonight - using Allison's challenge to use an abstract art piece as inspiration. I trolled through the online selection at Target and came up with this as inspiration. The green is calming to me and of course I love foliage and flowers!

This is my interpretation of it: The sentiment says "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. - Shakespeare." It's from Clear Art Stamps and the image is from SU! Best Blossoms. The image is stamped with Colorbox Lime Chalk Ink, then colored over with my Prismacolor pencil and blended. The mat is Certainly Celery and the base is a random cream card. Brads are Making Memories.

Please let tomorrow be a better day, and tell me there is a way of retrieving all my files!! Meanwhile, thanks for looking!