Well, here I am, finally!

Hello everyone! I have been absent from my blog for awhile.  Things have been hectic and chaotic.  My husband was diagnosed with a serious illness and I've been kept busy caring for him.  Things are starting to settle down some and I've found a little time to craft and relieve some stress.

I took inspiration from the Inspiration Challenge at the Altenew blog.  I've used some of the colors from their inspiration photo, but mostly I used the feeling of a "relaxing vacation," that I took from the inspiration photo.  My husband keeps telling me I need a vacation getaway to recoup from all that's been going on.  I agree, but, with me having been out of work to care for him, we cant afford a vacation right now, and I've exhausted all my vacation time and FMLA time, while I was off caring for him.  So, for now, my Spring Like vacation getaway will be in my mind, and depicted in this card. Any place tranquil and quiet would do just fine!

Along with the photo inspiration, I've used the Birch Land stamp set from Altenew, to create this tranquil vacation scene.  I fell in love with this stamp set as soon as I seen it, but I admit, once it arrived, I felt a little intimidated by it and all the elements.  I  am very happy with how it turned out though, for a first attempt.  The tree was stamped with Versafine Black Onyx ink and has been colored with Arteza watercolor brush markers.  (My first time using them - There is a learning curve, which I'm still riding! LOL!) I stamped the lovely array of leaves in various gorgeous colors of Altenew crisp dye inks.  (LOVE thier inks! So awesome!)  I sponged the bottom with green ink to create a hillside.  I drew the birds by hand with a Versafine black marker. The clouds were done with a stencil and Altenew crisp dye ink. .This was my first time using the cloud stencil and I struggled with figuring out the positioning of the stencil.  All in all, I think it turned out decently and is the perfect getaway vacation in my mind.

I'm still deciding if I'm going to turn this into a card, or frame it.  What do you all think would be the best choice?

This is my first time entering challenges this year! I have just been so consumed with RL, that crafting got away from me! It's so good to be back into crafting again!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

March 2018 Inspiration Challenge at Altenew

Challenge #136 Use Green at Simply Create Too

Anything Goes at Whoopsi Daisy Challenge

Challenge #3 Anything Goes at Corrosive Challenge

Challenge at Crafts Galore Encore

Challenge #135 Anything Goes at Creatalicious

Challenge #102 Spring Is In The Air at Sparkles Forum Challenge

Challenge #276 Spring at Brown Sugar Challenge

Challenge #363 Anything Goes at Crafty Creations Challenge

Challenge #162 Anything Goes at Crafty Gals Corner

Challenge #147 Anything Goes at Inspiration Destination

Ready For Spring at Mod Squad Challenge

Challenge #373 Anything Goes at Penny's Paper Crafty

Challenge #48 Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Any Occasion at Creative Inspirations Challenge

Challenge #22 Photo Inspiration at PINspirational Challenges

Challenge #137 Anything Goes at Scrapbook Stamp Society

Challenge #64 Anything Goes at lemon Shortbread Challenge

Challenge #292 Spring at Hanna and Friends Challenge

Challenge #80 Anything Goes at Crafty Friends Challenge

CARDZ TV Challenge #40 Anything Goes 

4CC #396 Anything Goes/Crazy Egg at 4 Crafty Chicks

Holiday Cheer

I'm on a roll, again! Watch out! LOL


Here's another project for the 12 Days of Christmas at Catch The Bug. This one is for Day 5, in which we were challenged to use gold on our project.

This one is for my husband.

I apologize for the shadow on the card. I took several pics and this is the best I could get, due to all the bright gold on the card, I think.

I used the PWC183 Sketch at Paper Pretties for my card layout and went with another Christmas card, in non traditional colors. My image is from Bugaboo Stamps and is colored with Promarkers. I've used a few different colors to color her skin. Since she's partially sitting inside the glass, I've tried to reflect it in the coloring, by making the parts in the glass lighter. This is my first attempt at this, so I hope it looks okay. The image is punched with a scalloped circle, then I added black sponging to try and tone down the white and make the colors match. I used gold metallic twine from my stash. I added glitter and sparkle to the glass, to make it shine, with a clearstar gelly roll pen.


I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Day 6 (Use Gold) of The 12 Days of Christmas at Catch The Bug
PWC183 Sketch at Paper Pretties
Challenge #123 Non Traditional Christmas Colors at Incy Wincy
Challenge #14 Bling It Up (Gold Glitter Brads) at Paper Creations Ink
Challenge #57 Christmas at Bee-Crafty
The Queen's Royal Digi Challenge #3 Christmas and Winter Wonderland at The Scrapbooking Queen
Holiday/Winter at The Stamping Boutique
Challenge #39 Make It Shine (Glitter and metallic gold paper) at Mami Doodles
Challenge #84 Your Favorite Embellishments (Twine) at Speedy The Cat's Friends
Holiday Card at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle
Challenge #68 Punches or Dies at 2 Sisters
Challenge #120 Christmas Fun at Pollycraft
Challenge #14 Non Traditional Christmas Colors at Emerald Faerie Garden
Challenge #26 Christmas For The One You Love at Sparkles Forum
Challenge #37 Silver (Stars on DP) and Gold (DP and metallic twine) at Really Reasonable Ribbon
Challenge #54 One For The Lads at Lexi's Creations
Challenge #11 Anything Goes at Crafty Boots
Christmas Photomontage at Simon Says Stamp
Challenge #68 Merry Christmas at Penny's Paper Crafty
Challenge #99 Last Minute Cards at The Pixie Cottage
GL30 Christmas and Winter at Gingerloft
Challenge #132 Winter and Christmas at Creative Belli Blog
Holiday Spirit at Dude Time Doodles
Tis The Season at Creative Card Crew
Challenge #127 Last Minute Christmas at Moving Along With The Times
Challenge #55 Christmas Bingo (Red, Green and Gold) at Crafty Ann's
Challenge #102 Christmas in Non Traditional Colors at Sassy Studio Designs
Challenge #38 Bow at Timbroscrapmania
Challenge #22 Red and Gold (paper and twine) at House of Gilli
SNSDC32 Tea For Two at Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge
Glitter at Frosted Designs
Challenge #85 Clean and Simple at Phindy's Place
Show Your Christmas Bling at Stamping With The Dragon
Christmas at Paper Crafting Journey
Photo Inspiration at Crafty Sprouts
Challenge #129 Celebrations at Passion For Promarkers

Milk And Cookies For Santa

I know you all must be sick of me by now, but here I am, yet again! LOL

I have another card for you, from my attempt to complete the The 12 Days of Christmas at Catch The Bug. This card is for Day 8, with the theme "Cookies and Milk." I struggled with this one a little at first because I don't have any Bugaboo Stamps images with cookies or milk. I did find this fun image though.... And then it came to me..... I'll make my own cookie! (Again, having to get creative and think outside the box! LOL)

I used the Sketch at Stamp With Fun. The image, from Bugaboo Stamps, is punched with a circle punch. I colored her with Promarkers and then sponged around her with brown ink. Then, I punched out brown circles and cut them down, placed them on the circles image, to make the it look like she's on a big cookie! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and I feel like it looks quite a bit like a cookie! The dark red ribbon is from my stash. I used gold glittered brads to add some sparkle, shine and bling. The papers are all scraps from my stash. I decided not to use an added sentiment, since the red DP has Merry Christmas written all over it.

The image/cookie is attached with foam mounting tape for dimension.


I am entering this card in the following challenges:


Challenge #140 Sketch at Stamp With Fun
Day 8 (Milk and Cookies) The 12 Days of Christmas at Catch The Bug
Challenge #22 Red and Gold (Gold Glitter Brads) at House of Gilli
Challenge #60 Dark Red, Chocolate and Cream at Lollipop Crafts
Challenge #123 Non Traditional Christmas Colors at Incy Wincy
Challenge #16 Anything Goes With Ribbon at The Ribbon Reel
Challenge #14 Bling It Up (Gold Glitter Brads) at Paper Creations Ink
Challenge #28 Christmas With Sparkle (Glitter Brads) at Creatalicious
Challenge #57 Christmas at Bee-Crafty
The Queen's Royal Digi Challenge #3 Christmas and Winter Wonderland at The Scrapbooking Queen
Holiday/Winter at The Stamping Boutique
Christmas at Bizzy Becs
Challenge #39 Make It Shine (Glitter) at Mami Doodles
GL30 Christmas and Winter at Gingerloft
Challenge #84 Your Favorite Embellishments (Pearls) at Speedy The Cat's Friends
Holiday Card at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle
Challenge #68 Punches or Dies at 2 Sisters
Challenge #138 CASE A DT Member (I CASEd Jennifer's card, using the red gingham paper) at Corrosive
Challenge #14 Photo Inspiration (Christmas) at Jay Gee's Nook
Challenge #120 Christmas Fun at Pollycraft
Challenge #11 Anything Goes at Crafty Boots
Anything Goes at Papertake Weekly
Tis The Season at Creative Card Crew
Challenge #77 Celebrate The Season at Tuesday Throwdown
Challenge #68 Merry Christmas at Penny's Paper Crafty
Challenge #99 Last Minute Cards at The Pixie Cottage
Challenge #132 Winter and Christmas at Creative Belli Blog
Challenge #49 Bling It On (Silver Glitter Brads) at Pile It On
IIC#36 Use Ribbon at Inky Impressions
Challenge #55 Christmas Bingo (Gold, Red and Green) at Crafty Ann's
Challenge #102 Christmas in Non Traditional Colors at Sassy Studio Designs
Challenge #38 Bow at Timbroscrapmania
Glitter(Gold glitter brads) at Frosted Designs
Christmas at Paper Crafting Journey

You're Spooktacular

It's freebie challenge time at Dude Time Doodles! I know how you all love freebies, so you aren't going to want to miss out on this one! Hurry on over to Dude Time Doodles, grab the featured freebie image and play along with us for your chance to be a Dude Time Doodles guest designer! (It is so much fun to be a guest designer! Don't miss out on your chance!)

Today's featured freebie is Gavin Ghost from Dude Time Doodles and Bonibleaux Designs. He's a fabulous ghost and so fun to create with!

My card uses the sketch at Sketch N Stash for the card layout. I used a fun mix of these new Halloween papers, and then made a drippy border with the drippy goo punch by Martha Stewart. After all, what's a ghost without some drippy goo?! Gavin Ghost is colored with Promarkers. I did some sponging around the image with yellow and purple inks. The brads are from my stash and were originally black and white.

This brings me to a little tip for you, today. You can alter brads and other bling my coloring them in with alcohol based markers or paints.

I used my Promarkers to alter these brads and make them the colors I needed to match my card.

How's that for a fun tip?!


I'm entering this card in the following challenges:


August Digi Day at Stamp Something
Anything Goes at AI Factory
Challenge #78 Holidays at Totally Paper Crafts
Coloring at Frosted Designs
Anything Goes at Catch The Bug
Challenge #74 use A Digi at One Stitch At A Time
Challenge #67 Sketch at Sketch N Stash
HSC7 Pantone's Fall Colors at The Hotspot
Challenge #95 Holiday Fun (Halloween) at Die Cut Dreams
Inspired By: A Tutorial (tutorial on coloring on embellishements with markers) at Creative Inspirations Paint
Challenge #69 Anything Goes at Raise The Bar
Challenge #106 Something Old (Brads) Something New (Halloween papers) at Incy Wincy
Challenge #46 Straight Edges (Tip) at Top Tip Tuesday
Challenge #5 Digi + The Color Green at Kich N Bleus

C'mon Get Hoppy With Bunny Tween!!

C'mon Get Hoppy at Digi's With Attitude! It's time for a new challenge and we have the perfect theme for you this week! This time, we are asking you to show us your Easter Projects! We had so many fabulous entries last week. We hope you'll hop on over and play with us again, in our Easter Challenge.

Hurry on over to Digi's With Attitude! and link up your project for your chance to win! There are great prizes to give away, this week!


We're being sponsored, this week, by The Robin's Nest! one winner will win a $25 gift certificate to their store!


As always, also up for grabs is our usual prize, a $10 Gift certificate to the Digi's With Attitude! store. One winner for every 25 entries! Whoo Hoo! Play along with us! You'll also have a chance at Honorable Mention. Honorable Mention winners get a chance at Card of the Month!

Speaking of the Digi's With Attitude! store, we have some exciting news! The Digi's With Attitude! store is all new and totally fabulous! If you haven't seen it yet, you really must check it out! The new store is awesome! This weekend only, all images are on sale 20% off! Even new releases! hat a deal! Come on over and check out the fabulous images! Most images now have full color project samples for your viewing pleasure. See the images brought to life in color, before you buy! You could win a $10 gift certificate to the store, just be checking it out and signing the guestbook! But Hurry, you only have through the weekend to sign the guest book for a chance to win, and to pick up all your favorite images at 20% off!

My project today for Digi's With Attitude! features Bunny Tween. Isn't she just adorable?! I've colored her with Promarkers and went with pastel Easter colors. Flowers are by by Prima and are secured with glittered sugar coated metal brads by Doodlebug. The ribbon and pearl are both from my stash. Sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set by Stampin Up.


I am entering this card in the following challenges:



Challenge #56 April Fool's at Alota Rubber Stamps
Challenge #51 Ribbons and Pearls (Pink Pearl on Ribbon) at Wags 'n Whiskers
From The Home (Pink Eye Shadow, around image) at Stamping With The Dragon
Occasion Oasis Easter at Stamping Vacation
Challenge #30 For Children at Crafty Emma's
Challenge #4 Spring Celebrations at Little Claire Designs
ASC39 Hippity Hoppity Bunnies at Aly's Sunday Challenge
Challenge #115 Flowers at The Crafty pad
Challenge #49 Anything Goes at I Did It Creations
TPE 97 Easter At The Pink Elephant
Challenge #42 Digi Monday at Paper Playtime
CCH #61 Just Add Flowers at The Crazy Challenge
Challenge #24 layer It Up at My Partner In Crafting Crime
Easter at Stamps R Us
Let's use Flowers at Paper Cupcakes
Anything Goes at MyGrafico
Anything Goes at Papertake Weekly
Challenge #105 Easter Parade at Digital Tuesday
Challenge #43 Spring at Tuesday Throwdown
Challenge #136 Easter at Everybody Art
Challenge #60 Easter at I Love Promarkers
Challenge #146 Tons of Texture at Spoon Full Of Sugar
Spring Colors or Easter at Simon Says Stamp
Challenge #53 Easter Inspired at Meljen's Designs
Anything With A Bunny at For Fun
Box Office Inspiration (the New Movie, "Hop") at Whimsie Doodles
Challenge #30 Yellow at Scrapbook Sisters
Challenge #97 Animals/Pets at C.R.A.F.T
Challenge #75 Easter at AI Factory
Challenge #37 Easter at Sarah Hurley
Challenge #38 Raise A Smile at Crafty Ann's
Challenge #80 Easter at Fun With Shapes and More
Challenge #14 Follow That Yellow Brick Road at Do You Stack Up
Sassy Circle Somethings (Sassy Bunny Girl) at Stamp Something
Use Brads (Center of flower) at Frosted Designs
FF#74 Spring at If The Shoe Fits
Challenge #7 Easter at Stampin For The Weekend
Card For A Child at Fussy and Fancy
April Showers Bring May Flowers at Crafty Calendar
Challenge #19 Easter or Spring at Pattie's Creations
Challenge #50 Easter at Phindy's Place
Challenge #20 Use Ribbons For Easter at Delicious Doodles
Challenge #41 Egg-Stra Special and Simply Create
Cute and Girly at By The Cute and Girly
Its Easter! at Sugar Sweet Paper Treats
Color Challenge at InStyle Stamps
Challenge #49 Easter at Bee Crafty
Challenge #7 Easter at Send A Smile 4 Kids

Marvelous Monday! Celebrate Fall and Thanksgiving

Good Morning everyone!

It is Marvelous Monday at Shelly's Images. The air is becoming crisp and the leaves of the trees are changing colors. Its the perfect time to celebrate fall and start thinking about Thanksgiving. This week at Shelly's Images, we are featuring the image "Pilgrim Girl." Available for a special price today only in the Shelly's Images store. Hurry over get it for yourself at the special price, before it's too late.

Check out Shelly's Images blog for creative inspiration from the design team, using today's featured image, Pilgrim Girl.

And now for my card. I used the sketch from Creative Inspirations, for my card layout. Of course, I am using Pilgrim Girl, from Shelly's Images, colored with Promarkers. I used sponging around the image to add color and remove any white from the image. I've had this gorgeous fall ribbon for a long time now. I received it in a ribbon swap and had no idea what to do with it, since I don't usually use ribbon this wide. Once I seen this image, I felt like it would be perfect for this ribbon. The image is pop dotted onto the ribbon, for 3D effect and dimension. The background paper is a scrap from my stash.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Challenge #82 Sketch at Creative Inspirations
Challenge #44 Yummy, Yummy, Yummy at Fab 'n' Funky
Challenge #112 Autumn (Thanksgiving) at Stamp With Sarah Kay
Hump Day Inspiration #18 Halloween or Fall at Inktegrity
Challenge #44 Fall Into Fall at Pixie Dust Studio
Challenge #40 Hobbies (Cooking-One of my favorite hobbies!) at Raise The Bar
Challenge #29 My Peeps at Digi Doodle Shop's Best
Challenge #16 Stamped (or Digi) Project at Just Inspirational Challenges
Thoughtful Thursday 0030 Starts With G (girl) at Other Lovelies
Challenge #7 Autumn at The Stamp Man
Challenge #13 Coloring at Sarah Hurley Challenges
Challenge #38 at Totally papercrafts
Caring Hearts Card Drive at Ling's Design Studio
FF #51 A Holiday For The Holidays at If The Shoe Fits
Challenge #49 Halloween/Fall at Stampin For The Weekend
Challenge #63 Anything Goes at Paper Cutz
Challenge #25 Girl Of My Dreams at IDIC CHallenge Blog
Challenge #12 Thanksgiving and Christmas for Vera's Card Drive at Mami Doodles
Challenge #25 Digi and your favorite coloring medium at Crafty Ann's
Challenge #1 Fall/Halloween at Baby Bud Designs
Challenge C4C59 Autumn/Fall at Crazy 4 Challenges
Challenge #27 Celebrate (Thanksgiving) at Wee Memories
Challenge #86 Get Rid Of The White at Corrosive
Challenge #35 Embellish It at One Stitch At A Time
Challenge #45 Halloween/Fall at Creative Inspirations
No! No! Challenge at Stamping Vacation
Challange TD05 Fall at Tiffany's Doodles
TPE86 Brown and Orange at The Pink Elephant
Challenge #45 Octoberfest at Alota Rubber Stamps

You And I ------- The Perfect Duet

Once again it is challenge time at Stamping With The Dragon. This round, the design team have some wonderful creations for you, using stamps from the Stitchy Bear Stamps store. If you haven't been to their store, you are really missing out! Stitchy Bear has images from tons of different designers, all in one place! You really need to hop on over there and do some shopping!

For my card, I used Duet, by Stitchy Bear herself. This image is so adorable. It reminds me of childhood and childhood sweethearts,and the song, "You and I." (Wish I could remember who sang that.. It was a duet, I think Crystal Gayle may have been the female of the duet). I decided to go with a simple look. I wanted to focus on the image, rather than overdo it with lots of embellishing. I colored the image with Promarkers, then sponged and distressed the image edges with brown ink. The musical background paper is from the new paper tablet by Tim Holtz. The gorgeous gold and metallic ribbon is from my stash.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Week #41 Use A Digi Stamp at Create4Fun
Week #73 Inspiration From A Song Title (You And I)
Challenge #104 Distressing at The Secret Crafter
Challenge #34 Use A Digi Stamp at One Stitch At A Time
Challenge #3 All That Glitters (Glittery ribbon) at Gingerloft
Challenge #10 Anything Goes at Craftalicious
Challenge #66 Colors at A Crafty Little Place
Challenge #0030 Starts With G (girl image) at Other Lovelies
Challenge #16 Digi at Just Inspirational
Challenge #13 Coloring at Sarah Hurley Challenges
Challenge #25 Digi with favorite coloring method at Crafy Ann's
Challenge #63 Anything Goes at Paper Cutz