A Weaving Challenge and A Happy Anniversary!

Hello Blogger Friends!

I'm finally back from my vacation.  We had so much fun with family.  It is just the greatest to be surrounded by people you love.  People who have no choice but to love you right back:)  I think my family is the greatest!  I will share just a few pictures later in the week.

Today I am here to share a card for this week's Stamptacular Sunday Challenge. 

The challenge this week is to use weaving on your card.

 I decided to try weaving some ribbon onto a panel of card stock.  I also used some of my favorite paper by K&Co called Ancestry.com.  The heart was stamped in versamark and then Baja Breeze and clear embossed.  That center heart is a leftover piece from a die cut and I added some pearls as an added detail.

This sappy card is for my hubby.  Today is our 12 year Anniversary:)  I love the idea of the woven ribbons symbolizing how our lives are woven together. And that is as mushy as I'm going to get today:)

I hope you can play along this week. I'll finally be able to check out all your creations now that I am home. The design team has some amazing samples to share.  So, go get inspired.  We also have some great giveaways.

Our sponsor this week is Sassy Studio Designs.  They are giving away  4 images...winner's choice!  Also Emma is giving away THIS....

 Thanks for popping in today.  Hope you have a fabulous and fun week!  I hope to be able to participate in a few challenges myself.  I have REALLY missed stamping!

What's In It?
Stamps: Ever After
Ink: Versamark, Baja Breeze, Vintage Photo (TH), Close to Cocoa Craft

Paper: Ancestry.com, Vanilla, Choc Chip
Other: Chipboard letters, Sakura Stardust pen, PTI cream ribbon, Janome Sew Mini, Recollections pearls, Sizzix die, clear EP

Simply Pretty!

First I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving (in the US) a bit  early.  We are celebrating this year at my MIL's.  When I first married my husband we went to spend Thanksgiving at his Great Grandma's house.  It was a sweet little log cabin that her husband had built for her many years ago.  The tradition of the family was always to spend 2 weeks at Great Grandma's.  So we all slept in rows on the floor of this tiny house, with one bathroom for all of us.  It was SOOO FUN!  I was new to the family and wanted to contribute something that we always had at my family gatherings.   I decided to make "GREEN JUNK" which is a jello and whipped topping desert.  We were all sitting in the kitchen talking about the new carpet that Great Grandma had just gotten.  I was mixing up my green dessert with the hand mixer.  When I went to take the beaters out they FELL RIGHT ON THE NEW CARPET.  Green jello on Cream colored berber.  YIKES!  This is my life and my luck.  What a way to impress the family.  They have since gotten used to my little blunders.  Great Grandma was one of my favorite people.  We will be thinking of her this Thanksgiving.  I hope you enjoy your family.

Now for the card.  This is soooo simply and a concept I have used before.  I love the colors of this card though.

 

I used the flourish from a set by Making Memories called Autumn Splendor.  I just inked it up with versamark first and then Enchanted Evening Ink and clear embossed it on Old Olive.  I also sponged the edges to give the card a little depth.  The ribbon at the top is threaded through a tiny slit to make it look like it's hanging.  The sentiment at the bottom is from Peaceful Wishes which is retired.

Hope you have a very BLESSED DAY!  I will be back in a few day from vacation.  See you then

   

Nature-tacular Sunday

 Good Morning!  It's time for another Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.  Today you are to use anything that you find in nature on your cards and using fall colors.  This is one of my least favorite projects.  The idea I had just didn't seem to show up on paper.  Don't you hate that.  Well, being that I was pressed for time and leaving for vacation I couldn't try again.  I am happy that I was able to use that burlap ribbon that I have had in my crafting supply for probably 10 years.

  I hope you can join us today.  Our sponsor this week is Cute Stamps and Cards.  They are giving away FOUR fabulous Magnilia stamps.  Please have a look at the blog for those and all the design teams creations!

What's In It?
Stamps: Autumn Abundance PTI, Autumn Fest
Ink: More Mustard Chalk,MS green, Baroque Burgundy, Choc Chip
Paper: MME, vanilla
Other: burlap ribbon, button TPS,burlap twine, sponge, chipboard, timholtz distress paint

Loving This Paper

Last week I made a card for my hubby in THIS MUSHY POST.  I loved that paper so much that I had to make another card using it.  I did something cool with that flower.   It is a piece of chipboard that I painted off white.  I then took some white tissue paper and decoupaged it on top.  Then I distressed it with Vintage Photo ink and Colorbox ink.   I also decided to add a funky edge along the bottom by cutting it with my Creative Memories cutting system.   I just love this card.  I think it's the paper.

Thanks for popping in today!

What's In It?

Stamps: For You Heidi Grace

Ink: Colorbox pigment, Tim Holtz Distress ink

Paper: MM Love Story Notes, Vanilla

Other: Sizzlet Lots of Tags, MM brad, Prima flowers, dimensionals, vintage brads, paper piercer, CM cutting system, sponge

Missing

A few weeks ago the CAS challenge on Splitcoast was to make a card using a sketch.  This is one that I made and sent to my dad.  I had made everyone in my family a card except him so I thought I better not exclude him. This is a really quick card and so is this post.  I will have a few posts over the next few weeks while I am on vacation.  Enjoy!

What's In It?

Stamps: Inkadinkado sentiment, Verve Serenity

Ink: Mellow Moss, Choc Chip

Paper: Kraft, Wassail DP, Mellow Moss, Choc Chip

Other: Labels Nesties, Cuttlebug EF, satin ribbon, sponge

Turkey Time?

I don't think so.

The challenge today at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge is to create a card or some other sort of project that can be used at or sent at Thanksgiving time...put a TURKEY on it and get entered TWICE to win this week's fabulous prize!

Well, I made card that is Thanksgiving themed, but it doesn't have any turkey on it.

The chances of me ever having a turkey stamp are pretty slim.

  I don't like turkeys.  Oh, I like to EAT turkeys.  It sort of a "revenge" thing.  See, when I was a kid I was tormented by a turkey.  Yes, the following is a true story.  No matter how far fetched it may seem it is totally and completely true.  My family will vouch for that.

 So here goes..... When I was in high school we lived out in the country.  It was my dad's escape back to the country boy in him. My dad would always get these "ideas." One blessed year he decides we are going to raise turkeys and then sell them.  I think we had around 25 of them and one "rooster."  This rooster liked to get out and walk around the yard.  I soon learned that he would run right towards me like he was going to attack me.   I would have to check to make sure he wasn't out when I wanted to leave the house.  My family thought it was funny.  Aren't they nice?  Believe it or not, I hold no emotional scars from them.
Well, one day when I was leaving the house HE was out.  I think I had to go to work so I made a dash for the car.  He chased after me and then proceeded to circle my little car, pecking at it.
We later discovered that he would attack my brother's  RED and blue basketball too.  I think this turkey was part bull and the color red made it attack.  I have RED hair!  That is my theory, anyway.

The day we loaded those turkeys up into my dad's truck to be hauled off to the butcher was a happy day for me.  He joked about keeping the "DEVIL TURKEY" around.  In the end he became a Thanksgiving dinner:)
Honestly, those turkeys that we raised were the best turkey I have ever eaten.

I hope I didn't offend any vegetarians or turkey lovers out there, but you can see why I may not be that fond of the little fellows when they are alive.

 I do have a picture of a turkey to share though.  This was created by my son for school.  He was to disguise a turkey so that it can't be recognized and eaten at Thanksgiving.

He decided to put it in camouflage to make it look like the turkey is the hunter.  We also added  glasses with a fake nose and mustache.  That part cracks me up.

I hope you will join in our challenge this week.

Our sponsor is Simon Says Stamp .

The prize is a $25 gift certificate and FREE shipping!

Go have a look at all the fun and beautiful creations by the design team.

What's In It?

Stamps: Tall Oaks (Verve)

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa

Paper: K&Co Classic and scraps from my stash

Other: Copics and Prismacolor pencils, blending stumps, baby oil, crystal effects, vintage brads, recollections pearl, TPS button, twine, dimensionals, paper piercer, vine trim ( Papierloftet)

Please send a card....

 Good Morning!  We are heading out for vacation today.  I don't have a card to show.  I did make one REALLY quickly this morning for a little boy that I read about HERE.

Please take a few minutes this weekend to make a card for Noah.  We will be around this area while we are visiting family.  I felt compelled to make a little something for him.   I am soooo thankful for my 2 beautiful, HEALTHY children.

I will have several preposts  for your viewing pleasure (hopefully) while I am gone.  Take care friends and cross your fingers that we get a deer.  It is how we feed ourselves throughout the year.

Hugs!

Twinkle, Twinkle Big, Bright, Beautiful Star!

I just have a very quick post today.  We only have 2 more days til our vacation and I have sooo much to do.  I read a blog by Shawne, who is an AMAZING artist for Clear Dollar Stamps.  This is another stamp company that I truly want to try out.  However, I have so many wants and so few monies.  Isn't that the way it goes.  Anyways, they have started a new Challenge and she invited me to participate.  The challenge is to use 5 of anything on your card.  Mine has 5 pearls, 5 Tiny Tinkles and it did have 5 layers, but I had to remove one cause I messed up....SHOCKER!  This is also for the CAS challenge on Splitcoast which is to use white and ONE other color.  I was so excited to get to play with the Verve Stamp set I just won from the last release party.  It's so pretty!  Alright, now go check out the challenges and play along!

Stamps: Star of Wonder (verve)

Ink: colorbox silver

Paper: white

Other: Tiny Twinkels, dimensionals, silver EP, Melissa Frances Pearls, TPS pearl brad, circle nestabilites, dazzling diamonds, 2 way glue pen, Quickkutz EP, May Arts satin ribbon

Who Knew?

Who knew that when I received a blog award  last week I would spend the next few days feeling like one of those celebrities that DOESN'T thank their adoring family? ( I am SO NOT a celebrity, but you know what I mean)

Who knew that my sweet husband, the "Leaf Nazi," was so sensitive?

Who knew that he would feel so hurt by the fact that I didn't name him as my best friend?

Who knew that I would spend the next few days explaining myself and trying to make up for it?

I SHOULD HAVE. Because I know that ONE word answers never tell the whole story. I am giving myself permission from now on to speak at will:)

As I explained to my husband, there is a very good reason why he isn't my best friend...It's because that "title" doesn't really describe all he is to me.  He is so much MORE than my best friend.  He is my SOULMATE.  He is the other half of me.  He is the person that, as cliche as it sounds, completes me.   We have so many differences in how we are and that's what makes us great.  We look at things in different ways, but always TOGETHER.  He has helped me to grow to be a better person.  To set goals for myself and to think more seriously about life.  While I have helped him to laugh a little more and not be so set on looking to the future...to living in the "now."  He is the person I admire the most.  I would rather be with him than anyone.  He makes me laugh, smile and literally melt inside.  He is the person I enjoy growing with each and everyday.  Creating this wonderful life we have together.  I can not imagine my life without him.  It's hard for me to even put into words what he is to me because he is MY EVERYTHING.    So I made this card for him and snuck it in his briefcase today.

The inside has the two hearts stamped together.  That's what we are...2 hearts that fit perfectly together.  Sorry to get all mushy on you, but I needed him to know PUBLICLY why he isn't my best friend.  He is so much more!  This card could not have come together more perfectly.  It is very symbolic of our relationship.  All the pieces stitched together, the two seperate hearts that fit and the sentiment.  I think it is my favorite card ever.  I am so glad I get to give it to him.  I used Beate's Weekend Sketch 105 and stole the idea of the punched edge from Laurie Schmidlin.  

Thanks for popping in today for my mushy love story.  Hope you are having the same fabulous weather that we are here.

What's In It?
Stamps: Hearts Afire (verve), Always
Ink: Choc Chip Craft, Vanilla Craft
Paper: DCWV red, MM Vanilla Love Story, choc chip
Other: Fiskars border punch, dimensionals, sponge, clear EP, Circle Spellbinders, Janome Sew mini, Sizzlet Lots of Tags

Time To Get Sketchy

WOWZER!  Holy Pacholie.  Whoa!  These are all the things I thought when I saw this sketch challenge.  Honestly, it's pretty tough.   But, then I started thinking about what I have learned about sketches since participating in so many challenges.  You don't have to take a sketch so literally.  Think about what else you can see in them.  They are really just a creative "diving board."  So are you ready to "jump in" over at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.  I think it is going to be so interesting to see what people come up with.

Here's what I saw in that sketch:

This is a little wall hanging that I made with some old chipboard and a new PTI set.  As usual, I think it's so much cuter IRL.  I added some crystal stickles to the edges of the snow and the snowman, but you can't tell from the picture.

Here it is hanging in my kitchen:

One final close up of the details:

So how creative can you get today with this sketch?  You have a chance to win something from

ALL THAT SCRAPS

Here is the prize

Make sure you head on over to see the Design Teams creations and leave them a little love.  They are conveniently located on my left side bar.

Have a great Sunday!

What's In It?

Stamps: Holiday Tree (PTI)

Ink: Vanilla Craft, real red, versafine black, always artichoke, vintage photo Tim Holtz, white craft

Paper: Jolly by Golly ( cosmo cricket), Black, Real Red, Vanilla,

Other: CM cutting system, Janome Sew Mini, stickles, PTI vintage buttons, twine,  curly label punch, dimensionals, TPS buttons, ribbon (hobby lobby), TH antique linen distress paint, sponge, scalloped edge punch

Resurrection From the Creative Dead?

Good Morning!  I finally finished a card.  While I really love this, I'm not sure it means I have my Mojo back.  I started this card a few days ago and finally had the gumption to finish it.  I think I currently have 4 projects on my desk waiting to be completed.  Does anyone else do that?  I am so envious of those that can whip up a card in 20 minutes.  I don't think I can do ANYTHING in 20 minutes.  I'm very slow at everything.  It's a family curse. I also wanted to say that  I really  appreciate the words of encouragement yesterday. I know that everyone goes through a creative slump at times.  I am getting ready to go on vacation and I have been trying to get design team work caught up, as well as, projects to show while I am away.  I realized that may not happen.  My blog may be SILENT for a few weeks.  Before it never mattered, but now I KNOW that 64 of you are following my every move..hee hee.  The PRESSURE!  AHHHH!  I don't work well under pressure.  I now know that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to that.  I decided I will do what I can and then come back with a vengence...refreshed, revived and RAAARING to go. ( The raring part is from Father of the Bride II...  Martin Short's character...love that movie)

Ok, enough chatter.  This is a card I started for the MOXIE FAB challenge to use PLUM.  I only know a handful of people who like purple.  I am not one of them.  My mom loves purple though.  I am missing her.  She always reads my blog so she will see her card before she actually gets it.  This ones for you MOM!

 One of my favorite stamp sets was used on this card.  I love the elegance of that "flourish."

I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I also stamped the little flowers in fresh  snow ink and then embossed with iridescent ice.  Each is topped with a tiny pearl.  They say that "Diamonds are a girl's best friend,"  but I prefer pearls.  This rare beauty encased in a hard shelled creature.  There is something very metaphoric about that, don't you think.  I know a few people like that.   My mom is not one, however.  She oozes sweetness.

I also wanted to point out this ribbon rose.  Here is a close up...

This is so simple to make.  I learned how from my very last demo magazine.  I will work on showing you a mini tutorial for next week.

Ok, I'm off to see if I can be a bit more creative.  My son has the assignment of "disguising a turkey" for school.  So we will be "gettin' crafty " as a family today.  Hope you all have a good one.  Check back here tomorrow for a Stamptacular Sunday Challenge!

What's In It?

Stamps: Baroque Motif, For You (heidi grace)

Ink: Versamagic Purple Hydrangea, Fresh Snow (PTI)

Paper: Plum Pudding (PTI), White

Other: Plum Pudding satin ribbon, lace, Kaiser pearls, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles, iridescent ice, dimensionals, organdy ribbon, pretties kit, cuttlebug EF, corner rounder

I Have NO MO JO.....

....no ambition and no time.  That equals NO card:(  I am trying to be optimistic and say I will be back tomorrow with SOMETHING.  Til then my friends.  And if NOT, check in on Sunday because I have a project for the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge that took the last of everything I had.  I love it though so check back then for sure!

Over the Top!

This is the award that Stacie gave me the other day.  I am so honored!  Lately I have been called "mean" ( my son), "crazy" (my daughter), "moody" (my husband) and  "nuts" ( Tosh).  So "Over The Top" is a real compliment.

Now for the rules: I need to pass this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know I left this award, and then I need to answer a list of questions in ONE word. If you know me then you know one word is TOUGH!  I will do it though.
1.Where is your cell phone?  Hmmmm?

2.Your hair? WILD

3. Your mother? sweet

4. Your father? silly

5. Your favorite food? Mexican

6.Your dream last night? none

7. Your favorite drink? " Momma's Milk"  (Kahlua and milk)  I got to 7 before cheating...that's good

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. What room are you in? dining

10. Your hobby? crafting

11. Your fear? lots

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? healthy

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren't? organized

15. Muffins? chocolate

16. Wish list item? time

17. Where did you grow up? Michigan

8. Last thing you did? flyers

19. What are you wearing? smile

20. Your TV? I WISH ( I have kids and a history buff hubby)

21. Your Pets? 4

22. Friends? fabulous

23. Your life? funny

24. Your mood? Cybill-ish

25. Missing Someone? family

26. vehicle? minivan

27. Something your not wearing? shoes

28. Your favorite store? Simply Scrapbooks

29. Your favorite color? green

30. When was the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? ?????

32. Your best friend? sister

33. One place that I go to over and over? School

34. Facebook? Just

35. Favorite place to eat? My MIL's when we get JET'S Pizza


Ok, so I didn't follow the rules.  I am passing this award on to these 5 people:

Kathie....I am amazed by her personally, but WHAT she can do to a lunch note is amazing.  I can't even pack my daughter's lunch, let alone make these creations each day.  She is OVER THE TOP WONDERFUL!

Liza....I am in awe of her coloring skills.  Really, I 'm just horribly jealous.

Carly... She amazes me with her sheer ability to do so many things so wonderfully and with 2 little girls.

PattiJ... I can't believe all the challenges she can accomplish in one day.  She also has these little tidbits on her blog that make me giggle everytime.

Travelingmamma....Because her blog speaks to my soul through her stories, her generosity and her photography.

HALLOWEEN PICTURES

Elvis and Priscilla Presley have left the building!

My daughter would not let me cut this hair.  Some people thought she was Cher.  By the end of the night she wished she had listened to me:)

We had a lot of fun.  My son told everyone that gave him candy, "Thank you.  Thank you very much," while doing "the lip thing."  Some people got it and some didn't.  He came home and we got  him doing his rendition of Jailhouse Rock on video
.

We also decided to carve only one pumpkin this year. We ran out of time with illness and my hubby's work and school shedule.  This also saved us some money. It actually was a really fun family activity.  Next year we need a revolving display though so everyone can see all four sides of it.

I wish I had a card for you, but I don't.  Hopefully tomorrow.  We have had quite a bit of illness here lately.  Hope you all stay healthy and have a great Wednesday!

NIKKI

Joy Can Mean SO Many Things

This is my take on Beate's Weekend Sketch 104.  It's a "creative stretch" as far as the sketch goes. I'm not sure it really qualifies at all, but this was the idea I had and I couldn't seem to veer from it.   I love this card, but NOT this photo.  It seems to me that Raspberry Fizz and Pink Passion don't photograph well.  I tried everything to get this to look true in color.  Even the buttons are off.  So imagine that the true colors of Rasp Fizz, Aqua Mist and Spring Moss are what the buttons really look like.  Do you see it?  AHA!  Then it is indeed "Joy."

On the subject of "joy" I wanted to share something that isn't really craft related.  But, this blog is about things that I love.  I recently found a blog called, I'm An Organizing Junkie, in my neverending quest to improve myself.  One thing that I love on her blog is the Menu Plan Monday.  This has been a huge help to me in organizing my week's worth of meals.  I am the type of person who thinks at 4pm, "Hmmm, what shall we have for dinner in an hour?"  The Menu Plan Monday is a layout of your entire weeks worth of meals.  She even has a few printables you can use.  This has really helped me so much.  I know that sounds like a "no-brainer"...hey, why don't you PLAN what you want to eat for the week, dummy?!  For someone like me (an obvious "no-brainer"), I needed this knock to the head.  Besides, you can look at what other people are planning and get recipes.  You could even just have what she is having each week.  I don't know WHO would do something like that though.  I mean REALLY!  But, it's an option...a back up plan, if you will.

  This has also led me to other blogs that offer up some great recipes.  One blog is called, Finding Joy In My Kitchen.  This lady posts tons of stuff...sometimes twice a day.

I, personally, have never found "JOY" in my kitchen... but I'd  LOVE to... REALLY!  Everyday at 3:30, when I get home from picking up the kids, I hope that I will find "JOY" there.  A big smile on her face, cooking up a dinner beyond belief.  She will nod and say, "Hey, I've got it all under control."  Then she'll present this beautiful dinner that EVERYONE will eat and she'll leave all the credit to me~~~~~~~~~(insert sounds of waking from the dream).

  Yes, I'm still waiting for "JOY".  Does anyone know her?  I think my husband would like to meet her too.

(Hey...maybe we DON'T need "JOY")  Anyways, I wanted to share this little tidbit to making my week run a  bit smoother.  Now if I could just figure out how to fit the meals I plan into my budget, we'd be that much closer to...well.... BLISS:) 

Hope you have a great day!  I will be posting pictures of my family tomorrow AND I got a blog AWARD.  Thank you to Stacie, aka craft_princess, for giving me an award.  I am working on passing it along.  I will share details tomorrow.  Hopefully a card too.  My day is NOT going as planned, so we'll see.

What's in it?

Stamps: Snowflake Serenade

Ink: versamark

Paper: white, Rasp Fizz

Other: silver EP, dimensionals, satin ribbon, PTI holiday buttons, silver cording, MS border punch

Friendship- Stamptacular Style

 Today we are celebrating friendship at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.  We'd love to have you play along and make a card for a special friend in your life.

We have TWO sponsors this week.  Our very own Liza is sponsoring THIS:

and Doodle Street by Cassandra is offering:

ONE FREE DIGITAL IMAGE....Winner's choice

My card today has so many different elements to point out.  I was really inspired by this Wassail paper I got on clearance.  I love the blend of white with cream and tan.  I never think to use white and cream together.  I only ever use one or the other. It's really kind of an interesting look to combine them don't you think?  I layered a sheer, cream ribbon over a white satin one in my attempt to mesh these two colors.  That tiny white frame is by Melissa Frances and has a small stamped area that is the same as the main image.  I used a new stamp set by Heidi Grace.  It is stamped on watercolor paper that was colorwashed with Sahara Sand.  I then stamped the image in  Sahara Sand and then again using versamark and white embossed.  The butterfly is stamped in Vanilla craft and embossed in iridescent ice.  It is layered on another butterfly that is clear embossed.  Don't you hate when the last thing you stamp comes out CROOKED?  I was not starting over though.  So this will go to a crooked friend that knows how crooked my life really is and accepts that....My Sister.  Boy I miss her.  She is my best friend.  The person who is most like me, yet different enough to make things interesting.  She is the person who gets me and my jokes and I get her. We have our own language.  Eventhough she lives far away, I know that she will always be there for me as I will be for her.

Here is a picture of the inside:

So go ahead and get started.  Let someone special to you know just how you feel.  Make sure you check out the design team's great creations and let them know how you feel too;)

Have a great Sunday!

Nikki

What's In It?

Stamps: Bevy of Butterflies (unity), Because of You (verve), For You (heidi grace)
Ink: sahara sand, versamark, close to cocoa craft, vanilla craft

Paper: Wassail, Sahara Sand, watercolor 

Other: TPS buttons, white EP,white linen thread, dimensionals, ribbon, iridescent ice EP, white Kaiser pears, Labels 4 Spellbinders