Exercise is a challenge!

Not the kind of challenges I like, either!  Here's a quick giggle for today.  I'm trying to watch what I am stuffing into my mouth these days (thanks, Anne!) ...but time for exercise escapes me...as does desire for exercise!!  Once I get going, I'd be ok.  It's that first step!!  Here's the answer to my problems:

Enjoy your day...exercise or not!

Local to Towson/Baltimore Area?

If you are local to the Towson/Baltimore area, I just wanted to let you know that St. Joseph Medical Center is hosting a small Mother's Day Fair in their Cafeteria area on Friday, April 30, from 8 - 2.  They are having vendors that sell plants, flowers, handbags and jewelry so that their employees can shop at their leisure on their lunch break.  One stop shopping for Mom!  I'm going to be there as a vendor...hopefully with a few cards (some posted earlier here on the blog) Mom would love to get in the mail or with her gift.  Also, a few cards for those who are planning ahead for grads and dads, too!

Proceeds from the sales will go to the FANS Hospital Auxilliary.  Stop by, say HI and shop if you're in the area!

OCC Challenge - Bloomin' Blossoms

Over at Our Creative Corner, they've done bows, buttons and butterflies this month...so now it's time for blossoms!  With Mother's day around the corner, I've worked on a few cards this week with floral stamps.  I always love the old SU Terrific Tulips.  An oldie but a goodie! (Talk about an oldie...that's groovy guava...lookin' a little orange on that stormy afternoon!)

My old friend, purple, and I worked well together this time!  Usually I have such a hard time with purple, but this time I really liked the different shades together on this lilac (or wisteria?) panel.  I had a piece of dark (eggplant?) purple that I thought really set it off.

Well, I'm glad blooms are on the challenges because tonight it's supposed to get into the 30's here!  brrrrrr!  I just got home from my son's baseball game and my fingers had to un-numb so I could type this!

Christmas Stampin' in April!

 When you stamp Christmas cards in April, it's only right that they have pastel colors on them!  So say the designers over at Christmas Cards All Year 'Round.  Their April challenge is to use a pastel...baby blue, light green, pale yellow, baby pink...on your cards.  Well, I went with the pink and blue option!  And I like the results!  I can't wait to see the next challenge...May...I wonder what that will bring?  All I know is so far, I'm 10 cards closer to finishing up Christmas cards this year!  Thanks for the Christmas great kick in the pants challenge!

KISS-able challenge

I love any challenge that wants me to Keep-It-Simple-Sweetie!  That's what they're looking for this time over at Pals Paper Arts.  Lots of white space, easily reproduced, not a lot of layers...i.e., my kind of card!   I had intended to CASE a really CAS card I saw online months ago for Valentines day...but never got to it.    Luckily, it works great as a thank you or thinking of you card, as well! 

I also made another version with "from the bottom of my heart" for the sentiment.  Very KISS-able!  Just a note:  as I don't have a die cut machine or heart punch that large...I stamped a large SU heart on the back and then cut it out so I got a decent heart shape - then flipped it over and embossed it. 

Sweet Sunday Curtain Call

This week I tried to combine the Sweet Sunday sketch challenge with the Curtain Call Act 26 color challenge.  The addition of the yellow really threw me, but it is actually quite a striking combo.  Instead of the circular element on the sketch, I used that as a place for my bow.  I didn't have all of the colors for the challenge; I substituted a yellow that I had in the scraps folder and I used a "pewter" satin ribbon (which sometimes photographs black) for the basic gray (well, the sentiment is in basic gray, so I guess I had that covered!)  I really did like the daisies stamped in the going gray on the white.  It immediately looked like a shadow.

I recieved an "artist comp" issue of the Stampers Sampler this weekend.  I was shocked to recieve it...not because there was a card in there (though that is always GREAT!) but because I hadn't submitted anything to them for publication in over a year - or more!  I used to really love submitting to the Take Ten (owned by the same company) but then they got a little too far away from the "ten minute" cards for me, so I stopped.  So now two show up in this "Catch Up" issue.  While I'm very excited about it...I really just wanted to pass on that you should submit, submit, submit...you never know where (or WHEN) they'll show up!!  Plus...it's soooo awesome to get a free mag in the mail!

I also got a chance this weekend - between freezing our fannies off at my boys' baseball games (45 and windy! That's not baseball weather!) to post some ribbon for sale on my ETSY site.  These are ribbons that I'm able to buy at great prices from the factory outlet shop at Offray Ribbon.  Offray makes most of the ribbons you find at WalMart, Michaels, JoAnn, etc.  They manufacture some of it here in Maryland, so there is an outlet store.  (don't you want to move here now?)  :)  Below are just a few of the colors I snagged to share with you on my last trip.  They are sold currently in 4 yard lengths with a great price of $1.50.  Come and visit over at ETSY if you want to add to your ribbon stash.  I'll try to add some new colors soon, too!    Isn't hoarding supplies fun?????!!

Sharing the Satin and Grosgrain Goodness!

I finally got the posts done for some of the ribbon I'm listing on my ETSY site!  Have a look.  I'm so happy to be able to share this satin and grosgrain goodness with other stampers, cardmakers and crafters.  I'm lucky enough to drive past the Offray Ribbon Factory when we visit my parents.  They have an outlet store there (yes, I know...GASP!!) and I love to stop in.  I figured that some of you may want to add to your ribbon stashes, too!

The ribbons found in the outlet are usually overstock, overruns or end-of-runs.  Sometimes they end up in the outlet because the color is not what the end client wanted.  (ok...more for me!)  Sometimes there are defects.  When I purchase something that actually has a defect in it, it's usually in printing - like a french dot pattern or something.  But the news keeps getting better...if it's not "craft-able", I donate it to my son's school for their craft projects.  A happy ending for some sad ribbon!  :)

I've considered the ribbon I find from there to be a real treasue chest for my stamping and card making addiction!  A lot of times, I would buy a ribbon at a craft store or specialty scrapping or stamping store only to be held back by the price.  You know..."I'm saving that for just the perfect project" syndrome.  Luckily, I don't need to do that with this ribbon.  The outlet pricing makes it affordable for me to buy AND use.  And I do...almost anything you'd see posted on my blog is made with their ribbons.  Luckily, that helps my local customers, too, as I can keep my card prices low.

Oh well, enough about that.  Give it a try if you're interested.  Email me with any questions.  I'll try to add more colors as soon as I can.

Happy crafting!!

Chef Kelly Jo's pink, white and black challenge

A great combo for the color chef challenge!  I love pink, black and white!  The first attempt was to "kill a few birds" with the one "challenge stone"... a mothers day card, a CASE I'd been wanting to try and the colors of the challenge.  I'd loved the CASE Susan (lateblossom) did so, CASEd her in return!  (remember the old faberge shampoo commercials??  you tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends...ha, ha!)  The Mother quote is computer generated. 

I had to try another one...love the clean and simple style!

Anyway, I came across a sticker that I'd had for a while and couldn't figure what to do with.  (ever happen to you???  no, i'm sure it doesn't!  ha, ha!!)  But it was pink...i wanted to see how it would stand out on the black paper..and voila...another challenge card!

see what I mean...I love the flourish...but it's a large sticker.  Almost all of my cards call out for ribbon...and i couldn't figure out how to put some on this card without covering up more of the flourish.  So I wrapped it around a white panel on which I stamped the sentiment from Close To My Heart.  Definitely different!  here's the ribbon:

I also got a few little treats made...hugs and kisses in a bag.  I always like little treat bags for holidays.  This time, I found a little $1 stamp at Michaels that awas a "coupon" for a hug. How cute to stamp a few and put them in with some Hershey Kisses???   Topped off with an SU stamp that says "hugs and kisses".

I also wanted a few little treats for "just in case" and a few little get well packages (one co worker has pneumonia!).  While I know these won't cure anyone, it's nice to know someone is thinking about you.   (And if you didn't feel that way, you wouldn't be here looking at this stuff, would you?)   Nice people, stampers and paper crafters, huh???   wink, wink.

I had seen the get well "soup envelopes" on another blog while I surfing.  I remember I wrote down her info...even remember her name since it was Shannon...just like me.  But I'll be darned if I can find it again.  Sorry!!!  I made them to still fit into an envelope if need be (minus the spoon!). 

The other treat was also inspired by another crafter.  I see her work on many challenges, too.  Vicki had made these great Valentine treats that I had to try for myself.  If you ever read all of the stuff I blather on and on about, you'll know that I'm a lazy stamper.  I didn't make pockets inside of mine...I glue dotted two Ghirardelli chocolate squares inside and gave a few out at V-day.  (one of our Secretaries still has it on her desk...that's when you KNOW you made someone's day!)  The pic is my CASE of her original found here.   Then I loved the concept so much that I tried to think what else I could fit in those cute little treats.  I opted for tea bags.  I found these cute tea "packs" of herbal tea (4 bags per foil pack) and glue dotted them into the inside.  I had the (a muse) tea cup stamp, but I had to computer generate the sentiment. (the small pic shows the tea bags in there.)

 

Well, I'd say that's waaaaay too much for one post.  Thanks for visiting!  Have a great, creative week!

Chipboard for Christmas?

I, too, like the person suggesting Sharon's blog challenge this week, don't use chipboard!  I buy it and don't remember or save it.  So I stopped buying it.  NOW when I don't have any, it's the challenge!  :)  So I made one...I used a piece of cardboard backing from a SU order and die cut a snowflake out of it.  The next part is NOT like me.  Not only did I die cut it, I painted it and then I painted it again with shimmery paint. I wanted to use it for the Christmas Cards All Year Round challenge (use pastels) but I just couldn't make 5!  too much work!  (or I'm just lazy!!)  I'll just have to stamp some others for that challenge...oh darn. (wink, wink!)   Anyway, the inspiration came long ago from Lynne's blog where I loved this card.

Here's the shimmer...

Then there's H is for Holly over at ABC Christmas Challenge!  While I was in a snowflake mood, I tackled Holly, too!  The little penguin with the holly on his hat fit the bill, and I (shock!!) mixed two patterned papers to add a bit more holly and a Christmas feel. 

***edited to correct the pictures.

Just add ink...and texture...

The Just Add Ink challenge this week is a sketch.  I totally had something else in mind, but this is how it turned out...and I like it.  A little "formal" for me with the black background.  It looks warped...I don't know why...it was laying flat when I took the picture!  oops!  Anyway, I love the little bit of "oomph" that dry embossing gives to a background...and so does Totally Gorjuss...it's their challenge this week.  The above card works, but so does the one below.  The lemonade sentiment and glass are a digi stamp.  Print, color and basically DONE. Love that!

Pixie Dust...with wings!

Pixie Dust studio blog is having a Things with Wings challenge...to use anything that flutters or flies.  Normally, I'd be using butterflies...but this week, ladybugs fit the bill...TWICE.  You'll see what I mean.  The ladybug on the first card is an old TAC stamp, but the sentiment is from CTMH.  I still love that you can see through those stamps and you can bend and shape them to work with your images.  So, Hi Lady was shaped around the ladybug.  His black dots are stickled (i guess thats a verb!) to shine!

The next ladybug is hidden!  See if you can find it!  I had been wanting to try the "flowerpot" cards that stampers are making.  However, I had a hard time getting the insert with the flowers on it to "stay" or "sit" properly in the pot.  Then it hit me...it can be an easel card!   I built the flowerpot basically with the dimensions/look of the original, but it's only one layer on the card front.  Then, when you open the card, you can prop it up on the built in "easel" (two rhinestones) and have a nice pot of flowers (that won't wilt or die!) on your desk!  I think our secretaries will get these for Administrative Secretaries Day!  

 

Did you find the ladybug???  She's on the inside!!  :)

Curtain Call Card

OK, I'm not a bright colors girl!! The colors Stacey chose for the "tropical" curtain call this week are not even colors I own!  However, I AM a ribbon hoarder...so I had plenty of that!  I chose a green with pink polkadots, a pink satin (which looks a little red in the pic), orange gingham, yellow grosgrain and another green but with white polka dots.  They are mounted on another panel and popped up on the white card.  I had seen such beautiful "ribbon scrap" cards on Susan's (lateblossom) blog, Simplicity, and I've been wanting to try.  Perfect timing since I didn't have the papers to play along! 

Below is the SHAME I hide in supply cabinets...and this is only pink, orange, yellow and green!  :)  I do love ribbon.  In fact, it's hard to find a card of mine without some.  I'm lucky in that I drive by the Offray Ribbon Company's manufacturing site on the way to visit my parents.  They have an outlet store where they sell mistakes, overruns and miscellaneous odds and ends...but it keeps my ribbon cabinets very full!  I found some great things the last time I stopped in and stocked up.  I hope to be sharing the wealth on my ETSY site soon...ribbon at great prices!!! Hopefully by the end of the week!

 

One of the new ribbon colors I got this last time worked on this tulip card I made yesterday.  The photo editing still could not do this justice.  If it helps, the scallop circle is berry sorbet by pti...so the color is off a bit.  I think I like satin ribbons best, but I was able to find some great thicker grosgrain, too!  I would add this to the Pink Elephant challenge (nature)..but I'm a day late...darn!  I guess I'll check out the next one while I'm over at their blog! 

uh oh...it's been a week!!

Time to post some challenges!  It's been a week of baseball and work...pretty much in THAT order!  :)  But while the guys cut the grass, I got some time to play along...thank goodness!  I love the stamping part...I even love the posting part...it's the photo part that takes a while!  Getting the pix up, edited and linked is the most time consuming part of blogging.  But I love seeing what others do...so thanks for taking the time!

That said, let's move on...of course, I missed some deadlines!  Picture Perfect Creations  had a vanilla, chocolate chip and turquoise challenge.  Colors I love!  I was inspired by a great card I saw on SCS but I didn't write the artist down!  (I do that way too often...see great ideas and remember to CASE the great design later...and can't give credit...I have to get better at that!)

The next challenge is from Caardvarks - a baby theme challenge!  I needed a little gift card to put in a present and thought the new PTI set was so versatile with all of the little sentiments you can put on the little flag on the house.  Girl, boy, new house, from my studio, etc. Very cute idea!  Worked great for this little 4.25" by 4.25" card!

here's the little bit of sparkle...it IS a baby GIRL after all!  (I only have boys...I have to SPARKLE when I can!!) 

 

(sorry about the wierd shadows on the pix...tried to use natual light..but in a hurry took them through a window...I guess the screens are casting shadows!  boo!!)

Happy Easter...

to everyone - I hope the Bunny visited and you're able to visit with family and friends on what is (at least here in Maryland) a beautiful spring day! 

I mentioned in a previous post about my new neighbors and that they just had a baby girl!  I got to see her this morning for the first time.  BEAUTIFUL!  She looks like her equally beautiful older sister.  We had been out of town for a few days, so I haven't been doing any stamping, but I needed that baby girl card, so got to working.  Funny thing is, as I read through some wonderful comments from this week, I found a new challenge blog when Jean of Justscraps.ca left me a note!  Funny thing is, their challenge was "new beginnings" (including pastels).  She left such a nice note about all of her family's new beginnings and it made me think of our new little neighbor and getting to meet her today.  When I finished making a pastel pink version (with chocolate accents...though they seem to look black!), I figured I better just go ahead and do a baby blue version, too...yep...2 more co-workers expecting!  Always good to fill the card box for those kinds of occasions! 

Also while we were away, I got another WONDERFUL comment from the Deanne, Lesley and the ladies of Christmas Cards All Year 'Round!  I was chosen as the winner for the March challenge...to use a snowman and a mostly green card!!  Here is my entry.  How exciting!!  I actually can't wait to play again with these ladies...it's a fun challenge, it's a month long (so no hurries) and it stocks the box for Christmas cards we all know we'll need!  Stop by and give it a try!