Circle of Friends Award from Becky

I am touched and honor to receive this Circle of Friends Award from my dear friend Becky It is she who inspires me with her devotion to God and her wonderful creativity.
I have the honor to pass this on to some of my friends although I cannot begin to list all the wonderful ladies I have met here and who I consider my friends. Even if your name is not listed you know who you are and can pick up this award also.
Ceal
Linda
Teresa
Ann
Jackie


To pick up the Circle of Friends Blog Award:

Cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog.
Nominate at least 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends.
Link to your nominees, within your blog post and include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post.
To show your appreciation to the person who gave you the award, link back to their blog. Finally, comment on the recipient’s blogs, to let them know they've received the award.

Christmas in July challenges

I am combining the SNSS Christmas in July challenge with Korin Sutherlands' sketch from the Sweet Stop challenge for the week of July 25th. I chose the SNSS set called Christmas Poinsettias designed by Chris Dickinson.
y card stock is SU Riding Hood Red as is the ink. My patterned paper is from the Basic Grey Wassail collection, scallop and oval punches are SU and Stickles for trim and sparkle. I also cut out the wreath and mounted it on the dark red layer for more emphasis. It's hard to believe we are in the second half of yet another year. While I am not at all ready to think about cold weather and the Holidays, I guess it doesn't hurt to get creative juices flowing to think about Christmas cards. This is my 2nd one in a week, but I still can't get into the mood to make them yet...Thanks for looking and I hope you like me are enjoying wearing summer clothes and thinking summer thoughts!

Happy Friend x 2

This week's color challenge on SCS is to use Not Quite Navy, Pretty in Pink and Really Rust. The Navy and Pink were easy but adding the Rust made me think this out. Paper Blooms Challenge for July 15, was to use animals which made me think of the elephant for both challenges. The card is pretty simple using the NQN base, patterned paper and pink to layer and color the image. The little bit of Rust comes in the flower leave, grass and sponging on the white paper. A rust rhinestone accents the butterfly. This stamp set Happy Heart Day always makes me smile. All paper and ink is Stampin'Up. This card is for all of you my friends! Love ya!

In the Pink!

Wow, I can't believe I have a card ready for this week's Belli Challenge! I made this as a CASE of a friends card but as the rules are, I changed several things including the addition of tiny flowers and placement of the sentiment and butterfly. The Belli Challenge is to use metal tags on your card. I used SU's Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, I just love the creamy color! My stamps are the swirls from Baroque Motifs as a background using the new Mellon Mango ink on Vanilla cs. I added some tiny flowers using Pretty in Pink ink which was also used for the butterfly base to which Mellon Mango was used to "kiss" the stamps together to make a pattern. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes, cs is textured Mellon Mango with dotted ribbon trim, butterfly is from Flight of the Butterfly raised with dimensionals and accented with a clear gemstone brad. I know I would be feel better receiving a cheerful card like this if I were the recipient, just love the colors!

Sweet Stop Sketch

The challenge on Sweet Stop this week has a spin; it must be a Christmas card made with the sketch. I am really having a hard time getting my brain to work in Christmas card mode. Last week's Ways to Use challenge on SCS also was a Christmas theme, so here is my entry for that as well. I chose part of SNS set Christmas Cheer designed by Korin Sutherland. I stamped the stocking image on watercolor paper and colored the ball, kitty and gift but pieced the stocking in SU patterned paper. I used Stickles in Gold for the gift ribbon and Frosted Lace for the stocking edging, also white gel pen for stiching. The card stock is SU Riding Hood Red, Wassail by Basic Grey which I also used in combination with the SU dsp to make paper ribbon for trim. I mounted the cut out image with dimensionals, sponged the Whisper White embossed Swiss Dots (CB folder) with R.H. Red and scalloped the with the SU lace punch, added Goldenberry Dew Drops (Robins Nest) on the bottom and a medallion sticker I bought at Michaels.

Award from Linda

Thank you so much Linda for this award. If any of you aren't yet familiar with Linda's wonderful creations, please check out her blog She has so many lovely cards and projects. Wait until you see the photos of her craft room, wow!!
I'd like to pass this award on all of you who read and comment on my blog. It means so much to me to know that you have taken the time to do so. I hope you will feel free to pick up the award for yourself. You all have Beautiful Blogs and have so much to contribute to your sister stampers.
Have a wonderful day!
Big hugs!

Saturday's Stamp Camp at Ruth Murphy's

I attended Ruth Murphy's Stamp Camp with another demo friend at which we made some terrific cards. This is the 1st and is made using the brand new Autumn Days stamp which makes a super masculine card! Ruth's design called for Crushed Curry cs for the base, Soft Suede printed in the same ink using the new Woodgrain background stamp, masking of the sky to reveal the blazing sun and and stamping the pheasant only once but using three colors on the stamp. First I stamped in Crushed Curry, then the feet & bottom in Soft Suede and finishing him in Dusty Durango. I love the effect all this gave. I did have some trouble using the daubers for the sky and ground; I haven't mastered a light touch with them. I much prefer sponging! Everyone's card was slightly different, making each one our own interpretation. I have done this with the next cards as well.


This card I call Blazing Roses. Ruth chose the cs and ink colors, but we took it from there as to how deep we wanted the roses to be. The Manhattan Flower embossing folder created the image on Shimmer paper. Turning it to the indented side, I first brayered in YoYo Yellow, then Pink Passion and finally Only Orange giving it an unusual color and leaving the outline white. I then cut the flowers out, stamped some leaves from A Rose is a Rose in Always Artichoke, cut them out and glued all to the orange cs layer then mounted on the Pink Passion base. The card is finished with a sentiment from Oval All layered onto a scallop layer of Pink Passion. I had a lot of fun with this card!

These are only two of the 5 cards we made. I'll post others soon. Thanks for looking.

CBC#69 and SCS WT227

I'm finally getting some cards finished and posted....seems like there is always something taking up my time these days.....I thought summer was supposed to be simple and lazy....but I don't find it that way...too much to do!
I did make this card last week and it qualifies for the Creative Belli Challenge which was to use texture on the card. My texture is the wide twill tape on which I stamped the floral image and also Crystal Effects which I dotted on the tree leaves. The Ways to Use challenge on SCS is to use 2 of the same items on your card, so I did the with the tiny flower accents. My stamp set is SU Thoughts and Prayers from the new 2009-2010 SU Idea Book and Catalog. I used Basic Brown, Rich Razzleberry & Ivory cs and ink & Always Artichoke ink.