North Pole Bound

 

I had so much fun making today's card - and it's nothing at all like what I normally make. Is it my best card ever? NO WAY! But it was fun and that makes me happy.

I used two Raisin Boat stamp sets and a variety of dies from different companies to make the card.

The Raisin Boat sets are Signs of Santa and Winter Heart and Sole.

Here's the inside of my card:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Sets: Raisin Boat Signs of Santa and Winter Heart and Sole stamped with Lawn Fawn Moonstone and Memento Tuxedo Black Inks

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Brown and Green, and SU Ballet Blue CS

Dies: MFT Hit the Road, Rubbernecker Nested Rectangle Stitch, and Sizzix Woodlands

Embellishment: Snowflake Brad from an unknown vendor

Live Life in Color

This is my eighth in my Could Ya? Should Ya? Would Ya? Yea! series. 

In this monthly series, I plan to try something out of the norm... i.e. a size of card I rarely use, a technique I've wanted to try (or try again), an unusual fold, a card for a bizarre holiday, etc. I also plan to try a new recipe on these days - not a card recipe, a kitchen recipe.

For this month's card, I tried a product I'd never used before - Stampin' UP!'s Pigment Sprinkles. I actually purchased them off of the Stampin' UP! Clearance Rack and it just arrived a couple of days ago.

I didn't know what I was doing - so I just experimented. I sprinkled three colors of the pigment onto white cardstock (maybe I should have used watercolor paper instead) and spritzed some water on it. It didn't dry fast enough to suit me (perhaps I put on too much water) so I heat-set it using my heat gun.

After the color was set, I stamped the sentiment and went to work putting together my very simple card.

And don't forget... there's the added feature of this series - try a new recipe. What's for supper? Roasted Tomato Soup. I hope we like it.

Last month I made Chicken Breast with Tomatoes and Garlic, which was pretty tasty. It did make way too much food for us to consume in one meal, so I made an Italian Vegetable soup out of the leftovers, adding some vegetables and broth to it.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Reverse Confetti Dream in Color stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Poppy  Parade CS

Die: MFT Stitched Mod Rectangle

Special Effect: SU Pigment Sprinkles

Embellishments: Simple Stories Enamel Dots

Little Gnome and His Bird Friend

 

I've fallen in love with gnomes and have quite a collections of gnome stamps so I'm doing a series featuring gnomes this year. Each month I create a gnome card. The date I share/post these cards changes from month to month, but the theme doesn't. 

There's No Series Like a Gnome Series

This gnome is from the Simon Says Spring Gnomes stamp set.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Simon Says Spring Gnomes stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Balmy Blue and Chocolate Chip CS and DP from  my scrap file

Dies: MFT Wonky Stitch Rectangle and Rubbernecker Nested Rectangle Stitch

Embellishments: SU Chocolate Chip Ribbon and Flowers, Leaves and a Brad from unknown vendors

My Dad the Handyman

 

This is the third Wednesday of the month, which means it is the day that Barb, Kelly, and I reveal our Ready, Set, Go cards. 

Not sure what Ready, Set, Go is? Well, it's a lot of fun! And a bit of creativity. And an extreme challenge theme.

Ready, Set, Go is an idea that Kelly came up with and she invited Barb and I to join her on the adventure. We take turns choosing the theme (this month it's Barb's turn), but the idea is for it to be a bit more challenging than just the average theme.

Barb's theme...

Our September posting date is September 16 and that day is holiday called “Working Parents Day”!  We have honored our parents in the past in a few different challenges and I want to do it again.  Think of your parents and the work that they did in their lives.  You can honor your mom or dad or both--your choice.  It can be an actual “job” that they had or showcase them working in another fashion.  Please make a card that highlights your working parents!  Ready?  Set. Go!

I wanted to honor my dad. He is an amazing man! I have one sister; no brothers... so my dad was the lone man in our household. We moved often (Daddy's job had us in a new location/state every 3-6 months) so there were always lots of handyman projects to tend to, vehicles to keep in running order, etc. He was always up to the challenge, even when working long hours on his day job. 

Be sure to check out Barb's blog and Kelly's blog to see what they did with this Ready Set Go theme!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: I wish I could tell you; I'm clueless. It was actually a digi that I'd colored years and years ago, when I served on a design team, but I can't remember which one

Papers: Recollections Black and White and SU Bordering Blue CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Screw Brads from an unknown vendor

A Roaring Good Time with the DDD

 

It's time for a little duel among friends. The Dueling Darlings have now entered their 11th year - that's almost unbelievable. 

Kelly came up with this fabulous idea and it has been incredible. There are two teams and each month two "hosts", one from each team. The hosts put their heads together and come up with a theme. They then each put together kits for their own team members - but it's all hush-hush. No one (not even the hosts) know what's in the other team's kits. On reveal day we all have fun checking out each others cards.

Today is reveal day (it's the 15th of each month). Dazzler Beth and Diva Heather are the hostesses this month and they chose a super fun theme...

A Roaring Good Time 

I received a kit from Beth, since I'm a Dazzler. Her kit included the following items...

Image/Sentiments: CC Designs The 20's Fellas

Paper: Bo Bunny and Ella & Viv

Embellishments: Michael's and Best Creation Inc. Baker's Twine, Craft Medley Sequins, and Brads

THANK YOU, Beth!

Be sure to check out the blogs for the Dazzlers and Divas (the links are in my left sidebar) to see what others have made with the kits that Beth and Heather sent out.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

The only thing I used in addition to what was in Beth's kit was some CS (Recollections White and SU Sahara Sand) and a die set (Rubbernecker Nested Rectangle Stitch).

2020 Travel the World - Week 37

I'm a day early with this week's card in my Travel the World series as tomorrow is the 15th, which means it will be time to post for the Dueling Darlings.

I started a Travel the World Series last year. (It should be noted that I did a similar thing in 2018, only it was the 50 states.) For 50 weeks in 2019, I visited a different country (virtually) and shared facts about that country. I then selected one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. Fifty weeks; fifty countries... BUT there are 195 countries in the world so that was just a little over 25% of them. Of course I couldn't stop, so this year I'm continuing with fifty more countries, one per week.

This week's country is...

Mexico

The country is located on the continent of North America, bordering the United States to the North and Guatemala and Belize to the South. On the east you will find the Gulf of Mexico while the North Pacific Ocean is on the west.

Traditionally, Mexico has been one of the most visited countries in the world.

The border between Mexico and USA is the busiest and most frequently crossed international border in the world. It is estimated that over 350 million people make this border crossing each year.

Mexico is one of only a few countries with more coastline than land borders. There are 1,365 islands scattered along the coast.

Mountains cover much of Mexico.

Located partway between the Equator and the Arctic Circle, the country supports a huge variety of plant and animal life and is a great refuge for animals looking for temperate climates and great conditions away from the extreme cold and intense heat between the tropics. The rainforests and wetlands are home to thousands of exotic animals and tropical plant species. Think jaguars, pumas, quetzal birds, and iguanas. Whales, manatees, and manta rays are a beautiful sight in the waters off the coast and various types of monkeys, lizards, and birds call the jungles of the southern Mexico home.

The national symbol of Mexico is the golden eagle.

The Dahlia is the national flower of Mexico.

Mexico is the largest silver producer in the world.

The Chihuahua has Mexican origins.

Artists can pay their taxes using artwork that they create.

Mexico City (the capital city) is the most populous metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere and the 7th largest in the world.

Mexico City is the most traffic-congested city in the world. It also has the largest taxi fleet of any city in the world boasting 100,000 taxis.

The subway system in Mexico is the least expensive in the world.

Mexico has the third highest number of airports of any country in the world.

Mexico has 68 official languages with Spanish being the most common.

Mexico has the second highest number of Catholic in the world, after Brazil. 81% of adults in the country identify as Roman Catholic.

The Christmas season lasts for almost a month until January. Children do not receive any presents on Christmas day, but on 6 January, the day referred to as El Dia De Reyes, commemorating Three Kings Day or arrival of the Three Wise men.

Mexico is the 14th largest country by land area and the 11th most populated country in the world with approximately 130 million people.

Mexico is home to the largest pyramid in the world. the Great Pyramid of Cholula standing at 180 feet tall. This pyramid is also one of the largest monuments ever constructed, measuring 1,480 square feet at its base.

Mexico is also home to the world’s smallest volcano in recorded history. The Cuexcomate volcano in Puebla stands at a mere 43 feet tall. For reference, the largest volcano Mauna Loa in Hawaii is 13,678 feet tall.

The longest and largest underwater cave system in the world is found in Mexico.

It is illegal to play the Mexican national anthem incorrectly.

The oldest university in North America, the National University of Mexico, was established in 1551.

Caesar salad was invented in Mexico.

Mexico is to be thanked for introducing these favorites to the world: Chocolate, Vanilla, Chilies, and Corn.

Mexico was also the first country to use tomatoes as food.

Popcorn was first domesticated 9,000 years ago in Mexico.

There’s a 3-foot tamale that weighs 150 pounds.

Mexico is the world’s biggest consumer of Coca Cola, with the highest consumption per capita. Each year, 118 million locals drink over 160 liters of Coca Cola each, equaling about half a liter every day. It is also the largest consumer of bottled water in the world.

Mexico has some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world. There is only one gun store in the entire country, located in Mexico City, and it is operated by the military. To purchase a weapon, citizens must submit references and subject themselves to background checks, fingerprinting, and being photographed, among other steps. Then and only then are they allowed to buy a single gun and a single box of bullets. The majority of the guns in Mexico, over 90%, are smuggled in from the U.S.

There’s a yearly volleyball match at the Mexican-US border between residents in Naco in Arizona and residents from Naco in Mexico. 

The national sport of Mexico is the Charreada. This is a competitive sport somewhat similar to a rodeo. A lively vibe of cowboys in costume show off their lassoing while attempting to make their mounts dance to the music. 

I decided to let this Mexico fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Bullfighting is a 500-year-old traditional Mexican sport played in a bullring for the entertainment of the audience.  The largest bullfighting ring in the world – the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City – has a seating capacity of up to 50,000 persons.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Sugar Pea Designs Hug a Bull stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Black, and SU Real Red CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio Brads

Mission Possible 09.13.2020

In March I debuted a quarterly adventure here on my blog called Mission Impossible Possible. This is the third mission. As with the other two, I mailed a secret item to my two card-making comrades, Barb and Kelly, with the following instructions...

Good day, Ms. Card-Maker. You did an outstanding job with your last mission and are to be commended!

 

As I prepared for this next mission I had an item picked out, purchased, and waiting for the time to mail it to you. Then –THEN – I saw the amazing work of Dina Roedel Kowai and immediately knew I wanted to go a different direction. She used the cloud edger stencil that is getting so much attention right now, but she paired it with another item that caught my eye, too. It is that “other item” that is your next mission, should you choose to accept it. You’ll discover what that item is by opening the enclosed package.

 

You and the other two team members (the same ones you worked with last time) will determine the date to execute the mission, preferably sometime in the month of September.

 

This message will not self-destruct in five seconds, since I have no ability to do that and besides, you might need to refer to it again at some point.

Good day, Ms. Card-Maker… and Good Luck!

I am happy to say that both Barb and Kelly have accepted this mission. Today is the day that we are sharing the mission outcome.

Mission Impossible Possible

I loved the way Dina paired the embossing folder with the gorgeous sky she created using the Cloud Edger stencil from A Colorful Life - so I decided to give that a try myself. She has an amazing video showing how to do this and has given me permission to share the link here on my blog. Please be sure to check it out - her technique really IS amazing! Click HERE to see her YouTube video.

I will admit, this sky was the third try for this card. My first one just looked horrible. I had harsh edges (even more harsh than these) and the colors seemed off to me.

With my second attempt I decided to try to add some blue sky, too. DUH! I knew better than that because I know that yellow and blue make green. You guessed it... my sky looked green in spots. UGH!

While this sky doesn't look all that great, it was much better than the other two attempts so I decided to use it.

Be sure to head over to Kelly's blog and Barb's blog to see their cards, too. They might be running a wee bit late so if you don't see their Mission Possible posts right away, check back on their blogs later... after all, you'll always be inspired by whatever is on their blogs because they are both so very VERY talented.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Mission Possible Item: Taylored Expressions Walking in Sunshine Embossing Folder

Stamp Set: Newton's Nook Sunflower Days stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Stencil: A Colorful Life Cloud Edger blended with Lawn Fawn Lemonade, Sunflower, and Wild Rose Inks

Papers: Accent Opaque 120# White, Recollections Black and SU Grapefruit Grove CS

Die: MFT Stitched Rounded Rectangle

Embellishments: Foof-a-La Button, SU Ribbon, and another Ribbon from an unknown vendor