Green Thoughts

I love COLOR! All colors! A lot of color!!! And I love designer papers that showcase a variety of colors. Soooooooo... what was April thinking when she challenged the Sistahs (Sisterhood of the Traveling Cards swap group) to create MONOCHROMATIC cards!??!?!?!? EEK!!!

Here's my best attempt...

hmmmmmmmm... I wonder if it's okay that I also used white on my card. (Is green and white considered monochromatic?)



Can you see the two colors of green on the stamped image. It's really quite fun. I used to love Stampin' UP!'s two-step stamping sets, but hadn't used one in quite a while. And look at those gorgeous pearls.

The inside of the card has a wee bit of pizzazz, too...

I even added a teeny tiny pearl to the inside sentiment...

I hope April likes my cards!


Image & Sentiments: Stampin' UP! Field Flowers
Ink: Stampin' UP! Certainly Celery, Garden Green, and Wild Wasabi
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Whisper White and Wild Wasabi
Designer Paper: Paper Studio
Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Pearls and Wild Wasabi Ribbon

Today is a Day for Remembering

It's the 28th... time for the Calendar Girls blog group to post our monthly creations. YAY!

Miss May is none other than Barb. You remember Barb, I'm sure. I mention her OFTEN here in  my blog. She's the one I love to torment.... EEK! Did I say that publicly? Actually, she is a very dear friend (I've even had the privilege of meeting her in real life) and is such a good sport about my teasing.

Barb gave us a marvelous challenge for May! These are her words:

Here is the Challenge for the Month of May…………. Memorial Day--a day of honor, remembrance, family picnics, parades, flags placed at cemeteries, concerts and the unofficial start to summer! So the challenge this month for the Calendar Girls is to ink up a patriotic stamp, get out the red/white/blue paper and DSP to post a card that shouts respect to your country and those who have served in the past. I would also like you to note in your post on the 28th what is in your plans this year or what typically has been part of your celebration in the past years on Memorial Day. Paola--my challenge to you is to also show us your Canadian Patriotism with a card that reflects the colors and images that you are proud of.


I'll begin with my Memorial Day plans... I think we're going to go for a drive into sounthern Illinois. Not very exciting, certainly not a reflection of the meaning of Memorial Day, but that's what my husband wants to do. Besides, I do enjoy hanging out with three of my favorite men - my husband, our son Brock, who goes with us everywhere we go, and ELVIS on my car radio which is equipped with Syrius satelite radio... so it sounds like a good day for a drive.
 
Now, about my card. Barb - and you - might find this funny... but I couldn't easily find a patriotic image/stamp in all my stash. (There are probably some there.... but my quick search came up empty.) Soooooooooo I went to the web to find a free digi. Isn't that what any resourceful cardmaker would do??? I found one here.
 

This is the card I made:

 

and here's the inside of my card (way too simple for my liking):

 
LOL! You're not going to believe this... but i just now remembered that I have a Whipper Snapper patriotic image. I'm sure Barb will get a big giggle out of my story, anyway.
 
Now....... be sure to go to the other Calendar Girl blogs to see what they've made. The links are in my left-hand sidebar.
 

And as you check out the Calendar Girls' patriotic cards,

remember those individuals for whom

this Memorial Day is celebrated,

our fallen soldiers.

 

 
 
Image: free online coloring page (the price was definiely right)
Ink: Copic Markers and Copic Spica Pen
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Crushed Curry and Real Red
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Four Seasons
Embellishments: Offray Ribbon and Star Brads (vendor unknown)

It's Vacation Time!

School is out in our town... which seems to start Vacation season.... so it's the perfect time for the new Twisted Tuesday Challenge

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

May 22 - June 4

(NOTE: This is a 2-week challenge!)

Theme: Vacation

The Twist: Make It Simple

. . . . . . . .

Where would you like to go on vacation???

I'd like to go to Europe!

(A girl can dream, right?)

Here's the inside of my card:

Image: Penny Black London
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copic Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black and Cherry Cobbler
Designer Paper: Paper Studio
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Stampin' UP! Organdy Ribbon

Mysteries Await

Every other month, a group of us on SCS take on a challenge. One serves as the hostess and sends mystery images to all the other swappers, who must then create a set of cards using that image. This time, Linda (ljhart) was the hostess. WOW! What a surprise her image was. I'd never heard of Outline Rubber Stamps before. She sent us the "Nature's Fairies" image. It was a wonderful image to work with - great fun - though I don't feel like I did it justice at all.

In fact, my first idea turned out to really disappoint...

I was not one bit happy.... so I went with Plan B...

Truthfully, I am not too happy with it either. UGH! (If you want to see some pretty cards made with this image, check out Barb's, Carol's, or Tami's blogs).

Here's the inside of my card...

I hope Linda isn't too disappointed in me. :(

Image: Outline Rubber Stamp Company
Ink: Copic Markers and Copic Spica Pens
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black, Cherry Cobbler, and Crushed Curry
Embellishments: Foof-a-La Buttons, Stampin' UP! Wine Organdy Ribbon, Stickles Glitter Glue, and crochet thread (vendor unknown)

Cute Treat Bags

I went to a Stampin' UP! card club yesterday. It is great fun! The Stampin' UP! demo even plays Elvis Radio while we create. ;) I go whenever I get a chance.

I don't usually show what we make, since the demo actually comes up with the idea and prepares kits for us. I don't feel like it is mine to share. KWIM? However, this time I'm making an exception because these are just too cute!

These treat bags are fairly small. The bags themselves measure 3 1/2" x 6 1/2". They are the perfect size for adding treats or small items for gift-giving. Some of the ladies said they would put candy in them and use them at Thanksgiving. One lady plans to put paper napkins in them (and maybe plastic forks, spoons,  knives) and use them at the place settings for her fall family gathering. I think they would be perfect for adding yummy treats and taking to shut-ins and/or those in a nursing home.

I will definitely be making more of these turkeys and scarecrows!

Dance In the Rain

I am the Forest Ranger on SCS. As the Forest Ranger, it seems appropriate that I host "forest" card swaps. My 10th swap has just ended. It was Rain in the Forest... swappers were asked to create RAINy cards.

As a bonus, if a swapper used a repurposed/recycled/found  item on her cards (and told  me about it), she got an extra card in her return envelope.

This is the card I made for the swappers who took me up on the bonus offer:

Can you figure out what the recycled item is on my card???

I used a die to cut the flower out of a panel from the old (worn out) vertical blind that used to hang at our back door.

Here's the inside of my card:

I just opened the 11th Forest swap - FOOD in the Forest . I'd love to have you join. ;)


Image & Sentiment: Unity Dance in the Rain
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black and Cool Caribbean
Designer Paper: Paper Studio Spoiled Rotten Collection and Recollections Grandma's Quilt
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones and Stampin' UP! Ribbon

Get Your Duel On

FYI - I have two blog posts today, this one and the Twisted Tuesday Challenge one that follows it. Please check them both out. THANK  YOU!

On the 15th of every month, the Dueling Darlings have a little friendly duel here on our blogs. There's one theme chosen by the two hostesses who send kits to their team members. No one knows what the other team's kits contain until the reveal. It's great fun to see 1.) what the other team had to work with, and 2.) what team members create with the same items.

This month our hostesses were Paola for the Dazzlers (I'm a Dazzler) and Judy for the Divas. They chose the theme: SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

Paola sent the Dazzlers way too many things to include on one card... yes! I do have lots of leftovers! There were images, sentiments, quotes, butterflies, flowers, beads, belt buckles, ribbon, etc., etc. It was such a fun assortment! THANK YOU, PAOLA!!! You and Judy did a fabulous job with this month's duel!

Here's the card I created:

... and the inside of my card:

Our incredible hostesses also asked us to tell what we love about May. A number of years ago, I would have told you the thing I love most about May would be the end of the school year! I absolutely loved having our three children home - I lived for summer vacation even more than they did. But alas, they are all grown up now and so the end of school no longer holds the same appeal it once did for me. So I guess I will say the warmer temperatures and the opportunity to open windows and bring the outside in.

Now, let's go check and see what the other Dueling Darlings created...

DAZZLERS

April

Darlene

Deb

Melina

Michelle

Paola

Terry

DIVAS

Barb

Carol

Jamie

Judy

Kelly

LJ

Tami

Image: Stampin' UP! Serene Spring (stamped with Versafine Antique Sepia and colored with Copic Markers) 

Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Soft Suede and Very Vanilla

Designer Paper: Costco

Embellishments: Stampin' UP! Vanilla Hardware, Craft Ribbon (vendor unknown), Jolee's Flower... and I added from ivory pearls that I purchased at Michael's

Time for a CHAIN Creation!

It's Tuesday! You know what that means...

It's time for a new

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

May 15 - 21

Theme: Use a CHAIN on your creation.

You may use a row of bling (that's what I did), a literal chain, or a row of anything.

The TWIST: Your creation must be tall or long.

Here's my card:

I keep seeing cards with banners in my surfing the 'net adn I wanted to create one of my own. I used mostly scraps on my card - even the  grass is a scrap (it's the left over part after I punched out a row of grass with my Martha Stewart grass punch).

The row of rhinestones is my chain.

I had to do a little something inside my card, too:

You have a week to come up with your own chain creation. Tee Hee! Let's have a CHAIN REACTION!


Sentiment: Hero Arts
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Bordering Blue and Cranberry Crisp
All Other Papers: from my scrap file
Embellishments: Michael's Rhinestones

Little Things DO Make a Difference

I have always believed that! Little Things DO Make a Difference!

Little packages are often the best ones.

Little words spoken kindly can make someone's day.

Little gestures (like opening the door for someone, offering a smile to a stranger, etc.) brighten the lives of others.

AND little touches on cards improve their looks.

Here is a card I made recently:

It wasn't a BAD card, I loved the image, the papers and colors were cheerful, the layout fit... but it seemed to lack something.

So I got to playing around and this is what I ended up creating:

I don't know about you, but I think that LITTLE circle made a HUGE difference!



Image: Whipper Snapper Violet's Special Day
Sentiment: A Muse Essential Sentiments
Ink: Copic Markers and Memento Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Pumpkin Pie and Regal Rose and Paper Co. Chocolate Linen Textured
Designer Paper: Prima Marketing Inc. Sasha Paper Collection
Embellishments: Michael's Pearls and Prima Fleurs de Prima Delightful Day Flowers

Happy Birthday with a Twist

It's time for a new Twisted Tuesday Challenge... are you ready?

Twisted Tuesday Challenge

May 8 - 14

Theme: Birthday

Twist: You must use RIBBON on your creation

I think Birthdays should always include ice cream, don't you?

Happy Birthday.... with Ribbon! How fun is that??!?!?!? Won't you join the Twisted Tuesday Challenge this week?

Celebrating Those Who Love Us

On the 5th of each month, the Crafty Gals (a blog group I'm part of) share something we've worked on. One of us serves as the hostess of the month, which means she gets to choose the details of the challenge.

For May, our challenge was to created a card celebrating Those Who Love Us. We were instructed to use at least three layers, at least two embellishments, and at least one sentiment.

Today, I'm celebrating Brock... because he DOES love me! For those of you who don't know, Brock is my autistic son. I marvel at his ability to love and to show his love, since that should be difficult for someone who is autistic. One of Brock's favorite things to do is to give hugs. (He also laughs often and with vigor). So I chose a sentiment that fits Brock perfectly.

Here's my card:

I used a mostly monochromatic color scheme - because Brock's favorite color is GREEN!

And of course, I have to show you the inside of my card, too:

Be sure to check out the  other Calendar Girl blogs and see what they made. I know there are going to be some great cards to admire!


Sentiment: Stampendous
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Black and Garden Green
Designer Paper: from my scrapfile
Embellishments: Ribbon (vendor unknown) and Michael's Rhinestones