Friday, August 31, 2018

Abundant Thanks



A friend needed a few Thank You notes to send to some special workers, so I volunteered to make them for her. 

This is one of the cards I made for her. I hope she likes it.





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Unity Abundant Blessings stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Wild Wasabi CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: American Crafts Ribbon and Recollections Rhinestones

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Rose Wonder Thank You



Saying Thank You is such a nice gesture. 

When a friend told me she needed a few thank you notes I readily agreed to make them for her. This is one of the cards I made for her.




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Stampin' UP!  Rose Wonder stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black, 110# Red, and 110# White CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Recollections Rhinestones

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Here's An Apple for You


I love Stamp Anniething stamps - they are adorable! And they stamp so beautifully. Therefore I like to snoop around peruse the Stamp Anniething's Stampers group on Facebook!

Not too long ago, I noticed sign-ups were open for a card-partner swap. If you signed up, they would pair you with someone else and give you a free digital image to use in making a card to mail to your partner. Well, duh! Where do I sign up, right!?!?!?! 

The Stamp Anniething image they gave us to use is "Apple Girl" and she is such a cutie! Fun to color! Sweet!!!







I mailed my card to my partner last week. She's in the sunny state of Florida, so I hope she's gotten it by now. I didn't want to post a picture until she did, for fear she'd see it before actually receiving the card. I kind of like surprises. ;)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Digital Image: Stamp Anniething Apple Girl colored with Copic Markes

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

Embellishments: Affray Ribbon and Brads from an unknown vendor

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Personal Challenge 2018 - Week 35


NOTE: This is my second blog post of the day. If you're interested in seeing my Challenge Your Stash card, either keep scrolling (it's the next blog post), or go HERE.


This is the 35th week of my personal 50-week States of the Union Challenge. Each week I research one of the 50 United States (in the order they attained statehood). I share tidbits of information about the state here on my blog and I create a card that is inspired by something about that state.

This week's state (the 35th one to attain statehood) is...



West Virginia
Date of Statehood: June 20, 1863


West Virginia is considered the southern most northern state and the northern most southern state.

West Virginia's nickname is the Mountain State and its motto is "Mountaineers Are Always Free."

West Virginia is the second-largest coal producing state in the United States (Wyoming is the largest coal producing state).

75% of the total area of this state is covered by forests.

The idea of outdoor advertising was born in West Virginia when a tobacco company began placing written advertisements on the sides of barns.

West Virginia has the oldest population of any state. The median age is 40.

A massive underground fallout shelter was built in the 1950s beneath the popular hot springs resort for the U. S. Congress in case of nuclear attack. The bunker could accommodate over 1,000 people for at least 60 days. That part of the resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, is now open for public tours. 

At more than 3000 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge, located in Fayette County, is the longest steel-span bridge in the Western hemisphere. It’s also one of the highest bridges in the country, making it a magnet for BASE jumpers, who flock to it every third Saturday in October —the one day of the year when they’re allowed to jump.

In 1949 the citizens of Mole Hill, West Virginia collectively decided to change the name of the town to “Mountain” and successfully made 'Mountain' out of the Mole Hill. Now the town is known as Mountain, West Virginia.

The first brick street in the world was laid in Charleston, West Virginia, on October 23, 1870.

Weirton West Virginia is the only city in the U.S. that extends from one state border to another.

The 1500 Block of Virginia Street in Charleston is considered the longest city block in the world.

The 500-acre federal women's prison known as Federal Industrial Institution for Women in Alderson, West Virginia, opened in 1926, and was the first prison to house female inmates. Most of the residents were serving more than one year for drug and alcohol crimes during Prohibition (1920-33).

At 485 feet high and with a dish that spans 2.3 acres, the Green Bank Telescope, located in southeastern West Virginia, is the largest fully steerable telescope in the world.

One of the first suspension bridges in the world was completed in Wheeling in November 1849.

On September 10, 1938, the Mingo Oak, largest and oldest white oak tree in the United States, was declared dead and felled with ceremony.

One of the largest family reunions in the world takes place every summer in the town of Flat Top. That’s when around 2500 members of the Lilly clan get together, along with a few hundred non-family members.

On the National Register of Historic Places the world famous Coal House was built in 1933 as a result of an idea by O.W. Evans, then manager of the N & W Railways Fuel Department. By using 65 tons of coal from the multi-million dollar seams surrounding this bustling southern West Virginia town. The Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce & Williamson Convention and Visitors Bureau are housed in the world famous Coal House.

The last surviving U.S. World War I veteran, Frank Buckles, lived on a farm near Charleston until his death in 2011, at 110 years old. Buckles had lied about his age when he enlisted as a 16-year-old, and spent the duration of the war as an ambulance driver on the Western front. When asked how it felt to be last of the nearly 5 million American soldiers who fought in the conflict, Buckles said, “I knew there’d be only one someday. I didn’t think it would be me.”

The first Mother’s Day celebration took place in 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia. The founder, Anna Jarvis, started it in honor of her own recently deceased mother, and meant it to be a humble day of remembrance. 

Here are some West Virginia laws...

When a railroad passes within 1 mile of a community of 100 or more people in it, they must build a station and stop there regularly to pick up and drop off passengers.

Whistling underwater is prohibited.

It is against the law to snooze on a train.

For each act of public swearing a person shall be fined one dollar.

Although it was repealed in 2010, the law used to say a person should be placed in jail for up to six months for making fun of someone who does not accept a challenge.

If you live in the tiny mountain town of Alderson, West Virginia, you will have to keep your lion, tiger, or other large feline on a leash when you go for a walk. This is the only known law of its kind in the world. 

In Huntington, it is against the law to beat your wife so long as it is done in public on Sunday, on the courthouse steps.

No member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service in Nicholas County.


I decided to go with this bit of West Virginia information for my card's inspiration... Due to its mountain setting, the temperature rarely tops 90 degrees here even on the hottest summer days. But when it does, Bluefield’s Chamber of Commerce provides free lemonade to all the townsfolk!





If life gives you lemons,
Smile and make lemonade!



Here's the inside of my card:



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Supplies Used

Stamps: Sparkle Creations Lemonade Ruby and Stampabilities Sending Happy Thoughts stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Dies: Nestablilties Circles

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Bordering Blue and Early Espresso CS and Paper Studio Tiny Yellow Polka Dot DP and other DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Gina Marie Enamel Dots

Down on the Farm


If you're like me, you have way more stamps/toys than you can use on a regular basis. It's shameful the amount of stamps I have that have never seen ink. (insert embarrassed face)

In an attempt to use some of what I have a bit more, I jumped at the chance to join the Challenge Your Stash group on SCS as soon as Barb organized it. The idea is once a month - on the 28th - we all create a card using what we have. One of the members gives us the theme for the month.

This month's hostess is Vickie and she chose the theme Down on the Farm, challenging us to create a card using anything we would find on a farm. THANK YOU for a great theme, Vickie! I had a lot of stamps to choose from, but I went with one I had never made a card with before - Inky Antics Farm Friends #1.






Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Inky Antic Farm Friends #1 stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Sahara Sand CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor

Monday, August 27, 2018

Gallery Gazers CASE #2


Last month I introduced a new blog group that I am a part of; in fact, I'm the one who created the Gallery Gazers blog group. The premise behind the group is friendship, a shared love of stamping, and also a shared admiration for the many amazing creators who post in the SCS Gallery. Once a month, we are each to choose a card/project from the SCS Gallery to CASE. This post is the card I made after being inspired by Barbara's (Bar on SCS) card found HERE.

Obviously any CASE is not a direct copy of the original crafter's work, so I shook things up quite a bit from the card Barbara made. Different colors for the flowers, plus she used a single flower, while I used a flower image with three blooms on it. More layers to my card... and the card base is a color. I also changed the placement of my sentiment, just because my sentiment was a bit too large to look right in Bar's sentiment placement.

I'll admit I struggled with the vellum piece. I had no clue how to adhere it, since usually when using vellum, I adds something on top of it (embellishments, etc) to hold it in place. I even sought some advice from friends. I ended up using Sizzix Sheet Adhesive on the back, which worked, but it tends to give the vellum a milky look, which I don't like.

I am not overly happy with my card, as a whole, but it might be because I absolutely LOVED Barbara's card and I feel like mine falls very VERY short of her beautiful creation.




Oh, and a really funny thing.... this is my second Gallery Gazer card. My first one was on July 29th and can be seen HERE. Honestly I did not remember what card I'd CASE'd or how my card looked until I went to put together this blog post. WOW! There sure is a lot of similarity, isn't there?

I'll have to be more careful next month. 


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Stampin' UP! Blended Seasons stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers (I used my Scan N Cut to cut out the image)

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Cameo Coral CS and DP and Vellum from my scrap file

Embellishments: Cloud 9 Rain Dots and Viva Glas Effekt Gel (for the flower centers)

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Dare to Get Dirty


I have never participated in Dare to Get Dirty on SCS before this year. In fact, I was even kind of clueless about what it is. (insert embarrassed face)

And... I can't really say what it is, for the most part because only SCS Fan Club members are privy to the themes. Suffice it to say, there are a lot of challenges and the themes can be ----- a bit challenging. LOL!

I only was able to complete 5 of the cards, since I was out of town the majority of the "Dare to Get Dirty" days, but I had fun and will certainly look forward to it again next year.

Without telling themes, I'm going to post pictures of the fronts of my five cards (in no particular order)...


Power Poppy In Praise of Sunflowers




Technique Tuesday Christ Is Born 
Technique Tuesday Nativity Silhouette




Our Daily Bread Footprints




I've had this stamp a long time and can't remember who made it. 
It is cling mount rubber, without identification.
I thought it was a Whiff of Joy "Charlie" stamp, 
but I'm unable to verify that.




The Greeting Farm Travel Anya



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Have a Hearty Breakfast on This Egg-cellent Day



I don't like hate most breakfast foods! That being said, I do like BACON! (and donuts)

And... I like LOVE the many breakfast items at Eyelet Outlet! Can anyone say Eyelet Outlet has a great assortment of Stamps, Brads, Washi!?!?!?!?

I even created my own background for this card (it isn't designer paper) with Eyelet Outlet products - 3 different designs of Washi Tape. Such fun!




Eyelet Outlet Products Used:


Here's the inside of my card
(features Washi Tape and the stamp set):



Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Eyelet Outlet Products: Bacon Egg and Toast BradsBreakfast Clear Stamp Set (stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers), Brick Washi Tape, Egg BradsSilverware Washi Tape, and Skinny Washi Tape

Papers: Recollections Black, Cream, and White and SU Ballet Blue CS and DP from my scrap file


Friday, August 24, 2018

Basket of Flowers


The Creative Card Chicks were hosted by Maggie this month. Maggie chose "Flowers" for her theme, since she loves nature. She sent us a fabulous assortment of images, sentiments, papers, and embellishments. 

Images: Stampin UP - Birds - Color Me Happy
SU - Basket, butterfly, heart tag, sentiments - Blossoming Basket
Designer Paper - SU Delightful Daisy

Flower - Prima
Sequins - Stampin UP
Lace, Pearls, and Bling from her stash
SU - Pink Ribbon; other ribbon from her stash

THANK YOU Maggie! I loved coloring the basket of flowers. I hope you (and the other Chickies) will like my card!




Thank you for stopping by my blog today!



The only thing of my own that I used to make my card was some Stampin UP! Cardstock - Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, and Night of Navy.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Don't Hate Me



There's a new stamp set at The Project Bin and int even comes with  a coordinating set of dies.

The images in it are two cute ghosts... and the sentiments are just way too fun!






The inspiration for my overall design was a set of artwork that I saw in the restaurant where my family ate on Sunday. I thought this piece was quite fascinating, so I used it as part of the sketch/design for my card...



This angle shows that the larger ghost is on one of those wobble mechanisms, which means it is amusingly wobbly. I wanted to post a video to show the movement, but am apparently not smart enough to know how to do that. I'm sorry. Let's just use our imagination, okay?




This is the inside of my card - the sentiment is from the Cool Ghoul set:




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp/Die Set: The Project Bin Cool Ghoul stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Pumpkin Pie CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Michael's Ribbon

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Just Another Day in Paradise




There's a new challenge at Craftaholics R Us starting today. Are you ready?

I hope you'll play along!


August 22 - 28

Theme: Paradise



Here's my card:




Here's a closeup of a piece of paradise:




Here's the inside of my card:



This is my 34th post for the Craftaholics R Us design team. How time flies, right? Janis, the "owner" of Craftaholics R Us plus a few other challenge blogs, is such a joy to work with. She has made my experience on the design team a true pleasure. I appreciate having had the experience! 

THANK YOU, Janis! 

I've decided it is now time for me to step down from the team. Therefore today's card will be my last one as a member of the Craftaholics R Us design team.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamps: Bugawumps Just Another Day in Paradise and Our Daily Bread Happy Retirement stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black, Kraft, and White CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishment: Flip Flops Brad from an unknown vendor

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Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Personal Challenge 2018 - Week 34


This is the 34th week of my personal 50-week States of the Union Challenge. Each week I research one of the 50 United States (in the order they attained statehood). I share tidbits of information about the state here on my blog and I create a card that is inspired by something about that state.

This week's state (the 34th one to attain statehood) is...



Kansas
Date of Statehood: January 29, 1861


It's not a stereotype: Kansas does have a lot of tornados. From 1950 to 2012, the state experienced an average of 61 twisters a year. However, if you look at the data from 2003 to 2012, that figure jumps to 112 per year.

Ever heard the expression "Kansas is flatter than a pancake?" In 2003, geographers decided to test eh colloquialism by making a topographic profile of an IHOP pancake using a laser microscope. They compared it with a digital model of the state's elevation data, and found that Kansas was, indeed, flatter than a pancake. Subsequent research, however, shows that six states - including Florida, Illinois and North Dakota - are actually flatter than the Sunflower state.

Wichita is one of the nation's top plane manufacturing cities. Interestingly, at least for me, my parents met at one of the airplane manufacturers when getting physicals for employment there. You might also like to know that I was born in Wichita, though my family left there when I was a 2-year-old. My Dad became a Minute Man for Boeing and with that job came a lifestyle of moving every 3 to 6 months all over the western half of the United States.

Driving down Highway 281, a few miles northwest of Lebanon you will see a Historical Marker that announces you are smack-dab in the center of the United States.

If you stand in a certain spot in White Cloud you can view the panoramic vistas of the Missouri River valley and see four states, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, all at once without taking a step. Locals call the spot, the 4-State Lookout. 


North of Ashland is the Rock Island Railroad bridge built in 1939 and nicknamed, the Sampson of the Cimarron. Possibly the longest known railroad bridge spanning over 1,200 feet across the Cimarron River and towering 114 feet, give or take a foot, above the river. 

The Big Well in Greensburg is known as the world’s largest hand dug well and an engineering wonder. Workers hand dug the well for days in 1987 using hand tools and completed the 109 feet deep, 32 feet in diameter well in 1988. 

Kansas produces more wheat than any other state in the country. Nearly one-fifth of all wheat grown in the United States is grown in Kansas, and it’s said that enough is cultivated to bake 36 billion loaves of bread, or feed everyone in the world for about two weeks.


Hutchinson is the home of one of the longest grain elevators, possibly the world. The elevator, which was built in 1961,is around 2,600 feet-long and could hold 46 million bushels of grain in some 1,000 bins. 

Kansas has the largest population of wild grouse in North America. The grouse is commonly called the prairie chicken.

Kansas is the nation's second largest producer of beef cattle, behind only Texas.

Every type of prairie habitat can be found in Kansas.

Dodge City is the windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14 miles per hour.


The public swimming pool at the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City occupies half a city block and holds 2 1/2 million gallons of water.

In 1905, two chemistry professors at the University of Kansas discovered helium

The graham cracker was named after the Reverend Sylvester Graham (1794-1851). He was a Presbyterian minister who strongly believed in eating whole wheat flour products.

The first Pizza Hut was opened in 1958 in Wichita by two brothers who were attending Wichita State University and wanted a place to eat a good pizza. They were still in school at Wichita State University, so they paid for their business endeavor by borrowing $600 from their mother. Now the chain has over 13,000 locations worldwide.  

The first black woman to win an Academy Award was from Kansas. Hattie McDaniel won the award for her role in "Gone with the Wind." 

What about Kansas laws?

At one time it was against the law to serve ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas. 

Pedestrians crossing the highways at night must wear tail lights.

No one may catch fish with his/her bare hands.

The state game rule prohibits the use of mules to hunt ducks.

Hitting a vending machine that stole your money is against the law in Derby Kansas.

It is against the law to spit on any Dodge City sidewalk.

No one can wear a bee in their hat in Lawrence Kansas.

It is against the law to picket a funeral in Overland Park Kansas. 

Musical car horns are banned in Russell Kansas.

I decided to go with this bit of Kansas information for my card's inspiration... Kansas ranks fourth in the nation for producing sunflowers, harvesting more than 135,000 acres. For the past 40 years, Ted and Kris Grinter near Lawrence have grown about 40 acres of sunflowers for birdseed. Thousands of visitors come to see the fields of yellow during peak season. The Grinters say: “We do allow people to cut sunflowers if they wish. We have ‘donation’ boxes at the field and a general rule of thumb is a dollar a flower, but honestly, they do NOT make great cut flowers but it’s really okay if you just have to have one. Just know that they will probably wilt and die before you get home, and they make a mess from the pollen. Also, if you have a kid that just really wants one, be prepared for that same kid to scream when they realize there is a bug on it. This generally happens when you’re in the car … driving … (You’ve been warned!)”





Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article170172727.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/news/state/article166490447.html#storylink=cpy  The Grinters say:  “We do allow people to cut sunflowers if they wish. We have ‘donation’ boxes at the field and a general rule of thumb is a dollar a flower, but honestly, they do NOT make great cut flowers but it’s really okay if you just have to have one. Just know that they will probably wilt and die before you get home, and they make a mess from the pollen. Also, if you have a kid that just really wants one, be prepared for that same kid to scream when they realize there is a bug on it. This generally happens when you’re in the car … driving … (You’ve been warned!)”

Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/article170172727.html#storylink=cpy

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp Set: Power Poppy In Praise of Sunflowers stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, cut out with Scan N Cut machine, and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Cherry Cobbler CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Nestabilities Circles

Embellishments: CC Designs Enamel Dots, Craftsmart Ribbon, and Washi Tape from an unknown vendor
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