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Thursday, October 31, 2019

Pumpkin Kisses and Harvest Wishes


Happy Halloween! Our young adult autistic son loves this holiday - he'll be handing candy to all the trick-or-treaters. He enjoys it immensely and looks forward to this day weeks ahead of time. Sheesh! He started hounding me to "go shopping" and "buy Halloween candy" weeks ago.

If you know/love someone with autism, you can probably appreciate the importance of having everything in order, ready for the big day. 

In case you don't know it, The Project Bin has a FABULOUS stamp set called Spencer's Set that is not only a great set, but also a portion of the proceeds of its purchase goes to the Autism Research Institute. Spencer's Set is one of my most favorite stamp sets!

Now, just so you know, today's card does not feature that stamp set. It DOES feature another stamp set from The Project Bin though - Pumpkin Spice




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp Set: The Project Bin Pumpkin Spice stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa Ink

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Early Espresso and Soft Suede CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio Mini Brads and Ribbon from an unknown vendor

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Gallery Gazers CASE #16


As a member of the Gallery Gazers blog group, once each month I find a card in the SCS Gallery to CASE. This month I chose a card by Amy (Amy Koender). I loved her overall design and use of layers and texture.

You can see Amy's card in the SCS Gallery HERE

Obviously, it is not my intent to exactly recreate her card, but rather to be inspired by it and make one with similarities. I hope I succeeded.

Thanks for the inspiration, Amy!





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamps: Stampendous Country Snowman and Avery Elle Simple Sentiments stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Tempting Turquoise CS and DP from my scrap file

Embossing Folder: SU Knit Cable

Dies: Spellbinders Circle and Avery Elle Simple Sentiments

Embellishments: Stickles Glitter Glue and Brads from an unknown vendor

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Travel the World - Week 43


This is the 43rd week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.


This week's country is...



St. Vincent and the Grenadines



St Vincent and the Grenadines is a small archipelago of around 32 islands and cays in the south of the Caribbean Sea. Only nine of the islands are inhabited.

Its nearest neighbors are St Lucia and Dominica to the north, Barbados to the east, and Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to the south.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines were first found by the famous explorer Christopher Columbus in 1498.

The terrain here is volcanic and mountainous, with stunning sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.


The total land area of St Vincent and the Grenadines is 150 square miles... that’s around 1.5 times the size of Birmingham.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ population was 102,627 in 2015… that’s around 10% of the population of Birmingham.

Saint Vincentians enjoy a tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation. There is a rainy season from May to November.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is primarily rural. Most of the population lives in small villages of 100 to 500 people. The only large town in the country is the capital, Kingstown.

The second largest of the Grenadines, charming Bequia is a popular yachting destination with a rich whaling history. Lush hillsides dotted with bougainvillea tumble to beaches and boat-filled bays. The island is also known for being safe and friendly.

The Grenadines’ smallest inhabited island, Mayreau covers only about one and half square miles and has only one village with no name where everyone lives. The village is perched on top of Station Hill on the south-west end of the island and has a school, the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, a telecommunications building, and a Pentecostal church.

This beautiful country grows bananas, sweet potatoes, coconuts and spices; they also rear cattle and catch fish.

The official languages of St Vincent and the Grenadines are English and French Patois.

Many of the scenes in the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films were filmed in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is very popular for being a weddings and honeymoon paradise and won the Best Honeymoon Island of The Year presented by Caribbean Travel World Awards in 2007 and again in 2008.

At the very northern tip of the leeward coast, masked by steep cliffs and volcanic coastal formations, is the Falls of Baleine. This 18 meter (60 foot) waterfall tumbles into a rock-lined pool. Difficult to reach, especially in heavy swells, the Falls of Baleine is a unique natural attraction. It is usually visited by Boat Tour, but can also be accessed by a long and exposed coastal trail from the settlement of Fancy.

Palm island is a heaven for wildlife and birds. It has a number of land turtles, which were brought to replace those washed away by a 2015 hurricane. The most commonly seen animals are geckos, several kinds of lizards, hermit and land crabs, sea turtles, mocking birds, doves, pigeons, sandpipers, herons, hummingbirds, osprey, gulls, and frigate birds.

It is against the law to wear camouflage in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is only worn by the police force.

The country has no formal military. The duties of a military have been taken over by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Royal Police Force.

Just off the coast of Grenadines’ Union Island is a very special island that is home of the local artist, builder, and visionary Janti Ramage. He named his home Happy Island. His home and bar are made entirely of conch shells he scavenged over time from the neighboring beaches where fishermen threw them away after taking out the succulent muscle. Janti took the mountains of abandoned shells that were becoming a local problem and, combining them with bits of exposed coral rocks, created a flat platform that became a surface for his new little island. He built a bar and patio on it and even planted some palm trees.

Both men and women work together on almost every activity.  But typically, women do the gardening while men do the farming and work at sea.  Traditionally, only women sell produce in the market square, while only men sell fish. 

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens is one of the world’s oldest botanical gardens, preserving rare native and other tropical plants since 1765.

I decided to let this St. Vincent and Grenadines fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Fishing brings in good income for many locals.  Fish of all kinds are caught by the local fishermen. 




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamps: Whipper Snapper Hooked Worm and Dropping You a Line stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Summer Sun CS and DP from my scrap file

Punches: SU Circle and Dog Tag

Embellishments: Fish Brads from and unknown vendor

Monday, October 28, 2019

Happy Turkey Day


On the 28th of each month Barb's Challenge Your Stash group (on SCS) posts cards/projects based on a theme chosen by one of the members... but the overall premise is to use what we have (a.k.a. no shopping allowed).

This month Vickie challenged us to use Autumn colors to create an Autumn/Fall card/project.

I went with a Thanksgiving card.





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamps: Whipper Snapper Taggert Turkey and Neat and Tangled Turkey Talk stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Ecru and SU Cajun Craze CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Wonky Stitch Rectangle

Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs Glitter Enamel Dots

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Every Leaf Is a Flower


The temperatures have dropped. The leaves are changing color. Soup is simmering on the stove (or in my case, in the Crock Pot). I love this time of year!

To celebrate the changing of the seasons, I made an Autumn card, using the Raisin Boat Arboretum Leaves stamp set from SumMore Fun. And the good news is - you can get this stamp set for FREE with a $50 purchase (but only through the end of October). It can also be purchased for only $5.99 right now (yes, it's on sale)... but hurry! I'm not sure when the sale will end.


There is a little splash type of stamp in the stamp set. I randomly stamped it and then blended some of the same ink onto the lighter piece of designer paper, too.


I love the Albert Camus quote that is in the stamp set, too. It reminds me of a conversation I had with our oldest son when he was just three years old. We were driving home that October after visiting my parents out-of-state. I was admiring the fall foliage and told Jeremy to look at the pretty colored leaves. With a very seriousness to his voice, he replied, "No, Mama. Flowers!" 


Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp Set: Raisin Boat Arboretum Leaves stamped with Memento Bamboo Leaves, Lady Bug, Potter's Clay, Rich Cocoa, and Rhubarb Stalk Inks

Papers: SU Cajun Craze and Early Espresso CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Brads and Ribbon from unknown vendors

Saturday, October 26, 2019

You Are My Hero


I recently returned from a trip to Pearl Harbor where I met the oldest living surviver of the attack. In addition to that, Veteran's Day is just around the corner. Needless to say, I'm feeling very grateful for those who serve our country in the armed forces. Therefore for today's card I've gone with that theme.







Eyelet Outlet Products Used:

Skinny Washi Tape






Thanks for stopping by my blog today!



Eyelet Outlet ProductsArmy Men BradBoot BradsEagle BradRed Star Washi Tape, and Skinny Washi Tape

Stamp Sets: H and M Hoo-Rah and Joy Clair God's Army stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black, Kraft, and 110# White CS

Friday, October 25, 2019

Christ Is Born


I've been doing quarterly personal challenges in 2019. This quarter's challenge is to make a "Nativity" card every other week. This week's Nativity is from the Technique Tuesday Nativity Silhouette stamp set. The sentiments are from another Technique Tuesday stamp set call Christ Is Born.

I found the ink-blended piece of cardstock in my scrap file and do not remember what colors of ink I used to create it, but I thought it would work nicely for the background of my image.



This is the inside of my card:




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp Sets: Technique Tuesday Christ Is Born and Nativity Silhouette stamped with Brilliance Sunflower Yellow and Memento Tuxedo Black Inks

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

Embellishments: Your Next Stamp Gum Drops

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Freezin' Season


My husband made a prediction about three weeks ago - late September, when our temperatures were still hovering in the upper 80's, even 90+ a couple of days. He said that since it was still so hot he thought we were going to have a very short autumn (or maybe none) and move right into winter.

Not to fear! I'm ready - well, at least this card is ready. LOL! I'm not much for cold weather personally.


The sentiment on the card is from The Project Bin's North Pole stamp set.





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp Set: The Project Bin North Pole stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Papers: Recollections White and SU Real Red CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Starburst Sentiment Strip and MFT Wonky Stitch Rectangle

Embellishment: Your Next Stamp Enamel Dots

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

To Market, To Market


I love to color - LOVE to color. This cutie is one of the images I colored some time ago in the Daily Marker 30-Day Coloring Challenge. I decided it was time to put her on a card.





Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp: CC Designs To Market 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

Embellishment: Ribbon (I think it's SU)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Travel the World - Week 42


This is the 42nd week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.


This week's country is...



Paraguay



Paraguay is a landlocked country that shares a border with some of the largest countries in South America: Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. Due to its location, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de Sudamérica ('Heart of South America') and it is the smallest landlocked country in the Americas. Paraguay is mainly composed of large swaths of swampland, subtropical forests and scrubland.

Paraguay is just a little smaller than the state of California.

It may lack a coastline but Paraguay has the largest navy of any landlocked country, with naval aviation, a river defense corps and coastguard all part of its force.

The terrain of Paraguay is mixed to say the least. Marsh plains, woody hills, forest and grass plains make up most of the country.

Although nearly twice the size of the UK, Paraguay’s population in 2015 was just over 6.5 million, barely one tenth of the UK.

Paraguay receives almost 100% of its electricity from hydroelectric power. The Itaipu Dam which is co-owned with Brazil, produces 75% of this. Situated on the Paraná River, the Itaipu Dam is the 2nd largest in the world.

Paraguay is the only country worldwide whose national flag has different emblems on each side. The country’s Coat of Arms is on the front and its Treasury Seal is on the back with its motto, ‘Paz y Justica’ (Peace and Justice). Paraguay’s flag is one of the world’s oldest national flags.

The people of Paraguay enjoy sports, including football (soccer), rugby, tennis, and volleyball. Fishing is as popular as football.

In Paraguay, pistol duelling is still legal as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

Until 1991, divorce was illegal in Paraguay.

Paraguay is home to the world’s largest rodent called the Capybara, which is basically a giant guinea pig.

Paraguay has 42 protected wildlife areas and 10 national parks. There are comfortable accommodations and tours available in the Mbaracayu tropical forests, as well as 89 mammal species and 410 bird species. Ybycui features metallic blue butterflies, waterfalls and howler monkeys.

Endangered animals include the jaguar, harpy eagle, red parrot, giant armadillo and anteater (jurumi). More Uruguay animals include brown wolves, foxes, tapirs and more than 1000 species of birds. Paraguay also has many boa constrictors and crocodiles, and even some piranha, as well.

You can find over 1000 different types of bird in Paraguay, as well as Jaguars, crocodiles and anteaters.

Soy is one of the biggest exports. Paraguay ranked number 6 in the world for soy production.

The day’s main meal is eaten at noon. Two staples of the Paraguayan diet are corn and cassava, a starchy root vegetable. Cassava (or mandioca) is baked with cheeses to make the thick bread known as Chipa. Corn is used in Paraguayan soup (sopa paraguaya), Bori bori soup and other dishes.

Paraguay’s national beverage is mate. Mate (pronounced “mahtay”) is often served hot. When it is served chilled, it is called tereré. It is imbibed through a metal drinking straw called a bombilla.

The most tea drunk per head in the world, is in Paraguay.

 Iguacu Falls, spanning the Iguacu River, is made up of more than 275 individual waterfall cascades, is taller than Niagara Falls, and is twice its width.

As many as 210 football stadiums could be built with the same amount of concrete as was used to build the Itaipu Dam.

One of the world’s deadliest fires occurred in the capital in 2004. Nearly 500 died and the same number was injured when a fire broke out in a supermarket. The doors had been locked by the stores manager after the fire broke out to stop people leaving without paying for their shopping. A true tragedy.

Homes have no doorbells. To announce your arrival, clap your hands. With windows always open in the hot climate, claps are clearly heard inside.

Paraguay’s colorful festivals also attract tourists. The Festival de San Juan in June features fire walking in hot coals and embers, great food and the ritual burning of an effigy of Judas Iscariot. 

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Paraguay’s people make some of the world’s finest lacework. Nanduti (meaning “spiderweb”) is beautiful lace created in circular designs and found in a rainbow of various colors. Other traditional folk arts are embroidered cloth, black clay work and ceramics, and gorgeous silver jewelry in filigree designs.

I decided to let this Paraguay fact be the inspiration for this week's card... 
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Paraguay is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest barbecue, which was attended by approximately 30,000 people.




Thanks for stopping by my blog today!


Stamp Set: SU King of the Grill stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Lemon Lime Twist CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Brads from an unknown vendor