Sweets and Monkeys

I just made this birthday card with the High Hopes stamp - Cherry Chip Chimp.  This image is so cute.  He is drawn by Dustin Pike.  I have used this stamp quite a few times.  Here is another time I've used it.  There were more times but I don't have pictures of those cards.  It was usually a quick card I had to whip up for a birthday.  

 Chimp is stamped and embossed onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinklin' H2Os.

Base: PTI Poppy

Blue DP: Joann's 

Red DP and Lt. Blue cardstock: my stash

Buttons: my stash

Twine: Divine Twine Cherry

Rhinestones: Queen & Co. Sunflower Yellow

Sentiment Stamp: SU Felicidades Siempre

 In the next pic, you can see that I added glaze on the cherry and the sprinkles.

Challenges I am linking up to:

High Hopes: One for the boys

Alphabet Challenge: M is for Men Only

Craft your Passion: Sweet Treats

TSC Challenge: Anything Goes

The Corrosive Challenge: Birthdays

Thanks for hanging with me!

My Favorite Kind of Glitter

Seriously...glitter.  It's gets everywhere.  If you have visited my blog before, you know my hate/love relationship with glitter.  It started when I began working at a preschool.  Those little ones get glitter in places you didn't even know they could get them...of course, the days we worked with glitter would be the days I always had some kind of errand to run right after work.  So I had glitter on my face, my eyelid, my shirt, my pants....

Try cleaning that mess up.  Hateful, hateful craft item...

But...I like the way it looks.  It adds a nice element to your project.  But...it's a hateful item.  

In comes that wonderful item - Stickles!  Stickles does not offend me at all.  I can add glitter and sparkle without the evil mess.  If only they made Stickles in huge bottles that are preschool friendly...

 This is a card I made for my mother in law to give to someone who had just had a baby girl.  The stamp I used is a Whimsy stamp called Angel Angie.  She is embossed onto water color paper and watercolored with Twinkling H2Os.  I added Stickles to her angel wings.  

Base and Matte: SU Blush Blossom

Cloud DP: SU Whisper White embossed with Darice Cloudy Sky

Ribbon: Dollar Tree 

Jewels on the string with the Star and Pearls: Queen & Co.

Sentiment: SU Felicidades Siempre

 On the picture below you can see the Stickles better on the wings/feather and the stars.  I also added a teeny amount of glaze on the ladybug. 

Challenges I'm linking up to:

Glitter and Sparkle Challenge: Add Glitter and Sparkle

V's Sweet Ideas: Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

All Sorts Challenge: Favorite Things

Crafty Calendar Challenge: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Super Simple Birthday Wishes

Super simple cards for birthdays are good to have on hand.  Maybe you don't really know the person but really want to give them a handmade card...or maybe you want to make a bunch to package together to give as a gift.

Here is one idea for a simple layout you can make quickly:

If you scroll down through the pictures you can see two versions with the same layout but different colors.  Just a small detail changes.

 Card details:

Base - SU Basic Black

DP - SU Tempting Turquoise stamped with SU Baroque Motifs

Lace - Dollar Tree

Sentiment - Studio G stamped onto SU Whisper White

(the shape is a PDC shaplie cut with my Silhouette)

 The flowers from the card above and below are ones that I crocheted but can easily be replaced with a paper flower.  I sat down watching TV one day and crocheted a whole bunch at a time in different colors so that I would have them on hand when I needed them.

The metal flower is a spacer I bought from Stamp and Create attached with a brad from my stash.

 The only difference with this card is the DP is done using SU Rose Red and the flower has a button from PTI Pure Poppy attached with black twine.

Thanks for hanging out with me!

I am adding these to the following challenges:

Stamp and Create Challenge: Birthdays

Seize the Birthday: Always Birthday with option Twine or String

Milk Coffee Challenge: Birthday

Inky Chicks: Happy Birthday

Glitter n Sparkle: Birthday

Scootin' By

Hey crafters! How's it going?  

There's a new challenge up at Wags 'n Whiskers!  Go and say hello and leave a message for the fabulous ladies whose cards are amazing! (I'm not talking about mine...I'm humble like that! :-) )

It's a color challenge: Orange, Yellow, White and Kraft

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘nWhiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

I used the same image and used three different elements and sentiments.

For all of the cards:
Image used: Scootin' By digi (She is also available as a rubber stamp).  She is stamped onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2O's.
She is popped up with dimensionals by Stampin' Up.

Base: PTI Orange Zest

DP: K & Company

Buttons: PTI Orange Zest

Kraft Paper: PTI embossed with Cuttlebug Bloom Dots

Now for the sentiment on each card.

Twine:  The Twinery Lemondrop

This card has Prima flowers with spacers from Stamp and Create held together by yellow brads. 

The sentiment I made.  It can be found here.

For this card the flowers are also Primas but it's held down with Eyelet Outlet's Orange Rhinestone brads. 

This sentiment can be found here.

 The flowers on this card I found at the Dollar Tree a long time ago.  Super cute.  They are felt and the already came with the bling.

The Just roll with it sentiment can be found here.

Thanks for hanging out with me!
I am linking up to these challenges:
Chocolate Coffee & Card Challenges: Embossing
Craftitude Challenges: Pop it up
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
The Stamping Chef Challenge Blog: Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday: Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesday Challenge: Anything Goes
The Pink Elephant Challenge: Anything Goes

One for the Boys

***Edited to add:  So lucky to have been chosen to be a winner at the Flat Friends Challenge blog!  Thank you for the opportunity!***
Wags 'n Whiskers has a new challenge that is up and running today!  Go check it out!

This week it's One for the Boys - it's perfect for those of you that are making Father's Day cards.  Link up dearies - link up!

Remember:

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘nWhiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

 I'm using Home Run.  He is perfect for Father's Day, Birthday, Any Occasion.  

He is stamped onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2Os.  

Cardstock used: SU Kiwi Kiss and SU Ballet Blue

DP: My Stash

Twine: The Twinery in Solid Denim and Charcoal

Glove and Shoe Brads: Eyelet Outlet

The baseball is one I made using a clipart from ClipArtBest.com and added the words.  You can download it here.  I made it about 1.4" so that I could punch it out with a 1.5" circle punch.

Linking up to these challenges:

Tuesday Morning Sketches

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Anything with Patterned Paper

Challenges 4 Everybody: Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Challenges: Anything Goes

Flat Friends Challenge: Dies and/or Punches
Thanks for Hanging with me!

Ribbon and Bling

May is a super crazy month for me.  I'm sure it's the same for lots of you out there...especially if you have kids or are a teacher.  May is when all the end of year events happen and you have so many blocks on your agenda letting you know that your evenings and even days are not longer yours.  The stream of events in school combined with end of year after school things.....aaahhh life! 

My friend wrote about taking time out for your life and personal things in the midst of your career/job.  In church, our Pastor talked about not being overwhelmed and overcoming anxiety (the second video in the series 5.4.14) - something I suffer from.  It was something that I SO needed to hear.  Especially when I sat down with my planner and started jotting down all the things on my list that I needed to do and all the end of the year awards and all the parties and all the end of the year events for my class.... UGH! My eyes began to bulge and the anxiety level began to rise.  I had to remember to say to myself: "Chill!  God's got this!"

So in that theme - I forgot to post my card for the Ribbon and Bling challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers, which has already come and gone... so I apologize for that sincerely!

Here is my card:

 I am using Let's Go Team which is embossed onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2O's.  She is super presh!

 Card Details: 

Base: PTI White

Gold paper: my stash

Ribbon: Joann's 

Black DP: MME Chalk Studio

I added some glitter to her pompoms and to her outfit and shoes.  The bling on the corner is from AC Moore.  

Thanks for coming by and checking her out!

Lots of Layers

I am so late with my post for the challenge.  So so very sorry! :-(

I generally don't do a whole bunch of layers.  I am simplistic.  Sometimes I want to add more to my card - you know - to get rid of so many craft items I have so I can buy more! ;-)

So this challenge was a bit hard for me.  When I look at other challenge blogs, the ones that ask have "layers" as a challenge - I just don't enter.  This one... I had to! :-)

It's for the Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge:  Lots of Layers!

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘nWhiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

Here it is:

 This card is using Lacey Fairy.  

She is stamped onto watercolor paper and, as always, watercolored with Twinkling H2Os.

 Other card details:

Base - SU Ballet Blue

Ribbon - SU Marina Mist Striped Organdy

DP - MME Magnolia

Feliz Cumpleanos stamp - SU Felicidades Siempre

Jewels - AC Moore

Stickles - Stardust and Cotton Candy

I am linking up to these challenges:

Crafty Girls Challenge: Anything Goes

Crafting When We Can: Ribbon/Twine/Washi (I used ribbon)

Crafty Ribbons Challenge: Anything Goes with ribbon

Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes Birthday

Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes

That Craft Place: Anything Goes

The ABC Challenge: J is for Just as you like

TSC Challenge Blog: Anything Goes

Thanks for hanging out with me!

Fairy Inspiration

Hey there my fellow crafters!

 It's time for another Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge!  I just have to say that I am very honored and blessed to be a part of such an amazing and talented group of crafters that are in the Wags 'n Whiskers Design Team.  They are so awesome!  Go check out their craft skills!

This challenge is the Photo Inspiration of the W&W logo.

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

Here is my card:

 This cute fairy is a digi called Iris.  You can also get her as a rubber stamp.  She looks so relaxed.  Wouldn't it be just awesome if you could summon a hummingbird?

I printed her onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2Os.  

Base: SU Very Vanilla

DP: DCWV Mariposa Stack

Matte: SU Baja Breeze

Metal: SU

Ribbon: My Stash

Jewel: Taylored Expressions

 Being on a Design Team you, of course, get to know a challenge weeks ahead of time so that you can prepare for a post.  I made this card a while ago, knowing that I could give it to anyone.  

I gave this card to my friend, Amy, today.  Her mom is not doing well.  My heart hurts for her.  We can pray for a miracle.  We can pray for God's will to be done.  I often tell people that Amy has a direct line to God.  She is such a strong, thoughtful, powerful Christian woman, mom and friend.  She makes me want to strive to be better.  I sometimes use her as a confessional or as a buffer before I make decisions.  She loves me with all my flaws.  She takes care of everyone around her.  When I say that this woman is loved - she is loved by all who meet her.  She is genuine.  And now she's hurting and all of us around her find ourselves at a loss for how to help her.  We have been making meals for her and her family.  That is definitely something we do.  Still... 

If you are the praying kind, pray.  Not just for her, or her family...pray for everyone you know who is hurting around you.  Pray for yourself if you are hurting.  Pray for the people that are happy.  We have to pray and thank God for our blessings too.  Pray for the people who have suffered loss and for the people who have a new blessing to call their own.  Pray for the family you love - and even the ones that drive you crazy.  Pray.

Gracias for taking the time to hang out with me.

Wags 'n Whiskers Sketch Challenge

Wags 'n Whiskers has a new challenge!  It's a sketch.

I've come to really like sketches.  Especially when my mojo is not working.  Sketches provide a decent amount of inspiration to get your creative spices going.

Have you come across any sketches that you use over and over?  Do you like creating your own sketches?

Here is W&W's sketch challenge to follow:

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘nWhiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

Now onto my cards using the fabulous W&W digi - Chillin' Out (also available as a rubber stamp) printed onto watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2Os:

I made two cards to use up the paper that I had.  These are Stampin Up DP called Gingham Garden.  They are very pretty.  All four DP papers are just two papers.  Stampin Up papers are double sided.  I like their papers a lot except when you have a favorite of one paper in the pack, you only get two sheets.  I wish they actually sold one sheet as an option.  Kind of like when you get the single sheets from Joann's or Michael's. 

This first card's base is SU Daffodil Delight.

Flowers: Primas

Brads: my stash

 The "sand" is Frantage.  I still have some practice using it, but it's pretty cool. 

 I made my own envelope because the card is 5 1/2 squared.  I can't find any envelopes to fit perfectly.  I cut the paper 9x9 and scored at an angle at 3 3/8.  It slides in perfectly.

 The base of this card is PTI Hibiscus Burst.

 I am linking to the following challenges:

4 Krafty Girls Challenges: Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments: Use any sentiment

Bearly Mine: Color Inspiration

One Crazy Stamper: Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge: Anything Goes

V's Sweet Ideas: Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday: Anything Goes

Gracias for hanging out with me!

Wags 'n Whiskers Anything Goes Challenge

It's time for another Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge.  I was supposed to post this on Friday and forgot that I hadn't done it!

The theme is Anything Goes!  So super easy!  I can always do Anything Goes Challenges.  Those are always the most popular on any challenge blog site.

Make sure you read the challenge rules that are posted at the

top of the Wags 'n Whiskers blog.  

One lucky participant will win a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Rubber Stamp!

You don’t have to use a Wags ‘n Whiskers image on your card, but if you do, you will be entered into a 2^nd drawing for a free Wags ‘n Whiskers Digi!

Here is my card:

Yes I am using Say a Prayer again.  And yes I still think she is adorable.

  Isn't that design paper fabulous?  I really liked some of the page sets that Stampin Up released in their last catalog.  I received a 6x6 sheet from every set as a share.  I wish I had all the money and space in the world so I could buy all the goods, but I don't...so I can't.  Booooooooo!

Other card details:

Base: SU Kiwi Kiss

Other solid color: SU Lavender Lace

Ribbon and Buttons: My Stash

In honor of our "Anything Goes" challenge - I am linking into other Anything Goes challenges!
Challenges I am linking onto:

Cards Galore: Anything Goes
Challenges for Everybody: Anything Goes
Inky Chicks: Anything Goes
Love to Scrap: Anything Goes
Yumi and Fumi: Anything Goes

Gracias for hanging out with me!

Whose Kid is a Gamer?

Whose kid?  Raise your hands.  I see a few of you out there.  Yup yup yup.  I see so many of your guilty faces out there.  Don't worry.  My hand is up too.  Both my boys are, as well as my niece who is currently staying with us.  My youngest and my niece are Minecraft geeks.  My oldest is currently playing Skyrim.  

If they could, they would play all day, every day.  Because they are on Christmas break, they are allowed to play on the weekdays.  During the school week they are not allowed to play Monday through Thursday.  I don't want them worried about not doing quality homework so that they can rush and play a video game.  I need them to concentrate on what is important.

My oldest had his 15th birthday.  Time flew by so fast.  One minute he was this cute, chunky baby - and the next, he is a head taller than me and growing out of his baby face.  Not fair. :-(

Here is the card I made him for his birthday:

 This super cute guy is Boy Gamer by Kenny K for Whimsy Stamps.  He is so excited!  He totally reminds me of my boys when they play.

Card Details:

Boy Gamer - from Stamp and Create embossed onto Watercolor paper and colored with Twinkling H2Os.

Base - The Kenny K rubber stamps are pretty big. So my card is actually 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" cut from SU Pacific Point

DP - Joann's (Love that paper.  It has all the controllers from they new game consoles and the classic ones like the old Atari joystick and the Gameboys.)

Twine: The Twinery Denim wrapped around SU Whisper White

Stars:  These are kind of like sequin stars.  They came in a pack of all different colors from Joann's.

I am linking to the following challenges:

Kenny K Krafty Krew (Must use Kenny K stamp) - Anything Goes

Here Comes the Boys - Anything Goes for the Boys

Ribbon Carousel (must use anything from a spool) - Anything Goes - used Twine

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Stamp and Create December Challenge - Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Inspiration Challenge - Party Time 

Gracias for hanging out with me!