in the pink, well maybe

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, full of things that delighted your senses. I spent the weekend nursing a cold, sleeping, waking up long enough for another dose of medicine. It stinks to be sick on the weekend! So I am thinking pink, being positive, and hoping I'll make it through my very long workday. Pam issued the latest 365 Card challenge and gave us the movie "PRETTY in PINK" to inspire us!

My card also fits for the Basic Grey challenges week #2 to use the color combo brown, yellow and pink. You must include at least one BG paper in your work. I must admit I hoard my BG papers, but I did have a great time going through all the paper groups for the perfect pink for my undies!!! So many luscious hues. In the end, I selected LUSTER from the Euphoria collection. It is a lovely pastel with the tiniest bit of texture. My yellow is the new fence posts of the clothes line. And the brown is repeated in the fabulous tree (Memory Box paper from Sugardrop) and the cardbase which is Brazzill linen texture.

I'll jump at any chance to use this wonderful lingerie from B Line Design. And the clothesline image(Finders Keepers) was from a tag sale in town earlier in the summer. I just knew it would come in handy. I used tiny wooden clothespins to attach the undergarments. The sentiment is a rub-on.

Thanks for stopping over, I am glad I am spreading no germs out in cyberspace. Have a great week!

You're a real cracker jack

Morning all! It's the weekend once again, yippee. That means late nights playing in my house...I can hear silly giggles from college guys in one direction and other boys chasing balls in the virtual world in another. Today's Inspiration Challenge on SCS was to go to the Creative Wall Coverings website and find something that gets the creative juices flowing. Well, I can never resist the sports selections and this fit nicely with the 365 Card Blog to get Sporty using some sort of a ball on your card. I really like Artistic Outposts' Cracker Jack plate, especially with my star lefty! For this card, the Cosmo Cricket wood grain paper was perfect. I stamped the stadium collage in Tim Holtz scattered straw directly to the paper. The sentiment is also TH brushed corduroy. I added the Boston Red Sox player faintly inked in ChalkBox yellow citrus. The baseballs were stamped with ChalkBox burnt sienna and roughed up a bit with ColorBox alabaster. Speaking of baseballs, did you know a typical major league game used 8 dozen balls! The lefty player is from the little man Cosmo Cricket die cuts.

Thanks so very much for stopping by today. I hope your weekend is swell!

NEW...

It's an exciting day for my friend, Kelly S (Gingham Girl) who launches a new weekly challenge today. It is called WOW: Word of the Week. She picked a most appropriate word, NEW! I knew immediately the direction I would go with this wonderful scripture stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms...new creation. I used two other challenges, the SC243 over on SCS and the 365 Card Blog Checkerboard Background.

My paper is an unknown checkerboard and Yellow Bicycles fabulous flocked flourish. I used GP white cs and Brazzill red linen texture. The scripture was inked with Memento Tuxedo Black and embossed with clear ep. I used a square nestability to emboss the frame. A piece of deep red ribbon finishes it off.

Congratulations, Kelly on starting your own challenge, it is one that I will enjoy participating in. I love to read and try to exercise my 'wordsmithing' on a regular basis. So bring it on!!!

tiny dancer

It's Saturday morn...oh, what bliss! I've managed to combine two challenges today. The IC194 on SCS to be inspired by the Pylones website. This is a trendy gift manufacturer. Very mod, fun and funky. And over on the 365 Card blog, it's Layering Stamps. Well, every girl needs a jewelry box, don't you think. I was inspired by the jewelry choices on the Pylones site and decided to craft a special treasure box. Instead of trinkets, I put words of affirmations...words to encourage and uplift...just like my tiny dancer whose tutu is paper pieced from the Eva paper group (Basic Grey). The jewelry box is from Museum of Modern Rubber. I stamped it on PTI sweet blush paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I used mirror paper with Jet Black Stazon. My tiny dancer is stamped on GP white cs and popped on the little pin that helps her spin. For the layering stamps challenge, I layered the encouraging words onto the jewelry box and I also used Purple Onion's vintage Damask background stamp on top of the Making Memories Sabrina paper. A sheer ribbon with hearts on the edge finishes off this pink confection!

Who wouldn't like to open up a box like this everyday and be reminded to always dream, always create, always have a wish, hold out hope, live with passion, stoke the imagination, and always, always SMILE.

Have a spin around wherever you are today!

almost pumpkin time

My very favorite time of the year is almost here...I can feel it in the air. And Pam's Just Peachy Challenge over at 365 Card Blog fit right in with my pumpkin girls (Ken Brown line at American Art Stamps)...there are many shades of pumpkins, right???

I stamped the girls on Core'dinations peach paper and then colored the pumpkin heads with Copics Y38. The bucket head girl's dress is paper pieced with a pattern from Basic Grey Mellow and the other girl's leafy head covering and scarf with paper from Memory Box. The wonderful leave paper is from Memory Box Twiggy. I added a bit of vintage upholstery trim for the trunk and slipped Art Impressions sentiment in among the leaves. "LEAVE the everyday"

I definitely try to leave the everyday as much as possible. My oldest son and I recently had a conversation about just this very thing. We were out for a walk and a talk and he remarked,

"Mom, I think I have lost that sense of wonder of seeing nature like I used to." I can remember Kincaid sunset moments, starry night skies, and forsythia in the spring. It grieved my heart to think he could loose the treasure of innocent eyes. So I've purposed to remind him through my words and art to sharpen his focus and NEVER settle for the everyday!

Have a happy weekend everyone and let me know what you are seeing~~~

summer afternoons

I long for times like this, how about you? This Artistic Outpost image was perfect for where my mind is today. It is part of the Keeper set and you can find it here. I accepted the 365 Card challenge, Mixed Message. You were to use three different types of characters to spell out a message. I chose a Scrabble tile, the ampersand from Purple Onion's Ancient Med alpha, and some fabric letters that I do not know the manufacturer. The image was inked on white GP cs with Adirondack Slate. The chairs were colored with a Copic, R81 and the sky was chalked with ChalkBox inks (azurite and icebox blue). The gorgeous velvet rosette is from a RAK, my friend Amy sent me. I am so proud that I actually parted with it instead of just looking at the package on my counter!!! Thanks so much Amy for this beautiful embellishment. A baby blue satin ribbon finishes the card.

Back to speaking my mind and memories of beach houses growing up and the vast, endless amounts of days then, the Henry James quote could not have said it better:

Summer afternoon~~~

Summer afternoon.

The two most

beautiful

words in the

English

language.

So I'll leave you with the thought to steal away a few moments THIS afternoon to pause and enjoy where you are at this *1*. Thanks for having a peek

don't ya just love RAK's???

and pay it forwards??? I received this delightful art fairy stamp in the mail recently. It arrived unannounced. Picked for me by someone who thought the fairy should live at my house! I just love that~~~thanks Christine. And I am paying it forward by creating a gift bag for a fellow artist who is celebrating a birthday and a renewed passion for all things arty. I've watched her blossom this year and branch out, taking lots of workshops and really exploring her art form. Inside are treasures I have collected and a fun ticket when Art and Soul comes to Portland. A now and then gift, keeping those dreams alive.

Pam's day170 challenge on the 365 Card Blog was to create something that was double duty, but not a gift card holder. I just had to use this elegant tote. You can find the instructions over in the SCS resources, it is called box in a bag. It is quite easy to construct, the hardest part is deciding on the papers (I chose Basic Grey papers). And as a suggestion, I staple the bottom box together in the corners (it doesn't show and is faster than using the red sticky tape). The eyelet trim is a Fiskars punch. I also didn't have a tab punch, but used one of the Hot off the Press template pages for making tabs.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you found in your Monday a bit of time for creating!

an artist cannot fail

I hope you are all enjoying a blissful Sunday afternoon...I finally got to create and just had to honor SCS'es (is that a word) Featured Stamper Stamp Muse. M is kind, encouraging, and generous of our creative community! It was a thrill to see her selected.

The card I designed features photographs my son, Sam and I took last week in our garden. I had never seen a zebra patterned dragonfly until we spotted (ha, ha) this one on one of the water features. With Sam being 6'3" I had him photograph the one of the wing span and I managed to get the front shot in between gusts of wind. The dragonfly had a most interesting technique for keeping balanced. Other details about this card are Basic Grey Lime Rickey Catawba Flip paper, Papertrey Ink New Leaf, and B Line Design quote inked with ColorBox Dragonfly black ink.

It's a gorgeous day here in the PNW...low '80's, light winds. Hope the sun is shining on you or moonshine!

fab day

hey, people! No new design work for me today, but I wanted to share this playful image I photographed at a park on the west side of Kauai a couple of years ago. I couldn't help but smile! I am working on DT assignments for new releases coming from Artistic Outpost...SOON. You'll love them!

Hope you're having a fab week wherever you are...

risk...

I am very happy to show off this wonderful Unity sentiment I won for my entry in the Limelight Papercrafts Blog Sketch Challenge #26. Thanks very much, Mandy for the great sketch and the chance to pick my prize. I've wanted to add this quote to my stamp collection for quite awhile.

It's one of those sayings that just gets down into your soul and wrestles with the part of you that whispers: 'you can't do that, or you're not good enough for this. Well, I'm here to say YOU CAN do whatever you set your heart to. But first you must name it. Second, you must have a vision ...and then and only then can you set out on the journey.

That's were I am right now...I've named it and I believe I've found what I need to encourage me to the next level. Hold that thought and I'll keep you posted along the way. This card will stay in my humongous red paper clip that lives on my Pottery Barn tray...I will need the reminder.

This card also fits with the 365Card Blog challenge to use lace on your work. I had some yummy pink cotton wide lace that I attached to the bottom edge of the oval. I used Basic Grey's Sugared papers (Precious and Charming). The bud is from a long retired PSX botantical, Hydrid Rose (part of my score from earlier in the week). I colored it with Copics and used the Stampin Up Scalloped punch to create my vertical panel. The Unity quote was inked with Memento Tuxedo Black onto a Spellbinder oval and dry embossed.

The sketch I used today is the Limelight Papercraft Sketch #27. Check it out

Hope you all have a wonderfully creative weekend and happy day~o's!

let's make a scene

...oh, I mean, let's create a scene, indoors. Making rooms might just be my favorite style of card. Guess it goes back to playing with dollhouses and paper dolls when I was a girl. This card is for 2 challenges, the Ways to Use it over on SCS...pleated ribbon and the 365 Card Blog: let's make a scene indoors.

This one came together quite quickly, as I knew just what stamps I wanted to use. B Line Designs fabulous 'Rendre Belle' and Tim Holtz's chandelier (hey, hey, Amy!!!). I used Memory Boxes Gingercake paper to frame in my wall, ceiling, and floor. Copics colored my belle's skin and shoes, I left the rest simple. I pleated a beautiful two toned ribbon and placed it at the top of my panel. It reminded me of a roman shade. At the very bottom I stamped Anna Griffin's Happy Birthday with Memento Tuxedo Black.

Thanks very kindly for stopping by my corner of the sphere today...hope yours is a happy one!

Signs

What a fun challenge today, Pam! Signs are springing up all over at 365 Card Blog. I couldn't resist using this cool image from Stampers Anonymous! I inked it with VersaFine black and lightly embossed. My words are assorted positive reinforcements. The 'oh, happy day' is a Wordsworth. The 'believe' a K&CO. Hope was taken from an Impression Obsession sentiment. The rest are unmarked. I used a My Mind's Eye discontinued paper for the double layers of grass. Think I'll use this a bookmark in the latest book I'm reading.

Thanks for your comments...have a OH, Happy Day~O!

motherload

No design work here today, either. But I just had to share my mother load score at a "by appointment only" art sale. My neighbor and thrifty gal partner had a blast going through a whole single car garage full of all kinds of art supplies, but can you image our hearts when we got to the back and saw drawers and drawers of stamps labeled by theme? I have wanted the PSX Queen Anne's Lace for a very long time! And the other, oh, I can't wait to play with them!!!

Check out that lefties stamp!!! I asked if I could have a volume discount...and wanna know how much all this goodness set me back??? $30. That's 22 stamps and an unopened Nick Bantock ink pad. Thanks neighbor...keep scouting out those Craigslist ads.

Hope ya all have found bliss in your day.

returning kindness

thanks are in order for three very special ladies for recently tagging me with awards. JennyS (uk), Teza and CarolynV , all of whom I met through the 365 Card Blog. From one side of the pond to the edge of the 'tuther! I am honored you thought of me with the Circle of Friends and the Kreativ Blogger.

When I was looking through some of my pictures yesterday, I came across this one of the most famous bridge in the world. I was struck with the thought as it connects Marin County to San Francisco proper, it also connects people, lovers, children, friends. And our blogs are all islands floating through cyberspace. They've come to be the modern day way stations of life. And we are drawn to them for beauty, pause, refreshment, instruction, encouragement and inspiration.

So here's to JennyS(uk) and Teza 5 things I like to do in no particular order of importance:

1). I love to watch my two sons operate in their passions; as I write this oldest DS is composing at the table with his 49 key computer keyboard and MAC and singing...oh, I love that. Youngest DS does hip hop to swing, to singing Jesus loves me to tiny children at Vacation Bible School to rapping.

2). I love to come up on my DH and catch that look of love in his eyes STILL after all these years. I suspect it something that could not be captured in a photograph. I just see it...

3). I adore sharing the wonder of God's creation everyday. I believe we must keep our eyes in focus to the beauty around us, no matter how small. ie: a group of garden spiders weaving their webs across my walk...spiders eek, webs majestic!

4). I move by my own clock, I must must have time for leisure.

5). Feeding my family and friends is a passion.

And to CarolynV 7 things people might find interesting:

1). I love mountain climbing, though I didn't begin until my 50's!

2). I am a disorganized person...but somehow it works for me.

3). I am shy.

4). I try not to follow trends...why can't we have retro releases, use what we have, stop the consumer merry-go-round! I like companies who keep their images year after year...ok so I know this one was a soapbox!!!

5).Almost anything makes me cry.

6). I am an avid but slow reader...I always find my books at the thrift shop.

7).I am a lark and a night owl.

Thanks again, JennyS(uk), Teza and CarolynV for connecting your way stations to mine...I'll be hopping on over for a spot of tea!

graceful...

Good day, all wherever you may be. I am up way too late, finishing my entry in Cornish Heritage Farms Summer Stamp Star Design Challenge. It's the final week and our instructions were to create a One Sheet Wonder. Which means to take one piece of paper, stamp on it and use all in your creation. I believe it originated as a way to make numerous card quickly. Well, I never do quickly!!! And so I decided to make a corset with this awesome template by Sarah Sandberg. And to use up the rest of my paper, I found this template from Stampington for a fan.

The basis for both pieces was My Mind's Eye new Breaking Free paper. This particular one is called Fruit Flavored 'Surfer Girl' and Betty's Boards Paper. It is double sided. I took an 8.5x11 piece out of it, leaving those boards for a later time. I used the net backgrounder on the facing left side, inked with versamark and embossed with Silver Pearl. On the right facing I used the flowers and lace backgrounder, inking it with Heritage Marvy in sea foam. It was embossed with clear ep. The upper corner was stamped with Aged Sheet Music in Memento Summer Sky ink. I added the word 'Graceful' from the Saturday Evening Post Vintage Butterfly set. I used Tim Holtz's distress ink in Frayed Burlap. The vintage lace was a gift from a friend, who generously shared her stash with me. I punched and threaded 25 eyelets and laced the cord. At the top, I finished it off with a brass bow.

The fan was created with CHF's January Stamp of the Month, Freesia. I inked it with several Chalkbox inks on each of the panels and also used two of the small butterflies and the word serenity . The back is inked with the sentiments from the SEP set. Vintage velvet ribbon ties it together.

It is difficult to photograph three dimensional items...I hope you see this at it's best advantage.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope your day is marvelous!

heavenly aprons

When Stef issued the Inspiration Challenge today and linked up the Heavenly Hostess site, I knew I would use this pic of my DH's grandmother, Josephine from the 40's. Something about the surroundings is very comforting. And while I never met her, I know her just the same. If you'd like the specifics of my card, please hop over to my gallery on SCS.

It always makes me happy to see this picture hanging in my kitchen for I am reminded of how much love IS stirred, chopped, whipped, and mashed into food that nourishes our bodies and souls. I think of my grandmother letting me lick the beaters when she made 7 minutes frosting, a tradition that my boys still enjoy today...only now with caramel frosting.

So to all the bakers and cooks out there, bring it on...reach out and teach a whole 'nother generation who needs to know what home cookin' really is!

Thanks for visiting me, I am honored you give me the gift of your time.