Happiness is...

made to be shared! It's Monday all, I still feel well and that makes me so very happy.

The sun's shining on a lovely autumn afternoon. And I had a chance to combine challenges

for a card for the 365 Card Blog and Card Patterns. It was make a mosaic and the sketch

over at CP. I still love Basic Grey's Urban Prairie and thought it would look great in the

mosaic. I used a Marvey 3/4 inch for the squares. The sentiment is part of a group of

rub-ons from K&Co's Cut N Paste group. I love all the scrolls. The base is Basic Grey black,

I used the shell embossing folder on the end with the hydrangea petals.

Thanks so much for taking a peak. Have a wonderful turn of the globe no matter where you are!

Not quite sure how the type got so funky...so sorry!

dawn...

Happy Sunday dear cyber pals! I am finally feeling better...after three weekends of every kind of cold symptom...today dawned with a feeling of wellness. I am so glad and couldn't resist the 365 Card Blog's Sketchy Sunday challenge. I don't do sketches very often...it is my greatest challenge, but if you follow Pam, you've probably already noticed very well thought out sketches! This one is no exception. I admit in advance that I took artistic license with this one. but love the overall shape!

Keeping the oval shapes going, I decided to use one of a set of 8 doors I received as a Christmas gift last year from my first cyber gal pal, Amy. We happen to share a love of architectural elements and have had a blast trying '2 1up' each other in the gifty part. So I've searched out all kinds of sentiments related to doors to go along with my divine door selection . This Emily Dickinson quote "Not Knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door" is a sentiment from I Brake for Stamps. I used the Memory Box Butterfield papers, Memento Tuxedo Black,

Rhubarb, and Rich Cocoa inks. I soften the edges with ChalkBox Creamy Brown and Dark Brown. The buttons are die-cuts from K&Co that I embossed with clear ep for dimension.

technology

The 365 Card Blog issued a very interesting challenge today: technology. I must admit that I took it literally. And racked my brain for how I could combine the Ways to Use It (red) over on SCS with a post to the Artistic Outpost Blog. So this is what I did...using PhotoShop Elements, I colored part of my little yellow truck red. This makes the Ways to Use It challenge with the 'paint' job and the technology of PSE qualifies for the 365 Card challenge. Now if you want to see the original, just hop over to the AO Blog.

It is amazing what can be done with the computer, I know enough to 'hurt' myself! Have a happy Friday eve, all!!!

Leave the everyday

It's another Wednesday and that means, Gingham Girls' Word of the Week challenge! The word is windstorm. I've had this adorable little girl from Stamp Francisco since the new year (a huge Christmas set of images) waiting for the perfect opportunity. I think she fits in with windstorm...I know in the fall in the Pacific Northwest we have what Thornton Burgess called the 'merry little breezes' in Old Mother West Wind. I paper pieced her coat and hat (adding black flock to the hat). The rest of the image is colored with Copics. I used Basic Grey's Mellow paper group. The layout is from the sketch challenge on Splitcoast today: SC245.

So how's the week going? Our family is still feeling the lingering cold and getting back into the routine of schooling. Today I sat in on Andy's Entrepreneurship class and then on the way home, we stopped off at a new place close to our homeschool resource center called SNOW MIRACLE...it is amazing, just like eating frozen cotton candy! We decided to eat dessert first and sampled the mango and grape flavors. Awesome!

Be good...

and if you can't be good, be STYLISH! Inkadinkadoo's Kid's Quotes Stamps. How can anyone resist these sentiments? I've had this one for a bit, waiting patiently to use it at just the proper moment. Well, today's Inspiration Challenge on SCS was all about handbags (high end ones at that!) I must say I loved every minute perusing the gorgeous bags. It was this one that inspired me. And a big thank you to Chrissie for your beautiful work with Chris Dark's digital images.

The 365 Card Challenge is to add a charm to your card. I added a brass bow to my tag. During one of my wonderful summer yard sale finds, I came across a container of 25 tiny brass charms which I knew would come in handy. For this one, I coated it with VersaMark and embossed it with glossy black embossing powder. I used paper thread to tie it to the ribbon. The purse was printed out on GP white cs and colored with Copics. I added micro beads to the fancy trim. The buckle has a rhinestone enclosure and edged with a Sakura gel pen. The tag was made with a Making Memories template with PTI spring moss. The sentiment is embossed with clear ep and pulls out to reveal "the rest of the story". I used Basic Grey's Sultry group, "Vogue" for the background. The darker mat is PTI smokey grey.

Have a delish weekend...and labor not my American pals!!!

I have loved...

the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night~~~Galileo.

Here's my take on the ICS September 09 DT call. Anyone can submit until September 18th. Check it out.

I used Cornish Heritage Farms 'Reach for the Stars' set and the Astronomy scrapblock to create my card. Basic Grey's Granola colors worked perfectly with the images.

Thanks for the opportunity to apply and thanks for looking.

frittered...

well, I have to confess that I've been feeling convicted by this saying since I received the new Artistic Outpost plate 'Old Grist Mill'. I have every kind of overload and I know I'm not the only one. There's too much required of us these days...juggling too many plates, hats, or balls. How about you? Any of you agree with me? Can you gift me with words of wisdom to get back to that sweet place of an ordered life? I probably have any book you might suggest...I'll willingly try again if you really found it successful for you!!! I know I would much rather spent my precious moments with my loved ones than scrubbing my bathrooms...

So in keeping with the wonderful message, I've kept my card simple today...stamping the gristmill directly onto GP white cs with Memento Tuxedo Black. I used Memento Summer Sky on the simplify, simplify. And for the 365 Card Blog challenge today to use a label on your card, the dynamo label maker seemed the perfect tool.

I will look forward to hearing what has worked for you...one of the blessings of this world wide web is all the connections we can make!

Don't forget to check out the 3 new releases at Artistic Outpost...they have a special going on if you buy all three, you get 20% off until September 15th.

Choice by choice...

moment by moment, I build the necklace of my day, stringing together the choices that form artful living! I simply adore this quote by Julia Cameron. I have recently discovered her writings...she is the author of 'The Artists Way' and many other works. Laying out ways to overcome creative blocks and generally living an artful life. I highly recommend reading her.

I've combined a mother lode of challenges with my work today. The sketch challenge on SCS, my friend, Kelly's week 2 Words on Wednesday, and the 365 Card Blog ad inspiration. It is such fun when you can make multiple challenges zing! So for structure, the SC244 fit beautifully. Kelly's word today was impearl: to form into pearls; or adorn with pearls. And the 365 call was a White House~Black Market print ad : menswear pumps, a floral teapot and a single flower in a vase of water.

The papers I chose are a men's wear grey flannel stripe, 'Recognition' from Basic Grey's Stella Ruby and Boxer's 'Long Underwear'. The clock paper is from Graphic 45. My solids very Su's very vanilla and Georgia Pacific's white card stock. The quote is a Hampton Art Stamp and the woman with the pearl earring (hee, hee) and necklace is an old Hero Arts called Party Pearls!

I used Memento Tuxedo Black for both. Copics for coloring. Liquid pearls in white opal were used on the necklace.

Thanks so very much for visiting and I appreciate your thoughtful comments.

Boy, your pockets have grown

I am so excited to see my card for the new Artistic Outpost release also fits the 365 Card Challenge to have three shades of blue on your card! I have used the pocket watch stamp from the Outpost set, along with the script. To create this card, I repurposed a pair of my youngest son's blue jeans for the real pocket. It's really hard to believe Andy is now buying clothes in the men's department! The watch was stamped in Versamark and embossed with super fine gold ep. The watch face (serenity scene) was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then I painted the whole face with Twinkling H2O's iridescent blue. The cracked glass technique on the lens of the watch was created with UTEE. My third blue is the script stamped down the spine of the card with Memento Summer sky. I attached the pocket watch with Tim Holtz's swivel chain. And the "flies" is done with a dynamo label maker.

Thanks so much for having a look. Time really does fly and it reminds me I need to seize every moment!

Be sure to check out the three new collections out TODAY at Artistic Outpost. For a limited

time you will be able to get a 20% discount if you purchase all three. Click for more details.

The newest three collections from Artistic Outpost have a very natural vintage style, an ode to simpler times. We were inspired by some of our favorite quotes of Henry David Thoreau. His simple advice to "simplify, simplify" are words we should use in our daily life - the hustle and bustle of work, home, and community - as well as in our art. How often do we just need to stamp! Just the act of simply putting ink to rubber is calming and rewarding. We hope you find simple inspiration to create something that makes you happy.



The Outpost: This collection is inspired by our Serenity signature set and continues this theme with a much larger image of our "outpost". You will love the versatility of this collection including the ATC sized farm house, and the nostalgic pocket watch.

Old Grist Mill: We live in the South where covered bridges are not quite as common as they are in other parts of the US and Europe. However, we absolutely long to be driving through the countryside in the fall, stopping at each covered bridge, and just listening to the "clippety, clap" of the tires going over each floor board. Again, we are reminded to enjoy simple beauty.

Generation Redux: These vintage images are grunged up a bit in a unique collage style. They are designed to go with not only The Outpost and Old Grist Mill, but think of using them with Home as well. We love this generation and find that this style of photo stamp is a perfect versatile style to add that "human"

element to your creations.

And while you're here, hop over to these other Artistic Outpost team members...you'll be amazed at what they've done.

• Lisa Somerville
• Gerrie Johnnic
• Kelly Burton
• Cathy Edgar
• Debby Boltman
• Judy Hayes
• Lynn Stevens
• Robin Willis
• Sharon Briss
• Susan Conrad
• Toni Tessler