Flamingo Hugs!!!

Well.........I'm still working on a Cuddles & Hugs item........but here's my first card!! I do love Criss Cross cards and wanted a special birthday card for a wonderful friend!!! I know you know who you are!! LOL And I'm still sorry it will be late............I just have been too scattered lately........but you know I love ya Linsey!!!

Soooo.........I LOVE Flamingos!!!! Yes, I do.............now how could **any** of you be surprised??? They are PINKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!! And mine are sparkly too with my wonderful glitter pens!!!! I love Basic Grey paper..........and greens and pinks!! And all of Melanie's critters!!!! Although I DO still want a platypus!!!!! **wink**

What you can't tell is that I used so many layers this card is HEAVY!!!! LOL Jessie.........you've been a wonderful influence on me for layering.........I just adore layers!!!! The image is colored with my beloved Prismas!!! And using OMS to blend! I used a lighter pink around the heads and wings and legs and black tips for the beaks so they're fairly realistic!! But I wanted a simpler image of them also, so the inside card was perfect for this! I just outlined them with the Stardust Glitter pen. And isn't that sentiment the best??!!! That is courtesy of my awesome and loving friend Donna. Melanie is so talented and creative and also so sweet that she loves incorporating a fantastic idea too like Donna's!!!

And a HUGE shout-out and big ole hugs for Donna and Carolina!! They were just named as Guest Designers for Paper Pretties. A stamp company I have never ordered from and let me tell you THAT will change soooooooooon!!! Check out their blogs (and Design Team Member Jessie's) for some amazing creations made with their stamps!!! That little Bunny Slipper girlie is sooooooooo gonna be my first purchase!!!! LOL Like I needed enabling for more stamps!! Oh won't James be thrilled??!!!! Bwahahaha!!!!

I am sooooooooo proud and happy to call all of these incredible ladies mentioned today my friends!!! You all are stuck with me!!!! :)

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Back To Challenges!!

Yaaaaaaaaaay!!! I feel like I'm back on track when I'm back to the SCS Challenges. Well, the ones I like anyway............LOL!!!! This card is for the Featured Stamper Challenge to CASE Chelemom. Her gallery is waaaaaaaaay cool!!! So here's my card........I basically CASED the idea of a smaller card with lots of nestie layers!! I got to use my new rectangle ones!! I used the fantastic Hero Arts "Seize The Cupcake" stamp set!! And I stickled the frosting and then stuck the candle in it!! I used micro beads for the "sprinkles"!! And, of course, the fabulous and delish pink and brown color combo!!!! Who could resist such a cupcake???!!! Not me!!!! LOL

I started a project with Melanie's new Cuddles & Hugs set.........but it's late and I'm tired and I want it to look goooooood........so I'm finishing it tomorrow.........stay tuned!!!!! :)

My First Diorama Card and A Tag By My Daughter!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh.............I made my very first Diorama Card!!!! I don't why I felt so intimidated by this......but the SCS tutorial was so easy to follow and I had the idea to ink up my Gina K. Owls!!! Throw in some absolutely gorgeous Teatime or is it Time For Tea? dp by SU........and a bit of bling!!! LOL These are so fun and simple to make!! I couldn't decide on a "scene" for the front of the card, so I pulled out the dp and thought it would be just perfect with these owls!!!

Now for a Tag from my darling and hilarious (but with a crazy sense of humor!). Her blog is called The Word Bender. Here are her rules as SHE posted them (they're funny in and of themselves, so I'm cutting and pasting)........

Rules--to be posted and followed down to the last letter within the time span of one week. Consequences for disobeying these rules even slightly or for putting them aside for longer than one week will not be mentioned for fear of queasy readers:

1. Post these rules. This rule was really already implied above, but it's worth repeating.

2. Each person tagged must post 8 random facts about themselves. They have to be random. Random, of course, can be defined in any way the poster feels like, unless it's a really boring definition. I recommend including ducks in it somewhere. Ducks are never boring.

4. At the end tag and name a few (at least two) other people. Well, tag at least. You don't have to name them, but it would be helpful. Mostly helpful to the people wondering who got tagged, and if it was them.

5. Go to the people tagged (and possibly named) and leave a comment telling them they're tagged (and named, unless you're keeping that bit a secret from them, which is always fun).

6. No matter what else you do--if all else fails--DO NOT FORGET TO OBEY RULE 3.

Okay.............now here are 8 random facts about me......

1. I despise and detest brown mountain crickets.

2. I like painting my toenails each a different color so I'm always wearing a rainbow!

3. I'm addicted to stamps and bling (well, that's prolly just a wee bit obvious to some of you!!!) LOL

4. I have never had a pet duck. (that random fact would be for my dd!)

5. I think I'm the only person of my generation who has never seen Top Gun or Footloose!!

6. I cannot wear or walk in heels.........seriously, it is a picture you soooooooo don't wanna see!!! LOL

7. I am a red head.......yes, I am.......YES, I AM!!!!!!!!!

8. I'm so happy to have made so many awesome blogging and stamping friends....including YOU!!!!

Well...............I'm not tagging anyone, since I think I forgot to do a couple of tags I received.........and I can't remember now who tagged me! I'm so sorry! But if you feel like playing this silly tag let me know!!

Okeedokee............tomorrow we make one last trip (hopefully) to the old house as a couple have already rented it and move in this weekend!! We've got a few boxes and tools in the shed to retrieve and a window to fix. But what a huge relief that it rented so quickly and we won't have to stress over paying 2 mortgages!!!! That's truly a blessing!!! And then hopefully I'll get some stampin' time as my Gina K. order came in today!!!!! "See" you all later!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Headin' Out!!!!!!!!!!!

WooooooooooooooHoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

We're all packed up and just about ready to head out on our mini vacation!!!!!! It's a fun, fun Stampin' Get-together of lots of us SCS Flybabies!!!! Anyone else close enough to Kansas City and wanna stop in please e-mail me!!! The more the merrier!!!!! LOL

I apologize for minimal blogging the past few days, but we had to paint and clean and get the old house ready before we left on this trip. A rental management company is taking over this weekend and hopefully we'll get 'er rented and not have 2 mortgages!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!! I soooo want less stress for my awesome, awesome hubby!!!!!

I'll leave you with a couple of photos of a little bear who's been a troublemaker!! We have no trash or pet food outside, so he's busting the birdfeeders for sunflower seeds!!! Lazy bear. DH says it looks like a first-year-on-his-own bear who wants easy food. So we're teaching him NO!!! LOL DH takes the dogs and chases him...................it's hilarious!!!! I did research and the suggestion is to get a paintball gun as it stings a bit and accompanied with dogs and being chased he'll learn that humans are no fun!! Now................I'm the first to admit that I love the little guys.......and I love taking pictures.........HOWEVER..........growing up in a mountain state, we were taught at a young age that if you encourage bears, they get aggressive and can end up being put down. Now THAT is really irresponsible on the part of home-owners and those people that actually FEED the bears tick me off to no end!!!!! They're endangering people and the very bears themselves!!!! Okay..............off my soapbox..........I toldja I tend to have a big ole one I pull out at times!!!!! **wink**

I'll be crafting and stamping and posting and commenting on everyone's blogs again soon, I promise!!!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

My Very First Waterfall Card!!!

Oh was I ever intimidated by these for a long time!!! Okay, relatively long time as I've only been stamping for 18 months now!! But I never thought I'd be able to make one of these on my own without someone by my side to help! But I did!!! Here's the Splitcoast Tutorial I followed........Waterfall Tutorial.

I inked up some of my new Gina K. sets!!!! I stamped in Black StazOn and colored with my wonderfully loved Prisma pencils and used Gamsol to blend. One of these times I'm gonna try Baby Oil to blend as I've heard it's similar. In fact, my pal Linsey just made This Beautiful Card using the Baby Oil technique. And I know that even though Odorless Mineral Spirits are supposed to be odorless........they DO have somewhat of an odor and I know Baby Oil does smell a lot better!! I also read that if you're pregnant you should avoid the OMS and use the Baby Oil too!!

I didn't actually embellish a lot on this card..............I know!!!!!!!!!!!! You've all fainted, huh???? ;) But I did glitz up each critter and wanted that to be the focus!! And, of course, the FABULOUS summer Basic Grey designer paper!!!! What do you think????

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

RAKS I've Been Blessed With!!!!

Yaaaay!! I found and unpacked all my recent RAKS!! I packed them carefully, but then had to find them!!! All of the boxes from the garage that were craft-related in any way have been strewn in my craft room!!! LOL I'll be sharing these RAKS in the next few days as I have to admit to having the most fabulous friends and have so many to share!!!! So here are the first few I want to share:

These are from Carolina......she's so amazing and talented and sweet!!! The yummy Cake card was for my April birthday and she sent a package that included a BRAND NEW SU Stamp Set!!!! And an adorably altered jar of Dew Drops!!! Yes.........a whole jar of multi colored ones!!! And the Mother's Day card and FABulous Tissue Holder!!!! Isn't she amazing!!!?? She makes the most wonderful Altered Projects!!! Thank you so much Carolina!!!! You are a wonder!!!

These are from Donna.........oh my! Another very talented and giving stamper!! The sweet little pocket card is absolutely adorable!!!! I love the coffee/cocoa theme and the sentiment is so dang cute!! "Cool Beans"!!!! LOL The birdie card is an Anniversary card and the little birds are cut out!! It's just so perfect for us as we've been Birders for years!! And yes........there is glitter and that awesome striped ribbon for embellies!!! Thanks so much for bringing me smiles!!These are from Linsey.........oh yeah baby!!! Yet another fabulously talented and creative stamper I'm blessed to call my friend!! The Udderly Cute Cow card is for my April birthday as is the Cupcake card that I totally droooooooooooled over on her blog!!!! And the incredible Owl card is a Housewarming card! Yes, this is the Owl Delight you all saw on her blog and now it's in MY stamp room!!!! You are a truly fun and I'm so happy we're friends!!These are from Jessie............yes......oh the Layer Queen herself who has taught me much!! The peach one is for my birthday and I ADORE Criss Cross cards!!!! Isn't this yummy looking!! The fabulous floral card is just amazing with the elegant colors and dp and the layers........oh I wish you could see all the layers!! They just pop right out at ya!!! Thank you Jessie for sharing so much of you!!!

Okay............I'm so spoiled that I have so many more to share..............stay tuned as I'll alternate my own creations with the fabulous and loving RAKS I've received!!!! Now to get my own RAKs enveloped up and sent out this week!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

SURPRISE Pop-Up Card!!!

I'm so thrilled to be jumping back into some of the SCS challenges!!! Okay, so I've wimped out and decided to only do the challenges that really catch my eye!!! LOL This one is a technique challenge to make a Surprise Pop-Up Card. I love these and will definitely be making more!! One thing I should share............you know I love layering cards? Well, trying to cut and score thru multiple layers is NOT easy!!!! AND........the slider pop-up part doesn't slide near as easily!! LOL Oh well........I do think it was fun!!! And you just never can go wrong with any Basic Grey paper!!!

Well, I'm off to check out our tiny, little "satellite" library in town. The kids and I were totally flabbergasted to learn our town, nor the next one over, had a library!!! I found out that the elementary school has a "satellite" library that's open a few hours a week......so I'm off to check it out!!! I have no idea what it will be like..........but I'm hoping for some good, fun summer reading books!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Match 'Em!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember those card games of Concentration you played as a kid and/or with your little ones??? Well...................I thought it would be fun to make a little matching card game set with Melanie's What's In Your Tin #1 and all of her Animal Stamps!!! I stamped the tin outline on both white cardstock and SU Summer Picnic dp and put them together so the cards would have a "back". Then I stamped 2 of each animal and colored them with my wonderful Prismas and OMS. You could easily make more than the 14 cards I made and I plan on adding more when Melanie's new animal sets come out!!! ;) I used Spica Glitter pens and Twinkling H2Os to add some shimmer and glitz!!!! What do y'all think??????

OH!!!!!!! DH got me a new camera and PSE 6!!! We weren't gonna do anything for our anniversary with the move and the spending we've already done.............but he spoils me rotten!!!! LOL It's a midline camera that he was impressed with when he read Consumer Reports. He researches everything before we buy!!!! So now I just have to get the hang of it. But it already takes waaaaaaaaay better photos than my little cheapie digital I had that was slowly dying!! LOL

Okay............now to catch up on some SCS challenges!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Her Name Is LILA!!!!!!!

Okay, okay........here's the story...........

Have you met Lola.......on Melanie's Blog?? Well, she left for the Bright Lights to seek her fame and fortune!! She left her twin sister Lila alone in the Australian Outback!!! Well, how selfish was that??? Lola thinks she's the only one with talent and beauty............but just LOOK at LILA!!!! She's all gussied up and shakin' those tail feathers baybeeee!!!! What??? You think you have to go all Hollywood to look glamorous??? Lila really is the smart one of the two........there's Lola in L.A. pursuing the stage and trying to get casting calls in a sea of many seeking the same. But Lila is ONE OF A KIND!!! She's the ****only**** gussied up bird 'round these parts!!!! SHE's the one that gets noticed!!! Just wait 'til Lola comes home............are her feathers gonna be ruffled or what??!!! LOL

I just couldn't resist after Melanie introduced Lola. This idea has been percolating in my head ever since!!! I know the card is a bit much...........of course y'all DO know how I love my bling!!!! LOL I actually cut out part of her tail and curled it up a tad to bring a bit more dimension to it. Lila is colored with my beloved Prismas and I used the Gamsol technique. She's popped up on dimensionals. Well, I'm not so great at "scene" cards...........but I suppose this one's not too bad.....of course, the focus is Lila...........so that helps as she'll blind you when you look at her!!!! LOL Hope you get a little "kick" out of this!! I just couldn't wait to share this so I took the photo this evening...........I'll add another daylight photo tomorrow and you can realllly see her glitter and glow!!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

A Colorific Zebra and Cute, Cuddly Kittens!!

Oh here's a fun card I made for Melanie's Guest Designer Contest..............This little Zebra image is just absolutely DARLING!!! So I couldn't resist pulling out the Basic Grey - Oh Baby Girl dp and then colorifying my cute lil zebra to match!!!! And the Zoo brads are such a fun accent!!!! This sweet little girl is indeed, kicking up her heels!! I'm hoping you can see with the close-up photo that I used the Paper Tole technique. I stamped and colored the image once on the piece of white cardstock, then I stamped and colored and gamsol'ed again and cut her out and popped her up on top of the first image!! What do ya think???

And I sooooooooooo cannot resist sharing these photos of the kittens!!! Oh my we've taken TONS of photos!!! They're just so darn irresistible!!! That's probably why we have 4 cats already!!! And, yes, daddy is being talked into letting DD keep one of the orange ones!! LOL Now that the cats are outside or in the garage, he doesn't mind as much!! No bad smells in the house and no ruining of furniture!!! LOL It's just so hard to say "no" when looking at these precious babies!!!!!

And here's a pic of hubby and I. I hate pictures of myself...........but I can't have full scrapbooks without any photos of mom in them, can I???? LOL Enjoy the pics!!! I'll be in my craft room making some more Melanie cards!!!

Oh.........I have to thank Deb and Susan for letting me know that my Feedblitz thingy wasn't working. I tried to get it to work and it just plain won't!!! Any suggestions???

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Some More VSN Cards.............AND..........A Double Win!!!!!!!

Ohhhhhh.......my first Blog Candy winner, Maria, contacted me and let me know that her computer was knocked out and she couldn't check in here. Oh my goodness, what a high followed by an immediate low when she saw that she won, but that she didn't!!!!! Soooooooooo..............since the reason was totally out of her control, I will duplicate the Blog Candy and send her a package too!!! I'll order another Jumping For Joy set a the next Release Party and then get a package out to Maria if she'll cooperate and give me her addy!!!! And if anyone else knows her addy you can pass it along to me as I'd really like to send her a package too!!!! I am sooooo thrilled to share more of Gina K. and Melanie M.!!!!!!!! :)

We had sis-in-law and her family over for dinner and ATV and Wii play!!! It was so fun and my wonderful BIL played guitar and sang too!! Their family actually has 2 CDs and we LOVE listening to their bluegrass sound!! I'll get photos someday and share them!!!





Yesterday was our anniversary!!! 19 years!!! We had a simple dinner out (not much to choose from in this tiny town!! LOL). My hubby truly is my Rock, my Best Friend, my Hero!!! So here's the Anniversary card I made him this year!! But I'm not posting what I wrote to him!!!! ROFL :)

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

KITTENS!!!!!!!!! And a new WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well.....................color me SURPRISED!!!!!!!! But no sign of Maria to claim the Blog Candy surprise!!!!!! So...............back to Cody.org for a new winner!!!!!!!!!!! I sure hope you all are checking so I can send this yummy candy to someone soooooon!!!!!! LOL

Okeedokee............................the new winner is: BETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (in PA)

Hey girl!!!!!! You can't say you never win anything anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I've got your addy so I'll get this out to you ASAP!!!!!!!!!

Now here are a few updated photos of the kittens!!!! They're 2 1/2 weeks old and their eyes are open and they're starting to show some personality!!!! They're just sooooooooooo dang cute!!!!!

I'll be back later with some cards!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

Stampin' and LOVIN' it!!!!!

I am sooooooo enjoying my stampin' space!!!! But I also am doing some unpacking, some daily chores and a spin on the ATV once in a while!!!! LOL Here's a quick post with some cards I made yesterday and today!!

This is a wedding card I made for a friend's daughter! This totally is blowing my mind!!! I first met this little girl when she was 3 and my little dd was 1!!! YIKES!!! Now this little girl is all grown up and getting married!! She's young.........19........but she's so sweet and mature!! I made the card in her wedding colors!! I'm sorry we can't be there..........but it's a long ways away and there are other circumstances that prevent us going.........but they know we love them and wish them all the best!!!

This is for today's Color Challenge on SCS..................YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! It feels so good to be back to the challenges!!!!! We were to use Blue Bayou, Soft Sky and Real Red. I thought it perfect for this SU set!! And thanks to Carolina (craftycaro on SCS).........I got to use these AWESOME baubles!!! She sent me a beautiful altered bottle full of all different colors of these baubles!!!! Thanks so MUCH Carolina!!!!!

Now this one was my very first Sweet & Sassy card!!! My friend Christi sent this adorable set to me as fun blog candy I won from her blog! I finally inked it up!!! This little guy is just so cute and I thought of a sweet birthday card.........couldn't resist using a bit of bling!!!! LOL

Have a wonderful day and I'll be back with more cards!!!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~

And The Winner Is......................................

Maria H...........................COME ON DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just sorry I don't have any bells and whistles to accompany this grand announcement!!! But you can see from the pictures that Cody.org did a very unbiased job of picking a name from my helmet!!! Please e-mail me (the link to my e-mail is in my profile) so I can send your package to you!!!! If I don't hear from Maria by Wednesday, then Cody will draw another name from the helmet!!! LOL I want to say how incredibly AMAZED and GOBSMACKED (I love that word!!!) with the response to my blog candy give-away!!! 147 posts!!!!!!! I'm totally blown away and humbled that you all visited and left such fun and wonderful comments!!! Melanie..............did you see some waaaaaaaaaaay cool suggestions???!!!! LOL

Oh the suggestions were fun..........some were of animals we already have but maybe drawn a bit differently, some were of animals that no other stamp company can seem to make "Melanie" cute, some were very exotic, some were man's best friend.............but I enjoyed reading all of the comments!! I'm sure hoping for a Platypus...........I couldn't tell you why.........but I think they are just so tiny and adorable!!! Susan has even sent me some platypus items from Australia!!!! I treasure them!!!! But Melanie..............we know whatever animals or critters come next............we'll all be in line to buy them!!!! Thanks for sharing your talent with all of us!! And thank YOU again.........all you fantastic stampers that stopped by!!!! This was so successful and fun I think I'll be doing another of these in the future!! Stay tuned!!!! LOL

Now...........I just HAVE GOT to share this photo of me! We got an ATV yesterday!!!!! We told the kids when we finally got our house with some property we'd buy one!! So we did!!!! And let me tell you...........hubby and I are lovin' it just as much as the kids!!!! Since my kids are adult size and we also need it for snow plowing and hauling trees, etc........we got a bigger, more "work-horse" type. It's a BLAST!!!! And I don't think you can see it too well, but my new helmet is PINK!!!!! LOL

Okeedokee............off to create more cards and get back to my stamping and posting routines!!! I had a wonderful time and hope you all did too!!!!

~ Have A Creative Day! ~