The Sisterhood challenge ...

... today's challenge over at The Sisterhood of Crafters is hosted by Terri Snode (Terri's Cards 'N More).  We are doing something a little different today.  When we have a month where there is a "5th week" ... that week's challenge will be dedicated to what we are calling a "Sister's Social".   Today Terri has focused our "social time" on being GRATEFUL!  Please stop over and check it out!  She has created a beautiful Gratitude Journal and the thought behind it is awesome!!

You don't actually have to create anything ... you can simply pop in, leave a comment about what you are grateful for today and just say Hello!!  We will be grateful to have you stop by for a visit and share with us what you are feeling today!!

I decided to make up a little "reminder" card for someone who is just so overwhelmed with life right now ... I thought she might need a reminder to step back and look around!  Be GRATEFUL for what you have ... not what you do not have!!  We all have moments like that where we think our lives are just so bad ... but look around ... there is always someone else dealing with a heck of a lot more than we are at that time!! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I have to say I am SO GRATEFUL for all the wonderful friends I have made here in Blogland!  That means YOU!!  Happy Day my Friend!!

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Easter

WOW, can you believe it's nearly Easter!!  I swear someone has put my days on "high speed" ... they are just flying by!!!

Penny (Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge) has asked us to create an "EASTER PROJECT" for our bi-monthly challenge and this is what I've come up with.

 (click on image for larger view)

I just LOVE this Lily Bouquet digi created by my friend Teri Sherman at Delicious Doodles and I knew it would be PERFECT for today's creation. Here are the details for this creation:

Stamps:  Crafty Secrets "Happy Easter" 
Papers:  Bazzill pink, Whisper white, Bashful blue, Paper Pizazz
Inks:  Versafine black
Accessories:  Kaiser pearls, Nestabilities Labels 10, Pop Dots, Offray satin ribbon, Fiskars swivel craft knife, white Gelly Roll pen, Prismacolor markers

Please be sure to check out the inspiring Easter creations by my co-DT members:

* Alison - Hairy Harry's Craft
* Kim - Memories in Thyme
* Cheryl - CherCroppin's Stamp Pad
* Alanna - Alanna's Spot in the World 

*Penny - A Work of Heart

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 AND ... over on CREATIONS BY PENNY check this out:

Bundle deals are now available here.

More coming soon.

Buy a  bundle and SAVE!!!!

Thanks for the visit!!

 

BIRTHDAYS ...

TODAY is our granddaughter Morgan's 18th birthday!  We celebrated a little early (over the weekend) for gift giving and her favorite food. Here are a few photos to share with you her birthday fun.  This is a "friends" album we gave her to collect senior year memories in before Graduation in May.  Of course the first friends in the album were various "presidents" ... she like that!!!

Another "GRAD" album to show off her own graduation proofs was also a favorite (did you notice she loves the colors hot pink/black!!)

I also found this really cool "film strip" at Michaels which holds 7 - 4x6 photos ... perfect for a "princess" who likes having her picture taken.  Of course that might be my fault since I've had a camera in her face since she was born ... hey, I'm a grandma ... I'm allowed!!

A few childhood memories with this purple/silver whirly gig.  I always bought her one of these when she came to visit us as a little tike!  And she remembered that and made comment that they were also always this color (like I didn't remember that, duh!!)

And since I never got around to getting her a Porcelain Doll  when she was little, I waited until she was 18 to do it!!  She thought it was pretty cool!!

How much fun!   Even though we celebrated last Sunday ... today is HER DAY and we are going down after DH gets home from work to have cake & ice cream!  Blow out the candles & pray all her dreams come true!!!

(Click on any image to enlarge)
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Another BIRTHDAY wish I'd like to put out there is to my *Wink *Wink Ink Co-DT member, LOUISE!!  Please pop over to her blog and share some birthday love!!

Midnight Madness, Crafty Secrets and Crazy 4

HAPPY TUESDAY EVERYONE!!! 

WOW ...  I have a lot to share with you today so please bear with me on the long post!  I'll try not to be too long winded!!  First I'd like to share with you the creation I made for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge.  As I have said before ... the fact that they now give you the option of TWO sketches (easy & more detail) ... and a SNEAK PEEK ... I can actually give my creation a little more thought and always TRY for the MORE DETAILED version of the sketch. 

Here is what I've come up with today!  I just love these vintage images from Shabby Chic papirskatter and have used one for my creation today.  Here is a listing of items used on my card:
Stamps:  Hero Arts
Papers:  Kraft, Garden Green, WW, SU Groovy Guava dp
Inks:  Versafine black
Accessories:  Detail Clear EP, Target paper doily, Prima flowers, Darice brads, Mrs. Grossman sticker stitches

I would have loved to go MORE ornate on this creation but I just know that the ladies who purchase my cards wouldn't like having to pay the extra postage by doing that (ask me how I know, LOL!)

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For today's Crafty Secrets Forum Challenge over on SCS, Jan is our hostess this week and has asked us to use "sweet little birds" on our creations.  Crafty Secrets has some awesome bird images both in their stamps, booklets, cotton scraps and their post card kits like I have used here.

There wasn't much to making this creation ... the postcard kit does all the work!!  I simply added a little stickles to the birds winks and flower centers as well as Darice satin ribbon & Target half pearls.  Pretty Easy Peasy but very eye appealing!!  Like I said, these CS images are beautiful ... you really should check 'em out!!

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My final card to share with you on this posting is for the Crazy 4 Challenge.  This week they have a sketch challenge for us and an easy one at that.  I had just finished coloring this adorable image by Creations By Penny and thought it would work perfectly.  What do you think???  Ooops, I just realized the sentiment was to be in the bottom right corner ... oh well ... it came with the image and is close enough to qualify I hope!

Isn't this image just too cute!!  The designer paper is by Colorbok and I have used Nestabilities scallop ovals for my matting.  Prismacolor markers were used for coloring and the edges where stippled with SU Old Olive ink.

Hope you have enjoyed my cards this morning.  I will be back in a bit to share some BIRTHDAY fun with you all!  Until then ... have a wonderful day!

It's Wink Wink Ink Time ...

Happy Monday Everyone!  

I trust you had a wonderful weekend!  

We celebrated our granddaughter, Morgan's 18th birthday yesterday and I hope to have some photos to share with you a little later today!!

Now, for today's *Wink *Wink Ink Design Team Creation:

 (click on image for larger view)

I recently purchased this cute Inkadinkado sentiment stamp knowing exactly which digi image it would perfectly with!!!  That's right ... the *Wink *Wink Ink "Stinker" digi is so adorably cute I just couldn't help myself!  It's bound to put a smile on the face of anyone and hopefully make someone who's feeling "under the weather" smile too!!

Recipe for this creation:
Stamps:  Inkadinkado, Versus Rubber Stamps, Wink Wink digi
Papers:  Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Basic Grey Two Scoops dp
Inks:  Versafine black, Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories:  Joann's grosgrain ribbon, Nestabilities Labels 13, paper piercer, white Gelly Roll pen, Darice flowers, Prisma pencisl, gamsol, Prismacolor markers, sponge
Technique:  Paper Piercing, Sponging, EASEL card

Please be sure to pop in often over at *Wink *Wink Ink ... Melanie always has something new up her sleeve ... and a new creation at the end of her sketching pencil!!  Have you seen one of her latest creation called "Little Bird"????  WOW, is this cute or what!!  And look at all the sentiments that come with this set!  FANTASTIC!!


Oh, have I mentioned to you that they are starting to have challenges offered beginning April 5th??  Please be sure to check it out over on the *Wink *Wink Ink Blog and join in ... promises to be great fun!!


Okay ... that's it for me for this morning!  Please stop back later for some BIRTHDAY FUN!!!  Thanks for visiting!  

One Quick Card ...

... to share with you before heading over to my daughter's house to celebrate Morgan's 18th birthday!!  This is actually Morgan's birthday card and I didn't want to post it too soon and spoil the surprise!  Ssssshhh, don't tell her!!  

They are having a challenge over on the Sugar Nellie Forum of SCS and you are to create an Easel Card.  I don't have a lot of Sugar Nellie's, but the one's I do have I adore!!  They each were purchased with someone in mind ... and mostly Morgan!! Mo always loved dressing up and wearing hats when she was little and of course that would be ME on the card too, bringing cupcakes to Mo!!  Teehee!

This is one of Morgan's graduation pictures!  Isn't she pretty??  Of course I'm a bit prejudice ... after all, I'm Nanna ... I'm allowed to be!!

Gotta go!  Be sure to check out the fun Sugar Nellie challenge!  See you tomorrow with another *Wink *Wink Ink creation!  Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

Time To Share ...

Good Evening All!

It's been a busy card making day but I took the time for some neighborhood fun!!  Today was the "Easter Egg Hunt" where I live and although I don't have any "little ones" any longer (all grown up you know) ... my little friends next door, Miss Olivia & Miss Emily invited me along to watch them gather eggs at the playground this morning.  Of course I accepted ... they are just so adorable, how could I not!!!

Miss Olivia (oldest in white jacket), Miss Emily (hot pink jacket) & their little cousins from Columbus, OH drove in for the fun too.  I'm terrible, her name escapes me at the moment ... I'll have to get back to you on that!!  What fun they had when it came time for their age group to begin gathering!!

It's been a long time since I've been to an Easter Egg Hunt and I had a great time watching all the excitement and scurrying about to fill their containers as fast as they could!!  We actually had to stop Olivia ... wow that girl's fast!!!  LOL!!

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Now for a couple card creations to share!  My friend Cheryl over at Stamp By Step created this beautiful Spiritual Spring stamp set and it's still available as a FREEBIE ... hurry on over and grab yours and check out all the amazing new products she has in stock while you are there!!! 

I don't have much time left to get my remaining holiday cards created so it was nice to have these digis available to work with!  So easy to color and create with!!  Here are the items used for this creation:
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Paper Pizazz designer paper
Accessories:  Martha Stewart Loop Corner Punch, Swivel craft knife, Nestabilities ribbon tag die, Michaels grosgrain ribbon, Scribbles White paint, pop dots, chalk, makeup applicator, Prismacolor marker

My second card  was done similarly using designer paper from STEMMA, Hobby Lobby Ribbon, Nestabilities ribbon tag die, chalk and a little Darice black satin bow w/pearl.

I really love the design Cheryl put on these images!  Very easy to cut out with a craft knife and pop up for a little extra drama.  LOVE THAT!!

Don't forget, that is STAMP BY STEP ... pop on over and check out all the amazing supplies Cheryl has available!  AND, the sale is still going on until the end of the month!!!  HURRY!!!

Saturday Spotlight - COFFEE

 HAPPY SATURDAY EVERYONE!!

It's time for another SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT CHALLENGE and this week, The Spotlight Divas would like to challenge you to create something with COFFEE in mind! You don't HAVE to use coffee images for this challenge, you can take inspiration from the colors you think of in coffee like rich browns, blacks, tan/creamy colors, etc. And to help you out a bit further, we wanted to provide you with this inspirational photo:

So please take the inspiration from the photo or from the colors you think of with coffee and have fun with it!! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!!

For our special Spotlight sponsor this week we have...

The Cutting Cafe'

**Regina is generously providing the prize winner this week THREE sets of choice from her store!!** 

 The Cutting Cafe' has provided some awesome images for the design team to work with on their creations for this week!!  And this is what I have come up with using those images!  This was SO MUCH FUN to create and I know exactly who I want to send this card too!  A friend I don't see nearly enough of  ... this is just PERFECT!!

For more inspiration, be sure to check out the amazing projects created by my Co-Diva's.  You can find their links below:

*Vicki Parsons (Creator/Coordinator)
*Chris Olsen (Coordinator)

Boni Boutelle-Jones

Crystal Irwin

Erin Bailey

 Jessica George

Jodi Ann-Lee

 Maria Matter

SNOW ... AGAIN?????

I can not believe we woke up to a "coating of the white stuff!!" and my poor little daffodils are so sad!!  Luckily I cut a few yesterday and brought them into the house to enjoy!

 Don't you just LOVE the first flowers of Spring!!  So BEAUTIFUL ...

Raise The Bar Challenge #11 - April Fool

Can you believe we are in the last week of March!  

April Fool's Day is next week then right around the corner EASTER!!  

Well, today on Raise The Bar, our challenge is APRIL FOOL!  No don't go playing jokes on your friends & neighbors ... instead, FOOL US by creating a card or project using a style that is NOT your usual!  

My favorite style is Vintage and I find CAS (clean & simple) creations to be my least favorite because I keep thinking the card needs SOMETHING MORE!!!  So, that is the direction I took for my challenge card today.

(click on image for larger view)

By inking up one side of the Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder with SU Bermuda Bay ink, I have created my background panel.  After removing it from the embossing folder and cleaning the folder, I have turned it around (upside-down) and ran it through again for a double embossing.  

My sentiment is one of our notorious leader Joni's ... from her Inktegrity Store.  I cut it out using a Nestabilities long rectangle die and sponging the edges with Bermuda Bay ink before removing it from the die.  My base card is Teal Green and Liquid Pearls were used in the lower corner for embellishment.

Please be sure to check out the awesome, inspirational creations by the other Bar Tenders ... links to their blogs can be found on my sidebar!
 

Oh My Gosh ...

... I just couldn't help myself!!!

(snippet)

Melanie over at *Wink *Wink Ink has certainly been busy creating new digi images for you all!!  She just shared this one with us, and I just could not wait to play with it!  REMEMBER ... this is not only a B/W image for you to color on your own ... but there is also a precolored image when you purchase any of Melanie's stamp sets.  That is what I have used on this card!   This set also comes with various sentiments.  Here the full size card using this new "In A Jam" digi:

(click image for a larger view)

 IS THIS CUTE OR WHAT!!!  After printing and cutting out the sentiment, I gave it a "bend" before attaching it to the card front with purple brads.  I just today picked up with Recollections designer paper at Michaels ... perfect!!  And as you can see best in the "snippet" ... I have added Crystal Effects to give the jar a "real" appearance!    


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Now, here is a card I colored myself (now you know why I LOVE these precolored digis so much!!).  The designer paper is Stemma, the circles were die cut using Nestabilities and the flowers are Prima ... so easy, peasy fun creations!!!  Although, I do think I'll go back and add Crystal Effects to this card as well ... just makes it POP!!

(click image for a larger view)

Don't we all feel like this little guy from time to time!!  LOL!!  What great fun to have a creation like this to send to that "special" person who has at some point ... Helped You Out Of A Jam!!!  Sure to bring an instant smile to their face!!

Well ... that's all for me today!!  I'm trying to get creative for my grand-daughter's 18th birthday coming up this weekend ... but I seem to be stalling out ... NOT GOOD!!!  Best get back to it!!  

Please stop back tomorrow when I will have another fun RAISE THE BAR challenge creation to share with you!!  Thanks for stopping by!!

A little playtime ...

... and wanted to share my creations with YOU!!!

The Crafty Secret Forum Challenge over on SCS this week is hosted by Marcy and she has asked us to use TEXTURE.  So here is what I have come up with.  
 
For my texture, I have run by background designer paper through the Cuttlebug using the Stylized Flower embossing folder, then sponged a little old olive ink over top to help show it off.  My images are from the Crafty Secrets Garden Girls set and after cutting/matting with my Classic Circles Nestabilities, I double matted it with a paper doily.  I added Hero Arts gems here and there on the doily for a little EXTRA texture.  

My satin ribbon ON satin ribbon was adorned with EK Success paper flowers & leaves for yet more texture.  So, what do you think???  Not bad since I wasn't really sure what the "actual challenge" was ... simply hoped I had guessed the clues correctly!! 

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While sitting in the hospital waiting room yesterday, I decided to get caught up on some of my image coloring.  Melanie over at *Wink *Wink Ink just came out with this adorable "Little Bird" digi and I couldn't wait to get her colored and designed.  Please pop over to her STORE and see all the new, fun creations she has come up with!!

I have to say my "coloring conditions" were NOT the best but it did occupy my time and helped me get ahead "a little"!  LOL!!  Oh, by the way, this adorable set also comes with a variety of sentiments ... you really must check it out!!!  Unfortunately, I didn't print them out when I printed my image to color so I just used an Art Impressions stamp I had available at the time.

Here are the details of this card:
Stamps:  Art Impressions, Wink Wink Ink digi
Papers:  Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Grey Wisteria dp
Inks:  Rich Razzleberry
Accessories:  Prismacolor markers, Prisma Pencils, Gamsol, Darice Hemp, chalk, makeup applicator, Basic Grey Opaline pearls, SU Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon, Martha Stewart Arch Lattice border punch, Nestabilities scallop rectangles dies, Mermaid Glitz Stickles, Fiskars postage stamp scissors

Thanks so much for stopping by today and letting me share my creations with you!!  The sun is shining today so I guess I should come up out of the crafting cave and get some housework done ... drat ... I'd rather be crafting!!  Later my friends!!

The SISTERHOOD is back ...

... and today Kim is our hostess!!

Our challenge theme today at The Sisterhood of Crafters is Tips, Techniques & Tutorials. Kim will be sharing a tutorial on how to use Easter Egg Stamps to create a beautiful flower for your card, layout or project!  

I tried "thinking outside the box" with this idea and created this Easter card for my granddaughter!

I have used the Close to My Heart Easter Egg stamp set to create the cross and a Paper Inspirations sentiment stamp over Paper Pizazz designer paper for the background.  The four eggs on the corners were stamped with Versafine black ink then embossed with detail clear embossing powder before being cut out and positioned.  The entire cross is popped up using Pop Dots.  Offray satin ribbon was used for the scarf.


If you haven't been over to The Sisterhood yet ... please come over & sit a spell!!  We are a STRESS FREE challenge blog geared toward making friends and having fun ... and of course sharing some crafting mixed in everywhere possible!!


Why not pop on over right now and see what other fun creations my SISTAHS have to share with you!!  Meet you at the swing on the porch!!!

MMSC #46 and health updates ...

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!

Let me begin by saying that today is a VERY GOOD day here at the Pavlick house!  My sweet husband had surgery this morning to remove his chemo port now that he has remained cancer free for the past year!  Oh Happy Day!!!

And an update on our grand-daughter's friend C. J. is a positive one.  He underwent several hours of surgery yesterday to repair his broken (4 places) Pelvis and came through it very well.  They said he won't be allowed to walk for 3 months ... a very long journey ahead for this young man but with love & prayer, he too will get through it one day at a time!  Your continued prayers would be appreciated!

NOW FOR TODAY'S MMSC CREATION ...

(click on image for larger view)

I have to say I really look forward to the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge each week!!  And now that they offer two versions of the sketch ... it's even more fun!!  Last week was a bad week for me so I went with the EASY sketch ... this week I went back to the more elaborate sketch!  What FUN!!

Here are the details on my creation:

Vintage Image:  Shabby Chic Papirskatter
Papers:  Sage Shadow, K&Co. designer paper
Accessories:  Kaiser pearls, Pink Stickles, Michaels satin ribbon

Please stop back later when I hope to share my Crafty Secrets Challenge creation with you.  After seeing the clues provided yesterday ... I took the chance I had it right & created  my card.  Now that SCS is down for maintenance, I can't find out if I had the challenge right or not!  Uugh!!  Either way, I will share it with you later today!! Happy Stamping!!

It's Wink Wink Ink Time

Here we are ... Monday again ... and that means it's time for another Wink Wink Ink DT creation to share with you!!

Today's creation uses the image called Li'l Mermaid.  Again I have utilized the PRECOLORED image available with all of Melanie's images and it helped to make it so easy to create this cute card. Here's a list of items used on this card:

Stamps:  Seaside Sketches (sentiment)
Papers:  Whisper White, Crafty Secrets Pastels purchased from Stamp By Step
Inks:  Versafine Black
Accessories:  Wink Wink Ink image, Darice charm, Gold Thread from Stamp By Step, Pin May Arts ribbon

Some Wink Wink Ink News:

Melanie has been giving away images to those who read her blog CLOSELY!!  LOL!!  Yep, 3 lucky winners this week ... congrats to those lucky ladies!! 

If you'd like another chance to win some free Wink Wink images, there is still time to play the challenge over at the I LOVE DIGIS CHALLENGE where Melanie is the sponsor this week and giving one lucky winner THREE free images! 

I want to let you know that Wink Wink Ink now has their own COMPANY GALLERY on Splitcoast Stampers! Check out all the beautiful projects and please add YOUR *wink *wink ink projects and include keyword winkwinkink.  We would LOVE to see YOU there!

AND there's more ... Wink Wink Ink will begin having challenges over on the Wink Wink Ink Blog starting April 5th.  More information forth coming ... please be sure to mark your calendars!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!