Mother's Day is Coming!

Hello blogging friends!

With Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought I'd better get busy creating something for my Mom.   I also decided to create a card using a few new items I've purchased over the past couple of weeks.  For some reason, I've spent more time SHOPPING vs CREATING and needless to say, that needs to change!  LOL!  Over at Squigglefly we shared a little secret today! Wanna know what the little secret is?  The new images have been released in the store a little early!  This is an exciting release!  Not only are there tons of new images from the artists you know and love, but TWO NEW artists have joined us this month!  Please help us welcome Dawn Collins and   Pamela Lehto!    We think you'll love their work as much as we do!
With that being said, I decided to use this beautiful 'Cup of Flowers' image by Pamela Lehto.  I  thought it would work quite nicely for a Mother's Day creation.  What do you think?

Have you been over to Squigglefly lately?  They have so many talented artists and FABULOUS images to create with.  I'm sure you'll find exactly what you need to fit your needs!  FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, HERE'S THE LINK.

Here's a peek at the Inside . . . (still keeping up with my New Years Resolution ... yay!)

After all was said and done I thought WOW, the inside would have actually worked well for the outside of a card.  I struggle with CAS style creations and this would probably be a close as I would come to a CAS stle card.  Since I need to get outside and do some yard work, I will end this post with a few challenges I'd like to enter into:

Crafting By Designs:  Mother's Day

Crafts for all Seasons - Monochromatic

Crafty Creations Challenges - Mother's Day with flowers

Digistamps 4 Joy - Women are Special

Fab 'n' Funky - Lots of Pink

Stamp n Doodle - Mother's Day or For a Female

ABC Challenge - Mother's Day

Creative Stamp Friends - Mother's Day

Melonheadz Friends - Mother's Day

Victorine Stamps - Mother's Day

Thanks SO MUCH for stopping by and I hope the sun is shining where you are today!  It's a gorgeous day here in N.E. Ohio and I need to go soak up some Vitamin K!  Please come back tomorrow when I will share my creation for a new Shelly's Images Challenge.  Hope to see you then and As always . . .

Recipe for my card:

Papers:  Basic Grey 'Sugared' dp, white cs, pink pirouette cs

Stamp:  A Stamp In The Hand

Ink:  Versafine Onyx, Momento ME-404 Angel Pink

Accessories:  Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, Fiskars swivel craft knife, Sponge dauber, Stampendous diamond dots, Prima flowers, Memory Box #98373 Whimsical Flourish, Cheery Lynn Designs B144 Celtic Heart die, Die'sire Embossalicious Regal Corner Embossing Folder, Cheery Lynn Designs Build A Flower 1, Spellbinder Gold Labels Four

(Items in red were purchased at Joan's Gardens)

Mother's Day Creations

Hello my friends!

Before I share today's creations with you, I'd like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of you who take the time to stop by my blog and leave such kind, encouraging words.  I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your kindness. 

With Mother's Day right around the corner (May 13th) ... and after spending the day on Monday helping my Mom do some 'spring cleaning' ... I thought I'd better get started on her Mother's Day card.  I wanted to make her something a little different ... she is always so thrilled with the unique folded cards I create and when I saw the 'Double Dutch Fold Challenge' over at the Sweet Stamps Blog, I knew that was a good starting point.

Here is my finished card.  

Keeping in mind my Mom loves the 'Vintage' style (must be where I get my love for it), I decided to use the new designer paper and die cuts from the Melissa Frances [c'est la Vie collection] that I purchased while attending the workshop at Joan's Gardens last month.

Here is what it looks like opened.  I will be sure to attach my personal message under the bottom 'doors'.  The other items I've used on this card are Prima flowers, Kaiser pearls & a Wilton paper doily.  The Mother's Day stamp is from A Stamp In The Hand and the sentiment verse if from Serendipity Stamps (D154).

Other qualifying challenges are:

Can You Dig It - Secret Garden (photo inspiration)

City Crafter Challenge - Just a hint of Pink

The Cheerful Stamp Pad - From the Past

The Shabby Tea Room - Aqua, Pink, Neutrals & Flowers (photo inspiration)

Platypus Creek Digitals #4 - Fancy Folds

* * * * *

On Monday I shared my Altered Framed Mirror creation with you ... shown here.

Well I'm thrilled to say this item is SOLD!  How cool is that!  When I went over to Friendly's on Monday morning for breakfast, I took it along to show my waitress friend, Gretchen.  She thought it was beautiful so she called her manager, Tammy, out of the office to see it and she (Tammy) immediately asked if it was for sale.  She said it would be the perfect Mother's Day gift for her Mom.  Of course I said yes ... but I wanted to apply an extra coat of paint to the back before selling it to her and she was in agreement.

Then today (while the paint was drying), I decided to use the remainder of the matching designer paper to make a Mother's Day card for her to accompany the mirror.  Nothing real fancy but the fact that it matches I thought would be a nice touch.  She can add her personal message inside.  I'm sure she'll like this idea!

Well, that's it for today!  Please stop back tomorrow when I will have another creation for the challenge at Shelly's Images to share with you.  Hope to see you then!

Hugs,

Darlene

A NEW CHALLENGE BLOG ...

to share with you today!!!   I spotted this blog the very first day but have only NOW found the opportunity to share it with you!!  A local crafting friend, Angie Cortes has started a new challenge blog and it is called CAS-tastic Wednesday Challenge.

The CAS (clean and simple) style of crafting is one I don't do often and actually find a bit difficult!  Crazy huh!!   I like all the layers, lace, embellishments ... well, you get the picture.  So, I have decided this is one challenge I really need to play!!  Not only to help support a friend but to also take me out of my comfort zone and "spread my wings" a bit!!

Not only will Angie be having sponsors for her challenges, but she is on the look out for their very first DT.   SO, if you love this style, why not put your application in and give it a whirl!!  You can find all the information HERE. 

Here is a card I came up with for their very first challenge "ANYTHING CAS".

I bought this QuicKutz FRAME embossing folder yesterday while visiting my friend June at The Stamp Pad in Zoar and thought it would work perfectly!  I simply ran a piece of pink cardstock through my cuttlebug with this embossing folder the swiped across the top with Color Box Velvet pigment ink.  The sentiment stamp is by Anita's and the ribbon came from Michael's.  Of course I couldn't just center it and be done ... NO ... I had to off set the main image and do a little faux stitching down the one side!  SEE ... I told you ... 

Well ... this is as CAS as I can do for today!  I must say it was fun ... but I just need to learn when to say NO MORE and be happy with it!!  I'll keep trying!  Pop on over and check out this new challenge blog and tell Angie I sent you!!   Have a wonderful weekend!!

I am so blessed ...

I guess you could say I'm a very "simple" kind of person ... don't need lots of fancy clothes, go out for fancy evenings or travel Europe ... as long as I have my family, I'm VERY happy!!

With DH recouperating from his stem cell transplant, we are being very careful for the next month or so with having visitors to the house. When my "kids" ask if I thought it would be okay for them to visit me on Mother's Day, of course I said YES ... With only having one daughter (Carolyn - she has a blog too - Cara's Country) I refer to her, her husband and her two children as "my kids". So, yesterday afternoon they came for a short visit after surprising MY mother and attending her church service instead of going to their own church ... what a nice surprise for "Grandma Great" (as my mother likes to be referred to).

They all looked so pretty/handsome when they came in and they came bearing gifts & food!! So thoughtful. Just the fact of them being there would have been enough of a gift for me ... but knowing how much I like "little things" I was thrilled with these cuties and wanted to share them with you. Aren't these kids adorable and check out my new blue birds ... I just LOVE them both. Of course, the Ice Cream cake was a wonderful addition to my waistline too!! What a fun visit ... I wished we lived closer so we could visit more often ... of course then neither one of us would get any real work done ... sure would be fun though! Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek ... have a great day!!