The Sisterhood Challenge ... Flower of the Month

Today's challenge at The Sisterhood of Crafters is all about the "July Flowers of the Month".  Did you know that would be the Delphinium, Larkspur or Water Lily.  

Both the Delphinium & Larkspur are my personal favorites and when I was a little girl, my dad always grew both of these beautiful spiky flowers for me since my birthday was in July... pretty special, huh!!  

I have made two cards for today's challenge and both were created using Teri's Delicious Doodles digi images. Be sure to check out these digis ... they are amazing!!

And Diane has put together a yummy prize pack for our winner this week. All you have to do to win this.......

is play along this week!!!!! Hop on over to my sisters for a peek at their awesome inspiration today. While there, leave them some love!!!! 


Now it's your turn ... be sure to pop over to our challenge blog for ALL the details from today's hostess Diane and be inspired by the creations from my other Sisterhood SISTAHS!!
 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  You have MADE MY DAY!!!  

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - 7 of Something

Good Morning Everyone!!

With it being the 7th day of the 7th month, Courtney over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, thought it would be fun to make a creation using "7 of something".  I chose to use 7 flowers on this $1 box I picked up at Michael's and altered using Webster's Pages designer paper.  Isn't it cute! 

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I just love this Webster's Pages paper and the flowers are from a company called Wild Orchid Crafts (who by the way is starting a brand new challenge blog and are offering AMAZING candy ... see my sidebar).

Here is a better view of the top of the box. 

And I thought you might like to see that I've also cut the corner images from the scraps of the 8x8 designer paper and used it to decorate the inside of the box as well.


Now it's your turn!  Come on over to our challenge blog for ALL the details and while you are there check out the amazing inspiration from the design team.  We would also like to WELCOME two new members to the team ...Julye & Jackie. 

Have a wonderful day!

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #61

Time again for another Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge and once again, I am in awe of the creativity on this site!  If you've never been there (and I can't believe you haven't!!) you really need to check it out!!!

This week I chose an image from Magic Moonlight and the designer paper is Basic Grey Euphoria.  Of course I love these homemade vellum flowers (tutorial by Selma Stevenson) and that is what I've used as my single embellishment.

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It's going to be another HOT day in N.E. Ohio (90s) so I think I'll spend my day in the "crafting cave" ... nice and cool down there!!  Hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  

*Wink *Wink Ink CHALLENGE TIME

Hello everyone!

Did you have a FUN weekend??  Hope so! 

Well, it's the first Monday of the Month and that means it is time again for a new *Wink *Wink Ink Challenge.  Not only is it a NEW challenge ... but it's in a NEW location.  That's right, our challenges will now be posted on our *Wink *Wink Ink Group Page at CDAC (Crafters Digital Art Center) in the discussions forum.

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Today our theme is to use a "HOMEMADE EMBELLISHMENT" on our cards/projects.  I just love these crocheted flowers and I was lucky enough to receive some in the mail from my friend Kay Squires.  Although I didn't make this flower myself, (I'm not that good at crocheting with thread) Kay's MOM made some for me ... isn't that awesome!!  

I used the yellow flower with a large brad center to mimic the little flower on this adorable image called "Hangin' Out".  You can find this image and many, many more at the *Wink *Wink Ink Store.  Please check 'em out!  I would love for you to come join in on our challenge ... if you don't own any Wink Wink Ink images yet ... Melanie has a freebie offered on the company blog ... go grab it and come play along!!  Hope to see you there!!

Joan's Gardens Challenge #4

We are headed across the street for a July 4th cookout but before I go, I wanted to share with you another Red, White & Blue creation.  This one is for the challenge at Joan's Gardens ... "use R/W/B and a Cuttlebug Folder".

I know it's a little difficult to see in the photo (sorry no time to take another one) but I did use the Cuttlebug folder "Diamond Plate" on the navy blue background panel.  It was actually fun to think "outside the box" and create using R/W/B but in a Non-Patriotic way!  I don't usually put these colors together unless it's in reference to a USA holiday.  Using Red & Green is another one ... has to be Christmas!  Stuck in a rut I guess!!  LOL!!

Why not join in on the fun!!  Joan is generously offering some amazing prizes!  You still have time ... please go check it out!

Ooops!  Gotta go ... I can smell the chicken on the barbie already!!  YUMMO!!  Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!!

Some have asked ... the image is by 

Great Impressions! 

Summer is in FULL SWING ...

HAPPY 4th of July!

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!  So far the weather has been very cooperative and the sun is shining down on all those parade & picnic goers!  

With summertime in full swing, Cheryl over at Stamp By Step has asked her DT to create using "Summertime" as the theme.  Here's what I've come up with ...

  Everyone waits for summertime so they can "go to the beach" ... this adorable image is from the Crafty Secrets Seaside stamp set and the paper is also Crafty Secrets ... Earthy paper pack.

More fun in the sun with these Stampendous "Fun in the Sun" & "Seagulls" stamp sets.  The designer paper is The Thrift Shop "October Afternoon" and the fence was created using the Martha Stewart fence border punch.

Of course, what is summertime & the 4th of July without a Bar-B-Q???   These cute images are from the Stampendous "Fun Food" stamp set.  The sentiment is computer generated and the border punch is from Fiskars.

Summertime is always the perfect time for posie picking!!  And that's what this Stampendous stamp set is called ... "Posie Picker".  The designer papers are also from The Thrift Shop - October Afternoon paper pack.  The flowers and beautiful floral brad centers were courtesy of Stamp-By-Step.

Please be sure to pop on over to Stamp-By-Step and see all the wonderful crafting supplies Cheryl has in stock!!  And check out the July sale she has going on right now! 

Well, back to the holiday fun & festivities (cleaning out the garage, uugh!)  The neighbors have invited us over later for a cookout ... and the drink of the day will be "cotton candy cosmopolitans" ... hmmmm!!  Should be fun and very interesting!!!  Have a great day everyone!!

Raise The Bar - Red, White & Blue

Happy 4th of July Weekend to all 

of my USA friends, family & followers!

Today's challenge over at Raise The Bar is to use the colors Red, White & Blue (or the colors of your flag if you're non-US).

(click image to enlarge)

I not only have used the colors required ... but have used this adorable patriotic puppy from Joni's store ... Inktegrity. Isn't he adorable and he's all ready to wave his flag at the local parade!!


Thanks to everyone who played our "Evening Themed" challenge last week ... your entries were awesome!  I hope you'll join us again this week!  Thanks for stopping by and be sure to pop over to our challenge blog and see what my Co-Bar-Tenders have created to inspire you!!

Enjoy your 4th and please be safe!!

Crafty Secrets #126 and Sew Many Cards

Good Morning Everyone!

I have a very busy day planned but before I get started I wanted to share a few creations with you.  First is my card for the Crafty Secrets challenge posted yesterday on the SCS Crafty Secrets forum.  Our hostess, Lori Lynn, has asked us to use the colors Red, White & Blue but in a non-patriotic way.  The girls are really coming up with some amazing creations.  You can view them HERE in the CSSC126 gallery.  This is what I came up with.

 (click image to enlarge)

This adorable image comes from the Crafty Secrets Homemade Booklet and the sentiment is Inkadinkado.  Aren't these kids adorable!!!  If you look closely, it is bordered with Diamond Stickles to give it that little added sparkle.
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Next are a couple of cards created using adorable digi images from Sew Many Cards & Digital Stamps.  Angela is so talented and her creations are too cute!!  

 (click image to enlarge)

First is a fun image called "Eris watering flower on a spring day".  I actually was able to use up some of the scraps laying about on this creation and am very pleased with the outcome.  

 (click image to enlarge)

Next is this sweet hummingbird image called "Halo the Hummingbird" and I think I will send this to "someone special ... you know who you are" ... who is always going in 10 different directions at the same time!!

I've colored my image using Prismacolor markers then after cutting it out with a Fiskars swivel craft knife, I layered it over a panel of white which was cut out with the Nestabilities Blossom die.  Faux stitching was done with a fine tip black marker ... as was the stitching on the sentiment panel.  

Okay ... play time is over for now!  I'd better get my work done!  The weather here in N.E. Ohio is in the low 70s (perfect for working outdoors ... in my opinion) so I'd better get to it!!  Happy Day to you all and thanks so much for stopping by!

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #60

WHOO HOO!!

I'm thrilled to share the news that I was last week's Gold Star Award Winner at the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge!  

How awesome is that!!

For this week's Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #60, I started out with the CAS layout but ended up with the FANCY layout.  That's only one of the really FUN things about this challenge!  

This is the "CAS" layout.  The image is from Magic Moonlight (link can be found on my "vintage creations & links" page) and the designer papers are 7Gypsies & DCWV.  This beautiful trim is from a package I just received from Joan's Gardens and it is Webster Pages Trim package.  (sorry, I think they have discontinued this line ... I was lucky to get one!!)


After taking the photo, I just couldn't help myself (it was too plain) I looked through my lace & flowers to see if I had something to match ... and YIPPEE ... I did!!

The lace is by Wright's, the pearl centered satin flowers are from Joann's, Prima flower and a Basic Grey Opaline half pearl gave me the appeal I was looking for.  (If you look closely, the flowers in her hand are the same shade of blue ... how cool is that!)


Well, I'd better get off the computer ... I'm meeting my friend Jane (Anything but ... Plain Jane) for lunch and I'm going to be late!  Yikes!!  Thanks for stopping by today ... hope to see you later today with my Crafty Secrets Challenge creation!

Squigglefly Challenge

I just couldn't help myself!!

(click on image to enlarge)

Although I'm not required to created for the challenges over at Squigglefly until next week ... when I saw this floral image used for this week's challenge, I couldn't help but play along! 

There's a lot of exciting things going on over at Squigglefly ... like the Firecracker Sale that is going on right now!  Be sure to pop over and check it out!  Always something new to discover & enjoy!!! 

*Wink *Wink Ink DT creation & EXCITING NEWS!!

Hello Everyone!!

I hope your weekend was FABULOUS!!

Well, I'm back from PT (only 2 more sessions to go!) and I'm excited to share my *Wink *Wink Ink DT creation with you today and some exciting news from the group!  First my card ...

This fun creation was made using the new Grandma's Parlor Collection images.  It is so much fun creating these "old fashion scenes" ... there are so many pieces in this set, and you can also use so many of the other Wink Wink Ink images ... that the ideas are endless!!

Now for the exciting news!

*Wink *Wink Ink has a new group started over at CDAC (Crafters Digital Art Center) and our monthly challenge will be moving from the company blog to our new group at CDAC beginning with our July 5th challenge.


You will have THREE chances to win free *Wink *Wink Ink stamps AND Melanie has (for a limited time only) offered a 25% off coupon to all new members!  You'll want to be sure to pop over & join in on the fun!!!


Hope to see you there!!

Do You Like Flowers???

Well of course you do!  Everyone likes flowers and I just couldn't wait to create using this beautiful Delphinium digi image created by my Scottish friend Teri Sherman for her store called "Delicious Doodles".

I printed it several times because I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do with it ... and yes, the "real" flower does come in all these colors! (I colored mine using Prismacolor markers)  I've grown them in the past and really need to plant some in my gardens here in Akron.

I see Teri now has a "Lupin" digi available ... looks like a shopping trip in my future!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!  We are meeting friends from Toledo "half way" for dinner in Huron, Ohio.  A little over an hour for each of us ... a nice way to stay in touch and not need the entire weekend!  Should be fun!  

What a FUN DAY ...

These are the two ladies that got me started in my scrapbooking/card making addiction!!!  LOL!!  Mindy Russell (left) and my daughter, Carolyn (right).  

My daughter sold Creative Memories and got me started in scrapbooking and her friend, Mindy was a SU rep who also scrapbooked with us and that is where I started stamping. 

Mindy is a Neonatal Nurse by profession and when jobs got tight here in Ohio she took a position in Florida and moved there with her family 3 years ago.  She came in town this week and I (we) were thrilled to link up with her and have lunch.

As luck would have it, Mindy accidently "ran over" her camera (she still tried taking photos) and I forgot my camera so I used my phone ... they didn't come out too bad really!

It's always nice to spend time with my daughter & grandkids ... but to see Mindy again was a real delight!!  We enjoyed lunch and as you can see ... got a little goofy at times ... but WOW, what a great day!!

Thanks so much for letting me share my HAPPY day with you all!!  Here's wishing you a wonderful weekend!  

WAVING "GOODBYE" TO MINDY!!  

(Hope to see you again the next 
time your home for a visit!)

Joan's Gardens Challenge #3

WOW, how exciting!!  I won last week's challenge over at Joan's Gardens!  Yippee!!

This week, for Challenge #3 at Joan's Gardens, Joan has asked us to use FLORAL designer paper along with Martha Stewart border & corner punches.

WOW, did I get lucky!!  Only just now did I realize she requested "floral" dp ... I was in a butterfly mood with these loopy MS punches and MISSED the word FLORAL for the dp!  Yikes ... I really lucked out withe the fact that most all the patterns in this beautiful Webster's Pages designer paper has flowers on it!  

Both butterfly punches are also Martha Stewart and the sentiment is by Hero Arts.  Basic Grey opaline half pearls adorn each of the butterflies.


I hope you like it!  I think this was a GREAT challenge idea!  What do you think??  Why not join us??  See you at Joan's Gardens!!

News from SQUIGGLEFLY ...

... as I was saying in a prior posting ... come July 1st, I will be a member of the Squigglefly DT and I'm so happy & excited about that!  Here's a couple samples using Angela Donato's - "Sending My Love" image:

Did you know Squigglefly has a REWARDS program?  Yes, that's right ... The rewards program is very simple for you to sign up for and it tracks how much you spend at Squigglefly.  

For every $15.00 you spend you can pick a free image - there are no restrictions on the free image you choose either - you can even pick sets!  You can let your points build up until you're ready to use them.  If by chance you join the rewards program in the middle of the month & you've already bought images during the month - just write Squigglefly and let them know and they will credit what you spent in the same month toward your rewards! How cool is that!!!

Another little thing you might not know - if your computer crashes and you haven't backed up your images - contact Squigglefly and they will look up your purchases and send your download links to you again!  WOW now that's a bonus!!

So there you go ... some awesome programs you probably didn't even know about!!  I know I DIDN'T ... but I do now!!!  Be sure to hop on over to the Squigglefly Store to see all the amazing images available!  There are so many artists, I'm sure you'll find a style just for you!!

 

OH >>>  OH >>>  OH >>>  OH >>> 

I nearly forgot to tell you ... Squigglefly is now on PaperCraft Planet.  That's right ... you can chat with all the ladies and the artists right HERE.  Go check 'em out!!