Thank Goodness It's Friday!

I can't believe this week is almost over - what a busy week.  I'm not sure if it was because we'd been gone for the two weeks before but 'holy smokes' was there lots to do this week!  Thankfully, not *too* busy to get some craftin' done.  :)

I was able to combine four challenges with the cards I created this morning:

• Stampin' Royalty challenged us to create a project using a Love/Valentine's theme.
• Cute Card Thursday wants to see our "love-themed creations."
• Colour Create Challenge gave us the colors red, white/vanilla, chocolate and pink inspired by this:

• And the sketch is from Pals Paper Arts:

I just got my new "Well Scripted" stamp set from Stampin' Up and *had* to use it for these cards.  Yep, I did two cards but flipped the sketch for one of them.  I love these colors together and the designer paper from Stampin' Up is amazing - you can find the Sending Love designer paper in the Occasions Mini.  These cards are a bit more "subdued" than the cards I usually create - not as much "stuff" on these ones.

 

  

 

Recipe - Stamp: Well Scripted (SU!)  Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip  Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Sending Love DP  Accessories: Paper piercer, photo corner punch, scallop border punch, grosgrain ribbon, satin ribbon, adhesive pearls, button, twine, sponge dauber, candy cane embossing folder

Thanks for stopping in.  I hope to do some more crafting this afternoon before I go to the gym.  I have to run a snack down to the school for my two youngest sons' Valentine's Lunch.  I didn't have time yesterday so I whipped up some brownies this morning - no healthy snacks today.  ;)  These brownies are Josh's favorite - my mom makes them almost every time we go down to visit.  I didn't have the recipe so I phoned mom at 7:30 this morning so I could get them in the oven before I settled down to craft --- priorities, right?

Enjoy your Friday!

Color Dare and a Sweet Sketch

 

I'm back!  I would have been here sooner but I was almost done my card when my eldest DS got home from school having a full-fledged M-E-L-T-D-O-W-N.  As a parent, we know other kids can be cruel, but try to convince a sensitive, hormone-ravaged 14-year old to just "ignore them" ... not easy.  So, two emails to the school later (and at least 45 minutes to figure out how to say what I needed to say without sounding like a bitchy parent - although I *can* do that if needed...  *giggle*) and I was finally able to complete Riley's Color Dare and Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch:

 

TA-DA!

 

Another one of my fabby, new Verve stamps got inked up for this card: Love's Flower is one of Julee's new releases and it's amazing!  The colors were hard for me to work with - very bold choices to put together and I think I should have used more white to balance them out but I can't change it now.  :)  

I'd like to get one more card done tonight but not sure I'll have time.  Tomorrow's jam-packed with stuff so you may not see me again until Friday... thanks for stopping by tonight.  Enjoy!

I'm in the Zone...

 

...and I can't wait to start the next card! I finished this one this morning before I left for an appointment but didn't have time to post it.  I used the Diva Coffee Break Designs Challenge Color Combo for this week...

... and Jen's Sketch for You to Try (glad you're back, Jen!)...

 

... and came up with this:

Thanks for stopping by - I'm going to take a stab at Riley's Color Dare.  How're these for spring-inspired colors??? 

Check back to see what trouble I can get myself into - later!

Two, Two Two - Two Challenges in One!

 

 Hi again everyone!  Hope y'all had a great day - I sure did.  This is a quick post since this card took me WAYYYYYY longer than I anticipated and I am needing to hit the shower and get to bed - the gym this afternoon was wicked - but in a good, fun way.  *snicker*

Arielle gave us another great combo at the Colour Q Challenge - as usual - but it took me awhile to figure out how I was going to make them work - that Regal Rose is a bit brighter than I remembered...

Then I snuck over to the Just Us Girls Challenge and "stole" their sketch:

And the result...

 

I got to use some more of my new Verve stamps - - - I SOOOOO love Verve stamps.  Have I mentioned that before?  *giggle*  I think this turned out OK but I *had* to add the ribbon because it just needed "something", YK?

Okie dokie, that's it for me!  I have a fairly busy day again tomorrow so it might be later before I get to sit down.  Enjoy your Wednesday!

Happy Birfday, Kraftin' Kimmie!

 

How FUN!!!  Kraftin' Kimmie celebrated her birthday last week and to celebrate, she has given *us* a challenge - to create a birthday or anniversary card inspired by the sketch on this card:

And to make this challenge even better, she is going to be picking a winner (or winners) and give away some of her fabulous stamps!!  I have just recently discovered Kraftin' Kimmie's stamps and fell in love!  They are super cute and fun - perfect for coloring.  I just happen to have ONE lonely Kraftin' Kimmie stamp (VERY, VERY lonely...she really could use some company...*giggle*).  Josephine is totally my favorite so far - a free spirit. I knew I wanted to use her but couldn't figure out how to make her work with the theme since the sentiments that come with her are more "love-y."  I found the sentiment in one of my "My Favorite Things" sets and I think it is PERFECT - Josephine will mix up a potion and grant you one birthday wish... LOVE IT! 

So Kimmie, I hope you had a super, fantabulous day - isn't it great when our moms surprise us with FOOD??  What could be better?  :)  I will be out and about most of today - going over to visit my peep, Lori, who I haven't seen in an ENTIRE MONTH, and then we are off to the gym after school.  HOpefully I will have time to craft a bit tonight while I catch some TV... isn't it "Biggest Loser" night?  So, 'til then...  :)

It's Good To Be Back!

Wow...what a busy two weeks.  We had an absolutely fantastic family vacation - we really enjoyed ourselves but were very glad to come home.  The weather, for the most part, was great - well, for us Canadians anyway!  We spent one day at Typhoon Lagoon and while it certainly wasn't *cold*, it wasn't really hot either.  The park was VERY quiet that day and we sure got crazy looks from people the next day when we told them we had spent the previous day at the water park. ;)  I didn't take very many pictures but I will try to post a few later.

I knew Julee would have a great sketch for me this morning so after I got home from the gym, I popped over to check Mojo Monday:

I checked out Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge and discovered this amazing combo:

 

As soon as I saw the sketch I knew I *had* to use my new Verves which were waiting for me when I arrived home - Thanks Julee!!  The Pink Elephant's challenge this week is to create a "Mushy Gushy Valentine" so that made it an EASY PEASY decision about which stamps to ink up - Love Monkey.  He is too cute and not scary like the sock monkey ... he creeps me out! 

I had a bit of trouble figuring out how I was going to get that big arc at the bottom and I'm still not sure I like what I did and how it turned out but, nonetheless, here's what I came up with:

Recipe: Stamps - Love Monkey (Verve)  Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red  Paper: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Kraft, SU! DP  Accessories: Nestabilities (Circles, Labels One), Corner Rounder, paper piercer, taffeta ribbon, button, twine, sponge dauber

Thanks for stopping by ~ I have to run and get started on my oldest's birthday supper.  He turned 14 (how'd THAT happen? ACK!) last week while we were away so today's the special day. 

I am so glad to be back - see you again soon!

Colour Q Guest Designer - Me!!

 Hey everyone!

As you read this, I am relaxing in Florida - lounging by the pool or maybe riding the rides at DisneyWorld - but only for a couple more days.  I will be back creating before you know it.  :)

Early last month, Arielle emailed me and asked if I would be interested in being a guest designer for her Colour Q Challenge - ummmm....YES!!!  Luckily she already had the colours picked out and I was able to get my card done before we left on our trip.  Don't these colors make you wish spring was already here?

 

 

I really didn't want to *think* to come up with the layout so I used Taylor's Sketch #97 from early January:

And...voila!

Recipe - Stamps: Thankful Accents (Verve)  Paper: Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Whisper White, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, SU! DP  Ink: Melon Mambo  Accessories: Corner rounder, Swiss Dots EF, Nestabilities (Labels 3), circle punches, paper piercer, Old Olive twill ribbon, buttons, gold cord

Do you LOVE it?  I have to say this card makes me smile - maybe it's the colors or maybe it's the sketch or maybe...well, I don't know!  I'm sure you are all tired of seeing me use Verve's Thankful Accents stamp set over and over and over and over again but it is SOOO versatile and the font makes any card look super-elegant. 

I hope you are all enjoying your week - I will be back soon.  Until then, create something that makes you smile and then share it with others... maybe it will make them smile too. 

Later chickas!