Christmas is coming, faster and faster!!!

In between making the cards and addressing all of them and signing them all personally by hand, I have been taking time to sew for Christmas. There are 4 pillowcases done for 4 little ones, with at least 4 more to make this week.

I also went to the Ladies Quilt group at my sisters the other night and they made these fabric napkins, I was working on those Christmas cards, so I made two today for a gift.

Stamping, Watercoloring, swishin' and glueing!!

I am working on 70 cards. I am using a stamp that I got from I (heart) Papers that is by Stampendous and is called Snowy Postcard. I stamped them and then used my watercolor pencils to give them some color and blended with my waterbrush. I roughed up the edges and am swishin' them with Tim Holtz Distressed Ink, Tea Dye. Once I finish all that, I can mount them on the blue background and then onto the card base!!!

Sewing for a new baby boy

Well, last night we found out that my great-niece and her husband are having a baby boy in April!! I am so excited as this niece was our flower girl in our wedding almost 20 years ago and she has a special place in my heart. My girls say I like her best!!! LOL They had a gender reveal party and out of the box came blue balloons, so Arason will be here in April!!! I made a bib and spit rag out of a fat quarter of International Harvester Farmall fabric so that even if it was a girl, either way, daddy could feel 'manly' while feeding baby!! Now I am off to make more pillowcases!!!!

Haven't posted due to Christmas is coming!!!

Alot of the things I have been working on lately is for Christmas so I have had nothing to post, well, lots to post, but I don't want my family to see them until they get them for Christmas. On thing I do every year for my nephew Jason and his wife Kristy is add something to their boys' stockings. My mom made Landon's stocking back in 2004 to match his mommy and daddy's, so my sister Julie has helped make the stockings and then I have done all the handwork and Snowmen on them. This year was fun to do, the family got their first travel trailer this summer and had a few adventures, so I made a travel trailer our of felt and blanket stitched it on. I even used my Nestabilities to make the circles for the wheels!!

I plan on uploading more as they get given out so I hope you will come back by soon.

Ornaments!

I saw these ornament stamps and dies online and I just had to have them to make these! They are from Stampin' Up and today my sister, sister-in-law and niece made these. You need 20 of each of the 2 stamp images stamped and cut out, so that took me alot of time to do. I got enough cut out sitting watching tv in three evenings to make 6 ornaments!! The red one I made tonight. I have learned that I should not use a hot glue gun - three burn blisters on three different fingers!!!

What I have been doing lately.

I haven't had much time to make cards, I have a list to do, but just haven't gotten in there, maybe tomorrow!! I do have this one that I did for a challenge and didn't get it done in time I used the Silhouette stamp from Childhood Portrait by CTMH. DCWV papers, My Favorite Things Die-namics Vintage Florish that I cut in half, Offray ribbon and half pearls.

I have also been working on a small quilt challenge. A local quilt shop, Two Thimbles had a Civil War Sampler Challenge and my sister Julie and my sister-in-law Darlene and I started it a month late, but have caught up. You have a month to do 4 blocks and then you go back in and get your fabric pieces for the next four blocks. It ends in January and then you have time to finish the quilt and then you drop it off by March 15th and March 20th they will be displayed during the Tri-County Quilt Tour through April. So here is my 12 blocks - the lighting for the picture is not too good, I was standing on a chair and they were laid out on the ironing board!!

Wishing for snow!! (CCT242)

At Cute Card Thursday their challenge was a sketch, so this is my take on the sketch.

My digital image is Bundled Little Snowboy from Meljen Designs. I colored him with my few copics and set him on papers from Whimsy Stamps called Merry and Bright. I used two different snow flake punches and covered them with Icicle stickles and added them to the snowboy!! He is so cute!!

Twinkle Little Star! (CFC10)

At Crafty Friends Challenges the challenge was to use a sentiment as a focal point. One of my favorite sentiments I have loved for a long time is a stamp from the Merry Stamper that just says Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I took this stamp and added it to papers from My Minds Eye Festive and Frost Signature Christmas that I just love because the glitteryness of it, the ribbon just kind of worked for me in there and I have no idea where I got it.

Designed 2 Delight Catching Flakes Digital Stamp Challenge

This month's image at Designed 2 Delight's blog is the sweetest snowman catching snowflakes. I used my copics and white flowersoft and Icicle stickles on the sweet snowman and flakes. I then layered him with pattern papers from Whimsy Stamps called Merry and Bright. Then I used a beautiful piece of red ribbon from Ribbon Carousel.

A little orange, black and purple!

Purple is not my favorite color. I will put up with it, but when I was younger I had huge purple flowers wallpaper on my wall in my room and my mom's favorite color was purple and well, she and I just didn't hit it off too well the last few years of her life and so the big joke now is Becky hates purple!! LOL So anyway, I digress, Crazy 4Challenges blog's challenge was to use orange, black and purple. Ok, I don't have any purple paper! But wait, my niece Chrissy gave me all her scrapbooking stuff a while back and lo and behold there was purple. So, I stamped Hazel designed by Sylvia Zet Wee Stamps for Whimsy Stamps. I used some stamps called Swirls by Autumn Leaves on the purple and my Spellbinders Fleur de lis Nestabilities. I tied a little ribbon sideways!!

Monkey Toes!!!

At Unscripted Sketches this week was to use their sketch and also do a piggy back challenge which was to add movement to your card. I have this sweet stamp called Monkey Toes that I got from Whimsey Stamps and Monkey Toes is a Meljens Design stamp. So I cut a square out of the front of my card and decorated the front, so as you see the card, you see the monkey,

Then, when you open it, the monkey toes pop out!!!

Clean and Simple Kitchen Challenge at OCC

This weeks challenge at Our Creative Corner was CLEAN AND SIMPLE KITCHEN - to make a CAS (clean and simple) card or project featuring something you would see in the kitchen. I had pulled out my pickle jar stamp a couple days ago to make two cards to send to my two nieces who just announced that they are both expecting, so it was perfect for this challenge. I used my cuttlebug swiss dots folder and then some ribbon and 3 brads to offset the image. Of course, we don't know what either baby will be yet, so I used the green but as you can see I just had to get that little bit of pink in there with that one brad!!!

A couple of fun cards!!

Here are a couple of fun cards that I have done. Both are already in the mail and one has arrived at its destination. Splitcoast Stampers had a tutorial a couple weeks ago for a Twisted Circular Easel Card, so I decided to make one.

I used Whimsy Stamps Suzi with Bunny stamp, My nestabilities Tear Drop Circles, Die-namics Fancy Florish from My Favorite Things stamps and recollection papers from Michael's. Another card was for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I used Pure Innocence Cowgirl stamp set with my teardrop cirlces, Die-namics Country Charms, Recollection and My Minds Eye papers and twine from Ribbon Carousel.

So, I have this friend, who likes to do cards too.....

So, I have this friend, Emily, who likes to do cards too and she posted a card a week or so ago, here on her blog about a challenge from designed to delight and it was to use this one image of a cute owl sitting on pumpkins with the moon and Emily's was so cute, you can see it here, that I decided to use it myself and created this card.

The bat papers are from Carta Bella's All Hallow's Eve that I got from this great place called Pumpkin Spice. It is a sweet online shop here in WA and she also has a blog that I am really liking. I used my fleur de Lis Rectangles on the backside of the bat paper and my Scor-pal to make it look like a fence! Then I did the goofy grass and popped the image up on pop dots. I hope you like my card!! Thanks Em for sharing!! LOL

A few cards. . .

I have been making a few cards, but just haven't had time to upload them. So I thought I would share a few today.

Cissy picked this boot stamp up when we were at Michael's a while ago. So I think this sketch was for a challenge but I am not sure. I really like the look of this boot.

I used the Hazel from stamp by Sylvia Zet that I got from Whimsy Stamps. to make another candy box for a little girl for Halloween.

This cute Little Wizard Owl by Meljen's Designs Collection I also got at Whimsy Stamps. I used one of my new nestibilities that I got with my birthday gift card called Fleur de lis Rectangles. I added a couple start brads to it just for fun!! I will be back sooner with some more cards!! B

Halloweeeeeennnnnnn!!!

So, I am making Halloween goody boxes for the little boys - So Whimsey Stamps gave this digital stamp Bobby's Hallowe'en for free. So I printed him out, colored him in with my copics (and one regular feltpen-the dark orange) and made this treat box using the Flat Backed Treat Box tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers. I used some Halloween papers from my stash, Charcoal Bakers twine from Ribbon Carousel.

Jar of Joy - Moxie Fab World

One of my favorite blogs/website is Moxie Fab World. It is such a great site to visit and goes along with the one craft magazine, PaperCrafts, that I get! (Thank you to my favorite sister Julie) and in the Sept./Oct. issue, the Moxie Fabs column with Cath Edvalson, was Jars of Joy! It is about using a jar stamp, a jar cutout or a jar! I read through the column and really liked it as I have a Mason jar stamp that I like to use. So when Cath shared on Moxie Fab World about Jars of Joy and issued the Jars of Joy challenge, I decided that I would make my Jar of Joy. I have a jar that I put all my change into, and also the change from the washing machine and from Keith's dresser. That is my money!! In the last year or so, money has gotten tighter, especially with the girls graduating from high school and starting college next week, so my rubber stamp/paper/copic funds have been super tight. I now have 12 copics and I buy them with coupons at Michael's!! So, here is my Jar of Joy - my change for my stamps! Rubberstamping and making my own cards is one of my joys, so now my jar looks beautiful. I used some scrap papers in pink and chocolate and used my nestabilities to cut out the circles and scallops. I used some brown and pink elasticized ribbon from Ribbon Carousel to go around the top of the paper. Made the tag and glued it and the flower to the knot of the ribbons I tied around the jar. The lid is a really old lid from one of my fancy blue antique jars and it has a perfect opening to put the change in.

Card Positioning Systems Sketch 282

I have been trying to get back into doing the sketches so I can get some cards done for others and this weeks sketch at Card Positioning Systems was another fun one. I used some bright pink paper for the bottom layer and then used a plastic decorated bag over it for the background. The plastic bag was one that my niece brought some eyeliner in for Cissy. I had to use two layers of it so that the black lines would line up that way. I hid the tape behind flowers when I could. I used the Spellbinders Ric Rac Diamond Border Petites on the green and my circle nestibilities. The butterfly is from Clear Dollar Stamps Birthday Celebration set.

Unscripted Sketch 175!

This weeks sketch at Unscripted Sketches was a fun one,

I had some circle "inchies" so I used them, and added some heart buttons from my stash. I added a yellow ribbon and used the Thank you for being such a good friend sentiment from Hero Arts.

There She Goes Birthday Celebration - It's a Banner Day (TSGBC04)

Another card for the There She Goes Rubber Stamps Birthday Celebration. This one was to make a banner! I cut my banner out of Recollections Floral Patchwork paper and used Bakers Twine from Ribbon Carousel. I stamped the flowers from the set Thinking of you and used Sage Flower Soft on the bottom for some grass. I then stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment from Holiday's Galore. I really like how this turned out!!

Designed to Color - Challenge to use fabric.

Designed to Color has a challenge to use fabric, so I of course thought it would be fun. I was working on a card using this sweet little dolphin from imaginisce Snag 'em stamps and so I used some of my small scraps for a background. I used all different blues since blue is one of my favorite colors.

There She Goes Birthday Celebration Day 2 (TSGBC02)

There She Goes birthday celebration Day 2 was to make a masculine birthday card, so I got the stamp set LOL Taglines and stamped the Beer Boat, the sentiment is from the You're so Punny set. The fish is from an EK Success sticker set and the Twine is from Ribbon Carousel.

There She Goes Birthday Celebration (TSGBC01)

There She Goes rubberstamps is having their 4th Birthday Celebration and the first challenge was to use numbers with a birthday theme. Well, I needed to make a card for a 4 yr old and chose the pig from the set You're So Punny! I added stickers of numbers and the sentiment from my sticker collection.

Better Get Better - CPS281

I have not been doing any challenges, and I decided I needed to get back in the swing of things, so this weeks sketch at Card Positioning Systems was a great sketch. I needed to make a get well card for my Aunt, who just had colon cancer surgery. She is a quilter and I am sure she is missing her sewing room immensely so I used Pure Innocence Better Get Better from My Favorite Things, I stamped and colored her with felt pens and use papers from Recollections - red cardstock and Watercolor Blue Ditsy and added the thread and fabric from a couple of Jolee's by You sets.

Now I can get this card in the mail Tuesday!!

Flower Soft Challenge

I love to use Flower Soft and the Flower Soft blog has been showing their new Christmas card Toppers and I want some!! The challenge they had was to use images from Flower Soft and your favorite Flower Soft sprinkle or glitter frosting. Since the only images I have from Flower Soft is the Mabel Lucie Attwell Card Making Kit, I used one of the sets from the kit, added Strawberry Flower Soft to the flowers on the one little girls hat and on the others dress. I added White Flower Soft to the little girl on the rights, socks. Then I popped the image up with 3D foam and added Sage Flower Soft to area in the grass. These cards are so cute!!

Where did summer go?

Summer has gone by quickly! Two of the nephews start school soon, so I will be down to 2 during the day. The older two and I agree that school really gets in the way of NeeNee boy time!!! We have had a really busy summer - Graduation, graduation party, road trips, changing of plans, enrolling in Community College, the girls getting jobs and working really long hours and a 5 year old nephews birthday party where I became a storm trooper!!

CPS 271 - Thanks so very much!

Ok, I know you will get tired of all the Thank you cards, but I must concentrate on these, I can't go out and buy them, that would be terrible!! LOL This card is from the weekly sketch at Card Positioning Systems. I made the sketch my own because I wanted to use this thank you sentiment and it would cover too much of the circles, so I added the ribbon. The stamps on the circles are from WaltzingMouse Stamps set Dainty Doilies -large set. The sentiment is from a CTMH set called Celebration. I used CTMH Daydream papers and the ribbon is from CTMH too.

Unscripted Sketch #164 - Thanks for Everything

Thank you notes are coming out everywhere! Since the girls graduated a week and a half ago, I have been doing a couple cards a day for them to mail out, soon!! This one I used the sketch from Unscripted Sketches. The stamps are from two different Close To My Heart sets - Celebration and Sensational Seals. The papers are some scraps I had and I used Diamond Stickles around the scalloped circle. The ribbon is some Offray that I got at Michael's!

A few Thank you cards

I have been working on Thank you cards for the girls for their graduation gifts, I used a couple sketches but didn't get them done in time for the challenges!!

RCC 57 - Getting Sketchy Challenge

This weeks challenge at Ribbon Carousel was a sketch hosted by Laura Davis. I took the sketch, used my CTMH What a Great Day set and Jive Alphabet stamp set by Stamp Craft, along with a Martha Stewart punch and some Anna Griffin designer paper and some brads to go along with the pink chevron ribbon from Ribbon Carousel to make a Thank you card.

Giggle!!!

The challenge at Our Creative Corner wasYour favorite Tim Holtz technique. I used the Burnt Edge Distress Technique and the Giggle stamp. I used Scattered straw, Black Soot, Worn Lipstick, Shabby Shutters and Distress Embossing Ink along with Worn Lipstick and Mustard Seed Distress Embossing Powders. I also used a Tim Holtz grunge board cut out to add something else to the card.

Happy Birthday . . . . . . .

On Ribbon Carousel's Blog the challenge was Birthday Bash. Make a birthday card and use ribbon, twine, anything that basically comes on a spool. So, I choose the pink ribbon. I used Close To My Heart Piece of Cake stamp, with Recollections Floral Patchwork papers, and Memory Box Pearl Stickers!!

Deconstructed Sketch 55

Another Graduation card!! I am making a bunch for the graduating seniors in our lives and this one has a digital stamp from Bugaboo Stamps. I used the sketch from Deconstructing Jen this week. The colors are the colors of the High School.

More little monsters!!!

This past weekend, we celebrated all the three boys' birthdays with a family party. Landon turn 8 the beginning of May, Trip turned 5 and then Lincoln's first birthday is actually today. The two bigger boys got Monster cards too. Landon's has a small chevron bag that had a tag to pull out for a special time with his Uncle and I with no little brothers or the two big girls!! I am very lucky to be priviledged to have spent the last 8 years watching my nephews, thought I would 'retire' this year when Trip started kindergarten, but last year they has Lincoln and I now watch our other 3 yr old nephew!! The bigger boys have come to expect cards made by me for every occasion, so I try to do my best!!