uh oh...

I actually have quite a few cards to post for once, and I've lost my camera cord! HELP! How else can I get them from my digital camera to my computer????
Shucks, doesn't this just have to happen when I HAVE something to post? *scowl*
Anyone have any ideas? (short of going and buying a new one? I live 45 minutes from the closest metropolis area.)

UPDATE: I fopund the cord. It was here in my office at work! I forgot that I brought it in on Friday and downloaded some photos! *duh*

Insomnia

Do you ever dream about card layouts? I woke up last night with several ideas in my head for colors, LOs, and themes. It was quite funny! So here it was, 2 :15 AM, and I'm tiptoeing into my studio to jot down ideas and quickly sketch out the cards I saw in my dream!

I didn't get a chance to play last night before bed, so it must have been my sub-conscience, creating while I was sleeping.

I have nothing new to post, except one of the tiny "ideas" I had in the wee hours of this morning. It's just a quick sample so I would remember it later (like for my wedding anniversary).
I'm sure it's been done before, but it was new and fresh to me this morning, so don't burst my bubble! And ignore my horrendous handwriting (I'm a lefty--that excuses it right?) *grin*

Chatter, chatter, chatterbox

I adore the Marigold Morning CS from SU. If you know me, you will find that odd, because I have never liked any shade of yellow. But this one is such a bright, cheery color. Almost in the orange family. Almost, but not quite. Enough so that I like it anyway!
I saw on SCS that there was a challenge to make a card using some stamps or supplies that are being retired from SU. Sadly, this color is one of them. *pout*
I don't know why the snaps look crooked, there aren't IRL. One of the background stamps I've wanted for a long time, the linen one from SU, would have looked AWESOME stamped on the marigold morning background. Alas, for some odd reason, I always forget to order it when I contact my SU demo! So lets just imagine that it IS stamped there and we'll go with that, hey?

SUPPLIES: CS from SU (WW, MM, Old Olive), and one tiny piece of Bazzill, stamps from Papertreyink, PP from Chatterbox, ribbon from a share, snaps by MM, ink by hero arts versa cubes, and Ranger Archival.

Wedding card

I saw this gorgeous card by Tracy Durcan a few days ago, and knew I wanted to CASE it for an upcoming family wedding. I need to make 3 cards for this wedding; one for my Mom, one for my sister, and one for myself. I don't think any of us are going to the wedding, but we are going to send cards. This is the only one I've made so far and the wedding is on July 7th!

SUPPLIES: CS by Papertreyink (LOVE their super-thick white CS!), stamps by Papertreyink, Cuttlebug embossing folder, ink by Versamagic and Ranger Archival black, ribbon and metal embellishment thingie from my stash.

SWEET!

I whipped this baby up last night in about 10 minutes! Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? (*grin* Please excuse my reference to the A-Team show!) It's for CPS sketch challenge #19.
I've had a bunch of this PP for more than a year now, and I like it so much I've been hoarding it. It's only been used once before, for my friend Bobbie's BD card LAST year (which, come to think of it, I don't think I ever got around to sending her...oops). It's by We R Memory Keepers, the Urban Window Diner collection. It's really high quality, double-sided, CS-weight paper. Plus I used some of their matching ribbon too. And they have cool chipboard and alphas that match also, but I didn't use them on this card.

SUPPLIES: PP and ribbon by We R Memory Keepers, cherry stamp by SU, word stamp by Fontwerks, white CS by Bazzill, ink by Versamagic, and Memories.

Many thanks

*sigh* I didn't get a chance to get into my studio last night, so in searching for something to post I came across this card. I made it several months ago, using some stamps from one of my favorite companies (Scottish Borders Stamps), but was thoroughly dismayed at the finished product. I just wasn't happy with the LO, the colors I chose, etc. I relegated it to the "crap" pile and it was never supposed to see the light of day. BUT...I think it qualifies for Julee's sketch challenge for Blogger Bingo, so in the name of the game, I'm posting it here, today. *grin* (It's all about the GAME, right? Anything for another number!)SUPPLIES: Stamps by Scottish Borders Stamps, CS by Bazzill, and SU (craft), ribbon by Lil Davis, metal rimmed tag was found on the ground in a parking lot (I just covered up the original), ink is Versamagic and Versamark, Joann's white EP, Signo white gel pen.

Old friends

My best friend and I have been BFs since we were 2 and 3 yrs. old. She is the greatest person ever, and she will be my friend until I die and then some (knowing her)! But, when we were in Jr. high (7-9th grade) we had a third BF. For a few years, the three of us were inseparable. We had so much fun and got into so much trouble together!

I was "waxing poetic" about those times last week and decided to make a card.

This is in honor of our friendship, and goes out to Mary, and our "old" friend, Jaimi.

SUPPLIES: PP by Daisy D's (bottom), top section uses stamps from Stampers Anonymous, and TAC, the main image is from...uh, I can't remember, but will look it up tonight, sentiment by Papertrey ink, CS is SU, ink is versamark, Ranger distress inks, and Stazon, brads are from my stash, ribbon came off a package of candies nuts someone gave us around the holidays, the skeleton key is one of many we found in a drawer when we bought our 105 year old house.

One last "old" Bingo sketch

Although Julee has posted a "new" official Blogger Bingo sketch, I was gone all weekend and didn't realize, so I'm posting one last "old" official Blogger Bingo sketch challenge. *ducking as you throw rotten tomatoes*

I love to play with alcohol inks. I've used them on glass microscope slides, old mirrors, plastic vases, and just about any non-porous surface I could find. (Just ask my DH. "Oh no! What did you do to the bathroom mirror?")
So for this card, I started with a piece of glossy paper that I had "colored" awhile ago, and went from there. The rest fell into place and it was all over very painlessly. Except I could NOT find brads that were the right color green. I tried everything I knew of to color those babies; ink, EP, markers, even gluing punched CS to them, before (DUH) a light bulb went off. Why not use the SAME alcohol ink that I'd used on the paper! *slaps self on forehead* Why it took me more than 15 minutes to come up with that idea is beyond me, and I almost am ashamed to admit it here, in public to all you intelligent crafters. *sheepish grin*

CPS sketch challenge #18

I've really been enjoying the sketch challenges posted at CPS, but never seem to have time to do one! (I'm sure none of you know ANYTHING about not having enough time! *wink*)

A few days ago I attempted the newest one and was just not happy with the results. Then I began thinking that the reason I "card craft" in the first place is for my personal benefit. I get "alone time", I can let all this creative energy out, and I have my own space or sanctuary in which to do it. Paper crafting is very meditative to me. So why not post my "not-so-good creations too? Really, we are our own WORST critics, right? *grin*

SUPPLIES: PP by Scenic Route Paper Co., CS is Bazzill, Sentiment stamps is by Hampton Arts, Big flower stamps is by Fontwerkz, and the center little spikey flower is from papertreyink, Ribbon is SU, ink is SU and Ranger Archival, brad is Joann's, and I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the top section.

ETA: You know, now that I'm seeing it here in Blogger, I like it better! Maybe it was the lighting in my studio, maybe it was my mood, but now that I see the photo here, the card doesn't look as bad as I remembered it.

Bingo round TWO!

There was a winner yesterday in Julee's Beach Blogger Bingo game! Now we are on to the more difficult categories and still holding strong. I wanted to use bright cheerful "beach towel" colors for my round two sketch challenge card because Julee has named it BEACH Blogger Bingo. But I only had a few minutes to throw a card together. This was QUITE a challenge for me, as I'm normally not a quick card maker.I was really happy with what I was coming up with until I came to the dark pink CS piece that went across the card horizontally. It just wasn't working for me, but since I had so little time to find a better alternative, I stamped and embossed some flowers on it and added hole punch centers. I inked up my new Papertrey Ink stamps for the first time on this card!

SUPPLIES: PP by Scenic Route Paper Co., CS is Bazzill and SU white, Stamps by Papertreyink, ink by Versamagic and SU, ribbon by Offray.

I won!

Can you believe it? A card I entered in the contest at CPS was one of the many to receive a prize! I'm thrilled and terribly honored that my "apple" card was liked by someone enough to be awarded a prize! Some of the other winners announced so far have FANTASTIC looking cards. I can't wait to see what the grand prize winning card looks like!

BINGO sketch challenge

I'm involved in a game of Blogger Bingo that Julee put together and it is so much fun!

For every card that is made using her official sketch, she posts a new bingo number.

SUPPLIES: PP by Scenic Route Paper Co., sentiment stamp by Stampers Anonymous, flower outline stamp by Purple Onion Designs, solid flowers in a line stamp by Scrapgoods, CS is Bazzill, ribbon is Offray, ink is Versamark and Ranger archival.

This is a bit too 'busy' for me, but I think it is growing on me. In retrospect, I would change a few things, but it will have to do! Now on with the Bingo!

Happy Retirement

I made this card for a customer who ordered a retirement card for one of her co-workers. She wanted a "bigger" card so that a lot of people could sign it, so it's the larger 5x7 card size. I actually had some trouble with this one, and have been reconfiguring it for weeks now. Why I'm having trouble is beyond me, because for 10 years or more the ONLY size cards I made were 5x7!
At the last minute, I changed the main image matting to include the little flap and brad. I saw something like this on SCS a few days ago, but cannot remember the name of the poster. Whoever you are, thank you!

I'm not sure why it looks so dark in the upper left-hand corner, but IRL is isn't!

SUPPLIES: Image stamp by Stampers Anonymous, sentiment stamps by Papertrey ink, PP by Scenic Route, CS by SU!, ink by SU and Hero Arts, ribbon by SU, while gel pen by Signo.

Last day of School!

Stickyfingers, our 8 year old, is delighted that today is his last day of 1st grade. Last night we worked on a card and small gift for his teacher. Of course, he wanted it to be a lot more, but dinner, dishes, and laundry got in the way, much to his chagrin.
I had fun using up some older PP for this card, and I enjoyed the layout challenge from SCS too. I realized that SU's "big blossoms" stamp set matched the PP perfectly and got quite excited!

SUPPLIES: CS is Bazzill and SU, PP is by Rob and Bob studios, Flowers stamps by SU, sentiment by Papertreyink, ribbon by SU, ink by Versamagic, Ranger, colorbox, and SU.

This is the "gift" we made her. A giant clothespin for her desk! I used the same PP so the whole shebang would coordinate, and painted some chipboard alphas a pale blue to match the PP, tossed on a flower and some green ribbon and was done! I took a quick photo of Stickyfingers holding a blank white sheet of butcher's paper, and after printing it out I added a rub-on (MM) to say thanks!

He was very excited to take the card and gift to school for her this morning. At the last minute, we picked some fresh organic peas from our garden and he took those in to the whole class too.

I'd say it was a good start to a last day!

Home again, home again...

*sweet sigh*

It is so good to be home.

Hello All! I sure missed you while I was gone. My DH had to endure days of unrelenting whining from me about how much I missed my blog and my readers! With that said, I have nothing new to show you *hanging head in shame*, at least on the card front anyway. I will be back and operating under normal stamping conditions come tomorrow.

A big thanks to my pal Bobbie for standing in for me while I was gone, isn't she the greatest?

*rounds of applause*

I want to show you one of my favorite photos I took while in China.

Aren't they beautiful? I took so many photos of the anciant artifacts, natural beauty, and amazing historical places in China, but my favorite photos are all of the people there.

GUEST BLOGGER-Finally!

Woo hoo, Dana's finally HOME! I'm sure she's got a bit of jet lag and will need a day or two to 'get back into the groove' of things! Sorry I didn't post much but summer has a way of making one busy... especially w/ 2 kids under 5.

Lgirl (my 4 yr old) is taking a class at the local Parks n Rec department called Great Gobs of Ooey Gooey Fun! The first day she came home w/a rubber glove w/frozen water in it. She was told that when melts she could poke holes in the fingers and squirt them at someone... luckily she's kind of forgotten about that one lol.

She's also come home with homemade play doh, CLEAN sand (she emphasizes this every time), silly putty and crystals that have a worm in it. TODAY is a picture made with homemade 'glossy' paint and 'sticky' paint. That sticky paint is made w/sweetened condensced milk, so you can just imagine how sticky it really is!

I spoke w/Dana and she will need the rest of the week to recover at work I think. Maybe even more time. Let's all hope those creative juices are flowing again. She is glad to be home... you don't know what you have until you visit a foreign country! hehehe

Have a great week everyone!

GUEST BLOGGER-Bella Card

Hey there,
Busy as a bee here and missin' Dana to boot! Here's a Bella card I made for a private swap I'm in. I participated in my very FIRST VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) on SCS, posted a Bella card for one of the challenges and VOILA! I received a private message inviting me to participate in a Private Bella Swap. Can't wait to get those gals back! I don't have many of them but love them all just the same!


Have you checked out the Bella website? Emily's FAB site? Check it out! It's the Stamping Bella! Which has bloomed from 8 little o'le customers to lord knows how many now! Too many to count that's for shore!

I used some Chatterbox paper I've had and bazzill paper. I put stickles on her purse and bling on her bag (though I don't think I like it too much). The 'Party girl' stamp is one of the Studio G $1 acrylics from Michaels. The flower brad is from Michaels too and I don't remember where I got the orange organza ribbon. I think it was from a ribbon swap I participated in online. Hope you like the card!!


Anyways, we're off to the library to watch a magic show. Should definitely be a jungle over there!!

GUEST BLOGGER-Wanna $25 JoAnn's Gift Card?

CHECK THIS BLOG out! Post to her blog and get a chance in a drawing for $25 JoAnn's Gift Card. No strings attached!

Now if I could just figure out how Dana got that title space and link space at the top of each post... hmmm... I am soo bad at this blogging stuff. I am on the mend and will be posting a couple of Bella cards I have made. Stay tuned...