Pale apricot is a beautiful color

Morning all! 

Today's card is for Sasya's Sketches. I'm rather happy with how this one turned out...can I say that?*smile* Pale apricot has always been one of my favorite colors.

Finally used some PP that I've had for a few months, and one of the gorgeous pale orange paper flowers from Prima that I just HAD to have a few months ago and never even opened!*chuckle*

I know the LO is vaguely familiar (see yesterday's mat stack wreath card!), but it actually comes from this week's sketch.

It was hard for me not to cover up the edges of the PP on this card, but every time I did, I didn't like it, no matter what I tried using, so I ended up leaving them showing. I even tried a small border punch along there but it just didn't 'work". You KWIM, right?

If you feel like playing along wiht us this week, post your creation at Sasya's Sketches for a chance at some really cool prizes.

Thanks for stopping by, 

*mwah*

Punched wreath

Hi folks!

I know I've been absent a few days, but I promise you will be delighted when you see what I've been cooking up for the new Practicing Creativity release coming soon! *wink*

Today's card is for this week's challenge at Tuesday Throwdown to use your punches. I've had this branch punch from McGill for almost 5 years and never even used it! I thought it was high time to drag it out and put it to use.

I assembled the punched branches into a wreath shape and used a quickie glue pen to adhere them together. Then I thought my wreath would look good "up" on a die cut, so out came my Mat Stack 1 die, and an impression plate from PTI as well to finish the card.

If you feel like using your punches this week, join us at Tuesday Throwdown for a chance at some awesome prizes!

Have a good one,

*mwah*

Wreath tags

Good morning all! Thank goodness it's almost Friday...

I made these tags last night at the request of one of the parents in the HSA (Home School Association). Tonight is Parent/Teacher night at our school, and we like to welcome the new families that joined us with plates of cookies. The person in charge wanted a nice fall tag to go with each plate with the family's name on it and the school's information on the back.

Because my PTI order came yesterday I could not resist using the new wreath set. I LOVE it. 

These were quick and simple, with not too many embellishments.

I wrote the family's name, used a stamp from First Fruits to stamp the word "family", stamped the wreath and the "welcome" from that set, and then used Simple Alphabet to stamp our school name.

Some inking on the edges and a bit of terracotta tile twill and I called it done!


Thanks for stopping by today, hope you have a good one!
*mwah*

Sasyas sketches no.29

Happy Wednesday!

I'm in a bit of a rush, but I wanted to pop in with this card for Sasya's Sketches. I loved this week's sketch, it has so many possibilities!

I used new stamps from Flourishes, called Fine Herbs and a CB folder. It was actually quick and simple!

Play along with us at Sasya's Sketches for some great opportunities!

Sorry for the brevity, 

big ((HUGS)),

*mwah*

Soft and babyish

It's time for Tuesday Throwdown! 

This week's challenge is paper pleating so I grabbed the opportunity to make one of those uber-trendy pleated medallions that I've been seeing everywhere lately. It was fun and not as hard as I anticipated!

Clothesline and dress images are Inkadinkado, sentiment, and polka dots are PTI.

If you have a hankering for pleating some paper this week, join us at Tuesday Throwdown for a chance at a some fabulous prizes!

Thanks for stopping by, 

*mwah*

The wondrous glow of childhood

Phewww, that was a blog break wasn't it? *smile*

With so much happening here about school, kids, work, our basement flooding because the sump pump died in the thunderstorm we had and, and, and, ...my crafting time went on the back burner!

I thought I'd post this card I made a few weeks ago to hold your interest though..is it working? *chuckle*

I found this scrap of PP in my stash and have no idea who makes it, but it made me want to pair terracotta tile and spring moss together, along with this adorable clear stamp of a boy holding flowers by FCD. His expression is so sweet, isn't it? I misted him with two different shades of Glimmer Mist to give him a touch of color, Golden Terra Cotta, and Twilight.

I stamped a perfect fall quote behind him that reads: 

Could there be anything we know

that could evoke the wondrous glow

of childhood more than trampling leaves?

How clearly, then, the soul perceives

amid the miracle of fall,

that we are children, one and all.

That stamp comes from FCD too, in their fall quotes set. The poem is by Jean S. Platt. I just love it because it's so true! I enjoy playing in the leaves with my boys when Autumn rolls around.

Thanks for stopping by today, hugs all around!

*mwah*

Sasya's Sketches #28

Sorry this is late posting this morning! I thought I had already written and scheduled it! * chuckle*

I decided to go very simple (for me anyway) for today's card (although I made it several days ago) Fresh, clean, and bright!

You can tell I'm a terrible seamstress, but my regular sewing machine isn't working and I had to use my Janome sew-mini and you can't control the speed.

Isn't this sketch awesome? It's Sasya's sketch no. 28!

If you feel like playing along this week, link your project to Sasya's Sketches for a chance at some fun prizes, top-notch recognition, or a guest designer spot!

That's all folks,

*mwah*

Good friends, good books.

Today's card is for Tuesday Throwdown. The challenge is distressing (yay)!

You can see I didn't do a lot of it here, but I did use my Tim Holtz distressor tool and tons of PTI tea-dye duo ink. Cute digital image and sentiment from DeeDees Digis from the set Teacher's Pet, which I love because the sentiment's aren't just "school" related!

 And as a bonus all our cards this week are going to Operation Write Home for the troops. I thought a friendship themed card might be needed, and this sentiment is perfect IMHO.

I also decided to participate in my first Curtain Call challenge! Aren't these colors fab? I don't have that dark artichoke green, so I subbed in with Ripe Avocado.

Thanks for stopping by today friends! If you are feeling the "stress", why not join our

" dis-stressing" challenge for this week's Tuesday Throwdown! *snort*

*mwah*

Summer's wave goodbye

Don't you just love this sentiment? I fear we are definitely waving goodbye to to summer here...brrrr, it's getitng chilly and our leaves are changing color.

Image stamps from this set at FirecrackerDesigns by Pamela, sentiment from this set.

We went to a once yearly gathering at our organic CSA farm yesterday. It was potluck, which I just adore. Especially with like-minded individuals! *grin*  Not everything was vegetarian, but there was plenty of yummy things to eat. I made Moong Dal with Spinach (and Zucchini and Tomatoes), one of our favorite weeknight Indian meals. It was a huge hit and I came home with just a spoonful left in this giant soup tureen. (if you want my recipe, email me see below.)

And for ease of labeling, I use a dry erase marker to write on everything! I use it on all my glass canisters, mason jars, the fridge, etc. It just wipes off, so it's very handy! 

The boys had a blast with the other children running around, all of them wearing their galoshes I might add! Love these action shots from the Hay bale run/jump.

Doesn't it look like he's going to fall right on his face? *chuckle*

Thanks for stopping by today folks, and listening to my rambling,

Moong Dal with Spinach (serves ~6 as a meal, ~10 as a side dish)

Prep: rinse 2 c. split yellow mung beans (moong dal) and soak for 30 minutes in boiling water.

1. Heat a large pot and add some oil. (2-3 T.) 

2. When it's hot, toss in 1 1/2 t. cumin seeds, and 1/2 t. mustard seeds. Move them around until they pop and sizzle (about 20 seconds)

3. Add in about 1+ c. diced onions and cook a minute, stirring constantly.

4. Add in 1 1/2 T. ginger paste (or minced fresh ginger), and 1 T. garlic paste (or 4 cloves minced), and 1/2 t.chili paste (or one green chili seeded and diced-OPTIONAL). Cook until onions are soft.

5. Stir in 1 t. turmeric, 1 1/2 t. coriander, 1/2 t. paprika, 1 t. garam masala, and 1 T. salt ( if you use real chicken broth later on, don't add this much salt)

6. Cook until spices release aroma, about 45 seconds.

7. Toss in 4 diced tomatoes, and cook until oil begins to separate. (3 minutes)

8. Add in your soaked DRAINED mung beans, and about 6 cups of water or broth.

9. Bring to a boil, toss in many handfuls of diced zucchini, lower heat and simmer with lid on for about 20 minutes.

10. Check and stir occasionally, making sure there is enough water/broth. The dal will expand and absorb a lot of the liquid which is what we want, but you want there to be enough liquid too, We want a thick, soupy consistency, not a runny watery one.

11. When moong dal are soft and beginning to break down, 

12. Toss in a LOT of coarsly chopped spinach or a LOT of baby spinach (no chopping needed). Keep adding it beyond what you think you need. Stir and cook a few minutes until it wilts.

13. Here's where you can turn it off and let it sit for many hours if you want. The flavors will only get better.

14. When ready to serve, stir in 2-4 T. butter, 2 T. fresh lemon juice, 1 cup chopped cilantro, and serve over rice. Garnish with extra diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro.

I'm back on "blogland" once again...hmmhmm

I'm back! 

Our new computer arrived yesterday afternoon and my hubster spent all night getting it set up. I've spent all morning installing the programs I use regularly (iTunes, PSE, Audible, etc.) just so I can post a card to my blog and check my email! 

How pathetic.

 Although I will admit to running to the library early this morning to check Nichole's blog for a sneak peek and hop onto the PTI forum for a while...*grin*

Hey, a girl has to do what a girl has to do, right? *snort*

I still have no access to our old hard drive and all my photo albums, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our repair man can recover them...*sniff sniff*

I made this card quickly last night and took the photo this morning. (hence the terrible direct light)

Yesterday I also received in the post my first ever order from Flourishes! (see that awesome tree?!) I was pleasantly surprised at the lovely packaging. So fun!

Anyway, all CS is PTI, Tree image is Flourishes, Sentiment and ribbon are PTI, material flower is Prima. Impression plate and nestabilities also used.

Thanks for hanging in there while I had no computer, love you guys! (and I have 473 things in my google reader...*sigh*)

good grief Charlie Brown...

Howdy friends! I wanted to pop in with an update and let you know that my PC is officially dead. Defunt. No longer among the living (or should I say 'working'?).

I have ordered a new one and as soon as it arrives I can start posting again! YAY! I never realized how much I rely on a computer at home.

While I can use this computer at work (in my office) for quick things, I cannot use it for uploading my card photos and editing them. So I am photo-less for a few days until the new one arrives and I can install the necessary programs.

Hang in there and bear with me! 

Hugs all around, 

Larkspur sketch

 

Every once in a while I get a hankerin' to create a larger A7 size card. I just feel the need for more creative space, KWIM?

So when I saw this week's sketch at Sasya's Sketches I knew just what stamp I wanted to use because it needs a big space to "flow". And also because I just LOVE this sketch too! *grin*

 It seems to be calling out for a large stamp and I complied with PTI's YOF: Larkspurs. After embossing in white, I colored it with Copics and cut it out with a nestie. On a Smokey Shadow base, with touches of lavender and green, this card is for my older sister Judy's birthday (which happens to be today!)

Why not try this sketch out and submit your card or project to Sasya's Sketches! You could win prizes or even be a guest designer!

Thanks for stopping by, have a good hump day!

PS. Today was the first day of school for us and I wanted to share some photos of my boys, but our computer totally crashed at home so I had to come to the library to type this post last night. Alas, no photos...*pout* I'm hoping something can be fixed becasue I have lots of cards to post!

Autumn is here...Brrrrrr.

We've had several days of chilly weather here, and it is making me want to create fall-themed cards, wear sweaters, and make soup. So it's perfect for this week's Tuesday Throwdown challenge to celebrate Fall! *grin*

Now I'll let you in on a secret...see that tag?

I made it in 2004 for a tag swap on a message board I used to host called Art Happens. Yep, six years ago! Craziness.

I decided to pull it out and use it on a card for the TT challenge. I think it works, don't you? All I had to do was impress the card base, add some ribbon and buttons with twine and it was done! I think it took me all of 6 minutes to finish!

If you are in a fall card making mood, join us this week for Tuesday Throwdown! 

Thanks for stopping by friends,

Butterfly birthday

Through the years I've talked about how I'm just NOT a butterfly fan when it comes to stamps. Yes, I've used them, and even liked a few but generally they "aren't my thing." But because this card is for my BFF I decided to use my newest butterfly stamp from FireCrackerDesigns! And I LOVE how this card turned out!

I left the sentiment off because the inside says it all, and I like how simple that leaves the front.

What do you guys think? Should I add something? Leave it alone?

Gimme some feedback here people!

PS. In a serendipitous turn of events, this card matches the sketch at 2S4Y, Kazan's sketch 61!

Bringing in the sheaves

Today is release day at Practicing Creativity!

I thought I'd toss out one more card I made using Fall Fest.

I stamped, fussy cut and grouped three of the compound leaf images together to make a bundle of wheat. I used that same image for the BG panel too. I liked the white stitching in the ribbon so I mimicked it with a white gel pen along the nestie and the BG of the card base.

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

SURPRISE!

(Sentiment gold embossed and colored with Copics. Open-lined swirl gold embossed)) 

(Sentiment stamped and filled with red glitter. Holly leaves paper pieced)

(Sentiment silver embossed and filled in with white gel pen, starburst white embossed and fussy cut))

See the cards above? 

They were all made using the OTHER new release from Practicing Creativity Designs! 

Yep, you read correctly, PCD is releasing TWO sets at midnight tonight! Are you surprised?

There's more! 

This set, Christmas Wonder, was designed by our very own Karen Baker! I know, right? That girl is uber-talented. *shaking head in amazement*

Christmas Wonder is filled with gorgeous open-lined sentiments, matching smaller sentiments and the perfect array of images to go with all the words. You will NEED this set for sure! 

Whether your style is clean & simple, vintage, classy and elegant or shabby chic, these sentiments and images are easily tailored and perfect for you!

So now you can get some perfect fall stamps and the best Holiday set ever all at once for one small shipping fee! See you tonight at midnight at Practicing Creativity Designs!

Oh, did anyone notice that my first card matches the sketch I posted yesterday? *grin* It's a fun one, so don't forget to give it a shot and enter our guest designer contest!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you liked the surprise!

Fall Fest day 2

Exciting news today folks! 

See that fun card above? I designed a simple sketch and then based my card on it.

Here's the sketch:

Each one of the PCD designers has done the same thing, and YOU get to choose one sketch to work with and submit a project to Mr. Linky on Courtney's blog. Now for the exciting part...

wait for it...

wait...

THE WINNER WILL BE A GUEST DESIGNER NEXT MONTH AT PRACTICING CREATIVITY DESIGNS!

*squeal* 

I know, right?

One of the best parts about being a designer is getting to see and use such great stamps before anyone else in the world see's them! (it makes me feel so special!*grin*)

So go check out the other sneak peeks on Karen's, Paulina's, and Courney's blogs and choose a sketch that appeals to you, create a card, then link it on Courtney's blog and sit back and wait!

Now, back to my card! Don't you just LOVE that sentiment?! And I'll tell you, these clear stamps take chalk ink so well. True vibrant colors just rock. Love these stamps...*sigh*

That's all for today peeps, Have a good one!

Fall Fest sneak peek

Good morning friends. Today marks the start of the sneak peeks for Practicing Creativity Design's newest release, FALL FEST!

I know I say this a lot but this set is so much fun. It really fills a void for "modern and fresh"  Autumn images. I know you will love it as much as I do. (and I have a lot in store for you too!)

Be sure to stop by the other designer's blogs to see even more peeks from this fabulous set!

Courtney

Karen

Paulina

Fall Fest will be available on September 5 (actually the 4th at midnight!) and will retail for $12.99

All stamps and ribbon from PCD. (love this striped grosgrain ribbon!) CS by PTI. Border punch by Martha Stewart.

Thanks for stopping by today! Did you enjoy the letter hunt yesterday? *grin*