Pink and red birds

I'm alive, I promise. 

Just going through some crazy times currently.

Thanks to all of you who have emailed asking if everything is okay. I truly feel blessed by the friendship of so many of my readers and online pals whom I've never met. You guys are the best.

I pulled this card out of my draft blog posts to submit it for the color challenge that Nichole issued during the Papertrey Anniversary celebration. It's been sitting in blogger draft for ages and I was delighted to see that it qualified for the color scheme that Betsy chose. 

I had not posted it before because I intended to re-photograph it. You can see where it was a bit over-exposed in the foreground right corner. 

Ah well, those things slip away from us, don't they.

Not a whole lot to say about it except that everything is PTI! I used 5 different stamp sets on it, can you believe it?! Damask Designs, Round  Round (the 2009 Anniversary set), Bird Watching Additions, Birds of a feather, and Out on a Limb. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Your kind words mean a lot to me!

*mwah*

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Hello everyone! Did you have a nice weekend? 

Today is St. Valentine's Day, and as some of you know I need to air my annual gripe about how the "St." part has been dropped. *groan* 

 I know, I know, but really it irks me that society has just eliminated the originator of this fabulous (IMHO) holiday. Saint Valentine was a cool guy and he deserves to be remembered! (All of this is said tongue-in-cheek, as I am not Catholic nor am I even Christian...I just like things to be proper for posterity.)

On March 17th, are you going to go around saying "Happy Patrick's Day!"??? No. You will include the "saint" as will I.

Stepping off my soapbox now.

I made this fun banner a few weeks ago in prep for today. I like to decorate our dinning room and make it special for when the kids come downstairs in the morning and see what day it is.

I love seeing the look in their sleepy eyes as they notice the tiny gifts at their place on the dinning room table and the festive decor. *smile*

Stamps are Everyday Prints by Practicing Creativity Designs. PP and CS are from PTI. I also used an SU border punch, a metal Victorian Lace die from PTI and a Dainty Lace border die from MFT.

I hope you are surrounded by love today and every day!

Happy St. Valentine's Day.

Big hugs,

*mwah*

Denami Blog Hop!

It's blog hop time with Denami Design! And this time we are all about the buttons...

The hop begins at the Denami blog, so start there and comment along!

Let me tell you what you could win just for commenting!

Denami is giving away TWO $20 gift certificates to two people who comment along the hop! Gift certificates can be used in the Denami Design store. 

My baby card uses some super-duper, cutie-patootie animal stamps from Denami. The polka dot elephant, side-view turtle, and side-view sheep. I wanted to make a rolling pull-toy and these tiny animals are perfect for that!

Don't you just love those mini buttons I used for wheels? I also used a sentiment from the Thoughtful Greetings set.

If you cam here from Jenny's blog, then  you are on the right track!

Your NEXT stop on the hop is Tammy's blog.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck winning a gift certificate!

*mwah*

The SEARCH is on!

Congratulations!

You have found the Babushka!

Isn't it fun to "hunt" without killing! *chuckle*

As a vegetarian for the past 17 years I am obviously not into real hunting, but egg hunts? Bring them on! 

As a child I participated in a big Easter Egg hunt every year on the property of a family from our church. They would literally spend WEEKS setting it up and making trails through their woods, and in the fields around their pond. There was always a special prize for the child who found the golden egg. Ahhh, the simple joys of childhood...

Speaking of childhood, I think I was the only kid I knew who LOVED lime beans! *chuckle* We grew our own and I would beg my dad to cook them for dinner. Yum! What kind of kid won't eat hamburger or peanut butter, but loves lima beans? I was weird. But they are still my favorite food. *wink*

These marvelous Babushkas remind me of the huge collection of Matryoshka dolls that my mother owns. And also of my friend Anya, who came to the USA as an exchange student for a year and was my roommate in college. She called her grandmother "Babushka" which means "grandmother" in Russian. 

The Rules for the Babushka Hunt:

1.) Find all 8 little Babushkas.
2.) Answer correctly all the fun questions in the Designer quiz for each blog participating in the Hunt.
3.) Don’t tell anyone else the answers or where you found your Babushkas.
4.) Become a follower of each blog/site where you found a Babushka.
5.) Leave a nice comment on each blog/site so each designer will know you came to visit.
6.) Email Chris / CS Designs your answers to the Designer Quiz.

Winner will be announce on the 26th of April. 

Here are my trivia questions:

1.  What is my favorite food?

2. Who was my roommate in college?

3. What is the exact title of this blog post?

Be sure to continue the Babushka Hunt to the next blog

Hazel Parr - Just Add Glitter

And if you get lost then just go back to the beginning, here, and find your way!

Make it Monday and a WINNER!

I've been so busy I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately, but then I remembered that I was remiss in posting the winner of my Anniversary Giveaway! YIKES! Without further ado:

Christy Compton Hall wins a $25 gift certificate to her choice of stamp companies listed in the original post.

Congratulations Christy!  Send me an email so I can have the GC sent directly to you! Please include your mailing address to receive the card I made too.

(Winner chosen from all eligible entries by random.org.)

This card was created for the new Make It Monday challenge that Papertrey Ink is hosting. This week it was a "go-to sentiment" card. I really enjoyed this challenge from Erin and I can't wait to make a few more of these sentiment only cards. Great idea Erin!

I used PTI's Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Stamper's select white, and kraft to create this sweet baby card.  I also used seven different stamp sets on this one! A little Argyle, Outlines Alphabet, Signature Greetings, Bitty Baby Blessings, Favor it:Baby, Night Night Moon, and Round and Round (last year's anniversary set).

The crinkle ribbon was a gift from Sherry. She makes the most beautiful colors of this stuff. This one happened to match Blueberry Sky perfectly! Thanks Sherry!

Thanks for stopping by today bloggy friends. I have been remiss in blog-hopping and promise to catch up soon! Miss you all...

*mwah*

PTI Favorite(s)

As part of a contest that Nichole Heady is hosting I am showing you my favorite projects using Papertrey Ink supplies from the year 2010. My very favorite was actually made in the last month, so it doesn't qualify...*pout*

But here is my favorite...and a few more that I just loved from 2010!

Take Three:Summer

I was delighted with how this card turned out. I loved the color scheme, my elementary Copic coloring skills, and the peek of green leafy ribbon.

And here are some of my other faves:

So there you have it...some of my very favorite projects using PTI from 2010.

Thanks for stopping by today friends! I've been gone all day but plan on using tonight and tomorrow to catch-up on all your wonderful posts I've been missing!

*mwah*

Unity Bird

Remember you only have one more day to enter my anniversary giveaway here.

It's FRI-day! Woo hoo!

Did you get a chance to order your new PCD set, For the Love of Grids? Isn't it awesome?!

Speaking of PCD, the ribbon on this card is from the Practicing Creativity store too! I love this wide seafoam color...so pretty.

This card is another from the archives. I made it last week sometime and never got around to posting it. Image and sentiment stamps are from Unity. Card base is SU grey...I forget what it is called...I've had this stuff for years now, LOL. Other colors are Aqua Mist and Lavender Moon both by PTI. I used this digital file to make the rolled flowers. 

The impressed card base doesn't show well in the bigger photo, but as you can see here it does indeed have some texture!

Thanks for stopping by today, have a FABBY Friday!

*mwah*

For the Love of Grids

Is this bright enough for you? *grin*

I am so tired of the cold, dreary, gloomy days of this deep, dark winter. I needed something to brighten things up! Cue this fun new set from Practicing Creativity Designs, called For the Love of Grids.

It has three different grid-like background stamps and one tiny dot. I used all three grid stamps on this card. The hatch pattern is so good for adding texture, the diamond patten is under the hot air balloon, and the classic grid (just like graph paper!) is along the bottom of the card.

I didn't have anything like this in my stamp collection so I have been having so much fun playing with it! And grids are so trendy and hip right now! Paired with Look Up Additions this card just makes me happy! *wink*

Go see what Courtney, Karen, and Valerie have to show you too...I'm so lucky to be working with such talented stampers. *sigh*

For the Love of Grids will be released at midnight tonight at PCD. It retails for just $13.

Thanks for stopping by today, have a tremendous Thursday!

*mwah*

PCD February Sneak Peek!

For the Love of Grids!

So what do you think? A lot of your guesses were correct...it's a trendy grid Background Builder!

This fun set has three different grid stamps that are long enough to cover an A2 card the looooong way. Love that about Practicing Creativity's background stamps! I love to make my own patterned paper and it drives me batty when BG stamps aren't long enough. PCD to the rescue!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's samples too, and leave a comment on Courtney's blog for a chance to win For the Love of Grids!

Karen

Valerie

Courtney

OH and Happy Groundhog's Day! I made my annual cookies last night. YUM. See here, and here, and here for pictures and recipe

We're snowed in so I may get some crafty time when we are done eating our Groundhog cookies! I wonder if they unburied Phil enough for him to decide if spring was on it's way! HA.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you have a WARM Wednesday! LOL

*mwah*

Love songs

Don't forget to enter my anniversary giveaway here. You have until February 6 at midnight EST!

For the Practicing Creativity Guessing Game hint, scroll down to the post below!

This card is one I made for my guest blogger spot at Do More With Less last week. I also issued a challenge to stamp on your patterned paper. One random participant will win a gift certificate to one of several online stamping stores. Go check it out and enter today!

Don't you love that sentiment? I do. It's from WPlus9's Just a Note set. So sweet.

Thanks for stopping by today, have a good one!

*mwah*

PCD guessing game!

Don't forget to enter my anniversary giveaway here. You have until February 6 at midnight EST!

It is February 1 and that means time for another release at Practicing Creativity Designs!

The above is your hint for the monthly guessing game.

Check out the hints Karen and our newest DT member Valerie are providing too, then hop over to Courtney's blog and leave your guess for a chance at winning this fabulous set!


 It is so hip and trendy right now that I just know you will be excited to see what this release is all about! Be sure to come back tomorrow to see some samples using the newest PCD set.