Make A Wish!

Whew! What a roller coaster ride the past few weeks have been! I had co-workers gone at a business conference & was left in charge & covering their clients. That along w/ all the stuff going on at home left me with no energy or time to craft. Plus with the days going back & forth between snow & 60 degrees, it's been hard to adjust & decide just what to do (I did get a little sun burned on Sunday... it was TOO nice to not be outside) So now that things are a little more "normal" I was able to sneak away to my craft desk & work on a needed birthday card:

For this one, I inked up a doily w/ Ranger Distress ink in Vintage photo so that it would match the color scheme (that white was a little blaring!) then I inked the edges of the tag w/ vintage photo & then used chalk ink to distress & frame the sentiment. the pearls are Recollections & the dp came from my scrap pile- this is one of my favorite color combos, so it wasn't hard to find scraps to work with! the buttons are some I picked up in the dollar bin at Micheal's & the stamps are from the birthday4cookie set by the {Stamps} of Life. I colored the candles in w/ my Prisma pencils.

I'm playing along w/ the following challenges:

Mojo Monday, Sketch # 231
Divas by Design, use your favorite things: my favorites are the color combo, using sketches (love sketches!) & distress inks
ABC Challenge, K:kraft
the Spotted Chick, That's Krafty Thursday

Happiness

Wow, where does time go?! It seems like it was just New Year's, I blinked & now it is nearly Valentine's Day..... I've been MIA lately, maybe that's why I've lost track of time. Lot's going on at home (ugh! tired of stress!) & I have been catching up on some reading too (awww my long lost pals, really good books! lol!) So I decided I was well past due for some crafty time! (plus, having a holiday coming up that requires gifts &/or cards is a good push!)

So here is a little goody I put together for the hubby. The frame & sentiment I picked up off the internet.. before I started tracking where I found stuff, sorry I can't point you where to find (I think the sentiment was a freebie from Sentimental Sunday). I inked up w/ distressed inks in vintage photo & fired brick then fussy cut & added a few stamped hearts-I added a few to the cardstock & dp also. The dp is from my scrap pile, & the flowers are some I picked up in the dollar bin at Michaels a few weeks ago. The pearl is from CTMH & i colored it w/ my Bic markers so it would match the color scheme

I got REALLY wild & did the inside of the card too... using the same distressed inks over a hand written sentiment plus I followed the same basic layout from the Mojo Monday sketch I used for the front. The heart in the back ground & the stamped corner are all from a set called Hearts2love from the {Stamps} of Life  so are the hearts on the card front. Have I ever mentioned that I {heart} her stamps?!
Here are all the challenges I am playing along with this week:

Mojo Monday: sketch #227
Catered Crop, I followed the recipe... Hearts
ABC Challenge, I: in pairs- The card front has a pair of flowers, plus I used the sketch in pairs (front&inside)
Sentimental Sundays, Feel the Love
The Spotted Chick, Thats Krafty Thursday #58, use kraft
Going Grey w/ Scrap Creations, Valentines
Divas by Design/, Love is in the Air
Fab N Funky, Love is in the Air
Do You Stack Up, Love

Gotta Love Gus....

I started my blog almost a year ago so that I could participate in the big birthday celebration over at Catch the Bug and it's almost that time again.. Anyhow, I decided I just couldn't put off blogging any longer because I fell IN LOVE with all of the fun characters Jodie has over at Bugaboo & because, well, it really looked like it would be fun! Gus is one of those wonderful characters that got me hooked (along w/ Stella..can't love Gus & not love Stella!)
Here is another of the co-workers b-day cards I made this week featuring Gus

so I did have to alter Gus just a little to add to the humor...the person the card is for is always wearing a cowboy hat, so I just HAD to add one, as well as color in a few chin whiskers to mirror the person it was for. The dp was from my scrap pile & I colored w/ my prisma's-except for the hat, I used my Bic markers on it.

Here is the inside.. Too fun! Everyone loved this card when they signed it!
I am entering it on these challenges:
Catch the Bug, anything goes (am a little late on this one..)
Totally Stampalicious, Humor
Cute Card Thursday have a laugh

Sweet Sketch Wednesday, Sketch

Uh-Oh....I Frog-got

Ok so this is no laughing matter... I have been so caught up with the holidays & then trying to get myself back into some kind of normal routine & keep myself from falling into hibernation (which REALLY sounds good right about now..) that I completely forgot not 1, not 2, but 3 co-workers birthday's & it is not even quite the middle of the month! UGG! What a way to start the year! I feel so horrible! So here is the first one I made, I think that the cuteness factor made up for the tardiness... (her birthday was the 2nd)

The stamps are all from a set called Froggy2love by the The {Stamps} of Life and the sentiment on the inside is computer generated. the DP is all from my scrap pile. I just love those lil googly eyes!

I am entering on the following challenges:

CPS Sketch #250
ABC Challenge, G: green
Simon Says Stamp Spots &/or Stripes
The Pixie Cottage, Stitching
There She Goes, paper Piecing

On the Home Stretch

It's the 22nd, and I am, I can hardly believe I'm saying it, pretty much ready for Christmas. lol! I have one more gift to get for the Christmas party at my in-laws. Whew! I really didn't think i would make it. Today I made lunch for all my co-workers & gifted them all with note card sets (made by me of course!) I can't wait to post them in the coming weeks because they turned out quite fabby if I say so myself!
Today I am posting the last 2 Christmas cards I made, one for my boss & one for my very good co-worker friend.

They were so much fun to make. the image is called Snowday & is by Mo Manning

Isn't it too sweet! I just love the look of pure joy on her face. I colored w/ my Prisma's & used goo gone to blend, I cut the snowflakes w/ my cricut, added glitter glue by Studio G. The dp is out of my ever growing, always neglected scrap pile.

I am entering on the following challenges:

Make it Monday, Anything Goes
Bella & Bronte's Challenge(Mo's Digital), Punches or Dies
Crimbo Crackers, Snowflakes
Digital Tuesday, Winter Wonderland
Papertake Weekly, Last Christmas...card of the year

How does this ALWAYS happen?!!!

Christmas is the same time every year. Same day, marked on the calendar. Yet it never fails, it seems to sneak up on me & all of a sudden BLAMO!! It's only a few days away. I think I am very near done with my shopping. I got most of my out of town gifts shipped. I have most of my cards made....I think! I have not started to even think about my Christmas card list, so I'm not really sure if I am near the finish line. Hopefully the boys will give me a little quiet tonight so that I can think & get some envelopes addressed. Cross your fingers for me. I may have to unplug the xbox just to guarantee it happens lol!

So that cards that I have been able to finish I have been making in sets of 4 or six. these ones I made using a Stamp Fairy image, i think he is called Barry January. I added a few stamped in snow flakes, colored him using my Prisma pencils. I had planned to add glitter to the snow, but in my late night crafting adventures, I forgot.

I have been crazy busy getting all my crafted Christmas presents made that I haven't been able to post any of my cards. Hopefully I will be able to get caught up soon!
I am entering on the following challenges:
Stamp Fairy, Celebrate the Holidays
Do You Stack Up, Winter
Card Makin Mamas, Christmas
Divas By Design, Merry Christmas
Catch the Bug, Baby it's Cold Outside
Bee Crafty, Christmas
By the Cute & Girly, Let it Snow
Lexi's Creations, Non traditional Christmas Colors
ABC Challenge, F: frosty

If I do not happen to make it back, Merry Christmas! May you all have a a very blessed day!

Holiday Traditions

Each year, as the main fundraiser, our local Hospice has a holiday event where organizations in town donate decorated trees, hand made quilts & other items for a silent & live auction. We always do a tree & it is a true team effort. As soon as the main theme is announced, we brain storm ideas & usually try to do our own spin on it so that we can get down & crafty & end up with a finished product that is truly "us". This year the theme is "Classic Christmas" and our spin for our tree is "Classic Cowgirl" with the over all theme being a Dale Evens quote "It's the way you ride the trail that counts".


This sparkly garland is going to be used through out the tree & in the hand made topper



Lots of sparkle & bling, what more could a cowgirl want?!

We are using tons of red, gold, stars, sparkle, & shiny yumminess

These are just a few of my favorite, favorite ornaments that I made. For the middle two, I scanned the fabric that we used for a mini quilt & for the tree skirt, fussy cut the images & added swirlies & stars cut w/ my cricut & lots of bling. The last one is a photo we found online &I distressed the edges w/ my distress ink) & one of the girls here painted on the gold design (free hand-didn't she do an amazing job?!) and I added blingies. We did 25 of these big decoupaged wooden ornaments, 18small circle wooden ornaments, 40 grapevine stars w/ woodsy garland (not pictured). So needless to say, we have been busy! (why I haven't blogged for a few weeks... With Thanksgiving & this, I haven't had time for my own stuff)

We decorate tonight & the auction is Saturday night. I will have to do an update post w/ pics of the finished tree & then how much of a bid it goes for. So exciting! This is my "kick off" to the Christmas season & I am really getting into the mood! Which is a good thing because I've got a TON of cards to make & gifts to get done!

I am entering these beauties on the following challenges:
Make it Monday, Anything Goes
Divas By Design, Anything Goes
Simon says Stamp, Anything Goes
Fab N Funky, Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network, Something Different/Something Other than a Card