she's crafty...and she's just my type.

Time for some 2S4Y!!

2010-04-24T19:23:00.000-05:00

Well, my brother left this afternoon after a nice 5 day visit and since we were at baseball today from 8am until 6:30pm, I was starting to get a little worried about this post making it on time. Thanks to the NFL Draft, I was able to quietly sneak away for some stamping!! Thank goodness, cause I was really dreading the whole, "hey bro, I know I rarely ever get to see you and all, but would you mind if I slip away for a bit and fool around with my stamps and stuff!" I am sure he wouldn't have minded, but really, am I that much of an addict?? OK, don't answer that!! Anyway, I made this card for the 2S4Y challenge last night during the draft. I was so excited to finally get to play around with this image from whimsyhaven- LOVE it! So, all in all, I guess football isn't so bad. Actually, it comes in handy ever now and again!!

Here's the card. For some strange reason, I couldn't get the picture to come out straight. So, being tired and lazy, i just went for the exaggerated crooked look!!

Have a nice rest of the weekend!!

Leave me us some love. (It really helps with their self esteem issues!)

You talkin' to me?

2010-04-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've never actually sat through the entire movie Taxi Driver, but I have seen plenty of clips of the "You talkin' to me?" part. Not to mention, I sometimes recreate that scene in my bathroom mirror when I get bored!!

You talkin' to me?

Thats how I felt when I finally sat down to catch up on google reader and saw this:

The Play Date Cafe Color Splash Challenge!! with sweet, darling, underused, under-appreciated, lovely orange. You must be talkin' to me, because I sure do love orange.

and then I saw the Beautiful Butterflies challenge over at Our Creative Corner. Now, you must be talkin to me, because I ~~live~~ LIVE for butterflies. Actually, the real challenge for me would be to make a card WITHOUT butterflies!! KWIM, jelly bean??

Anywho, I of course HAD to make a card for these 2 challenges. And make a card I did. Unfortunatley, it didn't turn out nearly as pretty as I pictured it would.

So, I made another card.

And, I have to say, I like the first one better!!

Well, I must be off to clean the bathrooms. Try as I may, I cannot put it off any longer. My brother is coming to visit and I don't want him to think we live like slobs, now do I!!

Leave me us some love. (It really helps with their self esteem issues!)

Finally, a card.

2010-04-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello. I finally have a card to post. I actually finished it a few days ago but when I went to take a picture, my camera battery was dead. Probably from the 400+ flower pics that I took recently- which, by the way are snuggled up in a nice little slide show the next post down. (Not all 400, just about 20 or so!) For some reason, the slide show was a no-show on my emailed post. What's up with that??

Anyway, here is the card. I made this baby for two challenges. I used Sketch #50 (I love this sketch) from 2 Sketches 4 You. I also used the colors from the Embellish Color Challenge, then went back and read that it should be a party themed item. Oops! Does a wedding count as a party??

Have a great weekend!!

Leave me us some love. (It really helps with their self esteem issues!)

Zilker Botanical Gardens.

2010-04-16T14:02:00.003-05:00

I was going to be totally obnoxious and post like 400 pics that I took at Zilker Gardens, but I decided to play nice and make a slideshow of a few of my favorite ones. I am so happy that this year I made it to Zilker while everything is in bloom. LOVE it there!!

I'll be back with a card in a little bit.

Leave me us some love. (It really helps with their self esteem issues!)

Housework!!

2010-04-09T14:06:00.001-05:00

Some days it is just impossible to deal with.

Take today, for instance. It is unbelievably gorgeous outside! A bright sunny 70 degree day! Gorgeous! So I said to myself, "Self, I know you have been wanting to stamp more. And I know you also want to be outside planting all those flowers you just bought. But really, look at the place. Why don't you just spend a little bit of time doing the housework and when you are done, you can stamp AND plant flowers."

Sounds reasonable to me.

Well, as I was merrily doing the housework, looking forward to my stamps and flowers, things started to go downhill fast. The housework got totally out of control. Soon there were shouts of, "You call that dusting?" and "What about the baseboards?" from some of the rooms!! The laundry room kept shouting, "Help, help, I'm drowning in dirty clothes!" and the kitchen started in about the floor being sticky. I swear, you give an inch and housework takes a mile! No respect.

Finally, I had had enough. If that is how housework is gonna act, then I'm done. When it has had a chance to calm down and think about its actions, I may start working with it again. But for now, i am stamping and planting. Actually, I just finished my stamping and now I'm blogging. :-)

I was going to take another stab at a baby card for our friends- I wasn't that pleased with the one that I showed you yesterday. But then I saw this challenge over at the Play Date Cafe. Um, YUM!! I just had to play.

I took a picture of my card outside by the flowers I need to plant!!

(I just realized that my plum and lavender don't look like the plum and lavender in the challenge photo!! Oops, I hope this still counts!!)

Well, I am off to plant some flowers and I don't know, maybe check on the housework. I may have been a little too harsh!!

I hope your day finds you without any unruly housework!!

Leave me us some love. (It really helps with their self esteem issues!)

So, like..

2010-04-08T16:58:00.000-05:00

I don't know what's up with me! Maybe it's that spring is here, that wildflowers are fabulously abundant or that baseball season is in full swing (batter, batter), but I have, like, not crafted in, like, for-EVA!!! KWIM, jelly bean??

Anywho, I did do a wee little crafting earlier this week for the first wee little one that friends of ours have welcomed into their lives. And since Caardvarks was having a Baby Card Challenge, I was all like, hello, of course I'm gonna enter!! Like, omg, how cool is that??

(I'm not sure where the 80's valley girl speak is coming from, but hey, I just go with the flow!)

So, like, here's my card!

Funny story. When I went to take a picture of this card, I found a bunch of my craft supplies hanging out, trying to look all serious, in my light tent. When I went in for a closer look, they broke out in giggles. This is why:

I guess I'm not the only jokester in the family!! Anyway, I promised them that I would add this pic to the bottom of my posts. Now, if I can just figure out how to do that......

Its been so long...

2010-04-05T23:38:00.000-05:00

I've been MIA for a little. OK, maybe a lot. A week and four days to be exact. Yowzer, in some ways it feels like years. We had a lot of things squeezed into those 11 days!!

Anyway, before I hit the sack and catch up on some much needed sleep, I wanted to show you a card I made a couple days ago. I used Sketch 49 from 2 Sketches 4 You, which is like, so last week. ( i actually stole that line from funny, crafty, fellow blogger, Libby) I also used the Embellish Magazine's Color with Stitching Challenge shown here:

And here is my card.

Well, I would really like to stay and chat and take this opportunity to crack myself up, but I am literally so tired it hurts to type. I know, I'm such a wuss. I'll be back soon though, promise.

Night, night.

Yowza!!

2010-03-25T23:57:00.000-05:00

Man, this post almost didn't make it!! I mean, at like 10:30 tonight, I realized what time it was, had to stop doing the dishes and finish this card.

Priorities, right. I've gotta keep them in check. I mean, my mojo should really appreciate all of the sacrifices I make for it. The dishes, they are welcome to jump out the window and head for the hills any time! But, my mojo, it shouldn't run off like it did. Its just not right.

Anyway, I finally had the chance to play with my very first digital stamps. These babies rock!! I really thought that it was going to be this big pain in the beep to print out digi stamps, but it turned out to be so easy! I love it! This super cool tree image and the friends sentiment are from whimsyhaven. LOVE them. I have some more that I am I am dying to play with too. I also used all the requirements for the poppy seed challenge and the sketch from card patterns sketch 56, not to mention the 8+ colors for the cards magazine blog. I am one lean, (not really lean) mean, multi-challenge machine. Yeah, take THAT dishes!!!

Here's the card:

p.s. don't look at the wet finger smudges on this card. That was just the dishes trying to get back at me!

MISSING!

2010-03-23T22:12:00.001-05:00

my mojo! frequents local craft stores, loves butterflies and rhinestones. last seen jumping out my window and heading for the hills. missing since 03/20/2010. Reward for safe return.

oy vey.

I actually sat down at the craft table tonight (which I haven't done in several days). I gave up about 15 minutes later when I finally realized that it just wasn't happening. I need my mojo and it is nowhere to be found. So sad.

But, since I haven't posted in awhile, I figured that I would show you a couple of cards that I made early last week and never posted.

I made this for the Moxie Fab doily challenge and never got around to entering it. Hate it when that happens. Anywho, I didn't have any doilies, so I made this one out of a coffee filter!! I know, crazy right. Thats how things roll in my part of town, ya gotta hold on to the seat of your pants cuz ya never know what can happen.

Hey, maybe my mojo is hiding in the coffee pot.

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a little tired.

Here is another card I made. I am pretty sure this one was for the CPS sketch last week. It tried to run away with my mojo, but I grabbed it just in the nick of time. It didn't get entered because it was in a time out.

Well, if my nuttiness hasn't frightened you off for good, stop back tomorrow, cuz I am craftin, man, with or without my mojo!! And you can tell it I said so!

Man, oh man.

2010-03-19T16:54:00.000-05:00

Its hard to make a card for a man.

I had to make a couple of them this month and it is always a challenge (for me, anyway) to balance handmade and masculine. Lucky for me, Crazy 4 Challenges is hosting a masculine card challenge. I used the layout from Card Patterns Sketch 55. I am finding that using challenges really helps me get my craft on and cards come together better and faster than when I am just playing around. That comes in handy some times, ya know it!!

Here's my card:

Thanks for stopping by!!

The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC20

2010-03-16T21:31:00.001-05:00

Hello, crafty crafters.

It is spring break here in Central Texas so I might be MIA for awhile. We have plans most of the days, but I'm hoping that I can steal some stamping time for myself in the evenings!! Only time will tell... :-)

Here is a super quick card I whipped up yesterday while the kids were at the park. It is for the gorgeous color challenge over at the play date cafe. Here's the yummy photo:

Here is my card:

Not sure why, but my stash has very little lavender. In fact, the lavender card stock (1 of 2 pieces that I have) and the patterned paper that I used here are about it.

Hmmm, I might have to do something about that.

Have a great week- I am being summoned to participate in a Halo tournament with the kiddos!!

Caardvarks Photo Inspiration Challenge

2010-03-13T19:21:00.004-06:00

O.k., have you seen this challenge over at Caardvarks? If you have, I am sure that you just had to play along- I know I did. I mean, look at this photo. GORGEOUS!!

I was soooo busy this week that I barely had any time to stamp.

In fact, when I went into the dining room (aka, my stamping space) this morning, my craft supplies had put up missing person posters of me all over the place!!!

How rude, I know!! What's even worse is that the reward was only $1.32!! Jee zooey, what does a crafter have to do to earn some respect around here??

Anyway, there were so many challenges that I wanted to do this week, but it just wasn't in the cards for me or my supplies (they will be just fine, trust me.)

But, I just couldn't get this picture out of my mind. It is just gorgeous- I love the white on white, those butterflies and that bird. Oh, that bird, I just love it. I know it is fake, but still. LOVE it!! And, I had just the paper for this card. Here it is:

This card came together pretty quickly and I really like the way it turned out. I am loving that SU bird punch!! I hope you like it!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great rest of the weekend.

play date cafe

2010-03-09T23:11:00.000-06:00

I literally missed the deadline for this by about 14 minutes!! Oh well! I wanted to post it anyway because it took me less than 10 minutes to make (these past few days have been super busy!!) and I always like when cards come together quickly. I have a billion and one emails that are starting to get unruly, so I'm gonna make this post super quick too.

Here's the challenge info and the card! BTW, this is the perfect card for today- the weather was FINALLY gorgeous here- bright and sunny and in the low 70's. Hello spring- I've missed you and I'm glad you're back!!

Poppies...Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep!

2010-03-03T23:43:00.000-06:00

Do you remember when the Wicked Witch of the West said that in the Wizard of Oz??

And then Dorothy says, "I can't stamp anymore. I'm so sleepy...I have to rest for just a minute." (I'm pretty sure that's what she said. She was a big crafter, ya know. I mean, remember her hair bows?)

Anyway. That's me. Right now.

So.

Sleepy.

But, I had an unexpected chance to stamp tonight and I am so glad I did. I have wanted to join the Poppy Seed Challenge (Ah, now the insanity is starting to make sense.) over at Lisa Johnson's blog, Poppy Paperie. If you haven't seen her blog, and if you are reading this, I am sure you have, then you must drop everything and go check it out. Lisa oozes with talent. She is A. MAZING. Seriously. Sometimes when I'm looking at her blog, my stamping supplies start chanting her name. Then I have to yell, "Pipe down over there!!! Don't make me start an ebay auction!!"

I think the poppies are making me loopy too!

Anyway, this is Lisa first challenge. Woo Hoo!! Here are the deets for you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!!

Crystals and flowers and yellow, oh my! Crystals and flowers and yellow, oh my! Crystals and flowers and yellow, oh my!

Here's my card. I also made it using Sketch #156 over at CPS. (There is a hint of yellow in there, I promise. And Lisa said, all you need is a hint.)

And now, I'm off to go to sleep, yes, wonderful, wonderful sleep.

Because, because, because, because, because.

Because I'm so tired, I'm starting to weep.

Life. Happens.

2010-03-02T17:17:00.000-06:00

Life.

It wasn't the first word that came to mind, but probably the safest choice for a blog post if ya know what I mean.

These past two days didn't exactly go as planned. Sunday was the worst. To make a long story short, my diet consisted of 7.5 sips of water and about 3 saltines. And I missed all three of my son's baseball tournament games!!!

Yesterday was MUCH better. However, I did spend about 3 hours taking apart my husband's car!! Yes, you heard that right. Took. Apart. Car. I know, I know. But now we have working headlights- woo hoo!!

So, I have been working on this card a little bit here and there and finally finished it today!! I made it for the SFYTT challenge over at I {heart} to Stamp. I also made it using teal blue for the Play Date Cafe Challenge. LOVE me some teal blue, yes I do!! (LOVE me some teal green too!! That's why I used it in my second card. So don't run away just yet.)

I thought it was pretty clever, the way I did the BaBy letters! I stamped them, crimped them, then cut them out. Kinda cute, if I do say so myself!! ;-)

Here is my second card for the Play Date Cafe Challenge. The layout is for another SFYTT at I {heart} to Stamp. I am using the teal green this time. Why? Cuz teal green, it's just as gorgeous as teal blue, and really, how could I chose one and not the other, right??

And, if you are still here... hello? HELLO? I took a quick peak at my last post and ahhhhh!! was horrified at the picture!! E-gads, what happened there?? Well, apparently my camera was in the wrong mode and that made the light all blueish and yucky. So, I quick took another pic and of course HAD to post it. I don't want to embarrass myself or anything. Here she is, in bright white light.

Sniffles, Coffee and Spills, Oh My!!

2010-02-26T16:36:00.000-06:00

My littlest nuttykin is home sick for the second day in a row!!! Hence, the Sniffles.

After some much needed noogling and cartoon watching, he accidentally spilled the cup of coffee that was sitting on my nightstand. Hence, the Coffee and the Spills.

I raced to the kitchen to grab a rag and save the day. (Hence, the Oh My!!) I cleaned up the spill and brought the mess, including the coffee soaked cork coaster (say that 5 times in a row!!) into the kitchen and had another OH! MY!! (this time in all caps- imagine that!!)

Could I possible cut this cork with my cuttlebug??

Why, yes, it seems I can.

I had a million things to do today, before noogling and cartoons were added to the list, so I had to make this card super duper quick.

I used the colors for the Embellish Magazine Borders Color Challenge.

Of course, I could actually make a card that doesn't involve a challenge, but really, what's the fun in that?? Am I right, or am I right??

I hope you like it!! Enjoy!!

Kudos

2010-02-25T13:52:00.000-06:00

to Kristen for picking this scrumptious color combo for the JUGS color challenge!!! I've never paired these colors together, and my oh my, they are quite lovely together. Here's the challenge graphic for ya. Check it out and play along!!

All I have to say is, I want my room to look like that!!! Gorgeous!!

Here is my card. It is also based on this SFYTT over at I {heart} 2 Stamp!! Enjoy!

When Pigs Fly!!!

2010-02-23T15:40:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would see this much snow is central Texas!!!

The kids were home for 3.5 seconds before running out the door to play!!

A snow day was the perfect time for me to 1.) have an excuse not to run errands. 2.) stay in my pjs and sip hot tea all day. 3.) stamp, stamp, stamp!!!

Actually, I didn't do ANY stamping on these cards!! I made the first one for The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC17, using the colors red, brown and linen. I also made it using Jen's Sketch for You to Try Challenge over at I {heart} 2 Stamp. Because this card came out looking sooooo much like a Valentine's Day card, I had to make a second one using the same sketch. Check them out:

A Day Late!!!

2010-02-19T16:20:00.000-06:00

And probably a dollar short, but I'll have to check my wallet.

I didn't get a chance to stamp yesterday, as I had hoped, so I made sure to set aside some time today to try that new-to-me technique I mentioned yesterday.

BTW- Thank you so much to all of you who have left comments for me. I am so glad you liked my JUGS card!! It just goes to show how great challenges can be for the creative process!! Had I not been determined to complete a split negative card, I never would have made the card I made and I never would have 'discovered' this 'new' technique!

Here is what I did. (it is kinda hard to tell in the picture, but the orange shimmers and sparkles like nobody's business. Oh man, how I love a good sparkle!! KWIM, jelly bean??)

I stamped SU's awesome medallion stamp in versa mark and then used a paint brush to apply the sweet and delicate and oh so gorgeous pearl ex powder. I swear, that stuff makes me want to believe in fairies and pixies and the like!! I just LOVE it. But, can you believe that this is my first time actually using the stuff!!! I know, it doesn't sound like love, but I swear, it is.

Here's the card. Oh, I made it for the sketch 46 Challenge over at 2 Sketches 4 You.

Oh, and look, there's a butterfly!!! Who would have thought?? :-)

p.s. I have to admit, I really liked my JUGS card too, so I quick made a couple more today with a wedding theme. I will post them a bit later, but now I am off to baseball practice with the kiddos!!

Fight!!!

2010-02-17T22:15:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had one of those days when your creative side seems to fight back??

As soon as I saw the split negative challenge over at Just Us Girls, I knew I wanted to play along. This is such a neat and easy technique. (I say that of course, because this is only the second time I have ever attempted it and because I have a knack for sticking my foot in my mouth and spouting off about things I don't know much about. Its just my way, what can I say.)

Anywho, I had BIG plans for this card. I was going to clear emboss over some stunningly gorgeous bright green and teal patterned paper and sponge with black, then back emboss for the split negative. And I did. I would show it to you now, but it is torn and crumpled and shredded and in the trash can right now.

I sooooo resisted going for the black and white effect. And really, now that it is all over, I don't know why I put up such a fight. I actually LIKE the way the card turned out.

So, the day is over and the card is finished. I am bruised and sore and tired. I fought the card. And, the card won!!

SUE?? SUE?? Is that you? I used brand new light tent just a couple of minutes ago (10:33pm) having completely missed a perfectly sunny day. (Card battles will do that, I guess.) I absolutely LOVE it!!! And thank goodness, because I don't know how well I would have handled another frustration today!! Thanks so much for your help!!

p.s. While attempting this challenge, I discovered a new technique (well, new for me. I've seen ya'll use it before, but I've never tried it before.) that didn't work for this, but got me started on another card. I'll post it tomorrow. See you then. :-)

Challenges Anyone?!?!?!?

2010-02-12T14:14:00.001-06:00

I cannot stamp and craft today
As much as I don't want to say.
For the dishes in my kitchen sink
Are overflowing and starting to stink.
The floors should be mopped
And the groceries should be shopped.
The bathrooms are a mess,
Dust is everywhere, I confess!!
Bedrooms need tidied and beds need made.
Those pesky bills still need to be paid.
There are piles of laundry I must get done.
(Housework is just not my idea of fun!)
What's that? What's that you say?
There was another challenge posted today?
Well, of course I'm going to play!!!

And play I did. But because I have SOOOOO much other stuff to do, I had to combine all 3 challenges in one project. Go me!!!
This is a wedding card for the Caardvarks Wedding Card Challenge. It uses paper piecing for the I'm in pieces challenge over at Paper, Scissors and Superheroes. And, last but not least, I made some origami butterflies for the Asian Fusion Challenge over at Capture the Moment.

I originally wanted to add the butterflies to the card, but it was to hard to fold small ones, so I embellished a coordinating gift bag with them. Enjoy!

Caardvark's Card Magazine Wedding Card Challenge!!

2010-02-11T12:53:00.000-06:00

Are You Ready to Get Published???

You betcha, I'm ready!!

Ahh, if it were only that easy. I did give it a try though. I actually made 2 cards for this challenge and have a couple more ideas up my sleeve, too. It is going to be a busy weekend though, so I hope I will have time to finish the others. I really hope so, cuz keeping these cards in my sleeve is really making my arms itchy!!!

I know, not funny.

Here are my cards:

BTW, I found this awesome blog, Card Therapy, while I was admiring all of the CPS 153 Challenge entries. Sue gave me some great advice on photographing my cards and using a light box. After doing some googling, I attempted a homemade light box to use until I get my very own!!! I'm not the best when it comes to being patient!! The homemade one works better than the sunlight thru the window method- so I CAN"T WAIT to try out a light box!!!!

CPS Sketch 153

2010-02-09T10:21:00.000-06:00

The sun did come out today. Yea!!! But, I am so bummed. My pics of this card did not turn out that great. This is sooooo much better IRL. Bummer. Anyway, I made this for the CPS Sketch 153 Challenge. I love this layout!!!! So easy and simple to work with. There are a TON of great cards linked over there already. Go check them out. Here's mine:

Monster Party!!

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have a super easy, cute card that I am going to post later today. I made it for the CPS 153 sketch challenge. It is such a great sketch and super easy to work with. I want to make lots more cards using it. BUT, it has been sooooo cold and rainy here that it has been impossible to take good pics. So, I am going to show you some work I haven't yet posted. Here goes:

I love this stamp set. SOOOOOO cute. This was fun to make, but admittedly took me over an hour to do.

Florida

2010-02-01T15:12:00.000-06:00

Hello my friends. How are the two of you?

We are here in sunny Florida visiting my parents and grandpa. It isn't too sunny here though. It is a mild 70 degrees, but the sun is MIA. It is still nice, though.

I thought I would post a couple of projects that I did in my 6+ month hiatus. There were only a couple of projects that I worked on and even fewer that I took pictures of, so I am probably going to drag this out over a few posts.

Here is a picture frame and the baby card like the one I posted the other day. I like the way this one turned out soooo much better than the last, but I only had a limited supply of the patterned paper from SU. Here it is. (Side note: I made this shortly after the darling little baby Addison was born in Sept and just finally sent it to her last week. I'm good like that.)