Gruffies Are Heeeeeeeere!!!!!!

I'm sooooooo excited!!!! Y'all know how addicted I am to my House Mousies??? Well, okay, I'm addicted to ALL stamps it turns out!!!! LOL However, I love my mousies!! AND.......the same artists came out with little BEARS!!!! Gruffies!! They're tooooooo stinkin' cute!!!! So, I ordered 3.........aren't you proud of my restraint???!!!! I AM!!!! ;) Well, here's my first Gruffie card!!! Of course it HAD to be the one with the chocolates!!!!!!! And here I'm trying to be so good...........3 days with no chocolate!!! At least I can indulge with these guys!!!

Allrighty..........the deets: I used Whisper White, Cameo Coral and Chocolate Chip paper. I used some of my Basic Grey - Blush dp!! LOVE that stuff!!!! Velvet ribbon just seemed perfect for a chocolatey feel!! And I love paper piercing.......adds wonderful bling!! Oh but I still had to had some "real" bling too!! LOL So, the Stickles!!!! Okay............I suppose I should go measure the card...........I have no idea what size I cut it!!! I just wanted a different size, but was obviously too lazy to go look up a tutorial somewhere!!! LOL Well.........aren't Gruffies just the cutest???!!!! Stay tuned for more cards with my other Gruffies...........and, of course, I'll be buying more!!!!

One I Like................One Not So Much...........

Ahhhhhhhhh..........stamping..........sometimes things just come together and you get a fun card that you really like!!! And sometimes...............well, it just ain't happenin'!! Now, I thought briefly of not posting this second card...........but you all are my friends and love me anyway!!!! (Right????!!!!!) LOL My insecurity is showing!!! ;)

Anyway.............this first card combines 2 SCS Challenges from this week..........I am really enjoying combining challenges!! However, I haven't combined more than 2 yet, but I will be attempting to do so as you can get some awesome creations as I've seen in the Gallery and on Blogs!!!! The SCS Color Challenge and the Sketch Challenge were really a fun combo!!! The Black, White and River Rock just look so elegant together!! And I have never used any River Rock!! Well, that will change now!!!! My only issue was that the SU River Rock double stitched ribbon did not match the cardstock well, so I used other ribbon.


This second card started out great!!! I colored in my first Basket stamp from Gina K.'s new set with my first set of Copic Markers. I have lots to learn and really need to go hunt down those tutorials!!! I was pretty happy with the image...........just not too thrilled at my entire card. But it was 2 a.m.............and although sometimes I get wonderful creative ideas late at night..........sometimes I miss the boat. Well, I think it will still make a cheery little hello for a little lady at church. But..................I will be working on something else to redeem my use of Copics and Gina K. stamps!!! LOL I did use some Blue on my card, which was my own little challenge!!

Now.............2 fun announcements!!!!

I received my Pay It Forward blog candy from Susan in Australia!!! Oh the cute and adorable little button animals!!! I LOVE native animals!!! Okay, that sounds weird!! LOL You know what I mean..........a kangaroo and a croc and a platypus!!! And a card with an adorable photo of a platypus!!! Some images, dp and picures of these gorgeous parrots that live right outside her home!!! Check out Susan's Blog.........she's very creative and very sweet and also captures some cool pictures she shares sometimes!!! Thanks Susan!!! My PIF blog candy is on it's way!!!

And how lucky am I?????????? Remember Melanie Muenchinger's Blog Candy Contest???? I WON!!!!!!!! Go check her blog out to see the goodies!!! There's just too many to list!!!! Now how can I complain about my last name (Murphy)???? Murphy's Law is working FOR me lately!!!!!! ROFL

Monday's SCS Challenge and My Little Bitty Monday Challenge

Happy Monday everyone!!! I love Monday challenges especially as it's a fun way to kick off a new week, full of new possibilities!!!

First........here's my card for the Monday SCS Technique Challenge. We were to use 2 different kinds of patterned papers!! I LOVE patterned papers as they easily lend themselves to BLING!!!! LOL So.....I pulled out my still (mostly) new SU set.....Priceless. I LOVE this set!!! And went with Pink............what a shock, eh???? HeeHee!!! It's a bit hard to see the Stickles on the butterfly.....but I'm sure you can see the gemstones!!! I used a new to me line of dp.....Dream Street - Her Own Wings. And then, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink. Pretty in Pink and Black StazOn ink. Just a bit of ribbon to finish it off!!!

Allrighty.........my Monday challenge.........since many folks get the Monday blues just starting up a new week.........use BLUE somehow in a creation today. Any kind of blue, any way you'd like!! How simple is that??? And, if you're like me........you need to combine several challenges anyway, so I'm keeping my Monday challenges simple and easy to incorporate into other fun challenges!!

Have a super fantastic Monday!!!! :)

Look What You Can Do With Stamps!!

So..........many of you may already have tried this..........but I hadn't!!!! I wanted to try stamping something other than a card today! Well.........partly because I wanted to try out my wings and get a little more creative......partly because my stamping table's a disaster!!!!! ROFL!!!! ANYWAY....................I used to Cross Stitch all the time............huh?? I wonder..............maybe...........???? So I go get my Cross Stitch container out of dd's closet.........yes, it's been a while!! LOL And, of course, I'm still in the Just So Hoppy contest mode!! So................how about a cute bookmark??? YUP!! That's a small project and shouldn't take me too long!! So..........a bookmark, the Hoppy Froggy stamp, and some black stazon...........and PRESTO!!! I have a pattern on my bookmark!!! I just followed my lines.........of course some are a bit uneven........I need to refine those half-crosses!! But.........he's pretty cute!! Or she's pretty cute!!! I added some tiny Primas with little jewels for centers and thought up an appropriate bookish and hoppyish sentiment!! Not too bad!!! What do you think???

I actually found a few books left from when my kiddos were little!! We gave most of them to nieces and nephews thru the years........oh I can't tell you how many books this house always has!! I'm not sure if we have more books or more stamps!!! LOL Anyway........the top book in this pile is called Cody, the Cocoa Bean. It's a story all about how Cocoa is made and starts out with a little boy bean named Cody. Well...........as some of you may know.........that's our son's name.........so this was a special book for us!!!! Of course it got saved!!! And how cute to use to stage the photo!!! Brought back lots of fun memories!!! :)

Now...........I've got to get this area cleaned up so I can jump back into challenges!!! And try to get dd better...........this flu/cough thing has got her something awful!! So far the rest of us have avoided that! The sinus migraine I had is fading........finally!! I know.......pathetic that I wouldn't completely just rest today...............I sooooooooooo wanted to get this bookmark made!!! LOL

A Little Help From My Friends!

Just a quick post! I didn't get challenge cards made for the last 2 days..........trying to mostly take it easy to finally shake this sinusitis and NOT catch what my dd had!!! But I couldn't resist trying another Just So Hoppy idea!!! Remember to check out Melanie's blog and contest using her new set!!!

I had an idea of putting several of these little guys on the same card..........and the song, "I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends" kept going through my head!!! And, of course, HOP to replace Help!!!! :) Oh the puns and phrases that have been running through my head!!! LOL

I used Whisper White Cardstock and Basic Grey dp. I colored with my Prisma pencils and used the Gamsol technique. BUT.........I just joined that Gina K. Copic Marker club and can't wait!!!!! Well.........it's a simple layout and card.........but I just couldn't ignore that idea in my head!!! Oh and aren't you all LUCKY???? I have MORE ideas just waiting to pop out onto a card!!!! ;)

LOOOOOKY at my Melanie Muenchinger Original!!!!!

Okay......................a big ole Yahooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! What a Fun, Exciting, Happy and Very Special mail day for me!!! :) Melanie Muenchinger sent out as some FANtastic prizes for some Just So Hippy contest cards handmade cards made especially for each of us!!! I saw this adorable chickie card she had on her blog just days ago..........isn't it precious???? Imagine how AMAZING to then find it in your own mailbox!!!!!!! :) :) I just want to say again how much I LOVE it and appreciate the wonderful gift and that it's right above my craft table so I can "peep" at it all day!!! ROFL Yes, I'm still that corny!!!! LOL

Now.............I'm off to make some more cards for Melanie's Just So Hoppy contest she's hosting on her blog that I linked above!! I dare y'all to enter!!! It's FUN!!! And addicting!!!!

Thanks Melanie!!!!!! You are a gifted artist and I'm so happy to have "met" you!!! You totally made my day!!!

Challenge Cards and Colorado Scenery!!!!

Okay, so I'm feeling a little better.......definitely good enough to make a couple of challenge cards!! My dd is really sick now..........just got the nasty cold/flu going around and so I kept her company by stamping (my stamping area is in the LR) while she zoned out to Nick At Nite!!! Yes, she's 17 and loves those shows and also TVLand!!!! :)

Here's the Ways To Use It Challenge for this week. So.........hmmmmm.........make a Window Card, huh??? That's another totally new one for me!!! Nope..........I did not think of using my Nestabilities to make a window.............boy do I wish I had!!!!! LOL I do NOT cut straight lines freehand with a craft knife!!! However, I DID avoid injury......so that was a plus!!! Hmmm.....how to cover up my crooked window??? Ahhhhhhhhhhh.........make a window frame or curtain design!! Primas!!! I love 'em.........got lots of different kinds!! And they're big enough to cover up issues!!!! :) I used Whisper White, Basic Grey dsp, Acetate and Black StazOn. Just added some little pearls and ribbon!!! I do LOVE all the fantastic Window Cards I saw browsing through this Challenge Gallery!! Check them out!!

This next card was for the Limited Supplies Challenge for this week. To use our own hand-writing somewhere on our card. I didn't use much, as I was going for a simple look without much bling!!! I KNOW!!!!!!!!! GASP!!!!!!!!! SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!! LOL How did it turn out??? Not too badly! I used Whisper White, Perfect Plum and Basic Grey paper. I found this very cool Colorado stamp at my local LSS. It proudly bears our State Flower, the Columbine!! One of my very favorite flowers!!! I had them in my wedding bouquet!!! Okay.........very long and depressing story, so I won't go into it.........but my wedding bouquet was ruined right after my wedding by someone. So last June, on our 18th Anniversary, my FANtastic hubby surprised me with a re-creation of my bouquet!! It's beautiful and made with silk flowers (gorgeous ones!!) by an old school friend I've kept in touch with!! Her shop is the same one her folks have owned since we were in school together!! Here's her website just so you can oooh and aaah over her talent...Artistic Creations.

Now...........here's a photo of the Sangre De Christo Mountain Range. This is the area we are house-hunting in. The views are fabulous and it's closer to hubby's folks. And we can spread out a bit. There are a lot of options, and we just aren't sure what to do yet........obviously when the time is right.........it'll be right!!! :) Enjoy my Colorado Mountains!!!!

House Mouse Stamp Of The Month Swap ~ Feb.

I'm so enjoying being a part of this swap on SCS...........that way we each get to play with all the new images, but only buy a couple of the stamps!! :) Here's my February card! So, all of us in the group get sent 6 of the monthly image. We make 6 cards (the same) and send one to each member of the group. That way we each end up with 6 DIFFERENT cards made with the same image!!! It's a blast!!! Each one is so very creative, and seldom similar!! So here's the February Image....Fruity Fun. Aren't they too adorable???!!! I used Whisper White, Basic Black, and some fun MM dp!! I thought I'd make a Criss Cross card and tuck a little Chocolate inside!! What could be better for February than chocolate??!! It's just too bad that actual chocolate-covered cherries wouldn't fit!!! LOL I'm loving all these corner punches!! The red satin ribbon is in place of a Belly Band. I put a little heart confetti piece on the black tab and used Christmas Red Stickles! STICKLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE them!!!! Like you didn't know that already, eh????? ;) I also used an acrylic stamp for the sentiment and the SU Sprinkles hearts stamp for a little added bg on the main card!! ENJOY!!! :)

I'm feeling this sinusitis trying to flare up.......so I'm headed to bed without doing today's Sketch Challenge.......I will be combining it with tomorrow's challenge as hopefully I'll feel better!! Besides, my dd needed the craft space to finish a swap she's in!!!

Have a wonderful night my blogging and stamping friends!!!! :)

Challenges.......Challenges!!!!!!!

Ahhhh........got some challenges in!!! I miss it when I miss them. LOL Well, crazy week, life, etc!! We had dd's friend up for the weekend and they wanted to stamp, so I let them have some fun. Not to mention I had a zillion other things to do with hubby working like crazy prepping the company for tax season!! Sheeeeesh!!!

So I'm trying to start combining challenges when I find I'm missing too many days in a row!! It's very interesting what you can get from doing that!! But very fun!!! And sometimes definitely getting me outside my little box!!

This one was for Sunday's Featured Stamper Challenge.........this week it was Betty - gbedwright and for the Color Challenge. Using the combination of Orchid Opulence, Certainly Celery, and Pumpkin Pie was NOT easy!!! And Betty's gallery was so amazing!!! I used my Nestabilities and had a blast!!!

This card is for my Flybaby Critter Swap!! AND...........my VERY first Riley Moose card!!!! I LOVE Riley Moose!!! Find him HERE!!! I wanted to make a pocket card and tuck a little something inside to make it a little bit "sweeeter"!!! ;) I used Really Rust, White, Kraft and Wanted dp. I'm loving these corner punches!!!

Allrighty.............I'm still awake..........off to check out the newest SCS Challenge!!!!

Autism Awareness, A Challenge, And An Award!!

First..........please head over to Erika Martin's Blog for a fantastic give-away and awareness for Autism!!! Her blog is so beautiful as she's a talented artist, and so heartfelt with photos and information and stories about her 9 year old son with Autism. I've got a nephew with mild Autism and a friend with a daughter who has Asperger's. Thank you so much for supporting the awareness!! Thanks Keri for putting this on your blog and jogging my memory to do so!!!


Second...........it's MONDAY!!! A Challenge!!!! Okay........since I'm soooo behind in getting my swaps finished up.....the challenge for today is very simple........if you have any swaps you are participating in..........work on 'em!!! LOL Hey.......not every Monday challenge will be so easy......but I need this one too!! :)


Third.................I was tagged with my second Excellence Award!!! I was so stunned, I almost didn't even see my own name there!!! ;) Shannon is such a sweetheart!! And has some amazing creations she shares on her blog!! I've so enjoyed getting to know her and just love her cheerful and sweet comments on my blog!! Thank you so much!!!

Now.........here's who I'm gonna tag with an Exellence Award................anyone who has EVER commented on my blog!!!! Truly!!!! You all have fantastic blogs of your own and busy lives, but every comment means so much to me and is such a happy part of my day to read!! Thank you and thank you to those who are linking me to their blogs as I'm enjoying meeting lots of new folks too!! Have a FANTASTIC stampin' day!!! :)

Now Appearing ~ The Famous Frogettes!!!

Oh yeah............the wee hours of the morning can result in some very funny designs!!! For me anyway!! But I sure did have fun trying to come up with a unique card using my brand new Just So Hoppy set that Melanie Muenchinger designed for Gina K. Designs.

I used Whisper White cardstock and Basic Grey dsp........I LOVE that line!!! So I colored them with my Prisma pencils and used the Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) technique. I fussy cut them out.......that's a new term I learned from a fellow blogging/stamping/flybaby friend, Suzanne, who is also a quilter and I guess that term is used a lot!! I hooked the frogettes together "Rockette" style!! LOL I gave them a lily pad stage that I found in some clip art online and printed out onto cardstock. I lightly chalked a circle of white c/s to make the moon.......their "spotlight"!!! Oh and I used one of the brand new Bling Tags from Gina K. Designs. I LOVE 'em!!!! I covered it with the dsp and sanded the edges!! The difficult part of this card (aside from cutting) was getting that ribbon to stay evenly twirled!!

Well........what do you all think??? Is it a keeper or am I committed to the loonie bin for a while??? LOL

Isn't He The Sweetest???

Lookie, lookie at what was waiting for me this morning on my craft table??? My wonderful hubby, James, made this especially for me!! He went outside and took some Winter Photos until he found one he really liked!! Then he Photoshopped it to look like a watercolor painting. I know that part's hard to see in this picture!! He made a "frame" out of leftover contact paper we used to line the new kitchen cabinets he and his dad made last month!!! He even used a corner punch!! And his little sentiment says.......Luvlee'r Than A Snowy Winter Morning!!! What a hopeless romantic he's always been!!! You know what I love best??? That he made it around the kids and always lets them know how much he loves me!! Okay.......I'm just getting sappy and gushy now!! LOL I just had to share!!!

Tomorrow I get to play with my new Gina K. order!!! My dd and her friend have taken over my craft table for the night. But I can't wait until tomorrow to start creating!!! :)

New Look and A Double-Challenge Card!

First..............well, it was about time I updated my blog look!! Can't stand to be too predictable and boring!!! :) The header is our beautiful snowy Sangre De Christo mountain range!! I just LOVE winter!!!



And........I decided to combine challenges as I've seen many other SCS'ers do!! It can really be interesting!! So this was the Color Challenge and the Sketch Challenge for this week on SCS. The Challenge Forum is awesome!!! I think it's really helping me to grow as a stamper and get my creativity flowing!!! A super HUGE thank you to all the amazing ladies who post new challenges every single day!!!



So this card uses Kraft, Green Galore and Tempting Turquoise. Although I had used up all my turquoise and had to substitute Taken With Teal. I also used the sketch posted in the Wednesday sketch challenge. I had lots of fun!! I am really enjoying the paper piercing look right now!! And, of course............gotta Bling it Up!!!! ROFL Of course I do!! ;) I used an older SU stamp set called Send A Celebration that my very good flybaby friend, Paula, RAK'd me with!!! Also my brand new SU set called Sprinkles! What do you think????

I also made some of these mini 4x4 cards to go into some WishRAK images I stamped! I just got approved on SCS into the RAK'ing group.............and I'm jumpin' in!! Looks like I'm gonna have all kinds of fun!!! Swapping images and all kinds of other doo-dads!!! And I just love sharing my images since my hubby spoils me!! I mean.......seriously, I AM an addict!!! If you see any images on my cards that you'd like........just let me know!!! See?? That way I can tell hubby that I share and then stay in denial as to my actual "issues"!!! ROFL!!!

OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! And I forgot to say that I signed up as an SU Demo!!!! Of course, only as a hobby demo as my sales skills STINK!!!! I attempted Pampered Chef when my kids were little........I BOMBED!!! Ah well.......at least I can get discounts on my own addiction for a while!!! I got lots of brand new sets (to me) that I can't wait to play with!!! Soooooooo..........y'all stay tuned!!!! :)

My BLING card and Gina K. Challenges

Well..........I got 2 of the 4 Gina K. Release Party challenges finished!! I combined one of them into my Bling Challenge!! Yeah..........like I'm gonna make many cards withOUT bling!!!! ROFL

This one was a sketch challenge.........I love this sketch!! I thought I'd try a Shaker Box for the square image in the center. It's not bad, but the little fuzzy confetti thingies stick to the window.....any hints for me on that?????? Please???!!!! I used Whisper White, Sparkle Green, Purely Pomegranate, Basic Grey - Two Scoops dp. I used the Gina K. Make A Wish stamp set. Black StazOn and Pretty In Pink ink. Added a bit of ribbon and I so love this corner punch!!!

Okay........this one was for another party sketch and my bling challenge! Snowy scenes just lend themselves so well to BLING and GLITTER!!!! HeeeeHeeee!!! So this one is from Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, and unknown (to me) dp. I LOVE my nestabilities!!! I used Gina K. Let It Snow stamp set. SU markers and STICKLES!!!!! Some sheer ribbon. Actually pretty simple!!

A Special Thank-You and Monday's Challenge

First...............I was so punchy while posting last night...........I completely forgot that my exciting weekend kicked off by learning that I WON the blog candy that Christi had posted on her blog!!!! She was recently asked to be on the Design Team for Sweet 'N Sassy stamps!!! AND.......her blog candy was a completely adorable stamp set of theirs!!! I am gonna have so much fun, fun, fun!!!! Thank you Christi!!!! Have I told you that YOU ROCK??!!!!


Allrighty..............Monday's Challenge.............I want to see some BLING!!! That's it........just use bling on your creation!! Am I cheating with this challenge?? Since there's rarely a card I make **without** bling!!!! LOLOL

Have a FANTASTIC start to a new week!!! I've got lots of swaps to start on so I can play with all my new Gina K. stuff and my new Stampin' Up Demo kit when it arrives!!!!! :)

Wow! What A Night!!!!!

Oh MY!!!!!! I had the BEST night!!! Well, stamping-related anyway!!! ROFL!!

First I found out my Baby 'Raffie card (that I posted just a couple posts back) got a VERY cool Honorable Mention......actually a "Hippy" Mention!!! :) ON Melanie's Blog!!!! How absolutely fantastic is that??!!!! And I'll be getting a card that Melanie makes just for ME!!!! It's soooo gonna get framed and hung up over my craft table!!! You so have to go check out the winner of Melanie's contest using her first stamp set Just So Hippy!! It's an INCREDIBLE lamp for a little girl's room!!! Oh it's wonderful!!! An extremely talented stamper, Linsey, made it and I'm so thrilled it won!! I have plans to make one of those for my little niece!!!



THEN..............an extremely TALENTED stamper, Carolina, leaves me a very fun comment on my blog to go check her blog out for a surprise!!!! And WOWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEE!!! You coulda knocked me over with a feather!!! (no easy feat!!! LOLOL) She honored me with this Amazing Award!!!! That was such a FABulous surprise!!!! Thank you so much Carolina!!!! It means so much to me!!


Whew!!!! All that plus a wonderful Gina K. order that I can't wait to show up at my door!!! No wonder I'm still awake at almost 2 a.m.!!!! I'm on waaaaaay more than Cloud 9!!!! Maybe Cloud 109!!!! :)

Now........I've got a tough job...........to pass the award on to just a few..........even though you ALL know I just love each and every blog!!! I must choose!!! Soooo.........here are just a few of my MANY faves!!!

Diane's Designs ~ She has stunning creations and is a guest designer and SU Demo and a very talented lady!!

Sarah's Stampin' ~ She has really helped me and shared some fantastic designs and ideas!! (She shared the info and gave me the encouragement to send some photos in to some Papercrafting Magazines!!!)

Story About A Girl ~ She is ON FIRE!!!! She's been stamping for a whopping 6 months and is already on a Design Team!!! You Go Girl!!! (She's inspired me to try for that same goal!!!)

Stampin' and Kwiltin' ~ She always shares everything!! Her beautiful creations, her crazy days, and her cool tutorials so we all don't have to go buy everything to figure out what's better!!! LOL

Carolina.............this also comes right back atcha!!! I may be new to your blog..........but you are fantastically gifted and I'll be a "regular" there now!!! Thanks again!!!

BLOG CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BLOG CANDY GIVE-AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's my turn!!! Okay.........so I'd been thinking of how to do my Blog Candy............and then I visited Susan's Blog and found this waaaaaaaaay coooooool Pay It Forward (PIF) Blog Candy!!!! I'm in!!! :) Sooooooooo..............for the first 3 that post here...............I'll send out some Blog Candy!!! You don't have to do 3 give-aways on your blog...........but I've recently.......ahem.......acquired lots of stuff!!! LOL So I wanna share!!! If you're one of the first 3 to post here.........don't forget to do a little bit of PIF Blog Candy on your blog!!! Let's see just how long we can keep this fun give-away going!!!

Now..............what to give???? Let me post a picture of just a few fun things and what I will tell you is that some of them will be in your goodie package!!! And some things will be in there that I didn't put in the picture!!!! ;) I won't post exactly what or how much 'cuz that would take away the fun for us all!!! But I promise it will be great!! LOL Make sure you e-mail me with your full name and snail mail addy so I can make a HAPPY MAILBOX for you!!!! I'm sooooooo excited!!! This is sooooooooooo fun!!!!

A Special Baby Card!!

Okay..........so I posted little Miss A's card a few posts ago...........here's Mr. Man's welcome to the world!! Just a quick post...........I used Brocade and Bashful Blue, Whisper White, unknown dp. The Just So Hippy set from Melanie Muenchinger via Gina K. is so, so, soooooooooooo cute!!! :) I think I may have said that a time or two!! LOL I just had to add a LITTLE bit of bling.....even it is a boy's card!!! LOL Whatcha think???

My Challenge Cards and Pink, Pink, Pink!!

Oh do I LOVE pinks and browns!!!! :) That's surely not a surprise, is it??? LOL Allrighty, here are my latest cards........for some challenges on SCS and my own!! It's been a busy week with a sick kiddo and tons to do......okay.......laundry, laundry, laundry and MORE laundry......sometimes I could just swear I have more than 2 kids and 1 husband!!!! ;) Of course, our pets contribute to the laundry issues too!! Hopefully my sick ds won't be sharing his germs and the rest of us will stay healthy!!

This card was for the SCS Wednesday Sketch Challenge......I love sketch challenges!! I used the stamps from the Gina K. Stamps For A Cause set for Diabetes. I used Berry Bliss, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink paper. I love these pearls and I got to use my new spritzer tool with the SU Markers!! Satin pink ribbon to finish it off!!

This was for my embossing challenge and for the SCS Thursday Ways To Use It Challenge....this was to use Polka Dots!! I love polka dots.........but as I finished my card I realized I actually didn't use too many!!! LOL I do have a polka dotted bg paper and ribbon though!! I used a Heidi Grace flourish stamp and a Gina K. sentiment stamp. I used Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa and Berry Bliss dp. I brayered Pretty in Pink and Bravo Burgundy on the heart punchies.......I sooooooo need more practice and a better brayer!!! But I enjoyed trying something different!! I glitzed up the flourishes a bit with Stickles and gems...........I DO love my glitz!!!!! LOL And I got my CB'ed piece in there too!! Didn't I say I loved pink and brown!!!??!! :)

Yesterday's Challenge!

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooops!!!!!!!! I got so busy and then I just totally forgot to post the Monday challenge!!! Well, it's only the 2nd one, so I'm sure it will become a routine soon!!! LOL Anyway...........let's see............a challenge for today...................

As my little niece says......."how 'bout"..........EMBOSSING!! Something simple...........any kind of embossing. Cuttlebug, heat embossing, etc............whatever you feel like!!! :)

Sunday Scrappin'

Allrighty, here's my Sunday Scrappin' post..............well, I did some stampin' and made another card for a blog contest today. The photo is on an earlier post. I had a ton of housework to do and still have tons and tons of laundry!!! LOL

My ta-da..................here's a sample of my MIL's recipes that one of my sis-in-law's is helping me with. Getting all the family recipes preserved and digiscrapped and eventually printed out for gifts will be a long-term project for sure!! But I'm already having fun with it and have so many ideas flying thru my head!! We're trying to take photos of the recipes to also preserve the wonderful heirloom feeling of the handwritten recipes!

My to-do.................I've got LOTS of cards to make this week, as well as keep the dang laundry going!! And my fun announcement I promised in an earlier post?? I've submitted some cards to a papercrafting magazine!!! Well, e-mail submissions!! That was hard as I second-guess myself all the time!! But my wonderful friend, Sarah, submitted some of her fabulous cards and encouraged me to try too!! So.............I did!! I will definitely keep you posted!!! :)

** Bonus Question.......Do you sketch your ideas or just put things together as you go?

I do both...........it really depends on my creativity level. If I'm in that creative zone, then I just put it together as I'm working. But if I'm feeling kinda stuck.........then I'll sketch!

Here are some more photos of the areas in which we're house hunting!! Who knows where we'll actually end up.......we're trying to remain open and willing!!! But we DO love the bigger snowy spots the best!! My hubby took the picture with the baby pine tree because of the awesome snow sculpturing behind it!! This was over Poncha Pass and the wind makes some beautiful artwork with the snow!!

It's Been A Week, I Tell Ya!!!

Well.......a busy, busy week!! YIKES!! First I helped hubby at work........they moved offices and I had to "oversee" the movers!! LOL Actually, I helped dh move the actual computers. He trusts the movers with everything BUT the computers!! They bought a large suite in a Downtown Denver Historical Landmark building..........it's soooo gorgeous!! All the original mosaics from the early 1900's!! I'll have to take some pictures sometime and post them!

I made another entry card for Melanie Muenchinger's contest on her blog using her first stamp set she designed! She's a senior designer on the design team for Gina K. and I am sooooooo lovin' her first set!!!! She's having a contest for anyone who has this first stamp set. All you have to do is send a picture of a card......or as many as you want to make........to her e-mail addy. They're due by Friday, Feb. 8 and she'll pick a winner who wins her next stamp set FREE!!! It's being released at the Gina K. release party this weekend!!!! Isn't thtat amazing!!!! And cool!!! And fun!! So......if any of you have that stamp set...................HURRRRRRRY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make a card and send it to her!!!! I used Basic Gray, Going Gray, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose cardstock and Basic Grey ~ Two Scoops DP. This stamp set is called Just So Hippy. I stamped the adorable hippo in Black StazOn and used Prisma pencils and Gamsol to color her. I just HAD to add some bling...................of course!!!!!!!! LOL So I added some paper piercing, some gemstones and some stickles to give her a little glitz!!! Just added some satin ribbon.........I added just a little piece of yellow ribbon and pink twine to add some............well...........MORE!!! LOL

I'll be back later to post my Sunday Scrappin' post!!!! :)

House Hunting........

Yes.....it is fun.......but also frustrating!! And house hunting in the Colorado mountains in the winter is well............interesting!!! We're natives, so it's not the snow that we have any issues with.......in fact........the more, the better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But it's the huge number of people that do not know how to drive even remotely sane and/or safe in the snow!!!! Sheeeeeeeeeesh!!!

Well.....here are a couple of pics of areas we're currently searching in and around! We're pretty open as James will be able to mostly telecommute and only have to go in to Denver once or twice a month.

I sure did miss stamping the last couple of days though.............so that's what my renewing Sunday will hold for me!!! Church, then stamping with a friend who's coming over!! And maybe a very interesting and unexpected announcement from me!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned!!!! And NO!!! I'm not "expecting"!!!! LOL (see my 31 things post for more info if needed!!) LMBO!!!