Green is the color of my true loves eyes

Green is the prime color of the world,

and that from which its loveliness arises

- Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Good morning!

WOW! Can you believe we are half way through the year already?

In less than 5 months, my husband and I celebrate 30 years of marital compromise. (And if you are wondering, yes - his eyes are green)

After that the Holidays come marching in and shortly after that I will leave for Japan to help my daughter pack up her apartment for her return to the United States after living abroad for 4 years.

Dates that seemed so far away are now almost upon us.

Of those dates ... this saddest is this one as it is my last challenge as a Designer for the CAS Challenge at The Outlawz. Personal challenges and the need to spread my wings has driven me to this decision. But I leave much richer in friendships and growth.

The Outlawz was the first place I ever had the nerve to enter a challenge and then Colleen asked me to join the Design Team. Firsts all around and remembered with a full heart. Although no longer a part of the Design Team, I will always be a part of The Outlawz as it is a part of me.

The Sponsor this month is Fresh Brewed Designs and the challenge is to create a CAS card or project that uses the color green.

Here is my 5 x 7 card. I used the #96 BEEE-utifulBee from Fresh Brewed Designs. paper piecing her dress, shoes and purse.

Such a fun image!

Supplies

Image: #96 BEEE-utiful Bee - paper pieced and colored with Copics

"Decorative Dots" embossing folder from Sizzix/Stampin Up!

Card stock: The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!

Die: Rectangles, curved from Spellbinders

DP from DCWV

Googly eyes from my stash

Sentiment from The Angel Company

Thanks for stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

Scrappity Scraps

When life gives you scraps, make something with them.  ~Author Unknown

Good morning!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Temperatures are soaring here in Arizona, but I'm a Native born and raised - kinda used to it after 50plus years. Does not mean I don't get tired of being hot all the time, but I sure would not change it for winters of snow and ice!

Today is the start of another CAS challenge at The Outlawz and our sponsor this month is Fresh Brewed Designs and our challenges is to make a CAS card or projects with scraps.

Here is my A2 card made with a scrap of some fabulous white embossed cardstock from Stampin Up! Called "Irresistibly Yours". It is already embossed with several different designs that you can bring to life with water color, inks, etc.

I chose to use some Smooch Spray ink that I have. I just wiped it down with a soft tissue to remove any excess. The piece used on this card is a left over from me playing around. I'm a bit sad that you can't see the slight glimmer the Smooch Spritz adds to the paper :O(

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: The Paper Studio & Stampin Up!

Sentiment: The Angel Company

Ink: Stampin Up! & Smooch Spritz

Die: "Varsity Champs" from Sizzix 

Twine: Close to My Heart

Thanks for stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

Red, White & Blue of Old Glory

If anyone, then, asks me the meaning of our flag, I say to him - it means just what Concord and Lexington meant; what Bunker Hill meant; which was, in short, the rising up of a valiant young people against an old tyranny to establish the most momentous doctrine that the world had ever known - the right of men to their own selves and to their liberties.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Hello Everyone!

I hope you have having a enjoyable weekend.  We have just been hanging out around the pool and not much else.

Today is the start of a new CAS challenge at The Outlawz and our sponsor this month is Fresh BrewedDesigns.

Today is Flag day and the challenge is to make a card using the colors of your country or state flag.

My A2 card is based on CASe this sketch #28 and uses the Red, White and Blue of Old Glory.

SUPPLIES:

Cardstock: The Paper Studio (base) and Stampin Up!

Various circle punches from Stampin Up! and EK Success

"Swiss Dots" Embossing folder from Cuttlebug

Little heart die from PTI

I scream, You scream, We all scream for Ice Cream!

You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream.

And that's kind of the same thing

Good morning my Crafty Peeps.

Today is the start of a new CAS challenge at The Outlawz.

Summer is well upon us here in Arizona and besides the pool,  there is nothing better, in my opinion, than a cold treat to help make it through those 100plus days.

Ice cream in a waffle cone is one of my favorites!

Our sponsor this month, Fresh Brewed Designs has this really cute ice cream cone that I just had to use for my slim line card.

SUPPLIES

Image: #826 So Sweet Waffle Cone colored with Copics

Sentiment:  "All about You" from Stampin Up!

Cardstock: The Paper Studio

Die: "Rectangles, long classic" from Spellbinders

Glitter Glue: Studio G

Thanks for stopping by!

(hugs) Cara

Simple Thanks

Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.

~ Marianne Williamson ~

Hello my Crafty Peeps

Late again getting this post up and running but to be honest, here in Arizona, the weather has been amazing! Knowing that the lion of summer is going to come in with a roar, best to enjoy this while we can, so needless to say, we have not been home!

Anyway - today starts a new Clean and Simple challenge at The Outlawz and this week's challenge is create a CAS card or project that features an animal print...ribbon, stamps, paper, embellishments, embossed backgrounds...dig in your stash and GO WILD!!

The prize this month is a 1 year subscription to Through the Craft Room Door Magazine

Here is my A2 card

 Supplies

The Paper Studio & Stampin Up! ... Card stock

Darice ... "Large Petal" Embossing Folder

Marvy ... Heart Punches

Stampin Up! ... Ink

Close to My Heart ... Sentiment

Hampton Art ... Image

Studio G ... Glitter Glue

Thanks for stopping by!

Cara

Happy Mothers Day!

No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star. ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU LOVELY MOM'S OUT THERE IN BLOG LAND!

MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH THE LOVE AND LAUGHTER OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Today is the start of another CAS Challenges The Outlawz and we are honoring all the Mothers, soon to be Mothers and the Mothers who adopted out there!

Our sponsor this month is

Through the Craft Room Door with a 1 year subscription to the magazine

My Mother raised 3 children by herself during a time when being divorced still carried the taint of scandal. Child support was questionable at best and because women were not paid a decent wage, she often worked 2 - 3 jobs to make ends meet.

When I look back on my childhood through the eyes of a "responsible adult" what I see is that we had a loving parent who spent a good deal of time doing whatever it took to make sure we were taken care of at the expense of herself. While we did not have all the things we thought we wanted, we always had the things we needed

Thanks Mom!

Card size: 5 x 7

Supplies

Cardstock from The Paper Studio, Bazzill and Stamp in Up

DP from my scrap bin

Sentiment Unknown

Die: Scripty Hello Hearts from Fawn Lawn

Die: Arrows from Momenta

Black India ink from Memories

Thanks for stopping by

(Hugs) Cara

May Day flowers

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844

Good morning

I am late getting this posted.

Been a very busy weekend and my week does not look much better

Another Clean and Simple Challenge as started at The Outlawz and it's Cheri's turn to post ...

May Day is celebrated in New England in this traditional way: May Baskets are made. These are small baskets usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someone's doorstep. The giver rings the bell and runs away. The person receiving the basket tries to catch the fleeing giver; if caught, a kiss is exchanged.  The challenge this week is to include a basket of flowers on your card, then give the card to someone you think is special.  If you get a kiss...that's a bonus!  

So come along and play with us...

Here is my card

Size: A2

Supplies

Cardstock from The Paper Studio and Bazzill

Basket image & sentiment from Inkhootz!

Flowers from "Itty Bitty Borders" by Stampin Up!

Basket colored with copics

flowers colored with Stampin Up! ink

Jeweled butterflies from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by!

(Cara)

Read my Lips ...

Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.

H. Jackson Brown

Hello!

Today is the start of a new Clean and Simple Challenge at The Outlawz and its "Lip Service Sunday"!

Our sponsor this month is Bugaboo Stamps

Click HERE to check our their offerings!

So... cruising the internet wasting time, I find that today is supposed to be "Remember your first kiss" Day! Who knew right?! So we want to see your card or projects with Lips the focal point! Just remember to keep it CAS!

I made this card with her in mind!

SUPPLIES

Card stock from The Paper Studio

Image from CraftsMart

Sentiment computer generated

Border punch from EK Success

Word bubble die from Stampin Up!

Ink from Stampin Up!

Smooch Pearlescent paint (on the lips, although you can not see in the picture)

Thanks for stopping by!

Come play with us

THE OUTLAWZ

No one Like You ...

“Be mindful of your self-talk; it’s a conversation with the universe.” David James Lees

Good morning Crafty Peeps.

Today starts a new Clean and Simple Challenge at The Outlawz

The challenge this week is to use a technique or tool that you have been wanting to try or haven't used in a long time.

Here is my A2 card.

I recently purchased a "bow" die by Tim Holtz Alterations / Sizzix and wanted to try it out. Along the way, the card evolved into a shaker card, which I have not made in a very long time.

SUPPLY LIST

Card stock from The Paper Studio and Bazzill

Die "Fancy Labels" from Sizzix

Die "Bow-tied" from Sizzix/Tim Holtz Alterations

Image "Sweet kiss" from Stampabilities and colored with Copics

Sentiment from "One of a Kind" by Close to My Heart

Corner punch from We R Memory Keepers

Black India Ink

Glitter, sequins and heart embellishment from my Stash

Thanks for stopping by!

(X) Cara

Wanting to hug

No man but feels more of a man in the world if he have but a bit of ground that he can call his own.  However small it is on the surface, it is four thousand miles deep; and that is a very handsome property.  ~Charles Dudley Warner

Good morning!

Today is the start of another Clean and Simple Challenge over at the Outlawz.

Our Sponsor this month is Bugaboo stamps!

This week the challenge is "Name that Embellishment".

Sounds easy enough right?!

We are challenging you to create a CAS card or project that uses an embellishment and/or image that begins with the first letter of your first or last name.

Example: your first name starts with "S - you could use a Sequin or if your last name begins with "T", you could use a turtle stamp.

Get the idea?

Ok .. so lets play!

For me this was a double hitter using this adorable "Fat Mouse with Cheese" digi from our sponsor.

My first name starts with "C" = Cheese

My last name starts with "M" = Mouse

I am sending this little guy to my daughter in Japan. She had to move rather abruptly to another prefecture leaving behind friends and routines and is basically starting over again in another part of Japan. It was not a smooth move and she is a little frazzled so I think this will cheer her up!

I printed the digi onto my Georgia Pacific card stock using my Serif program, then I colored with my copics, which I am still trying to get used to and I used a little bit of Aleen's paper glaze on the heart on the mouses hip,

Card size is 4.25 x 5.50

SUPPLIES

Card stock from The Paper Studio, Stampin Up! & Georgia Pacific

Digi image "Fat Mouse with Cheese"

Sentiment from "Kanji" by Stampin Up!

India Ink from Memories

Copics

Gemstones from The Paper Studio

Framelit die "Word Bubbles" from Stampin Up!

Aleen's paper glaze

So come on over to The Outlawz and play along with us!

(Hugs) Cara

This card has been entered into the following Challenge(s)

Catch the Bug Blog: Anything Goes

Hugs!

Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you. ---Jacques Prévert

Good morning!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I am taking off this next week to enjoy some quality time with my husband as well as the weather before the heat of Summer sets in.

Today is the start of a new Clean & Simple challenge at The Outlawz and our Sponsor this month is Fresh Brewed Designs

Our challenge this week is to create a Clean and Simple card or project with the focal point being a word or sentiment.

Here is my card

Size 4.25 x 5.50

SUPPLIES:

Card stock from The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!

Sizzix die "Phrase, Hugs"

Spellbinder die "Tree"

Rhinestones from my stash colored with a red sharpie

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to come play along with us

(Hugs) Cara

CAS Happiness!

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called. ~A.A. Milne

Good morning!

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend and that the upcoming week is amazing!

Today marks a new Clean and Simple Challenge at The Outlaws!

Our sponsor this month is Fresh Brewed Designs and the prize up from grabs is 5 images so come on over and play along!

The challenge this week is all about Happiness!

In fact, you can sing "the Happy Song" by Pharrell Williams while you are making a CAS card that shows us what makes you happy!

Is it your kids, pets, a place or a feeling!

I think you get the point, so come on - Sing with me!

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do

Here is my card for the challenge!

I love Christmas and good hot coffee!

This image "Santas Latte" from Fresh Brewed Designs is a perfect combination!

SUPPLIES

Image "Santa's Latte" from Fresh Brewed Designs

Prisma Color Pencils

Silver Smooch

Sentiment unknown

Card stock from The Paper Studio & Stampin Up!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cara

CAS Pi or Pie????

I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert.

Jason Love

Good morning my Crafty Peeps!
I certainly have not been as active, craft-wise,as I like ...
My Job (you all know the one as you probably have one too. It's that annoying thing that keeps us from crafting all day long, but does keep our lights on and our bellies full!) - anyway, these days, it just seems to be draining the life force from me... and when I get home
I help out with the books for a neighbors business ...
I have been involved with getting the magazine ready for release...
I had some unpleasant personal business to take care of...
aaaaannd to top it all off - It's tax season here, so was having to get all that together and off to the tax lady...

All things which seem to be like little personal black holes, just sucking up every spare waking moment... then like Whoosh - I stop and look around and March just seems to be moving on without me! I feel like I am chasing after it yelling "Waaaaiiiit for me!"

If you are looking for something to do with YOUR spare time (jealous I am!) come on over to The Outlawz to play along in our Clean and Simple challenge this week! It's my turn to post and I want some pie! 

According to http://www.giftypedia.com/ yesterday was "Pi Day" in tribute to the common 3.14 approximation for Pi. So! Your challenge is to create a card or project with Pie! Can be cherry pie, apple pie, even pumpkin ... can be a pie slice or a whole pie or even pizza pie but must be yummy pie!

Just keep it CAS!

We have 5 images to give away this month from our Awesome Sponsor

Fresh Brewed Designs

I love a good pizza ... mmmmm ..... with lots of cheese and pepperoni and Ranch dressing and ice cold beer! LOL

So I picked this cool image to used. It's called "Pizza me"

I am still playing around with my Copics ... I 'm pretty happy with this guy!

Supplies:

Image "Pizza me" from Fresh Brewed Designs

Card stock from the Paper Studios and Bazzill

India Ink from Memories

Copics

Spellbinder die "Scalloped ovals, large"

EK Sucess Punch "Swiss Cheeser Edger"

The Outlawz: RAK/Random Acts of Kindness

Thought for the day

Appreciate good people. They are hard to come by.

Kushandwizdom

Good morning! 

Another beautiful day here in Arizona. I almost feel guilty for our weather because of the snow that people are digging out of right now back east. However, my trade off is 115-120 degree Summer days! I do however, hope they see that cold stuff thaw soon! (brrrrr)

Today is the start of a new CAS Challenge week at The Outlawz!

Our challenge this week is to create an RAK or Random Act of Kindness Card.

So I made a "Thanks" card using an absolutely adorable pen-goo-in stamp my daughter sent me from Japan a while back.

(Yes I know penguin is the correct spelling and correct pronunciation is pen-gwens, but I have been calling them pen-goo-ins since I was little) ... anyway....

I think I am going to start stamping him on the back of my cards, using the word bubble for my initials! 

The card is lightly layered. I added the bit of dots around the image and border with a black fine tip pen.

I have someone in mind for this card but that is my little secret!

Card size: A2

SUPPLIES

Card stock from The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!

Black India Ink from Memories

Black Precision Pen from American Crafts

Penguin image - unknown (gift from daughter in Japan)

Sentiment from "Tag Tidbits" by The Angel Company

Thanks for Stopping by!

The Outlawz CAS Challenge: Fantasyland!

Thought for the Day

When you walk with purpose, you collide with destiny.

Author Unknown

Good morning my Crafty Peeps!

A little late, again, getting my posting done and up but I hope your Valentines Day was awesome!

My DH was at the firehouse so I spent the day with my son. Had lunch and saw the movie "The Kingsman".  Awesome movie by the way ... a couple of unexpected violent spots, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it and would see it again.

Today is the start of a new Clean and Simple Challenge at

The Outlawz.

Our sponsor this month with a 1 year subscription to the magazine is

Through the Craft Room Door.

For this week's challenge we are off to"Fantasy" land. Dragons, Fairies, Goblins, mermaids, elves, gnomes, you name it, we want to see them CAS style!

Here is my 5 x 7 card for the challenge.

Last year I ran out of Christmas cards (HORROR of HORRORS) and I did not have time to make more and I refused to purchased pre-made ones from the store. I am determined that will not be an issue this year.

The image called "Enchanted Holly" By Rubber Stampede is colored using Copics I bought last August when I visited my daughter in Japan, Every time I have used them the coloring has been atrocious, so I have been watching some videos and decided to take another shot at coloring. This is my second attempt, but overall I am happy with her.

I prettied up her wings with "Dazzling Diamonds" glitter from Stampin Up! which I like because it does not overpower any colors underneath it.

I masked off sections of the base layer and stamped with a swirl image from The Angel Company.

Added the sentiment and attached the image which is die cut using "Top Note", also from Stampin Up! You just keep turning the image and running through your machine until you get the circle. Easier than you think!

 

SUPPLIES

Card stock from The Paper Studio and Bazzill

Image "Enchanted Holly" from The Rubber Stampede

Swirls "Curls & Swirls" from The Angel Company

Sentiment "Holiday Greetings" from The Angel Company

Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and Ink from Stampin Up!

Top Note die from Stampin Up!

Thanks for stopping by - Hope to see you over at the Outlawz!

The Outlawz CAS: Hearts & Flowers

Life is too short to start your day with broken pieces of yesterday, it will definitely destroy your wonderful today and ruin your great tomorrow.

Found on hplyrikz.com

Today is the start of a new CAS challenge at The Outlawz. 

We have had several changes on the team in the last month with the leaving of Charlene for other adventures and the arrival of Donna to take her place.

We also now have our very own monthly sponsor for the CAS challenge and this month it's (me!) Through the Craft Room Door with a 1 year subscription to the magazine!  

Today is Cheri's turn to post and she has noted it's that time of year when we see lots of hearts and flowers around us. So our challenge this week is to include hearts and/or flowers on our project. 
It does not have to be a Valentine card, but it does have to be CAS

Here is my card, which is a birthday card for a dear friend of mine.

Happy Birthday Laurel!

Supplies

The paper is washi paper my daughter sent me from Japan. It's used for origami.

Card stock from The Paper Studio

Leaves were cut from "Little Leaves" die from Stampin Up!

Border was cut from "Ironwork accents" from Spellbinders

Flowers were cut from "Moroccan accents" from Spellbinders

Sentiment from Hampton Arts

Pearl accents from The Paper Studio

Thanks for stopping by!

Cara

Clean and Simple! - Gettin' Fishy with it!

Thought for the Day

Find someone who knows that you're not perfect but treats you as if you are!

Found on Bloglovin

Good morning!

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and we woke up to so much fog we can barely see across the street.

Haven't seen this phenomena since we moved into this house over 10 years ago and still had quite a bit of actively farmed land around us.

Kinda eerie actually as the wind is not moving - at all - so the normal sounds of nature and neighborhood activity is practically non existent.

Suppose to burn off though and be a nice clear day which will be nice after several days of cloud cover and almost non stop rain. (still take that over almost non-stop snow!)

Today is also the start of a new CAS challenge at The Outlawz. 

We have had several changes on the team in the last month with the leaving of Charlene for other adventures and the arrival of Donna to take her place.

We also now have our very own monthly sponsor for the CAS challenge and this month it's (me!) Through the Craft Room Door with a 1 year subscription to the magazine!

Today is my turn to post the challenge and since one of the zodiacs of February is Pieces ,,, a fish! ,,, We want to see you cards and projects with sea critters on them.

Remember! Have fun and keep it CAS!

Here is my Fishy card!

I started this A2 card by creating the bubbly background with a stencil and lightly sponging here and there to get a random bubble look.

Then I stamped my sentiment and image, colored them up  with watercolor crayons and layered the whole shebang on white card stock.

Supplies

Card stock from The Paper Studio, American Craft and my stash

Sentiment from Inkahootz!

Image from "Fishy Friends" by Stampin Up!

Black India ink from Memories

Water Color Crayons & Blender pen from Stampin Up!

"Bubble" stencil from Stampers Anonymous (Tim Holtz Collection)

Ink from Stampin Up!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cara

CAS Anything Goes!

They say that age is all in your mind. The trick is keeping it from creeping down into your body.

Author Unknown

Good morning my crafty peeps!

Not only am I tardy getting this posted but I have been pretty much AWOL from my blog for a bit. But very little crafting has been taking place for me these past weeks! It hasn't been intentional. January is always a hectic month for our household as we try to reestablish routines disrupted by the holiday schedule. 

I finally sat down last night and wrote myself a daily routine list - It was something I really needed to do as I seem to be running around each day trying to fit everything in, only to hit that point of the day when I have to stop. Then I look around and wonder what the heck I did with all my time because my to do list does not appear to be any shorter than when I started!

The perpetual spinning of wheels in the mud bog. Lots of energy being expended but no forward momentum.

Add to this - my mojo decided  to head south for vacation too so I have been trying to track it down and drag it back home where it belongs!

I am actually not scheduled for this week at the Outlawz, but this is the last post for my dear CAS Sistah Charlene as she is headed off on a new adventure, both personally and artistically and I wish her much luck in this new endeavor.

Click HERE to visit her blog Crystaldolphin's Blog. You won't be disappointed!

We also have had a few other changes, one of which is the addition of a monthly prize specially for our CAS Challenge. 

Our Sponsor

Anonymous Donor

Is offering a $10 gift card to a store of choice for the winner this month!

Thank you so much Anonymous Donor for sponsoring our first ever CAS prize!

So this week the challenge at The Outlawz is Anything Goes which is perfect because I needed a fast birthday card for a co worker birthday.

This is simple CAS with no layers, direct to cs stamping with the imaged colored with watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

SUPPLIES

Card stock from The Paper Studio

Black India Ink from Memories

Watercolor pencils from Staedtler

Blender pen from Stamping Up!

Image "Leaves & Branches" from Martha Stewart

Sentiment from Hampton Art

Dots from Stamps by Judith

Thanks for stopping by by blog and don't forget to stop by The Outlawz to play along with us this week!

Click HERE to join us!