Die Crazy....hmmmm

Sounds like the next sequel to the Die Hard movies...or maybe it's what my future holds in store for me? lol Not sure, but I do love my dies, and especially my newest ones I purchased from the Simon Says store.

Tim Holtz Bird Crazy

Simon Says - Die Crazy

Of course I had to use my handmade paper for this little card, and I love that the dies cut handmade paper so well too! Seriously, I cannot get enough of Arnold Grummer paper making, it's addicting!

Say cheese!

Yay, my new stamp arrived and boy did I need that pick me up as I had just come back from buying some new sandals. 

Now, you might be asking yourself, how does buying new sandals stress you out? Well, I use to buy any cute, sexy strappy little thing that caught my eye, but this time I bought some for comfort...omg, I'm one step away from buying orthopedic shoes!

If I start wearing socks with my sandals I think I'll commit myself to a nursing home!!

I had a lot of fun working on this card for Simon Says We're Going Dotty challenge. One of their design team members used this stamp in her example and well, I immediately had to go buy it! 

Art Impressions CAT Big Mouths Cling Rubber Stamps 4565

(evidently a lot of other people thought it was cute too because when I went to grab the link, it has been sold out! )

But I can see why, I mean it's adorable. 

I did fussy cut the cake out and used my Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots behind the candles, and well, even the cat too. Now the only thing I didn't like was the fact that there wasn't a "stop" piece to keep the slider from being pulled out all the way or from being pushed up too far. I messed up on trying to make something so I wrote "please" on the strip. I will need to do a better job on the next one. I also wish there had been a "pull" stamp that came with the kit, but oh well. 

I added some stickles to the candle flames, and you can see that the background was originally plain so I added some extra larger dots with a stencil and a Signo white pen. All in all, I love this stamp, just need a little practice putting it together, thank goodness it did come with instructions or I would have been sunk. lol

Friends are the flowers in the garden of life.

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #11
For this part of my card I used a gelli print paper for my background and for me, April showers bring May flowers. I love the rain and my flowers need every bit of it to bloom! 

Tombow - April Showers Challenge

I love mood boards, they give you so much inspiration!

For this part of my card I was inspired by the color yellow and the flower. I used my pens to color the chipboard flower.

Dazzling birthday wishes

I love playing with the Dazzling Diamond sheets from The Buckle Boutique store because they are so versatile. Today I used some to embellish a card with.

I used the Clear Black Zebra Stripe to adorn my card. I think it's kinda classy looking.

Not only are they super easy to cut with your scissors, but because they are on grids, they are also super easy to cut straight lines and counts the squares, so you don't need a ruler or have to measure anything to get the same sizes.

 I am also digging the contrast between the handmade paper and the bling!

Handmade paper - Made with my Arnold Grummer Paper Mill kit

Unity stamp -Marlow

Inktense pencils

Helmar Acid free glue

Birthday Blessings

Recently I joined The Awesome Ladies over at Rukristin. They have a monthly challenge and I thought I'd join in...Join up, it's free!

I really like layering stamped images that I cut out.

A closer look at the tiny sequin hearts.

Fly Away stamp set
Live in Color paper

I'm also entering this card in:
Word Art Wednesday #172 Anything Goes

sending bear hugs

Paper Smooches - Anything Goes (wk1) Anything Goes

I could use this darling little bear from the Happy Camper stamp set...
all. day. long.
This is a simple little card, but the flocked background keeps it from being boring, I just love tactile cards! I hardly have any left of this paper, if anyone knows of a flocked sky background paper, please let me know!

I used my new Stabilos that I found at our local yART sale to color in the bear. 

(It was a great find, 60 barely used pencils for 15.00, I'm happy anyway, lol)

I didn't realize that there were 60 pencils in the set until I accidentally dropped them and they scattered all over the floor. That's when I saw it had a second tray...score!! 

Glittery colors are the best

House of Cards  - week one - glittery color challenge

I love glitter and I love these colors so how could I not play along? I haven't visited House of Cards in ages, so I am long over due for some great challenges! I made a snowman birthday card using some of the suggested colors and of course the glitter.

  

The snowman stamp ( one of a kind winter ) is stamped onto some handmade paper using my Arnold Grummer paper mill kit and then cut out. I added some Ranger's stickles to the snow and some Sakura glitter pen to the ends of his scarf, plus I just had to add some rhinestones to the snowflakes!

In the garden of life...

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well today.

I am up over on the {my sweet earth} blog today with a stamp that I recently won from Unity! Love their stamps!!

Would love, love, LOVE you to go over there and leave me a comment!

belated Birthday card

Yeah, I messed up and didn't send my friend her birthday card. I did the Face Book birthday salutations but I know it's not the same and I feel bad! lol

Guilt is a terrible thing.

But on the bright side of things we are having a blog hop!

So I had a little goof the other day and one of my Dylusions ink sprays had been knocked over and it leaked everywhere on my desk. Thankfully nothing important was ruined and for the most part, the spill was soaked up by a paper towel. So waste not, want not...I used it as a flower for my card.

This week is going to be an inspiration-filled, fun-filled festival during our team’s Creatastic Blog Hop.  Join us each day as we share amazing projects created by our Design Team members.   The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team will be sharing projects they create over on their site too.  Both teams will be using Susan K Weckesser Inc products as well as stencils by The Crafter’s Workshop.  
Now, make sure you visit both blogs, because we are going to have some fun prize packages given away each day on both sites.  You need to leave comments each day for a chance to win!  We also encourage you to stop by and become a fan of Susan K Weckesser Facebook Page and The Crafter’s Workshop Facebook Page. 

Asymmetrical balance

Placement of non-identical forms to either side of a balancing point in such a way that the two sides seem to be of the same visual weight.

I tried to use this design principle with the sentiment being the balancing point and the stamped images and doodling to give visual weight.

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The background was washed with a light water color and the colored PITT pens to color in the smaller areas. I used my Sakura Pigma Sensei Magna pen for the black.

I like the written happy birthday sentiment coming out from the grass horizon. Now that I am looking at it, I think the y needs a little daisy added to the end of it.
What do you think?

I think I like the black and white doodled background the best.

  

I love the doodled cloud and sun!

Paper Smooches -Anything Goes Challenge

Paper Smooches - Happy Camper and 

Helmar - Liquid Scrap Dots

Faber Castell - PITT pens and watercolor crayons

Cacafuego: noun

a swaggering braggart or boaster

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I have been neglecting my card making!! aacckkk!! I need to get back into making cards or I won't have anything to sell at the Art MoB!

entering this in:

Fab 'n' Funky - #193 Anything Goes

Simon Monday Challenge - Got ink?

Jo's Scrap Shack - #25 Things with wings

 I love coloring in digital images with distress ink :)

Ranger - Distress inks

Candy Buzz - font ( on right side of card )

From the Heart - digital image

Paper Playtime - google eyes

I love googlie eyes, they just make me smile and can deliver even the snarkiest statements in a friendly and fun way, like this birthday tag saying, "you're how old? "...lol

I used my paper which had a cute little monster to create a balloon shape and added the goggle eyes to it and some twine for a bow.

I filled in the negative space with glossy accents after filling in the centers of the A's....( not sure what this says about me, but I don't deal with negative space very well, I guess I want happy space )....::eye roll::

Pink Paislee - watercolor paper tags

Faber Castell - water color crayons

Bella Blvd. - arrow stickers

Reminisce white pen

CardsTv - stamp

Ranger - glossy accents

Really Reasonable Ribbon - twine

Helmar - Craft & Hobby PVA glue

Cricut - Stretch Your Imagination, p. 60

also entering my birthday tag in:
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Paper Playtime - Red, Yellow, Blue

Ch# 20 Yellow, Red, and Blue

Begins: Monday, Sept 30

Ends: Sunday, Oct 13

Sponsor: KaDoodle Bug Designs    

Prize: $10 Gift Certificate

I freely admit that I struggled with this color combination at first. But I grew to love it as I played around with it. Do you ever have certain colors that you have issues with? For me, it is the color yellow, I rarely use it on anything, but maybe I should rethink that, huh?

(OK, here is my confession about the stamped image!! ) HA!

Helmar Acid Free glue

Echo Park - pattern paper

Wilton - doily

Sharpie
Cricut - Don Juan cartridge, p. 57
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and for all my friends!

caveat: noun

 an explanation to prevent misinterpretation

pronunciation

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So you may, or may not have noticed my absence  from blogging for past week. Ever since I returned home from vacation my life has been a whirlwind of activity. 

My big announcement though is this:

I made the Helmar Design Team!!

I am so excited because I have wanted to be on this team for 3 years, that's trying out twice a year during that time, yep, 6 times. The reason that I share this tidbit of past failures with you my friends is to remind you to never give up, to persevere through and keep trying. I know first hand how hard hearing the word 'no' is, but never, ever give up on your dreams!

I got a commission for a card, delivering it today to the Art MoB.

entering it into:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Fantabulous Cricut - Challenge #178 ABC's 123's

I added some outlining with a pen around the letters and shadowed a bit with the stain to hopefully get the letters to pop out a bit. Also embossed the edge to the circle for a little grunge effect.

Cricut - Animal Antics ( digital )

Helmar - Acid Free Glue

Faber Castell - PITT pen

Ranger - distress stain

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Current book review, the only caveat is, you might want some tissues while reading it.

The Fault in Our Stars

itinerant: adjective

traveling from place to place; especially : covering a circuit


pronunciation

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OK, I just could NOT resist this adorable Party Pig image, it just called out to me, and it just fit perfectly with the sentiment, seriously, right?

Sparkle N Sprinkle - September Challenge
( Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking )

 Glitter addict :)
need I say more?

Sparkle N Sprinkle - Digi image by Beccy Muir ( Party Pig )

Ranger - stickles, Liquid Pearls

Sakura - Glaze pen

Faber Castell - metallic gelato, PITT pens

Helmar - Acid Free Glue
Heidi Grace - flocked pattern paper

agonistic: adjective

argumentative

 striving for effect : strained

 of, relating to, or being aggressive or defensive social interaction (as fighting, fleeing, or submitting) between individuals usually of the same species

pronunciation

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Craft-room Challenge - Trees and or Leaves
Craftin' Boutique Challenge - Fall Challenge #6
Creative Inspirations - Inspired by Anything Goes
Simon Says - Animal Antics ( crow stamp )

Cardabilities - Designer sketch #81

I had to make a quick card today because their birthday is tomorrow...well, today as you are reading this. I don't know about you, but a sketch, new products to play with and a little inspiration goes a long way!

I won some Creative Inspiration paints the other week and this was the first time that I got to sit down and play with them. The tree and the leaves are all painted in with the shimmery paints; with the leaves, scarecrow and crow being outlined with a glaze pen and the tree trunk outlined with a pearl pen.

I used my FAVORITE adhesive to pop up the leaves under the scarecrows feet!

Helmar - Liquid Scrap Dots, Acid Free Glue

Kim Hughes - Autumn Trees

Inspirations - paints

Viva Decor - pearl pen

Luminarte' - Twinkling H20's

Faber Castell - PITT pens
Sakura - glaze pen

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This came from one of my male friends yesterday, and I just have to share. 

it's titled "Words with dual meanings"

or as I see it "men vs. women"

1. THINGY (thing-ee) n. 
Female...... Any part under a car's hood. 
Male..... The strap fastener on a woman's bra. 
2. VULNERABLE (vul-ne-ra-bel) adj. 
Female.... Fully opening up one's self emotionally to another. 
Male..... Playing football without a cup. 
3. COMMUNICATION (ko-myoo-ni-kay-shon) n. 
Female... The open sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner. 
Male... Leaving a note before taking off on a fishing trip with the boys. 
4. COMMITMENT (ko- mit-ment) n. 
Female..... A desire to get married and raise a family. 
Male...... Trying not to hit on other women while out with this one. 
5. ENTERTAINMENT (en-ter-tayn-ment) n. 
Female.... A good movie, concert, play or book. 
Male...... Anything that can be done while drinking beer. 

6. FLATULENCE (flach-u-lens) n. 
Female.... An embarrassing by-product of indigestion. 
Male...... A source of entertainment, self-expression, male bonding. 
7 MAKING LOVE (may-king luv) n. 
Female...... The greatest expression of intimacy a couple can achieve. 
Male..... Call it whatever you want, just as long as we do it. 
8. REMOTE CONTROL (ri-moht kon-trohl) n. 
Female.... A device for changing from one TV channel to another. 
Male... A device for scanning through all 375 channels every 5 minutes. 

Frosted Designs - Numbers

Did you hear about our BIG announcement?? 

We now have our own STORE and KIT CLUB!!

Make sure to go sign up for the NEWSLETTER and COUPON ...

 because I know you don't want to miss out on anything!!

Go HERE to read all about it! 

And make sure to play along with us this week in our NUMBERS challenge.

 I can't wait to see what you come up with!

I love that Cricut gives us free shapes to try out because I hadn't a clue what I was going to create this week until I saw the freebie, now if I could just remember to write down the name of the cartridge....:(

Autumn Leaves - Stampology sentiment

Queen & Co. - bling

also entering this in:
Little Scrap Pieces - Fun Friday Linky Party