Two For One

Hello!

How's your day going?  I'm enjoying a bit of a break from the chaos that is 4 teenage girls sleeping over, while they're at the pool.  I can only imagine that they're going to come back sunburned and/or "crispy" from being there most of the afternoon. lol  In the nice, quiet, alone time I have had, I created two cards.  I usually only post one at a time, but I wanted to share both of these right now.  I was a bit impatient in sharing these. :-)

Here is the first.

A few weeks ago I saw a card posted using a crochet mat.  I did some investigating, and found that Jessi Fogan, makes AND sells them.  I was super excited to place my order, and was even more excited when they arrived so quickly at my house the other day (she's awesome!).  I've asked her to try to find some neon thread.  Wouldn't they be awesome?!  It had been a while since I'd created anything but a square card, so I went with round for this one.  My peach/white flourish panel is actually the emboss resist technique, which I really should do more often.  I matted it in a pale yellow, and added it to my sage green crochet mat.  I then added a wood veneer banner that came in one of my Simon Says Stamp card kits, a twine bow, a hand crocheted flower I ordered on Etsy, and a few sequins.  In all, I think this card took me 20 minutes to complete, and I love it!

I've combined the following challenges in this card:

Stampin Royalty #189 - Photo Inspiration (hope I got close enough to the colors)
Drunken Stampers #137 - Twine (Hi Jessi!!)
Totally Gorjuss #197 - Die Cuts/Punches (my shaped card was made with dies)

And, here is the second card. 

If you know me, you know I LOVE blue.  I reminded myself about the need to continue my use of the emboss resist technique, and wound up with this beauty.  I made two identical panels, only one is embossed with snowflakes and has Mr. Huey's mist on it.  For a bit of added interest, I matted them in opposite directions.  The bottom layer starts with the darker colors at the top, and the focal panel starts with the lighter colors at the top.  I have to say, this turned out much better than I expected.  I added an MFT snowflake, a beautiful I Am Roses paper flower, and some cork paper leaves on top of my ribbon and sentiment, and was finished.  I think the emboss resist technique will be used again this afternoon, for some gift tags.  Or maybe a couple of bookmarks.  Ooooh, yeah...that would work!

I've combined the following challenges in this card:

Cards Galore August Challenge - Bingo (embossing/masks, sprays/inks, ribbon)
Cardabilities #81 - Sketch
Jingle Belles - Tic Tac Toe (embossing heat or dry, ribbon, stamping)
Just Add Ink #178 - Just Add Snowflakes
Just Us Girls #202 - Monochromatic Blues

Now that my long post is done, I've got a question to ask you awesome crafty people!  I recently started thinking that I might want to try my hand at getting published.  I've added it to my bucket list, but am in no hurry.  What advice would you give someone who's never tried this?  Any tips or hints at anything to help me out would be greatly appreciated. 

I'm off to try to create something else to share later in the week.  I'll be back on Monday with my next House of Cards project.  Hopefully, you'll get the chance to stop by and check out what I've made for that.  I do hope the rest of your weekend is fantastic!

Stay crafty my friends!

Hugs & Kisses

Howdy y'all!

I hope your weekend was a good one!  I would have loved an extra day to sleep in, but alas, it's back to the bump and grind of a regular work week.  The good thing, is that I don't have to be at work all week, until 10am.  I don't mind going in a bit later, but working later has its disadvantages.  Thank goodness it's only temporary. 

Today is week two of challenges over at House of Cards.  Even though my cards aren't due until the third week of the month, in support of their first month, I will be attempting to create a card each week.  This weeks challenge is CAS.  Here is what I created.

The color combo is the same the first four weeks, but the style of card is different each week.  I love this shimmery paper, with distressed inks on it.  It makes the color shimmery as well, once you've added them.  CAS is a style that I have always loved, but haven't really been able to create well.  I always want to keep adding stuff to my cards, rather than letting them be simple and lovely.  I do love how this turned out, and I am going to continue to try to create more CAS type cards.  I used THIS sketch, even though it's from a while back.  I really thought it would be perfect for today's CAS theme.  I hope the recipient of this card enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it for her.

I've combined the following challenges in my card today:

2 Sisters #151 - Red, White & Blue
Totally Gorjuss #191 - Anything goes, with circles
The Shabby Tea Room #174 - Inspiration Photo

I'm off to get ready for work, and start my day.  I do hope you'll head over to the HOC blog, to see the gorgeous CAS cards that are posted for you today.  They're wonderful!  Also, I hope you'll stop by tomorrow.  I've got another post scheduled, with some interesting news.

Have a great day!
Hugs!

Be Strong

Hola!!

How's everyone doing?  I hope you've been able to have a nice, relaxing weekend, filled with crafty goodness.  My daughter left on Friday, for vacation with her best friend, and I've been a total bum.  All I've done is make cards, and eat.  I'll have to make sure to focus more on the crafting, and not the eating though. lol  I've got plans with an old friend who recently moved from Dallas to Sioux Falls, and will be in my area for work this week.  I can't wait to see him.  Should be a blast to kick his butt in a game of cribbage. :o)

I wanted to participate in a few challenges I saw online, so here is what I made for them.

I'm having a bit of difficulty getting good, true to color, pictures up here.  For some reason, everything seems to have a gray overcast when I go to edit them, even when the sun is out.  I am trying a new software, but the pictures seem to look really, really bright to me.  I guess I'll just have to keep trying to work it out.  I made this card for a friend who's going through some difficult stuff right now.  Her favorite color is yellow, so I thought it would be perfect to pair with the gray.  I've had these papers in my stash for a while, so it's good to use some of it up.  I know she'll love the happy mail, and even if only for a short while, she'll be able to smile.

I've combined the following challenges in my card:

Retro Sketches #70 - Sketch
Dynamic Duos #59 - Basic Gray & Your Choice (I chose yellow)
Totally Gorjuss #190 - Wings
2 Sisters #150 - Stripes 

I'll be back soon with another something crafty.  I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to make lots of stuff this week. lol  I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hugs!

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #44

Hola!

How has your weekend been?  Good I hope!  It has been a nice, quiet weekend here.  I haven't really done much, but I did manage to make a few things.  I've also come to the realization that I'm in need of diet and exercise.  I had a physical recently, and they threw the word "obese" at me.  That's such a harsh word, but realistically, it's true.  I've always been overweight, but never has anyone told me I was obese before.  Hearing that cuts deep.  I don't usually post too much about that kind of thing on my blog, but I think I'm going to hold my self accountable, and make my struggle with weight loss and my new journey to take control of it, public.  I won't be posting in excess, but I will be including monthly photos, starting tomorrow.  I HATE to be in front of the camera, so I'm hoping this will keep me on track this time.  I'm assuming I'll be including little tidbits here and there, but I promise not to bore anyone with a lot of negativitiy or whining, even though I'm doing it over here. lol  Maybe some of you out there are struggling with the same thing, and it will help you as well.  The bottom line is getting healthy, and that's my goal.  I want to be around to watch my daughter grow into the beautiful woman I can already see coming out in her.     

Anyway, enough rambling.  Onto why you're here today.  Looking through my files, I hadn't realized that it had been such a long time since I'd made a Christmas card.  It's time to get back into the swing of that, and start making them every week.  This week we were asked to use chipboard on our projects.  For all of the details on this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Here is my card for this challenge.

I've had the chipboard flourish in my stash for over a year.  I embossed it in my Cuttlebug and inked it with Pumice Stone distress ink.  I have to say, I totally dig these colors together, and my card did turn out quite nice.  I'm glad to have another one for my stash.  Now I'll just have to continue making them every week.  I've combined the following challenges in my card too.

Deconstructed Sketch #71 - Sketch
AI Stamps Challenge #82 - Banners & Bunting
Do You Stack Up #91 - Scallops
Fabulous Friday - Embossing
HIMCR #65 - Anything Goes (show your style - mine is clean lines, for sure)
Totally Gorjuss #151 - Punches & Dies

There are some fantastic projects posted over on the CCC blog.  I do hope you get the chance to check them out, and hopefully, join us this week. 

Have a wonderful day!
Hugs!