So...

...2012 is going to start out very busy for me, craft wise.  Why, you ask?  Because of this!

I have been invited to be a Bellie Girl!  I'm super excited that I will be on a DT that forces us to use our old, hoarded and neglected stash.  I'm joining an amazing group of ladies, and I couldn't be more honored to be on the team.  Our challenges post every other Wednesday, so I hope you'll join me and use up some of that stuff you just had to have that hasn't ever been used.  I'll be back on the 4th of January with my first project as a Belli Girl.  :)

Have a great day!
Hugs!

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #4

Merry Christmas!!

I hope that you and your famlies have had a wonderful holiday, and that you're enjoying the company of your loved ones and friends.  I'm currently in Austin with my mom, sister and brother in law.  I'm super excited about that! 

I have another Christmas card for you.  This week, we have a wonderful sketch created by Peggy Toole.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Here is my card.

I wanted to keep my card simple, like the sketch.  I found this awesome Prima lace with bling and pearls, and had to have it.  I'm not a huge pink fan, but I think it's gorgeous for this card.  Very clean and simple.

I do hope you'll head over to the CCC blog to see what everyone has created today.  Maybe in the next few days, you'll get some time to start on your cards for next year?  Either way, I do hope you have a wonderful holiday. :)

Hugs!

Happy Birthday

Hi ya'll!

Seeing as how my Christmas cards were mailed out earlier this month, I can start to focus on a few other cards that I need for work, and family.  My co-workers birthday was on Monday, and this is the card I made for her.

I love how this turned out!  I've used a lot of my favorite techniques in this card.  I'm happy to report that she loved it, even more than I do. lol  I've combined the following challenges into my card.

Paper Sundaes #100 - Celebrate

Corrosive Challenge #139 - Anything But Christmas

Sparkles Forum - Anything but a Christmas Card

The Crafty Pad #152 - Anything but Christmas

I don't really have much else going on this week.  Just work, work, and more work.  I hope to be able to create another something crafty this week, before I head to Austin for the weekend.  I'm really excited.  My mom is coming to spend Christmas with us at my sisters.  It's been over a year since I last saw her.  I'm SO happy!

Have a great day!

Hugs!

Addiction

ad·dic·tion

   /əˈdɪkʃən/ Show Spelled[uh-dik-shuhn] 

noun:

the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.  

I am posting today with a plea for help.  I do not know where to start, except to say:  "Hello, my name is Stephanie, and I'm addicted."  Maybe someone can knock some sense into me before I'm too far gone.  lol 

Addicted to what, you ask?  Well, I'm totally addicted to these babies!

*sigh*  Yes, I have a bad addiction to Nestabilities.  I got an amazing Christmas bonus at work this year and guess what I bought?  40 (yes, i said 40) new sets of Nestabilities.  The ones in the photo above aren't hung on my rail on the wall yet because I'm not sure how to hang all of them, but the rest have all been put away nicely.  Here is what they look like, all together.

You might be asking why I think I'm addicted.  And although the photos don't really do them justice, I counted them all, and I own 94 sets of Nestabilities.  If you do the math, well...let's just say I could have put a down payment on a new car, or even bought a cheap cash car with the amount I've spent. lol  I'm feeling rather ashamed at the massive amount of these dies I have purchased, but I can't seem to stop buying them.  I almost feel as if I need to hide in the closet with my laptop every payday, so no one will catch me buying any more.  hahaha!

Anyway, it's a good thing I will be busy starting in January, as I must start using all of these pretties so I don't feel like I've wasted all that money.  Anyone else have an addiction to something like this?  Anyone ever have a crafty intervention to your addiction and live? lol

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #3

Hi ya'll!

It's time for another Christmas Card Challenge!  It seems kinda funny to be creating Christmas cards for 2012 already, but I can't tell you how easy it is come next fall to have all of my cards done and ready to send.  It was a piece of cake this year!  Anyway, onto this weeks challenge, which is to use non-traditional Christmas colors.  Right up my alley!  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Of course, if you know me, you know how I love the non-traditional colors for my Christmas cards.  Here is what I came up with.

I used THIS sketch for my card and love how it turned out.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  My card looks completely different than normal.  Hopefully, you'll find it more appealing, like I do.  Unfortunately, the weather hasn't been cooperating lately, and I've been working so much that it's dark when I go in, and dark when I leave my office.  This has been a big problem for a while now, and I finally decided to just make a generic light box to photograph my cards in.  I bought some white foam board, and put a box together, leaving the top open for my lighting.  Once I got my photos taken, and edited, I wound up with this one.  I think it turned out pretty darn good for my first attempt.  The colors are as true as they are in real life, and I'm totally stoked that the main focus is my card, and not the background.  I've been photographing my projects outside for so long that I find this simple photo to be kind of cool.  Now that I've got a light box, I won't need to worry about trying to rush and finish my projects so that I can get my photos in the natural lighting.  Yay! lol  I've combined the following challenges in my card as well.

Annabelle Stamps Challenge - Say it with Christmas Cards
Card Makin' Mamas Challenge #35 - Christmas
Delicious Doodles Challenge #8 - Xtravagant Xmas
Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge 11/16 - Ribbon
Fairy Fun Friday #68 - Holly Jolly Christmas (No red or green)
Inkspirations #100 - Christmas Creations (anything goes)
Raise The Bar #86 - Christmas
Stampin For The Weekend #22 - Christmas
CHNC #51 - Anything Goes
Speedy The Cat's Friends Challenge #86 - Christmas Card
One Stop Craft Challenge Week #162 - Christmas Sparkle (I have snowflakes on my background paper and pearls, hope that works)

I do hope you'll head over to the CCC blog to see what my friends have put together for you today.  It's week three, and it is already turning out to be a wonderful start to the new term.  You'll see what I mean once you visit today. :)

Stay crafty my friends!

Yay!

I was excited to learn that I had made the Top 3 at Stamptacular Sunday.  THIS is the card that was chosen.

Thanks to them for selecting my card!

FYI Challenge #20

Hello everyone!

I apologize that I am so late in posting this, but it's been crazy, and I totally spaced it off.  I know, bad Steph! lol

Here is this weeks inspiration photo for Challenge #20 at FYI.

I love this photo!  It's hard not to believe He exists with breathtaking sights such as this.  I apologize I don't have a card to share today.  I will get something posted soon though. 

I do hope you'll head over to the FYI blog to see what my Lovely Lotuses have created for you today.  It's the last challenge of 2011.  We will be returning on the 5th of January, which means you have three weeks to play along this time.  We do hope you'll get the chance to join us.

Have a great day!
Hugs!

So Excited, I Might Hyperventilate! lol

I'm super excited, and still in shock.  Finally, I can share some exciting news with all of you!  I was invited to be a part of this...

...and I couldn't be any happier.  I'm feeling very blessed at this wonderful opportunity.  You must check out the list of amazingly talented ladies I'll be joining for at least three months, beginning in January.  You can see all of them HERE.  In case you're unfamiliar with Cardabilities, it's a bi-monthly sketch blog.  The sketches are posted on the 15th and 30th of each month.  I do hope you'll be able to join me on this new adventure. I'm really, really exited! :)

Off to find a paper bag...
Hugs!

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #2

Yola!!

Here we are at week #2 for the next year of Christmas Card challenges.  Have you gotten most of your cards for 2011 done yet?  I have to say, I'm so thankful to be a part of this amazing team, and I'm so relaxed now that my cards have been mailed out already.  *happy sigh* 

This week we were to incorporate doodling into our Christmas cards.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Here is what I came up with.

I did something a bit different this week.  I am usually running around trying to find gift tags for my gifts, last minute.  I've decided that I am going to make a few gift tags here and there this year as well.  Then, all I have to do is add them to my gifts, and I'm not so crazed at the end of the year. :)

The new design team are rockin these challenges ya'll!  I do hope you'll head over to see what they've done this week.  Super fab!

Have a great week!
Hugs!

Drunken Stampers #80

Hi ya'll!

Welcome to the next Drunken Stampers challenge!  This is the last challenge of the year so you've got plenty of time to play along.  We'll return after the holidays with more fun challenges. 

So, this challenge is: Glittery Holiday.  I'm not sure if Peg knew this when she chose this challenge, but I'm phobic to glitter.  Well, loose glitter anyway.  I don't know what it is about it, but I don't own ANY.  lol  Thank goodness for Stickles!  Anyway, for this weeks challenge, click HERE.

I do hope that I was able to pull it off enough to everyone's liking.  I added some bling, and some Stickles to the snowflake.  It's definitely glittery.  I'm quite pleased with how this turned out.  The color combo is yummy and the embossing adds just the right touch for me.  Since I work late during the week, I've lost the ability to take my photos in my regular spot outside.  I'm having to now get my photos at work, wherever I can find a spot.  I'm hoping to find a new "home" for my picture taking soon.  I've combined the following challenges into my card as well.

Sweet Sunday Sketch #146 - Sketch

Paper Sundaes #98 - Recipe: Red, Stripes, Die Cuts, Stitching. (I used die cuts and stripes)

Pile It On #49 - Bling It Up

Stamptacular Sunday #141 - Christmas Color Combo (Baja Breeze, Black/Chocolate, Sahara Sand)

Card Caravan #7 - Make It Sparkle

I do hope you'll head over to the Drunken Stampers blog to see what everyone has created today.  They're wonderful!

Have a great day!

Hugs!

2012 Christmas Card Challenge Week #1

Hi y'all!

It's an exciting day today!  We are starting our new year at the Christmas Card challenge blog.  We've got some great new challenges, an amazing and talented new design team, and some cute stamps up for grabs each month.  I am totally blessed to be a part of such a wonderful team.  Sparkle has been the best, and the ladies on the team are always a joy to work with.  Not to mention, I'm completely ecstatic at the end of the year when all I have to do is send out my cards.  Huge bonus! lol  I do hope that we can inspire you to join us each week and help build up your stash of cards throughout the year. 

So, onto our first challenge, which is to create a One Layered Christmas card.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Here is the card I made for this week.

I wanted to go with a "less is more" kind of thing.  This is as one layered as I get. lol  I kept it simple, and without a sentiment for now.  I couldn't decide on what I wanted to say, so I figured I'd leave it alone, until I knew what I wanted to do.  I love the simplicity of this card.  The traditional Christmas colors are beautiful together, and the debossing adds just the right touch, for me.  I think I might make a few of these, in different colors maybe, and take them to work.  I've combined the following challenges into my card as well:

Colour Create #85 - Red, White & Green

Pals Paper Arts #122 - Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke & Very Vanilla

Delightful Challenges 11/30 - Let It Snow

Raise The Bar #86 - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

As always, the cards posted on the CCC blog are fabulous.  I hope we can tempt a few of you to play along with us each week.  Either way, I would recommend at least checking them out. :)

Stay crafty my friends!
Hugs!


What's in it?
Paper:  SU! Whisper White & Riding Hood Red cardstock
Stamps: The Girls Paperie Tinsel & Twig
Ink:  Black Staz On
Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Winter Wonderland Embossing Folder, Maya Road Acrylic Snowflake, Artichoke Satin Ribbon

Wow...Very Cool!

Hello friends!

I've been super busy, and hadn't realized that I was chosen for some cool honorable mentions for THIS card.  Check them out, if you get the chance.

http://www.theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-89-colors-of-nature-winners.html

http://colourq.blogspot.com/2011/11/colourq-challenge-112-winner-crowned.html

http://scrap-creations1.blogspot.com/2011/11/going-grey-with-scrap-creations_28.html

http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/2011/11/tuesday-throwdown-76.html

Thanks y'all!

FYI Challenge #19

Hello everyone!

How's it going?  Can you believe it's December 1st already?!  Goodness gracious!  No wonder I'm walking around feeling lost these days.  It's because time is going by way too fast for me, and I can't seem to figure out where it goes.  I guess that's just how it goes sometimes.

I'm excited!  I have a new card for you today, for the next FYI challenge.  This challenge we're being sponsored by the wonderful and adorable Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps. 

SCRS has some absolutely adorable images!  If you haven't checked them out before, you must go see what I'm talking about.  You can visit them HERE.

Now, onto the inspiration photo. 

I love the deep, rich, vibrant colors in this photo.  The contrast between the soft sky and water and the bridge and buildings is fabulous.  I also love the reflection on the water from the lit buildings.  I'm told, by my Lovely Lotus Michelle, that this is a photo of Brisbane.  I might have to make a trip to see it myself sometime.  It looks beautiful.  For this weeks challenge, click HERE.

Here is the card I put together for this challenge.

I tried to get as close as I could to the colors in the photo, but in my picture, they don't look as similar.  I think the sun washed the colors out a bit.  Either way, I like my card.  Again, when I'm struggling with what to do, my Distress Inks always save the day.  I used THIS sketch, loosly, for the format of my card.  Loving the look of the lace with the seam binding bow.  I feel like I've added that type of layering to all of my cards as of late, but I can't get enough of it. lol  Anyone else have a technique they use ALL the time, no matter what? 

Anyway, the projects posted by my Lovely Lotuses are absolutely fantastic, as usual.  I do hope you'll head over to check them out, and to see the new announcement posted. 

Have a great day!

Hugs!


What's in it?
Paper:  SU! Crumb Cake & Whisper White cardstock, Fancy Pants Oct 31st Patterned Paper, Little Yellow Bicycle Paper Doily
Stamps:  SU! Bliss & Heart/Swirl Background, Verve Dream Big
Ink:  Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender & Dusty Concord Distress Inks, SU! So Saffron Dye Ink, Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink
Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Smooth Circles & Lacy Circles Nestabilities, Deep Purple Felt, Pretty In Pink Pearls, White Seam Binding, Ivory Lace