Sweet Dreamers' Challenge- ASC2

Here is my card for Aly's second challenge on her Sunday Sketch challenge blog. You may remember I mentioned Aly last week. She is the ten year old daughter of a blogger friend. Aly has started a blog with a new sketch every other Sunday. Her sketch this week was very challenging, and her sample rocks. So check it out if you have time! Our blog group, the Sweet Dreamers, decided to have Aly's challenge as our weekly challenge this week. So this card serves as both. And if you think the paper looks familiar, it's because I used it on the last card I posted. I had a lot left on my desk, so I just went with it!

A little family news... During Finn's birthday party on Sunday he started to walk. He's taken a step or two, but not really walked. He was taking about ten steps at a time during the party. It was exciting, because we had family and friends here to see it. He's continued with the steps all week. He also has mastered the tantrum, he throws himself down and kicks his legs, it actually is pretty funny, because he's so little. And it doesn't last long. It is just so amazing how they do new things all the time when they are so little. Really fun to watch!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Card Recipe: Stamps: Magnolia
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: YoYo Yellow, Tempting Turquoise, PTI ssw, DCWV Citrus patterned paper
Embellishments: Nesties, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, copics, stickles, Primas, MM brad, ribbon, SU clear button

LuLu Blog Hop

Welcome to the LuLu Blog Hop sponsored by Stamping Bella! If you arrived her from Miche L Designs blog you are in the right place. If you've just happened upon my blog, you can CLICK HERE to start from the beginning at Bloggabella.

Here is my project for the blog hop. My sweet Bella sistah Lori just sent me this adorable Harriet LuLu stamp as a back to school RAK. How sweet is that. I thought she just needed bright fun colors, so I colored her to cooridinate with this DCWV citrus paper. Hope you enjoy my creation and all the others along the hop.

How about a prize? In addition to the fabulous eye candy, we have decided to hide a prize somewhere along the hop! One pre-selected blogger will draw a random winner from the comments on her post, and the winner will receive a $25 Gift Voucher to Stamping Bella!!! The fun part is...we're not telling you who it is! So as you hop, make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! We will announce the winner on Monday in the Splitcoast forum. MWAH!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Now it's time to hop on over to Debi's Crazy Life.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Stamping Bella Harriet LuLu and sentiment
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: PTI ssw, Tempting Turquoise, YoYo Yellow, DCWV Citrus paper pack
Embellishments: copics, Sakura glitter pen, nesties, MM brads, primas, foam dots, grosgrain ribbon

Sweet Dreamers challenge with MTSC40

This is my take on Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge for this week. I also combined it with my Sweet Dreamers blogger's group challenge for the week. That challenge was to use buttons. I've got a little button centered in my bow. I love these holiday Magnolia images. They are so much fun to color! Her boots are glossed with crystal effects and her coat is fur trimmed with liquid applique.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you had a great weekend!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Magnolia
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: PTI ssw, Basic Black, Gray, PTI Scarlet Jewel, SEI patterned paper
Embellishments: copics, Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, MM brads, crystal effects. liquid applique, SU ribbon and silver cord, foam dots, SU corner punch, Sakura glitter pen, PTI button

Aly's first sketch challenge

Happy Friday everyone! TGIF! My husband has been traveling some this week, so we're glad it's the weekend and he'll be home. Having a little get together for Finn on Sunday, so that should be fun. Not cooking though, doing it the lazy way, take out!

Here is a sketch challenge I completed. It's from a new blog called Aly's Sunday Challenge Blog. This is the first challenge, you can see the sketch here. Now the really cool thing is that this sketch was done by a ten year old girl. She is the daughter of one of the stampers in my blogging group. She also made a card sample for her sketch, her stamping is amazing! She is a very talented young lady! She plans on posting a sketch every other Sunday, there will be a new one this week. I love to see kids involved in crafting! I plan to try to do more of her challenges. Check out her blog and give it a try if you can.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Stop by tomorrow if you have a chance, I'll have a new Bella card up for their LuLu blog hop.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Magnolia
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Summer Sun, Choc. Chip, Pumpkin Pie, PTI ssw, DCWV fall stack
Embellishments: Prima leaves, Quickutz embossing folder, copics, crystal effects, foam dots

What a Finn-tastic year it has been!

Today is my baby's first birthday! As some of you may know his name is Finnegan, Finn for short. So I guess he'll be getting fish type cards for a long time. I always call him "Finn-tastic", so this sentiment was perfect, although spelled a bit differently. His first year has flown by so fast. I think this time around I enjoyed everything more, and worried less. I really have loved every minute of seeing him grow and develop a personality! He is so happy, he has a great big belly laugh, loves to crawl after his brothers and claps his hands when he gets excited. He is just the sweetest little guy.

I used the MoJo Monday sketch #105 for his birthday card. The fish is highlighted with some stickles for a bit of sparkle.
Finn on the day he was born.
A recent photo of Finn in his backyard swing, which he really loves. Happy birthday little man!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Cornish Herritage Farms Ocean Friends
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Brilliant Blue
Paper: YoYo Yellow, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, PTI ssw
Embellishments: circle punch, offray ribbon, Robin's Nest water dew drops, stickles, copics, cuttlebug Divine Swirls and Swiss Dots embossing folders, foam mounting squares

Rubber Romance treat holder

Happy Tuesday everyone. Today it's my turn to post a tutorial on the Rubber Romance blog. I posted a tutorial to make these little treat holders. They are quick and easy to make, and best of all they are inexpensive. I'm going to make some for the kids' teachers and bus drivers for Halloween. Everyone deserves a little treat for Halloween!

This adorable image is Sabrina the Witch from Rubber Romance stamps. I think she is such a cute witch! Who knew witches could be so cute?
This is a side view, so you can see how the treat holder looks filled with Hershey's Kisses. One bag of Hershey's Kisses will make 5-6 of these holders. That is if you don't snack on too many while your crafting.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Project Recipe:
Stamps: Sabrina from Rubber Romance
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: PTI ssw, Only Orange, Basic Black, MME patterned paper
Embellishments: copics, stickles, nesties, mini brads, ribbon, Crop-a-Dile

Rubber Romance Sketch Challenge #2

Happy Monday morning! Boy the weekend goes fast, doesn't it. We had a great weekend, had some company on Saturday, the kids really enjoyed it.

This is my take on the new Rubber Romance sketch challenge. You can find the sketch and information on the Rubber Romance Blog. They've added a Mr. Linky for ease of entering the challenge! It's a fun sketch to try out. And, there is a prize involved! Everyone loves the chance to win a prize, right? So check it out and enter the challenge.

This image is Paige Has a Present from Rubber Romance. I paper pieced her with some Basic Grey Wisteria patterned paper. The sentiment is Rubber Romance also. I love the look of paper piecing especially for clothing. A touch of stickles finish off her bow.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a wonderful week.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Rubber Romance
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: River Rock, PTI ssw, Lavender Moon, Basic Grey Wisteria
Embellishments: copics, PTI ribbon, Grape Ice Stickles, Spica glitter pen, nesties, mini brads

Verve Release Party

Tonight is the big night! In the Verve forum on SCS they are having a release party for their September sets. I can't wait to see what is released. They have has some sneak peaks this week and the new sets look awesome. Guess I'll be getting out the credit card tonight! They have a set of five challenges for release week. I made this card for the first challenge (SEP09A). It was Julee's sketch challenge.

Unfortunately I needed a sympathy card this week. My SIL had to put her dog Zeus to sleep. It is very heartbreaking, he was so much more than a dog. He truely was a family member. Cal considered Zeus one of his cousins. Our heart goes out to them this week. I don't send many animal sympathy cards, but thought this called for a card, to let them know we are thinking of them. I love the meaning of this sentiment, too. How true it is that our memories can bring us comfort and peace.

Thanks for stopping by tonight. Don't forget to check out the Verve forum for the release party details. They also always have lots of great giveaways, fantastic samples and fun chatter at these parties!
Card Recipe:
Stamps: Verve
Ink: Baja Breeze
Paper: Very Vanilla, Creating Keepsakes paper pack
Embellishments: nesties, SU ribbon, Kaiser pearls, dimensionals, MS butterfly punch

Lots of Presents!

You know my favorite part of Birthdays? The presents of course. I love them! Not just receiving them, but giving them as well. I love to take photos of the kids' birthday gifts all neatly wrapped, before they tear into them! I love wrapping gifts, too. There's just something about a pretty wrapped package with a nice bow! I love this Rubber Romance image, Judy is Giving Gifts, with all her packages! Wonder what is in them?

I made this card for Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge #39. I love to use circles, and the circle was perfect to spotlight this Rubber Romance ATC sized cutie. I usually go for more bold colors, but found this PTI patterned paper and used it for my color choices. I think I really like the soft look of this card. Hope you do to.

My doctor's appointments went great yesterday. According to the ultrasound, the baby is 5 lbs already, so that is on target! Now today I plan to relax and try to get some stamping done! Maybe hit Starbucks while the older guys are in school!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a great week. It's almost Friday, wahoo!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Rubber Romance Judy is Giving Gifts ATC stamp
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: PTI ssw, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, SU Apricot Appeal, patterned paper by PTI
Embellishments: PTI ribbon, nesties, dimensionals, copics, sakura glitter pen, Bella's Baubles

Pink and Brown Sugar Bowl

I made this one for the latest Sugar Bowl challenge. The sketch was fun and the color combination is one of my favorites, pink and brown. These Sugar Nellie stamps are just so cute and so much fun to color!

Off to some doctor's appointments today. Hoping everything goes well. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Sugar Nellie, Catch a Falling Star
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, PTI ssw, retired patterned paper by SU
Embellishments: PTI ribbon, copics, Bella's Baubles, dimensinonals, oval punches, nesties, sakura glitter pen, glaze pen

MoJo 104 and Sweet Dreamers Ebony and Ivory challenges combined

I combined two of this weeks challenges for this card. I used the MoJo Monday sketch 104, and combined it with my bloggers group challenge for the week. It was a color challenge to use black and white only. I love black and white, but don't think I've ever made a card with only black and white, I usually throw in some red or pink with it!

I had this paper pack from MME that is all black and white, so I dug it out for this challenge. I thought I'd do a girly card, so I used Express Yourself from Verve for this card. I love the polka dot purse, so cute!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful day!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Verve Express Yourself
Ink: SU white craft ink
Paper: GP110, Basic Black, MME Black and White patterned pack
Embellishments: nesties, white embossing powder, heat tool, SU taffeta ribbon, slot punch, PTI buttons, crochet thread, dimensionals

Sweet Dreamers Challenge #7 (Send a Hug)

Made this one for the Sweet Dreamers weekly challenge for my SCS blog group, the Sweet Dreamers. Last Monday's challenge was to make a card and send it to someone who could use a hug. Our challenge hostess, Mary, posted a link to a young lady who had recently lost an arm in a boating accident and is still in the hospital. You can read the story here, and send a card if you like. While I personally know many people who could use a hug, this story really touched me, so I'm mailing this card off to Paige.

I used Wednesday's sketch challenge, SC245.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Stampingbella Cherry Blossom Bittybloom, PTI sentiment
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Ripe Avocado
Paper: PTI ssw, Ripe Avocado, Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet, patterned paper by PTI
Embellishments: nesties, copics, crystal effects, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, American Crafts mini brads, dimensionals, PTI ribbon

Tilda with a pet spider

My blogging took a backseat this week to the kids' school stuff. I was overwhelmed with paperwork to fill out for both of them. My gosh they send home lots of papers! I think I'm caught up for now. They both seem to like school so far, but come home exhausted! Liam has cried before getting on the bus both days, but comes home happy. He told me today, he really missed me while he was in school. I thought that was so cute!

I just discovered these fabulous sketch challenges posted on the blog, Lord Have Mercy, every Tuesday. I checked out this blog, cause she is one of the new Verve Divas. Her work is so beautiful and she has great challenges to boot! This is my take on the sketch for this week, MTSC38.

I haven't inked up this little Tilda yet. I bought her last winter and it was way past Halloween, so I'm trying to start a bit early this year and get some Halloween cards done! Her pet spider is covered in fun flock, so he looks a little creepy. It's funny though, I don't mind spiders even big ones. Now my husband on the other hand is scared to death of them, I think it's pretty funny!

Thanks so much for stopping by and looking! Have a wonderful Friday!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Magnolia, Tilda
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Only Orange, Basic Black, PTI ssw, K and Co. Halloween paper pack
Embellishments: ribbon from Michaels, Eyelet Outlet spider brad, sakura glitter pen, black flock, copics, white gel pen, dimensionals

Start of the School Year

I have no idea where the summer went!? Wow, it went fast this year. I have two going to school this fall. I'm blown away that my oldest, Cal, is starting Kindergarten, it does not seem like he should be that old already. He is very ready and excited. My middle guy, Liam, is starting preschool. Up until about a week ago, he was saying he would not go! So I'm not 100% sure he'll get on the bus when it comes. Just recently he's agreed to go, so we shall see. It's going to be so strange without him around the house, he is my sidekick. He likes to hang out with me no matter what I'm doing.
I made this paint can and card for his preschool teacher. I'm very happy he got this teacher, she taught my oldest son and is wonderful. I was going to fill the can with school supplies, but I know she loves chocolate, so I filled it with Dove Chocolates. Hope it will make her day a little sweeter. The adorable teacher stamp is from Rubber Romance, I love how hip and fashionable she is!

Fingers crossed that tomorrow goes well for the kids. I know I'll be a wreck, but hopefully they just go and have fun. We'll head to Rita's for Italian Ices after school, it's our first day of school tradition, started when Cal was in preschool.

Card and Can Recipe:
Stamps: Rubber Romance
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: PTI ssw, Raspberry Fizz, DCWV school stack
Embellishments: Paint can from AC Moore, copics, crystal effects, Spica pens, assorted ribbons, Fiskars border punch, nesties

Sugar Bowl with Buttons

I've got tons of buttons that I don't use enough, so I was excited to see this fun Sugar Bowl challenge. The sketch was fantastic and the twist was to use some buttons. I also love this retired dsp by Stampin UP, it's called Jersey Shore, too bad it's not available anymore. The orange and blue combination really appeals to me.

I love these Gorjuss Girls stamps from Sugar Nellie, they are so sweet. I only bought one set so far, but am feeling the need to order more. I wanted to see if I could make them work. They are slightly goth, and I don't usually go for that look, but now that they are here I love them!

Off and running, hubby needs the computer for an online fantasy football draft this evening. I promised I'd be quick with my post. Have a wonderful evening. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girl Flower Girl
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Only Orange, Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi, Jersey Shore dsp, PTI ssw
Embellihments: Primas, SU ribbon, PTI buttons, embroidery floss, Fiskars border punch, dimensionals, copics and copic spica glitter pens

Rubber Romance baby card

I used this adorable stamp from Rubber Romance to make a baby card for a dear friend who had a baby a few months back. She is a strawberry blond, do I tried to get the hair color right. I love to paper piece, and many of the Rubber Romance stamps, especially the Divas, lend themselves well to this. Boy, I wish I looked this good as a new mom!

We are in the getting ready for school mode here. Everyone needs new sneaker, so maybe we'll head to StrideRite today.

Hope you are having a great week!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Rubber Romance
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: DCWV patterned paper, PTI ssw, Certainly Celery
Embellishments: copics, Robin's Nest metalic dew drops, Lime ice stickles, dimensionals, SU grosgrain ribbon, SU silver cord, Dress it Up pacifier button