Crazy 4 Challenges Sketch and Pizza Box Birthday Set

Happy Tuesday...Here's a new challenge site and I wanted to share it with everyone. This is their first week and it's a sketch challenge, the one posted below. If you get a chance pop on over and check out their blog and what the DT has done with this sketch. It's called Crazy 4 Sketches....

The card below is what I made for the sketch.

The birthday set below I made for our little one's friend (backyard friend as we call her) ..lol..They have been fence friends ever since they have been little. And now they are both in Middle School. She had an under the sea party this past weekend and this is the little set I made. I made a pizza box to store her little goodies inside. On the card and box I did the allegator faux technique. My first time trying this out. The mermaid was cut from Life's a Beach Cricut cart @ 4" and 5"...I added stickles to the hair, flower and little top and some glittery beads stuff to her tail.

You can kind of see the technique. It was abit hard to take a photo of it.

I also made the background paper using white cardstock, acrylic paints and some more of the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. After that dried I embossed the whole piece using the technique.

Well thanks for stopping in. I hope everyone has a lovely day. Hugs from Charm City....

2S4Y--Kazan's Sketch 34 Challenge

Happy Saturday all. I can't believe I finally finished this card for Kazan's sketch this week. I really enjoyed the sketch to. It seems like the sketches are gettin easier and easier for me to do. And I'm really liking the out come of them. Pop on over to 2 Sketches 4 You and see what other inspiration there is.... OMGosh....they are rockin the house right now. Here's the sketch here's the inspiration..I forgot to grab the link where I found this photo....sorry

and here's my card that I made. I really challenged myself this time. I don't normaly use yellow or rubber stamps (not for the whole project) , but I did here. The background was stamped with clear resist, added clear embossing and heated, then I sprayed Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (lemon zest) to the top layer. And when they say lemon zest, they really mean it. I also added a second layer of the chandilier with pop dots behind it. The flower was one of those really huge ones from the craft store. I did a gathering stitch in the cented of it to make it abit smaller and added a couple layers of the glimmer mist to it so it could match the paper. I'm really thinking it needs something around the sides, but I'm trying to resist the urge and not add anything more to this card.

Well, I'm off for now. Think I might go and do some of my weekend chores. Like take a nap or something....lol...have a beautiful day....hugs from a very sunny Charm City

A Recipe Challenge

Good morning everyone. It's another challenge from The Pink Elephant. This one is a recipe challenge. We were to use 1 ribbon, 2 squares and something that sparkles. I eneded up making 3 cards with this challenge. Can you tell I had alot of fun with it. There are still some days left to play along. So hop on over and hang out with everyone. You can click on the photos to get a better view.

I really like how this card turned out. I have been wanting to use this felt flower border ever since I purchased it a few years ago. I just never really knew how to use it. So I covered one of the squares with it. Simple, but I love the contrast up against the white background. I am also determined to use up more of my "older" supplies. I'm planning on sending this card to DH. We are in a little rut right now, so I thought this would pick him up abit. I hope he'll like it.

This card is soo me....lol...anything rustic and old looking. Here, I used some stamps that I purchased last year and I think I have only used once. The snow flakes at the bottom are actually embossed cardstock from the Cuttlebug and I cut each piece out by hand. I used the Distress stickles for the red and some regular star dust stickles for the clear. The paper is KI Memories and some craft cardstock that I added Distress ink to the top.

Just a simple Halloween card that I used some of those Sandylion Essentials stickers. I have a ton of these little packs and I want to use them up. The trick or treat is a gel thingy from Karen Foster. And the ribbon has these bats and cats sewn into it. I have had this ribbon for years to.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day. It's a very beautiful day here in Charm City. We've turned the air off this week and have opened up the windows. Nothing better than fresh air flowing through the house. It's starting to feel abit like fall. I LOVE IT!!!! No more swelling...lol... Hugs from Charm City

The Pink Elephant Sketch Challenge

Happy Saturday. Since my last post, we have been very busy here. We had our DD's birthday party, our middle daughter came home for a visit. And our little one started school. So it's been very busy and hectic here in our home these past few weeks. Not to mention, DH has been laid off for 3 weeks now. So, with him home, I really don't get to play much. But today I took my morning and made a couple of cards for the sketch challenge over at The Pink Elephant. I had alot of fun playing with this. If you get a chance pop on over and check out their challenges they do every week. They are alot of fun. here's the sketch

I made this one using the sketch above. I needed a card for our little one to send her Grandmother. They went shopping, had lunch and even went and did their nails together. They both had a great time but I know Grandmom was abit worn out after her day. The inside is blank so our little one can hand write a note of thanks to her.

just a close-up of the Distress Crackle paint I used on the chipboard.

Here's the second card I made for the sketch. I was in a grunge Halloween mood..lol...I just love Halloween. I colored in this digi stamp (from Scrapping Doodles) with Copics and then did a layer of Vintage Photo Distress ink over top og the entire card.

Here's a card I made using my Pazzles Machine. It was one of the free clipart that comes with the program and I just welded a second piece to make a cutout card. I took my Big E off my table and put my Pazzles in it's place. I am determined to get to know this machine inside and out now.

The inside just says Happy Halloween.

Well thanks for stopping in. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Hugs from Charm City

TPE Color Challenge--Happy Birthday

Good Morning---I can't believe that I already made this one for The Pink Elephant challenge. I needed a really fast card this morning and thought of their challenge that was just posted. We were to use brown, turquoise and neutral colors. I've had this paper from Cloud 9 Designs that fit perfectly. Although the photos don't do this card justice, it looks so much better irl... (You can click on the photos for a better view)

I used the birthday Cuttlebug embossing plate and sandpapered the embossed part. I really need to use that machine more to. I also used the skull from Tim Holtz' grungeboard and added Distress Crackle paint to that. The starburst brad is one of my favorites right now from Karen Foster. They are just soo fun and adds some great texture. I also pierced holes around the card and circles and roughed up the edges for a distressed look.

the inside view

just alittle closer view of the crackle skull. I just love this stuff and always love the chance to use it on something....lol...(even my bathroom walls--the real stuff though)....

Well have a great day and stop on over at The Pink Elephant and play along with the challenge this week. They have the best challenges and the Design Team totally ROCKS!!!! Thanks again ladies for another great challenge!!!! Hugs from Charm City

The Pink Elephant Challenge

Happy Sunday everyone. I have to make this a quickie. DH is on my behind about gettin outside and "takin care of business"...I didn't think I was going to make this weeks challenge over at The Pink Elephant, but I just squeezed this one in. The challenge was to use 2 brads, a flower and pattern paper. This is what I came up with. I have to say though, I just love- love- love these stamps from Starving Artist. I know they are last years designs, but they are kind of new to me. I just picked them up at the convention in Ocean City this summer and have adored them ever since. If you get a chance, hop on over there and check out what they have. They are just the cutest little stamps you've seen. They also have a very inspiring design team. The inspiration came from Michelle Zindorf. I'm so trying to make stamped cards and new techniques and I find her very inspiring. She is one lady who totally ROCKS. Take some time and visit her blog to. You won't be disappointed. The flower is 2 circles and I just cut slits and grunged up. I also added a third circle to the center and added my 3 brads. I couldn't find any pattern paper that I liked, so I took this yellowish/orangish pattern paper from Cosmo Cricket and added brushed corduroy distress ink to it to mute the color some. That is what I made the flower from to. This is the inside view. I'm thinking I'll send this one off to Aunt Rene (who is 92yrs old) this year for her Halloween card. I think she'll get a kick out of it... Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. Try to stay cool. It's another skorcher out there today for us here. Hugs from Charm City...

2S4Y--Kazon #32--Grandma's Secret Cookie Recipe

Happy Saturday everyone. Here's a card I made this week for Kazon's sketch over at 2S4Y. I had alot of fun making this card. I thought this would be a fun way to send Grandma's secret cookie recipe to our DD that lives in Michigan. I used one of those coin envies that you get from the stationary shop. The stitching around the edges didn't turn out so good, but I kind of like it. It reminds me of it being aged by the stitching falling out. Thanks for a great sketch to play with Kazon.

I made a double sided pocket to go inside the envie to hold the ingredients on one side and the how to on the other side.

I have to show you these really (I think) cool photos that I made using a couple programs. Next week is DD's birthday. We decided to get her her own digi camera. This morning I opened the box and some software came in it. I wanted to load everything so when she got her camera she would be ready to go. Well, there was this really cool program called Morpheus on it. So I started playing around with an old photo just to see what it would do. I just love it. I am invisioning myself using this program alot to distort photos...lol...the first photo I made using the program. The other photos I used Paint Shop Pro on top of the first photo using different effects that come with the program. I have been up since about 2am this morning and this is what I have been playing with. ...lol...click here and you can download a free trial version of this software. Just a little tidbit, I did notice that it took the photo and did an automatic sizing. I had to go into the timeline drop down menu at the top and changed it to the biggest size available to be able to print a nice size photo. You can save to avi files, animation or just a plain jpeg. There are other ones there to, but these were the one's that I was interested in. So if you try this software out, I'd love to see what you make with it. It's really alot of fun to play with.

above photo is the original

above photo is how I distorted it using the Morpheus program

the above photo I used pencil in the effects menu using Paint Shop Pro. I also added starbursts and sunlight to the second layer before changing it to pencil...

above photo I used topography in the effects menu using Paint Shop Pro

Thanks for stopping in this morning and I hope you all ahve a lovely weekend. Hugs from a very muggy Charm City

The Pink Elephant and Caardvarks Challenges

Happy Sunday!!!!! Just a quick post today. The cards below I made for the challenges over at the Pink Elephant (sketch challenge) and Caardvarks (make a baby/bridal theme card/project) sites. I really enjoy their challenges and have missed playing along these past few weeks. So I thought I would sit down and make these cards....Enjoy!!! The stamped image is from Motivet Rubber Stamps...I just love all of their fun stamps that they offer and wanted to use this darling smiley little stamp to bring some sunshine on this dreary day here...Normally I don't use colors like these--so I am way out of my element---but she is just fun and I wanted to use some cheery bright colors. What do you think? Did I achieve it? The clear photo turns and snaps are from Tim Holtz' collection and the silver brads are from The Little Black Dress. I know the coloring is still off, but I'm still working on that... I used the Life is a Beach and Wedding Cricut carts for these cutouts. I also glued real sand onto cardstock, tore and then inked the edges. I have noticed there are more and more weddings happening at the beach than a traditional church wedding. This could be used for either a bridal party invite or even a wedding invite. Something simple but fun. Well I hope everyone has some sunshine going on in their part of the world today. It seems like we have been getting alot of rain here. Although we really do need it, I really need to get outside and finish my projects that I started for the "yearly birthday party" bash for our little one coming up in 2 weeks. So wish us luck....Hugs from Charm City

I'm Back....

It's been almost a month since my last post. If you are like my family and Me, summers are soo busy and hectic. Not to mention, my truck was in the shop for almost 2 weeks. Good 'ol Betsy needed a break. She was just to tired and worn...lol...but now she's back and running like tip top shape. ...I really missed her.

The baby is gettin soo big and "HAPPY"...he smiles and laughs at almost everything. I've been taking little videos of him on my camera. I want to make a dvd of all of the little clips of his first year. I thought this would be such a great thing for our daughter to have later down the road. They just went on vacation to South Carolina this past week and came back and asked us how we would feel if they moved there? Now, mind you, I would never stop any of my children from doing what they want. But it will sadden me if they actually do move there. We have 3 grandbabies that live in another state with our middle daughter. So we don't get to see them much. And now if our eldest daughter moves, then we will once again have another state to visit to be able to see them. Ohh the woes of being a parent.

On a lighter note, I was able to get in a couple cards and a layout....Enjoy...

This is our 3rd little grandbaby. I took this on a visit when they came here last summer. I brought in the ric rak from her little hat onto the layout.

I actually made this card for a challenge on Paper Craft Planet a couple weeks ago. I wasn't able to upload this to their site though. They challeged everyone for a no layers card. And this is what I came up with....

here's a stamp that I don't think I have ever used. One morning I just took it and made this card.

and here's a card playing around with a little stamp set that I have never used before either. The whole card is stamped, inked and colored in with Prisma's....

I wanted to say thank you to everyone that visits me everyday. Come back and visit again soon as I hope to have new projects up. I'm working on some new ideas using my big E for wood working. Have a Happy weekend...Hugs from a stormy Charm City...

Happy Birthday America--and A Pink Elephant Challenge

Woohoo...don't you just love a birthday party.... I do... Our DD is having a party at her house today...I think we are going to stay home tonight and not do fireworks. I did however buy some for our little one, but she's staying over at her sisters house. So maybe we will do those next weekend and I'll let her have some friends over and do some swimming and roast marshmellows. Sounds like a plan---Stan...lol...that has been in my head for weeks now...I don't know what the song is, but it kind of goes like, take a little plan Stan don't need to rush no, hell, I don't remember the words... drop off the key Lee and set yourself Free...lol...I think I had heard that on the radio one morning and can't seem to get it out of my head....anyone know the title/words?

On a lighter note, The Pink Elephant is having another challenge. I soo love their challenges. Even though I have only done one and now this is my second, I really enjoy their blog and challenges. This weeks challenge is to use your Favorite Color Combo ...how awesom is that. No sketch, so anything goes, just using your favorite colors. Here's what I came up with. I thought with the 4th coming up this week that I would make a July 4th BBQ invite card. I got out and dusted off my Sizzix red and yellow dies and even used 2 $1.00 stamps that I picked up at AC Moore for this card.

Just a super dupper easy card. I also used my Cuttle Bug and embossed the background of the card and the stars. I have always loved these color combos together. As red is my fav. color and the earth tones reminds me of the beach with black making everything pop off of the page. I even made a layout with the same colors. I had these on my bench so I thought I would take these photos that I just took earlier this week and use them.

The pictures in the photos below I took in our backyard. I did a make shift photo studio with white sheets, our wooden picnic table and our little ones sheer canopy that hangs from the ceiling over top of the bed , strung up from the tree...lol...nothing better than natual lighting...then I did a 4th of July set with our little one and the baby.

(I used 2 clear stamps from KI Memories to make the borders)

these are of our eldest daughter and her little man.. Our first of MANY to come photo shoots. ...heehee...he is so going to hate to come to MeMe's house..

I have to laugh when I look at this photo of him above. If looks could kill...

I tell ya, in the one below, he has such a great set of lungs. He just loves to take a bath, but when we put him in the pool, he didn't want anything to do with it.

Well that's all I have for today. Remember to be safe, have a great time and use tons of sun screen. It's going to be a scorcher today here in Charm City....Hugs....

OCC card sketch

Happy Sunday everyone. I just found this card challenge site--- OCC this morning--- I was in the middle of making a thank you card from our little one to her Grandmom and thought it was perfect for the sketch. I hope she like's it.

I used Tim Holtz' rubber stamps, Distress Crackle paint and inks to create the background. I also stamped on top of the crackle with the little girl to give her that really aged look and colored her in with nibs. Stamped onto the paper with the mesh stamp and then added the white crackle paint over top of that to mute it some. Then took worn lipstick ink and did the direct to paper method and wiped it off. Flowers are from Prima, ribbon from Rebecca Sower and the rhinestones and twine are unknown.

Here are the other two cards I made using the sketch from the Pink Elephant. I really had alot of fun with this sketch..

Well we are off today to my MIL's house for her BBQ/picnic. It'll be such a blast I can't wait. Have a great sunny Sunday....hugs from Charm City

Endless Possibilities CPS121 sketch

Okay--I promise--this is my last post for the day. See what happens when I don't get a chance to post for awhile...I forgot that I had this sitting on my bench and wanted to upload it for the sketch over at CPS for this weeks challenge. I tell ya, I am lovin these challenges. I am getting so many cards made using them.

I used the DCWV paper pack and I think this was a tag from one of our pieces of clothing, but maybe I'm wrong. I could have purchased it from the scrapbook store. Anywhoo, I loved the little quote at the bottom and thought it went perfectly with this paper.

Now I need to get my butt up from here and go take care of business...lol...need to feed the family and take care of some other things. Have a great night...hugs

Woohoo

I am now part of the 2 blog poster club..heehee...Here's a couple more challenges that I just made this morning. They are for 2K4Y and Mojo Monday . This first one is 2K4Y...Here's my take on the challenge...I turned it sideways and played alittle... I know I'm sad. Father's Day was last weekend and I didn't make 2 Father's Day cards yet. I knew I didn't need them until tomorrow when we go over to my MIL's for our cookout. I'm really glad that I waited though. I really loved this sketch and knew I wanted to use it for one of the cards. I just hope my FIL likes it. I actually have 2 FIL's. My DH's parents got "D", and they both remarried. So I'm such a lucky girl. They both are just wonderful men. The stamped images are from Starving Artists. I just picked up my first set of their stamps at the convention in Ocean City MD a couple months ago and have loved them ever since. The next challenge is from Mojo Monday. Here's a birthday card I made for my FIL. Yep, one of them is getting 2 cards tomorrow.... wooho...lucky guy...lol... The stamps I used on this are from Inkadinkado--turtle and quote Hampton Art--tree Stampendous--birthday 2u Autumn Leaves--journaling stamp I also used a file downloaded from Scrapped Lives that she created from the Cricut Design Studio. I can't find her link to her blog, but I'll post it as soon as I do. She is an awesom artist if you haven't been to her blog. Thanks so much for sharing your talent with all of us! This is my last card for now. It's another Father's Day card. My FIL is a Harley man, and I just wanted to make a simple card for him. Thanks for stopping in. I do have some other cards I'm going to try and post in the morning. Have a Happy Saturday everyone...Hugs from Charm City