Just Because and a Valentine Cards

Happy Monday blogland. Today I wanted to pop in here and share a couple of cards I made. The first is for our Aunt, who is 94 (I think) and hasn't been feeling to well. She got diagnosed with phenomena at the same time as I did, but she is still not feeling to well. I wanted to send her something just for a pick me up...and the second is a Valentine's card with a little pull out tag for a gift card.....ENJOY!!!

I used rubber stamps from Inky Antics...I just love this collection...I paired it with Recollections pattern paper and black jewels--Prima flowers and swirlies-- Ranger stickles and distress inks

I also used a leather frame from Making Memories to pop the inside saying up.. Here's a Valentine's card that I made using things from my already made stash...lol...super simple card....I can't remember how I cut the heart out or the plate I used to emboss it....sorry...I used a tag bag and made a tag for a gift card....

here's the inside....super simple....

tag pulled out

backside of tag where you can add a gift card....

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Well peeps, I hope everyone has a wonderful and sunny day...I'm off to tear down wallpaper....next on the list for the house renovations that I've been working on this past year....what fun....Hugs from Charm City...

Thank You

Happy hump day peeps....I know..I know..it's two days in a row...I tell ya, I'm going to get back into the swing of things little by little....The sun is shining right through my window here blinding me as I type ......so that makes me believe it's going to be a lovely day in the neighborhood...lol......Well any whooooo--I just wanted to pop in here and say good morning--and to share a card I made a couple days ago.......ENJOY!!!!!

This card (sorry for the photos--it was raining all day yesterday) was made using bits and pieces of past cards that I was working on and never had finished...the background was made using distress inks...and then I sprayed a layer of silver shimmer spritz from Tsukineko....kind of cool stuff...then embossed using distress embossing powder for the snowflakes....hand dyed doily for flower--used a Magnolia stamp--MS punch--Prima flowers and other odds and ends.. here's the inside...you can kind of see the snowflakes...I actually made this background back at Christmas time for a card, but never finished it.... **************** I hope that everyone has a sunny day....I'll be back...I would love to share some of my Christmas projects that I made using stuff from around the house.....Hugs from a sunny Charm City

CLP Sketch Challenge #43

Good morning blogland...it's been quite awhile since my last visit. As you know, I am in the process of purging...our "stuff" that we have acquired over the years. So this past year I have been purging, painting and redecorating. Not to mention the countless hours I did on the landscaping last spring and summer. Well since the holidays, I have come down with pneumonia and it's been quite a show stopper. These past few weeks there's been nothing but misery. But as I sit here typing, I do see light at the end of the tunnel. Thank Goodness!!!!

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I wanted to tell everyone that I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday and all is well with you and your families. We had a wonderful holiday to. I have missed everyone so much. And do hope to be able to play more with challenges....and I do have some exciting news coming soon. So stay turned for further details....

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Yesterday I was over peeking at Eulanda's blog and drooling over all of her creations and seen a post for CLP's sketch challenge. I went over and got the sketch and decided to play...yah!!! If you only knew how long it's been since I've been in here to play in my room....it's a fun sketch, so hop on over and play along this month....ENJOY!!!!!

Here I used a kit that I had put together awhile ago and had in my to do box. I have wanted to play with these images like forever...They are from BoniBleaux Designs .....I'm sorry I don't have a direct link, but go and check out the digi's that Miss Boni has there....

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paper from Basic Grey--Distress inks--KI quote and metal hinges (I do believe)--Making Memories brads--and just some netting off of my tiki bar....

here's the inside....this quote I thought fit the image....doesn't he look guilty...of something...lol....Karen Foster bull--Making Memories frame--Jolee's Boutique owl...

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Well I do hope to start visiting all my peeps here....thank you for being such an inspiration to me. If you get a chance stop over at CLP and play along this month with the sketch.......Hugs from Charm City.....

Tiddly Inks Anything Goes Challenge--Ornament Gift Box

Well-- How the hell has everyone been? It's been months and months since my last visit to my playroom to play.....I have been so busy with redoing the inside of our house from top to bottom--head to toe--purging--painting and redecorating that I just haven't had time to play. But I made an executive decision to make a point to play this morning that I made a couple of projects for the challenge over at Tiddly Inks.... ENJOY!!!!!!

here I used a snowman from the inky critters collection ......paired it with the pie box from My Scrap Chic's 30 boxes and more cut files....I added a bunch of ribbon and some pom pom fringe around the side and made a clay tag from polymer clay to hang from the side....

just an open shot with the shredded stuff...don't think I'll like this stuff... here is the full on open view....I really need to add some cardstock to the inside just to cover up the print lines...this particular box I printed it out onto my cardstock and then used my scissors to cut it out. That's what I like about this place...they give you all sorts of options in one file on how you want to use them, instead of only one option. Print or cut...

Just a view of the back....the string is to hold the lid closed. I opted to make this into a hanging gift box to add to the tree so I needed some way to keep the lid closed....I just used 2 brads and a piece of twine....

Here's the second project for the challenge using snowman sid....just a quick card I made using some scraps from the box above....I also used the bracket card cut from the 30 boxes and more files from My Scrap Chic....the frame was cut using one from Pazzles....greeting and light from Studio G....

Well if you haven't already seen the collections that Christy has over at The Scrap Chic--Tiddly Inks for cut files. You should pop on over....they are soo adorable...and I knew I just had to have them. After all, paper piecing was my first love of paper arts...I did purchase the new release collection this morning for 60 % off....can you believe that...everything in the store is 60% off right now...and that my friend is a BARGAIN!!!! Remember these aren't just cut files, you can print and cut them out with your scissors as well.....go ahead, pop over and see what you've been missing....I did....lol....thanks Christy for such fun images to play with....I can't wait to use these.....

Well that's all I have for this time....I do hope to be back to a normal schedule...I have missed everyone so much these past few months and can't wait to make my way around to visit everyone....I hope that you all have a wonderful Sunday....Hugs from a very SWEET Charm City....

Tiddy Inks--Macabre Monday--PaperTake Weekly Challenges

Happy Sunday Peeps...So much has been going on here that I finally broke down and took some time for myself yesterday and this morning.....so this will be a quick post, but I will come back later to fill in the details on how I made this. So if you're interested, please stop back later.....ENJOY!!!!!!

I needed something for my front door and this is what I came up with...I made it for the following challenges.....3 of them...can ya believe it...I'm lucky just to make something, let alone it fit for 3 challenges.....wooty woot woot...lol.....

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Tiddy Inks--Good-Bye Summer--Hello Fall

Macabre Mondays--HDH105--P.M.S.

PaperTake Weekly--Anything Goes

this all started with the glitter alpha's...I was just going to make some little scored Florette's for the letters to sit on, but it ended up being quite a huge piece...

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to make the background medallion, I used 2 sheets of 12x12 cardstocks in 2 different colors/papers of choice...

cut 6x12

going across the top should be the 6" and down the 12"

now score every half inch

fan fold

glue all sides together to make this medallion

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images from Tiddy Inks. (tree-spider web backgound-christmas ornaments)...I used silver glitter (dry)--glitter glue and Distress embossing (weathered wood--fences)...red distress stickles for the hair...border punches (gooey-birds-fence)...alphas from ColorBok which I adhered to skewers and trimmed off....I really need to add some ribbon to them....and just added little dots of silver glue and added black pearls to go around the frame.....I colored everything in with distress inks...

just a closer shot... I really need to do something with the halloween ribbon...it's just not finished...lol....I popped the center frame up using poster board but I doubled the thickness....this gave me room for the skewers to stick into... I hope everyone has a wonderful sunny day...I'm off to make a cake and a pot of lasagna....and I'm behind...lol....I'll be back later to update....Hugs from a cloudy Charm City...

You Know You're Children are Getting Old When....

It's another beautiful day in the neighborhood friends. I thought I'd share a couple more photos and some teenager bits that I realized this past weekend. If you have teenagers in your nest, have you seen this to?.....ENJOY!!!!!

the above photo was taken at Kait's party with some of her friends...this year she invited a boy from school (apparently they like each other)...and the other boy is one of her friends BF...well any way onto what I seen during this day....it started off great...the kids were having fun....then it was time to eat...well can I say this group, not a one of them, had anything to eat. They would not eat in front of each other. Not only that, they didn't go swimming either. Now, at past birthday parties, that is the first thing the kids always did. Got suits on and jumped in the pool. But not this year. No one hit the pool until after the boys left......lol...look how they celebrated...

now look at how much fun they are having....lol....I remember those days of playing chicken in the pool... They had a blast into the night......we lit the torches and they all enjoyed a night swim followed by hide and seek in the dark.....oh and yes, they all came in as soon as the boys had left to get some food...lol...you should have seen it...they were all to funny....like busy little ants looking for food....lol....they were all crackin me up... if there is one little tidbit I could share, it would have to be--make sure you have an outlet for each guest that stays for a sleep over....I learned the hard way...every single girl brought their chargers for their phones and ipods...we were running around looking for open outlets.... after all it is a play toy kind of world!!!! LOL!!! Well bloggers, I hope you have a sunny day...hope to see you soon!!! Hugs from a sunny Charm City...

Hello There...

Happy Monday my bloggin friends. It's been awhile since my last post. So much has been going on here on the home front that has been keeping me away from here. First we welcomed into this world, a new member of our family--Ryleigh Ann---7/8...9lbs 9ozs...Mommie and baby are doing great...I have a photo of her down below taken this past weekend......Enjoy!!!!

Ryleigh Ann at hospital...look how pudgy her cheeks are...she just makes ya want to kiss her all over...lol... and here is lil Miss Kait...we just celebrated her 13th birthday this past weekend...it was so nice to be able to sit with family and friends....I never knew it would have been like pulling teeth to get a fondant cake made for me. I tell ya, I am seriously thinking about going into the fondant cake business....at least here in our area, no one truly could make me a zebra stripped 3 tier fondant cake....I was simply astonished...I know fondant takes a little more time to make, but it was the zibra stripes and hot pink I was asking that couldn't get done....go figure---right....a friend of my DD's mentioned that Mike's had these fondant sheets and one was zibra...so I bought some of these and added it to the side of the cake myself...I ended up having a one tier plain white fondant cake with 36 hot pink cupcakes....I added a black platter with a hot pink boa and some of that silver shredded packing stuff to give it a little more glitz....lol....over all, the kids liked it...

lookie...she's simply just adorable....

here's little man using all of that energy he has bottled up...lol...

here he is taking a break...lol...ya right...can ya tell he was playing hard at MeMe's house...

I just thought I'd share some of my flowers on the patio that I am so proud of myself... I simply can't grown anything...I plant-- then it dies...but this year I voved to make sure I spent the time that is needed to take care of them...and this is what I got....

I tried to create a little privacy wall here....

this past summer has been one of work work and then some more work....I started with redoing our master closet and added the closet organizer....then went onto the yard and dug and moved plants till I couldn't dig anymore...then moved back inside to move our now teenager into a bigger bedroom (which was our storage room)..so needless to say, there was so much work just in clearing it out...then I tore up the carpet and those damn fricken carpet strips...I hate those things...lol...I tell ya, I appreciate carpet layers even more now...I painted and then layed tile in her bedroom...I know tile--right...we had carpet ordered but she wanted tile...and it really does look good...then I added insult to injury I moved 3 yards of mulch (hubby helped alittle)...I do have a week now that I'm seriously thinking about just doing a hole lot of nothing...but relaxing and curbing it pool side...school starts in a week and at the same time our DD is coming in from out of town with our three other little GB's to visit for a week....so next week will be a hopping one...but an enjoyable one...I sooooo can't wait to have all of my babies and their babies in one room....it's been a few years...just thinking about it brings sunshine to my soul....SMILE....

Well peeps...I hope I haven't bored you...I just wanted to pop in here and say hi to all of my friends...I have really missed everyone over the summer..I hope yours has gone as planned and that you were all able to enjoy family and friends as well....I'm hoping to join in on a couple of challenges this week and do some visiting....I really miss my playroom...lol.....Have a sunny day...and always remember to smile---it makes your heart happy.....Hugs from Charm City..

Macabre Monday HDH095 From the Bone Pile

Good evening everyone...Happy Pre-Fourth for our American families here...I have always enjoyed this holiday with all of the family get together, fireworks and not to mention all of the grilling...off the smell of someone cooking on a grill in the neighborhood...yummy...lol...

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Tonight I wanted to share a card I made for Macabre Monday over at HDH....ENJOY!!!!

the challenge this week was to use your scaps....and what a great challenge this was...this is something that I don't normally do, so they just keep piling up...

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pattern paper (pebbles inc.) were scraps I had that I just made a card for a week or so back...I thought it was perfect for this image(just inklined) to...I had the tag already stamped and inked, all I added were the pearls, clock hands --ribbon --image and the rub on...

Well peeps...I am off to bed...I do hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend....stay safe....Hugs from Charm City...

Tiddy Inks Sugar and Spice Challenge

Welcome to another week the chapters in our life...lol...today I'd like to share a card for Tiddy Inks Sugar and Spice challenge. Make a sarcastic or humorous card......ENJOY!!!!!

here I used the Watts family to go along with the funny I found on the net....see what happens when Daddy forgets Mommy's birthday....lol.... here' the inside.....well friends to is a really short post...I need to get back to work....thanks for stopping by and I hope to be able to spend some time to visit and relish in all the glories from everyone....Have a Sunny Day!!!! ...Hugs from Charm City....

Happy Baby Party Day Diaper Cake

Happy Saturday....today is our DD's baby shower and this is what I ended up making for her party...I originally wanted to make the baby skull but that kind of got ix-nayed....lol...so here's baby Minnie in all her Glory....ENJOY!!!!

I used 110 NB diapers to make the layers and only one tall baby bottle...the bottle doesn't go all the way up....I like it that way so I can remove the top layer if needed....I loved the texture that the silver packaging gives this project.....

and here's just a little cutie that I added to her bag of goodies.....isn't she darling!!!! LOL... Baby's first piggy bank.... just a front view.....Well peeps, I hope that everyone has a great weekend.....Hugs from Sunny Charm City......

HDH094 Menacing Mermaids Challenge

Happy Tuesday all...today is a short post, but I wanted to share an envelope I made for Macabre Mondays at HDH...so this was my take on this very cool challenge (love love love mermaids).....ENJOY!!!!

(click on photos for bigger view)

I took an 11"X14" manila envelope, folded it where I needed the crease to be, and started layering rubber stamps to make a scene.,..I really don't care for the "to box", the black squiggle's is suppose to be a black cat...but since I've had way to much coffee this morning, I kind of smudged it abit....ok way bits...lol.....I used my very dusty stipple brushes along with Rangers nibs and cosmetic applicators to color everything in....

Rubber stamps used are:

Smeared Ink--Mermaid

StampScapes--brookside boulders, crooked limb, tiki huts

Rubber Stampede--fern leaf

Inkadinkado--web, crows and black cat

Studio G--bat

Alexa Stamping--grass (bottom)

See D's--quote boxes

here's the back side where the "from" will be.... *********

Well peeps, I'm suppose to be painting today and instead I'm in here....shhh, don't tell hubby...I just have to do double time now....lol...only so many hours in a day......Thanks Minions for such a fun challenge....if ya get a chance, stop on over and play along this week....we all have a mermaid in our stash somewhere....Hugs from a cloudy Charm City.....

HDH093--and Happy Father's Day

Good Morning blogland. Today marks for a special day for all of you father's out there. I hope you enjoy your day with your families.

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Today is a quick post to share a card I made for Macabre Monday Challenge over at HDH093. It's been awhile since I've had a chance to play along and I really enjoyed this challenge. Distressing---Love it!!! ---ENJOY!!!--

here I used an image from Kenny K-Anime Girl--colored her in with Prisma pencils--I also got to use the Skulz (from the eye popping line from Gloria--love your new stuff there girlie) pop dotted onto a bat sticker from Recollections--Inkadinkado greeting--Recollections for splat rubber stamp, skull and rhinestones--Making Memories metal moon--MS and EK for border punches--Deckled embossed die from Spellbinders--Pebbles Inc for paper...other sequins --front view-- here you can see that I bowed out the top border to give it some dimension...torn the paper and added a little stone for an accent... ***************** Well Peeps...I'm off and running for the day...we have a very busy one scheduled ahead of us...I hope everyone has a sunny day filled with alot of memories to cherish....Hugs from Charm City......

Tiddy Inks Simplify Challenge

Happy Thursday bloggers...It's such a pretty one here, but I do believe we are expecting some rain sometime today. We could use it though......anywhoooo, I would love to share a card I had made for Tiddy Inks Simplify challenge....make a one layer card...anyone who knows me, knows I just can't do one layer cards..I need "STUFF"...the more the better...*smile*...so this is my attempt at making a one layer card....ENJOY!!!!

Images I used were bathing beauty-- going swimming-- going swimming boy-- light my life--harmony border-- hoppy sleepy wishes (sentiment)-- cloudy with a chance of sun...the ones without links I think were freebies...I can't seem to find them in the store....

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I wanted to try and make a 3-D look with a 2D feel...I used Microsoft Word to create my scene using all of the images. I started using the harmony border as a photo frame (kind of sorts)...I added an oval frame making the black outline at 3" to give it a frame...added the rest of the images inside and colored everything in using my Prisma pencils...I cut the image out and made a shaped card by just wet gluing the top tabs to back of card......it's alittle wonky, and the oval is off center, but I do love how it turned out for being a flat card.....

just a front view.....

here's the inside....I used StampScapes for the tiki huts and quote from Sweet Pea Stamps (plate 101)...MS border punch along with a EK circle punch for bottom corners.... just a side view.... *************************** Well I hope if you get a chance, and really want a challenge, this one's for you...stop on over and see what the team has created for this challenge...they totally knocked it out of the park (as they always do)....thanks girls for a great one this week...... ************ I hope everyone has a wonderful and sunny day.....Hugs from Charm City...

PaperTake Weekly--Anything Goes

Smack me in the head Batman, it's another card for a challenge....lol...Happy Thursday peeps...just think, one day closer to the weekend...not that matters here, just means more work to do with Hubby home....I tell ya, I have been working on redoing our landscape in the flower beds...been digging plants up and relocating them to other beds...trying to get that curb appeal thing going on again...lol...not to mention, that they have just gotten to big for the places I had them planted in....this is what I have been doing these past couple of months (not to mention, taken the master bedroom's closet apart)....at the same time I had decided to truly do the "DIET" thing once again....and really apply myself...so far it's been working...I have gone down 2 sizes in my clothes and it feels great....I was watching an infomercial one morning after work and it totally motivated me...it was the Zumba Training one...have you seen it? Know about this program? I have been reading and talking to others about this and they totally are in love with it....I have yet to get the DVD's or sign up for a class, but I have checked out some DVD's from the library and like them.... *********************

I want to thank everyone that has asked and wondered how I've been doing....you all make me smile...thank you...and that really is something I've needed for a time now..... ***************************

I guess when one gets to what we think is middle age, then you look at life through different glasses....re-evaluating everything....kwim??? And my health right now is a priority...you know, the most important thing to oneself, but tends to get shoved aside in the everyday hustle and bustle of what we call life...a few months back, things were done and said that really made me WAKE UP!!! So this is the first part of me waking up...lol....so to speak...

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I have missed everyone here (more than you really can know)...and have truly missed being creative....in here that is....lol...although I have been doing research on backyard designs...and in my design that I came up with is a little section that I have designated for a (pirate/beach theme ) mini-golf pad(s)...I know, I know....but I believe that everyone will have some great times playing this all year.... I'm looking to make one that you would find when on vacation...with all the bells and whistles...sound like fun?!!! Lol..

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Anywhoo, I've talked your ears off....sorry about that....Here's my entry into this weeks challenge over at PTW anything goes plus one....hop on over and play along this week....ENJOY!!!!!

I truly am sorry about the photo...Me, camera and white spaces are like oil and water...lol...I used a rubber stamp from Kraftin Kimmie (Drucilla)...ain't she perdy....she actually is holding a pin in her right hand, but it got cut off....I used the felt flower roll and pearls from Queen and Co, Prima flower, Cosmo Cricket alpha stickers with stickles and tulle...the finished size is 4 1/2"...

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Well blogland...I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend ahead...and thanks again for all your thoughts....Hugs from a very sunny and hot Charm City....