Pickle Post #33 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge

Hi there! Happy Monday! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! 

This week's challenge is hosted by ME. Hooray! :) It's my first time hosting an AMuse challenge and I am SO excited! My challenge is to create a Thanksgiving card or a holiday themed thank you card. It's that time of year again  - I hope you will get into the holiday spirit, get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win these AMuse Studio goodies!

Who doesn't love free goodies? So please enter your creations! You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week.

Here is what I created for the challenge:

Since we generally don't have leaves changing color here in autumn in Arizona, I decided to create some for my card. :) I used pigment ink in fall colors on sponge daubers to create the colorful leaves. The leaves by the sentiment are embossed with satin pearl embossing powder. I chose cardstock in fall colors to pull the card together. Brown stitched ribbon and pearls add the finishing touches.

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products):
Stamps - 'Autumn Beauty'
Cardstock - Cherry, Vanilla, Latte
Ink - Latte, French Roast, Papaya, Sage, Fern, Evergreen, Orange, Cherry
Other Stuff - Satin Pearl Embossing Powder, French Roast Stitched Ribbon, Chocolate Pearls

I am thankful you stopped by today - I hope you will join me over at the AMuse Challenge Blog this week!

Pickle Post #32 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge

Hi there! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog!

This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Carla, is to dry emboss on your project.
Easy peasy, right? So I hope you get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win AMuse Studio goodies! Who doesn't love free goodies? No tricks, just treats! So please enter your creations!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them used in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge - it's a colorful twist on Halloween! :)

My 'Pick of the Patch' Card: 

This card was planned to be part of last week's AMuse color challenge, but it just wasn't coming together right. Maybe I needed to get closer to Halloween to have the right inspiration! :) The pumpkins and sentiment tag are stamped with pigment ink. The faces are embossed with white embossing powder. The pearls on the tag are colored with Copics. The card base is embossed with a nifty impression plate that is two sided - diamond pattern on one side, woodgrain on the other. Double the fun!

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products): 
Stamps - 'Happy Jacks', 'Mad for Plaids' (zig zag border)
Cardstock - Vanilla, Kraft
Ink - Bubblegum, French Roast, Grass
Other Stuff - Harl/Woodgrain Impression Plate, White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Pearls, Copic Marker E59

Thanks for stopping by today! Leave some love for the team on the challenge blog too!

Pickle Post #31 - Happy Halloween!

Hi there and Happy Halloween!

I wanted to create more cards for today, but this one took a little more time than I thought it would.
It's all about the details! :) I really LOVE the way it turned out and I hope you like it too!

My "Happy Halloween" Card:

I started out using this adorable 'Night Things' stamp from Penny Black. I stamped it a few times and cut out the spider, cat and owl so I could pop them up. I colored all of them with Copics. That perfect background paper from Cosmo Cricket's Matilda paper pad. The sentiment is stamped on a die cut rectangle that I inked with gray and black distress ink. The ghost has a crinkly tissue paper layer glued on top to give him dimension - it was so hard to photograph it so you can see how cute he looks, but I tried!

Stuff I Used: 
Stamps - Penny Black 'Night Things', The Girls Paperie 'Toil & Trouble' (sentiment)
Cardstock/Paper - Cosmo Cricket 'Matilda' 6x6 paper pad, Creative Memories Purple CS, AMuse Studio Vanilla CS
Nesties - Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles
Other Stuff - Black Soot & Pumice Stone Distress Ink, Diamond Glaze, Stampin' Up Dimensionals
Lotsa Copics -

I hope you enjoy a safe and super fun Halloween! Thanks for stopping by!

Pickle Post #30 - OWH Benefit Fundraiser Blog Hop

Hi there and welcome! 

You should have arrived here from Sandy's blog - wasn't her card adorable?! 

Today is a special day because this blog hop kicks off a benefit for Operation Write Home!!  For those of you who aren't familiar with Operation Write Home, they are a non-profit group that collects handmade cards (over a million, so far!) to send to those in the armed forces deployed overseas. Beautiful cards are created by creative crafters like you and me so those serving overseas can communicate with their families and friends back home. OWH is a fantastic organization!

In order to send the thousands of cards that will go out during the holidays, OWH needs extra funds for shipping - about $13,000! - and that is where two digi designers would like to help. :)

Katlyn of KnK Designs has teamed up with Deedee Anderson to create 7 digi sets that are perfect for your OWH cards - or any cards, for that matter!  ALL of the proceeds for these sets (minus PayPal fees) will be donated to OWH - EVERY BIT OF IT!  You can buy the sets separately or in a bundle at KnK Designs HERE- and they are ADORABLE!

If digis aren't your cup of tea but you still want to help, you can donate directly to OWH HERE. I hope you will support such a worthy cause and bring smiles to the faces of many heroes and their loved ones this holiday season!

And what's a blog hop without some candy? :) 

K 'n K Designs has wonderful prize packages for 2 lucky winners! Your comment will enter you into the prize drawing and the winners will be announced Monday, October 24th!  So be sure to leave a comment on each blog so you have a chance to win!

Here is one of the cards I created using the Juniper Bunny digi offered at KnK Designs:

My bunny and the surrounding scene is colored with Copics and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. I layered the card with some fun paper from My Minds Eye. The heart circle is a cute stamp from Bo Bunny and for the finishing touches - AMuse Studio cherry bakers twine and a handmade red heart button by Jane Beljo.

Now hop along to your next stop at Carol's blog - she has some fabulous creations to share! Don't forget to pick up all of those cute digis at KnK Designs!

Thank you so much for hopping by today...and for supporting OWH!

Pickle Post #29 - Spooky Fun Cards with Copics!

Hi there! Sorry I have been kinda absent from the ol' blog!

I started my new job and my schedule has been crazy, so I am tired and lacking creative energy. Last week was orientation - hit the snooze button please LOL! My brain hurts from all of the Power Point presentations and computer stuff and processes! :) Too much sitting and thinking...but it's nice to have extra money to save for my big trip to India with Hubby in the spring! 

Last weekend I was able to go to a Copic crop at my LSS and renew my coloring mojo a bit! I also got to meet one of my fabulous blog buddies, Jan and her talented friend, Dagmar. Talk about fun! I felt like I have known them forever and I can't wait to color with them again soon! It was a lot of coloring for me in one day - there was a shadows and shading class with Jennie Black plus airbrushing galore make and takes included in the crop. I was pretty wiped out by the end of the day, but we made some super cute Halloween cards I wanted to share.

My 'Little Witch' Card (design by Kelly Wann & Danielle Johnson):

This card had a lot of steps but it turned out SOOOOO CUTE! The base was layered with designer paper. The little witch and sentiment were stamped on vanilla cardstock. I airbrushed the edges of the background with Copics, leaving a 'moon glow' center to highlight the image. I sprayed the airbrushed area with a Mini Mister filled with colorless blender. It blended the ink together and gave a speckled effect. The witch, cat, pumpkin and broom were colored with Copics. Gold Stickles made the stars sparkly.

My 'Goth Girl' Card (design by Danielle Johnson):

This card background was also airbrushed and the images were colored with Copics. Not a whole lot of shading because the images are small. Not fancy, just fun! It was much easier than the first card!

Supply lists were not given to us, but I know the names of some of the stamps we used:
Impression Obsession - 'Little Witch'
Inkadinkado - 'Goth Girl' and 'Freaky Halloween' sentiment

I am part of a fun blog hop later this week and I am catching up on my coloring projects, so stay tuned for some pickleicious new stuff. Thanks so much for dropping by today!

Pickle Post #28 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday! It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog!

This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Sherry, is to use stamps to create a custom background.
Easy peasy, right? So get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win AMuse Studio goodies! Who doesn't love free goodies? So please enter your creations!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Autumn Blessings' Card:

I wanted to create something simple but elegant for this challenge. I embossed the french roast card base with a woodgrain embossing plate. I used Versamark Ink and latte pigment ink to emboss the leaves on latte cardstock. To make them pearly, I used Satin Pearl embossing powder. The sentiment was stamped with french roast pigment ink. I used vanilla twill ribbon to finish my card. I think it's rather pretty! :)

Stuff I Used (all AMuse products):
Stamps - 'Autumn Beauty'
Cardstock - French Roast, Latte
Ink - French Roast Pigment Ink,Versamark
Other Fun Stuff - Woodgrain Embossing Plate, Satin Pearl embossing powder, Vanilla twill ribbon

We are gaining lots of support and fabulous followers on the challenge blog - we would love for YOU to come join the fun this week! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #27 - Operation Write Home WCD Holiday Blog Hop!

Hi there and welcome! Happy World Cardmaking Day! :)
Thank you for stopping by my little crafty corner of the blogosphere! 

The theme of the Operation Write Home Blog Hop is holiday cards! Here is where the fun begins!

Every year, OWH sends out thousands of cards to those in the armed forces so they can keep in touch with loved ones back home. Cards are ALWAYS needed. It is a labor of love and completely funded by donations. The postage costs of sending just holiday cards alone this year is estimated to be over $13,000! If you would like to donate, REMEMBER THAT EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS AND IS SO APPRECIATED. It's tax deductible too!

So here is one contribution to my holiday card shipment this year - and there will be more sent along with my donation! :)

My "Celebrate the Season Snowman" Card:

The card is based on a square sketch from the Sketch & Stash Challenge Blog, then added to a standard A2 kraft base. I hand stitched around the edge and along the diagonal with white shiny floss. The snowman is a loved but neglected Penny Black stamp that I colored with Copics. I dotted his buttons with black Enamel Accents. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye '12 Days of Christmas'.

A close up view of the stitching:

Please click on the Blog Hop badge at the top of my post and leave some love for the 150+ loving crafters who worked so hard to bring heroes (and all of us) some holiday cheer today! If you can, please give to this worthy cause. Isn't that what the holidays are all about? :)

Thank you for stopping by today and for supporting OWH!

Pickle Post #26 - Catch up with me...and my He-Art Journal too!

Hi there! Welcome to my new followers - I am always happy to have new blog buddies!

Life catches up to you, even when you run like crazy! This past week has been super nuts - I was involved in a hit & run car accident  - thankfully I'm OK and my car has very minor damage, but I was so angry with the person who did it. There were many witnesses but one actually followed the car and got the license number. I tried to chase them too (yes I am THAT crazy lady...), but the driver was under the influence of something and just hell bent on getting away. They were FLYING through a residential area, over speed bumps, etc., so it was hard to get close to them. THANK YOU, JOE for calling the police and helping me - you are a fabulous young man! :) Chivalry isn't dead, people!

Then my ex mother in law passed away after a lengthy fight with Alzheimer's and all of the health issues that follow. I was very close to her - I have known her since I was 15 years old. My girls are so sad, but we are thankful that she is now at peace and resting with my ex father in law. She has never been the same since he passed away in 2002. Bless her heart - my thoughts and prayers have been with her even though I haven't see her in quite a while.

Last but not least, I have been considering a part time position and possibly going back to work. That has been a crazy mix of do I really want this or not? Interviews, paper work, phone calls, resume...you know how that goes. **Update - I GOT THE JOB.**

My mojo has been lacking because I am exhausted...but I will catch up on my art journal. Not my best work, but it's something creative. I am NOT a mixed media artist - you can tell I am a stamper through and through LOL! So here are my last four assignments.

Week 6 - Text Me:

I decided to stamp a lot of sentiments that I love on the left page and a wonderful list from galadarling.com called '100 Ways to be a Love Letter to the Universe'. I wanted this page to be something I could go back to and read for inspiration! Truly words to live by! :)

Week 7 - Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining:

I LOVE this quote so I made it the border around the pages.

I used crumpled tissue paper for the clouds - on two clouds I painted with diluted blue and white Gelatos and Iridescent Medium and on the other two I used glue and ultra fine silver glitter. The raindrops are glittered with Stardust Stickles. Week 8 - The Power of One:

The assignment was to use one word and create from there. This one highlights my absolute LOVE of dance...between salsa with Hubby and 4 1/2 hours of Zumba a week, this IS my power of one! It is truly my energy, my happiness and my fitness routine all rolled into one.

Just a close up of my tiny dancer - and I look just like her! I WISH LOL! I used pink and purple distress inks and iridescent medium for shine on the background (oh how I LOVE that stuff!). She was colored with Copics.

Week 9 - Cut and Paste:

This assignment required that we take a facial image from a magazine and create a body for it. I liked the way this turned out, but I am not super keen on the background. It's green but looks kinda yellow - and I wanted it more uniform. I guess that's what happens when you stamp after midnight LOL! The girl with the paper pieced flower dress was the highlight for me. I stamped a zillion roses, cut them out and layered them.

The supply list for all of these would be a mile long...if you have any questions, please e-mail me!

MORE NEWS! **PLEASE STOP BY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 - I am going to be part of a HUGE blog hop benefiting Operation Write Home for World Card Making Day! There will be giveaways along the way and a showcase of oodles of creative holiday inspiration that will be sent to those in the armed forces to share with their loved ones here at home! I hope you will stop by and leave some love along the hop for all of these wonderful crafty artists who are committed to this cause!**

I am so glad you stopped by today - your kind comments keep me creating through all of my crazy! :)

Pickle Post #25 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge, hosted by our very own Pamela, is to use twine on your creations. Easy peasy, right? So get creative and enter the challenge this week for a chance to win some AMuse Studio goodies! The more the merrier, I always say!

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Love You to the Core' Card:

My little apple card is sweet and super simple. :) I carefully inked my apple and sentiment with Grass, Cherry and French Roast pigment ink - it's one stamp, so thank goodness for baby wipes! I used Nesties to cut my circle base and oval layers. I layered the ovals on the circle and then glued Cherry Bakers Twine around the edge and tied a bow at the bottom. The finishing touch - a heart shaped twinkle sticker in the center of the apple - you know how I love bling! :) 

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products): 
Stamps - 'Love Conquers All'
Cardstock - Vanilla, Latte Woodgrain
Ink - Grass, Cherry, French Roast
Nesties - Classic Circles & Ovals
Other Stuff - Cherry Bakers Twine, Heart Twinkle Stickers, Crystal Clear Glaze (as glue for the twine)

We are gaining lots of support and fabulous followers on the challenge blog - we need YOU to come join the fun this week! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #24 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge!

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge hosted by our very own Amber is to create your own embellishments for your creations. Some suggestions - color your own pearls, flowers or ribbon, create ribbon flowers, etc.

You don't have to use AMuse Studio products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. I hope you will enter the challenge this week for a chance to win some AMuse goodies! Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'Joy' Card:

It's still a bit too hot in Arizona to feel like it's fall. A little hard to be in holiday card mode, but I decided to create a Christmas card in the nice cool air conditioning. :) I used a maple wooden tag as my DIY embellishment. I applied a base of sugar pigment ink and blended in winter sky (light blue) pigment ink. Then I stamped 'joy' and the holly with blackberry, currant and sage inks. After it dried, I added some diamond glitter to the holly berries using my handy dandy Quickie Glue pen. I embossed the 'from our home to yours' sentiment, then cut out the card base and top layer with my circle Nesties. Pearls added to the scalloped edges finish off the card.

Stuff I Used (All AMuse Studio Products): 
Stamps: 'Mini Holiday Messages', 'Nordic Noel'
Cardstock: Currant, Fern
Ink: Sugar, Winter Sky, Currant, Blackberry, Fern
Nesties: Circles, Scalloped Circles
Other Stuff: 2" Maple Wooden Tags, White Embossing Powder, Creative Candy (Pretty Pearls), Diamond Glitter, Quickie Glue

I can't wait to see what you create! Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #23 - Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown!

Hi there!
Today I am thrilled to share a card I was asked to create as a sample for this weekly challenge at the OWH Stars & Stamps Blog - the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown!

If you aren't familiar with the work of this amazing, tireless organization, check it out HERE.

With the help of countless card makers like you and me, there is a love line of cards and communication between those who are serving in the armed forces and their loved ones back home. I just started my creative box of love that I will send to the OWH mailroom as soon as it's full!

The theme for this week's challenge is 'It's a Bug's Life'. Here is what I created!

My "Bright Bug" Card:

My card is standard A2 size with lots of paper piecing! I used one of my go to favorites - Paper Smooches stamps - along with some yummy Cosmo Cricket paper to create a happy colorful card. I curled the lightning bug's wings a bit for dimension. It's blank inside because I thought it could be used as a Miss You, Love You or Thank You card or simply as a means for writing a letter home to loved ones!

Stuff I Used:
Stamps - Paper Smooches 'Giddy Bugs'
Paper - Cosmo Cricket 'Early Bird' 6x6 Paper Pad, AMuse Studio Cardstock in Vanilla & Buttercup
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black & Rhubarb Stalk

So get out your bug stamps and join in on this week's fun challenge - there's goodies to be won and smiles to be shared! Thanks so much for stopping by today - THAT makes ME smile! :)

Pickle Post #22 - Our Very Happy Anniversary!

Hi there. Let's catch up some more! :)

Over Labor Day weekend, Hubby and I took a lovely vacation to southern California to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast the past two happy years have flown by! It seems like just yesterday that Hubby and I had a beautiful tiny wedding in Chicago.

This is one of my favorite wedding photos - I have it framed in our bedroom. We were so happy that day and I can honestly say we are even happier today! I am very blessed to have this amazing man in my life! He is my bestest friend and the absolute love of my life! I made him an anniversary card but I didn't want to post it here before he saw it in person. It's super cutesy but he loved it. Here it is. :)

My Anniversary Card to Hubby:

It was so hectic before we left on our trip that I had to make a card in record time. I remembered having these super cute Penny Black Hedgie stickers & SRM Sticker sentiments that were perfect for this creative occasion. I found a great tutorial for a window tri-fold card and tweaked it a little to create the window with my Nesties die. It's not a manly card - and we all know I am not good with masculine cards - but it is romantic, sweet and sentimental! :)

Stuff I Used:
Penny Black Stickeroos 'A Bunch of Love', SRM 'Forever' Stickers
Stamps - Penny Black '...everything', AMuse Studio 'Hand Scripted', 'Tweetheart'
Cardstock - AMuse Studio Latte Woodgrain, Sage, Sage/White Gingham
Nesties - Labels 4, Curved Rectangles
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Here is one more photo at our fabulous anniversary dinner at the Blue Point restaurant (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!) in San Diego - it's a bit dark because we were out on the dimly lit patio, but I think you can see the smiles. We were blessed to have some of my family there to celebrate with us!

Forever with Hubby is truly my happy place! Thanks for letting me share our happiness with you!

Pickle Post #21 - AMuse Blog Weekly Challenge - Get Out Your Ribbon!

Hi there! Long time, no posts! Hope you missed me! ;)

I was away on vacation celebrating my wedding anniversary with my wonderful hubby (more on that in an upcoming post) and now I am playing creative catch up. So let's get to it!

It's time for a new challenge on the AMuse Challenge Blog! This week's challenge hosted by our very own Tobey is Ribbons A Plenty - just use some ribbon on your creations and enter them into our challenge! Remember you don't have to use AMuse products to participate, but if you own some, we would love to see them in your creations. Remember - you must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. to qualify to win the AMuse prize of the week. Here is what I created for the challenge.

My 'You're a Hoot' Card:

I used the AMuse stamp set 'Owl's Well'- whoooo doesn't LOVE owls? :) I stamped the owls onto various colors of cardstock, colored them with Copics and paper pieced them. The owl at the center of attention was stamped on white cardstock that was stamped with yellow polka dots. Then I did some paper piecing with orange and white gingham cardstock. I created a branch with leaves using stitched ribbon and attached it to the card with double sided adhesive tape. I lined up our feathered friends on the branch and popped them up with 3D foam adhesive.

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio Products):
Stamps - Owl's Well, Polka Dot Patterns
Cardstock - Sugar, Vanilla, Latte, Sky, French Roast, Orange/White Gingham
Copics - E57, YR09
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Buttercup & French Roast
Other Stuff - Lime & French Roast Stitched Ribbon, 1/4" Super Stick Double Sided Tape, 3D Foam Adhesive, Quickie Glue pen

I hope you will play along this week for a chance to win some AMuse goodies! Thanks for stopping by today!

Pickle Post #20 - He-Art Journal Week 5

Hi there!

I just realized I didn't post my last TGF He-art Journal pages! Sheesh I am always playing catch up! :)
I was playing around with larger font on my last post...I am not sure if I liked it so I am back to the smaller font. Who knows - it may be back LOL! Anyway, back to the journal...!

The theme for last week's assignment was "Pieces of Me". Paper piecing and layering were encouraged. So I took the 'pieces' part and ran with it. :) Here is what I created.

Week 5: Pieces of Me

I paper pieced a zillion small pieces of patterned paper :), adhered them to white cardstock and die cut the puzzle pieces. I laid them out, connected some and others I left apart. It represents my life, my goals, my blessings and family - some are close and connected, some aren't too far away, some aren't connected at all. Physical and emotional distance, relationships, personal goals...all open to your own interpretation! The black text paper background has all kinds of text about life, creativity, friends, love. The main sentiment reads "Pieces of me color my world".

Here are some close up pics that show paper details and the sentiment from a different angle.

Stuff I Used:
Lotsa Paper - Basic Grey Offbeat, Marjolaine, Out of Print/My Minds Eye Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky, Life of the Party/Echo Park Walk in the Park, Springtime, Summer Days/SEI With All My Heart, Corrine/7 Gypsies Classic Paper/Pink Paislee Sweetness/Sassafras Happy Jack/Stampin' Up White CS
Sentiment - Bliss White Thickers, Me & My Big Ideas 'Fresh Botanicals Colorful Life'
Other Stuff - Cuttlebug 'Puzzled' Die

Working on my assignment for this week TODAY. I am praying for extra energy and massive mojo! :)
I am so happy you took the time to stop by today!

Pickle Post #19 - AMuse Challenge Blog - Join us for some fun & prizes!

Hi there!

I am so busy with preparations for my anniversary trip over the Labor Day weekend and my creative stuff has been pushed aside a little bit! Today I do have exciting news to share with you! :)

I am honored to be on the design team with an amazing group of AMuse Studio Consultants who have created our very own challenge blog! There is so much talent and inspiration we have to share and some nifty prizes, too! We would LOVE it if you use AMuse products in your creations, but you don't have to! Please follow us on the challenge blog and participate in the weekly fun! Your creative support would be appreciated!

For this week's challenge, our challenge hostess Tami provided this photo inspiration:

There is so much you can use from this photo - color, prints, shapes, stripes - endless possibilities! Here is what I did with it!

My AMuse 'Thanks a Bunch' Card:

 

I used the color combo (which I LOVE) to create my card along with the floral prints and butterflies. The sentiment and butterfly were embossed in white - so pretty on that vibrant orange cardstock! The sunflowers were inked with light yellow, apricot and orange pigment ink using sponge daubers. The leaves were inked with yellow green and fern green pigment ink and fussy cut. Such a bright summery card! 

Stuff I Used (all AMuse Studio products):
Stamps - Graphic Sunflower, Snail & Co, Kindred Spirits
Cardstock - Sugar, Sky, Orange
Ink - Lemon Whip, Apricot, Orange, Wasabi, Fern
Other Stuff - White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink

Thanks so much for stopping by - I hope you will join us! I can't wait to see what you create!

Pickle Post #18 - He-Art Journal Catch Up

Hi there! Blog posts from me...it's feast or famine sometimes. So enjoy the feast while it lasts LOL!

I haven't posted my TGF He-Art Journal entries since my Week 1 assignment, so I decided to play catch up. I am VERY hard on myself when it comes to this journal thing because it's VERY out of my comfort zone. My Type A quest for perfection makes me hesitant to post my assignments, but my blog sense says sheesh, just post them already. :) So here we go!

Week 2: Sandy Sunshine

We were encouraged to use texture in this assignment, so I decided to do a paper collage full of embossing. The sun is embossed and painted grungeboard. Everything else is created using cardstock. Added to the texture mix is pearl embossed and stickled waves and sparkly fluffed and rocky sand. I wish I could fully capture in photos the true shine of the sun and the sand and wave details - it is a sparkly tactile fun page. It makes me super excited for my anniversary trip with Hubby to the beaches of California over Labor Day!

Week 3: Gratitude

This page just brought to mind all that I love in life and my continued blessings through good and bad times. Life's twists and turns take on so many layers and shapes and colors, but if you have love, you have EVERYTHING. That is the inspiration for all of those colored hearts. Along the edge of the pages I wrote down the people and blessings I am so grateful for each and every day. I can read it over and over. Color my world...

Week 4: The Girl in Me

This assignment required hand drawing and using mediums I don't use often. I am NOT a drawing artist, but I dug out my Prismacolor pencils and just started sketching an artistic vision of me. Yes, I do have a lot of hair LOL! It was very therapeutic to draw and shade this one. I added a multicolored tiny heart background to the left side and added some of the girly qualities I feel I possess. Personal and thought provoking for me...

There are a TON of supplies for these pages - stamps, ink, markers, colored pencils, embossing powders & folders, glimmer mists, Stickles, Sparkly Fluff! To add all of them in a list would take forever, so if you have any questions about what I used, please ask!

Thanks for stopping by today to check out my ever growing journal! Only 19 more assignments to go...

Pickle Post #17: Blessings & Birthdays

Hi there! I realize I have been VERY absent lately...gotta get back into the swing of things!

I decided I am going to title my posts as Pickle Posts and number them. It helps me see how far I have come and it helps to simplify my post titles. :)

So let's start with BLESSINGS. I love those! Since last week, I found out I won won won - all over the place! LOL!

Let me start with last week - I was named a Fav for this Some Odd Girl Challenge for my card featuring cutie little Mooey! Talk about THRILLED...THUD! Pick me up off the floor! What an honor!

I also got my new Chibi - yeppers, that's a caricature of ME created by Kristy at Some Odd Girl! How many ways can I say LOVE?! :)
 
Then I won a couple more things - the Gnomies stamp set from a brand new company, Sweet Stamp Shop and a fabulous prize pack from SRM Stickers & Bazzill Paper. Talk about WOW...
 
On Monday, I won prizes for Sketch 'N Stash Challenge# 67, The Greeting Farm Blog Hop AND Sparkle Creations Blog Hop. 
SERIOUSLY ... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I told Hubby we better go stock up on some lottery tickets LOL! 
 
Now, on to birthdays - August has lots of family birthdays. My family is my biggest blessing! There was a big family birthday party last Saturday and I was burning the midnight oil making cards. Masculine cards aren't my forte' cuz I like cute and blingy stuff. You can't create those for the men in your life - well, Hubby appreciates those, but that's a different story! I thought I would share what I created - nothing fancy but they were created with lots of love!  

Dad's Card 'You're A Classic':

For Dad's card, I kept it simple and classic! I stuck with grays, blues and reds in my color scheme and kraft as my base. This cool cat is colored with Copics, the Nesties label and tag are distressed with Weathered Wood Distress Ink and the sentiment is just typed in typewriter font (LOVE) from my computer. I finished it off with red satin ribbon and nailheads to embellish the card. Inside it says - 'Nope, not old...just a classic! Happy Birthday!' :) I love you, Dad!

My Nephew's Card 'Worm Birthday Wishes':

For Shea's card - I wanted to keep it simple and funny. How hard is it to create something for a 14 year old boy? So I pulled out my fave Paper Smooches stamps and paper pieced a simple scene with this cute worm. (My SIL thought it was a pickle LOL!) This patterned paper from My Mind's Eye was perfect - I love their Lime Twist collection! Inside there is a money pocket stamped with 'Celebrate with a few bucks for you!' Paper Smooches has so many options for mixing and matching sentiments between stamp sets - GOTTA LOVE THAT. The thing that made me so happy about this card was my nephew told me he normally hates cards (most teenagers think they are pretty pointless - they want the gifts), but he loved this card so much that he was going to keep it. Talk about making his auntie smile! That was MY gift for the day! :) I love you, Shea!

One thing I want to mention is my nephew Shea is an identical twin - his sweet twin brother Trevor passed away when he was 6 from an unexpected, sudden and very cruel illness. Our family has been blessed with few tragedies, but this was heart breaking and so very difficult for us as you can imagine. I keep that sweet happy little boy in my heart and remember him often, especially when I am around Shea, his mirror image. I love you and miss your smile, Trevor!

Stuff I Used:
Dad's Card -
Image - Pink Cat Studio 'Cool Cat' Digi
Paper - AMuse Studio Sugar & Blueberry, Gina K Kraft
Nesties Dies - Labels 18, Ribbon Tags Trio
Copics: C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, 100, R12, R39   Ink: Weathered Wood Distress Ink
Other Stuff - Nailheads, Ellen Hutson Red Satin Ribbon
 
Shea's Card -
Stamps: Paper Smooches ' Birthday Buddies', 'Sentiment Sampler' & 'Santa Paws'
Paper - AMuse Studio Sugar & Grass, Gina K Kraft, My Mind's Eye Lime Twist 'Fly a Kite' 6x6 Paper Pad
Copics - Party hat B28, R27, G05  Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Other Stuff - Bazzill 'Worth Remembering' Adhesive Pearls

Thank you for stopping by today - it makes me happy to know you are out there supporting me!

Holy cow...a thank you card and a few challenges too

Hi there! 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Hubby and I hit IKEA to get some more storage for my craft room. Pretty soon I will have shelves lining the walls...I HAVE TOO MUCH STASH LOL! I still have more cleaning to do and another craft cube to put together but it's looking pretty good!

I did find some fun time to craft and create. It's far too hot and humid to do anything but stay in the nice cool house under a ceiling fan! I got some new stamps from Some Odd Girl that were begging me to ink them up - I LOVE THEM!

The current SOG challenge - Thank You Cards. You can never have enough of these, can you? I am a lover of all things bovine (organic and grass fed, of course), so when I saw super cute Mooey, I was inspired! Here is my thank you card - in Spanish! OLE'- LOL! (Must be the Latin influence from doing all of that Zumba...)

My 'Moo-chas Gracias' Card:

Mooey takes center pasture here! His spots are paper pieced with black & white polka dot paper and he is 'white-lighted' and colored with Copics. I embossed the polka dot paper with white embossing powder so I could fussy cut him out and I used a white Sharpie poster pen to give him some detail here and there. His eyes are dotted with black Enamel Accents.

He is popped up with dimensional adhesive on a circle embossed with polka dots. The sentiment is part stamping, part tiny ABC stickers. I decided to create a tri-fold card with a navy ribbon tie. I made it more 'country' with the red mat & blue gingham paper. I kept the overall design pretty simple. I haven't finished the inside of the card yet, but it will say something cow related - like 'you're the head of the herd'...or 'you're the cream of the crop'. :) 

I am also entering this into these challenges: 
The Paper Variety - Circles
    
Sketch N Stash Challenge 67 

Stuff I Used:
Stamps -  Some Odd Girl 'Mooey'
Cardstock - AMuse Studio - Sugar, Blueberry Gingham, Black/White Polka Dots / Stampin' Up Real Red
Copics - C00, C1, R01
Nesties - Circles, Scalloped Circles
Other Stuff - AMuse Studio Dots Embossing Plate, Navy Blue Ribbon (my random stash), Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type ABCs, Black Enamel Accents, Stampin' Up Dimensionals

Moo-chas gracias for stopping by today! :) I hope you are moo-ved to leave some love too.

Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge

Hi again...it looks a Pickle Posts world record cuz I was slackin' before LOL!

I think all of this Zumba has made me hyper... :) And I have personal training this morning and salsa dancing tonight, so I gotta HURRY to create this post.

It's NO secret that I LOVE love LOVE Paper Smooches! The neighbors can hear me shriek with each new release LOL! While I REALLY wanted to create more cards for this challenge, I just ran out of time. So I started this card. The creative juices just weren't flowing... then I was doing laundry Sunday and it all came together in my head. Does that ever happen to you? Completely blank mind and finally a creative idea pops in there! Happens to me all the time LOL...anyway, back to the challenge and my card!

We needed to use certain colors or a sketch for this challenge. I actually used a color scheme from last week's Colour Q challenge for this (again mojo didn't make the deadline) but I used this sketch as my inspiration.

My 'Way to Go Gill-Friend' Card: 

I created this card to congratulate one of my good friends who just got a new job (yay Linda!). I stamped and fussy cut the pelican, that cute little fish and wood pylons and popped them up with dimensional adhesive. The pelican is colored with Copics. I die cut the waves and the scalloped ocean bottom and layered them on my card front. The stars are actually striped canvas stars that I painted over with Gelatos - LOVE THOSE THINGS! After that dried, I painted Iridescent Medium over the top for pearly shine, hole punched them and added bakers twine to dangle them in the water. Of course, Cutie Fish needed some bling so I gave her fins some Star Dust Stickle shine!

A close up view to see the bling!

Isn't this pelican adorable? Makes me smile every time I see him...

Stuff I Used:
Stamps: Paper Smooches 'Surf and Turf' & 'Sentiment Sampler'
Cardstock: AMuse Studio Sugar, Sky, Ocean, Watermelon, Latte, French Roast
MFT Die-Namics: Catch a Wave, Small Scallop Border
Copics: C1, C3, Y17, Y19, YR07, YR09
Embellishments & Bling: Jillibean Soup White Stripes Canvas Stars, Faber Castell Metallic Peach & Turquoise Gelatos, Brown & White Bakers Twine, Iridescent Medium, Star Dust Stickles, 3-D Dimensional Adhesive
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Rich Cocoa

Wish me luck! Thanks for stopping by - your comments make my day!