Thought for the day -

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." Helen Keller

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Hi Everyone! Can you believe it is Thursday already. This week has really flown by. It's been my most productive week in a long time for card making. With so many challenges out there it is sometimes so hard to choose!
Today's card is covering 2 challenges. The first is a sketch challenge for this weeks Mojo Monday. They have some of the best sketches and this week is no exception.














The 2nd challenge is one I just recently discovered but this is my 1st attempt at playing along. The challenge is hosted by our own Sunshine and Giggles DT member Tenia. It's a really fun color challenge where they display an album (CD) cover and you have to duplicate the color scheme. It's called Jazzy Inspirations and the jazzy cats (don't you love that name) provide some great inspiration.
Here is this weeks challenge:



These are great colors-turquoise, black and white. Now you can choose any theme but I decided to go along with the music theme so I could use my new stamp set from Simon Says Stamps. It's called You Rock musical instruments.

Here is my interpretation:









Supplies Used: All card stock is by Stampin Up. My heart was cut with my cricut and then stamped with the musical notes from my Simon Says stamp set. The trumpet was stamped using white pigment ink-I really like how it turned out on the black. My circles were cut using Nestabilities, turquios and black musical note brad, ribbon and my sentiment was computer generated. It's a bit hard to read here bus says
Music is what feelings sound like. I am really pleased with the final outcome.
Well hope you have a great day- out the door to work.
Reminder- Friday is the last day to register for Nicole's blog candy so if you haven't done so go check it out.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Hello everyone.....Welcome to another edition of Sunshine Mondays er make that Sunshine Tuesdays!! Today the design team for Sunshine and Giggles is participating in our very own DT members sketch challenge, Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Melissa always provides some great sketches so if you haven't yet visited her sight go give it a try. Sunshine and Giggles is sponsoring this weeks challenge so if you have yet to see these stamps now is a great time to do so- the design team always provides some great inspiration! Here is this weeks sketch.













This was a fun sketch to work with and this is what I came up with.













This is a great image for any basketball fan!
Supplies used: Card stock-Bazzil, Stampin UP, DP is Making Memories, Basket ball 3-d sticker is K & Co. I colored my image with my copics.
Be sure to check out the other dt members sites for some more great inspiration for this sketch....Also, while visiting Nicole's site stop & register for her blog candy. Her candy closes on Friday. Tenia Jennifer Nicole and of course Melissa.
Hope you all have a great day and happy hopping!


Sunday, July 26, 2009

Hello everyone! Hope you are having a good weekend.

Last evening was the first meeting of our newly formed craft group organized by my friend Sonia. She organized the group and we will be meeting monthly for a new craft. Last nights craft involved sewing...eek! Not my strong point at all. My husband gave me a sewing machine either 2 or was it 3 Christmas's ago, lol. I think I've used it twice!

Our task...to make a purse!! How scary does that sound. Sonia had the fabric all cut out and ready to go and this little purse was so much fun to make- even on the 2nd try! Yes, I had to rip out stitches here and there but I am quite pleased with the results- for my FIRST sewing project.












Isn't this fabric great!! It's by Heidi Grace. I've since checked out Joann's-online, and they carry some great fabric by Heidi. I think I am going to give this a try again.

Now on to today's card. I made this card for this week's challenge on Melissa's new challenge site- Tuesday Morning Sketches. If you haven't yet visited this site you need to- she really provides some awesome sketches. Here is this weeks sketch.


















Doesn't this card have a relaxing, summer feel to it! Relaxing on the cape!

Supplies: I love this dp- it's by Flair Design from the Seaside Collection. All cardstock and ink is by Stampin Up. The stamp is from Lockhart Stamp Co. and my sentiment is from Whiff of Joy. I used ribbon and pearls to accent and of course my nestiblities for the cirles.

Hope you all have a great week!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Happy Monday! Today is Sunshine Monday for the design team for
Sunshine and Giggles. I'm afraid I have no card for you today. Life has been a little chaotic of late. You can still check out the dt members site for their inspiring work! In addition to viewing their work you can also enter for some blog candy on Nicole's site. You might want to have a look at this- I this it is some pretty good candy!









More candy-. Katharina from Whiff of Joy is giving away not 1 but 2 of the new fall line set of stamps! These have always been one my favorites! I have attached a link on my sidebar so be sure to go check out Katharina' blog for full details.

Speaking of life getting chaotic- my monday ritual is to 1st head to The Next Level for their challenge and weekly tutorials. How sad to learn they will no longer be doing their blog, which was more like a mini-online magazine, due to Ann's illness. I wish both Ann and Dawn well. They really had the best tutorials!

Well all the time I have today! Hope to be back tomorrow with a card. We'll see. Don't forget to visit Sunshine & Giggles DT sites-
Jennifer Melissa Tenia Nicole

Have a great week!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Happy Monday! Well this weekend flew by and not a whole lot accomplished, I'm afraid. I spent most of Saturday sleeping! After returning from work on Tuesday after a week spent mostly driving I was whipped!

But no time for sleeping today! It's time for another edition of Sunshine Monday's. Todays card is for the sketch challenge on Sketch Saturday and it really was an awesome sketch. I love how this card turned out!











The sunshine and giggles stamp I used this week is Pool Party. She goes beautifully with the paper I've used. I cut her out and used small dimensionals to adhere. I will definitely use this sketch again!! I love all the dimensions.














Supplies: Card stock-Nautical Blue from Bazzil, all DP is FlairDesigns from the Seaside Collection, Ribbon is Spare Parts from the Paper Studio, pink pearls from Basics. I used my cricut for my flower and copics to color my image.

For more sunshine be sure to visit the dt members blogs:

Tenia Nicole Melissa Jennifer

I hope you all have a sunshiny monday!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Hello Everyone. It has been sometime since I've posted. We left on our vacation to Virginia to visit my brother and his wife on June 29th. The following day my brother & I left for a quick trip to Burlington VT to see our father who was hospitalized after a fall. The poor man broke both collar bones, a rib, and punctured a lung. He was in ICU for a few days but is now on the mend. We spent one night in VT and headed back for VA so we could resume what was left of our vacation.
I spoke with my father today and he is being released tomorrow- of course he is being released to a nursing home for his rehab but at least he will be close to home. My parents live in northern NY state and Burlington is the closest trauma unit- 21/2 hrs away! He will now be just 5 minutes from home, which will make it much easier on my mother.

Today was the 1st day I've been back in my scraproom. My card for today (just under the wire) is for a brand new challenge. The challenge is called
Tuesday Morning Sketches and is owned by Melissa -one of my very talented design team members for Sunshine & Giggles. The sketch she provided is awesome and one I will definitely be using again!






























This was such a fun, quick card to put together. I used my cuttlebug folder swirls on cardstock. Card stock & sentiment is from Stampin Up and dp is by Crate Paper from the Little Sprout collection. My image is from Rachelle Ann Miller and was colored with my Stampin Up markers.

If you would like to try this sketch for the chance at an awesome prize- new digi stamps from Inktegrity by Joni, you have until 5:00 today. You might also want to use your card for the design team challenge Joni just opened up on her site. She is looking for 5 design team members!

Good luck and have a great week!

July 31, 2009

Want to win $1000 in scrapping supplies?? I just found out that The Cuttlebug Spot is having a contest - "The Journey to 1,000"! They are trying to reach 1,000 followers by the end of July and need your help. To enter all you have to do is go to their site, sign up as follower and complete a few easy steps and you could win a $1,000 gift certificate to Custom Crops (http://www.customcrops.com/)! GO NOW and check it out at http://www.thecuttlebugspot.com/