Christmas, Dots, & Get Well, O My

I had a few challenges to catch up on!

This first one is for Jingle Belles color challenge

The background is a piece of vellum embossed - neat look.

This next card is for the OWH challenge - use polka dots.

I got my inspiration from A Colourful World blog.

And last but certainly not least is my Get Well card for The Paper Variety blog.


My inspiration came from this site. I think my sunburst border needs a little glitz. I think I'll either spritz it with Glimmer Mist or ink it with gold.

Thanks for stopping by. Susan

Another challenge card - 3-9-11

I've decided to try some more challenges - just because they are so much fun and make me think outside the box.

This challenge is the Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World. Isn't this just the sweetest picture!


So all day I've been thinking about this card and it was gorgeous! Then I get home to put it on paper and .... well, not so. I've decided that I'm just not a tear-er. I can never get it to look nice like I've seen on some many other cards.


The the flowers gave me fits - my hands are just too big for such delicate work. I started with beautiful button flowers from Stampin Up but they were too big for the bench. Then I punched them with a Stampin Up mini flower punch - still too big. Then I remembered my flower hole punch - perfect size.

I may retry this card without the tearing - maybe cut a border around the edges with the Cricut.


I got the background stamp out and thought to myself, "self, why did you buy this stamp" but then I see it under the flowers and I really like it. It is stamped on vellum and then attached to the pink cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by. Keep your heart open, you may change a life with your creativity, Susan

Black & White with a splash of color

Entering a challenge at The Play Date Cafe - black and white with a splash of color.


Love this card.

Lots of cards 3-6-11

Hello. I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was restful and I got a lot of cards done. I'm happy to say that I have a box of 131 cards going to OperationWriteHome.org tomorrow.

Here are some cards I did. I copied this from Scrapping The Magic and love this technique to make the petals.

Take 8 circles of doubled sided patterned paper (or glue 2 sheets together like I did on 2 of these); I used a 2" punch. I scored each side with my paper cutter and an embossing tool. I then punched a whole near the end of each one (actually did 4 at a time with my Big Bite). the scalloped circle in the center is 1.75" and I punched a hole in it too - then used the brad to put them all together.



This one I used one-sided paper but inked the blank side.


This card was done for the OWH sketch challenge - you can see the sketch here.


This card is for Hazel's Christmas card challenge. Use an embossing technique.


These next cards were inspired by Paper Therapy Ponderings Blog. I found her and Scrapping the Magic while going thru a couple of blog hops this weekend. Blog hops are a good way to see the work of many different crafters.

The stamp is my from new stash from Stampin Up. Love this little birdie. Was going to put a sentiment on it, but I just couldn't do another step! I made 3 each of the four color combos.


I wish I could stay home and scrap tomorrow but that's not going to happen - work calls.

Keep your heart open and change a life with your creativity. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Blog Hop fun 3-5-11

If you have some time and want to see some great cards, head over to Stars & Stamps to start the blog hop - there are 133 participants. I was working on my scrap pile making cards while I was hopping - sometimes my computer connection made the download slow. By the way, many of the blogs have candy to give away!

On this card, I had made the lavendar trim for a scrap page and didn't like it so it went to the scrap pile. I decided it was time to use it up. Isn't that yellow trim with the balls cute. I've been waiting to use it on something!


These stamps are from Stampin Up and they are new for me. I just love the cake line-up and birthdays are always days for more than just slivers :)


This card started with the scrap CS on the left and I started added ribbons until the card was filled up.


And here's my craft table. I need work harder on either using up those scraps or sorting them back into their files.


Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Challenge 3-4-11

I liked this layout from yesterday so much that I wanted to use it again. A little different.


I bought this gorgeous JilliBean paper at my LSS (Red Letter Journals) and couldn't wait to use it. LOVE IT.



Notice my "h"s are different. I made 8 of these cards and didn't have enough letters so I used a "y" for an "h".

This card is for the newest challenge at Jingle Belles - use "home" as the theme. This is a picture of me, 2 of my brothers and 1 of my sisters at Grandma's house for Christmas. My idea of home and Christmas is children celebrating the holidays with their families of all generations.


Well, last night of little sleep is finally doing me in. My husband got home at 6:00 a.m. which means he was gone for over 24 hours working. I heard him come in (he was cleaning the kitchen...I'm thankful but I think it is bordering on a compulsion (or compelsion as Barney Fife would say)). I got up at 7:30 and went to work for 1/2 the day and then came home to take a nap.

Do you watch Who Do You Think You Are - the show where they trace celebrities ancestors? Tonight was Lionel Richie's story and it was a good one.

Tomorrow is breakfast with the hubby and then looking through shops in GC. Trying to find a footstool for the family room and artwork for above our bed. I saw a neat window from an old house that had a ribbon and maybe some greenery but hat he nixed that few months ago. Maybe we'll find a set of pictures. It's only been 9 years since we moved here so I guess a few more weeks (or months) without the finished decorations in my bedroom won't be so bad :)

Keep your heart open...you may be able to change a life. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Challenge cards 3-3-11

What an evening - my son worked til 9:30 and then heads to a friend's house (and no amount of fake tears would keep him home with me) and my husband who goes to work at 5:30 a.m. and is usually home at 4:30 is still at work (and it's 10 p.m.). He may be there all night. I don't like being home alone...but I'll be fine. I just won't go to sleep anytime soon :)

Okay, on to challenges. I missed a few challenges this past week so I wanted to get caught up while I was watching American Idol. Just watched Jennifer Lopez' new video. She is an amazing singer but I'm surprised to see this type of video during a "family" show. I think they even had to bleep out some of it. Oh well, back to the challenges.

Here is my Christmas card for both Jingle Belles and CraftyHazelnut's challenges. Jingle Belles was to use text and Hazel's was to use a sentiment. Two challenges...one card - gotta love it.

The card base is white and then I layered it with a dark blue cardstock spritz with Angel Mist. I then stamped both images on vellum. I like the look but I need a bolder white ink - I think this is a chalk.

My next card is for The Paper Variety challenge which was to use green (at least 50%). I copied Leora Sanford's card from Scrapbooks Etc. Not crazy about how the flower center looks. Need to get it on the corner a little better but I think this is a repeater (just not all green).

You can't see it but I stamped the vellum leaves and then negative stamped them (I think that's what it's called). I stamped a large flower with white ink and then took a flourish stamp with no ink and stamped the petals. When I stamped the flower on the vellum you could see the flourish pattern.

This last card is for the OperationWriteHome.org Stars & Stamps blog challenge for Mother's Day cards. I got inspiration from Kim Moreno's card on Jillibean Soup's blog.

The words are printed from my computer on transparency. I crocheted the flowers :) Mother's day cards are hard for me...I lost my Mom 3 years ago. I didn't really start making cards until after she died so she didn't get any of my homemade ones. She would have liked this one.

Okay, on to happier things! Loving this spring-like weather we are having - I hope the sun keeps shining through the weekend. I may open the window in the scrap room and create.

Keep your heart open and create something that will change someone's life. Thanks for stopping by, Susan