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

Happy Sunday to everyone

I enjoyed the day on Saturday scrapping at church with old and new friends and my sister. I got several pages done and one card.



I loved these pictures showing different generations in our family. The color picture is my Grandmother, my mom, my sister and my niece (my brother's daughter). The larger picture is my great grandmother, my great aunt, my mom and her sisters.


Grandparents are so important. Theses are my grandparents on my Dad's side and my grandfather's grandparents.


These are my mom's parents and grandparents.


I saw this paper and immediately thought of these pictures. My husband and son playing in the snow. How I wish for those sweet days back...one day I'll get to relive them with my grandchildren.


My sister and I went to the Zoo for the lights on Honda night (she works for Honda). It was very pretty. The night would have been perfect if it hadn't been drizzling and had I remembered my camera. These pictures were taken with my phone.


Neuschwaunstein Castle and Cinderalla's castle in Disney. I got to visit both.


I got a lot done in a day...can't wait for the next all day crop.

thanks for stopping by, Susan

President's Day cards

Got a lot of work done today. Several sets of cards for OperationWriteHome.org and pictures organized for scrapping next weekend at the all-day crop at church.

I got the first two of these designs from Cards. This first one is thanks to Kesket Shenkar Starr




I got this idea from the Stampin Up catalog - to use the tags.


Keep your heart open and create something that will change someone's life. Susan

challenge cards 2-19-11

Why do Saturdays go by so quickly? I enjoyed breakfast with my husband this morning and then went to Red Letter Journal (my LSS) with my friend Pati, and then came home to play in my scrap room!

I got this music paper online in a digital file so I can print it off in any size. Love it!



Here my card based on the challenge at Jingle Belles. If you haven't visited this blog yet, get your Christmas stash out and join us in making a card a week. I've already got a stash of cards ready for this Christmas :)


Another Christmas card challenge site is Hazel's blog. Her challenge this week is "the white stuff." Use white on your card. My base is white with a dark blue layer and white paper with the song printed and embossed vellum overlay


Do you like my angel? She was so easy to make. I copied her from Becca's blog and she was so easy to make. I think you'll enjoy Becca's blog - her cards are fabulous!

I'm excited about having a 3-day weekend. I bought some new supplies from Custom Crops, Red Letter Journal, Stampin Up, Michaels...can't wait to start using it all.

Keep your heart open and let your creativity change someone's life. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

challenge cards 2-17-11

I haven't been feeling so great this week but I knew time spent in my scrap room would perk me up. I had some challenges to get caught up on.

This card is for Hazel's challenge to "feature a creature". I don't get to use my wise men on camels stamp too often! I used vintage brads from Stampin Up - my order came today!! My first compulsion was to save them...but for what? What's the point of having really great stuff if I'm going to hoard it?


This card is doing double duty on the Stars & Stamps blog. I'm using it for the sketch 56 challenge and the masculine card challenge. The truck stamp is from Stampin Up.


This card is for the Paper Variety week 21 sketch challenge. I'm not so happy with the way it turned out. I love everything except the red paper. I should have made that "border" thinner.


I got a new laptop a little while ago and I'm still organizing my files. I back-up my laptop fairly regularly and when I bought this new one, I decided to restore the files to it. Well, it restored it all right. I have everything ever saved on that back-up drive back on my computer - including deleted files and duplicate files (where I moved them from one folder to another). I'm sure there was a smarter way to do it.

Anyhoo, while reorganizing my folders, I found a digital image with the happy birthday circles on them and decided to use them on a card. I really like the way it turned out.



Sorry about the picture quality. My camera is downstairs and I'm just too lazy to go get it. Fortunately my phone was in my scrap room so I could at least get this entered into the challenges.

I'm definitely ready for bed.

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to keep your heart open...your creativity could change a person's life. Susan

Love You card

I CASEd this card from Dawn McVey out of CARDS magazine.



Isn't this angel adorable. I found it on Becca's blog and had to recreate it. I went to Hobby Lobby and all the components were 1/2 off! Can't wait to make a card using it.


I finally figured out the crocheted flowers. Found the crochet string at the thrift store (of all places) and I'm making flowers of all colors and combinations! I'll have to break down and actually buy string at Joannes if I decide to make different colors (all I have are blue, cream, red).


The pattern I'm using (thanks to Chat's Blog, Me, My Stamps & I) is:
chain 4 - connect to form ring
chain 3 (counts as 1 double crochet (DC); DC 14 (total of 15); slip stitch in top chain
{chain 2, 1 DC in first DC; 2 triple crochet (TC) in next DC; DC in next DC, chain 2 and slip in same DC} (pattern worked within 3 DC)
repeat { } to form 5 petals

I used a #5 crochet hook (tiny).