A True Test of Patience

Wow...this card was a test of my patience and I made multiples of it. What was I thinking? I really liked this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and decided to play along because I had just received the Patterned Party Stamp Set and really wanted to use it. I am not really sure how noticeable it is in the picture, but all of those little pennants are cut out and adhered using dimensionals. Yikes! It took me forever but I really like the way this card turned out. I love how fun the DSP and stamping is. It makes for a fun kid's birthday card. I hope you enjoy it too!

Stamping 411 Challenge

Another Wednesday night and I have somehow found myself back over at Stamping 411 to see what this weeks sketch challenge was. I liked the simplicity of the layout and knew right away what I wanted to do with it. I've had the Lace Ribbon Border Punch since it first came out and thought I would give it a try to jazz up those vertical strips a bit. I like it! I hope you like it too!

Life is Pewterful!

Today's card was made with the Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge in mind. I tried out the new Pewter Embossing Powder and I LOVE IT!! I embossed the little ornaments and colored them in, paired them with some old Christmas DSP I had kickin' around and voila...card made! The dimensions for this card is 3 1/2 x 7..which will fit in a standard business size envelope. Have a great day!

Stamping 411 Challenge

It's been far too long since I have posted anything...and I was on such a great roll keeping up with my posts. I really dislike the heat and my stamp room is the hottest room in the house so I try to avoid it at all costs during the sweaty months. It's finally started to cool down so I should be back to spending more time in here!

To get back into the swing of things I stopped by my old favorite Stamping 411 to see what they had going on for this weeks sketch challenge. I liked it, so I thought I would give it a shot. This Pocketful of Posies DSP is so appealing to me although it's not really my style. I decided to try out the bleaching technique that Donna over at Butternutsage has used in the past. I'm going to work on that technique a little more. (If anything, my house smells really clean from the bleach!)

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy my card and that you have a great weekend.

Please take a moment on Sunday to remember those lost in the September 11th attacks 10 years ago. I REMEMBER!

Oh My Bright-FTL 139

Yea!!! I finally got my color coach last night. No more guessing which color goes with which for me!! Color coordinating is not my strong suit...hey, I wear blue polyester everyday!

Todays layout inspiraton came from the Fall to Layout challenge over at Clean and Simple Stamping. I had never visited this blog before and after scrolling through their layouts I am going to definitely add this to my weekly challenge list.

For this week's challenge I used coordinating paper from the Brights DSP stack. (Love that paper!) And I heat embossed the flowers from the Punch Potpourri set using Melon Mambo Embossing Powder. Finally, to add a little contrast I added the Daffodil Delight butterflies.

The card is a little..okay, A LOT, brighter than what I normally like but I think it will be fun for someone who's young and fun themselves!

SSC 202

After almost 2 full months off from work..(I did a trip here and there during that time) I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. I don't think that I'll be taking that much time off again. I'm a girl who needs some structure and a schedule...even if it's the crazy schedule of a flight attendant. I'm hoping to get back into participating in some weekly challenges now that I am back to work.

For this week's Stamping 411 challenge I used the color combination of Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake and Night of Navy. I really like this color combo. I paired it with the Eastern Blooms stamp set which is one of my all time favorites! I think the tiny pearls added really make the card.

Party Time's Over...

Like all good things, my vacation has come to an end. I've had 3 awesome weeks off in which I spent alot of time with my husband, my family and my home. I'm back to work tonight and off to the west coast. I'm hoping warmer weather awaits me in L.A...maybe I can get some pool time before I have to come back east.

Anyways, I was so occupied doing projects around the house while I was off I made very little time for myself to stamp. That is, until I received the new colored embossing powders that are in the Summer Mini. Love them and can't wait to use them some more!

For this week's card I used the sketch over at Stamping 411. I've said it before...but the operators NEVER disappoint me with their sketches. If you haven't stopped by there, you should play along..I always enjoy it.

Small Miracles---MOJO185

This card is representative of two small miracles in my life. The first being that my amazing neighbor gave birth this morning to a little baby boy. I was so excited watching them drive off to the hospital knowing that she was going to bring home the most precious bundle of joy!

The second and 'lesser' miracle is that I have finally figured out how to tie a bow!!! Don't know how I figured it out. I was playing around with the ribbon and the next thing I knew I had a bow! I've been fighting with bows for 3 years now and voila! (Every card since then has had a bow attached!)

I saw this sketch over at Mojo Monday and I knew right away the layout would make a great baby card. The stamp set 'Bundle of Joy' is an oldie but goodie. It has always been my go-to set when I needed anything baby. I think this is the first time I have ever used Tempting Turqouise and I love how it works with the Certainly Celery and Early Espresso.

Here's my card..I hope you enjoy!

...and I hope you'll have small miracles in your life this week!

Thank you!

Spring is here! Although it doesn't really feel like it here in New England. My crocuses are up but I really would like to see some green on my trees! The colors for this card were chosen by the girls over at Stamping 411 for this week's color inspiration and the sketch was provided by Mojo Monday's Weekly Sketch Challenge. I absolutely love these colors together. On this card I tried out the inlaid embossing technique for the background. I first saw it over at Joyful Creations with Kim and then there was a tutorial last week on it at Stamping 411 so I thought I would give it a shot. There's a million things you can do with this technique!

Here's my card! I hope you like!

Back and Relaxed...Back to the Grind!

One of the greatest things about my line of work is the flexibility in scheduling. I'm just back to work after 20+ days off. During my time off I traveled to Miami to run in a Half-Marathon and five days after getting back from Florida my husband and I packed up the car and headed to Myrtle Beach for a week of golfing and sun. The weather was amazing! It was a bit of a shock and a bummer to come back to cold and snowy weather on Monday. I have faith though, Spring is just around the corner!

This 'little' dude was sunbathing just off my tee-box at TPC Myrtle Beach...YIKES!

I took some time yesterday to stamp before I left on my trip. I can always count on the Ladies at Stamping 411 to have a great sketch to work with. And they didn't disappoint! Here is the final product...

I hope you enjoy!

Feeling Fortunate!

happy to have finished!

Twenty three hundred runners gathered in the dark this past Sunday morning to run in the Miami Beach Half Marathon. I was fortunate enough to be one of them. I had never started a race in pitch black darkness before so this was new territory for me. The sun was shining by mile 3 and I had already settled into a nice groove. At mile 6 I felt great and at mile 10 I hit a wall. Perseverance won out and I finished with a personal record of 1:55:59.

As soon as I saw the sketch for the Stamping 411 Challenge this week I knew right away the card I wanted to make...I've said this before..but you gotta love when that happens! I am obviously still on an in-color kick as I mixed Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz with an old favorite of mine...So Saffron! I hope you enjoy!

I had a dear friend of mine travel the 1500 miles with me to cheer me on as I crossed the finish line. This card is for her. I am so grateful to know such a wonderful person and feel extremely lucky to call her my friend! Thanks, Darlene!

Blossoming Birthday

I've never played along over at Our Creative Corner so today when I saw that Butternut Sage was the Guest Designer for this week's sketch challenge I knew that I wanted to join in on the fun. The theme of this week's challenge was Distress to De-Stress. I am needing some of that right now. 7 more days until my Half-Marathon and I've come down with a cold. Needless to say, I'm a little anxious about running 13 miles when I don't feel at the top of my game. Making this card definitely helped take my mind off of next week!

My Build A Blossom stamp set arrived last week and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use it. I love this card and know exactly who I am going to give it to this week! I hope she loves it too!!

In Color Explosion

I have never been one to get overly excited about 'in colors'. Sure, I really liked one here and there but never a whole palette. Something about this years colors really intrigued me and I bought stamp pads in every color. A couple of weeks ago I used Concord Crush in my Embrace Life post and this morning I decided to go all out on this card and use Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz as well. I think I have fallen in love! I absolutely love these colors together and will be using them a whole lot more in the next couple of months.

I made this card today using the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge. I had to move some of the components around to fit the card since I made the focal point a little too large. I hope you enjoy!

Baby on The Brain...

Now don't go and get yourself all excited by the title of this post. We made 2 baby cards in class last night and when I woke up this morning and started stamping, my mojo leaned towards the wee little ones. I found a new stamping blog...Sketch Frenzy Friday... that has weekly sketch challenges and I thought I would participate this week!

I pulled out some old school stamps for this one and I love this DSP for a Birthday Card. The polka dots are so fun! And the colors are good for a baby boy or girl. I think this makes a cute card for a little one celebrating their 1st birthay.

Just In Case...

I have a bad feeling that I am going to forget to get a Valentine's Card for my husband this year. I leave on a trip tomorrow and don't get back until late Sunday night. So..if I forget to stop tomorrow, Valentines will be here and I will be cardless. Therefore I made him one tonight! If I don't stop I will have one on hand and if I do stop, well then, he'll get 2!! He actually likes to look at all the cards I make so he will probably love to get a handmade one.

I used the color challenge over at ColourQ and the 'Love Is In The Air' theme challenge over at Paper Players as inspiration for my card tonight.

I've fallen in love with this little owl!

Couldn't quite find my Mojo..

I couldn't quite find my Mojo to do much of anything yesterday. I fiddle-faddled around all day in sweats not quite accomplishing much of anything. The little bit of creative ambition I had I used to make this card for the Mojo Monday challenge. And I rather like it. I had never stamped a Valentine's card and promised a friend I would make her one. I hope she enjoys it!

How can you not love this cute little owl from the Punch Bunch stamp set?!?

Embrace Life...

These can be the dog days of winter. It's cold, it's windy and the pretty snow is starting to melt revealing piles of crusty, old dirty chunks of ice and debris. But I'm learning to embrace these days...I hunker down in my house and complete all kinds of projects, and bake and catch up on t.v. shows and just RELAX..(which is not easy for me). The only thing I am truly missing this winter is an outdoor run as my love affair with the treadmill is waning!

When I saw this weeks Stamping 411 challenge I knew right away what stamp set I wanted to use and how I was going to design my card. Gotta love when that happens! I am so pleased with the way it turned out and can't wait to give it to someone special!

SNOW DAY!!!

Magda watching the snow fall...so grateful to be warm indoors!

I had my first snow day of the winter today. I have been fortunate enough to either already be on a day off or somewhere else in the country when the other storms have hit so my schedule has been undisturbed until now. Off to Miami tomorrow where I can hopefully eat my lunch in the sun before turning around and heading back north.

I used the Sketch over at Stamping 411 to make this sweet birthday card. I've used this stamp set many times before and it just never grows old for me. I added some Dazzling Diamonds for the frosting and and Crystal Effects onto the cherries to make the cupcakes look even more delicious! Enjoy!

Good Monday Morning!

I started my Monday morning off with a 90 minute yoga class to warm my body and soul. After weeks of running mile after mile the stretch felt good. Last night I ventured over to Stamping 411 to see what the new challenge was for the week and to my delight there were two for me to participate in. I made this card for the Saturday Sketch Challenge 187 and for Color Inspiration 148. I wasn't too sure about the colors at first..(I have NEVER even used my More Mustard or Always Artichoke) but I really liked the way the colors worked together in the end. They just may get more use in the future! I hope you enjoy the finished product...as you can see, I am still loving the little butterflies!

Mojo Monday

Tomorrow is my Monday...back to work for me. I've had 4 great days off. I hunkered down in my nest for the majority of the time off trying to catch up on life...(cleaning, DVR, sorting pictures to be printed, balancing checkbooks!) I think I can leave tomorrow knowing that just about everything at home has been taken care of. I did take a little time to stamp today to participate in this week's MoJo Monday Sketch Challenge. I wanted to make a thank-you card but...that didn't happen. This is what I came up with!

Happy Hump Day to you and Happy Sunday to Me!

I'm Back...Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

Today was the perfect day to stay home and relax...besides for the 8 miles I had to run in preparation for my 1/2 Marathon in 7 weeks! Otherwise, there was nothing pertinent on my agenda that had to be done. After taking a couple of weeks off from stamping because of work I thought I would get my creative juices flowing again with the sketch from Stamping 411. I had yet to open my Greenhouse Garden set and thought I would use it to add some color contrast to this card. I hope the recipient likes it...going to get caught up on Christmas Thank-You's tomorrow.

I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday weekend!