Pollycraft Link Party

Pollycraft is having a Farewell Linky Party, inviting everyone to share their Pollycraft cards new or old in new blog posts, here's the info you'll need if you'd like to play:

Celebrating Pollycraft in the form of a LINKY PARTY!!
the party will last until the shop closes on the 8th June...
and is really just a way for customers, fans, DT members and anyone else to share their Pollycraft creations... with everyone else!

There are no rules as such, and no set theme either...
unfortunately there arent any prizes... its just for fun.
consider it way to show off your blog, and to discover new blogs...
projects don't need to be new... you are welcome to share an older project thats your favourite!!
please share it in a new post though, and mention the linky party!
(no backlinks please)

Sounds like fun to me!

I'm off to go see all the Pollycraft eye candy -

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:

Pollycraft - Farewell InLinkz Party

Digital Delights by Louby Loo Mickey the Monkey

I have a fun Digital Delights by Louby Loo design team card to share with you today.

It looks really big on the computer screen, it's 5 1/2" round in real life.  I decided to step out of the box for awhile and play with some of my Spellbinders dies.

I have a supply list for this card below:

ALL DDSTAMPS USED:  Mickeythe Monkey, Camo Papers, Jungle Buddlies Accessories, Missing You Sentiment Set

CS AND PAPERS:  Camo digital papers, Astrobrights Jupiter Java, Copic X Press It
INK:  HP OfficeJet, HP LaserJet, Copic markers
MARKERS (if any):  Copic YG0000, YG61, YG63, YG67, YG11, Y000, Y18, T0, T1, T3, T5, E50, E51, E53, E55, BG0000
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS:  Spellbinders Grands Circles & Scalloped Circles, Stampin’ Up! Square Punch
COLORING MEDIUM (if any):  Copic makers

I hope you'll stop by our Digital Delights by Louby Loo blog today and see all the wonderful design team inspiration!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamps & Show - One For The Boys
Bearly Mine - Animal Kingdom
Tuesday Throwdown - Masculine

Digital Delights by Louby Loo Thank You Flower Pot

We have a new challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sponsored by Digital Delights by Louby Loo today!  Our theme is to make a Thank You card.

I used Thank You Flower Pot and had fun coloring it with my Copic markers.  The layout is a sketch I've been playing with and changed the shapes a little to make it different.

I have a supply list for you today:

ALL DDSTAMPS USED:  Thank You Flower Pot

CS AND PAPERS:  Astro Brights Jupiter Java, Stampin’ Up! More Mustard, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, via Vellum Leaf Green, Discount Cardstock Royal Blue, Copic X Press It
INK:  HP LaserJet
MARKERS:  Copic YG25, YG23, YG21, E47, E39, E37, E35, E34, YR21, R59, R46, R35, B23, B21
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS:  Spellbinders Circles & Long Narrow Rectangles, Cuttlebug embossing folders
COLORING MEDIUM:  Copic markers
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES:  Cuttlebug embossing inside a Spellbinders die

I hope you'll join us over on the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog for our Thank You challenge!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Thank You
Tammy's Scrappin' Corner - Anything Goes
Creative Challenges Blog  - Use Your Stuff - Texture
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Lilyboo Bike Ride

I have a fun card and exciting news to share with you today!

I was at Splitcoast Stampers the other evening uploading cards to my gallery trying to get back into the habit.  In the forums section I noticed design team calls so I went to take a look.  One of my favorite companies, Cuddly Buddly was having a call so I thought "why not?!"  I sent a quick e mail to Kim and was surprised and thrilled to see in my e mail the next morning a note from Kim.  She wanted me to be one of her designers so here I am with my first Cuddly Buddly Lilyboo creation!  

To create a scene I used Lilyboo Bike Ride and Large Tree and merged them together.  I colored my scene with Copic markers V0000, V000, V01, V12, RV00, RV02, RV04, YG01, YG03, YG13, YG67, YG23, E000, E00, E11, E40, E41, E42, E43, E25, E29, E53, N1, N3, N5, B0000, B12, B14, T0, T3, T5, BG000, BG01, R20, YR20, YR21, YR24, Y21.  Trimmed it down to a size I could use on my card and rounded the corners with a We R Memory Keepers 1/8" Corner Chomper.  I re-sized and printed two sheets of digital paper from the Wee One's Blooming Digital Papers and built my card base.  As you can see from my card I didn't use both digital patterned papers but you'll see the other one in my next photo.  I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder on the Aqua panel for a little texture to go with those wonderful diagonal stripes.  My colored image is pretty big but I really wanted to use a sentiment so I picked "Across The Miles" from Round Greetings Mixed sentiment set. The sentiment is cut out with Spellbinders circles dies. 

Here's a picture of my card with the additional piece of patterned digi paper I printed.  I didn't want it to go to waste so I made an envelope liner so everything coordinates.  

I'm looking forward to designing Lilyboo cards for Cuddly Buddly.

I've wanted to play with more of these cute images but haven't seemed to have the time, I will now!

Did I mention earlier that the Large Tree digital image is a freebie at Cuddly Buddly right now?

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
The Craft Place - Trees & Nature
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Fashionista Challenge - Simply Summer
House of Gilli - Die Cuts & Punches
Tammy's Scrappin' Corner - Anything Goes
The Crazy Challenge - Childhood Memories

Sweet n' Sassy Milton Reading

I never knew how much I liked orange until I was introduced to Copic markers!

I have all the yellow/red Copic markers in my collection and did a little experimenting with combining them for this flower.  I used Y38, YR68 & YR09 in that order and really like the vibrant color combination.  The other Copic markers used are E42, E43, E44, YG01, YG05, YG17, YG67, N1, N3, RV10, Y26, B21, B23, BG0000, BG000.

My card is for the Seems A Little Sketchy challenge that starts today, their fabulous sponsor is Sweet n' Sassy.  You'll have two weeks to play along if you choose and you really need to go see all the design team inspiration.  This is my last card for Seems A Little Sketchy, there is a new design team in place and they're ready to go!  Thanks for a great time at Seems A Little Sketchy and I wish all the new team members as good a time as I've had being on the team. 

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
Oozak - Spring Colors
Paper Pretties - Bold Bright Colors
Fat Pages & Cards With Attitude - Anything Goes
Splitcoaststampers Ways To Use It 375 - Colorful Compliments
Totally Papercrafts - Animals
The Outlaws Copic Challenge - Anything Goes

Operation Write Home Memorial Day Sketch Blog Hop

Welcome to our Operation Write Home Memorial Day Sketch Blog Hop!

I LOVE OWH sketches and have a few cards today sharing those sketches.

My first card uses OWH Sketch #79 one of my very favorites!

The cute ladybug is from Bugaboo Stamps and colored with Copic markers.

Sketch #26 with more Bugaboo Stamps digital images.

Sketch #46 with another Bugaboo Stamps digital image.

Enjoy our Operation Write Home Memorial Day Sketch blog hop!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Ladybug Crafts - Things With Wings 

Oozak - Spring Colors

Hambo Stamps Dr. Needle

My card today is for the Hambo Hoedown, the challenge theme is paper PIERCING, I always confuse that with paper piecing...  as you can see I did both.  Not really to be on the safe side, those crazy stripped pants reminded me of a doctor who we saw recently so I just couldn't resist.

Here's the quick story - 

My husband has prostate cancer so we've been seeing several different doctors since just before the first of the year.  My husband works part time for his sister in her very fashionable local clothing store.  I know if I could have worked there when I was in high school I would have felt like I'd died and gone to heaven.    When we first met his Urologist he was wearing the usual white lab coat, scrubs pants and these wild athletic shoes.  He looked up at my 6 ft. 5 in. tall husband, shook his hand and looked at his feet and told him his shoes weren't very fashionable...  I think we both cracked up laughing, what is "fashionable" in a size 13 shoe? lol 

There are several inspirations for my card today.  I was looking at the "Make It Monday" challenge and saw the most gorgeous card from Mary J. who's blog is Where's My Creativity that made my mind whirl with ideas.  We also have a dear friend who will be having surgery in the near future and I was thinking this might be a fun card to give him to cheer him up during his recovery.  

Along with paper piecing I colored Dr. Needle with Copic markers R20, E000, E00, E11, E40, E41, E43, Y26, E49, C0, C1, W0, W4, B0000, BG10, YG11.  The patterned papers are from the Basic Grey Granola mini paper pad, copic coloring on Copic X Press It.  I added a little Stickles and Glossy Accents to certain areas that I thought should shine.  The shape of my card is made with a Cheery Lynn designs French Flair regular and scalloped dies, the border is a die-namics die and for the banner I used a square Stampin' Up! punch to punch the end into a banner. 

I also decorated the inside.

I think Mary J.'s are nicer but I'll keep working on it.

Hey, I almost forgot I was the Hambo Stamps Channel Surfing blog hop winner!  I won a $20.00 shopping spree at Hambo Stamps, yippee!  You can be sure I placed my order already :)

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:

Hambo Hoedown - Paper Piercing
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Card Makin' Mama's - Punches (the "V" in the banner die)

Digital Delights by Louby Loo Augustus

I seem to have an animal theme going this week, today I bring you Augustus the dragon from Digital Delights by Louby Loo.  I was experimenting again with Violets and Blue Violets but in the end I was having a hard time blending so I turned to Blues.  I have a supply list below:

ALL DDSTAMPS USED:  Augustus

CS AND PAPERS:  Via Vellum Basic Black, Neenah Solar White, Stampin’ Up! Almost Amethyst, Basic Grey Marrakech paper pad
INK:  HP LaserJet – Copic markers
MARKERS (if any):  B69, B66, B63, B60, B21, B23, E04, W3
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS:  Cheery Lynn Designs button dies, Fiskars crimping tool, crochet thread
COLORING MEDIUM (if any):  Copic markers

I hope you'll stop by our Digital Delights by Louby Loo blog and see all the fun creations from our design team!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes
Stamps & Fun - Anything Goes

Pollycraft Sweet Love Set

I have two blog posts today, I've been trying hard not to do that anymore but every once in awhile something special is going on!  I had to come back and tell you about our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge that starts today, our theme is "Love You".

My card is made using a Pollycraft set called Sweet Love, I colored this cute image with Copic markers R20, R21, R24, R27, R35, R46, R59, R81, R83, R85, E000, E00, E11, E25, E29, E30, E31, E33, E35, E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, E53, T0, Y32, Y17, BG000, B91, B93, B95, YG01, YG05.  The layout for my card is Sweet Sunday Sketch #143 with the strip down the center left out and my color scheme came from the Pollycraft challenge or pink, red, cream, white.

I hope you have time to play in our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge this week!

Be sure to stop by Pollycraft too if you like they're digital images they are having a huge going out of business sale going on right now.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Love You

Pollycraft - Pink, Red, White, Cream
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes

Crissy Armstrong's Mort The Frog

I'm a guest designer today at For Fun Challenges!

Kathy contacted me and asked me if I'd like to be their guest and you know I said yes!  The theme for the challenge is Fully Relying On God, I knew I had a couple or more really cute frog digital stamps in my files.

The image I decided on is Crissy Armstrong's Mort The Frog, he's available for sale at Squigglefly.  I colored Mort with Copic markersYG01, YG03, YG23, YG63, W1.  My card layout is a sketch from Totally Gorjuss back in October 2011.  My papers are a mixture of scraps that were beside my paper trimmer.  I did use a Cuttlebug embossing folder and thought it would be fun to randomly color some of the dots to mimic Mort's skin, I did that with YG03.  The F.R.O.G. sentiment is computer generated.  I forgot to take a photo of the inside of my card, it's plain and white but says, "Fully Relying On God".

I made my card with specific friends in mind.  Our family has been praying for our friends Steve & Dottie, Dottie and I found out about the same time our husbands had cancer.  We're "online friends" through Operation Write Home so we've e mailed back and forth and gotten acquainted.  

Our family has been following her husband Steve's progress through his cancer.  I am truly inspired by their faith and dedication to each other.  They have been fully relying on God for their strength to get through this time and our family has been keeping up with them through a site called Caring Bridge and keeping them in daily prayer.  I enjoyed making my card today with Steve and Dottie on my mind, I'll write a note of encouragement inside and mail it off soon. 

This challenge theme was also inspiring to me, we all have a story and we all have our struggles and issues in life.  Sometimes we find ourselves wounded and crawling away from God, when actually we should be running to Him or crawling to Him if that's all we're capable of at the time. What a great reminder that we all need to be Fully Relying On God.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

For Fun Challenge - Fully Relying On God
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes
Just Tracy's Crafts - Anything Goes
My Heart Pieces - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Oozak - Spring Colors

Cuddly Buddly LilyBoo Creatures Hedgie

My card today uses a cute digital image from Cuddly Buddly that's been waiting for me.  It's been printed and waiting in a cello bag with several others.  

I had a minor malfunction with my desktop computer keyboard recently and had to wait for a new keyboard to arrive from Staples online.  Would you believe the small town we live in there isn't a computer keyboard for sale to be found?!  We had WalMart come to town a few years ago and put most of the other small businesses out of business and our WalMart doesn't carry computer keyboards... 

Ahh, don't get me started huh?  Anyway I wanted to work on cards and couldn't use my desktop computer so I colored one of my just for fun images.  I had the idea of printing a sheet of blue on blue polka dotted paper for this project too, after I realized I couldn't I got "creative" and used a Sizzix embossing folder and colored the dots with my B24 Copic marker.  

This image is colored with Copic markers B21, B23., B24, B28, B0000, YG21, YG23, YG25, E50, E30, E31, E15, E17, E25, E81, V0000, V000, RV10, Y18, YR18.  The layout for this card is a sketch from Priscilla Styles Midnight Madness challenge blog.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Midnight Madness - Sketch

Stamper's Best Ciara

Operation Write Home is having a "blog skip" today featuring cards made with Stamper's Best rubber stamps.  To see all the beautiful samples you can start at the OWH Stars & Stamps blog.

For my card today I used the Stampers Best Ciara rubber stamp, an Operation Write Home Fundraiser Stamp.  With each purchase of this stamp, StampersBest.com makes a donation to Operation Write Home. 

Pretty cool huh?!

I used Sandy Allnock's Copic coloring tutorial to color Ciara, she's the artist and Ciara is her dog so who better to follow along for my coloring today.  You can see her tutorial here.

Thanks for visiting my blog -

Challenges:
Shelly's Images - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps Spy

 Welcome to the Hambo Stamps Channel Surfing blog hop!

If you've arrived here from Dawn's blog you're on the right path, if not and you'd like to start at the beginning, click here and you'll find yourself at Talk To The Ham.  I highly recommend it!

For the Channel Surfing theme we were encouraged to create a project that represents and depicts a T.V. show title past or present.  My title would be "Get Smart"!

I used Hambo Stamps digital stamp set "Spy" for my card.

Can you see the resemblance to Maxwell Smart here?

Maybe a little?

Get Smart premiered in September of 1965, I was just a little girl but I remember our family enjoyed watching this T.V. show back then.  
Here's a link for info on the t.v. show Get Smart in case you've never heard of it and would like to check it out.

Be sure to leave comments for all the Channel Surfing participants 

because there are prizes involved here! 

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose TV-themed creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way!  Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hoedown blog, as well as on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, May 23.

There's more fun stuff to see on this Channel Surfing blog hop, you'll be visiting the fabulous Carolina next!

Just in case you get lost along the way:

Talk to the Ham - Hambo blog http://hambostamps.blogspot.com/
Sandy http://sandyscraftycreations.blogspot.com/
Paula http://heyheypaula-heyheypaula.blogspot.com/
Carolyn http://luvmycards.blogspot.com
Deborah http://beadnstampn.blogspot.com
Karin http://karin-withaniforpaper.blogspot.com
Jenn http://jaxbeanstalks.blogspot.com/
Pat http://patacakespages.blogspot.com
Dawn http://dawnmercedes.blogspot.com
Jan http://www.jans-gonestampin.blogspot.com/
Carolina http://cardolinascrapolina.blogspot.com/
Mary www.mystampinhide-away.blogspot.com
Beverly http://beestamper.blogspot.com/
Melissa http://melissascreations.blogspot.com/
Judy http://jarfullofjoy.blogspot.com/


Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Truly Scrumptious - Anything Goes 
Mad For Markers - Use Masculine Colors 
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes

Digital Delights by Louby Loo Toadstools

I have a Digital Delights by Louby Loo design team card to share today, for my image I used Toadstools and colored them with Copic markers.  I have a supply list below.

My card layout is Operation Write Home's sketch #26.  I was thinking neutral colors when the card was formulating in my mind, it seems kind of odd to me now that it's done.  I'm used to all the bright bold colors I've been using lately.  I think it will be a nice masculine card for my OWH box.

Supply List:

ALL DDSTAMPS USED:  Toadstool

CS AND PAPERS:   Nut Brown, Neenah Kraft, Stampin’ Up! Sage, Copic X Press It
INK:  HP LaserJet
MARKERS (if any):  Copic E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, BG10, BG11, BG90, BG93, BG96
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS:  Sizzix Embossing folders
COLORING MEDIUM (if any):  Copic markers
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any):  Copic cloud background

I've had a little peak in our design team gallery, I highly recommend you go over to our Digital Delights by Louby Loo blog and see all the other fun cards the girls have made.

Thanks for visiting my blog today - 

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamps & Show - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - In The Garden
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps Monster Yell

I have a Hambo Hoedown card to share today!

This cute digital image is called Monster Yell and was the freebie for playing in last weeks challenge that you can buy here.  The Hambo Hoedown challenge this week is to use a Hambo Stamps stamp or digital image and the sketch provided.  I found this weeks challenge pretty easy because I really like sketches!

 I colored the Monster with Copic markers YG01, YG03, YG21, YG23, N3, N5, RV52, RV55, YR09, BV00, BV01, BV11.  I gave my Monster a skin condition using a blender marker, then reapplying YG21 to the spots I'd removed the color from.

 I broke out my Basic Grey Kioshi paper pack for a little color inspiration too.  Our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge this week is a Tropical color challenge so I thought I'd cover two challenges with one card.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Hambo Hoedown - Sketch

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Tropical Colors
Bearly Mine Challenge - Dies

Bugaboo Stamps Jack & Diane

My card today is for our Seems A Little Sketchy challenge sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps!  

I LOVE Bugaboo Stamps!  Jodie's images are always cute and so much fun to color.

This digital image is called Jack & Diane.  When I saw this neat circular image with it's fun border I knew it would be perfect for our challenge.  I used Copic markers for coloring E09, E18, YR04, YR07, YR09, B91, BG0000, E00, E000, W1, W3, W5, W7, YG93, N3, N1, R11, R20, R35, R46, R59.  I chopped up Jodie's image to crop the largest heart out so I could enlarge them and use them as accents on the right side of the circle.  No worries, the original is still intact, I just like her heart shapes - kind of one of her artistic signatures.

The cardstock colors are Astrobrights Black, Stampin' Up! Really Rust & Sage Shadow, Copic X Press It.  I also used a Papertrey Ink ric rac die and a new Darice embossing folder, new to me that is.

I hope you'll have time to play in our sketch challenge, be sure to stop by Seems A Little Sketchy to see all the fun sample cards from our design team.

Thanks for visiting my blog today - 

Challenges:
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps April Showers

It's been busy around here this last week and I haven't had time to make up my entry for the Hambo Hoedown and wasn't sure I was going to get my card ready in time.  I had a little "me time" this Mother's Day afternoon and was able to work on that card, yea!

I used the Hambo Stamps April Showers digital image, the challenge theme is flowers and I've had my eye on this digital image for awhile now.  Great reason to make it mine!  I paper pieced the umbrella flowers using a digital paper from Doodle Pantry and colored the rest of the image with Copic markers B66, B63, B60, YG67, YG17, YG05, YG01, Y32, Y21.  My layout is Splitcoast Stampers Sketch challenge #384. 

Enjoy the rest of your Mother's Day!

Challenges:

Hambo Stamps - Flowers

Peddler's Pack Tulips

Happy Mother's Day!

My card was made for Operation Write Home and I hope someone's Mom is enjoying it today.  The stamp is made by Peddler's Pack and colored with Copic markers RV52, RV55, RV00, V22, BV34, G46, G43, G40, RV10, RV11, YR30, YR31, BG90.  I kept the layout simple for this wonderful background stamp.  The cardstock colors are Via Vellum Basic Black & Leaf Green, The Paper Mill Lavender & Copic X Press It.  The Mother's Day sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.  

Thanks for visiting my blog and have a blessed day!

Challenges:
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Flowers
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Love You Mom
More Than Favors Wacky Wednesday - Mother's Day
Crafty Sentiments - Mother's Day
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes
Raise The Bar - Mother's Day
Simply Create Too - Mother's Day

Kitchen Aid 13 Cup Food Processor Review

I ordered this super cool Kitchen Aid 13 Cup Food Processor from QVC and it arrived today, 

how exciting!

As you can see from the photo above it's quite a bit larger than the Sunbeam Oskar food processor my Mom bought me around 20 years ago.  

I unpacked it, washed all the parts and read over all the directions so I'd be ready to try it out.  The Oskar is basically a chopper and the Kitchen Aid is a multi-tasking workhorse.  I'm excited about being able to slice foods so that's where I started.  I grabbed a block of cheddar cheese and sliced it, wow how cool is this?!

Next I peeled a half dozen carrots and sliced those a little thinner than my cheddar cheese for dehydrating.  The machine sounded different as the last carrots went through.  

As I took it apart to clean it again I noticed this -

I'm bummed, it's broken after two uses.  Not a very good value for the $$$.

I have read the Kitchen Aid warranty information, looks like they'll replace it - now I suppose I'll find out just how good their service really is.  I also need to see if QVC will do anything for me,  I'm not sure I want a replacement if you only get two uses out of it at a time. 

I'll keep you up to date with how this all turns out.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Digital Delights by Louby Loo Bucky

I have a new release Digital Delights by Louby Loo design team card to share today!

I used the digital stamp Bucky, sentiment set Western Sentiments & Western Accessories.

This was a really fun card to make.  I've been having a hard time merging/layering my design team images and figured out how to fix my problem in Photoshop Elements.  I knew I could do it!  :)  I used both Bucky and the cactus from the Western Accessories digital stamp sets and merged them together so Bucky is sitting in the "shade" of a saguaro cactus.  I'm an almost native to Arizona but originally came from Montana so this new release has me totally inspired!  Figuring out how to merge these images didn't hurt any either!

I used my Copic sky background technique for the sky and kind of wish I would have used a die cut sun in the corner but there isn't any room now - that's what I mean by I'm inspired, my mind is working overtime on this one.  The video tutorial for the Copic sky background can be found on my Copic tutorials page here.  I also made some digital paper using the Western Accessories digital stamp set, the tan paper was just too plain without anything on it.  

Here's my supply list:

ALL DDSTAMPS USED:  Bucky, Western Accessories, Western Sentiments

CS AND PAPERS:  Via Vellum Basic Black & Leaf Green, Neenah Desert Sand, Copic X Press It, Mohawk Color Copy Bright White 110 lb
INK:  HP OfficeJet 6000, HP LaserJet
MARKERS (if any):  YG01, YG03, YG63, G43, G40, E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E01, B000, T1, T2, T3
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS:  Papertrey Ink Double Ended Banner die
COLORING MEDIUM (if any):Copic
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any):  sky background with Copic markers, merged images, make your own background paper

Be sure to stop by our Digital Delights by Louby Loo blog to see all our fabulous design team inspiration!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge

We have a new Midweek Throwdown challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, our theme is Patriotic cards.  

For my card I used one of Sandy Allnock's fun digital images of her dog Ciara to color.  I printed the image and sentiment on Neenah Solar White card stock and cut and scored it for a single layer card.

  I colored both cards with Copic markers:  

R29, R27, R24, B24, B28, E04, E02, YR21, E34, E35, T5, T3, T1. 

I hope you have time to play along in our Patriotic challenge this week!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Patriotic

Notes From Home

Look what my neighbor and friend brought me a few weeks ago, wow!

A 40 pound box of ripe bananas, a half case of tomatoes and a little bread for the freezer.  She wasn't sure what to do with all the bananas and tomatoes but thought I might.  Well...  that 40 pound box of bananas made twenty five loaves of banana and chocolate banana bread.  I wasn't sure it was such a blessing several days later when I was still baking banana bread, but it was.

I learned how to make banana bread in pint mason jars thanks to Pinterest and had a dozen of those to share.  I think the funnest people to share these with was the mail carrier and UPS driver!  They always take great care of us and always have a little treat for Maxine.  

Mmmm, the last three loaves of chocolate banana bread, yea!

At church Sunday I was asked if I'd like to help with the Mother's Day brunch this Saturday, they were in need of some breads like - you guessed it!  No problem we're ready :)

My friend and her family also enjoyed lots of banana bread, the chocolate was their favorite.

Our kids were happy to make the deliveries across the street on a regular basis.

And then there were the tomatoes.  I was thinking tomato sauce but they became tomato paste which was fine with me.  There are several jars of homemade tomato paste in the freezer since I haven't learned how to can anything yet. 

I've missed a few days  blogging here and there lately so I thought I'd share what I've been doing, I'm still in the kitchen - just enjoying some other creative interests!  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Bugaboo Stamps Bobble Heads

I have a 2012 Mini Calendar page to share with you today!

I've made it to November and have just a couple more layouts to go before I can bind it...

I used two of Jodie's Bugaboo Stamps Bobble Heads and colored with Copic markers E44, E43, E41, E81, YT24, YR21, Y21, N5, N3, N1, E47, E44, E17, E0000, E15, YR14, YR16, YG21, YG23, YG25, Y04, YR02, YR04, YR07, C00.

I'm running out of square layout ideas!

My papers colors are Via Vellum Basic Black, Neenah Kraft, Copic X Press It.  I also used a new border die from My Favorite Things and added a scrap of grossgrain ribbon.  All I need to do now is punch the holes with my Bind It All...

Thanks for visiting my blog today - 

Challenges:

Catch The Bug - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps Bailey Flower

I have a fun card to share today for this weeks Hambo Hoedown.

This cute image called Bailey Flower was in my inbox Tuesday evening and I had to wait to see what  the challenge was going to be until Wednesday morning.  Sometimes it's hard to wait!

The challenge is to use Purple, Orange and Hot Pink together - 

I don't think I've tried this color combination yet and really had fun with it.  I used Splitcoast Stampers sketch #377 for my card layout.  I actually made the card body first and matched Bailey to it, backwards but fun.  The papers are Via Vellum Basic Black & Violet, Stampin' Up! Pixie Pink, Basic Grey Lime Rickey & Marrakech patterned papers combined.  I used the Spellbinders Long Narrow Ovals and Scalloped Ovals dies, a little Stickles covered in Glossy Accents and added a black half pearl to the flower center before it all dried.  The Copic markers I used are YG01, YG03, YG63, YG67, RV00, RV02, RV04, E40, E41, E43, E44, Y21, Y26, V12, V15, V17, YR04, YR07, YR09, YR30, YR31.  I wanted the background to have a yellowish glow to match the patterned paper so I used YR30 & YR31.

I also wanted to use one of the sentiments that comes with this cute set but wasn't sure where to put it with the sketch.  I decided it would fit on the flower pot after giving it a transparent background using Photoshop Elements.  

I'm intimidated by Copic Violets, Blue Violets and Red Violet, this challenge gave me the opportunity to experiment a little more on a very small scale.

I could also totally relate to today's Hambo Stamps image, Maxine has been pulling up some of my Stevia plants out in the garden.  I've been able to rescue them, clean them up and quickly dehydrate them. 

She looks a little guilty don't you think?

Oh!  One more thing...  Hambo Stamps is having a design team call!  

Looks like fun, here's a link for you - Hambo Stamps.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Hambo Hoedown - Purple, Orange & Hot Pink
Creative Craft Challenge - Anything Goes
Tammy's Scrappin Corner - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Add Some Dimension
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Kaleidoscope of Color
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes