Tag You're It

Mr. Mojo decided to sleep in this morning. While I got my hinder out of bed at 6:00, he really didn't wake up and get moving till past 10:00. Not sure what I'm going to do with him.... Gave him coffee, nice coffee, let him check FB and our blog all he wanted, but getting him up and working was like pulling teeth. Finally, though... Made a little card for the current Tag You're It Challenge. I don't have a pretty lacy leaf die like this one, but did the best I could with the dies I did have. My inspiration came from the colors, especially the gold of Jeanne's sweet tag. I used a little more black and a little less blue in my take.

My tag card:

I started with a Michaels white base and added a black scrap panel and one of my last bits of Gina K. woodgrain papers. Cut an orange scrap with my SC tag die, and stamped the Verve sentiment with Versafine black ink, as well as those sweet little dot groups. The leaves are made with a heat embossed panel, then cut with my MFT die. An old aqua brad with its legs trimmed (did you hear it scream?) and a scrap of ribbon. And lastly, those little orange bits on the right...well, those are bugle bead thingies that came in a mix that I picked up at the sweet scrapbook/stamp store, Polka Dots. They're for shaker cards, but I thought they were the right size for this card. Obviously, I picked out the orange ones, and only four at that. Stuck them down with Glossy Accents. I'm not sure if Mr. Mojo plans on cooperating any more today, so will try and ignore him and maybe he'll try and impress me. In any case, happy dances everyone!

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Card Two

I'm back with another card. And one I'm much, much happier with. It feels like I'm back on track with this card, and for those of you who know me, I'm pretty sure you'll agree. If you're not playing along, but you'd like to, you can find all the details here at the CLBH. Just grab your favorite beverage, have a leisurely gander through the gallery, and then link up. Who knows, you could be a winner!!

For this card, I've tried something new to me. I used a print and cut file from my Cameo Silhouette for the first time here. I turned it into a gift card holder for a Starbucks card! 

You can just see the "FALL" themed gift card peeking out behind the leaves on the right side. The base is a very treasured, nearly-the-last-piece-of- Parisian Breeze cardstock from SU. (I know you know what I'm feeling Jen...) All the other papers are scraps, yippee!!! A bit of KF twine and a random button that happened to match. An AE stamp in Ranger Potting Soil ink, and a fussy cut sticker (can't deal with those white edges...) from Pebbles. Oh, and the die is from ME. Whew! This would make any one of my HS or college age grandkids happy. With that, I know you want to get onto the next one, so will wish you all happy dances.

Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

It's here, it's here, it's here! And of course, Mr. Mojo decided to take a break after yesterday morning, the little stinker! But I coaxed and cajoled, and came up with a little something -- finally! Big thanks to Amy, and an incredible list of sponsors. Be sure to link up and drink up! Check out all the details here: 2015 Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

What I had in mind, and what I made are two completely different things. Only two elements carried throughout the design; the die, and the designer paper...go figure. I will admit that I'm finding the end product rather cute. It's going to a friend whom I meet for coffee once a month. She'll get a kick out of it.  Hopefully, Mr. Mojo will cooperate much more in the next few days...yeah, like that'll happen!

Started with a large light blue scrap for a base, then used some hoarded saved LF dp for the top and bottom edges, cut with ME scallop die. A PTI pieced together and masked off sentiment on the top half, and my NBUS Verve coffee die that I won from the last hop (woohoo!!). I cut the coffee cup with my Cameo, and the pumpkin face too, which I used as a stencil with some Versafine black ink. Pumpkin Spice Latte, anyone? (Me, I'll stick to my Caramel Macchiato thanks...) So I'm going to go and hop along now, and maybe see if I can find any spare brain cells lying around with which to make another card. Happy dances everyone!

Supporting the Economy

I'm doing my part to support the economy. I've added more NBUS to my stash. Including more paper. "It's only one 6x6 pad," she said in a whiney, almost embarrassed voice. Yeah...whatever... Hello, my name is Bev and I'm a paperaholic. I've also added stamps and dies. And more are on their way. (yep, ordered them Miss Kim) Oh. My. Goodness. Or perhaps it's, Oh. My. Badness.... No matter, I'm helping the economy, right???... Okay, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Hahahahahahaha!!!!!

I'll try to be good for a few weeks now. (Pardon me, I was choking on my coffee...) You'll see one NBUS die here today, and more as I get to them, though I've got enough to probably rival Miss Darnell's Mt. NBUS these days, so it could take a while, lol!

It's another of those busy days for me. But since I've been skimping on posts and comments, I thought I'd take a bit of time and put some words in my post today. Still have a million things to do, and haven't even made it to the shower yet. Yikes! Two granddaughters share a birthday today. They're 20 years apart. And both are sweet, funny and smart as all get out. I'll share a photo if I can get them together in a couple of weeks when we head that way for some party time.

You know, don't you, that tomorrow starts the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop? Just sayin'.... I'll be playin'. You should too! Way fun, I promise you!! Oh look, Geri G. I made a little poem!! I am sooo funny. Okay, okay, who put the quarter in me this morning????!! I'll stop now before I hurt myself... Onto cards, which is really why you're here....

Just two today, and I'll be playing along with four challenges. A three-fer for this first card. Playing at MFT Sketch Challenge, SSS Wednesday Challenge, where we're not to use designer paper, and SSS Work It Wednesday Challenge, where we're to use a stamp. 

Here's my card:

I stamped the MFT flowers with MFT and Memento inks, and the MFT sentiment in PTI ink. I die cut the flowers and leaves (the leaves are vellum), and added some clear dots for centers. There's vellum over the bottom panel. I didn't have the MFT die that cuts this kind of panel, so I used my MFT stitched rectangles and cut the top one 1 1/2 times. Looks like more NBUS in my future, hahahaha! A complimentary blue panel beneath it all, et voila, finis! (how's that for a little French, Anita?!)

Next is my card for CASology. I wanted to play last week, but my umbrella stamp and die weren't cooperating...This week however, some NBUS arrived just in the nick of time! Yippee!!!

 

I'd seen this die when MFT first came out with it. I admit I was intrigued, but wasn't sure about it until I saw a card that Ardyth made. In-freaking-credible!!! Knew I had to have the die. Her card is most definitely Superstar worthy. Be sure to stop and have a drool over it. Seriously. Oh, then come back here....

This one pinged into my little brain in a flash, and was made about as quickly. I cut a 4" x 5 1/4" panel and used this MFT die. Backed with a scrap of glitter paper, which doesn't sparkle well in the photo... I did use a bit of ME Winter ink on the panel's edges, but not too much. A bit of silver twine, and an AE silver bow from a shiny scrap. Three clear "circle" sequins and done! EZPZ lemon squeezy! Can't wait to make shakers with this one! Pretty sure the grandkids will be delighted with them!! So now that I've babbled on like an idiot, I'll stop for a while. I've got to get some stuff done, including card making! Have a fun Thursday. Happy dances everyone!!

In for Just a Minute

I only have a minute today. Don't know how I ever worked or raised children.... Way too much to do... Two cards and four challenges. Let's get right to it.

My first card will go into City Crafter Challenge and into A Blog Named Hero. My second card will go into SSS Wednesday Challenge and a new-to-me place to play, Share the Joy Challenge.

I've got some NBUS going on here:

I picked up this new HA stamp and die set designed by Lia Griffith (the bear & cap & sentiment) comes with more, which I'll use later... LOTS of dies here in this little scene. AE frame, LF 'hills,' and trees, HA bear and hat. Cuttlebug ef. LF tree stamps. Copics to color them. HA sentiment. Michaels white, red scrap. Funish.

The next card also uses multiple dies, including a NBUS TE HB banner die, which I've fallen madly in love with. My tic-tac-toe goes down the right side.

Scrap of bright pink on Michaels white base, polka dot scrap cut with ME scalloped die, scrap of teal cut with MFT die, TE HB die (love them!!). Stamped, colored with Copics, and fussy cut three SSS balloons and added some clear Stickles. When dry, I added some black thread and adhered them to the card. Three clear sequins, though they look blue... Birthday, check. Balloons, check. Glitter, check. Dies, check. Gotta run, check. Happy dances everyone.

Thank You!

I'm taking a minute to say thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes. I had a wonderful day and went to bed smiling, thinking about what a great family and groups of friends I'm blessed with. You really made my day extra special. The mail is still coming in too! How nice to have an extended birthday. A special shout out to Anita for the party! Oh my gosh! Everything was perfect, and I had a great time! And ladies....I'm splurging, going to spend a whopping $4.00 on lottery tickets tomorrow so I can buy that Caribbean Island and build us a house where we'll all be able to gather and craft! If you haven't had a chance to see it, pop over to Anita's blog and let the drooling begin!!

I have a couple of cards to share today, and by coincidence, they're both "thank you" cards. The first one I had in mind as one way to again say thanks for making my birthday pretty darn awesome! I saw the sketch over at WPlus9's Get Sketchy Challenge, and thought I'd see what I could come up with.

Decided to create my own background for this one. I rather like how it turned out:

Started with my Michaels white base, and stamped WPlus9's Fresh Cut Florals in Jeni Bowlin ink, with a dot of gold for the centers. I heat embossed WPlus9's "thanks" in gold, and used an MFT oval die. I didn't have a gold paper that tripped my trigger, and you know I like matchy-matchy things, so I smeared embossing ink, added the same gold powder, and cut a strip and a larger oval. A scrap of lovely navy for the bottom and done. This makes me smile, and I hope it does you too.

The next thank you card was inspired by the sketch over at CTS. Went pretty CAS with some bright pops of color.

I made several of these, and they didn't take very long to do. The dies are PPP for the square, and MFT for the fishtail die. I printed the 'thank you' in bright happy colors and added a variety of enamel dots in more fun colors. A bit of AC red twine to mimic the circles in the sketch. The white is, as always, Michaels, and the black is a scrap. So. I really must finish getting the soup made for my friend, Mary, so will close for today. Happy dances everyone, and thanks once more for all the delightful birthday wishes.

Three-fer

Gorgeous day here in SE Wisconsin. Spent some time outside working on that credenza, and then inside making a card or three. Good day. I'll keep the chatter to a minimum on this post so you don't have to read tons before actually seeing the first card.

Once more I'm going to pop a card into the sweet Miss D.'s NBUS Challenge. I know I wasn't the only one to save a few things just for this reason, was I, lol?!! New stamps from SSS and new Peerless watercolors making an appearance for the first time. And since I unconsciously, and very luckily, followed the sketch for a new-to-me challenge called CanYouCaseIt?, I'm headed over there with this one as well.

This is my first attempt at real watercoloring...at least that I'm sharing....

Started with a blue base, and some watercolor paper. Naturally, I stamped and painted before attaching the wc paper. The balloons are stamped with Antique Linen ink, and painted with Peerless watercolors. The bits of confetti are SSS from the same set, and stamped with some old gold ink. I drew the straight strings, and added the bows. Heat embossed sentiment on vellum. Had fun with the watercolors and might try them again!

Next up is a card for Tag You're It, #30. Celebratory cupcakes. Perfect. Check out Nancy's tag...

I did use a cupcake. And a cherry. And glitter. Mmmmmm.....glitter.....

All AE stamps on a Michaels white base fitted out with scraps of blue and light red. A snippet of hoarded cupcake paper from Geri G. (thanks BABE!!!) which she so kindly shared at the Lake House last year. The cupcake was stamped with Potting Soil Ranger Ink, and then the 'frosting' was colored with a Copic, lathered in glue and sprinkled in glitter. I added a bit of GA to the cherry. Some random ribbon, and the tag dies are from SC. A smattering of sequins to somewhat mimic the confetti. That glitter irl is just so darn sparkly!!

Lastly, is a card for the current Muse Challenge. No CAS here, no white space. And as rules are rules, I complied. First have a gander at Michele's card...

At first glance, my brain went, "um....no." Then it went PINGGGGG. Had some 12x12 paper that I bought years ago when scrapbooking was my thing. Not so much anymore, but I still have all this paper... Remembered this piece, and knew exactly where I was going with it.

There is no border around the card. The flowers go edge to edge. The dp is from Graphic 45. I faced a Michaels white base with a chunk, then found flowers to fussy cut from the remainder. I smeared clear Stickles on the four cut-out flowers and when they were dry, I popped them up, which of course you can't see and I'm too lazy to take an additional photo. Added a pair of tags and used a WPlus9 stamp which I heat embossed in gold. A bit of gold ribbon, and alllll done. For something rather busy, I like it! Thanks Muse team for helping me out of my comfort zone. And since I've held you captive long enough, I'll say happy dances everyone and move along....

Getting an Early Start

Whew! I'm starting this post before getting ready for church this morning, and we'll just see if I can type and edit fast enough to post it before leaving. Last week I was super busy, and had little time in the craft room, and little time to even sit in front of the computer and see what you've all been up to. My upcoming week should leave me a bit more time for both! Looking forward to some craft time. Had planned a full afternoon of cardmaking yesterday, but got sidelined by a migraine. Crossing my fingers that today is better.

I wanted to give a shout out to those who voted my feathered card for Muse as one of the three top-picks. Thank you so much for that. Carol provided such a lovely example, and I'm so inspired by this wonderful community. Thanks friends.

The birthday card I made for Hannelie, and which I popped into TYI was also an HM. Thanks ladies! I'm delighted to have had my special little Hannelie card chosen. Thank you!

OH!! Guess what??!! The city finally finished the sewer and water construction on my street, and laid two layers of asphalt down on Friday! That means no more construction dust, and I can get back to work on the credenza for my craft room! I'm so happy! Just a few coats of paint, a custom cut glass top, and done. I'm picky though. I will sand in between coats of paint and make it look nice. And the glass will wait until I get some strong fellas to move this behemoth into my craft room. Luckily, it's a straight shot from the patio doors into here. Then a bit of reorganizing, and I'll have some photos to share. Can't wait to get it done!!

Didn't quite get this post done this morning... But stopping the chatter now, I do have a card or two to share today. One for Muse, and another for Darnell's NBUS Challenge.  Joan made this fun card for us to muse upon, and I naturally fell in love with the polka dots. I picked up a bit of the red and black as well.

My Muse card:

First, that "pink" star is really yellow and I have no clue as to why it photographed pink...Go figure. I used a scrap of yellow polkie dot paper, which is one of my ultra favorite papers, and I'm trying not to hoard the remainder. Scrap of black and some Michaels white. The stamps are all SC with Versafine black ink. Star sequins, and some PPP ribbon. This card looks so fun in real life. Sometime photos just don't translate...

And another NBUS packed card! WooHoo Miss D!!!!

I ordered this set a bit ago. Saved it for Darnell's challenge! All RC stamps and 'gator die, and how cute are they??!! All the patterned papers are old SU, and the white is, of course, Michaels. I did a little coloring with Copics on the cake. And MFT dies. So I'll stop for now. I've got those chores to get to, and I do want to do some visiting at your blogs yet today. Happy dances everyone! 

One For Darnell

Fast in today. It's been a week filled with errands, company, and running. I'll be out again in a bit, so no chatter. I stock piled a bit of NBUS because I knew Darnell was heading up an NBUS Challenge and wanted to play. Made a QAEZPZ card this afternoon, and hope that on Saturday, when I have a few more minutes, I can make at least one more. Right now, I've got to run.

Michaels white. AE Beautiful Bow stamps, NBUS. ME Apple ink, Versafine black ink. SC tag die and AE bow die. And that's it. Running now, but hope to visit you all and leave some love soon. Happy dances everyone.

What Are You Good At?

Yes. What are you good at, besides making cards? I know you're good at that, because we're in this lovely cardmaking blogosphere together! And I love seeing what you've made. Believe me, you're such an inspiration to me that right now, even as I write this, I've got three of your lovely ladies' blogs open and have been drooling over your cards for the past two days now... I digress... What I want to know is, what other talents do you possess? I'm just curious is all. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours, lol! Drop a few of your talents in the comment section; I think we'd all like to know, wouldn't we? I'll give you three of mine:

1.  I can sing most of the alto section of Handel's Messiah from memory.
2.  I can grow garden flowers pretty darn well, but indoor plants pretty much die on me.
3.  My homemade guacamole is killer. Seriously deliciously good.

There. Nothing earth shattering. Nothing life changing, but they're all mine. In fact, in the grand scheme of things, they're pretty lame, but that's okay. I can do other things too. We all can. Life is good and we are blessed. We all have different talents and that's what makes the world go 'round.

Philosophy class dismissed. Onto what we're here for. Cards. Or in my case, card. Singular. For Muse. Carol is up as GD this week and she really challenged me. That got me to thinking about my talents; first as a cardmaker, and then other kinds (hence my wonderings about yours...). You can see where I took my inspiration -- the feathers, which was most obvious to me, then, the bits of black in the sentiment and framing her focal panel.

Really imaginative, don't you think?! She's pretty talented, that Carol. And while I'm at it, and as long as the theme this week at SSS Wednesday Challenge is "Make it Colorful," this card will make an appearance there too! 

I don't have any feather stamps. Not a one. They're not my 'thing.' But I wanted to play at Muse, and I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. It's good to expand horizons, don't you think? So I cut some feathers using white scraps and scraps of dp with my Silhouette. Just pulled colors that appealed to my eye. The bow is from AE, and the more I use it, the more I love it. If you look around the edge of the white panel, you'll see some piercings. That's also from AE; doesn't cut, just pierces, and was a RAK from Emily (thanks!!). A TT sentiment stamped in Versafine, a scrap of black for a mat, and Michaels white for the base and main panel. Hope Carol likes it. For now, I've got things to get done so will get moving. Happy dances everyone...don't forget to leave your talents in the comments section.

Happy September

Fall is approaching in the northern hemisphere, and Spring in the southern. Changes. I grew up with change. As a "Service Brat" change is pretty normal as I'm sure many others can attest. New schools, new friends, new bases, new countries... For me it was always a new adventure; not so sure my mom looked at it in quite the same way. She was a farm girl from northern Wisconsin. More changes in life are on the horizon for me I'm sure, but not today. It's just another day in paradise! I've got a couple of errands to run, so will cut to the chase.

Saw the new Cue Card over at CASology, and the new challenge up at AEIHeartU. Decided I could combine the two in a fun, CAS manner. See what you think

Now, if this isn't suitably CAS for CASology, my feelings won't be hurt if it needs to be removed. My white space is blue on this one...

The blue base is a large scrap, possibly from Bazzil. The "notebook" paper is a portion of Adornit Sticker paper that I bought years ago, and I used my MFT notebook die. The Wish Big, and balloon stamp (and die) are from AE's Storybook set, and the Amy Tangerine pencil was colored with Copics and fussy cut. A scrap of orange vellum for the balloon just because orange goes so well with this blue. Versafine black ink. A bit of twine to finish the card. EZPZ lemon squeezy! Well, that's about it for me today, unless I get my act together later on (hahahahaha!!!!) Happy dances everyone.