Hurricane Matthew

I don't live near the coast, but some dear folks I care about do.  I'm so thankful they came thru the storm that caused so much damage going up the eastern coast.  In the central part of the state we had rain Friday and all day yesterday.  Such a dreary day!  This morning I awoke to sunshine and a beautiful day.  Amazing the change in just a few hours.  I pray for those that lost so much, I know Franklin Graham and those from the Samaritan's Purse were in Florida as soon as the worst of the storm was over trying to help those that were hit so hard.  One video from Fayetteville, NC was so striking.  A woman's car was in deep water and she was standing on the seat of the passenger side on the outside of the car hanging on with one hand, and hanging on to a baby and protecting it with her body and the other arm.  When help came, they took the child from her and it was the most stirring thing to watch.  How scared she must have been, and how relieved to see help arrive.  How sad that the rain waters came so quickly and unexpected mass flooding in no time at all.  Thank God for those that put their lives on the line to help the ones that were stranded and helpless.  God bless those first responders.

# 3 for CardzTV Birthday Card Challenge

My 3rd card for Mary's Challenge I used Technique Tuesday "Building Poppies" stamp.  The card base is Gina K Design Black heavy weight cardstock and makes a very nice card base.  I also picked her Fired Brick cardstock and scrap of teal to create Mary's Sketch #2 design for this card.  I love how it came together!  I used Spectrum Noir Markers and Prismacolor Pencils to color the poppies and background.  The sentiment is from CardzTV "Good Times" cutting two banners placed in an offset with the black and white cardstock.  A few tiny sequins finish it off!

This is my favorite of the cards I've made for the challenge!  I made some score lines using Martha Stewart's small score board on the teal and thought that added to the texture making the teal not look so plain.  This was a fun card to put together and really loved the time creating all 3 cards using Mary's sketches! Thanks to Mary for sharing her craft and all her wonderful videos!!  God Bless!

Another card!

I decided to use some Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Leaves for a Fall Birthday card.  I used Mary's Sketch #3 using Gina K Designs Autumn Leaves 6X6 paper, and Tomato Soup cardstock for the card base.  I had some scraps of mustard colored paper with orange dots that worked well with the other papers.  I cut the leaf dies on white cardstock and used Distress inks of mustard, fired red and peeled paint to tint the leaves and Distress markers to detail the veins and stem.  The sentiment comes from the Clearly Besotted "To You With Love" stamp set I used on the Purple card posted yesterday.  I love how swirly the letters are, it gives the feeling of the wind blowing thru the letters.  Finished it off with some LUX Copper Crystal Drops...love that stuff, you can make your dots different sizes!!

Hope you have had a wonderful day!!  God Bless

Purple Birthday Card for CardzTV Challenge

I have become so in love with floral stamps lately!!  I love the layered ones but can't seem to get it to turn out like others do.  Not sure I have the right mix of colors or what....but I keep practicing!!  I saw the new challenge for CardzTV using Mary's sketch 2 or 3 and so it was time to pull out some of the new stamps I have and get to work!!  Here is the first one, the stamp is from Clearly Besotted "To You With Love".  I used Prismacolor Premium pencils and a mix of Kuretake water pens for the flowers and foliage.  I used Wild Lilac cardstock from Gina K Designs....very wonderful cardstock!!  For the layers I used some 6X6 paper  and stitched ovals to die cut the flowers and purple shadow.  My sentiment came from Mary's CardzTV "Good Times" I just love her stamps!  Here's my first card for the challenge!

This turned out to be just what I wanted.  I have a few purple lovers in my workplace....will have to decide who will get this on their birthday.  I loved the sketch, it is #3 and it came together so easily.

Can't wait to get the other ones posted for the challenge!!

Have a great day and may God Bless you!!

LONG TIME...

Wow! Time has flown by!  The summer came and went....although it was really hot, we survived it!  More work in the kitchen...this time furniture.  Got a wild hair to paint my dining table and chairs.  Sort of nervous about it, but love how it turned out!  This is the before of the table and chairs:

I've always loved this set, just felt like I wanted a change.  Now for the steps to the final version:

The primer on the bottom and removing layers on the top.

The first coat of the "buff" paint on the bottom of the table...still working on getting the layers off the top.

A peek at one of the chairs....so different and STILL working on that top layer.

Finally now to the staining!!! I love it!

Stain has been finished and now starting on the poly stain....2 more coats.

The chairs and bottom of the table need another coat of buff and then a rubbing stain to bring out the design in the them.

Still need that final coat and rubbing stain, but for now this is how it looks!  I totally love it!!!

This is the kitchen window treatment before....just a valance and white shade under it for privacy.

I decided to change it up and made a floral valance with grommets and then covered the shade with a coordinating stripe material I actually found at Walmart!  I had the floral print from the window treatments in my den that I made several years ago.  I had kept the scraps and had one large enough for the valance.  I loved it but wanted something different for the shade.  So...I was on the hunt at different shops for material to coordinate.  It was Waverly material I had gotten from a large warehouse when I was working on the windows and matching pillows in the den.  So when I saw the stripe...it was just what I had been looking for and it was Waverly print as well!  I was THRILLED!!    I love the new look!!  It really made a big difference in the total look of the room!  Need to get back to Lowes to get more paint for the chairs and bottom of the table and get it all finished.  Lots of stuff going on at work and I'm zapped by the end of the day and on the weekends I'm exhausted, so it might be a little while before it is all completely done.  Have a long weekend coming up, might be the perfect time!

Almost done...

Last Friday I started on my kitchen/dining redo.  I worked so hard!!  Had to go back to get more tiles to finish up the backsplash Saturday afternoon.  Got that finished Saturday evening and the kitchen scrubbed, vacuumed and mopped and everything back in place/order before I headed to bed.  Sunday I started painting the dining area  and LOVE the paint color!  It complements the backsplash so much and just adds a whole new look!  I have one small wall left to paint...have to take down shelves and all the "stuff" on them and my mojo is slowing down.  I didn't work on it Monday, had to go back to work today and gave it a rest; tonight, too.  Had laundry to work on and still trying to rest my hip/back before going back to climbing up and down to finish that wall.  Also behind the hutch needs painting, will wait until the weekend when I can take the time I need to get the hutch emptied then move...paint...move back and reload with my dishes.  It will get done....just a little later!  :-)  So far here is some before and after pictures to show the change!  First the Before:
The light blue paint on the walls under the cabinets and above the chair rail in the dining area:

Now the after......LOVE IT!!  It feels like a whole new place!!

And not to forget my little "helper"..... she was so "worried", panted so hard when she could hear me moaning or groaning with my back or hip hurting and trying to push myself to get things done!  I felt so sorry for her....she was a trouper!!  My eight year old "baby"!!  Anaya!!

It is still such a surprise to walk into the kitchen...I just love it!!!  Hope you like it, too!  Just makes me smile!!

Happy Friday!

Had the day off and made some plans to get my kitchen updated.  Bought paint and peel and stick backsplash to put up and get the dining area painted.  The peel and stick was hard to do, but I love how it is turning out.  I got about half of the wall area under the cabinets done.  Scrubbed the countertops and the "stuff" that I have out...it is really looking so much better.  I'm going to love it once I can get it finished.  My hip and back slow me down, so I didn't get all that I wanted to do done.  Have a good start, but much more to do tomorrow that I had planned.  I picked out taupe paint and LOVE it!  Reminds me of chocolate ice cream!!  LOL!!  The last time the kitchen was painted was in 2002....so it is time!!  Moving stuff around and the repetition of scrubbing, painting, straining with the peel and stick pieces has me aching something horrible!!  Ready for a hot shower and going to bed to watch some TV for a bit.  I hope resting tonight a while will help me get more done tomorrow.  Will post before and after pictures....that is when the AFTER is finished!!  :-)

Laber Day is around the corner...

Well, made my trip to Lowes after work to pick up items for my weekend project.  Paint for above the chair rail and peel and stick tiles for the back splash under the cabinets.  I hope I can get started tomorrow after I get home.  Then I can pace myself for getting it done.  I'm really excited about this, have been mulling it around in my mind for a while and today I decided to just go for it!!  I have Friday off so I should be able to have the time to work and not over do it.  My doctor would be having a FIT!!!  She told me no more "projects" until I have surgery and can get well!!  BUT if I pace myself I think I can get it done without hurting myself further!!  Will post before and after photos!

Sizzix $2500 Giveaway at Scrapbook.com

I'm loving the $2,500 giveaway chance at Scrapbook.com.....love that online store!!  So much to choose from and really great prices!!!

Kentucky Derby!

We are celebrating the Kentucky Derby at work and wouldn't you know it the manager asked ME to head up the decorations and planning!  This is a competition involved with other offices.  We will be judged for the most elegant table, the best hat (for women) and the best dressed for the men with Derby attire.  Another co-worker and I scanned through some images of Derby parties and table decorations.  We found one that we both really liked and with the help of my Silhouette...I worked on my version of the centerpiece!  Below are a few pictures.

 

I hope everyone will like it and it will get us in the "spirit" of the party.  I'm thinking of putting it on a glass cake plate and use black candle holders and a black dinner plate holder all this on a white table cloth with red roses laying around on the table.  Red candles and use silver servers and glass for the food.  We thought finger food would be the easiest and just have to decide that tomorrow!  I will try to get a picture of the table when it is all said and done!  Hope we win the table contest!!

Great day!

I've been busy lately making cards, cleaning out closets & stuff!!  A customer from work has been so kind and thoughtful to me, I wanted to make her a special card.  I found out she loves bees, so I made this card to mail her.

I added some little bees to the envelope, too....have seen several videos that show matching envelopes to cards and thought that was such a great idea.  I hope she likes it, I had fun putting it together!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

CardzTV Challenge #5 -3

I recently got these Paper Smoochies bird houses with birds dies and thought they were the cutest things!!  I found some paper with the wood design for the base layer and then a pretty paper with leaves and berries and used a scalloped edge die on the one side and popped that layer up.  I put the birdhouses with the little birds on that paper and used white twine to "hang" them on the paper.  The little birds and birdhouses just made me happy so I die cut the word "happy" out of white foam and then stamped the small words above and below it and used white fine embossing powder to make the words stand out.  Turned out to be a cute card.  Hope it makes you happy, too!

God Bless!

CardzTV Challenge #5 - 2

One of my sweet friends lost her Mother-in-law this past weekend.  I was out of town, but made this card to send to her and her husband and daughter today.  I just got this stamp from Simon Says Stamps, loved the floral whimsy of this stamp and used a small butterfly from another stamp set to go with it.  Simple yet heartfelt.  I have been praying for them, I know this is a difficult time.  After I got it finished I decided to enter it into the current CardzTV Challenge.  If you read my post, please say a prayer for this family!  The Mother has not been doing well for several months, I know they are sad yet are exhausted as well.  Please pray for God's strength and comfort.

God bless!

CardzTV Challenge #5 - 1

I watched a video by Jennifer McGuire showing how she taped off the edges of a card layer, used a sponge to ink colors on the exposed area and then put perfect pearls over the inked portion to make it look like metal.   She used the 3D embossing folders by We-R Memory Keepers for dimension and then decorated with a word or phrase and they were so beautiful.  I had bought a new die (friend) and wanted to give that "metal" trick a try!  I also love butterflies and decided to die cut the one I have for the card.  I cut the layer with the scalloped stitch die and then embossed it with the Quilt 3-D embossing folder and added the two die cuts.  I love how it turned out!  I'm entering this card in CardzTV Challenge #5.  Hoping you are having a blessed week!

3 pattern paper card #2

My second card using 3 pattern papers used one of Mary's sketches.  I'm loving all those bits of inspiration! 

I haven't made any get well cards in a while and recently ran across this get well die.  The background paper is a honey color with dots of white and the coral center, then the big circles with lots of colors with a center design that reminded me of flowers and then the bottom piece that is the orange/red color with darker dots.  I found the flower from my stash as well as the leaves.  Used the purple paper for the get well die and the inside of the oval frame.  I like how it turned out, just makes you want to feel better!! 

3 pattern papers #1

I finally got around to making pictures of the cards I made for CARDZTV 3 pattern paper challenge.  A friend found a box of beautiful scrapbooking paper at the Salvation Army store and brought it to me!  YAY!  I went through it and found some really lovely paper and set 3 sets aside.  I only have 2 made in time to post for the challenge.  I still don't think I've "caught up" from the time changing an hour back!  LOL!! 

The first one I had my sweet friend from Wilmington in mind.  Her family is going through some tough times right now and we haven't had much time to talk.....so I thought she would like it.

I used foam for the hello and had the old fashioned phone already cut and colored in my stash.  The green dotted paper was run through the 3D embossing folder called quilt. The paper behind that layer is light green with dots of pink, blue and shades of green, and I LOVED the floral print!!  Looks so cheery and makes me think of spring!

Cheesecake Factory

Oh my....some of the ladies at work thought it would be fun for a group of us to drive down to Charlotte and go to the Cheesecake Factory.  It's about an hour and a 1/2 from us, so we met at 9:30 this morning and headed south!  Got there shortly after they opened and got right in!  A line had already started forming and it got long quickly!!  What fun we had!  We had so much fun, and trying to choose which slice of cheesecake was nearly too hard to do!  I ended up bringing my carrot cake cheesecake home!  YUM!  I did eat a bite at the restaurant but it was SOOO rich!  It was just a good time to get away and spend some time with each other outside of work!!  Below are a few pictures of the inside and outside...the pansies were just gorgeous and there were tulip magnolias blooming and smelled so sweet!  It really felt like SPRING!!

Happy Friday!  I've been trying new techniques and having fun in the process.  I ordered a new Paper Smooches die called Roses.  I LOVE this die.  I saw a picture of a card using this die and fell in love with it.  So I HAD to have it...honestly found it on WalMart.com for the BEST deal!!  Mailed right to my house in just few days.  The card I'm posting was sort of a last minute idea.  I had cut out the die in several different papers to then give the inlayed look on a white outline rose.  So there were all these outlines cut out and I didn't want to waste them, so I made cards out of them.  It was fun to put them together.  Here is a sample:

 

I bought the Hero Arts "Thanks" die/stamp set and cut the word out of white cardstock, then touched it up with a Wink of Stella white glitter pen.  You can't really see it in this picture, I also put a Tim Holz Salty Ocean Distress marker in the Spritzer and lightly sprayed that on the white cardstock, cut a banner out of one of the left over printed cardstock I used for one of the rose cut outs, I loved the blue print on the pink background and then use the turquoise tiny sequins to finish it off!  Simple but sweet!

Several weeks ago I got the Brusho Crystal Color (12 pack) and liked their effects!  I saw Jennifer McGuire use foam sheets to cut with dies and make "stamps" so I tried that with the Hero Arts You're so Lovely stamps/dies.  It Worked!!  I used ink for the base of the flowers and then inked the layer in white and stamped on the base, then cut it out for my card.  I also put a bit of white perfect pearls on the flowers to give them a little shine.  You can't really see it in the pictures.  I was inspired to get the Brusho pack out and water color on a layer to put the flowers on.  Again used the thanks stamp for the sentiment and some tiny sequins to finish it off!  The first picture was taken without a flash but shows how the watercolor came out.  The second picture washes out the color but you can see the glimmer on the flowers and black Wink of Stella on the word "thanks".  On the left side there is a little strip of green like the leaves and then a smaller black strip, and of course the tiny sequins!  Love those little guys!!!

 

    

Hope you have a blessed weekend!!

   

New MONTH!!

Can you believe we are in the THIRD month of the year already!!?  Time is flying by!  I was cleaning in my craft room and found some things I had stamped and die cut some time ago.  I saw the challenge on CardzTv for Thank You cards and put some of those items together to make a card.  I love how it turned out.  The flowers are from Hero Arts, an embossed Thank You die and Memory Box leaf die.  Little touches with tiny purple sequins and yellow flower sequins finish it off. 

These were just sitting in a box ready to be used and all of a sudden it just came together.  The background purple cardstock was stamped with a diagonal 6X6 stamp with a slightly darker shade of purple and I was so tickled with the result.  Hope you like it! 

Hope to be back soon with a new card!!

I Won!!!

I am so excited!  I just saw on Cardztv.blogspot.com that I had won the challenge for the Birthday card which ended yesterday. I am so happy I had the lucky number from random.org!  I love Mary's stamps and can't wait to see which set she sends.  I don't usually win things so this is the highlight of my week!   The cards I entered are posted on February 17th if you want to scroll down to see them.

It is hard to believe March is nearly here, this year is going by quickly!  So thankful for a nice weather wise weekend coming up!  Spring is just around the corner!  God bless you and keep you in his hand full of love, grace and mercy!

Lasting Hearts

Found a really wonderful blog a couple of months ago and was inspired to make cards for the Lasting Hearts campaign.  You can find more information about it on Jennifer McGuire's blog (www.jennifermcguireink.com) and search for Lasting Hearts.  A woman employed with the Hero Arts company had a miscarriage with her twins, she was devastated.  A friend shared a book, "You are the Mother of all Mothers", which meant so much to her.  She asked her OBGYN if she could supply these books would they give them to mothers that has suffered a miscarriage.  The doctor agreed so she went out seeking funding for this wonderful project. Hero Arts and other online scrapbooking stores are donating percentages of profits for certain items.  You can find more about that on the blog as well. Jennifer had the idea for card makers to make cards of encouragement for these women to be placed in the books so as they are given out there will be a personal touch as well.  I felt so compelled to do this as I had lost my first baby by a miscarriage.  I still wonder about that child and what would life be like if that child had been born and lived a full life.  I set myself a goal and mailed the cards off last week.  I thought I would post pictures of the cards I made.  I would ask that you pray for this venture and the women that receive the books that they will find comfort and peace in the midst of their sorrow.

Jennifer asked that the inside only be a sentence of prayers or encouragement and then put your first name and where you were from.  Just enough to show your support for their situation.  I pray God will use the books and cards to bring peace and comfort to these grieving souls and give a ray of hope for the future.