Make Mine Stamps

Did She Step On That?

No, but looking at it, you wouldn't know for certain!  I made this card on Monday.  Came home from work and was going to stamp my heart out because it was my birthday.  Thom came home to meet the landscaping man and called me several times, my dad called me a few times and my hands were hurting up to my elbows!  Hello 48 and my mondo zits!  So this is how it is going to be hunh?  Well, in that case...As I was working on the card, Thom called me...again...and I dropped my ink pad onto my basecard.  From that point forward, it was "Game On".  I wasn't starting over and if it meant that grunge was the name of the game, grunge I was going to do.

This is part of the Just Add Ink color challenge to use Close To Cocoa, Blush Blossom, Cameo Coral and Kraft, and I used MaryJo's Technostamper Sketch Challenge for the sketch.  Multi-tasking is good.

The basecard is Kraft upon which I've stamped En Francais in Close To Cocoa.  Once I dropped that inkpad, I just smacked the inkpad all over the basecard to dirty the entire panel.  The top panel is Cameo Coral and it is embossed with the Polka Dots Folder, as well as being stamped in Close To Cocoa with En Francais.  I distressed the edges with  my distressing tool too.

I stamped the focal image (Bloomin' Beautiful) in Close To Cocoa on Very Vanilla and used my Blush Blossom, Cameo Coral and Mellow Moss markers to color the image.  I sponged Close To Cocoa all over the Very Vanilla and distressed the edges of my Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa and Cameo Coral panels.  Doesn't this look dirty?  Like I just mis-treated the whole card or something....  This was adhered to the card with adhesive (what?  No dimensionals?...).

I used a Kraft Corduroy Button and rolled it all over the Cameo Coral ink pad to color -- a fellow demo shared this tip and I love it!  I stamped the word "bloom" in Close to Cocoa ink on the Twill Ribbon and sponged on Close to Cocoa ink to dirty it up as well.  I wrapped the legs of the Cameo Coral button around the twill and attached it with a glue dot to the basecard. 

Thom absolutely loves this card.  I wouldn't send it anywhere except to an early grave.  I just like Clean and Simple cards, but have been challenging myself to create things that are outside my comfort zone.  I know I need to do this because everyone has a different style -- this one doesn't speak to me!

I hope to have something small to share with you tomorrow, but that will depend on if I get to stamp something today.  We'll see what I can come up with....

Have a blessed day!

What? Pregnant...! Part Two

Today, I'm sharing the last four pages of the scrapbook I made for Andy's teacher, Karen.  I sent this off to her today and she'll receive it tomorrow.  I do hope she loves this book as much as I do -- the colors are fabulous and it looks so "boy-ish" to me.  That is the problem with creating something like this for someone else -- you put so much love and heart into it, and you just want them to feel it too!

Remember, you can click on any of the pages and they will enlarge so you can see the details.  I used small safety pins, rub ons, made shakers, etc. for this book and I can't wait for her to see it. 

Here is a picture of the book put together as a Z fold accordion book. 

 

There are plenty of journaling opportunities as well and I hope she is able to find them all!  I thought about putting post it notes on the pages to let her know what went where, but then again, perhaps she will want something totally different and I'm going to let her do with this book as she will.  I would love to see it with the pictures though!  Baby Boy isn't due until May and Andy is graduating at the end of May.  Reality is that unless she sends me pictures, I'll never see this book completed.  Oh well.....I can always make one for my own grandchildren, should I be so lucky when the time is right.  It isn't right now....not for about 10 years...so patiently I will wait! 

How about this for an omen?  Today is my 48th birthday and I woke up with two new zits!  What a gift!

See you tomorrow with a grunge card -- it happened by accident.  The only thing I didn't do was stomp on it!

God Bless!

 

What? You're Pregnant?

One of Andy's past teachers, Karen, is pregnant with her second child.  She and her husband, Troy, have one other child, Shelby, who is 17!  Yep, you read that right -- 17 and driving!  I think this baby was a surprise but is also very much welcome.  Karen has been a great influence on my son, as well as a huge help to him by "tutoring" him when he was struggling with Math.  As a result, Andy has always gotten great grades.  Because I love babies, because Andy is graduating and because she is just a really nice gal, I crafted a scrapbook for Karen and Troy and their new baby.  Here are the first four pages.  

I love the color palette and think it looks very much like a boy.  I'm putting these pages into a Z fold accordion album and all the pages are 9x9.  I like this format because it isn't hidden away in an album, but is meant to be out and about where people can see it, touch it and comment on it every time they enter the room.  After all, we scrapbook to preserve sacred memories -- why not keep some of these pictures out where folks can see them and adore them NOW versus when you drag out your albums.  I also like this format because I like to be able to say that I finished an album (there are eight 9x9 pages) in less than 8 hours.  

I scrap with a scrap map I've developed myself and I love this system.  It takes about 45 minutes to cut all the pieces and label them -- then, I just follow the map to put the pages together.  Once they are done, I start embellishing and deciding how I want the photo mats, etc.  Every book is different, dependent upon whom I am gifting the book too.  I really enjoy doing these books and always hope that the recipients enjoy the book as much as I enjoy creating it.

In picture three, the verse reads "Children are a gift from God." and I stamped this on the front of the vellum, using my heat gun to speed the drying process.  On the back of the vellum, I stamped the parent/baby hands and I love how this came out.  In real life, it looks great but it didn't come through the photo that well.  However, if you click on each photo, they will enlarge.

In picture four, the verse reads, "Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  Elizabeth Stone"  Isn't that the truth?

I'll show you the next four pages and the completed book tomorrow.

Now, the winner of the Sketch Challenge goodies is.....can you hear the drumroll?...Francie Holdren!

And the winner of the Color Challenge goodies is...drumroll still sounding!...Laura Natalie!

Since they both entered so many times, random.org made the decision and I'll be delivering their goodies this week.  Thanks so much to all who participated.  I'll be sending all of our cards to the Ronald McDonald House this week as well.

Have a fabulous Monday!  God Bless!

Blogger’s Challenge – IT BEAT ME!

Oh. My. Gosh!  Do you know what it feels like to know that a sketch challenge has totally and completely beat you?  Well I do!  And the worst part is that I don’t have time to try again and it’s my own fault.  And I also know that when I see what all the other players have done, I’ll definitely be thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

 

My computer is acting up and it won’t let me insert a picture of the sketch, but trust me when I tell you that I took HUGE creative liberty and changed it up quite a bit – it wasn’t my intention in my brain, but my fingers took over and this is what emerged.

 

I started with a base card of Bordering Blue.  I inked up En Francais in Bordering Blue ink and stamped it at different angles on the base card.  I basically created French script chaos, but oh well….it worked for me then!  I cut the circle in Very Vanilla with my Big Shot and Clear Circle.  I stamped the image from Bloomin' Beautiful in Chocolate Chip Ink.  Next, I colored the center of the flowers with Apricot Appeal and then went over the whole thing with So Saffron.  The leaves were colored in Mellow  Moss.  To keep that vintage/aged theme, I sponged on Creamy Caramel and a bit of Close to Cocoa around the focal image.  I used nail polish with lots of sparkle on the vase and that kind of flopped.  Live and learn…

 

I added a strip of Night of Navy after distressing and piercing the strip.  I also added paper lace which was distressed and aged using both Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa.  It didn’t turn out exactly as I planned, but it wasn’t way off either.

 

The coup de grace was the bee, which I stamped in Chocolate Chip onto vellum and dried with my heat gun.  I colored him with Apricot Appeal and then flipped him over to add him to the card. 

 

Now, about that word.  The word is “bloom” and because I know you cannot read it, let me explain that I stamped it before the entire image was dry (I thought I had heated it enough with my heat gun!) and it sunk into my nail polish.  Drats.  I tried every way I knew to line this up with the stamp positioner so I could overstamp it in Night of Navy for a second time – NO DICE!  And I didn’t want to say that I had been beaten by the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig as well as the sketch so I didn’t fix it, if you get my drift!

 

So this one doesn't go down as one of my "successes" but it is also good for my gals to know that sometimes...the card beats you and you toss it into a pile and MOVE ON!

 

My hubby’s and my father’s beloved Ohio State Buckeyes are playing tonight.  I am so hopeful they do well because these two men that I love will be very disappointed if they leave the NCAA tournament at this point.  Besides, when they play, I stamp – what better reason for me to want them to win!

 

Have a terrific weekend!  On Monday, I’ll announce the winners of the blog candy for my March sketch and color challenges.  I’ll be using random.org to choose the winners so if you entered, check out my post on Monday.  And, I may not be posting as often next week as I need to take some time out to get some “real” work done – the kind Thom pays me for at the office.  I’ve been putting something off that I need to address and this seems as good a time as any.

 

Have a blessed weekend and make it God-filled!

 

400 Three by Three's -- DONE!

Well, I did it!  I finished my 3x3's for the Muskingum County Center for Seniors.  They are going to use these cards for the Meals on Wheels program for Easter.  It is really kind of funny how this came about.  I had the idea that I wanted to do something for this program and thought that I could do these small 3x3 cards for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also for birthdays if they wanted them.  I called the Center and left a message with who I was, what I wanted to do, mentioning that this was a service project for myself and that I was donating these cards and there would be no cost to the program.  I didn't hear anything for about a week.  So, I decided I'd just drop in and ply my services on whomever happened to be sitting there...and that is just what I did.  The Seniors were actually playing chair volleyball and was that ever a hoot!  Right up my alley if you ask me, but I wasn't invited to play so I explained who I was, that I had left a message and hadn't heard anything back.  I gave them three samples and a card and asked if they were interested.  I was told that "the lady you need to speak with is busy" and I asked if they could just pass along the information.

My phone rang about 30 minutes after I got home, asking me how long these took to make.  I fished around to find out what they wanted -- me to have the seniors make them or just me to make them.  They asked if I could make 400 of these cards for Easter and that was less than three weeks ago.  I said, "Sure!"  Now...do the math.  They wanted the cards by March 29 (actually needed them the morning of March 29 as the meals start getting delivered then) and that means I would have to deliver them by Friday, March 26.  I needed to do at least 20 every night and I knew that wouldn't happen (after all, Tuesday IS date night at our house!).  At any rate, here are the cards I designed.  Yes, some are much more involved than others, but that is the nature of the beast.  My attention span and fingers are only capable of making so many of one card.  And I have to be careful with my supplies since I'm donating everything and this isn't the only organization to whom I donate.  In addition, I have to make certain I'm creating cards for my classes and I don't want them thinking I'm slacking, soooooo...

 Click any pictures to enlarge.

 

 

 

 

 

When I do this for Thanksgiving, I will definitely stamp more and I can start working on those at this point.  I will more than likely set a goal of doing 20 cards per week for Thanksgiving and then 20 cards per week for Christmas so they are done.  It isn't like I don't have the supplies.....I'm such a paper, stamp, ink, and ribbon "collector".  I also used some of the DSP that I have collected from other companies throughout my "buying sprees".  See paper, buy paper.  See stamps, buy stamps.  I would like to use my Big Shot and the embossing folders for some of these cards as well, but just didn't really have the time as I needed to make certain I was able to get 400 cards done and delivered by Friday of this week.  Now I have time to play with design and stamp more.  I can use more paper, more stamps and more ink -- to quote Candace Olson, one of my HGTV faves, "How Divine!".

So for now, I have to iron, but tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge and it's a sketch.  I haven't even looked at it yet, but I'm thinking I'll sneak a peek here soon.  Can't wait to see what we're given -- I love a good sketch challenge!

God Bless!

Easy Workshop Card

I needed an easy card for my Card Club this past Monday night.  I've challenged myself to use some of those sets that I received free at Convention last year.  They are all probably my least favorite sets that I have and I've got to use them more often.  When I do use them, people seem to like them, but to me -- they aren't very inspiring.  However, different tastes for different people and what I'm drawn to isn't what everyone is drawn to -- hence, the "Challenge" to think outside my box.

Here's the card.

The basecard is So Saffron, which I seem to be drawn to again, more and more often.  The arrival of spring, perhaps?  This is a color I love and I surprised myself by going on a So Saffron hiatus for a couple of months, but it's back!

I cut the DSP from the Melon Mambo pack and layered on some of my very favorite White Satin Ribbon.   This stuff is just too awesome for words -- it really can add just the right touch to a card and I will definitely be stockpiling this ribbon.  I adhered the DSP to the card.  When we made this in class, I cut the DSP 5.5 x 1.5 so their card had an entire panel -- I liked it much better when it was all said and done, but I didn't take any pictures.

I used my Old Olive and Melon Mambo markers to color the flower from the Hello Again set.  I used my 3/4" Circle Punch to cut the circle for the flower center and adhered it with a glue dot.  We covered it over with Crystal Effects for a glossy or patent leather shiny look.  Now, I'll confess that when I stamped my "hello" at the bottom of the card, I didn't get good ink coverage and I didn't get it straight -- haste makes waste, right?  So, I fixed it by stamping it onto Whisper White cardstock and punching it, then adhering it over my "oops!". 

For a final step, we used the Butterfly Embosslit in the Big Shot and cut Melon Mambo butterflies to add with glue dots to give this card some love.  The focal image is matted on Melon Mambo and Old Olive and is NOT added with a dimensional.  Now, don't have a heart attack since I didn't pop it up -- I know that is my norm but I'm trying to break out of my safe box!  I would say that this card is bright and cheerful and is a good way to teach coloring with markers.

Andy saw his Orthopedic Surgeon today and all is well in his world with his knee.  Things look excellent and his physician is truly happy with his progress.  He doesn't have to wear his brace to walk, but for all other activities, the brace is still a necessary evil. 

And to beat all, it really sounds to me as if he is going to choose Findlay College.  So, back off Mom!  He's choosing what I think is a glorified high school and I need to accept it, pray about it, and move on, allowing God to handle it -- as they say, He is up anyway!  So, as unhappy as I may be about that decision, it's his to make. 

I'm almost finished with my 3x3's and I'll share some more of them tomorrow.  I'm off to finish them or at least get the remaining ones cut and then I will design them, stamp them, and get them outta here!  I'm ready to do some cards for challenges now and to design the cards for my April classes.

God Bless!  Remember, as I'm telling myself, to count your many blessings.  This college debacle is just a bump in an otherwise smooth road for me.  I'm so blessed and I must remember this as I'm gritting my teeth!

Easter Card - Do You Get It?

Last night at Card Club, we did four cards.  Four cards is the norm but I had originally decided I wanted to toss in an extra.  I'm glad I didn't -- the cards took a bit more time than I realized but I think everyone had fun.  It is important to me that they have fun while getting an opportunity to use lots of different products and tools in different ways, and that they like the cards they are crafting.  The best part is that they get to personalize their cards for their gift and card giving opportunities -- and they do!  They also are welcome to change the design with the supplies presented and I love to see what they create.  Sharing what you love is joy!

I am a lover of spiritual cards -- especially for Easter and Christmas.  This card was designed with the Baptism of Christ in mind.  Remember how the Bible tells us that when Christ was baptized and He came up out of the water that God's voice echoed through the heavens as He said, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."  We also read in the Bible about Christ and the doves.

I haven't really taken advantage of the Movers and Shakers Die -- I have all of the inserts.  My original intention was to use a Cross on this card, but then I recalled the dove that could be put through the Big Shot using the Movers and Shakers die.  This card is the result.

I started with a base card of Pretty In Pink.  We stamped the upper right corner in Rose Red using the Wedding Sweet set (I warned you that this would be used a great deal -- love those flourishes!).  We scalloped a Rose Red panel and then cut out the dove using the Big Shot and the Movers and Shakers Die.  Next, we stamped the vellum with the Wedding Sweet flourish and used our heat gun to dry it quickly.  Once this was done, we adhered the vellum to the Rose Red panel top and covered the adhesive seam with the White Satin Ribbon -- YUMMY!  Using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, we placed the greeting over the dove.  We used two pearls from the Pretties Kit on top of the vellum and placed a glue dot on the underside of the vellum, hiding this under the pearls, to adhere the vellum on the bottom right.  We placed this entire piece on the base card with adhesive and voila!  I think it is a beautiful, simple card.  It takes time because of all of the steps, but there was nothing difficult about the card.  And to me, it's a WOW!  I hope you like it too!

Tonight, I'm working on my 3x3 cards for the Senior Center.  I've already gotten about 320 of these cards ready, minus the greeting on the inside.  I had a special stamp made for their sentiment and received it yesterday so I need to finish these 300 with that insert before I move on to design and make the final 80 cards.  I have to complete this project this week so I can deliver these cards on Friday.  I don't expect to have any problem getting this done, but I doubt seriously I'll have enough time to get many other projects completed this week.  And even though I'm enjoying this project and know that it will bring lots of smiles to people receiving Easter meals, I'm tired of it and ready to move on.  Trust me, four-hundred of anything is about 380 too many -- my creative mind (what little bit I've been blessed with) is ready to start on some regular sized cards.  There is only so much you can do with a 3x3 .  At this point, I've got about 30 designs because I have to keep changing things ups to stay interested -- would you say I have the attention span of a gnat? 

Have a blessed week and I hope to see you tomorrow!

Stampin' Success Case

Tonight is Card Club and that is a loose term.  I run my Card Club differently than most demos.  No purchase is required and we make four cards at a cost of $10.  I provide all the materials, all the supplies and the design -- you just RSVP by the date given and prepay to reserve your spot.  Card Club is always the fourth Monday of the month, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is held at North Terrace Church of Christ where I'm a member and they don't charge me to use the facility.  Parking is great, it's all flat surfaces and generally, it is very quiet around the room I use.  Even though I present the designs, I bring extra sentiment stamps so you can change the cards up to suit your card giving needs.  I try to think ahead and make cards that you can use for holidays that are the upcoming month as well. 

This card is an exception to my "original design" rule.  I love the size of it, I love the design and the colors, and it came straight out of the Stampin' Success magazine published monthly and sent free to all Stampin' Up! demos.  I think this is one of the top reasons why I maintain my demoship (besides my fabulous discount!) -- I love this publication and all the fabulous ideas they present -- I would gladly pay for this magazine because the ideas are priceless!  So tonight, for the first time, I'm teaching a card that is not my own design. 

If you follow design trends at all, you know that Purple and Yellow together are the new "IT" colors.  This card starts with a base of Lavendar Lace.  On a Whisper White Panel, I've stamped images from Circles Circus in Lavendar Lace, Elegant Eggplant, More Mustard and So Saffron.  I've also stamped one of the images in So Saffron and Elegant Eggplant, cut them out and popped them up on the Whisper White panel.  I adhered this directly to the basecard and accented this with a 1/4" strip (that is skinny!) of Elegant Eggplant.  I stamped the image in More Mustard and cut it out, adhered it directly to the basecard and accented this with a button.  The sentiment is from a retired set, and if you follow my blog, you know that I rarely, if ever, get rid of a sentiment set.  You can always use more sentiments and I want to have "just the right one" for each card.  I'm sending this to a gal who is recovering from surgery and is on the mend.

Here's a picture from Andy's National Honor Society Banquet from last Thursday night.  Andy was inducted as a junior, along with three of his classmates.  As a result, they essentially "run" the banquet as senior members for the new incoming inductees.  He did such a fabulous job -- he speaks so clearly and reads just as well.  I was way too proud and it really hit me that THIS IS IT.  The child is graduating in May and it will happen whether I am ready or not.  So, I am guessing now is the time to get ready!  

 Yep, I'm a proud mama!  And that green tie?  School colors are White and Green and yes, he bleeds green! 

I'll have a new Easter Card for you tomorrow.  I tried to do something that I'm not sure I was able to get across, but I'll know after Card Club tonight.  If the ladies like it, perhaps it worked.  If I have to explain it, then it bombed.  Regardless, you'll get to see it.  I'd love to get your take on my attempt at something more spiritual -- and those are truly my most favorite cards!

Easter is coming -- a great time for reflection and remembering what Christ sacrificed for each of us.  I forget all too easily and perhaps this year, I can do a much better job of remembering and trying to live for Jesus and as He has asked me too.  Thankfully, His mercies are new every day -- and I thank God for Do Overs....I need them each and every day.

God Bless You!

Spring Themed Blogger's Challenge

Happy Spring!  Good Bye Winter and Good Riddance!  I love snow...seriously, I really do.  I am not a skier or a skater either and I don't do winter sports.  In fact, I don't really enjoy cold, but snow is absolutely beautiful...at first!  Then, it gets plowed and gets and dirty and the people in Ohio who cannot drive well in snow and really shouldn't even try make me nuts.  So, welcome Spring!  Glad you could make it!

I've been working on cards for so many "causes" to which I've said "YES" that I didn't have much time for "fun" card making this week.  Therefore, you're getting one of those CAS cards -- Cute and Simple -- and easy to make.  Plus, I decided I should probably use my own color challenge since I haven't posted anything in March using Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss and So Saffron.

The basecard is Mellow Moss.  I stamped the focal image from the hostess set Asian Artistry using markers to color the image.  This is actually a two-step process.  I colored my grass and flower image on the right first, then stamped the bird image over it.  I love this set and may keep it when it retires at the end of June.  I matted the image on So Saffron and adhered it to the basecard.  I stamped the verbiage from Confucius in Perfect Plum. 

Yep, it looked plain so I took my shimmer mist and liberally sprayed -- this card sparkles like a 24 carat diamond!  So, it's simple, but it certainly is pretty and I can think of several ways I could use this card.  In fact, I may put some more together for an auction benefit I'm participating in this weekend.

Andy's NHS banquet was last night and he's at Findlay College today for what I hope is a final visit.  He did such a nice job last night and truly, even though he is my son, I have to say, and my hubby agrees, he was the best speaker last evening.  He reads well, he enunciates and was completely understandable each time he spoke.  My child has grown up and I'm starting to realize he's not mama's little boy anymore.  I'm practically boo-hooing already and he isn't even off to college.  Some days, this boy makes me crazy.  Other days, this young man makes me want to weep because he's growing and changing so quickly.  He isn't perfect, but then neither am I and I'm 30 years older than he is.  I have to remember that he has to make his own way, his own mistakes and his own choices.  All I can do is pray daily that he will walk with God, seek His guidance and then let me love him through the rest of his life.  That college decision looms and I'm praying that God will show him where he is supposed to go and which college is the best fit for him.  I also pray that God reveals this to me and allows me to relax about this decision that Andy has to make.

Have a fabulous weekend and enjoy this glorious weather.  I feel a cook-out coming on!

Animal Crackers

Well, this is one of those cards that was definitely better in my head, but it isn't too bad!  I suppose I could send it to one of my nephews and they would love it.  I used a sketch challenge, but it was from the previous week (I think) and now I can't find the information on where I got the sketch -- it's just as well as I probably won't use it again.  And, because I've been stamping so much for other "causes," my own stamping just isn't getting the time it needs for me to be really happy with what I'm designing. 

I started with a base of Soft Suede and layered on a pierce of Crushed Curry which I put through the Big Shot with the Dotted Embossing Folder.  I used a small sponge to sponge on some Soft Suede and when you see it in real life, it appears to be "hairy", which is kind of what I was attempting to create.

I stamped my focal image in Soft Suede and colored it with my markers, using Apricot Appeal, Soft Suede and Dusty Durango.  I layered on pieces of the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP and then matted the focal image on Dusty Durango and adhered it to the basecard with dimensionals.  As I said, it's okay, but not one of my favorites. 

Here's a promotional note:  If you haven't already purchased a "cutter", go for the Fiskars Unit!  I have two and I've noticed that my line markers (the reason I bought these cutters) are disappearing.  I know I could draw the lines back in with a permanent marker, but I didn't know if this would stay either.  So, I took pictures of my cutters (which I use ALL THE TIME!) and sent them to Fiskars Customer Service via email.  I received an email in return, within 2 days, noting that their products are warrantied for life and they SENT ME TWO NEW CUTTERS -- free and I didn't even have to pay shipping!  I have the Deluxe Portable Trimmers and I am now a FISKARS customer for life.  They didn't even ask me to return the old ones -- the first of which I purchased at least four or five years ago and the second is less than two years old.  How great is that?  From now on, if there is a FISKARS product out there that fits my needs, I'm buying it.  I will definitely keep supporting a company with this kind of fabulous customer service!

If you're keeping count, I'm at 200+ on the 3x3's and I'm trying to do at least 20 per day.  My goal is 400 and I need them done by next weekend so they can be delivered on Monday afternoon (March 29 -- my birthday!).  I generally make more on the weekend than throughout the week, but this weekend, I'm designing and cutting cards for my Monday Card Club.  I think I have eight to ten ladies coming and I need to make certain I have some WOW! projects.  So, I had better get cracking on those cards....

Here are some of the 3x3's that I've made thus far.

When I donate cards like this, I try to use my retired cardstock and supplies first.  I had a bunch of Pink Pirouette cardstock left so I have several different designs in Pink.  Plus, after you have made about 20 of these, you get tired of the design and need to move on -- no matter how many you have to do, if you've seen it 20 times, you get bored with the design very quickly. 

And as you can see, I've got a bunch of Tangerine Tango left (or did have!) along with two spools of the ribbon -- put that stuff to good use!  Did you know that you can do two strips of Whisper White cardstock at a time through the new scalloped trim punch?  I'm getting very good at that....

Now, I know that I promised to use my color challenge of Perfect Plum, So Saffron and Mellow Moss today, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow.  Blogger's Challenge is a Spring Theme so I used the color challenge for tomorrow's card and knew I wouldn't have time to create a new one today for posting tomorrow.  Especially since I probably spent an hour trying to design a card that is in my head, but it just wouldn't come out my fingers.  So...I'll keep trying and let you know if it ever emerges.  I will love the card if I can create it, but it may just stay a vision in my head.

Here are the prize packages for the Color and Sketch Challenge and at this point, I don't know which is which.  There will be a few things added to each stack, but this will give you an idea of what is up for grabs.  Tomorrow is the last day for postmarking your entry!

                  Click on the pictures for enlargement, but there are brand new stamps sets (never mounted), unmounted rubber sets (they have been used unmounted with clear blocks), rub ons, punches and a large stack of 6x6 Designer Series Papers that need to find a new home in your craft room.  What would you do with these play things?

Okay, that's it for me.  See you tomorrow for Blogger's Challenge.  We have an event for Andy this evening for National Honor Society and I am rushing trying to get a few things done before we leave.  My back is giving me some trouble and although it is back in place, riding in the car is really bothering me.  Thank goodness Thom is driving tonight!  Tomorrow, Andy and his dad will be at the University of Findlay to attend their Health Science Day.  Because I know I cannot make that 3.5 hour trip EACH WAY in the car, no matter how comfortable the car, I've given them a list of questions.  I've already done the tour and I'm not really impressed.  However, it is his decision.  My heart is at Baldwin Wallace but we'll see what he decides.  (Under my breath, I'm praying God directs him to Baldwin Wallace -- it's closer and I think it's a much nicer place -- seems more like a college and not a glorified high school!).  Again I say:  It is his decision.  Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself to shut my mouth and let him make his own decision?

Hugs to you and a blessed day as well!