Boots

It's all in the boots.  My 19 year old daughter loves boots.  She has several pairs of UGGs and her newest investment was some cowboy boots.  I have to admit she actually looks adorable in them.  Recently she saw "Footloose" with her Grandmother, now she wants custom red cowboy boots for Christmas, or we could go to Texas on her spring break to get a pair.  She is something else.  When I saw this Sassy Cheryl's western Santa, I thought it was too cute to pass up.  Then my other card used Chupa's sketch which has a large flower which I used my Penny Black deer stamp.

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye - Countdown to Christmas

Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections

Stamp:  Sassy Cheryl - Cowboy Santa

             Verve - Christmas tree & die cut

Ink:  Distress Peeled Paint

Sentiment: computer font

Spellbinders:  Grand Oval

Circle Punch:  EK Success

Challenges:

Sketch Saturday

Sassy Cheryl - Winter  http://sassycherylschallenge.blogspot.com/

Color Throwdown

Patterned Paper:  DCWV

Cardstock:  Paper Company, Core-dinations, Recollections

Stamp:  Penny Black - deer stamp

    sentiment:  Inkadoo

Ink: Memento, Black Tuxedo & Rich Cocoa

Ribbon:  May Arts

Challenges:

Chupa's Sketch

CR84FN   http://cr84fncolorchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/cr84fn43.html

The race is on

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the race is on towards Christmas.  I'm struggling to get the fall decorations put away and put out the Christmas ones.  Since I have four cats, I almost dread putting up a Christmas tree now.  For years I worried about the kids getting hurt from the tree falling on them, now I worry about the cats toppling it over or damaging ornaments.  The one thing that I do miss is the excitement in the kids about the holidays.  I said to my son yesterday, "How about making some Christmas cookies this weekend?"  and he responding, "Gee, I don't know if I want to."  Years ago it would have been a yes without hesitation.  My response was if I tell your sister that I'm making cookies, I bet she will come home from college for the weekend.  Almost 16 year old boys just don't show the same excitement as they did 4 years ago.  It would be nice if you could adopt pleasant and happy children for the day. hehehe  As parents don't we all wish for that.  That is why I am using this card for the Bearly Mine challenge for my favorite things since it has a happy looking Christmas elf.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Christmas Joy, Dots, My Minds Eye
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Mo Manning- Little elf Mim
Sentiment:  Cloud 9
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Button: Papertrey Ink
Bakers Twine:  Divine Twine
Glitter: Stampdenous
Stickles

Challenges:
Mojo Monday- Sketch 217
Mo Manning:  Fairies, Santa, Elves
Bearly Mine - My Favorite Things
Karen's Doodles - non-traditional Christmas colors
Scrap Creations - Christmas  http://www.scrap-creations1.blogspot.com/
Cupcake Inspirations - http://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com/

my son back in December 2007

my kids at Thanksgiving 2011

Well, I actually got my son to do cookies this weekend!!!

Happy Thanksgiving a little late

I have been working so unfortunately I just haven't found time to sneak on the computer to post.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I made this card for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law following this weeks Color Q scheme.  It has been interesting that I work night shift so I worked on Wednesday and then slept for a couple of hours before driving 90 miles to my parents' home to meet my daughter who was already there since she goes to college in the area.  Then after dinner we drove back to our house and my daughter wanted to do the Friday shopping thing.  I convinced her to start at mid-night (that's more of my normal time to be up anyway).  Her original plan was to go from 4am - 12pm.  Let me tell you by 6am she was dragging.  It was good for her to see what it is like for me to work a night shift and then she expects me to bounce right back to a day shift.  She only has one class on Fridays so she comes home about 11:30am and thinks that after I have just gone to bed around 9am we should go out to lunch.  I only wish I would have taken a picture of her when she was at her "low" point.  She was so tired that when we actually finished she doesn't even remember lying down on her bed and that she didn't eat lunch.  Poor girl now she understands "Shop til you drop."

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit - Enchanted
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Free digital download - Dulemba
Sentiment: Just Rite
Ink:  Memento, Rich Cocoa
Buttons: JoAnn's Basics
Twine:  Just Naturals
Prima Pencils
Spellbinders:  Small Petite Oval, Small Scalloped Petite Oval

Challenges:
Color Q

Old things

I colored this image of Mo's called "Kai in the snow" the other year when my brother/his wife were expecting a baby and didn't know what they were going to have, but they found out it was a boy so it changed my color scheme.  I used some Crate paper for these colors and finally finished a card with it.  Then I used my embossing supplies to make this month's SFYTT card with purple poinsettias.  This week There She Goes has to make five simple Christmas cards.  I have had this Inkadoo stamp of Mary and baby Jesus for quite some time sitting on my shelf so I thought I would finally use it.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I do not like to mass produce so I had to change the ribbon from an actually ribbon to paper with Edgebilities.

Patterned Paper:  Crate

Cardstock:  Recollections, Core-dinations

Stamp:  Mo Manning - Kai in the Snow

Spellbinders:  Large Circle, Small Scalloped Circle, Edgebilities

Snowflakes:  EK Success

Ice Stickles

Challenges:

Mo Manning - Winter

Patterned Paper:  EK Success
Cardstock:  Bazzil, Recollection
Stamp:  Verve -Poinsettia Christmas
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
        Versa Magic- Spring Pansy
       Versa Mark
       Embossing Powder Gold
Embossing Folder:  Sixxiz
Brad:  Recollection
Poinsettia - Spellbinder
Ribbon:  Michael's


Challenge:
SFYTT - November

Patterned Paper:  Paper Studio

Cardstock:  Recollections, Core-dinations, Metallic - Paper Cuts

Stamp:  Inkadoo

Ink:  Close to My Heart - Lilac Mist

Edgebilities

Ribbon:  Michael's

Card Base- Paper Cuts

Challenges
There She Goes

More Thanksgiving

Well I managed to squeeze a couple more Thanksgiving cards.  I used an image from Bugaboo for my first card and had this fun leaf ribbon.  For my second card I found this cute pumpkin pie paper from Tiddly Inks.

Patterned Paper:  TLC, Bearly Mine - Dots

Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections

Stamp:  Bugaboo - Bobblehead, Thanksgiving, Pilgrim girl

Sentiment:  Free digital download

Circle Punches:  EK Success

Buttons & Twine:  Stash

Border Punch:  Fiskars

Leaf Ribbon:  May Arts

Challenges:

Sweet Stop Sketch - 135

Bugaboo - Thanksgiving

For Fun Challenge - 1. Food 2. Patterned Papers 3. Buttons   http://forfunchallenges.blogspot.com/

Patterned Paper: Tiddly Inks, TLC

Cardstock:  Bazzil Bling, Core-dinations, Recollections

Sentiment:  Free digital download

Buttons: JoAnn's Basics

Twine:  Stash

Border Punch:  Martha Stewart

Challenges:
Bugaboo - Thanksgiving
For Fun Challenge - 1. Food 2. Patterned Papers 3. Buttons   http://forfunchallenges.blogspot.com/

Indian Boy

I made this Indian Boy card for my son for Thanksgiving.  He was having a rough day today, and I felt bad for him.  He actually asked for a hug which is unusual for a 15 year old so it was adorable to me.  I called my Father to talk to him because I knew he would be helpful in the situation to make him feel better and it did help.  Those teen-age years are so hard when they are trying to grow up, and I would NEVER want to go back.

Challenges:
SSSC 144
Saturated Canary Challenge #4 - Fall Colors
Bugaboo - Thanksgiving
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Teenage Boys http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/
Cupcake Inspirations  http://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com/

Do It with Digis Challenge - Texture  http://doitwithdigischallenge.blogspot.com/
Paper Sundaes - Beautiful Bows  http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/

Challenges:

Chupa's Sketch - 28

In a Hurry

I have been meaning to stamp some Thanksgiving cards, but unfortunately I haven't had a chance.  The other week my husband was in the hospital again and he ended up being in the intensive care unit.  We saw his Oncologist on Monday and he was doing fine and then on Tuesday morning he had a fever, vomiting diarrhea and was so dehydrated that he was unresponsive by the afternoon.  I took him to the emergency room and they started giving him IV fluid, but his blood pressure was dropping so they were afraid he was septic.  He doesn't remember that they had to put in a special IV line or all the things that they did to him, but it did scare him.  He hadn't been eating or drinking too well for several weeks before this admission so now he is.  Luckily, he was only in the unit for two days and then the doctor wanted to discharge him to a step-down unit (which would probably be the unit that I work on as a nurse),  so I asked to take him home instead.  I argued that the longer he stays in the hospital the worse he does physically because the beds are uncomfortable for him so he doesn't move.  He is motivated now because he doesn't want to end up in the intensive care unit again.
Since I sent my step-kids Halloween cards, I felt I had to mail out some Thanksgiving cards since that it more of a family holiday.  So I used a vintage download that I had along with my Nitwit digital paper to put together a simple card.  I still mail a weekly card to my daughter who is at college.  She came home this weekend, and her room mate called her and said her card came in the mail 45 minutes after she left so she was disappointed.  She thought that I forgot her this week - which I would never do.  I used this adorable image by Tiddly Inks to make this card for my daughter to give to her room mate for Thanksgiving.  The two girls are always together and have become such close friends that it is very special, especially when they are both home sick.  I have the link for Tiddly Inks below - check out the cute free skating polar bear image this week.

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit - Enchanted
Cardstock:  Core-dinations
Tag:  free digital download   http://penniwigs.blogspot.com/
Border punch:  Fiskars
Flower:  Prima
Buttons:  Stash

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit - Enchanted - Bumbleberry
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Tiddly Inks - Hugga Bugga
Sentiment: Unknown
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Spellbinders:  Large Circle, Small scalloped circle, pennants
button : Stash
Twine:  Divine Twine
Flowers:  Prima & Recollection
Embossing Folder:  Sizzix

Challenges:
Tiddly Inks - Anything Goes
Flutter By Wednesday's Challenge #180   http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Twos Company  http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/

Not all the same

I was talking with a fellow card marker and she asked me how many Christmas cards I make and if I was tired of making the same design.  I told her that I try to make around 40 cards, and we send out about 60.  Not everyone gets a handmade card - as I put in a post before they only go to the "card-worthy" people.  However, each one of the cards that I make is different since I can't stand mass production.  I get bored too easy.  She was shocked that I would do that.  She said that she would find it too difficult to decide which card to give each person if she did that.  That is what I find fun trying to make it individual.  I made two cards today the first one I used this weeks Colour Q swatch which are not typical Christmas colors and then I made one for Colour Create Challenge which uses pink as the main color.  Then for a little fun, I made a couple sympathy cards for Mom.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Dots, Jak Heath's - Snowflakes
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Pink Cat Studio - Kissing Penguins
Sentiment:  Crafty Sentiments
Circle Punches:  EK Success
Snowflake Punch:  EK Success
Bling:  Recollection
Spellbinders:  Grand Circle, Grand Scalloped Circle
Ribbon:  JoAnn Fabrics
Stickles

Challenges
Sweet Wednesday Sketch
There She Goes - Recipe, 1 Bird, snowflake, ribbon
Digital Tuesday Challenge - Christmas http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/
Craft Your Passion Challenge - Snowflakes  http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/
Paper Sundaes - Use a digi   http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/
Colour Q

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine - Christmas Joy
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Whimsie Doodle - Snowboy Stars
Stars:  Recollection
Ribbon:  Creative Impressions
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Corner Rounder:  Creative Memories
Card Base:

Challenges:
Deconstructive Sketch:  DS28
Paper Sundaes - Use a digi         http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/

Colour Create - Pink, Gold & White

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit - Prints Charming
Cardstock:  Recollection
Stamp:  PSX
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Spellbinders:  Large Petite Oval
Flowers:  Wild Orchid Crafts

Challenges:
CPS #244
Do You Stack Up - A Splash of Blue http://doyoustackup.blogspot.com/

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit - End of Summer
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollection
Stamp:  Verve
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Spellbinders;  Label #1
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Ribbon:   Michael's
Flower:  Recollection
Buttons:  JoAnn's Basics

Duck assistance

My son didn't have school today, and he wanted to go to the mall to get a PSIII game.  I wanted to take him to get a new pair of pants so we compromised.  Since he was up at 7am and the stores didn't open that early, I had a little time to do some coloring.  He was talking to me while I was working on my Tiddly Ink image of "Quackers" and I asked his opinion if I should color the duck yellow, like a mallard, or leave it white.  I told him that I was making the card for my nephew, Greyson, who is 18 months old which he didn't remember me telling him.  He went to get his phone and found pictures of both a drake and a hen mallard and thought I should make a realistic duck so I got busy on it.  Then after I completed the card which I told him was for Greyson again, he told me, "You should have made it yellow since he loves the yellow swing that is a duck at the park."  I was ready to pinch my wonderfully helpful son, but I just gave a moan.

Patterned Paper:  Crate
Cardstock:  Bazzil, Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Tiddly Ink - Quackers
Sentiment:  Just Rite
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Ribbon:  Michael's
Border Punch:  Fiskars
Buttons:  LaMode - Coordinations

Challenges:
Sweet Stop - Sketch 134
Cupcake Inspirations   http://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com/

Card Makin' Mamas - Thanksgiving  http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com/

Fussy and Fancy - Thankful & Sentiment   http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.com/

I have said how I have joked about my mother going to a lot of funerals and needing sympathy cards, but the subject came up again.  She was talking about another family friend that had passed, and I asked her, "How fast did you go through those sympathy cards I gave you for your birthday?"  Her birthday was in May.  She said those only lasted a month or two.  I said, well I guess I will have to be making you some more for Christmas.  

Patterned Paper:  Shabby Princess - Plentiful

Cardstock:  Core-dinations

Stamp:  Verve

Ink:  Memento, Rich Cocoa

Spellbinders:  Small Circle, Small Scalloped Circle, Labels #14

Flowers:  Prima

Buttons:  stash

Twine:  Divine Twine

Challenges:

Colour Q

C

First one

I've had this stamp for awhile, but I finally did it.  So now I can officially say that I have done my first Magnolia stamp.  The unfortunate part is that it is not my best coloring, and I need to explain.  Yesterday was a nice day it was sunny and in the 50's which in Wisconsin is warm for November.  So my husband had a doctor appointment in the afternoon, and then my son had off from school so we had to do a little driving while we still had some light.  However, I had to squeeze a little time in there yet to trim the evergreen bushes because today the high is to be 42 along with rain and even a few snow flurries and Wednesday too.  Then it might warm up to 49-50 on the weekend, but I will be working by then.  So while I was trying to clip away like a beaver my arms became rather sore especially my shoulders because I only use a hand trimmer so my hands were a little shakey when I went to color last night.  I hate to admit that I'm getting older and my body just can't handle things the same way....
My second card is using a Tiddly Ink image called "Santa's Helper" which I think looks rather punk.  Which is  like the attitude of my son these days.  I used liquid applique on his suit which I just love for that puffy fur look.  I embossed and sanded a brick background, and added some icicles to the corner.  That is the nice thing about Tiddly Ink images that they have both Gothic and cutesy ones so it can depend on what mood you're in or what type of card you're making.  I guess it comes down to whether you want to be naughty or nice.

Patterned Paper:  Bearly Mine:  Christmas Joy & Dots
Cardstock:  Core-dinations,  Recollections
Stamp:  Magnolia
Sentiment:  Crafty Sentiments
Lace:  Wrights
Flowers:  Prima
Flourish:  Sixxiz
Stars:  Recollection
Spellbinders:  Large & Small Petite Oval, Large Scalloped Oval
Circle Punches:  EK Success
Prima Colored Pencils & Mineral Spirits
Sakura Jelly Glitter Pen

Challenges:
All that Scraps - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - Baby You're a Firecracker  http://www.cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/
Bunny Zoe's Craft Challenge - Lace It Up  http://bunnyzoescrafts.blogspot.com/2011/10/challenge-17-lace-it-up.html
Magnolia-licious Challenge - Color Challenge http://magnolia-liciouschallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Patterned Paper:  Authenique
Cardstock:  Core-dinations, Recollections
Stamp:  Tiddly Ink- Santa's Helper
Sentiment:  My Mind's Eye- Holly Jolly Set
Ink:  Memento, Black Tuxedo
Embossing Folder:  Sixxiz
Sandpaper

Border punch: Martha Stewart
Ice Stickles
Liquid Applique

Challenges:
Saturday Sketch- Sketch
Tiddly Inks - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Anything Goes  http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/