All spruced up

Again I only had time for a quicky.  For this card, I used an image from Doodle Pantry and a sentiment from TLC.  For this card I made it into an easel card and put two spruce branches on the corners.

Patterned Paper:  Basic Grey - 25th & Pine
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections
Stamp:  Doodle Pantry - Windowbox Wishes
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - All Spruced Up
Border Punches:  Martha Stewart
Spruce Branches:  Sizzix
Brad:  Recollection
Jute:  May Arts
Poinsettia:  Prima
Spellbinder:  Label One
Ink:  Distress - Old Paper
Button:  Stash

Challenges
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch 233
CRAFT - Inspirational Picture

Basic Grey - Ch. 108 Cold & Frosty (25th & Pine)
Tuesday Throwdown - Ch. 174 Snowbirds
Bearly Mine - Ch. 113 Christmas Traditional Color (Red and Green) using die cuts
Crafty Sentiments Design - Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - November
Inky Impressions - Ch. 135 Hats, scarves and gloves
Sentimental Sunday - Ch. 182 Winter Wonderland
Glitter 'n Sparkle - Ch. 60 - Some snow
Just Us Girls - Ch. 216

TY from the bottom of my heart

I need a break from the fall colors, even though it is my favorite season.  I made a thank you card using pink and brown.  The sentiment is from TLC that comes as from a 4-piece set.

Patterned Paper:  Nitwit
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Paper Company; Recollections
Sentiment:  TLC, Create (see above for direct link)
Spellbinder:  Picot Circle; small circle; pennant
Ribbon:  stash
Flower:  Wild Orchid Crafts

Challenges
Deconstucted Sketch - Sketch 128
Paper Pretties - PWC285 Brown and Pink
Twist of Faith - Ch. 64 With Thanks
Sentimental Sunday - Ch. 181 Giving Thanks
Papertake Weekly - Ch. 181 Giving Thanks
Card Craftter's Circle - Ch. 102 Thankful - Thank You
QKR - Ch. 65 Give Thanks- Thanksgiving - Thankful
Brown Sugar - Ch. 69 Anything Goes

Decisions, decisions

I can't believe that there are just a little over 30 days until Christmas!!! Things have been so crazy at our house with my husband now being bed bound so we have had to move furniture or make lots of adjustments.  I'm sorry if I'm not keeping up with everyone's blogs and leaving comments since I'm not on my computer as much.  I try to get some quick glances when I get a chance.  My employer has been wonderful and is allowing me to work part-time so I can be home with my husband.  We have hospice, but the nurse only comes once a week as well as the aide; otherwise, I do all of his cares.  Since I am a nurse and he has been in the hospital multiple times, he is familiar with "my way" and prefers that.  It is easier to be a nurse and feel like I am doing something, than the helpless wife who sees him in pain.  It's just that the rest of the house is a mess and I don't have as much time to do my cards right now.  I do a couple here and there just as a quick stress release.  My step-daughter is arriving later today from Orlando, FL.  Not only is she going to freeze her butt off when Sunday it is suppose to be a high in the single digits with the windchill, I think she is going to "freak out" when she is face to face with her Dad after not seeing him for several months.  She has not been coping the best so I have arranged for a grief counselor to meet with all of the kids on Friday so hopefully that will help.  I feel bad, because I haven't even started to think of presents for Christmas yet so I feel so far behind.
I made a CAS card following the Freshly Made Sketches for this week.  The sentiment is from TLC.  Now at least I can add one more card to the pile.

Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Naughty or Nice, decisions, decisions
White thread
Snowflakes:  Dress It Up

Challenges
Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch 113
Dream Valley - Ch. 70 Clean and Simple
Craft Your Passion - Ch. 189 Buttons Galore
Creative Knockouts - Ch. 12 Snowflakes
Delicious Doodles - Ch. 63 No Design Paper
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Ch. 152 For a child
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas  Extra - November

Mouse balloons

I can't believe how fast this week has gone.  I colored this image while my daughter was getting her hair done last weekend while I was waiting for her at the salon, but it has taken me this long to find the time to put it together.  The image is for this months progressive challenge at "From the Heart" and the sentiment is from TLC.

 

Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections
Stamp:  From the Heart - Balloon Ride
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Believe banner tag
Markers:  Stampin' Up - Real Red, Temping Turquise
Stickles
Button:  Stash
Divine Twine

Challenges
From the Heart - Monthly Challenge
From the Hearth - Sketch 43
Totally Papercrafts - Ch. 193 Clean & Simple
One Stitch at a Time - Ch. 190  Use a digi
Dream Valley - Ch. 70 Clean and Simple
Craft Your Passion - Ch. 189 Buttons Galore

It's all about the turkey

It's getting close to Thanksgiving which my step-children are coming to visit.  They live in warm weather states so they will be shocked to come to our cold weather.  The big debate is what to do for the holiday since my husband isn't able to go out anymore.  I have to work the days before so it will be hard to prepare for a group so we will have to see how this all plays out.  For my card I used a colored image from Melonheadz that I won and the sentiment is from TLC.

Patterned Paper:  Sweet Shoppe - Fall to You

Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections

Stamp:  Melonheadz - Talk Turkey

Sentiment:  TLC, Create - It's all about the turkey

Spellbinder:  Pennant

Pendant:  Prima

Bling:  Michael's

Challenges

Tuesday Morning - Sketch 224

Melonheadz - Give Thanks, Thanksgiving

Digi Haven - Happy Fall

A Gem of a Challenge - Ch. 105 Gem, gem, gem

There She Goes - TSG233 - Thanks or Thanksgiving

Paper Pretties - PWC284 Give Thanks

Eureka - Ch. 65 Color Inspired

QKR - Ch. 63 Anything Goes - Harvest

Glitter 'n Sparkle - Ch. 58 Autumn Colors
Lacy Sunshine - Ch. 21 It's a Bling Thing
Love to Create - Ch. 91 Thanksgiving/Thanks
Delightful - Thankful

Sending you blessings

Here is another card that I made for my Mother to add to her sympathy pack for Christmas.  I used the sentiment from TLC.

 

Patterned Paper:  Sweet Shoppe
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections
Sentiment:  TLC, Create (see above for direct link)
Flowers:  Prima
Brads:  Paper Studio
Bling:  Michael's
Embossing Folders:  Cuttlebug & Sizzix

Challenges
Sketchbook Saturday - Sketch 109
Cupcake Inspirations - Ch. 236

Make It Monday - Ch. 166
Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing
Gem of a Challenge - Ch. 105 Gems, gems, gems

Winter scene birthday

I needed a birthday card for my uncle.  I always find it harder to make masculine cards.  I have this gorgeous image from Stitchy Bear that was perfect since we did get a little snow this week.  The sentiment is from TLC.

 

 

Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye

Cardstock:  Bazzil; Core-dination; Recollection

Stamp:  Stitchy Bear - Delicious Doodles -Lake Winter

Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Happy Happy Happy Birthday

Spellbinder:  Pennant

Twine:  Devine Twine

Button:  Stash

Embossing Folder:  Cuttlebug

Challenges

Friday Sketch Challenge - Sketch 56

Fab 'n Funky - Ch. 193 Anything Goes

Make it Monday - Ch. 166

Papertake Weekly - Snow and Ice

Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing

Splitcoast- CC452

Adding to the nest

I made this card for my brother and his wife who are expecting their second child this coming summer.  My nephew has been wanting a sister and talking about it for sometime since many of his classmates at daycare already have siblings.  We are excited for them.  The image is from Tiddly Inks and the sentiment is from TLC.

 

Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollections
Stamp:  Tiddly Inks - Wryn - New Nest
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Congratulations on your pregnancy
Spellbinder:  Pennant
Flowers:  Prima
Button:  stash
Twine:  Darice
Brads:  Making Memories

Challenges
Sketch N Stash - Ch. 125
Tiddly Inks - Ch. 121 Anything Goes
Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C211 Let's Frame it
Cute Card Thursday - Ch. 294 Animal Magic
Brown Sugar - Ch. 67 Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine - Ch. 111 Anything Goes
There She Goes - Ch. 232 Dots and Stripes

Life happens chocolate helps

I made this card for a friend who had surgery so I can give a little gift of chocolate with the card.  I just love the look on the little girls face.  The sentiment is from TLC.

Patterned Paper:  Sweet Shoppe - My Sweet Girl, Be Grateful
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Paper Company; Recollections
Stamp:  Free Vintage Digital Stamps - Sweet Pouty Girl Photo
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Life happens chocolate helps
Circle Punches:  EK Success
Stickles
Border Punch:  Martha Stewart

Challenges
Deconstructed Sketch - Sketch 126
Color Throwdown - Ch. 267

Just Inspirational - Glitter
Delightful - All that Glitters
Totally Papercrafts - Ch. 192 Use Glitter
Scribble and Scrap - Ch. 5

Something to crow about

As birds go...I do not find the crow to be an attractive bird.  It is rather a scavenger.  Paulette at TLC has this image and sentiment as a set.  I actually find this image of the crow to be somewhat cute.

Patterned Paper:  Sweet Shoppe - Love from a far
Cardstock:  Bazzil; Recollection
Stamp & Sentiment:  (see above for direct link)
Flower:  Prima & Recollection
Bling:  Michael's
Ribbon:  American Craft
Ink:  Memento; Tuxedo Black
Spellbinder:  Pennant

Challenges
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch 231- 101
Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C210 - It's not all black and white
Brown Sugar - Ch. 66 Things with Wings
The Squirrel and the Fox - Ch. 56 Animal Antics
4 Crafty Girls - Ch. 5 Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time - Ch. 188
Crafty Ribbons - Ch. 68 Anything Goes

Give Thanks

This is the time of year when we think of all the things that we are thankful for.  Since my husband has been in hospice care we have had some time to reflect and have had many discussions about this which have been very special.  It has also shown us how many wonderful friends we have that are willing to help us during difficult times.  I have some terrific friends that came over and helped me move some furniture so that we could re-arrange the family room again to make room for more equipment.  It is the little things that mean so much!

Patterned Paper:  Sweet Shoppe - Pumpkin and Spice
Cardstock:  Bazzil
Sentiment:  TLC, Create - Give Thanks
Button:  My Favorite Things
Jute:  May Arts
Spellbinders:  Leaves
Die Cuts:  My Favorite Things - Tags
Ribbon:  Stash

Challenges
Mojo - Sketch 218
Cupcake Inspirations - Ch. 235 Leaves

Cardz TV - Ch. 39 Thankful
Totally Papercrafts - Ch. 191 Button it Up
Creative Corner Challenges - Can't touch this (texture) - in leaves
Glitter 'n Sparkle - Ch. 57 Leaves
Sentimental Sunday - Ch. 179 Falling in Autumn
Tuesday Throwdown - Ch. 172 Tag It
Digi Darlas - Ch. 87 Color Inspired

Love to Create - Ch. 90 Color Inspired

Eureka - Ch. 64 Fall leaves/feathers