Wintry Ice Skate

Hello friends!  Happy Sunday!  We've got snow coming down and here in South Jersey we might get 12" - wow.  😮 SO, so, so grateful I work from home at the moment!  Not a fan of driving in this kind of weather.

I'm playing in a couple of challenges with my wintry card.  The first is:  Tic Tac Toe PP# 526 - A Challenge From Laurie.

Stampin' Up! Framed Tulip embossing folder, lace, ice skate die, white cotton twine; Flourishes Let It Snow snowflakes, sentiment; Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags tag die; rhinestone; glitter

I chose the diagonal from top left to bottom right:  die-cut, embossing and blue.  I also happen to have sparkle, and scene on the board.  My ice skate is laced up and sitting amidst a flurry of snowflakes!  There's a panel beneath the ice skate that had been embossed with Stampin' Up!'s Framed Tulips embossing folder.  

This was a fun card to put together, because I could add a little of this and a little of that.  There's a snippet of an old book page on here that was begging to be used up, as well as a piece of lace.

I'm also entering at a new-to-me challenge called Rudolph Days, where anything goes as long as it's Christmas!

Thanks so much for your visit!

God bless you!

Bird-Themed Cards

Hello everyone!  We have a cold day here in NJ; today's high is 28 degrees!  Very cold indeed, and super windy, too.  I am grateful for a warm home, and sunshine pouring in our windows.  I'm burning a Peppermint candle from Antique Candle Co.  I bought the bundle while it's on sale.  It smells soooo good!

I've got some bird-themed cards to share with you, and I'm entering the first one in a challenge called Tic Tac Toe.  See below for the row I picked!

K & Company bird sticker; Spellbinders oval dies; white lace; gold mirror cardstock; Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags sentiment stamp 

I used the bottom row, with a sentiment, embellishment (lace, bird sticker) and die cut (the two ovals).  Love how easy the options are on this whole board!


I'm entering the card below in another challenge called Inspired By... and the current theme is Tweet Messages.   

Impression Obsession Birds dies; My Favorite Things Bold Greenery dies; Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags tag die; The Greetery Sentiment Suite: Birthday sentiment stamp; cream twine; DCWV Coral Couture patterned papers

I was inspired by the bird sitting atop a branch.  I like that bluebird image so much.  😀  What a beautiful watercolor piece.  

Stampin' Up! Natural Beauty moth/butterfly stamp; Papertrey Ink Keep It Simple: Birthday; pearls; Altenew Build A Flower: Rose leaf cluster stamp; lace; pearls; calendar image of nest

Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin 'My Wonderful Family' elements, sentiment stamp, yellow pearls

Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin 'My Wonderful Family' elements, sentiment stamp

Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin 'My Wonderful Family' elements, sentiment stamp, mint pearls

Impression Obsession Birds dies; My Favorite Things Bold Greenery dies; Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags tag die, Angled Labels die; The Greetery Sentiment Suite: Birthday sentiment stamp; DCWV Coral Couture patterned papers

The final two cards are fairly flat, with no pearls (gasp!) and no foam tape, and can use ONE postage stamp!  I am not accustomed to doing this.  LOL  I always keep a steady supply of Additional Ounce stamps, as I mostly make bumpy cards, ha ha.

Impression Obsession Birds dies; Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Accents flower punch, sentiment (not sure what set), patterned papers; lace

Stampin' Up! Garden Pleasures birdhouse, bird stamps, Weathered background stamp; Papertrey Ink Buttoned Up #1 button die, Skinny Mini Banner die, birthday sentiment; vintage thread 

I hope your weekend is peaceful, relaxing, or whatever you are most hoping for!  I am ALWAYS up for a weekend that includes cardmaking. 😀

Exodus 35:35 NIV

35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

Thanks for visiting today!

God bless you!

Floral Aprons

Hello friends!  I'm back to play in a couple of challenges.  One of them is new to me.  I've got a little list of challenges that I keep in my phone's Notes app, and the list continues to grow!  

Let's get started! 

At Little Red Wagon, the current challenge is to use dies, and this one closes tomorrow, so I'm just making it in under the wire!  

I'm also going to link this up at the NBUS challenge, which is to use your never-before-used-schtuff.  This cute apron die set from Stampin' Up! is retired, but new to me.  I know it was a popular set, and no wonder.  How adorable!  The possibilities are endless.  I made two in soft pink and soft yellow, inspired by the Stampin' Up! patterned paper.  

Stampin' Up! Apron Builder Framelits dies; Gina Marie Designs Eyelet Elegance Rectangles die

Stampin' Up! Apron Builder Framelits dies; Gina Marie Designs Eyelet Elegance Rectangles die

I used brushed silver cardstock for the cooking tools; they shimmer nicely in real life.

Did you have a good weekend?  I spent plenty of time in my studio, making cards for Valentine's Day.  I sewed holes in my comforter, and my lace curtain (Cristabel's nails did a lot of damage!).  And I watched a movie with my daughter (Disney's Brave) and it was so good!  It's an old movie, at this point, but I don't care.  LOL  I cried near the end, we both did actually.

Can't be mad at this little face...

God bless you,

Cool Cat

Hello friends!  It's a sunny and cold Sunday here, and I plan to go on walking trail with my daughters this afternoon.  They have been there before, but I never have.  I'm very much looking forward to it!

Oh, and I did make the Pumpkin Rocks from the Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies yesterday.  They are delicious!  Upon request, I substituted chocolate chips for the raisins that the recipe calls for.  My family doesn't like raisins much, but I sure do!  My daughter found a copy of the book for under $10 if you are interested!  (Remember in my previous post I mentioned that Amazon sells it for $104?!) I shop for a lot of my books at Thrift Books.  Some are used, some are new, but even the used ones can look brand new.  

I'm playing in a new-to-me challenge today:  The Male Room!  Masculine cards only are accepted, and I think that's a fun challenge.

Isn't this dapper black cat adorable?  He's wearing a black glitter bow tie!  I found this little bow tie in one of the Stampin' Up! scrap bags I get from time to time.

Memory Box Large Sitting Cat cat die; My Favorite Things BB Cool Cat sentiment and paw print stamps, Stitched Sentiment Strips banner die; Stampin' Up! bow

Check out his tie....awww.

The Male Room is also looking for new Design Team members!  

Here's a link to this particular challenge, which is Animals.  

Wishing you all a beautiful day - no matter what you are going through, or where you are.

Sending love to you!

God bless you,

Sweet Coffee

Hello friends, Happy New Year!  It's been a tough week for our country.  My emotions have been up and down.  One thing I remind myself is that God is in control.  So important to keep looking at Him, and not at the circumstances around us.

I have a card to share today, and I am playing in challenges, too.  That makes my heart happy. 😊

Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous - Fresh Brewed Blueprint coffee stamp; Quick Kutz Hot Drink coffee cup die; Memory Box Classic Tags circle tag die; twine; Stampin' Up! Brown Sugar cotton twine

This is a birthday card for my youngest daughter, who discovered the elixir of coffee while in her first semester at college.  I began drinking coffee when I was about 22 years old, and I never looked back.  LOL  

Here are the challenges I am playing in:

• Krafty Chicks Challenge #541 - Stamp Act - use a stamp
• Time Out Challenge #178 - Life In The City.  My daughter goes to college in the city, so this is where she drinks her coffee!
• NBUS - never before used stuff!  The Tim Holtz coffee stamp and Quick Kutz coffee cup die are new to me
• The Card Concept - Winter Warmth - my style is Clean & Layered (was a bit tricky to pick a style I used here, but I think this might be the best match).  I was inspired by the warm winter drink -- although, hey, I drink coffee ALL year!

The weekend is upon us, and I'll be baking cookies called Pumpkin Rocks from Maida Heatter's Cookie cookbook.   (Though I found the exact cookbook I own on Amazon, which is featured in this link, the price is a staggering $104.34 for the hardcover version.  Are you kidding me??)

Psalm 121:1-2 ESV

A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

God bless you!