Call of the Desert

I need to get my 'Western Fix' out of the way every few weeks....until I can get my boots in the desert dust this summer, so I got my'Cowgirl' on when I saw a sketch at Splitcoaststampers - SSC 321 - that would work for a card I was making. I think next time I will experiment and use some girly colors. In the meantime its always good to have a masculine card in my stash, although this one will probably go to Carol in the office at the Ranch. Last time we talked she said she was out of the cards I had given her and could use a few more.

Wish I could remember who designed the main stamp, I can only remember that I bought it at the Gateway Convention in Collinsville, Illinois a few years ago, and have had the occasion to use it several different ways. The sentiment and barbed wire are from Marks Finest Paper.

Put my brown CS thru an EF and stamped my image twice so I would have two of the desert scene - then I cut four of the six images into squares. I stamped barbed wire, several times across and dirtied the edges of the sentiment to give it an aged look. I used my corner punch on both the card and the layers. Then I used some pop ups to raise the sentiment up over the lower image.

Peace

What a great weekend. Family from Chicago came to town and spent the night before going to a hockey game here between our 'Blues' and their 'Blackhawks' ....it is always good to spend time with family. It was a real treat to cook for them and catch up on all that is happening in their lives. Two days away from my stamp room has me catching up.....today I worked on a card I will enter in the Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge 76, and at Our Daily Bread Designs for their challenge 49 and then I'll add this card either to my stash or some that I am taking to our Church Bookstore. Just a little side note, I used Stampin Ups 'Glorious Green' for the angel which I think is rather appropriate.

While I enjoy checking my blog and the ones I follow for inspiration - I really enjoy getting up Sundays and looking to see what the devotionals will be at Stampin Sisters in Christ. They always enlighten me and draw me into the Word. So many nice ladies with some great talent.

For this card I used my sizzix die for the corners, some cs I had laying around, bling from Hobby Lobby, the angel stamp is from Stampin Up 04, and the words are Our Daily Bread Design. Ink is Stampin Up Glorious Green.

Keep It Simple Sister

What a great devotional this week over at Stampin Sisters in Christ....Heb 13:5. Patti J challenged us to be satisfied with what we have because He will not forsake us. Her stamping challenge was to Keep It Simple Sister - a one layer card. You would think it would be easy to keep it simple, but I really had to think about it. How could I create a one layer card without my dies, and DP - oh my.....then so many thoughts began to swirl around.....all leading to technique upon technique that required, step after step.......I was not feeling the simple. Then I remembered a style of card I had done years ago and thought why not tape and stamp. No fancy words or bows or embellishments - just one layer all on its own. Truly a 'Just Because' card to be sent with words of encouragement written on the inside......Thank you Patti - this challenge and the devotional have helped me remain a little more focused in the present this week and grateful.

Used CS that I taped off with removable tape then masked the areas and used a brush to put a little color in each square. Covering each area I then took an old floral stamp and stamped in each area....a one layer simple card!!

Chocolate Delight Birthday

The last few days have been hectic.....I've needed to work on some cards, but I have also needed to pick up my stamp room. Recently I have been having a lot of fun cutting and stamping and I fear letting it get too out of control.....lots of stamps to file and paper to pick up. Then there is the lovely weather (unseasonably warm) that has been tempting me to get outdoors and walk. Today I took advantage of the sunshine and did a 5k - it felt good, the treadmill just can't recreate the hills and sunshine.

Finally sat down to make a birthday card for a friend. As a fellow chocolate lover I thought she would enjoy the M & M theme. You can't tell from the picture but there are some little clear acrylic stickers over some of the candies. I am also posting this to the Papercraft Star Challenge Number 33 this week.

This card is pretty simply done. Used my Nestabilities to cut everything but the paper. Added a few embellishments with the rafia and acrylic stickers.

Stylish Blogger Award

It was a pleasant surprise today when I checked my blog to have the Stylish Blogger Award passed to me from Handmade with Love by Sarah. She left this with a lovely comment about my card. I am to list 8 things you probably don't know about me and pass this on to 8 other lovely ladies. I realize that not everyone is comfortable posting information on their blogs and understand if those I pass this on to choose not to list something we might not know about them, but I hope they will know that I sent this because I enjoy and follow their blogs because they inspire me with all the great work they do.

1) Red is my favorite color

2) I lost 32 pounds and have kept them off for over four years now!

3) The older I get the less I care about a clean house, especially if it means I can stamp.

4) My day just doesn't get started if I don't have my coffee.

5) My best stamping buddy is Pat

6) Everyday I have a piece of dark chocolate mmmm!

7) I always cry when the National Anthem is played.

8) I know not what the day holds, but I know He who holds the day.

The following are 'Stylish Bloggers'

addINKtive Designs

Crazy for Daisies

Francie's Fancy

Inspired to Stamp

Lady & the Stamp

Handkrafted by Stephanie

Poetic Artistry

Th-INK-ing of You

Cool Daisy's

About a year ago I got up enough courage to purchase some Copic markers....it looked like you could color and create such beautiful images with them, but I was a little intimidated. Slowly, but persistently I have begun to incorporate using them on my cards. It has helped to watch some great tutorials on line and check some great blogs. I am really excited that a class is being offered in St. Louis in March and I have been accepted to become 'Certified" I can hardly wait to learn more about these fabulous tools. I worked with their cool colors this week for Challenge No. 43 - "Were Cool" and will be submitting this card. I still have a ways to go using these markers but boy are they fun!!!

My image is Stampendous, and the border is a MS punch. Colors used were B32, B63, BV00,Y38, Y13, Y15, G05, G14. I spritzed the stamped layer with Tsukineko shimmer sparkle.

Unconditional Love

I decided to make this card for the Stampin Sisters in Christ. The devotional this week was on 1 John 3:18 and our cards were to show love without using words on the front of the card. I couldn't think of any greater love than His for us.....

I am also using this card in the ODBDSLC47 Anniversary Challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs it meets their challenge to use dies and punches. Inside I stamped 'Darkness cannot put out the light, it can only make God brighter' with an ODBD stamp.

Used on this card were plain cs, Nesties, MS punch, Stampabilities image, ODBD words (inside) ODBD stamp as a background, and a small heart punch.

Vintage Valentine

Took one of my grandmothers old postcards and reduced it on my copy machine onto Expression CS. Ran it thru the CB with a die and then layered it. Ran the background thru also using a Sixxiz EF. Added a little ribbon with some pearls. The inside has some die cut edges with a valentines sentiment. This is a great way to use old postcards. I think she is awfully sweet looking.

Denim Delight

I worked on this card to submit to Stampin Sisters in Christ . Challenge 74 Psalm 23. Thought I would try something I have never attempted with making my own flower. Seems whenever I buy an embellishment its not quite the right color and I struggle to use it, so after watching some tutorials I made a modified version of the Tim Holtz flower (this one is only 5 layers to allow it to lay flatter for mailing). It was exciting to be able to make it from denim DP to match the background I was using. Of course I needed some leaves and was stumped for a while until I ran some hearts off on my Cricut and cut around the edges then used the McGill stylus to shape them...all in all I am happy with this attempt - its always fun to be challenged and learn something new. Sometimes I spend so much time looking at everyones blogs being inspired it feels like my head is going to explode when I finally sit still and get a card going. Thank you for looking, I always enjoy feedback. Right after adding this I noticed a challenge at Mark's Finest Paper Speedy's Challenge 41 for handmade flowers :) so I added this to that challenge also.

Used my Cricut, McGill stylus and mat, ribbon, CS, Nestie, MS Daisy edge punch, and a stamp from Stampabilities. If you want to see the tutorial on making this flower I suggest you go to You-tube and watch the various tutorials they have. I watched Pinkaboo6691 and found her easy to follow.

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

Began this card yesterday for the Papercraft Star sketch challenge 31 . It has been quite a personal challenge!! I have wanted to work with my Kitchen Sink Cowboy Boots stamp and the process began....and what a process. KS stamps are several stamps that layer over each other with different grades of color....probably easy for those who have done it, for me it was work to get these boots 'just the way I wanted them'. Finally got them 'just right' and began to layer and get my design ready. At this point I am pretty inky and - 'yes' - I got ink on my design :( Not one to give up I turned this, in my mind disaster, into a positive. Reaching for my VersaMark ink pad I stamped over them there boots and then used clear embossing powerder on them, heated them up and cut them out. Not what I had planned, but I think it turned out well......funny how just when you think you have it all figured out your have to change your plans.

Inks used were Color Box Chestnut Roan, stamped off for layer 1 and full strength for layer 2. Memento Rich Cocoa for layer 3 stamped off and full strength for layer 4...and Versa Magic Jumbo Java for layer 5. CS was ran through my CB with a paisley EF and nesties were used for the boots background, which I then daubed over with some Rich Cocoa. Ribbon is from a friend in Rockford, IL and then added a little charm.

ODBDSL46 Challenge

The weather here has been crazy....we are suppose to be under a 'blizzard' warning, but it looks like we are on the lower edge of the precip line and will not get the large amount of snow originally predicted. Twenty five miles north of here is a different story. We have already shoveled the driveway twice from all the sleet we received. Of course, the weather means I have had plenty of time to stamp and play - today I worked on several cards. This one is being submitted to Our Daily Bread Design for Challenge 46 "Blue"......I have wanted to do something with this paper and ribbon for a while and was glad to have the chance to play. After hopping the Our Daily Bread Designs blogs this morning I am anything but 'blue' - I instead feel very peaceful and used their stamp for my design. I need a 'just because' card for a family member and I think this may work.

Received the "Shining The Light Award" for this card at Our Daily Bread Design this week - Thanks ladies that means a lot to me.