My Whirlwind of a year so far...

Hello everyone.  It has been so long since I have sat here at my old pc and actually blogged.  It's actually been some time since I even really felt the craft groove kick in.  But my trusty old friends at Splitcoast Stampers had one of the yearly events, Dare to Get Dirty, and it helped pull me out of my saturation.  Now what could I possible be saturated it if it isn't all the beautiful colors of inks, pencils, markers and water colors in my craft room? Well let me catch you up a bit.  First we moved across country from PA to TX, kinda old new as it's been 10 months.  But 10 months flew by in a whirlwind! Our daughter joined us here a few months ago, we visited home, my husband jumped right into work even before we officially moved, I designed and hired a custom builder to build my craft room, that is still a work in progress. I had to take the summer off from exercising as I just couldn't do it in the TX heat. We managed a much needed vacation to Jamaica last month.  I visited my best girls in VA. All while getting what became weekly iron infusions because they stopped working, and I was exhausted! And now trying to get acclaimed to my new normal, in my new place.  Feeling the need to start over.  So here I am. Making the plans to start over. 

I went to the PinnersTX conference last weekend and listened to a lovely young lady who spoke about  blogging.  Shout out to KariAnn @ Thistlewood Farms. She was super cute! And so on point it just made me want a redo!  After listening to her speak, I asked one question, that question was "when do you go from a blogspot, free blog, to a .com" Her answer was short and to the point, she said "as soon as you think about it!" So with that, the finishing touches will be put on my craft room, I will come up with a name, another tip from KariAnn, "something that can be googled" and will launch my new blog.  Give it a lot more attention, share all the things I love, and reconnect with the world of blogging friends I have made over the years.  So stay tuned for that!

Yesterday I was inspired to play along with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge-Bling it on.  I pulled out my new Impression Obsession inks and started by making this colorful background.  I just used a die cut, left the die cut pieces in place and inked using an ink blending tool.  Then I stamped the image from Impression Obsession Floral Heart Set and used the inks I used in the background as water colors.  Then I added clear and gold wink of stella for the bling.  I finished with an Impression Obsession Pink and Ink hummingbird and sentiment from the Hummingbird set. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you find what inspires you today!

Impression Obsession Ink

Impression Obsession Floral Heart Set

Impression Obsession Hummingbird Set 

Wink of Stella 

Hugs,

Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #312

This weeks make it Monday challenge is to frame your sentiment.  

If you would like to watch the video and play along visit the PTI blog here.  

My aunt is in the hospital with the flu so I made a card to send to her. 

I hope she is feeling much better until this arrives.  

Hope you are having a great week! 

Thanks for visiting, 

All products used area PTI 

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge, use stripes.

Hello everyone! 

It's feeling like spring today here in TX! 

I'm so excited to finally not need to wear a coat out for our morning walk. I'm sure before long I will have to get up before the sun to enjoy that same walk, but for now I'll enjoy the temps hitting 70 for the next few days.  

Today is the PTI release day, and also their one and only anniversary sale.  I'm busy making my list and checking, well, several times I'm sure.  I always use the sale to stock up on consumables that I love.  This year is a bit different, it's hard to know exactly what I need with so much of my stuff still in boxes.  So some things will be just a guess, but it's not like it won't get used.  

Click here for the release post and sale information.  

I can't wait to get this years anniversary set, Mixed Boquet.

It's so pretty, and I just love all the flowers in today's release.  

Now on to my challenge card.  

The challenge was to use stripes.  I pulled a sheet of striped paper I had from one of the PTI kit's, I'm not sure what kit.  Sorry, I tend to mix up my papers when I'm using them.  

The flower is from Floral Sketches, and the stems I had stamped from previous cards.  I believe they are from Gran's Garden. I finished by adding the die cut sentiment and a few sequins.  

You can find the challenge post HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Have a great day!

All products PTI.

Papertey Ink Anniversary Challenge, Use a retired stamp set

Hello my friends, hope your having a wonderful Monday! It's a bit cool here, but I"m still going to bundle up and go out for a walk.  Somehow in my mind that makes eating a half of a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies OK.  Gotta support the girls!

So today, while I was deep in thought over the PTI challenges someone knocked on my door.  Weird, as just moving to TX I know no one that would come to the door.  So I took a deep breath and answered.  Of course I was having a sweat pants, hair up in a messy bun kinda day, I wasn't planning on answering the door or leaving the house.  It was a young man, all dressed nice in a business suit.  We exchanged greeting, I stepped out onto the porch as I was not inviting a stranger in.  My little girl immediately attacked his leg kissing him as much as she could, then the boy dog who does not like men managed to get the door open, no idea how as he is only 9 pounds and 6 inches off the ground, but he is my protector.  And was not happy with this man talking to his momma.  I wrangled them back in the house, listened the the speal on financial planning, refused to give my or my husbands phone number, took his business card and wished him a good day.  And I hope that is the most excited that will occur to me today.

Then I texted the husband how we will immediately get a no soliciting sign.  This is something I didn't have to worry about in PA. We lived on a dirt road, and most people would drive up our dirt road and get that feeling of hearing weird banjos playing in their head until they reached civilization again.  Now mind you, this all happens on a mile road and only 5 minutes from WalMart.  But dang, I liked my privacy.

Now that the last thin mint is gone, lets get on to what you are really here for.  Today's PTI challenge is to make a card using a set from the retired stamp list posted on the blog.  If you would like to see the blog post and comment to win an awesome price click HERE!

I chose the Make It Market Mini Kit, Color Pop Butterflies. It's a super sweet little kit and I love the price point.  If you are considering getting the kit get it soon as once it is retired it is gone.  I really wanted to use the kit to it's full potential today.  It made this card very easy as the patterned paper was printed with the design.  I just cut them out, stamped and added the sentiment and there you have this super sweet little card.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Stay warm! 

And go buy some Girl Scout Cookies!

Papertrey Ink MIM Color Pop Butterflies

Papertrey Ink Floral Challenge.

Today is yet another day at of celebrating the Papertrey Ink Anniversary.  Today is Day 4 of the event, and today's challenge is a Floral Challenge.  If you haven't seen the PTI blog post today need to stop by.  The floral cards and inspiration is amazing!  

I was inspired to stamp some of the Gran's Garden stamp set.  I pulled out all the shades of PTI purple/lavender inks and stamps a beautiful pile of flowers.  Then I assembled these cards. 

For this card I used a die cut to make the base.  I love the white on white look in the background, and this die set sets of the white perfectly.  I added a humming bird I stamped yesterday from 

Humming Along.  I love the pop of blue.  The details in the humming birds is amazing.  

Next I'm sending some Birthday Cheer, once again from my favorite PTI kit Don't Forget to Write added the sentiment to these pretty cluster of flowers.  

I swear this sentiment does not look crooked irl! 

But this may need a do over so it doesn't drive me crazy. 

And those are my floral cards for today's challenge.  

I hope I have helped to inspire you and you play along with the challenge as well.  

You can find today's challenge by clicking HERE.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Papertrey Ink Stamps, paper and ink. 

Other- sequins

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Celebration Challenge.

Hello everyone, I know it's been a long time! My last post was the month we decided to sell everything and move across country to Texas! It has been a whirl wind of selling everything in our PA home of 16 years, buying a new home that we only saw via a face-time showing, and then making the drive across country with our two puppies and just enough to get us by as we wait for our delivery of personal belongings.  We moved in the day before Thanksgiving, and are still getting settled.  I'm crating on a plastic table and most of my stuff is still in totes.  My craft room is being designed as we speak, the builder was here this morning to take measurements.  I can't wait for it to be finished. But no time like the present to get back to what I love, and that is making lots and lots crafts!

Today I played along with the Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge.  They are having an awesome week of challenges and prizes so be sure to go to thehttps://blog.papertreyink.com/blog/and enter to win. Click here to see this challenge post and for your chance to win stamps for a year!

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY (ON A WEDNESDAY) CHALLENGE

The challenge is to take a card you have made in the past and transform it some way.  I used this card, you can see my original blog post here. 

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I started by pulling out 4 different colors of paper for the background. I figured this was an easy change. And will use up some of those pieces of paper falling out of the paper rack. 

Now, I am not a mass production card maker. I never make the same card twice, I just don't like doing that.  So I do what makes me happy.  And that is make lots of different cards, and enjoy the art of it.  

Then I chose 4 different embossing folders.  I wanted to use some cover plates, but my embossing tan mat thing is among the move missing.  So embossing folders it is.  Once I had the first layer I assembled the embossed layer to the patterned paper.  

Next was the fun part.  I stamped a ton of images, yestereday was all about the humming birds.  I love having images on hand.  It's so nice to just grab my box of stamped stuff and see what I like.  This is my box of stuff.  I'm so glad I have the DFTW words cut because I lost the SENDIND die, and I use it all the time! So sad! 

Now, it's likely that I will have to stamp the correct color, but at least you can see if the size will work and some days even I get lucky!

Today, I feel pretty good about the cards I made.  Do you have a favorite?

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Papertrey Ink 

Paper

Ink

Stamps

Other

Embossing Folders

Gems