Time to bid Adieu!!!!!!!!!!!

Digital Image: DinoMite Dinosaur by Jane's Doodles

Papers: American Crafts Dear Lizzy's Enchanted

Buttons: Basic Grey's Kioshi assortment

Copic Coloring

Flower Embellishment: Webster's Pages Bloomers

Happy (well.... kinda) Tuesday!

It's a sad day for me today.  I am saying good-bye to some wonderful ladies!  This is my farewell post for Claudia & Company!  My term is up and although I am sad, I am feeling quite blessed!  I have been surrounded by some of the best artists in the crafty-industry!  Claudia runs a top-notch company and Gwen, our Design Team Coordinator, always kept me in line!  (And you know that THAT is hard to do!)

But I can't leave without telling you about this week's challenge, now, can I ?????

This week's challenge at Claudia & Company is a 'recipe' challenge!  Your card must have TWO designer patterned papers, three buttons, ONE image and ONE piece of decorative trim!  Pop on over HERE to see all of the fabby creations the design team made using this recipe!  They are just as awesome as usual!

All of the items I used in my card are listed under the picture and are available at the C&C store HERE!  The dino image is just the sweetest and I am in LOVE with the papers by American Crafts!  And of course NO card is finished unless it has some flowers and buttons!  Claudia is having a sale right now so she can clear the shelves now to get ready to replenish them when she goes to CHA next month!  So be sure to pop on over to the STORE to see all the wonderful deals!

Thank you again, Claudia for asking me to design for you AND especially for giving me the chance to get to know you and become friends with you and the team!  I hope you all stop by now and then just to say HEY!  Each of you hold a special place in my heart and I will miss you bunches!

Blessings on the rest of your week!

SALE! SALE!! SALE!!!!!!!!!

Claudia is getting ready to SHOP till she DROPS at CHA {Craft and Hobby Association}!!!!  She wants to empty the shelves of her store and fill up her pocketbook so she can get us NEW CRAFTY SCHTUFF! 

So, to do this she has tons of items on sale 25-40% OFF in her STORE for you!!!!!  The sale begins today and lasts until January 28th! 

SHOP HERE NOW

for the best selection!!

Anyone's panties in a TWIST???!!

This FUN and EXCITING new release {of the five images below} was inspired by the Meljen's Designs Design Team!  We were all joking about getting our 'panties all in a twist'!  Well, I guess that got Melissa's MOJO MOVING!!! 

So here are some fantabulously fun images, ideal for Valentine's Day!  AND be sure to see all of the cards created this week at the main BLOG HERE!  There are some awesome sentiments posted that go with the images perfectly!

Here's my fun card using the new 'Little Brazier' you can find in the Whimsy Stamps store!

AND be sure to participate in this week's Meljen's Designs challenge!  Just use: 

PINK and RED!

See details of this week's challenge HERE!

ENJOY

and

may GOD BLESS the rest of your week!

Color Challenge with a SKETCH!

HAPPY TUESDAY!

Here's a SUPAH cute card to go along with this week's color challenge at Claudia & Company!  Red, Yellow and Green are the colors to use!  Along with my Mary Jane PuddleJumper,  I used some fabulous Modern Homemaker papers by October Afternoon, a bit of bling by Doodle Bug Design and some Kioshi buttons from Basic Grey in my creation!

My card is inspired by this week's sketch challenge SSSC100 at Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge!  A good sketch always helps my creative mojo get moving!

And some exciting news!  If you ever thought about joining a Design Team, go see Claudia's Design Team Call!  I wish I could stay, but my washer and dryer have been so lonely lately and my cookbooks have been, too!  So, I am sadly leaving after next week's challenge on January 25th!  SNIFF!  I am going to miss Claudia and the rest of the gals!  They are such good, creative company, fun friends and SUPAH SUPPORT!  So, if you get selected you will be so blessed!  I think she only has a couple openings, so don't be disheartened if you don't get it, just keep trying! 

Don't forget to pop on over to this week's color challenge at Claudia & Company!  The designers have some FABBY creations this week using the same papers and embellies that I used!  SO check it out!

Modern Homemaker Papers

Puddle Jumper Digi Mary Jane

Doodle Bug Designs rhinestones

Basic Grey KIOSHI Buttons

ENJOY YOUR TUESDAY!!

It IS HIP to be 'Square'!!

Wanna win some FREE DIGIS!? 

From the one and only MELISSA JENKINS!???

Well, CLICK HERE to see the challenge details, but if you know how to make a square or round card, you can enter to win YOUR CHOICE of three of her fabulous images FREE from the Whimsy Stamps store HERE!!

AND didja see her five new fabby digis above? 

Didja, didja????

Aren't they just the cutest??? OH MY! 

See more of these images in action at Meljen's Designs Main blog HERE!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!!

New Release at Claudia & Company!

John Grutta has joined our family at Claudia & Company!  He has released FOUR new images today!  Skip, Hop and JUMP on over to the C&C Blog to see all of the lovely creations by the {OH, SO TALENTED!}Designers!  I used LOVE VASE for the main image and the So Random set HERE for the sentiment on my card above, along with papers from the Die Cuts with a View, the "Tis the Season" line! 

{I don't think that Claudia has this set of papers, but there are other beautiful paper she does have HERE, so check out those and her SUPAH prices, too!} 

A double-button assortment in the corner that has a little splash of Kaiser blingy rhinestones and pearls is a simple yet nice touch for this clean and crisp card.  I think I may just have to save this for Valentine's Day for my hubby.  You don't think it is TOO GIRLY for him, do you?

I took a close-up shot so you could see the glitter in the paper and the delicate dots that continue pass the little vines in the image.  Beautiful detail! 

Claudia is offering up a freebie image in celebration of today's exciting release, so don't miss out!  See ALL FOUR of John's new images below or get a closer look at them in the store HERE!  Just lovely images, I think I might have to splurge and get all four! 

Thanks for stopping by

and

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

An AWARD? for little ol' ME? AW!!!!!

One of my local paper-crafty-galpals, Tiffany, gave this award to me!  Thank You, Tiffany, it's so appreciated!

So, now I shall pass it on!  Here are the rules for those paying it forward: A. Thank the person who gave you the award; B. Share 8 things about yourself; C. Pass this award onto 8 bloggers who inspire you!

About little ol' me....

(1) 2011 is gonna be a SUPAH year!  Not only is my oldest son, Josh, turning 21, but I will be 40 in just 45 days (not that I am counting or anything like that!)!

(2) All of my pets' names start with "P"; I have two cats, Patches and Persian, and one dog, Pepsi! (and I had (another cat) Patches in the past and a Peaches, maltese dog, too!)

(3) I have always loved to color, which is probably why I am a COPIC addict!

(4) I don't mind doing laundry, just HATE putting it away...probably because of all those stairs in my house!

(5) I have moved 22 times in my life and lived in 5 or 6 states (not sure of the number because I was a baby during the first few moves)!

(6) One of my favorite artist/designers is Mary Engelbreit; I love her use of bold colors and contrast even though I don't craft like that at all! Primary colors are NOT my thing! LOL!

(7) I am a Farmville junkie!  It's embarrassing, but I do love my farm!

(8) One of my BFF's daughter is in the hospital with pneumonia and really needs prayers!  Kelsey had a heart transplant at 12 (she's 19 now) so it's kinda scary! SO if you are a prayer warrior, please help!

For my 8 Blogger friends that inspire me, there's .... 

Dee, my sidekick at Meljen's Designs, we are a team!

Melissa Jenkins, creator of Meljen's Designs

Andrea, her softpastel creations are divine!

Sandy, one of my fellow Designer friends and operator of Operation Write Home!

Lori, illustrator of Puddle Jumpers and Sugar Sticks, she makes cute people!

Claudia, owner of Claudia & Co, she's a sweet friend and a fantastic artist, too!

Marianne, she's so freakingly Copically talented, it amazes me!

Gwen, such a loving supportive gal and an awesome scrapbooker!

and an extra to...

Lisa, she's so humble about her talent, and just a great soul!

I would have forwarded this to a few other gals (like the rest of Meljen's Designs DESIGN TEAM and all of the gals on both of Claudia's TEAMS, too!), but they either were already were blessed with it from others and/or I just plain ran out of time!!!!!!  ALL of my favorite crafters and friends are in my sidebar at left!  Take time to click on all of them, because I have the most talented paper-designer-friends around, let me tell ya!

Now, go spread the love

 

&

 

Pray for Kelsey!

SHAPE IT UP!!!!!!

Papers: My Mind's Eye True Blue

Image: Puddle Jumper Davey with Dino

Buttons: Kioshi Collection by Basic Grey

Sentiment Stamp: So Random Up & Down Set

Claudia put down the rules!  She said to SHAPE IT UP!  NO squares or rectangles allowed!!!!  That was kind of tricky for me since I wanted to make my card masculine!  But good ol' circles came to the rescue!  An adorable Davey Digi that looks like my Eli was just what these MME papers needed!  And although this card is for a boy, I had to add a little embellishment with the BG Kioshi yellow buttons!  Just had to have a little dabble of something!  I don't think a boy would think that this is girly, do you?  I think I will save this card for Eli's 9th birthday in April, it does look like him!

 

Pop on over to the Claudia & Company BLOG to see more fabulous creations by the rest of the Design Team!  My term is wrapping up all too soon with this team and I will sincerely miss them all so much!  But for now, I will enjoy each day I have left with them!  Until then, are you ready to face the challenge?  I hope so!  See you there!! 

Good luck!

Meljen's Designs GUEST DESIGNER SILKE!

{I don't have something new to show you today, so I thought I would showcase the Meljen's Designs Guest Designer for January, SILKE LEDLOW!  She's a fine artist and paper-crafter and someone I have admired for quite some time!  So, I think you will enjoy seeing her creation!  I wanted to make sure that if you missed out on this post at Meljen's Designs, you would at leaast see it here! ENJOY!}

Silke has done it again!  Her clean and streamlined style really IS simply beautiful!  Just the lightest touch of pink on the 'Mailed with Love' mailbox, the balanced assortment AND combination of bow-embellies, beautiful texture with the punched border and embossed hearts and perfect placement of bling in the corner, Silke easily made this one divine and sure to melt anyone's heart! 

Be sure to stop by Silke Ledlow's blog 'My Life' to see more of her latest artwork and crafty-goodness! She will get your mojo on the move for sure! 

Beautiful artistry, Silke!

A Bittersweet GiveAway

One of my Designer-GalPals, Nikki, is having a Blog Candy Give Away in honor of her mother, who recently passed.  Nikki has shared her mom with us in her blog post HERE and is letting us know how generous and giving her mom was everyday in secret.  Please take time to read this beautiful post and be prepared with a tissue, her words are amazing! 

Miss you, Nikki!

New images at MELJEN'S DESIGNS!

WOOHOO, I love me some Meljen's Designs, especially when they are as sweet as these!  AND a new challenge has been posted to give you an opportunity to win ANY three of Melissa's images for FREE!!!!!!!  CLICK HERE to see the beautiful creations by our AWESOME Design Team and to get details on how to enter the challenge, too!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Who says paperbagging it can't be pretty!?

HOWDY, Peeps!!  I thought I would share a cute little bag I made for a jewelry-customer of mine.  She bought some earrings from me and the sterling wire broke, so she gave them to me to repair.  Well, OF COURSE I can't simply return to her the little earring box without proper wrapping and embellishing!!! NO!  That would be a sin! HA!!!

I sent her a note in this card and used that as color-inspiration for my decorated the paper gift-bag!  I used Stampin' Up colors of Groovy Guava (retired), Pear Pizzaz and Crumb Cake (kraft color) and incorporated two different stamp sets; one for the bag stamping and another for the tag images, but I thought they were just perfect together, a bold/graphic look to both sets!  To see details of my card, CLICK HERE!

And here's a close up of the tag!  After stamping the flower and sentiment, I added a pearl for a little soft-bling!  Then, I punched a hole through the tag and adorned it with an eyelet, then punched the paper bag (already folded) and threaded the ribbon through both and tied it with a bow for simple opening!  I wanted the tag to stay at an angle so I used some glue dots on the back for sturdy placement!  Easy peasy and such a personal way to say THANKS for purchasing my jewelry! 

Hope you enjoyed my post! 

Come back tomorrow to see the latest release of Meljen's Designs images! 

You will be glad you did!

ENJOY YOUR HUMPDAY!

TAG! You are it!

Happy Tuesday!!!!!!!  It's another challenge at the Claudia & Company Challenge BLOG!!!! {And, NO, you are not 'losing it'!  I used to tell you about the challenges and send you to 'A Little Crafty Place', but Claudia has revamped her site and is sending us HERE!} SO, don't let this new experience keep you from getting all excited and playing in the challenge!  It's the same gal in charge and the same designers showing their talent, too!  AND be sure to play along because you might just be picked to be in the top three favorites!!!!!! (That is a real honor!)

This week, we are challenged to use a 'TAG'!  How simple is that, right??  You have less than a week to link up your creations, so get to it!  I used some awesome American Crafts Love papers in my card and a cute Heart Home digi by Jane's Doodles to pull this together!  All of the items used in my card are detailed in the links below! 

Thank YOU SO MUCH to Piali for gifting me the Ric Rac ribbon in my Christmas package surprise!!!!  It's my favorite new ribbon!  And you know how I love ribbon!!!!!!

I hope you take time to play along this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Items used in my creation.......

Papers: American Crafts Love Collection

Digital Stamps: Heart Home by Jane's Doodles

Tag: American Crafts Love Decorative Tag Embellishment

Copic Coloring

Ric Rac Ribbon

It's Pixielicious!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  It was a LONG and exhausting week with the kids home from school, let me tell ya! WOW, I can't believe I even survived it!  Apparently I only BARELY survived it, because my brain was on meltdown mode last week and I forgot to post this SUPER cute card using these PIXIELICOUS papers!

You can see more Pixielicious creations HERE at 'A Little Crafty Place'!  I used a fun Cupcake DIGI by Jane's Doodles, available at the Claudia and Company Store!  Claudia has renamed and revamped her DieCutsRUs store to become Claudia and Company!!  IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!  Be sure to pop on over and browse around!  Such great products and even MORE AWESOME prices! WOOHOO to that!

Come back tomorrow for another Claudia and Company inspired project and a NEW CHALLENGE!

Happy New Year!!