Thankful For You - Crafty TBT#4

In honor of Thanksgiving today, I'm sharing a craft I made three years ago --- napkin holders.  I'm surprised they've held up so far.

THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS!

Happy Holidays

Completely forgot to post this card for the Time Out Challenge.  

I'm getting in just in time! --

I used a Christmas tree die from Tim Holtz.  Cut it out and then used the negative as a stencil and stenciled the image in Mowed Lawn.  Then stamped the sentiment from Fiskars in Versafine black ink and added a Mustard Seed star stenciled on the top of the tree.

Time Out Challenges -#44 Caseing

Holiday Blessings!

World of Joy - The Challenge #52

Happy Monday!

It's the week of Thanksgiving here in the U.S., 

which means 

the start of the holiday season.

So, check out this week's challenge 

at

The Challenge --

Make a Christmas Card!

Check out the rest of the team's projects 

and 

leave them some blog love!

Anita Madden
Claire Broadwater
Diane Jaquay

Kim Heggins

Kimberly Wiener
Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Lori Tecler
Michele Ferguson

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE!)

--------------------------------------------------------

Featured Designer 

Geri
Guest Designer 

 Kim Lackenbach of Kim Creates!

Here's my card:

I was playing with some of my new Christmas dies and one was a nativity scene.  Then, I got this epiphany, or at least for me it was--use my Reverse Confetti globe die with the baby Jesus.  LOL! I probably should Google it and there will be lots of other card makers with the same epiphany!  lol  Anyway, I love how it came out with the red heart and gold/silver globe with gold stenciled stars in the background.  I used Staz On metallic gold for the stars.  The sentiment is Ellen Hutson. The baby Jesus and gold star over him is part of a nativity die from Impression Obsession.  I also used a postage die from Simon Says.  

Enjoy!

For Following Challenges:

Holiday Challenge Blessings!

Be Merry

Good Morning Monday!

An early post for this last November Monday--

So in four days the holiday season in the U.S. will be "officially" started.  So, I'm trying to get in full Christmas card making mode.  I know, I'm a little behind as I know a lot of people have almost all of their's done by now.  Yet, life has been hectic for me trying to catch back up on my own life after helping my Mom out.  And, it's almost as if there's something in my brain that just can't get wrapped around Christmas until after Veteran's Day.  I don't know.  LOL

Anyway, this card was inspired by this week's Muse card challenge. All of the stamps used, including the sentiment, are from Stamplorations.  The tag is from Poppy Stamps. 

FOR FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

Muse Card Club- #142

Merry Blessings!

Let It Snow - The Challenge #51

Happy Monday!

Time for another challenge at 

The Challenge!

This week is an 

inspiration challenge 

with a super, warm-your-heart 

kind of inspiration!

The Design Team has cooked up some really fabulous projects to inspire you further!

Anita Madden
Claire Broadwater
Diane Jaquay

Kim Heggins

Kimberly Wiener
Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Lori Tecler
Michele Ferguson

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE)

--------------------------------------------------------

Featured Designer  Geri Greening

Guest Designer Shannon Jamarillo

Here's my card:

The white background is white cardstock painted with gesso and then swiped with a blue gelato stick blended with water. The hill die is a fancy border die is Spellbinders.  The sled and Santa hat are dies from Poppy Stamps.  The sentiment die is Lawn Fawn.  Scalloped stitched background is WPlus9. The bear is a stamp set from Memory Box and I glittered him.  
I'm a tad late getting my card posted.  I've been spending some time with my youngest son, Ben.  He may be moving out again shortly after the holidays when he is promoted to management of a new JM store in Chapel Hill.  And, with the big screen temporarily in the living room while the family room gets a floor makeover, he's forced to spend more time upstairs (his room is in basement next to family room) with his folks! I don't think he really minds since we let him control the remote.  ;)  

Warm Wintry Challenge Blessings!

Klassy Lady- Cards & Goodies

TGIF!

Happy Friday!

I want to give a shout out to a new crafty friend of mine, Bonnie Klass of Stamping with Klass.  A few months back Bonnie and I met via our blogs and playing in many of the same card challenges.  I was also looking for a new local Stampin' Up! person and realized Bonnie was one and lives in the same town as me -- Cary, NC!  

We started chatting via email, first about my Stampin' Up order and then the fact we live near each other.  When I got back in town in October, after caring for my mom, we met for a long, nice chatty lunch.  We both felt like we had known each other for a long time.  Bonnie then invited me to several different card groups she heads up.  So, I've spent the past two Thursdays at Bonnie's WONDERFUL craft room stamping and playing around with different crafty things like Gelatos and Brushos.  

The trio of cards in my photo are cards designed by Bonnie that I made at her card class last week.  I can only take credit for following her directions!  LOL  She is such a talented and creative card maker.  I enjoyed perusing her craft room and gawking and drooling over her cards and Stampin' Up! inventory.  

Then, this week (yesterday) I joined her again at her home with two of her other crafty friends and had a wonderful time chatting and playing around with Gelato sticks and Brusho Crystal Colours.  I came home with many beautiful, juicy painted backgrounds to use on future cards AND some delicious sourdough bread made by Bonnie also!  Not to mention I got a lot more inspiration for my own creative endeavors!  

If you haven't played with Brushos yet -- they are the coolest!  Much like Ken Oliver's Color Burst, but I believe Brushos come in more colors and are more affordable.  You can get a 12 pack on Amazon for $42.  Not bad.

Thank you and hugs to you, Bonnie!  Can't wait to get inky and crafty with you and all the others again!  

Crafty Friend Blessings!

Peace, Love, Joy - Retro Style

How about a retro Christmas card?  That's what I've made ---

I used some patterned paper from Papertrey Ink's "Sparkle & Shine" paper pack for my background and for my trees.  The sentiment is a stamp set from Ellen Hutson, which I think goes really well with the retro feel.   The garlands are a die from Poppy Stamps.

For Following Challenges -

Retro Christmas Blessings!

Let Us Give Thanks

Happy Veteran's Day

and
Happy Remembrance Day!

Thank a Veteran today!

My card is pretty appropriate for today, even though I didn't actually plan it that way.  Yet, it is very appropriate that we celebrate Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving in the same month, here in America. 

My card uses all Paper Sweeties stamps, except for the sentiment, which is Reverse Confetti.  I colored all the stamps with Copics and Spectrum Noirs.  The background sunsent was sponged using Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door Red and Mustard Seed distress inks.

Inside of card

FOR FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

Poppy Talk

Happy Tuesday!

Yes!  I have a card to post on Tuesday!  LOL  I'm just tickled I've been able to craft some more lately.  I'm suppose to be putting down a new tile floor, but Lowes messed up and the tile's not in yet!  Sooooo---this is a much better way to spend my time right now!  ;)

I've been wanting to play in the Fusion challenge for a long time, but seems to always elude me --- until today.  

The inspirational photo was so gorgeous this week I wanted to do something fairly dramatic.  I did go a little rogue and put my sentiment in a different spot.  I used Dylusions spray (red & yellow) inks and lots of water on watercolor paper for the red oval.  I stamped the poppies in Versafine on blue cardstock.  

Poppy Blessings!

Bouquet of Thanks

I don't believe I've got another post for today!  YAY!

This card uses Paper Sweeties stamps-- rose, vase and sentiment.  I used my MISIT (so love my MISTI) and masked off the rose stamp over and over.  I stamped them in distress ink as I was going for a water color look and wanted to use that stamp, which is a solid stamp.  I stamped some of the roses extra for a darker shade here and there.  Then masked off the bottom roses to stamp the vase.  I kept the card fairly simple so the flowers would stay the focal point.  

For Following Challenges:

Bouquet Blessings!

Peace - The Challenge #50

Happy Monday!

Hope everyone had a good weekend!  

Are you ready for another inspiring challenge

at 

The Challenge?

I love those colors together.  You can go so many 

directions with them!  Lesley, our fearless leader 

always puts together such fabulous inspiration every 

week!  Make sure you leave her some blog love!

Also, check out the rest of 

the Design Team's projects 

and leave them some blog love!

They are some amazingly talented ladies!

Anita Madden

Claire Broadwater

Diane Jaquay

Kim Heggins

Kimberly Wiener

Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Lori Tecler

Michele Ferguson

Nance Salkeld (YOU ARE HERE!)

Featured Designer --Geri - Manitoba Stamper

Guest Designer -- Joanne James

Here is my card ---

I used the Nordic Sweater emboss folder from Taylored Expressions for my card background and part of my tag.  The deer is one of a trio of tags from WPlus9.  The tag dies are from Poppy Stamps.  The "peace" sentiment is a tag from Ellen Hutson.  Just a bit of my new Christmas supplies!  

For Following Challenges:

Inspirational Challenge Blessings!

Crafty Throwback Thursday #3

Today's Crafty TBT is from Nov. 6, 2010.  Seems like a lifetime ago.  You can see my original post of this card here.

The sentiment and butterflies were digital files.  I printed out the butterflies twice to give them depth.  The flower is a die cut from some very pretty orange texture paper.

I loved this card and I think I may just have to CASE myself!  

Crafty Throwback Blessings!

A Thankful Heart - The Challenge #49

Happy November!

I'm kind of late getting my card 

and 

this post done 

for this week's challenge 

at 

The Challenge.

I've had a very hectic, crazy last six months to say the least. Since the passing of my father, I've spent three of the last six months traveling back and forth to WV to help my mom out. This last trip, I spent 7 weeks with her helping during her first few weeks of recovery from hip surgery.  I returned to NC on Oct 12, then two weeks later accompanied my oldest son, Patrick, on a four day trip to New Hampshire and just got back late Sunday!  Frankly, I'm not sure still whether I'm coming or going!  I feel quite like a stranger in my home. 

Yet, better late than never---

this week's challenge ---

a sketch!

There's still time to play too!

Check out the Design Team's projects 
and 
leave them some blog love:

Anita Madden
Claire Broadwater
Diane Jaquay

Kim Heggins

Kimberly Wiener
Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Lori Tecler
Michele Ferguson

Nance Salkeld (YOU ARE HERE!)

Featured Designer --Geri - Manitoba Stamper
Guest Designer --Darnell Knauss

Here's my card, finally ---

FOR FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

And having a thankful heart for being able to travel with my son, I have to brag a bit with some photos from our trip to NH.  He attended a conference there for grad school to present part of his Master's thesis on American soccer.  I'm very proud of him and so glad we could spend that time together.  He lives waaaay over in Oklahoma with his wife, where they both attend school, and I live in North Carolina so I don't get to see him too often other than with FaceTime.

That is Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH

(where conference was held)

My son, Patrick Salkeld

  

Thankful Blessings!