Thinking of Spring ...

Snow??? Seriously?? SNOW??? That is what I have in the forecast for today AND tomorrow!! I can't STAND it!!! Wherefore art thou, SPRING????

Guess I will just hafta settle for the card I made this morning for SC274 over on SCS ... could NOT stop myself from using Pacific Point ink/paper, either. None of the other blues I have seemed to do it for me today.

And for those of you looking ... I should have the template for the pop-up box I did on March 19th for ya tomorrow. Life has been just too crazy for me lately (and I seem to be wiped out still from the nasty cold thing that has been hangin' on for nearly two weeks!! Sheesh!!)

Stamps: Kind and Gentle Thoughts, Polka Dot
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Garden Green
Accessories: Wide oval punch, whisper white taffeta ribbon, perfect polka dots textured impressions folder

Wicked 1 and 2...

Well ... for any of all y'all that have followed my blog for any amount of time ... you KNOW I have a thing for butterflies AND a thing for witches (especially the Wicked Witch of the West ... kinda where my blog got its name).

Sooo...it was my turn as Challenge Hostess again over SCS this morning. I have been pretty much under the weather all week. I was NOT feeling my mojo when I made my sample card for the Free for All Challenge, which was to make something that was inspired by a musical (I, of course, chose "Wicked" ...) And so this morning I redid and reposted the dang card!! (Which is the one you are lookin' at.)

Anyway, I am STILL working on a template for the box I posted last week. I PROMISE I will have something up soon. I have a really great friend (hey-ya, Kathy!) who is also working on a cut file for me to use with your Gypsy/Cricut so that you can have it cut out FOR you!! As soon as we get it together I'll post it!!

Have a great Friday! Go do something fun this weekend (shopping is ALWAYS good!)!!

Okay, okay ... here is the FIRST card I did ... I warned ya!!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Paper: Basic Black, Real Red, Garden Green, Whisper White, Sparkly Gold, Sparkly Red
Ink: Garden Green
Accessories: Cricut "Forever Young" and "Happily Ever After" cartridges, Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl embossing folder, three-flower punch, gold edged organza ribbon, white organza ribbon, wide oval punch, pearl stickers

Childhood Memories

Isn't it amazing how our memories from childhood seem to involve endless summers, endless waiting for birthdays and Santa Claus, and endless time playing with our friends? (I certainly miss the days when the world was safe enough for a little girl to say goodbye to her parents on a Saturday morning and not show up again until dinner time ... and her parents NEVER worried 'cause they knew she was "at the neighbor's house" ...) As I have grown up and things seems to have gotten busybusybusy I often reminisce about those days and long for the time when the most difficult decision I had to make was whether to play Barbies or go outside and ride my bike ...

The challenge over on SCS yesterday was to make a card that evoked a childhood memory (TLC265). I started looking through the images on my "A Child's Year" Cricut cartridge and immediately thought of my friend, Michelle. Michelle and I met in the first grade. We were pretty much inseparable. Her family moved across town when we started high school in the 9th grade, but we seemed to manage and were still able to spend a lot of time together. THEN, my parents decided to move OUT OF STATE when we started our 10th grade year! I thought I was gonna die! The one thing I have learned, however, is that true friendship NEVER dies ... even when distances and life circumstances take you in opposite directions. Whenever Michelle and I speak on the phone it is as if NO time has passed and those bonds of friendship are ALWAYS there. True friendships are a real blessing ...

Have a terrific day!

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Tiny Tags
Paper: Blush Blossom, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Black, Blush Blossom
Accessories: Cricut "A Child's Year," "George & Basic Shapes" and "Alphalicious" cartridges, Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder, 5-petal flower punch, 3/4" circle punch, Large Labels (S4-168) Nestabilities, black/white polka dot organza ribbon, pop-up glue dots

Freakin' Springtime and Polka Dots!!

Hey, friends!! Welcome to the Spring Control Freaks Blog Tour (you should have just arrived here fresh from the fabulous blog of LeeAnn Greff).



I kinda got carried away doing this ... with WHITE ... and with POLKA DOTS!! This was NOT what I had originally planned, since we are exploring springtime. It all started with my niece's wedding yesterday. There were some fun little boxes on the tables at the luncheon that someone had thought I had made (they were CUTE, but not THAT cute!!! hehehehe!!)




Soooo.....I decided to come home and dissect the box and make one of my OWN!! This is what I came up with. And since I know I am going to get asked, I WILL post a pattern for this some time in the next week.



It is kind of hard to tell from this picture, but this box is one whole piece ... you just pull the lid up and the top collapses into the inside of the box. You can KINDA tell from this picture. This are TOTALLY cool and fun!!

Stamps: Tiny Tags
Paper: Bride dsp, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana
Ink: Melon Mambo
Accessories: Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Little Leaves Sizzlets die, Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions embossing folder, Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon, 1/2" circle die

Which leads me to card #1 ... which ALSO has a lot of white ... and polka dots ... AND the little leaves, too!! I wasn't really planning a "theme" here ... it just kinda happened. When I finished this card and saw my little box sitting on the counter I almost laughed. Some of the funniest things happen when we're NOT thinking!!

Stamps: Happy Together
Paper: Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Certainly Celery
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Old Olive
Accessories: Little Leaves Sizzlets die, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, scalloped circle punch, small oval punch, Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions embossing folder, dimensionals

And card #2 ... on which I PURPOSELY used WHITE and POLKA DOTS!! I decided to go for that clean and simple look ... something I don't do very often as it seems to be more of a challenge to me!! In any event, ALL of these projects make me feel SPRINGY, so hopefully I can will some sunshine into town instead of the cold and snow!

Stamps: Flowers Awash, Vintage Labels
Paper: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Basic Black
Accessories: Corner rounder punch, Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions embossing folder, small and large oval punches, black gingham ribbon, dimensionals

Now, take a hop on over to the blog of the incredibly talented Julie Buhler!!

New Rubbah from ISC!

I am really excited to share with ya some of the new things Betsy over at Innovative Stamp Creations has, well, "created" for all of us!! I don't know about you, but I give away FAR fewer cards than I actually make (how sad!!)! I have SOOO many special people in my life who DESERVE a card or something nice, and I think I need to take more time to actually "spread the love" around to those who really need it. This first set, called "Friends are Special," is absolutely PERFECT for that!! I made this little notebook and matching pen that I KNOW would be a really great "thank you" to someone special in ANYone's life!! (Now I just have to decide WHO to give it to!!)

Stamps: Friends are Special by ISC
Paper: Certainly Celery, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Notebook, pen, EK Success Moroccan border punch, small oval punch, 5/8" Whisper White satin ribbon, dimensionals

And, believe it or not, vacation season is a-comin'!! This next set, simply called "Destinations," can help you make the most amazing projects (minibooks, travel logs/albums, etc.). I decided to make this quilted card with it. It was almost like being a little girl again as I tried to put all of the "puzzle" pieces together!!

Stamps: Destinations by ISC
Paper: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, Kraft
Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Red/White striped grosgrain ribbon, buttons, white gel pen, glue dots

The last set that is being released this month is called "Time." It works UBER-well with the "Destinations" set (I couldn't resist using the map background again!) I always struggle with doin' the "guy" types of cards, but I think the images in this set really work well for that!!

Stamps: Travel AND Destinations by ISC
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue, Close to Cocoa, Night of Navy, Very Vanilla
Ink: Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Spellbinders Long Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities - Large (S4-143), and Small Standard Circle Nestabilities (S4-116), Chocolate Chip felt ribbon, Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug embossing folder, linen thread, 1/8" circle punch

Here are some links so you can see what the other ISC Creative Architects have done!

Kathy Tucker
Sabrina Jackson
Joanne Grzelak
Julie Warner
Karen Dunbrook


Be sure to tune in tonight for the Control Freaks Blog Tour. We are celebrating Spring and would love for you to join us!!!

Spring is in the Air?

Well, I know that spring is on my mind, at least!! I WISH it were in the air (it is currently 34 degrees here!!)!! I decided to do something that reflected my mood, even if it doesn't reflect what is going on outside!!

Today's challenge on SCS (TLC264) was to make our own patterned or "designer" paper. I LOVE this challenge! I do this ALL the time, so it was kind of a no-brainer for me!!

We are ALMOST done with both ends of my mom's move, too (she is totally in her new condo, and her old house is all clean and ALMOST totally empty!)!! Now, if I could only get my own house clean!!

Have a happy week!!

Stamps: Cheep Talk
Paper: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Always Artichoke, So Saffron
Accessories: Scallop border punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, small oval punch, whisper white taffeta ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, dimensionals

Chocolate Bunny ... YUM!!

Another quick "fly-by" of a post ... I am headed out to my mom's once again to try and finish cleaning at her old house so we can have an estate sale on Saturday ...

I did this for SC271 today on SCS. This chocolate bunny has been stamped and embossed and sitting on my table for about a week. Glad I was finally able to use him before he melted!!

Stamps: Chocolate Bunny, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Sending Love dsp
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirl and Oh My Crafts exclusive folder (don't know the name of it), SU Perfect Polka Dots ef, Sweet Pea stitched felt flowers, clear embossing powder, deep chocolate polka dot ribbon (PTI), curly label punch, dimensionals

Feelin' Vintage-y

I have spent the past 5 weeks helping my mom move. That is NO easy task when someone has accumulated 40+ years of memories ... and other stuff! I have been sorting, shredding, boxing, unboxing, scrubbing, packing, moving ... I have vowed that I am going to do a thorough shakedown of my OWN house as soon as we get done with everything ... which hopefully will be this week! Whew!!

I was asked by my good friend, Deb Felts, to help her with today's technique challenge over on SCS (TLC263). It is usually hosted by our other good friend Holly (aka "Toy"), but she was called away by an illness in the family, so Deb stepped in and asked me if had any vintage-y ideas, so here is what I came up with. (Hugs to you and your fam, Holly!)

Holly had already chosen the vintage theme, so it was up to us to interpret that and come up with something. I have never been particularly good at the whole shabby-chic vintage-distressed thing. However, as I was sorting through Mom's things I came across a couple of pillow cases that had been beautifully embroidered with purple flowers. They reminded me of those lovely hankies ... and table runners and such that were all the rage in my Grandma's house. Brought a smile to my face for sure!

So, this is my take on vintage ... no dark colors, no distressing, no sponging ... just clean and elegant flowers.

Hope you have a fabulous day!! Today is our 25th wedding anniversary ... could I POSSIBLY be that old already?? (Okay, so I was married when I was 9, which would only make me 34, right????)

Stamps: Vintage Vogue
Paper: So Saffron, Rich Razzleberry, Kraft, Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron
Accessories: Whisper White taffeta ribbon, dimensionals

Happiness Always

Whoa, baby!! Today's color challenge over on SCS took me waaaayyyyy out of my comfort zone (CC260)!!! NEVER woulda put these colors together in, like, a GAZILLION years!! Totally LIKE-Y!! Don'tcha love it when that happens??

I pulled out my Folk Flowers stencil again, too. I am TOTALLY loving that as well!! Too-too cool, in my opinion!!

How's that for a short blog post??? Kinda like a "fly-by" ... I've been busy helping my mom move into a new condo right by my house, so I have been BUSY!! Hope to get back to some sort of regular schedule SOON (but I'm not holding my breath!)!!

Stamps: Whimsical Words
Paper: Always Artichoke, Crushed Curry, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Crushed Curry, Always Artichoke, Basic Gray
Accessories: Folk Flowers Decor Stencil, Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder, 1 3/8" circle punch, designer label punch, Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon, Beautiful Wings embosslits die, dimensionals