Brushing up for Spring....

Nothing says Spring to me more than tulips!!  Today I am sharing a project I did that I found last October online.  Can't remember the site, but they were a HUGE inspiration for me.  These are USED, old paint brushes.  Really!  I have a friend who was a customer's of ours when I worked for my dad and he supplied me with a huge amount of old paint brushes.  Some have paint caked on them, some are actually brand new.  These two were used and in pretty ok condition really.

I colored the "brush" area using acrylic paint then added a few different Washi tapes around the top of the brush.  I used some Pure Luxury Layering Weight White and a Martha Stewart punch to create a "fence" around the brush.  My tulips were from Melanie Muenchinger's, "A Year of Flowers", one of my all-time FAVORITE Melanie sets!  I colored them with my Copic markers and cut them out and mounted them behind the fence.  A little ribbon and a few Tim Holtz elements finished off my brushes.  I painted he handle with more acrylic paint.

I actually made these for my dad to hang in his newly built garage.... his 2nd home. LOL  He loves tulips and whenever possible I send a few his way.  Even sending him some real bulbs as gifts from time to time.

We are getting a heat wave the next few days.. 50 degree weather so I KNOW I will be having Spring Fever but sadly it won't last long as there is the "white stuff" scheduled for next week.  Ugh.  I hope wherever you are you are keeping warm.

I'm hoping to get a bit of running done today if hubby is doing well.  My MIL is here so hoping she will make it easier for us to get to a few things or at least a chance for me to run and maybe even do some creating.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!! *HUGS*




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An Apology and Their Friends....

First an apology!  I haven't not been posting much on my blog lately in that last Wednesday morning, my husband had an accident in the semi he drives from Iowa to Illinois every night.  We are VERY blessed he came home to us and with BOTH legs.  I saw the pictures of his truck and the dash board was totally rammed against the seat.  I have no idea how anyone got out of there with their legs in tact!!  They had to get the Jaws of Life to get him out.  We are still picking pieces of glass out of his hands, etc.  

Next week he will have surgery on the one leg that was broken at the knee.  The other leg suffered many torn and mangled ligaments.  He has a full brace on the right leg and a knee and ankle brace on the left leg.  In short, he is wheelchair or bed bound.  Poor guy!  But again... God was good in bringing him home alive and with legs.  We feel blessed to have him with us.

Now onto to come creativity, shall we?!

I am betting, if you have children who know you craft, you too get requests for "friend gifts".  I don't mind, of course, but sometimes... juuusssstttt sometimes, they hit me with it the NIGHT BEFORE they need it!!! Grrrrrr  But I was "somewhat" prepared for this one.  Ha!

I had posted a couple of these fun little journal books before and if you want instructions and a link to the site where I got the inspiration from, please click HERE... I won't bore you with the details again.  I did use a few extra Spellbinders labels and dies on this one... the Labels 21 along with one of their flourish dies.

The stamp sets I used are Theresa Momber's, "Elegant Florals", "Follow Your Dreams" and by Gina K Designs, "Inspirational Blocks".

I hope you have a fabulous Monday!  I am looking forward to a bit of sanity and creativity today. MIL is coming by to help with hubby and kids will be gone to school.  At least a bit more quiet anyway.  LOL  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!! *HUGS*

My Favorite Things...

Yes... you are seeing things right. Purple and teal.... TWO of my favorite things.  And I DO love them together.  Yes, I know... call me crazy, but if you know me, you KNOW I love my colors!!  The current challenge over on CMC is to create a card using your "favorite color combo".  So, here I go... I love purple, teal, lace and bling!!  It's all there.

My card uses PTI, Plum Pudding and layered up with some Lavender Moon.  My image was stamped on Cryogen from the Paper Temptress and colored with my Copic markers.  I used some SRM stickers, "Life is Good", which I cut apart and added separately.  My fabulous stamp is from Kraftin Kimmie, Rose, which my wonderful friend, Suzanne Dean sent with some of my Christmas prezzies this year.  Yeah I know... she CAN be sweet on occasion.  Hee *wink*

Be sure to play along... up for grabs is a chance to win a FREE class from Marti Will's classes available at CMC!!!

I hope you are having a great Monday.  The kids are out of school today and so I'm going to steal away into my studio and get some of my work done so I don't have to referee when they decide they can't agree on something to watch on TV.  Oy!  But somehow I think my son will be locked in his room playing Minecraft. LOL

Thanks for stopping by and have relaxing day!!  I intend to!  *HUGS*




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He's Getting Older... Wiser???

Today is a fitting day for a "manly" card design.  At my house AND at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge site.  It's our challenge for the week in the Twisted Thursday group with the usual "Anything Goes" as well.  Is that confusing to you??? I mean, it's ALWAYS "Anything Goes" on Thursday but, the twist is, if you use our "theme" (which is "masculine" this week), you get your name in the drawing for a prize from our sponsor TWICE!  See how that works now?

Anyway... back to it being a fitting card at my house.  This weekend is my dear hubby's birthday. And, as usual, the kids want me to always make a card showing how they feel.  My son's request, "he's my hero".  Thus, THIS card was born.  :-)

My card uses the wonderful Tami Mayberry's set, from Gina K Designs, "Masculine Tags".  My card base is Pure Luxury Honey Mustard with a layer of Fresh Asparagus.  My DP is "Farm House" by Sugar Hill which is perfect for a masculine card.  I added a few self-adhesive copper nail heads and some awesome Jute Ribbon (love that stuff) to finish it off.

Next up will be my daughter's card to daddy.  She usually ends up on the more "sentimental" end of it, of course.  Though I truly think she would have made one heck of a boy, she and daddy share a special bond, that's for sure!  All the way from wrestling to arguing over who's opinion matters most on whatever topic they are debating that day. LOL  They are quite comical to watch.

I hope you hop on over to the Outlawz site and check out all the challenges available.  There's a new one every day!!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous Thursday!!! *HUGS*

Quietly Relax....

Happy mid-week everyone!! Yayyyy.. it's Wednesday and you know what that means??? Friday is soooo close! Ha!  Today's card was all about "quiet"... yep.. as in shhhhhh.

I wanted to do a simple, soft design with this adorable little Gilli.  As I mentioned yesterday, these fabulous images will be available soon!  I colored my image with my Copics and just wanted  a "peaceful" look about the card.  I was thinking of my dear friend who has really had a rough time of it.  I wanted to remind her to take a little time and... relax.  Grab a book and maybe a nice cool eye mask and just "chill" for awhile.  Sometimes we all need to remember something as simple as taking a little time to be still and quiet is all we need.  ;-)

My card base is Pure Luxury, "Turquoise Sea" and with a bit of Black Onyx trim.  My DP is from my newest pile of stash I found that I had forgotten about.  Hee  Shhhh... don't tell anyone.

My sentiment is from the Hello Sunshine Stamp set from Gina K Designs.

I hope you have a relaxing Wednesday but if you don't, remember, Friday is sooooo close I can taste it!!!  :-)  Thanks for stopping by!!! *HUGS*




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Country Style!

Today I wanted to share not a card I created but... a CD holder I made.  I love this cute cowgirl from Gilli Stamps and when I see her I think of my friend, Suzanne Dean, loving her crazy country music! LOL  Honestly, I DO like country as well... grew up with it... but I don't listen to it as much as I use to so she's alway fair game when I see anything country. LOL

I can't give you a link for this fabulous stamp yet.  My dear friend/illustrator, Anary Baumgarth, is still in the process of setting up her site.  Woot!  You will love her cute Gillis.  

I colored my image with Copic markers and fussy-cut her out before propping her up on my case with Pop Dots.  

Just to give you a back view of the opening.  I used little Magnetic Snaps to hold the case together and added the button to cover it.  

Fabulous way to present a CD as a gift!!  I hope you're having a great Tuesday.  I plan to take it easy the next few days and let the cortisone shot I got in my knee take effect.  Hopefully by end of week I'll be feeling good as new!  

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you tomorrow! *HUGS*

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Lots of Love Coming Up...

Soooo.. up next on our holiday list... yup... no time to stop and rest.... we move on to the next!! Valentine's, of course!!  I can't imagine a better way than to use these awesome images from I Brake for Stamps', "Kisses Cammy" by Chelsea Leigh.  I think her little Cammy images are each so sweet.

My card base is Pure Luxury, Red Hot layered with come White then a layer of Cranberry Tart.  I colored my image with my Copics and added her with Pop Dots.  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut my "LOVE" and the flourishes I used.  The little puffy hearts are actually from a "ribbon" strip which I cut apart and mounted onto the card.

I KNOW you will see many many more red, pink and white Valentines coming up and I'll be the first to say, you WILL see a purple one here as well! LOL  Hey... love DOES come in many colors, right?? Hee Hee

I hope you have a fabulous Friday... always my favorite day of the week!!  And for those at CHA... can't wait to see some new product!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and see you tomorrow!! *HUGS*




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Skating by...

Now I'm not saying this ISN'T a Christmas card... but... Winter is a season, right?  I mean.. you think I could still give it to someone?? Bwahahahaha.. WHAT am I saying??? I never mail out my cards!  Oy!  Sad but true.  But... I DO sell them so I guess I have plenty when the lady with the big purse comes knocking, right? LOL

My image is yet another fabulous Saturated Canary image, "Nikki".  I use to LOVE ice skating... until I got older and tried to "teach" my niece and proceeded to get my skate stuck in a crack on the pond and broke my wrist!!! No more skating for me!! LOL

My card base is Pure Luxury, Vibrant Violet and I added layers of Turquoise Sea and Wild Lilac then a layer of Lovely Lavender which I partially embossed with my Cuttlebug, Snowflakes, folder.  My sentiment is from Gina K Designs set, "Warm Woolen Mittens" by Becky Oehlers.

I don't plan to go skating anytime again soon NOR do I plan to go out in the cold for any kind of "fun".  Much to old for all that!!  But.. I don't mind taking the kids sledding... as long as I have my Kindle and my car running!! Ha Ha!

Have a great Tuesday and thanks for stopping by!  *HUGS*




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Here's to 2013...

A little help never hurts, right?   Never... so I've decided to start the year off right... a little color and a little prayer.  Yeah... definitely, my way.  The way I see it, a prayer is always in order and a little color ALWAYS makes my day!!  My card today was created for the current CMC Challenge - color in pastels.  I hope you play along!! Our fabulous sponsor for this challenge is Paper Makeup Stamps who is offering a $15 gift certificate to the winner!!! You won't want to miss out... they have some adorable images!!

My image is "Madelyn, the Praying Fairy".  I colored her with my Copics then cut her out using my Circle Nestabilities.  I added a layer of Lovely Lavender, Pure Luxury card stock and my Lacy Circles Nesties.  I added some Violet Vellum from the Paper Temptress and tore the edges and curled the corners just a bit.  My card base is also Pure Luxury, Bubble Gum Pink.

I hope you have a fabulous year and as always, I appreciate your visiting my blog and taking time to see my work.  You are important to me and it means so much reading your comments! Thanks for a great 2012 and here's to 2013!!

*HUGS*



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Take Good Care of Yourself....

Brrrrr.... baby it's cold outside!!!  Holy Moly, I about died this morning watching my daughter run up the street to her friends house to get her and WALK to school.  It was 10 degrees outside and the windchill made it FEEL like -1!!! Ugh!!  But how true it is that kids can handle the heat AND apparently the cold better than us older peeps, huh?  I offered to drive them but noooo, they wanted to walk.  Seriously, we only live about a block and a half from the school and I do KNOW that when school is out... she is out about 3 minutes later!  So I realize she's not out there long, but ohhhhh I just can't imagine passing up a ride in a warm car!!! LOL

This sweet little image is from Gina K Designs, "Warm and Cozy Christmas" set.  It is an older set and I have to laugh when I take it out because it was back when Gina's set were in the tins.  I have quite a few of those older sets and I'm always amazed that at least once every season I have to grab one for just that perfect set.

My card started with a base of Elegant Laid white from the Paper Temptress.  I LOVE this paper... the thickness and texture make it feel like such a rich, "elegant" card stock!  As you can see, I torn a bit off the edge giving a little deckled look.  I used my Spellbinders Lattic Rectangles to cut a piece from the Mica/Metallic Aquamarine paper. Love the shine on this paper!!  I printed my sweet image on Vintage Silver Lustre and used my Copics to color it in.  I added some punched snowflakes which I made from Cryogen card stock.  I added a bit more sparkle using my Stardust Stickles on the snowflakes and on the snowman and snow.  A double satin bow and some white linen thread with a Websters Sparkler finish off my card.

My winter scene was inspired by the Outlaws Twisted Thursday challenge to make a card using "snow people".  Well I think this sweet girl is definitely ready to stay out a bit longer bundled up and proud of her snowman! Hee

I hope you play along, we always have some awesome sponsors to offer up goodies to the winner!!!

Have a great Thursday and thanks for stopping by!!  *HUGS*




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