MMSC #8- A Flower for You

Good Morning! Sorry for my absence for the past few days. While I did have company over the weekend, my absence was not because of that. I lost internet service after a hail storm and I have not got it up and running yet. I am borrowing a friend's computer right now. Hopefully I can get it fixed soon. I tried a new modem and etc. but nothing seems to work.... It appears my anitvirus program may have blocked my access to the computer. I can't seem to disable it long enough to access the internet and fix the problem. Very Frustrating that is for sure. I have so missed visiting your blogs. Russ, a family friend, is currently helping me try to troubleshoot my internet issues and graciously let me borrow his laptop for the week. Thanks Russ!!! Now I can do some blog hopping and share some exciting blog happenings with you!!!!

Anywho.....Today is time for another Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge. Today's sketch is a lot of fun. Before I share the sketch, however, I have a lot of fun awards and prizes to share with you, so grab a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy today's visit.

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Each week we choose one of the previous week sketch entrants and award them the Midnight Madness Masterpiece Gold star award for their outstanding interpretation of the previous week's sketch. This week's gold star award goes to Di. Congratulations Di!

Each week, we also have an award for one of the MMDT because we can't let only our participants have all the fun. This week's Sunshine Award goes to Michelle for being such a radiant person. Her constant thoughtfulness and neverending bright attitude radiates in everything she does each and everyday. She consistently brightens our day with her colorful and cheery attitude (leaving comments on our blogs each day). Thanks Michelle for being such a supportive and cheery friend and dt sister. You make each and every day a bit brighter for us all.

The Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge DT is searching for a guest designer. We are looking fo our first "guest designing diva or dude". Is it you? If you are chosen as our 1st Diva or Dude, here is what will happen:

1. You will work side by side with our design team for one full month and be submitting one sample per week for our Midnight Madness Sketch Challenges.
2. Reap all the benefits and sponsor perks of being on the team for that month.

3. You will get to display and keep a custom "Midnight Madness Guest Designer Diva Badge for your blog.

NOTE: We welcome EVERYONE to play and a blog is NOT required to be on our DT.

We are currently seeking for a Diva or Dude for the month of Aug. To apply:

1. leave a comment here, to state you are interested.

2. enter in as many MM challenges in July as you can.

3. Take note of what we are looking for (consistency with weekly entries, quality workmanship, creativity, and a touch of madness since we are a fun group)

The winner for the first diva or dude will be announced on July 29th.

Today is the end of June and soon the winner of the Midnight Madness Mad Piggy Bank earnings will be announced. If you have not done last week's sketch, you have until Midnight est today to link your project to Mr. Linky here. Currently we have over 200 entrants for the month of June! We are a little shy on the amount of followers to double the cash but there is still one more day! The winners of this week's bonus prize and the Midnight Madness Mad Money Piggy Bank will be announced here tomorrow.

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Starting July 1st our Midness Mad Money Piggy Bank is going to take up residence on the Midnight Madness Dt Blog side bar. It will be filled up again with random amounts of cash. We have a running spread sheet of every player that has played the MMSC to date (Thanks Phyllis!). We will keep updating the list when a new player joins. We are going to have random drawings and if the person whose name was pulled has played the previous week's sketch, the will win the Mad Money from the Piggy Bank. The amounts will be random as well and could range from $5 to $100.....so all you have to do is play along and check back from time to time. After the winner has been announced, the winner has 24 hours to post a comment under the current challenge to claim the prize $ (to be paid via Paypal). We will even do random drawings off our Followers list as well.

JULY GRAND PRIZES AND OUR VERY FIRST SPONSORSHIP

This month we would like to thank Lindy's Stamp Gang for their very generous donation to our monthly grand prize. They have spoiled the DT with a boat load of free products and we are all loving it! Thank you Tracey!!!

Priscilla used the Moonlight Shadow Ink on her card this week. The brilliant irredescent ink colored her background 1/2 circle, edges and flower.

We invite you all to check out their fantastic line of products and be sure to tell them that the Midnight Madness Team sent you. You will not be disappointed in their stains, powders, glitz spritz, inks, and two toned embossing powders, just to name a few. Here is this month's grand prize.

DRAWING #1

Along with Lindy's Stamp Gang's donation, Priscilla added a few goodies as well to sweeten the pot even more for you.

DRAWING #2- KC242 Designs By Denise

"Challenge Blog Candy"???? Oh Yeah! It is a double bonus for our players this month. For every entry to the MMSC this month you will go in the drawing for the grand prize month end awards. As an added bonus, if you follow Denise's blog and leave her a comment, you will get an EXTRA entry in the month and drawing. So hop on over to Denises Blog and stay a spell, post a comment, and be sure to click the follower button.

Here is the prize donated by Denise. Thanks Denise!!

AND NOW FOR THIS WEEK"S SKETCH!!!

Here is my card using the sketch.

I decided that I had to use one of my adorable Penny Black images for this week's sketch. I have so many and rarely use them. The mouse images are just too cute. The dp is from Basic Grey Eva and Porelain Prints lines. I used a fiskars punch for the decorative edging.

I hope you can play along with this week's sketch. If you do, please upload a direct link here. If you upload to SC please use the keyword MMSC8.

For more inspiration for this week's sketch, please visit Carolyn, Charlotte, Denise, Jane, Jeni, Jessica, Kimmie, Michelle, Phyllis, Priscilla, Shawne, Sonya, and Sue.

Thanks for visiting today and for all your wonderful comments! I hope you enjoyed today's post. I can't wait to visit your blogs. I have missed you all so. (I have to take advantage of having this laptop while I can.) Have a great day!!

Tomorrow I will be back for the Our Daily Bread Designs New Release and Blog Hop (beginning at 8am EST or 9 am CST at the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog) and for the Flutter By Wednesday Challenge! The new releases at ODBD are so awesome this month that you don't want to miss them!!! Oh yes,....this week Our Daily Bread Designs featured Super Sunday Sale is Shimmerz. They are offering a 25% off sale on Shimmerz. They have several to choose from so you do not want to miss it!

Our Daily Bread Designs- Welcoming New Bread Sticks!!/ Dogwood Card Tote bag set

Hello All!!! I was hoping to post this earlier, but better late than never, right? Today is my last day to prepare before my first guests arrive tomorrow!!! So much to do and so little time....So...I better make this short.....

Next week Our Daily Bread Designs is releasing not just one or two stamp sets but five!!! These are beauties for sure!!!! I am loving every minute with these gorgeous sets!!! With a new month of stamps, we are also starting a new month with 4 new bread sticks in the Our Daily Bread Designs Bread Basket (designs team). These girls are so talented and sweet!!! I have watched each of their blogs in the past and I am inspired with every post. Sandee, who has been a guest designer for the past 4 months is here to stay as a designer! Woo hoo Sandee!! I just love all your awesome creations and have enjoyed having you as a dt sister. So glad you are here to stay!!! And now drum rolls please....please welcome Silke Ledlow, Deborah Saaranen, and Connie McCotter!!!! Welcome girls!!! I am so looking forward to getting to know you better and seeing all your creations with these awesome ODBD sets!! With the welcoming of these outstanding crew of ladies, comes a farewell to some dear friends and dt members: Amy, Angel, Sita, Dina, and Laurie!! We have had so many good times together and it is hard to believe you won't be on the team any longer. You will be missed at the bread basket!! I will stalk your blogs, however, so this is not goodbye by any means. God bless Girls!!!

Yesterday, I shared two cards that I had made that were a part of a tote box set. Today I will reveal the tote itself and two other cards I made using the sneak peek releases from Our Daily Bread Designs.



The layout for the tote uses the FS124 Challenge at SC. The featured stamper this week was Christy!! Christy has so many awesome cards in her gallery that I just couldn't case one. This tote uses the layout from this card. I change the stamps used, the colors , and overlapped my panels more because my panels were too large and added flowers, leaves, butterflies, pearls, and lace as well as made it into a tote box.

Tote Recipe:
Stamps: Mother Teresa, Amazing Grace hymn to be released from Our Daily Bread Designs on July 1
Papers: Walk in the Park, Bella Birds
Accessories: Hero Arts Pearls, Snow Blossom Prima Dandies, Juicy Prima Dandies, Martha Stewart Butterfly punch





This card uses the same case card layout as the tote. I stamped my sentiment on vellum. The image is watercolored on a separate panel. Again The colors changed from the original cased card, the images, the sentiment, and lots of details were added.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Grow in Grace, Amazing Grace Hymn to be release from Our Daily Bread Designs on July 1
Paper: Walk in the Park DP, Bella Rose Dp, Bitter Chocolate CS, White Cs, Vellum CS
Accessories: Hero Arts Pearls, Prima Dandies, MS Classic Butterfly Punch, Ms twig punch, rhinestone flourish


This card again uses the FS124 challenge. I cased this card. I change the dp, colors, stamps used (Sentiment and image), and added ribbon, dry embossing and pearls.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Grow in Grace ODBD to be released July 1
Paper: Walk in the Park DP, Regal Rose CS, Bitter Chocolate CS, White CS
Accessories: Hero Arts Pink and White Pearls, Brown Ribbon, MS Classic Butterfly punch, Swiss Dots Folder, Spellbinders Blossom die, Cuttlebug Vintage corners







I have not included recipes for the final two cards since they are in yesterday's post.

I hope you enjoyed these cards and tote!! Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by. I so enjoy reading all your wonderful comments and visiting your blogs!!

FBW #63- Our Daily Bread Sneak Peeks

Happy Hump Day!!! Usually I am so looking forward to the weekend but this week I just want the week to slow down. I have 30 people staying at the house this upcoming weekend and I am not near ready. LOL!

Today is Wednesday and time for another Flutter By Wednesday. This weeks challenge was given to us by Kimmie. Her theme was "Spring Fever" since we are all ready to go outside and enjoy the weather. Just create an outdoorsy card with a butterfly or fairy. For my card, I chose a dogwood flower stamp from an Our Daily Bread Designs- Grow in Grace to be released one week from today. Boy does Kelley have some big surprises for you in this months stamp sets. You won't at all be disappointed. I am loving them. Today's card is part of a gift set I am making. I plan to share more of the gift set tomorrow. I consider these flowers and the butterflies outdoorsy since you only find them outdoors.






Several of the items used to make this card are available at Our Daily Bread Designs including: the Classic Butterfly Martha Stewart Punch, EK Success Fleur De Lis Border Punch, Pink and White Hero Arts Pearls (all the previous items are used on both cards), Prism Metallic Paper, and Labels 4 Nestabilities (used on the second card).


Card 1 recipe:
Stamps: Our Daily bread Designs- Grow in Grace and Mother Teresa- July sneak peeks
Paper: Urban Garden and Walk in the Park, White and bitter Chocolate CS
Accessories: White Hero Art Pearls, EK Success Fleur De Lis Punch, Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly Punch, Ornare Piercing Tool and pad, SU Corner punch and Swiss Dots embossing folder, Pink Poinsettia Shimmerz, Our Daily Bread Designs Ink Pads-Sunflower, Olive and Dusty Rose

Card 2 recipe:
Stamps: Grow in Grace- Our Daily Bread Designs- July Sneak peek
Paper: White CS, Bronze Prism Metallics Cardstock, Walk in the Park Dp
Accessories: Hero Arts Pink Pearls, MS Classic Butterflies Punch, EK Success Fleur De Lis Punch, Label 4 spellbinders die, Ornare piercing tool, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Textile Embossing Folder

I hope this card has inspired you to join in today's Flutter by Challenge. Make sure to hop on over to all the other Flutter By Wednesday Designers: Ann, Cassie, Cathy, Harriet, Heather, Jodi, Kim, Danni, Michelle, Stef, Nancy, Nicola, Lelia, Christine, and Kimmie. You are in for a real treat. I hope you have a chance to participate in this week's challenge. If you do, please link your direct link to Mr. Linky here and if you upload your creation to SC or PCP please use the keyword FBW,


Thanks for stopping by today!! I hope you all have a great day!!! Thanks to all of you who leave such wonderful comments. I so appreciate your comments and visiting your blogs!

Blessings,
Chris

MMSC7 and ROP Challenge

Happy Tuesday everyone!!! I hope it is sunny where you are. It sure is here. I am so loving it after two weeks on constant clouds and rain. The rain certainly made me appreciate the good weather that much more!

Today is not just Tuesday!! it is Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge day!! Time for another sketch!! There were so many awesome designs last week!!! I so enjoyed surfing the blogs and SC for these gorgeous creations. For those of you who were baffled by last week's sketch, this weeks sketch may be the one for you, a little less intricate.



Each week we, the MM Design Team have been awarding a special badge award (above) to one person for their outstanding sketch submission. If you would like to be considered for this award, please make sure your card is linked to Mr Linky here by Sunday of each week. This is the teams way of letting you know how talented you are and how much we appreciate you sharing your craft with us. This week we are proud to say the Midnight Madness Masterpiece Gold Star Award goes to the one and only Melissa Bove (Current SC Dirty Dozen member). Enjoy your award Melissa!! Thanks for inspiring us!!

This week the MMDT has nominated a very special MM design team member for the Midnight Madness Masterpiece Marketing Award (above). We would like to give her this award for all her time she puts into sponsors and getting the team going with her proficient marketing talents and for her great managerial skills. This MMDT member has done such a great job and starting next week we will be featuring our very first sponsorship. What does it mean for our players? Well, it means more FREE GOODIES just for playing the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge. so please keep an eye for the upcoming features and surprises we have in store for you. It just keeps getting better and better. This week this award goes to JENI. Thank you for being such an awesome dt sister and friend, Jeni!!! You are such an inspiration!!

AND NOW FOR THIS WEEK'S MMSC7 sketch......


For my card, I combined this sketch with the Roses on Paper Challenge and the Flutter By Challenge (to incorporate fairies or butterflies in your card). Their challenge was to use a challenge from another blog and incorporate flowers as well using a Sarah Kay, Magnolia or Greeting Farm stamp. What a fun Roses on Paper, Flutter By Wednesday Challenge and sketch. I used the Sarah Kay image called Rose's Garden for this card. The image was paper pieced and colored with copics. I have been seeing so many awesome creations with the My Minds Eye Bloom and Grow dp that I was extatic to see it in sale at a local craft store. I didn't even know they carried it let alone it was 50% off! What an awesome deal that was!

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Sarah Kay - Roses Garden
Paper: MME Bloom
Accessories: Ribbon Bowtique ribbon, Hero Arts pearls, Memory box colored rhinestones, Label 4 nesties, prima flowers, MS classic butterfly punch, sewing machine


Now to the $$$$ CASH $$$$ Give Away! WE are down to the last week to make that piggy bank as fat as we can get!! so, invite your friends and lets bring home this last week with tone of cash and followers of the MMSC Blog.You have one more week to get the Midnight Madness Mad Money Piggy Bank filled. We are 61 followers away from doubling the cash prize. We need to reach 320 followers by June 30. Next week someone will win a cash prize to be used on anything they choose. Woohoo! for more details on the prize and rules, click here. for every person who enters, the $ amount goes up, so if you didn't do last week's sketch, you still have until Midnight EST 6-23-09 (today) to link your MMSC6 entry to Mr. Linky. Tomorrow, a winner is also drawn by Priscilla for a weekly bonus gift give away. So check back here for that.

I hope today's creation inspired you to create and possibly even play along with this week's sketch!! If you do play along, please make sure to add the direct link to Mr Linky here and if you upload to SC use the keyword MMSC7. I hope to see many awesome creations from you all!! if you would like some more awesome inspiration, please my dt sister's Carolynn, Charlotte, Denise, Jane, Jeni, Jessica, Kimmie, Michelle, Phyllis, Priscilla, Shawne, Sonya, and Sue.

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Just a reminder that Roses on Paper is having a guest dt call for a new line of stamps created by Elizabeth Bell until June 30. You can view the details here. Here are two of my creations for two different challenges ROP Challenge 13 and ROP Challenge 14. You must submit one entry to the link on their blog before June 30.

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Since I sometimes get more traffic to my blog on DT challenge days, I wanted to spread the news about a fundraiser for a very GREAT Cause. When I read my Flutter By Wednesday sister, Heather's blog, I had tears in my eyes reading about a little boy who was four, named Ethan Weiman, who just lost his battle to Neuroblastoma Cancer on June 12th. I applaud Pink Cat Studio's and Heather's Efforts to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation in his honor!!! In the past I was a full time elementary teacher, before staying home with my kids, and I had a couple of students inflicted with cancer who benefited from Make A Wish. It is so sad to see them suffering and it is so worth it to see the glimmer in their eye when Make a Wish can grant one wish. Can you help make a wish come true for a child with little hope? My dt sister, Heather, and three others are giving away Free Pink Cat Studio Stamps and gift certificates for Participating in a Fund Raiser Pink Cat Studio is having for a GREAT Cause. Pink Cat Studio is selling digi-images. The proceeds will go to the Make A Wish Foundation in honor of Ethan. See Heather's Blog for details. I hope you too can help!! I thank God for the blessing he has given me to have 2 healthy girls as well as good health for my husband and I. What greater blessing can you receive?!!! My heart goes out to individuals and especially children who are inflicted with terminal illnesses.
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Thanks for visiting today and have an Awesome Day!! Thanks for all your wonderful comments and inspiring me. Sorry for the LONG post but this fundraiser is something that really touches my heart!!

FS124 Regal Bloomin Beautiful

Happy Monday Morning!!!! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Yesterday the flooding in our basement stopped so we could enjoy the day. It was especially nice for Scott on Father's Day. Although the lawn is a swamp, he and the girls muddled their way to the playground and had a great time on the swings, tire wing, and monkey bars for a couple of hours before going to visit Scott's Dad. We had a great day!! I have to share a funny experience with you. In my previous post I shared an International card that I had made for my husband in Dutch for Father's Day. It said "Goede Vader's Dag!" He is Norwegian and not Dutch so although we share some Dutch traditions and even some Dutch words that I use (I was brought up with certain terms that I still use), he does not at all understand Dutch. His expression when he opened the card was priceless. I wish I had captured it on film. It was a dumbfounded and confused look all in one. He then said "So that is what I get called on Father's Day "A Good Dog!" We all had a good laugh. Too cute.

Today I would like to share a card I made for Yesterday's featured stamper challenge at SC. The featured stamper was Christy. Her gallery is so awesome I had a hard time deciding but finally decided on this beauty. I kept her basic layout and stamped image but changed everything else including the dp from Bella Rose to Walk in the Park and Bella Rose, the colors from red and green to pink and brown, the gold brads to pink rhinestones, and I added a scalloped punched border, pink ribbon and slide, scalloped stiching, and popped my image up on dimensionals after I cut it out. I don't usually use such a bright pink but I think I like how it turned out and will use
that combo again.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: SU Bloomin Beautiful
Paper: Walk in the Park, Bella Rose, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Watercolor, white CS
Accessories: EK Success Fleur De Lis Punch, Pink Rhinestones, Offray Grossgrain-pink ribbon, Hodgepodge Hardware, sewing machine

I hope you enjoyed today's post! I certainly enjoyed making it. I look forward to visiting your blogs to see all your awesome inspirational pieces. Thanks for stopping by today and for your wonderful comments. Have a great Monday!! Tomorrow I will be back for the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge!

Goede Dag!!!- IC185 Blue Bird "Goede Vader's Dag!"

I decided to do a quick post this a.m. I created a card this morning for the IS185 challenge and the LSC225 International Flair Challenge at SC. I am a little behind and needed a Father's Day card for Scott before tomorrow. I have so much to do today to prepare for the 30 people staying at the house next weekend and I am not sure what the day will hold with the rain we are having yet again. I am prepared for more water clean up in our basement. The sump pump and broom are standing by. So.... this quick card was perfect. NO STAMPING! on this one. I typed the "Happy Father's Day sentiment in Dutch. Scott is Norwegian and I come from a Dutch Background. My parents both immigrated from the Netherlands. I have a lot of Dutch traditions but rarely speak Dutch so I am sure Scott will laugh at this one! I know my daughter did. My image panel and colors were inspired by this pair of slippers. What a fun site of baby shoes and slippers! Too cute!!



Card Recipe
Paper: Flock Together, Very Vanilla, and Bitter Chocolate Bazzill
Accessories: Allegro Embossing Folder, HodgePodge hardware, little leaves Sizzlit, notes brad, Spiral and Scalloped Border Punch, sewing machine, Offray Chocolate ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!! I hope you have a fantastic weekend and all the guys have a special Father's Day! GOEDE DAG! (Good Day!)

SC233 For your Bundle of Love

Good Morning! I want to start off by apologizing if I did not get to visit your blog yesterday. Yesterday ended up being a disaster. Because of all the rain, our basement flooded. That is where my craft room is! I did lose some of my supplies unfortunately but as Scott, my husband says, we can be thankful our whole house is not under water like some areas. Needless to say it was a nerve racking day here. That has never happened to us before but after 16+ inches in less then 9 days, it isn't too surprising. Today it is cloudy but no rain so hopefully the water table will settle before another 5 days of predicted rain!!! Unbelievable!!! Believe me I am praying for it to stop. I hope to be able to craft again soon but since my craft area looks like a cyclone hit it from the flood.....it may be a while.

Today, I would like to share a card I made on Wednesday for the SC223 challenge. I have a friend that just recently had a baby boy so I kept that in mind when creating this card. I used the Bundle of Love set from SU for the giraffe and sentiment. I have had this set and it was never inked up. What a cute image!

The dp is from DCWV nursery pack. I colored the image with my prisma color pencils and gamsol.


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SUNDAY SPECIALS AT OUR DAILY BREAD DESIGNS

Swing on over to the Our Daily Bread Designs store because it's punch a bunch frenzy. All punches are 25% off while supplies last. Hurry because the sale ends on June 21 at 12 a.m. est. You may want to subsricbe to the Our Daily Bread Designs News since there will be a new special each week!

Thanks for stopping by today!! Thanks for your wonderful comments! I hope today will be a much more cooperative day so I can do some blog hopping!

Divine Diva Inspiration #6 Kind Words

Happy Thursday everybody! Surprise, Surprise it is raining here yet again today. We had 10+inches last week. Showers and rain on Sunday night and Monday and then again last night totalling another 3 inches. Unfortunately there is nowhere for the rain to go. Our lawn is starting to look like a pond more than a lawn. There is lots of flooding. The scary thing is....they are predicting rain until next Tuesday yet. I am praying it atleast stops for our girls family birthday party when I have 30+ people coming for the weekend on June 27th. With the way the trend is...my chances are not looking so good. Poor Scott built an extension on to the girls wooden swingset so they and their guests would have more to play on and they may not even get to play on it. Is anyone else being flooded out?

Anywho... I was so glad to see the inspiration that Lori sent to the dt this week had lots of flowers. Since I am not seeing many in real life, it is fun creating them! When I first saw the vase with peonies in the front of the picture, I wanted to work with that but then white on white is very tough using the Pretty Peony set that I have to work with so I instead used red inspired by the fireplace flowers. I added white and black which were inspired by the colors and texture in that room.

The peonies were stamped in pink piroette, riding hood red and kiwi kiss on very vanilla cardstock. The sentiment was stamped on vellum and adhered over the peony panel. The flourishes are from a Spellbinders die. I used ribbon scraps for my ribbon treatment on the corners. The vellum panel was paper pierced. I used the CAS19 sketch for my layout.


CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Echoes of Kindness, Pretty Peony
Paper: very vanilla, black, vellum cardstock
Accessories: Flourish Accents from Spellbinders, paper piercer, pearls, ribbon scraps, textile embossing folder, sewing machine

I hope this card inspired to join the Divine Divas for some inspiration fun!!! What a fun challenge! Please check the rest of the dt's awesome creations: Julie, Keri, Chat, Angela, and Lori. Should you decide to make a card or project please leave a direct link here.
If you should upload it to SC please use the link DDIC6.

Thanks for stopping by again today! Your comments are greatly appreciated. If you do stop by, please leave a comment so I can return the favor and visit your blog as well. I hope your day is full of sunshine!!

Flutter By Wednesday #62

Happy Hump Day!! Wow do the weeks just fly by!! It seems like it was just the weekend and in two more days it will be a weekend again!! I can't believe it is Wednesday already. Wednesdays are not just an ordinary day but a Flutter By Day!! Today is Flutter by Wednesday and time for yet another challenge! Today's Flutter By Challenge is open but YOU MUST USE A BUTTERFLY OR FAIRY ON IT. The guest designer this week is Mary Giemza. She blows me away with her awesome coloring and details on her cards of projects. Our featured team member is Christine. Christine is a newer team member but her cards or projects are always beautiful and she is always there to leave an encouraging word or sweet comment. Such a sweetheart! Please click on over to their blogs and leave them some love.

Here is my entry for this weeks challenge.
I used one of my Elizabeth Bell images and sentiments from the Whiff of Joy summer kit. The papers are from a retired line of paper from SU called Afternoon Tea. I sometimes feel like I get into a rut with my colors so I decided to go out side of the box and use this green and groovy guava mix. I incorporated the OCCC challenge hosted by Jennifer Meyer to use border punches. My card uses border punches on the side, picket fence and all the corners. I created my own ribbon roses. They are so unique and add so much detail to the card.




Card Recipe:
Stamps: Whiff of Joy Summer Kit
Accessories: ribbon, pearls, EK Success Border Punch, MS Picket Fence punch, MS Butterfly punch, Label 4 nestabilities
Paper: Afternoon Tea DP, Chocolate Chip and Groovy Guava, Watercolor Paper

Thanks for stopping by today!! I hope you enjoyed today's challenge post and that it inspires you start creating. If you should create a card with a butterfly or fairy on it, please link your DIRECT link to Mr. Linky here. If you upload your card or project to PCP or SC, please use the keyword FBW. There were so many beautiful entries last week and we hope to see the same this week. For more inspiration or examples for this challenge, it is only a hop, skip and jump over to fab dt sisters creations: Ann, Cassie, Cathy, Christine, Harriet, Heather, Jodi, Kim, Kimmie, Lelia, Michelle, Nancy, Nicola, and Stef. Their creations are always eclectic and beautiful! You won't want to miss seeing them! Ashley will be missing in action today as she has just had a baby boy, Parker! Congrats Ashley!!! Danni usually has an awesome creation for today's challenge but decided to take this week off. Click on over to her blog if you get a chance and thank her for these awesome challenges she hosts and posts each week!

Until tomorrow...Have a great day!! Thanks for stopping by today and I so look forward to seeing all the FBW entries!! Thanks for your wonderful comments and inspiration on your blogs!! Tomorrow I will be back with the Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge! I have yet to create it...LOL! Today's project!

Midnight Madness Sketch #6- Bird Damask

Welcome to another Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge! I love Tuesdays and these sketches. They really help me to think outside of the box and to expand my creativity. Tuesdays I get to see all my dt sisters gorgeous creations and takes on the sketch and then all of yours. What Fun!! The sketches are so creative and fun and we would love you to play with us!! Remember you have until Midnight EST 6-16-09 to get your MMSC5 image in for last week. One winner will be chosen for our weekly Bonus Gift give away on Wednesday, so check back here.



If you have seen our posts for the MMSC before, then you know that each week we choose one participant from the previous week for the outstanding creation using the previous week's sketch. It is our way to say thanks for participating in our challenge and recognizing the awesome talent out there. This week's winner chosen by the dt is Lorelie! Lorelie is one of my dear Our Daily Bread Design Team sisters and such an awesome designer and friend. She inspires me in so many ways with every creation and is a real sweetheart. If you haven't visited her blog, you are in for a real treat and you really should.



When I went to check Priscilla's blog early this a.m. to make sure and get this weeks award names and links before posting today's blog entry, I was so surprised and greatly honored to see that the Midnight Madness Design Team had chosen me for this award. I am overcome with emotion and so touched by their kindness!! They have all been such an inspiration to me!!! Their compliments, designs and friendship are near and dear to me. It is such a pleasure to chat with them all and visit their blogs for their awesome creations. I will be so proud to display this award! Thanks so much for your kindness girls. You made my day!!

And now....for this week's MMSC#6 sketch.

These sketches are so creative and fun and this one was no exception. I loved it!! I decided to use a new set from SU to me, Friends 24-7. I love this bird and I paired with some softs colors and ribbon.



I used one of my favorite in colors before it retires, Pink Pirouette!! Love this color paired with chocolate chip! The gorgeous ribbon is Offray ribbon! Love the texture and elegance of it! The dp is from the Bella Birds stack from SU.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Friends 24-7
Paper: Bella Birds, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, and white CS
Accessories: Silver Baubles, sewing machine and brown thread, Hodgepodge hardware, Design Label punch, Circle punch, Mega curved nestabilies, Offray ribbon, Bosskut flourish

I hope this card inspires you to join the fun with the rest of the team. For more inspiration, you should really check out my dt sister's creations: Carolynn, Charlotte, Denise, Jane, Jeni, Jessica, Kimmie, Michelle, Phyllis, Priscilla, Shawne, Sonya, and Sue!! Their designs are always so
eclectic, creative and gorgeous. You won't be disappointed.

If the dt creations aren't enough to encourage you to join the fun, Priscilla's awesome prize this month will.





Priscilla will add 25 cents for every entry entered to the MMSC. (ONLY ONE ENTRY PER WEEK PLEASE) This could really add up fast. Too make it fun, she has added a bonus. If the follower count of the MMDT blog doubles by the end of the month to 320 (We are at 193 now), she will double the cash prize! She is willing to pay cash out to $500 ($100 for five winners)! In order to qualify for this random prize drawing, you must create a card with the sketch, follow the blog here, and post the MMSC badge on your blog. For more details on the rules and prize, click here.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I hope you enjoyed today's post. If you do stop by, please leave a comment so I can return the favor and visit your blog. I am so inspired by others and I so appreciate your comments! Please note, that I will blog hopping this evening since I will be traveling to Pennsylvania with my girls to visit some friends from North Carolina who are vacationing at a time share. It has been 4+ years since I have seen them, due to the distance, so I am so looking forward to seeing them!!! Until this evening....... Have a great day!!!

FC225 For You Great Friend

Happy Monday Everyone!! I hope you all had a great weekend!! I know I did but oh so busy! I am starting to feel like a duck here in New York though. All we have been having is rain, rain, and more rain. Last week we had 10+ inches and we started of this week with just more rain... Usually here it starts to look dry at this time of year. This is more April weather. Anyone else getting flooded out?

Since my gardens are looking lush green without any flowers (They need sun), I thought I would create my own blooms to enjoy. Using the TLC225 Challenge today I created my own faux handmade paper with acrylic paints and toilet paper. It was a lot of fun and very messy. I have to be honest that this paper was not my first try. I had to make it a few times because I just couldn't find the right color combo. I finally settled on two tones of purples and greens with a gold metallic. To bring out the metallic look, I added Paper Co. Gold Metallic paper around the borders. The image is from Soft Summer (mini) and the sentiment is from Great Friend (also the
mini). The roses I created with ribbon.


Card Recipe
Stamps- Great Friend, Soft Summer
Paper Purple Bazzill, Gold Metallic, White
Accessories- ribbon, Kaiser Kraft purple pearls, MS Leaf punch, EK Success Fleur De Lis punch, Label 4 nestabilities, sewing machine, gold embossing powder, acrylic paints and toilet paper

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed today's post. I look forward to seeing all your creations this evening. Tomorrow I will be back with another Midnight Madness Sketch challenge. Since I will be leaving to go to Pennsylvania in the a.m. to meet a very close friend from North Carolina I haven't seen in 4 years, it will be a scheduled post. I will be back in the evening to go blog hopping. WooHoo! I so love perusing all your wonderful blogs! Thanks for all your nice comments. They really are an inspiration for me.

ROP Challenge #13- Birthday Hugs from Fanny

Happy Friday everyone!!! I hope everyone had a good day. Today was very hot and humid and cloudy with stray showers here and there. Atleast it is not the 7 inches we have had in the last couple days. My husband was joking that it was time for web feet...Everything is lush and green and MUDDY. I am thankful for the blessing of rain, though. Last year at this time we had a drought already.

Today I did groceries, cleaned house, and yes....created another card. I had so much fun coloring this one. I used a Sarah Kay image called "Fanny's cuddle". Her images are so cute and fun. My dear daughter actually picked it out for me. She loves dogs!! She thought I was making it for one of her friends upcoming birthdays. Shhh...Don't tell. It is for her. In less than a month it is her birthday so I thought I would get ahead of the game and make it now. I made this card with the Roses on Paper Challenge #13 in mind to use green, pink, and yellow. I also incorporated the Creative Inspirations Challenge to use more than 4 different papers on your card (I used 6) and the SC WT-222 Crinkled Cardstock Challenge (All my flowers are made of crinkled cardstock). The colors were perfect for my daughter Meghan. Pink is her favorite!! Since she likes soft, frilly and lacy, I thought I would make it more elegant and cutesy rolled into one. I used dp from Basic Grey Sultry and SU Bella Birds. The embroidered ribbon from Offray, the vintage charm, the punched edge, heart pearls, and crinkled flowers were to add elegance. The flowers were punched using my SU Boho Blossom Punch and then crinkled and sanded for a distressed look. In case you can't read the sentiment, it says "Birthday hugs!". I typed it on the computer in Curlz and punched it out with my Boho Blossom punch to match my flowers.

What do you think?

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Sarah Kay- Fanny's Cuddle
Paper: SU Bella Birds, BG Sultry, White, Pink Pirouette, Butter Yellow Bazzill, and Lily Pond Bazzill
Accessories: EK Success Fleur De Lis Punch, Hero Arts Pearls, Vintage heart charm, Offray pink embroidered ribbon, Making Memories Flower Brads, SU Boho Blossom Punch, sandpaper, coloring mediums, MS Fig leaf punch, sewing machine



When viewing my friend and FBW dt sister, Jodi's blog I learned about a new site coming out, Belles and Whistles, a sister site to Roses on Paper, with adorable stamps by one of my favorite artists, Elizabeth Bell. There is a call for guest designers. You can view the info for the call here at Roses on Paper. Since I love all of Elizabeth Bell's images, I have to give it a try.

I almost forgot.....one of my cards won. Last week I had made a card for the Creative Inspirations Challenge and I won a bunch of embellishments. Do I need more embellishments, you say...Of course, one can never have enough. How fun!! Creative Inspirations is a fun challenge blog. If you have not played along, you really should. They usually have fun prizes to go with their challenges. You too could win!

Thanks so much for stopping by again today!! I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you have a great weekend!! Thanks again for all your wonderful comments. I so appreciate them. Thanks also for the lovely creations on your blogs. Your creations inspire me. I hope in some way I inspire you.

blessings,
Chris

Crinkled Paper Royal Bloomin Beautiful

Happy Thursday Everyone!!! Today I had an ambitious plan of getting a lot done both in my creations and in my housework. Thought I would make a quick card first before getting to cleaning the house etc. Well.....since I had problems with the internet for the past two hour when trying to upload these cards...Grrr....I have just wasted a bunch of time. Oh well, just have to type a little faster I guess.

This card I made is for today's WT222 Crinkled Cardstock Challenge in honor of Dawn Flowergal36. This week the CCEE dt host for the challenge is Charlene at Where M&M's Gather (a wonderfully talented and sweet person). Her challenge was for the Catchy Name Featured Stamper. Charlene chose Dawn aka Flowergirl36. Dawn is one of my blogging friends and is so sweet and talented that I just had to play along. (If you get a chance, you should really check out Dawn's awesome SC Gallery or blog. You will be so glad you did. It is so inspiring!!) Since Dawn loves flowers, Charlene made it this weeks challenge to use flowers. Dawn's favorite color is purple. Another friend and a Flutter By Wednesday dt sister, Nicola, told me about a color challenge for a challenge blog she just started designing for called Stamping for the Weekend. This week's color challenge is purple and yellow which fit perfectly with Dawn's favorite color, hence my purple and yellow creation.

The dp is from the BG Wisteria Collection. I used the SU Bloomin Beautiful Set and Happy Harmony. The crinkled cardstock flowers is a technique I have not tried before. It was a lot of fun but I am not sure which was more fun, crinkling the flowers or watching my daughters face as I crinkled them. She couldn't understand what was wrong with them and why they had to be crinkled. The looks were priceless!!!

CARD RECIPE
Stamps: SU Bloomin Beautiful and Happy Harmony
Paper: BG Wisteria, So Safforn, Royal Purple, White, Watercolor Paper
Accessories: yellow pearls, boho blossom punch, peony die from Spellbinders, label 3 nestabities, flower brads from Paper Co., Textile dry embossing folder

I hope you enjoyed today's post! Now that I have finally fixed some of my internet issues and switched to Firefox, maybe I can visit more blogs. IE was sooooooooo slow, it took all day to comment.

Thanks for stopping by and for all your wonderful comments! I so appreciate you all!

Flutter By Wednesday # 61

Good Morning All! Happy Hump Day!! Hard to believe it is already Wednesday!! Which means it is almost the weekend! Normally I enjoy each day as it comes and I still am but this weekend means the storms and rain here have passed and no more clouds and rain. We shall see. We definitely were in need of rain before this bout of rain but these dreary days do catch up with your mood after a while. LOL!

Today is Wednesday, and it is not just any old Wednesday....It is Flutter By Wednesday. The chance for me to create and share cards made with a butterfly or fairy on it. This week's challenge is to use any SKETCH CHALLENGE of your choice with a fairy or butterfly on it. FUN!! I love sketch challenges so I had a good time playing with this one. The hardest choice was which sketch challenge. There are just so many out there: OCCC, MOJO Monday, SFYTT, Sketch4you2Try, Midnight Madness and the list goes on.... For today's challenge I made two cards, one inspirational and the other just cutesy and fun!!

This first card uses a photo on acetate which was for SC's TLC 224 Coloring on Acetate Challenge and Stampin B's Design team challenge (to use a photograph). You were to take a photograph, copy it in black and white, and then color it in with markers. I used one of my daylily pictures from my garden and incorporated it into this week's OCCC challenge sketch. I also incorporated the challenge from the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge to use bling. Couldn't resist that challenge as I love bling!!!

I love my flowers in my garden and it was so fun to incorporate them into a card. That being said, I must be honest that working with acetate is really not my thing. When I copied the photo onto the acetate, it took FORVER to dry, not a project you can do quickly that is for sure. Of course, my printer is by no means cheap but I wonder if there is special ink you should be using for it. If you use your photo on acetate to soon, it will smear. I found that after three tries! LOL! Slow learner!! When coloring on acetate you need to use copics, Sharpie's or alcohol based markers. You color on the opposite side of the photo which prevents smearing. I used my one of my absolure favorite sets from Our Daily Bread Designs called Scripture Collection 1. I thought this may make a good wedding card. What do you think?

Card 1 Recipe:

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs-Scripture Collection 1

Paper: Bazzill- Pink and black

Accessories: photo copied in black and white on acetate, copics, hero arts pearls, slot punch, White sheer ribbon, EK Success Fleur De Lis Punch, Textile and Swiss Dot Embossing Folder, SU Butterfly Sizzix Die

Card 2

My second card I made for the Roses on Paper Challenge (to use pink, green and yellow on your card or project), today's SC232, Spoonfull of Sugar Challenge (to use butterflies on your card) and the Flutter By Wednesday Challenge (to use a sketch challenge and butterflies or fairies). I love Magnolias but don't get to play with them much. I am ashamed to say how long it took me to ink this baby up. I had fun paper piecing her (Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge to use DP on your card) and using my copics. The back panel of the card is the only cardstock on the card. The remainder is Basic Grey Dp ((Urban Garden, Sultry andLily Kate). I had a great time using my Martha Stewart Classic Butterflies punch to add dimension to the card as well as pearls (notice my little pearl buttons on Tilda's shirt).

Card 2 Recipe:

Stamps: Magnolia- Tilda With Magnolias?

Paper: Basic Grey-Sultry, Urban Garden, Lily Kate, Pink and white CS

Accessories: hero art pearls, MS Classic Butterfly Punch, Scallop Border punch for corners, Prima Dandy flower, Offray satin ribbon, MS three leaf punch, sewing machine, Label 4 nestabilities

I hope you enjoyed today's Flutter By examples and this inspires you to create your own Flutter by creation. After all who can resist a sketch challenge or even a butterfly or fairy?!! So what are you waiting for...... LOL!

Oh..... more examples you say! Let me oblige....The awesome FBW team is just loaded with awesome creations and inspiration for you. You will be so glad you took the time to visit my dt sister's blogs: Ann, Cassie, Cathy, Christine, Danni, Harriet, Heather, Jodi, Kim, Kimmie, Lelia, Michelle, Nancy, Nicola, and Stef. This weeks featured DT member is the ever so talented and sweet Lelia. Please click on over to her blog and leave her some love. If you should make a card or project for this FBW challenge, please link it to Mr Linky here. If you upload your creations to SC or PCP, please use the keyword FBW so we can see all the creations in one place.

Since I love sketch challenges, I was wondering if any of you have been playing with any different ones. Can you jot me some good sketch ,if I do not have them listed above, in your comment today?

Thanks for visiting again today! Thanks also for your inspiring comments and your inspirational creations on your blogs. I so enjoy them all! If you do stop by, please leave a comment so I know you were here and I can in turn return the favor and visit your blog. Until tomorrow....Have a great day!!

MMSC5 Sense of time

Good Morning!! I am in a real hurry to get this posted before we lose power here again. Boy are we ever getting a thunderstorm here and the lights are blinking!!! We lost power throughout the night but have had it back for only a few minutes so I ran up to the computer to post this. What a storm!!!! We have had hail!! and 2 1/2 inches of rain already and still it is coming down!!

Anywho....do to the time factor I better stop the jibber jabber and get typing for today's post. Today is time for another Midnight Madness Sketch, MMSC 5. Remember you have until 12 p.m. est to link your entry for last week's MMSC4 sketch.

Each week the dt awards a specila badge award to one person for their outstanding sketch submission. If you would like to be considered for this award, please make sure your card linke is posted to Mr. Linky by Sunday each week. This is our way to let you know how wonderfull talented you are and how much we appreciate you sharing your craft with us. This week I am proud to say the Midnight Madness Dt chose my Our Daily Bread Designs Dt sister and friend SANDEE's creation to receive the Midnight Masterpiece Gold Star Award!! Woo hoo Sandee! Please take a moment to leave her some love on her blog!

We can't let only the participants have all the fun! So....we also nominate one special person from the team for an award. This week the MMDT has nominated one person from the team for many reasons but here are just a few. She seems to be the first to congratulate people. She always cheers us on and is willing to jump right in on top of the pyramid with her fun ideas and games. Thank you Jane for making the MMDT such a fun place to hang out and being such a support to me!!! Jane is a real sweetheart and I know she would love a little extra TLC on her blog, so please click on over to her blog for some awesome inspiration!!

And now for today's sketch.....

Here is my creation! I decided to use my new Sense of Time set from SU from the Occasions Mini, A Rose is a Rose and some of this year's in colors before they retire this month. (Not that I will stop using them when they do retire since I have hoarded so much of these colors and dt paper. LOL!).

My dt paper is from the Bella Rose DP from SU. The Pink Pirouette dp is dry embossed with the textile embossing folder from Cuttlebug for some added texture. After Stamping my clock, I used the two step stamping set A Rose is a Rose (inked in pink pirouette and riding hood red for the flowers and mellow moss and kiwi kiss for the leaves) and scattered flowers on the clock. I stamped the sentiment using gold ink (then embossed it) on vellum. I used my nesties to cut out the center of my frame so you could see the senitment through it. When I mounted it to the clock, I liked how you could see the flowers through it. I am sorry that my picture makes it hadr to read the words. It is so more legible in person. it says " Learn from yesterday, Live for tomorrow, Hope for tomorrow." I love this sentiment!! The card was sewn with a couple different stiches using metallic gold thread. I added a spinner from Tim Holtz to act as the hands on the clock.

I hope this card inspires you to join this week's sketch challenge. If not, I am sure the other dt fabulous creations will. They are so creative and have such a variety. My dt sisters are: Carolyn, Charlotte, Denise, Jane, Jeni, Jessica, Kimmie, Michelle, Phyllis, Priscilla, Shawne, Sonya, and Sue.

Last week I posted the details about the new prize for this month. I will briefly summarize it here and allow to read a previous post for more details on the rules and prize for the sake of time and wanting to gey this posted before I lose power again.

This month Priscilla will add 25 cents for every enterd to the MMSC Mr. Linky here. Unlike last month, you may only enter one entry per sketch per week. This could really add up since we have been averaging about 50 entries per week. Over 4 weeks that can be 200 entries meaning $50 in Mad money for a cash prize. Too make it more fun, Priscillas has added a bonus. If the number of followers doubles from 160 to 320 by the end of the month. She will double the prize money!!!! Right now we have 175 followers this week!! Keep posting the MMDT badge on your blog and your MMSC creations to get the word out there. For more deets on the prize and rules please click here. Keep in mind, if we double the followers and have 400 entries for the month that would be $200 cash (split between 2 people). Priscilla is willing to pay out up to $500 total payout. Now that is what I call generous!!!....

I hope that you will join us for this sketch not just for the prize but for the fun!! I look forward to seeing the fab creations you each come up with!! If you do join us, please link your direct link to Mr Linky here. If you upload your creations to SC please use the keyword MMCS5.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!! I so appreciate your comments and visits. I did visit many yesterday and some I was unable to leave comments on because of a combination of blogger and internet explorer difficulties. Grrrrrrrrr! Frustrating! I plan to visit again today and hopefully cyberspace will cooperate!!! I so enjoy your creations and all the inspiration you all give me!

Blessings,

Chris