Autumn

This is a Gina K inspired card.  Using the Score Buddy again but this time to score the cardstock.  The image layer (tree by I Brake for Stamps) was scored around the edges and the base rust layer was stamped first (with Inkadinkado) flying leaves and then scored, each layer was sponged with Distress inks, I think Tea Dye.  I got the brads at Michael's (GASP, not Hobby Lobby?  I do get out of town once in a while and shop other places if I can, not often....and don't ask about my trip to Michael's in Midland TX when I went to pick up my DD)  I just looped the brown grossgrain along the edges 3 times.  Since I took the picture, I decided to sponge a little color (rust & yellow) over the leaves to add a little color so it didn't look so drab.

Pumpkin Gatefold card

Here is a card I made a while ago that I never got posted.  Since I got my Score Buddy it makes it SO easy to make these, the marks are on the little bugger so you just score and it's perfect!  Woo Hoo!!  The stamps are by I Brake for Stamps.  No DP on this baby, old school!  The pumpkin is colored with Copics.  I sponged the edges of almost everything.  I stamped the border in Pumpkin Spice ink and colored the leaves.  The little Memories metal embellishment is one I got at Walmart a LONG time ago.  Then I used the sewing machine to attach the panels and added an orange paperclip with some olive ribbon that has copper leaves on. Here is the inside:  I added another leaf on a matching nestie label.
I really like this one.  I hope DD does too!

Glitter Ribbons

Technique Junkie recent newsletter had a technique of glitter ribbons.  I morphed it a little using cardstock ran through my Xyron and carefully cutting the background.  If you don't get the TJ newsletter, you should.  There is a lot more info on that than most magazines.  Anyway, I used a bunch of glitter I have on hand.  I don't remember where the tree stamp is from (I have tons of tree stamps)  I used flower soft on it and some corner punched Stardream cardstock.  The glittery leaf is one I found at Hobby Lobby.  It really is a lot prettier in real life!

GUS:  In case you are wondering Hubbies Birthday dog Gus is doing great.  He is pretty much housebroke (at least no accidents for a long time) is still very affectionate and DH LOVES his dog to death.  Of course Gus loves everyone but I think realizes DH was the one that picked him, or was it the other way around?


His nickname is Frog Legs!

And he lets us know when he wants to come back in.  My son says we know how much he grows by the height of the footprints.  Do you suppose it's hint that I need to clean the windows?

TWO Challenge cards

I know, it's been forever since I've posted.  I have a good excuse though, I've been riding in the Badlands with my daughter the past 2 weekends.  It was so much fun.  So this weekend I stole a few minutes in my stamp room between loads of laundry, grocery shopping, watching football and cooking.  Oh and IT SNOWED here on Friday so I guess it made me think of Christmas. 

This is for the Crazy for you Challenge which was a sketch and the card is my interpretation.  I used a Snowman stamp from Whiff of Joy, some crocheted lace, DP paper from an old Christmas pad I got at Hobby Lobby.  I stamped the image in Black Memento, colored a little with Copics and then used some Rock Candy stickles on parts.  The little tree is a coffee shop sipper cover I saved.  They sure have some cute ones at times.  The snowflakes are from Hobby Lobby mini-ornaments and a snowflake garland.  Sorry the colors are off, I should have taken the picture earlier when it wasn't so dark.  

I also combined the Our Creative Corner sketch along with the Just Us Girls (JUGS) color challenge of Green, Red, Black and neutral Below

Again, sorry for the bad colors.  I embossed the wreath from Lindy's Stamp Gang in gold detail powder on Water color paper and colored with Twinkling H2O's.  Cut it out with the round nestie and layered it on the Blossom in green.  Again the DP is from the old Hobby Lobby pad.  The white card base is 'cuttlebugged' (is that a word)  with an old ornament Christmas folder.  The greeting is stamped in black on a piece of label nestie sponged with green Distress ink stuck under the 2nd layer.  I put a row of 3 pearls on that layer too.  Then the last step is the organdy green ribbon.


TWO Christmas cards down....a few more to go.  LOL

Stop back tomorrow, I actually have some more cards to share!  Fall this time though.  I love making fall cards...perhaps I should send them out instead of Christmas cards.....what do you think?

Meet Gus

After years of lusting after a Berneses Mountain Dog, DH finally got one.  He is so hard to buy for it was his birthday present.  So after a road trip to SD yesterday Gus, a 6 month old puppy is now in his new home and I think he's pretty happy.  We looked at the puppies but just couldn't decide and knew he needed a home.  He was from a February litter at the breeders and because he doesn't have as much white on his face as some and is a little small, he wasn't picked.  Well, we picked him and now he has a forever home.  We're pretty darn excited to have him and he is very well behaved and quite happy...both those boys are!  Gus just crawled up there and slept most of the evening.

What a summer, a new horse I love, 2 new kittens (one of our barn cats disappeared, could have been a fox or eagle.  :(    Now Gus.

I just hope this ankle heals up and I don't have to be limping around so much. With all these new critters, I don't know how much stamping and blogging time I'll get squeezed in but I think you'll understand.  The snow will fly, he will grow and I'll be back creating soon enough.  To be honest I have done quite a bit and even a couple challenges but the Sunday I was going to post our internet went out for 2 days and I was so bummed I haven't been blogging.  All that work and no way to post.

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted

I'm not sure how many people actually are worried that I haven't posted in a while but I do have a couple good reasons.  No, I didn't get hurt again!  I have been so busy at work with fiscal year end putting in 10 - 10 1/2 hour days which totally kicked my butt so I was in bed by about 9 every night!  I have done some stamping but sure didn't get anything posted as you can tell. 

So a little update on what else has been going on....I sold my horse that didn't work out and have been busy looking for a new one.  I finally found her in Minnesota near Minneapolis so on Wednesday, after the books closed at work, I got my son up at 6:30 and we drove 5 1/2 hours to get her...and 5 1/2 hours home, we got home at 8 pm.  Here's a picture of her:

It took some time but we finally came up with a name, Jingles.  My daughter brainstormed it.  She had a Fischer Price stick horse when she was little with a little bell at the back she called Jingles.  She has a blue ribbon pedigree with tons of famous horses on her papers.  Her registered name is Scotchsome Tin.  But the best part is, she is a total sweetie.  She has had some training and is riding really nice.  I am just giddy, this is the horse I was meant to have...even though DH thinks I should have found a gelding (neutered male). 

So I will be spending the rest of the summer riding my new girl and enjoying what's left.  After being laid up with broken limbs I missed a lot.  I am still limping around, my ankle still hurts a lot and very swollen.  In Oct. or November I will have the hardware taken out unless I can wait until after Christmas.  I will be stamping too, I can't ride all the time!  Hopefully I will get some posted too.  After Jingles finishes breakfast this morning I'm going riding and this afternoon we are going to my niece/Goddaughter's wedding.  We have new fencing to put up around the horse area too and have to finish getting the hay for the winter...the summer is just too short!

Until next time:  Happy Trails!

Stamping again and doing some challenges

 Scoll down for the card challenges....

I am SO HAPPY to finally be healed up and mobile a little. After breaking my wrist and ankle 7 weeks ago it's about time.  To be totally helpless is a terrible feeling, especially when you can't even stamp!  GASP!  At least my husband thinks stamping is great therapy for my right hand so I have been doing quite a bit.  At least hanging out in my stamp room watching what I want on TV instead of his constant channel surfing.  I have to be honest though, he was great taking care of my when I was totally useless.  I mean taking 4 weeks vacation to play CNA really shows he loves me!  In case you ever wondered what they do with people who break and arm and a leg, this is how they fixed me up.  My right elbow is resting on a platform and strapped on.  Oh and that's Doogan laying on the floor...please ignore the fat legs too.

Anyway, I did a couple challenges in one card AGAIN.  I am so proud of myself.

This is for the Whiff of Joy Challenge which was a sketch this week.  This also qualifies for the OCC Corner Spruce Up challenge here to spruce up the corners of your card. 
I used the Willow's Hot Chicken Soup stamp and some K & Company DP and SU mellow moss card stock, Cuttlebug folder and Sissix corner die cut, Spellbinder labels and a couple Martha Steward punches.  I colored Willow with Copics and sponges the edges with brown ink.  For Willows hair barrette I used a brad.  Now someone just has to get sick so I can send it out.  (really I hope not!)

OCC Sketch, CCEE and Flourishes challenge

I really had planned on using Flourishes image for this challenge to use black and white and one other color, I chose rust, but forgot as I wanted to make a card for my brother's birthday and since he just went bear hunting in Canada wanted to use this Dream Impressions bear image.  This is also using the sketch from OCC challenge.
This is qualifies for the CCEE for the males challenge, a card for men.
The DO paper is DCWV Green Stack and I used nesties and some twill ribbon and a Martha Stewart Punch.  It was really pretty easy and I think my brother will like it.
Wow, I actually got THREE challenges in for one card!  I have always been amazed at how people got more than one challenge out of a card and I finally did it too.  LOL

CCEE Sketch Challenge

My right wrist is FINALLY good enough to do a little stamping.  It is still painful but more so to not stamp! 

I found out today that our dear friends in England's dog, Fennel had to be put down yesterday.  Now we met Fennel and her family 4 years ago when we were visiting our daughter who was studying in Scotland and other friends that live there.  Simon, who worked for my brother was engaged to Lynn Anderson and we were invited to visit them at their farm.  The Anderson's are the sort of people you visit and feel like you have known them for years.  Fennel was an English Yellow Lab (English labs are a little smaller than the US version for some reason).  Anyway. Fennel's favorite treat was pears, she would eat everything but the stem,  so I had to include some pears on the sympathy card to them and since I needed to make a special card figured I might as well try to use the CCEE sketch challenge found here.
My husband bought me an air compressor from Harbor Freight for my birthday a few days ago so I could airbrush with my Copics.  Man is that fun!  I stamped the dog from Eureka colored him with Copics, put some Stickles on the wings and halo and masked him and airbrushed around him after I cut out with oval nestie. I left it on while airbrushing.  Much easier than sponging and I love the results.  I stamped the pears (from Lindy's Stamp Gang) and colored them and airbrushed the edges with yellow without masking.  That worked pretty good since I used the same shade of yellow.   The saying also from Eureka, was stamped and embossed in black on a Spellbinder label and I airbrushed with it kept on too so the edges stay white. I love how that adds the look of another layer.  Everything was layered on white cardbase I ran through with cuttlebug folder. 

Fennel, you will be missed.  Say Hi to Grizzly for us and I hope there are LOTS of pears in Heaven

Another sad day- good-bye Grizzly

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It is time to say good-bye to our dear old friend of 13 years, Grizzly.  We recently found out he has liver cancer and before his suffering gets worse, we made the decision to say good-bye today.  Just look at that face!
Grizzly has been a very good dog.  We adopted him as a puppy who was found in a badger hole with his brother.  His pedigree is questionable, we know he is part Chow because of his blue tongue and who know what else.  He has been a wonderful dog to have around, as a puppy he never chewed on anything, was almost housebroke right away and loved to be with you.  His favorite spot in the house was the hallway....his 'hall cave'.    He was always the perfect gentleman.  He never did tricks but was a pleasure to have around.  After we put poor Buttons down only 14 months ago, he became the cats friends.

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The cats would follow him around and join him on walks.  Here he is investigating a kitten.  When we would go on horse rides and he got tired, he would go home.  He would stop, wait until he knew we saw him then be waiting at home for us. 
Even though he really wasn't an in your face, under your feet kind of dog, I will sorely miss his cute face, BIG round eyes, stepping around him in the hall and his begging for nachos.  He turned into such a begger after Buttons was gone, not like him at all.

Farewell old friend, say hi to Buttons until we meet again.....I need to cry now.....