Graduation 2013 card

My youngest granddaughter, Shaye, is graduating from High School today.  Oh my........where have the years gone?  She is such a beautiful girl.......both inside & out.  Seems like only yesterday that she was dressed in her cute little bee costume for Halloween......buzzing around.  LOL  Today will be a mixture of happiness and tears...........joy and pride.........and lots of love all around.

Big Congrats to my beautiful Shaye!!! (I'll share her picture soon)

Thanks for joining in my happiness.  This card was the fastest card I've ever put together thanks to Jolee stickers.  YAY!  lol

Huggies & Sweet Blessings to you  ~♥♥♥~

Hope, Soar, Dream card

I want to wish my oldest granddaughter a HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY!  It's been awhile........okay........more than awhile......since I've made a card & I really thought I'd lost my cardmaking mojo.  My dgd loves owls & dream catchers so when I found this image online I knew I had a winner.  I changed the color to black & white to compliment the papers I wanted to use.  I pondered over this card for quite some time but when I remembered that she has a black & white polka dot blouse that I love.........I just had to use the matching papers.  The spinners & tickets are from the fabulous Tim Holtz.  The rest is from my stash that's been feeling very neglected lately.  LOL

You'll be seeing another card from me soon as my youngest granddaughter is graduating from High School on May 22nd.  Where do the years go?  I can't believe how grown up my beautiful granddaughters are becoming.

I also want to wish all the Mothers out there a most Happy Mother's Day!  I pray that you have a joyous celebration with those you hold close to your heart.

Gee.....it's been months since I entered any challenges so I'd like to enter the following:

A Gem of a Challenge:  #79 Things with wings (owl)
Crafts 4 Eternity:  #123 Tic Tac Toe (Distress Inking - paper scraps - 3 tickets)
Creative Corner Challenges:  #18 Things with wings (owl)
Simply Create Too:  #37 Anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge:  #6 Anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge:  Happy Birthday theme & Blog Hop
Charisma Cardz Challenges:  #18 Black & White plus one color (kraft)
Simon Says:  Things with wings (owl)
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog:  #59 Anything goes
Clear It Out challenges:  Anything goes theme / 2 or more patterned paper

Thanks so much for visiting with me today!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings to you  ~♥♥♥~

Happy May Day to you

I hope you're enjoying May flowers!  

Wouldn't it be lovely to wear a hat filled to the brim with flowers.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings to you  ~♥♥♥~

The beauty all around us

 We're enjoying such beautiful weather here in Southern California

and our gorgeous Roses are all in full bloom.

The aroma is absolutely delicious.  

I hope you're enjoying something beautiful today in your part of the world.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings to you  ~♥♥♥~

Our thoughts & prayers........

Our thoughts and prayers go with those who were touched by the events in Boston today.  

Words cannot express the emotions that fill my heart today.

May you know the comfort and peace that only God can bring.

Thank you, Abby, for sharing this.  

You can visit her lovely blog at Little Birdie Blessings.

Blessings & Comfort be yours  ~♥♥♥~

Have a Blessed Easter!

 May your Easter be filled with God's love & the love of family, friends 

& those you hold dear to your heart! 
~ Enjoy these vintage images ~

Huggies & Sweet, Sweet Easter Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

 

 May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Huggies & Sweet, Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Shocker.....a card!

Now don't fall over from the shock.......but I actually have a card to share............gasp!  lol  I don't know why I struggled so much with this one.  Guess it's because I normally don't make masculine cards.  But when I searched through my myriad of patterned paper...............as soon as I laid eyes on this one it screamed.....PICK ME, PICK ME!  So I did!  LOL  I wanted to put it onto black cardstock but it just kind of laid there............flat.  So I thought of pairing it with the kraft paper & it just came alive.  Then the jute tied it all together nicely (parden the pun....lol).  And I cut some Nestie squares to clean up the corners.

This card is for my hubby Frank's birthday on Sunday.  He normally likes CAS (clean and simple) cards although he told me that he loves any card I make for him..............aaaawwww...........but I know what he really likes best..........lol.......so I had to really restrain myself from adding any more pizzazz or doo-dads to it.  I wanted to put a button on top of the knotted jute but then realized that I liked the looks of the knot all by itself.  I guess there's hope for me yet to make more CAS cards.   

We're having a big party for the lucky guy. We all feel like we're the lucky ones to have him in our lives.  He can be a "pill" at times..........but he's our "pill" & we wouldn't have it any other way.  By the by......Frank & I will be celebrating our 40th anniversary in July.  OMGosh......did I just say "40th"?????  Oh my, my.........I'm feeling ancient.  LOL

Thanks for joining me today & I hope to be crafting more & more now that I'm exercising.  I'm trying to get myself into better shape so my back won't keep going out on me.  My daughter's boyfriend is a certified personal trainer so he helped Frank & I get started on a healthier 2013. We do it together so we keep each other motivated. Truth be told.........I truly hate to exercise but he's given us very manageable exercises to do every weekday.  I can already tell the difference.  YAY!

**Card details:
DCWV "the All Dressed Up matstack" glittered DP
Nesties (Classic Squares Large and Deckled Rectangles Large)
Jute, black, white & kraft cardstock & silver balls all from my stash
"Happy Birthday" was computer generated using "Asia" font

Until next time............

Huggies & Sweet, Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Hi Everyone!  I just wanted to pop in to say Hello and let you know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Just things going on & annoying health issues that have made it difficult for me to craft.  But hubby's birthday is next Sunday so I'm making him a card.  Shocker!  LOL

I also changed my blog yesterday.  It was a bit too "busy" for me so I went back to this lovely background & tweaked my header in PSE.  Sooooo whatcha think?

Hope all is well with you & yours and I'll be seeing you soon to share my card.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Friendship is a sheltering tree

This is my first card for the year 2013. Can you believe that it's already the 13th?  (I know....I'm a little slow.....lol) This is also my last Design Team card for the Clear It Out challenge blog.  It's been a wonderful 6 months on the team & I've made some wonderful friends.  Thank you, Laura, and the team for being so awesome & welcoming to me.  I wish you all the very best for 2013.

The challenge theme for this challenge is CIRCLES.  Can you find my circles?  (if not.....I think you may need some eye glasses....LOL).  The stash item is ANYTHING GOES.  Our sponsor is Digi Darla Designs & I've used "Birds in tree" to showcase my card.  You can find it HERE. It comes as a standard black line drawing so I played with my Print Shop Elements 6 program.  Can you see the cute little colored birdies?  Well this was my first time "painting" my picture in PSE6......it happened as a 'happy accident' as I was playing around with my image.   (I really need to spend some time learning all the cool things I can do with that program.)

Anywho......the sentiment I used was perfect for this card.  It comes from Paulette at Create with TLC.  She has oodles & oodles of amazing sentiments.  Perfect for any card.  And guess what?  It was FREE.  How sweet is Paulette for giving away so many wonderful sentiments & graphics.  Thank you, Paulette!  I've cut out & layered my sentiment with my Nesties "Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles small" (boy that's a mouthful! lol) What would I do without my diecuts.

My stash item for this card is another glittery page from my DCWV matstack called "All Dressed Up".  I felt it went really well with the black & white trees as the background.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Inky Chicks:  #1 Anything Goes
Creative Creations Challenges:  #1 Anything Goes
My Grafico:  #143 Anything Goes
Pause Dream Enjoy Challenges:  #1 Use Ribbon
Inky Impressions Challenges:  #92 Add a Sentiment
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge Blog:  #109 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Challenge:  Black & White plus splash of color
Totally Paper Crafts:  #149 Ribbon
613 Avenue Create:  #2 Anything Goes

Thank you so much for joining me today.  I always look forward to reading your sweet comments. 

Huggies & Sweet New Year's Blessings ~♥♥♥~

My 2012 FAVorite 6 Cards

Hi Everyone!  Can you believe we're already at the end of 2012!?!  Oh my goodness........where has the year gone?  As I look back through the year I notice that each & every one of my FAVorite cards has an image of a sweet little girl.  I guess it's 'cuz I'm really a little girl at heart.  ♥ LOL ♥ You can click on each card to be taken to the original posting of that particular card.  Thanks for looking!  It's been a fun year!

Thank you so much for following along with me this year.  It's been a year of many changes & unexpected blessings but the Lord has seen us through it all.
I look forward to sharing more with you in 2013.  May your New Year be blessed!!!

Huggies & Sweet New Year's Blessings ~♥♥♥~

May your Christmas be Blessed!

I want to wish all of you a Merry & most Blessed Christmas!!! 

Thank you all for visiting with me on my little blog.  I know I don't create as often as a lot of crafters but I can assure you that everything is made with love.  I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to leave your sweet & encouraging comments.  I appreciate each & every one of you.

Enjoy this Season of giving with your family & friends & remember to tell them how much you love them.  We never know what will happen from one day to the next but we know who holds us in His hands.  May you walk in His Light & Love this Christmas!  Happy Birthday, Jesus!!! ♥♥♥

Huggies & Sweet Christmas Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Just livin' the Dream...

This card is a bit different for me as I used a photograph that I tweaked in Photo Shop Elements.  My daughter took this picture of her toesies last summer while at the beach & I knew instantly that I wanted to use it for her birthday card this year.  She loves the beach & the sun & getting her tan on.  She is truly a southern California girl.  Her birthday was Tuesday & she's been celebrating non stop ever since.  LOL  She loved her card & couldn't get over the fact that I used her picture.  Remember her card last year?  It was her pretty picture on a Cosmopolitan magazine cover.  You can see it HERE. I had to really do a lot of thinking to top that one but I'm pretty happy with how this one came out.  The kraft paper seemed to really suit the light pink digital paper to a tee.  The pink frame was from a digi by Sapna called Fun in the Sun.  I used pink washi tape & vintage buttons tied with jute to give the corners some pop.  A pretty pink paper flower & Antique Linen Distress Ink on all the edges was the final finishing touch. 

I chose to use this sentiment on her card because my daughter & I say this to each other all the time when asked how we're doing.  We say........."Just livin' the dream!" whether we're having a good day or not.  Plus I felt the sentiment was fitting for a day at the beach.  Wonder what she was dreaming about?

Thanks for joining me today & a Big Happy Birthday to my Kimmie!!!  I love my beautiful Baby Girl!!!!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Southern Girls Challenge:  #59 Endless Summer (anything that conveys summer)
Crafty Creations Challenges:  #200 Wise words

Digital Tuesday Challenge:  #190 Summer Lovin' (my digital elements.......focal picture & pink decorative paper)
The Kraft Journal:  Make It Monday "Anything Goes" (along with kraft paper)
My Grafico Challenges:  Anything Goes


Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As stated in my previous post our Clear It Out challenge blog is having a super special challenge for the whole month of December.  I already told you about our FABulous sponsor........Krista from Saturated Canary who is offering the winner their choice of 2 of her amazingly cute images.  The other special surprise is my teamie Laura is giving a TON of prizes & goodies to those who enter (as many times as they choose) but there are certain qualifications in order to win.  The rest of the details can be found at Clear It Out.

Our theme for the December challenge is CHRISTMAS using any stash item of your choice in your paper creation.  If you don't celebrate Christmas then we ask that you please use the colors RED, WHITE and/or GREEN in your project.  As you can see......I've used ALL of the above in my DT card.  LOL

Krista so generously gave us our choice of which image we wanted to showcase.  Boy was that a tough challenge.  LOL  I love ALL of her digis!  Anywho.......since it was Christmas I chose this adorable little cutie with her cute little friend popping up out of the bag called Christmas Nutcracker.  You can find it HERE at her Saturated Canary shoppe.  The stash item I chose to use is from that big pad of Christmas paper that I used recently.  I cut the paper so that the big Christmas tree was behind my image.  I love the little snowman & angel hanging from the tree & you can see a little candy cane peeking out below my image.  It's all just too too cute!  (You can see the other deets about my card design below.) 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I would love to see your paper creations on the Clear It Out blog.  :)  (By the way......my card won't go "live" on the CIO blog until Tuesday Dec. 11th.)

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
Lady Anne's Stamp Challenge:  Anything Goes (must stamp digi or rubber)
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog:  #105 Anything Goes
Color Throwdown:  #221 red, tan, green & black (cording on lights)
Crafts and Me Challenges:  #113 Anything Goes with optional ornament
Creative Card Crew:  #25 Star (Christmas tree star in background paper)
Deep Ocean Challenge Blog:  #40 So this is Christmas
Die Cuttin Divas:  #94 Holiday Spirit (must include die cut)
Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog:  #75 Christmas
Jingle Belles:  December to Remember ~ Anything (Holiday) Goes
QKR Stampede:  #16 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps:  #93 Christmas
2 Sisters Challenge Blog:  #120 Christmas Sparkle
Catch the Bug Challenge Blog:  December Anything Goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge: 101 Make it Girlie
My Sheri Crafts:  #99 'Tis the Season
Papertake Weekly Challenge:  Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique:  #61 Holiday Cards
Thru the Craftroom Door:  #47 Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday:  #91 Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge:  Bingo (Christmas tree/free/gold)
The Crafty Bloggers Network:  #6 Anything Goes
Crafty Boots Challenges:  Anything Goes
Critter Sketch Challenge Blog:  #144 Christmas Anything Goes
Made Especially for You:  Christmas card with a die cut
Paper Pretties:  #235 Christmas inspired
Tammy's Scrapin Corner:  #39 Anything Christmas
The Pink Elephant:  #177 Make it Girly
Paper Cupcakes:  Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle
Paper Makeup Stamps:  #65 Digi tic tac toe (sparkle, word art, designer paper)
Pile it on:  #49 Pile on the Embellishments
The Ribbon Girl Blog:  December ~ Christmas 

Copics used:  

• Skin:  E000, R11 
• Reds:  R35, R37, R39 
• Hair: E31, E41, E50 
• Eyes:  E34 
• Bag: E41 
• Tin Soldier:  R35, R37, Y15, YR24, E000, E00, R11, R20, C3, C5, C7 
• Ground shadow:  W00, W0, W1 

Supplies used:

• DP:  K&Co "EB Visions of Christmas" and Kraft cardstock
• Dies: Nesties 'Labels Four' and 'Curved Rectangles'
• Digital Stamp:  Saturated Canary “Christmas Nutcracker” 
• Inks:  Distress Ink 'Brushed Corduroy'
• Martha Stewart 'Cottage Christmas Stocking' sticker & Christmas tape
• Vintage pearl button
• Misc. Stash:  Light garland, baker's twine, ribbons
• The "Merry Christmas" was computer generated using the "Adine Kirnberg-Script" font

Until next time............I want to wish you all a happy & joyous holiday season.  Enjoy your family & friends.


Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

CIO Challenge & new Sponsor

It's time for another Clear It Out challenge.  The challenge theme for the month of December is CHRISTMAS and the stash item is ANYTHING GOES.  We want to help you get those Christmas cards or projects made.  And as always.........we're all about helping you clear out the stash items that we all have laying around unused (hence our name...."Clear It Out").

I'm so very excited to reveal our special Sponsor for December.  It's the amazing.........and incredibly talented.......Krista from Saturated Canary.  I think you'll agree with me that her images are some of the cutest ones out there. Krista is giving away 2 digital images to the lucky winner.  Yippee Skippee!!!  Amazballs!

It's Team A's turn to dazzle you with their projects so hop on over to Clear It Out & take a looksie.  We would love to have you join in the fun & have a chance to win some of Krista's cuuute digis.  Ya gotta be in it to win it!  :)  I'll be posting my card soon so watch for it.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~