Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends! I pray that 2012 will be a truly blessed year for all of us. 2011 was a little rough for us but we're starting to see the light at the end of that proverbial 'tunnel'. Praise the Lord for that!

I would like to thank each one of you who take the time to leave such sweet & lovely comments as you visit with me. You truly are a sweet, sweet blessing to me. By the way.....I will be doing a little followers blog candy in January of my favorite things to craft with so watch for it.

See you all next year!!!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Just skating by..........

It's my turn to post on the Sundays with Crissy challenge blog. We're nearing the end of our 24th challenge with everyone's FAVorite........"Anything Goes". You can check out all of the deets on the Sundays with Crissy blog.

I've used this adorable little skating snowman created by the talented Crissy Armstrong called "Snowman Skating". You can find him at Whimsy Stamps along with lots of other cute images by Crissy. Since he's a digital image I was able to shrink him down a bit so I could add him to the bottom corner of the little tag. I just love the versatility of digital stamping.

So whatcha think? Isn't he a cutie patootie! Of course I had to add lots of bling, bling to my card with snowflakes & lots of glitter. I've used my trustie Nesties, some pretty Nit Wit DP & ribbon from my stash. The sentiment was computer generated by me using PC Drop (a pcCrafter font).

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. My hubby surprised me with a Tim Holtz Vagabond die cutting machine. Yippee Skippee! Could you hear me screaming? LOL I'm so excited! Now I can finally use the larger dies. YAY hubby!!!

Thanks so much for visiting with me today & it's not too late to hop on over to Sundays with Crissy to join in our challenge.

This card is going to a dear friend who has been there for us through thick & thin.  We wanted to give him a special "thank you" gift for all he has done for us.  Thank you, Domingo!

I'm entering these challenges:
Digital Tuesday: #141 Winter Wonderland
Top Tip Tuesday: #66 Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs: #126 Winter Wonderland
Paper Playtime: #63 Anything Goes plus a Sentiment
The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog: #7 Use a Sentiment (won Top 3)
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge: Sparkle & Shine
Creative Inspirations Paint: Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes: #100 Celebrate (my friend's birthday)

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Wishing you........

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

A special Christmas card

After seeing a beautiful Christmas card made by Karen at "Luv To Stamp" on Pinterest last night I decided to make my daughter's bestie a card using the braided ribbon technique for the wreath. How much fun that was & Easy Peasy ta boot. Here are a couple of video tuts that show you how it's done......HERE and HERE. I used a pretty 1/4" green satin ribbon (the green is actually a little more greyish green but I had a hard time getting the color just right in PSE).

The sentiment was computer generated by me using the beautiful 'Chopin Script' font. The DP was from Bearly Mine Designs 'Vintage' set. I used my Scallop Circle Nestie & Long Classic Scalloped Rectangle Nestie & the rest of the embellies were from my stash.

I'm entering these challenges:
Paper Sundaes: #100 Celebrate (Christmas)
Paper Playtime: #63 Anything goes plus a Sentiment

Thanks so much for visiting me today & have a Merry Merry Christmas one & all.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Happy Birthday to my Baby Girl

Today is my beautiful daughter Kim's birthday! She's my oldest child but my only daughter so she'll always be my special Baby Girl! I had a blast making this card for her (& she loved it).

I found "Be a Cosmo Cover Girl" on the Cosmopolitan magazine site where you can create your own magazine cover & upload your own picture. I had such a fun time coming up with various "article" titles that fit her personality. She said it was the best card I've ever done for her. aaaawwww melted my heart! I love her so much!

Her best friend took her to San Diego for the weekend to celebrate her special day & surprised her with tickets to see her FAVorite football team..........the San Diego Chargers. They play today & I hope they win big just for her birthday!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

OMGosh!

OMGosh!!! I just realized that today is my Blogoversary! I can't believe that it's already been 3 years since I started this amazing journey.


I want to thank all of you who have made this such a wonderful experience for me. I have been blessed with amazing friendships and sweet followers. I can't believe that so many of you actually want to follow me. LOL (I plan to share some blog candy after the New Year so be watching for that!)


Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have left such wonderful comments through the years & have made this sooooo enjoyable!!! Happy Blogoversary to me! LOL

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Exciting news & a DT card

Notice my new badge? Yippee Skippee!!! I'm so honored to now be a part of Crissy Armstrong's design team aka Crissy's Crew on the Sundays with Crissy challenge blog.

This is my very first DT card to go along with challenge #23 "Christmas cards using non-traditional colours". Go HERE to see all the details about joining in the challenge.


I've chosen to create a fun card using the most adorable "Zoe and Gemma's Snow Fun" created by Crissy which is available at Wags 'n Whiskers. They look like they're having so much fun playing in the snow & creating this cute, cute, cute snowman. This card will be going to my oldest son & his cute little wife who are still in New York. They'll probably see lots of snow this season.

I've used my new Christmas K&Co DP again. I just love the pretty papers in this pad. The image was colored with these Copics: E000, E00, E41, 50 / YR 21, YR24 / R11, R20 / W00, W0, W1, W3, W5 / BG0000, BG10 / B21.

Other card deets:
Nesties Labels One & Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles small
Distress Ink 'Frayed Burlap'
Various glitters
"JOY" from Walmart Christmas ornie section
Pearl Snowflake buttons, Jolee glittery snowflake stickers, seam binding are all from my stash.

Thanks so much for visiting me today & sharing my exciting news!

Challenges I'm entering:
Digi Doodle Shop's Best: #84 Animals (kitty)
Paper Crafting Journey: anything goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: #18 ~ Anything Christmas with Pearls (pearl snowflakes)
Crafty Calendar Challenge: Winter Wardrobe (girl's outerwear)
Paper Sundaes: #97 Winter Wonderland
Dream Valley Challenges: #21 Sparkle (& boy does this card sparkle)
Lollipop Crafts: #59 B is for Bling, Buttons & Bows
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge: #110 Snowmen
Stampin' for the Weekend: #21 Friends
Totally Paper Crafts: #94 Christmas
The Poodles Parlour: Christmas
2 Sisters Challenge Blog: #67 Holiday (Christmas)
Craft Your Days Away: #34 Buttons or Bows
Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog: Punches and/or Dies

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my US friends & family! On this day we take the time to thank the good Lord for all of our many blessings. I have so much to be grateful for..........a loving family who supports me in everything...........friends who have my back..........good health & so much more.

As we gather around our Thanksgiving feast our family takes the time to go around the table & each person says what they are thankful for. It's sometimes silly & funny and other times serious & thoughtful. But we all "get" each other & for that I'm thankful.

Sooooo.......have a wonderful time celebrating with your loved ones & enjoying that amazing food (love that turkey & stuffing) & remember to give thanks to the Lord for His many blessings.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

PCI Guest Designer card

After entering a challenge recently at Paper Creations Ink they chose me to be a Guest Designer. How cool is that! They gave this darling image by Sassy Studio Designs called "Santa's Helper" from their "Sassy Holiday Collection". (Thanks a bunch Sassy Studio Designs!) Doesn't she look pretty sitting on top of that huge prezzie. Wonder what's in it. Do you think she should shake it? LOL Uh...better not just in case it's breakable. LOL This is challenge #13 at PCI with a "Christmas Theme". Can you believe we're only about a month away from Christmas. Yikes! Where has this year gone?

The DP I used is from K&Co's new Christmas paper pad called "Elizabeth Brownd's Visions of Christmas". I loved the pretty blue paper with snowflakes & musical notes. The "Santa's Helper" digital image was colored with my Copics E0000, E000, E00, E31, E41, E50, E51, E53 / R11, R20 / BG0000, BG10, BG11. Then cut out with my oval & scalloped oval Nesties. The bling button, gold doily, gold ribbon & glitter snowflake are all from my stash. I distressed the edges of the DP with Ranger's Distress Ink 'Frayed Burlap'.

This was my first time adding sequins to a card. I purchased a bunch of cupped sequins from Cartwright. They have such a huge selection at such a good price so I got a big variety. These gold sequins came from an assortment pack with a mix of different Metallic colors. They are 6mm Metallic slightly cupped sequins. The 'cupped' center makes a great nesting place for the bead. What pretty little flowers they make. I'll definitely be using this technique again. The opaque ones are really pretty too.

Just in case anyone wants to know how I attached the sequins to my card:

I used some thin 34 gauge gold wire (I think it's called beading wire.......it's old & the label fell off.....lol) to "sew" the gold beads & sequins onto the top of the card. I cut a piece of wire about 4" long. Then strung the bead onto the wire & moved it to the middle of the wire. While holding the bead super straight & making sure it was centered between the bead holes so the holes wouldn't show......I twisted the wire close to the bead. Then I pierced a hole in the DP & threaded the wire through to the back, secured the ends with tape & cut off any excess wire. Easy peasy!

I'm entering the following challenges:
DYSU Challenge: #46 blue
One Stop Craft Challenge: #158 blue
Paper Pretties: Christmas card using non-traditional Christmas colors
Pollycraft Monday Challenge: #120 Christmas fun
The Craft Garden: Christmas without red or green
Wags' n Whiskers: Christmas themed
Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges: #47 Christmas must use digi
Hooked on Craft Challenges: #12 use punch or die cut
Paper Sundaes: #96 Beautiful bow
Pile It On: #47 Anything with a "P" (prezzie aka present)
2 Sisters Challenge Blog: #66 Let It Sparkle
Just Some Lines: Tic Tac Toe (glitter, digi, die cut)
Outlawz challenge: Pam111911 Christmas or winter celebration
Cardmadfairy's Digi Days: #21 texture & must use digi
Crafts 4 Eternity: R#46 Embellishment recipe (snowflake, bling, doily)
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge: #109 Snowflakes
Frosted Designs: Fabulous Friday Challenge ~ Die Cuts!
Creatalicious Challenges: #28 Christmas & sparkle
The Paper Shelter: #40 Snowflakes

Thanks so much for visiting me & please pop on over to PCI to enter their Challenge. They would love to have you join them. This card will be traveling to Mass. to my dear friend Mary.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

THANK YOU

Thank you to all of our US veterans who have proudly served & our US troops who are now serving to keep America free. My father & father-in-law both served our country in WWII. I honor them today for their bravery & sacrifice to our great nation.

***Please note: Many restaurants are giving free meals or entrees to our veterans this day. The ones I personally know of are Applebee's & Chili's. Go to THIS SITE to see more. Most of these are only good for today.

Thank you again & God bless the USA!!!


Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Coffins revisited.....bwahahaha

I thought someone may be looking for a last minute crafty gift to give your special Trick or Treaters this year so I'm sharing these coffin boxes that I made last Halloween. Here's my POST.

If you just want the link for the pattern & tut..........it's HERE. (The pdf patterns are in #2 of the "Coffin Treat Box How-To" section labeled "top" and "bottom".)

I've also shared my Blessing Mix in the same post HERE (farther down the page). Enjoy! And try not to eat toooo much candy! LOL

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

So Sweet 16 card

Remember my beautiful granddaughter, Shaye, who just went to Homecoming (see my previous post for the full picture).......well.......today is her 16th Birthday!!!!! I can't believe that the baby of our family is actually 16 years old & now old enough to drive a car. Yikes! LOL Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!!! She's beautiful & smart & funny & just a delight to have around (well......most of the time......you know how teenagers can be........lol).

Here's the card I made for her special special day.


I wanted to use the perfect image for Shaye's card so when my dear friend Charlene made a sweet 16 birthday card for her granddaughter recently she used a darling pretty girl digital image from Crafts & Me so I just had to take a peek to see what else they had. I found this perfect image called Aliah. Her big hair reminded me of my pretty girl so I just had to get her.

She's colored with my Copics & I've added some feathers to her hair that I found at Michael's. Feathers are really the rage right now. But I think that ship has sailed for me. LOL Nothing like seeing a grandma in feathers. LOL (oh I can think of some other things to say about feathers & grandmas but I'm not "going there"......LOL)

The little charms are actually buttons I also found at Michael's. Although she better not go "clubbin"......LOL.....but she could really rock those shoes. My shoes are orthopedic.......LOL.....(not really but close to it....LOL). No more heels for this grandma..........boohoo!


I added the "Sweet 16" banner to the side of the card using some glittery letters I also found at Michael's. What would I do without my good friends Michael & Joann! LOL Oh and I'm so excited that we're getting a Hobby Lobby in southern California this Friday. YAY!!! Finally!!! LOL

**Note**She loved the card! aaawww....makes it all worthwhile! :)

Copics used:
Skin: E000, E00, R20
Eyes: E31, E33
Eye shadow: E31
Hair: E31, E35, E37
Lips: R11, R20
Butterfly & Strap: R81, R83
Flower: V000, V01, BV00, B60
Greenery: G21, G40, YG63

Challenges I'm entering:
Wee Memories: Free for All
Anything Goes Challenge Blog: To the Letter
Stampin with the Dragon: Buttons & Bows
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge: Birthday
Our Creative Corner: Fabulous Faces
The Squirrel & The Fox: #3 One for the Girls
Paper Sundaes: #92 Sundae Bar picked 2: Black & Sparkle
Lollipop Crafts: #54 Embellish It
Paper Cupcakes: Pink & Black
Paper Playtime: #58 Sentiment & use Buttons & Bows
Make It Monday: #60 Anything Goes

Well...........Thanks so much for visiting with me today & have a wonderful week!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Homecoming beauty

Since I don't have a card to share with you right now I thought I would share my (almost) 16 yr old granddaughter's pic. She's the tall beauty on the right. I can't believe she's going to be 16 next Monday. Wow! And she's growing up to be such a beautiful girl.......both inside & out.

Thanks for sharing in my joy. There's nothing like the joys of being a grandma (her older sis is 21.......where does the time go?).

Stay tuned.......cuz I'll be sharing her birthday card next week.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

GDT card for Sundays with Crissy

I'm so very honored & privileged to be given an opportunity to be a Guest Designer on Sundays with Crissy. Crissy Armstrong creates such beautiful images one of which is this little sweetie called "Say a Prayer". The theme for October at Sundays with Crissy is Thanks or Thanksgiving so I thought what better way to say thanks than to offer up a sweet prayer......."Thank you for being you". This could be to a dear friend or as a special thank you prayer to the Lord for all He has done.

She is colored with my Copic markers (E000, E00, R20, E41, E50, W00, W0) & I've used 3 Bearly Mine Designs papers. The vintage buttons are tied with embroidery floss DMC #963 & the sweet little flowers are from my stash. Pink baby pom pom trim graces the top of the little buttons.


I've used lovely 'rose petal' seam binding from Wild Orchid Crafts to tie the bow & added little die cut corners for added dimension. The little frame charm is resting on top of a piece of antique lace holding a little Crafty Secrets birdie image inside. Can you see the little birdie? LOL It's super tiny. I think there's nothing sweeter than adding little birdies to a project. I've also added a tiny little floss bow.


Challenges I'm entering:
Bearly Mine Challenges: #20 use 3 backing papers
Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Sparkle & Bling
Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog: #23 Anything Goes
The Beary Scrap: #35 Free for (F)all
Paper Sundaes: #89 Lots of Layers
Fussy & Fancy Friday: Try something New (first time using a framed pic & distressing a doily)
Stampin' for the Weekend: #17 What a Cutie!!! (use a cute image)


Thanks so much for visiting with me today & I hope to be creating more soon. On a side note: I injured my knee about a month ago & it's taking forever & a day to heal so I haven't been able to jump around in my craft room which is really my dining room LOL (yeah.....like I can really "jump"....LOL). So I hope to be crafting more since Christmas is drawing near. OMGosh.........did I just say that? LOL (I'll go sit in the corner now.....LOL) So until next time.......be blessed!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

DT card for Craft Us Crazy

Thursday begins our 17th Challenge at Craft Us Crazy. We would love to have you join us. We are looking for creations that say "Goodbye to Summer (summer themed) and/or School themed. My card is full of birdies who seem to be saying "Goodbye to Summer" in their cute little tweet voices. LOL It's actually still summer here in southern California. I am so looking forward to Fall & Winter. You can see from my blog design how much I adore sweet little birdies. They always make me smile. I also love, love, love vintage images & anything by Crafty Secrets screams "vintage".


I followed this sketch from Sketch Saturday. Can you see the little brass staples I added for the 3 vertical lines on each side at the bottom. My card was already so 'busy' that I didn't want to add more ribbon or baker's twine so I thought the staples would fit well.


I used Crafty Secrets Birds & Blossoms paper. It's so colorful & chockful of images for your crafting needs. I added acetate butterflies & flowers from K & Co. and seam binding from Wild Orchid Crafts. The other embellies are from my stash. The back layer of DP is from Bearly Mine Designs.


I'm also entering these challenges:
Papertake Weekly: Things with wings
Flutter By Wednesdays: Must have wings
The Pixie Cottage: Fussy & Fancy (lots of embellies)
Bearly Mine Challenges: #19 Button it up
Crop Stop: #37 Button up
Papercraft Star: #62 Anything Goes
Anything Goes Challenge Blog: Vintage/Shabby Chic
Creative Craft Challenges: Buttons & Bling
Crafty Boots Challenges: Anything Goes
Paper Creations Ink: #8 Vintage or Distressed Look
The Pink Elephant: #116 Vintage themed

Thanks so much for joining me today & don't forget to enter your lovely creations in our challenge blog. Until next time............be blessed!

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~