My Heart's Message

I wanted to share a cross stitch wedding sampler that I made for my niece.  (I wanted to wait until she received it  before I posted it on my blog).  This year I started cross stitching again after stopping several years ago.  I was having trouble seeing the intricate cross stitch patterns but decided to give it a try again and I'm so glad I did.  As you saw in my Christmas in July posts HERE and HERE I cross stitched a couple of small birdie pictures too.  So I guess my eyes aren't THAT old yet & I can still manage to do it.  PTL

(Note:  I'm blocking out their names and date to protect their privacy.)

If you remember............this is the Anniversary card I made for them.  You can read all about it HERE.

Thanks for joining me today & thanks so much for taking the time to leave me those sweet, sweet comments.  I love each & every one.  :)

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Boo Boo Hugs

Hey Everyone!  Our new Clear It Out challenge starts tomorrow.  Our sponsor this time is the amazingly talented MelJen's Designs.  The winner will receive 4 digital images of their choice.  You can pick up this cutie named "Little Girl Bear Hugs" at MelJen's Designs HERE.

 My poor little darling has a boo-boo (notice the bandaid on her leg).....but she doesn't look sad at all cuz she's hugging her sweet little teddie bear & giving him oodles of love. I've colored them both using my trustie Copics (listed below).  The background papers are another NitWits collection.  I just love their digital graphics.

I recently got a 'Scrabble' alpha rubber stamp set from Whimsy Stamps.  They were having a huge sale & this girl just can't pass up a good craft sale.  :)  I love this set!  It was such a good price!  It came with all 26 letters of the alphabet.  LOL  Imagine that!  That's 26 stamps for one low price. Well actually you get 2 extra...one with a heart & a blank so that's 28 stamps.  I just love a good deal.  I try not to pay full price for anything.........especially craft items.  Anywho..........just wanted to share with my friends.............back to the challenge..............

Our challenge at CIO this time is "Use an image of a Child or Children".  The Stash requirement is everyone's FAVorite "Anything Goes".........just tell us what you've used.  My stash item is the pretty flower I've layered.  Actually the pearl button on top is from my stash too.  I'm so glad that CIO helps me clear out that huge mountain of craft supplies I've hoarded bought.  LOL

I used this great sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

In addition to the sketch challenge I would like to enter these challenges (Oh my.....I found a lot this time):

Crafts and Me Challenges:  #101 In the Pink
Divas by Design:  #52 For a Child
Ink Impressions Challenges:  Pink and Brown
My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges:  #74 Buttons (pearl center is a button)
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog:  #93 Pink and Brown
Ruby's Rainbow:  #37 Bingo ~ Pearls (button) / Flowers / Ribbon (ok it may be a stretch to say that baker's twine is 'ribbon')
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog:  #51 Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts:  #28 Distressing (edges distressed with DI)
Hiding in My Craft Room:  #6 Distressing (edges distressed with DI)
Bearly Mine Challenges:  #52 Anything Goes
Scrap Creations:  Pick 3 (distress, die cut, glitter)
Papertake Weekly Challenge:  Things that make you go Awwww :)
Tuesday Throwdown:  #115 include Gems (on card corners)
DYSU:  #89 Kraft & Twine
Shelly's Images: TTT Anything Goes
Thru the Craftroom Door:  #35 Anything Goes
Papelitos Challenges:  #11 Anything Goes
Use it Tuesday:  #39 Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter:  #81 Punched or Die Cut
Southern Girls Challenge:  #53 Bling, Bling
Digi Doodle Shop:  Final challenge ~ Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey:  Use a Sentiment
Meljen's Challenge Blog:  #127 Scrap It (used scrap Kraft paper for letters)
Joyful Stamper Inspire Me Fridays: #76 Anything Goes
Jellypark Challenges:  All About Children
Our Craft Lounge:  #134 All About TWINE
The Kraft Journal:  Lavishly Layer
Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog:  #137 Babies and/or Children

Thanks so much for joining me today.  I always look forward to reading your sweet sweet comments.  :)


Supplies used:

• Copic markers: Skin: E000, E00, R11, R20 ~ Hair: E31, E35, E37 ~ Bandaid: E000, R11 ~ Clothing, Hearts & Flowers: R81, R83, R85 Grass: G40, G82, G94 ~ Flower centers: YR21 Bear: E53, E31, E34, E57, R00, R11 ~ Outline: W00
• DP: NItWits collection "Grin & Bear It" & Kraft cardstock
• Dies: Spellbinders "Labels Two"
• Digital Stamp:  MelJen's Designs "Little Girl Bear Hugs"
• Rubber Stamp:  Whimsy Stamps Raindrop Echo Designs "Spell It Out"
• Inks:  Distress Ink "frayed burlap", Memento 'tuxedo black'
• Misc. Stash:  Flowers, pearl button, MME Baker's Twine, pink bling

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Sweet Birdies with Heart

Hi Everyone!  As promised I'm sharing my card for the Clear It Out challenge.  You still have time to join us.  Our theme is SYMPATHY and our Stash item is DARK PAPERS.  We're all about helping you use up your stash.  I've had this paper pad forever & I still love it.  It's by DCWV called the "All Dressed Up" matstack.  It's full of glittery papers that met this challenge requirements perfectly.  The sweet image is by Darla's Digis called "Heart Wreath with Birds".  You can find it HERE.  The winner of our challenge will receive their choice of 5 digis from Darla's Digis.  How sweet is that! 

Thanks so much for joining me today.  I hope to see you at the Clear It Out challenge blog.  

**On a side note:  You'll find my card details below.  I "borrowed" this idea from one of my sweet sweet bloggie buddies Tracy at "I Wanna Build a Memory". She makes the most amazing cards & has become such a dear friend.  Thanks for the inspiration, sweetie!  She's on a zillion Design Teams & always has tons cool ideas so pop on by & check out her talent.  You won't be sorry!  :o)

I followed this sweet sketch from Sketch Saturday.   I'll definitely be using this one again.

Challenges I would like to enter:
My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges:  #73 Anything Goes
Crafts and Me Challenges:  #100 Add a Flower
Inky Impressions Challenges:  Anything Goes
Joyful Stamper ~ Inspire Me Fridays:  Anything Goes
Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog:  #50 Lots of Layers
Paper Crafting Journey:  Anything Goes
Come and Get it Challenges:  Tic Tac Toe (diecuts, buttons & ribbon)
Dream Valley Challenges:  #40 Something Old (DP) / Something New (digi)
Pile It On:  #37 Patterned Paper
All Sorts Challenge Blog:  #171 Layers
Shelly's Images TTT challenge:  Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge:  #52 It's all about the Flora


Supplies used:

• Copic markers: Branch: E31, E35, ~ Outline: E41 ~ Leaves: G40, G82, G94 ~ Bird: R00, R11, R20, B91, B95, YR20 ~ Bird Outline: W00 ~ Flowers: R00, R11, R20, YR20
• DP: DCWV Glittered the "All Dressed Up" matstack, black cardstock
• Dies: Spellbinders Mega Nestie "Curved Rectangles"
• Digital Stamp:  Darla's Digis "Heart Wreath with Birds"
• Flowers:  Prima flower, Beaded Stem by Modern Romance, "Dress It Up" black flower buttons
• Misc. Stash:  Black seam binding, Recollections black glitter borders 

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

My Blessing

Yippee Skippee!  I got my new car yesterday & here it is sitting in my garage.  Well it's new to me & as you can see it's been well maintained.  We bought it from the lady who runs my hubby's subcontrator's office.  We know her very well & were so very blessed when she decided to sell her car.  It's a year newer than ours (the one that got "totalled") & still looks brand spankin' new.

Check out the inside.  They even put seat covers on when they first bought it so we're the first ones to use the seats. LOL  The gave us a ton of paperwork on the maintainance.   As you can tell.......they took very good care of it.  They're so pleased that it's going to someone who will love it & take care of it like they did.

God is so good & we feel so very blessed.  Thank You Lord!!!

Just wanted to share my good news with my blogging buddies.  I hope to finish my next card by tomorrow evening.  We were gone all day yesterday taking care of the car business so no crafting time for me.   See you soon & thanks for visiting.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Challenge time at CIO

Hey everyone!  Yes it's that time again for a new challenge at Clear It Out!  The theme this time is SYMPATHY and because we're all about helping you use up what you already have.......the Stash requirement is to USE UP YOUR DARK PAPERS.  I'm working on my card & will show it to you soon.

Our sponsor this time is Digi Darla Designs.  The winner of this challenge will receive 5 digis of their choice. Remember to follow the challenge details in order to be eligible for the prize.

I've been really busy trying to get everything going on replacing my car & helping hubby work with the insurance company.   We're buying a car from a coworker of my hubby's who has a 2006 Camry that has been taken care of so well & is actually in better condition than my '05 Camry that was wrecked.  PTL  I'm so excited.  It looks brand spankin' new!   I'll share a little pic when I get it........hopefully in the next day or two. WooHoo!  It's a beautiful sparkly dark charcoal gray versus my white one so that's a bit different & the inside is exactly the same.......just darker.  Can't wait!

Anywho................back to the challenge.  Come on over to Clear It Out & join us.  You have two weeks to show us your Sympathy cards using your dark papers.  Easy Peasy, right.  It's always nice to have those Sympathy cards on hand.  Unfortunately you just never know when you might need one.

I'll be back in a few days to share my card.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~

Happy Labor Day weekend!

 I'd like to wish all of my fellow Americans a Happy Labor Day weekend!!!  I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank our troops for working so hard to keep our nation free.  I'm not really as tough as Rosie the Riveter in the picture above but I'd like to think so.......LOL. 

Most of us probably don't know much about the history of Labor Day so I looked it up in Wikipedia & this is partially what it said...........

Labor Day is an American federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.

Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events.

You can read more HERE if you'd like to learn more about it's history.  I thought it was interesting.

Have a wonderful day with your family & friends.  We're pulling out of a tough week ourselves.  Through no fault of his own my hubby 'totalled' our one & only car last week (he sold his truck last spring to help with our finances).  This car was my "baby".  It was a 2005 Camry that I bought brand spankin' new.  I only put 40,000 miles on it. BooHoo!  Okay.......nuff crying.  LOL  It's not really my "baby"....in the grand scheme of things it's only a car for heaven's sake......but I did have a moment (well really more of a day) of sadness (after the torturous waiting to see if it was repairable or a total loss).  But then.........I just had to "get over it" & move on.  Thank the Lord for insurance.  Now to find a good replacement.  Look how sad my poor car looks.  :[  (I blocked out the license # just in case you're wondering what the black mark on the license plate is...lol)

Anywho...........on to bigger & better things.  I know our blessing is right around the corner.   

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) NKJV

Thanks so much for joining me today.

Huggies & Sweet Blessings ~♥♥♥~