Happy Birthday Charmaine!

Have you heard of S. C. U. B. A.?

Well, today it stands for Super Creative Birthday Acknowledgement...and that's exactly what this is! A one-of-a-kind card created especially for a very dear, incredibly talented blog friend ~ CHARMAINE of OODABUG ALLEY!

Let's all wish Charmaine a very HAPPY DAY filled with many reasons to SMILE! :)

{ Note to Charmaine: I thought you would enjoy this colorful combo of bright happy colors... pacific point and tangerine tango! I'll mail it out tomorrow...better late than never! Bday Hugs & Smiles 2 U! }

This cute SCUBA Changito monkey image was sent to me by my stampin friend "Monkeylove" from the Stamp Shack. Thanks Patty! It was so FUN to color with copic markers. The designer paper is from a 4 x 6 K & Company Citronella pad. I thought the blue looked like water waves. :) The cute little felt flower embellishment is also by K & Company ~ Urban Rhapsody.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I've got some exciting news to share in my next post, so stay tuned!

Smiles!





Quote for Today ~
Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. ~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

{Sweet Sketch #4} It's Time To Celebrate!

You are all going to wonder what has gotten into me with TWO posts in one day! :) Well, it's a nice quiet, relaxing holiday with nothing much going on here until the local BIG BANG BOOM fireworks tonight!

Our weather is unseasonably cool and cloudy today so I've just stayed indoors stamping and blogging away! I'll admit that your SWEET comments on my last card have motivated me. Thank U so much!

One of the comments was from Arlana from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and she invited me over to check out her sketch challenge blog. WoW! I was totally inspired by her and her Design Team's incredible patriotic creations! They are all just FANTASTIC!

This layout was perfect for my little patriotic Biker Bee by Stampendous. I stamped the image with Versafine onyx black and colored it with a combination of Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils. The distressing was done with Versafine vintage sepia. I did change up the layout a little by placing the ribbon above the sentiment instead of below. I stitched on the sentiment before I realized it was too low to place the ribbon underneath. Oh well! In case you're wondering, the little sentiment is from the Stampin Up set ~ "A Little Birdie Told Me". Ever since I created my notebook with all my stamp sets, it's so much easier to find a stamp when I need it. I don't have any 4th of July sentiments, but knew there must be something in my arsenal that would work! :)

I'm not going into great detail so if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I think most bloggers quickly view the photos and don't read all the riff raff anyway. Am I right? ;)

What a wondeful way to celebrate this INDEPENDENCE day!



I'm glad you stopped by! Happy 4th!

Another Quote 4 U Today ~

May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! ~Daniel Webster

{WSC87} God Bless America!

Happy 4th of July!

We had the BEST time last night at a spectacular "Red, White & Blue Luau" hosted by our sweet DIL Jami and son Andrew. Jami is an awesome cook and she had authentic Hawaiian foods that were scrumptious! She down-played the fact that it was her 27th birthday and went to sooo much effort to make it a FUN, FUN evening...complete with pina coladas topped with cute umbrellas! :) Not only all that, but we celebrated with a spectacular fireworks show too! GOOD TIMES!!

It was late when we got home, but I was feeling patriotic and had this great card idea in my head for the Weekend Sketch Challenge hosted by Charmaine of Oodabug Alley fame. I was up WAY past my bedtime, but I made up for it this morning and slept in. :)



As for the card, I used the sentiment from the Stampin Up "God Bless America" set. First, I tried using the flag and punching circles out of it, but just didn't care for the flag cut up. So, I remembered these star buttons in my stash and went with them instead. I punched out the 1-1/4" circles, sewed the button on, and pop-dotted them onto the card. A little random stitching and distressing with Vintage Sepia ink, some ribbon tied on and wala! Oh, and the red cardstock piece was embossed with the Cuttlebug Script. It needed something, but I wasn't sure what. :)
It was a very BUSY and stressful week at work, but I'm HAPPY to say that I'm on VACATION now until the 13th. YaY!!! We don't have any major plans, but I've got quite a list of things I want to accomplish. One of my intentions is to get a few of my new stamps inky and cut into a few of these cool new designer paper pads! Stay tuned! :)

What are you doing to celebrate the 4th of July? I would love to hear about it! Whatever you're doing... be safe, have FUN and ENJOY every minute! God Bless U and your family and...

. . . and a special blessing to all the military personel and their families. I'm so grateful for all their sacrifices for our FREEDOM!

Smiles,

Quote for Today ~

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

{WSC86 & Banana Split Challenge} Sunny Smiles!

Color me into one of these beach chairs...ahhhh...Heaven on Earth!

Today's bright and SUNNY card is for a combination of TWO, count 'em, TWO blog challenges!

First of all I came across this awesome inspiration photo above at 2 Red Bananas for the Banana Split Sunday Challenge. Have you heard of it yet? I hadn't. I was browsing through the blogs on my Google Reader and this photo jumped out and called me in. Seriously! :)

And I always love participating in the Weekend Sketch Challenges organized by Beate and kept going by a super team of creative stampers. This week's challenge is hosted by Cambria and she's made a wonderful patriotic card you won't want to miss.

If you have any questions about my card, please don't hesitate to ask. As always, I enjoy your comments so much... they really do make my day!

Have a GREAT weekend and do what makes you SMILE!

Quote for Today ~

A life without love is like a year without summer. ~Swedish Proverb

Gettin' Old Ain't For Sissies!

Isn't this stamp hilarious?! :) It's by Art Impressions and I received it from a stamping friend a few years ago. Everytime I use it, it makes me laugh!


This card is a "remake" for a friend of ours that will be celebrating her 80th birthday this week. She's got a good sense of humor so I think she'll get a kick out of it.

The adorable little green flower on top of the bow was hand crocheted and sent to me by my stampin neighbor, Debbie Fisher from The Paper Garden. Isn't it PERFECT?! I can't believe she sent me an envelope FULL of these beauties! They are going to be SO FUN to use on my cards!


The image was colored with copic markers and the designer paper is from a K & Company 4x6 mat pad. This is a large image and the card is a 5-1/2" square. Since we're hand delivering it, I wasn't concerned about the large size and embellishments. The photo below is the inside of the card with the sentiment stamp by Inkadinkadoo. {quote by Bette Davis} . . .


I have been receiving so many wonderful comments on my blog lately and I've got to tell you they mean the world to me. It's so nice to know you're out there and that you enjoy seeing my creations as much as I enjoy making them and sharing them with you! :) Thank you too for your comments about my Dad's photo and memories. Bless your hearts!


Thanks again for stopping by and I hope you're having a great week!
Smiles 2 U All!




p.s. note to Debbie & Gail . . . I think we need to plan a get together! :)

Quote for Today ~
The key to successful aging is to pay as little attention to it as possible. ~Judith Regan

{KWerner Color Inspiration #55} It's the Little Things that Make Life BIG

When I saw Kristina Werner's latest Color Inspiration Challenge I couldn't believe my eyes! I knew that I had some designer paper that was almost identical to her boss's skirt in the inspiration photo! How Perfect!

Btw, this paper is by the Paper Studio ~ called Traditions Floral Paisley. I've teamed it up with Stampin Up colors really rust and more mustard. The stamp set is also by Stampin Up ~ Happy Harmony!

I've used my neglected mega & giga punches to create the circles and dimensionals to attach them. The ribbon is from American Crafts, purchased at Michaels dollar bin. Gotta love that! A couple weeks ago I sorted out all my old buttons and this is one from my stash. I just sewed it onto the bow with some coordinating embroidery floss. {Years ago I did a LOT of counted crosstitch so I have nearly every color and it's coming in handy for this purpose.}

Yesterday, I got my new varigated dogwood bush planted and a good start on putting down my landscaping crescent rocks around the backside of the garage. It's an all day project around here just to mow our big yard and I hope to finish that today. When I woke up it was raining, but I think the SUN is trying to shine now! YaY!

This morning I made this challenge card and cleaned up my super messy stamping room. I've started working on a card using some of Debbie's cute little crocheted flowers and I'll post that later. Now, I'm going to make a strawberry-banana-pineapple-kiwi-yogurt smoothie and head outside!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Smiles,

Quote for Today ~
The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God;
I called him Dad! ~Author Unknown


On Father's Day ~ in loving memory of my DAD ~ the best father in the world . . .

{my dear dad died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 51 . . . nearly 28 years ago and I still miss him every day!}

You're a Good Apple Debbie Fisher!

I received this *fabulous* card today from my super creative blog friend and Nebraska neighbor ~ Debbie Fisher from The Paper Garden. Isn't it wonderful?! I especially love the layout and colors, not to mention the cuter than cute apple stamp and sentiment!

A few days ago, Debbie posted a photo on her blog and mentioned she was crocheting flowers with embroidery floss to embellish her cards. I left a comment telling her how much I loved them and wished I knew how to crochet. Well, SURPRISE, SURPRISE! Debbie enclosed several of these little beauties inside the card she sent! And I can certainly appreciate the tedious handwork that went into each one of them...all so dainty and colorful! It's just so FUN to get HAPPY MAIL! Thank you SO much Debbie ~ you made my day!! :) :) :)


I spent almost the entire day outdoors today working in the yard...doing some landscaping and mowing too. The SUN was shining this morning, but then it clouded up and got so humid. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a nice day too so I can finish up. MW (Mr Wonderful) has gone fishing with our son for the weekend at Lake Oahe in South Dakota and when I talked to him tonight they had caught their limit of walleye today and were havin' a good 'ol time! What a wonderful way to spend Father's Day...doing what he loves!

I'm glad you stopped by and I hope you're having a SUNsational weekend!

Smiles,




Quote for Today ~
If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas. ~George Bernard Shaw

p.s. be sure to check out Debbie's blog ~ The Paper Garden ~ you'll be *so* glad you did!!!

{Color Throwdown #47} Try Painting Yourself a Different Color ~

When I saw the colors in this week's Color Throwdown Challenge, I almost threw in the towel right there! You thought I was going to say I almost threw up right there, didn't you?! ha ha :) No, they aren't *that* bad together, but they are definitely colors that I wouldn't have thought to group together.

After seeing the cards the Throwdown Team created, I was truly inspired and decided I could use some background paper to "tone down" the colors a bit. :) I pulled out a sheet of cardstock for each one of the Stampin Up colors ~ cameo coral, tempting turqouise and kiwi kiss and then sorted through my designer papers to see if I had anything that would coordinate. The ones I selected are from the Basic Grey - Urban Prairie 6 x 6 pad. I debated which one of the cardstock colors to use as the base and decided on the cameo coral, using the kiwi kiss ribbon to accent it. The turquoise in the patterned paper is much more subtle than the tempting turquoise cardstock and that was ok with me! :)
The stamp is one of my favs ~ by Inkadinkadoo! I've stamped it in Versafine onyx black ink and embossed with clear powder. Can you see the scalloped edge under the ribbon? That was created with the Stampin Up punch.

Well, I hope you like it and maybe I've even inspired U to create a card with these unlikely colors. What do you say? If I can do it, so can U! :)

Tomorrow is FRIDAY! YaY! I'm always ready for the weekend!

Smiles 2 U,





Quote for Today ~ {a repeat...worth repeating}

Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination.
~Robert Fulghum

{Rasperry Suite Color Challenge #9} Perfect for the Queen of Green!

I was once called the "Queen of Green" by Sarah at The Stamp Shack because I often made cards with green as the primary color. If you could see my ribbon supply, you would be amazed to see the majority of my ribbon is in different shades of green. I've never considered green my favorite color, but apparently it is when it comes to cardmaking!

Anyway, isn't this week's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge just PERFECT for the "Queen of Green"?! :) I *love* that photo and wish I had those fabulous cream & black dishes and linens! Oh, and while I'm wishing...I'll take that hutch and the beautiful GREEN walls too! :) Thank you to Dawn McVey at My Favorite Things for the inspiration photo she took at the Nell Hill's store in Atchison, Kansas. It definitely inspired me!


So what do you think of my GREEN card created especially for this challenge? I don't have the Papertrey cardstock, so used Stampin Up's green galore, basic black and very vanilla. I've used the Stampin Up polka dot background stamp and Versafine onyx black ink. I like it because it's such a nice sharp black. On the vanilla carstock, I stamped "You Make Me Smile" and used a clear embossing powder on top of the black ink. The stamp is an oldie and one of my favorites from Denami Design. I've used the retro flower punch and layered on a green "Big Blossom" button by Favorite Findings. (Walmart) On top of that, I put a smaller black button with green sparkly flakes. These three layers are tied together with some creme colored crochet thread.

This evening has certainly flown by and it's almost past my bedtime! And I haven't even played Wordscaper on Facebook with my daughter and sister yet... one of my favorite things to do online now, besides blogging, of course! If you like to play Scrabble, you'll *love* Wordscraper! I can say that tonight because I've *finally* won a couple games! Believe me, that's an accomplishment playing against those two!

So, that's all folks! Have a fantastic week and GO GREEN!!!

Smiles...




Quote for Today ~
Take care of the earth and she will take care of you. ~Author Unknown

{SFYTT} I think I'll hang on to you!

This card was created using Jen del Muro's "Sketch for You to Try" for this week. The sketch challenges are just the boost I need when feeling like I've lost my mojo!

One of my stamping friends at the Stamp Shack sent me an envelope FULL of different Changito Monkey images and this is one of them. { Thank you to Patty ~ aka "MonkeyLove" at the Shack! } Isn't it adorable?! Well, what can I say...they ALL are!

I've colored the image with Copic markers. The cardstock is Stampin Up old olive and basic black. The distressed striped patterned paper is by Daisyd's. Really, this was a fairly easy card to make and I think I'll use this sketch again! :)

We've had such a nice weekend and got some yard work done. Tonight we're grilling and relaxing on the deck. I *love* summer!!!

Summer Sunshine & Smiles 2 U All,

Quote for Today ~

Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world. ~Ada Louise Huxtable

Not the usual Girl's Weekend in Vegas! :)

This is not stamping related, but I wanted to share a few photos from our "Girl's Weekend in Vegas". I'll be back later with a card for the Iheart2stamp sketch challenge!

Last Thursday, I had a direct flight from Omaha to Vegas and my sister Judy arrived from Redding, California just an hour later. My daughter Katie picked us up and took us to her lovely home where we visited into the wee hours of the morning. We were all a little slow getting up on Friday, but after our morning coffee, we ventured out to Red Rock Canyon for a hike. As you can see in the photos, it was so beautiful!

Katie and her puppy, Hula... (needless to say, Hula loved the hike!)

Katie and Judy...they were more adventurous than I was. My ankle is still healing, so I took my time and the easy path! :)

Me and my sweet sister Jude...

One of the BIG highlights of our weekend was our day at the Red Rock Spa on Saturday. THANK YOU KATIE! She treated Judy and I to a "Spa Day" and it was the ultimate experience and totally luxurious! We each had a 50 minute massage and oil treatment called the "Island Wrap". Needless to say, it was heavenly! We spent several hours there just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful facilities.

Relaxing out by the pool at the salon...

On Saturday night, Judy treated us to a fabulous show at the Wynn Casino ~ "Le Reve" ~ an acrobatic water show in a circular theatre and it was A M A Z I N G! I've never seen anything like it before! (click LeReve link to You Tube promo video) No photos could be taken in the theatre, but we had someone get our photo as we entered...

After the show, we had dinner at the Encore Hotel/Casino...at an Asian restaurant called "Wazuzu". Very fancy and delicious! The photo below was taken while we waited...not the best shot of my sis!

They were busy and we waited about a half hour for a seat. Judy's theory is that you always have to wait for a table in Vegas because they want you to spend that time gambling! It makes sense, knowing there are slot machines and poker tables just a few feet from the entrance to the restaurant. The photo below was taken from their website. We sat right below this crystal dragon...
Other than this, most of our time was spent hanging out at the pool in Katie's backyard. And NO, I'm not showing you any photos of me in a swimsuit!!! :) It was so great to visit and relax without a care in the world! Loved it! And we all decided it was our 1st Annual . . . already planning for next year!

If you stayed with me through all those photos you're a trooper and I thank you! I couldn't resist reliving it all and sharing it with you. I'll be back later with a card, I promise! :)

Sunshine and Smiles!

Quote for Today ~

The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket. ~Kin Hubbard

Happy Today, Happy Tomorrow, Happy Everything!

Has it really been two weeks already since I last posted to my blog?! I've missed all of you and want you to know that I'm still here...just a little busy lately!

Last weekend, I flew out to Las Vegas to spend four wonderful days with my daughter Katie and my younger sister Judy. We had such a fabulous time! I'll post a few photos in a separate post and tell you a little more about it.

As for this card, it's a bit different than my normal style. My goal was to keep the Chinese character for happiness the focal point. You know I love to use ribbon and embellishments so this was a bit of a challenge for me to keep it simple!

My sister Judy brought me this incredible set of 20 rubber stamps with the Chinese characters that she had purchased at Flax Art & Design in San Francisco. The stamps came packaged in this little wood box with and ink pad and a booklet to explain each symbol.

The one I've used on this card is HAPPINESS or "FU". The booklet says "The Great Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu considered individual happiness a result of doing what comes naturally, and thereby attaining a state of harmony with the natural world. Happiness, to him, was a state of tranquility. But for most people in his time, happiness was a less lofty pursuit centered around a full stomach. The wise ruler could ensure his subjects' happiness by guaranteeing sufficient food for each mouth under heaven--as suggested in the character for FU, which places the pictographs for mouth and ripe grain under the line signifying heaven."

For the inside of the card, I used a stamp from Small Sayings by Stampin Up:

Please let me know if you have any suggestions on other ways I can use these stamps. I was thinking just a simple black on white design would be good too. What do you think?

Thanks for blogging by today! Have a wonderful weekend and do what you makes you HAPPY!!!

Smiles 2 U!

Quote for Today ~

"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." ~Joseph Addison