HELLO good friend! { Julee's Sketch Challenge }

Julee at Poetic Artistry is having a contest on her blog celebrating 75,000 hits! If you've seen her blog, you can understand why she has so many hits. Her blog is one of the BEST! Congratulations, Julee!

Her challenge is to create a card using a sketch that she has posted. This is a layout that I would probably never think of on my own. Actually, there are *so* many wonderful sketch challenges on various blogs and on Splitcoaststampers that I wish I could participate in them ALL!

For my card I've started with a 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 square of turquoise blue DCWV textured cardstock. I've layered with Stampin Up So Saffron and patterned papers by Bo-Bunny and Recess. The sentiment, "hello good friend" in the circle is a $1 Michaels stamp. I've stamped in brown staz-on and embossed with clear embossing powder, but you really can't tell it's embossed. "Hello" was colored with prismacolor pencils and I've used the mega circle and the giga scalloped circle punches for the layers. The striped piece of patterned paper on the right side was put the my Cuttlebug with the script embossing folder. I'm not sure you can really see that in the photo either. I've added some large brads and a small triangle clip with ribbon to embellish it a bit. I don't know if it's "contest worthy", but I'm happy with how it turned out! ; )

Today, I got the WONDERFUL news that my sister Judy from California is planning a visit to Nebraska!!! I'm *so* happy as it's been 2 years since she's been *home*. I was already planning to take a vacation from work next week, so now I'm just going to postpone it a couple weeks and take the time off when she's here. I can't wait! :)

Well, it is *way* past my bedtime and I struggle to get up in the morning as it is, so better say goodnight all! Sweet dreams and Smiles 2 U, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"Life's better when it's fun." - Kevin Costner {boy, that's deep isn't it?} :)

Pick a Petal of Smiles! { Stampin Up! }

Yes, this color combo is a bit out of my comfort zone! : ) Please tell me what you think of it! I can take it. : )

The green striped paper "Playful Streamline" is by K*I Memories and I don't recall where I got the orange paper with brown polka dots. I think it was in a DCWV stack pack. The big flower is created with my new Stampin' Up! "Pick A Petal" set, stamped with chocolate chip ink.

This layout idea was borrowed from one we made at SU Club last month. I guess I wasn't feeling creative enough tonight to come up with something new. Besides, I love this layout with the big flower. The card is a 5 x 5 square. I've layered the striped paper on top of chocolate chip cardstock. And I also layered the flower petals too and attached them with SU dimensionals.

The "Smiles" sentiment is an "A Muse" stamp. The inside sentiment is "Sending smiles your way" - a Verses Rubber Stamp. And that is where I've "borrowed" my QUOTE for TODAY ~ "If I could reach up and hold a star for everytime you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand." - unknown

Sending U Smiles, Pam :)

An Apple A Day . . . { Stampin' Up! Give Thanks }

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. An onion a day should take care of everyone else! :)

I saw this funny sentiment on Splitcoaststampers and printed it on my pc to use for this card. This is a fun card design, but a little tricky to photograph. In the first picture, I had to tape the card closed so you can see how it looks before you open it. The second picture shows how it opens to reveal the inside sentiment. This is just a standard 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 card, but the front is folded in half again at 2-1/8". The patterned paper is by the Paper Studio - Harvest Stripes.

The bucket of apples is from the Stampin' Up! "Give Thanks" set. I've colored it with prismacolor pencils and blended with gamsol. I wasn't sure of the correct shading on the apples, but they do look like apples, right? :)

I'm having a lazy weekend here and haven't accomplished much more than getting the laundry done. Yesterday, I did take my little dachshund Lilly for a walk and we both pooped out before the end of the trail. I guess we're out of shape, huh?!

The weather is still pretty warm and humid here, but windy today and it just seems like Autumn is in the air. I guess that's what inpired this card today. Hope you like it!

Wishing you all a warm and sunny Sunday! Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"If I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." - Jimmy Durante

Business Card Blog Contest { Heartfelt Greetings }

One of my favorite bloggers ~ Amy at "Heartfelt Greetings" is having a blog contest to create business cards for a chance to win some yummy patterned paper by DCWV. I couldn't pass this up, so here is my entry...


It's very simplistic. Actually, I'm having a difficult time controlling myself from embellishing it a bit! Doesn't it need ribbon or brads or such?! :) Amy's instructions say "We're not looking for "which card has the most layers" or "who's card is distressed the best". What my celebrity judges (yes, celebrity!) will be looking for first and foremost, is functionality, followed then by great design elements! Don't bust your hump trying to make it stunningly gorgeous, ok?"

Isn't she hilarious? You've got to check out her blog, if you haven't already got it in your favorites like I do!

Back to my "business card"... I've printed the info on patterned paper and stamped the black dots with my PapertreyInk set. Then it was cut out and layered on black cardstock.

Now, I'm off to the patio to soak up some SUNSHINE and color a few images for cardmaking later.... Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

" It's good to play, and you must keep in practice." - Jerry Seinfeld

Another Hedgie?! { Friends Forever }

Really, I had no intention of making *another* hedgie card this week, but here it is! It's funny how some cards just happen. I had this floral patterned paper out on my craft table for another project and noticed that the colors "went" with this image. I debated that it may be a little too "busy", but I went with it anyway.

The hedgehog stamp is by Penny Black, colored with prismacolor pencils, punched out the image with the Marvy Uchida mega circle punch, layered with retired SU color - marvelous magenta - punched with the giga scalloped circle. The "friends forever" sentiment is from a $1 Michaels Studio G acrylic set that my sweet DIL Jami (Crazy Daisy Creations) bought for me.

Hooray, another weekend is here already! I'm hoping to ink up my new Stampin' Up! Petals & Paint set this weekend. Also, I couldn't resist the 50% off cardstock sale at Hobby Lobby this week and have some fun new patterns to try out.

Have a WONDERFUL fun-filled weekend! Smiles, Pam :)

Quote for Today ~

"Light tomorrow with today!" ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning