Monday, February 28, 2011

a Frame & a few stories

Hey everyone =) Hope you all had a pleasant weekend. I was busy mopping floors and dusting for the past 5 days since we remodeled the guest bathroom. It was crazy with all the dust, noise, people, did I mention dust??!!?? But everything is back to normal now & I absolutely LOVE the way it turned out. Who knew a bathroom could make me this happy..heehee
So now you know the reason for my lack of posts & submission to challenges.
I missed being in my craft room!!

Over the weekend I worked on a picture frame I made for my daughter. She is truly a gift in my life. I know she is now a teen (I can't believe she will graduate from middle school in 3 months!!) , but she is still my goofy little girl =)
I purchased the frame at Michaels ($1), and I used Mod Podge (matte finish) to seal the paper to the frame.
Other supplies I used: MS Doily Lace edge punch, craft paper (K&Company Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse stack), Tim Holtz paper distresser, flower punch, various chipboard & stickers.


I also wanted to share Ashley's clay project for her adv. art class. Poor thing, she had such a difficult time adhering the pieces together. First, one of the hearts fell off on the way to school, then the head fell when one of her friends took a 'closer' look. She was so grumpy while working on this project, all the unfortunate mishaps. But she had success at last & turned in her project in one piece!!

My final share for the evening is a package I got from Norway!! OMG, I was so freaking thrilled & excited. My sweet & darling friend Lilli a.k.a. The Crazy Card Maker sent me the nicest package. It was filled with goodies!! She even crochet my daughter some hand warmers, which came in so handy since it's been freezing over here in So. Cal. & to top that off (I didn't think it was possible!!!), she gave me a cartridge that SHE won in a challenge!! Can you believe this girl!! I was tearing up when I saw the note she sent me and the fact she was so generous to think of me. I just love her! Hopefully one day I will be so lucky to meet you in person, Lilli. You are the greatest friend <3

Thanks for stopping by & visiting me =)

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Card Cupids Challenge #13

Hooray! It’s time for a new challenge! This weeks challenge is sponsored by our friends at Bugaboo Stamps and the winner will receive 7 digital stamps of their choice from the Bugaboo Store! They have so many adorable digital images!! I just love them!


This weeks challenge is to use buttons and/or ribbons on your card. Simple enough!

Here's is my creation. I am so pleased with the way this card turned out!

Hugs! XoXo


Monday, February 21, 2011

a Few Awards

OMG I can't believe it!! I've been away for a week and I missed so much excitement.....happening at my own blog!! hahaha I'm talking about being so lucky to have been thought of for these lovely & very awesome awards!

I am so thrilled I was considered for this award by Lilli. She is just a sweetheart. I adore her!!
Make sure to visit these two very talented gals!! Their work is just amazing & I know you will get some inspiration & ideas from them :o)

As a recipient of this award you must share the love and pay it forward by:
1.Creating a post where you blog about the Liebster award & reveal your 3-5 blog picks
2.Let them know you chose them
3.Copy & paste the blog award on your blog
4.Have faith that your followers will rally & show their crafty love back out to those you awarded
5.Have fun!

I chose these really great blogs to pass this award to:



This lovely award I received from:


Thank you so very much for providing me with this great award!
I truly appreciate it!!!

I feel so so lucky to have met so many wonderful & talented friends through this blog!!
I wish I could give each and everyone one of you a HUGE hug!!







Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Card Cupids Challenge & A Winner

It's time for another challenge over at Card Cupids. Yay! I love our challenges!! We try to come up with new concepts to make it fun & interesting :o)
This week’s challenge is a color challenge! I bet it’s not the colors you expect though! The challenge is to use Red, White and Blue in your project! This will be a good break from all of the Pink, Red and White that I am sure many of you have been using on your Valentine’s. Our challenge sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps and the winner is going to receive 7 Digital Stamps of their choice from the Bugaboo shop!


Here's a little inspiration to get you started. I love this little wizard.
Reminds me of a young Harry Potter heehee

......And now, for the winner of the Robotz cartridge!!! Since there wasn't a huge number of entries, I decided to put all the participants names into a hat & my daughter 'fished' out the lucky winner before heading out to school this morning.

......drum roll please......
#7 Janice.
Congratulations Janice, you will love this cartridge!!
Please email me at cesp1978@gmail.com with your address so I can go ahead & ship your prize.

Thanks everyone for participating on the blog hop & joining the challenge.
You guys are all super talented!!! I loved your projects & comments!!
Thank you also to my new Followers!! I am always excited to meet new friends and being introduced to new techniques & ideas.
You are all awesome!!!

Hugs!! XoXo

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Love Challenges

Valentine's Day is tomorrow!! This is also my last chance to catch up on making those few xtra cards for those special 'loves' in my life, like my sweetheart husband, my sweetie pie Ashley & my darling friend Jill.
I already made a few cards for my daughters' friends and she also purchased a few flower grams at school. I think the kids take Valentine's Day a lot more seriously than most of us adults LOL

Ok, here's the card I made for my hubby. It's literally so stinking cute :o)
Card Recipe:
card base 5 1/2"x5 1/2" (Craft Essentials card pack)
butterfly stamp (heat embossed)
adorable skunk (DCWV Green Stack chipboard)
felt heart (Martha Stewart)
Sentiment (SU! Three Little Words)
scallop punchs, pearls, ribbon & white gel pen

Challenges:
A Spoonfull of Sugar - Show Some Love
My Pink Stamper - Black with your fav. colors
Sew Many Cards - Valentines
The Pink Elephant Challenge - Be My Valentine

Don't forget, there is still time to enter my Blog Candy Giveaway.
(challenge ends February 14th, 2011 at 11:59 pm) 

Hugs!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Card Cupids Valentine's Day Blog Tour

Welcome to the Card Cupids Appreciation Blog Tour!
If you have just hopped on the tour, please go to the first stop over at Card Cupids. If you have arrived from Janel at The Scrappy Life of Mine then you are in the right place. Thanks for stopping by!

Card Cupids mission is to provide encouragement and joy by sending Card Cuddle Care Packages to children who are facing difficult challenges in their young lives regardless of their economic background. Card Cupids believes that every child needs to know that they are loved. A stuffed animal to hold, along with cards that share a positive message can help lift the spirits of children that are faced with difficult challenges. Card Cupids collects handmade cards to be sent to children along with new stuffed animals, coloring books, activity books, crayons and markers. Card Cupids hopes to provide numerous Card Cuddle Care Packages to children in hospitals, foster care, homeless shelters as well as children facing difficulties.
Card Cupids is collecting handmade cards, new stuffed animals, coloring/activity books, crayons and markers for Absolutely Incredible Kids Day on March 15 as well as cards for Kate and Christopher and their siblings. If you would like to donate handmade cards or care package items, please visit Card Cupids for more information.

Our Blog Tour theme today is Valentine’s Projects for Children.

I decided this would be a great opprotunity to do my first ever Blog Candy!! I'm so excited!!
I just adore this Robotz cartridge & I know you will too!!
All you have to do to win this fabulous cartridge is be a Follower of mine (if you are already, a million thank you's), become a Follower of Card Cupids & share a link to a Valentine's Day project you recently made on Mr. Linky's at the bottom of this post (it can be a card, scrapbook layout, box, ect). Due to shipping costs, I will only ship within the U.S. & Canada

Now, onto my project for today. I just totally love the way this card turned out. I wanted to do something a little different other than pink & red.
Isn't the birdie super cute?? :o)
Card size is 5"x5" and I weaved ribbon together for the background.
The die cuts are K&Company (I got from Target)
Thanks for stopping by today! The secret word from my stop is IN .
Remember, to win the Blog Tour prize you have to email the words to info@cardcupids.org by 11:59 pm February 14 with subject: Blog Tour Prize.

Now hop back on the tour bus to visit your next stop, Luisa at Creative Designs by Luisa.

Don't forget to link your Valentine project for a chance to win the Robotz cartridge!!! Please post your links by 11:59 pm February 14th, 2011. One entry per person. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011. Have fun & I can't wait to see what you guys come up with =)

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Card Cupids Challenge

I am having crafting withdrawals!!! My daughter got the flu last Thursday and she was finally able to return to school today!! It was horrible :o( 
As a parent you feel so helpless, you just want to take the discomfort away and make them feel better. At one point her fever was 104!
She slept for 4 days!! My poor baby!! Luckily the flu medicine & cough syrup are helping. I found out this flu epidemic is so bad, seems like everyone was or is sick at school, the classes are half full!!

For today I wanted to share a simple card since I was unable to spend much time in my craft room.
It's another challenge over at Card Cupids.
This week we are making boy themed cards.
I don’t do too many boyish projects so this was a great way for me to step outside of my comfort zone! This challenge is sponsored by our friends at Fresh Brewed Designs and one lucky entry is going to receive 3 Digital Stamps of their choice from the Fresh Brewed Designs store!
Post your project over at Card Cupids!!!!

here's my card...super simple...


Also, make sure to stop by my blog on Saturday, Feb.12th for a
Valentine's Day Card Cupids Blog Tour.
I will post a Valentine project and some Blog Candy!!
You don't want to miss it!!

Hugs & best wishes

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Algebra Project

I know what you are thinking....how can the title have anything do to with crafts??
Well, today I actually wanted to share a project my daughter, Ashley, has been working on since Monday for her Algebra class. They are learning a new lesson that is a bit  (A LOT) complicated, so the kids had to put together notes with a theme, how cute huh??!!
I helped Ashley with some of the diecuts (she did most herself) & the PKS faces.
Everything else, my girl did on her own. she's not completely done with the notes portion yet, but I am so very proud of her hard work and dedication :o)

Front Cover

Inside layout

Right side of panel

Left side of panel

I will be posting my latest card tomorrow. It's another challenge over at Card Cupids, so I will show you guys what I have been working on.

Hugs!