Another Creative Day!!

   Today, is another hot one, but a little less humid.  I bad news is that the humidity will be back in full force tomorrow with temps back up in the 90' again!!  Yuk!!  I can't believe how much the humidity bothers me now and I used to LOVE summer so much.  I still want a wonderful Summer and only hope the humidity is not around for too long.
   Thankfully, it's very cool and comfy in my craft room and that is where is spent most of my afternoon.  I worked on some new cards or OWH and I was inspired by the new Sketch I found over that the Stars and Stamps blog this morning.  It's Sketch # 23 and a sketch I found very easy to work with --

  And these are the cards that I created today,

based on the this week's sketch.

  And after I finished those, I decided to keep going and made even more cards.   These all a bit different, but my favorites ended up being the next two, I think because of the 'purple' and also because I adore this wonderful digi images by Lori Boyd!

 
  And after I made those two cuties, I actually made a couple more.  This is the most cards I think I have ever created in one day.  Although, I did have all the images 'pre-colored' so it was only a matter of putting everything together.  When I have really bad Fibro days, those are the days when I will simply color away and try to relax.  I have have a huge file of images that are all colored, which is perfect for days like today!!

 

    And that was the end of my crafting for today!  Now, I am wiped out, and all I plan to do, is put a few things away, relax and go to bed early. 
   I hope everyone had a nice weekend and as always, Happy Crafting!!

♥

My First OWH Cards are in the mail!!

  WooHOO!  Today I am finally starting to feel a bit better.  We had some storms come through last night and they seem to have cleared out a lot of the humidity.  
  My plan for today was get my 'Operation Write Home' cards, stamped and ready to mail.  And after doing errands and morning chores, headed to my craft room to start on that project.  The first thing I did,  (earlier this week), was to go to the OWH site and determine where I should send my cards.  I found the addresses and picked Dixie, as my OWH Shipper.  Dixie is the only shipper on the East Coast and the one that is closest to my home.  I found ALL the information I needed on the website in the 'Newbie' section, which is HERE!  There is also a great video HERE, where you can find all the details about shipping and how you can make things easy for your shipper.

   Here are some pictures of the cards and the process of stamping them and getting them ready to ship.  The first pictures (don't mind the mess on my desk), show the cards just before I started stamping them.  

  The next step was to stamp the back of each card with the my new OWH Stamp.  After I had the cards ALL stamped, I 'tucked' each card into a matching envelope and then sorted them by type - Hugs, Love, Miss you, Birthday, Thank you and so on.  Once I had them in groups, I placed each set in clear card bags and labeled the bag with the card type.   In this picture, the cards are in their separate group and ready to be packed.

   Next, I printed out the Packing Slip from the OWH Website, completed it and packed everything in my shipping box.  I separated my A2 Cards from my larger Square cards and also enclosed a separate envelope with a donation to OWH.  Donations are greatly appreciated for postage and supplies, and while it was not a huge donation, I figure every little bit helps!  
   These final pictures show my cards packed and the final picture shows the dividers I added to separate the A2 size cards from the larger square cards!  

   To finish up, I added my packing slip on top and then covered added bubble wrap to protect the cards.

     My package is done and now ready to go.  I will mail it out Monday morning and I have already emailed Dixie to let her know it's coming.  

   I feel really GOOD to have this first batch done and my new goal will be to send off a package or envelope of cards every month.    I think it's such a wonderful program and I know that I am very happy and honored to do my little part.  I want to again thank Jan Hunnicutt  for inspiring me to join in!   I am also enjoying the challenges and inspiration that can be found on the Stars and Stripes Blog - HERE!

  

   

Finally Friday!!

  And finally, the humidity has improved and it's much more comfy and I actually feel a tiny bit better today too!   We did have a round of nasty storms come though last evening, but it's what we needed to dry out the air and it's a nice change.

    Today, I was also happily surprised to find out I won a RAK (Random Act of Kindness), for taking part in one of the many challenges last weekend over at Simply Scrapping Crafts.  It was for Challenge 5 - Summer Get Together and it truly was a challenge for me.   The challenge was to use these three sketches and take at least one element from each and create your own project with the elements you used from each sketch. 

    For my card I decide to use these elements- 

• From Sketch 1 - I used the butterflies/circles

• From Sketch 2 - I used the Flowers and Colors Pink/Blue

• From Sketch 3 - I sued the Pennants and the Bling

  And after putting it all together, this was the card that I created and submitted to the challenge. 

   My special thanks go out to Sharon for awarding me this fabulous prize.   It's the best GOOD thing to happen for me in a long time and it really lifted my spirits!   Thank you!!  

   And speaking of challenges, I also worked on two cards today, that are also both for weekly challenges that are held each week at SSC.  The first was this week's Color Combo Challenge.  .  The colors for this week's challenge were - Bright Red, Dark Orange, Olive Green, Turquoise Blue, Kraft and White, as shown in the inspiration photo below.  

And this is my completed card!

  I also was able to create one more card today and this one is the the week Card Corner Challenge, which you can find HERE!  This also was a color combo challenge with a bit of a twist and this was our inspiration image and our colors -

       My card is below and my little 'Hula Kitty'  is a digi image from Pink Cat Studio.  I started by coloring her in the colors for the challenge and then added various scraps of paper, including the required Polka Dot paper.  I was very happy to complete two cards!  Yippee!!

   And that will likely it for today.   My craft-room is a bit a disaster and I think I'll try and pick up a little.  Actually, my whole house could use some major cleaning and I can't wait to feel good enough start on that task.  DH and Alex try to help out, but they simply do not see clean the same way that I do....for some reason, my men seem to think the house look great?   Men, UGH!!

    I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  I hope to feel okay and tomorrow I must get out, as I things I need to get done.  My Mom's Birthday is on Sunday and I have still have not totally finished shopping for her gifts.  If all else fails, I'll add more money to her card, but would really like to find one more really neat gift!!  Wish me luck!
  

♥

A tough Thursday...

   This week has NOT been one of my best weeks and I do hope that once this terrible humidity moves out, that it will make me feel a whole lot better.   Lately, I only seem to be in a pattern of one good day, then one bad day and that's not exactly a great pattern.   I HOPE every day will be better and I am very thankful for ALL the good days, but wish there were a lot more.

 

   Today, is not great, but on the upside I did mange to complete one card and this one is for a Copic Coloring challenge over at SSC.  It will also be a card that will be sent off to 'Operation Write Home" and that makes me happy.  

 
     And  speaking of OWH, I had ordered my own "OWH" Stamp on Sunday and was thrilled to see it in today's mail.   I ordered my stamp from StampXpress, which I had found from a link on the Stars and Stamps blog.   I bought this Stamp, which will be perfect for me.  With this style,  I can either stamp directly on my cards or stamp directly to labels that I can adhere to the darker cards.  This is also a self-inking stamp, and I also ordered an extra ink pad to have on hand.  The service from StampXpress was excellent and I was very impressed with the super speedy delivery.  I will definitely shop there again and may even order a second OWH stamp while they are on sale!
        I'm off now and I hope to maybe work on another card or two...but I have a feeling I won't get too much done today.  I really do not feel too well and may need to go and lay down for a bit.  This is the kind of day when I really hate this illness and HOPE and PRAY for a cure!  

   
 

Wonderful Wednesday!!!

...And boy is it nice to be feeling a whole lot better.  It's still very humid and muggy here, but I do feel better and slept pretty well last night too.  I do hope that the humid weather will end soon and we have some now dry weather.   

   I actually started feeling better later in the afternoon yesterday and I started working on some cards I want to send off to OWH. 

  I am very excited to be working on this project and already have a large stack of cards put aside to send out.  I ordered my own OWH Stamp and once that arrives, I'll stamp all my cards and 'tuck' them in the envelopes and get them off to my shipper!   I have already emailed the shipper closest to my home and let her know I will have box coming soon.  She was very sweet and friendly and helped answer a few questions I had.  I'll be in touch with her again, once my box is packed and in the mail.
  These are some of the new cards I created this week that will be in my first box for OWH.   

    They are all a bit different, and they were all made in the standard A2 size, which is the preferred size or OWH.  I was also careful not to use any glitter and to make they very sturdy so that that will last and be in great shape once they arrive.  
   From now on, whenever I made a card for any challenge, I plan to try and make it one that can also be used for OWH and today I did that while work on these two new challenge cards. 
   The first is for this week's Midweek Throwdown Challenge, over at the Stars & Stamps Blog.  It's a wonderful week to join in, because this challenge is being sponsored by The Stamping Boutique and Tracey Malnofski, the artist/owner has donated two fabulous digi images that can be used for the challenge and also for more OWH cards.  To take part and find your wonderful free Digi Images, please hop on over to the blog here!!  This is the card I created with one of Tracey's wonderful images.

   I also created another challenge card for this week's Scrap N' Stamp Challenge over at Simply Scrapping Crafts and this card will also be donated to OWH.   If you are interested in taking part in this challenge, you can find all the details at SSC - HERE!

   And now I am off to rest and bit and hopefully then work on a few more cards.  I think this is something that is going to become very near and dear to me, especially once my son (Alex) enters the USAF, later this year.  

    I hope I have inspired you to create today and hope that you will visit the Stars and Stamps Blog, pick up your wonderful digi and create a card for the challenge.  And if you do and you want to then send it to me, I'll be happy to stamp it and send it off to OWH with my next package!   Actually, I would LOVE to do that, I would LOVE it.

Hugs and thanks,

Fibro is winning today....Yuk! :(

  Today is a miserable day for me.  I woke up and right away was in pain and that is NOT a good start.  I think it may be due to the change of weather that we are expecting, but I do HOPE it is not a bad flare and hope to be back online and crafting tomorrow.
   When I logged in to type this post, I realized that my post from yesterday had never been published...OOPS!  Better late than never, I am including it below!  I guess I really was tired when I was typing and maybe I should have had that nap I wrote about!
  Monday's Post --
     It's been another hot and muggy day, but it sounds like after today, things may cool down a bit, which will be nice.  I LOVE Summer, but the humidity really does a number on me, with Fibro, so I'm better off with it's hot and dry.

    Thankfully, my craft room is very comfy and cool, actually it's one of the coolest rooms in the house even with all the AC's on?  Lucky me because I sure spend a lot of time here and would be bummed if it was too hot.  Today, has been kind of a slow day for me, I'm soooo tried and swelling a lot, but I am thankful to be out of the heat and able to craft a bit.   I did finish up two more cards that were for the 'Fun In The Sun' challenges over a SSC.  The final deadline for submitting our projects if midnight tonight and I am very happy to have mine all done and submitted - these were the last two.

      My favorite of the two is the little 'Beach Baby' card.  It reminds me of all the time I spent at the beach growing up, as well as all the years I took my boys to the beach all Summer long.  Those were the best Summers every and that is one thing I really miss so much.   It's just much to difficult now with Fibro...too hard to go, get the stuff from the car to the beach..and then try and get comfy...it just is NOT fun anymore, but that doesn't mean I do NOT miss it!!    I always hope that some day will be a really good day and I'll get a chance to go again!   That would be WONDERFUL!!  
    And that's it for today...I wish I could take a nap, but I know if I were to lay down now, I'd be out for the night!  I love to watch the Bachelorette, so I am hoping I can make it, if not, I'll plan to DVR it, so I can watch tomorrow.  I am routing for Ali to pick Chris, since they are both from Massachusetts. like me!!  To be honest I can hardly believe I am so hooked on a reality TV show.  I think it's because I am a true romantic and really believe in true love and think it's wonderful to watch people fall in love!  What a joy it is to find your soul-mate, fall in love, get married and live happily every after!!   Awww...how sweet!! 
    Peace!


 

Happy Father's Day!

  Today I am sending out Happy Father's Day wish to all the wonderful Dads.    I hope you all have a fabulous day doing whatever makes you happy.   I know my DH was very happy to have a day off and to head out shopping at Lowe's.  I think he enjoys shopping there, as much as I love shopping at a craft store!  

   And back to crafts --  I am very excited and happy to be working on more cards for OWH - Operation Write Home!   And what's even better is that  Jan, (the gal who inspired me),  has also started a small OWH group over at SSC, which is wonderful, since there are so many fabulous crafters there.   I've been over at SSC all weekend taking part in the FUN IN THE SUN  Crop weekend and today one of my favorite cards was created for OWH.   Jan has posted information and link to this week's new Sketch 22 Challenge over at the Stars and Stamp Blog and this is the sketch we were given as our inspiration - 

 

And this is my card, based on the sketch!

     I also made some really fun new cards for several of the challenges over at SSC.  If you LOVE challenges, you can still hop on over and join in.  You until until Midnight on Monday, so finish and post you project, so there is still plenty of time.

   These are the challenge cards I have done so far -

   And I am off now to heard back over and try and work on two more cards!  I hope to finish one or two more before I get too tired!

    Bye for now.....have a great day and as always, HAPPY CRAFTING!!

Happy Saturday!!

  And it's a very hot and humid Saturday here in Massachusetts.  I have already finished up my morning chores and I've already been out to do my errands.  I wanted to get everything done early, so I could spend the rest of the day crafting.  I am happily now done with the chores and up in my very cool and comfy craft room and ready to work on some new cards and do also take part in the FUN IN THE SUN crop party being held today over at SSC.

   But, before I head over, I wanted to be sure to enter a card,  I created to this week's challenge over at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge, and I was inspired to enter, after finding out the one of the sponsors this week, is Meljen Designs, which is one of my favorite digi sites.
    This is the card that I am entering, and it was created for Father's Day and this one is for my hubby, but created for my Son to give to him, with his gift --

     Don't you just love it, I have had so many people ask about this image and I tell everyone that it's a digi image and it's from one of my favorites online stores - Digistamp Boutique!  They have a wonderful selection of digi stamps and I bought this one as part of a set.  I am also entering my card into their monthly challenge, which you can find over on their challenge blog - Here!!
  If you like this image (Jim), and would love to find more like this (perfect for those GUY cards), then hop on over to DSB and start shopping.  I have shopped there many times and have always been very pleased! 

 ---------------

  And now I am off to heard back over to SSC, as today is their big FUN IN THE SUN crop event and I know it will be a lot of fun.  Here are some more details, if anyone else wants to hop over and take part! 

Operation Write Home - Midweek Throwdown Challenge!

  I first learned about Operation Write Home (OWH) after being part of a contest to make Christmas Cards for this awesome group.  If you have never heard of them and you are a crafter I hope you will stop by the blog and read all about what they do for our deployed troops.  I think it may inspire you to also make and send some cards for this wonderful cause.     For more information, please visit their main site HERE!   I am very excited and now motivated to put together a new package of cards to send off to OWH.  I would like to have a goal of sending out a package at least once each season, and hopefully more! 
   I have a large basket full of cards, (that were mainly created for challenges), and my goal now is to go through all those cards and pull out all the ones that I would be appropriate to send off to OWH.    
  My new inspiration came from seeing a card in one of my challenge groups that had the OWH Stamp on it.   That card had been created by Jan Hunnicutt.   I wrote to Jan, who then shared a some great OWH links and information with me.  Thanks Jan!  I was also thrilled to find out, that Jan is a member of the Admin Team over at the OWH Stars and Stamp Blog.  Jan also hosts the weekly Midweek Throwdown Challenge.   And today, I created my first card for this week's Throwdown, which is the 'Bring out your Bling Challenge'.  

   My card is a THANK YOU card.  I think it's very important for our Troops to know that we Support them and that we THANK them all for serving and protecting our Country.  May God Bless our troops and keep them safe!
   I hope maybe this post will inspire some of my craft friends to visit the Operation Write Home website and consider making some cards or donating to this wonderful cause.   Peace!
  

♥