Sunshine and blue skies....

....and what a gorgeous day it is here today!   I'm so thankful we did so well through the Hurricane and was happy that we never lost any power.   My heart goes out to ALL those who are still without power, have severe flooding and have had damage done to their homes and lives.   I do hope that the better weather will help everyone get out, start on the clean up and try and return to normal.   Sending all my friends a big HUG and hope you'll all be okay!!

    Hugs always make people feel better and it's also pretty much my favorite Sentiment and one I use on many of my cards.  Today, is one of those day that I create a cute Hug card and this one was inspired by two new challenge.   My image is from Bugaboo Stamps and was the Freebie from last week.  If you would like to add her to your collection, please visit Bugaboo and while you're there, check out the new $1 images -- they are all adorable. 

   
   This card was inspired and created for each of these challenges and I hope you'll join me and play along:

• Crafting By Designs - Let's Color Challenge - Color Animals/Fur
• The Outlawz - Monday Greeting Cards - Recipe Challenge
• Make It Monday - Weekly Challenge # 53- Anything Goes

    My second card today is another Fall-themed card and this one is a super cute Halloween Card.   My adorable image is from Pink Gem Designs and I just had to have it as soon as it saw it in the new Collection.  This cuties comes both in color or in black and white and this time, I chose to use the color version, which is totally adorable.

    I also created this card based on the new Sketch at the 'A Gem of a Challenge blog', and this is a copy of the sketch that I used as my inspiration:

    I changed it up a bit and made my card in more of a rectangle shape (versus square) and also chose papers that went with a Halloween theme.  I hope you'll enjoy it - I think little Josh is adorable and I love his cute costume!

 

Close up of  'Halloween Josh'

   This cutie is being submitted to these challenges:

• A Gem of a Challenge - # 22 - Sketch (See Above)
• Stamps R Us Challenge Blog - August 22  - Anything Goes
• Aly's Sunday Sketch Challenge - # 45 - Halloween

    And that's it for now!  I have a few more challenges printed out sitting on my desk and I hope to work on later today!  Tomorrow, I'm off for my Chiro appointment early and then will be back to create! 
 
   Have a wonderful afternoon and to everyone who is continuing to clean up from Irene, my thoughts will continue to be with you.  Considering how lucky we were, I've seen some really awful destruction and flooding on the news -- what a terrible storm she was for so many.