Another fun and creative day!!

   Today is the last day of vacation for Hubby and he and Alex will both be back to work tomorrow.  I have to admit that there are some days when they are home that they drive me crazy, making a big mess and while we did have a few of those days, in the end it was worth it, because they both completed some long over due projects and cleaned and totally organized two huge closets!  Thanks guys!!  

  Every one has been so helpful and we are all very much in the cleaning and organizing mode.  Today, we put away all the Christmas decorations and the house is now looking nice and clean!  As much as I love the decorations, I am one who likes them to be put away shortly after Christmas and I'm glad that task is done.    I had picked up some cute new organizer goodies at Michael's last week and I'm still working on cleaning more in my craft room and my major task are to totally re-organize my stamps and my newly acquired collection of beads and stick pins.  My latest new creative venture, along with my Smash Books!

   I really need to do another major purge and would LOVE to give away some of my goodies.  If anyone knows of a needy or new crafter, who can use some new things, please let me know!   I do not want to sell anything, I prefer to help out someone who is new or is need of craft supplies.   All I ask is that you help me with the cost of shipping the goodies to their new home.  I have all the packing materials and always try to use the Flat Rate packages, as they are most cost effective.  I also print all my own labels from home, as that also saves money too.   My main goal is to make sure all these products are being used and there is simply NO way I can use all that I have.    I love to SHARE and if you know anyone I can help, please don't be shy!    

    Today, in between organizing, I'm also enjoying making cards again and I have three new ones to share now.   The first one was created for the Copic/Promarker Color Challenge over at The Outlawz.  This week is Anything Goes, so that makes it really fun, because I can use any image and colors I want.   I started on this last night and had printed out 4 different digi images and colored them all.   The one I chose for this card is one I really love and it's a sweet little image by Heather Ellis (Pure Innocence).  I used ALL of my favorite colors on this one an think she's a cutie.

  My second card was created for fun and as a way to continue to practice creating CAS cards.  This image is also a digi and is from Bugaboo.  It was also colored in the same Blue Violet and Teal colors I used o the card above and I turned this one into a very simple little note card.

  And my last card today was created for a brand new Challenge being hosted at the Through the Craftroom Door group which you'll find HERE or on their challenge blog HERE!   At first I was torn on this, as I find Monochromatic cards, can be hard to create, but once I got going, and starting putting ideas together, I really was happy with the end result.  All the the stamps I used on this card are from the new 2012 Hero Arts Collection and I really LOVE the new Heart Sets.  I know I'll be using these over and over and they will also be perfect for Valentine's cards too.

  The funny thing is the yellow is not typically one of my colors, but after making a different yellow card for my Mom last week, I found that I liked it more than I had thought.  This card was started with a Hero Arts Yellow card base.  I then used a new Memory Box (Heart Delights Die) to cut out the hearts that run the left side.  I then adhered on some Memory Box Gingham paper behind the hearts and punched out a small matching heart with the same paper.  I then picked out some yellow scraps and cute one into a square and cute the second into a circle which I embossed in my Cuttlebug and used for my layers.  I then stamped two different hearts both in Scattered Straw Distress Inks and then edged them with Wild Honey and Mustard Seed, after coloring them them with various shades of Yellow Copics.  I made a little bow (with my BowEasy) and then created a little beaded stick-pin, (my new addiciton) to adhere the bow to the card.  I use pop dots for the hearts and completed the cards by adding a little yellow bling.   Hope you like it and I hope you'll try playing in the Monochromatic Challenge too!    It was fun!!

   Wishing you a wonderful day and hope you have some time for crafting and relaxing!!