Yay!!! Friday is here....

...and like most people, Friday has always been one of my favorite days.  I think that still goes back to my working days, but even now I look forward to the end of another week and a weekend that I hope will be fun and creative.

    Today, I was up and out of the house for the first time all week -- I have NO problem staying home and actually LOVE it, especially in these winter months when it's super cold and lately, also very snowy.   Today, is a pretty day, if you look in the distance and see the bright blue skies against the soft white "untouched" snow...it actually glistens in the sunlight and that's the one time I can say that I kind of like it.  It's also melting, albeit slowly -- and that has icicles hanging from all the house, which can be a bit scary, especially if one falls near you, as it did to me when I took the dogs out..thankfully, it didn't hit anyone, especially Zeva, as she was close by -- but it did scare her and me both and she was quite happy to go back in.   I think the dogs have also had enough with the cold and snow and are looking for Spring, warm temps and some nice green grass to play in.

    After I did my errands and had my hair styles (loving that pampering), I came home, gave the pups all a special treat a "rawhide" chew, which I hardly ever give to them, because some say that are NOT very good for them, but boy do they LOVE them and they spent well over an hours chomping on each one, but you better not go near them, when they are in the mode, as they would NEVER want to lose that treat and when the first one is done, she (Skye) thought she might to and steal Scout's or Zeva's, but NO way was that happening -- they cherish them and growl at the thought of either of the others trying to take their treat!!! LOL!!

    The best part for me was the FREE time I had to create and not be wondering "what" they might be up too.  Scout is older and always goods, but those two sister puppies, well you just never know.  I was excited to get back to cardmaking, after spending so much time getting things done and moved to the new computer.  My first idea was to make a card for the newest challenge at "Cas(E) This Sketch", using this week's sketch, which I'm sharing here.

  My first thought was, "Oh this looks like an easy one", so I went to my stamps and new I wanted to use  a flower image, just like the Sketch.  I started with this new set "Dauber Bunch CL751" - from Hero Arts and decided I would paper-piece the flower for a different look, rather than coloring it with daubers, which in hindsight I think I would have liked better.  So as it turns out, this was my first attempt and what I call my first FAIL of the day --!!  It just did not come out like I hoped and I felt like it was simply TOO plain.

   That had me moving on to the idea of coloring a flower, so I quickly went to my digital image files and decided to try this fun "digital flower" which is from a set of Hero's older digital images.  I now own the CD that has oodles of their flower images, but at this time, I bought this in a set and I think it was called "Watercolor Flowers".  

    It sure was easy to make this card, because all I did was print the flower directly onto some of my favorite white cardstock "Cryogen White", which has a wonderful hint of shimmer and is also my go to cardstock for coloring with my Copics.  I then cut it down to a size and matted it onto some bright pink "Shimmer cardstock" and use another new Hero Arts - "Messages with Flourish" CL738 set to add my Sentiment.  I felt like it 'needed' something more, so I used colored over the image with a Clear Wink of Stella marker and then coated it with Glossy Accents, a fun new tip I learned from Jennifer McGuire.  For some reason, when you add Glossy Accents over the Wink of Stella, it makes it sparkle even more.    And although I like this card better, I still felt like it was NOT the look I wanted.

   I almost moved on to a new challenge and decided instead to see if I could combine this challenge with another, to give me some new ideas and that's exactly what I did after checking out the new card The Card Concept, where the theme this week is "Monochromatic Pinks".  I could make an ALL pink card, using the sketch and then "hopefully" submit it to both challenge.  

  I was back to my digi file and this time, printed out a fun little flower that is like a "Doodled" flower, (sorry to say, I do NOT recall where or when I bought this), it's one of those files I had long before I started to keep them filed by artist?  However, if YOU know, please share and I'll be happy to update my post and my digi files.   I also printed this one onto more Cryogen Cardstock, knowing I wanted to color it with my Copics, which I did using a Variety of RV Pinks.   Like the card above, once it was all colored, I went over it with a Clear Wink of Stella Marker and then coated it with Glossy Accents.  I love it does add more dimension and extra sparkle.  I also used the same Sentiment Set -- Messages with Flourish, which I now LOVE and this time stamped it in a deep pink to match the card base, also a deep pink shimmer!!   And success....I think I have a card that I now will happily submit to both challenges....!!

  This card is also being submitted to the current "Flowers" challenge over at "A Blog Named Hero".  Come on over and play long!!

  And now I am off, but want to say that I hope you "have a great day" and also play along in each of these fun challenges.   If you love "Scrambles" like me, you can also hop on over to the Hero Arts Flickr Group tomorrow at 4 PM Eastern Time, where Barb will be hosting the latest 90-Minute Scramble.   They are also a LOT of fun and I'm sure with her amazing talent, it will be exciting and fun...the only hint that she has mention is "one of her favorite colors".    I am not sure what those are, but after viewing her Gallery, my guess is light green, or more like Aqua and Teal, two colors that I also LOVE, especially when it comes to Hero Products!!