A Sensational Sunday!!

  Life is Good!!!   I have had a wonderful day and it's also been a low pain day, which is so nice.  I feel good today and that's always such a blessing and the kind of day I LOVE.   I'm also so happy to have a really good day and one that has been full of fun and happy things.

    This morning DH and I did our Christmas decorating and it all went really well and the house is looking a lot more festive.  We did scale back quite a bit on how much decor I put out, but we are happy with the outcome and this will make things much easier for us both, especially when it comes time to put it all back in the attic.

   Once we had that done, it was time to me to head to my craft room and that's where I've been for the rest of the day.  I had three cards that I had started last night to finish and also now have completed three more, all of which I'm happy to share with you now.  It's been such a joy to also have so much crafting time and to be enjoying it so much.   Another wonderful bonus of feeling well!!

   My first three cards were all created in a Santa theme and that inspiration came from this week's Challenge over at Catch the Bug - Bugaboo's Challenge Blog, which you'll find here.   I'm sad that I missed out on their wonderful Twelve days of Christmas and that's because I was not feeling well during most of the it!  I really enjoy creating with Bugaboo Images and all three of these Santa cards contain Bugaboo images!!

   These are the cards I created for the Santa Baby Challenge and since I am allowed to enter two, I will be submitting the first two Santa Cards!

   And my third card is Santa with his adorable little Christmas Tree!   This card was inspired by today's new (Day 10) "Ten Lords a Leaping' Challenge over at Bugaboo, as well as this week's  Come and Get it Challenge, that you'll find HERE!!  Their challenge is a color challenge called Red, Green and Your Pick and I chose to use Yellow, for the stars on my tree!

   My next card was created and inspired by this week's Copic Color Challenge over at The Outlawz Group. Their challenge this week is to create a Christmas/Holiday card using Non-Traditional colors, something I love to do and actually do quite often for many of my cards.

     This sweet card was colored with my Copics and Glitter and contains an sweet and adorable digi image from DigiStamp Boutique.  This cutie is Lucy and she's one my newest digi stamps and I think she's as cute as can be.  She is also part of a set of three images that are the Offer of the month at DSB for December.   In addition to the Challenge at The Outlawz, I am also submitting her to the Customer Challenge over at the DSB blog HERE!!

      My next card also was created with the same idea in mind and also is another of my new digi images.  This sweetie, (Paige) is one created by Hannah Boyd, the very talented daughter of Lori Boyd.  It's part of Hannah's Bug & Roo Limited Edition Bundle, which you'll find HERE!   You can also find all kinds of wonderful inspiration over at the store HERE!!    I am a big fan of both Lori and Hannah, as well and just LOVE fun, cute and whimsical images!   They make me smile!!

    This card is being submitted to these fun Challenges:

• The Pink Elephant - # 128 Snowflakes and Sparkle
• The Squirrel & The Fox - # 7 - Christmas
• Creative Inspiration Paints - Non Traditional Colors

     And last, but not least, my final card today was created for today's new CAS Challenge over at The Outlawz.  This week's challenge is all about Glitter!!    You can find some wonderful inspiration from the DT by going HERE!!

     

  This was another fun, yet easy card to create, thanks to one of the awesome new Dies from Memory Box.  I picked the "Winterland Tree" die and used Green Glittered cardstock (by DCWV) and my Big Shot to cut out this delicate tree.   I then adhered that onto black cardstock and added several black flat back pearls as my ornaments.  I then matted that layer on the same green glittered cardstock and put it all together on a light olive card base and added a piece of pretty black trim that I bought from this wonderful Etsy Store!!

  I'm off now to rest and relax for the rest of the day and will be back tomorrow, hopefully with some new cards.   My next goal to to work on this week's Sketch Challenge over at the Stars & Stamps Blog.   Oh, and speaking of that challenge, have you seen the wonderful new Stamps that Hero Arts created along with Operation Write Home?   They are all part of the brand new release and I have already ordered my first two sets.   You can go to Jennifer McGuire's Blog and check out her fabulous post about the new catalog release!!   If you read carefully, you might even find a way to buy yours and save some money!   Hint Hint!!!

  These are the two sets I have already ordered and the first one is called "Year Round Sentiments" and is one that will be perfect for OWH Cards.  I also just love the "Newspaper Flower" and have a few more on my wish list.  My LSS is running a special on the new releases and they will all be 15% off for the next week.  I hope to try and get up there on Tuesday and pick up another set or two!    I'd hate to miss a SALE!!!

   I just LOVE so many of the new stamps and I'll bet we'll be using some of them in the upcoming Clean & Simple Card Making Class that Jennifer and Kristina Werner will be offering in January!   I was able to enroll early after taking the "Holiday Boot Camp Class".  I believe the enrollment for all crafters starts tomorrow (December 12th).   You can find more details over on their Classroom Site HERE!!    Based on all the classes I have already taken, I know it'll be fantastic and I'll be looking forward to it during the cold month of January !  

   I hope I have now inspired you to create some fun new cards, play in the challenges, do a little shopping and maybe even make some cards to send off to Operation Write Home.    Whatever you do, I hope your day turns out to be as awesome as mine has been!!  

  

Pink is pretty....

...and today I'm back to share some new cards that I created for a variety of new challenges.   The funny thing is that they all turned out to be in a Pink theme, although that was not my intention when I started.

   My first card was created for using one of my newest digi images from DigiStamp Boutique.  I think she (Hattie)  is so sweet and makes a very special card.  You can find this adorable little image HERE!   I'm also excited to be entering this card to this week's to the December Customer Challenge over at DigiStamp Boutique Blog!

  My next card also features lots of pink and a wonderful digi image by Hannah Lynn.  I think her images are truly amazing and have added quite a few to my collection.  This one is called 'Irish Christmas Fae' and I thought she would look pretty all done in pink.  I also created her specifically for the Copic Coloring Challenge over at the Color Me Creative Classroom.

   And also in a pink theme was this CAS card that I created mostly for FUN and because I am already longing for SPRING.   As most of you know, I am not at ALL a fan of winter of the cold, and once the cold weather hits, my Fibro really seems to flare.  When I was really feeling lousy last week, this was one of the only cards I managed to create and all I wanted was some warm sunshine!   On a happy note, we had a very mild November and so far December has not been bad, which is very good for me.   For those of you who LOVE snow, feel free to have all of ours and keep in in your hometowns!!

     My next card was created today and this one is being submitted to three new challenge.  The first is the current challenge over at Through The Craftroom Door and it's also being submitted to the new Paper a la Mode Challenge at The Outlawz, as well as today's new 'Anything Goes' challenge over at the Creating by Designs Group!   Everyone is welcome to play in one or all of these challenge and I would LOVE to see you!

    My sweet little Primitive Angel image is a new digi from Bugaboo, which you can find in the store HERE and buy now during the huge 50% off Sale!!

   I am off now to work on some new challenge cards and then will make an attempt to start on some of my Christmas Wrapping.  I think I am almost done with my shopping and had a great time at the Mall finishing up yesterday.  I was very happy to easily find parking spaces and to find lots of great sales and deals.  I'm also so happy to be feeling better and looking forward more and more to Christmas!!

  Special thanks to everyone who has been so supportive, kind and caring and left me such sweet comments for the past couple of weeks.  I hope now that this flare is gone, that I can slow get back to more time in my craft room and also stay well!   Tomorrow is going to be our decorating day and although I'm going to scale back quite a bit, I'm still looking forward to making my house look a bit more festive!!

  Have a wonderful weekend and as always --- Happy Crafting!!

Holiday Hugs!!!

..... I am very happy to finally be feeling a bit more like myself, but I'm also very busy in trying to catch up on the days I lost last week.    I've decided to take a little break from my blog as I continue to prepare for Christmas, my favorite holiday!!  I will try to check in every couple of days and say hi, but if you don't see me, you'll know I'm decorating, wrapping gifts, making chocolates and doing all the fun stuff that makes Christmas so special.

    In the meantime, I'm going to do my best to rest, relax and look forward to a wonderful Christmas -- Full of Fun, Happiness and lots of LOVE!!

Still recovering....

......taking a few more days off to rest and hopefully finally recover from this flare.

   It's been a long week and ended on a sad note, as one of my best friend's (Kim),  lost her Dad early this morning.  He had been battling cancer along with heart disease for the past several months, but we certainly never saw this coming so soon.   I am  happy to know that they all had a nice Thanksgiving at home last week and that he was feeling pretty good that day.    It's still always heartbreaking to lose anyone you love and I am heartbroken for the family.   I can still remember when my Dad died how supportive Kim and her parents were to me and my family.   I can still picture her at my Dad's services arm in arm with both her Mom and Dad--that thought brought back fond memories today -- but very sad thoughts too!

   Life is very short at times, as this is another of those times.  I pray that Hank is now pain free and is in Heaven being reunited with those we have already lost.   My love goes out to all of his family.... I feel their pain and know he will be missed very much!!  God Bless -- May he now Rest in Peace.

Pain is not a happy thing.....

....and today is another day of PAIN!   I'm on my fourth day of a new med and so far, there is NO change, other than even MORE fatigue.  It does seem to knock me out at night and I take it at bedtime, but boy is it hard to get up in the morning.  I wake up feeling exhausted and this morning I 'snoozed' my alarm, at least five times. I literally am dragging today and my pain level is also UP?    UGH!!

    Hoping tomorrow will be better and sending out Happy Wishes to all my friends!

  Later.....I have a little bit of GOOD NEWS to share!!   I was one of the lucky winners this month over at 'The Outlawz' challenge group.   I won the prize from the Color Combo Group, which is perfect for me.  It's 20 sheets of Cryogen Cardstock from The Paper Temptress.

    

   What a wonderful surprise and a little happiness for an otherwise - crappy day!  My thanks to Colleen, Patricia,   the (Paper Temptress) and all the DT Girlz for all the fun challenges and inspiration.

    Afternoon Update:    I'm back with an afternoon update and feeling a bit more upbeat!  I really do try VERY hard NOT to let this illness get to me, but there are times, I just want to scream and this morning that was me venting, thanks for listening and also for taking time to stop by and wish me well.   It really does help and I appreciate you and ALL of your kind comments so much!  

   I have two new projects to share and both were inspired by ideas I found online.  My first card was inspired by one that Kristina Werner shared on her blog and it also features some of my favorite stamps and techniques that I learned from her and Jennifer McGuire.  

    Mine was created in different colors, but I used a lot of the ideas that Kristina shared in this VIDEO.  I used the new Seasonal Distress Inks and also was able to find the same Wreath Die Cut in the Silhouette Store.  Having my new Silhouette Cameo makes it so much fun now, as it opens up all kinds of new things!   Here is my card -- hope you like it. 

  My second project today was inspired today's new Twisted Thursday Challenge over at The Outlawz and also with the infamous "Twelve Tags of Christmas" that Tim Holtz creates every year.  I had the idea of trying to make each one this year, but quickly realized on Day One that I just do NOT have all of the dies and goodies that Tim uses and as much as I love his talent, some of his projects are a bit too "Masculine" for me.  It was then that I decided to use some of his inspiration, but to also make these more my style and go for a more feminine and whimsical look!   I hope you'll like what I came up with!

  I started by picking out some cardstock that was very close in color to the Iced Spruce Distress Ink and cut it into a tag shape.    I then picked out a cute snowman image (from Bugaboo) and colored it up in shades to match the cardstock.  Next, I grabbed one of my newer snowflake embossing folders and inked it with the Iced Spruce ink, placed my tag inside and ran it through my Big Shot.  I then added on my new image, and punched a whole and added a grommet for ribbons.  I finished it off by added a Sentiment that was stamped in Black and then glittered in Silver!    And here it is...................

   Once I got started I really enjoyed making both projects and I'm so happy that I pushed myself and did not give into the pain.  It's so much nicer to do anything I can to forget it and crafting has always been my escape!   I find that I almost always feel a bit better, if I can focus on my crafts and it really does keep my mind of the pain.   I also am now looking forward to seeing what Tim will come up with each day and I'm going to make it my goal to try and create at least one project each day, based on inspiration from his Tag series!  Maybe you'll play along too -- I think it will be fun!!