A Special Post for my friend Jennifer!

  Today, I would like to invite you all to join the wonderful Blog Hop for my friend, Jennifer Scull, who currently battling Triple Negative Breast Cancer.   Jenn, (as I have always called her), and I met a couple of years ago when we were both members of the Baby Bud Design Team.   We found out rather quickly, that we both also shared a lot in common and both loved to create!    I think she is one of the kindest and most caring ladies I have ever met and I was so sad when I first heard about her cancer diagnosis.  I continue to pray every day that she will win her battle and greatly admire her strength and courage.

  Today, many members of the wonderful "Craft World" we all love so much, have come together to take part in a wonderful blog hop for Jennifer and her family.   If you would like to take part in the hop, please be sure to head on over to Paper MakeUp Stamps or Party Time Tuesday's for more details on Jen's Sunshine Hop!

   I also recommend you purchase this fabulous stamp set that Paper MakeUp Stamps, created especially for Jen, knows as Jen's Sunshine Set.   All of the proceeds will be going directly to her.  If you already own this set, as I do, you can also visit any of the blogs and make another or new donation via PayPal and more details on that can be found on any of the participating blogs, including the link I have added below.

  Lastly, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was not able to finish my Sunshine Card, or I should say I did not complete one that I loved enough to share.  However, I am very happy to share the card that Jenn herself created for the hop.  I think it's far more beautiful than anything I would have come up with, and I was so touched when I read about the sweet little girl, Alana, who will be the recipient of Jenn's beautiful card.   This is so typical of Jenn and her kind and caring ways, even during her own difficult journey, she is thinking of Alana and that's just one example of how special she is!!   Bless your heart Jenn, you definitely add Sunshine to my day and I'm honored and proud to call you my friend.

    I hope I have inspired you all to visit Jennifer's Blog and take part in this wonderful hop and more importantly I hope you will make a donation for Jen and her family!

Please consider donating at least $1 using the PayPal Button which you can find on any of the participating blogs.  
Your donation will go directly to Jenn

You'll find a PayPal Button HERE, at Party Time Tuesday's,
or HERE, at Paper MakeUp Stamps.
  Thank you!!

   For more information of Triple Negative Breat Cancer 

please go here!!

   Please note:   I am not part of the "official hop", I am simply a friend who wanted to do my little part to help promote this wonderful hop and to encourage you to make a donation to this very special lady.   I'm honored to do whatever I can to help Jenn and her family and I hope we can all add some extra sunshine to her life today!    

  

Seven for Sunday, I broke my record!!

  I was up early today and one of my main goals today was to spend a lot of time creating and to take today off from my organizing project and that is exactly what I have done.

  I have pretty much been creating all day and I'm so excited and happy because I really like ALL my cards today and my Mojo was in high gear!   Yippee!!  So much better than it has been in a while and it allowed me to complete seven brand new cards!  Seven for Sunday and I think that is a record for sure.  Woohoo!!

    I started off by printing our a variety of digi images that I knew I wanted to use for some of my cards, all of which were inspired by challenges.  Once I had my images printed I sat and colored them with my Copics and then started on each card.   One way I keep track of challenges I want to enter is to print out a copy of the challenge and I keep them on my art desk.   I also print out images of cards or ideas that I really like and also sometimes use them as more inspiration as well as sketch ideas!   Then, when I am ready to create, I always have some things ready for work on!    Today's first card was for this week's Twisted Thursday Challenge over at The Outlawz and the theme this week is Best Friends.   I knew I wanted to doing something different, so I chose this adorable Bug & Roo image from By Lori Designs.   This is a dear image and I bought it when it was first designed.  I love the store behind the image and I think these sweet little babes will always be "Forever Friends" which is what I named this new card.

  My next card also features another of Lori's adorable Lollipop Digi images and was created for this week's Copic Coloring Challenge which is hosted every Friday, also at The Outlawz.  This week's theme is Back to School and I knew this image would be adorable, especially when colored with vibrant alcohol inks!!

   This card is also being entered into this week's Back To School Challenge that is being hosted over at Through the Craftroom Door!   Come on over and join the fun!!

  And then we have this sweet little Angel card that was created for Saturday's Paper a la Mode Challenge, which you can find HERE!!  The theme for this week is called "Spread Your Wings" and the idea is to create any type of paper-crafting projects that shares your interpretation of this theme.  My very first thought was an Angel, and I knew that's what I wanted to use as the image for my card.   I started browsing my digi gallery and picked this sweet image from is from DigiStamps4Joy, but realized after that she is considered a fairy, as her name is Freckled Face Fairy?  Even so, I think she looks like a sweet little angel, so in my heart that's how I see her and why I used her for my card!

  My next two cards were created today and these are both for the weekly Sunday Sketch Challenge, hosted every week over at Operation Write Home's - Stars and Stamps Blog.   This week we have a brand new sketch, which I have copied over to share here on my blog!!   Everyone is ALWAYS welcome to not only play in this challenge, but to also create and donate cards to OWH!   

Sketch # 135

My Cards

    I did change the design a tiny bit to make it work out better for my senitments, but it was another awesome sketch and I always look forward to this challenge every week.   

    And now were are getting close to the end and the next challenge I wanted to play along is the Sunday CAS Challenge, which is hosted every Sunday at The Outlawz and along with the Sketch Challenge is always a favorite.   But, by now I was getting tired, so I wanted to create something fast and easy and with a them of Animals, I quickly found this adorable "pre-colored" digital image that I printed out for my card.  I added in a computer generated and quickly had this fun little card.   I don't recall exactly where I bought these cute pre-colored images, but I do have  few of them in my file.  That's another thing that need a lot of reorganizing, as I must have over 1,000 different images now and the majority are ALL in one folder!  Yikes!  No wonder it takes me so long to find what I want to use!  Luckily, I do try to name them, so a search can help, but not always.  I do have all my Digi Flowers, Digi Sentiments and Digi Backgrounds in separate folders, but are still TOO many in one folder!   Any ideas??

   And just went I thought I was done for the day....I started second guessing whether or not a bird is an animal, (long time since I've been in school), and decided to make another card.  (NOTE:  I have since been back on the computer and after a quick Google search, I am now certain that a Bird is an Animal)!!  Ooops!  But, since I had already created this cute little card, with a "doggie" digi from DigiStamp Boutique I decided to use this as my card for the challenge!!   I am also submitting my card to the August Customer Challenge at DSB blog!!

   And it was just about this time I picked up all the card to get them ready to photograph and when I realized that there were seven cards!!   Woweeeeeeeee!!   It sure felt good to accomplish all this and it was so much fun -- this is WHY I love to create, it's a JOY!!

Out with the old...and in with some new!!

...and in with the new!!   Yes, that's what I'm up to again today -- still working on my craft room and slowly making it much more neat and organized.    Two big bags of recycle paper, cardboard and older scraps all went off the our recycle center this morning!!  Yippee!!

   I also spent more time being creative today, but am in one of the lack of mojo periods, where I'm not overly loving my cards and having a hard time coming up with fun ideas that I love.   I'm even lost of some of the new challenges that I typically play in and can't seem to think of a good idea or what I want to try and create.
 
    On the upside I did make a couple of new card and my the couple were made using up some of my older papers and scraps.  I started with the card that I didn't like at all yesterday, remember this one?

   I took it all apart tossed the papers and started all over with a pretty basic rust card base.  I then picked out a few pre-cut shapes and two hearts from my "scrap" die cut pile and added them along with a 'old' sticker I came across this morning.  In the end, I think this card has a more updated look and I like it better!!  How about you?

  My next card as inspired by another of the sketches in this month's Hero Arts Challenge.  I wanted to make  a least one more card for the second part of the challenge which is ongoing now.   I have also admire many of the cards in the Hero Flickr Gallery and that inspired me to create my card based on the sketch from the lower right below.

Card Recipe

Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye - Sweetness

Assorted Scrap Paper - Stash

My Favorite Things - Heart a Plenty Die

Sentiment by Hero - CL272 All Occasion Messages

White Neenah Cardstock

Assorted Sizzix Embossing Folders

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

  And also using some of the same papers, I created a second card which was inspired by a new challenge over at Crafting my Design, in their new "Taken From Pinterest" challenge, which is really fun.   Being that so many of use now love Pinterest the CBD gals have started this new challenge, where a random picture will be used as our inspiration for a new project.   This is the photo we had this week, which at first I almost passed on, thinking WOW...this is one hard challenge!!

Note:   This is the "Loggia of Raphael" in the Hermitage Museum in Russia.  

It is a copy of the work in the Vatican.

   But, that's when I had the idea to also head over to  Pinterest to find some ideas and I went there and typed in the world "Circle"s, as that my main focus from the inspirational image.  Happily, I found all kinds of wonderful ideas and quickly started my card.   Gotta love Pinterest for new card ideas and so much more. I chose a fun card that was originally created by a designer named Lindsay, which you'll find HERE!   I love it and re-created my own version to use up the scraps left over from my first card.  I've also noticed there are many 'circle' based cards that I've been drawn to lately and I think they all look awesome!  I just noticed that  Lindsay used the same sentiment on her circle card that I used on my heart card above?  Hum?  I wonder if that was in the back of my mind, when I was choosing my sentiment for the card above?

   Card Recipe

Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye - Sweetness

Assorted Scraps/Papers - Stash

Stampin' Up - Circle Punches - Variety of Sizes

White Card Base / Stash

Sentiment - Close to My Heart

Ranger Distress Marker - Worn Lipstick

    And now I have my final card of the day, which is one that was created for the new "Numbers" challenge being hosted at The Cameo Spotlight, which is a new challenge that I'm enjoying.   This is only their second week and it's open to all, but you need to use a Silhouette SD or Cameo to create your card, more details can be found HERE!!   The best part of me, is that it gives me lots of great new ideas and helps me to try new things with my Cameo as I did for this card.  

   I was stumped a bit with "Numbers" and really wanted to make sure my card was different, so I tried to think of words that can use made up of numbers and letters and that's when I was reminded me of "Sk8er" which my son Brian used often, when he was younger.   He's been a avid skateboarder for years and I think one of his very old AOL nicknames had "Sk8er" in it!!   I created that part using a font I had on file, called - Ad Lib.  I then needed to come up with some type of skateboard image and count not really find anything I liked in the store.  That had me off to search Google Images, which is where I found this simple "coloring page" of a little black and white skateboarder, which is exactly what I had wanted.

   I imported it into my Library and then created a simple "Print and Cut" design.  For my Sentiment, I typed it myself using the "Ad Lib" font which I already had on my computer.  I printed everything first on white cardstock and then my Copics to color in the "Sk8er" sentiment.   I was able to weld my letters to make them all on easy cut, but then did not know how to color each letter separately, so I chose to print it all on white cardstock and then colored it with my Copics!  There is still a lot I need to learn, as you can tell!  

  Once I had everything cut and colored I simple added it all to a red card along with some red and white polka dotted ribbon, both from my stash.  I think it's pretty cute and look forward to seeing all the other wonderful projects that are added to the challenge!   These gals are super talented and can do so much with their Cameo, making it a very inspiring group!!  I'm off now to upload this over at the blog!

   Have a wonderful Saturday and as always -- hope you find time to CREATE!!

A little update...

.....Today has been another productive day of organizing and I am very happy to have almost finished going through all the cube spaces in my larger Expedit unit.  I still have two of the big pink cubes that  I need to work on, but I did clean out every area, dusted and washed everything down and ended up moving ALL my binders to the top, which gave me more space in the cubes!    Here are some new updated pictures....a slow process, but every day I accomplish more and more.

    One of my next tasks, will be going though a huge selection of ribbon, that is overflowing in one on my pink cubes, along with two ribbon shelves and also four more "Rings" which are also totally full of ribbon, not to mention the ten or so more rolls I came across today!!  Yes, I have a love for Ribbon, but this is a bit TOO much!!

  

    Once I started to feel tired and achy, I knew it was time to relax a bit, so I cleared off my desk and went to work on two new cards.    The first card is very simple and not one I really like, at all!   I wanted to see if I could use up some of my "older" paper I had come across and I'm learning that I no longer have any LOVE for this paper.  It will be heading to our recycle center tomorrow, along with another huge pile of  very outdated things!    Does this look familiar to anyone?  I think it may have been a very old DCWV Stack???   To me...it's now ugly...pretty yuk!!  

  Even the flowers on this are old and the trim was one of many small pieces in had in my Ribbon drawer.  I guess it's not the worst card ever, but it's not one I love either and will be headed to the recycle center too!

  My next card had me trying out a brand new Stamp and Die that I picked up at my LSS when I was there on Tuesday.  It's a sweet set by Memory Box and I decided I wanted to try my first little tree card today.  I kept it ALL in green, so that I can also submit it to the new CASology Challenge!!  

    I started by stamping a few of the tree images all onto Neenah Solar White cardstock.  I then created a mask with my die so that it could color up my trees and then know exactly how to line up the die.  I love how Memory Box added the little holes on each side of the matching dies, just this purpose!!  I also learned how to use them after taking a class from Dave.  I am also sharing a video (by Patter at Memory Box), that shows you how you can use the stamps and die sets and get a perfect cut every time!

  Both the new die and the stamp are from the just released Holiday 2012 collection and the die is called "Trendy Trees" which you can see HERE!!  The Stamp is also called "Trendy Trees" which you'll see here.  I feel in love with them the first day I saw them, but was good.  I waited until I had my birthday money and bought them at that time.   Being that I am in the middle of purging so much, I want to be very picky about what new things I add and this is one set I already know I'll use often!!

  Here is my "Trendy Tree" card which I think is cute!!  I colored it this time with Copics, all green and yellow green only.  I added a piece of green ric-rak and my card and adhered it all onto one of my Hero Hues Card, and it was done.   Very plain and simply, but easy and fun too!   I think this set is one I'll use often and already have some other ideas.   I want to try Distress Inks and then also want to paper-piece it!!   

   I am also submitting my Trendy Tree card to today's new "Insprire Me Friday" challenge, which you'll find HERE and to the new Color Combo Challenge, being hosted this week at Party Time Tuesdays!   I encourage you all to come an join all of these awesome challenges!!  

    And that's it for today!   I feel good about how well my room is coming along and I sure have boxes and boxes of goodies to donate, so that's also a good thing.  Tomorrow, I want to try and spend another day organizing, but a little more time creating too!  I had originally planned to spend more time crafting today, but once I was started, I was on a roll and had no place to create, until I finished cleaning off my desk!! 

 Bye bye for now!!  I hope you all have a nice Friday and as always -- Happy Crafting!!

Wow....what a project!!

  So...silly me decided it's been long overdue and that I needed to totally re-organize my craft space.  I also wanted to organize all my stamps and that's pretty much what I have been doing for the last couple of days.  I must admit that I LOVE my stamps and the stamps I use most often now are almost always from Hero Arts and they are currently my favorites.

   I decided to start with my Hero Stamp and wanted to put them all into binder and also make sure that I had the name and number of each stamp, so that I could easily list them and when I'm added a blog post.  I do like how it's coming along, but it's a BIG project.   I am using assortment of 3 ring binders and started with some basic black from the dollar store.  Those are pretty flimsy, but okay for now and I'm trying to use those for the lighter weight sets.  In the meantime, I've also been to Staples twice and I'm now adding in some of the Martha Stewart binders, which were all on sale or clearance, making theme more reasonable.
As of this morning I have finished sorting through all my Hero Stamps, Paper Smooch, Lawn Fawn, Tim Holtz, Dylusions along with some assorted smaller set.   Pretty much every cling or clear stamp I own are currently now in binders and as of now I have filled seven larger 8 1/2 X 11" Binders and six smaller 6 X 9 binders, which I am loving.

   Here are a few pictures of my craft room, as of this moment, stay tuned for more updates as this will be a long project, but I love being organized, so this will be a big help too!   The first photo is the back wall of my room which is where my IKEA Expedit Units are, the large unit is shown here) and off to the left is another little storage station we created with Jet Cubes and a Making Memories Shelf.   My goal is to go through each and every section of my Expedit and reorganize all the "stuff" there.  I need to move some things around, so it will be easier to find things and to keep things I use and grab for most -- next to my work desk!!

This is the ONLY section that I have completed....

but I am very happy with my new binders and having 

these stamps now organized!! 

 These are how I set up the binders!

This one is full of Clear Sentiment Sets

And this binder is one of two that I used

for my Cling Background Stamps!!

These clear pages (above), were from the dollar store and not working well,

with the Cling Sets, so those will be changed, but the Sets of Clean stamps fit in very well!

In the meantime, the rest of my room is in disaster mode!!!....

This is my desk, which I need to clean off next!!

  As you can see I have a lot of work, still to be done, but it's coming along!!  I have two large boxes of goodies packed and ready to be donated to the teacher who is also am gifting my Baby Bug Cricut too.   She's a new teacher and has a teeny budget, so I'm especially excited to help her out and it makes me feel good knowing she will put everything to good use!!  Yippee!!

   I took a little break this morning to put together two fun and easy cards.   This first card was totally inspired by this awesome Hexagon Card design that I bought this week in the Silhouette Store.   I cut the card base in Kraft, specifically as I am submitting this card to the new Kraft Themed Challenge at A Blog Named Hero.  I then used a variety of teal/green scraps for more hexagons and even added some Stickles to one group.  I ran some through my Cuttlebug and added a cute little Sentiment from Paper Smooches, which was done with my Hero "Splash" chalk ink.   

   Oh and speaking of inks...I was so excited to find that Simon Says Stamp has the new Hero Mid Tone Inks in the store along with the Christmas Stamps....needless to say, I was shopping there this morning and can't way to try these new colors!  I order the Raspberry Jam, Royal Red and the new Purple "Grape Juice", of course.  I also picked up three new stamps sets, and this was sentiment set is one of my favorites...I feel in love with this font!!   I used some of my Birthday money which was fun, and I also pre-ordered the new Neon Inks, which should be out very soon.  I totally LOVE the Purple, which I am sure is no surprise!!

   And my next card is one that I colored up this morning with my Copics for the new GREEN Challenge at CASology, which started on Tuesday.  I found this cute little caterpillar digi in my image file.  It was a freebie and one that I have had for a long time!   It was created by Melonheadz and I thought she would be adorable all colored up in shades of Green...!

   Update:    I have also now added this card to the 52 Card Pick Up Challenge, which you can find HERE!!  Special thanks for the invite too!

   And now I am wiped out and ready for a little rest, before I tackle my desk!!  I think tomorrow I'll give my  body a break and enjoy my day creating instead of organizing.  It's going to take a long time...but I know it will be the perfect way to get through the cold winter days that sadly, will be here before we know it.   UGH!!