Christmas Stampin All Year Long #32 - 08-31-09

Hi Folks! Happy Monday and Happy Challenge time. We're on week #32 at Christmas Stampin All Year Long! We have about 10 more cards to go. The plan is to end the challenges on November 16 so we can take a break and enjoy the holidays! Whoohoo! This week it's Vicki of Summerthyme Studio to host our challenge and her challenge is always fun!

This week's challenge is to create a card using the traditional Christmas colors, red and green and a touch of gold or silver to your card. How easy is that? Well, I used gold foil cardstock for the matting and heat embossed the image with gold embossing powder. It's hard to take a good picture of the embossing. . .it actually looks better in person.

I'm going to make this post short. I don't have much to talk about right now! LOL! Surprising isn't it. . .I usually have a lot to say!! I'll save you the pain of having to read a long post! LOL!

Hope you all will play along in the challenge this week. . .can't wait to see your beautiful card!! Be sure to stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long and check out the beautiful cards the design team created!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Stampin Up Holy Triptych, Best Yet
Paper: Me and My Big Ideas designer paper, SU Real Red, Certainly Celery, AP Foil card stock
Ink: Versamark, Sakura glitter gel pen
Accesories: Gold Embossing Powder, Nestabilities, CB embossing folder, SU Scallop Circle Punch, Walmart ribbon

Christmas Stampin All Year Long Card Set Challenge #4

Hi Friends! Gosh, I'm posting really late today! I was meaning to post this card set this morning but I got side tracked. I got busy last night and created this Halloween card set. I decided to create another set for the Christmas Stampin All Year Long card set challenge. I liked my own sketch so I decided to use it again!! LOL! Stop by Christmas Stampin All Year long and participate in this week's card set challenge!!

Hey, I started a "fitness" club site on Facebook. We'll be having weekly challenges along with health and fitness tips. If you're on Facebook come join us at "Fitness Towards Healthiness" and become a fan. If you're not on Facebook, join Facebook and you can join in!

If you're the type that needs encouragement and support and would like to participate in fitness challenges, join in. . .we'd love to have you join in the fun!! Again, Click Here to join in.








You're like. . .gosh, Maria. . .you're always starting up clubs and group sites. Yeah. . .I love this sort of stuff. Right now, I'm interested in getting fit and losing weight so why not! I like doing things with others. . .people energize me. . .especially motivated people. . .they make me want to try hard and be as motivated as them.





















Anyway. . .just a little info about my card!! I colored the image with my Copic Markers. . .the round spider stamped image is by Stampin Up. . .the set is called "Batty for You". . .one of my most favorite Halloween stamp set. Nothing much else to the card.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful, happy, and beautiful Sunday!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Inkadinkado Ghouls and Goblins, SU Batty For You

Paper: Michaels designer paper, SU Only Orange, Basic Black

Ink: Copic Markers, Sakura gel pen

Accessories: CB Embossing folder, SU Key Tag punch, Grosgrain ribbon, Nestabilities, SU Scallop circle punch

Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii Challenge

Hey, Friends! How ya' all doing today? I'm sitting at the UC campus typing out this post. Today is the last day of my daughter's summer school and she'll have a break for 3 weeks before she starts school again in the fall! That means I get a break for 3 weeks too. Right now it's pretty nice because it still cool but in a few hours, it'll be back up in the 100s again. It's been crazy hot and it'll be like this for the next few days.



Anyway. . .I better stop the chit-chat because my battery is low on my computer and I need to get this post completed.

Guess what today is? Well, today challenge day at Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii. Whoohoo! This week's challenge is to use buttons as the only embellishment. I went crazy and used up all of my blue buttons just on this one card. LOL!

I decided to use my "Two Scoops Rice Design Mushie Fairy" stamp because she's a cutie. I surrounded her with all the buttons. . . .isn't she special?

I colored the image with my Copic Marker and layered her on to a CB embossed card stock. I added a bit of stiickles to the buttons.. .not sure if I like the glitter on the buttons but oh, well.



Well, stop by Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii and check out the beautiful cards and projects the design team created. There's a prize to be given out so I hope you'll play along in this week's challenge!!

Anyway, I gotta run . . .my computer will be shutting down soon and there's a few more things I need to get done before I run out of battery.

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Two Scoops Rice Design Mushie Fairy
Paper: SU Night of Navy, Apricot Appeal, DCWV Designer Paper
Ink: Copic markers
Accessories: Stickles Glitter, CB embossing Folder

Christmas Stampin All Year Long Card Set Challenge #4 - 08-27-09

Good Morning, Friends! Well it that time again. ..it's Christmas Stampin All Year Long Card Set challenge time! Yup! The challenge is to follow a sketch and create 3 or more holiday or celebration card. Stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long and play along

I decided to create a Christmas card set this time around. Hey. . I didn't use any designer paper! LOL! It's been a while since I did this. I always rely on designer paper to help create a nice background for my card but I went with stamping the background this time around. I even heat embossed the Christmas tree but you can't really tell in the photo that it's embossed. To bring a bit of sparkle to the card, I also added Stickles glitter throughout the card.

Anyway. . .play along and get your Christmas cards or holiday cards out of the way!!









One more day and my daughter will be done with summer school!!! I'll get my mornings and part of my afternoon back for at least 3 weeks and not only am I hoping to get caught up on life but also my blurfing, commenting, and crafting.

I heard today and the next few days will in the 100s . . .it's going to be hot, hot, hot. Ugggh! That's too hot as far as I'm concerned. I wish the weather could stay in the 80s. How is the weather where you're at? Hot too? If not, lucky you!

I'll add the card recipe when I get home. . .I'm not in my craft room so I can't tell you the name of this Stampin Up stamp set.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii - Little Cs - CC Design

Hi Friends! Today is my day off from driving my daughter to school and I'm really making the most of it. The first thing I did this morning is work out with my Salsa/Cha Cha Dance work out. I got the cha cha workout down path. . .in this DVD, there's 5 different workouts. I'm currently working on the salsa and cha-cha. It was a great work out this morning

The next thing I did is work on this card for Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii challenge site. Today is "my" day to post a card or project. I decided to use this cute CC design stamp "Heidi Among the Flowers" that I got from Little Cs.

I colored Heid with my Copic markers and added a little bit of Stickles to the flowers. The rest of the card is basically layering. . .nothing much else


I have a lot of other projects I need to work on today. I'm doing a bit of catching up. . .well, actually a lot of catching up. I can't wait for my daughter to finish her summer school. I sorta miss all the free time I had.

Anyway. . stop by Little C's and Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii. Check out all the cute stamps the Little Cs carry and the great creations on Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Card Details:

Stamps: CC Design "Heidi Among the Flowers", Stampin Up

Paper: Prima Inc. Designer Paper, SU Regal Rose, Creamy Caramel

Ink: Copic Markers, Distressing Ink

Accessories: Coluzzle Oval Template, Stickles glitter, Fiskar Scallop scissors, Prima Flowers, Basic Basic Ribbon, Marvy heart punch

Just a Card for Joy

Hi Friends! My daughter has a few more days left of summer school and I get a break for 3 weeks! Whoohoo! I can't wait. I have plans for the rest of the summer. I'm planning to visit a few places that I've been wanting to visit . . .just places in San Diego that I haven't visited since moving to California.

I'm not sure how my schedule will look when my daughter starts school again at the end of September. I've been teaching her how to drive to the campus and I'm hoping that by January, she'll be able to drive herself to school. She's doing really well but if any of you have driven California freeways. . .you know it can be quite crazy and a bit scary.


Anyway. . .here is a card I made for Joy of "A Place to be me". I created it for Teri of "Big Ideas From A Little Girl" One Card Swap. So fun! Joy was my swap partner. She sent me the beautiful tri-shutter card that I posted last month. I wanted to create something cute for her and I thought the image was perfect.

I colored the Greeting Farm image using my Copic Markers and added a bit of stickles to the image. Lots of stuff going on with this card, huh? LOL!

Anyway. . .I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

Card Details:

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Stampin Up
Paper: K&CO designer paepr, SU Pink Pirouette, In color
Ink: Copic Markers
Accessories: Prima, Darice rhinestones, American Craft ribbon, CB embossing folder, Nestabilities, Stickles glitter, SU Word Window punch

Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge #31

Hey Everyone!! It's that time again. . . .Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge time! We're on week #31 and this week it's Sankari of Sankari's Sunshine Corner turn to host. This week's challenge is to create a card that is not an A2 size card (4.25 x 5.5"). It can be square, round, or any shape. I decided to create a Christmas tree card in odd Christmas colors. . .black, pink, white.

What a strange color combo for Christmas, you say. Well, yeah. It wasn't my fault. . .it was the designer paper's fault. That was the color combo of my designer paper so I went with it. Like life, not everything has to be conventional or traditional. A little change and a little spice makes everything nice. . .:)


I'm really sorry I haven't been visiting your blog sites lately. I will try to get caught up with my commenting this week. I've been so lazy with everything including my crafting. It's sometimes a struggle to walk into my craft room and craft. I've been doing it out of requirements but lately, during my free time, I want to watch TV or just lay down and read a book or chit-chat with friends on Facebook. I know. . I'm terrible. Such a slacker.

Hey, if you're not on Facebook. . .join in! There's a lot of crafters/stampers and bloggers there. A lot of your favorite bloggers and your blog friends are there. You sorta get to know many of them at a different level and many times at a personal level.

SCS and PCP (Paper Craft Planet) and many crafting/stamping/scrapbooking groups have been formed on Facebook and you get immediate interaction there. It's fun.

One of the things I like about Facebook is that I've been able to reconnect with many of my childhood and high school friends, ex-coworkers, and other friends that I haven't talked or seen in a long time. It's wonderful finding out what they are doing, how they look, and where they are living now. Anyway. . .if you do join, be sure to add me on. Here is the link to my profile. . .just add me as a friend.

Anyway. . .enough of my rambling about Facebook. LOL! Now to my card. . .I created the Christmas tree by cutting strips of designer papers starting at 1" by 4.25", then decreased the length of each strip thereafter by 1/2 inch, i.e., 1 x 3.75", 1 x 3.25", and so on. I then cut the ends at an angle. The topper is 1 x 1". I then glued each strip and layered them over one another on a folded A2 size card base, cut around the shape, and added a few buttons. That's it.

Well, if you have the time, stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long and check out the rest of fabulous cards created by our talented design team!

Well, gotta run! Life is waiting for me!!

Card Details:

Paper: DCWV Designer Paper, SU Pixie Pink
Accessories: Buttons, Stickles Glitter

Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii Featured Aloha Blogger

Hello Friends! Hey, this shaker card is my first assignment for Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii! Every other week, Stamp n' Scrap features a blogger and this week's "Featured Aloha Blogger" is Enjoli of "Stampin Under the Sun"! Enjoli is one talented lady, I tell ya'. The Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii DT's assignment was to CASE a card or project that Enjoli created and I chose a shaker card on her blog.

I haven't created a shaker card for a long time so this card was so much fun to create! Rather than using beads for the filling, I decided to use punched flowers and primas instead. I thought it would be fun to add them instead. They don't shake but they do move a little bit! LOL! I decided to use an image by Two Scoops Rice Design called "Garden Fairy Set". The images in the set are so cute.

Stop by Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii and check out the fabulous cards and projects that the rest of the DT created.

Yesterday I talked about starting my exercise regimen. The salsa work out is actually quite easy to follow and it is quite fun and this is coming from a person who hates to exercise so believe me when I say it's fun. LOL!

Because I want to learn the steps, I'm more motivated to stick it out. I hate doing aerobics. . .I find them boring so doing a "dance" workout is much more fun. I also bought a "hip hop" one. . .LOL! I'll work on the salsa one until I get good at it then move on to the hip hop one.

Do I have a goal. . .well, my short term goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of September. I'm trying to be realistic. My other goal is to be able to walk 5 miles at a steady pace without croaking over . . .I'm giving myself until December to accomplish this goal.

Although I've always wanted to travel through Europe, this trip is actually my husband's dream trip. He has traveled all over the world while he was still in the Navy but he has never traveled Europe. He is spending a lot of money on this trip. I don't want to be a stumbling block during the trip and we'll have to limit the trip because I can't handle the long walks we'll have to take or he has to wait around for me while I sit on the side and rest. . . .all the time! LOL!

The funny thing about trips is that I tend to lose weight when I go on a vacation. Most people gain weight. Although we eat a lot while on a vacation, we tend to be more active so I have a feeling I'll lose weight when we're in Europe. LOL!

My long term goal is to make exercise a part of my life. . . .to actually like it and to become a healthier person in the process. We'll see. . .I can never stick it out but maybe this time around, it'll actually happen.

Anyway. . .I hope you all have a beautiful weekend!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Two Scoops Rice Design Garden Fairy
Paper: K&Co and DCWV designer paper, SU Buckaroo Blue, Only Orange
Ink: Copic Markers, Scribbles Iridescent Paint
Accessories: Marvy flower punch, prima flowers, SU Large oval punch, Nestabilities, Fiskar scallop scissors, organdy ribbon

Pink Cat Studio Enchanted Lily

Hi Friends! Hey. . .I started on my exercise regimen. . .it's been an adjustment. I do my Latin/Salsa work out once a day and walk about 1 to 2 miles a day. Yesterday, I actually did 2 salsa work out and walked two miles. Ugggh! I'm not going to kid you. . .it's not exactly fun but I did it. I was so tired last night but I could not sleep. I didn't sleep until 3 in the morning. I think my body is trying to adjust to actually moving. I just got to stick to this program and get accustomed to it and it'll be okay.

Because I've been so tired. . .crafting haven't really been on my list to do. It's like my brain associates crafting with being sedentary and the flow of creativity seem to be stifled when I'm more active. LOL! Well, I buckled down and actually created a card. I used the Pink Cat Studio this fairy image from the Enchanted Lily set. She is so cute, don't you think?

I actually colored Ms. Lily a while ago so this card was fairly quick to make. Again, I used a bunch of scrap DP and cardstock. I've been very good at using my scrap pile.

Anyway. . .I don't have much else to say. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Pink Cat Studio Enchanted Lily set
Paper: K&CO designer paper, SU Taken with Teal, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Copic Markers
Accessories: Basic Basic ribbon, CB Embossing Folder, Coluzzle Circle Template, Fiskar Scallop Scissors, Prima Flowers, Making Memories butterfly brads, SU Key Tag Punch

The Greeting Farm Grace and Friday Sketchers 65

Hi Friends!! I finally found time to play in a challenge! Yay! I decided to participate in the Friday Sketchers challenge. The sketch was a fun sketch with lots of layers. The sketch is a bit more busy than I normally have my cards but I like it. I think all the layers is a great opportunity to use your scrap designer papers and card stock.

I decided to use the Greeting Farm Hope and Grace stamp set. . .I think this girl is Grace. I had colored this image a while ago. . it was actually one of my reject images that I colored. There was something I didn't like about my coloring because it was in my reject pile but I'm really not sure why. . .I think it's because I forgot to add highlights.

Anyway. . .all the designer papers on this card are from my scrap pile! No new paper was cut. . .whoohoo!

Today is my day off! Yipee! My goal today is to start on an exercise regimen. . .I bought 2 dance exercise DVD. . salsa and hip-hop! How fun! LOL! Well, we'll see how fun they'll be once I try them out. . .it may not be so fun!

I really need to get my fitness level up. I have 3 months before our trip to Europe and I am so afraid that I won't be able to keep up with all the walking and activities. The last thing I want is to be sitting on the sidelines while everyone is walking around and enjoying the sites. I heard that on some days, the tour will require 10 miles of walking a day. Ugggh! Can you imagine? Mainly because many of the sites will require walking long distance to get to. Gosh, I'm a little worried about it. LOL! No, really I am.




Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. If you don't hear from me for several days. . .it wasn't good. LOL! Wish me luck, friends! I really need to succeed.

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

Card Details:

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Hope and Grace
Paper: Various, SU Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery, More Mustard
Ink: Copic Markers
Accessories: CB embossing Folder, SU Word Window Punch, Lace, Nestabilities, Fiskar Scallop Scissors, SU grosgrain ribbon, Prima Flowers, JoAnn Brads

High Hopes Card

Hi Friends! I'm up early today because I went to bed early. . .early to me is 11:00. LOL! I had a really strange dream. . .I dreamt that this guy liked me. His name is Mocomichi Hayami. . .a Japanese model and actor. LOL! It's so funny because he is in his 20s. I don't know if I'm my age in the dream. . .I think I am. Do you have strange dreams? I dream a lot. . .practically nightly and I usually remember parts of my dreams. My dreams are usually good dreams. . I rarely have nightmares.

I made this card the other day. . .it was partly done and I finished it this morning. Since I've been driving my daughter to school, I haven't been able to be on top of things. It's been 4 years since I've worked outside the home and back when I was working I was much more organized. Since then, I've had a lackadaisical approach to life. I really need to get on the ball.

I bought this stamp at Little C's back when she was selling High Hopes stamps. It looks like she's no longer carrying the High Hopes brand but she carries Sarah Kay, Hanna, Pink Cat Studio, Rachel Ann Miller, CC Design, etc. She has a lot of discounted priced stamps so be sure to check it out!





I colored the image using my Copic Markers. The DPs that I used are all from my scrap pile. I have a lot of small pieces of scrap paper. I'm trying to use them. . .I've been pretty good using them lately.

Anyway. . .I need to get ready to head on out again. I'll bring my netbook and stop by and visit some of you. The Internet connection is a bit slow on campus but at least I still can blurf while I'm there.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Card Details:

Stamps: High Hopes, the Greeting Farm
Paper: Scraps, SU Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Copic Markers
Accessories: SU 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Fiskar scallop scissors, Deja View brads, SU large oval punch

I'm Part of the Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii and Little C's Crew

Hi Friends! I wanted to create a card to go along with this announcement but I fell asleep this afternoon and didn't have the time to make a card. Uggh! Well, I have good news! Remember a few months ago I was part of the Little C's design team. .. Jen of Pieces of Me, the owner of Little C's took a small break but Little C's is now open for business! Yipee! How awesome is that?

Little C's is now part of Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii Challenge site. . .and guess what! I'm back as a designer for Little C's and Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii! Whoohoo! I've always loved all the fun stuff that Jen sells at her store. . so much variety! Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii Challenge site helps to promote various businesses such as All Natural Accents, 2 Scoops Rice Design, Himawari Babies and Dandelion Designs as well as Little C's All these stores have a "Hawaii" connection, either located in Hawaii or the owner is from Hawaii.

We love spreading the aloha spirit and because I'm from Hawaii, well. . .it sorta feels like home being part of this team. Every other week Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii has a challenge for the public and you can win a prize if you play along and in between those weeks a "Friday Aloha Blogger" is featured. . .the blogger don't have to be from Hawaii. Who knows. . .it could be you!

Anyway. . thank you Jen for inviting me back on the team! I can't wait to get started!!

Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge #30 - 08-17-09

Hey Friends! It's that time again! Yup, it's Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge time again and we're on week #30! Whoohoo! How awesome is that? Can you believe it? We're rolling along towards Christmas so fast. You'll blink and next thing you know it, it'll be the holidays! I think I'll be good to go this Christmas.

We're going on a trip to Europe this Christmas so I actually need to get my cards and gifts out during the first week of Christmas so I basically, won't have time to create during the holidays. Creating this challenge blog was meant to be because I didn't know that we were going to be traveling during the Christmas season.

I'm the host of this week's challenge and my challenge is a sketch challenge. Easy stuff! I decided to use this image by DJ Inkers. . .it's a digital image. Isn't this Christmas bear a cutie or what?









I decided to use my Basic Grey designer paper that I bought last year. I love this DP stack. . the patterns and colors are so pretty. I colored the bear with myCopic Markers and added a bit of glitter to parts of the snow cap.

Anyway. . .stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long and check out the awesome cards the design team created. They are such talented ladies

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

Card Details

Image: DJ Inkers

Paper: Basic Grey DP, SU Close to Cocoa, Real Red

Ink: Copic Markers

Accessories: SU Satin Ribbon, Swirl Clip, Coluzzle Oval Template, Fiskar Scallop Scissors, Deja View Brads, Stickles Glitter