Hot Fun in the Summertime!

Thought I'd try my luck at Mo's Digital Pencil, again!  My "Mini" card won-whoo hoo!  Nothing like a win to encourage one to play!  The challenge is summertime and this is so summertime-or, at least, the summertime of my childhood.  I'd like to think that one day, in the not too distant future, my dear grand daughter and I will share special moments like this!  My card design is simple-because that's what I do.  I love the oh, so fussy cards, but try as I might, they just don't come together for me, so simple it is!  This was great fun to color though next time, I think I'll do multiple layers as this image ceratinly lends itself to that look.

Baby B off for a day at the beach!

Now, you might notice I've repositioned my watermark-right smack dab in the middle of my pretty little card.  I really didn't want to do this but realize I have an obligation to the artists to protect their images.  I'm pretty sure no one is going to claim my coloring as their own as I see so many talented colorists out there that provide a greater temptation.  I am encouraging those folks to WATERMARK their beautiful work.  One of them recently wrote on FB that someone had pinned her colored image on Pinterest for folks to download and use on their cards.  The next day, she put out another magnificently colored image-no watermark.  PLEASE, talented lady, watermark your image.  Sadly, there are those who will claim it as their own.

I hope, that if you are a crafter/stamper, you're paying attention to the "Stamp Out" posts of late.  Some of the artists I admire and support are being very negatively impacted by the theft occurring via the Internet-people "pinning" images at Pinterest, folks giving away images they've stamped and scanned, sharing of files...  I suppose anyone engaged in this activity some how justifies what they are doing.  Then there are the knock of artists-some so blatant in their copies that my jaw drops-really?!  Now, I know, too, there is a fine line-you don't own an idea.  Kids look at clouds and girls can look flirty, but there are images that the artists have merely copied or worse, traced.  Come on, now people!  And saying you aren't the only one, well, that doesn't cut it either, folks.  I shall now step off my soap box.

Other challenges I plan to enter:
Digi Haven – 2W, 3E, must use a digi – Week 2 - Flowers
Inspire Me Fridays– W - No. 109 - Anything Goes!
Jellypark Challenges - 2W, 2E, SIO – Week 1 - Celebrate Summer
Stampin' For The Weekend - 2W, 1E – Week 2 - Anything Goes

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge # 172 Bling in the Sun!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Dawn is our Sassy Cheryl hostess this week.  Our challenge is "Bling in the Sun"  Use BLING-pearls, rhinestones, glitter...  I so wanted to use these cuties.  I had an idea-don't you love when that happens?! So, I just did it and then added rhinestones, both inside and out-ta day-BLING!

My DP is a recent find: Dear Lizzy: Lucky Charms by American Crafts.  I LOVE red so...  The twine makes a perfect telephone string, doesn't it?

Other challenges I plan to enter:
Digi Makeover Challenge - W, SIO, must use digi - Ties (ribbon, twine, etc)
House of Gilli - M, SIO - (June) Bright Colors or Anything Goes
Make My Monday - W, C6 - Summer Scenes

Sassy Cheryl's Show Me Thursday

Show Me Thursday at Sassy Cheryl's!

It's been a busy, crafty week!  I won't show case everything I've worked on this week, but just a glimpse of my ADD world!  I did resurrect a quilt I'm working on for my granddaughter-frustrating, though still cute.  I'm not ready to share that.

A friend gave me some patterns that her granddaughter has now outgrown.  I decided to use one and learned that while I once was quite proficient when it came to sewing, well, that was then and this is now.  I haven't practiced much since my children hit adolescence and my sewing of their clothes was no longer appreciated!  Perhaps with time...  In any case, here it is...

I'm also involved in a group that sponsors an art auction.  This year's theme is the circus.  I've fired up my Cameo Silhouette and am going to make about 60 of these...36 down...

Finally, a bridal shower.  I was commissioned to make the invitations which I've long since show cased. The hostess also asked me to make a recipe card box---

"Just as long as it doesn't look like a shoe box..."

We are a "nautical" community so I found this DP by Webster's Papers-I had it on hand-and made this box to accommodate 5x7 recipe cards...

...and this is the top...

Then, of course, I had to make some cards for the shower and a cocktail party that evening, so...

I love this Uptown Girl Collection-so appropriate for this kind of occasion...

On the bottom one, I stamped the image three times, cut colored, layered and even curved the umbrella.

Now, I'm off to cut more elephants-want to get them all done before next Monday!

Cheryl wants you to share what you've been working on!

Sassy Cheryl's: # 171 Here Comes Summer!

SWING ME A STORY

This week's Sassy Cheryl's challenge is called, "Here Comes Summer" hosted by yours truly!

Summer!  Got to love it...a swing and a good book for those lazy, hazy days of summer!  I colored with Copics.  My DP is My Mind's Eye.  Don't you love the lady bug brads!  Hmmm...as I look at this now, I think it could use a bit of doodling or faux stitching...it's been one of those days...

It was one of THOSE days-you know the kind...where everything seems to go just wrong.  Now, mind you, nothing life altering, just lots of little frustrations!  I had started making a quilt for sweet baby B (my granddaughter) back in April and then, got sidetracked.  I brought it out this week, prepped it to piece it and today, thought the piecing would go oh, so smoothly as I had measured VERY carefully...but, NOOOO!  ACK!  My seam ripper got lots of use.  Frustration!  Then, too, Internet issues which always make me slightly crazy.  Oh, well...

In any case, I hope you are having a GREAT, non-frustrating day and that you will join us for this week's challenge!

Other challenges I plan to enter:
ABC Challenges - W, cards only, E3, C10 - Summer
Craft-Dee BowZ - M, E3, project must have bow - (June) Celebrate Summer + Handmade Bow
Kaboodle Doodles - W, 3E - Summer
Make it Monday - W - always Anything Goes

Mo's Digital Pencil

I saw this image, and as a Mom AND a Mini owner/lover, I had to have it!  My kids are long past this stage, but I can assure you, this is how I looked when they were first driving.  I like to think I wasn't quite this obvious, but I believe the kids will tell you otherwise!

Digi Haven – 2W, 3E, must use a digi – Week 2 - Anything Goes

Jellypark Challenges - 2W, 2E, SIO – Week 1 - Masculine

Bronte and Bella's Challenge (Mo's Digital Pencil) - W, 1E, SIR - # 189 Schools out with a Mo's image

(This may be a stretch...but I can recall doing this when school was out, driver's ed over!)

Sassy Cheryl's: #170 For the Guys!

MAX IS FLYING HIGH

I've been away visiting friends and family and celebrating my granddaughter's first birthday, but I'm back just in time for the latest Sassy Cheryl's challenge!  Our hostess for this challenge is Judy.  She is one amazing gal-an incredible card creator, a woodworker, a cook...she can do it all!  With Father's Day just around the corner, she suggested a card for the guys.  Well, I chose to do a birthday card-it's for a boy, so it counts, right?!

I LOVE the latest Maddie and Max images-they scream vintage to me, and I love vintage, too!  I colored this little guy with Copics, my medium of choice.  

Design Team Call:

*** Please read this section VERY CAREFULLY ***

Here are the details you've been waiting for...

Sassy Cheryl's DT Requirements:

1. Must LOVE Sassy Cheryl images!
2. Must be a positive role model and team player.
3. Must agree to promote Sassy Cheryl's images to fellow bloggers/crafters.
4. Must be able to communicate in English.
5. Must submit one DT project weekly.
6. Must post weekly DT projects on your blog with links to Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog and online store.
7. Must comment on assigned weekly Sassy Cheryl's Challenge entries.
8. Must enter at least one of your Sassy Cheryl cards/projects into a minimum of one other challenge each month.
9. Must commit to 3 months on Sassy Cheryl's DT (July 1st - Sept. 30th term).
10. Must be willing to HAVE FUN!

As a DT member, you will ...

1. ...receive a monthly store credit at Sassy Cheryl's online store.
2. ... proudly display "Sassy Cheryl DT" banner on your blog. 
3. ...get to hang out with one of the most talented...and certainly "sassiest"... group of ladies in blogland!

Interested? Perfect!

Then here's what you need to do...

1. Enter this week's Sassy Cheryl's Challenge
2. Enter NEXT WEEK'S CHALLENGE!
3. Add the letters DT to your name in Mr. Linky for each week's challenge.

Questions? Please email Pat at babynurseva@aol.com

Other challenges I plan to enter:

• *NEW*Kreativeinkauf-challenge - M, P15, E3 - Anything that flies
• Ladybug Crafts - M, P1, 3E - For the men in your life
• Cards For Men - 2W, must be masculine - (1st week) Boys will be Boys
• Get Inky! - 2W, 3E - (1st week) For Boys and/or Men

Baby B is one!

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #169 Pink-a-licious

TRUE FRIENDSHIP (RS)

The incredibly talented Pat is our hostess at Sassy Cheryl's this week.  Time to step up my game!  I'll NEVER be able to create like Pat does, but after seeing what the DT created last week for their step cards, well, I knew I had to do better!  

I colored with Copics-didn't need many for this one!  My DP is by My Mind's Eye, Market Street.  I didn't use a bubble gum pink, but rather a peachy pink.  Trust me, it IS pink!

Here's the inside...

This stamp set comes with lots of extras-the sentiment and butterfly among them!

And, get this...

Design Team Call:

*** Please read this section VERY CAREFULLY ***

*Do you love Sassy Cheryl images?

*Are you just a little bit "Sassy"?

*Are you interested in becoming part of the "sassiest" Design Team in Blogland?

If you answered "Yes" to all of those questions, then this may be just what you've been looking for!

 Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog is looking to add THREE talented and "Sassy" Designers to the Sassy Cheryl Design Team (for a 3 month term)!  This DT Call will begin next week (June 4th) and run through June 17th at 5 pm EST. Interested designers are asked to enter the June 4th and June 11th Sassy Cheryl Challenges...and indicate "DT" when entering in Mr. Linky.

Come on, you KNOW you want to enter!

Sunshine Mail. org SMILES with just some lines

Isn't this a fun summertime image!  She's by Just Some Lines, found HERE.

This week's challenge is sponsored by: 

Well, friends, this is my swan song as a DT member here at Sunshine Mail.org.  It's been a wonderful 6 months!  Sunshine Mail is looking for new DT members so be sure to check it out and apply if this calls your name.  I've loved working with such a variety of wonderful images.  It's been wonderful knowing that my creations were bringing a smile to the face of a child, a smile (s)he can really use!

To join the challenge, click on this link to Sunshine Mail!

Don’t forget, We are having a DT call. If you’d like to be considered click HERE 

Happy Birthday, Erik

Once a joyful day, May 30th is now a day of reflection and tenderness.  My son, my first child was born on this day 36 years ago.  It was a difficult labor and delivery, oh, but that baby!  From the beginning, he had a beautiful spirit, an engaging smile...

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy.

By the time he was 16 months old, he had a two month old sister and was identified as legally blind.  At two, we learned he was mentally and physically handicapped.  Each discovery was devastating, but life goes on, and Erik was Erik and I loved him with my whole heart.

You see, I firmly believe that Erik was truly an angel.  He was born send a message of love, to teach, to inspire, and that he did.  It was finally determined that he had a very rare degenerative syndrome.  With every passing year, he lost abilities, but he NEVER lost his smile or his joy.  By 18, he was wheel chair bound and suffered daily from extreme pain.  He'd adjust.  Things would change.  He'd adjust.

Finally, God knew it was time to call him home, to release him from his deteriorating earthly body, to release from pain.  Erik got his wings in September of 2005.  

Now, some of you might wonder why I'm still tender after all of these years.  Well, friends, I don't believe I'll ever recover from the loss of my angel.  I accept it.  I am grateful that he no longer suffers, and I am forever grateful for the years he shared with us here on earth.  Over time, you sort of get used to it, I suppose, but there are days when his absence is just as painful as it was 8 years ago.  Today is just such a day.

Show Me Thursday @ Sassy Cheryl's

SHOW ME THURSDAY

What have you been up to?!  

I'm just coming off a terrific week with  Sassy friend, Cec visiting all the way from Canada.  We did it all!  Sadly, all good things must come to an end and my dear husband and I dropped her at the airport this morning...

BUT,

while she was here, we did all kinds of things...

After dinner out, we went to the movies-The Great Gatsby.  Whoa, the twenties were roaring!

We went to Winterthur in DE touring the home and gardens.  Winterthur is one of the DuPont mansions.

Naturally, we had to hit a couple of craft stores and Cec had to try some Maryland crab cakes.

We went to St.Michaels, a beautiful seaside town, strolled the downtown and ate overlooking the water.

We walked, went to the Tea Party parade and street fair, cooked, 

and talked, talked, talked some more 

AND 

of course, CRAFTED :-)

While on our little crafty shopping trip, I saw some chipboard letters that I quite liked.  they went in my shopping basket along with a couple of little paper pads.  This is what I did with them...

Neither Cec nor I are fans of having our pictures taken though I did manage to catch this one of her ...

I wasn't fast enough to catch her trying on the huge bonnet!

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge: #168 A Step Card

PATIENCE SECRET (RS)

All righty, now--- this week's challenge is a STEP CARD!  I am fortunate enough to have a Cameo Silhouette-LOVE IT!  A step card isn't really a challenge with a Cameo-just set it up, and this little lovely cuts it out :-)  

When Sassy Cheryl came out with her rubber stamps, I thought, "I HAVE to have these!"...and, now, I do.  Sassy Cheryl's rubber stamps are not only deeply etched but beautifully packaged.  I used all of the stamps in the set on this step card.  The images are all colored with Copics (truly, the only medium I use with regularity!)

I do hope you will join us for this week's challenge at Sassy Cheryl's!

Oh, and look for news regarding a design team opportunity with Sassy Cheryl's!  It's SUPER fun team with some remarkably talented ladies (and me, your pretty average card maker!)