DTGD Day 2

I'm back today with 3 more cards!  I haven't even started on today's challenges, so I'm already behind as usual.  lol I got really sick last night and wasn't able to stamp.  I don't know if I had a small stomach virus or an allergic reaction to something, but the splatters I would have made on my cards were not ones that anyone would have wanted.  Thankfully it calmed around midnight and I was able to sleep.  Feeling much better today, but just a little tired and dehydrated.  Anyway...  This card using a Brusho background that's been in my to-use pile for a bit.  Dina's challenge was a perfect way to use it. The words are from a MFT set.

Susie presented a fun challenge and I couldn't want to color this adorable unicorn from Paper Smooches.  It's so fun!  I used distress inks to make a background for him.  

And finally...

...here  is a card for Lori's challenge.  I had a rough time coming up with something for this one and this is actually my second design.  I'll share the other next week after the challenges are over.  It uses distress inks and a lovely stamp set from Ellen Hutson. 

Double the Dirty

So today starts a week of fun Dare to get Dirty challenges at Splitcoast Stampers.  I usually try to do a few, but with my current stamping slump, I thought maybe I should try to do most of them.  We shall see how that goes!  Up first is Lydia's challenge.  Now I can't share the details of the challenge with you as that's a secret for Fan Club members, but they've all been fun so far today.  I think it's well worth joining the site.  :)

I love these crazy birds so much.  I thought pairing this guy with the sentiment and some yellow watercoloring might be funny.

Another fun challenge, more watercolors!  I figured I'd use them a bit while they are on my desk, so it might be the theme of the day.  This one is for Teresa's challenge.  I love the pretty color of the paint I used on this one.  Those Gansai Tambi colors are amazing!

You'll be seeing more frequent blog posts from me this next week or so, so I hope that's not annoying.  I want to get them uploaded as I do them and as I get a chance.

DTGD Seeing Stars

So I think at some point I've shared my stamping loves, the type of stamps I am usually drawn to?  If not, I'll share again.  I love all things coffee, sunflowers, cute animals, and STARS!   I have other stuff of course, but if you want to get my excitement  going, hand me those stamps!  :)  When I saw the new kit from Simon Says Stamp, I knew it was coming to live at my house.

I was inspired to finally ink it up after I saw the challenge on Splitcoast to pull out a new crafty product and use it  You get the chance to win a membership and since mine is almost up, that would be good.

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Seeing Stars
Ink:  Versamark
Paper:  Watercolor paper, black card stock
Other:  Gansai Tambi watercolors, white embossing powder, Studio Calico Wood Veneers

We let Laila play a little Pokemon Go and oh my goodness!  She was so happy and so excited when she caught her first one.  It was adorable!   Jason and I are playing as well and she loves to celebrate our catches with us.

12 Tags of 2016: July

I'm a little behind this month, but I did get my Tim Holtz July tag finished today!  It's been a work in progress and sitting on my desk for a week.  I've added and worked on it as I had a few minutes here and there.  I am so excited about how it turned out!  I still need to go back and do the months I've missed, so watch for those as I find some extra time.  lol

What do you think?  I think I got pretty close this time!  Yay!

Isn't she the cutest?  lol  So crazy, but that means there's never a dull moment around here.  :) 

Mixed Media Swallowtail

I've really become more interested in mixed media lately, so I thought I'd start working through some of the awesome tutorials and challenges over on Splitcoast Stampers.  This card was for the second challenge from way back in Febuary 2013.   It was to do emboss resist.  I inked up my Stampni' Up! Swallowtail stamp and went to work.  I used distress sprays, inks, and water for the color part.  Pretty fun to make and I love the result!

Stamps:  Stampin' Up! Swallowtail, Simon Says Stamp It's Your Birthday
Ink:  Versamark, Tim Holtz Abandoned Coral, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, and Black Soot, Versafine Onyx Black
Paper:  Canson watercolor paper

Laila having fun with craft time.  The schedule/chart is helping a lot, but we've still have several rough days.  Thursday and yesterday were just killers.  We did meet with her doctor on Thursday and have a referral for further testing with a specialist.  I hope we can figure out what exactly she has going on and learn ways to help her.  :(

Freshly Made Unicorn

Hello!  And Happy Wednesday!  It's Freshly Made Sketches Day!   I'm the hostess/sketch designer this week and I used my new found love of tags of course.  :)   I love the look of tags and I love using the smaller ones on cards.   I recently got the Tim Holtz tag dies, so I had use them for my card today.  I found this cute little unicorn in my stash already colored and ready to go, so I just built my card around that.  It is so helpful to have colored images laying around for weeks like this when you are short on time!

I hope you'll come play along!

FMS 245 Lifesaver

Watch out!  I managed to get my card made on time AND my blog post all set to go on time.  I don't know what's going on, but let's hope this is a good start to getting back to normal.  :)   It's a new week at Freshly Made Sketches and we have a great new sketch from Jen M.   Now I normally avoid square cards, but I decided to behave this week and try one.  I found this neglected kit from Simon Says Stamp in my stash and thought it would be fun for the sketch.  I love the papers and the colors!  

I did make it a 4 1/4 sqaure so that it's easy to throw in a regular envelope.  I never the right stamps for square cards so I need my creations to work with normal regular price stamps.  :)   

Laila is having a blast at school.  I am so thankful that we finally found someone who knows how to work with kids like her.  Her behavior at home is even better thanks to what she's learning there.  It's mostly play right now, but learning to play independently and how to socialize are two things she needs more than anything.  She is starting to read a few words here and there, so maybe that will take off more as we get the other things established.  :)  

Rainbow Tag the Remix

I thought I'd share another project I made during my stamping time with my friend Meg.  We worked on a rainbow coffee tag similar to the one I did for the last coffee blog hop.  We added a bit more to it this time and I was so happy with the results.  It really allows the coffee cup to shine!   

Tim Holtz's style of tags and fun came into my life at just the right time.  Life right now feels messy and crazy, so it's good to carry that over into my stamping.   Now I have a way to craft that doesn't have to be perfect or frustrating.  If I make a mistake I can make it work.  I know it's just ink, but it is also therapy and sometimes therapy is a big hot mess.  If I cry on my tags, it just adds more to it. If I rip it, more character.  There's no wrong way, no mistakes, just art. 

Supplies:

Stamps:  Stampers Anonymous Fresh Brewed Blueprints, Bo Bunny Stained Textures

Ink:  Ranger Distress Inks, Ranger Archival Jet Black

Other: Manila tag, seam binding, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk stickers

Simon Says Red White and Blue

I managed to make a card yesterday!  I actually have a little pile of things to blog, so you might be in for a treat this weekend.  :)   This card is for the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge.  It is a bit more technique/mixed media type challenge, so I figured I should start playing since I am so in love with Tim Holtz products.  :)   This week's challenge was to do a Red, White, and/or Blue project.  I thought I'd just go with them all and a make a card to send to someone with a birthday in July.  I have several friends already who I need to mail one to, so it might be heading out of my craft room tomorrow!

Stamps: Mama Elephant Carnival Cupcakes, Altenew Label Love
Ink:  Copics, Blueprint Sketch and Candied Apple Distress Inks, Versafine Black Onyx
Dies: My Favorite Things Stitched Scallop Circles plus Stampin' Up! Stars embossing folder
Embellishments:  Studio Calico Wood Veneers Stars, Wink of Stella, seam binding

When my friend Meg got here, Laila didn't waste any time getting her to craft!  :)  

Freshly Made Skies

One of these days I might get my act together.  lol  I managed to get my Freshly Made Sketches card made in time this week, but I forgot to do my blog post!  Things have been so crazy since we returned from vacation and I am just a mess!   Jen T. challenged us with an awesome sketch this week and I enjoyed making this card so much.  I had to change the sketch to fit what I have since I own ZERO ovals.  Am I the only one without anything oval???  Surely not!

Laila started school this week and I had a crafty friend come spend a few days visiting.  It was great!   I got some adult time and Laila was able to spend time with other kids and the best teacher we could have asked for.  We are hoping to follow this teacher to her new job this fall, so keep your fingers crossed.  The only down part is that she does think we need to explore further testing with the pediatrician.  She sees some autistic traits in Laila, so we want to make sure there's not something going on there that we need to be working on.  But, better to know and get help started early, right? 

Pet Sympathy

Oh WOW!  I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post.  We went out of town to visit my family in Kentucky last month and I was so busy before we left.  We got back on the 30th, but it's been crazy since.  I managed to make a couple cards yesterday and I thought I'd share one.  The other is my Freshly Made Sketches card, so you'll see it Wednesday.  

One of my high school friends recently lost his dog so I made a card to send to him and his family.  I know they've been dreading the day they had to say goodbye so much.  I kept it super simple in shades of white and gray.  I won't tell you how many times I smudged the white, but I think I finally got it.

Laila had such a fun time in Kentucky.  She was attached to my brother at the hip which was so funny.  She got to have a birthday party with lots of new cousins, go fishing, ride a bike, play at the park, and snuggle a lot with her grammy and pap.   :)