Arte Y Pico Award from Joanne

Joanne - Just a Little Something awarded me the Arte Y Pico (Art & More) Award. It is given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogging world.
Here are the rules: Thank you, Joanne!! Consider yourself tagged back because I LOVE your blog, artwork too!

1. You pick five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

I'm going to give this award to the following ladies:

Angie Tieman - Schwooo!
Barb Schram - Explore, Dream, Discover
Carolina Buchting - Carolina's Creative Pad
Lee Murphy - My Reality........It's All Good
Linsey Rickett - Outside the Lines

Hat to Thank You Paper Tole

I couldn't resist - even after having a tiring, long day (and a quick nap when I got home) I discovered my new Basic Grey paper pads arrived from 7 Kids College Fund (Coupon code for 15% off your purcahse: SAVE15 - good through April 4th) Their prices are great & fast shipping.

I used my Sultry (it is just that) on this card for TLC162 - Paper Tole-layering your colored stamped images for depth. I had a hard time picking out the paper I wanted to use, because I LOVE it all! I thought Rupa's set Thinking of You by Gina K Designs would be great for this (and it was so easy to cut out!) This was my first time using my Build a Brad by Stampin' Up! -what took me so long to get these?! They are just perfect to coordinate a brad with your card! I was able to use 3 patterns from the paper pad because of the design elements of the sketch. Which, by the way is CPS 58 (sponsored by Gina K Designs). Card Positioning Systems always has great sketches that I miss out on participating in but I couldn't resist today; making this a QUADRUPLE challenge - new technique, a new Gina K set, a CPS sketch & new paper - woohoo!

Here is a close-up of the tole

I Give a Hoot

Kim Hughes' owl is too cute! This is the bitty one - and doesn't he fit perfectly on Kristin's mushrooms from Enchanted Fairies? This is my first time using My Way punches by SU! (the arrows, you get 3, I just used the smaller two to draw attention to the sentiment. I used TLC160 Cuttlebug: The Negative Effect for my cardbase - it's just too cool! It really adds a lot of dimension to your card so I will definitely be trying this again. I also used my Lined Paper backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms - LOVE it! I decided I needed to jazz up the paper holes & used gold eyelets (most neglected embellishment in my stamp area) You probably can't see but I used my Sakura Gelly Roll glitter pen on the shrooms and the owl.

Celebrating You!

Sending this card to a special lady this week; used my neglected Bud Basics by Stampin' Up! and CC159 for my colors - Whisper White, Soft Sky & Basic Gray it's such a pretty combo! I also used my Pretty Pattern Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms. I love Stampin' Up!'s taffeta ribbon - it ties so easily and is just luxurious.

Faux Onesie, Real Onesies and MORE for Baby Joseph

Here is my Labor Love for my nephew due in May. We will be going out for a visit and I can hardly wait!! I worked on these projects all last weekend & finished the last touches on Tuesday evening.


I had to make one of Lauren's Baby Onesie cards - here is her tutorial. It was super easy to make and I used Basic Grey's Oh Baby Boy Brighton for my patterned paper (for his other projects below too. It as perfect, using Green, Blue, Orange to make it BOY. I used Melanie's Just so Hoppy for the froggy announcing Joseph. He is going to be named after our Mom Josephine who died in 1996 and his paternal grandfather who also died in the 90's (Anthony). Joseph Anthony Gonzales. I can't wait to see his little face!!! The little bottle is from a Fiskars clear stamp baby set.

I love stamping real onesies too - I made some for Gabriella (Joseph's Big Sister) before she was born too. I think these came out better because I have more ROCKIN' stamps now!! Used Kim Hughes U R A Hoot for Cornish Heritage Farms on the Owl - Who Loves you? See the versatility in this set?? And Stampin' Up!'s retired Favorite Teddy for Wanna Snuggle? Isn't this cute!?? Who doesn't wanna snuggle with a sweet smelling baby?!

Some of my favorite all-time sets by Stampin' Up! are the Crayon sets - alphas (got both) Crayon Kids, Accessories, the first Ronald McDonald Heart & Home set. They are just the most charming for kids stuff! Sure wish they would come back with more!!! It looks cute with the froggy huh? It was my DMIL's idea to put Hoppy Baby...genius! Then of course since we live in Texas and they live in CA - I have to make a Someone in Texas Loves Me! But how perfect is it that I now have a Texas Shape!!? When I made my niece's I had to spell it out...this just takes the cake! Lastly the All in the Family set looks super delightful to have the whole family on the baby and to convey the message they are 'BLESSED' is appropriate.

Here is the Memory Tin I made to keep in his room. I got inspiration from semichocolate who got her inspiration from Beate Below is a picture of the contents of the tin. The tabs are for Joseph's Firsts of the Year my sister can jot importatnt stuff on & then transfer to a scrapbook if she wishes (and I hope she does). I really had a lot of fun making all of this. Melanie let me borrow her Tiny Treasures stamp from her What's in Your Tin 1 so I could complete the front of the tin.

Lastly (and thanks for sticking with me this long) is everything that fits in the tin (with the exception of the little frog). I made a set of wooden blocks covered with the patterned paper - tutorial by Emily at Stamping & Stuff (couldn't find the exact one, but if you do a search you can find it). It's real easy; just cut your paper to the block size & adhere with a coat of mod podge on the block and over the paper. Then sand the edges. I used SU!'s lots of chipboard letters (dipped them in VersaMagic Chalk Ink Spanish Olive). I also covered a small notebook with the paper & wrote on it 'Joseph said (did) the cutest thing today'. This is a notebook she can jot neat stuff in. I made one for my niece too but we ended up using it just to write notes to her because some day when they can read (and understand) they will know by the words we wrote how much we love & cherish them. There's something priceless about having hand written notes from your loved ones.

I have to share a picture of Gabriella - taken on Easter Sunday. This is one of her favorite books, preparing her to be a Big Sister, she already knows what she's going to do with Joseph when he gets here: feed the baby, hug the baby, etc. It's so cute when she says it all!

Target Steal (I mean Deal)

The reason I say that is because I didn't really steal it...purchased the following box of single panel notecards and matching envelopes - 200 count! For $6.88 plus tax (regular price was $9.88)! They were on the endcap in the scrapbooking, party area. I always check that stuff out now I regret not getting the pastels & metallics! Here it is in all its glory and next is the first time I used it - to make a quick card for a gift for a co-worker, matching colors on the bag (inside is a cute colorful Tinkerbell nightshirt (she loves Tinkerbell), a butterfly notepad & butterfly socks (she likes butterflies too). Used my Papertrey Ink Butterfly Kisses. Colors used are Green Galore, Orchid Opulence & Yoyo Yellow.

Guilt-Free & Real Goodies (Edited to show Gabby eating ice cream)

Here is a cute party favor box (SCS tutorial) I made using Melanie's What's in Your Tin 2 set using some guilt-free goodies for the inside & as a favor. I had the picture of what was inside (but can't find it) it is an adorable lipgloss container that resembles the party favor! It's pink, blue & brown with the twist ends! If I ever find it (didn't want to take it back apart just to take another - lazy) plus I had a hard time getting a great photo to begin with! The little ice cream cone tied to the ribbon is a key chain. I think I may have to save this to send to my almost 2 yr-old niece. When we talked on the phone yesterday, I could hear the music from the ice cream truck in the background and shortly after she said, 'ice cream man??' too cute! She totally knows the sound because last week they stopped him & got one and she is hooked! Her favorite is Baskin Robin's Strawberry so she knows Auntie Donna & Uncle John are going to take Gabby for an ice cream when they come to visit her. So cute! I can't wait to hug & kiss on her!

I have to show a picture of her (hope it's o.k. by my sister, I never ask). This was taken last Sat. night after coloring Easter eggs, she was given a bite-sized 3 Musketeers candy and ate it with wild abandon while her dad took photographs {he's a professional photographer} this pic is courtesy of my cousin Andrea (THANK YOU, Favorite Cuz!) or else I'd never see any photos of her. Yes - she is part of my family, she LOVES sweets!

Edited to add this photo taken last night; this is what my dear brother-in-law fed his daughter for dinner before Mama got home - believe she likes sweets now?? btw - she gets the good stuff - Haagen Daz Chocolate

Tiny Treasure Delivery

I thought How Sweet It Is (stork baby delivery) went well with Melanie's sentiment in What's in Your Tin 1 (Tiny Treasures) and What's in Your Tin 2 is the double border around the image. Since it's only one baby I left off the s and replaced it with bling to keep the centering right. The card is simple (subtle coloring) and paper piecing with my Basic Grey Blush paper for the sling & bottom border. Colors are Blush Blossom, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa & Sage Shadow. Used my 50 cent vanilla satin ribbon bargain find from Hobby Lobby (20 yards) which lays flat nicely on the card.

Howdy Owl

I have been eyeing these stamps for a while now; U R a Hoot (Owls & Graduation) set by Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms - as well as the lined paper backgrounder. I received them this weekend and it took me a few days to ink them up; this is the first card I made with it. There are SO many images in the set, I still have half to trim so I can use them.

I got my Paisley cb embossing folder at Hobby Lobby this weekend in SE Austin (that's a bigger store than the one by my work) and had a 40% off coupon-I was so excited they had the new ones! I have to go back for a few more soon. I wanted to use it with this set for sure. I tried something new with my Prismacolor Pencils & OMS (have you checked out the awesome tutorials by coloring Queen Ila? Check it out here. I tend to leave my white spaces near the center of my images, while she does on the outer edges (totally different look) so I tried super hard to do it the opposite of what I always do and here is the result. Like it?? I do, but I think I need more practice! Luckily I have LOTS of line art images (hmmmm....wonder why?) Because I love to COLOR! The Howdy sentiment is from My Favorite Things Ride 'em Cowgirl which I won in a blog candy from Kim V! It's so cute, but the rest of it still has to see ink. So many stamps, so little time...

Girl on the go - manicure set

This little plastic purse is something I got from my friend Terry K. - Montana Stamper - it is clear so I stamped on it with my Palette Noir pad with Friends & Flowers (love that SAB set) and heat set. I traced the purse so it is lined with my Prints dp Celery. Like the big green flower on the snap? Those were 'extra' goodies in my blog candy from Carolina! They are so soft, I cut them in a petal pattern & stuck an ice square rhinestone brad in the center.
All of these 'essential's fit perfectly inside this little purse. Stuff a girl always needs to keep her nails in tip top shape & hands soft (that's lotion in the round container on the left) Sandalwood made locally with all natural ingredients, nothing artificial. You can order on-line Myka Store (well, this feature is temporarily disabled, but come back to it soon) I have to tell you, this is the BEST lotion EVER!! If you're in the market for some I cannot tell you enough about it, her scents are AWESOME and the lotion is SO creamy. I have battled with dry skin (skin allergies that are so annoying) ALL my life and when I discovered this - it is a GODSEND. It's the ONLY lotion that gives me 100% relief. She aslso has other great products. If you're in the Austin area or ever visit...please stop by & tell Lori I sent ya.

Sweet RAKS & an even Sweeter Award

I got this card with the great blog candy I won from Carolina at Carolina's Creative Pad Isn't it sweet? What's even more special is the back is stamped with her name & a cute cupcake & coffee mug. Her blog title also says, 'fueled by coffee & cupcakes' how cute is that? I am so glad we started becoming blog buddies; just realized she lives just 45 mins from where I lived for 26 years and we are the same age - she's only 2 1/2 months older. I love the liquid applique whipping cream on the sundae and I thought I had attention to detail - that girl cut out the itzy bitzy cherry on top!! wowza. Thanks again, Carolina - you are as sweet as (if not more) this sundae! Look at the precious Easter card I got from Monika Davis at M.A.D. Stamper. Monika is so sweet, ever since I sent her a birthday RAK last year she has sent me like 3 or 4 cards (and I have lagged because I forgot to send her one for her birthday this year). I have sent her a few too, it's not just one-sided. She is an excellent stamper and I love her ***Treasures of the Day*** where she shares her favorites from blogs she reads and I am proud to say she has featured a few of mine. Thank you, Monika - I love your card and you made my day! I hope we can meet someday in real life too *wink*

I woke up this morning to an email from Adela Creations by AR that she found my blog via the Hanna Stamps yahoo group and nominated me for an Excellent Blogger award. How sweet is she? Funny thing, I just had discovered her blog while I was blurfing the other day & she has a cool tutorial Crack that Egg I want to share with y'all. Makes me wish I had gotten this set, but since today is Easter it's a little too late. Anyway, check out her blog when you get a chance - I have to say she's an Excellent blogger herself! Thanks, Adela!

Dragons & Fairies

Here is the first card I made using my Darling Dragons by Artful Inkables. I LOVE the star sparkle in her set, I used it here to create a mystical background for my birthday dragon. Isn't he the cutest?! So fun to color...like his birthday balloons? They are highlighted with my new Copic Spica Clear glitter pen I got from Ellen Hutson's store, which is real nice, I'm sure I will be getting more colors but love the look of glitter over a colored image for sparkle. I highlighted the dragon with my Sakura Glitter Pen - love that too! See the sparkles on the centers of the stars on the background? THose are itty bitty dot sparklers by Stampendous that I got in my gooodie pail in Feb. LOVE those too! I love a lot today, huh?? Colored image with Prismas & OMS.

Here is the first card I made using my Enchanted Fairies set. I used the cloud from my Darling Dragons set for the fairy to sit on. I kept this card simple but now wish I had sponged some blue for clouds in the background. My designer paper is Basic Grey Two Scoops and I used my Rectangle nestabilities on my image & dp. Colored with Copics & highlighted with Sakura Glitter Pen. I tried photographing the dragon near the angel but it did not work. How cute does the fairy look next to the Angel, though??

Have a Fairy Nice Day

Here is one of my new Fairies! Isn't she the cutest?!? She was a lot of fun to color and that is one of the elements of Kristin's designs that draws me in. I got this in a set called Enchanted Fairies I used Lauren's Sketch Keep it in the Corner. I've been wanting to try one of her sketches for a while now but tend to miss out. This time I wasn't because I just knew this fairy was perfect for the sketch! I got this card done in about 10 mins. I also was so excited to use my scor-pal (when I was at work dreaming about some sketches, I drew this up in my head with 2 vertical/horizontal lines. Believe it or not, the sentiment fitting perfectly in the horizontal stripe was an afterthought-totally not planned...serendipitous! I was able to capture the sparkle from Sakura Glitter pen on the fairy but the dot sparkler by Stampendous on the left where the lines meet looks a little dark. It's a pink flower and the center has a kissy fit sprinkle brad by Queen & Co.

WSC40 - Calla Lily for Mom

Did you know Calla Lillies come in colors other than white? I wasn't sure before I colored this so I googled them and my inspiration for coloring them came from this photo. I used Summer Sun & Ruby Red.

The Calla Lily stamp is from my happy mail yesterday. I ordered some new stuff from Artful Inkables. Kristin Soboloski opened up her webstore just this week and is having a Grand Opening special:

Spend $30 and get 3 FREE stamps!
Spend $50 and get 5 FREE stamps!
Spend $65 and get 5 FREE stamps and FREE shipping!
Free stamps will be picked by us from our current stock and it will be a nice surprise what you get! Dont worry we won't put in anything lame or junky, only the good stuff! Size of stamps range from 1" all the way to 6 1/2". *

I couldn't resist her Darling Dragons or her Enchanted Fairies Check out Kristin's blog for some inspiration using her new stamps. I made 2 cute cards using both the sets I got last night but am having difficulty getting good pictures (inside is dark and outside there's a bit too much sunshine) so I will have to wait until this evening to post, plus my camera battery died so it's charging right now.

On my card, I used patterned paper and olive velvet ribbon both from my goodie package from Linsey. So pretty. The sketch is by Beate WSC40 (I missed the past 2 weeks *sad face*)

Surprise RAK from Linsey

Boy, it was a FABULOUS mail day today for me!! I got a few orders (will upload some stuff using them this weekend) and check out the SURPRISE coolness I got in a package from my blogging buddy, Linsey at Outside the Lines with Linsey!!

It is a CONGRATULATIONS card for winning Melanie's Hoppy Contest because I'm "the Hoppy Princess second to none" Check out all the detail on the bunny! Love the sash, 'Miss Hoppy' and her crown, oh dear...too cute!!! The wand? Over the top. I have to tell ya, Linsey really gave me a run for this contest. Did you see her Hop Around the Clock?? SOO adorable!! Linsey won Melanie's Hippy contest last month for her Hippy Nursery Lamp.

Thank you, Linsey!! You really are a sweet blogging buddy and I am so glad we 'met' I know I'm going to enjoy my goodies *you totally sent me MORE than I sent you* you stinker.

Western Dreams

This card sort of has a fresh western feel to me with the soft sky color, stars & natural hemp. Of course the Weathered Bg adds to that feel for me too. I made my big star (from a Stampin' Up! tip) by stamping them in two colors, putting them together & slicing down the middle and taping them back together. I'm considering using this card for a shoebox swap at my upline's house next Weds. What do you think...would you like to make this card? Seem simple enough yet nice enough to have in your sample basket for this In the Stars set from the Occasions mini?

Everyday Survival Kit

Everyday Life Survival Kit:

Toothpick: Pick the good qualities in everyone including yourself.

Rubberband: Be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want.

Band-Aid: To heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

Eraser: Everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our mistakes.

Candy Kiss: Everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.

Mint: You are worth a mint to your family and friends.

Bubble Gum: Stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Pen (or Pencil): List your blessings every day.

Tea bag: Relax daily and go over your list of blessings

What Cancer Cannot Do

I finally made a tin using Melanie's new set What's In Your Tin 2 that I won from her Hoppy Contest! I hope to give this to a work associate if she comes by the office tomorrow. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer about 13 months ago. My Favorite Things set Think Pink was PERFECT for my project so I used that to complement my tin. I was so excited to find the bracelet, pin and lip balm in my secret stash of goodies (which I've had for a LONG time, just waiting for that special person & packaging to present it in) and Melanie came along with her FABULOUS idea (even BEFORE her first set was released!) Thanks, Melanie!

I want this to be a Reminder for her - to Believe - What Cancer Cannot Do.

I printed the poem on copy paper and traced around the outside of the border with a marker, lining it up perfectly with the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig. The top outside border is stamped with pretty in pink craft and since I was going to cut out the middle, I went over it with the flowers from Boho Backgrounds in Burnt Umber Palette ink.

What Cancer Cannot Do
Author: Unknown

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love.

It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith.

It cannot eat away peace.

It cannot destroy confidence.

It cannot kill friendship.

It cannot shut out memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot reduce eternal life.

It cannot quench the Spirit.

Edited to Add: I just got off the phone with Sherry (my friend I made the tin for). I called her early this morning to see if she planned to stop by the office. She said no so I told her I had a special gift for her & would send it back with Linda (who was coming in her place). Linda waited anxiously for Sherry to come back to the office as she was running errands too so she could see what the gift was! Just like y'all thought, she loved it! Said it was wonderful & the poem meant so much to her. Linda wanted her to read it to her, but Sherry couldn't read it aloud (started to tear up) but then let Linda read it. She said she'd come in next week to get her hug. As we chatted, we both started to tear up when she read what I wrote on the bottom of the tin because she didn't realize there was more:

To: Sherry In Celebration of Your Life. Love, Donna

This, my friends - is one of the many reasons I love what I do. I made Sherry's day and it cost me just a little bit of money, a little creativity, some of my time and a whole lotta heart.

Long Time Friend

I love Baskets of Happiness By Gina K Designs, especially that some images may be used for something other than Easter. I love this flower stamp but wanted to exclude the eggs that appear on the left of the flower pot. So I only inked up the flower pot and hand drew the side of the pot. I also scored a 'frame' using my Scor-Pal, it's so awesome! Colored with my Prismas, OMS and highlighted with Twinkling H20's for sparkle.

One of a Kind Twist & Smoosh

Here is one of the cards made at last Thursday's stamp class. We learned different ways to use Glossy Cardstock - have you ever tried them all? There's like 33 that I know of from a document I found on SCS. I showed the ladies about 5 of them. One was the above card. You take a solid stamp with some type of dots, squiggle or confetti (the closest I had was rom Boho Backgrounds the circles. You stamp and smoosh your design turning it slightly. That's the background piece using Pretty in Pink & Old Olive. Then we used the big flower from One of a Kind with Timber Brown StazOn (the interesting thing is that it looks a little on the 'green' side which matches quite lovely. What I love about this combo is that the pretty background shows through the flower! With this card, I not only introduced the technique but the Styled Silver Hodgepodge hardware & twill in the new Occasions mini as well as the Boho Blossoms punch. Everyone LOVED this card.

Life is Sweets!

Look what I made with Melanie's new set What's In Your Tin 2!! This is for the sketch challenge from Gina K's release party the other night.

I need to get some tins soon, so I can really take off with this set! I have some ideas brewing. But for now, I thought this would make a cute card paired with How Sweet It Is . The Frame is stamped on DCWV Glitter Stack. Like the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream? Yumm-o. Speaking of ice cream - have you tried Creamy Creations (HEB, Central/South Texas Store) Chocolate Mint Cookies & Cream? It's divine. I had some jstS a bit ago to reward myself for 4 straight hours of stamping this evening. I got 3 of my challenges done in addition to preparations for my stamp club ladies coming over tomorrow evening.

I may not be able to post again until Friday, hopefully. I still have a workshop on Saturday to prepare for. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.

Frog on the Lake

I couldn't resist making another froggy card - in response to a Gina K's release party challenge (to set the scene) - can you believe I had already missed my Hoppys since I haven't stamped in a few days with them?!

I used Wide Open Spaces for the trees in the backround and colored in my water and grassy area. Don't you love her pink & green inner tube ?! It's from SU!'s retired set Sparkling Summer - and her retro looking sunglasses? Summer is from Season by Season

Flower in the Window

Here's a quick card I made last night right after work. Yea for Daylight Savings Time! I can take good outside photos during the week again!

This is for the Color Challenge from Gina K's release party the other night. Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie & Soft Sky. I left it without a greeting so I can keep it in my stash so in case I need a card quickly I can personalize it for what I need.

I used my How Sweet It Is (Stamps for a Cause set by Gina K) which I love because $7 of each purchase goes directly to both Juvenile & Adult Diabetes. I can't wait to send a set of cards to a few family members who are affected by this disease & stamp the back of the cards with the stamp explaining the donation paragraph. It will be the ultimate gift of 'Thinking of You' because I had you in mind when I made my purchase. I'm sure they will appreciate it. Now, to find the time to do it...

The Hoppys have it (winners) - Tribute from Melanie

Last night was the Gina K new set release party at SCS. Because of all the excitement, I feel a little hungover this morning - not wanting to get up & go. Wish I could stay home to stamp!

Melanie announced her blog candy winner Beth & her Hoppy Challenge Winner - ME!!! Please click on this link to see Melanie's tribute (The Hoppy Chronicles) to my creations. I am SO excited!

I want to say a special thank you to a few gals who have been super encouragers:

Linsey sent this to me in an email at 6:00 last night:
"I can't wait to see Melanie's winner---I secretly hope and pray that it's you because I truly love your creations and I think you are uber talented!!! I think you will, I just feel iT! Guess we'll see soon enough!!! hugs till the part-ee!"

Jessie said this after I posted my Rub a Dub Dub Froggy card:
"Okay, it's official, I am no longer entering the contest, you totally have to win, all of your cards with this set are tooooooo cute!!! Love this!!"

Charmaine
"This is just ADORABLE, Donna! You are so clever! LOVE that pom pon"

Rose Ann
"Your kanga cards are soooo cute, Donna!! You sure are rockin' the cute set!!"

Lee
"Ohhhh.......this is just so sweet!! I'd say it's so TWEEET, but that's not exactly original!!! LOL You are on a major creative role!! I am so enjoying all your Hoppy creations!!"

and Melanie - my marathon pop-up card day
"Hopefully you got my reply (HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!) when you sent it even though I didn't leave one here! Please remember to break for food and rest, girl!!! :D"

There are SO many more of you I want to thank but I need to publish this post before it gets too long - so everyone who has ever left a comment on my blog, a BIG thank you goes to YOU for your encouraging words! Y'all are one of the many reasons I am motivated to blog & share my creations. Keep coming back for more, uh?

Trio of Blooms

This card is a CASE from Kristina Werner (from her Make a Card Monday videos) I really liked her card so I made one using my SAB Friends & Flowers (inking just one of the blooms in the trio in the set). Used my Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper and the Happy Day greeting is a from the Love & Happiness rub-ons (special during SAB and there's only 1 week left!)

What's in Your Tin - Wristy Tutorial

Melanie's new sets will debut this evening in the Gina K forum on SCS 7:00 - 9:00 CST (hope my workday goes by FAST) I will go home, do anything I must do but definitely put on my pj's, set up my laptop in bed, eat dinner (most likely pizza) and wait for the fun to begin! Check out Melanie's Wristy Tutorial using one of her sets, isn't this the cutest? Every girl's essential

Have you checked out Gina K's sneak peeks? Everything looks awesome so far! Hope to 'see' you there!

Always Emboss Resist

Here is my card for Beate's Weekend Sketch (WSC38). I have to blame getting this set on Beate herself and Angie Tieman amongst a few others I can't remember who enabled this. Luckily I won a contest from my up-upline that I didn't have to pay for it! SCORE. Here is one of Beate's cards that is just awesome and here is one by Angie. I'm teaching my stamp club Emboss Resist so I used that technique on this card.

Springy Candy Jar

I'm working on projects for my stamp club this Thursday as well as my first SU! workshop next Sat in several years. This is one of the projects I put together to show how easily you can put together a small gift to produce a big smile on the recipient's face. I just got my Boho Blossoms punch (I love it). I put Eastern Elegance rub-ons on the band in the middle on the sides (you can see a small glimpse of them). On the top is a scallop punch with the same purple flower with a green ice square rhinestone brad in the center. Inside are Hershey's Dark Chocolate eggs, which I discovered Shelby LOVES.

Here is the little perp. I took this picture a week ago after she got back from the Beauty Salon (which was long overdue) doesn't she look pretty? Remember the Easter Ramekins I posted earlier this week? In the bottom right is the box they were in, see I have a bad habit of covering my floor with projects I have finished, I am working on, etc. Anyone else do that? The thought never occurred to me they would not be safe there. Until this Friday night when I saw the lid was askew and John, while playing Halo 3 looked down and saw Shelby was eating something. He asked me, 'what's Shelby eating?' and it was obvious with the various colored foil remnants that the candy haunting her all week on the floor just needed to be eaten - BY HER! She must have eaten about 6 of them...cleaned them right out of the foil! Bad dog. It was o.k. she wasn't going to die since she's 45 lbs and it was a small amount. But geesh now nothing is sacred. By the way, as I type this she is sleeping away in the same spot but her Daddy is not in the chair (he's in the bedroom) but her little sister Elsie is though. Always wanting to be with us.

Bunny in her Sunday Best

When I was making my Bunny Xing card yesterday I looked at the basket full of flowers and almost put it upside down on her head, but I knew I wanted to keep that card simple because of the scenery. So of course I had to make a card with the idea for a bunny hat using Just so Hoppy. How cute is the flower corsage on her left wrist? I had to put something in her right hand but did not want it to compete with her Easter Bonnet so I grabbed the sign from Just so Hippy put a sentiment in it & viola! Now it's complete. This is my entry for Carolyn's color challenge (Lovely Lilac & Certainly Celery) to win a new set from the next release. Don't forget there's a Gina K release party tomorrow evening (7:00 - 9:00 CST) I am really excited about it! My friend Melanie has 2 sets coming out this time! woohoo!!

Edited to add: Easter Bonnet & Flower Corsage {proper terms for Bunny's Stylin' Easter Accessories}

Divine Design - Faith, Hope, Love

I am actually participating in this challenge on the day it's posted - yea! Here I used my new Papertrey Ink set Everyday Blessings. I was so happy to see it included very nice Scripture, which I am desirous of and lack for my projects. This frame is highlighting the other patterned paper {Basic Grey Infused} I used from last month's Scripture (and realized I can have at least 4 different patterns combining with the 2 mats I have). When I get bored I can make more.

I chose this Scripture as a reminder of what Easter is all about. Scripture says "'By Faith...
in Hebrews 11 (click on the passage to read it) is where you will find great faith; in adversity, hopelessness, tragedy, trials by those who believed in something greater than them. Faith is the substance of things hoped for; I hope for everlasting life, that there is something more after I pass on (eternal life in Heaven), I don't see Jesus yet I believe He died for my sins. Jesus' sacrifice was the ultimate expression of love. At Easter I celebrate His Life, the fact He died & rose again, and when He was on the cross, I was on His mind.

I have a small reminder of the Faith, Hope, Love other than this frame; when I was in my late twenties I got my first tattoo - those words on my left ankle remind me that the greatest of all is LOVE. I am reminded of Jesus' love every minute of every day because He is why I live.

Bunny Xing

I had an idea for a week now (after finding these pink pom poms when I was cleaning my stamp area) to do a bunny from behind using Just so Hoppy. I loved Melanie's idea of the chick from behind here - so why not the Bunny??

I have really been having fun making little nature scenes, can you tell? Well, I figured since the Bunny will be delivering a basket of flowers why not make a road with him crossing it? I got some instruction from Sophia (Moonlight Inker) to make my grass more realistic. She is such a great stamper & artist! I get so much inspiration from her blog and she is super sweet, we have emailed a few times about miscellaneous stuff. I have to give credit to Michelle Zindorf too, she makes the most amazing backgrounds & posts tutorials for her creations all the time. I used one of her tips by tearing copy paper to make my grass & road lines. I used my Lovely as a Tree SU! set for the trees, Just so Hippy for the flowers on the grass and added cherry blossoms to the tree as an afterthought & I'm glad I did, I think it makes a world of difference! I know because I photographed it before I did it & I think the feel of Spring really pops off the page now.

Don't forget to 'Spring Forward' for Daylight Savings Time tonight before you go to bed!

Peep Show

Who doesn't love the sugary gooey goodness called Peeps?? Well, have you even seen they have more colors of the rainbow AND different shapes like bunnies now? I wanted to showcase my Chicky from Just so Hoppy so I bought the traditional ones. They are two boxes so I wanted to put them in special packaging. How about a gum/candy slider? Since it is two boxes, the lovely lilac only went to far so I needed to add cardstock to the middle. Good enough, but it needed to be decorated. I used my big polka dots & daisies jumbo wheel (retired SU! but I'm not totally sure that is the name or not) which was the first time I used it. Well, look how well it goes with the chicks and the small flower they are holding from Just so Hippy (I pulled it from my for sale pile which I haven't posted yet because I keep finding all these sets I still want to keep).

Here it is open - cute, huh? Wonder how I got the jagged edge of the Yoyo yellow cardstock to look like teeth? I sure don't have any decorative edge scissors like that - so this is what I did with my small star punch...what do you think??

Hope you have a great weekend! I know I have a busy one ahead, have to finish up my taxes, prepare for stamp club next weekend, work on my nephew's baby shower stuff still and stamp for fun, of course! Phew...I'm tired thinking about all this fun! Oh and it's Cupcake Friday on Taylor's blog so I need to do my challenge (one part of my challenge I accomplished this morning-I made REAL cupcakes! Banana ones, yumm-o!) Oh and Beate's WSC38 - I already did a card this morning - will upload soon.

Somebunny Loves a Big 'Ol Carrot

Better late than never? Here is my card for Beate's Weekend Sketch 37 from last Friday. There are several reasons I didn't upload it sooner. I actually made it last Friday night but was not exactly pleased with it, so I put it out of my mind all weekend and realized I really wanted to show you Bunny's Big 'Ol Carrot still (because I was proud of that part!) Since nearly a week passed since I made this, I can't remember how or why I chose these colors but I knew I wanted something Eastery (is that a word) or is it Easterish but bright at the same time.

I found this carrot at Michael's for a buck & figured I could make it work with Just so Hoppy I just love how the carrot nestles in his right arm and how he longingly is looking at it so instead of it saying somebunny loves you, it seems like it's saying, 'Somebunny Loves a Big 'Ol Carrot.