Hey Hey Everybody!

I totally have Mickey Mouse's voice in my head today, particularly because when I read through the recent listing of kids in need of some Sunshine over at the Sunshine Mail Foundation, Josiah's story broke my heart... All  I know is that this little guy is one, loves Mickey and some other Disney Channel shows, and just made me want to squeeze my own little guy a little tighter... Elijah loves Mickey Mouse. As in, he will be SOOOO mad if he ever finds out I made  this Mickey card for another boy other than him. BUT, Josiah sounds so much like my own little man that I HAD to whip up a Mickey inspired sunshine greeting just for him...

SOOOO if you are feeling so inclined as to craft it forward yourself, head on over to the Sunshine Mail Foundation and check out our current Snow Much Fun challenge or just send over a card that is inspired by the kids that are currently in need of a little sunshine themselves. I'm submitting this one to Crafting When  We Can for their "Favorite Things" challenge (since Mickey is Elijah's favorite thing and, well, my favorite cartoon to watch with him!)... I'm also submitting to Stampin' for the Weekend's Anything Goes challenge! So go get crafty and have a great day!

Skating By to Deliver some Sunshine...

Hello blogland! I do hope you are staying warm this winter season! :) Just a quick post to showcase a little sunshine mail that's en route to a child in need this winter...

I created this card using an image from Bugaboo stamps for the "Snow Much Fun" challenge being hosted by the Sunshine Mail Foundation this week.

So head on over to the Sunshine Mail Foundation Challenge blog and while you get crafty having "snow much fun" you can craft it forward and brighten a child's day in the process! Hope to see you there!

Kraftin' Kimmie is having a GDT Call!

Kraftin Kimmie just had their first release party on facebook this past weekend, and though I had to miss the festivities because we had company, I DID see the news that they are entertaining Guest Designer submissions all this week for people who would be interested in playing along with their Design Team... WEELLLLLLLLL, I HAD to jump on board for that opportunity because 1) I love their stamps and 2) I'm like a borderline Melanie Holtz stalker. I am FOREVER critiquing my coloring and chastising myself for not "embracing the dark" as much as my good ole Copics friends would tell me to... And Melanie has the dark shadows DOWN!!! If you haven't yet checked out her blog, head over to Paper Blessings and prepare to be amazed...

But I digress... :) The challenge requirements in order to be considered for a GDT position at Kraftin' Kimmie's simply call for something metallic in your project featuring a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp. I had already dug out my Judy stamp to be inked up cause I just think she's adorable, and when I saw the call, well, I snuck away from the kids for an hour or so to play with MY toys! :) So I just had to add some metallic silver paper for the mat and the metal mesh embellishment I've been hoarding since forever, and Viola...

I even added a little metallic gel pen to Judy's lips and shoes and belt buckle but it's a gloomy day outside and I can't seem to pick up the glimmer with my camera... :( BUT I totally channeled my inner "Rizzo" for this one and had a LOT of fun making Judy look like a pink lady! :)

WELLL, thanks for looking and please wish me luck with the DT call! Happy craftin!!!

“Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power" (Mansfield Park)

This card has been an evolution over like three weeks... I printed out a whole sheet of digis for me to color with my kiddos during the cold days at home, and I especially had fun playing with this little Toby pic, cause my own little man, Elijah, is getting SOOOO big and into SOOO much trouble these days... :)

Then I walked away from the coloring job and just came back to it in little pieces whenever I could steal a few minutes in the craft room! I FINALLY finished putting the card together this morning while I was doing "laundry". :) The paper used on this card has been in my stash for almost two years. True story... And I keep saying "I'm going to use it one day..." SOOO I finally used it. The paper is from Bo Bunny and I used it for a class I taught at Scrap-A-Doodle Doo about a year and a half ago or more, and I just did NOT want to let it go... So here it is, FINALLY in use! :)

I used this month's SOG sketch and am submitting this one to Simon Says Stamp, who is challenging us to "Embrace the Old" which I was finally able to do here! :) Thanks for looking, and have a great week!

Love Bird

Leona Lewis is SOOOOOO talented... Don't you agree lol? So I was running her songs all night as I sat at my table trying to come up with SOMETHING... Then wouldn't you know it, Saturated Canary's challenge this week happens to be a song inspiration. And click, the juices started flowing! :)

This "Love Bird" card was made while listening to Leona Lewis' version of Love Bird... Even though her lyrics are a lot sadder than what the card ended up turning into! :) I used The Deconstructed Sketch #84 and a GORGEOUS Saturated Canary image called "Love". I'm also submitting her for the Anything Goes challenge at Cardmakin Mamas and Inky Chicks! Thanks for checking her out... she was SOOOOO much fun to color! :) Have a great day!! 

The best way to beat the blues...

WELL, I've been stuck at home for the past three days praying that my cold was not the flu... Today is (sadly) the first day I've had a chance to sneak into the scrap room, which is kind of chilly in the winter months. Don't tell my hubby, but I think my feet got a little too cold while making this card and now I am nursing a bowl of soup hoping the runny nose and sneezing does NOT come back before I have to go to work tomorrow!

This card was made using the sketch over at Deconstructing Sketches, where Jen is having a DT call (so head on over there for inspiration and a cool challenge!!).

I used Renew from Some Odd Girl and colored her in with copics. I paper pieced her dress and shaded that in with some copics as well... And I think I had the MOST fun with the little details, like the gold earring and glitter in her headband...

Because this card helped pull me out of the sick time blues (and because I had so much fun coloring up her blue dress!) I'm submitting this one to Cute Card Thursday's Beat the Blues challenge... Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful (HEALTHY!!) day!!

My First Sunshine Mail!!

Hi there bloggers! Just checking in to show you some of the cards I cranked out for my first Sunshine Mail delivery... I made these cards just for this shipment, in advance of my official term starting as a Design Team member over at the challenge blog. As an example, I am also showing the inside of the card so you can see what kind of message we are asking to send smiles to children across the US.

So head on over to the Sunshine Mail website and deliver your OWN smiles today! And check back at the Sunshine Mail blog on January 15th for the next cool challenge designed to help you send smiles across the miles! :) 

Sneak Peek; Mixed Media Altered Mirror

Hey blogland! Just a quick sneak peek of my upcoming Mixed Media Altered Mirror class scheduled for Friday, January 18th at Scrap-A-Doodle Doo at 7 PM. We will be getting inky, painted up, and overall crafty with this gorgeous keepsake that is truly "Lovely" :). Hope you can join us in the fun!

Do you want to share some sunshine??

So we have all heard the term "Pay it forward..." But the Sunshine Mail Foundation is asking you to take it one step further and CRAFT it forward... Card makers across the world are invited to make cards for disadvantaged and suffering children, in order to brighten their days... These children are homeless, ill, or otherwise in need of a ray of sunshine, and using YOUR creativity, you can send a little of your own light their way... So what are you waiting for? Head on over to The Sunshine Mail Foundation right now by clicking the picture below and start crafting it forward today! :)

Auld Lang Syne

The words "Auld Land Syne" literally translate to "Old Long Ago"... And though the song talks about remembrances of friendships and relationships past, the idea of looking back on times past can ring true for so many different situations.

When I began crafting this layout, I found the 8X10 picture of Melanie dressed in her tap costume from 2009 and sadly, my first thought was "eesh, an 8X10 is going to take the WHOLE page. The sentimentality of the image, with Melanie's missing tooth and her last traces of babyness didn't hit me until I was all done cutting, distressing, inking, and all that jazz...

The paper used was from an AWESOME giveaway at a winter themed Scrap-A-Doodle Doo crop over a year ago... As was the blue flower... The white lace and beige ribbon trim were from my stash (beige ribbon is Maya Arts, also a gift from Scrap A Doodle Doo!). Overall, because the picture is so large there isn't much going on with this page, but I did use the water technique to cut the frame of the diecut paper and allow room for the striped paper to how through.

Now that I have a moment to reflect on the layout though, what is most captivating to me is the fact that my baby girl, now nine, is growing up so fast. As we celebrate the beginning of a new year, perhaps I'm a bit sentimental, but it's so important to hold the ones dear to you close for as long as possible. Our children grow so fast, our friendships tend to fade as time goes on, and as we grow older, our priorities tend to shift. But let's always remember to "take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne"... And remember those days long ago with fondness. Happy New Year!

***Submitting this layout for the Anything Goes challenge at Kaboodle Doodles***

Crafty Ribbons is Celebrating Advent

Check THIS out!!

It's really NOT beginning to look like Christmas

I can't handle how WARM it is outside... well, ok, today was about 35 degrees out, so it's a little colder than usual, but still... Christmas is only three days away and it just does NOT look like it's time. So when I made this card, I was planning on putting another snowflake in Mae's hand, but I just COULDN'T think snow... So I figured, hey, Spring feels like it's around the corner, why not make it a little flower! :)

I'm submitting this card to the December SOG sketch challenge and Anything Goes at Crafts 4 Eternity and Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude.Thanks for looking and have a VERY Merry Christmas!!!

Warmest Wishes!!

Hello blogland! And Happy Thanksgiving! :) I hope you are enjoying your time with family and friends and such... Most importantly, I hope you take a moment to remember what you are thankful for these days... We tend to forget to stop and appreciate the little moments that make life worth living... WAIT... I'm talking to SCRAPPERS here. As scrapbookers, we tend to CHERISH those little moments, trying to preserve them and remember them throughout the years. So scrappers out there, keep doing what you do... Cherish and preserve those memories, and give thanks for each and every little smile, smirk and scuffle...

As I thought about what I'm thankful for scrappy wise, I am most thankful for the friends I have made through this little craft we share. I have met so many wonderfully talented people both in person through crops and over cyber space... And though life goes on and we get busy and caught up in our own personal issues, when I think about those friends I've made that I would never have known if we hadn't connected creatively, well, I'm thankful! :)

This card was made using a digi stamp created by my friend Kristy, who launched her digi stamp company Some Odd Girl some time ago. I made the card using the sketch up for this month's challenge at SOG, and the whole time I tried coloring a new nose in and lips and such I was channeling my inner Leah... :) (Who needs to come visit...)



With that, I wish you a very happy thanksgiving once again and I hope you enjoy the holiday season! :)

Just because...

I'm up late tonight trying to squeeze a few cards in before Sandy arrives... I'm worried my scrap room will end up under water and powerless again so I'm taking advantage now while the power is in and the floor is dry... I made this card for the Operation Write Home sketch challenge using one if my newest itty bitty stamps from Unity.... I had lots of fun making the owl look hairy with my copics but now I have to go check and see if owls have hair or fur... Hmmmm...
Thanks for looking and I pray you are all safe and dry!

Welcome FALL!!!

And welcome to World Cardmaking Day... A day late, lol. I was SOOOOO bummed yesterday as I checked out all the cool challenges going on while sitting at the Lodi Pee Wee football game... My daughter cheers EVERY Saturday and the day is filled with the kids, cleaning, and football. At least until November! :)  SOOOO, as SOON as we got home and shoved the kids in their beds I HAD to bang out a card... or two. :)

This one was made with one of my Unity Stamp Company Stamp of the Week stamps (You Drive me Nuts)

I stamped the image using Close to My Heart's Slate gray ink and then colored it in with copics in all sorts of E shades... SOOOO many shades lol, but I was trying to get the whole cast shadow technique down. :) 

Finished off with some CTMH papers that were in my stash since forever and a ribbon, and viola... Happy Fall! :) 

I THINK I'm going to use this card as our first Operation Write Home project at school next Friday. I have about 19 girls signed up to learn how to make cards at school, and I'm trying to make quick and easy projects with them so that they can make one to take home and one to send to Operation Write Home for the troops. Because my school is HUGE on service projects, I thought this organization would be a nice way to give back to the troops while fostering my students' creativity. 

Thanks for taking the time to take a look-see, and happy stamping! :)

PS, I'm submitting this one to the Unity Stamp Co's blog for their World Cardmaking Day Fall Theme Challenge, which they GRACIOUSLY extended til Oct 20th! :)