Monday, January 28, 2013

"I will only add, God bless you" (Pride and Prejudice)

Hello blogland! It is STILL blustery cold out here in Northern NJ, which means I have had PLENTY of time  in the craft room (when I can steal the heater to warm the basement!) :) I will be back in a few days with some VERY cool announcements and new posts but in the meantime, I made the quickest card with the most heartfelt meaning to it in like fifteen minutes tonight and I just HAD to share it real quick.... :)

This is for our Pastor, William Hegedus, who is retiring later on this year. And it makes me sad to realize that in the ten or twelve years that I've been going to Bible Baptist Church in Hasbrouck Heights, I have only made him one or two cards. When I started thinking to myself that I needed to send him a card to encourage him as he prepares for his retirement, well, I was insecure... And I think I've felt that way EVERY time I've thought of making him a card! It's so weird... And when I really think about it, I know that feeling is NOT of God and I'm so upset that I have given into my insecurities over and over again... But at least I was able to make this one today for him, and I do so hope he likes it... And more important, I do so hope he realizes the impact he has had on our church family through the years. I have had such a back and forth relationship with my church, because, well, Christians are humans lol. Forgiven, yes. Humans yes. :) And so I have thought of leaving the church and then come right back to it when I remembered that the foundation of our church family is really the fact that we are a Bible believing community and a faith-based one... And that in a nutshell describes our church and our Pastor. He does NOT sugar coat a single thing, and he keeps it real. Even if that means that you are falling out of line and need to get a reality check.

Anywhoo, I may end up making Pastor Bill a card every month to make up for the years worth of cards I SHOULD have sent him, but in the meantime, here's my first one, nice and simple, and heartfelt. :) The main image is a digi provided by Paulette over at TLC creations and the papers and embellishments are from Close to my Heart.  I am submitting this one to Word Art Wednesday and The Squirrel and the Fox (Something New; new papers from CTMH and new bling!). Thanks for looking and have a GREAT week!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Getting a Lil Odd...

This past week the girls over at Some Odd Girl launched a birthday party replete with challenges and lots of goodies and fun....

In honor of the SOG three year anniversary, I cracked out one of my earliest Kaylee digis and inked her up again for posterity's sake...


I chose to emboss the silver paper behind Kaylee with Tim Holtz's clocks  cause every time I look at this cutie, I think Time Warp... :) I'm submitting this one to Card Makin Mamas for their Clean and Simple challenge (which is SOOOO not my usual style!) as well  as the Metallics challenge at Designed to Color. Thanks for looking!!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

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!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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!

Monday, January 14, 2013

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!!!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

“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!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

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!! 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

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!!


Saturday, January 5, 2013

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! :) 


Friday, January 4, 2013

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!


Thursday, January 3, 2013

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! :)