Valley of Green...

When one card order leads to another card order...  I posted on my fb page the thank you card that I made for my friend to thank you for her card order.  Shortly after I got a message asking me if I could make some thank you cards...why of course!

These are CAS cards and fairly quick to put together.  I used Crumb Cake, Shaded Spruce, Black and White card stock.  Denami Design Thank You Circle Stamp in Shaded Spruce, stamping Hero Arts bicycle in black in the center.  

Have a Happy New Year!

 

Purple Power...

A custom card order and a thank you for the card order.

A dear friend of mine asked me to make some thank you cards for the local triathlon club.  I just happened to have a custom stamp with the club's logo from when I was on the board a few years ago.

 

Gorgeous Grape was perfect as the clubs color is purple!  I stamped my image in Gorgeous Grape and ran the main image panel through a cuttlebug folder in Gorgeous Grape.  I did two sets of 3, one set in Smoky Slate, the other in Black.

I made a coordinating thank you card to thank my friend for the order and to also thank her for her patience/delay it took for me to make them.  We have been working on our home so my card making time has been limited.  I stamped the Thank You Circle in Gorgeous Grape from Denami Stamps and the bicycle from Hero Arts in black.

Thank you for stopping by!

Merry Christmas 2021...

My Christmas Cards for 2021.  I made 43 this year.

 I went back and forth on making Christmas cards this year.  I haven't had a whole lot of time to spend on creating cards this year with all the home improvements we've been working on.  This was a last minute quick card I put together.  I used the My Favorite Things Merry Christmas Tree stamped in black, I went over the star with a glitter pen.  I mounted that layer on Smoky Slate.  I ran a piece of white card stock through the cuttlebug using the snow fades folder and adding a piece of silver glitter ribbon then mounting it on a black card stock base.

Thank you for having a look at my blog.

For My Sister at Heart...

For my bestie for her birthday

I follow Emily Midgett on Instagram and just lover her card designs and creations.  Several months ago she offered her images up for purchase.  I was just thrilled to purchase some of her artwork and use them to make my cards.  This is one of her pieces in the "Framed Florals" collection from her company, Sixth Street Sundries.  I colored the image with copics and mounted it on a Rich Razzleberry card stock base.  I finished off the card with a few iridescent bubbles and a sentiment from My Favorite Things Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings #3.

Me and Kellye.

Thank you for stopping by!

Sending Warm Birthday Wishes...

For my best friends mom for her birthday.

I started out by stamping my images on Neenah with Memento ink then die cutting my images with coordinating die-namics.  I colored my images with copics then mounted them with foam dots.  For the next panel I ran a piece of Pool Party card stock through snow fade cuttlebug folder.  I then die cut snowdrifts die-namics.  I put the two together and die cut them with the A2 Stitch Rectangle Stax die-namics.  I mounted the layer on a white card stock base.

Me and Linda waiting for our Cruise in 2020.

Thank you for taking a look at my blog!

 

Happy Birthday BadA$$ Brooke...

For one heck of a BadA$$ for her birthday!  If you have the pleasure of knowing Brooke, then you know that this girl does it all and puts it all out there.  She's a wife, a mom to two beautiful girls, a triathlete, a ride leader, and the list goes on.  She juggles a busy schedule with her family and still manages to train hard, do all the things and is a complete and total BadA$$ at it.  I wanted to make her a card to represent her badA$$ery and got her a t-shirt to match! 

I found a digital image on etsy that I purchased, and had my hubs print out 'case I'm so not tech savvy!  I colored it with copics.  I found a piece of EP paper that I used and had her age visible on the side.  The sentiment from My Favorite Things Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings #3 was just perfect for her card!!!

"BadA$$ Brooke" 

She said this was her knew favorite shirt, ha!

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Birthday Ryan!!!

For my best friends step dad for his birthday.

I started out by stamping Lovely as a Tree from Stampin' Up on Neenah with Memento ink, running it through the die cutter, then coloring with copics.  I mounted it on a die cut Wonky Stitch Circle Die-namics in Mango Melody.  I used a Cherry Cobbler base, layering it with Chocolate Chip that was put through a woodgrain cuttlebug folder.  Mounted my main image on foam squares and finished it off with Stamping Bella baubles.  

 Ryan and me a couple Thanksgivings ago.

Wish I Could Heal Your Heart...

I shed many tears making this, sympathy cards are truly the hardest to make.  If  I could take away the grief and pain that someone is feeling, it would be that of which my bestie is feeling for the loss of her mom.  Their relationship was so special, one I wish all daughters could have with their mothers.     

I stamped My Favorite Things Freshly Picket Bouquet in Memento ink on Neenah, then colored it with Copics.  Sentiment is from SU Heal Your Heart.  I layered my panel on Cherry Cobbler.

 My bestie and my "mom by love".

Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Daughter...

For my beautiful daughter for her birthday.  We are so incredibly proud of the woman she has become.  She's such a hard worker, a go getter, an amazing mother, and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better daughter than her.  I have been truly blessed to have her not only as my daughter but also as my friend.  I love her with all my heart.

My daughter loves lilies so I had to make her a card using My Favorite Things Lavish Lilies.  I started out stamping my image with Memento ink on Crumb Cake, coloring with prismacolor pencils.  I layered my panel on Purely Pomegranate.  Stamped the sentiment from Sassy Pants Birthday Greeting #3 from MFT, then finished off the card with a Purely Pomegranate bow and some sequins.

My beautiful daughter.

Thank you for stopping by.

 

Some Days You're the Dog...

For my best friend for his birthday.  I make him a funny card every year.  I already have next year's card planned for his 50th.

I saw a card this card on pinterest and knew I wanted to recreate it.  I stamped and masked my images from the MFT set You Make my Tail Wag.  I used the Watercolor Wash Free Form Stencil from MFT then used blender brushes to blend versamagic chalk ink for the sky and ground.  I then colored my stamped images in copics, and made some highlights with a white gel pen.  I stamped my sentiment then mounted my panel on a Real Red card base.

Me and Jeremy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Birthday Wishes...

Sending birthday wishes to a sweet lady I met through My Favorite Things.

I used this week's sketch, MFTWSC573 from My Favorite Things. I started out stamping Knitted Sweater from MFT in white ink on Crumb Cake.  I layered white and Pool Party that was run through the pin dot cuttlebug folder.  Next, I die cut Wonky Stitch die-namics in white, then die cut a Crumb Cake circle that was stamped with Knitted Sweater in white.  I die cut Essential Stitched Sentiment die-namics then stamped my sentiment from Cool Day (masking the sentiment, only using Happy Birthday).  I stamped the bear from MFT Sweater Weather in the Woods on Neenah with Memento ink, coloring with copics, die cut it, then mounted it on foam squares. 

Thank you so much for taking a peek at my blog.

 

Happy Birthday Eileen...

For one the gals in our cycling group for her birthday...

I started out with a white card base.  I then die cut the bike, used a gel pen on it to make it shine and sparkle.  Next I die cut the snow drifts, hello sunshine, and cute cloud outlines die-namics and placed them on my card.  I used white opaque gel ink and silver glimmer mist.  Stamped my sentiment from Festive Old Friends in white pigment ink and embossed with white embossing powder.  

Me and Eileen after one of our GABA rides.

Thank you for taking a look at my blog.

 

Happy 75th Birthday Erin!!!

For my dear friend Erin for her 75th birthday.

I worked and worked on this card, didn't exactly go from my vision to paper.  I used My favorite Things die-manics, copics and copic opaque white gel ink for the background.  Mounted my panel on Real Red card stock.

Thank you for stopping by!

 

Namaste Moon Angel...

I'm still working through my list of RAK's.  This one is for a sweet lady who does so much for her family.  She loves yoga, black and turquoise.

I kept this CAS.  Stamping my image from the My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Serenity in Memento ink on Neenah, coloring her with Copics.  I layered my panel on Tempting Turquoise and Black.  Did the same with the sentiment.

Thank you for stopping by!

Dressing Dawn in Prickly Pear...

My daughter posted on her Instagram about the Prickly Pear tea that I sent her.  One of her "friends" asked where she got it and that she needed to find some.  My daughter sent me Dawn's address.  I got her some Prickly Pear tea and made her a card to compliment what I was sending.

 I kept my card super simple since I wanted to get the package out in the mail as quickly as I could.  I used Studio Calico's Arizona State stamp.  I stamped the image from My Favorite Things Sweet Succulents in Memento ink, coloring with Copics, die cutting it with coordinating die-namics then mounting it on the card with pop dots.  I used Denami Design ribbon...they had the best ribbon ever!  Sentiment is from the Sweet Succulents set.  I mounted my panel on a white card base.

Happy September!

Happy Birthday Connor!!!

Today is our middle grandson, Connor's 11th birthday!!!  I've been blessed to be there for the births of all of our grandson, however I almost didn't make it to see Connor's birth.  I originally was suppose to leave for Idaho the day after our anniversary, which is on the 4th.  I had this tugging feeling...something told me that I needed to leave earlier for my trip to Idaho.   I'm so glad that I listened to that inner voice...(I like to say it was Connor speaking to me, telling me to hurry up and get there already!, lol)  After arriving at my daughter's apartment, all of 5 minutes...her water breaks!!!  I call my hubs to let him know we're on our way to the hospital, to which he says, "huh? you just texted me saying you just got there, what happened?"  Five house later Connor was born!  I made it just in time!  Anyhow, I always ask the grandboys what they want for their birthday's and they rarely want anything.  This year Connor asked for a pair of binoculars so he could go on walks and look at birds.  He also wanted books...he loves to read.  Happy birthday Connor!  We love and miss you so much!!!  

I wanted to keep my card clean and simple.  I started off stenciling radiating rays in Yo-Yo Yellow and Barely Banana.  Then I stamped the city from the You're Super set from My Favorite Things.  Next I stamped my image from Super Boy in Memento ink on Neenah, coloring with Copics and die cutting it with the coordinating Die-namics.  I added a strip of Pacific Point and stamped the sentiment in black.  I mounted my image on pop dots.

Happy 11th Birthday buddy!!!

 

My daughter said he took his binoculars our on his walk and was so disappointed with them  I was like, oh no...why?!?!?  She said because he didn't see any birds, haha!!!

His favorite pass time.

Thank you for stopping by!

For the Best Hair Stylist Ever...

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before on my blog or not (I know I have on fb), but I have the most amazing hair stylist you could ever ask for.  Over the years she's become a friend...she's been doing my hair for 17 years!!!  When we were stationed in Idaho Chelsea replaced my hair dresser who was moving.  Shortly after we moved to Tucson she moved to Avondale.  I make the 300 mile round trip drive to get my hair done.  She is so very talented and I'm so very lucky to have been able to keep her as my hair stylist for all these years!  I had my hair done just before my birthday.  I was asking Chelsea for conditioner recommendations since the one I was using Paul Mitchell was no longer making.  She ended up giving me a conditioner for my birthday!  Thank you Chelsea, I just love it!!!

This is the last of my thank you's!  For this one I used Underthehoodybella from Stamping Bella.

Have a wonderful evening!  

 

Thankful Tradition...

One of my favorite days of the year is a tradition my best friend Jeremy started doing when we met.  He made a meal for me on my birthday ( a HUGE pan of lasagna) since I was scheduled for surgery shortly after my birthday.  The following year he asked if I'd like him to make a meal for my birthday or take us out to eat for my birthday.  Since my hubs doesn't cook, having someone else cook dinner is a real treat.  And so...the tradition began.  We now cook every year for all our birthday's.  Each person picks what they want for dinner and dessert and the other cooks it.  This year I picked Green Chili Whisky Onion Burgers and Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake.  Both were absolutely fabulous.  For my birthday this year Jeremy and Kellye spoiled me rotten (not like they don't every year, but they really did do way too much).  Jeremy updated my computer and laptop so I can do my blogging and picture editing more easily.  They also got me some crafting supplies I had been wanting.  I can't thank them enough for all that they do for me, not just for my birthday but throughout the year.  I'm so very blessed to have Jeremy and Kellye for best friends...they are my family. 

Keeping with the same color scheme and layout...  I used Clickabella from Stamping Bella.

Me and my hubs.

Me and Kellye.

Me and Jeremy.

My birthday dinner Jeremy and Kellye made.

Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake.

 

Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!!!

Thank You Jilian...

My daughter's friend, Jilian moved down here to Tucson.  Her twin boys started school but her apartment wasn't ready for her to move into.  She was staying with her cousin in Phoenix and would be making the trek down to Tucson for two days.  She asked if I knew of a coffee shop she could hang out at so she could use their WIFI and work remotely for those two days.  I gave her some options but told her she was more than welcome to come to my house and hang out, that I wouldn't be home most of the time she'd be there as I had a  ride one day and would be in Phoenix the next.  To my delight she accepted my offer (I wish I could've given her and the boys a place to stay but our guest room is nonexistent at the moment).  When I came home, she had a beautiful plant and card for me.  Such a great kid.  It was so nice seeing her, I haven't seen her since my daughter's wedding almost 6 years ago!

I used Stamping Bella's Pookie Lillipop and stayed with the birthday thank you card theme of orange and the same layout.

Such a sweet and thoughtful young lady!

Me and Jilian.

Have a wonderful night!

 

Thank You for the Teaspoon Brunch Ride...

I have such a great group of ladies that I co-lead a weekly women's ride with for GABA (Greater Arizona Bicycle Association).  These wonderful gals had a birthday ride and brunch to celebrate my birthday.  We ate at a place called Teaspoons after the ride and it was delicious!  I made thank you cards for them and decided to have all my birthday thank you cards with the same layout and color scheme.  Since I was thanking these gals for the same day of events, I also decided to do one blog post for them...I hope they don't mind!   

First one up is a thank you for Brooke.  As most of you know, orange is my favorite color.  Brooke got me this awesome Starbucks stainless steel tumbler in...you guessed it!!!  ORANGE!!!  So I tried to make her a card that complimented the gift.  The image is Perk Me up Peeps from Stamping Bella.  Brooke was also the one who organized the ride and brought lemon cupcakes, they were amazing!!!  Thank you so much Brooke!

This one is for Linden.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but I absolutely love Vanilla Chai Lattes, yum!  Linden got me a tin of just that!  Along with the most beautiful shade of orange coffee mug, teaspoon and this super cool battery operated frother.  Thank you Linden!!!  The image is Earl Grey Peeps and it is also from Stamping Bella.

This one is for Debby.  She got me the most amazing chocolate cupcake ever!  I brought it home and didn't share with my hubs, haha!  Thank you for thinking of me!  This image is also from Stamping Bella.  It's called Turtle Tot Birthday Wishes.

GABA Ride Leaders- Linden, Me, Brooke, Carolyn

Eileen, Carolyn, Brooke, Debby, Linden, and me.  Thank you ladies for all the cards, gifts, brunch, and a wonderful ride!!!  The best way to spend my birthday is playing bikes and spending time with ya'll!!!

Hong Kong Bubble Waffle...AMAZING!

Brooke's Lemon Cupcakes were to die for!

Thank you for taking a peek at my blog!

 

Happy Birthday Eva...

For my sweet dear friend Eva who loves to goes to the local wineries. 

I stamped Winobella from Stamping Bella in Memento ink on Neenah card stock, coloring her with Copics.  I die cut the image using the A2 Stitch Rectangle Stax Die-namics.  I layered it on black.  Then I mounted that panel onto a Basic Grey Ambrosia layer and then a white card base.  The sentiment is from the My Favorite Things Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings #3 set.  I finished off the card with some sequins.  I used MFTWSC552 for my layout.

Thank you for stopping by!