Warmest Wishes...

I fell in love with this card by My Favorite Things Design Team Member Anna Lorenzetto.  It is the whole reason why I bought the Quilt Square Cover Up and the Warmest Wishes set.  A lot of times these amazing DT members will make a card that I fall in love with and I end up purchasing the supplies because of their beautiful card.  So, it got me thinking...why don't I create the card that made me purchase each stamp set that I purchase?  Wouldn't that be a great way to honor that person, their creativity, and my purchase???  I think that will be my new goal for 2023...use all my non used stamps I have and create the card that made me purchase that set!  

Anyhow, I got a very late start to my Christmas Cards this year.  And if I'm being totally honest, I wasn't feeling the Christmas Spirit this year.  For whatever reason, I had zero energy and zero desire to create and also to make Christmas presents for my friends and neighbors like I do every year.  So while I made these 10 cards, they were the only ones I made and I didn't send a single one out.  I guess I'm ahead of schedule for Christmas 2023!

I made some slight changes from Anna's card.  It took me some practice to make my background as I'm not use to using blending brushes and blending colors to make backgrounds.  It was fun, but I think I need the proper type of inks for it.  I used Stampin' Ups Pink Pirouette, Polished Pink, and Rich Razzleberry.  I die-cut Snow Drift die-damics and attached it to the bottom portion of my background.  Then I took the Quilt Square die-namics and put it on top of the whole background.  I stamped my image from Warmest Wishes on Neenah card stock then die cut it with the coordinating die-namics.  I colored it with copics and used pop dots to attach it to my card.  Stamped my sentiment and sprinkled the cards with opaque white paint to finish off my card.
I'm just about caught up with my 2022 blogging, yay!  I have one more card to upload for 2022, but will have to wait until I give it to the recipient.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my blog!

 

Good Luck Kirsten!!!

 One of my cycling friends asked me if I'd like to be her Sherpa for her Half Ironman in Indian Wells.  I was honored to do it!  I made Kirsten this card to wish her luck for her upcoming race.  

I got the inspiration for my card from the Indian Wells Half Ironman website.  The colors they used were teal, orange, and a palm tree...so this is what I came up with.  I ran the US Map Sizzix folder through the Cuttlebug then colored in California with Orange.  I mounted it on a Bermuda Bay card base.  I used the Palm Tree from My Favorite Things Sunny Vibes stamp set and die-cut it, mounting it on pop dots.  I die-cut Captions Numbers in Only Orange and mounted them on the card base.  Sentiment is from a really old set from Stampin' Up called All Year Cheer III.  Tied a bow with orange baker's twine to finish off the card.

Kirsten at packet pick up.

Kirsten and me at packet pick up.

Kirsten dropping off her gear.  It was such a beautiful area.

Kirsten and me after her race.

Thank you for stopping by!

Sending Good Vibes...

In the cycling world we get to meet a lot of people from all around the world and all walks of life.  Here in Tucson, AZ we have a wonderful organization called The Homestretch Foundation.  It's a place where Pro and Elite Cyclist can apply to stay (for free) and train during the months of December-May.  It was created to bridge the pay gap for women (and much more).  During the athlete's stay they give back to the community by volunteering a couple of hours a week at various charities/groups that need help (or where they see a need within the community).  They also do a ride on Friday mornings called "Spinning with the Stretchies" where they ride with the community at 15mph for 15 miles then have coffee afterwards.  One rule during this ride is to ride with someone you don't know so you have the opportunity to meet new people and make new connections.  Last year Celine was one of those Stretchies.  She races gravel bikes so while many of the other residents were out of town for road races, Celine stayed back to lead the Friday Spinning with the Stretchies ride.  My husband and I were given the opportunity to host Celine for a week when she came back in town for a gravel race, but had no place to stay.  We enjoyed her so much that I made her a card to let her know our door is always open if/when she comes back to Tucson.

Celine designed her teams jersey (she's an artist as well!) and I took inspiration for my card from her jersey design (she gifted me with one of her team's jersey's too!).  I used the Ride the Wave die-namics from My Favorite Things in Shaded Spruce and Mint Macaroon.  I put them on a layer of white then ran it through the die cut machine with the A2 Rectangle Stitch die-namics from MFT.  I stamped my image from Stampin' Ups Here Together set, coloring it with copics and using Stickles on the heart.  I used oval dies to die cut and layer my image with pop dots on the main panel.  Mounted it all on a white card base and stamped my sentiment from the MFT Good Vibes Only set.

Celine's Team Jersey Design.

An extra for my for sale stash.

Celine suggested we go play miniature golf.

We had such a great time!

My hubs sewing Celine's patch on her jean vest she got from her gravel race.

Celine and our chihuahua Jetta.

Thank you for having a look at my blog!

 

Thank You Kellie...

One of my cycling friends asked me to watch her plants for her while she was at her Colorado home for the summer.  I must admit, I got attached to having her beautiful pots and plants on our patio.  When she returned for the winter she thanked me with the most beautiful cactus and Starbucks gift card (us cyclists love our Starbucks!).  I made her this card (and a plus one for my for sale stash) to thank her for her generous gift.

I used Stampin' Ups Cactus Cuties.  I just absolutely love, love, love this set so much!  I stamped my images in Merry Merlot, Polished Pink, Garden Green, and Soft Succulent.  I die cut them and mounted them on white card stock that was run through the die cutting machine using the A2 Stitch Rectangle die-namics.  I mounted it on a layer of Polished Pink that was also run through the die cutting machine using the A2 Rectangle di-namics from My Favorite Things.  I don't remember where the patterned paper is from, but I mounted my layer on a Polished Pink card base.  The Thank You is from the Banner Day Sentiment from MFT.  I die cut it using the coordinating die-namics.  Finished off my card with an eyelet...I haven't used one in years!  Almost forgot how to set it, haha!  This was for CC920 Merry Merlot, Polished Pink, Garden Green and one more color of your choice, Soft Succulent, it was current at the time I made it, lol!

An extra for my for sale stash.

The beautiful cactus Kellie gave me.  I just love it!!!

Me and Kellie.

Thank you for stopping by!

 

Happy Halloween...

Halloween Cards for some friends and family.

I saw this card on Instagram, liked the layout and wanted to recreate it.  It was a lot of fun to make.  I will most likely use the layout again as I love it so much!  I used Hero Arts for the Cat.  Sentiment if from a retired My Favorite Things stamp set.

Slowly but surely catching up with my blogging.  Thank you for having a look!

 

Happy Beer Day Ryan!!!

For my best friends step-dad for his birthday.  

I saw this card on Pinterest and wanted to recreate it.  Laura did such a beautiful job with the Frosty Beer Mug Die-namics from My Favorite Things, I hope I did her CASE good.  I die cut the image on Neenah cardstock then used copics to color it.  I covered the whole mug in Diamond Glaze three times to give it a thick glass appearance like a real frosty beer mug.  I topped it with Liquid Applique and heat embossed it to give it the frothy look on top.  Sentiment is from the My Favorite Things Here's to You stamp set.
 

Thank you for having a look at my blog.

Happy One Year of Co-Ride Leading Linden!!!

I'm a bit behind with my blogging...In October, Linden and I celebrated our One Year Anniversary of Co-Ride Leading for Tim with Cyclefit Solutions.  We have been very blessed to lead rides for such a great guy.  We've met so many wonderful people in this last year and made some life long friendships through this amazing opportunity we've been given.  I wanted to express my appreciation to Linden for leading with me each week.  She's such an awesome cyclist, so strong...and is always willing to come back and climb with me on the hills as I'm much slower than the other riders.  I'm so thankful for Linden's leadership and also for her friendship.  We celebrated with  homemade treats for our cyclists to enjoy after our ride. 

Linden and I both have the same bike, mine's orange and her's is blue...complimentary colors.  So, I wanted her card to have orange and blue to represent that.  I started off by stamping the Distressed Patterns stampset from My Favorite things in Tempting Turquoise and Only Orange.  Then I stamped the large Bicycle from Woodware Craft Collection Bicycle set in versamark, then in black, then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  Stamped my sentiment and set it off with orange and blue rhinestones.

Our One Year Anniversary Co-Ride Leading Ride.
Frank, Warwick, Giuliana, Terry, Me, Caroline, and Linden.

Treats and coffee afterwards.
Me, Linden, Caroline, Terri, Giuliana, and Warwick.

I made Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins.

Thank you for having a look!

 

Happy Birthday Mikaela!!!

My daughter loves Sugar Skulls.  Each year I've been trying to make her a card with a different Sugar Skull.  Anytime I see Sugar Skull stuff in the store I always snap a picture to see if she'd like me to pick it up for her.  She lives in a small town in Idaho, so care packages are much appreciate. 

 I found this beautiful stamp on Splitcoaststampers that Teresa's friend made.  When I went to order it, it was no longer for sale.  Teresa was kind enough to send me her extra stamp!  So, I not only made my daughter a birthday card, but a thank you for Teresa as well.  I stamped the image with memento ink on Neenah cardstock, coloring the image with my copics.  Black card base and Bermuda Bay cardstock and co-ordinaing rhinestones.

Thank you for stopping by!