Don't you just hate it when your DH is right?

Sunday we leave to return to the cold of Pennsylvania. :>(  

So three days ago, after my Mojo Monday card and my Atlantic Hearts Sketch card were complete, I packed up my crafting stuff in preparation for the trip home.

My DH came home from playing golf, saw everything was tidied up, and asked why I had packed up my stash already.   And then he predicted that it wouldn't stay packed.  

Yesterday, I slid a small sandwich bag of scraps out of my tote and just did a little cutting and piecing to make some backgrounds. 

(Beccy Muir has been making some fabulous cards using up scraps, her New Year's resolution.  You can see some of here awesome makes on her blog here.)

Once I'm back home, the backgrounds I've made will all be embossed before I use them on cards.  

Oh, I have missed my cuttlebug!

Then this morning, I made the mistake of glancing at Pinterest.   

Of course, I ended up unpacking just a couple things to make this birthday card, cased from a card originally posted on the Avery Elle blog.   

(Papers are Heartstrings from CTMH and the sentiment is a stamp from Taylored Expressions.)

In my own defense, I did need another birthday card and have already sent the card to my friend, Ewa.  But my DH was, indeed, right.  My stash didn't stay packed. 

I am entering this birthday card in the following challenges:

Scrap and Craft Inspiration Challenge #3 - Birthday

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 

Kraftin Kimmie's Wonderful Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 

Creative Card Crew Challenge #81 - Birthday with Sentiment

Fantastic Tuesday Challenge #74 - Anything Goes with twist- Buttons

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #140 - Use ribbon or lace

 

teeny tiny glass beads

I am really liking these little glass beads!  They don't stick to you and everything else like glitter does.  And they are so tiny, if they end up in the carpet you can't even see them! 

Here I've used beads as icing on a cupcake.

This one eyed monster is on it's way to wish my grandson, AJ, a happy birthday.

I was enjoying the nice weather and a Kindle book out on the lanai.  Unfortunately, my Kindle ran out of power.  So while it recharges, I'll share this card with you - my wonderful followers - and these challenges:

Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Feb 25-Mar 3 : 1 image and 1 sentiment

Ruby's Rainbow Challenge # 98- Anything Green

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #133 - Stripes

Eureka Stamps Challenge #129 - Birthday 

Ooh-la-la Creations Challenge # 174 - Add something green

Another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Card

The CTMH Heartstrings Paper Pack and WOTG I brought with me will still make quite a few more cards.  

I went to the scrap bag of odds and ends 

 to make this thank you card for the 

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #96.

(Cricut Artiste Collection Kudos and Card Word Puzzle are the two CTMH stamp sets I've used.)

(close up of the tiny glass beads in the flower center)

 

I am also entering this card in the following:

City Crafter Challenge Week 250 - Use It Up  (except for the card base, everything came from the scrap bag pictured)

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #140 - Use Ribbon and/or lace

Shopping Our Stash Chgallenge #190 - Use something that came out of a jar (glass beads)

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge Feb 24-Mar 2 - Always Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge - Rubber Stamps Only  (My tip: when washing stamps not mounted on wood in the sink, take a moment to close the drain first because they slip away awfully fast, never to return!)

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge # 233- Anything Goes  (We are returning home next week.  I am looking forward to seeing my grandchildren and my great-grandbaby and returning to my DT duties at Tuesday Throwdown.  Your cards are great this week, ladies!)

Crafting From the Heart Challenge # 48- Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion Challenge #250 - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap Challenge #48 - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant Challenge #287 - Anything Goes

Yesterday afternoon we went to Tampa for a tour of The Big Cat Rescue.  If you are ever in the area, it is a must see.  

This was our second visit.  Our first visit was about 8 years ago, the last time we were in Florida. 

The animals are magnificent and so well cared for.  

It was fun seeing this male lion and female white tiger interacting.  Here she is washing his face...

and look at the gorgeous coat on this black leopard....

and we thought it cute how this lioness had her paws curled in just like a domestic cat might...

 

On the way back to our temporary home, just before we got to the Skyway Bridge, 

 

we could see a dense fog rolling in.  And that was all we could see for miles!  We crossed that bridge and never saw the water on either side, and just barely saw the huge yellow girders in the middle.  Other than the taillights of the car in front of us, everything was white.  That was a totally surreal experience, for sure!

T & S Mojo Makeovers

The last week of the month Mojo Monday always has a Tall & Skinny Sketch.  I often convert the card front to a regular A2 card after the challenge.  Here are a few examples:

Once again, today's sketch #386 at Mojo Monday is tall and skinny. 

 

I've made a graduation card using CTMH stamps.

I don't know if this T&S card will remain this way.  I'm thinking  I might turn it into a gift card holder. 

Have a wonderful day!

I'm excited because we are headed to Tampa today to visit the cats at Big Cat Rescue.

Sunny Sunday

As I drank my tea and read my email this morning, two of my favorite challenges, Glitter n Sparkle and Send a Smile 4 Kids, inspired me to make this card:

The GNS theme is black and white, and the SAS4K challenge requests punches and die cuts.    The only punch I have with me is my corner rounder, but I did have this robot to use.  For his eyes I used a little CTMH stamp meant to be the center of a flower.  I used a fine marker for the nose, mouth and doodles.  The sentiment is a Taylored Expressions stamp.   This was a super quick and easy card to make.

It will take more time to enter the card in these additional challenges:

613 Ave Create Challenge #112 - Anything Goes w/ Birthday twist
Creative Knockouts Challenge - Spots and Dots
Scrap and Craft Challenge #3 - Birthday

The challenge at A Day For Daisies requires one of their images and glitter.  These little fellows have glitter on their tails and I added a bit of glitter to the paper flower and the flower centers on the DP.

The sentiment is from the Forever Friends digital set by Deedee's Digi' s.

I am also submitting this card to:

QKR Stampede Challenge #127 - Critters

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #361 - Floral Delight
 Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge 2/18-24 - Animals
Just Inspirational Challenge - Handmade Flowers
 

It is a beautiful day here in Florida.  While my DH watches the Daytona 500, I think Mom and I will venture to the University Park Mall.

Gerda Steiner February Challenge

Only one more week in February!  

It's about time I get this card posted!

This nerdy but nice bunny is the digi image for this month's progressive challenge at Gerda Steiner Designs.

(sentiment is a CTMH stamp)

I am also entering this fellow in the following:
Digi Galore February Challenge - Anything Goes with a digi image
QKR Stampede Challenge #127 - Critters
Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Feb18-24 - Animals

Happy Birthday to my Great Grand Daughter!

How quickly a year flies by!

She's SO BIG!

and she was so small!

 

What blessings my great granddaughter, Laila, and her wonderful mother, Gaby, are to our family!  Miss them both!

OK, that's it for the ahhh moment!

I hope Laila receives her card today.  I chose this digi image from Beccy's Place specifically for Laila's birthday today.  Beccy has a really cute group of number digis at her digital store.  I printed the uncolored image on kraft paper and white CS.  I fussy cut the white image leaving a white edge around it and colored the number.  Then I fussy cut just the kraft bear and paper pieced it onto the white image.  The eyes and nose got dots of liquid glass to make them glossy.

I'm entering this card in the following:

Beccy's Place February Challenge - Anything goes with an image from Beccy's Place

Creative Moments Challenge #62 - Anything Goes & Paper Piecing 

Double Click Skittles Challenge - Any Animal

Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Feb 18-24 - Animals
Inky Impressions Challenge #197 - Cute and Cuddly
The Paper Shelter Challenge #191 - Animal Magic
Creative Card Crew Challenge #81 - Birthday with Sentiment
Sweet Stamps Challenge #209 - Happy Birthday

The Atlantic Hearts Sketch is Square!

Square cards are, well, square! 

Square cards need special postage here in the US.  

Square cards need special square envelopes. 

This square card is for a special couple.

 

 I wanted to show you the teeny, tiny glass beads that I used for the flower, and the pretty glittery shine on the butterfly and banner from one coat of glitter glaze made by My Favorite Things.  Everything else I used was by CTMH: Heartstrings Paper, Card Word Puzzle Stamp Set, Inks, Gems, and even the work mat that I'm so happy I brought along.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #95

 

Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge - Bling It On

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #139 - Let It Sparkle 

Through The Craft Room Door Challenge Feb. 17 - Anything Goes

Glitter N Sparkle Challenge #124 - Gems and Glitter 

Great Impressions February Challenge - Love Love Love 

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #251 - Square Cards 

Corrosive Challenges - Things with Wings 

Allsorts Challenge Week 298 - Any Occasion other than Birthday 

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #27 - G is for Grey 

Maybe I can still get a walk in before the wash is dry.  Ta Ta! 

His & Her Mojo Monday Cards

This morning I started out making a Card for a Boy for the 

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge 

using today's Mojo Monday Sketch # 385.  

But after I added pink behind the layers, 

it took on a more feminine look. 
So, after I finished the first one, I made another.

(BTW, I've used CTMH stamps on both cards.)

Card #1

Card #2

Both cards will get packed and sent to Send a Smile 4 Kids.  They've recently added a few more volunteers and hospitals to which the cards are sent.  

That means they'll be needing more cards, too.

You can read the guidelines for donations and where to send your cards right on their blog.

Challenges for card #1 include:
Suzy Bee's Bloomin Challenge # 67 - Anything Goes + Add a bow
Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge # 385


Challenges for card #2 include:
Crafting When We Can Challenge #88 - Stitching, Real or Faux
Allsorts Challenge - An Occasion Other Than Birthday
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - For the Boys
Crafty Catz Challenge #266 - For the Boys

Me, Neither!

 Maybe you can recall a singing group called The Honeydrippers?  They did a song called "The Sea of Love".   Part of the song is ... "Do you remember when we met?"  It would be a perfect song for Valentine's Day.  Which could make this an equally perfecty Valentine's card.  But I'm going more for realistic than romantic with this card.   It seems to me I have a lot more conversations with my DH, my mother, and my friends that start with, 'Do you remember....?' followed with 'nope' and ending with 'me, neither!'  Which is why the inside of this card simply reads....

Me, Neither!

This card features the Forever Friends February digi set from Deedee's Digis, which I received free because I played in the January challenge.   I had a friend back in PA print this digi and send it to me here in sunny Florida, so I could enter February Challenge at DeeDee's and not miss out on next month's free set.     

One thing we are not going to forget to do while here is visit The Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.  It is a fabulous sanctuary for all types of rescued big cats.  The tigers are among the most magnificent animals there.  And the facility provides wonderful habitats for these cats, not just cages with slabs of concrete as seen elsewhere.

This is one of the many photos on the Big Cat Rescue web site. 

To find out the story of these 2 tigers, click here.

FYI  The sentiment is a CTMH stamp.

Monkey Business

All this cute monkey needed was a baseball cap to turn him into the perfect valentine for Nicholas.  This is another image of unknown origin given to me at a recent crop.  The sentiment stamp and papers are CTMH.

I am submitting this card to the following:

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun Day Friday Challenge #75 - Valentine's Day

Simply Create Too Challenge #79 - Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #93 - Anything Goes

The Stamping Boutique Challenge - Hearts

Wags n Whiskers Challenge #147 - For Someone You Love (my grandson, Nick)

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #233 - Valentines

Red Rubber Inspirationals #207 - So Sentimental

The Male Room Challenge #3 - Valentine

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - All Creatures Great and Small

Cuttin and Stampin Challenge #6 - Masculine

See ya later....

(We spied this fella sunbathing behind the condos across the street from ours.  He had a friend who immediately slithered into the pond as we approached, but this guy stayed put and just kept an eye on us.)

For Matthew

At a crop a few weeks ago, a friend gave me this cute little robot image so I'm not sure of it's origin.  I thought it would make a fun Valentine for my grandson.  The papers are CTMH Heartstrings and the stamp and embellishments are also CTMH.

I'll be entering this card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #233 - Valentines

Dare to Be Sassy Thursday Challenge #268 - Happy Valentine's Day

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #103 - Hearts

Crafting for all Seasons Challenge #195 - Have a Heart

Inky Impressions Challenge #196 - Valentine/Love

The Male Room Challenge #03 - Valentine

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Use some red

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #138 - Show me some red

Cards in Envy Challenge - Hearts A Flutter

Crafting from the Heart Challenge #46 - Always Anything Goes

Misty Mojo Monday

Actually, this morning's mist has turned into a lovely rain.  It's just perfect for a crafty morning because I have no desire to go out and get wet.  Hence, there was no need to hurry my Monday morning sketch cards.

First, I have a card for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I've used a pad of Colorbok DP and CTMH stamps.  I really like the weekly sketches at AHSC and don't quite understand why more people don't enter it.

 

They are having a fundraiser at my grandson's school to promote health and fitness.  I'll send this card to him with a check once he gets done walking in circles around the gym.

My second card is, of course, for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge. 

 

I've flipped it around a bit, used the same pad of papers, a Taylored Expressions stamp and cute little bow ties from CTMH.

More Mojo

Since this week is a contest week at Mojo Monday, I thought I'd increase me chances of winning a set of Verve stamps by entering another card....

It's kind of like spending $10 at a carnival trying to win a $3 stuffed animal.  I've been entering this contest for quite a while, making a bunch of cards and using a lot of materials and supplies.  It certainly would be a lot less expensive to just buy a set of Verve stamps, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

So once again, I am entering the Mojo Monday Contest.

I'm also submitting this card to:

Brown Sugar Challenge # 132 - Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge#92 - Anything Goes

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #26 - Snarker's Choice (#13 L is for Layers)

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #232 - Hand Colored Image

Ombre...

having colors or tones that shade into each other and the theme of the February challenge at Scrapbook Blessings Club.  I just happened to remember this as I passed the paint aisle at WalMart yesterday.  So I collected 4 paint sample cards and constructed these two cards:

(Many thanks to my friend, Sybilla, for the fabulous cricut cut cat.)

Both cards were stamped with CTMH stamps.

Happy Thoughts

With a post entitled "Happy Thoughts" you might be expecting some highly intellectual or profound ponderings.  Sorry to disappoint.  It is merely the sentiment, a Taylored Expressions stamp, I used on my card for this week's Sketch Challenge #93 at Atlantic Hearts.

(flower stamps are CTMH)

At first glance I knew this sketch was going to require some resourcefulness.  I have no border punches or fancy scissors with me to create the bottom edge.  What I did have was a pad of papers, one of which had a pattern I could cut easily.  I also don't have brads or gems to place on either side of the sentiment.  So I used a black marker to make a dot and then added a drop of liquid glass to create the illusion of brads.

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:
Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #93
Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #137 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #187 - Get Inky (First stamp pad I bought was black. It's been reinked a few times by now.)

Wishing you all Happy Thoughts.

No Internet delays my Monday Morning Mojo

Normally on Mondays I am up and immediately get busy working on my card for the Mojo Monday Challenge, especially on the first Monday of the month when a new set of Verve stamps is the prize.  But today the first order of business was a trip to the cable company for a router so we could have internet while we are staying here.  We are avoiding the cold, ice and snow in PA right now.  So far, being snow birds has been wonderful.  And, although I'm far away from my stash, I did bring a few supplies along so I could keep up with some of my favorite challenges.  I hope you are not getting tired of the CTMH Heartstrings papers I've been using, because I've used them again for this card:

(stamps are CTMH)

I'll be entering this card in the following challenges:

Mojo Monday Sketch Contest # 383

Cards In Envy Challenge - Hearts AFlutter

Crafting from the Heart Challenge #45 - Always Anything Goes 

Make My Monday Challenge - Hearts and Flowers

Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge #59 - Anything Goes + Option:Thinking of You/Valentine

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #97 - Lots of Layers