Crimpin' My Style

Oh how I love the challenges over at Just Us Girls! Here is the challenge:

I'm not a huge fan of hot air balloons but this inspired me to get out my crimper! Don't you just love to dust off a long abandoned tool and put it to use? It's like reconnecting with an old chum over a cup of coffee! It is difficult to see but the design paper layer was crimped. I paper-cut an extra balloon and attached it with a foam dimensional.

Did you ever use a crimper on your hair? I never have - I can have that crimp look everyday - it's called wash and go! I DO however use a straightener on a VERY regular basis!

Hot Air
~Base card - Papertrey Ink Enchanted Evening
~Layer of Farm House Paper Co. Fair Skies
~Elizabeth die Thinking of You, highlighted with Wink of Stella
~Paper cut balloon highlighted with Ranger Glossy Accents
~Hero Arts Hello Flags colored with Copics
~Fiskar crimper
Inspiration | Challenges
Just of Girls - photo inspiration
Cheerful Stamp Pad - transportation

Here's to crimping paper, crimping hair, and crimping my style!
Nancy in Iowa

Hellos and Farewell

Sneak preview of an upcoming {PIN}spirational challenge. I am nearing the end of my {PIN} team duties. It has been fun. And I have to admit I do enjoy having a deadline (an excuse for MANDATORY time in my Bubble). From here on out it is work-work-work! The sprint toward graduation at BCU! I have re'sumes to review, job applications to help with, senior programs to prepare! LOVE this time of year! It is always bittersweet as I say farewell to "my" seniors - "my peeps" for the past four years. Yes there are always upcoming seniors...but the current "crop" is always the dearest.

Then they become proud university alum and the best part is many stay in touch! With return visits to campus, with texts, with email, and of course....FaceBook and InstaGram! Gotta love social media and maintaining relationships!

Hello Little Friends
~Base card - Papertrey Ink Stampers Select White card stock
~Layer of chevron Ki Celebrate paper pad
~Spellbinders label die cut (for image and turquoise card stock)
~Two brads
~Flower button
~All Dressed Up digital image printed on Paper Temptress Cryogen White, colored with Copics
~Turquoise card stock
~Pink and white twine
~Hello sentiment die cut using Elizabeth die using the chevron design paper
Inspiration | Challenges
Retro Sketches - sketch
Crazy for Challenges - any
Ladybug Crafts - special lady (I hope 3 special little ladies is okay)
ABC Challenge - H is for hair
All Dressed Up - button + ADU image
Crafts Galore Encore - use digital or stamp image
Pile it On - pretty hair

Here's to old peeps, current peeps, new peeps, future peeps, and favorite peeps,
Nancy in Iowa

Puppies and Pals

Here is the cute photo inspiration over at {PIN}spirational. Pretty sweet- eh?

Pals
~Base card Paper Temtpress Cryogen White
~Layer of Prima design paper: Doddle Deux
~Digital image by All Dressed Up colored with Copics, paper pieced using three different paper pad collections: We R Memory Keepers Anthologie; Prima's Doodle Deux; Fancy Pants Designs' Down by the Shore, flowers embellished with Smooch, Stickles, brads, and rhinestones; puppy double printed and popped up with dimensional foam (paper pieced her hair band, dress, bloomers, boots, and puppies kerchief)
Inspiration | Challenges
Pinspirational - photo
Crazy Challenge - flower frenzy
Through the Purple Haze - anything + bling

Here's to puppies, bling, and Wellingtons,
Nancy in Iowa

Hoot Wink!

I'm not sure why the blue in this card is so deep ocean blue! In real life it is a lovely aqua. The image is a cutie from Sami Stamps. I hope she will forgive me for plopping down spring-time daisies over her sweet holly leaves and berries.

Hello Friend
~Base card AQUA card stock
~Layer of Studio G design paper
~Centered layers of aqua and yellow card stock
~Die cut aqua card stock
~Die cut scallop circle
~Owl digital image colored with Copics highlighted with rhinestones, daisy punches of aqua and yellow, and leaf punches
~Sentiment die cut highlighted with Wink of Stella
Inspirations | Challenges
JUGS - color inspiration
Retro Sketches - sketch
Sami Stamps - use green plus Sami stamp

Here's to spring, the color aqua, and winks!
Nancy in Iowa

Turtle Music

Working ahead with my {PIN}spirational duties. This is for an upcoming challenge - you will just have to wait to see the actual inspiration. It is a fun one! You will see the 'recipe for inspiration' the first week of April.

I got to use a Bugaboo digi stamp - this little turtle cutie!

Just have a few minutes to get this posted. We are on our way to the Symphony to see/hear Cirque de la Symphonie at the Sioux City Orpheum Theatre. We received a gift of two tickets! I need to move faster than a turtle and get ready for Cirque de la Symphnone!

Inside of card.

Slow to Respond
~Base card aqua card stock
~Layer of Paper Grey Archeic paper pad
~Small scallop circle die
~Sentiment die cut
~Washi tape
~Bugaboo digi turtle colored with Copics, highlighted with SU Crystal Effects and Stickles
~Inside sentiment by Stampin' Up
Inspiration | Challenges
Craft for the Craic - include green
Craftitude - add green
Simply Create Too - animals
Crafty Creations - happy birthday

Here's to music, a turtle's pace, and working ahead,
Nancy in Iowa

In Need of Practice

I stopped by a scrap book store, close to town, for the first time. I just HAD to make a few purchases...right? I bought a couple of alcohol inks (okay - and a few other lovelies) and decided to give mixed media a go. I found plenty of inspiration at Donna Downey Studio. I may even make a journal book. Not for journaling of course. I am SO not into that. I just want to make a book! So I practiced on a piece of glossy card stock. And the decision regarding mixed media? I need to practice a huge bunch!

Not one to toss a project...I tried to see if I could make a "silk purse"....as the saying goes. (Okay I lied...I HAVE tossed more than one or two projects.)

Smooshed Greetings
~Base card - gold card stock
~Layer of smooshed, spritzed, embossed, dripped glossy card stock
~Die cut leaves (Taylored Expressions and Sizzix) using Cuttlebug
~Button
~Twine
~Seven different stamps
Challenges | Inspirations
Card Makin' Mamas - splish splash
Stampin' for the Weekend - anything
Cheerful Stamp Pad - anything
Open Minded Crafts - use buttons

Here's to practice, trying again, and more practice,
Nancy in Iowa

Bicycle Springs

Sunday and the sun is shining! It is almost jacket weather! I am tempting fate but I packed away my snow boots. Next....I will be laundering scarves, mittens, and chapeaus! Spring can't be far off...can it? What screams spring more than a bicycle, flowers, and GREEN grass?

Another technique challenge over at Just Us Girls. I do love a technique challenge! Well, I don't always LOVE them but I do like giving them a go!  This challenge is a wood panel look and here is the video tutorial link.

This is a card that will be seen in April over at {PIN}spirational. (You will have to wait to see what the photo inspiration will be.) I "discovered" a Stampin' Up Spectrum ink pad in a drawer that I cleaned out...whooot!!! So I put it to work on the sentiment. I love finding long forgotten treasures in hidden places!

Detail

Pedal Pusher Pink

~Base card - pink Stampin' Up

~Layer of kraft card stock stained and scored to look like paneling

~Bicycle stamp: Unity Stamp, stamped with pink, seat, fenders colored with Copics, pedals, handle highlighted with Smooch, Stampin' Up Crystal Effects added to the fender

~Brads used on the wheels

~Flowers in basket by Fred She Said Design,  Marigolds & Morpho colored with Copics, hand cut, and highlighted with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects

~Hand cut "grass"

~Taylored Expressions Picket Fence die cut

~Sentiment by Unity, stamped with Stampin' Up Fiesta Spectrum

~Die cut label for sentiment

~Two pink pearls

Inspirations | Challenges

Just Us Girls - technique

Emerald Faeries - pretty in pink

Card and Scrap - dies

Pumpkin Spice - rainbow (sentiment ink)

Totally Gorjuss - pink and green

Jo's Scrap Shack - anything goes

Here's to thoughts of spring, packing away winter duds, and found treasures,

Nancy in Iowa

Blessings, Family, and Tea

Daughter Amy is home this weekend! She is out this afternoon with a college chum. I opted for some Bubble time! Looking forward to some family time later today.

This is one of my favorite sayings. I have it, embroidered, in my office. I read it several times per day. I bought the sampler saying while on a sisters holiday so when I look at it I also remember great memories, ample adult beverages, ridiculous laughter, awesome food and shopping! I've been wanting to type this up and use it on a card for quite some time.

I am donating an assortment of cards for a "pink tea" silent auction event. The proceeds go to cancer victims and families to pay for incidentals not paid for by insurance. I thought this sentiment would be a good one to include in the package.

Blessings
~Base card Stampin' Up card stock
~All 5 design papers are by Pebbles: Family Ties paper pad
~Green card stock frame
~Curved punches
~Prima flower (haven't used one of these in a long, long time!)
~Brad
~Sentiment printed using HP printer, cut using Spellbinders oval
~Tree stamped using black ink and colored using Copics
Challenges | Inspirations
Mojo Monday - sketch
Crazy for Challenges - sentimental
Little Red Wagon - punches
Bloggers Challenge - florals
Simply Create Too - shop your stash

Here's to inspiration, family time, and blessings,
Nancy in Iowa

Cold (Mind) Snap

I'm going to share a conversation with dear husband this morning. First off - I love winter. I love snow. But I think I may be close to my breaking point with the insane, seemingly never ending, frigid spell. (At what point do we stop calling it a 'cold spell' a cold snap' and just call it arctic season?) I was having my usual rant about the temperature announcement over the radio quickly followed by "wind chill is ______". Me: 13 below! It is MARCH and it is minus 13 degrees below Fahrenheit! Isn't that cold enough? Why does the weather dude then have to include the wind chill factor of minus 45 below zero? Are they worried someone will hear "it's 13 below zero today folks" and people will start leaving their houses in shorts and tank tops? BUT if they tell us 'it is -13 but it FEELS like -46 THEN' people will rethink the tank top and grab a sweater? SERIOUSLY! I do NOT want to them to tell me it "with the wind it FEELS like 46 degrees below zero"! Dude...cold is cold. It's winter, we live in the Midwest, I can deal with REAL numbers. I get it - it's really REALLY cold outside. I do not want to try to wrap my head around negative 45 degrees Fahrenheit. (I finally take a breath.) Husband: (read in minutely exasperated monotone) Would you like it better if they just announced it as 45 degrees below freezing? Me: "Chilly" silence.

In my defense I hadn't had my coffee yet.....

Oh! Are we here to talk about cards?

I actually created this before Valentine's Day so she has been in hiding until the March 4 challenge reveal over at {PIN}. I selected this image from A Random Fan. 

Shy Sweetie
~Paper Temptress Cryogen White base card
~Layer of red/white chevron Ki Celebrate paper pad
~Horizontal strip of red card stock
~Strip of dry wall mesh tape
~Strip of red/white chevron card stock
~White card stock heart stamped with Hero Arts Flower Lace Pattern background stamp using Distress Ink Fired Brick with black faux stitches and edges smudged using ink blender foam
~Spellbinders Oval embossed with black faux stitches and smudged with ink
~Digital image Gemma's Secret Crush by A Random Fan - colored using Copics, heart highlighted with SU Crystal Effects, pony tail band and barrettes topped with Smooch Sassy Pink
~Sentiment colored with Copics, highlighted with Stickles, and Smooch Sassy Pink
Inspiration/Challenges
Stamps and Fun - hearts
Card Mania - use a sentiment
Digi Sketch - cute
CMC Copic - red
LEJ Designs - Valentine/love

Here's to my mind's cold SNAP, hot coffee, and chevrons,
Nancy in Iowa

Cobbler, Catch Phrase, and Keys

Fun night at chez McGuire's Friday night! One of the university girls who spent the night during the water main break told me she wanted to come over to fix dinner for us as a thank you for letting her bunk here. She loves to cook and bake. So she invited a few other students. I invited an alum - that alum brought another alum. I told the student chef that I would buy the ingredients and she could cook. She insisted on buying everything. I insisted on at least purchasing the dessert ingredients. She always gets her recipes emailed to her by her mama so they are tried and true goodies!

I had all the dessert recipe necessities...all the other student guests had arrived. Everyone but the cook and the ingredients for the Taco Soup. So...the kids plowed through salted peanuts, corn chips, salsa, verde salsa, and cheese as we played board games. FINALLY the baker called, "Oh my gosh, I fell asleep! I'm on my way to the store right now." I asked her to email me the recipe to see if there was something I could get started. Surprisingly, I had most of the ingredients. She stopped at the store for the 2 things I didn't have on hand. In the meantime one of the kids who where trying to stave off hunger with chips and dip started opening canned goods, chopping onion, and browning ground beef.

The official cook showed up at last and completed the culinary tasks. Even though it was a later start to the evening than I would have planned, it ended up being a great evening! Taco Soup, Cran-Apple Cobbler, a bottle of wine (to those who were of age of course), lots of chips/salsa, peanuts, several rounds of "Heads-Up", "Say Anything", "Catch Phrase", and lots of laughter, two alum, and three students later we had a memorable (and VERY late - for me) night! Can't remember the last time I stayed up until 2 am. Oh I forgot the laundry - lots of loads of laundry - the students know when they come to my house their laundry is welcome as well).

Best (or worst) quote of the night? One alum to another (both are 22) speaking about another alum who graduated prior to them: Alum One: "How old is Jarred?" Alum Two: "He's OLD - he is 26!"  By the way, the soup was delicious and the cobbler was delightful.

Keys to _______
~Base card red card stock
~Layers of 7 Gypsies Lillie framed with black card stock
~Brad
~Key charm
~Pennant garland Teresa Collins Far and Away
~Vellum
~Sentiment - stamped with StazOn black
Inspirations | Challenges
Just Us Girls - sketch
Tuesday Throw Down - anything goes
Southern Girls - swinging in the Breeze
2 Sisters - Black, white, one other color
Paula Holifield - are we there yet? (keys | Eiffel Tower | map)
Treasured Times - anything plus layers
Inky Impressions - charm

Here's to peanuts, laundry, and laughter,
Nancy in Iowa