A Wall of Bugs

The tri-fecta of weekends! Got my hair done, spent time with daughter Amy, and had 'Bubble' time. Yippeeeeee!

Now it's back to work mode...attended a senior art student's art gallery reception and put together the weekly summary of activities list to blast email the campus. (The weekly summary - NOT a favorite task of mine...).

"Common Law" daughter Jennifer (after x amount of hours at a friend's house and years of friendship... the 'common law' kicks in). Let's see Amy and Jennie have been friends since - the third grade? Sounds like common law to me. Anyway Jennie requested an Easter card for her Grandma in Wall, SD. (People really LIVE in Wall???) I didn't have a ready made so created this one for her. She also 'needs' two baby cards. One boy, one girl.

First off - Grandma Lillian's Easter card.

Peeps on the Wall
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Spring Moss outer right edge of card smudge with Cotton Candy pink ink
~Layer of white cardstock run through the Cuttlebug using an embossing folder - then lightly 'smudged' using Stampablities Cotton Candy pink ink
~Assorted ribbons
~Stamp of bunny 'peeps' is a Michael's dollar bin find from long ago - stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black - colored with Copics and topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects - edges of white cardstock curved using punch and smudge with Cotton Candy ink
~Flower button attached using metallic blue and purple floss
~Little tufts of "Easter grass"
~Sentiment by Just Rite (it is actually a 'happy birthday' stamp - with the birthday chopped off)




I used the challenge at Our Creative Corner for inspiration for this next card layout. Cool sketch over there... it was just what I needed for an idea 'sparkler'.

Nana's Girl
~Base card Paper Trey Ink white cardstock
~Layer of DCWV Nana's Kids
~Scalloped trim from Archiver's
~Pink dotted satin ribbon from the Dollar Tree
~Rectangular layer of lime green cardstock, another layer of Nana's Kids
~Horizontal layer of more pink ribbon, white button - topped with another (pink) button - shaft broken off and attached with a dimensional
~Square is a sticker from a set from the Dollar Tree it says "Girl meets world!"
















This baby boy card was created using the sketch challenge over at Crazy for Challenges.

Sleepy Boy
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of design paper`
~Assorted stickers (moon, cloud, star, teddy bear) from the Dollar Tree - teddy bear and cloud are fuzzy felt
~Sentiment from Just Rite - stamped on blue cardstock and punched using Stampin' Up Word Window
~Blue rhinestone star

















This is a sketch from The Pink Elephant. I just love this layout and have looked forward all week to using it as inspiration! This was such a FUN sketch!

Buga-Boo
~Base card Paper Trey Ink
~Layer of DCWV cardstock
~Circle punches of red and black and assorted buttons - bottom button is shaft lady bug button with shaft broken off
~Image is digital freebie from DigiStamp Boutique - colored in with Copics, wings of red lady bugs topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, sickly bug is pink with shades of green, jar is coated with water color varnish
~Sentiment 'Eeeeek - caught a bug?' is part of the image digi - as is inside text: 'hope you feel better soon...'
~Grosgrain and sheer dotted ribbons



You can get up close with the cards by clicking on the images.

That's all for tonight!
All good wishes,
Nancy

Bubble Cakes

Another grueling day on campus. I made time for a quick card - Bubble time - it's great therapy!
This one is a card for these challenges:
Whimsical Wednesday (sketch challenge)
Flutter By Wednesday open challenge with requirement of a butterfly, fairy or angel
Daisy Doodles' Creative Challenges open challenge with requirement of using a digital image

I had to make the most of my limited bubble time tonight - so one card - 3 challenges. Gotta love organized, compression of therapy.

Fairy Cakes
~Base Card Paper Trey Ink Stone - lots of purple ink smudging inside and outside edges
~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Stack
~Image is a freebie digital from Little Musings she is holding a cupcake and I love her socks! Image colored using Copics and highlighted with Stickles. Image layered on orange and light blue cardstocks - edges curved. Imaged attached using foam dimensional. Stars on image topped with yellow Stickles.
~Clumps of flowers die cut using paper punch from the Dollar Tree - centers dotted with Stickles

~Ribbon I do believe was a gift from sissy Gailey.

I'm really hoping there are no glaring errors in this post as my primary proofreading editor is sans computer for awhile. My backup copy editor is not as regular on the computer and is swamped at work as it is tax season. Sisters - whadya gonna do with 'em?!

Oh well, I'm just going to hit the 'publish now' button and hope for the best.
You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Cupcake S O S

Granddaughter Bailey was over for a few hours this evening. She called yesterday to see if I would help her with a report she is writing on 'the telegraph' as part of 'inventions' week. We actually have a key (sender) and receiver so she and her Poppy, attached the two pieces to a piece of board along with a nine volt battery. She did the drilling, stating, "I like using big power tools" (not sure a rechargeable drill fits in the big power tool category...but when you're 11....). She then did all the screwing of the pieces on to the board. Then they tested it. She practiced Morse Coding B A I L E Y.

When Poppy told her the sender/receiver were more than 100 years old she said, "Wow, that's even older than Memere Old." THAT put it into perspective for her.

Then we went about looking up telegraphy and Morse code. She made a poster explaining the who, what where, how. She drew telegraph poles then we used a little card making magic and used black brads to string actual wires from pole to pole across the width of the poster board. She drew a bird on one of the wires.

Go ahead - ask me a question about Samuel Morse.

This is another card for Miss Amy's request for a cupcake series of cards. That reminds me!!! We are planning another 'floor parent' naked cupcake night. I better mark my calendar and my grocery list. I will be taking unfrosted funfetti cupcakes. The kids LOVE those. Plus they will be on the 'allowed' list for those who may have given up chocolate for Lent.


Thankful for Cupcakes
~Base card PTI (THAT reminds me I have to place on order SOON!)
~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Stack (gift from Gail)
~Cupcake and sentiment both from Hero Arts, cupcake colored with water color pencils, topped with water base varnish and sprinkles of Stickles
~Scallop circle and circle die cut punches, paper punch small wholes in each scallop
~All the edges smudged up with Stampabilites Cotton Candy pink ink
~Assorted ribbon

I should be in bed, asleep, but it appears that Mr. Insomnia has other plans for me. Maybe I should go make a card. Wonder what a 1:15 am card would turn out looking like... Before you answer that - remember I am NOT a night person!

All good wishes,
Nancy

Butterfly Birthstone Balloons

FINALLY! Bubble time. What a week!

Let's get right to the cards - sorry Judy and Gail - no university angst or drama stories, no Bailey stories, no mother stories...

Well okay one update. The subject is Transfer of Crap. This time I was actually the transfer-er not the recipient! That doesn't happen very often as I am usually on the receiving end of ToC. Niece Linda is getting into card making so I put together an assorted box of card making 'stuff'. I'm not sure but this may be the first MAILING of crap. I don't remember everything that is in the box - as I had the box in the Bubble for days and would toss 'goodies' in as I thought of it. I sent a variety of twines, tulle, metallic threads, prima flowers, an extra embossing gun, embossing powders, glitter and who knows what else... I mailed it to sissy Judy and told her the two RULES with ToC. 1.) No re-transferring. 2.) Once accepted, the crap can be used or disposed of any manner with NO repercussions from the transfer-er. Not sure what Linda will think of the hodge-podge... But if I thought it was only fair that she experience ToC!

NOW on to the cards... This card is for Mary Lee. Well, actually it is for her youngest grandson. I'll be posting this for several blog challenges: Cute Card Thursday (a card to celebrate); Mo's Challenge (use three punches); Crazy for Challenges (think Spring); Our Creative Corner (think Easter); Pile it On (use pastel); The Pink Elephant (anything Spring); and Whimsical Wednesday (sketch/layout).

Easter Balloons
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink white cardstock
~Layer of K&Co. Meadow & Breeze - edges curved using curve punch
~Image from Mo Manning Cody's Balloon - printed on PTI white cardstock using ink jet printer - colored using Copics - 'reflection' on balloon topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects~Three balloon punches (punch from the dollar bin at Michael's) using colored cardstock and topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects~Yellow DMC threads tied to balloons and tied off to one yellow brad (ToC from Gailey)
~Circle adhesive ribbon (gift from Gailey)







This next card is for a challenge over at Flutter by Wednesday (use the color green and of course include a butterfly, fairy, or angel).

Butterfly Pearl
~Base card - PTI white
~Layer of K&Co Amy Butler's Belle
~Flower images from Stampin' Up Canine Capers - colored in with colored pencils, topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects. Center of flowers topped with crystal beads. Every other grouping of three flowers is placed with The Paper Studio Sticky Doos (1/4" thick) for a 3-D look.
~Assorted ribbons
~Die cut butterfly edges smudged with pink ink, dots of Crystal Effects, and tiny pearl added






This card I made because of the challenge at Saturday Spotlight which is to make a birthday card using your own birth month birthstone. FUN challenge! If I would have been paying better attention I SHOULD have added eyelets to it for the challenge at Kraftin' Kimmies. The challenge there is to use a Kraftin' Kimmie image plus eyelets. Maybe I'll take it apart and add the eyelets tomorrow so I can upload it over there too.


Blue Topaz Birthday
~Base card PTI Vanilla Cream
~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Cardstock Stack
~Ribbons
~Layers of blue cardstock - edges curved using curve punch
~Image is from Kraftin Kimmie Piper, colored in with watercolor pencils, Copics, and watercoloring using Stampin' Up Cool Caribbean, boots topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, hat highlighted with Stickles
~Cupcake image from dollar bin at Michael's (Studio G) Birthday Cupcake







Okay - here she is again! All ready to be submitted to the Kraftin' Kimmie blog challenge. The requirement is to use a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp plus an eyelet or two (or more) embellishment.

I added a navy blue star shaped eyelet to Piper's chapeau pom pom. I must have dreamed about the missing eyelet...where I could use an eyelet without it looking obvious or without completely remaking the card?! Because the first thing I thought of when I woke up was, "Yes! I'll an eyelet to the pom pom!"

By the way...this eyelet is from the Nancy I bought this WHY? collection! Yippeee - I got to use something from the UUL (Unused, Un-Loved) "you bought it now USE it" category. Same could be said for the half blue half green ribbon...This is the first time I've used it. I frequently pick it up, ponder using it, then put it back on the spice rack, unused, unloved. I never feel bad about NOT using it cuz' it was a 'find' at the Dollar Tree. For a buck - I figured I'd use it SOMEDAY.

All good wishes,
Nancy

Brunch and Boughs

Brunch today with my 90+ year old mother who probably doesn't weigh 90# soaking wet. Man can she tank it away! Two eggs, two large pancakes, two sausages, and half of my very large mushroom and spinach omelet. Geeeepers!

Only time for one card today - how sad! I finally had to choose cleaning over Bubble time. Since I was pressed for time I had to bunch up a couple of challenges. This is a combo upload for the sketch at Whimsical Wednesday and the color throw down (Blue, Brown, and a Neutral) at Mo's Digital Pencil (which requires use of a Mo Manning image).

Homespun
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Dark Chocolate
~Layer of Cosmo Cricket Gretel: Autumn
~Ribbon
~Layer of brown cardstock, Paper Trey Ink Ocean Tides, Mo Manning image Boughs for the Wreath printed on white cardstock, colored with Copics , distressed with brown and blue inks
~Ceramic buttons (transfer of crap from Nila)
~Sentiment printed and distressed

Now I'm off to do more campus work...
All good wishes,
Nancy

Circular Magical Tea

One more post for today.

Sketch challenges and my follow through. These were for weekly challenges the month of February at i{heart}2stamp for the chance to win a fabulous prize. Aside from the fact that my cards pale in comparison to MANY other card makers I uploaded the most recent card...Darn I hate it when WORK interferes with my Bubble time. So...I didn't make these ALL this weekend - I could only dream for that much Bubble time.

The third card, Comfort Tea, is also a submission for the friend theme over at Saturday Spotlight. When I think friend - I think comfort. It doesn't have an actual image of 'friends' but the card is designed for any friend - because a cup of tea with a friend - what could be more comforting?

Circular Print
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Vanilla Cream
~Layer of BasicGrey Recess Collection
~Top and bottom circular scallops re-purposed from an old book
~Center scallops: PTI Ocean Tides, two layers BasicGrey Recess, ivory colored button with stripe ribbon
~Two horizontal strips of BasicGrey Recess~Two turquoise colored metal brads from the Dollar tree
~Lots of distressing with Stampin' Up Really Rust
















Reading is Magical
~Base Card - Paper Trey Ink - White~All four layers of design papers are from DCWV Once Upon a Time (I love that imprinted fairy in the lower right corner on the base layer!)
~Image is from Elizabeth Dulemba - it is a digital stamp - I know someone sells it as a rubber stamp - can't remember where I saw it
~Image is colored in using Copics and is glazed using Ranger Glossy Accents
~Sentiments from Just Rite
~Angle brad from my "i bought this why??? stack

Comfort Tea (Challenge card for SFYTT and Saturday Spotlight)
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Berry Sorbet
~Layer of TPC Studio Love Stripe - used vertically and horizontally ~Teapot is a free digital image colored in with Copics
~String is from a tea bag - an unused one - so now I'll have to fish the tea bag out with a spoon! (A TEA-spoon.... get it???) Wow that is REALLY lame - I need to go to bed!
~Sentiment by Stampendous Such a Blessing from Archiver's Hot Spot $1.99 bin

Now I really AM finished for the evening.
You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

All Hail Ye Merry Dancers and Fairies

You know life is too hectic when you have a bag of goodies from Archiver's sitting untouched and unpacked for a week! Miss Amy gave me a very generous gift certificate to Archiver's for Christmas! It has been burning a hole in my purse so Sunday sissy Gail chauffeured me out to the store and I finally got to use that puppy!

Yes, I was in Omaha. One of the students that I drove to the Omaha airport two weeks ago needed a ride back to campus. Luckily her flight was timed just perfect enough for me to squeeze in sister time and a trip to Archiver's.

My new boss started Monday. The early reviews are in and they are over-the-top positive. YEAH!!!!

I haven't had much time for cards this week - new boss to impress you know. I'm just kidding - this is my busy time of the school year. Seniors are gearing up for graduation - that means re'sume review after re'sume review after re'sume review...

Here are a few cards from the Bubble. Challenge card for Kraftin' Kimmie (use button and bows) and The Pink Elephant use green.


Ye Merry Lotus Dance~Base card Paper Trey Ink Soft Stone
~Layer of K&Co. Amy Butler Lotus
~Image by Kraftin' Kimmie Holly; stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black on PTI Soft Stone; colored with Copics, bodice lace-up darkened in with black gel ink, 'halo' topped with Stickles Fruit Punch
~Ribbon
~Sentiment from Just Right, stamped on cardstock punched using Stampin' Up Word Window
~Heart button threaded with blue metallic thread







This is another two-challenge card. The challenge at Cute Card Thursday was to feature the color green. The card above works for this too but the greens and blues are fairly evenly distributed. This one doesn't completely scream green - but the green does 'pop'! Flutter By Wednesday posted a picture for inspiration. Since their picture features Tinkerbell and a flurry of glitter I thought this image was perfect: fairy...books...glitter.


Tinkering with Books
~Base card Paper Trey Ink White Cardstock
~Layer of Making Memories Cheeky Collection - edges smudged with pink ink
~Layers of cardstocks - edges curved using paper punch
~Digital image by Elizabeth O. Dulema colored with Copics, topped with Ranger Glossy Accents, wings and antenna embellished with Stickles
~Polka dot ribbon supported with two layers of cardstock with their edges inked with pink
~Ribbon threaded through Stampin' Up Hodgepodge Hardware








Well...the good news is...it's NOT snowing! The yucky news is...it's hailing. Hail is really LOUD as it lands on ice-crusted snow piles!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
That's all for now!
All good wishes,
Nancy