Sunshine, Miss Evelyn, and Texture

Since I only have time for one card wanted it to count for more than one card challenge. This one meets the requirements of Crazy for Challenges and Stampin' B's while using the sketch over at Our Creative Corner.





Here is the sketch from Our Creative Corner.




Stampin' B's challenge was to use Kraft paper, brown, and purple.



Crazy for Challenges throw-down is to use three textures on a card.





Transfer of.... Textures~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Dark Chocolate (doesn't show up very well against the black photo background)
~Layer of Paper Pizazz Purple Sponged (really looks blue - trust me it's purple)
~Rectangle layers of some kind of burlapish fabric (transfer of crap - Gail????)
~Layer of Kraft paper, purple cardstock then image, Flowers by Rhonna Farrer, colored with Copics, on white cardstock, coated with water base varnish
~Four brown photo corners
~Bottom corner flower coated with Ranger's Glossy Accents, all flowers have metal flower brads
~Purple eye lash yarn threaded
~Three purple (even though they look blue on my laptop screen) rhinestone embellishments


Textures: Burlap, eyelash yarn, metal (brads)

Unfortunately I have to run errands now. Even more unfortunately I MUST include some house cleaning in this day. Even though my friend Miss Evelyn encouraged me to stay in my Bubble and make cards...she said I could clean tomorrow....VERY tempting - I may have to rethink my agenda for the day. Miss Evelyn is a VERY wise and talented jewelry maker. You can check out her lovely items here. She is even having a one-day-sale today! I will be adding "shop at Beads by Evelyn" to my day's agenda! Fortunately the sun is shining and we are enjoying a run of seven days with no snowfall!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Buttons, Balloons, and Butterflies

Sorry sisters Judy and Gail - no story tonight. I only have time for a quick note and a couple of cards.

I will tell you that daughter Amy called to tell me she had a nightmare last night. She dreamed that I was impaled by a large wooden recorder by one of my students. She also said, in her dream, she had to go finish some work before she could come to pay her last respects... She did however have time to confront the student... Anyone out there good at interpreting dreams? Really??? Death by wooden recorder?

I did get a really sweet note posted to my Facebook wall from one of 'my' students...hmmm...all these references to students...could they be related? No - I don't think Rebecca plays the recorder. She wrote, "I would like to thank you for everything. I would like to thank you for being you." I love freshman!!!

This is for a new blog challenge site that I just stumbled upon - ahhh - the wonders of mouse clicking! The site is called Flutterby Wednesday and the only 'rule' is that your card must include a butterfly, fairy, or angel. That's fun! I actually ended up with two cards that fit the bill for this challenge - Angel on My Shoulder and Flutter Buttons. This card was laid out using the inspiration from Whimsical Wednesday sketch challenge.

Angel on My Shoulder
~Base card - PTI Dark Chocolate
~Layer of My Minds Eye Wild Asparagus
~Ovals cut using Spellbinders die cut and Cuttlebug - olive green layer - then image layer
~Image is digital freebie from Digital Two for Tuesday colored in with colored pencils and Copics, angel's wings topped with Stickles, and little girl's cuff, hem, and collar filled in and puffed up with Liquid Applique' - white oval distressed with Tim Holtz Old Paper Distress Ink
~Buttons from my out of control button collection ~Twine threaded through buttons
I'm not sure I like this card but I don't know why...and really not sure why that angel has a fan in her hand!

The next is for a sketch challenge at Lord Have Mercy. It just by total coincidence that it also has a butterfly. It has NO stamping - I just 'fussy cut' (quilting term from my other fiber compulsion) the design paper. All the papers are from the same collection. How is THAT for handy? This card also qualifies for the challenge over at Cute Card Thursday - as their requirement this week is to incorporate ribbon.
Flutter Buttons~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Vintage Cream~All design paper is from K & Company Wild Saffron~Buttons from the "button bowl" stash
~DMC floss threaded through buttons (floss was 'transfer of crap' from Sista Gail)
~Circles cut using scallop circle die cut (Spellbinders) using Cuttlebug
~Ribbon is from Archiver's










And last but not least is a sketch challenge from Digital Pencil Two. The rule is that the card must feature a Mo Manning image. I have to admit I actually planned ahead with this one. I picked out the design paper before I colored in the image! And yes, I know I just used this image. I just couldn't help myself - she is so darn cute! I think I can relate to her hair!


Cheeky Balloons
~Base Card - Paper Trey Ink Soft Stone
~All design papers - print and solid are from the Making Memories Cheeky Collection
~Image - digital stamp by Mo Manning Angelina's Balloons colored in using watercolor pencils and Copics, shoes inked in with black gel pen


That's all for tonight. Thanks for clickin' in.

You can get up close with the cards by clicking on the images.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Elephant Friends

With break underway it is extremely quiet in the campus halls. I not only snapped up rock star parking - I slept in this morning - until 8 am - just knowing I would be able to park - made my 'inner slug' shut off the 5:30 am alarm. Don't get me wrong I have PLENTY of work to get done...it's just that while the children are away...it's late arrivals, jeans, and t-shirts for me!

I did promise to go with Treyna (math major) to lunch tomorrow. She wants Mac & Cheese from Panera. Her pal-ies are gone over break - Nancy (nursing major) and Sherin (biology major) are on a mission trip to Mississippi. Because her core posse is gone for the week Treyna is hanging out in my office - but only for about an hour before she leaves to go to work at Wal-Mart.

The quiet is defining in the halls. No early morning slipper shuffling coffee slurping jammy clad zombies headed for class in the next building. No wide awake giggling, name calling, yelling, texting, piggy back riding, class room survivors coming back into the dorm to grab a quick nap. Cold and snow? What cold and snow? Use the tunnels? No way - there is no cellphone reception in the tunnels!

My usual day begins fairly quiet. A few mumbled good mornings as they pass in front of my office a firm resolve on their faces with thoughts of a mid morning or mid afternoon nap.

This is a typical day in my office... Last Thursday started out with a crowd of 5 students in my office this morning. Two freshman sharing their bucket loads of freshman angst. Two students dropping off their luggage as I would be driving them to Omaha Thursday at noon. People chattering about upcoming their trip to Hawaii, chattering about who said what to whom, why life isn't fair, how many finals they still have to take, and what they were planning to do on break. I frequently wonder if any of them are listening to each other. I mostly tune them out and keep on working. AND I forgot mention - ALL of them texting while carrying on these 'conversations'.

Sissy Gail got to experience a couple of 'my peeps'. She can tell you - it's exhausting, hysterical, and uplifting to be around them. Sista Judy got to briefly meet Andi (elementary education major).

On to the cards...

This one is for a sketch challenge at The Pink Elephant. I didn't exactly copy the proportions - yes I'm admitting to NOT following the directions - AGAIN.

Friends
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink white cardstock
~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Stack
~Layer of navy blue cardstock with another layer of Glitter Stack
~Horizontal layer of light blue cardstock topped with ribbon from Archiver's
~Layer of navy blue cardstock, then purple cardstock, then image
~Image is freebie digital from Digital Two for Tuesday, colored in with colored pencils and Copics


You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Smashed Poppies Cake

Mega-Bubble time today. WhooooHoooo! Back to work tomorrow - it's break time - the parking will be EASY!

Here is my Bubble Produce for the day:

Whoever gets this card to send - I hope it is a 'hand-it-to-the-birthday-person-card'. Because it would cost a fortune to mail it. It is chipboard pieces covered in fabrics. It is VERY heavy not to mention square. I don't know why I used fabrics - I just felt the need to fondle some fabric - and the next thing I knew - boom - a card. A HEAVY card.

Sketch layout is from i{heart}2stamp specifically the SFYTT challenge.

Really Big Cake
~Base card - Paper Try Ink Soft Stone
~Layer of purple fabric adhered to lightweight cardboard
~Vertical strip with green marbled fabric attached to lightweight cardboard - rhinestone brads - top and bottom
~Four square chipboard pieces covered with cranberry red fabric - edges inked with black
~Image from Stampin Up - colored with Copics and topped with Ranger Glossy Accents, candle flames topped with Stickles





Below is a challenge to try a technique over at Our Creative Corner. I admit I panicked a little bit. I like to crank out cards and am not too much into techniques. I like to keep it simple whether making cards or quilts. However, I took the challenge and went on the hunt for a technique! I went for the Acrylic Smash Technique. Here is the result.

Simply Smashing
~Base card - ready made notecard - Inkadinkado Personal Impressions
~Layer of Cranberry red cardstock - edges curved
-Layer of PTI Ocean Tides cardstock
~Digital image from Mel Stampz laser printed on white cardstock - colored in with Copics - smudged/distressed with Ranger's Vintage Photo, Old Paper, and Tatered Rose
~Skirt part of the dress - stamped with EK Success Live, Love. Laugh, Learn using black Stazon, with Blue Mist acrylic paint
~Edges of image cardstock torn and roughed up using metal ruler
~Button assortment threaded with DMC embroidery thread (ToC from sissy Gail)







Over at Saturday Spotlight the challenge was to 'Mess Around' using some type of distressing.

Princess of the Poppies~Base card - Paper Trey Ink white cardstock
~Layer of K & Company Meadow & Breeze
~Vertical strips of cranberry cardstock topped with text from a very old book destined for the landfill
~Freebie laser printed image from Digital Two for Tuesday colored in with Copics, tiara dotted with Stickles
~Edges and top of image area torn then smudged/distressed with Ranger Old Paper and Vintage Photo
~Three square brads



You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Cocoa, Balloons, and Lasagna

Sissy Gail was kind enough to agree to my volunteering her home for a night for two students. The plan was - I would drive Mollie and Andi to Omaha - we would spend the night at Gail's and then I would drive them to the airport EARLY this morning. They were to be at the Omaha airport Friday at 4 am....

Their destination? Hawaii! Fifty plus college students on a singing tour over break. Not to mention this was Andi's first time on a plane.

Thursday evening, a pan of lasagna, an entire loaf of French baguette, salad, and 3/4 of a pan of brownies later the girls were tucked into bed dreaming of tropical flowers and ocean breezes (and no snow). Before they went to bed they had to make a 'payment' of singing a song for Gail and I. Andi did her rendition of "Pants on the Ground" complete with choreography. Then they both sang in harmony - one of the songs they will be singing on tour. Even with the giggling and pausing to say, "this is where the boys sing", it was a lovely mini-concert.

I wish I had an audio I could embed in this blog of all the times Andi squealed, "I'm going to Hawaii!" or "I'm going to be on a plane!" Gail and I would shake our head and smile every time she would feel the need to share her excitement.

Andi sent a text message when they landed at their final destination. It read, "I'm in HAWAII!"

The girls are in Hawaii, and Gail and I woke up to MORE SNOW. Really! Is this ever going to stop????

This is a very simplified version of the actual events of the past couple of days. It actually included another student Kayla, a hair appointment, and a trip to the Crossroads for a rendezvous. If I could copy and paste in this goofy blog I would tell you the whole story - suffice it say - I spent Thursday and Friday night in Omaha at Sissy Gail's, was entertained by Mollie and Andi, got to have a sissy jammie day, and got to see Daughter Amy...what a great couple of days!
Back in Sioux City and I headed straight for The Bubble. The challenge "Make a Scene" over at Kraftin' Kimmies was to use at least two stamps in a scene. Here is what I came up with.

Toasty Greetings
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink White cardstock
~Layer of DCWV - Glitter Stack
~Layer of white photo cardstock - edges smudged with blue - as snowy horizon base
~Images - Bernadette and Oliver from Kraftin' Kimmies colored with colored pencils and Copics, coated with Pearlescent paint. Liquid Applique' used on Bernadette's tuft of hair under her earmuffs and on Oliver's marshmallows.
~Sentiment - Toasty warm thoughts of you!




Next is a challenge card sketch at Crazy for Challenges. The image is a new purchase from Mo Manning's Digital Pencil.

Thinking of You
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink White cardstock
~All the design paper is BasicGrey Cupcake
~Image - Mo Manning's Maya's Balloons - colored with colored pencils and Copics, balloons topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Sentiment - Just Right Stamps- Thinking of You
~Red corner metal brad






One more upload before bedtime...
Mo's Challenge Blog has a challenge to make it "Clean and Simple" with just an image and ribbon. Oops!!! I will have to create one following the rules - because I didn't on this one - I added layers and embossing. Who me? Not follow directions? You have NO idea. I'm going to upload this one even though it's 'wrong'. (I'll give this one to sista Gail - she won't care that it is an 'Oops Card'.) Check back later for the 'correct' version!

Angelina Oops
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink White cardstock
~Layers of white cardstock - image - Mo Manning Angelina's Balloons, colored using colored pencils and Copics, balloons and dress coated with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Layers of white cardstock embossed using embossing folder and Cuttlebug
~Polka dotted ribbon

Thanks for clicking into the Bubble!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Popsicle Winters

Daughter Amy home today from Pebble Beach. Nothing says 'welcome back to the Midwest' like blizzard conditions and a closed interstate. I'm glad she is home, safe and sound. Yes, you guessed it. It's snowing AGAIN.

The first card up tonight is a Mo Manning image and is now part of the cupcake series for Miss Amy. This card meets the requirements of two challenges. WHOOOOT!!!

The challenge at The Pink Elephant was to use ribbon and I LOVE using ribbon! The challenge from last week on Mo Manning's blog was to incorporate wood or would into the card. The parameters were generous - it could include real wood, an image of wood, an image of a bench, a wooden swing, a faux wood frame - anything wood. OR the word 'would'. I went with the word because I was running on empty regarding the wood issue. Well actually I DID make a card using wood - but it doesn't include a Mo Manning image which is part of the challenge rules. (More about that card later...)

Cupcake Wishes
~Base Card Paper Trey Ink white cardstock
~Layer of DCWV Nana's Kids
~Image is Mo Manning Sugar colored in with colored pencils, Copics, lots and lots of Stickles, layered on three colors of cardstock
~Sentiment "Would you like to make a wish?" typed printed on an ink jet printer and layered on lime green cardstock
~All the edges smudged with Stampabilities Cotton Candy
~Ribbons

This is my oops card...I got so excited about using wood on a card for the Mo Manning challenge that I had it made before I remembered the rules are to use a Mo image. Oh well! On the positive side I did use the sketch over at MoJo Monday. AND it has ribbon so it too is a Pink Elephant challenge card.

How Much Wood Would
~Base card Paper Trey Ink Vintage Cream - edges smudged with Distress Ink Old Paper
~Layer of My Mind's Eye
~Horizontal band of cranberry cardstock, layer of background design paper - with holes punched in the center of the 'x's' - and navy star eyelets on both ends
~Edges of solid cardstocks smudged with Stampabilities black ink
~The flag is a re-purposed lapel pin made out of wooden, mini-popsicle sticks- layered on navy and cranberry cardstocks
~Ribbon from Michael's dollar bin
~Diagonal narrow rectangle - Cosmo Cricket Gretel: Hansel layered on cranberry cardstock
~Zigzag metal brad from Oriental Trading (This brad is from the 'You bought it now USE it' stack)
~Two circular punched cardstock - navy and cranberry - topped with a twine threaded button

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Zero Gravity

I can't believe it - just because I color in cute little images - my husband asked me to color in a map of county district lines for a work project of HIS. REALLY? How BORING - not to mention I am directionally challenged. He came up with some weakly flattering request to color because, "You're sooooo good at it". Oh PLEASE! So he read from a BORING list of counties/cities and I was to color using different colors. Most NORMAL people would say, "just to the right of Oto", NOT him! NO... his HELPFUL narrative was more like, "slightly east of the southwest corner of..."! OMG!!!

There is an Iowa town call Ricketts...geezzzz wonder how they came up with that name. Did you know there is a "What Cheer" Iowa? But then there is also Gravity, Diagonal, Zero, Tingley, Last Chance, Lost Nation, Crab Town, Crisp, Hard Scratch, and Somber, Iowa. Besides - who am I to guffaw? The FAA's designation for the airport in my home town is SUX.

Well because he helps me out with my work and is very good at running errands (as long as you send a VERY detailed list with him) I guess it's only fair that I help him out. I did make him drive up to my office to get highlighters - I would need right wrist physical therapy using colored pencils to color in all of Northwest Iowa. Doesn't he know? Iowa is a BIG state! Doesn't he know...I color in cute little penguins, angels, flowers?! SERIOUSLY! I'm coloring in MAPS?

I did have a nice afternoon in spite of the snow (and the maps)...I wish I had kept track of all the consecutive days that is has snowed. But maybe I'm better off not knowing. I drove up to campus to attend a choir concert. It was so wonderful - nothing like 60 some young voices belting out a few songs to put some warmth to a blustery cold winter day. I got to have Bubble time and attend a concert today so I guess I shouldn't complain about coloring in a map. (Did I mention map coloring is BORING?!)

I bought a few digital "stamps" from Mo Manning's site - Mo's Digital Pencil. Her images are so cute - well actually they are more than cute - they are very artistically rendered. She is simply very talented. And I should mention GREAT at customer service.

She also has card challenges - yea! Challenge #18 called for a Mo image, and the colors pink, red, and white and to include a heart. This image seemed perfect for the challenge since the remaining cupcake has heart sprinkles. The satiated fairy's name is Dee.

DEE-Licious
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink
~Layer of pink cardstock
~Layer of American Craft rick-rack design paper
~Mo Manning Birthday Fairy Dee ink jet printed on Paper Trey Ink cardstock, colored with colored pencils and Copics, wings, cupcake hearts, and tu-tu topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, Stickles glitter dotted on tu-tu and top of cupcake
~Sentiment printed using ink jet printed on PTI cardstock
~Assorted ribbons








This is another Mo Manning image - this one a FREEBIE. How cool is that? This card features Monique. I think I'm in snow overload, which reminds me of Christmas, so I decided to put Monique to work as a Birthday Angel.

Birthday Hoots
~Base card PTI Soft Stone
~Layer of PTI Ocean Tides
~Layer of DCWV Pocketful of Posies cardstock
~Image - Mo Manning Monique~Sentiment printed on ink jet printer
~Hoots - printed on ink jet printer and layer on paint chips
~Assorted ribbon




And for my final entry - a card for the challenge at Stampin' B's which was to create a card using Red, White and Blue but not a patriotic card. Here is what I came up with.

Red White and Tulips
~Base card PTI
~Layer of glittery blue re-purposed gift bag
Image - Stampabilities Tulips, colored with Copics, topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, layered on re-purposed gift bag's gift card and layer of red cardstock - polka dot red ribbon
~Vertical layer of gift bag and polka dot red ribbon and blue cording (part of the handle from the gift bag)
~Sentiment from Michael's dollar bin stamped on Spellbinder's/Cuttlebug oval - blue gel ink dots around edge



French Toast Frenzy and finals are this week. I'm driving Andi and Mollie (students) to Omaha Thursday evening ... long story...it includes a 4 am trip to the airport, a choir trip to Hawaii, and sista Gail. I'll let you know the details later in the week.

Winter break is next week...maybe I can sneak in a day off to spend in the Bubble.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Seeing RED!

Quick post with cards (sorry no yada yada right now). I want to get back to card making so will blah blah blah later this evening.

Hitting the challenge rounds...yeah for Bubble time! I worked this card so it would meet requirements for THREE challenge blogs. Wooooohooooooo!

Challenge at Saturday Spotlight called for using a non-card/craft household item. (See paperclip and red netting - from a bag of some type of produce.) This is my first check-in with Saturday Spotlight. Challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges called for the color RED as the card feature item. (This one is obvious by looking at the card in general.) Challenge at Our Creative Corner called for using something from the stash that has been un-touched, un-used, forgotten, un-loved...you get the drift. (This includes the metal frame flower, the weird little mirror, the feather, and crayon button, and vellum envelope - haven't used the envelope punch in quite a long time - plus the sticker on the envelope - which is in my sticker-stash - haven't used one of these SU! stickers in about a year.


Household Greetings
~Base card - PTI Vintage Cream
~Layer of My Minds Eye
~Chipboard polka dot frame - Making Memories Travel
~Left lower corner items: cherry stamp (Hero Arts Cleardesign Cupcakes) colored with Copics, red metal framed flower - dotted with black gel pen, plastic swirl embellishment
~Right upper corner items: velum envelope made with envelope punch, embroidered edge mirror, feather, crayon button, Stampin' Up sticker, paper clip, and mesh netting (Transfer of Crap from sista Gail)

And...by the way... it is snowing AGAIN!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Mail from the Past

It has snowed off and on here for at least a week. I've lost track. This is the kind of winter I remember from my childhood. I remember more than once abandoning the car at the foot of the hill and walking up to the house. Sometimes daddy would back the car up the hill across the cross street, we would all pray there was no cross traffic coming, and he would 'gun it' hoping for enough momentum to get the car all the way up to the house.

I was trying to describe the disappearance of entire mailboxes to Sissy Judy (whom, while a native Midwesterner, has lived in GA long enough to NEED to be reminded of REAL winter with snowy visuals). Well, as they say, a picture is worth...

Judy, see what I mean???? It's CRAZY I tell you!

Tire chains...I also remember tire chains...daddy lying in the snow, a few colorful, verbal outbursts as he wrangled THICK, hammock looking, chains on to the rear tires of the Oldsmobile...

Then there was the car winter survival kit...The kit was more my mother's doing. An empty Folger's coffee, (yes - coffee used to come in a can - a three pound can) a Snicker's bar, (hmmmm..... if it was survival time?..... why only ONE Snicker bar....) a candle, and matches "hermetically" sealed in a baby food jar.

A survival kit - REALLY????? We lived in a city - a SMALL city! Not outer Mongolia! You can drive from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes....where could you POSSIBLY get stuck that you would need a survival kit!!!???

You may wonder why these particular survival items. Well since I was instructed on the use of the kit I will share this knowledge with you! The Folger's coffee can had a dual purpose. It housed all the survival items AND served as the 'survival vessel'! The idea was to scoop up some snow (the WHITE snow .... NOT the yellow snow) and use the candle (lit by the baby food jar sealed matches). Presto! Change-o! You now have WATER to wash down your Snicker bar. Mind you only a Snicker candy bar will do as it contains sugar AND protein ...OOPS and FIBER (THAT could be a problem!) Im not really sure if my mother trashed the Snicker bar each year -or the SAME Snicker bar remained year after year as it froze, melted, refroze, remelted...

Up until a year ago we still had that SAME can, candle, jar, and matches....WHO GOT THE SNICKER BAR?????? MARY.........????????

Recently, the ORIGINAL three-fifths club oversaw a slightly irreverent passing of the survival can ceremony. It was - well suffice it to say - you had to be there....

Sorry to be stuck on a family story rant - but sometimes I'm just not in control of the direction of this blog. And as I explained earlier I would be happy to just post the darn card. BOOM - there it is - and here is the card making recipe. But to appease 2/5s of the club I have to bore you poor readers with blasts from my pasts and updates on 'a day in the life of a campus career director/volunteer floor mom'.

Okay that's enough foolishness...time for the card. This was inspired by this week's Lord Have Mercy challenge layout.

Form Fitted

~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Berry Sorbet

~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Stack

~Two rows of variegated scallop trim

~Layers of purples and green cardstock with free digital image from Mel Stampz - colored in with Copics and trimmed with gold glitter

~Buttons with gold metallic thread (a ToC item from Sissy Gail)

~Sentiment Get Your Party On

This next one is a rather non-traditionally colored Valentine card. I'm always shocked when I finish a card and it is pastel... it's like my Nancy from an alternate universe takes over. The background paper for this is the same as the card above. The layout is a challenge sketch over at The Diedrich Dare Whimsical Wednesday.

Honey Sorbet
~Base card PTI
~Layer of DCWV The Glitter Stack
~Scallop circle punch - blue cardstock - small hole punches around edge with blue ink smudges and three narrow coral colored ribbons
~Circle punch of PTI Berry Sorbet with black 'stitches' drawn with black gel pen
~Image/Sentiment - Stampin' Up Vintage Valentine - colored with Copics, coated with water-base varnish
~Horizontal polka dots is actually a scrap of wrapping paper ~Small heart punches from PTI Berry Sorbet and dotted with black gel ink

You can get up close with the cards by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Mushy Raspberries

I'm headed for another long day on campus so I'm MAKING myself TAKE the time to create a card, photograph and crop it, upload it to the blog, type some yada yada yada (because THAT is the part my non-card-making-sisters like... go figure) and post it to the two challenge sites this morning. This is possible because I am a definite MORNING person.

Have I mentioned I'm NOT a night person? Why do I have all these LATE evening 'must attends' on campus - don't they notice my "Nancy has mentally left the campus look"? Two "must attends" this evening and one starts at 8:30 pm - I guess I should be grateful it doesn't start at 9:30 pm. Ahhhh....the life of a YOUNG college student .... a life that for MOST includes an afternoon nap! Luckily....I love my job, I love my job, I love my job...

Challenge (#53) at The Pink Elephant: Mushy Gushy Valentine Card and for this I used the Lord Have Mercy sketch (MTSC59).

No Mush No Gush Just Love
~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Raspberry Fizz
~Four PTI Raspberry Fizz Mix design papers layered on chocolate truffle cardstock
~Vellum envelope with Raspberry Fizz Mix text design paper inserted
~Pink heart brad
Ta Da - easy peasy raspberry squeezy! (I TOLD you I am a MORNING person!)
You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Truck Full of Challenges

Challenge day in the Bubble! Card challenges and challenging myself to NOT look out the craft room window and see that it is STILL snowing!

After a Saturday of running errands, mother errands, looking for items that evidently don't exist, shopping for shirts and slacks for husband (fashionista he's NOT therefore is not ALLOWED to shop for himself), and cramming in some grocery shopping I didn't manage to squeeze any Bubble time. I don't know what was more unfortunate - not getting to make any cards (or even card parts) - or the fact that I had to SHOP. I HATE shopping.

There is SOME shopping that I can tolerate - like the annual quilt shop shopping with my sisters and Nila. Let me tell you! To quilt store shop with them you need patience, a sense of humor, nerves of steel, comfortable shoes, a camera, Bobbins the Traveling Whats-It, backs without bad discs, hearts that keep pumping, brains with no tumors, and a boat-load of rationales for why you NEED a particular pattern or quilt kit. Did I mention comfortable shoes?

A quick stop at Hobby Lobby - now that I can handle. Or Archiver's - of course I DO like shopping at Archiver's. Department store shopping? I'd rather go to work!

So...on to more pleasant thoughts than shopping: Time in the Bubble!

The layout is a sketch from Mojo Monday. This card also fits with the challenges over at Crazy for Challenges (make a Valentine card) and Our Creative Corner (make a masculine Valentine card).

Loads of It
~Base card - PTI
~Layers of striped design paper
~Ribbon
~Lots of edges smudging with Distress Ink Faded Jeans
~Image - Stampin' Up Loads of Love - colored in with colored pencils, Copics, fender coated with ~Ranger Crackle Accents, windows, bumpers, door handle, hub caps, headlight topped with Versamark, silver and clear embossing powders; pile of hearts embossed with Ranger red embossing powder colored in with Copics
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Loads of Love
~Scalloped circles cut using Spellbinders and Cuttlebug






Challenge card #2 hits the marks for the Kraftin Kimmie challenge (to use a Kraftin Kimmie image and rip some part of the card) and Our Creative Corner's Sketch. Since I KNOW, in the Midwest at least, there will still be snow on Valentines Day this could be used as a Valentine Day card!

Snow Sweet Snow
~Base Card - PTI
~Layer of black cardstock
~Layer of cardstock from DCWV The Glitter Stack bottom edge torn
~Snowflake ribbon (90% off at Hobby Lobby!)
~Layers of pink and black cardstock - image (Kratin' Kimmie Stamps - Bernadette) stamped on PTI - colored in with colored pencils and Copics, tuft of hair on the top of her head topped with Marvy Liquid Applique, muff and earmuffs topped with Stampendous Pink Crystal Opaque embossing powder - which is from the "I bought this...WHY?" pile.

I just got a text message from a student asking me to review a cover letter she needs tomorrow...so out of the card making mode for me!
You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Homage to Naked Cupcake Night

I just had to make this in honor of Naked Cupcake Night. The dormitory floor parents annual cupcake bash was this evening. We all bring 2 dozen, homemade, unfrosted (naked) cupcakes, tubs of frosting, and assorted toppings (sprinkles, M&Ms, colored sugar...). Take everything to the 4th floor dorm lounge and stand back! The girls LOVE frosting and decorating their own cupcakes - lots and lots of cupcakes. I usually stay for about an hour - but there are enough ingredients and cupcakes that they carry on decorating for hours. They tend to forget there are 'parents' in the lounge - so I hear things - that normally I would not be privy to. Usually one of them will say - 'hey talk nice, our 'parents' are here! Mostly freshman, they are a great group of young adults and it is endearing to see how much they appreciate a taste of home.

I took Valentine decorations up to the lounge and some of the students hung them. Even that brought on lots of giggles and a break from the fact that they are miles from home, have papers to write and chapters to read and piles of studying - finals are next week!

By the way this card fits into the Amy requested Cupcake Series. No Amy I haven't forgotten you get any and all cards made with cupcakes.

This is my third late night at school and lucky me - I get to be there again tomorrow night - for a 9:30 meeting. Last night I had "Resume Roadshow". I went to the upper class dorm across campus - they had cookies and milk and a sign up for prizes - I suppose so I wasn't standing there with no re'sumes to review. It was a fun night - I went from one student to another suggesting quick fixes. I start to feel like a walking Thesaurus.... It was a pretty fun evening - great kids! I was grateful it started at 7 pm instead of their usual 9 pm.

I have no recall of why I stayed late at work on Monday....hmmmm. Tonight I will be staying late for a student government meeting. It's STARTS at 9:30 PM. Who starts a meeting at 9:30 PM ????? Ii will last until 11 PM. I'm the advisor can't I get that changed? Sadly...no. College students seem to come alive after 9 PM. (Of course they ALL take naps after classes at 4!) No nap for me!!

Every student applying for a Resident Assistant position for next fall has to have their applications in by this Friday and they all had to have their re'sumes reviewed by me prior to turning them in. Suffice it to say - my eyes are glazed over, and I'm not even sure I know a verb from a noun any longer.

I'm not complaining - it's been a great week thus far. Thursday we hear who our new boss will be. I'm picking up my new computer glasses. I only have 3 more RA re'sumes to blast through. Then on to the 23 res'umes waiting in the queue. We only got 2 more inches of snow on Monday. Too bad about Puxatawny Phil....but hey it's winter...that's life in the Midwest. More snow predicted for Thursday evening...hmmm maybe the meeting can get cancelled....Oh wait - THEY ALL LIVE on campus they don't HAVE to drive in the snow. As much as I've been there this week - maybe I'll just sleep on the sofa in my office tonight.

Here is the card I squeezed time in for this morning. I worked on it while the cupcakes were in the oven baking. In between allowing things to dry I worked on re'sumes. Cupcakes, cards and re'sumes - now that is some multi-tasking.

Naked Cupcake Night~Base card PTI
~Layer of orange cardstock
~Layer of Miss Elizabeth dots - purchased at the $ Tree
~Rectangle layer of green - edges smudged with orange
~Horizontal layer of orange companion paper
~Image is stamped on PTI colored with Copics, sugar-trimmed with Stickles and flame is Yellow Stickles; google eyes ~Cupcake is a digital image layered on to the polka dot background paper placed on a layer of black
~Assorted ribbons
You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.All good wishes,
Nancy

Melted Lollipops

I spent the afternoon at my mother's today... I sometimes wonder if she alone isn't responsible for global warming - from inside her house. I swear it was at LEAST 90 degrees in her house - maybe even 92 degrees - one for every year of her age. I forgot to wear my summer clothes over to her house! Geessshhhh it was HOT! I am happy to report that we got her printer/copier working. (It was probably over heated from ambient temperatures!)

I needed to have a COOL down in my Bubble - so put together a quick card. Challenge over at Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C22) was to use a lollipop. I had a card I made in December that really fit the bill but thought I should put together a FRESHER lollipop card.

Hello Lollipop
~Base card PTI
~Design paper - kimemories
~Scallop circle hot pink cardstock
~Circular punch of design paper
~Layers of cardstock topped with sentiment from the good 'ol dollar bin at Michael's
~Sentiment topped with glitter
~Lollipop stamp - Stampin' Up Very Punny - colored with Copics topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Edges curved with punch

I've finally cooled down from the motherly visit. I don't normally work with pastels - wonder if my brain was melty while I was working on it! That's it for this weekend. I hope to get home early enough from work one day this week to grab some more Bubble time!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.

All good wishes,
Nancy

Back in the Bubble

I rewarded myself, after slogging through student re'sumes, with more BUBBLE time and a cup of decaffeinated Earl Grey tea!!! I won't go into the quality of some of the re'sumes but suffice it to say I now have a dull headache.

I colored in this image while struggling to come up with the elusive five garden images for friend Mary Lee. I'm not complaining - I may not be coming up with actual garden cards - but I am getting flowery cards made! I suppose this COULD be a garden card - and it may have to be included in the group of five - it has flowers...it has a bird...it has a flower cart...

I used the color challenge over at Whimsical Wednesday.

Garden Cart
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of My Minds Eye Out and About
~Vertical layer of same collection
~Assorted ribbons
~Image by Stampin' Up Love Ya Bunches, colored in with Copics, highlighted with Stickles and Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, used a black eyelet for the hub center, layered on teal and red cardstocks with edges curved and smudged with black ink

Thanks for checking in! You can get up close with the image by clicking on the card.

All good wishes,
Nancy

Dreaming of a Return to the Bubble

I'm taking a break from the Mary Lee garden quest with a non-garden card. Paper Garden Projects posted a challenge to feature a love or valentine theme, include ribbon and buttons. Another challenge that guided this card was over at Our Creative Corner with their challenge to incorporate a music theme. The layout is a sketch over at Splitcoast Stampers SCS263.

I used the buttons under the rhinestones to complement the wheels on the carriage. The carriage is printed on PTI Vintage Cream but I printed the sentiment on white to compliment the white buttons.

Princess Dreams
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of purple card stocks topped with DCWC Once Upon a Time
~Sheer ribbons and blue, purple, and gold metallic threads
~Image (freebie from BirdsCards) - colored in with Copics, Stickles added, rhinestone brads for the wheel hubs
~Three white buttons, topped with flower rhinestones
~Sentiment is typed - notes are Webdings

Now, I must sign off and step away from the 'card-table' and attack a few student re'sumes. Big sigh.... If I'm a 'good girl' and finish a couple reviews maybe I'll reward myself with more Bubble Time and decaffeinated coffee.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.

All good wishes,
Nanc

Thirty Acres

In the time I've spent searching for garden (not just floral) digital images online I could have tilled up thirty acres and planted the perfect quintessential English garden. Oh WAIT, no I couldn't - I don't have thirty acres and even if I did - there is the matter of the THIRTY inches of snow outside!

I am happy to report that I did find one image online at KLM Digital Designs. What's up with no garden images? I can't be the ONLY one willing to purchase and use a garden digi! I did have a nice blog follower send me a note suggesting a few Stampin' Up stamps. Now THAT is a nice lady!

Today along with the cards for Mary Lee I was the Transfer-er in a Transfer-of-Crap event! Oh Yeah - I got rid of stuff this time. Sissy Gail is the recipient of a box of 'crap'. Ha Ha Your turn to mull over the contents and determine if they are 'keep worthy' or 'dump worthy' (or heaven forbid RE-Transfer-of-Crap worthy).

I looked to Mojo Monday for the perfect layout for the image and was not disappointed. And I can use this for the Dutch Dare challenge because the call there is for Summer in the Winter. Now for the card info...

At Long Last
~Base card PTI
~Layer of My Minds Eye Wild Asparagus
~Horizontal layer of same paper - on top of a layer of cardstock
~Twine
~Corner button
~Image Garden Shed colored in using colored pencils and Copics; flowers topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects; image area cut out, smudged with Distress Ink Old Paper; layered onto PTI with the edges roughed up
~Prima flowers with tiny buttons and petals topped off with a smidgen of Stampin' Up Crystal Effects

I have to admit - this one REALLY is better in real life than in digital-photography-uploaded-blogworld-life. It is not nearly as washed out as it appears here.

I can't believe it! I didn't even get the chance to hit "Publish Post" and I receive a text message from Sister Gail stating that my husband is on his way back from Omaha with - wait for it...wait for it...ToC!!!! I can't win!

P.S. I fixed the 'recieve' typo. My bad!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Missing: One Garden Muse

I haven't nailed the Mary Lee garden theme project yet. Is it all this SNOW and ICE that is causing a lush green and dramatically colorful muse from popping into my head?

Here is what I've managed to come up with for Mission:Garden....I know, I know....they are not really garden-like and florals do not equate with garden. These are my 'warm-up' cards.

In an indirect sort of way - I suppose one could say that at some point flowers originate from a garden... but what about hot house flowers? They never had to struggle against elbowing weeds or enjoyed direct sun on their flowery little faces. Technically they are NOT from a garden. I get it - flowers do NOT necessarily = garden.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this.

I know! I need to spend some time surfing the net for garden theme digital stamps. YES, that's it more one-on-one time with my laptop! I can get sucked into the vortex of the net and push back that little voice suggesting I go chip ice from the sidewalk.


Elephant in the Garden
This card gets its name from the sketch challenge #50 over at The Pink Elephant.
~Base card - PTI (Paper Trey Ink)
~Layer of olive green cardstock
~Layer of blue, green stripe (Miss Elizabeth - Dollar Tree)
~Horizontal rectangles of blue then olive green cardstocks and coordinating Miss Elizabeth blue/green checked print
~Ovals cut using Spellbinders and Cuttlebug - two shades of green cardstock
~Image colored with Copics; flower coated with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, leaves coated with ~Crackle Accent
~Blue/green plaid ribbon (Archiver's) 'just cuz' gift from Sissy Gail (She said not to refer to her as sister Gail because it sounds too nun-like.) She then corrected herself and said that would be "Sister MARY Gail". We have a familial 'thing' about nuns...let's just leave it at that!
~Garden rake is a ToC item from sissy Gail

Garden Fairy
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of DCWV Pocket Full of Posies
~Image - Stampin' Up Fairy Nice, colored with Copics, topped off with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Stickles Diamond added to 'water' flowing out of the watering can
~Mini daisy punch (Michael's Dollar Bin) - two layers with Stickles center in fairy's hand
~Three edges of image punch with Fiskars corner punch
~Lower edge of image curved using corner curve punch
~Left and bottom edge of image cardstock smudge with ink - Cotton Candy
~Layers of green leaves punched with Martha Stewart punch
~Layers of mini daisy punch with Stickles glitter centers

Herb Garden
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of Basic Grey Wassail collection (toile print)
~Purple brads
~Filigree sticker is from Basic Grey Wassail collection
~Layers of off-white cardstocks - edges smudged with Distress Ink Old Paper and Peeled Paint
~Image (another Gail-gift: a bulk order of used stamps from e-Bay) colored in with Copics and colored pencils
~Black brads and twine added to the drying rack


Now - I'm on the hunt for REAL garden images - otherwise Mary Lee will be stuck with these.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Mission:Garden Birthdays

Bubble goals...REALLY... I have goals for this weekend's Bubble time. Mary Lee has requested garden themed cards. I'm not sure I REMEMBER what a garden looks like...today it is a large LUMP of ice encrusted snow - about ten feet of it. I will do my best to conjure up memories of green.

Second goal: birthday cards for a couple more of 'my' special college students. I was just trying to figure out what makes some of the kids 'card worthy' and others merely get a hearty birthday greeting in the hall or a Facebook 'happy birthday'....I'll have to give this one some thought.

Quick upload for the first (of five) of the garden theme cards. Thank you to the challengers over at Our Creative Corner for just the right layout inspiration to use this wreath that I colored and top coated on Wednesday. I wasn't a sloth during the week...I was creating 'pieces parts' for cards. When I don't have time to sit in the Bubble or have time to make a card - I try to squeak in coloring time because it is so portable. (What's next? Paper dolls?)

Garden Tools
~Base card - PTI
~Stripe layer of My Minds Eye design paper
~Horizontal layer of coordinating green from same MME collection (at the bottom of the card under layer of dots)
~Two horizontal layers of dots from MME collection
~Narrow ribbon - giftie from sister Gail
~Image stamped with Memento's Tuxedo Black colored with Copics and colored pencils - then coated with Pearlescent acrylic paint
~Individual blades of fake grass glued to back of wreath (yes...I know I'm nuts!)
~Wreath is attached with double layers of dimensional foam
~Petaloo Gypsy Flower with rhinestone (also a sister Gail surprise 'giftal'.
I'm off to make cards for Ashley, Trayna, and CeCe, and mentally create four more garden cards...maybe I should download that Ricky Nelson tune for inspiration.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy