Love X 2...ATSM #131~Anything Goes, AAA Cards #32~Love, Love, Love, JUGS #279~Love

Hello!

Today, I'm inviting you to join us in creating cards for this week's Addicted to Stamps and More #131~Anything Goes. Easy-peasy, right?  To sweeten the incentive, our Sweet Pea Stamps sponsor is offering 4 digis from the store to our challenged winner.  Added to that, we're ultra fortunate to have Janine Vegter, from Sweet Pea, as our guest designer! Please be sure to check out her amazing Anything Goes card, as well as the rest of the team's creations. Inspiration, guaranteed!

http://www.sweetpeastamps. com

My cards (yes, two...) were inspired by the electric-colours of the flaming heart inspiration photo over at AAA Cards #32~Love, Love, Love

My water-colour stamp saw some more action (I'm soooo stoked I found it during my clean-and-organize gig...which I didn't finish because said stamp distracted me...) and I wound up with this card as a 'first go'... Unfortunately, as much as I liked the 'faux water-colouring', the card didn't qualify for 'clean and simple.' Pretty-ish, but busy.   

Sooo... I inked up another snippet of paper to create a 'water-coloured' side border and had enough to squeeze out a colourful 'love' to fit into the frame. Ta...dahhh!  Far more CAS (indeed, maybe too CAS...hmmm).

Since both cards do have "love" in them, they're off to Just Us Girls #279~Word Week~Love challenge

Hope to see your Anything Goes gems in the ATSM gallery!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Ellie Love....Freshly Made Sketches #172, Less is More Colour Challenge~Pink and Grey

Hi again,

Baked cookies, went for a walk (my exercise routine is...well, non-existent. Need to change that very soon, judging by my achy-breaky legs...and we didn't even go far, or for long. Major league out. of. shape!), and finished up editing a paper, my part-time gig, on pottery (fascinating).

I'm popping in to show you  my card for Freshly Make Sketches #172,

fashioned this morning, after much puzzling about  creating a Valentine card that wasn't totally heart-focused. I needed a break, as do you...but I still have plenty o'hearts cards up my sleeve!

Ta dahhh...a chubby little elephant, on a sparkly doily, set atop a strip of pink-inked hearts...

Polka-dot ears...eeeee!  I'm also joining the 4th Birthday celebration - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! -  at Less is More Colour Challenge:  PINK AND GREY

NOTE: So honoured and delighted to be Cindy L's 'pick' over at Freshly Made Sketches! Her sweet words have me beaming and blushing: "  I just love the elephant,the sparkly doily and scalloped edges!! Love it,Carol!!"

I forgot to mention earlier: we started watching Season 3 of Sherlock last night. Please tell me I'm not the only one crushing over...smitten by...who thinks Benedict Cumberbatch is awesome. Like, seriously awesome (must post this quickly, before my husband peeks over my shoulder *grin*)

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Valentine Circles...MUSE #103, Butterfly Challenge~Butterflies + V is for Valentine

Hello!

Sunday afternoon already; is everyone else's weekend seeming to pass in a nano-second?  I'm not sure what I accomplished 'of significance' over these past few days, but...something will come to mind. Let's see: I had great intentions of tackling chores on Friday, and I did...sort of.  I was in the midst of vacuuming, which I don't mind too much (I'll take that over ironing any day!), when the poor thing began to wheeze, groan, sputter and then...it fizzled out completely.  Of course, no vacuum meant no more cleaning, so I happily headed over to my crafting zone to play.

Saturday, my husband needed to work in the city for a couple hours, so I tagged along for an outing. I drifted over to Micheal's for a bit, where nothing, aside from Recollections #110 cardstock, caught my eye (score with the 40% off and 30% off coupons combined!). Afterwards, we headed to Costco...crazy decision on a Saturday afternoon, but we were running out of necessities, the foremost being a big bag of chocolate chips!  Whatever it takes to keep my husband happy!  We also came home with a new vacuum, which is currently sitting in its box next to me.  And there it shall stay, until the 'urge' to clean comes upon me. Perhaps I'll schedule that 'urge' for Thursday.  At the earliest *grin*

Anyway, I'm here to share a couple, or three, cards sparked by the oh-so-pretty and vibrant MUSE #103 inspiration fashioned by our dazzlingly talented Vicki:

I haven't made shaped cards for a while, so while the dies were out, I went with two...

The first looks rather busy in the photo, but less so in real life as the the popped up circle, heart and sentiment 'separate' the patterned from the solid papers.

The second is less cluttered (sort of). I didn't 'mean' to line up the script of the card with the script on the butterfly...just happened.  I'm sharing this over at wonderful Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge #23~Butterflies + V is for Valentine.

NOTE:  Honoured and delighted to be selected a Top Favourite at MUSE! Thank you so much!!

My third card is 'just because'..just because I haven't used my Love collage background stamp in ages. I stamped it in SU red ink on red cardstock (I'm on my last snippets of red paper! Who does that: run out of red card stock near Valentine's Day! Yeesh!), added a glitter (hard to see) paper die cut heart, and wrapped it up with my sweet Valentine word die...

Off to bake some chocolate chip cookies...they are not staying in the bag in the same way the vacuum is staying in the box!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs...

Heart and Valentine...Just Us Girls #278~Sentiment Shine, TPE #284~Photo Inspiration, Simply Create Too #78~Valentines/Hearts, Dazzling Diva Challenge #61

Hello, wonderful friends,

After posting these two cards, I'm putting myself in the corner for being sooooo slow in commenting on all the dazzling delights that appear in my Feedly.  I've oohed and aahed, gazed and admired, giggled and swooned...indeed, I've seen every. single. one! But letting my fingers do the talking to let you know...gahhh!  Once I've taught myself a lesson on the importance of being punctual, visiting is on the agenda! Thank you immensely for continuing to visit me! I'm so blessed...

Today, a card for Just Us Girls #278~Sentiment Challenge

The Pink Elephant #284~Photo Inspiration

Simply Create Too #78~Valentines or Hearts and Dazzling Diva Challenge #61 (thank you, Vicki!!)

The background of the heart is a water-colour stamp, inked with my massive collection of pink, rose and red Memento inks. Re-discovering it has me smiling...a 'water-colour' look without actually using a brush or...distress inks (we are so on the outs...still!). The heart die is red foil paper...

The gallery's about to close...so I'm off...to the corner *grin*

NOTE: so very honoured and thrilled to be selected as the TPE challenge winner! THANK YOU!

Oh wait...before I go, just a quick story. Earlier this week, a cyclist in our town, on his way home, was chased by a cougar. A COUGAR! He managed to reach his house, and flung his bike at the cougar just as it lunged. Frightening! Yes, we're aware that cougars (bears, coyotes, bunnies...) share our surroundings, but this one...brazen and bold, indeed.  Guess who's husband rode his bike to work today?  And then rode home in the dark on paths where a cougar, with an appetite for cyclists, just 'might' be skulking?  Gahhh...more grey hairs on my head!  He's home safe, but still...Yeesh!  Maybe this someone's husband should stand in the corner, too!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs...

Sending Hedgehugs...The Paper Players #230~Critter-tine, Simon Says Monday Challenge~ H is for..., Lawnscaping Challenge #99: CAS

Hi again,
Back in a nano-flash to show you Ms. T's  Happy 59 Months Old card. Hedgehog hugs - from Uncle A and Aunty C (do you like my coy little hedgehog face)!  Nothing supercalifragilistic special about how I've showcased them, but gosh darn, those little critters are so adorable!  I covered them with sparkles, which sort of explains the 'unevenness' of their furry little bodies. In real life, they are reasonably well blended.Here, they appear...um...back-combed. Yeah, that's it - back-combed and fluffed up.

When Ms. T was three, she went to once a week Critter School at the local zoo, where she had opportunity to learn about and meet - close up and personal - a variety of animals, from snakes, to meerkats, to lizards, to yes..hedgehogs.  Apparently, these experiences left an impact, based on the recent 'lesson' she gave me on hedgehog roll-ups (and consequently lead to this stamp/die set coming home with me). Too cute! When she 'really' gets immersed into a topic, her eyes open big and wide.  Pure delight! And infectious...I find myself doing the wide-eyed thing, too. At times. Not as endearing on me as it is on her, of course *grin*

Anyway, here's my card...

I'm entering the galleries at The Paper Players #230~ Critter-tine (oh my, I didn't intentionally mean to follow the 'sketch' so closely! Oh well...)

NOTE: Tickled Pink to be selected as Nance's choice for A Cut Above recognition!  THANK YOU! My blog is wearing your badge proudly!

 Simon Says Monday Challenge~H is for...hedgehogs, heart, hugs and, of course, Happy 35 Months Old!

and Lawnscaping Challenge #99~Clean and Simple

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs...

Hugs, Kisses and Lightbulbs...CAS(E) this Sketch #108

Hello!

Hopefully, this Wednesday evening sees everyone warm, cozy and safe! We've been watching the weather conditions from the East: Yikes! To all my sweet friends who live in those snowy states and provinces: hunker down, stay inside and craft!  Best way to beat the winter blues, hands down!

I'm sharing three cards today; the key ingredients for the first two were 'enabled' by ultra talented, Kim, with her cards here.  Now if that darling little fox she worked magic with in her second card wasn't enough to lead me to the land of 'must have,' her link (here) to additional Little Bits dies sealed it!  As an added bonus, she offered ideas on how to use them, such as, "What about the globe or schoolhouse for a back to school option? The cake for a birthday card."  What's a person to do when the research has been done and inspiration sparks flamed?  We all know the answer: and a-shopping I did go! The bonus: I had a Taylored Expression gift card!  Thank you, Kim, for the incentive and the 'persuasion'!  By the way, you're only seeing two of the new additions *grin*

My trio are off to CAS(E) this Sketch #108,  Apparently, my inability to exercise restraint in adding to my stash is repeated in my inability to 'stop at only one' card. Blame placed squarely on this oh-so-versatile, use-me often' sketch.

First up: my Little Bits fox...isn't he a cutie!

Second, my Little Bits light bulb, paired with a TAWS sentiment...

Third, another play with some RC goodies...

These cards are for Ms. T's and Mr. C's daycare teachers.  Three done...and I'm not sure how many more to go.  Works for me...I have a whole bunch of Valentine/heart goodies still to use. I need a Valentine's Day every month...hmmm.  Possibilities.  Actually, I have another idea to 'justify' my expanding collection of heart-themed stamps/dies,  the details of which are still percolating. If  my little scheme comes to fruition (or as my mom would say, if it 'fruitifies'), I'll be thrilled x excited!  Stay tuned.

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs...

Hearts and Arrow...The Male Room Challenge #02/15 - Shades of Blue

Hello,

I've made several cards over the past few days, but my organization in taking photos and getting them posted is abysmal! Net result: I'll be inundating you with a series of posts, or maybe inundating a post with a series of cards!  Whatever unfolds, a huge THANK YOU should you pop by for a visit (or several) to catch up on what I've been doing. One of these days I'll get my act together-ish!

Today, I'm racing into The Male Room~Shades of Blue challenge with  my extremely simple, yet *you-won't-believe-how-long-this-actually-took-me-to-make* card for my brother.  It's a 'just because' card...because I know he, like the rest of us, is missing my dad. Lots. I want him to know I love him. Lots.

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs...

NOTE: Honoured and thrilled to be selected as a Shades of Blue winner at The Male Room Challenge. THANK YOU!!