A New Year

Wow. It's been months. A New Year. Hard to believe. I've been suffering from lack of desire to craft. The day of my last card post (Aug 16th 2011) my family got a huge shock. My husbands youngest sister suddenly and quite unexpectedly died. Only 54 years old. I've had a hard time dealing with her loss. It seemed to take any desire to craft out of me. Today would have been her 55th birthday. I'm shaking myself. And giving myself a firm talking to. Val always loved the cards I made her for her birthdays. She was one of my biggest fans. So I know she'd not be happy with me for blaming her for my lack of crafting ;) So I hope to be getting back at it, soon.

~Terry

Christmas Again!

I need more Birthday cards. But I made a Christmas card? LOL! Love this image. I got it maybe before Christmas last year? This is the 1st time I've used it. Lots of challenges;
Eat Sleep Stamp - Sketch #14
Art Impression Stamps - Favorite Technique (Distressing & Dry Embossing)
AiFactory Challenges - August Anything Goes
Chrisma Cardz Challenges!! - Distressing
~Craft Us Crazy~ - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - Clean & Simple
Do it With Digis - Christmas in August
DYSU Challenge Blog  - Emboss it
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Emboss It
Simply Create Challenges - Time to Distress
Catch The Bug Challenge Blog - Distress/Shabby Chic
Challenge up Your Life - No Patterned Paper
Just Some Lines - Embossing
The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Christmas is Coming
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Ooh La La Creations Challenges - Oh Christmas
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes
Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Distressing
Try it on Tuesday - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Non Stamped Sentiment

August is Birthday Month!

We have a whole lot of birthdays in August in my family. This is a card for a BIL. He turns 65 on Sunday. I thought of one of my favorite Bugaboo Gus images, a\At My Age. Cracks me up every time I see it. I distressed, as I almost always do for a guy card. Make it feel more manly, being all roughed up ;) Torn paper and sanded embossing. The foil behind the image is some I pulled off my Cocoa container. I always keep them, knowing one day I just might use one! I cut this piece with a Nestie, then ran it through my Big Kick again, in my Cuttlebug Seeing Spots, embossing folder. On to the challenges;
AiFactory Challenges - Anything Goes
~Craft Us Crazy~ - Anything Goes in August
Card Makin Mamas - Birthday Cards
Frosted Designs, Fabulous Friday Challenge - Coloring
Fun With Shapes - Cord/Twine
Sew Many Cards Challenges - Foil
Stamp Something Challenges - August Digi Days
Just Add Ink - Just Add Tearing/Distressing
The Stamp Man Challenges - Show us Some Stitching
Stampin' for the Weekend - Spots and Dots
Catch The Bug Challenge Blog - August Anything Goes Challenge
Birthday Sundaes - Birthday Cards
Dream Valley Challenges - Distressing
The Crazy Challenge - Embossing
Cupcake Crafts Challenges - Sew Mad
KB Cute Monday - Anything Goes using a Digi
Make it Monday - Anything Goes
Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Recycle
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy Birthday

My Baby is 21!!

Today is my sons 21st birthday! I seems so hard to believe. How can he be 21 already? **sigh** Deep breaths mom....This is his card. He is very into Steampunk. I bought this image just for his card. It's Lil Victorian Lilith from Tickled Pink Digital Stamps. I was going to try and make it fit 21 challenges. But I'm out of time. People are on there way up to clean our carpet for the big 21st birthday party on Sunday!  I popped the image up and made the tag slide under it to hide the big 21. Here's what I did manage to work in;
Alphabet Challenge Blog - M is for Metal  
Allsort Sorts Challenge Blog - #114 Last Week of Free & Easy in July
Sew Many Cards Challenges - Anything Goes
Come and Get it Challenges - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenges - Anything Goes
Cupcake Craft Challenges - How Old?
Make it Monday - Make it Monday
Stamps R Us Challenges - Happy Birthday
Woodware USA Clear Stamps - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes plus Optional Extra; Use Metal
For Fun Challenges - Anything Goes
Crafts and Me Challenges - Anything Goes 
AiFactory Challenges - Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges - Stitaching Real or Faux
~Craft us Crazy~ - Anything Goes in August
Art Impressions Stamps - One For the Boys!!!
Cute Card Thursday  - No Designer Paper

Nearly 3 weeks With No Crafting?!

GASP!! Say it isn't so. But, it did happen. Good excuses, but you don't want to read them, so on to a card. I over compensated for my lack challenge these past few weeks, by finding plenty to enter this card in card in 8) A fun summery card. I used Sandpaper for the sand. Wanted to do that for ages. Finding the sandpaper I bought for that helped ;) Really, I need to spend more time organizing!! Because of the number of challenges, I've listed them to make it easier for me to p[ost. So here you go (fingers crossed it works!)
Crafting for all Seasons Challenge Blog - Beach/Ocean
Divas by Design - Summer is Here
Paper Pretties Monday Challenge - Lazy Days of Summer
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge - No Markers
Stampavie and More  - Summer
CCEE Stampers - Winter or Summer
~Craft us Crazy~ - Anything Goes
Delightful Challenges - Dog Days of Summer
Digi Doodles Shop's Best - Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Summer
Shelly's Images Sum-Summ-Summertime
Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Summer
Fairy Tale Challenge Blog - Summer
If the Shoe Fits Scrap it - Summer
Stamp Something - Summer Fun Something
Catch The Bug Challenge Blog - Make a Splash/Water
Craft Your Days Away Challenges - Summertime
Easy Craft Projects  - The Summer
Just Some Lines - Outdoor/Summer Colors
Creative Inspirations Challenge - Summer
Pile it on! - Stay Cool
The Crazy Challenge - The Sun is Out
Critter Sketch Challenge Blog - Summer Fun
Paper Playtime - Digi Monday or Summer Stamps
Stamp-n-Doodle - We're at the Beach
Try it on Tuesday - From the Beach
Tuesday Throwdown - Summertime
Creative Craft Challenges - It's Summertime
Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Last Day for Christmas in July at Bugaboo

Wasn't sure I was going to get this last challenge in. The last 2 days have been, ahhh, challenging, but not in a good way ;) But I figured maybe crafting might pull me out of my not so wonderful mood. I think it worked. I can't look at this sweet card I made and not simile! I wanted to make my last Bugaboo Christmas in July Week Long Challenges at Catch the Bug work for the Bugaboo Wacky Wednesday challenges. To do so it needed to be a western theme. I was going to put snow on the ground. But I though, Hey, I never had a snowy Christmas (and very happy for that I may add!) so why make my little cowpoke have to deal with the nasty wet stuff? I colored him in dark traditional Christmas colors and there you have it. I used sketch #2 at Fetch A Sketch. Challenge #151 at Everybody-Art-Challenge *Dots*.  2nd entry for the *Christmas in July* challenge at Paper Sundaes. Challenge #121 at Creative Inspirations *Around the World* this was an interesting one; Creations based on other countries styles / themes e.g. Japanese, Wild West, Egyptian etc ... or you could go for places / destinations. Challenge #174 at Cute Card Thursday is *For His Eye's Only*. An *Anything Goes* theme for challenge #46 at Make It Monday  #13 at ~Craft Us Crazy~ and Shelly's Images Blog.

Christmas in July - Snow!

First I have to say that I am very happy that I live in beautiful Southern California, and I don't have to deal with snow! I can if I want to. But that is highly unlikely! Today's challenge for the Bugaboo Week Long Christmas in July Challenge at Catch the Bug is *Snow Business*. I pulled out a piece of acetate I've had for who knows how long, and ran it through my Big Kick in my Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder. I think it looks pretty darn cool. I remembered this idea when I was thinking bout what to do for challenge #9 *Technique Turn Back* at Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge Blog. They want you to dust off an old technique you haven't used in awhile. Well I'd only done this once before. And it's been some time ago.  THis works for the *Anything Goes* challenge at the Clear it Out Challenge. Also for challenge #176 use *Acetate* at Tanda Stamps. It's also *Christmas in July* at 2 Sisters Challenge Blog challenge #48 and my 5th entry there. And at Delightful Challenges. Challenge #52 at Tuesday Throwdown *Something Metallic*, I've used 4 nice big metallic brads. At Paper Pretties challenge #163 is *Embossing*. It's *Layer it Up* at AiFactory Challenges use at least 2 layers. Got that well covered. Then *Anything Goes* for challenge #13 at ~Craft Us Crazy~ and challenge #46 Make it Monday.

Christmas in July Sketch

Day 4 of the Bugaboo Week Long Christmas in July Challenges at Catch the Bug Challenge Blog. It's a sketch challenge today. I searched around in my digi folder and came up with adorable Eggbert all wrapped up for some winter fun. Also found the Snow friend like you! digi paper. Never used it before. I think it came out well printed on the blue cardstock. Because I didn't want to cover the cook paper I'd printed, I used a small piece of vellum for the lower sheet of paper. Some other *Christmas in July* challenges; #48 at 2 Sisters Challenge Blog 4th entry, #45 at CES Challenges 3rd entry here and #78 at Paper Sundaes. Challenge #60 at Sew Many Cards Challenges and #720 at The House That Stamps Built is *Glitter* I used lots of Stickles on the snow/snowballs. Entry #3 for challenge #112 *Free & Easy in July* at Allsorts Challenges Blog. Also 3rd entry for challenge #67 *Text It* at Craft Your Passion Challenges I didn't add a sentiment, but the text is on the digi paper. Lots of 3's, a 3rd entry for challenge #46 *Anything Goes* at Make It Monday. At Papertake Weekly Challenge things are *Getting Cute*.

My 1st Easel Card! Plus more Christmas in July

I've had the instructions for, and said each time I saw one, that I was going to try an Easel card. But honestly, I'm lazy. So the instructions had never came out, and I had never took the time to try one. Until today. And I'm happy I did, cause I sure like how this card came out! I used Tracy's sketch #139 at Eat Sleep Stamp. Not at all hard to work it into the easel card. Today's challenge for the Bugaboo Catch the Bug Christmas in July Challenge is to use this totally cute freebie image; Ruby Christmas Tree. I'll be giving this card to hubby ;) 3rd entry for Catch The Bug Challenge Blog weekly challenge *Anything Christmas*. A 2nd entry for CES Challenges challenge #45 *Christmas*. Also a 3rd entry for the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog challenge #48 *Christmas in July*. 2nd entry for challenge #76 *Christmas* at The Crazy Challenge. At Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge is *Quote That* use a quote. Any quote. This one is on a Christmas ornament my sister gave me. It's still *Free & Easy in July* at Allsorts Challenge Blog. At Just Some Lines they want to see an *Easel Card*. Several challenges that are looking for *Fancy Folds/More then 1 Fold*; challenge #24 at Craft Your Days Away, For Fun Challenges, Delightful Challenges and challenge #45 at Anything Goes Challenge Blog.  2nd entry for challenge *Text It* at Craft Your Passion Challenges. Challenge #75 at Totally Papercrafts is *Girly Girls*. I'ts *Anything Goes* at Simon Says Stamps Challenge and for challenge #46 at Make It Monday.

Stella Christmas in July

Of course my favorite crabby old lady Stella isn't going to stop being crabby, just for Christmas!! Entry #2 for the week long Bugaboo Catch The Bug Christmas in July challenge *Anything Christmas Goes*. 5 more *Christmas in July* challenges; Digi Stamps4Joy, Stamp Something Challenges, 2nd entry for 2 Sisters Challenge Blog, CES Challenges and The Crazy Challenge.  2 challenge looking for *Sewing/Stitching* real or faux; challenge #28 at DYSU Challenge Blog and Crafty Sentiments. Challenge #67 at Craft Your Passion Challenges *Text it* or simply, use text. 3 *Anything Goes* challenges; entry #4 at Simon Says Stamps Challenge, challenge #112 Free & Easy in July at Allsorts Challenge Blog and 2nd entry for challenge #46 at Make It Monday.

More Christmas in July fun!

Bugaboo is having a Christmas in July Blog Hop. I'm trying to play along. My first time trying to do all of a blog hop. It can get crazy! Sure hope I'm doing it all correctly! Today's Bugaboo Christmas in July challenge is *Non Traditional Christmas Colors* seeing I love playing at Bugaboos Wacky Wednesday challenges at CDAC and PCP as well. And this weeks challenge is a color challenge. I used those colors for my very non traditional colors. And I do believe it is okay to also entry the same card in Catch The Bug; Christmas in July Week Long Challenge which is *Anything Goes*. I used Card Patterns *Sketch #124*.  Challenge #29 *Free Christmas* at Christmas Inspirations. *Christmas in July* is the theme at The Crafty Pad, Creative Inspirations Challenge, The Crazy Challenge and 2 Sisters Challenge Blog. All month at Lollipop Crafts  it's *Anything Goes*. At Fresh Brewed Challenges they are looking for *Triple Plays* or things in groups of 3's. I have 3 buttons with 3 bows.  *Anything Goes* at Simon Says Stamps Challenge, House of Gilli and Make It Monday.  A 2nd entry for Charisma Cardz Challenges! *It's in the Stars* challenge. Also having stars as their theme is Cupcake Craft Challenges challenge #151 *Wish Upon a Star*. Challenge #91 at Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge is *Tags* while it's *Tag It* for challenge 84 at Ooh La La Creations Challenges. *Embossing* is the theme for challenge #45 at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and challenge #76 at Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog.  I pulled out my Cuttlebug Christmas Ornaments embossing folder. Got it late in the season last year and only had the chance to use it a few times. Totally Stampalicious challenge this week is *Buttons & Bows* use at least 1 of each. I'm so glad I've found twine. Even I can tie bows!! *Digital Stamps* is the theme for challenge # 56 at Stamps & Fun = CREATIVITY and for challenge #22 at KB Cute Monday.

Thank You

This cute and cuddly Teddy Bead has been in my "pile" of stuff for ages. The stamps is one of my moms. One of her's that I don't have here?! *gasp!* LOL!! He is heat embossed. Something I haven't don't in I don't know how long? Not this year, for sure. I like how heat embossing looks. But I often get frustrated doing it. Embossing folders are so mush faster and easier 8) So, on with the challenges; Challenge #42 at Top Tip Tuesday is a sketch. Or 2 sketches. You pick; I picked this one:

 At Sweet Stampin' Challenge it's *Cute and Cuddly* this week. A couple *Anything Goes* challenges; #45 at Make it Monday and Simon Says Stamps Challenge. This week at The ABC Challenge it's *Y is for Yesterday* lots of way to look at this one I went with looking back into 2009 (I just pointed and clicked. Let my fingers doing the choosing)  for a past ABC challenge; Oct 2009 for *Embossing*. Challenge #18 at Amber's Crafts and Stuff is also *Embossing*. Challenge #5 at Crafting for all Seasons is *Furry Friends*. Challenge #162 at Paper Pretties is *Animals*. Challenge #44 at Scrapbook Sisters is *Thank You* and at The Sisterhood of Crafters this week it's *Give Thanks*. Challenge #11 at Scrapalicious USA is *Bears*. It's *Button Up* at Your Next Stamp Challenges and *Button and Bows* at Meljens Design Team and Challenge Blog.

It's a Girl

I've had this little cutie sitting and waiting for me to colors for some time now. Decided today was her day. Used sketch #6 from The Ribbon Reel Challenge  the challenge is *Sketch Plus Ribbon/Lace or Twine*. 3rd entry for this weeks *Clean & Simple* challenge at Catch The Bug Challenge Blog. Also a 3rd entry for Allsorts Challenge Blog challenge #111 *Free and Easy July*.  It's *We Love Pink* at Whoopsi Daisy Challenge. Entry #3 for challenge #45 *Anything Goes* at Make It Monday. Challenge #21 *Something Cute* at KB Cute Monday. Challenge #119 at Digital Tuesday Challenge is *Spellbound*, use one or more dies (spellbinders or otherwise). I use 2 Nestie and 1 Sizzix. This weeks challenge at Scrap-Creations is use *At Least 2 Designer Papers and 2 Different Embellishments*. Challenge #6 at Divas by Design is *Pastels* I have a hard time with pastels. I usually go for the soft pink or blues of baby cards when I need one. My favorite *Anything Goes* for this weeks challenge at Simon Says Stamp Challenge. Challenge #28 at Charisma Cardz Challenges! is *It's in the Stars* or have some stars on your project. *Going Round in Circles* is challenge #173 at Cute Card Thursday. And challenge #83 at Pixie Dust Studio Pixie Challenge is *Girl Girly + Ribbon/Bow*. 

Single Layer Birthday Card

I think that in the past few years that I've been making my own cards, that this is the first single layer cards I've made? I always think I'll try one. But I so love lots, and lots of layers. That 1 single layer is really hard for me! So here is my first, clean and simple, single layer card.  2nd entry for the Catch The Bug Challenge Blog *Clean & Simple* challenge. Birthday Sundaes challenge #17 is *Summery Color Challenge. Orange/Green/White* it's harder then it sounds! 2 *Birthday* challenges; #57 at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog and #58 at Wag 'n Whiskers Stamps. 2nd entry for Allsorts Challenge Blog *Free & Easy July* challenge. 2nd entry for Make It Monday challenge #45 *Anything Goes*. Challenge #50 *Single Layer Card* at Crafty Cardmakers. Challenge #8 at Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge Blog is *Old or New Stash* this week. I used my recently purchased Studio g birthday stamp. And Deacon, my too cute digital stamp has been waiting months to be used! Challenge #21 at KB Challenges is *Something Cute*. And 1 last entry (#3) for Bling It On July *Anything Goes* challenge #5.

Just Because it Makes Me Laugh

I laughed so hard when I first saw this Bugaboo digi of my favorite digital lady, Stella. No idea what I'll use this for. But she made me laugh when I'm feeling sort of blah. So it's all good 8) Used sketch challenge #070811 from Sketch Frenzy Friday. A 3rd entry for Simon Says Stamp Challenge *A Stitch in Time*. Challenge #80 at Fab 'n' Funky Challenges is *Purple Haze* use my favorite color, purple! At Meljens Design Team and Challenge Blog challenge #65 is to use *No More Then 2 Layers* this is a challenge for me! I love to use lots of layers. A 2nd entry for Do It With Digi's challenge #14 *Spots or Stripes or Both*. It's a *Clean & Simple* challenge this week at Catch The Bug Challenge Blog. It's the 2nd week of Allsorts Challenge Blog  *Free and Easy July*. Challenge #150 at Cupcake Craft Challenges is to *Pick a Favorite Past Challenge* is used challenge #66 *Keep it Simple*.  As always it's *Anything Goes* at Make It Monday. And for the month of July at Bling It On it's also *Anything Goes* for their challenge #5.