Challenge Friday and a giveaway

Hello All!
This month has just flew by, it's already January 27th, which means YOU have exactly 4 days left to enter
this giveaway.  My cute mom turned 79 this month and in her honor we are celebrating with a BIG gift to you!  Whoopy!!!

Recently I found Card Patterns Blog and am so excited, cause I feel like I can actually DO some of these challenges. Ya'll know what I'm talking about, you see some challenge that ask for a red, white, puke green with purple roses layout.  Not that there is anything wrong with a red, white, puke green and purple roses layout. It's just that I am green with envy less talented than the woman that can ROCK that layout AND make you wish you were the ONE that was so clever. Darn you***fist shaking***
 Am I right?

Anyway....there was a sketch....and here's my work:

This started with a brown cardstock that actually was in a xmas 6x6 stack.  I used my brand new Cricut Expression to cut a scalloped circle. Then two full circles(one off white, one patchwork) I cut those two circles in half and put one side each on the blue scalloped circle.

I had a bit of an accident with my automatic tape dispenser at this time.  I wish I had a picture of that....next time...to be sure...there will be a next time!

Some vintage lace from a RAK I won, a little bright pink bling border topped with a butterfly border.
Stickles is my very bestest friend--I used it to add dimension on the patchwork and on the swirls of the butterflies.

 Black embossed "love" stamp from the dollar bin

Chipboard heart with a thick coat of stickles(my bestie) with a diamond bling brad to hold it in place.

Show me some love......

Do you love me?

I was so excited to have a friend request a few card set for a silent auction.  I love making fun, inspiring cards and so...here's my first set.  I'm pretty nervous about putting a little piece of myself out there.  Kinda like some of my first steps.  We had to hang on for dear life until our legs got strong enough to stand alone!

learning to walk 1965

This is the first set. I'm really proud of them!

set of 4

Here are some closeups!

dontcha love the birdy?

delight in the butterflies

enjoy the journey to the birdie bath

BE FREE

I used this paper, Me and My Big Idea Specialty Cardstock: Watercolor Blue .  I picked up the specialty paper at Big Lots (closeout store) and just L.O.V.E. this paper! 

Remember you still have time to join in the Tag Tuesday Giveaway!

Encouraging Words Magnet Swap

Happy Saturday Blog Friends! 
Today I have a moment to sit and catch up on the wonderful blogs I follow and also to do a litte posting too.  This time of year is the busiest time of year for me. I'm visiting local schools, hosting Girl Scout events in the park, making radio appearances and generally keeping busy as a bee.  Check out some of these cute shots.....

come and play with me!

I know their moms are proud!

aren't these the cutiest faces!

Thank goodness for a patient hubby that doesn't mind making dinner and handling household chores, while I rustling up some Girl Scouts!  Thank you Mr. Horn....

our wedding day...only a few years back!



If you're a Girl Scout Alumnae(or former Brownie) remember that 2012 we are celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouting.  You can find out about some upcoming events by visiting your local Girl Scout councils website, go to Girl Scouts USA website to find out more.  If you'd like, leave me a comment about your favorite Girl Scout memory.  I love to hear your stories.

This week I participated in a swap with the very talented artists at Gingersnap Creations.  I had to make 4 magnets with encouraging phrases and then I'll get in return 4 magnets from different artists.  **excited** 

I'm very happy with the final look of these magnets and may reproduce them in the future. 

Believe good things will happen to you!

Somebody's gonna do it, why not YOU?

                                               

Be confident and proud

dream big dreams, have big ideas

My favortie is the  birdbath stamped image with the words, "Dream big dreams, have big ideas"  Don't we all need to think like that?  Here's a close up where you can see the glossy accents I added to give some dimension to the magnet.(A suggestion from the MR.)

These were magnetic frames from Michaels that cost me a whole whopping $1.49!  First I printed out on regular copy paper the phrases and cut them to fit the frame.  I added Adirondack Alcohol Inks to the frames, let that dry and then slid the copy paper in to the frames.  After that I figured out where I would place the stamps.  After I was all done, I just felt like something else needed to happen.  I pulled the paper with the phrases out of the frames and added distressed ink around the edges in Black Soot.  These pictures were taken before I added the distressed ink.  Take my word for it, adding the distressed inks around the edges really gave the magnet another dimension. 

I love working with the alcohol inks--I need to buy some in all the different colors.  Sookie isn't too fond of them, I guess her little sniffer can really pick up the chemicals from the blending solution and her eyes get all squinted when she smells the bottle. Why is she sniffing the bottle you ask?  Because that's what cats do. 

ready to sniff whatever is on the work table

                                   

After a few too many sniffs, the kitten is ready to party!  She even puts silly things on her head!  Sookie, you are now limited to a one sniff limit. 

Have a wonderful weekend people! Take a moment to remember 9/11 and those that serve our country.  Hugs and kitten kisses,

G

Orange you glad I used Tsukineko Walnut Ink?

The Summer of Color Challenge is almost over and I'm very sad to see it go.  Additionally, my Fridays off for the summer have come to a conclusion...wonder why I'm in such a funk?  Could it be the two coincide and make a person sad.  (weep).

It has been such a fun time following the Summer of Color, seeing the work and visiting the blogs.  Check out the  blog yourself, here.  This week I need to work on my card stash and decided orange would do just fine, if I could figure out how to make it work without looking Halloween.  Not that that's a bad thing. (Jerry Seinfeld saying)

Since it has become my custom to share with you some family pictures, let's take a little stroll down memory lane.  Here's my mom sporting my most favorite dress of hers.  She looks hot, even after having 6 kids.  Looks like this picture was taken when my baby sister was around 2.  Way to go Mom--you look marvelous!

baby sister, Nancy in the high chair, Margie peeking out from Mom(the ham always). Patsy frowning in the background.

I love my mother's hair in this photo, it reminds me of Saturday afternoons when my mother would do her hair for Sunday church.  Ya'll remember those days right?  My mother would put big curlers in her hair and then  put a hair dryer on to set the curls. That usually signaled nap time for us, she would settled us in front of the tv, with Lawrence Welk, of all people.  Then on went her hair dryer and we would all settle in to watch the tv and  nap.  

This was a moment of rest for her too, she was always asleep when we woke up. As a little child I can remember thinking how strange it was to see my mother sleeping.  She was/is a whirlwind of activity, that's is unnatural to see her quiet.  As an adult I think back on those Saturday afternoons and imagine her enjoying the nice warm hair dryer on her wet head and how it relaxed her.  Check out this favorite of my sister Kathy.  You haven't met her yet:

baby Kathy drying her hair

On to the cards...let's see what we've got this week.

set of four cards

Last month, I won from a Bella Creations Viola Ink Group. (yay me!!) a set of Tim Holtz stamps.   I bought some Walnut ink for another challenge on the Viola Ink Group on Bella Creations  and added it to the paper.  But, first I used Versa Ink with  Tim Holtz butterflies stamps.   I added a little bit of black netting and a button.  Some stickles gold to add some accents.

Inside of this card says:
I loved the layering I did with the inside of this card.  I ended  up enjoying the orange on this card.

This card has a little saying on it that says, "When I want to see love defined I look at you.  It gets a little lost in the walnut ink of this paper.  Lesson learned.


Sookie gives her approval of this card.  Of course she was very interested in the round button.

Puhlease let me play with the button!