Thank you to Creative Cuts & More!

Happy Monday - hopefully your weekend was a nice one.  We just BBQ'd, probably for the last time.  It gets pretty brisk and windy up here on our hillside in the colder months.

I'm not sure where the months of September and October have gone.  It seems like just yesterday, I got my order in from Creative Cuts & More, and my two months as guest DT member began.  I want to say that Terri, and her team at CC&M were wonderful to work with.  Their products are outstanding.  I've not found anything yet that was not easy and amazing to create with.  Thank you, everyone at CC&M for making my time so enjoyable!

I have two projects for you today, using their products.  The first is a color-blocked card.  I chose to use the cream base, with an orange grid.  I had a good time testing many of my forgotten stamps, trying to find the right fit for the openings.

Stamps are Inkadinkado and Hero Arts.  Coloring was done using colored pencils and mineral spirits.  The Designer Paper was from an Autumn Mat Stack by DCWV.

This next project was fun to make.  I started with the Apron Die Cut.  Added some great designer paper from The Paper Studio.  Mmmmm....Pumpkin Pie?  Who can resist that?   Added  a Tag Die Cut, a sentiment from Hero Arts, and a bit of green seam binding ribbon from Stampin' Up.

Next, out came the Copics, and Pie Birgitta from C.C. Designs - how perfect is she with the pie papers???  Too much fun!

OOPS!  Looked at my photo just now, and realized that the ribbon on the tag had fallen down for the photo...lol.  Oh well, you get the idea :)

The finished project.

Once again, thanks to Terri, Dawn, and the crew at Creative Cuts & More.  You are the best!

Have a great week, everyone!  I'll be back tomorrow with a CAS card for Christmas!  If you are looking for something that will lay flat for mailing, and mass produce like one, two, three, be sure and check back!

Then, on November 1st, it's New Release Day for Digi's at the Doodle Pantry!!!  Laurie has some amazing new images for you!  Hope to see you on the 1st!

Hugs and smiles,
Patti J.

Food for thought:  You know you're getting older when you are given two choices, and you choose the one that gets you home earlier!  lol.....

Peace...

Happy Sunday, and welcome to another challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

Our hostes this week, is Miesje. She has chosen John 14:27, as her scripture: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid".

Miesje's challenge for the week, is to use a Christian symbol of peace, or to make a card or project that shows or shares peace.

Our sponsor this week is Designed 2 Delight Digital Stamps. One lucky challenge participant will receive a $10 gift certificate to shop at Designed 2 Delight!

For my card, I chose Heartfelt Wishes. This is just about the cutest snowfolk ever!

You can find it here!

Supplies: Snowman Image: Designed 2 Delight, Dove Image: There's Magic in the Air, Coloring Medium: Koh-I-Noor Pencils and LOMS, Polar White Flower Soft, Red and Green Stickles

In 1980, the love of my life, my DH received 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns over

nearly 80% of his body when our house burned.

As you can imagine, this was a very intense situation for us all.

We were told to expect the worst - he would probably not survive, and should he live,

he would be horribly disfigured.

This week's verse is special to me, as it helped to carry me through the days of his healing. There were the skin graft operations, the emotional strain, and once we got him home, the daily wound debridment, all while I was several months pregnant. Many years later, this same verse continues to carry me through difficult times in my life - the two military deployments of DS, watching DD struggle through, and triumph over an abusive marriage, then move away to Asia for over a year, the loss of our parents and grandparents, etc. The glorious peace of the Lord, and the peace that this verse has given me over the years has kept me calm and sane for my family.

I wish for all of you peace in this new week!

Smiles and blessings,

Patti J.

We have a winner!

Hello dear friends!

This darling image was one of four images that I won at For Fun Challenges a couple of weeks ago. It's by Sassy Studio Designs, and I thought she was absolutely perfect for this week's Pirate challenge at CCEE Stampers!

Hope you like it! All coloring is with my Koh-I-Noor Pencils and LOMS. CS is DCWV

I entered this card here also:

Stamp Something: Use a digi image

What an exciting Sunday we had. We went to a neighboring city about 1.5 hrs. away to watch our dear daughter participate in her first half marathon. It was amazing how many people of all ages, body types, and physical condition turned out to run this race. It was also fun to watch the 'cheerleaders' for other runners. We spent a very nice morning, in beautiful weather conditions watching Melissa start AND finish this race. For those not familiar, a half marathon is 13.1 miles. The race officials said this course was actually 13.2. We are so proud of her for attempting and finishing. The course had many inclines, and some of the inclines were steady uphill for a long way. Anyway, thanks for listening to me brag a bit, and for looking at our photos.

The Starting Gate (Arch)...

Before the race began...

About 2/3 of the way through the race...

Crossing the finish line... the 5k runners and race winners were cheering on others as they finished.

Have a great week!

Hugs and smiles!

Patti J.

There is a season...

Happy Sunday, and welcome to another new challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

***

Chris is our hostess today, and she offers this scripture:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

~Ecclesiastes 3:1

***

Chris' challenge this week is to use fall colors OR leaves on your creation.

Our challenge this week is Sponsored by Our Daily Bread Designs.

A lucky winner will receive a $15 gift card to shop in the Our Daily Bread store!

***

My favorite season has to be fall.

We live in an area with many hills, trees, valleys, etc., and it's almost overwhelming how beautiful it is when the leaves all begin to change colors.

God is visible every direction you look, in every shade of red, orange, and brown.

***

Here is my card. This set is from Our Daily Bread Designs, and is called Quiet Waters. You can find it here.

The two deer were colored, then stamped and colored again. I fussy cut the second set, and layered them over the stamped images using dimensional dots. The sentiment is computer generated, DP is DCWV, and all coloring is done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils and LOMS. Nesties scalloped square dies were used on corners.

I hope that you all have a day full of blessings.

I also hope that Blogger cooperated and did the pre-post thing!

We left at 5:30 a.m. to go watch DD participate in a half-marathon!

Happy Sunday,

Patti J.

Nora...

This morning, I have a card to show that I made using one of my newest stamps. Last month, I won a challenge that was sponsored by Paper Jewels Stamps. I got to spend a little money! One of the stamps that I won from Jenny at Paper Jewels was this darling C.C. Designs Swiss Pixie, Nora on a Swing. I have just been itching to ink her up! Isn't she a doll? SO cute!!! Thanks Jenny for your generosity!





Ink: Versafine Black Stamps: CC Designs Swiss Pixie, Nora on a Swing, Hero Arts (sentiment) DP: Stampin' Up and DCWV Summer Mat Stack Coloring: Koh-I-Noor Pencils and LOMS, and edging done with one of my 9 (got a new one from Shirley today!!!) Copic Markers

This card will be entered in the following challenges:

Paper Jewels Stamps: Use Fancy Border

Papertake Weekly: Sketch

Crafty Catz: Summertime

Party Time Tuesdays: Birthday Sentiment on front of card

Ooh-La-La-Creations: Birthday

Crafty Creations: Summer Lovin'

For Fun Challenges: Summer Colors

Thanks for dropping by! Have a great Wednesday!

Smiles!

Patti J.

Take me away....

Wow, can't believe this week is 1/2 over!

I want to apologize for not getting to your blogs the past few days.

Sunday and Monday, I had tilers here working on kitchen and laundry room floors.

Yesterday, I finally went to see about my back and hip pain, and the doc said that I need to stand as much as possible, and that sitting is the worst thing I can do.

Well, guess what I have to do in order to post or blurf?

Yep, I have to sit!

So, this will be short today!

This card is made for Create with TLC, using another of Paulette's fun images, and one of her free sentiments.

Coloring is done with colored pencils and min. spirits.

If you have not been to this blog, stop everything and go check it out!

Paulette is a very talented lady!!!

Don't you just want to be taken away to this beach???

I will also be posting this card here: (thanks Sally McD, as I have not been able to search for challenges this week!)

Just Us Girls: Use digi

Stampin' Moments: Simply sponged

The Shabby Tea Room: Summer Fun Theme

A Spoonful of Sugar: Summer Theme

Tuesday Throwdown: Celebrate Summer

Have a wonderful day!

Patti J.

Simplicity with Ribbon!

(Image and sentiment are by The Angel Company. All coloring done with Koh-I-Noor colored pencils and low-odor mineral spirits)

(I still don't have Copics!)

It was so exciting to wake up this morning, and run to the office to check e-mail on MY computer!

I knew that it was Wednesday, and that Susan would be posting a new challenge for this week. UGH... that means a clean and simple one layer card. Have I ever told you how confident I am making one layer cards? lol.... Hellooooooooo...how do you hide an ink smudge without using flowers? Tee hee!

WELL...today's challenge by Susan, at Simplicity by Late Blossom, was to make a one layer card. Even so, I got excited! I said to myself, "self, you can do this", (with lots of exclamation points!), and then I commented on Susan's blog and said "I can do this"!!! So I picked out my ribbon first (notice it has BLING) and THEN made my card. Am I wigged out or what!

Anyway, dear friends, I hope you like it! I am SO very excited to be back among the blurfing that I can hardly sit still to blurf! Tomorrow, I hope to be able to show you the baby shower invitations I've been working on, using one of Melanie Muenchinger's wonderful stamp sets. Until then, I'm off to visit your blogs and see what you've been up to!

Hugs and blessings to you all! I will leave you with a little...

Food for thought...

When I was younger, all I wanted was a nice BMW. Now that I'm older, I no longer care about the W. (smile!!!)

Patti J.

Happy Birthday...

I needed a little something for a friend that has an upcoming birthday, so I thought that I'd use TAC's new set, "Wonder and Joy" for the focal image.

I just love the darling little kids in this set!

I've colored with Koh-I-Noor, used a black gel pen for the eyes and mouth on the balloon and the little girl's eyes.

Obviously, she was too long to fit in a nestie, so I trimmed at the bottom and top until most of her would fit, and just let those parts lay on the outside of the nestie rim.

The hat on the sentiment stamp inside of the card (Studio G.) is paper pieced with the same cardstock as is on the front, but like the little card at the top, it's made from the back side of this fabulous two sided CS by Chatterbox!

I used the Martha Stewart "Loopy" edge punch on both sides, but on the left edge, I clipped off the 'loops'.

I hope she makes you smile - she's such a little cutie!

I'm entering this card here:

Creative Card Crew: Celebrations

ABC - Paper Piecing

Stamp Something - Something Girly

Stamp, Scrap, and Doodle - Open Challenge

Saturday Spotlight - Hey Girlfriend

Here are a couple of photos of our old, sad, kitchen. The countertops were removed yesterday, and new ones were installed, but you can't see the new counters until the cabinets are painted, the walls are painted and tiled, and the new flooring is down, so it will be a long while coming!!!

Have a good night! Don't forget to register to win the set of Nesties! DH has another Dr. appt. on Friday -I may not get to draw until later in the day! Good luck, everyone!

Patti J.

Another church blooper: Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

Monday's get here SO fast!

Can you believe it's another Monday? Seems like Saturday NEVER gets here, and it seems like it's Monday all the time! lol....



Well, at least we have a little Magic to look forward to on Mondays!



Welcome to another Magical Monday at There's Magic in the Air with Paper Cupcakes!



Our challenge is brought to us today by our very talented hostess, Patti Nelson. Patti has given us a sketch to use with any of Nina May's images that we have acquired already. This sketch can be stretched, rotated, flipped, etc., as long as the original sketch can still be seen.




As soon as I saw this sketch, I knew I had to use the "Beached Boat" image. It was perfect for the oval in the sketch! The DP is from my stash, and as usual, I've colored with Koh-I-Noor pencils and LOMS.



I hope that you will head over to TMITA/PCC and grab the sketch! Create your card using any of Nina's images that you have on hand, and hurry back over to enter it in the challenge! You could win something fun!

Have a great week - hope it's Magical!

Patti J.

Sunflowers and Dragonflies Sketch Challenge

I have a card to show you today (I got to 'play' while new carpet was being put in) that I made for the Sketch Challenge at Sunflowers and Dragonflies.

Beth always issues the most fun and creative challenges, and I don't get to participate as often as I would like to, so today was fun for me!

Be sure to check out her blog, AND the Sunflowers and Dragonflies store - they have some adorable stamps!

I have used a Sara Kay stamp that I got from Sunflowers and Dragonflies.

All coloring is done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils. Hope you like it!

I'm off to call the dentist - just broke off a tooth. UGH!

Have a super Monday!

Patti J.

(I'll be back to cruise the blogosphere in a few hours!)

Lucky Bear seems to be distressed....

Hello everyone, and Happy Monday!

It is Nilla's week as challenge hostess at There's Magic in the Air. The challenge uses Nina's adorable image "Lucky Bear". Nilla asks that we use any technique for distressing, roughing up your paper with your scissors, distressing with inks, sanding, scraping, pounding (would work well if you are mad at someone) - any technique that you consider a method of distressing.

I chose to rough up my edges just a bit, and mostly distress with ink. I printed out Lucky Bear four times so that I could pop him up a bit, and gain some extra four leaf clover balloons! I need all the luck I can get - lol...




All coloring is done with Koh-I-Noor pencils, and the distressing is done with Color Box Chalk Ink, Chestnut Roan. The sentiment is hand written.



I hope that you like Lucky - he is definitely one of my favorites! Nina has just posted about 25 new images - be sure to run over to her store, Paper Cupcakes, and check out the new goodies! You won't be disappointed!

We have been SO busy this weekend! We decided last weekend that we really needed some new family room furniture. We were nearly sitting on the floor, our sofa was so dilapidated! So, we drove into the city, found some that we liked, but just couldn't make ourselves pay for it. We came home, sat on the old stuff again, and decided to look locally. Voila! The same Lazy Boy sofa and chairs were in the showroom about 5 minutes from home. So...we ordered a new sofa with dual recliners, a fabric recliner chair to match, and a leather recliner chair to match. These are to be delivered Tues. morning. Well, Thursday afternoon, DH calls, and says - go buy carpeting. No sense putting new furniture down on old rugs. Well, I never dreamed that the carpet could be measured for and put down by Monday, but guess what, it can!!! So then, he says, well, before we put new carpeting down, don't you think we (you) should paint the woodwork? Then, walking across the old flooring revealed some squeaks, so we ended up pulling up all the old carpeting ourselves so we could screw the dickens out of the floor boards and kill the squeaks! Anyway, point is, this girl has had NO - NADA - ZERO - ZILCH time in her girl cave!

Oh, and did I mention that while we were at Lowe's buying drywall screws, we picked out new tile and paint for the kitchen? And that when I start that job, all 47 drawers and doors, and bases will all have to be sanded and repainted? Sigh.... oh, well...it will be SO worth it when it's finished! We've made very few changes in the past 20 some odd years, and it's time! At our ages, this will probably be our last big remodel that we do ourselves, so it's actually a lot of fun!

Gotta get back to it!



Have a great week, and forgive me for not doing much blog hopping this week!



Big hugs - Patti J.

Workshop Goodies...

Hello!

My workshop was today. Everyone seemed pleased with what we made.

They did like the flourish card that I posted for you to see the other day, so good call!

Those of you that have followed me for a while know that when I do a class, all of the participants get a little something that I've made them, just for being there. Here's what they received today...mmm...chocolate!

The image and sentiment are from TAC's new sets: Brighten Your Day & Wonder and Joy. Coloring was all done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils and LOMS.

Speaking of chocolate, DD and I went to a nearby town, Ste. Geneveieve, Mo., last weekend. This quaint little town has an annual 'Chocolate Walk'. You stop at the first store, buy a ticket for $5, and walk all over town. There are approx. 25 shops on the list. Each shop that you visit has chocolate in some form out on a beautiful tray for you to try - everything from truffles to brownies. Very bad timing, as I had just started Weight Watchers! I tried to be a little careful, and we walked for a LONG time, so perhaps I walked off a few of the calories! Anyway, here, for your enjoyment, is a photo of the chocolate covered strawberries that I picked up for DH while there.

Then I came home to beautiful roses that DH had snuck in while we were gone!

Loads of red ones, and one white for each of our wonderful kids - what a keeper my man is!

All righty, off to clean up my messy craft corner! I'll be checking up on your blogs tonight and tomorrow!

Patti J.

I Heart You!

Can you believe that it is already February? Seems like we were all just taking a short breather to be with our families for Christmas, and here we are - coloring hearts!

Welcome to another Magical Monday at There's Magic in the Air. Today, I bring you Nina's beautiful image, "I Heart You".

It is Sue's week to present the challenge!

Sue wants to see us use this image in a Valentine gift tag, and include some stitching somewhere on it. Our stitching can be with real thread, or can be hand drawn.

You'll note that mine is definitely hand drawn (thanks Sue!)!

* * * * *

I filled an old Frappucino bottle with some Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles (mmmm.....), decorated it with some DP, Pearls, and Ribbon, and hung my tag from the bottle neck. I also made a coordinating gift card.

All coloring was done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils and loms. Sponging was done with Tim Holtz Distressing Ink (Antique Linen).

Be sure to hurry over to TMITA to pick up YOUR free image! Create something fun with it, enter it in the weekly challenge, and you could win the prize pictured there! When you are finished there, run over to Nina's store and check out her wonderful images!

Thank you all for stopping by! I hope to be back in a regular routine soon!

Other challenges I am entering this project in:

Our Creative Corner: Music

Have a wonderful week!

Patti J.

Think Love...

Hello friends!

Can you believe the weekend is over, and it is already Monday? Sheesh!

Well, at least it's Magical Monday!

Today's challenge at There's Magic In the Air with Paper Cupcakes comes from Kim!

The image this week is Think Love, and Kim's challenge is to use this wonderful image on a box, bag, or holder of some sort. How much fun is that!

I happened to have just acquired a box of Petaloo flowers that came in this delightful RED box, complete with drawer! I simply popped out the enclosed window, and added Nina's darling artwork, and of course some chocolate, and voila!

I printed the image and colored it once, then shrunk it down a bit, reversed it, and colored it again. I popped up the second image with dimensional dots.

Hopefully, it looks like the love of mother and child!

All coloring is done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils and low odor mineral spirits.

Thanks for stopping by - I hope that you like my little creation!

Be sure to run over to Nina's blog and snag this image! Once you do, be sure to play along? The randomly picked challenge winner will receive a free Nina May image. I can't wait to see what you create with Nina's beautiful image, and Kim's challenge!

I also want to take a minute to apologize. I have been literally buried in tax paperwork, and have had very little time to get around to your blogs to see what's going on in your world!

Hopefully, the next few days will finish some stacks of paperwork, and allow some time once

again for 'play'!!! Forgive me - I will come to see you soon!

Patti J.

Meet Miss Kitty...

Meet Miss Kitty!

Miss Kitty is Nina's free image at There's Magic in the Air with Paper Cupcakes this week! Is she not just the cutest little kitty? Talk about fun to color!

Every Magical Monday at TMITA/PCC, Nina posts a free digital image. Please hurry right over and grab your image! We'd love to see you enter this week's challenge, hosted by Danielle Lord, which is to use Nina's Miss Kitty image, but to also incorporate stripes on your project. How much fun is that!

Here is what I did! Note to Kim and Sam - Look at BOTH pictures! I really DID finish the inside of my card!

All coloring was done with Koh-I-Noor Pencils and mineral spirits for blending. I printed the image once, colored it, printed it again so that Miss Kitty's head could be popped out with dimensional dots, and then printed it once again, to pop up the bow and the heart on her dress.

Hope that you like it! Be sure to go to the Paper Cupcakes Store and see all of Nina's wonderful images!

Have a wonderful Magical Monday!

Patti J.

Botty Over You!

I was so excited when Kristal asked me to be a Guest Designer for The Digi Kitty!

I love working with the fun and unique images that Kristal designs! I have entered many of her challenges, and even won one or two!!!

I’ve been lucky enough to have exchanged several e-mails over the last few months with Kristal, and I believe she is a good person, a good mom, and a good Christian, and I feel honored to be working with her!

For my project, which was hosted by Emma, I was asked me to create a Valentine Gift Bag or Box using one of her Valentine images. I chose these adorable “Botty Over You” images. The images are colored with colored pencils, and embellished with real hardware from DH’s tool drawer, Diamond Dots, Glitter & Glaze Pens, gemstones, and a teensy piece of ribbon at the bottom of the girl’s dress. I also made a matching greeting card. The images on the card were colored with TomBow Markers.

I hope you all love these images as much as I do! Run over to the Digi Kitty Store to grab your own set! They are inexpensive, fun to color and embellish, you have them instantly after purchase, and kids of all ages will love to receive them!

Have a great day!

Patti J.

At the Beach...

At the Beach...Brrrr...don't we wish!

Help...I've fallen and I can't get up! (lol)

Mary's challenge #60 at House Mouse, is to use the "On the Beach" Theme.

At first, I didn't think I had a thing to create with. Then BAM, it hit me!

While I was at Hobby Lobby the other day, their stamps were all 50% off,

and I bought this cutie patootie! So... here is my card!

I had some scraps in my stash - one looked like sand, and the other like ocean waves, and another scrap that had these flip flops. The 'drink' is pink - all coloring is done with my Koh-I-Noor pencils.

_

I am also entering this card at Pile it On, where challenge #30 is 'Clear'. As you can see, I've put Clear Laquer on the glass, so I think this works!

_

Also, the challenge at Creative Card Crew is 'Distressing'. I have distressed everything here with my Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan Ink and a sponge.

_

I had dinner tonight at Los Margurita's with my BF Tami, and OMG, I ate WAY too much, and am so full! I can't believe it's been over four months since we have gotten together. Tami is one of the few things I miss about working! We worked together from 1996-2008. Love ya Tam!

_

DH got to his jobsite today (4.5 hr. drive) to find a busted water main, so he's wet from the waist down, high temp there today was 20, so believe me when I tell you he is shivering HIS timbers!!!

_

Well, I'm off to think about what I'm going to do on a project due the 10th!

_

Hope that you are all staying warm and healthy, and are enjoying this wonderful life!

_

Patti J.

_

Food for thought:

A bus station is where a bus stops.

A train station is where a train stops.

On my desk, I have a work station.....