House Mouse Reminder to watch where we're going! (smiles)

Hello, sweet friends!

One of my friends severely broke her foot in March. She has not been able to put any weight on it since the surgery, and is finally able to go to physical therapy for strengthening. She will be so happy when once again the she's behind the steering wheel and able to get out and about. Done in her favorite color purple, "New Proverb" seemed perfect at this stage of her recovery. The House Mouse image was colored with Copics and Distress Inks:

I noticed House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge is sponsoring a fancy fold card challenge this time, so I decided on an easel card:

The oldie stuff is the image, dies and those old old OLD flowers from long ago (before Postal Regulations were altered regarding dimensional cards)

Always brimming with jam-packed stories and sweetness, House Mouse images bring out the happiness factor for any occasion.  Full photo:

Products Used: House Mouse "New Proverb", Computer Generated sentiment, Dies: Sizzix TH Garden Greens, Spellbinders Labels 25, Labels 25 Majestic Elements, Copic Markers, Distress Wilted Violet ink, old flowers from a decade ago (giggle)

Challenges I would like to play in please:

1. House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #416 AG with Fancy Fold 6-8.
2. Critter Crazy Challenge #87 AG with critters (bird and mouse) 6-28 (7-1)
3. Triple B Challenges (June) AG with birds and blooms 7-1
4. Passion for Markers #742 Add a Sentiment (used Copic Markers 13 Copic Markers, a few Prismacolor Markers, one Copic on white glitter cardstock for the leaves) 06-11
5. Make My Monday Challenges #227 "B is for BROKEN, BIRD, BLOOMS" 6-16
6. Crafty Animals #84 AG with animals (bird and mouse)  6-26

On A Personal Note:

Thank you for your kind messages and cards. The procedures on my spine and legs last year have helped tremendously, and I am able to walk about the house and do minimal chores. SO GRATEFUL to my cardiologist and neurologist. The not so good news is I have been moved from "moderate-to-severe" to "severe" in my ME/CFS diagnosis. The other diseases are affected by the ME, but they are manageable. Thank you for being such understanding friends. My diminishing abilities is why I've been unable to leave many comments on your blogs.

Lots of Love,

de

How'd THAT happen?

 I'm in "whacky" mode today with a silly card for the

  Monday House Mouse and Friends Challenge.

How'd THAT happen?

• Did they drink too much Colloidal Silver? 
• Were they feeling Blue and "blue" just happened? 
• Did they try and try until they turned blue in the face, and ultimately, had an accident?
• Were they transformed during a Blue Moon event?
• Is it a Halloween costume effect gone awry?

Amanda is trying her best to help her chipmunk buddy. Something tells me both of them were lucky that things did not become even MORE serious. Giggling. What do YOU think they were up to? 

Are there clues in the list of recovery rules?

Pigmented with Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils and Gamsol these mischievous friends were fun to color (although my friends were shaking their heads in disbelief - I can see their point).

Thanks for brightening my day with your visit!

Products: Dies- Cheery Lynn Dutch Doily Rectangle Frame; Stamps- 292 The Quick Fix (Amanda) from 1999. Punches - MS Doily Lace Trim Deep Edge, MS Scalloped Scallops edger. Color Wash Jewels Blue Topaz, goldenrod burlap, misty blue glitter

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #326 - 10/25
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2042  10/25
3. Classic Design Challenge #10 11/1
4. Outlawz Color Challenge Oct 20-Nov 2

Special Hugs to you,

My Besties - Get Well

Waving "Hello" to each of you, and wishing you a great week.
Today's card share is a sweet image from the Get Well Besties line, for a card swap - theme was to have a person on the front.

The card is 5.5" x 7" with a woven die cut frame and glittered leaves:

She is so cute! I also colored this image in bright green and pink on an oval shaped card here.

The sentiment is heat embossed. A rectangle containing the image was distressed and then popped up on another distressed die cut:

Thanks for stopping by!

Products:

• Dies: SB Bow Elegance S6-017, SB Mega Class Long Scallop Rectangles Nestabilities, SB Leaves So Very Gorgeous S5-353,
• Stamp: Get Well Besties, SU Sweet Little Sentiments set
• Ink: Distress Milled Lavender and Spun Sugar, VersaFine Clair Monarch
• Coloring Medium: Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils with Gamsol and  Copic Markers
• Satin Ribbon, Flower, Glitter, Clear embossing powder

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Mybesties3DdecoBlog Challenges #8 AG with a Bestie 9/1
2. My Besties Aussie's Challenge #8 AG with a Bestie 9/1
3. My Besties International Challenge (Aug 1) 
4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges #1931 Anything Goes 8/11
5. Crafty Gals Corner #197 More than 3 layers (2nd entry) has 5 layers 8/14

Stamping Hugs,

New Proverb House Mouse {Sparkle N Sprinkle}

Hi, Everyone! Wishing you a great day, and hoping you are doing well. Summer is in full force here with highs in the mid 90s (34-35C). Our vegetable garden is done except for some hot-hot peppers, okra (for roasting and barbecuing), and field peas (not green peas).

Time for a Sparkle N Sprinkle card.
Today's card is for a dear friend who recently underwent a very serious surgery. It's been a few weeks now, and she is beginning to feel a little better, but has a long way to go. This sweet card should cheer her!

Have you seen the "fix" for blogger comments? If not, click on the red link at the top of my blog.

House Mouse stamps have been among my bestest favorites for over 25 years. They are cute, reveal our own nature to us, and express love and sweetness in the most darling of scenes.

This card is 6" x 6" but the stamp is great for an A2 size as well. White cardstock was folded in half, with pattern paper placed on top.

Some favorite goodies used on this card:

The Mixed Edge Rectangles die set contains 13 dies alternating straight edge and scallop edge. I like these for the value, and also because they make great frames. I also like the Tim Holtz 9.5" Titanium Shears because it is easier free-cutting straight lines with them through just about any material.

A close-up of the sentiment from the Pansies Set heat embossed with pretty Blue Ribbon Detail EP:

The floral spray was made with Tonic Beautiful Brambles, Tonic Autumnal Oak, and Tonic Woodland Aster. The pieces were cut up, embossed with Mediterranean Star EP, glittered with Starfire Ultrafine Glitter, and spritzed with Mica Mist in Fresh Pear. The flower layers were spritzed with water, rolled, allowed to dry, before glittering:



 After spritzing the pieces, I looked at the paper under the pieces. What a great background piece it would make:

Loved the sweet "proverb" in this card. It's a great reminder to anyone who has trouble letting their body mend, too:



Such cuteness and lots of fun to make!

Challenges I'm submitting this card to:

1. Aud Sentiments Challenges #206 Anything Goes + Sentiment 7/3
2. Crafting With An Attitude #40 Anything Goes 7/5
3. Crafty Animals #15 Anything Goes with Animals 6/27
4. Monday House Mouse and Friends Challenge #268 AG or birthday - 6/24 
5. Creative With Stamps Challenge #15 Cute Animals 7/2 (sep post)
6. Scrapy Land Challenge #92 AG using die brand from SL 7/1 (several Tonic Studios dies listed below)
7. Sweet Stampers Challenges #21 Animals 7/8
8. World Wide Open DT Challenge #06 AG for DT (for Sparkle N Sprinkle) 7/15
9. Morgan's Art World Challenge (June 15) 7/15

SNS Products Used:

• Images: New Proverb House Mouse, Pansies Set 826 (sentiment) also available digitally 
• Dies: Tonic Mixed Edge Rectangles, Tonic Beautiful Brambles, Tonic Flora border die, Tonic Autumnal Oak, Tonic Woodland Aster
• Embossing Powder: Blue Ribbon Detail EP, Mediterranean Star EP, Anti-Static Bag (covers area quickly)
• Glitter: Starfire Ultrafine Glitter G1017
• Inks: VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Black Soot Distress, Peeled Paint Oxide, Broken China Oxide
• Adhesives: 1/2" Tear-ific Tape, Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive with fine point, SNS Dimensional Glue
• Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
• Tim Holtz 9.5" Titanium Shears (for long cutting the Flora die)
• Nuvo Mica Mist in Fresh Pear
• Nuvo Wedgewood Blue Crystal Drops
• Copic Markers
• Cardstock: White 12x6 folded in half, Aqua, pattern papers
• Button with stitching, tag punch

Thanks for visiting!
Stamping Hugs,

Stella Happy Meds {Sparkle N Sprinkle}

Hello, dear blogging friends!
Today I have a silly, fun card suitable for:

thinking of you
older birthday
get well
support through a long illness

Anyone familiar with Jodie Mackrell knows that Stella is one of her favorite characters.
Sparkle N Sprinkle fell in love with Stella's unique form of snarkiness and encouragement, and turned this fun image into a rubber stamp set.

Card Size:
5.5" x 7.5" (A7 American)

Colored with Copic Markers, and framed in orange and aqua, a little "Sparkle EP" was added on the doilies and frame for visual interest.

If you enjoy watercolors, embossing this with black detail EP and then watering down brilliant colors in the background and on the jar images, this would be an easy coloring job, too!

Punched with a retired MS punch, the aqua paper was also dry embossed with dotted EF and shmooshed with Brilliance ink.

Putting it all askew is just "typically Stella" (giggle).

Products:

Sparkle Embossing Powder EP107

Stella - Happy Meds rubber stamp set (also available in digital format)

Copic Markers

On a Personal Note:

As mentioned in a previous post, we are in our "wild fire season" in Florida.

Unfortunately, a wild fire broke out close by yesterday, and our clear, fresh air now is laden with ash and smoke. Combining with the heavy layers of pollen everywhere, the smoke and ash is sticking to everything. SO GRATEFUL for the air conditioning.

We live just outside of the Withalacoochee (With-a-la-coo-chee) Forest, so we will see more than the average number of wildlife temporarily, and will keep the water buckets full so they can drink.

Floridians are looking forward to our rainy season, but we must always be careful what we wish for, right? Here is a headline you may find interesting, with over 100 wildfires being fought throughout the state as of April 10, 2017. I know many of you live in areas prone to fires as well. They ARE necessary for the Florida ecology, but just not pleasant - I guess kind of like having to choose to let a surgeon perform a necessary surgery?

Thanks for visiting today!

hugs,

{Crafts Galore Encore}{Christina Hor Memories Crafter}

Hello, sweet crafting friends!

It is time for the May Crafts Galore Encore Challenge!

The Rules to the Challenge are easy! 

Just create your projects (using any crafting medium) according to this month's theme, and link your blog posts directly to the linky on the CGE Challenge site!

This month's challenge theme is  

"Anything Goes"

Our Sponsor this month is Di's Digital Stamps.

My images are freebies from
Christina Hor's Digi Arts for Healing at Memories Crafter!

The first card is for a sweet friend who has been diligently caring for her Mom the past several years, who sadly suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. This year it was time to find a professional home for her Mom, and my friend has begun making doctor appointments for herself, only to learn she has breast cancer. So this sweet card is going her way - she loves children and has such infinite patience with them. It seems only fitting that Christina's "Arts for Healing" should be used.

Colored with Copics on Express-It Paper.  Computer-Generated Sentiment.
This is one of the very few A2 size cards I've made over the years.

My next card is for a blogging friend who lives and breathes Kindness and Generosity.
I met her through Sparkle N Sprinkle's Bingo Games and Blog Hops.
This year she has learned her husband is in early stages of Alzheimer's Disease.
Instead of being upset that they cannot do the things they had planned on, she is busy developing plans to help maintain her husband's dignity, while striving to help manage his health.
She is one of the most beautiful women I've ever met.

The image is flipped and the little girl is sporting pink hair:

Colored with Copics on Express-It Paper.  Computer-Generated Sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Now it's your turn to play at

Crafts Galore Encore Challenges

YUMMY!
First Green Beans from our spring garden.
We will be thigh high with them in the coming weeks!

Products Used:

• Spellbinders Fleur de Elegance (ornate oval) (second card)
• Spellbinders Grand Big Scallops and Grand Ovals (second card)
• Spellbinders Labels Ten (oval),  (second card)
• Spellbinders Floral Ovals (first card)
• Sue Wilson Dandelion Clockworks (for the sun)
• Images: Christina Hor's Digi Arts of Healing -  "Sending Hugs" and "Fenced Tree"
• Dotted Embossing Folder
• Crystal Effects on the Balloons
• Sparkle N Sprinkle White Nuvo Drops (on first card), Bubblegum Glitter (on little girl's dress)
• Really Reasonable Ribbon (two sided ribbon)

Playing in the following Challenges Please:

1. Crafting a Beautiful Mess #2 Anything Goes 5/26 (last Friday M)
2. Crafty Girls Creations #18 Anything Goes 5/5 (sep post)
3. Creative Fingers Challenge #108 - Anything Goes 5/12 (shown on chal 110)
4. Dragonfly Dreams -(May) Summertime 6/5
5. Ellibelle's Creative Moments Let's Color Saturday Linky Party #8 (image is colored with Copic Markers) 5/5
6. Glitter n Sparkle #186 Shaped Card 5/8
7. Little Miss Muffet Challenges #136 Anything Goes 5/3 (sep post)
8. My Time to Craft #320 Get Well Soon - my 1st card - 5/5
9. PDE Linky Party #121 Anything Goes 5/5

hugs,

Empty Bottle - Full Diaper {Our Crafty Corner #8 April}

Hello Sweet Blogging Friends!

Today begins challenge #8 for Our Crafty Corner!

It continues until the end of the month.

OCC is a month-long challenge, beginning the first Monday of each month.

Every month's theme: ANYTHING GOES

This month's sponsors are:

Lacy Sunshine - http://lacysunshine.weebly.com

Bloobel - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BloobelStamps

My card features an image by Stamps By Judith

 
The heart trio is from a Martha Stewart punch called "Heart Seal". They are made with the "left over" portions of the main punch shape shown in the bottom left corner. The tiny heart in the center of the "seal" was made from the edge punch shown on the right:

Now it's your turn to link up to the 
Our Crafty Corner Challenge!

Products Used:

• Images: Stamps By Judith, Studio G
• LifeStyle-Quickutz Nesting Frame #7
• Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets #1
• Spellbinders Grand Labels One, Grand Decorative Labels One, Carnation Creations, Rose Creations
• Sweet Stamps - Elegant Branch
• Martha Stewart Heart Seal Double Craft Punch, Lace Heart Edge
• EK Success - 1.25" round punch
• Copic Markers, Copic Refills (background)
• Sparkle N Sprinkle: Waterfall Ultrafine Glitter G1071, Brushable Glue

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. A Beautiful Mess Challenge - #1 Anything Goes 4/29
2. All Sorts Challenges #357 "April Fool/humorous" 4/8
3. Artistic Inspirations - #153 4/11 (sep post)
4. Crafting by Designs - (April) Anything Goes 4/26 
5. Crafting With Friends #17 Anything Goes 4/11
6. Crafting for all Seasons - #123 Use Die Cuts/Punches (listed above in products used) 4/13
7. Crafty Gals Corner - #65 "Anything Goes" 4/6
8. Crafty Friends Challenge #28 Anything Goes 4/7
9. Cut It Up #93 "April Fools! + die cuts" (include a joke or riddle) 4/14
10. Let's Color Saturday Linky Party - Ellibelle's  Creative Moments - Let's Color Linky Party #6 4/9
11. Glitter N Sparkle Challenge #182 "Use a Punch or Die" (please see my list of products used - both were used - thank you) 4/10
12. Inspiration Destination - #79 "Anything Goes" 4/6
13. Little Patch of Crafty Friends #31 "Anything Goes" 4/16 (week aft chal ends
14. QKR Stampede Challenge #185 "Something Funny or Foolish Thoughts 4/6
15. Southern Girls Challenge - (Mar 31) Anything Goes ?

hugs,

Sooo... What's My Name?

Isn't this little Besties Girl darling?

When my friend Lis recently broke her leg, I asked if Sherri Baldy could please create a Besties character with a cast so I could make a card for Lis. This little darling is the result!

Isn't she delightful?

AND

a mess, too!

(Thank You, Sherri!)

Sherri has a FaceBook contest to name this little darling. Click here and scroll down to the image for the details. There are some great name suggestions!

For the time being, she could be Crutch Girl, but that sounds so impersonal.

I will call her Limping Lis until a proper name can be given her. (smile)

Lis is known in the Florida Stampers as the Paper Maker because she makes her own paper.


To personalize Lis' card, I used some of her own "Velvet Fabric" paper (it's the fuzzy pink layer, and what the flowers are made of).


The card is also very GREEN -- for Earth Day -- and -- because Lis is a Master Gardener.

Click here to buy this adorable little Get Well Besties!

My card uses the sketch from Fetch a Sketch Challenge:

The photo below shows the rich texture of Lis' handmade velvet paper.

Soooo... what's her name? Feel free to share your imaginative names in a comment below for an additional chance to win my April blog candy. (being a follower is not necessary - though I love it if you do - and I will do everything possible to contact you through blogger or you may send me your e-mail address - if you win).

Three ribbons were combined with my awesome Craft-dee Bowz tool to create a bow similar to the one in Limpin' Lis' hair and crutch.

The buttons are stitched to their flowers, and the poke a dotted paper is also stitched around the edges.

A snapshot of the interior, using the plush Velvet Fabric hand-made paper again.

Thank you very much for stopping by today. Hope you enjoyed this latest little Besties. Now you know the story of how she came to be, too!

My Get Well card is entered in the following wonderful challenges:

1. ABC All Beautiful Cards - #25 Recycle (the pink layers and flowers are hand-made paper made from recycled paper scraps and pink velvet fabric)
2. Artistic Inspirations - #38 - Card for a Lady (card is for my dear girlfriend who broke her leg)
3. Bestsies Challenge - #15 - Add Some Ribbon (three ribbons in bow)
4. Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Favourite Colour Combo (pink and green)
5. Crafty Bloggers Network - #10 Anything Goes
6. Crafty Boots Challenges - Recycle (the pink layers and flowers are hand-made paper made from recycled paper scraps and pink velvet fabric)
7. Critter Challenge - #161 - Use Buttons
8. Fetch A Sketch - #48 - used sketch inside and outside
9. Forever Friends & Co - #60 Use Lots of Flowers
10. Love to Create - #62 Bingo Card (middle across, Flowers-Die Cuts-Ribbons)

Products Used:

Custom Get Well Image Created for Lis by Sherri Baldy
Inks: Copic Markers, Pink Sherbet Dye,
SB Grand Oval Nestabilities
SB Grand Big Scallop Oval Nestabilities
SB Rose Creations
Cheery Lynn Tropical Flourish
Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish
Memory Box Riviera Corner
Paper: Neenah White, Handmade Velvet Blend, designer paper, Green base
Buttons, 3 ribbons, stitching on sewing machine, brads

xoxx,