Matryoshka (say what?) and a Challenge!

Hello my friends! Have you missed me? I was down with a bit of a stomach bug for a few days, which wiped me out. I might have lost a few pounds, though, which is good. TMI, I'm sure!

Anyway, when I finally felt up to stamping, my mojo apparently had a bug as well... or should I say, had bugged out...and I was stumped, pure and simple. I even printed off several challenges, but nothing was coming to me. Then I came across this little stamp set I recently bought for about $2... it's by Basic Grey.

I've always been fascinated with nesting dolls. I was thinking they were called Babushkas for some reason. So I Googled and found out that, yes, some are called Babushka, but that describes a type of these dolls, which are really called "matryoshka." If you want to know more, I found this site with a History of Russion Nesting Dolls.

This card is very simple (which is just what I needed to get my mojo started). The images paired perfectly (I think) with this paper by October Afternoon. I was rooting around for a sentiment to stamp in the upper right, when I stumbled across this clear medallion which... although perhaps impossible to see in the photo... actually contains a floral image much like that in the paper. It was self-adhesive, so I punched out a bit of the patterned paper and mounted the medallion on top, then punched a red circle mat and made my embellishment. I wish the pattern lined up a bit better, but by the time I thought of that, the stick was already stuck. The finishing touch was a bit of this vintage lace from Taylored Expressions. Oh, and the ink is Pure Poppy by Papertrey Ink.

Very simple, but I love it!

Now for the challenge part. When I found the medallion I used in my card, it was in a cup of misc items that I had tossed aside to use one day on a card. It sat there for months... so long, I've forgotten where I got it in the first place. So, here's the deal. I'm going to call this "Challenge for a Sunday Afternoon." To play along, make a card and incorporate something laying around your work station or that you've been saving aside for a looooong time to use someday. Someday is now! All who enter the challenge will be eligible to win this cute stamp from LeLo Design by Stampavie. It is a brand new stamp in the original package, but I tried to take a picture close up and without too much glare.

Here's the deal, you can combine this with any other challenge you might be working on this week. I know there are so many challenges, and so little time, so this is meant to be fun and to stimulate your creativity. Be sure to mention in your blog post or online gallery the item(s) that you FINALLY used on your card. The deadline is Saturday, July 25th at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. And, yes, my friends from Australia, Canada and the UK are all welcome to participate!

I'm trying Mr. Linky in hopes it will make it easier to post your card. Also, if you post at SCS, please use the key word CFASA1. If this works out, I'll keep hosting a challenge each Sunday. I've got lots of stash to give as prizes!



I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I'll be back soon with more to share!

Club Anya VSN!

Those of you who visit my blog often know that I'm particularly keen on The Greeting Farm stamps... especially the Anyas and the Ians. They are so cute and sooooo much fun to color! Well, tonight, Club Anya is hosting a Virtual Stamp Night. They posted the challenges ahead of time, thank goodness, or I would have been hard pressed to play. I'm not good at speed stamping!

One of the three is a sketch challenge. When I saw the two ovals, the first thing I thought of was to pair Hula Anya with Hope and Grace Sing. They are perfect together! And since it's summer time... and vacation time... who wouldn't want to be relaxing in Hawaii at a luau? I would definitely be doing the happy (hula) dance if it were me! {LOL}

The cardstock and DP comes from a Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit. The surfboard and starfish are K&Company (I changed the color of the flowers with a Copic marker). I finished off my card with four Dew Drops. The greeting is from Gina K.

Another challenge was to, "Create your best disco, retro, psychadelic, or "trippy" card." Well, I confess that in the 60's, I was a mere child... and we spent most of the 60's overseas (my dad was in the Air Force). But the 70's I definitely do remember, and are what I refer to as my "ill spent youth." I won't say more on that subject. (*grin*)

I naturally thought of Hope and Grace Peace for this card. Again, the cardstock and DP are from a Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit (I just love those kits... they come with so many wonderful, coordinated goodies, it makes it super easy to put a card together).

For this card, I played with the 7/11 SFYTT sketch. Fun! I cut out part of a Prima crystals swirl for the "circle" element. I also used my atYou Spica pens to add a bit of sparkle to the peace sign and center of the flowers on her hairband.

I just love this image. I can't help but think of my friend Susan's sweet daughter Lauren when I see it. Lauren is crazy about peace signs.

Okay, I'm off to check in on the Club Anya VSN festivities, and also the Papertrey Ink release party. I'm in stamp release heaven right now!!!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! Have a great evening.

Have a Cherry Happy Day!

Hello my friends! Today I have a happy card to share... a "cherry" happy card. Don't you just love this DP? It's from the Early Bird collection by Cosmo Cricket. Let me just say that Cute Stamp + Cute Paper = Very Easy Card! In this case, the cute stamp is actually another of the wonderful digis offered by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called Sweet as Pie... and is it ever! I love the images and sentiments in this set and plan to use them again and again!

And a great sketch doesn't hurt, either. This week's sketch over at The Sweet Stop is awesome! Please join us and play. I don't think you have to have SNSS stamps to participate... but if you don't have any, then what are you waiting for? A sale? Well, we've got that, too! Be sure to check the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps website for details on the Christmas in July special offer, which includes exclusive gift(s) with purchase!!!

If you're anxious to play before your new rubber arrives, there are plenty of fun digi stamps to play with. New ones are released every week. Check out this week's offering, Doggy Days. Hey Susan, that looks a lot like Pepper to me!!! Jump on it, girlfriend!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'm helping a friend with a garage sale today, and then I MUST catch up on laundry and such at home since I was gone last weekend, but I hope to get into my craft room for some stamping therapy at some point. I hope you can, too! Until next time, stay cool!

See the Miracles in Each Day

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (SNSS) is sponsoring the CPS Sketch this week! And what a cool sketch it is. If you haven't already, jump in with your interpretation and you may win a prize from SNSS!

For my card, I used In His Time, one of the June releases from SNSS. Isn't that a gorgeous butterfly? I love it! And the sentiments are simply wonderful. I especially love this one... "see the miracles in each day." Even in the darkest moments, there are still miracles all around us.

My DP is from the White Out collection by We R Memory Keepers. The stitching is actually rub-ons. I colored the butterfly with my Copic markers, but then glittered them up with my atYou Spica pens.

Today was Michael Jackson's memorial service. I was a huge fan of Michael's in the early 80's. In fact, I went to a Jacksons concert at Dodger stadium in November 1984... I was eight months pregnant with my eldest son. That was the Victory tour, and around the time that "Billy Jean" and "Thriller" were popular... the peak, I think, of Michael's career. He surely was a wonderful entertainer... so talented, so much fun to watch, so much fun to dance to his music. Hearing his music takes me back. I have the Thriller album on vinyl (pristine condition, I might add).

I also love a lot of the old Jackson 5 music. I remember watching the Jackson 5 cartoon when I was a kid. I guess you could say I grew up with Michael since he and I are just a year apart in age. I'm sorry that somewhere along the line he seemed to derail and became the subject of so much suspicion and criticism. I have my own opinions on that, but it doesn't really matter. It's not for me to judge. I do think he was one of the greatest entertainers of all time, and I'm sorry to see his life end so soon. His comeback would have been a thing to behold. Rest in peace Michael.

A Very Special Blog Award

Since I'm on the road, I have no cards to share today, but rather something else that is very special and important to me. I received this awesome blog award from my dear friend and BBFF (Best Blogging Friend Forever) Kristine Breach. Kristine and I became friends because of our mutual love for the Lord. I saw a post on her blog in which she asked for prayers for a loved one, I replied back, and the rest, as they say, is history! She is a very special friend and blessing to me, that is for sure. So thank you Kristine for honoring me with this award. It means so much!

Without a doubt, I'd pass this award to Kristine. But now it's my turn to pass it along to others. I'm sure some of these ladies have already received this award, but I want to make sure they are all recognized... they are my sisters in Christ with whom I serve on the Design Team for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. I'm so blessed to be a part of this group, you have no idea. I recently sent a prayer and RAK request to them for a dear friend who is battling cancer, and they immediately jumped at the chance to lift my friend up in prayer and send her cards to encourage and strengthen her spiritually.

So, this is for you, ladies: Janette Olen, Shannon Pankow, Nancy Brown, Courtney Fowler, Jeanette Comerford, Lorie Souther, Connie Babbert, Sandy Domelle. Suzy Haghighi, Teresa Kline, Deedee Anderson, Leah Cornelius, Belinda Chang, Chris Dickenson, Ceal Pritchett, and last, but certainly not least, our own Korin Sutherland.

And can I say what a talented group this is? I'm bowled over every time I see their creations.

I would also like to pass this award to another BBFF Patti J. If you visit her blog, you'll know why!

Okay, the troops (i.e., Paul, Avery and my MIL) are anxiously waiting for me to get off the computer and get ready to go shop for a new recliner. I'm going to have to talk them into stopping at a craft store along the way...

Have a blessed Sunday!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July to my American friends! Again, this was a super quick card I put together before dashing off to Arizona. I used today's sketch from The Sweet Stop, as well as a digi image from a digi stamp set by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called Celebrate America. Can I just say once again that if you haven't tried digi stamps, you should? The newest digi set called Sweet as Pie by Tami Mayberry for SNSS is posted on the front page... just scroll down and you'll see it. And while you're there, be sure to check out this month's special sale and gift(s) with purchase, Christmas in July. You must also check out the Firecracker Festival going on during the month of July.

When I get home, I'll be featuring some cards made with the ultra sweet "gift with purchase" digi stamps you can get from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps this month. I'll be ready to think snow after all this heat. Speaking of which, not only is it super hot here in AZ, but now the monsoons have rolled in so it's humid. Yay! I just love free sauna's... NOT. {LOL} Of course, on the plus side, maybe it'll steam off some pounds...

Okay, enough complaining about the heat. I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July, however you choose to spend it. Ours will be pretty low key. The only fireworks we'll see (i.e., little poppers and such we bought at Target) will be those Avery and Paul set off in the street. But we'll have good eats beforehand, and hopefully a bit of scrapbooking for me this afternoon, so it's all good!

God Bless America!

Greetings from Arizona!

Hey y'all! (That's the southern belle in me coming out...hee hee.) Greetings from Arizona, where it is currently 93 degrees at 9:45 in the morning. It was 99 degrees when I went to bed last night at 10:00. They are expecting a high today of a balmy 105! Gee, this is just my favorite type of weather... NOT. It's a good thing we love my MIL so much or we would never venture from "the frying pan into the fire" temps. They are a good 10 degrees hotter here than in Riverside (at the hottest point of the day... right now it's 70 degrees at home), and the nights stay hot here.

On the plus side, I'm away from work, away from home, and all the attendant stresses, so I will finally have time to relax, catch up on my blog surfing, and even do some scrapbooking (naturally, I brought some stuff with me... what else is a girl to do when it's too hot to go outside?) I needed this break sooooo badly. Even the boys stayed behind... except for Avery... so I don't have anyone pulling at me (much). Bliss!

I've been meaning to share this with you... as if you probably haven't seen it already... but Pink Cat Studio is hosting a fundraising event for Make-A-Wish Foundation in honor of Ethan Weiman, who passed into the arms of our loving God at the tender age of 5 after a battle with neuroblastoma. Melissa has designed the cutest Lily and Billy digi stamps (called Cowboy Ethan and Cowgirl Ava for the Weiman children) that you can purchase, with the proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Even if you don't stamp, you can still download, print and let your kids color these adorable pictures! Only $6 for the entire set!

My sample was done in a huge hurry before I left town, so it isn't very good... and I messed up on Cowgirl Ava's face... don't look... ah you looked, didn't you? But I'm posting anyway, because I want to support this very worthy cause. Also, of course I MEANT to stamp the greeting crooked so that the pony could read it better. {LOL} Seriously, this isn't about my card... it's about giving to children with catastrophic illnesses. So please download today (if you haven't already).

Also, the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog hop continues, so check my side bar and be sure to take a look at all the wonderful eye candy the DT has to offer!

I'll be back tomorrow with another post. And I'll be catching up with your blogs soon, so stay tuned! I've missed all my friends and the fun these past couple of weeks while life's stresses and demands have interfered with my happy time.

Love and hugs to you all!

SNSS Blog Hop - Sweets for the Sweet!

Hello there! I'm so excited because today is my first official day as a Jr Design Team member for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps! We are having a Blog Hop to say goodbye to some of the DT, starting with yesterday's post by Korin on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog. If you didn't Hop yesterday, be sure to start there and then follow along to see the posts by the gals who are leaving the DT. I'm sorry I never got to work with them. From all I've seen and heard, they will definitely be missed.

Today's portion of the Blog Hop again starts on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog, so if you arrived here before starting there, be sure and click over and follow along to enjoy all of the great eye candy being posted today.

My card uses one of my favorite stamp sets from the June release, Birthday Buddies. Aren't those images just the cutest??? They remind me of cartoons my boys used to watch... Little Bear and Franklin. The best part is that there are a lot of little images that you can use to build a scene. If I were you, I'd grab your set now before they sell out!

My little fox is colored with Copics, cut out and mounted with Dimensionals to give the card some depth. I followed The Sweet Stop sketch for this week. The DP is by We R Memory Keepers from the White Out collection. I stitched the white mat with embroidery floss, just for fun. I think I'll send this card to my sister Linda, whose birthday is next week.

Now hop on over to Shannon's blog to see what sweetness she's come up with. Thanks for stopping by!