Make a Difference

Happy Weekend to you!

I’ve got a card to share for Taylor’s weekend sketch - It’s #105. You can see the sketch here and lots of other pretty samples by checking out Monica Davis  • Lisa Hjulberg • Lynn Mercurio • Jami Sibley • Alice Wertz.

I don’t know what it is about gumball machines that make me smile. I remember the Christmas that I hunted high and low on December 23rd for one…you’ve been there, right?  This one is just the right size for cards and easy to color…FUN.

I colored mine with Copic Markers, hit it with a Spica glitter pen and paired with October Afternoon paper. Last night before I went to bed, I covered the glass dome of the machine with Glassy Accents. So sweet.

Hope you have a great weekend. It’s my grandma’s 86th birthday on Sunday, and we’re hosting a dinner for all of our extended and church family after services on Sunday morning. It should be a wonderful day.

• Stamps: Kit of the Month - Unity Stamp Company 
• Cardstock: Choice Cream - Taylored Expressions, Real Red - Stampin Up! and October Afternoon
  
• Ink: London Fog Memento - Tsukineko 
• Accs: Copic Markers (R14, R17, RV29, BG23, G12, YG05, YG06, Y35, W2, W3) Spica Glitter Pen, Prima Flower

This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through Him.  ~  I John 4:9

So I’m home from Iowa, and the weekend was a blast!!

This morning, I’m sharing the Great Iowa Green at Heart Triple Take. Taylor, Jami and I had about 30 minutes to stamp on Friday afternoon when I arrived in Ankeny and after I had run my little errands to prep for the Copic Certification on Saturday. Living in my remote little area, I never get to stamp with friends!

Taylor had released her Easter stuff before I got there, and I really, really loved this Easter set called Easter Blessings so I set out to make a quick card with the cross and sentiment. Jami created the card on the left with  Favorite Peeps, and Taylor pulled out a favorite Sweet Spring. All of us used new Basic Grey paper, Green at Heart. Good times!

I stamped my cross and sentiment with chalk inks and then covered the cross with Illuminate Smooch.  It has a pretty shimmer. Loved this new line from Basic Grey. I didn’t really see a lot of the newer product at CHA in January, so I enjoyed getting my hands on a pad of this pretty stuff.

Here are the three of us on a mad dash through Archiver’s before I dropped Jami and Sharon off at the airport on Sunday afternoon.

I’ve got more to share from the frozen tundra of central Iowa. I’ll try to get that pulled together tonight or tomorrow.

Have a great day!

• Stamps: Easter Blessings - Taylored Expressions
• Cardstock: Spring Willow Dark - Prism & Green at Heart - Basic Grey 
• Ink: ColorBox Chalk 
• Accs: ribbon, button 

…crocheting lingerie. Me? I’d rather be stamping!

It’s past time for my February JiFFy (just for fun) post. My cards been done for a week. Amazing by my last-minute standards, simply amazing. Technology is a wonderful thing, but if you forget to photograph your project before you head out of town for the weekend, there is just really no way to make the blog post work. JiFFY cards are a challenge with friends where we all use the same sheet of patterned paper (this month Michele picked it out!) and the same stamped image (I chose this sweet Crafty Cuppy this month!) and see what happens. Sometimes they work together, sometimes you don’t think they will and it’s always just for fun. 

I loved this sentiment on the flip side of the Material Girl paper that Michele sent me - crocheting lingerie? seriously? Who wears that? Actually, I don’t want to know… LOL! At any rate, I colored my Cuppy with Copics - my little jar on the left of the desk - that’s glitter, and it is sparkly.

I’ve already peeked at the other JiFFy cards for February because all of the other girls were on time. Super sweet stuff. Check them out:

• Michele Boyer 
• Carole Burrage
• Julie Campbell
• Kim Hughes
• Alli Miles

• Stamps: Crafting Cuppie and Sentiments - Taylored Expressions
• Cardstock: Choice Cream - Taylored Expressions, Material Girl - Cosmo Cricket, Blush Red Medium and Papaya - Prism
• Ink: Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko 
• Accs: Copic Markers (R01, R10, R20, R22, R32, c1, Y21, y38, BG72, BG75, E31, E33, E35, W1, YR31) Ribbon, Button 

One of my very favorite layouts from Taylor this week for the Taylored Expressions Sketch Crew challenge #102, making the bow work for the square element on the right. I inked up little Nurse Nellie from Stamping Bella and colored her this morning with Copics.

I’m sending the card to a friend - and I don’t think she reads my blog - I hope not. <wink> She’s headed to Haiti with the Global Orphan Project next week to help anyway she can. I’m so excited for her. I know she’ll be a blessing to the many children (and adults) she’s sure to encounter.

I’m going to do a quick scan of the other sketch challenge cards today, and then I’m getting ready for a championship swim meet this weekend. My 9 year old is eager and ready to go. We’ve given her a special incentive to really reach for a few new times, especially in her breast and backstrokes. I’m confident she’s going to make it happen, and I’m so excited to watch her try. In our down time (you get some of that at large swim meets), I’m getting ready for Copic Certification in Des Moines next week. I’ll be packing a few markers to the pool deck.

Make sure you check out all of the sketch-spiration today:

• Monica Davis
• Lisa Hjulberg
• Lynn Mercurio
• Jami Sibley
• Sherrie Siemens
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Alice Wertz

Then, it’s time for you to get crafty.
Have a great weekend!

•  Stamps: Nurse Nellie - Stamping Bella 
• Cardstock: Choice Cream - Taylored Expressions, Real Red - Stampin’ Up! and Red Gingham - October Afternoon 
• Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento 
• Accs: Copic Markers (G61, G63, R05, Ro8, YR31, YR21, E31, E33, E35, RV14, BV02, W1, W2) lace trim and ribbon - MayArts, brads - Making Memories (colored with R05) 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. ~ Proverbs 3:5

It’s been a week. Really. It has.

The kind of week where you need (and have) a cry or two. The kind of week where you trust with your heart because your own understanding doesn’t get you very far.

This past week, a friend I love and adore lost a baby in her 21st week of pregnancy. There is no ‘own understanding‘ in that kind of loss or pain.

When Taylor emailed the Sketch Crew details of this week’s sketch, she shared how she wanted to do a card drive for a neo-natal nurses group that supports grieving family after the loss of an infant. I was so touched.  She asked us to work with dragonflies this week, if we could - any manufacturer. It seems that is the theme that the Neo-natal Unit at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls SD uses to support and offer prayers for the grieving families of infants. Do you see how God works?

Taylor (with her huge heart) is organizing a card drive for this group. She’s collecting cards with any - I mean ANY -  dragonfly image and any sketch theme that you want to use to be sent to this medical team for use in their support program.  You can read about the details of the card drive on Taylor’s blog - you’ll be interested to know that she’s lined up prizes. I hope in the next few weeks you can dust off a dragonfly and help her out. I’ll be mailing my card today. I’m anxious to see other samples from the Sketch Crew.

• Monica Davis
• Lisa Hjulberg
• Lynn Mercurio
• Jami Sibley
• Sherrie Siemens
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Alice Wertz.

On another personal note, I want to thank many of you who have reached out to me thru email, PMs at Splitcoast and Facebook with support over our changes at Splitcoast this week. If you are unaware, you can read Daven’s home page announcement here, followed by his personal statements on this thread. I have a personal response buried in the thread, you can read it here.

In a nutshell, I’m touched (again!) by the outpouring of love and support from members of the Splitcoast community. The community and the people of this wonderful place have afforded me much, both privately and professionally in the last 6 years. I {heart} Splitcoast, and while I know things keep changing, I’m hopeful and very optimistic about our future.

Blessings to you for a warm and peaceful weekend.

•  Stamps:  Little Gal by Kim Hughes -  CHF & Devoted - Ippity 
• Cardstock: Girl Friday - Cosmo Cricket & Choice Cream - Taylored Expressions 
• Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento 
• Accs: Copic Markers (BG10 and BG11), Prima flowers, Spica glitter pen, buttons, ribbon, punch - Martha Stewart 

For several years I did the Friday Weekend Sketch gig with several of my good friends, led by Beate. We put that challenge on hold, indefinitely back in December, and I have missed my weekly Friday fix.  When Taylor mentioned her Friday sketch challenge with the Cupcake Samplers - I was all in, and I’m so happy to have a standing Friday gig. Thanks for the warm welcome from Taylor and her Sketch Crew. It’s time to party…

Taylor is giving a way $25 gift certificate to one random winner chosen from among all those who help us spread the word about the 100th Sketch Celebration by posting this badge on their blog. (You can get the code for the badge here .) Read the fine print when you visit because the girl is giving away more $25 gift certificates to the Top 5 creations using Sketch 100 (judged by us, the TESC Crew). You can enter as many times as you want folks, just make sure that each creation is linked separately in Mr. Linky. So, you wanna see my sketch sample?

‘Love is in the air’ at the Craig house… love and snow…snow and love. Images from Love Everywhere set.

I know I took some loose interpretation liberties with the sketch, but that’s what I find so fun about these challenges - you can use them as a jump off point. I hope you are inspired to get crafty with us.

Check out the other Sketch Samplers and then head to your crafty space - I hope you are a winner.

• Monica Davis
• Lisa Hjulberg
• Lynn Mercurio
• Jami Sibley
• Sherrie Siemens
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Alice Wertz.
• Friday Friend, Beate’s got a special treat on the Stamp A Sweet Impression blog, as well.

 Hey one more thing….I was grabbing links, and I saw Taylor loaded a Sketch Book with all 100 Sketches that you can download. It took bout 15 seconds for me to download…super cute layout and fun resource.

Tonight, we’ve got a poetry festival at my daughter’s school and then, my girls have plans and I’ve got a date with my hubby. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Thanks to all for entering my Copic Giveaway! If you are looking for my winner, it’s Cathy Green from Texas.

Send me your snail mail, Cathy and CONGRATULATIONS! 

I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get crafty again. Between prep work and traveling, I hadn’t sat at my stamp table in weeks. I turned that around last night to work on my Just For Fun challenge card. Once a month (just for fun), I participate in a challenge with my girlfriends Alli Miles, Carole Burrage, Julie Campbell, Kim Hughes and Michele Boyer. One of us selects an image and another patterned paper, then we all make a card with those elements. Some months things go together really well, some months they don’t, but it’s always FUN.

This month Julie Campbell sent me some of this pretty, pretty Henna paper from the Basic Grey Origin’s collection.  Then, Alli chose the stamp from Kraftin’ Kimmie, sweet Charlotte. I think Charlotte is one of those girls who has a heart of gold but just can’t catch a break. She ends up being just a bit ‘rough around the edges’ with that blond, out-of-control curly hair. She makes me smile.

My image is colored with Copics - matched up to the patterned paper (individual colors below). Then cut with a Spellbinders die and layered to my card front.  The green ribbon and buttons are New Leaf from Papertrey.

I’ve been super busy playing catch-up since we returned home late Sunday. I’m going to check out the other Just For Fun challenge cards and see what the other girls did with Miss Charlotte. I’ll edit this post at 10:00 central this morning to name my Copic give-away winner, and then I am really looking forward to a sleep-in, hang-out, potato soup kind of Saturday around here. Hope that your weekend is filled with wonderful things.

• Stamps: Charlotte - Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps 
• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip - Stampin’ Up!, Henna patterned paper - Origins collection, Basic Grey, Choice Cream - Taylored Expressions 
• Ink: Black Memento - Tsukineko 
• Accs: New Leaf buttons & ribbon - Papertrey, Copic Markers (R01, R37, Y13, Y15, YR31, YG11, G05, G07, G21, BG72, BG75, E000, E00, E25, E27, E40, E43, W1)

I have stamped more than I’ve blogged the last few weeks. Christmas tags, quick cards and a project for my sister-in-law. It was nice to stamp and send. I had almost forgotten what that felt like. At any rate, our Christmas was wonderful, peaceful, uneventful, most blessed. I hope yours was some semblance of the same.

Today I’ve got my Just for Fun card for December. Carole Burrage picked this adorable image from Cat’s Pajamas for us to work with, and Ms. Kim Hughes was kind enough to send the paper - all without consultation with each other or the group. I was a little concerned when I first saw the paper (Carefree “Cherish” Forever Floral/Cream paper from the 29th Street Market by My Mind’s Eye - nice short name) and the image (from the Cat’s Pajamas Make Merry set) together. Such a bold image and soft patterned paper. Well, they call them challenges for a reason.

I decide to google sheet music to Auld Lang Syne and struck gold. I adjusted the size of the sheet music image to my card front in Photoshop Elements and printed it out on my patterned paper. The theme and the black printing help tie into the black cat image, and I do love the floral pattern in the background. I added some ribbon, buttons and Wizard Medium Prism cardstock to finish it off. My oldest daughter chose the die cut for our focal image after I accented with Copic Markers and glitter - she’s in love with those label dies.

I’m really looking forward to seeing out the other JiFFY Girls did with their cards today. Check out Alli Miles, Julie Campbell, Kim Hughes and Michele Boyer. I’m sure they did a fabulous job.

These little gnomes make me so happy. I’m back with Uru and Bird and a double dipper with Michele.  She’s using the same stamp image today, and it’s always fun to see how different (or not!) the other person’s card turned out. Michele’s card has probably been finished for days because that’s the kind of responsible, double dipping friend that Michele is. Here I am sliding in at the last minute with some Spica sparkle and JodyLynn ribbon goodness to dress up my happy little gnome and friend.

I’m going to do my best to mail this card off, but I learned so much while coloring him. Things like Copic R29 and R14 make up the most gorgeous shade of red - not too orange and not too pink - for the hat. Things like layering Mustard Seed, Old Paper and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks on my label for a warm distressed look,  giving the polka dots just a little pop with Glossy Accents, turning the sewing machine wheel by hand around tricky parts of a Spellbinders label so I don’t go full speed off the edge.  I don’t know if I can part with this card.

Time to worry about that later. I’ve got a little shopping to do today, a classroom party for the cutest little 2nd grader in history (who went to school in her Ms. Claus dress), swim team stuff, decorating cookies tonight with a good friend and prepping for a fabulous 4th grade Christmas party tomorrow for my most favorite 4th grader in the whole, wide world.  I’m gonna check out Michele’s cute card and swing into action. See you tomorrow!

Oh - one more thing - Thanks to all of the folks that played along with the Weekend Sketch Challenge last weekend. Super cute cards. You all seemed to enjoy the sketch as much as I did! Robin K in Hot-lanta, GA send me an email with your snail mail address. You are the winner of my Taylored Expressions give-away. You can see Robin’s super cute sketch card here. Congratulations!

• Stamp: Uru and Bird - Whiff of Joy 
• Cardstock: Choice Ivory - Taylored Expressions, Patterned Paper - Stampin’ Up 
• Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento - Tsukineko 
• Accs: Copic Markers (R29, R14, YG11, YG93, YG95, E33, E35, W1), Glossy Accents, Ribbon - May Arts, button - not known, twine, Spica Glitter pens (red, chocolate, clear), stickles for the star

           …You are of this world; I am not of this world. ~ John 8:23

I did have snowflakes on the brain when I created the sketch earlier this week, but I quickly shifted to butterflies and spring time when I took a look at my Taylored Expressions order which included one of Taylor’s new Card Kits.  Everything you need for a stash of cards with envelopes and a pretty box for presentation. I don’t think she has many left in stock, but you could seriously make a very nice gift in less than an hour with this kit and a clean design. I hope Taylor continues to offer these.

I used the new Discover Your Wings set for my image and sentiment. The floral is stamped in white on pretty turquoise.

I picked up these butterflies as an add-on.  They are so tiny…I love them.

I hope you find time to get crafty this weekend. If you do, be sure to upload to Splitcoaststampers using keyword WSC110. Leave your blog link on this post. Tuesday evening, I’ll look thru the entries and pick a winner. Then I’ll ship out a Bloom & Grow Card Kit from Taylor’s store.

Other sketch samples can be found here: Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn and Sharon.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

• Stamps: Discover Your Wings - Taylored Expressions 
• Cardstock: Pretty Please Card Kit - Taylored Expressions 
• Ink: Pool Adirondack and White Pigment
  
• Accs: Satin Ribbon & mini butterflies - Taylored Expressions