How was your weekend?

Oh, it was just beautiful here! I so love spring!! My tulips are poking thru the ground, the trees are blooming, the birds are chirping ~ how much better can it get? I'm sorry for the people who have allergies, this time of year can be dreadful.

Thought that I'd show you a little something that I did this weekend. My craft room is actually a sun room that we use as a craft room. So I've got windows all around that show the wonderful outdoors. Hubby built a bird condo (it started out as a birdhouse and it just kept growing. It's a full 10 room condo!) and we've got the bird feeder and bird bath out back. Sometimes I find myself just sitting there staring out the window. You must think that I'm a "bird" brain.... he he he.... But I've always worked for years, and not been able to stay home and enjoy what every day has to bring ~ I'm very blessed.

Ok, now on to the show.....

I'm still in the middle of an Easter card making frenzy... And I've kinda got a writers block of sorts. I've not really purchased new Easter stamps for a long time, so I'm working with the same thing. I vow to purchase more Easter stamps!! I just picked one up at My Favorite Things, it's on sale too ~ that's a plus! It's their Hoppy Easter set it was $15.95 on sale for $8.95 so that's good. Anyway, I'm sorry that I keep showing the same thing, but I try to make everything so different.


This little bunny is from TAC. It is called their S.W.A.K. set. I just love the images in this set. They remind me so much of the images I used many years ago when I first started stamping.

I am sorry for the clarity of the picture, it seems fuzzy to me. The base card is Certainly Celery layered with So Saffron and Marcella K DP. I stamped the image and colored it with my pencils and gamsol. I sponged some So Saffron ink around it then layered it on to a piece of Certainly Celery and then a piece of So Saffron. The panel behind it I layered a piece of DP then the Certainly Celery and So Saffron. The card has a piece of the DP from the same pad with the Certainly Celery and So Saffron and I added the length of ribbon to the panel before adhering it to the card. It's hard to tell in the picture, but I added some stickles on the bunny for a little sparkle. The inside of the card has a piece of the DP and a layer of So Saffron added to it. The saying was stamped right on to the DP.


It is hard to tell, but I also had stamped another image and cut out the face of it. I added it to the image with a pop dot for some dimension.

This card I think turned out kinda cute. I printed off on of the bunnies from my Diamonds CD and colored him with my watercolors. I really don't do anything different when I print the images off - but I do zap them with my heat gun first. I don't know if it helps, but I've water colored images printed on my printer and if I heat them first I've not had any problems with the ink running.

The base card is Summer Sun. I used my CB border folder Just my Type to create the edge. I then took a piece of Certainly Celery paper and layered it with green plaid paper that I sponged with Summer Sun ink. I ran a piece of Certainly Celery thru my cuttlebug with my Labels Two nestie to cut out the square image. I added the bunny image that I layered on to a piece of Summer Sun on the top of the nestie square. Before adding the panel to the card I added a piece of "ribbon" to the card as a bow. I then stamped the sentiment "Easter Blessings" in the lower right corner in Garden Green from my Bunny Hugs set. The flowers and crystal brads I added to the lower left corner were just to add some pretty. If you look close you will see that 2 of the flowers are actually clear flowers from Making Memories. I just added them to the scrap paper I had from the card and attached them.

Well, I hope that you liked today's cards. Come back tomorrow to see what else I've been up to!

Have a Great Day!!!
Hugs,

Joani

T.G.I.F.!!

Good Morning everybody! Woo-Hoo it's Friday and it's a bee-u-tiful day outside!! The sun in shinning and my tulips are popping up! It's feeling a lot like spring time!

I'm sorry that I was not around yesterday. Betty stopped by and we did not feel too much like crafting (GASP! I know!!) so we just sat and chatted. Oh, and of course ate... It was still a nice day. Sometimes that's just what you need. And Mom's not been feeling well so I made her make an appointment. It's a good thing that I did because the doctor said she's got a nasty sinus infection ~ so we got some medicine for her.

I did have something that I wanted to show you. Betty was over a while back when my dear friend Mary Beth sent me a package. It was a beautiful lunch tin and it was filled with goodies. Betty said that she did not have one of those, so I made her one. Wanna see?

I covered it with paper from The Angel Company's Mimi collection. I added some ribbons, buttons and flowers. I cut the letter's with my Cricut and mod podged the whole thing to seal it. I didn't want to show you until I gave it to her in case she took a peek at my blog. And yes, she liked it! Whew, I'm glad....

I've got another card to show you that I made for Easter. Now purple being my favorite color I think that it shows...

The base card is Lovely Lilac. I layered it with some Orchid Opulence and some dotted papers I found in my scrap drawer. Before I added the layers I attached the ribbon and bow. The image is from my Diamonds CD and I colored him with my pencils and gamsol then cut out the ovals with my nesties. I also sponged some Elegant Eggplant on one of the layers. For the inside I layered the white cs onto a piece of Orchid Opulence and added the strip of dotted paper that I cut away from the front. I stamped the sentiment from D.O.T.S. in Elegant Eggplant and I was complete.

Today hubby is off work for a plant shutdown and I'm not sure what we may be up to. It's really so nice that I'd like to spend time outside. One thing that I've noticed is here in Kentucky we go almost straight from winter to summer. From cold to hot almost immediately. So I'd like to enjoy the spring weather as much as possible.

Here's to wishing you a great spring day where ever you may be!

Hugs,

Joani

Happy Friday the 13th

OK, if you keep a positive outlook nothing can go wrong. I am a firm believer in the positive. If you walk around with a negative Nelly attitude then of course bad will attract to you like a magnet. In my "past" life - that is prior to 3 years ago, I was a negative person. Always preparing for the worst. But I was always unhappy. Now in my "new life" I am so happy it's hard to believe. I have no reason to think negative or unhappy, so therefor I'm always positive. Ok, now that Dr. Joani has spoke ~ keep happy thoughts today! I'm done, I'll step down from my soapbox Ü

Wanna see a card? Of course you do. But first I must tell you I made this with SCS sketch challenge 108. I've got quite a few cards to make and when your making a lot of cards sometimes you need a little inspiration. Trust me, I need the inspiration....

So here is what I came up with. The panels are just a tad bit off from the sketch, but I think it is still cute.
The base card is Blush Blossom. I layered that with a piece of pattern paper that I pulled from the scrap drawer. I stamped the images and colored them in with pencils, gamsol and markers. I layered them on to a piece of Certainly Celery and I was done. It was a quick card to make. The images are all from Bunny Hugs, Hello Spring and A Good Egg. If you look close enough you can see that I used some pink fun flock on the bunny's tail and ears. I also used colored stickles to give a little punch to the eggs in the basket.

This next card, well I had bigger ideas for it ~ it just did not work out like I planned. Sometimes I'll sit and think "ahhh, I'll do this" and then "that" comes out. Like I've said before, my brain and my hands don't communicate like they should. Sometimes my mouth is involved too Ü

Now if this isn't a BRIGHT and cheery card, huh? The base card is Pixie Pink. I layered that with a piece of So Saffron and the yellow swirls. I don't understand why not all paper companies don't put their names on their paper, sorry... The image is printed from my Diamonds Rubber Stamp CD and colored in with my watercolors. I've not had a problem with the colors "running" after I print them out with the printer. I give them a heat shot under my heat gun for a minute. I don't know if that really helps or not, but it's worked so I'll keep doing it.

I colored the image in with my watercolors and sponged some Old Olive ink around the edges. I added a piece of Certainly Celery with a piece of the green check paper to the center of the card. But before I adhered it I added a length of yellow rick rack and a yellow brad to each side. I then used my nesties Label Two set to cut the piece of Pixie Pink out. I then cut a piece of Certainly Celery and So Saffron with my large label nestie to add under the image. Notice the punched corners on my image panel. Well I don't have a ticket punch. I actually don't have room for any more punches ~ so this is what I did:

I took my 1/4" circle punch and stuck the image panel in the punch just like I show. I'm kinda good at eyeballing something, but I stuck it in til the point is just about center and punched it.

Once you punch it you have a little piece like this.

And it turns out it is almost identical to the nesties punched corner on the Large Labels set.

So anyway ~ choo choo-my train derailed and I got off track.... I added the image panel to the card with pop dots. In the bottom right corner I punched a piece of Pixie Pink with my Classic Scallop Oval nestie and the egg image with my Classic large ovals and pop dotted it to the corner. Then I was done.

Sorry this post today was kinda here and there.... But I hope that you enjoyed it!! And don't forget I'm giving away a different kind of blog candy, you can see it at this post. I've still got 3 spaces open....

Hope you all have a great weekend. I will try to get back to show you something or another. I'm not sure, but I may be going prom dress shopping (there goes the tax refund....) so I may not get back to you.

Have a great day!
Hugs,

Joani

It's almost Friday...

and they say we may get some snow. SNOW? It's almost the middle of March, what the heck happened to the 70 degree weather we were having?? It's 30 in the craft room this morning and of course I've moved all my craft stuff back in there. I'm just wasting time waiting for the heater to warm it up in there.....

I've got a couple of cards to show you today. Let's get on to them.

The first card I'm going to show you is a card that I made with my new TAC set called S.W.A.K. I think that the images in this set are just adorable. Remember when Close to my Heart was D.O.T.S.? This set reminds me of those images.

I stamped the image from TAC's S.W.A.K. and water colored it in. I used my nestabilities Large Labels to punch out the image that I sponged Pink Passion ink on, and again to punch out the Pretty in Pink piece behind it. I ran a piece of Orchid Opulence thru the CB with my swiss dots folder and attached that and a piece of DP to a piece of Pink Pirouette paper. I punched slots on either side to run the ribbon thru. I had this idea to do something with the ribbon and didn't - otherwise I would not of punched the slots. For the inside I stamped the carrot from Embossing Arts Company and the saying from D.O.T.S. and I was complete.

Now the next card is a card I made to participate in the sketch challenge on SCS for this week. I thought that it was kinda unusual and had to do it. It is something that I would of never thought of.

The base card is Apricot Appeal and I layered it with Orchid Opulence and a piece of DP from Best Creations that I got from my LSS. I thought that it reminds me of an Easter egg.... The image is from Diamonds also, I water colored it and I layered it on to a piece of Orchid Opulence that I cut with my nesties Large Label and attached that to a piece of Pretty in Pink that I cut with my Labels 2 nestie. Behind the triangle piece I punched a scallop edge with my SU! scallop punch.

All in all it was a fun sketch to work with.

And if you have not noticed I have a "different" kind of blog candy going on. Scroll down to check it out. Until tomorrow!

Have a great day!
Hugs,

Joani

Sorry I've been away

Good morning! I'm sorry that I've been away, but duty called this weekend. We went out to my SIL's to help out then I found a furry friend to bring home.

My BIL was over there and had his dog. Sequoia is a great dog. He is very well behaved and he is trained well. The dog can do just about anything but talk. So we brought him home and "babysat" him this weekend. I was needing that, I've really missed Ginger. I know, some will say she was a dog, get over it. But I just cant. And I think that part of it is because she died in my arms. But enough of the sad stuff, I thought I'd show you a picture of Danielle and Sequoia in the yard this weekend. It was snowing and they went out to play.

So he was one of the most loved dog's in the world this weekend. He got lot's of love, hugs and kisses!

You wanna see something I've done? Then keep reading!

I don't think that I showed you a card I made for a dear friend for her birthday. This is a suspension card. It's not the first one I've made, but it's the first large one I've made. I wanted to make a silly one for her, and I think that this qualifies as silly.

As you can see from the front it takes up most of the card. I used my coluzzle to cut out all the holes and borders I made for the holes. (Did you hear about coluzzle? I'm shocked, I heard they are going out of business!! Stock up everyone!!) The paper is from a paper pack that I have from Creating Keepsakes, I picked out a couple of pieces that matched for the front and inside and I used an image from my Diamonds Rubber Stamp CD - this one has the back and front images as you can see.

I used Old Olive as a base with some Close to Cocoa and Pumpkin Pie to accent it. I used dental floss to suspend the card and some primas & crystal brads to bling it up! I really hope that she likes it! If you'd like directions on how to do this just let me know and I'll put up an easy tutorial on how to make it. It really is easy!!

Wanna see something else? Ok.

I was in a swap over on PCP and it was for inchies and the theme was Valentine. Ok, I've never made inchies before so I thought I'd give it a try. It was a little hard to make your brain think this small. I'm used to making lots of layers, or bigger things. But once I got the idea it went so quick that I thought I could make those all night. It really did not take very long at all!!

I used my 1" and 3/4" square punches and my marvy ♥ punch. I then used my 3/4" square punch to punch out the square of adhesive to cover over the hearts and I added some beads and I was done! How easy is that? I'm waiting to get my envelope back and I will post the creations I've received.

I hope that this satisfies you for today. I've got a slow start this morning, but I will be back tomorrow to bring you some more inspiration!

Have a great day!
Hugs,

Joani

Happy sun-shiney Monday!

Well, kinda. The sun's poking in and out from the clouds ~ but it's still a beautiful day for now.

Did you all have a great Valentine's day? Did you spend it with the one's that you love? I did.

Hubby wanted to take Mom and Danielle out to breakfast Saturday morning so we went to Cracker Barrel, it's our favorite place (sorry Joyce, I'm not rubbing it in). When I first got here it was just Ricky and I and we went there a LOT!! Now we go there for Mom's Day, Dad's Day - you know all the holidays. The after that we drove around town and just puttered. We did stop in a store and Danielle tried on Prom dresses. There was one that she found - actually the 2nd one that she tried on - that was pretty. Kinda grown up, but SHE is, but I persuaded her to wait. Prom is still a couple of months away and it was only the 2nd one she tried on. We'll have to go on a trip to the mall I guess.

Then that evening Ricky and I went to the movies. We went to see Paul Blart-Mall Cop. OMGoodness, it was funny!!! I just love Kevin James anyway, he makes me laugh all the time!! Then we were going to go out for dessert but decided to bring something home instead to Mom and Danielle - so we went to Dairy Queen.

Friday Ricky surprised me with a Many Kisses Elmo doll. I just love that little guy!! And this one was perfect for Valentines! It will sit next to my Chicken Dance Elmo. Hey, some day I will have grand kids and they can play with them (well, maybe not) Ü

Ok enough is enough. On to the cards.

I already showed the card I made for Ricky, but I made another also. I was cleaning out my desk the other day and found a CD that I purchased from Diamonds Rubber Stamps. They were going out of business and they put all their stamp images on CD and I got it for something like $10.00!! I have a few of the stamps, and I thought that this was too cool of a deal to pass up so I had bought it. Like everything else I just put it away and forgot about it.

Here is the image that I printed and made a card with.

I colored the image with my watercolors and markers and sponged Real Red ink around the edges then layered that on to a piece of Pixie Pink and Real Red cs. The base card is Pixie Pink and layered with DP's from Cloud 9 and Pink Pirouette. I added some ribbon to the card, some large eyelets and the hearts were cut out of scrap and sponged with Real Red ink to give them a little definition. I computer generated the sentiment. For the inside I took a piece of Pink Pirouette and a strip of the DP from Cloud 9 with the ribbon and attached it to the card. I had the computer generated sentiment and a heart that I cut out from scrap Real Red and I was complete.

I did find the CD on sale on EBay, and they have the 2nd CD that I did not know was out. It is a little more than what I paid for it, but I love it - It might be worth it. You can print out the images in any size you want. Definitely worth the $$ you'd save buying the all the actual stamps. I think that there is over 150 images on the CD I have, the 1st one.

I needed to make a card for a friend that I have not sent to in a long time and I just wanted her to know that she's special. So I made this card:Ok, I had to show you my Elmo Ü But here's the card up close:This stamp is JavaBella, I thought that it would make a cute card. The image panel is sponged with So Saffron and layered on to a piece of So Saffron cs and I colored it in with my watercolor crayons. The base card is a textured Eggplant that I've had forever!! The DP's that I used on this card are all from SU! called Parisian Summer. I punched the upper right and lower left corners with my Friskars corner punch. I think that she'll like it!

I'll be back in a little bit to show you a funny video that a friend sent to me. If your tired of hearing about "women drivers" you'll have to see this!!

Have a great day!
Hugs,

Joani