Bloggers Challenge - Backgrounds

I always forget about this technique... have no idea what the technique is called, however it couldn't be more fun for my teenage cards. I used Versamark on the Extreme Elements stamps. Then I embossed with white embossing powder. I used daubers for the  colored ink - Gumball green, Starfruit, and Indigo.

 

Made two birthday cards this way.. love them! 

 

Now it's your turn. Head over and play along with Bloggers Challenge.

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Bloggers Challenge - Sympathy

At Bloggers Challenge, its "to die for" and boy did I use the dies on this card today! I have the Tasteful Trim (scallop), Butterflies and the Petal Cone (glimmer). I also used the Stripes embosslit for the Big Shot as well.  I added the rhinestones for some extra bling and quick sentiment - then wah laa...  card completed! 

  

I loved the color challenge from Just Add Ink, so elegant! 

I tried pictures numerous ways

Just Add Ink 181

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Have a wonderful week

 Bloggers Challenge is Things with Wings - which to me- means butterflies, but I really wanted to stay away from that.... so much for that!  I really must put more bug stamps in my collection. 

 

I used the colors from the Just Add Ink  color challenge - which I just love, and have a few more ideas for this color combination. I found the clean sketch from Sketch Frenzy Friday too perfect for this card. I distressed the edges of Coastal Cabana for some depth. 

JUST ADD INK 174

Sketch Frenzy Friday

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Hug the ones you love

Live in the sunshine...

If I could... and someday I will.. spend my days at places like this.. 

along the lake.. bayside... oceanfront... 

who would ever tire of this?

 

In the meantime, I will count down the days/hours/minutes until vacation and never want to come back... uhhhh... 

Today  over at Bloggers Challenge is BEACHY... I got that covered.. but I wanted something slightly different... out of the ordinary...

 

This little hula girl has been in my stash uninked for YEARS!!! {sad, i know}. Today she shines... with the help of Freshly Made Sketches!  I loved the burlap behind her! 

Freshly Made Sketches

 And this card... is just too hard to pass up making up for times like this!!!  I love this sentiment from Emerson. We have all had days like this! 

Hug the ones you love! Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by! 

Blogger Challenge - Birthday

Quick birthday cards for the Bloggers Challenge today.. The storms that rolled through have reeked a little havoc on the gardens, so I want to get out there early and get a move on it... before the day gets away. 

 

I used the Print Poetry paper that I haven't touched before, and it was great accent on the cards. 

  

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!  Hug the ones you love! 

Fishing Buford

Fishing Buford is from  North Coast Creations - which makes the perfect little fishing card for any man in my life. However I have the most difficult time getting him on a card I like. . . so for the Bloggers Challenge it was to have something masculine... so here it is... 

  

I attempted to use the colors in the Colour Q- however fitting in the Soft Sky was only the Fishing rod and the sky.. but I still love it all! 

 

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Hug the ones you love! 

Land of the free

As the saying goes "all gave some, some gave all,"

...its the time of year when we reflect on the meaning of Memorial day, not to be confused with Veterans Day, or just another 3 day weekend. We must remember that our freedom was not free. 

Whether you or someone else served in the armed forces, I salute you and thank you for my freedom. 

Last week, 4 days after 1SG and I got married, we attended a funeral for a fellow soldier... buried with full military honors, and not a dry eye (or vacant seat) in the house. He is laid to rest by 8 of his closest friends and beside his stepson, which he brought home from Iraq about 10 years ago. 

Ya all know the song "Letters from home"? There's a part that says "There aint nothing funny when a Soldier cries" Well there is nothing sadder than a room full of Soldiers sobbing! Rest In Peace Sgt Lewis

CASual Fridays

 Bloggers Challenge #318

Friendship

HI! My name is Chera. 

This is my blog. 

I have left for awhile... and though I cannot say it will not happen again soon... I cannot promise anything... 

There is still items left for the wedding planning.. but I finally took a stand, and STAMPED for FUN!!!! 

s

I am using the Freshly Made Sketches  for my friendship cards for Bloggers Challenge today. I have two of them. This one uses Paper Makeup Stamp.

  

I loved this Rich Razzleberry designed paper...so keeping with another fun sentiment, I am not sure where this one is from.   

Freshly Made Sketches

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Shaving cream technique

 

Its been a while since I have last made my own background, and at Bloggers Challenge, that is exactly what the challenge is. So I grabbed some inkers and shaving cream and went to town... I love this shaving cream technique, plus it smells good! 

    

I used Marina Mist, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green and Real Red inkers with my shave cream. I had to not carried away mixing it together, so I used a tooth pick.

  

I used the new stamp set from SU! Stack of Wishes for the sentiment, on the latest sketch challenge from CAS(e ) this sketch! 

CAS(e) this Sketch

 

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Delightful Birthday

As usual, my stash of birthday cards diminishes before my very eyes. I knew I had some designer paper that was lacking  some love over the last few years, so now I was put to the test...but hey that makes creating fun! 

 

I love the way it turned out. Some color, some design and wah la! I have a new stack of birthday cards!

  

Its Birthdays over at Bloggers Challenge today and I used the Deconstructed Sketch. This I will keep it in my sketch book for later use! I love it! 

Deconstructing Sketch

 

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Hug the ones you love! 

Baby Bloggers Challenge

Its a sketch challenge over at Bloggers Challenge today, and I made 3 cards, none of which made it pass the "uh" stage... maybe this one will.  Here is my card: 

 

The Sketch challenge

Bloggers Challenge

I used the color challenge at Playdate Cafe thinking it would make a great baby card, when my Easter card failed.  

 

PLUM    MUSTARD   ROSE 


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Just for you

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! 

Its time for Bloggers Challenge, which today is a color challenge, and I love the inspiration photo to pull the colors from!! 

I didn't have much thinking time to put this together, since I was out with my mother  yesterday  dress shopping for HER dress. Shes so lucky she can shop basically off the rack... and she managed to get shoes too!!! WAHOO!! 

Here's my card:

  

  

Here is challenge photo for colors:

                                    

                                                          Bloggers Challenge

 I used some retired paper for my card. I used Brillant Blue and  Kiwi Kiss, along with White cardstock. I used the Just for you from Just Believe, and tied some Pool Party twine along the bottom. The flower  Fun Flowers die for the Big Shot.  I used Moonlight Accent Pearl Smooch for the center of the flower, although you cannot see that in the photo.

  

Come play along with us!  

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Have a great day! 

Celebration in the making

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!  

HAPPY 2013!!!

HAPPY YEAR OF MY WEDDING!!!!

Yes, we put a date on the calendar over Thanksgiving and now the race is on... for me to figure out a wedding and all its details. Its not that I haven't had enough time. We have been engaged for ... hmmm...3 years...I know I know I know... but seriously I wasn't the girl with the 3 ring binder full of details of my "wedding".

So I had to get Save the dates out before Christmas, so all our out of state friends and family would have enough planning time. I didn't make my first deadline...given to me by the 1SG, for a few reasons, a) needed to draft Save the dates in between Christmas cards, and craft shows was more difficult than I imagined; b)the guest list was increasing every time I turned around;  c) the date moved twice due to venue. ... thats my story!  

 

1SG is actively involved with planning. Once the date was decided, he helped choose the colors {eggplant, wisteria, sand and limeade}, decide on the reception venue, groomsmen attire, his ring, designs/ theme of wedding and more.... now once you pick your chin up, also know that he is painting our wedding "guest book" - which more details will follow on that end. 

  

Once I got the save the dates mailed, we discussed wedding favors... after three different designs, 1SG choose the pillow box, which will house chocolates... hello I am like 30 minutes from HERSHEY... not such a stretch for us! Simple for me. Its these flowers that might drive me mad first! 

   

Any advice for me?  

This wedding is a simple elegant wedding. The teens will give me away in a small ceremony on Friday night, and then Saturday is the reception. We are trying to use local resources most of our guests are from out of town, we figure we will support Central PA as much as we can! WAHOO!! 

So I am not really hiding outside the blogsphere, I am just trying to keep on trucking along... May isn't that far away! 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love! 

Give Thanks- Bloggers Challenge

Its not out the norm for our house to use the entire month of November to say what we are thankful for. Not just one day outta the month as we devour our feast. 

 

 

As the kids got older, it became more than just "something Mom want us to do", and more meaningful. Its alot like those turkeys made from cut outs of their hands... you know the ones.

 

 

Today at Bloggers Challenge, we are to Give Thanks. Not a hard challenge for me this week. I am extremely thankful for being outside of what was some pretty serious storm damage, though nothing like New Jersey & New York.

 Therefore I am blessed.

 

 

I put together about 6 Give Thanks cards, and a few of those little bags. They were fun and easy, I mean the bag has the wing from the 2 step bird punch with some retired DSP. I used the "rock n roll" technique for the leaves and embossed the cardbase with woodgrain.  The Handpenned sentiments were the perfect addition.

 

 

Thank you for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love!

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Witches Goblins OH MY!

Its Witches and Goblins season...

and over at Bloggers Challenge today!

 

When the Stocking die was just released, these boots were all over the place... I however, had never made one. I used my die for all sorts of items just not the witches boot.. but this year I am!

 

 

 

 

I used the stocking die, embossed it and then grabbed some twizzlers for this cute little favor!

 
I painted with the Champayne Mist, (first time ever used) on the embossed boot and put a tag on the end.

 

How fun - How cute! How it makes me giggle everytime I look at it!! Come on over and play along!  Its bewitching!!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! Hug the ones you love!

 

 

Christmas in July!

Last summer we did a lot of Kayaking.. with the kids, in doubles and in singles. We all loved it. My sister and brother in law had a set of kayaks that the kids would use at the shore and of course, when we were "bored" we rented them at local lakes or state parks. 

July 2011 - Codorus State Park

Low and behold, it was Christmas in July here  ... 1SG purchased two kayaks... of course for him and I ... the kids will have to behave .. ask nicely ..when they want to use them.. {wink wink}. 

 

We took them out on Tuesday  evening for about 2 hours. A local creek about 4 miles from the house. It was alot of fun. I was so excited I for the coolers with out water bottles and my camera to take pictures while on the water!!  

 

Since its like Christmas with out new gifts...why not get a few Christmas cards together! I used some new with the old. 

 

Here is the new Christmas Blessings set and colored it as best I could. I paired with with retired Jolly Holiday designer series paper.

 

I used the August Guest Designer Challenge that was posted early on Splitcoaststampers. Its a fun sketch and I will keep it in my sketch book for later! 

 

The August Guest Designer Challenge 

Its also Christmas in July at the Bloggers Challenge, so two challenges in one... thinking Christmas makes these 100 degree temperatures a little more bearable! I dont want to remind you that it is just shy of 5 months until that day any way... {WHAT????!!!!} 

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 Have a great day!