Our Graduate

I wanted to share a proud Mom moment - Phillip right before leaving for graduation. The weather held, quite warm but a nice breeze. The ceremony lasted 55 minutes...amazing considering his graduation class was made up of 555 seniors!!!!! The white chord represents a student graduating with a 4.0 grade point average or above! Again, so proud. Thanks for letting me gush!

Congrats Phillip!

I'm running a bit short on time so here goes my quick post...Yes, we have a soon-to-be graduate in the house. Phillip's high school graduation is tomorrow!!! Hard to believe. Here's the card I made for him. I used the Stella Says Sketch over at Catch the Bug. The Bugaboo image is the AKV Boy Graduate. Our high school is the Seneca Valley Raiders - found the paper at our local scrapbook store, how cool is that?!!  Now, what should I stick inside this card?$$$

Life's a Beach

Good morning! Welcome to our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I love sketch challenges, and this latest one is a super fun one for sure!

We have a new sponsor this week - say hello to Make it Crafty. Take a moment to look thru the store, talk about lots of fun images! The prize this week is a very generous $15 gift certificate for the Make it Crafty store...how fun!!!

Here is my card, using the fabulous Beach Chair image. We go to the beach every year for vacation and I absolutely love it! Talk about relaxing! We'll be there over the 4th of July again this year. This is a very fun sketch so I hope you can give it try. Thanks for stopping by.

Successful Woman

Today, not only did I get to Starbucks, but I also got a card done while enjoying my coffee!!! Now that's what I call success!! The weekend was crazy, going to visit my parents and getting lots of little jobs done around their house. With them living 2 hours away, in their 80s and Dad with alzheimers, I worry about them all the time. My brother and his family came too, and what a pleasure seeing them. It's so difficult becoming the parents of your parents. The Monday holiday has also thrown me off schedule!!

I wanted to share my card with you today, using a Fresh Brewed Designs rubber stamp called She Loves Lattes...and I do!!! I decided to make a tag out of my main image - good chance to add some ribbon to the card! The papers, lace and heart embellies are from a card kit by Simon Says Stamps.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to me. Hugs to you all. Friday Phillip will be graduating from high school, hard to believe.

Warmest Wishes

Welcome to the Clean & Simple challenge at The Outlawz. This week DT member Lynn, who lives in South Africa, wants us to do a winter theme. Yes, that's right, it's almost winter time there so pull out whatever keeps you warm and dry and create something with it, CAS style. I used a Gina K Designs set seeing ink for the very first time called Warm Woolen Mittens. I love the Nordic sweater look stamping that background created. I stamped another one of the border stamps onto card stock, stamped the mittens' outline and cut 'em out (I know, me and cutting things out don't always get along!!). Everything was sponged with creamy caramel ink - my favorite ink for sponging. Please join us at The Outlawz for our winter themed clean & simple challenge. 

OWH Memorial Day Blog Hop

Welcome to the OWH Memorial Day Weekend Blog Hop. The theme this weekend is THANK YOU cards based on one of the OWH sketches - either for our heroes to send or ANY HERO CARDS with notes written inside to them! Of course I had to make one of each so let me share:

This is my thank you card using sketch #10. Okay, so I didn't use tags, but those cute carrots certainly make up for it!!! I used a Paper Smooches stamp set called Vegtastic. This one would also fit the Midweek Throwdown Challenge - times three (use 3 of something). 

Here is my Any Hero Card. I will write a note inside giving my heart-felt thanks to one of our heroes. This one is based off sketch #12. This is another Paper Smooches set, this one is called Circle of Honor. 

Thanks for hoping along this weekend. So many wonderful creations. Happy Memorial Day.

Father's Day Challenge

Welcome to our special Clearly Inspired Challenge celebrating Father's Day. As you know, the new Clearly Digi Stamps is closed at the moment due to technical difficulties. The old Clear Dollar Stamps has been reopened for your shopping convenience. We decided to celebrate Father's Day with our special Clearly Inspired Challenge which will run from today thru June 7th. Because I had the image and paper already printed out and on my desk, I went with the digital set Corvette. Of course I used the color version and one of the fabulous digital papers also included in the set. I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches, just turned on it's side.

We have a new stamp set to share that will be given away to one random winner.

Our featured stamp set is called Father's Day Heroes by our newest illustrator, Patrick Dunnegan. How perfect for those special men in our lives. So join us over the next two weeks for our Father's Day Clearly Inspired Challenge.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Okay, things are a little crazy in Anderson household, so I am way late getting this posted...please forgive me. But I'm glad you're here to see our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. This week we're revisiting a sketch from the past - so fun!

Our sponsor this week is Elisabeth Bell Designs. 

Elisabeth Bells Digital Collection features enchanting, whimsical, Digital stamps for all of your paper-crafting projects!
Although Elisabeth illustrates for several stamp companies, no one except Elisabeth Bell herself has a collection of sweet digital stamps, this is a perfect way to get your instant gratification.

With a growing catalog of high-quality digi stamps, Elisabeth offers a multitude of themes. Such as holidays, special occasions, childrens adorable characters, and just the everyday cuteness that Elisabeth is famous for producing.

These Digi Stamps are available in standard black and white line art, and are great for resizing, and rotating to suite your needs.

Inspiration, by her very own Design Team, is posted, and shared daily, on Elisabeth’s “Digi Bells Blog” using Elisabeth Bell’s digital art.

 And the fabulous prize is the winner's choice of two our of the three images given to the DT to use:

 Love You Miss You

Merry Weather

Little Miss Mouse

And here is my card using Love You Miss You. Such a sweet image. I sure hope you can join us this week for our blast from the past challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. 

You're the Cream in my Coffee

I couldn't resist making another card using the newly released Skinny Minnie's Coffee Break stamp set with sentiments from Fresh Brewed Designs. We had a blog hop yesterday and what fun and fabulous creations were made using this latest coffee gal. I don't use lots of sparkle, but I thought Minnie needed some today. I used Stickles on both her dress and shoes. The sentiment made me think this would be great for an anniversary card. And how about the sequins? They're making a come back!! A great embellishment without adding much weight or bulk to a card.

I need to hit the grocery store today...hip, hip, hooray! Can you tell I love grocery shopping?!!

What's Brewing? Why a Fresh Brewed Designs Blog Hop, That's What!

Welcome to Fresh Brewed Designs May Rubber Stamp Release and Blog Hop! 

We are so happy to have you hopping along with us today!

If you are just arriving to the hop, you will want to go back to the start

at Freshly Brewed Challenges.

If you are getting here from Yolanda's blog then you are good to go!

One major thing has changed in our hops.
We will no longer be having a 3 day, hop filled weekend.
We are shortening it to a ONE DAY HOP!!!
That's right!
If you want to hop, today is THE day!
This hop will close on Tuesday the 21st at 8 AM EST.

 

 

 We were all patient and didn't spill the beans about this release,
but hopefully you got the hint!CALLING ALL COFFEE LOVERS,
this release is for you!

I am so happy to  introduce to you the newest addition to the FBD rubbah stamp family:

Skinny Minnie Coffee Break
with Sentiments Stamp Set 

 

Here is my card using Skinny Minnie Coffee Break with the What's Brewing sentiment. It was a late night last night, trying to work on my card AND watch the hockey game. I'm a big Pittsburgh Penguins fan and the game went into double overtime!! Unfortunately we lost but the series is still going on with the Pens leading 2 games to 1. Oh, you want to hear more about my card...silly me!! Minnie is stamped onto vanilla cardstock and colored with Copic markers. I had a pad of Basic Grey paper on my desk so I pulled some paper from it. Keeping it simple, a must when you've been watching hockey for over 4 hours!! 

 

 

Thank you so much for hopping with us!

I hope you have enjoyed your time here at my blog. 

It is time for us to say goodbye and for you to head over to my friend

Heather's blog to check out what fabulous creation she has prepared for you.

Here is the full hop order :

Freshly Brewed Challenges Blog
Vanessa
Celeste
Sheryl
Yolanda
Linda
Heather

 

Flowers

Welcome to our May blog hop at Clearly Digi Stamps. I hope you've had a chance to check out the new store, the site is fun and fabulous!!! I also hope you came here from Vickie's blog, HeARTful Stamper. If not, be sure and start at the beginning of our hop at the CDS blog, Clearly iStamp. Be sure you're stopping at every blog and commenting along the way as you could win the stamp set featured on that DT member's creation!!

Our theme for this blog hop is "Flowers." After all, that's what comes from April showers!! I went with the digital set Josephine Clematis, color version. I went with a gate fold card, loving the ease of creating one that lends itself to a big punch of drama. It was also great using up a piece of scrap designer paper in the process.

I am your last stop on our blog hop venture. Please be sure to leave an email with your comment so I have a way of getting in touch with you if you are my winner. Check back Thursday to see if that winner is you!   

Time to Relax

RELAX??? What's that?!!! Actually, this is a card for the clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz. Our theme this week is "retirement." When hubby and I retire, I just want to relax, preferably on a beach, some place tropical where the sun always shines. But for my card, I went with a fun polka dotted couch as the place of comfort!! This is actually from a set by PaperTrey Ink, On My Couch. My white gel pen lines gave me grief...even though I though they were dry, they still smudged places. Serves me right for trying to work white on black card stock! Join us if you can for a fun clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz.   

Clearly Digi Stamps

Today's the day...Clear Dollar Stamps has opened a new store...Clearly Digi Stamps!!! Not only does the store open today, but we are also having a new release with lots and lots of goodies to share. First up is my card using the beautiful "in color" Resting Bird by Laurie Wilson. I remember creating with this bird when it was first released in outline only. My coloring was in no way as good as this! Since blue is one of my favorite colors, of course I used it!

Here is a card using the fun set Coffee Cup Greetings by Deedee Anderson. Of course I used a color image, and I loved all the colors on this one. The heart steam and Love You sentiment make it a perfect addition to my pile meant for Operation Write Home. I even found some scraps to use up that brought out the mug colors! Love when that happens.

Be sure and check out all the newly released sets and fabulous DT samples at Clearly iStamp. 

3 Strikes You're Out

It's time for a little baseball. Actually, my youngest is playing baseball this year for the first time ever! He's involved in The Miracle League - an organized baseball league for special needs children and adults which enables these children and adults to develop socialization skills and have fun by playing baseball at a field specially designed for them. I teared up many times watching the pure joy on these kids' faces while they played...I'm ready to cry again NOW as I type this!! Each child has a volunteer "buddy" assigned to them to help in any way needed. Our Kevin had so much fun catching and throwing the ball with his buddy Matt. He wasn't so sure when it came his turn to bat, but I think that will change as the season goes on.

My card is for the 3 Strikes You're Out theme challenge over at Catch the Bug. I went with the baseball theme by using the sweet Kidlet Baseball Girl image. I also put on three brads to fill in some space. Yep, that's a little piece of scrap designer paper used - I really should go through my pile and throw out (GASP!!) some of the really small pieces I've been saving. They're simply taking up space.

I hope you have a great day. I have a class to attend at our local scrapbook store later today, can't wait!

Super Dad

Happy Middle of the Week day! And welcome to our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. As always, we have another wonderful sketch to get creative with!

And, like the great sketch we have, we also have a fantabulous sponsor...Digi Stamp Boutique. Our winner this week will receive 6 free digis of their choice! HOW FUN!!!

 All images/designs are created and copyright owned by Sally-Ann Hancock. My work means the world to me - it allows my passion to draw and create, to fit with my family life too - often the inspiration for my designs. Hope you enjoy as much as I enjoy creating.

Here's my card, using the fun Super Dad Alf. Looks like I now have my Father's Day card done!! I pulled out some scrap designer paper as well as my new clouds embossing folder. Now I must admit, this was my third attempt at coloring Super Dad, and I'm not exactly thrilled with this one either, but the other two were complete failures. I really should sign up for a Copic class and learn what to do!! I'll put that on my list!!! Until then, I hope you can join us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenge:
Digi Stamp Boutique - May Customer Competition

His & Hers

Today's post is inspired by two challenges over at the OWH blog. First up is casing Jane, the Friday Feature Card Maker who recently passed away. Above is her card that I decided to case. The other challenge is their Midweek Throwdown His & Hers - create a card for him & one for her using the same layout.

 Here is my card for him, using a Doodle Pantry image recently released in color called Old Ship. Now I know I used some creative liberty with the case, but my image was a bit smaller and needed some "stuff" to fill up the space.

Here is my "her" card, using a Bugaboo image called  AKV - Ballet Dance Trio. The sentiment comes with the image and I used it in place of the ribbon on the original card of Jane's I was casing. Fun cards to make and definitely quick and easy. Enjoy your today.

Butterflies

It's Sunday -- Happy Mother's Day!!! I wanted to let you know about our new Clean and Simple challenge over at The Outlawz - it's all about butterflies. I put my die cuts to work on this one!! First I heat embossed the circle wood grain stamp onto brown card stock then die cut it out. The butterfly is from some dp scraps and popped up on the circle with some rhinestones for bling. The banner was also die cut and then stamped with a word of thanks. Quick & easy as well as clean & simple -- just the way I like it!!!

Challenges I would like to submit this card to include:
Moving Along With the Times - Clean & Simple
A Gem of a Challenge - Things With Wings
Sweet Stampin' - Clean & Simple
Creative Corner Challenges - Things With Wings
 

Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to show the card I made for my Mom and Mother-in-law for Mother's Day. I used the newly released set Jacaranda by Doodle Pantry. As you know, purple is not my color, but I thought I would break out of my shell a little bit because after all, it's for our Moms!! The strip of green designer paper is from this set also while the purple is from my stash. Of course they were quick and easy to make since I used the color version...just wish I didn't wait till the last minute to make 'em!! After all, they needed to be in the mail today! But they made it!

A few challenges I'd like to play along with include:
Sassy Studios - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Inky Impressions - Mother's Day
The Sisterhood of Crafters - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Celebrate the Occasion - Happy Mother's Day

Sweet Birdie

Well here it is Wednesday again, time for another Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge. And what a wonderful sketch it is. I hope you can find the time this week and join us.

We have another great sponsor this week, A Day for Daisies. They are offering our winner a $12 gift certificate to the A Day for Daisies store.

 A DAY FOR DAISIES provides themed categories of over 1000 fun and whimsical digital images, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

Here's my card, using Freehand Bird 2. Because I'm not a very good colorer, I decided to paper piece this sweetie. Another great way to use up those scraps! 

Enjoy your today and join us for our newest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

   

Sweet Snail

Yes, I'm late getting my blog posts done for today...the story of my life. But I'm here now with coffee in hand and ready to share my card using this adorable image just released today at Fresh Brewed Designs called Sweet Snail. The sentiment is also from Fresh Brewed Designs, a rubber stamp this time, from the Skinny Minnie set. My papers and accessories are from a card kit at Simon Says Stamp. I love these colors! The little piece of washi tape was a last minute decision to fill in that empty space. Kinda kooky but fun. Be sure and check out the other two images released today at Fresh Brewed Designs, but don't let 'em bug ya!!!! 

Hugs & Kisses

This was simply put, a fun card to make! I pulled this adorable Fresh Brewed Designs image, called Bee Mine, out of my printed stash of digis. Doesn't he make ya smile?!! Now real bees I'm not so fond of, but this little guy sure is a sweetie! He's sending his love, so now who should I send mine off to?!!

I wanted to remind you of our May rubber release and blog hop coming up on the the 20th. Yes, that's a Monday, so be sure and mark that date on your calendar. Also, check out our month long prize challenge at the Fresh Brewed Blog, our theme is flowers.

Hug a Pet

This week we've combined themes for our Clean and Simple Challenge over at The Outlawz. First of all, "Be Kind to Animals" week starts today, plus, it's "National Hug Week." We've joined the two weeks together to come up with our challenge -- Hug a Pet. It's so much fun, you really must give it a try. I used a Bugaboo image called Deacon Swing. Now I don't know if a teddy bear is considered a pet, but he sure looks loved here! I also want to submit this card for the Anything Goes challenge over at Catch the Bug. Other challenges include:

Paper Creator's Crafts - For the Boys
Delicious Doodles Challenges - Something for the Boys 
A Little Bit Crafty - Use Kraft
Moving Along With the Times - One for the Boys 
OWH Virtual Card Making Party - Kid's Card using an OWH Sketch (#2)

Happy Cinco de Mayo

I know I'm a couple days early, but I wanted to be ahead of the game for a change!!! Actually, my card is for two challenges that expire before Sunday so I have to get it posted now! I was first inspired by the photo over at 613 Avenue Create.

The theme of Cinco de Mayo  immediately reminded me of a sweet set from Doodle Pantry called Sombrero Hat (I also used the digital papers included in this set). I merged a sweet ant from Ant Accents and he's ready to shake his maraca!  The sketch is from OWH Stars and Stamps.

Lots of fun! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I've got a long day of work ahead of me tomorrow, then I'll probably need to take a nap!! Enjoy!

Baby Congratulations

I think I've mentioned it before, but I sure do enjoy Bugaboo images so I try really hard to play along in their challenges. This week at Catch the Bug, it's a color challenge. When I saw the above colors I immediately thought baby card.

 So that's exactly what I made! I used this darling image, AKV Baby Clothes Line. This is some of the leftover digital paper from a card I made and posted yesterday. There ya go, no scraps! The sentiment is simply heat embossed on a strip of vellum. A quick and easy card with a very simple layout. Gotta love it!

Bee Happy Flower

I'm late, I'm late...for a very important date...like when my DT card was due!!!! I finally got my card done for the latest month long prize challenge at the Fresh Brewed Blog. May's challenge theme is Flowers. I already had this sweetie printed off so why not use him cause he makes me smile. This Fresh Brewed Designs image is called Bee Happy Flower. Pick him up for yourself today and bee happy making some fun cards - just bee-cause, happy bee-day, or in this case, to bee well soon! Hope to see you at the Fresh Brewed Blog with your flowery creation.

A Mouse and a Birdie

It's the first of May, already, which means a new release at Doodle Pantry. Sit back and relax a moment while I share two cards I've created. First up is the adorable Cherry Nice Mice. I also used the fabulous cherry digital paper that's included in this set. I love it!! So life is no longer like a box of chocolates, now it's like a bowl of cherries!!

  Next up is a previously released set that Laurie has now added color to...Birthday Birdie. I can hear you say "what a cutie of a birdie!" Here too I used one of the digital papers from the set. Be on the lookout for a post later on, I have plans for another card using the rest of this paper!

Thanks for hanging out with me today. Don't forget to join us for our Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge (post will go up at 12noon). Play along and you will receive an adorable set that is a must have to your digital image collection.