Sing to the Lord!

What a beautiful day it was today! The sun was shining, the temperature was warm, and the slight breeze was oh so perfect. So much has been going on as of late, I'm always in a state of playing catch up. And that goes for ALL my card making too. This one makes use of the sweet stamp of the month at From the Heart and it's called Garden Fence. I got this done just in time, which means I'll receive next month's absolutely free!!! I like that!!!! Back to my stamp room, I have some DT cards to make. YIKES!!!

Sending You Smiles

I wanted to post a quick reminder about our Choose Your Challenge over at the Fresh Brewed Blog. Use an image from Fresh Brewed Designs and you're in the running for this yummy blog candy!!! 

And here's one sweet little image you could use for the challenge, say hello to Beach Sweetie. She was just released this month along with some other beach themed images. I sure hope you can join us, but you better hurry, you only have a few days left for our Choose Your Challenge and blog candy prize. 

Sweet Purple???

My apologies for being late with my post. I've been dealing with a back in spasm that has had me flat on the bed for all of yesterday. Today I'm upright and happy about that!

Welcome to our last challenge of the month at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2. We have a blast from the past sketch along with a twist. Here is the sketch...fabulous! And the twist is PURPLE. You know my feelings about purple, it's not my favorite, but a challenge isn't a challenge unless it put you outside your comfort zone.  

Our lovely sponsor this week is A Day for Daisies. Owner Tammy is generously awarding our winner with a $12 gift certificate to the store. She also provided the DT with images of their choosing...Thanks Tammy!!! 

I went with the cute Fairy image, Growing a Flower. A perfect sweetie to dress up in purples. You can't see it in the photo but I added just a hint of sparkle with my new Wink of Stella pen. Love the subtleness that I wish I could capture on film. Sure hope you can join us this week for our blast from the past sketch and P is for PURPLE challenge.

Greetings of the Season

So how many Christmas cards do you have done so far?!! A HUGE perk to being on a Christmas challenge design team is I get to create a holiday card every week!!! Fun, fun, fun, thanks to our generous sponsors. This week our theme at Holly Jolly Christmas is fancy folds. I've been so preoccupied with life that I've spent no time in my stamp room so my creativity level is close to zero. A gate fold card is all I had the time and energy to come up with. I used an image from QKR Stampede, our generous sponsor, called Pine Cone. Perfect for that one bachelor friend of ours that I like to make masculine holiday cards for. I hope you can join us for our fancy folds challenge at Holly Jolly Christmas.
  

Some Like it Hot

I am running so far behind on, well, everything, that I just now got my card done for the clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz. Our theme this week is a "Just Because I Love You" card. I've had these Chili Peppers from Doodle Pantry printed off for a while now, and they fit this challenge perfectly. The little strip of paper is also from the Chili Peppers set. Because I love Doodle Pantry, and I think you will too, be sure and shop now because there's a 40% off your purchase sale going on right now. Check it all out HERE. Hope you can join us at The Outlawz too for our CAS challenge.  

A Sweet Thank You

Check out our latest sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2. Sketch designer Sally certainly comes up with some real beauties.  

Our sponsor this week is our dearest supporter, Digi Stamp Boutique. Be sure and check out her store, there are plenty of awesome images I know you will love...  

Like the one I used on my card, Gardening Betty. I'm so ready to get some flowers planted, even if they are in pots that I have to keep on the deck so the deer don't eat 'em up! I have the best dressed deck in the neighborhood!!! Sure hope you can join us this week for some sketchy fun at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.
 

Gift Card Holders

Time to share our latest challenge at Holly Jolly Christmas -- anything but a card. I went with a gift card holder...and an easy one at that. I found the instructional video HERE and HERE. I made two of them so you could see what they look like both open and closed. Are you surprised I show it with a Starbucks card?!!! The digital image, sentiment and papers all come from a Doodle Pantry set, Jolly Saint Nicholas. Come and join us at Holly Jolly Christmas and show off your "anything but a card" project.

Other challenges I'd like to submit my project to include:
Simply Create Too - anything but a card
CRAFT Challenge - Christmas     
ABC Christmas Challenge - Santa or Elf
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - Santa

With Love

It's challenge time for the next round of Gina K. guest designers. You can read all about it on Stamp TV. The challenge called for a card with a matching lined envelope. I pulled out my Shabby Spring Stamp TV kit. I even fired up my Cameo to use some of the coordinating cut files. This card is far from what I had originally imagined, but it was getting close to the deadline for this challenge so I just went with what I had. Enjoy your today...even if it is Monday!!
  

Homegrown Friends

Our clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz this week is all about gardening. I do container gardening as we have lots of deer who totally eat up whatever they can find! Here I used a Doodle Pantry image, Vegetable Garden. Trying to fit as much on a sheet of paper when working with digis, I often misplace images and sentiments. That's what happened here...and there lies yet another challenge! I used what I had (probably because I was simply too lazy to print up another sentiment!!!). I started with the linen thread wrapped around the card but didn't like it, so I simply balled it up and adhered it to the back of my image. Crazy, but still clean and simple. Join us this week at The Outlawz and show off your garden.

Challenges I'd like to submit my card to included:
One Stitch at a Time - Keep it Simple
Speedy Fox and Friends - No designer paper
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - Clean and simple

A Little Hello

For some crazy reason, I never get myself organized enough to have a card done after Wednesdays, but today I do! I wanted to let you know Doodle Pantry is one of the sponsors at Open-Minded Crafting Fun. Their challenge this week is to use ribbon. I couldn't resist the newly released Carousel Zebra - I HAD to use to zebra stripe digital paper also included in this set. Other challenges I'd like to submit this card to include:

Use Your Stuff - Ribbon
One Stitch at a Time - Use a digi
  

Just a Sweet Note

We have a fun new sketch for your enjoyment at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2. I love a good sketch, especially one that lets me use my designer papers. 

To go along with our fabulous sketch, we have a wonderful sponsor...Broken Box Stock. So many fun and whimsical designs. Do check 'em out! Our winner this week will receive 3 digital images of their choosing.  

Here's my card, using Garden Toodle. I just realized it's the same image as on the sponsor badge I have!! How fun!!! It's that time to start thinking gardens, both vegetable and flower. I have to put mine in containers on my deck, otherwise the dear totally feast on them. Be sure and join us this week for some sketchy fun at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.
 

Merry Christmas to You

Welcome to our latest challenge at Holly Jolly Christmas. I hope you've been playing along with us each week, you'll have a nice supply of Christmas cards if you do. This week we're looking for some Christmas Greenery for our challenge. I used a cutie image from one of our sponsors, Lacy Sunshine. This guy is Sleepy Holiday Fred Gnome and can be found HERE. Okay, so I goofed with my coloring. I took it as a bunch of holly leaves decorated with a big bow and shiny ornaments. Then it hit me, silly girl, those are holly berries!! Guess mine is a hybrid breed!! Hahaha! Anyway, please join us this week for some Christmas Greenery at Holly Jolly Christmas.
    

A Summertime Blog Hop at Fresh Brewed Designs

Good Morning and welcome to the May Fresh Brewed Designs Blog Hop!

If you have already visited the challenge blog and are arriving

here from Beth's blog, then you are right on track!

If not, then go BACK to the start >> HERE<< at Freshly Brewed Challenges.

Last month we welcomed in Spring, 

but this month we are moving on into summer!

Sand in our toes, the smell of salty air, late evening walks, sticky, Popsicle covered faces, mosquitoes...

Yes, it is almost here. 

And we are SO EXCITED!!!

Here is a card I created featuring one of Heather's newest digital stamps called Look What I Caught.

You can order this digi or any of these new releases at the

Fresh Brewed Designs Shop

  

Thank you so much for hopping with us today.

I do hope you enjoyed your visit with us.

Be sure to leave a comment on all participating blog stops

for a chance to win a free digi of choice from FBD.

You have until May 14th, 11:59 PM EST to hop. 

It is time for you to hop on over to my fellow DT member and friend Vicky's blog to see what she has prepared for you. 

Have a lovely day.

Here's the order of our summertime blog hop:

FRESHLY BREWED CHALLENGES

BETH

LINDA

VICKY

SALLY

KIM

MARJI

AMY

EDWINA

RHONDA

SHERYL

LISA

DESIRE

LORI

HEATHER

You are a True Friend

Happy Mother's Day! I'm scheduling this to post Sunday morning for the clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz. It is actually my challenge. I so often use designer paper on my cards that I thought how fun it would be to create our own background using stamps. Any "handmade" background will do, as long as the card itself is CAS. I used lots of products from Simon Says Stamp...Hello You and Life is a Journey stamp sets, SSS inks and cardstock, and SSS Big You die. The word "YOU" is popped up for that much needed dimension. Join us and have some fun over at The Outlawz.

I left yesterday for Ohio to workout and do a necessary testing towards my goal of 5th degree black belt next June. It's a lot of work and dedication, something that has been re-sparked in me. I'll let you know how my weekend went in my next blog post.
    

Smile Often

Check out the new "Choose you own Challenge" at the Fresh Brewed Blog. I'm lucky enough to get to work with this awesome sketch! After all, I do love my sketches.  

And here's my card, using the sweet Fresh Brewed Designs image Angel Cake Summer Days. Yes, I'd be smilin' often if I were on the beach right now...in a yellow polka dot bikini!! Can't complain though, our beach vacation is scheduled for over the 4th of July again this year, so it won't be long now. Anyway, I changed up the position of the corner thingy (can you tell I'm tired, can't even come up with a name for that thing in the corner!!) and made it into my sentiment, with the help of a die cut yellow felt flower that just happen to be on my desk, amidst the mess!! Some Stickles was added to the "sand" and that's it for my embellishing. I sure hope you can join us this month for our Fresh Brewed month long challenge.
 

Bee-cause I Care

Happy Hump Day! And welcome back to the latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2. It's a fun one, that's for sure. Now I think I say that every week...but each week we have nothing but fun sketches!! 

 

Join us for a chance at winning 4 non-colored images from our sponsor, Meljen's Designs. Take a moment and check out her site, there are so many adorable images, you're gonna want 'em all!!! Or maybe that's just me!!!!

Here's my card, using the wonderful Lazy Susan Buggies. These bees are just so sweet! Love their little smiling faces. And what is it about bees' wings that make you want to add glitter to 'em?!! A fun card to make...and it all started with a fantastic sketch. Join us at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 and have a blast too. 

A Color Challenge

Doodle Pantry is sponsoring the Creative Colors Challenge for the next two weeks. I took the colors as Melon mambo, Pumpkin pie and Kraft. Adding rhinestones is also part of the challenge, but we were not informed of the twist. I did use pearls though...let's pretend they're rhinestones!! I started out with the adorable Jiggle Giraffe, the color version. The sentiment is also from this set. As for my papers, I went with the Going Wild digital paper pack that was just released this month. There's so many to choose from out of that pack, you're gonna love it! Do join them at Creative Colors Challenge for a chance at a gift certificate to go shopping at Doodle Pantry.  

Hanging Your Stockings

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...I think Stella has her own version of this classic Christmas poem!! Welcome to our latest challenge at Holly Jolly Christmas. Our theme this week is "Traditional Colors" and our sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps. I'm always so excited when they're our sponsor 'cause I love their images! Here is Stella Calendar Months - December. I adore her sense of humor! Red and green is not always easy for me, I'm such a rebel and always go for the out of the box holiday colors. I found this piece of designer paper in my never ending scrap pile and kept the design in my latest fave clean and simple. Sure hope you can join our traditional color challenge at Holly Jolly Christmas.
   

Mother's Day

Doodle Pantry is sponsoring The Squirrel and the Fox for their Mother's Day challenge. I used the beautiful Doodle Pantry set Petite Bouquet. I've had this printed off for awhile now and this was the perfect challenge to use it for. Other challenges I'm submitting my card to include:

Crazy 4 Challenges - April Showers Bring May Flowers
My Sheri Crafts - Celebration of Moms
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - Y is for your Mama
Brown Sugar - Use two patterned papers
Creative Corner Challenges - For Mom
Get Inky - Mother's Day with Flowers

Hope you can join in with The Squirrel and the Fox Mother's Day challenge. Up for grabs is a $10 gift certificate to spend at Doodle Pantry.

Let's Have Some Pun!

Happy Sunday! Our clean and simple challenge over at The Outlawz is "Let's Have Some Pun." I have so many stamps with cute and clever sayings, I had a hard time choosing. When I pulled this set from Simon Says Stamps called Naughty Nautical, I knew I had to ink it up. I started by embossing the background, using the Nautical Borders set also from Simon Says Stamps, and versamark and clear embossing powder. Love the visual texture it gives. A touch of stitching made for a perfect CAS embellishment. I just couldn't leave it alone though and had to add my favorite, brads. Join us for some punny fun at the clean & simple challenge from The Outlawz.
 

Doodle Pantry May Release

Hard to believe it's May 1st already!! Where is the time going? The first of the month means a new release at Doodle Pantry!! Having a house full of men (one of our two cats is female, so it's her and I against the guys!), I'm always drawn to the masculine images. I love this new set, Buffalo & Caribou, and you'll love it too because it is free with purchase...but only until May 24th. I found the blues and browns of the caribou image so striking. And as luck would have it, I found a piece of scrap designer paper to coordinate perfectly! A simple card, but that's how I like it!

Starting at 12 noon, the new challenge will begin on the Doodle Pantry Blog. Play along by creating a project using a Doodle Pantry image, and you will receive free via email Classic Cards 2. And check out how you can receive 30% off the new May products HERE on the specials page. Now get shopping!!!