Mickey and Friends Cards

I hate that I haven't posted lately. My husband is just getting over pneumonia and I actually had a very busy weekend. Now that the week started, it's also very busy - I actually have to try to get some work done tonight too.

These are some cards I did using the Mickey and Friends cartridge. I really love doing the piecing work which is why I got this one even tho I have no young kids!

Another "old" HM card

Oops, missed this one when I posted the rest! Same story, different stamp. I did a reverse image of the second mousy from the first one, scanned it in and took out the heart so it looks like he is receiving the heart from the first one.

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This has been an interesting week to say the least. My DH is a teacher and this is the first time in his 7 years of teaching that he made it through the school year without getting sick, or so we thought! He woke up with a fever on Monday and very nauseous. Actually was going to go to school and I said in my best old NY accent - fuggetaboutit! So he stayed home. Woke up on Tuesday, still the same, altho not horribly ill, but I told him to go to Doctor - unusual for him to have a fever and it just so happened he passed a kidney stone (luckily no pain!) on Monday AM so we figured it was either a UTI, prostate or kidney infection since he's had them before with kidney stones. I call him up a lunch time and he's feeling terrible. Asks me to come home to take him to Doctor because he feels horrible and he's vomiting, and can't even get up to go. I get home and he's got over 103 fever! Yikes. Give him ibuprofen and ice him down so I can get him to the doctor. Well, turns out he has bacterial pneumonia!! How he got that, who knows, but good thing he went to doctor when he did because he progressively got worse during the rest of the day. He's on antibiotics now, and barely feeling better. Hopefully tomorrow's a better day. But, geez, next year, maybe he should get sick a little during the school year! Here's hoping me and DS don't get it, we have another 3-4 days before the incubation period is done!

House Mouse & Friends #34 AND Mojo Monday # 83

Two challenges conquered at once! Now that makes my life easier.

The HM&F challenge said to think spring! And the bunny and mouse eating a nice fresh carrot in the lavender (which is flowersoft) just made me thing of spring.

Cuttlebugged the background (don't you just love how cuttlebugged has become a verb?). Nestie for the sentiment, which is computer generated and the Fiskars treading water punch for the edging border. The lady bug is from a set of foam stickers in one of the Michael's dollar bins.

Look what I got today!

My friend Debbie, at Coastal Creations, gave me my very first little blog award today. I'm so happy my blog makes her smile. Especially since she does such wonderful work. Check out hers at http://www.coastalcreations.blogspot.com/.

So now I need to pass this on to the top 5 blogs that make ME smile. I'm sure this has made the rounds, but I want you to know anyway that you are some of my favorites.

Jeannie - www.aplaceformycards.blogspot.com

Carole - www.crayola58a.blogspot.com

Ruth - www.ruelysicreativecards.blogspot.com

Diane - www.capadiadesigns.blogspot.com

Kris - www.klcardcollection.blogspot.com

Sketch Saturday #47

Happy Sunday everyone. This was a perfect challenge to go along with April's MCPT challenge on the Cricut Cards messageboard. Changito stamp, MCPT, nestie for circle, rain dots for bubbles and some flowersoft.

Some more "oldies" - House Mouse (and friends)

Seems like there's many house mouse fans out there - and I certainly don't have all the stamps, but I'm building my collection. It's certainly my favorite brand so far - I love the details and how they look when colored. My biggest problem is that I haven't done too many more than once so far!

Some older cards

I've been crafting cards only since around August. I had gotten a cricut expression for my husband, who is a teacher, last April. I played with it for a while, but the only thing I really did was some vinyl lettering for our wall. I taught my husband how to use it who then went crazy! He did his whole class room in vinyl, he started up some scrapbooks for our vacations, etc. I tried my hand at scrapbooking, but just couldn't get into it - by then I had found the cricut message board - the cards specifically, and found a new hobby.

Turns out I learned alot from the message board. I learned I loved House Mouse stamps. And I learned how to color them with Prisma Pencils and mineral spirts.

I found out I had to have a cuttle bug! And then had to have every embossing folder made (well I don't have them all yet).

I found other websites and learned how to make gift holders too! I found out there were ALOT of cricut cartridges I loved and although I'm not great at using them, I can churn out some things when inspired.

I bought a sewing machine even though I never sewed before. And I love love love how it makes my cards look. It sits out on my dining room table all the time, and you can't believe how happy my mother is that I'm learning to use it before she dies.

I've continued to carry on with my stamping and learned brayering (if you scroll down through my blog you'll see some of my work!)

Maybe I'll put some more things in another blog on a day I get nothing else done.

I hope you like these little crafts of mine. :)

Thanks a bunch - Flowersoft!

I got a present in the mail today (to me, from me)...I got the last box of Floral Bouquet flower selection from Cutter Creek. 7 colors of Flowersoft - all mixed...absolutely beautiful. What cool stuff. So of course had to give it a try tonight. I have no idea which two colors I used...I'll have to figure it out! My husband (who also scrapbooks) was very impressed with how it looks and wanted to know how I did those little flowers. Looks better in real life, but hopefully you get the gist.

Used the cuttlebug on the watering can, all cuts done using my cricut and Walk in my garden. The can was done with silver and gold metalic papers.

Mojo Monday Sketch #82

I keep checking out the different challenge and sketch sites to get motivated and so far it's working.

Used one of my favorite bunny stamps for this, plus a SU sentiment. MS punch for the edges and labels one set of Nesties.

I'm enjoying blogging and receiving comments! I'm REALLY surprised that people leave me comments; I look at what I do and it just doesn't seem special. But it makes me free special to read the comments I get. Thank you! :)

Using scraps

I am such a bad scrapper - I tend to throw away lots of stuff...I fill up the garbage can under my desk every week. So I am trying to recycle more and use all the scraps I am starting to keep. This was a card I threw together in a few minutes - no theme - just one to have around.

I had woven the paper a while ago and found it today. The purple paper is cuttlebugged and cut out with my new Nestie label set.

The words are computer generated.

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #33

This week's challenge is to use two images. I only have a few that go together, so here is a halloween card in April! Colored using prisma pencils and mineral spirits. The image flap is held down by the candy corn. Lift and it allows you to open the card.

Thanks for looking!

One last Easter Card

I was sitting here watching the Sound of Music and had an inspiration...then I just had to go find the cuts to do this. Used Stretch your Imagination for the bunny and Wild Card for the ducks.

Hope you enjoy it.

Learning new things - For instance, May 1-3 is National Scrapbooking Weekend

First of all, Happy Easter to all my online friends. I hope you had a wonderful day. After an unprecidented cold and rainy day here in Phoenix yesterday, it's sunny and perfect today - and about 75 degrees. We did our annual brunch with my husband's family. We all descend upon on of the nearby Scottsdale resorts and basically stuff ourself with more food than should be allowed in one day. We did notice, however, that there were far fewer people than usual and the lines for food were non-existant. Is the recession finally reaching Scottsdale? It sure looks like it.

I've been making cards since last August, and have had my Cricut expression for almost one year and in that time learn something new every day. Now I have learned that there is a National Scrapbooking weekend. All my LSS's are sending me ads for events at their stores, and I also see things being planned on-line. One of my favorite challenge sites, The Cuttelbug Challenge blogspot is having a "Spa Weekend" online!

Here is their invitation, below...they are going to have prizes, guest designers, etc. And if you don't have a cuttlebug (and you NEED a Cuttlebug), there will be prize drawings for C/Bs!

I think this kind of stuff is fun and you don't have go anywhere. I have to mark my calendar and take a look at what they are doing.

Other than check, keep your local LSS in business too and see what they will be doing that weekend...I know I will be going to the 3 local stores I have.

Again, have a great rest of your Easter!!

TLC215 Flower Pot Pocket Card - Split Coast Stampers

I get an email every Monday from Split Coast Stampers regarding their Monday challenge and almost every Monday I think I'm going to get around to it but I don't. But this week's really stayed in my head, probably because I still needed an Easter Card.

The basic instructions are here: http://sluman.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2009/01/25/flower-pot-pocket-card/

My version is cuttlebugged with the "double boss" method and inked. Used my cricut (George and Accent Accentials) for the flowers and leaves. The bunny is downloaded digital art. Buttons. And the whole thing is basically put together with pop dots. Hope you like.

And happy Easter to everyone!

House Mouse Challenge #32 Something Sweet

I've been very motivated today! I never do two cards in one day. But this week's HM Monday challenge was too yummy to pass up (and for me, too easy). Basically the only criteria was to have something sweet on your card!

House Mouse Stamp, the "cupcakes forever" was from a $1 set from Michaels, cuttlebug Happy Birthday on the background, and of course, the stamp is colored with the MCPT. You can't see it, but the pink frosting is covered with pink fine glitter.

Sketch Saturday - #45

I'm going to start to use some challenge sites to get ideas for card layouts. As soon as I saw this sketch I had an idea and couldn't do anything until I finished it, including going to Joann's for buttons. It's rare that happens to me so I was very excited, but it means I'll have some work to do over the weekend.

The wording on bottom says "We love you SEW much!".

Used a house mouse stamp, MS punch and some generic flowers and buttons. Paper is by basic grey.

Brayering

I've been working on my brayering technique. Now that I have the right ink (dye) and the right paper, it's going much better. If I can keep my fingerprints off the paper, I'll be good. Here are some recent attempts. The sand castle scene was completed on the first attempt!

Started a blog (again)

I started this in November with all intentions of finishing, well, it just didn't happen. So starting again, and hope I can post one or two items a week. I hope this motivates me to complete items more often or not! And I hope you like what I do.