This & That Crafting & Quilling

Since I haven't been able to do any crafting lately since surgery, I decided to take a few pictures of some past cards and creations from last year.

The Anniversary card is paper quilled flowers. Below the card is a paper quilled larger flower and I put it an altered frame.The card below is a father's day card from last year with Stampin Up stamps and cardstock, water coloring and sewing.And this is a mother's day card from last year as well. I lifted the idea from Paper Crafting magazine. It is done in a "quilt" pattern and dry embossed, sewing and buttons.Thanks to all of you for the well wishes and I hope to be back crafting and blog hopping soon! I'm having withdrawals. Thanks for visiting!

Did You Miss Me?

Wow, didn't realize it had been so long since I had posted. I didn't fall off the face of the earth, even though it felt like it. I had minor hip surgery - from that nasty fall I took almost 8 months ago in my craft room.

Things (the bursa in the hip) didn't heal back appropriately due to infection/damage and I (as well as the doctor) decided after lots of physical therapy, exercises and pain meds that it was the next course of action to attempt to get rid of the pain. The medical term for the surgery is a bursectomy....(the removal of the bursa). It's rather interesting considering you have bursas in your elbows, hips, knees, etc. A new bursa will grow back over time. A very interesting fact, huh?

Of course the recovery time is taking a little longer than I expected but I am slowly recovering. I have started back to work a little this week here and there but it make take a little longer to get back to my crafting and making cards. I hope to get my STAPLES removed from my hip this week (keeping fingers crossed) - Staples are very annoying and a lot different than having stitches!

Just wanted to let everyone know I am still here. I have a lot of blog hopping to do and will catch up with all of you as I recover.

Flower Watering Can Card

This is a card that I have made for my MIL for Mother's Day. She is really big into gardening/flowers and I thought this would be perfect for her. The watering can template can be found in the May 2008 Cardmakers Magazine.

I used a very light sheet of card stock. Cut the can template all by hand, brushed the whole card in timber brown Stazon ink and used my distressing block to give it an antique look. I added eyelets to the handle and the spout and used my cuttlebug for the flower matting on the front and brown twine for the bow.

I plan on making some "seed" paper to go with the card too - it's drying now but I do not know how long it takes to dry - so I will post a picture of it later (of course if it turns out the way it is supposed to).

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I am very behind on blog hopping and will catch up soon. Thanks for visiting.

Template Issues

Okay, ya'll may have seen a change in my blog template recently. My Pyzam template went haywire over the weekend and I had to revert back to a basic blogger template to keep from loosing all of my links. So over the next few weeks I hope to have something a little more unique - "crafty". It may change often. Hope not to confuse anybody;-)

Due to my laziness, it make take awhile too. I would really just like a nice crafty header and be done with it :wink: Need to brush up on my PSP skills.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Toot! Toot! Toot! Exciting News ~

If you didn't hear it the first time that was TOOT! TOOT! TOOT! I received an email from Tamara (Sketches by Tamara) to be a Guest Designer!!! I have to admit when I read the email from her I was so excited I felt like I would throw up. Have you ever been that excited and happy before? This is my first guest appearance and I was just thrilled!

You can find the direct link to the post HERE! Please be sure to comment on Tamara's blog as well ::wink::

I picked a past card sketch (#26). The card is 8.5 x 4.25 inches. This is my first attempt at this size/style card and also using pink and brown together. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I used SU cardstock and ticket punched the corners. The flower image is two separate rub-ons and the sentiment is also a rub-on. I added flowers, brad, ribbon and of course Stickles for some bling! I hope you like it as much as I do. Thank you so much Tamara for the opportunity to showcase one of my cards on Sketches!

by the way it is actually 5:30 a.m. on Saturday (I was so excited I had the post prepared -lol)

Sketch Challenge #2

This is a quick and easy sketch that I created for inspirational purposes only. It can be used for a card or layout. I had a holiday theme in mind when I created it such as Memorial Day or the 4th of July. I hope someone is able to find inspiration from it. If you use the sketch please leave me a comment. I would love to see it!

Enjoy!

Card Sketch 38 {Sketches}

This is card sketch #38 from Sketches by Tamara. I used cardstock from SU, the doublesided patterned paper, flower, brad and paper ribbon is by K&Company. I used my cuttlebug for the scalloped flowers and lightly brushed the white scallop with ink. I am not sure how I feel about this card yet only because I got in a craft "rut" this weekend and this is the only card I made. Now the weekend is over and I feel like I should have been cuttin' and scrappin' away. Where did the weekend go?

I did get a little bit of shopping in at Michaels as it was a brand new store that opened up locally today. I bought a few things;-) but I am sure I could have bought more. This store does have a few things that I normally by online so I am sure I will be visiting them often. They had at least 10+ rows dedicated just for paper crafting/scrapbooking :insert drool: It was a nice treat to see all of it. I never did leave the paper crafting section to see what the rest of the store was like, guess my trip back will be sooner rather than later.

I am behind on blog hopping as usual and will catch up with all of you soon. Thanks for visiting!

Card Sketch 37 {Sketches}

This is card sketch #37 from Sketches by Tamara. I used SU cardstock, the patterned paper is from K&Company and the ribbon was from my stash. I was trying to go for a Spring feel with the card. I think I achieved it. I cut the flowers from the patterned paper also. Sorry the quality of the picture is poor. There has to be a trick that I am not aware of when taking pictures of stripes, checkered or polka dot paper!?

As always, I enjoy the inspiration that Tamara and Nicola (My Paper World) bring to me on the weekends. Thanks ladies!

The weekend is almost over, so back to work tomorrow. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. Thanks for visiting!

My Paper World Sketch #7

I created this card using My Paper World (Nicola) card sketch #7. The hedgehog stamp is from Penny Black. Cardstock and patterned paper are from Stampin Up. The ribbon is from Hobby Lobby. I also used faux stitching, color pencils, mineral spirits and Stickles.

Okay, I have a confession to make. BOTH ribbons are covering up mistakes. So the ribbon matching the patterned paper was a complete accident and I had not originally planned on using ribbon on this card. But,you do what you gotta do to fix the "oopsies"!

(Note to self: when using checkered paper and checkered ribbon - camera refuses to focus properly!)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. I think that darn flu bug I had is finally gone. We have been working in the yard most of the day. What was I thinking....pheeww. Crafting is more fun! I hope to work on another sketch this weekend. Thanks for visiting!

Happy Mail & Missing In Action

What else do you need to make you smile and feel better than open your mail and find all these wonderful stamped images? I received a RAK from Anna. Well, I sort of asked for a couple of them and I got a LOAD of them - just WOW! There is a cutout of a butterfly on the right side (that is standing up). The picture does not begin to show how beautiful and sparkly it is. Thanks so much Anna.

I have been missing in action the last couple of days as that darn flu bug/virus hit me. I thought it would pass me by this year but I should have known better because I think everyone I know or work around has had it. I am feeling better today but just a little run down and sore.

Anyhoo, thanks again Anna for these wonderful images. I can't wait to use them. I hope to have a burst of energy later this weekend and work on a few sketches.

Thanks for visiting!

Art & More Award (Arte Y Pico)

Thank you very much to Sarah (Fluff's Creations) for giving me the Arte Y Pico award! I am extremely honored! The "Arte Y Pico" (Art & More) is given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogger world.

Here are the rules:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5) To show these rules.

There are soo many bloggers that I could nominate for this award. As always this is a very difficult decision to make and I only can name 5. So with that said, I nominate (in no particular order) - Caroline, Carol, Zee, Lesli and Annette.

The Things You Do for BLOG CANDY

Okay, Carol this is for you! She is giving away blog candy and showing off a picture of yourself is one of the guidelines. Everyone go check it out.

I totally hate pictures taken of me and self portraits are even worse! So I must really, really, really want this blog candy girlfriend!

Here ya go....


Guess I should add it to my profile now.