Vacation

I want to let my followers know I will be on vacation in Europe and won't be taking a computer.  Alas, not even any crafting supplies -- well, maybe one or two watercoloring items.  What am I going to do?  I will be so ready to get back into the swing once I return, and hope to be a much better blog poster.  Have a great two weeks, I'll be back September 17th, maybe with some photos.

Until next time..........................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down the Lines -- Night of Navy

Whoooo hooooo, it's time for the Wednesday blog hop.  You've probably arrived from Pam's blogsite.  Love, love, her creation.  This week for the Coloring Down the Lines challenge we were challenged to use Night of Navy and add to it either Pumpkin Pie and Cherry Cobbler OR Old Olive and Daffodil Delight.  I chose the latter.  I tried a couple weeks ago to work with a shade of red and a shade of orange and I had my fill of those colors then, so I chose more neutral colors this time.

This "Flap Fold" card was inspired by Vicky over at the Stampin' Fun and Friends site.  I really liked the slightly different opening.  I have been looking for cards with a difference lately and this one is nice.  Below you can see a little better how it opens.  What you can't see from the picture is that behind the dots there is another layer, which is the inside of the card for writing or stamping a sentiment. So this card actually has 3 folds. Love it.

I just got the Distressed Dots stamp the other day and  couldn't wait to ink it up.  So, instead of embossing with the dots embossing folder, which I love, I inked dots instead.  I am going to love this stamp and already have some other ideas how to use it for backgrounds.  

I hope you like my color combination today and that you'll continue on to Teri's blogsite, where I am sure you are going to find yet another one of her beautiful creations.

Until next time.........................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Cupcakes

The Morning Chat Group has a challenge every two weeks, with a theme we pick for that challenge.  This time we were challenged to do anything cupcake.   I needed to make a birthday card for my niece last week, and what better idea than a cupcake card.  I did this accordian style card -- I don't know if that is what it is really called, but that is what it looks like to me.  I really can't remember whose card I immitated, but I believe Split Coast has directions on their website for this style.  This was a fun card to do and I plan to do more, especially for the kids.

I used two sets of stamps for this card -- Create a Cupcake and A Cherry On Top -- as well as the cupcake punch.  I love the little cupcakes rising above the card folds.   On the front cupcake I used a good squeeze of Crystal Effects and mixed some glitter into it to make the frosting.  It really looks like frosting.   I just noticed in this picture that the little pearls on the flowers in the center look like eyeballs.  Hmmmmm......that was not the intention.  Might have to work on that. 

I hope you like my cupcake challenge and that you'll come join us at 10:00 a.m. Eastern on weekdays for our morning chat.  You are missing some real fun, if you don't. 

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

A Few Cards From Friends

Today I have 2 sets of promised cards from friends.  This first set is from my good friend, Robbie Rubala from the morning chat group. Hi Robbie, thanks so much for sending these to me.  I'm not quite sure how she managed to get that soft, subtle, coloring around the flower on the right card.  Some type of sponging.  Looks like she may have used a negative punch and sponged around.  So pretty.  The other is pretty too.  I like the soft colors -- I believe I have been leaning to soft colors lately.  Love both of these creations a lot.

The second set of cards is from another good friend, Laura Haffke.  Hi Laura, I loved receiving these in the mail.   It's hard to see from pictures, but both of these have a lot going on.  The flower has a second layer inside so that the flower will show through the hole in the top layer.  And, in addition to that, there is a slider that adds another little picture to that hole.  So cute.  The birdhouse is another card with "action."  The opening right above the sentiment stretches so that the pole of the birdhouse reaches way up.  It's really a long pole.  This is really adorable and has already inspired a couple of birdhouse cards that I have made.  Thanks a bunch Laura, love 'em.

So there are a couple more of the many great cards I have received.  I'll try to add more very soon.  And don't forget to come back on Wednesday for our next Coloring Down the Lines blog hop.  We'll have some nice viewing for you.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Balloons and Cake

I have balloons and cake for you today.  And if you look close, an airplane and a card too.  Over the last several months I have been working hard on a tough project, and last week it finally came to an end.  Buffy and Liz, two of my bestest, wonderfulest, friends helped me celebrate.  They surprised me with some balloons and a "congrats" cake.   Hi gals, I am still smiling from all that partying last week.

The balloons were really sweet.  Do you see that tiny airplane close to the middle baloon?  There is a story behind that airplane.   When my husband and I got married (this is our second for both of us), he already had this house.  Lo and behold I had been looking at this pull rope hanging from the ceiling fan, which is waaaaay up there on the ceiling 2 floors up.  Every time I would see it I'd think it sure looked like a hangman's noose -- see the slight loop and the knot?  Well, once I was the lady of the house, I decided to do something about that noose.  One day when we were on vacation, putzing in shops, etc., I saw this little airplane and knew just what to do with it.  I bought it and hung it from the noose loop so that the rope would look like it was meant all along to fly that airplane through the air.  No more having company think that we were mean and they could end up at the end of that rope.

As the grandchildren came along, and once they got to be around 18 months to 2 years, they wanted to see it fly.  So, either I or grampa would lift them and let them bat it once or twice, or three times, or four (enough!), and they could watch it fly.   Sometimes it was hard to stop.  As they've gotten older, there is less and less batting about, but that airplane still remains, hiding that noose.

So back to the party, we also had chocolate cake -- yum.  Of course, I didn't think to take a picture before we dug in, so you see it half eaten.  Actually, 3/4 eaten.   They were so sweet to surprise me and to celebrate with me.  Thanks you two -- mwah!

Come back again soon.  I have bunches of great friends who were nudging me on during the summer and supporting me with gorgeous cards and wonderful words.  I have a couple more RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness, for those of you who don't know).  I can't say enough about the fantastic friends I have, and the wonderful new ones I have made from the morning chat group that I keep talking about.  They are the best.  So come back tomorrow and I'll have a few of their cards to show you.

Until next time......................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down the Lines -- Elegant Eggplant

It's Wednesday, and you know what that means......blog hop.  It's our Coloring Down the Lines color challenge again.  You probably just arrived from Pam's blogsite.  I folow her most weeks, and her creations are so nice that I hope I can come close to looking as good.   Our main color this week is Elegant Eggplant.  With that color we can add either More Mustard and Garden Green OR Melon Mambo and River Rock.  I chose the latter. 

I've been wanting to emboss one of the die cuts, so this week I used the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder on the Floral Frames Framelit.  I used another of the same set of Framelits for the smaller center and added a brad.  Simple card, but it allowed me to do a birthday card that I needed to get out this week.  I hope you like my color challenge.

Now head over to Teri's blogsite for her challenge.  Teri also has wonderful creations, and I usually precede her.   I hope the same, that I have something nice to lead into her site.  All of us color "hoppers" first met months ago in the Morning Chat group.   A few of the gals met in person for the first time at this year's Stampin'Up! Convention, and others of us have never met in person.  Yet, we are all great friends and have a great time in our morning chat.  Our chat room is growing and growing, but we have room for you.  So join us at 10:00 Eastern each weekday morning at the Butternutsage blogsite.

Until next time.........................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Sympathy Silhouettes

This will be a quick post today.  I've been running around doing things all morning and will continue, however, I created some cards over the weekend and want to put at least one on my blog.  Unfortunately I had to do a sympathy card for someone who just lost her mother.  I CASE'd this from Yvette's blogsite (I can't remember where her blogsite is), and liked it so much that I did it almost identical.  Just changed the stamp set and a little of the coloring and shading.  I hope you like my card.

I'll be back as soon as I can with another of what I did over the weekend.  But don't forget our Wednesday Coloring Down the Lines hop.

Have a wonderful day!

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down the Lines -- Riding Hood Red

It's blog hop Wednesday and another Coloring Down the Lines challenge.  You probably arrived at my site from Pam's blogsite.  I love what she did with the challenge.  This week we were challenged to Use Riding Hood Red and to use either More Mustard and Basic Gray, OR Baja Breeze and So Saffron.  I chose More Mustard and Basic Gray.

I had such fun creating this card.  I had no idea how it was going to turn out, but I really like the look.  I plan to try more of this style.   I rarely do one layer cards, but by scoring around the edges, the card looks like it has more going on.  Hope you like it too.

For the inside and the envelope I stamped one little leaf.  For the leaf on the front of the card and also the inside and envelope I inked with Old Olive and thumped with More Mustard.  So I introduced a little green with my challenge colors, but that is legal.

I hope you like my color challenge today.  Now go over to Teri's blogsite.  She has something for you that I am sure you will like.

Until next time.....................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Cards from Friends

As promised, I have more cards from some of my friends.  These 2 gals are from my morning chat group.  And, at the expense of sounding like a broken record, you should come over to our morning chat and have as much fun as we do.  Just log on to Butternutsage's blogsite at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, look for the "click to join us," and come on in.

So these first 2 cards were done by my good friend Robbie.  She really makes some fabulous creations.  Just look at the punches on the right, wow!  And the card on the left has some wonderful colors.  I love them both -- thank you Robbie.  I'll have more from Robbie to show you soon.

These next two cards were done by another good friend, also from our morning chat group.  Amanda's cards are so pretty, and she always has something really nice to show.  I love the quilting effect on the right card.  The card on the left strikes me as simple, yet so pretty.  It pushed me over the edge to order that stamp set.  I just love the way she put it together.

Well, I'll be back again soon with more cards from friends.  I have a bunch, and I love every one of them.  But tomorrow is Coloring Down the Lines blog hop Wednesday, so come back to see what I have done with the color challenge for this week.

See you soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Friendly Swaps

Finally I am ready to show you a few of the many swaps and RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness) that I have been receiving.  The sun is shining and I am able to get some half way decent pictures.  But I need to learn how to become a better photographer.

This first picture shows 2 from my so kind, and so talented, friend Donna (a/k/a Butternut Sage).  These are part of her swap box to me.  She was just so sweet to give all us chat group gals several -- and I mean  several -- of her fabulous creations as swaps during the Stampin'Up! convention.  The other chat gals who attended the convention received things each day while there.  I did not get to go, so I received a box at home.  Oh what a wonderful surprise when the mail came that day.  Thanks so much Donna.  You are the greatest!

It's a little hard to tell, but the first card has a little piece of metal flashing (yes, metal flashing from the hardware store) with a beautiful stamp on it.  I love it and need to go get some flashing.  The second card has just the best colors, in my opinion.  Love the soft shades.  And love that little coffee cup spilling what I am going to imagine as "good cheer" into the air.  Love this one too, Donna.  All you readers, come on over to the Butternut Sage blogsite and join our morning chat group.  I have said it before -- we have such a good time! 

Here is another gorgeous group of creations that I received as a swap from my sweet friend Tracy.  She also is part of our morning chat group.  When I received this package, it was another great mail day!   Thanks Tracy, love the goodies.   She did a fold over card, which I love for all the cheery colors.  And just look at the luggage tag she made.  She used some of the Stampin'Up! fabric, a piece of window sheet to protect the name and phone number and sewed it all together.  Love the idea and the design.  Thanks Tracy, and it is now on one of my pieces of luggage -- all ready for my trip in September. 

In the next few days I will add some more.  I received several swaps from the chat group gals, and also a bunch of other nice RAKs.  I'll try to get some more on here soon.  And, hopefully, I will get some of my own mojo going (looking very hard under the beds and in the closets for that slippery little mojo) so I can put some of my own creations on here.

Until next time....................

Crafty hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down the Lines -- Bravo Burgundy

Such a fast week again.  Here we are with another Coloring Down the Lines blog hop Wednesday.  You probably arrived from Pam's blogsite.  She has such amazing creations and I am sure today is yet another.  Our challenge this week was to use Bravo Burgundy and according to the Color Coach, we could use River Rock and Baja Breeze with it OR we could use More Mustard and Crumb Cake.  I chose to use the first choice. 

I kept my card simple today.  I have been wanting to use the new spritzer bottles, so I mixed alcohol with Bravo Burgundy reinker in one bottle and in another spritzer bottle I used alcohol and Baja Breeze reinker.  Before I spritzed I took a piece of River Rock cardstock and stamped using VersaMark, clear embossing powder and then heat embossed.  I really like the soft look of the spray and plan to try this more with other colors.

Recipe:
Stamps:         Summer Silhouettes, My Friend
Paper:            Bravo Burgundy, River Rock cardstocks
Ink:                Bravo Burgundy, Baja Breeze, VersaMark
Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, alcohol,
                       Stampin Spritzers

Now you should hop on over to Teri's blogsite for her take on this week's challenge.  Teri has great ideas, and I am sure you'll like her creation.

Hope to see you again soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy