Wednesday Blog Hop -- December 30, 2015

Happy New Year everyone.  This is our last blog hop of the year, and we are really small today.  I believe everyone is still tripping (as in travel, not substance abuse).   We are small, but we are mighty.  Ok, so maybe I am tripping a little.  But out of happiness.  Our holiday was great, my family is great, and we are all looking forward to a wonderful 2016.  I hope your new year will be wonderful too.

You have arrived from Joni's blogsite, and when you finish here you should travel back to the beginning with Robbie's blogsite.

Here is our inspiration piece.  This is a very cold looking picture, and I fear it is what we will be looking at very soon.  Well, minus the bear, unless it is a brown bear.  We do have those in our yard from time to time.  In fact, we had one on our front porch a couple years ago just sitting and eating sunflower seeds just as calm as could be.  It has started getting chilly around here, and I know snow is just around the corner.  How much longer 'till spring?

Our Stampin'Up! colors are below, and I think I used them all.

 I didn't know how to get that Crumb Cake in with all those pretty blues, but I think it goes ok.  I'd rather use more blues, and may play with this a bit later, but for now all the colors are here.  I used some of the new Perfectly Artistic DSP from the Sale-a-bration catalog.  That paper is the very first item from the SAB booklet that I just had to have.  I love it, and hope Stampin'Up! will have something similar in our next annual catalog.  Perhaps in the new In Colors for next year?  Hint, hint.

The ribbon is in the new Occasions Catalog.  It is Pool Party Glitter Ribbon.  It goes really well with the new birthday designs and papers.  I am anxious to get started with my new goodies, but alas, I have to wait just a couple more days.  We have the New Year's Eve party every year at our house, and I'm really busy with that right now.  However, starting Saturday I'm going back to my craft room and plan to play with new goodies.

I hope you all have a great end to 2015 and a greater 2016.  See you next year!!!

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Wednesday Color Hop -- December 23, 2015

Merry Christmas everyone.  So this is the big week.  I hope you will be spending the holiday with your family and/or friends.  We will have my son and family here Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  That means we will have 2 of the grands with us.  Then later in the day we will have dinner with friends.  Even though the rest of the kids and grands are far and wide, we will most likely have Skype time with all of them.  So it will be a busy 24 hours, but fun.

Our blog hop this week continues to be a Christmas theme with Christmas colors.  Here is our inspiration piece.  I believe you arrived from Joni's blogsite, where she probably did something Christmassy.  I don't know for sure because I haven't been there yet.  Whatever, I'm sure it is beautiful.

Here are the Stampin'Up! colors.  I used all, however Soft Sky is hardly showing.  It is there.

And this is the card I created.  There is some white ink on the trees and some sparkle, but the camera just would not pick it up.  So, in person there is a lot more to this card than the photo.   Still, it is not a favorite.  If I had the time I would probably redo.  I love it when things come together and turn out even better than you planned.  However, as in this case, I hate it when my mind has a great idea, but the actual end result just doesn't cut it.

Enjoy your day and have a wonderful holiday.  Now continue to Robbie's blogsite.  I bet she has something beautiful for you.  She has such talent.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Wednesday Color Hop -- December 16, 2015

Another week has gone by and you are here for our Wednesday color hop.  Yikes!  Can you believe in only a little over a week from now it will be Christmas?  Are you ready?  I'm ready for Christmas, but not so sure I am ready for yet another year to have gone by.  2015 is almost over.  Wow!

So, you are here to see what challenge we have this week.  You have arrived from Joni's blogsite and when you finish here you should continue to Robbie's blogsite.

We have some really pretty blues today.  I think once again the first thing I thought was winter.  So I did another winter scene.  First, here is our inspiration piece and our colors:

 This is what I did with the colors:

I love both the stamp sets I used today.  They have been my favorites this season, and I plan to hang on to them for years, even when Stampin'Up! retires them.  That cute little guy with the snowsuit reminds me of our grands, and the trees are the easiest to use.

Continue now to Robbie's site and have a great week.  If things settle down a bit I may be able to add to my blog some of the cards I have done.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- December 9, 2015

Hi Everyone:   I'm finally back from my trip out West and it is another blog hop Wednesday.  We have a small group this week.  Some are sick and some are working hard, but the rest of us are here.  You should have arrived this week by way of Joni's blogsite.  I love her creations, they are always super.

Here is our inspiration piece this week and our colors:

 I'm doing a little something different this week.  I have been so swamped each day with yet another thing to try to get done.  You know how it is, you need at least 27 hours in the 24 hour day.  So I knew Tuesday morning I was getting together with crafting friends at an art studio to work on a "Vintage Christmas Tree."  The colors this week worked quite well in my tree.  Not much Cherry Cobbler, so I used that color as my photo backdrop.  The colors in the tree are mostly grays and browns.

It is a little difficult to get the full idea from a photo, but the tree is made from paper.  Actually they are pieces cut from a music book.  The paper is given the vintage look by sponging Crumb Cake and Soft Suede, the print is gray, and then the whole tree is assembled and sprayed with adhesive and sprinkled with gray glitter.  It is different, and we had a blast working on our trees.  Now where do I put it?

Have a wonderful day and a great weekend.  Now hop along to Robbie's blogsite.  See you again soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Color Hop Wednesday -- November 25, 2015

Welcome to our blog hop Wednesday.  I bet you are getting ready for Thanksgiving, cooking, etc.  I'm on vacation.  Can you imagine being in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving?  Well, that is where I am.  My sister is doing a work conference and I have joined her for a little fun.  Hopefully we will both come back home with something in our pockets.

So today you are here to see what the gals have posted to their blogs.  You should have come from Liz's blogsite.  I wonder what she did with these colors.  They are very fall, so I couldn't help but go with the flow and make my card fall.

Here is our inspiration piece and the Stampin'Up! colors:

 And here is my card.

Now continue to Robbie's blogsite where she started today.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and come back again.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Color Hop Wednesday -- November 18, 2015

Welcome back, friends.  It is another blog hop Wednesday.  What pretty spring flowers.  Only it is going to be a very long time before we get to see flowers outside.  I guess I'll just have to go to the florist when I want my flower fix.  Wherever you are, do you have rain?  Chill?  Fallen leaves?  Then I guess you are having the same thing I am.  Oh, you say, it is snowing where you are?  Well, I am sure we are not far behind you.

Below is our inspiration piece for this week, and the coordinating Stampin'Up! colors.  I had a little trouble getting that beautiful, bright coral, even though I used Calypso Coral.  This reminds me of many years ago when my first husband and I were renting a house.  The owners had the most beautiful coral roses.  I had never seen a color anywhere close to that.  I was so careful to take good care of those flowers because I knew the owner would not be happy if I killed her roses.  She had many more of many other colors, but the coral ones were my favorite.  She was so kind.  She rewarded me by digging up one and giving it to me when we moved.  Alas, I did not get to keep moving it from house to house, but I certainly enjoyed that bush while I had it.

Ok, so back to the card for today.

 Here is my card using the colors.  I decided since I need a birthday card this month for a friend that I would send her something springy.  I'm really "with it" when it comes to seasons.  Oh well.

And here is the inside and also the envelope.

Thank you for stopping here today.  If you came by way of Liz's blogsite, then you already saw her beautiful creation.  If not, then continue to the next blog, Robbie's blog, and then keep going all the way around,

Enjoy your day.  See you soon,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop -- November 11, 2015

Happy Veteran's Day everyone.  Be sure to thank a vet for all he/she has done for you.  I have my own personal vet to whom I am married.  I thank him all the time for what he did -- and for what he still does for me.  When I hear his stories, I hope I at least begin to understand what he and all the other vets have gone through, and continue to go through.

So, you are back for another color blog hop.  We have a little more fall here.  I think the inspiration piece is made up of leaves someone retrieved from our yard.  I tell you, with hundreds of trees on our property, we have a gazillion leaves.  My poor hubby thought he got a jump on leaves a week or so ago and cleared the drive, lawn and under and around bushes and flower beds.  The next day when I returned home from doing my errands in "the big city," there were so many leaves in the driveway that it looked like a shovel was needed.  Oh, and our driveway is a very, very, long driveway.  So, he got out there with the leaf blower and did it all again.  His comment was, "At least I got the wet ones so they don't stick and make it more difficult the next go 'round.  Hmmmmm......about 3 days later he sighed, and did it yet again.  Well, I hate to say it, but as long as I keep him away from the windows, perhaps he will get a few days' rest.  I fear he will have to do it one more time.   I think a good back rub is in order!

Here is my card for this week.   Hmmm.....I think the setting on my camera needs to be adjusted.  Even though the setting was for close-up, you can't see the stripe embossing on the Crumb Cake piece.  The color is Crumb Cake even though it looks rather gray.  I will try to do better next time.

Thank you for coming to visit and for hopping with me.  You probably came from Liz's blogsite, and now you should continue to Robbie's blogsite.

Have a great day!
Sandy

Fall Pumpkin 2015

Hi Friends:   How about another fall card before I get back into the Christmas things I have been doing.  This card used several of the product contained in October's Paper Pumpkin.  Did I say I love that kit?  I'm still using parts of it.  I bought a second refill kit and am into that kit already.  I love the straws.  Don't you think they look like trees?  If you haven't been getting the Paper Pumpkin kit each month, you really are missing something.  I have quite a collection of wonderful stamps and ink spots once I finished using the kit.   Let me know if I can help you get started.   And for those of you who live in my neighborhood, we get together once a month for a Paper Pumpkin crafting day.

So here is my card

Tomorrow it is back to the weekly color challenge.  I have a non-fall, non-Christmas card for tomorrow.  I almost forgot how to use something other than leaves and snow.  I'll see you tomorrow.

Have a great day,
Sandy

Sleigh Ride by Liz

I want to show you another beautiful card today.  This time made by my friend Liz.  What a gorgeous card.  This was her entry for our blog hop this week, so you may have seen it already.  Just in case you didn't, here is a super pretty card made using the Sleigh Ride Edgelits.  The oval panel is vellum, so if you place a little illumination (no fire, of course) behind the front panel, you get a wondrous Christmas scene.  I love everything about this card.  It is yet another one I want to CASE.  I want to be a great designer, like my friends, when I grow up.

Thank you so much, Liz, for this beautiful card.

See you soon.
Have a wonderful day,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- November 4, 2015

Hi friends.  It is color blog hop Wednesday.  I think our colors are more in line with Christmas this week, so I looked away from fall and decided to work on a Christmas card.  First of all, you should have come from Liz's blogsite.  I love, love, her card.  In fact I saw it in person, and it is really pretty.  After you leave here you should go to Robbie's blogsite.  Now I haven't seen hers, because I usually have to wait and hop with the rest of you.  However, I know she is a terrific creator and has something very pretty for us today.  As always the whole group does a really great job with the colors and the variety of interpretations.

Our colors are in the blue and gray family.  Here is the inspiration piece.

And the comparable Stampin'Up! colors.

This is what I did with the colors we are challenged to use.  There are several layers to my card.   They weren't hard to do, but there is a lot of cutting involved, including the layers inside.  The sets I used are Wonderland and Cozy Christmas.  I used Marina Mist ink for the wintery trees with a bit of glue and Dazzling Details to make them sparkle.  The rest is pretty self-explanatory, just cutting paper to fit.  I didn't use Crumb Cake because I couldn't figure where to put it.  Pretend there is some in the trees?  Oh well.

I am glad you came today.  I am trying to get more of my cards on my blog, so hopefully you will be back soon and I will have more for you.  Continue now to Robbie's site, or, if you started there, then you are finished with me.

Have a great day,
Sandy

Jessica's Fireplace 2015

Today I want to show you a really beautiful card made by my friend, Jessica.  She really did an excellent job, don't  you think?  Her coloring is detailed, the arrangement super, and her choice of colors and patterns creates a really warm fireplace scene.  I love this card.   I am sure the person who receives this gorgeous Christmas card will treasure it.

Jessica is really a talented crafter.  She showed other creations the other day when she was here.  I wish I had taken pictures of all her cards.  I could then sit down and CASE them all.  My Christmas card list would be complete with some super ideas.

Thanks Jessica.

Until next time, have a wonderful day.
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- October 28, 2015

Hello friends.  We are back for another Wednesday blog hop.  You should have come from Liz's blogsite, and when you finish with me continue to Robbie's blogsite.

We are challenged this week with some fall colors.  Our inspiration piece is as follows:

And here are our comparable Stampin'Up! colors:

 I was happy to stay with fall colors even though I have been working diligently with Christmas cards over the past several days.  I need to finish most of mine by the 20th of November because I will be out of town until the beginning of December.  Every year we have a New Years Eve party.  Our invitations go out with Christmas cards.  That means my cards MUST go early.  So, I am getting busy.

Here is my fall card for today, using our challenge colors.  Once again I used the little leaves from the September Paper Pumpkin set.  I just love that set.  I love this month too.  I can already see the many things I can do with the stamps.  If you haven't subscribed to the Paper Pumpkin, you really need to do so.

Now you should continue to see what Robbie has done.  I hope to see you soon.

Have a great day,
Sandy

Paper Pumpkin Halloween 2015

Good morning friends.  Welcome back to more fall creations.  Do you subscribe to Paper Pumpkin?  If not, what are you waiting for?  You are missing out on a lot of fun.  For my customers I have a once a month Paper Pumpkin meet when we get together to work on our boxes, and work on ideas for outside the box,  If you are a beginning crafter, you have everything you need, plus instructions, all in the box.  You might need extra adhesive in some cases, but even glue dots and dimensionals are often included.  If  you are experienced, then you will have all sorts of ideas to continue outside the box to create everything from cards, to 3-D items, even scrapbook pages.  Give it a try.

Here is the September Paper Pumpkin.  These treat bags were soooooo easy to put together.  I made a few for the local grandkids.  Not so easy to mail, as they are bulky, but they will hold together if you want to put them in the mail.  I know my grands are going to love these, especially what is inside.

I also made a few cards with the contents of the September Paper Pumpkin.  I'll show those another time.  Once I have some Halloween pictures from this year, I plan to use the rest of the box contents for scrapbook pages.  I was having such fun with September, I even ordered a refill.  Now I have all sorts of extra tags, twine, and scraps for many more ideas.  As for the stamps, I think I've worn them out already.  Those stamps sit right on my craft table and I grab them for the leaves, pumpkin, witch's hat, acorn and even the piece of candy whenever I want some little extra something on my fall cards.  I can't wait to see what the Christmas box will have.

If you don't have your subscription, contact me and I will show you how to get in on the fun.

Have a wonderful day, see you soon.
Sandy

Halloween Treats for the Grands 2015

Welcome back!  I hope you are having some beautiful fall days, we are.  The leaves are just gorgeous here in the mountains.  Since I have a yard full of woods, I have a yard full of beautiful gold, orange, and red leafy trees.  Of course, that means eventually they all fall down, and we get to gather them up.  Not the most fun, but it is the cost of all this beauty.  And the weather has been stupendous.  Crisp, clear, fall.

So here is a group of Halloween treat bags.  I made them with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlit.  I knew I would get a lot of use out of this thinlit because I knew it would be ideal for treats for the grandkids.  Most of these went to the grands, but a few went to nieces too.  I made a total of about 15.  Easy peasy to do the bags.  They are all in the mail now.  I sure hope the kids love their treats.

And some closeups.

I love sending little things to the kids.

Have a great day.  See you soon.
Sandy

Art Shop Leaves with Vase

I've been working on Christmas cards.  Seems like rushing the season a little, but when I think only 2 months, I think Yikes, I better get going, and fast.  Well, before I start showing Christmas, I thought I would show some of the stack of Halloween and fall creations I've been working on.

A week or so ago I mentioned that a friend and I had gone to an art shop and made "leaves in a jar."  I started showing just a hint of it behind some of the entries to my blog.  So I thought today I would show you the whole thing.

This was done by punching a gazillion leaves from designer paper.  After you have leaves everywhere you glue two together with a small piece of wire between.  Finish gluing and preparing all the little wires.  Then take 5 large wires (or more, if you want) and twist the little wires on them, curling the ends.  It is so easy.  I couldn't believe how easy, just very time-consuming.  It took us about 2 hours at the shop, but we had fun talking and laughing.  It was a good day.

I hope to continue to put my Halloween and fall cards on this blog over the next several days.  Once I finish that, perhaps it will be time to start Christmas.

Happy crafting to you,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- October 21, 2015

Welcome back.  Are you ready for another hop?  This week we have fall colors.  Our inspiration is a forest that looks a little like the view out my side window.  I'll have to post a picture some time and you'll see what I mean.  You probably have been to Liz's blogsite.  I went over and took a look.  I like her fall colors.  If you didn't come from her site, that's fine, just continue around and you will get there.  Next up is Robbie's blogsite.

Our inspiration piece appears to have more green than our colors indicate.  But I chose to focus on Cajun Craze because I love that color.  I added a little Hello Honey leaves and blackbirds.

 Here is my card using the challenge colors.  If you are wondering what those little leaves are hanging around, it is a vase with leaves I and a friend (hi Linda) made last week at an art shop.  We had fun making it.  I'll post a picture when I get a chance.

Now go over to see what Robbie has.  Have a great week.  I keep hoping to put more cards on my blog but always run out of time.  Maybe this week.  I've made a bunch of fall cards and have done at least 5 or 6 Christmas.  All I need to do is get busy and post.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- October 14, 2015

Hi Everyone:  Nice go have you back for another blog hop Wednesday.  You probably already were at Liz's blogsite and after you leave here you should continue to Robbie's blogsite.

Today I am going to be quick.  It is late, and I want to get to bed, but I needed to post this.  Our colors are mostly pink with a little orange.  I could not work in that orange so I left it out.  I sponged white paper with Wisteria Wonder ink.  The thing I had fun with, but you probably can't tell from the photo, is the tree.  I mixed Whisper White, Melon Mambo, and Dazzling Details embossing powders then embossed the tree with the mixture.  It made it pink with lots of sparkle.

Here is my card.  Now continue on the hop and come back again soon.

Happy Crafting,
Sandy

Color Blog Hop Wednesday -- October 7, 2015

Today is blog hop Wednesday.  Welcome back to another hop.  You should have come to me by way of Liz's blogsite.  Don't you love what she did this week?  We have colors this week which I believe are a little bit more fall like.  The colors are Smoky Slate, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso.

I used the Vintage Leaves bundle from the Annual Catalog.  I just love those leaves and feel this set is one of the best investments I have made in this catalog.  I think the leaves make good die cut leaves, they print well, emboss well, may be used for fall, thank yous, and I've even used the smaller leaves on Halloween cards.  Can you tell I love this set.

Here is the card I created this week using our color challenge.

I can go on and on about the Paper Pumpkin too.  Those little leaves and acorns along the bottom are part of the stamp set in this month's Paper Pumpkin.  I used some burlap ribbon that I cut in half and pulled some of the strings.  I used those strings to tie around the leaf stems.  The leaves are stamped Cajun Craze on Cajun Craze and Early Espresso on Crumb Cake.  The way I do embossing with color ink is by first inking the stamp with VersaMark, then with the color of my choice.  The inks will remain wet and sticky long enough to stamp and sprinkle the clear embossing powder.  Then heat emboss.

You should now head to Robbie's blogsite to see what she has done.  I bet she has a great one for you.  Continue all the way around to me again and you will have done the hop,

Hope to see you again soon.,
Happy Crafting,
Sandy

Halloween Treats for the Grands

I'm on a roll, making Halloween cards and treat bags.  I usually do something for treats for the grand kids.  This year in addition to using the Halloween Paper Pumpkin, really cute paper treat bags, I'm also doing a small treat bag using the Mini Treat Bag Thinlit.  I haven't quite decided whether to keep the candy bar in the mini treat bag if there is already candy in the Paper Pumpkin bag.  If I change my mind on the amount of candy, then I will make a little Halloween card insert to the treat bag.  Here is how it is right now.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays for creating fun cards and treats.  The grands always look forward to something in the mail from gramma and grampa.  These are easy and fun.

Have a wonderful weekend.  See you soon.

Sandy

Fall Leaves with Sparkle

I'm doing a blog post only 2 days after the last.  Wow!  The sky must be falling.  Actually it is.  We have had so much rain the past few days, and the forecast is for more rain over the next few days.  Our bridge is flooded and the run off continues to make the river rise.  No fear for our house, as we are in the mountains and up on a hill, but when the river comes up we have to walk a swinging bridge to get to our car in order to get out.  Not too bad if you are used to it, but just talk to the gals who were at my house the other day, they think it is scary just crossing the bridge when the river is down.  (Hi ladies, you should be here now!)

I have been working diligently on fall, Halloween and a few Christmas cards.  I think I can start showing you what I have been working on.  Today's card is a fall card that I used for a challenge.  I liked it well enough that I made several more for a swap.

This card was fun, and I like how it turned out, but making 15 was tedious.  The stamp set is Vintage Leaves (pg 88 annual catalog), which when bundled with the Leaflet Dies, you get 15% off the combined cost.  It is a great deal because of the many different ways you can use these leaves.  I use this set a lot.  And if you want to make an even better set, look at the fun leaves on page 44 of the Holiday Catalog.  The dies also go with those leaves.  Then you have some real versatility.

For this card, I made my own designer paper by stamping  leaves in 3 colors on to Very Vanilla cs.  To glitter the homemade cardstock I used a mixture of Tombo glue and a little water.  I flicked spots of this mixture with a paintbrush on to my designer paper before I cut it down.  Then sprinkle glitter, shake off excess, and wait for it to dry.  I left it over night.  When dry I cut down the paper to fit the front pieces of the card.  I stamped  leaves on colored cardstock in VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder.  Flick some of the glue mixture on the leaves, wait until they dry, then use the die to cut them out.  Finish your card by decorating how you like.  I used our gold buttons and some gold cording trim.  I also used a little thin gold metallic thread behind the leaves.  However, you can barely see the thread in this photo,

I hope you like it, and I hope I get back soonest with more of what I have been working on.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy