I'm Dreaming of a PURPLE Christmas!

Okay, so I LOVE purple. I have no other words but LOVE. But even that doesn't come close to really saying what my true feelings are about the matter.

Anyway, the challenge over at Papertake Weekly is to create a Christmas card/project using your favorite color/color scheme. One of my all time favorites along with purple is black. And silver. Yes, purple, black, and silver!!! SO pretty--and so versatile. You can literally make ANY card with this color scheme!

At Stamptacular Sunday, we've gotta get our GLITZ on with a Christmas Project. Over at Crimbo Crackers and Simply Create Too, they're asking for embossing. Over at Dutch Dare, it's a tic tac toe challenge and I chose to do embossing, stamped image, and die cuts. Over at Prairie Fairy Fridays, they want a Christmas card/project with NO red or green. And over at Crafty Creations they're wanting us to DECK THE HALLS with glitter and embossing! :)

Whew! Those are all the fabulous challenges I'm entering my card into--and I LOVE the way it turned out! I think it's gorgeous and I hope you'll agree!

Here it is~

And details~

And the inside~

So, what do you think?! If you like it, will you please follow me? I'm trying to get 100 followers by the first of January and if I do, I'll be having a blog candy give away!!! :) Hope you'll join us! I also hope you've been inspired to create something fabulous today--it's such fun! And won't you join us at the above fabulous challenges?! Happy stamping!!!

Birthday BONANZA Card Parade!

***WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY!!!***

Hello again, friends!!! I have a bit of a treat for you today--five birthday cards! I'm calling it my Birthday BONANZA Card Parade!!!! Each of these cards uses only ONE stamp--from a new set I got from my SU! party called Happiest Birthday Wishes. They also only use scraps of patterned paper for embellishments. They were quick to make--I made 2 of each in under an hour!!! They'll be a present for my mother--she's requested birthday cards. :)

Before I begin with the card parade, I want to remind you all that I am trying to get 100 followers by January 1, 2012. Why? Because if I do, I'll be having a blog candy give away!!! If you like what you see, I would love if you would follow me! :) I really want to give away some blog candy! ;D

I'll be submitting these cards to the following fabulous challenges:
*Stamping Sisters in Christ~Birthday Cards in honor of Christ's birthday
*Inspirational Card Sketches~The last one follows the sketch :)
*Ribbon Carousel~Use twine (the first and last cards have baker's twine on them)

Now, onto the show!!! Sit back and relax--it's gonna be a bit of a ride! :)

It's Your Day & detail~

Simply Birthday Wishes & detail~

Happy Patterned Birthday & detail~

Patriotic Birthday Wishes & detail~

The Gift of YOU & detail~

Well, wasn't that fun?! I hope you like at least one--they were fun to make and I feel like I'm being "green" because I used mainly scraps!!! :) I hope you've been inspired to create something with your scraps today--you won't regret it! Happy stamping!!!

My New FAVORITE Christmas Exchange!!!

Well, I am really happy with how this project turned out! I got the idea from Stephanie Lynn's blog--she's doing a bunch of ornament tutorials with guest bloggers and you HAVE to check her and her guests out! They're ALL amazing!

Anyway, we're doing an ornament exchange at work, and so I tried my hand at rolled paper ornaments--and they turned out BETTER than I thought they would!!! :) So glad to have found the idea--and make it my own. ;D I made sure that I made each one as unique as the person receiving it--that's how I ROLL. ;D

By the way, I am trying to gain 100 followers by January 1, 2012. If I do, I'm having a blog candy giveaway!!! If you like what you see, won't you please follow me?! :) I really want to give away some goodies!!!

Back to the ornaments. I made four. I will show you ALL of them. Therefore, this is a picture heavy post... ;D But first, I want to tell you how to make them. It's easy. Just cut 5" x 0.5" strips of patterned or specialty paper, roll them tightly around a stylus, and put the paper into a clear glass bulb. Embellish as desired--so easy to personalize! :)

Now the pics...and I apologize. I couldn't figure out a really good way to photograph these...and I didn't want to take the pics on the tree...because I'm weird like that...

Ornament 1 (Rose Red) & detail~

Ornament 2 (Glorious Green) & detail~

Ornament 3 (Blustery Blue) & detail~

Ornament 4 (Softly Snowy) & detail (I used pearly white paper as the rolls, not just the tag, you can't really tell...)~

I used my mini jingle bells from my Stampin' Up! party as an accent--and I love them! Here's a TIP for you--when trying to thread the bells onto the baker's twine (which I used as the hanging medium for these), use a needle threader! It is soooo easy if you do! Hope this helps you if you choose to make these, too! :)

I'm so pleased with how these turned out that I am linking them to the following challenges~
Sunday Stamper
Top Tip Tuesday
Tuesday Throwdown
ABC Christmas
Creative Belli
Crafting For All Seasons
For Fun Challenges
Charisma Cardz
Paper Play Challenges
Paper Crafting Journeys

Becoming At Peace With ME

***WARNING~PICTURE HEAVY & PERSONAL~PLEASE NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS OR JUDGING~THIS WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO WRITE***

***Don't forget~if I get 100 followers by January 1,2012,
I'm having a blog candy give-away!***

Hello! I have to tell you, this week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is so awesome for me! :) The challenge is to create a one layer card that speaks peace to you.

So, a little story about WHY this is the perfect challenge for ME this week. I've been having a really rough couple of months...okay YEARS...with a person in my life. They drive me crazy, they make me want to scream, I have tried to work things out, and they STILL do not listen/get it. (Remember--this is all MY side of the story, so don't judge this person, judge ME).

So, instead of taking the higher road, I have gradually become less happy, less helpful, less kind when I have to be around this person. It didn't happen overnight. I just took baby steps of unhappiness--no longer sending cards to certain people because they associate with this person, no longer smiling while around them, using a curt tone of voice when speaking to others when I have to be around them, not going to church to avoid them... That is NOT me. I usually LOVE to help people. I want to lift people UP, not tear them down. I've had someone ask me why I've become hostile towards them--HOSTILE! That is DEFINITELY not me.

I realized this past Sunday that if I want to be the person I was a few years ago and if I want to be happy and helpful again, I CANNOT let this person bug me anymore. Now remember, this has been a process of many years. It's been slowly happening, and each time I've asked my husband if I was mean, he's told me no. Because I'm really NOT a mean person. And so this has KILLED me. I have never in my life hated going somewhere because of someone. I have never even THOUGHT about hating anyone or anything! So, I made the decision to NOT be that way anymore!

You want to know the results? Oh my word, I feel so light! I wrote a card to the person who asked why I've been so hostile towards her to let her know I am thinking of her--I cried as I addressed it because I felt so incredibly bad for they way I've been acting! I hope she can forgive me and be willing to let me help her again. I'll call her later this week to see if she got the card. I'll be sending out many, many cards for the next few weeks...

I am sooooo HAPPY!!! I cannot tell you how much better I feel knowing that I am no longer going let this person bother me. It was ALWAYS MY choice, but taking my life back after a slow down hill slope has seriously made me feel lighter!

Yeah, I know. I should've done this earlier. I don't know why I couldn't. Well, I do. I and others I love have been continually hurt and I'd tell you how & why, but I feel like rehashing all the bad things that have happen to me and others would totally be wrong because then I'm not really forgiving. AND, I don't even want to think or talk about them anymore. It's my life, and I'm taking it back!!! Anything else this person does is also forgiven. Because I CAN do that!

So, without further ado, I'd like to share the set of six cards I've made for this challenge--three are true one layer cards, but three others I added a punched out sentiment because I stamped it wonky. Yes, wonky is a word. No red squiggles! ;) The two layer cards are STILL CAS style, though. :)

These cards are simple--I'm trying to simplify my life. They don't have BLING--I'm trying to love myself for who I am, not what I wear or have. They are beautiful--just like me and ALL of God's children and creations. The sentiment is my favorite quote of all time--and stamping it over and over today has reinforced the choice I've made. I'm so glad that I was able to participate in the challenge! SO HAPPY! :)

Card 1 & Detail~

Card 2 & Detail~

Card 3 & Detail~

Card 4 (NOT one layer) & Detail~

Card 5 (NOT one layer) & Detail~

Card 6 (NOT one layer) & Detail~

What do you think? I really love them! I'm thinking that I will use them as a gift for someone! :) I hope you've been inspired to make peace with something in your life today! Be it a work situation, a not so perfectly clean house, an unkind word said, or just anything that has bugged you! I KNOW it will help you feel so much better! And while you're at it--won't you come and join us over at One Layer Wednesday? Peaceful stamping! :)

Blah...

I'm home sick from work today--had a very rough night. I won't go into details, but I am just now getting up and around. And it's almost 2:00 in the afternoon...but I feel loads better!

Okay, I'm back to the purpose of this post--a card, of course! :) It's NON-Christmas. I will have a few more Christmas-y posts over the next few weeks, but then it'll be onto Valentines! :)

A word before we continue--if I get 100 followers by January 1, 2012, I am having a blog candy give-away!!! :) I've already purchased part of it, and I'd be so sad if I couldn't give it away! I only need 15 more followers--won't you please help me out? :)

Okay, enough of that! The card I am posting this afternoon is for the Crafty Cardmakers Use it 3 Times challenge. Details here! :)

The card~

Details~

I hope you like it--I was very excited to use my Kaleidoscope embossing powder on the fabulous flowers! :) I really like the patterned paper that I used as the background panel--it's has glossy portions! I stamped the sentiment onto some lovely pearlized paper that a friend has given me, and I love the effect! The pictures do not do it the justice seeing it IRL would...BUT, I am also very excited that it's NOT a Christmas card! :) I hope you join in the challenge--it's a month long, so come and play with us!!! Happy triple stamping! :)

I lied...

I'm sorry. I lied! I said that I'd have non-Christmas cards for a few days, but then I realized I hadn't posted my Less is More card! The theme this week is ONE LAYER Let it Snow!!! I guess I could've just done winter, but I did Christmas...

My card was super simple...until I decided it needed glitter. Yep. I had another GRI! And it was HUMONGOUS. I'm talking up my sleeves, in my nose (yes--it came out when I blew my nose!), all over the floor, down my shirt, on my dog...you get the picture. Oh, it was glorious! :)

So, here's the finished product~

Details~

I think it's pretty! I tried to get a good picture of the sentiment--it's embossed with Kaleidoscope embossing powder. And I LOVE that embossing folder--so versatile! :) What do YOU think?

Thanks for popping by this evening--I'm so glad you came! If you like what you see, won't you please follow me? If I get 100 followers by January 1, 2012, I am going to give away some blog candy!!! :) I hope you've been inspired to create something snowy today--happy stamping! :)

NOT Christmas

Hello! I'm a bit sick of Christmas cards at the moment, so I'm going to share some NON-Christmas cards for the next two days. Hope you don't mind--I'm just too overwhelmed right not to think about Christmas...I'll just procrastinate and celebrate on the 26th...or maybe in January sometime. ;D

Anyway, before we begin, I'd like to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who's helped me with my goal of 100 followers!!! :) I only need 18 more by January 1, 2012 and I can give away some blog candy!!! :) Won't you join us?! I'll definitely make it worth your while! :)

Alright, back to my card for tonight--I'm entering this card into this week's Play Date Cafe color challenge and also CAS-ual Friday's In the Mist challenge. :)

Here's the card (Water-colored Love)~

Details~

I stamped my image onto the image panel and then spritzed with red, blue, green, and gold. :) All stamps, papers, punches, and ink are SU! Embossing folder by Sizzix, Tattered Angels for the gold spray. I thought about adding some bling, but I think it would've been too much...which was hard for me to realize! Because I LOVE me some bling!

Well, I hope you like it! I had a lot of fun with my "watercolor" image panel--thanks for two fabulous challenges! :) Happy stamping!!!