Blog Highlight for 2014 + Link Party!

Hi, friends!  It's that time of year again.  You know, when everyone shares their faves from the past year!  I've had such an amazingly whirlwind year and I feel SO blessed with all the things that have happened in my blog life that it has been super hard to choose just ONE favorite thing from each month, but I did it!  If you'd like to see my fave 2014 Christmas Cards, you can see just those HERE.  Let's just get started with this, though, ok?

January

January marked the first month with me acting as the Design Team Coordinator at Great Impressions.  I took over for an absolutely amazing friend (Jenny) and so I was really nervous.  The wonderful people I've gotten to work for have really made the transition happy I feel grateful to continue in this capacity still!  

February

February brought more fun changes to my blog!  I started as a full-time design team member for Inspired By Stamping this month!  I absolutely adore Joanna and the other gals on this team and I think you can agree, these products are just amazing!  I feel blessed to be continuing on this team--it's such a great company to design for!

March

March was the month that I first participated in the Card Chain Challenge over at Society of Stampaholics.  I was the first ever participant from Kansas (woot!) and I have participated a few other times, as well.  The ladies who participate in this swap are AMAZING and I always get the most beautiful cards from them!  Deborah, the sweet gal who runs it, is just fabulous.  If you haven't participated, you should consider doing so!

April

April was a super fun month for me! My sister brought her two girls for a visit and we made some fun Peeps-On-A-Stick with coordinating tags.  Aren't these super fun?!  The sentiment on the tags is from Paper Sweeties and the image is from Inspired By Stamping.

May

In May I made my very first shaker card!  It was made using super bright colors and uses stamps from Inspired By Stamping.  I also started using my Spectrum Noir markers more in May--they are what I used to color the beautiful rose image in the shaker portion of the card as well as the rhinestones. :)

June

June brought a blog hop with Great Impressions and Operation Write Home.  It was also super exciting because I designed some of the stamps that Great Impressions sells to help Operation Write Home, including the sentiment used on this card!  If you'd like to purchase them and help support our troops, you can find these stamps HERE at Great Impressions. :)

July

July brought another new and fabulous design team position into my blogging life.  This time, it was an invitation to join Debbie and her amazing team at Paper Sweeties!  These gals are all super talented and Debbie is one of the sweetest people I've had the privilege of working with in blog land!  This was such a blessing to me at a difficult time in my personal life and I am super grateful to still be working with these fabulous women.  July also marked 4 years of blogging. :)

August

August brought my new blog look and also the time when I FINALLY was able to get some stamps out that I had purchased in May from a consignment sale!  This card was the first one made with this set...I'm not even sure if it has seen the light of day since, but I am quite happy with this card!

September

September brought another blog hop--this time with Great Impressions and Die Versions!  I was able to craft with some beautiful stamps and amazing dies from these two companies and also work alongside Patti Gilliam who is the DT coordinator for Die Versions.  I feel so blessed to have gotten to know her and her team!

October

Not any real story behind this card, I just super love the way it turned out!  I guess it was one of the first cards made specifically to have a video to go along with is for the House of Cards challenge blog.  I just really enjoyed watching this card unfold and it was a hit with my family as well!  One of my sisters who has an October birthday asked for a similar card like this for her birthday because of the Great Impressions sentiment.  It was all purple and I Frankensteined (that's a word--I just used it) it to say "Witching you a happy birthday". 

November

I know that I said the last card didn't have a story and then I told a story (yeah...), but this card truly has no story.  I just LOVE it.  It uses lots of goodies from Inspired By Stamping and lots of shine and sparkle.  This photo does it no justice because you don't see the full effect of the gold heat embossing.  I LOVE THIS CARD!  I still have it tucked away safely and I don't know if I will ever give it away...I'm stingy with favorite creations like that. :)  This card is being uploaded to the Clear It Out challenge for favorite 2014 card. :)

December

In December, the fun new watermarks I made for the Paper Sweeties team were used by most of the team and I pulled out my chalk marker (finally--I'd had it since March!) to use in creating this card.  I really love the way this turned out, so that's why it's my fave for December!

I'm also linking up with Debby HERE

As well as with Wendy HERE!

That's all for me today and for 2014!  Thank you so much for being a part of my year--each of you is a gift to me and I cherish all the kind words you share on my blog!  I'd love for you to link up your year end highlights below if you do this sort of thing, too, and I'll come leave you some love!  HUGS and happy NEW YEAR stamping to you all!

An InLinkz Link-up

My 5 Favorite Christmas Cards of 2014

Hi, friends!  I'm sure lots of you know about Debby's challenge to choose your top 5 favorite Christmas cards from 2014.  I've been hemming and hawing over which ones I'd choose.  My dear hubby helped me in the end.  It was tragic. ;)  Anyway, I have them here for you from newest/most recently posted to oldest/least recently posted.  Let's go!

First up: Warmth & Love

This card is one of my favorites mainly because of how simple it was to make yet how elegant it looks.  This is one that, should I go that route, I could make 50 of very quickly and easily.  But I don't do that, so this will remain one of a kind. ;)

Next up: Blackboard Bird House

This card turned out much better than I anticipated that it would.  I was so excited with the final product!  The blackboard effect turned out beautifully and I love how the black makes the other traditional Christmas colors POP!

Third up: Christmas Swag

This card was fun to make.  I used a wreath building set from Inspired By Stamping to create the swag using generational stamping.  I was worried my idea wouldn't translate to the card, but it did! :)

Fourth up: Merry & Bright

This card was fun to make.  It was for a color challenge and I used non-Christmas stamps to create the blooms.  I love the way the layered colors and metallics layered together.  I think it definitely looks like a Christmas card even though the flowers are non-Christmas!

Last up: Winter Wonderland

This card is one that totally took a lot of brain power to figure out.  Not that the design is so hard, but the challenge was definitely...challenging. ;)  We were to use metallic card and I do not own any. (I know, buy some already...)  I kept thinking of ways to get around this, when some fun metallic tissue paper caught my eye.  HOORAY!  It worked beautifully!

That's all for me right now!  I hope you join the fun with this link up and that if you do your favorite Christmas cards or even a yearly highlight that you link it up HERE with me, too!  HUGS and happy new year stamping! :)

Crafty Favorites from 2013

Well, it's time for everyone to be doing their 2013 Crafty Favorites! ;)  So, here are mine!  I've chosen one per month--enjoy!

January~

February~

March~

April~

May~

June~

July~

August~

September~

October~

November~

December~

And with that, I'm out!  HUGS and Happy New Year!  Here's to another fabulous year of crafting, sharing, and caring! :)

Top 12 for 2012

It's my yearly review.  I'm going to add what I feel are my "highlights" from each month of 2012.  So, bear with me!  This post will probably be quite long!!! ;)  I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who is a follower or who is just now finding me.  YOU are the reason that I keep creating and blogging.  That is one of the best gifts I've ever been given.  THANK YOU.

Here are my Top 12 Highlights of 2012~

January: The highlight of January was starting 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown with my dear friend, Jacqueline.  It has helped me to make a personalized holiday card for EVERYONE on my list and has also been a means of meeting some amazing crafters!

February: My favorite part of February 2012 was THIS CARD.  It was such a PAIN in the butt to make, but it is still one of the cards I am most proud of!  It didn't win any awards, it just taught me that I could do hard things and succeed!  I was also awarded the Liebster award for the first time in February 2012--thanks, Katy!

March: Winning at Gingersnap Creations (challenge now closed) not once, not twice, but three times.  This seriously helped me to realize that I could branch out into all sorts of different stamping and crafting styles.  Even though this challenge is closed, the site is still up and available for you to read all the amazing articles about crafting!

April: Yeah. You KNEW this was coming.  Bragging about all the FABULOUS deals I got at the consignment sale!!!  That was the biggest highlight of April!  Also, starting Technique Tuesday. ;)

May: Finally getting to enter a challenge at A Day For Daisies with this card and starting to use digis more in general.  Even though my first card is NOT the best I've done, I feel so blessed to finally have been able to participate!  Also, winning with this card as a Dynamic Dynamo at Dynamic Duos!  That was a super duper fabulous surprise!

June: Creating this card for Fashionable Stamping Challenges and winning with it and a family visit from my sister, her fiance, my other sister, and her two girls!  It was SO nice having family here in the middle of the summer!!!

July: Making my first easel card and joining the talented DT at Try Stampin' On Tuesday!!!  That seems really quick, but those are my July highlights!!!

August: My sister's wedding to her daring husband and a "not so" highlight that turned into one--going back to work.  It was a REALLY rough going back, but it has calmed down and I am so incredibly grateful for the amazing children I work with on a daily basis!  Nothing terribly crafty related, but there you have it!

September: Being asked to participate in my FIRST EVER blog hop with the great DT at Great Impressions Stamps!  It was SO fun to get to work with new stamps and meet some amazing people along the way!

October: Joining the amazing team at Digi Haven!!!  Here's my first card for this fabulous digi challenge--these are some amazing people and I feel so blessed to work with them!

November: My 8th wedding anniversary to my amazingly kind and wonderful husband.  I am so grateful to have him in my life--his support and love are the most important things in this world to me!  Also, starting the search for my DT at Inkspirational!!!  I do hope you'll join us in the coming New Year--we've got amazing prizes and DT work for you!!!

December: Last month of 2012 and the highlight was being asked to be on the DT at For Your Inspiration!  You'll see my very first DT card for this team on Thursday, January 3, 2013!

And there you have it, friends!  Thanks for taking the time to read this post!  Like I stated above, none of my successes could have been possible without YOU--your support, comments, and love mean the world to me!  Here's to a fabulous 2013!  God bless and Happy New Year, friends!  And, as always, happy stamping!!!

Top 12 of 2011

Well, I tried to post this earlier with pictures, but it's just not working! So you get one graphic with all the pictures. I've decided to do a Top 12 of 2011 and choose 1 project from each month to highlight. I'm doing this mainly to reminisce and not for you to have to endure, but feel free to come along for the ride! :)

Before I begin, I want to thank you all--I feel that this year my blog has "taken off" and it's all because of the wonderful people I've met through my blogging. So thank you for all you do to help me! I love looking at all the fabulous creations you come up with and I love all your sweet words and the honors I've been awarded. Thank you!!!

And now

without further ado

My Top 12 of 2011
(click on the month to see the post)

January~ I LOVE the way that these Valentine's tins came out. They are now staples in my seasonal decorating and I love that I was able to reuse some tins that I had stashed away for YEARS! So, this was definitely the highlight of all 3 of my posts in January. ;)

February~ Ah, yes! Faux pressed flowers--so beautiful! And this leads me to wonder whatever happened to me using this technique? And why did i forget how well those two punches layer for sentiments? And whatever happened to my Technique Tuesday Spotlight? Food for thought for a later date...

March~ The month of jewelry. Why don't I make jewelry as much anymore?! I must be concentrating quite hard on my paper crafting...anyway, I LOVE this purple set and I wear it often, as purple is my favorite color. I use it to spruce up brown, white, black and cream. LOVE IT! And I also see how bad these pictures are...and I'm hoping you notice how much better I've become at photographing my projects!

April~ Oh, right! This was the month that I received the gigantic box of winnings from EK Success! But that's not this post. This post is the fabulous new bookmarks I learned to make! They're magnetic, and so they don't slip out of your book!!! LOVE THEM! :)

May~ My birthday month!!! I only posted 6 times. Wow! I can't imagine only blogging six times in one month now! ;) This post highlights my favorite digital cards. They're quite punny! ;) I don't post my digital artwork here on this blog anymore. If you're interested in that type of thing, you can go over to my digital blog here.

June~ Wow, so many things to like about June! This was the first month that I participated in One Layer Wednesday, made jack-o-lanterns out of marshmallow fluff jars, got a lot of use out of clear glitter gel pens, purchased some vintage glitter at a garage sale, and came up with my disclosure policy. BUT, this link will take you to a keychain that I made for my dad. He was using a piece of paper from the last time he'd had an oil change as his keychain. A PIECE OF RED STICKY BACKED PAPER!!! So, this is what I made for him! Rather clever, isn't it?!

July~ This was my second busiest blogging month. I resurrected my love for the baby wipe ink pad technique in July. This is also the month I really started to participate in online card making challenges. :) It's given me a purpose in crafting and that really helps me! This post is my first ever submission to Make My Monday challenges. And now I'm a DT member--in just a few short months! WOW. How happy this makes me!

August~ Back to school! To a NEW school! LOVE the people I work with at Swaney Elementary School! :) This link is the card that I won my FIRST award for--from Make My Monday. :) I won twice in August. It really lifted my spirits, as I was just about to quit my blog! Thank you, ladies! :) I LOVE working with you all!!!

September~ The month of STEAMPUNK! I NEVER would've tried this out unless it was part of the MMM challenges! ;) My DH LOVES steampunk now, and wants an aviator hat because of these challenges. He also allows me to buy many more things because they are steampunkish! This post is my favorite steampunk card that won a Top 3 Spot at MMM. Do you see how MMM has totally helped my blogging/crafting life, as well as effected my personal life?!

October~ Happy Halloween!!! I got my face painted, found Case Study challenge, and joined the Gratitude Challenge this month. This post is how I expanded my Gratitude Challenge offerings. A dear blogging friend named Susan had awarded me some blog awards, and so I took the opportunity to thank those who had made me continue my blog.

November~ I was a guest DT member over at MMM this month. ;) My busiest blogging month because I tried to make a card for each challenge. It didn't always work out that way, but I tried! ;) This post is the first card I created for Crafty Cardmakers--a new to me challenge I found in November. Oh, and guess what? I've been asked to be a DT over there!!! Come join us bi-weekly in 2012! It's always a blast!!!

December~ This card amazes me. I cannot believe that my hands made it. It received top honors on a couple of blog sites. And I am so happy with it--I think it's amazingly gorgeous! I believe it's my favorite card of 2012!

As I look back over the past 12 months, I cannot help but be incredibly grateful for all that God has given me in 2011! I have a nice home, a loving husband, a beautiful furry puppy baby, nice clothing, food to eat, wonderful co-workers, a job I truly love, crafty talents to keep me occupied, a fabulous family, and so many amazing blog friends! Thank you for all the highlights of 2011! I cannot wait for a fabulous 2012!

For Auld Lang Syne

Did you know that "for auld lang syne" translates into "for the sake of old times?" I didn't until I heard it on tv the other day...anyway, I know most blogs do their top 10 of the year, but since I only did 1/2 a years worth of blogging, I'm gonna do my top 5! :) These are the top 5 highlights of my year--crafting and otherwise!

1. Getting my dream job--I get to work with children who have special needs and I was blessed at the beginning of 2010 to get the job! It is such a rewarding experience to know that each day I can make a difference!



2. My grandfather's funeral--probably most of you wouldn't think of this as a highlight, but it gave me the chance to see family members I haven't seen in years. I am grateful for my grandfather's example of love and kindness and for his sense of humor that has effected my life--I love corny humor because of him and my father! (Thank goodness for my husband--he has the same sense of humor and I don't know what he'd do if I didn't think he was funny!)


3. Starting my blog!!!! I was reluctant to do so because I had felt in the past that if would be a waste of time if I didn't have a TON of followers. Lucky for me, I don't care so much about that anymore! It's nice to have followers, but it's more nice to have an outlet for my thoughts and crafting ideas! Blogging really has been a cathartic experience for me this year!


4. Gaining confidence in my crafting abilities-- I have always been a little afraid of things that seem "hard." So, this year I pushed myself to learn new things, like this cute T-slider card and also learning about CAS style! I am so grateful for those who are willing to share their ideas and for the technology that makes learning new things so easy! We are so blessed!!!


5. Getting a new addition to the family!!!-- My puppy, Hundie, is the sweetest thing to happen to our family this year! She is such a comforting presence and has helped me feel loved and needed while my husband has worked full time and gone to night school. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for sending her our way!!!

So there you have it! Only one crafty one, but a rewarding year! I am looking forward to the possibilities 2011 brings! First on the list...Valentines! Stay tuned for more details...happy crafting and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!