Bling It On Birthday Card for the Funday Friday Challenge

Hi you all :) I hope you are staying warm where you are at, here in PA it's been a bit cold, brrr but today is starting out just a bit warmer than the last few days. Today we have the first challenge for 2015 for the Funday Friday Challenge over at Jo's Scrap Shack Bling It On! is the theme and the challenge is to add bling to your project and we got some new sponsors for the New Year too. The sponosor of this challenge is Little Blue Button Stamps. I used their Sally digital stamp for my Birthday card today:

Isn't she just a cute digital stamp :) I used a variety of markers to color her in purples and did the balloons in 3 different colors embossing powders. I also used purple cardstock for the base of the card and the purple oval cut behind the Lacey Ovals spellbinders die-cut I found that the ovals cutting system from Creative Memories has the perfect oval cut for the background of this die-cut. I added gold rhinestones to each of the lacey holes of the die-cut.

 I used the gold cardstock that was dry embossed with a cuttlebug swirl embossing folder that I had in my counterfeit kit last month. For a backdrop on the card and added 3 borders all from my current kit the 2 birthday papers and the glitter silver tape. I scattered pink stars around the card from the sticker pack from the current kit and that birthday package came from the kit too.

You can see the embossed balloons better in this photo :) Still need to do the inside of the card yet for my granddaughter's birthday in April so I have plenty of time to decide what to do with it :) I also used the retro sketch that our Scrappin N Chatting group is using for the Jan sketch challenge.
Now it's your turn:

Our Sponsor this week is 

  The winner will win 4 digital stamps of their choice!!!!

 So make sure to play along this week~

  Starts: Friday, January 9th  12:00AM

Ends: Friday, January 16th  6:00PM

(Eastern time)

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your card/project post that includes your challenge,

using the linky tool below.

2. Be sure to include a link back to our challenge

3. 3 entries per person and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. All entries must be NEW and created for the current challenge.

5. You may combine with other challenges as long as you link back to us in your post.

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

Will not be eligible for top 3 or random/monthly wins.

The monthly prize drawings will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

Now its your turn

Go to Jo's and take the challenge. 

Jo's Blog HERE

A Pair of Christmas Tags

Good morning, today here in PA it's a bit on the chilly side with 14 degrees, so like now were in the winter weather. I got my Christmas pictures yesterday from my snapfish order and so excited to get them scrapped :) But first I have to work on some projects that are already on my list for this week. So the pictures will hang out with my December Daily bag full of goodies to tackle next week :) I do have some crafty things I did last month that I never posted so here are the tags I had made for a swap that we did in a yahoo group I'm with.

 The top tag was for the Winter Wonderland tag swap We had quite a few in that swap so I was able to finish up a package of K&Company very merry snowflake layered accents. I used a CTMH stamp set and stampendious blue tinsel embossing powder (this one is tough to see if it heat embossed) I used the Wonderland paper from CTMH from last month's counterfeit kit. I attached 2 silver snowflake brads too. Added some blue ribbon in various styles from my ribbon stash.

These 2 tags were for the traditional swap and I used paper and embellishments from the December kit I made last month. I also used some left over die cuts I had left over from last year Hanging the Ornaments layout that are Creative Pointe's cuts from Christmas Set 2 I added a border of candy canes I had from a K&Company TC Christmas adhesive borders. Added a brad to the top of the cuts and the tree or stocking borders in green came from JTE Christmas diecut pack. Happy Holidays stickers are from a sticker sheet I had in my stash. Added some green ribbon and some red and white bakers twine to make a bow on the ribbon.

They were both fun project and the swaps I received back were amazing, penguins seem to be popular for the winter wonderland swap and the traditional swap went all over the place, but I kept back some favorites for my Dec Daily book. The rest adorned my presents very nicely :)
Have a sweet day and stay warm......

Simple Pleasures a Lasting Memories Blog Hop

Hello you all and welcome I am so excited to tell you that I made the cut over at Lasting Memories and I am one of their designers for the next 6 months! How cool is that!

Hello and welcome to our very first challenge for 2015 at Lasting Memories! We're celebrating the new year and new Design Team with a blog hop. Super fun right?! If you're just starting the hop, be sure to start at Lasting Memories so you don't miss anyone - if you're last stop was Lori at My Happy Life then you're on the right track!

Our challenge theme this entire month is "Life's Moments" and our first challenge is "Life's Simple Pleasures" .. we want to know what one of your simple pleasure's in life is. Chocolate? Coffee? Adorable children, pets or grandchildren?? SO many things to consider and we're excited to see what you create! What's my Simple Pleasure??? Here, let me show you!

I have so many simple pleasures where do I begin? Family and Friends has to be a good place to start. Most of the best times in life involve one or the other. Another simple pleasure is receiving a cute letter in the mail (Yes the original mail! ) and Christmas seems to bring the joy of seeing Family and Friends by way of photo cards and traditional Christmas cards :) I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I get a letter or a card and have time to read it and enjoy that little moment in time.
This layout also came about from a sketch challenge over at Stick it Down

We received some cute photo cards this past year:

The 2 bottom photos came from friends of ours that share the same passion as we do with our Moline tractors. The top photo is Dave's brother and his family. I also cut up the card we received from Dick and Mary that had this cute card front with the mail box and the sentiment Sending Happy Holidays 

The title block was fun to put together I used some of the kit I made last month for this layout besides the blue cardstock background from the current counterfeit kit. The touch of red comes from the card we received from our niece and it made for a nice touch on this side of the layout and to give the layout more balance. The camera came from the Amy Tangerine remarks sticker pack that I then fussy cut for the title block.

 The picture on the right is a collage photo card of our Niece's girls, The both have the Campbell looks, Greta looks just like Dave's sister at that age he told me and Lucy looks like Dave's mother at that age.

The picture on the top left is the newest addition to the family our Great Grandson Waylon (awww he so cute :) Waylon is 7 months in this picture and just love that Sabrina sent this one out of him.

I fussy cut the inside of the card that we received from Dick and Mary to include with the pieces of their card that I cut up and scattered about the layout. I also included the journaling strips like in the sketch, I just added an extra line.
Thanks for stopping by today and do enjoy the blog hop :)

Your next stop is Paula and when you're all done visiting the new Design Team, we really hope you'll have time to join the fun! All our challenges run for the entire month, so you have time to play! Thanks for stopping by today!

If you get lost along the way here is the Line Up

Lasting Memories

Lori

Tina

Paula 

Andrea

Suzanne

Lyne

Bea

Claire (returning member)

Renee

Kimberly (returning member)

Michele

Karen

Lasting Memories (time to craft!)

My Jan 2015 Counterfeit Kit

OMgosh! I was so waiting for this month's kit to post over at Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and it is one that excited me right on the get go :) They used the Hip Kit Club December's kit for the inspiration this month and sure is inspiring with all the blues and golds :
 
 This is my take on the kit: I call it Stuck in the Middle!
Why do you ask? Cause I'm not quite finished with the old stash but wanted to bring in some new too. Let's say it's some old, some new, some given and some blue :)
A little tip from Susanne's blog She had a Plan and I too had some plans for this year and will point them out as I go :) (Very photo heavy ahead this is another big kit for me again this month :)
Papers:

Alphas:

Inks and Mists:

Sadly the distress paint I got in October and it still hasn't been open yet. the texture paste and wink of stella brush are brand new won that last month :) Will also be using momento ink and the inks I pulled last mnth

Embellishments:

 Stickers for a layout planned this month or a smash page, a new embossing folder, old gems, journaling spots and some fun rub ons

 buttons and charms, sequins, hodgepodge clips (SU), washi tape and the blue washi I got for Christmas in my stocking, brads, and this smash pack of goodies I got in a swap in 2013.

Yep, there is some Halloween items in there, yep got some of those layouts to do :) More rubons and some stickers too.

Some extra items:

 I've got some birthday cards to make so I pulled this paper pad, sheet and stickers

 Okay now this is part of my plan :) I buy these kits so now I want to make sure I actually use them (I have 4 drawers full and some that sit under my desk leaned against another paper storage bag.) So I got out both CTMH kits: Workshop on the Go Chalk It Up (this has a nice puffy sticker set too like in the kit) also has a stamp set and stripe twill ribbon in white and black. The other is Picture my Life: For Always kit, it has the black, white and gold tones like the inspirational kit and this provides the cards for their cut up sheet.

 This is also part of the New Year's plan. I bought these dazzle kits a few years ago so each month I will have one maybe 2 kits in it: I pulled the left side one cause of the Halloween paper and the right side one has the fun elements for a Wedding layout and some valentine cards. The corner pack is a pack of paper I got for Christmas in a Secret Santa swap, thought I liked it so I want to use it :)

 The other stamp sets to use this month.

And with the gold tones of the inspirational kit I had to bring in the kit that Margie given me a couple of months ago, to use this month :) Sweet it is :)

Suzanne pointed out that she was going to use one cricut cartridge a month, now I thought this is a good idea! So I'm gonna lift this idea and with having both the cameo and the cricut thought it was only fair that one week I would cut with one and the next with the other. So with the cameo I will only choose files I have not yet cut out and for the cricut I have the doodlecharms  cartridge sitting on my cricut cause I wanted to cut out some things last month so that will be the one I use. 

The other Plan I made was about scraps! I have come to figure out I have way to much and need to use them. Right now I have scraps in 4 separate small containers, a drawer full, a box full and a bag full. So my plan is to gather up all of them and break them down to used in with the kit each month till they are gone and only in one catchall basket! Just to much room being used by them. Thanks for stopping by today and I really hope you join in on the fun of this challenge :) I'm telling you if the kit is ready you will use it! For now I've got some crafty goals to tackle.....

Happy New Year-2015

Happy 2015 to you! I wish you all a fantastic year!

I have to say that 2014 wasn't so bad I became a GreatGrandMa this time around by welcoming little Waylon and we got little Emily Ann due any time this month. I had a good scrappy year-didn't finish alot of my goals, but I was actually scrapping this year, so that is a good thing. Had some fantastic totals too: layouts 149, cards 98, DD 2, Tags 15, Recipe Cards: 10, Mini Album: 6 pgs, Smash pg: 1. Found that Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog  and with doing their monthly kits actual helped with m scrappin just so easy to scrap since all the decision making had already been done each month with the kit. Also have to give kudos to all the challenge sites that I follow cause quite a few of them were the other base for my layouts when I need direction I went to them first for themes and sketches.

 

I don't know how many of you follow the one little word but I have chosen mine to be:  

Ahead

I need to get into some better habits of being Ahead by actually working on things early instead of waiting to the last minute.
I have decided on my yearly crafting goals and I like to put that written down the 1st of the year so I have it for a reference also. It may seem like a large list, but most won't take long to complete and some are just an ongoing thing that either will take the year to complete or doesn't get completed at all. This is another year of scrapping and I want to get lots of pictures I have printed scrapped and make a bigger dent out of my stash of paper and kits.  My list:

2015 Crafty Goals

• Start and Finish Tristan's 1st year album
• 2014 Dec. Daily Book
• Cruise Album
• 2012 Vacation Album: Steamtown/Canadiagua trips
• 2013 Vacation Album: Alum Bank show and surrounding area spots
• 2012 Dec. Daily-Learning the cameo in the process of making this album
• My 50th Year-Smashbook-Finish it
• Get caught up with Smashbook Challenges & Smash Your Stash 2013 challenges
• Project Life 2014-Finish it
• Project Life 2013-Finish it
• Project Life 2012: Start & Finish it
• Pictures that are scattered: Get together and Organized
• MGCA album-work on when I can
• Finish up the Big Picture classes that I took in 2013/2014
• Chronilogical-work on it in-between other projects
• Heritage Album
• To learn more new techniques and folds in my cardmaking
• Work on Cards throughout the Year
• Christmas in July: Cards and Tags done then for Christmas

2015 Personal Goals

• Closer walk with God and Jesus. To get to know him better-to be in the word each day
• Will be starting a fitness/weight loss smashbook (ongoing) and working on my fitness for the year (2014 lost 30 lbs :)
• Try to blog each day or at least every-other day by setting up the posts on Saturday/Sunday
• to spend less time on Facebook 

Alot of these goals are still the same from last year and glad to continue to keep trying to complete them. Zachary's 1st year album was a big achievement this year. For 2015 Working on past Big Picture classes and get those done (lots of downloading involved too with them besides just doing them) is a big goal for me to get accomplished. Here's looking to another crafty year ahead with learning some new techniques and a new mat for my Cameo to learn too.

Have you made your goal list for the year? Have you made any changes from crafting this year from last year? I wish you all a productive year ahead.....

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and family :) Thank you all for the wonderful comments I have received in the past year. It's been a blast crafting when I can and sharing it here with all of you, the ones that truly understand how a paper crafter enjoys the time in her craft-room making all those memories come to life :)

 Bless you all this wonderful season as I look to the Lord for all in my life and thank him for what I have. I have been blessed many times over.

Merry Christmas and thank you to the ones that have to work today, the police, fire and hospital staff.

Have a wonderful day! Enjoy all those goodies that Santa brought and put under the tree for you. Enjoy the family time, friend time and the food this year as well as the fellowship.

Merry Christmas

Around here

Wow it's been almost a week since I last posted! I hope the holiday season is treating you all well
Around here this week has been packed full of Working, Shopping and Wrapping.
Working has been extra hours to have extra dollars $$$$ I was able to finish up a huge project of converting designs for the former business that I embroidered for and got all their files converted gave me what I needed for the hubby's gifts :) Now today I'll finish shopping.
Shopping has been many days in the making started with Black Friday and just about each Saturday after and finally finished up this past Saturday for the family :) We had a blast spending time together and went off track a bit on Saturday to see a train display in Lewisburg, very nice display that you will see in my Dec Daily for this year. Then right back to shopping got done around 8:00 pm :)
Wrapping we have been doing that off and on since we bought the gifts but did finish it up yesterday which we did before I went shopping. It's a tradition for us to wrap gifts together (except for our gift to each other :) It makes it more fun to do together and we keep each other on track with who is who for the gifts,

What's left? Not enough time in the day, lol! But so glad that the plant closed down for the whole week instead of having us work 2 days. Now I got time to finish shopping, wrapping the hubby's gifts, baking cookies and making a dish for to take to the family get together at my Brother's house. Were making a fruit salad for here at the house that needs done yet and we'll be taking some up with us to Tammy's over the weekend. Lot's of traveling to do through the holiday.

Then after Sunday things will start coming back to normal with another week off, should be catching up on what I want to do before December is over ( I know it's just a few days left by this point :) and a week to work on my Dec Daily and a few layouts from the holidays :)

What's left on your list?