Happy New Year & An Announcement!

Wishing you a wonderful 2015!  Hope you're having a great day & hope our Oregon Ducks win the Rose Bowl!  
Some time ago I got one of those unexpected e-mails where you read it twice to be sure it really says you're invited to join a team. Sure enough, Words 2 Scrap By really did ask me to be part of the I-Team, as in Inspiration.  I'm thrilled to join these talented ladies: Annie, Bobbi, Penny & Sybrina.  Hope you'll check out our challenges "using words to inspire creativity."  

For January, you pick the hashtag--something with special meaning for you.  
I chose Celebrate Life & made a birthday card using the Penny Black balloon dies cut from Penny Black Madison Papers with a bit of Stickles added.  The texture on the background panel is done with PTI canvas/linen impression plate. 
When I hear people say "I don't celebrate birthdays anymore" I think of so many people in my work as a nurse who would give anything to be able to celebrate one more year. Life is precious & I say Celebrate Life! Thanks so much for all your encouragement, friendship & support.  

Another New Year's Card

Photo Inspiration

I wasn't able to get together with one of my friends before Christmas, so I'll save the Christmas card for next year. We're meeting for an early dinner tonight with our hubby's, so that gave me a great reason to make a card for the challenge at Inkspirational. The photo is such a beautiful night shot of a city, but we're small town folks.  I used my SSS village dies which were cut from black cardstock, inked & heat embossed.  The silver shadow layer is cut from the lining of a Christmas card envelope we received. Hurray--that makes my card qualify for Pixies Snippets Playground! I'm sure you're not surprised to see that I used PTI Snowflake Flurries once again--this time stamped in Scarlet Jewel.  The splotches are made with a silver re-inker, the sentiment is DeNami & the stitched rectangle is Lil' Inkers.  I'm also entering SSS Flickr Challenge #9.

Can't wait for New Year's Day--The Rose Bowl is finally here (Go Ducks!) & I'll be making a happy announcement. Wishing you a wonderful New Year's Eve! 

Quick Gift

The Impression Obsession challenge--quick holiday gifts--was just what I needed to inspire me to decorate a candle.  They make great little gifts for friends who work in an office since they're pretty even without being lit.  I decorated a small vanilla scented pillar with IO snowflakes that were die cut from pink glitter paper.  Dark gold gems were glued on & I wrapped it with a strip of the glitter paper & cream twill.  Snowflakes work for winter, so this can stay out after the holidays.  Hearts would be cute for Valentines Day--may have to try that.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.

PTI Sympathy Card

Between work & loosing our internet connection, I'm behind again on reading blogs. Don't think I've forgotten you! Comcast man got us back up & running in time to enter my PTI MIM stamped border card.  You see sympathy cards in every style, but I'm only comfortable giving ones that are simple with little embellishment.  A stamped border works perfectly for my style.  I used my favorite PTI Turning A New Leaf set, but this time I used 3 of the smaller images I don't think I've ever inked.  My PTI inks are Limeade Ice, Simply Chartreuse & Harvest Gold.  The sentiment from PTI Through The Trees is stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate on vellum. I discovered that Brilliance really does completely dry if you give it time. Cream twill adds a bit of texture to finish it off. Have to say, I love how this card came out & plan to use this design with other colors, images & sentiments.  My 5th entry in SSS Wednesday Anything Goes.
Edited to Add: Thanks to Holly, I'll add this to a new to me challenge, Loves Rubberstamps.

PTI Blog Hop #3

One last entry for the PTI Dec. Blog Hop.  I used another favorite PTI set, Turning A New Leaf, along with dots from Harvest Berries & a sentiment from Boutique Borders: Birthday.  I often overstamp in gold, so decided to see how it would look over silver & I really like it.  My inks are Delicata Golden Glitz & Silvery Shimmer. The sentiment is black embossed & again I added some black splatters with a water brush--looks like silver, but that's OK.  The stitching is done with a Lil' Inkers die.  

I very seldom make 1 layer cards, but have to say this is one of my favorites.  I'm entering Anything Goes at SSS Wed. Hope you've had a great day.  I have lots of catching up to do, so I'll be visiting your blog soon.
Edited to add:  Thanks to Karen's suggestion, I'll enter at Word Art Wednesday.  Also entering at Seize the Birthday.

PTI Blog Hop Card #2

I needed a few New Years cards & the PTI Dec. Blog Hop theme inspired me.  One of my favorite PTI sets is Snowflake Flurries--just love the images!  I used Delicata Golden Glitz & Silvery Shimmer & heat embossed the DeNami sentiment which was a gift last year from my blogging friend, Lisa--thank you!  

I'm really getting into adding splotches with a water brush--just that little something extra. I'm entering Anything Goes at SSS Wed. Hope you're enjoying the hop & thanks so much for stopping by my blog. 
Edited to Add: Thanks to Kimberley, I'm adding my card to a new to me challenge, Stampin' Celebration.

PTI Blog Hop & Hubby's Card

True to form, hubby's card was made Christmas Eve--LOL! I had something else in mind until I saw the theme for the PTI Dec. Blog Hop.  Then I got the idea to use my new SSS Village dies backing the windows with Delicata Golden Glitz sponged on cardstock.  

The buildings were sponged with Distress Ink frayed burlap. I ended up cutting my snowy mounds separate from the buildings--easier for me to get each piece situated where it looked right.  My inked background was done with Distress Ink chipped sapphire. Unfortunately, I didn't plan for how much would end up being covered, so most of my shading doesn't show, but it's a pretty night sky anyway.  Love the SSS Falling Snow stencil which I used with embossing paste colored with a silver re-inker.  Rock Candy glitter adds some sparkle to the falling snow & mounds.  The window was cut with a Spellbinders oval & I trimmed the sentiment strip into a flag after silver embossing the greeting from PTI Snowflake Flurries.  The little wooden star from the SSS Blog Candy I won was colored with a silver maker & covered in Crystal Laquer.  

The top 2 layers are mounted with foam tape & hubby really liked the 3D look.  I'm also entering the Anything Goes challenge at SSS Wednesday & Pixies Snippets Playground.  Enjoy the hop & thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Merry Christmas!

Fritz got to open his present early & made use of it yesterday.  My sister is very talented.  She made a pattern from the fleece jacket when she was here so she could make him a rain coat.  He still hasn't adjusted to Oregon weather after spending his first 9 months in Phoenix--LOL!  
Hubby wasn't thrilled with my white poinsettia card.  He's not a fan of red, but to him a poinsettia should be red. When I bought the MFT dies I had in mind using my MFT red felt, so here's another poinsettia card. This one he liked & chose to send to a lovely woman who is a volunteer at the historical society where he visited last year to work on his genealogy.  I finally used some of the beads I got over 15 years ago--made a great center for the flower.  The fancy dies are Spellbinders.  I'm entering the SSS Wednesday Anything Goes challenge.
Wishing you & your family a peaceful holiday filled with joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Today is the 5th anniversary of my wonderful dad's entry into heaven as the radio played Silent Night.  I love you, Dad.

Peace & Joy

Please scroll down for my a2z Scrapbooking post.

I try not to do 2 posts in a day, but since this card is for the challenges at City Crafter Challenge Blog & MFT WSC it can't wait. Most of my huge stash of Christmas papers hadn't been used for this year's cards.  I do love these papers &  now that they've been cut maybe I'll use them again--eventually--LOL!  

The snowflakes, flags & pinking edge are MFT dies. The sentiment was done with MFT stamps using Brilliance Starlite Black & clear embossing powder. Hope you have a lovely holiday.

Hello

It's my day again to post on the a2z Scrapbooking Blog. There you can find the details & supplies for this watercolor flowers card. Hope you'll join in our challenge for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate at The Store.  I'll send this as a surprise to a blogging friend.

You can use my discount code, GRETA15, to get 15% off a minimum $25 purchase at The Store. Thanks so much for visiting my blog.

My Friend

Census was low at the little hospital where I work, so got to leave early today. Watched the PTI MIM video as I was intrigued by the entries I've seen this week. It's been quite awhile since I used the wonderful Sweet Life stamp set.  I practiced for the upcoming Blog Hop by using Delicata Golden Glitz & Delicata Silvery Shimmer. 
Oh wow--do those inks make gorgeous roses! Couldn't figure out how to use any leaves so added the little decorative image from the SAF 1920s set using Sweet Blush. Love the Thankful die & made a sentiment strip using one of the choices in the Counting My Blessings stamp set using Staz On Jet Black.  Last year I sent a lot of cards for no special reason & plan to continue this year. Hopefully this card will brighten someone's day.  I did use a couple scraps so will enter the challenge at Pixie's Snippets Playground.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.

Merry Christmas from Fritz

I always make some goodies & a card for the groomer--a gal we really like.  This year I finally cut into these beautiful Echo Park papers using the sketch for SSS Flickr Challenge #8. Love this twine--a gift from my blogging friend, Nat. This is my first card using the SSS frame die & Taylored Expressions holly die. 

I added tiny red gems for the R & A instead of struggling with tiny pieces of paper & added stickles to the holly berries.  A Cuttlebug embossing folder added texture to the white card. I'm also entering the Candy Cane challenge at Curtain Call & Eat, Drink & Be Merry at Words to Scrap By.  
Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog. Wishing you a lovely holiday season.
Edited to Add:  Also entering SSS Wed, even though my puppy dog doesn't have snow on his face I think it fits.

Peace on Earth

I love the Stampendous nativity stamp & wanted to use it for a nurse I worked with last year.  We both changed jobs within the company & I really miss her. The nativity & sentiment (also Stampendous) were black embossed.  Then I spritzed with several Tattered Angels mists. Instead of a shaker, I just glued some Stampendous Shaved Ice along the bottom before adding the black frame made from Lil' Inkers Stitched Rectangles.  I spritzed the frame with the Iridescent Gold TA to soften it a bit & added a gold gem to the star.  I'm entering the challenges at Stampendous & SSS Monday.  Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog.  

Noel Shaker Tag

Nothing like waiting until the last minute--LOL! I missed Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist last year, but I'm squeaking in with a last minute entry for this year.  

Heather's Day 10 Tag

I was inspired by Heather Campbell's Day 10 Tag--a fun pink shaker. I used Lil' Inkers Rectangle dies for the base & frame.  
I heat embossed the DeNami Manger, one of my oldest & most loved stamps.  I die cut a Tim Holtz star & attached it with temporary adhesive before spritzing with Tattered Angels Snow Angel & Creme de Rouge. I removed the star mask & stamped Noel, also by DeNami. Instead of sequins I used Stampendous Shaved Ice.  
A friend I used to work with loves pink & shares my faith, so this will be perfect for her.  I'm also entering the challenges at SSS Monday Anything Goes & SSS Wednesday Bling it On.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog at this busy time of year.

Christmas Card with Non-Christmas Stamps

I really wanted to play along with the Christmas challenge at ODBD. They have gorgeous holiday stamps, but I don't yet own any of them.  I pulled out 2 retired stamps:  Sweet William-Small & Vintage Border Background.  My color inspiration came from the current Merry Monday challenge & I used red for the 4th color.  I started by white embossing the background stamp.  Two flowers were stamped in Delicata Golden Glitz & one in Silvery Shimmer.  I sponged on more ink after they were die cut with the matching Spellbinders Blossoms Three.  I've been hoarding these beautiful Sparklers & the red velvet ribbon which help make this look like a Christmas card, I think.  
The sentiment is one of the words in the flowers set & is stamped in Golden Glitz.  Needed something, so I added the tiny gold sticker dots. What do you think? OK for a Christmas card? I've never played with The Paper Players, so this will be my first entry.


Happy day in Oregon as our wonderful Marcus was awarded the Heisman trophy.  I so love when one of the "good guys" gets recognition.  
Thanks for your visit--I know everyone is super busy with the holidays upon us.  

Snowflakes with Sparkle

I had something a bit different in mind for the Impression Obsession challenge, but this is how it turned out after work today.  I was determined to use these beautiful little IO snowflakes (DIE100-F) which I cut out of silver sparkle & navy cardstock. The silver snowflakes were glued into the negative spaces using Stickles so the white areas are also sparkly--really pretty in real life. This is one of my favorite sentiment stamps (B3585) & I use it every year.  I'm also entering the challenges at City Crafter Challenge Blog & Colour Me. Thanks so much for taking time to check my blog. 

City Crafter Challenge Inspiration

Wonder Imagine Believe

CCCB inspiration

Hubby is about to have a BIG birthday & I wanted to make something different this year.  I have lots of wreath stamps & this MFT die & couldn't decide which one to use for City Crafter Challenge Blog.  
Finally decided to combine the MFT sketch & MFT Color Palette challenges with CCCB.  

The wreath die cut is pretty delicate, so I used the inlaid technique with the 2 shades of green. 
How does this work for hubby, you may ask. Well, green is one of the colors he likes & this year he picked out our wreath (from the high school kids I always buy from) since they came around while I was at work.  It was so fun to come home & see it hanging by the door.  
The words are from PTI Take Three Winter. Hubby has wanted to know who was his father for quite a few years as he was convinced it wasn't the man his mother divorced when he was young.  I won't go into all the details--suffice it to say thanks to DNA testing done by Ancestry.com he found him. Turns out he died many years ago, but the knowledge of who he was means so much to hubby.  I thought these words were fitting & hopefully he'll like the card.  I used a silver metal sticker in the center of the bow--more masculine than a gem or pearl--& the brick embossing folder is Tim Holtz.
Thanks so much for taking time to visit my blog.

Almost a Disaster!

I wasn't even working on this at midnight, but I started off by stamping on the wrong side for how the card opened.  At least that was easy to fix--just cut off the card front & used it as a panel.  The butterfly from PTI Quilled Elegance was stamped in Distress Ink salty ocean. Then I used my water brush to go over the image, as shown by Alexandra.  I added a bit of festive berries touching the brush directly to the pad--also learned from Alexandra's post.  The sentiment from the same set was stamped with StazOn.  I added the little butterflies, embossed them in white & added a touch of the blue ink with my brush since CAS(E) this Sketch provided my layout inspiration. 

Next was making the glitter frame for this week's PTI MIM challenge.  I used Score tape attaching all 4 pieces without adding glitter since I wanted to use translucent gel medium with my SSS Falling Snow stencil.  Of course I should have done that first & then glittered each strip of the frame as I attached it.  I was able to fix the adhesive, but didn't think of the fact that you need to use colored glitter with Score tape.  I added Stickles & it still looked terrible. Finally cut strips of Elizabeth Craft double sided paper which I attached to white cardstock strips & then added my EC Cool Highlight glitter.  This is the neatest stuff!  It goes on fairly dull & becomes extremely sparkly & smooth as you burnish it with your finger & it won't rub off.  Wish you could see it in real life. Anyway, the card is saved & ready to mail tomorrow to a friend who loves butterflies. I'm also entering the SSS Flickr challenge to use a stencil. Thanks for sticking with me through this long post!

Watercolor Ombre Background

I'm up today on the a2z Scrapbooking Challenge Blog. This month we want to see projects using watercoloring. I began by stamping & heat embossing the Hero Arts background in gold on watercolor paper.  Then I used a dark red watercolor paint with a wet brush using more paint at the top & more water moving down to create an ombre look.  I added a piece of vellum down the center with a stamped Hero Arts sentiment at the bottom using Versafine Onyx Black.  The Hero Arts tree was heat embossed in gold on another piece of watercolor paper brushed with the same paint.  I trimmed it very close, colored the dots with the paint nearly full strength & added Stickles to the stars.  
When everything dried I mounted it with foam tape & added gold dots at the top. Hope I've inspired you to join our challenge. You can use my discount code, GRETA15, to get 15% off a minimum $25 purchase in The Store.
I'm entering the challenges at SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Inkspirational.

A Wish For Peace

Hard to believe but it's already the first Saturday of December so that means a brand new challenge at Penny Black Saturday Challenge Blog.  This month we want to see your projects with snowflakes. You must use at least one Penny Black image as the main focus.  For my card I used the beautiful Christmas Harmony set from last year.  The snowflake image is white embossed on kraft.  The bird is heat embossed using VersaMagic Jumbo Java ink & colored with Copics.  I didn't add a lot of color to keep an earthy, neutral look, which can be very elegant. 
The bird was die cut with a Spellbinders Scalloped Oval which was sprayed with adhesive & covered with Prisma glitter.  Some time ago a lovely blogger sent me some seam binding because of a comment I left on her blog.  I finally got up my courage & tried making a double scrunchy bow which I embellished with a paper rose.  The snowfall embossing folder is by Taylored Expressions.  Hope I've inspired you to play along this month as we all wish for peace.  

I'm entering my card at Merry Monday, SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Die Cut Divas. Thanks so much for stopping by.

White Sparkly Poinsettia

I really love my new MFT poinsettia dies, so had to use it for another card. I used the sketch at MFT & the colors at Curtain Call. The poinsettia petals are covered in Wink of Stella, the leaves are sponged with PTI New Leaf & the centers are sponged with Distress Ink salty ocean. I used my white gel pen to add some dots. The sentiment is also MFT & is stamped in Versafine Onyx Black. I'm also entering SSS Work It Wednesday & SSS Monday & Die Cut Divas.

Quick post tonight as we have to get up early to take Fritz to his haircut appointment. Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm behind on reading blogs, but I'll catch up soon.