If you are ever in Myrtle Beach...

...you have to go to a nice stamp store called Artful Legacy. My parents stay in a cute place in Surfside Beach for a couple of months in the winter, and this store is literally a mile away from where they stay. The only stamp store within possibly a hundred miles, and it is that close!! Crazy, I say!! CRAZY!! They make their own stamps, but they have a ton of great tools, papers, and embellishments. In fact, I bought my first Flower Soft there. I can't wait to start playing with it!

In honor of my recent beach trip with Meredith to see my parents, I thought I would post a "beachy" card! Unfortunately, it was really cold, and we never actually set foot on the beach; however, Meredith was able to go swimming every day in the pool at the development where Mimi and Grandpa Don stay. That's all a kid needs!

The card is mainly one layer. I used a cloud template from Rosie's Roadshow, and I used Cool Caribbean ink to sponge it. The sun is cut with a nesties template, and it is Summer Sun. Finally, the "water" is Baja Breeze that has Pacific Point sponged on the edges. The lovely lady is colored with copics and spicas, and the sentiment is the priceless part. It goes, "Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever!" Ain't that the truth. I believe that the stamps are from Viva Las Vegas stamps, but I'm not positive. I hope the sunny card and mention of the beach will fill you all with happy, warm thoughts! (cause I'm freezing my Southern butt off here!)

Time is a lousy beautician!

Hopefully I got your attention with that title. It is actually from the sentiment on this card that reads, "Time may be a great healer, but it is a lousy beautician." Ain't that the truth...when we age, everything just seems to permanently go South for the winter!

The two stamps on this card are from Eat Cake Graphics. I love the whimsy and humor in these stamps, and I also love that the creator of the stamps is also a quilter. While my cardmaking obsession usually rules my life, I do come from a long line of quiltmakers. I'm actually itching to create something in that vein, but perhaps I should tackle all of the many unfinished projects that I have in my sewing closet.

Anyway, I digress. When I colored in the image of this wonderfully mature woman, I just had to give her purple hair, or at least the hue of purple. The most priceless thing about her is that she is sticking her tongue out at you...take that! I brought out my new best friend, the top note die for SU by Sizzix. The colors are Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, and Real Red. The designer paper is, you guessed it, from Bittersweet by Basic Grey (should I be getting paid for all of this endorsement?) I used SU punches for the sentiment, and the sentiment is actually done in red embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by today...I really do stalk my post counts. While I realize that mine is not too shabby, the competitive side in me wants more people to visit. So, if you like what you see, tell a friend...I like new friends! Call a friend you haven't talked to in a while...it will be nice to catch up!

Valentine Mailbox

I finally did it! Instead of buying 10 of these and putting them in my closet (ahem, I did that last year!), I actually bought one at Target this year in a kicky metallic color, and I used it. Yay me! I didn't really have a template for how to cover it, so I just winged (or is it wung...LOL!) it. I'm including three pictures of it to show the detailing on all sides. I used the Basic Grey Bittersweet line (can you say obsessed?), and I used a darling little stamp from Whiff of Joy. The coloring is done with Copic and Spica markers. I had to add a little bit of bling for attitude, which is ever so important! Finally, I used the rub ons from the Bittersweet line and some random ribbon I had amongst my enormous stash.
Speaking of a stash, isn't it always the case that no matter how much stuff you have, you will invariably never be able to find something that you need from your stash. Hence, you will have to go out and spend money on something new!
Happy stamping and creating...hug your kid, parent, friend or significant other today--they just might need it!

My Fabulous Little Girl

I do scrapbook, but I haven't been dusting off that part of my craft room lately. The photo is from a recent trip to Portrait Innovations. This picture really captured my heart. My husband says that it looks like her CEO portrait. My mom says she looks like she is wise beyond her years. It's crazy! I just love it!

The layout uses some tone on tone paper from BoBunny. I used the Basic Grey clear stamps that complement their Bittersweet line, and I stamped the background image in SU Craft white ink. I then used the SU set Fabulous Flowers, and I heat embossed all of the flowers in either red, winter white, red glitter, or detail black embossing powders. I then cut each of them out and popped up the smaller flowers. I mounted the photograph on black and Real Red cardstock, and I added some bling (rhinestone stickers). The last element was red grosgrain (it actually came off my new pajamas from Lands End) and black rick rack. The title is Dare to be Fabulous, and it is also from the set Fabulous Flowers.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my scrapbook layout!

My first Mojo Monday Sketch!

Ok...I'm usually a day late and a dollar short, but I honestly feel that is part of my charm! LOL! I have wanted to do the mojo monday challenges for a while now, and I finally did one!! I went back a week, and I found the Mojo Monday Sketch #69...cute (everything is cute today!) I found the stamp for this challenge at Paper Source today. I just love that they opened a location in Charlotte (my pocketbook doesn't!) The paper is Basic Grey's Bittersweet, and I had to buy some of the embellishments that went with it...the brads!! I used my new nesties for the scalloped circles. The ribbon is SU as is the Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa, and Chocolate Chip paper. I used Faber Castell pencils and Gamsol to color the image, and the ink is Memento Rich Cocoa. The circles are cut with the 3/4 and 1 inch punches from SU.

Oh, and here is some awesome blog candy from Claudia's blog Pretty Pressings. The stamps are alota stamps, and their website is super cute!!

My Tilda Cutie!!

I just love Magnolias...they're adorable and really fun to color! It's like I'm reliving my childhood with all of this coloring! This particular card is for Splitcoast sketch challenge #203. It was a really simple layout because I always hate to overpower the image. I added the flowers just because it needed a little something extra. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

I did discover some new stamp companies...some are new, and some are new to me!

Shirleys2Girls stamps

Doggone Stamps

High Hopes Stamps

And for paper, PaperTemptress

I have to admit my Stampin Up sets are definitely not getting as much love as they used to. Glad that there is a new catalog to pique my interest! Happy stamping, ladies!!

On a side note, I finally took the plunge and put myself out there for some design teams. It's a long shot, but you never know unless you try. So, I have been stamping and working on projects, but I can't quite reveal them yet. Wish me luck!

Little Girl Birthday Card

We went to a birthday party for little Anna this past weekend, and she was turning 3! Well, I had to break out the cute Alphabet set from Penny Black. It is a clear stamp set, and for anyone that knows me as a stamper, I'm very reluctant to use clear stamps. I never really have gotten a great image. So, I took this adorable alphabet, and I roughed it up a bit! That definitely made a difference! The image came out really well after a couple of tries. So, I will look differently at quality clear stamps from now on! (you can teach an old dog new tricks!)

Today is my husband's 38th birthday, and he is feeling a bit reflective today, especially about his own mortality. I know to some that 38 isn't very old, but when you are just turning that age, it may seem a little daunting. In addition, his brother had surgery to remove a tumor from his brain at Duke University Medical Center. The surgery went well, but now it is just a waiting game to see what the outlook is. This is his second surgery to remove the tumor as he had one about 5+ years ago. The whole situation just rocks us to the core, and we are praying harder than we ever have before.

Sorry to get off the crafting topic, but sometimes you just have to write it out to let it out. Hug your husband, child, mother, father, sister, brother, and whomever you love today for me!!

Where Have I Been?

Well, I know that I've been MIA for a little while, but I just wondered if anyone else noticed that I was missing? Maybe not, but I'm back regardless! I was busy and having a bout of stamper's block! It happens sometimes! I made two variations of the same card. The original was for SC208 on Splitcoast (the bottom card), but I didn't think I could make 12 copies of it for my stamp club monthly swap. Making 12 of anything can present quite a challenge!! So, here they are, and here are the details!

Stamps: French Script BG, Always, and Warm Words all by Stampin' Up

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, and Creamy Caramel by SU

Accessories: SU Ribbon, SU oval punches, and the Top Note die by Sizzix for SU, brown embossing powder

Ink: Versamark, Riding Hood Red, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip to sponge

I'm making a concentrated effort to stamp a bit more, but my parents will be here for a few days, so that may pose a challenge...we'll see how well I do.

Thanks for stopping by and checking things out!

ALERT!! More Awesome Blog Candy!

I heard about some more blog candy! This time it is from Starving Artistamps!! This is my first glimpse at them, and they are adorable! Hopefully someone I know will win something!!