Autumn Blessings!

Hi, Friends!

It's been quite awhile since I've been here.  This card was made before going on vacation and sent to a friend.  The leaf die is from Simon Says and the scalloped panel was made using a die from The Greetery.  I used some beautiful design paper from Spellbinder's.  Gold spray, gems, and bow to finish the card.  I'm entering this card over at Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge.

So, I mentioned that I went on vacation and I'm still experiencing jet lag.  But, it was certainly worth it.  We went to Japan with our son and his friends.  Dustin and Susan were our tour guides.  This is their tenth year to Japan. Dustin was such a blessing to us with the train stations.  My husband and son were starting to figure it out, but I didn't even try!  It was quite the experience and I miss some things about Japan already.  The people were very kind and helpful.  Everything was orderly and clean.  The shopping was amazing!  I visited the Itoya store and bought quite a few copics for my friend and I.  The copics were about $3.00 so much less than they are here.  We visited Mt. Fuji, Nikko, Nagoya, and Yokohama where China town is.  I tried a little of the food and it wasn't bad at all.  My husband eats anything, so he had a lot of fun trying new foods.  My son had fun looking for sushi places.  Here are a few photos of our vacation...

Ryan and Jeremy

Dustin and Susan

Dustin's 40th Birthday!

Nikko

Nagoya Castle

Well, I will close here for I'm having trouble downloading vacation photos for some reason.  I'll have to post more later.  Thanks so much for dropping by today!  I'll be taking a visit to your blogs now.  Take care!

Hugs!

Happy Halloween!

Hi, Friends!

Happy October 1st!  We had another perfect day here in NW Ohio and enjoyed a visit to a pumpkin farm.  We had hot apple cider and pumpkin donuts, so yummy!

I decided to make another Halloween card with inspiration of my two black cats, Nicky and Coco as seen above.  Coco is on the right stirring up trouble as she usually does, lol!  Nicky is having fun watching her and trying to keep out of her way.  I just LOVE those cute little cat images from Lawn Fawn!!

Coco is in the chair and Nicky is on the floor.  

They keep us busy and they are so loveable and cute!! 

 

  All images for my card were colored with copics.  The background was made using distress ink and black splatters for interest.  I'm entering this card over at the Lawn Fawn Challenge.  

 

Supplies:

Lawn Fawn:  Die:  Outside Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Stackables

Lawn Fawn:  Stamp:  Purrfectly Wicked

Thanks so much for taking the time to time by today!  Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week!

Hugs!

Autumn Blessings!

Hi, Friends!

Happy Fall!  We have perfect weather here in NW Ohio right now!  The temp is in the low 70's with plenty of sunshine!  We did a little yard work and checked our tomatoes.  We have some yummy ones to eat for dinner tonight.  I love fall, don't you?!

I'd like to share with you two fall cards today.  I struggled with this first card.  I had a different design in mind, but when I looked at it the embossed leaf background was going the wrong way. So, I started over and ended up with the above card, which will go to a friend.

I started with a cream card base and used distress inks for the MFT leaf image.  The leaf background was made using a stencil from Lawn Fawn.  The leaf paper is from Newton's Nook and the sentiment is from Sunny Studio.  I'm entering this card over at Stencil Fun Challenge.

Next up...

This card was made using the sunflower die from Lawn Fawn.  Usually, I wouldn't have the leaves blue, but that's what I see in the design paper.  I actually like the contrast with the oval navy background behind the light blue leaves.  The sentiments are from Altenew.  Gems and bow to finish the card.

Ok, friends, I thank you for dropping by today!  Have a wonderful weekend, take care!

Hugs!

Happy Birthday!

Hi, Friends!

I just LOVE this new butterfly die from Alex Syberia!  I'll be using it as a fall birthday card.  I didn't put a sentiment on the front of the card for I wanted the butterfly to shine.  I used distress inks for the background, butterfly, and flowers.  The background panel was made using a die from The Greetery.  

I'm entering this card over at NBUS Challenge.  

I started with a new crochet project with making a pumpkin.  I made one small pumpkin and it was a practice one, which turned out a little wonky, but still cute.  The one seen below is much better.  The pattern is using the wheat stitch and single crochet.  The stem is a cinnamon stick and a bow with twine to finish the pumpkin.  I'm already making another one.  It's so addicting!

Ok, friends, that's all for now.  Thanks so much for taking the time to drop by today!  Have a great rest of the week, take care!

Hugs!

Happy Halloween!

Hi, Friends!

How are things your way?  I'm still having fun creating Halloween cards.  I couldn't resist the fun spider shaker from Pretty Pink Posh!  I had a mishap with all those tiny beads.  Our son called and I had half the spider done without the backing on it.  I was in  a hurry and didn't realize it was stuck to a piece of paper.  I took it downstairs with me to talk to him. Hubby for some reason said this is stuck and pulled on it and beads went flying everywhere!  He felt bad, of course, and helped me pick up all the beads.  Message to myself...keep beads away from hubby, lol!

Anyways, I did like how the card turned out with the designer paper from Whimsy Stamps.  All dies are from Pretty Pink Posh.  The band on the hat, spider and brew is actually a light green and not yellow as it appears on here.  Googly eyes added to finish the card.

Next up...

Another Halloween card made with more Pretty Pink Posh dies. 

Ok, that's all I have for now.  It's a beautiful day here in the 70's!  We enjoyed lunch at Barnside Creamery and ate our lunch outside.  We topped it off by sharing an apple dumpling with ice cream, so yummy!  Thanks so much for dropping by and have a wonderful day!  Take care, hugs!!

Eek! Happy Halloween!

Hi Crafty Friends!

I managed to get some Halloween cards done this past weekend and had a lot of fun creating!       

I usually don't make too many, but a few friends and family do enjoy receiving them.  

For the above card,  I started with a black card base and paired it with patterned paper.  The frame die is from Recollections and the cat is a wood stamp from Stampabilities.  The sentiment die is from Pretty Pink Posh.  Googly eyes, dots, and bow to finish the card.  The cat looks like our cat, Coco, when our son's dog, Maverick, comes for a visit, lol!.  Maverick is a German Shepherd.  I'm entering this card over at A Cut Above Challenge.

Ok, that's all for today.  I'll post more Halloween cards later.  Thanks so much for dropping by today!  Take care, hugs!!

Maria

Happy Birthday!

Hello there!

It's been a little while since I've been here.  Appointments and a camping trip kept me busy for the last two weeks.  Anyways, I'd like to share with you the above card that I made for a friend's birthday.  

I started with a white card base and paired it with an embossed panel.  The cloud embossing folder is from Altenew.  The clouds are from Spellbinder's.  The sunflower and sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.  The fence and grass dies are from MFT.  I used distress ink on the sunflower for interest,  Gold stems to finish the card.

I thought I'd share just a few photos of when we went camping this past weekend to Hocking Hills here in Ohio.  I did well with hiking Old Man's Cave with my walking sticks.  It's been nearly three months since I had my hip surgery.  I almost didn't do the hike, but I was up for the challenge and happy that I did it!  The weather was perfect and we had a great time!

Ok, that's all for now.  Thanks so much for dropping by today, take care!

Hugs!

You Are Spec-taco-lar!

Hi, Friends!

I just posted the other day, but here I am again because I checked out some awesome inspiration over at Lawn Fawn!   I recently purchased some goodies from them with the Treat Cart Add-on Tacos.  I just love all the darling critters from Lawn Fawn!  Those critters are having a taco fest and one is celebrating a birthday!  My son often goes to a Mexican restaurant with his work friends, so I thought he might appreciate this birthday card.  I combined sets of Reverse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Window, Critters in the Desert, Treat Cart Add-on: Tacos, and Cactus Hillside Border.  I colored all the images with copics.  And, I used distress inks for the background.  I'm entering this card over at  Lawn Fawn Challenge, NBUS, and Cardz 4 Galz

Supplies:

Lawn Fawn:  Reverse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Windows

                      Critters in the Desert

                      Treat Cart

                      Treat Cart Add-on:  Tacos

                      Cactus Hillside Border

Ok, friends!  That's all for now.  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, take care!

Hugs!

Merry Christmas!

Hi, there!

How are you doing on this fine Friday afternoon?  I'm doing well here and had a nice lunch out with hubby before going to the grocery store.  I usually don't like to go to the grocery store on the weekends, but it wasn't too bad at all.  I came home and made a banana cream pie.  So, we will have a yummy dessert this evening!

Anyways, I'm here to share with you a card I made to enter because my friend, Greta, is the guest designer over at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge.  I got to thinking that I haven't made any Christmas cards yet.  And, to think that Christmas is just a few months away!

For my card, I started with a red card base.  The wreath stencil that I used is from Altenew.  I used glossy accents on the berries.  I used distress inks for the wreath.  Gold gems and a sparkly bow to complete the card.

Ok, that's all for now.  Thanks so much for dropping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs!

Thank you!

Hi, Friends!

I had a busy weekend of crafting at a crop with some friends.  I had fun making a few cards using the rose stencil from Simon Says.  I wanted to make this card using the alpha dies from Close to my Heart from a friend who gave me the dies.  I just love the pretty rose stencil that makes for an easy card, which can be used for so many occasions. Gold dots and a bow were added to finish the card.

I'm entering this card over at I.D.E.A.S. by Darnell for Anything Goes.

It's still hot here and very humid.  It feels like Florida!  We will have cooler weather this weekend, though.  I'm looking forward to visiting with our son and going to the Ohio State Fair on Saturday.  This old gal can't take the heat and humidity for too long, so I'm happy to see that the temps will be much cooler!

Ok, I'll post more cards later.  Thanks so much for taking the time to drop by today!  Take care!

Hugs!

Happy Birthday!

Hi, Friends!

I'd like to share with you a masculine birthday card that I made.  Lots of bright shiny stars on this card to help celebrate the birthday guy!  The stars were die cut using dies from Sweet 'n Sassy.  The paper is from MFT.  And, how sad that MFT is going out of business.  I have lots of MFT stamps, paper, and dies.  I certainly wish Kim lots of luck on her next adventure! 

We made our first camping trip last weekend to one of the state parks here in Ohio(Alum Creek State Park).  We had a great time even though we had a couple rainy days.  Our son, his friend, and son's dog came along for the camping fun.  We are planning another trip to Hocking Hills next month.  We are looking forward to it!

Here are a few camping photos...

me

(making cherry pie)

Husband, Randy

Son, Jeremy

Friend, Ryan

(enjoying smores)

Son's dog, Maverick

Ok, friends, that's all for now.  I thank you for taking the time to drop by today!  Take care and have a great rest of the week!

Hugs!

Happy 4th of July!

Hi, there!

Happy 4th to all my family and friends in the USA!  What fun things did you do to celebrate?  We watched the fireworks last night and today we went to Maumee Bay State Park for a picnic.  It was quite warm, but we were thankful for the breeze.  Afterwards, we stopped for ice cream to cool off!

Today, I'd like to share with you a simple card I made for my sis.  She loves anything patriotic.  It was a patriotic thank you card for she brought over delicious lasagna.  

The card was made using Carta Bella paper and die cut.  The flower accent gems are from SU.  I think I am going to hoard them for they are so pretty!  Twine added to finish the card.

I hope you are staying cool!  It's still hot here, but the humidity isn't too bad today.  It might just be a hot summer for us.  

A recent photo of my two kitties...

Coco is on the chair and Nicky is on the floor.  

Coco wanted her belly rubbed.  She thinks she's a princess!

Ok, that's all for now.  I hope you have a wonderful safe weekend!  Thanks so much for dropping by!

Hugs!