What's on My Kitchen Counter

It's raining hard outside so it is a great time to craft and catch up on a few Hallmark movies. My friend Pauline posted THIS fun card which led me to the Winter Wonderland Challenge . The challenge is all about doing holiday cards and this week the theme is fashion. I thought I would use this fun new image by Cheryl Grant Alger/Sassy Cheryl which will be available at Squigglefly on January 4th; it is called Bum Snowman in love. I am only showing a part of the image on this card as I wanted to focus on his sweet face and his hat, scarf, and mittens since the challenge is about fashion. The papers are from The Paper Studio splashed with a bit of white craft paint, the dies are Spellbinders and Tim Holtz, and the flowers are from Thepiecebypiece shop on Etsy. Over at the Sassy Cheryl Blog, everyone is posting their favorite Sassy Cheryl Creation from 2013. Here is mine: This card was made with the Play Hard or Go Home image available at Squigglefly and the Sassy Chery

It's time for the MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge . This week's pictures are some super cute cookie jars, and they are very inspiring: I was inspired by the colors in the snowman jar but also in the whole cookie/baking concept. I used the Recipe Card Starters set from Mark's Finest Papers. I used papers from SU! and Graphic 45, the berries are from Dollar Tree with punched pine branches made with a Martha Stewart punch, and my ovals were made with Spellbinders dies. Hope you will join us!

The MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge (#42) is about the inside of Glampers, and you have to check out these fun images: I was so inspired by the pictures that I did two cards! This one was made with the MFP Lots of Words set: This one was made with the MFP Holiday Tags set: . Hope you will join us with your inspired cards

I went to see Black Nativity with my daughters a few weekends ago and discovered Langston Hughes. I have now read many of his poems and I love A Dream Deferred : What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? I like how visual he wrote, and for some reason, I have been thinking about all the meanings behind this poem. We all defer dreams. I have a ton of deferred dreams in the back of my mind, and a bunch of my deferred dreams have already exploded. This poem has inspired a few card ideas in the back of my mind and here is one: I used the Sketch from Seems A Little Sketchy #54 , computer generated my sentiment (a poem by Mark Twain) and used a ship from Squigglefly artist, Graham Gamble, called Tall Ship . I received this image free because for every $15 you

I just love this sweet image from Sassy Cheryl called Catch a Falling Star (it is available at Squigglefly and the Sassy Cheryl store). In making this card, I used THIS lovely card by sistersandie at SCS (she is this week's featured stamper - FS358). I also used the Christmas Poinsettia by Elizabeta Kushner. I am entering this in the Sassy Cheryl challenge for this past week which is Ribbons and Bows - my image has both on it. I passed my test so now I am a Certified Quality Auditor! I have to tell you I was worried about that one! Now I am so far behind in my Christmas preparations that I am going to have to PUNT (seriously!). I promise I am going to get around to everyone's blogs and catch up soon! Hugz!!!

The new Pattie's Creations Challenge #82 is SNOWY SCENE - WITHIN THE IMAGE . I used the Reindeer in Snow image from Pattie's Creations. The image has snow within the scene, but I decided it needed to look like it was snowing too. I keep hearing about everyone that is getting snow and I am kind of jealous. We don't get much snow here - maybe a 1/2 inch to 2 inches all year and it typically melts immediately. I guess it is a good thing we don't get snow because no one around here can drive on ice or snow (including myself), and the counties and cities throw dirt on the ice and pray because they have no other resources. This just makes dirty ice and isn't much help. It is cold enough to snow this morning. Hubby is going out hunting and he told me he is too old for cold mornings - maybe the deer will have a bit of a chance today because he is bundled up heavily. Dig out your snowy image and ideas and come join us! Hugz!

Have you ever heard of a Glamper? I want one!!! This week's MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge is all about Glampers (the outside of them) and here are some super fun pics: I tried several different ideas until I found some fun paper that worked (by The Paper Studio - designed by Kirby Teesdale Studio). I used the Mark's Finest Paper's Stamp Set called Huge Blooms . Come join in the fun - you have until next Wednesday! Hugz

The test I have been dreading studying for weeks is over. Sorry if I have been absent from commenting lately, but that test was really weighting on me. I don't know if I did good or bad because I did a lot of guessing between two answers that looked right. I find out in 7 to 14 days. On to my card. Few gifts are as wonderful as a baby on the way! My niece Wendy is expecting soon so I thought it would be fun to make her Christmas card with a baby theme. This week's Squigglefly challenge is to use Christmas paper, ribbon, or image on your card . I took this challenge literally and used my Christmas wrapping paper on my card (that kraft colored paper with the red images and writing on it). My images are from Fawn Palmer ( Onesies Set ) and Elizabeta Kushner ( Christmas Poinsettia ). Both of these great images are available at Squigglefly along with a bunch of other adorable baby images, Christmas images, and fantastic sentiments (the sentiment I used is from the Onesie

This week's MFPSpeedyTV's Inspiration Challenge has the coolest inspiration pictures: Aren't these fun? I was inspired by the windows in the pink chicken coop and the colors in the blue and white one. I used the Mark's Finest Papers Ice and Snow stamp set and a sentiment from Glad Glads . The window was cut with a die from MFT, the sky is done using SU! ink, the snow is Recollections glitter, the sentiment is punched with a tag punch from SU!, the white paper is from Mark's Finest Papers, and the metal snowflakes are from my stash (I bought them at a CK convention but they were loose and not labeled and I wish I had bought more!). I am thinking of showing these chicken coop pictures to my hubby and seeing if we can have a go at chickens. Hope you can find some inspiration on these pictures - we would love to see how you are inspired. There is another great prize this week. Hugz!

I took a break from studying last night and today (I am studying to take a Certification at Work - I take my test this Saturday so wish me luck) and made a few things. This card is a case of the FS356 at Splitcoast Stampers and I cased THIS card. The image and sentiment I used are sneak peeks of images done by Elizabeta Kushner and they will be available at Squigglefly this coming Saturday. I colored the image by dragging my ink pad across my kitchen counter, spritzing it with glitter spray, and then dragging my image through it. I learned this technique from Carol at ChocolatecraftsandBearsohmy. . The papers are from Glitz, SU! and The Paper Studio. This is one of the Christmas cards I am sending this year. I reworked a card I made with my DD for her Ugly Sweater Party. I think it came out fun. I did the base in Word and if you would like the file, just let me know and I will send it to you. The MIX challenge at SCS this week is to make something that hangs. I made thi