What's on My Kitchen Counter

I watched the Harry Potter Marathon this weekend and decided to check out the Haunted Design House Challenge . The current challenge is skulls. I have used all my skull images a few too many times so I went looking for a cool new one. I ran across this really great site called Aurora Wings . The images range from totally cute to really scary and they are really amazing! I bought an image called Santa Muerte - Day of the Dead Catrina Skull. This is what it said about the image: "this is a beautiful line art with wonderful flow and movement, full of details that will make coloring this quite a challenge. This is a line art best suited for advanced colorists or colorists with patience." I am not an advanced colorist and I have no patience with coloring. In fact, lately I have been just dragging my images through some ink and calling it done. But something about this image just made me want to buy it and try to color it. I didn't do it justice, but I am going to keep t

Cute little monkey's don't you think? The latest Squigglefly challenge is to use fruit on your card . It can be an image or an embellishment or part of your paper. I didn't have any fruit that would work, so I went over to the Squigglefly Store and purchased this cute little guy called Little Monkey . I have a bunch of cute ideas for this image, but today I just drug it through some Tim Holtz Tea die that I spritzed with some Glimmer Spray (I can't seem to get into coloring lately and this method is so quick and fun). Hope you will come join in the fun! Hugz!

The sun is finally out and it is 70 outside. Looks like it will be warmer than that all week so maybe around here we can say it is looking a lot like Spring. It has been rainy and windy for days so I am so glad. While it was raining the last few days, I did get some craft time. Made a few cards and a few scrapbook pages. Today's Featured Stamper at SCS is Jean and I cased THIS card. I love how this came out. I also did this card for the MIX challenge on SCS which is to use different tones of the same color. I used a Joy die to make the flowers and Tim Holtz Pealed Paint for my coloring. I also cased my Punchkateer friend Diane who is the Queen for the Day this week at SCS. I cased THIS card. I thought this card would also make a good scrapbook layout so I used it for Allie's Fight Song picture. I made a sister to it as well but didn't snap a picture. The new CSI challenge #116 came out so I had to do a page following the clues/evidence/testimonies pr

Flower Pots are great inspirations for cards: The newest MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge is #56 Flower Pots . I used Marks Finest Papers Glad Glads for my sentiment and Holiday Tags for my tag. I watched THIS YouTube Video and learned how to make some book page flowers - I love them! Come join us!

I found a new (to me) scrapbook challenge last night and did a quick page. Actually, it was very fast for me and looking at it I wonder how that happened since I sewed on it and everything - the stars aligned or something because normally it takes me forever to do a page even if it is a simple one. Done for two absolutely fun scrapbook challenges (yes, I am now officially addicted to scrapbook challenges too - although my scrapbook pages look like kindergarten pages compared to some out there - I am learning though). I did this for Stashbusters on Splitcoast Stampers (Second Week of March but you have a month to so them) - HERE is the link: The Stashbusters requirements are to use at least one of each of these: • 2 patterned papers • Ribbon • Bling or Buttons • Stamps or Stamped Image And my sketch is from Sketchabilities #111 . This is Allie with two of her sorority sisters. Hugz!

My plan to get a million birthday cards done didn't quite work out, but I did get a few done so I am calling it a success! My first one was done with an old image from Whipper Snapper and some papers I found way in the back corner of my scrapbook room. I was so lazy that I didn't even want to color this so I dragged it through some Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet spritzed with glitter mist and sponged a bit of barn door and rusty hinge. Seriously you would have laughed if you could have seen how I did this! My next card was done for the IC challenge on SCS. The challenge was a trip to Ruth Bleakley's Flickr portfolio; she makes handmade books. So inspirational! I did an accordion card with a fun Enid Barnes image I just had to purchase called Ostrich. His look is so wild! His eyes freak me out AND make me smile! Here is the inside: Lastly, I did a card for the Featured Stamper Challenge on SCS - this week the muse was Penny Ward and I cased THIS gorgeous card

Still trying to do at least one page for Allie's Scrapbook every week (have to do two this week since I fell behind this last week). I found another great scrapbook challenge called Once Upon a Sketch so this is for that challenge as well as the Stashbusters Challenge on SCS. The Once Upon a Sketch challenge has the best inspiration words: "You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough." This works well for Allie's whole scrapbook! She is so living well in her first year of college! This picture is of her friends supporting her Sorority sisters in a dance competition. I have one line of journaling on the front and several lines on the back explaining the event and the girls in the picture. They didn't win the competition, but per Allie they did an awesome job. I love the posters they made - such creative uses of their Sorority name. The Stashbuster requirements are: 1. decorative scissors 2. brads 3. buttons 4. a piece patterned paper

This week's MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge (Challenge #55) has great furniture with chicken wire for inspiration: I was inspired by the last picture, and I used the Mark's Finest Papers Oh Beans and Asian Delights sets. I dragged my flowers through some Victorian Velvet Tim Holtz ink sprayed with some glitter mist. The die is from Poppy Stamps and the chicken wire stencil is from Crafter's Workshop. Hope you will join us in the challenge this week! Hugz!

I have been so crazy busy in the last two weeks with company and then an out of town trip - but I promise I am going to catch up with everyone this week! Besides I need some inspiration, and you all inspire me sooo much! This week's Squigglefly challenge (SFC1114) is to use buttons and ribbon - pretty easy! I used a new image from Fawn Palmer called Grannie Gertie is Knitting. Isn't the sentiment fun? There are actually three funny sentiments with the image. Hugz!!!!

This card is for this week's MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge . This week's challenge is all about some darling fairy tale cottages that you can see HERE . I chose this one as my inspiration: I used one of the new Mark's Finest Papers sets called Bundle of Joy . Once again, I totally loved the inspiration pictures! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Thinking about playing along this week? If you do play, be sure and leave me a comment after you do and I will put your name in a drawing for some of my very own blog candy. Remember you don't have to use an MFP image (but we love it when you do) to win the challenge or my blog candy. Hugz!

I am trying to find some more fun scrapbook challenges so I can find inspiration for Allie's Freshman scrapbook so I went out on the internet and I found a fun challenge called Black With Two . It requires a black base and a limited pallet combined with a sketch, an inspirational word, and a fun inspirational picture. Love the concept. I wasn't going to venture out of kraft bgs for Allie's book but oh well - a few black pages won't hurt anything. This is Allie and her "Big Sister" Mattie. Mattie has been a big help to Allie at UAB and she is precious. After a few months of hearing about Mattie, I figured out that I actually use to work with Mattie's mother - it is such a small world! Hugz!

I was going to do Allie's Freshman Scrapbook all in Black, Red, and Kraft, but I changed my mind and did a few pastel pages after seeing the challenge on the 123 Challenge Blog. The challenge for March is to use pastels, the word "Dream," and frames. I also used the Stash Busters Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers which is to use 3 different paper patterns, two chipboard pieces, something pleated or crimped, and a die cut. I had this fun laminated burlap and I painted the edges white with MS Craft Paint. The papers are from prima, the dream text is from the Text Cloud and Songbird image by Dawn Collins (available at Squigglefly), and the flowers and chipboard are from my stash. This picture is when Allie got her invitation to join her sorority. Hope you aren't getting tired of pictures of Allie yet - I have about 130 more to go! LOL! Allie is running for Senator and here is one of her campaign "buttons" for her Facebook page: Hope you had a great

At Pattie's Creations the challenge is Green for St. Patrick's Day! I used Pattie's beautiful Dragonfly image: I used some papers with green in them for the card panels and the image, and I sponged on some Time Holtz - Peeled Paint Distress Ink. Come join in the fun!

This week's MFPSpeedyTV Inspiration Challenge Theme is Uses for Old Surfboards and here are the fun inspiration pictures: I was inspired by #1 and #2 and here is my card: This is for one of my daughter's friends who is getting married next month. I usually go traditional on my wedding cards, but Laura is not traditional. She is doing all kinds of fun themes and concepts and loves things like the chalkboard look (she would love picture number 2). So I combined a theme from one of her showers (where kitchen utensils came out of flower arrangements on the tables) and the chalkboard look to make her a card. I used the Mark's Finest Papers Holiday Tag set, the Recipe Starters set, and the Ivy and Blossoms set. Hope you will be inspired by the pictures too and join us. Remember you don't have to use an MFP image and the prizes are always good. Hugz!

The new Squigglefly challenge is to your two favorite colors. Mine change all the time, but right now they are red and black. I used an image new to Squigglefly called Gilbert's Marvelous Adventure by Cheryl Grant Alger. There are a ton of cute Cheryl Grant Alger images in the store - I have about 20 on my wish list after checking them out this weekend! This one is very special - oh, to be this young and passionate about something again. I am giving this card to my parents - they are my super heroes! Grab your favorite colors and come visit with us this week. Hugz!