You're Purr-fect!

(Pre-blog post question: Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong that is making the colors of my photos different? The first one is spot-on, but the others all have that blue tint. Same camera & settings. Same Ott-Lite & background. All taken within 15-20 seconds of each other. Happens all the time - UGH! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Moving on to the post . . .)

(sniffle, sneeze, cough) I'm behind on my creating & posting because for a week now, I've been incubating the upper respiratory ick that everyone seems to have these days. The last 3 days have been miserable, but I am feeling a tad better and hope it's a sign that the worst is over.

It may have taken me a few days (!!) but I finally finished my card for this week's Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge #370.

I was actually going to make this a pull-tag card, until I inadvertently damaged the card front, so I made it into a fancy fold instead.

I love this kitty critter by Penny Black that I received in an image swap. I have no PB stamps, but after browsing the website, I'm in love with Mimi and the Critters, so I'll be doing my part to stimulate the economy by adding to my rubber collection!  All of the cardstock, patterned papers, and embellies are from my stash. And because you can't have too many pearls, especially on Valentine's Day, I added some minis to the sentiment by Studio G.

Last week, the one & only Original Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but if temps from mid-40's to upper-50's and sunshine with only a few snow showers in between are his version of that, I'll take it!... Although, I'm sure we're not going to get away unscathed without a big winter storm before the first day of spring. I truly hope you steer clear of the "sick ick" and if you are somewhere that's getting pounded by winter, I hope you're safe and warm! Happy stamping!

Be Happy

Oh how I've missed stamping and blogging and blurfing! I have a combo card for you today!

When I stumbled upon Color Throwdown (CTD) and The Friday Mashup (FM),  I knew these were challenges I'd enjoy doing on a regular basis, so rather than creating a card for each, I combined them into one. Obviously, this is nothing new - others do this all the time and why it took me so long to see the light, I'll never know. But it suddenly struck me that this two-for-one deal is a way for me not to burn out on stamping again. Duh!

(sorry for the quality; gray & cloudy when I took this.)

CTD176 was to use Stampin' Up! Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Rose Red, or similar colors.  I used Soft Sky, LSS kraft, Chocolate Chip, and Rose Red.  The patterned papers in Wild Raspberry from K&Co. (one of my all-time faves!) were perfect pairings for this color combo!

FM43 was to make a project using: a) the featured sketch, or b) something new from your stash, or c) Mash It Up and do both, so I chose to Mash It Up!  The something new was the cute birdbath image from SU's Touch of Kindness set.  I inked up some of the images for my stash when I was at my pal Gwen's for the shoebox swap, but I think I'll have to get this set for myself. I added some Stickles to the water and a few Dewdrops for sparkle, and I made that little tag with Tim Holtz Fragments - I love these things!

I hope you enjoy this "mashed up" creation, and maybe you'll be inspired to try one or both of these challenges! Until next time, happy stamping!

Thinking of You - SC369

Hello bloggers! I am on a mission to stick with my plan to create and post a card for at least the SCS card sketch challenge every week. And I'm already 2 for 2!

I was excited when I saw this week's sketch challenge #369.  The diagonal and horizontal pieces offer so many options - ribbon, embossing, wire, pearls, distressing...WAIT! Why not hand-made distressed & embossed wired pearl-edged ribbon!

But I told my pal Gwen that I was doing a simple card this week, to which she snorted, Yeah, right.  Well, girlfriend, look who's snorting now! tee-hee-hee!

The patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket's Mitten Weather collection. The colors and patterns are so versatile that you can use them for just about anything, not just winter or holiday projects! And that cute little guy from Inkadinkado's mini-set Thinking of You is colored with just a handful of Copics, not my usual 37! A trio of Kaiser pearls adds the finishing touch.

Pretty simple and straightforward, although I did go one step further by finishing the inside just a wee bit. I love receiving cards with an embellished inside - such an unexpected little surprise! - and I need to make the effort to do that more often!

Thanks for stopping by today. If you haven't already, you should give the SCS Card Sketches a try! Happy stamping!

Hello! Remember Me?

Well, I'm not surprised if you don't, since it's been over half a year since I posted!  Last June, I felt a need to take a hiatus from blogging and stamping for a while. And I'm happy to say that must have been what I needed, because I'm excited to have ink-stained fingers and a less-than-clean crafting desk again!

A few of my friends finally had our first "shoebox swap" on Monday, something we've been wanting to do for a long time. (Actually, the crafting was over well before the chatting.)  It was so much fun that my friend Gwen & I have decided to create the SCS card sketch each week to keep our mojos motivated.  So for my first post back in the saddle - or should I say back in the stamp room - I give you my take of this week's card sketch!

The cute image from SU's retired Snow Angels is colored with Copics & sparkled with some diamond Stickles, and I think that big sparkly fabric snowflake that I received from a stampin' friend was a perfect accent.  A smaller glittery snowflake, some silver embroidery filament, and a few self-stick silver brads gave more added sparkle.  (Who knew when I made this the other day that we'd wake to 7 inches of new snow today?!)

If you've stopped by for a peek to see if perhaps I fell off the planet (glad I didn't!), please leave a comment so that I know you were here!  Until next time, happy stamping! :-)

I'm A Lucky KitCat Gal!

Why am  I so lucky, you ask? Because each month, I get to play with the other Kittens in the KitCat card creation club!  Well, it's not a club, actually; just some online Sistahs who take turns sending kits to each other and then posting our creations on the first Sunday of each month .....  What's that? It's not the first Sunday? Oh, uh, well, then I'm also lucky that we Kittens are very understanding when our schedules are sometimes like merry-go-rounds!

(click any image for a close-up view)

This month, the gorgeous Kelly was our hostess and my-oh-my, what a beautiful kit she sent, filled with shimmery DPs, luscious ribbons, sparkly buttons, Prima flowers, butterfly bling, and sweet "Wishing You Luck"  images from MFT's A La Mode line!  Kelly must be working on her KSP (kitten sensory perception) because a dear friend recently landed a new job, and Kelly's kit helped me create the perfect "good luck" card for her!

I colored the image with Copics, but I honestly had not planned to Nestie her feet away!  Apparently, E000, which I recently refilled (a little too much perhaps?) got a wee bit carried away once let out of the box after a month of being unloved, and, Bam! Ink blob!

I had a hard time deciding which K&Co.'s Botanicals DPs to use, but I kept going back to the shimmery leaves and sparkly butterflies. And as soon as I added the brocade & velvet trim by Wrights, I knew why - the combo immediately reminded me of a floaty, breezy, Bohemian-style shirt I saw while shopping recently, somewhere. Now I just need to remember where!

Be sure to visit the other Kittens as they "tried their luck" with Kelly's kit! (sorry, couldn't resist!)
* Kelly * Jeanette * Michelle * Lorie *

The Kittens are taking a summer hiatus and will be back in September, and I may be doing the same. I've accumulated way too much stuff in my crafty room. I already have a big shopping bag of items to donate to my friend's Relay for Life cause, but I need to do more purging and decluttering, not just in here, but all over the house. Maybe it's a middle-age thing, but I have an overwhelming need to simplify! So I'm not sure when I'll next have a post, but you know me. Could be in 2 days or 2 weeks. LOL!

Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you a wonderful day!

(Pedal) Power to the KitCats!

Hello everyone and welcome to this month's KitCat Sunday!

It was my turn to play hostess, so I decided that we Kittens were taking a bicycle ride! Growing up in the picturesque little town of Beaver PA (go Bobcats!), bicycling was, and still is, what kids of all ages do from the first semi-warm spring day until the first snowflakes fly! My friends and I were no exceptions, traveling *everywhere* on our bikes: school, the pool & playgrounds, the penny candy store, softball games, running market errands for our moms, and of course, to the local Dairy Queen!

(click image for a close-up view)

I recently got my hands on the retired "Time For You" set from Stampin Up!, so of course, each Kitten's kit included some of the super-cute bicycle images as well as die-cut papers from K&Co.'s Sweet Nectar collection and a slew of coordinating buttons, flowers, bling, and stitched ribbon! I sealed the envies before I addressed them (including mine) so I wouldn't know who was getting which colors.

Pedal over to the other Kittens' blogs with me to see who got what colors and to check out their whimsical creations!
* Michelle * Kelly * Jeanette * Lorie *

Thanks for stopping by to visit! Happy pedaling!

The KitCats Are Hittin' The Beach, Cheeky Style!

Welcome to another KitCat Sunday! After a loooong winter, our hostess Jeanette decided that we Kittens deserved to go on a spring break! Yay for us! (You can click any image for a close-up view.)

I was thrilled when I saw The Greeting Farm's Cheeky Beach bomshell (already on my uber-long TGF wish list!) among a wonderful assortment of beach-inspired papers, brads, rhinestones, tags, and trims!

I featured the fun Airbrushed Waves and Sketchy Beach Icons papers, and mimicked the sparkling water with blue rhinestones, all by Paper Studio.

My Cheeky Beach babe is colored with Copics and perched with her seashells on a "hammock" of webbed ribbon by Creative Impressions. (I must get some of that stuff!)

I colored & fussy cut a flower from one of the other images, and chose "Dreamy" from the fun fabric tags set by EK Success.

Jeanette, thanks for such a beachy-licious kit!


Be sure to visit the other KitCats at the beach to see what they've done with their spring break beach kits:
* Jeanette * Kelly * Michelle * Lorie *

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful day!

The Reason For The Easter Season Blog Hop!

Welcome! In light of the true meaning of Easter, we friends of faith have gathered together to celebrate and share the Good News of this Easter season, and we're so glad you've stopped by!

This is indeed a blessed time of year, as we remember Christ's sacrifice on the cross at Calvary and celebrate his triumphant victory over death! Our purpose these 3 days is to draw the attention back to Jesus Christ during this Easter season, just as we did with our Christmas version of "Jesus Is The Reason" hop.

If your first stop was here at my blog, you'll want to start at the beginning over at Heather's blog so you don't miss a thing!

In the United States especially, Easter has become about the bunnies and candy and hunting for colored eggs. And while they are cute and amuse us, they can also distract us from the real cause for celebration: the most amazing event in history - the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

My Easter celebration card features the beautiful cross and sentiment from the Gina K Designs Easter Blessings set, which I clear embossed in Perfect Plum and colored with Copics. The Swiss Dots embossed background panel is sponged with some white craft ink, and a few beautiful paper roses are added for a finishing touch. Cardstock is all Stampin Up! in a spring combo of Certainly Celery and the retired colors Apricot Appeal and Orchid Opulence. (I am still sad that almost all of the SU Soft Subtles are gone.)

While we cannot even begin to reciprocate the Lord's gift to us, there is "blog candy" on some of the hop stops as a token of appreciation for your comments and encouragement!

We also invite you to celebrate the real "Reason for the Season" by posting your own creation celebrating Christ's Resurrection. There is a place to link at the last stop on Catherine's blog, and a prize is up for grabs for one randomly selected card or project.

Your next stop is Karen's delightful blog!

Enjoy the hop and God bless!

Susan :-)

Here is the complete Reason For The Easter Season hop order:
Heather http://joemamainks.blogspot.com/
Kelly http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/
Maria http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/
Sammi http://stuffbysammi.blogspot.com/
Lorie http://thethinkinspot.blogspot.com/
Stacy http://impressionsofaribbonaddict.blogspot.com/
Kadie http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/
Carolyn http://utsukushiikami.blogspot.com/
Paola http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/
Linda http://stamperstouch.blogspot.com/
Susan http://pinkflannelpajamas.blogspot.com/ - You are here!
Karen http://krbskorner.blogspot.com/
Catherine http://paperaddictcatherine.blogspot.com/

KitCats - Like Peas in a Pod!

Welcome to this month's KitCat Sunday!

This month we're each our own Hostess using our own supplies AND this *adorable* Five Peas in a Pod digi that Kitten Kelly commissioned last year from Tracy at Sugar Creek Hollow to create just for us! You can get your hands on your own digi here.  Don't worry, blog friends - we're not digi sharing. The commissioned digi that Kelly paid for included the right for her to provide each of us Kittens a copy to use.

So, tell me - how can you not smile or giggle when you see those five expressive faces!?! I've been known to use umpteen Copics on an image, but this one only took four. Yep, only four! (well, okay, five if you count the dots for the cheeks.)

I chose to use green all the way, and the Origins collection by BasicGrey was  perfect!  Because the patterns are all so beautiful, I chose to use just a few details to finish the card: a few punched leaf branches from SU's two-step bird punch and some soft green rhinestones from Kaiser.

So there you have it! I just love this image and love Kelly for having it created for us. We Kittens are just like peas in a pod!

Be sure to check out what the other Kittens created:
* Kelly * Michelle * Lorie * Jeanette *

Thanks for stopping by! Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Claudia and Company Customer Blog Hop!

Hello and Welcome to Claudia and Company's first ever Customer Blog Hop! We’re so excited to have you join us!

Today Claudia and Company is celebrating all of US: their dear friends and customers, and that includes YOU!

If you’ve just joined the fun, be sure to pop over to the Claudia and Company Blog to start the hop and get all the deets!

My card for the hop features Puddle Jumper Daisy - she is so darn cute!!

I colored her with Copics, but got a little carried away with the dark brown in her hair. Sometimes, you just have to know when to say when! I love the patterns and warm colors of the papers in the Pretty Please collection from My Minds Eye. On the day I made this card, we were in the midst of yet another winter storm, but these cheery papers reminded me that spring wasn't too far away! Two layered Prima flower clusters and some dew drops finish this simple 6" square card.

Be sure and leave a comment on each of today’s fabulous posts, to be eligible for the prizes that are up for grabs! You'll have until Monday, February 28, at 12 pm EST to comment. Winners will be announced on March 1, during their Release Day Showcase.

Below is the complete list of stops on the Hop! Thanks for joining us and happy hopping! - Susan :-)

LORi: http://byloridesigns.blogspot.com/
Tracy: http://eatsleepstamp.typepad.com/
Sheri: http://papercraftyscreations.blogspot.com/
Sandra: http://paperfuntastics.blogspot.com/
Krista: http://craftylittlepigtails.blogspot.com/
Kadie: http://mymindseyecreations.blogspot.com/
Piali: http://touchofcreation.blogspot.com/
Joni: http://astickysituation.blogspot.com/
Gwen: http://www.gwensbusylittlehands.blogspot.com/
Sheng: http://livelaughlovetomorrowmaynevercome.blogspot.com/
Margie: http://ohbumbleismemargie.blogspot.com/
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/
Jeanette: http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/
Cara: http://carasscrapnstampart.blogspot.com/
Kimmarie: http://kimmarieskorner.blogspot.com/
Arielle: http://snappystamper.blogspot.com/
Hannah: http://hbbug.blogspot.com/
Beverly: http://sugarstamper.blogspot.com/
Sharette: http://scrappernthemaking.blogspot.com/
Joy: http://daiseyfreak.blogspot.com/
Susan: http://pinkflannelpajamas.blogspot.com/ - That's me!
Carol: http://lostinmycraftroom.blogspot.com/
Nicole: http://gottahavepaper.blogspot.com/
Paola: http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/
Mary J: http://maryjdesigns.blogspot.com/
April: http://aprilsalley.blogspot.com/
Barb: http://inkingintoretirement.blogspot.com/
Lorie: http://www.thethinkinspot.blogspot.com/
Sarabeth: http://www.chroniclesofsarita.blogspot.com/
Catherine: http://paperaddictcatherine.blogspot.com/
Veronica: http://lk2thestarz.blogspot.com/
Jessica: http://chick-n-scrap.blogspot.com/
Judy: http://paperhugsandkisses.blogspot.com/
Taylor: http://taylorusry.blogspot.com/
Lysa: http://lysaq.blogspot.com/
Jen: http://deconstructingjen.com/
Jess: http://thewhimsicalbutterfly.blogspot.com/
Pam: http://stampingpam.blogspot.com/
Heather: http://heathersheavinlystampations.blogspot.com/
Mary: http://alatteinkinfun.blogspot.com/
Claudia: http://claudiaandcompany.blogspot.com/