One seed can start a garden, one candle can light a room, one step can begin a journey, one conversation can start a friendship, one smile from a handmade card can lift one's SPIRIT!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Seize the Birthday ~ Leaves

 Seize the Birthday has a new challenge up!
It's all about leaves if you are into the "toppings" for the cake!!
If not, then as usual ANYTHING GOES!
  
 I have an aunt who has a fall birthday, so I think she will like this card with all the pretty leaves.
 
TOPPINGS:  LEAVES! 

                                     

                             
MFT: Fall Foliage, Verve: Happiness Found
        PTI inks, PTI birthday die cut and Keep it Simple:  Happy Birthday
I hope you will join us in this challenge and are inspired by all the awesome cards from the design team...go check them out!
 
Heart Hugs!
 

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Stamping Ombre Backgrounds ~ MIM

I couldn't sleep...probably too excited about my trip to Hawaii and thinking of all the things I still need to do...so I got up and played!
I used a striped stamp from Note Niblets to make my ombre background.  I started with sweet blush,  then moved on to hibiscus burst, raspberry fizz, pure poppy and ended with scarlet jewel, but then I stamped it again and again going from dark back to light and light back to dark...do you get what I mean?
My "merry" was cut three times and adhered together for dimension.  "& Bright" is from Holiday Cheer and the holly leaves are from Holly Jolly.
Oh, it felt good getting inky again, it has been awhile.
Okay, I best climb back to bed and get some shut eye, I have Bible Study in the morning...I need to be alert for discussion!
 
Heart hugs!


Monday, November 10, 2014

Sqealing with excitment!!

Do you see that I only have five days until I leave for Hawaii with my BFF, Linda!  YES, we are both so excited for this trip!
I have been absent from blogging as I have been decorating my house for Christmas! 
I know, already, right?
Here's the thing, my house is going to be one of four homes on a Christmas Tour of Homes on December 7.
I am gone for a week to Hawaii...I certainly cannot leave everything to the last minute (I am NOT like my DH!).
So I have been making "snowballs", ornaments with torn muslin, a "believe" banner, painting Michael's "charger" plates with chalkboard paint so I can write a Christmas greeting on them and hang them on two doors in my kitchen, and decorating more rooms than I normally do just for this occasion!
And that is NOT to mention making over 200 Swedish meatballs and some biscottis!  My husband bought a big tin of Danish cookies from Costco so that I wouldn't be doing more baking!
And even though we have lived in this house for 5 years now, there were "unfinished" parts of the house...I gave my DH plenty of warning though...a whole YEAR!
Of course his MO is leave everything to the last minute, I am to trust that he will get it all done!
We have crown molding that needs to be painted and then put up and the painter finally showed up last night at 6 PM...he promises to be back today!
There are some lighting fixtures that need to be hung and electrical that needs to be fixed because for some reason it is NOT working...little things but those million little things add up to a lot (IMHO) so I get stressed!  Yesterday DH told me to just stay in Hawaii and come back in December...ha ha...like I could give up that much control!!  Not that I wouldn't mind staying longer in Hawaii...my younger daughter and her family are heading over on Nov 26...but that is a stretch of 5 days between the time I should leave and the time she arrives....and I would miss our family Thanksgiving dinner which we are having on the 23rd...
so for now...I plug away with decorating and cooking, not much time to just sit and play...that will come later...after Dec 7!
I will take some pictures and show you the rooms and also the little "token" gift that each person will take home with them!
I promise I have NOT been idling sitting eating bon bons and watching soaps!!  ha ha!!
snowballs made from Styrofoam balls...they really do look real!

Guest Bedroom "Teddy Bear" Tree

2 of the 7 alcoves above my kitchen counters
We had to title our "HOME"...My theme is "Believe in the Magic"
More pictures to come later....
thanks for stopping by even if I don't have a card craft...lots of Christmas crafts!
 



Thursday, November 6, 2014

Seize the Birthday "Orange"

How about a Fall color card for our challenge topping this time?
ORANGE!!
Go check out Seize the Birthday
and see what the design team has made for your inspiration.
Our Topping which is optional is the color "orange"
 
WPlus9: Small Butterfly Frame and Pretty Little Peonies
 
Thank you for playing along with us!