Handfuls of Hearts!

Happy Wednesday to you all!  I hope you had a brilliant weekend!  Feels like Tuesday to me hahaha since we kinda took Monday off to recover from Super Bowl festivities.  We (the Dean 4-pack) had a BLAST in Baltimore this past weekend.  Yes it was COLD and yes it did snow...however...we had fun nonetheless LOL!  We got in Saturday afternoon after dropping the doggies off at my parent's house.  Our hotel looked over the Inner Harbor in Baltimore which was nice, that way we could walk to everything we needed.  We headed to Phillips (a Maryland institution if you have no idea what I'm talkin about lol) and had dinner...well Riley had TWO dinners...2 lobsters that is LOL!  But it was a great dinner and then we headed back in the falling snow and watched a movie.  "Silver Linings Playbook" if you haven't seen it, oh my gosh its so good, I just loved it & it made us all laugh...crazies vs crazies ahahahaha.

On Sunday hubby & Riley got up early to stake out a table at our favorite Brew Pub/Ale House next to Camden Yards (where the Orioles play) because they wanted to see the hockey game.  Alexa and I did some shopping and then headed down for lunch.  We had a great table (6 tvs around us) and the Brew Pub is 2 stories...it was PACKED by 6 pm for the Super Bowl!  But it was a GREAT crowd, no one was obnoxious or stupid-drunk....just a whole LOT of RAVENS fans cheering the game.  Its so much fun to watch a game with other fans...whether you are the game, at a restaurant or at home...its just so much FUN!!  So we ate good food, I had a few tequila shots...yes I did...yes I rarely drink anything other than wine once in awhile.  But I do have tequila shots twice a year...my birthday & New Year's..but this past New Year's I was ill...so I figured the Super Bowl was a good enough event for it.  So I lined up 4 shots...one for each time I "hoped" the Ravens scored touchdowns.  Welllll who knew they'd score 4 TDs before halftime LOL...but I was fine, I drank Coke and had food...no sickies and no hangover for me.  Trust me at my age I KNOW what I can and cannot handle and I don't like to be sickie or out of control...course I never really did even when I was 22.  Now we all know after halftime the 49ers were coming back score-wise...so I guess I shoulda lined up 6 shots hmmm? LOL!  But the game ended with our RAVENS winning...everyone poured into the streets...it was CRAZY..and COLD!  But so worth it...it was fun to see and it was a great experience for the kids to see how fans reacted in their hometown after a big Super Bowl win.  People in the streets, horns honking everywhere, people high-fiving & hugging, hanging out of cars...it was so much FUN!   When people started flashing and getting a little crazy we headed in our hotel and watched from our rooms LOL...I didn't want the kids to get hurt in the crush of people although it was mostly peaceful.  But what a fun ride that was....RAVENS WIN...maybe next year the Redskins will win hmmmm?  Well I'm praying anyway..just like always!  And Super Bowl is in NY next year...we may go me thinks..not to game but just to go up and stay and go to the festivities...FUN STUFF.  Well not according to my mom...its not her thing hahahaha...but its OUR kinda fun thing LOL!  So if you were rooting for the 49ers welllll...I'm sorry, but y'all played a GOOD game that is for sure...it was a nail-biter game.  And y'all have a young quarterback and team...so next year you just never know.

So for now....we look forward to the Washington Nationals baseball starting..I'm not into the 1/2 Season Hockey ugh...don't start me LOL!   :)

Some pics from the weekend:

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Handfuls of Hearts

This is probably my last Valentine Card for the week/month/year...hahaha..I think!  But isn't she a cutie pie...you could use her for so many other things other than Valentine's Day!  I didn't really make just a Valentine..it could be used for anyone you love, even a Birthday :)  This cutie is from the Magnolia Love Collection called "Love Is In Air".  I decided to create a fun easel card which I haven't done in awhile..you can find directions for these anywhere and you can make any size and shape you like.  I used my SBs shape "Labels 1" (the jumbo sized dies) to create my card shape.  The papers are new called "Love Story" by Echo Park...omgosh it has the best patterns (animal prints whoohoo). 

Pre-Order the BRAND NEW EASTER COLLECTION at Magnolia-licious HERE too!

Also check out the new Pinterest Page for Magnolia-licious Here for inspiration!

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I'm entering this into the following fun challenges:

Make It Monday (anything goes)
Cards & More (Valentine/Love)
Crafty Sentiments (anything goes)
Crazy Amigo Challenges (hearts)
Loves Rubber Stamps (anything goes)
Papertake Weekly (anything goes)
Top Tip Tuesday (love/hearts)

Yes I colored her shirt to match the leopard print paper...its something I teach in my CMC Class 5 and fun to do!  I drew my leopard spots with my Copic multi-liner and then colored in with my C5/C3/C1..after that I colored in my shadows on my shirt as well.  Stickles on her socks, dress trim and on corners of image for lots of pretty sparkle.  I used the Memory Box die "Quinn Flourish" for the swirls, the corner pieces are from La La Land "Filigree Corner Die", and the border was done with a MS Border Punch.  I added a bit of tulle cuz I love tulle, and some layered flowers (animal print paper ones were done with a Nellie Snellen punch). 

Copics Used:  C9,C5,C3,C1 / RV17,RV14,RV13,RV11,RV10 / E11,E00,R20 / E59,E31,E50

Sentiment is from a PTI (Paper Trey Ink set) and I love it...so it makes the card great for many occasions!

That's it from me!  I'll see you on Friday with a NEW RELEASE from SCACD..whoohoo!

Doggone It!!

Happy TGIFRIDAY folks! And Happy February 1st...wow the months are flying by again fast in 2013!  Hope you have a fun weekend planned...or maybe a restful one yes?  For those that are watching the Super Bowl...GO RAVENS WHOOT LOL!  We are going to Baltimore for the weekend...home of the Ravens...Purple Town baby!  We leave Saturday & will be home late on Monday...will be a fun trip watching the game with other fans!  Its gonna be COLD though...brrr...so not sure what activities we'll do yet.  We do have an indoor pool looking over the harbor, movies perhaps and of course some yummy Maryland seafood!  And hoping for a Ravens win to bring home too! I wasn't in the mood to throw a Super Bowl party this year like in the past...just didn't have it in me and I always have teens in the house so I thought a family trip would be just the ticket ;)

I know a lot of you aren't sports fans...its ok LOL...but we in the Dean house are for sure.  In fact we have a count-down calendar going till Opening Day for baseball yessirree LOL...Go Nationals & Orioles!!  And we watched the X-games recently too...we've watched them all 17 years and I have to say this year wasn't pleasant.  As a mom I see these young kids doing some dangerous things and we saw some terrible accidents on the snowmobiles..egads.  And yesterday I heard that the one young man Caleb Moore passed away due to injuries he got when his snowmobile fell on him...we saw it happen & it made me sick to my stomach.  I feel for his family right now that is for sure and sending prayers to them all.  I have a hard enough time watching Riley play football so I can't imagine how hard it would be to watch a sport like that.  I guess they know the risks but it sure doesn't make it any easier hmmm?

Anywho if you are somewhere with weather like here in VA...windy, rainy, icy, cold, snowy...well I feel for ya and I'm praying for some nice weather soon.  The 68 deg days we had this week were a tease...sniff sniff...wish we could get more of that!!!  Stay Warm!

GO RAVENS!!!

NewsBitz:

-SCACD has all the NEWEST paper pads in (yumminess from Authentique, BoBunny & more) and new stencils from Crafter's Workshop too!  Go load up!

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Doggone I Love You!!

Today I'm sharing my Valentine for my hubby...we don't really celebrate the day (per my other post) but we always exchange a card.  So I kept the frills and girly-embellies to a minimum on this LOL so its more appropriate to give to a guy.  Nothing better than a red, white & black color combo in my book so that's what I went with.  The cute image is from Wild Rose Studio called "Tilly With Rose"...I think these Wild Rose Studio stamps are sooooo CUTE!  I had used an elephant one at Christmas time and I have a few more to use in my stash hee hee...they are adorable!  The LOVE sentiment is from PTI (Mixed Messages set) stamped in white Palette Ink, black border was done with a MS Border Punch.  And a few rhinestones finish it off.

I'm entering this into the following fab challenges:

By the Cute & Girly (roses are red)

Cards Galore Challenge (for a guy--my hubby)

Ladybug Crafts (Valentine/love)

One Crazy Stamper (love/Valentine)

Stamping Shack Blog (Love)

This cutie was colored with Copics:  R29,R24,R22,R20 shaded with W7 / C9,C5,C3,C1 and multiple greens LOL.  And you NO card is complete...at least not in my personal stash..without some Stickles...so I added a few to the leaves for sparkle :)

Have a Wonderful weekend!  And if you haven't joined the NEW CMC Facebook Group yet...GO HERE and join us for the fun!!

My Lil' Sweetheart!

Happy Wednesday to you all!  WOWZA it is warm up in VA...68 degs today & 69 degs yesterday and sunny to boot.  I realized how much my body was craving the warmth and sun..it was awesome!  I took dogs for a long walk and had a few windows open in the house to let the winter-stink out LOL!  Boy I cannot wait for spring...course by Friday its supposed to be freezing and snowing again...oh lordy!

Thanks for the advice on the nightmares..amazingly I have a Dreamcatcher hangin on my side of the bed...but perhaps I just need a BIGGER one and it needs to be centered LOL. Perhaps hubby's bad muju is creepin over to my side..who knows because that man is sweeter than pie when he's awake but some nights his "evil" comes out in his sleep!  He snores..yes I will admit it..the man snores terribly when he's on his back and he "fake-rolls-over" like he thinks I don't know...pfffft.  So I will poke him with my fingernails or sometimes I will take a swing at his arm because I'm irritated..really irritated.  Then he yells evil things he'd NEVER DARE to say to my face LOL...he doesn't believe me that he does it and he laughs.  Well much to his surprise I videotaped him with my iPhone one night and then gaily played it back to him...yeah he was blushin cuz there was NO getting out of that one...no sirreee mister LMBO!  But it is a bit funny to hear him be nasty when even I know that's not his usual mode...but sorry honey cuz I GOTCHA on video ;)!!!!

Today is cleaning and grocery shopping day...not my fave...nope LOL.  But its stuff that has to get done & I HATE clutter and dirt and I like my pantry super-packed along with my two freezers.  If ever there is an emergency y'all can bunk at my house cuz at any given moment I could probably feed 50 people for a few weeks.  I have a weird quirk about that..I like my pantry stocked along with my freezers...if they are not I kinda have a mini-mental-freak-out.  I'm pretty sure I got this from my mom (waving hi mom) cuz she has always been the same way LOL.  Doesn't mean that I don't go out 1-2 x a week to buy fresh produce & meats because I do.  And I have TEENS IN MY HOUSE ALL THE TIME EATING EVERYTHING LIKE FOOD IS GOING OUT OF BIZNESS I tell ya!  But I hate to NOT have an ingredient when I want to make something...I'm spur of the moment sometimes and DARN that Pinterest because I'll pin something and have to have it made that night.  Not only is Pinterest a time-sucker but it seriously makes me feel like a loser and a sloth...I pin so many things yet have so little time to do them all...makes me feel like a bum.  BUT I have hope and faith that some day I will get to the most important ones right? bwahahaha And I feel like I get a lot done most days but maybe not enough hmmm?  I am a regular reader of the blog "I Heart Organizing" and that woman makes me feel like the most sloth-like-un-organized-woman on the planet.  And I'm pretty good at organizing & clearing out clutter but obvs nothing like that lady...however I keep reading because it motivates me to BE better even if I feel slightly like a failure when I'm done  ;)

NewsBitz:

-Come join the NEW CMC Classrom Facebook Page HERE...everyone can join in and post their projects, ask questions and chat with others.  Its a free-for-all in there I tell ya LOL!  When we get to 500 members I will give away some fab prizes & maybe a free class or two.

-Also I'll be in Florida teaching in March...stay tuned for dates/times/location...it will be 2 new classes...I'll have info up by Friday!

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My Lil Sweetheart!

This is my Valentine project for today..I'm not real big on Valentines Day (shhhhh don't tell lol).  I always celebrated with the kids and made them heart sandwiches/goodies and got them cupid prezzies and such when they were little.  But to me for hubby to shower me with love & gifts should NOT just happen on one day during the year...ppffflllllllttt....that needs to happen a heck-of-a-lot-more-often than that KWIM LOL!  So while we may have dinner together alone we don't go overboard...not my style..I'm a party-pooper that way but I prefer to sprinkle nice things all year long!  BUT I love, love cute Valentine images and projects...I of course love to make them even if I may not give them out haahahaha!  But I had a good time coloring this cutie-pie Saturated Canary digi called "Hugs & Kisses"..she was a freebie but is up in her shop now (use code LOVE20 for 20% off if you're quick and need it).

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Bearly Mine Challenges (hearts)

Creative Card Crew (girly)

Die Cuttin' Divas (anything goes)

Party Time Tuesdays (anything goes)

Shopping Our Stash (love, hearts, etc)

Try It On Tuesday (hearts)

Top Tip Tuesday (luscious layers)

I used red-oranges/corals/peaches/soft grays for this card...a different take on the usual Valentine colors..cuz I like to mix it up like that heehee!  The papers are all by Authentique 'Carefree'..I loved the color combos and fun patterns including that woodgrain pattern.  Then I went to town decorating and figuring out the layout (I always pick papers first, then color, then start figuring layout, etc).  All the heart cut-outs were done with SBs dies, the gray swirls are a Memory Box die "La Rue Flourish" that I gave a nice coat of Stickles for sparkle.  Yes I distressed with my Zutter Distress machine cuz you know I wuvvvvsss it!  The ribbon, cs and sentiment are from PTI and I also inked my papers with PTI's Fresh Snow ink.  Inking around your image & inking your papers gives them a whole 'nother layer...sometimes its the final touch you need and it can ground the image as well a bit.  I ink around my images with my Inkssentials Blending tool (TIP: I call it faux-airbrushing on the cheap) but I never ever have an image that I don't use it on...I usually pat it on my SU pads and ink around my image (make sure you start on scrap paper in circles..if you start on the paper you get the harsh lines you won't want ok).

She got colored with Copics:  R08,R05,R02,R000 / C9,C7,C5,C3,C1 / E59,E39,E35,E31,YR20 / E11,E00,R20 / W7 & W5 to shadow everything.  I used Diamond Glaze on her eyes, boots and hearts...then I sprinkled Glamour Dust (best stuff ever) in the glaze on the hearts for pretty sparkle.  Then I added Stickles around edge of image, pony-tail holders and heart trims.

That is all for me today...will see you back here on Friday!  Then I'm off to Baltimore for the weekend with the family....we are celebrating the SuperBowl in Purple Nation baby...GO RAVENS!!

Valentine Chic!

Happy Freezing Monday everyone!  I'm typing this up the night before (while watching the Pro Bowl..yay to the NFC) so the teens may or may not be home due to the freezing rain they are calling for.  I literally feel like we are living in the Anartic these days...so cold, windy, snow, sleet...I can't think of weather I HATE more ugh.  So I will probably have a full house today..oy..and James & Alexa both have the stomach flu.  Seeing that I've had all the flu bugs I'm hopeful that I won't be affected ugh...didn't enjoy the 5 weeks of sickness I had, it took me down harder than I liked.

But we had a great weekend...Saturday Alexa's choral program put on "Desserts on Broadway" where all the choir students perform Broadway or Movie Songs.  They hold it in the audiotorium and have the lights dimmed, candles on decorated tables and serve desserts during intermission...really fun and lots of talent but OY it was 3 hours long.  Suzanne does NOT sit that long very well LOL and we hadn't eaten dinner so we had dinner at 10:30 at night much to Riley's chagrin.  Then Sunday I worked on projects, organized 2 closets, kitchen desk and our master bathroom cabinets and vacuumed first floor.  And then made homemade calzones..mmmmm..for dinner while we watched the NFC/AFC ProBowl on tv. I like to be productive on Sunday when I can as I feel I get the week started AHEAD..and trust me I need all the help I can get going into a long week LOL.  We've been watching the X-Games as well every night...crazy the things these athletes do to their bodies..so many terrible injuries.  Hard for me to watch at times that is for sure, especially as a mom I can only imagine what their parents are going thru...eek!

 Desserts on Broadway

Any of you have nightmares?  I have had crazy, terrible nightmares since I was a kid.  My brother had them too and he would actually sleep walk and act crazy.  I usually would just wake up screaming which is what I've been doing a lot of lately.  Not the quiet screaming...but blood-curdling-wake-hubby-up-scare-the-pants-off-of-everyone LOL. I sometimes wake up not being able to breathe & feeling like its "actually" happening...man I HATE that.  The night before last I had 5 episodes in a row, got NO sleep and was just miserable.  I'm a very visual person..if I see something it sticks with me..this is why I watch no news at night, don't watch scary movies/shows and try to not read scary stuff.  But it doesn't seem to help much ugh.  I used to be on sleep meds but 2 years ago I went off of them trying to reduce the amount of prescriptions I was on to clear out my body so I don't really want to go that route again. I take melatonin and an Advil PM on occasion but not sure how to get rid of these nightmares.  Guess after having them for most of my life you'd think I'd be used to it but I'm not and its so disruptive and tiring. I don't lead a scary life, I don't do scary things LOL so not sure why I have horrible dreams...my dreams seriously could be epic-long movies at times.   Anyone else have this issue and what did you do to help with it?  Any help for me you think LOL?

 my Winston...whaddya think he's saying? "please don't wake me up yet momma" LOL

NewsBitz:

-The current CMC Challenge is up HERE ...the challenge is to use your favorite color combos so easy-peasy!  Go see what the DT created and join in on the fun...everyone is welcome to join!

-If you are on Facebook come join/like our CMC Classroom there...we will be having some fun FB only contests soon and all of the NEWSIES will be announced there too!

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Shabby Chic Valentine

This is my version of a shabby chic Valentine...I saw a picture of a shabby chic porch below in my web travels and was totally inspired by it. (the fact that it looks warm and sunny in the pic coulda been a factor LOL).  I used papers from Pink Paislee called "London Market"...love the vintage patterns and soft pinks...perfect for this project.  This card has A LOT of layers, I mean A LOT LOL..and it took me a good long while to make as well.  All the papers got distressed with my Zutter Distress machine & then inked in 2 different brown inks.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Avenue 613 Challenge (anything goes)

Addicted To Stamps (texture/material)

Challenges For Everybody (anything goes)

Gingerloft Challenge (love)

Scrapper's Delights Challenge (Love)

So Artful Challenges (neutrals & pink)

The stamp image is from I Brake For Stamps called "English Rose Tile Collage" and I find myself drawn to collage/shabby chic/vintage images lately.  I just ordered a few more for myself to play with..hee hee!  The stamp was inked with a soft pink Memento ink onto cream cardstock, then I added some postage stamps to it in brown and the "Sending Love to You" sentiment to the top of image from PTI.  The rose image in the center I stamped twice and then cut out and raised the 2nd one with pop-dots on top of the image & tilted it just a bit for more interest..it also has Stickles around the rose for some sparkle.  The scroll-parentheses are from Pink Paislee as well and are called "Artisan Elements"..I love them as they are super flexible, self-sticky and you can ink/distress/spritz/color them.  The cream tulle I burned with matches...its really fun to do LOL..I think my secret pyro-girl comes out ahahahaha but I love the vintage/worn look it gives the tulle (beware to not burn yourself or your house ok lol)

Then I used some Marianne Designs doily dies to create more layers/interest and inked them as well.  The bow was topped with small roses that were inked and under bow is tulle and a doily die cut along with the leafy branches (a Memory Box die I believe) that got stickled for bling.

That's it for me today!  Hope you have a wonderful, warm week & I'll see you back here on Wed!!

Read Faster!!

Happy TGIFriday and a BRRRR cold one at that oy!!  Snowed yesterday & supposed to snow again today with temps hovering in the low 20's...winter has arrived and I am SAD LOL!  If we get flurries in VA people freak, wreck their cars and basically act like idiots so I try not to go out but I have to run errands today...pray for me!  We have a low key weekend planned, nothing big other than Alexa's chorus/broadway play tomorrow night...they call it Desserts on Broadway and they sing and do skits while those in the audience have access to all kinds of yummy desserts while watching.  Not a bad trade off huh?  Of course Alexa's bit is at the very end so no leaving early heehee!

Do any of you like to read?  Next to coloring and being with my family it IS my #1 thing to do in my spare time.  I don't have much spare time during the day...oh wait...I have NO spare time during the day ahahahaha.  BUT I read late at night...when everyone is asleep, no one needs anything & the house is blissfully quiet.  I am part vampire I do believe...growing up EVERYONE in my family was a morning person UGH EXCEPT ME LOL...do you know what that's like?  Now my family including the 2 teens are all night owls...we keep crazy hours in this house but I refuse to explain or apologize for it.  People tend to look at you weird or think that you are lazy when in essence I spend MORE time awake then most people with a "normal" schedule LOL.  Whatever, you gotta do what works best for you and that's just what we do!  And I do my best AFTER 10 am, I don't move fast in the morning and I like to stay up late..usually till 2-3 am every morning.  And from 11:30 pm till 2 or 3 am I read in bed..its MY time, my time unwind and enjoy a good book and just relax a bit.  My earliest memories are of my mom toting me to our local library while she picked out books & I got some too.  Now get this..if my dad caught me with a book he'd yell "get your nose out of a book and do something worthwhile"..can you imagine saying that today? LOL, I NEVER have an issue with my kids reading a book ya know.  I love to devour books...I read about 3-4 books a week and usually have 2-3 going on at the same time.  I read just about everything although historical fiction, memoirs and thriller/mysteries rate tops in my book.  There truly is nothing better than a book that grabs you from page 1, keeps you turning the page...so into the book you will give up sleep for it, spend all day rushing thru chores because you can't wait to get the book out again.  I like to say its like a "great movie in your head"..better than a movie actually!  My daughter likes to read but sadly Riley has never been a reader, he will read some but not like we do.  My husband likes to say this "I read for work"...ummm NOT the same thing I tell him LOL..he reads for work, he reads magazines & newspapers but he does not read for pleasure.  To me if you don't read some for pleasure you are missing out...so many great authors and books...and so little time to read them all but I'm trying LOL! 

So if you have book you'd like to recommend I'm all ears...if you are a member of Goodreads online site then look me up, I haven't listed all the books I've ever read but I've got about 400 up and I try to add to it regularly when I remember.  You can click the Goodreads blinkie on my sidebar as well...that tells you what books I'm reading or just read if you need a recommendation.  And we have a cyber book club called BookEndz at CMC Classroom that is open to everyone to join...we have a new book every month and a cyber chat to discuss it at the end.  I try to pick books that will appeal to everyone...what pressure LOL..but so far I think its been pretty successful and we are going on year 2 with it.  Ok enough blibber blabber from me---onward to the project which is ABOUT READING, great segue huh? ;)  Right now I'm reading a book that may be my next book club pick so I can't spill the beans...sorry LOL!

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Read Faster!!

So today I'm using a new artist digi image from Alicia's Little Shop and this cutie is called "Alicia Loves Reading"...I love her cuz she reminds me of me AND my blog logo a bit LOL.  Although I'm usually in bed reading.  Go check out some of her cuties, I have the one with the kitty too & plan on using that next...yes cuz I now have 6 cats I know ;)   I made this card for myself..not really..but I made it to appeal to my tendencies LOL.  I love this color combo of black, apple green & aquas...modern & fresh.    

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

 Make It Monday (anything goes)

Moving Along With the Times (bling)

Digi Stamps 4 Joy (anything goes)

Nutcrafters (girly & cute)

The Paper Shelter (anything goes)

Stampin Royalty (polka dots)

The papers are by "Kaisercraft--Chapter 1"  and I distressed the edges with my Zutter Distress It machine.  The round elements are from a Spellbinders die...it cuts with a solid center however I put it back thru with a circle die so the center was open..then cut it in half to add to each side of my project.  I love cutting my die cuts to make new & different uses of them.  The white scrolly is a Memory Box die "Amira Flourish".  I punched small circles from my green pp and then added a black pearl on top for a different embellie..I wanted to funk it up a bit.  The sentiment is from PTI called "All Booked Up", a must have set if you are a reader or book lover!

She got colored in a mix of Copics & TouchTwins (I will have to note touchtwins tomorrow, I forgot to jot them down & memory is poor tonight lol).  Copics were BG75,BG72,BG11,BG10 / C9,C5,C3,C1 / E11,E00,R20/ YG03.  Then I added Diamond Glaze(15% off) to her eyes and band on the chair..I also added polka dots to her headband & sofa band with my Sharpie Poster Paint pen in white. Stickles were added to her shirt & headband cuz the girl has GOT to have some blingety-bling!!

That's all from me!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend, stay safe & WARM!

Paris Love!

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Hope you are having a wonderful week. And for those that are suffering thru this BRUTAL COLD SNAP...UGH...I feel your pain here in Virginia.  I'm not a fan of winter and its just freezing out let alone with that darn wind.  I keep trying to tell myself that Spring will be here soon right?  Its starting to stay lighter out longer which I love so that means its gonna get warmer too...please don't argue with me on this...I have to tell myself these things in order to make it thru the next couple of months LOL!  WARM, BEACHES, SUN, HOT, HUMID, OCEAN...that's what I'm talkin' about!  Don't tell hubby but I've had my fireplace on everyday while doing computer work in my chair hee hee...cuz he'll complain...so I run it when he ISN'T around ;)  Anything so my teeth aren't chattering as I walk thru this house and usually have a dog or cat huddled up next to me too.

So I can finally say I feel NORMAL again...ahahaha well that is "NORMALLY ABNORMAL" for me you could say.  My energy level is back up and I've got my energizer-tasmanian-devil-100 mph-mojo back whoooo hooo..its been absent for awhile.  So I've been cleaning, sorting, cooking and crafting up a storm.  I will have some NEW videos up very soon on YouTube...my PC laptop is in the shop getting the charger/slot fixed.  All my videos and software are on that PC so I have to wait to get it before I can get them edited & up.  I've been working on my Mac Air in the meantime which is fine as I have everything I need on it BUT my Everio camcorder software of course LOL.  I have some new classes in the works and a NEW BLOG OMG (shhhh did I say that out loud)...but yes lots of new things in the works.  And NO I am not slowing down, going away or taking it easy in 2013...if anything I'm ramping up what I'm doing as much as I can...whooo hooo heehee.  So expect lots of new newsies, events and such on this blog.

I had a blast at CHA but I was SICK...jetlagged and SICK LOL.  I worked everyday and had meetings and dinners out the wazoo (what is a wazoo anywho huh? lol) so I didn't get to walk the floor like I wanted to.  I was supposed to stay thru Tuesday but hubby had a trip scheduled for his work so I left a day early...then he tells me the day before I leave that his trip was cancelled..ummmm gee thanks.  So if I had stayed I coulda walked the floor but darn airlines wanted $350 to change my flight and oh no that wasn't happening.  But CHA Summer will be in Vegas...and yes I love Vegas...so I WILL be there!  But best thing about CHA is seeing all my crafty friends...never enough time to chat and see everyone but I sure enjoy that part.  To me being in this business isn't so much about how much I can do, how well I do it...but the relationships and friendships.  Those that are my friends, I value them, their talents and enjoy seeing them whenever I can...to me that's the BEST!  And if you get to come to CHA..come by and say HI to me...I love to meet everyone, its so much fun to see everyone in person.  Trust me I'm pretty low-key, I promise I'm not scary at all...ahahaha and if you read this blog you know I veer on the CRAZY-side..all in fun of course!

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Paris Dreams!

 

I was going to color a new image yesterday but my printer was out of black ink..how dare it eh?  So I couldn't print out my digi but will do that today.  So was rummaging around my bin of "to use stamps" (I will NOT tell you how big that bin is bwahaha) when I found this beauty from Stampendous that I had gotten up in London, Ontario this past summer.  One of my dreams is to make it to France and stand in front of the Eiffel Tower..my French is rusty but I will get there one day I assure you of that.  So I saw this stamp and new I had to have it...well my buddy Andi Murdock (who is my BFF, Canadian fellow crazy crafter & on my CMC DT) said "Oh I have that too" to which I replied "well I bet I'll use it before you do LOL".  WELL I AM PRETTY DARN SURE I USED IT FIRST RIGHT MS. ANDI?????? bwahahahaha!

The stamp is a cling-mount stamp from Stampendous called "I Love Paris".  I went heavy on the inking, distressing and vintage...I had a vision in my mind and worked for a long time on this adding/subtracting and trying things until it matched my vision.  The papers are a mix of 7 Gypsies, Graphic 45 and MME.  I used one of my fave tools, my Zutter Distress It Machine...I've used it pretty much everyday since it came out a few years ago.  I used Distress & SU inks to ink the edges of all the papers and image.   The flowers are a mix of Prima & Wild Orchid that I inked...the printed paper flowers I made with my Nellie Snellen punches (I use these a lot to create my own flowers).  The keys are from Graphic 45, scrolls were made with a Spellbinders-Heartfelt Creations "Bella" die, and the black clock die is from SCACD "Alice's Clock Statement" that I cut into pieces to add around my image.  Then some pearls to finish it off nicely.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Craft Room Challenge (monochrome)

Creative Card Crew (girly)

Bearly Mine Challenges (tic-tac-toe/mine is first row down)

Bunny Zoe's Craft Challenge (anything goes)

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Lady Anne's Challenges (anything goes)

Crafty Blogger's Network (flowers)

Created With Love (anything goes)

Paper Playtime (use brown)

I went over parts of the Eiffel Tower with my black Spica pen for subtle glitter, added small pearls to flower centers and colored them with E43,E42,E40 and added Stickles for sparkle.  The postmark stamps I added around the image I got off of Amazon in a fabulous set someone found me HERE.

Hope you like this one...its one of my faves and will take center stage for awhile on my hutch in my studio!  See you back here on Friday!

All You Need Is Love

Happy Monday everyone!  And for those in the US Happy Inauguration Day...holiday for hubby and kids so they are home with me again.  Today is cleaning day #2 this time the upstairs are getting bombarded by me LOL.  Amazing what can happen when I'm gone for a week, you'd think my family was a bunch of piggies cuz' no one does ANY cleaning while I'm away ugh.  Then I hope to work on some projects in the craft room...nice to not be shaky anymore and actually have some mojo..it was gone missin' for awhile that's for sure!

Yes, yes it was football all day yesterday...my fave kind of day...lots of teens in the house, lots of yelling, lots of smack talk and some junk food goodies LOL...awesome!  RAVENS WON, RAVENS WON so you know it was happy night in our house!  We yelled & jumped so much in our family room that the clock that sits over the fireplace in the basement (which is HUGE) fell off the wall & shattered bwahahaha.  We party hard I guess hee hee!  Sad that only the Superbowl is left to watch...I'm gonna miss my football but I'm looking forward to Baseball Season too.  Hockey I love but I have to say this year I'm disappointed with the 48 game season that they will be playing...teams haven't practiced much and I'm just not feeling it this time.  We shall see...but right now I'm thinking SPRING, WARM and BASEBALL baby ;) LOL!

Ok no blibber blabber from me today since its a Blog Hop Day for Magnolia-licious...whoot and its all about LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!

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Magnolia-licious Love Blog Hop

 

Today the Magnolia-licious DT has a fun Love-Themed Blog Hop for you all featuring new stamps from the "Love Collection 2013".  I used super sweet "Pink Ribbon Tilda", she's such a cutie! I created a mostly white-on-white project with pops of hot pink.  I made the cute heart basket with paper scraps totally to match my card.  

Make sure to stop by the Magnolia-licious Highlites to see all the details for the hop and how to join in with us!!

I used cute "Pink Ribbon Tilda" on my project and kept most of the major elements in white shimmer cardstock (from PTI).  All the heart elements were done with Heart Spellbinders, the background was embossed with a heart CB folder.  That cute picket fence (with lil' hearts and wood grain that I adore) is from La La Land Crafts "Heart Fence Die"...I threaded my ribbon thru the pickets for a fun look.  Some PTI ribbon double tied with my Bow Easy and topped with layers of Prima roses.  And a hefty dose of Stickles and Pearls to bling it up a bit.

Tilda got colored up with Copics: C3,C1,C00 / RV17,RV13,RV10,RV000 / E11,E00,R20 / E25,E59,E50,E31.  I added Stickles to her lacey trims and a pearl to her bow knot.

For my love basket I used my Heart Spellbinders again and just layered my hearts.  To create the inside for the basket element was easy....I took a pc of cardstock that I cut to the width I needed, scored 1/2" on each side down the pc I had cut.  Then scored the pc of cardstock in the center, snipped the sides of the center point so it would fold into a v.  Then added scor-tape to the scored-sides and attached to each of my hearts  Simple, easy way to add a basket liner for the hearts.  I embossed my hearts again with CB folders and added the same ribbon/rose/pearl accents.  The handle was just another pc of cardstock cut then punched with a MS border punch...then I cut a slim strip of hot-pink cardstock and glued that in the middle of the handle for another pop of pink.  Pink tulle inside finishes it off.

That's it for me today....I'm the last girly on this Hop today!  Hope you had fun, got inspired and join in on the fun with us!!

Fairy Time

Happy Weekend Everyone!  YUP I'M BACK FROM CHA & CALIFORNIA & SICKIES BE GONE LOL!  I'm actually typing this up at 1:30 am after having date night out with hubby...which rarely happens around these parts since the teens can't seem to separate themselves from us LOL!  We went to dinner and saw the movie "This Is 40" which I highly recommend especially if you are married & have kids...too funny & pretty darn true to life in a lot of ways.  I laughed so hard at the "mirror/butt" bit that I thought I might pass out...ahahaha...still chucklin'! :)  This is a BIG FOOTBALL weekend in the Dean house...whoot playoff weekend baby so my bum will be firmly attached to my chair watching the Ravens WIN..yup we goin' all the way baby.  Seeing my #1 team is Redskins but Ravens are #2 for us...so we will be rooting for them big time.  And YES I was one of the few gals in ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney watching the playoffs last weekend...I ran off the floor to catch the last half of the Ravens game...I was the one standing on the barstool cheering them on..yup that was me.  And if you were at Tortilla Joes that night YES that was me doing the Viennese Waltz with some Austrians I was meeting with...yup that's kinda how CHA goes for me.  Work, work, meeting, meeting, work, change clothes, dinner #1, dinner #2 and then meeting for drinks...my drink of choice is Coke..so nothing exciting there.  I prefer to feel somewhat normal bwahahaha but you can usually find me leading the pack of people doing something totally ridiculous like helping the balloon artist out at the restaurant and dancing...life's wayyyyyy tooo short to NOT have fun and enjoy each moment while you can!  That's how I choose to live anywho...and I found myself saying this week "Suzanne, don't apologize for being a glass-half-full kinda gal...its ok" and you know what...I'm A-OK with it...I wouldn't want to be any other way!  So I will have some more pics and stories for you next week starting on Monday with a Magnolia Love Project...so come check back in with me if you aren't in my town of DC for the Inauguration ok!!  Have a great weekend everyone!

NewsBitz:

-Check out the newest CMC Challenge HERE...its all about using your fave images and color combos...everyone is welcome to enter!  Up for grabs is a free CMC Class so go enter!!

-New products at SCACD...new papers here and new Memory Box dies here!  Lots new CHA goodies coming too!

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Fairy Good Stuff

This is my first project I've done since Christmas...yowza...felt good to be back at it though.  Slowly my energy is returning, my hands have stopped shaking and I'm feeling my creative mojo come back to me.  So I used this beautiful fairy from SCACD called "Hannah" from the Mythical Reflections Collection...I think she's a doll!

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Card Crafter's Circle (layers)
Daring Cardmakers (embossing)
Simply Create Too (anything goes)
Stampin' For the Weekend (girly)

Totally Papercrafts (embossing)

Copic Marker Europe (anything)

The pretty papers are by Prima "Rondelle"..I liked the springy colors since its been so gray and gloomy and cold here..ugh.  So I needed a bit of Spring in my life you could say :)  The peach mat is a SBs die and then I embossed it with a CB folder, the black die is a Memory Box die (see all the NEW MEMORY BOX DIES HERE).  The image was colored with Copics and I added Stickles to her skirt and wand.  I forgot to get a good picture but her wings were double-stamped and the 2nd set was cut out & popped up for more dimension...black Stickles on her wings.

Hi everyone!  I am sooooo sorry I haven't posted...egads its been since like the 27th of Dec! Yikes!  Between the holidays I got SICK...first with the flu...then with pneumonia...then I got the stomach flu...yeah all in a nice little row.  But it wasn't very ducky...it was AWFUL!  I am still trying to get my energy back to where it was.  There are blocks of days I don't even remember because I was out of it.  Everyone BUT Alexa got the flu in our house...hubby is still recovering from bronchitis...I'm hoping Alexa won't get sick.  Because this is how it works...I go to CHA every January and one of the kids almost ALWAYS gets sick..my bet is on Alexa this time.  They say 89% of the country is dealing with the flu..ugh...so if you are big hugs and speedy well-wishes to you. 

I leave in the morning for CA and CHA...I haven't really been out of the house since Christmas Eve other than to go to the Redskins vs. Seahawks game the other weekend.  So I'm REALLY looking forward to going to CHA and seeing everyone...I'm so crazy to get out of the house that I will be on a roll at CHA ahahaha...I may get into trouble...hmmmmm?  If you are going to be there come say HI to me in the Little Darlings booth...I'm there 10-2 everyday and then I'll be wondering the floor after that but I'd love to see ya!

BTW...follow me on Facebook if you don't already if you'd like...that's where I post live, up-to-the-minute stuff about craft world, me and of course all the CHA happenings!

So anywho...I did make some thank-you cards because I have a few to send out...I will put pics below.  I promise to have a REAL post with a REAL Copic-colored project next week after I get home from CHA along with newsies, Christmas pics and the sort!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and that the New Year is treating you well!

 My family on Christmas Day (minus James who is taking picture lol):

My dad, my mom, me and Riley in back...Alexa & my niece Kyla in front!

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Thank You Notes

All the thank you notes use Paper Trey Ink stamps, cardstock and inkpads...easy to make matching cards with these!  I kept the same size and cut all my cardstock first for 6 cards then started the stamping.  If you've followed me for years you know I use PTI stuff all the time, I'm obsessed with it and its great quality & colors.  And yes I have all the SU & Memento colors too...you can just never have ENOUGH colors right??? LOL!

I used the following stamps:

-Signature Greetings

-Polka Dot Basics

-Fancy Flourishes

-Damask Designs

in these colors:

-Hawaiian Shores

-Raspberry Fizz

-Winter Wisteria

For the Damask Designs I added a black polka-dot (from Polka Dot Basics) to the design to pull in some black accents.  This color is Hawaiian Shores.

This uses Polka Dot Basics stamped in Raspberry Fizz and the flower image is from another set.

This uses the Fancy Flourishes set stamped in Winter Wisteria & black.

This picture shows the Maya Road Spritz I added to the entire card after I was done...I believe the color is Iridescent Pearl (don't quote me though cuz my brain is still foggy LOL).  I love the pretty sparkle it gives the card but doesn't take away from the finished look at all.

So I'm done with the Thank You Notes....now I just gotta send them...ahahaha!  AFTER CHA that will happen!  Hope you all have an awesome week & I promise to be back next week!