I. Am. In. Love!

It came! I waited for what felt like a thousand days, but it was really only like 5. My Cricut Explore Air came late Friday! A tiny bit of back story: owed the original Cricut, the Cricut Expression, Cricut Expression 2 and about 15'leven million cartridges. (well, almost that many) Then cuz I thought the grass was greener, like a fool I sold it on eBay for a stupid low amount. Bought the Silhouette Cameo with that money and owned it for almost 2 yrs. I never could get the feel for it! Oh sure, Pinterest made it look soooo cool. But for me, I was sad. Sooo, I decided, after another failed attempt to create something, I was going to sell it for cost of a new Cricut! Can I tell you just how freaking happy I am right now?! I created a few small but very detailed projects last night and from the word go I knew I'd done the right thing - I will NE-VAH stray from Cricut again! And I "edu-mah-cated" myself before I jumped ship that all my Silhouette images could be transferred into Cricut with a few small hoop jumps.

Provo Craft certainly got it right with this machine! Like I said, I've been on board with them since the start and this machine and design software is simply divine! Super simple, loaded with coolness and just a blast! No, I'm unfortunately not being compensated by Cricut in any way. Not even a little a stuffed green bug (hint, hint Provo Craft!) Like I'm big enough to be heard, 'ya never know there's always hope, right?

So, for my card I created a Christmas card for this challenge period over at 'Tis the Season challenge blog. This is the inspiration for TTS Challenge #42:

And Like I've said before, one can never have too many Christmas cards ready to go! Here's my card:

I decided on the little snowman and glued him together for the focal point. All this cardstock is from Joann's. It's pretty lightweight CS, but it's what I have on hand at the moment. And the blue photographed much brighter than it really is, it's a nice deep midnight blue and the red is a bit more muted. I embossed the card base and used my "nestie" dies to cut the half circle. I used pop dots and foam tape to adhere the layers and little frosty dude. I added some of mu hubby's fav: twine and a button. He hates when I use twine! lol And there you have it - me 1st card using my brand new Cricut Explore Air! Ahhhh, a little taste of paradise! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles & Hugs!
Peggie Sue

Cut It Up Challenge Time!

Hi everyone! It's time for some more Cut It Up die cut challenge fun!! But 1st, thank you to all who played along and congrats to our winner and to the top 3 submissions! Great job!

So, this week the challenge is:  Use misting on your project! Now, please don't forget your die cut requirement too. The challenge starts today and ends at noon on Wednesday May 27th. This challenge is sponsored by Colour Arte, the manufactures of Twinkling H2O's, Primary Elements and Silks Acrylics Paints!

I decided to try something I've never tried before, I made my own paint mists by adding a little acrylic paint into a mini mister followed my tap water. Easy peasy. Shake real well and away you go. Now, I did try the mixture with alcohol and for me it didn't mist correctly. Then I tried another technique I've not tried, making my own tree with spray misting on top of a water colored tree trunk!

The burlap and jute twine are from my stash. The sentiment, brad and cardstock is from Stampin up. I hope this inspires you to go on and try something different. You may just decide it was way over due! Now head on over to Cut It Up and check out all the fabulous DT inspiration and the details of the challenge. But most importantly remember to add your project before the dead line!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles & Hugs!

Peggie Sue

Just a little post today...

I wanted to stop in to say hello and share with you a little card. The image is from Gerda Steiner Designs. She's offers digi, rubber and clear stamps. She has some of the cutest little images. She also hosts monthly challenges which is where my card comes in. The image for May is this adorable little guy.

When I 1st saw him I fell in love and had to try him. I colored him with my Copics and was surprised at how easy the gray/black shading was. But, I'd also just finished coloring about 50 of the little graduation girl images (here) from Gerda's site too! I know red is the hardest hence no cards here with predominately red images! (tee hee) Any hoo - back to my card.... I used all SU cardstock, ink, ribbon, sentiment and punches. Neenah for the little image. The little pearls are from my stash, the embossing folder is from Sizzix.

So, any way here's my little stinker. I am now trying to decide who to send him to. Oh, this morning hubby's home cuz he leaves for Canada in the morning for another race weekend - derailed - okay, he took this picture of Little Momma. It's such a beautiful picture I simply had to share! Awww, her real name is Purr-cilia, and she was a stray. She same to us pregnant and hardly over a year old herself! So, now you know where she got her nickname. I started it and still call her Little Momma. Such a sweet lovie kitty. BTW, her babies were stinkin' adorable!

Okay, enough for today. I have to go and start stripping the garbage pile dinning chairs we found at our neighbor driveway... Once they are stripped I'll post pictures, they are going to be so beautiful!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles & Hugs!
Peggie Sue

Happy 1st Birthday AAA Cards!

I stumbled upon a cute challenge and massive blog hop yesterday!  AAA Cards offer challenges and inspiration via a very talented DT members. I know this wasn't necessarily part of the challenge,  but I fell in love with the colors, so I decided to make my birthday card with these pinks!

This bear is from an old SU set from way back in the day and it's one of my all time favorites! Colored him with Copics. fussy cut the cake and party hat and used pop dots to add dimension to the card. The banner and sentiment are from SU's current offerings. I added Wink of Stella to the mint green icing and pink elements.

I have been hard at work on some other projects and as always, I'll be back to share them with you later.

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles & Hugs!

Peggie Sue

Happy Mother's Day!

These are the flowers Wildman picked out just for me! That's one of my fav Boyd's Bears too.

 

And I got breakfast in bed with my growing boy! Hubby's in the kitchen doing the dishes (which is his most hated chore.) Sissy called me 1st thing this morning, so it's a great day! Hope you all have as wonderful a day as mine has already been!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles & Hugs!

Peggie Sue

Another day in winter wonderland....

So, I decided to make another Christmas card while in that "flaky" state of mind (tee hee.) I just recently found this really adorable little challenge site called 'Tis the Season. And I figured I have tons of holiday cards I need to create so why not play along with like minded crafties. This week the inspiration photo was this delightful picture.

You know me and my sketches - love them! So right away, I noticed the gingerbread cookies underneath the frosting. And so after some thought, I created this little guy.

The gingerbread man is created using all SU punches. The bow was made using the Envelope Punch Board. I will post videos of the sweet gingerbread man and bow within the next week.( Just need to secure my camera mount.) I used snow flake embossing folder for the base layer and I heat embossed the sentiment in white. I used white  ric rac from my sewing supplies and cute little snowball bling too. I had a lot of fun creating this little guy. I will more than likely make a few more of this card to add to my Christmas card basket to use this year. Head on over and check out 'Tis the Season. You know you have to make your holiday cards, might as well have some while you do it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles & Hugs!

Peggie Sue

Time for a Little Special Celebration

Hi Everyone!

 

I hope you are wearing your party dress because it's time to celebrate. I'm expecting a few special guests to fly over for a short little visit! My guests are coming from, The Robin's Nest. It's an on-line paper craft manufacturing company that specializes in paper and embellishments. You can click on the link above or on the banner below to go take peek around their web store. Lots of great products! I spent some time over there creating a wish list of "gotta have's"! And while you are there - check out the link to the blog and from there to the Design Team's sites - they have posted some amazing projects.

 

 

The biggest celebration I can think of is ..... Christmas! So, I thought I'd create a few holiday cards in honor of the chattering Robin's flying in to say hello!

My 1st card is a top fold card measuring 4.25 x 5.5. It's hard to tell here but, the base is a nice creamy ivory. I cut poinsettia pattern paper for the base layer 4 x 5.25. Another piece of creamy ivory cardstock measuring  3.75 x 1.5 holds the silver heat embossed sentiment adhered to a dark brown strip measuring 4 x 1.75.  One more piece of dark brown cardstock cut at 5.25 x 1.75 (the red gingham is 5 x 1.5.) was mounted with foam tape to give the card some dimension. I die cut a few Christmas ornaments, colored the tops of each with a silver Sharpie marker to imitate the silver wire cap. I tied a bit of bakers twine to the top of each and placed the on the card using pop dots for even more dimension. I'm really happy with how this card came together - as is my hubby. And you guys know, if hubby likes it, I've done well. tee hee!

My second little cutie is a more clean and simple-ish card. I used white cardstock for the entire card. I stamped the pine tree using Memento ink because I colored it using my Copic markers. Then I cut the mother of all masks! What a booger this little tree was to cut, but it was so worth it in the end. After I colored the tree, I taped the mask on and sponged in the blue sky using 2 blues leaving a bit of the white showing here or there. After I die cut the circle in a top piece of cardstock I stamped my little snowball rolling red bird and colored him with my Copics and place it on the card front using foam tape. I heat embossed the sentiment and cut it out using my Big Shot. I burnished it a bit for dimension and added it to the card with a pop dot.  Wink of Stella and did a little line tracing finishes it up.

So there 'ya go! A special celebration in honor of a few friends flying by to say hello! I hope seeing my Christmas cards inspires you to get started on your holiday cards so the season doesn't sneak up on 'ya!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs!

Peggie Sue

Okay - I give!!

I'm folding up shop and selling my Silhouette Cameo so I can start all over again with a Cricut! I sold ALL of my Cricut products 2 years ago - soooo many cartridges (boy was that dumb!)

I am going to sell this little baby - so here are the deets:

I'm selling my Silhouette Cameo. I'm asking just $260.00.

Please let me if you are interested and we can work out the shipping details...

It comes with:

1. the cameo machine (rarely used)
2. power and USB cords
3. 12x12 cut mat
4. pick and spade tool
5. Original box
6. instructional DVD
7. product manual

I'll come back and post a card or two in a little while (I hope.)

Thanks for Stopping By!
Smiles & Hugs!
Peggie Sue

Verve's in the Hooousse!!

Okay you guys, IF you have never heard of the Verve Stamp Company you are missing some serious awesomeness! I have to tell you I wasn't paid to write about them. I participate in a little handful of challenges. Of the handful I do, 3 of them are hosted (?) by Verve. Mojo Monday, Viva la Verve and the Verve Blog Inspiration Challenge. Since I've been back in the crafty world (about 6 months) I discovered them, their challenges and decided I really liked their images. So, when I was chosen for Via la Verve winner for April (random.org) I was super excited because I won product!! I ordered using my gift card like on Friday-ish, It was in my hot little hands yesterday!!! Crazy fast shipping. I've been able to play and lemme tell 'ya - super nice! I'm in love! I'll definitely be shopping with Julee (owner of Verve) for a looong time to come - do yourself a fav and check out their store.

So, as you might imagine, the two cards I created today, I used Verve stamps and dies! Whoot whoot! I will be linking up to the three challenges I mentioned before as well. Go "fig-gure"!!

So, the stamp sets I used are full of amazing images and sentiments, the flower and sentiments on both cards came from a set called Surely Goodness and the butterfly came from a set called Petals and Wings. The cardstock & pattern papers came from Joann's while they were on sale 50% off! I colored the flower using Copic markers B32, B34, Y11 and Y13. The little bow is from a huge roll of cream seam binding I got from an Etsy shop called Zipperstop. Waaay cheaper to get a roll from them $9.50 for 100 yards! I've had this roll forever and adore it!

That's it from me - one very happy, delighted and excited little lady! Now, I'm off to play with my goodies some more!!

BTW - I will do a few more product specific postings using a few of the products I love from companies I adore if you wanna check back and see what (or who) I'll be talking about.

Thanks for Stopping By!
Smiles & Hugs!
Peggie Sue

One more day closer and I still can't hear

Howdy Ho Neighbors -

It's close to the weekend and I've already been outside cleaning up the screened in porch, pruning the two tiny little plants that made it here during my move (very sad.) I adore plants and usually have tons, but during the move I foolishly asked a neighbor to care for them until my daughter came back down. They died. I cried. At least she was able to get a few of the pots and my cast iron plant stands back. Alas, I must start anew! I have a tiny Christmas cactus and one almost dead bamboo plant from the move. Hubby bought me a shamrock plant for my St. Patrick's Day birthday and then he bought me a cheer up & get luck bamboo plant (a second one.) Hey, did you know cats loooove to eat bamboo?! And shamrock plants? Boy howdy!

Okay, so since I've done only a little crafting these past few days mostly cuz I'm crazy cleaning. I'm a bit OCD... I will post tomorrow some of my cards. But for today, I'll leave you with a few adorable pics of the other creative little friends I spend my days with...

Chemmers ~ AKA: The Plant Destroyer and Town Crier

Charlie ~ AKA: Charlie Warlie or Ole McStuffy Pants (btw, he thinks I'm his mate!)

Purrcilia ~ AKA: Little Momma or The Crafty One (she loves to sit ON my cards WHILE I try to create!)

Little Bailey Bell ~ AKA: Daddy's Little Girl (btw, sissy drew her eyebrows on)

Yep, these are the sweeties I spend my days with while hubby slaves for our next meal (tee hee) and Wildman learns himself something new at school.

Okay, sooo - late last week I heard this weird metallic sound in my right ear. Not really a bell, more like a metal whine or buzz. And then, no noise at all. Within like 30 min I could hear a little bit, kinda like I have a bunch cotton stuffed in my ear. Then by night fall I had a buzz in my ear but still thru a lot of cotton. Here's where it gets weird, yesterday while I was washing my hair, I felt a painful knot on the side of my head bout the size of a peanut. Yes, the same side as the ear with an attitude. It's not at all like a bruise, it hurts all the time. Besides, kinda think I'd remember hitting my head so hard it left me with a knot. Had hubby look at it when he got home, there's no bruise but a vary large red blotch. NOW, I have a red blotchy birthmark, but it's in the center of my head and down at the hair line and maybe the size of an apple and very splotchy. Hubby says this is large, like an I Hop pancake (sorry you'll visualize this the next time you eat pancakes!) Still hurts nice, and the whine in my ear is simply delightful! Guess I'll go to the doc Friday and see if the right side of my head is going to slowly slide down the side of my body (not unlike a few other things on my body since having babies and getting older!) If the doc tells me I'll live, I'll come back here and share what crazy bit of medical history I've decided to make now! LOL  Like Roanne Rosanna Danna's grandmother use to say, "It's Always Something!" lol

Thanks for stopping by -

Smiles & Hugs! Peggie Sue

It's been crazy here...

Don't feel like I was able to say ahead of the game this weekend! I didn't get a chance to play in my crafty room. Today I was able to create a card for the Christmas Card Class with Justine Hovey. I tried hard to work with shading on my little kitty. I'm pleased and hubby said he really likes it. When he likes it, its good.

I colored her with my Copics. I used SU cardstock and retired DSP. I added some red bling too. The fluffy part of her cap and dress is liquid applique. It's so cool, comes out like a yellow goop and once you hit it with a heat gun, it turns all puffy. So fun to watch. I then added some details with a thin, black sharpie marker, white gel pen and Wink of Stella. I believe it will be hard to part with her this season. Is it wrong to mail a Christmas card to myself?! LOL

Hey if you get a chance, click on the link to Justine's Christmas card class and give it a go. It's been fun and the best part, when the 40 PDF lessons are done, I will have all my Christmas cards done and ready to mail out! Whooo Hooo! TFSB

Smiles & Hugs!
Peggie Sue

It's Time!!

I've been silly excited to share with you all I have been assigned to my very 1st design team!!

You've gotta check out this challenge blog! I will be working hard, with the rest of the talented ladies that make up the DT, to inspire you & all the fabulous people that have fallen in love with the bi-weekly challenges. Your projects don't need to be just cards. You can create any type of project as long as you follow the challenge guidelines. How fun is that?!

The challenge that is starting today (& will remain open until May 13th) is paper piecing using a stamped image. Such fun! You will also need to include a die cut of some sort with each challenge. Here's my 1st project I completed as a new DT member for Cut It Up:  (giggle!)

The tail feathers and little wing were paper pieced. I stamped the bird image on the back of the patterned paper and cut it out. After I stamped and colored the bird I trimmed the pattern pieces and used my glue pen to adhere them to the front of the bird.

I used an older Hero Arts Cling image called Little Fancy Bird. The patterned paper I used is from an old 12x12 paper pack from Basic Grey called Lilykate. Sentiment is in the Smarty Pants set from Stampin Up as is the deco label hand punch. The white cardstock is Neenah, the purple cardstock is Simon Says Stamp. The image is stamped using Memento Ink Tuxedo Black. These are great to use when coloring with your Copics. The bow is seam binding and the buttons are from Queen & Company. I tied white thread thru the button holes to tie the bow before I used glue dots to adhere them to the card.

So, there it is, my BIG, HAPPY news!! Super excited to go check out the Cut It Up blog and join in the challenges if you wish. I'd love to see you play along with us. Keep an eye out for more great challenges that I will showcase here every two weeks. But remember, you have to join and link up to the actual challenge at Cut It Up.