A Real Sweet Quickie!

I really had fun putting this card together using sweet pieces I found in my craft room.  I played without rules or restrictions and just enjoyed the process!  Sometimes you've just got to let go and create! You can find out what I used by watching my video posted below!

xoxo!

"How Have You Bean?" - My MondayMojo Challenge/Entry & A Video!!!

Before I tell you about my entry for MojoMonday, I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to view my craft room video on youtube.  It has been so encouraging to get so many views and positive feedback.  I plan on doing more… including a video of how I created this card for this challenge… so check back a little later and I should have this posted!  The video has posted!! See the bottom of this post!

Now on to the challenge…Here's the sketch…

and here are my ingredients….

...And here's the video!!!

I featured a stamp set by Avocado Arts called "Perfect Blend" and a "note paper" die by Papertrey Ink.  My base card paper is also by Papertrey Ink, but the rest of the paper is by DCWV, including adhesive cork…which I forgot to include in the photo!  I embossed the cork using a coffee bean pattern embossing folder by Sizzix… as a coffee lover, I think I'm in love with it! I colored my coffee cup, by the way, with Copic markers R81 and R83.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Tour of My Craft Room!

Happy New Year!!!!  It's time for new beginnings, fresh changes, and lots of positivity and creativity!
That being said, I have finally posted a tour of my craft room! Take a look! Hopefully you'll get some great ideas for your own. Let me know if you have any questions about some of my storage solutions.   Enjoy and be blessed!

♥Karen

Got Teacher Gift?

I have to thank Emma Aguilar (www.creativetimeforme.com) for this inspiration! She makes the best stamps and dies. I heat embossed the sentiment (from "My Teacher Rocks") and made my cuts using the Cricut cartridge called "Recess". Included in this sweet gift are Hershey's Nuggets wrapped in an Avery address sticker. I stamped it with Papertrey Ink's "Limitless Labels". The cute little pencil stamp is also from Emma's stamp set, "All Around Everything Accessories".

Keep Going!

Hello crafty bloggers! I think we all need a little encouragement each day...so many things on our plates, we wonder if what we are doing is right and if we can ever reach the lofty goals we've set for ourselves. Well let me encourage you today to just keep doing what you are doing, and don't let anything stop you from making your dreams reality. Eventually, you'll get there...trial and error...but you'll get there!

I made this card today (for the challenge mentioned below) by using some of the supplies I just picked up at Joann. I found this beautiful and inspiring paper ensemble by GCD...Melody Ross' "Soulfood." The name really fits the very encouraging quotes that she's printed on some very lovely designs and drawings. I didn't even need to stamp any sentiments...for once!

In addition to Papertrey Ink cardstock and a cuttlebug embossing folder, below is a photo of the supplies I used...

Here's the sketch I used to create the card...

Now, back to my message...
When you get tired and feel like giving up...keep going...you're almost there! The reward of accomplishing your goals is huge...and it inspires others to do the same!

Have a great day!
♥Karen

For My Peeps!

With Easter being tomorrow, I think many of us have just gone "chickie" crazy! Lol! But how can you resist when there are so many cute chick cuts on Cricut cartridges! I used "Simply Charmed" Cricut cartridge and Close to My Heart Stamps (eggs & sentiment) to create this adorable card. Of course I colored the eggs using Copic markers... love them! The pastel paper comes from We R Memory Keepers. I also used googly eyes, ribbon and Stickles. Oh! I almost forgot! I used a grass punch by Fiskars. It actually came apart while I was punching...fortunately, I was able to put it back together again & it works perfectly!

Happy Easter Y'all!

Karen

Freshly Made...

Here's my entry for my very first "Freshly Made Sketches" challenge! Yes, Spring Break has allowed me the time to acutally create and enter challenges...so glad!!! Here's the template I followed...

As you can see, I have rotated the sketch to complete mine.
I used the following supplies:
Cricut cartridge "Simply Charmed" - Chick cut
papertrey ink card stock
cuttlebug embossing folders
Martha Steward Doily punch
Creative Time for Me - sentiment
Stickles
Googly eyes
ribbon

Happy Spring!

♥Karen

Hugs for Someone Special

Yesterday, I just happened to find this challenge...had to do it!
Here's the sketch that I had to follow...

Well...because I need to very quickly post this before the deadline, I very briefly note the recipe below:

Papertrey ink card stock
cuttlebug embossing folder - swiss dots
We R Memory Keepers patterned paper & cutouts
My Pink Stamper stamps/sentiments

I love this very masculine card...(think I'll surprise my husband with this!)

Have a great day!

Hugs!

Karen

PS...for more info on the challenge, go here...
http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2012/03/cps-259-part-1.html



Happy Birthday Card...and a Challenge!

Monday Mojo presented their latest sketch challenge, Challenge #230, but for me, the real challenge was to get it done before the deadline... did my best! The other challenge was to get a good photo with good lighting... couldn't do it! But I tried! Anyway...here it is...a "Happy Birthday" card for my next friend that celebrates! This was a Cricut-free card. But I did manage to get a cut from my Slice (the present) and sprinkled it with Stickles. The solid color paper & sentiment are from papertreyink (Handwritten Notes)...and my (dry, black) ink was from Stampin' Up! The cool modern cube cut in lavender is from a new ekSuccess punch I recently got. I added some dollar store satin ribbon and attached random bling (by who knows!) to tiny flower cuts by Recollections. The pattern paper is by DCWV - Tres Chic.

I Believe In You

Well, I tried!! I decided at 6:15 PM that I would enter the Monday Mojo contest... couldn't get it done and loaded in time. However, in record time...maybe 20 minutes...I created this card using the paper by Jenni Bowlin - "Classic Red/Black." I got the paper pack from joann.com recently and decided to put it to use before I forgot about it! I used a steel die - stitched oval - by My Creative Time, and stamped a sentiment by My Pink Stamper...I chose it because it fit the cut! I may not have made it in time for the contest, but I may just make someone's day when I hand it to someone at work tomorrow morning! Just in time for a random act of kindness!

Peace, Love, and Happy Crafting!

♥Karen

Happy Winter!!

Isn't he cool? I cut this snowman from an older Sizzlit and the labels from Emma's My Creative Time. I used paper from DCWV and kraft paper from Papertrey Ink. Paper was embossed using the Cuttlebug and frosted using Stickles. The sentiment comes from My Pink Stamper's "Winter Punnies." The Hershey's Nuggets were covered with address labels stamped with images from Papertrey Ink. So simple! (I can't believe I didn't use my Cricut!)

Happy winter! Stay warm!!
♥Karen

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed day sharing with your loved ones...I certainly did! We woke up to presents under the tree and breakfast cooked by my amazing husband. Our children were thrilled to open their gifts! Time quickly flew by, and it was time to go to church. After church, we had to head home so that I could quickly make the little treat bags that you see above. Dinner was going to be served at Mom and Dad's, and I wanted to make sure that I could bring something I created (since I don't cook - LOL!) to share with everyone.

To make these little goodies, I used my Imagine and printed designs from "Mr. Frosty" on address labels. I covered Hershey's Nuggets and then packaged two of them in a 3x5 cello bag. The toppers where cut (4x2) from paper by Reflections and folded in half. Using a Marvy punch, I punched out tags from kraft paper and inked the edges with "festive berries" by Tim Holtz. My favorite part was using a stamp from the "Christmas Love" stamp set by Close to My Heart. I used "seed packet" ink by Jenni Bowlin.

I hope your Christmas was filled with much love!!

Peace and Blessings,
♥Karen

Happy Weekend After Thanksgiving!!

Yes, yes... I know I should have posted this days ago, but I've been busy...you know, Black Friday and all. Well, haven't you?! Nevertheless, I wanted you to see what I created for our Thanksgiving tables...our annual 80+ family member gathering on Thanksgiving Day! Yes, I said over 80 people! So I dared to make one for each...here they are...

Even though it was a lot of work, it really was a pleasure to make these! I used various Autumn paper packs by DCWV and SEI. I featured cuts from Close to My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge (tags, acorns, and tickets), and I used coordinating stamps by Close to My Heart. I embossed some of the cuts with my cuttlebug, using swirls (tags) and swiss dots (acorns). All edges where distressed with Ranger's Walnut Stain ink, and everything was adhered to kraft paper by Papertrey Ink. Oh, and the cute little "blingy" leaves are stickers by Jolee's boutique. Finally, I used Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher to staple 1/4" ribbon. I thought they were super cute. My family loved them...they really think I'm quite creative...but that's easy to do when you have so many great products to work with! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! ♥Karen

Summer's Over, But...

I just had to post this one! I created this card back in July!! I used a stamp by Cat's Meow and used paper from "Funhouse" collection pack by GCD. For the cut in the center, I added texture by using a Tim Holtz Alterations folder called "Rays." So... did you go to the fair? Hope you had a great summer!

My JUGS Challenge Entry

Wow! I did it again! I made another card just in time to enter an online challenge. I've never done this before, so hopefully I've followed all the rules. Since I stayed up all night and into the morning to make this card, I'm too tired to figure out the technicalities. Wish me luck! Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

My First

What a beautiful day it's been! Church with the children while DH worked (although I wish he were with us), and then a bit of shopping here and there to prepare for our upcoming 70+ Thanksgiving feast. We all have so much to be thankful for! Things aren't always the way we planned it, but it's always what's best when we consult our Heavenly Father and lean not to our own understanding.

Now here I am starting a blog like I never thought I would - this seems miraculous! Intimidated by technology, this is quite an accomplishment for me. I'm inspired by my own children and the many young adults that I come across who are quite naturally expressing themselves on the internet. My turn!

Last night I created a Christmas card using the many supplies and tools that I've been purchasing over the past 10 years and neatly organizing in a dedicated craft room. With all that I have, I rarely take the time to create. I decided that now is the time to challenge myself and post a daily project right here on my very own blog. After all, I've been learning from so many other extremely talented women around the world as they post projects and tutorials on the internet. You have been my teachers, and I want to thank you for all of the freebies! Hopefully now I may be an inspiration to others.

So if you have somehow made your way to my blog and you're reading it now, you may be wondering who I am. At this time, I'm not brave enough to say... at least not until I have proved to myself that I can actually make cards and scrapbook pages that I am thoroughly proud of. This is definitely a learning process for me, so please be patient. In time, I'll reveal more of who I am. In the meantime, if you like anything that I create, just think a happy thought for me and that will be good enough. I'm not ready to take criticism and post a comment button.

What I can tell you, boldly, is that I am a child of God, and I love the Lord! I love to sing Contemporary Christian/Gospel music. That is my passion! I am also very passionate about being a wife and mother of two very beautiful children. Yes, I am truly blessed!

Thank you for reading My First blog post. Now I'm going to end this first entry and try to post my first project. Be blessed!