Combo Mojo and Sisters in Christ Card and a Silly Old Tree!

I’ve combined two card challenges into one.  This card will fit for today’s Mojo Monday challenge for it’s sketch:

And it will fit with the Sisters in Christ Challenge the criteria here is:

Challenge #113 – Isaiah 1:18

Scripture:

Isaiah 1:18 "'Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’”

 

Challenge:  Use fall colors in your creation: crimson, orange and gold (or similar)

Especially nice I can do these challenges along with my sister Nina (the Mojo) and my Sister in Law Judy (both)   I don’t know the brand of designer paper, the acorn and leaf are my own cuts – available for free download if you look under the tabs atop here and the hugs was cut using my Silhouette SD and in brush script font.

On a side note, I’m having a daily go about with this Ponderosa on my drive.

 

Oh its so beautiful I really should not complain.  Each day since the weather took a turn toward fall/winter, my tree has begun to shed needles.  Now it does not shed them in small increments for I have watched it carefully.  No, clever tree, it waits.  I will go outside and clean up an entire tall garbage pail (stomped and compacted) and then I will come back inside.  I will watch.  Nothing.  I will watch… nothing.  I will relax, turn back to dust the furniture and turn back and suddenly there is another dump of needles.  I think the tree just wants me to get next to it – and thats not a bad thing, its very beautiful and i love the tangy fresh pine scent. 

Are YOU cleaning up after trees?  Do tell!

Last of the Season

I was downsizing the contents of the fridge recently and decided to add some plums to the dehydrator. My Mr is not a big plum-fan so I was quite astonished he found favor with some "fruit roll-ups" I made by rolling the slices up inside of plastic wrap. He liked them SO much indeed, he bought a box of them - last of the season, for me to dry! I found it easy and FAST to process them by slashing the halves and laying them flat.

Have YOU been putting up food?

Three Cards and some pretty photos!

I’m back after a nice little weekend away to the coast to visit family.  Lots of family.  Twas a wonderful time indeed.  Of course there was the food factor – were treated to a pot-luck supper and then a birthday party and food abounded at both.  I’ll be paying for that this week, for sure. 

I have been busy since arriving home.  I managed to pull of about 8 cards today and might even squeak one more in before the night is through.

SFF102111

I’m taking this challenge with my Sister in Law Judy – we are trying a few new challenges to shake things up.  She’s got a really pretty card at her place! 

This is this week’s sketch for Sketch Frenzy Friday

And here is my interpretation on it:

I used up a pretty scrap of BoBunny Designer Paper on this festive frosty card.  I wish you could feel my fuzzy center paper – its like suede.  I cut the largest snowflake on my Silhouette SD using a vector I got from Obsidian Dawn.  The stamp is a wooden block one, no I.D. on it, unfortunately they just say they are made in China.  Ah well.

Mojo Monday 212

It would not be Monday without Mojo and participating in our sort of “family” challenge along with my sister Nina, sister in law Judy, and our dear friend Valinda. 

I really struggled with this one.  I wound up making 2 versions but the first one was a fail from the get-go.  I wound up making it into another card entirely but I won’t post that here. Here is what I did wind up with in the end:

OK – that was not so bad… but “bluh” – it looks soooo plain and boring.  So, I left it looking at me while I worked out on the elliptical, glancing every now and again and asking it what else it needed.

I am sure you do this yourself, keep going and pecking at it with new ideas.  I thought the glittery red would add some contrast to it, but “ehn” – nooooo

I finally loaded it up with all sorts of bling and I can live with it – just.  As much as I think its a failure you just know that the perfect person is going to come along who will fall in love with it, right? 

This last card is not for any challenge at all – just for myself.  I used some of my dear friend KimB’s Designs from her Precious Beginnings Boy Kit!  Oh MY what a fabulous beautiful amazing kit.  I was hoping to cut the pieces out precisely around the edges but did not manage to do that with my Silhouette but plan to do that this week – oh goodness perhaps even with her newest kit I’m seeing is just out – Precious Beginnings Girl Kit! (Downloading the nano-second I get off of this post!)

 

If you are a scrapbooker, carder or crafter you NEED to check out Kim’s kits – they are simply top notch quality and super easy to use.  Look here for more cards I’ll be creating coming up in the next posts using Kim’s incredible kits.  A note – if you use a Silhouette SD you can import the png files into your software, print and cut them.  There are jpg papers included which you can print and cut as well. 

I’m delighted with how crystal clear and crisp her graphics print out.  I chose my own designer paper which just happened to match her color scheme!  I have the entire Precious Beginnings BUNDLE which gave me all sorts of fun word art.  I can’t wait to use the Girl kit!

I’m including a photo which my husband took of me feeding a Whiskey Jack on our way home. 

Thanks for coming to visit!

Sketch Frenzy Friday & Mojo Monday Cards

Whew, squeaked in a Mojo today – thank goodness I did my Sketch Frenzy Friday  card yesterday… though – I must admit I am really not so impressed with my Friday card, it looks so simple beside the Mojo.  How does that happen?  For one thing I think its because the Mojo sketch was pretty detailed and also that I used a high quality Designer Paper for that one.  You get what you pay for, right?

SKF101411

 

And here is my (very simple take) on this sketch:

I don’t know the make of paper but the stamps are from TPC Study – Celebration.  You really cannot see the shimmer and glimmer of that little gift, I should have taken a close up pic but I took this indoors because the day was so grim outside.  The FUN part of this card is that my SIL Judy and I are doing this one together!  I am trying to hurry hurry to scoot over and see what she’s created, bet its fabulous!

Mojo Monday 211

 

This sketch made me work much harder and this is our “family” challenge – my sister Nina, sister in law Judy, her beautiful daughter Sam and I all do this challenge. 

Here’s my version:

Ok, so cracking out a brand spanking new good quality DP helps – this is mainly created from a BoBunny – a gift of love paper. Two sided, the paper matches nicely.  The bulb is the only part that’s from the scrap of a paper I fished out from my last project – no name can be found. 

Another of my “frizzly” sheer bows – I draw my heated embossing gun over the ribbon from a fair distance and it makes it go curly.  Adds that vintage look.

And just a few posts ago I gave YOU the cut files for this pretty ornament!  Add a little golden twine and it dresses things up perfectly.

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m working on some more cut files for YOU in the coming days – stay tuned!

A Pretty Long Post – Card – Photos and FREEBIES!

 

My sister Nina reminded me that it has been a whole 10 days since I blogged last which is always a good nudge to get something new up here for YOU!  That’s part of what sisters are for, right?  One part encouragement and another part kick you in the pants.  I am hoping she is forgiving me for not posting my award she and Judy and Valinda blessed me with a few posts back.  I will post this in the future, promise (although I may take some liberties with it hehe) 

Firstly I will post my Mojo Monday Card.  I ♥ Mojo because its what I consider our “family” post – we all post this challenge, and yes Valinda, you are considered in our family because you are such a wonderful and faithful friend I can confidently say that we consider you as a sister. 

 

 

My take:

 

Not such a great photo being indoors for a change but I think you get an idea.  I’m starting to think Christmas and I bought this Cottage Christmas designer paper when I shopped in Kelowna with Nina.  I like the little glitzy snowflake that my friend Mavis had given me, she punched a whole bunch out of a mylar sheet.  

And next up I thought I should include some photos from my real life – haha, I do come “up for air” from my creating cards.  I pushed myself outdoors yesterday and took some photos to share. 

 

Pink Lady apples 

There is nothing which can truly capture the incredible vibrant color of these apples as they beam right off these dainty trees.  In some orchards where the trees are allowed to grow fuller at the bottom they remind me of little ladies – with full  deep green frilly skirts and all decorated with pinky-red gems!

 

 

Hello Mr. Grasshopper!

He was waiting for me on the patio steps, quite lazy in the our weak autumn sun.  Whereas in the summer he would have jumped away from me quick as a wink he now just sways side to side upon his flexible legs and waits for me to move for him!

 

 

Dinner time!

I arrived home to find this feller eating his dinner – almost underfoot.  Honestly, one more step and he would have just been a smush on the cement.  So glad he caught my eye.  Of course my camera had a virtual fiesta field day for a good 1/2 hour.  Looks like he’s found himself a high faluting supper – a “blue blood” no less! (I think that’s a stink bug he’s eating on)  These stink bugs are everywhere on the patio both in the first warm spring air and then autumn. 

 

 

Shaggy Manes – Num!

My Daddy used to try to make me eat these as a child – along with Morels too.  I thought they looked like repulsive rockets and refused but now I’m a grown up girl now and find them exotic and delicious!  These are popping up all over the place and I will enjoy the seasonal feast while its on.  A note, you should check out this link on these mushrooms to read a caution on consuming these if you want to have alcohol for it says that you might feel or act in weird ways should that be the case.  I don’t drink alcohol so no worries here – I’m totally weird and strange in real life! 

And so, my post is winding winding winding down, really, haha.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you! 

 

I’ve added some new/old Freebies to my FREEBIES VAULT  (top of this post – see the TAB?)  Here are the files I added for your downloading and creating enjoyment!  Please do not share out my files but ask others to come collect them here themselves.  They will always be here, always free!  I just love to be visited lots and comment ♥ is what I thrive on.  I will continue to post new goodies periodically.

Here are the new files you can look for under the vault tab:

• Amber Flower
• Merry Christmas Stitched Wordart
• Funny Peach Frame
• Cool Polar Bear
• Pretty Paisley Overlay

 

And, a NEW free scrapping, designing, cutting file set which I’ve created for YOU today – just in time for your Holiday Season crafts:

 

 

Just click on the preview to be scooted to the download link!  Enjoy my friends and and AND I would absolutely ♥ to see how you use my files.  Would you consider sending me a jpg of what you’ve created for me to share with everyone?  Its so inspiring to me.

Thanks for your visit and bless you today!

More Cards and Awards and a Cute Deer

 

I took a little breather this week.  I needed that, you know sometimes how you can get going too fast and spinning your wheels?  Well my good common sense told me I needed to slow down, get grounded again so that/’ what I did.  I don’t feel very creative when I am under pressure and its far too easy to say “yes” to many things.  I practiced saying NO and got my calendar manageable once again.  What do you do when you realize you’ve over-committed? 

I make myself get out in nature a bit, for sure, because it somehow gives me a perspective I can’t get when I’m hurrying-scurrying about.  I’m reminded that man makes schedules but nature takes no heed to them.  Here’s an inspiring passage by Richard Jeffries, a great writer about nature.  Perhaps his thought will cause you to pause and slow down a bit as it did for me.

“I must stay under the old tree in the midst of the long grass.  I seem as if I could feel all the glowing life the sunshine gives and the south wind calls to being.  The endless grass, the endless leaves, the immense strength of the old oak expanding, the unalloyed joy of finch and blackbird: from all of them I receive a little.  Each gives me something of the pure joy they gather for themselves.  To be beautiful and to be calm, without mental fear, is the ideal of nature.  If I cannot achieve it, at least I think it.“

~ Richard Jeffries

♥

On to a few cards I created once I got a chance to take a breath.  

Mojo Monday 209 – The Contest

My take on this design:

I’m not sure but I might just put a small “happy birthday” stamped sentiment beside the blue trim on the right side, what do you think? 

I embossed the cake with a clear gloss and added some sparkle

Stamp: TPC studio

Paper: SEI

365 Cards Day 216 – Super Sketchy Sunday

Here’s mine:

This background does nothing to show off this card to its potential.  I won’t take pics here again. 

Designer Paper: Best Creation Inc “Merry Christmas”

365 Cards Day 217 – I’ve Been Framed!

Instructions:

We want to see an image framed by something other than a circle/oval or square/rectangle shape.

I made mine like this:

I used these brackets (which I cut out on my Silhouette SD) as my frame.  A little bit of bold tartan ribbon really makes this card stand out.

♥

I’ll leave you with a photo I took right outside my window the other morning – I could hear something “thumping” and it happened to be two deer playing and leaping.  How sweet and fun a start to my day!

I wanted to go out and play too. 

Thanks for your visit today.  I’m hoping to put up a few more free elements and cut files in within a week for sure, perhaps sooner.