Procrastination...or is INSPIRATION???

Hi there, everyone!!
Here it is, (almost) the end of my first semester of grad school, and I am SWAMPED!! So what better time for a blog post?? :)
Actually, I visited Verve Visuals' Blog Hop for their new stamp set releases, all centered around thankfulness. Go check them out at the Verve store...they're on sale all weekend, and they are lovely!
I have been so inspired by all the gorgeous creations by the Verve Divas that I wanted to share a couple of my own pics.

I recently spent some time at a scrapbooking weekend thrown at the house of my friend Becky, (which is a GREAT excuse for the girls to get together and gab and scrap and listen to music and share pics of their families...if none of your friends have thrown one of these, I suggest you jump on the bandwagon! Invite your girls over, make some snacks, set up tables, and you'll be AMAZED how much you will inspire each other!!)

So, while all the other ladies made scrapbooks of their children, guess who made Christmas cards?? That's right, yours truly! Here are a couple of examples of my handiwork of a couple of weeks ago...

Because this was not in the recent past (like, you know, within the past hour) I don't know if I can give credit for all the elements, but I will try...the CS is from PTI's Perfect Match collection, and I'm going to take a stab and say it's Ripe Ovacado. (I think. I'm sorry if that's wrong.) The stripey BG is is some that I picked up that very morning at Jo-Ann. (They were having a great sale!) The tree images are from a stamp that I am ashamed to say I opened and no longer have the top of the package, so I can't tell you what they are, but I got 'em at Micheal's!! Now, here's my favorite part: I LOVE STICKLES. I have just begun to use them, and I AM IN LOVE! Those trees are just dab-dab-dabbed all over with green, and the a little gold on the top for the stars. I colored in the trunks with a colored pencil. The trees are stamped on white paper, which I sponged all over and smudged with my Inkssentials blending tool in Versamagic Red Magic chalk ink. 

I love this card, and I SO wish my cell phone took better pics...(nope, still haven't replaced the camera...) because this BG, while it looks an orangey-red in some spots, it's actually a gorgeous mauve that I also picked up at Jo-Ann that morning. (Grrr...one day I will post good pics again, I swear!!) Oh right, right...the details. The image is from the same set as the trees above, which I stamped with Versamagic Perfect Plumeria chalk ink, (also sponged around the edge of the paper, creating a "frame" effect with another piece of white...) embossed the ornament image (those scrapbookers were in awe over my EP skills, I must say...), and then colored in with my Marvy Brush Markers.I added a couple of bling-y brads, and a pretty, silky ribbon, VOILA!
I made a few more cards that I would like to post, because as a newbie, I'm still teaching myself techniques and experimenting, and I actually created some pretty cards that I really like. So keep your ojos peeled for more to come! And feel free to tell me what you think!! I like comments!!

Fun Giveaway Over at Bakerella's Blog!

Hey friends and family!! One of my favorite foodie blogs, Bakerella, is having a great giveaway! She recently went on a tour of the Betty Crocker test kitchens, and was inspired! Go take a peek at the fun contest, (I did) make your guesses, (I did) and enter to win THIS! (I have my fingers crossed!) But you only have until Tuesday evening, so HURRY UP, FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!

While you're visiting, stroll around and drool over the fabulous recipes!! She makes the most luscious desserts, and her cake pops are (almost) too cute to devour...notice I said ALMOST.

I hope everyone is preparing to snuggle down and cozy up soon for the cold winter months! I recently spent some time with some wonderful new friends at a FANTASTIC scrapbooking weekend, where I was so inspired that I created some of my most awesome cards to date. (Some of which I will post...but I can't in good conscience post holiday cards until after thanksgiving, so you're just gonna have to wait.) I'm loving all my new tools and have become obsessed with Stickles, my Crop-A-Dile, pretty much anything Ranger or anything associated with Tim Holtz!! 

(Late) Autumn Blessings...

HI!! It has been so long since I have posted anything crafty that I am PSYCHED to be writing, today!! I still don't have my craft room in any sort of functional order, but I couldn't wait another minute to make SOMETHING to share! So I carefully chose supplies and hauled them to the dining room table for a little crafting session. I'm going to a scrapbooking weekend beginning next Friday, so I figured I had better spend a little time honing some skills.

I am NOT psyched by the quality of the picture below. My digital camera recently pooped out on me...(that's what happens when it floats in a purse where you put a bottle of juice with a loose top. Heartbreaking, I know...) So anyway, I haven't been able to replace it yet and so I took this pic with my cell phone camera.I adjusted the colors a bit, but it still doesn't look as bright as the real thing. Argh, but I was anxious to post.

The BG paper is PaperTrey Ink's Lemon Tart, as is the mat behind the sentiment.
For my bday this past August, Dana, my BFF over at Kismet, Art, and Life, gave me some Tim Holtz Mini Masks. (LOVE them!) The designs you see around the sides are from the Floret collection. I placed the mask on PTI's Orange Zest, and then used Inkssentials' Blending Tool to sponge Close To My Heart's Autumn Terracotta all over the card. The sentiment is from Stampin Up!'s Stem Silhouette set, stamped in the Autumn Terracotta and then darkened with a brown colored pencil. I finished it off with some dark copper brads, and VOILA! (PS...I know the brads are crooked...you shush.)

Doo doo doo lookin' out my back door...

Just a real quick post...I stepped out my back door to break down some cardboard for recycling, and lookie what I saw! Definitely brought a smile to my face on a rainy, gloomy day!!

What made you smile today?

'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly
where
you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that
are
born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you
have
received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be
content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle
into
your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and
love.
It is there for each and every one of us.'