GET WHALE SOON

I needed a quick get well card for the child of one of my friends.  The whimsical animals in the "Fox & Friends" stamp set featured in the Stampin' Up! Occassions Mini catalog are so versatile for many different occassions.  I especially love this whale paired with the sentiment from the "Pun Fun" stamp set that reads "Get Whale Soon!"  If you look closely, you can see the whale is not only spouting out water but a little heart too!

  I hope this card brightens Brandon's day a little.  He has faced so many challenges throught out his life.  This time is no different.  He was recently diagnosed with pneumonia, but is slowly improving.  If you could, say a little prayer for Mr. Brandon tonight.  He's a great kid and he sure could use some prayers.  You might even throw in a prayer for his mom, too!  She's been so tired worrying about her little man lately.

Well, it's going to be a quick post for me tonight.  I have a bazillion things to do before the weekend and I need to get ready for tomorrow night.  I have a "FAB" group of ladies coming over to stamp!  Thanks for being so patient with me over the last month.  I'll try hard not to be a stranger around here.

I'M STILL HERE.........

Just a quick note to let you know I am alive and well.  Well, mostly well - I feel like I'm getting sick and experiencing a little vertigo for some reason.  Otherwise, I'm still here.  I've been busy prepping for my upcoming Spring Fling card class.  Plus, I've been working on making 230 wedding favors for the upcoming wedding of the daughter of my co-worker.

And to be quite honest, my mojo has been more like "no-go" lately.  I really thought hard about giving up blogging all together.  What good would that do?  I really do like the blog world and I enjoy creating no matter how feeble my projects may be.  So, with that said, stick around and I'll start posting my creations again really soon.  Sorry it's been so long.

Thanks for peeking in on me! 

HEY, HEY, WE'RE THE MONKIES!

Today's card was inspired by Jen Del Muro's sketch above.  Jen has a lot of great sketches that are fun to play along with and recreate.  I used the monkies from the new Stampin' Up! Occassions Mini called "Fox and Friends".  I purchased this set in clear mount.  I wasn't sure if I'd be a clear mount convert, but after purchasing a few clear mount sets, I can say that "I'm a Believer".  (Yes, all puns intended.  I guess I'm stuck on The Monkies music today.  I apologize upfront if you now have these songs stuck in your head.)  I also used the branch with leaves from the new Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch to get my tree branches.  I punched the branches out on Chocolate Chip cardstock and again on Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper.  I cut the leaves out individually and adhered them with Tombo Multi-Purpose glue.

It is snowing again here in lovely southern Ohio.  The weather forcast calls for 4" to 7" in our area.  Bah Humbug!  Come on Spring.  I'm so ready for you!  Thanks for peeking in on me today.

All products used are Stampin' Up!  Click here to shop Stampin' Up! 24/7.

THANK GOODNESS FOR WONDERFUL FRIENDS

I don't know about you, but I'm so beyond thankful that it's Friday. My hubby, son and I are going out to eat with some of our best friends and their daughters this evening. My friend's daughter is having a birthday in a couple weeks. So, I'll think I'll order the cake and ak the waitress/waiter to bring it out to her tonight. Happy B-Day, Miss Abby! My husband also suprised me at work with an amazing bouquet of fresh flowers for Valentine's Day. Oh, I'll have to get him to take a picture of it and share it here with you.  Any whoo..........onto the card!!!

My card today is inspired by Mojo Monday's Week 119 Sketch from way back in December.  I saved it in my sketch folder on my computer and just now got around to using it as my card layout.  I was pretty happy with the way this card took shape.  I don't know what's up with the Mambo Melon again.  I guess my camera just insists on making it much brighter than it really is.  Oh, well...  This card is chocked full of goodies from the Stampin' Up! Occassions Mini - stamps, felt pieces, designer series paper and the new scallop trim corner punch.  Love 'em all - especially the felt pieces.  I wasn't crazy about the way the leaves piece was laying on my card.  So, I just took a pair of paper snips and snipped the leaves in half and attached them separately.  Voila!  Oh, just in case you're wondering, Stampin' Up! also has the coordinating scallop trim punch to go with the scallop trim corner punch.  You can get it for free during Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration.  Just ask me how!

Well, that's it for me today.  Thanks for taking time out of your day to peek in on me!  Have a wonderful and happy Valentine's Day.

Supplies:  (All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless noted.)  Stamps - All Holidays, Dot, Dot, Dot; Ink - Pretty in Pink, SU! Markers - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Mambo Melon; Paper - Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Sweet Pea DSP, Old Olive Patterns DSP; Acessories - Circle Scissor Plus, Big Shot Machine, Scallop Circle #2 die, Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Chocolate Chip 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Tombo Adhesive, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Scallop Trim Punch 

Sending My Love - Four in One!

Well, one good thing about being snowed in over the weekend is all the time I get to spend creating in my little craft area.  Ahhhhh!  I can just stamp away while watching the snow fall down in buckets and relax that I don't have to go out in it! (You see, I work at my local county's highway department.  Lucky me, I don't get called in to work overtime during bad weather.  It's just mandatory that I show up during normal work hours.)   I took advantage of that this past weekend.  (But honestly, I'm soooooo ready for spring!)  This is one of many projects I have to show in the next several days.  This card actually came as a result of not one, but four (yes, count them, four) blog challenges.  You can play along with the challenges by clicking on the links below.

 1.)  Crazy 4 Challenges - Valentine Themed Card Challenge

2.)  Our Creative Corner - Masculine Valentine Challenge (Okay, I might be stretching it a little.  LOL!)

3.)  Stacy's Stamping Stage - Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 16 (Real Red, Very Vanilla, Kraft)

and finally.....

4.)  Stamping 411 - Saturday Sketch Challenge 137

Whew!  I'm impressed with myself.  I invite you to come on and play along with these challenges.  It may be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing.  They sure did help me.

That's all for me tonight.  We already have approximately 6" of snow on the ground from the past weekend and an added 2" of snow with freezing rain today.  The forcast is calling for an additional 1-2" of snow tonight and 1-2" of snow tomorrow.  Ugh!  Thanks for peeking in on me today!  If you have to go out in the snow, please be safe!  If you're fortunate enough to live where the sun is shining brightly and you have no white stuff, be thankful - very thankful!