Looking to Spring

February's Sisterhood of the Traveling Cards theme was a stumper. Seems pretty easy at first read, a flower theme and use buttons. But, I am not usually a 'pretty' stamper - I tend to lean more towards cute or funny. Sadly the only way I can think to use buttons with flowers is right at the center. Not terribly original and not terribly creative, so I put it off. And put it off. Then suddenly I remembered that February only has 28 days; I could not put it off any longer.

Finally, inspiration. I had received some flower buttons as part of a Secret Sister gift (thanks Lorie, you saved me!). Next to find something to hold the flower. My new Build-a-Roo started hopping and round chanting, "Pick me! Pick me!"

I tell you, it is hard to resist a begging kangaroo.



Card Details:
Image: SU Build-a-Roo and Kindness (wheel)
Cardstock: SU, GP
Tools: Nestabilities, Stampin Around (large), generic dimensional
Coloring: Prismacolor Markers
Embellies: (unknown) flower button, Stickles

Crafty Hos Challenges

I finally got around to sending my head shot to Audrey so that I could be linked up with the Crafty Hos. What took so long? Well, I am really not a fan of having my picture taken. I used to like it. In fact I used to dive into all sorts of photo ops, with or without an invitation. But then along came prednisone (vile stuff!) and pigment changes on my face in inconvenient areas. And well, I am just not a fan anymore...

But if I want to be on a DT, a head shot is a necessary evil. That said, you can find me on The Crafty Hos Challenge Blog sidebar. Somehow being last put me at the top of the page.

New challenges are posted every Sunday and you have until the following Saturday at 11PM EST to upload your creation. Now if I could only figure out where to find the challenges BEFORE they are posted with the DT samples I will be all set.

Please join us if you can!

True Love for Bodacious?

Renovations to Bodacious' villa are going to take quite some time, so I am bringing Belassiz something to read. She is, of course, an intellectual, so those glossy magazines with their gossip just won't do. A classic novel is what she needs...

Perhaps it is an ulterior motive on my part. After all, we want her to choose from her heart and not what those decorator mags tell her she "should" like. Though honestly I question Bodacious' choice of love. Anyone who would agree to such a wager may not be the catch he thinks she is. I am willing, however, to put my doubt aside and do what I can to help Bodacious. I am sure that if he IS her true love then he will know her and what will most likely move her, so she has nothing to fear. (But again, her doubts make me question her suitability for a mate for Bodacious - oh wait, that's right, I am supposed to be putting these thoughts aside... Please excuse me)
 
Bernarde just might be making a lucky escape... Whoops! Did I say that out loud?

If you are visiting me for the first time, Welcome! If you have been here before (also welcome!) then you are probably getting used to these crazy posts. No? Well, you will be soon, cuz I am hooked on Teapot Tuesdays!



Card Details:
Image: Elizabeth O. Dulemba 
Cardstock: SU, GP
Tools: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Nestabilities 
Coloring: Prismacolor Markers
Embellies: (unknown) mini rhinestones, SU Stampin' Dimensionals

Curt's Other Options

Chrystal would like to encourage Curt to be a snowboarding superstar. It is nowhere near as dangerous as a stunt cow, you know, so long as you don't fall down.

Here she is in her glory, freestyling down the mountain. The cool wind in her feathers, snow swirling behind her. And look at the crowd; they are just eating this up. You cannot even see their faces for all of the camera flashes. Ahh, this is the life, the excitement, the attention, the adoration of the fans, the MONEY!

If however, Curt cannot make it as a snowboarding king, Chrystal would like him to know she is willing to take him on as her pool boy, so long as the thong fits.

You guessed it; it is Teapot Tuesday again. (Yes, I am aware that today is Wednesday). Check out Mothermark's blog for the complete background story. Even if you do not want to participate, you have to go see her teapots - She has the most incredible collection!

As for the card deets... Image is Penny Black (like you did not see that coming), and is colored with Prismacolor markers. Her hat is embellished with Liquid Applique, and the snow, both underneath the board and that which is flying is painted with Twinkling H2Os. The letters are punched from one stamp that has the complete alphabet (SU), which were then sponged with some Green Galore (also SU) to soften the harsh white. The sparkly paper is from DCWV (Glitter Mat Stack) and the trees were a gift from a friend; I don't know by whom, sorry.All this comes together thanks to SCS Sketch Challenge #237.

Next week another teapot and another story. Right now the water is boiling - gotta run...

Just Because

Have you heard about Bugaboo Stamps and their new Challenge Blog? The fourth Saturday of every month they will be offering a new challenge and a new chance to win free digis! As if that is not enough, every Friday they have Freebie Friday. A wonderful way to introduce their stamps and give you chance to try them out, perhaps in their challenge. After all, if you use one of their digis you are entered into the contest TWICE! Now before you go rushing over there, check out my card for Bugaboo's very FIRST challenge, "Valentines With a Twist". Create a card, tag, layout or item that could be used for Valentine's Day. The twist? You may not use traditional Valentines colors. In other words no red or pink.

You may assume, based on her name, that Princess A's favorite color is pink, but you would be wrong. In fact, when we bought the house and gave her the option to paint her room any color she wished, she chose orange with red trim! Needless to say, it was not difficult at all to make a card with her in mind and not use pink.

This is Lulu and her doll. She was a freebie some weeks ago. (Thank you Bugaboo!) I think she is just right for Princess A because of their many similarities. Princess A would more likely gravitate towards a turquoise item in her wardrobe and her doll would be coordinated if possible. Of course she does not always carry a doll. Usually it is some sort of critter in her arms, Mel the bunny, Wexler the frog, Jewel the monkey, and of course most recently, Osiris her kitten.

SCS Sketch Challenge #265 gave me the layout and the rest grew from there. The background is stamped with a jumbo Stampin' Around, "Kindness", from SU and all card stock is SU as well. The ribbon was something I found in my stash and the sentiment was made from snap-together alphabet stamps. Lulu and her doll are colored with Prismas.

I appreciate your hanging out with me til the end. Now feel free to click on over to the Catch the Bug Challenge Blog for your chance to enter!

Gladys' Escape

Meet Gladys. Her friends have been nagging her to do something with her style for goodness knows how long, but Gladys is happy with the way she looks, thank you very much. Then Rapunzle had to go and open "Classy Castle Cuts" right around the corner. Next thing Gladys knew, her friends were planning a spa day. Of course she knows this is all a guise to get her in for a makeover. Well, good luck catching her. Before the sun was even completely risen, Gladys hot-footed it (or should I say hot-hoofed?) up the highest peak of Mt Monagnus. With her googly eyes, she can see in all directions and keep anyone from coming close; those horns are not all for show, you know. Gladys is safe. There will be no dye jobs or perms in her future!

Confused? Don't worry, I have not completely cracked, just joined in with the Teapotters over on SCS for their Teapot Tuesday Challenge. I have been stalking them for a couple of weeks now. Those ladies are so talented, and so darn creative, and funny!  Each week Mothermark posts a new story based on a teapot from her collection. The challenge is to make a card inspired by the teapot/story. The teapotters are really hilarious and the stories they add are a riot! The cards range from downright silly to oh so pretty. Most important of all, they issue an open invitation to anyone to join in the tea party, so I am excited to get to know this group of ladies.

As for the card itself, The mountain is made from a single stamp stamped many times on homemade polished stone, made by yours truly. Then each individual mountain was cut out and layered on the others. Gives some neat dimension that will not come through in a scan or photo (pity, really, cuz I am quite proud of the effect). Gladys was masked and clouds were sponged all around. (In fact, I don't know if you can see this either, but below the panels with the picture, there is another full white panel also sponged with clouds.) Googly eyes completes her look.

Both stamps are Copper Leaf Creations, polished stone was made on SU glossy white with SU reinkers and alcohol. Actually, all cardstock is SU. Googly eyes came from ACMoore, don't know the brand, sorry.

Thanks for the invitation to tea, I hope I can join you again next week. Of course, since the Teapot weeks starts on Tuesday, I have to say, "see you tomorrow, Teapotters!"

Fruitcakes and Snowflakes

The theme for this month's Sisterhood swap reads as follows:
"January brings a new year, a new beginning and the idea that anything is possible. It is also a cause to celebrate self and the wonderful person YOU are. So… this month’s swap is to create a card celebrating the month that the world was graced with your sweet selves. Each month has a flower, a jewel, a color, a zodiac symbol that is unique to it. Use any icon from your birth month to create a card that is pure you. Two layers of cardstock and one embellishment is all that is required but feel free to add more if you wish. This card/month is all about YOU ~ the sky is the limit!"

I Googled December and found out my birthstone is turquoise, my zodiac sign is a goat and my flower is narcissus (Daffodil for December? Seems to me it would make more sense for March.). OK, here is what we got to make a card, a turquoise goat eating a daffodil. Uh... no.

Moving right along; how about obscure holidays? Lets see what falls on December 27. Hmm, "National Fruitcake Day" and "Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day"... And a card was born. Do you recognize the sketch? It is sketch challenge #264 on SCS. (Incidentally, when I told Main Squeeze that my birthday was National Fruitcake Day he laughed and said, "how appropriate!")

I love this stamp (Love You to Bits, no longer in business). I admired it at my sister's and she went out and bought me one of my own! All these years I thought it was a boy cook with really big ears, but when I was coloring this time I thought the ears looked rather lumpy and realized it was more likely hair sticking out from the chefs hat.
Today she is a girl chef with brown hair just like me! She also has a white cat similar to my Iisis and a canary, though I have an African Grey. As for the baking, who eats fruitcake anyway? Certainly not I, so instead she has made loaves of bread (perhaps with chocolate chips hidden inside - that is more my style. The loaves are popped out from the card with generic pop-dots

In the background are embossed snowflakes (Cuttlebug embossing folder) for 'Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day'. The bird cage is painted with Twinkling H2Os (Thank you Linda!). And of course, I mustn't forget the birthstone, especially as it is one of my favorite colors of cardstock lately, so all of this is mounted on a Turquoise card.