Inspiration Challenge - Napkin Ring

Have you ever heard of a company called Room Service Home? I hadn't until today when it became part of the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. We were to pick an item/product from their on-line catalog to use as an inspiration for a card or project. I really liked this napkin ring and wanted to take part in this challenge today.

This is the card that I made. I have the Itty Bitty Buds Hostess set that I've been waiting to use and I think it worked out well here.

I used a plethora of colors (that word was for my friend Arlyne, it's her favorite). The background is Pink Passion and Kiwi Kiss with Whisper White embossed with Swiss Dots.

The flowers are all stamped with markers in the following colors: Old Olive, Pixie Pink, Bashful Blue, Cameo Coral, Orchid Opulence and Pumpkin Pie.

The bow is Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain.

When I decide what to use this card for I'll add a sentiment over the center panel.

So, did I nail it? What do you think!

One Day Until........

A Day on The Road

Yesterday HWNSNBP and I decided to take a ride. He wanted to check out something "down the shore" and held a carrot under my nose so to speak. If I agreed to go with him I could visit all my "haunts". Having been cooped up in the house for the better part of the last seven weeks I thought this would be a nice change. Of course it meant going according to his time schedule but I can live with that.

We left nice and early and were able to take care of "his business" right off. So after we picked up some soft pretzels at the Pretzel Factory, we were then able to proceed to the $Store. Yes, I know, I'm a big spender - not, but I can't resist the bargains you can find at the dollar stores and this one happens to usually have good stuff. I did find some things for upcoming holidays and some other odds and ends while HWNSNBP sat in the van with the gardening catalogs making his list of what to order.

After the $Store we headed down to Tuckerton to visit the Lizzie Rose which is an old Victorian home converted into a tea room and gift shop. They have actually stopped serving tea there and have a new place right next door. We weren't going to have tea - if you remember, I get him to go to one a year and it's usually during vacation, besides, I thought that might be asking too much of him after all he's been doing for me lately. I did go into the gift shop and was looking for a tea pot. Why? I don't know. I certainly don't need any more. But when I saw this little winner I had to have it. I had looked at this in August when we were on vacation and decided against it, but IT WAS ON SALE. Sale - yes, it was reduced to a very reasonable price and I decided that it should have a home. Tell me what you think?

Then I wheedled my way into getting to go to the group of shops behind the Tea Shop. I knew there was a scrapbook store in there and I was looking for some paper with pigs on it. He relented and we went in. It's kind of like a little indoor mall inside this building with little shops in all the different rooms. I went into the scrapbook store and sadly didn't find anything but then I struck gold. There was a new shop - well new since I had been there last in August. It's a STAMP STORE!!!!! I could feel the excitement as I stepped through the doorway. Minutes later HWNSNBP found me and once he saw what they were selling just rolled his eyes and said "I'll be in the car".

The name of the store is One Little Spark and I had a nice little chat with one of the owners. They have a very nice selection of stamps and stamping materials and they also have a calendar full of classes. After picking out a couple of stamps, I told him that I would definitely be back.

From there we went to Costco. Costco you say?! Yes, well, we needed to make a pit stop before the 2 hour drive home and well, we hadn't really had lunch. This is a fairly new Costco and of the several times that we have been there is not at all crowded which is nice. You can walk around and not have to worry about human or cart traffic. Of course they had their sample stations up and running. And after sampling every form of salmon that they sell there (it's Lent remember) HWNSNBP was no longer hungry. Me, I had the sample of fruit and nuts and a little biscotti. We bought a soft drink and were on our way home. I got to nap both ways this time (I needed it).

So as HWNSNBP says "we had a very productive day". Aren't I lucky he let's me indulge!

INKredible Color Challenge 2/24

Since I haven't done one of these formally in a while I was determined to get this one done this week. And I do believe that I have the correct colors this time. We were to use Pacific Point, Old Olive, and Tangerine Tango. I also used it for the Limited Supplies Challenge on Splitcoast today: to make your own background paper and create a card with only one stamp set. Embellishments were limited to ribbon and brads.


I thought the Good Friend set would be a good choice for both of these challenges. The set does have a bird and believe it or not, I didn't use it ...... this time!!!!

My card base is Pacific Point and I used all three ink colors on Whisper White to create my own background. It might look like there are more than three colors in the background. There really aren't. I stamped off once to give the effect of a lighter shade of the same ink color.

I cut a square in the background (we weren't allowed to use punches) so I could add the cut out motif and the sentiment both above and in the box. The ribbon is Tangerine Tango.

I have someone in mind for this card who has just had a sudden illness. I'm hoping it will cheer her up.

Two Days Until........

Friday CPR 2/27 - The Importance of Fire Drills

To view my Friday CPR post for 2/27 - The Importance of Fire Drills click here.

Three Days Until.......

Pay It Forward...... I Love Gifts

Queen Bee had this posted on her blog so I thought I'd take her up on it.

Here's how it goes:

I love presents so I promise to pass on the wonderful things! Here is the deal: you want a present from me? Leave me a comment. The first three people to comment will receive a gift from me sometime this year. When? What? You won't know!! It's a surprise!! I'm going to do my best to comply with the rules of "something handmade," but I can't promise that. Life is crazy, you know!

Here is the catch: in order for you to leave a comment on this post, first you have to repost this on your blog. that means that you are committing to giving three presents to people. Got it? So post this on your blog, then comment to let me know. GOOD LUCK

And one more thing - please post a picture of your gift when you receive it.

So who will be the first three to receive a homemade gift from me!!!!

Four Days Until........

Teapot Tuesday 35

Another cool teapot this week don't you think! This was a gift from Cindy's son. I think he has very good taste. For the full story please check out Cindy's glob. You're going to love her card.

If my card looks very long that's because it is. I made it long enough to fit into a standard size business envelope or 9 1/4 x 4". I haven't quite decided what I'm going to use it for yet although I think it will be pretty versatile.

I used the Petal Pizzazz stamp set. for the flowers. The scallop edge was done with the slot punch and all the polka dots were punched out with the 1/4" circle punch, run through the Xyron sticker maker and placed on the card. The centers of each of the large flowers are popped up. The color palette is Sahara Sand and Whisper White.

So, tell me - what would you use this card for?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

FIVE DAYS UNTIL

Thoughts and Prayers

Sadly, over the course of the last six weeks there have been six ocassions that I have needed a sympathy card. This picture doesn't do the card justice. I couldn't keep it from looking so washed out. The card base is Elegant Eggplant with an Orchid Opulence panel. The image is watercolored on Confetti White paper. The stamp set is Always in My Thoughts and has the one floral image and a number of sentiments to choose from - get well wishes also.

My thoughts and prayers are with each and every of the families involved.

More Thanks

Even though I mistakenly used Baja Breeze instead of Bashful Blue I kind of liked the color combo from this week and I needed some more thank you notes.

It may look involved by it was really easy to stamp. I cut the white cardstock into strips the size that I wanted and gave each of the four stamps a color and just spread them out like you might see in a garden border.

What do you think?

Virtual Stamp Night

This evening I gave up the TV to HWNSNBP so he could watch Apollo 13 for the scaty-eighth time so that I could take part in a special evening over at Splitcoast Stampers. A few times a year they have what is called Virtual Stamp Night. They have a central theme (the theme this time is What's Love Got to Do With It) and they post challenges every hour on Friday night from 5-11 and Saturday from 12-11. You have 45 mins. to create your entry and can post it anytime before 10 p.m. on Sunday.

I've never participated before this evening. I managed to get two of the challenges done in between other things.

The first one I chose to do had to do with chocolate. We were given a color palette for three types of chocolate and were supposed to pick our favorite. I chose the one for dark chocolate - because it's supposed to be healthier for you (but I prefer milk, shhhh!). The colors were Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, and Apricot Appeal. When I first read them a butterfly appeared in my head, so I checked my new stack of stamps and sure enough, there was a butterfly. The stamp set is God's Beauty and is a level one hostess set.

The second one was a sketch challenge. You needed a big circle and a big heart on a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4" card base with a 5 1/4 x 4" background. You were to put something you love in the circle. I love flowers and decided to use my new 5th Avenue Floral set with the rose. I watercolored it to look like one of the roses that we do have in our yard.

I had fun doing these although it is definitely a challenge to get something done start to finish in 45 mins. for me. There were other challenges tonight that I didn't get to, but I may try to complete a couple more in the morning and who knows what tomorrow afternoon and evening will hold.

Friday CPR 2/20 - What 5¢ Will Get You

To view my Friday CPR post for 2/20 - What 5¢ Will Get You click here.

Today is......

The 100th day at school. And as per my tradition, even though I am not there, I made pizzelles for the staff. My teacher-friend Anthony was nice enough to come and pick them up this morning and put them in the faculty room for the staff to enjoy. I usually make two batches so there will be at least 100 cookies, but I knew I'd be pushing it on my feet to make one batch. Tradition is tradition.

Today is also my son's birthday. Hard to believe that he is 28 already! (BTW, to be fair to my dear darling daughter, her birthday was last month and I gave her one of my special teapot cards.)

There was a demo challenge on Splitcoast yesterday to use this coffee wrapper as inspiration. I used my WOW Flowers stamp set and this week's INKredible color challenge colors for the card - Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, and More Mustard. I added just a teeny little bow-tie.

Now I'm off to make more Thank You's.

I Got A Card

My upline and friend Debbie and sideline and friend Dolly sent me this get well card. It's beautiful. Thanks ladies!!!

Teapot Tuesday 34

Honestly, I can't remember the last time, if ever, that I made the tea party on the right date. Yippee!!!

You know what's coming next month don't you? St. Patty's Day! And of course Cindy would have a St. Patrick's Day teapot to share and give us inspiration this week. Please check out her glob to see her card and to read her story. She always has such cute stories to go with her creations.

I was going to do a box that was featured as the Technique Challenge on Splitcoast yesterday, but I'll save that for something else. Instead, I happened upon my Holiday Blitz stamp set as I was organizing my stamping shelves (by order of HWNSNBP who thinks I should be getting somethings done around here in the next couple of weeks before I return to work - said very nicely I might add). Luckily, there was a shamrock in that set.

Cindy said to keep it simple so here's what I came up with. I don't have my new circle cutter yet so I used my circle coluzzle to cut the large circles. The smaller ones are punches. The colors used were Green Galore, Glorious Green, Handsome Hunter, So Saffron and Whisper White of course. The only stamping on this was the shamrocks in Glorious Green. I added a half pearl for the lid knob and some So Saffron grosgrain from the SAB catty. The white background is cuttlebug embossed in Swiss Dots.

I think this card comes very close to the sketch for this month's fan club on Splitcoast. (Sorry, you have to be a member of the Fan Club to see it.) And, oh, by the way, please congratulate Cindy on her new position as one of the Dirty Girls. That means she'll be sharing some extra-special projects in the Fan Club for the next 6 months (again, you've got to be a member to see it). I'm thrilled for her and look forward to viewing her wonderful work there.

More Valentines

This is the card that I made for HWNSNBP. It was inspired by this card on Splitcoast. It has pink on it, but it also has a bluebird so he was impressed!
These little boxes were made for my very special friends whom we spent the evening with. They were inspired by the Ghirardelli Candy holder that was featured on Splitcoast a little while ago. If you would like the directions click here.

Happy Valentine's Day

I had to share with you the beautiful Valentine Card and Bookmark that I received in the mail from my fellow Blogger Dana. She says I inspire her which makes me feel good, but she herself is an inspiration as you will tell when you visit her blog. Talk about a sense of humor!!! She has that and so much more. Thanks Dana for the inspiration you have given me.

Just look at that card on a card and the embossed medallion on the bookmark. This lady has skills! And.... she also has a stamp with her blog name on it "Life Is Good" - how cool is that!

Look Who Woke Up

I meant to post this earlier this week - on Wednesday, I believe. It was a beautiful day in the 50's and as I stood at the kitchen window (which I've been doing a lot lately) I saw something up near the pool that didn't quite look like a bird. I got the binoculars - the ones I keep on the kitchen counter (doesn't everyone!!!) - to check it out and there he was. He just sat there in the sun for about 40 mins. and then went back into his den. I hadn't seen the little guy since early November and was worried that a fox or hawk had gotten him.

So I'm going by the chipmunk and saying that spring is closer than we think. What do you think?

Friday CPR 2/13 - Lost and Found

To view my Friday CPR post for 2/13 - Lost and Found click here.

Teapot Tuesday 33

What you are looking at is not a teapot per se - it is a teapot purse. Some of Cindy's friends met for tea and found this cool purse and bought it for her. Isn't it great! You can check out the whole story on Cindy's glob (please do).

This week, besides having the teapot for a challenge, we were also given these instructions: "Here is a extra challenge. In order to get in to the teaparty this week, we are checking purses at the door! So, bring something with a pocket on it, or a zipper, or some sorta something that can hold something. But just in case you don't feel like it, I hear that Gertie (thats my altered ego which is a whole nother story!) is letting pretty much anyone in the back door so if you wanna sneak in without having your purse checked, come to the back door and bring whatever you want to bring!! There are no rules at my teaparty because I have a hard time following them!"

I don't have any zippers and wouldn't know where to start looking for chain, so I decided that the holder would be a teacup to match the teapot. Given the bright colors that I was using I also decided that this was going to be a Get Well Card.


The card base is Close to Cocoa, layered with More Mustard and the cuttlebugged panel is in Summer Sun. I used a sponge with More Mustard ink on the raised parts of the embossed panel - not sure you can see it in the picture too well. I drew the teacup and after inking up my Floral background stamp with Pumpkin Pie, stamped that onto white and cut out the teacup. I tried to give the cup a little dimension by sponging Tangerine Tango on the edges.

The tea bag is real and I stamped the get well message with my Always in My Thoughts set. I used my Chocolate Chip twill and More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie grosgrain.

I heard a rumor that there was going to be German Chocolate cake at the tea party this week. I hope they saved me a piece!

Valentine Craft Tea

On Sunday afternoon my cousin Barbara had a Valentine Craft Tea for "the cousins". It really was a multi-generational party including some aunts, first cousins, second cousins, mothers, daughters and sisters.

She really knows how to do a party and I'm only sorry that I didn't take more pictures because the house and tables were decorated beautifully for Valentine's Day.

I did manage to capture the food in pictures. The first picture being the "savories". Little bite-size sandwiches and the like that were so delicious!!!


Then there were the desserts. And as you can see, there was no lack for the sweets. She had several "red-themed" teas to choose from or a very nice chocolate raspberry coffee. The ice cubes for cold drinks were even in the shape of hearts.

For the craft she had set aside yet another table that was full of scrapbook paper, cardstock, blank note cards, punches, markers, cutters, stickers, etc. We were let loose after we ate to grab whatever supplies we needed to create one or two Valentine cards.

Here are the cards that I made. (I did bring a couple of stamp sets and some of my heart punches to share.)

This was a little Valentine gift that I brought for everyone. I used the INKredible color combination for the week of 2/3 - Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, and Close to Cocoa. I used the Love You Much stamp set to add the decorative elements to a CD envelope that contained a big chocolate chip cookie (which I bought at Costco).

This is such a simple way to make something a little special.

I had a great time talking with all the ladies but I did get a little tired out and my mother and I were the first to leave. But true to form, Barb sent us all home with a goody bag and a plate full of leftovers.

Sunday Morning Surprises

I got to sleep in a little this morning. Sound exciting? Maybe not for you, but for me, yes. I have been getting up with HWNSNBP since my surgery in order to get my shower before he leaves the house (just in case something goes awry), and he has had full weekend schedules of basketball games to officiate that have started early. But, today the games were cancelled for a wrestling tournament or something.

This was especially helpful this morning as we were woken up at around 3 a.m. by a phone call. It was the DS and his girlfriend who were outside in the driveway and couldn't get into the house because the storm door was locked. It's DS birthday next Monday and he and a bunch of friends were celebrating at the bar that he bounces in in Hoboken last night. They had rented a "party bus" for those that were going so no one had to drive (thank goodness), and when they returned, I am surmising - since they are still asleep - that they were not in good enough condition to drive to their apartment. So they sacked out upstairs.

But the nicest surprise so far - it's only 9 a.m. - was seeing these...............

It's 42 degrees and supposed to go up to 55 today. A pseudo-spring day! I believe there is not a soul in the state of New Jersey that isn't looking forward to this kind of weather.

I will be posting some projects later on today. I have a little Valentine's Day get together that I'm invited to and ....... I get to drive!!!! Yes, I got my driving privilege back earlier this week, and save for a very short trip to the grocery store on Friday morning (less than 2 miles) I have not driven in a month. Should be an interesting day.

Friday CPR 2/6 - Please and Thank You

To read my Friday CPR post for 2/6 - Please and Thank You click here.

Teapot Tuesday 32

Duck. Low flying teapot ahead. Ha! This week Cindy posted this very adorable duck teapot. (I wish I could find such cute teapots. I'm going to have to find out where she does her shopping!)

Upon reading her description about the ducks, well here you read it "I thought it would be a good day for ducks! The leftover bees have thinned out, the bunnies have moved on and the only thing we have to worry about this week is ducks in the cups. You know how they are, always looking for some body of water. Should we do iced tea so we don't burn their butts?", well I found that hilarious. And since the only duck stamp I think I have is a tiny rubber duck one hidden in the mess in my den, I thought I would try to come up with something on my own. Now, before you look ahead at what I've done, please go to Cindy's glob to check out the cutest card!!!

So I chose my papers and inks and got out my punches and began fooling around and this is what I initially came up with.

However, I made a big mistake of asking someone (HWNSNBP) what it looked like and was promptly told "a turkey, but the beak is in the wrong place." When I explained to him that he was looking down from the top and not at the front of the animal, he still insisted that the beak was in the wrong place. I tried again to explain that the duck was pointing it's beak in one direction and see the tail is going the other way. Not that he's an animal expert or anything, but since it was not recognizable to the only other human available in the house, I decided to go another route.

My duck is hiding in the iced tea. He's underwater, see the top of his head is just visible in the middle (along with a very feminine bow - oh well, it needed something). He has spread his feathers out so nicely, you might think he was a synchronized swimmer.

The recipe includes the following:

Ruby Red Carousel Note which I backed with Very Vanilla CS. And I used Basic Gray, Cameo Coral, and Very Vanilla CS.

Bella's Bloom stamp set.

Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, Riding Hood Red, Basic Gray and Old Olive Inks.

Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon.

All my oval punches and the 1/2" round punch.

Paper piercer and sponges.

So............... what do you think?

But I've had it up to here with winter!!!
I got to walk around outside yesterday in the driveway. Couldn't walk down the hill yet, because there's still ice, but I did my laps outside. I noticed this angel just poking her head out of the snow. I think we've all had just about enough winter already. Yet, tomorrow we're expecting more snow!