Warm Wishes

Wishful thinking!!  We're finally above ZERO here in the D so I just had to make a winter card to celebrate our record cold and soon-to-be record snowfall.

The inspiration for this card was this sketch from Cardabilities!  I used a new die I got for Christmas, had braided and dyed twine, and some scraps to create this.  Super happy with how it turned out!

You can't really see it but the skates are shimmery and so is the "warm wishes" banner.

I'm linking this card to a bunch of challenges and linky parties this week!

• Make It Monday 173
• Craftin' Desert Divas - Winter
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - BLUES
• Kaboodle Doodles - Snow
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Allsorts Challenge - Free and Easy
• Time 4 Scrap - Silver & Gold with One Color (I chose BLUE!!)
• Scrapbook Blessings Club - #10 Celebrate Winter
• The Squirrel and The Fox - Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Delicious Doodles - #69 Layer It Up
• Cards Galore Challenge - Anything Goes
• Sister Act Card Challenge 38 - Anything Goes/Cards Only
• Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes
• Hobbycutz - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - #33 Anything Goes
• One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hands - Anything Goes
• Card Makin' Mamas - Anything Goes
• 2 Creative Chicks - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
• 613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes/Winter
• Creative Craft Challenges - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Pile It On - Just Because
• Crafitiude - Anything Goes/Christmas Sparkle (does winter sparkle count? :) )
• Eureka Stamps #71 - Blue & Bling (There's TONS of shimmer on this card it just doesn't show!)
• Polkadoodle - Anything Goes/New Year
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Word Art Wednesday 114 - Anything Goes
• Love To Create - Blue with Bling
• Scrappy Moms Stamps - Warm Fuzzies
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - ICE

Thanks so much for looking.  I'm excited to be back to crafting and looking forward to a creative 2014.  Laters!

Silver Linings All Around

Hi and Happy New Year!  I'm starting the year out with a bang!  I WON a prize on Tim Holtz's blog for my December tag!  I can't believe it!

ALSO it makes me SO HAPPY that Archiver's is finally closing.  I hope their HR people and upper management find people as lovely as they are to work with in their future endeavors.  What went on in that store is beyond comprehension or explanation.  Karma, man.

That said, I'm starting out the new year with a cold which is kinda the scary omen I didn't wanna start this year with.  Nine times outta ten I get sick on New Year's Eve.  I want a GOOD New Year, people!  No negativity but I'm worrisome.

Anyways, I've got lots of new projects on the horizon, but I just wanted to get this up on my blog:

YAYYYYYYY!  :)  Laters!

2014 Goals and Accomplishments

To see how I faired with my 2013 goals, click here.

1) Watch S1 Veronica Mars
2) Watch S2 Veronica Mars
3) Watch S3 Veronica Mars

4) Watch all five Twilight movies over no more than five days

5) Watch both versions of BD1 in the same night
6) Watch BD1 & BD2 in the same night
7) Organize ALL SU stuff
8) Organize punches
9) Use an ENTIRE 12x12 paper pad
10) Use an entire 6x6 paper pad
11) Use at least two 8x8 paper pads
12) Rewatch all of S3 Glee
13) Hang all your posters/prints
14) Rewatch the entire series of Roswell
15) Finish one of your scrapbooks--ANY of them will do
16) Watch the following movies:

• Friends With Kids
• Love Wedding Marriage 5/17 B-
• No Strings Attached
• People Like Us
• The Romantics
• The Runaways
• Struck By Lighting
• The Switch
• When In Rome
• You Again

2014 Movies Watched By Week:

1) Twilight x 2, 13 Going on Thirty

2) Chocolat
3) Mona Lisa Smile

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5) Dazed and Confused

6) The Heat

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8) Endless Love (A!)

9)  Vampire Academy (C-)

10)  Austenland (C)

11) Drive Me Crazy

12) Veronica Mars (A+!)

13) Burlesque, Sleepless In Seattle

14) Burlesque, Drive Me Crazy, Cruel Intentions

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19)  Pitch Perfect, 13 Going On 30

20)  Love, Wedding, Marriage (B-), You've Got Mail, Pitch Perfect

21)  I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (I know, I know, I'm nuts, it sucks even worse now!)

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Creative Goals:

1) Ten Design Teams Made (8) (+ 2 GDT spots!)

2) 327 Challenges Entered [300 plus the 27 I was short last year!] (271)
3) 50 Linky Parties Entered (40)

4) 350 Cards Made

5) At least six swaps joined (1)

6) Finish craft room decor

7) Create canvases for bedroom

8) Make red, black and clear bracelet for yourself
9) Twilight photos matted and hung

Cards Completed By Month:

Jan: 16

Feb: 8

Mar: 24

Apr: 11

May: 10

Jun: 10

Jul: 23

Aug: 7

Sep: 16

Oct: 22

Nov: 19

Dec: 13

Year Goal: 350

Year Actual: 177


INK UP All Those Unused Stamps

Year Goal: 250
Year Actual: 174

Swagbucks Year Goal: $420 ($35 per month)
Actual: $900

By Month:

Jan: $75

Feb: $50

Mar: $75

Apr: $75

May: $75

Jun: $75

Jul: $75

Aug: $75

Sep: $75

Oct: $75

Nov: $75

Dec: $100

Last Post of 2013....

It's bittersweet, really.  I've changed a lot this year and I KNOW my art has changed a lot.  There have been epic ups and downs creatively but I've learned to push past slumps and to not let how anyone critiques or discusses my art define me.  I won't be discouraged and I won't give up.  (Cue Lea Michele's AMAZING cover of Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up".  Actually just go watch it!)

I thought it only fitting that my last post of the year be one that not only has a lot of special emotional meaning to me, but that my final project for the year be one inspired by the amazeballs Tim Holtz.  I think he's a big part of the reason my art has started to evolve this year. I hope that next year continues that journey.  Here's what I created for his 12 Tags December Tag Contest:

This is my mom's Christmas card.  Yep, it's a card!!  I used the technique Tim showed on his Ice Skates tag.

The fibers kind of blur because they're so shiny.  The snowflake I actually colored with Copics cause the clear wouldn't show up.

A close up of the pontsettia.  My first time using the Clearly For Art plastic.  I LOVE that stuff.

Seeee?  I made it a card!  I even put stars and inked the edges of my liner :D

Thank you everyone for looking and thanks Tim for a great year of inspiration!  See you in 2014!

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!

Happy Holidays!  Oh how I needed those two weeks off!  The time FLEW by but it was wonderful to have the break.  I needed time to craft, wrap gifts, shop, eat, and just enjoy the Christmas season.  Seems each year there's less and less time for that.

Anyways today's my day to post with It's A Creative World, and I made a quick but cute owl card.

You can see more about this card at IACW!  I'll be back soon with more new projects.  Laters!

Crafty Break.....

I'm going to take a few week-long break to enjoy the holidays with the fam and finish gifts for people.  But I want to share the following random crafty thoughts with you all....

I loooove to craft.  My art makes me sane and it makes a crappy day much less so.  I have a blog and joined design teams and choose to share my work with people because it always feels good to have someone say, "Oh that looks nice".  Or something like that.

I visit a LOT of people's blogs.  And I always leave a comment. There is always something nice to be said about someone else's artwork.

In the last week or so, I've had a TON of views and no comments.  And I think, hmmm, that's strange.  It makes me wonder why courtesy isn't a universal thing.  Especially at this time of year.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a very Happy New Year!  See you in 2014!

Twilight Ornaments with It's A Creative World!

Happy Hump Day!  I'm crazy busy getting ready for the holiday season and I'm getting my tree ready this week.  Since there's not an abundance of Twilight ornaments like there are for, AHEM, other genres and fandoms, I thought ok fine I'll make my own.  Here's what I'm sharing this week at It's A Creative World!  We're having a Twelve Days of Christmas crafty bonanza so be sure to check it out!

You can see more photos and details at It's A Creative World.  Thanks so much for looking.  Laters!