Celebrating You! FMS424

A toucan with balloons is the perfect plus one when attending a birthday party!  I am sure he would add entertainment to any gathering! 

Jen Brum has a fun sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Hope you join us!

Stamp Set: Bonanza Buddies, Broadway Birthday

Ink: Memento Black, Terracotta Tile, Calypso Coral, Grapefruit Grove

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Birthday Bonanza DSP

Fusion: Decor

That clean and simple photo at Fusion spoke to my clean and simple heart!  And where did I get that CAS preference from?  Hmmm maybe I inherited it.

The activities director at Pineview - where my mother lives - used some of my crafting supplies for an arts and crafts project this week.  She made a sample bouquet and put out the punched flowers and buttons for the residents to assemble on their art board.  My daughter was there to help out and said Gram absolutely refused to make a bouquet stating that it was way too messy,  So here is a photo of the sample next to my mother's creation - perfectly aligned rows!  She wouldn't let anyone help her because it had to be perfect!  

I used the sketch for my card as well as the clean design of the photo with its neutral colors.  Use what inspires you at Fusion!

                                    

Stamps: Soft Spring (SU), Simply Said Hugs (Avery Elle)
Paper: Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray
Ink: Memento Black, Purple Posy, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Gray

Rise and Shine....FMS423

My first thought when I looked at this finished card was: Yep a third grade teacher made this card!  

Back in the day I loved doing art projects with my class and they often involved blocks of bright colors!  I started making cards after I retired and I soon realized that what I told my kids then apply to my card making sessions today.......

1. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

2. Enjoy the process......don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing.

3. Paper has two sides.....flip it over and start again if you need to.....and remember there are always more pieces on the back table!

I love Kim’s sweet sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  So many possibilities!  Hope you join us!

Stamp Set: Rise and Shine

Ink: Balmy Blue, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight

Paper: Whisper White, Balmy Blue, Pleased As Punch DSP

Stamp Review Crew: SAB

The Stamp Review Crew is celebrating 2020 Saleabration today!  So many products that can be earned free from Stampin' Up!  I used images from Lovely Lily Pad, a sentiment from Sending You Thoughts, Lily Impressions DSP, So Saffron Metallic Baker's Twine and Patterned Sequins.  I brushed So Saffron onto Whisper White before I die cut the circle.  And I mixed the greens with Call Me Clover paper and Shaded Spruce Blends.

Miss Emma and her family celebrated 2020 with their visit to the Ice Castle - a week after her cousin Will visited.  Still looks pretty icy!

Miss Emma checked out all the inside passages!  And I hope you check out the rest of our hop!

Don't miss my friend Heidi Baks' wonderful work......

And then head onward to see something wonderful Cindy has created....

I used the cool sketch from Cas(e) this Sketch for my card's design.

Sailing Through Winter.....FMS422

We are deep in mid winter here in the northeast and have had a very snowy week.  That's not always a bad thing.  It means more time in the craft room, Netflix and reading by the fireplace.  So while I created a summer sailing scene this is what was happening outside.  My son had stopped by for lunch after skiing all morning and sent me this picture of the road as he was driving home.  He was fortunate a crew was already there with chainsaws to remove the tree from the road! 

It's my turn to host at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  I always enjoy visiting everyone's galleries to see so many wonderful interpretations of a sketch.  Hope you join us!


                                         
                                         

Stamp Sets: Sail Away, Waterfront
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Come Sail Away DSP
Ink: Memento Black, Daffodil Delight, Smoky Slate, Copics

Amour....PP477

Anything in French is romantic!  So the Eiffel Tower and the word Amour were perfect for my Valentine today. I used the Parisian Dies and cut the Eiffel Tower once in silver and once in black.  I offset it just a bit to let the silver shine through.  After I diecut Amour in black I glued it to a piece of Whisper White and then used my Scan n' Cut.  That creates the perfect white outline!

Meanwhile Miss Emma had two snow days this past week so we used the time to design and make 25 Valentines for her class....whew!  She picked the Dino Days set because she loved the bright DSP that went with it......and the sentiment "Thanks for being a friendasaurus."

Snow days are the best - we "amour" them!

The Paper Players has a perfect color challenge for Valentines this week!

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Lovely Lipstick, Flirty Flamingo, Silver

Fusion: Valentine

Love is in the air as we approach Valentine's Day!  Freezing rain and snow are also in the air.  It has been cold enough to harvest the ice on Saranac Lake to build the annual Snow Castle. Saranac Lake is north of us near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. You will never find the Big Guy in the tropics but when there is snow and ice involved he's there!  So here are my favorite three guys checking out the construction!

I used the sketch, theme and colors from the photo as my inspiration this week at Fusion -  hope you play along!

                                       

The Paper Players have a Love theme this week!

                                                      

The Card Concept also has a Valentine theme this week using red, white and black.

                                                    
                                                 

Stamps:  Love You To Pieces
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, From My Heart DSP
Ink: Real Red

Unplugged.....FMS421

I managed to sneak away for the weekend to a cabin in the Adirondacks with six other crafters for two days of stamping, chatting and laughing!  The amount of craft supplies in that cabin was staggering as we all had to bring the "essentials".

                                  

We designed cards, tried new products, and talked shop without any interruptions - no cell service or TV there.  It was great to unplug and just be......

                                      

I will be sending this card off to say thanks to our hostess for such a great weekend!  Just follow that trail through the woods and you're there!

Jen's sweet sketch leaves room for lots of creativity with its two simple elements!  Join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

                                               

Stamp Set: Dressed To Impress, Label Me Bold

Ink: Purple Posy, Copics, Memento Black, Gorgeous Grape

Paper: Whisper White, Best Dressed DSP