Papertrey January Blog Hop Challenge

Woohoo --the first PTI Blog Hop of 2011! Most of you have come here via Nichole's blog, if not, you can visit Capture the Moment to get all the details of this month's blog hop. I am sure there will be many participants, so I will keep this short.

I had two stamp sets from my November order that got their initial inking for this hop--Signature Series--Dress Form and Fillable Frames #10.

And a peek inside.

Enjoy the hop!


Supplies:
Stamps: Signature Series:Dress Form, Fillable Frames #10 (PTI); Thanksgiving (Crafty Secrets)
Ink: Memento Black Tuxedo(Tsukineko), Dark Moss Chalk Ink (Colorbox)
Paper: Vintage Cream, True Black (PTI); Lullaby Lane and Life's Portraits Petite Pad (Webster's Pages)
Other: Signature Dress Form Die,Fillable Frames #10 Die (PTI); Velvet Rickrack, Pearls (colord with a Copic)

Victorian Violets--Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Blog Hop

Congratulations Flourishes on the 100th Timeless Tuesday Challenge!

Welcome to my stop on this celebratory hop; you can read more about this celebration and hop HERE.

The challenge is "All About Favorites! Use your choice  of one or all of your favorite stamps, papers, colors, technique, and embellishments!"

Some of  my favorites that I 've used on this card include
 1. Sweet Violets stamp set by Flourishes---an obvious choice based on my love of violets, the name of my blog, and the many times, including my first FTTC, that I have posted cards using this stamp set.
 2. Deckled Edge Rectangle Nestabilities. I just love the distressed edge.
 3. Antique Linen Distress Ink by Range. More distressing. Are you seeing a theme here?
 4. Patterned paper--I've used 3 patterns from Basic Grey's Curio 6x6 card
 5. Coloring--I loved my coloring books and crayons when I was young; now I love to color stamped images with colored pencisl and or Copics. I used Prismacolor pencils for this card.

 Because I can imagine opening an antique book of botanical prints and seeing these violets,  my inspiration for this  card design was Victorian design--with its incorporation of nature, pattern, and sometimes dark weighty elements.

If this is your first stop by my blog,  thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll return.
Everyone enjoy the hop!

Dream a Little Dream

Dreaming of  sunny blue skies, warm days, sweet summer dresses, fragrant flowers, and someone special.

The image is from Crafty Secrets Sweet Kids set--part of my Christmas from my sweet sis. The sentiment is from PTI's Embellishments.

Have a wonderful day!

The Colors of Love & FTTC 99

 The latest Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge  is to use flowers. But that is not the only challenge Flourishes is hosting. The Colors of  Love challenge  is being held in anticipation of their January release this week with a prize of the newly released stamps. Fingers crossed here!  For this challenge you must use shades of pink,  red, and white. I combined these challenges using Flourishes beautiful rose stamp from  Calendar Set 2.

I colored the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and used  the cracked glass method. I rubbed in some Antique Linen ink to age the "glass."  Then I added the image to PTI's Favor It Box 1. Keeping an antique and romantic feel, I added the sentiment to a small scalloped heart spritzed with Pearl Glimmer Mist, added a pearl and thin satin bow.
 A sweet little favor waiting for some decadent chocolate.



Supplies:
Stamps: Calendar Set 2 (Flourishes), sentiment from Embellishments (PTI)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Antique Linen (Ranger)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Sweet Blush (PTI)
Other: Copics; Prismacolor Pencils; Favor It Box 1 Die (PTI); UTEE (Ranger); Pearl Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels); Scalloped Heart Die (Spellbinders); pearl, satin ribbon

Papertrey Peeps Challenge and a Huge Thank You

I hope  the beginning of  2011 has been positive for you. I love the fresh feeling of a new year--the Christmas decorations are put away and the house feels lighter; there are plans,goals, and possibilities to meet.   I am feeling postive about this first week; we have  had two lovely snows, perfect for cozying inside. And I did work on some of my goals for the new year.  I made it to the fitness center for four classes this week, did some decluttering and organizing,  and even did a little crafting beginning with this card for the first Papertrey Peeps challenge of 2011, hosted by Rhonda who challenged us to make and send a Thank You Card.  You can check out the challenge and fellow Peeps by hitting the links on the right, and please join our challenge.

This card, using some of her favorite bold colors, is for fellow Peep Terri who keeps us organized by scheduling the challenges and hosts for our blogging group. She also keeps the Peeps Blog updated and recognizes our birthdays with gorgeous virtual cakes.
 I have so enjoyed meeting these ladies and being inspired their incredible creativity. I am looking forward to our challenges and visits this year.
So Terri,  a huge Thank You for all you do for the Peeps!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Dahlia, Background Basics: Tin Types, Inside & Out: Thank You (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamagic Turquoise Gem (Tsukineko)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Hawaiian Shores (PTI)
Other: Delightful Dahlia Dies, Eyelet Lace Border Die, Pure Poppy Felt, Hawaiian Shores Grosgrain Ribbon (PTI); Copics

Top 10 or 2010

Seeing that several people have been posting their top 10 cards of the past year, I decided to stroll  through my own blog  and see what I had posted over the last year. This turned out to be a very good exercise for me. My mojo has been missing lately, so it was encouraging to see what I had created during the year. I chose the following for various reasons--satisfaction in the final product, joy in the creative process, fondness of the stamp set.  In no particular order-- my top 10 of 2010.

Happy New Year !!!

Seasonal Silhouette

Hello, everyone!   I hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Friday night we celebrated my SIL's birthday. My MILtreated us to dinner at the city's longest operating restaurant which has been owned by the same family and in business for over 90 years. Sadly, it is closing at the end of the year. The current owner, an elderly gentlemen, greeted guests at each table. He seemed so sad as he thanked us for the memories.

Yesterday, I finished baking the last of the holiday cookies---appoximately 42 dozen this year. I'll be glad to put away the flour sifter for awhile :)  I've just a few more gifts to wrap, so the next few days are all about cleaning until Thursday when I'll be doing some cooking for our dinner on Friday with my sister and BIL and Christmas Day when my husband's family comes for dinner.

Tonight, we plan to take my MIL out to look at Christmas lights and decorations.

Now for a little crafty talk. Have you noticed a growing trend in silhouettes?  Have you seen the new releases from Hero Arts? There are several silhouette stamps in the new catalog. Also in the latest issue of Paper Crafts there is card featuring a cameo inspired stamp. I took this growing trend and pulled out my Cricut and A Child's Year cartridge earlier this week and cut some holiday silhouettes. The santa silhouette is hiding somewhere on my desk waiting for his home on tag.  But I did finish this card in time to mail to my dear sis.

I am linking this to The Pink Stamper 12 Days of Christmas Challenge

 I have a strong feeling, I'll be making silhouette cards throughout the year.

A huge thanks to my blogging friend Peggy at Artfull Journey, whom I wrote about meeting in this post, and  who kindly  gave me

Once given this award, you are to:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this
2. Share 8 things about yourself
3. Pay it forward to 8 bloggers you have recently discovered
4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their awards


So eight random things about me.

   1. When, I was six,  I had a pink- dyed chicken that I cleverly named Pinky. Does any one else remember when live chickens were dyed at Easter?

   2. Speaking of chickens, I got the chicken pox when I was student teaching.

   3. My favorite television shows include The Closer, NCIS, Burn Notice, The Mentalist, and The Daily Show.

   4. I love to look at Johnny Depp.

   5. My husband and I began dating in high school and married 6 years later.

   6. I prefer cookies over candy. (I guess this explains my Christmas baking. :)

   7. I love big purses

       8. Oprah's latest book club selection, Charles Dickens'  A Tale of Two Cities selection, was the first novel I taught in 1979, one I taught  many times during my 30-year career, and a novel I still read once a year.   I love Dickens's style; he has some of the most clever figurative language. And two of my favorite character are Sydney Carton and Madame Defarge. One of my most treasured teaching keepsakes is a student's college application essay on how this novel influenced him.

I am happy to pass this award on to these following talented ladies.

Diane at Peaceful Lane

Nerina at A Creative Inkling

Angy at The Crafty Cappuccino

Aimes at Crafting Confessions

Peggysue at Roses by my Window

Sue Ann  at Simply Sue Ann

Kelly at Gingham Girl

Linda at Stitches and Ink

Finally,thanks to those of you who have recently become followers; I promise to visit you soon.

Stamps :Documentary (Prima)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black(Tsukineko), Antique Linen (Ranger)
Paper: Vintage Cream, Aqua Mist,True Black (PTI); Christmas Town /Night Divine (LillyBee Designs)
Other: A Child's Year Cricut Cartridge; Deckled Rectangle die, Snowflake die (Spellbinders); Aqua Mist grosgrain ribbon, Vintage button (PTI);glitter (Martha Stewart); tinsel