Beauty

Happy Monday everyone. Five days left until Valentine's Day. Have you got all your cards made? I didn't think I would have time to make cards this year, but a manged to get 12 done for close firends and family.

Don't those colors look awesome in the inspiration picture? We would like you to use red, teal, green, and white.

For my card today, I used Newton's Nook's "Floral Fringe". This is one of my go to flower stamps and I have used it in a variety of ways.

I added a few pearls and this elegant Valentine card was finished.

You have two weeks to play with this awesome color challenge of red, teal, green, and white  at Inky Paws! We will chose a RANDOM entry to win a $20.00 Newton's Nook store gift certificate. Our favorite entries from each challenge will be highlighted the following Monday, so all entries have a chance to be featured on the blog.

The deadline to enter today's challenge is this Friday, February 14, 2020 at MN CST. The winners will be announced on the following Monday at Inky Paws.

Friends

Today is "send a card to a friend" day. Who knew and where do they come up with theses days? Hey I am OK with this day. I mean, I am a card maker right?

I sent this card to my best buddy Pat. I don't know what I would do without her.

Addicted to Stamps and More has this photo inspiration and I am entering my card. I chose the colors primarily to inspire me. But the heart is featured too.

 I grabbed Lawn Fawn's "flamingo together" for my card. Inside the card is a sentiment from this awesome set by Mama Elephant. 

 Head over to Addicted to Stamps and More and play along.

XXXOOO

Does ombre' ever get old? I don't think so. Today is new challenge at CAS on Friday. Naturally the theme this month is: 

LOVE

This challenge is the perfect way to have a Valentine day card on hand for that special someone in you life. My guy loves getting cards and I usually make about 5-6 for him.  I have to get busy, I only have three made.

I am entering this card over at Addicted to CAS. They are challenging you to use ombre colors on your card. 

 

Join us at CAS on Friday for this "LOVE" challenge. You have till Wednesday February 20, 6:00 PM Dutch Time to enter.

Remembering Bill

This is a very unusual post for me. My blog is devoted to the creative life and is a place to share my art. But today I want to remember my brother Bill.

Bill was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last September. It was in the early stages and the hope was that after chemo and radiation treatments, he would have surgery and we would be looking at a cure. The surgery is one of the biggest, one can have. Unfortunately the surgery was too much for Bill's body.

Bill was a character, he was 16 years older than me, so my memories of him start when he was in college. Bill was a creative spirit like me. He was an artist, but his real love, passion, and creativity was with music and folk dancing. 

God works in mysterious ways. Last August, I planned a sibling weekend for Bill, my brother Cliff and I, at Cliff's beach house. It would be the first time that just the three of us would spent a length of time together.  The weekend was planned for September. Two weeks before the trip, Bill was diagnosed with his cancer. I am so grateful that we had that weekend to be together and share family memories and create new memories. Over the following months of treatment leading up to his surgery, Bill talked about the sibling weekend and we made plans for the next year. Even though Bill won't be there, Cliff and I will have our sibling weekend and we will knock back a couple of scotches in his honor and share memories of our big brother.

Love you Bill, I know you are dancing in heaven.

Sister Sue

Cocoa Cheers

What is better on a cold raw February day than a cup of cocoa? That's what I am talking about and if one cup is good then five is even better. My best buddy makes cocoa with a scoop of ice cream in it. If you have never had cocoa with ice cream , you have to try it. It is the best and most decadent cocoa ever- add some whipped cream and you are speechless.

Today's challenge at Inky Paws is a color challenge. Don't those colors look awesome in the inspiration picture? We would like you to use red, teal, green, and white.

My card today uses "Cup of Cocoa" and "Cocktail Mixer", all from Newton's Nook.

You have two weeks to play with this awesome color challenge of red, teal, green, and white  at Inky Paws! We will chose a RANDOM entry to win a $20.00 Newton's Nook store gift certificate. Our favorite entries from each challenge will be highlighted the following Monday, so all entries have a chance to be featured on the blog.

The deadline to enter today's challenge is this Friday, February 14, 2020 at MN CST. The winners will be announced on the following Monday at Inky Paws.

Lots of Love

Happy February! I am still busy making my V-Day cards. This month's color challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge is fuchsia. A vibrant sort of pinkish-purpley type color. Think the flower Fuchsia.

The Rainbow Card Challenge would like you to make a card using the color fuchsia prominently.

For my card I used the Penny Black's "a lot of love" die and Clearly Besotted's "Bird Bath" stamp set which is no longer available.

My musical inspiration this month is a bit of the beaten path. I have a jazz piece for you called "The Fuchsia Swing Song" by Sam Rivers.

You have all month long to play along with our fuchsia color challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge. 

Hanging for Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone! Never too early to start your planning for next year. So how about joining us for The Christmas 24 Challenge. Join us every two weeks for a Christmas challenge and have a start on your holiday cards with 24 cards.

Today's theme for Christmas card is:

Heat or Dry Embossing

My  card uses something old and something new. The new is the Hero Arts "Nordic Holiday Bold Prints" stamp and the old is the Tim Holtz "Retro Ornament Dies" which I used as a stencil and for the die cuts. 

I love how the subtle embossed white background pops beneath the stenciled ornaments.

You have two weeks to play along for the Christmas 24 challenge of heat or dry embossing. I can't wait to see what you come up with!