CAS-ual Fridays Challenge CFC13- The Long and the Short of it...

This week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to make a 4 by 9 inch clean and simple card.  Clean and simple designs are a big challenge for me but I like this one.  It's a good start to my weekend.  If I'm feeling well tomorrow, I have a whole day to myself in my art studio.  I'm hoping for a "feel good" day!

CPS #228 Sketch Challenge

 Here's my card for this week's Card Positioning Systems Sketch Challenge.  This is a simple one because I wanted to keep it flat so I could mail it.  I've joined an inchies swap and this will be accompanying my inchies to my swap partner.  

Mojo Monday #201

Here's my card for this week's Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  

And here's the inside.

CPS #227 Sketch Challenge

Here's my take on last week's sketch challenge at Card Positioning Systems.  I think I'm posting it just in time to get it included before the links close for the week.  I had a great weekend spending time outdoors instead of in my art studio but I'll be back in the air conditioned art studio soon!  

 Here's the inside of the card:

Mojo Monday #200

Here's my take on this week's Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  This card didn't photograph well.  It's much better in real life.  I think I need to learn how to use my camera.  That should be my next project... camera lessons!

Stamp Something- Bugs & Butterflies Challenge

 This week's challenge at Stamp Something is to make a card with bugs or butterflies.  I chose dragonflies.  I made this card for a good friend's birthday.  I love black and white.  

Card Patterns Sketch Challenge #123

Here is my take on this week's sketch challenge at Card Patterns.  I gave this card to my sister for her birthday today.  

Alcohol Ink Spatter Card

 Here's a quick birthday card I made using Tim Holtz's Alcohol Ink Spatter Technique.  Click here for instructions.  It's a fun technique and I love the final result.  

Crazy for Challenges C4C94 & Daring Card Makers Challenge- Waterlilies

This is a card that I made to combine two challenges.  Crazy for Challenges has a challenge to make a "center step card" this week and Daring Card Makers has a challenge to use a water lily or larkspur flower.  

 The water lily flower is made using the Cricut.  Just cut the flower in varying sizes, layer them and curl the petals up.

 Click here for instructions on how to make a center step card.  It's not very hard and it's a very clever card fold.  

 And here's the inside.

Simple Happy Summer

Here are two clean and simple, easy cards that I made for my nephews when school got out for the summer.  Each card had a Dairy Queen gift certificate inside because I'm a cool Aunt like that.  ha ha  Just sharing the cards before they get lost in my files.  Enjoy.

CPS #225 Sketch Challenge- And an altered rotary phone...

This week's sketch at Card Positioning Systems is a fun one and I made it more fun with an altered project to match the card.

My 12 year old niece went with us to a flea market recently and discovered a rotary phone... something she had never seen before.  She loved it and wanted one.  We found her one but it was a bit beat up so I altered it a little to jazz it up.  She absolutely loves it (and the matching earrings I made) and the coolest part is that the phone still works.  They called me from it to say hello today!  I love to make those kids happy!

Here's the card:

Here's the altered rotary phone.  You wouldn't believe how heavy it is or how long it takes to actually dial a number!  ha ha

And here are the earrings I made her.

No excuse not to get phone calls from her now!  ha ha

I made the Card Patterns "Super 6"!

Yay!  My card was picked as one of Card Patterns Super 6 this week!  Click here to see the post with my card.  I feel so honored to be included in the top 6.  

Clean & Simple Stamping #147

Here are two cards inspired by this week's Fall to Layout over at Clean and Simple stamping.  I can't help but use paint chip cards on these layout cards that need color coordinating blocks of color.  They come in so handy!

Mojo Monday #197- A Matching Gift Set (CONTINUED)

As promised, here is the jewelry I made that goes along with this gift set (Click Here).  

It's a necklace and earring set. I hope she likes the whole gift.  I can't wait to give it to her in a couple of weeks.  I'm so excited.

As you may or may not know, I have been fighting to regain my health from Late Stage Chronic Lyme Disease for well over a year now.  That explains the long dormancy on this blog, huh?  Before I got sick, I was a jewelry designer and had to give that up while I was incapacitated.  I'm slowing working my way back to it and this is the first piece I've made in a long time.  I'm hoping the road I'm on will get easier.  I hope that all of our roads get easier as I know we ALL have a "road" to deal with.

Just remember, always be nice and go out of your way for people whenever you can.  It's good karma, and you never know what kind of struggles they are having in their lives.  When's the last time you gave a random act of kindness?  Carried someone's groceries, paid for the person behind you in line's coffee, or even stopped to help someone in need?  Try it.  It's amazingly rewarding and the smile you get in return will make your whole day better.  I promise you.