Thanks, Eulanda. Friends are wonderful!

Aren't our card friends wonderful?  The last few months have been wretched - thus the reason for no posts from me.  I don't know why my asthma has chosen this point in my life to get so much worse,  but between the respiratory limitations and those inflicted by fibromyalgia and arthritis, some days (weeks, months) are just plain hard.  Often, in the midst of those lows in our lives, there comes a ray of sunshine and I have been blessed with some good friends.  One of those blessings came in the form of a card from my friend, Eulanda, in Canada, who never ceases to amaze me with her creations.

Since I follow her blog via email, she had sent me a note that I should not read her post for 1-13 when it came to my mailbox, so I did not (that was hard!).  A few days later, an envelope arrived with one of Eulanda's treasures and I just had to share it with you.  She used Babette/Wanna Dance from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and what a fine job she has done with this stamp (but then she always does a fine job). 

As an aside, I was tickled when I won this stamp as part of Kellie's blog candy because my Dad used to own a nightclub in Atlantic City, NJ and it was called "Babettes".  I saw a club with this name on the boardwalk in the TV show "Boardwalk Empire" so I guess it pre-dated my Dad's ownership.

You can click the title of this posting to visit this entry on Eulanda's blog but to make things easier, I will post the card and her recipe here on my blog.  For more of the details, such as which sketch she used, and which challenge she followed, please visit her blog.  Eulanda, thanks so much for thinking of me during these times when health issues just get the best of me.   I will add the link here also:
http://eulandasilvey.blogspot.com/2011/01/dance-with-me.html  
While you are visiting that entry, be sure to look around at some of her other entries, including the lovely Tilda one she just added for Valentine's Day, using Goin' Dotty. 

Eulanda's recipe:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie's "Babette"/Wanna Dance
Paper: Basic Grey "Marjolaine" paper
Embellishments: Tim Holtz's Trimmings - flowers (GORGEOUS!)
Punches: Misc feathers, brad is Basic Grey and Zva Creative adhesive pearlsInk: Copics

(My note - the butterflies may be a MS punch, as they look very familiar).

Thanks for stopping by.  Your visits and comments help make my day!

Please help my friend, Mary

My friend, Mary, makes beautiful cards. She is hoping to be considered for several design teams. Won't you please consider following her blog, so that the companies can see she has a good following, and will consider her? Her cards are amazing, as are her ideas and her technique.  The photos below show a Christmas card she sent me in 2009.  I know you cannot see the sparkle or the fact that the sleigh pops off the inside of the card.   It is absolutely amazing.  On the face of the card, she embossed the background behind the wee mousie.  The stars in the sky have been "glitterized" and the snow on which the mouse walks is a very appropriate, coarse glitter that sparkles like new fallen snow.   The little present is heavily glittered also.  She used a Sizzix die for the sleigh, and then colored and cut out the mouse to sit in the sleigh.  I have received many a hand-made card that takes my breath away but for now, I want to share this one from Mary and ask your help.  She truly deserves the opportunity.  She has even made lovely pins using a rubber-stamped design on a medium I cannot identify, adding a pin back.  I have received many compliments on this lovely Asian style pin.

Her technique is exceptional and she deserves to be considered for the design teams.  However, she needs followers to be considered.  Please help her.   Here is the link for her blog:

http://sparkly-train.blogspot.com/

Thank you.

Remembering Flash

Sweet boy, Flash, who went to the Rainbow Bridge on 10-23-10

"...We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.  Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still wound live no other way.  We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan...

The life of a dog seems endless, until one day.  That day has come and gone for me and I am once again within a smaller circle, still unable to believe that this evening I will not see him within the setting sun..."

Irving Townsend, Separate Lifetimes, "The Once Again Prince".

With me not nearly long enough, forever in my heart.  I will never forget.  I love you and miss you, sweet boy.

Shirley and Ernie, thank you for loving him too.

Hooray for Blogging Friends

Well, thanks to Pam S. we have an ID on the sweet image in the card that Kellie included with the blog candy.    The image is from C.C. Designs, by Amy Young, and is available at All That Scraps.

She is by Amy Young for C.C. Designs, and is a Sweet November - Twisted Sisters - Azalea - stamp. 

Pam, thanks.  I would not have begun to know where to look!

Kellie's blog candy arrived

Kellie mailed my blog candy winnings from Australia on Sep.13th.  Would you believe that I got the parcel on the 16th?  It was like Christmas here.  You can see all the goodies that were included if you go back two posts I think, maybe three.  It is an amazing assortment of wonderful stamps and bling.  She also enclosed a hand-made card which is adorable.  I do not recognize the image, however.  Perhaps someone who reads this will recognize it and let me know.  Kellie, if you read this, I am overjoyed, and will have great fun with all these new toys.  Thank you to Kellie and to Holley for my recent blog candy wins.  I am sorry the image is not the best.  I did not have the best lighting when I took the photo today.  Who is this charmer???

Kellie's card:



I won some more blog candy!

I cannot believe it.  I actually won some more blog candy, this time on Holley's blog.  There were lots of winners, so the wealth was kindly spread among many, but I won a Recollections Zoolicious stamp set.  Kellie's blog candy from Australia has not arrived yet, but now I have two packages to await.  What fun - like Christmas!  Here is the photo of everything Holley offered.  The Recollections set is towards the right side, under the book that says "Heritage".

ADDENDUM:  The blog candy arrived on 9-11 and the stamps are so cute - photo below the one from Holley's blog.  The blog candy from Australia, from Kellie's blog, will be on its way as of Monday. 

Magnolia with Vintage Roses

This card was made for the August "mingle" on the Magnolia-licious yahoo group.  I did not want to post the card until I knew it had been received. 

For this image, I used Magnolia with Vintage Roses, #3004.  This item is currently out of stock at Diana's Magnolia store but is on re-order.  I am sure Diana could give you an idea of when it is expected and you can contact her here. 

This is one of my favorite Magnolia images and I have used it many times.  For this "mingle", I made another easel card which I really love.  Someday I will make a stash of heavy envelopes for them.  Thanks for stopping by to see my card.  I am always appreciative of your kind comments.

RECIPE:

Stamp:  Magnolia with Vintage Roses, #3004; sentiment stamp - Hampton Art.

Coloring:  Prismacolor pencils with turpenoid.

Sketch:  Just Magnolia, week #66, by Bev Rochester

Paper:  DCWV Luxury Stack, 8 x 8

Cardstock:  DCWV Neutral Stack and Bazzill

Die:  Spellbinders Standard Circles, Large, and Classic Scalloped Squares, Large

Punches:  Martha Stewart Garden Trellis and Cedar Branch;  EK Success Rock Fern

Flowers:  Prima Tea Roses in Marshmallow, tinted with chalk; Iced Got Flowers in Rosy Red; Prima Flowers Spring Mix (buds)

Chalk:  Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks in Shimmers (used on large white flower)

Misc:  Making Memories Clear Gem Flower Brads;  Recollections Gemstone Brads;  Recollections Rhinestone stickers; Glossy Accents as adhesive; Gelly Roll in Clear Star.

CHALLENGES ENTERED:
Just Magnolia #71, Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes #34, Mixed Media
Your Next Stamp Challenge #23, Anything Goes