Spook-a-licious Fun!!

Happy TGIFriday everyone!  I hope your week has been great!  I have spent the past couple days in NYC…yep it was a secret getaway trip…shhhh!  Hubby sent me up there as a getaway…he’s been bugging me for over a month to go away hahahaha.  No really he thought I needed some time off with no distractions or any responsibilities for a few days…guess he knew my stress was high and that I might blow at any moment and he didn’t want to be around me when I did   No he’s a good hubby like that and after 18 years he recognized the signs and knows…so he happily sent me up to NYC on Tuesday where I met a couple of friends and had NO schedule for 2 days.  I walked around, shopped and took in a show….we saw “The Performers” which is an off-color comedy on Broadway…if you don’t like off-color you may not like it.  It appealed to my sense of humor and was really funny plus Henry Winkler (the Fonz) and Alicia Silverstone were in it.  Afterwards I got to meet them both….I was tickled pink…yup I let out a small squeak when I hugged him, The Fonz woweeee…he will ALWAYS be the Fonz to me from Happy Days. I was so thrilled to meet him seriously a great honor!  Sp it was a fun, quick 2 days…just what the doctor ordered.  Best part is I can color again, well I’ve been cleared for action anyway.  My wrist is still sore but I can hold my marker for a bit longer with out pain and weird jerks that send the color flying everywhere LOL.  I missed it so much…coloring for me is my ZEN…my way to get out of my head for a bit and relax…kinda like yoga or meditation for some I guess you could say.  And when you take that away….well I tend to let things build up a bit you could say…so I had no stress outlet.  And always at the end of the year I start feeling a bit burnt out…not that it hasn’t been a great year and all that, just a busy year and come end of Oct I start getting tired, the year catches up with me.  So that on top of not being able to color and some other things going on…well I was in a bit of a funk..ugh!  So the breather was good and after my trip to Canada first week of Nov to teach I am done for the year and can start to prep for the holidays…my FAVE time of the year…yup 12 trees going up again of course LOL! 

                   

If you got to NYC enough times you will see the Naked Cowboy…he’s always around & I’ve seen him a few times LOL! (he has undies on don’t worry)  And how about a huge M&M-Saturday Night Live for you in the M&M store in Times Square…only in NCY!!

So anyway we here in VA and on the East Coast are prepping for the Franken-storm hahahaha or Hurricane Sandy as its called.  Am I worried? Nah not that much…we will have groceries and hopefully not lose power and not be on the roads.  I’ve lived my whole life here so Hurricanes don’t scare me much…they are just a big PIA usually…its tornadoes that scare me more.  So we shall see what the week brings……everyone in its path stay safe & play smart please ok

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Spook-a-licious Hop!

Today we are having a Spook-a-licious fun blog hop with stamps and dies from SCACD!!! We invite you to hop along with us for some spooky inspiration! To add to the fun there is Blog Candy available on the SCACD store blog --2 FUN prizes-- and also another different Blog Candy at Quixotic Paperie store blog! When you are done hopping along be sure  to visit both the SCACD store blog and Quixotic Paperie store blog for details on how to enter for your chance to WIN! You can find all the stamps HERE--if you are in the USA, and HERE- for our International friends. The Dies by SCACD can be found HERE--if you are in the USA and HERE-for our International friends!! Happy hopping and shopping!!

So today the SCACD girls are taking normal-everyday stamps and decking them out in a fun & spook-a-licious way for you!!  WHY?  Ummm cuz Halloween is Wed and its just fun!!  I decided to model my card on one of my favorite tv shows “The Addams Family”…yup the original one with Carolyn Jones.  I loved that show and I’m hoping to take the family to NYC soon to see it on Broadway!  I used one of the newest SCACD stamps from Eyes of Fable Collection and this is “Vintage Eyes”….she got colored up Addams Family Style!!  Sing it with me…and I’m SORRY if you have it going thru your head ALL DAY LONG…LIKE ME! LOL!

They're creepy and they're kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They're all together ooky,
The Addams Family. (snap snap)

I used older papers from MME “Meadowlark” and inked them all with gray ink and distressed the edges.  Then I pulled out my creepiest embellies LOL…black tulle, flowers airbrushed black, a hatpin, black stickles and a Marianne Designs vine die.  I stamped a cobweb stamp around the main image & used Viva Décor Pearl Pen in black to add pearls to the web, her buttons & her hair.  Yes, yes I know Morticia wore only black but I HAD to have a bit of contrast in her hair and dress so I used Copics R29,R22,R20 with W5 to deepen it.  And I changed the pretty flower to my version of a Venus Flytrap LOL…they always had kooky, mean plants so I HAD to change it a bit!  The fun sentiment is from an old MFT set I had and it says “Totally Witchin’”.  The shine in her eyes isn’t wickedness hee hee but Diamond Glaze!

I'm entering this into the following fab spooky challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks (Halloween)

Art Impression Stamps (scary texture)

Cute Card Thursday (something scary)

Shelly's Images Challenge (spooky)

Crafty Creations Challenges (Halloween)

 

Ok so I am the last girly on the hop today…if you want to start at the beginning go to Danni’s blog HERE! 

And make sure to enter for all the yummy blog candies I mentioned at the top of my post!!

Let's finish up the song…let’s sing together LOL:

Their house is a museum
Where people come to see 'em
They really are a scream
The Addams Family.  (snap snap)

So get a witches shawl on
A broomstick you can crawl on
We're gonna pay a call on
The Addams Family. (snap snap)

Happy Haunting!!

Happy Thursday everyone!  I will keep this short & sweet for you all today….cuz….I have hurt myself…again….LOL!  I cleaned the whole house yesterday, did laundry and made a crockpot dinner…I was sooo ahead of schedule which is so unlike me   The night before my camera USB cord broke so I had no way to get my photos to my PC laptop…the SD card reader broke a few months ago.  So I switched over to my Mac Air…ummm no internet…it won’t hook up to my wi-fi…SHOOT ME OMG I WAS READY TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK/MELT DOWN/TEMPER TANTRUM!!!  I love, love technology..UNTIL IT ALL BREAKS DOWN UGH KWIM!!  So I had to pick up a new USB this morning and get my pics uploaded and then I cleaned and cooked.  I was alllllmoooost finished with everything and I quickly came thru the kitchen…the dog's water bowl was nearby…they had slopped it all over on the tile…and YUP I went down, fast & HARD on the tile!  OMGoodness I fell hard on my right side so my wrist, forearm, elbow, hip & foot got it good…I’m bruised like I was run into by a train I tell ya.  So I think my wrist is sprained…not good…its pretty purple so I will go have an Xray this morning to make sure.  I have it iced & took Advil and am hoping for the best because this is my writing/coloring hand…I am not wanting a cast or sling right now arghhh so I’m praying its just bruised badly.  AND tonight I’m off to see Jake Owen & Florida-Georgia Line & Love-n-Theft in MD with my mom, Alexa and Alexa’s BFF Grace.  So sore hip and arm or not…I shall get my country groove on LOL one way or another!!  I’m so excited to see them all…it will be fun and in a smaller venue and I’m hoping to get right on up to the stage…yup front & center baby!!

So cross your fingers for me that the wrist is just bruised and I shall send you lots of love & kisses ok? LOL, I sure appreciate it!

NewsBitz:


-Do you LOVE cute paper?  I know I do!  My sweet friend Mindy Baxter has a line of Halloween & Christmas digi papers on Etsy HERE…they are adorable and I can already see I’m gonna be using them a lot this season!  She’s sooo talented—go check them out!!

BLOG CANDY---You can still register for blog candy at this POST HERE thru Friday night!  Thanks to everyone who has already and your sweet & funny comments…they always make my day!

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Happy Haunting!!

So today I’ve got this super-cute lil’ witchie poo called “Sweet Little Witch Cammy” from designer Chelsea Le…she’s only available in rubber at I Brake For Stamps HERE! I just love her soooo much and I made her for the current TouchTwin Challenge as well HERE..which is fall themed cards using monochromatic colors (go enter for a chance to win 12 TouchTwin markers…sweet).  I will give a <small> nudge to my pal Tina G for telling me to do her in blues when we were Skyping the other day…we skyped & crafted so even though she’s in Iowa its like she was sitting on my desk hahahaha LOL!  I was a little tired of using traditional fall colors so this was a nice break from that and I love her in blues.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Crafting For All Seasons (costumes) 

Crafts & Me (anything goes)

Divas by Design (anything goes)

Paper Pretties (Halloween)

Simon Says Stamp Challenge (dies/punches)

All my papers were from my scrap-bin….I love to use scraps…cuz I gotta ton of them!  The sentiment and the swirly bats I stamped around her are from an older Inkadinkado set.  The circle die cuts are from a Spellbinders die and the branches are from Memory Box die “Leafy Branch”, I love that die.  Then I added some bats from my MS punch and added Stickles to make them sparkly!

She was colored in all TouchTwin Markers with the addition of Copic BG10.  I will put up the colors I used tomorrow, I left the list upstairs and am in no shape to run & get it LOL!  So check back for those if you are looking!  I added fun Stickles to her hair and bows and broom…a witch has GOT to get her bling on!! KWIM! bwahahahahaha

Ok that’s it for me!  My mom is coming so we can pick girls up from high school and head to MD for concert and she’s staying thru Saturday!!  Hope you have a great rest of the week!

A Wee Bit Scarey!

Happy Thursday---wow its almost weekend time again!  Time sure flies when you’re busy and sick LOL!  I’m slowly starting to come out of the fog that is sinus & ear infection induced thankfully…sore throat is gone too.  Isn’t it funny how when you are sick life STILL goes on…I find it so funny…hmmmm.  My son is home sick with a bad sinus infection which flared his asthma, so no school for 2 days and no football practice.  And he hasn’t moved off the couch in those 2 days…nada…not one time.  And I’m all for recuperating don’t get me wrong…but…..come on!  I’ve asked him to check the website for his homework and get it printed out, read what he needs to for classes tomorrow…he’s in high school not a baby anymore…and I just had to YELL for him to get it done before dinner or else....now my blood is pumpin' oy I tell ya!  AND I had to throw down a mini-Suzanne temper tantrum last night too at hubby.  You know when you get pushed to a certain point?  When you just don’t feel good and you are so tired you can barely see?  And then someone does that ONE dumb thing or says that ONE DUMB thing….and you lose it?  Yeahhhhh….that was me last night LOL!  It doesn’t happen often but when it does everyone scatters…including all 7 animals..I can be frightfully scary!!!  Well I’ve been sick yes?  But I still managed to take care of animals, clean the house, clean toilets, vacuum, do laundry, run errands, grocery shop and make sure kids were good to go, make dinner and STILL do all my work stuff….while having a sinus infection, double ear infection AND strep throat. UGH!  So last night after dinner I had asked the hubster to bring down the dirty hamper from our closet…the one that is IN OUR CLOSET.  He goes up and does something and comes down w/o it…I’m like WTH?  So he snidely remarks (he says he didn’t but Alexa is my witness that YES he did) “uhhhhhhhh ok I’ll go get it in a MINUTE”…ummmm what tone did you just take with me mister?  Then I COMPLETELY LOST IT….STARTED YELLING ABOUT HOW I WORK 24 HRS A DAY DOING MY JOB AND EVERYTHING ELSE EVEN WHILE SICK AND HOW HE GETS TO COME HOME FROM WORK, EAT DINNER AND DO NOTHING?  Yeah…NO!  And this isn’t to say he doesn’t help me cuz he does but NOT as much as I think he should 80% of the time KWIM.  So after my tantrum I go and finish some work I had left…come down stairs and find that he brought the gosh-darned WRONG hamper down…it had clean clothes in it and it was near my chair in my bedroom…NOT in the closet like I had said.  I mean seriously he can’t see that the hamper has folded clothes in it that are ready to be put away…do you FOLD your dirty clothes before washing them?  ARGHHHHHHHH NO!  So I calmly say ummm you brought the wrong hamper down, that one needs to go back upstairs and please bring the ONE FROM THE CLOSET THIS TIME!  So guess what?  Yeah the hamper never did come down…..so what does Suzanne do?  I dumped it out on his side of the bed this morning after he left….took everything out that wasn’t his or he hadn’t used and put it in the hamper and took it downstairs myself.  His dirty stuff remains on his side of the bed…cuz guess what….yep its not getting washed this week…sorry I’m TOO BUSY!  Now why does he bring hamper…because I can’t carry the hampers up and down the stairs well w/o having issues with my muscles.  So I wash, dry, fold and put away and he carries the hampers up & down…pretty sweet deal I think…I want that deal KWIM?  How much FREAKIN’ easier can I make it?  Sooooo anyhow I’m not too pleased with him today that’s for sure….but I shall NOT do his laundry…so that makes me feel a bit better and I will continue on with my day  

So if anyone can relate…you’re feelin’ me right now yes?  Wanna vent….leave me a comment….I will vent with you…cuz sometimes you gotta let the steam out or your head will just EXPLODE…trust me its healthier LMAO!  (PS…You know I love my hubby, he’s a great man and father, but he ain’t NO saint that’s for sure and he has days where I think I may just smother him in his sleep LMBO)

NewsBitz:

-So next weekend I will be in Stafford Springs, CT teaching my CMC Copic Classes on Sat & Sun including the All About Hair Class.  I have a few openings so if you’d like to come, I’d love to have you…all details are at www.cmcroad.com

-SCACD—has a TON of new goodies!  First there are NEW Paper Pads from Farmhouse that are to diiiiiie for and others for the fall and winter holidays too, so check them all out!  New Memory Box dies are in (ohhhh I need some bad) and Make It Crafty Rubber Stamps that are so fab and cute you won’t want to miss out!  Also NEW Impression Obsession!  And no worries I want it all too hahahahaha!

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Wee Bit Scarey!!

So to celebrate my scary self from last night I’m gonna share a fun Halloween card with you today LOL!  I love Halloween…always have…I love to see the kids dress up and trick or treat.  My kids are older now so they aren’t as “cute” in their costumes but its still fun.  We love to go to the Pumpkin Patch every year, it’s a tradition and we always do at least one corn maze.  This year we’ll do the 10 pm corn maze again with the teens and their friends…that’s always fun…minus the chilly weather LOL!  I’m also a HUGE fan of decorating the house…I love it…we go all out most years and set off the fog machine, creepy graveyard and fun sounds to creep it up good!

So my good friend Susana owner of SCACD challenged me to use this new stamp set by My Minds Eye called “Lost & Found Halloween” and I HAD to use the skeleton in it.  She “thought” it would be a challengefor me  but she forgot that I LOVE creepy Halloween stuff hee hee…and once I saw the papers I knew I’d go with a 50/50 mix of creepy and elegance for this one.  And it was a fun card to create too!

I'm entering this into the following fun challenges:

Freshly Brewed Challenges (distressing)

Eureka Stamps Challenge (fall fun)

Lollipop Crafts (fall frolic)

Challenges 4 Everyone (anything goes)
Make It Monday (anything goes)

No Matter Which Challenges (dies/punches)

So the papers I used are a mix of two—Carta Bella’s “All Hallow’s Eve” and MME “Lost & Found Halloween”.  I used my Zutter Distress machine to distress all my paper edges and a fun CB embossing folder for the kraft cardstock layer that I then inked a bit.  The fun accent is from a NEW SCACD Die called “Alice’s Clock Statement Corner”….it works as a corner die BUT I turned it around and used it as an accent because to me it  can also create a creepy, torn lace look that adds just what I wanted to this card. (always try looking at your dies in different ways to make them versatile)  The sentiment is from the same set…I just used half of the sentiment at the bottom of my card.  The image itself was stamped in Vintage Cream Palette Ink from PTI and then once dry I highlited the skeleton with some Stickles to make it sparkle just a bit.  A few pearls finish it off!

That’s it for me today--see you back here on Saturday with a new project!  I’m off to take Alexa to her driver’s test, hit Michaels for supplies for the High School football game tomorrow (the fans are doing a NEON-OUT so everyone has to wear something neon…oy) and then come back and fix some homemade Guacamole and chicken enchiladas for dinner….the dayeth NEVER endeth eh? LOL!  Have a good one!

The 12 Days of Halloween--yay!!

Happy Sunday friends from sunny California!!  Hope you all had a fabulous weekend so far!  I am having a very enjoyable time in California--the weather is FANTASTIC, I love it!  No jackets needed unlike at home LOL.  Friday I picked up Patricia (The Paper Temptress) who I loveee and we hopped over to the store (ScrapGrlz) for a bit to get prepped and chat a bit.  Then I met up with Irina Blount (co-owner of La La Land Stamps) for dinner, who I've been friends with for awhile and it was so great to get to sit & just chat for awhile.  Usually we only get to chat via Facebook or at CHA which is always crazy. She's just the sweetest and I love her to bits!  Then yesterday was a day of classes--waving hi again to everyone that came, so nice to meet you all!  Today is another day of classes and then Monday is my trip to San Francisco which I'm so looking forward too---whooo hoooo LOL!  Then I leave on Tuesday morning for home!  So its been great and no weird incidents---sorry for the shortness of this post but I gotta get to bed at a decent time.  Jet lag is the WORST I swear, ugh!

And of course I have some travel stories already--duh but of course, but I'm too tired to type it all up LOL! I'll tell you alllll about it this coming week--no worries!

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12 Days of Halloween

12 Days of Challenges based on 'The Twelve Days of Halloween' for Betty's Stamps!!

Starting 17th October, a new challenge announced each day up until 28th October, all projects to be linked up by 30th October, winner will be announced 31st October.

Prizes will be given every day---so participate in lots of days if you can!!!

Here's the 12 Days...

17th Oct - An Owl in a Rotten Oak Tree

18th Oct - Two Trick or Treaters

19th Oct - Three Black Cats

20th Oct - Four Skeletons

21st Oct - Five Scary Spooks

22nd Oct - Six Goblins Gobbling

23rd Oct - Seven Pumpkins Glowing

24th Oct - Eight Monsters Shrieking (Preview day for Coquettes, please incorporate accordingly)

25th Oct - Nine Ghosts a-Booing (Release day for Coquettes, please incorporate accordingly)

26th Oct - Ten Ghouls a-groaning

27th Oct - Eleven Casks a-leaning

28th Oct - Twelve Bats a-flying.

Your projects can feature the item for that day, the correct number of times, or have the number and one instance of the item. i.e. twelve bats or number 12 and a bat!  Open to creative interpretation of course!!

So today I get to be a guest for Simply Betty Stamps and their super fun 12 Days of Halloween Celebration and Contest!  You can find all the details above and at the Betty's Stamps Blog HERE!  I used this super cute 'Witchy Boo Betty" that they generously provided for me---I just love her to bits.  She reminded me a bit of Sabrina the Teenage Witch so that's why I gave her blondish hair LOL!  She was a fun one to color too.  Today's challenge is *7 pumpkins glowing* and I apologize for my non-pumpkin card but I made it before I left and didn't realize what my day's challenge was until I got to California LOL--a little late to change it. But you get the idea anywho right? ;)

I'm entering this into the following fun challenges as well:

-Dream Valley Challenges (Halloween)

-Craft Your Days Away (Halloween)

-Sweet Stampin Challenge (Halloween)

-Delicious Doodles Challenge (Halloween/no orange)

-Inspire Me Fridays (anything goes)

My papers are a mix from Graphic 45 and PTI that I heavily distressed with my Zutter Distress machine.  And then I had lots of fun adding goodies to this card LOL--some black Magic Mesh and then a die from Spellbinders that I cut in half and added to each side of my image.  The sentiment is from an older set from MFT Stamps that I adore.

She got colored in Copics (but of course right lol) C9,C7,C5,C3,C1 / V99,V95,V91,V000 /E11,E00 / E35,YR23,YR20.  The swirls I stamped around the image are from PTI and then I added dots of stickler to the night sky for stars (and bling).  Her eyes (and kitty's eyes) got a coat of Diamond Glaze for shine too.

So hope you enjoyed this Totally Witchin Project and make sure to hop on over to Simply Betty's Store and Blog to join in on the fun challenges!  See you all back here tomorrow morning!!

You Skeeeered?!!

Hello my dear friends and a Happy Tuesday to ya!  It is STILL raining here in Virginia—I am so sick of the gray, come on!  I want some more sun & warmth before fall really comes into town---work with me Mother Nature ok!!

So I’m thrilled that soooooo many of you found my trip home from Ohio so funny-ha ha ha ha, NOT!  No just kidding, it WAS pretty funny and I still chuckle to myself when I think about certain parts (if you missed it, read below post lol).  A lot of you STILL said you’d want to travel with me but I’m not so sure you REALLY know what you might be committing yourself to LOL!

Ok so I want to talk skincare today with y’all!  I have been a skin-freak since I was 12 years old and started getting “TEEN” magazine.  I’ve always been obsessed with squeaky-clean, wrinkle-free skin and I’ve tried many things in my 37 years.  I also have sensitive skin so I have to be pretty careful with what I use and I use a lot of organic/natural products like Mineral Makeup (a faithful Bare Escentuals customer for 13 years) and Mario Badescu products.  I was wearing sunblock on my face/neck long before it was popular and I pride myself on not having very many wrinkles hee hee.  BUT I have a genetic problem (thanks Mom & Grandma) that terrorizes us all---I have deep set eyes and my upper eyelids, right under my brow are starting to droop and when I'm really tired I almost cannot open my eyes!  It’s a problem, I HATE it, it bothers me A LOT more than anything else and yes it is VAIN but I CANNOT help it LOL!  So I was actually researching non-surgical methods like botox and products the past 6 months to fix it.  I had researched Nu Skin quite a bit and when I went to the Women’s Show last month in Charlotte they had a booth and well I had to visit them. Of course I didn’t realize they were gonna take off all my makeup, arghhh (yeah thanks Pat - I'm still giving you the evil eye,lol) but they did and OMGoodness I loved the results this machine had in just one treatment.  I had heard so many good things about it but until I tried it I just wasn’t sure—and it had fabulous results on my friend Dana too.  So yep I bought the whole system and I’m gonna use it every Tuesday & Thursday and I will let you know how my results are in 3 months ok.  Apparently the gels you put on are charged when you use the machine and it breaks down the wrinkle enzyme we all have on our skin, it’s a lot of scientific stuff but you can read about the system HERE!  I am not a spokesperson for it LOL but I am a real-life user so I’ll let you know my opinion as you know I won’t hold back or lie about it LMBO!!  If it works then I will be thrilled cuz’ Botox was an option but not one that I really wanted to try—something weird about putting a known disease into your body KWIM? ucky!  And let’s see how I do with a machine that charges electrons and such---hopefully no weird incidents—I’ll be the first woman to be electrocuted by the machine LOL!

NewsBitz:

-Want to come take a class with me?  Cuz I’d love to see you!  I have classes coming soon in San Jose, CA / Waco, TX and Chicago and then that’s it for this year.  You can see more details at www.cmcroad.com !

-I have added some fabulous new ladies to my CMC Challenge DT and I’d love you to welcome them---see all these ladies bios/work HERE!  Also the new challenge is up at the CMC Challenge Group and it’s a fun one—everyone is welcome to join in!

-Books!!  My new Book Club pick is up at my BookEndz Group and its one of my all time favorite books—its not a new book but it is FANTASTIC!  It’s “The Mercy of Thin Air” by Ronlyn Domingue and perfect for October (no its not a scary read cuz I don’t do scary—read post below lol).  I read it about 9 years ago and it was a pick for my old book club and everyone loved it so I’m bringing it back LOL!  Right now I’m currently reading “Girls in White Dresses” by Jennifer Close and “The Explorers Code” by Kitty Pilgrim.

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Don’t be Skeered!!

Ok so I’m sharing a super fun project with you today, I had sooo much fun making this LOL!  For the Magnolia-licious DT Challenge, our lovely hostess Maureen Kuppe challenged us to a sketch, octagons and orange and fall/Halloween.  Well I got all of ‘em correct BUT the sketch LOL.  I SUCK at following sketches cuz I get an idea and it just goes to pot after that!  So I added an octagon in the sentiment so I tried hard LOL!  You can find all the challenge details at the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog and see the DT’s projects too (yeah they followed the sketch hee hee).

I'm entering this into the following fun challenges:

Craft Your Passion (anything goes/ribbon)

Heart Song Inspirations (anything goes)

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Paper Creations Ink (black & orange)

Stamp With Fun (Halloween)

The Pink Elephant (Halloween)

For the background stamp “Haunted House”, which is from Alota Stamps, I embossed it in black Ep powder and then added some color with my old SU markers (Copics can sometimes make black ep bleed so beware).  I also added Stickles to the moon and windows for sparkle.  The black bats are made with a MS punch and the sentiment is from PTI.



I used this super cute “Brother & Sister” stamp from Magnolia-licious—I love them!  I thought they were PERFECT for this card, it looks like they are scared and he’s protecting her right?  I love to use stamps meant for other things for OTHER things LOL! (this stamp comes in mini form here too)  I colored them with Copics—B16,B13,Colorless / YR18,YR15,YR12,YR00 / E11,E00,R20 / YR24,YR20,E35 / E25,E31,E50 / C9,C7,C5,C3,C1.

That’s it for me today—I’m off to work on some magazine stuff and finish a few projects too!  Hope you have a fabulous, SUNNY DAY!!!

No Tricks, Just Treatz!!

Happy TGIFriday to you all and the last day of September too!  I cannot believe it will be October already, wow summer is gone and fall is flying by.  I don’t even wanna think about the holidays, ugh, as much as I love them it is a super-busy time for me.  I stop traveling mid-November and will have off thru mid-January—although I have a ton of work to do I won’t be traveling and will be able to get some things done around the house.  And of course plan for my 13th Christmas tree—cuz’ yep I’m adding one this year LOL!  (shhhh don’t tell hubby—but it will be animal themed, I already got my zebra & leopard ribbons hee hee)  So lots to do in the upcoming months and we are considering taking the kids to Tampa for Thanksgiving (NOT my fave holiday) to stay and go to Busch Gardens—I have some free hotel nights & plane tix so we’ll see!

Ok want another cool travel story?  On the way home Monday from Tampa I had to fly back thru Chicago (Midway Airport)—yes I spend HALF my life in that airport cuz’ it’s a hub for Southwest Airlines.  Well I had a 2 hour layover and I was just beyond exhausted so I was kinda out of it LOL.  A guy that looked just like Indiana Jones (I kid you not) sits down by me and yes there were lots of empty seats but people for whatever reason LIKE to sit next to me LOL!  He obviously didn’t notice my tiredness and spaciness cuz he starts talking to me.  Well turns out he is a world renowned Geologist/Paleontologist who just finished a year-long world turn.  He has a super-armored case with him and he’s telling me stories and showing me cool stuff—so I got to see fossilized baby dino eggs and crystals. He had this high-tech microscope that folds up and travels, we had that baby out and we were examining everything.  It was like a cool history/science lab set up in the airport---people were like “what the heck are they doing?”.  But he was on his way to DC to work at the Smithsonian and present his findings.  See you NEVER know who may sit next to you and you will have missed a cool experience in that moment---so don’t knock that person who sits by you somewhere, strike up a conversation and be “open” to it. That IS the best part of traveling for me, the journey and the experience of course, but it’s the people that I meet along the way that make it so worthwhile !

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Only a Treatz Peeker!!!

Today I am sharing a project with the BRAND NEW Elisabeth Bell for SCACD “Holiday Peekers”—yep we’ve got holiday ones for ya!  You can see more of the DT inspiration at the store blog here and of course you can buy…errr see the whole line at SCACD HERE! LOL!

I got to use the fabulously cute “Pumpkin Patch Peeker”—she reminds me of my daughter at the patch.  Every year we go to the pumpkin patch wherever we live---yep even though they are teens we still go and have fun and do silly things and OF COURSE pick out some awesome pumpkins!  We have never missed a year and I plan on going for a long time.  Here in VA we go to a patch that is near the Blue Ridge Mountains—its beautiful there and we always have a blast.  This Halloween we are taking a bunch of the teens to a 10 pm Corn Field Maze done with flashlights---lots of fun and a good way to spend the evening.

I'm entering this into the following challenges;

4 Crafty Chicks (anything goes)

Crafty Ribbons Challenge (Halloween)
Rainbow Lady's Challenge (fall)
Southern Girls (anything goes)
Stampin' B's Challenge (fall/Halloween)

The papers I used (are on sale here) are by Apothecary Emporium—loved the fun prints and colors in this pack!  The sketch is from last week’s Cute Card Thursday, I loved the fun circle element.  The corner elements are done with a new Spellbinders set called “Shapeabilities—Twisted Metal & Accents”. The sentiment is from PTI and the die cut is from the same SB set I just mentioned.  I added a bow and some black Bella Baubles to finish it off.  Yep a few stickles to decorate and it was colored with Copics but of course!



Alrighty, as you finish this up I will be on my way to Ohio with my pal Marti to teach on Saturday and then home the same evening!  Have a fun weekend my friends!

Peachy cute!!

Happy Columbus Day for those here in the states and a Happy Thanksgiving to you all in Canada as well! I am back from NY and happy to be home, lol! I took yesterday and most of today off because I just needed to rest and spend time with my family for a bit. It took me 10 hours to get to Long Island on Friday due to rush hour traffic, accidents and my STUPID GPS taking me thru downtown NYC on a Friday night. The cops had some of the roads I needed closed off and I spent 2 hours driving around the city and stuck in traffic. The NYC cabbie in me came out and I was cutting off the cabs left and right and honking my horn, lol! Thankfully I have a somewhat working knowledge of the city and was able to get out but it was a longgggg drive with no bathroom breaks. Hubby called in dinner for me at the restaurant near my hotel so when I arrived I could eat and get in bed (isn't he the best)!!  Thankfully my drive home was only 5.5 hours which was a huge difference and I got in at 2:30 am on Sunday morning.

But the classes were wonderful and again I'm so thankful to have so many great ladies and friends in each town I visit---it truly makes it a real pleasure for me!  I also just absolutely love teaching someone how to love their copics and use them in the way they were meant to be used.  I've had a few ladies in each class who have NEVER picked up a marker before and by the end of the classes they were coloring BEAUTIFULLY, you would've thought they'd been at it for months and that makes me SO HAPPPPPPPYYYY!  Thanks to everyone who has come out for classes---I love you all!  And thanks to Cindy Scheffler of Memory Making Crafts for setting up shop and helping out!

Yesterday we spent out on my 98% finished backyard (still waiting for some painting to be finished and some other finish work to be done) and we grilled out and I decorated it for fall.  The kids each had a friend over for the night and we spent it outside sitting around the roaring fire in the fireplace--it was just a REALLY GREAT night and I enjoyed it so much.  We made smores, relaxed and just had fun!  I have pictures below from my classes and of my new backyard for you!!  Hope you are enjoying this fabulous fall weather we're having right now, I'm going to SUCK every moment out of it that I can :)  This weekend I have to take Alexa shopping for her Homecoming dress and I'll be home for the next 3 weekends--yay!  Then I'm off to NC, Buffalo and Canada in November before I wrap up my traveling for the year---make sure to check the CMC on the Road site for new upcoming dates/locations this week!

Slideshow Pics:(if you get this blog by subscription you will not be able to view the pics, you must come directly to my blog site)

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Spooks N Peaches!!

So I'll keep my chitter chat short here so I can go make some dinner and get some stuff done, lol!  This cute stamp is from Peachy Keen.  I had NEVER seen or heard of these stamps until Summer CHA--yes it's true that I sometimes live under a rock, lol!  Anywho, I just fell in love with the stamps and their cute faces (I bought lots of xmas ones too)!  This one is called "Booped Out Ghost" and they are soooo cute I could pinch them, hee hee!  If you have time peruse the stamps in the shop--they are almost IRRESISTIBLE to not buy!!!  And check out their Cottage Cutz which are cute dies that cut out the stamp shapes AND include the stamps--I just got me a bunch, lol!

The papers are from Bo Bunny's "Whoo-ligans" Collection and since my image was a bit larger I kept my details to a minimum to let it stand out!  I added some scrolls that I made from a punch and added a double bow with button finish.  Some black pearls finish it off and the sentiment is from PTI.

I colored it with Copics and added some stickles to the star and the insides of pumpkin's mouths.  Too cute to spook I think!!

Hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you back here on Wednesday!

Twinkle Twinkle!

Happy Friday to you friends! Hope you have a magnificent weekend planned out for yourselves! We are having a "family-only" weekend since I will be gone the next two weekends teaching the CMC Copic classes in Wilmington, DE and Long Island, NY!  So I want to soak in some fun and relaxing time with my family--hee hee, my daughter is sooo NOT loving that as I put a big kabash on her social activities this weekend!  We have also had a death in our extended family so we have to attend to that as well this weekend.  I'm hoping for great weather so I can at least spend a bit of my time outside enjoying my 90% finished backyard, lol--hope to have it all finished by next week.  I've also got to plan time to get to the mall to get my daughter a homecoming dress because that's coming up on the 23rd of Oct and she would DIE if she had to go with her dad (dad might die too, lol)!  So as always lots of stuff's to get done!

And then while I was typing my blog I thought I'd catch up on some of the new Oprah shows I've been tivo'ing and whaddya know--once again I'm buying stuff.  I swear everytime I watch that show I hop over to the internet and end up buying something, what is wrong with me--thank goodness I don't watch all the shows??  So now because of her premier show I have 4 Chicken Pot pies coming to my house the week of Thanksgiving from Harry & David (shhhh don't tell hubby but they're part of his bday present cuz he lovvvvvvvvvvves chicken pot pie, hee hee)!  Not only that but I bought Jon Stewart's (love that man) new book she had as well for hubby--see a theme?  I gotta stop watching Oprah or not have my laptop near me while I'm watching, lol!  Do you do this at all?  Is it just me?  If it is don't tell me ok, let me think that it is a universal problem, it will make me feel better :)

NewsBitz:

-There will be a NEW dual release on Sept. 30th at SCACD!  Tomorrow I will have a sneak peek and info on how to win BIG!

-I Brake For Stamps has a new website, new stamps and took over another company which is fabulous--see them all HERE!  Want to buy--use coupon code "SAVE10SUZANNE" for 10% off your entire order!

-Yep, Nellie Snellen has holiday punches for pre-order HERE at 7 Kids and there are gorgeous new holiday paper pads from SEI here as well (I neeeeed them, lol)!

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Twinkle Twinkle!

Today I'm sharing my last project as a Guest Artist for Bildmalarna US/Stamping Scrapping BUT not my last project using these cute stamps!  I had such a blast using these cuties and each one was so much fun to color up and figure out how to use in different ways!  Today I'm using a new Halloween cutie called "Mimosa Witch"--isn't she a sweetie?  You can also pre-order the NEW Xmas Bildmalarna's HERE as well--they are ca-utttte!

The papers I used are NEW from Cosmo Cricket called "Matilda" and they are just fun and bright colored for the fall holidays!  Then I used my SU star punches to create some fun embellishments to go along with the fun star paper--I punched them from the PTI plum & orange cs and inked their edges.  I added some of that fun Magic Mesh in black behind my image and distressed all the edges with my fave Zutter Distress tool!  The button on the large stars was custom made by ME using those fabulous NEW Epiphany Button Makers--easy, fun and cool to use!!  The sentiment is from a Halloween PTI set that I use bunches!

One of my favorite Copic techniques to teach is called "feathering" and its so much fun because there are so many different ways to do it and all look good.  Basically pick two different colors (2-3 tones of each color) and create a fun, feathered almost tie-dyed look on your images--you can do it on birds, wings, clothing, flowers & more!!!  I chose to do this technique on her skirt using plums and oranges (V99,V95,V000 & YR18,YR12,YR00)--this technique was also the challenge over at my CMC Challenge Groups (see here--open for everyone to join) and the entries were FABULOUS!  I added some Diamond Glaze on the milk bottle, milk in bowl and boots.  Then I added Stickles to her tights, top of her dress and the milk bowl for some fun bling.  Gotta have some fun texture on that image KWIM!

Hope you enjoyed this one for you today and I'll see you back here tomorrow with a new SCACD sneakie peekie!!

Bats and Brooms!!

Hello and a happy new week to you all! As you are reading this I'm either driving home from Michigan or sleeping the day away, lol! I'll be leaving Michigan after my last evening class on Sunday and driving straight thru--I hope to be home around 4-5 am! So I'll be catching up on my sleep today and settling back in at home and catching up! I'll tell you more about my trip and classes in the next post, 'kay!?  So settle in, rev up those broomsticks (if you have one, hee hee) and fly along with us all............

Today the Magnolia-licious DT has a fabulous "Bats & Brooms" Blog Hop for you and all the projects will be Halloween or Fall themed!  You can stop by the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog for all the hop details!  Make sure to make it to the end for the next stop on the hop and maybe some candy for your trick-or-treating bad, hee hee!

I came up with this idea a few nights ago when I should have been sleeping (again, lol) and I will be doing the matching "girly" version this week for you!  I ran out of time before I had to leave for Michigan and I don't like to rush my projects--that's no fun and I'm never happy with them KWIM?!  I think this would be so much fun to give a younger child for Halloween--it's not only a card with an area on the back to write a note it can be a decoration too.  It stands up by itself and would be cute set in amongst the Halloween decor!

I used a couple fabulous Halloween Stamps from the "So Spooky" Collection at Magnolia-licious--see both the category for So Spooky and Halloween for all the Halloween Mag stamps.  I used "Halloween Edwin" and the "Spider Web" for the scene part of this card.  The fun branches and tombstones are older CC Designs stamps I've had forevah, but check out the Magnolia branches/tree here (I couldn't find mine to use, sobbb)!  I handmade a cloud template and then sponged the spooky sky with different gray inks.  A few sparkly bats flying through the air and lil' Edwin finds himself in a spooky graveyard.

The cool gate is the large MS Halloween gate punch which I punched out of black cs and then stamped the sentiment on the front (sentiment from a M.Frances set).  I also sponged the gate (and bats) with white ink--I scored the fence on both sides and attached it to the back of my card/scene so that it rounded out in the front.  This is what makes the card free-standing!  I also spritzed it with Vanilla Smooch Spritz so it all has a subtle sparkle to it.

I'll have the girly-spooky version for you later this week so check back in! Blog Candy Alert: But for now how would you like to win a set of MS punches (corner and border) cobweb punches, a pack of Cosmo Cricket Halloween paper and 2 stamps from Magnolia-licious of your choice?  Tell me what your favorite Halloween costume was or you created for someone (don't celebrate Halloween, tell me your fave fall food)?  Leave a comment on this post only by Wednesday to win!

Now you need to make your last broom-ride hop over to PATTI JO's BLOG HERE---she's the last hop today and she's sure to have something Spooktacular for you!  Thanks for joining us on the hop!!

Spooktacular Challenge!

Hiya and Happy First of September!  Wowza, can you believe summer is at an end, school's back in session and the holidays will be coming sooner than you can say "BOO"!  The kids have school orientations tomorrow and then they start school next Tuesday after Labor Day--yay!  No I'm not evil, but after awhile they start picking on each other, fighting and making me CRAZY so I welcome a quiet house again during the school year.  But not the last minute stuff, forgotten school work, school activities and their many social activities that keep me running around like a crazy woman, lol!  But by May I'm always ready for summer again, hee hee!  Although this year I'm really dreading winter and praying that its not as bad as last year---or I am for sure moving south, far south, lol!  Right now our beaches are gearing up for Hurricane Earl but it looks like it might only be lots of rain and nothing else--but Alexandria and parts of DC always flood after a hurricane so it's never nice for a lot of folks, so I'll keep everyone in my thoughts as this storm pushes thru!  To those of you in the path of the hurricane, stay safe please!!

Alrighty, after staying up till 3 am to type this I'm gonna make it short and quick for ya so I can get to bed and you can do something else, lol!  (but as always thanks for taking a minute to stop by with me, hope you enjoy today)!

NewsBitz:

-Blog Candy still ongoing at this POST HERE!  Yesterday's post (scroll down) has 3 new Copic QuikBitz Videos I did on haircoloring if you want to check them out :)

-Paper Romance has all the BRAND NEW High Hope stamps by artist Laurie Furnell--check them out HERE cuz they are Ca-Ute!

-SCACD also has some new goodies in stock including NEW Maya Roads chipboard shapes, SEI Velvet Papers (yummy) and new holiday papers by Memory Box & Kaisercraft!  Cool!

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Spooktacular Wishes!

Today is the first of the month so I've got a new Copic Creations Challenge project to share with you!  Our fabulous sponsor is Stamping Scrapping which is owned by sweet Cindy Echtinaw who I was lucky to meet at CHA and I'm their Bildmalarna Guest Artist this month too--yay--I'll have my first project & video up on Friday for ya on that!

And our challenge was to color fold/pleats on Magnolia images for you!  Make sure to stop by the Copic Creations Challenge Blog to see the rest of the DT's fab projects and info on how you can join in the challenge!  I also entered this in the Delightful Challenges challenge (which is to make a cute Halloween card)!

I chose one of my favorite Magnolia stamps from last year's So Spooky Collection (see all the Halloween stamps at Magnolia-licious HERE).  This cutie is called "Sitting Witch Tilda" and you can get her here (she will be in stock very soon)!  I used some fabulous new Halloween papers by My Mind's Eye called "Haunted" --I love the classic patterns on kraft and some of the papers are flocked!  The panel in the center is black cs that I punched with my MS cobweb border punch and then embossed it all with my Tim Holtz "wood grain" embossing folder.  The scrolls were done with my fave Marianne Designs dies (yes I do adore these and I MUST use them often, lol)--but this particular scroll has the cool pointy edges so they can be kind of spooktacular KWIM!  That fun sentiment circle is a set by PTI called "2009 Halloween Tags"--very cool set!  And I added some MS cobweb punches to the corners as well!

I used all my C Copics on this cutie (C9 thru C1) and the ground she's sitting on was done with W7,W5 & W1.  The brown accents were E57,E55,E53,E50!  Her boots and eyes got diamond glaze on them for shine and then I stickled up her bows and hat band for some fun bling!  I think she's just a super cutie--hope you like her too!

See ya tomorrow!