NOW my blog candy :)

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1 year.....

105 followers......

38,800 visits.....

many new friendships.....




Yes, I am finally posting my blogoversary candy!!! Sorry it's late....my actual blogoversary was June 30th. I was hoping to get some High Hopes stamps that I had ordered to include in the candy, but that package hasn't come yet. So.....plan B!!!! I scrounged for some stamps in my stash that had never seen ink.....& found PLAYFUL GOATS & the KICK UP YOUR HEELS sentiment.


Also included in the blog candy:

**A 6x6 Basic Grey Lime Rickey pad

**A 60 pc package of Prima flowers

**2 packages of butterfly glitter stickers

**A roll of green velvet ribbon

**Lime Green Stickles

**2 packages of Hero Arts gemstones .....one green, one yellow

**15 silver charms ..... 5 strawberries, 5 cherries & 5 butterflies


Along with all this.....the winner may just find another goodie or two that I haven't mentioned....if I'm feeling generous :)

What do you have to do to enter?? Easy peasy!!! Just leave a comment on this post!! That's all!!

You don't need to become a follower.......but ya can if ya want to!!!!

You don't need to post this candy on your blog.....but ya can if ya want to!!!!!

You don't have to subscribe to my blog.....but ya can if ya want to!!!

I just want to thank you all for visiting my blog!! Anyone can enter....I will ship anywhere in the world. If you don't have a blog....please leave me an email address in your comment so I can find you if you win!!!

What should you comment on?? Oh, I don't know.....tell me the most fun thing you've done this summer......or your favorite supper to make in the summer (since I don't have a clue what I'm making tonight!!)......or your favorite High Hopes image!! Anything fun & interesting that will put a smile on my face!!

You have until midnight CST Friday, July 17th to enter. I will draw a winner sometime on Saturday!! Good luck to you all, & thanks again for all of your bloggish support!!!

Furry fun

Wow.....2 days in a row....that's a rarity these days!!

As I said a couple of days ago, I did get my new High Hopes stamps....& oh what fun they are!! Can you imagine trying to decide which to use first? I know, I can hear the collective "Awwwwww......."




Since I'm a huge fur baby fan, I decided to ink up Andrea's Kitties first. I would say it's my favorite of the new release, but that will only last until I ink up the next one, lol. I used my Prismas to color her....stamping the kitties twice....cutting them & popping them on dimensionals. But then when it was done, I thought it looked dumb. I mean, now her hands are lower than the basket. That's not right. I almost ripped that layer off & tried to redo it, but decided to just let it be. THEN the layout was supposed to follow this week's Friday Sketchers sketch......but I couldn't get it to work. I couldn't figure out what to use for the 2 elements beside the image. I had tufts of tulle there....but yanked them off because they looked dumb....so decided to just finish it the way I wanted & forget the sketch. I'll have to try that layout for another card because I really do like it. But now looking at it, I wish I hadn't put the tulle behind the image. An actual ribbon would have looked better....or nothing at all. The tulle just looks.....you got it, DUMB!!!! (and besides it's crooked......grrrr.......)

Believe it or not, I don't hate this card, lol. The image is so darn cute that I don't have to like the rest of it. Oh, but I did use flower punches that kind of look like daisies, so that makes this my card for this past Sunday's High Hopes challenge.....to use daisies on your card!! At least I got something right! Until someone leaves me a comment that they aren't daisies.....

Do you see why some days it's difficult to be me??





Here's a close up of the cutie with her kitties.....the card doesn't look bad if you just look at this picture.......baaahahahaaaa.....

You still have a few days to enter my blog candy.....see first post above....& I just have to give a shout out to Patsy B.....who left the funniest comment on that post....but no email address or I would have emailed her privately. Girl, you made me laugh out loud with your comment....I don't know what's funnier....the wallpaper, or the frozen Snickers for dinner!!

This is what I should be doing.....

Yes, this is definitely what I need.....to relax in a pool with a drink!! What a few days I've had. I won't go into details....but I started this card on Thursday & just finished it last night! Life has gotten in the way once again!!




I was sad that I hadn't received my new High Hopes stamps yet, so I dug out one of my all time favorite HH stamps......Choppers Chilaxin'. I think this stamp (along with the Chilax sentiment) was one of my very first stamps I got as a dt member. It will always be one of my favorites!!

I colored Choppers with Prismas.....added Crystal Effects to his glass (I decided he is drinking a Sonic cherry limeade, in honor of our very first Sonic opening soon!!!), sunglasses, & water (I also added some glitter to the water). The sun is sponged with Colorbox Yellow Citrus chalk ink. I used SU's Real Red, Bazzill Bling & some unknown....but gorgeous...designer paper from my stash. Used a few of my Nesties.....added some Primas & leaves....& frayed some ribbon to go behind the sentiment.





Here's a closeup of Choppers.....could he be any more relaxed? I mean.......CHILAXED???


And I just had to share this pic of my fur babies.....they love shoes, lol. I thought Jake was looking a bit cranky there (he's on the left)........






So it's a good thing it was nap time!! Well, he IS almost 14.....he gets tired easily :)




Don't forget to enter my blog candy, which will end on Friday. The good news is I did receive my new High Hopes goodies, & while I didn't get the stamps yet that I originally ordered for my blog candy, I *did* receive a few extras of the new release!! So I'll be doing another candy soon after this one is done. Maybe for my birthday next month.......or maybe to celebrate (or lament, depending on your circumstance) the beginning of the new school year....will have to think on that.....

Thank you all for visiting....& for being patient during my creative slump! I go through these every so often & there's just nothing I can do about it. Hopefully this card will get me going in the right direction again!!

New release tonight!

Hi everyone!!

Still no new card.....I'm still in my non-creative mode. But I wanted to let you all know that High Hopes is releasing a bunch of new stamps sometime after midnight tonight!! It's another great release so you should definitely put "check out new High Hopes stamps" high on your list of things to do tomorrow morning!!

I also wanted to let you know that I will be posting my blog candy sometime this weekend. I will not have a card for the High Hopes challenge this week.....hard to have a card when I'm not making anything...lol....so instead I will post my candy! Be sure to check back!!

Hope you all have a great weekend....it's supposed to be beautiful here so I'm envisioning LOTS of yard work in my near future!!!

Blog candy....

Hello all....Happy Wednesday! Nope, I don't have my blog candy ready yet.....but a good friend of mine has an amazing array that she is giving away!!! Check out the HH DIVA/artiste extraordinaire herself.....CRISSY!!!! She has a grand prize.....a second prize....& a third & fourth prize!!! Makes my blog candy look piddly....so I'll just wait a few days to post mine, lol!!

Actually, I am taking a few days off. I just finished a few Etsy orders....& I'm carded out. I haven't received my new High Hopes images yet, either, & I was really hoping to do a sneak peek or two (Crissy also has a few of those on her blog!!!) but it works out because honestly, I am burnt out. I am sad. The whole job thing has really gotten me down. I know I'm not the only one....but I've been looking for quite a while now & it really shoots down one's self esteem to send resume after resume, only to hear nothing. I keep questioning my decision 10 years ago to quit an EXCELLENT job that I absolutely LOVED to stay home with my new baby. I know in my heart I did the right thing by staying home with my kids....but never in a million years did I believe I'd be trying to go back to work in an economy such as this. My husband's hours have been cut.....he's only been working 3 weeks out of the month....& now today I found out his unemployment has been lowered. So......I need to take a few days to regroup & charge my battery. I'm going to spend time playing games with my kids....because they make me smile :)

I will be back soon with that blog candy, though!! Even if I don't get my package with the blog candy rubber.....I have a back up plan, lol. So stay tuned!! Have a great week & don't forget to check out Crissy's blog candy!!!

Another Sunday, another challenge!!

Good morning to you!! Are you all recuperating from the smashing 4th of July festivities?? LOL....lots & lots of fireworks here....neighbors were shooting them off all night, my poor fur baby!! One's terribly afraid of storms....& fireworks....while the other is not. And they grew up together....I find that odd, lol.

Anyway....today's High Hopes challenge is Lots & Lots of Polka Dots!!! Oh, how I *heart* polka dots!! I could have done way more.....but I really love this paper & didn't want to cover it up too much, or over embellish to take away from the gorgeousness of the dots!!



I used Bedelia Butterfly for my card, which also happens to be part of this month's POTM stamp set.....check out the entire set HERE. I colored her with Prismas & gamsol, & COATED her wings with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I don't know what it is about wings....when I see them, I must glitterize them!! I sponged the background with Colorbox Alabaster chalk ink, because the white card stock was too stark against the creamy colored paper. I used SU's Basic Gray for the base, Old Olive for the matte & the dotted paper is My Mind's Eye. I did some stitching.....added some tulle in the corners.....& of course she had to be watering something so I spritzed some Primas & leaves with Glimmer Mist & popped them under her watering can. I tried to get a pic of the shimmery flowers....to no avail....a photographer I am not!!!




Here's a close up of Bedelia....isn't she sweet?? The POTM set is really a great deal, so go check it out if you haven't already!! You can also see some great sample cards on the same page!




Here's the inside, all done up real pretty, lol. Same papers, same flowers, & lots of stitching. I added the Sprinkled With Love sentiment, which is also part of the POTM set!

Be sure to check out the High Hopes blog so you can see all the other fantastic dotty creations!!

Thanks for visiting!! I hope you have a great Sunday, & hopefully I'll get that coveted High Hopes package this week so I can post my blog candy!! Can't wait!!!

I can't believe it's the 4th of July already!!

This summer sure is flying by!!!!!



Have a happy & safe day everyone!!!! I'll see you tomorrow for the High Hopes challenge!!!

Porcelain Tilda

Happy Wednesday everyone!! Hope you are all having a great day! Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!! It's actually cold here today.....around 60 degrees....brrrrr....not a very nice start to July. But it's supposed to be nice this weekend & since we always go to the parade & the fireworks on the 4th, the weather that day is more important!!

Today I played with one of my Tildas that I received from one of my friends. Not sure who sent it....I have so many friends that provide me with images....but thank you to whomever did!!! I wish I could buy every single Magnolia stamp out there....they are so adorable! Unfortunately I wasn't able to buy the summer kit & I'm so sad, because I just saw the stamps today & they are SOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!



Anyway....on to my card....I decided to *finally* break out the Basic Grey Porcelain pad. I bought it about a month ago & have been just gazing at it. I'm not a hoarder.....I just hadn't used the "right" image to justify cutting into these beautiful papers...lol. But this Tilda was perfect.....love the pinks & greens. I used the Friday Sketchers sketch from this past week for my layout....I love it & I'm sure I'll use it again! I colored Tilda mainly with my Prismas & gamsol.....with a touch of Copics here & there....& cut her out. I sponged the oval she's sitting in very lightly with.....brace yourself.....Mauve Mist ink!! Remember that color?? It happened to go well with the pinks in the BG paper. I'm surprised my pad isn't dried up!! I used Bazzill Bling for the matting & for some of the punched flowers.....& Certainly Celery for the leaves. I love how this turned out (not hard to mess up a Magnolia.....they are cute by themselves!!).....& it will go on either Ebay or Etsy as soon as I can make an envelope!




Here's a close up of the cutie patootie.....I just love her outfit, lol!

That's it for now.....still waiting for my goodies from High Hopes....it's so hard to wait, especially since I've already seen the new stamps. They are CUTE....you're gonna want to save your pennies for this release!!!!!

High hopes challenge #37, & my blogoversary!!!!

Good morning, my lovely blog readers!!!! Today is a very special day for me.....one year ago today I decided to join the crazy world of blogging. I balked for a long time....I thought it would take wayyyy too much time....but I decided to take the leap & I'm so glad I did!! I have met sooooo many wonderful people in the past year.....thank you so much to all of you who visit, leave comments, email me, & have become my friends. I'm still waiting for a package from High Hopes in order to put together my blog candy.....but it should be any day now so be sure to check back!!!!

Today's card is actually for Sunday's High Hopes challenge.....to use stars or stripes on your card. Can you believe I don't have *any* star punches OR dies??? Tsk.....I'll have to do something about that!!



I used the adorable Singing Catrina from the last release.....& yes, she's decked out in some BRIGHT clothes so you might want to get your shades!! I used Certainly Celery for the base, & some papers from the DCWV Nana's Kids stack for the background & the oval. She is colored with Prismas & gamsol.....& I added Stickles to her jackets & belt. Aren't all those young stars all about bling??? Actually, the jacket & belt are more purple IRL, they are showing up quite pink on my monitor. I added the "You Rock" sentiment, also from the last release, along with some ribbon, plus some matching Primas in the corner. Voila.....a perfect birthday card for that Hannah Montana/Demi Lovato/High School Musical lovin' girl!!!




Here's a close up of Catrina & all of her sparkle!!




The inside is fairly simple....I just added some punched flowers using the same paper I used on the front.

Thanks for checking in, I hope you have a wonderful day!! The temps really dropped here....it's only about 60 after many days in the 80's & 90's. Perfect day to play outside!!!! And as soon as I get that beautiful package from Canada......I will be posting my candy so be sure to keep an eye out for it!!!!! Thanks so much for visiting.....today & every day for the past year.....I appreciate each & every one of you!!!!!

Riley in the garden

Good evening, & happy Friday!!! It was a beautiful day out today....my kids played outside alllllll day.....which was wonderful....& we have a busy weekend ahead of us. I did *finally* get a card done....I kept it pretty simple though.




I used an older Riley stamp.....but it's one of my favorites. I used my Copics, since there wasn't much to color, lol. But the green on his boots was way too green, so I covered them in Stickles. Every moose has glittery garden boots, right? I got to use my new Basic Grey Urban Prairie pad (I *still* have credit at my LSS....& there's another rummage in a few weeks...which means more credit.....yay!!).....the matting is Bazzill Bling. I also used my Martha butterfly punch, which is *kinda* new. I bought it about 6 months ago, & it sat here in its box until I finally used it today!! Butterflies just never seem to "go" with my cards, & I was ready to just pass it on to someone. But I used it on this card & I think I need to use it more. I added a few small pearls & I think it looks cute!! A big ole Prima bunch in the corner & it was done.....I love this paper so much, I didn't want to cover it with "stuff" (did I really just say that?)




Here's a close up of Riley....watering his flowers....er....FLOWER. I did a lot of watering myself today.....but I forgot to wear my sparkly green garden boots :(




Here's the inside....I kept it VERY plain, but I did punch 2 butterflies out of the paper I used on the front....& added Cotton Candy Stickles down the middle. Sorry about the streaky picture....I didn't realize the sun was streaming in our window when I took it....duh....


And I just had to share this picture of our goofy cat.....



We have 2 cats....Jake & Elwood. They are brothers, & they will be 14 in August. Jake is diabetic, so he gets cranky & doesn't really let the kids hold him. He will come to them for petting, but usually 10 seconds is all he needs & he's done. Then there's Elwood.....he used to weigh 26 pounds. Yes, you read that right....26 pounds. When I realized Jake would do better on an all canned food diet, Elwood had to switch too. Couldn't feed one dry & one canned. Well, Elwood proceeded to lose 7 pounds over the next 10 months, & now he's 19 pounds. Still big, but much healthier. And as you can see......a BIG BABY!!! He lets the boys do whatever with him....Michael lays his head on him.....he sleeps with them.....& he hangs out on their laps. What a big furry goofball!!

Well that's it for now. I don't know if I'll get a card done for the High Hopes challenge this week....I haven't even started & I will be gone all day tomorrow. Gosh, I sound like a broken record....I'm pretty sure I typed those same words *last* week, lol.

Oh, & my blogoversary is in just a few days!!! I can't believe I've been blogging a whole year already!! And did ya notice my followers......I just reached 100!!! What great timing!! I wanted to start my blog candy ON my blogoversary......but I'm waiting for some High Hopes stamps to add to it, so it will start when that goodie package arrives!! Stay tuned!!

Have a great weekend!!!

No new card....but a recipe!!

Good morning all!!! Hope your week is going well. It has been HOT here in Wisconsin. Of course, because this is the week Matthew has golf camp. Last week was cooler, & he had basketball camp....indoors, of course. It seems every year he signs up for the wrong week. 2 years ago it was so hot, he felt sick & I had to get him early one day. He's held up well so far.....but it's been 90 every day & HUMID. Icky sticky!!!

I have nothing new to show you.....besides running around to golf camp & the hospital, where my grandma was taken on Tuesday (she's almost 90.....so unfortunately a trip to the ER is becoming a weekly thing), I have been dealing with some tendinitis in my right arm. I had it years ago when I did data entry for a few years....but haven't had a recurrence until a few days ago. Probably from all the weeds I've pulled in my gardens the last couple of weeks. Makes it painful to stamp.....type....even just write. I'm due to get my new stamps from High Hopes any day now, & I sure hope I'm able play right away. I'm trying to rest my arm as much as possible....I haven't even been blurfing as much as I usually do.....but I did want to post a recipe today!!!! One that will surely cool you down!!!


RIBBON ICE CREAM PIE

Place 1 pint vanilla ice cream in large bowl; stir until smooth but not melted. Spread into bottom of a ready-made pie crust (graham cracker or chocolate cookie....whichever you prefer...the recipe says chocolate cookie....but I usually use the graham cracker). Freeze 30 minutes until just firm. Repeat as above with 1 pint chocolate ice cream, then 1 pint strawberry ice cream. Cover & freeze until firm. Before serving, slightly warm 1/4 cup fudge sauce in microwave. Drizzle over pie; garnish with strawberries.


I *think* I got the recipe from Taste of Home, one of my favorite magazines. If you've never paged through one of their magazines, then you should at least check out their website....they have such yummy stuff!!! If you make this I'd love to hear some feedback!!! It's always gone within 24 hours when I make it......really, what's not to love????

Hopefully I will have a new card to show you soon!!!! Sorry for the delay.....all these aches & pains that come with getting older....it all stinks!! LOL!!

High Hopes challenge #36 ~ scraps

Good morning all!! Quick post this morning....just want to share my card for High Hopes challenge #36 ~~ to use up your scraps!!



I wasn't sure I'd get this done.....I was gone most of the day yesterday.....but finished it at about 11:45 pm, lol. This sweet image is Girl Talk from the last release.....colored with Prismas...& I used some scraps from my favorite K&Co pad, Wild Raspberry. The layout is from Friday Sketchers, but I flipped it & left out the sentiment. Punched some flowers & leaves....added some brads....I think I should have added something else....it looks a bit bare (maybe the sentiment that was actually in the sketch? LOL)....but I didn't really want to cover any more of the papers....did I mention I *heart* the Wild Raspberry papers??



Be sure to check out the other Divas' creations at the High Hopes blog.....& everyone has scraps lying around....so why not join in?? You could win some fabulous HH goodies!!

Hope you have a terrific Sunday, & Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!! My dad died about 6 years ago, so it will be a tough day for me.....good thing I'll be with my kids all day....they always put a smile on my face!