I'm still alive!!

Hi there ladies!!

Sorry that it's been so long since I last posted- geeze ya think I was on a very long vacation or in jail or something?

Nope, I've just been busy as usual and honestly I've had absolutely NO MOJO- eeeek! I've never really been in this bad of a funk before.......I'm almost starting to get worried. I look at my craft desk with no desire to do anything........sad huh? I've been cruising some blogs and gazing at all the wonderful creations on Flicker- I just can't find the motivation to get much done here.....waaah!

I did somehow manage to get a card made today- and I must say it's not my best work.........but I'll show you anyways.

I needed to make a card for my brother's upcoming birthday- and I admit I really struggle with guy cards most of the time. I just never know what to do for them? So I pulled out some of my "guy" type paper and used a fun Walzingmouse stamp to match the Spellbinders die cut. The sentiment is by Stampin Up and I found these 2 tiny brown buttons to matched so well.

I made this card last week (I like this one much better) ! I had the flower images stamped and cut out sitting on my craft desk for about 2 whole weeks ( geeze- no mojo again?)!  I based the background colors completely around the great button I found in my stash. The background stamp is from Rubbernecker and the big flower is from Hero Arts.

Today I stopped into Michael's and picked up some Fimo clay to play with.

Jane makes all these really fabulous handmade buttons (I've been drooling over them for weeks now) and I have had the itch to maybe give it a try and see what kind of buttons I might be able to make. I love trying new crafty things and seeing my card making mojo is no where to be found- I thought I'd play doing something different. I've got a handfull  made, but it's so dark and cloudy here and my lighting is just awful- so I'll take a picture tomorrow and show you what I made. I used some fun stamps for texture on some buttons- honestly mine just don't look nearly as fabulous as Janes do. Must practice more!

Fun Crafty news!

I got myself all signed up and ready to go for Scrapfest at the Mall of America this week too! I'm really excited to say I got into a Tim Holtz class and 2 Hero Arts classes- wohooo! I plan on meeting a bunch of other Hero Arts Flicker friends there- a bunch of us will be in the same classes. It's going to be so much fun- I just wish I didn't have to wait 2 months.

Off to watch a movie (Clash of the Titan's) and munch a big bowl of popcorn.

If anyone see's my mojo- please tell it to come back soon!

 Thanks for stopping bye :)

Inky hugs, Anne

New Rubbah!

Hi ya everyone!

Just popping in to say hello and show you all some new rubber I got last week. Unfortunately I have had absoluletly ZERO time to play with it- waaaah!!

I've been working, playing with my 6 year old when I'm not working, working some more, weekends are spent either cleaning up the house- doing laundry.....have had fun going out on the river with my brother on his boat. I've also been doing research on buying myself a brand new car-Yohoo! - test driving several models and looking for the best deal. I can't wait to pick out just the right one........if you saw my beat up old Honda Accord I'm driving you would see why I need a new car so badly. My mom has been having some minor health problems as well the past week.....and I probably need to go visit her this weekend too.......even less time to get crafting........waaaah!

Anyways, on to the new rubber. I went a bit crazy and got several stamps from Rubbernecker when they had their 4th of July sale (everything 20% off).

I just had to have these 3 lovely background stamps.......yummm....I've got a few ideas tossing around already......just need to find some time to play.


I couldn't resist these great "cocktail/drink " stamps either.....going to make some fun cards with these ones!!

I was oohing and aaahing over several foilage stamps and finally settled on these two lovelies........

and last but not least my freebie- yes I said "free" Santa college stamp. Rubbernecker always has this promotion where you spend so much $ and get to pick any free stamp- I LOVE it!! They have wonderful customer service too, Dave is the best!

Hopefully I'll actually get to ink these babies up soon and create some cards!!

I apologize for the really crummy quality photo's lately. My old digital camera finally died a few weeks ago and I've been to busy and too lazy about going and picking out a new one........maybe today I might go get one- who knows? I've just been using the built in camera on my Sony handcam....that's why they are so awful.

May you all have a fabulous day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Inky Hugs, Anne

Cool Treats anyone?

I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but it's been steamy and very hot here in Wisconsin and we are sooooo not used to the incredible humidity at all........ick!

We have been staying in the cool AC or swimming in the pool- and my son has been devouring lots of popsicles!! I just had to restock on my trip to the grocery store this morning as there was only one left in the box and he acted like he was going to die if there were no popsicles on hand!

Anyways.....on to the card. A week or 2 ago as I was out cruising along in blogland I saw a cute "popsicle card" and it really stuck in my head. Of course I forgot to tag/ favorite it to give the person credit (shoot!) .....but I thought I would give my hand a try at making one today. I just picked out some fun and bright colored cardstock, taped them together, measured a bit, trimmed a bit, rounded the corners, then scored it down the middle, then scored the other 2 side the opposite way. I used my Spellbinders Nesties labels die for ther sticks. Pulled out my Hero Arts Halloween set for the fun sentiment. Added a bit of sheer ribbon and a blue gem to jazz it ip a bit, and finally used my newest embossing folder from Sizzix.

My son said "Gee mom- that looks really good-now I want a popsicle!" Glad I got more in the freezer.......and here he is enjoying another one of his favorite summer treats! Thanks for the inspiration Joe!!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you are keeping cool !!



Anne

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

Hi ya everyone! I just wanted to wish you all a safe and fun holiday weekend.

I hope you all enjoy a lovely fireworks show, grilling out, watching a parade, swimming at the lake, whatever it is your plans are for the 4th of July- I hope you have a wonderful time!

We typically go up north to my father in laws on the lake but this year we are staying home and my brother and sister in law are coming down here with their boat to take us out on the lovely St. Croix river!

I'm kind of excited as I just LOVE being on the water - I'm soooo ready to go tubing and get a good sunburn and maybe have a few cocktails!

My hubby will be putting on our own fireworks show here. He has already gotten all of his stuff out and is wiring up a board so that multiple things will go off at once and in some sort of order ( he loves that kind of stuff and gets all jazzed up over it).

If I find any time over the weekend to get any crafting done I'll be sure to post my creations.

See you soon and thanks for dropping in!

Anne

Play Date Cafe Challenge #35

Hi there! I thought I would try my hand at another color combo this week for the Play Date Cafe Challenge #35 ! I love the summery colors to work with for this challenge, brown, turquoise, red, and orange. I don't use these colors often.....well ok ........I really love orange and brown but not generally paired with red and blue.

I pulled out a stamp set that I have a real love~hate relationship with. It's "Greenhouse Garden" by Stampin Up.

I love the 2 step stamping as it brings such detail to the flowers, but the part I struggle with it actually getting the stamps lined up just right- so it actually comes out looking good. I have played with this set soooo many times (many practice samples in the trash)  and finally just umnounted these stamps from the wood.

If only they were clear stamps it would be so much easier!

I really need to get myself one of those stampa-ma-jig things one of these days!

So I stamped the flowers using almost all distress inks- spiced marmalade and barn door for the orange ones, tumbled glass and broken china for the blue ones. The small red flowers were done using worn lipstick and the centers of those I used my favoriote dark red ink by Marvy- English red. I came back and added some white gel pen for the centers of the flowers. I stamped just the center of the daisy flower all over the card base so it looked like layers of flowers. I used Bazzill Tropical Breeze for my card base, a sheet of dark brown cardstock behind the image (unsure of the color name), and found some pretty brown ribbon to match. The sentiment is by Stampendous and is stamped using vintage photo distress ink.

I will give this card to my mother for her birthday (which was this past Friday- but I'll be seeing her today at a graduation party for my nephew).

Thanks for stopping by and hope the sun is shining on you and yours! It's incredibly muggy and looking like some more rain here today- praying the rain holds off until late tonight- don't want the grad party to be spolied by rain.

Hugs, Anne