Pairing up with Pia- part one

Hi ya bloggers! Today I've got some fun and exciting cards to show you. Over at the Hero Arts Flicker page we were all inspired a few weeks ago by Hero Hostess Joy and Jennifer Mcguire who paired up to create some amazing cards using the same set of stamps and many of us wanted to join in on the fun and do the same thing. Joy was kind enough to organize the pairing for us and we got our partner assignments a few days ago.

I got paired up with the ultra talented Pia Overgaard (go see her blog- she is amazing) and after chatting a bit we decided to use the new "Frightful" set from Hero Arts. If you know me at all you know I'm crazy for Halloween -it's my favorite holiday of the whole year and I've been itching to get making some cards!

We each made 2 cards for this first round of pairing up. I went with the bold traditional Halloween colors and just couldn't resist using the cute ghost. I also used my favorite dotted paper that was a free digi download I found years ago (buy have since lost the link to it- bohooo) and my Cuttlebug spider web embossing folder. I decided to make the ghost look a bit silly and added the googlie eyes to him and I popped up the ghost on some dimensionals.  Sponged some dusty concord distress inks behind the image and the edges of it as well and added some wide ric rack.

For my second card I used the cute ghost again (love it) and just stamped the sentiments randomly all over my base. I got out the white gel pen for a bit of contrast on the black scalloped circle and used some fun lime green ribbon and a plastic spider dangling off the button. The spider is from an old set of confetti left over from last years Halloween party.

 

This pairing up has been so fun and intersting- hope you like our cards!  Pia and I will do a second round of cards later this month......wonder what we will decide on for that one.  Don't forget to go visit Pia's blog and see what she created- I can't wait to see myself.

Our weather here in Wiscinsin has gotten quite cool this week- I think fall might actually be starting- yeah!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Inky hugs, Anne

Just a quick update!

First I want to thank all of you who said a prayer and sent some well wishes my way- this is very much appreciated- it really means a lot to me to have friends who care.

So I spent most of yesterday at the hospital having an abcess drained and tissue culture taken. It was kind of a long day- I did not  not know I was supposed to fast to have "concious sedation", so I had to wait about 4-5 hours for my small breakfast to digest, then I could actually  get hooked up to an IV for some super duper relaxing "won't remember a thing" drugs- so I would feel little or no pain for this icky/painful  procedure.

So I sat on my bum in my hospital gown and nonslip socks in a big old comfy recliner under a nice toasty warm blanket and watched some good TV and read some magazines. If only I had thought to bring along the book I was in the middle of I could have easily finished that. I kept smelling really good coffee being brewed all day knowing that there way no way in heck I could have any- can you say torture! Why is it you always crave what you can't have?

Anyways, the procedure went well  (still a bit painful- but not too bad) and I was home by dinner time (and trust me I was starving). So today I rested and did absolutely nothing but sit on my butt again (mostly in front of the computer here.....) trying to recover from yesterday's ordeal. I'm feeling much better even though I'm still a bit sore around the site where they took a tissue sample and my "you know what" looks like it's been in a car accident- yikes! Thankfully I've had a very slow work week and my hubby and son have been extremely kind and patient with me- the hubby even offered to do a load of laundry if you can believe that- and my son has been waiting on me hand and foot.....when he remembers.

The doctors should have some test results for me by Friday- I think they did 2 separate pathology workups- one to check for what type of pathogen is lurking inside me to make sure I'm on the correct antibiotics, and  another one for benign or malignant tissue? (Heck....I was so drugged up I can hardly remember what the  they said).  Keeping my fingers crossed that all is well.......actually I'm not too worried at all since I've never had any problems in the past.

I hope to be back to my active self by Monday (actually able to do normal upper body activities- wohooo!) and will try to get some crafting done tomorrow- especially since my order from 2 Peas got delivered today-  new Hero Arts and Basic Grey goodies!

Thanks a ton ladies for all of your support and see you all again soon- hopefully with some new fall or Halloween card creations!

Gentle hugs,

Anne

End of summer- start to fall

Hi ya everyone!

I've been enjoying the last few weeks of August with my son before school starts again and starting to get the itch for those lovely fall days to begin! Cooler days- crisp leaves- football games- and apple picking time is what I've got on my brain right now.

Last week we went on vacation up to northern MN to my father in laws for some down time on beautiful Birch Lake and playing on the 4 wheelers and fishing- it was very relaxing and the weather was beautiful (mid 70's to high 60's)- just perfect! We had a lovely time and I have to boast that I was the only one who caught any fish (he he) - a nice 4 pound small mouth bass and a little perch. The poor guys got skunked again!! I even saw a few trees that were starting to turn colors up there- loved it.

Here are some pictures of a few cards I made over the last 2-3 weeks- some of you have probably already seen them on Flicker- but some of you may have not. All of them are stamped using mainly Hero Arts stamps and my favorite fall colors- orange,  red, yellows and browns.

Here is a quick picture of my family and my mom who was here visiting for a few days. We had a belated birthday get together for her (very casual as you can see) and we watched some really old time home movies that we finally had transfered onto DVD (that was mom's present).  That's me in the white on the left, my mom,  all my sisters and brother with the nieces and nephews too!

Today we are just relaxing and getting laundry done and all our stuff put away from our trip before the work week starts again- but luckily I have the next 2 days off still before my son start first grade! I can't believe how quickly this summer went by and that it's school time already. Got all the back to school stuff purchased and his backpack with supplies ready to go. Now I just have to remeber what day is "picture" day- last year I completely forgot about it and he wasn't exactly looking his best for his kindergarten picture-oops!

I am also getting very excited for the upcoming "Scrapfest" out at the Mall of America too- just about 3 weeks away! It's going to be soooo fun meeting all my Hero Arts/Flicker friends and taking a class from the amazing Tim Holtz and Jennifer Mcguire!

I also just placed a big order of stamps and other goodies goodies from 2 Peas in a bucket last night- I can't wait for that to arrive!! If anyone wants a free shipping code for 2 Peas here it is "B2SKOL"- I think it was a minimum of $50 purchase to apply.

Thanks everyone for stopping by and I'll try to find the time to visit your blogs/Flicker pages and see what you have all been up to!


Inky hugs everyone!

Anne

3 birds with one stone!

Hi there bloggers!

Just a quick post sharing a card I made today for 3 challenges! I made this for both the Hero Arts challenge and also for Jenny's  butterfly challenge, and for the Simon Says "things with wings challenge". Geeze- I don't think I've ever made a card for 3 challenges before!

I only wish I knew what Co. the butterfly stamp is from (I got in off Ebay years ago along with many other unmounted stamps) as I just LOVE all the detail in it. Paired it up with some yummy Bo Bunny paper and tried out a new technique for making a resist background using smeared glue. Pulled out my favorite distress inks for the main image- broken china and tumbled glass.

I'm very excited to show you all something NEW I bought myself on Friday!

YUP- YOU GUESSED IT- A NEW CAR!!

I'm sooooo excited to get  a new car as I've been driving around my beat up old Honda Accord with 200,000 miles on it for the past several years. We were mighty broke for the last 5 years when I stayed home to raise my son , but now that I'm back to work and earning great $ again- this was one of the first things on my "to do list".

I JUST LOVE IT!    It's a 2010 Chevy Malibu- and it's got all the bells and whistles you could ever want - and as my hairdresser said to me last week- "go big or go home"- ha ha!! She has the same exact kind of car- imagine that?
More than anything I'm just happy to have a safe and reliable car- especially with a child now!


Have a great day all and thanks for stopping by- gotta run and make some dinner for my guys!

Hugs, Anne

The dogs days of summer

Hi ya everyone! Can you believe it's August 3rd already.  Geeze- where has this summer gone? Today it's soooo hot and humid- it's like pea soup out there- ugh! Thank God for air conditioning and swimming pools.

I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be taking 2-4 weeks off from blogging. I need to spend the last few weeks before school starts with my son (can't believe he is going back to school in 3 weeks already)  and work has been keeping me awfully busy as well. Since my mojo is still on vacation I thought it was a good time to not think about crafting for a while and try to revive my mojo in a few weeks.

We have the last week of August scheduled for our family summer vacation. We plan on visiting the wonderful Minnesota State fair one or twice (piggin out on deep fried foods on a stick)  and also finally making it up to my father in law's lake place for a few days of fishing and fun in the lake. I really miss my father in law- we haven't seen him all summer long.
If I should find some time and inspiration to get a card or 2 made I may just post a short and sweet little blurb here or there- ya never know?

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer- have fun with your kiddo's while they are home from school.
I'll still be cruising all of your blogs and looking at all the great projects on the Flicker Hero Arts site throughout the rest of August so you will see me here and there!

See you all again come September!!

Hugs, Anne