Mojo Monday #66 & CCEE Stampers

I think this will definately be my last post until after the first of the year...I have got to clean off my dining room table!!! ROFL!

I have lots of people coming for Christmas dinner, and then I have a small party planned for Friday night looks like and then there is New Year's dinner! Yummy!!! My favorite meal of the year!

But I did get a chance to make a few cards for friends, and I also got a chance to use the sketch from Poetic Artistry. And I combined Julee's fabulous sketch with the black and white challenge from CCEE Stampers.

I used Very Vanilla instead of Whisper White on this card, I thought the white was too stark and plain.

And yet, I used Whisper White on this card, the embossing called for the white. I absolutely love this embossing folder!!! You can't really see it, but I glittered the berries. I love how the card finished!

Thank You card details:
Stamps: Upsy Daisy (SU!)
Patterned Paper: 5th Avenue (MM)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black (SU!)
Ink: Basic Black (SU!)

FaLaLaLa card details:
Stamps: Sentiment (Rubberneckers)
Patterned Paper: 5th Avenue (MM)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black (SU!)
Ink: Basic Black (SU!)
Accessories: glitter

I hope you like my cards! Merry Christmas!

Mr. Bingle

When I was a little girl (yes, back in the dinosaur days as my girls say), there was a local department store called Maison Blanche.

Every Christmas season, Momma & Daddy would bundle us into the car and we'd drive downtown into New Orleans to see the lights, and we would ALWAYS drive down Canal Street past the Maison Blanche store.

Mr. Bingle was the store's mascot...and there was a huge Mr. Bingle on the outside of the store. Mr. Bingle = Maison Blanche, get it????

And Maison Blanche always did it right! There was a song and even a puppet show in the afternoons! It was great growing up with Mr. Bingle!!! Watch this video!


Now, Maison Blanche is gone, Dillard's owns the store. And Mr. Bingle now resides in City Park for their Christmas in the Oaks celebration, but since Katrina, you can only see him on the walking tour.

Even after all these years, Mr. Bingle is alive in many adult hearts around the world. And he has a fan club. Enjoy him!

This is my 2008 Mr. Bingle ornament...I think I have all of them! I'll take some pictures of him once I put him on my Christmas tree.

Jewelry Color Inspiration #16

I always look forward to Stacey's Stamping Stage's jewelry inspiration challenge. She finds the absolute best jewelry!!

Fabulous colors as usual!!! I am in a "green" phase, so this challenge played right into my current mood. Then disaster struck!!! Again, I couldn't find what I was looking for (if you saw my cropping area you'd know why, lol). So I really struggled with the card.

This is what I came up with...not fancy, not fussy.

I have a problem using both Whisper White and Very Vanilla, and as usual, I couldn't make myself use both. A mind block!!!!

Merry Christmas card details:
Stamps: Series 22 (Studio G)
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Always Artichoke (SU!)
Ink: Green Galore (SU!)
Accessories: glitter, ribbon, various circle punches

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge # 11

I think this is going to have to be the last day I can participate in any kind of challenge, and I'm really sad about it. I do all my work on my dining room table, and I kind of need it now, lol. I've been packing the table up for days now, and I realized yesterday when I went to make my card, I had packed up more than I thought.

I couldn't find the patterned paper I wanted to use...
I couldn't find my craft knife...
I couldn't find this really cool bell stamp...
I couldn't find some wide burgundy ribbon...

ARGH!!!

And being me, over-critical & anal, I just couldn't make my card come out the way I saw it. But I'm posting it anyway, lol!

This week's Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge is inspired by one of the best classic Christmas movies, It's A Wonderful Life.

I used a sketch that I'm 99.9% sure came from Paper Craft Planet, again, I didn't write it down. I don't know what's wrong with me lately!

I found a pack of very old Stampin' Up metallic paper...and I wanted to make my card have some kind of metal on it. And the paper was perfect!

I couldn't find the stamps that I wanted to use, but I did know of a bell that I have on a CD in my graphic library. So I printed it directly on the cardstock and I thought it looked fabulous! A little glitter and the bells are perfect! I can't find this really fabulous burgundy ribbon so I just epoxied the bow as it was. BUT I'm going to keep looking for the ribbon and I'll re-post the card after I redo the card, lol!

When A Bell Rings card details:
Paper: Silver, Bravo Burgundy - retired (SU!)
Accessories: glitter, liquid epoxy, punches, ribbon

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #35

Kristina Werner has yet another fabulous color inspiration up on her blog! I just love the way this week's colors work together!!!


Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Baja Breeze, So Saffron and Very Vanilla - WOW! What fabulous colors!


I used this sketch, and I have to admit, I don't remember where I got it from. I know, I'm so bad!!! But seriously, if you know where it came from, please email me. I feel awful that I didn't write it down!


Anyway, I used my new Bella stamp, Christmatini. We are having a few of our neighbors over for drinks between Christmas and New Year's, so I'm playing with invitations. I glittered the ornament that's sitting in the glass, but now I'm wondering if I should have glittered the entire glass. I also used a touch of Kiwi Kiss to the ornament and tree...the So Saffron and Baja Breeze didn't look right, lol!

Holiday Cheer card details:
Stamps: Christmatini (Stamping Bella), Ornamental Christmas (Verve)
Patterned Paper: Frosty Day DSP (SU!)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Very Vanilla (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: glitter

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Paper Craft Planet Sketch Challenge

If you haven't joined Paper Craft Planet by now, you should and soon! I know there are lots of online groups, but for some reason, Paper Craft Planet is one of my favorites. I don't know if it's because of the way it's configured, or because it's easy to navigate, but I love it!


The sketch challenge for this past week is to use this sketch. I now realize why I'm not crazy about my card...lol! I shouldn't try to create cards at midnight!


First, I think the card is too busy...the DSP is fine, as is the little "medallion" in the upper left corner. The main image is wrong...wrong, wrong, wrong. I see it now but last night I couldn't see it.

I will rework this card...

Christmas card details:
Stamps: Lovely As A Tree & So Many Scallops (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Frosty Day (SU!)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Tangerine Tango, Close to Cocoa (SU!)
Ink: Bashful Blue, Tangerine Tango, Close to Cocoa (SU!)
Accessories: ribbon (random), circle scallop punch (SU!)

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

For Susan...

We all have a friend or two who is "non-traditional" in their Christmas decorating. My friend is probably my best friend, Susan. She has a thing for cats, cats for all seasons, lol.

I try to change up the colors for the things I make for her. Kitties in all shapes and sizes are fine, but for Christmas, she likes kitties in purple, gold, pink...anything except red and green!

One of my favorite color challenges is at Stacey's Stamping Stage, and this week's colors are perfect for Susan's card! And it's the perfect time to use my new stamps I bought from Pink Cat Studio.

And look at this fabulous card sketch from CCEE Stampers! Not fussy, but just fabulous!

I think Susan is going to love this card...the kitty reminds me so much of some of the kitties I've bought Susan over the years. I've got a few things to make for Susan using this stamp, and I know she's going to love everything!

Kitty Christmas card details:
Stamps: Cat Plate #1 (Pink Cat Studios), Ornamental Christmas (Verve)
Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Lovely Lilac, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White (SU!)
Paper: Jersey Shore DSP (SU!)
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Lovely Lilac, Pumpkin Pie (SU!), Jet Black (StazOn)
Accessories: ribbon, puff paint

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

It's Snowing!!!

It's snowing in New Orleans!!!

WOW! Mia just doesn't get what's going on and why everyone is so excited! But she got into the "snowball" mood fast!


This is a view from my front door, lol...I'm not getting out there!


And a peek from my back doors...it's really coming down!


What a fabulous birthday present for me! Thanks Momma!!!

A little video!!!

TCP Tuesday Color Challenge #37

I love the colors of the TCP Tuesday Color Challenge. WOW! I chose Real Red, Always Artichoke and Soft Sky for my color palette. And I found a really cute sketch (can't remember from where) and while I mostly like the card, the sentiment doesn't show up in any of the pictures I took.


I really wanted to use these stamps...Kitty Christmas is my one and only Cat's Pajamas set! I do plan to get more, but I'm going to have to wait til after the first of the year.


It's storming outside, so my pictures were taken inside, and apparently, no place in my house is "properly" lit, lol!

Falalala card details:
Stamps: Kitty Christmas (Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Real Red, Almost Artichoke, Soft Sky (SU!)
Ink: Versamark, jet black (StazOn), Real Red, Almost Artichoke, Soft Sky (SU!)
Accessories: white puff paint, embossing powder, circles punches

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #34

It's Wednesday, so that means I finally get a chance to post a couple of cards I've made, lol! I've been sick with a sinus infection on top of a nasty head cold. No energy, no interest in anything. I'm hacking all night, and sleepy all day [sigh].

I love how soft the colors are for Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge...those skeins of yarn are of the most gorgeous hues!


I have got to get some more patterned paper...none of what I have would work with these colors, so I did a little stamping with Versamark to make a small background, and I guess it worked. The patterned paper that I did use, well I'm not sure it's the right color blue, but hey!, I got blue on the card! It's harder than it looks!


It's not my best card, but I did manage to restrain myself enough not to use one of my fairy stamps, lol (I still think I over used those stamps).


And geesh! Let's not talk about my pictures!!! It's storming outside, so having to take the pictures inside, well no place in my house is "properly" lit, lol! Sorry about how bad they are!

Happy Holidays card details:
Stamps: Snowflakes (Inkadinkado)
Paper: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Sage Shadow, Certainly Celery, blue dsp (SU!)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: snowflake punch (fiskars), brad (random), embossing powder

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Our Elf Dance

Turn off the music on my sidebar BEFORE you play the video...

And in order shown in the opening picture -- Lore (#2), Mia, Me (behind the start button), Bonnie (#3 and Mia's mommy), and Hallie (#1).

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I don't usually put myself in these kinds of things, but I didn't want the girls dancing with this weird looking elf, lol. Aren't my girls gorgeous!?!?!

I'm around...

Everything worked out reasonably well for my husband last week. There were some problems, some delays, and some bad news, but he did finally get his angiogram Friday morning. I'll post more on the bad news later.

I did find a fabulous blog, Stampin' With Kim. She has a fabulous glitter flower tutorial...when I think about how much money I've spent on Prima flowers...ARGH! This has to be the easiest idea ever! Her tutorial is here.

Please check this out! I promise it's wonderful!

Merry Christmas Tags...

How ya'll doin'???

Before I post my card, let me first thank everyone for their emails & notes keeping my husband in your thoughts prayers. After some problems & some not so great news, Jerry had his angiogram. I can tell you I've been way up & way down - then all over the place the last few days.

Anyway, Friday night I actually had time to sit down at the computer and check around for challenges and updates to my favorite blogs...and at Splitcoast Stampers I found the "Limited Supplies" challenge.

I've been working on tags for my presents and this challenge made me think and create! I got very excited and last night I finally had a chance to create something! the card had to use "snowflake" stamps, paper, etc...no snowmen, just snowflakes. It had to be monochromatic and was supposed to sparkle! And the hardest part of the challenge was that the sentiment was to be one word!


I really like this...it's the perfect tag for one of my gifts, and I am definately going to make more. I think the card took me 15 minutes?

Merry card details:
Stamps: Ornamental Christmas (Verve)
Paper: Baja Breeze (SU!)
Ink: versamark watermark ink
Accessories: Snowflake punch (Fiskars), brads, embossing powders

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

CBCC Tuesday #17

I found a fabulous challenge this past weekend at Created By Courtney. The challenge was to make a Christmas ornament.

A while back, I found a great blog that showed using the little $1 acrylic blocks you get from Michael's as the basis of an easy Christmas ornament. Fabulous idea huh? Unfortunately, I don't remember where I saw it, so I can't give credit. If you know where I might have seen it, please let me know.

It's not the best, Mia was "helping" me, lol. And I'll make another tonight (I have tons of those little blocks), I promise!


On a personal note: Please keep my husband & I in your thoughts today. We've been trying to get him qualified for a stem cell research project (harvesting his own stem cells) to increase the blood flow to his legs.

Today, they are going to admit him to the hospital & give him meds to protect his one remaining kidney (the other he had removed because of cancer). Then tomorrow, they'll put another stint in his abdomen to help increase the blood flow down to his legs. We really need this to work. He has so much pain when he walks, and since we've been down this road with his mom, we know how bad it can get.

Thanks ya'll! And have a great day!

CCEE Stamp Challenge/Mojo Monday #63

I love combining challenges, big secret huh? LOL!

Well, this card combines the creative genius of Julee at Poetic Artistry and the fabulous ladies at CCEE Stampers.


Another fabulous sketch by Julee! And the CCEE Stamper's challenge making a "blue" card with brads! WOW! How fun!!!

I immediately knew which stamp I was going to use, and getting all the "blue" together was easy. I didn't want to have lots of white, but I needed some to go along with the sketch. What do you think?

"Blue" Thank You card details:
Stamps: Bluebell bittybloom (Stampin' Bella), Love and Joy (SU!)
Paper: Whisper White, Bordering Blue, Not Quite Navy, DSP (SU!)
Ink: Bordering Blue, Rose Red, Elegant Egglant, Not Quite Navy (SU!), versamark
Accessories: brads, embossing powder, lacy punch (Martha Stewart)

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

2 Sketches 4 You Sketch Challenge #14

I love Kazan and Laura's sketches...they are fabulous! Please visit their challenge blog at 2 Sketches 4 You. Every week, they have the best sketches!


SEE!!! How wonderful is this! And here is my card using their sketch! I did not put the tab as shown on the sketch...I just didn't like anything I did. I tried paper tabs, DSP tabs, I made a tab with the lacy trim, the ribbon, argh! Nothing looked right, so I left it off.

Joy card details:
Stamps: Love and Joy (SU!)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Baroque Burgundy, Always Artichoke, DSP (SU!)
Ink: Baroque Burgundy (SU!), Versamark
Accessories: ribbon, lace punch (Martha Stewart)

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge #46

Every week, Techno Stamper has the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge. The sketches are fabulous, a real challenge for me.


This sketch is fabulous! WOW! I really had to think and plan this out and then I looked at the pile of paper and cardstock on my table and I just picked this out.

4 Ever card details:
Stamps: ProvenÇal (SU!)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Baroque Burgundy, Always Artichoke, DSP (SU!)
Ink: Baroque Burgundy, Always Artichoke (SU!)
Accessories: brads, ribbon, sticker (Melissa Frances)

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Color Throwdown #21

The Color Throwdown is one of the best color inspirations out there! If you haven't participated, you need to!


I'm almost late, lol...tomorrow (Wednesday) is the new color inspiration but I wanted to make sure I get my card in. This week, the colors are Really Rust, Chocolate Chip and Sage Shadow.

I used my new favorite stamp set "Lovely As A Tree" and made a basic card. I can use this as a note card or whatever. I purposely chose NOT to add a sentiment.

Card details:
Stamps: Lovely As A Tree (SU!)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, DSP vellum (SU!)
Ink: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow (SU!)
Accessories: twill ribbon

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge #28

Every week, A Spoonful of Sugar, has a great challenge! And we all know how much I love challenges! The DT cards are gorgeous...I'm gonna have to get some of those Sarah Kay stamps!!!

Last night, while working on my cards (all on my own), I made a little thank you card in anticipation of what I'll need after Christmas.


And this morning, here was a challenge to make a Thank You card! Talk about timing!!!

Thank You card details:
Stamps: Lovely As A Tree (SU!)
Paper: Kraft (PTI), Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, DSP (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip ((SU!)
Accessories: ribbon

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Happy Holidays!

I love Christmas...I love being able to wear flip-flops and shorts, I love to sweat while putting up my outdoor decorations, and I love trying to decide whether to put on a light sweater or not. ROFL! I live in the New Orleans, LA metro area and we have about 3 days of real winter every year, lol!

But I still love Christmas...the smells of the cookies baking, the sounds of Mia's laughter when she sees more Christmas decorations, the sight of her smiles. I bake cookies for my neighbors, mailman and friends, and Mia is going to be a big help this year.

So I need a bunch of generic, fast Christmas cards again this year...and here are a couple I've made.

Holiday cards details:
Stamps: Big Holiday Words (Hero Arts)
Paper: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red (SU!)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: embossing powder, snowflake brads, glitter (MM), felt flowers (American Crafts), ribbon

I hope you like my cards! And thanks for looking!

Butterfly Award...

I should be giving out an award to all the wonderful ladies I've "met" online. Their generosity and willingness to answer all my dumb questions is unending.

Sankari has a beautiful blog and is just too sweet! The posts on her blog have inspired me and challenged me...isn't that what it's all about?

She has given me the following award...I'm so not worthy of it though.


The rules for this award are to:

1. Pick 10 people to pass this award to
2. Contact them & let them know that you have chosen their blog for this award
3. Link to the person who gave this award to you

The people I have chosen for this award are fabulous bloggers who always challenge me with their creativity. I'm supposed to pass this onto 10 people, but I don't know 10 people, lol...basically, I am pretty shy online, more of a stalker, lol.

1. Stacey's Stamping Stage
2. Techno Stamper
3. Poetic Artistry
4. MotherMark
5. Today's Lessons
6. Chic n' Scratch

I'm sorry I don't "know" more people, lol. But these are some of the best of the best. Please check out their blogs!!!

See ya'll later!!! I've got some cards to post, but housework has to come first, lol!

Black Friday Challenge...

I know I'm a little late with this one...

Stamp Something has a great weekly challenge, and I've been trying to participate. This week's challenge was in honor of "Black Friday", and I really kept with the theme, lol!


I think my card is very crisp and clean, very graphic. It was a little easier than I thought it would be, and for once, the card just flowed out of me. I loved that!

Thinking of You card details:
Stamps: Fancy Florals (Verve)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink: Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories: Dotted Swiss embossing folder (Cuttlebug), ribbon, embossing powder

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

Paper Craft Planet Color Challenge

I love Paper Craft Planet! If you haven't joined, you should!

They have a color challenge each week, and this week, the colors were fabulous! I do have Christmas cards on my mind, so I really struggled (unnecessarily I know) with using some of my Christmas stamps on the card.


I had to sneak a little summer yellow in there for the star, but I stayed true to the colors chosen and I really think Santa looks terrific!


And when I bought my crop-a-dile, it came with little bags of eyelets. The snowflakes were in one of those little bags, and they look wonderful on the card. I smooshed them a little too hard, but I don't think it takes away from the card.

Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays! card details:
Stamps: Ho-Ho-Holidays (SU!)
Paper: Kraft (PTI), Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Taken With Teal, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Taken With Teal, Summer Sun (SU!), StazOn jet black, Versamark
Accessories: eyelets, Winter Wonderland embossing powder

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!

I hope...

I hope ya'll all had a great Thanksgiving. I think all the food is just about gone, thank goodness, 'cause I can't eat leftovers much more, lol.

Today I have a few cards I've made ready to post. I'll get them up as quickly as I can, but I have Mia today, so it's gonna be hit and miss, lol!


I started this card with the Mojo Monday sketch from Poetic Artistry. I love her sketches, and I love her stamps! But nothing spoke to me, nothing but the sketch. I teamed the sketch up with the colors from this week's colors from Paper Craft Planet, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White.

And then, Our Creative Corner had a challenge that we were to use snowmen or snowflakes! WooHoo! Three challenges in one card!


I used my new Martha Stewart embossing punch, I love it!, and some old SU! vellum. Inkadinkado stamps always work and I just love how it came out! I chose not to put a sentiment on the front of the card, it's inside.

Snowman card details:
Stamps: Warm Holiday Wishes (Inkadinkado)
Patterned Paper: old vellum (SU!)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red (SU!)
Accessories: Versamark, embossing powder, embossing punch (Martha Stewart)

I hope you like my card! And thanks for looking!