Secret Sister Card

My Secret Sister has struck again!  Look at this gorgeous card she had someone deliver to me at the Shoebox Swap I attended this past Saturday!  Isn't it beautiful?  I have been so spoiled by my Secret Sister and I can't wait to find out who she is at our reveal luncheon on May 7th at a local restaurant! 



Shoebox Swap!

This past Saturday my friend Amanda hosted another of her fabulous Shoebox Swaps!  They are always a special time to get together with my friends and fellow stampers to stamp the day away, laugh, and of course EAT!  Besides all the wonderful cards there is always an array of yummy food, from breakfast to lunch to dessert!  And Amanda is the most wonderful hostess, she really puts a lot of work into making the day fun for us with some fantastic door prizes and other surprises!  I won a wonderful door prize of the SU stamp set Itty Bitty Bits and the coordinating punches.  I can't wait to use them!  Here is my card that I took to the swap.  It is very similar to the card I made for my Aunt's birthday but using a different color combo.

Card Ingredients
Stamps:  SU Happiness Shared, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock:  SU Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools:  SU Scallop Trim Border Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch
Accessories:  Pearls, Dimensionals



I can't get "ogre" you!

Here we are on week 11 for the Hambo Hoedown Challenges!  Our free digi this week is this cute 'ogre'!  He came with a couple of sentiments and I chose "I can't get 'ogre' you"!  As part of our challenge we were also to use distressing on our card, which I don't do a whole lot of, but I do like the look of it!  I used my distressing tool and distressed around the edges of the Early Espresso Panel as well as the around the inside of the oval.  I also distressed around the edges of the sentiment.  Then I took my scissors and made a lot of gouges in the front panel to distress it as well.  Coming up with a card using this image was a bit of a challenge for me but it made me put my thinking cap on and I guess that's what challenges are for, aren't they?  I hope you like it!

Card Ingredients
Images:  "Ogre-digi" from Hambo Stamps
Stamps:  SU Three Trees (retired)
Cardstock:  SU Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie
Ink:  SU Early Espresso
Tools:  Distressing Tool, Scissors, Nesties, Copics, Dimensionals



It's Time for Another Hambo Hoedown Challenge!

Wow, these weeks fly by so fast, I can't believe it's time for another Hambo Hoedown Challenge card!  This week's free digi image was this oh so cute Penguin Bunny!  As part of our challenge this week we were to make an Easel Card.  I hadn't made one in a long time and forgot just how easy they are!  What a fun challenge!  If you'd like to get in on the challenges go to the Hambo Hoedown website here and join in the fun!  Here is the card I made: 

Card Ingredients
Image:  Hambo Penguin Bunny Digi
Sentiment is from SU Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock:  SU Old Olive, Regal Rose; Basic Grey Olivia DSP
Tools: SU Large Oval Punch, SU Scallop Oval Punch, SU Scallop Border Punch, Copics
Accessories:  Glitter Brads, Stickles, Dimensionals

Happy Birthday Aunt Miny!

I only have one aunt and she is very near and dear to my heart.  She was like a second mother to me growing up, I spent a lot of time with her even though she has 3 daughters of her own.  Her name is Marion but when I was little I couldn't pronounce her name and it came out Miny, so Aunt Miny it was!  Even to this day I still call her that.  She's going through a bit of a lonely time right now after having lost her husband of 62 years in January.  She just had a birthday yesterday and this is the card I made for her.  I'm planning to spend some time with her soon and take her out for a birthday lunch. 

Card Ingredients
Stamps:  SU Happiness Shared, SU Watercolor Trio
Cardstock: SU Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride, Blushing Bride DP, Basic Black, GP 110 White
Tools:  MS Punch, SU Large Oval Punch, SU Scallop Oval Punch, Copics, Dimensionals
Accessories:  Pearls

Hambo Hoedown No. 9!

The Hambo Hoedown Challenge is up to number 9 already!  For those of you who are not familiar with the Hoedown, here's how it works:  Go to the Hambo Hoedown site and see what the challenge is for that week.  Use any Hambo image and make a card following the challenge guidelines and post it to your blog.  You then link it back to the Hoedown site and also email a picture of your card to them (details are on the site)  Once you have completed those items Hambo will email you the free digi image for the following week's challenge.  Isn't that cool?  I've really been enjoying these challenges and getting the free digi images! 

This week's free digi is this adorable caterpillar!  Isn't it just the cutest thing you ever saw?  In addition to using this image on our card we were to use the colors hot pink and bright green.  I love those two colors together so this was really a fun challenge for me!  Here is my card for Challenge No. 9! 

Card Ingredients
Image:  Caterpillar Digi from Hambo Stamps
Sentiment:  SU Bugs & Kisses
Cardstock:  SU Green Galore, Melon Mambo DSP, Melon Mambo
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Green Galore
Tools:  Copics, Nesties, SU Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Dimensionals, Sponge
Accessories:  RicRac Ribbon, Pearls


A Blog Award from my friend Mary!

My dear friend and fellow stamper Mary has honored me with the Versatile Blogger Award!  Thank you so much Mary, I am honored that you chose me as someone to receive this award!  I had taken a little time off from blogging for a while but I am back now and really enjoying it again!   Mary's blog has been such an inspiration to me, she is such a talented and creative person and you can see all of her wonderful creations here at her blog My Stampin' Hideaway. 

As part of receiving this award I am to tell you seven things about myself and then pass this award on to other fellow bloggers.  Here are seven things about me that you might not know:

1.  I met my current husband at 7/11 when I worked there part-time as a second job to support myself and two children after a divorce.  He was a customer for about a year before we actually started dating.  We will be celebrating our 12th anniversary in May!
2.  I got my motorcycle license at the ripe old age of 49!  I just sold my Harley a few months ago as I hadn't been riding much after my dh sold his bike to buy a race car.  Maybe someday we will ride again, who knows?
3.  I taught country line dancing for several years and our group performed at the Maryland State Fair.
4.  I make a mean pot of beef vegetable soup!
5.  I am a descendant of Johann Sebastian Bach on my mother's side.
6.  I recently changed jobs after being in the same job for over 23 years.  I was a secretary and have now moved into the Human Resources field.
7.   I went on my first cruise last summer and can't wait to go on another one!
 
I am now supposed to pass this award on to fellow bloggers who have inspired me and I have chosen the following people:

Amanda - Stamp Me
Ann - The Stampin' Schach
Holly - Rubber Redneck
Linda - Linda's Stamping Blog
Vera - Vera Stamps
Please visit their blogs for some wonderful inspiration!



Rubber Redneck Stampede Spring Time Edition Challenge Card No. 3

Here is my card for the Day 3 Color Challenge at the Rubber Redneck Stampede Spring Time Edition.  We were to use the color combo of Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Peach Parfait.  Definitely colors that say spring!  I did a lot of paper piercing on this card!  Both Nestie panels are popped up on dimensionals although it's hard to see in the photo.  I'm hoping to get more color challenges finished and posted this weekend!

Card Ingredients
Stamps:  SU Live Your Dreams (retired)
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, Peach Parfait DSP,
Pear Pizzazz, Pear Pizzazz DSP, GP110 White
Tools:  Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Scallop Edge Punch, Peach Parfait,
Pear Pizzazz, and Daffodil Delight Markers, Nesties - Labels 4
Accessories: Brads