Thought I would share some pics of an album I made. This was my gift to take for swapping at our girly reunion. It is an altered paper bag. Lots of tearing, distressing, inking, painting, doodling, stitching and tags. Some of the pages have little flip over or flip up pages on them.




The tags that were tucked in have some personalized info about each of the ladies
plus there are lots of tags to journal and write
info on and phone numbers.













After the first time we got together a couple years ago one of the ladies tagged us as the
"ya ya sisters" it kinda stuck and so I had to include that in the album. I have tried to
get these in order but they just wont cooperate but at least you can see all the different
pages and how there are places to add photos and journaling. The big pockets also have
lots of tags in them. Some of the pages have journaling and under the tags are some doodling,
collages and poems. Too many photos to show all of that.

PIXIE COTTAGE CHALLENGE & PASSIONATELY ARTISTIC

It's Challenge time and an eXtra special Wednesday because it is my Sweet dad's 89th birthday. My first card is for Passionately Artistic and also for my Dad. A heart filled with music to wish him a wonderful birthday and a fun little cardboard flower. The bow is tied onto a button.The Corners are punched with a MS looped corner punch and the stamped sentiment with a Spellbinder Label #17.

Entering Challenges:
Incy Wincy Designs: Dots & Stripes
Birthday Sundaes: Birthday Card
Dream Valley: Anything goes
Fashionable Stamping: Coffee Cream and hint of chocolate



The Pixie Cottage Challenge today is get started... Christmas and/or the sketch. Yikes you know is not quite 60 days away!! This is my first Christmas card. I really like this pretty image, Don't you think it has a very warm welcoming look to it? You can find this lovely image called Winter Window at Michelle's Scrapbooking & More. The image is water colored and stickles added to the snow. The tree and window awning were cut out and pop dotted up for dimension. The plaid and image were cut with a Spellbinder Label #17 and the sentiment was cut with a Spellbinder Label #10.

Entering Challenges:

Christmas Inspiration: Bows
Come and Get it: Anything goes
Anything Goes: Stitching real or faux
The Ribbon Girl: Jingle all the way to Christmas+ribbon

TUESDAY THROWDOWN CHALLENGE

Today at Tuesday Throwdown our sponsor is Robyn's Fetish and our challenge is so appropriate for this time of year, thanks or a derivative of thanks. I'm using the Bernice Red Hat Bear image. I water colored the cute little image and cut out with a Spellbinder. The top green was ran thru a embossing folder and bottom is a Basic Grey print. The center was double punched with a MS daisy punch and a little stamped border added. Some dyed ribbon and flower button to finish it off.
Be sure to stop by and join us.

Entering Challengs:
Ooh La La Creations: Stitching real or faux
Pollycraft Monday: Anything goes
The Squirrel and The Fox: Hats or flowers

Heart Song Inspiration Challenge

First I just wanted to thank everyone for stopping by and leaving your sweet comments this past week and apologize for not getting by to see all your wonderful creations. I've got an overload of life going on right now but hope to be back on track soon.


It is a new week and here at Heart Song Inspiration we have an either or challenge. It is embossing and/ or 3+ layers. I decided to use both. I used the sketch from My Time Made Easy. My Heart Song image is called Ana and Flower, you can find it and many more Here. The image was water colored and then the wing and flower were cut out and popped up for some dimension. Be sure to stop by and join us.

Entering Challenges:
Creative Inspirations Paint: Fall
Stampin' Sisters in Christ: Isaiah 1:18....fall colors
Craft Your Days Away: Autumn/fall
Wee Memories: Brads, buttons or bows

PIXIE COTTAGE CHALLENGE & PASSIONATELY ARTISTIC

Already Wednesday again and time for a new Pixie Cottage Challenge. I used the sketch this week. The theme is Go For The Gold.

My card uses the DCWV glitter sweet collection and SU papers. This is one of the "Sweet" new Pixie Cupckake images available at Michelle's Scrapbooking and More.I water colored it and then added the different sprinkles. I used stickles to make the silver cupcake holders. It was cut out with a Spellbinder Label #2. I cut out two little candles and added a little stickles to them also.Used the SU oval and scalloped oval for the sentiment and everything was foam dotted on.

Entering Challenges:
Party Time Tuesdays: Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter: Anything goes
Scrapbook Sisters: AnythingGoes

Passionately Artistic Challenge

A clean and simple card today, the image is an old one with no name on the stamp.
Lots of tiny little areas to color and it was a bit of a challenge but I love the image.
Tried different colors for mat and finally decided the bold maroon was a good
compliment. Really liked the touch of bright white. Be sure to hop on
over and link up to the current party.

Entering Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments: No design papers
Wacky Wednesday: Anything Goes

TUESDAY THROWDOWN CHALLENGE

Hope you week has started off well. Don't know about you but sure seems to be way to busy lately! Well getting on to the Tuesday Throwdown challenge, It is a very bright one...

Use Primary Colors. Our sponsor this week is
My Grafico who gave us the perfect images for
this challenge, circus. I water colored three of
the images for my card. The fun shiny stripe
seemed just right to go with the circus figures!
Finished with the little pennants. And there you
have it lots of Primary Colors! The team has
lots of very fun creations so be sure to stop by
and see them. Can't wait to see your creations :)



Entering Challenges:
Make It Monday: Always anything goes
Designed2delight: Cute Critters

Heart Song Inspiration Challenge

Happy Monday to you all...hope you are doing well. Heart Song Inspiration
has a new challenge today. No sentiment and/or harvest. I used the new
image Corn & Wheat, you can purchase here.
After water coloring the image I cut it out with the
Spellbinder scalloped oval then matted on the grey.
The yellow crackled dp is from The Paper Studio.
The blue was embossed with a damask folder and
then punched with a EK Success punch. The ribbon
was dyed and tied together with the button and the
tag was punched and added.

My colors are from Mona's
CR84FN Color Challenge

Entering Challenges:
Gingerloft: Halloween or Fall
One Stitch At A Time: Emboss it
If The Shoe Fits: Halloween or Fall
Stampin With The Dragon: Buttons & Bows
Karen's Doodles: Emboss it
Squigglefly: Saying Thanks

Operation Write Home Fundraiser Bloghop

Have you heard of Operation Write Home?? They are an organization that collects and sends cards to the Men and Women serving our Country. They use these handmade cards to send home to their loved ones! If you have loved ones serving you know how difficult it is for them to leave their families. These handmade cards are a special way for them to send home personal messages! Sending the letters abroad is not a cheap undertaking and with the holidays coming up there are plenty of cards needing to go. OWH is in great need of FUNDS to ship these cards. Deedee and Katlyn have graciously drawn up several different image collections for you to purchase.

These images are available for sale at K 'n K Blog HERE. They are $2.00 a set
or all of the sets for $10.00. A 100% of all proceeds will go to OWH for shipping costs.
We would also encourage you to send cards to OWH. You can go HERE to the site for more information but there is one BIG requirement and
that is NO glitter. It could endanger lives!! Also it is best
to make an A4 size (4 1/4 x 5 1/2).

You should have arrived here from the talented Tricia's blog

All my cards are A4 size to send to OWH...
First two are from the Kolar's Care Collection

The card was stitched around, lace added and buttons tied on. The image is water colored. I thought the image made a fun little tag to go along with some dog treats.
Entering Challenges:
Cards & Things: A Sketch
Bunny Zoe's: Lace it up
Cupcake Craft: Buttons & Bows
Forever Friends: Sentiment plus animal
















The Cute little snowman image is from the Snow Thankful Collection. Made this little one using SU papers, Spellbinders and MS & Marvy punches.

Entering Challenges:

Crafty Sentiments:Snowmen

The Stamping Boutique: Someone Special

Ooh la La Creations: Let it Snow

Mojo Monday: A Sketch

Aud Sentiments: Sentiment & winter theme

ABC

This one uses the an image from the Thoughtful Teddies Collection. A little criss cross pocket card and tag using Bo Bunny dp. The Teddy was water colored and cut out with a Spellbinder flower shape. The edges were made with a MS punch and the sentiment punched with SU punches. The

tag was embossed and a flower added to the top
along with a ribbon.

Entering Challenges:

My Time to Craft: Punches & Dies

K B Cute Monday: Anything Goes

Woodware: Anything Goes

Shelly's Images: Show us what you got

Whimsey Stamps: Make your own flowers

This cute little kitty is from the Patriotic Pickles Collection.
The image is water colored and cut out.
I used the star and dotted swiss embossing folders,
heart punches, button and bow as embellies.

Entering Challenges:

Crazy Amigos: Numbers

Try Stamping on Tuesday: Sketch
Cupcake Crafts: Buttons & Bows
Charisma Cardz: Embossing,,,wet or dry

Your next stop will be at Cleota's blog so you will to hop on over and check out
her Lovely creation and don't for get to leave a comment!

You will have until Sunday evening at 8:00 pm Pacific time to comment. Comments from all participants will be collected and two Lucky winners will receive a Digi pkgs generously donated by Katlyn at K'nK Designs. We will announce winners on Monday.

PLEASE consider helping by buying one or all the stamp sets or just donating,

any amount would be appreciated! You will be blessing someone who is
serving with the opportunity to receive some wonderful handmade
cards to send home to their loved ones!

"NOT A CARD MAKER? Donate to help with

shipping! HERE

Operation Write Home needs your generous assistance to get the holiday boxes shipped overseas. Sponsor a box for $13, or any amount you choose - click on the yellow PayPal button on the Operation Write Home site to make a gift directly right now, or send in a gift with your box of cards!"

PIXIE COTTAGE CHALLENGE & PASSIONATELY ARTISTIC

Yeah half way thru the week! That means its time for another Pixie Cottage Challenge.
As always we have a sketch you can use or the theme is Sweet as Candy. I've used
the "sweet image Fairy Molly by Eileen Gutierez. This stamp and all others can be
found at Michelle's Scrapbooking and More

The little candy print is DCWV Sweet Collection
The dotted dp is from my scrap box. The
little image was water colored and Stickles added to her wings. The happy tags are cut with the Spellbinder Label #20,the letters and brads added then foam dotted on as is the image and punched sentiment.









Entering Challenges:

My Time to Craft: Punches & Dies
The Corrosive: Flying Things
The Squirrel and The Fox: One for the Girls

Passionately Artistic has a open challenge going on right now so hop
over and join in. I used an old Stampin Up set stamping several different layers and
adding a little more color with the water colors. Two torn layers for some
color and a dyed ribbon to match. A trio of jewels for a little sparkle.
Entering Challenges:
Twin Touch Markers: Florals
The Ribbon Reel: Pretty Pastel Florals
Stamptacular Sunday: You Choose

TUESDAY THROWDOWN CHALLENGE

Good Morning ladies... Tuesday Throwdown Challenge
for this week is a Shaped card. Our Sponsor is
Stampin Up Demonstrator Catherine Pooler.
The talented ladies on our team have some great
examples for you today so be sure to
stop by each of their blogs and give them some love.
I'm trying to make things that meet challenge
requirements and will fill my needs for this
busy time of year. I decided a leaf shape
would make a perfect thank you for ladies in my
Women's Ministry group. I drew a leaf then
folded all my 8 1/2 by 11 papers in half length wise. I placed the leaf on the fold as you can see the
left side of the leaf is a bit squared off so it will open.
I used my Stampin Up inks for this project. I dropped
yellows, browns greens and rusts on a piece of
foil then whiffed with water. After it all ran together
I pounced the leaves in it. I'm really happy how
they turned out, they are all a bit different. I then
made lighter colored papers and punched out
the small leaves to put on the sentiment. After
all the big leaves were colored I also randomly stamped with my SU canvas bg stamp using
brown to give a bit extra to them. I then used
a black marker to give some veining to the leaves.
In this pic you are able to see how it opens
from the side. On the inside I cut a piece of lighter colored paper so I would be able
to write a personal message to each of the ladies. A little faux stitching to finish it off.

Entering Challenges:
Crafty Boots: Autumn or Halloween
Get Hippity with Ippity: Fall Colours
Stamps R Us: Natures Gift
UnstampaBelles: Fall/Autumn
Victorine Stamps: Fall creations
One Stitch At A Time: Shape Up

Heart Song Inspiration Challenge

The ladies at Heart Song have some lovely creations to inspire you today.
Come join us in our newest challenge, my favorite ...Flowers and/or Felt
I have used one of the new images, a sunflower
With the holidays and several birthdays just around the
corner Im working on gifts. My friend redid her bathroom with black tiles and brushed nickle accents and sunflowers. After water coloring several of sunflowers I cut them all out and mounted on the cut out base. I decorated three sides of this jar and lid with the sunflower image then filled it with some bath salts I made for her. Made a little tag with the instructions on it.

The base of the card was embossed then I sewed
around the entire card. Added the layers
stitched, sponged and foam dotted on.
Added the cut out sunflower and dyed some ribbon then tied on with the
little button. And no this card isnt curved
guess it was the angle I took the pic.







Entering Challenges:

Cupcake Craft: Buttons and Bows
Make It Monday: Anything Goes
Paper Playtime: Sentiment plus Buttons & Bows
Stamp With Fun: A Gift
The Emerald Fairie: Flowers