Thank you, Judy!

Judy Rozema is a VERY talented stamper! She is also the Design Team Coordinator at Hambo Stamps. She recently awarded me this blog award. What an honor!!! Thank you Judy!!! Check out her blog here. You won't be disappointed! I am supposed to tell you 7 things about myself and then pass this award on to other talented bloggers, so here goes:

1. I can recite all 50 states in alphabetical order. (Thanks to Stevie Wonder for writing the song "Fifty Nifty United States" that I had to sing in 5th grade chorus!)

2. I can write in cursive backwards. (Not quite sure why I know I can do this!)

3. I own and ride my own motorcycle. (Got my license when I was 49!)

4. I am terrified of bats!!

5. I love to read historical romance novels- give me a pirate or a knight and I'm happy!

6. I'm fascinated by the nose art on WW2 airplanes.

7. My 7th great grandmother was hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692. I visited her memorial when we were in Salem last summer. As soon as I took a picture of her memorial, my camera died....it's like she was trying to "tell" me something!

I am now supposed to pass this award on to some other fabulous bloggers and I chose 6 of my fellow Meade Girls:

Amanda

Gloria/Theresa

Angie

Paula

Kathi

Jen

Check out their blogs for some great inspiration!!

Elton!

Saturday we went to see Elton John in concert in Baltimore. I've seen him twice before- once in 1975 and again in the '80s with Billy Joel. Now, Elton turned 64 years old on Friday, March 25th, but boy, what a show that 64-year old man put on! He sang and played for nearly 3-hours solid!! And he sounded wonderful!!! He sang all of the old favorites- Rocket Man, Levon, Benny & the Jets, Candle in the Wind, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting and tons more, before ending with Your Song. I had such a fabulous time!!!

More Please!!

Hee Haw! It's Hoedown time again! Can you believe it?? We're on Hoedown #8 already!! This week's challenge is to use the fun Coffee Girl image we received plus the following sketch to create a card.

Here's my submission to the Hoedown this week. It's VERY loosely based on the sketch! :)

I'm not a coffee drinker (give me a Coca Cola!) so this was definitely a challenge for me! I crimped the strip of cream print DSP to resemble the bands around the coffee cups that you get from those over-priced coffee shops!

If you'd like to play along with the Hoedown, check 'em out here.

I also submitted this card to several other challenges:

Challenge # 27- Anything Goes at Crafts and Me Challenges
Challenge #28- Anything Goes at Scrapbook Sisters Challenges
Challenge #114- Use a Digi at The Crafty Pad

Stamps- Coffee Girl Digi-Image (Hambo Stamps)
Ink- Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock- Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white
Patterned Paper- Circles (unknown from my stash), Nook & Pantry (Basic Grey)
Accessories- 1/16" hole punch, antiqued copper brads, Copic Markers, crimper, pop dots, sponge

Japan- You're In Our Thoughts...

This card was made and submitted to the Use It Tuesday challenge blog. The challenge this week is related to recent world events:

"Make make a project using the color RED in honor of Japan. Remember to use something from your stash you have been hoarding and please tell us in your post or project description what that item (or items) is!

As an added twist...we are going to make a donation to the Red Cross based on the number of participants we have! If we get 1-25 players, we will donate $50; 26-50 players we will donate $75 and so on up to $400! So feel free to get the word out! We would love to make a great donation on behalf of our fellow crafters. :) "

This was such a worthwhile cause that I just HAD to play along! I don't have many Japanese-related items in my stash, however, I did find this beautiful Geisha online. It was a Japanese coloring page that I used as a digi-image.

The "Many Thanks" stamp is one that I've had for ages. The paper, of course, is from my hoarded paper stash. I thought it sort of looked like Cherry Blossoms. I've had it so long I don't even remember who made it. It's a simple card, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

If you'd like to participate in the Use It Tuesday challenge, you can visit their blog here.

I also submitted this card to the Crafts and Me Challenge #27- Anything Goes and Craft Your Passion Challenge # 50- Show Your Appreciation.

Stamps- Geisha digi-image, Many Thanks stamp- unknown
Cardstock- Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white, patterned paper- unknown
Ink- Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories- Cuttlebug, Nestabilities (oval and scalloped oval), Copic Markers, pop dots, pink stick-on gems (Bling IT by Basic Grey)

OBG Blog Hop Time!!!

Welcome to my Hide-away! It's time for another Designing D.I.V.A.S. "Oldies But Goodies" blog hop! Hopefully you arrived here from Cindy's blog, but if you didn't, that's okay, you can still catch up by going to Melissa's blog to start the hop! You wouldn't want to miss anything!!!

The D.I.V.A.S. were to create a project using stamps and accessories that are at least 6-months old. Well, this is not a hard thing for me to do since I have SO many stamps that have never seen ink and tons of packages of designer paper sitting unopened. Today, I decided to use one of my Bombshell Stamps' sets, Homeward Bound, that's been waiting to be used. I love this ship image. The designer paper is much older than 6-months. Yes, I AM a paper hoarder! :) I also used one of my Nestabilities that I've had and not used. Sometimes I think I'm a "collector" and not a "stamper"!

Now, sail on over to the next stop on our hop and visit Maria's blog to see what she's offering up.

Stamps: Homeward Bound (Bombshell Stamps), Linen background stamp (Stampin' Up!- retired)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Creamy Caramel (Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white
Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up!
Accessories: Nestabilities (Lacy Squares), Cuttlebug, Copic Markers, 1/16" hole punch, antiqued copper brads, pop dots

This card was submitted for the following challenges:

Stamping Vacation Challenge - What A Guy Challenge- Boating Theme
Card Ideas - Yummy Color Challenge- Use Chocolate, Caramel, and one other color
One Stitch At A Time -Challenge #54- Something For the Boys
The SisterHood of Crafters- Let's Hear it For the Boys!

I'll Never Forget Your Birthday!!

This is the card that I made for Hambo Stamps' Hambo Hoedown # 7. Isn't this image adorable??? It's called Party Elephant and you can buy it here.

The challenge this week was to use Party Elephant and make it sparkle! My card sparkles more in real life than it does in the scan. Check out the Hoedown for yourself and play along! As soon as I saw the elephant image I thought "elephants never forget" so I tied a string around his trunk and computer-generated the sentiment. I think he turned out cute!! Just have to decide who I'll send it to!

I am also sumbitting this card to the Wee Memory challenge #48- Cute & Cuddly, Card Makin' Mamas Challenge #17- Animals, and the Send A Smile For Kids challenge #6- Birthday Girl.

Stamps: Party Elephant Digi-Image (Hambo Stamps), sentiment is computer-generated
Patterned Paper: The Pocket Full of Posies Stack with Sparkles
Cardstock: Real Red, Bashful Blue (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white
Accessories: Copic Markers, glitter brads (Stampin' Up!), keytag punch, pop dots, Basic Black fine-tip marker (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities, Cuttlebug

Happy Mail!

It's ALWAYS fun to get mail that isn't bills or junk! Here are a couple pieces of "fun mail" that I received recently.

The first card is from my Maryland Stampers/Meade Girls Secret Sister. It's funny but right before I got this card I tried my hand at the quilt technique with not-so-good results (I'll post a picture of my what-not-to-do later!) Love the colors she used on this card!! Thanks, SS, whoever you are!!


I also received this beautiful St. Patrick's Day card from my friend, Tracy, in Alaska. I love the layout and those fabulous patterned papers that she used!!! She also sent me a pair of shamrock socks which I wore on St. Patrick's Day. Thanks, Tracy! You are SO thoughtful!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful Saturday!!!

I'm Seeing Green...and a HoeDown!

It's Hoedown time again!!! This week's Hambo image is an adorable little hamster leprechaun...check him out! I also submitted this card to The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge to create a St. Patrick's Day card.

The challenge was to use this cute image plus lots of GOLD! Unfortunately, I had used up all of my gold coins on previous St. Patrick's Day projects. For this card, I used gold lame ribbon, a gold Spica pin, and gold metallic paper. Not as much gold as I would have preferred but he IS cute!!

Stamps: digi-image from Hambo Stamps, horseshoe from Bombshell Stamps
Cardstock: Green Galore, gold metallic (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white
Patterned paper: Basic Grey
Accessories: Copic Markers, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities oval- plain and scalloped, scalloped circle, 1-3/4" and 1-1/4" circle punches (Stampin' Up!), gold Spica pen, gold lame ribbon (Michael's), pop dots, cotton swab, Pretty In Pink Classic Ink (Stampin' Up!) for his cheeks

This next card is made using a digi image from 2 Cute Rubber Stamps. She was looking for several people to create cards using her images for posting to her store. This is one of the images that she sent me. Isn't he cute??

Stamp: digi-image from 2 Cute Rubber Stamps
Cardstock: Green Galore, YoYo Yellow (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white
Patterned paper: Basic Grey
Accessories: Copic Markers, green stick-on gems (Bling IT by Basic Grey), Cuttlebug, Nestabilities oval and scalloped oval, Square Lattice embossing folder (Stampin' Up!)

Another FUN swap!!!

Today I spent the day with a group of fabulous ladies in a stamping frenzy...Kathy hosted the SU-only Maryland City/Laurel Shoebox Swap and it was another fun swap!!! We stamped hard and furiously all day- only stopping long enough to eat...well, and you KNOW how we all like to eat! :) I was exhausted when I got home, but I couldn't wait to look through all of the beautiful cards that we made!!

Here is the card that I made to take to the swap...a little boring, but I do love that silhouette image!

Here are the cards that the other ladies brought for us to make (all of the buttons and bows and brads (oh, my!) caused some crooked scans and I do apologize for that!)

Vera

Lisa

Theresa

Sarah

Ruth

Pete

Michele Z.

Michelle D.

Mary B.

Lynn

Lori

Larcy

Kathy

Kathi

JoAnn (?)

Jeanne (?)

Jane

???

Gloria

Eva (?)

???

Angie

Amanda

???

There are quite a few that I didn't know who made, so if you happen to know, please let me know so I can give her credit for her card. Also, if I have the wrong name on any, please let me know that, too!!!

There is one more card that I need to finish before I post it. Once I get it finished, I'll make sure to show you!!

Now, I'm SO looking forward to Amanda's swap in April. Guess I need to get to work on creating my card for that one!!!

Welcoming Them Home...

My friend, Peggy, is involved in an organization that goes to the airport and greets military units who are returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, giving them "goodie" bags with a Welcome Home card inside. They are short on cards and she asked the teachers at my school if their kids could make them some cards. I, along with some of my stamping friends have also volunteered to make some cards to show our military troops that we appreciate their service and that we're glad that they're home!

Here is the first card that I made. The image is from Whipper Snapper. There is a female soldier image as well. I thought this image would be perfect to use on one of these cards. I have lots of ideas for other welcome home cards and hope to work on them this weekend!

This card is also being submitted to Paper Sundaes Challenge #59- Stripes.

Stamps: "Hero" (Artistic Outpost)/ soldier (Whipper Snapper)
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!), GP110 White
Patterned Paper: "It's A Guy Thing" (Close To My Heart)
Accessories: Copic Markers, Pop Dots, Buttons (Bo Bunny), natural hemp, glue dots

It's Mardi Gras!

Happy Fat Tuesday! In honor of Mardi Gras, I made this card using the traditional Mardi Gras colors- purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power). The 7 Kids College Fund Challenge Blog is hosting a challenge to create a card or project using these colors and I am submitting this card to their challenge. I thought Butterfly Queen from Bombshell Stamps looks like some of the women during Mardi Gras with the skimpy outfits and the flowing trains and head dresses. I thought the patterned paper's design fit the theme with it's feather-look. What do you think? I will also be submitting this card to The Crafty Pad's Challenge #111 to use RIBBON on your card...and I'm ALL about RIBBON!...Craft Your Passions Challenge #48 and Card Cupids' - both having an Anything Goes challenge this week. Wow...I can't believe one card for 4 challenges!

Stamps: Butterfly Queen by Bombshell Stamps
Cardstock: Concord Crush, YoYo Yellow, Green Galore from Stampin' Up; GP110 white
Patterned Paper:
Accessories: Copic Markers, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, gold stick on beads (Michael's), pop dots, 1" purple grosgrain ribbon (Offray), 3/4" gold grosgrain ribbon (Offray)

A Rainy Day = A Good Stampin Day!

Today was a dark, dreary and very rainy day...the PERFECT day to get into my hideaway and stamp the afternoon away. (My hubby was working on the taxes, so I wanted to stay far away!) :) I've been working on building up my stash of birthday cards. Here's another one that I made today. I will be submitting this to The Crafty Pad's challenge to use RIBBON.

The image is Birthday Ridley by Digital Delights by Looby Loo. He was printed onto GP110 white cardstock and colored using my much-loved Copic Markers. Cardstock used it SU's Concord Crush and Green Galore; the patterned paper is unknown. The birthday sentiment is from Stampin' Up. I attached green stick-on gems to the cupcake for the "sprinkles". I wish MY cupcakes had pretty gems on them! :) The 1" wide purple grosgrain and the 3/4" wide pink satin ribbon are from Offray.

This Ridley image was so much fun that I think I might need to order some other ones!! Check out the cute images from Digital Delights here.

Make sure to come back tomorrow to see what else I made today! Hope to see you then!

Hambo Hoedown # 5/Desert Island Crafts Challenge

Wow, 2 posts in one day! :) It was fun being able to get into my hide-away to stamp today!

Now, it's time for my weekly submission to Hambo Stamps' Hambo Hoedown. This week we received an adorable lion stamp with 2 sentiments to use for the challenge- the challenge is to make a masculine card using the lion image provided and one of the coordinating sentiments, AND also have stripes somewhere in your design. Here's my submission for this week:

The cardstock is from Stampin' Up- Pear Pizzazz and Soft Suede. The patterned paper is Basic Grey's Origins. The image was printed on GP110 white cardstock and colored with Copic Markers. Other accessories used were Nestabilities oval and scalloped oval, the key tag punch, ribbon from Offray, green dew drops and Aleene's Jewel It glue. This was a fun card to make. Head on over to the Hoedown and check out the other submissions.

This card was also sumbitted to Desert Island Crafts Challenge #3. We were to use at least 3 of the following items on our card:

1. Make it Square
2. Inspired by Nature
3. Handmade flower
4. Hand colored image
5. 2 or more patterned papers
6. Pearls
7. Twine
8. No sentiment on the front
9. Distressing
10. Birthday Theme

My card was inspired by nature (it's a lion afterall!), I hand colored my image, and I used 2 different patterned papers. This was my first time participating in their challenge but it won't be the last! What fun!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday to Youuuuuu!

Operation Write Home's Stars and Stripes blog offered some adorable free digi-images recently. This birthday image was one of them. I needed a birthday card for a friend and thought she'd get a kick out of this image.

All cardstock- Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, and Buckaroo Blue- is from Stampin' Up. The patterned paper is from the Good Times pack of designer paper from Close To My Heart. The image was printed onto GP110 white cardstock and colored using Copic Markers. Stick-on pearls were used for her earrings. This is just a fun card and I hope the recipient likes it as much as I do!!

Thanks to Fran S. for offering her cute images to us. If you've never heard of Operation Write Home, check 'em out here.

I'm Queen of the Hoedown!!

Woo Hoo! I was picked as the Queen of the Hambo Hoedown this week! What is the Hambo Hoedown you ask? Well, it's a weekly progressive challenge...if you participate in the challenge, post your creation to the Hambo Hoedown Challenge Blog, email a picture of your creation to Hambo Stamps and then they'll email you a digi-image to use for the following weeks' challenge!! What FUN!!! Go check it out now...Hambo Hoedown. And while you're at it, go check out Hambo's adorable images here. I think you'll love them as much as I do!!

THANK YOU!

I declared February to be Julie's Month in memory of my niece, who we lost to cancer. I pledged to donate $1 per comment left on my blog for the month. Thanks you to, I received 196 comments during that month! I will be making a donation in the amount of $200 to my school's Relay For Life team to benefit the American Cancer Society. Thank you for your support and thank you for your wonderful comments on my creations!!!