Year in Review - 2015!

Hi friends!

It's hard to believe in just a few more hours, it will be 2016!

Looking back at my card year in review,

it sure was slim pickins :/

Last year was definitely my least crafty blogging year.

While I did make more cards than I was able to share here,

the rush-around from each day left little time to

photograph/edit/blog them all!

One thing I cherish from last year's review is knowing that my cards posted

are not necessarily the ones I liked the best.

They are not my best card creations.

They are the cards that hugged my heart ♥

This review are the smiles and warm fuzzies 

from groups of friends that I've been crafting with for years!

It's the formulations of new card groups and brand new friends ...

It's playing with images from unheard of companies that were new to me,

it's the inking up of stamps that have been in my collection 

and never seen ink, up until now ....

it's all the wonderful things that bring us to this fabulous crafty world!
 

January

 February 

March

 April 

 

May

June 

July 

August 

September 

October

 November 

December

2015 has seen the closing up my huge craft Cabana

and moving all that I decided to keep to a tiny little corner,

crafting on an even tinier little wooden desk.

But when you love something, you find a way ♥

So from the tiny little space that I call my own, 

I can't imagine what 2016 but I'm sure excited to find out!

Thanks for stopping by and 

have a safe, blessed New Year!

Big hugs, Bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

*Big MOOSE - I mean, NEWS!*

2016 is bringing exciting changes to Riley & Company!

As of January 1st,  "Head Moose" Tanya, owner of Riley & Company, home of the Funny Bones, Inspirations and Riley the Moose stamp lines, will be moving to a new umbrella site called The Ink Spot.

 

But wait! There's more! :)

 The Ink Spot home will also be home the Cornish Heritage Farms 

line of stamps, including the popolar Thomas Kinkade series

. PLUS, a fabulous new addition to the line up will be

the Prickly Pear Rubber Stamps. 

The Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps store will be back up on January 1st

 (and accepting orders), but until then you can check out the Facebook Page (don’t forget to like it!!) and the Blog.

With this change, the Riley & Company blog has been transformed into a terrific comprehensive site that includes samples for all of our lines; Riley & Company, Funny Bones, Inspirations, Cornish Heritage Farms, Thomas Kincade 

and the new Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps. 

It’s still a work in progress, but please go take a look.

Not only will you find tutorials on how to color Riley and how to color 

Thomas Kinkade, you will be able to check out why Prickley Pear is so innovative, find the products that work best with the Inspirations line and learn about digital images too. 

There will be TONS of card samples, challenges, games and more. 

All on one great stamping site!

Also being introduced on The Ink Spot this year is a new Stampers Club kit. 

 This kit will contain 7 stamps (comprised of a combination of Funny Bones, Inspirations and Riley), 4 collector design cards with photos and instructions and an exclusive Tickle My Funny Bones monthly button.

Subscribers will find the Tickle My Funny Bones Stamp Kit automatically ships out on the 15th of every month. You can click this link to sign up. Time is running out to sign up for the very first kit. Note, shipping outside of the USA will have additional shipping fees.

Club Members will be privy to a super secret Facebook page where they can find more designs to make with stamps in the kit. Members can also interact with the Design Team and share ideas with each other.

The Tickle My Funny Bone button that comes with each kit can be used in special random contests to win free product (or perhaps discounts??). The buttons will never be for sale and only Club Members can get them.

Kits are sold by subscription only and a minimum of three months is required. Your credit card or Paypal account will be charged when you sign up and then every 30 days afterward. Customers are responsible for cancelling after three months, if desired (but why would you want to?). Every 12 months of membership, you will receive a FREE special thank you kit.

So, head on over to The Ink Spot and take a look around!. Then, swing by the Card Club site and make sure you’re signed up for the fun.

Here's to an incredible, fun 2016!

~Kelly

Merry Christmas, 2015!

Good Morning, friends!

A few more sleeps and Santa will be here!  :) 

Just a few more batches of cookies to make here and I'll finally be ready.

Today, after a round of dental appointments,

 we are making homemade bird seed ornaments as the kids

wanted to hang them to the trees outside 

for all our feathered friends that visit the yard ♥

I have two words on the top of my holiday wish list:

sleep and relaxing! ♥

If I could just stay still, I'd be a happy mama!

This week's Inspiration Challenge at Riley and Company Stamps

is celebrating Christmas.

I've kept this one simple, coloring Riley with prismacolor markers,

stickles for the star and using up basket scraps for the design.

I have to resnap a picture of the inside of the card

and post it, too! 

Wishing you all a wonderful, warm and blessed Christmas celebration

with your families and friends!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly 

3 Musketeers - Flakey Friends!

Hi friends! 
 Today's card is for the 3 Musketeers monthly post :)

 If you are one of my newer blog readers, 

the 3 Musketeers are Jeanette, Barb and I ...

a group  created by Jeanette 

and I am so gracious that she invited me

to be a part of this monthly image exchange ♥

In short, the 3M is where we take turns sending a random image

to each other, then make a card based on that stamped image,

using whatever cardstock, papers and embellishments we have on hand,

and then post on the 9th of every month. 

This month, Barb was our hostess and ... hmmmm....
 I do wonder why Barb sent us this image ...

Flakey Friends?

Whatcha tryna say, Barb!!

LOL!

Actually, Barb LOVES her some Whipper Snapper stamps!

Her collection is probably bigger than the WS store :)

And, as you can see, I either can't count days or I'm really late!

Truth be told, I got permission from Barb :)

I did text her and tell her my DT card blocked that day 

but my Flakey Friends card was done and I'd post on Sunday.

Thank you, Barb!

Here is my colorful and cheerful take on the Flakey Friends image,

 inside and out. I just absolutely adore this image!

I think this is my favorite holiday card of the year ♥

I adore the snow and miss it terribly.

Being in Miami, we don't even experience the sensation of winter,

let alone have my beloved snow!

So making snow, snowmen and winter cards are among my very faves.

 

I hope Barb and Jeanette like my take on being Flakey Flakey Friends!

Be sure to stop in and see what they've made with this same image,

though Jeanette is super flakey {tee hee!} currently moving 

and will have her card up shortly! 

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

May the *Moose* be with you!

Hee hee! 

Happy almost weekend! 

What a wild week this has been so far,

and an even more hectic weekend we're heading into .......

 but such is life in the busy Santi family :)

Today's card is for this week's Inspiration challenge

at Riley and Company Stamps.

Our challenge this week is brought to us by Frances,

and in her words:

Today is National Brownie Day,

so for our challenge this week include something on your card

that relates to the a Brownie

(this could include: the color brown; chocolate image or sentiment; cupcakes etc)

  How fun is that! 

Brown is one of the most earthy, natural and beautiful colors to work with ...

and based on how fast I fly through a stack of SU! Chocolate Chip,

I should probably order in bulk!  LOL :)

I actually had a completely different card made for this challenge,

which I will save and share at another time.

Reason being ...

I had an inspiration moment at 2 am!

Star Wars is about to hit theaters!

I'm seeing crazy things in the news.

My daughter works at a popular restaurant which isn't far from a movie theater,

and a few days ago, the lines started with people in tents, coolers, etc!

UNREAL!

Hence, the inspiration for my card is Darth Vadermoose!

Isn't he a riot!

And, being a coffee {starbucks!} fanatic,

I just HAD to pair it with this hilarious funnybones "Good or Evil" ~

and the rest of the card is my usual layers, inside décor and some dots ♥

And that's it for this card! :) 

Most of you know I always decorate the inside of my cards as well,

including this one :)

But since the sentiment was on the front as well as the image,

the inside is just matching paper and cardstock ♥ 

 Here's a closer look:

 Be sure to stop in and see what the Riley and Company DT has created

with this inspiration challenge!

Big hugs, Bigger blessings!
~Kelly

I'll share my card over at Inspiration Destinations,

Crafting by Designs, and Crafty Gals Corner!

From T-giving to Christmas!

And it's here ......... holiday season! 

We managed to get through Thanksgiving with wonderful memories,

good food and family and visitors.

Now here we are - Christmas!

Our tree is up, the house is fully decorated inside and out,

and the Christmas baking, wrapping, planning, etc is under full swing.

 

This hilarious birdbrain,

 rushing about dropping things as he goes,

 is literally ME!  

In fact, this card challenge at

From the Heart Stamps closes in about an hour - 

talk about 'last minute rush!'

For the first time ever, I actually completed a card while sitting in a 

school auditorium.  I only got a few odd looks ~ overall, it was a success - LOL!

Following the weekly sketch #129, and flipping it sideways, 

 I quickly put together this card 

using the stamp of the month "Deck the Halls".

I hope to catch up and will be by your blogs very soon :)

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly