Cake, Candles, Calories!

Hello, friends!

Orange you glad it's Monday?

I know - me either!

But I am glad you stopped by my blog ~

I have a brand new stamp set to show you from The Project Bin.

  

 This super fun birthday stamp set is called Birthday Girl

and it has fun sentiments and such a gorgeous font ♥

My card is bright, bold, vivid ..

with lot of orange :)

The Challenge Your Stash card group, hosted by Jenn,

is to create a card with her favorite color, orange,

and to use a button(s) somewhere on the card.

 

 Here is another sentiment from the set, on the inside ↓

 You can find this stamp set in the shop here.

There's also an inspiration blog where you can see the wonderful

cards from the Design Team each week day.

 

Here's another look at the stamp set and card:

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

 

Celebrating Arbor Day!

 Hi friends!

Today's card is for the final April challenge at the CCEE Stampers

with our hostess, Lynn!

Her challenge for us this week is TREE-mendous!

She writes: Tomorrow is Arbor Day!

 Therefore, I am asking you to let a tree 

  be the star of your CCEE design this week! Pull out your favorite tree stamps and join us in celebrating Arbor Day. 

Here in South Florida, we have the most beautiful tabebuia trees 

that blossom only for a few weeks in the spring.

  They burst with beauty and vibrant colors of pink, lavender and golden yellow!  As I'm driving, I often see the wind rustle through the branches

 and they float down to the streets, similiar to falling snow.

Oh, it is a sight to behold!   

 For my card today, the star-of-the-card tree is from the My Favorite Things stamp set(s) Sending Blessings.

I used my prismacolor markers to color the trunk 

and dotted around the branches with the tip of pinks/peach markers,

 giving it a small dot to represent the tabebuia.

 I colored the Pure Innocence girl and the puppy (from a different MFT stamp set, Birdie Brown's Friends at First Sip)

 The border/hills are from various dies in my stash :)

  There is a matching sentiment to this card, on the inside :)

In addition to stamped trees, remember that Arbor Day is a wonderful way

to see how trees can benefit your community!

We've adopted several fruit trees from our local adopt-a-tree program

and our backyard is flourishing with avacados, mango, lychees

and a hybrid sour orange tree ~

as well as a sea grape and, of course, palm trees!

Be sure to stop in the CCEE Stampers blog and see what the Design Team

has created and link up your cards!

If you chose to use an online gallery, or something other than your blog

use the keyword CCEE1917.

Thanks for stopping by!
Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly 

Bonjour!

 Good morning, friends!

One of the most wonderful cities I've been blessed to visit

in our travels is Paris!

It was on my long Bucket List 

and it has resonated with my soul each trip we've made.

 I fall in love all over again with this enchanting city each time!
 J'aime la France ♥

 

From the architecture to the history,

the art and culture and quaint cafes and restaurants,

there is so much to love.

On our most recent trip, our hotel was off the cobblestone beaten path,

tucked neatly behind the bustling Champs-Élysées busy-ness.

To see all of Paris in a week, we chose the best mode of transportation

 in order not to miss a thing:  our feet!

Only the day trips to Colmar, Palace of Versailles (etc) were by rental car

and, holy bananas, driving through the Arc de Triomphe?!!

life. changing. 

 It was devastating to city the news of the Notre Dame Cathedral

and my heart was on Paris when I created this card.

Rather than see the city as it is,

I wanted to create a softer card remembering how it was ♥

To create my little Paris scene, I used the stamp set 'In Paris'

 from My Favorite Things

and colored them with my Zig Clean color brush markers.

The background was sponged with Ranger Ink Spun Sugar

distress oxide inks 

and the sentiment, also from the In Paris set, was added with Momento

Tuxedo Black ink. 

Oh how this scene evokes wonderful memories :) 

Wishing you a happy day of blessings and 

focusing only on the beautiful things!

  Vivre la vie pleinement ♥

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

I turtley adore you!

Three wonderful years ago  ...
this happened!

While many were getting ready to celebrate Easter,
I was beginning my new Design Team with The Project Bin ♥
I was so lucky to be selected by Denise, owner/creator of TPB stamps!
She's such a kind soul and a beautiful person
and these 3 years have been a wonderful journey.

And it just keeps getting better and better!
Her stamps are so innovative and unique 
and really bring joy to the stamping community.
 That's really something to shellabrate! 

  

Today, I'm sharing a card that I've created with the new stamp set:
Love your shelfie.

It's SOOOOOOOOOOOO cute!! 

I've made a little scene with a lot of different dies
and fussy cut the turtle as he/she's walking through the forest. 

And the inside, where I've carried over a little of the paper 
and used another sentiment in the stamp set.

Here's a peek at the side to see the dimension:

 You can find this adorable stamp set here in the shop
as well as seeing it complete ↓

Thanks for stopping by today
and helping me shellabrate this joyous moment!

And just a quick reminder:  Spencer's Set is $5 this month
(regularly $10) in honor of April = Autism Awareness Month.


Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥
~Kelly

DDD: Out of This World!

 Hello friends!

I'm back with a 2nd post ....

I took a little trip to outer space ~ via paper!

Today is the day that the Dueling Darlings card group

 reveals the cards we make from a card kit!

We are divided into two teams: 

 The Divas (where I'm at) and the Dazzlers. 

There is one theme, 2 different card kits sent to each team, 

and then we show what we've each created!

and the April theme:  Out of This World!

LJ sent The Divas this adorable card kit with a robot, rocket,

planet and a little boy with a rocket.

I chose just to focus on the robot and showcase the equally fun Doodlebug paper.

Terry S is the hostess for The Dazzlers 

and these two really picked a theme that rocket-ed our worlds!

♥

But aside from being Tax day here in the US,

it's also posting day and I wanted to make sure I was on time!

Just like taxes :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly

TPB: April = Autism Awareness!

Hello friends!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Today's post is so very special ~

so special, in fact, I'm spinning! :)

 April is World Autism Month

and today I'm showcasing the super Spencer's Set from The Project Bin.

Denise, owner and creator of Spencer's set,

is so innovative and created a stamp set very unique

to celebrating those familiar with autism ♥

And even more special ....

This stamp set is only $5 throughout this month!

The regular price is $10 so now is the time to scoop it up!

Even better, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to 

the Autism Research Institute.

 Today I've created a spinner card using the wonderful stamp set,

2 pennies, some markers, paper, foam dots and glue!

I started with a blue card base ~

typically the color used for Austism Awareness.

The "Light It Up Blue" campaign shows not only understanding

of autism awareness but acceptance and support!

 From there, I created the slide portion with a die from Mama Elephant,

and stamped/colored and cut with my Scan N Cut the puzzle heart stamp

and stamped the sweet sentiment onto the card stock.

Fun fact! 

The heart die from the In My Heart is the PERFECT die to use

with the heart from Spencer's Set!

Here's a little video of the slider in action!

Click on the → 

Mondays are the day I post to the blog at The Project Bin.

This card and Tamie's terrific card are being showcased today ~

you can take a peek here! 

And here's another look at Spencer's Set:

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

CCEE: National Drop Everything and Read Day!

 Hi friends!

There's a new challenge at the CCEE Stampers blog

and it's one dear to my (bookworm) heart!

Tomorrow is National Drop Everything and Read Day!

Lynn is our hostess for the April challenges

and asked us to create a card which features a favorite book, favorite book character(s), or a reading theme stressing the importance or value of reading.

Ohhhhhh perfect for a bibliophile like me!

 

 For my card, I've used the perfect Our Story from Birdie Brown at

My Favorite Things stamps.

What is SO much more amazing with this adorable stamp set

is that I picked it up in th.e real life brick and mortar MFT store!

It was a DREAM come true trip for me 

and I'm still on Cloud 9 remembering it ♥

To create this card, it took a little bit of creative imagination!

I wanted to go with a wallpaper type look

and thought it would be unique to use my distress inks on designer paper

rather than white cardstock.

I used washi tape to mask as I sponged along and blended with

 Cracked Pistachio, Scattered Straw and Squeezed Lemonade.

I do love the look of it and am THRILLED with how this card turned out :)

The sentiment is stamped onto the kraft cardstock - a match to the 

card base and the inside, which I left purposely uncolored.

You can see what the rest of the CCEE Design Team created 

for National Drop Everything and Read Day here.
  If you'd like to play along in this challenge.

you can link your card at the blog or

 If you post it in an online gallery,

  please include the keyword CCEE1915 in your card description.

Happy day to you

and thank you for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

3M: PURRfect cup of coffee!

 Hi friends

 and happy rainy Tuesday!

Rainy days are perfect for staying in, comfy clothes,

 a cup of something warm and soothing and a book!

At least I have the cup of something warm! :)

I still have drop off and pick up and errands that couldn't wait ..

not so fun!

But what is fun - 

the 9th of every month where the 3M posts a card based on one image!

Our hostess this month is Barb 

and she sent us this adorable coffee Kealy from Whipper Snapper. 

This kitty truly knows the way to my heart ~

show up with a Starbucks! 

♥

I'll try to get a better picture later

when it's brighter and the SUN comes back out to play!

Meanwhile, Barb's card with this image is here

and Jeanette's card is here.

We are the 3M strong,

and, if Barb's calculations are correct, in our 5th year!

I'll be back in a few minutes with another post ~

busy day on the blog!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

COF: Magic Picture Changer!

Hi friends!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

There's a lot of magic in mine ~

as in the Magic Picture Changer from Lawn Fawn!

The Crafters of Faith card group has such a fun challenge this month

from our hostess, Dawn.
Her scripture this month is Romans 8:17-18 ... 

... if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
 to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

She asked us to create a card that reveals the image or sentiment.

A wonderful birthday fairy (that rhymes with my husband!)

included this wonderful die in a birthday present for me 
so I thought it would be fun to use it!

 

This card is just adorable and such a fun twist to the reveal process!

It was definitely a challenge!
There's a learning curve to creating this type of card

and this was my very first attempt

(and you may remember from this post that I get be a little craft-timidated!) 

 but .....

Was it challenging:  Check!

Was it fun?  Oh yes!
Would I create this card again?  Absolutely!

I followed this video from Lawn Fawn on YouTube to create my card.

There are many but I found this one is so precise and fun to watch!

From this to this ~ the magic is revealed if you allow Him to show you ♥

It's truly an Easter day for us ~

we're off to take my new granddaughter to see the Easter Bunny today!

She turned 6 months old yesterday 

and we're hoping she does well ♥

Thanks for stopping by!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

Strawberry festival time!

Hi again!

 Cardmaking, for me,  is a funny thing.

Some days I work forever on a card ...

just. one. card!

And I look back at it and think you have got to be kidding!

And then there are other times an idea pops into my head

 and I crank it out superfly quick,

 faster than my eyeballs can gather all the supplies

 and my hands can get it together!

Today's card is the latter :)

Florida has an AMAZING strawberry festival

  right smack dab in the middle of our state. 

 It's filled with a fair with rides, booths with strawberry goodies of every kind, concerts, a rodeo and petting zoo, a large open air market to shop 

and so much more! 

We haven't gone in years but we have such fond memories 

and would bring back bushels full of strawberries! 

Bunny Love from Altenew is such a sweet spring stamp set

and fun to bring out at Easter time!

I used hues of red white and a pop of blue ~

the red gingham was a nod towards the farmers markets.

 

 I created this card with the Challenge Your Stash card group 

where we were to create a card with a bunny on it.

There so many cute bunnies on this one to chose from!

 

What's your favorite way to have strawberries?

I love them sliced and tossed into my salads,

smothered in chocolate,

even skewered and added quickly to the grill with my summer veggies!

Thanks for your visit today!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

CCEE1914 ~ Read a road map!

Hello, friends!

Our hostess for the CCEE Stampers is the Lynn

 and here's her first challenge of the month:

Tomorrow is National Read a Road Map Day!

 In honor of it, let's create a card which incorporates a map or has a travel theme.

What a fun challenge! 

Thank you, Lynn!

We love to travel, instilled in me as a child as we jetted around the globe

in our military family.

Now, our family tries to get away as often as we can.

I adore old road maps!

I still have many from the AAA days when you could call them and request a city/state

and our series of the Rand McNally road atlases.

Now ... we just pop an address into the GPS or ask Siri ;)

For my card today, I've used a very old stamp set 
called Hanna Stamps: Going Places.
It's perfect with the traveling girl stopping to read her map!
This is a hybrid card - half colored with copics, half with promarkers!

To create the little cityscape scene behind her,
I stamped her/masked it off and then stamped the buildings.
The inside has a sentiment which reads:  Bon Voyage!

Speaking of traveling, I seem to have lost my mojo.
Perhaps it's too many irons in the fire, 
perhaps it my sweet little granddaughter that commands much 
of this Oma's attention :)
So if you happen to see it, please send it back my way!

Be sure to see the rest of the Design Team by stopping at the blog here!

 Thanks for your visit today!
Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥
~Kelly