Holy Costume, Batman!

Oh boy!  From KISSing to dressing in costume,

 this is shaping up to be an exciting week! =}  Hee hee!

It's actually time for a new challenge at the Riley and Company Stamps

challenge blog - and the hostess this week is ........... ME! =}

Since it's so close to Halloween, 

I thought I'd give this challenge:

 Spook-tacular Greetings!

 Create a card/project using a spooky, haunted, H'ween theme. 

  In addition, please use ORANGE on your card somewhere in the coloring, paper, ink, etc. 

Using the stamp Riley as Batmoose, I colored him with prismacolor markers

and added him to a Halloween styled card full of bats 'n buttons. 

Did you watch the Batman episodes as a child? 

 I know we did!

My brother and I would sit around our old black and white Zenith and try to catch one of the Batman and Robin shows.

Here's a vintage clip from one of the old shows to walk you down memory lane .... Love it!  Just press the red button ... too fun!

Our kids are super excited about being able to Trick or Treat this week.

Where-ever you are, however you celebrate, be safe! 

 I hope you are blessed with extra treats (even the crafty kind!) :)

Be sure to stop in and see the rest of the Riley DT's creations. 

You can find them over on my sidebar.  Of course, I'd be delighted if you join our challenge this week ~ If you add your card to a gallery, please use the keyword Riley2213.

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Entering card into:  Going Grey Scrap Creations: Halloween

Clear it out - Halloween and Orange (old cardstock)

Deep Ocean - Button it up!

RCC 86 - spooled item (twine!)

I was KISSING this weekend! ;)

♥Smooch, Smooch!♥

Indeed there was some kissing going on in my craft room 

this weekend - with my stamps! 

  

I'm blessed to be part of a wonderful group on SCS called

 The Calendar Girls ~

Hi! I'm Miss February! *wink*!

Our hostess for this month, Barb,a most generous +

and beautiful lady, gave us an interesting challenge this month.

We were to go to SCS's Technique Forum and pick a technique with the

 #0 or 1 in it and create based on that technique. 

So I picked #01 - kissing, a basic usage of several inks stamped onto one image at the same time and leaving behind a printed collage of color.

I chose a Fall related image from my stamps (unlike most of my posts,

this one has seen ink before but it's perfect for this time of year!)

I used SU! inks in Close to Cocoa, Daffodil Delight and Really Rust

and I left the image untouched to show the colors of the inks.

To keep the 'rustic' look of the image, I paired it with Fall papers

and matching buttons in Autumn colors.

And since I read - too late - that it could not be a card

{oops!  Sorry, Barb!}, I added the image to a removable

bookmark/tag!  It's held on by just a wee bit of

removable sticky tape to easily mark the pages of a favorite book :)

I used this sketch from Clean+Simple stamping #264 

and I'll enter this into their challenge.

Be sure to stop on over and see what the other Calendar Girls 

created with this wonderful technique challenge.  You can find their

blogs listed in my sidebar :)

Happy Crafting to all of you! 

It was good to be back in the Cabana again ~

I managed to make 3 cards in 1 day! 

Given that my norm is 1 card in 3 weeks, that's pretty good! :)

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

So Thankful :)

Today, we're packing up the family car and heading North  :)

Being in South Florida, pretty much everywhere is "North!"  
We are taking a small vacation to celebrate little man's birthday,
albeit a month late.  Due to work, college and school schedules, we postponed it until a time when we can all be together, 
a moment I'm so thankful for :)

He and I were bike riding through the mangrove trails the other day 
and I was so moved by the wonders all around us - 
the gorgeous day we were having, the sound of the wind rustling in the
trees overhead, the feel of a slight change in the air.
We aren't blessed to have a real "Autumn" here in Miami
so it's nice to feel inspired by what's around us in nature and memories :)

I think I sprinted into the Cabana when we got home just 
to find a stamp set to create the card I envisioned!
I wanted to create a card to mail to a friend for our 
blogging group card swap and got right to work on this one.
I used my 'it's fall about you' stamp set from TAWS.  
I started with a pretty CAS card base and built up a layer
of multi-colored, fall leaves by stamping onto the dsp and layering them together.  I have been drawn to the rich colors this fall, 
like the deep plums and brilliant blues - they are fun to pair up 
with the more obvious colors of Autumn.  
And, I don't get to say it very often, but I'm really tickled 
with how this card came out :)

Wishing you an abundance of beauty this weekend :)
I'm thankful for you!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly



I'll enter this card into:  Creating with Dragonflies #13 - Leaves/Nature/Trees
HouseofGilli - AG/Thanks
OneCrazyStamper: October/Thankful
ReadyTeddyGo - Autumn

Shelly'sImages:  Photo Inspiration

Hang in there!

Hi everyone!

At the start of this new year, 

and as part of my year of Simplicity,

I made a commitment to ink up my SU! stamps that haven't seen ink :)

Like this one!

I absolutely adored this "Hang in there" stamp set,

sadly I bought it and it sat on a shelf :(

Until now .... and it was such fun to create!

I made this card for a special friend,

sent with a lot of love and prayers wrapped in it's making.

I can't wait to ink up the rest of the stamps in this set, too!

My son has been a bit under the weather today

so I'll close for the night ~

wishing you a happy day!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

                   Card entered into:  Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes
Inkspirational: Anything Goes
Sisterhood of crafters  - Anything Goes
Stamping for the Weekend:  Anything Goes

 Card deets:  PTI cardstock, Crate Paper dsp,
SU! "Hang in there" stamp set; kaiser pearls;
Cuttlebug, nesties, colored with prismacolor markers;
scallop die from MFT, gingham ribbon from Joanns;
ttrimmer, 3d dots

2 cards, 1 post = LOTS OF MUMMIES! :)

Hi there! 
I have TWO cards for you today - both the Riley and Company challenge card and the Dueling Darlings card ~ woohoo!
And I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I've last blogged ...

 time sure has a way of getting away from me while I'm busy wearing my "SuperMom" cape!  ♥

I am so grateful this was a long weekend.
I love being a mommy :)

I love being so super involved in my kids activities and schools, 

from planning to doing to being.

But it's just as much fun getting back into the Cabana ~

I have missed my craft room!

First up, Riley and Company has a new challenge this week from
 DT member, Frances ~  Use No Designer paper!

Wow, now that *is* a challenge! 
I inked up one of my very favorite Riley's - Mummy Riley!  
I followed the super cool sketch from Retro Sketches.
Instead of dsp, I used large twill white ribbon and wrapped the card
to emulate the mummy ribbons.  I also used the large dots embossing folder 
to create a panel - I so love with this folder :)

Be sure to link up your "No DSP" cards to the challenge blog
here or if you upload to a gallery, please use the keyword 
Riley2014.  Have fun!

I'm entering this card into Retro Sketches #85.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Next up,  it's the 15th of the month and that means
 the Dueling Darlings are back with another duel!
If you are new to my blog, the DDD group is one that I created 
a couple of years ago with two teams of crafty ladies - 
One group is the Divas and one is the Dazzlers!
I'm a Diva!  
Wait .. that didn't sound right ....... LOL!  ( '-' )
We pick a united theme and send a card kit to the members, each w/out the other team knowing what was sent - it's a big surprise party each month!
This month, our hostess is the Über fabulously sweet JUDY for the Divas and Paola for the Dazzlers!

Judy sent us a huge kit filled with a fun Halloween papers and embellishments.  I chose the mummy image to work with
and added it to the card front ~ and the "boo" to the inside of the card.

And here's my card!

 
and the card inside!

  They also asked us to share our favorite Halloween stories.
I'd have to say what sticks out for me the most was living so many years in Europe, where Halloween isn't celebrated as widely as in the states.
One of the most mortifying, yet hilarious (now!) memories I have is when we lived in a very quaint, small town in Germany and we, the neighborhood American kids, decided to go Trick or Treating. 
 I think the ages were close to 6 through 12 or so, sans parents.
   My brother and I didn't speak the language at the time, and we relied on the older, seasoned kids of the group yet each time we knocked on a door 
and said "Trick or Treat!" we were met with faces of bewilderment and confusion.  At one particular house, a sweet lady stared at us, then her eyes flew open in recognition and said "Oh, I think they are hungry!" and brought us hunks of bread, slices of ham and some apples, LOL!!!
Bless her heart!
Needless to say, that was the last year my brother and I
 did that while living in that quaint little town :)

Please be sure to stop by the other DDD blogs and see what they've created
 this month with their kits!  You can find them in my sidebar!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Card made with:  PTI Canyon Clay, white; SU: Rich Razzleberry;
Image:  Riley and Company Mummy Riley; SU border punch,
Quickcutz Large Polka dots embossing folder; white grosgrain ribbon; orange twine from The Twinery; prismacolor markers, 3D foam dots, Tombo, Trimmer, BG Button.






Card #1 entered into: Retro Sketches
  Parade Your Crafts! - Halloween
The Paper Nest Dolls - Halloween

Card made with:  SU Kiwi Kiss, PTI Orange Zest, Basic Black;
dsp =   Mind's Eye, "Wicked Mechant Malvado", ribbon:  CELEBRATE 
IT HALLOWEEN, Image:  Recollections Mummy, clear dew drops, Tombo, 3d Dots, 

Card #2 entered into:
C is for Challenge - Halloween

Imagination Crafts - Halloween

WOYWW #226 ~ Always Believe :)

Hi there!  I'm super excited to sign on board for another WOYWW round - I had such a good time last week, hopping around the globe, taking a peek at the many places and many work spaces of so many wonderful crafters!

This week, Julia from Stamping Ground, invites us to share our desk and week ... although you do not want to hear about the choatic, busy-ness of my week (gasp! I'm still running and it's near midnight!), I can tell you that it has been full of fun, crafts and pure enjoyment :) 

So while my desk looks a little neater this week, it's only because my Harvest crafting has taken over my entire front living room!  All in fun, all in fun ... :)

And do you see the wee card peeking out from under the paper!  That's one I just made for a special friend :)  Since I know it hasnt' arrived yet, I'm keeping it 'under wraps' until it's safely reached it's new home :)

But I do have a card to share with you from a bit ago!

This week on the Riley and Company Challenge blog, our DT member

Frances challenged us to make a card with the theme: Buttons!

EASY for me!!  That's my very favorite embellishment!!

I absolutely adored how this card came out and wanted to share it

again, as I have a few new blogging friends that might not have seen it :)

This card is made using the Funny Bones sentiment "Always Believe"

which you can find here.  You can link up your cards here on the blog!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Happy crafting!!

Big Hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Crafters of Faith - Anything Goes!

Blessings, friends!  

Thank you all so much for the warm words of encouragement on our little man's tournament ~ such a unique experience from the opening ceremonies to competing.  Although he didn't place , we are so proud that he got up there in the ring to complete with kids twice his size and height - not to mention do his Shim Jun 1st Degree Black Belt form, 81 moves long! 

 He was awarded the Songham Spirit Award which is a beautiful medal to add to his repetoire :)  This was his 3rd TKD tournament and while it doesn't get any easier for me *gulp!*,  I have to stand proud in his accomplishments of being courageous, strong and showing amazing sportsmanship.

 He is my David!

And I won't keep you waiting any longer!  He chose #17 as a random number which means ... congratulations goes to LYNN McAuley on winning the Halloween critters blog candy!!  Please contact me at Kelnkids@aol.com

so I can get your prize out to you!

 Todays' card is for the Crafters of Faith blogging group, a blessed

group of sisters in Christ and crafting!  This month, our hostess Carol is having some computer troubles and taking a bit of a break so I stepped in for her with "Anything Goes" this month - letting the girls chose their own scriptures, image and/or sentiment  ... to surprise us! :)

This is the bible verse I chose to use this month, one that I'm always particularly fond of not just in times of sorrow but in sharing that God's love for us is truly eminent and abundant:

May the God of hope fill you with all the joy an peace as you trust in Him, 

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Roman 15:13

And my card!

I went with the simple approach this time around - using a stamp from

Our Daily Bread's Quote collection, stamped in Bermuda Bay ink to match the cardstock/papers and "spritzed" around the edge with Tattered Angels glimmer mist in Carribbean Blue.  I also added on a bold butterfly using the 

Cottage Cutz Build a Butterfly die.

And the card inside, which I left blank for now.

I'll enter this card into the ODBDSLC172 challenge "Anything Goes" and Sweet Stampin' Challenge "Things with Wings" ~

Please be sure to stop by the rest of the Crafters of Faith

 which you can find in my sidebar :}

Big Hugs, Bigger Blessings!

Kelly

Calendar Girls Emboss + BLOG CANDY! :)

By the time this posts, I'll be Ft. Lauderdale for my son's TaeKwanDo

tournament and nervous as a skeleton, shaking my bones!

Win or lose, we are so proud of his accomplishments and he has worked so hard, while showing amazing sportsmanship and integrity and courage.

So in addition to my card today, I'm giving away

 a little *treat!*  

I'm not into Halloween very much but when I 

saw this adorable stamp set, I had to pick it up for a little giveaway!  

I'll have my son draw a name on Sunday night when we return 

so please just leave a comment below w/ your contact name + I'll post his winner on Monday!  That's it - easy peasy Trick or Treating!! :)

Now what is my card all about ...

The Calendar Girls - a card group on SCS - has a monthly, themed card challenge and this month, our hostess is sweet Terry.

Here theme is this:

SEPTEMBER 2013 CHALLENGE

Miss September: Terry

September is a month full of changes. From the leaves on the trees changing colors, to me changing how old I am.

My challenge to you is to use the attached sketch to create a birthday card. Your card can be for a male or a female but it needs to include one type of embossing....can be dry embossed cardstock or a wet embossed image, your choice!

Have fun with it and create something wonderful! 

Here's the wonderful sketch:

 

And my take:

 {From the side}

{and a peek inside}

I LOVED her chosen sketch - it was fun to work with!

I am continuing forth with my "Use Every Stamp 2013" class and my personal goal to ink up non-used SU! stamps, like this one called "A Howling Good Time."  I had to laugh when I saw this set in my stash and have NO EARTHLY idea why I even bought it or when!  It has sat for years, poor thing.

I think this will end up on the BST board on SCS ;)

And I did attempt the embossing part - it was horrid!

I'm sorry, Terry! I tried! :)  I'll even show you 

AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST, rofl!

Just peek with one eye open, okay? :)

As for the birthday part, my beautiful niece has a bday the day 

before Halloween so I left this pretty spookalicious and fun

as she gets the biggest kick out of all things Halloween and loves 

almost being born on H'ween!

Embossing - *Nailed it!*  Not!

This is clearly a technique I will have to work on w/ black powders ...

it looked beautiful when I tried it in sand, white and gold so I'm not sure what went wrong here but whatever it was, it didn't get onto my card.  

Yikes!  Scary indeed!

But this uber fun stack of H'ween paper is embossed! 

Yay!! *wink!*

Awesome challenge this month, Terry!

Please be sure to stop by and see the rest of the Calendar Girls

which you can find right over there on my sidebar!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

WOYWW 225 ~ Trick or Treat!

I can't believe we are almost in October! 

This is such an incredibly busy time of year for us - with the kids schools full speed ahead, extra curricular activities and the promise of a beautiful Fall filled with Harvest events, we're blessed!

Today I'm jumping in on the wonderfully fun WOYWW event,

hosted by Julia Dunnit over at Stamping Ground.  It's wonderful to see the posts all around the globe and peek at different crafts in progress!  It's hugely embarrassing to have a messy, messy desk but I've been short on time!  Keeping up with the house is a must, my craft room not so much :)

Here's a peek at my current card in progress ~ 

House Mouse "Candy Corn Treats"!  

And the inside of my card ...

And my completed card, heading off next month to my very best friend!

Her birthday happens to land on Halloween - yep, October 31st!

She has never liked her birthday falling on Halloween so I went with a cuter version with these little Trick 'o Treaters.

I love all things Fall, too, so we have only Harvest into our home

 rather than the spookier side ;)

That's a wee trip around my craft desk and card for today!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I'll enter this card into the House Mouse HMFMC154

Challenge "monochromatic"

and the Simon Says Stamp challenge to use a product from their store,

and Die Cuttin Divas ~ colors of Fall

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

It's Craft Central Station! :)

Today, I walked into my own home and did not recognize it ;)

Nope, this is NOT my house. 

During the week, someone clearly took my nice, clean, and organized home and turned it upside down with enough craft supplies and activities to turn it into a store!  From spiders to pumpkins, tempera paint to t-shirts, jars, glue and googly eyes - oh my!

My dh, bless his sweet heart, walks in every day, smiles and shakes his head. 
He's an amazing man, unbelievably patient and good-natured.  He always offers to help, and he means it to the core of his being, but somehow seeing that *deer in the head-lights* look when being handed a jar of Modge-Podge gets me laughing every time!  

I do feel bad for temporarily taking over our formal sitting area.
He did built me an entire craft room {lovingly called The Cabana} but ..............
I need to do inventory!  I'm a visual learner.  I gots to SEE it.  If it's not in front of my own googly eyeballs, it isn't here.  That's just how I roll ;)
And it helps to have samples!  If I see it, I want to make it! :)

So while you might not have seen my traditional cards, I have been busy!  
Very, VERY busy! I have about 6 things going at once, and that's just craft related.

Indeed this was the year of Simplicity.  The year I wanted life to be less chaotic, more christ-centered, more goal oriented towards bringing serenity to my very, VERY busy life.  But I take joy in knowing that while most all of what you see above is for my son's class - at a christian, faith-based private school - it brings me closer to my children, faith-filled other moms.  We start each day, each project, each coffee chat morning with prayer! :)

Here's a peek at my very crafty world ............ I will post all finished projects for you to see as well (+ over on Pinterest, too!)

BOO!! 

 Did I scare you?!  :)

Future monster rocks!

These resting spiders will eventually go in their webs ... stay tuned! 

Mason jars - not just for Sweet Tea anymore! ;)

He is on his way to becoming a Harvest Punkin!!

(I'm SUPER excited about this one!)

My ridiculously messing desk with a plethora of foam paint brushes.

20 - that's TWENTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - of these at Michaels 

for $1!!  They are .5c apiece!  These are heading to the 

school's art teachers after I finished the can decor + tag.

And the classroom t-shirts!!!  YAY!! 

 This is a once a year project for the 'classroom theme'

and it's tedious, a lot of hardwork, sweat and some tears - HA!

But with the support of my besties - MUAH! - 

we'll get together this Monday for coffee, prayer, chatting and finishing what I started here ... we will be at the school where I secured a room for us

 to paint & play!

I'm bringing all 19 shirts - (18 + 1 for teacher), with enough paint for

the fronts and backs, cardboard, etc...

coffee + tea is optional

A Smile and happy attitude is required!!! :) :)

{Even though my daughter, K, doesn't read my blog, a SUPER special thank you for her stopping by the table last night to keep me company, catch up on some mommy/daughter talk and chatting with me while I finished a few of the shirts - Your painting ROCKS!  Love you, kiddo!}

15 more shirts to go! :)

And that's a small glimpse into my crafty little world from this week! 

I feel incredibly blessed, disastrous house and all ;)  This time passes too quickly and I know they will only be small once *sniff, sniff!*  I smile at the remembrance of the girls being little and how much fun we had each and every year, and walking by my son's side now doing it all over again ~ it's bliss :)

Well, I found my broom!  Time to get cleanin' and go tackle my floors while the house is quiet before it gets embellished and turned into decor for my front porch!  *smile!*  I'll enter this post into the Monthly link-up at OAB :)

*Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly