Day 3 - Happy Halloween from Riley and Company!

Hi friends! 

 It's Day 3 of the new stamp release from Riley and Company Stamps

and today I'm bringing you some Halloween happiness!

I'm not normally one to create Halloween cards at all,

but this cute, sassy kitty from Riley is just too cute not to add 

into some Halloween fun!

And he even fits into Autumn/Harvest cards as well :)

For the first card, I'm paired two new stamps: Burt on Broom

with one of the new Funny Bones "Too Sexy".

I restamped the bristles of the broom and popping it up with a 3d dot.

and gasp - no buttons on these cards! :)

Next up, I'm using one of the new Funny Bones "fun sized",

paired with Sophie from Wicked, both already available in the shop!

 

 Be sure to stop in and see the rest of the DT's inspirations

using the new hilarious and uplifting stamps ~

all available in the shop!

We'll still be going strong all week bringing you inspirations

using all 53 stamps so stop back in and see what's new each day!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

 

Riley and Company - New Stamp Release, Day 2!

Hi friends!

  Back again with another new release from Riley and Company stamps!

It's that time again .... our Design Team Challenge Time!  
This week our challenge is hosted by Frances.

National Tell a Joke Day was on the 16th July, so for our challenge this week include one the of the Funny Bones Sayings on your card.

Today's card is showcasing one of my favorites in this new release -

 oh how this made me laugh! 
The new "Pumpkin Pie" FunnyBones from Riley and Company 
is paired with Farmers Riley and Sophie (in the shop!)
I created this larger 6" x 4" elongated card to incorporate 
a unique, fun design in Autumnal colors.

  

 

And here's the inside of my card :) 

 
It's Inspiration Week with the Design Team

and all week, the Design Team will be sharing creations they have made 

using the new stamps!

 To recap, there are 42 Funny Bones stamps; 11 Inspiration stamps

 and 4 brand new images for a new character called Burt (the cat!).

The DT will showcasing all 53 new stamps all week from today until Friday,

so I hope you can come back and peek at all the fun-ness and inspiration!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Card entered into:  Crafting for all Seasons - Laughs!

Use Your Stuff Challenge - AG

Riley and Company - New Stamp Release, Day 1!

Hi friends!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! 

 We start school in a week - eeek!

 Still lots to do before school starts again ...

But one thing I am super excited about this week

 is the new stamp release from Riley and Company!

  And even better, there is a new stamp in town!

This week is ...

   Inspiration Week with the Design Team

and all week, the Design Team will be sharing creations they have made 

using the new stamps!

For my first card, I'm using 2 new stamps - one is Smiling Burt,

the newest cutie in the Riley line

and one of the new FunnyBones ...

 I can totally relate to this stamp!  Hee hee!

For my second card, I'm using one of the inspirations stamps

and nestled it into a softer hues of paper and card design

 to let the sentiment be the focal point.

Such a beautiful message ♥

 

 To recap, there are 42 Funny Bones stamps; 11 Inspiration stamps

 and 4 brand new images for a new character called Burt (the cat!).  Even better,  these stamps are available to purchase on the Riley and Company website now!

We'll be showcasing all 53 new stamps all week from today until Friday,

so I hope you can come back and peek at all the fun-ness and inspiration!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

3M's are Hopping By!

 

Good post-vacation morning! 

 

 We just returned home from our week long, water-filled, super fun extravaganza

and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things here at home ...

 more like the hop of things :)

Being that today is the 9th, the 3M's traditionally post our cards

on this day every month with a chosen image from

 the hostess with the mostess of the month ♥

  This month, that's Jeanette!

She sent both Barb and I this fabulous

Art Impressions Hip Hop Girlfriends image + sentiment to create a card

and this is my take.

I own many of these stamp sets and just think they are hilarious

and so 'true to life' -

In fact, I told Jeanette that I wanted to be the one with the pogo stick! :)

 

and a peek at the inside of my card:

Here we are in real life - aren't we purty!

LOL!

 

 

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

 

Riley and Company - Summer Fun!

Hi friends! 

 

It's time for a new Riley and Company challenge,

the cutest little Moose that ever was!

This week, our challenge is ~ Summer Fun!

Our summer has had all kinds of wonderfulness,
but one of our favorite past-times is just being still.
Because of how hot it is here during the day,
the backyard breaths full of life in the coolness of the evenings -
the kids, us, the dogs ...
 all head outdoors to enjoy the beauty of our tropics!
When the kids were little, we build them a wooden play fort,
tree house, slide, bridge, pirate rope, jungle gym, swing set play set.
It's a utopia of wooden bliss :)

It's a beautiful thing to see all 4 kids all lined up on their swings ...
no longer little, but still loving their space ♥

My humble card offering today is using Swinging Riley ~
created with scraps in my bin and using a very old sketch in my files.
The buttons were on my desk and were a nearly perfect match -
You know they had to be on the card :)

Want to Play Along?

If you would like to play along with us of course we would love to have you! 

To play create a card using Riley and Company images.

Once you have created your card/project,

 post to the Riley and Company challenge blog and place a comment with a link to your card/project to this post so we can see what you have created.

 If you upload your card/project to Splitcoast Stampers, please include the keyword Riley1515.   We can't wait to see what you create! 

 

By now, I'm on the road to college!
We're taking off for a few days to get dd to her orientation and registered,
as well as scrambling to get so much accomplished while we're up there.
In the meantime, get our your Riley and Company stamps
and show us your Summer Fun cards!

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly


 

Mystery revealed ~ I love Dogs! ♥

 

 

Happy Weekend! 

 

I'm watching the torrential rain falling outside the kitchen window

and am grateful today is an inside day!

I'm a coffee girl, that's no secret :)

But on rainy days, I love a cup of warm tea, snuggling up with a good book,

or heading to The Cabana to stamp, color, create!

 

 

 

Today is also the day we reveal the *Mystery Image*,

a progressive swap that I am in at SCS.

This swap was originally started by Jeanette,

and all of us take turns being a hostess and sending out an image to

all the participants to build a card around it ...

then return it to the hostess for swapping back out.

 

This month, I was the hostess :)

I sent out this adorable 'in the doghouse' Elyzbells stamp

as it remains one of my very, very favorite in my stamp collection.

I wanted to see what the other ladies

would create with this same image so this one was top pick!

 

This is my take ~ very 'primary colors',

pretty simple as I wanted the sweet pup to be the focal point.

The buttons just jumped out of my bin and onto my card :)

The inside is with another Elzybells coordinating sentiment stamp.

   

                                                       In our family, we love dogs!

My daughter recently had a fundraiser for a dog rescue organization

and I sold off 75% of my SU! stamps to donate to the cause.

As well as some VERY generous purchases through many of my

online stamping friends that were a beautiful blessing + contribution ♥

 

I hope today is a good one for you!
Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

Card entered for consideration:  HIMCR - Lots of Layers!
Polkadoodles - 2 designers papers
Animals Friends - an animal on the card!

It's a Orange and Grape Riley Challenge!

 Happy Summer-a-licious, wonder-licious Day!

It's time for a new Riley and Company Challenge ~
use the colors orange and purple!
 I normally associate those colors with Halloween so I had to
think outside the box with this one.

And it's Shark Week! 
We love shark week in our home
and wait for it each summer to come on.
It's a good week to be a Moose! :)

I used that as my inspiration to create today's card ...
Using Fins Riley and swim the ocean Funnybones,
this is what I came up with!

Since I had both the image and the sentiment on the front,

I left the inside blank with a small decoration to keep it versatile.

 

 

 

Not quite sure what's going on with the editing of the pictures,

crystal clear on the site and then slightly out of focus on my screen

I'll keep working on it!

 

Meanwhile, we'd love for you to play along in the Riley and Company

bi-weekly challenge.

To play create a card using Riley and Company images.
Once you have created your card/project, link to your card/project to the blog  or if you upload your card/project to another site like Flickr or

Splitcoaststampers,  please include the keyword Riley1415.

 

I hope your weekend goes "swimmingly!"

 

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

Card Submission:  Aud Sentiments (Animals & Sentiment)

Creative Knockouts - Summer Fun

You're the cat's meow! ♥

 

 

Hi friends!

  You are absolutely PURR-fect! ♥

 

Today's the 9th of the month,

which means the 3 Musketeers {Barb, Jeanette and I}

will post cards from an image mailed out by the hostess ...

and this month it's me! :)

 

I chose this garden kitty image from Elzybells, 

one of my very, very, VERY favorite stamp companies of all time!

I haven't inked it up in years but it remains one of the treasured

stamps in my collection that will stay with me forever ♥

I cherish my Elzybells stamps so much!
They came all the way from England and I'd stalk my mailman
for weeks after I'd order the stamps ♥

I was heartbroken when Elizabeth (owner/designer of Elzybells)
 closed up shop but I was able to scoop up a many of the wooden stamps

before they were gone forever *smile!*

 

 
 

With my card designing, I start with chosing the papers first,

 then I chose a layout,

then color the image to match the dsp!

 I'm always in awe when I hear

folks say they color their image first,

because for me - I'd spend HOURS in the Cabana if I did that,

looking for papers to match what I'd just colored!

 

The inside of my card is the matching sentiment to this stamp,

and truly, in the garden of life,

friends help us blossom into the beautiful people that we are ♥

 

And, you may have noticed, I missed last month's 3M post :(

I'm in the doghouse for that, I'm sure.

Truth is, I can't find my card anywhere!

I'm not able to recreate as I goofed the other image but as soon as my card is found,

I'll be sure to post it.
Meanwhile, please stop by and see what Barb and Jeanette have made, too!

 

As always, thanks for stopping by!
I hope your day is absolute purr-fection :)

  

Big Hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Card submission:  Aud Sentiments (Animals & Sentiment!)
Time out Challenge:  Nature/Animal

The 3:09 card!

 

Good Morning, friends!  

 

I can't believe it's already July!

And a little trivia for you ...

did you know at 12 pm today, we will be exactly half way through 2015!

Not only does that mean the summer is flying by,

but Christmas is going to be here before you know it!

 

I've been busy in the Cabana making tons of cards,

catching up on some overdue cards and creating the new ones.

This one is a very CAS card,

which if you have been a follower for awhile now,

will know this is so. not. me!

The inspiration, and challenge, for this card came from a friend on SCS.

Her challenge for us was to use the image/papers

and create a card in ....

 

UNDER 30 minutes!

 

The what what??

I literally loved her challenge!

Because it takes me 6 hours to make anything!

 

 

 I looked at the clock in the Cabana, and it read 2:51 ...

seeing the ocean feel of the precolored SU! image,

I reached for my Marina Mist cardstock and the swatches of dsp

and just made them work as a base for the image.

 

ah, you know how much I love my layers!

This wasn't easy, but somehow, I am happy with how it ended up :)

And I was done at 3:09!

I could get used to this :)

 

I'll enter my card into: 
Crafting for all seasons #105 - Cute and Summery

 

As always,

Big Hugs, Bigger Blessings!

~Kelly

 

 

Riley and Company - CAS Summer!

 

 

Happy summer!

I really do love this time of year,

the kiddies all home giving room to spend our summer days

any 'ol way we chose :)

We've been enjoying the fun-ness of nearly every day,

exploring and creating and loving the long, lazy nights!

 

And summer just happens to be the theme this week

at Riley and Company Challenge blog ~

CAS summer, actually.

 

Well ...........

as most of you already know, I love me some layers!

CAS = quite a stretch!

But I manage to keep just the white space around the Balloons Riley

and stamped out Happy To be Alive, and masked off

with good 'ol fashioned scotch tape the last part

as it had the exact message I was looking for :)

I added a small section of scrap dsp to the left, and a small scrap of cardstock - run through the scallop border punch to the right,

and a button to top if off!

 And the inside, of course, left blank for now ~ and it's done!

 

 

We sure hope you can ink up your Riley and Company stamps

and play along!  Once you create your card/project,

you can link it up to the blog ....

Or, if you'd like to use a gallery like Pinterest or SCS,

please use the keyword Riley1315.

 

Thanks for stopping by today ~

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

 

 I'll enter my card for consideration into these challenges:

Bunny Zoes - Furry Friends
Path of Positivity:  Happiness
Vintage Stamping:  Hot Sunny Colors

 

DDD ~ Show Your Patriotism!

 

Hi everyone! 

 I can't believe it's been a whole month since I've last posted! 

 Life has definitely thrown us a curveball in the 'busy department'

and now that it's summer,

I'm hoping to get back into the crafting/blogging groove!

 

Today I'm buzzzzing by with this adorable patriotic bumble bee card!
 It's the 15th of the month, which means the Dueling Darlings post our cards
with a chosen theme by the hostesses.
This month, our hostesses were Barb and Terry and they have chosen a very patriotic theme based on June 14th  ~ Flag Day!
For team Divas, our hostess, Barb, sent us this super festive kit filled with papers, embellishments, + this adorable Bee image from
 Whipper Snapper Designs.

So, here's my card!

And the inside of my card - left blank for now :)

The second part of Barb and Terry's challenge was to share what we personally feel when we see the flag.

For me, it's a strong symbol of the freedom we have been given
thanks to the sacrifice of so many.
My dad and brother both served this country respectively and
that makes me a very proud daughter and sister!
Coming from a military family, I take pride in what our nation stands for
and what the flag represents.
Sadly, dad lost his battle with cancer 10 years ago
 and was buried in a veteran's cemetery. 
His burial flag was presented to me at his ceremony,
and I display it in our front living room ~
where I see it each day as my own family and I
walk past where it's displayed, a symbol of love and remembrance.

Thank you, Barb and Terry, for a fabulous theme to work with this month!
The DDD will be taking a summer hiatus
and we will be back in the Fall rested and energized! :)

Thanks for stopping by today!
I have a lot of cards to catch up on and post so this will be
 a fun and busy week in blogland! ♥

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

I'll enter my card into
:  613 Avenue Create #128:  Colors of the Flag




 

Summertime Fun-time!

 

Today is such an exciting day!

 

First, it's PROM! 

 My second daughter and her date are heading off in a limo in a few hours with 14 of their closest friends for a night of dancing, magic and

memories!  They will be gone for the weekend, staying a condo right on Miami Beach ... literally opening the French doors to a crystal blue pool, surrounded by sand that leads straight to the beach!

I love, LOVE this group of close-knit kids,
most whom have been friends since elementary school. 
My dd's date is her bestie and they are just so much fun together ~ he asked her to prom with her doggie, saying Prom would be "Ruff" without her - cute!
We called it her prom pup-osal! 

She's a vision in her dress and after today's hair, make up, nails and all things girlie, this momma is gonna cry! :*)

 I will try to share some pictures in a few days.
 

Second, it's also the 15th of the month, 

the day that the Dueling Darlings post our cards with a chosen theme.

This month, our hostesses were Carol for Team Divas

and April for Team Dazzlers and their theme:  Summer!

Carol sent us a fun kit with a twist:  Create anything but a card!
She even included with the yummy assortment of papers and ribbons

a darling little kraft box.  And I have an idea for that box (stay tuned!)

 

So I made a recipe card!

 Since I wanted to use the super cute SU! watermelon image and papers Carol sent, I paired it with a sheet in the same package that I happened to have ...

I didn't want to use up all of Carol's papers just yet -
I have plans for those and that box :)
 

 This recipe card will be part of a book I've been making for my oldest daughter

who is studying early childhood education, specializing in behavorial disorders and special education.

As you may know from this post and  others, I've been putting together
a recipe book for my daughter to take with her when she's on her own/married.
I'm also making her little keepsake recipes for sensory play, like this watermelon scented moon sound (it's cloud dough!)
She made this during the Fall with pumpkin scent and it was a HUGE hit
with the Kindergarten class where she works after school ♥
 You can find the recipe here on this site, where I found it originally.

 

Carol's image and her watermelon papers and shimmery ribbon were a perfect reason to get this recipe card printed and ready to add to her book!
Thank you, Carol!
I can't wait for my daughter to see it and hope I did justice to your image/
Summer theme ♥

Be sure to peek at the rest of the Divas creations using the SU! stamps.
I literally can't wait to create with the rest of mine!
And, you can stop in and see what the Dazzlers will create with the Summer theme, too - you can find both teammates in my blog sidebar!

Is it summer yet?! :)

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

Happy Graduation!

As Dr. Seuss would say,

Happy TOOS-day! :)

 

Today there is a new challenge at Riley and Company Stamps

and our hostess this week is me *waving!*

 

Since graduation is quickly approaching for many children,

from Kindergarten on up to colleges,

I thought the it would be a fitting theme.

 

For my card, I used a Funnybones image "You're off to great places!"

and a mish-mash of papers, twine and BUTTONS :)

I can't seem to not make a card with out my babies ~  I mean, buttons :)

 

 

 

We'd love it if you could play along this week!

Ink up your Riley and Company stamps and post here on the blog.

If you'd like to use a card gallery, like SCS, please use the keyword

Riley1015.

 

I'll enter my card into:  craftindesertdivas - Graduation link up

 

Thanks for stopping by!
Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

 

A hop, skip and a jump! :)

 

Happy Weekend!

 

The 3 Musketeers are back again {the 9th of every month!}

with an adorable jump rope girl by Nellie Snellen.

Jeanette was our hostess and sent us this image to work with,

which is a new company for me as I hadn't heard of it before.

I do love how fun and whimsical it is.

 

Tom Stoppard said "If you carry your childhood with you,

you will never become older."

 

Isn't it wonderful when you can spend your day doing something

that brings you back to the 'good ol days' :) 

Growing up mostly in Europe,

 my brother and I spent our childhoods making the world our playground

and that's something I've tried to instill in my children as well.

I'm blessed that we've remained so close and have fun together ~

they know that I'm the first one in whenever there is

 a mud pie to be made, a bike to ride, sidewalk chalk to draw,

underdoggin' the swing to be the absolute highest!

Though somehow the jump ropes always ended up

 being Tarzan ropes in our house :)

 

After looking at the image,

I went in search of my childhood/play

papers and remembered an old mat stack I have had forever ..

it was a perfect match.

The bright colors, the whimsical papers ...

and a simple card design with buttons, of course!

 

I try to create the inside of my cards with the scraps of dsp

I have leftover so this card inside is blank and simple :)

 

You can see what Barb and Jeanette have made with this

same image by stopping by their blogs, too!

 

For all the moms and grandmas and moms at heart,

I sent you blessings and wishes

for a most wonderful, playful, carefree Mother's Day  ♥

 

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

*Flowers for you!*

Goodness gracious, it's a card! :)

 

This is an incredibly busy time for our family

 and I haven't had a chance to make a single thing, sadly.

 Our second daughter wrapping up her Senior year

 and all the trimmings that go with that ... college visits, auditions, dorm, decisions, finals, graduation!

 

And that's just one kid :)

 

 

 Today's card is my sample for my SOTC card group

and the theme with a 'new life' theme - that had me stumped!

  Since flowers were mentioned as a possibility,

 that's the direction I went with my card ...

flowers are always wonderful!

 

Here's the inside:

 

I scooped up the Tiddly Inks freebie for this week -

 isn't it the sweetest!

I colored/paired this one yellow and blue since this will go

 to one of my sisters-in-law

and it's her favorite color combination.

I've got quite a few more Mother's Day cards still to make -

including one for my own mom ♥

 

I'll enter this into the Tiddly Inks challenge this week -

flowers are always sweet to give and receive :)

I also followed an old Deconstructing Jen sketch #150 from the archives

that jumped out at me .... very inspiring!

 

  

Big hugs, Bigger Blessings!
~Kelly

card entered into:  Deep Blue Ocean - Flowers