Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Happy March 17th!

Being Irish, named Kelly, AND getting a GREEN Starbucks cup

 in the drive-through today,

all is right in my world! ♥

Another fun thing I got to do today

 is finally get my sweet bird image colored and create a card!

This cutie is from the Progressive Image challenge at 

From the Heart Stamps.

How it works is if you play along in the challenge,

 the next month's image is sent to you at no cost ~ everyone wins!

While I've been buying digital stamps from Faith for a couple of years,

I especially wanted to get back to playing the progressive challenge

to support Faith, owner and illustrator of these adorable digis.

She's currently undergoing chemotherapy as she battles cancer,

and her strength is admirable and courageous ♥

I chose today to post my card because it's St. Patrick's Day!

Lucky little birdie is colored with prismacolor markers AND copics ~

I snuck in a little hybrid coloring.

 A few enamel dots and the accopmanying sentiment,

some paper from my bin and this St. Patrick's Day card was done.

I hope today was a good one for you, too!

Big hugs, bigger blessings ♥

~Kelly

DDD: "Would You Like to Ride in My Beautiful Balloon?"

Hi friends!
Quick post today as I have quite a bit going on at the same time!

It's the 15th of the month 
and that means it's the day the Dueling Darlings post our cards
from the hostesses with a chosen theme!
For March, Laurajean and Darlene have a fun theme!
   

               Our theme for March 2017 is "Would You Like to Ride in My Beautiful Balloon?" 

  

Today's card is made from a card kit sent to me from LJ

and she included these darling papers, embellishments and the hot air balloons,
some already die cut, ready for use!
 

Here's the card I made with LJ's kit:

 I'll be back in a bit to link up the blogs to the Divas and Dazzlers 

playing along in this month's challenge :)

Thank you, Laurajean, for your fabulous card kit ~

I loved creating this card ...

and wonderful theme, LJ and Darlene!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Mondays with The Project Bin ~ Jukebox!

Happy Monday, friends!

 Thank you so much for the sweet words on yesterday's GDT card ♥

I'm super giddy and know this month will be tons of fun!!

Speaking of fun, as you know

 Monday is fun-day on my blog AND

it's Kelly² Monday over at The Project Bin blog :)

Today is even fun-ner because there is a new stamp/die set ...
Introducing Jukebox Birthday!

I love, love, LOOOOOOVE jukeboxes! 

Whenever we are lucky to visit a place that still has one,

I get so nostalgic and put in my change just to hear one of my 'oldies' tunes ♥

This set is a lot of fun as it's interchangeable,

allowing you to use the jukebox, sentiments and decorations

 in a variety of different ways.

For today's card, I put the jukebox stamp in my MISTI and stamped it out.

This stamp set is very inter-changable,

with 7 different name titles, like Pops, Mom, Girlfriend, and even "limited edition!"

 I chose to use the Happy Birthday banner and 'Dude'.

I used the matching die and ran it through my Cuttlebug.

These dies!
For.  real.  though!

They cut crisp and clean the first time through √

The inside is stamped with You Rock,

another sentiment in the Jukebox Birthday stamp set.

This set is just too fun!

 Stay "tuned"....

I'll be making a lot of cards with this fun stamp/die set ;)

If you want to see this one and many of the other stamps/dies,

you can find them here in The Project Bin's store.

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

*Exciting news!* I'm a Guest Designer!

Hi everyone!

I'm super excited to finally share this wonderful bit of news ~

I'm absolutely delighted to have been asked 

to Guest Designer for Dare2B Artsy stamps for the month of March :)

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be showcasing several stamp sets

on various cards and styles ~ like this one today!

I know most of you had a little bit of warmer weather - 

and now this weekend a little more snow!

Even in March, there is snow much fun to be had ♥

One of the stamp sets I chose to work with is Penguin Fun!

For my playful arctic penguin scene,

 I stamped out 2 of the penguins, the sled, and the christmas tree.

The images are stamped in Dare2BArtsy's Premium black ink ...

so crisp and clean!

I use prismacolor markers - which are alcohol based - 

 and look at how wonderful it colored and blended!

While I hand cut these images for today's card,

 this Penguin Fun stamp set does have a matching die set, too.

 I added a few layers of dsp for snow banks and background,

a few enamel dots and propped up the penguins with 3d foam tape.

                              Here is my arctic Penguin Fun card:

 For the inside of my card,

I left the image uncolored and added another sentiment from the set.

A few more enamel dots 

and this penguin's winter fun card is finished :)

To find this stamp set, dies, stamps, inks, and more

please visit Dare 2 B Artsy's store,

as well as the inspiration blog

to see all the super cute cards and ideas ♥

Here's a quick peek at them ↓

Thanks for stopping by today!

I'll have more cards for you to see coming up later this week :)
 
Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

 

Books are the best !!

Good Morning, friends!

Growing up in a military family,

and moving around so much,

books, and my year-older-than-me brother, 

quickly became my best friends :)

As soon as we'd move to a new military base,

I would hop on my little bike and find my way to the library!

Flash forward 40 years, and I still love books!

I love to rummage through bookstores, old bookseller shops

and visit the library at least 2 times in the week ♥

I found a new stamp company recently called Stamp Anniething

and love, love, LOVE their stamps ♥

I literally squealed when my envelope arrived!

For this round of the 3 Musketeers stamping group,

I chose to work with this cutie because ......

wait for it ......

Her name is Kelly - book!

How. perfect. is. that!!!

  

I colored her with my prismacolor markers,

and found a book related sentiment that I had in my stamp drawer ..

I thought it went together nicely!

A few enamel dots and bright papers and 

this card came together effortlessly thanks to cutie Kelly :)

This is also my 9th card in The 30 Day Coloring Challenge.

And what does a friend do when she finds a stamp company she loves?

She stamps with friends, of course!

Both Barb and Jeanette have created equally adorable cards - 

and even bought some stamps, too!

And the best part is they are right here in South Florida with me!

And here we are ...#3Mstrong 

 I hope today you find a chance to do whatever makes you happy,

be it reading, coloring, sharing happiness!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Ill enter this card to:  Cute Card Thursday - Women!

COF: Psalm 40:3

 Hello friends!  

One of the most glorious gifts God has given to us

is to see the sunrise on a new day

and the sunset at the close of one.
I used to tell my children that God's hand was a paintbrush

and that's the masterpiece He is giving us.

Tomorrow, He will start anew ... 

the palette of the world a blank canvas.

It's a wonder to see what is created!

And creating is exactly what we are doing in the Crafters of Faith

group over on Splitcoaststampers!

This month's hostess is Liz and she challenged us to create a card

using Psalm 40:3 as a guide and to use sunrises or sunsets.

Here are Liz's poignant words:

March ~ I've done a little studying last night and I have decided that for March I want to use this scripture from Psalm 40:3 NLT: "He has given me a new song to sing."

God is never boring and is always creative. Just look at the beauty in every sunrise and sunset. Although they apprear in the same direction of east and west everyday, no two are ever exactly alike.

I seldom like to create the same thing twice myself, so I must be God-like with my thinking in that regard. Kalidiscopes have always fascinated me with their intricate patterns, but no matter how many times you look inside, you are not likely to see the same exact colors or patterns every time.
So, although God never changes, His methods do. So don't try to keep God in a box, and allow Him to be creative and do wonderful new things in your life.

Feature a sunrise or sunset on your card and just as different as our cards will be, aren't you just amazed at every new day that God gives us? Be adventuresome with your faith to get out of the box that might seem most comfortable to you and don't let your comfort restrict God's plans for your new song He has for you to sing.
Liz

Living in South Florida, and very close to the ocean,

we have seen our fair share of sunsets and sunrises.
I have such wonderful memories of being at the beach

 with our 3 little girls, romping in the surf and building sandcastles

 (hence, my blog name!)

We always to stay until dusk -

my very favorite time to be at the beach,

 watching the sun setting in the horizon ♥

Fast forward 10 years, and adding a son, who happens to be

absolutely in love with all things shark, reminds us:

"Sunset? Dusk?  That's SHARK feeding time!"

Okay then!

The original memory is what I was channeling with my card! :)

 

I wish I could say I was happy with my card, but I'm not.

I had a vision in my head, and it just didn't translate to mind → card

the way that I had hoped, but that's okay.

I had fun coloring!  

I enjoyed the creative process!

And mostly, I enjoyed remember the 3 little girls who've grown into

such beautiful young women, inside and out ♥ 

I used the stamp set from Stampin' Up "Summer by the Sea". 
When I sold off over 100 of my stamp sets a couple of years ago,

this is one of the ones I kept aside in the 'it's not going!' pile :)

It was one of the lucky 20-ish that stayed with me,

as I love it that. much. 

The sentiment says "Joy is not in things, it is in us."

Amen! 

This is a sunrise picture from my son when he was at a private island

on a Boy Scout trip:

All I can say when I see moments like this ...

Thank you, God ♥   

 

 The Crafters of Faith is open and ongoing!  

If you want to join us, we'd love to have you!

  You can find us on Splitcoaststampers here!

Thanks for stopping by ~

and I hope today you can catch a glimpe of a sunrise or sunset!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Mondays with The Project Bin - Fun is Good!

 Good Morning, friends!

Today is just all around FUN!
It's Monday ~  
and that means it's my The Project Bin posting day ♥

We also had a FUN, wonderful weekend ...
my kids were all in the Florida Keys celebrating.
My husband and son repainted his room this weekend,
taking every single thing out of the room,
priming, taping, shampooed carpet, painting!
We let him have carte blanche and he chose a vibrant 'yacht blue' by Behr.
Such an rich, mature color, which I originally thought was going to be
way too dark for his room but I stayed quiet ...  and it looks marvelous!
He did a great job choosing and he's so proud of his 'new' room :) 
 

  
While my boys painted, and the girls/bf's/friends celebrated, 
I spent a lot of time at my desk and colored ♥   
  
Lots.  and.  lots.  of.  coloring!  
 

This is my 6th card for The Daily Marker coloring challenge,

but as many images I've colored and set aside this weekend, 

it's more like 26 :) 

I have so enjoyed each time Kathy Rac has had her coloring challenges,
this one included.  It's such a great way to color up images and
 make cards or set the colored images aside for when you are ready.

So what did I color here? ↓    

Did you see it yet?

I went old school!

For this super cute "Fun is Good" stamp from TPB,

instead of stamping it out in ink,

I used the MISTI, a Basic Black dual tip Stampin' Write marker

and colored on the stamp!

Took a lot longer than just inking it up *grin!*

But through-out the month of March, I'm coloring!

 

I created this card in honor of March 2nd - 

National Read Across America Day.

All of my years as Room Parenting and school volunteering,

I still adore celebrating Dr. Seuss and his fabulous books!

And yes, FUN is good!

Denise, owner of The Project Bin Stamps,

always has the best sentiments with her stamp sets.

They stamp so crisp and clear ~

you can find this one and many others in the shop!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I have a surprise to share coming up on the blog this week ...

and I'm so excited!

It's been a hard secret to keep ~

 I hope you can stop back in and peek at the news!

See - Mondays are FUN!

Big hugs, bigger blessings!
~Kelly

Faithful Friday ~ Love is kindness ♥

Hi friends!

March is one of my favorite months ~

and not just because it's my birth month! :)

It's the month that one of my favorite challenges happens!

Today's card is my 3rd colored image for The 30 Day Coloring Challenge ~

a challenge I have been doing for awhile now

(I think this one marks my 4th or 5th time - woot!)

You can see my past coloring/cards on IG: @miamikel4

where I love to hang out, too!

The challenge is also a great way to do my favorite part of card making - Coloring!

By the end of the session, I've colored enough images

to complete birthday cards AND Christmas cards 

so it's a wonderful way to get crafty, creative and practical!

 

Today's card is using a SU! image Love is Kindness ~

a stamp set that I wanted for forever.

I fell in love with it after seeing it on Pinterest

and asked around to all my crafty friends if they had it,

but after hearing no at each turn,

 I figured it wasn't meant to be :*(

Well, surprise!

Hold.  the.  fort!

Crafty friends really are the best friends!

Low and behold, my wonderful friend Barb and her amazing demo, Sarah,

found it at a rummage sale at an SU workshop

AND remembered that I had been looking for it!

  I was simply overjoyed ♥

The fact that they remembered I had been looking for it

and thought enough to scoop it up just meant the world to me.

Thank you, Barb!
Your kindness is a measure of how truly beautiful you are,

inside and out ♥

"God loveth a cheerful giver!" ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7
‎

As always, thanks for stopping by!
Big hugs, bigger blessings!

~Kelly