Ruff Day!

Seriously--today was a sad day in our house--we lost a dear friend that we have had for close to 13 years and it was/is horrible.  Lots of crying and sadness--we did get a big smile when looking at some of our scrapbook pages and pictures of Uppie.  Here is one of my favorite....

This is a old picture but it is such a cute one.  We will miss you Uppie-you were a great pet!  Although we still have a small zoo in our home with other pets the we are sure feeling a void.

Hope you day has been better than mine.
Mary Jo

Try Stampin On Tuesday meets LNS!

And it was a fabulous combination. The Try Stamping on Tuesday sketch....

 

And the LNS challenge this week is to Sparkle and Shine!  And sparkle to your cards how ever you want.  I used rhinestones, glitter and a glitter pen.  

I am having such a hard time with photographing my cards lately--I was thinking it was because of the vanilla card stock but I don't think that is it.  Frustrating.  I think it looks better when you make it larger. Anyway, here are the details of the card:

Stamp:Bells and Boughs

Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Black

Other: markers, rhinestones, large green brad with glue dot and glitter on top--wide grosgrain ribbon, gold sparkle pen (non-SU) on the ribbon.

Hope you are having a great day!

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 247 (TSSC247)

Good Morning!  I hope you you took a moment to click on the links in the last post and congratulate the winners from last week's sketch.  This week's sketch challenge is a fun one so I am sure you will want to play along.  If you have never played before here are the details:

1. New sketch is posted each week on Monday morning--you have a full week to play along and add your DIRECT link to the linky tool at the end of the post.
2. You can turn or flip the sketch in any direction that works for you.
3. You can use whatever products you wish although I will generally use SU only.
4. Top three are picked each week and the winners are invited to add my winning badge to their blogs--there must be at least 5 samples for the week for me to choose a top three.
5. You can play along as many times as you want during the week--get your friends to play too--you can add the code for the linky blog hop on your blog and your readers can play along with you right from your blog!  No need to send them elsewhere--you must add the link to your post while in the HTML mode.
6. Have fun!

So with all of that being said--here is this week's sketch....

And my sample....

I have been pretty obsessed with snowmen this year, particularly this set Snow Much Fun.

Tip:  An easy way to cut little flags like on the bottom of this card is to cut a small slit up the center of the paper to the height you want then cut from the corners to the top of the snip--so easy!

Now it is your turn to play along...be sure to come back and add your DIRECT link to the blog hop below.  If you add the code to your post while in the HTML mode your readers can play along right from your blog! 


Mary Jo

Top Three for sketch 246!

I thought this was a fun sketch... heard from a few you thought it was hard!?  But I am guessing that is a good thing since it gets you to s-t-r-e-t-c-h  yourselves.  I love the samples this week.  Check out the top three below in no particular order--please take a moment to visit their blogs and let them know that you too think they are awesome!

2. Polar Party

3. TrishG

4. Kim S

Winners feel free to add my badge to your blog if you so desire.

 

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div> 

Be right back with the new sketch for the week! 

Mary Jo

A Special Day Today!

Today my great niece is being baptized!  I have not even met her yet, but am excited to see he become one of God's children.  Here is the card I made for her....

I do not have any Stampin Up! stamps for this occasion so I went on a web-search and found this darling digital image at Di's Digital Downloads.  It is such a cute image.  The sentiment is from Crosses of Hope that is a Stamin Up! set.  Going to keep it short and sweet.  I will be back later tonight with my new sketch for the week.  If you have not played along please consider doing so--I think I need one more player to have a top three pick.  Here are the details of the sketch challenge from this week.

Enjoy your Sunday!
Mary Jo

Sahara Sand and Real Red

I hope all of my American friends had a fabulous Thanksgiving.  We had a great day spent with family and a wonderful meal!  So much to be thankful for!

Today I am sharing a nice and simple, easy to mail Christmas card!  I like these two colors together although they are a bit tough to photograph properly.

Stamps: Snow Much Fun, More Merry Messages
Paper: Real Red, Sahara Sand
Ink: Black, Real Red
Other: markers, wide polka dot ribbon and the dots embossing folder, corner rounder.

Happy Friday!
Mary Jo

The colors of Christmas.

Over on Latenightstamper's this week we are focusing on our favorite color combos for Christmas.  the last two days I posed cards with Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeade.  Such fun colors.  But for some reason I am always drawn to blue and white or blue and vanilla cards for the season.  So here is my Midnight Muse and Very Vanilla sample for you.  I just adore this Scentsational Season stamp set.  All of the images are so cute.

Tip:  Stamp the steam on velum so that it is see through and looks more realistic!


Stamps:  Scentsational Seasons, Snow Swirled, retired sentiment
Paper: midnight Muse, Very Vanilla
Ink: Midnight Muse
Other: Scentsational Seasons dies, wide striped ribbon, scrap of ribbon for end of tag, markers, rhinestones, paper piercer

Happy Hump Day!  And Thanksgiving Eve!
Mary Jo

Try Stamping on Tuesday!

Well, thank you, I think I will. Stamp on Tuesday that is... What a fun sketch they have over on the Try Stamping on Tuesday Blog today. You all know I love sketch challenges and I was excited to find this new own. I have seen it once or twice on groups but have not had the time to check it out until today! And so now you can check it out too! And why not join me and play along. Here is there sketch....

 

And here is my card for the challenge....

I had some fun with the ribbon.  Used little pieces of it to make the bottom edge of the focal image and then tied two different pieces together for the bow.  Not so sure I love it--but I do like it, lol.  I used the tree from the Snow Much Fun stamp set.  After stamping the first tree (the front one) I cut out a mask and covered the tree and then stamped two more so they look like they are behind the first one.  I love Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeade together. (I know I already told you that yesterday, but I really do).

Stamps: Snow Much Fun, More Merry Messages

Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla and Be of Good Cheer DP

Ink: Basic Black

Other: markers, ribbon.

Hope you are having a fabulous day!

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 246 (TSSC246)

Good Morning!  I hope you are up to a challenge this week I have a fun one for you.  This week's sketch challenge is a pretty easy one so I am sure you will want to play along.  If you have never played before here are the details:

1. New sketch is posted each week on Monday morning--you have a full week to play along and add your DIRECT link to the linky tool at the end of the post.
2. You can turn or flip the sketch in any direction that works for you.
3. You can use whatever products you wish although I will generally use SU only.
4. Top three are picked each week and the winners are invited to add my winning badge to their blogs--there must be at least 5 samples for the week for me to choose a top three.
5. You can play along as many times as you want during the week--get your friends to play too--you can add the code for the linky blog hop on your blog and your readers can play along with you right from your blog!  No need to send them elsewhere--you must add the link to your post while in the HTML mode.
6. Have fun!

So with all of that being said--here is this week's sketch....

And of course my sample--which I have combined with this week's Latenightstamper's Challenge--use your favorite Christmas Color Combo--this is Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeade along with black and vanilla.

Supply List for my card
Stamps: Watercolor Winter, Greetings of the Season
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla and Candlelight Christmas Speciallity DP
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Black
Other: think black ribbon, pearls, black marker for edging layers, Northern Flurry Embossing Folder

Tip:  The leaves on my flower are just another flower stamped in green and cut to go on each side.

Now it is your turn to play along--please remember to add a DIRECT link to your project and not just a general link to your blog.

Thanks for visiting and playing along!
Mary Jo

Top Three for Sketch 245!

Yippee I am so happy to announce the top three for last week's sketch challenge.  Some great ideas this week ladies.  Don't forget to come on back and see the new sketch right after this post.  Here are my top three picks in no particular order--I would love it if you would take a moment to visit them and leave a comment!

3. Kim S	4. LeAnne
5. Mary Brown

Winners feel free to add my badge to your blog if you so desire.

 

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div> 

Be right back with the new sketch for the week! 

Mary Jo

 

 

 

 

A little bit of this and a little bit of that!

A few different things to post today--I needed a break from the Christmas cards so I played along with the SUDSOL sketch challenge and made a few giftables for the Latenightstamper's challenge.  I finally broke down and purchased this Perfectly Preserved stamp set and I am so glad I did--it is so fun to play with.  I love the Real Red with Pool Party, don't you.

 

Stamps: Perfectly Preserved

Paper: Real Red, Pool Party, Whisper White, DP

Ink: Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party

Other: ribbon, markers, small oval punch, blender pens

 

Next are a few simple giftables.  Nothing too fancy just quick and cute.  The first on is for someone who loves to do  her nails.  I created the little pocket/box to hang off a bottle of nail polish remover and hold some nail stuff.  I was not happy about the fact that I could not find matching files, and such.  Oh well it is the thought that counts right, lol!

 

And finally a candle using a bunch of pre-cut papers that I no longer needed.  They were left over from a class project so I rolled them up and attached them to the outside of a gladd votive holder.  Finished it off with a strip of cardstock and some retired felt snowflakes. 

 

That is it for tonight--I will be back in the morning to post the new sketch for the week so be sure and stop back--Goodnight!
Mary Jo

Back to some Christmas Cards from Classes

It is hard to believe that I have not posted at least two cards a day lately since I have so many made but it still takes time to get them on here.  So I think I WILL share two with you right now.

Both cards above use the tree from Scentsational Seasons and the matching dies. I just love this set!

Card 1 details:

Stamps: Scentsational Seasons--retired sentiment stamp
Paper: Old Olive, Marina Mist, Whisper Wite and Old Olive DP
Ink: Old Olive
Other: word window punch, rhinestones, marker,  apothecary accents dies, dies that match scentsational seasons.

Card 2 details:

Stamps: Scentsational Seasons Chock Full of Cheer
Paper: Garden Green, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler--scrap DP
Ink: Garden Green
Other: ribbon, Petals a Plenty embossing folder, spellbinder dies and the dies that match scentsational seasons.

Snow Swirled Wine Sock

Many times over the holidays or anytime really when I am invited to a friends house I will bring a bottle of wine!  And I often think it would be nice to dress it up a bit but don't want to buy something and generally I am very last minute--grab the bottle and run out the door.  Then today as I was about to run to a friends house for lunch with a few ladies that I bowl with I thought I have to have "something" I can use right here--right now to dress up this bottle just a bit.  And guess what I did--a knee high!  Did you know you can stamp right on them--I did it with a suntan one and a white one.  Would be even better on tights.  But I think it turned out pretty cute considering it cost less that fifty cents and took all of about two minutes!  What do you  think?

How is that for a quick holiday gift!  But you can't do one faster, lol!  I used Midnight Muse and Real Red classic ink pads.  Dried instantly--I did put a piece of cardboard in the middle. 

See ya soon,
Mary Jo

SUOnly take two!

 Clean and simple Christmas Cards are the challenge on SUOnly this week. I am playing along a second time because my card from yesterday is a retired set and I wanted to add a current set.  So here we go again!

I love the look of Black and White and Grey and even though they are not tradition Christmas colors they are very elegant looking.  Don't you agree??

Stamps:  Come to Bethlehem, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Basic Grey, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Other: rhinestone, thin black ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch

Ok, so there you have it, another clean and simple Christmas Card.
Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday--I will be back later with my Latenightstamper's challenge for this week--Christmas giftables!
Mary Jo

SUOnly Challnege 58

Clean and simple Christmas Cards are the challenge on SUOnly this week. I love this one and it certainly fits the clean and simple theory.

This card was so easy--and I think it is just stunning in person.  The colors are Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White.  The bows are just folded ribbon with a button tied around it to keep it all together.   I did have to throw a little bling on there--can't seem to do anything without rhinestones, lol!

I actually just realized that this set is retired.  But it is really a beauty! It is called Sounding Joy

Fast and Elegant--can't beat that for Christmas Cards!

Fast post too--enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by!
Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challlenge 245 (TSSC245)

Happy Veteran's Day to all who it applies to.  I got so caught up in the day that I actually forgot it was Monday and almost forgot to post the sketch challenge.  Unfortunately we only had four entries for the last sketch challenge so there is no Top Three to announce.  Hopefully this week we will have lots of entries. 

Here is this week's sketch....

And my sample--A Blue Christmas...

Isn't this a fun color combo--Thanks Sandi--for the inspiration.  Island Indigo, Midnight Muse and Sahara Sand.  This tree is one of the new single stamp images that are available though Stampin Up!  right now.  I love it.  Kept it really simple then just added some rhinestones to bling it up a bit!

Hope you have time to play along with the sketch challenge this week!  Can't wait to see your samples if you do.  Remember to come on back and link up below on Mr. Linky.

Thank a Veteran today! (or any day)
Mary Jo

Pinterest Inspired

Tough week for blogging--seems we have had two virus around here--one made me sick and one made my computer sick!  Both are feeling much better today.

This week on Latenightstampers we are focusing on projects inspired by Pinterest.  If you are not a member and need to be sent an invite leave me a comment with your e-mail and I will send you one.

Both of the cute little nugget candy holders were posted on there--I did some small changes to both but the basic idea is posted by many in many different places.  I believe the little jar may of originated at
Dawn Olchefske's 's blog but not sure.  Anyway, I plan to make one of these for all the bowlers on my bowling league.

 

They both hold four nugget candies.  Can't decide which to do.  The two tag die one may be just a teensy bit easier but not really sure--any thought???

Hope you have a great long weekend!

Mary Jo

First time able to sign in to my blogger account

ALL WEEK!  What the heck, now I am in and my computer is not playing nice with my camera.  I give up.  Obviously I  am not posting this week's sketch this late, lol!  We will just begin again on Monday with the next sketch--hubby says my computer had a virus and he is almost done fixing it!  Got to love him!!!!!!  Be back soon.